tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204547852011-11-27T19:43:07.688-05:00Rebel rantings, musings and social commentary about everything from politics to pop culture.Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-39746871372370698462010-09-21T17:18:00.047-04:002010-09-21T17:31:39.802-04:00

Photo Courtesy of FreeFoto.com  Pray Meditate Be good tomy inner and outer body Develop Evolve Be kind to Pamper Create  Devotion to small things Lost balance I seek to tilt scales Back to transcendence To living in the moment To erasing guilt To being honest To remember my beginnings To be better To always try To energize My self and purpose questioned I drowned in the moment Loathing

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-46918336328967812262010-08-04T00:35:00.001-04:002010-08-04T00:36:52.720-04:00

Death and I are friends. Always cool but never tight. In fact, we barely spoke. Definitely weren't peoples like that. But every couple of years, Death would appear to remind me of his existence. Sorta like that outta the blue phone call from a lover you haven't seen in years or a neighborhood playmate you haven't thought of since junior high. The first time I knew Death was more than the

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-80765087491915396982010-08-04T00:14:00.000-04:002010-08-04T00:14:40.544-04:00

Lolita Lebron passed from this world on Sunday August 1, 2010. I will never forget where I was, who I was with or the non-emotive response I had. It literally didn't make sense in my brain. Although this space I created-- Love, Lolita -- was inspired by her and my ability to share my feelings with the world. It has taken me an entire two days to even begin to understand what occurred, to feel,

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-82867774948806530022010-06-09T11:29:00.008-04:002010-06-11T12:20:15.550-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted (and Lord knows I've got several things I need to get off my chest) but this whole issue sparked some annoyance and I had to sound off asap. By this point, I'm sure most folks have read about, heard about, seen about Deborahlee Lorenzana, the woman banker suing her former employer, Citibank, for firing her over (for lack of better word) being "too hot." They

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-10676984982435477362010-04-06T16:00:00.006-04:002010-06-11T13:41:44.266-04:00

When I was a teenager and started wearing make up I wouldn't leave the house without it. I had this complejo about the dark circles under my eyes. I thought they were so obvious and the second my moms allowed me to wear make up I bought coverup to make them lighter. Even when I wore nothing else, I made sure those dark spots were as invisible as I could make them. When I got to the end of my

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-27108790429284020022010-03-10T12:30:00.003-05:002010-03-10T12:35:54.984-05:00

It's women's history month and I was inspired to compose a short and sweet something for my XX chromosomes. It's dedicated to women everywhere. Specifically to the women who are my foundation: mami Rosa Robles Rodriguez, abuelas Camilla Santiago, Aliz Victoria Galarza Rodriguez.We break backs and bruise hearts to raise generations; toil at day jobs to connect ends; feed and nourish partners

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-69594865322730571772010-01-14T11:09:00.003-05:002010-01-14T23:12:33.047-05:00

Rise AboveAll that has been said, and continues to be said, about who you are or aren'tRise AboveKnowing that the world stands with you, waiting to lift you above broken sidewalkes"A nation accustomed to misery..."Not what Touissant or Dessalines ever imagined when they fought to get you from beneath oppressors thumbsRise abovePetty differences, stereotypes and misgivingsto send love, light and

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-77806929332227614752009-12-09T10:26:00.005-05:002009-12-10T00:08:21.365-05:00

Laying awake in my bed this morning, I listened to rain on my windows and relished the fact that I got to sleep in on my 32nd birthday. My typical morning ritual of recounting my lessons, my goals and blessings, is somewhat different since I decided to start a day early. And rather than just think about or consider those things, I decided to recount what I'm most thankful for this year. Mostly

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-12247636883641498032009-11-25T13:26:00.007-05:002010-06-11T13:46:02.389-04:00

Below is a piece I wrote, and have since edited, for my sorority newsletter. I post it on this blog because the more I think about it, all women, not just my Hermanas or those who I take responsibility for, should consider the concept of how women treat one another. Enjoy - JRod "Women hate women." - Chris Rock And apparently, I hate women too. My most recent obsession is The "Real Housewives"

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-45093643536464902982009-11-05T22:58:00.002-05:002009-11-05T23:22:37.356-05:00

