eek

I suck because I haven't updated my blog.

That is all.

Will update soon. Promise, promise.

n

I'm the boss, applesauce

Just a little over a month ago, I told Joe from Joe's Service Center I needed a U-Haul big enough to fit a queen size mattress.

"That would be the largest thing in the U-Haul, actually," I told him looking around at the walls dark with all the dust shoved into the small office with each door slam.

"Where you taking it to?"

"Lake Charles, Louisiana," and the room expanded around me as he punched heavy fingers into the keyboard.

So odd, I feel like this happened yesterday. Now, I am settled in, teaching, and studying at McNeese. The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of new faces, schedules and a roller coaster of emotions for me.

I started teaching on Thursday and was a tad nervous. Especially when a tall 50-year-old man walked into the classroom. He sat in the back and glared toward the front of class. I feared he may be the type to think a girl half his age could have absolutely no authority in his presence.

"Remain confident," he said as he handed in the diagnostic test I administered. "You're the boss. Remember that. You're the boss."

Did I seem nervous? I promise I wasn't nervous. At least, not a whole lot, but it was reassuring, nonetheless.

My apologies for not maintaining this blog like I said I would. I will try. Soon I will post a blog (and picture) of the art work I commissioned Rio Grande Valley artist Beatriz Guzman to make for me. Also, a blog of my phenomenal cohort at McNeese.

booo

I move to Lake Charles in 15 days.

I'm so not ready.

-sigh-

Extreme Cabinet Makeover: Barrios Sisters Edition

"I'm dedicating this whole morning to you," Sergio grumbled as I looked through the little papers where I wrote numerous addresses. Much to his discontent, we were going to spend Saturday morning sifting through another man's trash in hopes to find me some treasures. Namely, furniture for me to take to Lake Charles.

I only found two small tables. Both wood. One was an interesting little cabinet a lady had sanded down with plans to turn into something nice, but said those plans fell when she decided to move houses and realized she had to sell a bunch of stuff, including the cabinet. The sticker on it, gooey from sitting under the sun far too long, read $3. I immediately thought of the things I could do with it. Sergio and the lady's son loaded it onto Sergio's truck, I bought one more small table for my mom (or me) and off we went.

I decided to wait until Sunday to do anything with it other than buy some paint. In the morning, I asked my sister to help me make over the little cabinet. Mayra, being the artist that she is, started throwing ideas at me about what we could do with it. She wanted to make some stencils. Bird shapes, since I love birds. Then she would pass them onto the cabinet under lace to create a nice texture. I will not lie, I thought her ideas might not work. "I've done this before," she said when I questioned her about applying the stencil under lace. Bueno, I thought skeptically.

After my mom painted the cabinet a Robin's Egg Blue we bought at The Home Depot, Mayra begin working on the large stencils and cutting them out. We began work on it around 1 p.m. and wrapped up around 9 p.m. We took many breaks, and ended up loving our results! This is the first time I took on a project like this. I anticipate more.

Check out the before and after pics.

Arte

I commissioned an incredibly talented artist named Beatriz Guzman to paint a little something for me to take to Lake Charles and hang on the walls of what will be my home. I have always admired her work. Don't know what will be on the canvas. I just know that there will be a swallow on it. And I think my dad will be there, as well, but I'm not sure. So excited to see the final product! You simply must go check out her work here.

Well, I will be in Lake Charles this weekend to house hunt, say hello to some current MFA kids and to pass 4th of July there. There's going to be a festival in LC that I am going to check out.

Mi Golondrina

The elderly folk, limbs perched on their wheelchairs like limp birds, their frames broken and patched over years, carefully examined every act that went through their make-shift cafeteria stage. My family, along with the bilingual program at the local high school, was putting on a show at a nearby nursing home. The nursing home residents didn't seem interested, or perhaps their frail bodies dragged down their excitement.

My dad and two of my uncles performed some Ramon Ayala songs that evening. A week or so before the performance, they had made instruments out of card board, aluminum foil, and shiny stars. These were their props for the performance. The song "Mi Golondrina" reminds me so much of this evening, of my dad, the serious expression on his face as he played the accordion he had made.

Here is the song. Enjoy.

Hoarder?

I have been cleaning in preparation for moving to Louisiana and it is chaotic. I never realized how much pointless crap I own. Should I get rid of my Pez dispenser collection?

There are so many things in my room that I should probably throw away, sell or donate, but, have an emotional connection with.

Exhibit A: There is a doll in a drawer that is rarely opened. Her hair, distressed, frazzled, stands stiffly. Her face, with that complacent smile, has a few dirt smudges on it. I couldn't run a comb through her hair anymore if I tried. I was walking out of the post office with my dad in Michigan one day many days ago. We found this doll at the post office. Abandoned. Lost. I took her in and cared for her for many years. Now, she is abandoned again, but I refuse to throw her away. I mean, she never stops smiling. How can I get rid of that?

Exhibit B: A Donald Duck holding what seems to be a box of chocolates with the word "Daisy" on it. He is worn and his paint tired. He was my mom's toy when she was a little girl. She wanted to trash it some years ago. I rescued it.

Exhibit C: A little tan skinned boy doll with red hair and freckles like a map. My first toy ever, according to my mom. Gifted by an aunt. To be honest, I don't recall playing with him;, but will not trash him because he is special.

Exhibit D: Awards/medals/certificates from high school and elementary. Most from writing. I know they don't matter now, but they take up so little space. Why should I throw them away? I will be trashing trophies (journalism stuff from high school) that are in the closet since they do take up more significant space. At least trashing them is the plan right now.

The cleaning will continue this weekend, with a garage sale next weekend and a trip to the Salvation Army to donate stuff.


Oh and I have a roommate now. Check out her awesomeness here.

besitos y abrazotes,

n