Palabras Para Hoy 29 de Mayo 2007

"La vida es una carnaval." - Celia Cruz

Last Monday I was given the news that family passed away. Louie Del Valle was my brother and sister's godfather and like a Tio to me. His wife passed away in October of 2005. Both were amazing individuals. They had a loving marriage that I some day dream of having...my soulmate who understands and supports me and shares music with me.

From the Del Valles I learned more of my heritage, danced Bomba.

The funeral was this weekend in Upstate New York. My brother and his wife drove up.

While I was in the Bay taking in the possibility of using GIS to enhance digital storytelling, they were celebrating Louie's life...dancing, eating, sharing stories.

I was celebrating in my own way...enjoying Carnaval in all of it's foggy glory in the Mission.

Alone I stood with other parade goers...wondering why the parade started an hour and a half late, but I found my nook and readied the digital camera I borrowed from the school and my laptop to take video.

A flurry of feathers and color and I danced in the street with my fellow latinos...from Brazil to Bolivia to Panama to Trinidad to Granada to Puerto Rico to Guatemala to Mexico...we are a huge wave in the United States. I'm freaked out by our pick and choose immigration laws...but I see the color and flavour we add to the world and I am proud.

So I danced in the streets with my parading companions...some on stilts, some on heels and whooped as my flag passed.

Si, la vida es una carnaval.

Palabras Para Hoy 24 de abril 2007

“Miracles are natural. When they do not occur something has gone wrong.”

Wow. So this weekend I took a much needed vacation up to Portland to be pampered by my friends Mike and Megan. Friday night I missed my flight by moments at the Oakland airport and was stressed out. I called exasperated and they reassured me I would be taken care of, to get on the plane.

I took their advice. I fell asleep on the flight and arrived at 8:30 (a mere half hour after my expected arrival) and was treated to a beautiful warm home with wine and homemake fondue about to be started.

The table was set.

Fondue was being made by our host with a family recipe that gave off such an inviting aroma of garlic, wine, cheese, and kirsch...

Much to my surprise fondue is not a sticky slog in which bread is dipped...it is a delicate flavour that coats and absorbs into the cavities of fine bread. Served with wine and an assortment of fine meats and a salad it was the warmth to relax to and have a pleasant family-style meal to.

Kudos, once again, to the warmth that is Mike's gift to his guests. Never a care or a need...simply relax, enjoy, and partake.

By the end of the weekend I had enjoyed bocci ball in the rain, danced among bellydancers, reminisced about the Muppet Movie, heard an otter grunt, marveled over moss and flowering trees, and marveled over waterfalls.

The weekend was nothing short of a miracle.

This image is from our hike around some falls in Portland.

Palabras Para Hoy 10 de Abril 2007

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

I am adjusting to new medication. It makes me sleepy. It takes away my mojo. I yawn a lot.

On Good Friday I came home after a long day, the sky was overcast with Bay Area Fog and I was alone. Friends and family were doing their own thing.

It was me and me.

I've been prone to napping a lot and opted for a change of pace. I set on NPR's Friday programming on KALW and drew the bath. I took out my Django Reinhart biography, put on a candle and some incense and floated in warm water until I fell asleep sometime later.

It was healing, wonderful and time passed...I was in there for hours before I toweled off, put on pjs and set to bed properly.

Palabras para Hoy - 27 de Marzo 2007

“I made you a kite so you would have to look up.” - Anonymous

Today is National Kite Flying Day. It's blustery and chilly in the SF Bay Area. If March comes in like a lamb, it goes out like a lion and I am feeling the breath of the lion's roar...my neck is bundled more and my shorn head is sporting hats.

Kite flying is one of my most favourite activities to do in the entire world.

It sits in the back of my car so when I have the urge I take a short drive to Alameda Beach or a longer drive to Ocean Beach and set it aloft in the air. Against blue or black sky (I don't discriminate) I watch her rise with only the air's assistance and I marvel that this material stretched across a frame is floating. When the wind is hard enough the string sings with vibrations.

It's one of the most freeing things in the world.

Palabras para Hoy, 27 de Febrero

Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb

Wow.

Apt words considering this past week's madness.

In speaking with my mom since the fire we have made jokes, making light of the fact that she has a plate and a cork left of her possessions and home.

