Life on the hyphen...

This is my first attempt at blogging. I don't know why it seems like such a big deal to me. As if this is some kind of debutante ball I'm meticulously preparing for. 

I write all the time. I spend countless hours writing emails to my friends, letters to editors, and chatting on line.  But suddenly blogging feels like I have arrived. I have somehow joined a secret club with a special complicated handshake.

At least it feels that way.

Okay. Having said that, I'm over it now.

I do stuff.  I make stuff.  I take pictures every day.

I am a Cuban-American.  Born in Cuba, raised here in the U.S.  I think I live my life "on the hyphen" as Gustavo Perez Firmat describes in his book, The Cuban-American Way.

I live in Orange County, in Southern California (the "Oh Sí" - thanks for that, Kelley!) and we have Disneyland passes.  My kids and I usually go with Helen dC (del Carmen), who is my niece, and her beautiful kids, Daisy and Benicio. We do everything with My Big Fat Cuban Family.  My 92 year old mother, Luz, will be staying with us this weekend. she likes to watch episodes of Monk on dvd (with Spanish subtitles, of course).

I home-school my two younger kids, Lucy and Jonathan. I read my favorite blogs over at Babalu and CubanAmerican Pundits. My 23 year old, Amy and I discuss Cuban-American politics rabidly on MSN Messenger. My 20 year old son, Adam is wearing his Cubanito shirt today from www.cubatogo.com. (that was a shameless plug for my on line shop)

I scrapbook. I read. I garden. I wept when I saw The Lost City.

So my life goes back and forth, and back and forth between my cultures. The kids have drama and racquetball today. I'm making picadillo for dinner.

Life on the hyphen.