Day 56: Hell Unleashed, Retribution Day

I think this must be unbelievable and unthinkable in developed countries. Working on holidays? Without payment? Well, that happens in Mexico, my friends. Bad thing is, IT HAPPENS TO ME.

I have been assigned a radio-locator in the office, the most devilish device ever created by men to prey on men. In my company, that means you "officially" become available 24/7.

As you know, last Tuesday was a Holiday. I knew what was coming: my boss dared to ask me to report for work, and I plainly said no, 'cause my chore schedule is very tight. He was ok at the moment, but today, it is time to pay.

I've been working my ass off for 16 hours... YES, 16 HOURS IN A ROW, working on this goddammed project that was twisted from the very beginning. It's 11 pm, CT, and there's no hope of goin home. Of course, The Boss is making me pay for skivving off work, and I knew it was comming.

Ah, but there are other ways to get even, rest assured. As you can see, while I'm supposed to be working on a translation, I've been catching up with my blogger friends and posting. I've been drinking as many free sodas as I can (by now, my bladder is about to explode) and I swear I'm gonna have as many snacks as I can smuggle home, and the manager who has been teasing me the whole fu**ing day has had to stay too. MUAHAHAHAHAH!!

Of course, this abusive behavior is everyday's bread. Day in, day out, we have to do our master's bidding, or suffer the consequences. AND I'M SICK AND TIRED OF IT!. I refused to come on a holiday because, if I let them step on my back once, I will become a doormat for the rest of my life.

I'm already looking for a way out of this hellhole, but the market for English teachers is way downpaid. Anyway, be sure, my dear readers, that I'll do my best to take advantage of this situation. I won't steal, as many people do here. That's not my style. But I give myself my honor word that I'll find a way to get retribution out this. Justice must be served.

Day 55: The dawn of the dead

Probably this is usual for some people, but it's really killing me. This morning, my alarm clock went off at 5 am. I threw my arm across the bed to press the "snooze" button and went into oblivion for another ten minutes. I don't accurately remember how many times this happened, but when I was finally able to regain something similar to consciousness, it was 6:30 already.

I swear I tried as hard as possible to get ready quickly, but everything seemed to be happening in a bullet shot. It took hours to find the clothes, to press them, to get dressed, to grab my hip-bag and back-pack and reach the door. The clock was now indicating 6:55.

And then it was like a horrible, cinematic fast forward: running downstairs like mad to catch a taxi, looking at the traffic ahead to find a hole at which gain a few meters, panting at the elevator doors to finally jump forward to insert your timecard with a few seconds left.

And all this is due to the exhaustion I'm suffering from this project at the office that is not working right. My boss has been getting to the office at 6 pm and expecting us to continue working our asses off with a smile after our regular shift.

And that is just a small part of the situation. The fact is that I hate feeling this dull, ill-slept, ill-tempered and frustrated, when it's not my direct fault. If the stupid project manager had provided me with the right information since the very begining, this wouldn't be happening.

Good thing is, next Tuesday is a holiday in Mexico. WOOOOHOOO!!

Day 54: Virgina Tech Massacre

It really hurts my heart, along with the grief I feel about so many futures abruptly ended, that the first fact to hit the press was that the murderer was from Korean descent. In my perception of the U.S. as a foreigner, I must say I consider this completely biased, partial and deceiving. The fact is that 32 college students and a teacher were shot. But the fact that he was a foreigner was brought into the spot light because it is going to be used in order to stricten the government policies against migrants. Mark my words.

There was a note on the Mexican news this morning about this Korean student already dropping out because she was never made feel that she belonged. Other articles have made reference to the U.S. policies regarding fire arms, including public statements issued by the National Rifle Association, therefore turning this tragedy into a social issue directly related to the American Constitution. In my opinion, both sides are missing the point miserably.

In my humble opinion, it is not a matter of where you come from, neither of the availability of fire arms. It is a matter of how a single person can get as psychologically damaged as to turn a gun towards strangers and pull the trigger. What circumnstances could drive any individual to perform such a destructive action and what are we going to do, as citizens of the same world, to prevent this from happening again?. The rest, is only an attempt to take advantage from those priceless lifes, so innecesarily wasted.

