Prima Gravida

“Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.”
Woody Allen

A few weeks ago after watching Black Swan, I realized that I wanted to marry NP, the lead. Sure, it sounds so out there, but I still imagined it. She would be amazing to hang out with. Not because she is in showbiz, but rather more who she is as a person. She is vegetarian, and an advocate for many causes and super smart and funny and blah, blah…

So I came up with a plan to write a screen play for her and it would be loved by all, but especially NP, and we would meet and it would be perfect…blah, blah, blah…

And I told God, please let me marry her because I will be the happiest man in the world. Make it happen pleeeeeease! [childish prayer – I know]

Ha!

Working on some medical terms for a work related project yesterday, I stumbled on the words ‘Prima Gravida ' now, the context was not at all related to anything above and by now had not thought of the silly story of my love for NP.

My only desire was my curiosity on the words…I am a lexiconist, by choice, after all.

I was curious as to why these latin words, which mean first time pregnant were derived.

In Spanish one would say [primera] (for prima) {also thought prima donna }and [grave’] for gravida.

When one is gravely injured one also says: “esta’ muy grave’ meaning she/he is gravely injured/ill.

I also kept wondering why I was so enamored and determined to learn the history of these words. I continued my search online where, with the great help of Miriam-Webster, I learned that yes the term means pregnant but also heavy and burdened.

This then took me on a whirlwind to Adam and Eve and the gravida of original sin and then again to the gravida of salvation through the birth of JC through Mary.

[Welcome to my brain friends]

As I finally felt assuaged at what I had learned, out of the corner of my webpage a news update popped up…

…This just in: NP expecting first child with fiancé blah blah blah…

What really matters

In all the hustle and bustle of stores and gifts, in all the crazy schedules and goals that I have set up for myself, last night I put an end to it.

Yes, I had and have stuff to wrap. I also have trains to catch and things to pack. I have dessert to make and plenty of things to finish up. I also have about 1.78 million worries looming in my brain. Not to mention, my many personal failures of this year.

Instead of worrying about all of that, I went home and relaxed and rejoiced on a manger boy soon to be born.

Everything else can wait, for He will be arriving soon for me.

Merry Christmas! :)

Chillen' WITH LC

So while I was trying to put my weekend plans up I did forget one great event that was very memorable and worth its own blog entry AND did not deserve to be left out. I met my friend LC with whom I had one of the best times lunching, drinkin (the good stuff if you know what I mean) and catching up. Like I mentioned before, friends come from all areas and, in my world, we would all live next to each other and hang out all the time. Not only did I have a great time catching up in a Wicker Park Garage turned Restaurant, it was a memory of great awesomeness. I did have a sanguine moment for not putting it up and I’m glad I have a friend who understands and can call me out on it because IT WAS a moment that I really enjoyed. I am sorry for not putting on here…it meant the world to me!

Please accept this cute puppy who feels just like I do at the moment.

Always,

Me

Weekend Highlights

Yes time always flies when you have fun and this weekend flew by so quickly.

Friday

I was able to go see the Tourist and even though the plot was not that believable it was great to watch Angelina and Johnny in beautiful locales and on an adventure. I love adventures they’re so much fun. I also made this a ‘me’ day and went to watch it by myself.

I never really understood going to the movies as a group or on a date…yes, hanging out before and after is always fun but the movie experience is intimate and somewhat ‘private’ within the context of a public show, of course. As I have learned, there really is no time for chatting.

With that said, this was one of the first times I went on my own. It was a freeing experience for sure.

Now, whenever I go with others, I am better at watching movies that I don’t enjoy while keeping the Mystery Science Theater commentary within the confines of my thoughts.

Yes, I am a movie snob, I’ll admit it. But now, if I go to a movie I don’t like, I know exactly what will get me through it.

Saturday

This day brought some a side gig of work for a friend of mine and shopping for Christmas presents. Walking around town in the cold was doable but still really cold. Layer up friends…layer up.

I also attended the first course in my new French class courses. For a while now I have been practicing my French in the car and in my apartment with the help of my CD’s. To further this, I also have been checking out self-study courses at the library. This Saturday was the preliminary, “is this for me” seminar and realized that ‘Oui, bien sur’ this was the class for me (yes, of course).

My professor was impressed with my French accent and I will also take a proficiency exam because he thinks I could be a few levels ahead (schweeet). I also had a chance to meet great people; including a woman whose native language is Aramaic (even though it is a dead language there is a small group of people that still use it).

As she introduced herself she said, “I also speak Aramaic, you know, Jesus’ language?”

That totally got the class laughing.

Sunday

I headed to the German market for my record 4th time this year and met up with a few people who had not been. I love the potato pancakes, candy, strudel, and the Gluhwein. Yum, that Gluhwein kept me warm which helped because my feet were going numb. There was a band playing Christmas carols which helped keep us in the spirit and outside for as long as we did.

On a previous trip, I also purchased a ‘baby’ cuckoo clock for my apartment. If you have never been, I highly recommend it.

