Washing the brain...

Finish the sentences:

• Always in my bag house keys, transit card/car keys, wallet, cell phone, reusable bag, EOS ball thingie.
• A bad habit that I have Procrastinating
• First thing I do in the morning press the SNOOZE button.
• A fear I have: overestimating my capabilities.
• Currently loving on the interwebz: Google Chrome's thumbnails (because I'm an academic geek)

Choose one:

• Summer/Winter - winter
• Breakfast/Dinner - dinner
• City/Countryside - city
• Sunrise/Sunset - sunset
• Nutella/PeanutButter - hummus (¿?)
• Bath/Shower - shower
• Pancakes/Waffles - pancakes
• Dine it/Takeaway - dine in

Beauty favorites (Huh? Do I have any?)

• Make up brand: Clinique
• Skincare brand: Clinique
• Can't-live-without-product: Dramatically different moistusizing gel by Clinique
• A product that I dislike: anything Clean & clear... ew!
• A favorite place to shop for makeup: Blush-Bar
• Favorite beauty IG account: @cremitasperfumadas

From Ingrid Nielsen's IG stories.

So he said... (ii)

- How was the Dr.'s appointment
- I need surgery
- WHAT?
- Nothing major, in-and-out. Nothing to worry
- WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
- I'll be out of the office 4 days. But it's standard...
- No, seriously, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
- About what?
- OUR CIRQUE DU SOLEIL TIX!!!!
- ¿?
- What?
- They'll cut me open the week AFTER the circus.
- Great!
- It makes me so happy you have your priorities in order.
- I know, right?

The inimaginable has happened...

After all those years of sleepless nights, tears, wishful thinking, realising who I am... it happened.

The A-word is now part of my vocabulary.

I am now someone's ADVISOR.

SAY WHAAAAAAAAAT???
Yeah-huh gurl.

Today, I got this from a friend, my little dude said it was true.

All in all, all's good...

My own quantum physics

I keep all the clocks and watches around myself, even my wristwatch, 5 minutes ahead.
Of course, that makes me 5 minutes early to all my appointments, It makes me a happy camper.

All happy, all camper-y... except this week:

The lady that cleans my apartment fixed the time on all those watches, they're now ON TIME.

I've been 10 minutes LATE to every single on my appointments this week.

How does that happen? The only reasonable explanation is, there's a time vortex at my door that turns a -5 minute difference equivalent to a +15 minute result.

So, the girls met the guy and...

- Since when do you have a thing for hippies?
- Since geeks turned out to be asses.
- Good point, good point -------------- are you serious?
- Yeap.
- Don't forget to send an hippie invite for your hippie wedding.
- (y)

Lucky number five, times a hundred

I've been collecting lucky bamboos for a while now.

Well, let's not call it "collecting", taking care of and then releasing into the world, or something...

I got my first one while living in Cincinnati. It was a pretty little thing someone got as part of a minimalistic deco composition for a 2 bedroom apartment.

Then, I moved to New Jersey and I had to leave my lucky bamboo in the hands of an incredibly stupid woman, who at the time I called "friend" (but that's another story, written somewhere else).
At the time, there was this dude who offered to drive my little lucky from OH to NJ, but I didn't want to complicate something that was already looking complicated ---- which, a few years later got horribly complicated and I ended up burning bridges all around the midwest, the Dakotas and West coast, catch my complicated drift?

Anyway, anyhow, any who...

Once in NJ, I got a new lucky bamboo, very Swedish, very much from Ikea.
Unfortunately, I had to leave NJ, and lucky bamboo #2 couldn't come with me . I'm pretty sure it's dead by now. Sorry little dude, shit happens.

As I returned to Cincy, one of the few significant things I wanted to take back was lucky #1.
When I asked for it, the woman I left it to started to cry. She'd let my bamboo die... I mean.... HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KILL A BAMBOO??? how stupid are you?? that creature may have a thousand academic degrees and diplomas but... it's water once every two weeks woman. How hard is it!?!?!

Well, it hurt at the time, but when I moved to a new apartment by myself, I got a mini tiny lucky bamboo.
Lucky #3 grew to about 6-7 times his original size in a couple of months, which make my incredibly proud. My green thumb existed!!
A few weeks later, this guy I met saw my baby all alone, said they were not supposed to be by themselves and got it a brother, lucky #4.

Lucky #4 gave me enough confidence to get more brothers, sisters and cousins from all around and my little apartment became the little peace of heaven I always wanted but was not "allowed", with  flowers, plants and herbs that filled my apartment with colours and scents even during the coldest of winters.

Last year I moved again. This time I was not going to be able to take my bamboos with me... or any of my plants for that matter.
Mr. Big offered to take them, but it was going to be tooooooooo complicated. So I gave half of them to my former roommate and the other half, including my two luckies, to my amazing neighbour. I'm pretty sure he's taking great care of my babies.

