wrki en el mundo

2 August 2011 - Transition

2011-08-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today's been a most excellent day.

AileyCamp's artists are in tech rehearsal.

They embody incredible artistry and grace.

6 Word Memoirs: March 10, 2011 - It's On

2011-03-10T15:04:00.000-08:00

I give up Facebook for Lent.

Why do people not believe me?

10 Minute Freewrite: Feb. 3, 2011 - Gung Hoy Fat Choy!

2011-02-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

In the morning I stopped by St. Francis of Asisi on my way to the school. I had five minutes to kneel and pray in reflection. I wanted to thank La Virgen for my luck in landing at this school. It's such a joy to teach there.

My commute is long and I walk a mile and a half to the busstop once I have crossed the bridge. The bus service just isn't that consistent.

Anastacio was a humble. I walked past the church on the way to the busstop and happened to look his direction, beaming a smile because my students make me so happy.

He had a folded piece of paper and asked me to help. He pointed to the paper and offered, "Help me? Please?"

I quickly switched to Spanish, hearing the discomfort in his voice with the consonants of English and realizing the effort to recall vocabulary outside of your mother tongue.

He had a piece of worn, photocopied paper that outlined a rental agreement. He needed to know what went into the blank spaces. I scanned the paper. "Aquí va tu nombre...aquí tu dirección..." and let him know what each blank space requested.

He nodded, but not in understanding. A quick glance into his eyes let me know he needed more assistance. "Ponlo aquí..." I pointed and he gripped the pen like a young child would hold a crayon--clawing at it, but not a lot of skill or comfort with how to maneuver it.

He scrawled his initials. Barely.

I believe Anastacio does not know how to write.

I felt more for him once I knew his dilemma. I asked the questions filled in the answers. He released the tension in his face as we completed the form.

"Muchisimas gracias." His gratitude was boundless. "De nada! Buena suerte!"

As I was about to continue my walk he asked where I was headed. "Newbridge and Willow."

"Te llevo." He was offering me a ride to the busstop. For me it was a twenty minute walk. For him it was a 3 minute drive.

"Si? Pues, gracias!"

He was driving a gold Saab of some sort, stick shift. This man who was not so confident with his ability to form a letter on a page was a seamless driver and a generous soul.

I made it to the busstop much earlier than my legs would have carried me. I was grateful because I was wearing shoes that were not made for a mile and a half of walking. Not comfortably anyway.

Thank you, St. Francis.

(c) 2011, Eriqua Pa' Que Lo Sepas

6 Word Memoirs: January 11, 2011 - 1.11.11

2011-01-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

You raised strong daughters: my aunts.

Know I am your eldest daughter.

6 Word Memoirs: December 27, 2010 - At the Closing of the Year

2010-12-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

Another year over; and one begins.

El milagro navideño es que respiro.

6 Word Memoirs: November 30, 2010 - NaNoWriMo, I Am a Winner

2010-11-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

Balzac was birthed from an idea of what would happen if the coffee producing nations of the world boycotted the United States.

And now it's an idea on paper. And will need lots and lots of love and editing!

6 Word Memoirs: November 14, 2010 - NaNoWriMo

2010-11-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

I write because I think I can.

Plot be damned, I am writing!

6 Word Memoirs: October 31, 2010 - Treat or Treat?

2010-10-31T21:38:00.000-07:00

BOO! Where are my 1,667 words?

6 Word Memoirs: September 28, 2010

2010-09-28T13:34:00.001-07:00

I am melting in East Oakland.

6 Word Memoirs: August 20, 2010 - Surprise (and stuff)

2010-08-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

The newness frightens,
invites curiousity,
and leaves us laughing.

6 Word Memoirs: August 10, 2010 - Tengo Gana de Bailar

2010-08-10T21:43:00.001-07:00

Oyendo esa bachata tan rica -- bailo!

6 Word Memoirs: July 29, 2010 - Cancer

2010-07-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

I'm fascinated to know you, cancer.

6 Word Memoirs: July 26, 2010 - A Whole New Me

2010-07-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

I was gifted her beautiful furniture.

With drawers I can now organize!

6 Word Memoirs: July 20, 2010 - El Nene Nuevo

2010-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

¿Orgullo? ¡Si! Nuesta familia ha crecido!

