Day 43: Things that make me crazy… with joy

I’ve been dwelling in my thoughts for several days, wondering what my next post would be about. Since I was totally unable to write something really funny about my more-than-regular life, I decided to write about things that make me happy, maybe just to compensate for this strange rainy, windy, kind-a-gloomy weather we’re currently experiencing.

Happiness is something quite difficult to grasp, especially when you are not aware of the things or events that can trigger the feeling. Fortunately, I’m one of the few people who have been able to identify some.

1. Flying: I don’t care what they say: the greatest achievement of men has been the conquest of the skies. I’ve had the chance to practice abseiling, and I’m dying to fly a delta-wing. There’s nothing in the world that can compare to the emotion of taking off. How can people grow tired of flying?

2. Books: as I have mentioned before ‘till redundancy, starting a new book really makes me happy. It’s a new opportunity to escape from the little annoyances of daily life into a private world completely closed to others. Except for the statistically rare case someone is reading the same book in my vicinity. Not likely to happen.

3. Cats: most people regard those furry little beasts as treacherous and mean miniaturized tigers, to which I must disagree. If cats are treated with the same amount of attention and love dogs are given, they are very likely to develop the behavior one would expect from a dog. “Fuchi”, (/FOO-shi/) my Maine Coon queen cat is a perfect example. She is so fond of human company that most visitors to my place find her disturbing (and sometimes annoying). And all felines, both big and small, represent the sum of beauty and power to me.

4. Horses: what could be more delicious that hanging around with horses? Whether riding or tending them whenever I have the slightest chance, I can go crazy with joy if I can get my hands on them, not to mention taking a good ride.

5. Cartoons: again, my tendency to escape to little worlds of fantasy leaps with joy if I happen to find a good cartoon with a good story. From Noir to Danny Phantom, I can spend 30 minutes with my eyes glued to the screen, following their adventures rapturously.

6. Writing / Drawing: well, basically whatever involves a creative process. Actually, that’s one of the reasons why I accepted the suggestion to write a blog. Since my writing creativity seems to be on indefinite leave, I decided that at least I should try to continue expressing my thoughts in an articulated way (yeah, sure) to avoid getting rusty.

7. Expensive restaurants: due to the budget and dietary restraints, I haven’t been able to enjoy this one very much lately, but there’s nothing more pleasant than going into a fancy restaurant and try something unusual, such as frog legs, caviar, “escamoles” (ant eggs and larvae which, as disgusting as it may sound, are regarded as the Mexican caviar), and, of course, the dessert tray!

In conclusion, I must say that indeed is the simple things of life which can give us with those tiny little moments of happiness that may turn a dull day into a remarkable experience.

Have you found what makes you happy?

Day 42: Usual Annoyances at the Front Desk

Given the fact this blog was christened ‘The Usual Stuff’, I’d like to talk about that usual stuff going around my workstation, which happens to be The Front Desk.

Many people tend to believe, in a totally misinformed conception, that being “the receptionist” is a petty, unimportant, two-bit, sub-servient, low-status, any-man’s job, which only indicates how little importance we give to those apparently intranscendental* tasks that usually go unnoticed but happen to make life more comfortable, just like house keeping. It is commonly believed, as I mentioned before, that ‘anyone can do it’, so it is waged in consequence, and people who end up performing these jobs are regarded as mediocre, although the degree of preparation, experience and good attitude both require is usually ignored by most employers. Therefore, whoever outstands the regular performance is normally acquainted as either a shoe-licker or a total freak, thus gaining them people’s loathing, instead of their applause, which happens to be one of the usual annoying things I've found about it.

In addition to the situations I listed on a previous post, I would like to mention some other Usual Stuff that I have found highly irritating in this job:

1. Telephone sales: no day passes without receiving at least 5 phone calls asking for people who don’t work with us anymore, trying to sell credit cards. No matter how many times you tell them they must stop calling because they’re jamming the ring central, the same out-bound call center will call at least twice the same day.

2. Cookie monsters: one of my duties is to set the snack-and-drink service when my boss schedules meetings, and a cookie tray is set for that. Whatever I do to prevent it, there’s always one smart-ass who picks the cookies, leaving the obvious blank spaces on the tray, thus causing my boss to get mad at me, because there never seem to be enough cookies for the visitors.

3. The unpunctual visitor: tardiness is part of Mexican culture, so I’ve learned to live with it. What I can’t stand is these people who want to make a good impression by getting to appointments half an hour early. They cram the reception (which happens to have 3 damn chairs), they get in everybody’s way and they keep asking every 5 seconds if the person is already available. Sorry, but that is another form of unpunctuality.

4. Personal phone calls: I understand that sometimes it is necessary for our family and/or friends to reach us at work, but I really go berserk when I receive 8 phone calls a day (and there’s written proof!) from a girl’s boyfriend exactly at the moment when really relevant phone calls are hail storming over my head. In order to be fair, I must say that my family has strict instructions to call me to my mobile. Whenever this happens otherwise, I also jump at their throats.

5. Background music: we are supposed to have music all day long in the internal speaker system. To my despair, the selection tends to be must unfortunate, such as the awfully chaotic jazz music my boss loves, or the crappy, low-life-style ‘banda’ music my co-workers favor when the bosses are not around. Having that noise piercing my ears while I try to concentrate on a customer’s call, especially if it is in English, can really drive me psychotic.

As a form of conclusion, I would like to mention, in order to be fair with both sides of the story, that not all the receptionists are precisely saints. As a customer, I have also suffered the blatant incompetence of receptionists who seemed to have been placed at the front desks just because of their good looks. Women who are chatting, putting up make-up, chewing gum, smoking or answering personal calls right on the visitor’s face do not help improving the low perception this position has in the job market. In order to be honest, I must confess that all my complaints regard those situations that prevent me from fulfilling my duties with the high quality both my bosses and my clients deserve.

*If you happen to find any spelling mistakes, please feel free to correct me. I’ll sincerely appreciate it.

Day 41: How stupid can it get? 2nd Part

Following up the obsession idea, I just discovered a new one: actively noticing and recording how stupid people can be. Last time I wrote about it, it was more like a pressure release than an elaborated essay about human stupidity or lack of common sense. Since once in my life I took Psychology courses, I am willing to understand that some factors, such as fatigue, anger, hunger, stress or simply wanting to visit the loo are likely to affect our judgment at certain moments. On the other hand, we happen to live in a complicated world, where technology and human relations are more complex than ever, and some of us may seem a little slow at understanding things that are a piece of cake to others. But what I can’t understand is why people seem to use their brains less and less every time, as if the reasoning process hurt. Are we becoming more and more stupid due to pollution? Is it that people who show a hint of intelligence have been ostracized in our society for centuries? Or is it that we are desperate to fit in a dummy world?

Here you have some examples I had the bad luck to experience:

1. Finding a seat: here we are, my hubby and I, sitting exactly at the center of the projection hall, down at the center at our favorite locations and, right after the movie had started, there arrives this couple, standing right in front of us, wondering for five, five long minutes, where to sit. How long can it take you to decide when the hall is almost deserted?

2. Technology dummies: I left for home, ready to forget about the office work, and then I receive a phone call from the Systems Manager (believe it or not), asking me to unveil the mysteries of Fax Operation. I know these devices can be tricky but, isn’t that the reason why they have this enormous icons on the front to depict how to place the paper to be sent?

3. The phone number: do you really have to wait for your co-worker to arrive in order to decipher an address book? If the fax number is not indicated there, couldn’t you call the company to find out? I assumed it would be a matter of pure logic that, if the indication was not there, the same number serves as phone and fax, you dummie!

4. Language: If you are asking a yes or no question (in grammar terms, a direct question), the least you could get is a yes or a no, isn’t it? The answer is no, as you can see in the following example:
Me: Co-worker A, would you happen to know were the VGA cables are?
Co-worker A: I gave them to you. It was your responsibility to keep and eye on them. Besides, if they got lost, you will have to…
Me: Thanks for the extra info, but a yes or a no would have sufficed. Do you know where they are?

Co-worker A: No!

Me: Thanks. That's the only thing I needed to hear.

Which was the right answer from the very beginning.

And these are only the few examples I found mildly amusing, among another dozen I found just plainly annoying. Feel free to share your own.

In conclusion, I must say that it is not my intention to make public my intellectual superiority (I rarely screw it, but when I do, I do it big time!), but to make evident that something really creepy is happening among us, maybe some sort of evolutionary treat that is regressing us back to the dawn of humanity, or a conspiracy from the governments to make us so stupid that Americans might vote for Bush again and Mexicans for Lopez Obrador, or something. I don't know for sure, but I wonder if the truth might be out there.

Day 40: Obsessions

I guess this was bond to come naturally. After discussing addictions, I found myself observing other people's obsessions, because, again, all of us so called "rational beings" are burdened with maniatic, compulsive and obsessive behavior.

All of this started when the Principal Financial Administrator (who also happens to be co-owner of the company I'm currently working for) started to worry about the restroom keys. Each employee is suppossed to have his or her personal key, and there's another one in a special keychain for visitors only. All of a sudden, it became my responsibility to prevent anyone from taking that key. In consecuence, she started nagging me just because it is more comfortable for everyone to take the public keychain instead of carrying their own The top of it came when, at 9 a.m., when we never have any visitors, the damned keychain was not on the counter and she started wondering out loud, "what would happen if we had a customer". Immediatly, I showed her the especially-kept-for-emergencies extra pair I had been hiding for months. And then, she gave me this kind of angry look and said "Anyway, the keychain has to be here!" Worst of it, she's been asking every single day, as she passes by my desk, where the damn keychain is! Now that's what I call an obsession.

