Libros que he leido / MandyMaria's Notes

Books and Christmas and more

2011-12-26T08:18:00.001-08:00

So I spent my first Christmas away from home. I was with my boyfriend of 1 yr's family. I suppose I don't have to tell you how different that was for me, how foreign some things seemed (really I was the foreign one). I gave 2 books to my boyfriends darling elderly aunts, and I signed it for them. This was a new experience for me. I took out the Mont Blanc pen my father had given me and signed my greeting and my name. The whole time my eyes were on the pen.

For me it represents my father's faith in my abilities, however meager they are. He has always believed in me and that has made all the difference.

Lately I have been having odd dreams, about heroes and masculinity and femininity and babies and things of that nature. I think last night I dreamed of a forest, although I vaguely remember it. My boyfriend tells me he had some kind of vivid dream abut gladiators or something. He normally either doesn't dream or doesn't tell me his dreams. In general he can be a very reserved person even as he is quite friendly and personable. Its an intriguing contrast.

Last night we were watching The Princess Bride. I remembered why Westley was always my favorite character. I think that is slightly related to my dreams lately of heroes.

Anyway... I have been reading lately about the sons of Noah. It is a fascinating time in history. I love the way the author of "The Heavens Before" wrote the story of Shem, father of the Semites. The one thing that is difficult is the pronunciation of the characters names. I read one part about the prophecy of the serpent biting the woman's heel and her offspring crushing the serpent's head, and it gave me chills. The author's depiction of Shem is stunning, much like Westley in "The Princess Bride." Its like John Eldridge states in "Wild at Heart" and "Epic," we all long for adventures for heroes, and for a cause...

But anyway, "Before the Heavens" is a wonderful novel and you ought to read it if you are so inclined. After this I will be reading "Sons of Encouragement" by Francine Rivers and Paul's Epistle to the Romans with the young adults at my church.

MY NEW BOOK IS OUT: THE RED ENVELOPE

2011-12-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

So since I havent written in this blog since before I moved out, back when all of the family sadness was going on, I doubt if any readers are still subscribed.

If you are though, check this out! My book (the one I has such a time with and commented about on this blog) is written!!!

it is available at the Christian Book distributers, at Barnes and Noble and at Wine Press Publisher's website!!!!

Arepas de queso

2010-05-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

It's almost 11pm here, and I never stay up this late anymore during the week. I had a really chaotic day at work today, and Mom is making some arepas. They are corn meal, full of cheese (since that's how we do it in Bogota) and fried. It's such a comfort food. It's also high in starch, and some family member are prone to get heart burn from it. To avoid that, drink chocolate milk with your arepa.

The end.

We love our murals

2010-05-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

Today I am texting this post from a remote location in the Latin Hood. I work here 37.5 hrs a week and it's fun. Not only is it an office full of kind individuals, but it's pretty. It's a Latino company, and all I can say is, me encanta. One thing I love about our office is that we don't use "fall asleep paint " on our walls. No, we have murals. In my office we have a mural of women at various stages in their lives. Downstairs we have all sorts of murals about unity, community, and familial love. I'm thankful I can work in a pretty office.

Thy Will Be Done

2010-04-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

How old were you when you 1st lived on your own? I've never lived anywhere on my own, unless you count my month-long mission trip to Germany/Poland. However, circumstances being what they are, my job is here, my car payments are here, and my parents think it would be beneficial to my career if I stay here for a year. Here! Where there is snow. Here! Where there are a lack of single men. Here! Where I don't want to live. Here! Where the powers that be hate my family for no good reason. So, I'm going to be praying that God will have His way. Because, I remember not wanting to go to Germany for missions four years ago. But I obeyed the call God had on my life, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I need to get to a place where I'm writing again. I need to see my brother free. And now, I need to go apartment shopping. What do you need?

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.) Having faith that God's got everything under control.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) Galatians.
2.) Kristin Billerbeck's 3rd Spa Girl's novel.

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That everything goes well for my brother on Wednesday.

WHATS ON MY iPOD:
1.) The Village Church podcast

Prayer is talking to Jesus

2010-04-14T19:31:00.001-07:00

Dear Reader,

Life hurts a lot more than I thought it would when I was a kid, a teenager and even a college student. I'm in the real grown-up world and I have been for a year and 4 months now. Some days I keep hoping that Prince Charming will ride up and save the day, but life doesn't work like that. At least not in my experience. I sincerely think that that is because God wants me to rely on Jesus, and not the hope of some man-savior. And in my head I know that, but I still have those habits of hoping a guy will pull over and help me when my car breaks down, instead of honking at me and going on his way while a homeless guy shakes his cigar in my face and tells me how crappy life is. Anyway, I haven't written like I should lately. Not even on my novel that I'm supposed to be editing. I just need for it to go well on Monday. I need my brother to come home. Life feels unfair without him at home where he should be. Learning how to drive. Making dreams into plans.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.) Having faith that God's got everything under control.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) Galatians.
2.) Kristin Billerbeck's 3rd Spa Girl's novel.

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That everything goes well for my brother on Monday.

WHATS ON MY iPOD:
1.) Tu Reinas by Rojo

No Justice on Fridays I guess

2010-03-27T06:51:00.001-07:00

Dear Reader,

Did you know that in the Juvenile Justice System a 70 yr old man can nod off during your trial and still convict you for a charge that you were not even accused of by the "victim" ? Yeah I didn't either. But that is what I just bore witness to yesterday. Its a sin. Now we have to try and figure out if it is appeal able. God help us when little girls with mental issues can run the justice system with NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE whatsoever. Shit, they don't even need to stick to their story. They don't need dates, physical evidence, documentation or consistency. They just get to point their finger and laugh. I shudder when I think of all of the wanna-be Disney princesses running around this world like Salome and Potiphar's Wife.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.) Trying to learning enough about the law to help mi hermano.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) verses about God being on the side of the innocent.
2.) Kristin Billerbeck's 2nd Spa Girl's novel.

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That we find out how to help mi hermano.

WHATS ON MY iPOD:
1.) Revelation Song by Kari Jobe.

No scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand.

2010-03-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

What scares you? One of my sister's today was telling me about a storyteller who came to her school and told ghost stories, they creep ed her out. My family has been facing giant disasters since the beginning of the new year and its stressful to say the least. Lately I have been struggling with the fact that there is nothing I can do to earn God's favor for the past 10 days. I've been saved since I was a little girl, and I know this in my head, but the very fact that I can't do ANYTHING to move our struggles along, to save us from liars with badges, makes me cry out to Jesus with new fever. I hope we win tomorrow despite all odds.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.) Not falling apart, I'm not doing so well.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) verses about God being on the side of the innocent.
2.) Kristin Billerbeck's 2nd Spa Girl's novel. I hope to read Camy Tang's suspense books soon though, (yay Amazon!)

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That we win tomorrow.

WHATS ON MY iPOD:
1.) In Christ Alone, as sung by Newsboys

Telenovelas & Jesus

2010-03-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Reader,

Did you ever have a dream that seemed rediculous? I do. Its to publish 5 great selling novels and be on the writing team of one world famous Telenovela. Just one. A couple years ago I had an interview to work with TV guide en espanol. It made my week. Sadly I was 9 credits short of graduation and missed the second interview because I went to a college class instead. I still watch telenovelas when one comes on that catches my eye (they only last about 6 months), and wish that I could be the one who wrote them. Some are sexy, but I've seen a few that make you think more about that thing Jesus said about loving God, and loving others...Not the one I'm watching now, but there have been some in the past...

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.) I'm really getting into Pues, No and I'm excited about where that's going. Each new writing project carries with it all the hopes of a new world, I suppose.
2.) I'm reading over "The Red Envelope" and trying to decide what stays and what goes in it. Its tougher than I thought.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) The Gospel of Mark in the Bible with my brother and sister. We're on chapter 12
2.) "Chasing Harry Winston" by Lauren Weisberger. Its been about 6 months since I've read a secular novel. I have to say that one character curses and it threw me off at first, also so did another characters sarcastic comment about God. I like to read fiction that makes me want to study my Bible, and learn more about Jesus but every once in a while I buy a book in the Walmart book asle. Balance you know?

