Gina’s blog

I haven't blogged in forever because I've had a ridiculously hectic school schedule this past semester, but luckily, summer school just started and it's time to just hang out. I graduated on Saturday, May 10 even though I have 2 more classes left in my degree, but should be done by July 3rd. I'm uber-excited. I feel like I've been in school way too long. Some weeks I'd feel like van wilder
I was planning on writing about Mary Kay Ash, but I opted just to share my good news.

Okay, so I know I should be studying for my class in regional economics or at least be doing the assignment for my accounting class, but I just don't feel like it. So, I've decided to go back to thinking about growing up in the borderland.

On superbowl sunday, most of my family came over to the house. My dad made carnitas (fried pork). The smallest kids weren't interested in the game. Actually, none of the family was really interested in the game, but just wanted an excuse to have a party. Anyways, my mom had an old loteria set that she found in the garage. She gave it to the kids to play. She put my 9 year old cousin in charge of "singing" the cards.

Loteria is kind of like Bingo except that instead of a coresponding letter and number there's a picture that you put a marker on. My family usually uses beans, but if really small children are playing we'll use bottle caps or slips of colored paper.

I was thinking about how politically incorrect this game might seem to someone who didn't grow up playing the game. Some of the pictures are benign like:

Loteria also has

fruit,

 

 

 

 

 

trees,

and other random objects

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you get past all the boring stuff, you make it to the really juicy part. Every "classic" loteria has to have the following cards:

La sirena - the (topless) mermaid:

El borracho- the drunkard:

El Negrito- The little black man:

and El Apache

My friend and I were looking at the cards that night. We couldn't help but think that if we lived anywhere else in the US this game we wouldn't have played this at school carnivals. Someone who isn't familiar with Mexican culture is likely to be offended. Naked ladies, little black men and half dressed amerindians. hmmmm. If someone presented a game like that to me I'd probably be weirded out too. It's not just the cards themselves that could be offensive, but the person reading them off usually has a little saying about each one.

For example, a common one you'd hear at a church fair would be " El negrito: el que se comio el azucar."  In English, it sounds positively frightening " The little black man: the one who ate the sugar" 

Another strange one, " El Apache: Ay Chihuahua! cuanto apache con pantalon y huarache." Ay Chihuahua is a common exclamation like saying Oh Dear or Oh My God. "El Apache: Ay Chihuahua! How many apaches with pants and sandals." 

Then we move on to the real fun. You can never really escape death in Mexico. You're exposed to it at a young age. It becomes part of your daily life. Loteria has at least 4 death related cards.

El Diabilito- The little devil-- Portate bien cuatito, si no te lleva el coloradito.

 

 

(Be good little friend or else you'll be taken by the little red one)

La mano- The (disembodied) hand-- La mano de un criminal

 

(The hand of a criminal)

La Calavera- The Skull (and cross bones usually)-- Al pasar por el panteon, me encontre un calaveron

 

(While walking by the cemetery, I found a big skull)

And last but not least

La Muerte- Death-- Aquí viene la señora muerte, la tilica y flaca

 

(Here comes madame death, the (i'm not sure how to translte tilica) and skinny)

 

I loved playing loteria during Kermesses or family functions as a kid. I just recently rediscovered how much fun it was. It's almost church carnival season and maybe I'll convince my friend to come with me. Maybe we'll even win a tres leches cake or a used piggy bank or some stuffed animals.  

What are you saving up for? 
Submitted by Star. 

I saved up my vacation day at work so  could take an evening class on mondays. :(

like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed." Martina Navratilova.

 

I'm a little bit of a commitment-phobe. Okay, maybe more than a little bit. Thats probably the main reason why i haven't gotten a tattoo yet.

I've been with my share of losers, but maybe part of it is my fault. Maybe i pick losers because i don't want to commit to anyone worthwhile.

New year, new me. So i'm going to make myself more open. I'm going to put myself out there. I'm going to lay some eggs in the meantime, but maybe i'll meet someone. 

If I don't, I know I'm perfectly capable of bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan. 

List five reasons (at least) why you are awesome.
Submitted by goobers18.

I'm only doing this one because my BFF L suggested that I do this one.

1) I'm one tough cookie

2) I have a slammin' body

3) I'm bilingual

4) I can be nice to you even if I hate you

5) I can text and talk on the phone at the same time

I have a strange family. Actually, my mom's side of the family is really normal, and my dad's side of the family is just holding on to ideas from the past. I guess my family isn't that strange.

My dad's side of the family has always been obsessed with skin color. Lighter skinned people are better/more attractive/smarter/ more desirable/wealthier.

