2004 mini-recount

Dear God,

Thank you for this year, you've given me the privilege to live and learn from everything that has happened on 2004.
I'm thankful for my beautiful family and for the patience you give us tolive through difficult times. Thank you for the opportunity of continuing my education at the UA. Thank you so very much, because you've made of my time there so much more than an academic experience. Thanks for all the friends I've found there, and thank you for all the lessons I've learn through people you've put in my life. Thank you for all the Snickers and Iced Mochas that helped me stay awake and alert in all my classes and when I had to study.
Thank you for pursuing your purpose in my lifeat every minute, thank you for not giving up on me.
Thank you for all the sunsets that I witnessed this year. They were all beautiful, they were all such a great expression of your majesty. You'reamazing... Thank you for letting me realize it.
Thank you for my dad and for your work in our relationship.
Thank you for your protection every moment. Thank you for protecting my life during the accidents, and even the falls on rainy days at school. Thank you for taking care of my brothers, and my sisters.
I'm thankful for the opportunity to help others and lead. Thank you very much for Make A Difference Day 2004 and for all that I learned and all the people I met and all the agencies and people that were blessed by it. I loved the whole process, thank you for making of MADDay a huge success and letting me enjoy it as much as I did, it was truly a blessing to me. And it all worked out because of you. This whole year was a blessing because of you. Thank you for the opportunity of being alive.

And for 2005, there is nothing I want more than to get closer to you. I want to learn to understand you and to shine with your light. Just so next year I'll be thankful for things this year I'd rather forget.

I love dogs

I love Lucy! A beautiful dog I met on December 26 when I went hiking with my family and my friend Ale. The hiking part wasn't planned. The opportunity just came to us and we enjoyed it!

HAPPY B-DAY PAU!!!

Feliz Cumple Pau!!!
Hoy es el cumple de mi mejor amiga, la Pau Pau!
En su cumpleaños, el año pasado estuvimos toda la tarde en un café en Valencia, CA. En el Java 'n Jazz.
Super chivo verdad Pau?
Este año no pudimos estar juntas, pero primero Dios nos veremos pronto.
En la distancia...

What can I say? life is sweet!

Today’s been a good day. I received some Christmas presents from coworkers… a candle, candy and a cookie-man that is meant to hang from a Christmas tree but that will actually end up hanging up on my wall since my tree is very little and would not handle that much weight… and finally, a Garfield book!!! (title: I’d Like Mornings Better If They Started Later). Don’t you just love the holiday spirit?! I’m planning to volunteer on the local Salvation Army, as I did on Thanksgiving. I hope they don’t remember that I said I’d learn how to cook… otherwise they’ll give me a hard time.

On a different note (or a different day), Pau (my best friend) called me yesterday and we were both at work and we were both eating chocolate hopping not to gain any weight and enjoying life!
And I talked on the phone with three of my friends last night, that doesn't happen very often.
Life is sweet, even when I can't really taste it :)

Vincent Van Gogh: Starry Night

Vincent van Gogh: Starry Night
Originally uploaded by ten safe frogs.

Ha! Lucky one.
I only get to see this one on pictures.

R&B

So... here's a picture of me and my friend Ro-ro.

So... what's up? I'll tell you what's up. As I thought, I got two Bs and I don't like them. I thought I did so much better in my drawing class!!! I think I really improved on my freakin' figures. But I got a B!
Bs are not good enough.
The other class I got a B on... I know I could have done better but I didn't. Makes me mad.

Also... I've been working "full" time... And... one of my friends is coming back from Costa Rica this Sat. I miss her. I wish she'd bring me Costa Rican coffee. I'd be eternally grateful. And she sent an email that made me shade a tear (hey... that's kinda hard to do!)
Here's what she wrote:

"Sunday, we went to Playa Conchal...a beach that is FULL of concha shells instead of sand. AMAZING. God showed me a parallel. You have to walk around this one beach first to get to the beautiful one. The first is okay...it's a beach with blackish sand, nothing great, but if you want a beach, it's fine. Then you go over a hill and on the other side is this GORGEOUS beach with white concha shell sand, bluer water, more scenery, etc. It reminded me of this life. People sometimes get stuck on the first beach and never dare to look for what's on the other side. They decide that this is all there is and make the best of it, when in reality this is a gross, dirty beach compared to the extravagance that awaits if we dare to believe there is more and go the distance to get there. Or maybe people believe, but they get lazy (we had to walk a ways to get to the other side) and decide this is enough. But it's not, we should go the distance bc in the end it is beyond AMAZING! That's what He showed me...right in the middle of a beautiful day...and what a blessing for it to be my last weekend in Costa Rica!"

I hope you read that.

On a different note, I got the book Wafi sent!!!! I'm sooo excited!!!! I was soooooo happy when I saw the packet waiting for me on the kitchen table!!!! AWESOME!!!! Now I'll know what "The Motorcycle Diaries" is about when the movie comes out.

Well... that's all for now. I welcome any feedback.
Ciao!

Good reads

Here are some good reads.
Enjoy!

• TIME 100
• Ancient American Poets

Check this out

Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com/friend/eugenia8

Books

Hey, I'm going to buy some books I want to read. That'll be my Christmas present for me :)
One of these days I'll get "The Motorcycle Diaries" the one that Wafi (a fellow BookCrosser) sent me. I'm going to get one on Gandhi, maybe the authobiography. It's very refreshing to read books just for fun, because not all textbooks are fun. I was lucky, though... I discovered that my Media and Society textbook was really interensting... and of course, I love my Art History book :)
Well... I'll probably go to Barnes & Noble after I'm done with finals... or maybe I'll go somewhere else. There are not many good bookstores in this little place.
Finals? I only have one more to go.
On a different note: textmessaging comes in handy when you're in the library :)

The Little Deer

One of my favorite paintings by Frida Kahlo. She wrote this poem when she painted "The Little Deer".

