Snowflake

Winter is crawling toward us like a drunk old man. Slowly creeping, with all the signs of annoyance. I'm starting to mentally prepare myself once again for a long winter, although this time last year, we already had some snow on the ground, but you just never know how long it will last. It hasn't snowed here yet, thank goodness! I'm hoping we can make it until December until we see snow, but that is wishful thinking.

It's been pretty lonely and quiet at the Bravo household with my wife being in Detroit and Chicago this week. Next week she'll be in Indianapolis, Kansas City and Phoenix interviewing. Sad!! But I know she'll do well, my lover always does awesome at anything she does!

To keep me occupied these two weeks, I agreed to edit two manuscripts. Both of them are pretty short, less than 100 pages each. I already edited one of them in two days. I wasn't too impressed with the content, but clearly the author is a polished writer, with few if any grammatical errors or typos'. We are asked by the publisher to not only correct the grammar, but also write about a page with further comments. I tend to be a little harsh on my comments and very blunt. Yet I do this not out of arrogance or to be mean, I do it because I would want someone to point what needs to be fixed in my own manuscript. I remember when I received one of my manuscripts edits with hardly any comments. To be frank, I was a little disappointed the editor didn't take the time to comment on how the manuscript could be better. Some months later I received more edits to the same manuscript and this time almost every page had some sort of comment, whether it be positive or negative. This was the kind of feedback I wanted. Something specific, something that stood out and this is what I try to duplicated when I edit someone else's manuscript.

I bought Canto General by Pablo Neruda the other day at a used bookstore. This is the MASTERPIECE of one of my favorites. Just last Monday I started to read it and after the first page I quickly put it down. I realized this is a book cannot I leisurely read. When I read it, I'm know I'm going to have to be completely focus and soak in any inspiration I can from it. Knowing that I usually have about 2-3 books on my night stand, that I switch back in forth, I need to wait and give it the time it deserves. Wow, that first page just blew me away!

I received my copy of PALABRA (actually, I bought my copy, still waiting for my contributors issue). I was really impressed with the quality of the journal. High quality! I'm also really impressed with the other writers in the edition. Some of them write such random and weird things, it makes you like it. Its really weird to explain, maybe a good analogy would be Lady Gaga. Ha! Her weirdness makes her undeniably interesting. Maybe I need to be more Gaga-like...oh crap, does that mean I have to start wearing flesh...anyone have A-1 sauce?

Music In Poetry

I've added a new addition to my blog, its called Music In Poetry. I am basically reading some of my poems mixed in with some music. It's pretty cheesy, but cool at the same time. I have only put 4 of the 20 songs/poetry I have created.

I got the idea about a year ago. As a way to improve my poems. I decided to record myself reciting them. This gave me a better idea on where I wanted the pauses, how the tone of the poems was progressing and also the rhythms of the poem. After voice recording about 10 poems, I got the idea to put music behind it. I quickly learned how to use Garage Band and began cutting and looping some tracks. It gave a whole new dimension to my poetry. I loved it!

This is also a great way for people to get familiar with my poetry and also to promote it. The master plan will be to keep doing some tracks and putting them on the blog. Check them out!

Bikes, Cars, and Poetry

It has been a crazy week and it is only Wednesday! Monday night I did a night bike ride with a bunch of guys who get together every Monday at Tranquility Park. The trail is about 6 miles longs and it is really close to my house which makes it even better. I wouldn't say that I "love" the trail, to tell you the truth, I actually don't really like it, maybe because it is in the city and so I don't feel it is a very natural ride like the other rides outside of town. However, this trail does give you a great workout, so I think of it as a "workout" trail.

The guys on the ride were very nice. Everyone seemed really into biking so it was a relief to see other humans as pumped about biking as I am. I did feel a little inferior though, since everyone had these awesome full-suspension bikes and I have a sucky bike I bought at sporting goods store, oh well, I'm saving up my pennies as we speak for a better one this coming spring.

I hope to ride a little this weekend, at least do Tranquility once, but I'm not sure how this weekend is going to pan out since I don't have a car...which bring me to my next point.

Tuesday morning, I got up to go for an early swim and to my great disappointment, my stupid ignition won't turn! I can stick the key inside but it won't let me turn it. I've tried everything from lubing the key, to stomping on the break, to even cussing and saying words my mother wouldn't want to hear me say. I've tried all night last night and again this morning. No luck. I think I must have triggered a safety device or something. Anyways, I'm getting it towed either today or tomorrow. I just pray it's not going to be expensive!

Poetry, oh yes...Since November is National Write a Novel month, I thought I'd challenge myself to get back in the swing of writing and try to write a rough new poem everyday for the next month. I realize much of it will be rubbish, but at least I can start to get the wheels spinning and begin that ever so daunting second manuscript!

Feliz Dia de Los Muertos

Today is Day of the Dead, a special tradition celebrated in Mexico and some parts of Latin America. Unlike Halloween, Day of the Dead is a bit more serious in nature, as people pay respect to those who have passed before us. Typically relatives of the deceased will visit the graveyard and make an altar for their loved one. Placing flowers (marigolds are the symbol of death in Mexico), candles, candy and food. Relatives will also bring items that were loved by those who passed, such as chocolate, or maybe they liked to play chess and therefore a board would be set up. The logic and legend of this is that the spirits will come back to enjoy what they once enjoyed in this life.

It is a very colorful and happy celebration. Honoring those passed, by remembering them, and offering them gifts. This is a tradition that dates back to the era of the Aztecs and has spread not only to all of Mexico but also to the United States. I pray for my loved ones and look forward to one day being with them again.

-Rufino Bravo

-Dora Bravo

-Ramon Quant

-Tio Moncho

-Tio Donaldo

-Laura Cockson

-Margret Bolas

We miss and love you!!

