Wimbledon, Blenheim Palace, Oxford University, Hillsong London, Harry Potter

If you’re following my journey on Facebook, then you have already seen the pics. However, I still need to unload all the images in my head from my third week in the U.K.
WIMBLEDON
I found out my nephew Nathaniel, who plays tennis, would be watching Wimbledon on TV, and I thought getting him a souvenir from the tournament would be extra special. I planned my day at Wimbledon for Tuesday. I had seen the train that went to Wimbledon, so I wasn’t too nervous about finding my way there. I also looked up ticket info online and it said they reserved about 500 tickets at the gate for same day sale. This sounded reasonable as I didn’t even know if I wanted to see a match. My plan was to show up, take a few pics, buy Nate a t-shirt and leave. I figured I would be done by noon and then I could spend the rest of the day working on my writing in London.
Getting from Harold Wood to Wimbledon park was a bit of an adventure. I think I left Harold Wood around 8am ish and I arrived at Wimbledon a bit before 10am. I suspected I got off the train a stop too late, so I asked someone at the train station. They asked me if I had tickets and I said no. They said I had gotten off at the right stop for the queue. The queue is one whole train stop away? Hmm. They suggested I walk left blah blah blah and I saw a Wimbledon souvenir shop. I was tempted to buy a t-shirt there and just get back on the train. But, I said what the hell. I’m here already. The man in the shop gave me a free map to Wimbledon and I was on my way. I saw the entrance to the park but inside all I saw was mothers and toddlers by a spraying wading pool. I saw some smallish tennis courts. I wondered if I had taken a wrong turn. I kept walking because I saw these beautiful rose walkways and then I saw the queue. I tried to gauge whether there were less than 500 people in queue (remember they reserved 500 tickets at the door?) I couldn’t really tell. I walked over to a steward and they said to look for the balloon on a stick and that was the end of the queue. Got there and the queue person handed me my queue card. I was number 8699 in queue. I was informed that only 8500 people could go into the park. All others would be let in on a one-person-leaves-the-park-and-one-person-can-go-in basis. My thoughts included: how much do I love Nate? Can I come back tomorrow? What the hell are all these people doing here?
Nevermind. I was there and I stayed in cue. I had an American couple and a German family next to me in the queue. I read and eavesdropped on them for entertainment. I was in queue for about 2 and half hours before I got into the park. After that it was rushrushrush. There are 19 courts at Wimbledon. My ground pass gave me access to courts 5-19. Not all the courts had seating—people just milled about around the fence. I saw parts of three matches that day. Heather somebody from England, two girls from I don’t know where at center court (they resell the tickets for 5 pounds), and the famous John Isner match. I’m really pleased I was there for part of the match. I left Wimbledon at around 9pm and got home around 11pm. I was exhausted! And I lost my oyster card (travel card for underground and national railway.) I got Nate the official ball boy Ralph Lauren polo shirt (85 pounds!) Overall it was a great experience.
BLENHEIM PALACE
On Saturday, I took a London Walks excursion to Blenheim Palace and Oxford. Again, travelling to the meeting point was an adventure in itself. I got there right on time. Blenheim Palace is the home of the Duke of Malborough and the place where Winston Churchill was born. It’s absolutely breathtaking. It’s the first palace I have ever been /in/ (I’ve been outside Buckingham Palace and the Palace in Madrid… maybe others I can’t remember) I enjoyed the gardens the most. The palace is on 2,000 acres. You could spend all day in the gardens and still not see them all.
OXFORD
After the palace, we took a tour of the city of Oxford and Oxford University. Another gorgeous place. Some of the things I found interesting were that it doesn’t have any classrooms. The University is made up of 38 colleges. You actually apply to an individual college and then you become part of the university. Each college offers all the disciplines (law, medicine, engineering, etc.) The reason there is no classrooms is because most of the learning is one on one with fellows or tutors. The university and colleges offer lectures which students can choose to attend, but they are only required to attend their appointment with their tutor. During the interview process, a tutor will choose the students they will work with. The living quarters are called stairwells. There are usually 4-12 students in each stairwell and each have an individual room (small but they don’t have to share) Each college has their dining hall, library, and chapel. They have 3 8week terms a year. An undergraduate degree takes about 3 yrs (all final examinations are presented the last term of their program) and a medical degree for example takes about 5 years. They can score 1st with honors, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in their final examinations. It all seems really intense. It’s like most of the learning is on your own, which I completely am in favor of.

