Monday, March 13, 2006

Is that Spring around the corner?

Yikes, I can't believe it's been a month since I last blogged! Here, at least.

Lots of things happening but I haven't really had the time or desire to blog about them. The kids are doing well; Salomé and I are once again in full-angst mode over our living and working situations; and I've reached a little bit louder-levels of busy with the comic book stuff.

The weather's finally improving and I can sense the winter blahs starting to fade a bit. Been a rough few months and the feeling that spring was taking forever to come was like a dark cloud hanging over everything. We hit the Bronx Zoo on Saturday for a much-needed day out, and then went crazy at the Mall with a little unplanned shopping therapy. Not unlike a night out drinking, it's fun in the moment, but damn the hangover when the receipts are added up later! All good, though; the simple fact that we could do it at all is a plus, considering this time four years ago we were on the verge of going extremely broke.

On the "big things changing" front, one door officially closed a couple of weeks ago; the second, and most favorite, seems to have closed, though I don't know for sure yet; and the third, my second favorite, feels like it might happen, details pending. Can't say more than that at this point.

Last night's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition reminded me how much I envy people of faith. The power of Guyism -- the belief that I can only rely on myself to get by, which sometimes leads to brief but severe moments of depression -- pales in comparison to that of other, more stable religions. I totally understand the need to believe in something greater than one's self, but my logical brain simply won't allow it.

In lieu of anything of substance, I leave you with this, swiped from Salomé, who is doing much better at the blogging thing than I am these days:

1. Would you say that you are good at keeping in touch with people?
Not in the least. I'm quite horrible at it, actually.

2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: email, telephone, snail mail, blog comments or meeting in person? Why?
Definitely email, though in light of the answer above, it's not ideal. In person, as long as it's someone I feel like talking to, is best.

3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
I tend to avoid IM as I'm usually working when I'm online and don't have the time to chat. GMail's adding chat has made that a bit more difficult recently.

4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
See next answer.

5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person or do you believe that "absence makes the heart grow fonder"?
Totally "out of sight, out of mind." And you don't even have to be out of sight for all that long. That said, I do make an attempt to touch base with my best friends now and then, whether they are near or far.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

dude, don't come out with a bogus excuse. Come out to the Bruckner Bar and grill for our third year.

We got big things coming.

FISH
Acentos Bronx Poetry (Bronx)

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March 28th, 2006 @ 7pm Sharp

Acentos Bronx Poetry Showcase
Bruckner Bar & Grill
6 train to 138th ( use the last car )
exit and walk on lincoln ave towards bruckner and make a right on bruckner to the corner
if ya get lost call Fish Vargas - 917-209-4211



*********************************************************
3 year anniversary wepaness!!!

March 28 at 7 p.m. sharp, the Acentos 3rd Anniversary Show
will feature a performance by Trío Con Cuatro, an acoustic group
whose
music is a fusion of new sounds and the traditional folk rhythms of
llanero, jazz, blues, and calypso. In addition to the open mic, there
will be a special set of showcase performances consisting of past
features from the acclaimed series' three-year run. More names are
forthcoming, but already set to perform are HBO Def Poet Rachel
McKibbens, Mahina Movement, and Carlos Andrés Gómez. In the DJ booth
for the evening will be Acentos' own DJ Geko Jones.

In the past weeks, the ownership of the Bruckner Bar & Grill has
undertaken an impressive expansion into the adjacent building, adding
a state-of-the-art performance space to the existing lounge areas.
In
addition to the drastically improved acoustics and audience capacity,
the new space boasts four front and rear JBL speakers; a full PA
system and DJ booth; and a brand new stage, spotlight, and house
lighting scheme. With this exciting new setup, the organizers are set
to launch their fourth year with a stellar March lineup.

For three years, Acentos has stood at the vanguard of the burgeoning
artistic scene in the South Bronx, providing a renewed spotlight for
Latino/Latina poetry in a venue that fosters an encouraging
atmosphere
for writers of diverse backgrounds and experience. Based in the
Bruckner Bar & Grill (Corner of Third Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard),
a part the ethnically rich Mott Haven section of the Bronx, Acentos
showcases nationally recognized poets alongside emerging voices in a
setting that stimulates open dialogue and an increased sense of
community.

Acentos is a program of the louderARTS Project, Inc., a not-for-
profit
arts organization committed to developing challenging spaces for
artists to create, critique, present and teach poetry, and is
presented in conjunction with the Bronx Writers' Center, a program of
the Bronx Council on the Arts. Acentos is brought to you every second
and fourth Tuesday of the month by Jessica Torres, Fish Vargas and
Rich Villar.

For more information, please visit www.louderARTS.com/acentos.

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