The End of an Era. @ConexionFlorida

`This is the article written for the December 2025 edition of Conexion.

With mixed emotions BB shares this one, but it is perfecto for this time of endings & beginnings...

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

Time to say Adios to this year and to get ready for the next. Hopefully learning from the past to bring freshness and freedom to the future. “Should Auld acquaintance be forgot”?  JU SO FONII !! Beautifuls, that’s part of life’s pleasures and ways. To remember with fondness, sometimes with cuidado, but to remember life’s moments. We remember momentos of la vida, both bueno and malo, to smile, to learn, to grow, to know. The birth of a loved one, the death of a loved one. The welcomes and the Goodbyes. Momentos of pleasure,  moments of pain. This is life, this is inevitable, this is how we must live, this is how we continue.

And so it is with this newspaper. December 2025 marks the last paper, handheld edition of Conexion. So many years in print, so many momentos and memories. Babushka for her part has a few boxed away for future smiles. Y si Beautifuls, there will be future smiles.  El Mundo has decreed electronic reading the way to go, and life continues, and we will adjust. The environment will lose less trees, the waste will be less, the cost to produce will definitely be reduced and the size of the publication will prosper. There will be good from this change. And there will be nostalgia. The end of the year is always a good time for both. Ribbons to go around the cherished and scanning to enter the new era. Hopefully we will be sure to do this to all aspects of our lives.

Wishing All un Feliz Año Nuevo and Many Happy Memories.

Babushka Besos a Todos. Cuidensen.

Dear December... #TBT Conexion Florida Dec 2021

From the December 2021 edition, Babushka's article for trilingual newspaper, Conexion. 

Feliz Holidays to you Beautifuls and may 2022 bring all you wish for.

 

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

Es Diciembre, it’s December. Wow and Woah. Everytime when this month comes it seems to have arrived so quickly, and at the same time the realization of another year passed hits us.  Another year, another memento, yet this one is not quite like most.  It is indeed a time for reflection and hopefully realization.

For her part, Babushka’s life after Covid has had its awakenings and advantages.  First of all, it hit home how precious la vida is. Precious and precarious life is. While in the deadly fog, BB prayed for another day, another chance to see loved ones. Thankfully she did. Also en vivo, full force, was the promise to self to not hold back, to go full gusto for things wanted. Ahora, when BB says “things”, she doesn’t mean material (although a real concrete house, not a falling apart trailer would be nice), she means aspirations and inner desires.There are people and places to visit, time to share the passions and knowings in the soul.  So back to ridesharing, raising dinero and los espiritos of passengers. Si, each day at 6 am it’s off to a new adventure, each ride a chance to share a smile, a laugh, or just good vibes. Everyone needs algo diferente. For some, the candy offered helps. Quee? BB not offer her riders some grandmotherly love?? JU SO FONII!! It’s a token of life’s sweetness y dulzura, a simbolo of noticing them, a moment of surprise pleasure, simple but smile producing. Sometimes an encouraging word, a reminder that waking up each morning is a blessing of itself is what’s needed. What do you need Beautifuls? 

“As the year comes to a close, iit is a time for reflection-a time to release old thoughts and beliefs and forgive old hurts.  Whatever has happened in the past year, the New Year brings fresh beginnings.  Exciting new experiences and relationships await.  Let us be thankful for the blessings of the past and the promise of the future.” ~Peggy Toney Horton

Be thankful Beautifuls, know you are Blessed and Loved.

May your realizations and hopes bring you paz and knowing.

Babushka Besos a Todos.  Cuidensen.

#TBT What's your word for 2021? @ConexionFlorida January 2021

 In January's Edition of Conexion, BB sees the future, the future as she would like. What do you envision for your world in 2021 Beautifuls? 

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

Feliz New Year!! Babushka feels pretty safe in saying Wow and Woah. That last one, 2020… again, Wow and Woah. Entre pandemic and politics, a most memorable year. Though many of us wouldn’t mind forgetting it. 

Did you come to realize what truly mattered to you? Did it help you make a resolution for the future? For today? Porque you know, they say that futuro tomorrow’s are made up of past todays. For her part, BB says hers is more realization than resolution. Matter of fact, “New Years Resolutions” is so ayer. Now it’s about Palabras de Power. One word to describe what your focus is in the coming year. An amiga, Lorraine de VIVA FIFTY  chose “NOW” as hers, a very powerful mindset.

 Thinking hard on what BB wants in 2021, she realizes how truly Blessed she is. 

Tengo amor. Amor propio, pareja and familia

. Tengo de que comer, siempre. 

Tengo donde dormir. Sencillo pero es mio

So does that mean Babushka doesn’t want for more?

JU SO FONII!!

