In case you missed it, this week’s Mommy Reality Challenge is about ALL of your little “me” time secrets and mommy guilty pleasures you use to stay sane and survive mother-hood. Here’s mine.
A lot of Hispanics LOVE soap operas, only we call them “novelas”. When I was a little girl I grew up on “soaps” both in English and in Spanish. I loved them! I remember being a kindergartener and sitting with my Abuelita watching her “telenovelas” in all the suspense my 5 year old brain could muster. Together she and I would perch on the edge of our seats watching as the bad guys spun a web full of deceit, manipulation, lots of emotion, a little kissing and some rip roaring drag out fights the heroes would have to rise above in order to triumph at the end of each telenovela.
There is another side of many Latinos you may not know about, we are Kings in the fine art of supernatural storytelling. These supernatural stories have been woven into our very being, some call it superstition, but these stories of the great unknown have been used for generations to teach lessons to our offspring, in the hopes of keeping them safe.
Stories like La Llorona (the lady who drowned her children in a bout of crazy jealousy) and the Chupacabra are used as a way to deter any trips to places we as children shouldn’t be. It’s worked pretty well, you don’t see many movies of Hispanic kids marching around the forest looking for the Chupacabra or hanging out at filled rivers and washes, just in case La Llorona might be there waiting to do you harm……
Ask any Latino, they will tell you the supernatural is not something to be messed with people.
That being said, as an adult I have carried over this honest recognition and appreciation of supernatural forces and have a guilty pleasure…..
I love Ghost stories, not your namby pamby carrying around some microphone ghost hunt or slasher ghost flicks.
I like this:
The Dead Files – Is a real paranormal investigative show. Steve DiSchiavi is a Homicide Detective and Amy Allan is a Physical Medium who visit some of the most freaking scary locations EVER using their skills to solve unexplained paranormal phenomena.
I almost wet myself when they investigated a house that used to be a part of the original slave trade in America. Amy only does her tours of the locations at night with a single camera guy and all of her psychic reactions to the location are caught on camera.
I believe if my Abuelita was still alive today she would be sitting with me watching these and telling me see I told you it all was true!!!
Most Hispanics though would take one step in a house like that and would agree that it is definitely time to move and burn that place to the ground!
Here’s How I look when I watch these shows. Notice the box of Lucky Charms as well. Oh, and my mom-wear.
Besides the Dead Files, I have recently found on NetFlix a series called The Ghost Whisperer.
The Ghost Whisperer follows the story of Melinda Gordon a woman with a “gift” who can see and talk to the dead. She uses her gift to help the dead find closure and peace and cross over into the light.
I love both of these shows, but only watch them when no child is in sight and I am cloistered away in my room. Letting my inner supernatural loving Latina roam free.
What’s Your Guilty Pleasure? Come link it up:
Grab A Button and Link up your “Guilty Pleasures” Pics Below!
Jen
