Shhhhh. I Can’t Hear You
Or maybe that title should read “Shhhhh: Please don’t make me listen to you for one more minute!” The festival today was a success. We sold pork (puerco) and chicken (pollo) and yellow rice (arroz amarillo), black beans (frijoles negro), churros (churros) and Spantish Omelette (tortilla espanola). We sold it for 10 hours. We sold it until I was sick of looking at it.
The ten hours on my feet wasn’t so bad. The fact that people kept having to say to me…..”OH! Sorry – I thought you spoke Spanish” wasn’t so bad. All the awesome students from different schools who particpated with singing, dancing and bands were amazing! (My school’s flamenco dancers won FIRST prize!!) Lots of visitors and lots of vendors – cool stuff. BUT THE NOISE LEVEL ABOUT KILLED ME! I have noticed that – at least around here – Hispanic people tend to be more boisterous, gregarious and just plain LOUD. Today they cranked it up a notch. It wasn’t just loud – it was atom bomb loud. It was loud on steroids. It was standing in front of the speakers at a rock concert loud. It was……what? Did you say something??
When I finally got to leave I took a plate of food home with me. Does it surprise anyone that I can’t eat the food? I really want to. I served it all day and it’s damn good. But I simply cannot face it. I cannot look those black beans in the face and say…..see you on the flip side buddies! Not a kernel of rice, not a crumb of bread. I think it will be a long time before I eat any pollo or puerco. (or is that puerca? Dang. I can’t remember. Are pigs feminine or masculine? Does it matter if I’m eating a girl pig or a boy pig? How would I know anyway?)
As luck would have it…my ace bandage wrapped ankle kept me from wearing my “do me” shoes, and my come hither hair was soon spattered with hot oil from frying churros. So, while lots of men DID speak to me….they were all lovingly eyeing my food – not my face, boobies, buttocks or ace bandage wrapped ankle. I reek like the after effects of an explosion in a churro factory. My ankle swole up anyway. I think I am deaf.
Cassidy, on the other hand is a happy puppy. He got 2 BIG bones from the pork roasts. He is hoping we do this again soon.
OH NO! Did I mention, speaking of doing this again soon, that a woman approached my principal? Well, that’s not so unusual. He is a very outgoing man. BUT this woman is heading up some sort of Hispanic Festival which is currently in the planning stages. SHE wants US to get involved. HE gave her MY name as the contact. Principals – you can’t live with ’em – you can’t drown them in a vat of black beans.
Puerco, pollo……here I come……..again. But this time – I ‘m taking a little cotton for my ears. Maybe there’s such a thing as come-hither cotton???
ughhhh i can’t stand being in loud environments. I have really good hearing, so like things quieter than the average person.
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oh yeah, and it’s puerco. Not puerca.
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I just enjoy the hell out of your entries! Cool–flamenco contest–since I seem to be living within a movie theme today, there are two movies to relate. One is “Carmen,” (Spanish version) tons of flamenco–tried to find it awhile ago on DVD–not! Then there’s a scene in a Peter Sellers movie “The Bobo.” Mmmm, I love black beans!
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RYN: My take on Bill Frist’s rise is that he was from the South when they needed a replacement for Trent Lott. Just my opinion, he has a built in conflict of interest in that his family founded “Columbia HCA Healthcare Systems”–whatever it’s called now. And his family (father/brothers???)is most certainly still involved in it; is sure to run for president in ’08 from all indications. Cheers!
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So that was the noise I was hearing all day today…
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I hope you are soaking those feet. You want to come up here and do a few fund raisers too? LOL 🙂
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One word: Earplugs! I can generally take the decibels in movie theaters, but M always has her earplugs with her — she can still hear the movie but at a tolerable level. I hope you were able to put your feet up afterwards!
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At least you didn’t have to serve CORN!
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ROFLMAO Haven’t you heard the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? LOL Hugz
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Too funny
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If they want an encore you must be good! Maybe by then you can wear your “do me” shoes. Your very cheeky writing really (read that really, really) cracks me up!
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ryn: I agree with you that only the remarkable moments stand out. It just surprises me that so few people remember only a hint here and there from so many years of growing up. I mean, for-crying-out-loud, it’s a huge percentage of our lives, and it’s not like we were hung over or anything! 🙂
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It is such a passionate culture! I grew up with latin families and until you get used to it and learn the language, everything sounds like an arguement. Then you learn that everything is just waiting to be a party. lol You poor gringa, you need a long soak in a quiet tub with some soft jazz in the background. Trade in the ‘do me’s’ for some fuzzy slippers today. hugs
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Oh my goodness – you must have been poco loco by the end of the day! My admiration for you has no bounds. BUT…now that you know the drill you must train the kiddos to do the frying so that you can just stand (or sit?) and look pretty. Draw the crowd yanno? hugs…
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Ahhhhh, the sweet perfume of chili powder! Bottle it, Babe. You’d make a jillion.
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Can you imagine me, a 6 year old white as white can be little girl, attending my first Mexican Christmas at my new grandparents’ house?? I know the “loud” of which you speak. I know dozens and dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins. All in a house barely big enough to house two aging grandparents. I also learned that night that you have to unwrap a tamale instead of trying to gnaw your way through!
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I totally understand not being able to eat the food afterwards. I find it hard to eat meatloaf after squshing it around with my fingers. Ick.
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Well we watch Extreme Makeover: Hone Edition from the US and are dumbstruck at the noise level. The Welsh are FAR quieter! 🙂
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RYN Actually we have 7 vowels!! AEIOUWY so there! And we can say all 7 really loudly if need be!!
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*Grin* All that food sounds yummy. Gee, maybe you could start a new job as a caterer. LOL! I know what you mean about the noise level. I find it hard to stand the noise form any big crowd any more. But then I was always sensitive to that kind of thing. RYN: I’ve sent you an invitation to view my picture album in ‘Photo Bucket’. I sent the e-mail to your Yahoo address. *warm hugs*
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My mom always said, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” so maybe you’ll be hearing from one of those guys, even if they just appeared to be eying your scrumptious food. Your stamina is truly amazing.
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*ryn* Oh, its worse than you thought. Chanel was spayed Friday and is such my poor baby. She was much better today, but still wants to be held when she hurts. And she hurts when she potties. Yeppers, I am petting the puppy while she does her business. And I thought my day job was bad….sigh.
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Chicken Please Guess what I’m back again lol Lael
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Hiya! Guess who’s checking in real quick 😛 That food looks great! I don’t think it’d like me very well though – bet it tastes wonderful. 🙂
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I don’t know how to be that for him. He sees me as the little babay in his arms, not the woman I am becoming. Its roles we are comfortable with.
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sounds like it all ended up great, but I’m with you — I cannot abide noisy environments. Even people yammering when someone is trying to get their attention angers me and I want to “SHHHHHHHH!!!!” them. ryn: Go watch Calendar Girls, I think it should be required watching for all women over 50,er,are you over 50? Anyway, required for any woman with pork fat in her hair; it’ll make you feel great!
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oh you want to cater toad’s next birthday party, you know you do. 🙂
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I’ve noticed that in my community that when the hispanics get together the noise level (mostly the music) seems to go wayyyy up.
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