Tag Archives: Mi Vida

Latina Blogger: 4 Years in the Making

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Yesterday was Latina On a Mission’s 4th year blogoversary. It boggles my mind. When I began blogging, a Latina Blogger was a rarity.  Surprisingly, finding a Latina Blogger from New York, a state with a high concentration of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, was even rarer in 2009.¹

Over the course of those four years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a slew of bloggers, brands and PR agencies who believed that the female Hispanic voice was vital; as a result, my blog and it’s community has grown and Stiletto Media, LLC was created!

Wanting to delve into our history, I discovered that Latina On a Mission has

Latina Blogger: Migdalia Rivera and Sons

I’ve used this blog to record my life and sons’ growth. My oldest, Karl Rivera, has grown with this blog. He has lived and breathed social media with me! He helped me with Twitter Parties, has written articles for Latina On a Mission and other sites, and has attended conferences and media events with me. He also was a Speaker at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference. Not surprisingly, he now works in the social media department at his college and has been approached to intern at a PR firm in New York.

My youngest, Andrew, has taken an interest in coding. He loves all aspects of it! Attending events, researching topics, and helping with videos, has also helped him come out of his shell and given him more confidence. He’s an avid movie reviewer, giving me his thoughts and ideas after each flick, and loves testing and tasting all featured recetas/recipes.

All in all, this blog has provided me, and my sons,  with a ton of opportunities – many more than those named – and it wouldn’t have been possible without YOU.

So, today I want to say thank you.

Thank you for following me on this journey.

¡Mil gracias! / Thank you for believing in our voice and our value!

¡Abrazos! / Hugs!

 

¹  2009 Technorati report states:

        • ¾ of the bloggers were male
        • 60% of the bloggers were between 18-44
        • The majority were more affluent and educated than the general population
          ◦ 75% have college degrees
          ◦ 40% have graduate degrees
          ◦ One in three has an annual household income of $75K+
          ◦ One in four has an annual household income of $100K+
          ◦ Professional/self-employed bloggers are more affluent: nearly half had an annual household income of $75,000 and one third topped $100,000
        • More than half of the bloggers were married
        • More than half of the blogger were parents
        • Half were employed full time outside of their blogs, however ¾ of the professional bloggers were employed full time as bloggers

 

Tween Cosmetic Dentistry: Before and After Photos

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Earlier this week my Tween was racing to catch the train. It was raining. He was running. It was slippery. He fell. HARD.

I thought he was kidding when he originally sent me the text message.

Andrew Text Message_1-28-2012

 

He wasn’t. The picture proved it.

Chipped Tooth | Latina On a Mission

 

Thankfully, we were able to get an appointment with the same Dentist that is treating my severe allergic reaction to composite resin. He was able to create a tooth for my tween from composite resin (shown below) – Thankfully, he is not allergic to it.

New Tooth_1-28-2013

Photo was taken at Dentist’s Office, immediately after tooth was created.

The new tooth is only for esthetics. He can’t eat or brush it. If he jars it, it can fall off. In the process, it would cause more damage.  The Dentist decided this was the best course at the moment since my tween has some bone damage. He wants to take a wait and see approach since the tooth has no nerve damage and is still alive. I agreed. At that age, I think appearance is important. Having the tooth will give him the confidence he needs to smile, to speak up in class and to be the amazing kid he already is!

Let’s talk! What do you think? Can you tell it’s fake? (Also if you have had any similar experience, please share in a comment!)

 

Sickness Comes In Threes

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I’ve been MIA, Missing In Action, and feel so disconnected. It seems like a whole month has passed me by. Thankfully, I am slowly getting back to “normal”.

Sick Woman with a cup of tea (Free Digital Photos)

I’ve heard that everything comes in threes, good and bad. I can definitely attest to the fact that sickness comes in threes. Towards the end of 2012, I came down with number one (1) , a severe case of the flu. It hit me HARD! I could barely get out of bed. It seems I’m not the only one, NYC is in the midst of its worse flu epidemic. Save yourself, get the flu shot, and WASH YOUR HANDS! I’m sure if I would have been more vigilant about washing my hands I wouldn’t have gotten…

Number two (2), the stomach virus.

Goodness gracious I thought I was going to die! If I could barely get out of bed while I had the flu, the stomach bug had me living in the bathroom. Ewwwwwww! Suffice it to say, it wasn’t pretty folks…not pretty at all. Thankfully, ahem, the boys were able to use the building’s facility during that time.

