It is 7:20am, and I am only just climbing into bed for the night. And, of course, “for the night” now means “for not quite an hour,” because I want to see the llama and alpaca show at the livestock show this morning, and they start around 8am… yikes.
But, you know what? This was a fantastic night, followed by a great workout this morning, a hot, cleansing shower, and a long-awaited teeth-brushing.
Thank you, God, for this crazy day that was today (Thursday). Wow… thank you. May I give it all back to you through expressing your love in the world around me. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Gwen Stefani is another one of those artists who played an important role in my childhood. I remember singing the choruses to two of No Doubt’s songs while dancing around in the living room at our original house when I was only about four years old. They were “Spiderwebs” and “Don’t Speak”. I didn’t know what most of the lines meant, and I even had a few words wrong (“I gotta scream my phone calls,” instead of screening them, because had no idea that screening a call was something that existed), but I loved those two songs. To this day, I can still see the image I had in my mind of this woman climbing around and walking inside this massive spider web, while her landline phone was ringing in the distance. The phone was yellow, by the way. I genuinely thought she was telling a story of how she was doing crazy stuff, like walking in an actual spider web – she was out living life – instead of sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring, waiting for calls. I’ve related to it that way ever since it came out almost 27 years ago, and I have no expectation of that changing at his point – if it hasn’t changed already, I think it won’t at all.
So, all that being said, Gwen Stefani is kind of on par with Ricky Martin in terms of how it played a role in my early childhood. Naturally, when she sang “Don’t Speak”, therefore, I cried a bit.
And then, for Spiderwebs a coupe songs or so later, I went nuts jumping around and dancing.
I did that on several songs, of course, many of which I had either forgotten had been Gwen Stefani’s songs or that I had never known were Gwen Stefani’s songs.
Of course, she ended the concert with “Hollaback Girl“, and I then discovered that it wasn’t, “Mmm this much. Mmm this much,” but “Mmm this my sh**. Mmm this my sh**.” Rather different lyrics, yes, and the real ones don’t actually fit musically as well as my version of them. So, I’m sticking to my original understanding of the lyrics on this one.
All in all, it was a great and fun concert. And she even declared, “Praise Jesus!” at one point, which was baller in a whole new way. And no, Blake Shelton did not show up. She said early on that he was “babysitting” her kids… and my friend said, ‘I believe that is just called ‘parenting’.’ 😛 But the concert was filled with songs, and she even went over by about ten minutes, she had packed so much music into it. It was great.
Thank you, God, for the absolute blessing that was tonight and today on all levels. Please, especially, bless those who showed love to me today in particular, that they feel your love more fully tomorrow. Please, guide us all to be your love through our lives. Help us to be who you made us to be. And thank you for this opportunity of life. In your name, I pray. Amen.
My mom aske me the name of my friend’s most recent child today. I had no idea, but imagined it would be names from the bible, and so I said the first two male Bible names that came to mind, adding that it was something Catholic like that, though I was truly only guessing all of it.
After a brief pause, my mom says, ‘Wait… but isn’t it [first name in Spanish] [second name in Spanish]?’
My eyes merely widened. ‘Seriously???’ I wanted to know. Was my mom really remembering correctly? And had I just pulled two names out of nowhere that were the right names, just in English instead of Spanish? Then my mom adds that it might actually just be the first name in Spanish and the second in English (as the second isn’t spelled any differently in Spanish versus English, but merely pronounced differently).
So, I looked it up on Facebook. I had sent my mom the original post about the baby’s birth, and that was the only time she or I had seen his names, anyway. I kid you not, it was exactly as my mom had guessed, and as I had thrown out randomly. The names were right, just that the first was the Spanish version of itself. My mom nailed it, and I was blown away.
Totally cool yet still bizarre, right? I had completely forgotten everything about that kid’s name in my conscious mind, but my subconscious had held onto it somehow – way cool!
Post-a-day 2022
P.S. N, if you’re reading this, yes, this was about your son. ;P
Talk about dreams being manifested that we never new we had, I went to the rodeo tonight with my mom, and my brother and sister-in-law and one of my brother’s childhood best friends met us as our guests. Fancy parking pass and chute seats and all.
It was black heritage night, and it was Bun B and a whole line of black heritage rappers, which was why we had been given the tickets by some older friends of my mom’s – just not their style, you see.
