 Mimosas and Marquez = Bliss 100 Years of Solitude by Garbriel Garcia Marquez is routinely listed on the "Greatest Books of All Time". Actually, on this particular list it was listed as number four. It is a literary classic and if you were not forced to read it as a literature major, then I would encourage you to pick it up and dive into the magical realism that is Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Columbia. However, this book review is not about 100 Years of Solitude; instead, this review is about that book's younger and more sultry younger sister, Love in the Time of Cholera.
Love in the Time of Cholera is in fact about love. Marquez plunges the reader into a stream of consciousness narrative that addresses young love, unrequited love, triangulated love, fated love, lost love, and forbidden love. All these loves are witnessed through the experiences of Florentino and Fermina, our main characters of this story. They are destined to meet in the courtyard of a Columbian villa and their journeys carry them all the way to old age on a quarantined boat in the age of Cholera. It is a love story, but not a fairy tale; therefore, it is supremely beautiful. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a romantic writer who intoxicates you with his words and vivid descriptions. He is a master of the written word and his latin flair drips off each syllable. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the novel: 1. “It was the year they fell into devastating love. Neither one could do anything except think about the other, dream about the other, and wait for letters with the same impatience they felt when they answered them.” 2. “The weak would never enter the kingdom of love.” 3. “In the plenitude of their relationship, Florentina Ariza asked himself which of the two was love: the turbulent bed or the peaceful Sunday afternoons, and Sara Noriega calmed him with the simple argument that love was everything they did naked. She said, 'Spiritual love from the waist up and physical love from the waist down.” 4. “..the heart's memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good, and [that] thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burden of the past” 5. “Courage did not come from the need to survive, or from a brute indifference inherited from someone else, but from a driving need for love which no obstacle in this world or the next world will break.” 6. “nothing one does in bed is immoral if it helps perpetuate love” 7. “I’ll have plenty of time to rest when I die, but this eventuality is not yet part of my plans.” 8. “Love becomes greater and nobler in calamity.” 9. “By virtue of marrying a man she does not love for money. That’s the lowest kind of whore.” 10. “It had to teach her to think of love as a state of grace: not the means to anything but the alpha and omega, an end it itself. ” ___________________________________________________________________ Love in the Time of Cholera is glorious, romantic, comedic, and lovely. I would recommend this book 100 times over, after of course Marquez's first novel 100 Years of Solitude. Buy the book here!
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The last time I was in high school, I was the jock in a letterman jacket. This time around, I am a woman clicking-clacking down the hall in my heels with a faculty badge swaying and syncing with my walk.
I am back in high school again and I have finally graduated middle school. For my eighth year as an educator, I am now a high school ELL Specialist. This position was a godsend for several reasons. Let me fire some off for you:
I am grateful for my current position. I am three months in and it is starting to feel like home. Things feel stable here and I see myself growing into the system. However, I am aware that I can only express my gratitude so deeply because of where I have been and all that I have learned…and for that, I am grateful for the entire journey that has led me here.
Being from Colorado, I am a sucker for a Hot Spring experience. I have been to several across the state, and I would argue that SunWater Spa has been my best experience yet.
I booked a 90 minute private tub for the meager price of forty dollars per person. These beautiful cedar tubs are filled with Manitou Springs's infamous "7 minute Spring" water which traveled through deep underground cracks, crevasses, and rock faults which caused the water to be infused with holistic healing minerals. These waters, according to Native American tradition, are a source of healing and rejuvenation of body and soul. Along with our 90 minute private tub, we were also granted access to several other spa features. These included: the infrared sauna, the classic steam room sauna, the cold plunge, and the saline pool. We bounced from feature to feature and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of SunWater Spa. Along with having incredible resources and expeirences for their guests, they also had the friendliest staff. We were greeted kindly and encouraged to treat the space as our own while maintaining the spirit of relaxation and retreat. This spirit was harnessed by the spa's cleanliness and it required "whisper zones". SunWater Spa was tranquil, pristine, and affordable. It is a spa, but it felt more like a retreat house. I fully intend to return back to SunWater Spa and to hopefully indulge in their other services which included a yoga studio and a massage therapist. P.S.: I highly recommend that you book a soak-time here after conquering the Manitou Incline. That is what we did and our tired bones and muscles thanked us! Here is their website for further reference: https://www.sunwaterspa.com/ “When your mind is telling you that you’re done, that you’re exhausted, that you cannot possible go any further, you’re actually 40% done.” – David Goggins
The "Incline'' in Manitou Springs is one hell of a beast. She may only be a mile long, but along that one mile you gain 2,000 feet of elevation. She is steep. She is rough. And, she is relentless.
