100 Happy Days Challenge

I feel like I'm always apologizing to my readers for my lack of blog posts, and even though I've been off for nearly two months, well what can I say? I got lazy and had a ton of other things to do. Once again, I'm truly sorry and hopefully I can get back in the swing of things. Anyone that knows me, knows I have PLENTY to say.

A few months ago, a friend of mine started this 100 Happy Days Challenge.  It's simple enough but the impact should be life changing.  Basically, for 100 days, you write down on a piece of paper something you're happy/thankful for during that day, no matter how bad your day went. You put said paper into a jar and at the end of the challenge, you can go back and see all of the positive things that happened daily to you. Sure it seems a bit difficult to find something great in each day but the purpose is just that.  Even through the most horrid of days, you can find something beautiful.  Therefore, thanks to her and some motivation, I have decided to take upon this challenge. 

My first entry was yesterday, and although I will not be posting a blog entry on every single one of  them, I figured it would be good to share some of my happy moments with you all.  Maybe someone else will get inspired (like I was) and start their own happy jar. In yesterday's entry, I was happy and thankful for my health.  Pretty simple and not very unique huh? Let me explain why I chose to start it off with that topic...

I've been going to my nail lady for over 7 years now and honestly she's amazeballs!  She's so clean and does her work so well that I can't go anywhere else-and her prices are great. Yes, I've been spoiled.  Around the start of June or so, I went for my bi-weekly nail appointment and she started to tell me how worried she was about husband because he has been losing a lot of weight and is losing interest in going out like they normally would do on the weekends.  They were also preparing to go for her birthday on a weekend cruise.  Fast forward two weeks later, she's back from her cruise and I'm there again getting my nails dolled up, when she tells me about her cruise and how much extra weight he has lost.  She was nervous because he does has diabetes (the really bad kind) and people were saying he might have hepatitis, etc. You know how Cubans can diagnose anyone because we swear we're all doctors.  So all of those hypothesis weren't helping either.  He was getting his liver tested that day but she kept telling me that I wouldn't recognize him because of all the weight he lost.  Surely enough, he comes home after his appointment, and the man I knew for so long, tall, well built, was now this hunched over human being who barely had a voice left.  He was so thin it was incredible.  The last time I had seen him, he looked perfectly fine. Moving along to the next time I go for my appointment, the news was in.  He has been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. It started in the pancreas, moved to his liver, stomach and has metastasized all over his body.  The doctor at Doctor's Hospital gave them the diagnosis within hours of him entering the ER. At that point, he only had a few weeks to live. Chemo will be of no use.  I went back yesterday for my appointment and he is already in Hospice care.  It was so surreal to me to see this formerly healthy man of only 51 years of age, lying on a hospital bed in his living room, being pumped with Morphine and Temazepam.  The most heart wrenching thing of all was hearing him scream to the top of his lungs due to the amount of pain he was in when he woke up.  His mother, sister and brother are also here visiting from Cuba and it broke my heart to see his mother crying because she can't do anything to save her son.  I wanted to cry for this family but really all I can do is pray for them.  I pray that God has mercy on him and eases his pain by any means possible.  Seeing someone suffer like that, one can only pray that God takes a hold of him.

Which brings me back to my 100 Happy Day #1: I'm so beyond thankful that I have good health.  Even with my minor health set backs, they are absolutely NOTHING compared to what this man and his family are going through.  With my health, I can go to work, be around friends and enjoy life.  I believe one can consider themselves rich when they have good health.  So take care of yourself.  Go see a doctor, don't be scared. Get tested for anything and everything.  Eat healthy, exercise, pray/mediate, do whatever it is that you have to do in order to live life to the fullest!

-A
p.s- Thank you E.P. for the challenge :)

Another year, another birthday!

Dear readers,

I am truly very sorry I haven't kept my end of the deal with posting continuously but work was quite hectic this year.  Hopefully over this summer vacation I'll be able to indulge you with my non-filtered posts and shenanigans.  It is officially the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!   Congratulations to all of the teachers out there for making it. You have managed to not strangle any students this year because after all you've probably realized (like me) that orange and/or stripes is not too flattering. The best part of today...I celebrate my 33rd birthday! What a fabulous gift the district has given me: last day of school and the start of my summer vacation.  Therefore, I am dedicating this post to myself and will not hold back to everything I have to say.  After all, they say the older one gets, the less you care (so true). 

I need to thank the good Lord and Jesus for blessing me with another year full of health & peace.  At the ripe age of 32, God granted me the clarity to see things in a way that has enhanced my life and has given me the peace of mind and health to see it all play out beautifully! I also thank him for blessing me with two amazeballs parentals.  Even with my dad's condition, he still knows I'm his little princess.  My mother, well what can I say without crying my eyes out?  She rocks!  Enough said! I also got to meet (finally) the man I've been praying for.  He's truly been a blessing and has helped me see things in a completely different way as well. I'm so thankful we both share in the same beliefs, values and faith in God.