We send our sympathies and prayers to all the families in their grief.

Day 53: Earthquake's aftermath

It's been 3 days and 11 tremors after the earthquake. For most DF dwellers, things are going back to normal, but it's going to be difficult to sleep easily for another couple of weeks. Although we are in the middle of a heat wave, we are all going to start sleeping on full night wear, just in case we have to leave our buildings running for dear life.

Let's face it. It has been 20 years after the world-wide-known "'85 Earthquake", and Mexico City is not ready yet to face a big disaster. Some of the old damaged buildings have been resettled by illegal tenants, and now their paying the price for taking over free acommodations. Now they're being relocated into shelters, but they have no hope of getting new locations as good as their old ones. Instead of complaining, they should be grateful they lived to tell the tale.

As a citizen aware of the potential costs of stupidity, I'm telling everyone who may listen all the stuff I learned from the Civil Protection Training Courses I've taken before.

Do you keep your documents safe next to a flashlight?

Note: All the pictures were taken from "El Universal" newspaper. All rights reserved.

Day 52: EARTHQUAKE!!

You've been through the toughest days of the week. You've been getting to your office at 7 am and leaving at 9 pm the earliest for 3 days. Luckily, your boss suddenly decides he's done with you (no pun intended) and let's you go at 6:30. Oh, joy! You fly home, eager to perform your usual stuff: chew the fat with your significant other, watch your tivoed shows, read a couple of chapters of 'Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix' (to get ready for the theatrical release, you know), have a bite for dinner and finally be able to happily crash on your bed at a wonderful, nice, regular 10 pm.

Suddenly something startles you up. Your body has reacted way faster than your brain, 'cause in nano seconds it detected the danger before your consciuousness realized your bed is swaying side to side. Darkness is total. A blackout has occured. Having lived in this city for so long, you know what's going on. All your brain cells scream EARTHQUAKE!

You feel your stomach congeal and your mouth goes as dry as the Sahara. Trying as hard as you can not to panic, you call for your significant other, trying not to sound as scared as you really are: "Honey, there's an earthquake!". Peaceful snores is all the answer you get. You call again, louder, almost shouting: "Hon, wake up. There's an earthquake!!". The mumbled growl of disconfort rushes you to get up while the teluric movement gets stronger, knowing that any moment it might get down to the terrifying decision between staying heroicly or leaving to see another day, perfectly aware of how long it wil take to evacuate a 4th floor. You throw the blankets aside, grab the pijamas' lappels and shake your partner as hard as you can, yelling at the top of your voice: "WAKE UP, YOU BLOKE, THERE'S AN EARTHQUAKE IN PROGRESS!!".

Finally, you are able to get a faint response. A weary eye looks vapidly at your ashed-white face while a sleepy voice asks: "Honey? What's going on?". You let go of the pijamas' lappels, take a deep breath, and answer: "Nah, nothing, Baby. It's over already".

The accounts hereby recorded took place last Friday, April 13th, at 12:42 am, local time, when a 6.3 Richter scale earthquake stroke Mexico City. I spent the 40 seconds it lasted trying to wake up my husband, who spent the whole event sleeping like a baby. I solemnly swear that next time, I'll scream like mad and run for dear life!!

P.S.: This is NOT my building. It's an example of some damages caused by the earthquake at Condesa neighborhood. No person was damaged or injuried in the creation of this post. (Photo taken from "El Universal" newspaper, all rights reserved)

Day 51: Some changes in the Usual Stuff

Ok, here we are, following some faithful, friendly, kind and adorable friends' recommendations and trying to give this not so old blog a new face (like botox, but with less pain). Thanks, Jingo, thanks Miao, for your nice comments. You really touched my heart.

I finally discovered how to place a picture related to the blog. Hope you like it. Do you happen to know who he is? He's Gromit, from the Aardvark's Animation "Wallace and Gromit" series. I decided to use him (without violating any copyrights, I hope) because I think he's just like me: usual, regular, not precisely a star, but special in his own particular way.