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That my house sells.

WHATS ON MY iPOD:
1.)Learning to fall by This Beautiful Republic.

La Cosa es que...

2010-03-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Reader,

So I loved reading Only Uni by Camy Tang again this week. If you haven't read it, fight your way over to amazon.com and buy it! It's simply lovely. I love it because it shows the real struggles of a Christian woman in a world that pulls against her every step of the way.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:

1.) I recorded a bunch of scene on my voice memo on my iphone for my new book. For now, I'm calling it Pues, No but we'll see what title it ends up with in a year. I've named the four main characters: Vicky, Carmela, Maruja and Ariel.
2.) "The Red Envelope" is making me pull my hair out but at least I'm working on it. The thing is, everyone in the town still wants to blame the hippy for the murder, but she's not guilty, (or is she?)
3.) I keep cutting out pictures for my historical novel.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) She's All That (Spa Girls #1) by Kristin Billerbeck.

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR ME:
1.) That our house sells.

WHAT'S ON MY iPOD:
1.) Now it Moves by Salvador.

Warrior Child

2010-02-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Reader,

I know over the course of the last year this blog has under gone a number of changes, from mediocre book reviews, to letting you pick what books I read to weeks of non-posting. All I can say is that I'm happy that you've stopped by my corner of the web once again, or for the first time.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON:
1.)I'm going to be trying to finish editing my first book "The Red Envelope" this week.
2.)I am also hoping to have more outlined for my Christian Chica Lit book. I call it that but its not ghetto or stupid like a lot of books targeted towards Hispanics are. Its about four Hispanic girls in their mid 20s who just want to have fun and live a good life.
3.) I'm also working on an historical novel centered around a family leaving Spain for Florida during the Napoleonic Wars. I love this era of history, but I'm having trouble actually writing it. I've had two false starts already.

WHAT I'M READING:
1.) Only Uni by Camy Tang. I read it last year, but I still love it so I'm reading it again.
2.) Spa Girls No. 1 by Kristin Billerbeck. It is supposed to arrive this week, and I'm super excited.

WHAT YOU CAN PRAY FOR:
1.) That our house sells.

WHAT'S ON MY IPOD:
1.) Warrior Child by Tal&Acacia.

It's late, but Les Miserables is the best novel ever written.

2009-12-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

This week has been a crappy one. Loss of job (and thereby income), average GRE scores (much lower than my target score), loneliness, stress of getting 12 Christmas gifts for loved one, stress of getting into grad school, stress of finding a new job. . . I could go on but I've pretty much been stressed out about my future, even though I KNOW that God has a plan for my life.

It just so happens that I noticed my favorite book Les Miserables by Victor Hugo on my bookshelf last Friday. And it just so happens that I picked it up after a decade of not reading it, and it just so happens that I fell in love with it all over again.

It is the best book ever written. It shows how one good deed done not for the sake of man, but for God can have repercussions that span generations. That is, a middle-aged newly released prisioner comes into a new town, is turned away from everyone in town except for the local priest. The local priest takes him in, and, when stolen from reacts in love, giving him the items that were stolen.

This stirs the man, who sets out to make a good, pious life for himself. Ever present in front of the man are his failures, his sins. He seeks out to act rightly and does so. In the process he takes in Cosette. The little orphan girl grows up and is raised to love and revere God, the church and her father. And through a glance, she falls in love.

I don't know why the story of Cosette and Marius moves me so much. They are youths, he 20 and she 16 when they fall in love. He a historian-lawyer-rebel and she a quiet daughter. They exchange glances at the park and he pursues her. When the insurrection of 1832 causes them to be separated, the father brings them back together.

Jean Valjean is my favorite character now. Back when I was 15, I thought Marius was the best. However, now I see that Jean Valjean is the best character because he truly shows not only what it means to be redeemed, and reconciled with Christ, but what it means to love.

Its late and this isn't well written, but Jean Valjean gives up his own security so that his adopted daughter may be loved. That is an example what Christ has done for each of us. It is completely laudable. One day I will have to write a better review on this masterpiece of fiction.

National Novel Writing Month

2009-10-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

November is one of my favorite months of the year. Its the anniversary of when my grandparents came to this country, its the anniversary of when a lot of my family became believers, its Thanksgiving, its one of my sister's birthday, and its National Novel Writing month.

I heard about this a number of years ago, and try and participate everyyear. I'm not to great with getting 50,000 words in in one month, but it's great practice. Anyway, my piece this year is that historical fiction thing I've been meaning to try and write for years. I made a collage to help me get a handle on all of my ideas, so there it is. I hope I actually finish it!

Additionally, here is a prayer written by the Patron Saint of journalists and writers:

"Lord, I am Yours, and I must belong to no one but You.
My soul is Yours, and must live only by You.
My will is Yours, and must love only for You.
I must love You as my first cause, since I am from You.
I must love You as my end and rest, since I am for You.
I must love You more than my own being, since my being subsists by You.
I must love You more than myself, since I am all Yours and all in You. Amen."
-Prayer of St Francis De Sales

Weddings and Murder

2009-10-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

So over this weekend I babysat and read Melody Carlson's "Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah." This book is the final book in the 4 books series 86 Bloomsberg Place. In my opinion, it was one of the strongest in the series. Lelani and Gil are getting married, Gil's sister Ana is having difficulties at work and in love, her housemate Megan's boyfriend just up and leaves her for a mission trip to Africa with next to no notice, and crazy Kendall is marrying her Maui Man. Throughout the whole book the girls struggle with patience and communicating (in life who doesn't)? I believe that many Church pew Christians will identify with Megan and Ana, while many of those trying to figure out how to balance life will identify with Kendall and Lelani.

For my self it was a hard book to read, simply because I began this series a year or so ago while in a dating relationship, and ended up reading the last book of this series single, with no prospects at all. I think I most closely identified with Ana, although my mother and I have a wonderful relationship. I kind of wish that there would be a spin off series with Ana, Megan and their men. I could go on, but I'll just shut up and give Mrs. Carlson a Gold Star!

As for "Midnight in Madrid" by Noel Hynd, this is the type of novel that I would relate more too in away because I am single. Although it kind of makes me glad I'm single. Single people can go off and have adventures while those married are tied to their apartment and responsibilities. In the first book, Alex LaDuca loses someone who she loves with her life, and in the second book she is on vacation recovering from said loss when artistic disaster strikes. The suspense kept me turning pages every night this weekend and made me wish I had mastered all of the languages I took in college. Many murders later, we realize that Alex might just be ok after all. Gold Star Mr. Hynd for a novel that was as entertaining as it was encouraging.

Both of these novels show that love changes us. God's love is there all along, and sometimes he brings godly men into our lives to love, and sometimes he doesn't bring a spouse, but a people we care deeply for. Either way, God's love sets us free.

High School Humiliation week & books

2009-10-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

So Anne and May, those lovely ladies who wrote A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS asked people what their most humiliating moments were in high school. Well, I thought about it for 2 days and then this morning it came to me, and I was even more embarrassed. Notice the picture, its me 15, in 10th grade at my surprise quinceanera. Notice I'm not wearing a lame gown. That was 2001.

You see, my sister and I used to take the bus. I used to sit next to a cute kid who I didn't think was "Christian" enough to date. We became bus-buddies though & I guess you could say and he always knew who I was crushing on and resented them for it. As it happens, a family from my church, took in a foreign exchange student from Ecuador (this is not to be confused with the foreign exchange student from my freshman year Spanish class I mentioned on Camy Tangs website). This boy was tall, way cute, and an upperclassman. He often wore a jean jacket, a white sweater and was the Antonio Banderas version of Eric Matthews from Boy Meets World (in my humble opinion).

