Morning Meditations

Here's a photo of Michael doing his morning meditation on my back porch. My cat Cleo, aka "Fatty" is doing her's too.

I've also been tagged by Allison, so here's my meme:

1.Three screen names that you've had:
I usually use some variation of my first name and last name initials: barbarac, or barbarabc. When I set up this blog, I chose xicanartista, which is a condensed version of “Chicana artista”—in Spanish the X and the Ch are sometimes interchangeable.
2. Three things you like about yourself:
I work hard, I have nice hands, I have style.
3.Three things you don't like about yourself:
I like to be the boss, I’m stubborn, I can never remember people’s names.
4.Three parts of your heritage:
Mexican on my mom’s side, Mexican and Anglo on my dad’s side. I come from a tradition of working women.
5. Three things that scare you:
cruelty, intolerance, natural disasters.
6. Three of your everyday essentials:
Soy milk lattes that I make myself, even a half hour of creative time, down time.
7. Three things you are wearing right now:
fleece lined clog slippers, Victoria’s Secret spring green thermal p.j.’s (a gift from my friend Bernadette—I guess they make “sensible” things too), my son’s fleece robe.
8. Three of your favorite songs:
Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology);” Carlos Santana’s “Black Magic Woman;” Bob Dylan’s “She Belongs to Me,” with the great lyrics:” She’s got everything she needs,/ She’s an artist, she don’t look back./ She can take the dark out of the nighttime/ And paint the daytime black.”
9. Three things you want in a relationship:
growth, joy, good conversation.
10. Two truths and a lie:
I’m a vegetarian, I juggle, I love to walk.
11. Three things you can't live without:
My family, acceptance of the way things are, creativity.
12. Three places you want to go on vacation:
Puerto Vallarta (again), Hawaii, Timbuktu.
13. Three things you just can't do:
smoke, be disloyal, pay full price.
14. Three kids' names:
My daughter’s name is Maria Allegra, the Maria part is for my mom and grandmother, though she goes by Allie. Another name I considered for her is Miranda. My son is Alejandro Julian, and although he is Alex to us, he does introduce himself to people as Alejandro. We almost took him home from the hospital unnamed we were in such a quandary over his name.
15. Three things you want to do before you die:
Have mature relationships with my kids, marry Michael my honey, live in an eco-friendly house on a small farm.
16. Three celeb crushes:
Al Pacino in The Godfather, Chow Yun-Fat in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Benjamin Bratt in anything.
17. Three of your favorite musicians:
Gillian Welch, I have a weakness for bluegrass and folk music; Chavela Vargas, the classic Mexican ranchera singer, Ruben Blades, the salsa composer and singer.
18. Three physical things about the opposite sex that appeal to you:
a direct gaze, a nice smile, a sense of humor.
19. Three of your favorite hobbies:
making art, knitting, finding new and creative uses for old stuff.
20. Three things you really want to do badly right now:
I’ll agree with Allison on the hot tub, I wish I had one too, though I could go to the gym for a soak. I’d like some toasted French bread with butter. A nice walk in the fog would be good too.
21. Three careers you're considering/you've considered:
I’ve worked since I was 14, so for me a new career would be retirement, so I think about that regularly. Fantasy careers include: professional chef, and textile designer.
22. Three ways that you are stereotypically a boy:
It’s hard to think of a “male” quality that isn’t also a “female” quality, but I can take charge, lift heavy items, and take the initiative.
23. Three ways that you are stereotypically a girl:
I cook, I like a clean house, I’m nurturing.
24. Three people that I would like to see post this meme:
I’m not sure who hasn’t been tagged yet. I’d say if this looks fun to you, dive in.