So here we are back to the usual routine. As expected, we left work at 11:45 last night, helping the boss to prepare a presentation for some customers. As usual, no overtime will be paid, although my boss was kind enough to buy us dinner. A couple of delicious "shepherd style" tacos was not precisely a great reward, but at least we didn't leave with an empty stomach.

I was forgetting to mention that the other boss, M. (like the one from the MI6, ja,ja), which happens to be a woman, was nice enough to get to the office last monday carrying an enormous plastic bag full with chocolate Easter eggs, and gave one to each. Giving chocolates away on special ocasions is a tradition yours truly brought to this company. I'm ashamed to confess I haven't continued it personally, but I'm also glad that at least my boss M. has gotten into the spirit.

I hope everybody was lucky enough to get at least one Easter trait. And if you were wondering where such common things as Easter eggs come from, I leave you with this:

Something to think about, ain't it?

Day 50: Where is everybody?

Ok, I have finally gotten to the 50th post in this intellectual exercise and, as usual, I can't help but wonder where all my old readers have gone.

Is it just the Easter Holidays? Is it that the comments I leave on other blogs seem either agresive or lame? Or should I blame it on my own lack of good topics to comment about, or is it just that my level of English has plummeted so bad that my composing is not attractive any more?

Yes, yes, I know that it sounds like a desperate cry for attention from somebody who just loves to be under the spotlight. But , as an intended writer, I feel kind of confused, because everybody just stopped visiting, and I pretend to create something that is worth reading.

Usual Stuff is something that happens to everybody, and that was the idea here: share that usual, annoying, common stuff with all the people, so we can place things in perspective and remember shit doesn't happen only to us as individuals (the more we are, the better we feel, right?). Therefore, I feel really down when I get to see this guy "Kyklops" doing something really funny with something as simple as a paper cut and getting at least 1 comment on it, while I don't seem to attract anybody by describing the most stupid side of the so-called 'Mexican Society' (more like a bunch of organized monkeys, I'd say).

Of course, this doesn't mean I'm willing to give up on this yet. I know I'm stubborn enough to carry on and make this a spot where some people may share the common things that happen to every individual on this planet, despite race, religion, nationality or whatever. And I'm not a 'globalization' believer (that stuff sucks). I just like to get other points of view on the common problems of life, to get a more complete, 'poliedric' vision that may expand my perception.

On the common side of life, don't you love it when all the bosses live early and leave their poor slaves behind to watch the post? We have recently been told to pull the cart harder, but bosses never set the example. Therefore, every one was goofing around last wednesday, playing with the computers, checking mails, chatting, all knowing we're gonna pay for it next week. But what the heck, it happens every year.

I'm not begging, but I would appreciate any comments, ok?

Day 49: Easter Holidays at last

It's inevitable to refer to something common in all the western world, since I've been reading a lot of posts from friends of this blog refering to them. The beloved, long waited and gratefully taken Easter Holidays.

For some, it is a time to break the rules and mess around, like the U.S. springbreakers who come to Tijuana, Acapulco and Cancún to drink their asses off and show their teats on national tv. For others, it's a time to catch up with all the study they procrastinated during the first term. And some others have the chance to go camping, visit the beaches and try to spend some quality time with the family.

On the usual side of the story, Easter Holidays are gonna to represent for yours truly only two (yes, TWO) days off from work, and that only because they are regarded as 'national holidays'. If it were for my boss, he would make us come to 'compensate for the 70% of his revenue we take home'. But he doesn't really worry about it. We already know that next week we're gonna work overtime 'till eigth or nine in the evening, just to get even.

On the unusual news, Mexico City's Major, Marcelo Ebrard, has decreted the creation of four artificial beaches inside the city. Alcoholic beverage sales will be forbidden inside them (he never mentioned anything about the outside). All people with a hint of common sense have laughed their heads off.

This morning, national newsprograms and newspaper announced that a "spider monkey" (a Mexican endemic species) escaped from 'Aragon Zoo', got on a public transport and bit a woman. According to the video records, it wasn't a "spider monkey", but a disoriented lemur.

