Tag: Arts

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 14,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 3 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

Thank you all who visit my blog regularly and also those who just discover it by chance! Thanks also to bloggers who are my top commentors: Let’s CUT the Crap, poemsandponderings, Madhu, and Java  Girl

GOOD BYE 2012 HELLO 2013!!

I dedicate this post to all of my followers. Thank you for all your kind support and feed back.  And so we are off to a new year. I am happy to announce that I am now working for Henderson Press, a local news paper. I will be covering news worthy events surrounding the arts around town and I will have an Opinion column. This is something I always wanted to do and now here I am doing it!

My dear readers, please don’t ever give up on chasing your dreams down and living them with a passion.  Sure, writing is not making me killer bucks, at least not yet hee hee but that doesn’t matter a hill of pinto beans to me. I get such a kick out of living my dream because at the end of my day I know some one benefited from what I do.

As you enter 2013 remind yourself that you are the only one that can do  what you were put here on planet earth to do. Many people can do the same job similarly true enough; no one can do it quite like you though! So stand back and let 2013 be the year your surprise yourself! Go for it there is no one stopping you but you and fear. And did you know fear simply is an acronym for: FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. Let that sink in!

So long 2012, thanks for all the good things you brought me which are too many to name; and thanks for the bad things because I actually learned a lot from them. I go into this new year full of hope and a  resolve to keep pushing forward and forgetting what tried to hold me back in the past. I hope you find the strength to do the same.

Take care readers and see ya next year!!! 🙂

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

Please check out the write up for my book launch. Thanks Henderson Press, for doing such a great job in covering my event!

http://www.hendersonpress.com/local-news/item/1598-author-eva-santiago-launches-latest-book

SUDDENLY…

 

SUDDENLY
Our first tango in Paris
Your first caress
Your first kiss
Never say never
Good things do happen
Suddenly

One day there is nothing but death
Suddenly life sprouts up
One day it’s bleak
Suddenly I see  the sun peak
One day it’s all cold endless nights
Suddenly the nights grow shorter
One day muffled cries into my pillow
Suddenly I laugh tossing my head back

One day I die
From lie after lie
Suddenly love knocks on my door
And my feet hit the floor
I can’t wait to see what’s in store
In a not too distant shore

Un dia un suspiro,                                             One day I sigh
De pronto un escalofrio,                                Suddenly shivers up and down my spine
Un dia bebo vino sola,                                    One day alone, I drink red wine
Depronto tengo quien llene mi copa  ,     Suddenly you fill my glass

One day I belong to no one
Suddenly you showed up!

EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012

Vegas Valley Book Festival 2012

I participated in this year’s Vegas Valley Book Festival today! My books didn’t come in yet so I didn’t have any to sell at this event. So I had some flyers made up and I went there anyway to enjoy the day, meet new people and get the word out about Salsa! the Taste of Life, my new book. I don’t let anything stop me!

As it turned out, I am glad I went and there was a happy surprise! I was able to read excerpts from Salsa! in front of a captive audience. I love it when things fall together better than when I plan them . I call that serendipity. Here are some pictures from the event. I plan to attend the next one in 2013 and I am sure I will have books to sell then. “When life hands me lemons, I bake a lemon merengue pie!!” -Eva 😀

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poets Unite! Poetry Jam

A long time ago I heard a preacher say that if we don’t share our talents and gifts with the world, we become thieves. We all have great talents. How many people though, never step out and bless the world with their gifts. Our talents are not just for us. They are to help make this life better and more amazing!

Last night I began a new thing; I hosted a poetry jam at my home away from home, The Coffee House. I was a bit anxious about it. I worried because I was afraid no one would come. Boy did I waste my time worrying!! We had 25+ people show  up to our first meeting last night!! Their  were young poets and poets from all walks of life. This very talented woman shared a piece about her trip to New Orleans and it was so vivid, her words took be back to when I went to that beautiful place in my teens. This other poet a young man, recited a poem he wrote from memory. I  admire poets who can  get up to the mic and do that without any prior preparation.

There were several writers from my writing group, WRITING ROYALTY in attendance and they shared as well.

And lastly, there was a young woman by the name of Leslie Stein who shared her 365 Soul Notes with us and she inspired me!! I plan to have her as a featured artist soon! This is her picture 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/SoulNotesWithLeslieStein

I broke past the fear and I did something I always wanted to do! The Henderson Poets will meet every Tuesday night at 7pm in The Coffee House located on 117. S. Water Street, Henderson, NV. If you are local, come by and join us!  Next Tuesday, Derik Jordan, a local guitar player will be our featured artist. This young man played Walk The Line and he sounded just like Johnny Cash!! Please like our The Henderson Poets Group Page on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/TheHendersonPoets

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

 

 

Word Picture #12

Broken Window

What does it mean

When I look in your face

And your soul is blank

When I look in your face

And your demons stand as in rank

What does it mean

When I reach out for a hug

You look down at your shoes

And all you do is shrug

I’ll tell you what it means to me:

Stop looking through that old broken window; it’s busted from years of rocks pelting it. First stone you threw, it cracked from top to bottom. It was not a clean break- jagged,taking up the whole window. Then came bigger rocks, chipping away at the surface,until one day a huge boulder came crashing through…such a terrific noise it made! What a great explosion, it took out all the glass. Now what’s left is an empty window pane;  the house is debris filled from the winds that blow in from all the four corners. Dust,rain,leaves all blowing in. And this is the window you want me to keep looking through? No thanks, I’ve better things to do.

-EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2012

Word Picture #6

WORDS: They come cheap for some people. Someone tells you they love you and you just met them, raise your brow and question it. I love you, Te Amo can be thrown around at a whim these days. Those words are power and can render an affection starved soul weak. Don’t say them if they mean nothing to you because truth is, they can devastate . Or if they don’t ruin, cheap I love you’s can make a soul numb. It’s very much like the songs played on the radio; when a new hit is overplayed, the newness of the tune wears out quickly and soon what you enjoyed, you grow to despise. Same thing happens with prematurely, overly spoken I love you’s .

Oh wait, you might think you can never say I love you too much. You can never have enough love right? Don’t say I love you to someone if you aren’t prepared to back it up with action. Love is sacred, let your I love you’s be that way too.

He says, “ I love you.” But then he slaps her.
El dice,” Te amo” y se lo dice a todas.
I love you, Te amo, Je ‘taime, Ich Liebe Sie,
Powerful words,
Use them wisely.
Say them when you know they are true.
Say them to warm a heart-
Without offering false hope in what can never be.

I love you, Te amo, Je ‘taime, Ich Liebe Sie,
Don’t withold them,
When they need to be said.
Don’t make your loved one a beggar.
Don’t wait ‘til tomorrow,
What needs to be said-
Have the guts to say it today

I love you, Te amo, Je t’aime, Ich Libe Sie,
Say it for all the right reasons.
Say it ‘cause you mean it;
Otherwise throw it all into the sea

EVA SANTIAGO COPYRIGHT 2012

WORD PICTURE #5

Pick yourself up because today is not yesterday. Today is to today so give it all due respect by leaving yesterday behind and stop looking back at yesterday as if it was an old lover; who left you for some one better. But then don’t get so far ahead of yourself that you disregard today because you’re more interested in tomorrow. Don’t cheat today because you’re so in love with tomorrow; a thing that was never promised to any of us. Don’t rob today of all of your time and energy by wasting it on an uncertain future. Today is today so give it all you have. Savor each moment as a person in a desert landscape drinks in the last of his water in his canteen. He doesn’t know if there’s more water coming just like you don’t know the number of your days!

-Eva Santiago copyright 2012

Guard Your Heart and Mind

I read this message I’m posting by Tyler Perry this morning and  it’s what I needed today. So I’m sharing it with you in hopes it’ll give you a great start to a good week-end. Happy Friday all 🙂

Hey guys,If you can get this, this will change your life… I was out taking my morning run. I love how still it is when I’m running. I can hear clearly and really commune with God. I wanted to share this with you. It’s a lesson I had to learn.

One of the keys to success is to be able to guard your heart. Now, usually when someone says guard your heart they are talking about keeping yourself from heartbreak. Although that is important (as long as you don’t go overboard… but that’s another conversation) that isn’t what I’m talking about. When we are born into this world we enter with such a pure heart but as we grow older situations, circumstances and people tend to make us change. Now I know it is nearly impossible to keep a childlike innocence in our hearts all of our lives, especially after people have betrayed, lied, mistreated and downright been the devil. Trust me when I tell you, I have seen it all. I have been there big time. If you’re like me you’ve been there too. But if this is your situation I want you to know two very important things about those moments of heartbreak. Number one, learn the lesson in it. See how it will work together for your good, because it will. Once you do, it’s easier to forgive and move on. Secondly, and this is just as important as the first one, you must not let that person or people change your heart. What do I mean by that? Well, if you are a giver and someone you have given to misuses your gift, don’t stop giving… just give to someone else. If you are a person that loves people and someone you love hates you, don’t stop loving… love someone else. Eventually, you will find people who appreciate your kindness and your love. Remember this, lots of people have been conditioned to not be able to accept purity of heart. They can’t take it in. Most times it’s not even their fault. It’s just what has happened to them on their journey in life. But don’t let them turn you into one of them. There will be a lot of people in your life who will not appreciate your pureness of heart. If they hurt you don’t stop being you… just be you with someone else.
Why is this so important? Because God blesses you according to what is in your heart. If you are being kind, giving, loving and sharing because it is in your heart and you are not looking for anything in return, then that is a heart that God wants to bless. If you change who you are because you’ve been hurt, then you’ve changed the thing that God wants to bless you according to, and that is your heart. The people who hurt you are not worth that. You can lose everything that you have, but don’t let anybody change your heart.

Tyler

BRAIN STORMING

Today I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed dear readers. I’ve been doing my home work and brain storming on how to get my new book out when it’s released. Salsa! The Taste of Life, is going live shortly and I have a big job ahead of me. They say the “easy” part is writing the book and the toughest job is getting it out there. I invite you to help me brain storm and see what other ideas you could come up with because I believe that when it comes to a lot of things in life, 2 or more heads are better than one 🙂 yes, I do have a publicist who will help me; however I have to get it out HERE where I live so I welcome your thoughts on this! If I use your idea, I’ll send you a free, autographed copy of Salsa! The Taste of Life. I look forward to your responses 🙂