Ninjas Do it Better.

Disclaimer: It is not safe to wear thin tights when it is 0 to negative 5 degree weather, seriously. I blame the pinapple martinis.

Miami

My twoish week stint in Miami finally came to an end. Not without fun times with my sisters, quality time with Tyler and Rev, one night of fun in Orlando, and of course plenty of arguments and tears with my mother.

I think this trip allowed me to come to terms with the fact that I don't live in Miami, or for that matter Orlando, anymore. It WAS however, fun to go and reconnect with people that you feel close to. Ironically, I'm including my sister. She's actually really funny and pretty amazing, albeit still kind of a bitch and really annoying if she doesn't get her way, but it was fun to feel like we're finally interacting like adults.


Back to Basics: Chicago
Every time I attempt to write this entry (because you how it saves your draft if you unexpectedly close the window?) there are more and more updates. Meaning I have to update more often.
After a few rough weeks of being poor, going to Miami, coming back to the harsh winter of my discontent (also knows as life as an unemployed person); things are finally starting to look up.

Miraculously, just a few days after I had started to panic about never finding a job, my temp agency called with a gig that was less than 3 blocks away from my house. It was helping run (ie. Co-Manage) this low income housing building that was funded by HUD and the Chicago Housing Authority, but is still privately owned. It went well and I was looking to get hired and settle into a job where I could literally leave 8 minutes before I was supposed to arrive and come home every day for lunch. My second week there I received 2 call backs from places I had inquired about employment a few weeks back. One was a non-profit and the other was another agency that mostly helped people find temp-hire positions specifically in the non-profit industry. I took my chances and took off a day of work (which was risky to do in a job that you’ve only had for two weeks). I immediately regretted it, as my interviews can go down as 2 of the worst interviews I’ve ever had, or so I thought. As it turns out, the agency called me back the next day and had a position at DePaul (a Chicago private catholic university). One thing led to another and after an interview and careful review of options (including listing the pros and cons of each job *the hud building vs. DePaul University*), I decided to take the job at DePaul.
It’s temp for about a month and then I’ll be extended some sort of offer. If it all works out, I’d be making a decent amount and not only be getting benefits but also I would be able to take classes for free at the university. Including graduate level classes! It’s also relatively close. Only at 15-20 minute commute. One EL stop away!! I’m thinking that this commute will be shortened in the winter when I can walk at a normal pace and not be concerned about slipping on black ice.

Other than the job front, Chicago has been fabulous as of late. We finally had a much needed break from traveling and from visitors. We threw our first Chicago party! It was a huge success and I realized how many cool kids I've met in the last few months.
Huffman and I were able to resume our afternoon adventures in the city. This includes an ongoing film project ...more on this soon.
We also started going to play euchre (it's like hearts or spades but midwestern style) at this bar with a Euchre club. They've been around for some 20 odd years. The people in it (mostly older gays) are fun and it's a blast to sit around get drunk and beat old pro's at their own game.

Dating life has cooled down a bit. I was trying to watch the L-word at a local bar but the crowd sucks and my glasses broke (ugh which is annoying and have to wait a few weeks for new ones), meaning it's easier to watch the show online.

Stolen from ONTD:


because I mean you can`t be a feminist and love men, of course not. Silly Juana.


Nelly Furtado, who recently released her third album, 'Loose,' dropped by NBC's 'Today' show in New York's Rockefeller Center today to perform a number of new songs.

During the program, the 'Promiscuous' singer revealed she's ditched her bohemian, pro-girl schtick in order to transform herself into a full fledged sex bomb for the new album.

"I went through a feminist phase and read a lot of philosophical stuff. Some of the male bashing brainwashed me for a bit so I stopped. I love men! I'm just now catching up. My video choreographer taught me how to move in all these different ways. I'm more at ease with my body than I've ever been."

oh amsterdam.

oh dear.

OMGOMG

this is too cute.

seriously
read this peeeeeeeeople.

especially if u feel bad for cows.

http://www.sorrycow.com/lj.php

Definition of boston:

cold, cold, snow (well kind of), brrrrr.

lovies.


juana

she's on her deathbed.


oh dear.

tonight i learned a lot about life.

and awfuls.

and myself.

