No Matter

No matter where I go
No matter what I do
No mater what I see
my heart's still with you.

An amazingly fun & magical day

Whenever a vacation starts off on a crappy note, there's no where to go but up!

Day 2 was a good day in my book, but day 3 was even better. An amazingly fun & magical day, that's how I'd describe today. After only a few hours sleep (my inlaws who were sleeping in a seperate bedroom across from the living room/dining area, Could be heard snoring @ alarming decibels even through 2 sets of closed doors), I rejuvinated with an incredible breakfast at our hotel. By 9:30am we were inside Magic Kingdom heading out on a lovely short ferry ride for Disney's main land. Upon arriving we decided to take train tour to see what appealed to us most. Having identified the areas where we wanted visit & decided on the order we were off for a day of pleasure. Thanks to the incredible Tips & Ride Suggestions I got from Bou of Boudicca.mu.nu & VW of onehappydogspeaks.mu.nu I was able to tackle that park with a relaxed attitude & with ease.

We only stopped briefly for lunch (as the only fair was crappy food [fried food & ice cream] and I had to be mindful of my pre-arranged dinner date w/a very special, fun & handsome mystery man. But more on him later.

In all, we did not have to wait longer that 15min for any non-fast pass rides and only short wait times (around 30 min) for Fast Pass rides. 

We had such an amazing time that I decided we'd all get together to watch the parade & fireworks. It was fun & awesome.

To quote my son: "It was an amazing day! One I'll never forget!" Yes indeed.

Has my Muse gone?

It's been away for far too long

and has that which I hold dearly
my love for creativity.

I finished reading wincing at hearing myself read how awful the material was outloud. After a very long pause, her first words were, "“That’s it? That’s all you'’ve got?"” She said this in a somewhat weary voice that belied the disappointment and frustration she felt underneath her sweet southern Tennessee accent. Artists have very fragile and insecure egos, so she was very careful in walking the line between former teacher and creative mentor. I knew her well enough not to waste either of our time with excuses.

“"What else you got? Because I know you, you've probably been sitting down writing and trying to force yourself to come up with something, instead of painting or reading or doing something else that might free you up creatively.”" 

She was right. After the cyber attack that destroyed my pc and lost all my new poems, I got frustrated and stopped writing, my heart was no longer in it. The looming deadline was the only thing that forced me back onto a page.

“"Well, you better come up with somethin’, ‘cause your name is already in the program and you’re closing the show. Otherwise that silence you hear after your name is announced will be forever owned by you. It will resonate within you for years to come, and you'’ll never be able to take it back.”" [This is writer speak for disappointing the audience with a creative void. The punishment for such a sin is a deafening silence.]

So after hanging up the phone, I called the sitter and asked her to pick up my son so I could take a very long walk by the river. By the time I stopped and inspiration had struck, I had walked 6 miles. But in the process I found the first few lines for my poem and a back up plan. The theme I was assigned was ‘My Warring Muse’

After a dozen or so false starts, these are the first few lines that I’m finally content with:

Amor… te añoro.
Mi alma busca de nuevo conocer
la sublimidad que es tu ser.

Update: My translation is below
My Love... I long for you.
My soul is searching once again
to know the sublimity that is you.

I think I”ll have enough time to compose a poem. But if I don’t. I won’t be the first one to read a work in progress from a notebook. In the meantime, in the next post you can read my back up plan. A translation I wrote of a Pablo Neruda poem that speaks of the love/hate relationship writers have with their muses.

---------------------------------------------

SONETO LXVI

NO TE QUIERO sino porque te quiero
y de quererte a no quererte llego
y de esperarte cuando no te espero
pasa mi corazón del frío al fuego.

Te quiero sólo porque a ti te quiero,
te odio sin fin, y odiándote te ruego,
y la medida de mi amor viajero
es no verte y amarte como un ciego.

Tal vez consumirá la luz de enero,
su rayo cruel, mi corazón entero,
robándome la llave del sosiego.

En esta historia sólo yo me muero
y moriré de amor porque te quiero,
porque te quiero, amor, a sangre y fuego.

Beyond Repair

Beyond Repair


Your watch stopped five minutes after you did.
A year later I've brought it out its drawer
where your things languish in disrepair,
(eye shadow, cell phone and receipts,
a scarf to hide a head without hair),
placing it on my healthy wrist,
I'm forced to adjust its link and think,
unlike you, I have time before I leave.
Then I wait, hoping that with each stride I've taken,
with each beating of my pulse and hand that's shaken,
it will receive energy and be brought to life again.


This morning I awoke and saw there was no change,
shaking it in anger once again, I will it on.
Nervously I sit in a repair shop,
Giving anxious glances towards the back.
The attendant, finally returns it and
with an air of disappointment and despair,
confirms your watch is beyond repair.
"Somehow its coils and springs were tossed about,
pushing them all inside-out."
The fresh news of this affects me,
Pulling at my own heartstrings greatly.


I hurry home, dead watch in hand,
saddened by its passing
and sit in wonder, how you,
struggled for 5 years
against time & frame of mind
to wrench some seconds
with great might
hoping in the end
you wouldn't lose your fight.

~ me

To My Beloved Friends on 9/11

For Mike, Jack, Tony, Larry, Amy, Rick & Nancy who died in Tower 1 & 2 on 9/11:

You've been gone for some time now.
Your hugs and laughter are no more,
the memory of your smiles have faded away
and I miss you all the more.

Yes... I miss you.
More than words can ever say,
more than my letters can convey,
in every single way,
since the day you passed away,
I've missed you.

View of Lower Manhattan

I've not been feeling well since this afternoon. Sitting here, watching such a beautiful sunset unfold before me, I thought I'd try and capture it so I could share it with you.

The picture doesn't do it justice. Maybe it was all in my state of mind, either way I hope you like it.

Russo's

Best homemade pasta EVER! 'nuf said. Oh, as for location... I don't know... some things I just don't want to share, they might run out of my spinach and salmon ravioli that I love so much. Then where would I be?

Alright, alright, I'll share... They're located to the left of Veniero's. For location see this post.

Vintage NY

This lovely boutique, which is called Tokyo Joe's, for one of the owner's, has high-end vintage clothing for sale at reasonable prices.

One thing's for sure, you'll look very good while standing out in these stylish, yet gently worn clothing. It's a fashion must for every trendy eastsider.

The shop is conveniently located on 12 St. between 1st & 2nd Avenues, just a few doors up from Veniero's (see previous 2 posts).

This location is very convenient because after some fun shopping in local vintage boutiques you can unwind and share your finds by meeting a friend at either Veniero's or DeRobertis (just down the street) for a delicious Moccaccino (iced or hot depending on the weather).

Mmmmm Chocolate Cake!

Every woman KNOWS why women eat chocolate cake. Well, I had one of those days which included all of those reasons and while I ordered my son's birthday cake from Veniero's I indulged in a slice of one of these beauties. Did I feel better afterwards? Well, let's just say I was left with a satisfied smile on my face.

Veniero's Pastry Shop

This place is a little slice of heaven in the East Village. When I was single & lived in Manhattan, I'd head here and nurse a tall/Venti Iced Moccachino waiting for my friends to meet up, so we could decide on where to eat dinner and on the rest of the evening's activities.

On hot lazy summer weekends in August I still love going there, this time with my son, with good books to help us relax and an Iced cold Orzata to keep us cool while we sit al fresco. Care 2 join?