So, I got this publishing deal.  I'm a little scared.  I find myself reaching out for others, trying to find the expertise they have that I do not.  But the reality is that this is the second deal that I've been offered.  I've been published many times, some of which I'll share below, (beware, you may giggle).  I started writing when I was 12 and it was a serious endeavor.  It was a daily washing of my soul that helped me to remain sane, in touch with humanity, and somewhat happy.  Now, I watch my son write, and I feel such a huge amount of joy.  He will know that mental release that is like no other.

Dare To Dream

If you have seen a vision

that has filled you with desire

If you have tasted a dream

why can't it transpire?

When you close your eyes

and open your mind

let your thoughts flow

leave your worries behind

You're what you want to be 

a kite without a string

you can soar with the eagles

you can do everything

Do what you want 

don't let others slow you down

Don't let anything stop you

until your dream is found

This was written when I was 17, and I imagine it will be realized when my book gets published.

I have a friend who has rocking hair and blue jeans and just teaches me to be cool by the way that she smiles.  She's lived through war and hunger, she's known strength and resilience.  She is someone that I met through work that has taught me all of the wonderful things that a woman can be.  I am leaving my work soon, dedicating myself more to writing, perhaps interpreting and taking care of my son.  She made me the most beautiful bag, as a going away present.  What she doesn't know is that I use it to house my computer, which has all of my writing in it, and therefore my dreams.
I've used her bag, to walk back and forth from work - and I walk through a pretty questionable area.  People see the bag and automatically smile.  They know that it was made by a good spirit and that I carry it in peace.  (It broadcasts it with peace signs, see.)

But I guess the most happy thing about this truly rocking Bosnian bird of a friend is that I get to read her posts and thoughts in Facebook and find that we have such commonalities.  We are from completely different parts of the world, yet we both dig Sublime.  We both understand motherhood and the joys and pitfalls it entails.  I really feel that she is one of the most amazing people in the world.  But I know that if I state her name here, she'll kick my ass.  I am quite confident that she could.  And so I will just end this by saying that I'm so happy that you've flown into my life, Bosnian bird.  ;)

The Art of Redefining Yourself

Recently, I've had many changes in my life that have caused me to re-evaluate what my priorities are.  We all want to please everyone in our lives, but sometimes we don't realize that we are letting our own goals go by doing so.  We have one certainty in life, and that is that it doesn't last forever.  Therefore, it is important to do what you really want to do with your life while you are still here.  Many people that have had drastic health diseases have stated that they then realized what was truly important to them.  Why does it take such a drastic event?  Why do we wait so long or make excuses as to why we cannot reach our goals?  If you are waiting for something, anything, to be what you really want to be - you are deluding yourself.

So what do you do?  Re-evaluate.  Look at what it was that you wanted when you were a child. Does it match what you do now?  What did you study in college?  Are you fulfilling the goals you made there?  If you could tell anyone, this is what I do, do you feel pride in it?  These are tough questions to answer, and sometimes sacrifices need to be made to reach our goals.

This is why Dr. Seuss is my hero.   He was rejected 27 times.  Yet his persistence helped him to achieve his goals.  Emily Dickinson died never having been published, but surrounded by the work that she loved. 

Recently, a very good friend of mine had to redefine herself through no fault of her own.  She inspires me with her poetic eye and she actually got a job as a photographer.  This is her first paying gig doing something that she loves.

Life is short, make sure you love it.  After all, where would we be without a Dr. Seuss for our children?

Argentina, the land of passion.

Argentina is known for soccer, its architecture, its gauchos and its passionate people.  Whether they are arguing politics or who will win the next soccer match, they are enthused in their conversation.  Young people are very involved in politics and are well educated, thanks to a country that will give them a free education in any of its well known universities.
Although it is a young population, there is still diversity because many Europeans moved there after World War II, and so often more languages are spoken than just Spanish- the national language.  And even when they are out of the country fellow Spanish speakers can always tell an Argentinian accent by the way they say their "y's", its a more Portuguese J sound.

I came to know Argentina through my Aunt Marcela who lives there in La Plata, a mere hour from Buenos Aires, pictured above.  I came to love Argentina because of the culture.  People rarely watch TV, as most often, they are too busy debating.  Car accidents are taken care of by the drivers getting out of their vehicle and screaming at one another until they are tired, then they go home.  When their soccer team wins, it's like a holiday for Argentinians and you can hear car horns blaring throughout the city signifying their joy.

Argentinians are loud and mostly unapologetic for it.  But they also have a national pride that rivals most South American countries.  Both my father and my aunt were born in Bolivia, but to this day if we mention that we are Bolivian, my Aunt Marcela will give us a verbal assault for at least twenty minutes.