6 Word Memoirs: June 14, 2010 - Orgullo

2010-06-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

¡Estoy bañandome en mi pueblo boricua!

6 Word Memoirs: June 7, 2010 - Intolerance

2010-06-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, it is most definitely you.

6 Word Memoirs: May 27, 2010 - Temperance

2010-05-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

Let's make brand new longitudinal names!

6 Word Memoirs: April 26, 2010 Food Insecurity

2010-04-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

Food insecurity? That was once me.

I am thankful to generous you.

When I was hungry you gave.

April 5, 2010 - In the seasons of change

2010-04-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

We were asked to do a freewrite as an ice breaker to today's training.

Our prompt? "In the seasons of change"

Here's what I came up with:

In the seasons of change the kingdom was completely unaware
that it was happening.

Kings and queens still kept their court, counting taxes and
sending soldiers to war.

The priests still guided souls to heaven in their humble ways
and the farmers still sowed.

The children noticed it first. Beautiful buds in the trees.
Birds were singing, "It's here! It's here!"

They danced in circles while sweethearts stole kisses
and none of the peasants noticed, backs bent in their toil.

The battlefield clashed with swords and howls and blood
and bread baked in hearths.

Grandmother spun yarn in her rocking chair,
but she, too, caught wind of it and let the new lavender scent fill her nose

In the season of change the young folks asked the kings and queens
why men were sent to die and held their gaze in earnest

The advisers mumbled, disconcerted; the fools laughed an uneasy laughter.
And still the children held their gaze, in earnest.

The kind looked upon the children and began to open his mouth.
The queen raised her hand to stop him and spoke:

"We send them to die, my children, because
no one's asked us to stop them."

(c) 2010

March 27, 2010 : 7 Minute Exercise from a Word Pool Generated in Class

2010-03-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Word List:
Tortilla
Flats
Survive
War
Hover
Hallucination
Pay
Pentalty
Chueca
Respect

[Editor's Note: I hit 6 out of the 10 words. We had 7 minutes to write a story using these 10 words. This is what came out.]

"Respect, chueca. Respect."

Eyes ogled the little set wannabe as La Bruja eyed her over. Her hair was slicked to its side ponytail swoop perfection with a glittery tank emblazoned with "Princess" in large, gothic letters on it. Her jeans were painted on and her sneakers were shiny pale blue Jordans.

La Bruja hovered over her, eyeing her to her soul. She had made it to her final step to belong to the set, but she misspoke.

The ladies of the flats were tight. A feisty group of brown and black girls: trim, fierce, and always cared for their own. Nobody messed with them. Their credo was to survive.

Mari knew she'd pay for her misstep. She mentioned La Bruja's scar when responding to one of her final questions. She meant to say "car" but she stumbled. And stuttered, "Scar."

La Bruja was sensitive to her scar, a souvenir from a fight she won against a black samoan girl from the 80th block.

What would be the penalty?

March 27, 2010 Reconfigure

2010-03-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Got sick so I'll run 5k.

6 Word Memoir : March 12, 2010

2010-03-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

rainy days always inspire my writing.

6 Word Memoir: March 3, 2010 Worry, Worry, Worry

2010-03-03T16:34:00.001-08:00

From my elementary school music class:

Keep cool. Keep cool. Simmer down.

Simmer down. Worry. Worry. Worry. Worry.

Today I worry, worry, worry, worry.

6 Word Memoirs: March 1, 2010 - NaNoEdMo

2010-03-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Born in November; edited, March: Mina.

Draft: Socorro Reyes Quintana

2010-02-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

Socorro Reyes Quintana, abuelita de Mina Jophrey-Reyes
Siempre le llamarón "La Reina". Socorro drew attention to herself like the sunrise, like the moonrise when it's full and gold and large in the sky, like an ambulance siren passing buy. Your eyes were always drawn to her and your ears would wait for the music of her voice. Her laughter fell like multi-colored jewels from her lips and her stories were gentle pearls to guide you but never told you what to do. always had a double-meaning.

