Day 6 places - The 10 Day You Challenge

So many places to go, but so little time... Traveling and internal tourism are my most joyful hobbies, but I don't get to do them as often as I want to. I just get this amazing feeling of a six year old waiting for Santa to come, more surprised every time as if it were the first. Playing chess has been a way for me to live this dream.

So, here are 6 places I've had the privilege to see and have loved:

1. Seoul, South Korea (family visit)

2. Turin, Italy (Chess Olympiad)

3. Dresden, Germany (Chess Olympiad)

4. Khantsy Mansiysk, Russia (Chess Olympiad)

5. Crete, Greece (World Youth Championship)

6. Uruguay (Pan american Chess Championship)

Day 5 foods - 10 Day You Challenge

Food... really, who doesn't love it? That satisfaction in grants a full belly and the happiness it gives at every meal. There are so many to choose from that Is difficult to settle on just 5. Rather than individually picking 5 foods, I'll take the liberty to choose in large scales and inside this I'll choose one top favorite plate.

1. Korean cuisine has been part of my life ever since I was born because of my moms heritage. One of my favorite plates would have to be Bibimbap. Always reminds me of how fun it is to eat it at home and with my Korean family because it was like: "Okay, let's get everything out of the fridge and mix it with some rice, sesame seed oil, (some red paste, maybe red hot pepper), a fried egg and just dig in everyone!"

2. Puerto Rican cuisine together with Korean cuisine are the basic components of my diet. There is nothing more pleasant than a nice hot plate of home made white rice with red stewed beans, after days of having to eat at fast foods. This makes my mouth water every time I eat it.

3. Desert is a luxury I do not take for granted. Although I do not make this a habit, but whenever rarely possible I would have a nice serving of a creamy snickers cheesecake my sister and brother in law used to make. It has been over a year since I ate this, but it has been by far the best flavor cheesecake I've had. I wish I'd had a picture of it, but this is the closest look alike I could find.

4. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And for me the yummiest of all. I am constantly changing it weekly, always getting tired of everything, but the one meal that I would never ever get tired of and always found it amazingly refreshing and satisfying would be plain yogurt with fresh fruits, pecans and honey.

5. Snacks are what keep me in balance in between meals. There are so many to choose from, but I always try and reach for one that is rich in fiber to keep that hungry at bay. Although my goal is to make my own granola fiber bars, for now I have to settle on this one which tastes similar to ferrero chocolates.

Day 4 books - 10 Day You Challenge

Today is book day! It has been a while since I've read books other than school related type and also am more of a movie type gal, but a couple of the ones I have enjoyed reading are:

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell

My dad recommended this book to me. Initially I found it very amusing reading about a bunch of farm animals talking and plotting against their master and then against themselves, but as I went through it and reading about the author, found it is really about corrupt leaders.

"Vampire Hunter D" by Hideyuki Kikuchi

First I saw the movie and enjoyed it so much that I went out and bought the book. Which also enjoyed equally, the story is very entertaining and dark, so if you are a supernatural tale lover like I am, this one is for you.

"The Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Although this one is so well known, I was never a fan until I was assigned to read it for a Humanities class in college, from which I just could not get enough of. Really well written science fiction tale.

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" by Ann Brashares

Another one that first saw the movie and then read the book, although did enjoyed more the movie.

Day 3 Films - 10 day you challenge

I don't know about you, but I could spend an entire day watching movies. I am a very versatile person. I watch from action, to drama, to war, to foreign genres. Anything that has either a good story, a good laugh, or a good move.

The Last Samurai has become one of my most resent favorites. I am sure many of you have seen it, and would love to read your thoughts on it. This is a film where every little detail of it was built with passion and strength. The story captivated my attention from the very beginning, and watching how hope, determination and discipline freed one lost man and an entire civilization from the tyranny of  a "better world" vision, did put me on the edge of my seat. This movie has it all, drama, suspense, romance, action, and an amazing story behind it. I definitively cried at the end. Loved it.

The Notebook is definitively my most favorite love story of all. It has this amazing story about how love can conquer all and live past the roughness of time. Also, Rachel McAdams is one of my fav. actresses, I've seen almost all of her films and have enjoyed her performance.

Inception (2010) is one of those movies that really captured my complete and total attention from the very beggining. The directors idea is a completely fresh view on the topic. I remember "Being John Malkovich" about a puppeteer finding a portal into J.M. mind. That was very interesting yet limited, but Inception has unlimited possibilities of evolving into something much bigger. Now, the question to those of you that have seen this movie (and those who have not I really truly recommend you watch it), please tell me what do you think happened to Cobb, was he stuck in limbo? Or did he go back home?

In addition to this, I find that Leo has come so far since the making of Titanic. He has grown from a teen heart-throb into a leading man, because of this he has won over my admiration for his current work.

Day 2 Songs - 10 Day You Challenge

Today is music day. When I was a child, I sang through every song in the radio, clueless of what music really was. It was only recent, about a year or two ago, that I began to search for my music soul. And as I pushed myself through today's popular music fest of pop, rock, reggeaton (Puerto Rico), balads, salsa, merengue... I just found myself lost in the loneliness of time, always feeling out of place because I never fitted in with most of today's music. Until suddenly I  found myself in the past. Yes, I fell absolutely in love with the oldies of the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. But as I am still a newbie in this world of what I like to call REAL music, the origin of today's, I will choose 1 song from my current oldie love, and choose one from one of the few bands I truely love and admire from today.

The first would have to be "Somebody to love" by Queen

The second song "Somewhere only we know" by Keane

These were my very two first songs of each band that connected with every part of my being that I simply fell in love with their music. I find myself searching back through the past and finding me in these beautiful songs, originally written and sang with the heart.

Day 1 Photo - 10 Day You Challenge

So I was over at my pals Christina's blog and read about how she is following this 10 day challenge and decided to give it a go. This is a fun way for you to know me a bit more, and for the next 10 days I will be writing 10 different things about myself, but with a little twist of focusing it more to be review type answers more than personal  ones.  I hope you don't get bored, so let's go!

here is a big picture in case you're interested in doing it. If it's the case, please let me know so I can follow!

And the link to Christina's blog: http://gettingitrightat30.blogspot.com/ in case you'd like to know her as well!

1one picture of myself

That is me with my son Denzol, a couple weeks ago on a local park. My boyfriend and Denzol are two of the most precious ones in my life. Especially on this day, we had so many happy moments and a lot of fun. This park used to be one of those extremely popular ones, a place to gather round with friends and family, bring the young ones to play with other children and spend some quality time. But as time passed, families (including mine) suddenly stopped going. Partially because the town was losing its popularity, charm and security. The streets were abandoned, stores closing like crazy and people moving out into the capital. But after years of falling, it has began to gain a little bit back, or at least as I am grown up I see more than the eye can see. 

I see a small children park where I can go with my family and be in peace with nature, watch my son run around, sit down at the grass with my b-friend and look out at the marvelous sea and stare at the sky. The little wondrous in this World that are taken for granted are the ones that really make me happy. Specially when shared with the right person.