Latest / onefjef / The Band-Aid Is in the Garbage

Transcript

The Band-Aid Is in the Garbage · onefjef

0:00
Welcome to the show of one man!
0:05
onefjef! onefjef!
0:07
He packed up Columbus and ran,
0:09
ran, ran.
0:10
He doesn't speak Spanish, he's
0:11
trying his best.
0:13
onefjef! onefjef!
0:15
Episode 40!
0:18
Forget all the rest!
0:20
onefjef! onefjef!
0:22
Esto es Onefjef!
0:24
onefjef! onefjef!
0:26
One call us or raro!
0:28
onefjef! onefjef!
0:29
One call us or raro!
0:30
From Columbus Ohio!
0:31
onefjef! onefjef!
0:33
onefjef!
0:35
Now in Mexico!
0:37
Episode 40! onefjef! Andale!
0:42
Este es el episodio cuarenta de
0:45
Onefjef.
0:47
40 days of rain, 40 thieves, 40
0:49
weeks to grow a human being
0:50
from scratch.
0:51
Somewhere between the Bible and
0:52
the womb, cultures kept landing
0:53
on the same number.
0:55
Arabic and Persian traditions,
0:56
marking 40 as the threshold of
0:58
transformation.
0:59
The moment a life truly begins.
1:01
Hola, me de amigos. Estoy en la
1:03
ciudad de México.
1:05
It's Wednesday morning and I'm
1:06
sitting here in my apartment in
1:08
Roma Sur.
1:10
I did it. How about that? How
1:13
about that?
1:14
Feels somewhat surreal to
1:16
actually be here in Mexico City
1:19
. Living.
1:21
And the fact that this all
1:23
happened in about two months
1:25
and change.
1:27
From buying my plane ticket on
1:28
December 30th to actually
1:30
moving here last Sunday.
1:32
Two months and change.
1:34
And I think if you're going to
1:35
do a move like this, it should
1:37
be fast.
1:38
The less time you have to
1:39
really like think or process
1:41
what it is you're doing, the
1:44
easier it is to minimize the
1:46
possibility of reconsideration
1:49
or doubt.
1:50
Once you've made the decision,
1:51
you just have to act. You just
1:53
gotta go. Right?
1:54
You need to rip that band-aid
1:55
right off.
1:56
Because if you start peeling it
1:57
off slowly, it's gonna hurt
1:59
more and you might just decide
2:00
to leave it on until eventually
2:02
it falls off in the shower or
2:04
something.
2:05
And then it might clog the
2:06
drain and you have to call a plumber
2:07
and plumbers are expensive
2:08
.
2:09
And you'll have to wait for the
2:10
plumber to show up.
2:12
And by the time he gets there,
2:13
you may have already decided
2:15
not to go.
2:16
Anyway, I did it.
2:20
And I'm fucking proud of myself
2:21
.
2:22
Because this was not easy.
2:24
And I realized that I'm only
2:25
about three days into this.
2:28
But it feels right so far.
2:30
There's a lot of challenges to
2:32
come.
2:33
A lot of things I still have to
2:34
do.
2:35
I need to find a job.
2:36
I need to learn Spanish.
2:37
I need to learn to live without
2:38
a dishwasher again.
2:40
And so forth.
2:42
But the hardest part is behind
2:44
me.
2:45
The band-aid is in the garbage.
2:48
And now, it's time for me to
2:50
begin this new life.
2:54
onefjef voicemail.
2:57
onefjef voicemail.
2:58
onefjef.
3:01
Voicemail.
3:03
Yes, yet another message was
3:05
left on the onefjef voicemail line
3:07
.
3:08
And the onefjef voicemail line is
3:10
feeling good about it.
3:12
This is Kirsten.
3:14
I'm a friend of the pod.
3:16
I wanted to call with maybe
3:17
like one question and then an
3:19
idea for the podcast.
3:21
Not that you were asking for
3:22
ideas.
3:23
But anyway.
3:24
But my question is, I just
3:25
listened to your most recent
3:26
episode.
3:27
And I really enjoyed the piano
3:28
music.
3:29
And I was wondering if that was
3:31
something you composed.
3:33
That was your music.
3:34
Or if you could share a little
3:35
bit about it.
3:36
And actually now I'm realizing
3:37
if this information is
3:38
somewhere in like the podcast
3:39
notes or something.
3:41
I didn't check there.
3:42
I just listened to it while I
3:43
was driving.
3:44
But anyway, I enjoyed the
3:45
episode.
3:46
All the music you hear on this
3:47
podcast.
