Holiday Cheer

For the past several years, every time the holiday seasons came around I approached it with a a bah-humbug attitude. Everything felt like a chore during that time.  Shopping, cooking for family, even the incessant christmas music that started blasting everywhere the day after Thanksgiving.
This year, I've embraced it.  At the very least, I am facing the holiday with a lot of gratitude.  Grateful that my family is healthy and boisterous and they have a fantastic sense of humor.  Grateful for a new steady job that's afforded me some decent health benefits to help me sort out my myriad of health issues. Grateful for feeling a lot less pain for the first time in many, many years.  I hadn't realized how much it had weighed down on my spirit until the burden began to lift. I am beginning to enjoy life again and all the little wonders around me.  I am grateful that the above has helped clear more time for writing and I've been doing it on a more consistent basis.  Less whinging, more writing, you can't beat that.  I am grateful for friends who love and support me and my work.  Grateful for it all. I've managed to get most of my holiday shopping done online so no brutal shopping crowds...hoorah!! I've written up most of my holiday cards but I have a handful left to go.  Now if I can only get my room clean of dust bunnies I'll really be cooking.  I had a day off from work yesterday which gave me a day to run errands and get some things done.  Plus...I enjoyed walking in Washington Square during the first snowfall last Wednesday.  Had big fat snowflakes cling to my eyelashes.  Anyway...having a lovely time during this holiday season.

Peace,
Lily~

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.

December Update

The Book Launch Reading last Wednesday (12/3) at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe went well.  My piece  "Blanca's Monologue" from my play Glass Knives was 4.5 minutes long.  Concise, to-the-point and well-received, as is this update. Haha.  No, but seriously I was so nervous and anxious over this piece and this particular performance that I was surprised at how smooth the actual night went.  As an audience member highlights for me were Polly Frost's piece and seeing Pamela Sneed perform/recite her piece. Glad I had the chance to see them.  And of course always great to see Dano Madden's work and James Armstrong's work. I'm pleased that I went out there and presented work myself.  Hurrah on that front.

Saturday night I went to see the movie The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The story about Alan Turing, the English mathematician that help break the German Enigma code during World War II.  The ending had me wanting to bawl my eyes out.  Every time I read or hear about a Queer person committing suicide, either in the present or in the past, it absolutely breaks my damned heart.  Anyway, I can't write much more than that because this small post will turn into a rant. The movie itself revolves around Turing's work in creating the machine to help break the code and some of what transpires in his life after the war.  Cumberbatch is amazing in the title role.

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.

Mild Winter Night

It was a balmy Friday night in New York City.  The rain was coming down in a thin oily mist.  The streets were reflective giving over to the noise of passing traffic. My romantic sensibilities were heightened by the elegant way the night sparkled.  My boots splashed up water onto the back of my work trousers.  The wool coat kept me warm against the occasional gust of icy wind racing up the Park Slope hill. It's beautiful on this mild winter night. I enjoyed the feel of the thin film of water on my face and smiled into the darkness.  Romantic sensibilities indeed.  You'd think someone was in love or something.  Ah! Just in love with a solitary walk in the rain, enjoying the dark quiet night.  Lovely!

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.