May I Recommend: Movie, Music and Book Edition

Yeah so this is a three in one i have been meaning to update this thing but life has other plans for me so right now i have a few minutes to update so here we go.

Ok first up the movies:

About two weeks ago I went to see Rent with Nataly (Yes, Nataly and Caro are my movie watching buddies) and I LOVED it, if you have not gone to see it, I suggest you go before this movie leaves the theater. This movie stayed close to the original Broadway production. Just about all of the original Broadway cast was casted for the movie with the exception of Rosario Dawson as Mimi and Tracie Thomas as Joanne.

I was crying by the end of this movie for reasons that I can not discuss in this review because it will ruin the movie. So you have to go and see it to see why I was crying.

All of the actors did a fabulous job they all played their parts so well but one actor stood out to me over the rest. This particular actor in my opinion STOLE just about every scene he was in so when I got home I did some research (thanks Google) and found out that this talented and guapo actor is DOMINICAN that is right.

Who am I talking about no other then Wilson Jermaine Heredia who plays Angel. Wilson won a Tony in 1996 for his role as Angel in the orginal Broadway production. How cool is that. In an interview that i read about him, he was talking about how he is straight, but everyone thinks he is gay because of his role as Angel. I can see how that would happen homeboy rocked this role.

So in conclusion go see Rent. While you are at the mvoies you might want to check out....

The Family Stone. I saw this movie with Caro last week. First of all I want to say that I LOVE this poster. Again I LOVED this movie it was surprisingly really good a little predictable at times but good. A fair warning fan of Sex and the City, SJP's character here is nothing like Carrie. You end up hating her in the beginning of the movie which is refreshing because we are all use to loving her.

So if you have seen the trailer then you know that this movie is about a son Everett Stone played by Dermot Mulroney who brings home his girlfriend for the holiday and bueno everything just goes wrong. I loved Diane Keaton as the mom who blended humor and heartbreak, and honors the film with a grace that makes it stick in the memory. I ended up wishing I had a mom like her.

Rachel McAdams (who I love) rocked her role as Amy, Everett's younger sister who thinks that Meredith (SJP) is a bitch.
Luke Wilson also rocked his role as Ben, Everett slacker brother. I also love that the Stones have a gay son who is also deaf played by Ty Giordano, and that through out the movie the characters used sign language. I think the reason why I ended up loving this movie so much was because it reminded me of my family so much. So go check this movie out as well.

Ok now for the music:

Shaki is my girl. I am a HUGE Shakira fan and you know I had to pick this one up the day it came out and am I glad I did.

I love this cd it is classic Shakira. Some people don't like her in English because they think she is "selling out" and others might think that two cd's in one year might be one to many but I have to disagree. Yes there are no huge dance song like this summers smash hit La Tortura off Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 on this cd, but just listen to the lyrics of songs like Don't Bother and tell me that it is not a great "angry chick song". Actually Don't Bother is one of my favorite songs off this cd. I have to admit to being jealous of Shakira's songwriting ability's. I love this line from Don't Bother;
" She's almost 6 feet tall/ She must think I'm a flea/I'm really a cat you see/And it's not my last life at all."

Other good song off this cd is Illegal ft Carlos Santana. This song might bring some comparison to Alanis Morrissette's You Ought to Know but then again Shaki has been compared to Alanis since her third CD Dónde Están Los Ladrones? Anyways Illegal is a great song for any women who has had her heartbroken with lyrics like " You don't even know the meaning of the words "I'm sorry"/ You said you would love me until you die/And as far as I know you're still alive, baby/You don't even know the meaning of the words "I'm sorry"/I'm starting to believe it should be illegal to deceive a woman's heart." Some other good songs are Dreams for Plans; Costume Makes the Clown, and Timor.

Now for the book:

Way back in the day when I was part of the sucias there was a new and young writer on there named Liz De Jesus. Liz was way cool and wrote amazing poetry. Which she use to share with us. Now I don't know if Liz is still a part of la sucias last time I checked she had not posted for a looooong time. Anyways Liz wrote a little book titled Note to Self. So being a good sucias I ordered a copy because that is what we do support each other. Well it took Borders a million years to get my copy to me but when they finally did I sat down to read it.

The finally result is....I liked it there a few mistakes in the book which I took to be an editing mistake but the more I read, and the more I got to know and love the main character Sam I started to think that maybe the mistakes where made or even left there on purpose. Seeing as Sam is not a perfect person.

Sam is a Puerto Rican woman who is recovering from a broken heart and bueno basically she hates life or at least is disappointed by it. I do have to say that this book cracked me up at time's because Sam reminds me of me. Anyone can related to Sam and her views on life and you will be cheering for her at the end of the book and there is even a point where you are going “Ay, mujer get a grip" but in a good way. If Sam does not remind you of yourself, well then we all know someone like her.

Sunset

People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. I don't try to control a sunset. I watch it with awe as it unfolds, and I like myself best when appreciating the unfolding of a life.

-Carl R. Rogers

That quote right there summories all the reasons why i teach.

Confidential

I still love my new job which by now is not really all that new. I still love everything about it.

I love walking in to a classroom and hearing 16 pre-schoolers say " Miss Karlina" as four or five of them run up to hug me. I love sitting down with them and just hearing them tell me stories. I love all the art work they make for me (which now proudly hangs in my office). I love that when they draw a picture of me, my arms and legs come out of my head (everytime i look at that i laugh). I love the look on their face when they finally "get" a something or write their name for the first time.

I love walking in to the baby room and just hanging out in there. The baby room is my hide out spot when everything gets to be too much. It is amazing what holding a baby can do.

I love walking in to the parent room and have 4 or 5 moms come over to me and offer me food. They are always trying to feed me. I love sitting in there with them and just hanging out.

I love the fact that even after working all day the dads still all show up every Monday night for class, earger and willing to learn.

I love my staff, i have an amazing, hard working, dedicated staff and i am very grateful for them. I love my boss, she really is the coolest boss i have ever had.

Like i said i love everything about my job even all the paperwork and the long hours. What i do not love is the hard, heart-breaking confidential stuff that brings me to my knees in a flood of tears. I wish i could tell you about it but i can't. I can not tell you the number of times that i have had to leave a meeting or walk out of the parent room in a hurry and lock myself in my office and just cry.

I can not believe that there really is this much injustice in this world. I know that no one said that life is fair but these families have been through so much they need a break. It breaks my heart that all i can do is offer them a hug and an ear to listen. I wish i could do more to help. Since our program is a little different then most school programs we are able to do more then most program but i still wish we can do more. I know there is only so much we can do but still i wish could do more.

The holidays are suppose to be a time for celebration but all i find myself doing is crying. I have be come an emotional wreck who barley sleeps. I find myself waking up at night worring or think about one of my families wishing i could do more. This is the problem with being a teacher no matter how hard you try you always become attach not just to the kids but to their whole family and after a little while they become your family as well and we all know how i feel about my family.

I know what you guys are thinking "now Karla you have done all you can" and" you can't save everyone". I know this and i am remind of this everytime i see these parents i am amazed by their strenght, even though their lives are falling apart and some really horrable stuff is going on i am amazed with the fact that they still come in to school everyday with a smile on their face.

I know that this is Caro's thing but still i think it fits: love is finding the courage to keep living.

Well now that i made everyone all sad and worried i hope you all have a good weekend.