Kick Drum Heart


So, about those posts with the Spanish

I just updated all of my writing from Mexico; I’d dragged a notebook down there with me and penned away during free time or down time. The one entry I never finished, ha.

Here’s a silly tidbit that I’d scribbled in a margin, from day two or three. I was probably laying in the fishnet-woven hammock on the verandah at the time:

“She wouldn’t give up her seat on the Underground Railroad” — talking about Rosa Parks. Some drunk gay guy

Cute, huh? I know I cracked up. And he said it in such an obviously queer tone of voice, it was hysterical. Nothing against gays or anything: it was just a quirky little detail to an outrageously inebriated comment.

Well, that’s all for tonight. 

There’s more I could write, about cousins, and lives and fear and confessions. But I won’t, because. Just because I don’t know if I’m ready to. But there we are, all of my thoughts from Cancun, just read below. Have a great night/evening/day/whatever time it is that whoever reads this, reads this.



21 April 2010, 09:25 AM

The Room (2730), At the Little Table, from the Chair on the Right if One Was Facing the Table, Southernmost Corner of the Room. Under the Weird Textured Picture, on the Smooth, Cream-Marbled tile of the Slightly Sandy Floor.
Gran Caribe Real Resort
Cancun, Mexico

The cleaning ladies (and there are very few cleaning men) will be coming soon. I’m not sure if I should send them away or force Meesh and myself out on the porch/verandah. She (Meesh) is trying to take a nap; or will after she finished reading . I don’t want to have to poke at her to relocate. I mean, the cleaning ladies will come back, won’t they? They can’t make the bed around my sister, anyway, so I guess they’re going to have to. Ha.

Yeah, and they kind of suck here. I don’t want to sound like a jerk, and in their (cute, beaded) shoes, I probably would hate my job, too. But, shit, they’re jsut awful. Mom and Dad gave a guy a tip yesterday to bring back caffeinated coffee for our room– and with a “Si, right away,” he never cam eback. What the hell? My mother spent a lot of money to have a prestocked minifridge (we lacked treats, pop, and water, but did get tequila, Bacardi, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and club soda, also beer that tasted like piss. None of which any of my family members enjoy for a cool refreshing beverage. Now, Corona would ahve been okay but there wasn’t any of that (fine by me, but give me water instead, at least). And we only had decaf cafe. No bueno, hombre.

Now, at least, we have some pop (I’m slurping a Pepsi light as we speak), and more water, but they actually gave mymother shit about restocking. They responded with surprise when seh requested six waters and some carbonated drinks. As if it’s not freaking ninety degrees here every day. As if we didn’t fork over upwards of four point five thousand dolores for a god-blessed stocked fridge, some snacks, actual coffee and some servesa that doesn’t give the people who sponsor their salaries attitude. I feel like I’m going to leave Mexico with mixed feelings and the taste of crappy beer and club soda in my mouth because of some of these people.

This is not to mention los chicos who arriba-ed at me yesterday. Mom, Meesh, and I were walking back from the Flamingo Mall. I wasn’t even dressed provocatively, or anything.

More later, though, I guess. We watched the television for a little while and now Meesh and I are heading out to meet Nickolas and Dad for what may be one of our last swims in the ocean.



19 April 2010

The Hammock on the Verandah Thing
I don’t know what time it is; past 8 or 9, PM
Gran Caribe Real Hotel
Cancun, Mexico

It’s too nice out to stay inside. Even without the sun, it’s comfortably warm and not so humid that it’s unpleasant. It’s quiet right now, although Michelle plans to try and get us all drunk later. She and my parents, and the Burrs (minus Nickolas) are up at the VIP Lounge. Despite the fact that the computers are all in Spanish, they’re going to try and figure out the score of the Sabres’ game.

I would write more about the pretty weather or the cranky Mexicans who hate their jobs, or the tan I’m actually beginning to obtain (with the help of El Sol and SPF 90). But honestly, I’m a terrible Travel Journal-Keeper and have more on my mind than heat or relaxing in Cancun.

Fun Fact/Side Note: Soundtrack of the Momemt? Roar/slap/sigh of beautiful, powerful waves. Aaaand the drunken catcalls of tourists: “Sexaay ladaay!” in a Mexican accent. So cute. Tierna.

But. Back to, I have a lot on my mind.

I don’t feel like Myself. I haven;t really, since (and I am aware this sounds like whining) this school year began and played out so much differently than I’d expected it to.

This summer, I became someone I liked, someone I enjoyed being. And since senior year started, there have been huge gaping chunks of time where I haven’t been that person at all.

Like now, for instance. For the past few weeks I’ve been strangely detached and incapable of socializing similarly to my usual standard. And before that time, I’d been flat-out miserable.

Now that spring is coming (here in the North and here it’s like late summer), I’ve been wanted Myself back more and more. But there are minds making impressions of me. There are expectations to live up to.

Syracuse or Eastman, Syracuse or Eastman? What to say, what to do?

Who the hell am I?