Anyway, so 10th grade was the year I was all into poetry, ok, I was always into poetry. Well, I wrote him a poem. and I showed it to my bus-buddy. I didn't title it or anything, and all I remember are the lines, "Hero from across the sea, came to sit in front of me." Yeah, it was that bad. Bus-buddy laughed, and then stood up and said "Hey Eric Banderas (I can't remember his real name), Mandy wrote a poem about you!"

I tore it out of his hands, but for the rest of the ride home it was "Oooo your eyes are so dark and dreamy," or "oooo your my latin lover from across the ocean."

So there you have it. One of my most humiliating moments in high school. I have a bunch, though, and most involved foreigner exchangers. Oh and this week we're reading: Midnight in Madrid by Noel Hynd

Do you cry when a character in a book dies?

2009-10-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

Ok so this weekend I read Noel Hynd's novel "Conspiracy in Kiev" as you'll note from my last post. And while there was no sex (yay I won the bet!) there was a lot of flirting and bantering back and forth between characters. There were jealous boyfriend's, and jealous Ukrainian mobsters...and death. I mean you have to have death in a political/spy thriller right? I expected certain characters to die, or be kidnapped, but of course Mr. Hynd pulls a fast one on me. A totally unsuspected death in the novel.

And the most surprising thing out of the whole day was not that one character died. No, no, the most surprising thing to me was the fact that when I came home from bringing James (a 4 month old we have in our home now) from the doctor, my sister was up in our room all emotional about a character who died in a series she was reading! And since I hadn't yet read the death of the character in Hynd's novel, I was a jerk. I mean my sister is reading a YA series, Cirque du Freak or something like that and is almost done the series. A major character dies. All day she was complaining, "How could the author do this?" And of course I have to be a professional jerk and say, "Well you know, authors are really thinking of the story arc and character development and how could this one character develop if this other character was holding his hand the whole time?"

Is it silly to cry over fake people? See, I view it this way: we will never know the lives of FBI guys or Secret Service or CIA people, so in a way, when I get upset over the death of a character in a novel, I'm thinking: there is a chance that one of these patriots has died like this or in a similar way; and: isn't the world so unfair?

This is only one of the many reasons why my mother only reads memoirs and biographies. When she gets upset over characters in books, she wants it to be real people she has learned about and formed an attachment too, not fake people.

I give this book a Gold Star, not only for the emotional response it invoked, but because of a particular character's faith in God and the theme of long-suffering through out the novel. Bravo!

I forgot it was Hispanic Heritage Month

2009-09-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

SO I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

To be fair, as a month it was only instituted in 1988 but no one really cared until1996, which mean that at the end of my elementary experience, someone in Washington made noise about a formerly passed law, which made teachers and the media have to start incorporating what it means to be Hispanic into their lesson plans and the media. This sounds like a great idea right? Well the problem with this is that very few teachers in the schools I went to knew about this proclamation from Washington. Or if they did they were a) the ESL teacher (a class I was NOT in) or b) the Spanish teacher (who spoke Spanish with an Italian accent that made it different for certain native speakers to understand her). Needless to say, its understandable why I would forget that September is Hispanic Heritage month.

I often say my family hails from 2 countries in Latin America. Cuba. Colombia. When people ask me what my background is, they usually assume I'll say Sicily or Italy or something to that nature. Usually I just smile and say "No, I'm Cuban-Colombian." What follows next is the most insulting remark ever: "You don't LOOK Latino." I smile and shrug and say "Well you know."

What I'm thinking is this: Latin America is very diverse. Hispanics (I prefer this term over Latino) are usually made up of former inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula, the Netherlands (remember Spain used to own them) and even some Germans and Austrians, in some places the decedents of indigenous peoples and along the coastal regions, Africans.

Anyway, I thought about what do so that's special about this month, but really, I am Hispanic, I live it out each day with out effort since its my way of life, so what's to celebrate? I think there should be a Christian Heritage Month because that would give me something more challenging to live out. But maybe I'll hop on over to Babalu blog and check in on the Cuban-American news?

(book reviews resume next week).

Day of Three Novels

2009-09-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ok so this was an eventful weekend! What with doing laundry and eating brunch with the family and...PROTESTORS MARCHING ON WASHINGTON. Between that, and Taylor Swift getting dissed, oh, and the Princeton Jazz Festival...Is it any wonder I had a case of the Mondays yesterday?

Anyway, true to my word I'm sitting here prepared to review two novels for you this week. Well, actually three. Melody Carlson's FINAL Diary of a Teenage Girl book came out over the weekend and I had to snatch it up. So let me start there!

Maya Stark is a bi-racial girl struggling to follow Jesus. In the third book of her series she is a high school senior dealing with her African-American Father's music legacy and her Caucasian mother's absence. She is still living with her uncle, and still being "just friends" with her man Dominique. Melody Carlson really out does her self here. Maya does things against the grain in this story (hard to describe without giving much away) but she stays true to who God made her to be, and in the end, realizes that what matters most is creating a home with those God has given to you to love. Gold Star Melody!

Secondly I have Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane. This book is a delightful easy read for those of us who adore novels set in Philadelphia. What I loved most about this novel was not the protagonist or her family, (which I believe was kind of the point) but her fiance and best friend who were there to tell her the hard truth about her self and her world. It really took a good look at what it meant to be a "real" artist in this world. Silver Star Megan Crane!

Finally, I have to review This Side of Married. I think the error I made here was reading two novels written for women about family relationships in Philadelphia. This one seemed forced and lacked a lot of the natural charm that the other one hard. The mother seems heavy-handed and old fashioned in her desire to married off her daughters and have them make babies just to inherit some dishes. It was enjoyable enough and well written enough that I rate it with a PASS but I wouldn't recommend it.

Next week.... "This Side of Paradise" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Prophet" by Frank Perretti.

Puddle Wonderful Days

2009-09-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Whenever I am in a super happy mood, I quote e.e.cummings. Specifically his poem about when the world was puddle wonderful. That fully describes the weekend I had, relaxing after an exhausting week at work, then going to my grandfather's 70th birthday party. God is beautiful and he creates beautiful lives.

Anyway, this past week I have been taking my lunch in the local shops around olde city, and I've been reading "Vintage Jesus" by Mark Driscoll and Gary Breshears. I went to a Christian elementary and middle school before being thrust into the wide world of public high school and a public university. I read C.S.Lewis in high school, and wandered around in emerging type books in college, so this book was a call back to true faith for me, a soul-brace if you will. It made me want to study the Bible again, not just take whatever popular "Christian" belief is out there. The chapter I liked best was about Jesus' resurrection. I would sub-title it "The common man's apologetics" because its more readable to most people than C.S.Lewis and its contemporary to our time. Gold Star for Driscoll and Bresheares.

Next week: "Names my sisters call me" and "This side of Married"

Its a New Day, Its a new life

2009-09-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have a new job. I am a "fiscal assistant" i.e. I do payroll for 1,000 people. The job is boring but it's right around the corner from Olde City, in the Northern Liberties (Philly), and I sort of wish I had friends who partied, or even just friends who ate out more than once a year so I could take advantage of all of the cool restaurants.

Anyway so last week I read "Little Earthquakes" by Jennifer Wiener. While I enjoyed the book, I was not exactly a big fan of the novel as a whole. Its kind of difficult to desrcibe because I like certain individual characters, but the whole novel is a bit long. Which is odd because I like long books. I enjoyed reading the story as it related to Kelly and her baby and her poor family. And I especially liked the story about Ayinde, although I hated her husband for his stupidity. Come to think of it, all of the husbands in this novel sucked. I think the thing is, is that I wish that the author had perhaps spread the characters out over three different novels, not crammed them all into the 557 page copy I had. So I guess its OK that I wanted more, although Becky and Lia were a bit blase to me. I did like Lia's husband Sam, though, although he didn't feel "real". No man just hangs around for a year, hoping his wife will come back to him.

Still working on "Vintage Jesus" (its like going through my catechism class from elementary school) and "This side of married" as well as the HILARIOUS "Names my sisters call me." More on these next week.

Now Showing...

2009-08-24T19:47:00.001-07:00

I went to see the Broadway musical "Chicago" with my sister on my last night in New York. Balcony seats. It was marvelous, even if Jerry Springer was playing the lawyer Billy Flynn. I loved the whole experience. Although it bothers me that no one dresses up to go to the theater any more, not to the nines, especially those in the cheap seats, like we were. My sister and I were raised to wear black to the theater, so if you have to get up in the middle of the performance, you're not noticable (My family is big on theater, books and movies). Anyway, people were in sundresses, which is ok, you made an effort, but jeans-shorts? Come on. Respect the arts. They put in hours of practice into it, I think you can look a little bit nice in return, right?

Anyway, in other news, my books came in the mail!!! I'm very excited to read "Little Earthquakes" by Jennifer Weiner, "This Side of Married" by Rachel Pastan, and "Vintage Jesus" by Mark Driscoll this week. The first two are lighthearted reads that use the city of Philadelphia as their setting while the third book is a book about Jesus. I'll have a review for you next week on how they went!

And hopefully I'll have heard about Milwaukee by next Tuesday.

Day of Rest and Reading

2009-08-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

My family hails from two countries in Latin-America. Both sides of my family love literature and movies. I guess that's where I get it from. Both grandmother's have teaching in their family history, and both the grandfather's were deacons. My father read us kids the Bible every night until we were old enough to read it to ourselves, and my mother took us to the library as many times a week as we needed/wanted and let us get whatever book we wanted. No restrictions. Is it any wonder that I love books and Jesus?

That being said I introduce to you two novels I have been reading over the last week. They are both mysterious, both take place before WWI and both are wonderfully written.

The first is A Northern Light. It was written by the British/American authoress Jennifer Donnelly. All of her books are wonderful. In my first mystery book infact, I named one of my streets after her. Anyway, this book is unlike The Tea Rose or The Winter Rose in that it was written for a teenage audience. This is a book I can, without hesitation, loan or gift to my 15 yr old cousin. Its a marvelous story about a young girl who must decide between being her family's crutch, and being her own independent woman. It takes place in Upstate New York in 1906.

The second is The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 12 short stories of Sherlock's genius, the first which is the best. "A Scandal in Bohemia" is simply amazing in that it shows that Holmes did have a facination with a certain woman and was not violating any levarite laws in his private life (wink, wink). Anyway, its just fun how simple the mysteries are, and yet, how confounded Watson is by all of them. It amazes me. Also, many of the later mystery writers, Agatha Christie, Mary Higgens Clark etc. all borrowed aspects of the Holmes plots for their own adventures. If any one wants to write mysteries, they must learn from the master!

Side note : I would also like to note that I have lately finished reading a book written by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbuilt. It too is written for teenagers, but it is well written and I feel I can recommend it and even gift it to my younger cousins. The first book of the Miracle Girls series features a hispanic character who is an actual girl, not a stereotype. This was so refreshing to me, as most of you know, that I swear some one is getting this series for Christmas. I am always excited to read novels where hispanic characters talk like real people, not one-sided puppets. This series definately creates a character that is relatable, not alienating.

Day of Don't

2009-07-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

A Few things I don't like to do, but I often find my self doing:

1. Eat alone.

2. Talk on the phone after 11pm.

3. Wait for people. (this especially goes for boyfriends and/or Mr. Right).

4. Spend my money.

5. Go shopping with other people (except my sister).

6. Eat Chinese food (although I love Japanese food).

7. Be refered to as "the girl" by parents when I am a teacher as well as an adult.

8. Sleep in a room with the lights on.

9. Relocate.

10.Be the third wheel to a couple.

Everyday Life

2009-07-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here after work and I am watching "The Wedding Singer." It has been on TV twice since I've come to stay here. All I have to say is I can't believe Billy Idol is in this movie! I always forget what other songs he has done.

Speaking of good stories, I like the story of Ruth. I led an indepth Bible study on the book of Ruth about two years ago. Do you know much about Ruth? Ruth was a Moabite. The Moabites are the descendants of Lot and one of his daughters (Lot was Abraham's nephew).

The Bible in my classroom at work upsets me because its introduction is so clearly written by a stone-cold scholar! The man (surely it is a man) says in the introduction to the book, "The peaceful story of Ruth comes between two violent books of the Bible." I didn't read much further than that to be honest because I disagree! Peaceful book?? How can you say that? Ruth married as a teenager, bore no children, and ten years later was widowed. Which means that she if she married at the usual age (between 12 and 18) then she would be a widow during her 20s! That cannot be a peaceful story! That is tragic!" It reminds me of a Bible version of P.S. I Love You. She spent ten of her "best" years with one guy and now society is telling her she's past her expiration date.

It seems God has wanted me to hear about Ruth and Naomi and how they stuck to God during the hard times. I'm not really sure why, as I'm pretty happy right at this moment, but--get this--when I left Philly I was bummed that I would be missing out on the summer sermon series of Ruth. So then I come to Bethany and BAM! they are just starting the sermon series on Ruth. Then in my devotional, the theme for July is "God in everyday life". So my question goes out to you bloggers, where do you see God intervining in your every day life?

Day without water.

2009-07-01T04:25:00.000-07:00

This morning the water pump broke. Some one is coming to fix it, but not until I leave for work in a few minutes. Its really is like boot-camp.

SO ladies and gentlemen, I was up until a little after mid-night last night finishing up the last pages of"The Red Envelope" and, my friends, its done! (applause, applause, applause). I am sure there will be plenty more revisions to be done, but I am thrilled to be done my first little mystery. I fashioned after the Agatha Christie style, i.e. all of the characters are there in the beginning and if you think about it, you can probably figure out who killed Sophia in the parsonage with a steak knife. The editor called it "intriguing" which is what I was going for. We're not convinced the 1st chapter is just right yet, so I'm sure I have my work cut out for me.

Is it to early to be thinking of my next story? I have been playing around with the idea of writing a couple mystery novels based off of Jacob's children in Genesis (there is so much there!) But I think I will give my self the weekend off and go out on the town and actually have some fun.

I mean every morning on my drive to work, Star 99.1 keeps telling me that "they are the greatest station in the world, located in the greatest city of the world", so I had better get out there right?

Day of Babyfingers

2009-06-23T18:05:00.001-07:00

So I am living with my Uncle, Aunt, their baby, my maternal Grandfather and maternal Grandmother for the summer (not the ones from the last blog entry). All in one house. I am working as the Art Instructor at a school Monday thru Thursday. I am enjoying it a lot. I'm actually surprised.

Most of all, there is my baby cousin. She is 1 year and one month and I wish I had a recent photo to put up but I don't.

Anyway so tonight at dinner she pinched me! Hard! Her little baby fingers are so sharp and she gives the teeny-est, tiny-est pinches that hurt super bad.

And did I mention her baby kisses? She gives these weird open mouthed kisses that are more like being licked by a puppy than really getting a little kiss. It will be a cute embarrassing story for her future first boyfriend-when she's 30.

In other news, I am only 30 pages away from completing my mystery novel. Let's all raise a cheer! It's weird though. I'm kind of scared that when I give the 2nd half of the revised copy the small publisher won't think its good. And if he does, and we work to get it published, what if I can't write another good story? This novel was fun to write, but it was hard work too. And what's more is that the next novel I want to write is a historical mystery. I've been wanting to write one for a while but it just won't work out right. Tell me, dear reader, do you ever wonder what it's like to see your goal only footsteps away? Do you hesitate or do you bull rush it?