Alone the deer roams about
very sad and full of wounds,
until he finds warmth and a nest
near Acady and Lina.

When the deer returns once again,
strengthened, happy and recuperated,
the wounds of today
will have long been forgotten.

Thank you, children of my life,
thank you for all the comfort
In the deer's forest
the sky is already clearing up.

Here I leave you my portrait
so that you do not forget me
all the nights and days
I am away from you.

There is sorrow I
in all my pictures,
My life was simply like that,
complaining will not help.

But deep down in my heart
I preserve the joyful fact
that Arcady and Lina
love me as I am.

Accept this little picture
which I painted full of love
as a gift for your care
and your endless gentleness.


More info here

The freshness of a life

This is a little painting I made on my schetchbook on November 13.
I like it! It's fresh and expontaneous.

On a different note, I will be studying really hard for the next couple of weeks. So... I need to Gogh study :)

I made it!!!

This two days have been crazy!!! I've been really busy, but I've survived. Thank God for everything.
I had only a couple of hours of sleep last night and today I'm all hyper (that happens when I'm tired for real). I had an iced mocha this morning and it was too sweet, plus I had a chocolate donut. That gave me a suger-rush. Yeah, just like the one I intented to give to the MADDay volunteers.
It was ridiculous. For a second, I considered the possibility of having sugar erased from my life... completely. BUT This world it too insane to do that... I'm serious, sugar can be found everywhere and there is nothing we can do about it. I guess we, as humans, are comdemned to have surgar-rushes as part of our lives. Ok, now THAT'S non-sense. I better get to business... I'll get to class... on time! for a change :)
Although, I know it won't make any difference since my professor enjoys taking role every single time class meets. That takes him a good ten minutes of my precious time, because is a class of about 120 people.
Well... I'll get going now.
Ciao!

Good times

I talked to my friend (in ES) last night, she called me -that was a big surprise- and she said she's not coming to visit her dad this year. Last year, around Christmas time she came to CA to visit her dad and I went to visit her. We went to San Francisco and many other places. We had a good time and I fell in love with San Francisco!!!

I really liked Valencia and I have great memories of my friend's b-day, we spent the afternoon at a cafe in downtown Valencia. It was nice.
So many memories, so little time, so much school work, so many responsibilities. Life is awesome.

Yo - frida study

Yo - frida study
Originally uploaded by aquarelita.

Gouache on paper.
I made this study in my sketchbook for Spring 2004. I took the idea from Frida Kahlo's journal and I loved it. I changed it a little, the colors reflect more my personalily.
Bright!

I'm using this new picture posting server, and I find it really good. I'll see if I can post some more of my art work (it'll have to be from my sketchbook, since I'll have to scan it at the lab).

I should be studying...

I have so many freaking things to do, yet I'm wasting my precious time writing this. I've read things about weblogs... some people think they are a good way for people to express themselves, but others say that blogs can be 'dangerous' (to some extent) since people are free to post whatever they feel like posting.
I read an article on a Student Affairs website, one of the cases discussed was one in which someone wrote really bad things about his/her boss... what if the boss reads the post? what if you read it? should you let the boss know about it?
People tend to get really personal, maybe I've been too personal! (hey, I'll check all the posts one day to see if there is anything I wouldn't want others to know).
Anyway, what I was going to say about blogs is that they are one more distraction.
I should start a new sketchbook/journal instead of keeping this blog... maybe I should start on the new sketchbook and keep the blog at the same time... maybe I should go back to study WLIT, and Art History, and Media and Society... or maybe focus on the other 10 things on my to-do list.

Make it happen!!!

Whenever your day is not going well and you feel like it's going to be "one of those days" this is what you need to do:
Get an iced mocha and make things happen.
I've come to the realization that I can be my worst enemy, my toughest judge, and my largest obstacle.
If you feel limited... think about it, 'cause it might be just you.
Did this post make any sense at all?

"Enamorarse puede ser a veces una desgracia, pero nunca un crimen" - Alberto Masferrer

"I still love art and life very much"
- Van Gogh

"Mi billete de a diez"

El sábado pasado fui a la casa de uno de mis tios y como siempre, surgieron memorias en medio de la conversación. Mi tio nos contó como el siempre quería andar impresionando a las muchachitas :)
"Yo tenia un billete de a diez" dijo mi tio, y nos contó como siempre iba a la tiendita donde estaba la dulcinea que le gustaba. Y compraba gaseosas para él y para sus amigos; y los noventa centavos que salian en total los pagaba con un billete de a diez, para impresionar a la susodicha :)
"Y cuando tenia la oportunidad, me conseguía noventa centavos y conseguía otro billete de a diez para ir a la tienda el día siguiente".
Nos reimos mucho y yo dije la frase "yo tenia un billete de a diez" sería un buen titulo para un libro, y mi mamá dijo que sería mejor "Mi billete de a diez".

En fin, me encanta como las memorias dan color a la vida.
Qué sería de nosotros sin los recuerdos???

Wise Words

"Sometimes when you have an idea you should do it... 'cause sometimes you don't have any ideas."

I heard this from one of my art instructors and felt like I needed to share it.
Link

Reverse Foreshortening

Fore·short·en ( P ) (fôr-shôrtn, fr-)
tr.v. fore·short·ened, fore·short·en·ing, fore·short·ens
1. To shorten the lines of (an object) in a drawing or other representation so as to produce an illusion of projection or extension in space.
2. To reduce the length of; curtail or abridge.

Foreshortening
\Fore*short"en*ing\, n. (Fine Arts) Representation in a foreshortened mode or way.

