- No news from Sara today. I know her father was going to be in the ICU for a couple of days, so there probably isn't much to tell. I am hoping that no news is good news in this case.
- Sara is probably still recovering from the stress of sitting in a waiting room for over fourteen hours. I could sense the toll it was taking on her each time we spoke on the phone.
- Amidst all this I need to deal with some petty administrator in the summer program I am teaching at who is giving me a lot of grief over a relatively minor issue. It has really pissed me off (I generally don't use that word, so when I do - look out). Moreover she has been quite nasty about it, calling me negligent. I take my work seriously and I value what I do. Being called negligent is not something I take lightly. Nonetheless, I have remained polite and diplomatic, and have even apologized for any miscommunication. I don't know if that will be enough, it seems like this person is on a major power trip. Fortunately I have a fairly outspoken faculty member in the anthropology department on my side and as of day-after-tomorrow my former advisor will be the Provost of the University (who with a wave of his hand could have this person's ass). Yes, I do have friends in high places if it ultimately comes to that.
- This has been one hell of a week. I need a day to just crawl into a hole and hide. Of course, if I did the dogs would track me down and dig me out. They are good dogs. They would want to rescue me. Actually they have sensed my stress, anxiety, and irritation and they have been incredibly supportive - in their unique doggy way.
- I think tomorrow evening me and the big bottle of Chimay that is currently chilling in the fridge are going to get well acquainted.
- Ughh - that's all I have to say for now.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Quick Notes
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Update
I just got a call from Sara. Her father's surgery is over and the surgeon said it went well.
It has been a very stressful day for all of us. The surgery was supposed to take three hours, but it kept going on and on. After about eight hours Sara and I were beginning to get worried - although we did not talk about it.
Twelve hours later, the surgeon let Sara and her step-mother know that it was over. It turned out to be a difficult tumor to remove and the surgeon had to be very careful. I am very thankful that the surgeon was careful and prudent and did take his time.
But I do admit - the waiting and not knowing sucks.
If you had Sara and her family in your thoughts today, please receive our hearfelt thanks.
I just got a call from Sara. Her father's surgery is over and the surgeon said it went well.
It has been a very stressful day for all of us. The surgery was supposed to take three hours, but it kept going on and on. After about eight hours Sara and I were beginning to get worried - although we did not talk about it.
Twelve hours later, the surgeon let Sara and her step-mother know that it was over. It turned out to be a difficult tumor to remove and the surgeon had to be very careful. I am very thankful that the surgeon was careful and prudent and did take his time.
But I do admit - the waiting and not knowing sucks.
If you had Sara and her family in your thoughts today, please receive our hearfelt thanks.
Thoughts
Thoughts, Prayer, Energies for Sara and her Family
Today is Sara's fathers surgery. Any positive thoughts, prayers, rituals, energies, or spiritual support is much appreciated.
Peace.
Today is Sara's fathers surgery. Any positive thoughts, prayers, rituals, energies, or spiritual support is much appreciated.
Peace.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Underdog
If You Often Cheer for the Underdog...
...you will frequently be disappointed.
That is the lesson for today.
It is evident from the World Cup results. Ghana? Gone. Ecuador? Out. Australia? Hoodwinked (by whom you may ask...our aforementioned Italian friends and some help from the refree).
It also seems like that is the case everywhere else.
Just as I seem to start to get things in order, something else pops up to complicate things.
Today, the remaining half of our landlords (the woman) knocks on our door. As I mentioned in the past, the house we live in (a two unit building) is up for sale and we have been dreading the visits by realtors and prospective buyers. We were comforted by the fact that the real estate market is slow, the asking price was high, and the timetable for our departure all worked in our favor.
Today's news changed that. It turns out that there is a change in plan. The realtor talked our landlord into turning our part of the house into a condo. This is bad news for us because:
All this right when I started having to work everyday at a place that has about an hour commute each way and evenings of prep time. In addition Sara is gone (which in someways is better because she already has enough to worry about right now).