Personally, I believe that being obsessed is not always a bad thing. In my case, I'm obsessed with keeping my working space clean and neat, since it helps me to reduce my stress levels. Another obsession is punctuality. People who make me waste the only asset I cannot replace really drive me crazy. Personal space and boundaries are another thing that would deserve a post on its own, since I really go mad when people mess around with my personal stuff. But there are other obsessions that can even destroy the balance of daily life, like the "having the last word" obsession exemplified before, which prevents this people from cutting a win-win deal with a lot of people, thus making her lose a lot of opportunities.

I wonder how many obsessions my hypothetical readers may have.

Day 39: Addictions

Sadly, my post on Danny Phantom didn’t turn out to be as interesting as I thought it would be. Pity. But I got me into thinking about why I let myself become hooked on things. My own answer was ADDICTIONS!

Everybody has an addiction. Some people (like me) are addicted to tobacco. That’s pretty common. Others (unlike me) are addicted to booze or drugs. That’s kind of common as well. But I have also discovered some people (like me again) are addicted to other totally different things. Some of my uncommon addictions include:

1. Books: My day is not complete at all if I don’t get to read at least 3 pages from a new book, especially before I go to bed. You can imagine the tantrums I throw every time I finish a book without having a new one right at hand. Going to Book Fairs without money represents one of the finest forms of torture I may suffer, given the fact I hate to look without getting. Life without books (whatever form of literature you choose) would be like hell to me.

2. Tobacco: I know this one is already killing me, but the more people insist I quit, the more I fix the cigarette to my mouth. Funny thing is my husband doesn’t smoke, but he’s never said a word about it. Probably that’s why I smoke less around him: ‘cause he’s shown a lot of respect on my habits, so I tend to respect his breathing space.

3. Adrenaline: Who needs drugs to get high when you can experience the delight of flirting with death? By this I don’t mean going into suicide, but taking into extreme sports. Abseiling, rafting, climbing, delta-flying (sorry for my lack of vocabulary) can give you all the emotions you may need to recharge your batteries. On the other hand, once you have managed to accomplish something difficult and survive the experience,you are to gain tons of self-confidence, believe me.

4. Strong emotions: Again, why taking drugs when you can let yourself go with a good movie or cartoon? Sadness, anger, anguish, happiness, excitement, all of them are just a good movie/cartoon away. And that’s why I never watch videos at home. I get so deep into things that I start making funny faces, or frowning, or crying, and people start staring at me and jiggling. It’s a lot easier at the movies, where the dark conceals my gestures, and I don’t feel that ridiculous.

5. Learning: There’s nothing more challenging and exciting than using my brain to learn something new. Whether it is Japanese culture, technical vocabulary, movie-industry know-how... you name it. The idea is to put my brains up to something new that is not easy.

6. Food: This is another killer, and that’s why I just went on a diet. (I’m fulfilling my new year’s resolutions). It’s extremely difficult to control what you eat when the experience of new, undiscovered flavors reaches your tongue. I bet only sex is more pleasant than the explosion of different tastes in your mouth. Sushi, Italian food, desserts, Chinese food, Mexican food... there’s no ending to the pleasures of the table (except the grave, maybe).

OK. In conclusion, I would say this would sufficiently explain why I became madly fascinated with the young half ghost. Emotions really took the best of my rationality. And I loved it!

Day 38: Late as Usual, Hooked as Usual

I always get late to big stuff. Maybe that’s due to my allergy to t.v., since I’m not regularly able to watch more than 1 or 2 hours in a row without getting bored, start zapping and end up grabbing a book.

But now I would like to page homage to my latest t.v. addiction: Danny Phantom!

Since Jetix was outcasted by Cablevision, I lost track of the series for a while, until I was able to find it again at Nickelodeon (You can tell I don’t watch the telly by that), and I was lucky enough to catch the movie “The Ultimate Enemy” and get totally hooked.

Now, why should a cartoon without the wonderful animation style I love from anime happen to catch my attention? Because of The Stories. Once I was told by literature coach Pepe Rojo (God bless him) that the best stories are the ones focused on the “realistic methapore”, that is, a normal situation turned or depicted as a fantastic one. In other words, using the fantastic elements to convey and reinforce the message about a daily life situation, and Danny Phantom is full of that.

I perfectly know that the matter of a teenager dealing with supervillians while trying to keep his own life in one piece has been dealt with before, but taking into account the moronic language currently used by many cartoons to refer to the old matters of self-acceptance, peer pressure and school grades, it certainly makes this series a bit refreshing, as long with the simple, non-pretentious design that favors concentration on the story rather than on the flamboyant drawings (as frequently happens with anime).

On the other hand, I must confess that I have some sort of ‘crush’ or ‘fatal attraction’ with heroes that actually have problems (which happened to be one of the main crisis in comic book streams many years ago). Living daily life is troublesome sometimes; dealing with several matters at the same time can get really hectic. Just add up some fantastic action and you’ve got me.

If you are not familiar with the series, you must know that, according to Wikipedia, “Danny Fenton is a nervous, clumsy, and sometimes superficial 14-year-old boy who tries to fit in with his peers. But he is also able to transform into his ghost form (his transformation words are normally "I'm going ghost!"). Upon transformation, his normally black hair turns white, his eyes change from sky blue to ectoplasmic green, his skin changes from light to dark, and his normal attire becomes a black hazmat suit - with white boots, gloves, belt, and starting from the second season, a "D" emblem on his chest, becoming "Danny Phantom".”

Unfortunately, it has been announced that the series is going to be cancelled (if it hasn’t already been by now), which happens to be a pity. We don’t get to see well thought cartoons a lot these days. Sob.

PS: You can notice I'm not good at this posting images stuff. Sorry.

Day 36: Something unusual at the usual stuff

Now this was really surprising: did you happen to know that the plant ‘tomacco’, mentioned as a core part of the plot in "The Simpsons'" 'E-I-E-I (Annoyed Grunt)' episode, has actually been created?

According to Wikipedia, “A tomacco is originally a fictional hybrid fruit that is half tomato and half tobacco, from the 1999 episode "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)" of The Simpsons; the method used to create the tomacco in the episode is fictional. The tomacco became real when it was allegedly produced in 2003. The tomacco is one of the few made-up words in The Simpsons that resulted in real life application.” Also, it is noted that: “In the Simpsons' episode, the tomacco was accidentally created by Homer Simpson when he "planted a little bit of everything" and fertilized his tomato and tobacco fields with plutonium. The result is a tomato that apparently has a dried, gray tobacco center, and, although being described as tasting terrible by many characters (Ralph Wiggum: "Eww, Daddy, this tastes like Grandma!"), is also immediately and powerfully addictive. The creation is promptly labeled "Tomacco" by Homer and sold in large quantities to unsuspecting passers by.”

The interesting thing starts when “In 2003, inspired by The Simpsons, Rob Baur of Lake Oswego, Oregon successfully grafted a tomato plant onto the roots of a tobacco plant, which was possible because both plants come from the same family, Solanaceae or nightshade, and furthermore both plants are dicotyledons. (It is not possible to graft monocotyledons, because the xylem and the phloem are distributed in bundles throughout the stem, and therefore it is impossible to align the vascular tissues of the two plants.)
The plant produced fruit that looked like a normal tomato, but Baur suspected that it contained a lethal amount of nicotine and thus would be inedible. Testing later proved that the leaves of the plant contained some nicotine. The world's first tomacco fruit, destroyed in the testing process, contained no nicotine. The second tomacco fruit was given to a Simpsons writer. The third was sold on eBay and the fourth was eaten by a Xerox engineer who suffered no apparent ill effects from the fruit. The Tomacco plant bore fruit until it died in October due to weather-related causes at the ripe age of 18 months, having spent the previous winter indoors.”

Obviously, you can learn more about this in the following address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomacco, where this information was taken from.

I don’t usually copy for my blog, but I found this hilariously interesting. You can also check some really interesting stuff about avocado and chocolate. Did you know they may result harmful to pets? Check it up and have some fun!

P.S. We don’t intend to infringe any copyright laws, and we hope we haven't.

Day 35: How stupid can it get?

OK, here I am, about to return to my creepy office work after some wonderful, blissful and lazy days, during which I went totally blank and served my poor brain some 8 to 12 hours of TV a day. (So long for a person who doesn't like TV, eh?)

Unfortunately, right as I foresaw, someone from the office had to ruin it, adding it up to my own stupidity for answering the phone.

But let's get down to this in order, right? 'Cause I'm quite sure this has happened to every single person on the planet: facing complete and absolute stupidity, which leaves you wondering how these morons have made it to survive to be thirty.

Case no. 1 is plain and simple. Remember this lady I mentioned before? The one who trusts boss's criteria? Regretfuly, she was assigned to cover my post while I was out. (And I bet you can see it coming...) Well, here I am, enjoying my glorious and well deserved break from the office chaos, when my cell phone rings. Stupidly, I must confess, I took the call, just to find myself answering her the stupidest question about the simple location of a simple document. I mean, how come she is able to rumage through my desk in front of my nose while I'm there and she wasn't able to look for it when I wasn't? I was already boiling by then, but the top of it came when, with a very friendly, loving and tender tone she uttered the damned words; 'Oh, we miss you so much around here. There are piles of work here!'.