Tonight, in my drawing class we worked on this technique. It was fun... but I didn't do it right.
You're suppossed to look at the model and draw whatever is closer to you larger than what is further away... this kinda makes sense to me, but you have to do a little exageration.
So anyway... I tried.
And I thought I was doing it right... but my drawing was looking funny so I asked someone in my class if the piece looked weird to her, and she said "well, I think the head and the upper body are a little big". No prob... I thought... I'll just keep trying.
But then... it really looked weird to me, so I said to my professor "Hey, I think this is way too funny, could you look at this for a sec?" and he said "Of course it looks weird... you made the feet so small and the leg!!! And look how huge the head is... YOU DID REVERSE FORESHORTENING!!!"
And then my classmate and I couldn't help but laugh!
Then my professor was picking on me... he said "you can make that you signature style! You can draw a bunch of women with huge heads and little legs and feet... you'll make millions!"
Well... there are some things that are just not meant for me.
I'll keep trying, though!!!

On another note... the sunset was amazing today!!! It looked a little like this:

Can you feel it?

About iced mochas, my artist’s finger nails and other matters.

It’s really cold outside.
The frozen grass lets me know that the new season will not wait anyone.
A nice gesture from a friend lets me know that life is sweet; it will always be that way!
Yes, life is sweet... despite of all the insanity of this world, happiness is real and can be reached by anyone who wants it and is willing to accept the challenges and responsibilities that it entails.
But before I get all poetic I need to get back to my not-so-relevant-to-anyone-else post… I wanted to talk about iced mochas and something that happened to me last Tuesday. I was studying in the coffee house as usual and I thought of getting myself an iced mocha, then the thought of having to pay almost $3 for my so-wanted iced mocha struck me. Then I thought “hmm… what if I spend my lunch money on the iced mocha” and I did it… of course it was worth it. I never like what I have for lunch anyway! I'd get to the food court and think “what sounds good for lunch?” and the answer is always a “nothing” that follows a relatively long period of time (I’m talking about 5 secs here). So I’m glad I had that iced mocha… I’m trying to reduce my caffeine intake to just one iced mocha per week, but it’s really hard! Like today, a friend treated me to one... how could I ever say no to an iced mocha?!
Another thing that I wanted to discuss in this absurd weblog was my artist’s nails. Yeah… my finger nails never look good ‘cause of the charcoal, acrylic, graphite and everything else that gets on them each day. I know that my not-very-attractive nails are just one more thing to get used to when one attempts to be an artist. However, I put some clear nail polish every now and then… but when my friend says “hey… your nails look nice… how come?!” that is an indication that I need to pay more attention to my appearance so people won’t get surprised when I look a little nicer than usual.
And well… that’s it for now. No more comments.Thank you to all my readers and I hope you are enjoying these pointless weblog.

My Inner Artist

Your inner artist is Vincent Van Gogh!

You and Van Gogh share a very important thread – an unusually strong passion for your pursuits. Okay, so maybe you never chopped off your ear (which is a good thing), but it wouldn’t surprise us if you get excited by all your ideas and feelings. And you need an outlet! Whether you pour your emotions out in theater, the wood shop, on paper, or through exercise, you’re unstoppable when new thoughts come to mind! Maybe you were the kid in class who was always doodling in his notebook. Or perhaps you picked up the flute in college and never looked back. Or maybe you’ve developed a strong voice to stand up for your causes. But whichever magical channel you’ve found, keep at it. You’re at your best when you unleash your passionate force on the world.

Vincent Van Gogh blows me away!

He is my favorite artist of all times.
I love Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso, and many others... but with Van Gogh there is a connection. Yeah... call me crazy. I love his paintings, but in his letters to Theo (his brother) I've discovered things that we have in common. Like this part:

From Vincent to Theo:
"A phrase in your letter struck me: 'I wish I were far away from everything, I am the cause of all, and bring only sorrow to everybody; I alone have brought all this misery on myself and others.' These words struck me because that same feeling, exactly the same, neither more nor less, is also in my conscience..."

There is also this:

"... Wait, perhaps some day you will see that I too am an artist..."

He just blows me away!
And my favorite painting are The Starry Night, The Café Terrace at Night, Starry Night over the Rhone, and Room at Arles.

Focus

It's not hard to do... really.
But lately I've heard the word "Focus!" so many times... as a comand!
The night of the SH meeting, I saw a friend of mine outside the MCenter and he told me to go to class (to my 7pm TR class) and I said "of course I'm going, you don't need to tell me what to do" and my friend said "I just want to keep you focused" and then someone says "Oh!!! That's a full time job!"
I might need people to keep me in track every now and then when my energy level is low, or when I'm really angry, or when I have a sugar-rush, or an anxiety attach (this only happens when I have to speak in public). BUT other than that I'm fine! :) Really!!!

Anyway... last week was really good.
I made a shirt that says "Made in El Salvador" for the airbrush t-shirts last Friday.

That's all for now... I need to focus on the movie review I have to turn in tomorrow :)
Ciao!

Make A Difference Day - Traveler

The Traveler - News
Issue: 10/18/04

Volunteering draws many
By Christian Moseby, Staff Writer

Several UA students volunteered Saturday with other people in the community for Make A Difference Day, a national day of service.

According to USAWeekend.com, Make A Difference Day is a national day of service sponsored by USA Weekend publication, where citizens volunteer to work in their community. Last year more than 3 million people volunteered in communities around the world.

For the past 14 years, organizations including World SHARE, J.C. Penney, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America have contributed to this service each year.

The UA has been a part of Make A Difference Day since 1992, said BG, the Make A Difference Day chairwoman for the UA.

This year the UA formed 40 different service projects under Make A Difference Day, she said.

For the past two months, the UA advertised the event and encouraged students to participate. Students were able to sign up online to volunteer for a service project of their choice. Last Thursday, volunteers participated in a volunteer orientation session, during which volunteers met with their project leaders.

