Last Entry

Dun Dun Dun Duuunnn

Well, this is my last entry on this blog, actually my last required entry, I could continue to do it but I'm still thinking about it.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog as much as I, sometimes, enjoyed writing in it. You took a good look at me and my thoughts and feelings. You catched a little glimpse of what's in my heart and my outlook on life.

This will be short. I have to get a piece of my birthday cake haha.

I will truly appreciate some feedback through here or to my e-mail, leave a comment and I'll reply.

Take care,
Perla Mtz. P.

It's my birthday!

Helloooooooo everybody!

I write to you in this, my second to last entry, to let you know that today is my birthday!

It started out awesome, well, sort of because I was stressed for the looong assignment I had to finish, anyways, at 00:00 AM three of my friends got to my house and started singing "Las Mañanitas" with a guitar along with the car stereo playing the song, I almost cried because I'd always wanted serenata and they did it! They also gave me a pink zippo with the word Princess on purple letters written on it, it's so cute and girly-girl like.

I kept getting phone calls during the night, it didn't bother me that much because I was up till like 4:30 finishing my homework, I woke up at 10 and around 11:30 two of my friends picked me up and took me out for lunch, they also baked me a cake, chocolate.... *drool*

I plan to go out to eat with my mom and then go to the movies with my best friend :D It's going to be cool to see my friends at school also.

I'm so happy, it's my birthday :D

"Go shorty,

it's your birthday
we're going to party like it's your birthday"
~ In Da Club (50 cent)

The Magical Instant

[...]discover that magical instant. That moment exists: a moment in which all the strenght of the stars goes through us and allows to make miracles. That magical instant in the day helps us to change, it makes us go after our dreams. We're going to suffer, we're going to have hard times, we're going to face many disappointments..., but all that comes to pass and won't leave bruises. And in the future we'll be able to look back with pride and faith.
Feel sorry for the one that is afraid to take risks. Because he won't face disappointments, or hard times, nor will he suffer like the ones that follow their dreams. But when he looks back - because we always look back - he will hear his heart saying: "What did you do with the miracles that were planted in your life? What did you do with the gifts you were given? You buried them deep down because you were afraid to lose them. Then, that's you inheritance: the certainty that you have wasted your life away".
Feel sorry for the one that hears these words. Because he, then, will believe in miracles, but the magical instants in his life are going to be long gone."

~By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept (Paulo Coelho)

I have always believed that life is about taking risks, making changes.

This book really shows that. Like any other Paulo Coelho book this one makes you think, it makes you ponder on things, aside from the fact that it's kind of what you'd consider a religious book or more like an spiritual book because it talks a lot about God. They always leave you reflecting on something, on a certain situation that you have probably experienced before.
I know that this book helped a lot to understand and overcome a certain situation that I have already talked about way toooo much, so you probably get the idea already.

Out of the eleven books that he's published, well I only know about eleven, I've read seven and I truly recommend them.

Back on my first line, I was having a conversation with a friend about love and risks and she told me that she saw no point in getting married nor in having a deep relationship because if it didn't work out you'd have to go through a very painful experience and blah blah, things like that. I told her that I thought life was about risking and even more so love and that you'd try to make it work as much as you could and if at the end it didn't turn out the way you expected it, well, you tried and you tried your hardest and all you have to do is stand back up again, hold your head high and keep on going because that's what life is all about, the stumbling and the falling, the healing and the moving on. She didn't understand and I didn't try to change her ideas. We all see the world with different eyes and whatever works for each one of us is good.

"He who loves, conquers the world. He is not afraid to lose everything. True love is the act of complete and total dedication to another one."

We come and go... like the wind

It's funny how we come and go and come back again for more.

I keep picturing in my head what it'd be like if I were to see him one more time. Would my heart skip a beat the same way it did whenever I saw him? Would he still dazzle me with his smile? Would he kiss me like he used to, tender and fiery, again?

I would keep forgetting to focus, to keep my balance and even to breathe when he was near me.

That is how intoxicating he was. That is how much of an addict I was to him. That is how powerful we were together.

But we come... and go... and he came and went away, like the wind.

I remember every single detail. I remember his warm embrace, his silky hair and his topaz eyes. I remember the same old tennis shoes, which I always made fun of. I remember his family, his dog, his house, the room I stayed in. I remember Christmas break in Lake Tahoe and summer in Las Vegas. I remember his scent and his tattoos. I remember that fateful starry night and my opal ring. I remember his embrace.

But it's like I don't know him anymore.

"I just can't do this anymore. It seemed easy at first." Easy was four years ago. "I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you, my heart feels different." Our hearts, they beat to the same rhythm, remember? "I feel like I can't talk to you anymore, like we can't communicate. We argue a lot." No, we don't. We mess around, silly games, y'know that, don't you? "I've been feeling different about certain stuff for a while now". I did not know that.

Fate brought us together, fate will keep us together.

I'm not so sure anymore. It's probably not going to happen at all.

And I ask myself. What went wrong? What did I do wrong? What did we do wrong?

The truth is, I didn't do anything wrong, we didn't do anything wrong. Nothing went wrong... it just went. Yet this time, you won't be like the wind... you won't come back.

Even though sometimes I feel like I need you to come back, this time... I hope I'll learn from you, like I did so many times before.

I came back and went again... that's where I remain, because, this time, I'm the one that goes.

