tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92784822024-03-06T20:31:32.721-08:00Thoughts of a Chicana Feministxicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comBlogger226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-59975038750839775282007-11-17T16:51:00.001-08:002007-11-17T16:51:01.299-08:00Gas stop<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcWWASA6czF5bmPypWDncN5Yxn-Yn2EjGTdzobhkRyKssfHYYf2Vhvq_-aihW_CpWxylEg91JfuQFi4BAzgUkldscprwrGIBBGgzt2jyUf1MePPkMAnRuV2qd1WSythlmShXHjw/s1600-h/bm-image-761301.jpe"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcWWASA6czF5bmPypWDncN5Yxn-Yn2EjGTdzobhkRyKssfHYYf2Vhvq_-aihW_CpWxylEg91JfuQFi4BAzgUkldscprwrGIBBGgzt2jyUf1MePPkMAnRuV2qd1WSythlmShXHjw/s320/bm-image-761301.jpe" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133976534620409474" /></a></p>They are selling chorizo at this gas station in Fresno.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-45875196298798656892007-11-01T19:28:00.000-07:002007-11-01T20:01:40.849-07:00Email from Hillary ClintonI walked around with a "Hillary in '96" button on my backpack when I was a student at UC Davis. I mostly liked it because people would notice it and want to talk about it. I thought it was a nice pipe dream.<br /><br />So here we are over a decade later and I am loving that I get emails from Hillary, Bill and their Democratic buddies. For example, in my inbox today I see,<br /><br />"Dear Erica,<br /><br />Today I went back to college, and I remembered what inspired me to change the world.<br /><br />For me it was Vietnam and the fight for civil rights. Today's younger generation faces a new set of challenges: a mismanaged war in Iraq, a growing national debt, a war on science, global warming -- and I see that same desire for change that I saw back when I was in school...."<br /><br />etcetera and so forth.<br /><br />I stopped reading at "a war on science".<br /><br />Geez, do we really need to claim there is a war on or against science? I understand fear is often a motivating factor for many people, but not me. It turns more off...tunes me out. I might have to go back and re-consider Obama as my candidate for the primary.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-75525322824213451472007-10-23T11:00:00.000-07:002007-10-23T15:21:22.004-07:00Good AdviceI have a friend that eats extremely healthy, but not in that annoying "I only shop at Whole Foods and eat organic and free-trade foods that will make my yuppie friends think I am cool" sort-of way. Nope. Her taste buds simply prefer the good stuff...well, at least most of the time.<br /><br />She was watching Oprah recently and wrote down a list of "super foods" they evn, Oprah evangelized. The lists are pretty good minus the four-legged animal guideline. I like meat no matter how much I try to convince myself I shouldn't. Carnitas and carne asada are like water - a necessity.<br /><br />Eat every week:<br />1. Garlic<br />2. tomatoes (sauce)<br />3. olive oil<br />4. spinach<br />5. raw nuts (almonds)<br />6. pomegranate<br /><br />Good oils are liquid at room temperature:<br />1. Olive<br />2. Sesame seed<br />3. canola<br />4. flax seed<br />5. grape seed<br /><br />First 5 ingredients of packaged foods should NOT be:<br />1. sugar<br />2. high fructose corn syrup<br />3. enriched white flour<br />4. saturated fats (four-legged animal)<br />5. partially hydrogenated oils<br />6. trans fatxicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-64305231638386741472007-08-12T11:33:00.000-07:002007-08-12T12:03:24.676-07:00Twitter has made me a lazy bloggerI can't deny it to myself any longer. <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a> has made me a lazy blogger. <br /><br />I rarely, if ever, invested much time in drafting blog posts. I generally sat down and slammed out whatever was at the forefront of my mind (which is what I am doing now). 15 minutes after I sit down I can press a publish button and be done with it. Happy that I purged a bit of my knowledge into the black hole of the web.