Today, Filled with Optimism and Joy, #FightForward

This meme has absolutely nothing to do with my blog post, but it is funny!

Today, I am not feeling what Junot Diaz stated in This Is How You Lose Her “a pelagic sadness.”  In fact, I am feeling awesome!  I am not sure if it is because of the work I did yesterday along with a student to make our college and District campus a sanctuary for undocumented students.  We got over 150 signatures.  That was some of the most positive work we could have done, although there are other solutions to upcoming struggles.  It just felt great to see that solidarity with students and colleagues and community members.

Also, today, the tamales I was so vexed over taste great!  You would think I would get tamaled out, but nope.  That part of my Mexican culture I live very well.  I can eat the same thing for days straight, sometimes three meals a day.  Tamales, pozoles, gorditas.  It doesn’t matter. 

So, I am going to sit with this near-euphoria and enjoy it and spread it.  We could all use more love and joy in this world.

Today, is going to be a busy day in preparation for the holidays, and I am going to shop at one of my new grocery stores that is really like shopping in Mexico:  Armitage Produce.  The butchers are all Mexicans, men, because I guess women can’t be butchers (what???).  The cashiers are almost all women and super friendly.  Yes, the stereotypes don’t allude me.  The items are amazing.  You an find cassava, next to plantain leaves, next to Mexican consome. 

Yes, I love to shop there because they have everything I need for my party, and the prices are quite low.  I can’t wait to buy the pork, too.  Trying out new recipes in the kitchen is always exciting for me, and pork tamales are on the menu this year.

I guess that’s a lot like writing.  You have some guidelines and veer from them, although some elements must be there, but no recipe is ever exactly the same.  You have to learn the writing basics first, and then, you can diverge.

I will write more later because I plan on taking a writing break today.  I haven’t had time to think about any aspect of the novel, as I spent most of the time talking yesterday, so stay tuned for a double blog with another excerpt? 

Today, experiment to find for real joy in your hobbies (keep it clean and safe for yourself and others).