Famous Pens!

Look! My crocheted pens made their TV debut last night on Parks and Recreations "Galentine's Day". Pretty awesome that I made them (see January Happenings post) and that they didn't get cut from the show! You can watch the episode on Hulu.com if you missed it, the pens are literally in the first 20 seconds of the episode!

Wrecks

Instead of watching the Super Bowl my mom and I saw Wrecks directed and written by Neil LaBute--a production highly recommended by one of my fellow theatre loving friends.

We entered the small theatre and saw two small benches, two potted plants and a coffin with a photo of a woman and a large bouquet of flowers. The play started with Ed Carr, the main character, describing the beautiful life he and his wife shared together. LaBute's writing was personal, sincere and refreshing all at the same time.

One of my favorite parts was that Ed Carr constantly referred to himself talking in the other room. Therefore, the Ed Carr we were watching perform was actually in the other room delievering the eulogy, so we were listening to an internal monologue going on in the back of his mind. The size of the second stage at the Geffen Theatre in Westwood, CA served this performance very well since it was in the round and didn't have more than 100 seats. I felt as if the entire theatre was Ed Carr's mind, and we were inside for 80 minutes simply listening to what was going on. Picking this apart entertained me for the first hour, and then I was ready to leave and just accept that it was an interesting insight into a mourning man's experience with the love of his life.

Then the entire play changed.

LaBute expertly introduced an unexpected and exciting twist. When I left the theatre I got that beautiful theatre high that makes me love life and performance. LaBute's writing took the audience on an amazing ride--from heartwarming love story dealing with real accounts of the challenges of marriage and death, to a piece commenting on the definition of marriage and love as a whole using ancient Greek influence. The revelation at the end was foreshadowed, but it was as if the audience did not want to believe it. The play sunk deep into the audience members, which was obvious from our audible gasps and built up tension that appeared once the shocking suspicion was confirmed.

This play was so powerful because of its ability to draw the audience in and then mess with our minds, while it still had us under its reins. Theatre should do this, it should shock, challenge and make us question and analize what we think we know so well or so much about. I loved this play, Ed Harris was amazing and I can't wait to hopefully read/see more of Neil LaBute's works.

Good thing I changed my major.

Lessons from Kidspace and Elizabeth Gilbert

Last Friday, I took my boss's 4 year-old son, Peter, to Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena, CA. I have fond memories of going to the museum's old location, where I especially loved to play in the mini Trader Joe's supermarket and try on the firefighter and policeman uniforms. Unfortunately these attractions were not recreated at the new location, but instead there is more of a focus on nature and discovery. There are 3 huge climbers, lots of gardens, water play and exhibits centered around bugs. Personally, I was disappointed the supermarket wasn't there, but Peter simply saw Kidspace as a magical wonderland filled with adventure and things made only for his pleasure. Since he has three older sisters and is the baby of the family, he loved having a day where someone could spend their undivided attention with him and treat him as the "big kid".

He climbed, splashed, watched fish and even made friends with one of the Kidspace "Educators". Peter was a little scared of the huge climbers at first, but with a little boost of confidence from me and a little nudge of competition from the other children, he overcame his fears. I only hope that I can see Buenos Aires with similar eyes as Peter saw Kidspace--just as a magical wonderland filled with opportunity. Even though I was exhausted after the 3 and a half hours we spent there, I don't remember having such a peaceful day in a long time.

Later that night, my mom and I went to a reading and book signing event with Elizabeth Gilbert, most famously known and the author of Eat, Pray, Love. That book was so beautifully written and full of meaningful, eloquent advice, it has stayed with me since I finished almost two years ago.

Throughout the night she shared experience, knowledge and advice from her mother, poet and friends. One of the most memorable things she said was in order to keep her balance was to forgive herself for her mistakes and bad decisions today, since in the future she will have more knowledge and therefore hopefully not repeat them again. Her messages are so simple but her wisdom so great, it was an amazing night that I shared with my mom!

This is the cover of her new book, Committed, which is about how her boyfriend and her were forced to get married after he was deported from the United States. She analyzes the institution of marriage (which I have often questioned myself) and also discovers how powerful love can be. Sounds cheesy, but I think its far from it. I can't wait to open this up on the airplane to Argentina.

And the Reality Sets in...

This morning I called my host mother in Argentina.

Her name is Señora Sanchez and she is awesome. She started speaking English perfectly to me and reassuring me that I am going to have a great time. She said that she is used to having students live in her house, that she would show me where to get good sales, and that we live in a safe and fun neighborhood. Just the reassurance I needed, as this aventura comes closer and closer.