As I felt better, I was so excited to be able to chew. OH. MY. GOSH. I was craving bacon. It was all I could think of once I started getting better, so off I went to the bodega/deli. I ordered a BLT, with extra crispy bacon, on a roll with no mayo. YUM! I couldn’t get home fast enough that day! Riding the elevator up to my floor, I admit a little drool came out. (Don’t judge me. I hadn’t eaten anything in weeks!)

That first bite was A-MAZ-ING. I savored every bit of it. Thank goodness I did because the second bite was the end of me. I felt a piece of my filling come out. Gagging, I spit it out. A tiny silver piece lay in my hand. Pushing the sandwich to the side, I called the nearest Dentist and scheduled a Dental appointment.

I wish I would have waited.

Number three (3) was by far the worst. I had a severe allergic reaction to the new filling. It seems Dentists no longer use silver, for cosmetic reasons. My old filling was an amalgam filling (silver filling). The Dentist who I saw used a composite resin (White filling). I had a severe allergic reaction to the composite filling. The pain was excruciating. I seriously wanted to ram my jaw into the nearest brick wall. Worse, it was the weekend. I’m sure I could have gone to emergency … but silly me I decided to bear it out till Monday.

Really, it couldn’t have come sooner.

I was given antibiotics, pain killers (I refused codeine. As a single mother, I need to be alert) and advised I may need a root canal. Before going home, I scheduled a follow-up appointment. By the time I arrived home, I had received a message from the receptionist stating the Dentist had cancelled the appointment and rescheduled for February 21. Really?! Was that freakin Dentist INSANE? There was no way I could wait that long!

I called, texted and messaged everyone seeking references for a new Dentist. I hit pay dirt when a former co-worker referred me to the Dentist she has been seeing for the past 20 years. Thankfully, he was able to squeeze me in that week.

A little over a week ago, he removed the composite resin the previous Dentist used. He also removed pieces of silver filling the previous Dentist had missed. He refilled the tooth with a temporary medicated filling to calm the nerves and ease the pain. I’m returning  today to find out if the tooth can be saved or if a root canal is necessary. I’m hoping it’s not.

Today I head back to the Dentist for my follow-up. Please say a prayer for me and bear with me yet again. I hope to select winners and send emails to the giveaways that recently closed when I return.

Oh, and on a good note, I lost 7 pounds. :)

Let’s talk! Have you had an allergic reaction to a tooth filling? Share your experience in a comment below!

Laid Bare For The World To See

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It feels like so much time has passed since my last blog post. In reality, it’s only been 2 weeks. Not much in real world time, but it’s a lifetime in the blogging world. 

I admit, I’ve tried to blog.

I’ve sat and stared at my laptop almost everyday. Trying with everything in me, to write. Yet, each time, I failed to write a coherent sentence. It’s not that I lost my mojo. I love writing. I love blogging. It just seems like life has thrown me so many curve balls, that I really did not know where to begin and so … I want to apologize.

As my readers, you probably know parts of me that my real life friends and family don’t. Writing is such a personal task. I open up in ways that I rarely do in person.  A tidbit here, another there, and you can connect the dots, get to know the real me. My joy and sadness, as well as what motivates me, can be found in one way or another on this blog.

This is me.

This blog is who I am, the many sides of me, laid bare for the world to see, in 1,103 posts – 1,104 if you count this one.

So today, I choose to cast off this sadness and begin again.

Because…

You are a part of me that I would not want to lose.

Thank you for standing by me.

xo

 

 

I Waited For You

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She told me she had been waiting for years. And she was right. It had been 24 years since I had seen her, since I had left her home.

She said I waited for you. I wanted to talk to you. To say, I am sorry and that I love you.

I cried. I knew in my heart I should have come sooner. I felt God’s prompting 4 years ago but I thought … tomorrow. I will go tomorrow. Not because I did not want to see her, but because I took time for granted.

She held my hand between her two thin hands. She was emancipated, skeletal in fact. I was amazed at her strength, her resilience. She weighed barely 70 pounds. Sheer determination kept her alive.

She told me she loved me, always had. I knew. She took care of me when it must not have been easy to see my mother’s face. She took care of me when no one had taken care of her. She led a hard life, a very hard life. Life had not treated her well. Worse, no one had extended a helping hand. No one gave her hope, or comfort, when she most needed it. Even as a child, I understood that and could not blame her for what had transpired.

I told her I loved her and had forgiven her years ago. It was not the first time I had said it. We had spoken over the phone. However, I believe she needed to see my eyes, to look into my soul, to believe my words. I know it gave her comfort. Her grip on my hands told me so.

She tried to speak but labored. She had lung cancer. The tubes made it hard. They irritated her but were necessary to provide some degree of comfort. She no longer received oxygen. Those tubes cleared her lungs.

