tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29036859436459433902024-03-13T10:56:29.238-07:00WRITER RICARDO LIRA ACUÑA'S BLOG<br><br>Enter your e-mail address below to subscribe:Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-68100865337757347392012-12-13T11:30:00.000-08:002012-12-13T11:30:24.323-08:00in the city<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in the city<br />
oh the city!<br />
to feel pretty,</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">you’re so pretty<br />
in the city,</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">oh the city<br />
dirty</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to be oh so dirty</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">in the city</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">dizzy</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">so damn dizzy,<br />
in the city,</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">oh the city<br />
you’re so pretty</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">but so dirty,</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">oh so dirty</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and so dizzy<br />
in the city</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>oh the city!</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Like this poem? Buy my poetry/photography eBooks at:<br /><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></u></span><u><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></u></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and share this poem and link with friends and family.</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gracias!</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ricardo </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-85207509375863263082012-12-13T10:48:00.002-08:002012-12-13T10:48:39.837-08:00miracle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>I thought you
didn't want to come into this world</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>I don't blame you</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>I'm still trying to
like it myself</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Against the bloody
torrent</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Inside your
mother's vessel you held fast</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>While we older,
wiser guardians</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>In our hurry and
worry thought you dead</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>You have many miles
and years to travel yet</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>And as many dangers
pose still a threat</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Have no doubt that
life is precious</span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And
that you're a miracle from the beginning</span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Like this poem? Buy my poetry/photography eBooks at:<br /><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></u></span><u><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></u></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and share this poem and link with friends and family.</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gracias!</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ricardo </span></b></div>
<div style="color: white;">
<br /></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-34047409448135621882012-12-13T10:45:00.001-08:002012-12-13T10:45:11.861-08:00blank<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">please
do come in out of the global warming cold</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and
enjoy a frozen smoke and a hot-piping beer</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">happy
_____ holidays!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i
sing under cozy roof and rub fat pork belly</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">thank
my lucky stars and the face of my merciful ________</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">for
American me happy home happy family happy friends and happy life</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">but
then i couldn’t help myself could i</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and
ate me some nuked buttery slightly burned popcorn</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and
had me watch me some late night news porn</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">about
an Afghan woman who had 39 of her family and friends killed</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">since
World War ____ began</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">including
her husband, brother and 11-year-old son</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and
i didn’t know if i should change the channel or cry or die or ________</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">where
is her merciful ________</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and
what the _____ can i do about it?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">when
all i want is my new year i have a dream presidential memorial independence
laboring columbus veteran turkey of a christmas wish God bless the U.S. of A.!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">to
be happy</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">like
we all want to be happy, right?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">but
what the ___ is happy</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">if
there’s just one ______________</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">who
is</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">not</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">__________</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">If you like this poem, please buy my eBooks at:<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and/or share this poem with friends and family who would be interested.</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gracias!</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ricardo </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-47205080140571631372012-12-13T10:21:00.000-08:002012-12-13T11:30:42.283-08:00sorry<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i’m sorry</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i beg you </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">on my knees</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">with my hands in
the air</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">tears flooding down
my face</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">beating my chest
with my fists</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">mea culpa mea culpa</span></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I take everything
back</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I regret everything</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i’ve ever said and
done</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">on all fours, look</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">bashing my head on
the rocks</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">blood running hot</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I wish myself dead</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I question why</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">i was even born</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I’m crying out to never exist again</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">please</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">because that’s what
it is to be sorry</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and never want to
be sorry again</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Like this poem? Buy my poetry/photography eBooks at:<br /><u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></u></span><u><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></u></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">and share this poem and link with friends and family.</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Gracias!</span></b></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ricardo </span></b></div>
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Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-22107739870193277912012-08-22T16:20:00.000-07:002012-08-22T16:30:14.971-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">las manos de mi padre</i></b></span></div>
<div class="O" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>father's hands<br />
caked with dirt,<br />
