m.j. machon

Dec 8, 1924 – Dec 16, 2007

I wish I would’ve seen her for one last time, but that’s the way things happen on this mortal coil.

She is and forever will be my inspiration for the kind of businessperson I always hope to be. For those that have heard my stories about my grandma, she was the one with the little corner store in Cojutepeque, El Salvador where she sold coffee, fireworks, and cement. It was a very successful business as she always made sure to acquire the best costs, and sell at the best prices.

There was one catch, the profits for the most part were given out as loans to the poor.. loans that she never asked to be repaid, but hoped they’d result in good deeds towards others. Consequently, her store was known to be one of the least shoplifted. Thieves that stole from her were not respected by other criminals, and in a 3rd world country, I’ll let you imagine the fate of such a lowly person that would steal from such a caring lil old lady. Whatever remaining pennies she had went to fund schooling for her “apprentices” who were often poor boys with a spark, and all they lacked were the resources to make something of their lives.

She was a devout woman of God, and a beautiful human being. She was a realist, and understood that things always happen but we should only learn from them without being held back. She never had a carpeted floor, she probably wouldn’t remember the last time she took a hot shower, and the town’s dust was as common in her house as were the occasional stray flies. She would not have lived any other way. I can only hope to live long enough so that I may continue to pass on her story, and inspire others as I’ve long been inspired.

Here’s to selfless business persons around the world, but more importantly here’s to Conchita Machon!

It will be a rebuilding year. In 2007 I will join the ranks of the Dodgers, the Raiders, Jeff Gordon, USC, and the L.A. Kings in figuring out what we can do to make ourselves better in 2008.

There are a lot of things I need to do to fix myself, and I’m not quite sure where to begin, but there will be some changes.

Anyway.. this one will be a short one and end here. Just wanted to put this out there.

yes… madness is right!

Argentina lost against Germany because Argentina didn’t bring it. USA sucked donkey nuts because they didn’t bring it. Mexico (although I don’t care about the country… well, maybe Corona Extra and menudo) fell flat when they had something good going.. they didn’t bring it. Italy didn’t bring it either, nor did France… but luckily for them their competitors brung it less—Czechs for Italy, and Brazil for France.

Spain.. didn’t bring it.

England.. brung it, but didn’t play it enough.. so, didn’t bring it.

Germany.. didn’t bring it.

In my book, Ecuador and Portugal are the only teams this year that brung it. Unfortunately Ecuador lost against a lame group of Anglos. A friend of mine told me that I underestimated Portugal because I had marked them to lose in the Round of 16… I stood very corrected, and now I believe Portugal is the only team worthy of winning the World Cup… Italy is my 2nd favorite.

The joy needs to be spread around.. Portugal is the only team of the remaining 4 to not have previously won a World Cup.

6 out of 17 countries have won the world cup as the host team. That’s a 35% chance of winning the World Cup if you’re the host team.. not bad! But if Germany or France take it, das wird wirklich bohren!!!!

... at my work the other day, and I stood by wondering what this person could be thinking about. He turned to his lady friend and they whispered back and forth. It seemed like they were trying to figure this image out.

It was a static image… no click of a mouse needed.. no plug-ins required. Was it printed? Maybe.. or maybe not.. does it matter?

I inched closer, just to overhear what these two were talking about… the female explained it as somewhat of a commentary on the way lovers interact in the 21st century. Clever girl…

The gentleman accepted that notion as a possibility, but (being a guy) had to squeeze in his own opinion.. he said it was not so much a commentary but perhaps just as simple as an illustration of an act between two lovers. He remarked how women seem to always want to look deeper into things than necessary.

Then all of a sudden, a tall, gray-haired, neatly suited man interfered (although this man was just a figment of my imagination.. but I could so totally picture it happening)... the man interfered by saying that the work was a commentary of the forced isolationism of a man from his spouse as a result of the daily preoccupances with maintaining the stability of a highly coveted institution—marriage. Boy did he hit the nail on the head… almost. You’d kinda picture your typical art snob to comment like that.

The way I’ve always seen it is that the role of the wealthy is to buy and view the art… leave the commentary to the actual artist.

So what was the work really about? Nothing. It didn’t exist.. but if it did, and I made it, then it would probably be an image of a man with his lover.. the expression of his face would be a neutral one. The real story behind it… he enjoys her company, but Argentina is about to win a close one against Germany and the beer isn’t even cold yet.