.micah.escamilla.

currently sitting at LAX, awaiting a plane which will take me to mexico city and lastly, buenos aires. i’ll be there for three weeks! one week to work with a friend’s NGO while the rest of the time will be spent loving on family/friends and hopefully a little networking. can’t wait!!!!!!!!!

i can’t believe it has been almost a year since i’ve visited this place. i absolutely LOVE it.
great way to escape the 95degree heat…

and this time, elizabeth joined me!

something out of a mark twain novel, no?

seriously, people…pick up after yourselves!

next time, i think a full day picnic is in order!

i first heard of blu two years ago when i saw his MUTO piece. i instantly fell in love.

well, a few days ago he posted a new video of his latest work. just incredible…

BIG BANG BIG BOOM – the new wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

this is not okay…

yesterday was my thirty-first birthday.
i awoke at four in the morning in order to reach huntington beach early enough to watch the sun come out and play. it didn’t take long to realize i may have been a little early considering the cloudy, overcast weather took until noon to clear up.

the ocean is, by far, my favourite portion of earth. and cereal is, by far, one of my favourite food groups. so i decided to put the two together and ate an unhealthy breakfast on the shore. happy birthday to me.

after a few hours of quiet time some friends came to play in the water, crash their kite into me, strum the guitar, and stay late to make smores next to the bonfire.

my cup overflows…

on monday, an assignment allowed me another chance to practice my spanish. i am getting much more confident in speaking and engaging with the latino community that i so adore. my spanish is slightly better than the last related post, but i still have much to learn. better get to it – i leave for argentina in 20 days!

you can read more about this particular story here.

Luz Helena Vargas, 56, of San Bernardino holds a sign in support of La Obra de San Martin during a protest outside the Central City Lutheran Mission building in San Bernardino on Monday, June 28, 2010. La Obra was protesting what they are calling an unfair eviction from the CCLM building, where they have been meeting since 1996. Over 100 protesters gathered outside of the building holding signs and singing songs while a town hall meeting discussing the eviction took place inside.

Alejandro Hernandez, 9, left, and Mark Rojas, 5, both of San Bernardino, play soccer outside of Central City Lutheran Mission building while their mothers took part in the protest.

Karla Nava, 14, of San Bernardino signs a petition in support of La Obra de San Martin during the protest.

Members of La Obra de San Martin sing “Yo Tengo Fe” (I Have Faith) during the protest.

Alex Avila of La Obra de San Martin speaks to the congregation.

Jose Aguilar Hernandez, 54, of San Bernardino holds a sign in support of La Obra de San Martin.

on some days, my job takes me to some pretty cool places. this past thursday was one of those days.

the fontana police department had scheduled an early-morning weapons meltdown at a local steel factory. unfortunately i didn’t get the memo that the event was rescheduled to 30 minutes earlier (ergo, i missed seeing/photographing the pile of 200+ seized guns, some of which i’ve been told can be quite extravagantly built/modified), but i still got to witness something pretty cool.

after the initial melting of the weapons, i was taken downstairs and inside the factory where the liquid steel was poured into a huge ladel. after the ladel process, the steel is eventually cooled, shaped, transported and formed into the many pieces of rebar that make up our driveways and freeways. a pretty interesting concept, i thought.

every once in a while i get to stop, take a breath, look around at my surroundings and think to myself, “am i seriously here right now?!”

best.job.ever.

and this is just the beginning.

via whats the jackanory?

i don’t think i would ever have the emotional sanity/capability to do what these men do – soldiers or filmmakers – but i definitely think this will be worth watching.