I love New York.I am a life-long New Yorker. I was born and raised in the 'burbs (Long Island to be exact) but spent a good deal of my childhood in the outer boroughs thanks to my Brooklyn-ite parents. This means that I regularly glimpsed the special kinds of insanity and uniqueness that comes with daily life in New York City.So tonight I had a chance to see this insanity which reminded me of the

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-61980605468220777722009-10-21T17:13:00.004-04:002009-10-21T17:39:33.759-04:00

I woke up on this crisp, fall Wednesday in October and made up my mind that I would have a good day. Attitude is definitely a state of mind and I realize that I choose how and what mood/'tude I'll take the moment I wake up.And ya know what?It really was as simple as that. My mood hasn't dampened (despite still being sick with a sinus cold), my spirits are high (sitting outside in the park during

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-70420131867299915872009-10-16T11:28:00.008-04:002009-10-16T21:50:48.401-04:00

Violence against women is nothing new. I know at least 10 people who have been victims of domestic violence; six women, four men; two older, three younger, five the same age as me.So I wasn't surprised to learn that nearly one in four women are beaten or raped by a partner during their adult life. But I was surprised to learn that during this month of domestic violence awareness, a New York state

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-65117964481891924642009-10-15T16:42:00.003-04:002009-10-15T17:07:17.093-04:00

Latino AIDS Day Did you know...*Latinos are 15% of the U.S. population but account for 18% of all new HIV infections*Latinos born in Puerto Rico are at the greatest risk of contracting HIV through IV drug use and high risk heterosexual sexual behavior*Latino men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with AIDS than white men*Latina women are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with AIDS than

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-4904892677135662282009-10-06T16:48:00.007-04:002009-10-06T17:48:13.455-04:00

Pears aren't sexy. And for the first half of my life, that's what I was. Shaped like that is. I had thick thighs, wide hips and an ample bum that were and remain simultaneously, my 'Wow Factor' and bane of my existence.I battled my body for years because it didn't fit: into clothes, into my imagined ideal (whatever that was), into my life. When I danced ballet my big butt was a pain in one; it

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-80730153793775261542009-07-07T23:11:00.005-04:002009-07-07T23:39:16.098-04:00

San Juan, Puerto Rico, the NAHJ conference at the Puerto Rico Convention Center; standing at a table of colleagues sipping white wine, trading niceties. That's where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news that Michael Jackson had died. It crystallized in a moment that I would always refer back to that moment when asked in the future. "That can't be true!" I exclaimed as my colleague

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-63764337107587388212009-05-26T20:51:00.004-04:002009-05-26T21:09:36.951-04:00

History was made today. I was so happy I cried as the hairs on the back of my arms stood on end. Sonia Sotomayor - a Latina, a Boricua/Nuyoriquena from the South Bronx -- was nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. She "stands on the shoulders of all who supported" her. What she doesn't know is that her achievement is also ours, those nameless, faceless women of color,

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-31168297135766023622009-05-01T16:09:00.006-04:002009-05-03T21:13:22.989-04:00

I got a link to this opinion piece, Is Rape Serious?, from my friend Priscilla ('sup Extra P!). I thought it was an interesting piece considering my previous post about good samaritans and where society's moral compass is pointed (or not). I realize in reading this, that the issues of women's safety and violation (in whatever form it takes) is a top-down, institutional problem. The way to go

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1821747632099386692009-04-29T19:13:00.004-04:002009-04-29T22:42:46.735-04:00

I've always been big on etiquette and manners (aka home training). I was taught to say 'please' and 'thank you', apologize when I did something accidently, cover my mouth when I burped, well you get the idea...I've also always been big on reciprocity. Fighting fair, treating others how you want to be treated, giving people the benefit of the doubt, etc. But I can't for the life of me figure out

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-153970468781614062009-04-09T10:03:00.006-04:002009-04-25T13:53:18.897-04:00

This is a photo of a sign on my old block in the B-k. It was an homage to a woman who was raped. I was alarmed, but not surprised, that it existed. Says alot about the state of the world today, don't ya think?"...and you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself."It was the worst way to start my day. I walked to my office, excited about the warm weather ahead, happy I wasn't swathed in layers

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-91709286984097798072009-03-15T22:32:00.000-04:002009-03-15T23:31:52.525-04:00