29200 Days and writing well

2009-06-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

5 Things I’ve learned from my 80-year-old grandmother:

1.Pray for your husband, even if you don’t have one yet. This woman has been praying that I marry well since I was 15.
2.Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. She wears the simplest of jewelry but its always something pretty. Plus she's the one that started me on my jewlery box collection.
3.Any time’s a good time to travel. She's gone more places since retiring than most people have in their entire lives.
4.Take each day one at a time, just like the stairs. She may not like being alive or going up flights of stairs, but she certainly doesn't worry about tomorrow.
5.Computers are conquerable, no matter how many wires or buttons they may have! She is 80 and she e-mails. Who does that? And I complain that I can don't footnotes right, shame on me!

*she's the one standing in the picture.

Day of Writer's Block

2009-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

So last week I sprained my ankle.

It looks like a lame fall right? I mean guys keep on asking me if it was a sports injury and I have to reply, "No, no I'm just short and lame and I fell down 4 stairs when trying to close a window." Meanwhile I wish I could be saying "Yes it was a sports injury, I was training for the next summer Olympics where I will be running the 100 yard dash.

During this time I have written 2 pages in my work-in-progress and I have gotten 2 e-mails from the publisher I am working with asking me for the revised copy of my mystery novel. I'm hyperventilating.

The good news is that I did not have to go into jury duty with my sprained ankle. The bad news is that I did not have to go into jury duty.

My doctor told me no running for a week or two AT LEAST. He stressed that last bit. Now of course you know what I wish I were doing right now? Running.

I need to get back to writing.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

2009-06-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Ok So on Monday my parents will be celebrating their 24th marriage anniversary! Wooo! Yay! They met in 1984 and married in 1985. She had just finished high school, he had just finished college. I am very proud of them for not only staying together for 24 years, but for loving each other through the good and the bad. Through ministry, poverty, urban life, countrylife, suberbia, church splits, sickness and health. Bravo!

I think the reason for their togetherness can be best expressed through one of their favorite songs, (no not Madonna although she is high on their list, and not Meatloaf either):

Words by Bob Hartman Based on Revelation 2:9, 1 John 4:19, Song of Solomon 2:4

Sometimes I feel I'm pulled in so many wrong directions
Sometimes I feel the world seducing my affections
It's not that I don't know the way
It's just a heart that's prone to stray
But with my weaknesses admitted
You will keep all that I've committed
So I commit my heart to You My First Love

First Love
First Love My soul longs after You First Love -
First Love I want my heart to stay so true
Because You first loved me Jesus
You will always be You will always be My First Love

It's taken me some time to try to comprehend
A love that doesn't change -
a love without an end
A love that keeps forgiving
A love of sacrifice and giving
I delight myself in You My First Love
If I ever lack endurance I remember Your assurance
That Your only banner over me is love
If my heart begins to waiver Woo me back,
my loving Savior Woo me back till I return to my First Love.

And there you have it. I think another couple that is bound to last their whole lives is that of my former youth leader Joy and her husband Jon. They really run a peaceful home. I nick-named it "Selah" in my journal. God bless them all.

Day of Typewriter!

2009-05-27T04:44:00.000-07:00

So, I e-mail the 1st half of my mystery manuscript to a certain publisher for him to take a look at. With any luck, I will be published next year.

Thinking about this while straightening my hair this morning made me think of the beginning of my writing asperations.

I first wanted to become a writer in Miss. Murphy's second grade class. My first ever story was about my cat Rainbow.

After this I wrote stories about my school in a black and white composition book. I changed all the names of course (I knew about libel at a young age somehow) and they all pretty much ended in some one being converted to Christianity in a way that John Wesley would die for.

I think my writing got muddled for a while after I spent a couple years reading Sandra Cisneros and Julia Alveraz. I thought hispanic writing ought to look a certain way, so I tried to immitate it. This is also around the time my father found this 1932 Corona typewriter and gave it to me for my 10 birthday. I wrote 4 pretty amazing stories about Maria, Jesus and Theresa living in Spanish Harlem. These are the only stories I like from this era of my writing. And yes, Maria and Jesus are Mary and Jesus. They make a special appearance and convert Theresa's family. I swear some times I should have been a Catholic.

Next up comes stories filled with teen angst. I think its because when I was 12 and 1/2 my grandfather died and then there were all kinds of family drama. My writing reflects that in an amplified way. Characters were being pushed down stairs, disowned, abandoned in diners full of wilting flowers... Actually, I wrote a pretty good stage play from all this. I used The Godfather as a template but the story is entirely my own. Its about a man who marries the wrong woman. Very dramatic.

After this my stories died down a bit, and I spent almost all of college writing poetry. I wrote one story, OK two, but my heart wasn't in them. Then I got into mysteries. Enough said.

Day of Countdown

2009-05-22T04:26:00.000-07:00

So after today I will only have 4 long days at this heinous temp job.

I was told not to get my hopes up, that it would be in a crappy small office in one of the many "ghettos" of Philly. However, "ghetto" doesn't actually describe the desert I am living in. To me when I think of the US slang word "ghetto" I think crowded houses and loud music. I think of the neighborhood I am working in more as a waste land. The housing office I am working at is next to a closed-up beauty salon on one side and a boarded up building on the other. The closest thing to us is the dunkin donuts across the street. The women leave our office in pairs. I leave at exactly 5:30 and you can be sure I call my Father saying "I'm leaving the facility now" before I go into the belly of the city to take the subway home.

I guess I expected not to be depressed by the vast amount of nothingness in this area. I mean I spent four years of my childhood living in Philly's Bad-Lands. But you know what? I truely think that every neighborhood, however "ghettoish" has its own feel. I actually would rather work in the Band-Lands or Fishtown rather than the dusty neighborhood I am working in now.

Anyway, I haven't had much time to write, but since I have been riding the subway I have been getting some reading done. I am now finally finishing up Sue Grafton's "A is for Alibi"! If you, like me, love mysteries, check it out!

I've also had more time to pray. Actually I love riding the subway to and from work. Its the best part of the day in my opinion.

I'll leave you with this line from the first part of T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land. Maybe it will show you how I feel about my beloved temp job?

"There is shadow under this red rock,
(come in under the shadow of this read rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust."

Day of Sopping Wet Rain Race

2009-05-16T22:33:00.001-07:00

It rained for all of ten minutes about two hours ago and my sister and I were right in the middle of it. We ran all the way from our front door to the truck, and boy were we soaked. Then we went to 7-11 and became even soaked-er. By the time we reached the house and our room we were a sopping mess.

Which reminded me of Jane Austen's book Sense and Sensibility. The part where the girl played by Kate Winslet (and her eyebrows) gets caught in the rain and has to stay at the eligible bachelor's house? Ok, so I didn't read this book, but I do own the movie.

In fact I hate Pride and Predjudice. I never read Persuasion, Northanger Abbey or Mansfield Park. I did read Emma though. I love that book, the BBC verson AND the 1995 movie "Clueless."

Anyway, I just wanted to post and update saying I'm glad to be in the house reading "A Walk with Jane Austen: A Journey into Adventure, Love & Faith" by Lori Smith. I'm thinking of my summer plans. I'm so excited to be doing something different.

And don't worry, I do plan to write while I'm in NJ.

Days of being Hospitable

2009-04-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

I was awakened this morning by the cries of a 17yr old boy who is mentally disabled. My mom does therapeutic foster care, and as I still live at home, sometimes this is how I am awakened. Sometimes the children she takes in have anger issues, abandonment issues, mental issues, medical issues, and sometimes none or all of these problems. My parents began this vocation when I was in first grade. After giving birth to my sister and I; Mom, (with Dad's full support) decided to open her home to others, citing James 1:27 as her reasoning. It goes like this: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I love that Dad and Mom do this. Because of their faith in Jesus Christ, and the love of children God placed in Mom and Dad's hearts, they have taken in 8 girls and just as many boys over the last 16 years. Usually each child lives with us for two years, and either age out of the system, go to live with their relatives, or (in the worst of cases) go to a residential facility. In my life, this has taught me how to be hospitable, selfless, considerate, and patient. Most certainly patient.