She spoke to me about my siblings. Made me promise to visit often. I pray I can keep that promise. I know it is most difficult for the youngest. The last time we spoke he was 2.  Still, she persisted. She talked about him. I could see it was important and so I sat. I listened. I stored it in my heart.

She was a single Mom who loved her children, as best she could, with all she could. She had escaped an abusive relationship. Her husband, my father, was not the best man. He represented the machismo that harms women. He was nothing like my Daddy, my stepfather, who raised me.

Without going into detail, I understand what transpired between them, between us, made me who I am. Resilient. Like a reed. I bend but haven’t broken and know I have God to thank for that.

I also understand my parents, all 4 of them. None of them were perfect. They did the best with what they had. Just as I do the best with what I have. I am not perfect either. However, I know the cycle ends with me. My sons will have better. God has promised me that.

Speaking to my stepmother provided closure. It healed my soul, just as I am sure it healed hers. Yet, deep down I know, it was not her mistake. It started before her. Those parties may never apologize. But I’m learning that my destiny is not tied to my past or theirs. All I can do is learn from it…and do things differently.

And I will.

This past week was hard. Today was even harder, but tomorrow will be brighter. Debbie, my sweet stepmother, gave me a new beginning. She showed me that even in the rain there is hope, that people change and grow. She showed me that we can make a difference no matter how much time has passed. I thank the Lord for that, for His prompting to fly to Georgia this past week. I also thank Him for allowing her to be lucid when I arrived. It was the last time she was.

I know I will see her again one day. She accepted Christ into her life and I stand on the promise that we will meet again.

Because we will.

Till then, I will hold tight to what she gave me.

“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
1 Thessalonians 4:14

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4

Debbie Rivera: September 19, 1956- May 3, 2012

12 Personal Resolutions for 2012

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2012
Its the first week of 2012 and I’m excited to get started on the right foot.

Like many, I have made of list of goals/resolutions that I would like to accomplish. Actually, in honor of 2012, I have made 12! Some may seem redundant, some simple, and others so complex I’m not sure how I will accomplish them but I have a dollar and a blog and I’m not afraid to use them!

So here goes:

  1. Write one handwritten note, to be mailed or hand delivered, to a family member or friend for each day in 2012. I started this project because I think a hand written note can convey so much more than a text, Facebook post or even a tweet. It can be saved and cherished for years to come, passed down through the generations and treasured like other formats can’t.
  2. Laugh with gusto each and everyday, which brings me to number 3 below.
  3. Find humor in everyday situations.
  4. Remove the words “can’t”, “can not”, “failure” and “fail” from my vocabulary. I believe words are important; as a result, I will not say I can’t or cannot. I will instead look for ways that I can. I will not place myself in a box, too many people do that already. Because really what is a failure? It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’ve tried.
  5. Compliment myself at least one time each day in front of others. As a Latina woman, I was taught to not boast, to draw attention to myself and to stay silent. I say “BASTA! No more!” 2012 is the year to own my words and myself!
  6. Commit to wearing colored undies every single day. That means white, taupe, beige, and black can NOT be worn in 2012. I am wearing the brightest, laciest, and most garishly sexy undies every single day. I will no longer wait for a special occasion. Why not join me? Trust me, even if you are the only one who knows it, it’ll be sure to have you strutting! :)
  7. Lose 40, 30, 20 pounds this year. Aw shucks even 10 sounds good! I don’t want to be a stick figure, no matter what the latest fashion magazines say. I like my curves and I am sure the men do as well.
  8. Take a 15 minute walk around the neighborhood everyday while smiling! Yes, that means some days I will be pasting it on but who cares!
  9. Call someone every single day… before 9pm! No cell phone restrictions for me LOL
  10. Work less, de-stress and make a mess…of everything! If it isn’t fun, if it doesn’t give me joy, if I can’t get down and dirty than it’s not for me. This year, I promise to be me, whether others like it or not.
  11. Say YES more often. Yes, to a weekday date. Yes, to a longer lunch. Yes, to life! I only have one to live and YES I want to live it!
  12. Love unconditionally whether they give it back or even deserve it. I am going to live passionately. I am going to love passionately. I am going to be ME.

 

Let’s talk! What are your 2012 resolutions? Let us know in a comment!

Image Credit: Image: supakitmod / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Warm Welcome To Those Who Found Me Via CVS

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CVS Headquarters

If you are coming from the CVS Facebook page or video, welcome! / ¡bienvenido! I’m glad you dropped in!

