The week

I’ve been in Charlotte this past week helping my leetle seester Caiti. The poor girl is terribly sick with her third pregnancy. Seriously, the girl is miserable. She’s got a condition that maybe 5-10% of all pregnant women get called Hyperemesis. Check it out here.

I’ve had a good time hanging out with my nephews. The first day I was here we went to see “Oceans” at the movie theater. Man, was it amazing! It was especially funny to hear Ryan saying “Awesome!” and Gavin make a comment or ask a question about possibly everything. I simply answered, “I don’t know”. For the most part, I haven’t been a visitor, but a normal part of every day life, which is what I like. My day consists of getting the boys up for school, dressing them, feeding them, and taking them to school. Bad news – they get up at 6 am!! It’s true. School starts at 7:30! Can you even believe it?! It works well for Gavin, since he is a morning person. However, Ryan isn’t such a fan. He’s moo-dy in the morning. However, once that subsides, he’s quite a pleasant little 6 year old.

They are funny boys, for the most part. Gavin is a wiz at everything and comes up with some really surprising facts and big words. My favorite phrase of the day was this – “Auntie, there is a multitude of children on the bus. It’s a fiasco debaucle!”. Turns out these were his words of the week in his FIRST grade class! Ryan has been picking up on some of these words from Gavin and particulary likes to use the word loathe and incessantly. I am amazed at how totally different these boys are from one another. Gavin’s favorite subjects are Math & Science, while Ryan loves Reading and is quite an actor.

I love these boys. I can’t believe they’ve grown up so fast! Soon they’ll be in San Antonio, and in a few months they’ll have a brother or sister to take care of and watch grow. I can hardly wait to see their excitement at welcoming a new member of their family!

North Carolina is, in my opinion, the Garden of Eden. I’d love to come back and live here at some point. Everything is so lush and green. Ahhh, I must come back soon.

Well, I'll be home soon, so I must get out and enjoy this amazing 75 degree weather. Ciao!

The trip

Cruising, kayaking, snorkeling, para-sailing, body surfing, too-much-food eating, sun-burn getting, tacos al pastor consuming, motion sickness feeling, relaxation spending... and there you have it!

It was a fabulous time. I hope to do another cruise in the near futuro.

Vicki and I pointing out our lovely sunburns on the first day. Remind me to apply sun screen next time.
At dinner on 'formal night' with Vicki and Jen.
Painful, very painful.
El Arco de Cabo San Lucas with Katy and Dave.
So, this was the moment swear words were coming out of my mouth. The moment the wind changed and I almost had a water landing. Bad, very bad.
El Arco 'n me.
Yogurt cones a-plenty. I enjoyed these at least a few times a day. Who cares that I gained 5 pounds?! Seriously.
This was what the ship photographer called a 'group hug'.

Baby, let's cruise...

Snorkeling, kayaking, and beach sitting in Cabo San Lucas.
Lots of chillin' on this thang.

Good times will be had - oh yes, they will. Saturday can't come soon enough!

Thoughts and value.

Funny, you'd think that being semi-employed right now I wouldn't be so busy, right? Wrong-o. Life has kept me busy as of late, and I'm thankful. I definitely enjoyed my first month of unemployment doing whatever I wanted anytime I wanted, but sometime after I lost a sense of value. Work gave me a sense of value of sorts - at least when I was busy in my job. I realize that I'm a person that enjoys some down time, but I also want to be of use. I want to matter, and I also want to progress. You know what I mean?

About a month ago, my old friend from H.S. and Chick-fil-A days called and said her husband was running for the 2nd district congressional seat. They were looking for someone to coordinate their meetings, etc. and asked if I'd be interested in the job. As one who had a few interviews with no results, and was online looking for jobs hours on end, my interest was peaked. I was immediately put to work and became busy doing work I had done the last few years at my previous job. It was familiar and comfortable, with some differences. For one thing, I had never been involved in anything political, but was intrigued and excited to learn more. In the past month I have met many new and interesting people - even the governor and a well known senator (one not so popular at the moment). It's funny how we get thrown into things sometimes, never realizing how much we'll actually enjoy it. I feel I am progressing, and I feel that my work has value.
Oh, and if you live in the 2nd congressional district, please consider Neil Walter. Check him out at neilwalterforcongress.com

When I'm not working on the campaign, I try to do other things that matter. Kids matter to me, and I've had some good times hanging out with my nephews that I love dearly. Also, my friend Karen has four adorable girls that I've had the chance to babysit from time to time. Karen was my neighbor for years growing up, and we've always been great friends. Her girls have become like nieces to me and have helped me feel value in my life as well. Having the trust of a child is a precious thing, and I'm grateful when I've been lucky enough to earn it.