Doooooh? And what the hell do I care?! That's your assignment now, you a*****e!! You must be thinking I'm taking it too personally, but I do think you need to be brain damaged to tell anyone on vacation such a poisonus, putrid and mean thing! (Of course, the second option is that she is just a... bad... mean... awful... Well, you know what I mean).

Case no. 2 can only be found in Mexico, where regulations are beautiful books destined to collect dust through decades without any conection to reality. And by this I mean the Neighboring Regulation. How stupid, stubborn and maleficent do neighbors need to be in order to slam the w.c. seat cover at 2 in the morning, knowing that the sound is going to spread all over the damn building and that your neighbors downstairs - that's us- wake up at 4 a.m. every day to get to work? And that's just an isolated example. I could write kilometers on these guys' wrongdoings, not to mention the rest of the tennants, specially those with kids.

Case no. 3 is universal, and I mention it because this one hit the news just yesterday. Can you explain to me what parents in the right minds would give a 'Magic Oven' to a 3-year-old child to let her sustain 2nd. degree burns on her fingers? Aaaahhh!! But it was the producers fault, wasn't it? Because they only indicated 'for ages 3 up' on the box, right? Did he forget to stamp the 'Requires Adult Supervision' legend on it? No! It was the stupid parents who forgot to read!! How are they suppossed to be raising a child if they are not even able to pay attention to such tiny details?. It's funny that in some countries you need a license to own a dog, but any idiot can be a parent.

(Sigh) Well, I guess this is the end of my vacation. The only good thing is that I might (please pray to the Powers, my brothers) have a chance to change to a better job soon, where there's no room for this kind of, as we say in Mexico, "burros" (asses=donkeys). No foul language if I can help it, ok? Jajajajajaja.

Day 34: Things to be happy about

February seems to bring good things with its winds. Some things that are making me happy after the awful end of the Christmas season.

1. HOUSE: Finally Universal Channel for Cable in Mexico has announced the release of the third season of 'House'. I've been in love with this guy since the first episode I saw, right in the middle of season 2. I can hardly wait to laugh with his acid remarks and suffer with his new problems.

2. LONG WEEKEND: Next Monday we're taking a long weekend due to the anniversary of the Mexican Constitution. Very welcome because of...

3. VACATIONS: Taking advantage of the long weekend, I scheduled my 5 days of vacation to run from Feb. 6th to Feb 12th, thus taking 10 days off. For goodness' sake I need this break.

4. MOVIES: I'm not a crazy moviegoer, but it's been a while since the last time. My hubby and I are already scheduling 'The Perfume' and 'Hollywoodland' with my dear, handsome, Ben Affleck. He might not be the best actor ever, but I do like his tender puppy eyes. (jajajaja)

5. TAMALES: Today it is Candlemas Day in México, or 'Día de la Candelaria' (DEE-ah -deh- lah- kan-deh-LAH-ree-ah), so we're having tamales for breakfast at the office this morning, for free. Well, free for my co-workers, 'cause I got 'el mono' last January the 6th, and I had to invite part of the tamales, but anyway is good to get away from routine once in a while.

So I hope the wind season brings some positive things to everybody as well.

Day 33: Face or Mask?

I'm really sad because only one of my blog acquaintances shared a happy post with me. Now I'm gonna try a sad post, just to check if it's more popular.

Tons of ink have run discussing human nature, how deffective, treacherus and low it is, and sadly I must say I have found no better. There are exceptions of course, but most of the times I only get to see the worst of how bad we can be, because evil is not only in crime or war, but in the little small devilish things we do to each other day by day. I can live with that, though, since life has not always been kind to me, but what I really can´t stand, what drives me crazy about people is when they pretend to be otherwise, when they actually believe they are the good guys while they're metaphorically executing you.

Just picture this: there's a co-worker, allright?, who is related to one of the company's owners. She believes she's a very nice, good and cooperative person, and that she holds no grudge against anybody. So far so good, right? The scary part began when she casually let slip that she had told 'anecdotically' to her relative that a third co-worker had done some wrong to her, in the belief that the relative would just laugh and let the matter pass due to her nice and wide criterion. I was frozen dead when I heard that. I couldn't help but wonder if this girl was just naive, plainly stupid or machiavelously vicious. Was she really expecting me to buy that idea, or it was another a small part of a bigger plot? The creepy thing is that she seemed absolutely sincere about her statement, as if she believed it was something without any possible consequence for the third co-worker involved.

And that is what makes me sick: if we are gonna be mean, we should at least be honest with ourselves and admit we are mean. I guess that part of the devilry consists in not telling others, to gain their confidence and then destroy them. I'm O.K. with that! But how can someone, anyone, live their lives being so cruel but thinking they're real angels of mercy? How deranged should you be to act like that?

In conclusion, I must say that hypocrisy and lack of honesty really make me mad. If you don't know who you are, then, what do you really know? Do you wear your face, or just a mask?

Day 32: To be happy when there are no Holidays

I just read a question from one of the visitors (Thanks a lot, pal!!), asking about favorite toys. I think that now we have no holidays to celebrate (until Candlemas in Mexico, at least), talking about toys is a good topic to keep the spirits high.

Actually, I must confess I have no favorite toy. If I was told I had to select one to save from a fire or so, I would cry, because all of them have become like my little children (agh, that sounds terrible) to me, but I would select in this order:

1. My little pink pony: he was the one I started my collection with, and he belongs to the first generation, when they used to be less stylized. I've kept him for more than 12 years, so he would be the first one to save.

2. "The Fabulous Fred": probably you don't remember this one. It's sort of the grandfather of portable electronic toys, and I spent half of my life trying to get it from Santa or the Wise King. At last, I ended up buying it myself. I'm pretty good at the memory game, and my best friend was such a good sport to play along with me. Oh, those are good memories.

3. Lion Pillow: I bought this one last year. It's a pillow designed for kids, in the shape of a lion, mane, tail and all. It's absolutely adorable, and pretty comfortable to watch TV with.

4. "The Crow" Movie Maniacs Collection action figure: probably this guy would have to share the first place as well, since I'm a hardcore fan, but he got down here, anyway. Highly collectible.

5. "Destreza" from Lodela: I don't remember the name in English right away, but you all know it: this mechanic board on which you have to place the pieces in order before it "jumps" throwing them around. Noisy, messy and challenging. The dream of any child. On the other hand, I still keep the Original (the Original!) intact.

6. My stuffed pony: originally, I bought it because it resembles Spirit, from the movie. It's a giant (around 3 feet long) stuffed horse, with Spirits marks on it. Absolutely lovely!

7. Teacher Barbie: I decided to buy it just because her uniform looked like the one I used to wear in my old good teaching days, not because I precisely like Barbies.

8. Sakura Card Captors Card Set and doll: O.K, I'm cheating here, but since I got the two card sets and the doll almost at the same time, and they are not available in Mexico anymore, I place them among my favorites.

9. "Darkness" Movie Maniacs Collection action figure: he's not a hero, but he looks absolutely cool. And very, very, very hard to find nowadays.

10. Kim Possible dolls (the 7 I own): They were presents from my family who finally understood my obsession with toys. And again, it's impossible to find them now in Mexico.

I do hope you can share your favorites with me, and I wish we all could go out to play together.

Day 31: The difference between the man and the boy...

... Is the price of the toy.

When I was an English student, this was one of the first ‘sayings’ I learned, and it became one of my favorites because it states a big truth.

Bearing in mind the fits I’ve been throwing due to the fact I wasn’t able to get my Wii Console neither for Christmas nor Epiphany I started thinking about why we collect toys in the adulthood.

The first reason that comes to my mind is that, when I was I child, I only got toys during Winter Holidays and Birthdays. My family was not exactly poor, but we weren’t rich either. Therefore, the election of a toy was something that required a thoughtful consideration. I was able to receive most of the toys I asked Santa and the 3 Wise Kings for, but I still saw that some of my more fortunate cousins or neighbors got more toys or more expensive ones. Who happens to remember how that felt? Consequently, the ability to buy any toy I want nowadays not only represents a relief to my childhood traumas, but a vindication of my adult capacity to be independent and provide to myself.

My second reason is that I was never willing to give up my inner childhood. I still like to sing when I’m happy, make funny faces when I’m angry or hop around the office when I think no one’s looking. Some of my contemporaries consider this childish, of course, but I have never forgotten the feeling of awe and joy regarding the little matters of life. Up to the present day, opening a gift represents an enormous pleasure to me. Discovering how something works, either a computer program or a new toy, continuous to be a source of intellectual joy, very difficult to describe to people who have learnt the usual indifference of adulthood, when the only surprises left are the unpleasant ones. Even in grown-up classes, the value of intake through play has been reassessed as one of the most important learning tools; so, why not play with your toys?

On the other hand, I want to convince myself that my third reason is more adult (jajajaja). When I was a child, let’s be honest, I used to be a real monster. I was totally incapable of taking care of things. You can picture it easily. All my toys got really dirty and so did my books. Many of my toys got lost while moving in and out until my family bought a house of our own, and also many of them were discarded past their life time. (I did play with them, you see?) You can imagine how sad I have been because of that. So nowadays I’m giving myself another chance to be more careful with my toys. I keep them in their original boxes and all of them are as neatly organized as possible, to help them last.