America's Most Beloved Illegal Immigrant

Just thought I'd point this out...just saying...

You know you are in Nicaragua when...

Found this on somones blog...thought it was pretty funny, feel free to add your own thoughts.

You know you're in Nicaragua when...

1. You see a random herd of goats walking down the street. Everyday.

2. Two grown men on one bike is not strange.

3. You see a man pushing a wheel barrel of piglets down the street, stop to take a picture and YOU are considered the weirdo.

4. Gringo/Gringa becomes your pet name.

5. A car horn becomes the new way to "just give a shout out".

6. You determine where to hang out based on who has a couch.

7. You regularly eat dinner out of a banana leaf.

8. It feels weird to be clean.

9. You've forgotten what air conditioning feels like.

10. 5'10 is considered abnormally tall.

11. No matter the song, someone is clapping along with it. Most likely off beat.

12. Seeing random drum lines in the street becomes second nature.

13. You hear fireworks at all hours of the day. No one knows why.

14. You wake up to two American songs and one Latina song playing full blast at the same time at the same place.

15. They block off your street for the most intense pick-up soccer game ever.

16. Car safety no longer applies. Especially when you see 7 people in one taxi.

17. You see million of little plastic bags ( that contained water) at a street.

18. Direction are given to you in reference to popular city markers.

19. You start sweating immediately after drying yourself from a shower.

20. Everyone is super friendly! ;-)

Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize in Literature 2010

It is with great joy today that I post the Nobel Prize for Literature has returned to Latin America after a 20 year drought (Mexican Poet, Octavio Paz won in 1990). Mario Vargas Llosa, a Peruvian, won the grand-daddy of all literature prizes last week (for a great article by one of my favorite professors click on the link). Unfortunately, I have not read a lot of his novels. In fact, the only novel that I began to read was "La Ciudad y Los Perros" (The Time of a Hero), to only stop reading it after my father rented the movie, and of course spoiled the ending.

I have read a lot of his criticism of Latin America though. During my graduate years at the University of Arizona, I read a lot of his articles criticizing the intellectual left of Latin America, such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Noble Prize Winner 1982) for their ideologies of what Latin America should be. It is always interesting to me how intellectuals in Latin America are perceived. For instance, Vargas Llosa is considered very right-wing, but for American standards, I'd say his views would be considered pretty moderate.

I am also glad the Nobel Committee was able to put political views aside and pick a candidate for their work of art. I say this because, as many literature aficionados would tell you, one of the greatest writers of all-time Jorge Luis Borges was denied a Nobel Prize because of his political views (so the rumor says).

Nevertheless, the Nobel Prize returning to Latin America puts an exclamation mark once again on how great writers of the Spanish language are. It is a triumph for everyone who speaks or loves the Spanish language. Congratulations Mario Vargas Llosa on uniting Latin America once again!

PALABRA Literary Magazine publication

I'm so happy today because one of my poems made it to a very well known and respected literary magazine, PALABRA. Although I have known they were going to publish my poem since this summer, the actual magazine is out and available for purchase.

The poem they chose to publish is called: Girls with Ice Cream. It is basically a poem I wrote while I was in Mexico last year, just sitting in one of the many plazas and observing the dynamics of schools girls chatting while creepy strange old men look at them. You'll have to purchase a copy of the magazine to see what I'm talking about.

I must say that I feel pretty proud being among a sharp group of poets in this magazine, two of which I'm friends with, Yago Cura and Suzanne Frischkorn.

Support Latino poets and purchase a copy for yourself...you owe it to the inner poet in you.

Wilbur is my homeboy

Time flies when you are having fun, as the old saying goes. This weekend my wife and I traveled down to Arizona for a very short trip. We arrived in Tucson at about 10:30 am and headed straight for my parents house. It had been since last April since I'd been home, but some things never change, especially home sweet home.

The trip was meant for a pre-celebration to my birthday this coming Friday. As part of my birthday present my brother, Aldo, got everyone tickets to the University of Arizona football game. My family has never really been big on football as U of A basketball has dominated the lime-light in Tucson for the past 20 years, but since our basketball team sinks like yesterdays underwear, our football team will had to do. To make things even better, we are ranked pretty high (or were ranked, until our lost that evening).

The Wildcats did not start off to a good start. I'm no expert on football, but I'd say that our defense lost the game for us. Just as it seemed we were going to get a turnover on downs, the Oregon State Beavers were right back in it. Their QB was pretty damn good. I was really impressed on how well he was connecting throughout the game.

How do you know you're in Tucson? When you hear a Mariachi play during half-time. Mariachis from different schools played during the half-time show. I love hearing Mariachi music, especially when I'm in Tucson. Although it isn't part of my immediate culture, it is part of my Tucsonan culture.

The game was great. The atmosphere was energetic and could be felt even more with our seats that were right next to the Oregon State fans. A lot of smack talking going back and forth. No fist punches, but we did see two pretty blondes talking smack to each other, my wife thought they would really fight. Although we lost the game, it was still so much fun hanging out with the familia and cheering on the home team.

I do have to say that Wildcat fans aren't as crazy as Husker fans, but we'll get there with our football team. Just to put things in perspective, season tickets for the Arizona games only cost $92 dollars, that kind of money might get you a decent seat at a Huskers football stadium. Well at least we don't have to put on corn-hats to show our die-hard loyalty to our team.

ps. How cool is the shirt my brother has of Wilbur the Wildcat!

Boys Town youth gets second chance

Although I never had her in class, I do remember her walking through the hallways. It is always nice to hear that our youth are able to change their lives with a little guidance from the Boys Town staff. Hopefully more stories like this are in the making! Check out her success story/video from the Chicago news here.

