The thing on my head

Recientemente mire un grupo en facebook que cree hace años llamado "Jugando con colores", el cual tiene varios de mis trabajos pictóricos. Visitar la colección pictórica del grupo me ha dejado, tristemente, un sabor amargo en la boca. Todos y cada uno de esos dibujos y cuadros los hice yo, pero a hoy no me siento capaz de hacer algo remotamente parecido a muchas de las piezas que están allí. Ya en un post anterior (Véase: "Mi musa e inmigración" Abril 2011), comentaba como sentía que había mutado mi musa, de ser una musa pictórica a una escritora. De alguna forma hoy mas que nunca siento que necesito volver a pintar, a pintar como lo hacia antes, sin pensar, sin planear, sin parar. Tengo ahora, mas que antes, libertad y tiempo para dedicale horas, días y meses a creaciones, adicionalmente he transformado una parte de mi casa en un casi estudio artístico, pero tristemente aun no siento la fluidez de antes cuando me enfrento una hoja en blanco. Temo aveces que mi ar

Well, I'm not a graphic designer, but some times I like to pretend I can be one!. When I was in the school of marketing and advertising, I learned somethings about graphic design. In fact, part of the reason why I got into the program of El Instituto de Artes (Ideartes) was because of the combination of the WHY & TO WHOM & WHEN (marketing) + HOW & WHERE (advertising). This is the latest "creation" for The Community Alliance of Tenants' 15th-anniversary party. For those of you that read me from Portland, mark your calendar! the party is on Dec 2 at 6:30 and is going to be fun.!!

(Abajo Español) "It is one of the severest test of friendship to tell your friend of his faults. If you are angry with a man, or hate him, it is not hard to go to him and stab him with words; but so to love a man that you cannot bear to see the stain of sin upon him, and speak painful truth through loving words--this is friendship. Our enemies usually teach us what we are, at the point of the sword" — Henry Ward Beeche. I woke up this mooring thinking of friends and mistakes. Mistakes that have cost me friendships. I know, and I'm sure, I may have not always be there for my friends in the way they had needed me to be; indeed, some times I have opened my mouth when it was time to be in silence and listen. I'm harsh, imprudent and moody; likewise, not always notices my falls and usually feel that I'm right! However, I believe, I'm able to deal with my mistakes and humbly recognize when I have done wrong, trying to be a better person and, if possi

I didn’t feel anything. His sharp knife cut my skin easily, and the adrenaline rushed through my body, helping me to avoid the pain. My brain was too busy to think. My whole body was in survival mode. On a Wednesday morning, of 2007, I gained a particular beauty mark. That particular Wednesday started like any other day. I woke up and went to work. While I was working, I realized that some of the double size prints weren’t ready. We needed to pack them for the show, so I had to take care of that. Around 10 am I walked out of the office, and down the street thinking I would enjoy a little walk before taking a taxi that would take me to the printer place. I noticed the young man passing by on the motorcycle as I started to walk down the street. He didn’t look dangerous to me, so when I saw him a half street later pulling over and walking toward me, I may have thought that he was lost, but he wasn’t. “Give me your purse or I’ll cut you,” he said in a threatening tone. He was show

Change is the only thing that is constant in the universe, yet, sometimes, I have a hard time accepting that is happening, that have happened, and will happen again; however I will get there. I know I have changed, as well my relationships with others: family, coworkers and friends. Some of this changes have been easy, others are still hard, but at the end they are necessary for growth and transforming me in the person I want to be. I know that nothing in life is random, and all little things are part of a the bigger picture. Is hard to open up to change, but it is part of human nature, and the universe. When the process of adaptation to what is new ends, it may be easier to see new opportunities and the past with other eyes. Learn for your experience and mistakes, and keep becoming a better person.

I want to dedicate this post to some of my favorites everyday expressions that show "popular wisdom" and, I'll try to translate them into English! Maybe, just maybe one day I'll learn all their English versions, or will create ones ( I'm already working on it!) - Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo: More knows the devil for old than for devil - Estamos cagados y con el agua lejos: We have shit on our pants and the water is way too far! - Mas feo que pegarle a la mamá: That is uglier than hitting your mom! - Cria cuervos y te sacaran los ojos: Raised crows and they will put your eyes out. - Tras de goda, hinchada: Not only fat but swollen More to come but in the meantime, feel free to add some of yours to the comments!

NOTA: Esta es una crónica escrita por mi hermana, Maritza Maya (QEPD), durante sus años de estudio de Comunicación Social en la U de A. Publico esta crónica como un homenaje a mi hermana y a mi papa, en estos días cercanos al día del padre. English below Spanish text, keep in mind that it is a Spanish original document. Advertencia: Esta no es una crónica sobre el ciclismo, el ciclista o la novia del ciclista.... lo es sobre el padre, el héroe de sus hijos. Ilusión Sobre Ruedas Cuando eramos chiquillos, papá solía llevarnos aver pasar los corredores de la vuelta a Colombia. Madrugábamos a los gritos de Julio Arrastría y en medio del frío de la mañana montados en el carro ibamos a la autopista o a Las Palmas. Encendía el radio ensordecedoramente, montaba a los mas pequeños en la tapa del auto y perd;ia su mirada en el tumulto, atento al paso del loter identificando para nosotros a Lucho a a Parra. Sus ojos brillaban al paso de las ciclas, pero luedo tomaban un aire melancóli