maps with tiny roads of blood<br />
from splinters and metal edges,<br />
burned in the sun,<br />
frozen in the warehouse, <br />
scented with:</b></span></div>
<div class="O" style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>tomates</i>, <br />
<i>calabazas</i> (squash), <br />
<i>pepinos </i>(cucumbers), <br />
<i>sandías</i> (watermelons), <br />
<i>mangos</i>, <br />
<i>jalapeños</i>, <br />
<i>aguacates</i> (avocados), <br />
<i>berenjenas</i> (eggplant), <br />
<i>melones</i>, <br />
<i>cerezas</i> (cherries), <br />
<i>limones</i>, <br />
<i>uvas</i> (grapes), <br />
</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
<div class="O" style="color: black;">
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and other produce</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>you and I have eaten</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>without knowing</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>by whose hand</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>we have been fed</b></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you like this poem, please buy my eBooks at:<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and/or share this poem with friends and family who would be interested.</b></span></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gracias!</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ricardo </span></span></b></span></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-3209033356929771422012-05-28T10:20:00.000-07:002012-06-08T10:39:23.933-07:00the wheel grinds on<!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the wheel grinds on,</span></b></span></div>
<div class="O" style="color: black;">
<div style="color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>humanity advances,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>and the skyscrapers scrape<br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>deeper into space</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>and those who plummet to their death,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>plummet to their death,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>their last yells go unheard,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>unremembered,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>but i am young,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>and the time is now,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>and there is no time,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>and yet my heart is sick</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>because i want to make the music </b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>i hear on the radio,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>the lingering lyrics,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>the driving beat,</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>the sea for others to swim in</b></span></span></div>
<div style="color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white; font-family: "Century Gothic";"></span><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From my ebook <u>under the influence</u>.</span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna" style="color: red;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</a></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>
</b></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 12pt;"><b></b></span><span style="color: white; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-color-index: 0; mso-hansi-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><b>
</b></span></div>
</div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0Los Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.6312602 -118.87539890000001 34.4732082 -117.6119709tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-78043693951258574532012-05-20T16:22:00.000-07:002012-05-23T16:30:38.376-07:00these roses i wrote you/estas rosas te escribi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">These roses I wrote for you,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hope you like them</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">They are motley-colored</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And pure like love itself</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">But thorny</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Like the heart itself</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hope these roses you’ll
caress with your care</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Their thirst satiate with
your tears</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And your singing make them
grow</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hope these roses console you</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">During the sunny day and
stormy night</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Even when you’re old and tired</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">And I’m dead and not longer
by your side</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">May they speak of our love)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">These
roses I wrote for you</span></span><br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Estas rosas te escribi</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ojala y te gusten</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Son de todos colores y puras</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Como el amor</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Pero espinosas</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Como el corazon</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ojala estas rosas acarisiez
con tu querer</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Con tus lagrimas les quites
la sed</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Y con tu cantar las hagas
crecer</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ojala estas rosas te
consuelen</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Durante el dia asoleado y la
noche tormentosa</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Aun cuando seas viejita y
cansada</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Y muerto yo a tu lado no
este</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Que hablen de nuestro amor</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Estas
rosas que te escribi</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</span></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0Los Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.6312602 -118.87539890000001 34.4732082 -117.6119709tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-4569739719079761542012-05-13T11:36:00.000-07:002012-05-16T11:40:31.569-07:00woman/mujer<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pupbqOQxx6Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">desert flower</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">root</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">earth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">are you</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">woman</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">aguave water</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">cloud, bird of hope</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">my guiding star</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">along the dark road</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">through the mad city</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">may they never take away</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">your light, your fervor, your splendor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">you are all heavenly bodies</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the universe itself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and i</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a mere moon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">but with an iron heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ready for battle</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">my queen</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">you are salvation</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and i your Lazarus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">still deaf, mute, blind, senseless</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">only you can make me believe</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">in the beyond</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">springtime to all winters</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">life to death</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">are you</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">woman</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/7QMPxi2JA_Y/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QMPxi2JA_Y&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7QMPxi2JA_Y&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">flor del
