creativenachos.com Blog

I would love to be in a movie. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way saying I would like to be a celebrity. I have no interest in the paparazzi or the “celeb life.” I am simply stating that I would love to be in a movie just once.

What kind of character would I be?
A leading lady, that’s what I would like to be; a wise-cracking spy with a heart who tries to be as cool and sexy as James Bond but never quite gets it right. For example, 007 always has gadgets like the watch that doubles as the control for his car or a pen that shoots a little dart into his enemy causing them to explode. I would have gadgets like that however when faced with an evil villain or inescapable situation, I would reach for my pen only to find I’d left it in my hotel room and instead, brought the Bic pen with the chewed up top. Yet, my fumbling would always somehow save me. And I’d carry a small, silver handgun in my garter belt because as a spy I’m always dressed up and attending big parties but every time I’d go to get it, I’d drop it. Or I’d be walking along a London street (because all spies spend a little time in London, right?) when it would slip from my garter and drop into a sewer. Oh and you know how Mr. Bond always has his martini shaken, not stirred? Well, I’d have a Fuzzy Navel, shaved not fuzzy.

What kind of movie would I want to be in?
It would have to be a comedy with a little action and a little romance. And I’d want to be intertwined in a love affair but not anything like the one in the movie, Pearl Harbor. When Nurse Lt. Evelyn Johnson (Kate Beckinsale), holding two IV poles, whips around amid people dying to see Captain Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) and Captain Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck), the two men she can’t decide between, standing there and they all have a breathless moment, I almost shut the film off. No, I’d want it to be a hilarious, romantic, tug at the heart strings kind of story where we don’t get together in the end. Why, you ask? So, that there’s a sequel, of course.

What about you? Who would you be? What kind of film would you like to star in?

Author J K Rowling addresses students at Harvard University

Photo: Getty Images as seen in Telegraph.co.uk

I have a fear of failure and yet I am no stranger to it. This was the thought I had after listening to a friend talk about a failed relationship. Recently, I have taken part in more than a couple of conversations where people have shared their “failings.” In each case, I have been able to see the good thing that will come of their situation. It’s always easier to do so when you’re on the outside looking in. However, it got me thinking about what comes of “failure.” Just so you know, I actually hate that word, yet I cannot find another that captures that thing we all feel when things don’t work out the way we desperately hoped they would.

Despite the successes I have had in my life, I have had many failures. Some of those failures resulted in success but I didn’t know they would at the time. I failed in high school when I was given the golden invitation to leave one school simply because I found it more interesting to hang with random people in Roy Rogers in the morning and write in the park in the afternoon than go to class. I failed miserably at some relationships where I ran away and hurt people in a selfish attempt to shield myself from pain and others where I stayed longer than I should have mistaking shelter for being used. I have failed at recognizing the face of friend for that of a foe and vice versa. I have failed to get pieces I’ve sent out published and later, failed to fight the fear of rejection that is a staple of writing and therefore failed to send out pieces at all.

In all this time, I’ve never stopped to think about what I learned from my “failings.” It seems that the Universe wants me to think about this topic as my friend Katy just sent me J.K. Rowling’s Harvard Commencement speech in which she discusses failure and imagination. Thank you, Katy! I have included a link to the speech and highly recommend taking the time to read it or watch it if you have a few minutes. The speech seemed to beg that I dig deeper to understand what purpose failure has served in my life. Here are just a few things I’ve learned so far:

-that even when I have allowed myself to be held captive by my emotions and, for a split second, thought that there are no windows or doors that would open, I have battled through.

-that a flame of hope exists deep within me

-that I can find humor in the darkest times

-that forgiveness is possible

-that most of time we are not in control in this life

-that the people I have in my life that have stuck by me when I was way more than a handful are gold, pure gold.

-that much like a starfish, love can regenerate itself even when you think a portion of our heart has been severed

As I continue to look back in order to better understand what it is that I am currently carrying and will continue to carry forward, I know I will learn more about myself. It’s amazing to be able to see that good often comes of failure.

What is one thing you believe you failed at and, looking at it now, realize that without having failed, you would never have learned an important something about yourself?

