Is It Over Yet?

It's been a very busy month.  As I've written in previous entries, I've been helping my dad renovate the bathroom.  It's been one day after another of running new pipes, laying down a new floor, tiling walls and floor, grouting and cleaning grout off the rest of the tiles and we have four more days left to finish.  Left to-do is priming and painting the walls, plus installing the new sink cabinet.  Tonight I have the night off.  Which is why I'm finally writing an entry. And really all I have to say is I'm tired.  I almost see the light at the end of the tunnel but there is so much left to do before we're done.  Not to mention that we've had setbacks throughout. Yesterday afternoon, my dad accidentally left a valve open on the boiler and flooded out three rooms There are boxes of old letters and journals that were soaked solid, so I have to go through them and throw whatever is not salvageable. Weekend project. Ergh.

Books--I recently finished Kate Wilhelm's, Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang. A novel about an isolated post holocaust community determined to preserve itself through cloning. This is an amazing hard science fiction novel and what makes my jaw drop about this story is that it was first written in 1976.  Historically the idea of cloning can date back to the late 1800's. This novel however takes a look at the social implications of cloning within the confines of this separatist community. I've been trying to decide on whether to keep this book on my shelf or if I should just gift it away. Lately, as I finish reading novels I've been leaving them on subway benches for others to pick up. I'm on the fence. The idea that I'll be moving in the next year makes me more likely to gift it away.  Less books will really save my creaky back from having to cart more boxes to yet another apartment.

I just started reading Sarah Waters latest novel, The Paying Guests. I really love the way she writes. It's a total pleasure read and I've been carting this 500+ page novel from home to work and back.

That's all I have for now.

Best,
L~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.

Dear White People - Justin Simien

I went to see this film and it really made me laugh.  This is Justin Simien's first feature (written and directed), a satire set at a fictitious ivy league college. It takes a hard look on the different experiences of being black in college.  What makes this film so interesting is that it moves into a more complicated place about race and at time an uncomfortable place as well.  Samantha White played by Tessa Thompson has some of the best lines when she schools her white peers on ways to avoid racist microaggressions: your weed dealer doesn't qualify as your 'black friend,' knowing rap lyrics doesn't mean you're black.  I enjoyed watching this film altho' I didn't really love the ending but it's worth watching with a mix of friends.  


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.

Jackie of all Trades, Master of None

I spent the weekend helping my father renovate our bathroom. Which means I assisted him to cut copper pipes, passed tools while he soldered them into elbow joints, helped cap the open pieces, and held the fire extinguisher when he fired a pipe that was inside the wall.  Eesh.  I have one small burn from melted metal, ouch.  We are not done yet tho', not by a long shot.  There is still so much more left to do and after 11 hours of work on Saturday...I already want to quit. 

On Sunday, I had the day off from being an assistant which means I cleaned house and some laundry. Also unpacked boxes now that I've cleared out my storage space. Trying to figure out what I should keep and what I should chuck.  

Tomorrow, will be more assistant duty.  I just don't know how far we'll get with the work.  More pipes to run across the basement. Not to mention resurfacing the wall, and retiling the floor.  It's going to take us another two weeks before we finish.  

Writing has been put on hold in the meantime.  Ergh.  I am always much moodier when I don't have time to write. I'm going to have to sneak some time in during the week.  I may just get up early again and start writing first thing in the morning.  Might be the tonic I need to face the rest of my day.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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 Real Thing by Tom Stoppard

This is the blurb about the play:
Ewan McGregor plays Henry, a playwright not so happily married to Charlotte (Cynthia Nixon), the lead actress in his play about a marriage on the verge of collapse. When Henry’s affair with their friend Annie (Maggie Gyllenhaal) threatens to destroy his own marriage, he discovers that life has started imitating art. After Annie leaves her husband so she and Henry can begin a new life together, he can’t help but wonder whether their love is fiction or the real thing.

