love
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“Fear Ages Faster”
To me, being a kid at heart means removing the seriousness we attach to age. I’m not saying “age is just a number.” What I mean is — look at the number, and ask: Do I want to spend my best years being afraid to live, only to realize later I no longer have the… Continue reading
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You Don’t Have to Wait for the Storm
Follow me on X: @punisherpapi · IG: @punisherpapi 📓 Sunday, October 19, 2025 — 4:39 p.m. El Mercadito, East L.A. There’s a woman who always buys from me. She’s in her forties — kind eyes, warm smile, a little tired. Her mother usually runs a stall here at El Mercadito, but she’s in Mexico right now, getting treatment.… Continue reading
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“Where God Meets Earth”
What is your favorite form of physical exercise? Running at the beach. Day or night, it doesn’t matter — just me, the sand, and the sound of the ocean breathing. The cool breeze hits different when you’re alone out there. Wet sand, dry sand — it doesn’t matter. You feel every step, grounded and free… Continue reading
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“The Woman Who Never Missed Work”
Describe a family member. My mother stands five feet tall — though she’ll tell you otherwise. Back in her younger days, she’d rock her heels and claim 5’4”, proud and playful about it. She crossed the border in 1979 at nineteen years old, chasing a better life with nothing but grit and faith. Two kids… Continue reading
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“Lessons I’d Trade a Wish For.”
You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for? If I had three magic wishes, they wouldn’t be about money, fame, or power. They’d be about time, understanding, and heart. Wish One: I’d spend one more full day with my grandmother Consuelo — just me and her. When I was nine, we watched… Continue reading
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‘Art in Motion.”
What is your favorite form of physical exercise? My favorite form of exercise has always been hitting the punching bag. Most people think it’s a way to let out anger or frustration — a release valve for the chaos inside. But for me, it’s not about that. It’s about rhythm. It’s about being in tune… Continue reading
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“A Dollar Less, a Lesson More”
Follow me on X: @punisherpapi · IG: @punisherpapi I’m sitting here, a bit worn out from today’s running around — trying to make sales. Now I sit typing away, listening to Rocío Dúrcal’s Amor Eterno. Sometimes I stop and think, what am I doing? This morning, at 8 a.m., I was loading my van to head out —… Continue reading
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“The Boy at KFC”
What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to? Last night, I talked to my brother about his life growing up in Tijuana — sleeping on a concrete floor with just a pillow and a blanket. Selling clothes and shoes on the street. Getting robbed. Tires slashed. Bullied in school.… Continue reading
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“The Risk of Looking Stupid.”
What are you most proud of in your life? I think the biggest risk I still struggle to take is the risk of being stupid — of doing something wrong, awkward, or embarrassing, and letting it exist anyway. For most of my life, I wanted to do things right. To look like I had it… Continue reading
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“September 11, 2001”
What major historical events do you remember? Back in 2001, I was working as an usher at Dodger Stadium. One morning, I took a quick nap — just a few minutes to rest my eyes — and when I woke up, the world was changing on the TV in front of me. I saw a… Continue reading