Tuesday, October 26, 2010

You can run...but you can't hide


















“You can run, but you can’t hide
Once you get in you can’t go back…


A secret passage took you right here
You came in freely, lured by the breeze
The sound of music, the smell of me
Your dreams of freedom, to escape from thee;


But there is no breeze, there is no shining sky
No grass that is greener, no better life
You were unhappy, selfish and mean
Nothing was good enough for the queen.


The trick was easy; I just followed your lead
Made myself available, you saw me in every scene
The perfect handsome stranger that night at the club
The extra drink, why not, if it is free


The feeling of greatness inhaling a line
Nothing could stop you, not even a clear sign
That you were indeed secretly, sealing my pact.

Yes, the cozy sofa seemed somehow so real
The dark shadow in it so eerie, yet friendly and sincere
All was part of your magic-pill field trip.


If you are reading this, stop wondering: it is rather clear
That your trip is over, that your end starts here.


Welcome to my world, make yourself at home;
Because now you are mine…and mine alone.”



Based on a prompt provided by Sioux's page for her September contest... no, it did not win  (Click here to check the winner ) yet I wanted to share it with it with you amid the spirit of Halloween.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Reality bites… a magpie tale.


Why are you doing this to me? Who are you? Stop! I remember myself crying out loud while thinking this must be a dream. I don’t even know where I am or if I am really here. All I know is that I can’t see a thing, I feel numbed, yet forced to breathe.

I can half-see a big bed, feel the 300-thread Egyptian sheets, comforter, downer and pillows… lots of pillows. It seems like a 5-star hotel, one of those with an “at your service” button always available. I open my eyes and the room is dark, yet a tiny ray of light shows thru the heavy blackout drapes. Ok, I get it – I am in a hotel room, but where? What am I doing here?

My legs are heavy; the alarm clock is blinking with that green flashy light that makes my eyes feel tired. Why can’t I move? Is it night or day? I kept wondering while the remote control of a fancy flat screen TV rolls down my thigh. Then I dozed in again…but I can hear a constant bip… bip bip bip…. bip bip bip…. It has a pattern, I think to myself; but what is that? Water dripping then a loud noise, not far yet not close enough to identify the source. My ears are swollen, I can feel it; this noise must be unreal.

The more I fight it the less I can stand it. I am half sleep half awake yet so aware. No familiar voices, no familiar smells. I manage to turn around and my hair got over my face, but my hands are useless, I can’t brush it away. Then I see a red light blinking and I closed my eyes… fell asleep, but was I really awake?

First I’m cold, then hot… then shivering again. It is the constant changes what makes me wonder if it is true or fake, if I am here or there… but really, where am I?

Finally that sound, coming from my cell –the first sign that indeed, this is happening, that it is real. Is the alarm set to wake me up at 6 AM. I open my eyes, the sun is bright and shining; looked around, recognizing the field: room service menu tossed by the bed, fluffy sleepers, magazines…a glass desk and my laptop on it. My suitcase open, half empty half full with dirty clothes. A bathroom door, a safe box, two sad looking apples on a wooden plate; the voice mail red light blinking on the phone. Sitting on the bed, making sense of the whole scene; looking around, rubbing my eyes and stretching. On my way to taking my shower I stopped by the door, looked to my right and a fancy antique mirror greets me: it reflects the room, big bed with white sheets; it has a golden frame, clean surface, crystal clear... and then the bip…bip bip bip…. bip bip……bip distracts me again; is the ice making machine! I giggle a little – silly me. It was all a dream, a bad one, but nonetheless a dream. I turned around, grabbed a towel and closed the door. Hot water running, steam filling the room. I am happy and calmed that it is all under control. I’m singing in the shower, getting ready for work.

Outside the bathroom door, my singing starts to fade. It gets hot, then cold, and then hot again…it is dark, time stops. Then it kicks me: if there was a mirror, why wasn’t my reflection there? Because there is no mirror on the wall… It has never been there.

Last thing I remember, I was

Running for the door

I had to find the passage back

To the place I was before

’relax,’ said the night man,

We are programmed to receive.

You can checkout any time you like,

But you can never leave…

Hotel California, Eagles.

This is a Magpie tale - Mag 37 - for other Magpie tales click  Magpie tales

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Life according to me, lesson 29

Never underestimate the influence of negative vibes and bad attitude from other people. Treat them like you would treat the flu: stop it at the first symptom, enhance your immune system and if it gets you, let it flow...acting strong does not always help our vulnerable human heart.

Friday, October 15, 2010

A window of opportunity...a magpie tale



















A window of opportunity, that’s all I want, that’s all I need
I am dedicated, I am inspired, but I am hidden in the dark
I don’t have influences, I don’t have power
I just have me, my will… my so-called talent.

Standing here, watching my dreams, sometimes so real
But nothing happens; I’m still invisible, still so deep
Climbing from there, then going back in…waiting so patiently
Day after day, try after try… still no light.

If I could only have one chance, one single day
To show who I am… to let myself shine
Yet I don’t give up; stubborn? Oh yes… that is who I am
As long as I’m alive, hope is by my side.

And then that long awaited day finally arrived
It is open for me; it is finally my time
The window is here… this might be my only chance
To wear my heart on my sleeve, to be myself, to be real.

Because it is honesty what makes me bright
And if I make it, must feel very proud
Because I did it, despite the fact
That my dark side was always there

Playing my conscience, sabotaging my trust
Clouding my judgment, making me feel bad
Wanting to take me back to the bottom
Where there is no escape, no reason to fly.

Until next day, where there is always a chance
To see things differently ...to make it right.

To our own worst enemy…because we all have a dark side.

This is a Magpie tale - Mag 36 - for other Magpie tales click Magpie Tales

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I've been WOWed!!!

Wednesday October 13th, 2010

Dearly beloved:

Today is my BON day... today, is my BON DAY....BON day I said!!! For those who are not familiar with the term (and don't really get why I am acting weird), BON stands for Blogger of Note and it is a GREAT honor granted by Sandy & Pam from Words of Wisdom (WOW for us friends). WOW is a place for bloggers who enjoy reading and writing great content to find each other. They do an amazing job finding and noting blogs which posts are thought-provoking and/or insightful. So you can imagine why I feel so excited, right? I have found many of the blogs I now follow and love thru WOW and I am really hoping for you, my readers, my friends, to keep encouraging my days of writing and sharing my thoughts by taking your time to read and being so generous with your amazing comments!


Please allow me to introduce myself  by sharing 20 random facts about the blogger behind Casta Zero:

 1. I married my high school sweet heart. We’ve been together for almost 20 years! He is the love of my life, my partner and as corny as it will sound, he completes me (he had me at hello….). He is also a contributor to this blog in Spanish; his tales are just a piece of art!  Click here for a taste of his talent: El arbol

2. I have 3 sisters - one blood sister, my sis in law and my best friend. I love them with all my heart.

3. I have 2 dogs - Verdell and the one and only Murphy McGuiness. I really love dogs and hope to have them for the rest of my life (I mean, not necessarily these particular dogs, I still don’t believe in canine immortality, ok?)

4. Baseball is my passion and I am a die hard red sox fan; I used to hate the NY Yankees but now I respect them; I hate the Rays with all my guts though.   Click here : For the love of the game

5. I love to dance - I always wanted to be a professional dancer, but didn't have long enough legs for it. I dance all the time anyway.

6. I am very musical - like to sing (not that I can sing, but like it nonetheless) and rock my butt off @ rockband!!

7. I like to write too - short stories, free form assays, notes and such. Maybe one day I'll publish something...or not. 

8. I always thought I was super flexible… and I am, but because I have joint hyper mobility – not too good when you pop your jaw and have wobbling ankles.

9. I travel all the time for my work; I have learned to enjoy it and cherish the opportunity to meet new people, new cultures and to appreciate my home and my people.  Click here: Flying high

10. Life has been good with me – I have been very lucky to have bad times to help me identify good times and enjoy them; I believe that God’s logic is not our logic and that everything happens for a reason, a very good reason.

12. I like to practice yoga and power walking. The Polar heart rate monitor is the sh..t!!

13. I have a thing with purses and shoes… how many pairs are enough? How many different shades of brown purses are too much? It is my guilty pleasure.

