Maria Rodriguez Bross is an author and playwright delving into the fictional world of all things bodegas, botanicas and creative tales of the supernatural, the unexpected and the phenomenal. Stay tuned Brujas!
Fulana Says "No"!
Volume 1; Issue 5: February 2025Hola! Do you say "yes" a lot? I do. In this ongoing month, synonymous with love, I said "yes"- from taking a vacation to tackling work projects, from pursuing my hobbies to running errands, from replying to simple texts to managing an ever-growing "to do" list, and as always, I made saying "yes" to family and friends my top priority. This got me thinking. Although I pride myself in my tendency to say "yes, it's not always the right answer for myself or others. I've come to accept that the world will continue without my presence, opinions, or input, and that's perfectly okay- even somewhat re-assuring. I think it's true that, sometimes, we must say "no" in order to say "yes" to something else. Whether we like it or not, both choices are constantly at play. But how do we know which to choose? For me, it's about love for myself and others. Saying "no" can be a powerful act of love: it's about truly being present for others rather than treating them as just another task or taking a stand even if it's against a family member or a dear friend. Most of all, saying "no" can serve as a personal declaration of how we expect to be treated. Read "Bodega News", to find out some things I said "yes" to- and "no" to- this month, and keep reading if you want to know who's "fulana". Bodega News:
Spanish Word Translation: FulanaWhen I was a kid, I heard many family members and neighbors talk about "Fulana". For years, I thought she was a real person. It turns out that the literal translation of "fulana" is a woman (fulano, masculine form) who's actual name is unknown, unimportant or deliberately omitted. Yikes! That's tough- like who cares about fulana? The word can sometimes carry a dismissive or vague tone depending on context. Since February is the month of love, let's take a break from gossiping about "fulana"- after all, we don't truly know her or the challenges she's facing. Until next month... Stay tuned brujas! Other Magical Tales You Might Like:
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Bodega Botanica Tales
Maria Rodriguez Bross is an author and playwright delving into the fictional world of all things bodegas, botanicas and creative tales of the supernatural, the unexpected and the phenomenal. Stay tuned Brujas!
Volume 1; Issue 9: July 2025 Hola, Do you ever cry? I do. This past month, I've been wanting to cry. Yes, you read that correctly; I wanted to, but I'm having a hard time of it, especially as I get older. You see, I used to cry all the time, not only when I was sad, but when I was scared, stressed, and even happy. This got me thinking. Whenever I had a good cry, I was able to sort out my thoughts about the emotion I was experiencing and that gave me clarity and peace. In other words, the...
Volume 1; Issue 8: June 2025 Hola, Do you ever celebrate when you're stressed out? I do. Recently I've had a lot of celebrations and it got me thinking about all the times I celebrated when things weren't so great. I believe I do this to give myself a break from the grief, the struggle and the confusion. The truth is that good and bad things are always happening simultaneously. This is what makes life so complicated and difficult. One of my default ways to celebrate is to write, and in doing...
Volume 1; Issue 7: May 2025 "Mal de Ojo" Drawing Ever blame superstition on something that's a mere coincidence? I have. This month, I've had so many coincidences that I can't help but be a bit superstitious about it. Even though I know my luck won't change by relying on superstitious phrases like "knock on wood" or "never put a purse on the floor", coincidences are sometimes hard to accept as just random events. This got me thinking about why I'm sometimes superstitious in the first place....