Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What about sharks?

We worry about dolphins, turtles, chickens, dogs, pigs, horses, etc., but what about sharks?
If you haven't seen the documentary "Sharkwater", you should. It will open your eyes.
There's also an organization. You can go here and subscribe or find out how you can help out:
Sharkwater

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

How many people do you need to save a squirrel?

The answer is: 2.
With these kind of questions you expect a dumb or weird response but in this case the answer is just, two.
Sunday morning I was home in the kitchen making myself some breakfast and filling a really big cup with green tea–with a little bit of soy milk, mmm...–and suddenly I hear this weird squeaking sound. Outside my house live a few birds who make almost the same sound.
My mother asked what the noise was and I said that it may be the birds outside. I kept cooking and drinking tea but I kept hearing the same sound and seconds after I heard a huge "squeeeeeeaaaak", that's when I knew it was serious. I stepped outside and there they were.
I have a cat... a huge cat. It doesn't even look like a cat, it looks like a freaking panther.
Sylvester(the cat)caught a poor squirrel–outside my house there's also a squirrel commune, as I like to call it–and he was holding it with his mouth. Smelly(the squirrel)was making those noises and I can't believe I ignored them for about 5 minutes.
As soon as I saw both animals I decided to tell Sylvester to let the squirrel go and tried to grab him but instead he entered through the main door, squirrel in mouth and headed upstairs to my brother's room.
The whole way I screamed: "let it go!!"
Yeah right, as if my cat would ever listen to me.
The good thing is that when he entered my brother's room he let the squirrel go. However, the very intelligent little animal decided to hide behind a big furniture.
My very hysterical mother said that I should let Sylvester catch her so that she wouldn't bite me and give me rabies. I didn't even answer, the mere suggestion was stupid and I wouldn't do it.
My brother gave me a pair of gloves to cover my hands and I tried to catch her but she was too far back.
I spent about ten minutes trying to grab her. Neither my brother nor my mother helped me and then comes my dad...
I don't want to make this too long but we spent another fifteen minutes there and I finally grabbed her with my pair of gloves on and an extra blanket to cover her face so that she wouldn't freak out even more.
What impressed me the most is that while trying to get her, not once did she try to bite me. I can only remember her dark, scared eyes looking at me.
I went downstairs to the living room, to the door and headed to the backyard --where I'm sure a bunch other squirrels were planning the rescue of a fellow commune-habitant and released the little rodent.
I felt so happy and helpful. I had never saved a squirrel. Well, I can't take all the credit, my dad was very very helpful.
That's the story. Smelly is now safe and well, ha.

xoxo
Cuca
p.s. I have no idea if the squirrel was a "she" but as I typed, "she" came out instead of "he."

Saturday, November 22, 2008

PROPOSITION 2 PASSES!(oh my... all these propositions)

Well, I feel a little ignorant because I did not know there was a proposition 2(in California)that had been passed at the time of election. Of course, it was not my job to know because I don't live in the US nor am I an American. However, I am a vegetarian and I should have known... right? Proposition 2:
  • Prevents cruelty to animals.
  • Improves our health and food safety.
  • Supports family farmers.
  • Protects air and water and safeguards the environment.
  • Is a reasonable and common-sense form.
Proposition 2 passed and now more than 20 million animals are going to be saved and be humanely treated. This is not a proposition that bashes against meat-eating people. This is a proposition that opens people's eyes and is against animal cruelty(e.i.confining veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in tiny cages)happening just because profit from selling is above everything else. It doesn't matter if you're a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore, I'm sure none of us like how the "animal industry" had been working.

"Florida, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon have banned gestation crates, and Arizona and Colorado have also banned veal crates. Major California food retailers are moving away from supporting battery cages and veal and gestation crates. California city councils have also passed resolutions opposing battery cage confinement."

That's one of the reasons why this initiative was launched in California.
Not only is it good for animals but it's good for all of us as well. I think it's important that it was passed because who knows how much of that meat or eggs ended up here in Mexico in many people's dinner tables... or in their cars when they drove off the Drive-Thru. If you want more information about this amazing proposition, go here: Prop 2 Passed!



xoxo
Cuca

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Virtual Addiction.

Every time I turn on my laptop, I compromise myself to just stay long enough to check my email, my Blogger account, Myspace and Facebook account, maybe some updates about bands I'm interested in. Also, I like to read other people's blogs. Perhaps I'll type something in this blog or do something else very quickly. The thing is that I can never stay for less than one hour. Two hours can go by and I'll still be on here. I'm not saying it's a waste of time but what I will say is that it's addictive. The internet has been sucking my life and I think I have to stop turning on my computer for a while.
Today I woke up very lousy-feeling. Yesterday I cleaned my nostrils(you know, warm water+salt+baking soda+somekindofteapot=nostril cleansing.) I poured a little of that solution into my right nostril and it was hell. I had been doing that for a long time, except I had never used baking soda, so including it this time was a bad decision. I realized I had put too much of it in the solution, so basically when I poured in the liquid I felt as if a wave had just crashed onto and into me. Tears came out of my eyes, I started sneezing, stuff came out of my nose and for about 2 minutes it was a horrible experience. Then the symptoms started to go away and I decided to do it once more but with no baking soda. It worked. Then my whole nasal conduct started to congest and for the rest of the night–and this morning–I couldn't breathe through my nose just through my mouth. Fucking horrible and tiring.
It will be a while for me to take another one of those sinus rinsing sessions.
Next time I'll make sure I don't put in one teaspoon of baking soda, ha.
Time to go.

xoxo
Cuca


I leave you with the amazing Julie Doiron.

