Gracias Tio Sam. #Repost A Sentiment worth repeating.

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!  

This was a post originally written in 2012, reposted in 2015 as front story for Conexion, and TBT in 2020 here on the blog. Despite recent events of laws being overturned and laws that need to be inacted, USA is casa, and BB is so very thankful that she can say that.

#GodBlessAmerica

If you've been following Babushka you know I'm all about the positive, wonderful things in life. So if you think this is a political statement JU SO FONII!!! Ok, si, maybe a little, but mainly it's about gratitude. Gratitude to a country that welcomed and still welcomes my people from Cuba.

Mil Gracias to you mi querido USA,

 for as a first generation Cuban American I can never say it enough.

 BB knows what her fate would have been if you hadn't welcomed her family.

MY CHILDHOOD

Children indoctrinated into Communism

MY YOUTH

Control in all categories

MY SHOPPING LIST

Rations Book

STORES TO SHOP

Slim Selection And though we are all children of immigrants, I only need to look 90 miles away to see where I would have been  and know what I would have done.

Exodo del Mariel

Feliz Cumples America,  Happy 4th of July! Celebrate your freedom with pride and cheer. For her part, BB is adding gratitude to the celebration.

Babushka Besos a Todos. Cuidensen.

July is for Independence, and We’re Half Way There- #TBT @ConexionFlorida July 2021

Written for @ConexionFlorida July 2021 Edition. 

This one is very close to BB's corazon. 

Original graphic by Breathe Play Love

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

“July is for Independence, and We’re Half Way There” is the title of this writing. Of course you know Babushka’s a lover of Twofers, so this escrito has many meanings, many subtopics, many ways to look at it. Just like La Vida verdad? Empesamos in the beginning.

Those of us living in the US like to celebrate the 4th of July, the country’s independence day. The day the colonists declared their independence from England.  It was a battle hard fought, many loses, but in the end it was won. From there came much learning, mucho growing, but the nation became stronger and in time became a poder to be reckoned with. In comparison with other nations, the United States of America is young, in its mere 245 years has seen much, done much. But there is so much yet to do and be.

IG mistterjin

They say a country is a reflection of its people- or are the people a reflection of the country? Reflection. In the title we state “July is for Independence, and We’re Half Way There”, Half Way There because the year is half done, as is the mission of independence and freedom our forefathers spoke of and promised. How many promises have we made Beautifuls? With the best of intentions, what resolutions are still valid and intact at this midpoint? July, a good month to relive our history, with open hearts and ojos abiertos. Time for our truth and to begin again. Nuestro pais, our peace, National civility, personally being civil. To live by the words ,”For All”. As promised to us, as we hold to be self evident. Let us live the vision that made this country, and hope in turn the country will become that vision. There is much yet to do and be.

Music fights against Social Injustice

May the reflection we see and live be one we can All live with.

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

The Day After, Carta to America @UnknownMami

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

Babushka has been blessed with the people she meets, and even more so when they become friends. Be it online or in person they become a part of you, their story juntando with yours. So much is loved and learned. En este sentimiento, BB sends 1000x Gracias to Claudya Martinez aka UnknownMami. That this giving, gifted mujer would friend esta vieja aventurera is a joy y honor. Her rawness and realness is a rarity and treasure, and it is with mucho gratitud Babushka shares this post written by her the day after the 2016 US Presidential Election.

I love you all. We're going to be OK. I didn't feel that way this morning, but now as I get ready to go to bed, I feel better.

I know I'm not alone in my disappointment and I also know that neither one of the two major political parties has done a very good job of listening to all of the people who feel disenfranchised in this country.

Clearly, we all want change even though we can't agree on what that change should be.

I'm poor, educated, smart and capable. I've been those things my entire adult life regardless of whether a Republican or a Democrat was in that egg-shaped office. If I am being completely honest, even though I vote Democrat, that party has done nothing to make my life more affordable, neither have the Republicans. And I'm tired. I'm tired of working so hard to survive. It's exhausting. I want more out of life than living paycheck to paycheck while accumulating debt. I can't afford my life and trust me when I say that my life is not luxurious. I'm grateful for what I have, but I'm always just one emergency expense away from having nothing and there are so many other working poor in this country that have it even worse.

Would we need to do so much scapegoating if so many of us weren't struggling so hard just to get by? Money may not buy happiness, but fuck that shit because we all need money and it's freaking hard to be happy when you can't pay your bills or see a way out of the constant hustle.

I can't say that I like the president-elect. He showed his ugly with abandon and pride to get elected. I don't take the sexist, racist, xenophobic, nativist jargon he spews lightly. Hate is hate is hate is hate.

As much as it hurts me that such hateful language and fear mongering has been unleashed, the truth is that it is nothing new. You can't unleash what doesn't already exist.

So, yes, I am devastated. Yes, I want better, but I also want to be better. I've taken a deep look inside of myself and I am not without bias, I am not without judgement, I am also not a fortune teller. I don't know what's going to happen and spiraling into despair is not going to do me or mine any good.

So America, this is the man that is going to be our president for the next four years. Let's hold him accountable every step of the way. If he spews hate, let's call him on it. Let's use our cellphones to call the White House at (202) 456-1111 and our representatives to tell them what we think and what we want instead of spending so much damn time taking selfies or pictures of our food. If we see anyone being harassed, bullied, intimidated or mistreated, let's intervene.

We don't have to be mean, hateful or violent and we sure a hell don't have to be silent. Stand for what you believe in. Consider yourself an activist. Who says you have to go to marches or sign petitions to be an activist? You can be an activist at the park when you see a kid getting bullied, you can be an activist at the dinner table by not giving your tío who always says crazy inappropriate things a pass.

No more passes. It's on us.

Claudya Martinez aka Unknown Mami

Digna de admiracion y querer verdad Beautifuls?! Por fa, do yourself a favor and follow her on the redes sociales and her blog. BUENISIMO.

Blog: http://www.unknownmami.com/

Feibu: https://www.facebook.com/UnknownMamiPage/about/

Tweety: https://twitter.com/UnknownMami

IG: https://www.instagram.com/unknownmami/

UTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUnknownMami?feature=mhee

Claudya has a regular feature on Wednesday where she shares the wishes of others.

Viste how maravillosa she is?? And as if that weren't suficiente, her Flying Chancla reports have BB telling her JU SO FONII!! Ok, girl crush over, now go visitar to start yours.

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

Gracias Tio Sam & Happy Birthday America

If you've been following Babushka you know I'm all about the positive, wonderful things in life. So if you think this is a political statement JU SO FONII!!! Ok, si, maybe a little, but mainly it's about gratitude. Gratitude to a country that welcomed and still welcomes my people from Cuba.

Mil Gracias to you mi querido USA,

 for as a first generation Cuban American I can never say it enough.

 I know what my fate would have been if you hadn't welcomed my family.

MY CHILDHOOD

Children indoctrinated into Communism

MY YOUTH

Control in all categories

MY SHOPPING LIST

Rations Book

STORES TO SHOP

Slim Selection




And though we are all children of immigrants,
I only need to look 90 miles away to see where I would have been
 and know what I would have done.

Exodo del Mariel



Feliz Cumpleaños America,  Happy 4th of July!
Celebrate your freedom with pride and cheer.

For my part, I'm adding gratitude to the celebration.

Bohemian Besos a todos.  Cuidensen.

P.S.  The photos were found on Pinterest, some on Cuban groups on Feibu.  Perdoname that I didn't find or write down the exact sources.  The author of the video is Gianluca Zanna, a former Italian Immigrant.