I'm really proud of this

Just like the ones you've seen below, this article is also mine. It got published in August 2006 in the newspaper Diario de Tampico Milenio. Enjoy!

Every year, there are more than 4 million pregnancies in Mexico and almost 40 % of these are unwanted. Aproximately 17% of those end up in abortion. The woman's right to abort has been one of the most controversial matters of the past 50 years. Until 1980-81 they tried to pass a law where abortion, under any circumstance, was allowed whithin the first quarter of the pregnancy, but a great number of people felt that this was a mistake and it didn't go any further. Many people think abortion is wrong. Many people try to push their beliefs into others. This goes out to everyone, but especially young adults like myself who think that this is none of their business, you're wrong. Many of you are already old enough to vote, to make your own decisions. This important, no matter how old are you.

I'm not saying that those who are pro-life or anti-abortion are wrong, I understand where you come from. But, after a lot of research and debate, I can't understand how can someone allow a law to take control of their body. Many times, people who are against abortion will say that if you're going to have sexual relationships you should take care of yourself first and that anyone who already had an abortion should have done the same. Did you know that, statistically speaking, many of the abortions are practiced on woman who were using some kind of birth control? These methods are not 100% effective. Even those like the DIU have a fringe of about 2%, the patch has one around 1% and the pills around 1% to 5%. Not even sterilization is completely effective.

Many think that adoption can also be an option. But adoption is not an easy process. Women who are planning to do this still have to go through the nine months pf pregnancy. Pre-natal care and natural birth can cost between $10000 and $15000 pesos. A C-section can cost up to $25000 pesos. This doesn't include the money you spend on maternity clothes, doctor appointments (before and after the pregnancy). We also have to take in account that not all kids are adopted. Adoption is an alternative to adoption, yes. But what about the thousands of kids that will never be adopted. Who looks out for them? Who's going to support them?

It is commonly said that abortion equals murder. That the fetus is a human life and abort it is like killing a human being. There is no way to determine when a fetus is conscious of something. Some people think that life begins at the moment of reproduction, some think that it's called life until you're born. A fetal heart doesn't start beating until the 6th week, when it until measures around 2 to 4 mm. And it doesn't begin to look human until the 12th week. Almost 90% of abortions should be practiced whithin the first quarter. An abortion practiced after the 24th week is extremely rare and should only be done under serious medical conditions. These facts destroy the image anti-abortionists want to show: that one of a murdered little baby.

Every woman has the right to decide whether she wants a kid or not. If you agree or not it's not the point. The point is to allow women to take control of their bodies. This is a call to consider the legalization of abortion and in a few years, we'll be responsible to keep it that way.

Flip the other side of the coin.

-on the immigration debate and the wall on the border-

It is known that the plans that the US goverment is trying to put into action are as ridiculous as the wall they're building on the border and as good as giving out legal permits for temporary workers and for people that have been living there for years, nonetheless, the only viable solution can be that one where the two goverments reach a mutual agreement: How fast can we get to that point? or can we get there at all.

We can't deny that the living condition in our country is terrible, but the reality is that no one does anything about it. Instead, our goverment ignores it and allows more and people the illegal entrance to the neighboring country, harming those who are already established there.

It is a fact that we can't dissemble the actions our country has been taking nor those of the people who cross illegally, and mark the word, illegally. In this case, the end does not justify the means and they keep violating the US' federal laws. It's true that they need a new law or a reform (or several of them) regarding their immigration system, but that doesn't mean that it is allowed to ignore another nation's authority over their lands. The US goverment is not charity, they don't have to allow the illegal entrance to their country and it is not their fault that our goverment offers such bad living conditions.

It's easy to believe that the neighboring country is evil and racist for not wanting to give our fellow mexicans a chance for "a better life for them and their families" but in most cases is not only the 'gringos' the ones against that but also those illegal immigrants that have been settled over there for the longest and that are waiting to become American citizens, but when you allow the illegal crossing and you give them almost the same rights as those that are waiting to become citizens, you're sending the message of "waiting for the permanent residency is a waste of time and money because you can live almost the same being illegal."

We all know that when you repeat a lie for a long period of time, it ends up looking like the truth. That's what happens with the idea of "illegal immigrants do the jobs that Americans wouldn't" that's ridiculous. The problem lies in the fact that American workers have rights (just like we do here) you know minimum wage and certain benefits. This turns out into something really close to slavery for the illegal workers and poverty and unemployment for the American citizens.

I know that this article might seem like I take sides with the "gringos" and I "don't understand" that at the end of it all, we can't take the blame for our goverment's lack of actions, either. But I've flipped the coin and lived on the other side and let me tell you that it's not fair for anyone, because it's easy to point a finger and misjudge. Try to take the stand of the neighboring country, I'm sure that none of us would like illegal immigrants to come here, causing poverty and unemployment, just so we could pay the broken dishes of another nation who ignores its people.

Deep...

"If you go in for argument, take care of your temper. Your logic, if you have any, will take care of itself."

- Joseph Farrell

A few days ago I got into this entire controversy over gay marriage, and what angers me isn't so much the justification of opinions by using what God supposedly thinks is right from wrong, it isn't so much the intolerance towards gay people that many people exhibit, and it isn't so much that people aren't open to other lifestyles. *cough21centurycough*

Let's take a look at our country for an instance. We have a long way to go before they can finally rule that gay and lesbian people have the same rights as everyone else, including the right to marriage... I know that they made it "legal" in Mexico City, but what irritates me the most is that the word they refer to that ceremony is still pending and they will possibly leave it as it is forever. They're never going to decide if "marriage" can be included onto the right that courts have finally granted them.

