As soon as Ellie began crawling, we knew that our bookshelf was in danger. More specifically, we knew that our books were in danger. So, Elena and I emptied out the two bottom shelves and filled them with Ellie's books. Every day she pulls all the books off the two shelves and plays with them. Sure, it gets messy with all the books on the floor, but the benefits outweigh the messiness.

We began reading to Ellie very early on, before she even knew what anything meant. And although she had no idea what we were saying, research shows that babies do pick up on rhythm, tones and inflection in their parents voice. Recent studies also show that the more words a baby is exposed to, the more prepared the baby will be to read on his or her own. "Studies have also shown that children who were read to as newborns have a larger vocabulary, as well as more advanced mathematical skills, than other kids their age." (Go to source)

In essence, reading to your child is one of the most helpful things you can do. Elena reads to Ellie every night before putting her to bed, and I read to Ellie often during our playtime. Ellie's a very active girl, so when she's playing the reading doesn't last long, but it is definitely beneficial. When she takes the books off the shelves, she many times opens a few of them and looks through them.

Imagination and Intelligence

Reading played a huge part of my childhood. Once I learned how to read, I would spend hours immersed in adventure books that transported me to exotic locations. I would see myself flying on magic carpets or finding lost treasures. This is to say that reading and imagination go hand in hand. One of the greatest mind of the 20th century and in history was Albert Einstein and he had many great things to say about imagination. You can google "Einstein quotes" and surely will find something about imagination. Of course, imagination leads to creativity. Simply put, creative people use their imagination to create. It is their imagination that fuels the passion and desire to create something amazing.

One of my favorite quotes from Einstein is this one:

"Creativity is intelligence having fun."

I think that's very true. But there's more to it than just intelligence. According to a study conducted by Anne Cunningham of the University of California in Berkeley, reading is the best way to exercise your brain. Essentially, the more you read (and by this I don't mean People magazine), the more vocabulary you acquire, thus making you more knowledgeable and also better in abstract reasoning skills. Reading is the like P90X for your brain. There also studies that suggest that reading is a great way to fight Alzheimer's. The New York Times has a great article on CEO's of large corporations that link their success to reading. Other studies show that reading only six minutes can reduce stress by 68%. Reading fiction can also make you a better person, by making you more empathetic and aware of others around you. The benefits of reading are enormous.

Why We Read

I think that C.S. Lewis said it best:

"We read to know we are not alone."

Books have been my loyal friends for many years. In books I found characters that were as almost as real as the people around me. In books I found many of my feelings and complex ideas perfectly put into words. In books I found that I was not alone, that others out there have experienced similar things in their lives.

Conclusion

It makes me sad when people say they hate reading. I think for the most part it means that they just haven't found a book in a subject they're interested in. I usually ask those people what are their interests and hobbies and suggest finding books that cover those topics. But for those who truly hate reading, I ask that you be wise and don't pass that apathy down to your children. Instead, encourage them to read and read to them.

Every person has phobias and pet peeves, but in our house, Elena and I have made it clear that we won't pass those things down to our children. For example, all of my life I have been a picky eater and have only gotten better after marriage. As much as I dislike certain vegetables, I am aware of their nutrition and health benefits, so I would never encourage Ellie not to eat them. On the contrary, since I want what's best for her, I want her to eat healthy and nutritious foods.

It works the same way with reading. Do you yourself and your kids a favor and read.

Have you ever heard of dyshidrotic eczema? I hadn't until I was afflicted by it. Essentially, it's a skin condition that has no known cause but plenty of theories. It could be induced because of stress or sweat, or a bunch of other reasons, but no one knows for sure. What everyone knows is that it sucks. It is a horrible thing to have to deal with.

For me, it all started one evening when my hands where unusually itchy. When I woke up the next morning, I had small blisters all over my hands and feet. Dyshidrotic eczema shows up in the palms of hands and soles of feet. However, besides dyshidrotic eczema, I'm pretty sure that I was afflicted (and still am) by another kind of eczema. My elbows, arms, back and thighs were covered by a very itchy rash. This all made it very painful to move around. My hands and feet are getting better, but now a new rash appeared in my forearms. Don't worry, I'm seeing a dermatologist in a few weeks.

While this was going on, I was very down, depressed even. It just seemed that my hands were never going to get better. On top of that, it looks horrible and it makes you not want to see anyone. Fortunately, I was blessed with the best wife in the world, who not only encouraged me and assured me I was going to get better, but who also put lotion all over my body every night for a few weeks. For 10 days, she also wrapped my hands with Glass Press and Seal, so that the steroid ointment and lotion would be most effective. On top of that, she changed Ellie's diapers and did all the household cleaning. I helped here and there with a few things as my hands got better, but wipes, or dish soap are known irritants that only make the dyshidrosis worse. I'm very thankful to my awesome wife and I'm looking forward to being able to function and help again.

One particularly frustrating thing about this condition is that there are no pictures showing the progression of the condition. This was frustrating because I wanted to know if my hands were getting better, and if things got real bad before they got well. While things may look different for every person, I'm sure that there are certain similarities in the condition's progression. So, in an attempt to help others who are dealing and will deal with dyshidrotic eczema, I started taking pictures of my hands. If you are a squeamish person, then please don't read anymore. But for all those struggling with this crazy thing, just know that it does get better, even if it looks bad in the beginning.

Below you'll find a few pictures of my hands in different stages. My hands are not completely healed yet, but they are getting better and better.

Hello all! January 2013 started off with a lovely visit to my family down in Florida. It was nice to see them and to see the beautiful and crazy city of Miami. Unfortunately, on my way back I caught the flu. I was miserable for almost a week, but thankfully Elena was very kind and gracious.

Then, a week after being free from the flu, I caught the stomach virus that is going around. Well, Elena caught it first, then I got it. It was pretty awful too. I thank God that through all this Ellie has remained immune to it all.

So yeah, just a quick update. Oh and, I hate this cold weather.

December 14

"The Hobbit"

Need I say more?

December 21

"Zero Dark Thirty"

If you ever never saw "The Hurt Locker," then stop what you are doing and go rent it. If you have, then you'll be happy to know that Kathryn Bigelow's next film is about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Bigelow and her writers met with CIA and Department of Defense officials, so this movie is going to reveal things none of us know. It will be awesome!

December 28

"Les Misérables"

This comes out on my birthday and I'm really excited to see it! Elena said we'll go see it then as a treat to me!

Yes, her accent is pretty funny, but the video is pretty cool. You know you have always wondered why the Big Mac on the pictures look better than the ones you get at the store.

Yesterday Elena and I celebrated our two-year anniversary. We had a wonderful time and I can't wait to spend 60+ anniversaries together. She is my best friend and the love of my life.Since I don't have the old blog active anymore, here's The Proposal

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A single comment on a blog changed my life forever. Almost 5 months later, I'm engaged to the woman of my dreams, the woman I always prayed for. We have only seen each other in person for about 13 days, but we knew early on that we would get married, that we were meant to be together.

"When you know, you know." People always told me that, and now, when it happened to me, I know that this is true. The proposal itself took some weeks of preparations. All the details had to be right. Elena loves riding bikes, going on scavenger hunts and adventures, and she has a love for gnomes. A perfect proposal to my love had to include all these things. Also, for every clue she got right in the scavenger hunt, she would get small prizes, leading to finding the gnome, and the main surprise; the ring. So, I bought small prizes to give her, plus I practiced getting down on one knee a couple of times.

The clues had a riddle and pictures (that I took a week
earlier) to guide her along the way. It was a challenge and a risk to plan such a thing in a place where she had never been before, but my love is a smart girl. The pages were burned along the edges to recreate an ancient map, because that's how gnomes do it.

The hunt

At first, she had to locate the seventh tree to the east, there she would find the first clue. There was a small shovel and with it she would dig to find the clue from Gnomie (the gnome). I asked her to turn around, close her eyes and count to five. Then I gave her a kiss as the first prize.

Originally it was going to be a bottle of water, a Florida brand, but we had to drink that earlier because, well, we were thirsty. This clue, then led her down a unpaved road. There was a picture of Gnomie standing on it. A nice walk down the path took her to where the second clue was. It was hidden behind some bushes, next to a clearing by the lake. My love found it quickly and was excited for the next clue. The prize: She turned around, closed her eyes, counted to seven and then I gave her a copy of the movie Amelie. One of her favorites, which she didn't have.


The third clue was a bit tricky, for it was glued to a half-foam ball and was floating on the water, right next to a beware of the alligator sign. No worries, I haven't seen a gator there for years and the clue was right by the shore. For the prize, she turned around, closed her eyes and counted to ten, then I gave her an invitation to dinner with me (not Gnomie) at a fancy restaurant.

The third clue spoke of transportation to arrive at the final destination. My love thought it meant driving in my car. However, right next to where we were standing, there were two bicycles beneath the "Beware of Alligator" sign. To Elena's amazement, I unlocked the lock, and we rode down a beautiful trail that led to a beach. It is an amazing sight. At one point you are in what seems to be a jungle with a very narrow paved road, but once the trail ends, the sun light greets you with the sight of the bay and a beach.

At last, we arrived at the final destination. There was a beach chair with a towel covering something. Elena, my love, looked around for Gnomie and found him hidden in a small palm tree. Once she found him, I asked her to turn around and to count to 12, so that she could receive her final prize. At 12 seconds, she turned back around, opened her eyes and saw me down on one knee with an engagement ring. "Will you marry me?" I asked.

She said yes.



We celebrated by uncovering the wine and two glasses that were hidden beneath the beach towel. It was a beautiful moment. I will never forget it. I still can't believe I'm engaged! I have waited all my life for someone like her! Elena and I are not perfect people, but we serve a perfect God rich in mercy and grace. I had no idea that by clicking on her blog, I would be marrying her in the fall of this year. The hardest part is being apart until we get married. Fortunately, as I mentioned, the wedding is going to be very soon. And God will continue to show us His grace and mercy because of His goodness.

Our lives feel like a movie. And maybe they are. Maybe this is all a movie with many plot twists and characters and God as the director. I believe ours is a wonderful romance film written and directed by Love Himself. With every passing day Elena and I love each other more and more. Isn't that how love is supposed to be? Isn't love supposed to be an immeasurable thing? Who says there is a limit? Does God have a limit? Isn't God love?

Love, love and love. Love Doesn't Let Go.

Libraries are one of my favorite places on earth. I worked for the Miami-Dade Public Library System for nearly five years. Being around so many books and movies and other resources, was just wonderful, especially since I love to write. Writing a book on the ancient Maya? You can find resources at the library. Want to find that documentary your professor required, you are likely to find it at the library.

The Topeka and Shawnee Library does not disappoint. I'm usually there at least twice a week. Erin at the Reference Desk can vouch for that.

It's funny though, as much as I enjoy reading and writing, I never went to a library until I started to work there. When I was a little boy, in Cuba, my mother would take me to a bookstore a couple of blocks away from our house. There is where I fell in love with adventure stories, like Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon, or his lesser known The Mysterious Island. But, alas, I never set foot in a library, except for the one at my high school, but that was just to print a homework assignment.

I don't know why it took me so long to go to a library, but once I did, I have enjoyed every moment, even its colorful cast of characters, which seem to show up no matter where a library is located. If you have children, don't wait too long to introduce them to the magic of books and libraries. I know Elena and I won't.

School just started, which means that I am a full-time student, full-time employee, full-time husband and full-time father. Condolence cards will be accepted. No, but really, it will be a very busy fall.

Fortunately, I know that my lovely wife is willing and able to help me in anything I need. I will certainly strive to get good grades (hopefully all As), and you can be sure that I will document my achievements and frustrations.

Charlie the Unicorn goes to Candy Mountain

But the best part of all this is when we apply those quotes to certain things happening in our daily lives. Since we know what we are referring to, we always get the joke and everything works out well. However, sometimes I find myself using those quotes around people who have no idea what I'm talking about.

What do I mean? Watch this clip from The Office below. Jim is sarcastically describing his first date expectations with Pam:

Remember this awesome commercial? Happy friday!

There's a recent New York Times article that deals with the big networks struggling to appeal to Hispanics. In the article, the networks wonder why they haven't been able to reach the Hispanic demographic. The answer? It's simple, really.

Stop using so many stereotypes.

Not everyone of Hispanic descent is a maid or is clueless about life. There are plenty of professionals, inventors and even millionaires whose last name ends with a "Z." If you truly want to market and appeal to the growing demographic, then don't rely on clichés, but get to know your audience. How you do that? There are many ways, but one of them is to hire Hispanic writers (me, for example).

Find real stories to tell, stories that involve our culture and heritage. From my own experience, I have many stories of leaving Cuba and the shock of learning a new language and the abundance of capitalism. Still, today, there are plenty of things that happen in my daily life that could be part of a sitcom (just ask my wife). And like me, there are millions of us.

For a classic example of a great understanding of the culture (this is a Miami-Cuban sitcom), watch this clip from Que Pasa Usa? Oh, and my birthday is in December, in case any of you wants to get me the complete season.

Dear Netflix,

Since Netflix is a service that is used through computers and Blu Ray players, I assume that your customer demographic is mostly cool, young hipsters. If that's the case, then why is your movie selection 95% old-garbage?

I love old movies, but good ones, classic ones, not what you have on there. I pay a monthly fee in hopes of watching decent movies, but after hours of browsing thousands of titles, there's maybe only 5 movies that were released in the last year. I could probably film myself browsing for movies and that would probably be more entertaining than half of your selection. I'm sure that many some people would actually prefer to watch that.

What about our TV shows, you may say? Sure, I give you that. Your selection of TV shows is pretty good, however, many times you have one season of a show that had about seve or eight released. Why would you even do that? Why get someone hooked on a show and then only offer one or two seasons? That's just cruel and unusual. And if you do add a season, it takes you two or three years.

Be aware that you have competition. There's Hulu Plus! Unfortunately for me, my Blu Ray player is not compatible, so I can't watch it on the big screen. However, the minute I buy a new player, or Hulu expands its collection of acceptable devices, you will most certainly lose a customer. Unless you improve your selection, in which case, you may or may not lose a customer.

Sincerely,

A. Customer

Because Kansans can also make viral videos!

There's some strange creature living inside our walls. I don't know what it is exactly, but at times, you can hear some sort of rustle sound. The problem is that I can't figure out what it is, or how to get it out of there, or how to kill it. This is happening in our bedroom, and it's been happening since very early on.

It doesn't happen every day, but that strange creature loves to move around in the middle of the night. It's very annoying and at times it takes me a while to go to sleep because of it. I'm afraid it's going to open a hole in the wall and surprise me in the middle of the night, or that it'll hit the wall so hard that one of the hanging ornaments is going to fall on my head.

This sounds like some crazy Edgar Allan Poe story, but it's the truth. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. In the meantime, I have enlisted the help of Liam Neeson.

Once again, Elena and I are at the dinner table while little Ellie sits on her car seat. (She would usually sit in her regular play chair, but she...had an accident on it.) While we are talking, Ellie starts blowing raspberries and makes a really loud noise.

A classic viral video. (Did I just say that?) Happy friday everyone!

Elena and I have very interesting conversations at the dinner table. Our dinner conversations mostly take place when we are not eating in a hurry because of little Ellie freaking out. In the moments when she is calm and happy, we dine and we converse. This is from a recent conversation.