Enjoying a Simple LIfe and a wake up call about daily conveniences

2023-07-26 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

Back Story

Currently I'm in Mexico City for the night. I'm on my way to my final destination somewhere in Mexico. This is a place I've gone since I was a young kid. This place isn't the glitz and glamour people imagine when going on vacation. I'm going to a small town in rural Mexico. It's big enough to have a local mom and pop stores or business such as food establishments and weekly farmers markets.

There are things to note that give me a sense of why we are so lucky to have good (relatively) infrastructure in the United States such as good plumbing, and safe water to drink, I'm looking forward to going to this vacation to appreciate living a simple life.

I want to preface that these are not complaints but situations I will simply experience and have previously experienced. There's not point trying to be negative since I know what I am going to encounter. I've done this many times.

Things I will experience

Can't drink tap water:

  • I have to buy bottled water such as the five-gallon jugs and bottled water when I am out and about.
  • I can't use my non-disposable water bottle until I get back to the United States.
  • I have to be mindful of what I consume with water; solid or liquid.

Air Conditioning:

  • Don’t get me started. TLDR; non-existent

Electricity:

  • Currently there seems to be no electricity in the city. Apparently, lightning from storms and overloads took out a few transformers in the electrical grid.

Manually Starting Heating Water:

  • Since the gas line infrastructure is non existent where I'm staying, we have to rely on tanks of Liquid Propane (LP) which is limited by the amount of LP in the tank and manually sparking the water heater.

  • Using a portable water heater that you plug into the electricity.

  • Boil the water on the stove which also uses liquid propane.

Cell Phone Service/Internet Access:

  • This is the least of my worries. The tower tends to go out after a storm, when their are electrical blackouts or equipment failures . It's a 21st century nightmare but I can go without it.

Solutions to keep me up beat and safe

  • Read
  • Go enjoy the outdoors and take pictures on my camera.
  • Take advantage of being disconnected from the online world. I always forget to enjoy life as much as I should with a phone. I will simply have an expensive paper weight.
  • Learn to enjoy a cold shower
  • Learn to prepare ahead of time.
  • Learn to work with what I got!

Many people dread the idea to living like this for two weeks. People do this on the daily ! I know this will humble me and learn to appreciate the things I take for granted when I am back home. For now expect me to be disconnected most of the time and live in the moment.

I would love to talk more about my experience!

Off to catch a flight in the morning!

I'll post again during the next two weeks or after the two weeks!

A well deserve detachment of the US Food diet

2023-07-24 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I've noticed that my diet hasn't been the best in the last few weeks. I've been eating out a bit more than I would like. I hate to say but I've been busy building new things on the web, work projects, and life overall. I'm taking a well deserved holiday soon to a place special to me in Mexico. I've been thinking how I need to cleanse and detach myself from the US food culture. I want to stay away as far from chemicals and additives. Don't get me wrong these are found in all countries, especially in processed foods.

I'm excited to get some homemade food in Mexico. I'm excited for fresh ingredients from the farms and gardens in the village I am staying in. I feel that it's hard to know where your food is coming from when in the United States.

The goal is not to eat at any US-based chain fast food places or hamburgers, pizza - you know the common fast food culprits? This should be relatively easy because those are far away from the village I am staying in. Fast food has infiltrated even the most remote places. I want to indulge in so many authentic foods I don't get the chance to eat except when I am in Mexico. This is a change to reconnect with my roots, reform past relationships and find parts of me that United States culture has suppressed. Food is a good way to reconnect with lost parts of me. I will attach to good things and detach from bad things. At least for a while.

I'm Starting a Newsletter

2023-07-21 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

I'm sharing some news today. Well, I'm going to be sharing updates today and in the future! I'm starting a newsletter. I will be sending it out bi-monthly. I will be sending updates on my site and things happening in my world. I'm hoping for it to be a pretty straight forward newsletter. Things I will share:

  • Blog
  • My New Podcast (More details soon!)
  • Photography
  • IndieWeb
  • Software/Technology
  • Random thoughts!
  • Interesting articles I read.

If you have any suggestions or want to share your experiences on building a newsletter. If you have any, "I wish I knew when starting a newsletter" links or stories, please send them my way.

Want to add yourself to the list? Subscribe below!

Sign up for my newsletter

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My Hobby: Photography

2023-07-21 by Pablo Morales

This post was written in en

My Hobby: Photography

A photo of surfer dudes on the beach.

I remember when I was 10 years old and I got a Sony Cyber-shot point and shoot camera. I have always had an interest in taking pictures. I am one of those millennials who had a flip phone. For those who didn't have to live through this, flip phones did not have good cameras what's so ever. Phones were not all-in-one like today. So I had to bring my camera with me everywhere in my pocket or on my wrist all the time to get a good shot.

Photography has been a hobby of mine for a while. I've done it on and off throughout the years. It is a good outlet for me. It started with a point and shoot and eventually, I got nicer DSLR camera. I recently in the last two or three. years started with analog photography. Both, film photography and analog format videos. It's been fun crossing over different mediums. Photography makes me happy. I do my best to capture the moment and keep that moment alive. It is a capture of a moment of time. It's mind-blowing we can literally capture a moment and stare at it forever.

It is so much more meaningful to take it on a real camera, even if it is a simple point in shoot. It's a very intimate moment between what your capturing, the camera and most importantly - the person taking the shot.

I know I'm no where being any good. I just enjoy doing this hobby. I really got to meet some cool people in the photography world. I feel proud as a teacher to have inspired one of my students to really get himself to do more photography. He has amazing shots by one-thousands times.

There are so many moments I captures that I will forever cherish. Many moments I won't show the world but maybe some day I will. Who knows? Some things are better left not reaching light.

Below are just some of my photos. If you want to see what I have posted, go to my photography section of my site!

Me in 2010

Flying

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Location:
In an AIrplane
Activity:
Taking a selfie with my Sony Cyber-shot

Mexico

The first time I took my Sony Cyber-shoot internationally was summer of 2010 heading to Oaxaca, Mexico. I was so excited to take some great shots with a simple point and shoot. It was very memorable trip. I got to photograph my grandparents for the first time and document my trips to Mexico for the first time. So many colors everywhere. ¡Como me encanta! Everytime, I look at these photos, it triggers all the smells, sounds, and conversations. It makes me feel at home.

Flying

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Location:
Flying over the Gulf of Mexico
Destination:
Oaxaca, Mexico

BP Oil Spill 2010

This was also the year of the infamous BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. I was able to get a few photos from the airplane. I remember telling my mom, "It makes me so sad humans are the cause of all disasters to nature." I remember clearly tearing up.

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Location:
Flying over the Gulf of Mexico
Destination:
Oaxaca, Mexico

Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Such a beautiful beach town.

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Location:
Playa Angelito, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
Activity:
On a boat