The way I see it...

Almost two months have gone by since my last blog post. Life has been busy with a new term at school starting, a trip to Ecuador for a family wedding, and, the daily ups and downs that life brings. I find myself at a crossroads where I must focus on attending to some personal business that seems to cut into my creative outlets. I haven't written much, felted much or cooked as much as I normally do. But on the other hand, I am focusing on taking care of things that needs my attention. I do long for the day when I can feel at peace with myself for some of the decisions I've made and how they have affected me, overall. That is a daily process, however.

I turned on the news yesterday to hear of another tragedy caused by Mother Nature. Poor Mother Nature, she sure is getting blamed on a lot of things these days. Global warming, global swarming!! In all honesty, though, it is sad to hear of people losing their lives through flooding in Pakistan. But, it was nice to read of the many lives that lived after the plane crash in Columbia. Quite a miracle, actually. We're living in a unique time in life where news is at our fingertips, information is abundant, yet, we still seem to focus on things that are most important to us. Such as who is judging on American Idol and what fashion ensemble Lindsay Lohan wore on her surrender to jail. (Yes, there is a hint of sarcasm there).

One of the big stories in the news yesterday had to do with our president supporting the First Amendment and stating that it is the right of any business or organization to set up shop wherever they like as long as they are within their legal rights. Shame on our president for supporting the foundation in which our country was built. Why is it that capitalism goes out the window when people want it to? You can't have it both ways...either you have government involved in making decisions about private business or you don't. Emotions set aside, business is business. And that's the harsh reality of it, at times. I support my president on this one.

And that's just the way I see it today.

Cuban Food

Living in South Florida for the nearly six years that I did introduced me to some of the most fantastic cuisine I have ever tasted...Cuban food. Since moving to Phoenix, we haven't had much Cuban food mostly due to the fact that there are only two Cuban restaurants in the Valley of the Sun. One is an overpriced, cuisine-type restaurant but the other is fantastic. The owners are from Miami and of Cuban descent. We were happy to discover Mimita's Cuban Cafe, however, it's in Chandler which in reality isn't very far away (maybe 25 minutes, without traffic, on the highway), but feels far. And yes, I'm plugging the restaurant and not getting paid for it. It's that good.

Anyhow, last night I suddenly got a craving for the cuisine my hubby grew up on and decided to make the one dish I have mastered, which is Chicken with Mojo marinade and White Rice with Black Beans. I woke up super early, put the chicken, white onion, fresh garlic and Mojo marinade in the crockpot and went back to bed. A few hours later, the smell had permeated throughout the house, so much so that I couldn't stay in bed any longer.

I start to think about making the white rice and black beans when I jump onto Facebook and see a recipe for Congri, which is the same as Moros except with red bean (Moros uses black beans). I'm craving Moros but haven't had the best of luck when attempting to make them on my own. But today, I thought I'd give it another try. And, I'm sure glad I did. My moros came out fantastic and I just finished a nice lunch of Arroz Moros y Pollo en Mojo (hope I didn't butcher that title too much).

Name of the dish aside, the food reminds me of my time in South Florida. Which I miss immensely.

Life, as it is...today.

Lately I haven't blogged much but life is good, overall. I have good health, love and hope. But life is life and it isn't always perfect. I still believe and experience perfect moments and cherish them within, however.

Sometimes it's the little things in life that we must appreciate. Such as, right now, I'm sitting here, listening to Sia's new album delivered to me early by a wonderful friend. So far it's fantastic. I'm also happy that my kitchen is clean. I love a clean kitchen! When you love to cook the way I do, a clean kitchen is important. I continue to felt, my hobby as of late and can't seem to get enough of it. Ah, the little things.

Channeling energy into areas that need my attention is my priority, so right now I'm writing privately, keeping a diary of sorts. And finally, focusing on writing the book I've started over and over. It's time.

Haiku

Intricate beauty.
The petals of a flower.
Inspire poems.

First-Friday in downtown Phoenix

On Friday, my sister Petrina and I joined creative forces and set up a table at the local, monthly art and cultural even here in Phoenix known as First-Friday. There were hundreds of people and we had a good amount of people show interest and even purchased our one-of-a-kind, handmade brooches, hair clips and headbands. Our little creative outlet/hobby is putting us in the middle of the art and cultural scene in Phoenix and I love staying connected.

Our plan is to continue this on a monthly basis so it's back to being creative again. Below are a few pictures of our table setup and the crowd that walked past us. It was quite crowded at one point, but so much fun!

A Confession from Keith

I sat in a room with about 10 other people today and heard a man admit to being an alcoholic. He said he wakes up every morning and has to have a drink to get his day going. While he doesn't drink at work, he can't wait to get home to crack open his first beer. Over the course of his admission, he included that he had served time in prison and had previously been addicted to drugs. He stated all this with a matter of fact attitude and when he was done, he had a look of relief on his face as he stated, "wow, it feels good to admit and unload that!"

I looked around the room at the other people sitting there. None of us seemed to be prepared for that admission. It came out of the blue, it seemed. Tears were stinging my eyes and I had to swallow deeply a couple of times to hold them back. Something about the look on his face, the release of admission to something that he maybe had been holding on to for a while. He might have admitted it to himself, at one point, but maybe this was the first time he admitted it to others out loud. He continued sharing that he wanted to stop drinking but didn't know how. Now he realizes he needs to do something. He has three small children, all boys, he wants to be around as they grow up. Tears now flowed slightly from his eyes.

I wanted to reach out to him. Touch his shoulder and let him know that he could do it. Remind him of all he had to live for. Encourage him to get help. Offer prayer, anything to let him know he wasn't alone. Yet, I didn't. Like the others I just sat there and listened. It didn't seem the appropriate time to interrupt him. It didn't even seem the appropriate time for his confession.

An Educator

In a few minutes I begin teaching my fourth course of the week. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I'm teaching full-time at a local college and I must admit, I'm loving it. (No, I'm not stealing that tag line from McDonald's...notice I actually spell it out fully?)  =) Anyhow, each one of us is given the opportunity to do things that bring value and meaning to our lives and the lives of others. For some, it is the blessing of being a parent, as they guide their children to live full and productive lives. For others, it is being a mentor or big brother/big sister to younger ones in need of positive guidance. For me, it's the opportunity to stand in front of a group of college students and relay whatever content they're here to learn in a way they will not only grasp it but also be able to use it in their lives on a daily basis. A traditional educator I am not. But an educator, I am.