Fun.

How to best describe how I'm feeling:

Imagine your bones. Imagine your bones wanting to rip out of your muscle and skin and bang themselves repeatedly onto a wall until they break. That's how much my bones ache. Wee.

So last night I got about a total three or three and a half hours of sleep. Between the dogs barking, my continuous sneezing, the headache, the bone ache, and the tooth ache, that was all I got. So I've decided that next time, I want to have sleeping pills. I really am considering it since three hours of miserable sleep vs eight hours, I think we have a clear winner.

By the way, I am fully aware that I'd hallucinate. But I'm beginning to think that a few minutes of seeing normal lights look like disco lights and having a full night of sleep, well. I'm willing to risk that. 

So, to that person you see barely hanging on, be kind. Don't say, "I slept in! TILL TWELVE!" Because that will make that person most probably want to kill you. Or at least, produce extensive bodily harm.

I hate it when I have sick posts, because it makes me feel like a whiner, but you know what? When my body decides to get sick, it gets sick in the most spectacular of ways. For sure.

Idiocracy, part 5,000

So I was browsing Endi.com to see if there was any relevant news when I spot on the most read "Sangrienta noche de boda," which means bloody wedding night. The subtitle of the story was "man shoots wife for her not being a virgin." And as I read the story, I could not stop myself from getting angrier and angrier. Basically, if I had run across a gamma ray, I'd probably already be She-Hulk. And on my way to that place to rip that motherfucker's dangly gonads off.

It just brings out and puts right into the spotlight the hypocrisy of religion, society, and the people that believe in such. Sure, we need some degree of order, but not this extreme kind of patriarchally chauvinist type of order. Was the man a virgin? Probably not. Then why does the girl have to be? What is it with this insane level of obsession, this need to possess the woman entirely.

Listen, I have no problems with people being virgins. Hell, it's wonderful. You don't have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, about getting pregnant, about getting checked down there all the time. You don't have to engage in any of that! But I do have problems with people being virgins for reasons that just don't make sense. 

When people bring God into this, that's when it really pisses me off. Look, I respect your beliefs. Or, at least, I do my very best to try. But when you spout fanatical and patriarchal poppycock, it's really quite difficult for you to make your point without looking like a loon. Do you really know that God exists? Has he/she/both/it told you that he wants you not to engage in the mattress mambo because that will make you evil? 

Again, I try to respect people and their beliefs. After all, everyone is entitled to believe what they want. One of my closest friends has chosen to be a virgin until she gets married and, hey. That's great. That's her choice. I have problems with the reasoning behind it, but she has made her choice with those ideals in mind and we are still friends. I'm not going to kill her. Though if she deprives me of alcohol again, I might. Kidding.

The same applies for having sex for the wrong reasons. You're bored? Get some sort of hobby. Wait a while, for sweet mother of a monkey's sake. Wait until you've got your head on straight and at least some sense of responsibility. Have sex when you are willing and ready to assume the load it entails: sexual health, contraceptives, the physical, emotional, and psychological consequences, the risk of getting pregnant. If just reading that sentence makes you break out in hives and scream bloody murder, you're not ready to engage in the act of intercourse.

This may read like a rant. It probably is. It's just that when I read these things in the news, I wonder what kind of world we live in. And if I ever want to bring a kid to a place where these things happen. It makes me furious to think that there are places in the world where a woman has to be covered head to toe. Where a woman is "appraised" because she hasn't been touched by another man. Sweet Noodly Appendage, why? 

And I'd like to point out that I am not referring to any one religion in particular. Most religions are guilty of this kind of prejudice.

For those of you who would like to read the article, here it is. Be warned, it's in Spanish though:

Click.

What is this, Typhoid Mary?

I'm sick.

Again.

Sweet mother of the almighty lord of peanut butter, WHY.

I think this is the 11th or 12th time I'm sick this year. This year. It's not even been six months in, and I've already been sick more than ten times. I don't know the exact number since I stopped counting at ten.

I got sick during Christmas, after Christmas, around Valentine's, on the way to New York, in New York, when we got home from New York. I quit counting, I give up. 

So now I'm attempting to rest, but when I'm sick, I really can't rest because it's a very light sleep. And I suck at sleep. I'm one of those vampiric creatures of the night that needs absolute quiet and absolute darkness. I can't even sleep with the light of the alarm clock, I have to cover it. So sleeping during the day, not really going to happen. So I guess it's either try to plough through the concert pictures (if Tsuki the dying Powerbook can handle it) or try to walk to town (if I can handle it without passing out in the 100+ degree weather).

Crap. I'm running out of Ricola.

Damn, it's pixelated.

