"1st" Day of Vacation

Finally, after a week off from work I feel as if I am on vacation. Vacations during holidays shouldn't count. Most of the time is spent preparing, attending, and recovering from holiday celebrations. Adding to the stress of Christmas (to much money spent), my neighbors mom passed away, as well as my friends mother. Those events took away some of the holiday spirit. But today was different: I cleaned in the morning, read a bit in the afternoon, and overall felt more productive. Perhaps the best part of the day was knowing that the paintings for my fence were completed. They look pretty awesome. I'm happy and here are the photos.

I can't wait to show these off. lol But i still need other renovations for the house. It's a start. I wanted something artistic. But knowing that the paintings were complete made me so happy. I'm going to finish reading Rain God tomorrow, it's likely. It's starting to pick up as far as suspense...i feel a dramatic conclusion coming up.

Starting Over

Another set of months without a post, although I have been doing so with facebook. Blogger doesn't get as good responses though, as far as immediate. But it is more of a journal/diary and allows me to write more. A lot of changes in life, but i'm not going to try and catch readers up with everything. Just the most important ones (or those I have dwelled on).
1. proposal
2. mother's illness
3. death of friends mom
4. vacation (that is not really vacation)

Eventually I might mention each. Currently im reading Rain God by Arturo Islas. I was supposed to read it for a graduate course, but I didn't have time start it. I started it again some time ago, but got as far as the first time I began reading it. This time around I'm finally getting farther. It's a good story, but not attracting my attention so much.
Sometimes I think I'm still trying to find an identity for this blog. Especially with all this time off, the first blog back is usually just to sort out what happened since last post.
No publications as of yet which somewhat worries me, but I think I will keep on trying until I get something. Two years I think since I was last published. That is probably to long and I should have kept submitting. Although I don't want to submit to strictly "chicano" publications. I want for my "pocho" theme to be accepted by more maintstream areas. But without a response from the publications I don't know why my poems are being rejected. In the meanwhile I will continue doing volunteering and creating chapbooks. Life is a little bit of everything, not all one passion.