My father keeps telling my mother to tell me stories of what she has learned about child-rearing from each kid, and for me to transcribe this into a book of memoirs. He says that it will be a best-seller and will encourage other Americans to be courageous and to open their homes to wards of the state. I smile and think, that is not the type of writing I am used to, but I know it will help other therapeutic foster parents to be encouraged and to keep up the good work. So, when my mom is really, I have a pen and paper at the ready!

I love what my parents do. There are rare moments though when I don't always feel comfortable living at such an open home. The biggest problem I've had over the years has been with boyfriends. These guys either have a problem with my desire to write for a living or my desire to have a big family. These guys are the ones who want a secluded 3 bdrm house with 1.5 kids and a dog, while I know I want 5 kids (mine or the state's, it makes no difference) and a hospitable house. I don't know if any guys at the local pub, or even the church will want so many kids, especially if some of the gang are not from their loins. But I think I'll keep praying. Only God knows what the future holds. ;)

A Day of Chuckles

2009-04-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

So chapter 3 is done!

It took multiple hours, and a couple of read-throughs, but its great. The tension between the 2 ex-best friends is going well. The reader is finding out a little bit about why they hate each other, but not everything. I finally created minor character-growing problems for the men in the novel too. And like all small towns I’ve ever been too, it seems like everyone who’s married is related to everyone else in town and new people are looked upon as outsiders. I think it’s a little heavy on the dialogue, but it was necessary to the story, so it works.

So I am working on chapter 4 this week and I am not sure where to go. I have a letter from the past, 2 scared children, a pastor in the hospital, another one on the way and a ticked off fiancé. Some how I have to bring all of these characters together for the murder scene in chapter 5.

Anyway in other news: Aggie and I went to Transformed last night. We are used to going to a church that answers the pastor when he asks questions, one where people are encouraged/allowed to say “amen” when they feel the need. So it was funny last night when the decent looking announcer/jock guy was giving the announcements (and Aggie and I were commenting). I didn't think anyone could hear us, but then I think we actually made him nervous. At one point he was going on about how there is going to be this new relationship-focused Bible study on Thursdays, and I groaned, rolled my eyes and leaned my head on my sister’s shoulder. (I am sick of Christian dating books) He actually looked at us and said, “No! It’s not that bad. . .” We are trying not to be such vocal parishioners, but we aren’t doing so well with that. God made us loud, our parents made us opinionated.

Until next week! Keep writing ladies!

A day of mysteries and haystacks

2009-04-15T04:48:00.000-07:00

So yesterday while working out at the Y, I came up with the next chapter of my current story. (Yay me!) And then I proceeded to figure out which character should be my murderer. Because, as you know, in every mystery story the bad guy has to be there from the beginning. I figured out which character would do and it made my day. I just have to write it.

Why didn't I write it when I got home? Well, Aggie and I decided to give away our cats. It was a melancholy day really. And that old R&B song about "every single day. . . I'll be missing you" was playing on the radio when we got to the SPCA. It really made the day kind of literary.

Any way, back to writing. I have this white notebook I write in when I am either plotting, or thinking of new ideas and I am super excited. I just came up with a new Idea for yet another story. It came to me while sleeping. This one will not be part of the mystery series, and all I will say is that in involves liars, haystacks, and makeup. Can't wait to figure that one out huh?

And gals, I am SO looking forward to Writer's Group!

Day of testimony

2009-04-08T20:40:00.001-07:00

So I was writing my testimony down today to send to Pastor M.B. because I'm going to be working at my grandparents church over the summer, and it made me remember why I love Jesus and Easter (i.e. Resurrection Sunday).

I became a Christian during the April 1991 Easter Production at my grandparents church. My family and I were sitting in the left gallery, and during the scene where Jesus carried his cross to Mount Calvary, and then died, I cried. My father, seeing my tears, explained to me that Jesus was also God and he came to take the place of us. You see our wrong doing deserves punishment. Jesus took our place of punishment. My father explained that since Jesus died and then resurrected three days later, we can know him as GOD and as friend. All we needed to do was say to Jesus that we we believed that he had taken our place of punishment, and that we wanted to follow him with our whole heart and be his friend. I thought about this and a little later, I prayed.

Since then I have always tried to share my Lord-friend Jesus with others. I'm not sure I'm always the best at evangelizing, (I mean using Barbies at a Bar-B-Q when I was seven may not have been the best way to tell my friends), however I have always wanted those I care about and love to know Jesus as their Savior-friend. This belief has caused me to lead a Bible study in 9th grade, and go on 4 different mission trips.

Sometime during my teen years, I commited myself to reading through the Bible. I wrote a promise to God inbetween the pages of my New and Old Testaments and 6 years later, I finished. I learned a lot about keeping the promises we make.

Actually, in the last year I have learned a lot about my self. I dedicated most of last year to persuing God and what his will is for my life, and I have learned a lot. God created me with certain interests: i.e I like to write, to travel, to go out on the town, and He has given me certain dreams: i.e. I want to be the house on the block that everyone feels at home in. The place where people can have a cup of tea or a bowl of soup and just relax. An OASIS. A safe place for those around me to figure out who they are, what they are about, and how God fits into all of that.

This past year Isaiah 40, Proverbs 31, Psalm 45, and the book of Luke have been key for me.

And I finally feel like I have direction concerning my career. It was there all a long, I just lacked faith. Look for my teen book on amazon.com next December and my mystery novel out next-next summer. I don't know what the book will be called yet, but I'm working on it, and leaving the rest up to God. He is more than able to do above all that we can ask, or imagine!

A Day of Character Study

2009-04-01T05:42:00.000-07:00

Busy weekend. This newly single girl (yes you read right~shocker) has had quite a busy week. Between babysitting, engagement parties and Bible studies, I don't know how I managed to do my character study, but I did. Funny thing is, the more I look at characters, the more I realize I am not done developing mine.

And as I was falling to sleep last night I realized why a couple of my characters pretty much sucked: lack of motivation. I mean clearly when REAL people lack motivation they generally suck, so it only makes sense that imagined characters would suck too. So I am going to work on all of my characters, Eva, Vicky, Lorena, Tobias, Reverend Isaac Phillippe, Ted and Mercedes, and figure out how they fit into my story of forgiveness.

I like the character Vicky's falling apartness. But Eva? And Tobias? And Lorena? and Reverend Isaac? Ted? What are my other characters motivations? Why should they take Vicky back into the fold? I really think that it would be a good story if I could just figure out everyone else's motive. The writing group girls think Eva rocks, but I just don't like her. She is too much of a do-gooder. If a character is perfect, where is there room to grow?

N. suggested I go and do character charts for my leads, and I have started. Its what I will be working on all week. For me, if the characters don't jump off the page then the story is crap.

Day of starting over

2009-03-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

Just a mini-post here. I don't really have the strength for a full on post. A lot has been going on in my life recently.

My next writing group meeting is April 23rd at 7 and if not then May 2nd. I am going to Borders tomorrow and hope to find comfort with the company of my sister and my friends.

I saw "Last House on the Left" late last night and I thought it was a good example of characterization.

In my opinion, good writing creates a world for the reader. A place of escape from the world. Jane Austen does a good job of this in all of her novels. My younger sister and I began reading "Sense and Sensibility" and we love it. Can I leave you with a quote?

"He was not an ill-desposed young man, unles to be rather cold-hearted and rather selfish is to be ill-desposed: but he was, in general, respected, for he conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of his ordinary duties." (p2 chapter1)

This is an excellent and witty example of describing a character. I only hope I may one day write as well.

Day of Snow brushed cars

2009-03-20T05:24:00.000-07:00

First off, an addendumn to a previous post. Why I typed "and up to this point am still dating him" I in no way mean that in a negative sense. I simply wanted to be acurate when typing because I did not yet know that I would be writing weekly updates about my writing habits.

