It’s JUNE! Officially summer soon on June 21. Today my step-daughter Mandi turns 16 and my niece Hannah turns 16 at the end of the month, on the 26th.
Sixteen! Do you remember sweet sixteen? Sixteen had to have been the best year of my life. Honestly, all of high school, fourteen-eighteen, were great years. Years I wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe giving myself a little more self esteem. That’s all of us I’m sure. We all say the same adage, “If I knew then what I know now.” It’s true. I had a great life and I was enjoying every bit of it when I was there but now that I look back I realize even more so how great that time was and I wish I had appreciated it more.
I’m on vacation for a couple of days and so far I have had a fabulous vacation. For one, as funny as this sounds, we cleaned the house and we did laundry. That makes me feel like one big weight is off my shoulders.
Yesterday we spent some good quality time with my friends who are visiting from Spain and even with Rey’s parents. They came by too and brought the grandkids. We had 4 kids ages 2.5-4 running all over the house and the back yard and 2 one-year old toddlers crawling around and getting into everything. My friend and I kept laughing at the fact that we now have children. So weird.
OK, It’s Tuesday and I’m off to hang out with them for a few hours. We haven’t decided yet if it’ll be the Children’s Museum or the Body Museum as Miranda calls it. http://www.mhms.org/ It’s really the Museum of Health and Medical Science. Or maybe just hanging around downtown and taking the train. More later.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Friday, May 27, 2005
Life is Strange
The most extraordinary thing happened today. My new job was announced as a promotion and my new title is National Sales Manager of La Voz and La Vibra. What is going on?? It’s not that I don’t think I deserve this, it’s just that I was originally told that the move was a lateral move and that I would remain an account executive. That’s why it came as such a big surprise today when this e-mail went out to the whole ad division announcing my move as a promotion.
I keep thinking of that Alanis Morisette quote I’ve been using on my e-mail signature.
"the moment I let go of it was the moment I got more than I could handle
the moment I jumped off of itwas the moment I touched down."
I use this quote because I feel like I need to just let go of my fears and take the leap to write. As hard as I work to want to become a writer these other things keep happening to me all the time. Good things, but at the same time I will have to work on my writing all the harder so I don’t get sidetracked.
Life is so strange. And I said it myself just a few entries ago when I said,
“Life is a series of phases and the exciting part about it is that we don’t know where we will find ourselves next. We should always expect the unexpected. That’s fine as long as we don’t lose ourselves along the way.”
How true this is.
On another great note to help keep me on track. My short story, “The Grapefruit” was published. http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/grapefruit.html The only thing is that I accidentally sent them a version without the tilde (~) over the word Doña. A corrected version will be posted soon.
Meanwhile, read the story and enjoy. This is my first published short story!! Thank you to Mark Lacy for his interest in my writing and for staying on top of me to submit. And thank you to the Houston Institute for Culture. The Visitor Center is opening June 10 in the Rice Village on Morningside. Go by and check it out.
Two things to celebrate this weekend. My promotion and the publication of my story.
I keep thinking of that Alanis Morisette quote I’ve been using on my e-mail signature.
"the moment I let go of it was the moment I got more than I could handle
the moment I jumped off of itwas the moment I touched down."
I use this quote because I feel like I need to just let go of my fears and take the leap to write. As hard as I work to want to become a writer these other things keep happening to me all the time. Good things, but at the same time I will have to work on my writing all the harder so I don’t get sidetracked.
Life is so strange. And I said it myself just a few entries ago when I said,
“Life is a series of phases and the exciting part about it is that we don’t know where we will find ourselves next. We should always expect the unexpected. That’s fine as long as we don’t lose ourselves along the way.”
How true this is.
On another great note to help keep me on track. My short story, “The Grapefruit” was published. http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/grapefruit.html The only thing is that I accidentally sent them a version without the tilde (~) over the word Doña. A corrected version will be posted soon.
