Carmen's Chronicles

Sunday, December 13, 2009

A Challenge from steviewren of "a little birdie told me so"

steviewren of a little birdie told me so, one of my favorite blogs, issued a challenge to me this morning. Here is the first part: Seven Things You May Or May Not Know About Me -

1, I am a Southern belle. I was born in Columbus, Georgia. My father, from Waltham, MA, was an Army Lt. stationed at Ft. Benning and my mother, originally from Pelahatchie, MS, was attending nursing school there. My mother divorced and remarried and has lived all her life in

Columbus. I went to New Orleans for nursing school but have lived the last thirty years of my life

in the San Francisco area.

2. I was the Southeast Women's Judo Champion when I was a senior in high school. I took judo at the Army judo club at Ft. Benning where there were only about four women so we had to work out with the guys. They didn't cut us any slack so we got to be pretty good! If I can find any pictures from those days, I'll post them. I was pretty fierce.

3. I never wanted to be anything but a nurse. My mother worked for a general practitioner in Columbus, GA who was a Marcus Welby type. He would make home visits out in the country to poor patients, some fifty miles away. When I was a child, I would go along as his "nurse." When my mother was on vacation, as I grew older, I would work in his office. The thrill of my life was when I was home from nursing school for the summer and he got permission for me to "scrub" with him in the O.R.

4. I am terrified of heights. I don't mind flying at all...I can be in airplanes but a ferris wheel freaks me out. I even get the creeps going over some bridges and I don't like to be next to the rail.

5. When I was in my early 30's in the San Francisco area, I did some catering. My main problem is that I did it for practically nothing, mainly for friends and I never charged enough. It was so labor intensive, I finally gave it up. I once did a wedding cake for a nurse with whom I worked - I didn't even like her - and I finally figured out that this wasn't for me! It was a beautiful

cake, though!

6. I loved my profession as a forensic nurse. In the 21 years I was in the field, in spite of constant problems with San Francisco city government, I felt the work was so important and the support of others in this fledgling field nurtured and sustained me. To be an integral part of the founding of the International Association of Forensic Nurses in August of 1992 and to see this specialty officially recognized were the most exciting parts of my nursing life.

7. Writing has always been a part of my life. Long before blogging days, I've written poetry. I think I penned my first poem when I was about six years old and, at sixty-five, I'm still going. My dream has been to write a novel but, thus far, it is still a dream. The poems that mean the most to me are "Travel Thoughts" and "The Forensic Nurse," both of which have appeared on this blog. My article "East Meets West," about my trip to Japan and meeting up with forensic nurse

colleagues there appeared in our forenic nursing publication, "On the Edge." http://www.mddciafn.org/docs/OnTheEdgeVolume13Number3Fall2007.pdf

Here is the second challenge -

Answer these questions with one word only:

1. Where is your cell phone?… charging
2. Your hair?… graying
3. Your mother?… forgetful
4. Your father?… deceased
5. Your favorite food?… Asian
6. Your dream last night?… none
7. Your favorite drink?… wine
8. Your dream/goal?… wealth
9. What room are you in?… bedroom
10. Your hobby?… travel
11. Your fear?… infirm
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?… traveling
13. Where were you last night?… restaurant
14. Something that you aren’t?… rich
15. Muffins?…dozens
16. Wish list item?… jackpot
17. Where did you grow up?… Georgia
18. Last thing you did?… cook
19. What are you wearing?… sweats
20. Your TV?… off
21. Your Pets?… none
22. Friends?… many
23. Your life?… blessed
24. Your mood?… hopeful
25. Missing Someone?… lots
26. Vehicle?… van
27. Something you're not wearing?… ballgown
28. Your favorite store?… Dillards
29. Your favorite colour?… blue
30. When was the last time you laughed?… yesterday
31. Last time you cried?… yesterday
32. Your best friend?… several
33. One place that I go to over and over?… restaurants
34. Facebook?… often
35. Favorite place to eat?… restaurants

Now, steviewren asked a few other bloggers, beside me, to participate in this challenge and I would like to request the same of some bloggers with whom I would like to become better acquainted. If you have time during this busy season, please let us know about yourselves!!

magiceye at Mumbai daily

Inky at Inky's Poems

Joanne Olivieri at Poetic Shutterbug

Bernie at On My Own

If you four have already participated in this challenge, let me know so I can go back and read your blogs for this information! For those of you who have not visited either of these four blogs - or a little birdie told me so, each is very special. Be sure and check them out! My day isn't complete without them.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Waiting to See Santa

Waiting to See Santa

I wait my turn,

So filled with dread,

No sugar plums,

Dance in my head!