Now onto the clarity portion of this post...

I've experienced many things in life, some good and some bad but I'm thankful for every single one of them. Either God knew they had to have happened differently than I planned or a lesson was to be learned. This year showed me cleared as day who my friends really are. I've had disappointments in the past before and this really isn't any different but I'm so happy things played out the way they did so my eyes can truly be open. Funny thing that is others tried to warn me SEVERAL times that these so-called "friends" were not genuine people; they only use people for when they have un mojon trabado, or when they want to complain/gossip about those around them.  I am not innocent because I have participated in those conversations with these people but I have learned my lesson and have asked God for forgiveness.  I know I am no one to be participating in gossip and believing in it, especially when it comes from people who live false lives.  After all, those who speak ill will of others it is because they need to divert the attention from their crappy lives to others.  It truly is very sad and I'm disgusted I even believed half of what they said.  Yet, I know the good Lord will do with them what is appropriate.  I gained peace and clarity, they lost a loyal friend.  As of now, those who remain have been great and have proved themselves, even through the smallest of gestures, how much they value my friendship.  I've always said that a friendship is like any relationship; it takes two to make it work!  When things go awry, it is the responsibility from either party to reach out to the other and discuss what is going on (after all, we haven't mastered the art of mind reading).  We are adults and therefore should act like one.  If things are communicated poorly (which happens all the time through texts & emails) don't leave things hanging. Pick up the damn phone and have a talk with that person, of course if they are truly worth it to you.  In my case, that's how I realized these people didn't value my friendship.  It wasn't even so much how they tried to insult me, but it was the lack of action on their part (as so-called friends) to reach out to me.  Pero bueno, al que hierro mata, hierro muere y todo tiene su dia y lo paga bien pagado en esta tierra. Yes, I totally got Cuban Mom on you all now, ha-ha!  Here's the kicker though, for those people, I only genuinely wish them the best.  I know so much about who they are, how they live their lives and I feel bad for them. I hope that God blesses them every day and that one day they realize the error of their ways.

In the meantime, I will continue living my life as I have been...incredibly happy, blessed all around, and at peace!  I couldn't have asked for a better life and seeing all of my dreams come true at the perfect time.  If you're celebrating the start of your summer vacation, a birthday, or anything then...ENJOY IT!  Much love and peace to you all.

The Return

It sure has been a while since I've blogged, even though the topics have not stopped popping up in my head.  Therefore, I figured why not put this site under construction for a bit, gather some stuff and get back on it. So ta-daaaa!  I simplified the template a bit to make it visually clearer and now I hope to get back to one of the things I truly enjoy: writing (aside from reading, of course).

I'm going to dedicate this post to answer the question that quite a few have already asked me since February...why are you not active on Facebook any more? Well, ladies & gents, an answer you shall receive.

For a few months now, I've had this internal storm brewing about social media. Yes, I know it's ironic considering this blog is a type of social media outlet, but hear me out for a bit. This internal storm as I'm calling it, made me start to look at social media in a different way.  When this phenomenon started (MySpace era), the main purpose was to communicate with friends, relatives, even long lost school mates.  As time progressed I started to notice the decline in the "original" purpose for these sites.  Fast forward to the time of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Insta-Whatever is out there now, and all you see is people complaining about dumb shit, all of their check-in's, endless & useless photos, and drawing this picture of their amazing life when in reality their life sucks donkey balls. Now, I do admit I have in the past partaken in some of these things but thankfully realized what an idiot I was. Perhaps I was caught up in the frenzy as well.  I tell people there are no needs for psychics anymore. Why? Because people put every damn thought that crosses their minds on a social media outlet. At this point, the main comment I'm tempted to put on every status update or photo is "who the fuck cares?!" or "Are you kidding me? I know you very well, your life isn't that great." It also behooves me that something that can be such a useful tool is not being used for more positive things! I mean, how much better would our society be if we posted things such as an upcoming Walk to Raise Cancer Awareness or Alzheimer's Awareness instead of checking into your own damn house? Seriously, if you do that, you're asking someone to come and rob your possessions, but I digress. Why can't we use it for more positive things?  Is it really that much easier to pick apart someone's life and talk trash behind their backs (or via their comment section)? Or to pretend you're having so much fun by posting continuous status updates and photos, because if you're truly enjoying life so much, you wouldn't have time to be posting crap every two minutes. I say that if such websites exist, lets all do something good with them. You have no idea how much your life can improve or even help someone else out.

