Messsican + 1

Santiago Gabriel

2008-12-29T08:32:00.002-06:00

was born on December 7th, 2008 at 5:25 am. He was 8 pounds, 12 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long. I know, he was a huge baby! I am typing this with only one hand as I hold him with my other arm. He's beautiful, he's perfect, and he looks like his dad. He's suffering from acid reflux and it just breaks my heart to see him like this but we will take care of it. Hopefully.

December 2 - still no baby

2008-12-02T16:52:00.000-06:00

One more day is almost gone... And my baby is still inside.

November 28 - no baby yet

2008-11-28T17:46:00.002-06:00

I can't take this any longer. Oh, well, I think I have to. No baby yet. I am dying to see him, to get to touch and hold him, to get rid of this huge belly.... But it seems that life has its own ways.

November 23 - baby still inside

2008-11-23T20:55:00.003-06:00

39 weeks tomorrow. My dear beautiful baby is still inside me. I have the hugest belly in the whole world. I swear - this is just unbelievable. I have been asked twice in the last two days if I am carrying twins. No, it's only one baby. I am not sure if they believe me or not. But I understand. My belly is huge. And it's heavy. Quite heavy. I wake up with a lot of energy and feeling fine. But I do get tired quickly, as I have said before, and after 4:00 pm everything starts hurting. My back, my legs, my lower abdomen, etc., etc. EVERYTHING. These weird pains that wrap the middle part of my body...

Nevertheless, I had a great Sunday. D drove me to a Christmas tree farm about 45 min outside of Austin. I wanted to have my tree ready, I wanted a natural tree, and I wanted it today. So there we went. It was quite fun! We walked among the trees, we chose our tree, D cut the tree himself and now it's here in our living room - with lights, and ornaments, and everything else. All this in one day. Of course, I overdid it, and now I am paying the price... Can't move and I will be going to bed in 30 minutes. Everything is fine if I stay sitting here in this sofa with the 100 pillows supporting my back and my behind... but just wait until I have to stand up. It is just an excruciating pain as my legs and lower back realize that they have to hold me and walk me to the bathroom. It's a little bit scary. If it hurts like this now how much is labor going to hurt?

Due date is Dec 1st. We never thought I was going to make it this far. Not my doctor, not my mother, not me. But here I am. Still pregnant.

Nov 19 - still pregnant

2008-11-19T23:25:00.003-06:00

And it seems that the baby does not want to come out. He has not dropped, I am not dilated, not effaced... Nothing, nada de nada. He's in no rush whatsoever.... Sometimes it feels like everything was just a dream and that it's not true and that nothing will ever happen.

I feel fine. Back, and legs, and buttocks ache, though, but I guess I am fine.

It's getting closer

2008-11-12T21:43:00.002-06:00

Yes, it is. 37 weeks this week. Very likely we will have a baby within the next two weeks. I am so excited but so tired, so unbelievable tired and achy and uncomfortable but other than that I am fine. No swollen ankles or hands, blood pressure is fine, I can sleep through the night although I go to the bathroom 3 or 4 times every night. Everyone says that I look great but that my belly is "impressive" which means huge. Yes, it is huge and that makes everything in my lower body hurt. But I am so excited...

I want my baby to be here with me!

Hiccups

2008-10-15T20:58:00.002-05:00

ME: David, the baby has the hiccups...

D: No way!

ME: Yes, he does....

D: No way....

ME: Yes, I can tell. Short, repetitive little movements...

D: Wow...

46 days....

33 weeks --- seven more to go.....

2008-10-10T17:15:00.001-05:00

Wow motherhood is approaching...

Exhaustion

2008-08-29T08:14:00.002-05:00

It's tiring being pregnant. Quite the tiring experience. And this morning my legs hurt. And my feet. I feel like I had walked 15 miles (and no, I haven't). It's a weird internal pain that I can't really identify. I really don't want to check the 15 pregnancy books that I have upstairs because I don't want to start getting weird ideas or something. I am tired of those books as well. I haven't read them in a while. Whatever it has to be, it will be. I'm completing 27 weeks on Monday and that puts me close to the end of the sixth month ?? Maybe. All these weeks and months in pregnancy is very confusing. Because it is not 9 months, no, no, no it is really 10 lunar months of 4 weeks each. It is really a long time. I wonder if human beings are the mammals with the longest gestation? I feel I have been pregnant forever and I still have three more months...

100 days

2008-08-22T09:32:00.003-05:00

One hundred days for our baby to get here.... And he might get here sooner. Wow!!!! WOW!! WOW..... And we have a crib and a dresser and...... a couple of books, two pacifiers, and a little elephant that you can put in the crib. And that's it. I think we really need to start working on this. Or not. I am really not sure if we have time and we can take things easily or if we have to rush and get everything ready ASAP... Never done this before.

Ah, we have a mattress too!

Remember?

2008-08-14T08:40:00.009-05:00

Nostalgically, I went over my 600+ honeymoon photos. It was a delicious trip. Why did it have to end??? Will always be grateful.

Athens - the Parthenon on a beautiful afternoon

Mykonos

Santorini at night

Istanbul

The last night of the trip...

The hottest summer in 83 years in central Texas

2008-08-08T23:20:00.009-05:00

and I am 23 weeks pregnant. Yes, the hottest summer in Austin. Wow. I could have been pregnant last summer. It rained every other day. But no... It had to be this summer.

Summer Cold

2008-08-07T20:33:00.002-05:00

I'm sick. I have this crazy little cold. And it's boiling outside. It's been a very, very hot summer. It feels like the AC and the heat -- getting in and out-- have not been good to me. My head is killing me and my nose is not working. And of course I can't take a lot of things. Doctor said that Tylenol will help, and lots of fluids. Same old thing. Has not been a good day.

We saw our baby this morning. He had his little hands on top of his head and he was crossing his legs. He was just there relaxing inside me, waving his little fingers. Little baby. He's breeched. His butt is facing down. Hopefully he will turn around on time. My dear friends the fibroids seem to have stopped growing and have moved (could this even be possible) to the right part of the outside of the uterus. The doctor was surprised but he said that everything looks great. According to him, I am doing very well (except for the cold) and that things are looking perfect. I just feel tired. TIRED. TIRED. TIRED. I just want to sleep. And I do that. I do a lot of sleeping. I just can't get enough sleep.

I am watching "So you think you can dance." What if my baby becomes a big, hip, crazy dancer? Mmmmm....

My pregnancy - Part 1

2008-07-31T09:06:00.005-05:00

I am 22 weeks pregnant. One of the words that comes to my mind very frequently when I think about this pregnancy is weird. Everything seems just weird. Weird might have a negative connotation but I mean it in the very best way possible. Weird in the sense that I have a human being growing inside me. Yes, a human being growing inside me. And when I think about it, it just seems the weirdest thing in the whole world. It doesn't matter that millions of human beings have grown inside women for thousands of years. I didn't think too much about it until now that one particular human being that is going to be MY CHILD is growing inside me. It is just amazing that such thing can even be possible. Every day as I see my big belly, it amazes me, and puzzles me, and provokes me... I am making a human being. I'm just stunned.

The weird feeling has been with me since the beginning. I found out I was pregnant very early: week 4. Quite the shock. Week 4 & 5 no physical symptoms. I was just feeling fine and a little bit panicking because I didn't have symptoms so then something must be wrong. But no. Nothing was wrong with the baby but it was going to be with me very soon. By week 6, it hit me like a rock. Wow! What the heck is this??? Again, just weird, weird, weird! Nausea 24/7, indigestion, extremely tired, cranky, getting sick, etc. I couldn't stand the smell of the detergent that we were using at the time, I couldn't stand the smell of beer ( I love beer but during those days beer smelled so, so, so bad- it was so sad), I couldn't stand David's toothpaste. I literally couldn't kiss him! I had terrible aftertaste in my mouth. It was just very weird. I recognize that all those symptoms are the most normal symptoms of pregnancy but, BUT, BUT you can read about them, you can know something about them but that is not the same as having them. It was not fun. It was not fun.

