Feb
22

Stirring Up Drama

Me hace reír un poco que entre la gente que sabe de mi blog está mi famila. Lo que es todavía más chistoso es que la mayoría no ellos no lo leen, sino que están recibiendo la versión editada, interpretada para causar shock.

It’s funny that now the people that read my blog now includes my family. Even funnier is that most of them don’t even read it but get the information second hand and a little “edited” for shock value.

Por mucho tiempo en este blog no ha habido drama. Me he regado en muchos temas, pero nunca he atacado a alguien personalmente. Lo siguiente de pronto es sorpresa para algunos, pero lo que yo tengo que decir, se lo digo a la persona de frente, o directamente por un e-mail. En serio, pregúntele a cualquiera que ha leído uno de mis mensajes y le dirán que yo digo exactamente lo que pienso.

I have had a very drama free blog for quite a while. I have ranted here, but have never personally attacked anyone. This next one is going to be a shocker for some people; what I really think of people or want to say to them, I say it to their face, or in a very direct e-mail. Trust me, the people that have read some of my e-mails can attest that I say everything I am thinking about.

Lo que escribí el Viernes, que supuestamente fue algo que puse para que la gente se riera, causó bastante drama y fue el tema del Sábado por la tarde. La mayor parte de lo que pasó me hace reír, pero también salieron muchas cosas no fueron para reírse. Algunas personas terminaron con sus sentimientos heridos; al mismo tiempo dijeron cosas que no son verdad y que también hirieron. Así quiera ponerme a discutir los detalles que me parecen bastante cómicos, no quiero seguir más con este tema. Mucha gente toma las cosas que leen en la Internet en serio y no se dan cuenta de que lo que yo escribo muchas veces es para hacer reír… por eso esta en la categoría de “Chistes”. Tampoco se dan cuenta que este es MI BLOG y que yo aquí escribo lo que “se me da la gana.”

So my little Friday post, that was supposed to make people laugh caused unreal amount of drama, and became a source of discussion when my family got together Saturday. Most of it is funny to me, but there are certain things that are actually not funny. Some people’s feelings got hurt, and in turn they said some thing that were pretty inaccurate and hurtful as well. As much as I want to share the things I found hilarious I will put this issue to rest by just not bringing it up beyond this point and not recounting what anyone else said. Some people are just too serious and don’t get that I write things to amuse and that is why they are under the “funny” category. Some people also don’t get that this is MY BLOG and in my best interpretation of John Malcovich in Rounders, I can say “whatever the fack I want.”

Yo tengo cuidado con lo que digo acerca de mi trabajo, porque si no cómo me sigo engordando. Pero estoy escribiendo esto en Español y en Inglés para que no quede ninguna duda de lo que dije, o quise decir.

I censor myself about my job, because let’s face it, I need to keep myself WoW Chubby. So I am going to write in both Spanisn and English to clarify what I did say and did not say.

Yo nunca dije que mi familia era un montón de sapos. Lo que dije fue que había de pronto un par y expliqué el término.

I did not call my family a bunch of snitches. I said a couple of people had snitched and explained the term.

Yo AMO a mi familia, pero ODIO el chisme y el drama.

I LOVE my family, but gossip and drama, I HATE.

La idea de las empanadas para mi cumpleaños fue a último momento porque YO NO QUERIA FIESTA. Solamente queríamos ver el Superbowl juntos, y mi mujer, mi hermana y mi mamá querían hacerme algo especial. YO NISIQUIERA PEDI EMPANADAS; lo único que me hicieron especial a mí fue principio de zanahoria que casi nadie comió, pero a mi me encanta. NO FUE FIESTA, NO TRATAMOS DE DEJAR A NADIE POR FUERA.

The whole empanadas for my birthday thing was a last minute thing because I DID NOT WANT A PARTY. We just wanted to enjoy the Superbowl together, and my wife, my sister and my mom wanted to make a special meal for me. I DID NOT EVEN ASK FOR EMPANADAS; the only special thing that was made for me was a carrot stew that nobody else really cared for, but I love. THERE WAS NO PARTY, WE DID NOT TRY TO LEAVE ANYONE OUT.

Gracias por leer mi blog, pero si quiere compartirlo con alguien que no entienda Inglés o los chistes, solamente dígame que no tengo ningún problema en traducir gratis lo que yo digo para que no haya malentendidos.

Thanks for reading my blog. If you want to share it with someone that does not understand Spanish or my humor, just tell me, I have no problem translating my posts for free so there are no misunderstandings.

Feb
05

And I still have hair on my head!

I’m not much for birthday celebrations, but with my wife and friends I have had some amazing birthday celebrations the past couple of years. This year being close to family is going to make it just as special since Bea, Mom and Sister are going to go all out and make home made Empanadas for superbowl watching to celebrate my birthday.