14. I love online shopping - see 13 above.

15. I like to watch TV shows on DVD – we own quite a collection and my favorite of all times is still FRIENDS. Chandler Bing is the best character ever! Could he be any funnier?

16. I can be very sarcastic and ironic… sometimes without even noticing. It is both a gift and a curse, when people don’t get you!

17. I am a control freak; like to have everything in the right order, in the correct place and at the right time. It is annoying even to me. I am working on it...any day now.

18. I love red wine, dark beer and vodka on the rocks with olives or a twist. I am not a good drinker though.

19. I like to believe there is Irish blood in my family; it has been a family legend since I remember; we honor that sentiment and celebrate St. Paddy’s day with pride, respect and lots of beer– Erin go bragh!!  Click here: Feeling Irish

20. I truly believe that every day is different and has a new opportunity for change– when something is not as good as you would like, there is always hope that the next day you may receive the phone call, the email, meet the right people and find the path to success.  Click here: Life according to me

Thanks a lot to Sandy & Pam for being so generous with me! Click here to join the conversation and to help me with the thank you notes to WOW for this special day.

“No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.” Author Unknown

Friday, October 8, 2010

Autumn and its colors... a magpie tale













Autumn and its colors
October and its teams
Just a few stay put at the ball park
The rest will be gone for the year.

A challenge that starts every April
In July an all- star fight for the lead
September and the last winds of summer
Bringing up hopes...closing the deal.

Three out of five then four out of seven
National and its pitching… American and its power
It is October’s classic, the hunt for pride and honor
Even though is just America, represented by them both
World Series it is called: one pennant, rings and joy.

But each team’s heart and soul it is nothing but a mix
Of a multicultural selection, the best of the best, the elite:
Dominican, Puerto Rican, American and beyond
Venezuelan, Japanese, Mexican, Cuban and more
All together as a whole… sharing a passion, living a dream
One of hard work, injuries and tears… and above all
For the love and loyalty to the great game of Baseball.



To my beloved RedSox, who didn't make it to the post season this year.

This is a Magpie tale - Mag 35 - for other Magpie tales click:  Magpie Tales 

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

What happened on October 6th?


JFK museum - South Boston, MA

6th October, 1961: President John F. Kennedy advises American families to build bomb shelters to protect them from atomic fallout in the event of a nuclear war. Many Americans did prepare for nuclear war by buying up canned goods and building backyard bomb shelters. Also at the time many home builders offered a bomb shelter as part of new home packages.

 


Yankee Stadium hall of fame

 
6th October, 1926: Babe Ruth sets new record in World Series with three home runs and a 10-5 win over the Cardinals.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lucy  =0 )




6th October, 1966: The hallucinogic drug LSD is declared illegal in the United States. LSD is a Schedule I drug making it illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, process or distribute LSD without a DEA license.




6th October, 2009: my first post was published in this blog!! I can't believe it has been one year already; I am very honored and touched by the comments and support received along this year; in 365 days I can proudly count 60 followers, 81 posts, several image changes (on my blog that is), but foremost, many many blog  friends I've found (and that have found me) via the blogger community.
 
In case you are wondering what did I post on my first day:
 
There is music everywhere
 
Chez Borges  - en español 
 
 
 
THANK YOU ALL!!!!     
    GRACIAS TOTALES!!!
 
 
 

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Never Again...Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Thanks to Life Lines Journaling for the great opportunity to participate in her Alphabet Poems to show support...so in deep appreciation and respect to women around the world living a situation of violence, here is my humble way of encouragement to say: Never Again!!

No words there are to describe, to justify your act
Every time your frustration turns towards my weaken heart 
Vile and ruin your soul has became

Entitled you think you are, because I once loved you, because of our bond.

Right here and now, listen me clearly, listen me well:

Alive I am, strong I am…you don’t frighten me no more

God is by my side, I deserve better… I am better alone;

All I want is to recover my peace, my self-confidence…on my own

Involved in your twisted game I was for too long…one too many times I allowed it, but

No dear, not now, not later…not anymore.

MALO (bad, nasty) is a song with a powerful message, from a strong spanish singer - Bebe. Violence is universal, it has no nationality, language or social class.  Here is the video with English subtitles:



Click here for more:
Domestic Violence Awareness Month