My Bad, Did I Forget To Say Bye?

First, for old time's sake, some welcome back music:



OK so listen, I took another impromptu break. Whatever. Don't get all fake-upset. You clearly did just fine filling your days without me popping up in your inbox every day.

So what's new with me? Let's see...I'm still single (yeah, baby!!), K's off at college (one down, one to go), I've gained more weight and give no fucks about it, and I've finally decided to put myself on a real budget (which I really had no choice about; paying for college is a BITCH!).

N and I are settling into our non-K existence just fine so far, and I've been keeping busy trying to make my literary life bigger and better and more well-known throughout NYC. And of course, I've been ruining my eyesight and killing braincells watching TV and movies until the wee hours of the night. Writing? Yeah, not so much. But soon. SOON.

Meanwhile, it's Latino Heritage Month; be sure and hug a Mexican today or something.

So, what y'all been doing?

*smooches...only posting to keep my online fame active*
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unfortunately I need you fools to make shit happen. UGH. I hate needing people...

Tales From The Motherland, Part 3

From my travel diary, the ramblings of a Jaded NYer in her homeland:

Smizing with duck lips

Tuesday, my last day [in Santo Domingo]. I wanted only to see my grandma and eat some sugarcane. The rain and Papi had other plans. I don't know why we couldn't go to the cemetery besides it being far. It was one of the main reasons I went [to DR].

Lil Miss N

I know the girls were also disappointed that we were cooped up in the house all day with nothing to do, except go to the bodega and spend our pesos. At least we had dominoes and the mini-dance party we had after dark.

Papi & K

I mean, I guess I understand- Papi is of limited means. Next time I'll come better prepared and go see grandma first before anything else. Five days was not enough. Also, Papi's house requires you to make your own fun. Also: beware mosquitos!





The night we left it rained so hard I didn't think we'd make it to the airport in one piece. The car taking us was basically held together with duct tape and, of course, we were booked on some god-awful 2 AM flight. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I hadn't been to DR in over a decade and still, traffic lights and proper driving rules? Nonexistent. At one point someone on a bike rode out in front of us and I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. Then I began to fear those predators who purposely get into a wreck to rob you. As if I had AMERICAN stamped on my forehead.

It made me sad to leave my Papi behind in this place, but honestly, he's like the mayor of Los Minas. Which makes me the daughter of the mayor of Los Minas. Royalty in the ghetto. I guess it ain't so bad.

*smooches...still reliving the memories*
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as winter approaches, I get more excited about going back

Growing Up In My House Looks Like This

*smooches...totally not making this up*
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also, Mami was mortified that I tweet the crazy things she says, but I feel it helps explain why I'm the way I am...

The Mistakes Of My Fathers

Growing up, I was pretty much in the dark about the history of the Dominican Republic. The topic wasn't taboo or anything-Trujillo didn't run my family off the island-it just wasn't something we spoke about.

Then a few years ago I read Edwidge Danticat's The Farming of Bones, which included mention of a massacre along the border of DR and Haiti, and I was in total shock. I knew Trujillo was a "bad man" but the extent of his evil astounded me.

Today, in Dajabón, and through Saturday, the two nations that share the island of Hispaniola will commemorate the genocide committed by El Jefe.

From the press release:

Courtesy of CulturalDiplomacy.org

Among the notable artists supporting and attending the gathering is author and activist, Julia Alvarez. "Many Dominicans in the diaspora and in the country have been waiting for an opportunity to acknowledge a shameful event in our past, the 1937 massacre of thousands of Haitians, ordered by the dictator Trujillo, and carried out by Dominicans. We feel compelled to do what our governments and our treaties, our accords and our conferences have not done: to express our sorrow for this shameful crime. We would also like to celebrate our many collaborations, our brotherhood and sisterhood. We look to the future and our shared hopes for this whole island and small planet,” says Ms. Alvarez. The project has the support of other leading public figures, including Edwidge Danticat, Michele Wucker, and Junot Díaz.

I met Ms. Danticat years ago at a writing conference and felt compelled to apologize to her for that atrocious blotch on our common history. She looked at me as if I were crazy but that's OK. I needed to say it, for all the years I kept a blind eye to what had happened on the island and for everything my family didn't do to put a stop to it.