*** Fast forward, 6 months ***

My aunt gave me a big, big, really big... HUGE succulents pot as a Christmas present, now sitting on the highest shelf in my office.
It came as a bunch of little babies, and now it's a pretty little jungle.

[sigh] --- Lucky #5 came two weeks ago to my apartment. He's getting used to his new place and I'm getting used to seeing something pretty, something familiar, something from another time and place.

After #5? ferns, peonies, lemongrass, mint, basil... I'm slowly getting my little jungle back.

Can't complain. Life's good.

Thinking out loud

When you are done with work late on a Friday night, and all you can think is go home and lay in bed.

When you find you left your cell phone at the office and you have to go back.

When you find a voice message and all you hear someone on the other side singing THIS from the top of his lungs...

When your legs don't work like they used to before

and I can't sweep you off of your feet

Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?

Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

And darling I will be loving tou 'til we're 70

and baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23

and I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways

maybe just the touch of a hand.

Well me, I fall in love with you every single day

and  I just wanna tell you I am

So honey now...

Take me into your loving arms,

kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.

Place your head on my beating heart,

I'm thinking out loud,

that maybe we found love right where we are.

When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades,

and the crowds don't remember my name,

when my hands don't play the strings the same way,

I know you  will still love me the same.

'Cause house your sould could never grow old, it's evergreen,

and baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory.

I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways,

maybe it's all part of a plan.

Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes

hoping that you'll understand.

But baby now...

Take me into your loving arms,

kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.

Place your head on my beating heart,

I'm thinking out loud,

that maybe we found love right where we are.

So honey now...

Take me into your loving arms,

kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.

Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart,

I'm thinking out loud,

that maybe we found love right where we are.

And we found love right where we are.

Yeah, life's all right.

2015 reading challenge

My friend Adriana posted the reading challenge and I jumped on that bus without thinking. Then I thought... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?!

2012 was the year I read and listened to almost 30 books... this year's resolution is, well,, do at least a third of it.

The challenge contains 52 books, theoretically, you're supposed to read a book per week.

I know myself and I KNOW I won't be able to do it. So, in order to avoid future disappointments, I chose books that fit more than one category. To make up for that I plan to read books in Spanish, English, a book written in French and a book in Portuguese.

I can't assure I'll be able to finish, but I solemnly promise I'll try.

Anyone ready to take the challenge, be my guest.

Here’s the list:

• A book with more than 500 pages - WICKED

• A classic romance - THE PRINCESS BRIDE

• A book that became a movie - LISISTRATA

• A book published this year - EL INCREIBLE VIAJE DEL FAQUIR QUE SE QUEDO ATRAPADO EN UN ARMARIO DE IKEA

• A book with a number in the title - FAHRENHEIT 451

• A book written by someone under 30 - RED RISING

• A book with nonhuman characters - WICKED

• A funny book - EL INCREIBLE VIAJE DEL FAQUIR QUE SE QUEDO ATRAPADO EN UN ARMARIO DE IKEA

• A book by a female author - BOSSYPANTS

• A mystery or thriller - GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL

• A book with a one-word title - WICKED

• A book of short stories - EL LIBRO DE NAVIDAD

• A book set in a different country - CAIM

• A nonfiction book - AUTOGOL

• A popular author’s first book - LOOKING FOR ALASKA

• A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet - LOOKING FOR ALASKA

• A book a friend recommended - LISISTRATA

• A Pulitzer Price-winning book - GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL

• A book based on a true story - AUTOGOL

• A book at the bottom of your to-read list - THE PRINCESS BRIDE

• A book your mom loves - LE PETIT PRINCE

• A book that scares you - GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL

• A book more than 100 years old - LISISTRATA

• A book based entirely on its cover - IS EVERYONE HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME?

• A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t - (Nothing... I read everything I was supposed to in school. Sue me)

• A memoir - BOSSYPANTS

• A book you can finish in a day - GUIA PARA LA VIDA DEL ECOLOGISTA DE HOY EN DIA

• A book with antonyms in the title - GOOD GIRL GONE BAD

• A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit - CAIM

• A book that came out the year you were born - 100,000 KM TRAS LOS OVNIS

• A book with bad reviews - LOST SYMBOL

• A trilogy - RED RISING

• A book from your childhood - LE PETIT PRINCE

• A book with a love triangle - WICKED

• A book set in the future - HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

• A book set in high school - WICKED

• A book with a color in the title - RED RISING

• A book that made you cry - THE BOY IN THE STRIPPED PAJAMAS

• A book with magic - WICKED

• A graphic novel - GUIA PARA LA VIDA DEL ECOLOGISTA DE HOY EN DIA

• A book by an author you’ve never read before - EL INCREIBLE VIAJE DEL FAQUIR QUE SE QUEDO ATRAPADO EN UN ARMARIO DE IKEA

• A book you own but have never read - EL INCREIBLE VIAJE DEL FAQUIR QUE SE QUEDO ATRAPADO EN UN ARMARIO DE IKEA

• A book that takes place in your home town - A USTED TAMBIEN LE HA PASADO, ADMITALO!