What irritates me the most is that people make such a fuss over ONE word.

Imagine if in 1953, women finally received the deserved right to vote, but men didn't like the idea of calling it "voting" and decided instead to call it a "formal notification of interests."

Imagine if when Germany issued its formal apology to the world and the Jewish community for the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, that they didn't want to call it "apology" and decided instead to say "oh, it was PMS."

So, do imagine the ridiculousness, the idiocy, the small-minded attitude it takes to finally grant the gay community their right to marriage, but to dislike the idea of calling it "marriage" that it's decided to instead call it a "civil union".

Words mean a lot to all of us, especially when one group of us had it before some other group decided to make it their own, too. Marriage is not the sacred word it's made out to be, and allowing the word's meaning to be used by others does not mean, that a man marrying a man or a woman marrying a woman will suddenly bring out the ravaging atrocities or morals down.There are deeper things to take a look at here, and it most certainly is not because of one eight-lettered word. I would call it "resentment or fear of change and devolpment" but someone people might dislike the idea of it and decide instead to call it "tradition."

Pet peeve... ugh.

Do you know what one of my absolute worst pet peeves is? To the point of making me physically reel back in disgust and either tell you to stop or do everything in my power to drown the sound out?

Listening to people chew and smack on their food.

No matter who it is, it is the most vile, revolting, freakishly nasty sound imaginable. Especially when I have to look at your face full of shiny, moist, half-chewed up food as it squishes and sloshes around in your mouth. It makes my ears twitch and cringe, and I literally want to rip them off and shove them in the holes so I don't have to hear the sound for another second.

People, please stop, it's so...disgusting.

I'm mean, yeah.

Just like a tattoo...

"[...]To admit that I’m wrong and then change my mind
Sorry but I have to move on and leave you behind.

[...]No need to worry about everything I’ve done

Live every second like it was my last one."

The symbol is the japanese kanji for "life", the flowers are cherry blossoms.

The tattoo stands for the japanese philosphy of the cherry trees blooming.

Everything comes to pass, nothing comes to stay.

That's my view on life, the petals falling stand for the hardships we encounter and even if we sometimes hit bottom and feel like we can't go on, we have to understand that nothing is permanent; pain is inevitable, suffering isn't, and instead of sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves, we should enjoy life, live each day like it's the last one, don't regret anything.

That's why japanese people have festivals everytime the cherry trees bloom, they see the blossoms as life and the petals falling as the bad things that go away, that's why they celebrate it.

That's how I see it, too. That's the reason behind the tattoo.

"[...]You’re still a part of everything I do
You’re on my heart just like a tattoo
Just like a tattoo
l always have you."
~ Tattoo - Jordin Sparks

Almost 21

Yep! That's right! In 10 days I'll be 21.

And even if it's just 21, I feel like, since I turned 15, that the years have gone by so fast. I mean, I know, I'm only in my early twenties I have a lot to live yet, but still, being 15 is not like being 21, y'know?

I've come to certain conclussions about being 20-something. Here they are:

• Our group of friends is becoming gradually smaller.
• We tend to see each other less because of the different and busy schedules: work, school, etc...
• We start to enjoy small, quiet get-togethers, like dinners, a bar or the coffee shop. Crowds are not "as fun" as they used to be and we even tend to feel uncomfortable.
• We can see who our real friends are and those that have never been.
• We laugh harder, but cry with less tears and with more pain. We get broken hearts and wonder how that person that we loved so much could've hurt us so bad.
• Or maybe we lay awake at night thinking why can't we meet someone that's interesting enough to get us hooked.
• At times, it seems like everyone we know has been together for years and even some of them are starting to get married.
• Dating and one-night stands are becoming boring and getting drunk and act like an idiot seems a lot more stupid.
• Going out three times a weekend sounds exhausting and it means a lot to our small budget.
• We ponder about our jobs and it may not even be close to what we thought we'd be doing. Or we may be looking for a job and we know we have to start from scratch and that might seem scary at first.
• We look at what everyone else is doing and we start judging a little more than we used to.
• Sometimes we might feel great and invincible, others... alone, scared and confused.
• We try to understand ourseleves, about what we want or don't want. Our opinions become stronger.
• There are times when we try to cling on to the past, but we realize that the past if just further and further away and we have no option but to move forward.
• We worry about the future, loans and money and to make a life of our own.

Like I told you, it seems like just yesterday that we were 15... does that mean that tomorrow we'll be 30? Just like that?!

Life is not measured by the times we breath, but by the moments that leave us breathless.

OMG!!1... I have so much...

...catching up to do.

You may probably be wondering what that last entry was about, well... I just went through a reaaaally bad break-up in an on-and-off four years relationship, but hey! everything's cool now, everything's moving on, just like it should. Life goes forward, not backward and I have to learn how to ... be a man! haha and keep it strong.

Oh God! I have no idea what to talk about, I guess it'll flow on its own, right?... right? haha.

It's 8:09 AM and I have to start getting ready to go to work... bummer! I wish I could sleep in on Saturdays, y'know? Mostly because I'm always staying up late on Friday. I'm so sleepy -_-

How do I do this? How do I pull out of my sleeve like almost 10 entries so I won't have to do 16 SAC hours?