So I am tired, stressed, a wee-bit overwhelmed, cranky, and I still have to finish my lesson plans for tomorrow. And it is still much too humid!
...you will frequently be disappointed.
That is the lesson for today.
It is evident from the World Cup results. Ghana? Gone. Ecuador? Out. Australia? Hoodwinked (by whom you may ask...our aforementioned Italian friends and some help from the refree).
It also seems like that is the case everywhere else.
Just as I seem to start to get things in order, something else pops up to complicate things.
Today, the remaining half of our landlords (the woman) knocks on our door. As I mentioned in the past, the house we live in (a two unit building) is up for sale and we have been dreading the visits by realtors and prospective buyers. We were comforted by the fact that the real estate market is slow, the asking price was high, and the timetable for our departure all worked in our favor.
Today's news changed that. It turns out that there is a change in plan. The realtor talked our landlord into turning our part of the house into a condo. This is bad news for us because:
- The condo market is much better
- The asking price will be very reasonable
- Now there will be more people trudging through our apartment
All this right when I started having to work everyday at a place that has about an hour commute each way and evenings of prep time. In addition Sara is gone (which in someways is better because she already has enough to worry about right now).
So I am tired, stressed, a wee-bit overwhelmed, cranky, and I still have to finish my lesson plans for tomorrow. And it is still much too humid!
Monday, June 26, 2006
It is so damn humid here! Everything is damp and soggy. I printed out my lecture notes for tomorrow and even the paper feels soggy.
Class went ok today. First days are always tricky because students are not really in a learning mindframe and I don't have sense of what the students are like.
It is harder when the weather is like it is. I can see my students wilting as the day progresses.
It doesn't help that it is a long class and that the climate control in the classroom leaves a lot to be desired. It either works TOO well and the students are freezing (and they can't hear me) or it makes things terribly stuffy.
Sara left today and got stuck for a couple of hours at the Baltimore airport. She should be getting into Albuquerque as we speak. Well, we are not really speaking, are we? So maybe I should write that she should be arriving right about the same time as I type these words.
Things are quiet around here without her. Well, sort of. The dogs need extra attention whenever one of us goes out of town. Moreover they are not used to being home all day on their own. Needless to say getting my lecture planned out for tomorrow was bit more challenging with many-a-canine distraction around.
Yes, I am tired and a little more loopy that usual. So be it...
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Boring Xolo
Boring Xolo
- You know how Greenland is not really green? Well Sara is not really boring. I, however, am boring.
- It has been very damp around here. Lot of rain and very humid air. Fortunately it has not been too hot. Still I move and I am suddenly very sticky and ambushed by perspiration.
- Sara is leaving for NM to be there for her father's surgery. I wish I go with her. She will definitely need some TLC. She'll get it when she gets back.
- At least it won't be raining in NM, though.
- Back to teaching on Monday. I don't mind teaching again. The fact that the class is in Providence (about 45 miles from here) is what I do mind. Moreover it meets every day from 10 to noon, and two or three days a week from 1 to 3. The course is three weeks long. I will probably drive on the days I need to be there in the afternoons and take the train on the other days.
- The canker sore is slowly de-swelling (I can't think of how to say that with words that exist), in case you were curious. I have managed not to bite my lip today.
- I watched the Mexico game today (Sara made me). It was much closer than I (and almost everyone else, including the Argentinians) thought it would be. Mexico played an amazing game - I am both proud and disappointed.
- I need to figure out who to cheer for now that both Mexico and the US are out.
- I will probably cheer for Argentina against Germany when they play each other in the next round. Funny - in the 1986 final I cheered for Germany when they played Argentina. Things change. I have changed.
- I will also probably cheer for teams that have never won it before. Spread the joy around.
- There are so many of you out there going through difficult times, specific crisises, etc. My thoughts are with you all.
- Few of you gave me your recommendations for restaurants. I am still waiting. What are the hidden gems that should be recognized and visited?
