hurry up, wait, hurry up!, wait...

Who loves life's cycles of extreme boredom/relaxation and then craaaazy busyness?! That's been the story of my recent life. Three weeks of vacation pre-move spent with my favorite people just hangin' out! Then PACK UP and DRIVE TO TEXAS! Then get to Texas and job search, drive around, watch the food network, sleep in because you know you have nothing planned for the day... Then interview here, get a waitressing job there, schedule another interview, memorize THE MENU...

My increasing work load (memorizing abbreviations for 100 menu items, researching how to do bank reconciliations before my other interview tomorrow) has caught me a little off guard since there's been ample free time lately. But I'm remembering that I'm a person who does better with MORE to do rather than not enough to do. So I'm bring back my college-style memorizing skills to get this done. Hopefully I've still got it in me! 

Here's where I'll be showing off my fancy acronyms and menu knowledge...Houston's Restaurant  I promise to post a picture of my lovely work getup. Why do restaurants always make females wear some sort of tie?! (first waitressing gig - black bow tie with white tuxedo shirt, this time - black tie with black button up) Whatever - I'm just grateful to have something to leave the house for and that I met a sweet Michigan native (and a fellow Houston newcomer) on my first day of training!

tex mex

Hey there - remember me?  I'm that girl from Wisconsin who married a Mexican...ringing a bell?  Well I'm here to say - we moved to Texas.  We stuffed all of our stuff into our lil' jetta and just drove south.  Quite crazy (jobs...jobs...I knew that was important...) but quite necessary (dark at 4pm, really winter?! you're not helping a new resident to NOT be bummed about moving away from his peeps).

If you're curious - this is what it looks like to be nutty, irresponsible, adventurous people:

"Hi, Mom!!"

Happy to report that we made it 21 hours sitting next to each other in the car!  That's some kinda relationship test.  Since we've been here we've gotten some things simmering as far as jobs and apartments go...but I'll come back with the real details once that's all finalized. 

Wishing I were enjoying a beautiful summer with you - but come cold weather...I know you'll be down here to visit!!  XOXO



broken heart

Just wanted to say hello and share two of my fav songs (Pete Yorn...always, La Roux...at the moment).  I find it very interesting about myself that I enjoy listening to songs about heartbreak. You would think I've had a traumatic love life (in highschool I had Fiona Apple's Tidal CD memorized and constantly blasting in my jetta). But things haven't been that complicated.

my mexican

Would you like to know what it’s like and how to be married to a Mexican?  My tell-all experience follows… (“tell-all”, it’s like a People Magazine special!) 

Disclaimer: I only have nine months of experience.

missing mex

Happy Dia de Muertos!

Although I am loving the fall weather and love being in Milwaukee - I miss days like today in Mexico. The culture and traditions infuse the whole day with excitement and touristy awe.  I'm missing out on delicious gorditas and impressive offerings to the dead.  Boo hoo! 

think about it...

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never goes to die, and then dies having never really lived."

2011 in 20 pics or less!!

americanization

Jaime has been "approved" by the USA!!!



Permanent residency application has been accepted...green card is in the mail...and Jaime is free to live the American dream.


Happiest part of this all? NO MORE PAPERWORK! Well - at least not for two years. I'll take it!

livin' the dream

Well – here we are. Married. It was beauty among controlled chaos. And now we have the rest of our lives ahead of us. What a wonderful feeling. Thank goodness I was able to “love and leave” the wedding. I don’t miss planning or thinking about walking down the aisle, etc. It was for me the perfect mix of “I’m so excited!” and “I’m so happy this is done.” Some exceptional moments include Jaime’s loud and proud vows in Spanish, snuggling in for our first dance, enjoying the company of so many beloved people, and escaping from the ceremony.

so done!

There comes a point in the wedding process where you just want to be DONE with the planning. That point is now. I'm happy to feel relaxed 4 days before my wedding...the checklists are almost complete (special thanks go out to copious amounts of freshly ground & brewed coffee...couldn't have done it without you). Now it's time to just enjoy these "almost our big day" feelings.

countdown

trip home in September - check

month of intensive yoga in October - check

Day of the Dead - check

Thanksgiving - check

parents' visit to Mexico - check

wedding party for Jaime's family in Mexico - check

Christmas - check

New Years - check

mother of god

Tales from a country where efficiency and productivity don't always come first...