<br /><br />However, 30 seconds of my thumbs tapping at my cel phone keypad gives me a Twitter of 140 character or less post - straight to the web and my friends cel phones. <br /><br />I love the sound-byte quality of Twitter, but am beginning to miss the depth blogging brings.<br /><br />I won't be giving up Twitter any time soon, but I've made a tentative deal with myself to blog more often. I guess we'll see what happens.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-51508398607229309302007-07-29T10:06:00.000-07:002007-07-29T10:11:08.058-07:00We Need to TalkIn case there was any doubt, here is some hard evidence she is in charge.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNzhBe7MvbslIGpZlSuVd6udUMXTkBD13u0DniciQqo1NXoA8XsKJ9VwapG21XYos61r3I_PblXTmmX_QXUuemasmPb4LdrtMtSmC8b9GI_cH5ubEDxoksteTi9rmPCe0qDN2BA/s1600-h/kitty_talk.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkNzhBe7MvbslIGpZlSuVd6udUMXTkBD13u0DniciQqo1NXoA8XsKJ9VwapG21XYos61r3I_PblXTmmX_QXUuemasmPb4LdrtMtSmC8b9GI_cH5ubEDxoksteTi9rmPCe0qDN2BA/s320/kitty_talk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092667027285573602" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-82519951458666263562007-07-29T09:58:00.000-07:002007-07-29T10:04:16.299-07:00It Was All for MaryI feel privileged that I got to take part in Rina's journal....and I am hoping that the money Rina raised will help a woman like Mary.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhYG-V054DaJfnK1emtycL-Zple5dwfj1hP9GzfT062Im1JPmIQf6gPumo1Yj91Gs-kz2iGC40OCK6ByEf9zXjpGBc2ejFE78PkgOjGpOekzCtky979hC3KajNAnVYJl5lqN6nQ/s1600-h/for-mary-davis.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhYG-V054DaJfnK1emtycL-Zple5dwfj1hP9GzfT062Im1JPmIQf6gPumo1Yj91Gs-kz2iGC40OCK6ByEf9zXjpGBc2ejFE78PkgOjGpOekzCtky979hC3KajNAnVYJl5lqN6nQ/s320/for-mary-davis.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092665077370421202" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-30151388709371653522007-07-09T10:07:00.000-07:002007-07-09T10:13:27.792-07:00Every Three MinutesEvery three minutes someone in the walk was given one of these ribbons that you see Rina wearing. It represents the reality that no one knows when they may be diagnosed with the disease. When Rina was given this ribbon at mile 8.5 of day two it brought the reality of the illness to me. <br /><br />Mary Davis' world was forever changed when she received her diagnosis and Rina saw it happen, unable to do more than be there for Mary. After that every step Rina took was made with greater purpose and with immense hope that one day a cure will be found.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieTHaE6Z3n1E2rmIAGP3ZrGrKp2YB0wA-LTKjAoXRMj1TD733rdFkd6w3N1ahO9ZoQAon1X43IjMclmPZ-lSdDPn55_OiOzp-6PmwQZL5Wq-_Na3c2Jq25MGJXK7cVSOC1hM-nw/s1600-h/every-three-minutes.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgieTHaE6Z3n1E2rmIAGP3ZrGrKp2YB0wA-LTKjAoXRMj1TD733rdFkd6w3N1ahO9ZoQAon1X43IjMclmPZ-lSdDPn55_OiOzp-6PmwQZL5Wq-_Na3c2Jq25MGJXK7cVSOC1hM-nw/s320/every-three-minutes.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085246273781488930" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-81278636722356767872007-07-09T10:04:00.000-07:002007-07-09T10:07:31.901-07:00Breast Cancer CenterThis breast cancer center exists because of the generous support of the Avon Walk. Over the past several years the race has given 16 million so it may exist. Walking past it was a great reminder that the money donated goes to helping real people be treated for breast cancer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WicoW617ruzaUbvYGp2kD5eoPyMMWpomHCW2ZL9sI9DjtbJcSuAKkU-o5hp-yrbiafRaLZ8pp6OKGp8CDNNvKOTRHFq6tAAAwJnwZnMrFoKGLsEjY3wP5o6y6sTTco2KqzqCpA/s1600-h/avon-breast-cancer-center.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WicoW617ruzaUbvYGp2kD5eoPyMMWpomHCW2ZL9sI9DjtbJcSuAKkU-o5hp-yrbiafRaLZ8pp6OKGp8CDNNvKOTRHFq6tAAAwJnwZnMrFoKGLsEjY3wP5o6y6sTTco2KqzqCpA/s320/avon-breast-cancer-center.