Calvin Crest, Mountain Bike Trail

If you are looking for a great mountain bike trail in the Omaha area,CalvinCrest is the place to be. This trail that runs about 4.5 miles, just opened this August and after doing the trail once, it has become my favorite trail. It has a little bit of everything for every rider. There are many dips and sharp turns that require a little more skill, but the pretty smooth ride between the forest is just right for novice riders.

Calvin Crest is located just outside of Fremont, NE (which is about 20 minutes from Omaha) on the edge of the Platte River. There is actually a point on the ride when you are riding right next to the river. It is a little tricky getting there and finding the trailhead, but once you are on the trail, it is very easy to follow.

The coolest part about the trail is the suspension bridge toward the end of the trail. I highly doubt any trail in Omaha has the same feature, but what a rush to ride on a moving bridge with a little creek underneath.

Check out some of the pictures from the ride! See you out there!!

Garage Poet or Garbage Poet?

As I'm getting closer in looking for ways to publish my latest collection of poetry: Provoking la Piñata, I can't help but think of going through the "do-it-yourself" route. With the internet and the emergence of "publish on demand" companies, the temptation to send your work has come across all writers mind.

Here's where I stand. As of today, I have been working with a local publishing company in Omaha. I've be kind enough to help edit 6 manuscripts, two of which were outstanding and the rest complete rubbish. After sending some first drafts of my manuscript sometime in March, I received a letter sometime this summer saying my manuscript has been "recommended" for publication. Like any struggling writer, I was ecstatic with the great news. But I've come to conclude that being "recommended" can mean a lot of things.

Last year, I had two poems recommended for publication at Bilingual Review, but I still have not seen them in their journal, nor have I received a copy or any news of their whereabouts. More recently with the publishing company from which I received that letter this summer, I have emailed the publishing director just to see where in the process the manuscript is but I still have not received a reply. It's very frustrating to not get any news of a manuscript status. It keeps your feelings in limbo, not knowing what will happen to this pieced of art that you have worked so hard for.

As the months pass, I've been really contemplating publishing the book on my own. This wouldn't be the first time I have done a self-publication (Though this could be the first that I truly promote and looks to sell for profit). Detras del Biombo, was my first publication. I made 100 copies and distributed them as a wedding present to our guest. The majority of the love poems where in Spanish and I'm sure many of the guest were left feeling clueless about what to do with the chapbook, but damn it felt so good to hand someone a copy of my poems. Ever since then, I've been in pursuit to re-create that same feeling, over and over.

The second chapbook, The Traveler, was printed last May. I only printed 50 copies. Made of a series of vignettes, I printed this chapbook as a senior present for my students. I felt that if there was anyone who I'd like to give this book to, it would be to my students. I hope many of them read it and contemplated some of the messages it contained.

Provoking la Piñata could have the same fate. There are so many things that I like about self-publishing. The first and one of the most important aspects being that I have complete artistic control over what I'll be putting in my book. I would hate for someone to tell me what the title or book cover should be. Another aspect that I really enjoy about self-publishing is that I'll be able to price the book and make a much bigger profit from the sales. At this point in my career, I don't have the luxury of knowing that thousands of copies will be sold and I will make profit from the volume of copies being sold.

The big draw backs of self-publishing are obviously that I will not only have to front the expenses, but also do a lot of self-promoting/marketing to sell the books. And of course, the biggest draw back is....being labeled as "one of those" poets that self-publish.

I've thought long and hard about that label and I can't seem to find why it has such a bad taste in reader's minds. I've always thought of my poetry status as being that of a struggling rock-band. Both are lyrical/musical to some sense and both are considered a major art form, but one of the big differences lies in how the audience view self-promotion.

Many of the major bands today at one point started as nobodies. They probably began playing in someone's living room, then moving to play at local parties and finally knocking on the door of local pubs in search to get a gig. Eventually, they saved enough money to get some studio time to record their first album and from there on it was all about getting as many records into the hands of people in hopes that someday they'd get that big record deal.

The majority of people would think this would be an admiral process, even more, a natural process of making it big. Yet, in the literature world, for some reason this is frowned upon. People assume since your book isn't published through an official publisher, your work could either be crap, or worst, you want to come across as an author just because you made your own book. But isn't this essentially what rock-bands do. Granted there are many horrible rock bands (I've seen my fair share of them) as I'm sure there are numerous horrible self-publications, but isn't this what being an artist is all about. Self-expression, self-promotion, self-denial and self-destruction.

So, will I become a Garage Poet or Garbage Poet? Only time will time will tell, in the meantime, I'm gonna spend my mornings digging through some records instead.

Race to the Finish

If some of you in Omaha saw me running downtown super fast this morning, don't worry I wasn't being chased by "La Migra", I was just in a 10K race.

What a difference shedding a few pounds can make. One year ago, I was crawling on the sidewalks of Creighton University because my feet hurt so bad after doing a 10K. The pain was so bad I had to ask my wife to come pick me up, while I sat there like a poser-running bum almost in tears.

Not the case this year. My wife and I were both able to finish the race without stopping once. Did I cheat? No sir. Did I take a short cut? Nope. Did I put wheels on my shoes? Never, that would be dishonest, although that would be pretty cool. I ran the whole thing, fair and square. I'm pretty excited about it, a huge improvement from last year.

I want to say the main reason for such an improvement has to be the weight that I lost this summer. I was very active for the past three months. Teaching a lot of tennis lesson, playing soccer twice a week and picking up the sport of mountain biking. I have always been an active person, but I really pushed myself to lose some weight. I'd ride my bike to places if I could, I'd keep my lunches to a sandwich and I'd make a daily conscious decision to work on my weight. I don't think I was ever really over weight, but I knew I could lose some pounds off the old gut.

The result of losing that weight have been tremendous. I shed about 15 pounds. From 203 to about 188. The big differences that I can really see are obviously my pants are fitting me better, they aren't as tight, I'm able to run a lot faster and longer and the biggest improvement is my feet not hurting after a run.