3:48
All the music you have heard on
3:49
this podcast.
3:50
Aside from the ridiculous AI
3:52
generated stuff.
3:54
Was made by me.
3:55
Some of it like the outro music
3:57
was made specifically for the
3:59
podcast.
4:00
And other stuff like the bits
4:02
of piano I used in the last
4:04
episode were recorded years ago
4:06
.
4:07
And they were just waiting for
4:08
an opportunity to shine.
4:10
So, yes.
4:12
Thank you for noticing and
4:13
enjoying and leaving a voicemail
4:15
about it.
4:16
Because sometimes I wonder if
4:17
anyone actually does notice
4:19
these things.
4:20
So it's wonderful to hear that
4:21
someone does.
4:23
My idea for the podcast was
4:24
inspired maybe by Colleen's
4:26
question about your feelings
4:28
about being an expat.
4:30
And just thinking how a lot of
4:31
Americans right now might be
4:33
exploring the idea of becoming
4:34
an expat somewhere in the world
4:36
.
4:37
So that could be, you know,
4:38
kind of a cool angle for your
4:40
podcast.
4:41
Maybe you focus on interviewing
4:42
expats that you need in New
4:44
York City.
4:45
Excuse me, in Mexico City.
4:47
And about their experiences
4:48
leaving the United States.
4:51
It could be a moment in time
4:52
for that to be super relevant.
4:54
I'm on it.
4:55
I was actually at a gathering
4:56
last night.
4:57
And four out of the five of us
4:58
were not only expats, but we
5:00
were also from Columbus, Ohio.
5:02
Strange to have just left a
5:04
place only to have that place
5:06
find you.
5:08
But yes, I do plan to interview
5:10
both expats and locals here.
5:13
And while my main reason for
5:14
moving here was not about
5:16
politics, I imagine it was the
5:18
main reason for a lot of the
5:19
expats here.
5:21
Particularly the American ones.
5:23
And it'll be interesting to
5:24
hear about that.
5:26
Thanks again for the message.
5:28
If you yourself would like to
5:29
leave a message with a question
5:31
, a comment, a concern, a knock-
5:33
knock joke, whatever.
5:35
Just call 1-669-241-5882.
5:40
That's 1-669-241-5882.
5:45
I will play your messages on
5:46
the podcast.
5:48
And both of us will be full of
5:49
joy.
5:50
Speaking of joy, I will be
5:51
uploading some exclusive
5:53
content to the Patreon page
5:55
soon after I release this
5:57
episode.
5:58
A video tour of my apartment.
6:00
Some photos of the neighborhood
6:02
.
6:03
Some photos of my going away
6:04
party.
6:05
And more.
6:06
So, if you are not a Patreon
6:07
subscriber and you'd like a
6:09
visual glimpse into my life,
6:11
just go to patreon.com/onefjef
6:14
and sign up for as little as $5
6:16
a month.
6:17
You can help support the
6:18
podcast and get access to all
6:20
the extra content I've already
6:21
put on there.
6:23
And all the extra content to
6:24
come.
6:25
From Mexico.
6:26
Patreon.com/onefjef.
6:29
Muchas gracias.
6:30
Y gracias por escuchar.
6:33
Gracias por estar aquí.
6:36
Aquí estoy yo.
6:38
La semana pasada.
6:40
En la casa de mi mamá.
6:42
En Ohio.
6:43
Me budo a Mexico mañana.
6:48
I am moving to Mexico tomorrow
6:51
.
6:52
Uy, how about that? onefef
6:54
How about that?
6:56
After all of the buildup.
7:03
Almost a year I would say.
7:06
I mean, I feel like this whole
7:07
podcast has been leading in
7:09
some bizarre way to this move
7:11
tomorrow.
7:12
But now, here we are.
7:15
There's no turning back.
7:16
I am almost packed.
7:18
Unfortunately my flight isn't
7:19
until 1:30, but I'm doing it.
7:22
I feel like I've been packing
7:24
and unpacking non-stop for
7:26
about the last two or three
7:28
weeks.
7:29
And I'll be honest, it's
7:30
getting real old.
7:31
Like, it was old a week ago.
7:33
And now it's just like, are
7:34
you kidding me with this?
7:36
And still it's the
7:37
disappointment as to how much
7:38
stuff I have.
7:40
Because it's ludicrous.
7:43
I think when I come home for
7:45
America's 250th birthday,
7:48
bitches, in about three and a
7:51
half months, I may just go
7:53
through my stuff again and
7:55
discard a lot of stuff.
7:58
Because this is not how it
7:59
should be.
8:02
This is not how I intended.
8:03
I cannot wait to not be
8:04
surrounded by my stuff.
8:06
I cannot wait.
8:07
It's like they should put a
8:08
warning when they start to inst
8:10
ill consumerism as you as a
8:12
child.
8:13
They should put a warning
8:14
saying, warning, consumerism
8:17
causes you to have too much
8:19
stuff.
8:20
Or that there should be a
8:21
public service announcements
8:24
for the dangers of having too
8:26
much stuff.
8:29
Because the stuff, we're not
8:30
using most of the stuff.
8:32
Most of the stuff is sitting
8:33
on shelves in closets.
8:35
Because I know it's not just
8:36
me.
8:37
People buy stuff.
8:38
Oh, I bought that.
8:39
You know, look in your drawer
8:41
of your kitchen.
8:43
Tell me how many of those
8:44
things that you've used in the
8:46
last month.
8:47
No, you haven't.
8:49
No, you haven't.
8:50
That's not true.
8:51
You didn't make soup.
8:52
You didn't use the soup ladle
8:53
.
8:53
You didn't use that.
8:54
I'm telling you, you didn't.
8:55
Look in your closet.
8:57
How many of those clothes have
8:57
you worn in the past month or
8:57
two?
8:58
In the past year even.
9:00
Like I said in the last
9:00
podcast.
9:01
I have pairs of pants I don't
9:03
even remember having.
9:05
If there's any symbol of
9:06
consumerist nightmare, it's
9:09
having clothes that we don't
9:10
even know that we have.
9:13
People are struggling to put
9:15
together like a few sticks or
9:17
whatever in a burlap sack to
9:19
have something to cover them in
9:21
some countries.
9:23
And here in America, I'm
9:24
forgetting about the clothes
9:26
that I even have.
9:28
Quite a dichotomy we have in
9:29
this world.
9:32
I was thinking today about how
9:34
, when I was in Mexico, about a
9:36
year ago actually, exactly a
9:38
year ago, it started to occur
9:40
to me that this might be an
9:41
interesting place to live.
9:45
Then when I got back to
9:46
Columbus, I don't know, after
9:47
that Mexico trip, Columbus
9:49
never felt like, it felt like
9:50
it was time to leave.
9:52
It might have been, like I
9:53
feel like maybe I had inklings
9:54
that it was time to leave
9:55
before that, but I feel like
9:57
they were much more pronounced
9:58
after I got back from Mexico.
10:01
And then I went to Ireland
10:02
with my family, and then
10:04
immediately after that went on
10:05
my road trip, went on the 50 or
10:07
49 day road trip.
10:09
And then of course I went to
10:10
Mexico again and anyway.
10:12
I think the last year was
10:13
basically me like avoiding
10:15
Columbus or at least distancing
10:16
myself from it or slowly
10:18
separating from it and figuring
10:19
out what I was going to do next
10:21
.
10:22
Or where I was going to go
10:23
next.
10:25
And I did think about it, but
10:26
this really does seem like the
10:27
logical step, because like
10:28
where would I go in the United
10:29
States?
10:30
I don't want to live in Ohio
10:32
anymore, or at least in
10:33
Columbus.
10:35
I guess I would have been open
10:36
to Cleveland maybe, but it's
10:37
the weather really.
10:39
This winter really took it out
10:40
of me in terms of like wanting
10:41
to live in Ohio.
10:42
It was a lot.
10:44
And then you wonder like, so I
10:45
look for a job, what? I decide,
10:47
I pick a city in the United
10:48
States?
10:50
San Diego or Los Angeles or I
10:52
don't know, Buffalo.
10:55
I don't know, I have no idea,
10:56
you know, what do I pick?
10:58
And you know, I know some
10:59
people in Mexico.
11:01
I like Mexico.
11:03
I'm curious about Mexico.
11:05
And yeah, I felt connected to
11:07
Mexico City.
11:09
So yeah, I'm moving there.
11:11
It's also a cheaper cost of
11:12
living too.
11:13
I'm not going to lie that that
11:14
's part of it.
11:16
But I'm not sure what most of
11:16
it is.
11:17
I've thought about that a lot
11:18
over the last month or two.
11:19
Like what's the main reason I
11:20
'm doing this?
11:21
I do think a big part of it is
11:22
wanting to downsize and live
11:24
simply.
11:25
I think that's a big part of
11:27
it.
11:28
I think that was the thing
11:29
that got into my head when I
11:31
was in Mexico a year ago.
11:33
Because all I had was the
11:34
couple suitcases.