I left my friends and headed to the ‘Little Village’ area of Chicago because they have a candy store full of Hispanic candies. This is the time that I stock up on all the goodies. I remember our church doing Posadas and the Nativity scene play. Once, I was a shepherd and had lines. I was like 8 years old and my debut on the stage (ha!) Now, I just buy the candy and remember those memories.

The final joy that was my weekend arrived when I headed with some buddies to the Black Hawks game. It was a fricken blast. Loud music and flat out action on the ice. The crowd was lively even on a Sunday. There was even a fight which totally rocked. I hope to make more games this year and also catch some live Bulls coolness. The Hawks won which made the end of a full weekend really a reflection of the fun.

I will say that usually my weekends aren’t this busy and even though there are tons of things to do around here, I enjoy when I can stay at my apartment and relax. I do not like to overbook weekends and enjoy taking a nap here and there too.

So cheers to all of you as Christmas quickly approaches and hope all of you and your loved ones are well.

3 AM bed time…what the what!

Yes my ‘shedule’ is crazy busy these days. Besides my main occupational duties, I also have freelance projects, Christmas errands, and my “organization initiatives”.




1. Freelance projects revolve around web design and marketing (more on that
in a future blog)

2. Christmas errands involve gifts for the season and what not

3. Organization initiatives refer to my resolution to condense what I own, reduce
my need for things, while also sorting out both life and matter.

My motto for 2011:
Condense, Reduce, and Sort.

Regardless of these duties of mine, last night I made some time for an improv show not far from where I live. Yes, I could have stayed home, in fact, the prudent thing to do would have been that (oh yeah, and it was freezing out), but I just had to get out from the confines of my walls. I think they were closing in on me anyway.

So improv is something really cheap and fun I love to see. Live shows created on the spot give such an insight into humanity. These shows encompass our human condition right where we are, and are intimate in that, what is created is specific to both actors and audience at the show that night.

Did I also mention it is cheap and beer usually is running rampant somewhere in the mix…?

Yeah, I know, awesome.

So three shows happened, they were awesomely funny, and then a few of us headed to a bar around the corner to drink a bit more, which led to endless conversations and some fun arguments, which led us to realize our need for nourishment, that led us to the 24-diner where I had the most delicious silver dollar pancakes, brought out more convo ignoring father time and my body’s internal clock, making me miss the last bus home, which made me opt to walk-it home…in what seemed to be the frozen tundra…finally getting home and going to bed at 3 AM

…and the green grass grows all around…and the green grass grows all around (did you get this?)

The grass definitely was not green at 6:30 this morn when my alarm went off…Not At
All!

A Catholic Moment:

Last night I was trying to remember the divine mercy chaplet out of the blue which i didn't know why, went to confession and was given a card to recite the divine mercy chaplet and then there was a St. Anthony prayer group (he is my confirmation Saint) where they also mentioned St. Francis...this was like weirdly cool. I had to write it down so I never forget it.

From my view:

From my floor I can see out to Lake Michigan and parts of it are frozen and parts not…there are chunks in some spots…it’s really cool and crazy to see how huge this lake is and it puts some perspective to the ocean’s unfathomable size.

Did you know:

A fathom, a unit used to measure water depth, is 6ft (1.8 Meters) long…wow! (this came from Miriam - Webster dictionary btw)

A WTF moment brought to you by me:

I need to join a gym and have been visiting places…some want a ‘fricken’ year commitment and cost an arm and a leg…what is this application for, an apartment…BP…and more on that in the future.

Dancing the cold out

One of the perks of living in the city is that everything is a walk away. Whether it’s shopping for food, appliance, or furniture; entertainment, movies, and bars; a haircut and beard trim; Bus or L stop; oh yeah and Church too, all is just a walk away.

One may think that frigid temperatures (Negative something today) and gale winds that cut through your flesh like piranha fangs would stop me from getting out and about.

Well, No. In fact, BP (translated as NO WAY)to that!

Just this morning, as I was getting ready for work, I realized that today especially was going to be tough to get to work. So I packed myself into my armor consisting of a coat, scarves, gloves, hat, ear warmers, and the ‘piece de resistance’ my iPod.

Yes, this little beacon of power really has been the key to my mornings; hyping myself with it when I wake, while I get ready, and finally out to battle the frigid cold.

Today I even danced a bit at the bus stop while I waited for my bus, thus warming up my body, my mind, and my soul.

Sure, there were people out and about, hopefully, they’ll join me tomorrow.

Recent fun updates:

Music currently on my iPod – Phoenix

Movie I recently saw – Black Swan (Whoa is all I can say…it was great!)[Great!]

Movie[s] I will watch soon – The King's Speech and The Tourist

Does anybody read my crazy blog? Good if you do, no worries if you don't.

I do still wonder...it has been a while :)

Reading and the Library

So, earlier this week I became the proud owner of my Chicago Public Library card. Man was I excited. It was like I had won the lottery. Seriously, I kept telling everyone about how I really wasn’t fully aware on the location of the books I needed because –

“I just got my library card today,” and waiting for 3rd grade student praise…
”Yay you have your library card!”

