NtycnBoricua, who?

I received an email from Oh, The Joys asking me just what the heck my screen name means.

NtycnBoricua

She found my explanation interesting and suggested I post it on here. So, as the ever dutiful person that I tend to be, here goes nothing.

First, let's break it down - Ntycn & Boricua

Ntycn stands for the word enticing

Boricua is another word for being Puerto Rican and can probably be best explained by Wikipedia

Boricua a word of origin from Boriken (or Boriquén, Borinquen, or Borinquén) used by the original Taino Indian population to refer to Puerto Rico before the coming of the Spanish, which translated as "The Valiant People of the Sacred House". The word has come to identify any resident or descendent of Puerto Rico, who will use the term, "¡Yo soy Boricua!" ("I am Boricua") to identify themselves.

My now-husband, then-boyfriend created the screen name for me about 6 or 7 years ago and I've been using it ever since. It's just kind of stuck.

Well, there you go folks. That is the short and sweet explanation to solve the mystery. Enjoy.

Don't forget it's delurking week! Go ahead and show the love. You know you wanna ;)

technorati: puerto rico, boricua, NtycnBoricua, oh the joys, puerto rican

Puerto Rican Coquito & other fine Navidad traditions

Before I sign off for the holidays, I couldn't leave without sharing the recipe for coquito (let's call it a Puerto Rican version of eggnog - but better! lol).

************************************************************************************
Coquito - from http://www.elboricua.com/coquito.html

30 ounces coconut milk
14 ounces condensed milk
1 cup Bacardi rum
½ cup water
pinch of salt
½ tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in the blender. Taste and [add] more rum if you like it stronger. You need to add the water because it will get thicker later in the fridge. Pour into a bottle and refrigerate well. Make ahead for richer flavor. Serve in small glassware.
************************************************************************************

You can also read up on the traditions of a Puerto Rican Christmas and another great dish - pasteles.

My baby girl had her first pastel earlier this month when we had the all day cooking fest.

I'm not sure if she liked it, but she ate some of it, actually, most of it got on her clothes, but such is toddler feeding.

Anyway, FELIZ NAVIDAD!

technorati: coquito, navidad, pasteles, puerto rican eggnog, puerto rican christmas, feliz navidad

It's True!

I was bored and decided to browse Blogthings. I took the Who's Your Inner European quiz and guess what????!!! I am indeed of Spanish heritage! Now if you don't know, I am Puerto Rican, which of course means I have Spanish blood, but if you don't believe me, see for yourself! lol :D

Your Inner European is Spanish!

Energetic and lively. You bring the party with you!

Who's Your Inner European?

technorati: Spanish, european, blogthings, heritage, Puerto Rican

Late Introduction

I realized that I've never really posted anything about me - so here's an attempt at introducing myself.

A few things about me:

• 26 years old
• live in the lightning capital of the US (specifically Orlando)
• been married 3 years
• first time mom
• originally from Puerto Rico
• hate okra
• love to dance - although I don't get to do this much anymore
• love my family
• genealogy is a hobby - check out OneGreatFamily to get started
  
• aspiring SAHM or WAHM - either is fine by me

I love being a mom and was surprised to find out how much you can truly love your baby without even knowing her. I still can't believe that I actually created such a beautiful, intelligent, and what's a good word? - energetic - yes we'll use that one, such an energetic tiny being! My daughter is almost 10 months old and is definitely energetic, which is a nice way of saying she can be like a little monkey! lol :D

She is almost walking and has taken a few steps, she wants to climb on everything, touch everything, get inside of cabinets, etc. etc. The list goes on and on...

Isn't she adorable? She was chasing daddy at the time and trying to grab the camera, hence the close up.

Well anyway, that's a bit about me. Now back to work - we all gotta make a living, right?

Technorati tags: Orlando, Puerto Rico, okra, dance, genealogy, SAHM, WAHM, lightning, being a mom, monkey

Recipe - Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

Arroz Con Gandules
*From http://www.hechoenpuertorico.org/comida/gandules.html

2 cups long or short grain rice (rinsed)
3 1/2 cups of boiling water
1 1/2 cups of chorizo (sliced bite size)*
2 Tablespoons of sofrito
16 ounce can of gandules (pigeon peas)
2 tablespoons of alcaparrado without liquid
one packet of Sazon with achiote
4 ounces of tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons of oil
Salt to taste

* Chorizo can be substituted with tocino (salt fatback crackling's) and jamón de cocinar (smoked cooking ham). If you are going to use the tocino be sure not to use to much salt to the rice because the tocino is salty.