I should've been less of a procrastinator. Now I HAVE to work magic to finish it all.

This was a wasted entry, I never found something to talk about today, I'm not in the mood and yes! even if I have like 18218328372 million entries to do, I have to be in the right mood to write something in here.

and no... I don't copy/paste entries from other places and if I do, I also add my own comments to makes this as original as I can, and my English is a good English, good enough to make a coherent post, and bah! Yes, I'm probably being cocky about it.

omg.. I'm ranting.. haha, this is so much fun.

I'm tired of being ignored in most of my classes because I already know English and should give the others the opportunity to participate, pleeeeease... if you haven't learned English in these past 3 years that we've been there, what makes you think that one more year is going to make the difference.

Try to have a coherent and fluid conversation and then you can come and tell me that I'm arrogant. That's what people would tell me when I was learning English and believe me, it worked.

Don't be so self-conscious, it'll never take you anywhere.

and no... I'm not making fun of you nor your English everytime I laugh.

Get over it already!

Sincerely.

Perla Mtz.

P.S. I secretely like my English haha

To you...

I never thought my opinion would change again, but you moved me in a way I didn't know. I felt as if there was nothing I couldn't do. I dreamed about this so many times. Yet right now, everything's a bad dream spinning around in my lonely mind. My body feels witted, my body feels dead. When everything is gone there'll be nothing to fear, this world won't bring me down because I'm already here, you were always there for me, but maybe I was never truly there for you enough. You were willing to die for me, I never truly knew if I would for you. That's not fair, but of course, what is?

I'm trying to find my way back to sanity. I don't know when I'll get there, or how, but I know I must. I don't know what I'll do when I get there, I guess I'll take a deep breath, hold on tight and hope not to fall. You hold the rope and I'm the one who falls. I'm looking beyond the shadows of my mind, praying not to get lost in the memories. There are so many voices that I don't know which one to hear. There's the voice of reason, trying to make sure that my decisions are right; I don't think I've ever listened to that voice before, really. Then there's the voice of truth and the voice of dreams. If you think about it there's no difference. They both change your way of thinking. They both hurt you. They both make you wonder if you have listened to the reason and if everything's ok, if you've chosen the right path or not.

All I know is that I've always listened to the truth and the dreams and now I have to start thinking what am I going to do. Stop dreaming impossibles. It's not over. Everything's been a dream, that's why I can't do this anymore, because my dream is no longer a possibility. That's why I have to let go. Let go of everything, especially of whom I love the most. If I ever jump off of a bridge, would you follow me? If there was a way in which you could be everything and more, would you do it? It's hard having an answer to those questions, but that's ok, you don't see what's easy to see.

I've lived a risky life, always taking chances. Never slowing down, always walking really really close to the edge. You're getting closer to push me over that little edge called life. Nothing else was worth it and I felt no fear, but I've been wondering why were you there, always for me. I feel pain, but there's only one thing I can do. I wish I could kiss you while we live, or at least kill me while I kiss the sky. Now I follow my own path, without you by my side to guide me. On my own, when freedom carries sacrifice, always remember that this is my life. I'm about to see how far I can fly, but this time you won't be there to catch me when I fall. I feel my soul crying, hoping you'll fly with me tonight, yet I know you can't.

Looking ahead and behind. Everybody crosses lines. This time we went too far. I know there's no turning point, that's why you ended it all. Free me now, with you by my side, so I can find my place in the world. I'm falling faster and time keeps passing by. You won't see fear through these eyes. What there was, won't be, now I'm blind and I can't see.

I'm taking my time making up reasons for all the hurt I'm feeling inside right now, but always remember me. Whatever you may do, always remember me, always remember the way we were because it'll never be the same, I wish it could be, I wish we could go back and I would do it over and over again. Whenever I need to see your face, I just close my eyes. And I'm taken to a place where you're always clear in my mind and I hope you can do the same, I hope I need not try to explain, I just hold on tight, but if it happens again I just hold onto the sweet memories. Just imagine I'm standing there beside you. I love you.

So, I guess I found my answer, I am willing to die for you, but in a way, I already have. It's still unfair, but I just want you to know this. I will love you always and forever. I'd love to stare down at you, look into your shimmering eyes, full of life and know everything's going to be ok. I see truth in your eyes everyday. You could say a thousand words to stop me, more and more reasons why I should let go. I could name them all, the thousand words. So, why is it that I can't let go.

I've locked all my emotions away from the world. I'm telling you this in what could be your last goodbye, but not mine. I'd sacrifice every happiness for you, so I could win, maybe cry. Remember that heaven met no rage like love to hatred turned nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. Don't waste your life just because I do. Just wait one more day, because I can feel it. Because like fallen soldiers we learn an important lesson. Once forgotten and twice ignored, love will be the death and my shattered heart will stop it.

"Don’t know what to do anymore

I’ve lost the only love worth fighting for

I’ll drown in my tear storming sea

that would show you,

that would make you hurt like me"

~ A Fine Frenzy

Something to think about...

The Cracked Pot

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been
made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them."

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. So, to all of my crackpot friends, remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Moments in life

Whatever you want to call them. What's important it's to close them. What's important it's to "let go" those moments in life that are finishing. Are you out of that job? Is the relationship over? Do you not longer live in that house? Do you have to go on a trip? Did you have a fall out with a friend?