I am learning to squeeze and make lemonade. There is ALWAYS lemonade to me made, no matter what the circumstances. That's my drive for this year.

So, simply put, keep the perspective you deserve in your life: you deserve to receive goodness and if it doesn't come in the way you expected, make sure you have a pitcher handy.

Or to follow the words today: stop shivering in the cold and hold your palms to the flames. Warm yourself...the fire's burning anyway.

Palabras para Hoy - 20 de febrero 2007

FAT TUESDAY!

Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey!
- Barbara Hoffman

Man, after a great weekend of performing and kite flying, and celebrating the new year (4075), I got into bummer mode...for no particular reason.

I was at a meeting that discussed realizing our dreams. I had a panic attack...because I felt like I forgot how to dream. I got upset during an exercise where my partner asked me what my dreams were and I was blank.

What are my dreams? How will I realize them?

AUGH!

I didn't get up to run yesterday or this morning. My first run! I missed it!
But I managed to pack my sneakers and put on a mask and beads to remember Mardi Gras and put it in perspective...no focusing on potholes!

Celebrate, E, CELEBRATE! You've won for now, you got UP this morning!
And tomorrow ASH IT UP!

Palabras para Hoy, 13 de Febrero

Prayer

prayer, originally uploaded by Hybridboricua.

“Pray, and let God worry” - Martin Luther

Breathe. So I am not sure how I am getting to work tomorrow. I emptied my coin collection to cross the bridge today and I cashed in my yogurt container for $1.25 of gas last night.

But I feel amazing. I feel blessed. I don't often speak in liturgical terms, but I saw the most amazing video of my former student's birthing process last night. I saw her push. I saw the amniotic sac the baby floated in for 9 months. I saw how she is a loving mother to her new child. I saw a bit more of the life process than I ever have - alive.

That little daughter that is hers is a beauty.
She breathes and expresses and softly moves her limbs in the free air.

She is AMAZING. And THEY are amazing: mother, daughter, and father.

So my unsureness with how to get to work tomorrow or what to eat tonight for dinner seems so minor in comparison to this minor miracle.

I need to remember what I can control. I have moderate control over my money situation, except when the unexpected comes.

I am hoping there are no more car surprises so I can rebuild my reserves.

God/dess, thank you for letting me experience this today.

Palabras para Hoy - 6 Febrero 2007

"Hold a true friend with both your hands." -- Nigerian Proverb

My bilingual nature is beginning to show its weakness.

Lately I have been frustrated trying to share my thoughts en espanol because my command of the language is stunted to that of a 4 year old.

Oh well.

So I hate this upcoming day...the 14th when we should all be visiting our friends who have been unjustly jailed for their faith and instead has been hijacked to mean pink and red and chocolate and roses and if you're single and not in school where everyone gives Valentines, then you are a loser.

So I thought of friendship. And in my case friends have proven the family resource that my family hasn't always had. Being 3000 miles aways, my family hasn't always been able to help me in my struggle, because they couldn't bridge the distance immediately. So the Bay Area has shown me much love. The people I have met here myself and through friends of friends have fed, housed, and clothed me. They hear me out, let me cry, let me share my ideas, and take my gloved hands away from my cheeks as I pummel myself to the ground, shadowboxing myself.

So this goes out to the friends, near and far. The ones who've heard and let me cry and those who let me laugh by sharing their ridiculous adventures.

You know that I am a sucker for stories.

And music. I am also a sucker for music.

And for those who tell me they would never ever set me up with their friends, because they don't know anyone good enough for me in their circle...I appreciate that you're thinking of me and please allow me to think for myself.

Palabras para Hoy - martes 23 enero 2007

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance."
- Franklin P. Jones

Por ejemplo: porque encontre esta lista hoy en la biblioteca?

1) Nobel Prize Winner (Rigoberta Menchu)
2) Social Leader/Workers Rights Activist (Cesar Chavez)
3) Philathropic Leader/Baseball Player (Roberto Clemente)
4) Arse Activist (?) (Jennifer Lopez)
5) Social Leader/Artist (Frida Kahlo)
6) Hip Activist (?) (Shakira)

Es una lista hecho de los ninos hoy en escuela...