I feel like I’m in the midst of spinning plates...
did some yoga asanas and some stretching last night (today I’m sore and my knee is creaky)
finished Dr. Weil’s book, Healthy Aging
ordered some vitamins to supplement my new eating habits
drinking some white tea with a tiny bit of honey
looking over the next phase of my shaman training…ergh.
making a list of supplies I need for a couple of upcoming projects
need time to work on my novel. need time to work on my novel
need to schedule in some time to work on my bloody novel …hehehe.
it’s the last day of the month and it’s cloudy and cool for a change
placed an order into Urban Organic for my first box of fruits and veggies (since I really hate to shop for groceries)…and I really need to get out of the habit of buying take out.
i may turn into a vegetarian out of sheer laziness (cause I really don’t ever want to go food shopping EVER). that just made me giggle ‘cause it’s true.
listening to Lianne La Havas’s album, “Is Your Love Big Enough” on NPR…completely love her voice…my brother Bleu wants to marry her on the sheer impact of her voice. Lovely.
I need to replace the battery in my favorite watch, it’s been on my to-do list for the last 6 months.
my contract with AT&T expires in less than 20 days…FINALLY! So I can ditch my non-smart phone and change over to Verizon. And maybe, just maybe, my new phone will not drop calls…maybe. Seriously! I don’t want apps or music on my phone, I just want the ability to make a phone call without it dropping and maybe send a text without keying the letters on a numbered set and be able to retrieve my voicemail messages…too much to ask? Perhaps. But there it is.
I know this is ALOT of minutia for a blog entry…but that is life…lots of tiny things and big things and medium things that need to get done, that take up brain space, that needles me until I’ve completed the task. It doesn’t help that I haven’t written in a couple of days so I know I’m wound up tighter than usual but…that’s where I am…sorting it out…little bit at a time.
So I’ll be back writing blog entries again on September 1st. Need to sort out my novel and the rest of my life in that order. In the meantime, rock on people, rock on!!
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Cleaning the Wood Stove too well
Okay, I admit it. I’m wound up pretty tight. I care about being efficient and meticulous and uber-organized with work (doesn’t really translate to my creative life but we’ll get back to that in a minute). It’s in my DNA, I’m first-born and I grew up as a latch-key kid because both parents worked several jobs to make ends meet. I looked after my younger sisters, I cooked dinner for my folks, me and my sister cleaned the house spotless because that was the expectation. It made me self-sufficient and I get things done. In the past, I would use work as my refuge from the chaos that permeates my life. Some of that chaos is self-perpetuated and some of it is not. With my hyper-focus set on the work place, I’ve allowed things to slide in my personal life. Ooo even as I write these words, I could feel a wave of panic clutch my throat.
My friend Tony told me this story during one of my meltdown moments over work (many years ago):
One day Tony’s mother asked him to clean out the wood stove. He was a teenager at the time. It was not his favorite job because it was both messy and time consuming. Anyway, his mom was really getting on him to take care of this chore and she also asked his sister to clean it out as well. Neither jumped at the chore. Finally, Tony gave in and cleaned out this old wood stove, cleared out the ash and the debris, and scrubbed it clean. It took him a really long time but by the end it was in the best condition it’s looked in years. His mom was so impressed by what a good job he’d done on the wood stove that the next time it was his sister’s turn to clean the wood stove and his sister made a fuss, she turned to Tony and asked him to take care of it because he had done such a good job the last time. Hehehe. (I love this story)
Whenever, I try to “clean the wood stove too well” at work, he gently reminds me what happens. Expectations start to pile on. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if my day job was in line with my career path. Instead, this job affords me to pay rent, buy groceries and still allow me to work on my creative work. I’m grateful for the steady paycheck but I know, like all things, this job is temporary. I’m not stating this from a Buddhist perspective but quite literally this is a temp job that will have lasted two years come this August. *knock on wood *
My initial point to this blog entry is I’m working on taking care of myself now (way to bury the lead). I think I’m finally learning that pouring all my neurotic efforts into the day job won’t add value to my life…not really.
What will add value is paying attention to:
my health (I’ve started to take measures on getting my weight down by eating better and exercising regularly)
to my creative life (because that is where I thrive when I do it consistently)
to my spiritual life (I’ve been training in shaman studies)
a more mindful practice of living in the present moment
and better relationships with my family and friends.