I've had problems with my feet since college. My feet are super flat. According to doctors I have plantars fasciitis. Basically, since my feet are so flat, I have no arch support which makes certain tendons work harder, thus overworking them and making them sore. It really wasn't a concern for a long time, but I did begin to notice pain more frequently when I put on a few pounds. I've tried insoles, which initially worked, but I know the problem was that extra weight that I was carrying around.

So today, after the race I didn't know if I should expect the same results as last year. I was dreading the pain, and even more because we arrived a little late to the race and I didn't properly stretch. To my enjoyment I had no problems during the race (I actually didn't get tired of running until about 1/2 from the finish line) nor after. My feet hurt for about 5 minutes and then I told them to get over it and proceeded to eat 3 bagels. I felt so good that I even went to play some soccer late in the evening. Life is a lot better for my feet now that they aren't dragging a fat ass.

Gringo Nightmare

I recently stubbled upon a story that I found very fascinating. The story actually took place a few years ago in San Juan del Sur, a small yet growing beach town in the south of Nicaragua. I happen to stumble upon this story as I have been researching "famous" crimes in Nicaragua. The reason I have been doing this is mainly due to a book that I purchase 5 years ago while I was in Managua. As I often due, I like to check out books store in the different places of the world I travel to and a book called "The Biggest Crimes of 20th Century in Nicaragua" caught my eye. I remember thinking this could be a great way to get ideas for either a book or short stories (which is the purpose of researching crimes in Nicaragua). I read a few entries at the time of purchase, but then forgot about. I rediscovered this little gem the other day while cleaning out our library at home. I thought I've give it another shot and see what some of these famous crimes were about. I found some of them to be very gruesome and brutal, whiles other I thought were common crimes one would expect in rural poor communities.

As I kept reading these crime summaries, I wondered if there were any recent famous crimes in Nicaragua...then I stumbled upon the story of Eric Volz.

Volz was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend in San Juan del Sur. He had a history, according to the victims mother, of being a jealous man, yet when the crime happened, several witness, co-workers, and records of cell phones, placed him two hours away in Managua the capital. How could this be possible? Well the controversy of this whole case is revolves around Volz being an American Citizen. He believes the Ortega government would like to make an example of him, on how foreigners can't get away with murder in Nicaragua. I won't go into detail about the case, since I don't really know them yet, but it is believed that Ortega had a large influence in the judges decision to dismiss several key witnesses and evidence. After few months of trial, Volvz was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years prison, only to be overturned after spending 14 months in jail. At the trial of appeal, evidence and witnesses that were ignored at the original trial were presented, aquitting Volz and giving him freedom once again.

But the story doesn't end there. A few years after, the Ortega govt' asked once again that Volz be tried. This would be a direct violation of the Nicaraguan Constitution, but this wouldn't surprise anyone to know that Ortega interprets the Constitution by his own standard.

I have been trying to follow what is going on with his case at the moment. He has been promoting himself as an innocent man that is merely being used by the Nicaraguan government as a political tool to further their relationship to the U.S.

Volz also came out last year with a memoir of his experience titled: Gringo Nightmare. I purchased the book and I'm really anxious to see what his story is and how he explains the corruption within the Ortega administration . I'll keep everyone posted after I read the book!

Bubbles

Hello Blog...it is nice to see you again. That is exactly what I'm thinking at the moment. It has been awhile since I last wrote in this blog or online journal, whichever you prefer. Why haven't I written for sometime? It certainly isn't because I haven't had anything to write about, that has never been the case, nor has the excuse of not having enough time to write, as I can always make time for that, even with the busy crazy life I live at the moment. I guess the simple answer would be that, I didn't have the desire to. It has actually been a long-time since I've written anything new, whether it be on the blog, prose or poetry. As far as new material has been concerned, the last thing I remember writing was: Losing Purgatory, a poem about Managua and I think I finally stopped myself from the edits in late June.

I must admit that it has been nice to take a break from writing. After almost three years of writing/editing, and of course reading almost everyday, I felt a break was much needed. Those years were consumed with 4 writing projects, three of which I feel have come to their finale.

At the beginning of May, I printed out 50 copies of The Traveler as gifts to my seniors. It had been a year long project that started out as just a writing exercise and suddenly transformed into something that I am proud of and hope will help my students. I do plan to keep contributing to this collection, but I won't pursue it as vigorously as I did the past year.

Yet, the final breath of fresh air came with the completion of Provoking la Piñata. I have worked endlessly on this project and I think my best writing is portrayed in this collection. I finally have it the way I want it, with the poems I think best fit together. One of the most difficult aspects of putting the book together was the order in which the poems fit together. I started out with three section, but by the end I realized that I had four sections of poetry. I have sent out the manuscript to a few places, just to see how it goes and I will continue to push for this book to published, but in the meantime it give me a sense of peace that I can start a new project.

Although I haven't written much, I did manage to load my brain with some great literature. Who are we kidding, a writer never takes a break from his art. Here is a list of the pages my cranium devoured this summer:

-Pluverse, Ernesto Cardenal

-Drowning Tucson, Aaron Morales

-The Savage Detectives, Roberto Bolaños

-Tres, Roberto Bolaños

-2666, Roberto Bolaños

-La Universidad Desconocida, Roberto Bolaños

As you can see, I'm really digging Bolaños! In my personal opinion his writing is freedom. It is amazing how he takes you on journey about nothing and everything. He makes me want to write, simply put. I am especially happy that I finally got La Universidad Desconocida. I have been searching for almost 6 months for this book of poetry. It is so interesting to see what he would write about. It makes you wonder if you are at the mercy of a genius or an idiot.