Secondly the writer's group last night was nice. We talked a great deal about setting. Even mentioning the show "Cold Case" a number of times. Aparantly it is filmed in Philly. I never knew this.

Setting makes a great deal of difference to readers, if the three other ladies in my writing group are any example of the mases. We like to read about places familiar to us, but we also like to read about interesting places. When stressed, perhap exotic places are nice. The ladies in my writing group like real towns as opposed to imagined ones, except for in cases like Twlight. That damnable series is allowed to have an invented town acording to them because its sci-fi for R.L.Stine's readers. My question now: is Stephanie Myers REALLY the new R.L.Stine?

In my own writing, I just made up a town. "Hackberry, Pa" it serves my purposes. Small population, home to a flag factory, and allows me to create a small town feel in my story. Not only that but the names of the places get to be named after my favorite composers or writers....

I think I will be working on Character-development over the next couple of weeks now that I have my setting set up.

Day of Victoria or Moderna

2009-03-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

Ok so out of all of the quotes I put on the last entry, this one just clangs around in my brain like the bells of Notre Dame:

"En cada línea que escribo trato siempre, con mayor o menor fortuna, de invocar los espíritus esquivos de la poesía, y trato de dejar en cada palabra el testimonio de mi devoción por sus virtudes de adivinación, y por su permanente victoria contra los sordos poderes de la muerte."--Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Here is my translation for all that don't speak Spanish:

"With every line that I write, I always try, with or without luck, to invoke the aloof spirit of poetry, I try to leave in every word a testimony of my devotion for the virtues with their permanent victory against the deaf powers of death."

I think that that is so beautiful. As a believer that Christ is my only hope and the only reason I do good things, this quote rings true. One ought to always live as He does, you know? To always try to show redemption, mercy and love in one's art?

Anyway so tomorrow is our monthly writers group, and I feel that I am at an impass. I am trying to write the second chapter of my Eva story, but it just doesn't feel right. I'm sure that Jenny and Nikki will tell me that the plot line is too far fetched or too melodramatic, but to quote Sandra Cisneros, "the truth is often more unrealistic than the lie" or to put it bluntly: crazy stuff does happen!

Look at journals from the Victorian era! Read pamphlets that were given out on the streets in their day! Why were Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins and Elizabeth Gaskell so well read in their day? People could relate to or believe the drama!

Speaking of the Victorian era, I am half tempted to change the time period in which this Eva story was written and put it in 1820 or something. Technically that is still the Regency era, but it would bring readers to the beginning of the reign of QV and that reads like a fun time.....

Quien sabes?

A Day of Creation

2009-03-11T21:22:00.001-07:00

I have decided to use this blog as an outlet for my writing complaints. My savvy sister says sites seldom disappear from the inter net for ever. You may delete them, but some kind of rug-burn equivalent remains. Any way, I have just finished reading "The Apothecary's Daughter" which reminded me of "Wives and Daughters" however I thought both were equally good. ANYWAY, that and the fact that the writing group I "fascilitate" is a week from today, brings me to my computer, panicky and a little excited.

Before I begin I just wanted to post some insperational quotes from the guys who are mandatory reading in my book, and just good novelists anyway....

The writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man's proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit - for gallantry in defeat - for courage, compassion and love. In the endless war against weakness and despair, these are the bright rally-flags of hope and of emulation.--John Steinbeck

En cada línea que escribo trato siempre, con mayor o menor fortuna, de invocar los espíritus esquivos de la poesía, y trato de dejar en cada palabra el testimonio de mi devoción por sus virtudes de adivinación, y por su permanente victoria contra los sordos poderes de la muerte.--Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Writing, at its best, is a lonely life. Organizations for writers palliate the writer's loneliness but I doubt if they improve his writing. He grows in public stature as he sheds his loneliness and often his work deteriorates. For he does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer he must face eternity, or the lack of it, each day.--Papa Hemingway

When a poet speaks to his own people, the voices of all the poets of other languages who have influenced him are speaking also. And at the same time he himself is speaking to younger poets of other languages, and these poets will convey something of his vision of life and something of the spirit of his people, to their own. --T.S. Eliot

Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.--C.S. Lewis

Ta-da. That my friends is that. Now I want to write chapter 2 of my present story.

Day of nostos

2009-03-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

No that is not spelled wrong. Its a greek word.

I haven't written in this blog in 3 years. The last time I wrote in this blog I was preparing to go on a mission trip to Costa Rica. I went. It was a 2 week trip. It was great. Oddly enough I don't keep in touch with anyone from that trip. The people I keep in touch with are from my Germany/Poland trip. After going to Costa Rica in Dec 06; in summer 07 my sister and I went to France and England. Then that Fall 07 I went to Colombia to meet cousins I never knew I had.

I stopped going to my college/career church group soon after that because I was SICK to DEATH of all talk and not action. I guess I have a Martha personaility.

I took 1 year and 2 months off from dating and then I started dating a certain boy, C.A.F. from my college/career group. As of now we are still together.

Oh, and I graduated from college and I am looking for a full-time job. (I wish I could score a publishing gig, but I never interned and aparantly its a rule that you must intern 1st). And reading a lot.

And I'm not sure if I'm going to keep up this blog but we'll see.

Calling

2006-10-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

So lately I have been thinking about my future. Last night I went to the altar and I told God everything I have been feeling lately. I always want to know more than what I need to know for the moment. I have such a desire to go and do and to not waste a day.

I want to say so much what I am feeling right now but I can't.

Anyways, this is an excerpt from an e-mail I got from my Germany/Poland team-leader Lyndsay in late sep. I feel it fits my thoughts these days:

"Amanda, don't settle for less than what you know is in your heart. God will have a man for you whose heart beats for the nations maybe even more than yours. He will have a ministry for you (or several over the course of your life) that satisfies that passion for the lost of the world. Many are called but few are chosen. Those who are chosen are those you say "Here am I, Lord. Send me". And those people are few. "

I feel like I'm saying "if you're gonna use me, use me already!" and at the same time I feel like God is like "I am silly, open your eyes!" and then I sit down on the floor like "oh."

I feel so different from the person I was last year. Life is funny. And good. And full of purpose.

Hope: In order to hope in Christ alone, we must rid ourselves of the idea that anything else can possibly satisfy...are we ready to do that in thought and action? In order to hope in Christ we must actually believe He is about His Father's business, that it involves us, and that He will soon reveal Himself to us...do we pray this way? Do we physically wait patiently for things unseen to come? In order to hope in Christ alone, we must be willing to die to self hope and only hope in things He has for us (which are always more than we could ask for or imagine, anyway) - are we giving up our own desires for His, or discerning which of ours are from Him? Are we expectantly hoping, using our gifts as we know them now to encourage the body?
Hope Verses: Ps. 1 & 5; Is. 26:3, Is. 40:28-31; Eph. 3:14-21; Phil 4:6-9; Heb. 11:1-3, 12:1-2

Make it Count

2006-10-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

So I'm almost all ready for my trip.

I went to C-burg last weekend but not for the fun i had anticipated. A friend was in crisi, didn't let us help, and then I lost at pictionary. But it was good to see Joy and Jon and get my teddy bear.

I have decided not to read any fiction at all until Jan 5th. Until then I am only reading TRUE STORIES because so many people in the world have lead interesting lives. I read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's memoir, Amy Tan's memior, Isabel Allende's memoir (both of them) and a memior of a gynocologist/missionary to Ethiopia and also Angelina Jolie's notes from her work with the UN. People lead such interesting lives and get to meet so many people and just influence there lives. It just amazes me. I want my life to count for more than myself.