I look at elves,

And sparkling trees,

Advancing slowly,

With shaking knees.

I’m in a dress,

Bright red and green,

It’s the worst thing,

I’ve ever seen!

My mom’s all smiles,

But I want to bawl,

I wish I were ten miles,

From this mall!

I wrote to Santa,

So why am I here?

Dragged reluctantly,

Year after year!

My turn is next,

Try to be polite,

Act like seeing Santa,

Is a great delight.

It’s an annual chore,

And now it’s done,

I can finally say,

God bless us, everyone!

Carmen Henesy

Holiday Greetings

Holiday Greetings

How quickly this year has vanished,

In the blinking of an eye,

It’s impossible to grasp where it’s gone,

So I will not even try.

I see frenzied throngs of shoppers,

In search of that perfect gift,

So I know Yuletide has come again,

Time for thoughts to take a shift.

If only for a fleeting span of time,

There’s a sense of caring and joy,

Even little ones are well behaved,

In hopes of that special toy.

Midst the smell of wintery evergreens,

And cinammon and spicy treats,

Many feel a sense of renewal and hope,

Determined to fight defeats.

With the shimmering lights and tinsel,

May our love come shining through,

Reaching out as we always should,

But seldom find the time to do.

Cherish the words the carolers sing,

And pause to remember those friends,

Who enrich our lives in every way,

As another year rapidly ends.

I wish all of you your heart’s desires,

And send my love your way,

And hope this season and the year to come,

Are better with each passing day.

Carmen Henesy

I wrote this poem ten years ago but I thought I would share it with you today.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Music in Nature

Joanne Olivieri, my long time mentor and fellow poet, recently had a contest, requesting entries on the topic of music in nature. She announced the winners yesterday on her blog and I am honored to have been a runner up. Glynis Smy of Author Blog won with her poem, "Symphony of Life." The five honorable mentions were:

Secondary Roads

The Writing Nag

Secret Forest

The Everyday Adventurer

Don't Know Much About Photography

Congratulations to everyone and thanks to Jo for hosting this contest. Here is my poem:

Music In Nature

Nature abounds

In all sorts of sounds,

That seem musical to my ears –

Gentle soft murmurs,

Violent crashing crescendos,

With electricity so hot that it sears.

The ripple of wheat,

in a soft summer breeze,

Or the ping of hail,

As rain starts to freeze.

The roar of a waterfall,

The droning of bees,

The cawing of crows,

Fluttering leaves in the trees.

The booming of thunder,

Waves caressing the shore,

They all create a symphony,

Need I say even more?

Carmen Henesy

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Valeriana Quevedo

Living in the San Francisco Bay area affords us the opportunity to experience a great diversity of entertainment, often at reasonable prices and almost any night of the week. A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of becoming a fan of jazz singer, Sony Holland, even going to Japan while she spent three months performing at the Park Hyatt in Tokyo. Shota Osabe, a jazz pianist since 1963, accompanied Sony to Tokyo. Recently, Sony and her husband, Jerry Holland, relocated to Los Angeles, much to the dismay of all the fans in San Francisco but Shota Osabe continues to play piano for many incredible singers and to arrange music for them as well. I've certainly gotten to know a lot of performers through my attachment to Shota. One of them is a wonderful Latin singer and dancer, Valeriana Quevedo. Valeriana is the daughter of entertainers and she has been singing and dancing almost since her birth! She would go to San Francisco's Dolores Park with her father, a singer who played the guitar and was also a percussionist. She would join in and play bongos and congas with the group that would gather there. Her mother was a singer and dancer.

Valeriana states she began dancing professionally at the age of five! She has always been singing. She attended City College of San Francisco, studying music, dance, piano and drama
and performed in San Francisco's famous "Beach Blanket Babylon," the longest running musical in the world. She became the assistant choreographer there.