Im sitting in Hispanic Lit USA feeling totally alienated.
When I registered for the class i had my apprehensions, mostly stemming from my severe distate for the instructor.
The first day of class I realized that my reservations were in fact totally justified and actually worse than I had expected.
It was like Clase 406 (think beverly hills 90210 set in Mexico DF). Or better yet some lame high school that better resembled a tv version of what high school is....anyhow.

But upon some inspection of the syllabus I realized that it might actually not be as awful as I expected. The required reading was interesting and either novels I have read or that Ive been meaning to.
Then I realized we were reading translations. ugh. Novels written by Latino writers in english....translated (altho good translations) into spanish. Which seemed like interesting choices.

I talked to cecilia about it...and after a discussion about the politics of english dept versus the "boys" at the modern languages (spanish) dept....and her advice to suck it up and appreciate the lit. I mean I get to read junot diaz again :)....i decided to stay in the class and take it all in.

The problems now are the class discussions. Not only are they lame at times, altho having joseph and javier in the class actually brings a random assortment of actual serious debates. The problem is the concept of "my people".

"my people". what does that mean.
I think may I have had a problem formulating a concrete identity.
"my people" .... does it reflect my gender? my sexuality? my ethnicity? political affliation? language i speak? food i eat? time i poo? i mean seriously.

in class people talk about "my people".
I guess in a way it makes me feel like I often lose touch with my Latina roots. I think its was silvia's college bf / crazy fucking nuyorican stalker that said "Juana is not really latina. I mean she doesn't hang out with hispanic people. She doesn't listen to hispanic music. She doesn't dance salsa or merengue. " ummm. marc... i speak better / write better spanish than u. wtf.
But then I guess when he said that it really did get to me.

So the concept of "my people"
who are "my people".
I don't have any concrete positions on anything. hmmm
I think my reservations with claiming a people is that i don't want it to reflect some superficial connection i have with a group.
I am colombian. yes this is a fact. I have the passport.
I like feminism. Does this make them my people. bell hooks says claiming ur a feminist does make it a ready-pre packaged-microwave optional identity. I have had conflicts with feminists. So are they my people?
etc etc.



This is what wikipedia tells me:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________


In sociology and political science, the notion of social identity is individuals' labelling of themselves as members of particular groups -- such as Nation, Social class, Subculture, Ethnicity, Gender, Employment, and so forth. It is in this sense which sociologists and historians speak of a national identity of a particular country, and feminist and queer theorists speak of gender identity.

Many people feel pride in their Identity groups, which furthers a sense of Community and Belonging. Often they will attempt to add to their identity by behaving in certain ways that have only a superficial connection, often the behaviour wasn't even established within the group, but through the Stereotypes of Oppressors. Though, it should not be mistaken that all people who identify a certain way attempt to add more to it. Identity has been a central element of pride movements such as gay pride or black consciousness, which seek to strengthen politically oppressed groups by improving members' sense of identity. However, many consider a national or ethnic identity as a cultural background for demagogy, ethnic and religious conflicts, and the like.

******************************************************************************************

perhaps im just insane.

Things I read about at work.
When theyre not mad at me.




Evidence that “Vaginal Peptidase” Is a Bacterial Gene Product
Blake ET, Cook CE, Jr., Bashinski JS

Abstract
A peptidase has been described in vaginal samples, termed “vaginal peptidase.” This enzyme has been proposed as a tissue specific marker for vaginal debris. We have explored the presence of this enzyme in vaginal swabs from alleged sexual assault victims and volunteer donors as well as bacterial cultures. These studies reveal that “vaginal peptidase” is composed of a family of peptidase isozymes that originate from several bacterial species. The characterization of “vaginal peptidase” as a tissue specific marker for vaginal debris is premature.

Keywords:
body fluids, criminal sex offenses, criminalistics, forensic science, peptidases

Ophelia. I love it.



Me: I'm really good at faking it. Years of practice.
__: You can't fake life. Sooner or later it catches up with you.
Me: Damn.



Dancing tonight.
above you
below me.


im in trouble baby
im in troube real bad


So i decided that i might want to take a trip to le france in may.... daniel ...what do u think?