11:35
And honestly, I think that the
11:36
political climate, that's not
11:38
even a big percentage.
11:40
It's growing.
11:43
It's growing as things get
11:44
worse.
11:45
And it's making it much easier
11:46
to get out of here.
11:48
Because things are getting a
11:49
little bit, a little bit nutty
11:51
.
11:52
I don't mean to make that
11:53
noise in a way to trivialize
11:55
what's going on at all.
11:57
It's just the noise that came
11:58
out.
11:59
I think I need a change.
12:01
I think I need a drastic
12:02
change.
12:03
I feel like I was getting
12:04
bored with my life.
12:06
And I don't want to be bored
12:07
with my life.
12:10
I want excitement and new
12:11
things and I want my perception
12:14
of time to slow down.
12:16
Because I'm surrounded by new
12:17
things.
12:18
Because that's what travel and
12:19
being around new things does.
12:21
It slows down your perception
12:22
of time.
12:23
And that's great.
12:25
Right? That's great.
12:27
Who wouldn't want that?
12:28
Also, tacos are really good.
12:30
And in Mexico, they're about
12:31
the best thing you've ever had
12:33
in your life.
12:34
Except for the tongue taco.
12:37
I don't want to go back there
12:38
.
12:38
Lengua.
12:39
No, gracias. No lengua taco
12:41
for me.
12:42
I haven't finished packing
12:43
because I can't until I, you
12:44
know, get up and take a shower
12:45
and, you know, I close toilet
12:46
ries, blah, blah, blah, blah,
12:48
blah.
12:49
And so I have to do that.
12:51
And I'm like, can I fit it all
12:52
in there?
12:53
Is it going to weigh less than
12:54
50 pounds?
12:56
What am I going to have to
12:57
leave?
12:58
Or maybe it'll all fit.
13:00
I don't know.
13:02
I'm always surprised at how
13:03
much my suitcases will fit.
13:05
I don't know if I fit a lot
13:06
more than you would, you would
13:07
think in suitcases.
13:08
Good story, Jeff.
13:09
Thank you very much.
13:11
Jeff gives you opinions about
13:12
suitcases.
13:13
That's going to be my new
13:14
podcast.
13:15
I'm just going to talk about
13:16
suitcases for a long time.
13:17
My suitcase has a old USB port
13:19
.
13:20
Because they thought at one
13:21
point that when the, the early
13:23
USB technology with the, you
13:25
know, the rectangular, the long
13:27
rectangular slot for the, for
13:29
the, uh, the cable.
13:32
They put those everywhere.
13:33
I remember they were in New
13:34
York subways, they would have
13:34
them like charging places.
13:36
And now they have to replace
13:38
them all.
13:40
And I guess people still have
13:41
those cables, but honestly that
13:41
technology is being phased out
13:42
.
13:43
And it's like, can, can we
13:45
just pick, like a cable size?
13:48
Can we just decide on one and
13:49
just go with it?
13:50
Because I am, like, USB-C,
13:51
great, let's just stay with
13:52
this.
13:54
Because honestly, when I've
13:55
been going through my stuff and
13:56
all these cables that I have, I
13:57
have so many different kinds of
13:58
cables.
13:59
And it's literally absurd.
14:01
My cousin was over last night,
14:02
we were hanging out, and he
14:04
needed a, um, Thunderbolt cable
14:05
.
14:06
Which, visually, is almost
14:08
identical to a USB-C cable.
14:11
Like, it's 98% similar.
14:13
The only difference is if you
14:14
look closely at the plug, or
14:15
you feel it, it's a tiny bit
14:17
smaller.
14:19
And like, it's like, fuck you,
14:20
Apple. Fuck you.
14:22
What are you doing? Are you
14:23
just fucking with us?
14:25
And I apologize for all the
14:25
swearing, Mom, I really do.
14:27
Like, at least make a
14:28
different color or something,
14:30
anything, but don't make it so
14:31
close to the...
14:33
And like, literally, the last
14:34
phone used the lightning cable,
14:36
and the new ones use the USB-C
14:37
.
14:38
So, everybody's gotta have,
14:39
you know, if somebody comes
14:39
over as an older phone, they
14:40
need to have the older cable.
14:42
Like, what are we doing?
14:44
Sorry, I'm getting on a rant
14:45
about cables, because it's
14:46
absurd how many different kinds
14:47
of cables.
14:49
And I'm trying to decide which
14:50
cables to bring to Mexico City
14:51
.
14:52
And it's like, I guess I'll
14:53
just bring one of every one,
14:55
but I might need two USB-Cs.