desierto</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">raíz</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">tierra</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">eres tú</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">mujer</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">agua del
aguave</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">nube, ave esperanza</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">mi estrella guía</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">por la carretera obscura</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a través la cuidad lunática</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">que nunca te quiten tu luz, tu ardor, tu fulgor </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">eres todos los cuerpos celestiales</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">el universo mismo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">y yo</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">un simple satelite</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">pero con el corazón de hierro</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">dispuesto a toda batalla</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">mi reina</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">eres salvación</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">y yo tu Lázaro</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">aún sordo, mudo, ciego, inconsiente</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">solo tu me haces creer</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">en el mas allá</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">primavera a todo invierno</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">vida a la muerte</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">eres tú</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">mujer</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">From my ebook <u>Greetings from Heaven & Hell</u>:</span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-28644358391357949092012-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:002012-05-07T16:13:30.069-07:00may day<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TP3Bg-FR8RE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">fuck the
politicians, ceos, bankers, celebrities</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">false idols</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">let us instead
drink, sing, celebrate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">our parents, our teachers,
the working class</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the people we see
on the bus</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and in the streets
everyday</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">fuck the civics
book trivia</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">of useless dates
and names</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">of people and
places and events</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">that are
self-important </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">let us instead
learn about</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a day in the life
of</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">every man, woman
and child</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">who make up
humanity</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">not illusion or
insanity</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the real heroes</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the
true history</span></span>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0Los Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.6312602 -118.87539890000001 34.4732082 -117.6119709tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-91533869818546151252012-04-24T09:12:00.001-07:002012-04-24T09:35:29.664-07:00Office is<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZKGnyC3ZAg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">office is pettiness</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">over who comes in at what time and takes what breaks and leaves at what time and does or doesn’t do what work or uses whose desk and eats what food and talks or doesn’t talk to whom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">office is boredom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">same hours, same desks, same tired uninspired faces, same tired soggy asses down the same trodden paths down the same endless hallways with endless doors keeping people in or out, same lunch spots, same complaints about the same people and when’s the next holiday or vacation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">office is fear</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of having somewhere to go to and being told what to do because they’ll pay you, of forcing yourself out of much-needed sleep, swallowing your breakfast, not smelling the roses, bitching in traffic, but upon arrival, putting on a face that life is just fine, that the weekend was enough time to live, that your life is in order, that you’re emotionally healthy and sane, that your clothes are clean and pressed, that your hair is coiffed and your teeth are brushed, that your underwear is clean and that there is nowhere else in all of God’s Green Earth you’d rather be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">office is humiliation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the modern-day equivalent of the fields our fathers and mothers slaved in, all education, worldly experience, and soul sacrificed to the continuously humming machine spitting out profit, where superiors are superiors not by brute or intellect or any intrinsic quality but by arbitrariness, connection or wealth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">office is death</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where you spend time with people you don’t want to or even like, where your mind and body atrophy, where your dreams of being a writer turn to dust, where day after day after day you rot, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and life evaporates before your very eyes</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">From my ebook <u>Greetings from Heaven & Hell</u>.</span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">https://www.amazon.com/author/writeracuna</span></a>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-88240393433737510322012-02-14T12:00:00.000-08:002012-02-16T12:10:49.888-08:00How Broken-Hearted Found Love<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LU36l_YW3ozejRZptgVhq7BsoRniRB48sCa8ZQKcYhdOQlHQf66sejEEFq4K_agI7dNqadsuGuXL-v_5k0WvKMHMwEyWw5Thq0ekZPtMvLs2Y55gBvZ5P0R94OEb0ek1is44YH8TePQ/s1600/prebloom.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LU36l_YW3ozejRZptgVhq7BsoRniRB48sCa8ZQKcYhdOQlHQf66sejEEFq4K_agI7dNqadsuGuXL-v_5k0WvKMHMwEyWw5Thq0ekZPtMvLs2Y55gBvZ5P0R94OEb0ek1is44YH8TePQ/s640/prebloom.bmp" width="463" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bloom © 2011 Ricardo Lira Acuña</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> Broken-hearted
for two years after my arrival to LA and several bad dates later, I had already
given up on finding someone, that is, until I met Love. She ignored me for about a month after I
first met her. Then one night at the
Bigfoot Lodge we just clicked, and she wrote her number on the back of a Food
4 Less receipt. We started going out
and seeing each other every chance we got.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> A few
months into our courtship, she called me up with tickets to a Ricky Martin
concert in San Jose. I really wasn’t
interested in going, but for the love of her, we drove up to San Francisco,
stayed for the weekend, and caught the concert on Sunday evening. Driving back to LA after midnight, I was
speeding over 90 on the I-5 to get us back as soon as I could because we both
had to work the next day. It had been
the perfect weekend. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> But it only
took a split second, when I thought the car wheels had hit dirt in the island
between lanes, for everything to go wrong.
