Thursday, July 14, 2011

My Life History in Chapters for my children


This list is for my children.
I know I cannot condense may years into one post, so I will try my best to do it in several posts. It isn't easy to remember every little aspect of some one's life particularly when that someone is 46 years old. But as we remember things and or dig into the past, we will fill many chapters.
Starting with

CHAPTER ONE
My childhood was spent in Mexico City from when I was about 5 or ever since I can remember. During that time, I remember the first few places that we lived right after my parents emigrated to The Capital from the State of Oaxaca. I had already done first grade back in San Miguel (Do you know how many towns and or villages are named San Miguel in the entire country of Mexico?) Google it.
So when I arrived in Mexico City I started second grade at an elementary school named "Heroes de Zacapoaxtla" in COlonia Moctezuma Segunda Seccion. Third grade was also in that same school, though if I remember well, I had to repeat second grade for some reason. Perhaps because Spanish was not my first language, but rather Zapotec. Interesting how history repeats itself with so many migrants coming from Mexico with their kids into the U.S. Of course neither speaks English so when they start school at an American school, they are at a disadvantage because of the difference in language.
There will be more about these early years in subsequent chapters. In the meantime, enjoy these tidbits of my first 15 years of memories(some not so memorable).

First Visit of John Paul II to Mexico City - I saw him from a distance.
Also spent an entire night in the basilica as a boy scout controlling and directing traffic inside the church (December 12-big day)
Disco Music - Disco Inferno anyone?
Mom and Dad splitting in 1976 - Many chapters will be written about this.
Queen Concert in the City of Puebla (Why not Mexico City?)
Kiss at Azteca Stadium
Star Wars, Jaws, Saturday Night Fever, Grease.
Dressing up as Kiss (Peter Criss) for Halloween.
After Disco came: Duran Duran, Culture Club and many more. Disco was dead.
MTV arrived - Cindy Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - one of the first videos shown? - Video Killed the Radio Star, 99 Red Balloons.
Panasonic Boom box!
Later on Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Arrival of Cd's death of cassettes.
Sony Walkman
Jordache and Sergio Valente designer Jeans.
Dallas and Dynasty - never got into them - 6 Million Dollar Man (Lee Majors) yes. cool show.
Left/Communist Vs. US Supported governments in Central America.
Election of Ronald Reagan - at time it was feared that he would get us into a war with the Soviet Union - What? You don't know what the Soviet Union was?
My oldest sister gave me the saddest news upon returning from a vacation in the mountains (John Lennon had been shot)
I remember riding Trolleys in Mexico City. The kind they still ride in New Orleans.
Overthrow of Somoza in Nicaragua and arrival of Sandinistas in power - This after a widely viewed clip of a reporter being shot by a government soldier. Public opinion turned against US support for government in Nicaragua and that ensured the success of the Sandinistas.
Arrival of Gorbachev in power in Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of Union (Lech Walesa- Poland - also a catalyst force in the collapse of Soviets)
Fall of Berlin Wall.
Lost my appendix in 1985
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
Don't remember the first Shuttle launch, but do remember the explosion of the Challenger. sitting in my Aunt's couch and watching my cousins play (Jairo and Leslie)
First American friends - Mary Beattie, Vicky Basil, David Ewards - Weekends in Palm Springs.
Trip Across country - 4 weeks of driving in a 280Z (Mary's)
Checkers Hotel/Thomas Keller
Moved to South Pasadena
Went to Pasadena City College (Go Lancers)
Met your Mom.
Moved to Pasadena
Adopted Charlie (Cat)

More to come

Sunday, July 10, 2011

"You Must Have Your Hands Full"

No matter who they are: family, friends, acquaintances, strangers, they all say the same thing when we mention we have triplets.
"You must have your hands full"
I'm definitely beginning to hate the phrase. Then it is followed by "Are you getting any sleep"?
Quite observant people, I Think to myself. Indeed, I am not getting enough sleep. Working weekends at the club prepared me for my now irregular sleeping pattern. Late into bed; waiting for Cecilia to wake up at 1:00AM before she goes down for the rest of the night, then an hour later to have Charlie wake up 'cause she is hungry. After she goes down, then if I am lucky, Catherine will sleep till 7:00AM, otherwise, 5:30 it is. So it is 1 hour of sleep, then 3, then up for the rest of the day 'till work beckons. Sometimes I can sneak a short nap before getting ready for work.
No i don/t have my hands full. If anyone has her hands full is my wife. In addition to caring for the babies, she has to contend with our teens along with the household duties that she has to deal with. She has more than full hands.
Throw in all the emotional feelings of abandonment each time I go to work, the dissapontment of having those close to her not be as helpful as they made it out to be and you have a very unhappy person. Yes, she has her hands full and when people point it out, it is rather annoying.