Sunrise

I can't believe it has been over a year since I've posted on this blog! To a degree it makes me sad, but it also gives me a sense of optimism for new beginnings. So much and so little has changed in a year. The most definite coming change is the joy of awaiting my daughter in the coming weeks. It has been such a wonderful experience and the most rewarding part is the closeness that my wife and I have shared. Altogether, its a closeness that neither of have ever experience and a certain peace with each as we both await the arrival of our daughter into this wonderful world.

This past May we found out we will be relocating to Madison, WI as my wife will continue her radiology training. We spent a weekend getting to know the surface of the city and I just fell in love with the atmosphere. There is something to be said about University cities that just captures my curiosity. It always seems that something is going on and more often than not, it is something interesting. I will be sad to leave Omaha as it has been a wonderful city to us. We have both gained life-long friendships and I work at an organization that I truly love and believe in. It will be sad to leave, but this is the nature of life.

When I started this blog, I wanted to dedicate it to all things poetry/literature. For almost 4 years, I was really engulfed in the poetry world. It was marvelous, yet at the same time stressful, defeating, and lonely. Everyday I'd read about 3-5 new poems and contemplate them and try to decipher what the writer was trying to convene. Some of them I think I understood, while others left me perplexed. It was an exercise I practiced almost everyday, as well as writing my own poems, revising, creating, revising, creating. I must say I enjoyed indulging myself in my own "self-proclaimed" genius. To my surprise I had some early success. I got poems published in several journals, setting my sight to compile a book together.

It seemed all was going as planned. I had a book ready, I had hooked up with a local publishing company that formally agreed to publish the book. It was in its 3rd and final revision, when suddenly I received a Facebook message from the publisher's saying they would no longer publish poetry. You can imagine how fast my heart sank. I haven't written or read a poem since then.

As an attempt to revive the poetry within me. I will be submitting to the Andres Montoya Poetry Contest.

But all is not lost. This past year has also been an extremely productive year, mainly to my health. Last January I planned some triathlons and cycling races throughout the year. I found that I wouldn't exercise on my own unless I was entered or training for an event. With hesitation, I can say that this past year, I was probably in one of the best shapes of my life. I got back to about 180 pounds, which if I was a prized fighter, this would be my fighting weight. The culmination of my year came at El Tour de Tucson, 111 miles around my hometown. My goal was to break 6 hours, and with a gasp of slight disappointment, I finish in 6 hours 5 minutes.

I LOVE cycling. Though tennis will always be my true love, it has been too redundant and too hard on my body as I get older. My mind wants to the move the way I did in college, but my body holds the reins a little tighter.

2012 will be a beautiful year. Without a doubt, our firstborn will bring love in it's purest form to our home. What a way to start of a new year!

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! ;-)