I am not overly retrospective today funny enough. It might be the cold I am getting over, too much work to do or just being ready for the weekend.

I do have still hair on my head. I thought I would be bald by now because one of my great uncles that I seem to share a lot of genes with was bold by this time. Thinning hair, but still got it up there. Actually that same uncle is the one that made me start thinking of changing my relationship with food since he did pass away younger than he should have.

I’m much wiser than when I started my 20s and in a lot of ways a totally different person, but the more I think about it, the more I am coming back to some of those same ideas I had when I was young. I guess everything is a cycle of change when it comes to your personality, passions and likes. Being away from Chicago for over six years makes things feel familiar and yet evolved in some senses. Leaving was one of the best things I did for becoming a true adult, coming back is probably going to complete that chapter in more ways than anything else.

The 30s have never scared me… actually I don’t think any age really scares me. I know how inevitable getting old is and I embrace the fact that I will eventually get into the XO territory and hopefully not be as cranky as Meesha really is. It has been a great trip until know and I look forward to at least doubling my current age and hopefully tripling it if possible… who knows maybe aliens will get here and I’ll get to multiply it by 4.

I got some awesome surprise calls today that truly made my day! I did not expect them at all :)

I thank you for all the good wishes, all the phone calls and overall your relationships. I think that is what makes my life so awesome, that I have so many amazing people around me. You make me very glad to be me! so thank you!

Jan
06

Elders

We have a neighbor that is well into her 80s. We are always conflicted as to how involved we should get. We have had a couple of good conversations with the lady and have learned lots about her life. Every time we have offered help she has been polite to decline it and seems to be a private person even though she has shared some of her life story with us. The conflict comes from both Bea and I coming from a society where our elders were not just part of our lives, they were integral parts of our formation as human beings. Elders are not just respected but rather revered. I cannot forget the first time I went to an “old folks home” back in Colombia when I was a kid and thinking about how it was like an orphanage but for older people. I never imagined that in the society that I would become an adult, a “retirement community” was not the exception but pretty close to the rule.

This society is geared towards individualism and youth. Every day industries promote the fountain of youth and how people are living longer, but also how obsessed people are with staying young. The 40s are the new 30s and so on. Many people are scared of getting older in all societies, but getting older in the U.S. can be right down terrifying.

My paternal grandfather passed away in 2006 and my maternal grandfather is getting older each day. My Mom and I have talked about how my grandfather’s light is not shinning as bright as it used to. This is the man that taught me how to play chess and was always very assertive and successful business man. Now his days are full of anxiety about his illness and all he seems to look forward to now are his yearly trips to Colombia to escape the winter. The cold that to him is killing him might be related more to the coldness of this society has towards the elder rather than the temperature on the thermometer. He would gladly spend the rest of his life back in Colombia, but my grandma who is over a decade younger than him wants to be here where all of our family is. Read more…

Jan
04

I Know Nothing

Welcome to the Decade. Surprisingly enough, my new years is pretty free of resolutions. I have spent the last couple of weeks recounting much of the past decades and the changes that come along with such a long period of time. I look back and see that I am not in my twenties anymore and I could not be any happier.

“I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.”
- Socrates

I was still very young when Y2K make my metabolism “non compliant” anymore. I thought I had everything figured out and all of my plans were in motion. I still thought I could make people happy, even if I was unhappy myself. I thought that everyone had good in them and that time will bring it out. I thought that everyone wanted to strive to make themselves better and there was no such thing as unwanted advice. Read more…

Dec
25

Christmas Eve

I like learning about other cultures, specially traditions. I am now an American and have participated in many of the holiday traditions here, mostly the face stuffing goodness that this holiday season brings. I do miss the Colombian Christmas celebrations back in the motherland. My family in Chicago still keeps some of the traditions and has added some new ones from here, but missing the smell of fireworks during perfect 75 degree nights is hard to recapture.

Christmas in Colombia was a neighborhood affair. People take their sounds systems to the street and a block party is on. Fireworks big and small are going off all around while everyone stays up until midnight. It is truly a time for friends and family to share and get together to celebrate the meaning of the holiday.

This will be the first Christmas while living in Chicago in over six years and it could not be any sweeter. My wife loves the concept of family as much as I do. My cousins are almost adults and very cool people to hang out with. I now have a nice and nephew to spoil and cannot wait to see them opening presents.

It was pointed out to me over and over that I talked way too much about Chicago. While I have missed the food and places I like to hang out with, what I truly missed was the people. My family and friends mean the world to me, and having my family close for these occasions is great. I do miss the people both in Michigan and Kansas City where I have been for the past six years. I never thought being back would feel so much like coming home, but it does.

I hope you are spending the holidays with the people that are important to you. Cherish those relationships, because my friends, that is the true definition of wealth, having people to share special times like this with you.

Happy Holidays!

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