In conclusion, I want to say we shouldn’t be embarrassed if we want to play. If we don’t make an effort to find the time for amusement in this horrible, competitive and merciless working world, we are very likely to lose our sanity as well as our good spirits. Would you like to come out and play?

Day 30: For days gone by...

Is it just me, or the spirit of New Year is already rottening away into the past?

We call it the January Cliff: when the time to pay for all your happily given presents dues... When the holes in your belt seem to have moved backwards... When the credit card bills pile up on your desk while your check account balance plummets to the basement... When you are about to join the long line of people at the "Monte de Piedad" to pawn the Blue Ray DVD Player or the iPod you got for Christmas...

Somehow we look gloomy and depressed. Maybe because the first payday of the year has come and gone... without even saying hello to our wallet. Or it may be the realization of holiday being finally over, with another whole year of work ahead. Personally, I must say the main reason is my exhaustion. After a whole month of weekend parties, I haven't been able to recover my sleep hours yet while, on the other hand, things are getting tougher at work, with people going bananas about overlapping appointments, lack of communication among the same department, total havok at the storing area and my boss grumbling at everybody for no clear reason.

Well... Enough complaints for a day. Some good things I get out of all this mess are that I still keep my ability to laugh at the face of danger, find myself something to do to cover I'm doing nothing (like writing this blog), rebuke wittingly to any bad remark and still keep a smile.

Let's keep fighting!!! =)

Day 29: Epiphany, the time of enlightment

OK, now Epiphany has come and gone. I'm ravenously mad 'cause the 3 Wise Kings, with all their might and power, were unable to get me my Wii Console. Cheaters! I'll have to wait for the next release. (grunt)

Besides that, Epiphany, celebrated in Mexico as the 'Día de Reyes' (The Wise Kings' Day) was plenty of nice things, with mugs filled to the brim with hot cocoa and the most delicious 'rosca', which is a special yeast cake in the form of a ring, decorated with sugar and cristalized fruit. Inside it you may (or may not) find a little plastic representation of Baby Jesus. If you bite your piece and find it, you become obligued to buy the tamales on February the 2nd, 'Día de la Candelaria' (Candlemas day), when Baby Jesus is taken from his crib to church.

And guess what. This year, I got the baby at the office's rosca cutting. I laugh with one eye and shed tears with the other, since many people believe that getting the 'mono' (doll) is a sign of future blessings and prosperity, but I can't avoid thinking about the bleeding tamales will represent to my budget.

So, the time of enlightment was here, with a lot of revelations about people and family. You really get to learn a lot about them during these annual get-togethers. Be calm and quiet, observe and listen, and you'll be surprised with the things you can learn about your relatives, even things you never thought about before.

Happy 'Día de Reyes' (DEE-ah-deh-REH-jehs)!

Day 28: The tough taste of life

I've just read one of the comments I got (THANK YOU!), which made me reflect upon my goal setting for this year. I do believe that we should set ourselves to one difficult task a year at least, not only to prove ourselves, but to keep our skills keen and sharp.

Challenges are a part of life, and most of the times we are faced with them, without the slightest possibility of choice, which makes most people try to run away from them, I think. I'm pretty sure most of us would gladly decline all pain and suffering and sweat that usually accompany such situations.

But, where would the beauty be? What about the swelling feeling of conquer and strength that comes from defeating the storms of life? I think it feels better when I choose my challenges, rather than just wait for life to set them in front of me, especially when, as Terry Pratchett states, the cowards never come one by one, but all at the same time.

Guillermo Prieto said: "The abyss doesn't scare me. Falling water is far more beautiful".

That's why I look forward to selecting my challenges. To prove myself I'm still tough and skilled.

Day 27: Now that the party is over...

OK. Now that the party is over, I think it's the moment to get serious and talk about the New Year's Resolutions. In my country, resolutions are just something you boast about for a week and forget for 12 months. Since I try not to swim with the current, I've set my 12 personal goals for this year, and here they are:

1. Start my diet: for serious health reasons, and being tired of never finding fitting clothes, next Saturday I'm going to the nutriologist, to get a professional meal plan, 'rosca de reyes' or no 'rosca de reyes' (that is, Epiphany cake or not).

2. Stick to it: I've started and dropped several times. I know I can do it, so this time, I'm doing it again, with Nazi discipline.

3. Learn to drive: it really scares the s**t out of me, since I'm afraid of car accidents, but I want to overcome fear in order to gain freedom.

4. Balance my budget: I've never been too good at it, but this year I really want to know where the hell my money goes.

5. Save money: no, this is not a resolution; it's a must. When I was at Citibank, they taught me 'Save your first dollar'. Well, now it's the right moment.

6. No more major purchases: once I get my Wii Console, I won't spent another single penny on things I really don't need. (I'll be too busy paying my car, so this one will be easy).

7. Discard all crazy stuff: it's not the best way to spend weekends or holidays, but you'd be amazed of the amount of crap I've collected through the years. It's time for it to go.

8. Organize my personal papers: again, the amount of papers I've been filing would amaze the FBI. Could you believe I can't find my Citizen ID number? That was the last straw.

9. Get my passport: I'm not sure I'm really gonna need it, but it's pretty useful in case you get your personal ID robbed, as was my case.

10. Regularly visit the doctor and the dentist: as you can see, this time I'm freaked for good, so I'm starting to take good care of myself.

11. Try to reduce the smoking: I won't quit until I wanna do so or because they say so, but I'm definitely starting training for that day.

12. Wash the cat: as stupid as it may seem, you certainly haven't tried to do it yourself at home's shower, with all the buffing and scratching. This time, I'm paying to get it done, so she will stop shedding enough hair to stuff another cat.

So, I've set myself to realistic, achievable and planned goals. Let's see if I'm as good as I think of myself to achieve them all. I'll report on them throughout the year. May God bless you, grant all your wishes and allows you to have a very Happy, Nice and Full-of-Love New Year.

Day 26: Near New Year's Eve

Ok, Christmas is finally over. We have opened the presents, got a diarreah from all the stuff we had for dinner and a headsplitting hang over from everything we drank. So, what's next?

And here comes New Year's Eve, which is celebrated in many countries, by many people from many cultures, all with a different significance and relevance.

Personally, I believe we humans celebrate this as a time for renewal, for starting again. From the ancient cult of the Sun to the modern Christians, or Muslims or Wiccans or whatever, we all remember this is a time to change, and maybe become better individuals and people.

Every year, we prepare a list of wishes or goals that we want to fulfill during the year to come. How many of them did we accomplish for this year? In my case, just a few, but next year I promise myself there will be more, for my "wish list" won't be so, but a list of goals.

And what will they be? That's a subject for another post.

Day 25: Christmas Craze!!!!

I know it's happened to every body. Here you are, having taken all your provisitions for Christmas, and then... something happens. In my case:

1. Job Christmas Craze: There I was, with no single pending before the holiday, when my boss cancels a trip and asks for an urgent translation... due to the 22nd. All suppliers and clients asking for last minute payments and quotes, and, of course, all my peers asking desperately for help 'cause they were behind with their in-trays. Oh, Dear Lord!!

2. Last minute gift hunting: I had done all my shopping since December the 9th. No last minute calls. But, as usual, no matter what I do every year, up pops somebody else that wasn't in the original list. Last night we went on a tour around Costco, Sam's Club and Liverpool department store, all full to the roof with crazy customers. It was hell! (but I got the presents. Ja!)

3. The lost ingredient - the thrill of the fight: again, no matter how much you plan, how many check lists you go through with your people, there's always a missing ingredient for your Christmas dinner. In this case, my hubby forgot the bread (doh!). We had to kill 3 kids and beat 5 old ladies to get 2 stone-cold loaves. The jungle, my lads, the jungle out there.

4. The missing wrapping paper: I don't know you, but every single year I go to Costco in November and buy at least two 3-mile long wrapping paper sheets. I measure the paper to the milimeter, but there never seems to be enough, or someone in the familiy "forgets" to buy more paper than last year's left-overs. And of course, you comb every single stationary to find... NOTHING!

5. The hideous ribbons: No matter how big the bags are (in Mexico, we buy them by the hundreds in bags), they seem to devour each other in it, so we are always short. This year, we decided to be original, and attach stickers, instead of those little freaky canibals.

But finally here we are, ready to eat through the tempting dinner table, destroy the wrappings of loads of presents, and enjoy sharing all the love in the universe with our relatives.

May all your work come to good fruit, and the blessings of the universe shower on you and your families.


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Day 24: Miracles near Christmas.

Affectionately dedicated to the one and single person who stopped by to comment in weeks.
Thanks!!

Although it’s perfectly clear to me that a lot of people don’t believe in God and some other believe too much, I feel obliged to express my joy and surprise regarding how those little miracles, where I like to see “the hand of God”, occur, especially since we are so close to Christmas Eve (only 4 days left!!)

Miracle no. 1: a couple of days ago I was agonizing with thirst, but I was unable to leave my station to get at least some water, and one of my co-workers, out of his generous heart, got to my desk with a nice, freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. Just because.

Miracle no. 2: I’ve been trying for months to find someone going to the States so I can ask them to bring me the new Wii Console, since this is the last time I’ll be able to afford such a purchase for a long time, and nothing. Out of the blue, one of my aunts asked me if I wanted something brought from the States, since she’s leaving next Saturday. Perfect timing!

Miracle no. 3: Today, without prior notice, my boss stepped into the English Class I’m teaching to my peers at my office. Surprisingly, all of them came to class and arrived on time. Considering the absence rate of the last two months, that was a miracle.