I swerved, slammed the brakes, and we spun out and flipped over several
times. Time slowed down as glass and
dirt flew everywhere, and I put my arm out to protect Love fearing the worst
ending. We landed in a ditch by the side
of the freeway. My scalp was badly cut, making me look like Stephen King’s bloody Carrie. Miraculously though, Love was unharmed and
able to run up to the freeway, inbetween checking up on me to make sure I
didn’t go into shock, until she was finally able to flag down a trucker who
called 911. I was sewn up at the nearest
ER, and we had to spend the night in some hotel in Los Banos because my car was
totaled. I told Love right there and
then that she could leave me, and there wouldn’t be any hard feelings. We took a Greyhound bus back to LA, and she
stuck it out with me. I proposed to her
on Valentine’s Day 12 years ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Poor Love,
don’t know how she puts up with me, but I’m glad she does. I’m still a kid at heart who doesn’t want to
grow up. I’m also struggling as a
writer, my mind always preoccupied with what I’m writing and not necessarily
the daily obligations, responsibilities and chores. But I do know this, my Love brings out the
best in me and teaches me to be a better husband, father and person. She inspired many of the poems in my second
book of poetry and photography, <u>Greetings from Heaven & Hell</u>, about
falling in love and the realities of marriage and growing up. I owe my beautiful children, my life,
everything to Love. I love you. Marvilla.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now on sale as an ebook for only $2.99, <u>Greetings from Heaven &
Hell</u>:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066CPY3O">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066CPY3O</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now on sale as an ebook for only $2.99, <u>under the influence</u>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AA2Z6">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AA2Z6</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Please share with anyone you know who enjoys poetry
and photography. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And thank you for your
support!</span>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-23011876597892142542011-12-20T15:28:00.000-08:002011-12-23T11:39:54.838-08:00How Charles Bukowski Saved Broken-Hearted<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSuHPQa97HEn2sEQ3WfXktqXUfz52FFSaG-SLI7_AytNz20sYW5FgvJ8I2OY2c_D5iLnjiC3YzRTT6tnR7NPrne4-oBToDRYJxe9lZVDMCMVDoy8WUOg94hdHOvMD7Q7t-EWQnIapu2E/s1600/buk+miller+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSuHPQa97HEn2sEQ3WfXktqXUfz52FFSaG-SLI7_AytNz20sYW5FgvJ8I2OY2c_D5iLnjiC3YzRTT6tnR7NPrne4-oBToDRYJxe9lZVDMCMVDoy8WUOg94hdHOvMD7Q7t-EWQnIapu2E/s1600/buk+miller+time.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Were it not for</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Charles Bukowski</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wouldn’t be a writer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My girlfriend of 7 years woke up one morning</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and dumped me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We had met in college</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">at an overseas exchange program in Paris-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>oh la la la la la la la la!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But instead of immersing ourselves in French,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we spent most of the time looking for jazz clubs and museums</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and falling in love. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After college we couldn’t find a job to save our lives,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but when we did,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we wanted to be saved from our jobs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We moved to New York City</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where I went to film school.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But we couldn’t afford NYC;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and it was driving me crazy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with anxiety and panic disorder! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She wanted to move near her family and settle down;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wanted to do the same,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but near my family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We ended up in Denver(?)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where I proposed to her 3 three times, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and 3 times she thought it best</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to save up our money. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the dead of winter,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I bought a used Honda</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Drove for 18 hours on icy roads</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and could’ve slipped right off </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the Rockies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and wouldn’t have given a damn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was broken-hearted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Without connects or money in the City of Angels, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I took an office job and avoided film production </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">because they paid nothing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">or next to nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I now had humongous student loans to pay back,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in addition to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">my car, rent and bills. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One night while speeding home drunk,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I flew my car</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">over some railroad tracks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and plowed into a parked car.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I woke up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with a sheet over my face</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and thought I was</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">visiting my body. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But a doctor </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was stitching my face. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Luckily, no one was in the parked car,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but my Honda was totaled. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I commuted on 2 buses</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from where I lived east of East LA </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to my job on the Westside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You’d think I’d enjoy not being stuck </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in infamous LA traffic,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">but I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was broken-hearted. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />One day I happened to walk into</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the LA Central Public Library downtown</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and happened to browse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">through the lit section,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where I came upon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Charles Bukowski. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’d heard of him</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">through a classmate </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">who claimed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bukowski was the greatest writer there ever was. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And there was Bukowski himself, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">all that was left of him anyway,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in my hands, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">his words. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But man, were they words! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They came alive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and spoke to me, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as clear a voice I ever heard. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Right to the heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No pretense. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No bullshit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As if the man had cut himself open for all to see—</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the good, the bad and the ugly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had his struggles as a writer and as a person, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But what I wanted most</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was his lust for life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I read his every book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I wrote my own poems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even in the darkest moments</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when I felt like leaving LA, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">giving up on being a writer </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and ever finding someone else to love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bukowski was there like a good friend </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">reminding me to keep going </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">until the day came </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when I wasn’t </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">broken-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hearted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NOTE: If you like what you just read, please check out my books of poetry and photography now available as ebooks for the Kindle on Amazon.com.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Here's the link to my 1st book of poetry and photography </span><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">under the influence</u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AA2Z6" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066AA2Z6</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Here's the link to my 2nd book of poetry and photography </span><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greetings from Heaven & Hell</u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066CPY3O">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066CPY3O</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Please share with anyone you know who enjoys poetry and photography. And thank you for your support!</span></span>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-65430209497675401982011-08-07T23:55:00.000-07:002011-12-21T14:22:08.050-08:00pichin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-QO7ksutxA4rb9IpEqVcsVjzWzflB7caAA6JsfX30KRS-LNki_Zo5Y1qSJRCIXxDMxVhqQnUtgVuGem1RBDWkqB2rpcMhHAfyWoBPEifFCROkEMia8wm7rzwDPNSW2M5d08vgSeP6u0/s1600/pichin+born.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-QO7ksutxA4rb9IpEqVcsVjzWzflB7caAA6JsfX30KRS-LNki_Zo5Y1qSJRCIXxDMxVhqQnUtgVuGem1RBDWkqB2rpcMhHAfyWoBPEifFCROkEMia8wm7rzwDPNSW2M5d08vgSeP6u0/s400/pichin+born.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">i thought you didn't want to come into this
world<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">i don't blame you<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">i'm still trying to like it myself<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">against the bloody torrent<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">inside your mother's vessel you held fast<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">while we older, wiser guardians<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">in our hurry and worry thought you dead<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">you have many miles and years to travel yet<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">and as many dangers pose still a threat<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">so have no doubt that life is precious<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; position: relative; top: 0.5pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">and that you're a miracle
from the beginning</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">NOTE: I initially wrote this after my wife and I thought we had a miscarriage a few months into the pregnancy. Then we had another miscarriage scare a few months later. To top it off, Pichin was born a 7-month, 3-lb. premie and spent a month in the hospital. We cannot thank our families, friends and the Kaiser NICU at Sunset and Vermont enough for their support during this trying time, and we are also grateful to report that Pichin is doing well and growing into normalcy.</span><br />
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</span></div>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-92188891614363218072010-05-03T11:44:00.000-07:002011-12-21T09:50:29.309-08:00First Roadblock<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">I<span style="font-size: 100%;"> wish I could tell you that I was advancing to the Seminfinals and happily on my way to winning the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, but I am not. Disappointed? To say the least. Worst of all, I let you, my readers, down. You who took the time and trouble to read my pages and especially you who wrote such kind praise for my reviews.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Ultimately, I would like to think that I did not advance because of incompatibility between what I wrote and what the the contest was looking for. However, I must assume full responsibility and go back to my writing, and continue to work endlessly and tirelessly until my writing is such that it cannot be denied.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">While I am grateful that my novel was a Quarterfinalist its first time out, my aim is true and simple: to write and publish the best first novel that I can. I owe it to myself, and I owe it to you. </span></span></div>
<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />Thank you for your overwhelming support. That is reward and motivation enough as I go forward in search of an agent to get the novel published.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Adelante!</span></span></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-30415563868272699602010-03-23T21:00:00.000-07:002011-12-21T09:50:11.664-08:00The Road to Getting My First Novel Published<div align="justify">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJXw1Ls_QYzVtafG34QPuS4KwNqv-qN1zI3-cVtCKe9FF6O5Br1emq1wYQ5SyYx78esvm-nGI6L0OD5tBPoXruzEE6nObBKhg41lYGWRaEC0fLJGVoFkAG_y0CNVHIfGZqhJu9DGjzAI/s1600/Prodigal+Book+Cover.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467121532073563906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJXw1Ls_QYzVtafG34QPuS4KwNqv-qN1zI3-cVtCKe9FF6O5Br1emq1wYQ5SyYx78esvm-nGI6L0OD5tBPoXruzEE6nObBKhg41lYGWRaEC0fLJGVoFkAG_y0CNVHIfGZqhJu9DGjzAI/s1600/Prodigal+Book+Cover.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Five years ago, I quit teaching high school English at LAUSD, my father died and I wrote the first draft to my first novel Prodigal Son. At the beginning of this year, I finished my fifth draft and submitted it to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award within one hour of the deadline. Based on a 300-word pitch of the novel, 10,000 total entries were boiled down to 1,000 entries in general fiction and 1,000 entries in young adult fiction (Prodigal Son being one of them) at the end of February. As of the end of March, 500 total are now Quarterfinalists based on the first few chapters. Prodigal Son being one of them. 100 Semi-finalists will be announced at the end of this month.</span></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-53259959885677504412008-06-11T04:20:00.000-07:002011-12-21T09:43:24.812-08:00through the eyes of a baby<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.slide.com/r/OKT7RTxCxz8IOJy0TAu0B7A9jn0NkXrE?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210664182366885906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozECj-6HlAscYTRbBgEIOae3SujP4-HHAf8NuP-OBcAgj9rZAROLyU6Hlnrt3AI6qBVEdzfSete0sepyIQItkHpG2NX8rS-lbCG78BeOoFnzb9sEbs4OABrGwucXRyksRZLEFe8TasXU/s400/__sysMes.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So I'm changing my tune already, Frida Maria has turned 4 months old, and I'm not the wiser but I am getting used to it. And now she's observing her environment, looking around with those precious little buttons for eyes that she has. And she making all kinds of talk noises and moving restlessly about her crib. And best of all, she smiles at me and my wife and recognizes us when she wakes up first thing in the morning and whenever we give her the attention she deserves. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">She's starting to teeth though, and the drool is pouring and she bites her hands and tries to itch at those gums. And that's when she gets really fussy. But other than that, she's mellow and likes going out, especially to supermarkets with all the bright light and colors from the countless products, and to parties, with all the funny faces and loud noises. If anything, my wife asks: "Is it wrong to think that your baby is just too cute for words?" So among Frida Maria's many nicknames (Baby Jokes, Little Slick, Little Big Cheeks, Cheeky Cheeks, Papa Frita), TCFW is her most recent and most text-friendly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The worrying doesn't stop of course. My wife had to go back to work for a month and half to close out the school year since she's a teacher. She'll have the summer off which is great for her and Frida Maria. But in the meantime, we had to get a nanny. Still, I'm always worrying about Frida Maria's safety and physical well-being. Did she eat enough? Did she sleep or not? Did she cry a lot? And then I sit in my office cubicle looking at my pictures of Frida Maria wishing I was with her and then I really start worrying about the big monsters under my bed. What will the future hold for Frida Maria? Will the world economies, especially that of the U.S., tumble because of oil prices and scarcities? Will global warming bring humanity more natural disasters and millions of deaths more? Will my poor little girl grow up in a world filled with hunger, death and war at her doorstep? But isn't that the world I was born into myself and still live in? As I've always said, the world has been ending since it started. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't want Frida Maria to suffer at all. How can I protect her though? How can I save her? And what about the day we have to separate for whatever reason, or God forbid, because of death? What then? I suppress these thoughts as best I can, focus on the present, on the positive. Live and enjoy the moment. But easier said than done when humanity is sick, when we're all mentally sick and bent on destroying ourselves and everything around us. Can we really turn it around? Or is it too late? And if we can, will we? Day at a time. Moment at a time is the only way to live it seems to keep from going completely mad. To be present, aware of the beautiful world around us as seen through the eyes of a baby.