Meanwhile, read the story and enjoy. This is my first published short story!! Thank you to Mark Lacy for his interest in my writing and for staying on top of me to submit. And thank you to the Houston Institute for Culture. The Visitor Center is opening June 10 in the Rice Village on Morningside. Go by and check it out.
Two things to celebrate this weekend. My promotion and the publication of my story.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
It's SO Great!
I started reading Amy Tan's book, The Opposite of Fate, during lunch today and it is SO good and I've only read the first chapter! Her description of her father and the relationship she had with him brought tears to my eyes. Her father died when she was fifteen. If you are an Amy Tan fan, read it! More updates later.
Settle In! You're Here to Stay
ARGHHH!!! I’ve been at a new office for the past month having to get used to new people and their habits. Right now I think I’m going to pull my hair out!! Sometimes I play music off of Launchcast and I try to keep it as low as possible so I don’t bother others around me. The woman who sits on the other side of the wall from me doesn’t have the same idea I do. She listens to either Christian music in Spanish or like right now, to a talk show in Spanish. The woman on the show has the most irritating voice!
When I hear this and I think about staying here I hope that I’ve made the right decision. I was debating leaving here, well interviewing for another position, but now I’ve decided to stay. My new position will be as a Hispanic Sales Specialist (or a specialized account executive) who sells to the major accounts that have been running in La Voz for a while now. I’ll also pursue new business from advertisers who have never advertised in the Chronicle but who are interested in reaching the Hispanic market. It should be interesting.
The other job I was interested in is in our Online. That’s a great area because there is so much potential and growth. I am still interested in moving there but maybe in the future.
I just bought Amy Tan’s newest book, “The Opposite of Fate.” I think it’s her first work of non-fiction. It’s supposed to be really good. I’ll give you all a book review when I’m finished.
Something to ponder on. Story in the Houston Chronicle today on stem cell research. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/page1/3197052
This is the part that amazes me. To think that a woman can grow an embryo in her uterus and nourish it, feed it, give it her blood, so the baby in essence does become a part of her, but at the same time all the DNA comes from someone else. I am always in awe of technology and creation!
When I hear this and I think about staying here I hope that I’ve made the right decision. I was debating leaving here, well interviewing for another position, but now I’ve decided to stay. My new position will be as a Hispanic Sales Specialist (or a specialized account executive) who sells to the major accounts that have been running in La Voz for a while now. I’ll also pursue new business from advertisers who have never advertised in the Chronicle but who are interested in reaching the Hispanic market. It should be interesting.
The other job I was interested in is in our Online. That’s a great area because there is so much potential and growth. I am still interested in moving there but maybe in the future.
I just bought Amy Tan’s newest book, “The Opposite of Fate.” I think it’s her first work of non-fiction. It’s supposed to be really good. I’ll give you all a book review when I’m finished.
Something to ponder on. Story in the Houston Chronicle today on stem cell research. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/page1/3197052
This is the part that amazes me. To think that a woman can grow an embryo in her uterus and nourish it, feed it, give it her blood, so the baby in essence does become a part of her, but at the same time all the DNA comes from someone else. I am always in awe of technology and creation!
Saturday, May 21, 2005
How Women are Influenced by Their Mother's Relationship with Food
I finally found it. I heard about this book a while back, probably when Miranda was just born but when I looked for it I found out it was out of print. Then sometimes when I listen to NPR and I hear that Powell Books is a sponsor I think of this book, but I forget to check it out. Powell specializes in used and out of print books.
Today something reminded me of this book again. I searched for it and I found it! “Like Mother Like Daughter How Women are Influenced by Their Mother's Relationship with Food & How to Break the Pattern.” I’m going to buy it this week and I’m going to read it. I'll tell you what I thought when I'm finished. http://powellbooks.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=16-0786882719-1
I need to read this book for myself, to see what I’ll uncover about my own mother and our relationship with food. but more importantly for Miranda. Some things have been happening lately with her that have me worried.