Friday, June 23, 2006
My Current Bane
My Current Bane
Several days ago I got a canker sore on the inside of my bottom lip. It probably came as a result of biting myself ever so slightly - I have a tendency to bite myself. I did not notice this bite, but the canker sore grew and became swollen. This in turn has led me to bite my lip again, which makes the area swell up even more. And so on and so on...
Ughhh.
Canker sores are just pure evil. They can sure ruin your day.
Several days ago I got a canker sore on the inside of my bottom lip. It probably came as a result of biting myself ever so slightly - I have a tendency to bite myself. I did not notice this bite, but the canker sore grew and became swollen. This in turn has led me to bite my lip again, which makes the area swell up even more. And so on and so on...
Ughhh.
Canker sores are just pure evil. They can sure ruin your day.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
For Lux
The director who would film my life would be:
Ingmar Bergman
I am not surprised. However, I would have thought my humor score to be higher - they probably don't count cynicism as humor.
The director who would film my life would be:
My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Director Who Films Your Life Test written by bingomosquito on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
I am not surprised. However, I would have thought my humor score to be higher - they probably don't count cynicism as humor.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Good Eating
Good Eating - A Communal Project
Today Heliosphan posted that Restaurant Magazine had a list of the world's top 50 best restaurants. I commented that the list seemed to be all extremely fine dining places (that most of us cannot afford) and heavily biased towards French cuisine. I don't have a problem with the French art of cooking, but there are so many other wonderful flavors in this world.
I suggested that we should come up with our own list - one that reflects the fact that some of the best food isn't found in snooty establishments, rather in homey and hidden corners.
So I am asking you to send me your nominations for the best places either leave me a comment or email me (xoloitzquintle[at]hotmail[dot]com). Please include:
Ok, I am waiting.
Today Heliosphan posted that Restaurant Magazine had a list of the world's top 50 best restaurants. I commented that the list seemed to be all extremely fine dining places (that most of us cannot afford) and heavily biased towards French cuisine. I don't have a problem with the French art of cooking, but there are so many other wonderful flavors in this world.
I suggested that we should come up with our own list - one that reflects the fact that some of the best food isn't found in snooty establishments, rather in homey and hidden corners.
So I am asking you to send me your nominations for the best places either leave me a comment or email me (xoloitzquintle[at]hotmail[dot]com). Please include:
- The name of the establishment (more or less)
- Location (as specific as you can)
- Anything specific to have there or the general type of food
Ok, I am waiting.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Excursion
High Above Massachusetts
As mentioned before, our landlord requested that we take the dogs somewhere while they had their open house today. Sara was going to go off on her own to a knitting group, but she ended up coming with us.
I wasn't sure where I was going to take the dogs, but I realized that it would have to be more of a ride. The day today was hot and humid, so they would not be able to hike too much. We decided to go to Wachusett Mountain, which is about an hour and a half drive from Boston. It isn't the highest point in Massachusetts, but it lies in the middle and you can see the Berkshires to the west and the Boston skyline to the east. That is, you can see them on a clear day. Today it was rather hazy. The top is quite higher than the hills around it so the view was still nice. It is not Mt. Washington (which we visited last year sans dogs), though.
At the top we walked around and hung out by a calm pond. It was nice except for an abundance of flies that simultaneously annoyed Zeus and provided him some entertainment (he tried to catch them).
It was a nice family excursion. I hope to have more of those this summer.
As mentioned before, our landlord requested that we take the dogs somewhere while they had their open house today. Sara was going to go off on her own to a knitting group, but she ended up coming with us.
I wasn't sure where I was going to take the dogs, but I realized that it would have to be more of a ride. The day today was hot and humid, so they would not be able to hike too much. We decided to go to Wachusett Mountain, which is about an hour and a half drive from Boston. It isn't the highest point in Massachusetts, but it lies in the middle and you can see the Berkshires to the west and the Boston skyline to the east. That is, you can see them on a clear day. Today it was rather hazy. The top is quite higher than the hills around it so the view was still nice. It is not Mt. Washington (which we visited last year sans dogs), though.
