SPANISH FRIDAY: ¿Un Perrito, Dos Perritos, Cuál Es La Diferencia?

Amigos Inseparables -- mijo estaba enfermo cuándo tomé esta foto.

¡Tengo muy buenas noticias que compartirles! 

Hemos decidido conseguirle un compañero a nuestro mascota, Albert. 

I have great news to share with you! We've decided to get our dog, Albert, a companion.

Albert buscando su compañero en linea.

Lo que pasa es que nos da mucha lastima dejarlo al pobre solo tantas horas durante el día.

❤

The thing is that it bums us out to leave the poor guy alone for so many hours during the day.

Soy gato.

Cuándo no estamos en casa, se la pasa durmiendo arriba del sofá, como un gato.

¿Se ve triste, no?

❤

When we're not home, he spends his day sleeping on top of the couch, like a cat.

Doesn't he look sad?

¡Que flojera!

Este perro excéntrico nos ha traído tanta felicidad. Sí, al principio nos volvia locos (y todavia), pero como cualquier otro miembro de la familia, lo aceptamos con todos sus defectos y malas costumbres. Nuestro perro nuevo llega entre junio o julio. Lo llamaremos -- Einstein.

A ver cuales aventuras nos esperan.

❤

This eccentric dog has brought us so much happiness. Yes, at first he drove us crazy (and still does), but like any other member of the family, we accept him with all his defects and bad habits. Our new dog arrives sometime between June and July. His name will be "Einstein."

We'll see what adventures await us.

Have Spiders For Friends?

I'm all for personal development. Getting over fears. Stepping into rather than away from challenges. Yet, there are two fears I can say with confidence that you will NEVER see me attempt to conquer: heights and spiders. Sure I've heard of people jumping out of planes and getting cozy with spiders to make them friends, but me thinks no thanks. Never. Nunca. Jamais!  It's against the natural order of things.

How about micro exposures? Isn't that how most phobias are challenged. Fear of crowds? Hang out in a lobby. Fear of snakes? Hang out at the zoo. Fear of spiders?

Spiders of Massachusetts

Maybe exposing myself by viewing spiders in a safe environment like on a computer screen could help me along? Nothing crazy there. Why not try it?

So I googled "spiders in Massachusetts," and low and behold there's a beautiful page with photos dedicated to the 39 species of spiders living in my state, about 38-37 more than the couple types I've seen since moving here (and a Facebook and Google+ link in the event you want spiders in your social network and circles). I thought that maybe scrolling through the photos and reading about them might help me be less fearful … here are some noteworthy key words:

"Mature females are enormous …"
"This robust spider …"
"Spin dense, non-sticky, sheet-like webs, with a funnel-like retreat where the spider hides [italics mine]."
"The circular webs are built close to the ground …"
"This striking patterned species is a wandering hunter …"

Lovely.

That's about as far as I could scroll -- the Six-Spotted Fishing Spider -- before my scalp tingled and I started to get that barfy feeling in my mouth. Is anybody else surprised to learn that spiders go fishing?

How to Overcome the Fear of Spiders

Thought I'd share this uber visual article on How to Overcome the Fear of Spiders for any of you who would like to attempt facing your spidery phobia. I could barely get through the illustrations. It's not a rational reaction, I know, but turns out seeing them on the screen is as real to me as seeing them in person.

Do you have a fear of spiders? Or have you gotten over a fear of them? How did you do it? If you're not afraid of them (lucky you), why not?

Please share your logic!

¡No Más!

I think that pretty much sums it up. Even the dog is sad.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Electra Woman And Dyna Girl

Left to our own devices as youngsters, my two sisters and I managed to get ourselves into a lot of trouble. We may not have gotten along very well, but when it came to being traviesas, boy, you'd have thought we were the best of friends. Summers were especially difficult for us, having to spend all that time together, but we always found ways to make the time pass quickly. How? We'd dedicate ourselves to scheming over what prank to concoct next.

Our targets were the unsuspecting passersby. You see, we lived on a busy residential street that saw a lot of foot traffic. Some were neighbors, or an occasional tamalera or paletero, but mostly day laborers who lived in boarding housing along our street. We were equal opportunity pranksters, young, imaginative and in need of entertainment from behind our sheer curtains.

I've shared the intro to a show that my sisters and I drew inspiration from when we role-played. When I think back to those sweltering summers in the seventies, I can't help but smile remembering our antics and those of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl.

I shared the clip with my Minecraft-playing eleven-year-old son. Wish I'd snapped a picture of the expression he wore when he asked, "You watched that?"

How times have changed.

LUNES MUSICAL: I Dreamed a Dream from the Film Les Misérables

Zombie Marie Curie Teaches a Lesson in Authenticity

"But you don't become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process." Zombie Marie Curie

Tell me. How many partially finished posts do you have languishing in your blogging dashboard? Mine is littered. Here's one ...

I stumbled across this cartoon taped to the outside of a high school science classroom, during my school guidance pre-practicum, like seven months ago. The two words that caught my eye as I zoomed by were "Marie Curie," because she was a trailblazing Nobel Prize winning scientist and, "zombie," because I'm nuts about The Walking Dead.

In case you're wondering what Marie Curie and zombies have in common? Absolutamente, nada, aside from the cartoonist delivering an effective lesson in authenticity, with a thread of dork humor.

The cartoon got me thinking. Yeah, watch out. How many people get so wrapped up in achieving "x", that they forget to enjoy the journey, forget about sharing, forget about why they started "x," in the first place? Then beat themselves up when the trip to "x" isn't linear? I've seen this in business more times than I care to admit, in personal relationships, and even myself.

Thank you Zombie Marie Curie for the enlightenment.

JUST FOR FUN: Finding Gamera on the Beach

We were lucky enough to get away and enjoy a little sun and sand this weekend. Although most of these outings turn up some interesting sea creatures, it's the first time we've captured anything more exotic than a run of the mill clam or sea crab.

Pictured above is a sea turtle our son and his little friend found near a storm drain. For those of you old enough to remember, don't you think he bears a striking resemblance to a Japanese celebrity? :p

Check out these special effects (you may have to go directly to YouTube to view) ...

 

Vroom ... Vroom ... There Goes the Sushi!

Wasabi Modern Japanese Cuisine at the Natick Collection, Natick MA

Well, well, well ... what do we have here? An unexpected treat! My trip to the Apple Store at the Natick Collection, today, turned up one of the coolest experiences I've had at the mall in a long time. Then, again, I couldn't tell you the last time I went to the mall, since these trips are usually reserved for iMac cords or Genius Bar visits.

Take a close look at this photo. Can you guess what this beautiful crab stick and avocado sushi plate is doing?

Zooming by! Sushi on a conveyor belt. :D

It's moving on a conveyor belt! Around the perimeter of the entire restaurant and within arm's length of the diners. I almost died as I stood there watching one of my favorite foods go round and round and was seriously bumming that I'd already had lunch.

The sushi called, nonetheless, and a "Big Kid's Bento Box" (I'm a sucker for mega-cute) made it into this big girl's bag.  Here are two samples that were sitting on the hostess' counter.

Wasabi "Big Kid's Bento Box" at the Natick Collection

I learned that the sushi is "radio-controlled." Each one of those little orange platforms on which the sushi sits has some kind of radio-frequency ID chip that lets the sushi chef know what's traveling and what needs to be replaced. Can you say, "Smart"? Yes, I'm a nerd.

Here's the dine-in menu:

Wasabi dine-in sushi menu.

The color rings correspond to the sushi plates and help diners tally up their ticket. :-) And this is the kid's menu that I ordered from:

Wasabi kid's menu

The options couldn't be more adorable. Hello -- a peanut butter and jelly roll. And this is my "Big Kid's Bento Box" unveiled at home. Wasn't expecting it to have two compartments. The white rice was a nice surprise and the spicy tuna roll was super-spicy. 

I don't usually post about these kinds of things, but this was just too fresh of an idea not to write about. The entire experience made me smile.

Have you ever seen food traveling on a conveyor belt? If so, was it sushi?  

iPhone Moments

Happy weekend! Hope everyone is enjoying a little down time before Mother's Day. Just for fun, wanted to share some random moments I captured with my iPhone this week, starting with this one...

