The Rosa Chronicles: The Ups, the Downs, and the Wardrobe Changes

This post is a bit different from my previous ones, but here it goes anyway. For a while now, I have been longing for a place where I can feel connected to a Higher Entity. I had tried a couple of congregations, but had not felt that I was at home. Recently, though, I visited the Second Unitarian Church of Chicago , and I think I have found the right place for us. The first time I was there I was impressed with the warm welcome that members gave me as well as by the very diverse group of people at the church. I was equally impressed with the sermon on that day as it quoted from different sources - the Quran, the Bible, Buddhism, and the message was geared towards growth as an individual person rather than a punitive, "burn in hell" one that often one hears. About three weeks ago, I was there for the Sunday morning service, and when the Reverend began his sermon, I felt as if Andrew had talked to him about my issues and the message was specifically directed to me. You ...

I have always kept journals. It has been a good way for me to reflect back on what I have done, notice patterns, and laugh at youthful silliness. The past couple of days I spent time reading my journal from when I was 18-19, and I cried for, was embarrassed at, and laughed at my younger self. But that is another story. The journal that relates to this entry is my weight loss journal. I have kept it for years, writing on and off and documenting my struggle with weight loss. Appropriately labeled "Morphing Journal," I have been keeping notes in there since 2006. That was truly the beginning of the "Ups and Downs, and Wardrobe Changes." In there I journal my successes and defeats related to this never ending process. Recently, I grabbed the journal again to jot down my new workout routine. It is a rather small notebook, perfect fitting for my gym bag, easy to carry around so that I don't forget that after squats I have to do push ups, and then mountain climbers. ...

Don't you hate it when you start doing something, and you are super motivated, you are giving it your all, and then it all goes out the window? Yeah, I hate that too, and that's exactly how my year has started. Well, not all of it, but at least the part that gives me the most work.  So here's what happened. As I said in my last blog, Andrew and I joined the gym to have access to more equipment, to use the treadmill, etc. Because in the past I have had some issues with going to the gym, mainly not knowing what the hell to do, I spend a good amount of time creating this somewhat ambitious 10-week workout plan. Based on the days that Andrew and I had decided to go to the gym, I selected the workouts that I would do there as well as those that I would do on the days I worked out at home. I knew I may have to adjust it; after all, I had not worked out for a couple of weeks, plus I was also incorporating a full-body circuit. I just did not know how much I had to adjust it. ...

It has been a while since I last wrote something. Somehow the end of a year does something to my mood and it takes me a while to recuperate, and I still don't get enough energy to get back into routines, any type of routines. It is hard to believe that another year came to an end. It feels as if I had barely started working on my goals for the year, and then, boom, we welcomed a new year. Why is it that time goes by so fast? I remember being young and thinking that a year lasted, well, a whole year. Now, a year feels like it last about 6 months or less. So, as many people do at this time, I was faced with the issue of setting resolutions for the new year. Ay, qué dilema!  Was I really ready to do this? Was it even necessary? After much thought, I decided that resolutions were not for me. Instead, I would rather continue working on what I had already started. Take for example my desire to go back to school. Approximately a year ago I decided that I wanted to go back to school ...

I wrote this around three years ago, when I first started taking steps to lose weight. It has been a long "eviction" process, and I continue engaged in this battle. I am reposting it as a reminder of this struggle and as motivation to continue working on my goals. "Mmmm, excuse me?" I started hesitantly. "I regret to inform you that your stay in this body has come to an end. You have to move out; your body is no longer wanted." And with that, I gave an eviction notice to the body I no longer wanted. You see, around 14 years ago a new body took a hold of my old body, and it has not let go ever since. From there on, whenever I looked in the mirror, I would not see my body, the one I used to have, but the one that has taken residency without having been invited. The "original" body. This is in 1987, when I first came from Puerto Rico. Oh, don't take me wrong! I was expecting some changes after having my two daughters. In fact, I welcomed...

Vacation is over. Conference is done with. Now back to reality. Y ahí es donde la puerca entorchó el rabo (this is difficult to translate, but it means "this is where things get difficult.') It was time to get back into routines. I generally handle routines well; in fact, I welcome routines as they keeps me focused. I like knowing what is happening, when and where. Little did I know that our home routines had been seriously altered and that we had to adjust to a new reality! Amanda's and Ileana's new school schedules are crazy! It keeps them away from home during evenings, sometimes as late as 9:30 p.m. Needless to say, this threw our routines out of the window. We come home and there's nobody here. And because it is weird cooking for one or two people only, (then again, I don't like cooking much!) we have resorted to ordering out quite a bit. Yeah...unhealthy stuff, big portions...and no leftovers for next day. Right now, I am in the middle of that tangl...

After that wonderful Hawaiian vacation, we came back to reality and the daily routines. We all had some adjustments to make, particularly with the jet lag, but me, with my insomnia, it took me a bit longer to get back on track. And to top it off, I only had about a week and a half to get adjusted, as I had to pack again to attend the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) 2013, which was taking place in New Orleans, LA. I was very excited to go to USCA. It was going to be a great opportunity to network with colleagues in the HIV/AIDS field, many of whom I had met in 2012 at the  XIX International AIDS Conference , which took place in Washington, DC. Last year, I was selected by the National Latino AIDS Action Network (NLAAN) to be an Embajadora  at the conference. As an Embajadora (Ambassador), I covered various of the conference sessions and shared this information through a blog and other social media outlets, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Some other peop...