Book Reviews

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek- Annie Dillard

"Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" became one of my favorite books and one of the most inspiring/life changing books I have ever read. The vivid details that the author provides allows for the reader to have the sense that they are a character within the book. The way the author appreciates nature is rather different than others. Some people appreciate from a distance and just look, yet, sometimes they have fear in that admiration. The author, Annie Dillard, lets the reader know and understand that the smaller things in nature that we tend to ignore, be afraid of, and often times refer to as ugly, can also be beautiful.

Dillard sanctions for the mysteries of nature. She explores nature at gruesome yet, intriguing levels. Her personal accounts of how she grew up, her religion and her faith all played a part in allowing the reader to understand her perspectives and circumstances while at the same time learning to appreciate much more of life. After reading this book, I learned to not be so afraid of bugs and other animals.

Beauty Will Save the World- Gregory Wolfe

Gregory Wolfe, in "Beauty Will Save the World," uses personal accounts along with contemporary art and literature perspectives to allow the reader to fully understand and appreciate beauty and eventually embrace culture and tradition to rescue the world we currently live in. This book arises the question: if politics and logic have failed at reconstructing our world, why not try something different? Perhaps beauty, the one thing that people doubt will work, will be the one to “save the world.”

Mind of the Maker- Dorothy L. Sayers

Dorothy Sayers, in "The Mind of the Maker," lets the reader better grasp God's mysteries, His divine works, and His creations. She helps the reader understand their Christian faith more thoroughly and provides theological explanations in regards to the Trinity (the persons) and the nature of it, and God's incarnation. In all, this book enhances the readers theology and faith. The author also does a great job examining the image of God; it is truly a great read! I would recommend this to anyone who searches to enhance their life in all areas.

Movie Reviews

Pulling Strings

The movie “Pulling Strings” is an adventurous romance comedy film that anyone would enjoy, especially if one is familiar with the Mexican culture. A common mariachi lead singer, Alejandro, attempts to get a visa to the United States at the embassy in Guadalajara, but his application and request is denied by a lovely gringa (or white female) named Rachel. Somehow, later on that day, Rachel attends a party where Alejandro and his mariachi are performing and the adventure begins there. It is a fun and family-friendly film that will make you jump out of your seat, leaving scenes engraved in your mind that allow you to recall in the car, which could lead to inside jokes for the family. This is a movie I would definitely watch again and again!

Bad Grandpa

The movie “Bad Grandpa” was literally a bad movie; bad, in terms of respect, manners, and morals, not in terms of the quality of the production. I went to watch it with friends without realizing that there were obscene scenes, but after knowing that the movie was from the same makers of “Jackass,” it all made sense. Despite the inappropriate actions of the grandpa, it was a hilarious film. What I found more fascinating about the product in its entirety is that the “extras” were not actors, rather real people who had no idea that they were being filmed. This made everything throughout the movie seem more realistic, even when one assumed that certain parts had to be fake. It’s not a movie that I would watch over and over again (and I don’t think I will ever watch it again) because of some disturbing and inappropriate scenes which go against my morals. However, it does have a neat story line to it and the ending is a cute yet, typical finale.


 

Villanelle Poem

To Love You

 

On that cold, cold day it was love at first sight

Your gorgeous eyes were blue like clear skies,

If only you knew I love you with all of my might.

 

Evening after evening as time passed by

Each and every time you gave me a surprise,

On that cold, cold day it was love at first sight.

 

But when you’d depart, I knew I would cry

Luckily this did not involve at all, any lies,

If only you knew I love you with all of my might.

 

I wanted you back, I just needed to try

Because I’ve never felt like this for any other guys,

On that cold, cold day it was love at first sight.

 

This time my love for you I cannot deny

My love in my heart for you keeps growing in size

If only you knew I love you with all of my might.

 

Before I ever met you, I used to be shy

Forever I’m grateful that we shared common ties

On that cold, cold day it was love at first sight

u with all my might.

ht.odeas won him over.  listen to each of the group' persuade an audience.video t

If only you knew I love you with all of my might.

Short Story

There was an Asian, an Indian, a Canadian, a ton of Caucasians, a student with Irish blood, and then there was me. I was the only freshmen Mexican student sitting in the classroom. The RISE (Restructured Independent Student Education) room of responsible honor students was overwhelmingly diverse. But, it wasn’t just my ethnicity that made me diverse within that group. I had distinctive life experiences that none of those students could have compared to. For one, I went through very struggling stages while growing up. I matured faster than most of them did because of the various trials that God and life put me through. Yet, I also had different traditions, beliefs, and religious customs.

For example, my idea of Christmas was very different. I wouldn’t wake up early morning on December 25 to open presents, instead my family opened presents after going to mass at night on Christmas Eve (or Noche Buena). After mass was over we would go home and play loteria  or sometimes we would crack up playing a type of charades that mocked certain members of our family which in some cases included dressing up as them. We would take the camera out and record everyone while we anxiously waited to place Baby Jesus on the manger at exactly midnight, then we would spin the bottle to see who would open their presents first. This tradition, I believe, is  very important to my family and to other Latin cultures with similar traditions. It shows our unity with each other and with that of God.