We got "flocked" by our local Relay for Life Team last night. The clever note left on our front door read,

"A fundraiser is being conducted by Team Proulx to raise money for the Relay for Life. This flock of flamingos has gathered on your property to roost. In case you did not know this, flamingos are extremely territorial and unless they flock to another lawn, they could roost on your property for a very long time. Removal of these flamingos should only be done by our trained professionals since they are highly skilled. Please fill out the information below and we will come and remove this flock of pesky birds." 

Pond on my commute to and from work. Don't mind getting stuck in rush hour traffic.

TIP: Ladies, always take a picture of where you park in a parking structure. Especially if you're going to be heading back to your car alone and in the dark. I find it helpful at the airport.

This tortugita was crossing the street in front of our house. Don't believe what you hear about turtles being slow-pokes. Mr Turtle, here, was bustin' a move to get away from all the neighbor kids that descended on him.

Margarita glass dog biscuits? Yes, even dogs celebrate Cinco de Mayo. o_O

A sampling of stickers you can earn at DailyFeats for making progress on personal goals (check out the iPhone app). Met them @MassInno this week and fell in love with the concept #bebetter.

Neighbor's Magnolia bush

Chicken parm calzone 2Die4

"No Kiss Blogfest" ... Pride & Prejudice

In the course of visiting some of my bloggy friends this morning, I came across a mention for the "3rd Annual No Kiss Blogfest," being hosted by Frankie Diane Mallis. Thank you Medeia for writing about it!

To participate, all you have to do is include a clip or excerpt from a favorite film, book, or your own work-in-progress (WIP), depicting a kiss that never happened.

I've included a clip of my favorite "no kiss" from the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen's PRIDE & PREJUDICE (one of the few books I've read twice). The scene starts immediately following a marriage proposal (not shown) that is poorly delivered by Mr. Darcy. Rather it comes off more as an insult. What is it about the guys in this time-period? Same thing happens in Jane Eyre. I digress ...

Anyhow, I never tire of watching this film.

Enjoy the sparks. : )

Un Meme: Sólo por Diversión | A Meme: Just for Fun : )

¡Que divertido! Mi amiga, Dania de La Familia Cool, compartio este meme con migo a noche. Gracias! Me ayudaste sacar la cabeza de los libros por un rato. xoxo

Aquí les dejo mis respuestas:

What fun! My friend, Dania from La Familia Cool, shared this meme with me last night. Thank you! You helped me take my head out of my books for a short while. xoxo

Here are my responses:

¿Qué fue lo primero que le viste a tu pareja cuando se conocieron?

What was the first thing I noticed of my husband's when I met him?

Su acento (y sus bíceps)

His accent (and his biceps)

¿A dónde te gustaría ir de luna de miel?

Where would I like to go on a honeymoon?

La Isla de Santorini

The Island of Santorini

¿Te consideras una persona aventurera?

Do I consider myself an adventurous person?

Depende, soy muy cuidadosa.

It depends, I'm very careful.

¿Tienes algún secreto tuyo que nuca le hayas contado a nadie?

Do you have a secret you've never shared with anybody?

No

¿Playa o piscina?

Beach or pool?

Piscina

Pool

¿Verano o invierno?

Summer or winter?

Verano

Summer

¿Besos of abrazos?

Kisses or hugs?

Abrazos

Hugs

¿Dulce o saldado?

Sweet or salty?

Dulce y salado! ... saladitos con tamarindo

Sweet and salty! ... saladitos with tamarind

¿Fresa o chocolate?

Strawberry or chocolate?

Fresa

Strawberry

¿Blanco o negro?

Black or white?

Negro

Black

¿Color favorito?

Favorite color?

Negro

Black

¿Cuál es tu película favorita?

Your favorite movie?

Pride and Prejudice

¿Juego de mesa favorito?

Your favorite table game?

Bananagrams

¿Cuál es tu bebida favorita?

What's your favorite drink?

Agua de tamarindo

Tamarind water

¿Cual es tu trago favorito?

What is your favorite [alcoholic] beverage?

Margarita

¿Cuál es tu mes favorito?

Your favorite month?

Julio

July

¿Qué es lo primero que piensas al despertar?

What's the first thing you think about when you wake up?

Tarea

Homework

¿Perdonarías una infidelidad de tu pareja?

Would you forgive infidelity on the part of your spouse?

