Country Rican

I am a political junkie.  I am.  I love it.  I know people who would rather tear their own nails out than watch a political debate, but I simply enjoy them.  I have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.  That means I have read, and read, and read some more about the subject.  It was always fun to me.  I have a Master’s degree in Spanish, in literature.  You can guess what books I gravitated to…politics, history, sociology, current events.  Most of the people who read this know me, so none of this comes as a surprise to them.  But I live in small town where I have only lived for two years, so I am still making friends, getting to know folks.  If this is the first time you read The Country Rican, I am a lefty, a registered democrat, a yellow dog, a liberal, a bleeding heart, a left wing nut job (as Michael used to refer to me when we first started dating).  I think that one is my favorite: left wing nut job. I wear the...

I didn't have a lot of material things growing up.  We were poor.  Not dirt poor.  It's not like we ever went hungry or anything.  But we didn't have a lot of luxuries in our humble household.  Mom and dad both worked back breaking jobs.  My brothers and I had some chores around the house, but especially me and my brother who is just a year older than I, our main job was to study.  We were always in advanced classes and even though we went to public school, we made it in, and graduated, from the best school in our area.  We grew up hearing about the "real" hardships our parents faced in their youth. A constant reminder of how good we had it. I have been fortunate in my life and, as I'm sure my parents planned all along, have a better life than they did when it comes to luxuries in life.  It is easy when you grow up poor to rationalize getting something you never thought you could.  When it came to hiring a cleaning l...

Wow!  I just realized my last blog post was 4 months ago, and it was about Sofia.  LOL  Well this one is kind of about her too...sorry folks.  I promise I have other things to write about,  but with Baby Girl turning six months this week it seemed like the right time to write about my motherhood experience.  I will also add that it is Saturday night, past 9 pm and I just now have the time to sit and write.  Michael is at a bachelor party/weekend, Sofia finally went down at 8:30 or so (half an hour past her bedtime), and I finally had a shower. Nothing on TV but Irene... so back to the computer. I have started to write stuff more than once on other subjects.  I intend to get back to them and post them eventually.  It is just hard to find the time.  I am now back at work full time.  Well, I am usually there by 9 am, and leave somewhere between 5 and 6.  Sofia is with us almost every day, and is quite used to her home away from ...

My friends, my beautiful daughter is now over two months old.  It is insane how time flies when you have a kid.  Which is to say when you are sleep deprived and unbelievable tired.  Don't get me wrong, having her is worth being exhausted.  As Michael told his friend Gus: "Pick a cliche, they are all true." I'm just trying to explain why blogging has not been a priority for me.  This blog entry will serve as an update for family and friends; so be warned, it might get mushy. For the first month after Sofia Carolina was born, my mommy was here to help, which allowed me to enjoy being a mommy without too much stress.  The only real stress came when she had her colic episodes.  I don't know if any of you have taken care of a colicky baby.  It is the most stressful thing I have experienced in my life.  Maybe it's because I'm a new mommy,but your child crying and screaming uncontrollably is a bit much.  Google videos of it if you haven't....

My favorite Dr. Seuss book - hands down.  I purchased it about 10 years ago for myself, when I worked at that bookstore in Germany.  That's how much I like it.  That and "Where the wild things are" but we will leave that subject for another time.  "Oh, the places you'll go!"... I read it this morning to Sofia Carolina for the first time.  I suspect we will be reading it a lot, until we can both recite it.  The only flaw is that it always refers to the "guy" as they did back in the day.  Apparently only boys were going places.       "You have brains in your head.      You have feet in your shoes.      You can steer yourself      any direction you choose.      You're on your own.  And you know what you know.      And YOU are the guy [or gal] who'll decide where to go." What a great book.  What a great message. Have ...

Linda Today is my niece's birthday.  She is turning 23 and it seems like yesterday she was 2.  I am a little emotional today, because my mother left after an extended visit yesterday, so today is my first official day on my own with my baby and my husband without mom.  And, to top it off, my baby girl is a month old.  A month!  I think about Linda being 23 and it makes me want to cry that before I know it, my little Sofia will be 23 too.  They grow up so fast! I know it's cliché -  but it is also true. Linda holds a special place in our family because she was first for all of us.  She was my parents' first grandchild.  My older brother's first (and only) child.  For my other brother and myself she was the first niece.  She was the princess.  And we were all in love with her; really we still are. As usual, I can only speak for myself, so here it goes. Linda was the first newborn I ever held.  She was 3 days ol...

I left Puerto Rico at the age of 22, in 1996.  Yes, I know how old I am.  My friend Glianny and I had a bit of Olympic fever, so we came to Georgia.  This fever was compounded by the unemployment rate in Puerto Rico; and the fact that my older brother lived in Athens Georgia.  I also had an R.E.M. poster on my bedroom wall.  That has nothing to do with anything, except that when I put that poster on my wall I knew nothing of Athens, UGA or the 40 watt.  At that tiime, the last thing I was thinking was that I would marry a gringo - born and bread in the South.  Or that I would someday live in rural Georgia with my husband and baby girl, running a business, raising a family. Where is all this coming from?  Well my mom  came to Georgia for the first time in February to help me with baby, and through her eyes I have been forced to relive what it was like for me when I first moved here.  I was a lot like her, after all she raised me and...