I think all these components have been swirling high over my head and I was delaying the inevitable of putting it into practice. After my weekend retreat away from the city, things began to quickly click into place. I'm taking things in stride a bit better, I feel more awake/alive, I'm having more pleasurable moments (always a good sign). I try to add a little bit more action to those elements into my life every day and it’s made such a huge difference in such a short amount of time. I am very pleased *big cheesy smile *
Last bit, I'm going to take a month-long haitus from writing blog entries in August. I can't promise that I'll stay away entirely but I won't be writing as regularly. I just need some time to put fully into practice some very new habits.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Much more than what's here
I’m taking a break with a hot cup of earl grey tea and an oatmeal cookie with raisins…yum my favorite. Despite the muggy day outside, the office is ice cold. Brrr.
The last couple of days, in thinking about my novel, I’ve been thinking about how limited our resources really are. You see, I’ve been trying to imagine a world were oil has been used up. No more oil. What would that look like? We would not be able to produce any more cars, have any gas to run cars, have fuel for the large machinery that filters our water but what about the day to day products. No more new plastic products. No more lotions, hair product, the containers that contain them. At least nothing new would be able to be produced. What we will have to contend with is the tons of waste that we have thrown away. I wonder if we would learn then to actually re-use those containers that we throw out without much thought.
It’s odd, this shifting perspective to imagine how the world would look like. No fuel for trucks would mean, no one carting away our walls of garbage. Where would it go? The few times the garbage companies went on strike in our lifetime, the smell of a week’s worth of garbage piled high along the sidewalks come to mind. Aren’t other countries now dealing with such a dilemma? There is much more in my head than what I’m actually writing out.
There would be no more jobs…not the kind where you bring home a paycheck. And once the mobs and scavengers have snatched up as many supplies as they can, then what? How do people survive? In a city setting, where are food sources going to come from? A little plot garden? Not sure that would sustain the masses. Would people stay in cities…or would they leave out into the suburbs where they can raise goats and chickens and lots of veggies. It does my head in to start thinking this way. I sometimes think that I will see this in my lifetime. Eek scary.
Anyway, my sister laughs at me when I want to save glass jars. They make a good place to store dry goods once they’ve been cleaned and dried thoroughly. Why throw them away? I think she worries that I am turning into a hoarder. I’m not hoarding…I’m conscious of the impact of our garbage lately. This is not to say that I’m perfect about this, in fact it’s a work in progress…but I grew up in the 70’s and I remember when we used wax paper and brown paper bags for our lunches instead of plastic cling and plastic bags. I remember real efforts to curb waste. I think the lessons sunk in deep and now I’m thinking about the future generations. How will they fare?
So for my very small part, I’m going to start giving up products. No more make-up, no more cosmetics (I will allow myself eye-liner ‘cause a girl needs something), no crazy skin cleansing products. I’m sticking to environmentally-friendly soap and witch hazel. No more hair products once I finish my hair gel. No more dying my hair. I’m going to go back to a natural dark brown color with a little grey instead of the red-tint that I seem to live on. I’d really like to give up deodorant but I’m sure my family, friends and office mates will complain very loudly. I’m just thinking about all the chemicals in just these basic products as well as the containers they come in. Ergh. I know my small contribution is like a drop in the ocean but so be it. I’m keeping it simple.
Peace and hair grease,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
The last couple of days, in thinking about my novel, I’ve been thinking about how limited our resources really are. You see, I’ve been trying to imagine a world were oil has been used up. No more oil. What would that look like? We would not be able to produce any more cars, have any gas to run cars, have fuel for the large machinery that filters our water but what about the day to day products. No more new plastic products. No more lotions, hair product, the containers that contain them. At least nothing new would be able to be produced. What we will have to contend with is the tons of waste that we have thrown away. I wonder if we would learn then to actually re-use those containers that we throw out without much thought.
It’s odd, this shifting perspective to imagine how the world would look like. No fuel for trucks would mean, no one carting away our walls of garbage. Where would it go? The few times the garbage companies went on strike in our lifetime, the smell of a week’s worth of garbage piled high along the sidewalks come to mind. Aren’t other countries now dealing with such a dilemma? There is much more in my head than what I’m actually writing out.
There would be no more jobs…not the kind where you bring home a paycheck. And once the mobs and scavengers have snatched up as many supplies as they can, then what? How do people survive? In a city setting, where are food sources going to come from? A little plot garden? Not sure that would sustain the masses. Would people stay in cities…or would they leave out into the suburbs where they can raise goats and chickens and lots of veggies. It does my head in to start thinking this way. I sometimes think that I will see this in my lifetime. Eek scary.
