A "Bravo!" for Maria Sanchez

Maria Sanchez is a Salvadoran artist I came across not too long ago. In the short time I've known of her art she has evolved as an artist and a person. She's a mother, a wife, works full time, and maintains a couple of websites up. She's the visionary that gave life to www.artbylatinaartists.com and dreams of transforming it on an organization that empowers other latina young artists to succeed in their love for art. What I think she doesn't realize is that she's already doing that...

She's having her first solo exhibit at La Raza Galeria Posada in Sacramento, CA. The exhibit will be up until Jan 2.

Congratulations Maria!!! Keep on shining, sister!!!

Xmas shopping and dreams

I'm still thinking about my one dream. I've been thinking about it for the last couple of days. I started my shopping this week, no clue what to get to anyone.... I'm so bad with gifts and shopping. I'm missing the shopper gene.

I went to different stores and didn't find anything nice... then I went to Barnes & Noble and bought books for many people... they will either love it or hate it. Like my sister, I asked her what she wanted for xmas (after I had bought her a book) and she said she wants Shakira's new CD... so I asked "Don't you want a book?" and she said... in the funniest tone "GURL!!! No!!!" hahahahaha~ I'll buy her the CD. I'll keep the book!

Anyway, a longest and deepest in thought post later this week. Happy shopping (and good luck with the traffic!)

I HAVE A DREAM...

Do you know what your dream is?!

Do you have any idea what would make you the happiest on earth?!

Do you, do you?!

Currently: doing some reflection.

30 things not many people know about me

Ok, so I don't have 30 things to tell... I only have 12. I guess I'm an open book. And if people don't hear it from me or see it on what I do, they can always come and read it here. Dang, there will never be a book entitled "The Secret Life of B" cause I'm just me all the time. So here's the list (in no particular order):


1. I've never been in a serious relationship.
2. It terrifies me that I might not be good in art. Every time somebody asks me for a design I'm very afraid they'll think it's crap.
3. I used to walk, talk and smile in my sleep.
4. I don't like people reading my poems.
5. I'm a feminist.
6. I'm one in a thousand. I was born with the "clubfoot" defect in my right foot (pie equino varo). My older brother has is on his left foot... so we know for sure that it was my dad's genes that were messed up. And so I had my first surgery when I was 3 months old and then a couple more when I was in 2nd grade (7 yrs old).
7. Because of the surgery I have some ugly scars in my foot that I don't like to show... because I don't like people asking me what they are.
8. The sight and the smell of the steam in the shower in winter reminds me of my time in Mexico City in December 2001.
9. As a kid, my dad used to take us on the weekends to his house with my siblings. I used to cry at night because I wanted to see my mom. Maybe I thought he'd never take us back to the house... I don't know why that was. That changed as I got older, and now I look back and think of how much more I could have enjoyed.
10. I have a great long-term memory. I can tell you exactly what someone said/did when I first met him/her in most of the cases. No matter how long ago.
11. I've lived through war. And I have many memories of shooting, being afraid, not coming out of the house, using the mattresses to block the windows...
12. I'm very spiritual, although not religious. I've never been religious, I've been very involved in church in the past, but I've always known the purpose of things I do. Contrary to those that just do things because... they're supposed to.

SOOOO... I'm tagging some people on this. Ya'll can come up with 12 things or 30... as many as you want, let's just say 12 is the minimum. J-star, Coco, MS, and Pippo (if you ever read this).

Finals time: long nights, lots of caffeine and... snow?!

It feels as if I had bricks instead of shoulders. I need a massage or something! It snowed the night before last and it was so cold in the morning! The streets were all covered in snow/ice and so it took me a little longer to get to campus.... yep... it took me an hour... ONE HOUR... I was so late for my first final, which was scheduled at 7:30 am. I think I did good though. Anyway... I took a really bad picture of campus that day. Here's for you.