In addition, the second main reason I dropped it like a bad habit was because I started to notice that people, or so-called friends, were keeping up with my life through social media versus actually picking up the phone and saying hello. Heck, even an email would be nice every now and then to see how I'm doing. If you miss me so much, why the heck aren't you contacting me? So I figured, I would put this to the test. A little over a month, and a total of 3 (yes 3!) people contacted me. It was quite nice to see that not everyone has lost the art of communication, that is not through a screen. Oh how I wish people would put that darn phone down and talk to those right in front of them. Cherish the relationships you have before it is too late and they are gone. Look at the world through your OWN eyes and not through the other side of screen. I can assure you it's so much nicer connecting with people face-to-face.

Hence, I have decided to use my current Facebook, Twitter & Instagram account for the good only! There might not be daily or even weekly updates, but from time to time I'll post links to new topics on my blog, upcoming events that are worthwhile for you/family/friends/kids, etc., book reviews, awesome recipes or great restaurants to try. Maybe I'll start a revolution! Ha-ha, ok so not much a revolution but hopefully inspire others to do the same.

That is all for now. Peace & love <3
-A

An Open Letter To The So-Called Friend...

The other day, my friend Alina had posted a great photo on Instagram with the saying "If you drop your girlfriends as soon as you have a boyfriend, you will live to regret your decision."  Immediately, I could only think of one person.  I decided to no longer pursue this so-called friendship with said person or even say anything else.  Their time in my life was just a seasonal thing and the fact that they no longer care to have me part of their lives just proves even further they weren't that great of a friend to begin with. Therefore, here is my open letter. I needed to vent and perhaps some of you can relate...

Dear So-Called Friend,

I don't easily get fooled by people but deep down inside me I always knew you were a flake.  How? By your lack of ever making a decision on your own, by the fact that you can't ever stand to be alone, or even the fact that you can't handle when someone calls you out on your bullshit.  The moment your darling, piece of shit, ex-boyfriend left you, you figured what a great opportunity to hang out with my single gal pal, Arlene.  Anything you wanted to do I was game for (except for hitting a local bar for the 57th time in a row).  Yet, I considered you a friend of mine, always tried to give you the best advice, even though you never took it and wondered why shit never went your way.  You would even go as far and complain to me about your BFF who didn't care to hang out with you as much because now she is part of the "cool married people's club", and you after all, were just a single girl. Yet, one fine day things changed for you.  You met some guy and immediately became his girlfriend. Just one look at this poor soul and I knew you settled, because darling you hate being alone. Now, did you as the so-called friend call to tell me about this new person in your life? Nope! You kept it quiet for some strange reason, it was like practically pulling teeth. When I tried to inquire a few weeks later how things were going with said new beau your reply, "it's ok", was more than enough for me to know for sure you settled. Then I realized even further why? Because now all of a sudden your BFF wants to hang out again! How wonderful is that? I will even go as far to say that now you too are also part of the "super cool girls with boyfriends club" and have completely forgotten about your former single gal pals.  Well my dear, I can only wish you and that poor guy the best of luck. I hope others see you for who you really are, a total flake and phony friend.  In the meantime, I will sit back, enjoy my life with my real friends, and wait for karma to do her thing because when  life decides to hand you lemons, this gal's schedule will not have time to help you make lemonade.

Ciao!

So here you are 2013...

Summer time is finally here and I'm on the most blissful vacation ever: I'm kid-free...until August that is! It's been quite a while since I've posted anything on to my blog so I figured I would briefly catch you all up. 

January: Something happened but can't remember. I was probably stressed and working.

February: Something else happened, I was very happy but little did I know that shit would hit the fan two months later. More work, more stress!

March: I finally went to London & Paris. It was absolutely f*cking freezing in London. How ironic is it that I've never seen snow and the one time I see it is overseas.  London was too cold, the rain sucks ass, the people were nice but their food was pretty gross. Glad I did it, but don't care to go again.  Paris: Ooo lala!  Gorgeous city (can't same the same for most people), the food was splendid and the wine was out of control! It definitely is the city of love. On this trip I realized #1: I definitely caught the travel bug and #2: I will never travel with children again overseas, or even across county lines.

April: Finally saw Kenny Chesney in concert..on a beach...never doing that again. I also realized that when something starts up too fast and seems too good to be true, it DEFINITELY is too good to be true. Guess who has no time or patience to deal with guys who can't man up to their mistakes? This gal!  Pa' la mierda! If you're still doing high school shit and getting fucked up on anything, go take your stupidity somewhere else! I hope your ass gets caught in some drug bust. Let's see how "awkward and embarrassing" that conversation will be.