Anyway, my sister laughs at me when I want to save glass jars. They make a good place to store dry goods once they’ve been cleaned and dried thoroughly. Why throw them away? I think she worries that I am turning into a hoarder. I’m not hoarding…I’m conscious of the impact of our garbage lately. This is not to say that I’m perfect about this, in fact it’s a work in progress…but I grew up in the 70’s and I remember when we used wax paper and brown paper bags for our lunches instead of plastic cling and plastic bags. I remember real efforts to curb waste. I think the lessons sunk in deep and now I’m thinking about the future generations. How will they fare?
So for my very small part, I’m going to start giving up products. No more make-up, no more cosmetics (I will allow myself eye-liner ‘cause a girl needs something), no crazy skin cleansing products. I’m sticking to environmentally-friendly soap and witch hazel. No more hair products once I finish my hair gel. No more dying my hair. I’m going to go back to a natural dark brown color with a little grey instead of the red-tint that I seem to live on. I’d really like to give up deodorant but I’m sure my family, friends and office mates will complain very loudly. I’m just thinking about all the chemicals in just these basic products as well as the containers they come in. Ergh. I know my small contribution is like a drop in the ocean but so be it. I’m keeping it simple.
Peace and hair grease,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Uhm, yeah!
This weekend I went to see Oliver Stone's Savages. Eeek! The violence was a bit more than I could bear. I should know better from Stone but I was intrigued and wanted to see...now I wish I hadn't. Ergh. Oh, and I have to say that I really don't like movies that gives two endings, come on! What a freaking cop out. Choose one and go with it!! My preference would have been the first version. And Salma Hayek was AMAZING! And Benecio del Toro was uber-creepy and reminded me of some family members...weird but true.
It's early in the morning and I had some time to kill before I had to hop on a train to go to work so I thought I'd post an entry. Better now than later. I went to bed early last night...I'm starting to feel a bit under the weather. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with a cold or my hypochondria has kicked in. I visited my mom in the hospital on Saturday. She had knee replacement surgery done. Poor mami. She was in a lot of pain the first three days. Ergh! By the time I went to see her on Friday night, she was feeling better. Altho' that visit taught me that I should never, ever be a nurse 'cause I tried helping her to the bathroom and managed to bump her bad leg three times. Oops, sorry mami.
On Saturday, I stopped by and kept her company for a couple of hours and Ces and her kids stopped by. Around lunch time the nurse came in with a tray of food and my two youngest nieces sat right next to my mom because they wanted to eat too. Really?! Hospital food? Yes, indeed-y. They ate bread with butter and managed to eat the boiled carrots and slices of roast beef. Well the nurse took pity on us and gave us an extra tray of food. LOL! My nieces are scavengers...LOL! Very funny to watch. They reminded me of a swarm of locusts...once they finished they went back to watching cartoons.
My mom's church lady friends stopped by while she was away doing her physical therapy so there I was trying to entertain these older Spanish women. They bombarded me with questions since they barely knew me...I felt like I was in the middle of an inquisition. My grandmother jumped me and save me from having to answer too many personal questions. Go grandma! She's old school, not into sharing too much personal info with people because she thinks it'll be used against you. Hehehe. At that moment, I sure appreciated it.
Anyway, mami comes out of the hospital on Wednesday. I'll go trek down to Brooklyn tonight for a visit, then hop on the express line back to the Bronx. I've got a long day ahead of me so I may as well go get my day started.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
It's early in the morning and I had some time to kill before I had to hop on a train to go to work so I thought I'd post an entry. Better now than later. I went to bed early last night...I'm starting to feel a bit under the weather. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with a cold or my hypochondria has kicked in. I visited my mom in the hospital on Saturday. She had knee replacement surgery done. Poor mami. She was in a lot of pain the first three days. Ergh! By the time I went to see her on Friday night, she was feeling better. Altho' that visit taught me that I should never, ever be a nurse 'cause I tried helping her to the bathroom and managed to bump her bad leg three times. Oops, sorry mami.