You can spend a lot of time of your present "moving around" the why's, rewinding the cassette, trying to understand how something happened. The worn out is going to last forever because in life, you, I, your friends, your children, your siblings, your parents, everyone is meant to close chapters. To turn the page. We can't live in the present longing for the past. Not even asking us why...whatever happened, happened.

And we have to let go. We can't be kids forever, nor late teenagers, nor employees of a non-existent company, we can't have bonds with those who don't want to be bonded to us. No, things happen and we have to let go!

Thats why sometimes it's important to break pictures, burn letters, destroy memories, give away presents, move to another house. The external changes can simbolize an internal healing process. Release, detach, let go.

Life goes forward, not backwards. Because if you go around life leaving doors open "just in case", you'll never be able to let go, nor to live today with joy. Relationships or friendships that don't close, posibilities to "go back" (to what?), do you need to talk something over? words that weren't said, silences that took over. If you can face those right now, do it! And if you can't, well then let them go, close those chapters. Tell yourself that no, you can't go back. But not because you're prideful or haughty but because you don't fit in there anymore, in that place, in that heart, in that room, in that house, in that desk, in that office, you're not the same one who left two days ago, three months ago, a year ago, thus there's nothing to go back to.

Shut that door, turn the page, close the circle. You won't be the same nor the enviroment to which you want to go back to will be the same because nothing in life stays still, nothing is static. It's for mental health, love for yourself, to be able to let go of the things are no longer a part of your life. Remember that no one is indispensable. Not a person, nor a place, nor a job, nothing is vital because when you came into this world, you came without that "glue". And you get used to live attached to that "glue" and it's a personal journey to learn to live without it, without the human glue that it hurts to let go of today. It's a process of learning how to release something or something and you can do it, because as I said before, nothing nor no one is indispensable.

CLOSE, CLEAN, THROW AWAY, LET GO, SHAKE OFF.

There are so many words that represent mental health and whichever you pick, it'll definately help you to move on forward with a kind of inner peace.

That's life!

The country that had it all.. but a name.

This is an extract from a newspaper article that I read about 2 and a half years ago, by a reporter from Tampico that is now living in Dallas, Texas called Cesar Fernando Zapata, I took the liberty to translate it and I thought I'd share it with you, but aaall the credit goes to him and only him.

Dallas, Texas - "Once upon a time, there was a far away country that had it all, but a name..."
That's how the story about the United States would begin, a country that, according to a mexican writer, could do it all but come up with an original and unique name.
Well, you can look at it from different perspectives.
Because, for example, if you ask a United States citizen, theres' no turning back. The name of their country is America, period. Or United States, or U.S. But more commonly, America.
That's why, them, the gringos, are "Americans".
What about the people from Mexico? From Canada? Cuba? Brazil? They're "Mexicans", they'd say. Or Canadians, Cubans and Brazilians. Not Americans.
But, instead, if you ask us, the mexicans or a brazilian, things change. They are NOT America, we'll say. Yes, they're a country OF America, but not the WHOLE continent. And we immediately criticize the "wrong" use of the word they give to "American". (OUR word)
[...]First, ¿how is the gentilic of a country determined? As a rule, we use the OFFICIAL name of the country.
That's why, for example, the citizens of the Estados Unidos MEXICANOS are called MEXICANOS. The citizens of the República Federativa de BRASIL are calles Brasileños[...]
Following this simple rule, let me ask you a question. Absurd, if you like, but valid:
What is the ONLY COUNTRY in the world that has the word AMERICA in their name?
[...]Did you guess already? Yes, that's correct. It's THAT country. United States of AMERICA.
Just clarifying: We're not defending anyone, we're not supporting them, nor attacking Mexico nor our own "americanism." We're stating a FACT. That's the way it is, whether we like it or not.
We didn't make it up[...]Anyone can prove it checking books or the internet.
The fact is: No other country has the word America in their official name, in all their documents, in all their decrees. Except the United States.
Then, if the citizens of the Estados Unidos Mexicanos are called "mexicans"(not estadounidenses, not estadouidensesmexicanos, just mexicans using the last word of the country's official name), it's only fair that we call the citizens of the United States of America "americans" isn't it?
[...]I know there are different opinions here. I know that we, latinamericans, consider it offensive that the gringos call themselves "America", or "americans" and take our "americanism" away from us.
How did this atrocity happen? Pure tradition. Costum.
For starters, we give countries their name. So, they're imperfect. They're not exact science.
[...]Why did the gringos dare to encroach upon the name of America and make it theirs? Well, no one prohibited them. In fact, naming any country of this continent "America" is a natural thing. Anyone could've come up with it.

Why? Because it was the name that Europeans used. When an spanish said "I'm going to America" he was refering to the Nueva España (Mexico). Or Peru, or Colombia or Cuba. But when an english said "America" he meant the ENGLISH colonies.

The thirteen founder colonies of the United States weren't just one unity. They were separated colonies, like Nueva España from Colombia. Even if they belonged to the same crown.

When this thirteen colonies became independent from England, they decided to become "States". But not in the sense of the word that we know, of "Province". State, in that time, meant "a political unity that lies in a limited territory, with an organized government and internal and external sovereignty".

That is, "State" meant "Country". France to name an example, was an State. Just like Spain (or kingdom).