Sunday night, I went to see her, along with Shota Osabe on keyboard, Chuck Bennett on bass, Gerry Kennett on drums, and Sammy Ramirez, on percussion. They played in San Francisco's
Mission District at Cava 22, a warm and friendly Mexican restaurant with excellent drinks and
very good food. There was no cover charge or minimum and the music had the joint jumping.
My friend, Silvia Solorzano, and I had a great margarita and a bowl of seafood stew, a basket of bread and almost three hours of nonstop, sizzling entertainment with Valeriana singing in both
Spanish and English, sultry sexy songs, hot Spanish numbers, and she took requests. It was impossible not to get up and dance! She and her percussionist, Sammy Ramirez, also dance
occasionally and they are something to see! I keep asking my piano player friend, Shota Osabe, when I'm going to see him get up from the keyboards to salsa or do a meringue! No response there!

Valeriana Quevedo

Valeriana Quevedo and Sammy Ramirez

Gerry Kennett, Drums & Vocals - Chuck Bennett, Bass - Shota Osabe, Piano - Sammy Ramirez, Percussion

Carmen Henesy and Silvia Solorzano

Shrimp passing by

Silvia Solorzano dancing with Mr. Martinez, Sr.

The Dancing Queen

Shota Osabe

Gary Kennett, Drums and Vocal

Carmen Henesy and Silvia Solorzano

Cava 22 waitress, Erica, and our bartender

With Mr. Martinez, Jr, celebrating his 23rd birthday

Silvia and the birthday boy

Dancing with Mr. Martinez, Jr.

Friends

Valeriana Quevado performs frequently in San Francisco. In addition to her show this past Sunday, I have seen her at Amante and Enrico's in North Beach, where she performs regularly. If you have the opportunity, do not MISS an evening with this incredible entertainer.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

The Lottery

For over fifteen years, I've been eating at a wonderful Thai restaurant called Manivanh. I'll do a blog on them one of these days soon. The family that owns it are like my own family. Very often when I eat there, San Pen - who works there and is the partner of one of the Douangpanya daughters ( the lovely Ann ) and I joke about winning the lottery. We always say we'll share our winnings when we do. Often, if I haven't gotten my ticket, he'll go across the street for me, to the neighborhood market, and get two for me - one for California's Superlotto and one for the national MegaMillions. The only problem is that, thus far, San hasn't brought back any winners!

Just last week, I couldn't believe, a lady won the MegaMillions with a ticket purchased at Pak N Save, the grocery store where I shop. I never even thought of buying a ticket there! At any rate, they say that lightning never strikes twice in the same place so I guess I'll stick with buying a ticket when I'm feasting at Manivanh. Don't give up San...we're both going to win one of these days. Keep the faith.

Regardless, I wrote this poem and it is dedicated to you!!!

The Lottery

( dedicated to San Pen )

I know the odds are not the best,

And though I play each week,

And buy a single ticket,

My chances seem quite bleak.

I wouldn’t be a selfish one,

I’d gladly share the loot,

I’d give to every charity,

That’ll be in hot pursuit.

I don’t need mega millions,

Just a million would suffice,

But if I got a little more,

I’d think that mighty nice!

My years are growing short,

So there isn’t much I need,

I wouldn’t want the lottery folks,

To think I’m filled with greed.

I don’t have special numbers,

I do the “quick pick” things,

I’m not asking for great treasures,

Just some pleasures money brings.

Carmen Henesy

Monday, December 07, 2009

Dreams and Hope

In a world so often crazy,

And fraught with so much strife,

My dream is that we learn respect,

And value human life.

I hope we teach our children,

To cherish this great earth,

We can show them by example,

Almost from their birth.

I dream of having peaceful days,

Without a single war,

When countries learn diplomacy,

And to negotiate much more.

My hopes are for a cancer cure,

For there to be enough to eat,

Of streets that have no violence,

Of relationships without deceit.

I dream that all can worship freely,

No matter what they believe,

And that every single child,

Is given the ability to achieve.

I pray that in my lifetime,

My hopes and dreams come true.

I will try to help them all along,

In everything I do.

Carmen Henesy