If you’ve seen the video you know I have a surprise coming up. Haven’t seen it yet? Make sure you check out the video and stay tuned. It will be posted before the end of the week!

In the meantime, feel free to look around and get to know me. I suggest you start with the “About Us” page to learn about… well, US!

I also have a few other giveaways going on that you may want to join. I’ve listed them below for your convenience. In the future, you can find our current giveaways by going to the right hand side of the blog. They will be listed under “My Current Giveaways”.

I also enjoy cooking and share recipes from time to time. To see those recipes, you can click on the tab labeled “Food & Fitness” at the top of the blog or go to the Sabroso Saturday Category. I labeled it Sabroso Saturday (aka Tasty Saturday) because Saturdays seem to be the only day I can really take the time to cook; as a result, we relish Saturdays for all the tantalizing scents and sabroso/tasty meals that come out the kitchen!

As a lifestyle blogger, I also write about fashion, beauty, shoes, education, entertainment and so much more so please feel free to look around. I’m sure you’ll find something that will catch your eye!

Again, welcome! / ¡Bienvenido! I look forward to reading your comments as you get to know us.

 
Let’s talk! How did you discover Latina On a Mission?
 

9/11 Ten Years Later…

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911 World Trade Center

Today as I sit in my living room, listening to the police vehicles and fire trucks outside my window, I reflect on 911 and how much my life has changed.

Ten years ago, I was working at a boutique law firm in the compliance department. I researched laws, both nationally and internationally, while also montioring the production of goods for various fashion labels, like Tommy Hilfiger. I loved what I did! I was provided with samples and always received advance notice of sample sales. Not only did I look stylish, I felt I was making the world a better place by ensuring workers, mainly immigrants, were paid a fair and just amount for their labor. I was even planning on making a career of it by becoming an auditor. I wanted to travel, to meet the people and see the factories, not via images inside a report, but in person.  

That all changed after 911.

I was at work when it happened, just settling in for the day, when a co-worker read what had happened online. She let out a gasp and a loud scream, before telling us what had just occurred. Reports at first claimed there was a fire at the World Trade Center. My coworkers and I couldn’t believe her.  We rushed to her side. It couldn’t be true… but it was. We did not know it yet but Flight 11 had crashed at precisely 8:46:30.

As the initial reports were corrected to reflect a plane crash, it started to sink in. Our office was in chaos. Many were weeping. Several of my coworkers had family members who worked in or near the World Trade Center.  The news of that 1st plane crash was devastating but nothing compared to hearing of the second plane crash at 9:03:02.

Fear set in my heart. The managing partner ordered us to a conference room. The room was in chaos.We did not know what was to come. I wanted to go home to my children, Karl who was 7 and Andrew who was 5 1/2  months old. I wanted to drink in their innocence. I wanted to feel them near me.

My ex husband called. I was crying.  I called my nanny. She was hysterical and rightly so. I recall leaving work and seeing chaos on 34th Street. People were milling about… talking, crying, hugging.

I ran to Karl’s school. It took me all of ten minutes. I had never run so fast. I was so happy to see him! He felt so real, so alive. He didn’t understand what was happening. He only knew what he had been told but it was still terrifying. His teacher had fainted in front of the class. He still remembers.

After picking up Karl, I rushed home. Thankfully, it was just a few short blocks from the school. My nanny was hysterical. She left shortly after I arrived home, to pick up her own kids from school. I couldn’t blame her.

During that time, I received a variety of calls from family and friends. I opened my home to all of them since transportation was pretty much at a standstill. Many decided to walk to their own homes, miles away…to see their families and to hug their children. I understood.

Soon after 911, my nanny moved back to Mexico. Andrew was placed in new care. Karl switched schools, his previous school contained too many memories for him. He did not want to return.  My ex husband wanted to volunteer at Ground Zero. We had so many arguments because of that. I have to admit, I was selfish. I did not want him to go. It felt as if a black cloud was hanging over us and it was, both literally and figuratively. We were ordered not to open our windows. Knowing this, I pleaded with him. If the air quality was bad in our area, imagine how it must have been in Ground Zero. In hindsight, I am glad I convinced him not to go.

But this did not stop the asthma attacks both my sons began having. This did not stop the epileptic seizures Andrew and my niece, Lea, began having. This did not stop the migraines I began having. I no longer wanted to live in New York. I no longer wanted to become a compliance Auditor. The Managing Partner at the law firm convinced me otherwise. I agreed. I wanted to leave New York, I wanted to leave my job… and I did both.