7 month old Taya. She's a doll with beautiful blue eyes and olive skin.

Three year old Ember is hilarious. She's very independent and wants to do everything herself, but she's quick to give love, and she frequently tells me that she (without being able to say her r's) really, really, really loves me. Ah, melts my heart.

Triathlon training is here again. It's only three weeks away, and I feel ill-prepared. I've been concentrating more on running than anything else, and I'm nervous. Ahhhh. Oh well, I'll keep going!

Lastly, many already know of my struggles to finish my bachelor's degree. It's true, I'm 34 and still haven't finished. I have been one class away for many years, and the details of this trial in my life has been harder than many of you know. Well folks, I may actually have my degree by the end of Summer. The reality of it is still sinking in for me, but I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am. All of the feelings of inadequacy, failure, and frustration are coming to an end. I have no idea what I'll do with the degree, but finishing is the key here!

Overall, life is good. I have a lot to be thankful for, and especially thankful that in this time of unemployment I can still be of value in the small details.

The end.

Auntie thoughts

I know I've said this before, but I really love being an auntie. I can't express my gratitude enough for my nephews, and also the new nieces that have joined our family this year through Megan's marriage to James. The first time I heard my oldest nephew Kalin's cry in the delivery room, my heart grew 10 times bigger. I was in love with that kid from day one. It was hard to imagine how I could love any other child as much. However, as other siblings began having children, I was amazed at how much I loved Kai, then Gavin, Ryan, Owen, and Aidan. Later the Tucker's - Hunter, Lauren and Jadyn. I am in awe to realize that no matter how many people we love in our lives, our heart always has room for more. It's almost unfathomable to imagine how much I'll love my own children someday.

Dear nephews and nieces, and those which will surely come - auntie loves you.

5:33 am

Erincita hasn't been to sleep yet. It's true. Around 1:30 am I lay my head down for sleep. After about 15 minutes, I got restless trying to sleep and got up to be entertained by my blackberry. I decided I'd like to upload a new application of Kayak, which is a travel site I frequently use. I being the download, then realize I don't have much memory left (I guess I do a lot of downloading), so I started to delete one I don't use often. While in the process of deleting, my bb froze. I waited for it to unfreeze, but got impatient and just powered it down by taking out the battery - you know, the usual process. As I'm waiting for it to come on, I notice an unfamiliar screen. I proceed to take the battery out once again, just for fun. The same screen pops up. Well, I can't sleep anyway, so I decided to stay up until 4 for Verizon to open. I call them, and my rep. proceeds to tell me that my bb has crashed. Crashed?? Wah??!! What does that mean exactly? She explained that because I powered it down in the middle of a download (or the deleting of a download) I've lost my pictures, my contact information, etc. Ack! Funny thing, I was thinking last night that I hadn't backed up my contacts to my computer yet. I mean, I've only had the thing for two months. Wendy, the rep. tells me that I will be able to start up the bb again through a short little process (hooray), but I need the output that connects my computer to my cell. Sure, I totally have it. I run to my room to look for the box with the do-dads from my bb. I find the box, but I don't see the output. Thirty minutes after turning my room upside down at 4 am, I am at a loss. No output. In my problem solving state, I think to myself 'Sean has my same phone. I'll call him in the morning and he'll bring me his output. Phew!' Guess what - Sean's phone number is in the crashed device, too. I only know maybe three numbers by memory - THREE! Ack!!

How have I come to rely so much on my crackberry?? And when did I stop memorizing telephone numbers? Remember the days when we had them all stored in our little heads? Yeah, those days are long gone. Cell phones have made us incapable of memorizing phone numbers, people!

Ah Friends, I am lost without my communication device. Well, at least for a few hours I'm lost.
Lesson learned: Back-up yer stuff! And maybe this is where we start memorizing numbers again... or not. Yeah, no.

P.S. Please send your phone numbers to my email so I can add them to my bb again. ercurr@gmail.com

Bless you all.

Erin go bragh!

A wee tribute to my Ireland...







Happy St. Paddy's day!

Babs

I get chills each time I hear Barbra Streisand belt out this song from "Funny Girl". Babs has one of the most phenomenal voices in the world - hands down.
Oh, and I love her in this movie. She was somethin' else back in the day.

Vincerò, Vincerò!

