Cuban Crackers

My name is Kelli Vazquez and I'm a graduate student at the University of North Texas working on my M.A. in Professional and Technical Communication. After more than twenty years as a webmaster, a company restructure and job loss post-COVID was the catalyst for switching careers.

I am a do-it-yourselfer, mostly because I was single for many years. As much as I enjoy repair projects, my engineer husband is on another level. When we were dating, he repaired the gas tank on my lawnmower and then the AC in my house—twice. I married him immediately.

My most recent personal repair project was the bypass feeder on my HP M454dw printer at the office. The paper guide moved freely, refusing to hold anything in place and ruining many bypass print jobs. The culprit was a detached part in the narrow space on the inside of the front door assembly. I thought replacing the entire panel was the only option since there was no way to take it apart, but I fished out the loose part and snapped it back on, and now it's as good as new.

I love working in my hosta garden, but I loathe mowing. My former free-wheeling craft binges are now short sprees between semesters. I expect a "We miss you" letter from Hobby Lobby and Michaels any moment.

I married into a Cuban family and discovered a whole new world of delicious cuisine. I have several favorite dishes, and my husband makes a mean Cuban sandwich. When we travel to visit family in Miami, daily visits to Cuban bakeries are essential. And we always come home with a small suitcase filled with as many bags of Cuban crackers that will fit.