There was really nothing to do. We tried saltines (which were useless), ginger tea ( which made me throw up more violently than before), and just waiting. And that was what we did. We just rode out the storm. I was so glad David was here with me. He listened to my complaints, and he tried to drink beer in a different room. And he scratched my back when I threw up. That was so nice. By week 10, I was feeling better. Little by little I have felt better and better. It seemed that the worst had passed. And so far, yes, those 4 or 5 weeks, have been the worst. Four or five weeks seem like nothing now but wow, what a trip that was.

tortillas

2008-05-28T11:50:00.003-05:00

I made nopalitos last night. With onion, tomato, serrano, cilantro, oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil.... Delicious!! And yes, very Messsican. I heated up some tortillas because the natural way to eat nopalitos is with tortillas. There is no other way. David didn't eat tortillas with his side of nopalitos. In fact, he told me that he could not eat tortillas in every single meal. (What????)
He will never be a Messsican....

Updating

2008-05-18T11:08:00.002-05:00

My dear husband wants a post. He keeps going to my blog every once in a while just to find NOTHING. NADA DE NADA. Oh well.... It turns out I am kind of lazy. But he's also kind of lazy because even though he has read every post, he has NEVER posted one single comment.... So, we're even. I believe.

So, here it is......

A post.

Bye.

I LOVE YOU, DEAR HUSBAND OF MINE.

post-wedding bliss

2007-10-17T20:01:00.001-05:00

Well, it happened. Everything happened: the wedding, the week at home before the wedding, the honeymoon, the back to reality weekend, etc...

We got back home last Friday. It was a pretty awesome trip. A little bit romantic, a little bit adventurous, a little bit surprising, a little bit active. Pretty cool.

The wedding, well, what can I say? Everything turned out perfect. I was very relaxed and happy, and Super D seemed to be also quite happy. And it also seemed that everyone else was having a pretty good time... But in reality, I don't remember a lot. I kind of know what happened but I really don't remember things. That's the way these things are. We'll get the video soon. That will help me remember things.

it's getting closer...

2007-08-23T17:10:00.000-05:00

I'm getting married in 29 days to be exact. Everything is just crazy!!!!!!! We are down to the final things to do but we are also dealing with the house, and the honeymoon, and work and it has been crazy. But we are happy -- very happy. We've been blessed with many expressions of love from friends and family and this has made all the difference.

Have to run now.....

Sshhit....

2007-08-01T10:44:00.000-05:00

I AM GETTING MARRIED NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW....

parents gone crazy

2007-07-18T14:19:00.000-05:00

A recently received photo of the cutest nephew on Earth after his dear parents had some fun with him....

litter of fibroids

2007-07-17T11:31:00.000-05:00

Well, yes, I have seen a doctor, and yes, we have discussed all the possibilities, and risks, and procedures, etc......

1. We can leave them like that and try to get pregnant ASAP. Doc says that it might be OK but it might also not be that OK. You know how doctors are... they really never know. I just have to try to get pregnant soon because the fibroids will continue growing and a baby inside an uterus that it is already big it might be complicated. So, that's what really upsets me: that I cannot wait for a year before trying to get pregnant because the f&(*&^ fibroids might continue to grow... The doctor say that beginning a pregnancy with a 16 weeks size pregnancy might be complictated. So that's one.

2. A miomectomy: open me, put uterus on my chest, take alll fibroids out and put it back inside. Major surgery, risk of hemorrage, and then waiting another year to get pregnant and fibroids might come back. Or they might not. Again, we never know.

3. Embolization- cut main arteries that feed fibroids. Pregnancy after that? There is very little research out there about this but it can or it cannot happen. Again, we cannot just know...

4. There was a fourth one. I forgot the name. It is still too new, they don't know a lot about it, and insurance companies are still not paying for it.

I just wish my uterus was fine -- I feel like I am running a race against time. I will be 38 when I get married in September. I am not that young anymore. And you hear all the stories about fibroids and pregnancies, and infertility, and age, and genetic defects, etc., etc., etc. A lot of my friends who have gotten married in their lates 30s or early 40s have had a hard time conceiving. So many people that I know are trying unsuccesfully to get pregnant as I speak. I am nervous.

I know there are also all the other stories about people in their early 40's or even 50's having babies. But sometimes I don't think I will be that lucky. And the freaking fibroids in my uterus kind of confirm this idea of "You see, you won't be able to have a baby. You were right all this time".

David and I have talked and thought a lot about it and I think that I will be fine. Regardless of the final outcome, I think I will be fine. Everything will be just fine.

3 months pregnant

2007-07-13T14:08:00.001-05:00

My uterus is the size of a 3-month pregnancy. But there is no baby. I have uterine fibroids and I am hating them with all my strength today. That's why pants and jeans are not zipping up! That's why my little belly is still my belly even though I have been going to the gym at least 3 times a week and dieting for the last 2 months! I have the belly of a three month pregnant woman!! However, I really don't care. I am not that vain. I knew I had fibroids. I have known for a while but I wasn't expecting for them to grow so much in a year. And I am also upset because I WANT TO HAVE A BABY and I am afraid that those fibroids might make it difficut for me to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy... I really want to have a baby.

Humberto Galindo

2007-07-12T20:08:00.000-05:00

My grandfather passed away on June 30th at 3:25 pm. I flew home next morning to spend some days with my family. My mother, as you can imagine, was pretty sad. And my grandmother-- well, what can I say. They had been married 63 years. I am sure she had many reasons to be sad.

However, we have to say that we were very lucky. He lived 90 very, very good years. He loved to smoke and drink his Cuba Libres while reading his newspaper every single day. He stopped doing that last May when he got worse. He had 8 children, 18 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. He joked around all the time and made everyone laugh. He loved to throw parties and I have been told that he would lock the doors so people could stay longer during his parties and enjoy life with him. And he never spent a night in a hospital in his life. He died at home, in peace, surrounded by his family. Really, really -- what else can we ask for? He had a great life and we were very lucky to have him in our lives.

Rocks first

2007-06-18T19:40:00.000-05:00

"A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was full.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining “small stuff” and material possessions.

If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important.

Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being. Take time to get medical check-ups, play with your children, go for a run, write your grandmother a letter. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, or fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first – things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand".

I found this the other day and I liked it. It is so true. I am putting it here so I can remember later on when I reread this blog.

Happy Monday!

Happy Times

2007-06-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

We went to Mexico for the weekend. D's mom and sister came along. It was time for both families to meet. (Aaahhhhhhhhh!!!! I was so nervous!!!!!)

My mother was throwing me a shower on Saturday morning and my good friend D and her husband were also throwing another party on Saturday evening. And everything went great. I was indeed very nervous because I was traveling with David, and his mother and sister who left her family back home and I was concerned about Mexico, and safety, etc., etc., etc. But everything turned out beautifully.

First of all, David. He is so precious, he is just amazing. He calms me down, he is always very positive, he plays along, he says Yes to every one of my resquests, he is so tender, and loving; it was just a dream to have him there with me. When I showed him the wedding invitations, he got all excited in his own way, went speechless, and gave me a big hug.

Second, the families. D's mom and sister were wonderful. They were able to adapt to everything and deal with the different language, and just be there with us and be happy for us. My family was also great. Even my dad who, although not happy about D and I living together, was in his best behavior. My parents are so, so, so generous. The shower was just beautiful! It was very nice. Unfortunately, one of my brothers was not able to be there with us and my grandpa is not doing that well... That was a little bit sad.

