My Big Fat Cuban Family is a Cuban-American lifestyle and food blog by Marta Verdes Darby.
Soooo, I decided that starting today instead of regaling you with stories of my lovely and delightful big, fat, Cuban family, I will from now on post only YouTube videos of Ukrainian rock bands.
Enjoy.
(It really picks up at about 2:47....wait for it.....)
Feliz Dia de los Inocentes!
I totally April-fooled you, didn't I? ;-)
I have been doing some spring cleaning here at MBFCF (and at home too, but that's not important right now).
I've been making some slight changes that I've been meaning to get to for a while now.
I especially love that last feature. I mean... I've written over 750 posts! That's a lot of posts! You might as well benefit from all of that writing. =D
So if you scroll down to the bottom of each of my posts (like this one, for example) it will say the following...
You might like these stories:
And then it links you to 3 other posts within my blog. Isn't that genius?
That way, on a day like today, while I'm still catching up with the week's laundry and looking for creative inspiration, you can amuse yourself by reading stuff I've already written.
Genius.
Let me know what you think. I'll be folding socks and tshirts and sheets and towels and....
*SIGH*
Since I was already playing on my computer and procrastinating because I have so much stuff to do that I really don't want to...
I also Simpsonized myself....
Meet Martica. The Simpsons' new Cuban neighbor. ;-)
(Disclaimer: I don't watch this show, but someone sent me the link and I couldn't resist...)
I know. Shut up.
I had a lovely exchange with my 15 year old, Lucy (Blog Hijacker in Training) in which she told me that I was her hero. (I know. Shut up.)
"You can do so much, Mom. You are fun to be with. You are so generous with your time...."
She might have said more. I don't know because I was focusing so hard on keeping the tears from flowing. (I am a very SLOPPY crier. My nose gets red and my eyes get swollen and close up. It's not a pretty picture, but that's not important right now.)
As a parent, this is just one of those moments where you think, "Wow. It was worth every minute of grief for this."
And then, because I'm me, I started to fantasize about exactly what my superpowers would be and of course, what I would wear. =D
The Astonishing Kind Philanthropist.
Yes, that sounds like me, doesn't it?
Except for the tiny waist and of course, I would never be barefoot. I'd insist on some great RED boots. ;-)
Go create your own superhero at The Hero Factory. Come back and tell me who you'd be.
If you were thinking this was going to be a post about a tv show from the 70's, ("de plane! de plane!") I'm sorry to disappoint.
What happened was that Eric went to see our accountant yesterday and got the really, really bad news that we owe the IRS....well...a lot.
(Our accountant just so happens to have his office in Newport Beach, which boasts one of the highest per capita bizzillionaire populations in So Cal - it makes you wonder if maybe we're helping to support him in the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed, but that's not important right now.)
So, Eric left the accountant's office DEPRESSED and started texting me:
He finds he's close to Fashion Island - which has a number of high priced shops and upscale eateries. (I just wanted to use the phrase "upscale eateries." =D)
As his let's-move-into-Fashion-Island fantasy unravels, he starts sending pictures with captions:
It was after the second Porsche that I voted him off "the island" and asked him to please come home.
We still owe the IRS a lot, but at least they can't take our sense of humor. ;-)
Isn't it bad enough that I have to tip-toe my way through yet another Friday the 13th in a span of 28 days??
I also have to deal with this creature crossing my path, back and forth, back and forth, a dozen times a day:
Meet The Cat Bastet. Not just Bastet. Her full name is: The Cat Bastet.
(I highly recommend that you read Elizabeth Peters - the Amelia Peabody Series to really enjoy the reference, but that's not important right now.)
I'm not genuinely superstitious, but I think that I'll be staying in bed for the rest of the day.
Porsi las moscas. ;-)
"Most small boys are barbarians. It is a
wonder any of them live to grow up."
~ Amelia Peabody
I've been blogging for about 2 1/2 years now.
When I first started it was kind of a dirty-little-secret. I just didn't know how to explain it. So I didn't. But I know I was constantly looking for stories to tell.
Maybe it was an age thing? Or an untapped (for me) creative outlet?
I just know that as a scrapbooker and storyteller and accidental family historian I had stuff to say. I honestly didn't expect anyone except my family and maybe a few friends to even read it.
Eric (my sweet husband) was the one who encouraged me, "Just write from your heart. You have a lot to share."
And so I started my blogging adventure.
I researched blogging platforms and knew immediately that TypePad was the one that most fit my style.
Almost immediately I had to upgrade from the $4.95 a month Basic to the $8.95 per month Plus. (No, I'm not quite a $14.95 per month Pro, but that's not important right now.)
And so I blog. I'm a blogger. A Cuban-American Blogger.
And I love it.
1. I get to write about the things I'm passionate about.
2. I get to cook and share my food with you. (If you lived nearby, I'd just invite you over....)
3. Blogging has made it possible for me to connect with Cubans all over the world. (isn't that crazy?)
4. Blogging forces me to think. (Always a plus.)
5. I get to blog about anything that's interesting to me or funny or serious.
6. It's the next best thing to being a stand-up comedian. (which I totally might have been, if I hadn't found blogging. =D)
7. If I Google "my big fat cuban family" I'm all over the first 3 pages of Google which makes me feel accidentally cool.
8. I really think the name of my blog is inspired. ;-)
9. My blog is mine. It completely reflects my ideas, my values, my point of view. (except when my daughters hijack it...)
