Friends that are girls

One of the things I learned in 2008 is the importance of having friends... that are girls.

In these last twelve months I realized that surrounding yourself with caring, compassionate and understanding women makes you the same way. It softens you and makes you see the world in another light. I don't know why I didn't realize this sooner. Actually, I just realized it this week.

The last two weeks have been filled with girlfriends: some that live abroad where in town, others that are far away sent updates and chatted. The ones that are always around had time and opportunity so that we could open up and get to know each other a bit better. I talked about apples, boyfriends, kids, university and drank wine, tea and juice while we lit candles, sat in rooms with pretty flowers and had world class chocolate.

I just read a sappy book so know you all have to put up with my sappy 'I love you' to all my friends that had a beer in El Pilar, walked nine Antigua blocks, made rice for me and put up with me and my particular sense of humor (and moods) every day. I miss all of you.

Three years

I remember being really scared. Through December not many people knew I was sick and in early January not even my oncologist could tell me how sick I actually was. So no one knew... not even me.

Three years ago today I woke-up after surgery and I was crying. I was scared, even more scared than when I went into the OR. I just was not ready for chemo, for (more) pain and funny enough... I wasn't ready to lose my curls -I was more scared of that than any other thing, mostly because that meant I was a 'sick person' and I just couldn't handle that.

But I woke-up and my mom told me everything was alright. The surgery had been even more successful than anyone expected and at least for now, I didn't have to worry about being sick. Because of the experience I've grown and also seen how wonderful my friends can be... and three years later I'm still here :)

Luna di citta' d'agosto

Luna di città d'agosto
che sembri solamente mia
in questo asfalto posto
con la gente che se n'è andata via
luna di città d'agosto
mi piace guardarti la schiena
mentre sei girata verso il mare
in questa nottata serena
va e dille che sto bene
di non pensare a me
di lasciar perdere
il vento soffia e il tempo passerà
palazzi e strade come scenografie
di uno spettacolo
che è andato male
coi ballerini che tolgono il trucco
per ritornare a cominciare a sognare
luna di città d'agosto
raccontami un' altra bugia
fammi riscaldare davanti
al fuoco caldo della malinconia
va e dille che sto bene
di non pensare a me
di lasciar perdere
il vento soffia
e il tempo passerà...

Here comes the sun...

I just got home, changed into my jammies and realized I had a wonderful day today. The sun was shinning and not a cloud could be found in the sky. The temperature was just right to wear shorts and it felt like a glorious late Spring day.

I walked around and was outside all day. I sat at a park bench to read a bit of a great book, I had lunch with dear, dear friends and went shopping for presents for some of the ones that aren't with me right now. So it was kind of like having all the important people around me all day.

Now I'm tired like I remember being tired after a long, nice, and fun day as a kid. The sunlight gives you so much energy but makes you sleepy when it goes away... sleepy in such a nice, warm way were you can barely wait to jump into you nice bed and hug your pillows and just keep on being happy.

Originally I was set to spend the day sitting in the CIRMA library and while I love libraries, sometimes life just works-out in your favor without you knowing it.

The thin, pink line

Wearing make-up is complicated business. Eye-shadow is tricky, liner is difficult and gloss is finicky and ends-up doing whatever it wants anyways. To some extent, I think I've pretty much conquered the bunny-slope level of make-up 101 but the great beast was still at large: blush.

You see, blush is hard. Its hard because it goes on a part of your face that's not as clear cut as 'lips' or 'eye-lids'... cheeks take-up everywhere, so where do you color and how intensely do you do so?

So, as I practice my blush-wearing abilities I always keep in mind there's a thin, pink-hue of a line between looking blushing and spring-like and looking like a common street walker.

-For the record, I aim for the former, not the latter!

Un pedacito de Tito (An itty-Tito-bitty) 1: about my writing style

La consición es algo elegante.
No se trata de suprimir palabras.
Hay que dejar las indispensables
para que la cosa además de tener sentido, suene bien.

Elegance can be found in being consice.
Its not about the mere act of disposing of words.
Its about leaving in the necesary ones so that
things not only make sense, but sound good.

Review 1: Dogma

I'm a sucker for a good pun at the good old hegemonic deity. I'm also one for good movies and really good writing. I just saw Dogma the other day. I really liked it and it made me literally laugh out loud. The timing and the rapport between the actors made me wish I had done more acting in my day... and wonder if I was good enough to go that far.

Don't get me wrong, its not like I ever played Ophelia, but I wish I had. And I also wish I'd been Norah because, darn it, I was the only one that had actually read that stupid play before we started rehearsals.

So this is me, missing 'the theater' and all those great times in undergrad drama club.