Miracle no. 4: my best friend was forced, due to her precarious economic situation, to live with an obnoxious roommate for around a year. Two weeks ago, she came out with the good news she’s been offered a very nice and cheap apartment, so she will finally be able to regain her independence and reunite with her two beloved pet dogs. I felt absolutely happy for her.

Miracle no. 5: unexpectedly, I was able to finish all the pending issues on my in-tray. And my boss will be off the office for one week!!! It’s not exactly a vacation but, hey, it’s better than anything.

I’m not exactly a religious person, and I don’t intend to preach to anybody (I do hate people who do so), but I also believe the hand of God, the Lord, the Almighty, whatever you decide to call that force beyond our understanding, can be seen in daily life.

You may feel sad (as I felt) reading the newspapers today, which bore these horrible, bloody headlines about people killed by drunk-driving because of the “Posadas”. You may question why all the bad things happen, especially during this particular season, but I also try to look around, into the small things, to remember that good things can also happen.

Funny thing is I wanted it to be a happy post, but it went out of my hands, and it almost wrote itself. Anyway, I promise to be careful, not to drive if I drink, and continue with the jolly spirit.

NOTE: This post has been waiting in my PC for 2 days due to the version change. Am I a muggle, or some of these things are really complicated?

Day 23: Only 6 days 'till Xmas

I'm starting to get depressed 'cause nobody comments on my blog. Has anyone noticed I try to write as frequently as possible?

But on a totally different matter, It's only 6 days left to Christmas!!! We have had our Secret Santa at the office and I got my Superman Returns DVD, and the Christmas Party was held at Antigua Hacienda de Tlalpan, one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city. The food was absolutely delicious and more than abundant, since I couldn't finish the main course (!). There was live music and all you wanted to drink, including a superb sweet sparkling white wine for the company's toast. Definitely, one of the best parties ever.

On the other hand, my family held a wonderful get-together, with piñata, prank presents and sit-down dinner. It wasn't exactly like the good old times, when we all exchanged presents, but we kept the good spirits, anyway.

I'm currently looking forward to the turkey and the wonderful apple salad. There can't be Christmas without it. It's part of our family tradition. I hope the menu can live up my expectations, 'cause this is gonna be the last time I'll allow myself to eat whatever I want in any quantity my stomach can resist. Reason, of course, New Year's purpose to go on a diet (well, at least try again as hard as possible).

My wishes to Santa? Keep in good health, get a better job next year, a new Wii console and a couple of days off to recover from all the partying.

Day 22: Wonderful "Posadas" Goofs

In Mexico we traditionally celebrate a series of parties called the “Posadas”. They are held from December the 16th to December 24th, that is, the number of days it took Mary and Joseph to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, prior to Jesus birth, being the one held on Christmas Eve the last one, when they finally found shelter in the “Pesebre” (“The Barn” or “The Cave”).

The most orthodox “Posada” includes certain rites directly related to the religious origin of the gathering. First, you have to walk around the block in a “peregrinación” (pilgrimage), carrying effigies of the “Santos Peregrinos” (the Holy Pilgrims, i.e., Mary, who is usually depicted riding a donkey, and Joseph, walking by her side), reciting a litany, or prayer, and holding candles. When you finally arrive at the host’s door, all people outside have to “pedir posada”, that is, to ask the “inn keeper” for shelter for the night, with a traditional chant. Although it has been shortened through the years, the “inn keeper” has to deny entrance to the pilgrims at least twice before “recognizing” Mary and Joseph and let them in with joy.

And here’s where the funny part begins, since it’s very common for people to be reading with their chant book in one hand and their candle in the other... right below some girl’s fluffy pony tail. So, you can imagine the amount of haircuts needed during the season.

On the other hand, there are the wonderful, fun and lovely “piñatas”. By now you probably know that a piñata is a sculpture made of macce paper in any form you like which is hung from a rope so people can beat it. The most common ones in Mexico have a base of “tepalcate”, that is, a clay jar, and the form of a star, representing the devil. The parable is that the devil (the piñata) is broken by faith (the cane or log used to break the piñata) and the blessings (the candy and fruit the piñata is filled with) will fall upon the devote ones (the participants).

Taking into account that the person who intends to break the piñata is blindfolded by a “paliacate” (a big, colorful handkerchief), it would only be a matter of common sense to keep yourself as far away as possible from the wielder, wouldn’t it? Well, truth is, it is not.

Every year, people get either hit by the cane straight in the head in this wonderful baseball fashion, by the piñata itself, flying off its string after a good hit or candy bursting unexpectedly out of the piñata during a particularly violent swing of the rope. And it doesn’t end there. When the candy spills out of the piñata, both children and grown ups take the dive of their lives in order to gain as much candy, toys and fruit as possible, most of the times landing one on top of the other. (ouch!)

But don’t start panicking yet. Amazingly, very few serious accidents occur, since most of the time parents and relatives keep a close eye on their children, preventing them from suffering an accident. In my life-long experience, the worst I’ve seen was a bump in the forehead (when the piñata’s belly suddenly ripped off and the falling candy got me straight in the face).

So, if there’s any chance you may come to Mexico, be sure you get invited to a “Posada”, or at least to a “Pre-Posada” (a posada held before Dec. 16th), not only for the folklore, but for all the fun you can have at it.

Day 21: Christmas Folley's... in Advance!

For once, we're not gonna complain, but tell something that's really worth mentioning.

Despite the previous complaints, I must say that there is, in general, a good sense of humor and a ludicrous spirit at my work place, which has started to develop with the season.

It all began with yours trully, who shown up one day sporting a Santa Claus red hat, white trim and all, which caused the whole office to laugh to tears, since I really looked funny with it.

Next day, another co-worker arrived with a wonderful 'Rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer' nose prop, which flashed in a fancy red light. Don't ask me where he bought it, but he was the office's sensation of the day.

And today, one of the guys brought in an electric Santa that, whenever you approach to it, sings a song, turns around and pulls his pants down! Although such toys are pretty common in the U.S., we all found it hillarious!

I hope we can keep the spirits up to the end of the season.

Day 20: The usual Christmas stuff

Right before Xmas, people tend to show their worst and their best:

Their worst:

- Mood swings: Ex: 'Why the hell do you take so long to answer the f***ing phone?' while tests were being run on it.
- Secrecy: if we are participating in a gift exchange, why do they wait so long to list their expected presents?
- Selfishness: 'I'm listing everything I'm not gonna buy myself'
- Rancor: 'I'll die if I have to give a present to X'
- More Rancor: 'I'll die if X was designated to give me my present'
- Depression: 'me? at a Xmas party? No way. I'll get too depressed'
- Indifference: 'a Xmas party? what for? They're soooo boring'

On the other hand, I've also seen their best:

- Joy: 'I'm happy because we're one day closer to Xmas'
- Generosity: 'I'll give something to the office keeper. She's been so helpful' (whether that's true or not).

- Forgiveness: 'well, he's been a jerk all year, but it's Christmas, you know?'

- Care: 'oh, you're in charge of the party? Is there anything you may need help with?'

- Enthusiasm: ' a xmas party? Sure, I'd love to go' (and they actually go).

It's just the beginning, and there will be more things to see, but I truly believe the best will best the worst.

Place your bets, people.

Day 19: Season nostalgia

Christmas is just around the corner, and the shopping spree is just about to begin. While I look at the store windows and observe the kinds of toys available nowadays, I can't stop thinking about how Christmas used to be when I was a child (lacrimogen, isn't it?).

Just think about this: when we were kids, Xmas decorations weren't set up until December the 1st. at least, and now we get to see them (at least in Mexico) since September. On the other hand, most of the decorations used to be home made, while now there are so many dancing Santas, snowmen and red-nosed rainders to make any electrician sick. Many toys have become complicated electronic devices that just "play themselves", meaning there's little interaction between player and toy, but some others are so cool I cry in outrage because they weren't invented earlier, to which my husband usually states this is because frustrated children of the past became current grown-up toy designers.

And regarding Xmas TV specials... Well, there used to be Xmas specials, like "The Christmas Toy", featuring the wonderful Jim Henson's workshop's muppets, instead of these unsavory, ill-oriented two-hour-length commercial vehicles. Now that's something I miss. Luckily, I have no children to bind me to sit and watch such a crap as "Barbie and the nutcracker" (blaaaaghhh!!)with them.

One more thing: name one single person who doesn't miss receiving presents from mom, dad, granny, santa, etc., without having to worry about choosing the right one for everybody.

Day 18: Autumn, only in the calendar.

According to the calendar, we haven’t even reached the winter, but the season is already upon us.

Yesterday, a 5°C temperature and the holiday made almost all people in the city stay home. Sky was dark and cloudy and scarves and gloves finally made it out of the closet, which is kind of unlikely for Mexican people, since our weather conditions used to be more benign during this season.

Since I was complaining about the cold at my workstation, which happens to be the front desk, a co-worker of mine was pulling my leg by reminding me of the low temperatures I would have to endure if I were living in Canada, since I had mentioned the migration topic a couple of days ago. It’s difficult for me to imagine what it would be like to go to work across 60 cm of snow, but I would be glad to give it a try taking into account central heating is known in those latitudes.

On the other hand, my beloved cat is also suffering the effects. This morning, she went into the closet where the electric heater is stored and sat directly in front of it. After a couple of minutes, she started meowing and looking reproachfully at us, as if demanding it to be turned on. Now, that’s a measure of how cold it was.