She's used to the city and her way of life and she loves Argentina more than Bolivia, because in Bolivia, social class is always an issue.  In Argentina, everyone is accepted, and everyone is up for arguments.  We would visit both countries when I was younger, and I always hated to leave Argentina.  From their drinkable yogurt to their passion for fried stakes, they are a beautifully cultured an diverse nation.

Tuesday - Tip day for Singles

Whether you are a single parent, or someone who is not, there are people that depend on you.  Whether it be people at work, members of the family or other important commitments to your community-single people are typically busy people.

This can be good and bad.  For example, sometimes when a person is over-committed, they can find themselves to be easily stressed.

Here are a few tips to take a couple moments for yourself:

1. Keep a Journal - Perhaps you don't feel that your life events are much entertainment for others, but they can be a great source of stress relief for yourself  In fact, many times I've looked at my own journal after a tough day and wondered what I had been so stressed about!
2. Music - Whether you like to jam out to punk or chill out with the classics, music has a calming effect that brings you back to yourself and what you love.  Sometimes, I will literally shut everyone out and just listen to high school tunes to laugh about the old times.  Whatever, it takes...
3. Exercise - Walking is the most comprehensive exercise and if it's done outdoors, nature can also have a calming effect on the soul.  But, some singles really like to hit the gym and get a good sweat going.  Whatever exercise you love, there is a reason that you enjoy it, and you should continue to do it for that reason alone.
4. Have lunch with a friend - I did this today, and sometimes it just helps you to process your thoughts when you talk about them with someone else.  You learn new things, because they know your interests and can recommend new books, movies, or ideas that you'd never considered.  

If there are tips that you would like to add, feel free to comment.  I'm always up for new ideas.  Signing out- Ms. Solitaire.

Bolivian Carnival Queens

My Cousin Vani - the model

The carnival is a special time in Bolivia.  It is when Santa Cruz shuts down for a week.  People have a water balloon day.  Everyone literally spends the day throwing water balloons at family, strangers, pets...no one is dry.  This is then followed by a paint balloon day in which the entire town is covered in different dark shades of rich fun.  As a child, I asked my mother what they do to the buildings that are covered in paint afterward.  She shrugged and said, oh they just repaint the entire city. 

My Aunt Ruthie walked from her house to her mother's and was completely purple.  It was quite lovely, she looked like someone out of a new age Broadway show.  Of course, the culmination is the crowning of the queen.  Being a woman in Bolivia is a tough business.  They never leave the house without make-up and a dress, usually accompanied by high heels.  Bolivian women are as strong as they are beautiful.  They accept compliments on their appearances gracefully, though they may have worked on these appearances for hours on end. 

But the truly amazing Bolivian woman is the carnival queen, (seen below),  who typically wears a sequined dress, matching heals and the most humongous head gear known to womanhood.  British women at the derby step aside, Las Vegas, you have nothing on us.  Most of these women are single because of the time it takes out of your life.  There are dress fittings, modelling shows, and public appearances.  I am proud to state that my cousin was a Carnival Queen. 

This is not my cousin, but she is an example of what I'm referring to.  With all that high head gear, who has time for a man?

The Original Ms. Solitaire
She had great legs and wore high heels well into her nineties.  She could pinch you with her toes hard enough to make you cry, I found this out the hard way because she slept with her eyes open.  As a child, I would always lean over her to ensure that she was still breathing.  That's when she'd pinch me with her toes and laugh so hard that tears rolled down her face.  She was the original Ms. Solitaire.
As part of the second famiy her husband chose to have, I'm sure that she was very disappointed by his early death.  She decided to leave her country to help care for my brother and I, her grandchildren.  She didn't know any English, which is just one example of her bravery.
She smoked a cigarette and occasionally drank one beer at night.  She drank honey and water in the morning, which she called her beauty treatment.  It worked.  She was tough, yet she never hurt me when combing through my long hair to get the tangles out.  She knew how to draw a bath with perfectly lukewarm water. 
She played solitaire, her favorite game.  I think it was symbolic of the way she lived her life.  She never remarried , she stuck to her ways and she was strong enough to be herself. 
My Grandmother, my Abuelita, the original Ms. Solitaire.

There are some of us that prefer the single solitary life.  I would like to dedicate my time to help support those of us who make this choice, willingly and happily.  We have no deficits.  We feel no losses.  We merely feel better on our own.  To all of you out there who share this opinion, I encourage you to spread the word that being voluntarily solitary is a choice that you've made for your life.  You have that right.  Be proud and enjoy your time doing the things that you really want to do.  We are all born alone, many of us die alone.  Some of us realize that it is a natural state.  We don't have to conform to the societal wish of marriage, two children, a dog and a mortgage.  For some of us, these things don't factor into our dreams at all.  Own your life, own your choice.  You have nothing to be ashamed of and a very interesting person to be proud of, yourself.