I quit

That's what I told my big BIG boss about two weeks ago.

I started not to like my contractor's job or the supervisor's attitude, feeling like my work there was taking me nowhere, far away from hapiness.

Yes, I was still an independent urban planner/engineer, and I was just a part-time contractor there but hey... I'm not there for the money (alone), or for the "let's keep in touch, buddy!". I want to go places!

So yeah, I quit.

I sat along two of the big people in charge and quit.

Call me an a$$hole, I actually asked them for recommendation letters to take to new job prospects.

They said they'll given them to me. "We'll call you tomorrow to make sure all's well", they said before leaving.

I went home, with a little bit of luck they'll find something nice to say about me.

I thought I was going to be sad but I was actually proud of how brave I was and, honestly, how straightforward I was able to talk... a little badass! hell yeah, baby!

The next day I went out for coffe with Anycas and Mapicava when I got a call from one of them:

Mafe, are you sitting down?

Huh?

Are you sitting down?

Ummm... I am. What's going on?

You're hired.

Whhhh--- huh!?!?!

You're our new full-time --- and everything went blurry after this sentence ---

So yeah, I went from an "I quit", to a "You're hired full time" in less than 36 hours, in the same company.

According to Mr. Big, in the last 3 years, every January has become a month of HUMONGOUS changes in my life. All of them looked like jumps off cliffs at their moments but turned out to be starting points of incredible adventures.

This adventure started two weeks ago, I haven't have much sleep since then but I've never been happier.

My dreamed job was waiting for me, and I had to crawl, scratch and bite to get it, but I got it.

2015, you started well. Keep them coming, I'm ready.

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.

Being innocent

Today I went out on my last Sunday bike ride of the year.

Today is the "Day of the holy innocents", it's how catholics call the day when Herod killed all the newborn babies while trying to kill baby Jesus.

Today was like a scene from a Disney movie, the weather was perfect, sunny and warm.

I kept seeing little children taking their Christmas bikes and skates for a ride, actually learning how to ride without training wheels.

I saw a little girl, wearing baby blue skates, with her baby blue helmet, baby blue knee and elbow pads... falling fat on her face, crying because she got her gear all dirty and scratched.

There was this other little guy who ran in front of me and I almost ran him over. All I could do was hit the breaks and scream "Dooooooooooooooooooooon't ever do that again dude!!!!". I think he was more freaked out because of the sound and high pitch of my terrified voice than the fact that I could've hurt him.

Of course, someone was funny enough to give his grandma a full-geared bike and found out she was in way bettet shape than any of the million and a half people out on their bikes today and was now running after her.

Three little girls were out with their parents, all of them on their brand new Barbie bikes, all of them without their training wheels, each one of them going in opposite directions and their parents freaking out, screaming, and most probably regretting having those little side wheels taken off.

It was like a Disney movie, everyone was happy, everyone was friendly. Even the mom of the kid I almost killed.

But, like every little happy story, it must come to an end.

As I got home, I found my Twitter feed filled with pictures of a guy I remember having met a while ago. I checked Facebook and it was just the same... he was dead.

He was friends with most of my bike friends and friends with many of my former students from 10 years ago. Oh... no.

Cesar was dead, a group of teenagers thought his bike had more value than his life and shot him while he was up-hill training in a small town 3 hours from Bogotá... as his mom and dad were pacing him, guarding him, so other cars wouldn't run him over. They saw him died. Is there a worst memory for a parent?

Regular people barely knew his name, but among the bike people, he was one of the most important people in the city. Not only he was a bicycle activist but he was actually doing real work in the real world -- in the real city, to make it a better place for bikes. He co-wrote the book on bikes I now treasure on my desk.

Today, we're all Cesar, we won't stop riding, we're not afraid.

I join Carlos Pardo when he says: "I know Saint Peter is a cyclist, and he'll send you to the deepest of Hells, to a frozen lake where you deserve to be with Cain, Anthenor, Ptolomeo and Judas, and every single bike robber who's had the stupid and God-forbbiden idea of killing a person.".

You deserve nothing... assholes.

Every stupid question

... requires a not-so-gentle answer.

Old lady: I heard your sister's getting married.
Me: Yeap.
Old lady: Oh my God!! what's gonna happen to you?
Me: what do you m--- WHAT?
Old lady: When are YOU going to get married?
Me: HA! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!
Old lady: ??
Me: Duuuuude, Been there, done that, wasted my time... never again.
Old lady: Who are you calling DUDE, young lady? show some respect!
Me: That's the same thing I thought when you decided to slam yourself into my personal life.... DUDE.

... and I left.

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.

And now, a sad story

I've been having some weird dreams lately.

I've seen this kid I used to hung out with, sick. Hospital bed SICK, So sick his grandma called me and asked me to visit him. I woke up before I even got a chance to know what was going on.

I've seen myself robbing a house (wait---- WHAT?)

I've seen children crying by a lake.

I've seen a weird birthday celebration that became a ninja fight that took me to a farmer's market (what the deuce?!?!) just like the ones with the giant chicken from Family Guy.

Well...

None of those dreams warned me about tonight's call.

Tito, my lended dad from DC, is suffering from something the doctors aren't sure exactly what it is he's all the symptoms of a stroke without the chemical damage in his brain. He's dizzy, he's memory is failing and he's sleepy most of the time.
When we called him, he recognized our voices immediately, he's aware of everything that is going on.

My ignorant non-medical brain thinks that's a good thing, I guess.
He knows about his therapies and the medicines he needs, but at the same time he's aware of what Tita's going through, his son and daugthers... and my little monsters.

Today was the first day I wished with all my heart to be somewhere else but home.

I wanted to be at my other home.

I wanted to help, or just to keep them company, to be there the same way they kept me company, spoiled me when I needed to smile, gave me shelter when my life was falling apart and kept my secrets when I knew I would be judged anywhere else.

I need a... something to take me there.