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Jealous Girlfriends - Organs On The Kitchen Floor

The song/video you're about to listen/watch... Pure greatness.
The Jealous Girlfriends... One of the best bands I've ever heard and wish I had listened to earlier.

ENJOY!

Friday, November 14, 2008

The issue with Proposition 8

I wonder why I care so much about everything that's been going on with the approval of Proposition 8. Especially since I live in Mexico and I'm not an American Citizen. (In case you're reading this and turns out that you have no idea what Prop 8 is because you've been locked up in a dungeon for the past two months or so, Proposition 8–and I quote–"ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME-SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes California Constitution to eliminate right of same-sex couples to marry. Provides that only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.") Besides the fact that all that's stated in that proposition is false(i.e. "Fiction: Prop 8 doesn’t discriminate against gay people. Fact: Prop 8 is simple: it eliminates the rights for same-sex couples to marry. Prop 8 would deny equal protections and write discrimination against one group of people—lesbian and gay people—into our state constitution."), it's violating people's rights. Rights that they should have just by being born in the US.
When it was time to vote for the new President of the United States of America, in the ballot there was an option to vote YES for Proposition 8(eliminate the right) or NO for Proposition 8(support gay marriage). The fact that proposition 8 was approved by more than half of the American Citizens makes me sick. It's so hypocritical and contradictory.
When I first heard about Proposition 8 I was in San Diego, California, attending the San Diego Street Scene Festival. Outside the venue there were some of the NO ON PROP 8 campaign. My three friends and I walked past one of them and he told us about this proposition --by the way, a proposition supported mostly by the clerical institutions; Catholics, Christians, Mormons(more than $22 million dollars raised and wasted.) -- and asked us to sign a petition supporting the NO On Prop 8 campaign. Even though two of my friends and I couldn't sign because we're not American Citizens, my other friend is, so she signed. We donated money and the guy gave us a sticker, which I still have and keep proudly. He invited us to a rally the next day but we had to come back to Mexico, so we could not attend. We would have loved to.
This issue is not about being gay or not, it's not even about politics, it's about suppressing civil rights that everyone is entitled to, it's about lying to people(a lot of persons who voted YES were misguided by their priests or bishops) and washing their brains so that they would be held responsible for not respecting the "minority's" rights. It's an aberration to still have this type of proposition. It's unbelievable that a Country that claims to be the Country of freedom, of opportunity, of people votes YES for something like this.
I have to go now but I wanted to speak my mind about this issue.
If you want more information go to: No On Prop 8 Site
Thanks for reading.

xoxo
Cuca

Monday, November 10, 2008

If only kidnapping were that easy.

5:00 p.m.
My mother was working at the store, my father probably locked up in his room at my grandmother’s house(his mother’s house), probably sleeping off the wild, heavy night he had had the night before.