These thirteen colonies, as independent States, decided to join into a confederation. And the founding fathers of this confederation (Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, etc.) gave the new country a logical name: United ("Joint") States ("Political Entities") of America (where they were located).

Back then, no one else could claim this name because there weren't other countries in America. All of us were still colonies. They were the first ones to become independent, in 1776, even though England recognized this until 1783.

Theorically, we latinamericans weren't "Americans" in the political sense of the word, because we still belonged to Spain. We were a part of Europe. Just like today, some southamerican and african colonies of France wave the flag of European Union, even if they're thousands of kilometers away from Europe.

[...]In fact, calling the first independent country "America" makes sense. The founders of the United States had ideas of liberty, democracy and independency and they were sure those were going to spread across the continent. A little romantic, a little arrogant. But that's how they thought.

Even one of own founding fathers José María Morelos y Pavón had the same thoughts as the northamericans, when he named the Nueva España as the "America Septentrional" (northern America). Later on, when the Apatzingan Constitution was written, in 1813, this new country is named "La América Mexicana".

Truth is, by that time, the northamericans had been using the name "America" for four decades already.

Later on, we decided to give our country its official name: Estados Unidos Mexicanos... leaving "America" behind.

[...]Anyway, calling them "Americans" it's so widespread all over the world, that in many languages the word "America" equals the United States.

Even the Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua Española takes in this meaning as accurate. If you look for the word "Americano", you'll get these definitions: "Natural de América.//Perteneciente o relativo a esta parte del mundo.// ESTADOUNIDENSE.

[...]At the end of it all, you can call them whatever you want, according to your own political opinions.

[...]I am going to continue using the words that people understand. Because those are the ones that everyone uses, even if a minority doesn't like it. So, for all the practical usage, "Americans" are gringos.

------------------------------

Thoughts?

20 things about me!

1. Some people are better than me. Some are worse than me. But there's no one like me.
2. I do things on instinct.
3. If you have my love, you have me all.
4. Mess with me and you'll see a lot of me.
5. I'm addicted to coffee, compliments, cigarettes and love.
6. I'm a lover, I'm a fighter and I fight for what I love.
7. I'm always falling down, I'm always standing back up.
8. I'm blunt, whether you like it or not.
9. I like to amuse myself when I'm bored.
10. I believe in Karma, afternoon delight, breakfast in bed, and doing what you want simply because you can.
11. I believe in true love. Yeah, I still believe...
12. I HATE being interrupted.
13. I generally don't get mad, but if I do... watch out.
14. You're not the first person to talk about me, nor the last one, I can deal with that.
15. I love fashion but I have no fashion sense of my own.
16. I'm a major "girly-girl" but I hide it. ;D
17. I enjoy finding the good in people.
18. Sometimes I wish I was 30 with a career and family already.
19. I love to read and to indulge myself in any cultural activity.
20. I have the best friends whom I adore.

Class Composition

Last week, I figure out what I want to do once I finish my career. I had always been a little confused and insecure about what would happen the moment I step out into the real-adult world amnd start surviving independently. I sort of knew I wanted to do a master's degree, yet the thought of staying in Tampico to do it wasn't that apppealing, so I realized I had to start looking at the possibility of moving to the US and do my master's there. Now, it was just a matter of doing some research and start planing for the future.

The first thing I did was to contact a friend that lives in Indiana and have him ask in his University if they have language or education master's. He called me a few days later telling me that they have both of them. I was thrilled!

Now, I had to start thinking about financial aid for school. I found a really good site online called International Scholarship Awards, they have a large directory of institutions that provide aid for students that want to move to another country and continue their education there.

Another thing I began to consider was having a place to live. I could take in a host program, that is living with a family that would take me in while I study or I could move in with my friend and share expenses, for that I would have to get a job and talk to him about it, yet I know that he'd be delighted with the idea of seeing each other again.

I feel very optimistic about my future now, well, you could say I feel more secure about what I'm going to do. It's something I have set my mind to do, so as an starter I have to save money. I still have a year left so it'll probably turn out for the best. I'm hoping it will!

Music!

I don't really feel like talking about Julie Andrews, instead I'm going to talk about music. Classical music.

We talked about it yesterday in class, we mention composers, some of their pieces and the oh-so-many benfits of classical music and it inspired to write here and tell you my favorite pieces by some of the greatest composers of all times and provide you with some links for you to listen to the songs.

Cavalleria Rusticana- Intermezzo - opera in one act written by Pietro Mascagni in 1890. You have to listen to it conducted by Herbert von Karajan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDVFaheqQAg

Moonlight Sonata - Ludwig van Beethoven, master piece written after a love rejection, written somewhere between 1803-1814. The beginning is incredibly sad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQVeaIHWWck

El Barbero de Sevilla - Powerful composition. Opera buffa written in two acts by Gioachino Rossini, this opera follows the first of the plays from the Figaro Triology written by French playwriter Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. The second part of the triology was written by Mozart 30 years earlier: Le nozze de Figaro.

Requiem - Giuseppe Verdi, he was noted for his combination of vigorous rhythms and dramatic contrast. The opera for this, include "Libera me" written by Gioachino Rossini. It was all played at Alessandro Mazoni's funeral.

Have you ever heard of DINK couples?

Yesterday in class, we talked about matters of choice and we came up with an interesting topic: the pros and cons of having no kids.