14:57
I don't know, threes, whatever
14:58
.
14:59
I'm done with my cable talk.
15:01
That'll be another podcast
15:02
that I'm gonna do.
15:03
Jeff talks about cables and
15:04
his issues with them.
15:05
But seriously though, if
15:06
anybody's listening who works
15:07
in tech, particularly like
15:07
cable engineers, if that's a
15:09
thing, I don't know.
15:10
Let's just settle on one.
15:12
Let's just pick one and go
15:13
with it, because I've had it.
15:15
I really have.
15:18
Anyway, yeah, here we go.
15:21
Vamos.
15:23
Vámonos.
15:25
Vámonos.
15:26
Vámonos.
15:28
Andale, andale, arriba, arriba
15:29
.
15:30
See?
15:32
Is that offensive?
15:34
I want to find out if Speedy
15:35
Gonzales is actually offensive
15:37
to Mexican people.
15:40
That would be, I mean it's
15:41
offensive I guess because there
15:42
's like one of them is like a
15:43
lazy mouse.
15:44
Slowpoke Rodriguez is like a
15:45
lazy.
15:46
But these don't seem like
15:47
necessarily, oh, I think they
15:48
're drinking tequila a lot maybe
15:50
.
15:51
I'll have to watch one of
15:52
these cartoons before I, yeah.
15:54
I gotta find out what the
15:55
racist stereotypes are in those
15:56
.
15:58
What are the racist
15:59
stereotypes within Speedy Gonz
16:00
ales cartoon?
16:01
Speedy Gonzales cartoons
16:02
traffic in several well-worn
16:03
Mexican stereotypes.
16:05
The exaggerated accent played
16:07
for laughs.
16:08
The sombrero and sandals
16:09
visual shorthand.
16:10
And most notably the
16:11
background characters who are
16:12
almost universally depicted as
16:14
lazy, drunk or asleep.
16:17
Settling up a fast Mexican/la
16:18
zy Mexican binary that mirrors
16:19
real world caricatures.
16:21
The character has defenders.
16:23
Particularly in Mexico where
16:24
he's seen as a clever underdog
16:25
.
16:26
But the stereotyping in the
16:27
broader world he inhabits is
16:28
pretty hard to miss.
16:30
I'm at Cleveland Hopkins
16:31
Airport.
16:32
You can hear the sound of the
16:33
woman rolling by with garbage
16:35
right now.
16:37
My flight's been delayed like
16:38
three times, which is actually
16:40
for the best.
16:41
I mean it's not for the best
16:42
now, I like to be on the plane
16:43
now.
16:45
But I had a little more time
16:46
this morning to frantically
16:48
pack.
16:49
Anyway, yeah, I can't quite
16:51
believe that after all of the
16:54
talk and preparation and so
16:56
forth and so on.
16:58
That I am finally at the day
17:00
of my departure.
17:03
And somewhat ironically, it's
17:05
like 60 or 70 degrees today in
17:07
Cleveland, Ohio.
17:09
Although the man who checked
17:10
my bag told me that it was
17:11
going to get down into the 40s
17:12
and 30s again.
17:15
So, okay.
17:16
It would have been nice if it
17:17
was freezing cold out when I
17:18
left just so I could be
17:19
reminded of what I'm getting
17:20
away from.
17:21
So, I have been just wandering
17:23
around the airport, trying to
17:25
close my rings.
17:27
I've gone in three different
17:28
Hudson Newses, they all have
17:29
the same products.
17:32
They all have self-checkout,
17:33
but there's a person at all of
17:34
them helping you do the self-
17:36
checkout.
17:37
Which makes me wonder, is it
17:38
really self-checkout if there's
17:40
somebody standing next to you
17:41
showing you how to do it?
17:44
I don't know.
17:45
I just met a woman at the
17:47
airport restaurant/bar who was
17:51
going to Wisconsin from...
17:55
I'm sorry about the noise, I'm
17:58
on the plane.
18:00
Who was going from Florida to
18:03
Wisconsin to see her sister who
18:05
was in ICU because she just
18:08
overdosed on Xanax.
18:12
In an effort to kill herself.
18:16
And then two days before that,
18:18
or three days maybe, her father
18:20
had tried to kill herself.
18:22
Welcome aboard American
18:23
Airlines.
18:24
Please place small carry-on
18:25
items underneath the seat in
18:27
front of you.
18:28
Larger carry-on items should
18:29
be placed in the overhead
18:31
compartment.
18:33
Anyway, this woman, her father
18:35
had died three days ago.
18:38
Three days before, three days
18:41
or three days ago.