So, right now, I’m enjoying the pleasure of cold feet, blue fingers and wearing earmuffs, which are practically unknown in my city, thus causing people to turn around to have a second look at those funny things I’ve been wearing. Needless to say I was the envy of the office, since I was the only one sporting a natural ear color.

Day 17: Oh, the annoying season’s blue!

Most of the time, I find myself in a bad timing. Most people get the season’s blue near Christmas, even New Year’s Eve. Me, I’m suffering it right now.

It’s really, really depressing to start counting your money for the Xmas presents... and discover you’re way short of it. To start evaluating what you’ve achieved throughout the year... and discover it hasn’t mounted much. To begin your Xmas wish list... only to discover some things will have to be out of your budget. And it doesn’t get better when one of your bosses craps on you just because he’s a jerk. Man, that really pissed me!

But, if I am to be really honest, I can’t crave on these feelings for too long. For a couple of days, I was feeling real down, as if there were no hope left, and somehow it was OK. But I got bored pretty soon. Feeling down requires a lot of effort, believe it or not, and one becomes tired of it. It’s difficult for me to stay “parked” on a single moment for long.

So, I started counting the good things. On the bright side, one thing has turned out right from all these crappy feelings, because suddenly I realized that not everything is that bad. On the one hand, me and my family are reasonably healthy and we’re not precisely bankrupt, and on the other hand, frustration can be turned into a new source of motivation. My job’s a piece of s**t? Well, time to start looking for a new one. My budget’s so tiny you can barely see the black numbers? Well, baby, ‘s time to start saving.

So, although I haven’t solved all my problems yet, and I still feel a bit upset, I think I’ll be able to work on my feelings ahead enough to get to Xmas with a smile on my face that’s not only skin deep, but a bit more sincere than other people’s.

Maybe getting the season’s blue ahead is not that bad, after all.

Day 16: Usual Annoying Stuff

I've realized there are certain patterns or circumstances that happen repeatedly, in a kind of 'Murphy's Law' way, which are certain to drive crazy the unsuspecting victim (especially if that victim is me).

1. The 'last minute phone call'. You've had a very boring, inactive day and, exactly when you're about to leave your workstation, someone calls with a matter that will take at least 20 min. to solve.

2. The 'lost visitor'. It doesn't matter how many directories are printed at the building's entrance or the size of their letter. At least 3 people a day will poke their heads into your office asking for directions... inside the same building.

3. The 'untimely phone call'. For sure, when your boss is calling you on one line, the general manager is screaming indications at you from the other side of your desk and you have 3 visitors waiting in line to talk to you, there will be a phone call that will steal at least 3 minutes, asking you for something that doesn't have anything to do with your department/area/functions.

4. The 'unpunctual mate'. It never fails. The exact day you're about to starve to death at lunch time, your replacement will arrive at least 20 min. late.

5. The 'missing supply'. The very day you need something you never think about due to an emergency, you will discover, with terror, the office has run out of that particular supply.

6. The 'absent courier'. The same applies here. When you most need to send a delivery, your courier boy will have gone out 5 minutes before.

7. The 'boss' emergency'. Another one you can certainly count on. Whenever your boss is out on a trip, something that requires his immediate attention will happen.

8. The 'pesky visitor'. A regular nightmare in most offices, some visitors will never understand how annoying and uncomfortable it is to have them hanging around while the work is piling up on your head, especially if they've got nothing specific to do at your workstation.

9. The 'could I ask you a favor' guy/girl. I don't know if the phrase is the same in other countries, but it is absolutely true that whoever begins his/her speech with this phrase, means trouble or confrontation... for you.

10. And last, but not least, The 'I'm the boss' boss. There's one at every working place; this wonderful guy/girls who seems to believe that authority and respect are a given of their particular position, and take for granted the "privileges" of being such. I particulary loathe these guys, 'cause respect and privileges are not received, but earned. On the other hand, they scould you for getting in 2 min. late, while they get to the office 20 min. late every day.

So, if you thought it only happened to you, let me tell you you're not alone in the nightmarish world of office work.

Day 15: Common Law Partners

Right now the Representatives in my country are about to vote a law intended to protect the interests of both sides in a Common Law Partnership, but one of the Democratic Revolution Party representatives said in an interview that he would abstain from voting for “religious reasons”.

Although I respect every point of view, I found this situation laughable. How come a politician, who is supposed to be neutral in any circumstance, suddenly turns out to be a religious person and use this as an argument facing a social issue? It’s ridiculous.

Personally, I myself live under a Common Law Partnership, which has resulted in one of the best experiences of my life, since now every aspect of daily life and major decisions have to be negotiated in order to protect both participants’ interests. Taking into consideration that partnership results into some kind of business-like relationship, it seems pretty stupid to deny the protection of a regulatory law to same-sex partners.

My point is that, if we have accepted the existence of roommates, which usually belong to the same sex, why is it that complicated to admit the existence of same-sex couples? Does it make a difference if they share a bed or not?

On the other hand, it is true that, if a roommate dies, it is his or her family who makes decisions on the property left at their apartment, if no provisions were made. So, if intelligent roommates protect each other by signing responsibility contracts (as I personally did many years ago) and an accurate listing of each other’s possessions, why shouldn’t something similar apply to partnerships and be respected by the partners’ families? Supposedly, in Mexico a will is a will as long as it is handwritten and in a wax-sealed envelope.

In conclusion, I would like to say that it is more than time that we finally separated social and governmental issues from religion. It has been demonstrated several times through history that religion has caused more social problems than it has solved.

Day 14. Let's go for something different

Ok, well, finally I've made up my mind and started writing this blog in English, in order to practice my skills and to see if by this means I get more readers, due to the fact that most of the blogs I've been reading are written in this language.

I've spent most of the afternoon reading blog entries, and found it sweet. Since it is not allowed to read books in the office (to keep the appereances, you know), this is the closest to reading at least 8 mini-stories along the day. It's like having your own short-stories book, pretending you're working. Ja, ja.

On the other hand, it's possible to see how other people deal keep their hobbies with real passion. Bird watching, knitting, painting, were only a few of the hobby-related blogs I found. Totally amazing.

Today I got pretty lucky my boss had an appointment outside the office, so I found a moment to relax and write without too many interruptions. Of all the working possibilities, definitely I picked the worst - recepcionist. To be honest, I do hate it, but I consider myself smart enough to recognize that the best way to find a job is from your current job.

Regarding a totally different matter, today starts our holiday "Day of the Dead". Pity, my slave-style boss is making us work tomorrow, so I won't have a single chance to visit all the interesting places and exhibits that were set up around the city. Now that really makes me sad.

Día 13: Halloween at last!

Que no se diga que pasó el Halloween y yo no escribí nada.

Para mi mala suerte, me quitaron la máquina más de 4 hrs. en el trabajo y no pude preparar nada en sí, pero que quede constancia que sí traté de escribir algo.

Este no ha sido un Halloween muy feliz, porque no me ha ido precisamente bien, pero tampoco particularmente mal. Sea este tiempo de evaluar cómo nos ha ido para ver qué podemos cambiar.

Probablemente la Gran Calabaza no me visite este año, porque no he sido precisamente una buena niña, mas no he cometido tampoco las perversidades que he pensado.

Brujas, espectros, fantasmas, sed bienvenidos durante estos días de renovación.

Por cierto, me robaron una historia que tengo en la cabeza desde los 13 años en "El Laberinto del Fauno", pero mi reino no es subterráneo. Mi reino está en las estrellas.

Lloré como niño chiquito.

Día 12: Maravillosos Días de Otoño

El cielo está azul y sin nubes. Cuando te paras en el sol, te requemas, y cuando te paras en la sombra, te da frío. La temperatura por la mañana es la exacta para hacernos agradecer el contraste cuando pasas de la calle al abrazo cálido de la oficina o el hogar, y no me digan que no se siente rico. Obligan el atolito o el café en las mañanas que, ahora sí, ya tienen su color correcto a la hora correcta, al haber terminado el nefasto e idiota dizque “horario de verano”.

Los fines de semana, los tianguis huelen a mandarinas, chilacayotes y guayabas. Los puestos de dulces tradicionales desparraman abejas atraídas por la calabaza en tacha, y los niños hacen caras chistosas al embutirse las calaveras de azúcar de una sola vez en la boca. Todavía se encuentran algunos puestos que venden papalotes, hoy de plástico, antaño de papel de china. Ahora hay platitos de barro con comida “de mentiritas” para la ofrenda, y se mezclan las calaquitas de barro con “jack o’lanterns” plasticosos.

El cielo está azul y sin nubes, invitando a la nostalgia, cuando jugaba con mis primos en la casa de mi abuelo, allá en “Contreras” (la Del. Magdalena Contreras, pues), a ver quién volaba más alto su papalote, o a quién le duraba más la linterna de chilacayote con su vela adentro y su tan característico aroma. Cuando nos trepábamos como changos a la resbaladilla de 1 piso de altura del jardín a ver pasar, en el horizonte limpiado por los vientos, “el tren largo”, que tardaba 20 minutos en atravesar el tramo de vía que se divisaba desde casa de mi abuelo.

También es el otoño la temporada de los amaneceres rosados y violetas, y los crepúsculos violentamente naranjas y misteriosamente púrpuras, y también de la luna de Octubre, que siempre es la más hermosa.