It's good to be back to "writing mode". I miss it. I hope it misses me too. I opened a new journal this evening. Looks the same as always, navy-blue, thin pages, ready to be filled. I already have plans on how I'd like to fill it. I'm excited for the adventures my mind will take me. I want my creativity to take me to new places, to sacrifice me to my imagination. Oh boy...

UNO Cumbre 2010

Brown and Proud

Intro to Chicano Studies Summer 2010

Metro CC has agreed to offer a Chicano Studies course again this summer. The class will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8:55 pm. I am very eager to teach this class again, mainly because it will be a little different than the previous classes. If you noticed, I have changed the title, from "Chicano Literature" to "Chicano Studies". The change was recommended to me by a fellow colleague who suggested I change the name to make it more inviting. I think she was absolutely right. People tend to get a little nervous with taking a class that has the word "literature" attached to it. With the new title, it also gives me a little more freedom to pursue other cultural aspects of Chicanos, such as their art and music. I will still incorporate a lot of literature, but will revamp the course to include art and music.

Make sure to sign up!!

Poetic Phoenix

It was another great weekend in Phoenix. The weather was beautiful, the food was great and top it off, my wife and I climbed the peak of Camelback Mountain. Had never done it and it was a lot tougher that I was expecting, but we made it to the top. We did however need a little persuasion about 3/4 the way up. At first it doesn't seem like a tough hike, but with the heat and the steep ridges, it really fatigues not only your body but also your mind. We made it to the top in about an hour or so. Unfortunately, not everyone had the same fate. There was a man who caught everyones attention as he kept screaming. Turns out, he took a wrong turn or something and was trapped between a small canyon of the mountain. When we first arrived, the rescue workers were already on their way, but it wasn't until the helicopter came and lowered a man from the rope that the gentleman finally calmed his nerves. To say the least, a helicopter was not what I was expecting to see at the top of the mountain.

It was a great weekend and the only thing missing was my wife coming back home with me. She still has a few more weeks and then she'll be back home!

During play rides to and from Phoenix I was able to fully indulge in the ecstasy Roberto Bolaño has created with his novel 2666. So far I have read the first two chapter (or books within the book). All I can say is that I'm continuing the book in my dreams and at times I really don't know if I read it or dreamt it. It is pretty trippy, but I like! ;-)

I recently sent submissions of poetry to 4 journals to see if anything bites. The journals are: Ninth Letter, Barrow Street, Palabra, and Epicenter. I chose these journals with the reasoning that these are some of the journals that featured poetry of some of the few new authors I've been reading. I have read some of these journals and have been very impressed with the poetry they feature. I'd especially like to featured in Palabra. I think that would be a good place to get exposure to other poets in the Latino community.

Received my copy of Heredities by J. Micheal Martinez. I'm excited so see what lurks behind the gorgeous cover. Such a cool cover!

And the sad news: The winner of the Andres Montoya Poetry Contest has been announced and sad to say the name doesn't start with an M or end in O. Dang it, guess I'll have to wait two more years for my crack at winning!

Latest Publication

After a long road-trip to Phoenix with my wife last weekend I received a wonderful surprise in the mail. I had received my contributors copy of "Ariel" from Triton College. There are numerous reasons why I was so excited to be published in this journal. First and foremost, as a aspiring poet, any publication for the most part is an accomplishment. After receiving rejection letter after rejection letter it is such a relief to know that someone out there recognizes your work and likes it enough to put it in their journal. Though this is not my first publication, this is definitely one that I am extra proud to be a part of. The editor, Paul Martinez Pompa, is the author of my favorite poetry book last year. His book titled, My Kill Adore Him, just blew me away. I loved it. After reading it from start to finish, I immediately re-read it, this time jotting notes in the margin. It it such an honor to have him pick my work to be included in his journal. Another reason that I am really excited about this publication is that I am among some great companions. Poets which I have heard great things about over the years. To name a few: Steve Cordova, Javier O. Huerta, Linda Rodriguez and J. Micheal Martinez. I really hope these poets enjoy my contribution to the journal. So as you can see, at the moment I'm floating around in poetry heaven! Lets hope I can continue to get recognized!

ps. The poems published were: Table Manners and Dubbed in English

The "next genius" of Latin America

I finally received my copy of The Romantic Dogs by Roberto Bolaños. For some reason I have grown infatuated with this author although I really haven't read any of his work from start to finish. This will be the first book that I will read cover to cover by him. There is a certain element of his biography that draws me to wonder what his work is like, not to mention that I have still yet to find someone call him anything short of a genius. But probably my biggest fascination with this is author is that he might be the answer to what I have been waiting for, the "next genius" of Latin American poetry. For so many years it has been the same authors dominating the literary scene and space: Garcia Marquez, Allende, Neruda, Borges, Cortazar, Cisneros. It would be nice to get a new face and a new escape from reality, a new name to associate with Latin America author.

Could it also be that I'm fascinated with him and his work, because he is no longer alive. It wouldn't be the first time an author becomes more popular after their death, Selena, Tupac, Richie Valens, Kurt Cobain etc. (to name a few musical artist). There is also so much ambiguity as to how the events in his life played out. For instance, it is not know whether he was in Chile the day of the Pinochet takeover. Some source say he was there, but other say he was in Mexico. Another uncertain fact is his use of heroine. People have speculated that he was a heroine addict, but some of his closest friends deny it. Whether these people are trying to salvage his image or not, it still create a ora of which I have grown found of.

Nevertheless, I'm going read my copy cover to cover and try to the most out of it. This for the moment, is the only copy available of his poetry. I'll be on the look-out for other books of poetry. Though many consider him to be a novelist since most of his works are novels, he himself always considered himself first a poet. I'll keep everyone posted!

In other news:

It looks like Spring is finally here! It is about time! I cannot believe that it has been 6 months since our first snow fall. In celebration of ending our misery, I went ahead and bought myself some new soccer cleats. They look so fresh and so clean, that I had to go out and get them dirty. They feel wonderful, light, with a good grip. I actually already knew what they would feel like since I have the indoor version. This Thursday they will be put to the test when the teachers play the students in a "friendly" game. We'll see how friendly the teachers are! ha!