</span></span></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-4942056191142330062008-03-21T04:20:00.000-07:002011-12-21T09:43:04.324-08:00Baby Blues<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.slide.com/r/bgfT0wpf3z-MbVK6vE4R8CQTwZtL2Lgn?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210713117107546146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3LgkeUZ_6En96LA-TMGbzgKqduerZDeXx7pnhRHVc68b-6k3xDCju625PuzK69hgmtJoGwoSfhW9-EbdNRk7yWiSH16AUfsh4UdMe9b2orVyPMdkg-2mr-8qWZgMUmSstFjT9AGzRe0/s400/frida+born.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Forget the Peace Corps. The toughest job you’ll ever love is having and raising a child. My wife and I just had our first baby. And at 37, I’m an old fart. Perhaps I should’ve done it when I was younger and more malleable. But it was hard enough finding someone to love who loved me back. The world is full of myths and lies, amongst them is romantic love. As I told my wife, “It’s hard enough to put up with yourself, so why would you want to put up with someone else?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Another conspiracy is that we must have babies and that babies are so cute and nothing less. Well, if you’re thinking about having of a baby, think twice and think hard because we don’t recommend it. At least not for the first few months. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">I’m glad my wife and I waited a couple of years after we got married. That way we got to know each other. If I hesitated about having a baby, it’s because the world is what it is. And what I’m talking about is the fabricated, fucked-up, ego-driven illusion of “civilization” we humans have created. So bringing another being into this insanity should be pause for thought because sometimes I don’t even want to be here. There are those who think they can gain immortality through children. I doubt it. Most hope their children will make the world a better place and not worse. That’s the hope. But in the end, having a baby is probably and simply about instinct and survival.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Pregnancy first. My wife had a relatively good one in that her pain or discomfort was neither extreme nor overwhelming, so I can’t tell you much about that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Next, labor and delivery. Like everything else in life, you won’t really know what it’s like until you experience it for yourself. Although no substitute for actual experience, education is the only weapon we have against ignorance and the unknown. So read every book you can get your hands on and talk to someone you trust who’s had a baby. Take a lamaze class. Be prepared for anything and everything. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Don’t have a baby through an HMO, unless it’s a damn good one or you got a damn good primary physician. Don’t go to the hospital too early. We did, and we were in labor for 25 hours because they wouldn’t let my wife stand, walk or try any of the labor-inducing positions we were taught in lamaze! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Prepare to give up sleep forever. We were awake 36 hours before getting any sleep. Write up a birthing plan, and make sure they don't smoke it. Have a mid-wife, a doula or someone who knows what they’re doing at your side so the nurses and doctors don’t run you over. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Drugs or drug-free? My wife didn’t want any, but when her contractions slowed down, they gave her pitocin, a drug which my wife likened to having your insides carved out with a knife. The pain was so Nightmare on Elm Street that she gladly followed it up with an epidural. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">After full dilation, the pushing is the scariest. They threatened my wife to push the baby out in 3 hours or get a c-section. My wife pushed beyond pushing. She turned colors, had a panic attack, shook uncontrollably and for the first time in her life told me, “I’m scared.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And you’d think that once the baby is out, it’s over and everybody lives happily ever after. But noooo, they stole our baby away to the NICU with the preemies because my wife had a temperature of 100. Not due to an infection mind you but because (1) the room was stuffy, (2) she was loaded with drugs, and (3) she just pushed a baby out her vagina!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Breastfeeding is painful. it takes a couple of days for the milk to come down, and a woman has to actually learn how to do it properly and so does the baby. It’s all about latching! And it takes a couple of weeks to make it happen, so don't give up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Bottom line is: HMOs want the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to get you in and out of the hospital while still covering their asses. So make sure you cover yours and that of your family's. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">And so you finally get the baby home, and everyone lives happily ever after, right? Guess again. The baby feeds every 2 to 3 hours. There are 8 to 12 diapers to change per day. Babies get bad gas that makes them irritable. If you were born under an unlucky star, your baby will be colicky, cry inconsolably for hours and will keep you up all night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">But the sleep deprivation is nothing compared to the CRYING! You have to swaddle them tight, rock and sooth them to sleep which can take from half an hour to a couple of hours while the baby cries bloody murder in your ear. Rocking chairs, gripe water and swaddlers (not receiving blankets) are lifesavers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">And once you do get them to sleep, all you have to do is try to fit in as many house chores as you can, shit, shower, eat, check your e-mail before your precious miracle wakes up and you start all over again. It’s relentless, non-stop, 25/8, the biggest and baddest rollercoasters of them all! As a parent, you lose sleep, hygiene and your mind. You are literally a zombie sleepwalking through your life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">And that’s just the physical damage. Mentally, I’m all over the place. I now think of every person as being a big baby, and instead of crying, we complain all the time. (Just like I'm doing now.) The whole human race is infantile! So grow up people and evolve dammit! Quit killing each other already, and let's save the planet before it's too late! All I ever do is worry about my baby’s safety and well-being and what the next growth phase will be and how do I keep my patience and sanity for so many years to come and then turn my baby, flesh of my loins, over to the world?!?