Cuando yo era niña, el otoño era la época del regreso a clases, del Día de Muertos, del Día de la Raza y del Aniversario de la Revolución. Ahora, no parece sino un triste anticipo de la temporada navideña, donde tenemos el (dudoso) privilegio de ver, con casi 3 meses de anticipación, los decorados navideños que, aunque son muy bonitos, como que diluyen el hechizo y el placer del otoño, tiempo de brujas, de muertos y de magia.

Día 11: Las películas más terroríficas de la infancia.

Leer el blog de un cuate que habla sobre sus miedos infantiles me hizo recordar, con una sonrisa medio avergonzada, cuánto miedo me provocaron, incluso por años, ciertas películas que me tocó ver en mi tierna, hiperimaginativa y extremadamente impresionable infancia.

Es probable que muchos no recuerden muchas de estas películas. En ocasiones ni yo sé cómo se titulaban o quién actuaba, pero sí recuerdo claramente las largas noches insomnes y las caídas de la cama por las pesadillas, y recuerdo también aprender a lidiar con el miedo a lo desconocido. Cierto es que pasé muchos años aterrorizada por los fantasmas, pero también es cierto que aprendí a combatir el miedo.

Ahí va la lista:

El Ataúd del Vampiro, con Germán Robles. La ví cuando tenía como siete años, en la tele. La música espeluznante, la loca palidísima que salía ahí y los túneles secretos reforzaban la aterradora imagen del vampiro chupasangre. Por años dormí con las cobijas hechas taquito alrededor del cuello para protegerme de la mordida.

El Santo vs. Las Momias de Guanajuato. Méndiga película espantaniños. Aparte de la horrenda impresión de ver a la momia grandota caminar lenta y amenazadoramente con los brazos extendidos para ahorcar a su víctima, hay una escena donde el “second” de uno de los cuates del Santo despierta a media noche y ve a contra luz de la ventana la silueta de la momia antes de que la momia lo estrangule. ¡Ay, nanita! Cuando me cambié de casa, había un farol afuera de mi ventana y se veía igualito que en la película. No pude dormir por meses.

Furia de Titanes. De por sí la película era impresionante para su época, pero ver la cabeza de la estatua “convertirse” en carne, y el primer plano de este kraken que parecía hecho de piezas de armadura medieval, pasmaba del susto a cualquiera.

El Retorno del Jedi. En general la película era bien light, pero mi primera impresión de este personaje “Beeb Fortuna”, con sus asquerosos tentáculos en la cabeza y sus ojos rojos me hizo caer de la cama más de una vez.

El Exorcista. Esto es francamente ridículo pero, aunque nunca la ví de chica, por añísimos le tuve mucho miedo a esta película. Literalmente tuvieron que arrastrarme para ver la versión del director. Y ya cuando la ví, bah, no aguanta.

Poltergeist. Esta sí nunca he logrado verla completa, ni antaño ni hogaño. Aunque la historia es muy buena, la escena esa donde el bistec camina por la barra, se agusana y el tipo se arranca la cara frente al espejo ha excitado mis mejores pesadillas.

Más Negro que la Noche. Esta la ví cuando andaba por ahí de mis felices 14 o algo así. Fue la primera película de terror que pude ver completita y que le encontré el gusto, aunque por mucho tiempo le tuve miedo a los retratos que estaban en casa de una tía mía por esa película. Lo que no cambió fue mi amor a los gatos.

Y estas son las películas más terroríficas que recuerdo haber visto en la infancia. Seguramente ví más, pero las que más recuerdo son éstas. Y en algunos casos particulares, ciertas películas (como “El Aro” o la primera vez que ví “El Proyecto de la Bruja de Blair”) todavía me remiten a esa sensación de total y medroso desconcierto.

Ojalá todos recordáramos más seguido cómo nos sentíamos cuando éramos niños.

Día 10: Halloween

Parece haberse convertido en una tradición geek. Todos los geek bloggers de que tengo noticia publican (me revienta el anglicismo “postear”) una lista de películas que recomiendan para la temporada halloween-día de muertos.

Pero antes de enlistar mis películas favoritas, quiero comentar un comercial que recién ví en la tele, donde una calaverita de azúcar aplasta a un “jack-o-lantern” (calabaza de halloween) y proclama que “unas tradiciones tienen más peso que otras”. Esto es un gravísimo error cultural.

En nuestro país mestizo, todo tiende a mezclarse en una revoltura sin sabor ni color. Yo solía odiar el Halloween por tal razón hasta que, en una acalorada discusión familiar sobre las tradiciones locales vs. la cultura de la aldea global (para que vean qué clase de familia tengo), una de mis tías, que viaja muchísimo, me iluminó con un comentario muy acertado: en su opinión, Halloween es una celebración para los niños, mientras que el Día de Muertos, con sus raíces católicas más solemnes, es un poquito más de adultos y, por ende, un poco más aburrido para los chicos.

Y resulta que estoy totalmente de acuerdo con ella. Si lo analizamos objetivamente, la tradición mexicana, con sus visitas a los cementerios y las reuniones familiares para compartir la ofrenda, está más a cargo de los adultos que de los chicos, los cuales tienen que hacer gala de sus mejores modales (cuando los tienen, claro) para respetar el espíritu solemne de la ocasión. Por su parte, el Halloween es la ocasión que tienen los enanos de hacerse dueños de lo misterioso, lo aterrador y, como resultado, de sus miedos.

Por tanto, considero de capital importancia que continuemos educando biculturamente a nuestros pipiolos. Una cosa es el Halloween y otra el Día de Muertos; uno es norteamericano y el otro mexicano; los gringos piden “trick or treat”; los mexicanos piden “calaverita”. A los estadounidenses les gusta disfrazarse de fantasmas, brujas y calabazas; nosotros nos disfrazamos de monjes, “catrinas” y “chupacabras”. Los gringos comen dulces de maíz, nosotros calaveritas de azúcar. Y ambos festejos son muy bonitos, cada uno a su manera.

Y hablando de las maneras en que celebramos estas fechas, una de las mías es sentarme a ver, a lo largo de la última quincena de Octubre y la primera semana de Noviembre, una lista de películas que considero apropiadas para la temporada. No están en ningún orden específico, salvo una, y todas las veo porque tienen que ver algo con el misterio, lo sobrenatural o los monstruos.

-Shreck
-Batman (la de Tim Burton, por supuesto)
-Vampire Princess Miyu
-Grave of the Fireflies
-The Nightmare Before Christmas
-Sexto Sentido
-Ghost
-Van Helsing
-Hellboy
-The Crow (la única y auténtica de Brandon Lee. Esta es a fuerzas para el 30 o 31 de Octubre)
-Sleepy Hollow
-La Leyenda del Jinete Sin Cabeza (la de Disney. Es maravillosa)
-Una Noche en la Árida Montaña (Penúltimo segmento de “Fantasía”, de Disney)
-Piratas del Caribe, La Maldición del Perla Negra
-La Momia
-La Momia Regresa

De las cuales, llevo vistas cuatro hasta el momento, así que supongo que debo apresurarme. Espero que alguien más también las vea y las disfrute tanto como yo.

Día 9: you know you're hooked on House when...

Tengo 33 años y por primera vez me compré un yo-yo rojo y aprendí a jugarlo en 6 hrs. porque el Dr. House juega al yo-yo.

El Dr. Gregory House siempre busca mantener su mente ocupada en algo. Ya sean video juegos, pelotas o el yo-yo, trata de mantenerse activo. Su gran enemigo es el tedio intelectual. Y he de decir que el mío también. Muchos años cargué en mi mochila (siempre cargo mochila) un "tetris", de esos de 10 pesos, para poder entretenerme cuando no podía leer (porque siempre cargo material de lectura). Por lo mismo, casi no veo televisión, excepto unos pocos programas seleccionados, entre los que se encuentran "Psych", "Monk" y, por supuesto, "House, M.D."

Siempre me he considerado una persona muy cerebral y estoy orgullosa de ello. Y por ello se siente bonito tener un pretexto más para poder hacer en público todas las cosas "raras" que nos gusta hacer a los geeks. Vamos, si el común de los mortales imitan a las "Esposas Desesperadas", toman como ejemplo a la nefasta "La fea más bella" y se visten como los insufribles de "RBD", ¿por qué no imitar, entonces, a aquellos personajes que realmente nos dan buenos ejemplos?

Por supuesto, no me refiero al comportamiento obsesivo-compulsivo de Monk o a la conducta amarga de House (aunque yo en lo particular la encuentro maléficamente adorable), sino a los ejemplos de la satisfacción que produce el trabajo intelectual, ya que, para mí, ser más razonables (o sea, razonar mejor), es acercarnos al ideal del ser humano.

Y por eso, a los 33 años de edad, me compré un yo-yo y estoy aprendiendo a jugarlo, por el puro goce de aprender algo nuevo.

día 8: fumadores vs. no fumadores

Estoy francamente hasta la gorra de todas las personas que se quejan de los fumadores.

Dos ejemplos recientes (y resentidos): una compañera del trabajo que "para la trompa" y con la voz más chillona y desagradable clama por que "respeten a los no fumadores; no fumen en espacios cerrados"... ¡en una trinche oficina 'smoker friendly'!

Por otra parte, un primo de mi mareado, que se pasó 10 minutos de una conversación enumerando cuántas personas de su familia han muerto por el tabaco y haciendo hincapié en cuánto odia al tabaco, "como si fuera una persona, un asesino".

