Quite Possibly My Finest Spanish Sentences..Ever!

If you can't toot your own horn on your blog, I don't know where you can. I'm in the midst of writing an essay about the poem "Biografía" by Gabriel Celaya.

My thesis is that the poem illustrates how socialization can bring alienation. In other words, if you try to do everything that the world tells you that you "have to do", you will begin to lose your own identity and feel like you don't really exist. That's because not every message the world sends us is to be obeyed. We should not all buy SUV's, all women should not weigh 120 pounds, and drinking beer rarely causes attractive women to fawn all over you. Oh, yeah, and not everything that your mother tells you to do is always the right thing to do,(except you Mom, you're the exception, and I'm not just saying that because I know you will read this).

Here are the sentences I'm so proud of with English translations:

"Las órdenes de socialización son ruedas dentadas en una máquina designada para facultar la supervivencia de la raza humana, y nada más."

Which translates...

"The commands of socialization are wheels in a machine designed to enable the survival of the human race, and nothing more."

Here's another sentence that sort of adds another perspective to the first:

"Socialización intenta a formar la sociedad con la sutileza de un escopete..."

Which translates...

"Socialization tries to form society with the finesse of a shotgun..."

Now, I know that makes no sense out of context. But in context, the idea is that the messages we hear from school, family, mass media and our peers are not always values and instructions that apply to us specifically. Society does not have a plan for each person, even though God does. The important thing is we can't allow ourselves to forget that society has a one-size-fits-all perspective. All of the voices telling you what to do, and how to act are in conflict with each other. It's impossible to follow them all, and if you do you will lose what makes you special. You will be a clone, trying to be everything to everyone and never learning what you are supposed to be, never bringing to full potential all that makes you unique and valuable to the world.

Juanito

"Crazy" By Gnarls Barkley

I can't get enough of this incredible video. The album is still on pre-order at Amazon.



Juanito

My Dirty Little Secret...

I always hoped when people got to know me they would think I was a very culturally sensitive, "international" kind of guy. You know, the kind of guy who knows which fork to use, who has the manners of a diplomat, who blends no matter where he goes, whose charm is legendary.

As with most things, intention and reality are entirely different. I'm really not that guy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the uncouth redneck I was in my youth. I actually feel at ease in most settings. I rarely pull the kind of faux-paus that I was legendary for before I got married. Still, I have pretty much accepted that I will never be the refined gentleman I would like to be.

I still try to learn about culture as much as possible, especially Hispanic culture. One part of Hispanic culture that I have tried to excel at is learning about food. I know a lot about Mexican food in particular. I make a pretty good frijoles negros con chorizo from scratch(refried black beans with sausage). I still cannot make a Chili Relleno to save my life. I have tried every kind of food I can possibly find in the US. I've read books, hung around Hispanic supermarkets, schmoozed with short order cooks at taquerias, anything to understand food. I've tried all kinds of snacks, desserts, soft-drinks, anything different.

I really appreciate a good taco. I'm not talking some gringofied Taco Bell taco, I'm talking Carne Asada, onions and cilantro, lime, crumbly goat cheese, and sweet crema fresca. Add to that a nice, hot red or green salsa and wash it down with a Guava flavored Jarritos soda and we are talking a fine meal, the only thing better would be to complete it with some flan and strong coffee with cream and sugar.

I said all of that, to make this shocking confession. When I make tacos at home, I generally like to top them with cold Del Monte ketchup...


I know that's pretty sad, and hardly haute cuisine, but it still tastes good. I've eaten them this way since I was a little kid. I'm not going to change now. Now my lack of fine taste actually goes farther than just, "it tastes good". When I put ketchup on my tacos, it tastes like home. It tastes like I'm back in Bend,Oregon at 405 NW Federal street, having tacos with my Mom, Dad and sisters. It reminds me of when we would go to my Aunt Marilyn's house every New Year's day and have tacos and enchiladas with the whole family. It reminds me of the other holidays when my Mom would make her famous enchilada pie and we would all put sour cream on it, and eat it with saltine crackers, a green salad and wash it down with Sun Tea.

Food is not just part of culture. The sights, smells and tastes of food remind us of who we are. Food is history and food is family.

Juanito

"Change"

My niece Linzi lives in Cincinnati with my sister and brother-in-law. Linzi recently won a nationwide contest for her poem "Change". Congratulations Linzi! We're proud of you! Here's the poem for all of you to read.

"Change"

By Linzi Campfield


The fear of change,
Is something scary yet great,
It’s the beginning of something new,
The start of something fresh

And even though it’s hard,
And it feels like your breaking inside,
The outcome is greater then could ever be imagined

It peels off the patterns that have come to rule our lives,
And lets in something new

It strips away the ordinary,
And lets in the extraordinary

So don’t be scared of change,
But embrace it,
Love it,
Call it your own

Never once be afraid,
But take hold of the opportunities it gives you,
Take hope in it and have courage,
For change is just a part of the beautiful rhythm that is our life

It’s a gift,
And should never be taken for granted.