Getting ready to make our road trip to Phoenix this weekend. Erin will be there for almost a month working on her pediatrics rotation at one of the local hospitals. I'm going to miss her so much, but I'm also very happy that she will be able to spend some time in Phoenix with her old friends and I know how much she love that city. Plus I'll get to see my family which is always a blessing! Speaking of family, my little brother Aldo is going to have his first son this April. Everyone is so happy and excited for them. Despite all the craziness that my brother has gone through, I always knew he was a family man. I'm going to be a Tio again! Yay for more babies!!!

Spring Break

Though the picture of the beach looks pretty sweet, this is definitely not how my spring break turned out. If fact, it snowed on the second day of my three days off, but it was a nice break from school and the chaos of my weekly schedule. I was able to get a lot of small things done that I would normally stress out about, such as finding time to go to the doctors. What a different it makes to have a few spare hours to get some of your "chores" done. I feel like I'm always on the go during the week and by the time the weekend comes around all I want to do is just relax and veg a little.

I did happen to order a few books that I'm really excited about.

-Chronic, D.A. Powell

-Bird Eating Bird, Kristin Naca

-Faith Run, Ray Gonzalez

-The Romantic Dogs, Roberto Bolaños

I'm most excited to receive my copy of the Bolaños text. From all the review I have read, he is probably the best "new" writer coming from Latin America. The only problem is, and it is a big problem, is that he died almost seven years ago. From what I have read, he had a very erratic life, jumping from job to job, country to country, being heavily involved in the anti-political movements of Chile and to top it off, was a heroin addict. Hows that for "Rock Star" status. Fro what I have gathered, his best work are his novels, particularly a novel titled: 2666. (I plan to read it this summer, all 996 pages of it!), but I wanted to get his book of poetry, because Bolaños said he considered himself first and foremost a poet. So...I'll anxiously wait for his book to arrive and maybe discover, as all have said, the best "new" Latin America author.

Remembering Chile

In wake of the earthquake in Chile that literally rocked the earth, I decided to jot down a few memories of my short trip to Chile.

December 2001. I was at the end of my 6 month stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina, school had ended and I still had about 3 weeks before I had to return to the U.S. Being in South America and not knowing when I'd be back, I asked my parents if I could make a trip to Chile, after all I did have a cousin that was studying at the Catolica there, and when I mean cousin, I mean a real cousin, not a friend of a friend that us Latinos like to call cousins. I hadn't seen my cousin Ricardo in about 7-10 years. Last time I saw him he was in high school in Santa Barbara and I was a little kid still picking my nose. Nevertheless, he was there in Chile and had been there for almost 3 years. My mission, to try to find my cousin.

Arriving in Santiago de Chile was a bit of a shock to me. Not because of the climate or the infrastructure, simply the shock came when I asked a lady where I could find a public phone. When she responded, I could have sworn she was speaking in a different language. I had never heard the Chilean accent and it was as different as everyone had warned me. Once I got acclimated to their canto I phoned a friend of my parents, whom I obviously called tio (uncle, its a latino thing).

This friend of my parents, whom I had apparently met once in Tucson when he was in Phoenix on business and decided to come visit our house, surprisingly enough was not Chilean, he was actually from Puerto Rico, but had now lived in Chile several years after marrying his wife. I remember the first night sleeping in his home, which was outside of the city limits. For the life of me I couldn't sleep. It wasn't that I was scared, or tired, or uncomfortable, the problem was that it was too quiet. I had now been accustomed to the noise of the city in Bs. As. Constant cars driving, the city bus screeching its brakes and the occasional yell of people walking the streets after a late night at the bars. It was the quietest night I had ever had.

My week long stay always started out the same. Walk to the bus stop to catch it until it took me downtown. From 9-5, I would just wander the city. Looking at the buildings, people watch, try to write some poems in my travel journal and of course the occasional panic of getting lost in city. Santiago was a very pretty city. It wasn't as city-wise as Bs. As., which was a relief. For the past 6 months I had been surrounded by concrete, people and skyscrapers. It was nice to see trees and the beautiful mountain range of the Andes from any part of the city.

After three days of discovering why so many people had fallen in love with Santiago, I reassumed my mission to find Ricardo. The phone number my mom had given me to reach him was of course out-dated. I called with no avail, so the next step was to look in the white pages. Apparently Ricardo Sepulvedas is a popular name in Santiago as there were about 10 people with that name. Nevertheless, I began calling the numbers hoping he would answer. No luck, so I ventured to pick 3 houses to visit and knock on their door. If he wasn't one of those three, well I could say that I tried.

House #1, never found it. If fact I don't know if I copied it right, because the directions didn't make sense when I arrived in the neighborhood.

House #2, actually a fancy apartment building. I asked the doorman if he could show me the way to the apartment building and he was kind enough to show me the way. When I knocked, a pretty girl opened the door and I asked if Ricardo was home. Closing the door a little, enough to where I couldn't see her but could still hear her, she said: "Ricardo there is someone with a weird accent looking for you". When the man opened the door again. There he was my cousin Ricardo, surprised as hell to see me!! We gave each other a big hug and of course I gave him my explanation, but he just couldn't take his eyes off of me, like I had been raised from the dead.

In true older cousin fashion, he wanted to take me out on the town that night. I can honestly say that all I remember is taking a few shots of Pisco and game over, we had a great time and I ended up waking up on his couch hung-over as hell. I haven't seen my cousin since that morning that I left his apartment nor have I taken a shot of Pisco again. No gracias!!