HILLSONG
Went to church on Sunday morning at Hillsong London. They had their annual fundraiser Heart for the House on Sunday. I was really impressed with how organized the church was. From the minute my foot stepped inside the church I had guide after guide until I was deposited in my seat. I really like that they reach out to everyone who attends/visits. They have activities throughout the week and they follow up with people who want to be connected to the church. I can see how helpful that is for people who live here. I’m not too sure about the whole performance during the service. It very much has a concert feel. I still haven’t decided what parts (if any) are important to God. It’s a bit confusing. In a way that’s why I like listening to Joel OIsteen (well the few times I have) because he gives a lot of practical advice for daily living. To me, the show is just that – a show. It’s fun and entertaining but it doesn’t help me in my daily life. It doesn’t make me a better person. I guess for some people it does help them in their daily lives but I suspect it’s more ‘fluff’ … like icing on a cake… not very deep or character changing—just a feelgood kinda thing. Like I said, I haven’t really made sense of it all, but it is what it is.
HARRY POTTER LONDON WALK
After that I went on a London Walk on film location for the Harry Potter movies. Not as exciting as I had hoped. I had already seen most of the places in London and I couldn’t remember the movies. Boooo… still took a few pics. I want to watch the movies again so I can keep saying ‘I was there!’
My third week in the U.K. was great. It was actually really hot. I am super dark now! Darker than I am when I’m in the valley.
Today was the first day in a week it’s started to cool down. We’ll see how week four goes. 

Camden Town, United Reformed Church and Library Cards

Travel Update 3
On Saturday, I planned to go on a “London Walk” to Camden Town. I got to there at 10am and it didn’t start until 11am. I planned to read until the guide got to the designated point, but there was so much energy and bustle around me I couldn’t resist. I had to start exploring on my own. I didn’t abandon the idea of the guided tout until I had already immersed myself in Camden market bought, bought a leather jacket, and a Union Jack book bag for Jazzy. I did bump into the tour at one point and overheard the guide saying Camden market has over 700 shops.
After a couple of hours of exploring, I began to get scared I would get lost in the labyrinth of shops (they have a canal with boats which they call Little Venice along it as well). Although Camden is known for being the punk central of London, they sell many other items there—clothes, shoes, art, jewelry, antiques, vintage everything, leather goods, souvenirs—just loads of items from all over the world (I even found a stand selling luchador masks and morrales with la virgin on them :D)
They also have food stalls—food from all over the world—every 10 feet you get a sniff of a new smell (both pleasant and not… The Stables reeked as if they still held horses :/)
I didn’t leave Camden Market until about 2pm… absolutely loved it. It was like the Pulga of all pulgas :D—a complete experience.
On Sunday I went exploring for a church. My father is a minister and church is very important to them. I must admit that as much as I complain about having to go to church and teach Sunday School and play the keyboard, I have missed church. I had visited Hillsong Church London two years ago when I was first here. It’s like a mini concert—church service there I mean. A bit overwhelming, but safe because I know the doctrine (what they believe in/preach) so I don’t have to be in hyperalert that they’re weirdos. I told Ian I would go over to his parents’ house Sunday afternoon so he could give his father a present for Dad’s day, so I couldn’t go all the way to Hillsong London. I had seen the sign outside a church called “Breakthru Church” in Brentwood which advertised a 10:30 worship service (lingo I recognize), so I decided to try that church. I took a train and walked to the church only to find a sign saying that that morning’s service would be across town in a different building. Boooooooooooo… I tried to read the map, but it looked like I would have to cross a major highway and it looked too far to walk to in 10 minutes. I remembered we had seen a Catholic church (the one with the cementary) and although I didn’t think my mother would give me credit for going to a Catholic church I figured it was better than nothing (although I must admit, I don’t think I could get anything spiritual from a Catholic mass—for me it’d be more like watching a show—which is really unfair of me… have to work this out in my head.) On my way to look for the Cathedral, I remembered the United Reformed Church by Brentwood Library. It didn’t look open, but a sign advertised Sunday service at 10am. Someone had to be in there! I looked through windows and locked doors and couldn’t make out a chapel at all. With my luck, this was their offices or community center and the chapel was somewhere else entirely.
I ended up walking around the building trying every door until one opened. It still didn’t look like a church, but I heard a man’s voice booming from upstairs so I followed the sound. The chapel was something out of an old British film—with the pews on the sides and chairs in the middle. There was a a massive organ (cathedral size pipes) on a platform in the back. It took me a while to find it because I couldn’t see the organist behind the monstrous instrument. There were about 32 people in all including myself. We sang hymns (which were so easy to follow because the organ played the melody clearly), listened to bible readings, bowed our heads in prayer and listened to a sermon. I sang in a falsetto voice with a British accent (or my version of one) cos no one could really hear me.
I liked that they had two bouquets of fresh flowers up front as decoration, I like the old furniture—very ceremonial. To me, it was like a literary experience—the setting certainly fit a lot of stories I have read and the sermon was reminiscent of a different era. Most of the parishioners were quite old. There are sooo many old people around here--- I mean in their 90s and walking around old. The man who led the service and gave the sermon spoke on the passage of the demon possessed man who had a legion of demons. It was cool listening to a sermon in British accent. He shared an anecdote about the day after the London blitz (bombing by Nazis for months) he saw a sign on a tailor shop that read “more open than usual” – probably didn’t have a door or windows. He referred to the sea in the Bible passage as a symbol of chaos and Jesus as a symbol of peace. History and Literature lesson while attending church—loved it! Regardless of religious views., everyone should send their children to Sunday School—it saddens me when my students (and even university classmates) don’t see the Biblical allusions in literature.
Church was over by 11:10 am. I’m torn between going to Hillsong London (amusement park of churches) or the small, potentially boring United Reformed Church next Sunday.
I stuck around Brentwood until 1pm so that I could print out my first draft of my newest story, but I had it saved in the wrong format. I did however acquire a most valuable possession—a library card! They also give you a mini card to put on your key chain—awesome pants!