In a dutch oven pot with lid fry the chorizo in oil. Add the tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon to the pot and stir together. Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients except the salt, pore the boiling water into the pot so the rice is submerge one inch below the water. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Don’t cover yet, let the rice absorb the water. Once absorbed stir gently from bottom to top, cover and turn the heat down to low. Stirring once in between cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Serves 3 to 4

Oldest Man Turns 115 in Puerto Rico

Oldest Man Turns 115 in Puerto Rico
Aug 22nd - 6:44am
By FRANK GAUD Associated Press Writer

ISABELA, Puerto Rico (AP) - The world's oldest man celebrated his 115th birthday Monday, offering advice on healthy living at a party where he was serenaded by a well-known Puerto Rican singer.

Emiliano Mercado del Toro, who was a 6-year-old boy when the U.S. seized Puerto Rico from Spain in 1898, attributed his longevity to a healthy diet and avoiding alcohol.

"I never damaged my body with liquor," said Mercado, who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90.

Mercado is listed as the world's oldest man by the Guinness Book of World Records. The world's oldest woman is Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, who turns 117 on Sept. 14.

Read rest of article here

So now we're all the same...

So now someone from Trinidad is the same as being from Puerto Rico. Let me explain. A coworker of mine said that there were 3 hispanics in the office today. That I knew of, there were only 2, me included. So I asked, who's the third? Said person pointed to one of the student assistants, who I know is from Trinidad. Hmmmmm - He's not hispanic, he's from Trinidad! Then this person proceeded to tell me - Well, it's close enough, isn't it? Suuuuuureeeee! It's in the Caribbean and it's an island - so let's just say from now on that all people from the Caribbean are hispanic. Why not??!!

Some people are so ignorant.

I hate it when...

I'm sure this has happened to other people before. I hate it when people ask me why I put a Puerto Rican flag up in my car. I tell them I'm proud of where I come from. They then ask, "So what, I should put a US flag up?" If you feel like it, then do so! It's that simple.

That's the problem. People are only patriotic when there is a "crisis". After the world trade center attack, everyone had a US flag up in their car, outside their houses, and everywhere else they could think of, where are they now??!!

Don't catch an attitude with me for putting up my flag and being proud of my roots. Do the same and represent and leave me and my flag alone!

Puerto Rican Mothers

I got this forwarded email - I thought it was cute, so here you go, enjoy! :)

************************************
PUERTORICAN MOTHERS!

The great things mom taught me:

My mother taught me RELIGION -
"Ay Bendito, pidele a Dios que yo no te agarre coño."

My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION -
"Deja que lleguemos a casa coño"

My Mother taught me about my ROOTS -
"Malagradecido, cuando yo era chiquita no tenia na"

My mother taught me LOGIC -
"Como que porque coño, porque si!"

My mother taught me about INSPIRATION-
"Si llegas con mala nota te voy a hacer comer la chancleta"

My Mother taught me about WISDOM-
"Tu crees que sabes todo, pedazo de mierda"

Puerto Rico Genealogy

Happy Monday folks! Back to the weekly work routine. :-P

I've recently taken up on a genealogy hobby researching my family history and family tree. Initial surnames I'm researching are Acevedo and Rivera from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Both my father and mother's family are from Aguadilla. I have been able to find a lot of information that neither one of them knew and have made some progress. Check out my page at http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~me483020 for more information and to see other surnames I'm researching.

A good website for Puerto Rico genealogy is Searching for Our Roots by Priscilla Colon Martinez, http://www.rootsweb.com/~prsanjua. This site is completely free and has a lot of information for all areas of Puerto Rico.

I've realized this is a lengthy project and it can go slowly. I've met people through discussion boards who are researching the same surnames and areas and even met a cousin of my mother, but the search is never ending! If you plan to start researching your family tree and history, be prepared to spend a lot of time and effort. Needless to say, with the new baby, I have no time for genealogy these days. Right now, if I come across something interesting, I'll look into it, but I'm not very proactive in researching. I'll get back to it someday, though. :sigh:

I'd love to hear from you if you are researching these names or if your family is from Aguadilla.





Research your family history with 7 Day Family Tree!