I'm not sure how I feel about the English-speaking, I wish that I would be forced to speak even with her ONLY Spanish, but I'm sure that when I'm struggling and on the brink of tears because I just can't conjugate another verb, it will be very helpful.

Here we go!

Los Angeles Realization

I HATE driving.

I have had my license about 6 months, and 4 of those months were spent in New York, where I used a very organized and reliable public transport system. Los Angeles does not have one of these, unfortunately.

Last Friday I drove to Santa Monica on the freeways to have a beach bike ride with Amanda and Jordan, which was the longest distance I've ever driven and only the 4th time I've been on the freeways. (Pictures from the pier to follow!) To say this experience was traumatic would be an understatement. The way there was fine since we were excited to have actually found the beach and the sun was still up. The way home was dark and busy and filled with angry drivers, swerving cars (mine included) and neglected blinker lights (my biggest driving pet-peeve!)

I realized that while I was driving I felt like a pre-programed robot who's only task was to push a pedal whenever the car in front of me flashed its blinker lights. While Amanda and Jordan were both napping, I felt alone and as if my name had been switched for a number--all individuality lost, just a robot maneuvering machinery in accordance with rules someone else created and that I have no control over.

How can I move permanently back to a city where this feeling and experience is part of the daily routine? I found myself fervently missing the subway, since that experience is a group effort, something the people of New York do together--nothing like the rote process of driving. When I think or discuss this dilemma with others, I always remember the quote from the movie Crash that won the Oscar for Best Film a couple years back. It was specifically talking about Los Angeles in comparison to other cities with more condensed organizations and efficient public transportation. The movie said something like since Angelinos don't have a city where human connection and interaction is constant, but instead an impersonal, lonely practice of driving, they or we want to crash into each other in more volatile and, according to the film, violent means.

I hope I can make peace with this city, because no matter where I adventure to, it's home!

Loss = Love

Yesterday after work at Abuelita's, my brother and I went to a Chinese Restaurant to see my mom and Auntie Cristina with 5 of their first cousins. Here is the picture of the 7 Mexican women that completely dominated the Chinese Restaurant last night.

Two of the cousins or primas live in Guadalajara, Mexico and came because my great-aunt Maria Lupe hasn't been doing well in the past couple of weeks. Maria Lupe is my late grandpa's older sister and she is almost 93 years old. This little reunion was so special, because it hasn't happened for a while, and it was meaningful since almost everyone at this table has lost one parent in the last 10 years and now had this in common.

My grandpa died 11 months ago today at 83 years old. Exactly a month from today will be his "death day" celebration and that idea is completely overwhelming. I feel him with me and in the other room when I'm taking care of my grandma, and everytime I see his chain around my neck. I always say that I wish people talked about death more because I felt somewhat alone when I was mourning in New York. I'm starting to realize why people don't though, it stings so terribly and makes us think about our own mortality, which can be scary.

Amanda my best friend since Kindergarten is leaving for Boston in two days, which means that I won't see her for 6 months, until after Argentina. I have had to say many goodbyes in 2009, some more permanent than others, nevertheless they have become much harder for me to get through. All the adventures I have had and been blessed with come with a cost since I am always away from people that I love--whether its my family and childhood friends, or my New York family.

I was happy to see my mom reuniting with her cousins because even though our lives have all recently had the pain of loss, they all stay in touch, which I think is most important! So even though I always miss people, it reminds me that I have loved people, and they have loved me, and still do, so in the end its worth it!

January Happenings

Wow the first days of 2010 went by so quickly! I spent New Years Eve, first with my family, then with my friend Amanda and some of her high school friends that now are also my friends! It was full of boggle, toasting to 2009 and dancing! We had a great time (see below!)

Since then, I have been working 35-40 hours a week at my godfather's Law Office and at

Its been great to stay busy and work a lot, but I've missed my carefree days of hanging out with friends and my grandma. Its a good lesson in organizing time!

One day at Abuelita's, a woman from a popular TV show called and commissioned me to make these crocheted flower pens for the show! It was a really fun experience free-styling the patterns and changing colors for each flower. Everyone I showed loved them, so I will probably continue to make them for everyone I know. I finally turned them in today, so now I can work on my own project and an adorable teddy bear I'm making as a store sample!

I hope that everyone's 2010 has been great so far! I can't wait to start planning my going away/Valentine's Day craft party! (More to come on that topic!)