Last Monday night, there was a white-reddish halo around the full moon, due to the weather conditions prevailing in Mexico City at the moment. Given the fact that no Mexican looks upward, most people found out in the morning papers.

So far, these are the news. If you find anything usual or unusual to share with us, feel free to comment, since most of the people whose blogs I read haven't noticed my coming back yet.

Enjoy!

Day 48: Back from Hell... into dulliness

Here we are... back from hell into the routine of a never-changing story, battered and bruised, but all the same in the end.

I went to my "Integration Course", participated, got my share of the beat, won the first medal of my life (the first ever!) and returned knowing what I have always known: no matter how traumatic or joyful group experiences may be, nobody changes because of them.

It is true that some of us, the most observant, might have discovered some things about our co-workers we didn't realize before, but it is also true that, in the first meeting to evaluate the results, the boss's attitude has not changed a bit. He still believes we take 70% of his profits home, while we are working under an illegal contract where legal and mandatory fringe benefits are unknown. I'm still working with people who go as green as leprechauns when they see me obtaining something I worked hard for, and we still sharpen the knifes when the chance to criticize a parter arises.

Just one example:

At lunch time, in the common room)

A: Who won more tokens for the medal?

Yours truly: Me.

A: (to her team members): See? I told ya! If we had put ours together, we could've won that medal!

Yours truly: (with a scornful and ironic look): Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry you couldn't make it. It was as easy as raising your hand and participate!

Did we learn anything? No. Will we stop acting like ravenous wolves towards each other? Nope. The only good thing I brought with me (aside from the medal) was this answer:

Instructor: Please reflect upon this question: What are you exactly doing at your company?

Yours truly (to herself, with a big smile on her face): Looking for another job!

Day 47: Laws that rule the Universe: Hanlon's razor

Finally, the one I believe summarizes and gives a perfect corollary to any serious reflexion on the Universe.

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explainded by stupidity"

or

"Never assume malice when stupidity will suffice."

Wikipedia says that "According to Joseph Bigler, the quote first came from a certain Robert J. Hanlon as a submission for a book compilation of various jokes related to Murphy's law published in 1980 entitled Murphy's Law Book Two, More Reasons Why Things Go Wrong."

The importance of the theory can be understood if we consider that it has been stated by different men, in different countries, at totally different times! For instance:

My favorite version is the one from Albert Einstein: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

In Mexico, we say "we don't fear morons because they are morons, but because they are way too many to be defeated".

And the oldest seems to be said by Napoleon Bonaparte: "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

All of them explaining brilliantly and simply why all the good, hard-working, well-meaning people in the world face so much trouble in succeding at almost anything. It's just about numbers: we are totally surrounded and outnumbered by stupids!! There's no army nor endurance that can beat that.

Therefore, next time you feel like killing your 'nice' co-workers for their mean behavior, your boss for yelling at you about a triviality or your assistant forgetting to inform you of an appointment, try to forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing. They are tooooo stupid!!

Day 46: Laws that rule the Universe: Finagle's Law

This one is an obscure reference in a science-fiction novel entitled "Ringworld" by master Larry Niven, who just happens to be one of the most acclaimed sci-fi writers of the last century. Despite its obscurity, it still remains one of the truths that may explain the complexity of our Universe.

"The perversity of the Universe tends towards a maximum"

And if you take the time to observe life under this principle, you will see it in action. A good example of it could be a hailstorm destroying a garden full of roses, but leaving weed totally unharmed.

It also applies to people. I'd say, especially to people. No matter how well a person behaves, or how good they may seem, they will always find a moment at which they will show their perversity, and it will be so mean, dark and cruel that even them will be surprised. You can observe kids, for instance. Despite their cherub-like faces, each boy or girl will get his little wrong-meaning hands on a little insect and start ripping its parts away just for fun, at least once in their lives. Oh... I know what most people is gonna say, that they do it "out of their need to explore the world". Naaahh. They'll do it because they can't do that to other bigger beings. Or what about these lovely people who are always stealing the pens from your desk, no matter how many you keep at hand?

When circumnstances have the chance to do you any harm, they will always try to do as much as they can...