Tacuba Dance.
Originally uploaded by chromachord

Until I finish ploughing through the pictures (every time I try to view them, my computer goes insane; I might have to restart it), here you have, for your viewing pleasure, a little video of Café Tacuba performing at the rock festival that took place last saturday in Aguadilla.

For those of you who may not remember or know them, Café Tacuba (sometimes called Tacvba) is a Mexican rock band that started out in...1989, if I'm not mistaken. They were really popular in the 90s and they've played Coachella 3 times. They dabble into a lot of genres and it's all just great fun. Check them out and if you need any help understanding them, either Babelfish it or ask me. :P 

So, without further ado, Tacuba Dance! Spot the chicken mask and watch out for that Karate Kid kick at the end. Enjoy! :)

Good Finds: Old Navy

So I decided to share this with you because, honestly, these sandals are great. They're from Old Navy's leather collection and they're only 19.50! (I sound like an ad, oigh.) They, as you can see, have studs, but not in an overly dramatic way. They remind me of a pair of Marc Jacobs flats from a few seasons ago. Aren't they cute?

Despite being hilariously broke (as in, when the bill comes, I will have to ask my mom for the 19.50 to pay for these), I put in an order for these puppies in the Soba Noodle color, size 11 (because I have skis for feet, awesome). If you're interested, they're obviously available on OldNavy.com, but check your local store to see if they brought these in already. :)

Jeez, I sound like an ad. Oh well, just wanted to share this cute find for summer. 

(I, of course, realize that the menfolk that read my blog could usually care less about fashion and might already be convulsing. Just don't die out on me.)

Viva Puerto Rico?

For some reason, I feel compelled to explain that this picture does not, in any shape way or form, represent some sort of political statement or view. I just liked the composition of the shot. 

Magueyes & Ponce: a photo essay.

The rest of the set is at my Flickr. Just click on the badge at the right!

Do not adjust your monitors.

This is actually a new layout. As Tovi so artfully pointed in the previous post's comment.

So, to show off the new layout (and to make up for lack of content) I'll post pictures later from a recent trip to La Parguera and Ponce. :D

Wee.

(As usual, graphics by moi, code by Damian.)

On the way home...

...saw kitty hanging around rat almost bigger than he is. Obviously, kitten did not desire to eat rat. Kitten only wanted to play with big rat. Still, I found this hilarious. 

Maybe it was the wine.

Hm.

Dear Jehova's Witnesses:

All those pamphlets you leave at my house? The dog eats them. Not because I give them to her, but because she takes them from the fence and rips them apart. Yum.

I'd like to think that this is because, like her "mom," she is a rebel at heart and she challenges the conventions of organized religion like I do. But I acknowledge that it's probably just her canine pupper instinct to seize anything inanimate and shred it to bits. Still, one can hope.

Local color.

8
Originally uploaded by chromachord.

So last night I experienced what could only be described as local color. I went to a place that I consider to be a den of despair, a lair of darkness, a root of evil. I went to...El Colegial.

Yes, I did go. And I took pictures because I've rarely been in those types of places. I think I could count the times I've gone to pubs/bars/places of ill repute? on one hand and still have fingers to spare. But still, go I did.

I'd just seen Iron Man and I was riding high on the awesomeness of the movie, the fact that I don't have to take classes anymore, and that, hey! CINCO DE MAYO! What better excuse to imbibe tequila in lethal amounts. (Well, I only had one tiny little shot. I am not an alcoholic.) So, off to El Colegial we went.

It wasn't a horrible place, but it was kind of...iffy? Shady? Scary? We played a round of pool (which Damian didn't lose but I didn't win, such precise terms, no?). It was fun, but I don't think I'd go there anymore...

By the way, I've got to tell you all, I'm loving the way Flickr blogging arranges the post layout. Yes, I am.

And, as a final note, not that the movie needs promotion or anything, but go see Iron Man. I will not wax poetic about how great Robert Downey Jr. is as Iron Man or how good Jeff Bridges is as Obadiah Stane or how weird it is that Gwyneth Paltrow has curves now. No, I will not tell you all of that. (I sort of just did though.)

Go see it!

Procrastination: an unappreciated art form.

DSCF7576al
Originally uploaded by chromachord.

What I should be doing:
-working on my Philosophy of Teaching statement for tomorrow. Oops, today!
-working on my part of the presentation for later on today
-e-mailing my thesis director
-brainstorming for possible proposals

What I am doing:
-watching What Not to Wear and The First 48
-editing and uploading pictures to Flickr
-looking and adding pictures to Faves in Flickr
-writing this post

As you can see, even though I am less than 24 hours away from being done with class (and with having to take class!), I will not renounce my practice of the refined art of procrastination. Viva la sloth!