The service projects ranged from Adopt-A-Park, where the volunteers had to help with cleaning, maintenance and pruning of shrubs by the castle at Wilson Park, to painting walls at the Seven Hills Homeless Shelter.

Saturday morning, before the volunteers began their projects they participated in a rally in the Connections Lounge in the Arkansas Union. Healey Tonsing, program coordinator for Faith in Action, a United Way partner agency, spoke to the volunteers about why volunteering is important.

"The community couldn't function without them," she said. "From cleaning to painting, it's important to have the community involved because we're all in it together."

She also thanked the volunteers on behalf of all non-profit organizations.

Sue Borrego, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, also spoke to the volunteers.

"This is a day in which you're somebody's hero," she said.

Project leaders Catandra Johnson and LaTrice Duncan were in charge of the Peace at Home Family Shelter Fiesta service group. The Fiesta was held at the Thrift Shop for Families or Victims of Domestic Violence.

The volunteers helped set up and maintain the Fiesta, and worked inside the store. Johnson and Duncan said they were really satisfied with the work they did, and they were even happier that they were able to volunteer.

"I really enjoyed it," Johnson said. "Everyone, including the volunteers and the customers had a good time."

Duncan said, "It was a good experience to be able to give five hours back to the community."

For "Big Razorback Day," another Make A Difference Day project, Big Brothers & Big Sisters gathered at Bud Walton Arena with the Razorback basketball team and other volunteers to entertain children. The children watched the basketball team practice, got players' autographs and took pictures with the athletes.

BG said overall she thought the day went well, and she enjoyed every moment of organizing Make a Difference Day.

"Being able to volunteer was an awesome experience, because it helps the community a lot," she said. "Volunteering can also prepare a person for the real world. Because you get to see real problems that people are having, and you get to help them."

Make A Difference Day - NWA Times

UA students spend day making a difference
BY KATE WARD Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004

Thirty-eight nonprofit agencies were benefited Saturday through the University of Arkansas’ 12 th annual Make A Difference Day.

The University of Arkansas, through the Office for Student Involvement and Leadership, once again participated in the national service effort with more than 400 volunteers who dedicated a day to help their community by assisting nonprofit organizations in the community. MADDay is a national event sponsored by "USA Weekend" Magazine in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation.

Some of the service projects that were held on MADDay helped Seven Hills Homeless Shelter, the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club, the Northwest Arkansas Free Health Center, Young Bridge and the Peace at Home Family Shelter Thrift Store Fiesta, where Johnetta Cross Brazell, the UA Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, volunteered.

MADDay is intended to give participants an opportunity to learn about the various nonprofit agencies in Northwest Arkansas through service projects, but more importantly to provide a venue for civic duty. A volunteer rally was held Saturday morning, with guest speakers Healey Tonsing, executive director of the Faith in Action program at Washington Regional Medical Center, and Susan Borrego, associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs/Dean of Students at the university. "During the rally, we pumped up volunteers and fed them breakfast," Borrego said. "Some volunteers went straight to their project sites and were unable to attend the rally, but others were assigned to different projects at the rally."

Individual service projects are coordinated by students who serve as project leaders. The chairs leading the event were B Gutierrez and Fortune Utubor. "This is my second year to participate in Make a Difference Day, but my first year to be a project leader," said UA student Misty Jackson. "Since my major is dietetics, I will be working with people all my life and this is a great opportunity to get involved in the community and show that I care."

One volunteer group went to Youth Bridge, a residential treatment facility for children. "The person in charge of Make a Difference Day assigns volunteer groups to different nonprofit organizations," said Emily Crow, project leader and UA student. "We were assigned to Youth Bridge, and today the kids went to the ropes course while we painted the inside of one of the buildings."

Another event gave children a chance to mingle with the UA’s top athletes. "Big (Razorback) For a Day," is one of the collaborative efforts between the Student Involvement and Leadership Office, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the UA Men’s Athletics department. The event took place at Bud Walton Arena on the UA campus.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program is designed to match children who are in need of consistent friendship and guidance with adult role models.

The goal of this year’s project was to promote the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas and its mission of providing oneon-one mentoring to "atrisk" youths and to recruit adults to become involved in the program. About 30 to 40 "Waiting Littles" attended the event. Waiting Littles are children registered for the program who are not yet matched due to a shortage of adults willing and able to serve as a "Big" (mentor). "It gives us a chance to get to know the ‘waiting littles,’ and it also gives them something fun to do on a Saturday," said Will Atchley, Big Brothers Big Sisters officer.

After the children registered and ate lunch, they received a tour of the arena and locker rooms and watched the men’s basketball team practice. After the practice concluded, the children were able to meet and visit with the players and coaches. In the, end the children went home with several autographs and a very special memory. "I like it because I get to get spoiled for an entire day," said Jake Nelson, a waiting little. "My favorite part is getting the autographs because I get to hang them on my wall."

When MADDay projects concluded, volunteers participated in a post-project discussion to process what was learned.

Copyright © 2001-2004 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved. Contact: webmaster@nwanews.com

I can handle it!

I found this TODAY... nice timing!
http://www.therealmartha.com/stress/

I felt I was on my way home

Ahora, cuando venia manejando camino a la universidad, paso algo inusual.
Estaba lloviendo y los árboles se veian frescos... llenos de vida.
Los colores en el paisaje están cambiando, están apareciendo los rojos y anaranjados de esta estación. Y por un momento, me senti bien... fue raro... un sentimiento que solo podria describir como "on my way home".
A mi mente vinieron imagenes de mi pequeña ciudad... de mi pequeño pais.
Me senti como viviendo una de esas peliculas que vi en mi infancia.