This play was directed by Sam Gold.  He's one of my favorite directors.  Alas, this was not one of my favorite plays.  Even tho' the humor was very British.  Even tho' Ewan McGregor can do no wrong.  This is supposed to be one of Stoppard's more heart-felt plays but the emotional content just wasn't there. The heart was missing from this play. Henry and Maggie talked around and around about their love for each other to the point where I just wanted them to shut up.  It felt as if they were playing at love and perhaps that is the point.  No, no, that wasn't the point. The material felt as dated as the 60's music they played in-between scenes. 

Once the curtain came down, I couldn't get out of the theater fast enough.  


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.

Show Me - John Legend

I've had this song running in my head for the last couple of days.  I've been humming it to myself where ever I go.  Humming it on the subway, on my way to work, while I'm working...earworm.  I've been loving life and it's coming through in song.  Just feeling deeply content.  Gotta enjoy these moments when they come.  I've attached the lyrics to his song below...enjoy! L~

  Show Me by John Legend

I realized as I lay down to sleep
We haven't spoke in weeks
So many things that I'd like to know
Come have a talk with me
I need a sign, something I can see
Why all the mystery?
I try not to fall for make believe
But what is reality?
Where do we go?
What do we know?
Life has to have a meaning
Show me the light
Show me the way
Show that you're listening

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

Guess it's funny how I say thanks to you
For all you've given me
Sometimes the price of what you gave to me
I can't stop questioning
O God of love, peace, and mercy
Why so much suffering?
I pray for the world, it gets worse to me
Wonder if you're listening
When people go
Why do they go?
Why don't you choose me?
But someday I know
I'm gonna go
I hope you're waiting for me

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

Maybe we'll talk
Some other night
Right now I'll take it easy
Won't spent my time
Waiting to die
Enjoy the life I'm living

Show me that you love me
Show me that you walk with me
Hopefully, just above me
Heaven's watching over me

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.

Tiny Bit

This week  I've had a head cold. I've been taking supplements to help boost my immune system so that's helped take the edge off what could be a bad cold.  I managed to make it into work and luckily it's been a low-key week there.  Plans for this weekend consist of seeing another play, The Real Thing and helping my dad with some renovation work on our bathroom.  Let's see how long it takes before we start yelling at each other.  Hehehe.  No, I'm kidding.  It will be fine.  We just have two strong personalities.  I'll try to keep mine in check for the duration of this project.

I have not worked on any writing this week and I'm starting to feel the repercussions of that decision. I'll spend some time journaling tomorrow when I get a chance.  I should be right as rain after that.

All for now...peace,

L~  

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.

On Writing Too

On Friday, I read at an open mic at Le Poisson Rouge on Bleeker Street.  Usually I announce beforehand so I can get folks to come support but I wasn’t sure if I was going to get on the roster that night. I went up first which was a good thing.  We were in the gallery space beneath the music venue so while I was up it was nice and quiet.  There is something so amazing that happens when I am up there in front of a new audience and the room turns perfectly still.  I feel myself expand and reading from my work allows my wings to stretch out a bit.  Usually, I am trying hard to tamp myself and my personality down because it doesn’t fit into the culture of my day job.  So I contract in order to be able to just get the work done.  But when I’m doing my work, my writing, reading from my book of poems, I feel the power of that moment.  It radiates up through my feet, makes my legs tremble, moves up to my belly where the butterflies are aflutter, through my lungs where breath and voice connect and out comes the words in these flowing waves and I more present then at any other moment in my life.  * happy sigh * I managed to sell a book which is always a pleasure. It was a great night of eclectic writers. There was one cat called D-Bird that cracked me up with his poetry.  Funny and so well-worth the price of admission.

Then I went to see Disgraced on Saturday night.  I’ve written up a separate entry on that experience.

Then on Sunday afternoon it was Writing Group time.  My short story Clara Betta went over really well. I was honestly surprised at how well it was received…it made me blush. So now it’s time to make some final revisions, one more look see with WG and then send it out to see if some magazine will publish it.  Hmm.  So much to consider.  Where to send it?  First I’ll make the final tweaks and then see what might be a few possibilities. 

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2014 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.