10. Blogging is therapeutic at times.
11. My blog has helped me to meet some of my very favorite people.
12. Blogging gives me something to talk about. "So, what do you do?"
13. Blogging is easy.
14. My blog has given me a way to reach the next generation of young Cuban-Americans. I love that.
15. I've gotten to meet most of the Smart Cuban Authors on my list there on the right.
16. My blog is like an archive of my life. (only a bit neater than my journal and with pictures!)
17. I get to celebrate the milestones in the lives of those closest to me. I like that a lot. A Tribute post being much better and more thoughtful than a Hallmark card, in my opinion.
18. I get to be myself. (Yes, I am genuinely this goofy.)
19. I get to write as much or as little as I like. I get to write about deeply thought out subjects and I get to write "toss away" posts just because I feel like it.
20. Blogging has given me a reason to open a youtube account (I'm smrtqbn) and a twitter account. (I kind of suck at twittering so far, but I plan to get better.)
21. I love posting pictures to illustrate my stories.
22. Reading blogs is what I do each morning with my coffee. I make it a point to comment if I read something that intrigues or amuses. I know that we bloggers love comments. (hint, hint)
23. Blogging lets me occasionally over-share with impunity.
24. Blogging has helped me find my voice - and it doesn't sound at all like what I imagined...
25. I'm VERY proud to be a blogger now.
And no, I'm not celebrating any kind of anniversary, but okay..... I'll still give something away....
I have mugs with each of the original provinces on them. La Habana, Pinar del Rio, Oriente, Matanzas, Las Villas, Camaguey. Leave me a comment and tell me which part of the island your family is from and (if applicable) how long you've been reading this blog. The winners will get to choose the mug with the Province of their choice. I think it's only fair.
I'll do a drawing on Friday, the 20th, which, come to think of it is the date I posted my world-famous Guavalicous pastelito recipe which put me on the Cuban food blogging map. So, there it is. Something to celebrate!
Thanks for reading MBFCF.
I'm a blogger. I blog. I *heart* blogging. =D
I must apologize in advance for the following post.
My brain is fried from all the recent creative output. Proceed at your own discretion....
*************************************************************
So, I'm sitting at my local nail salon getting my nails done (obviously) which requires me to sit still for a prolonged period of time listening to the sweet Vietnamese girls jabbering to one another, when suddenly my mind starts to wander and I notice this:
Barbicide? Really?? What exactly IS THIS??
Hmm... I wonder if that's what it's called when a Barbie is murdered? ;-)
Or is that what you call it when a Barbie decides to off herself because she was once a unique and trend-setting fashion model with a fabulous wardrobe in the 60's:
and then she lost her way in the 70's thinking that maybe she could be an astronaut:
and tried to choose too many career paths through the 80's and 90's such as Sea World Trainer (although don't you agree that she might look a lot like a chewy, pink and purple Scooby-snack to Shamu?)
But now, poor thing, she's reduced to wearing skanky outfits (at her age, too!)
Or maybe she's become severely depressed because even though Ken has been her boyfriend for over 40 years and is always up for a Beach Party and she's had the wedding dress for decades now, he just won't commit and come to think of it, does she really want to be with a guy who is comfortable wearing stuff like this??
I know, sweetie, I feel your pain, but is Barbicide really the answer??
(By the way, my nails look fabulous and yes, sometimes it's really fun to be me, but seriously, don't you agree that I should really take some time off soon?) =D
8 superheroes.
8 parents.
240 grapes.
1 murder.
It was New Year's Eve at the National Superhero Convention.
Sadly, the Blue Shadow had been found crushed to death before the convention started.
It was up to the Incredible League of Superheroes to solve the crime.
Back row: The Human Ape, Robotron, Supersleuth, The Brooder.
Front row: Windstorm, The Stapler, Shadowmasque, and Mysta.
They made a formidable team.
Although they all had a motive for murder and there were many clues to be sorted through, they all had alibis. *sigh*
Most of them air-tight. Except for one.
And so the heroes worked together to bring the killer to justice.
They did well, I think because they were so cooperative with the Local Law Enforcement.
It took my own super power of Spousal Persuasion to get him into this get-up.
Which makes me..... A Force to be Reckoned With. ;-)
Back in the day, Kodak had a genius ad campaign for their sweetly priced Instamatic cameras.
From around the early 60's and into the 70's their pre-Christmas ads would say something about marking the wrapped camera with a tag that said "Open me first!" Serious genius.
So, you're probably thinking that this post is about cameras, but aside from the previous fun fact, (and the fact that I'm still upset that I don't have my real camera back from the shop) it's not.
Jonathan (the almost 13 year-old) got Adam (the 22 year-old) a Self-inflating Whoopee Cushion for Christmas.
Yes, the kind you sit on and it makes a loud and melodious... umm....trumpet-like sound...umm....oh, you know...
It makes a farting noise!
There, I said it. (blush, blush)
The big selling point for this was the it "self-inflates after each f*rt!" This new feature makes it unnecessary to blow it up after each use. I know. Someone spent some serious time, energy and money devising this energy efficient update to the classic gag. It staggers the imagination....
Any kind of bathroom humor, of course, is irresistible to boys of all ages. My boys are no exception.
So, this New and Improved Self-inflating Whoopee Cushion was the very first gift that was opened on Christmas morning at our house.
And while we did have actual Christmas music playing in the background, the soundtrack of our Christmas sounded decidedly, well....
umm.....different. =D
(Confession: it made me laugh (a carcajadas!) EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. but that's not important right now.)
Did I mention that Eric's parents came over for Christmas dinner???
Ay Dios mio.
=D
I feel so accidentally cool. (thanks, Helen!)
My Big Fat Cuban Family is all about my Cuban American life. Enjoy my ramblings on my blog about my Cuban family, Cuban heritage, Cuban culture, Cuban life. And some decent Cuban recipes with pictures, too.
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