I was in a Destiny’s Child music video. Continue reading
Little known fact #101
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Monthly Archives: August 2008
Question of the week: Caló y Spanglish
When you’ve been blogging for a while, you realize something. People quit blogging all the time. Some of my favorite bloggers no longer post or took long breaks from their blogs. They’re off becoming attorneys or working on their dreams of becoming professional writers. Sometimes, we just realize that we shared too much and need to take a step back.
Anyway, one of my favorite bloggers was the Daily Texican. He stopped blogging when he moved to Seattle for law school a few years ago. One of my favorite DT features was the “cholo word of the day.” DT defined Caló, Spanglish, or common Spanish phrase (e.g., chota, Entiendes Mendez). He’d also use the words/phrases in clever sentences and translate them for non-Chicana/o consumption. I loved the translations.
In honor of DT, I’m focusing the QOTW on Caló and Spanglish.
La Pregunta: Do you use Caló and/or Spanglish words/phrases in your daily life? What’s your favorite Caló and/or Spanglish word/phrase(s)? If you’d like, define the word/phrase a la DT (see above for an example).
Mazatl
En la esquina de Breed y la Primera esperé detrás del autobús anaranjado. Aunque que el área sea familiar, parece muy distinto con la construcción del metro. Ya no existe la escuelita pre-kinder cerca de Utah. En esa escuela adornada con un lindo mural, ensayabamos con Sergio y su grupo, Danza Tenochtilán.
En un momento, la luz cambió de rojo a verde y el autobús avanzó rumbo al este. En la esquina al sureste vi una palabra pintada en la pared: MAZATL.
MAZATL. Inmediatamente traducí la palabra. ¡El venado!
No tengo que explicarte que Mazatl significa venado en Nahuatl, el idioma de los Mexica (o Aztecas) por que tú me enseñasté Mazatl, una danza en que se recree el juego entre cazadores y los venados.
Me avanzé más y MAZATL se convertió en MAZATLAN MARKET.
MAZATLAN. Una linda ciudad. Quiero recordarme de los cinco días que pasé allí hace cuatro años. Quiero acordarmé de la sensación de volar sobre la playa en paracaídas, del agua tibia de la mar y del asombro de ver el más lindo atardecer de mi vida. Pero no. Esas memorias lindas de Mazatlán se convierten en memorias de ti, el Venado.
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July Project, Part 3
The July Project documents each day in July. For the first twenty days check here and here.
July 21: On my way to meet with freshmen, I saw this sign in the parking structure. This photo is the reason I never leave home without my digital camera.
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July Project, Part 2
A photo a day for the 31 days of July.
Photos from the first ten days of the month are here
July 11: Roberto Sifuentes, a member of La Pocha Nostra, and his partner reminded me of Ixtaccihuatl and Popocapetl in this pose, especially with the landscape in the background. These performances at San Francisco’s de Young Museum were part of The New Barbarians. The show featured four performance art pieces in four galleries in the museum’s American and New Guinea art collections. I had no idea what to expect about the show, but was fascinated. I’m glad I received Rio’s invitation in time and just happened to be in the East Bay for the long weekend. After the show, Rio, his girlfriend and I got in to the reception, snacked on appetizers and got to meet some of the main performers like Guillermo Gómez-Peña. Awesome. (More photos from the show.)
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Question of the week: El Verano
A few weeks ago I was hanging out with a good friend who is having an amazing summer. Still, she confided that something was missing: the summer romance.
I smiled to myself and didn’t say anything, but it made me think of this list written in the big loopy handwriting of a young woman. The summer romance is on there too. Making out on the beach at night. Falling love. Champagne trick? I’m not sure…
I didn’t make my own list or tried to fulfill that list. If I did, a trip to Salamanca, Guanajuato would be on there. I’m missing Salamanca more than usual, mainly because I usually visit around this time of year (except for 2005, I visited in December). My summer just doesn’t feel right without a visit to Guanajuato and looking through pictures won’t suffice.
La Pregunta: What do you need to make your summer feel complete? Or, what’s your quintessential summer activity?
Cincuenta y cinco
Dear Dad,
You know me. I’m not a morning person, which is a bit ironic because one of my favorite things to do is sing Las Mañanitas on the birthdays of my loved ones. So, being the tech-savvy girl that I am I made a recording using Garage Band and the built in microphone on my laptop. I hope it’s not too complicated to download the MP3 (audio file).
Here it is: Las Mañanitas
Just right click with the mouse, and choose “save as” on the menu that pops up. The file should begin downloading. Now that you finally have a DSL connection, it should be pretty quick. I think you can also begin playing it if you just click on the file. You can call me too if you need help.
I hope you like my version. It would’ve been better with you on guitar. It always is.
Happy 55th Birthday!
Love you lots!
Cindy
July Project, Part 1
I wasn’t writing much last month, but I made an effort to take a photo each day. First batch after the jump.
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When an apple pie is more than an apple pie
I called Papá Chepe today* to wish him a happy 88th birthday. He didn’t answer. I left a hasty message in my pocha Spanish.
“Hola Papá Chepe, es Cindy. Estoy llamando para felictarlo hoy en el día de su santo. Feliz cumpleaños. Espero que usted y Mamá Toni esten bien. Ojalá que los veo… soon.”
I’d forgotten the word for soon. I still can’t remember it. Would “un ratito” work? Probably.
Fortunately, he called me back two minutes later.
We talked for a few minutes. He thanked me for calling and told me he and Mamá Toni would be leaving El Cargadero soon to have lunch in el jardín in Jerez. He was looking forward to getting a roaming band to play for him.
“¿Cuándo regresan?” I asked, already missing them after two short weeks.
“Este Domingo,” he reassured me.
“Adios,” I said and asked him to give Mamá Toni a hug and a kiss for me.
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El Gusto del Zapateado
I first saw her in one of the galleries. She was the assistant to the woman performing as “Not Allowed to be Nude” or “Misplaced Madonna.” She was tall and lanky with short hair. She work a skinny black suit and dark sunglasses. She was the butch version of the proper museum docent.
At the reception following la Pocha Nostra’s The New Barbarians, Rio, Mariela and I sipped chilled white wine and munched on veggies and chicken kebabs while waiting for the performers to make their entrance. Soon after, the four main members of La Pocha Nostra — out of makeup and fully dressed — joined the San Francisco art crowd. The organizer of the show, a short dark-haired Latina, thanked the performers. Everyone clapped except for the alt-docent. She stomped hard on the wooden floor.
She had a good stomp. Like the stomps of a jaranero in the middle of a fandango. Or the zapateado of kids in a ballet folklórico troupe dancing to el Canelo or el Gusto.
In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to be 13 years old again, at the height of my short-lived dance career. Continue reading