Third, my friends back home. D and her husband threw this amazing party with Messsican music, and amazing food,and champagne, and a wedding cake with a bride and groom dolls on top! It was just unbelievable... It was so nice, it was really nice... It was very special that D and his family were there to see all this love.

And then we had to come home. I wish I could have everything in the same place: Austin, my family, my friends, my nephew, etc. But not. I am here in austin in front of my computer reading blogs and writing one when I should be working. So, let me get back to my work keeping in mind that the operative word now is ENJOY! That's it.... just enjoy these happy times.

Birthdays

2007-06-01T07:47:00.000-05:00

It was D's birthday yesterday. It was his fourth birthday that I have been involved with (that was such a bad English structure, sorry). Time goes by so fast. And I still can't believe that I am marrying my upstairs neighbor. Three years ago I had this mini crush on my upstairs neighbor and now I will be marrying him in less than four months. Wow... Life is weird.

Three years ago also, for his birthday, I bought him a little cake because he was so cute, and he was sooooo thin. We were just neighbors and kind of friends.... And it was his birthday. It was a chocolate cheesecake. I didn't know at the time that his favorite cake was carrot cake and I didn't know either that that thinness was so easy to disappear. I got him a big carrot cake this time with a "Happy Birthday David" and these crazy candles that I found in a drawer here at home and that didn't want to stop burning. I was sure that the fire alarm was going to go off at the restaurant. But no, it didn't.

It was a fun birthday but I really wish that D and I could stay this old forever. I know that there is nothing better than aging gracefully and gratefully but ... really, really, I don't want to get old. And I don't want D to get old either. And, obviously, it's not really that I fear wrinkles and gray hair. I fear endings. I fear good-byes.

My grandfather is 90 years old. He won't be with us for a long time. Fortunately, he is in very good spirits and with no pain but he might not make it for the wedding. I am really sad about that. He was able to go to all of my cousins' weddings (the ones that have gotten married) and I am sad that he might not be with us for our wedding. It is so weird to think that he might not be there in a few months. He has always been such a strong figure in the family. He was always happy, and loud, and funny, and full of life. He was bigger than life (as they say in this country). And he still is but to a lesser degree, I think. He still calls me "güera" (blonde) because I live in the US. And he was always been so giving, so generous, so warm. I keep telling myself that if he has to go now, he lived ninety fantastic and plentiful years. But I don't like endings.

Someone very close to me (who knows my fear for endings) has tried to make me understand for the past two years that everything in life is transitory. That everything in nature is in continuous change; that plants, flowers, and animals are born and die. That everything that has life ends. And I understand that. I am not that dense. But... but... but... When I hear about the men and women that die in "the war" ... I mean. They're gone. My friend Maria Luisa died of cancer three years ago. She's no more, she's not talking, she's not painting, she's not laughing. And that is very sad.

Stop. Stop. Stop. This was about a birthday. And we had a good time last night.

finally home for a while

2007-05-24T15:01:00.000-05:00

I barely made it home last night after three days in Houston, and three days in Dallas the week before, and four days in San Antonio the week before that, and three days in El Paso two weeks before that. I am really tired. I am holding my body with my two arms as I type this. I am so tired. I will be here in town for a while now. Next trip is home for a bridal shower that my mother is throwing me (or to me? -- what's the best way to say this?) on June 9th, and after that I think I will stay here for a while, at least six weeks. That's pretty good...

You should see our house... The landscaping work and the remodeling has begun. It is kind of a mess but it will look so great when it is done. We are very excited! However, we are, well by "we", I mean "David", are designing the upstairs and as a result we have to make a lot of decisions about windows, and doors, and stuff like that. And last time I checked we don't have any kind of designing or architectural degrees so we really don't know exactly what to do. For example, in the master bedroom's back wall: Do we leave one big window or two smaller windows? In the master bathroom: Do we put the toilet in the right corner or in the left corner? Do we leave a half wall or do we put some kind of rail? If we put rail, what rail? Decisions, decisions, decisions....

Anyway, I am tired. No more writing. Bye.

four months before the wedding

2007-05-20T17:27:00.000-05:00

Four months... Oh My God... It's amazing but yes, we only have four more months. And I know that things are going to get crazier. I believe. And everything will be all right. I hope. And I am excited... We are going to the gym at least three times a week and I can begin to see some changes in my "body parts"...

It's actually a little bit chilly in Austin today. Not exactly chilly just not hot and a little gray. I am cold myself because I am in this outdoor, quite hip coffee house --the Spider House-- and they have this huge fan going full speed in the patio. Well, they have more than one but this one is right here in front of me. And it is blowing right in my face. And it's cold. You can say that we can move to another table but everything is taken-- the hip college children love this place-- and we were very lucky to get this table in the first place. However, I am COLD!! I had never liked fans blowing directlly onto my "body parts" (all of them)... but I am trying to survive. Super D loves it and I don't want to be a whining little girl who gets cold because of a fan... But I am COLD!!! and as I write this the the waitress just called everyone attention's because Elizabeth (one of the regulars I believe) is celebrating her birthday and she wanted all of us singing Happy Birthday to her -- oh Lord, no, no, no... only in Austin. David looked at me and remained quiet and I threw up next to the table. Not very fond of public demonstrations of Happy Birthdays.

I have been traveling a lot. I am so tired. I am really tired of all this traveling. It is just insane. El Paso, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston in less than five weeks. I can't keep up with this amount of traveling. It is just insane ( I know it's the second time I write this phrase but that's they way I feel.) Things might change in the fall - I believe.

Teacher's Day

2007-05-15T12:30:00.000-05:00

Today is Teacher's Day in Mexico. To all of my friends who are involved in Education (including myself), congratulations. It is such a difficult field and we still have so much to do. More than once in the last 20 years I have thought about throwing in the towel and going to beauty school on Saturday mornings. But here I am -- with a Ph. D. in education and devoting at least 50 hrs a week to help teachers do a better job in their reading instruction. We have to keep trying, I guess.

Gym

2007-05-07T13:14:00.000-05:00

We went to the gym on Saturday! yes!! And on my way to the gym again in a couple of hours...

Wedding Watch 2007

2007-05-05T09:22:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't go to the gym. I really didn't. But now it's 9:22 am on this terribly muggy Saturday morning and I already have my gym clothes on and I will wake up D in a little bit and we'll go. We have to go. Wedding Watch 2007 has officially started and we have to lose some weight.

Thanks Jen for the advice on enjoying my wedding plans. You are totally right. The problem is that I'm far away from where the action is going to take place that I feel a little bit disconnected. But you are right. It is only once in a lifetime. The other big problem is my job... It has been so exhausting lately that I just don't have time for anything. I get to the office around 9:30 or so and when I look at the clock again is noon and then a few moments later and it is already 5:30... It has been just insane. I want to say that when I was in grad school I was also pretty busy but I had more personal time... I don't remember a lot but I do remember that I had more time for myself. Perhaps because I was single and had to do more things on my own and because I was living in the apartment (now, with the house there are always things to clean and fix). Here's a little secret: I miss my apartment. It had a huge master bedroom and a huge walk-in closet, and a bathroom just for myself... and a cute guy living upstairs... Oh, those good old times...

However, it seems that next week, work will begin on the second floor masterbedroom, bathroom, and closets. And I say "it seems" because our contractor has said about "next week" for the last four weeks. Who knows.. Oh, well, I am beginning to get used to having my clothes in the small closet in the study... and in three drawers in the other room, ... and in a boxes in D's closet... and in every place where I can put clothes and shoes! It will be so sweet when we have our closets! So, so, so, so sweet.....

