I'm a lot like Joseph

I spent a few hours with my grandparents yesterday. I love hearing my grandpa talk about working in Galveston, Texas between 1950 and 1980. He was a union member and (still, to this day) a loyal Democrat. My grandma usually talks about growing up in South Texas. Today she told me more about her grandfather Joseph. He was a hardworking man and devout Presbyterian. According to her, I am a lot like him. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'm not a believer. She showered me with attention the whole time. I'm a lucky individual.

I will be spending New Year's Eve with my father’s family. I love them but must admit that I am much closer to my mother's family. Of course that won't stop me from having a great time. 2005 has been a memorable year. I received my Master's degree in the summer and gave two talks at the university. I'm looking forward to 2006. I will be teaching my first undergraduate course; that's the biggest (and scariest) challenge I'll be facing next year. Wish me luck.

It's great being back in Texas

I woke up early this morning full of energy. My mom had to go to work to take care of a few things. I decided to go with her since I had nothing better to do. I had asked a friend to meet me at my mom’s office; she showed up at 11 AM. I gave her a tour of the 6th floor and took her to the roof of the 6-story building. The view of Downtown Brownsville, Texas was amazing. We could even see the city of Matamoros, Mexico in the distance. We decided to eat lunch at a seafood restaurant that was just two blocks away. We both ordered fried shrimp with French fries and a salad. Everything was delicious. We were both in town for a few days. She will be heading back to D.C. some time next week, and I’ll be returning to Florida next Tuesday. We made plans to meet in Miami in March. I’ll have two months to practice my salsa moves.

I spent the rest of the day with my mom and two brothers. We went to the mall and a few other shops. We laughed, argued, and did things that families usually do. At 7 PM, we had dinner at some BBQ place. I didn't eat much. We continued having a good time. We got home a few hours later. My dad, brother, and a few of their friends started playing poker. I decided not to play because I suck—and I also had to check my email accounts. I was listening to Billy Currington while reading emails. I should also point out that Billy looks great without a shirt!

As I’m sitting here writing this post, my family is still in the family room playing poker. It feels great being back in my parent’s home, back in the city of my ancestors. Sometimes I wish I could turn back time and replay these great moments over and over again--laughing, arguing, crying, smiling, and doing everything families do, but for eternity.

Sick (but natural) and without a care in the world

I've been feeling a bit under the weather for the past few days. Yes, I hate coughing and sniffling all over my coworkers--of course, I'm sure they hate it more. And it's no fun feeling completely worn out. The common cold can be a bitch. However, this bitch gives you a license to not care about the usual things one is forced to deal with when in a healthy physical state. For example, I woke up yesterday, took a shower, got dressed, and decided not to fix my hair. It's true! I just didn't have the energy to add gel to my hair, style it, restyle it again, blow dry, and restyle yet again to perfection. So I went to work looking sick (but natural). I have no idea if anyone noticed, but it made no difference to me at that moment--I was sick! Fortunately, my condition improved as the day progressed thanks to DayQuil. Anyway, I spent most of the day working on an important project and trying to avoid coughing all over my coworkers. I considered calling in sick, but I couldn't because I had a big project to complete before Christmas break.

I'm heading to Texas tomorrow, and I'm really looking forward to spending a week with family and friends. I'll take pictures, of course, and share them with all of you. Well, friends, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. If you've been naughty, then I envy you because I've been the exact opposite of naughty (and not by choice). If you've been nice, then I hope you are rewarded as is customary in our culture. Best wishes to you all!

November

I arrived in Washington, D.C. on a Friday in mid-November. I stayed in D.C. for about a week. Click here to view some of the pictures I took while in our nation's capitol. I was there attending a conference and was also able to spend time with a friend from Texas who is currently living in D.C. Seeing her reminded me of the great people from South Texas. On Saturday night, she took me and another friend to a place called Cafe Luna (I think that's what it's called). There's a restaurant on the main floor and a bar in the basement. We headed downstairs to the bar and had a few drinks. The dj was playing Latin music and there was so much energy in the room. At some point, I revealed my secret to my friend. She looked at me with a surprised look on her face. I could tell she was trying to think of something to say. After a brief moment of silence, she smiled and then hugged me. I can't remember exactly what she said after that, but she thanked me for trusting her. We danced for hours.

I left the hotel at 5 AM, Wednesday morning. The taxi was waiting for me in front of the hotel. The driver was an older man of African descent. On the way to the airport, he started telling me about his life in D.C. Apparently, he was an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago, and he was miserable in the states. I told him that my father was a foreigner, and that seemed to invigorate him a bit more. He confessed to me that he was saving up to move back to his native country. He went on to say that Americans are racist. He told me about the wonderful people of Trinidad and Tobago. I said very little, but I understood why he hated America. I hope he finds what he's looking for in his native land.

I arrived in Florida that evening. I was glad to be back home. I've been living in the Florida Panhandle for a little over a year, and I'm starting to appreciate the local culture. Of course, I miss Buffalo, New York and the great state of Texas. I will also miss Florida when I leave in a few years. I'm not sure where I'll end up after I get my degree, but I am certain about one thing: I will always enjoy being a part of any community--every place has its charm.

Yes, Tilda is still a fascinating woman and . . .

Yesterday, I saw the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (it was my friend's idea). The only reason I agreed to watch the film was because of Tilda Swinton. The movie is great for younger audiences and families. However, the movie didn't move me; sure, it was entertaining, but I left feeling a bit disappointed. I guess the kid in me will be forever dormant or maybe he just doesn't exist anymore, which is kind of sad. Anyway, Tilda is one of my favorite actresses. She's a fascinating person who refuses to conform. I respect her immensely.

Project Runway 2: It's going to be an interesting season, and here are my first impressions of the designers and the show:

Exceptional group: Santino, Chloe, Nick, and Emmett (he may need to prove himself more); Group w/ great potential: Kara, Diana (innovative but is that enough?), Raymundo (he may need to prove himself more), Daniel V., Guadalupe (crazy in a good way!); Group w/ some potential: Marla & Zulema (both ladies definitely need to prove themselves more); Group that's least likely to succeed: Andrae (not impressive--he needs to get his act together) & Daniel F. (talented but he has time management issues).

Here's what I think: There's something about Emmett that's really appealing to me. He has some "Tim Gunn" qualities, which is a very good thing. Diana, Raymundo, Kara, and Guadalupe are really likeable. I wish them well. Zulema may seem like a bitch, but here are some positive things to consider. She was honest about her personality at the outset, which may mean that she's not a fake person (let's hope that turns out to be the case). There's nothing wrong with being confident and vocal as long as one is fair and consistent, although Zulema didn't appear to be a very considerate person in the first episode. We'll see what happens, and I think Andrae needs to take a chill pill.

Interesting observation #1: Both Asian American designers, Diana and Chloe, are from the South (Florida) and Southwest (Texas), respectively. That's interesting because these areas are not known for having large Asian/Asian American populations. However, it should be noted that Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S., so it's a diverse area. Interesting observation #2: Hispanics (and partial Hispanics) are well represented. Clearly, Raymundo (Mexican) and Nick (part Venezuelan) are Hispanic. Guadalupe Vidal (partial Hispanic?) and Daniel Franco may also be Hispanic (if you consider their looks and last names). Santino (Quinto?) Rice and Andrae Gonzalo may also be partial Hispanics, but to a lesser extent than the others. Interesting observation #3: Have you noticed an interesting trend? The first three designers that were eliminated were all "white" (stereotypical All-American types: John, Heidi, & Kirsten). Emmett, Daniel V. & Kara better not slack off or else . . .