• A book that was originally written in a different language - LE PETIT PRINCE

• A book set during Christmas - EL LIBRO DE NAVIDAD

• A book written by an author with your same initials - OTRA GENESIS

• A play - LISISTRATA

• A banned book - FAHRENHEIT 451

• A book based on or turned into a TV show - THE PRINCESS BRIDE

• A book you started but never finished - WICKED

UPDATE: Right after posting this, I lost one of the books, the one I'm supposed to finish asap... I am slowly dying.

UPDATE No. 2: Found it!!!

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments, oh dear

five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you measure... measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets?

In in midnights, in cups of coffee?

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife...

In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you measure, a year in the life?

2014 is almost gone and... I'm getting old. I'm thinking back about my life and thinking: what have I done with all these minutes?

I decided I'm not going to measure this year's success by how much work I had to do. Somedays I don't do much and some others I, honest-to-God, see the light of day and say: Oh Fuuuu--- it's 6AM already? send a finished file and go to bed.

Money? Nah... that's not a burden, or a joy.

So, how succesful was this little piggy (me) during the year?

I snag a picture and had the shortest chat with Rigoberto Urán during Bike week.
Is that success? being more excited about meeting a two-time Giro D'Italia podium winner than meeting Idina Menzel before the now infamous "Let it goocooooooooooo"?
- yeah, I met her too -

A couple of months ago my friends Maria() and Rafa got engaged and a about month ago they told me I was going to be their cyber "Maid of Honor". We're all social network people so I was all: WHO???? MEEEEE!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!

Is that success? becoming an important part of an important event of a couple of strangers you happened to meet a long ago and now they're the geeky cool friends you like to hang out with and they patiently take care of you even though your super allergic to their cats and you have to drug yourself everytime you visit?

During that same day, they took me on the longest bike ride on-mah-life... 95 kms (almost 60 miles).

Ninety-five kilometers!!!!! 65 from the original route + 30 to and from home.

I normally do, 25-30 kms on a Sunday stroll. The longest ever I did in the US was 50, maybe 60 km but this was waaaaaaay longer, and I was alive.

Once it ended, I rode back to my apartment under the pouring rain, all I heared as I hung my bike on the rack was the doorman asking: "Besides all wet like a puppy, are you ok, Miss?"

Is that success? overcoming your own barriers and doing things you never though possible?

Mr. Big sends his love everytime he can... and everytime he makes me smile and pout a little because I'm not with him snuggled in by his side eating pineapple pizza and watching movies like I should.

Is that success? having someone missing you as much as you miss them?

My sister's getting married and she's been marriage-thoning every Saturday on the last 6 months finding a church, a place for the party, a car, an apartment, furniture... and I've been watching everything from a safe distance, offering help when and where I may be able to.

I remember she mentioned a while ago that I would be fun if I drove the car that was going to take her to the church, so... nice, my part on that wedding was going to be "Driver of the Bride". Sweet!

A couple of weeks ago, the bride and the groom gave me a little box with a wedding invitation with my name and the words "Maid of Honor".

WHAT THE WHAT?!?!?!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be my sister's Maid of Honor which means... like in all Hispanic cultures, that I'll be their marriage godmother... oh my God... what were they thinking?? 

Yes, that is success. Thinking, for the last 3 years, how big a failure you are as a role model to one of the most important people in your life and finding out YOU WERE NEVER A FAILURE.

Yes, 2014 has been a great year.

Eyes where the eyes don't see

How nice it is when you feel two eyes watching you move... smile... talk... think.
Hiding in plain sight.

And when and you look at them, they look away.
You look again... and there they are.

My best friend's wedding

One year ago, while I was spending the most amazingly LAME Thanksgiving day in the History of lame Thanksgiving days, my best friend called me: I have to tell you something... Skype, NOW. It's HUGE!!

Knowing her like I do and knowing her current love situation I knew perfectly well what she was going to tell me. Of course I did...
The dude just proposed!!, she said. I can't believe it!!

(Btw, yeah, I've known this for a year now, when Mr. Big knew that didn't tell him and waited for her share the story he LITERALLY chased and spanked me around Downtown Ann Harbor with a flip-flop on his hand - true story.
What I don't understand is how he missed it, since she actually wrote a post about it?? -  burn baby!!)