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085244834967444754" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-89990048223594246842007-07-09T10:00:00.000-07:002007-07-09T10:04:47.309-07:00ArtAt a rest stop with a rock 'n roll theme, I ran into this cone with cones. It made me laugh out loud.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNO53jzBksgtk12V48d6Ms-DrXLfF4rjrrIb2yVDksEI1n6N94abmZ13NXTYpfgVSwAMzXaPe3PNV6nWfPwOFCo0mRcnTmLu40x7X4NDPJzLhoXXgKkPlS-St8haSJZtg2yohfGA/s1600-h/cone-with-cones.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNO53jzBksgtk12V48d6Ms-DrXLfF4rjrrIb2yVDksEI1n6N94abmZ13NXTYpfgVSwAMzXaPe3PNV6nWfPwOFCo0mRcnTmLu40x7X4NDPJzLhoXXgKkPlS-St8haSJZtg2yohfGA/s320/cone-with-cones.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085243305959087362" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-65476786328584766162007-07-09T09:53:00.000-07:002007-07-09T10:00:02.945-07:00The view from 20thRina climbed the hill on Connecticut between 16th and 20th. It was steep and hot, but the view was fabulous once we got to the top.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndUjP1gQKXZL8ORMLWxEU8Kl0YlOel__53S_UNj-AdJgrZHHhcUICgmWgQGd19T-LbrQc_HJtiYDWEixJJLUzpLfRFsr17ZGZydK1I_893SxzG-ux0MWpKr7jyOwh_mShzJhMiw/s1600-h/view-from-20th.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndUjP1gQKXZL8ORMLWxEU8Kl0YlOel__53S_UNj-AdJgrZHHhcUICgmWgQGd19T-LbrQc_HJtiYDWEixJJLUzpLfRFsr17ZGZydK1I_893SxzG-ux0MWpKr7jyOwh_mShzJhMiw/s320/view-from-20th.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085242897937194226" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-80385667718703750072007-07-09T09:50:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:53:29.333-07:00No Cancer, "That's hot!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8qgAXnESggzMjsKVyJ3jYL-Lj3MxRxxkm9ioKUnzoV_YHY7Ep2hi5DFjDfF_NPoTZSZzB8WgestzIDJx0FbWiC2dZH0cwyqz9EqW7aDyqn5xcRciBYvMrXjIOVm8-4os6aAIKQ/s1600-h/thats-hot.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8qgAXnESggzMjsKVyJ3jYL-Lj3MxRxxkm9ioKUnzoV_YHY7Ep2hi5DFjDfF_NPoTZSZzB8WgestzIDJx0FbWiC2dZH0cwyqz9EqW7aDyqn5xcRciBYvMrXjIOVm8-4os6aAIKQ/s320/thats-hot.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085241218604981474" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-79673849674016867882007-07-09T09:48:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:50:50.923-07:00Parking is a Science in San FranciscoThe great part about the 2nd day of the walk is that it took the walkers through the different neighborhoods of San Francisco. I geeked out on this outdoor parking lot where hydraulic lifts would lift customer' vehicles so other customer's vehicles could be parked below them. Pretty damn sweet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsXTcbP6KAr-sgWYNH0Qi_DWFJDQPOxpEpMCWRLP4aK7HHyt8Wrb4grm3DAwXjSMwWDWnWUp8WrFuXJsCKNZItd8VFLe8eqJpQ4e7z5KrLoemyKoGkn7UbaW_nXQyNVgLuJpcIA/s1600-h/parking-technology.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsXTcbP6KAr-sgWYNH0Qi_DWFJDQPOxpEpMCWRLP4aK7HHyt8Wrb4grm3DAwXjSMwWDWnWUp8WrFuXJsCKNZItd8VFLe8eqJpQ4e7z5KrLoemyKoGkn7UbaW_nXQyNVgLuJpcIA/s320/parking-technology.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085240514230344914" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-48544309289461485352007-07-09T09:45:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:48:01.297-07:00An Appreciation of All Things CornyMe and my friends don't take ourselves too seriously. When we encountered this Randy Jackson reference we had to stop to capture the corny moment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvNqnghgf5YCKn7Uo2snjMSyZZJ-wfeEsEnlD1YNDvu6YmhJN-FFLjHPPD3vhczhvTDki92RL8vZ-xV6FpekNeE-TfoDLWrcJcidkMkwQSkQiFcYOasQz7jRGmGZXL5eLJZiONg/s1600-h/whasup-dawg.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvNqnghgf5YCKn7Uo2snjMSyZZJ-wfeEsEnlD1YNDvu6YmhJN-FFLjHPPD3vhczhvTDki92RL8vZ-xV6FpekNeE-TfoDLWrcJcidkMkwQSkQiFcYOasQz7jRGmGZXL5eLJZiONg/s320/whasup-dawg.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085239805560741058" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-69336891496188770842007-07-09T09:34:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:44:38.527-07:00Day TwoRina did fabulously on Day 1, so I decided I wanted to be sure I was there every step of the way on Day 2. <br /><br />When I got to her hotel that morning she had this memorial for Mary. She wore it with love for her friend.