Photo by Daniélle

Top Ten Things You Must Do When In Maine

10. Eat the Wicked, Awesome Sisters Salsa – it is by far the best, damn, natural salsa I’ve ever had; your mouth will love you and your stomach will thank you. Grab some sisters!

9. Go beading with Judy Booty (if you don’t have a Judy Booty of your own, then drop into the Beadin’ Path in Freeport, ME. The folks are great; they’ll teach you to make stunning jewelry and more.)

8. Have a few beers and then sit on Higgins Beach and watch the stars at night (preferably with a loved one) – Higgins Beach is an average sized beach when the tide is in but when it goes out it feels like you are standing on the biggest beach in America. (Hey, I wonder which beach is the largest in America. Anyone know?)

Photo by Daniélle

7. Help a lost baby shark the comes up onto Higgins Beach to find its way back into the ocean. (If you don’t have a real shark, buy a plastic one and hurl it in the ocean in front of people. Remember to “fish” it out later – we want to keep the ocean clean!)

6. Visit L.L. Bean, Cool As A Moose and the other, super fun shops in Freeport, ME (stop by Jameson Tavern with the kids for the early bird special and you’re sure to clear the outdoor area in no time. The early bird crowd doesn’t seem to dig kids. However, you might encourage other families passing by to fill the vacant seats AND start a child-friendly trend. Don’t worry no matter what the staff will love you.)

5. Eat Whoopie Pie – Ah, whoppie pie. That pie that comes in two sizes – little and big – and one major flavor – yummy! You cannot leave Maine without trying one. Here is my personal ranking:
a. The pie from Higgins Beach Market is made fresh daily. It has little chocolate chips baked into it. Little chocolate chips, how can you go wrong?
b. The Wicked Whoopie pie in Freeport has fabulousness oozing out of it.
c. When you have to have a little whoopee, Hannaford’s is sure to satisfy.

Photo by Chris

4. Eat at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights – really it’s seafood in a shack on a cliff between two lighthouses overlooking the ocean. Need I say more?

3. Throw children in the air – I recognize that this can happen anywhere but it seems especially fun in Maine. (If you have no children of your own to throw in the air, borrow some. People in Maine are so friendly I’m sure they’d hand them over if you asked.)

2. Go to Kettle Cove and help your children get crabs – the ones that walk around in the ocean that is…what were you thinking?

1. Eat Moose Droppings from Higgins Beach Market  – I’d tell you what’s in it but where’s the fun in that. You’ll just have to try it. Come on where’s your sense of adventure?
Bonus – Have a few beers with friends and then have a Wii Boxing Match and beat everyone down so that you can become the champ in the state of Maine and gloat for days after.

If you’ve been to Maine, would you agree with this list? Add to it? Subtract?

If you have a vacation place you love, what are one, two or many things you’d recommend folks do while there?
 

Photo by Danielle

There are so many things that happened in the world this week. Some were great, some were small, some were filled with happiness and others were sad. I took a personal time out from everything, for the most part, this week and had many incredible moments filled with varying degrees of emotion. Today, I’d like to share one with you.

As I strolled along the beach with my daughter, my friend Danielle’s son, Dom, came running over to tell us about a starfish. I’d seen a starfish before but this was to be a first for my daughter. We ran over and there, clinging to the edge of a partially submerged rock, was the starfish. My daughter was fascinated by it and the baby crab that she snatched from my hand and ran away with. I watched the starfish; I’ve never seen one moving and groovin’ in its natural environment. It peeled itself off the rock in slow motion; it looked as though it was doing yoga. The movements were fluid, almost graceful, as it laid itself down and traveled slowly along the sand. As I watched it, I felt like a child watching clouds in the hopes that I would see the Earth rotating.

The starfish is a reminder of how fragile life is; what we do affects everything. How we care for the ocean and our natural resources will affect the beauty, or lack thereof, that our children will experience. The respect we show the small creatures that play important roles in our world will affect the way our children care for the planet we leave to them. The time we take to live in the moment, paying attention to all that is around us instead of living such hectic lifestyles, will affect our relationships as we will find ourselves becoming better able to appreciate the small things, the small moments that possess great, big gifts.

