I'll freely admit it: Hi, I'm Dani, and I'm addicted to travel. Not just physically going places, either. I can spend hours upon hours perusing Google, wistfully dreaming about sailing in Ha Long Bay, seeing the sakura in Tokyo, and surfing in any one of the gorgeous Polynesian Islands, all the while torturing myself with beautiful pictures of these stunning yet currently unattainable destinations. Why can't airlines and hotels give discounts to those stricken with the incurable and debilitating disease of wanderlust? Who else is with me that there should be official diagnosis criteria? Seriously, thinking about actually trekking across Middle-earth in New Zealand interferes with my daily life way more than I'd like to acknowledge. And the temptation that lies within the deserts of the Silk Road? Please, for the love, my heart can't take it anymore!
I suppose that, just as with all else, everything in moderation. Yeah, I get told to get my head out of the clouds and focus on reality, especially since I'm going off to college in August. However, I take comfort in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien himself, spoken by a certain Ranger of the North -- "Not all who wander are lost."
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Now, before y'all get yourselves all hussied up, let me explain the title of this post. I, actually, proudly announce myself as an avid bookworm -- it's one of the first talking points that comes up in any conversation I have. Unfortunately, the genres of books that I prefer to stock my personal library with don't always come across as "legitimate" enough for me to be called so. Yes, I'm talking about series like "The Hunger Games", "Percy Jackson and the Olympians", and my personal favorite, "The WaterFire Saga". So these are all young adult fiction, and so these are looked down upon by many in the literature world. However, I also quite enjoy the classics -- all they have to do is appeal to my particular tastes. For example, Jane Austen was truly a goddess among women (even sharing a personality type with me, INTJ), and I barely consider myself worthy to trace the leafs of any Nathaniel Hawthorne novel. But on the opposite side of the coin, there are authors like Charles Dickens, a truly brilliant man, but whose plotlines and style of writing fail to pique my interest for more than a few pages, or until I can convince myself to read far enough for it to grab me. While I may be judged for this, I must say that I consider myself very well-read in many genres, but these are just my personal favorites.
And, yes, this was all inspired by the fact that we are currently reading "A Tale of Two Cities" in British Lit. :/ Ah, autumn. A time of spooks, a time of thanksgiving, a time of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, a time of... Communing with your long-dead ancestors? Yes, folks, here in South Texas, the Day of the Dead is a festival worth talking about. Oddly enough, my Latina family has never been very traditional, so unfortunately, I've had to explore my heritage all on my own -- but in no way does that make it any less fun! On November 2, I took the time to consider my great-great-grandmother, Trinidad Gonzales de Moreno. Even though I've never known her, I've heard so many bad*ss stories about her, I might as well do what I can to respect her. So, right after school, I convinced my mom to take me to Wal-Mart so I could buy some masa to make a delicious, hearty drink called atole, a holiday drink flavored with cinnamon and vanilla. Once I got home, I immediately put that pot of heavenly goodness on the stove and plopped down to watch "The Book of Life" (arguably one of the best animated movies of all time if I do say so myself). Afterwards, however, when it was time for bed, I decided to take a more sentimental approach before I hit the hay by setting out pillows and a blanket for the spirit of my feisty gran bisabuela. Of course, I knew she wouldn't really arrive from beyond the grave, but just the thought of honoring someone so important in my family brought comfort to me as I shut my eyes.
So, everyone, next year, I would recommend reconnecting with your family members who have since passed on -- even if you aren't Mexican. This is a celebration for everyone, and without reaching across cultural bounds, how can we ever come together as one human race? I was going to post about the Day of the Dead -- that post may still come later -- but something so tragic has happened just half an hour away from where I live, I had to put everything on hold and decided to focus on this. Four days ago, on November 5th, a lone gunman walked into the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs and began firing upon the congregation, killing 26 people -- a fourth of the town's population -- and injuring over 20 more.
All I can ask is that you please pray for my brothers and sisters. Many of our first responders and pastors from right here in San Antonio have already gone down there to assist in the recovery and grieving process, but oftentimes, a prayer is all one can give. And at this point, it's one of the most valuable things they can receive. There is so much evil in this world, and although there will be much pain and anger, if we come together in love and faith, we can stand against any wicked thing that comes our way. Oh. Heck. Yes! I am now the proud owner of a legit Bowie knife! Albeit, it was only $21 at Walmart... But, hey, the fact that I can say that I own what is arguably one of the most historically significant knife designs is pretty damn epic if I do say so myself. From the famous Sandbar Fight of Natchez, Mississippi, to the Alamo and even the story of Dracula, the Bowie knife has played a bigger role in the past century-and-a-half than nearly any other blade, all thanks to that brave man who gave his life to secure the Texians' freedom for their descendants.
A couple of days ago on Monday, I went with my grandmother to trek a little downtown. Our first stop was the San Fernando Cathedral, a beautiful church built by the Spaniards, and one of the oldest in the United States. Standing by the coffin in which lie the ashes of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis -- along with the other defenders of the Alamo -- I took a moment to pause in silence in respect for these tragic heroes. After that momentary sojourn, we made our way by trolley to the crown jewel of it all, the Alamo.
I truly cannot describe to you what it feels like to stand where the defenders died, to touch the walls of the sacred mission, and to immerse yourself in the history of the Texas Revolution. What was truly mind-boggling, however, was the fact that prior to that, I had watched the 2004 Alamo film, and had for some reason been thinking nonstop about James Bowie (who, by the way, is now my historical crush). Well, when I got to the mission, I felt some sort of calling, perhaps by the essence of the long-dead hero, and lo and behold, there was a Bowie exhibition being hosted that very day! I'm not sure what all of that meant, if anything, but before we left, I couldn't help but purchase a $5 rubber Bowie knife to place in my room for decoration. Now, if only I can find a real, good quality knife -- which is now legal to open carry in Texas -- that would be something. Just another connection to my favorite Alamo defender. :) Devastating. That is the only word that can come close to adequately describing what the southern half of Texas is going through right now. Hurricane Harvey has now reached Category 4 status, with wind speeds of 130 MPH and a projected storm surge of more than twelve feet. Here in San Antonio, we are expecting rainfall of up to 8-12", winds reaching and exceeding 55 MPH, and a -- very slight -- chance of tornadoes. The wind is picking up as I type this post. I wouldn't say I'm scared; this is actually the most interesting weather event I've ever experienced! However, the sorrow I feel for my heart's second home, Port Aransas, is overwhelming. Seeing as I just came back from that picturesque seaside town a couple of weeks ago, I pray for everyone affected on and around Mustang Island. There's no way to tell right now how extensive the damage caused may be, but if this beast remains a Category 4 by the time it makes landfall on my beautiful state's coastline, I sense that the name of Harvey will go down in weather history.
What a day it has been! All over the country, people have flocked to a 70-mile wide stretch from coast to coast to catch the rare total solar eclipse. The first coast-to-coast eclipse in nearly a century -- not to mention the first total eclipse since 1979, this was a sight to behold. Unfortunately, since my school is now in session, I was unable to make the pilgrimage to Oregon, Idaho, or South Carolina, but I was treated to a lovely partially obscured sun. What was truly special about this once-in-a-lifetime event, however, was that amidst all the turmoil in America, people of any creed were able to come together and enjoy this gift from God, and in the end, that is all that matters.
In the darkness of the midday eclipse shone a glimmer of light, a glimmer of hope. |
AuthorMy name is Dani Slaughter. I am a university student from San Antonio, musing about what I see and how I see it. Archives
October 2020
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