Some time ago, I read an article in a magazine about the new trends for couples nowadays, the DINK couples who are medium to high-earning couples who have decided not to have kids and focus more on their relationship and the opposite of the DINK couples (can't remember the name right now) where, usually, the mother leaves a high-paying career behind to just focus on having kids and take care of them.

It's easier for us to understand a woman that leaves a successful career behind to be a housewife, but it's hard to understand a DINK couple without feeling the urge to call them "selfish" or "not mature enough" because after all, having a kid means taking care of another human being for I don't know how many years, which is a great deal of responsibility.

This acronym (DINK = Double Income No Kids) it's an expression that applies to millions of people especially in North America, China and Europe and it's slowly moving towards other nations. For these couples many of the traditional ideas are obsolete like a: "conventional" family standard, or getting married, buy a house, buy a car and add kids to that.

So, instead of staying up late at night over crying babies, picking up kids from school, etc... This couples are doing other things together as a couple like traveling more, have more time for entertainment, money, who knows, the reasons for this choice are as as wide and diverse as the couples who follow this trend.

This trend started somewhere around the late 80's and it was considered like an scandal and the couples would have to go through all the pressure from family, friends and just society in general. They might even feel like they don't fit in and misunderstood. One of the biggest misconceptions is that DINK couples are selfish. Many people can't seem to understand why a woman doesn't have the biological urge to have children or why a man doesn't rush into carrying out the family name and we can throw in a bunch of other misconceptions.

Despite all of that, people are ignoring society "traditions" and pressure and are going for the childless option and it's growing, according to the American Demographic Magazine, the number of married couples without kids will rise by 50%, that ismore than 31 million, in 2010 in North America.

Anyway, it's a matter of choice and what does "happily ever after" means to you family wise.

Twilight!

I'm going to dedicate this entry to the Twilight Saga and upcoming movie written by Stephenie Meyer.

[Disclaimer: I, by any means, don't own Twilight or any other book in the saga, nor the movie, it's all trademarked and property of Stephenie Meyer and the publishers, nor I'm related to her or them in anyway.]

As you already know, I'm an avid reader, deeply in love with books and the such, so everytime I go to the States I try to go to Barnes & Noble, Walden Books or Borders, pretty well-known libraries over there. Anyway, I'd seen this book called Twilight here in Sanborn's of which I'd read some good reviews and even though I felt curious about it, I didn't buy it.

While being in Corpus Christi, I went to Barnes & Noble and saw the book with the pretty cover called Twilight again, along with other two, one called New Moon and the last one Eclipse, out of my curiosity again, I just bought Twilight, read a few pages and left it aside. It wasn't until I was on the bus on my way back here that I grabbed the book and began reading again. I never would've guessed what happened then!

I couldn't put it down! at all!

I think I finished it in like 6 hours and it's a 500+ pages book, when I got to the last page, I realized I had to buy the sequel, 'cause it leaves you like "aaaaaaaaah! and then what? what's going to happen?!" The day after I got here I found out that New Moon had barely come out here, that same morning I went to Sanborn's and bought it, I finished it in a day, again a 400+ pages book. It became like an obsession hahaha, no, really. After that, I found out the production of the movie starts at the end of this month and it'll be in theatres by December.

So, I finished New Moon and Eclipse isn't out here yet, I searched and searched and finally found it online, again finishing it in like a day and a half and there's actually a fourth book coming out in the States in August, the finale to the saga, Breaking Dawn.

Good thing is I'm not alone in this "obsession" anymore, Daniela and Paty are in it haha, they totally loved the books too and are as excited as I am.

If you like popular fiction then this is going to be an incredible book for you too read and even if you don't like pop fiction, give it a try! I promise you won't regret it!

Here is some praise for Twilight (all from SM's site, I don't own this):

• A New York Times Editor's Choice
• A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• An Amazon "Best Book of the Decade...So Far"
• A Teen People "Hot List" pick
• An American Library Association "Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults" and "Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers"
• Has been translated into 20 languages
• "Propelled by suspense and romance in equal parts [this story] will keep readers madly flipping the pages of Meyer's tantalizing debut."— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
• "The novel's danger-factor skyrockets as the excitement of secret love and hushed affection morphs into a terrifying race to stay alive. Realistic, subtle, succinct, and easy to follow, Twilight will have readers dying to sink their teeth into it."— School Library Journal (starred review)

For more info on the Twilight saga, movie and other projects, visit: www.stepheniemeyer.com

Reading on the top!

Remember my TV entry and how I think reading is better, well.. here is an article from the American Reader's Digest about it.

Read All About It

Maybe you've heard, while watching TV, no doubt: A second National Endowment for the Arts study in four years has found that Americans of all ages are reading for pleasure less than ever before. The finding - spanning fiction and nonfiction in books, magazines, newspapers and online - is bad news for those invested in the reading business.

But it's troubling for everyone. As the report notes, this trend has major implications beyond the written word: People who don't read by choice are less likely to succeed at work and less likely to be involved in civic life. So it was slightly encouraging to learn, around the time the NEW report was released, that sales at the nation's bookstores were up for the third straight month. Hopefully, that's sign we're set to start a new chapter.

See! Read, please. It's good for you!

P.S. I guess you noticed already how much I love reading haha!

Valentine's Day is around the corner!

So here is a cute love story I heard a while back...