I happen to come from a group of people that have a ton of synonymns for their cultural identity. Puerto Rican/U.S. Puerto Rican/Boricua/Borinqueno/puertoriqueno/(and yes) Nuyorican. So I've never claimed this moniker mostly because its not my fave one and because it didn't wholly fit my identity. BUT I accept that it's a derivative that is often a synonym. For those that don't know its history

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-17656660074155322172009-01-28T23:13:00.000-05:002009-01-29T16:27:05.074-05:00

Poetry was the first love of my life.The rhyming, the crafted verses, ABAB schemes, the singsong quality, the various forms it took. It had it all. And I just knew, at the age of nine, that I had found my calling.Except for one thing.When I announced I wanted to be a poet, a grade school teacher summarily burst my bubble and explained there was no money to be made in poetry. Once I discovered, or

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-28791570706044016042008-12-29T17:41:00.000-05:002008-12-29T18:33:26.438-05:00

My new year starts on my birthday. And for the last several years, I've been employing the same routine each morning before I rise from my bed. I think about all of the things I've learned, accomplished, failed or mistakes that I've made. I also think about what I want to do with the following year of my life, what I want to learn, how I can get closer to becoming the me that I want to be. Having

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-25072518169927014432008-11-04T23:30:00.000-05:002008-11-04T23:44:22.274-05:00

I saw something tonight that I thought only my children would see in their lives: a qualified, articulate, intelligent, genuine human being elected as President of my country. And he's an African American man named Barack Obama. Apparently so did many of my neighbors in my Bushwick, Brooklyn neighborhood. I have heard shouts of joy and screams of joy. I've heard a few gunshots (it's Brooklyn,

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-62655856923339180072008-10-03T16:24:00.001-04:002008-10-03T16:32:54.871-04:00

A few days ago, my Hermana Luivette Resto, released her first collection of poetry, Unfinished Portrait. It is a collection seven years in the making and documents her evolution, literary and personal. Lu and I met as pre-frosh at Cornell University in the summer of 1995. After a fight in '96 (*wink*) we were bonded for life.  She is one of my greatest cheerleaders, critics and fellow writers. I

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-16459887054641460792008-10-01T16:35:00.000-04:002008-10-01T16:44:01.708-04:00

I haven't sounded off on my opinions about Election '08 because I've been waiting for something to strike a chord in me but I felt like this one just took the cake. Aside from thinking that Sarah Palin as a VP nomination on the Republican ticket is an afront to women....Aside from thinking that her choice to belittle Obama's community organizing roots (which are in fact the factors that clinched

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-80051900485101622812008-09-25T11:56:00.001-04:002008-09-25T12:04:26.877-04:00

Shiftless. Lethargic. Sluggish. Lazy bones.On just about any day, you could utilize any of the above words to describe me, especially in the mornings. I love sleep – napping is a hobby and I’m addicted to the artful joy of closing my eyes. I am also a nocturnal creature (I’ve recently been described as an owl, but that’s a post for another time) who prefers the twilight of the moon and finds

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-74869384729492341522008-09-11T14:05:00.000-04:002008-09-11T14:43:44.976-04:00

I fell asleep last night distinctly aware of what today's date would be. I was downtown last night and as I made my way to the train looked up and noticed the lights that were shining skyward where the towers had once been. The tangible reminder of what had happened seven years ago jarred me. I thought I would awaken and feel some of the emotions I felt that day and the days that passed after. I

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-19321673719597287432008-09-05T17:18:00.000-04:002008-09-05T17:20:04.770-04:00

When did the N word become a pronoun/noun?*Conjured while riding the J train back to B-k while sitting next to two teenage boys and trying not to throw up a little in my mouth from their ignorance.*

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-3312209132121479062008-09-05T10:50:00.000-04:002008-09-05T11:00:39.901-04:00

I am, admittedly, a procrastinator. I'm that person who, for whatever reason, was given the ability to thrive under pressure, to get a rush from doing things and doing them pretty well at the last minute. In college, I could write a 10 page paper overnight (granted I didn't sleep but that was just the way it went). I can throw together a meal an hour before company arrives. The day of a trip, I

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-61599205119238739472008-08-15T21:59:00.000-04:002008-08-15T22:05:27.666-04:00