On Saturday, I stopped by and kept her company for a couple of hours and Ces and her kids stopped by. Around lunch time the nurse came in with a tray of food and my two youngest nieces sat right next to my mom because they wanted to eat too. Really?! Hospital food? Yes, indeed-y. They ate bread with butter and managed to eat the boiled carrots and slices of roast beef. Well the nurse took pity on us and gave us an extra tray of food. LOL! My nieces are scavengers...LOL! Very funny to watch. They reminded me of a swarm of locusts...once they finished they went back to watching cartoons.
My mom's church lady friends stopped by while she was away doing her physical therapy so there I was trying to entertain these older Spanish women. They bombarded me with questions since they barely knew me...I felt like I was in the middle of an inquisition. My grandmother jumped me and save me from having to answer too many personal questions. Go grandma! She's old school, not into sharing too much personal info with people because she thinks it'll be used against you. Hehehe. At that moment, I sure appreciated it.
Anyway, mami comes out of the hospital on Wednesday. I'll go trek down to Brooklyn tonight for a visit, then hop on the express line back to the Bronx. I've got a long day ahead of me so I may as well go get my day started.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Chilled out Chicana
I started to write this entry yesterday but quickly became sidetracked.
I treated myself to two days off and made a long weekend of it. Hung out with my buddy Tony up in Oneida and he made yummy meals for me. He turned me on to a gluten-free Hard Cider from Vermont called Amber Woodchuck (or something like that). It’s so freakin’ good. He also forced me to watch a couple of episodes of the UK comedy, The IT Crowd that made me laugh so hard that even today, three days later, I’m still laughing as I recall one or two scenes from each of the episodes I watched. It was good fun. We also watched Felicity Day’s The Guild…also very funny in its own geeky way. I’m not much of an online gamer so some of the references went over my head but it still made me laugh.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the quiet, being away from the city, being back upstate which is really my second home, just reminded me how much I want a quieter life. He taught me a French dice game called Dix Millett on the last night and we stayed up until 2:30 am playing it. Very addicting game. Now I have to teach my sisters to play it so I can have someone to play with.
Let’s see I also wrote a little, walked around a little, slept really well for the first time in weeks, sat on the porch and drank Cider and listened to the rain fall, chatted a little, listened to a little music, cut up lots of veggies for lunch and dinner, and had a hell of a good time doing it all. I felt closer to being my old self (the one in the good space), a settled content soul. What a difference just a little peace and quiet makes.
I also appreciate Tony friendship and it was good to catch up with him. I hadn’t realized that it’s been two years since we’ve seen each other in person. Skyping has fooled me into thinking I’d seen him sooner. Yikes, it’s been too long and I’ll probably head back up there again very soon for a writing jag. I’ve been thinking about moving out of NYC and heading north for a long time. Maybe it’s time to pull myself together and look at job opportunities in Syracuse and Albany or Burlington, VT ‘cause this dog-eat-dog life is wearing on my very last nerve.
Yesterday morning, I was still feeling relaxed and pretty gentle after such a quiet time. Of course, today I’m back to calling rude bumping people, “tool” and “douche bag” after 2.5 days and my Chicana temper is back into full effect. Ergh! I thought it would take a little longer than that. Bummer. By the way, what is up with people walking around and texting in the midst of a crowded sidewalk? It wouldn’t be a big deal, if said people were walking at about the same pace as everyone else but Noooooo, instead you have them either walking in a weird robotic way because they can’t walk and text at the same time OR they are not watching where they are going and they ACTUALLY get annoyed when they bump into oncoming walking traffic…WTF is that about?! *sigh * I have no patience for self-absorbed a**h***s. I am this close (forefinger and thumb very close together) to slapping away the cell phone from their hands every opportunity I get. Hehehe. Made me giggle, cause it’s true.
Music update: Jack White has a new video out for Freedom at 21 which is by far my favorite song on his Blunderbuss album, (Love Interruption still high up on the list). However, the video is so stupid that I won’t even put it up. Grinding half naked women on Jack White just does NOT do it for me. Sorry. I think he even channels some Jack Sparrow/Johnny Depp ticks when he’s captured in solo shots. I like the cuts of him riffing on his guitar and if I could splice the video to just those images I’d do just that…but alas…it goes to some weird extreme of a car chase in the desert, female officer arresting White and putting him in an all-female jail, then the grinding begins. Yep, not my cup of tea (as I clutch my pearls). LOL!
Jumping music, Tony made me a watch a couple of Kimbra videos that are so cute and creepy at the same time that they should be checked out as well. Settle Down video below. I have to say I really like Kimbra’s voice. She reminds me of an upbeat, bubbly P.J. Harvey. Is that sacrilege? Hehehe.