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_JxBAmgBRylletLO-IlCj5DZmOORL3LFkxgcqBCzVFJAyTx-_baGDBKOjKKaVz7JAT7YR_plZGltYZdKj9AZP5slgk9k56P1t6kcl_JjdiED06Psokf_WaHqnsLoqc5GHOwMjw/s1600-h/for-mary-davis.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_JxBAmgBRylletLO-IlCj5DZmOORL3LFkxgcqBCzVFJAyTx-_baGDBKOjKKaVz7JAT7YR_plZGltYZdKj9AZP5slgk9k56P1t6kcl_JjdiED06Psokf_WaHqnsLoqc5GHOwMjw/s320/for-mary-davis.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085237241465265314" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-74446157723886929622007-07-09T09:31:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:34:00.085-07:00Rest Stop 5It was long day for Miss Rina. She got up before the sun rose, so making it to mile 22.1 in such great spirits was inspiring to me. I think I would have been grouchy by then ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8v5KBgrXmcsNMI4CRZBFlZ7qJlW7zjZADkIwHLqMiAchrXfIWdOukHh_AIFBRAWdCQmfJhg79LaWMrIu6Og0EDQvnJwvOBS1IlnweJLzDYiPPWzXLWcHi_KZ542DEU-HAo7ZOQ/s1600-h/22point1.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8v5KBgrXmcsNMI4CRZBFlZ7qJlW7zjZADkIwHLqMiAchrXfIWdOukHh_AIFBRAWdCQmfJhg79LaWMrIu6Og0EDQvnJwvOBS1IlnweJLzDYiPPWzXLWcHi_KZ542DEU-HAo7ZOQ/s320/22point1.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085236184903310482" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-35763960694547846322007-07-09T09:28:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:31:20.125-07:00HumorAt every corner walk crew members and signage kept things fun with humor. This sign was placed at just the right location when walkers may have been asking themselves "Are we there yet?"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfitE195HdpGjUb5aPtQVwlESWEar8AX5Ox-mmKk1Tc3IDl2jqRXc1p6SX734CGVzB5bpHwJkyzFmUAsSpHkoKndjyJE0rTs8LSJOceHFGIDzvk4y9R_0Se8iIDbusvUH51tbIQ/s1600-h/blah-blah-blah.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfitE195HdpGjUb5aPtQVwlESWEar8AX5Ox-mmKk1Tc3IDl2jqRXc1p6SX734CGVzB5bpHwJkyzFmUAsSpHkoKndjyJE0rTs8LSJOceHFGIDzvk4y9R_0Se8iIDbusvUH51tbIQ/s320/blah-blah-blah.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085235514888412290" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-10243157510103734352007-07-09T09:24:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:28:11.463-07:00Water BeetlesIt was so, so, so great to have Leah in town! She found this water beetle. You can't tell from this picture, but it was rather large. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqpN4MB2hKnaX1DoVT9h1-RtQMm_THsrw2UA5mHa0xPKcCS-2Oe4TDJDTAVh6koA914zRmMWyoA7ybAPbCcgvjKTABpWWGKft-svJoI57XmUq6vzMWXI5CWbx29emed0JGaTCQg/s1600-h/water-beetle.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqpN4MB2hKnaX1DoVT9h1-RtQMm_THsrw2UA5mHa0xPKcCS-2Oe4TDJDTAVh6koA914zRmMWyoA7ybAPbCcgvjKTABpWWGKft-svJoI57XmUq6vzMWXI5CWbx29emed0JGaTCQg/s320/water-beetle.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085234694549658738" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-42854743296153556672007-07-09T09:21:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:24:39.315-07:00Tu-Tus for Ta-TasEvery rest stop had a theme. This one in Mill Valley was "Tu-Tus for Ta-Tas". It was very sweet to see mothers and daughters wearing tu-tus cheering the walkers on, knowing that a cure for breast cancer could one day save the lives of the girls there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmgxhve3R97aban3b7VYIb-3f_ArYebSps_QSWNaffROYDdTV4qwQcEfRiNtAWEsw1fUaG9vieIuDHGqlC9Lru8yU7G4qvw2oPh3AeDfOVdTf-ZkiGXTS4ZZ2qWxl1ZdUdnykVA/s1600-h/tutus-for-tatas.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmgxhve3R97aban3b7VYIb-3f_ArYebSps_QSWNaffROYDdTV4qwQcEfRiNtAWEsw1fUaG9vieIuDHGqlC9Lru8yU7G4qvw2oPh3AeDfOVdTf-ZkiGXTS4ZZ2qWxl1ZdUdnykVA/s320/tutus-for-tatas.