Think about it. What is one small thing that left an impression upon you this week?
 

Photo by Danielle

Due to the recent success of Natasha, I have the privilege of filling in for her as she drinks her champagne. As guest blogger I would like to open the floor to the following question: Would you prefer to be a lead character or a sidekick in life? For example, would you rather be Batman (lead character) or Robin (sidekick)?

Personally, I would love to be the side kick. Lead characters like Batman want to stand for truth and justice, so does Robin, but Robin likes to do things on the wild side. He wants to have fun, live life to the fullest and to be daring. Batman is too strict; he’s a tight wad. Another example is Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four. He wants to have fun, meet women and enjoy his powers while the others want to hide and not be in the spotlight.

Don’t get me wrong they all have great responsibilities and care for the world but they should enjoy it as well.  I would love to be the one in the shadows, women chasing, and having the daredevil nightlife while still being able to save the world. Having the lead character cover for you, so you both don’t look like an ass, is more of a reason to enjoy being mischievous. The only down side about being the sidekick is that they all die. Now that sucks.

Who would you rather be?  
 

Photo by Danielle

Guest Model Judy Beedle

That’s right! I doubled my pleasure and doubled my fun by publishing in print and online!

If you open up the September issue of Latina magazine which hits stands today you will find my first personal essay. It is a story that begins when I learned that my Dad was not my biological father and concludes with what happened when I searched for the bio man. Although I do not consider my biological father to be my Dad, he and I are good friends. Bernie is my Dad. He is the man who bandaged my cuts, made me laugh and has been my rock all of my life. Please check out the issue if you have a chance. As you can see from this picture, Judy loved the article!

MediaBistro.com has a Video Pitch slam where writers can submit ideas that they would like to pitch to the editor-in-chief of national magazines. When they sent out the call for Latina magazine, I pitched an idea and was chosen to be filmed making the pitch to the warm, funny, and talented editor-in-chief of Latina magazine, Mimi Valdez Ryan. After the pitch, I followed up with her and eventually the article was given the green light. Once I completed the piece, I wrote an article for MediaBistro about the process of publishing which appears today. Please check it out at MediaBistro.com.

Thanks for you for taking the time to read, Nachos. Hope to hear from you!
 

Legoland Village

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I agree. But later, they go on to say that you’re lucky if you have one good friend in life. This leaves me with one question. What the hell happens to the village?

I mean, it’s a given that we will lose people. Some will unfortunately need to depart this world while others will simply wander off along their own path. What about the rest?

You see, I am aware of the fact that I need people. Strike that. I am aware of that I want people to love and laugh, cry, learn, and dance with, among many other things. I want to go to the bar with some and walk along the beach with others. There are people I want to learn from and others I want to teach. I can do that and more with one person but what if that person is sick one day and can’t play or they move far away? With a village, there are different people to play with at various times therefore allowing you to cultivate a more lush garden. 

So shouldn’t it be, you’re lucky if you have some good villagers to work with you throughout life? I do think I am lucky to have a great friend plus several more BUT I think we could all use a village and not just at the start of our lives. If the hope is that we are always learning, growing and sharing, don’t we need the village all throughout life, beginning, middle and especially at the end of when we want to reminisce and hold our hands as we step into a new …place?
 

Recently, a friend admitted that at one time she had been “obsessed with Indian culture.” From the music and dancing to Bollywood and the Hindi language, this Hispanic woman wanted to devour all she could within the culture.

I began to think about cultures that have intrigued me. I remember wanting to learn Egyptian hieroglyphics when I was a kid. I spent hours in the Egyptian wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In high school, I developed a fascination with the Italian culture. From the art and architecture to the language, I was in love. Unfortunately the only Italian word I ever learned to say was bicycle.

Now, I’d like the ability to sample a smorgasbord of different cultures because I don’t think we all know enough about one another cultures.

What about you? What culture have you always wanted to study? Or what culture have you immersed yourself in?
 

Our scene opens with two couples in an apartment in New York City. Their children are playing while the couples, who have just returned to the apartment, contemplate dinner.

Me
(sitting on a chair in the middle of the room)
….then we’ll order. Brian, will you call?