Y bueno, solo pense en escribirlo porque me parecio interesante. No sé porque pasó, pero hace mucho que no sentia eso, ya ni sé como explicarlo.

Ciao!

I'm short, but I'm happy.

Ha! That's my version of the first line in Alanis' song "Hand in my pocket".
I also relate really well to the "I care but I'm restless" line in this very moment of my life.

Things have been REALLY busy/crazy these past three weeks. I'm ready for the big day to come. I've made the most out of it: I've learned, I've grown, I've gotten frustrated, I've overcome the frustration, I've hit the pavement and gotten back up quickly... and it's not over just yet. I have LEARNED so much, I have WORKED so much.

I will survive, so you (assuming that there is someone, somewhere that actually reads my posts) will hear from me again, after my MADDness, of course.

Greater things

Today, it's been great.
I was wearing the cute shirt that my daddy bought for me in Mexico. I looked cute!!! (I'm serious!)
And well, it's been rainning all day, so I was going to my second class and right in front of the FNAR building... it happened. I fell down.
I was all wet... but that was not the problem... the deal is that it was REALLY embarasing. I got up quickly and I said I was OK.
I didn't go to my next class right away, I called CM to see if I could get a FNL t-shirt, but her office was closed. so I called AT and he gave me an EL t-shirt. It's a XL and I feel like I'm on my PJs... but hey. I'm not wet anymore!
So it's been a really interesting day.
Great things have been happening in my life, and I know greater things will come.
Of course, I will never scape the falls and slips, specially with winter around the corner; I know that if it's snowing, I'll fall for sure!
Life is fun.
But in my case, life is funny. :)
That's it for now. Oh... I have the Gridiron show tonight and tomorrow night. Please, don't tell me to "break a leg" 'cause it might just happen for real.
Ciao!

Where's the independence?!

The Salvadoran president spoke to the U.N. one of these days and he justified the presence of Salvadoran military in Iraq... we all know he's just pleasing papi Bush, however, he's what Tony Saca pointed out:

En la vitrina del planeta [Saca] dijo que era hora de poner al servicio de otros pueblos lo aprendido por El Salvador en la etapa de las negociaciones y la consolidación de la paz.

And I say:

What peace???? have you seen the headlines lately??? I think Saca needs to read the news about E.S. more often... it's all violence, crime, hate...

Bravo Mr. President!
Here's the entire article

A poem - en español

Solo en mis sueños

No sé si algún día lograre olvidar
el color exacto de tus ojos,
el tono gracioso de tu voz,
o si algún día cerraré los ojos
sin que tu recuerdo venga a mí
y me lleve a otro tiempo,
a otro lugar donde si me amas,
donde nunca me olvidaste...
a ese lugar,
que talvez nunca encontraré
afuera de mis sueños.

24-Agosto-2003

I posted the Spanish version. Hopefully I'll publish all my poems one day... I already have the title of the book!!! :)

Desde lejos

El día de la independencia de El Salvador fue el 15 de Septiembre.
Muchos compatriotas en varios lugares de los EE.UU. celebraron con fiestas, desfiles y lagrimas... porque en la distancia es donde la patria tiene un significado más profundo en la vida de las personas. En mi vida.

La independencia en proceso

sacado de El Diario de Hoy

Rosa Amelia Mejia de 23 años, junto a su hijo de 2 años de edad, vende banderas en las calles capitalinas para ganarse la vida. Asegura que vende alrededor de 2 docenas de banderas diarias.

A poem

Only In Dreams

Maybe someday
I'll forget the exact color of your eyes,
and the playful tone of your voice.
And I hope
that one of these days
your image won't come to my mind
every time I close my eyes...
because your eyes take me to another time,
to another place,
where you do love me...
where you never forgot me,
to that place
I'll find only in my dreams.

This poem I wrote in Spanish (Solo en mis sueños). Here's the translation. Hope you like it. It's kinda old. I wrote it about two years ago.
I wrote three new poems last night.
I'll publish all my poetry one day. That's one of my dreams.

What dreams may come

This is is my favorite movie ever. There are many great ones, but this is the one that I can watch over and over and over... and it'd still capture my senses.

Money-less

As many of my friends know, I love coffee... but I have a very expensive taste. Every time you go get coffee, you always end up paying like $4.
Soooo... I make my own iced mocha and mocha frappuccinos at home, but I'm not always at home... and when I want coffee, I have to have it. I know! it is a problem!
Will the coffee prices ever go down?
Will the gas prices ever go down?
Will the Razorback merchandise prices ever go down?
The answer is "We don't know" like in history or anthropology! he he he

"you'll get caught up with your sleep in about 30 years"

Said P.M. one of my advisors/friends/leaders/directors. He's really awesome. I saw him this morning (at 7:45 am) when I was reading for my WLIT class in one of the tables in the Union. I told him I was tired and then he said "you'll get caught up with your sleep in about 30 years". Well, if your wondering what the heck am I into... easy... I'm really involved with Students Affairs.
I'm actually a Journalism student (not actually a Journalist though... try Advertising and Public Relations). But I have so much passion for Students Affairs... I don't even know when this began... but it is now in my heart, what can I say?!
I have my interview for the MUFP this Friday morning. I'm so excited!
Well... no time for more.
My schedule is so crazy!!!!!!!! I go from class to meetings to work to office hours to more meetings to study to rehersals to volunteer to advisory committee meetings... and the list goes on and on.
Till next time... this was BG, reporting for blogger.
Ciao!

SO AWESOME!!