There is something that is amazing about the library, regardless if it has one or 1 million books…although I will admit, the Harold Washington Library is GARGANTUAN and one of my new favorite places. I'm also just happy that having so many great sources at my disposal will keep me from further nurturing additional purchases to my EVER-growing library.

Since I was a kid, I remember always having my nose to a book. It was so much fun meeting and seeing new people and places. It’s funny because even now when I near the end of a story, I make sure to take my time. You meet these new people and you become part of their lives and when it’s time to say good bye, I like to make it last as long as possible. Sometimes, it even feels like real friends you make; as if you can call them up or get a hold of them to chill; which I like to imagine sometimes.

Back in college I never thought how difficult it would be to keep everyone together. I met so many great people and loved every second of it. I was naïve, and I pictured all of us together forever in the magical bubble that college created. But like the stories and characters I read about, I take those I’ve met in my life in my heart and trek on the journey; meeting new folks and seeing new places in the process.
Now, I have a few books from the library, and a place that makes peanut butter milkshakes, with a large window into the world where I can read, people watch, and drink to my heart’s content…
…always remembering those I’ve met, and looking forward to the new things to come.

The beggar and I

Walking home from work, cold and tired I saw you, beggar. You making your way cold, dirty, covered in soot from a life-ful. You carried all in your bags; dirty and worn - filled with your needs and your memories.

You were making your way towards me. I walked towards you and I felt it.

Yes, beggar, I was dressed in my slacks and my suit and my tie.
Yes, beggar, I had my scarf and my coat and my gloves.
Yes, beggar, when I saw you I wanted to turn away.

I wanted to push you aside and to rest from a hard day’s work.

Like you, I too have had a life-ful.

Like you, beggar, I carry my backpack: sharp-looking black, new and sleek, with great zippers and ways to store needs and my memories.

Oh beggar if you only knew.

As you walked towards me cold and withered and as I passed you, it wasn’t the harsh cold that kept both of us walking.

Each in our shoes; each with our bags.

After passing you, I couldn’t ignore you beggar, I couldn’t just let you walk. I turned, you stopped, peeked in the parking meter in hope of something for you.

You and I beggar are one in the same. Regardless of the bags we carry, you and I we carry. From time to time, I peek, beggar, to see if maybe someone has left me a little something too.

You took my coins and I looked at your eyes.

Tonight beggar, we peeked, you were there and I was there.

Tonight there was a little something for the both of us.

Ramblings from a Madhatter

So I’m back and am happy to say it has been great since last I dumped letters and words combined with thoughts and somewhat coherent written nonsense…does that make sense? Yes friends I’m back to blogging. How long before the next time…doesn’t matter; as long as it never stops.

That does matter.

So why this long winded trip and play with words? Why the apropos title above? Simply because I love the written word. It is truly an amazing thing when one opens up with words.

I consider it a truer version of myself than the spoken. It is open and comes directly from the heart and mind combined. Like a good wine, it has time to breathe and really let me be me in my entirety.

Sure the spoken word is important, but for me it tends to somewhat hide or be rash and more emotional. It’s response more a quick way to protect or disclose and sometimes too quick to reveal truly what is fully in my soul…maybe a tid bit of something that is greater…the tip of the iceberg, if you will.

Don’t get me wrong…sometimes quick and vocal is necessary and, of course, one can also manipulate words, but the written word to me is amazing.

When I was younger more often than not, I would always come up with witty responses
too late for the situation that played out in my life. This led me to believe that this was a weakness of mine. As time went by; however, my 'esprit de escalier' became a blessing in disguise. Through my staircase wit I was able to process and come up with the responses that I wanted; those that made the point sound but more importantly those that would resound, resonate, and reverberate in the mind, heart, and soul of those to whom the message was intended. I would write them down and roll with them. Expanding each morsel and turning it into a feast for all the senses. This usually ended in elaborate creations all in my mind with pictures, words, sometimes even spoken out loud –all together an amazing show—for me at least—and to those few on the days when I was able to rock out with my quick ‘esprit wit’
So with all that said here is an update of what I have been up to/thankful for in no particular order except for the last…
Ready…set…go!

10. I’m glad I stumbled on my friends’ blogs which led me to other great blogs that inspired me to get back to writing on mine.

9. I love cold weather and the thought I’ll be skiing soon. Even if the walks to places suck, I will deal with it…case in point…waiting for my bus and not feeling my extremities for at least 15 minutes.

8. I have been learning a lot about who I am and can honestly say I am happy with these crazy discoveries of mine. The adventure is and has been here…who knows what is out there.

7. I have still been at it…buying books that is…and meeting celebrities and authors at book signings.

6. I am grateful for all those that have crossed paths in my life and am in awe that different choices and circumstances lead us in so many different ways

5. I take life a day at a time…good or bad…I’m getting better at ‘getting back on the saddle’ and also at ‘getting off the pot’ [as in toilet people]

4. I love taking the bus to work and walking to get where I want to go

3. I love that I can do so much and discover new adventures not far from where I am

2. I love going on walks on Lake Michigan

1. I love Chicago proper, my home!