May: Incredibly delirious by this time, counting down the days until my present vacation.

Well, that's all I can think of now that's happened in the past few months. Stay tuned for more posts :)

-A

Goodbye 2012!

For the exception of the final work week before I went on vacation, 2012 has flown by faster than a sneeze!  It feels like just the other day when I was eating my grapes and throwing back champagne at my friends house and I'm back again there tonight!  Therefore, in order to continue the cliche of what we all have learned and are thankful for, here is my 2012 wrap up...

Let me start off by thanking the good Lord for my health and my family's health.  Some days are easier than others and sometimes I just want to run out the door screaming to the top of my lungs (some of my close friends know why home life is stressful at times). Overall, if it wasn't for my mom's strength, I'd have a meltdown every week or so.  I am thankful for my parental unit, with flaws & everything that God has put in our way.

Moving on, I am very thankful to be able to get up every morning (even if the moon is still out) and head to work. My career is the most frustrating, hilarious, exhausting but never dull experience, work-wise.  Sure I'm underpaid compared to most jobs but I can definitely say I get so much more out of it than someone making 6 figures and who can never crack a smile at work.  Those kids sometimes can ruin my day or make it the best ever! I know I'm making a difference and that is all that matters to me.  My co-workers (at least those I'm close to) are some of the funniest and down earth people I have met.  It's a select few but I am very thankful to have them close by, especially when the kids are bouncing off the walls.  I teach, read, color, explore, investigate with kids! My job rocks!

This year was truly a testament for friendships.  I've managed to get rid of people who were only bringing negative things into my life.  I've gotten closer to other people who have become great friends of mine. In all relationships, I have learned so many valuable lessons and I am thankful, even if some ended on a sour note. People come into our lives to teach us many lessons. This teacher shall never stop learning.

I can say I was so incredibly lucky this year to have taken off of my "to-do" list two things: go to Washington D.C. & Italy!!! Our nation's capital is so beautiful and never have I felt more proud to be an American (with Cuban roots) standing in front of that White House.  Hmmm...I wonder if the Obama's wouldn't mind renting me a room there? Then there's Italia. What can I say about Italy? There's not enough adjectives to describe Rome & Vatican City. I don't think I've ever wanted to cry, smile, jump for joy as much as I did on that trip.  My next venture: London & Paris 2013 with students! I'm gonna need some baby Jesus blessings for that one.

As for my love life, well that was lackluster but interesting to say the least. Let's see, this year I've managed to meet not one but two fucktards who claim I was too "gringa/cracker/white" and another moron, whom my friends and I have coined "Rocks", because that idiot was dumber than a bag of rocks!  Oh and who can forget "Raj"? Thank you Jenny for making me laugh so hard that night by giving him that name. It suits this guy perfectly!! So perhaps 2012 wasn't meant to be my year of love. No worries because I had more than enough stories to last all year round!

Now I wonder, what is 2013 going to surprise me with? Hopefully more of the amazing moments from 2012 but with less rocks (oh please noooo rocks whatsoever!)

-A

The Case of Being Too White

An entire summer has gone by and once again, no posts from yours truly. Though fear not, for I have plenty of material to produce a few of these entries.  But for now, a quick one for ya'll...

I was born in this great U. S of A  and my parentals are Cuban. Raised on black beans, rice and platanitos maduros, I never really went around singing the Cuban national anthem (even though I know most of the words to it) but I do answer, when asked, that I'm American, specifically Cuban-American.  It has come to my attention that if I'm not spewing Spanish all the time, including in my text messages, I'm considered too white (or gringa).

Yes people, this curly hair, brown eyed, Spanish speaking, bean loving gal is  too white according to TWO guys I recently met.  The first one was on a date. To make a long story short, the guy wouldn't stop speaking in Spanish and when I replied in English, he said I sounded "very white".  He then asked how strong the force was with me. At this point I'm thinking he's referring to Star Wars. I ask, "the force? What force?". Of course, he was referring to how strong was my Cuban force, how much I identified with Cuba. I guess my answer lead him to really just believe I'm the biggest gringa ever.

The second case was another guy I met at happy hour. Once again, the Spanish talk begins and I reply in English (mostly because I feel more comfortable with it). He asked where I was from, blah blah, the entire explanation again, he starts to talk about his trips to Cuba (which I have no interest in) and there he goes, "Wow! You're so white, like a cracker. You're Cuban, you should be happy speaking in Spanish." At that moment, even though he was cute, I was totally over talking to Mr. Cubanaso.

Don't get me wrong, I am proud of where my family came from and I will bust out with my Spanish every so often, but if I'm talking to you in English it's because I feel more comfortable speaking English. The only acceptable time to say I'm white is when you're referring to my lack of a tan!