Toward the end of my Chile trip, I visited the beautiful Viña del Mar. One of the most beautiful cities I have been too. No wonder the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda found so much inspiration in this small town next to the pacific. I only spent a whole day there, but walking the beach and visiting the old building of the cities was so magical. It was a town captured by beauty.

It was the perfect way to end my trip to Chile. I loved everything about the country. The people, the culture, the food, everything was exceptional. I pray for the people of Chile that they may find peace in spite of such a tragic event.

El pueblo unido, jamas sera vencido!!

School of Rock

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night...." What a great song! I've been playing a little more guitar lately, mainly because I have a student who enjoys guitar also, so I told him I'd teach him a few songs and now I feel like Jack Black on School of Rock. ha! We get together every Thursday morning in my classroom before school starts. So far our set list has included "Say it ain't so" by Weezer, "When I come around" Green Day, "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes. We plan to learn some Nirvana, Oasis, Arctic Monkey's and Pixies. He is a pretty good guitar player. I was very surprised when he told me he could play, and he could actually play.

I've had a few teachers come up to me and tell me that it was really neat that I was helping this kid out. Sometimes, some of these students just need an outlet to get them motivated. As part of the deal, he has to keep his grades up and make privileges at home in order to jam on Thursdays. Has it worked? I think so, last week told me that he made "achievement" at home, the highest rank you can have at the home. I also told him he could have my distortion pedal if he brings me a sheet that tells me he is enrolled in college courses. I have a feeling I'm going to be out a distortion pedal some day.

We'll let you know when our first album comes out! ha!

Missing: Vintage Arizona T-shirt, help!

My newest mission: Find the cactus logo t-shirt!!!! I know it is out there, because I saw someone with it a year ago and I loved it, but I didn't have the chance to ask where the lil Wildcat got it from. I've looked online, with no avail! If you see it or know where to get it, contact me! I'm going to be on the prowl, and I shall find it!!!

My life according to Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst

I found this template on another persons blog and so I wanted to do it with an artist that might not be very well known, but who I admire and have personal ties to. What you do is you answer these question using only titles from songs by that artist. I thought about the Beatles and Nirvana, but everyone know them, so I chose who I think is probably the best songwriter of our generation, Bright Eyes a.k.a Conor Oberst. Not only is he from Omaha, where we currently live, but not knowing this, the first song I sang to my wife in a little park in Casa Grande was a song by him. So here it goes, my life according to Conor Oberst:

Are you a male or female?

Theme to Piñata

Describe yourself:

I believe in Symmetry

How do you feel:

Bowl of Oranges

Describe where you currently live:

I Must Belong Somewhere

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:

The Center of the World

Your favorite form of transportation:

Ship in a Bottle

What's the weather like:

False Advertising

Favorite time of day:

Sunrise, Sunset

Your significant other:

First Day of My Life

Your fear:

Something Vague

What is the best advice you have to give:

No one would riot for less

If you could change your name, you would change it to:

Arienette

My soul's present condition:

Souled Out!!!

Chicago

Happy Valentines Day!!

Unfortunately for me I don't get to spend the day with my wife, she is on call from 7am-7pm so we celebrated our V-day this Friday. What did we do...? We got all glamed out and we went to go see the musical "Chicago", which after seeing it, I don't know if it is the most romantic tale, after all, many of the characters in the play kill their husbands. Yikes! Nevertheless, it was really good. Good laughs, great dancing, awesome entertainment and I love those nights when Erin and I get dressed up and head downtown, makes me feel alive.

After the show we went to a posh hotel-bar, which happens to be the same hotel we stayed at for our wedding night. We had some drinks, ordered a dessert and actually were able to meet some of the people in the musical. Many of them were the male dancers, and they were all very nice. I think I was the only straight guy in the whole bar. I don't feel like you see a lot gay men in Omaha, so it was nice to see a change of ambiance. We couldn't believe how much these men traveled. They were on the road for literally 9 months out of the year, but damn what a cool life to live for a few years. Travel, meet people, see new cities and of course get to perform in front of tons of people. I think in my ego-life, I would have loved to of been in a successful rock band. The thought of sing my songs in front of hundreds of people would be such an experience.

Speaking of Chicago, it looks like that could be a possible place where we might head in two years. We have been there once and loved it. The residency programs are great for Erin, teachers get paid very well and I'm sure there is a lot more opportunity for me as far as getting my Ph.D or getting a full-time at a Community College. Plus, it is Chicago! How can you not love: The Cubs, Oprah, Deep-Dish Pizza, Sears Tower, The House on Mango Street, Chicago Fire and of course...its Chicago duh.

So I think Erin will try to do an externship (meaning she will do a month rotation there) just so we can get a good feel for it. The plane tickets are also very cheap from Omaha and Phoenix, so our parents/siblings could come visit us often or we can go back home too.

Chicago, Chicago, Chicago...who knows.... :-)

Chinese Opera for abuelito

There is something about listening to classical music in the morning that just makes the mornings that more pleasant. I'm still trying to wake up every morning at about 5ish to read and write, beside the little set back I had last week of getting sick, I've held that commitment to myself.

I received a few rejection letters these past few weeks from literary journals. I wasn't too surprised to receive it from one of the journals, but I was really surprised my poems didn't make it into the other journal. My reasoning is that I received a prior rejection letter from them last November, with them urging me to submit again, since my poems were among the finalist. I have a feeling this is what they tell all of their rejects. Boo! I guess this is why it has been hard for me to get motivated to write some of the poems I have in my head, but this morning, I did manage to write two more entries for my verse-novel, The Papaya Plot.

Some other good news, last night I booked another ticket to visit my wife in Phoenix. She will be doing a month long rotation at St. Joseph's so I'm very happy that I'll be able to visit her again while she is down there, plus the sound of Arizona when it 10 degrees outside here in Nebraska sounds so much better! Oh Arizona...how I miss thee!!