To distract you from my laziness, here, a pretty picture of one of the baby frogs in my yard.

Forgive me, Anthony. I have strayed.

So normally I take the decidedly human with good taste approach to Rachael Ray: dismiss her the instant she is mentioned and point out that she does not know how to cook (something that she herself has owned up to several times on her insipid show). Plus, it turns out that she's a very mean and snotty person to anyone who approaches her. I've heard a couple of stories that she tells random people "don't you know who I am?" Yech.

Still, in my semi-religious, totally fanatical daily visits to Tastespotting (only one of the best websites on food ever), I stumbled on a link to an asparagus recipe. Because I happen to like asparagus. Despite somebody's avid protests, I happen to quite enjoy the taste of asparagus. So I clicked the link. And when I read the recipe, said recipe was adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.

I feel kind of...low. Dirty. Ashamed.

I'm sorry Anthony Bourdain. I've faltered you.

Please don't hurt me if I ever run into you.

But I will say this, the recipe does not, I repeat, does not have any pre-processed or pre-made ingredients (as she is known for), so I feel some sense of vindication for both me and her. It is actually made from scratch. So I shouldn't feel dirty. Or low. Or ashamed.

But still. It's Rachael Ray. Yech.

Moments.

Some of the moments that have made this life good:
-the years with my grandmother
-not having to ask anyone for money
-at 17, dad saying: You're an adult, you don't have to ask us for permission anymore.
-mom smacking dad on the head after he said that.
-learning how to cook and knowing how to cook good
-realizing that I could sing
-giving the perfect present
-mom saying: I admire you.
-getting accepted and presenting at a conference
-all the good food I've ever had
-going to bed in clean sheets right after a shower. Such a good feeling.
-standing in places far away where my grandmother once stood
-napping at the beach under a tree canopy with Damian
-when dad said, "I have a surprise"and pointed to Chewy, my first dog. I was thirteen.
-waking up in the early morn and looking out the window of the hotel room in Switzerland and seeing the snow-covered peaks. I cried.
-Josh Groban's version of the Cinema Paradiso theme. Sweet Jesus God.
-realizing that I was being insanely jealous when some girl talked to Damian.
-realizing that, "oh my God. I really do love this boy" several months after the aforementioned incident
-remembering how we got together
-driving down the road at 4 in the morning, after recently getting a car, with the windows rolled down and seeing the stars shining brightly in the moonless night.
-singing the Moulin Rouge version of "Your Song" and hitting every note
-Princess and Buca
-quitting my weekend job
-blushing at his googly eyes
-jumping off the swing when it was at its highest point and "flying" through the air
-going to places from the stories my grandfather told me about when he lived in Spain
-designing and coding my own blog layouts (oh the good old days xD)

These are just some of the moments that make me go "life does not blow." Despite all the difficulties I've been through, there have been moments that their memories help me carry through. There are definitely some missing though. But I don't want to overwhelm you with all of them in one post.

I want to encourage you all to share some of your memorable moments in the comments! If not, start it in your blogs? :) I am aware that some of the moments may contain cheese, but, well. At some point, our memorable moments will (and ought to?) contain some levels of cheesiness.

This post was definitely inspired by the amazing Mighty Girl, who kick started this whole movement. Long live Mighty Girl! I will have my Life List up soon...

And I go to bed now. Insomnia, I must defeat you.

NYC 2008: Recap

Pictures speak better than words.



If you want to see more pictures, head on over to my Flickr account by clicking on the Flickr link. They might not be uploaded now, but check periodically.

The trip was good. We didn't kill each other, though there were times when I was sure I would be smothered in my sleep. But I asked for it, since I dragged the poor boy shopping.

The weather, oh the weather. It was cold. But we were okay with the cold, the problem was the God forsaken 50 mph gusts of wind. Fabulous. At times I thought I was going to be thrown onto oncoming traffic thanks to the gusts of wind.

Locations in the pictures are as follows:
-Metropolitan Museum of Art
-Central Park Subway Station, in front of the Apple in 5th Ave
-Rockefeller!
-MoMA. Also known as the Museum of WTF This Is Art?
-Somewhere in Queens.

There might be, will be? another more detailed post about New York, but for now, enjoy the pictures. Till then, later!

No sleep till Brooklyn.

Quick post to explain that I'm alive and I'm currently blogging from a damn sexy Macbook Air at the New York Apple store on 5th Avenue. 

Booyakasha!

Swimming through the backlog.

I have quite a couple of entries that are backlogged, simply because I haven't really had time to post. And when I do have time to post, something happens and the enthusiasm to blog really just dissipates. Right now, I'm in a bit of a funk because, well. Certain people are just. Yeah.