We were sent here to want more, to do more, for ourselves and our fellow Earth dwellers. With the longing for better, we raise expectations, vibrations. The level of living for todos would rise if we all wanted it so. So, aunque BB is grateful and content, her word would be- UPGRADE!!  MORE Amor, more often. She misses her familia and wouldn’t mind seeing them más. Comida, well obviously there has been no shortage, pero a healthier menu wouldn’t be a bad thing. Babushka’s bed is in a trailer, Sweetie’s home for over 20 years. A new concrete casa would be wonderful in 2021! Have Land, Need House. UPGRADE. Si, feeling Blessed, but could be Better.  La esperanza existe y todo es posible. 

What’s your word for this nuevo año Beautifuls?

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen. 

#TBT Our Hispanic Heritage (Month). The Importancia of Being Represented. @ConexionFlorida Sept.2020

umcgiving.org

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

This is a repost of BB's column in this month's edition of Conexion.

Why Hispanic heritage month? For the same reason there is a movement to erect an American Latino museum. To quote the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino “to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories. By highlighting the contributions made by Latino icons, pioneers and communities to the American way of life we are all better able to truly understand what makes our nation great.” Contributions we have made, hispanos en las Americas. And there have been many contributions in our US historia. En el pasado esta la potencia, but the importance of NOW is also valid in noting our history.

This brings to mind the US Census. Beautifuls, if we don’t have our presence accounted for, how can we expect respect and establish need? Strength in numbers, detailed and documented disparities, all this comes from llenando the census; tenemos until September 30. Taken every 10 years, BB can’t stress the importancia of this constitutionally mandated count. From this census comes the ayuda and allocations for the proximo 10 años, truly, where the past and the future collide. Estan contentos with the representation Hispanos have had in federal programs? Have our needs been acknowledged and met? Parte del problema is not knowing how many Latinos live here, and what that population number will mean, and how it’ll impact society. Al final of this writing you’ll find links to the aforementioned organizaciones, and a video BB did to recruit participation in this very importante census. Babushka truly believes in llenando that questionnaire; nuestros futuros truly do depend on it.

American Latino Museum https://americanlatinomuseum.org/our-story-es/
US Census 2020 https://2020census.gov/es.html
Bohemian Babushka Buscando Nuestra Gente pa’l #2020Census . #CuentaConmigo

http://bit.ly/BBCuentaConmigo

Let's Make Sure We're Represented Beautifuls!!

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.

.#TBT Honoring Father Time this Father's Day @ConexionFlorida June 2020

The article Babushka wrote for the June 2020 edition of Conexion, the bilingual newspaper of N.Florida, S.Alabama and Georgia. If you'd like to read it, the above link will take you to it.

Battleground of the Gods - Father Time Chronos!

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

Last month for Dia de Las Madres in May, Babushka shared our mutual Madre, Mother Earth. Seems only fitting that for June, we should speak about our mutual Padre, Father Time. There are many fotos del Father Time, and BB will be sharing some of them at the end, pero considering how 2020 is playing out, this is perfecto. Fijate que el baby, the New Year, is in a bubble… aja, like nosotros (or how debemos estar, en quarantine) , with our eyes closed. No idea how to guard ourselves against this pandemic, but still open arms to what the year brings. This is an illustration for a game that como la vida, has Father Time just throwing us out there. Now, before you think that is said sarcastically, isn’t that what a good padre is supposed to do? To guide and guardar us for the futuro, giving his most and best, then letting us go into el mundo armed with the armor of his amor and best intentions. Symbol of Accion, he showed us the ways of the world, the possibilities e inevitabilities of growing up and growing older.

PicMonkey Stock pic

And like Father Time, our fathers age before our eyes. Nuestros viejos, always a part of us, always their lessons guiding us, even when we become Father Time.

PicMonkey Stock Pic

Our viejos, Mother Earth and Father Time.

-Old_Father_Time_-_Tonnesen_Sisters

How very special are we

For just a moment to be

Part of life's eternal rhyme

How very special are we

To have on our fam'ly tree

Mother Earth and Father Time

Mother_Earth_and_Father_Time_by_Akeem

He turns the seasons around

And so he changes her gown

But they always look in their prime

They go on dancing their dance

Of everlasting romance

Mother Earth and Father Time

EdmundDulac-FatherTime-1906

The summer larks return the scene

Oh, what a gift they give!

Then autumn days grow short and cold

Oh, what a joy to live!

How very special are we

For just a moment to be

Part of life's eternal rhyme

How very special are we

To have on our fam'ly tree

Mother Earth and Father Time

Mother Earth and Father Time- song by Richard and Robert Sherman

Samuel_schmucker_postcard_vintage

With mucho amor to all parents & guiding figures in our vidas

And to starting 2020 over con hindsight and foresight.

