Dear Friends of Cyberspace,

I regretfully write to inform you that my grandfather has passed away. I am almost numbed by this reality, although I am slowly but surely coming out of a very intense depression. I am medically prone to depression, so this piece of much anxiously anticipated news seemed to emotionally destroy me to the core on so many levels.

My mom, who knows me best, is obviously beside herself with grief. And my father traveled to Puerto Rico to be with us during this difficult time. To make matter's worse, my aunt's boyfriend left today for the U.S., and he was proving to be such a great source of comfort to me.

We don't always have time for tears, thank God. We have to keep ourselves on our toes by constantly watching my two little cousins, two girls, ages four and two. They are adorable, yet terrible! You just can't leave them alone for two seconds.

I composed a song today, in honor of my "uncle," who left this afternoon. It helped to be able to express my feelings toward my new friend through music, which I usually never do. More typically, I find it easier just to write. Write anything. Anything at all. A poem, maybe, or a random diary entry in a notebook which I will never use again. (You will learn how organized I am).

The realm of musical composotion has always seemed somewhat foreign to me, even if I come from a family of musicians. My grandfather played various instruments, among them the Spanish guitar, mandolin, accordion, and cuatro, another type of Spanish guitar, which resembles a lyre.

My uncle Gerardo, who died about 12 years ago in a car accident, played guitar in a rock band with my other uncle Ivan, who now directs a tuna (not the fish), a Spanish folkloric group of trouvadors. Ther name is Segreles. I was so psyched that they were able to play at my grandfather's wake. They're really awesome, and the music is not boring and old-fashioned as its traditional genre might otherwise suggest. They are really loved by everyone in my family, and my cousin plays with them, too.

Well, now that you know a little but more about me and my regular life, I shall leave you. Please feel free to comment anytime, as I have little else to do.

Thanks!

Laurita :)