People came to Socorro because she was a wise woman. Her garden flowered with the seasons. She dried the herbs and sold them in town for medicina. was always plentiful. She watched the night skies with her homemade telescopes and spend rainy afternoons during the aguaceros in her library reading. The women came to Socorro to learn what their husbands would not permit them to learn. The men came to Socorro for what they were ashamed they didn't know. The children came to Socorro for her famous and sweet agua de jamaica and to play on her garden swing. Everyone loved and respected Socorro.

Socorro loved her pueblito with its little church on the sea. Their ancestors had come with companions and slaves of Columbus – humble, strong, and intelligent people who knew how to survive. She also knew they had the help of los Santos.
She knew this because her abuela had told her. And her abuela’s abuela told her, and her abuela’s abuela had told her. And each generation of woman told her daughter to always remember.

After her daily visits with her neighbors, she would settle down meditate to listen Los Tres Panchos and dance with the portrait of her husband for one song. Don Pedro had died in a fishing accident during Hurricane Hugo in 1992. They had been married for 27 years and had two daughters and a son: Maria Teresa (Maite), Dayanara Arely (Dayar) y Juan Carlos (Juca).

Socorro had not gone to la Universidad, but had worked for an astronomy professor there. She also had worked in the libraries and ate as many books as she could. Her eyes were always keen to the skies and she watched as they changed over the year.

On one evening in October, two weeks before the end of hurricane season, Socorro was walking barefoot in her garden. The flamboyan flowers were a pale yellow in the moonlight.

Just beyond the boughs of the trees she saw a streak of green paint the sky. The coquis fell silent. All she heard was the sound of the ocean’s muffled waves in the distance. Not even a radio or rustle of wind in the leaves. The stillness unsettled her and stood her arm hairs on end, so she crossed herself, put on her wistful face ,and remembered when she discovered Orion for the first time. There were three stars in his belt, one for each king.

“¡Socorro!” came an excited whisper from the side fence. “¡Socorro! Something terrible has happened! A ship has sunk off Culebra!”

Socorro had heard her neighbors speak of their children working for the American military. They were proud of the good jobs and the money they left in the village every weekend. Still, somehow she didn’t trust all the secrecy surrounding the base on Culebra.

“¿Que dices, Carmen? Come in. Sit and tell me what you’ve heard.”
Carmen told Socorro of large military ship in the bioluminescent bay. Something. A rocket? A comet? A torpedo? Had struck the head of the ship and it sank. Most of the sailors had abandoned ship and were saved, but the ship burned with a strange green fire and shot off flares. It burned to the depths of the sea, an eerie green like a ghost being trapped down in hell.

“Dios mio” whispered Socorro under her breath. She held her locket thoughtlessly in her fingers, rubbing the etching of Atabey.

“Take me to the boat launch, Carmen. I want to see for myself.”

Socorro locked the front door, looked at the portrait of her husband, locked the back door, and then stepped into the passenger side of Carmen’s pale blue 1970 Chevy Camino.

10 enero 2010: 6 Word Memoirs - New Year & Family

2010-01-10T16:53:00.000-08:00

The year begins with my family.

My family's jewels lie in music.

6 Word Memoirs: December 27, 2009 - Reflecting

2009-12-27T20:31:00.001-08:00

Today my body real bad. Ouch.

But I finally made it out!

6 Word Memoirs : Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

I will write 4,000 words today!

6 Word Memoirs: November 10, 2009 - NaNoWriMo

2009-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

50,000 words in a month, sure!

6 Word Memoirs: November 2, 2009 - Dia de los Muertos

2009-11-02T21:31:00.000-08:00

Es el dia de los muertos.

Para los ancestros y para nosotros.

On the rag. LEAVE ME ALONE!

6 Word Memoirs: October 12, 2009 - 10 hrs, 48 minutes

2009-10-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Recruiting for teachers! 14 hour days!

Be part of a learner's life!

Great rewards! And maybe some respect...

6 Word Memoirs: October 19, 2009 - Learning Differences

2009-10-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

I think there's neurological issues.

Confusing words and information scary.

Why can't I keep things straight?

6 Word Memoirs: October 16, 2009 - The Music Lovers

2009-10-17T00:46:00.000-07:00

I really love the Music Lovers.

6 Word Memoirs: October 11, 2009

2009-10-11T03:20:00.001-07:00

La mariposas bailan en faldas bomberas.

