Gone In the Morning - Newton Faulkner

Turn up the volume loud, grab some headphones.
I need a microphone.

Hairy happiness

So... I know I'm three months late and no, I don't mean that in the monthly womanly visitor late (although, I will have been here for 10 months when I leave... perfect chunk of time to dar la luz (give birth en español)). But I mean is with the whole whipping the hair back and forth. I will not deny it. I LOVE IT

Willow Smith - Whip My Hair

http://fuckyeahcutehair.tumblr.com/

 Which then got me thinking about how much I like well styled hair. And everyone wears braids here. When I say everyone, I mean everyone... men included. I love it.

Which got me thinking about things I like. Which got me thinking about raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. But really, here's a list of things I like right now in my life because this week was sucky and I always have to be positive because that's just how it works in my world.

1. Right now I'm laying down on a bed with an actual mattress and my back feels 1158923598272597923847% better.
2. I have an older sister pioneering in Milagro who convinces me to buy my own mattress and emails me and makes me feel strong and is exactly what I would want in an older sister if I had one.
3. Mauro, Rosita, and Wlad are back. I love them so much and Rosita's cooking.
4. 3 year old Jhosue from Pre-School hugged me after a day of not participating in class, throwing crayons and sticking his tongue out at me. We had a talk afterwards about what happened and why he acted they way he did. He voluntarily hugged me.
5. Even though Miguel got suspended for doing drugs, he hugged me goodbye and told me he'd miss English.
6. Cristian actually asked me to clarify something he didn't understand in class today. He actually expressed that he didn't understand and gave me the chance to teach it.
7. I started giving private English lessons today to a junior youth from one of the Jr. Youth Groups going on. We went at it for two hours.
8. I walked home today alone.
9. Paolo explains everything to me at school in his broken English because he's so committed to becoming fluent. He's an amazing boss.
10. I have a mom who listens to me groan and complain and cry over stupid things like high schoolers not listening to me and being inadequate and not understanding how teaching works, who gives me amazing advice and could take on educating the world single-handedly.
11. I tutored Book 5 in Spanish to a handful of the high school senors. The level of discourse was high and I felt proud to be a part of their study circle.
12. Newton Faulkner's song in Matilda. It's not on iTunes though. Lame.
13. My best friend Marina. I love her too :P
14. Everyday when I walk into pre-kinder or kindergarden, they run up and give me hugs.
15. In 4th grade, I covered their virtues class where we talked about humility. When I asked them to tell me what they thought humility was, Martin said it was when there's water in the air which I then explained the difference between humility and humidity.
16. They chompa lady finally gave me back my chompa. Chompa means coat. She's had it for four weeks "fixing" the sleeves which weren't fixed when I received it but at least I have it.
17. Dr. Spencer sent me a miracle care package. I'm so so so so so so soooooo blessed. She sent me EXACTLY what I need. Including hand wipes. I'm so happy. And sanitized. And thankful. And loved.

So in the end Maryam, your life is great.  Get out of the dumps, smell the effing roses and be happy. And  live happily hairy after. The end.

Hang in there Tucson

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/us/politics/13obama-text.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

"We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame – but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others."

Sending love, thoughts, and prayers from a far.

Hi I'm in a bad mood, watch out blog

Days like these make me want to crawl into my Arizona bubble and sleep on my mattress wearing shorts and with the fan on and wake to my Dad's Sunday opera playlist and pancakes then stay in my pjs until three in the afternoon after a long run on the piano to go out to Target by driving my car and listening to 104.7 to visit Shannon and buy chocolate covered pretzels and sour gummy worms.

Serving is hard.

If you live, you die

I've seen more death recently than I'm used to.

Matias' mom died Monday - my 4 year old student in preschool.
The Perugachi's abuelito passed away last week.
An NSA of Ecuador's member passed away in Cuenca while I was in the coast.
A Baha'i member from my Gilbert community passed away before Christmas.
My friend's dad passed away 9 years ago, Jan 7th 2002.. their 13th birthday.
My other friend's dad passed away just three months ago.

Everyone says life is short. That death comes suddenly at any age and so, therefore, life is short. Well guess what world... life isn't short. It's short when you don't do anything with it. When you waste your life trapped living the expectations, in the bubbles, and following the conformities of society. When life is nothing but sleep, eat, work... yeah, life feels short.

But imagine if you filled every second of your life with thoughts of worth. Every second has a meaning, every minute has a purpose, every hour with a sense of your role in this world, every day spent acting on your beliefs, every year given to making your life the best it can be. Will life feel short then? Will you die feeling empty? Lifeless?

New life goal: to not die lifeless. Die with life.

e ese heh peh

ISGP
"If you're not part of it some time you are not going to be a whole human being"
I don't want to not be a whole human being anymore.
***
Have I mentioned how much I love pastelish-simple-girly-airy clothes?

Fabio Bartelt

I WENT ZIPLINING

Recently when I can't fall asleep, I imagine things that make me happy. Taking a nap on my bed at home, starring as Elphaba in a Wicked production, the moment I walk out of the Phoenix terminal to find my family waiting for me, my sister's face, living in a land of chocolate, playing lacrosse 24/7, showing my brother around in Otavalo... and now, the feeling of ziplining across a mountain.

Video soon.

I would be way ok if my closet consisted of the following tom-boyish, grungy-ness. Just minus the weird ghostly anorexic looks and messy hair.

http://honestlywtf.com/