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085233766836722786" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-84922119927117160812007-07-09T09:16:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:21:30.892-07:00Mill ValleySeveral miles later we met Rina in Mill Valley. In addition to quality wicking fabrics, body glide protected Rina's feet from the rub of asphalt and rocky paths.<br /><br />Leah, currently training for a triathlon, coached Rina by shouting "Quick transition!" and giving Miss Rina pep talks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG8_xe2CQfBwiWQPER7_jBmtLzzslW3gNq9vMuBczNgZ_rrQmP0-wxH3ihzYbKKqHpUlF544VXgr4UeVwqouYIxGI3CVzP9jzh-CcJRHGy_h_xMyCp1f6iqxz2a8kGrtVP3zUAA/s1600-h/quick-transition.BMP"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbG8_xe2CQfBwiWQPER7_jBmtLzzslW3gNq9vMuBczNgZ_rrQmP0-wxH3ihzYbKKqHpUlF544VXgr4UeVwqouYIxGI3CVzP9jzh-CcJRHGy_h_xMyCp1f6iqxz2a8kGrtVP3zUAA/s320/quick-transition.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085232216353528914" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-1324471073713804242007-07-09T09:01:00.000-07:002007-07-09T09:15:23.245-07:00Avon Walk Kick-OffMy good friend <a href="http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR?px=3283894&pg=personal&fr_id=1286">Rina did the San Francisco Avon Walk</a> in honor of her friend Mary Davis that passed away earlier this year from breast cancer. <br /><br />I am proud of Miss Rina's accomplishment! Not only did she walk 39 miles over a two day period she also raised over $2000 for the cause. I think Mary would be proud as well.<br /><br />So here (and the posts that follow) is some of what I saw as I watched Rina's journey unfold.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">HOOKER FOR HOOTERS</span><br /><br />Me, our friend Leah, and Rina's mom (Remi) surprised Rina on the Marin side of the Golden Gate bridge. With cow bells and signs, we cheered for the walkers as "Hookers for Hooters" sang "I Will Survive" and would announce the presence of "the few, the proud, the men!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTCy_0A9hTR-N1p9he9lQDz20rE01AKlQcmWXwdpSCvwOA_tpznfMB6S_waHvLxtxy384-60JAAlzZC0aBgOFzdPvUcwjDPCNgh1i1n1BWd_wjQiLC6s1ZiqRLOQxq7-DB5y7cg/s1600-h/hookers-for-hooters"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTCy_0A9hTR-N1p9he9lQDz20rE01AKlQcmWXwdpSCvwOA_tpznfMB6S_waHvLxtxy384-60JAAlzZC0aBgOFzdPvUcwjDPCNgh1i1n1BWd_wjQiLC6s1ZiqRLOQxq7-DB5y7cg/s320/hookers-for-hooters" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085228398127602754" /></a>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-40813430737496571062007-07-05T19:12:00.000-07:002007-07-05T19:14:12.527-07:00Open Source panel podcast at SXSW 2007I presented at SXSW 2007. They just <a href="http://audio.sxsw.com/podcast/interactive/panel/2007/SXSW07.INT.20070311.OpenSource.mp3">posted the podcast</a>. Check it out.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-45953983064652005192007-06-29T09:30:00.001-07:002007-06-29T09:53:26.912-07:00Nerds for iPhones<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1910/92214960567988/1600/z/617012/bm-image-725592.jpg"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/1910/92214960567988/320/z/257378/bm-image-725592.jpg" width="320"/></a></p>People lining up for iPhone.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-16672326557726984572007-06-21T10:30:00.000-07:002007-06-21T10:45:50.889-07:00Shadows faster than lightI'm fascinated by this concept.....xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-67356460460620665972007-06-20T10:05:00.000-07:002007-06-20T10:33:41.654-07:00A Response to WigDawg's Blog Post on RetinueI ranked 18....but, hell, I'll take it. Simply because...<br /><br /><em>I'm a bitch, I'm a lover<br />I'm a child, I'm a mother<br />I'm a sinner, I'm a saint<br />I do not feel ashamed<br />I'm your hell, I'm your dream<br />I'm nothing in between<br />You know you wouldn't want it any other way</em><br /><br />and yet I still managed to make the list. I put together a list, but not quite as exhaustive or interesting as WigDawg's.