On a Sunday evening last November, Patrick Moeberg, 21, a website developer was in one of the many subway stations in NYC, when out of the corner of his eye he saw the girl of his dreams. He was his perfect girl. He immediately noticed every detail like her braided hair, that she was writing in a journal and the desire to talk to her.

But in such a big city like NY, there's a thin line between blind love and stalking, yet, he was determined to find her, so he had an idea, that same night he posted a plea online and the internet had a new website: www.nygirlofmydreams.com. On it, Patrick declared "I Saw the Girl of My Dreams on the Subway Tonight." He drew a picture of the girl etched in his mind, a long with one of himself, including phone numbers and an e-mail address, asking people to pass it on to see if anyone knew her.

Apparently, two days later, he got an e-mail from someone claiming to know the girl, the person even sent him a photo. Patrick realized it was her. She was an Australian interning at a magazine, her name was Camille and she wanted to meet too.

Soon, the media found out about the love story, their first date was set up by a popular TV show in the States: Good Morning America. He, later on, declared, it had been awkward but once they were out of camera lens, everything went smoothly, she is everything he was looking for and she feels mysteriously attracted to the subway guy. From what I've read, they've been hanging out ever since.

Isn't it cute? Everything worked out withouth a hitch!

Picture time!

I'm going to use this entry to show you some pictures of places where I've been, lived and studied.

First, we've got Galena Park High School in Houston, Tx. (crappy high school, crappy town, nice people... some of them at least.)

Home of the Yellow Jackets!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galena_Park,_Texas

Then, we have Matawan Regional High School (nice high school, nice-too small-town, nice people, weird accent.)

Home of the Huskies!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matawan,_New_Jersey

This was by far the smallest town I've ever lived in, yet it was an amazing experience, mostly because I lived by myself and got to live it all. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Da da! You saw a little bit through my eyes ;D

Last week's holiday.

Well... last week's holiday wasn't as exciting as I thought it'd be, I think it happened because I was waiting for it so anxiously that it kinda didn't go that well.
I had to go out of town for a family emergency and I actually missed one day of school and a test, not so good, is it?
Now, I'm just looking forward to spring break, I'm probably going out of town to Guanajuato (Dolores, San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato -capital-) I'm quite excited about it, I've only been in like 2 or 3 states here in Mexico and the last time I went somewhere here was like... 2 or 3 years ago, I dunno!
I want to go back to Tijuana, I was actually born there and then I move to Tampico when I was about 6 or so, but I still keep some images and memories in my mind of what it was like when I lived there, but I guess that trip will just have to be put on hold for a while.
That reminds me that I have to go to Acapulco, during the summer, to visit my dad, but if I'm given the choice I'd rather go back to Las Vegas, after all I'm already going to be 21 (yay! gambling! haha not really) I went there last summer, it's such a hectic/one-of-a-kind city and of course! there's New York again, some family members invited me to go with them around these days but I had to say no because of school. It's going to be 4 years since the last time that I was there and I still love it! it's such a multi-cultural, multi-facetic city. If you ever have the chance to go, do it! you're not going to regret it, mark my words on that.

Closing up, *sigh* seems like spring break is so far away.

Even later...

I can't believe I let my blog died, I dunno... laziness, lack of inspiration, who knows, well I'm back on request (hahaha suuuuure) and I'm going to try to keep up with late assignments, how's that? ok, let's start with the TV assignment:

What do I think about watching TV? Uhmmmm... tough one!

I like watching TV, I enjoy some shows I'm not going to say that I don't but truth is I'd rather read a good book than sit in front of the TV. I'm not going to put myself as an example of what people should do, if you don't like reading and enjoy sitting in front of the TV for hours non-stop that's great! go for it! yet we can't ignore the fact that if it's not for the news or some cultural/educational show then there's nothing to it, y'know what I mean?
If you watch TV and you do it a lot, take a break, step back, look at what you're doing and ask yourself if the shows you're watching 24/7 bring you some sort of extra-cultural-knowledge that is probably going to be helpful in the future.
And if, just in case, you don't want to stop watching you're regular shows, try to include an educational one once in a while, it won't hurt you a bit, I promise!

P.S. Read a good book, too. It increases your vocabulary a loooot.

Sooo late with the assignments!

I'm going to write about the topic we had to choose from the book, mine will be:

Wear the latest fashion!

No one said you had to be filthy rich to do it! If you know how to match and contrast colors, you're set. Yes, being comfortable is important, yet some people dress sloppy beause they feel that's comfortable.
Have a little imagination, wear clothes that actually fit you, be careful with colors and you'll find ways to be trendy, comfortable and without spending thousands and thousands of pesos.
For me, it's all about knowing what kind of clothes fit the best for my body shape, what's in, what's out, and always thinking about my budget.
Don't forget that you can be trendy and money-wise at the same time, that'll prevent you from looking sloppy or tacky.

First one...yay!

Well, I went for the minimalistic look, plain old black and gray as you can see.
I wanted the pink one but then I realized it's overrated and that many people probably chose it already, so yeah, let's be original!
[5 minute break]
see... I lurked around some blogs and all I saw was pink. Okay! I have to get over that now. haha.
[half an hour break... eating pancakes yummy huh?]
Back, anyway....my blog isn't going to be just about the things I do on a daily basis, in fact, it probably isn't going to be about that at all. I'm going to try to write about the things that interest me, that I like, that concern me, that are of importance.
So... my next post is going to be about Postsecret and how, that art project, has captivated me.
Until then... enjoy!