Time to wake up Super D -- and go to the gym. Will we go or not? Well, will he go or not? That's the question because I am going.

messsican.com

2007-05-03T19:30:00.000-05:00

I don't think I have told you people that Super Dave got something that allows me to get to this blog directly by typing messsican.com. How cool is that?! I don't know why but it is pretty cool....

I just have to let people know about that.

I just home 7:25 pm. I am so tired. We went to the gym yesterday (what!!!!!!!!). Yes, the gym. We have to do something about our sizes. However, today we are just dead after 10 hours at work. I am very tired. I promise I will do the best to go to bed early tomorrow and then go to the gym tomorrow. I have to. I have four months and a half approximately to look freaking great in that wedding dress..... I have to do it.

Two months without writing

2007-05-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

Two months without writing.... And I have all the excuses in the world. Too much work, the wedding, the ridiculous amount of traveling that I do because of that too much work that I have, and, mainly, the fact that I realized that there are people for whom writing about their lives is such a comfortable practice and other people who seem to have more issues about writing about their lives. It seems that I am part of the later.

I have really not written many things about me that have really impacted my life in this blog. Even though I know nobody really reads this blog, there are many things that I have kept to myself. It seems that by not writing them I think they are not happening. That's the way I deal with my "issues". I really admire the people who can talk so candidly about their lives in these blogs. They have found a place where they can express themselves, save memories, and relate to others. However, I just couldn't do it. I just couldn't write about my personal problems, or fears, or issues, or whatever you want to call them. And I guess that without that need or desire pushing me, I stopped writing. I am not apologizing -- I am just telling it how it is.

However, there is no need to be so melodramatic. I also stopped writing because I don't have time. Period. That's it..... I don't get home until after 6 pm and the weekends are always filled with house stuff, and wedding stuff, and trips, and parties, and people coming over, etc., etc.., etc. But, hey, what the heck... that's life.

Wedding update: September 22. The date has changed like three times. I ordered my dress. I bought the first one I ever tried after trying like 20 other dresses. Way more expensive than what I had wanted to spend but I have this tendency to like expensive things, and I just couldn't get myself to buy a cheaper dress. Mom is taking care of the reception and we have hired someone to take care of things during the last two weeks before the wedding. We are still going to Greece for our honeymoon, even though the freaking Euro is so expensive! And, yes, I am nervous about getting married. Yes, I am. I want that day to come and get it over with, and go on with our lives. This marriage thing is just too intense.

california

2007-02-28T23:14:00.000-06:00

San Francisco is so cool.... It is really such a beautiful, vibrant city...

I had a great time -- after the conference the first day we drove to Half Moon Bay -- Moss Beach Distillery-- to enjoy some great mussels with an amazing view of the Pacific...

Although we didn't have the amazing weather or the happy crowds that you can see in the picture we still had the Pacific right there with all its glory. The mussels were fantastic and we read about two female ghosts who love to hang around the restaurant. Both women died because of unrequited love...

We then drove back to San Francisco, crossed the Golden Gate and headed to Sausalito... Although it was already dark, we found a cute wine bar where we ate again - cheese, and olives, and almonds, and bread... Just delicious.

And the next day, we finished our trip by having excellent sushi for lunch ... I had this Chu Toro that was just like butter -- it just melted in my mouth. Quick trip but lots of fun....

Wedding update: the date has changed. October 27th will be. Well, at least for now. I wanted to go to Greece for our honeymoon but if we get married at the end of October then it will be too cold to go to Greece... I really wanted to go to Greece but we couldn't get a church for the Sept 29 previous date... Back at home they always said that it is more difficult to find a church than a boyfriend.. They might be right after all...

i've been engaged for a week

2007-02-25T16:15:00.000-06:00

and I am off to san francisco for a couple of days. I have to go to a conference and it would be a good little trip to relax a little bit after the workshop and the engagement craziness...

D & I just got back from Houston - we went to see David's mother and family. It is just so funny how our families are very much alike in many things but very much different in others. I think that the main difference is a cultural difference. Me being Messsican and all and they being not.... I guess it's good to be aware of differences and how these differences can play an important role in our relationship... David's mom told me as we left that it was important for me to remember that I was marrying a family as well and not only David. Yes, I am very much aware of that and I am fine with that. In fact, one of the things that I liked about David was his family. They are prudent, cautious, a little bit reserved but at the same time friendly and warm. Very American indeed. And very loving as well.

I still can't believe I am getting married to my upstairs neighbor... Amazing...

big, big news!!!!!!

2007-02-21T20:07:00.000-06:00

Well, it happened. Yes, it did. David proposed last Sunday. Yes. And I am finally coming down from cloud 9.... It wasn't a total surprise because we had talked about it but it still hit me as a lighting. Oh, my God... I never thought that I was going to be so shocked. Well, it wasn't exactly shocking but I really don't know what word to use. It was tremendous joy and excitment and emotion, etc., etc., etc.... I wish I could have better words to describe the experience. It was just extremely sweet and we are very happy. David is an amazing man and since I started dating him I knew he was going to be my husband. I knew that we were going to spend our lives together. It was so different than other relationships... and believe me, we are not both perfect but we are good together. And it just feels right. We both are quite happy.

Anyway, first thing I did with my ring in my hand was, naturally, to call my parents. They were just thrilled, as you can imagine. We then called David's mom who was also quite happy. I called my brothers as well and then we were just happy.... very happy, and we drank champagne ( a lot) and we hugged, and kissed, etc., etc. It was very sweet...

On Monday at work, well, I didn't get a lot accomplished. I just couldn't concentrate! And I was suprised with my reaction -- I thought I was going to take it more relax but I just couldn't do anything.... Tuesday was a little bit better and I guess I was able to send a couple of emails and get some things ready for a huge workshop that I was presenting Wednesday and Thursday. Today, at the workshop, I realized that I really needed to get down to Earth because work-related things need to get done. So, I was able to forget about it for a while. Not long, though.

Maybe I didn't get things done at work but I got things done back at home. A date has been set and place for the reception has been chosen. It will all take place on September 29th back at home. My mom and my sister-in-law (who is more excited than I am, I believe) will be helping me with all that stuff. I really don't know what to do --- but I am sure they know.

I am excited -- really excited. And I am very happy... life is good ;-)

so long...

2007-02-14T12:26:00.000-06:00

I haven't written in ages... but I have been so busy with work and my life has been ups and downs and downs and ups.... Some very sad moments and some very happy moments and I just wasn't in the mood for writing. Perhaps I'll tell more about these past three weeks at some other time. Not now.

And work -- oh LORD, my job. It's just crazy. I have this huge project due next week and I am just so tired, so tired. I feel like I don't have the energy and my head feels like it is going to explode with these terrible headaches. The green advil pills are my best friend now - I love those things. I really want this project to be over but then, we will have something else...

But I got to travel home a couple of weeks ago to the baptism of one of my best friend's daughter. I am her Godmother! It is my first godchild. So that was fun. And I also got to see the most beautiful nephew in the whole world -- my baby-- who turned one. He is soooo cute.

And today is Valentine's day. I found a sweet card from D in my car this morning... He's sweet... He writes almost the same sweet thing on every card he gives me. But I don't mind... he is very cool. And I kindda love him.

yes more photos of the ice

2007-01-18T23:00:00.000-06:00

Wednesday January 17, 2007

We woke up to even more ice. The weather people had said that we might have snow but there was no snow -- at least in our neighbor which is pretty central. I am sure that people outside the city got some snow or even more ice.

and our patio table

and our roof

But it is over for now. Texas survived their yearly ice storm.

Today, we went back to work, to the craziness of trying to get things done with dozens people knocking on your door, phone calls to return, and this damn project that I have to finish within the next ten days. But it was fine. As much as I sometimes can't stand my job, it is good to feel useful and productive. Jobs are good.

