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For me, there is nothing quite like getting to spend time with a bunch of older Mexican women. Today was one of those days.

I drove my mom, my aunt and uncle up to Lincoln, Ca, outside of Sacramento. That translates to 5 hours of driving for me. While it was a good reminder for me why I don't want to commute ever again, it was certainly nice to have my uncle in the front seat because he is very quiet and made the drive a lot easier.

One of my grandfather's nieces, my mom and aunt's cousin, was having a birthday party. There were people from all over California there. Two women had driven from LA this morning to come to the party. There were mariachis, cake and a late starting time, a real Mexican pachanga.

I met a new cousin, met some of the family I hadn't met as an adult and helped serve cake. I assisted one of the cousins who was using a cane, took pictures and got in between my mom and one of the employees. Another sign of a Mexican party, a little chingaso.

As I was sitting there listening to the mariachis I realized this was a perfect moment. Songs I know but don't know the words to thrilled me. Seeing people around the table singing the songs and having my aunt dance with her husband and cousin was particularly beautiful. Seeing other women who looked like me, talked like me and laughed like me was so self affirming. We all came from the same place, this little border town in Texas, Del Rio. It is a small, elite group that survived the racism and can still laugh today in spite of the pain.

So for one day, I didn't pay attention to Bush the cabron. Didn't read much on line and just did something for me and my family. Singing mariachi songs with my elders has a way of putting things in perspective.