Husband
Why do I always have to do all the work?
(He turns from the sink with soapy hands to face me, a smirk on his face. This is a usual game. I laugh.)

Female Guest
(Becomes wildly excited)
Oh Tash, this is a common problem in our house too.

Male Guest
(Becomes equally excited but tries to play it cool)
What is??

Female Guest
Ordering food. You never want to make the call you always want me to.
(Me and my husband look at one another and giggle like schoolchildren. We wonder of this will be followed by a food fight later.)

Male Guest
Fine, give me the phone. I’ll do it.

Female Guest
(With raised eyebrows)
This is a first.

Male Guest
Just write it all down for me…

And there is the moment that I stop. I ask myself, if the order were written down for me so all I would have to do is read it to the person on the other end of the phone like a telemarketer reading from a script, would I still dislike calling? 

I think the reason I hate to order is because when I go to call, I feel like I am in a pressure cooker.  The person on the other end of the phone, the one who always sounds SO busy and militant, makes me anxious. The anxiety is followed by the white knuckle panic that I will forget something and someone will be left hungry and have to wait for the delivery person to return with their food.

Or maybe it’s because someone in the room will inevitably want to know the price so that we can have everything ready to make a quick exchange with the delivery person when they arrive and I worry I will forget to ask leaving me with no choice but to call back. I will pick up the receiver with my head hung in shame, whipping myself for being such a forgetful moron as I beg to know one thing, just one – how much will it be?

Or worse, maybe it’s because they often don’t get all the digits right the first time I say my phone number which I don’t understand because it’s not like I’m a low talker or I fancy speaking with marbles in my mouth. So, I repeat the number four or five times, each of us talking over the other as though we are singing a round and suddenly we’re done and I can’t help but feel that they’ve just given up. Then, the moment I hang up, I picture the delivery person outside – for some reason always standing in the rain – unable to get into the building because suddenly my buzzer is broken and they can’t call because they are missing that one digit.  Therefore the food will never come and the people who are hungry and waiting will revolt and vote me off the island. What too severe? Have I gone too far?

Mental telepathy food orders would be so much easier.

So, I have to ask. Are you a take charge, give me the phone I’m ordering the Chinese takeout or diner food or whatever kind of person or the one who looks the other way when everyone is deciding who will make the call?

Yesterday, I was relaxing with family, playing games and doing a little channel surfing when I stumbled across a show highlighting 80’s videos. There was one video, a completely obscure one by David Bowie, called Blue Jean. Do you guys remember it? That one came out in 1984. The first time I saw it, I remember thinking that the fact that one side of Bowie’s face was camouflaged was just about the coolest thing I’d ever seen.

As I watch it now, it’s still as fabulously awful as I remember from the camouflage and the turban he spins out of to the catwalk thing he boogies on and the dance the audience does (please note I think it was a requirement of most 80’s video’s to have at least one Michael Jackson look-alike dancer).

And just for shits and giggles, let’s check out the lyrics because even those contain some gems…

Blue Jean by David Bowie

Blue Jean-I just met me a girl named Blue Jean
Blue Jean-she got a camouflaged face and no money
Remember they always let you down when you need ‘em
Oh, Blue Jean-is heaven any sweeter than Blue Jean
She got a police bike
She got a turned up nose

Sometimes I feel like
(oh, the whole human race)
Jazzin for Blue Jean
(oh, and when my blue jeans blue)
Blue Jean can send me
(oh, somebody send me)
Somebody send me
(oh, somebody send me)

One day I’m gonna write a poem in a letter
One day I’m gonna get that faculty together
Remember like everybody has to wait in line
Blue Jean-look out world you know I’ve got mine
She got Latin roots
She got everything

Sometimes I feel like
(oh, the whole human race)
Jazzin for Blue Jean
(oh, and when my blue jeans blue)
Blue Jean can tempt me
(oh, somebody send me)
Somebody sent me
(oh, somebody send me)

Do you know which parts I love?? I love that Blue Jean has a police bike, a turned up nose, Latin roots and EVERYTHING!

I ask you, how can you not love the 80’s?  They were so bad, they were great. And Bowie was kind of awesome.

So, when people mention 80’s music videos, what do you think is the most memorable one?