What Have I Been Up To? Check Out These Fun Updates and Announcements!

Who knows how long I’ll keep up with my blog’s Instagram account, to be honest. When I’ve found so many more things to do that bring me more joy and peace than a mere Instagram post, is it worthwhile to keep up with the rat race for nothing?

The truth is, posting for the sake of views + likes has never been my priority. This partly explains why I’ve ignored this blog’s Instagram for a while.

Another reason, as I alluded to a few lines back, is the many other things I’ve had going on.

But first: A little story about my back. Yes, my back. You’ll see where this goes.

2018 was an odd year in that I apparently had been suffering from some then-undiscovered spine injuries that everyone thought were something else. You could say I had at least a handful of these injuries that only kept getting worse, incl. a couple of fractures and a number of herniated discs. Yay.

What led to these injuries may be revealed in a future (lengthy) post** but suffice it to say that it was some treatment for a condition doctors thought I had (but in actuality didn’t have!), which began harming my body–mostly by significantly weakening my back more and more as time went on. Yet instead of backing me off it, they kept adding and adding to it to the point where my spine, well, could take NO MORE. Once I saw it wasn’t doing me any favors, I stopped it.

Everything with my back got worse before it got better. (Funny how God works.) At times it got so bad, that I hated waking up in the morning because it meant I had to get out of bed and be in pain ALL. DAY. LONG.

It got unbearable.

But I persevered. We sought new doctors and found out what was REALLY going on. I started new treatment.

And now I can walk. Like, really walk! I’m back to the old me! I may not be able to run marathons just yet, but walking–something I used to take for granted before the shiz hit the fan–is now something I more than value.

I’ve also been advised to skip the intense gym workouts I used to do with my husband because while my back is a LOT stronger and, well, on the mend, it does have some irreparable damage and it’s best I prevent future issues by giving it plenty of tender loving care.

However, the main point to my story is: I’M MUCH BETTER.

But enough with the suspense, already. Let’s get right to it.

I’ve got some wood: Check out my woodworking shop ONESEVENTWELVE.com and @oneseventwelve!

My whole life I’ve been crafty and enjoyed making things, creating something neat out of nothing. You could say writing helps one do that, but crafting takes this to a whole other level.

My whole family’s like that, too. Everyone’s very handy.

When I was little, I used to paint with oils, watercolors, you name it. (I was good, too, modesty aside :).) I also would make jewelry, sew clothes for my dolls, make bookmarks, whatever I could think of.

But somehow the idea of working with wood had always been nagging at me. At some point I fell in love with woodworkers who scroll saw. Their work is magnificent.

But then my back kept getting worse and as much as I thought about how cool it’d be to start a scroll sawing hobby, I realized that I wouldn’t be physically able to stand around, hunched over a scroll saw for hours.

But then one fateful day I somehow came across pyrography and woodburning and I was obsessed. Like, really fascinated. And the best part was that everything in me said, “I CAN DO THIS!”

Actually, I lied: the BESTEST part about it was knowing that I could do it while sitting down and giving my back a rest.

It’s safe to say that I started woodworking because I needed another creative outlet. I wanted to channel my desire to work with wood that didn’t involve big, “scary” tools or standing. (I honestly haven’t given up on the idea of scroll sawing, though!)

As my injuries got worse, I kept woodburning until it was recommended that I actually stop temporarily to let my treatment really begin to work. But still, when I wanted to “take breaks” from resting I’d burn and record (more on this in a minute!) here and here :). It’s what kept me going!

And as I revealed earlier, today, I’m alllmost at 100%, which I’m deeply grateful for!! Besides being able to walk again, enjoy the city more, play with our pupper, etc., I love creating commissions and putting my + others’ ideas on wood. It’s something that gives me SO much Zen and tranquility. It really is a beautiful opportunity to create like that.

Life is precious, walking is a gift, good health is a treasure, and family is invaluable. Thank God for my progress, my loved ones’ support, and the woodworking community!

But that’s not all: You can now listen to me on INTENTIONALLY MOUTHY and ADVENTURES IN SPANISH!

That’s right: In addition to that woodworking shop, I also have not one but TWO podcasts!

Intentionally Mouthy

This podcast started off as an idea MANY years ago. Back then I was mainly focused on sharing my Hispanic, Conservative, and Millennial–in other words, common-sense–voice through this blog, but I nevertheless thought, Wouldn’t it be great to put an actual voice to these thoughts?

At around the same time that idea was planted in my head, blogging started to change, and not for the better. It began to become more FAKE, more sponsored, more focused on advertisers and views–more about conveying the perfect image and less about the real and the raw behind someone’s life!

Well, not me: Although I loved writing SOME sponsored content, I could see I didn’t have a passion for some of what was being assigned to me, so I quit “blogging” and went back to the basics. Back to being… ME!

I’d still welcome sponsors, but from now on, my blog was going to be about ME and MY take on things, because that’s what I enjoyed writing about the most all along. People also identify with my point of view and I was so happy to continue providing that to them!

Fast-forward about a year after I quit blogging as people had come to think of “blogging” and the podcast idea became more and more prominent in my mind.

But what would I name it?

Well, long story short, my husband came up with part of the show’s name. The other part was inspired by a “movement” that’s taken over society and which I find hilarious. It has to do with being “present” and “intentional,” something today’s hipsters think they made up and now can’t shut up about. Tune in to find out more and enjoy!

**I talk more about my back’s recovery on a couple of this show’s episodes.

Adventures in Spanish

The main goal of my other podcast is to truly to submerge listeners in the Spanish language via different stories in Spanish so that they’re better able to become fully bilingual and fluent in one of the most widely spoken languages in the world!

The stories we’ll go over come from different places, but all are in Spanish. Some are the translated versions of popular American tales, while others are native to Latin America. Some are articles in Spanish about recent American happenings or technology, while others are tales that either I wrote or you, the listeners, wrote and submitted. Just like the Spanish-speaking culture, this podcast is quite diverse!

This show is for everyone. No, really. Everyone and anyone who wants to learn more Spanish will find themselves enjoying what I have going on here: teachers, professionals, kids, young adults–everyone will find value in it.

Whew! I sure have been busy!

Yes! Along with all that, I also run a couple of Etsy shops on the side, because why not :)?

Getting better and having my spine’s recovery progress so relatively rapidly has been amazing and I look forward to taking more advantage of it.

See you around my woodworking account, @oneseventwelve, and the podcast world with Intentionally Mouthy and Adventures in Spanish!