It's RODEO Time Houston

I've never been a big Rodeo fan. I've only been to a handful of shows in my lifetime. But now I have kids. And kids that are big enough to understand now.

Yesterday was Go Western Day at my daughter's school. Of course she had to have the whole wardrobe. My mother-in-law was kind enough to buy her a super cute skirt that is denim on top and brown on the bottom. I found a brown blouse with little pink flowers, pink cowboy boots and best of all, a pink cowboy hat with a tiara attached to the crown. ADORABLE! She looked so cute!

When the baby saw her boots and hat he wanted to know where his cowboy man hat was. Since I don't want for him to miss out I planned on getting him boots and a hat and I'm taking them both to the Rodeo parade today.

For those of you who aren't from Houston, this is the time when someone who comes in from out of town gets the stereotype that we ALL where Western wear all the time and ride horses. The Trail Riders ride into town the Friday before the Rodeo kick off. And I do mean ride as in ride in on horses. They camp out at Memorial Park and in the morning they go to Downtown Houston for the parade. I think the big bar-b-q also kicks off on Friday night. There's a big carnival at the Rodeo and all the other things you would imagine of a rodeo, horse riding competitions, lassoing, calf runs, etc. There are also big shows, country singers, Spanish singers, and pop singers. Like Beyonce, Sheryl Crow, and George Strait.

So anyway, back to the kiddos. When I dropped off my daughter in her outfit a mother was walking down the sidewalk and I saw her checking Miranda out. She said, "She's got it going on!" That made my morning! I was so happy for Miranda because I knew that she felt really good about the way she looked too.

Then I got sad. I know, I sound sappy. I got sad because it was an experience she was going to have without me. It was an experience she was going to have all on her own and I had to let her. I couldn't very well go to school with her. She was going to go and have a great day and I wouldn't be there to hear if anyone complimented her and then of course the hardest thing of all, or to protect her if anyone was unkind. I think that's the hardest part of letting go. The idea that I have no control over what happens to her throughout the day and that people (including some teachers sadly) will be unkind and I won't be there to protect her.

So this morning we're getting ready to leave to the Rodeo parade. It should be an adventure. I hope the kids can see over the people. I remember that being the hardest part of all when I was little. Maybe I can find a good balcony to watch it from.

Have a great day or weekend, depending on when you are reading this.

Christina Aguilera in Houston

Christina Aguilera was incredibly awesome!!! If you're a fan and you've never heard her sing live you have to! She has the most amazing voice and she keeps it going song after song and costume change after costume change. I didn't realize I knew so many of her songs until I was there. The song about her mother surviving spousal abuse brought me to tears. Amazing!

Starbucks Cup-The Way I See It #204

This was on my Starbucks cup this morning. I loved it.

Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dreams become impossible: the fear of failure. Never forget your Personal Legend. Never forget your dreams. Your silent heart will guide you. Be silent now. It is the possibility of a dream that makes life interesting. You can choose between being a victim of destiny or an adventurer who is fighting for something important. – Paulo Coelho, novelist.

Christina

Going to see Christina Aguilera tonight! It was unexpected surprise. I'm not a huge fan, like I don't listen to her CDs, but I love to hear her sing. I love her voice. I'm looking forward to going to hear her tonight. I'll let you know how it goes!

Movies I Want to See

Because I Said So
Music and Lyrics
Daddy’s Little Girls
Dreamgirls
Freedom Writers
The Pursuit of Happyness

Not necessarily in that order, but I do. I wish I could go to the real movies. I usually wait for them to show up on Pay Per View so I can watch them, record them, pause them and or watch them later when I don't have children around.

Another Nike Ad

I was looking for something else and I came across this one. I LOVE the ad copy. Reminds me of the one that starts with, "All your life." Probably the same copywriter.

"A WOMAN IS OFTEN MEASURED by the things she cannot control. She is measured by the way her body curves or doesn't curve, by where she is flat or straight or round. She is measured by 36-24-26 and inches and ages and numbers, by all the outside things that don't ever add up to who she is on the inside. And so if a woman is to be measured, let her be measured by the things she can control, by who she is and who she is trying to become. Because every woman knows measurements are only statistics and STATISTICS LIE." - 1994

I've decided to do a chapbook of short stories. I had an inspiration to do this in the last couple of days while sitting in a training class. I also got a great idea of how I'm going to promote it. More on this later when I actually start getting it done. I may need advice from some of you experienced chapbook publishers.

If you didn't hear me last night on the radio check me out on the KPFT archives. Later!

Time

Time. There's never enough of it. I look at my books piled up on my kitchen table and I think about how much I would love to read a couple of those books. A co-worker let me borrow a book that looks really good a while back and I'm yet to start it. And I need to or I'm going to have to give it back to her. I hate keeping other people's books too long. At the same time I really want to read "The Memory Keeper's Daughter." Two of my sisters read it and it's my turn to read it next then pass it on to sister #4. We've created our own book club of sorts.