I have been a fan of Junot Diaz since I was an undergraduate at Cornell University. As an alumn of the Cornell MFA program, Junot had once walked the grassy knolls and snow covered sidewalks of Ithaca that I did. He, like other conscious people of color, had while a graduate student been involved with campus and student issues like financial aid, campus housing, lack of Latino recruitment and

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-32384912921713034702008-07-09T14:35:00.000-04:002008-07-09T14:40:34.536-04:00

Mi bocame deja sin palabrascuando mis emociones necesitan escaparsede mi pecho

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-47186582507437145352008-06-19T12:34:00.001-04:002008-06-19T12:36:32.101-04:00

Standing up for other people. Minding your neighbor. But yet in this country, you're treated like a criminal for doing either. Check the video above and the post below: "South Bronx Rally Calls For Release Of Two Arrested Hip Hop Artists from NY1South Bronx residents rallied Wednesday night to demand the release of two members of a local hip hop group who were arrested after a confrontation with

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-57638116970602154572008-05-29T15:34:00.000-04:002008-05-29T15:55:47.318-04:00

Let me preface this by saying, I believe in democracy, regardless of how flawed it can be and regardless of what version of it we practice here in this country. I also believe in every person's right to self-determination and agency that allows them to choose and direct their own paths. That view, I know, is directly informed and influenced by having been born and raised in the States. So I post

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-44287566600812330642008-05-23T12:16:00.000-04:002008-05-23T12:43:15.545-04:00

I love history. Whether that's because it allows me to understand myself or the world around me, I find it endlessly intriguing. I get abnormally excited when I pick up a new fact or piece of information about a topic I once knew nothing about or better yet I thought I knew alot about. I especially like sharing the information I've picked up with those around me. So much so that my coworkers and

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-58335274607054165332008-05-14T23:50:00.000-04:002008-05-14T23:54:09.855-04:00

So I need to vent for a minute...something I don't like doing on here. But tell me why it's taken me MONTHS to get back into my own freakin' blog? All of these partnerships that companies create (you can only use our service if you get an email with this company, etc.etc.) Huh? What if I don't want to? What do I do then? I've got enough free emails, memberships to various "free" services (read=I

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-18859637139989195302008-02-02T11:20:00.000-05:002008-02-02T11:21:30.625-05:00

15 + 15, 10 to the 3rd, 5 to the 6th, 2 to the 15th I’m 30 years blessed, 30 years breathing, 30 years dreaming. I reached a milestone in my life at the end of last year. I am grateful and appreciate to have had so many days pass and have lived and learned through them all. I do realize that my profession and innate curiosity cause me to question everyone but never answer many of my own

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-92130493507734674292008-02-01T10:09:00.000-05:002008-02-01T10:10:36.240-05:00

So it's been forever (months to be exact and way too long of an absence) since I last blogged. I mean reaaaally blogged. While I love giving shout out's and showing love, it's not the same as getting down about a topic, thought, etc. Consequently, I've decided to share why I've been gone. I purposely avoid writing about my personal life or private experiences in order to utilize this platform to

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-16547918281383339572007-11-27T23:05:00.000-05:002007-11-27T23:11:02.113-05:00

After all the eating is done, the crumbs are cleared and antacid has calmed your stomach, it's time to get back to the biz of just dealing with the holidays season. The hustle, the bustle, the enormity of it all which seems to engulf you and make you forget why you're hustling and bustling to begin with. I don't think you ever get just one day to be thankful and since I didn't say it aloud on the

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-33821737162044678452007-11-07T00:09:00.000-05:002007-11-07T00:13:03.061-05:00

This weekend I had the good fortune of reconnecting with a friend; this was someone whom once upon a time was like peanut butter to my jelly. We were part of a larger group that rolled tough to parties, to the beach, to amusement parks, to dinner, to impromptu movie nights at someone's home. What would begin as a hang out session would turn into an entire weekend of debauchery. If this had been

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-30868101855786173482007-03-12T09:13:00.000-04:002007-03-12T09:14:02.011-04:00