Their colorism is extremely apparent when I go to visit. I am not fair skinned. My coworker just defined my skin color as being latte colored. I'm tan. Soy morena clara. I'm not the darkest skinned Mexican, but I'm most definitely not the lightest. I am, however, one of the darkest people in my family.

My older cousin used to get bathed in peroxide to lighten her skin as a baby. She wasn't allowed to play outside on hot, summer days. She moved away, got married, and had children. I think she's one of the most beautiful people I've ever met. I'm not saying that in a she's-beautiful-on-the-inside sort of way. I mean it in the most shallow sense of the word. She's gorgeous. She was has smooth caramel colored skin, huge espresso brown eyes, and jet black hair. As a child, she always looked like she was sick from something or other. I'm pretty sure it was from lack of sun.

I, recently, found out that my other cousin's wife has been applying Sun-in to their children's hair. The kids are 4, 2, and 6 months. She doesnt let them play outside and the kids are always sick. I hate seeing these type of patterns repeat. 

At my grandmother's house, my brother is the preferred to me. He has pale, milky white skin, dirty blonde hair, and eyes the color of honey. In contrast, I am olive complected with very dark brown hair and the darkest color eye possible.

I have a alot of cousins. The oldest of us had her first child 14 years ago. Everyone was shocked to see that he was the same color as I was. My aunt even mentioned that to my parents. My cousin was absolutely happy with her tan, dark-haired, dark-eyed, bouncing baby boy. He's a very handsome adolescent now and quite the lady killer. He looks more like my brother than my actual brother does.

This was never such a big deal at my house. My mother has always lived in a border city where colorism isn't as prevalent. My dad has not. His family is even offended when asked if they're Mexican. I'm very glad my father didn't inherit this.

My parents have always told me that I should be proud of the color of my skin. We're on this side of the river.

I am happy that if I ever start to doubt where I come from I can just look in the mirror.

For a full sit-down dinner with several guests, would you rather be the one cooking or do you prefer to just show up and eat?

I'm a control freak; I'd much rather cook. I love entertaining, and I have a great BFF and my mom to help me out.

que bueno por conocer

The best translation for this phrase would be something like "better the devil you know:

As many of my friends know, I've been considering getting back together with my ex-boyfriend. He's mildly unstable, has a mild mental illness, and is showing some warning signs of alcoholism.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I love him, but I do care about him. He's thoughtful, sweet, but more importantly I know what to expect. I'm a little weary of starting from scratch. My track record isn't spectacular. 

I am a magnet for guys that are bad for me. Or maybe guys that are bad for me are for me. I'm not sure who attracts what, but I don't want to jump into the unknown because by the time I figure out he has a second family/ has a drug problem/ is an illegal immigrant/ worships the devil/ is the a wanted felon, I'm too emotionally invested to let go.

With the ex, I'm aware of most of his problems. He frequently tells me that he loves me and misses me. He makes me feel appreciated. There's no fireworks or birds singing when we kiss, but I'm also not in fear for my life.

We worked through some problems in the past and if he goes back to his lying, cheating, cold, dead-beating, two-timing, double dealing, mean, mistreating ways, I'm gone and this would be the last time we break up.

I said that the last time we broke up, but this time I mean it.

What's the most memorable crush you have had? 
Submitted by spectacular.  

Jonathan Taylor Thomas AKA JTT AKA Simba AKA Randy

 

I heard he was gay. Le sigh. A girl can dream though

 

Spanish is my first language and I often find myself speaking like I'm translating. I've been thinking about the different ways to say "I love you."

Amar and Querer are different ways to say to love but they're so much more than that.

Querer can mean "to love", but the other translation of the word is "to want". The way that the word is normally used makes that really appropriate. You say " Te quiero" usually earlier in a relationship, when you love-want them.

Amar is "to love" in the slit your wrists (cortate las venas) sort of way. Its the kind of love where it hurts to be with them and it hurts to be away from them.

 

Its hard to define this to someone who isn't at least a little bit latin. Think of the Taco Bell chihuahua saying, "yo quiero taco bell." He wants Taco Bell, but does he also love taco bell? He probably does.

I think when you're hispanic its so much easier to say "I love this" and "I love that" because you do. It's just a different level of love. Its that kind of love where its not just i love, but i want.

It's also harder for a Spanish speaker to accept I love you from a non-Spanish speaker. You'll often hear "how do you love me?" It stems from the fact that there's only one word in English to express all the different levels of love.

and young man, you know who you are: te quiero pero no se si te amo