Paranoia? No, not really. It is just that knowing this has helped me to be better prepared to face the little, inevitable, unpredicted annoyances of life. Just think about it.

Day 45: Laws that rule the universe – Murphy’s Law

Most people around the world have become familiar with the concepts, variations and circumvolutions of Murphy’s Law, but some of us have forgotten the essence of it.

According to Wikipedia (long life Wiki!) entry about Murphy’s Law, in its most summarized form, it can be stated as follows:

“Things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance.”

or

“If there’s more than one way to do a job, and one of those ways will result in disaster, then somebody will do it that way.”

Two attitudes can be taken out from this: either there’s no way to get things right, no matter what you do (and you might as well put an end to your misery right away), or there’s always a way to deal with disaster if you take all the possibilities into account from the very beginning.

This Law has turned into a practical use. For instance: “its spirit embodies the principle of defensive design — anticipating the mistakes the end-user is likely to make…The newer CD-ROM and DVD technologies permit one incorrect orientation — the disc may be inserted upside-down, which is harmless to the disc. A defensive designer knows that if it is possible for the disc to be inserted the wrong way, someone will eventually try it.”

Unfortunately, on the other hand, “if it seemingly is not possible to perform something incorrectly, someone will eventually manage it. This is often expressed as "Make something idiot-proof, and they will build a better idiot".

Another funny fact about the law is that “Murphy's law cannot operate as a subset of something useful; for example: "It will start raining as soon as I start washing my car, except when I wash the car for the purpose of causing rain”. That is, when we consciously try to make the Law operate in our favor, it won’t work, thus creating a paradox.

In my personal experience, Murphy’s Law has proven useful when dealing with the inevitable. Assuming that bad things tend to happen has helped me to deal with them in a more effective and light-hearted way. As we say here: “As soon as the Big Boss takes a business trip, something that requires his immediate attention will explode”. Murphy’s Law.

P.S. If you want to read more about this, check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy%27s_Law

Day 44: Field trip with the Company - A desperate call for help

I do not consider myself either a weak or cowardly person, but recently I’ve found something that has really given me the creeps – a 3-day field trip with my co-workers.

Everything got started with the Big Boss coming up with the idea that a field trip would build up the company’s general performance (as if), so he scheduled this visit to a training facility located in Mineral del Chico County. Up to that moment, everybody was kind of interested but, when he announced in a general meeting that attending was mandatory and that whoever didn’t show up for the trip would get his sacking cheque ready, the spirits started to sink. Sadly, they went straight to the bottom when he pompously announced that the sole purpose of the trip was to crop the personnel and get rid of the “bad elements” (shocked gasp).

Obviously, if we were already pissed for having to spend one of our precious weekends working without payment, that was the last straw. Now everybody is really angry and looking towards this with a really nasty attitude, which only worsens my personal situation.

Given the fact that I define myself primarily as a lone wolf, the sole thought of spending a car trip and a three day stay in the company of people who I regard as total morons has already made me sick with anguish and disgust.

My co-workers listen to trashy music with great pleasure, and bask for hours in dirty jokes which have no sense at all, so you can picture what a joy ride will a three-hour car trip be. Since this trip is intended to “evaluate and improve the productivity”, I’ll have to spend the darned three days forcefully restraining my fierce temper. In addition, they are stealing the precious time I usually devote to my family and my housework. And just to cap it all, we are going to share the rooms. Can you imagine the torture that represents to me?

If I am to be honest, I must say that it is really difficult for me to keep a low profile regarding olfactory traits (to say the least), and my territoriality usually demands privacy. Sharing a room (and a bathroom!) with a total stranger, ready to take note of the smallest flaw to gossip it out is one of the most stressing situations you can place me in. Therefore, as the date slowly approaches, I’m growing more and more frustrated and desperate, since I see no way to worm myself out of it.

If anyone may have an idea for a good excuse out of this, I will be indebted to that person for the rest of my life. I have already tried getting infected (by visiting a young neighbor with the measles) and getting bitten by a dog (it never fell into the provocation). Any idea (which doesn’t include suicide, of course) that helps me preserve my privacy, my dignity and my job will be taken into account at the Gates of Heaven.

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.