I’m not as solid as Nick is, in terms of possessing and really owning up to one’s own identity. But we shared a conversation as the fire-opal waves swelled and broke on the beach. This is the second night in a row we’ve just sat out there in the dark. He looks out at the waves, at the sky, down the beach. I absorb the sensations of sea breeze and sand between my toes. We mostly just be. Sit, and talk, and be.

Last night it was John Jarzynski. Tonight it was parasailing, Dan Ratel, school, teaching, and our futures.

Tonight I told the first person my official college plans (as of right now, there are some things I am waiting on).

Tonight, Nick and I discussed and concluded. It’s always good to listen, to drink in opinions. To have an “open ear,” as he said. But (and these are my words), make your own goddamn choices. Sorry, but hell. I love my friends, family, mentors, but shit. I answer to Myself (whoever that is) and God. I might now be an independent adult, but I’m not a hermit, not a recluse.

It’s time to grow up. And it’s going to be hard, but only as hard as I make it.

Speaking for Myself, I’m ready to.



5:13 PM 18 April 2010

The Porch/Verandah/Whatever You Want to Call It
Cancun, Mexico

The climate is gorgeous here. The incessant roar/slap/sigh of the waves is like a lullaby. People watching thus far has proven really bizarre but I’m not too upset over the weirdness of seeing every Tom, Dick & Jose in their speedos. There’s a cute boy to our right, and eh might be a smidgeon young but as far as I can tell, possesses lovely bone structure.

It hasn’t been all peachy-keen so far, though. We arrived at our hotel at around, oh, 12:30 (Central time). We had to wait until 3 until our “rooms” were ready, and even then, only ours was. We went in the salt water and splashed around for a while, but Karen lost her $400 glasses in the waves and sliced her knee on some sharp object in the water.

Okay, we’re going to the “VIP Lounge” (whatever); we’ll see what that is.



8:50 AM 18 April 2010

On The Plane, before takeoff
The window is about the size of my head. Fluffy yellow pom pom hair included.

We’re moving. Backward wheels slide smoothly; a greased glide across pavement. As I write, I’m watching.

I called window-seat, naturally.

Now we’ve stopped. A Continental sountrack is playing, but kids are cooing and questioning, and the volume is low. The lights are weirding out, and I’m wondering if the lady is saying anything important.

The air hisses around us and I’m smelling a strange rubbery scent.

We’re turning now. We have two little kids right behind us. The oldest one is probably about three.

It’s exciting, this slow and sure execution of machinery. Soon we’ll be in the air and headed to Cancun.

I can hear the rush of wind, the loud hum of the engine. I’m right behind the right wing; I can see it tipping, can see the pale grey sky outside our window. The little boxy cargo trucks remind me of toys.

“We’re not going upside down,” the young mother behind me says, a smile in her voice. I know the little baby, just one (I think), is called Amelia.

We’re on the runway now.

“Gotta watch out the window,” the mother says. I am, for the moment.

The sun’s fickle rays dapple the wing: the most beautiful blue graces the top half of my porthole-window like watercolor. We’re above the clouds now. I’m in the sky. The fields, forests, rolling land below are all clouds, so textured from this distance.

It’s astonishing and fantastic to see from above, but I can’t help but wonder, What have we done?

Boxes of crops and man-hedged forests lie regimented across this place. Every so often, chiseled out roads lead to huge glittering, festering cities that ooze trickles of vehicles like a sore.

It sucks out my happy, a little, to see it. I guess I can just imagine that in each of those cities there are the angry, the poor, the starving. In all of them.

But enough about social justice issues. Mom has my headphones and is going to watch The Blind Side. Hopefully they’ll give us snacks soon. Or, as the Burr-os call ’em, “treats.”

I’ll probably just sit here and stare out the window some more.

Over & out. Haha.

                                                                  9:25

                                                                  est. (TOA): 3 hrs. & 17 min.



Idioma
18 April 2010, 6:03 pm
Filed under: Events, My Day, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I will naturally have much, much more to say later, but right now I couldn’t help but blog from a Spanish keyboard! Nothing is where it’s supposed to be. Do not be surprised if there are very few contractions in this post.

The weather is astonishing here. We have had some issues, but shit, we are in Cancun! Right now I am typing from the VIP Lounge (ha ha ha) as my mom and Meesh sit at other computers and my father and Nickolas play pool.

Other than that, I am exhausted. And I had wanted to get in on that pool game. So I’m out. And man is it a search for that apostrophe, it is way up at the top of the keyboard. Weird, weird. But still cool.

Here are some tildes for you…

ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ

Enjoy them until I blog again (probably when I am back in los estados unidos).



Zapatos

I’m off to Gowanda Eye Care in about five minutes to pick up my new glasses. They are very pro-looking and also extremely spiffy :)

I really hope my parents’ flight to Mexico is going okay. I know airlines are supposed to be safe and wonderful but it is a five-hour ride. They’re with Mark and Karen, so they should be entertained… but. Pff. I really want it to be fine.

Raaa, okay okay. Now I need to finish getting ready. Maybe put some shoes on. Y’know, that kind of thing. Toodles.