La neta, me cargan los "cuchillitos de palo". Estoy hasta la santa m***e de la gente que insiste en imponer su trinche punto de vista a producto de gallina con el pretexto del respeto a los derechos de los no fumadores. ¿Y que hay del respeto a los derechos de los fumadores?

Todos sabemos que el tabaco MATA. Sí, mata. Te quema los pulmones, provoca infartos, derrames cerebrales o muerte lenta por asfixia. YA LO SABEMOS. El tabaco es un trinche vicio caro, apestoso y sucio. YA LO SABEMOS. Los no fumadores se pueden morir por convivir con un fumador. YA LO SABEMOS. Todos los malditos fumadores del mundo lo sabemos, y hemos decidido seguir fumando.

Y ahora resulta que en ningún trinche lado se puede fumar. Vamos, yo respeto a los no fumadores. Estoy totalmente de acuerdo en que haya "espacios libres de humo de tabaco", pero estoy hasta el sombrero de que los espacios no se repartan equitativamente. ¡Ahora todos los malditos espacios públicos les pertenecen a los no fumadores! ¿Y qué? ¿Los fumadores ya no tenemos derechos o qué car***os? Hombre, si lo que quieren es que la gente no fume, ¡pues prohíban el tabaco, por el amor de Dios!

Y por lo mismo, le doy las más cumplidas gracias a mi querido jefecito, que les pinta cremitas en sus caritas a todos los no fumadores y mantiene una política de "fuma lo que quieras, donde quieras". Y al que no le guste, pues ya puede ir renunciando, ¿verdad?

Día 7: Ver el mundo como es

House (to Dr. Cuddy): You see the world as it is, and you see the world as it could be. What you don't see is what everybody else sees. The giant gaping chasm in between... You’re not happy unless things are just right. Which means two things. You’re a good boss. And you’ll never be happy.

(Humpty Dumpty, Season 2)

House (a la Dr. Cuddy): Tú ves el mundo como es, y también como podría ser. Lo que no ves es lo que el resto del mundo sí ve: el gigantesco abismo entre ambos... No eres feliz a menos que las cosas estén realmente bien. Lo que significa dos cosas: Eres una buena jefa... Y nunca serás feliz

(Humpty Dumpty, 2da. Temporada)

Esta frase del Dr. House me conmovió hasta las lágrimas, porque parecía que me hablaba directamente a mí en el momento justo. Es horrible saber lo que está mal, y saber cómo cambiarlo, y tener que oponerse a 5, 10 o 20 personas o 100 millones de ellas que insisten en seguir en el error.

Esto no significa que proclame poseer la Única Verdad verdadera. No, no. Esto significa únicamente que en este momento estoy viendo todos los días cómo la empresa para la que trabajo se va a la ch****da de a poquito todos los días porque nadie quiere renunciar a sus "privilegios" y esforzarse en hacer las cosas mejor, mientras que otros nos matamos tratando de hacer las cosas bien.

Lo más, más triste es que he tenido la oportunidad de comentar esta situación con uno de los dueños de la empresa y, cuando indiqué quiénes y en qué andan mal, se me quedó viendo con cara de que les tengo envidia o los quiero fregar. No se quiso dar cuenta de que en realidad lo que ando cuidando es mi pan.

Y eso pasa a todos los niveles: familiar, laboral, condominal, vecinal, delegacional, etc. Nadie quiere aceptar que estamos mal, y que el cambio que podría hacer mejores nuestras vidas no es un trabajo horrible, sino una evolución con el único propósito de hacer la vida más fácil y cómoda.

House tiene razón. No se puede ser feliz cuando sabes que el mundo podría ser mejor, pero nunca lo será.

Día 6: ¿mamá yo?... ¡ni m***es!

El otro día me tocó ver en las noticias matutinas del canal once un reportaje en el cual se analizaban los motivos por los cuales las parejas modernas no tenían hijos.
El reportaje tuvo sus pros y contras, lo que me motivó a escribir esta entrada en particular.

Uno de los pros fue el tono neutral e informativo con el que se comenzó a manejar la nota, indicando las estadísticas de natalidad y entrevistando a algunas parejas sobre una base muy sencilla. Uno de los contras fue la clásica entrevista a la "abuelita sin nietos".

Una de las razones mencionadas era que las parejas prefieren gastarse su dinero en ellos mismos, saliendo a restaurantes, viajando, comprándose cosas, en vez de hacerse cuadritos la cabeza pensando en lo caro que cuesta educar y mantener a un niño: entre pañales, médicos y escuelas, sin incluir la universidad, te gastas la friolera de alrededor de un millón y medio de pesos .

Por el lado contrario, una de las declaraciones de la abuelita fué, simplemente, que las parejas modernas son "egoístas". Así nomás.

Algunas de las "razones" que he escuchado en pro de tener hijos son: "tener quién me entierre"; "para que no se me vaya el marido"; "porque ya es tiempo"; "para que no se me vaya el tren"; "pues porque hay que tenerlos, ¿no?"; "pos, ¿pa' quién trabajo, si no?"; "pues porque ya quiero ser papá", y un millón de p*****adas de ese calibre.

Por otra parte, las razones que han llamado mi atención a favor de no tener hijos son:"ya somos demasiados"; "¿para qué, si ya nos estamos acabando el mundo"; "en vez de producir uno más, ¿por qué no mejor adoptar un niño huérfano'"; "en México, tener hijos es dar esclavos al poder"; "si yo no me considero una buena persona, ¿cómo voy a pensar siquiera que podría ser un buen padre?"; etc.

O sea, como dijeron en una emisión de "Diálogos en Confianza", nadie tiene una verdadera buena razón para tener hijos. Los hijos fungen como herramientas para alcanzar ciertas metas psicológicas y, cuando estas son obtenidas, son descartados, ya sea por medio del abandono de hecho, el abandono psicológico, el descuido y/o el maltrato. Nadie realmente asume que la verdadera razón de reproducir la única especie "racional" en el planeta es para crear mejores seres humanos.

En resumen, lo que realmente quiero decir es que, en mi experiencia personal, la sola idea de tener un hijo (ni pensar en varios) me da náuseas, y me hace hervir la sangre que la gente asuma que, por mi condición de mujer (que para empezar yo no escogí), a fuerzas tendría que desear tener un hijo. Ni m****es. He visto la ch***a que es andar cargando el bodoque, cambiándole los trinches pañales apestosos, lidiando con los berrinches, mentando madres porque el mugre escuincle no quiere hacer la tarea, etc., namás porque de entrada los papás tenían caca en la cabeza y se aventaron a lo p****ejo a encargar pipiolos. ¿Y aún así insisten en que debemos tener hijos para complacer a los familiares? Neta que ya ni la friegan.

Día 5: lo que realmente odio de mi trabajo

Cierto es que debemos dar gracias en este país por tener chamba. Olvidémonos de un trabajo realmente apegado a la legislación vigente (eso ya es un sueño guajiro). En la mayoría de los casos, con saber de dónde vendrá el pan basta. Pero lo que realmente me carga es la injusticia aplicable a los individuos, particularmente a mí.

Si estoy tomando un trinche curso por instrucciones de la empresa, y mi break es de 15 minutos, ¿por qué todo el triste mundo me pide que atienda los asuntos de mi área en ese tiempo, si ya se asignó a una persona para que me cubra? El resto de los asistentes se fue muy contento por su café y sus galletas, y a mí, que me muerda un triste perro, porque parece que si yo no estoy a cargo, la maldita oficina se viene abajo. O qué, por mi posición ¿no tengo derecho a los mismos privilegios que los demás? ¿O los demás son más guajes que yo?

La mera neta, estoy hasta la gorra. No tengo palabras decentes para expresar mi frustración (y asumo que la de muchos individuos) cuando veo que todo el mundo hace lo que se le pega la gana menos yo.

Siendo absolutamente objetivos sobre las conductas laborales, especialmente en empresas pequeñas, las más de las veces las personas que gozan de ciertos privilegios debieron hacer algo para ganarlos, y no me importa si lo lograron por antigüedad o por darle las nalgas al jefe; eso es intrascendente. Lo que me priva es que no nos digan qué hay que hacer para obtener lo mismo. O sea, siquiera den chance, ¿no?

Y para acabar de rematar esta triste anécdota, sufro del síndrome del perfecto trabajador. Bueno, eso es algo que en México no se ve muy seguido, pero sucede así: tú llegas y checas tu tarjeta a tiempo, haces tu trabajo normal, regresas puntual de tu hora de comer... te aplicas, pues, porque ves que a tus compañeros les meten unas fertilizadas marca "llorarás" cuando la riegan ¿no? Entonces tu estás creando antencedentes pa' cuando la riegues, o cuando venga la próxima evaluación salarial, ¿cierto?

¿Y funciona? ¡PUES CLARO QUE NO! Siempre sucede que, si TÚ la riegas, te fertilizan PEOR que a los compañeros más inútiles. Entonces, ¿para qué esforzarse, no?

¡PUES TAMPOCO! Los perfectos trabajadores nos esforzamos por motivos más allá del salario o la empresa. Nos esforzamos porque somos como el Dr. House: hay que destacarse de la bola sea como sea. Si lo único que podemos hacer es tratar de ser mejores, pues lo hacemos y ya. Pero a veces hay que dejar salir la presión. Un par de mentadas de vez en cuando no hacen daño. Lo importante es no rajarse, así que ¡a darle!

M.M