Thoughts Whilst in Recovery

So much has happened since Thanksgiving 2013.  I got deathly due to diabetic complications and needless to say I had a below the knee amputation.  I am living with this consequence as I did not take care of my health.  It's that damned Latin image that "I'm alright and I will survive."  Wrong!  It's a lesson learned that I will have to live with the rest of my life.  Currently I am in a rehab center working with great therapists.  Essentially I am learning to walk again.  My upper body strength is the pits and I am slowly working on that.  The prognosis is that I will be getting a prosthetic as soon as the leg heals.  This is where time is a factor…and I am learning patience.

This experience has also shown me  the love and warmth my family, school family, and friends had shown me.  I still need to give a  good hearty cathartic tear fest.  It isn't until you are in such a situation that you realize love has surrounded me but I failed to recognize it.  My nieces and nephews: Julie, Christina, Lorenzo, Andy; my brother Sergio and sister-in-law Miriam; my other sister-in-law Gloria.  The Gonzalezes: Aunt Amanda, Rudy, Beta, Rick, Raquel, Lexy and Tori.  Manuel and Pat Mondoy.  Dorita y Enrique; Enriquito and Veronica (the other Perezes) and my wonderful school family: Pat Keeley, Grace Rigor, Danny Ballesteros, Dorothy Vigna, Sheila Guzman.  Their visits have added energy to my healing process.  Not to forget Sister Chris, Sister Lisa, Sister Marianne and Sister Elizabeth.  And all the phone calls from distant friends and family.

Rene Bonilla is taking care of my beloved Papi and the best neighbors, Wolf and Gloria have offered to help.  And Lori Hartwick has been an angel visiting with her roommate Leigh Ann.  I am truly blessed.

Now, this is not a feel sorry for me episode.  I encourage positive thoughts and lots of laughter my way.

I plan to be back at work and life resuming to its full potential.  Please keep me in your prayers and good thoughts.  Until soon.  

Looking Back

It is already late August. School has already begun; I have a new group of children to inspire, to encourage, to teach. The last few weeks for me have been inspiring, encouraging and full of teaching moments. My friend from Spain has returned home, hopefully with new insight of what the United States is. It was a wonderful experience to share my nation, my state and my city. And it was wonderful to listen and learn to the European point of view about our America. It was very refreshing to learn that we all share the similar environmental, political, and just plain familial problems. I think the best thing about this whole experience was rediscovering Northern California- from the county fair in Santa Rosa to the wonderful, peaceful atmosphere of the mission at Carmel. And to go through San Francisco, my hometown. It's been a while since I've been to Fisherman's Wharf, with its kitschy tourist traps, the smell of crab cooking and the saltiness of the bay and the amazing vistas from any point. And traveling on Muni and BART, not that bad. The buses and trains seemed to be on time. And downtown was actually clean. And to hear the chatter of all visiting languages: German, Japanese, Italian (got to carry brief conversations in Dante's language) and English...the UK variety. We have world class museums; I was very impressed with the MOMA and its Richard Avedon exhibition. The new Academy of Sciences is spectacular. And overall, San Franciscans- I think we are friendly people willing to help out those visitors from abroad. I am so very glad that my friend chose the West Coast as his first American visit. The closest thing to the insanity of the East Coast we have is the Los Angeles area. But, I digress. It is wonderful to share something with someone new, in this case a city. I am hoping that his word of mouth will allow for future opportunities to share this side of the United States with friends from abroad.

"Los Angeles is not a circus; Los Angeles is a zoo.

"So New Yorkers say."

Dialogue between Armando and Lewis in Escape from the Planet of the Apes

Congratulations to the Class of 2009

Open A New Window

Open a new window,
Open a new door,
Travel a new highway,
That's never been tried before;
Before you find you're a dull fellow,
Punching the same clock,
Walking the same tight rope
As everyone on the block.
The fellow you ought to be is three dimensional,
Soaking up life down to your toes,
Whenever they say you're slightly unconventional,
Just put your thumb up to your nose.
And show 'em how to dance to a new rhythm,
Whistle a new song,
Toast with a new vintage,
The fizz doesn't fizz too long.
There's only one way to make the bubbles stay,
Simply travel a new high way,
Dance to a new rhythm,

Open a new window ev'ry day!

From Mame - Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman

Dia de las Madres

She was small in stature

But had a heart as big as the sun

She had knowledge about many things

Though she possessed no degrees

A woman who gave up lots of things

To raise the likes of me

As a child in kinder and elementary school

She was my protector, my teacher, my mentor

Things I feared she'd simply say

Be not afraid...to "Papa Chu" you must pray

Her faith was so simple

She loved her God dearly

And she made sure all of us

Would see the good in all clearly

As a teen not many problems were given

If I erred

Somehow all was forgiven

Tough times for her raising a teen

Retired she was and youth

No longer a luxury

College years demonstrated maturity

Towards this retiree

Her tastes in lots of things

Developed, some say, because of me

Star Trek

"Super-estar"

