Let it be me

Never underestimate the beauty of a day of solitude, where the weather is fine and you lazily sleep in, read a book and listen to lovely music.

Today is my day, and I've lately felt as if a heavy weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and for the first time in a year, I feel at peace.

Sunday mornings use to be spent making love until the early afternoon, then followed by brunch but today they are spent alone. I love it. Please let it always be me at the end of the day, even if I find myself in love again, I always want it to be me...


I've been listening to Sam Amidon all morning and found this fabulous video of my favorite song by him. It isn't Tuesday Tune day but I thought I'd share just the same.

excited. 

now I'm done.

more to come....

Tuesday Tunes... with Jon Brion.

I put three very different music videos of Jon Brion's music, the last with the lyrics because I love the lyrics so much. Enjoy.







Little Person by Jon Brion

I'm just a little person.
One person in a sea.
Of many little people.
Who are not aware of me.
I do my little job.
And live my little life.
Eat my little meals.
Miss my little kid and wife.
And somewhere maybe someday.
Maybe somewhere far away.
I'll find a second little person.
Who will look at me and say.
I know you.
You're the one I've waited for.
Let's have some fun.
Life is precious.
Every minute.
And more precious with you in it.
So let's have some fun.
We'll take a road trip.
Way out West.
You're the one.
I like the best.
I'm glad I found you.
Like hanging round you.
You're the one.
I like the best.
Somewhere maybe someday.
Maybe somewhere far away.
Somewhere maybe someday.
Maybe somewhere far away.
Somewhere maybe someday.
Maybe somewhere far away.
I'll meet a second little person.
And we'll go out and play.

thanks brandon.

I had my photo shoot this weekend. I'll have to admit that I'm not a very good model. I, in fact annoyed Brandon quite a bit. He was very professional but I wasn't. (I couldn't help laughing or fidgeting)

I've been assured that the REAL photos will be in tomorrow, but these were some shots he took with is iPhone of all things? funny huh?

Mecca.

This night, like all corresponding nights has been me, restlessly starring at the ceiling in a dark room, analyzing the size and shapes of shadows. My thoughts and I were forseeing two contrary futures; In one, sleep and in two, peace. Neither have been fufilled.

No, instead I decide to make my brain work. I've seen my share of math tonight, deciphering puzzles, and reflecting on nursery rhymes. Through my mind, faces travel, as if wayfarers of my youth, and my heart: a strange matter that pilgrims seek.

the satoralist

I have all of these exact pieces of clothing. Perhaps I should pair them together and actually wear them? eh? Stay tuned for a hilarious post by yours truly, well I think it's hilarious, at least.
(the photo is courtesy of the satoralist, great blog if you haven't checked it out thesartorialist.blogspot.com)

Tuesday Tunes... with Pomplamoose.

After I discovered the lingering effects of a well thought out night of fun, I've come to realize that I am severely socially inept. Now, normally (and this should not come as such a shock) I have the tendency to be a bit brash or uncouth (if you will) with regards to encounters with acquaintances. Instead of merely socializing with many of my peers I'd much rather be left in the corner of a bar, observing and yes, judging all that surround me.

Hollywood Cemetery.

After a weekend of mayhem, I finally made my way to Hollywood Cemetery. After years of living in RVA I have never been there! Can you believe that? I took some photos of various headstones around the cemetery. I couldn't let the gorgeous Sunday afternoon go to waste.

My favorite are the bunny pictures. So beautifully placed on the headstone of a baby. I thought it was heavenly and I'm definitely going back as soon as the weather permits me to do so. Gracias a la Hollywood Cemetery.

Alfie's advice.

Your name, or rather, nick name has a story line...
When my brothers and I were little children and we would get scared at night time (bad storms, thunder, lightening or other storms such as arguments that would become volatile) we would hide under our blankets and play games.
One such game was 'Nancy and Betty'...our fingers would become imaginary people and they would go on many adventures. Nancy and Betty would have parties and only very special friends would be invited. The elite of elite friends was Jenny. Jenny came from a long line of very fine wealthy family. She had befriend Nancy and Betty at her own home with charity church functions where the girl's mom had to serve and clean Jenny's home). Nancy and Betty were the best of friends and most of all sisters. Jenny's mother and the girls mother were different but good friends of different backgrounds (such as: Jenny's mom employed the sister's mother as a house keeper).
Sometimes, when i was too sleepy, the boys and eventually Abby and Angie. would get scared they would want to play Nancy and Betty. I would tell them to 'turn the TV on in your head' and I would tell them stories - we would go on adventure upon adventure. Nancy and Betty went on to become detectives and Jenny was an archeologists and together they went on so many adventures....( I had to become very creative as the years went a long and the boys became older). Other elite friends that came to parties and had adventures were: Brooke and Tara.

So Jenny your name has a background.

Venessa's name was a reminiscence of my Grandmother Brigida's likes - she would never miss a 'novela' named Venessa (and that was the true spelling) and one of the elite names of my imaginary friends became her middle name: Brooke.

So, even at times as a little girl, I would talk to my imaginary friends (Nancy, Betty, Jenny, Brooke, & Tara) and then came my young siblings - we had many adventures.-By Adelfa (Alfie Lopez) 


My mother gave me an explanation about the background of my name through an e-mail. It's funny because after reading I began thinking that my mom somehow knew who I was before she even knew I would exist? I wonder if I already know who my future children will be? 


Anyway I decided to post some of the e-mail because I thought that it might provide some sort of insight as to "who I am."  I'm certainly far from the imaginary character "Jenny" that my mom made up but just the same, I try to turn on the TV in my head and imagine that I'm a wealthy detective/archeologist in search for the right history and story. -Gracias Jenny. 

Help.

Catherine Chapter 2?