In the last several weeks, coincidentally or not, leading up to March (which is International Women’s History Month), I’ve read more and more disturbing stories and statistics about the state of women in the world. First there were three articles in three separate women’s magazines about survivors of rape in the Darfur region of Africa. Then there was the reminder that Nicaragua and Colombia

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1168818508965586932007-01-14T18:47:00.000-05:002007-01-14T18:48:28.976-05:00

i like new. it has a smell, a feeling, an energy that can not be articulated through words alone. as sentimental as i can be (for places, people, moments in time) i crave newness in all its forms: opportunities, people, flavors, sounds, smells, sights, all of it. major calendar moments like a new year, birthdays, anniversaries, hell--every day that the sun rises--is an excuse to be like new. to

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1166117481278583402006-12-14T12:28:00.000-05:002006-12-14T12:31:21.296-05:00

While eavesdropping on convo's I hear on the street, in subway cars and throughout my neighborhood lately, I have gotten confirmation of what I have always known about children: their brains are endless storage spaces for information; they have the capacity to learn anything and everything that comes their way. So what are we feeding their brains? This scary question entered my mind the other

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1161789039522161032006-10-25T11:04:00.000-04:002006-10-25T11:10:39.546-04:00

I haven't been able to get out the entry I've been trying to write the last few weeks. Too much to say and I've been at a loss for words on the topic itself. So in the meantime... read the piece below to get an idea of what's running through my brain...Born of womanBrought to light by sheSo..where does the respect get lost?Verbal violations Assaulting adjectives that Burn beyond the

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1160242637586061832006-10-07T13:33:00.000-04:002006-10-07T13:37:17.616-04:00

At the present moment, I've been thinking alot about family and kids and all that jazz (happens when you see rugrats everywhere and you tend to get trapped in your own mind like I do most of the time). Maybe it's because my friends are all off having kids (first or second depending) and my parents are thirsty to have grandkids because well, everyone else's kids are off having them, so why

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1159407699547806712006-09-27T21:40:00.000-04:002006-09-27T21:46:54.380-04:00

the last few months i've found myself increasingly molestada (bothered for my folks who don't speak espanol) by what i see going on around me. or rather the lack of focus and attention on issues/problems/dilemnas that our society is facing. from substandard education to the war in iraq, take your pick and i'm probably gonna have an opinion to share. as a schizo-puerto rock who loves a land i've

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1157687010973858772006-09-07T23:40:00.000-04:002006-12-14T12:33:15.693-05:00

Scarred by memoryfingers feel for scabs instinctivelyso as not to forget the painto retrace/recallthe fall and instead remember how to walk instead of collideHolding patternsemerge as a way to protectand inflict spitebecause fear screams louder than actionsbelieving you are the same as beforeI speak and act to shieldfrom expected slams and stabsYou insist and thrash against insecurities to

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1150087318368148202006-06-12T00:11:00.000-04:002006-06-13T16:32:44.196-04:00

Emblem above of the Young Lords offices in Chicago.Pablo "Yoruba" Guzman addressing an audience during one of the NYC's Young Lords takeovers.So while many of my fellow Boricua's have taken this weekend to celebrate pride and glee in our cultural heritage, I find myself feeling differently. I can't help but be in a contemplative mood. As I hear horns honk, flags wave and see people revel in their

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1149873313429710442006-06-09T12:58:00.000-04:002006-07-25T23:43:04.570-04:00

So....I'm as Puerto Rican as they get. The flag and all derivations of it can be found plastered across my apartment; I wear a replica of an original Puerto Rican stamp around my neck on a chain; the quotes in my email signature usually relate to the island in some way, shape or form; I rock a P.R. bucket hat and gleaming flag in my back pocket when the parade (and since I'm from NYC you know

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1148170099058566142006-05-20T20:08:00.000-04:002006-05-25T15:01:38.376-04:00

Being a stripper must be cool. Why else would all the females I see at clubs these days be so eager to imitate the moves they see in bad hip hop video's, HBO documentaries and scenes from the Soprano's when they're inside the fictional Bada Bing? Don't get it twisted, I'm not hating on my sisters who, by choice or circumstance, make their livings in the sex industry--whether it's as exotic

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1147494722143150992006-05-13T00:04:00.000-04:002006-05-25T14:57:28.446-04:00