I'm still a proud first-generation Dominican American, for sure. Just a little wiser and little less snooty about it.

*smooches...moving on but never forgetting*
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one of these days I'll have to make a pit-stop in Dajabón...

Some Culture For Your Ass

It's Wednesday; I doubt you're doing anything more than watching TV and plotting debaucherous activities for the weekend. Why not pop over to the Fashion Institute of Technology's Katie Murphy Ampitheatre after work and see the play "Drawn From Water"? For free, and just in time for Latino Heritage Month!

*smooches...enlightening you hos one post at a time*
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I'm a giver; it's what I do.

Mari Speaks On...

...Mami and I telling stories about the "exorcism" she had as a baby:

"Y'all need to keep my demon possession out y'all's mouths!"

*smooches...still giggling to myself*
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and yes, all of this is true.

Bilinguality With Hilarity

I grew up speaking both English and Spanish fluently, which later morphed into Spanglish. Watching "¿Qué Pasa, USA?" was like the best of both worlds for a little bilingual girl like me.

This particular episode is about Carmen's Fiesta de Quince and Joe's struggle with his culture and identity. I totally miss these characters!

Enjoy my trip down memory lane:







I wonder if Steven is still a Hottie McHottie... I'd totally do him three ways from Sunday and back again!

*smooches...thinking I'll use more Spanish than English this week*
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besides, I have to get my kids up to par before our next DR trip

It's Funny Because It's True

From now on, when people ask me to relax, I'm just going to hold up a picture of this sign:

*smooches...wishing CALM was in my dictionary*
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if it's not one thing over here, it's another.

Dominican York Proyecto GRAFICA: Opening Reception Tonight!

From the press release:

Dominican York Proyecto GRAFICA (DYPG), a printmaking collective of artists of Dominican descent who live and work in and around New York City, announces its group show at Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA) Gallery, The Cornerstone Center, 178 Bennet Avenue at 189th Street. Curated by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado, the exhibition of prints provide rare and critical insight into the Dominican experience in New York and around the world.

Dates and activities around the exhibition, open to the public at no charge, are as follows:
Opening Reception: Thursday September 20, 6 – 8 pm
Workshop: September 22, 1 – 4 pm
Artist Talk: September 27, 6:30 – 8 pm
Exhibition Dates: September 17 – October 26
Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 11 am – 5 pm

To register for the opening reception and be added to the email list, click here.

*smooches...enriching your life because I can*
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now, push away from the computer and get yo' culture on!

Come To The New School, Tomorrow Night.

Because I'm awesome, and your life will improve tenfold from being in my presence.

No, but for real, it's a cool event. Come on out!

*smooches...taking the Empire to the next level*
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will you be there to witness it?

How I Launched Latino Heritage Month

A bit ago, while I was in my feelings about the anniversary of my grandmother's passing, I wrote something very flippant about my Penzo grandmother. I don't regret it because it is how I genuinely feel; she and I don't have a real relationship. But I should never have disrespected her in that fashion. My family raised me better than that. GrandMami and Papi raised me better than that.

So last week, on the way home, I called my aunt to say I'd be stopping over on Saturday. I pulled myself out of bed, bought her some yellow roses (according to Mami they're the only acceptable flowers to bring someone) and spent a few hours chatting with her. I told her about K & N and my aunt and grandmother informed me that one of our ancestors was a stolen Indian (Native American) woman. Child. The more stories I hear about my ancestors the higher my mutt factor increases. I don't know if this was a true story or not, but I enjoyed hearing it. More puzzle pieces. Bigger puzzles.

I decided, this woman won't live much longer. She probably doesn't even remember treating me like a delicate flower to be kept at arms length instead of family. I might as well get to know her and learn my family history before it's too late. I know GrandMami would approve of me behaving like a respectful granddaughter, so I do this in her name. Saturday night I had a dream about her apartment again. It was like a message. Like, she's pleased with me.

Maybe next time she'll even stop through and give me a tight agua-florida-scented hug.



In other news, my cousin's youngest son...LAWDAMERCY. I've never wanted to shake a child more in my life. I had to WOOSAH so many times. I have never appreciated my children more...

*smooches...digging deeper to be and do better*
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honestly, it's the only way to honor those who sacrificed everything for me.