My parents were divorced back then and I was home–as always–with my 5 year old brother and Mary, the woman who helped around the house/nanny. She had been working/living with us for about 3 years. We really trusted her.
I was about thirteen years old and was watching TV when suddenly Mary came over to where I was and told me she was walking with my brother to the corner store to buy some junk food.
“I’ll come with”, I said.
“No, it’s okay. You should stay here in case the phone rings. I’ll bring you something, though. What would you like?”
“But I want to go with you, take me with you”.
“NO”, she said in a more serious, grown up voice. “You should stay. What do you want from the store?”
That moment I knew something was wrong–or was about to go wrong– but my brain kept telling me that I was paranoid.
During that time I had been my brother’s mother. My mom worked all day and we only visited my father on the weekends––and not even the whole weekend because he was too busy going out with friends; drinking and potentially doing drugs all night long, so he slept most of the daytime. Me and my brother would have been all alone if it wasn’t for my grandma who took care of us and tried to entertain and educate us as much as she could––Which made me the one who had to take care of my brother when we weren’t with my granny. I fed him, bathed him, played with him, punish him if he did something “bad”. Everything a mother is supposed to do, I did it. A thirteen or fourteen year-old girl taking care of her 8-years-younger brother.
“Whatever... some chips and a lollipop” I told Mary.
She held my brother by the hand and left. I returned to the show I was watching on TV.
About two minutes later I felt that weird feeling in my heart again. Something that told me I had to get up and go to where they were. So I grabbed my skateboard and ran out the door to catch up with them. Halfway on the street I saw them and scared them from behind.
“Boo!”, I screamed.
“You scared us”, my brother said, laughing.
I can still remember Mary’s face as if it was yesterday. She suddenly turned pale and kept walking holding my brother’s hand more tightly each step she took.
When we got to the corner in front of the store, where the bus stop was, a man who looked like a shady, military guy got off the bus in a rush and said to Mary: “Are you ready? Ready to go?”.
I realized Mary’s sister was also there. For an unknown reason she was holding a bouquet of flowers and didn’t say anything, she didn’t even look at me.
I looked Mary in the eyes and asked where she was going.
“I’m taking your brother for an ice cream” and she pulled my brother closer to her.
I grabbed his other hand and pulled towards me. “NO, you’re not taking him. Why did you lie to me?”
She tried pulling him once more but I had the strength of pulling harder. She let him go and finally told her: “He’s not going anywhere with you”.
She got on the bus with her sister and the mysterious man.
That was the last time we ever saw her. She left all her clothes and belongings in my house and never came back.
I still don’t know what she was planning to do with my brother. Tons of theories have crossed my mind. From kidnapping him and asking for a ransom, to probably selling him or prostituting him.
We never knew what her plan was and I thank the higher power for that.
My mom called later that evening to check in on us.
“Mary tried to take my brother”, I said, very calm and serene, following that with the whole story.
She immediately closed the store and came home.
I don’t know what made me react at that moment but it saved my brother’s life. I saved my brother’s life.
I have no memory of what else happened that day, except the story I just told you.
What if I had stayed home, watching TV, waiting for my chips and lollipop? Not only would I still be waiting for that but for my brother as well.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Cuca vs. Parents

Has it ever happened to you that you can't wait for the night to come so you can lie down on your bed, stretch your legs, let go off your thoughts and close your eyes so you can sleep, and then when you actually are on your bed at one second of falling asleep–you're actually already having one of those weird before-sleeping-dreams–and you parents get home with friends and throw a party-like reunion downstairs?
They never even think about you being upstairs trying to sleep.

Very loud(bad)music, tons of drinking and bad jokes are only a few of the factors in the equation.
I consider myself to be like an old person when it comes to going out. I do go to parties and have my late night outs but I usually finish the night kind of early.
Don't get me wrong, I love parties and I really like going out but when I am home trying to sleep, the last f*cking thing I need is my parents not respecting my quiet space.
What bothers me the most is the fact that when they're trying to sleep and I bring friends home and are just watching a movie or listening to some music, they tell me to be quiet so they can sleep. Not only do they ask me, but they demand it. Well, what happened to that with me? Does my sleep time doesn't count? Don't I have the right to tell you to quiet it down?
It pisses me off...
What else can I do if I can't sleep? Of course, write on here.
I hope you're having a great night.

xoxo
Cuca

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Obama Elected President.

That's what I'm reading on my TV screen. It's not a dream, is it?
Obama has won the presidency of the United States of America!! YES!
Even though I live in Mexico, I've been very involved and interested in this campaign.
Deep down inside I always knew Barack Obama would win.
I am so happy. So so happy. And I'm not even an American. I can only imagine how Americans are feeling. This is amazing, historic. This is CHANGE.

xoxo
Cuca

I feel nervous for you.

Between today and tomorrow Americans are choosing the next president of the United States. Barack Obama or John McCain? People are voting, Fox News is live and direct from most of the States, of course there's gossip about unfair treatment to Republicans and Democrats but Republicans are whining more.
I sure hope Barack Obama wins. I'm not a citizen of the United States but I've been obsessed with this election. Sadly, I have to admit that I have even been doing more research on this election than on the Mexican one, which is where I live. I know more about American candidates than I knew about Mexican candidates. I followed every single debate between Biden and Palin, Obama and McCain... I know, it's pathetic but it's different times. I couldn't help but to be involved in the American election. It's historic.
Please go out and vote. Vote for whomever but please be sure that you know who and what you're voting for.
Good luck Barack Obama!!

xoxo
Cuca



Saturday, November 1, 2008

Halloween for Everyone.

As you all know, it was Halloween yesterday. Even though in Mexico we celebrate Día de Muertos more than Halloween, there's some people who do go trick or treating. There's a lot of people who do, actually. Not only kids and parents who do it for fun but also the kids who do it just to get something to eat.
My friends Emilia, Santiago and I decided to buy candy and marshmallows and go to the streets where street kids hang out and clean windshields or do something to get through the day and give them their treat.
The majority of them had little plastic pumpkins in which they could keep their candies.
It was an amazing night. We ran out of treats in about forty minutes. A lot of kids and parents were happy, we were happy and I think we managed to give a lot of kids who work all day and don't even go to school a night off. Because after all, Halloween should be for everyone, right?

xoxo
Cuca