Nunca

Never

¿Cuántos timbrazos antes de contestar el telefono?

How many rings before you answer the phone?

Uno (No tengo paciencia!)

One (I have no patience!)

¿Sabes guardar secretos?

Do you know how to keep secrets?

¿Quales secretos?

What secrets?

¿Dices tu edad verdadera?

Do you tell your honest age?

Siempre

Always

¿Te consideras timida o extrovertida?

Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?

Timida

An introvert

¿Que hay debajo de tu cama?

What's under your bed?

Zapatos y hilo

Shoes and yarn

¿Has faltado a clases/al trabajo sólo por el clima?

Have you missed school or work due to the weather?

Si

Yes

¿Cuánto tiempo tienes con este blog?

How long have you had this blog?

Casi dos años

Almost two years

Le paso este juegito a unas amigas queridas, gracias por todo su apoyo ... I'm passing this little game to a few of my dear friends, thank you for all your support ... Empatheia (Jen), Bicultural Mom (Chantilly), Motherhood in Mexico (Leslie), The B3 Blog (Angela), Me and the Mexican (Tara), Bella Vida by Letty and Adriana Iris. 

JUST FOR FUN: Cutest Continuing Ed Catalog Cover, Ever! ; D

"Don't Get Tied Down."

I'm on the mailing list for a couple of continuing education centers in the area and this Assabet After Dark Fall 2011 catalog cover has got to be the most creative one I've received, yet. Love it. Makes me want to try reading Gulliver's Travels, again, a book I had a hard time getting into as a youngster (and no wonder, come to find out it was published in 1726!).

¿Que Que? Raviolis En Frasco? What? Raviolis In A Jar?

A Little Game of Blog Tag - Siete (Seven)

Gracias to Tara Castillo-Me and the Mexican and Chantilly Patiño-Bicultural Mom for tagging me in this clever game of "Siete." The object of the game is to find posts in your blog archive that you think satisfy the seven categories listed below. *smiles* I enjoyed this game.

Thank you, again!

Most Beautiful Post
My Sister and Best Friend

Most Popular Post
Book Review: Burro Genius by Victor Villaseñor

Most Controversial Post
Book Review: Push by Sapphire

Most Helpful Post
What do You Mean Our Son Can't Read?
(Realized recently I never wrote the follow-up posts!)

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me
Is There A Connection Between Language and Personality

A Post That Didn't Get The Attention I Felt It Deserved
What Is It About Jane Eyre?

Post I'm Most Proud Of
El Dia E

Hardest part of this game is narrowing down your list of friends to just seven. Buena suerte!

Ladies, tag, you're it <3

1. The B3 Blog
2. Empatheia
3. La Dulce Vida
4. Bella Vida by Letty
5. La Familia Cool (Bilingual)
6. Mami Holistica y Genial (Spanish)
7. What to Read

If you participate, please be sure to come back and include the link to your post in the comment's section here.

JUST FOR FUN: Bruins Fans Coming Unglued, Last Night

My husband is buried in there!

JUST FOR FUN: A Little Hip-Hop Shakespeare

What a great way to reinforce writing concepts and storyline. I would've loved these back in the day. Love it! I hope you enjoy. :)

JUST FOR FUN: Video -- teAch me hOw 2 stUdy

JUST FOR FUN: Video -- I'm Reading a Book

Stumbled across this hysterical video over at author Medeia Sharif's blog this a.m. I've been humming it ever since I watched it (now half-a-dozen times). In case you've not met Medeia, she has a YA debut coming out this summer titled BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.

Thanks for sharing the video and the status of your debut, Medeia. : D

You can read her original post here.

Just for Fun: A Little Turbo-Charge for Education

The Guts of Fiction

This morning, while poking around flash fiction writer Tony Noland's blog, I came across this *clears throat* peculiar illustration. Looks organic, huh?

Landless: From Gilgamesh to Galactica: A Historical Map of Science Fiction.

At first glance, the way its body curved and waved, I thought it might be some kind of mutant jelly fish or octopus that belonged in a jar of formaldehyde. Maybe even somebody's intestinal tract. That was until I ZOOMED IN. Close.

Go ahead. Don't be afraid. It won't bite. Click on it to view it full-size on Tony's original's post. The detail is awesome.

I love it!