I've been thinking about my grandfather a lot these past few days. I think mainly because, I'm at the part in The Papaya Plot, which resembles his life. When I think of him, two images come to my mind. The first is him in his wheelchair, sitting next to the front window of our house and looking outside for hours. He would sit there and not say a word just watch. I always wondered what he was thinking. Did he like it here in the U.S.? Was happy with the way thing turn out in Nicaragua with the revolution? What did he expect to see to in our neighborhood? Yet, with all these questions lingering, it was a comforting image, seeing him sitting there looking out into the world from our small home.

The other image of I have of him is from a totally different spectrum. For the most part, my grandfather was a very quite and reserved man. Didn't say much, but when he talked, everyone made sure to listen. He was a quite man, but how he laughed. It was a ritual my father did solely so that my grandfather would laugh. Every time after dinner, my father would act like he was singing a Chinese Opera, within seconds my grandfather was a gasping for air from laughing so hard. Everyone at the dinner table would laugh with him, because I think deep down inside everyone knew he didn't have much time and what better way to spend your last days than with family at the dinner table and laughing to the sound of bad imitation Chinese Opera.

Te extraño abuelito!!

SuperBowl Someday

Sorry folks, when the SuperBowl comes around, I just don't think it's that Super. Not only am I not really into American Football, I just don't see the hype if your team isn't playing. In Nebraska, where there are no professional teams, it is hard to get hyped for any professional championship game. Now when it comes to Husker season, that's a different story. Though it did take me 3 years to warm-up to the idea of watching a full Football game and enjoying it.

There is one good thing about the SuperBowl, besides the funny commercials,and that is that it only takes one game to determine the winner. I can't stand how long the NBA playoffs are. It seems they will never end. At least for the SuperBowl, it only last about 4 hours and then it is over. Everyone eats their hot dogs, quesadillas and drinks their beers without having to worry about when the next game will be.

If I do catch a glimpse of the SuperBowl this year, it will probably be for the short few minutes of the commercials. Sorry lads, call me un-American or whatever, but Super Sunday just Super sucks....except for the commercials of course.

Defeating my cold with the Three Amigos

Feeling a lot better today. Monday morning I woke up with a cold and have been struggling to get through it. I finally woke up this morning feeling like a champ again. This cold has made me appreciate my health and the health of those I love. I am so grateful that neither my family nor my wife's family has to deal with a long-term sickness. I couldn't imagine having to wake up every morning feeling miserable. So this Sunday, I'm going to say a prayer for all those that are sick in the world, may they soon heal.

I finished editing another manuscript. It was a short novel that started off with a lot of potential but slowly dwindled into nothing. Whoever wrote it, I'm sure got to the point where they just wanted to finish the damn thing, but because of their impatience, it totally back fired on them. I think this might be one of the hesitations that I have about starting a novel. I love the idea of writing a novel, but I also know that I have a lot of work ahead me. Hopefully one day I'll get the courage to write the book inside me....maybe this summer?

My copy of the Three Amigos came in the mail last week. I remember it being one of my favorite movies when I was growing up. Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short, how could you not like that line-up of slap stick humor. After watching it again while I was sick, I was a bit surprised. Although the movie is rated PG, there are a lot more sexual innuendos than I remember or was probably to young to understand them. Had this movie been made today, I don't think it would get the PG rating it did in 1986. I'm thinking more of a PG-13 rating. However, I do think that watching this movie nursed me back to health, in some weird mystical manner. Thank you Three Amigos!

Big news for me! I'm probably the only one excited about this, but I think I finally found the title to my book of poems: Provoking la Piñata

I love the title. It is a bit comical, with some hostility and of course....who doesn't like a piñata.

I also wanted the title of the book to have a mix of english and spanish words, after all many of the poems use this code-switching, so why not have the title do the same. As of right now, it is in the hands of a Berkley graduate of poetry getting edited. I'm curious to see what he/she has to say about the ms.

Bloga Blaga Blogger

Gosh it seems like it has been such a long time since I have blogged on this site, which is has been! Sept of 2009! But I have not disconnected totally from the blog world even if I haven't personally been blogging. There are a handful of blogs that I follow almost daily with great sources of information. I don't imagine my blog would ever be as popular, nor did I ever have that intention, but it serves as another great way keep writing something.

2010...2010...2010....damn I'll be 30 this year! Yikes, actually no, I'm happy to enter my 30's the 20's were definitely "roaring", so I'm excited about what the next decade will bring. One thing I do know that it has already brought is nice warm coffee at 5:00 am. I've been trying to wake up every weekday at 5 am to begin the day by writing or reading. So far, so good. I haven't written anything terribly good, but I'm still writing poetry, it seems the muse doesn't wake up as early as I do...yet! I have begun to edit another book for WriteLife. This will be the third book that I edit for them. I've grown a liking to editing. I'm a little harsh, but I think that is what any good writer wants, to get constructive criticism. After the first chapter, the story is off to a great start and I'm excited to see what it unveils since it takes place in Honduras during the early 20th century...coffee plantations, dictators, United Fruit Company....I hope so!

I'm hosting a poetry contest for my high school students. They are very excited about this. I think this will be the first time anything like this has ever been done, so I'm anxious to see the response not only from the students but also from the teachers. I know there are a lot students that write poetry because I catch them writing it when they are not paying attention to my lesson, but it's ok, since it's poetry I'll let it slide. There are also a lot of student that like to rap, so hopefully they can see that connection and submit to the contest. I saw a student the other day with Tupac's poetry book, made me curious to see what he wrote about.

I've submitted my manuscript to a few contest. Everyday when I get home I rush to the mailbox, hoping to get word from any of those contest, but no word.

The "plan" is to blog at least once a week and if time or excitement permit, maybe twice a week. Well, here is to the new year and new decade.....cheers lads!!