<br /><br /><strong>Xicanista's Retinue</strong><br /><ol><br /><li>My ever amazing daughter that makes me a better momma every day</li><br /><li>All of my bad-ass friends that have become family - Sam, Momma Duck, the Slowski's, my homies J and R, and the steadfast Piggy Petunia</li><br /><li>Profesora Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell</li><br /><li>The many women that have (knowingly and unknowingly) shaped my feminism - Ines Casillas (friend and profesora), Amy Dean, Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Ana Castillo, N.O.W. members, 9to5'ers, Cathy Deppe, Janel Martinez, Karen Martinez, Ellen Spertus, Kimberly Blessing, and my sister</li><br /><li>Objects: my autographed copy of <a href="http://www.anacastillo.com/a/index.php?page_id=5">Massacre of the Dreamers</a>, <br />my home where I find peace and safety in the midnight hours of complete stillness and quiet, my cel phone, jeans</li><br /><li>WigDawg</li><br /><li>The many people that bring reflection and laughter to my life....they know who they are.</li><br /></ol><br />WigDawg on Retinue: <em>I'm no king, no prince, no royal. Still, I've got a retinue and they are there daily, at my side, within me, guiding.</em><br /><br />Amen, my brotha'.xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9278482.post-8098088379281688942007-06-19T08:29:00.000-07:002007-06-19T08:31:28.511-07:00Claiming My IdentityOn Sunday night I happened upon a paper I wrote a while back...10 years ago, in fact. I titled it "XICANISTA POR VIDA". The title's font is stylized, tacky, in all caps... Evidentally I wrote it for a Chicana/o Studies 120 class. Turned it for a grade on April 22, 1997. <br /><br />Thought I'd republish it here because they are words worthy of reflection and a true representation of how I first came to claim my <em>xicanista</em> identity.<br /><hr><br />Xicanista is the newest term I use to describe myself. It most accurately portrays who I am. I have not always identified this way. It has taken me 21 years to find this term and even now I wonder if it incorporates my complexity. I am a woman, a feminist, a Chicana. I am also the eldest child in my family and college educated. And now, more than ever, as I approach graduation, I fear the future, but desire it anyway.<br /><br />I chose to identify with the term Xicanista after reading Ana Castillo's Massacre of the Dreamers last summer. Before that I identified with the term Chicana and before that I identified with the term feminist. In high school I did not have a word for myself. My dad would tell me that I was <em>Mexicana</em>. You have to pay attention to the "a" at the end. That meant I had to help my mom keep the house clean, help take care of the kids, and treat men con respeto. I hated that. I was never treated with the same respect. Wearing dresses, crossing my legs, and putting everyone's needs before my own made me hate being Mexicana. For a while I thought that this was all being Mexican had to offer me.<br /><br />I attribute my feminist ideology to my dad's twisted views of femininity. I rejected his expectations of me in subtle ways. It started with me refusing to play with dolls. It slowly progressed to me refusing to close my legs when I had jeans on. He would walk by and slap one of my knees in. This would make me mad. My mom supported his efforts. She wanted me to be a "girly-girl" I did not want to. So when I first heard the word feminist in high school I took it as my own. It was my way of openly defying my mom and dad. I called myself feminist at the dinner table and I swear my dad almost choked on his tortilla from laughter. Everyone else laughed, too. He insinuated only lesbians were feminists. That scared me, but I stood by my position. I suppose I really just wanted to piss him off. I told him he was sexist and that got him mad. He told me I could not call him a sexist until I was financially stable. He told me I did not know what I was talking about and that one day I would fall in love with someone more sexist than him. That would be my punishment. He laughed some more. After that I really stood by the term feminist. I felt like I was rejecting my Mexican-ness, but I felt it was necessary.