I've never been a fan of the word "nice." I've never been a fan because, by default, it's always been employed by others when they're asked to describe me. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this doesn't describe part of my personality. I take great pride and pain to be nice, to make people feel comfortable, to be genuine and to get along with folks. As my friend put it so well, "Nice is

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1146459953450947882006-05-01T00:57:00.000-04:002006-05-13T00:03:32.173-04:00

I had the immense pleasure of seeing my all time favorite group, Cuban hip hoppers, Orishas, perform tonight at Irving Plaza in NYC. I don't usually go out on Sunday nights because I work long days beginning on Mondays, but this was one show that I wasn't going to miss out on. And I can't say enough about how amazing they were! Their rhymes were tight, their moves were dope and their energy was

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1146067339417219312006-04-26T11:58:00.000-04:002006-05-25T11:25:03.116-04:00

For those that don't know...I've been an Hermana of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. for almost 10 years. I joined during college and am still an active member today. I also happen to sit on our National History Committee. As a result, I was asked to give a speech at one of our chapter's last night about our organization's genesis. I couldn't have been prouder (or more

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1145848585453463342006-04-23T23:11:00.000-04:002006-04-23T23:16:25.463-04:00

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1145671510294302712006-04-21T22:01:00.000-04:002006-04-24T11:45:57.460-04:00

I've never been good at letting things go. Blame it on my packrat tendencies or sentimentalism, but I cling to things for comfort, memories and security. And i mean everything-notes I traded in JHS, my cheerleading sneakers that I know I'll never wear again, childhood birthday cards, old Menudo buttons. I hoarded it all. I even rationalized it was necessary. This was the physical evidence of my

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1143520990543887462006-03-27T23:39:00.000-05:002006-04-25T11:14:26.143-04:00

What if...The night you stood in front of me I had made a different choice? I had said 'don't go' instead of letting you walk out the door? I had told you how I really felt instead of letting my pride get in the way?What if...The night you asked for my phone number, I said no instead of yes? I had cancelled our date when you said you couldn't stay long?I had explained that I wanted more than you

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1140649660677223452006-02-22T17:57:00.000-05:002006-02-27T18:09:12.763-05:00

I have gotten into the habit of reading other peoples blogs. I think it's fascinating to hear what other folks have to share about a bunch of different topics. One of my faves is by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, she wrote "The Dirty Girls Social Club," and is credited with starting the Chica-Lit movement. In one of her recent posts, she discussed that while researching her latest book, she realized how

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1138768325666220192006-02-07T02:57:00.000-05:002006-02-07T00:04:21.456-05:00

I recently made a new friend (hi Kimmy!) who's a fellow Boricua. She mentioned to me during one of our conversations that while growing up in an all white community in New Jersey she used to think she was white. She told me about the first time she found out she was Puerto Rican: while filling out her college applications she marked "white" and her mother corrected her telling her darling

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1137559667049695112006-01-18T03:15:00.000-05:002006-01-19T18:20:18.933-05:00

So I've been tagged...apparently there's some type of blog "game" I'm unfamiliar with that my bro' down in the A wants me to play. Since I love him dearly and recognize I've been neglecting my blog (I am embarassed to say that it's been more than two weeks since I've written) I've taken up the challenge since I found the topic funny and interesting enough to keep myself and whoever reads this

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1137029457068201552006-01-11T19:45:00.000-05:002006-05-13T01:01:51.306-04:00

"It's not the four walls, but the people in them that made this home." It was a toast, a prayer, a few words that Willo, my oldest brother, said during an emotional and final, holiday meal in our childhood home. After 30+ years in the same place my parents had decided to retire to Florida. They were trading New York's bitterly cold winters, a declining neighborhood and a small house, for cumulous

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20454785.post-1136258327390185472006-01-03T02:14:00.000-05:002006-01-02T23:14:39.203-05:00

Hola! My name is Jessy and I'm a 28-year-old U.S. Latina (Puerto Rican to be exact) living, loving and learning in NYC (Brooklyn!). I'm a journalist/editor/poet/truth seeker/media-mogual-in-training. *Additional slashes will be added when I've taken on other skills* I've been writing since I was in the single digits and decided at 10 this is what I would do when I "grew up." So while I don't feel

Jessica Rodrigueznoreply@blogger.com0