Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween!!!!

Did work out today! Still not feeling my best, but getting better.

It's good for me to keep in mind that taking care of myself is good for me, but also for those people I try to help in my family and through work.

I'll be at the Dia de Los Muertos event this Sunday. I'll be in the red Zoot Suit!!!

KEEP LIFTING!!!!

Monday, October 29, 2007

Oct. 29, 07

Well, I'm feeling crappy today so no workout, but I'll be back on by Weds!

KEEP LIFTING!!!!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

RIP Jon


I ran into Jon on Wednesday. He passed of a heart attack and had services on Monday. He'll be missed.


October 24, 07 General Update

I have an event to be at tomorrow so I traded leg day for arm day. I didn't want to walk funny tomorrow, but it may be hard to shake hands!!!!

I'm co-teaching a class on Race Literacy to medical students. Go figure, never thought I'd be teaching at the Med School! It's cool that most of the time people see me as a teacher and ask where am I teaching now...

I got to pass by Chicano Studies on my way to the medical school. I think I'll see about going back to school. Probably not for music. I think I'll get a masters in something, but not sure what just yet.

My weight is staying in the 188-192 range. That's fully clothed so I know it would be less if I weighed in without shoes, but the point is that it is not dropping.

My wife and I talked about getting back into politics and La Raza Unida specifically. Should be fun. Still working on the Jazz stuff with the idea that figuring out jazz will help in other types of music. We'll see!

I'm jamming Thursday night at Blue Jeans in Albuquerque. Sometime between 9:30 and midnight. Usually I'm on closer to 10, but you never know. I got to jam again with John Mancha and Rudyboy last week. Little Bo also came and sang. I really beat up my accordion the last few months, but got it worked on over the weekend.


I'll be performing at the Range in Bernalillo on Saturday at 7:30 if you go out that way. Also, I'll be recording with a new friend on Sunday.

KEEP LIFTING!!!!

Monday, October 22, 2007

October 22, 07

Right on! My 'Jita is on the SWOP blog!!! - look at the links on the right.

I'm so proud. It's always good to see young people involved and conscious!

Worked out today. Starting to get back on a good groove. Also started to get better at my music workouts as well. Overall things are good. I wish my son would get involved with something organized besides hanging out in the hood, but everyone takes their own path. My was the scenic route as well.

Maybe I can get my 'Jita to become an organizer for La Raza Unida! Hmmmmmm.

KEEP LIFTING!!!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Oct. 18, 07

Don't Think of a Sick Child an interesting video.

And an interesting Blog The Lazy Environmentalist

As for me, I'm lifting again and getting in as many lunch workouts as I can. It's tough because lunch has definitely turned into work time for lots of people.

KEEP LIFTING!!!!

Monday, October 15, 2007

10/15/07

Worked out this morning. Kinda getting a good groove going on.

Also writing more, playing more music, and generally on an upswing. Noticing lots of good Chicano stuff going on. I'll have to start posting some as I can.

Thursday night is Jam night at Blue Jeans. I'll go unless I'm burned out by then. It's gonna be a busy week.

Keep Lifting!!!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Raza Unida Letter 10-12-07

An email letter I wrote to my friends who are members and supporters of La Raza Unida...

10-12-07
Camaradas:
I hope you are well on this day that reminds us of human tenacity and resilience. (Please excuse any duplicate emails.)

As many of us take time to reflect on the destruction, decimation, and disrespect brought to our continent five-hundred and fifteen years ago we can choose to reject the values of colonization: violence, hierarchy, and coercion; and stick to our traditional values. We can take today to begin to reclaim our family values – REAL FAMILY VALUES!

We know that we are still in many instances still under attack culturally, physically, and mentally – not just those of us with roots on this continent but all of us. We can move beyond this to a real civic wellbeing by being involved in collective work. Almost all of our ancestors have a tradition of collective work – regardless of where your origins are. Because working collectively has been a traditional human value around the globe.
Through collective work we can build the world we wish to see. Collectively we can construct a better future for our children. Working together we can be the architects of our communities.