Update on the ice...

2007-01-16T22:38:00.000-06:00

So, yes, we spent almost the whole day here at home. Work was cancelled for me and David. And this is why...

that's a fancy icy tablecloth on our outside table

and that's what they mean by ice storms...

Around 2:00 pm we decided to go for a walk. I needed to go outside so we walked a couple of blocks to the nearest Randall's to buy ... iced coffee, milk, and ... and that's it because we really didn't need anything. We just wanted to go out.

What's up with my hat?

Super D

We ended up going to the movies -- Pan's Labyrinth ... Quite good. We are finally back home, and guess what? Work is closed AGAIN tomorrow.... Yes, another day in paradise....

ice storm 2007

2007-01-15T23:57:00.000-06:00

We have had an ice storm almost every winter since I moved to Austin. This year winter's storm is taking place right now. It is FREEZING outside, and it has been very cold for the last two days. I didn't go to work today -- MLK holiday. David didn't go to work either -- he didn't have the day off but he works up north and the ice on Mopac and 183 were not inviting. Further, he can work at home so that's what we did. We had omelettes for breakfast and we worked all morning.

At 3 pm, due to a heavy attack of cabin fever and the decision to use somebody else's heating, we headed out to a coffee shop. The place was obviously packed. Since it was a holiday, lots of school-aged children were doing homework and/or hanging out (cool place to hang out with friends -- I didn't have a place with mochas and vanilla capuccinos when I was in elementary school). Unfortunately, Seattle's Best Coffee shop decided to close at 4:00 pm. I guess they also wanted to go home and avoid icy roads. You can't blame them. So, we had to go somewhere else because coming back home didn't sound like a great idea. We found another coffee shop and stayed there until 6:00. We went to Randalls after that to get food because --- we might forget about everything but not about food. God forbid we don't eat our three daily meals! We were back at home around 6:30 pm. I cooked some dinner -- lime & garlic tilapia, lightly buttered brussels sprouts, and a green salad with a olive oil and balsamic vinegar ( I am still counting my calories-- even though it is getting tougher and tougher). We ate all that in about 25 minutes while watching "24" -- well, David, because I really can't watch the show. (It is just so mindless that it is almost offensive.) At 9:15 pm, we both just plainly said it, "We are bored!!" And there was nothing fun to do... I wanted to go to the movies but I was also afraid of the icy roads on the way back home. We didn't have any other TV shows to watch -- we had watched HBO's Rome yesterday. We had already cleaned the kitchen, I had already thought about a healthy dinner for tomorrow, checked email for the tenth time, talked on the phone with friends and family, cleaned the TV room..... AAAAHHH! It them hit me....Three days without going to work having to stay in almost all day because it is freaking cold and terrible dark outside can really get to you! In the morning I was thrilled about my day off and the possibility of another day off on Tuesday, hanging out in comfy clothes all day, but I kindda got tired of it by the end of third day! Going out was out of the question. I really like my car and roads were being closed. What to do?! David found something to do-- organize some cables and watch like four episodes of Battlestar Galactica.... And I decided to read about Mafalda and write a blog entry... a boring one but at least one more entry.

To make things a little bit worse, tomorrow is another day in paradise. Work will be closed and I don't think David will go to work.... And roads will be icy again, and places will close early, and.... However, I should enjoy it and stop complaining. It is nice to be toasty at home and, more importantly, safe. And, right now, as I type this, David is giving a little massage to my feet while I am drinking a glass of wine (shit, I have to add it to my food log!)... Life is not that bad after all.... Well, it could be better if we were not watching the fourth episode of Battlestar Galactica in a row... but it is fine. David likes it. It's his show.

¡Joder, que paseo!

2007-01-10T11:46:00.000-06:00

This is great-- but don't have time to translate into English. For those who speak Spanish, enjoy!!

¡¡¡Felicidades guapa!!!

A medida que envejecemos, las mujeres ganamos peso.
Esto ocurre porque acumulamos mucha información en
nuestra cabeza.
Pero claro, llega un punto en que tanta información
no cabe en nuestra cabecita. Así que esa información acumulada
empieza a distribuirse por todo el cuerpo. Y ahora lo entiendo
todo...
¡No me sobran kilos!
¡No estoy gorda!
¡Soy culta!
¡MUY culta!
Para todas las mujeres estupendas que andan por
ahí....
Hoy es el Día Internacional de las Mujeres
Endemoniadamente Guapas y Elegantes, así que por favor envía este mensaje a alguien que creas que encaja con esta descripción.
No me lo vuelvas a enviar a mí, porque ya lo he recibido, ya sé que soy estupenda.
Y no olvidemos este lema de vida: La vida NO debería ser un viaje hacia la tumba con la intención de llegar con buena salud y con un cuerpo atractivo y bien cuidado, sino más bien deslizarse en ella, con chocolate en una mano,
vino en la otra, el cuerpo hecho polvo, totalmente desgastado y
gritando...
¡¡Joder que paseo!!!

I'm Super Girl!!! (Who's that? I have never seen her in TV...)

2007-01-10T11:24:00.000-06:00

Your results:
You are Supergirl

Supergirl		77%
Robin		70%
Wonder Woman		62%
Superman		60%
Spider-Man		60%
The Flash		60%
Green Lantern		55%
Iron Man		50%
Catwoman		45%
Hulk		35%
Batman		30%

Lean, muscular and feminine.
Honest and a defender of the innocent.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

back to real life

2007-01-09T23:15:00.000-06:00

So the holidays are over and things are slowly going back to the way they were three weeks ago. And it kindda sucks. I really enjoyed the holidays and going back home, and seeing my friends, and seeing my baby (I am calling my nephew my baby), and spending time with loved ones.

Monterrey during the holidays

Me and my baby

Christmas' eve at grandparents' with crazy uncle dressed as Santa

Fun, fun times....

Now, it turns out that Starbucks made it to Monterrey with great success. The coffee shops are always crowded, and David and I were able to drink decent capuccinos (me) and strong coffee (David). However, not everything is the same at the Starbucks in Mexico. This basket was supposed to be filled with toys or books as it supposed to be "epoca de dar": time to give. However, it seems like Messsicans got a little bit confused...

"People, you were supposed to put toys there--no trash!"

ANYWAY, now it's time to get back to work, and to get on a diet because for the love of GOD, I really need to lose weight since I have a whole closet full of things that I cannot wear because I don't fit in them!!! I really don't know how it happened but I gained almost 10 pounds in the last year and, although it doesn't seem like a lot, it is a lot because I am hardly 5' 3" tall and very small boned. So, there is no excuse -- it is only fat.

With this in mind, I found this website called fitday.com. It allows you to keep a food journal and it tallies the calories you eat every single day. It also tells you if you've gotten your required nutrients every day. It is amazing to see how calories add so quickly and how difficult it is too get all the nutrients that you supposedly need. Like now I know that I didn't get any vitamin D today (where do you get vitamin D???) and that my calcium intake is really deficient (do I have to drink milk every single day? Where are the damn vitamins that I bought last year?). Anyway, it is a pretty good little website, and it is free! And the most important thing, at least for me, is that it is a new thing and new things always work for me. At least for a while. So I will take advantage of the novelty (let's see how long I can fool myself) and hopefully I can lose some weight. It has to happen because I really have no money to buy new clothes... However, I do have to say that my real goal is to learn how to eat healthier once and for all. I guess it's time -- I am not getting any younger...