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">Now don’t get me wrong. Everything I'm crying about is quite normal and average, and I'm very grateful for that. I can't imagine dealing with more than one baby (e.g., twins), any real complications, sickness or heartbreaking anything having to do with a baby. I love my baby girl, and she’s the most beautiful thing in the world to me. And I know that in time, probably sooner than I think, I’ll be singing a different tune, but for now, I got the baby blues.</span></div>
Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2903685943645943390.post-57472706487689877212007-02-26T14:35:00.000-08:002012-02-26T10:31:46.969-08:00Yeah, I've been to the Oscars...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgEZv15OS1P9e76iIOmg4Cba43xNrEIgroMwEjQE4MHxNTWOhevoMpEAjSRhh0RXrhs4M_uRZZn1WsqcDaOX5ITqePQNmMP2h2QaXAcnosBeAH0dvDewrYK7Z8qDQQcMwqH9UPy0wnMI/s1600/Trophy_Oscar%255B4%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgEZv15OS1P9e76iIOmg4Cba43xNrEIgroMwEjQE4MHxNTWOhevoMpEAjSRhh0RXrhs4M_uRZZn1WsqcDaOX5ITqePQNmMP2h2QaXAcnosBeAH0dvDewrYK7Z8qDQQcMwqH9UPy0wnMI/s1600/Trophy_Oscar%255B4%255D.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I attended the Oscars 5 years ago with my friend Big Red. He was working for the Academy back then and had an extra ticket because his wife was going to be out of town. We arrived around 3:30 P.M., spiffy in our tuxes. But before I even stepped onto the red carpet, they took my binoculars away at the security checkpoint. It was the first Academy award show after 911, and they had sharpshooters on the rooftops. I was just hoping Mexicans weren't considered terrorists, and I was too in awe of the event to really be scared. We saw Ridley Scott and Hugh Jackman in front of us as we made our way down the magic carpet covering Hollywood Boulevard, camera flashes going off and fans shouting from the stands. We pretended to be somebody and waved back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once in the Kodak Theater, we made our way to the top floor where complimentary martinis were being dispensed. I'm a beer man myself, but won't turn down a free drink, whatever it is. So we started in on them martinis, and before I knew it, I was shaking hands with legendary Ernest Borgnine, then David Lynch, and all I could say was, "I'm a big fan of yours."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A few martinis later, we had a great buzz going, and the show was about to begin. We found our nosebleed seats, and Whoopi Goldberg down onstage was the size of a protein strand floating in front of my iris. We couldn't see shit, so Red suggested we go downstairs to the bar. It was like that vulgarized Ed Hopper painting where Elvis, James Dean, Bogart and Marilyn Monroe are hanging out at an all-night diner. Tobey Mcguire was seated at the bar looking sedated with a blank expression on his face. I didn't bother him. Instead, I ordered a rum and coke, needed the caffeine. Met Denzel Washington while I was at it, firm handshake, looked you in the eye. Met Nicole Kidman, gracious, petite, but skin so white it was translucent. Met Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, back when they were still together. She was the most down-to-earth and beautiful to behold in person. Then there was Sir Paul McCartney, flanked by security of course. A Beatles fan for life, I approached with a dumb, star-struck smile, wishing I had an autograph book with me, or pen and paper, or just a pen, he could sign my shirt or hand, who cared, it was Paul fucking McCartney! But just as I shyly opened my mouth to utter something, he was quickly escorted back into the theater. Was I too drunk? Too Mexican perhaps? Hell, you can never be too Mexican!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I got another drink, saw Julia Roberts sitting at a side table on her cell phone. I made a beeline for her, and a block of a bodyguard who would eclipse the sun stepped out in front of her,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I just want to say hello to Ms. Roberts," I said with drunken confidence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He turned to her and whispered in her ear. She didn't even look at me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Give her a minute," he said and stood there with arms crossed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fine, I thought to myself. Whatevers. But I stared at my watch and exactly a minute later, I stepped up to the guard and said, "It's been a minute."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He turned and whispered to her again. "Okay," he said and stepped aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Ms. Roberts, I'm a big fan of yours, and I just wanted to say hello. I'm Ricardo Acuña, a writer. And someday, God willing, I'll be here to collect an Oscar too."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She gave me the once over and held her hand out. I shook it. That limp, cold, bony hand of hers. She turned back to her cell phone, and that was that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had to take a piss and as I tried to balance before the urinal so as not to pee on myself, I knew the time had come. I was way too fucked up to be approaching celebrities or anybody for that reason. I told Red who was equally drunk that I was taking a cab home. (He later told me that he went into the bathroom double-fisted with drinks and broke one of them in the sink and that Will Smith told him, "Looks like you need some help there buddy.") I grabbed a potted plant on my way out of the Kodak Theater as a souvenir. I somehow managed to give the cabbie my address, and when we arrived, I realized I didn't have any cash on me. I had him wait outside while I stumbled in and told love, "Pay the man. And this is for you." I handed her the potted plant and passed out on the bed, tux and all. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Ricardo Lira Acuñahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199595152216376283noreply@blogger.com0