Happy Friday, Part Deux

Dear readers,

It’s a dark, soaking wet Friday in good ol’ Nu Yawk Sitty…but it’s FRIDAY!! YAY!! Before you start looking for part one of Happy Friday...there isn't one.  Hehehe...I just like writing DEUX. 

I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that sometimes I put in way too minutiae regarding my life and that can be a little off-putting. After all, we all have to deal with the every day realities of our lives. So thanks for sticking around and reading my blog anyway.

Being a creative person in this world…is complicated sometimes. In writing this blog, I wanted to share some of my process with a larger audience. But I have found that writing about my writing life…is very similar to making a movie about a writer. Basically, you cut to a montage of a writer at a typewriter or a computer pounding away either in ecstasy or in dismay. Either lying on a bed bemoaning the work, or pacing the room talking to oneself as a writer struggles to get through a section. Riiiiiight!

That’s a romantic notion. I think pounding on a keyboard is right but everything else…eh, not so much. I say all this because this writer works a full time day job to pay bills, who jots character description based on the strangers I come across on the train, who daydreams about frantic love affairs to capture them on the page, who writes lines of poetry on scraps of papers, who is moved by good music and little independent movies, who consumes books like oxygen, who takes care of Pandora (a short haired black Bombay cat), who can’t decide between paying her cell phone bill or buying tickets to see Ed Sheeran in concert (hehehe, true story), who helps her dad with every computer questions he can come up with, who helps her sisters with writing memos, who helps friends revamp resumes, eeek…you get the point. A busy life. Don’t we all have that?

At the same time, I am trying to get healthier in my body, do a little walking, a little stretching, a little yoga, and eating better. I am down 19.5 lbs as of this morning. Hoo-RAH! Trying not to be everyone’s caretaker until I have my own house in order (not an easy lesson after being so good at be there for others). Trying a new outlook on life. Trying new recipes, cooking for myself again, tonight I am making an Okra Veggie Stew. Phew! Just writing this out makes me a little tired…hehehe. No, not really. I’m taking my vitamins and I am ready to go.

It’s really when I’m up late at night staring at the ceiling that I think I’m wasting time. Tick, tock, tick tock, there is much to do. White rabbit syndrome, “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late for an important date.” Yet knowing there is just so much I can do in a day. After writing this blog out, I’ll be off to write my errand list for tomorrow…and try really hard to remember that tomorrow night I’m going to see Jack White in concert. SWEET!!

[Upcoming Event]
I’ve been invited to read one of my poems at the New York Times VOCES Affinity Group Event for Hispanic Heritage Month on October 10, 5:30-8:30 pm at 620 Eighth Ave. New York, NY 10018. Open to the public. Palabras, Ritmo y Arte A Celebration of Latino Poetry, Music And Art Featuring spoken word artists, musicians and a mixed media artists gallery showcasing the vibrant words and art of Latinos from the Tristate area.

Have an amazing Friday!
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.

Who Turned the Power Up?

It's Wednesday night and I'm feeling better today.  My energy is back up and the hacking cough has subsided (somewhat).  Really the only place where the cough acts up is in the ice boxes that I travel in a.k.a. MTA trains.

I'm in a pensive mood tonight.  I have a lot of work to do.  A lot of writing yet to be done.  The pressure is in my gut.  The tension in my jaw.  Tight.  I keep stretching my neck...and it won't let go.  There are too many things by way of distraction and all I want is some quiet.  I may have to go back to getting up at 5 am to write for a couple of hours.  It's the only time of day that seems to work.  Ergh!  I am not a morning person but drastic times call for drastic measures.  And I want to finish the story arc of this novel.

I've actually been thinking about buying an Underwood manual typewriter. I've been getting a bit fed up with technology of late.  This idea just made me giggle and I've already changed my mind to....it's going to be the gift I buy myself once I finish writing this first novel. We all need incentives.  

Pandora just plopped down against my leg to get her belly rubbed.  She doesn't quite understand "busy writing"...'cause in her life...it's always a good time to get a belly rub.

Oh goodness, I feel like my brain is on overdrive.  Who turned the power up?  I think it's time for me to unplug.

Oh wait...one last thing before I go...Jack White concert on Saturday night....WooHoo!!

Uhm yep, I think I'm done now.

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 jinxed myself.

I was telling a co-worker that I was NOT going to get sick this season. Boy was I wrong. Friday I had a scratchy throat and by Sunday it was a full blown head cold. Argh! I did manage to run a few errands on Saturday and meet up with my writing group to talk about the craft of writing. We took a look at some of our favorite writers to show what we think good writing looks like. Cool indeed. Afterwards, we hit a wine bar to have a couple of glasses of wine. I woke up on Sunday with a full blown cold. Ergh!!

Once I was up and about, I convinced myself that I was well enough to go into Little Italy to try to find a restaurant with my sister. Lo and behold we happened to hit the San Genero festival….eeek!! Too many people and not enough room to walk. After walking the length of Spring street and unable to find the place we were looking for…we hopped in a cab and went back cross town to one of our favorite spots on MacDougal called Snack. Yummy Greek food. We had lamb sandwiches, and an assortment of appetizers of tzizki, stuffed grape leaves, potato garlic puree, feta cheese with warm pita bread. And let’s not forget the Mimosa and Bellini. As good as the food was…I was chilled to the bone from out trek through little Italy.

By the time I made it home...well let’s just say, I crashed hard. The next day I could barely get out of bed. I called in sick and spent the day curled under my duvet. I had some homemade stew left and ate a little of that but mostly I drank lots of tea.

Today, I’m back at work…I feel better than yesterday…but I can feel the heaviness of being ill. I can’t really afford to take another sick day so I’m as bright and bushy tail as someone with a head cold can be.
All for now.

Peace,
L~
P.S.  I'm putting below The Lumineers' video of Ho Hey.  It's a sweet song that's grown on me so enjoy!! 

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.