The "Incline'' wasn't always a haven for athletic punishment; instead, it was originally a cable car system that was used to transport goods and supplies to the top of Pikes Peak. Once its first use was complete, the "Incline'' experienced a second birth when the avid hikers of Colorado decided to make use of its steep grade to test endurance and mental stamina. In 2013, the "Incline '' was formally opened to the public and since then she has welcomed thousands of brave (see insane) souls to climb her staircase. This is an extreme trail and it is not intended to be graced by casual hikers. No, this is a serious endeavor. You will sweat, you will feel your heart pound, and you will question your own sanity. Yes, it is only a mile...but the average attempt-er of this climb will take an hour to do it. As you climb those stairs you will see supremely athletic people doubled over, panting, and the body pulsing from their racing heart rate. I recently met the "Incline" again after an almost four year departure. She was just as beautiful as when I left her, but she was just as heartless. Like I said, she is relentless. And as I climbed my first 1,000 steps I felt my heart pulsing in my throat. I told myself, "Okay, you only got 2,000 more steps to go. You can do these two more times.". I put my head down and turned my music up. However, instead of blasting my upbeat stripper anthems to get me through the workout like I do at the gym, I opted for my mellow 80s jams to help keep my calm as I slowly climbed each railroad tie. Then, the next milestone....2,000 steps. Here, I was utterly gassed and had to rest in the residual shade. Here is where the mental battle really began. My body felt spent. I was pouring sweat even though I had taken off my shirt and was only climbing in my sports bra. I was feeling dehydrated even though I had drank a gallon of water during the one hour drive from Denver. I could feel the lactic acid building in my legs which caused me to worry because the longer I stayed idle then it was more likely that my tree trunk legs would lock up on me. I gasped and panted and could feel the rawness of blood in the back of my throat. I could see my climbing partner shortly ahead of me and I wanted to catch him. It was here, in those three minutes of shade that I gave myself that final pep-talk and remembered good ole David Gogggins who said, "When your mind is telling you that you’re done, that you’re exhausted, that you cannot possible go any further, you’re actually 40% done.”. So, I pressed on. Only 1,000 more steps to go. And, I'd like to say they were blissful and that the “Rocky” movie anthem played in the background....but no, that last ascent utterly sucked and the only anthem I heard was the quick patter of my heartbeat and my rapid panting. But baby, when you jump that last railroad tie you feel the adrenaline and pride greet you in your soul and body. Plus, it is seriously one of the best views in all of Colorado. The “Incline” is a must for all athletes. It is inspiring to see people out there on an early morning challenging themselves. It is by these acts that we prompt growth in ourselves through the medium of suffering. We step out of our comfort zone and into the arena of pain which teaches so much. It teaches us that we are strong, physically and mentally. And, it reminds us that once again, we only have this one wild life and “in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. [So,] Climb that goddamn mountain.” (Jack Kerouac). |
AuthorBrianna is a proud native of West Denver and she is an avid admirer of the arts. Her admiration of the arts is centered around her draw toward the beautiful and good of everyday life. Brianna finds beauty in a well-worn book, in the eclectic colors and textures of a thrift store find, and in the sound of a killer guitar solo whether it be live or through a well thought out Spotify playlist. Her passions are varied and many, but they all center on appreciating the fullness of life. Archives
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