Travel Update

I’ve been in the U.K. for two weeks and I barely feel like I’m starting to get used to it. I have a better idea of what my schedule will be like for the next month and a half. I wanted to visit other countries in Europe (like maybe Italy or France), but I’ve decided to see more of the U.K. The times I’ve been here before haven’t been enough to see all of London, much less other places. SOOOO I’m excited about exploring more of the U.K.
Initially, two months seemed like such a long time, but now I realize it’s not very long at all to do all I want to do. My goal academically is to complete 42,000 words towards my thesis. I have about 14,000 words so far. I’m alternating writing days with fun days. So far, it’s working. I’m also doing a lot of reading. I kind of want to read a book a day (in between everything else I’m doing), but that part is kind of impossible. I am managing to finish a book every few days.
Last Tuesday I went to see a performance of Macbeth at The Globe Theatre. I really liked what the director did with the space. I managed to sneak a few pictures of the stage (see London album) before a steward stopped me. Lots of people were taking pics so I thought it was okay. Oh well. The director put a black canopy where the groundlings stand (area right in front of the stage where people can stand and watch the performance… these tickets are cheaper and I think she cost like 2 pence during Shakespeare’s time) and the groundlings would poke their head through a hole in the canopy. But, there were holes with no heads and bloody bodies from hell and witches would poke through those and startle everyone. The best performance in my opinion was given by Lady Macbeth. She has a really powerful, clear voice. It was very easy to understand everything she said. She really made every scene she was in work. They also showed MacDuff’s children getting slayed. The kids must have been 5, 6 at most 7 years old and they died so well. One of the soldiers held up the dead little girl by the arms and she just hung there limply. Wow.
On Thursday I visited a house Charles Dickens lived in for a couple of years. I would so like to have a house like that! It was like four of five floors (one underground) with wood floors, and a back garden. I loved everything about it. Too bad I can’t have something like that built back home.
I have an internet friend from Israel that I have chatted with for years. I want to say almost 10years. Well I got to meet her in person on Thursday! I started chatting with her when she was 16 and now she’s 26 and all grown up! She’s getting her Masters here. I’m from Texas and she’s from Israel and we met for the first time in London. What are the odds!
I visited the British museum late in the afternoon and just as I was getting into the display on Mexico, they announce they are closing some galleries early. I’ve been there before, but I wanted to see the display with my new Chican@ eyes. I think I’ll go again in the next few weeks.
I finally found something I liked to eat today—beans on toast! It sounds super pobrecito, huh… but it’s delicious! :D
The U.K. is great but I still miss home. Can’t wait to see y’all again (oh my friend from Israel says the Texan y’all is elegant (I think that’s the word she used) because we invented a separate plural “you”.
Anyway… xoxo Myra