That night we talked for hours, she told me the entire story.

A year passed and about a month ago she called me:
Hey queenie, what are you doing on the weekend of the 24th?
Hey princess! Not much I hope.
Will you be willing to fly to Ithaca for a weekend?
Why would I go to visit your fiance while you're in Colombia?
Will you, or not?!?!
I think I can... in theory.
Well, in theory I'll have a visa and will be there a week before.
Oh... so in theory we'll see each other!
And it theory you'll be a witness at my wedding!
SAY WHAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!
So... how do you write your name for ticket purposes, I need to book your ticket. Middle name?
Oh my God! is this really happening!?!?!?!

And so it happened.

I was there.

It was the greatest honor she could share with me. Being there, not as a witness but together as the sisters life gave each other to love and to bitch when the other one is doing something stupid is, by far, the greatest present anyone has ever given me.
I saw my best friend in the entire planet join hands with a wonderful, funny, smart and amazing man.
I heard him say how much he loved her and I heard her say she would go to the ends of the earth for him.
I was standing close enough to witness the way they lovingly looked at each other when they were pronounced "Husband and Wife".
I was there to see her transformation from a "Bah-Humbug! Bollocks to Valentine!" to a sweet "I found my prince charming... I've had enough frogs in my life. This one is taken bitches!!!". The roles have changed. Now, I'm the Humbug. A very happy Humbug because my best friend is the happiest person right now.

It was an extremely cold day in upstate New York but we didn't notice. Our sleeveless dresses and high heels were not ready for 10F nor snow but... pfff!!! it was the happiest day in my best friend's life so what if I lose a toe to hypothermia?!?!?!

You know I'll lose all 10 toes if you need me to walk across the North Pole.

I love you princess.

Of beauty, make-up and Photoshop

I'm going to be honest here, I don't think of myself as beautiful or sexy.
I'm not ugly either, I'm normal... nothing too fancy, not too disgusting, just... normal.
A good fashion sense, I guess.

I clean up nicely, they say. I dress pretty and the way I do my make-up is normal.
I like to have my hair put together when possible. Otherwise you'll see me on a not-so-pretty-sumo-wrestler-like pony tail but that's it. I'm a very normal, standard person.

Or so I thought.

This last weekend, as a celebration to the first tornado of the season, two of my friends and I decided to play dress-up and help one of them practice as she wants to become a make-up artist and hairdresser. We stayed home and... well...

Smokey sultry eyes, bright red lips, little black dress, beach wavy hair and I was done.
I looked different.
Just for fun, I took a selfie and whatsapped it to an ex-dude and he replied: "I'm not sure about it... I'll have to see it in person to comment"... whoa.

Of course, we HAD to take real pictures, OF COURSE! we were not going through all that and not have evidence of the beauty crime, right?
We turned the living room into a professional photographer studio with upside down lamps looking for the perfect "Facebook profile picture".

I didn't think it was going to be a big difference, it was just about the same right??
Wrong!

The result?

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRY-FIVE likes!!
Twelve hours after I posted my picture on Facebook, 135 of my friends liked it and 38 commented on it:
"You look like a beauty pageant contestant!"
"Gorgeous"
"Hey sexy, where have you been?"
"How YOU doin'?"
"You look super hot mamacita"
"Mafe, you look stunning"
"Damn girl! I'd date ya!" - from a girl.
A friend left a voice mail: "Since when do you look like Kim Kardashian????"... yes, apparently my friends drunk-dial my number.

Do you know what is like having 135 of the people you know clicking on LIKE?
Well, I never had anything like that happening to me so it felt AWESOME!!!!!

But here's the thing: that picture was completely staged.
There was nothing "casual" about that look: the make-up, the hair, the dress... yes, it was me under all that but that wasn't the real me.
Two hours after the picture was taken I was back in bed, with my hair and face washed and the model from the picture was gone down the drain, literally.

"Congratulations on your new look"... look? whatchu-talking about??
"I love your transformation"... what transformation?
"I barely recognized you! you look so pretty"... ohhhhh... kay... ummmm... thanks?

To make things funnier, I landed my first "modeling gig".
Yes, now I'm a model. No, I can't believe it either.

And no, I'm not a Victoria's Secret Angel, God forbid!
A friend of mine is part of a health research team (can't tell much because I just signed a confidentiality agreement) and they needed a Latina for his posters and, guess what? he called me.

At first, I thought it was going to be something simple, just go to his house and take some funny pictures.
Then shit got real yo': We had a meeting to discuss the "storyline", the "concept"... the actual contract... and I started to chickened out.

Then they sent me the address to the stud---- wait... STUDIO?!?! Yes, studio.