We cherish and hold very close to our hearts our beliefs and religious customs. Being raised as a Catholic, there were many things that growing up in a small, highly populated conservative Christian town, made me feel different at times.  But, moving to Mesa made me experience a whole new side of the Christian-Catholic religion.

Fall Sonnet

The leaves stand tall
The yellows and the oranges and some of the red
I can slowly see them begin to fall
As I lay there on my comfy twin bed.

When I imagine the crunch under my foot
I scare away the sleep and the beautiful dream
Rushing out of the closet, putting on my left boot
And wrapping myself with a scarf the length of a stream.

Behind me I close the giant wood door
Hoping that my mother does not hear me
Skipping along, I head to the store.
A buck in my pocket will buy me some candy.

A crunch here and a crunch there, I stepped everywhere
Not excited for winter when from within I just stare.

Gracias-giving

Gracias...
Can you pass me the salt, Gracias
Can you...
Gracias

Adopting a new tradition in our own little way
Going around the table
saying Gracias more than ever
it's the night to be more thankful
To pig-out and have a stomach-ful
Looking like a pregnant lady at the end of the day

At this table there's no such thing as a Cranberry sauce

Instead there are tamales and posole

There's pasta, 

chips and salsa

For cool drinks we have Aguas frescas de Jamaica and Horchata, 

For hot drinks we have canela and champorrado
 A turkey and ham are prepared just for the tradition of the holiday 

but that's it really

There's no cornbread and sometimes we're lucky enough to have someone stuff the turkey

Plus, since the family is large 

and we get as much as 30 members (and sometimes more)

joining together for a dinner

The celebration takes place outside...

It's definitely a thanksgiving feast!

Bella Promesa

The young lady selling goodies across the street kept eyeing me. Alone I was, standing outside the gate, with my school uniform and my backpack strapped on, waiting for my mother to pick me up from kindergarten. The lady gestured me to approach her, but I was hesitant because, even though I knew she was a parent of one of my classmates, I did not know her sufficiently well.

At last, I crossed the street and the lovely young lady asked me where my parents were since it had been approximately two hours since class had ended. I shrugged my shoulders. She handed me some candies and served me a cup of agua de horchata. She smiled at me and said she would not leave me until my mother showed up. To this moment, she has kept her promise.

My childhood innocence blinded me. I never fathomed why my mother always had me waiting. But, each time she was late I chatted with the lady with the goodies across the street. 

Unfortunately, I would no longer be able to see the new friend I made. When I finished kindergarten, my father immediately brought my brother and me to the United States because he and my mother had separated as a result of mother's insalubrious decisions. I cannot recall much of those memories. What I do remember is my father asking me if I wanted to go with him. No hesitations-- I said yes. He took me and my brother with him. Unlike other cases, in which parents separate and one parent is denied communication or interaction with their children, my father always allowed for us to communicate with my mother. She, on the other hand, did not seem to care so much for us, as she only spoke to us roughly once a month.

An estimated twelve years passed since the first day I met Adelina. She came back to my life when my mother left me alone once more. In one phone call, my mother told me to pretend that she was dead, that she didn’t exist anymore. It hurt. But, it hurt even more because, although I sort of knew all along that she didn’t truly care for me or my siblings, I refused to recognize it and this was the moment of proof. 

Only the Lord knows why He decided to put Adelina back in my path. She is not simply that lady across the street anymore. In Arizona, she became my spiritual guide, my best friend, and even my stepmother.

Adelina has influenced me in diverse aspects. When it comes to a difficult task or limited resources, she doesn’t give up or sit while help arrives. She gets creative and figures it out herself. When she severely injured her left foot, she only kept smiling and didn’t complain when she had to go to work. Her ability to do anything she proposes herself to inspires me to not surrender in the most difficult of times.

I’m afraid of losing her again. The doctors claim that her heart will not survive for more than a few more months. And still, she remains strong. She is right when she says that the doctors cannot tell her how much longer she will live, no one can she says. Only God.

The love I never received from my mother, and the love that my heart required (but also didn’t obtain) from my father, should only make me stronger she says. She always tells me to find strength through God because His love is unconditional.

I never imagined that the lady across the street that always accompanied me after Kindergarten class would be there for me once again when my mother left me, ultimately becoming the most important person in my life. She is a blessing in my life. With her, I have learned what a mother is; what the true and pure love of a mother is. When I present her, I proudly present her as my mom. No questions asked. I am glad that she kept her promise when she said she wouldn't leave me back when I was in kindergarten in Mexico. This time, I only pray that God is in on this promise.

 I realize that Adelina is a beautiful flower in the garden that God keeps eyeing to pick for himself, but I hope he leaves her in the garden for just a while longer, so the others can enjoy her beauty and her presence, too.