Life is so wonderful!
I've been having a great time lately, that doesn't mean I'va not had any problems ('cuz I'va had a lot), that means that I've been doing my best and living life to the fullest!!!
Living, making decisions, speaking, hughing, ect FROM THE HEART...
Someone told me one of these days, that one should only do things from the heart, even if it's wrong... of course, I looked at him like saying "WHAT?"
Then he explained, if you do things from the heart, you'd be happy because you're being yourself. "Then you'll sleep good at night" he said to me and then added, "You'll be in peace with yourself" and that was one of the moments I'll never forget (should I say "one of those lectures I'll never forget"?!)
Well... live from the heart.

Change the way you see things, forever!

Some people can change your life.
I've had many friends, leaders, and professors who had inspired me in many different ways.
And now, just two days of classes have passed... and my life is already changing, my thinking is already being challenged. It's amazing.
One of my professors asked me about the SMIFAM (Single Most Important Fact About Myself) and I've been thinking about it since then, because at that time I didn't have an answer...
I think the SMIFAM is that I want to be remembered.
And that's why I'm doing my best at everything, and trying to be happy, and working so hard, and trying to impact as many lives as I can... 'cause I want to be remembered.

Textbook Mafia

YES!!! THERE IS ONE!!!
I hate the fact the textbooks are so expensive... and they (the textbook mafia members) do anything to make sure you're the one that ends up loosing. I bet there is someone on THAT end who's right now enjoying life with MY money!!!
It's unbelievable!!!

Make a Difference Day

Hey I just got out of a meeting for MADDay 2004.
It was fun, we have a LOT of stuff to do... as I write this words, my co-chair and I are making up the Top 10 reasons someone should volunteer on Make a Difference Day.
We have 9 right now... some are very cheesy... so we'll probably make up 15 or more and then choose the best ones.
Did I mention I'm excited to start back school???!!!
I went to see my J-professors today and they were all happy to see me... they all asked if I was there to get my scholarship money :)
And I got into a "skong" production with the J-dep (skong = skit + song). We'll practice on Wednesday nights and Sunday afternoons.
NICE!
Did I mention that life is awesome?!!!

Fall '04 schedule

I just turned in my work schedule to my boss...
I spend time last night thinking about my class and work schedule... trying to squeeze some work between my classes and I got a little stressed. I'm involved in so many things at the University that I don't know if I'll be able to get enough work to fulfill my needs (gas, cell phone bill, lunches, mocha frappuccinos and iced mochas...)
I'm doing my best.
I'm happy school is starting back... I love everything about the UA (I'd need more scholarships though, 'cause it's expensive for me).
And I'm so excited about Make a Difference Day and all the other things I'm doing... hopefully I'll get sellected for the Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program.
Life is awesome. I'm so grateful for everything. Gracias Dios!

Tu y yo a la fiesta!

This is an old song by Loona, I used to listen to it all the time in the radio, but it never got to me really bad like "drops of jupiter" or "why don't you and I" or, you know, all those songs that when they play them on the radio the volume just goes all the way up!!!
NO, this song was just another song... UNTIL NOW!
I have this friend that started to sing it, just out of the blue, he looked at me and said "tu y yo a la fiesta, tu y yo toda la noche" and it hit me... I grew up with that song, so I looked for the lyrics online and I have to say it, they're cheesy... they make me think of how my life is made up of so many chessy little things.
I love my life, I wouldn't trade one minute of my life for anything in this planet (in spite of all that cheesy stuff I call "beatiful memories")
Anyway, here are the lyrics:

Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco
Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco

Si señor, efectos especiales, yeah ,yeah ,yeah
Si señor, una tentacion, yeah ,yeah ,yeah
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo toda la noche
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo, oh oh oh

Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco
Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco
Bailando

Si señor, corona de cristales, yeah ,yeah ,yeah
Si señor, una emocion, yeah ,yeah ,yeah
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo toda la noche
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo, oh oh oh

Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco
Bailando bailando, amigos adios, adios, el silencio loco

From a wise one

"Be the change you wish to see in the world…" - Gandhi

Gandhi is one of the wise ones I admire! One of this days (Monday night to be exact!) I was at Barnes & Noble with one of my best friends and I saw a journal with this quote on the cover...
The first thing that came to my mind was "Hey... that'll be so perfect for my poetry!" and then I looked at the price and like everything else at B&N it was overpriced, so I just looked at it for a moment and put it back on the shef.
Of course, with my university bill on the mailbox and a bunch of textbooks to buy and a cell phone to get I can't buy something like this... not right now.
I'll wait till I have my own office with my nameplate on my desk to buy a cool journal for my poetry!!!
Or maybe I just have to wait till my b-day comes around and someone asks me "hey, what do you want for your b-day?" then I'll say "hold on a sec, let me get the list!" ha ha ha!

ROCKin'

ROCK camp session 1 was a great experience. I had a blast and I think the campers had a great time too. I’m all sore for all the activities and games…if pain is weakness leaving the body, then all I have to say is that I never thought I was THAT weak!!!
I’m looking forward to ROCK camp session 2. I hope the weather is nicer… because we had rain on day 2 - session 1.
What I liked the most was the dance… we were all dancing, even tough some of us should have been sitting down since our dancing skills aren’t so great. And there were a million bugs dancing with us!
CJ will teach me how to “step” :)
HA, I bet that’ll be fun!!!
And also, for session 2 I’ll be prepared for the cup-game. I’ll be practicing!

Frida Kahlo

So I guess I'm one of the thousands that just LOVE Frida Kahlo and her art.
I recently found out that Maria Sanchez has a Frida gallery that I really liked.
The piece I liked the most is "Presenting Frida" There is something about that piece that just blows me away!
I love it.
So I wanted to share that in this so-called blog.