Most of the music, I didn’t know myself, but I’m a fan of good music – good rhythms and lyrics and beats and all of it make for a good time for me (though I often can’t understand any words in music, not just rap) – so I was enjoying it for the most part. Though, I was quite tired.
Just as my mom and I were going to head home, a couple songs came on that I not only knew, but loved (for ridiculous reasons, obviously). And what was the one that blew my mind here?
“Ridin’”. Never had a clue I would love to hear that in concert, but here we are, and I loved it! I felt like a little kid who just got to see a herd of unicorns fly by. It was way cool. Chamillionaire and “Ridin’”, y’all…
But get this: THEN Lil Flip comes out and dives into “The Way We Ball”! Y’all… the little girl in me was delighted to have me fulfilling dreams she never even thought to dream… It was super cool!!
(By the way, if you don’t know here songs by name, look them up! It’s likely you have heard them! They were both big hits around 2005 and 2002 respectively. And I had no idea the guys were from Houston until tonight!!)
Also, fun fact, Bun B’s birthday is next Saturday, March 19!! He put on an awesome collaboration and mini-festival in just a one-hour show tonight for over 73 thousand people, and I am grateful to have been present for it. What a lovely accomplishment to have as a sort of birthday present to himself! Happy Birthday, Trill OG!! You rock.
So, thank you, God, for that very unexpected blessing. Brief as it was, it was powerful, and I am grateful.
“Mommy, it’s Ricky Martin.
And he’s dancing.
And he’s wearing a kimono.
And silk gauchos.”
“Picture, please.”
Tonight was the Ricky Martin concert after the rodeo. When the full sounds of “Livin’ la vida loca” burst forth from the darkness with sparkler flames and party lights, the place went wild, myself included. And then, he was singing… he was singing these words I had forgotten that I knew prectically perfectly – as perfectly as we could get back in the pre-Internet days, if we didn’t have a copy of the CD.
And then he was dancing on the parts where he had singing breaks.
I kid you not, not even halfway through the song, I had streams of tears rolling down my face, absolutely unanticipated, unexpected. I didnt even notice I was crying until I felt a downward movement of water on the lower half of my cheeks.
But, I suppose, it makes sense. That song and the period of my life that goes with my learning its words and notes so well, those were huge for me. I remember watching Ricky Martin on MTV when I was at my brothers’ dad’s house. I remember dancing around in the living room to this song in particular on multiple occasions. I remember trying to figure out what “mocha” meant, and how it connected to a skin color.
But I never once considered any possibility of seeing Ricky Martin in real life. Let alone hearing him sing or seeing him dance. It was so far out of the realm of possibility. Ricky Martin was, to me, more along the lines of history. He was like the president or Julius Caesar. He was a real person, but not one who ever would be real to me, not the way people in my life are real to me.
And, suddenly, years and years after his initial fame and my foundation of gratitide for him and his music, he pops up… and he is accessible. I get to see THE REAL RICKY MARTIN, right there… singing, dancing, doing costume changes (including a vest that was all lace on the back with a pair of pants that had half of a kilt-like skirt… and no shirt)… looking spectacular, by the way, and bringing to life a dream I had never even known to dream.
Gracias, Ricky Martin, for all you do and all you share with the world. And thank you for releasing that book entitled “Yo” that I originally thoight was in English, and so thought you were unexpectedly thug. That still gives me a good laugh.
And thank you, God, for this spectacular blessing. Please, guide me to be your love. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Post-a-day 2022
(Still had to think about it!)
Tonight was the For King and Country concert after the rodeo. My mom and I were both surprised at how much we enjoyed it. Those guys are loving and love-filled, and they are blessing the world with both their music and their words. It felt like Church, somehow, tonight, homilies included. And they actively made a call to restore chivalry and to love, honour, and respect women at all stages and relationships for the priceless children of God that they are.
It was awesome, really. And they love to play drums (and some other instruments mixed about). They reminded me both of little kids at play and of the scene in Tarzan where all the animals are making music with the human camp’s stuff. It was a blast to be with them tonight.