Last but not least, I cannot stop listening to Lianne La Havas. The video that I put up last week still remains my favorite but another tune called LIAR really gets to me too. Check ‘em out.
That’s all she wrote.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
I treated myself to two days off and made a long weekend of it. Hung out with my buddy Tony up in Oneida and he made yummy meals for me. He turned me on to a gluten-free Hard Cider from Vermont called Amber Woodchuck (or something like that). It’s so freakin’ good. He also forced me to watch a couple of episodes of the UK comedy, The IT Crowd that made me laugh so hard that even today, three days later, I’m still laughing as I recall one or two scenes from each of the episodes I watched. It was good fun. We also watched Felicity Day’s The Guild…also very funny in its own geeky way. I’m not much of an online gamer so some of the references went over my head but it still made me laugh.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the quiet, being away from the city, being back upstate which is really my second home, just reminded me how much I want a quieter life. He taught me a French dice game called Dix Millett on the last night and we stayed up until 2:30 am playing it. Very addicting game. Now I have to teach my sisters to play it so I can have someone to play with.
Let’s see I also wrote a little, walked around a little, slept really well for the first time in weeks, sat on the porch and drank Cider and listened to the rain fall, chatted a little, listened to a little music, cut up lots of veggies for lunch and dinner, and had a hell of a good time doing it all. I felt closer to being my old self (the one in the good space), a settled content soul. What a difference just a little peace and quiet makes.
I also appreciate Tony friendship and it was good to catch up with him. I hadn’t realized that it’s been two years since we’ve seen each other in person. Skyping has fooled me into thinking I’d seen him sooner. Yikes, it’s been too long and I’ll probably head back up there again very soon for a writing jag. I’ve been thinking about moving out of NYC and heading north for a long time. Maybe it’s time to pull myself together and look at job opportunities in Syracuse and Albany or Burlington, VT ‘cause this dog-eat-dog life is wearing on my very last nerve.
Yesterday morning, I was still feeling relaxed and pretty gentle after such a quiet time. Of course, today I’m back to calling rude bumping people, “tool” and “douche bag” after 2.5 days and my Chicana temper is back into full effect. Ergh! I thought it would take a little longer than that. Bummer. By the way, what is up with people walking around and texting in the midst of a crowded sidewalk? It wouldn’t be a big deal, if said people were walking at about the same pace as everyone else but Noooooo, instead you have them either walking in a weird robotic way because they can’t walk and text at the same time OR they are not watching where they are going and they ACTUALLY get annoyed when they bump into oncoming walking traffic…WTF is that about?! *sigh * I have no patience for self-absorbed a**h***s. I am this close (forefinger and thumb very close together) to slapping away the cell phone from their hands every opportunity I get. Hehehe. Made me giggle, cause it’s true.
Music update: Jack White has a new video out for Freedom at 21 which is by far my favorite song on his Blunderbuss album, (Love Interruption still high up on the list). However, the video is so stupid that I won’t even put it up. Grinding half naked women on Jack White just does NOT do it for me. Sorry. I think he even channels some Jack Sparrow/Johnny Depp ticks when he’s captured in solo shots. I like the cuts of him riffing on his guitar and if I could splice the video to just those images I’d do just that…but alas…it goes to some weird extreme of a car chase in the desert, female officer arresting White and putting him in an all-female jail, then the grinding begins. Yep, not my cup of tea (as I clutch my pearls). LOL!
Jumping music, Tony made me a watch a couple of Kimbra videos that are so cute and creepy at the same time that they should be checked out as well. Settle Down video below. I have to say I really like Kimbra’s voice. She reminds me of an upbeat, bubbly P.J. Harvey. Is that sacrilege? Hehehe.
Last but not least, I cannot stop listening to Lianne La Havas. The video that I put up last week still remains my favorite but another tune called LIAR really gets to me too. Check ‘em out.
That’s all she wrote.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Lianne La Havas - Lost & Found
One of my readers suggested that I might like the artist, Lianne La Havas. I've been listening to her music today and I really dig her sultry voice. So I'm putting up the following videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
By the way, I'm taking a much needed break from the city starting Friday for a good long weekend. Going upstate for some chill out time with a friend, to kick back and chat and even write in some quiet space. Feeling the blinding need to get away. Will write again when I get back next Tuesday.