I had to stand THERE, in the middle of those lights, with a dude taking pictures of me while someone else kept saying: look sad, now look disappointed, now look happy, now look hopeful... now look at me, now back to you, now back to me, you are now petrified because you have 10 pairs of eyes watching your every move and you cannot smile when your supposed to frown... I'm on a horse.

I asked my friend if the camera was going to reflect all the imperfections on my face, I begged for  make-up!! to which he said:
"No worries Mafe, you'll be fine. You actually have to look older... I'll Photoshop a couple of years into your face, you are naturally cute and I need you to look old".

So, what is the definition of beauty?

Where is beauty actually? is it at the bottom of my make up bag or in the screen of a graphic designer?

I sent the first selfie that I've sent my ex to my dad and he didn't like it (what the duce?!?!): It's too much Nana. You don't look like yourself.
Then my dad saw the FB picture: same day, same face, same dress, same hair, BUT different lighting and he commented: That's much better, you see? you don't have to overdo things to look beautiful.

Is beauty in the eye of the beholder or in the hands of a lighting assistant?

I don't know, I just felt existential on my first week out in the world again.




BONUS TRACK: if you made it as far as this line and you didn't get the "I'm on a horse" thing:

Mr. Big (v)

Should I buy candy for any trick-or-treaters tonight?

... if you like those sorts of things.

I can always just turn off all the lights and hide in the kitchen...

That's my boy!!

What if no one comes to my house for candy?

Send them to me, of course!

Oh no, then you'll get fat and blame me for it.

Are you calling me f-----

WHAT? am I calling you WHAT?????

Ummmm....

If anything, I called the opposite of what you're thinking.

Wait!! are you calling me.... ummmmm....

Haha! Need a minute??

ARE YOU SAYING I DON'T HAVE WILL POWER?!?!

That's my girl!

:P

Yes, you are DEFINITELY a woman. Never losing a fight.

I know, right?!?!?!

A name that will never be the same

If you ever try to hit on a girl named Maria... THIS is how you do it.

I went to see "West Side Story" with a friend who's doing his PhD research on musical theater. How cool is that?
This guy is doing research on "West--- Side--- Story"... ha! and I thought my bikes were exciting.
Anyway, as we went to the theater he was explaining little details and fun facts about the play.

My favortite song? MARIA... because yes, I'm narcissistic. I wouldn't have a blog if I wasn't... duh!
You know the song? Maria? the one that goes: 
Maria... I've just met a girl named Maria... and suddenly that name, will never be the same to meeeeee...

Afterwards we went for a drink to KY to the Riverbend and there was a magician playing tricks to people passing by.
A little crowd was standing around him, we stopped for a while to watch his show and out of the blue he asks me to pick a card and asked what my name was.
- Maria
- Maria... I've just met a girl named Maria... and suddenly that name, will never be the same to meeeeee...
My friend joined in song, some other guys around as well. It was SUPER cool.
- [blushhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!]

----- a couple of weeks passed by ----

I went to Opera at the Park with my friend Mafe (yes, we both have the same nickname... double the Mafes, double the fun!!) and the orchestra and the chorus made it cool by mixing opera and musicals. 
My friend and I had front row seats and the soloist got off the stage to sing with the audience, stops in front of us and...
- Maria... I've just met a girl named Maria... and suddenly that name, will never be the same to meeeeee...
Yes, because my life is THAT COOL.

----- two months ago -----

When Mr. Big was visiting he said he wanted to see me in a dress, a girly-dress so I wore one to work on the day he was leaving before driving him to the airport.
Apparently, my dress was vintage Broadway style and I didn't know it.
Yeah, that's how fashionable I am now and I don't know it.

So, this old dude from the office who was on Sabbatical comes and introduces himself while complementing my dress.

- Hi, My name is Zach. What's your name.
- Maria.
- Maria... I've just met a girl named Maria... and suddenly that name, will never be the same to meeeeee...
- Awwwwwwwwwwww!!
Funny thing, the UPS guy walked-in and joined him:
- I've just kissed a girl named Maria... and suddenly I found, how wonderful a sound can beeeeeee...

-----

Today, I turned on the NPR while I was getting ready for work and well... what can I say...

Push play... and enjoy!

The most beautiful sound I ever heard:

Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria...

All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word...

Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria...

Maria!

I've just met a girl named Maria,

and suddenly that name, will never be the same... to me.

Maria!

I've just kissed a girl named Maria,

and suddenly I found, how wonderful a sound... can be.

Maria!

Say it loud and there's music playing,

say it soft and it's almost like praying.

Maria...

I'll never stop loving Maria!

The most beautiful sound I ever heard.

Maria...

Living, leaving, smiling, crying and changing

A couple of years ago I had 3 Colombian roommates: John B, Danny and Mauro.
We were not close friends, but we used to cook together, discuss politics and soccer, go out together from time to time and, most importantly, we respected each other's spaces.

Funny thing? They all had girlfriends/wives that I didn't like at the time. Today, I'm close friends with those THREE girls, all of them exes now: one moved to France and we talk every other week, another other moved to Boston and I was invited to her wedding, the last one moved to Singapore but came back to Cincy and now she's one of my closets bike/knitting "gurls".

You live, you change.

The biggest surprise of the century came two weekends ago when John B. called me and said: "I'm in Cincinnati, what are you doing Friday night? I want to see you! I'm staying at this guy's place, can you come??? please???"
Jaw... to... the... floor...
WHAT?!?!

I was having an after-school girl's dinner party at Shelley's so when I finished there I ran to my house, dropped my backpack, put on some make-up, fixed my hair, changed my horrible t-shirt into a cute top, picked-up the car and drove... drove like hell across the tri-county area to see him.

Oh. My. God!
I never imagined how seeing him would be one of the most emotional moments in a long time in my life.
I got off the car and he was waiting for me at the porch
I played cool and walked towards him but his pace was faster than mine.
He ran to me, and hugged me... and it was sweet.
And he lifted me like in the movies and --- hey! not like that!!! like a brother and sister that reunite after a long time.

You live, you smile.

He said something like: "I'm so happy to see you! I really wanted to see you. Thank you!!!"
I was speechless.
He kept talking: "I heard about what happened to you, the story reached to us in Medellin (the city where he lives). I'm sorry about that. Are you ok, now? is there anything I can do for you?... you look incredible by the way..."
Me? no words.
"You are the sweetest woman I know. Coming all the way from Cincinnati so late at night to see annoying old me... I'm really happy to see you!!"
"I know this past year has been hard for you, and I just want to tell you that we're all praying for you back in Colombia. We were worried but we know you'll be happy again... I'll take care of that, at least this week while I'm here."
"Mafe... are you ok? Mafe... speak!!"

It took me a while to gather my thoughts and all I could say is: It's... I'm just... I'm so happy to see you!!!! I can't believe how happy I am to see you!!!!!

It was true, I never imagined how happy seeing that annoying gentle giant of a dude would make me.

You live, you smile.

He was here the rest of the week, we had lunch one day, dinner another night and a couple of coffee afternoons.

He was one of my "11 male companions" this past Friday, of course!!
Unlike 5 years ago, he was not drinking, we were just talking, talking, talking... he was the designated driver. Say whaaaaaaaaat??
Unlike 5 years ago, he was not in the mood for staying late, he was tired and wanted to go home. 

You leave, you change.

He left this morning, yesterday a friend threw a farewell bbq party for him.
I was there all day with him.

I was truly amazed about how much we talked about everything: our lives, our future, love, friendships, old friends...

But the time came and I had to leave, we had to say good-bye.

He hugged me really tight and said:
" It was really good to see you. Please, let me know if you want to visit my city, I'd love to be as good as a host as you were mine.
Mafe, I'm glad to see you're getting better, little by little. I know you'll be back to normal in no time. You'll see. Forget all your sadness and come back to be the crazy geek I know!
Please forgive me for anything I did in the past, you're like a sister to me. I took your for granted. I'm sorry about that. Let's hope I can make up for lost time from now on."

... and right before my eyes started to "sweat"...

" J.B. you are one of the coolest and funnest friends I'll ever have from Cincinnati.
Sharing a house with you was an incredible adventure. This is not good-bye, just a see you later friend.
You were like a big brother to me, even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye on life, I know you would never let anything bad happen to me. I trusted you with my life! There's nothing to forgive.
I love you dude. Don't be a stranger. Cincinnati, Bogota, the North Pole, Timbuktu, wherever I am, you know you'll always have a place to stay with me. 
I love you dude, really."

... I never imagine I'd make him sniffle.

After our everlasting bear hug, I left.

You live, you leave, you cry, you smile... you change.

Nemo goes rogue

This past Friday two guy-friends, D and G, took Shelley and I out to play pool because they were going to teach us how to... or so they thought.


Mafe wins the fist game:

Well, look at you! you learn fast. Congratulations!!
Yay me!!!!!


Mafe wins the second game by fantasy-jumping for the 8-ball ...

You... are... a... SHARK!!!
Say whaaaaat??!?!
You're a "Pool Shark"
What are you talking about? I'm a baby guppy.
"Pool Shark"...as a horribly good player that pretends NOT to know how to lower everyone else's guard.

Nah... beginner's luck.

Beginner's luck could get you a couple of dollars... this just got you 2 glasses of wine, a cocktail, a mega burger, chicken wings, french fries, ice cream and cheesecake. You are a SHARK.


