Why Give Something Up?

It is now the third day of Lent. Many people give up something for this holy 40 days like junk food or saying means things about people and especially meat. I tried to give up meat last Lent and i am so glad it is a distant memory.

This year for Lent I am going to add to myself to improve my attitude and hopefully my life. Lat week my friend Nicolette emailed a link to me with 21 ways to be a happier you. I loved it and immediately started forwarding it to friends and family.

So many people now are unhappy. Unhappy with their job, with their spouse, with their daily routine. I am no exception in that I am many times unhappy with myself or disappointed in myself.

In order to change that and be happier with myself and hopefully make that translate to God rejoicing in me, His daughter, I am going to go through my list of 21 ways to be happier and try to apply them to my life until they become habit.

Hopefully this will be a move that changes me and impacts others around me even after the 40 days have past.

No. 1: Smile more often.
Let's start the day!

The Lion King

Seen this movie more than 10 times this week. So far I've been able to annoy Ethan by chanting "Simba" after a character says it and by coming up with back stories for Rafiki, the baby giraffe and the rhino that sits on Zazoo. Help. Me.

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That's the Spirit

In the spirit of the 2010 FIFA World Cup I'd like to share this video with you. It has just a few reasons I can't stand to watch a soccer game. Can't players win based on athletic talent rather than acting skills?

My Mom Kicked My Butt Via Cell Phone

I'm starting this blog thing up again. Let me tell you why:

My Mom caught me making up excuses yesterday. I was making up excuses as to why I'm not doing more with my life right now. Yikes. Don't get me wrong, I like my job, but is this what I want to do for the next 30 Years of my life? Hmm....

The conversation went something like this-

It's hard for me to get anything done with an eight to five and a baby.

You shouldn't stop working hard just because you have a family.

Yes but I need to be home with my son and I want to spend time with my husband.

Okay but you used to be able to fit more on your plate than your serving yourself now. You were so driven and you're getting complacent.

Okay, fine. I'm lazy. It's hard for me to get off my butt and write especially because it's been so long since I've written anything for publication.

So write all the crappy articles now and get them out of the way. Practice makes perfect.

Ugh, defeated! I just got told by my mother. Awesome. So I'm going to try to get off my butt and write. Hopefully I'll see my named published in something other than this blog. If I do, thank you Mom. If I don't, thank you anyway for making me at least put one foot forward.

Really Arizona?

It's been a long while since I've written, but I just have one question on my mind right now...

Really Arizona?

Gov. Jan Brewer signed a law condemning illegal immigrants as criminals last Friday. The law has since stirred up a cacophony of debate. Under the law police officers can detain anyone who cannot present proof of legal residency or citizenship. To be fair the law does say "where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person". In practice, however, this really means next to nothing. The wording of this important statement is so vague I don't know if I'd be questioned if I were standing on a day-laborer corner looking for work, if I were wearing my Mexico soccer jersey during the World Cup coming up in June, or if I had a "suspicious-looking" tan.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely don't think we should open the floodgates and let anyone into our country without going through proper procedure, but this is not "A Step In the Right Direction" like Tyler Moree expresses in his U of Conn. Daily Campus opinion article. This is a step toward racism, stereotypes, South African Apartheid and Nazi Germany-like catastrophe.

Now Rev Al Sharpton and San Fransisco along with others have called for a boycott of the state. I think it's a great idea. Do it. Vacationers and businessmen have already cancelled hotel reservations and business trips. I laughed when I read that one man was afraid to take his family to Arizona because his son is a construction worker and is very suntanned. I'm sure he's harmless, but this comment makes it obvious that when people think of immigrants one picture comes to mind.

Will blond-haired, blue-eyed Polish immigrants be questioned as well?

One politician makes a good point when he said moving illegal immigrants out of jobs will free up positions so legal residents and citizens will be able to find work more easily. That's wonderful! I hope everything works out when prices skyrocket when company CEO's find they cannot hire citizens for $9.50 an hour doing manual labor.

Even though I wish all jobs could be filled by legal, taxpaying, self-sufficient American citizens and residents (or at least an undocumented worker with a Tax ID Number), I'd hate to pay 3x's more than I am paying now for my groceries, etc. Yes, I know that makes me part of the problem but it's hard to eliminate yourself from the problem if you live in Middle-class America.

Okay, getting off the point now. Arizona must find another outlet.

Changing Paths

We've all heard the metaphor of being on a "path" in life. I was on a solitary path for almost 20 years of my life. Thinking the only thing I would ever hold dear to me was my mother, my career and my two cats. In other words, I thought I was going to forever be the career oriented single woman much like the Carrie Bradshaw-s of this day.

I was happy and couldn't understand anyone who said "All I've ever wanted is a family". UGH! Crazy talk, I told myself.

Then I met "The One". Suddenly I was seriously thinking about having a kid with this man...maybe I'm interested in coordinating colors in "our new place".

I was sitting on my sofa after a day of a cross-town commute to the office, doing laundry, dishes, dinner and bathing Ethan. While watching my Hubby play with Ethan the thought of staying home full-time with my baby creeped up to the forefront of my mind once again. It would be so nice to wake up to the sound of Ethan cooing "Mama", keeping up with the house, making dinner and going on outings with him.

My path has changed. It's neither better nor worse than what I thought I wanted before my 20th birthday. God has moved me. That's what I contribute it to anyway.

Hopefully it will happen and I will be trying something new. A new life.

Afro-Latinos

So it's late this time around, but hopefully in ten years (and in this census as well) Afro-Latinos will help voice the fact that not all Latinos have caramel skin. We are a people made up of many different races, cultures and skin tones!