Macbeth Study Day at The Globe

I really need to start blogging/journaling on a daily basis. The days are going by too fast. Why can’t I do everything I want to do???
Saturday
I’ve been to London before and it was my experience that it takes me 2hrs to get anywhere. This allows for walking time, train time, and getting lost time. I had to be at The Globe between 9:30 am and 10 am. I didn’t leave until 8:45am and I took a wrong turn. Apparently I can’t read hand drawn maps. I finally got to my study day at 10:45 am. The study day was all on Macbeth. It was different than what I was expecting. I was expecting it to be in a large theater and I would be far away from the speakers—but I would look very cool in my Mexican blouse and big hoop gold earrings (people would wonder what a Chicana was doing at a Shakespearean study day.) It was in a small theatre and there were about 60 people in attendance. I usually expect Brits to be conservative in their demeanor, but the bloke who organized the event was very enthusiastic about Shakespeare and very keen on getting feedback from the audience at every juncture.
I don’t have my handouts with me (only my journal where I jotted some notes) so I won’t be able to refer to names of presenters. I know some were professors from universities in London and others were academics involved with The Globe for years. I studied Macbeth last summer while in Salamanca. I read the play and watched the movie directed by Orson Welles. But, I felt like I learned so much more about Macbeth during the study day. (Oh, also learned from Mr. David Sheridan that it’s a tradition in the theatre to call it The Scottish Play. I watched a very funny episode of Blackadder with references to this.)
First Session: Young, female professor talked about the witches. Witches are women interfering with the domestic duties of women—in other words a woman who is a bad mother or a bad housewife could be accused of being a witch. In Macbeth, we see a bleeding of the demonic into the secular and the secular into the demonic. Lady Macbeth’s famous unsex me speech- she asks for spirits to take away her female sex—to stop up her holes basically—no menstrual blood or milk flowing. You can’t do bad things and still be considered female. Or even human for that matter—you have to monster yourself. This makes me wonder what people are capable of doing. Hmm… something to explore for writing. Lady Macbeth also pushes her interpretation of a man on her husband—she tells him he will be more of a man if he kills Duncan. She also mentioned the speculation about the Macbeths being childless. Maybe Macbeth feels less of a man because he can’t father any children. He can’t give Lady Macbeth babies but he can give her a political dynasty. The society of Macbeth was a very violent one. Macbeth is praised for splitting a man in half in battle.
Second Session: Macbeth in movies—The first clip we saw was an Australian film made in 2006 directed by Geoffrey Wright. The three witches are teenage girls in school uniforms. Macbeth is a city gangster. Apparently this is a common adaptation of Macbeth—the gangster view. India also has a movie based on Macbeth- Maqbool and it’s set in the Mombay crime scene. This professor/academic went on to explain why film/tv is different from a stage performance. I had studied this in my film and literature class last summer. Weird bit in Orson Welles’ movie is the witches making Macbeth out of mud—like a mud baby and then slicing off its head. The set in this movie mirrors the stage of The Globe somewhat—with the different levels. In 1957, a Japanese version has no dialogue at all in the murder scene. It is said that in a scene that uses arrows, they use real arrows to evoke real terror from the actors. Yikes!
Third Session: One of the acting coaches read through some lines with us. He emphasized the need for naturalness of delivery. He described Macbeth as being ‘intensitive.” He also said that the text guides us to the meaning of the text and how it wants to be delivered to the audience. I’m not sure I agree with this—or more like I don’t know how to reconcile this with the info the tour guide gave us two years ago. The tour guide told us Shakespeare never published anything within his life time. That the actors in the plays had later gotten together to put the script to paper. I’m not sure what to think of all of it. The acting coach said that this season’s production at The Globe is a visual production—the words bloody and gory have been thrown around (I’m going to watch it on June 15) This acting coach had been working in productions at The Globe for over 10 years, and he said he looks out for the text—speaks out on behalf of the text. It was so cool to have a roomful of seemingly ordinary people reading excerpts from the play in their British accents. They sounded better than any production or reading I’ve seen in the states. Macbeth is the tragedy with the second highest amount of rhyme (Romeo and Juliet being the first.) The acting coach said that rhyming gives comfort to the character. If it’s important enough to rhyme then it must be the truth (or something like that.) He also said that there is a naturalness to iambi pentameter (what??) because it runs at the beat of our heart. He says he doesn’t tell actors what to do—that he responds to what they do. I think I can apply this to teaching as well. He had two actors reading lines as well. The female, Zoe Waitz, had such a powerful voice.
Fourth Session: A professor talked about the politics in Shakespeare. He says that Macbeth tells the story of current, relevant issues. Macbeth is connected to the British unification of the kingdoms. He mentioned the Gunpowder plot to assassinate King James I. The professor posed the question: Is it possible a king can impose his will on his subjects. King James referred to himself as Rex Pacificus when Scottish kings are usually kings of war. Macbeth shows the realities of witchcraft and the divine rights of kings. The Scottish throne was not inherited. The most prominent men (usually royals) voted on a successor. Edward The Confessor, although supposedly very pious, promised his throne to three different successors. Another question: When does a legitimate king become a tyrant? The accepted thought was that if you couldn’t control yourself, then you shouldn’t rule. (This reminds me of the saying: Anyone who volunteers to run for office automatically should be disqualified.) Tyrants are thought of to be effeminate—they can’t control themselves. Also- every king needs an heir and a spare (how sad :/) Can an argument be made that parents have more than one child to have a spare? I usually hear parents wanting a second child so that the first child has someone to play with.
Last Session: A Q & A session with the director of the play and the actress that plays Lady Macbeth. They said working at The Globe is like no other experience. They were both involved in the production of “As You Like It” last summer which I really enjoyed.
That’s it for my commentary on study day
Xoxo Myra