TIME TIME TIME

It is August 04, 2004...
In 21 days I'll be in a classroom full of new people with whom I might end up making friends.
Yeah baby! Classes start the 23 and I don't even know what books I'm gonna need!
I guess I expected the summer to last a little bit more.
I've been really busy working on my projects that I put on hold many thing I wanted to do, such as read "Compañero: Vida y muerte del Che Guevara" and "Les Miserables"
I've read Pablo Neruda and "Una vida con proposito" and I read some of "Van Gogh by Himself" and that makes me feel better.
But... Where did all the time go?!
really...
I still have a HUGE to-do list... Actually I have more than one:

• MADDay
• LULAC
• DA
• Thank-you letters from May!
• Art
  - A portrait from my co-worker's grandbaby
  - My best friends art lesson
  - Starry night! (well... at least I wanna try!)

And if I have so much to do for LULAC and for DA it is because I PROCRASTINATED!
Shame on me!
It really sucks to admit it... but that's it!
Well... as I said... I have A LOT to do so I'll write (or loose my precious time in this stupid site) later!

Entre libros

I've been reading a lot lately... and I like it.
Here are the books I'm reading:
- Una Vida con Propósito
- Las Odas Elementales (Pablo Neruda)
- Vincent by Himself
And I also want to read "Les Miserables" in Español... but I can't seem to find it anywhere near NWA!
I also have "Tricky Business" by Dave Barry (he's the greatest!) and I want to read it before school starts back... then I won't have as much time.
I've been pretty busy but still... there's no so much preasure!
So, if you happen to have "Les Miserables" in Spanish, and think that you won't need it anymore, please email me and you can send it to me :)

Palabras ajenas

Este poema me lo encontre en el planeta alternativo del 15 de Julio 2004.
Me encantó.
No se quien lo escribió, ni tenía titulo.

Estas no son las palabras de un perdedor que se resigna a sentir la derrota de la vida, si no, son las palabras de un alma que comprende la vida y no deja penetrar la desilusión.La vida pasa, mis queridos amigos, de pronto el día llega a su ocaso, la noche pierde las estrellas,El amor no pasa las barreras,La mente se llena del pensar,El orgullo queda de lado para abrir paso al recuerdo y la melancolía,No se supera al escritor, no se supera al pintor, ni al escultor; no se mejora su técnica ni se sobrepasan las expectativas. Solo se cambia de alma, se da el ser mismo. La persona da a conocer su sueño de luna, el cual es diferente en cada huella palpada en la arena. Como las aves van de norte a sur. No vuelan con exactitud sobre el relieve, las letras de esta extranjera del amor. Se desenvuelven en una cumbre de pasión,Se quedan grabadas en el viento,Se van con la marea,Se detienen a ver la luna y su encanto.

LINK

Movie Review

This weekend was a Movie-Week-End (MWE)... Yeah, one of those when you just don't want to do anything really productive and just decide to go to Hastings or BB and rent some videos ('cuz I don't have a DVD yet).

1. Well I went to the movies on Friday and saw "The Day After Tomorrow". It was a good movie... a very entertaining movie I should say. I didn't really like the story, too cheesy for me (yeah... too much drama!), but the special effects were really good and it was funny... I don't know if it was supposed to be, but it was pretty amusing!
I won't comment any more about this movie for all of you that haven't seen it yet.

2. I rented "Reality Bites" and oldie with Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, and Ben Stiller... but I have to confess... I hadn't seen it before, although I DO own the soundtrack!
It was really good... I was really pleased with the story. It reminded me that the 90s are IN right now.

3. I also rented "Duplex" with Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller (ha! here he is again!). This one was reaaaaally funny. It's a must-see.

4. And last, I saw "L.A. Rules: pros and cons of breathing" IT SUCKS! really... I bet this was a very-low-budget movie... the entire movie is shot "on a table at a really ugly bar with 4 really stupid guys who engage into really stupid conversations. The only reason I saw it all was to see if the movie had more than one setting... I even fast-forwarded it. This is honestly the worst movie I've ever seen. So don't ever rent it! you'll regret it!

Finally, I just want to say that I'm not a big movie-watcher. As I said before, this was a once-a-year MWE.
The only movie I'm really wanting to see is "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Fahrenheit 9/11

Les Miserables

I'll be here!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Event #1
Venue Walton Arts Center
Address 229 N. School
Fayetteville, AR 72701 USA
Status On Sale Now!
Run Wed, May 18, 2005 to Sun, May 22, 2005
Telephone # 479-443-5600
Group Sales Telephone # 479-443-9216 x 228
Web Link http://www.waltonartscenter.org
Premiere Fayetteville Engagement! Tickets currently on sale.
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http://www.lesmis.com/

My I LOVE list

I love Jesus
I love sunsets
I love strawberries
I love the beach
I love dogs
I love sunsets at the beach
I love people
I love passionate people
I love the moon
I love nights
I love the rain
I love my family
I love poetry
I love laughter
I love art
I love books
I love art books
I love to draw & paint
I love San Salvador
I love coffee
I love afternoons at a café
I love the sea breeze
I love breezy nights
I love helping others
I love smiles
I love my friends
I love meeting new friends
I love movie nights
I love scary movies & comedies
I love weird movies (like What Dreams May Come and Eternal Sunshine)
I love the smell of babies (when they’re clean)
I love roller coasters
I love roses
I love brown eyes
I love when people call me "darling"
I love San José, Costa Rica
I love Coyoacán, Mexico City
I love iced mochas & mocha frappuccinos
I love the Bible (specially the book of Job)
I love El Salvador
I love cheesecakes
I love San Francisco, CA
I love the smell of coffee
I love kickboxing
I love birthdays
I love late-night talks
I love UNO
I love winning at UNO
I love high places
I love pictures
I love Chinese food
I love hugs
I love to walk barefoot in the sand
I love pupusas
I love music (not country or heavy metal)
I love Thai food
I love making other people laugh (I really do!)
I love Fridays
I love memories
I love Van Gogh (he's my inner artist)
I love Garfield
I love long hair (on me)
I love watercolor
I love receiving long e-mails from friends
I love postcards
I love looking at the stars
I’d love to visit Italy
I love the sound of the ocean
I love seashells
I love rainy days
I love the lights of the city at night
I love when I find a person I can look up to
I love Alanis Morissette's music
I love letters from friends
I love “Una vida en el cine” by Alberto Masferrer
I love when people trust me
I love the smell of the grass when it starts raining
I love when people play with my hair (ok, not anybody!)
I love Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables”
I love candles and the dance of fire
I love the relief after saying I’m sorry
I love Van Gogh’s Starry Night
I love Versalles (that place in San Salvador)
I love when people wait for my reaction when they try to speak Spanish
I love compliments
I love honesty
I love big cities

Look closely

This love has taken its toll on me...