Vampiros

Los Beetos

Though she did not fully understand the language

The actions and music she relished

An adult watching a once strong woman

Start to decline in health

She became part of a new family

The one OLV

The many grandkids she never had

Became the classes I'd prepare

Her final years would prove

To be ones full of love

From total strangers at work,

Strangers who became her new children

Lovingly called "Mama Babalinshka"

By Ariel and Stephie

To appreciate one so old

Made my soul smile

Her final week was not so good

A hospital is not a home

Doctor worked hard as he could

To see if she'd survive

Her last moments were spent

In comfort care

Her life began on 17 December

The year of 1903

She left this earth peacefully

On September the 24th

The year 2005

Olimpia Mondoy

She wasn't a celebrity

Or a person of renown

But to me

A saint she was...is

And a jewel in God's crown

I wish all the mothers on this glorious May the 10th

A day that is full of love

Of laughter

Of good food

Of children and grandones

May they appreciate who you are

And what you mean to them

Mama Pimpa, me haces mucha falta

Cuidame y a los tuyos

Desde el más allá de los cielos

Nunca te olvidaré

Tu vida está escrita

En mi propio corazón

Tolerance

Yom Hashoah was remembered this week.  A day set aside to remember the victims of the Nazi genocide.  And a day to use as a learning moment.  My 8th grade social studies class is a wonderful group of students who might not have a care in the world.  Sure, with the current financial situation our nation is facing, some of these kids' parents are facing troubles.  But how to teach and tell about a situation that occurred over 60 years ago?  The Holocaust.  To some kids today it is a word, something in the history books.  How to impress on these young minds that holocausts are still happening in the world and that the victims are not just adults, but children of their ages and younger.  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is perhaps one of the best and stirring celluloid telling of a Holocaust drama involving children.  It is not too graphic and the visuals are thought provoking.  Watching this film in social studies class is wonderful in that watching the students' reactions are priceless.  With a series of questions that will be answered in small group discussions, questions are already being asked.  Then, each student will have a small project based on the film- whether a poem or something artistic- to demonstrate an understanding of tolerance, friendship, prejudice and how to change the world into that better place each generation hopes for.  As the old saying goes, if we forget such atrocities, we're doomed to repeat them again...and we, as a race, will have learned nothing.

April Fool's Day 2009

There is nothing more refreshing and fun than telling a class to get ready for a surprise spelling test on proper nouns...here are the words and imagine the reactions when they deciphered the code!

1.  Iraq

2.  Canada

3.  Asia

4.  Nicaragua

5.  Tivoli

6.  Brazil

7.  Ethiopia

8.  Louisiana

9.  Indonesia

10.  Evanston

11.  Venezuela

12.  Ecuador

13.  India

14.  France

15.  Evita

16. Louisville

17. Luxembourg

18.  Frankfurt

19.  Oregon

20.  Rwanda

21. Titanic

22.  Hilo

23.  Israel

24.  Switzerland

25.  excalamation point

Look at the first letter of each word, except #25.  Enjoy!    

A New Beginning ...

It is the 20th of January.  An ordinary day on the calendar.  But to our Nation, and the world, it is a new beginning for not only citizens of the United States, but a day of hope for the citizens of the world.  It is Inauguration Day for the 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama.  Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought to have seen a man of color elected to become leader of a mighty nation.  Dreams do come through, through hard work, persistence, hope and faith!  Who knows, someday we may be celebrating the inauguration of a Latina or Asian woman!!

The well being of our nation is what we all desire.  It is going to take a lot of work and patience.  I believe the Obama administration will come through and our ills will slowly disappear.  It's that first step into getting things done that is the most difficult, but that first step will allow us to take that journey, bumpy as it may get, but we will reach our next destination.

So, here is to the future of our nation...the children, who now have a role model that proudly states anyone can make it to the top!  Work hard!  Persevere!

"What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national.  Love that casts a widening pool of light.  Love with need to preempt

 grievance."

Elizabeth Alexander / Inaugural Poem

If One Person...

One person can beat a drum

And make enough noise for ten

One person can blow a horn

And that little boom!

And that little blare!

Can make a hundred others care

If one person can hold a torch

And light up the sky again

And one little voice

That's squeaking a song

Can make a million voices strong

If one person can beat a drum

And one person can blow a horn

If one person can hold a torch

The one person can change the world

There may be an army of them

And only and handful of us

How can a poor little band

Try to fight a regime?

There may be a legion of them

And only a parcel of us

But it isn't the size of the fist

It's the size of the dream!

"One Person" from the musical Dear World

Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman

Happy 2009!

For once there is a loss for words

As if pecked away by Hitch's Birds

The year of '08 is over now

What can be said of this year

That diminished our hopes and

Enhanced our fears

Few things brightened the calendar

Such as the election of the

Man of change

Lots darkened the months

Economy! Gas! Life!

But as grim as the year past was

That glimmer we call hope

Still burns within us and

In our children!

My wish to you all is a year of hope and happiness;

May you find your true love;

May your economic wounds slowly heal;

May you continue learning, for this never stops;

And apply your knowledge- old and new- in your day to day appeals

God bless you!

Pray as others pray for you;

Laugh and find joy in all things;

Keep believing and making those dreams

A reality

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow...