to all my batos vagos out there... somewhere...sigh.

thought one:
i am living in the first generation in modern history NOT expected to outlive their parents.

thought two:
"Each day, about 74 people receive an organ transplant. However, 18 people die each day waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs. "
http://www.organdonor.gov/

thought three:

"[A study on contemporary Chicano gangs notes] the lack of real role models for Chicano youth and how the figure of the pachuco fills the gap by offering a role model and a sense of rebellion against society, an opportunity to gain respect even if negative." -from Pachucos and the Taxicab Brigade essay by Burciaga

thought four: continuing the theme...
"Cholos are cultural descendants of the pachucos. A cholo is defined as a mestizo of Indian and European blood, in most Spanish dictionaries. A secondary definition is tinged with old world bigotry as it defines a cholo as a "civilized Indian." The term came to this country through the many Peruvians who arrived here during the California Gold Rush. It was used to describe Indians living along the Peruvian Coast. In California the Peruvians called poor mestizos cholos.

Closely related to teh word cholo is the term bato [also spelled vato]. Pancho Villa's revolutionary army was made of batos vagos, vagrant friends. Batos vagos has further evolved into the calo slang as batos locos, crazy dudes. The slang, called calo but better known as Spanglish or Mex-Tex, has been utilized by the pachuco and the cholo both. Calo was originally zincalo the idiom of Spanish gypsies."

Can you believe there is actually people who are "pachucologists"? wouldn't that look great beside my name on a business card...

"What is kali-ful about this?!" one might ask. well, nothing, though the norman rockwell one is dreadfully tongue-in-cheek. but look, they are attempts to romanticize, to "beautify" an ugly, ugly world. it's sad, it's not beautiful... it's just horrible.