2012 - Page 14 of 14

Presenting Dominican wisdom

For a long time, I've thought about compiling a list of Dominican idioms and explaining their meaning to English and Spanish-speaking people alike. Idioms are often used in casual conversation in the Dominican Republic, and it's one thing I miss about not speaking Spanish more often. Colorful idioms make you smile as you speak, since their powerful imagery is rarely lost on anyone. I've launched tumblr site: Dominican wisdom, to slowly compile these idioms as they pop in day to day conversations and to attract others who want to make them accessible online for future generation Dominican-Americans. Take a look!…

Full circle: reflections on losing a friend

On losing a friend to death: Every day of our lives, causality is playing out, leaving no one behind. One day, we are working on causes; dealing with consequences the next. Some days, our past comes knocking back, just to see if we learned from it the lessons we were supposed to. Sometimes, the lesson is compassion. Sometimes it is self-love. In the last month, I've been pushed to look at the past twice, once to learn to forgive and the other to see where I would be if I hadn't learned my lesson. I learned the latter by losing…

Surrendering the ego for a true victory

We want to control our lives to have a better chance at happiness. But if happiness and peace are the goal, surrendering the ego is what we should strive for. I speak not of waving a white flag at life and giving up on dreams. I mean, bow to the presence of the moment, to enjoy it for what it is. The thought came to me last night while I struggled to get to sleep. Notice my language: I struggled. In fact, this is what most of us do daily: struggle, try to control, fight... to be happy. It occurred…

Why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you

Ever wonder why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you? I just stumbled upon this video, in which Robert H. Lustig, MD, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology of California State University in San Francisco explains how fructose consumption has affected America's weight gain overtime and how it affects overall health. The video makes for an educated, well researched companion to my post The No Nonsense Diet: Watch What you Eat, written from the perspective of a lay person trying my best to stay healthy. The video explains why America is becoming obese and points to a…

The no nonsense diet: watch what you eat

You see them everywhere: articles, books and programs suggesting you will be able to lose weight without changing your eating habits. Some ask you to modify your diet for a while, but promise you can get back to eating that delicious cake you crave in no time. These programs must assume that in the process of dieting, your will power will undergo a drastic transformation that will keep you from craving more chocolate after you eat the first piece of congratulatory pie for the 10 pounds you shed. Here is my two cents: it will not happen! The subject of…

Pondering death, spirit and the wrath of God

Happy New Year everyone! Mine is off to a shaky start. After spending quality time with family and enjoying the mountains and beaches of my Caribbean homeland, I'm back to the cold reality of winters in the heartland... pondering death and new beginnings. A close family member died unexpectedly the day I came back. My family is feeling sadness and the strange emptiness of losing someone you thought would be around for a long time. This death was preceded by my first experience of an earthquake. It is nerve-wracking not knowing when the next one will strike and whether the…