the sky

The sky is lovely this morning.

I attempt to catch up

I have been weirdly busy but not really busy at all.  I've been working on new writing all week, some new poems and a couple of longer pieces.  My life fills up quickly too, with all the friends I attempt to keep up with and then the down time I try (and often fail) to take for myself.  

I have been having trouble sleeping.  I had an unfortunate incident a couple of weeks ago with an intruder in my home in the middle of the night and ever since I've been very jumpy.  Every little noise wakes me up and as a result I have been exhausted during the days.  I wasn't hurt, only terrified, there are worse things.

I didn't get a scholarship to Key West Literary Seminar but I did get a very nice financial aid package.  I have to pay for my own airfare and it is pretty dang expensive.  I have a decision to make, car insurance or Key West?  Key West wins.  

I have a reading this Sunday at 3pm at Open Door Books in Pacific Beach.  An open mic will follow.  I will debut some new stuff I dig, try it on, see how it feels. The reading starts at 3pm. Come on down, say hello!

I just heard Cafe Tacuba is coming to House of Blues on the 25th of this month.  Can I handle it?  Can I?!?!

the dead, the living, other incidentals.

I made my Day of the Dead altar this weekend.  On the altar I have my grandfather, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, B's grandmothers and a couple of friends of his who passed last year.  I love the ritual of creating the altar.  Last night I lit the candles and sat in front of it for a long time remembering my grandfather.  Pretty beautiful.  The full moon had me a little crazy last night  Full moon and Day of the Dead, intense.

Halloween was a blast.  I can't post my entire costume because it was pretty racy.  B was the Joker in the nurse uniform which people loved. I never saw the Dark Night so it was out of context for me.  We had people over to my place for dinner and then took the crowd the the Whistle where we danced our booties off.  Pretty great Halloween, today, Tuesday, I may finally have recovered.  There were a couple of minor adventures including a man who followed me out of the bar screaming Latina! Latina! He then told B You want to keep your Latina happy?  Keep her in the kitchen! I am no one's Latina.  I belong to me, quite happily.

Lots of writing planned today.  Locking myself in my office until this afternoon.  I'm reading my Heroes poem at the opening of the Chula Vista City Council Meeting today at 4.

whoa, stripes

My Halloween costume is amazing.  I don't know if I can post pictures of it but I tried it on last night and it blew my mind.  My chaps: rad.  The gloves: rad.  My tail: RAD!!!!! Last year I was quite prudish with my Virgin Mary costume, this year, I look like a stripper on safari.  But whatever, I look amazing. 

Te Voy a Mostrar

Julieta Venegas

holy bovines

And then I get busy, way busy, super busy, wonderful busy and forget to blog. Or, just don't have the energy.  My tweets stay strong because I am kind of addicted to twitter.

I've been translating the poetry of Nara Manur and digging it very much. I've been attempting to do one rough translation a day.  I picked up her book in Cuba a couple years ago.  For some reason I had it on the shelf on my bookshelf I keep for books I'm embarrassed to have read. Pretty good shit.  I called my friend Laura in Cuba and she is putting me in touch with Mansur, I hope, so that I can run a few things by her. 

I've been asked to read the poem I wrote for KPBS Local Hispanic Hero Awards at the Chula Vista City Council meeting next week.  Pretty cool.  

Working on my Halloween costume with my friend Andy's girlfriend who is a costumer.  Today I should finish the zebra chaps and start designing the make-up.  I don't now what we're doing yet for Halloween but I'm sure it will be brilliant.  We can't drink as much this year because B has to work Sunday morning but that is probably a good thing considering the hangover last November 1.  I love my costume, I love it!! I was prancing around the apartment complex last night showing it off to the neighbors.  I make a damn good zebra and kind of love having a tail.

I miss La Creep and haven't seen her since the Cat Power concert almost 2 months ago.  We talk daily but I miss her in my guest room  and I miss her on my sofa watching bad reality dating shows on VH1, she is wonderful to feel morally superior with. She may be coming down November 8 for a reading I think I'm doing.  The bookstore that scheduled it scheduled it last year and I've never heard from them again.   

Love Will Tear Us Apart

Joy Division

the heart is not a parking garage with attendants

Last night I sat on the balcony looking to see if any meteors were straggling from the shower the night before.  I've spent many important moments on that little balcony.  When I first moved in to this place, my heart broken, I remember not being able to sleep.  I hadn't set up my bed yet or anything that all.  The entire apartment was in disarray and my heartbeat was a gong of fail, fail. I sat on the little balcony for hours, from the middle of the night until dawn, wrapped in a blanket wondering what this new home would bring me.  Great things, shelter and a kind of softness.

Thinking this morning on leaps of faith and bravery.  I used to be braver than I am now. I wasn't ever afraid of taking risks. I may be swinging back.  I forgot the flip side of joy is terror, what makes the joy intoxicating and dangerous. Something to think about, not just on my balcony, not just waiting for things to fall out of the sky.

Perfect Day

Lou Reed

heh, heh, balls

Bad blogger! I'm tired, very very tired and haven't yet fully recovered from my Berkeley days.  I have to get to the Korean Spa in the next couple of days and sweat out the tired, naked.

Yesterday was my dad's birthday. Last night we went bowling and watched the Chargers get desroyed by the Broncos. We were at a bowling alley in Chula Vista, everyone wore Charger gear, even me.  Walking into the bar/bowling alley I felt like I was back in high school and all of the Charger gear-wearing people were the people who made me feel like a total freak and weirdo.  I mentioned that to Cecil and he reminded me I probably annoyed the crap out of them with my freak and weirdness, fair enough.

B and Cecil were with me, I love them and love having them as my male besties.  When they get together they speak a language I really can't comprehend, the language of sports nerds. I'm still figuring out what they meant by someone having a glimmer. They talk about coaches and players as if they know them, I am fascinated. One of the few times I have nothing to say.

Bowling with the family was good.  My baby sister flew in from Las Vegas to surprise my dad for his birthday and he was overjoyed to see her and have all of his "babies" together.  I am the worst bowler in the world.  I also yell at my bowling ball.  My beautiful family has fun together. I am very, very lucky.

Some years I care about football, some years I don't.  This year I don't care, although I still kind of follow along and get disappointed when the Chargers lose.  This Sunday the Chargers will play the Chiefs and I'm trying to figure out a good bet for me and my friend R to have on the outcome of the game. Humiliation is key but now that the Chargers are sucking ass so brilliantly and without remorse, I fear I may be the one humiliated.

Damascus

Sufjan Stevens