Urine in Writing

I’m in the Harold Wood Library, but it doesn’t exactly feel like a library. It’s really tiny and the front desk clerks are a bit chatty. There’s only one table to work on and I’m sharing it with a man who seems to be studying either math or science stuff. I don’t feel uncomfortable. I think I really am field independent (when you go into a bubble and ignore your surroundings.) In a way it’s bad to be field independent and a writer. I should be noticing every single detail. I will in a minute. Regardless, I got here about 11:30am after doing laundry and I started reading Brian Allen Carr’s thesis. I’m sorry. I hate to be a hater, but it’s just not fair. He’s a young, white, good looking boy with a young, white good looking wife, and an adorable little girl. He has a nice house and a good job. Happy lucky people shouldn’t write this good! I learned about writing from his introduction. One thing I didn’t agree with in the introduction is making dialogue as close to real speech as possible. Hearing real speech and reading it is different-- at least for me. However, I’ve read his first two stories and the dialogue is good—not literally real speech with all the umm’s and incoherencies real speech often has. He states he reads a lot. Emmy has said this as well. I love to read. Used to read two books a week, but going to school full time and working full time makes it difficult to read for fun. I’m hoping to correct that this summer. I have 2 boxes of books and one on the way. I have more books to read than clothes to wear during this trip.
Brian’s writing makes me feel uncomfortable. For the most part, I try to stay in my sparkly, pink, unicorn and butterfly infested world. I don’t like to think about unpleasant, gross, or vulgar things. During writing workshops, some classmates have cried when sharing a creative non-fiction story because it’s so difficult to share embarrassing, tragic stories. I have never written about the saddest, most embarrassing moments of my life. I think I need to explore the “urine” (Pablo Neruda advice) in my writing. I have a least two stories where this will be easier. In both these stories, the male protagonists have a warped love for their women. I’ve also gotten a few new story ideas.