But the real new year resolution, the only one that I have (well, the only one that I am posting here), is to learn something new. This year I have to learn something new. A friend's girlfriend offered to teach me how to knit. Knitting.... hmmm, thanks but no thanks. As domestic as I am becoming now with the Kitchen Aid mixer and all that stuff, knitting is not for me. It has to be something more active... I'm thinking some kind of dancing or maybe a sport? But I am not the sporty kind... Maybe tango. Tango is sexy, and I like sexy things... so maybe by the end of the year, I will know how to dance tango. Who knows... but I will learn something new.

Happy New Year to Zeynep and Mirthala.... my dear friends who are far away.

the cutest nephew on earth

2007-01-02T18:27:00.000-06:00

Yes, he is. He is the cutest nephew on the whole world. Look at him... I have a lot of friends with babies, a lot of cousins with babies, etc. but this baby is totally different. He is my first nephew, and that makes it all different. Amazing. Besides, he is the son of my baby brother, my baby brother whom I changed, babysat, and cleaned his nose! And now he has a baby... can you believe that? I still find it difficult to believe that my baby brother has a baby of his own.

However, it is true... He has a baby and we are all crazy about him... especially the grandparents... oh God -- you should see my mother playing with the baby on the floor and my dad drooling over his first grandchild. It is just pretty amazing to see them like that. I'm glad they are so happy with the baby, and I hope that keeps them from thinking too much about David and me living together...

Messsican Christmas 2

2006-12-26T21:05:00.000-06:00

I'm home for the holidays. I have been here for a little bit less than a week. Super D went back to visit his family yesterday evening but he spent a few good days here at home. We had a good time but it was a little bit stressful. I guess it always is stressful to visit family during the holidays with your living-in American boyfriend when you are supposed to be a good Catholic Messsican girl. Yes, my family is not very happy that we are living together and we successfully managed to avoid the topic during the holidays. There were no comments or conversations about the house, about our life in the US, etc. We did talk a little bit about the cruise and other stuff like that, but we were all very good in being in denial about our situation. And that made the whole deal a little bit stressful. HOwever, I do have to say that we were all very good to each other, my parents to David, David to my family, my family to me, etc. It was a very nice holiday, and David got to spend his first Christmas outside the US. That was good. And he drove all around! Yes, he did. And he was amazing - he survived in this crazy traffic! And he practiced his almost non-existent Spanish, and learned a little bit more, and we all ate like there was no tomorrow. Good Lord - my stomach is just asking for some time out...

But the best, best part of all was that we had a chance to spend some time with my beautiful baby nephew... At his tender age of 10 months, he knows how to be the center of attention. We are all crazy about him. He is my first nephew and I don't get to see him that often for obvious reasons so I did go crazy with him... He is so funny! I'll post some pictures when I get back to A. Just a few of the hundred and ten pictures that I took. Again, I went crazy!! Thank God Super D took the camera back with him. I could have gone on and on with that camera and that beautiful baby...

signing off for now.

celebrity sighting ... in Austin!!

2006-12-18T23:27:00.000-06:00

So there we go to have a little personal Christmas celebration to Starlite on Monday night. Cute little fancy place with a few tables. SD and I sat across from each other. I was the lucky one who could see the whole restaurant while Super Dave had to face a brick wall and me. Poor guy.

Most of the few tables were taken. A young crowd celebrating a birthday -- the girl must have been turning 18 or something like that (they all look so young). Another table with a group of lady friends. And there was this guy sitting at table in the corner drinking a Pacifico. Suddenly this other guy comes out from the bathroom and heads to that corner table. I see that guy and he seems very familiar.... Did he and I ...mmm... something at one point in my single years? Is he a friend of someone? Does he work at UT? (Yeah, right!) and then it hit me... It's Luke Wilson!!! Oh my God!! Luke Wilson has just sat down to drink a Pacifico less than 10 ft away from me.... Cool!

"David, David -- one of the Wilson brothers is here!"

"Who?"

"One of the Wilson brothers -- Luke Wilson is here!"

"Who?" [oh Lord, I'm about to kill him]

"We just see him in Idiocracy."

"Ahhhh" [finally!]

Of course I can be totally mistaken but I am pretty good with faces. Last summer I ran into Quentin Tarantino during lunch in Guero's here in Austin. This time it was a close and personal encounter... to the point that when he walked towards me in that crowded place I just said "Hiiiiiii" and then 2 seconds later...."I know you!"

Quentin very calmly and a little bit embarassed said, "I'm Quentin". "I'm Alejandra" I replied and I finally got it!!!!! "My God!!!! I just shook Quentin Tarantino's hand!!!!!!!"

The funniest thing was that later on on that same day we went to Hula Hut and guess who is having margaritas and fajitas at Hula Hut? Quentin Tarantino... Yes, twice in one day...

I wonder what Luke W was doing in Austin, TX...

Messsican Christmas 1

2006-12-12T00:08:00.000-06:00

My friend M left last night. It was great having her here for a few days. We went out with friends, drank vodka, had some yummy food, and even baked some cookies. It was a lot of fun, and it was having my country here with me for a few days. It was so needed.

And talking about my country, we bought the tickets to go home today. SD will be there for about 5 days, including Christmas and I will be there for about 8 days. Yes, Messsican food, Messssican friends, and lots of Messssican drivers. I have become so "unused" (that word might not exist but I will use it anyway) to driving in my home town. It is just crazy! People barely stop in the stop signs, and the lines that divide the different lanes seem to be just "suggestions" or, like my Dad would say, "obstacles." And this time I am really not exagerating... But I still love it -- it surely is a nice adrenaline trip driving down there. Last time we were there, David drove all the time. He did well! I think he was nervous, and I was as well, but, hey! he has to learn...

Saturday morning 7:57 am.

2006-12-09T07:56:00.000-06:00

I couldn't sleep any longer. I think we went to bed kind of early last night. I say think because I think I had like 9 vodka sodas for happy hour with R, M, and M who came for the weekend. Sooooo, I know we came home early because we started early but I also know that I didn't eat my dinner and now I am starving.

M is staying home with us. I fixed the upstairs bedroom for her. Super D and I are basically living in the first floor because we are planning on remodeling the whole upstairs area to make it a super master bedroom suite (we're currently sleeping in what will be the guest room) with lots, and lots, and lots of closet space because we all know that closets are the most important room in a house! The ladies will agree with me on this one. And David is an organization freak so having lots of closet space will make organization ten times easier, right? Yeah, right.

Bedroom project will begin after Christmas. We really had to take a break after the kitchen and living area remodelation. It was a tough one -- I am sure like many other remodelations it was just painful. So, we took a break and I am ready to begin with the next part soon, well, if I am still here (that's another story).

ANYWAY, therefore, the upstairs is empty and now has become the best guest room ever!!... I was going to put M in the TV room or in the study but then I thought.. WE HAVE A WHOLE UPSTAIRS EMPTY! A little bit of vaccumming, a couple of chairs, a lamp, a chest, and a great eddie bauer inflatable mattress - and there you have it. It has been the best idea I've had in a while, really. I know, it's sad.

So, now Super D is asleep, my friend as well, and I am hungry... I want some yummy huevos a la mexicana con tortillas de harina... mmmmm

Yes, something like this... que rico!

So, let me start with the breakfast cooking and the whole weekend... I'm terrible for writing endings. Bye.

Is anyone here a little bit, um, gassy?

2006-12-06T09:07:00.000-06:00

So there I was enjoying a slice of the new (flourless!) bread that I got yesterday and listening to NPR where I just heard that a woman was lighting up matches in an airplane because she had GAS and wanted to cover the smell!!!!! What?!

The plane did an emergency landing somewhere in Tenessee or a place that sounded like Tenessee. I would have been so pissed if my flight was not completed because someone is trying to make her GAS not that smelly... Come on! We are all humans, we have had our own share of gas, I mean, how bad can it be? I know, don't answer that question.