And well... going to my first exam that morning I got to the classroom and I realized I didn't have a bluebook with me! I had left it in the car, so I had to go back to the union and get one. I went back to the classroom and by the time I got there I couldn't feel my face and I was so cold I didn't even care that I was about to take an essay exam scheduled from 7:30 - 9:30 am in just 40 minutes. Because on top of me being late because of the snow and the traffic (cause heck, I wasn't driving thru the freeway that day!) I had to go get the bluebook. So I got to the classroom like at 8:45 am. I know... sweet.

Oh well... it all worked out at the end. And at least I didn't fall on my butt that day. I was walking extra careful :) More on my life later on. Right now I'm tired and have to do some stuff around the house. Here's a picture of my feet. I know... random.

Can I graduate tomorrow, please!

Man this has been quite a semester. I'm drained. Long week with so many things. I posted this picture on 2004 and I thought it was appropriate for me to post it once again. Now let me go look for that mountain top to shout out how I'm feeling about school right now.

Orange juice for breakfast

I went a long time without updating... and the thing is that I didn't even feel the weeks go by. This semester went by so fast. Pretty surreal. All the things that happened. The good, the bad, the ugly, the lazy, the crazy, the sweet, the bitter, the bittersweet, and all. I've been thinking a lot about so many things that it would be too long of a post if I were to list them all.

Last few days have been blue. With finals, work, moving, and classes I've found myself a little stressed. I haven't touch my art supplies since she left. Well, not including when I had to pack everything last week when we moved to the new house. Thursday and Friday were strange... I don't want to say they were bad, because they were not. They were just strange. I've been missing April and Pauli. I haven't talk to Pauli since before we moved... and it's been a little longer with April. I sent a note to her family and got a note back. I couldn't even finish reading it. It was a bit overwhelming. I've been thinking of her family because with the holidays I know it'd be so hard to live, to enjoy without her. I constantly hear April... I can hear her saying what she used to say... with her cute southern accent. I get sad. I try hard not to, but sometimes I can't handle all this inside me.

I met with my two beautiful friends for coffee on Friday. We didn't have coffee, but it was good having that time. We didn't talk about her... I know we all wanted to, but we didn't.
She was the only one missing from the group. We talked about life and how we're planning to survive until we graduate. We want to graduate SO bad... SO soon. We'll have coffee next time. Sometimes talking is enough... sometimes even just sitting together does it for us. I'm the clown of the group, but I wasn't too much fun yesterday. We were all so tired, drained.

I wanted to write some more but I have so much to do. I have to get all my things out of the boxes and put my all my books on the shelf. I have to make my room MY room... although I think all the pictures and paintings will probably go up after I'm done with finals.

I have only one A in my pocket right now. JUST ONE. How lame. That's in arts, of course. I'm feeling good about the last project on that class. I wasn't happy with it at the beginning. Partly because I had no freaking clue what I wanted to do for it. But I got it together. Not quite done yet, but it'll be for Monday. On the other final on Monday I need to get a 100 on the test to get an A on the class. If I get a 99 I get a B. Grades are BS, I know... but I needed the 4.0 this semester. I've enjoyed the classes though, I just didn't do well on the tests... I'm better with projects and papers than with tests... unless they're essay tests, then I'm good.

And, ok, what is it with me singing Mrs Robinson?! I don't understand, but I'm starting to enjoy it. Scary. "What's that you say Mrs Robinson..." blah... I don't even know all the lyrics. And well that was it. A more positive post will come soon. Maybe I just need a new cute template like J Star's (hint hint) How did you put your photo on the background?

Well, my dear readers, have a wonderful weekend!
"You're only given a little spark of madness. You must not lose it!"
-- Robin Williams

And here's to you Mrs. Robinson!

I have no clue as of why in the world I have this sond stuck in my head. Yep, I've been singing "Mrs Robinson" all day.
So here's to YOU, so you'll leave me alone.