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May 31, 2005
Little Mermaid
In a world filled with scientific progress, you would think to see the decrease of birth defects, wouldn’t you? Unfortunately developing countries are still struggling with certain birth defects, despite medical breakthroughs here in our own country. While I am familiar with birth defects and their rarities, I have never heard of the mermaid syndrome, and I certainly wasn’t aware that it occurs one in every 70,000 births! Exactly what is it that we are doing to our bodies and our environment that creates these defects? And more to the point, why do we spend more time destroying lives instead of trying to save them? Maybe one day we will live in a world where our priorities will center on healing instead of hurting. This reminds me of how lucky I am to have relatively healthy children, and how all of the medical issues my daughter has are minor compared to what “The Little Mermaid” has ahead of her.
Posted by dvaldesd at 11:41 AM | Comments (1)
May 25, 2005
homework buddies
Here it is, 12:14 a.m., and I am in the company of my beautiful daughter Amanda. What is she doing up at this time you ask? Her homework, like her Mama! It's funny how the things that we do influence our children, isn't it. So here we sit, each of us plugged into to the music we love, bopping around and reading/writing/thinking. Even when I was a teen, music always inspired my best work and motivated me, while others might claim it distracts them.
I prefer the sounds of my native salsa or my much loved r&b to the boring sounds of silence. Of course, we have to break occasionally to comment on how much one of us loves a song too much not to dance or sing to it, but it’s all par for the course. Besides, it doesn't distract us for long. But it's cool. We get the best of two worlds; the enjoyment of music and the creativity that it sparks. And, of course, the satisfaction of knowing that when my Mom used to tell me it was a bad idea, she was wrong!
Posted by dvaldesd at 12:13 AM | Comments (1)
May 22, 2005
Happy Birthday to...
So Friday was the big day. The day that I made the big 43! Do I feel differently? Nope. If anything I feel better than I did when I was 30, toting 2 little ones around complete with car seats and baby bags.
Still, there is a certain magic to being a young mother that new found independence can never have. All those questions and unknown theories about parenting were exciting to me then. When I think about the past decade I get a bittersweet feeling...happy to be where I am, but missing the simplicity of those special moments; each time I found out I was pregnant; when I knew I had (another!) girl, wondering at what they would like and hate when they grew up, and who they would date, which fights between us would be the ones we would later look back on and laugh, and those that would leave scars upon our hearts. And now, as I compose this entry Marina (11 years old) sits on the couch, watching music videos in her worn out jeans and too big sweatshirt, asking when I am going to buy her the DVD "The Notebook", a movie she must have! Amanda (15) sitting beside her doing her homework, concentrating on her work, but always ready to lift her head and pay attention to the most important thing in her life: music. Yep, she wants to study music in college and is known around here as THE Drama Queen. Then there is my first born, Ariana (17) who is at work, probably thinking about her boyfriend, her grades, and the car I am in the process of buying for her. So much time has passed so quickly. When I think about being 43, I am grateful for the time I have had with my children. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for the friends I have made. But, most of all, I am grateful for what is still to come, and await it with open arms.
Posted by dvaldesd at 07:31 PM | Comments (3)
May 02, 2005
what would you do?
the following list came from a series of questions on becky's blog. Aleisha, Elisa and Adam were my choices for passing the torch, so i will be looking for their answers very soon! here are the questions (along with my answers!)...
1)You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
2)Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
3)The last book you bought is?
4)What are you currently reading?
5)Five books you would take to a deserted island?
6)Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
book i want to be in: the drifting of the spirits by gisele pineau
crush on a fictional character: alec baldwin in malice...because he is GOD.
the last book i bought: the ethnology of music, because i love music so, and i know it’s in my blood...and i can't lie, the title has got me intrigued.
I am currently reading all kinds a stuff for my papers. but you know that when i'm done...the possibilities are endless.
five libros? hmmm...tough one. gayle jones, corrigadora, because i would like to re-read it.
the newest one by jhumpa lahiri, whose last book, interpreter of the maladies, was awesome. the two novels by carribean author edwidge dandicat, because they are both magical and cultural. and the last one would have to be just an empty notebook so that i could pretend to be a writer and begin the autobiography of my father, the love of my life.
Passing the stick to Elisa, because she has the heart of a poet and i have much respect for her. i want to know what she thinks is a good read. Aleisha, because we have so many things in common as working moms, and because i know there are probably many stories of our past(as women of color) that are still hidden to me that she can teach me about, and adam banks, because i want to steal as much of his brain as i can!
Posted by dvaldesd at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)