18:44
Her father was...
18:46
I'm glad that his boarding is
18:47
completely due to the cabin for
18:47
demarchia.
18:48
Her father had hung himself in
18:50
a hotel room in New York City.
18:54
And they have no idea why. He
18:55
seemed very happy.
18:57
She just talked to him.
19:00
Let's all appreciate our lives
19:01
.
19:01
And be grateful for the lives
19:02
that we have.
19:04
Because this woman is going
19:05
into literally...
19:07
Like I almost gave her a hug.
19:11
Anyway.
19:13
I'm on my flight to Mexico now
19:15
.
19:16
And it's very empty, which is
19:17
very nice.
19:19
Anyway, here we go.
19:21
On New Mexico City.
19:30
Hola, mis amigos.
19:31
Estoy in La Ciudad de Mexico.
19:32
With all of the noise and the
19:33
excitement that it brings.
19:36
It is Monday.
19:38
I got here last night.
19:41
Quite late.
19:44
I took an Uber from the
19:45
airport to my apartment.
19:46
The whole ride I'm wondering,
19:47
is my apartment going to be
19:49
nice?
19:50
I really hope it's nice.
19:52
And then the other thought was
19:52
, I can't believe this Uber ride
19:52
, which was 25 minutes, is only
19:52
$7.
19:53
Anyway, got to my apartment,
19:53
figured out the keys.
19:54
Got inside.
19:55
And I'm going to go to the
19:55
airport.
19:56
And I'm going to go to the
19:56
airport.
19:57
I'm going to go to the airport
19:58
.
19:58
I'm going to go to the airport
19:59
.
19:59
I'm going to go to the airport
20:00
.
20:00
I'm going to go to the airport
20:01
.
20:01
I'm going to go to the airport
20:02
.
20:02
I'm going to go to the airport
20:03
.
20:03
I'm going to go to the airport
20:04
.
20:04
I'm going to go to the airport
20:05
.
20:05
I'm going to go to the airport
20:06
.
20:06
I'm going to go to the airport
20:07
.
20:08
I'm going to go to the airport
20:09
.
20:11
I can't believe this Uber ride
20:12
, which was 25 minutes, is only
20:14
$7.
20:15
Anyway, got to my apartment.
20:18
Figured out the keys.
20:20
Got inside.
20:22
And yeah, it's quite nice.
20:23
It's nicer than I thought it
20:23
would be.
20:24
There's two bedrooms.
20:26
There's tons of storage.
20:27
There's great light.
20:29
Yeah, the beds are really
20:30
comfortable.
20:31
There's a massive TV.
20:32
Almost too big.
20:34
And it takes a lot for me to
20:35
say that.
20:36
But the TV is huge.
20:37
And maybe my favorite thing
20:38
about the place is that there's
20:39
just plants everywhere.
20:40
And I assume that I'm the one
20:41
responsible for watering these
20:42
.
20:43
Which is fine with me.
20:44
But I should probably reach
20:45
out to the landlord to make
20:47
sure that he wants me to be
20:48
watering them.
20:50
But yeah, lots of green stuff
20:53
around.
20:54
It's a very quirky little
20:54
apartment.
20:55
But I like it.
20:57
And yeah, I had trouble
20:58
sleeping last night.
20:59
As I do every time I come to
21:00
Mexico City the first night.
21:03
I think it's the elevation.
21:05
I don't know, the lack of
21:06
oxygen amps my body up.
21:07
I don't know.
21:08
I would think it would make me
21:08
more tired.
21:09
But it doesn't.
21:10
It makes me sleepless.
21:12
I like the neighborhood a lot
21:13
.
21:14
There's a coffee house right
21:15
across the street.
21:16
There's coffee houses
21:17
everywhere.
21:18
The street is a little bit
21:20
noisy.
21:21
But you know, Mexico City is
21:22
noisy.
21:23
So you just gotta deal with
21:24
things.
21:25
I do also like that it's like
21:26
on the third floor.
21:28
So it's like at the top of
21:29
some of the trees.
21:30
So you look out the window and
21:31
you just see greenery.
21:32
Which is quite nice.
21:34
And high ceilings too, which
21:35
is always great.
21:36
I do like high ceilings.
21:38
And there's a Harley Davidson
21:39
clock.
21:40
I just noticed.
21:42
Which is random.
21:44
There's some very strange
21:45
design elements in here.
21:48
That I'm not quite sure what
21:49
to make of.
21:50
Somebody clearly likes
21:51
motorcycles.
21:53
Somebody's been to Hawaii.
21:55
Somebody likes plants.
