i exist. aquí. contigo.

Taken at San Francisco Zoo

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[I took the title and idea for this post from Cindylu's loteriachicana.com. Thanks Cindylu]

Palacios-Oseguera Family

Here are eleven memorable moments/events of 2011 in chronological order.

1. Vegetable gardening. I had always wanted to have my own vegetable garden, grow my own tomatoes, zucchini, chiles, etc. I did not know it too that much work. But I have to say that it was fun. I loved the organic zucchini bread (Ale’s zucchini bread was definitely memorable!) It is a joy to see those veggies grow. For sure I will expand my garden for 2012.
2. Leonardo started day care. I remember visiting Virginia’s home daycare and wondering if Nano would dash out the door the first chance he got. To our surprise, he liked it. By the end of the first week, he even got mad when he picked him up. He also became more social. He is growing up. Both my children are growing up (I feel old).
3. I build a chicken coop and go some chickens (what else!). Working with power tools was new for me, although I am always coming up with projects, I had never actually built anything. One of our chicks turned out out to be a rooster; I gave him away. The chickens don’t seem to miss him (he was a bully).
4. Finishing the first draft of my dissertation was a great moment. Getting comments back from my chair (the very helpful and critical Laura Pérez) was also a great feeling. I remember getting Laura’s call one evening.  I have much to revise.
5. Got down another evaluation at work. I just need to be evaluated one more time (Fall 2012) and I’ll get tenure! For the most part, student and faculty comments are favorable. I seem to be doing a good job.
6. Visiting and exploring our local parks with the kiddos: Tilden Park, Point Pinole, Fernandez Park, Indian Rock. We really got to know our neighborhood better. When we moved to San Pablo/Richmond, we were very nostalgic for San Jose (still are somewhat). But we now have lots of places to go. Ridding the mini steam engines in Tilden Park is awesome.
7. Culinary delights: Pizza at Jupiter’s in Berkeley. Excited when we discovered this place. Their wood fired oven backed pizza is delightful. They brew their own beer. Another great culinary discovery was Crocket restaurant, I forget the name, it’s the one right under the Carqinez bridge. Leonardo loves to see the train choo choo by as we have fish and ships and fried zucchini.
8.  Working with Ale on the Day of the Dead art exhibit. I felt like the super Chicano couple.
9. Cooking mole for New Year’s eve, inspired by grandmother’s recipe. Ale and el compadre José tell me that they loved it. Making it for new year’s might become a tradition.
10. In terms of teaching, I remember a student in particular giving an unexpected articulate and passionate speech at the end of class on the future of Latino politics and California. Realizing that I had something to do with this student’s growth made me feel important.
11. Alejandra’s face when she got her new camera. Well, my wife’s face is always memorable. I think overall, this was a great year for Ale and me.

To think of it, I had many memorable moments. I have a beautiful family, a good job, my health. Yes, life is beautiful.

Lover's Point, Monterey CA

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I love watching science fiction, anime, fantasy/magic tv.  As a child, my mom and relatives would joke about how I would tune out every time I watched tv. People would call my name, but I would not notice. These powers of concentration maybe that’s why I was good at school.

I am aware of how much I love this kind of show. That is why I try to avoid watching them. Once a tv show interests me, I am sucked into a slow twirling spiral of procrastination. This self-destructive cycle only ends when I go through the whole season. (Most recently, I discovered Full Metal Alchemist. Ale and the kids were in Mexico, so I spent a whole night going through the show, really).

My latest addiction is Supernatural.  I had avoided watching the show for a long time (now in season 7). But like a strong chocolate craving, you can only last so long. I have been watching all the episodes in order. I am now in season two. (I think about it constantly).

We don’t have cable. I watch must of my stuff on the computer. Besides the fact that we cannot afford cable tv, there’s just too much good stuff to see (or maybe my standards are low). I know that Celeste inherited my addiction for TV (it must be genetic, Nano has it too. I can see it in the way his eyes light up when he sees Thomas or Diego). Ale has her favorites too. If we had cabled hooked up tv in all rooms, we might go for days without noticing each other (so we don’t).

Like any tv addict knows, it only takes one good show to get caught in that delicious pix-elated web of bliss (tv). For this reason I have avoided Dexter, No Ordinary Family, Merlin, True Blood, and House. As soon as I am done with Supernatural I will never again open that digital dark coffin.

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Nano

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Taken at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

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