People I�m related to, there are many more than the ones I list here, but I don�t write about them too much.

Dad (Carlos): 49 years old, emigrated from Guanajuato, M�xico when he was a kid. He�s the oldest son in a family of 5 sisters and 2 brothers. Works for himself as a personal financial analyst. Until he and Mom moved to the suburbs in �78 they both lived in East LA. Very talented musically and plays instruments like the guitar, bass and piano by ear. He�s been married to my mom for 25 years.

Mom (Luz): 46 years old, emigrated from Zacatecas, M�xico when she was a kid. She has 5 sisters and 2 brothers though she�s one of the youngest. Works with pre-kindergarten age kids with autism or Down syndrome. Throws great parties, cooks yummy food, makes clothes and decorations for the house, kind of like the Mexican Martha Stewart.

Danny: 24 year old brother who is hardly ever at home when I�m there. He�s the kind of person who gets along with everybody, and their mother, literally. Growing up we did everything together whether it was Mexican folk�rico dancing, singing in the Spanish language children�s choir at church, or playing Little League. Currently he works with Dad as a financial analyst and part time as a cashier at a car dealership.

Lori/Yoyi/Yo: 19 year old sister. Everybody says we look like each other, but she�s actually a lot cuter. She knows how to put on goop and use the curling iron even though she doesn�t need to. But she�s got more talent than just making somebody look pretty. She�s also a budding photographer, good singer, and she�s just very creative. She�s also very smart. She�s got the brains, beauty and the skills!

Adrian/Age/Chunk: 17 year old brother though he does not look it since he�s a lot darker than I am. He�s the drummer in his band (which doesn�t have a name yet) and is not really even �chunk� anymore. He plays guitar quite nicely too. At times he is quite bizarre and tackles you surprisingly; you got to make sure you watch your back. He imitates George L�pez � who is el shit � incessantly. Don�t let his good looks fool you! (Age wrote most of this).

Pap� Chepe: my 82 year old maternal grandfather. Born in Ju�rez, grew up in a small village in Zacatecas. First came to the US as part of the Bracero Program during World War II. Lately he�s been getting sick. He loves to dance and work in the garden. Spends his time with his wife at my parent�s house, in Tijuana at the house he built, and in El Cargadero, Zacatecas the village where he used to be el presidente.

Mam� Ton�: my 80 year old maternal grandmother. She spoils me whenever I�m home, but she nags and talks a lot, even if no one is listening. She�s very traditional and thinks I should spend time ironing and cooking in the kitchen, but is also proud of me for being in school. She and Pap� Chepe have been married for 60 years! Together they have over 70 children, grandchildren, sons- and daughter-in-laws, and great-grandchildren.

Grandma: paternal grandmother, she passed away on January 12, 2000. I still miss her a lot. She loved cats, coffee, Sunday brunch and spoiling her many grand kids. She was born in Nebraska, when her father worked on the railroad there, so she was always a US citizen. Before she emigrated with Grandpa, they lived in Salamanca, Guanajuato. Finally settled in East LA after living in Texas, and Stockton, California.

Grandpa: paternal grandfather, passed away on December 28, 1996 after a short bout with renal cancer. He worked as a steelworker and as a sobador in the Mexican tradition of massaging your aches away. He had a great devotion to la Virgen de Guadalupe. Fathered 8 children who lived through adulthood, and has lots of descendants. I talk to him and Grandma when I visit them at the cemetery �cause they�re buried together.

T�a Marta: Mom�s little sister. The mother of Nancy, Vanessa, and Valerie.

T�o Pancho: T�a Marta�s husband. When I was young and they were still dating, they�d baby sit me and pretend I was their kid. He took over Pap� Chepe�s gardening business.

Nancy: 17 year old cousin. I call her my Shorty even though she�s at least 6 inches taller than me. She�s an aspiring artist and collects candles.

Vanny: 14 year old cousin, very smart and plays clarinet in her school�s band. I think she has issues with being the middle child like I do.

Valerie: 7 year old cousin, also �the Sunshine of my Life.� She�s very smart, just like her cousin. She�s the Piglet to my Pooh.

T�o Chuy: one of Mom�s 2 older brothers. Works for Xerox and wears cool hats. He has three sons, aka los pollos, Eric, Ernie and Ren�.

T�a Luisa: my glamorous aunt married to my T�o Chuy who is kinda nerdy. She�s always made up and wearing nice clothes. She cuts my hair sometimes too. She and I share a birthday too. Last, she�s always late, like me.

Ren�/Mophead: 19 year old cousin, and freshman at Cal Poly Pomona. I call him a Mophead because he has long curly hair currently in the process of 'locing. Quite talented artistically, especially at sketching people. He also shares my passion for rock en espa�ol.

familia | chavas | chavos

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M�s reciente:
Searches - 09.16.05
the big move - 07.29.05
mother and daughter: a comparative analysis - 07.28.05
jardineros y dom�sticas - 07.27.05
tough question - 07.25.05

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