Peace,
Lily~
Short plays and a short story
Tonight I went to see a series of short plays by one author. The first piece was decent but it went on a bit. The subtext was the best part of the play. The next two pieces were just not properly developed. And it didn't help that the actors were god-awful. As in, they sounded like stiff, affected nubes who just learned the script an hour before they went up. Ergh! I gave up after the first part and during intermission snuck out into the cool NYC night. I won't name the writer because for the most part I really think he's quite talented and his writing is quite smart. The pieces just need more work. It's a decent starting point but they were more works-in-progress than final product.
That said, I have another friend who gave me a draft of his short story to read a couple of weeks ago. It was amazing and the ending was fresh and surprising. The way he uses language...his turn of phrases is quite gorgeous. English is his second language and he makes fiction writing quite beautiful. Then he revised his draft and the story only got better. His additions only added layers, giving the whole piece depth. I am quite humbled at the beauty in his work. There is no envy, no jealousy warming my blood tonight because all I feel is true appreciation for another writer's act at honing his craft. To think that he almost quit writing a couple of years ago. Thank goodness he didn't because this writer...this young talented writer...will have students studying his works in years to come. I will share his name when he's ready to share his work with a larger audience.
Anyway, it's a little after midnight now and I'm finally feeling the effects of a full and eventful day. My brain is in need of a break.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
That said, I have another friend who gave me a draft of his short story to read a couple of weeks ago. It was amazing and the ending was fresh and surprising. The way he uses language...his turn of phrases is quite gorgeous. English is his second language and he makes fiction writing quite beautiful. Then he revised his draft and the story only got better. His additions only added layers, giving the whole piece depth. I am quite humbled at the beauty in his work. There is no envy, no jealousy warming my blood tonight because all I feel is true appreciation for another writer's act at honing his craft. To think that he almost quit writing a couple of years ago. Thank goodness he didn't because this writer...this young talented writer...will have students studying his works in years to come. I will share his name when he's ready to share his work with a larger audience.
Anyway, it's a little after midnight now and I'm finally feeling the effects of a full and eventful day. My brain is in need of a break.
Peace,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Monday, July 9, 2012
I woke up at 8:20 am today, I actually slept through two alarms…mind you, I have to be in the office by 8:30 so I jumped out of bed and started racing around in circles trying to get things ready to leave for work. I typed my manager a quick note telling her that I woke up late and that I’d be there as soon as I could get there. An icy cold shower to wake me up then grabbing clothes from my closet in quick succession…although I don’t know what I was thinking grabbing a light sherbert green shirt and light brown plaid pants. I’m just going to call it being in a rush but not really sure what the hell I’m wearing today. Ah well, that happens.
The late start and a dull headache have left me feeling underwhelmed today. It’s not a migraine thank goodness so a couple of ibuprofens later and it’s finally gone. But I’m in a foul mood today…my mouth is a crushed line across my face and my jaw is clenched so tight that I have to remind myself to loosen up. What is up with that?
Well, the reality is that I keep hitting a wall with my novel again and again. I was explaining this to a friend on Friday night that it just feels like I’m not smart enough to write what’s in my head. The story in my head is just not translating out onto the page and it’s making me bat-shit crazy! Grrr! *Head in hands * I’ve been steadily working on this novel for the past two years and I’m just not close to finishing it. To be exact, two years and moving into two months and today I just want to quit this project. Seriously!! I want to put the whole manuscript in a drawer and let the dust gather up in its shallow grave. Maybe start on a ten-minute play or even a full-length play for that matter. I’m sure I can write 90 pages of dialogue. I feel completely useless with this novel but there is this cloying part in my brain that won’t let it go. Think squirrel grasping a nut between its claws.
I really thought spending some down time playing in the sun and catching up with things that bring real pleasure would give me the much needed break and clear some head space to come back to the page bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Instead, I feel thwarted at this next new section. It’s not just difficult, it feels impenetrable. So I am sitting in front of this wall trying to figure out what am I going to do now. Hmmm. Another writer friend told me to spend some time daydreaming about it…which is great advice but the story is constantly in my head. It’s going on and on and I am trying to grasp moments from this large narrative and trying to make this novel somewhat coherent. I think I just need to come to terms with the fact that it will never be as good as what’s in my head. Now if someone can tell me how exactly I come to terms with that fact, maybe I can get somewhere. *grumble *
I know, I know, I’ve promised not to gripe on this blog about writing but sometimes I just have to come clean and share exactly where I am in this crazy process. It helps me to put it down on the page ‘cause it means it’s less time in my brain to muck up the works. Anyway, I’ve been listening to Bluesy Rock music today…Raconteur, Black Keys, White Stripes and Jack White are playing non-stop in the background. Shredding guitar riffs and raging drum beats are perfect to wake me up from the pity party that threatens to take hold and render me useless.
