'Hella Old' College Students

UF campus.

It's back-to-school time again, and yesterday marked my first day back for another semester of grad school. When I spotted some the anxious faces walking around campus, I vividly remembered my first day as a college freshman. I was petrified, but at the same time so proud to finally be in college with all the big kids.

Even though it was only four years ago it feels like it has been decades. When I saw all the new freshman I suddenly felt older than ever... even though I probably look just as young and I'm only a couple months out of undergrad. It got me to thinking about the adults who go back to school and have to put up with the annoying, immature freshman in their classes, and when their own kids could be just as old as their classmates.

In a California publication called Mercury News, Tony Hicks writes about his experience as 44-year-old in college. His article titled "Apparently, I'm 'hella old'" is probably one of the funniest pieces of journalism I've ever read. Frankly, I feel sorry for Hicks. It's already hard enough as it is to be a regular-aged college student; people get bullied all the time. But for a grown man to be bullied by a bratty kid? Plus, what kind of person still says the word 'hella'...? Seriously, aren't you supposed to be in college? 

Amnistía Internacional Uruguay: Video de los 25 Años

Hace más o menos un año, tuve la maravillosa experiencia de trabajar con Amnistía Internacional en Uruguay. Con un gran equipo de personas, produjimos este video para celebrar los 25 años de existencia de Amnistía Internacional en el Uruguay. Esta organización mundial sigue con la misma misión: crear justicia y paz en el mundo. Espero que este video no sólo les muestre lo que es Amnistía Internacional, si no que también los motive a unirse a esta causa tan significativa. 

Amnistía Internacional Uruguay 25 Años from Lucia Tolosa on Vimeo.

More than a year ago, I had the wonderful experience of working with Amnesty International in Uruguay. With a great group of people, we produced this video to celebrate 25 years of Amnesty International in Uruguay. This worldwide organization still has the same mission: to create justice and peace in the world. I hope this video will not only show you what Amnesty International is, but also motivate you to join this significant cause.

Cleaning the House, 50's style.

In the good ol' days, beautiful housewives would spend the day cooking a scrumptious meal and cleaning to make everything in the house shine, and still look gorgeous while doing it. After a day of working like a slave, they would greet their husbands with a big smile and a large glass of whiskey. Where are these marvelous, flawless women now?

First of all, I doubt these women actually existed. Sure, perhaps there were some ladies that cleaned in super expensive clothes and heavy makeup, but I'm pretty positive that this image is only a figment of the media's imagination. 

The formula for happiness: cake and ice cream
for your husband.

As untruthful as it might have been, the picture of the perfect housewife is still prominent. Except for these days, the housewives people idealize are the lazy, raunchy reality TV stars. Popular shows, like Housewives of Orange County, are now making it seem like it is normal to be catty, have too much plastic surgery, and ignore their children. Honestly, I'd rather the media have a skewed yet innocent image of women, than a skewed yet impure image.

At what point did society make it acceptable for
a 40-year-old woman to be so gross?

I'd rather her be my mother than one of those
Orange County reality stars.

Anyway, how great would it be if we could look beautiful while still doing housework? Sundays is cleaning day in my house, and instead of wearing workout shorts and an old shirt, one of my roommates opted to do her dirty work in a fifties-inspired dress and heals. 

Beatriz, vacuuming, a vision
in yellow.

Devil's Millhopper: Gainesville Go-To

Walking down the sinkhole. A work-out going back up!

I think I might make it my mission to find the coolest things to do in and near Gainesville. The Devil's Millhopper sinkhole is definitly making the list. This mini get-away is a 120 feet-deep limestone sinkhole.

As you walk down, you'll find about a dozen little waterfalls trickling their way down to the bottom of the sinkhole. Since the sinkhole basically has it's own climate down there (it's cooler in the summer and warmer in the winters), it is a home to three distinct ecological environments.

Here's an interesting fact I learned about this cool site (thank you, Internet): The sinkhole got its name because it looked like a hopper (chute) of a mill, and people also found bones at the bottom, so they concluded that animals entered the sinkhole on the way to meeting the devil. A little spooky, huh?

