Today begins Día de los Muertos. What are your rituals or occasions when you remember loved ones you have lost?
This really bugs me. A lot. Offensively.
This is NOT my holiday. I understand, respect and find the day and the traditions fascinating. I celebrate as a human on the planet all the variety and color of human culture... I dig the idea of this day, and I am moved beyond words when I witness the practices.
but this is NOT my "tradition" and it's not the day I choose to remember my loved ones. To do so, I think, would be cultural misappropriation and an affront to my comadres and compadres.
And my loved ones are freshly lost, so this comes as a little slap to me. To make it a little "cute" QotD prompt belittles the grief process, and the very serious side of honoring the dead (and fearing them - giving them the day to walk the earth, placating them and then sending them back to the other side).
(and my response to this reminds me that I'm going to be writing a cross-cultural novel this month, so these are issues worth the energy and word count of this post.)
What's your cure for the common cold?
I head straight for the EmergenC and a good fresh batch of pesto. And if that doesn't do the trick, I continue with the garlic - fresh, crushed in olive oil mopped up with good bread.
Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever seen a ghost?
Submitted by Nancy.
Yes. And I've talked with them too.
What do you do to get rid of a cold or flu?
Submitted by ashenflowers.
Killer Pesto (loads of garlic), lemonade (pref. ginger lemonade), ZiCam, Airborne (both available at Walgreen's/CVS) and so much water I slosh when I walk to the bathroom.
If you are going to dress up for Halloween, what will you be? Why?
Submitted by Auweea.
A sexy pirate because this year, for the first time ever, I feel sexxxxy! ;-) Ah, Johnny, what ye done fer us! Arrrrrrr!
What was your very first job?
Submitted by Laurel.
Wrapping xmas prezzies at the dept. store where my mom worked. Seasonal worker. I also did inventory, which (pre-computers, yes I'm THAT old) involved pulling stubs from a three part tag and sorting them on a large notebook ring, counting them, counting the garments, counting everything again, putting wire through the hangers and writing stuff on an envelope with the tags inside. I also got to model at a fashion show there. Weird.
Or do we count babysitting or volunteering at the animal shelter? when I came home from my first day at the latter, I excitedly told my mom and the rest of the neighborhood, "MOM, I got to work in the cathouse today!"
What's your favorite vacation destination?
So far, it's Spain. Catalunya to be precise. But Legoland, the New Mexico Natural History Museum (dinos!), the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, the beach (anywhere) and San Diego are favorites.
What do you collect?
I suppose I collect cards and postcards. Not systematically by any means, I just end up buying them when I go places. I collect funny sayings, usually from restaurant or church signs. You know, like "Aspire to Inspire before you Expire." And I think I collect books galore. Yes, I do. I have been buying "rainy day" books for a while, against the day that my son will start reading everything in the house. And I buy hardcover editions of Marguerite Henry books about horses (Misty of Chincoteague, etc.). I've started collecting copper items that are cool (and small).
This is making me sound like a total packrat. I have STOPPED collecting coffee cups, t-shirts, craft supplies on clearance, fabric for the stash, rocks from different places, fridge magnets and yarn.
How many languages can you speak? Which languages can you read or understand?
English (American Standard and RP), Texan, Spanish, French. I read and understand German, Spanish, French, Italian (mostly), Portuguese (song lyrics somewhat). And I can read my boss' writing.
If you could watch any movie on the big screen right at this moment, what would it be?
Gone With The Wind.
There's something about Rhett's beautiful head, Scarlet's quivering lip, burning Atlanta and that kiss against the red sky that just REQUIRES the big screen.