I know that the most important thing I can do with my kids is to be an example to them. I’ve been working very hard for the past month to do just that. I have been going to the park and walking on average three times per week. Sometimes I’ve walked four times in a week because I’ll walk around my neighborhood too. I also started running a little, downhill, to start building up my stamina to start running. I need to do this for myself but also for these two little people that I am influencing every day. I would never tell them not to be fat. I tell Miranda that we want to be healthy, not skinny.
I changed pediatricians because of this. A couple of months ago at Miranda’s four year check-up the doctor reminded her of the importance of drinking milk because she wanted her to be tall and slim and not short and fat. She actually said it twice! I couldn’t believe my ears. I didn’t say anything to her but I decided there and then that I do not need a doctor like that who is going to give my daughter issues. That’s my job!
Seriously, I know it’s my job to help Miranda see the importance of health and that we exercise and eat right to be healthy. That’s my challenge. It’s not just about me any more. It’s about her too. And soon Seth too. I want them growing up with exercise and sports around them. I’m going to get a badminton set because I can play that, rather than tennis and I’m going to show Miranda how to play. I’m going to teach her how to ride her bike because she can’t get the peddling down so she can ride her bike when she’s at the baby sitter’s during the day and with me on the weekend.
Right now I have a sore butt from the running. I think the pounding is hurting my butt bone. I’m sitting on a pillow to write.
I’m in my room again. I’ve been up here a good 1.5 hrs now and I’ve made very little progress on my novel. I hadn’t worked on it in so long that I had to go back and read a lot of it to get to where I need to be. It’s the weekend! My work situation is almost worked out. I will be knowing more on Monday but I should be getting everything squared away by then.
Today something reminded me of this book again. I searched for it and I found it! “Like Mother Like Daughter How Women are Influenced by Their Mother's Relationship with Food & How to Break the Pattern.” I’m going to buy it this week and I’m going to read it. I'll tell you what I thought when I'm finished. http://powellbooks.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=16-0786882719-1
I need to read this book for myself, to see what I’ll uncover about my own mother and our relationship with food. but more importantly for Miranda. Some things have been happening lately with her that have me worried.
I know that the most important thing I can do with my kids is to be an example to them. I’ve been working very hard for the past month to do just that. I have been going to the park and walking on average three times per week. Sometimes I’ve walked four times in a week because I’ll walk around my neighborhood too. I also started running a little, downhill, to start building up my stamina to start running. I need to do this for myself but also for these two little people that I am influencing every day. I would never tell them not to be fat. I tell Miranda that we want to be healthy, not skinny.
I changed pediatricians because of this. A couple of months ago at Miranda’s four year check-up the doctor reminded her of the importance of drinking milk because she wanted her to be tall and slim and not short and fat. She actually said it twice! I couldn’t believe my ears. I didn’t say anything to her but I decided there and then that I do not need a doctor like that who is going to give my daughter issues. That’s my job!
Seriously, I know it’s my job to help Miranda see the importance of health and that we exercise and eat right to be healthy. That’s my challenge. It’s not just about me any more. It’s about her too. And soon Seth too. I want them growing up with exercise and sports around them. I’m going to get a badminton set because I can play that, rather than tennis and I’m going to show Miranda how to play. I’m going to teach her how to ride her bike because she can’t get the peddling down so she can ride her bike when she’s at the baby sitter’s during the day and with me on the weekend.
Right now I have a sore butt from the running. I think the pounding is hurting my butt bone. I’m sitting on a pillow to write.
I’m in my room again. I’ve been up here a good 1.5 hrs now and I’ve made very little progress on my novel. I hadn’t worked on it in so long that I had to go back and read a lot of it to get to where I need to be. It’s the weekend! My work situation is almost worked out. I will be knowing more on Monday but I should be getting everything squared away by then.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)