When I was a single woman if after a couple of dates with a guy he started to not call me, nor to appear on the weekends, we were over. No more dating and not even care about that boy anymore. I'll take him out of the key chain! and eventually move on. I'll still talk with him from time to time, but I'll no care.  Now, What to do with a ghost friend? the type of friend that is never around, and when is around is because is "connivance" for him. That friend you feel you can not ask for anything because you never know what to expect. That friend that just call you when is single again. Can you say then that those types of friends don't show interest in you?; therefore should you brake up with then and move on?  In general, we have this idea of friends are unconditional, and we don't have to be around each other in order to be a good friend. It is also common to think that you have different types of friends; for example, some friends are your confidants, o

Yo solía pintar y dibujar cosntantemente cuando vivía en Medellín. Creo que no pasaba un mes sin que algún mamarracho resultara de mi interacción con el papel y el lápiz. Como ejecutiva que era, el tiempo libre para dedicar a pintar no era mucho que quedara después de largas jornadas laborales y de vida social. Siempre pensé que si contara con mas tiempo libre en mis manos dibujaría aún más, lo haría mi rutina, como, mi rutina de ejercicio. Ahora, aunque con una agenda apretada, el tiempo libre para dibujar es mas abundante, pero tristemente la interacción/relación papel- lápiz y mi imaginación es cada vez mas reducida. Tan reducida que he llegado a pensar que mi musa se perdió en inmigración, o que quizás, por estar rodeada de pensamientos en ingles esta confundida y no quiere salir. Bueno, no creo que sea justo decir que esta perdida, pues sin lugar a dudas ahora escribo mas antes, pero igual no se compensa o compara con la cantidad de obras pictóricas de los años anteriores.

Last year I was working as a server in a burger place in SE. I couldn't say NO to a burger with fries on my shift meal. Yes, fries, what is a burger with salad? for me a joke, a bad joke!, so I add to my diet for almost 8 months, burger + fries at list 2 times per week. Thanks to this place the compensation law shows up in my life, or at the list I put a name one it. At that time the law was simple: Burger+fries + 45 min bike ride each direction. ( from my house in NE to work and from work to my house) = Nothing happens ( about food diet) So = calories X burger + X calories fries + bike 90 min = 0 Calories total. Easy, no? And I guess it works! mostly because I didn't get like a cow, what will more likely happen with this type of diets :) Now the compensation law is back, and I say is back because after been working no more than 2 days per week or even month, I'm now with a busy agenda :)

(Español Abajo) The Portland International Film Festival (Piff) is showing 2 Colombian movies: "Los Colores de la Montaña" and "El vuelco del cangrejo". I'm planing on seeing both, and well many more. Last night I watched "Los colores de la Montaña" (The Colors of the Mountain). The story approach realities of my country without going to morbidity or sensationalism. It is beautiful, sad, touching and a honest. I loved it! This is a link for the trailer, and if you have the chance to see it, you should http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTlLpaD0Axs Link to piff: http://portlandartmuseum.org/nwfilm/piff/32/ --------- El festival internacional de cine de Portland (Piff) tiene en carteleras 2 peliculas Colombianas: "Los Colores de la Montaña" y "El vuelco del cangrejo" Yo estoy planeando ir a ver las dos y otras mas. Ayer vi "Los colores de la Montaña". La historia trata realidades del pais sin ir a la morbosidad o

(Abajo en Español) Last week my grandfather, on my dad's side, turned 102 years, a really long life. I'm happy to be a grandchild of a simple man with a good heart and great health! My grandfather never has been a guy of lots of words and is a serene man. Always happy to share his time with someone and be around his family and friends. His is really popular, thanks to his old age and great health, and an even young look. He was for more than 80 years the barber of his neighborhood, the profession of which he retired after well into his 90's. As a child, it was common to visit my grandpa every Sunday after church. Usually, one of my dad's sisters or his brother, were there too visiting with their families, so we were, usually, a big group of people. Boys and girls, grown-ups and teenagers, all at their grandpa's house on Sunday was so normal for me growing up, just like eating ice cream on a warm day. My cousins and I used to spend part, if not all, of our

I saw a movie today: DUE DATE, a comedy with Robert Downey Jr.& Zach Galifianakis, but this post is not about that movie, although it did inspire me to write it. I will like to talk about how Hollywood loves to sell us the idea of how "easy" are friendships and love. In so many movies perfect estrangers get together and after overcoming a couple of difficulties became soul mates either as best friends, lovers or both. Perfect romantic comedies. I say "easy" ironically why?, usually nothing is easy on those movies (easy and simple don't sell tickets), but yes easy, if after 1 week or so of adventures the characters connect for the rest of their lives. I'm thinking about my friends. Thinking why and how they became my friends. Yes, we have overcome a series of difficulties: long distance, overdoses of alcohol, asshole boyfriends and girlfriends, lack of money for parting, so and so. Isn't because of the overcome of difficulties that we are close to

Now we are all full of good intentions, wishes, and positive energy. That is the magic of new beginnings and the illusion of starting over. This new year it is full of new resolutions, things like: -I will join the gym but this time I WILL go! -I will start to eat less fat trans or sugar -I will go for a run even when there is cold rain -I will save 100 bucks per week. And so and so...It is funny, lots of them are relative to lose those extra pounds for the holidays' food... I like that magic, that illusion, that good energy, but I also like the reality, the true!. And it is because of that love for the true my new year resolutions are maybe simple and complicate at the same time: + I will keep doing all that I can to be happier + I will keep loving my husband in the crazy why I already do + I'll lose some of my daily time thinking in what to post on my blog this month... :) + An I will find my entrepreneurial spirit and make my ideas of business realities. Happy