<br /><br />Garza and Gallegos's discussion of environmental influences and personal choice partially explain my rejection of ideals of femininity. Brunswick's lens model suggests that "in any given situation an individual is faced with a large number of stimuli, each with a varying respective probability occurrence, along with associated repertoire of possible behavior, also with varying probabilities of enactment"(<a href="#1">1</a>) Although my family stressed repressive standards of femininity, I also received other "stimuli" from peers outside of my racial group. I saw that other fathers did not treat their daughters in the same way. For this reason I began to think patriarchy was specific to being Mexican. Obviously my conclusion was misguided. However, it demonstrates how "a highly Americanized Chicano, in comparison to a highly Mexicanized Chicano, would have a higher probability of exposure to and hence adopting Anglo cultural constructs, resulting in behavior congruent with Anglo norms."(<a href="#2">2</a>) In other words it serves as an example of how multicultural individuals such as myself, feel as though they have a broader range of choices.<br /><br />I was never sure what it meant to be Mexican. Other than believing it meant male control of my life, I thought it meant low riding, family violence, being poor, uneducated, and (ironically) hard working. In a way I felt like I was all of these things. But at the same time I did not feel Mexican enough. Other Mexicans criticized my inability to speak Spanish fluently, the way I dressed and my choice of friends. I understand Spanish but native speakers have always made me feel self-conscious of my inability to speak it fluently. I did not feel it made me less Mexican. I eat beans and tortiallas for dinner and go to quincenearas. I never dressed Mexican enough for other people in my neighborhood. I was considered white washed because I did not dress like a <em>chola</em>. I tried being a hair-bear, but my straight hair would fall to one side no matter how much hair spray I used or how tight my perm was. My parents would not let me wear make-up so I definitely did not fit in with the other girls my age.<br /><br />The issue of language still bothers me. As Hurtado and Gurin suggest, as a self-identified Chicana I "downgrade standard English and favor Chicano dialect."(<a href="#3">3</a>) I cannot speak perfect Spanish but I can seak Spang-lish. I believe that my Spanish-English combination does not make me less Chicana. Some believe that my inability to speak soley Spanish is a sign of "selling-out". I am no perceived as having strong ties with my ethnic identity. But as Hurtado and Gurin point out "approval of bilingualism is thus conceived here as a reflection not of stronger ethnic identity but of <em>particular</em> meanings that ethnicity has assumed for Mexican-origin people".(<a href="#4">4</a>) It represents a range of values and traditions in Chicana/o culture and all cultures in general. I believe Chicanos sometimes fall into the trap of essentializing culture. The criticism of my Spanish speaking ability is an example of that.<br /><br />My chicanisma is not a reflection of bi-culturalism. It is a reflection of multiculturalism. I decided to make friends with other "marginalized" kids throughout my years in school. My best friend is Lakota Indian. She has been my best friend since I was nine. Her family is very similar to mine so I always felt at home with her. My other friends were generally of mixed race (Japanese and White, Mexican and Black) and/or extremely poor. None of us fit "our" category well, so we lumped ourselves together. Although I did not realize it at the time, we exchanged a lot of cultural practices and values. We all learned how to be comfortable outside of the group we claimed membership. Looking back, I think this may have been the best thing that happened to me because it has taught me how to interact with groups of people that are not my own. I believe it has made me more multi-culturally minded. I see people in relation to one another, or in relation to socially constructed categories. I believe it also allowed me to be tracked into college bound classes. Since I was not the "typical", teachers and administrators paid some attention to my educational needs.