Yes my phone rings ALOT, most of the time its my parents!

I have a big phone plan. The reason is because clearly I get alot of phone calls. Most of those calls come from one of my parents, family members, extended family members and my  “sisters” from back home.

Not only do I have a big family but I basically have three parents. My mom, my dad and my step-mother (my dad and my-step mother have been together since I was 11 years old.) I talk to them often and in my Latin world this is normal. To my non-Latin boyfriend, this is not normal.

My boyfriend once told me he hadn’t talk to his parents for a month while in college. If I ever attempted to do that the national guard would have been called to find me. All my parents, several cousins, extended family and friends would have flown, driven or hitch-hiked to where ever I might be to find me. If my grandmother was still be alive, she would probably light several candles, force everyone to pray many rosaries, and be the one leading the search party with some holy water in her hand.

Recently I stumbled upon a blog post from Tiki-Tiki Blog which highlights this Hispanic reality. Here is a video and a link to her post.

This video is so true. I must admit that my parents aren’t this bad. We have “Americanized” and the calls are less, but still long.

When my boyfriend and I first started dating  I think the frequent calls to my parents and extended family bothered my non-Latino boyfriend. I bet it didn’t help that most of my phone calls occurred in Spanish while standing a few feet away from my boyfriend. I know…. but Spanish is the native tongue of my parents. Also, half the time I am was talking about my boyfriend and didn’t want him to know everything I was saying. (He is probably reading this right now – I love you baby! )

Almost three years later, I still make long phone calls in Spanish. My boyfriend still thinks its “interesting” how much I “have to” talk to my family. And I will continue watching tiki-tiki blog’s youtube video and be happy my mom isn’t like that anymore.

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I’m a Purple Twitter Addict… What Are You?

Twitter World

One of my favorite bloggers/twitters @MelissaTweets tweeted a great photo about the realities of the twitter universe. What do you think?

View the picture or read more statistics about Twitter. Interesting highlights:

• Tuesdays are the most popular day for twitter
• 5% of users account for 75% of all twitter activity, and 10% of users account for 86%
• The cities with the biggest Twitter populations are New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, and Boston. Los Angeles is the fastest growing city on the list.

For more visit http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/

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Navigating the Latino Republican Wilderness of CO

Josh Penry is the minority leader of the Colorado state Senate and is currently running for Governor of Colorado. When he was elected in 2006, Penry was the youngest member of the Colorado state Senate at the age of 31.

Now Penry is trying to channel his early success in the race for Governor. Recently he spoke to the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Colorado hoping to sway the ever growing Latino electorate. Colorado, the home state of Tom Tancredo is an intersting case study for Hispanic  Conservatives on outreach of the GOP.

According to the Denver Post, he said, Republican concerns mirror Latino concerns: jobs, the economy and education reform.

Read what happened to Penry in the Colorado Independent.

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More “Wise Latina Women”

Many in the Hispanic community have embraced the now “infamous” phrase “wise Latina woman.” Using it as a tongue in cheek way, but also as a source of pride for real Latinas who are intelligent, successful and breaking new ground.

Recently the San Diego News Network highlighted eight of the areas top “Hispanic women leaders in politics and other areas.” The tag line of the article reads: “Sotomayor is not the only Hispanic woman with a stellar record. San Diego boasts a large pool of ‘wise Latinas.’ “

Though I probably have nothing in common with most of these women politically, I thought it was an interesting reflection of the Hispanic community.

Everyone should read about these female leaders. Their work is impacting their local communities at every level. Read more at SDNN: Eight greats‘ Wise Latina’ leaders from San Diego

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Moving Sucks

In the last 7 years I have moved six times!! Sometimes twice in one year. By now I have learned to save all the boxes from the last move just in case. So with only seven months of living back in DC from my return from Florida, now I am moving to the West cost.

There is nothing fun about moving. The only good thing is that I am a pack rat and these moves forces me to throw stuff out. I have also learned the big difference between a necessity and a luxury.

A few pair of shoes for different outfits = a necessity.
75 pair of shoes for every color combination possible = a luxury.

As of today I am donating two bags of clothes and one bag of purses and lightly used shoes to the good will. During the first move back to Florida I donated 5 bags of clothes.

With five days left to D-Day many things still need to be taken care of… URGHHHH. My biggest problem is how do I get my heavy stuff from D.C. to California. I don’t want movers, I heard toooooooooo many horror stories. Hence, I am thinking about a pod or shipping boxes. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Off to make my list and check it twice! Pray for me!

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And the beat goes on…

I have been so busy lately. During the month of July alone I have been to Germany, California, Georgia and now Texas. It’s been non stop and super hectic. Now I have to get prepared for an even bigger trip. I am moving to California! I am moving to California in one week!

Today I leave Dallas and back to DC. In the next few weeks be ready for a road trip across the country and some more news.

Howdy from Texas!