Better get back to work.
Xoxo Myra

Travel Journal Day One

June 4, 2010
I’m sitting on the floor of the room I’m staying in this summer—I’m in Harold Wood which is just outside London. I have papers spread out all over the floor. It’s 4:28pm for me and I arrived at 6:30am. I haven’t paused for days—just been in hyper drive. I mostly like it that way because I get more done, and I don’t have time to panic. So, before I continue working on my paper, I have to unpack my mind. I’m listening to Caifanes on the nano ipod look alike I bought from one of my students (she and the boyfriend she recently moved in with sell them at the pulga.) I’m drinking the red bull Ian had for me when he met me at the airport.
I got my mushy London-Heathrow-Airport-Scene-from-Love-Actually moment! Ian hates that movie and I love it!
Being here in London feels a bit surreal. On Thursday morning, my brother called me to say goodbye and to give me some last minute big brother advice (not 1984 big brother or voyeuristic tv show—literal big brother :p) He asked me when I was returning to the states and I said August 3rd, and then he asked me when I started work and I said August 16th. He said, “You don’t give yourself a break do you?” I thought 13 days was plenty of time. Last year I only gave myself 1 day before starting work. I don’t know exactly how to describe it—being so busy you enter an adrenaline induced euphoric feeling. Even that doesn’t describe it.
I’m really pleased with the academic year that just ended. I feel like I learned so much as a teacher and in my classes at UTPA. The challenges were not so great that they broke me, but challenging enough that I think I improved. The minimester was extremely stimulating—both the content and the frequency made the class very intense.
I was finishing the school year at Donna High School, taking the minimester at UTPA, sort of preparing for my trip, and trying to keep up at best I could with social activities with friends and family (since I was going away for 2 months I wanted to make the most of my time with them.) I was getting very little sleep because of all the reading and writing for my Chican@ poetry class. I just felt like I was busy all the time.
So Thursday morning came so quickly. I hardly slept again because I was working on my final paper for class. I wanted to mail myself the books from the Chican@ poetry class, and so that added pressure to rush as well. My sister was so supportive. She did my hair, took me to a small restaurant on Main Street for breakfast, took me to the post office to ship my books and even paid for the postage. It was a great send off.
Every time I travel, it amazes me how many people travel—people from all different cultures sharing one experience. Because of this, even the traveling bit is exciting for me. For the flight to Houston, I sat next to a man who was hogging up the arm rest… grrrr! But for the London flight, a girl going to India and a boy going to Amsterdam were my seat neighbors. They stayed awake the entire flight! We left Houston at 3:45pm on Thursday and because of the time difference were arriving at 7am on Friday in London. They hadn’t realized this until I mentioned as we were about to land. :P Oh, also while waiting for the London flight, I met this retired lady. I didn’t ask her name… oops! She’s been retired for 10+ years and each year she takes a long trip with her girlfriends! She was going on a cruise and spending most of the summer in Europe. I want to be like her when I grow up!
My worst fear came true—they almost didn’t let me in to the country! I had never had any problems with immigration, but I think I was nervous this time because I was traveling completely alone (independent study so no other classmates arriving around the same time like in past trips.) I forgot to take anything in writing from UTPA so I emptied out my wallet and actually showed the officer emails on my blackberry!
I started writing this on Friday and now it’s 1:28am Monday morning… will try and keep up with my travel journal more.  Saturday and Sunday journal coming soon :P

Gender Roles at the Nail Salon

Do you have a hypocritometer? You know-- a device to measure how much of a hypocrite you are being?

Well I have one that needs batteries and comes to life all on its own at the oddest moments.

I like having my nails done, but because of lack of time and funds I often go without my guilty pleasure (I have MANY guilty pleasures.) Initally, I decided NOT to get my nails done and simply give myself home manis while in London. In the countdown-to-the-trip frenzy, I zipped into a nail salon as it opened. To assuage the guilt, I grabbed my Xicanista literature to read as I waited. Am I being a hyporcrite by getting my nails done? Do true feminists-- true Chicanas even care about their nails? The answer is -- I don't know. For now we'll adopt a "I can do what I want" philosophy. :D

I wasn't the first person in the salon. A young African American male was already getting a pedi as I walked in. I wish my brain was so p.c. that I didn't notice such things, but it's not. I did, however, think, "Good for him!" That was incident one.

Incident two: The Asian man who did my nails was a man after my own heart. The electric nail filer (I'm not sure what it's called) had rhinestones all over it. I rationlized that he must be borrowing someone else's work space. But, no. It took him about 3 minutes to meticulously arrange the towel on the work table, his rhinestone covered lotion bottle, very cute jewelry box type thing for the powder they use on the nails, and all the other adorable containers he needed to do my nails. I thought he must be gay, but then I remembered what Emmy says, "It's rude to assume someone is heterosexual when you first meet them." By the same token, why should I assume this man is gay because he likes sparkly things? Why are cute things only reserved for women? Not fair, I say.

So as I got my nails done and read about Chincan@s, my brain experienced new thoughts. I think this justifies my getting my nails done. :D

Unload

The last few weeks have been CRAZY to say the least. I keep thinking I need to write about this whenever I hear or see something interesting. I think this means I'm starting to think as a writer.

Most days there isn't enough time to process all that happens to us-- too bad.

My Chican@ poetry class has been amazing to say the least. It is everything that education should be-- discovery and life-changing. I look forward to making Chican@ literature a part of my life long learning.

Only two more days to class and I have to turn in my final paper "Coming Out Chican@" in which I explain how I and others embrace the Chican@ identity and label (See one of my previous blogs about the definition of Chicano/a a.k.a Chican@.)