Goodbye to 2010

New Year's Eve always seems magical to me. It’s a time for reflection that is full of hopes for a better tomorrow , it’s a time when we wish for health, love and prosperity. It's also time to take stock of what we've learned. The lessons that impact us most come from the people we interact with. These people are in our lives to enrich our soul, sometimes challenging our values and beliefs. In the process, our relationships strengthen and we grow.

We also learn from the people we lost along the way. Keeping their memory alive allows them to continue being a part of our life history. Their legacy lives through us and the wisdom they shared with us.

Saying goodbye to 2010 came with mixed emotion - great year, but looking forward to what 2011 may bring. The beginning of 2010, came with tough choices to be made, but making them freed me to focus on a lot more meaningful work. I was available to dedicate more time to be creative, available for my family and friends. Establishing and maintaining relationships was a priority and volunteering on what I was always too busy for in the past was on the agenda too.

I made sure to keep fun on the table though this year too. As a tradition, celebrating my birthday in February at Mojitos. I enjoyed traveling to the Caribbean on board the Navigator of the Sea, a weekend trip organized by the Kings of Tours which allowed me to escape the winter. My mom visited from Puerto Rico in May. She was able to spend quality time with her children and grand kids, and her great grand children on Mother's day. I even had the good fortune to accompany her for a few days to relax in NH. Later in the summer, I was treated to a few days in Dallas to visit Ara, went sightseeing and ate a lot. The rest of the year I stayed local only to do day trips to Worcester, Sturbridge, Rhode Island and Salem.

Famous faces were a constant theme this year. I met Benjamin Bratt at the NALIP Conference in Santa Monica CA, went with my sisters to a live taping of the Oprah show in NYC, enjoyed a series of concerts by Chayanne, Jerry Rivera and Ismael Miranda; there was paparazzi mania at Fenway Park for the premiere of The Town where we interviewed Ben Affleck and was inspired by Rosie Perez’s speech at BHCC. What gave me the most satisfaction was for my son Brian to meet Zombie legend & filmmaker, George Romero and my daughter Danielle being serenaded by Jerry Rivera - coincidentally, they both happen on or near their birthdays.

It was also a very successful year for Boston Latino TV and the Access Award, both named the Best of El Planeta in 2010. It's through this project - now entering it's eight year - that doors opened the help me expose the vibrant Latino community in Boston. I'm grateful for everyone that allow us to be at their events, grants us interviews and allows our team to tell their stories.

The year continued to be filled with surprises and wonderful experiences that I shared with family and friends. I am thankful for the friendships I've made along the way. They have become my extended family in Boston. Though the weather will betray us and the economy may challenge us, I love this city and the people in it.

Happy 2011 !!!