Anyway, I thought that was funny as I was enjoying my super fiber bread that will make me, well, a little bit gassy... I'll better take some matches to work.

2006-12-04T20:12:00.000-06:00

Still cold in Austin but loving it. It was so needed... Super Dave worked ALL weekend - he even had two all-nighters -- he didn't sleep at all on Thursday night and Saturday night, and worked almost all Saturday, and all Sunday. I kindda felt lonely -- I am so used to spend the weekends playing around with him. But not this one. It was one of those weekends when I really missed my country, my family, my people. It really amazes me that even after more than six years here and after making friends, and after making my life here, there is always this feeling of lacking something, of a little piece missing in my life. I guess that you have to be an ex-pat to understand this feeling. Don't get me wrong - I love my life in Austin, and I enjoy most of my "American" life but there is always your country, your ways in the back of my mind. I will be home on Dec 20, and I am really looking forward to it.

Nevertheless, I wasn't that lonely, really (I tend to exagerate). Went with my friend R to a Neiman Marcus outlet store to do some Christmas shopping. We had fun even though outlet shopping can be quite frustrating. Sorting out bad clothing out of worse clothing, trying to figure out what the heck is that triangular leather thing (is it a skirt or a cape?), realizing that size 38 in Europe is like a -4 in the US (who fits in those things for the love of God!), experiencing the joy of seeing yourself "up close and personal" in those brightly-lighted tiny dressing rooms, and ultimately, seeing how time passes by and you are not getting any younger -- yes, priceless. Anyway, on the bright side, we had some good laughs and I am almost done with Xmas shopping for these year (including a few goodies for myself ;-)).

freezing (cont.)

2006-11-30T16:39:00.000-06:00

Told you people!-- my mother and the weather. She just called from home to ask how cold was it here in Austin... That was the whole purpose of the call... and guess what we talked about?! the weather, of course.

She is so funny...

freezing

2006-11-30T11:30:00.000-06:00

It is FREEEEEEZING in Austin, Texas... It was 74 F when I went to bed last night around midnight and this morning-- good Lord! -- 33 degrees! Fortunately, we knew about it. Weather people were unusually accurate this time, and how they cannot be right when Colorado, Iowa, and every other state northwest of Texas is covered is under two or three feet of snow... I want that job. If you are right -- good, and when you are wrong, oh well, the weather is weird and that's it... you keep your job, and you keep looking north in the winter (for cold fronts) and east in the summer and fall (for hurricanes), and making a big deal of every little thing to keep people like my mother and other older folks hooked on the Weather Channel. I already promised myself that I will never be like that, although I am just so like my mom...

ANYWAY, there is a little, sweet, quite intelligent movie called The Weather Man.

I am not the greatest fan of Nicolas Cage but the movie is well done, and deals with life's greatest challenge: what do we do when we realize that life is really a bitch, that we are really not going to change, that life is tough and spectacular at the same time, and kind of predictable but not really, and that this is it... there is no more, some great moments, and some bad moments, and that's it.

Kind of in a dark mood today -- I am blaming the weather, but we all know that there is more to it than today's gray sky.

OK - It wasn't that bad

2006-11-28T22:23:00.000-06:00

The "handout" is done! It wasn't that bad -- really exagerated on the terrible, horrible, terrible again handout that I had to write. I worked until 1:30 in the morning but I sent it before 8:00 am. If I had had the time, I would have sent it to be copyedited but oh, well, participants will have to survive my non-native English, non-edited, hurried writing.. Oh well, they will be fine!

talking about procrastination...

2006-11-27T18:40:00.000-06:00

My friend Emily was blogging about procrastination earlier today. She thinks it's bad now that she is in grad school -- wait until is for a real job! It's ten times worse... I said yes to this 45 min presentation in a conference next week. I can talk for 45 minutes about children learning to read.. yeah, that's OK. HOWEVER, the little talk came with a request for a paper no longer than 20 pages (I want to call it a handout because the word paper freaks me out -- sorry, grad school did this to me) that I had to turn in on Monday November 13th! Yes, almost a month ago! (And yes, I knew about the paper but hadn't read the instructions completely and didn't notice the date -- in reality, there are no excuses).

Needless to say, I received a friendly reminder that I still have to turn this in. And of course, here I am right now typing who knows what because I have until tomorrow at 10:00 am to send this in!!! OH LORD WHY???!! Why did I say YES? What's wrong with saying NO? I have said NO before -- why didn't I do it again this time?!

Help, please somebody help me...

what happened to me?

2006-11-25T23:34:00.000-06:00

Well, I just downloaded the pictures from the camera and was rightfully disapointed on the pictures that I took in the DISNEY cruise! What was I thinking? There is not one single pictiure of the ship! Not one of that enormous ship and its 10 floors with 2500 passengers and 1000 crew members. Not one single one! There is a picture of the "lobby" -- the third deck through which you embark and disembark

There is one of Super Dave, me and Mickey Mouse... ( I know how silly this looks but it was the last night and we were totally inmersed in the "magic" and yes, we are wearing matching t-shirts but that's another story - quite sweet but another story)

And there are many pictures of my beautiful Caribbean sea... It was just breathtaking. I am such a beach person... this was just paradise...

Bahamas

Cozumel

There are many more but won't post them all. Have to go to bed now.

DISNEY cruise, DISNEY cruise, DISNEY cruise!!!!

2006-11-25T22:07:00.000-06:00

I'm back from the cruise. We got back this afternoon. And yes, it was a DISNEY cruise and although it might be difficult to believe I had a great time. I know that spending a few days in the caribean can be always fun but that was not the main reason this was quite a special trip... I know some people might not agree with me but there is something about families, and I mean something that can be bad (jealousy, weirdness, etc.) and something very good... Don't know how to describe it now (I'm tired and I haven't spoken Spanish with anyone else for a whole week which makes me more tired) but it was very nice to spend time with David and his family, it was very special... And they like me very much!!

But, of course, it was crazy, and cheesy, and too much, and we ate like pigs, etc. etc. etc. It was a DISNEY cruise! What else can you expect?! It was a lot of fun, though. Quite the trip...

School children in West Texas

2006-11-17T10:51:00.000-06:00

As part of my job, I visit A LOT of schools across the beautiful state of Texas. I have been in the border, in “the Valley”, in East Texas, and, of course, in West Texas. In fact, right now I am writing this from the smallest airport I have ever seen: Abilene Regional Airport, in Abilene, Texas, “the friendly frontier.” And yes, they have FREE wireless internet unlike those snobby big airports (Yes, I’m talking about Austin’s, Houston’s Dallas’ airport) which don’t let you do anything for free. You big airports should learn from the small, friendly airports.

So, here I am, done with my school visits for this trip, and here is the highlight of the visit.

First grade teacher was asking a group of 3 blond kids for words that had “ig”. She made a list, big, fig, wig, pig, twig, etc. Then she kept probing. “What else has “ig” in it?” The little blond boy comes up with dig. Good job, little blond boy! Another student comes with chiggers (and I am like What!? What’s that?” As a Messsican I am always learning new words). “Nice word!” the teacher exclaims, “chiggers has “ig” in it.”

And, then, this adorable first grade girl blurts it out, “Oh, yes, like ni---r.” (Add a double g and an e if you have to.) Yes, yes, yes. Yes, the word that I naively thought was pretty much eradicated from the English vocabulary (yes, I know, who am I kidding?) was just said in front of me this morning. The permanent smile that I always have when I am in classrooms regardless of what’s going on remained the same – always non judgmental is my MO and I surely didn’t want the teacher to feel more uncomfortable than she was already. But OH GOD – the word is still used. I had never heard the word used outside a movie. I guess in West Texas the word is still very present. Adorable little girl number 3 must have heard that word a couple of times – but how many times do you have to hear a word as a child for it to become part of your vocabulary?! I still give the girl the benefit of the doubt – perhaps, like me, she heard it in a movie.