I saw the street preachers on campus today. I believe that they are grad students or something. actually today they passed the whole day in silence until about 3. Then they started quoting scripture. Honestly, I have mixed feeling about them. On the one hand, I don't know how "loving" it to shout at people "Give Jesus a chance" but then, on the other hand, I saw them talking to my jewish buddy from hebrew class. And while they were preaching in the bell square later, some guys were quoting Shakespeare and Plato back to them. Oh the intellegencia. How I loath thee. But then, if they were standing there, then they were intrigued at least, and they heard, so then my prayer is just that they said the right words and that the mockers remember the words when they reflect on their goals and life.

Shalom

Costa Rica

2006-10-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

I am going to Costa Rica December 27-January 5. I'm excited.

I'm going to Baltimore this weekend again to visit friends from High School.

Next weekend I am going to hang out with the TL people in Philly.

The weekend after that I'm most likely going to be in State College hanging with Maggie.

Any one doing anything the last weekend in October? I hate to not be busy.

A Winter Missions Trip?

2006-09-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

So last night the service at CLC was really dull. It was about allowing God to take revenge and not going after someone your self. I took notes, but I don't really relate to that right now so I will have to save the lecture for another time.

However when I was home, I began reading Galatians, and I decided to look back through Operation Mobilization's short term trips again for something since I want to go on a trip during winter break. They offered a two week trip to Russia. I sent a note to three friends asking them to pray with me about it, and then I went to bed. In the morning I looked at more trips but with Teen Mania. There is one to Costa Rica and one to Mexico and one to Panama. CR and P are VBS trips while M is a building trip. hmmmmm..... I will leave the final decision up to God let that be that. I'm excited though. Could this be the beginning of a career?

Preaching

2006-09-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

So I spoke on Missions last night for 20 minutes! I was exhausted when I waas done and I was happy when my tired sister nagged me to take her home. We arrive home at 8:30, looked at each other and told each other we were pathetic! But it was good. It seems alot of people were touched by what I said.

I have a lot to say

2006-08-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

How did all of these guys live without defending themselves and God?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus took a beating and through this saved our souls.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13: 15

So we should tell others about what he did.

Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Luke 12:23

Instead of spending all of our money on earthly-crap.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor. 4:18

God is eternal.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Cor 5:15

For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:7-8

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:15-17

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:8-15

Back home from Ministry in Europe!

2006-07-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Germany and Poland were awesome. Teen Mania teamed up with Jesus Revolution and changed hundreds of peoples lives! We saw a hundred people get connected with a local church, lots of salvations and two physical healings. I learned about the power of prayer, and it was a great time. Looking foward to seeing you all soon!

(thats me in the brown hat and green shirt in one pic and the pink shirt in the other!)

YAY!

2006-06-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

All my money is in, my tickets are bought, and all I have to do is pack. YAY!

I reached 50%!

2006-05-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

So I am DEFINATELY GOING TO GERMANY and POLAND!

I am internationally ticketed! I still need to raise 1705! YAY!

Praise the Lord for this!

Missons and Job

2006-03-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

So life here is ok. My grades are not as high as last semester and I don't think I will be taking Greek next fall. The guys in the class want me to, but I feel like a loser there because I am not making sense of the cases and all that nonsense. As far as work goes, I asked my boss if I could move to permenant full time in May and next fall, and she said she does not have any hours for me. This upset me because she just had 2 new hires and the assistant store manager quit. Our store made their goals and over on their latest sales, the whole thing smells rotten to me. She told me unless someone quits, I'm stuck on part time. So, if you happen upon this, do send me an email or something and pray. I filled out an application at Starbucks (they are open late and early which rocks) and a new Rite Aid is opening up.

As far as church goes, I love the College Ministry. I hate the Noah's ark aspect of it all. It is couple kingdom over there.

I now have a whole 501 going towards my missions trip. My church has promised me money but has not supplied it yet.

Every day the weather gets better.

Back to work.

2006-03-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

I am back from visiting Jeanne and Chrissy in London. It was fun.
I loved the hostel we stayed at in Black Friars. It was great!
Still needing to raise 2,000 for trip, so if you read this familia, think of me, God willing.

Went to the Globe Theatre and walked along Bankside and in Bayswater and went to church at St Paul's Cathedral on Sunday and am inspired to write a little fiction on some youths growing up there 100 yrs ago. I'll keep you posted!

Mini Vacation

2006-03-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

With all the chaos that is my life.... how do I find time for vacations?
I am gonna see Jeanne and Chrissy on Monday. Yes they are in London. No they are not coming home. I am going to London for my spring break. Thanks Mommy!

Sadly, I have to take school work with me. That has to be wrong in some way. You shouldn't be taking class work over seas.... but I have to. The good thing is I don't have to work this week, I don't have to get up early, I don't have to babysit (well I don't mind that) and I don't have too do anything except catch up on my readings.... And maybe make some pen pals. *

Mission Thoughts

2006-02-23T04:38:00.000-08:00

Well, I have about 119 days left until my missions trip. Thus far I have 390 raised and the church as promised me another 341. That makes 731. I need 2681. Of course I am working lots of hours at the store to raise it... I sent out like 25 emails and 11 printed letters. Did anyone get one? Thus far no one has said anything. The most miraculous thing is that a friend of mine whom I have not seen in 7 years has given me money. Isn't that amazing? I am going to be sending out more letters. I want to do a bake sale, we'll see.

Mom is giving me a gift. She is paying for me to visit Chrissy during my spring break. I hope its fun.

Germany and Poland Missions

2006-01-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

I have 100 saved towards missions and it is a battle to keep it saved. I need so much. Plus I am planning a wedding shower for Joy Kapper and Jon Martin... God help me. I haven't spoken to my rep and in fact i think I have a new rep. I need to build a relationship with my rep because I need better communication....

Missions to Europe

2006-01-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

I am going to go with Teen Mania to Germany and Poland in July 06. The cost is $3412. I am so excited. Munich is where the World Cup is this year and I will get to minister to soccer fans.

Day of Deliverance

2005-12-31T05:54:00.000-08:00

I am frustrated. I am annoyed. I am feeling very Susan-ish. (read Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian).

I have been living-sleeping-and dreaming Narnia for the past 4 days. I have been coming up for air only to go to work and read John 20. Why? Because I am fixzted on it and frustrated. Perhaps I should be reading Jonah instead, but that is a little too personal.

I keep on thinking Panama, Romania, Germany, and then holding my breathe and trying not to think of Arizona. I see God ansering my stupid (yet wise) prayer:

Push me out of the day-to-day. I want to feel each moment of life, I want to be pushed by You to grow spiritual, athletically, emotionally, I want to grow.

And would you know it, I was right. I always say that I never want to pray David's "Try me and Test me" prayer because we won't like it when He does. What do you know? I don't like it. Very Susan-ish indeed. Also very Jonah-ish. But I won't run.

Day of Gathering

2005-12-29T06:36:00.000-08:00

Everyone asks what I am going to school for. Well, technically to get a B.A. in English and a Minor in Spanish, but really I am just there to learn as much as possible about everything possible, simply because my vocation is to be a writer. I can't get away from my need to write. I can do other things, but creating believable characters with personality and drive and such is good.

I am learning through John Eldridge's book "Epic" about how God is behind every life (story) ever lived (written). Like Shasta says in The Horse and His Boy "Aslan is behind everything." Or how we don't hear the voice of God in the book of Esther, but we see God at work through the lives of the people who believe and trust in him. There is a story growing within me, and one day the time will come for it to be written. Until then, I am gathering nutrients.

Day of working

2005-12-26T19:12:00.000-08:00

So....I went back to the job that i quit one month and 5 days ago.... it was good. I want a raise, but I have to wait until march and then it will only be a quarter raise. if i make lead cashier, then it will be another quarter raise.....

So i am thinking of going on a mission trip to Panama or Romania next summer....

Day Single

2005-12-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

I've got the bass turned up and the music on....I've got my new journal by my side and I'm at peace with the world.

I am not dating J.M.M. any longer.... my choice....