30.6.10

day three.

I am watching 3 kids. They are 9 (girl), 7 (boy) and 4 (girl). Usually, it’s impossible to get them all together for ‘story-time’ so the 9 year old finds the Simpsons and they doze off to sleep after the show.

Last night, the 9 year old was sleeping at her friend’s house (on a school night) and the little boy crashed before we officially went to bed. Miraculously, I had the 4 year old girl all to myself and was able to finally have a proper evening of story-time. We picked a load of books that looked fun and by the end of the last book she had fallen asleep cuddling up against my arm. It was sweet and made me very happy. I left as quietly as possible and turned out the lights.


It was 10pm when I left the house and walked to the bus stop to head over to my friend’s house for a late dinner. When I got on the bus I noticed a man facing the back of the bus with a notebook sketching what he saw. The woman of the couple next to him was peeking at his work. The man of the couple was uninterested and obviously seeking his girlfriends attention. I couldn’t help but stare.

In Buenos Aires, I noticed that staring is accepted. Many people stare or obviously turn around to look at something that isn’t ‘like the other’. I find myself taking full advantage to this behavior.

I arrived at my friend’s house and ate a wonderful meal of meat and veggies sautéed. My tummy was extremely happy. I hung out and talked with friends from all over the world (Columbia, France and Germany) till around 2am before heading home.

Today I worked a little and had coffee with my dear friend Wendy.

29.6.10

Day 2.

I set my alarm for 7am determined to not press the snooze button but as usual, pressed it, several times. I actually woke up at 8:30am or 8:45, what is the difference.

Every night before I go to bed I have these wild imaginations of waking up early and exercising. Why must I live in such a fantasy?


My problem really is that when I am sleeping my dreams are ridiculously vivid and lovely. This is why I don’t want to wake up. I seem to go into a dream state very quickly. I am always meeting new people and having fantastic new experiences. And I rationalize any excess sleep that I have with the knowledge that sleep helps my brain learn. I have convinced myself that I need extra because I have trouble learning things.


It is a beautiful Buenos Aires day. A little crisp but the sun is out. I went to the bus stop, heading off to teach English, and the bus was miraculously waiting at the stop. Oddly, the 62 rather than the 61 (which is what I take) but the 62 carries me equally to my destination. A bus waiting at a bus stop is basically non-existent in Buenos Aires because buses almost never wait for you or re-open their doors for late comers. So it felt very strange. Sometimes this city is really nice to you.


I arrived at my client’s office and was chatting with the receptionist. The receptionist is a very pretty woman with two children and loves to talk. I always get to practice my Spanish because she is always willing to chat with me and give me advice on anything in my life. She is a kind woman. It makes me sad that her relationships haven’t worked out and makes me think about my irritations with the Argentine men. You can tell that she is a fantastic mother. She told my boss that she was thrilled that I talked to her.

I came home for lunch and I am eating a peanut butter/jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. Funny, because I never really ate peanut butter/jelly sandwich and milk back home but here it seems like such a treat.

28.6.10

Day one. WRITERS BLOCK.

I have been in Buenos Aires for 211 days. When I started this BLOG, I visualized myself writing everyday always discovering new things, with a neat little photo to go along with my neat little experience.

I am not going to stop this BLOG but it isn’t going to be exactly how I had originally planned. For the next month, I am going to share mundane and possibly monotonous experiences. There were only two pieces of advice given to me when I started writing this.

1. Don’t live your life because of your BLOG
2. Don’t write for others, write for yourself.


I have been writing since I was a little girl, around 10 years old. I have often heard of this BLOG business as being referred to as an electronic journal. Or people say, “it’s just for your memories, what a great way to preserve your experiences!”


Oh, yeah, it’s only for you, right, no one else? So, what happens if people read what you write and they maybe, I don’t know, like it? Or hate it for that matter. What happens when you have people who comment or read these ‘fantastic experiences!!’ Then what?


I will never forget my creative writing class with Mrs. Buczinsky in high school. We sent in our poetry to magazines to see if we could it get published. We talked about our audience and we thought about our stories. I understand the creative process. I love writing. It’s very natural for me. But truthfully, my life creatively has always been a battle with light and dark. When I attempt to use my creative forces, I feel the light in me and I feel whole.
For me, the dark comes from me criticizing or analyzing my work. I lose inspiration very easily with all my mediums that I have ventured into. I lose concentration and focus very quickly.

I used to take pictures, some would still call me a photographer but I don’t feel this anymore. When I was in my early 20’s I put together 3 separate shows featuring local artist artists of different mediums. The night of my first opening to my first show, I vomited. I literally excused myself, went to the bathroom, threw up and came out ready to go.


I have always had issues creatively and I am losing a huge part of myself because of it. I don't want to fight my battle in myself anymore between light and dark.

I am going to put my best foot forward on overcoming my blocks. This one, the classic, Writers Block.
It is an experiment starting today, day 211. I am going to write everyday for the next 30 days. It may be boring (for the reader) but I am doing it for me only. I need to get my creative juices flowing again.