21:58
The internet here is the
21:59
fastest internet I have ever
22:00
had at any place I've lived in
22:02
my life.
22:04
It's ridiculously fast.
22:05
So that's good.
22:07
Yeah, and the rest of the day
22:08
I've just kind of been chilling
22:10
out and organizing the
22:11
apartment.
22:13
And, you know, adjusting to
22:15
the elevation and the pollution
22:18
.
22:19
I ordered an air purifier from
22:21
Amazon last night.
22:23
Because I've already noticed
22:24
it.
22:25
My sinuses are just congested
22:26
already.
22:27
I'm not coughing, it's just my
22:28
sinuses and the eyes.
22:30
It's like itchy eyes.
22:33
It helps.
22:34
I think it can't possibly not
22:34
help.
22:35
Right?
22:36
Patricia always seems
22:37
suspicious of this air purifier
22:38
idea of mine.
22:39
But I don't understand what
22:40
that comes from.
22:41
Like, certainly you do have to
22:42
go outside sometimes.
22:44
But like, you spend a lot of
22:45
time in your own house sleeping
22:46
and so forth.
22:47
So wouldn't it be good if that
22:48
air is clean?
22:49
I would argue, fervently, that
22:52
it would be.
22:54
What I'm curious to see is how
22:56
dirty the filter gets.
22:58
How quickly it gets dirty.
23:02
So yeah, I'm in Mexico City.
23:05
And I feel pretty good about
23:06
it.
23:07
I'm a little worn for the wear
23:08
.
23:09
I'm a little... it feels a
23:11
little surreal, I guess.
23:13
Because now I do have to start
23:14
doing things like looking for
23:16
jobs, editing the podcast,
23:18
doing my taxes.
23:20
That I've been putting off for
23:22
a month, two months.
23:25
And now I have to learn how to
23:26
like, you know, really live,
23:28
exist in this country.
23:30
But I've done it for like, you
23:32
know, a month and a half, a
23:34
year ago.
23:35
So it's not... this isn't that
23:36
hard.
23:38
It isn't.
23:39
But I'm not, I'm not, I'm not,
23:41
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.
23:43
Another thing I just noticed
23:45
is that it feels strange to be
23:47
doing Duolingo for Spanish and
23:50
then have the ads be in Spanish
23:52
.
23:54
I mean, it's almost like two
23:55
for one, right? Like, but it's
23:57
also weird, you know?
23:59
And yeah, all my podcasts and
24:00
my ads on everything now, even
24:02
my...
24:03
I'm sure there's a setting,
24:04
but some, for some reason,
24:05
every time I come to Mexico, my
24:07
internet suddenly turns into
24:08
Spanish internet.
24:10
And I have to like, direct it
24:12
to be in English.
24:14
And it's kind of annoying,
24:15
like I get Spanish Wikipedia,
24:17
Spanish everything.
24:19
And I'm sure there's a setting
24:20
and I'll figure it out at some
24:21
point.
24:23
I never get over how crooked
24:24
the sidewalks are in Mexico
24:26
City.
24:27
Like, I haven't been to
24:28
another city with such messed
24:29
up sidewalks.
24:31
Like, you really have to pay
24:32
attention when you're walking
24:33
because the sidewalks are just
24:35
all over the place, crooked.
24:37
One, one will be this way, one
24:38
will be the other way. You can
24:39
't see me, but you can imagine.
24:41
And yeah, it's infrastructure.
24:42
I guess it takes a lot of money
24:44
to level all the sidewalks.
24:46
And, you know, I don't
24:47
entirely mind it until it's
24:49
nighttime and I've had a few
24:51
drinks.
24:53
And I stopped paying attention
24:53
for a second and then I almost
24:54
fall.
24:55
But I have not yet fallen. So
24:56
knock on wood there.
24:58
But you know, not for the
24:59
faint of heart, the sidewalks
25:01
here.
25:02
Except for in Polanco, which
25:03
is a very fancy neighborhood,
25:04
which has sidewalks that are
25:05
smooth as glass.
25:08
The night was my third night
25:16
in Mexico City.
25:24
And it was, um, it was a good
25:28
night.
25:30
I think I'm gonna like it here
25:32
.
25:33
I think I'm gonna like it here
25:34
.
25:36
I was just hanging out with a
25:37
group of people like expats and
25:40
locals who live here.
25:42
Some who don't.
25:45
And, uh, there's a real care
25:48
free, joyful vibe here that I
25:51
really like.
25:55
And, uh, as I was walking away
25:57
, saying goodbye to this guy,
25:59
Bernardine Bernard.