That's all she wrote today,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
The late start and a dull headache have left me feeling underwhelmed today. It’s not a migraine thank goodness so a couple of ibuprofens later and it’s finally gone. But I’m in a foul mood today…my mouth is a crushed line across my face and my jaw is clenched so tight that I have to remind myself to loosen up. What is up with that?
Well, the reality is that I keep hitting a wall with my novel again and again. I was explaining this to a friend on Friday night that it just feels like I’m not smart enough to write what’s in my head. The story in my head is just not translating out onto the page and it’s making me bat-shit crazy! Grrr! *Head in hands * I’ve been steadily working on this novel for the past two years and I’m just not close to finishing it. To be exact, two years and moving into two months and today I just want to quit this project. Seriously!! I want to put the whole manuscript in a drawer and let the dust gather up in its shallow grave. Maybe start on a ten-minute play or even a full-length play for that matter. I’m sure I can write 90 pages of dialogue. I feel completely useless with this novel but there is this cloying part in my brain that won’t let it go. Think squirrel grasping a nut between its claws.
I really thought spending some down time playing in the sun and catching up with things that bring real pleasure would give me the much needed break and clear some head space to come back to the page bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Instead, I feel thwarted at this next new section. It’s not just difficult, it feels impenetrable. So I am sitting in front of this wall trying to figure out what am I going to do now. Hmmm. Another writer friend told me to spend some time daydreaming about it…which is great advice but the story is constantly in my head. It’s going on and on and I am trying to grasp moments from this large narrative and trying to make this novel somewhat coherent. I think I just need to come to terms with the fact that it will never be as good as what’s in my head. Now if someone can tell me how exactly I come to terms with that fact, maybe I can get somewhere. *grumble *
I know, I know, I’ve promised not to gripe on this blog about writing but sometimes I just have to come clean and share exactly where I am in this crazy process. It helps me to put it down on the page ‘cause it means it’s less time in my brain to muck up the works. Anyway, I’ve been listening to Bluesy Rock music today…Raconteur, Black Keys, White Stripes and Jack White are playing non-stop in the background. Shredding guitar riffs and raging drum beats are perfect to wake me up from the pity party that threatens to take hold and render me useless.
That's all she wrote today,
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Friday, July 6, 2012
A Movie Trailer and Two Music Videos
Okay it's been a minute since I last wrote, I don't have much on at the moment. Been spending some down time for a change. Catching up with my work out routine.
Also went to see the Norwegian flick, Headhunters. It was a bit over the top but I definitely enjoyed the thriller aspect of it. In fact, a few points in the movie had me reacting out loud and back at the screen. That's always fun. Check out the trailer.:
A little BBQing with the family and drinking lots of sangria (yum) on the mid-week day off.
Let's see, listening to J. Lo's Dance Again. The catchy hook wormed it's way in and now I can't stop listening to it. Grrr!! Hehehe...Really it's the chorus that gets me and I can't help but sing this out loud in top voice: "I wanna dance and love and dance again." And of course, Pitbull is just THE MAN!!
Also, Maroon 5 came out with their new single, One More Night. Another song I can't stop listening to:
Okay, I get that these are really over-produced studio songs but sometimes you have to take in the pleasure principle, kick back and just go with it.
Rock on people, rock on!!
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
Also went to see the Norwegian flick, Headhunters. It was a bit over the top but I definitely enjoyed the thriller aspect of it. In fact, a few points in the movie had me reacting out loud and back at the screen. That's always fun. Check out the trailer.:
A little BBQing with the family and drinking lots of sangria (yum) on the mid-week day off.
Let's see, listening to J. Lo's Dance Again. The catchy hook wormed it's way in and now I can't stop listening to it. Grrr!! Hehehe...Really it's the chorus that gets me and I can't help but sing this out loud in top voice: "I wanna dance and love and dance again." And of course, Pitbull is just THE MAN!!
Okay, I get that these are really over-produced studio songs but sometimes you have to take in the pleasure principle, kick back and just go with it.
Rock on people, rock on!!
L~
All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2012 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.
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