I'm a horrible blogger, partially because I have a life that keeps me incredibly busy. Sure, I'd love to keep a journal per se, but most times it just isn't realistic for me. Maybe now that I have a desk job it will be slightly more feasible. So, I'm going to try to keep this up as regularly as possible but I make no promises. So, here are some updates on the most current and recent things going on in my life...

Boxing: I recently joined a new gym, Boston Sports Club, and was very excited to find out that they offer boxing two nights a week. Not your regular health club cardio style boxing class but an actual "bring your own gloves" boxing class. Unfortunately, it is on Tuesday and Thursday nights and thanks to my ONE class I am taking this semester (Thursday nights - the night I have to put a genuine effort into refraining from stabbing myself in the eye with a pen), I can only go one night a week. It's a great class and a great work out. I knew I missed boxing but I guess I didn't realize just how much. I love it and I'm so excited to have my gloves back on. Now you know where to find me on Tuesday nights. Be nice or I'll punch you - yes, with my pink gloves.

Flamenco Dance: I'm no dancer, unless I'm drunk...but it's a bit of a secret. I mean c'mon, Latina and lacking rhythm? Those don't even belong in the same sentence. I know everyone says "dance like no one's watching," but let's cut the B.S....someone is always watching (and I don't mean Jesus). Anyhow, I've always wanted to learn how to dance flamenco. I love the music, I love the dance. Cheesy as it sounds, it just makes me feel alive. It's a dance of passion. A dance of an oppressed people. It speaks to my soul and touches my heart (it reminds me of my dad). So, I finally got it together and signed up for a class. Ive and Sarah are taking the course with me on Wednesday nights. We've had two classes so far and our third tonight. We're not very good but I know I am determined to learn. Going to buy my flamenco shoes today as a matter of fact.

New Project: I was in California for a few days (see below) and while there I decided that I am going to be starting on a new project. As a future historian, I've always had an interest in and a passion for history. As we all know, I also have a deep love for my culture and my family. However, our family history is mostly a mystery, a puzzle waiting to be solved. Lots of early deaths, lots of unanswered questions, lots of unknowns, too many secrets. When my grandfather (on my mom's side) passed away over ten years ago, it was me (just a teenager at the time) who went through the boxes of old photos and personal belongings and I have held on to them ever since. My curiosity about our family past has always nagged at me. As I've been going through graduate school and studying untold histories of marginalized people, I've started to wonder how many Chicano/as can relate to this limited knowledge of their past. I mean migration patterns, corrupt governments, inaccessibility of documents, lack of documentation....they impact all of us on different levels. So, perhaps my family story is in some part the story of a community, a group of people. Maybe it's not specific to us. So, I've elected myself to be the family historian. I'm pulling out the old pictures and documents I have and I'm going to start piecing together our family history. I located my grandfather's death certificate yesterday and ordered a copy. I have mom on the hunt for her parents birth certificates. I'll be heading to El Paso next month when I go to Albuquerque for the ASA conference. I'm taking my tape recorder and am going to begin collecting oral histories. Eventually, these combined stories can lead me to some kind of truth. Documents in Mexico will definitely put my skills as a historian-in-training to the test, but I'm determined. So, I'm thinking I'll head to El Paso and Juarez in the summer to go into this hunt in more depth. Next month will just be a start. I'm determined to find answers to these questions. Those of you who know a little bit about me and my family know just how complicated and difficult this will be....but it's worth it.

CA college visits: USC is the perfect fit. Loved the profs and think the program is great. It's my top choice so let's hope I get in. L.A. isn't perfect, but it's home and I miss it. There are lots of great cities in the world, but there's no place like L.A. My family, my culture and essentially my life are all out there.

The Dodger game was awesome. Great seats, lots of fun. Manny played an awesome game. It's confirmed, the Red Sox did not deserve him. He's much better loved and appreciated by Los Angelenos. No looks of bewilderment when his song comes on...instead, you see people dancing. Woohoo! It was a great game and the Dodgers won. What more could I ask for? (Note to self: I find it interesting that Latinos are such huge Dodgers fans considering the history of Chavez Ravine).

Berkeley was great. Beautiful campus, brilliant profs, AND I could actually see myself living there (if USC doesn't work out). I was on the fence about the program there at first, but I no longer have any doubts. I'm sold.

Stanford has a gorgeous campus and is quite prestigious...but they know it. I'm still applying but the MTL program has fallen from grace with me. It may lack structure a bit too much for me, but there are some wonderful professors there, so I'll still apply and see what happens.

UC Santa Cruz is gorgeous but it's so isolated and in such a remote area. Sounds like a pretty solid and yet interdisciplinary program. I'm applying and we'll see what happens.

Overall, it was a crazy and exhausting trip. Only missed 1 out of my 9 appointments on Monday. It was all very refreshing though. I needed a visit home. I came back rejuvenated. It also brought to light the fact that I am not myself out here in Boston. I'm not happy and it shows. I'm not as confident, I'm not as bold, not as assertive. I'm quiet and I keep to myself. I'm not in my element. It's been fun, but I need to get back home. I don't like the person I'm becoming out here. Most people don't get this. Don't understand the importance of "home" and culture and what that has to do with me being in my element....but I do. When I'm home, I can be myself.

Cherrie Moraga: Yes, I met with her and she was just as brilliant and wonderful as I thought she would be. It was great to meet and talk with her and I'd love the opportunity to work with her, even if it means going to Stanford.

So, now that appointments were had and campuses were visited I've updated my list of programs again. I don't expect any changes from here on out since I've gone through all this. So, here it is and it's pretty damn solid:

1. USC (American Studies & Ethnicity)
2. Berkeley (Ethnic Studies)
3. UC Irvine (Culture & Theory)
4. Stanford (Modern Thought & Literature)
5. Fordham (History - Latin America)
6. UCSC (History - U.S.)
7. Rutgers (American Studies)