Ten years later, I’ve returned to New York. My life is not the same. Its changed considerably after 911. I am now a divorced, single Mom of two wonderful boys. I no longer work in the Legal field. I started my own company, Stiletto Media, LLC, one that allows me more time with my children and helps other women do the same.

911 initially caused fear in my heart, it made me run. It now stirs a fire in me. It has helped me to see what is truly important in my life… the relationships, the people, and my family.

How has 911 changed you?

We will never forget.

In loving memory of William Henry, Rescue 1, a family friend.

 

What Size Are You?

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As a child, I lived in a world of dieters. The women in my life were constantly trying new “fad” diets to lose another five more pounds.

They ate and complained. Said they took a bite and gained. It was an endless cycle of love and hate, with themselves and the bodies around them. Curves were shunned. They no longer believed the bodies given to them were worthy. In the US, thin was in. It was the year of the super models… of Twiggy like proportions.

Growing up, I recall telling my mother I wanted to be a model myself. I looked at the magazines and wanted to be them. They looked beautiful. They looked smart. They looked…happy, with themselves.

The look she gave me that day shattered my dream. I was what I call a curvy girl. Always have been. My lower body has always been stockier than most of those around me. And people noticed.

It took many, many years for me to become comfortable with myself, with my body. I didn’t always think my curves were Latinalicious. At that time, I just wanted to fit in, to become what others defined as “beautiful”.

I now see my body for what it is, regardless of what others may say. It sustains me. It has been pushed to extremes and survived. It is Latinalicious, not just because of its curves, but also for what it can do.

I stopped the cycle of fad diets passed down to me. There are no extremes. I do not want to pass it on to my sons. I now exercise because of the health benefits, not as a chore, or a means to an end, but as a way to strengthen myself, mentally as well as physically.

I will never be a “Twiggy”. I have curves and I celebrate them!

What size am I?

I am finally a size “Happy”.

What about you?

 

 

Macys Style and Co Photo Shoot with Glamour

 

Above I fulfilled a childhood dream. I wasn’t chained by what others said I could do.  

I was a “model” for Macy’s Style and Co. Jeans. I loved them! Why? Because I didn’t have to alter my body to fit into them. I didn’t have to lose just 5 more pounds to put them on. They celebrated my Latinalicious curves! They fit me because they were made for “real” women, like you and I, not models. They even have tummy control, for those days when you eat just to many empanadas/beef patties, like I had done the day before! :)  

To read more about the jeans and see the Glamour and Macy’s Style & co video click here. You’ll have a chance to see my derriere in ways you never dreamed of: Close up :)

Kmart’s New Spanish YouTube Initiative: @MadresyComadres

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MyC

With the rise in the Hispanic population, companies are trying to connect with Latinas and their families more than ever before. Smart companies know that in order to connect with this market, they most connect with them on a personal level. Its an untapped market with room for expansion. Kmart, realizing this, launched the first of it’s kind, a fully customized YouTube channel in Spanish. The channel consists of mini soap operas, or novelas, called Madres y Comadres. The series focus on two Latinas and the challenges they face raising a family in America while still holding onto their Hispanic culture.

As the social media manager for Kmart’s Madres y Comadres  initiative, I’m excited to be part of this amazing initiative. Having had the opportunity to work with various entities on their social media initiatives, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Kmart is breaking ground and opening doors for Hispanics with this initiative. They have shined a spotlight on the Latina cultura/culture and the amazing work mothers do to straddle two worlds:  their own and their children.  

I was able to view the mini webisodes before they hit the press. Me encantaron! / I loved them!

As a Latina mother raising 1st generation Latinos in New York City, I could definitely relate to the webisodes. One that really resonated with me was called “La Nota Que Se Nota”

Just like the Mom in the webisode below states:

“¡Tiene “A” en todo menos Español. Como es posible que este niño quien yo le hablado Español desde que nació, me venga con una “C” en Español y una “A” en Chino!”


Translation: [He] has an “A” in everything but Spanish. How is it possible that this child, who I’ve spoked to in Spanish since birth, can come home with a “C” in Spanish and get an “A” in Chinese!”

Why can I relate? Because my own handsome teen brought home an “A” in Japenese last year and barely got a “C” Spanish!

Kids!

So if you haven’t had a chance to watch the webisodes, I highly suggest you do. Some will make you nod in agreement, while others will make you roar with laughter, but allwill make you turn to your own comadre to say, “¡Gracias Comai, no lo podria ser sin ti! / Thank you Bestie I couldn’t do this without you!

Want to hear more about Madres y Comadres? Follow their accounts by clicking on the links below.

Twitter: @MadresyComadres
Facebook: http://KMRT.US/MYCYouTubeTw