Many of us still retain much of our traditional values. That seems to be the commonality of Raza Unida members and supporters. We are grounded in the best values humanity has developed. We realize that we may be extended family, but we are family – somos familia.

Our continent’s traditional value system saw the entire world as our family. We are not only related to those who live in our home and gave us birth; we are related much more widely through extended family; many of our ancestors understood that all living things are our family; and thus the Earth herself is our mother deserving of our respect and protection.

That is why La Raza Unida can be an organization that grew from the Chicano Power movement and become a broader organization. We can do this because family, and, by extension, community are broad concepts in our traditions. Even the original values and concepts of Christianity saw this and there still are churches supporting those values.

How can we put REAL FAMILY VALUES into practice? One is to be in touch with each other. Relationships are central to the world we wish to see.

We can work together to leverage the little time, energy, and other resources we have. We can encourage each other to do what we can, because we all know that society is not arranged to allow us to have lots of energy and time to participate in a social movement. Every little bit helps – even just registering as a Raza Unida voter helps.
If we can put REAL FAMILY VALUES in place we would organize work lives to support families and civic wellbeing. Imagine 30 hour work weeks, real living wages where one person working fulltime could support a family, and democratic workplaces where we have control over our work. If REAL FAMILY VALUES were in place women would be paid equal to men, leave to take care of our families would be easy, and all workers would be guaranteed four or more weeks paid vacation in any job! Picture having the time and resources to really interact with your family and be involved in the community. What would it feel like to live in a society that encourages many parties and real democracy?

If we put REAL FAMILY VALUES in place our families would be allowed the freedom to practice our cultures and speak our languages. People would be allowed the freedom to marry who they wish. We would have the time, energy, and money to encourage our family members and communities to be civically engaged and taking their place in constructing a better world. We would have the time and energy to learn our histories, engage with elders and youth, and learn about the political processes that we need to be an important part of.

If this message touches you in any way please forward it to three or more New Mexicans you think will appreciate it. The few minutes that it takes to forward this to someone right now is important and appreciated.
And it does make a difference.

If you value a diversity of voices in the democratic process – register to vote as a La Raza Unida voter – many of you already have. You can contact Reyna who is a voter registrar at
reynaluz@comcast. net and set up a time to register – if you live in Albuquerque. If you share these values let people know.

There is much to be done but working together we can do it. The best part is by working together we can make it fun, and also grow healthier and wiser together!

Amor y Rebeldia,
Enrique Cardiel, member La Raza Unida – Albuquerque

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

October 3, 07

I'm still working out!!!

I'll be out of town for a few days, so the blog will be slow for the next week. But it looks like things will be getting better for my schedule.

KEEP LIFTING!!!

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Metonymy Day

I'm still working out, but work is super busy! I'll post more next week. I'll be out of town a few days, hopefully I'll come back ready to write!!!

All linguists, English teachers, communications experts, and students of language nationwide should hereafter celebrate September 20 as Metonymy Day in honor of today's proposed Senate resolution equating criticism of General Petraeus with personal attacks against all US troops.

The US Senate will make linguistics history today. Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell actually brought to the floor a bill based on a linguistic trope called "metonymy." The bill also makes history by trying to censure an ad. But the most "damning" part of the censure is not what is in the ad, but what is the heads of people who use the metonymy trope.

Here's an example of how metonymy works. It is a mental operation. If you say, "The US invasion toppled Saddam Hussein," you mean it toppled the government of Saddam Hussein. The Leader stands for the Institution he or she leads. In a frame containing both a leader of a government and the government, the Leader can stand for the Government.

This metonymy works for generals as well. A general in uniform reporting to Congress can be seen simply as himself. But if you use the Leader-for-Institution metonymy, you can see the general as standing for the entire armed forces. Thus, an attack on the general can be seen, if you use the metonymy, as an attack on the entire military. The use of the metonymy isn't automatic in this case. People can use it or not. If not, an attack on the general is just an attack on the general.

The Republicans' own use of this metonymy is coming up in the Senate today. It is in a Republican bill to censure the use of the metonymy -- by the Republicans themselves!

If this seems strange, it is.

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