Babushka Besos a Todos. Cuidensen.

P.S.  After this writing, BB spent time with her father who is in hospice. Please hug your parents tight and let them feel your love. No doubt they did that to you many times. And should they not be near, or on this plane, send them your gratitude and appreciation, and in this way you'll be juntos again.

This Abril, Don't Be a Fool. #TBT @ConexionFlorida April 2020

#TBT This was originally posted in the April Edition of Conexion , a bilingual newspaper BB has been contributing to for the past 5 years. So to those who think there are no Hispanics up in the Florida panhandle... JU SO FONII!!!

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!

This Corona Virus is no joke. Y’all know Babushka sees the humor in almost everything, but the sickness,suffering and deaths no es nada comico. Hopefully by now everyone is taking this seriously and staying home as much as possible, and for those of you who are still doubting the severity of the situacion, aqui is a graph, as of April 1, of reported cases in the US. Notice EVERY SINGLE STATE has reported casos.


Ahora eso si, we Latinos are definitely a touchy feely, give me a hug kinda gente, so it may be hard to convince your loved ones to follow social distancing.  BB knows and understands that and likes the way the #WeAllGrow Latina Community shared suggestions on this topic.  The following was shared-

They also gave a heads up, saying our loved ones may not appreciate us taking the role of caregiver, so these are their suggested ways of engaging on the subject.

1. “Make it emotional and personal so that your parents want to protect people. Tell them you hope people are being careful around an elderly neighbor, or mention an immuno-compromised friend who ends up in the hospital all the time.
2. Find a role model they respect who’s doing the right things.”

Not a conversation to go into lightly, so be forewarned and forarmed. 

Now, just because the situation isn’t fonii, it doesn’t mean it’s without merit. En Diciembre 2019 (which seems at times like siglos ago) BB shared a stress releaser. “The above activity will help you see and hopefully focus on what your priorities are and or should be.” Babushka will share the link at the end of this article, but en resumen, stop and see what are your true necessities, your true blessings. No doubt you’ll be able to see them mejor ahora que tienes el tiempo.

As always, como siempre-

Babushka Besos a Todos. Cuidensen.

Links to review:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html
https://www.weallgrowlatina.com/
https://conexionflorida.com/disfruta-la-navidad-pero-do-not-stress/

TWAM makes a Conexion to Hispanic Heritage Month. HispanicFest2015 #HHM

 

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!!!

Si, that's Babushka en la foto.  If you've been reading BB's posts you know how important my culture

is to me, and how much I enjoy acting, so when there's a chance to combine them, Babushka's there! Saturday 26, 2015 my beloved TWAM will be performing at the Hispanic Fest 2015. Beautifuls, this goes beyond a twofer, it's a THREEfer!! This festival not only celebrates the Hispanic culture and has the Theater With A Mission troupe performing, but the proceeds will be going to the nonprofit United for a Good Cause Inc. This nonprofit gives gifts to needy children of the area and makes their holidays brighter with a party celebrating the season and them.

So who says you can't help the future by going into the past?? You know Babushka believes that things happen for a reason, and that the S Sisters are always ready when we are. It was with great pleasure BB was able to introduce David Triana, editor of the bilingual newspaper Conexion  to founder/director of TWAM Ben Gunter. And even greater pleasure when David decided he wanted to bring TWAM to the festival. He saw the vision and the reason for TWAM and how by connecting us to our Spanish past and the glory that was the Spanish Golden Age, present generations and the future leaders of society, will be proud of their heritage and the contributions made to the world by them. Besides, it's great fun for a festival!

Cast of characters for Sept. 26 TWAM performance of "El Muerto".

Marching in to one of the mottos in the Hispanic Fest theme:  "Spain's Gift to the World!  Come see!" TWAM will perform the comedic, one act farce by Francisco Bernardo de Quiros "El Muerto" . Written in the 1600's it's the timeless tale of how Love always finds a way.  Pero here, in both English & Spanish is a better description of the play.

BUENISIMO verdad? And it's even better in person!!

Hope you can join us for this wonderful production and wonderful festival,
 pero si no, pueden donar to these two great non profits and do your part in helping create a better mañana.

United For A Good Cause Inc.
Theater With A Mission

Y con eso BB se va corriendo.

Sweetie and I will be leaving to the beautiful Emerald Coast  today and this was supposed to be just a short little post. 

 Que?? Ok si, JU SO FONII !!! 

You're correcto; this is neither short nor little. 

Talked a lot and am running late, Cubana al fin. 

Told 'ya BB was proud of her heritage.

; )

Babushka Besos a todos. Cuidensen.