6 Word Memoirs: October 7, 2009 - Albany, NY

2009-10-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

Chilly breezes and rain are autumn.

The mall is incredibly vapid, man.

Redoing the counters in beautiful paper.

6 Word Memoirs: October 6, 2009

2009-10-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

Slept in the airport last night.

Just arrived in Vegas; it's chilly.

I am working on it now.

I borrowed my next two paychecks.

6 Word Memoirs: September 28, 2009

2009-09-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

Waking up lousy is becoming normal.

I learn routines by watching them.

The best part of my house? Artwork.

6 Word Memoirs: September 27, 2009

2009-09-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

I don't love you. Now what?

The purging begins by asking forgiveness.

HALL AND OATES! Out of time!

6 Word Memoirs: September 18, 2009 - Rorshach

2009-09-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

Mark of the Wolf or Butterfly?

I'm angry because neither belong here.

6 Word Memoirs: Sept. 9, 2009 - Otra Vez

2009-09-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

It feels strange to be awake.

September 9th means luck this year.

Last night's dream totally surprised me.

6 Word Memoirs: Sept. 8, 2009 - Lassen

2009-09-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

2700 feet to Brokeoff Mountain burns.

The landscape is rife with pines.

I wished on the rising moon.

6 Word Memoirs: Sept. 1, 2009 - Mail Order Bride

2009-09-01T22:36:00.001-07:00

I'll be your mail order bride!

Can American women be mail-ordered, too?

6 Word Memoirs: August 13, 2009 - New Schedule

2009-08-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Dancing while bow-legged and pigeon-toed: sexy!

6 Word Memoirs: July 31, 2009 - 4 Hours Sleep

2009-07-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

Sleepless: thinking of my dad's health.

6 Word Memoirs: July 27, 2009 - Monday Funk

2009-07-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, teetering on wellness and sadness.

6 Word Memoirs: July 23, 2009 - ¡Baila!

2009-07-23T21:47:00.001-07:00

¡Oye! salsa on Lake Merritt! NICE!

6 Word Memoirs: July 21, 2009 - Unsettled

2009-07-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

¡Ay, cobarde! ¿Y que te pasó?

6 Word Memoirs: July 18, 2009 - L-Tyrosine

2009-07-18T14:45:00.001-07:00

I am less balanced without L-Tyrosine.

6 Word Memoirs : July 14, 2009 - Bastille Day

2009-07-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

Let them eat cake? Oh, Marie...

6 Word Memoirs: July 13, 2009 - Water

2009-07-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

The river's green flowed past me.

6 Word Memoirs: July 8, 2009 - Student Loans

2009-07-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

I owe her lots of money.

6 Word Memoirs: July 8, 2009 - Climb Every Mountain

2009-07-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

I will come prepared this time!

6 Word Memoirs: July 7, 2009 - La Luna

2009-07-07T15:35:00.001-07:00

Full moon light bathed us both.

6 Word Memoirs - July 2, 2009 - MySpace

2009-07-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

Oh no, saw his myspace profile!

6 Word Memoirs: June 29, 2009 - I Think I Like Him

2009-06-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm falling for the cross-body lead.

6 Word Memoirs: June 24, 2009 - Deep Thoughts

2009-06-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Seriously? I am my worst enemy.

6 Word Memoir: June 24, 2009 - Smoke Inhalation

2009-06-24T14:38:00.000-07:00

I fell asleep while cooking again.

6 Word Memoirs: June 22, 2009 - Date or Not?

2009-06-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Is it a date or not?

6 Word Memoirs - June 14, 2009 - Puerto Rico

2009-06-14T14:07:00.001-07:00

(Photo credit to: isolatediguana)

¡Que bonita bandera, la bandera puertorriqueña!

I can't help it. I'm Puerto Rican!

6 Word Memoirs: June 10, 2009 - Pause

2009-06-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

There are those who do kill.

Peace to all the world's hearts.

6 Word Memoirs - June 8: Salsa

2009-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'll dance with him again.

6 Word Memoirs - May 31, 2009 Salsa

2009-05-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

Sin salsa no hay vida, amor!

6 Word Memoir: May 27, 2009 - In Memoriam of Ron Takaki

2009-05-27T21:56:00.001-07:00

I see through a different mirror.

6 Word Memoirs: May 21, 2009 - Inspire Confidence?

2009-05-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

It doesn't look that bad, really...

That comment doesn't give me confidence.

Almost a year with these marks...

6 Word Memoirs: May 19, 2009 - Tumeric Paste

2009-05-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Two months of tumeric; still stained.

6 Word Memoirs: May 18, 2009 - Niece Giggles

2009-05-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

The baby giggles on the phone.

6 Word Memoirs: May 15, 2009 - El Son Te Llama

2009-05-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

¡Ay! Me hace mucha falta Borinquen!

6 Word Memoirs: May, 14, 2009 - Jealousy

2009-05-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Jealousy is bizarre; comes from nowhere.

May 13, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs - Calls of Justice!

2009-05-13T16:12:00.001-07:00

My jury duty? Calls to operators.

May 12, 2009 : 6 Word Memoirs - Lavender vs. The Headache

2009-05-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

I don't often complain of headaches.

May 11, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs - The Hot Rock

2009-05-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

I'm discovering decent films from 1972.

May 8, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs

2009-05-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

The mean voice says "You're worthless".

May 7, 2009 : 6 Word Memoirs "Bow-legged"

2009-05-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

Why did two men shout "bow-legged"?

I'm mortified and embarassed. Not cute!

May 1, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs - Rice Crispy Treats

2009-05-01T15:47:00.001-07:00

Homemade Rice Crispy Treats trump others!

The packaged ones contain HFCS...gross!

May 1, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs - Flu

2009-05-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

As sick as they say? Really?

May 1, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs

2009-05-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

The role of journalism? To witness.

6 Word Memoirs: April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

I'm so tired of "know-it-all" whities!

6 Word Memoirs: April 27, 2009

2009-04-27T22:27:00.000-07:00

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude, where did the weekend go?

April 21, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs

2009-04-21T10:24:00.001-07:00

I cringe when people Facebook-post me.

April 20, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs

2009-04-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Freshwater pearl earrings enhance my beauty.

April 17, 2009: 6 Word Memoir

2009-04-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks, doc, I love the marks.

April 14, 2009: 6 Word Memoirs

2009-04-14T17:20:00.000-07:00

"Lent's over! Bring on the MEAT!"

She thinks this in weak moments.

6 Word Memoirs: April 10, 2009

2009-04-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I danced last week.

6 Word Memoirs: April 9, 2009

2009-04-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

My guilty pleasure? Surely, idealistic rogues!

6 Word Memoir: April 6, 2009

2009-04-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

Con las palmas empezamos Semana Santa.

6 Word Memoir: April 2, 2009

2009-04-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

Prohibition promotes the best night's sleep.

6 Word Memoirs: April 1, 2009

2009-04-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

There is no end to beginnings.

6 Word Memoir: March 30, 2009

2009-03-30T21:51:00.001-07:00

The blooms remind us "It's time."

6 Word Memoirs: March 27, 2009

2009-03-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

I hope we all find peace.

6 Word Memoirs: March 26, 2009

2009-03-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling anxious for no reason?

6 Word Memoirs: March 23, 2009

2009-03-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

AIG has scandals; so does education.

6 Word Memoirs: March 19, 2009

2009-03-19T12:13:00.000-07:00

My living room is closing Sunday.

6 Word Memoirs: March 18, 2009

2009-03-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Universal fries always offer culinary nirvana.

6 Word Memoirs: March 16, 2009

2009-03-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Marc, I love you so much.

6 Word Memoirs: March 11, 2009

2009-03-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

While I sleep I feel moonlight.

6 Word Memoir: March 10, 2009

2009-03-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Life on hold yields "Careless Whisper".

6 Word Memoirs: Holi

2009-03-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Playful, colourful, joyful - a great holiday!

6 Word Memoirs: March 6, 2009

2009-03-06T22:12:00.000-08:00

Flying is always miraculous for me.

6 Word Memoirs: March 4, 2009

2009-03-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

It means that I'll be okay.

6 Word Memoirs: March 3, 2009

2009-03-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Square Root Day; 3, 3, 09.

If you're poor, you get nothing.

Somehow I have to make it.