Mafe wins the third game:

Be honest, how long have you been playing?
[sigh]... My dad and my grandfather taught me when I was six and we had a Pool table at the Summer house. My sisters and I use to trick people into thinking they could beat us, also, when I was in College always won to---
I KNEW IT!!! GIVE ME BACK MY MEGA BURGER!!!
Dude, I won, fair and square. You guys wanted to teach little ol' me... you never asked if I knew how to play.
That's the exact meaning of the expression "Pool Shark": draw us in and then bite our heads off!
Don't be a cry baby. Next game: all or nothing. What do you say??
You're on.


And right after I won the forth game...

Duuuuuude!!
Don't... no.... not.... NO! get away from me. Don't talk to me.
Pffffffffff!!! How is that name that you want to call me? Nemo?
No. No. No. No... I am Nemo. You are Moby Dick!!
That's a whale, not a sha---- WAIT!! ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?!?!
Ohhhh-nononononono! I'M THE VICTIM HERE!!

Facts of life... so far.

I've been "under the knife" ONE time.
I have TWO gorgeous, super smart and funny sisters whom I admire and adore.
Last month, when I smashed my face, I got THREE stitches on my eyebrow.
Officially, I've lived in FOUR different US states.
I have FIVE blogs, but only write on 2 of them.
I've live in SIX different houses/apartments in Cincinnati.
My nuclear family has SEVEN people (6 + Mafe)
I have EIGHT nieces and nephews. None of them are my sisters' children. Just friends'.
It's been NINE months since I last spoke to a former friend I'm willing to move a "mountain" for  :'(
My car's mechanic gave me TEN cookies as a reward for "Ingenuity under flat tire distress".
My parent's live in a loft-like apartment on the ELEVEN-th floor.
I made frozen yogurt popsicles once and ate TWELVE on a weekend. Didn't share. No regrets.
I left Mr. Big at the airport THIRTEEN days ago. I cried. I always cry when we say good-bye.
Last year I went to Colombia for FOURTEEN days. Work related.
I've had FIFTEEN roommates so far. Not because of annoyance, people move on.
SIXTEEN must be number of times I've cut my hair (wtf?!?) fixing the band-aid on my scar.
I blocked or unfriended SEVENTEEN people on Facebook before closing my profile.
Recently I got a bag of EIGHTEEN Chocorramitos from a friend's mom [20 - 2 eaten by my friend].
I went to a Spa NINETEEN months ago to clear my head but it didn't do anything.
I've lost TWENTY kilos (44 lbs) in the last nineteen months.
I have TWENTY-ONE boards on Pinterest and I feel super girly about them.
I've listened to TWENTY-TWO audio-books in the last 18 months... ok... TWENTY-THREE.
I've been re-projecting GIS layers for my thesis for TWENTY-FOUR f**ing days.
I was TWENTY-FIVE when my grandma died. I didn't cry.
TWENTY-SIX... 's just a number.
One hour and TWENTY-SEVEN minutes has been my longest phone call this past week.
Today, I have two-hundred and TWENTY-EIGHT followers on Twitter.
I was TWENTY-NINE the first time I went to Chicago.
I've known my BFF for THIRTY years.
I have THIRTY-ONE videos on my Hulu queue: J.Stewart, S.Colbert, DDD and The Awesomes'.
It's been about THIRTY-TWO days since I touched my knitting needles and hooks.
I've known my longest childhood friend for THIRTY-THREE years. Met as toddlers? yes!!
For my THIRTY-FOUR-th birthday bash I got a Latin band and an entire bar for one night.
Turning THIRTY-FIVE today doesn't feel bad at all.

A little black dress

According to all fashion gurus, all women should have at least one little black dress in their closet.
That little black dress fashionable enough to look professional and pretty, but a dress that can be turned into a fun and sexy piece of wardrobe with a slight change of earrings, shoes or belt.

I had... none.

Nothing, I had one or two dresses that looked like XL moo-moo gowns, circus tents or ponchos.
Nothing pretty.

Today, I have... well... an orange one, a blue, a lilac, a gray, a green, a red, a brown one...  and THREE little black dresses,
I fit into small size dresses now. If you can't believe it, don't worry, neither can I.
From those 3 dresses, the first one was a present from my former roommate for my birthday last year.
The second was a Christmas present from my aunt Tita.
The third one was on sale and my friend told me I looked super cute in it so... I HAD to buy it.

Anyway.

This Friday was a friend's birthday and she wanted to go out for dinner and then dancing with all her friends.
She wanted her birthday to be something "fancy but fun".

