Directions

Today I wanted to make a chart for Eva's morning and evening jobs. It occured to me that I wanted to go to Papeleria Cancun. It is the biggest paper store in Cancun, or at least everybody talks like it is. So I get in the car having NO idea where this blessed paper haven is. That is just how you do things here, start moving and ask along the way. So I stopped the first girl I met at the top of the street. I didn't know her, but I asked her, " where is papeleria cancun?" Her exact words were ( for my spanish speaking readers) " el ADO, alli casi en frente, hay un extra y una calle que va asi. Alli esta. Translation, "the ADO, almost in front. There is an Extra ( a convient store ) and a road that goes like this." She then made a gesture with her hand like a curve. Kinda vague. But I did know how to get to ADO, so I drove there. I didn't head right where I had pictured because I didn't get in the correct lane soon enough around a busy turn around along the way, and had to back track. As I did, I asked a few taxi drivers who told me almost verbatim the same thing as the first senorita, and so I went to where I pictured "in front of ADO" although it wasn't actually in front of the front of the building, if you know what I mean. but sure enough I saw an extra and a little road that ran next to it, that curved somewhat, and so I turned, and I found the pie in the sky paper store/ art supply store/office supply all complete with the latest models of the good old virgin maria. I mean the place really did have everything. So much so that I walked around for like an hour, carrying my fat ton son, no less,and I bought some stuff and made some charts.

As I was triumphantly driving home, feeling proud of myself for having found my goal. I thought, Life is alot like getting directions from a mexican. Mostly you don't know exactly where you are going. The directions to the goal are not exact, but are clear enough, if you follow your intuition and ask a few folks along the way, even if you have to back track a bit, you will find your destination. Trick is just realax and keep your mind and heart open, and on the goal.

Happy Mother's Day

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Swine Flu

I am horrified to report that we are suffering from the swine flu here in Mexico. Our most problematic symptom is boredom. Eva has been out of school for over a week and isn't going back until next Monday. Church was also canceled under a decree of the Mexican government. We have also experienced irritation due to the over reactive warnings about not leaving our houses, and avoiding public places, and wearing masks that will have absolutely no bearing on our health. Our ears hurt from the wild exaggerations that we constantly hear on TV, our eyes hurt from the millions of emails and Internet reports we are receiving daily, and our hearts hurt that we live in a world where public leaders would promote such panic in order to turn our focus from the drug related killings in Juarez, the economic crisis, and the severely overdue need for immigration reform. What a problem this flu has created. too bad it is imaginary.

Please let me specify. I do believe that swine flu exists. But I don't believe that it is any more deadly than any other flu, and I truly believe we are being snowed about the gravity of the situation. Lets all continue to have common sense and get on with our lives, and stop living like a bunch of sheep that are being herded down the trails that our irresponsible leaders would have us wander.

Check out this email I got

This is an email that was forwarded to me:

I guess they already finished their English homework!!! Montebello High School in CaliforniaYou will not see this heart-stopping photo on the front page of the NY Times, nor on the lead story of the major news networks.The protestors at Montebello High School took the American flag off the school's flag pole and hung it upside down while putting up the Mexican flag over it. (*See pictures below*)I predict this stunt will be the nail in the coffin of any guest-worker/amnesty plan on the table in Washington ... The image of the American flag subsumed to another and turned upside down on American soil is already spreading on Internet forums and via e-mail.Pass this along to every American citizen in your address books and to every representative in the state and federal government.. If you choose to remain uninvolved, do not be amazed when you no longer have a nation to call your own nor anything you have worked for left since it will be 'redistributed' to the activists while you are so peacefully staying out of the 'fray'. Check history, it is full of nations/empires that disappeared when its citizens no longer held their core beliefs and values. One person CAN make a difference.One plus one plus one plus one plus one plus one........ ...The battle for our secure borders and immigration laws that actually mean something, however, hasn't even begun.If this ticks YOU off...PASS IT ON!IF IT DOESN'T IT SHOULD

Someone sent it to me and asked me what I thought about it. I was somewhat taken back, but this was my response...

I don't know what to think about this....

I agree that the government better get off their duffs and do something about immigration, but what do they think is going to happen? Are they worried a bunch of illegals are going to take over the country? Please. I think people need to open theirs eyes to the fact their government is starting rumors about swine flu to get our country full of sheepish followers to wash their hands and close their eyes to the fact that the leaders of our nation would rather leave inadequate laws in force that promote incompetency and dishonesty, instead of fixing what needs to be fixed. Those kids are putting the flag upside down because that flag represents the decency and freedom that our founding fathers based our great country on, and sadly all those principles ARE GONE. Especially when it comes to immigration, because as it stands, freedom is being taken away. my life is case in point. ANd those Mexican kids face the reality of separated families, and weakened futures because our leaders are no longer the great men and women that started this country, they are a bunch of selfish , power hungry political jack asses who can't see past the bureaucratic bullshit to truly understand what is REALLY going on in the lives of the citizens over whom they govern. Their lack of principles hurt the lives of the Americans not to mention the lives of the Mexicans that they turned their heads to while they crossed the border so they could exploit their work ethic and use them to boost American economy while screwing them by keeping them in the illegal shadows of the system. This email represents the ignorance of the American people because they don't learn and understand the issues. This email may seem so patriotic, but really it is frightening. When people choose not to deeply, truly understand, they allow the corrupt leaders, a fore mentioned, to keep doing their political damaging dance. People need to get involved, research and understand, and then get off the Internet and VOTE. Where are we headed? Those Mexican kids feel the oppression of our poorly governed country every day, and they are saying something about it. I wish the rich white kids would get off the computers and look outside their posh little lives long enough to understand the issues at hand, and then have the courage and the decency to vote and be involved in what they believe in. If not then they are worse than the kids who fly the flag upside down.

I guess I do know what I think about this.