Cuatro Hijos

For more than a year now I've been sifting through old Spanish passenger lists looking to see if I could track down more information about my great great grandfather's arrival to the New World (i.e. Cuba) and I've finally found his name, Jose Antonio Hernandez Rodriguez, on a schooner traveling from Las Palmas, Canary Islands to Havana, Cuba in 1850. The ship was called Cuatro Hijos (Four Sons). The name, date, and locations all line up with the genealogical records kept by my family and it feels pretty cool to have added a bit to the record.

I've been corresponding with some genealogical researchers in the Canary Islands to see if I can trace my family further back than 5 generations and I'll post anything new that turns up.

Hey, Hey, We're the Monkeys!

So I finally got my "Thoth as a Baboon" tattoo and I figured I'd share it with you all. Thanks again to Korshi, for designing the tattoo, to Janin for recommending the tattoo shop, Dharma Tattoo, and to Loco for actually inking me up.

Three reasons for getting this tattoo: 1) I wanted something on my left arm to balance me out. 2) I wanted to commemorate three awesome decades on this planet. 3) I wanted to celebrate finishing up my masters. Don't ever let it be said I don't suffer for library science!

Here's an older pic of my right shoulder:

Tattoo of Thoth

It's time for another tattoo! 5 years ago I got a Thoth tattoo on my right shoulder in the form of a stylized ibis. It was my overly-dramatic way of demonstrating my commitment to the written word, whether as a writer or as a librarian. I asked my friend and talented artist, Korshi Dosoo, to design a cooler version of the hieroglyph for Thoth and he totally delivered.

Ever since then, I've wanted another tattoo on my left shoulder to balance me out, but I didn't really know what to get. I don't take these things lightly since they're going to be etched in my skin for life. So after 5 years of looking at the blank canvas of my shoulder and feeling a little lopsided, I realized that I was unbalanced because I was only displaying one aspect of Thoth. You see, the Egyptian god is not just a lofty scholarly ibis. He's also represented by a clever trickster... a baboon, and let's be honest, I'm probably closer to the baboon than the ibis.

So I turned to Korshi once again, bombarded him with references of hieroglyphic monkeys, and he knocked it out of the park again.

I haven't actually gotten this one yet as I'm still searching for a decent (and gentle) tattoo artist, (might need your help on this, Ingrid and Alli) but I will get it this month for sure, because part of the reason for getting the tattoo is to celebrate my three decades on this planet. I'll post pics of my actual tattoos once I get it. Stay tuned.

Top 10 Movie Robots!

This is my own personal list and it’s based and nothing but my own conclusions and tastes. Also, I’m not including Six from Battlestar Galactic (even though I think she’s Top 10 material) because she’s on TV or R. Daneel Olivaw who I believe is the best fictional robot of all time, because he’s in novels. These are just movie robot. Feel free to suggest your own or dispute the order.

10) Gigolo Joe- He was the best part of A.I. The main character kid was kinda lame. Plus, he's the only sex bot on this list.

9) Sonny – His design is really cool, like an anthropomorphic Mac. Even though he was in the shadow of Will Smith, I'm hoping if he gets more screen time in I, Robot 2 he'll move up on this list.

8) C-3PO – This prissy ass robot always manages to be at the center of galaxy changing events… and survives! He’s probably the bravest bot on this list because he feels fear (or the computerized version of it) and still faces danger for his friends.

7) The Little Robots from Batteries Not Included- I was actually considering Johnny 5 for this position but these little guys from the same era are so much better! They're mysterious, alien, and freaking cute.

6) Andrew – I went into Bicentennial Man thinking it was going to suck, but Andrew won me over. Also he’s the only robot on this list to actually achieve humanity.


5) The Terminator – I’m lumping all the Arnold versions of the Terminator here even though they were three different robots. As an assassin he was cold and terrifying and as a protector he was just badass. Although I do like T-1000 more, Arnold managed to beat him, thus proving his ultimate superiority.



4) Bumblebee – I considered putting Optimus Prime here, but let’s be honest, Bumblebee is way cooler and totally stole the movie.

3) R2-D2 - C-3PO’s better half. He’s like a Swiss Army Knife and an Action Hero rolled into one, like a mecha MacGyver. I have no doubt this little robot would kick the metal crap out of any robot on this list, including the Terminator!

2) Data – The destination is not as important as the journey. If Andrew achieved humanity, Data's struggle to reach it is what makes him great. He's also the most complex character on this list. Hell, he'd totally be #1 if the current #1 wasn't so damned irresistible.

1) WALL-E – Pure cinematic perfection.

Sexy Seedster vs Hiro Nakamura

With the addition of Hiro's super fast nemesis and despite the horrible crap that was season 2 of Heroes, I am still looking forward to season 3. I have faith that the show's creators have learned from past mistakes and without the looming writer's strike, the show has to be at least on par with the first season… right?

So why do I give this show so many chances and invent so many excuses for it, when everyone else I know has stopped watching? Because I'm a sad geek.

Even though I've been disappointed by this show over and over again, I still get a stupid smile on my face when Hiro and Ando or Clair and Bennet are on screen.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

This is the blog formally known as Cocuyo. I changed the title because there was some confusion between it and my other blog, The Incredible Cocuyo. Hopefully, this will keep them distinct for readers.

I Am Officially a Librarian!

Pic by Ian Simmons

I just finished my Masters in Library and Information Science. (Didn’t know you needed a Masters to be a Library Scientist, huh? I didn’t either when I started! Imagine the horror when I learned my hard-earned Bachelors wasn’t good enough!!!) I will say that despite all my crying and complaining these two years have flown by and now I am done. MUAHAHAH!

In another cruel twist of fate, I am the Children’s and Young Adult Librarian at the JFK Library. This is only ironic if you’re privy to the fact that I grew up coming to this library. I used to steal (um, borrow and then forget to return) the comics, I used to skate in the parking lot and front steps to the detriment of older patrons who were afraid a stray skateboard would crush their weak ankles, I used to play games for hours on the computers and argue with the staff, and most importantly I supplemented my crappy Dade County Public School education at JFK.

And now, I am forced to track down and replace conveniently forgotten comics (called manga now) with an ever-shrinking budget. I have to shoo away the rowdy skaters and threaten them with the police, while secretly admiring their awesome Kick-flips or Ollies. I have to tell the geeky kid, ready for a day of gaming, that PC Reservation won’t allow him to use the computer because he owes $5.20 (for that manga he’s yet to return.)

Of course, I turn a blind eye a lot of the time because these little bastards are inadvertently learning something while they hang out at the library (Lord knows I did!) and you never know which one will be the next Library Scientist.