It was a chance for me to wear one of my little black dresses.
The one with the cleavage is the only one I can wear in this weather... oh God!! why did I let my roommate give me that thing?!?!?!
I'm not comfortable showing that much skin.
I am truly NOT comfortable looking down and seeing 'all that' out in the open.
I am honestly NOT comfortable with that.

When I arrived at the restaurant, P&T asked me to sit in between them so I felt relieved.
"Sitting with the kiddies is going to make dinner easy" or so I thought:
P&T: Mafe!... you look pretty today.
Me: Thanks guys, that's sweet!
Yeah, you should wear more dresses like that. Your boobs look nice.
WHAT!?!?!?! Duuuuuuudes!!!!!!
Yeah, you look like the girls on tv.
Oh man...
Where are the moo-moos and the ponchos when I need them!?!?!?!
FUCK!!

Dinner's over, the kids and their parents leave, and the rest of us go dancing: Salsa, merengue... ing the night away.

I'm still feeling uncomfortable and I don't know if I can stand to long.
I'll probably leave early.

Yeah, I'll do that.

Then Mr. M., my coolest local guy-friend comes towards me...
MrM: "Parce", we can't let that dress go to waste (Parce = colombian slang for "dude")
Me: What are you talking about?
You never wear dresses and you don't go to work looking THIS HOT... we can't let that dress go to waste.
....
C'mon Parce... you look pretty. Dance with me?
....
I'm not going to apologize for telling the truth, you look good and you know it.
....
:P

And so we danced all night, every time he asked me to, he said the same thing: "C'mon, that dress is not going to be wasted", and smiled.

So yeah, every woman needs that little one black dress that makes her look super hot.

More important, every woman needs at least one male friend who's close enough to say good and bad things about you in your face.
A couple of babies will do the same, but keep in mind, kids don't have filters and they will blurt out the truth. Be ready for anything.

... We all need confidence boosts from time to time and I got two in one night.
 Life's good.

One night

That's all it took for me to see you in a different way.

One night talking about you and me, talking about being happy, about being important.
One night sharing stories.
One night being serious and being funny. Being children and adults.
One night when I felt "worshiped"... yeah, before you said it, I felt it.
One short night.

On that night your arms became the coziest place in the entire world.
I heard your voice as the soothing sound I needed.
I felt you warmth even though the cold wind was chilling the Universe.
I felt your hand holding mine, taking me to a place I wanted to be.
I felt your heart... beating... beating... beating.

One night, that's all it took for me to find you.
Did you find me?

One night, that's all it took for us to destroy it.

I miss you T.

I really do.

Dancing naked with the blinds open

I love to swim, I like that feeling. Floating, nothing holding me but my own strength.
Swimming feels like flying. I'm free.
The feeling of freedom is amazing.

I love to dance, even though I'm not sure I'm that good a dancer but I love it... well... no complaints on that area either, thank you very much for asking.

Have you ever been home alone, and turned the music up and jumped, sang, danced as loud and as funky as you can because... well... nobody's watching you? Yeah, I do that [... a lot!].

Now, what if you danced... naked?
That "yay! freeeee!" feeling  would be multiplied by a MILLION, wouldn't it?
But wait... what if someone IS watching you? would you stop dancing, ran to the closet, get dressed, shut the blinds and never do it again?
How big an exhibitionist are you? would you still do it?

What if you were on a skycrapper, no other buildings around... would you dance naked with the blinds open?
Only people with telescopes or on a helicopter would be able to see you, would you still do it?

I feel like dancing and swimming when I write. I'm rambling stupid thoughts from my the bottom of my heart.
Now that I'm doing it in English, I can let those things inside of me that I don't tell anyone but I need to get out of my soul (oooohhhh... so... so... cheesy?) loose, and guess what? no one's looking!
I can write whatever I want... and no one's looking!

In the beginning, I created this new blog to practice my writing, to gather feedback about what I want to say and the way I said it.

I thought it was going to be like my first blog, baby #1... and give me back the same kind of experience: comments, cameos, video-blogs, photo-blogs, travels, interviews, awards, a bunch of new friends all over the world and--- hey--- THAT was one fun baby!
RIP baby. Sorry baby.

Blog-baby #2 started as a sad pathetic excuse to breathe... and then love died. I'm not going to write about my past anymore, what for? it's dead. It's gone.
Now, that baby is under a serious make-over and the sad depressing stories were put aside and it's becoming more fun as time passes. Some of the readers from baby#1 found him and well, I'm a happy momma.

So... now... my dearest none existing audience, just in case you didn't know, you're reading baby #3.

She's my adopted savage girl from another country that doesn't know what to say, or how to say it but will blurt it out anyway. She doesn't know the meaning of the word "boundary" because she doesn't speak the language, she can say whatever she wants and it will make her happy.

She's happy, she's free, she's on fire.

She dances naked with the blinds open and she doesn't care.