Yesterday I was looking for some of my thin markers for a school project my daughter was working on and I thought of my son's baby book. He's going to be 3 at the end of April and I haven't finished his baby book. I need to make it my goal to finish that book between now and April 30. It won't be as fat as my daughter's book but at least it chronicles the main events in his first year. That's one project I need to work on.

I also need to continue on my queries. I sent a bunch out (twelve to be exact) and I've received seven rejections. I need to get busy sending out more until I find an agent interested in my book. On top of the queries I really want to start submitting to literary journals.

I was watching the Oprah show last night (recorded) and it was about clutter. I so agree with that concept that the clutter in your house brings you down. I feel like that too! It's crazy how clutter can affect your mood. That's another thing I'm going to resolve to work on. Decluttering my life! I'm going to start throwing away crap that I'm not using or haven't used in 6 months or longer. I'm going to get Rey to clean out his closets too. That is going to take time too but it will be well worth it. I want to tackle that right away, like this week.

Busy week ahead. I have a ton of things to do! As many of you know by now, I don't celebrate birthdays. However I can say that today I am 37 years old! I mention it because I can't believe it myself. I feel like I am halfway through my life and I still have so much left to do! 2007 will belong to me. This is the year when greater things are going to happen. By greater I mean greater than the blessings I already have in my life. I am grateful for the gifts in my life now but I can imagine an even greater life for myself spiritually, emotionally and professionally. I will march on bravely into my late '30s with the attitude that I will achieve all my goals.

Don't forget to tune in to KPFT, 90.1 FM, on Tuesday night at 7:30 or online any time after that.

Camille's Sidewalk Cafe

I discovered a cute little place today during lunch. Camille’s Café. I've driven by many times but I just decided to check it out today. It's on Weslayan, near Bissonnet. I had a wonderful tuna sandwich with nuts in it and a tomato soup. They had an assortment of sandwiches, wraps, salads and a couple of soups.

Anywho, for whatever my review is worth, if you’re ever in that area check it out. It’s right next door to Randall’s.

Nuestra Palabra Radio Show

Hello! Received confirmation today that the radio show with the poetry will definitely be on the air Tuesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. Go to 90.1 KPFT.

Or go to kpft.org after the show and click on "Archives" to listen online, wherever you are. That's for my loved ones in Spain, California, Florida, NYC, Austin, etc... Be patient though because my three poems are mixed in with others, so be prepared to listen for an hour, if you have that time. I'm sure the other writers will appreciate it too!

The cool thing about listening to it online is that you can pause it when needed and then you can press play again. Or you can rewind or fast forward!! I love our new technology! With 2 kids it's the only way for me to listen!

First Friday & Nuestra Palabra Radio Show

I did my first First Friday! I didn't know what to expect since I had never been before but I wanted to go hear local writer Gwen Zepeda read. I thought I'd show my support by sharing a few of my poems during the Open Mic portion. Not that she needed my support but I love supporting Latina writers when I can. She read poems from her new chapbook, “How to be a Secretary.” I LOVED “Proposal.” I love the line she repeats throughout, “I’m ready to be my own bride.” And the line, “I finally captured the girl I deserve.”

I got to the First Friday house and it is in fact a house. The readings take place in a living room setting with the chairs set up auditorium style. There are other chairs in a side room that also faces where the reader stands to read. In other words it isn't big.

A friend asked me earlier that day if she and her sister should come with the kids and I hesitated to tell her yes only because I didn't know what to expect. Later I told her about the setting and she was glad they didn't go.

Another thing I didn't know was how many people sign up to read. Twenty-one people signed up that night! It was a full house! The other thing is that the man who runs it calls everyone's name randomly. So you don't know when your name will be called. And since it doesn't actually start at 8:30 p.m. you never know what time you'll be getting out of there. My name was called around 10:45 p.m.! Thank you to those of you who stuck it out to hear me read! I had seven friends, my sister, and my husband there.

All in all it was a great experience. Since it was my first time reading poetry I must admit I was nervous. I was a little apprehensive of how it would be accepted but then I remembered that that's the beautiful thing about poetry. These were my words and my very own experiences. I could have written, "I love my kids," and that could be called poetry. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but you know what I mean. Once I read the poems and I got some chuckles I felt good and like I was well received.

I read three poems. I did read “My Boy Sleeps” and “Mama and Hilda.” On Thursday, at the last minute, I ended up writing a new poem, “Morning Drama.” If you missed hearing me read I will be reading them again on the air on the Nuestra Palabra show, probably on Tuesday, February 13, at 7:30 p.m. I’ll have a definite day soon. The poems are all pre-recorded and will be aired on one day but they will be edited and mixed in with others’ works.

If you don’t get to hear it that same night the beautiful convenience of the Internet makes it easy for you to hear any time after that online at kpft.org. You just go to the Archives and click on the show you want to hear. More definite news on that to come soon! Thanks Nuestra Palabra!! Thanks Liana for pre-recording me reading my poems this weekend.

This is going to be the year that I will do more for my writing. I will actively try to sell my current book, I will write a chapbook of short stories, I’m starting a new novel and I’m going to do more readings. I’m going to get active in more literary events through Nuestra Palabra and WIVLA if I can.