CMUN 217 Final

A little stressful, but the most fun I´ve had for a final. It was a great experience to be able to attempt a broadcast news piece. It was also wonderful to be able to use and learn about the newsroom Loyola has. Without this final I probably wouldn´t have been able to use this room or work in it with such confidence. Thanks Professor Lamberti.

May 7th; Landed in Peru

My flight to Peru was smooth and pretty uneventful, except for what  I believe to be cabin pressure affecting my sinuses. That was pretty bad. My right ear finally unclogged itself today. I went through customs and got my luggage all under 20 mintues, I want to say. That never happened to me, but I am glad it did cause I got to see my babe sooner.

It was aamazing to see Eduardo again. He yelled out my name and we embraced. For a few seconds in the airport,  we did the typical lovely dovey stuff, but it was beautiful to me. It was so wonderful to feel his love again. He is at work now, but when he comes home I can feel the love all over again.

While he was at work we went to his grandmother´s house to celebrate Mother´s Day. That was a pleasant experience for the most part and of course I would have preferred if Eduardo was there. Regardless, it was nice to be there and reconnect with his family I have not seen in a long time either. I also met one of his uncles (in some sense of the word) who spoke English. He was very nice with me and tried to encourage me to speak Spanish. I said a few things and we had a nice conversation otherwise, but I still need more mentoring from Eduardo. I just don´t have the vocabulary to say what I want, even the simple things. That is a problem, but with Eduardo´s help , my friends´ help, and the Spanish I course I am taking next semester things are looking better.

Osama is Dead

But does that mean we should celebrate his death? I find it very unsettling that people are grinning ear to ear, smiling, and cheering in large crowds because of the news. They look like heartless monsters themselves. To make matters worse, Miley Cyrus's song Party in the USA has become the theme song for celebrating Osama's death and 'America's victory'.

From my perspective, there are many things wrong with this. This nationalist approach of celebrating Osama's death, once again rienforces the 'Us vs Them' ideology. This mindset does not help intercultural communication and understanding and thus contributes to misunderstandings and major world problems. How simple-minded and selfish to assume that only Americans have been the victims of fundamental Islam and Osama's teachings, and that we only have a stake in such matters.

Also,  I feel celebrating his death makes that person similarly just as bad and twisted. I understand feeling at peace or relieved when a person who commits haneous crimes is gone from this world. In the end, it is important to be the bigger person, accept what has happened, take it for what it is, and find a more meaningful and positive way to move on. I think it is better to celebrate a person's life and honor their memory when they pass away. If there is nothing worth celebrating about that person's life in your eyes then move on. As the old saying goes, 'two wrongs don't make a right.'

Leaving for Peru

In less than a week I will be heading down to Lima, Peru. WHEE! I am very happy to be able to see my partner Eduardo again, I miss him terribly! It is so hard to be away from him so long.

Starting today, I am going to use this blog to talk about long distance relationships, my personal relationship, advice, daily things going on with me, and Peruvian topics/issues, and other things that could possibly spring up that I didn't think of now.

I want to try to blog frequently while I am there. Eduardo will be working during the day, so I need to be creative with what to do with my time. Also, on another social media website I met another woman who has a similar relationship story to mine. It will be cool to met up with her and her boyfriend in Lima for some outings. Life is exciting.

How to Become a Drag Queen

The process of becoming a drag queen can be overwhelming. The steps listed below will help to make your dream of becoming a drag queen a reality.


STEP 1: MASTER THE FEMININE
It is important to understand and be comfortable with the medium that you are working in. This means knowing how to effectively imitate stereotypical feminine mannerisms, speaking patterns, dress, and make-up application.


• Know your face. Be skilled in applying makeup.
• Know what clothing, padding, and accessories work best for body type.


STEP 2: DETERMINE YOUR PERFORMANCE STYLE
Deciding how you are going to perform drag is essential. The style in which you perform helps to determine many aspects of your feminine impersonation, such as dress and make-up style. It is important to master your performance style. Rehearse with friends and those you trust for honest feedback.


Find a Performance Type That Fits You
• Camp Drag: Comedy based performance with a focus on exaggerated lewd/risqué humor, which can include parodying situations, behaviors and/or people.
• Glam Drag: Performance based on fashion, beauty, and sexuality.


STEP 3: LIP-SYNCHING
Lip-synching may appear to be easy, but according to Eclipse Faugère, a drag queen from Toledo, the easiness is an illusion. She states, “Many people think that it's easy to just mouth the words, but it takes practice to be able to breathe when the singer breathes and make yourself look like you are actually singing the song.”


STEP 4: RESEARCH AND MINGLE
Now that you have your look and performance style prepared, do you know where you are going to perform? Naturally, if you’re new to the drag community it can be hard to find a place to start off. You may want to research and explore different communities and venues.


• Research places that drag friendly or host drag shows (i.e. gay bars, gay hang-out spots, drag pageants).
• While in drag, visit some of these places to mingle and network.
• Get to know fellow drag queens. Learn from them.
• Continually build your network and drag identity in an area or community where you want to perform.


STEP 5: DETERMINE YOUR VENUES
If you have built a presence in an area, you have created something like a resume. Your on-going presence can help to make you a good candidate to be selected as a drag performer.


• Apply for several gigs.
• Do not over extend yourself. Start off small.
• Be familiar with the places you are applying at.


STEP 6: WORK HARD AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
Since drag is considered an art form, your body, style, and performance will continue to change and improve. Be open to criticism and be strong enough to not let the competitiveness ruin your drive.


• Your style will change and improve over time.
• Never forget, the drag world is competitive. Be strong!


STEP 7: ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT DRAG? WHAT NEXT?
If you are serious about performing drag, be warned that a lot of time, money, and energy will be spent on perfecting your art. You will need know how to budget and manage your money and time wisely.

Peruvian Cuisine: Lomo Saltado, me gusta!

Lomo Saltado is one of my favorite Peruvian dishes. It is a combination of rice, fries, onions, tomatoes, some kind of meat (Usually beef or chicken), other vegetables, and soy sauce.

Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

If your mouth is watering too because it sounds good or you miss this exquisite dish then maybe I can help if you are a Chicago resident.




Some Chicago-Peruvian restaurants: Taste of Peru, Ay Ay Picante, Machu Picchu,  List on Google Maps
Photo by: Ruth Litzenberger | Lima, Peru | 2009

Cows Parade: Lima, Peru (2009)

Photo by: Ruth Litzenberger | Lima, Peru | 2009

In 2009, on one of my many visits to Lima, Peru I first stumbled upon Cow Parade featured in Parque Kennedy in the Miraflores district.

I automatically felt connected to this exhibit because in 1999 my hometown of Chicago had a similar art event called Cows on Parade.

Obviously, the name has changed, however the artistic purpose has not.

Artists still decorate their cows in whatever style they chose and the cows remain integrated in the public realm for all people to view and enjoy.