This song is absolutely mesmerizing. It sends my heart a flutter, sends chills down my spine, and moves me to feel I can "win" anything I care to accomplish in life. Pavarotti, rest his soul, was an incredible singer. When I was young I used to think my dad was Pavarotti. He had the dark hair and the beard - oh, and he was a singer.
I've included here the translation in English. Vincero!

Read about the Opera Turandot and what happens before this song here.

Nobody shall sleep!...
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, o Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within me,
my name no one shall know...
No!...No!...
On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Set, stars! Set, stars!
At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!

Robert Frost

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Pensamientos

Friends, I have a lot of thoughts. With those thoughts come ranges of feelings. Sometimes there is simply too much to share, and since I can rarely do sharing my innermost feelings justice, I'm not gonna share 'em! Bless me. I'd rather some of my favorite poets and songwriters do that for me. My innermost thoughts will have to stay in my journal for now :)

So then, each day (or whenever I feel like it), I'm going to share some of that with you, mi publico.

Today I'd like to share a few from Emily Dickinson (1830-86). She was a poet that lived at very private, very secluded life. In her private life, she wrote 1800 poems. Here are just a couple:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.


Heart, we will forget him!
You an I, tonight!
You may forget the warmth he gave,
I will forget the light.

When you have done, pray tell me
That I my thoughts may dim;
Haste! lest while you're lagging.
I may remember him!


Wow. So much emotion.

I love it.

Stay tuned for more.

Poetry - el poder

I enjoy poetry - a lot. I love it in the best of times and the worst of times. Today I was thinking about Pablo Neruda and how much I love the passion he conveys in his poems - especially in his native Spanish. The English translation is good, but it just doesn't do his poems justice. Here is one I've always appreciated.

"Si Tu Me Olvidas"
By Pablo Neruda En Español:

Quiero que sepas
una cosa.

Tú sabes cómo es esto:
si miro
la luna de cristal, la rama roja
del lento otoño en mi ventana,
si toco
junto al fuego
la impalpable ceniza
o el arrugado cuerpo de la leña,
todo me lleva a ti,
como si todo lo que existe:
aromas, luz, metales,
fueran pequeños barcos que navegan
hacia las islas tuyas que me aguardan.

Ahora bien,
si poco a poco dejas de quererme
dejaré de quererte poco a poco.

Si de pronto
me olvidas
no me busques,
que ya te habré olvidado.

Si consideras largo y loco
el viento de banderas
que pasa por mi vida
y te decides
a dejarme a la orilla
del corazón en que tengo raíces,
piensa
que en esa día,
a esa hora
levantaré los brazos
y saldrán mis raíces
a buscar otra tierra.

Pero
si cada día,
cada hora,
sientes que a mí estás destinada
con dulzura implacable,
si cada día sube
una flor a tus labios a buscarme,
ay amor mío, ay mía,
en mí todo ese fuego se repite,
en mí nada se apaga ni se olvida,
mi amor se nutre de tu amor, amada,
y mientras vivas estará en tus brazos
sin salir de los míos.

Heaven

Someday I really must have one of these.

Bright Star

Bless the Red Box. It surprises me sometimes. I am not often pleased with my findings there, but once in a while I take a chance and can be quite satisfied. Last night I came across one such title that intrigued me. While reading the synopsis, I was instantly taken by the name John Keats. He has been a favorite poet of mine, one of the British romantic poets I studied while in literature classes and while studying abroad one summer in London. Poetry enchants me. Probably because I'm not very good at it. John Keats is a master.

Last night around one in the morning (you can do that when you're unemployed), I started my movie 'Bright Star', which is also the name of one of his poems. I loved the portrayal of a very short time-frame of his life, but a time of much emotion, love, and pain. He fell in love with a girl named Fanny. Keats was a poor man and had no money to offer Fanny (he had not 'made it' with his poems yet). Having little money didn't stop he and Fanny from getting engaged and making plans of marriage. In this time, however, he became ill. Long story short, he died a short time later at the pre-mature age of 25. He died thinking he was a failure, never to know how loved his poetry would be by millions to come.

This movie felt real, and not the least bit contrived. The heart-wrenching emotion in this movie felt unlike any other. There has never been a more real portrayal of the most simplistic, yet most common emotions that rule the heart. There was some intense sadness that even drew a few tears from my eyes. I didn't expect it.

Here's a clip:



I don't guarantee everyone will see and feel what I did in this movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing such a beautiful portrayal of this part of Keats life. Yep, loved it.

Bright Star (Written for Fanny by John Keats)

Bright star! would I were steadfast as thou art-
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors-
No–yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillowed upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft swell and fall,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever – or else swoon to death

????