Why I Never Play Hard to Get by Rachel Kay Albers

One of my friends posted a link to this article today on Facebook and after reading it, I thought I just had to share it with as many people as possible. It's a short one, but the author makes a lot of really good, thought-provoking points about some phrases that we've all heard and taken to be good advice.
It's really worth the read.
Here's my favorite line:
"When we structure romantic relationships so that one party is considered a prize of conquest, won only by someone strong enough to fight past objections and overcome enough Nos to reach the Holy Grail of Yes, how can we expect that this blurred view of consent won’t bleed into our sexual relationships, as well? " 

Pass it on!
http://feminspire.com/why-i-never-play-hard-to-get/

Pan Dulce

One of the best things about Los Angeles versus Montana, fresh pan dulce! As finding pan dulce in Montana is impossible, I decided to make it myself for the first time this past Dia de los Muertos, as I wanted to honor my Tio and Grandpa but couldn't set out an altar because my cat would ruin it. Instead, I made pan dulce and mexican hot chocolate so we could have dinner together.
I made these using a recipe I found online in Spanish, and there are TONS. It seems there are a lot of different ways to make it but either way, they were delicious.
I tried to make the common "concha" kind (named for the topping that is supposed to look like a turtle's shell, mine kind of melted off).

The topping: butter and sugar and cinnamon, mashed together.

Missrizos.com

Leí un artículo hoy sobre una cantante dominicana que recientemente decidió a permitir su pelo ser natural y dejar la usa de las químicas para ordenarlo. Parece superficial, pero representa un tema más profundo de la sociedad y cultura. Las chicas dominicanas son ensenadas a odiar su pelo natural y los rizos parecen como algo malo y feo. Esta tradición no es única a la Republica Dominicana, existe en todos partes. Debemos cambiar este sentimiento. Todos somos hermosas chicas y ahora esta el tiempo para abrazar quien somos y ser orgullosas de nuestra herencia, cualquier herencia es.

Visite este sitio. Vale la pena.
http://www.missrizos.com/

I read an article today about a dominican singer who recently decided to let her hair be natural and stop using chemicals to straighten it. It seems superficial, but this represents a much deeper issue in society and culture. Domincan girls are taught to hate their natural hair and curls are seen as something bad and ugly. This tradition is not unique to the Dominican Republic, it exists everywhere. We should change this feeling. We're all beautiful chicas, and now is the time to embrace who we are and be proud of our heritage, whatever heritage that is.

Visit this site. It's worth it.
http://www.missrizos.com/

And here is the article I read in English.
http://latinzine.msn.com/going-natural-a-dominicana-who-loves-her-curls

Chile Relleno

This dish is a classic Mexican staple. My grandma always seemed to have some freshly made, but younger me didn't like the slimy texture of chiles so I never tried them.
However, since it's such a classic dish, I decided I should learn how to make it.
It involves poblano chiles and queso fresco. First you roast/blacken the chiles in the oven and then put them in a Ziploc to sweat for 10 minutes. While they're sweating, I prepared the batter by beating two egg whites until fluffy and folding in some flour.
Once the chiles were done sweating, I cut them open and removed the seeds and filled them with queso fresco. I used toothpicks to keep them closed, dipped them in batter, and pan fried them in a little oil. I made rice and beans to go with.

Soup Fridays!

Every other Friday various departments on campus host free soup lunch in the Native American Center. It's open to everyone, a great way to get to know people and Native culture, and it's free!

I just went today for the first time and had a nice time and some delicious food!

El Consejo Nacional de la Raza

Hola.

Hoy quiero enviar un mensaje a mis lectores que se hablan español. Sé que escribo en ingles, porque estoy en los Estados Unidos y la mayoría de personas en mi estado especifico, Montana, hablan ingles. Pero quiero conectar con mas personas; las personas que se hablan español, porque tal vez ustedes son los mas importantes. Somos juntos en este mundo y lo creo completamente que necesitamos ser unidos si queremos tener éxito en todo que hacemos. No hay países diferentes, todo que pasa nos afecta igualmente. Sí, tenemos diferencias y esto es algo bueno. Pero hay menos diferencias que semejanzas.

Mira a este sitio, del Consejo Nacional de la Raza. Es una organización muy importante y vale la pena.

http://www.nclr.org/

También hay algunos artículos interesantes sobre el voto hispano y la influencia que tuvo en esta elección estadounidense.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/09/15029245-hispanics-to-obama-we-helped-you-now-you-help-us?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=2

http://www.nclr.org/index.php/about_us/news/news_releases/el_voto_hispano_marca_la_diferencia_en_la_eleccion_presidencial_2012/

VOTE!!!

Today is the day everyone! Seeing as our nation is a republic, voting for the people who will represent us is the best we can do and the most influence we can have. So  make sure you vote for the person who will best represent YOU, not their sponsors.
It's our responsibility. Let's not be a complacent nation.

Dia de los Muertos

I like to print black and white pictures like these and color them in to use for decorations:


As you might know, yesterday, Nov 2nd was Dia de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead". This is a hugely important holiday in Mexican culture, and merits a much longer essay than I have the time to provide. However, I will give a brief description of the holiday as I understand it and how I myself practice it (with lots of pictures of course).

Dia de los Muertos is thought to come largely from indigenous cultures and traditions, as one of the many traditions that blended with Catholicism and remained after colonization. It is a joyful holiday, a day in which our dead loved ones are thought to be among us. Cemeteries are bright, colorful, filled with flowers and life in Mexico, unlike in the US, where death is seen as a much more mournful occurrence. Most of Latin America is still very Catholic, and death is seen not as the end of life, but as the next chapter, a transition to be celebrated. Dia de los Muertos is a time of coming together of family, dead or alive, and highly respectful of those no longer with us.

Often, altars to dead relatives are set up in the weeks leading up to Nov 2nd, which hold many offers and tributes to them, such as their photos along with food, wine, candles, flowers, etc. These altars are very beautiful and filled with color and are meant to show respect to the deceased. Often, people decorate sugarskulls and display them on the altar or in their home as well.

On the actual day, many people paint their face and many celebrations with food and family are held. Many communities have parades and festivals, especially in Mexico and the US south-west. Even here in Missoula, many organizations put together an annual parade that marches through down town and attempts to represent some of the tradition.

I did not make an altar this year, as I did not think it would be safe from my cat. However, as I do every year, I painted half my face in the Dia de los Muertos style and wore in a Mexican-inspired dress with bright embroidered flowers. I went through my day at the university like this, to honor my Tio and Grandpa and to bring awareness to the day. Once at home, I made pan dulce and Mexican hot chocolate for the first time, which I set out on two extra plates and cups so that they might eat dinner with us. It truly is a beautiful holiday, and a wonderful feeling to think we might be able to feel close to our family members after they've left us.

My homemade pan dulce:

                                                           My facepaint and dress:

       We miss you Grandpa <3                                                                                



And here are some representations from around Missoula I found last year: