what change?

Posted in Uncategorized by Stelly Marie

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I went to Chinatown for the first time together. For me, it was the first time in over eight years that I had been there.

My boyfriend and I took the 6 train downtown to Canal Street. We walked through Chinatown and I could not help but to take pictures of what was around me. There were lots of souvenirs, phone cases, t-shirts, apple accessories. The aroma was fresh, a mix of seafood and fruit. I had to walk over and explore the various seafood around me. I could not believe it, some had lobster 3 for $39 & $6.95 for a pound of shrimp, which is insanely cheap to me. We tried bubble tea at the Maid Cafe. I loved my passion fruit tea.

After walking to various little shops, we turned left and right and ended up walking through a court area. There was a detention center where there was a bail bonds across the street. Up until that point, I didn’t know this existed in Chinatown. Maybe Chinatown didn’t change so much in 8 years, as I previously thought; I just wasn’t as observant. The reason I thought Chinatown changed was because I saw more shops the first time. This time around, I saw a couple of Dunkin Dounts, a Burger King, and even a Popeyes. I never thought that I would see that in Chinatown. I guess I’m being one-dimensional and ignorant so to speak. My boyfriend bought up a great point, something so obvious… he said, “Estelle, people change, things change, times change.” I just let that thought sink in… oh that “wicked” word CHANGE. He’s right…People change, places change, relationships change. Change is something that I am definitely NOT used to.

Walking through Chinatown, I did see somethings that I reminded me of my childhood and of the things that my cousins and me saw in the store fronts. I saw the green and yellow toy frogs in the plastic bucket swimming in the dirty water, toy dolls with tangled hair singing and moving out loud; I even saw little live turtles moving in their plastic boxes, the same ones my mom still won’t buy because she says they carry disease. It’s crazy how a couple of hours could bring back years of memories. I started to remember my family and the Saturdays we spent together in Third Avenue. I used to hate waking up Saturday morning and having to walk the same stretch of a few blocks to shop at Conway, Youngland, Bunnies, Cookies, Victorias, and the notorious Conway , C&C Department Store, and Ray Store. Now I’m 27 years old and I miss those days; those days where I saw my immediate family on the constant basis. Life is easier, drama minimal. But like my boyfriend says, people change, times change.

Now I am working on building my own memories. It doesn’t hurt to think of the good times, but what makes it hurt is if we make those past memories our world and don’t seek to build new ones.

And that is exactly what I’m doing. Exploring what is around me and making awesome new memories!

Here are some of the pics from yesterday’s adventure in Chinatown. Till next time!

Thank you for reading and for your support!

18Apr2014

the 90s kids.

Posted in Uncategorized by Stelly Marie

For my extra blog post this week, I thought that I would do something different and post a poem. I haven’t written a poem since I was an undergrad; I hope you all enjoy.

The 90s Kids

Who am I? I’m the 90’s kid.

I am the kid who would wake up at 6:30 AM to watch Sailor Moon on Cartoon Network.

I am the kid who put on her tight brown and white plaid jumper everyday for school, who would have to go to class before 8:40 in order not to be late.

I am the kid who watched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and pretended to be Rita in the school yard during recess.

I am the kid who loved Barney and swore he was my best friend. Lamb Chop, Hush Puppy, and Charlie Horse were my friends and Sherri Lewis was their awesome mom.

I am the kid who cherished Lisa Frank and the Yikes pencils when my mom bought them for me; I swore I was the coolest girl.

I am the kid who used her allowance to buy the first Spice Girls album and the first Emimen LP, Slim Shady.

I am the kid who broke my mother’s cd walkman every few months because my Jansport would crush it.

I am the kid who watched Snick every Saturday night and wanted to hang out with the cast of All That.

I am the kid who dreamed that I would find my own Dawson Leery and swore Felicity was my long-lost older sister.

I am the kid who could not wait to grow up.

It’s not the 90s anymore. Twenty-four years have went.

I am the 90s kid in the new generation.

The 90s will forever reign.

6Apr2014

oh snap, it’s been over a year!

Posted in Uncategorized by Stelly Marie

Hey Everyone!

Happy Belated 2014… as you can see, it’s been over a year since I posted my last blog. Honestly, I let so many things stop me from doing what I wanted, it’s unbelievable! And the thing is that it was ALL me! I can’t blame anyone else for what obstacles I put myself through. I let my fears and insecurities stop me from doing a lot of things, especially writing. Something just died in me; I became a different person. I cannot quite explain it as I feel like it was a deep sleep.

Recently, I was thinking about my “funk” and what I could do to fix it. Literally, I heard a click in my mind and I thought about this notion… after I graduated from college, which was back in May 2010. I thought that life would fall into place, like one of those “becoming of age” movies. In the end of this movie, all my conflicts would be resolved and all loose ends would be tied. There would be no more problems. All great ideas and solutions would be in the palm of my hands, preferably left. I would have found the perfect man, moved into my fabulous, well-furnished West Village apartment- everything would be perfect. However, things became the exact opposite. I became so frustrated with life that I just stopped doing the very hobbies that made me happy: going on long walks, reading, just to name a few.

I decided that by doing the very things that made me happy would make me become the person that I once was and much more. I’ve started to re-connect with friends that I haven’t seen in a really long time; I can’t make up for the past but I am creating a more positive future. I’ve also decided to distance myself from some people and their negative attitudes. The following adage is valid, “In saying no to others, you are saying yes to yourself.” As hard as it is to say no to others for fear that they’re going to talk about you or not continue to be your friends, it’s mandatory that you put yourself first. I think of it this way, whoever is really there for me will stick around for the whole journey, not when it is merely convenient. In saying yes to people almost 99.9% of the time, I lost myself. Becoming consumed with work, going home, going to sleep…. and doing NOTHING in between. This routine felt recycled, repetitive and was and is definitely not for me.

Right now, I am focusing on myself and doing what’s right. I am writing more. For the first ever, I’ve finished a journal. I will have some stories and poems that I will share with you all. I hope to have my pieces published; that’s my main goal.

I also want to do something called, “The 90’s Box.” It is a project where I am going to collect 90’s memorabilia and write about its significance.

I look forward to sharing my new materials with you all and I hope you enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoy writing and sharing my work.

Until next time!

25Jun2011

the moment.

Posted in Uncategorized by Stelly Marie

Ever felt that moment where your heart was telling you to do something, and you couldn’t just ignore it? Well, that has been the feeling I’ve been having for sometime now. One may say that I’m “bugging,” but I believe that until one has this experience, no judgements should be made.

My heart is telling me to go after what I love, which is to write. I remember five years ago, my college advisor asked me why I changed my major to Creative Writing. I looked into her eyes, without hesitation and said, “Because I love to write.” The professor smiled and said, “Welcome to the English department.”

Writing brings out the best in me. It allows me to convey my feelings without barriers. A blank sheet of paper is my canvas. My emotions, actions, dialogue saturate the page. What makes this the most beautiful that it is my own doing; this is my creation that no one can take away from me.