26:01
He, uh, he says to me, 'Be
26:04
happy,'
26:06
which is the last thing he
26:07
says to me.
26:08
I'm not sure I've ever heard
26:09
somebody say that to me in the
26:11
United States as I was...
26:13
Somebody I just met, saying
26:14
goodbye to him.
26:16
Be happy.
26:20
Anyway, yeah, it ended up
26:21
being just a bunch of their
26:22
friends just hanging out, we
26:23
played music and...
26:25
Took a few mushrooms and
26:27
smoked some weed and...
26:30
Yeah, it was, uh...
26:33
It was good stuff.
26:35
The questions I had in my mind
26:38
about whether I was gonna be
26:42
happy here,
26:44
whether this was a good
26:45
decision,
26:47
I feel like tonight it was
26:48
kind of like, 'Oh, it's true.
26:50
You are. You're gonna be good
26:52
here.
26:53
This place is gonna...
26:55
This place is gonna embrace
26:56
you.
26:57
Because, uh, tonight, I'll be
27:00
honest, it kinda did. I already
27:02
did.
27:02
Gave me, like, a, um, big warm
27:06
hug.
27:07
So, thanks for the big warm
27:09
hug, Mexico City.
27:13
I'm here.
27:15
It feels right to be here.
27:17
It feels like this is the
27:18
place that I'm supposed to be
27:21
...
27:21
right now.
27:23
And I hadn't felt that,
27:24
necessarily, until...
27:27
until tonight.
27:32
Mexico City takes on a real,
27:35
like, uh, magical luster...
27:39
when the sun's setting, and
27:41
even into the nighttime.
27:44
Um, it's the trees. It's all
27:45
the greenery.
27:47
It's the way that the street
27:48
lights...
27:50
cash shadows in the street
27:51
from the green... through the
27:53
greenery.
27:55
It's, um, it's all the
27:56
different colors of houses,
27:59
apartments and buildings.
28:00
Something else.
28:02
Something really special.
28:04
And the weather, Jesus, it's
28:05
...
28:06
it's probably 70 degrees right
28:08
now.
28:09
If it was to be a temperature
28:11
in the evening for the rest of
28:14
my life,
28:15
this would be that temperature
28:16
.
28:17
This would be it.
28:20
And, you know, I'm gonna
28:21
complain about the crooked
28:22
sidewalks...
28:24
probably...
28:26
every episode, or every other
28:27
episode...
28:29
for the entire time that I'm
28:30
here in Mexico City, so...
28:32
maybe get used to that.
28:34
But...
28:35
there's also a certain charm
28:36
to the crooked sidewalks.
28:38
And it makes you...
28:41
have to be an active walker,
28:43
you know?
28:44
You can't just passively walk,
28:45
you've gotta be paying
28:46
attention,
28:48
at any time, the sidewalk
28:49
could suddenly...
28:50
drop out from underneath your
28:52
feet.
28:53
And then where would you be?
28:55
If you like tonight, I just
28:56
took like a huge...
28:58
exhale.
29:00
And I still can't figure out
29:03
...
29:04
which key...
29:06
goes first.
29:09
But...
29:11
I just did not.
29:13
I did not.
29:18
It's the dirty key. That's the
29:43
first one. One of the keys is
29:45
dirty.
29:48
The other one is not. And it's
29:51
the dirty key. It's the one you
29:54
want. Okay, that's all.
29:57
And that is how the 40th
30:00
episode of onefef goes. Next
30:04
week, I'll be coming back with
30:07
an interview
30:09
that I recorded a long time ago
30:11
. I'm not sure which one, but it
30:12
's time to get back on that
30:13
train.
30:15
As always, you can follow the
30:17
podcast on Instagram at onefjef
30:19
Pod. Also on Facebook at onefjef
30:21
Pod.
30:22
Substack at onefjef. So forth
30:24
and so on. You know the game.
30:26
Let's all play together.
30:29
I have been feeling incredibly
30:32
grateful lately for my life,
30:34
for the change in my life, for
30:37
my family,
30:38
for my friends, for you, the
30:40
podcast family, for all of it.
30:43
Because it is true what they
30:46
say.
30:47
We only get one chance at this
30:49
whole life thing. So try to
30:51
find that perspective whenever
30:53
you can.
30:54
And I'm going to end this
30:56
episode with yet another quote
30:58
from good old Rumi.
30:59
Don't move the way fear makes
31:02
you move. Move the way love
31:05
makes you move.
31:09
Nos vamos la próxima semana.
31:11
Very good, Jeffrey.