If the teacher freaked out with me right there observing everything that was going on, I didn’t notice because she handled quite well. “Let’s not use that word,” she said. And she moved to the next child who didn’t have a word with “ig”. Bummer. Or "Great, let's put the “ig” word list away and check out the words with "ill”. A safer choice, she must have thought. I really hope first grade teacher here had a moment to talk to adorable little girl number 3 about certain words that are way better left unsaid.

my first ever maternity blouse

2006-11-15T20:03:00.000-06:00

No, I am not pregnant and yes, I would like to get pregnant. Soon. However, that's another story that involves trying to get pregnant what we are not doing now. Super Dave is a little bit afraid of a smiling cutesy baby in his hands...

and what they can become in the future

ANYWAY, last Monday, went to Old Navy to buy cheapy clothes for the forthcoming cruise and decided to go right to everything that was on sale. That turned out to be a pretty good deal... little denim skirt for 10 bucks, little spaghetti straps (sp?) for 4, another skirt for 10, little things like that, and this cute, cotton, tunic-like blouse that looked all airy and flowy and ethereal, etc. etc. etc.

Next morning, David in shower and I am trying my super new clothes , and I try one of the miniskirts with the airy blouse and AAAAHHHHHH!.... the all comfy look of the airy blouse was meant to be for an EXPECTING MOTHER! I ran to the bathroom to told David the amazing news because this was nothing else but a sign from a greater being (or at least the retail industry) that I should become pregnant! Or that I will become pregnant soon... Or that maybe I am pregnant already.... Something. It has to be the sign for something. He reacted better than I --for a tenth of a second--thought. He didn't collapse right there in the shower or cut himself shaving and played along with me... He also concurred that it was a sign of my destiny...

Anyway, I am not pregnant. I know that. But we'll try to get there one day. And, therefore, I am not returning my blouse. It is so cute, and it's my first ever maternity blouse...

Learning about HTML goodies

2006-11-14T15:36:00.000-06:00

I added Emilia Beltran's blog on my links...

brownies "de cajita"

2006-11-12T23:39:00.000-06:00

The brownies got burned - badly. And this talks about the importance of building a strong relationship with your oven. Things like knowing that you DO NOT use convection mode when you bake, that in this new oven you bake for less time than the recipe tells you, and that sometimes when you smell kind of burnt IT IS BECAUSE SOMETHING IS REALLY BURNING! Sadly, I had to drive to Randalls to get Duncan HInes brownies (brownies "de cajita" -- box brownies), and worked a la "Semi-homemade" show on the food network to make them taste a little bit less "de cajita" (add melted butter instead of oil, evaporated milk instead of water). I was going to take them to a little dinner party and since I am kind of a show off, I wanted them to be perfect. I'm not sure if I succeeded because I just couldn't eat any -- after making them and eating 1/4 of the batter (or is it dough?), I didn't want to eat anything chocolaty. Super Dave said they were good. And everyone else ate them so-- they must have been good. I did make another batch for home (before the Duncan Hines) and they were also a little bit burnt but not as bad as the first ones. Today, we had them as dessert after cooking (and this one totally from scratch -- no cajita) PAD THAI! Yes, pad thai.... Well, super dave, and letty, and david helped... and it was GOOD! But I still can't believe that I am actually cooking and baking. I have always liked it but now it feels like a big thing... Like a grown up thing, like a mature thing to do... After years of seldom having enough time to cook (my ph. d. student days), now I am really craving cooking, and baking, and learning how to do other stuff that have nothing to do with academics, and books, and research, and statistics, and high theory, etc., etc., etc. Oh how much I don't miss it... oooohhh, come on-- I know, I know... they were good times in their own special way...

Have to go to bed. Tomorrow is Monday. San Lunes... and I have to get ready for a cruise. I will be in high sea (en altamar) in a week. Traveling with Super Dave's family. And I am obviously nervous and anxious.

the mixer is here

2006-11-11T16:30:00.000-06:00

David bought me the mixer... They didn't have "gloss cinnamon" so we got "Empire Red" and it matches the red teapot we have on top of the range and that I have used like three times -- at the most (and David still uses a pot to boil water -- ???? - I caught him the other day.) ANYWAY -- the mixer is grand and now I have to bake brownies but after a late and hearty lunch, I just want to lay down and sleep....

OK -- I'm getting up and mixing things in the brand new mixer...

Me and half of "Super Dave"

2006-11-11T11:17:00.000-06:00

the day I got excited about a mixer

2006-11-11T10:58:00.000-06:00

It's a beautiful day in Austin, TX. Finally a little bit of fall after a tremendously long summer. It's chilly, and dry, and we have a beautiful blue sky... And the best part of all is that i'm getting a Kitchen Aid mixer in "Gloss Cinammon" today. Sometime today. Once we decide to 1. stop playing with our "His" and "Hers" laptops, 2. get our butts off this sweet couch, and 3. shower.

I LOVE the weekends....

a baby blog...

2006-11-10T23:18:00.000-06:00

OK -- this is harder than I thought. I tried to upload a picture to my profile but I just can't do it. I need to ask "Super Dave" for help. Perhaps he can help me tomorrow because right now he is passed out in the bedroom. We went to have dinner with my dear friend Letty and her fiance David and something happen that my David got a little bit too drunk. I shouldn't be writing this because he got quite scared when I told him that I had created my own blog. He's worried that I am going to write stuff about him and he is already thinking about creating an anti-Messsican blog to tell his side of the story.... Oh my David... but he did get drunk...
Let me set the record straight... "Super Dave" or David is my sweet baby boy (a.k.a. boyfriend). We have been dating for 19 months (just like doctors talk about babies) and we have been living together for six months... He's the sweetest man on earth but sometimes he seems to get tired after drinking.... and that's a nice way to put it. And if you really want to hear the whole story... here it is. He was my upstairs neibghbor...yes, my upstairs neighbor when I was living at Caprock Canyon apartments.... and it took me like nine months into our relationship to stop thinking about him as my upstairs neighbor and as my boyfriend. Yes, I know, dating your upstairs neighbor... I know all the bad things that can go with that... Melrose Place and stuff but it turned out that he was the nicest thing that had happened to me in a long while and I kindda said "OK, well, it seems like a good idea, and you are so freaking sexy, and you are sooooo nice, so well, let's give it a try....." and now I am living with him and I still think he is so sexy and he is so nice.... ANYWAY---he is now in the bedroom, sleeping, having sweet dreams, and kind of dreading the fact that I now have a blog.... He's worried about it and with good reason.... Ja ja ja ... I like it.....
And talking about "ja ja ja" let me just tell you that that is the way that we messsicans say it... A couple of weeks ago I wrote an email to my Anglo friend Doxey and, without even thinking, I wrote "je je je" to indicate laughter, chuckling, strong smiling, whatever,.... It turns out that you Americans write "he he he" and we Messsicans use the letter that we have for that sound "J"....She made fun of me and my "je je je" (she explained to her sister that was reading her email over her shoulder that "je je je" was Spanish for "he he he") but I really had no idea what she was talking about when she told me... "What's wrong with "je je je"?" (I really didn't get it!) "Well," she said, "we don't laugh or chuckle like that. It would sound like, well, weird." (Now, you try it. Say "jet" without the "t"). Aaaahh, it does sound weird... it doesn't sound like "he he he"... Oh well, how I am supposed to know those things.... Believe me, nobody in my English as a second language class told me anything about it...

I created a blog

2006-11-10T10:58:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if this is working... This is too funny