Normal day driving on the nicely-paved, smooth-riding highway. Every now and then there's a bunch of traffic because a few of the 20-something million Mexico City dwellers (aka Chilangos) are on their way to Acapulco. But usually - cruising on the highways is a piece of cake. 

When things start to slow down, however, you can play this interesting game of - what happened this time?

seasonal depression

I think I have opposite seasonal depression. I miss the cold. I miss the changing climate (and NO, Mexico...65º morning weather instead of 80º mornings is not a real change). I miss the exciting connection of colorful leaves! then snow! then holidays!

After almost a year and a half in Cuernavaca - I can tell the difference between the sweltering August and the cool-ish November. However, the subtle changes don't orient me. They don't help me realize & get excited that Thanksgiving is right around the corner!! And they don't inspire me to listen to Christmas music, decorate a tree, bake cookies and all those most amazing winter activities. Boo!

little fatties

If a Mexican calls you "gordito" or "gordita" (harshly translated: kinda fat) - don't necessarily take it as an insult. Weight is a very common thing to comment upon down here and people shouldn't take it too to heart. It's not fun - but it's not that big of a deal either.

Gordito/a is a fun word because there are various foods with the name - and each and every namesake is destined to make you a little gordito if you eat too much. Gordita example 1...cheese or meat stuffed in a thick fried tortilla. Gordita example 2: day of the dead cookies traditional to Arcelia and other real deal pueblos (the towns where you still happen to see grandpa riding his horse down the street...yeah - I saw him). 

I had a moment of "uh oh - I'm too adapted" when I arrived to Arcelia for Día de Muertos weekend. I said hello to Jaime's relatives and then immediately asked where the gorditas were. My Mexican craving wasn't disappointed...a treasure chest of fall-apart, perfect-to-drink-with-a-cup-of-coffee cookies were waiting for me!  

Yes - I did notice the grease marks on the paper - you know what you're getting into before eating something called "little fatty". The incredible thing about this treat is not only that it's delicious (best description I can think of is the offspring of a corn muffin & a cinnamon graham cracker) - there's an amazing & tedious tradition behind it that people are still abiding to in 2010.  

First - get to the market to buy some corn kernels. Boil it up - then go ahead and put that out in the sun to dry. No big deal - just take your dried corn to the local mill so you can get your corn flour. Oh but wait...you gotta put your flour out to dry again. (Jaim's uncle said he tended to the drying process up on their roof for TWO DAYS!) Now get that extra dry flour to the mill again cuz you're gonna want it a little finer. OK! Flour's ready - take it along with your other ingredients to your friendly baker down the street. They'll let you use their industrial size mixers so you can whip up your 10 kilos of cookie dough. (Only 22 pounds this year, Tía Yolanda, what happened??) Roll out the little gordita balls and stamp a little design to squish them down. Take your who-knows-how-many trays over to the wood-burning brick oven and a nice man who's probably been working in the family business since he was 11 will tend to the baking process for you. If you're lucky, the line won't be too long with the other ladies in your neighborhood and you can head home with your tub-o-goodness before nightfall. 

All sassiness aside - customs like this really inspire me. Jaime and I casually walked into the bakery where his aunt had made her cookies two days before and I got to see the process 1st hand. I even got to try one of Doña Choya's gorditas. With her 40 years of experience - this lady has got it down.  

the dead's day

You know how you hear that Mexicans laugh in the face of death and all that? I've spent my second consecutive Día de Muertos in the country and I haven't seen laughing per say - but they definitely do things around here that might make a girl from Wisconsin shiver a tiny bit. Like the annual exposition of Catrinas - aka larger than life female skeletons (or in Jaime's English... "skeletors") dressed up in their Halloween best.  And you also have the ofrendas (offerings) to the dead in your home. You can keep it simple with a small altar with pictures, candles and flowers. Or if you're up to it - you can set up something like this:

Complete with a live angel and an invitation for everyone in the pueblo to come and see. I actually found the tour around Arcelia's offerings to the dead quite cool. It's only a little eerie when you see the "Welcome to your home, Dad" sign... the million marigolds marking the entrance (the smell is supposed to help the dead find their way back)... the inclusion of dad's favorite foods and drinks (tacos, candy, bread, beer and coke never fail) on his altar... I do start to wonder/worry - is their dad really coming back?! 