I think I'll get a Maroon 5 CD that's on sale for $6.59 at Best Buy.
We'll see tomorrow!

Now I know what you meant.

I was reading "Nostalgias y Soledades" poetry by Mayamerica Cortez whom somehow is related to me, although I don't personally know her, I love her poetry and I know she's my aunt; she's my dad's cousin. And Karla (Karlisima) her doughter is a great artist. really cool. I have to visit them up north some time.
Anyway, some of her poems reminded me of my life... and I have to say. I did not understand those poems when I first read them a long time ago. I guess now we have similar experiences (digo, con eso que ahora estoy away from home)

P.A.J.

Oh my goodness!
I wrote an e-mail to my best friend yesterday, and when I sent the message I got this really weird message in hotmail that said that one of the addresses I was sending the e-mail to was on my blocked list and that I had to eliminate it from that list in order to send the e-mail. My first thought was: WTH?!
I didn't even know that such a list existed... and why would I block my best friend?!
Anyway, I looked at the freaking list and I had a bunch of other friend's e-mails in there... of course I updated that list, and then my message went through.
Today, I got an e-mail from my best friend and she said she wrote me twice this month and that she didn't know if I got those messages... So I CONDEMN THAT LIST!
She sent me a copy of the two e-mail so it was all good, but anyway... I hope that does not happen again... for all of you, Hotmail users... check you blocked-list... Yeah! You have one!

Take care.

(Por el amor de Jesus!!!)

Mundo Lite

A mi me encanta Aleks Syntek y encontre este articulo en el planeta alternativo

The Da Vinci Code

I've heard a lot of good things about this book, and I've been wanting to read it for a long time. No one ever releases one of those in NWA!!!
Well... besides that all I have to say for now is that I have translation work to do, and MADDay planning, and I have a meeting tomorrow, and I have to go pick up a letter tonight, and I have to e-mail my MADDay co-chairs, so it's time to end this post :)

Ciao and Love to all the busy people out there!

Coffee!!!

Ready for a cool coffee drink?
Try one of these summertime recipes:

Java Float
- 16 oz. scoop of ice
- 4 oz. milk
- 4 oz. Newhall Blend Coffee
- 1 big scoop of your favorite flavored ice cream
- Pour milk and coffee over ice, add ice cream for a great summer float

Peanut Butter Coffee Crunch on the Rocks
- 16 oz. scoop of ice
- 6 oz. Newhall Blend Coffee
- 1 big scoop Butter Toffee Crunch ice cream
- Melt scoop of ice cream in coffee and stir until the 2 ingredients
are mixed well, add over ice for a sweet creamy summer beverage

Oreo Madness
- 2 big scoops of Double Chocolate Mint Swirl
- 6 oz. Newhall Blend Coffee
- 3 Oreo cookies
- 1 small scoop of ice
- Blend all ingredients together in blender until thick and creamy.
Enjoy your coffee milkshake topped with whipped cream

Buttery White Auburn Shake
- 6 oz. Newhall Blend Coffee
- 2 big scoops Butter Pecan ice cream
- Handful of white chocolate chips
- Small scoop of ice
- Blend all ingredients in blender and enjoy the wonderful contrast of
Butter Pecan and white chocolate

He's coming!

so i just heard that my cousin is coming, I haven't seen him in more than two years!!!
this is awesome!

"No me metan en la bolsa"

Hey so I just took a look at my guestbook here and I noticed a new entry.
Mr. Lambert, I don't think you can find the book "No me metan en la bolsa" online, I bought it in El Salvador.
Maybe you can order it.
With some Christian bookstore. I order my Spanish CDs from Christian Book Outlet.
I have the same problem, I've been wanting to get a copy of "Una vida en el cine" a novel by Alberto Masferrer and I can't find it anywhere!
Let me know if you need anything.

Juanes

Hey, Juanes vino a Fayetteville, AR...
I know....... quién diría?! right!
Aqui esta una foto que mi hermana tomó. Ya que ella estaba en primera fila!

Plain lazy!

Today I've been outside the MC trying to write my paper one for my comp class.
it is due tomorrow. Yeah.... and for some stupid reason I'm not doing it... instead I'm wasting my time in this stupid thing.
i just wanted to write. I just want to write... my paper.
and............ I have no idea why those pictures don't work.
and............ I didn't go to a party on Friday... they said it was gonna be good....
well...... gotta write something else.
more productive!

perfect!!!!!!!

OK! I swear I didn't cheat!!!!!!!!! this is me!


-Perfect- You're the perfect girlfriend. Which
means you're rare or that you cheated :P You're
the kind of chick that can hang out with your
boyfriend's friends and be silly. You don't
care about presents or about going to fancy
placed. Hell, just hang out. You're just happy
being around your boyfriend.


What Kind of Girlfriend Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

winter break

I don't know how winter in New York is.... but here in NW AR is very cold....
But today it's been perfect.... 70 all day! It was awesome!
and I spent Christmas in San Francisco.... It was great....
I had a great time!

durmiendo no se hace nada más que soñar.