Loss of words here.

So instead of boring you with my situations, I'm going to regale you with one of several backed-up posts.

eBay finds! Part deux!

So this is the second of the jackets/coats I bought off eBay. As I said before, I needed to procure some cold weather gear as I will be experiencing some nasty (nasty for me, anyway) weather some day soon. The first was the vintage leather jacket that I featured a couple of posts ago. This one is the Volcom one I mentioned in said post (if I am not mistaken). Got this for around 40 bucks, shipping included, and it's 95% acrylic and 5% wool. I haven't experienced any full-blown allergies while wearing it, but I do get a bit of a tingle. I think it's the wool. But, again, and thankfully, it's not a reaction that makes me want to peel off my clothes, rip off my skin, and scream.

Ignore the contrasting patterns and the weird pose. It was late Thursday night when I took this picture and I was hurrying off to our weekly Rockband, er. Our weekly academic chat at my friend Gerard's house.

Also, it seems that my feet have grown? Is this possible? I went from a normal ten to now ten and a half. So now, I really have to try every shoe on because I don't know if the ten runs large or not. Suck.

Speaking of feet, more precisely, shoes, I scored some suede Prada peeptoe wedges on eBay! Very excited about these. Will blog about them when they get home.

I have big plans for this blog. Well, as big as this blog can be. :P I plan on adding a new section to it, something that caters to my tastes and, hopefully, will help some of my readers at any given time.

Also, I most probably will give my links an overhaul. Blogs that don't exist anymore, blogs that are there, but aren't updated.

So take care everyone, and see you soon. Go watch Anthony Bourdain because he is damn good.

I don't get a sticker?

Normally, I don't really care about politics. I hate it when people start talking about politics as if it is the most fantastic and enthralling thing on Earth. But seeing as how the island's situation is so dire, I feel it is my duty to actively participate and do my best to have my voice heard. (Of course, metaphorically speaking, since I'm fairly sure our dumb as bricks governor is not hearing me when I say he's dumb as bricks.)

So today, I didn't wake up bright and early, but I woke up early enough to get to the polls in time.
The upsetting thing is that you have to pick a party to vote for, they don't believe in the idea of voting for individual candidates. However, the choice was clear for me since I don't believe in the current governor or the party he represents.

Before anybody gets their political knickers in a twist, I'm not promoting any parties, I'm just discussing my personal views. I'm for either unification or separation. That's it, that's all.

So, I voted. I did my part.

Wednesday.

Things to do. In no particular order:

1) Get frames fixed. Are not yet a week old and have already stretched out. Hm. Beginning to think they're not work the investment.

2) Call old office and see if I can talk to my old boss. Who is, coincidentally, my aunt. Need to say hello.

3) Go to school and make copies of book I've had for months now on interlibrary loan.

4) Return said book to interlibrary loan.

5) Get open-ended student evaluations from last semester. Hope that it's good. If not, they're all a bunch of bratwurst loving piss-ants.

6) Check for socks at Kmart. You'd think they'd sell decent quality thick socks at the mall. But no.

7) Oh. Yeah. Jog.

8) Come back home. Cook myself something for dinner. Have head scratched.

9) Watch Ghost Hunters. And Project Runway. (And yes, I am interested in shows about the paranormal. If you don't, then good for you. Everybody has their something. Just don't shove into mine.)

10) E-mail professor regarding 15-page research paper that is due in 26 days.

I think that's it. Other than the normal, requisite, everyday things such as living, breathing, eating. I'm really supposed to be thrilled about things, but I'm not.

I'm really not.

Oh, Internet, I dress for you (also known as eBay finds).

As promised, I present to you my newest eBay find:

Internet, my "new" vintage leather jacket. Scored off eBay for twenty dollars and seventy-five cents. I think it's a bargain compared to what most leather jackets go for, plus, it has character.

I'll be honest, I never really considered getting a leather jacket, but seeing as I will encounter a cold-weather situation soon, I figured leather was the way to go, as I am at the mercy of a rather violent allergy to wool. My requests were that it fit properly, be unique, and nip at the waist. I do believe I got it! It feels a little wide in the shoulders, but with all the layers that will be underneath, I don't think that will be a problem?

Face and hair brought to you by I Just Got Home From Class. The weird stuff on the picture is my attempts to be creative, but they didn't really work. I'll get better with time.

I'm still waiting on another jacket/coat that is 95% acrylic and 5% wool. I decided to risk it because I figured that such a tiny percentage of wool won't do such a big number on me, right? Let's hope it doesn't. Plus, it's lined. And I'd be wearing a scarf. Yar?