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Democratic Racism & Why Republicans Should Embrace Identity Politics

John Hawkins of Right Wing News today writes an interesting but controversial post entitled  “Democratic Racism & Why Republicans Should Embrace Identity Politics.”

Read more at RightWingNews.com

If a Republican secretary somewhere sends out a racist email or somebody makes a racist comment on a Republican’s Facebook page, the Democratic grievance machine cranks up to full speed and the left declares that every Republican in America is a racist.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of these minor racial slights that occur on the Left as well, but they just get ignored, buried, or treated much less seriously than they would have if Republicans were involved.

Let me give you a couple of quick examples, both of which you would have heard about in nauseating detail had a Republican been involved,

Barbara Boxer, the far left U.S. Senator from California, was given a stern face-to-face reprimand by the president of the National Black…

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Republican Leader Pence Says Honduras Was Not A Military Coup

Last week U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute’s conference. The Republican leader discussed Honduras, frankly saying: “Let me be clear, this was not a military coup in any sense of the term.”

Here is a video and transcript of his speech. Pence also talked about how America continues to be “a symbol of hope for those fighting for democracy and civil liberties.”

Full speech below:

Pence Delivers Foreign Policy Remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute

Washington, DC – U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following foreign policy remarks today at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute:

(As prepared for delivery)

“Thank you Lincoln for that kind introduction.  As many of you know, Congressman Diaz-Balart brings an important voice to the United States Congress, to the Hispanic community and to the Republican Party.  I am grateful for your service Lincoln.

“¡Buenos días!  I want thank the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute and its Executive Director Octavio Hinojosa for the invitation to speak today, and for its critical and bipartisan support of the diversity of thought within the Hispanic community.

“I would also like to recognize my colleagues, Representatives Albio Sires, Henry Cuellar, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart for their leadership at CHLI and in the United States Congress.

“I am honored to be here today as a member of the House Republican leadership.  I am also proud to serve as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Many of the issues you will discuss during your conference are near and dear to my heart.

“In the next few moments I want to talk to you about the challenges that confront our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere.  And about the continued threat to freedom that exists today in many parts of the world.  The question before us is what role will the United States play as we struggle to expand the horizon of freedom?

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My First Shotgun Experience…

On Saturday, after the end of the ALEC conference, my co-worker and I went skeet-shooting. Traveling 35 miles outside of Atlanta we went on an organized trip to the Cherokee Rose Sporting Resort. For the first time in my life I shot a gun, a shotgun at that. I learned first hand what skeet-shooting was (one of the three types of competitive shotgun shooting at targets). I learned the basics of handling a gun, gun safety and found out what is my dominate eye.

Armed with protective goggles, earplugs and several instructors I learned to shoot two types of shotguns. Unlike my stepmother I didn’t fall flat on my butt the first time, but I do have a nasty bruise on my shoulder from the gun’s kick back. (Oh and boy what a kick back!!) It was a great experience. I am no longer intimidated by guns. In fact I want to take a few more lessons and know more about gun safety and protection.

Here are a few pictures from the adventure.

The Cherokee Rose is such a beautiful and massive location!

The resident instructor is Casey Atkinson (sitting on the picnic table with a white polo.) She is the first lady to attain the national ranking of Master class shooter and was also the first woman inducted into the National Sporting Clays Association Hall of Fame in 2005.  She had competed in numerous National and International competitions and has been an NSCA All-American.

I didn’t do too bad my first time out, hitting a few of the targets. I learned to handle two types of shotguns, both 20 gauge, a breech loading double barrel and a semi-automatic. Pictured above is me during my second round of skeet shooting. I have bad form but the guy from Beretta helped me out and taught me about my dominate eye and not to push my face down. The problem is I were glass and am near sighted so I don’t really know which is my dominate eye.

Our team went to the 12 different post around the restort in a cool golf cart.
Here I am doing alot better… still need more practice but I LOVE this picture.

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This Is Common Sense: Ballot Initiatives

I was at ALEC promoting a resolution in support of the power of the ballot initiative and referendum (I&R) process. I currently work for Citizens In Charge Foundation which protects the I&R process in the 24 states in which exist. Here is an interesting article from my boss, Paul Jacob, about the process in California. Even in a blue state like California voters said NO to several measures to increase taxes.

The Color of Contempt

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

The good sense that California voters exhibited at the polls in May has been rewarded with continual attack and derision.

Meg Whitman, former eBay CEO and Republican candidate for governor, recently said, “In many ways, the proposition process has worn out its usefulness.”

She’s criticizing the initiative, and she’s not alone.

Wrong target. California’s initiative process account for what little political sanity exists in the state.

The problem is spendaholic politicians.

But politicians and pundits continue bashing California’s ballot initiative process. Anything to deflect attention away from the inability of politicians to prioritize.

Even The Economist has taken up the bludgeon. A recent story, headlined “The ungovernable state,” said of the voter initiative process:

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