I guess I shouldn't have culture shock - I mean, please... coming from a place where we leave milk & cookies out for a jolly old fat guy and his magical flying pets...

get out of my head!

Another yoga reflection of the week...mind games. Does any of this sound familiar?

She's prettier than me. Crying is for babies. Showing emotion is a weakness. I look gooood today. I look gross today! I feel guilty for eating that brownie. I want to have a body like her. I wish my clothes were cooler. He has a better job than me. She's smarter than me. Why can't I be more popular? I need to go tanning. I need to achieve more. Why don't I have my life plan set? I should have a better job by now. I should have more money by now. I should be married by now. I should have kids by now.  

Who says our mind (aka our upbringing + societal influence + culture + life experiences) is in charge of deciding how we feel today and if we're on the right track? What is the "perfect body"? What is the "right job"? What are "real achievements"?

If your answers are any of the following...we've got some work to do... 

There's something deep down inside of us that says - THIS WORLD IS BOGUS! There's a part of us that just wants to love and accept every part of ourselves (no matter if society says that part isn't "good" or "good enough"). How can we let that element of ourselves guide us to self love? 

I feel like it's as very easy and as extremely hard as looking deep, listening and believing.    

finding time

Glee's music is inspiring my finding time to get back on here...it's been too long since I've written - and how can you not want to sit by in front of your computer with awesome music helping you jam out?

First excuse for being distant - bridesmaid duties for this handsome couple...I don't know why I'm jealous that they're honeymooning in Costa Rica. I guess somehow their trip seems much more exotic & amazing than my Mexican adventures! 

Second excuse - yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga.yoga. The intensive yoga training class has been incredible so far. But when they say intensive they mean it! I've meditated and am halfway through a yoga practice before the SUN RISES. Hardest part of the whole thing so far is to rival our teachers' good attitude and energy when I know their job is much harder than ours. We do have a good amount of physical yoga in classes but the bulk of the day is dedicated to study...and I am finding that the studying is the most inspiring part (even more inspiring than my increasingly impressive pipes...)

Favorite topic from the week is one of the Niyamas (aka recommendations) of yoga: samtosha - contentment. Imagine you're in the middle of two minutes in warrior 2...

Are you mentally cursing your instructor while clenching your teeth or can you take a deep breath and put a little smile on your face? I feel like a lot of our lessons are coming a few months late - one example being when I was freaking out about Jaime's visa. Maybe I could have found a way to work samtosha into my life instead of being a drama queen/ball of nerves? I'm going to work on it because the only thing we can control in difficult situations is our attitude and our response to stress/sadness/anger... It's going to be the homework of my life - because this girl's favorite thing to do is to think she's in charge!   

dripping deliciousness

Cut, align, glue, cut, align, glue times 10,000 (more or less) to make invites can really wear a girl out. It was time for a break. What better way than to sink my teeth into a sweet, chilled mango. I go for the little yellow ones that you can peel like a banana...

I dove into it with half my body leaning over the sink to catch the drips. I think I have mango juice on half my forearm (thought I washed better) and I need to floss my teeth - but man, was it worth it! Try these mini mangos if you don't like the cat-tongue texture of their big sister green/red mangos. Try these mangos to transport yourself to Mexico, close to me!  ;)  

work it

If I can do this...

I think I could learn to do this...

After a bit of deliberation, I've decided that a 12 hours per day, 6.5 days per week, month-long yoga teacher training class is a wonderfully insane idea. 

I dabbled in yoga videos a few years ago, took a few classes in Milwaukee and then got serious in Cuernavaca. It all started because two fellow English teachers went to a yoga class here. I was new in town and was looking for friends. So I asked them if I could tag along one day. My friend fishing ploy worked (haHA!) and I found a wonderful place to cool down amidst the aggressive traffic, occasional cat calls and other Mexican frustrations.

The fun starts October 4th at 6:30 am - wish me luck!!

impossible to put a title on this one

VISA!!

VISA!!

VISA!!

This feeling is worth all the $$ and time we've spent on this process - and then some! I'd like to thank Julie for listening to my initial screams of excitement when I read Jaime's text from Juarez (we happened to be chatting on Skype, poor girl) & to Justin Bieber for helping me perform my victory dance. :D