"She hadn't been aware of how long she had been starring out the window, only that at once she realized that the ground, that was once full of white glittering blankets, was now surrounded with crowds of men and women seemingly forgetting half of their wardrobe. Clearly, it was the end of summer and she hadn't experienced any feeling of the sun's heat on her unusually pale face. Catherine wasn't a unattractive girl. Her features were dark and petite, long brown hair and a height that barely stood at five-foot one. The one feature that she did pride herself on, were her hands, which she had been told once revealed the true age of her very old soul. Tears softly rolled down her cheeks which by all accounts was her least favorite feature, but her most complemented.



Today it pained her to think of fall. She quickly brushed her tears away and angrily scoffed at being such a ridiculous young woman. Catherine hadn't known for a very long time why she cried. All she knew was that it happened, like breathing, something every healthy human does, without clearly knowing how or why. She made her way back to the open window quickly closing it, shivering from the cold air gusting in, as the window shut. Summer days were pleasant enough in early September but fall nights were slowly creeping in. Tomorrow was her early day at work. She liked those days the most, merely because of the reward of returning home while the sun was still out.


Every night, Catherine routinely washed her face and brushed her teeth, crept into her bedroom stumbling through the dark so as not disturb the dear kitten sleeping at the foot of her bed. As she lay face up in bed she wished for a beautiful dream. A dream that subconsciously, she had always wanted, a handsome man to call her wife and two chubby cheeked children swarming at her feet, whispering sweet nothings into her ears. She had, had this dream before but she could never recall seeing their faces. Once in the midst of an embrace with one of her dream children, she swore smelling the hair of the child, only to wake up finding her arms empty and her face wet with tears, crying out to the child to come back. She had never wanted to be a mother and pitied those whom she deemed wasted their lives on becoming one. Tonight, she hadn't the luxury of analyzing her dreams. Softly she closed her eyes, and fell asleep to the sound of the sirens passing by."
 
I'm currently having writer's block. I previously posted one of my very first paragraphs from my book on this blog, just to have some sort of feedback, and luckily all comments were positive... but now I'm having a hard time continuing.
 
Catherine, is of course my leading lady with out really being the main character in the story. Felix is the hero/villain of this book and I'm having a difficult time tying Catherine and Felix together. (Though I believe them to be one in the same? For example: Catherine and Felix couldn't exist separately. Catherine must only exist if Felix exists. As if to say they shared the same heart? or Brain? Something that one has that the other doesn't? but share?)
 
I'm trying not to get frustrated but finding it very difficult. Any feedback would help either comment or verbally tell me. Most readers of this blog tell me personally what they think instead of comment. (which is STILL feedback just the same) so, help.
 
 

Tuesday Tunes...with Jorge Drexler.

How couldn't you fall in love with lyrics like:

Ana, qué no daría yo por ver un día

tu ropa en un rincón de mi guarida

formando un banderín multicolor,

junto al atuendo de este servidor.

(I wish the video was of him singing or playing the guitar, but since this is my favorite song by him and no footage I suppose It'll have to be without. It's so beautiful)

Caldo de Res

Just as we relied on our parents growing up in lending us a hand, today we still rely on our parents for guidance, wisdom and occasionally helping us to make our tummy aches go away. When did life get so complicated that just a bandaid and a kiss, would simply make the pain go away? I reflected on this question frequently throughtout the weekend pondering wether or not I could comfort my mother (after her recent surgery) just as she had done so well for me as a child.

To be truthful, I felt of little use to her throughout the duration of my stay there. Have you felt that you were more "in the way," than anything else? And yet, the one and only thing that my mom asked me to do for her this weekend, was to make her famous Caldo de Res. (Mexican beef and vegetable soup) I've made the soup only a hand full of times, each time, I believe it to be closer and closer to the exact taste that my mother makes it.

The soup wasn't perfect nor was the Mexican rice that accompanied it. However, my mother and sister seemed to enjoy it just as much, as if they had made it themselves. My mother still makes the soup for my siblings and I upon returning home in a matter of words "de vez en cuando." No matter how ill I feel or how homesick I am, the warmth and fullness I feel after a bowl of that heavenly soup, makes me feel as if my mother is saying "I love you, I love you, I love you," over and over again.

Needless to say, I hope that when she ate the soup she felt the repeated words of "I love you, I love you, I love you," over and over again, like the words I still embrace from time to time drinking that soup. -Gracias a la vida y gracias a todas las mamás.

Me up at does

out of the floor


quietly Stare


a poisoned mouse






still who alive


is asking What


have i done that


You wouldn't have
 



e.e. cummings

Tuesday Tunes with My Brightest Diamond.

I cannot explain how much I love this band. I guess I could start at the beginning and tell you that in fact Tony downloaded one of their albums for me maybe 2 years ago called Bring me the workhorse, and though I enjoyed it I don't remember being too particularly drawn to their music.

After re listening to the album again I was instantly mesmerized by the lead singing voice of Shara Worden, who graduated from The University of North Texas with a BA in vocal performance, where incidentally enough, also graduated members of one of my other favorite bands (thanks to Tony) Midlake.

The talent speaks for itself and I hope you enjoy the videos I found via Youtube. Stayed tuned for more Tuesday Tune posts and other day to day posts.

-Gracias a la vida.

Lawrence Welk.

Isn't Lawrence Welk so handsome? I suppose it isn't such a great secret that you should know that I'm in love with the Lawrence Welk Show. Blame it on my mother or my lack of cable access but today I couldn't help but blog about him and his show. I'm currently watching an episode, where all the music being played and sung are tributes to Disney tunes.

Happy New Year! (sorry about the second post)

New Year's Neil.

"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."

-Neil Gaiman; photo courtesy of Kate of For Me for You Blog.http://forme-foryou.com/

Gracias a la vida.