8:44 pm

i spent time at the beach today.  waves crashing onto the shore is one of my favorite sounds. a lazy swim in the ocean felt yummy. i spent time with my nieces and my sister and it was fun, even when they were driving me bat s**t crazy. exactly what i needed. it's the first long weekend in a long time, a chance to unwind, decompress. a little burned on my back, next time i'll ask my sister, not my niece to apply sunscreen on my back. i read for pleasure and listened to frank sinatra songs coming from a neighbor's radio. tomorrow is another day of work but it'll be a little easier to face.

peace,
l~


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.

11:05 pm

it was a gorgeous day. after spending most of the day indoors yesterday it was amazing to go to the beach today.  only for a couple of hours.  the water was cold.  the waves and wind were strong.  the sun bright.  i chatted with my sister ces, catching up with her. it's been awhile since we've spent time. too much work.  too much time away.  we rattled on and it felt good.  sand between my toes.  salt water in my hair.  sun on my skin, warming my bones. yum. my head is clear. i can face another day.

peace,
l~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.

Brain Rumblings

My brain is on fire.  I have a migraine that won't let up.  It has been intense the last two days and in the worst moments I feel like I'm coming apart.  Ripping at the seams.  I am functioning enough to get through my day job but there is nothing left over by the time I get home.  Hollowed out.  Think pumpkin-seed entrails. What the hell is bringing this on?  Stress?  Probably but when isn't life stressful. I am unable to string together enough coherent thoughts together.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

i read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and really couldn't put it down. i decided to read the first chapter and i was hooked and not in a small way. for example i resented having to go into work because it would be too many hours before i could pick up the book again. it's a good blend of humor and action. it's a heist with a fantasy-magic-teen fiction vibe. it was also a lot of fun. i had a clear sense of each of the characters, their power-abilities and i cared about whether they lived or died. i will admit there was one moment in the story where i rolled my eyes because it felt overdone (summer blockbuster overdone). i let it slide and kept going. basically i devoured 465 pages in 4 days.  when i had less than 60 pages left i knew that there was still more story left to tell...luckily i only have until september before the new book Crooked Kingdom comes out. it's been months since i've been excited over something i've read.

peace,
l~

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.

9:03 am

Last night I dreamt about vampires and succubi having a night of awakening where they changed into their true nature and the rest of the world would be their playing field. At morning light, no one but the changelings would remember.  It was a dark dream full of sinister desires.

Jumping thoughts...
A show host asked some actors (tv & theater), "which do you prefer, making money or doing theater?"  It made me laugh out loud because it's so true.  You do theater for the love of it. I miss it.  It's been years since I've worked on a theater project. I have skeletons of plays in my file cabinet...it's time to bring them back out into the light and flesh them out.

I remember skimming thru a short quick piece I had written long ago and I had a moment of "when did I write this?" It had been so long since I had seen that 10 minute play that I thought it belonged to someone else because I didn't remember every writing the words that were on the page.  Yes, it belonged to me, my name was on every page. Good lord the making of a mad woman.  I've gone on long enough, I need a shower and some breakfast to face my day.

Peace,

Lily

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.

7:23 pm

It's been a long hectic week and I'm sitting in my living room listening to James Bay sing Let It Go. It's a gorgeous evening and a soft warm breeze is coming in through my window.  I just got back from doing laundry, folding/putting away clothes and now I'm taking a small break enjoying sitting here, writing this entry.  I'm trying to decide between leftovers and take out.  My veggie soup may win out by sheer proximity.

I was writing in my journal earlier about possibly wanting to stay in this apartment another year and then a slew of complaints came raging out.  I changed my mind very quickly. So there you have it, I just need to man-up and find a new place. Bah!

I've been to see a few of the early blockbuster superhero movies and to be honest I'm quite bored by them all so far.  I hear fanboys/grrls gasping in dismay for that statement but the story lines are quite tired and played out. The exception is Deadpool, of course, mostly for all the 80s references and superhero in-jokes. I think it's time to break out and see some of the indie films to get a dose of substance over flash and cgi effects. One last point on the subject-Ben Affleck as Batman?!! Come on!! What genius made that decision?

Oooo, I forgot to mention...I went to see The Book of Mormon on Broadway last week.  I've wanted to see this musical for so long that I may have been anticipating more from it.  Despite my sister and her husband telling me about it, I don't know *shrug* it was just okay for me.  Again it goes back to story arc, music was decent and some parts funny but again...I think wanted more.  Story of my life.

A stray tabby is stalking a bird outside my window...they totally took me out of my thoughts over musicals.  There is a slew of stray cats living in the backyard of this area.  One day this week I was sitting up against the corner of my couch and there were 5 cats sitting on my fire escape watching me.

It reminded me about this story...apologies if I've written about it before...but growing up I thought I had cats for pets. I mean I really thought that when I was in kindergarden/first grade I had a slew of cats.  I asked my mom to verify this fact sometime last year and she told me that I never had cats.  I was really shocked because I remember the smell of them and also being frightened over one that swiped at me.  It turns out I used to feed the stray cats near the building I grew up in so they would turn up when I would get back from school.  My poor dad, being the super to that building, found out pretty quickly and had to collect all those cats and take them somewhere else.  Where? I couldn't tell you but I remember being totally devastated over losing all my "pets."  A cat lady in the making. Haha.  I miss my Pandora but I think one cat was all the room I had for in my life, despite my captive audience outside my window.

I think that's all I have for tonight.

Best,

Lily


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2016 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.