Entering the sinkhole. I'll admit it... now that I know what
Devil's Millhopper means, I'm a little scared to go back.

La Celeste, Campeones de la Copa América

La selección con la Copa América.  AP.

¡Que orgullo! Uruguay ganó la Copa América... y por la decimoquinta vez. Ahora Uruguay ha ganado este torneo más veces que cualquier otro país.

La Copa América es el torneo de fútbol más viejo y uno de los más importantes del mundo. Solo la Copa Mundial es más importante para la selección celeste.

Aunque no vivo en Uruguay, siento tanto orgullo en ver a mi país llegar a ser campeones de América. Es increíble como un deporte puede unir a un país entero, y hasta unir a los que se han ido. Para un país con sólo 3 millones de personas, el Uruguay ha sido un de protagonista en este deporte del mundo.

Todos los uruguayos tienen un gran amor para el fútbol. Como el máte y el asado, el fútbol caracteriza  la cultura uruguaya. Esta selección charrua me da orgullo de ser uruguaya.  En Uruguay, hay un dicho: "es sólo querer..." y eso es exactamente lo que hemos hecho.

Diego Forlan, my favorite. 

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What pride! Uruguay won the Copa America ... for the fifteenth time. Uruguay now has won this tournament more times than any other country. The Copa America soccer tournament is the oldest and one of the largest in the world. Only the World Cup is more important for the "celeste" team.

Even though I no longer live in Uruguay anymore, I feel super proud to see my country become champions of America. It is incredible that a sport can bring an entire country together, and unite even those who have left.


Uruguay is small but has achieved so much and we are all more than proud. The team "charrua" makes me proud to be Uruguayan. In Uruguay, there is a saying that goes, "es sólo querer," which means that you only have to want something, but want it with love and passion, and you will achieve it. That's exactly what we've done.

Un Fenómeno Llega a su Fin: Harry Potter

La última película de la saga de Harry Potter se estrenó este fin de semana. Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte (en inglés es Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) concluye la serie de J.K. Rowling adorada por todo el mundo. Millones de niños y adultos han quedado enamorados con el cuento del "niño que vivió." Y yo también... desde los once años he leido los libros, y varias veces cada uno.

Yo en 2001 leyendo Harry Potter y el Prisonero de Azkaban.

Esta semana, antes de ir a ver la película, decidí mirar todas las películas anteriores otra vez (¿que nerd no?). Y creo que las películas han sido fieles a los libros. Aunque siempre pensé que los libros son mucho mejores que las películas, siempre las miro, y este fin de semana fui a ver la última. Realmente estuvo espectacular.

Todavia creo que los libros son mejores, pero no voy a negar que las películas están bárbaras. La cosa es que todos hemos crecido (de alguna manera) con Harry Potter y con los personajes en los libros y los actores de las películas. Los hemos visto crecer, y creo que eso es lo mas lindo. En fin: vayan a ver la última película de este cuento que siempre estará en nuestros corazones.

Este fin de semana con los lentes para HP en 3D. ¿Están buenos, no?

¡Que foto tan vieja! Hace una decada que estoy leyendo estos libros!

"The Top Secret Space": American Dream

The Top Secret Space entrance.

Strolling around downtown Gainesville can sometimes lead you to some very interesting places, believe it or not.

I stumbled upon The Top Secret Space walking down Main street, and I was lured in by a sign that read, "Free Art Show." Inside of this grungy-looking building is a gallery entitled "American Dream."

July 29th is the last time to see the show.

The exhibition features art from over 50 artists from all over the country.

I thought it was a very interesting insight to how people envision the great country of the red, white and blue.

There was prominent sarcasm in almost all of the works. Collectively, the exhibition conveyed a very bleak, distrustful vision of America.

To say the least, "American Dream" has some entertaining concepts: pop-culture, unnecessary war, government corruption. All in all, a definite must-see.

A pretty good crowd Saturday night.

Unbearable Lightness of Dreaming
Assemblage Installation by
Celino Dimitroff and Wendy Michel.