What’s even more spectacular than what I’ve already mentioned? The fact that, at the end of the concert, when it seemed over – lights were off and everything – they did a sort of encore, beginning with saying, “Merry Christmas, Houston,” and then playing/singing “The Little Drummer Boy”. Spectacular. Dreams come true… I was just singing Christmas music the other day, and listening to some. Naturally, people think I’m nuts for wanting it outside of November and December. But I like to spread it throughout the year, instead of to cram it into an overload just before Christmas itself.
Firstly, Happy Texas Independence Day!! 186 years ago today, Texas gained its independence from Mexico and became a Republic, The Republic of Texas. When it later agreed to join The Union, it maintained the right to fly its flag at equal height with the US flag, for it joined as an independent republic.
On that note, the Texas state sport is rodeo. My mom and I went to the rodeo tonight. I attended seminars all day for the Ranching and Wildlife Expo, which were awesome, and my mom joined me for the last couple, which included demonstrations and dinner from and by Prasek’s Family Smokehouse. Talk about fascinating and delicious… I got to see how to cut up a deer and a wild pig, and then I got to eat deer tamales and sausage. Wowza.
Before all that, though, when I was on a break from the sessions, I stopped at the military area at the rodeo, and ended up doing the Marines challenge on the pull-up bar. Apparently, pull-ups and chin-ups are both allowed, but I’m too much of a purist for chin-ups in a (technically) pull-up challenge. I ended up tying with the leaderboard score for females, but I was truly proud of my awesome and strict pull-ups, all will full extension and NO legs. It was a fascinating and oddly fulfilling experience to have a handful of Marines counting allowed for me as I did them. (It was also satisfying to hear their initial reactions of support to witnessing my first pull-up, as they realized that I wasn’t just some average girl in a dress.) The Sargent told me, “You have to earn this shirt.” And I did. And it was awesome. I’m the back, it has my childhood quote: Pain is weakness leaving the body. I love it (even though it’s dry fit!).
Finally, do you ever have those days where you get homely consider if you just want to skip brushing your teeth and go straight to bed? Tonight was one of those nights for me. Of course, I likely never would do that, but the consideration arose today, and big time. I am worn. out.
Alas, I find myself snuggled up on the sofa with the youngest of these three black beasts who happen to be incredibly sweet when awake and loud when asleep. Hashtag snoring machines, I mean!
And so, it shall begin… tomorrow is or first (and second!) shift of the rodeo for our rodeo committee this year. My mom and I are delighted – it has been so long…
May Houston and its people and animals and visitors be safe and welcoming these next few weeks as we revel in the reestablish meant of this wonderful tradition in Houston. HLSR, here we come!
Post-a-day 2022
P.S. Rodeo actually starts next week, but the Barbecue Cook-off is this weekend, which is what kicks off the rodeo season every year.
A coworker once said that, in order to teach sophomore boys, you have to be a bit of an idiot yourself. Put differently, you have to be in touch with your goofy, childlike fun side. I have thought much on this ever since he said it, and I come more and more to the same conclusion: that I was practically made for teaching ‘those idiots’, as he called them.
You see, I already struggle to keep a straight face at much of their idiocy in class. I purposely put the silly numbers and phrases into aural tests and quizzes, just to watch them struggle not to laugh. I joke with them at times. (Granted, I also totally tear into them, if they ever actually step out of line, but we tend to have fun in class more so than not, all while actually learning.) Things like that had me feel already that it made sense that I loved teaching the sophomores.
And I think it also plays into teaching the high school boys in general, though. They all require a certain level of being in touch with one’s inner idiocy.
Now, why is this all on my mind today in particular?
Well, I’m moving, right? My mom was handing me one last box for me to take to load up books from the storage unit this morning. And, of course, when she hands me this empty box, what is my natural response? I almost immediately flip it forward toward myself, and set it upside down on my head, like some childhood imagination boat captain hat. No hesitation either… I just stuck it on my head, and wondered after the fact at how odd or uncommon it must be for a grown woman to be wearing a box like a hat… 😛
Upon considering it, all I could really think was, ‘Wow…, I really am made to work with these dopes.’
P.S. I didn’t even think of it until just now, when I was actually doing it, but I also jump into my bed like a massive child most nights… my mattress is on the floor at present (though it isn’t usually), and I typically jump onto it like some superhero landing to save the day, power stance and all… talk about being in touch with the inner child, right?? 😛 Haha
hannah ananas 