<br /><br />I began to re-embrace <em>mi mexicanidad</em> when I came to college. Being Mexican means more than I thought it did. It also means having a rich, complex heritage. It means it is o.k. to be me, especially in the Chicano context. I have come to believe that I am "Mexican enough" for myself. This is partially due to being socially accepted by my peers in Davis. I have met people born and raised in Mexico for most of their lives. I have also met people that speak less Spanish than I do. They all call themselves Chicano. I represent a "version" or "form" of Chicano culture. I "have generally positive feelings abou it but exhibit few specific ethnic behaviors associate it".(<a href="#5">5</a>) I feel I am helping the culture evolve. Most of the theories regarding Chicano psychology seem as though they cannot get beyond the dichotomous division of Mexican/American. My identity as a Chicana is more than that. My version of Chicana identity is more fluid, salient and multicultural, but nonetheless I grew up in a Mexicano home and identify with the culture.<br /><br />Coming to UCD also made me realize that patriarchy is not limited to Chicano culture. Patriarchy pervades all societies in different ways. As evidence of this I poit out that "feminism was not correlated with indicators of Latino(a) identity or American identity."(<a href="#6">6</a>) My feminist title is no longer a reaction to my patriarchal upbringing. It is an articulation of my female experience. It is a term of empowerment. I do not have to adhere to perversed ideals of femininity or sexist cultural practices. As a Chicana y feminista, I feel I am acting on my own terms. I am the center of my personal universe. No man or ethnocentric person has the power to rule or rock my world. I have always thirsted for this personal power and now I have it. I have gained respect for myself. I cannot attribute these feelings to Anglo or Chicano values. In my mind, it is simply who I choose to be.<br /><br />What it means to be a feminist, to be a Chicana, to be a woman is not merely one thing. Definitions of myself are fluid and salient. I cannot be one thing without simultaneously being another. Although psychological analysis attempts to account for simultaneous, multiple identities, I believe semantic limitationswill never allow any field of student to essentialize behavior and attitudes into an accurate science. For now, I refer to myself as Chicana feminist or <em>Xicansita</em>. It is a term not widely used. It allows me the flexibility to be who I am and who I want to become.<br /><br /><p id="1">Garza, Raymond T. & Placida I. Gallegos. "Environmental Influences and Personal Choice: A Humanistic Perspective on Acculturation" In Hispanic Psychology Edited by Amado Padilla. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, pp 5.</p><br /><p id="2">IBID, pp 8-9.</p><br /><p id="3">Hurtado, Aida & Patricia Gurin. "Ethnic Identity and Bilingualism Attitudes" In Hispanic Psychology Edited by Amado M. Padilla. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 1995, pp 92.</p><br /><p id="4">IBID, pp 93.</p><br /><p id="5">Phinney, Jean S. "Ethnic Identity and Self-Esteem: A Review and Integration" In Hispanic Psychology Edited by Amado M. Padilla. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 1995, pp 60.</p><br /><p id="6">Felix-Ortiz de la Garza, Maria et al. "A Multicultural Dimensional Measure of Cultural Identity for Latino & Latina Adolescenes" In Hispanic Psychology Edited by Amado M. Padilla. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, 1995, pp 33.</p>xicanistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502803139457333127noreply@blogger.com