I went to Olvera Street today and realized one of the reasons that it's hard for me to connect to my culture is religion.
We strolled by so many stands with Hispanic knick-knacks, bags, bracelets and a bunch of other stuff. The problem is, most of the things I see have some form of the Virgin Mary or Jesus depicted on them. I have yet to accept religion into my life, but religion is such an essential part of my mother's culture. She's Catholic, though she no longer attends church. I think she's disappointed in me for never wanting to take confirmation classes or first communion, but all the letdowns in my life only led to my lack of belief.
Ultimately, I just want to find a way to connect to my Salvadoran culture in a deeper way, but not be pressured into religious practice.
23.2.09
16.2.09
Happiness is a warm oven
I think if I could choose one image to with which to represent myself with, it would be the following:
Me standing in my Grandparents' kitchen late at night (around 11pm) frosting some freshly baked and cooled cupcakes. I'd have a slight grin on my face too.
I found myself doing this exact thing and felt so complete. It was just me and 3 dozen cupcakes. My Grandma had gone to bed and my Grandpa was in his recliner reading the paper.
Night time baking has become so therapeutic for me. I love having the kitchen all to myself, and the sense of accomplishment when I pull those baked goods out of the oven. The smell is so inviting, even on a full stomach. But what makes me even happier is knowing that I'll be sharing these cupcakes with other people. I don't know how much delight they'll receive from it, but I hope they imagine someone tediously frosting and sprinkling that cupcake solely to bring them temporary happiness.
I don't know what it is about standing there, just focusing on that cupcake: smoothing out the folds of the frosting, precisely rounding the edges, and making sure the right amount of frosting is being used. If life were simple enough I would open up a bakery and do this all day.
When I buy a house, the kitchen will be the focal point. I'll need sufficient space to walk around in, contemplate, and a nice window to gaze out of. In the worst of times I tend to find myself in or near a kitchen, not necessarily eating, but standing there. I'm not any amazing chef or baker, I just find kitchens comforting. I like getting a glass of water and slowly sipping on it as I stare out into a neighboring yard with no clear thoughts in mind.
Me standing in my Grandparents' kitchen late at night (around 11pm) frosting some freshly baked and cooled cupcakes. I'd have a slight grin on my face too.
I found myself doing this exact thing and felt so complete. It was just me and 3 dozen cupcakes. My Grandma had gone to bed and my Grandpa was in his recliner reading the paper.
Night time baking has become so therapeutic for me. I love having the kitchen all to myself, and the sense of accomplishment when I pull those baked goods out of the oven. The smell is so inviting, even on a full stomach. But what makes me even happier is knowing that I'll be sharing these cupcakes with other people. I don't know how much delight they'll receive from it, but I hope they imagine someone tediously frosting and sprinkling that cupcake solely to bring them temporary happiness.
I don't know what it is about standing there, just focusing on that cupcake: smoothing out the folds of the frosting, precisely rounding the edges, and making sure the right amount of frosting is being used. If life were simple enough I would open up a bakery and do this all day.
When I buy a house, the kitchen will be the focal point. I'll need sufficient space to walk around in, contemplate, and a nice window to gaze out of. In the worst of times I tend to find myself in or near a kitchen, not necessarily eating, but standing there. I'm not any amazing chef or baker, I just find kitchens comforting. I like getting a glass of water and slowly sipping on it as I stare out into a neighboring yard with no clear thoughts in mind.
5.2.09
18??
People my age are doing crazy things.
On Tuesday night's episode of The Daily Show, Dev Patel was Jon Stewart's lovable guest. Patel is the adorable, big-eared kid who starred in Slumdog Millionaire.
At one point in the interview, Stewart asked Patel about how much his life had changed since the release of his film. Of course, Patel said "Absolutely!" and went on to say, "I'm only 18!" That got me thinking....
He's my age! His age not only gives me a better chance of marrying him, but it also tells me that at my age, some people are already reaching the peak point in their lives. Maybe this isn't Patel's peak, but he will undoubtedly reflect back on it as one of the best points in his life.
So what am I doing? Am I at one of my life's peaks? I love my college and all the experiences it provides me with but am I making the most out of it? I don't want to look back and regret anything. I like to think I'm enjoying it thoroughly and hopefully I'll continue getting involved in clubs, orgs., and other fun opportunities. However, school has yet to feel like a peak for me. Maybe junior or senior year I'll really start to feel it.
Also, there's another thing about my fellow 18 year-olds that perplexes me. People my age are getting married! I came across one of my former schoolmates on facebook who is already engaged. It weirded me out so much. I hate to say it but what are the chances of that marriage really lasting? People used to marry extremely young about two generations ago, but nowadays I think younger generations would rather take their time. A large portion of us are going to school, looking at the big picture and trying to decide what we want to do with ourselves. Obviously these people are often involved in romantic relationships, but marriage rarely seems to be a topic for discussion until the mid-twenties. The baby boom is over, no one's in a rush to settle down. The relevance of the idea of a biological clock ticking has dwindled. With that being said, I still completely believe in the idea of marriage. There's nothing I love more than knowing that two people found each other and know that they want to spend the rest of their entire lives together. It keeps me hopeful.
P.S. Dear President Obama, stop saying the Tom Daschle decision was your fault or your mistake. It's redundant and annoying and a total PR move.
On Tuesday night's episode of The Daily Show, Dev Patel was Jon Stewart's lovable guest. Patel is the adorable, big-eared kid who starred in Slumdog Millionaire.
At one point in the interview, Stewart asked Patel about how much his life had changed since the release of his film. Of course, Patel said "Absolutely!" and went on to say, "I'm only 18!" That got me thinking....
He's my age! His age not only gives me a better chance of marrying him, but it also tells me that at my age, some people are already reaching the peak point in their lives. Maybe this isn't Patel's peak, but he will undoubtedly reflect back on it as one of the best points in his life.
So what am I doing? Am I at one of my life's peaks? I love my college and all the experiences it provides me with but am I making the most out of it? I don't want to look back and regret anything. I like to think I'm enjoying it thoroughly and hopefully I'll continue getting involved in clubs, orgs., and other fun opportunities. However, school has yet to feel like a peak for me. Maybe junior or senior year I'll really start to feel it.
Also, there's another thing about my fellow 18 year-olds that perplexes me. People my age are getting married! I came across one of my former schoolmates on facebook who is already engaged. It weirded me out so much. I hate to say it but what are the chances of that marriage really lasting? People used to marry extremely young about two generations ago, but nowadays I think younger generations would rather take their time. A large portion of us are going to school, looking at the big picture and trying to decide what we want to do with ourselves. Obviously these people are often involved in romantic relationships, but marriage rarely seems to be a topic for discussion until the mid-twenties. The baby boom is over, no one's in a rush to settle down. The relevance of the idea of a biological clock ticking has dwindled. With that being said, I still completely believe in the idea of marriage. There's nothing I love more than knowing that two people found each other and know that they want to spend the rest of their entire lives together. It keeps me hopeful.
P.S. Dear President Obama, stop saying the Tom Daschle decision was your fault or your mistake. It's redundant and annoying and a total PR move.
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