At the top we walked around and hung out by a calm pond. It was nice except for an abundance of flies that simultaneously annoyed Zeus and provided him some entertainment (he tried to catch them).
It was a nice family excursion. I hope to have more of those this summer.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Italians Play Dirty
Italians Play Dirty
I learned this playing pickup futbol games in the parks of Bologna. Italians like to play dirty. It is reinforced every time I watch Italy play, especially against teams they expect to be beat (which is most).
Today's game against the US was no exception. Here is what happened:
US player gets whacked (sorry, I just realized that could be an offensive pun to Italo-Americans, it wasn't intended so I will leave it) in the face by an Italian player's elbow.
The Italian player pretends that he did not do anything and tries to argue his innocence. He gets his teamates to help him by mobbing the ref (oops, another pun).
The evidence against him, however, was to blatant for the refree to ignore.
The red card came out and the Italian player was ejected. The ref compensated and helped the Italians by later ejecting TWO US players. Nevertheless, the US tied Italy notwithstanding biased refs and dirty play.
I am sure in Italy right now everyone is complaining about how they were robbed of a victory, about how the US is an inferior team, and who might be to blame for Italy not winning the game.
On a brighter note, I did enjoy watching the Portugal-Iran game earlier in the day. I will miss the Brazil game tomorrow because I need to take the dogs somewhere. Our landlords are having an open house and even though they are not showing our apartment, they are worried that Zeus' barking at comers and goers will scare away potential buyers. I am not sure what we will do, but even though it won't be watching Brazil play a gutsy Australian team, I am sure it will be fun.
I learned this playing pickup futbol games in the parks of Bologna. Italians like to play dirty. It is reinforced every time I watch Italy play, especially against teams they expect to be beat (which is most).
Today's game against the US was no exception. Here is what happened:
US player gets whacked (sorry, I just realized that could be an offensive pun to Italo-Americans, it wasn't intended so I will leave it) in the face by an Italian player's elbow.
The Italian player pretends that he did not do anything and tries to argue his innocence. He gets his teamates to help him by mobbing the ref (oops, another pun).
The evidence against him, however, was to blatant for the refree to ignore.
The red card came out and the Italian player was ejected. The ref compensated and helped the Italians by later ejecting TWO US players. Nevertheless, the US tied Italy notwithstanding biased refs and dirty play.
I am sure in Italy right now everyone is complaining about how they were robbed of a victory, about how the US is an inferior team, and who might be to blame for Italy not winning the game.
On a brighter note, I did enjoy watching the Portugal-Iran game earlier in the day. I will miss the Brazil game tomorrow because I need to take the dogs somewhere. Our landlords are having an open house and even though they are not showing our apartment, they are worried that Zeus' barking at comers and goers will scare away potential buyers. I am not sure what we will do, but even though it won't be watching Brazil play a gutsy Australian team, I am sure it will be fun.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Lazy
Friday Randomness
I have been feeling rather lazy.
For dinner I did make some crab enchiladas. I did not have a recipe - just played it by ear. They turned out fairly well. I used a tomatillo sauce with several different peppers in it.
I had leftover crab filling, so I added some breadcrumbs, lime, chiles, diced cellery, and egg to make some "Baja-style" crab cakes. We will have those for lunch tomorrow, I guess. The enchiladas were enough for one meal.
I also put in the a/c units into the windows. It is supposed to get rather warm and sticky here this weekend. I usually wait until it gets to that point to install them and I end up in a pool of sweat while trying to do the task. Not this year. Hehe.
We bought some little basil plants a while back and they have been patiently waiting to be trasplanted into a real planter. Today I actually transfered them over. "It's about time!" they cried.
No, I usually do not talk to plants or trees or other forms of vegetation. The dogs is another matter. Zeus looks at me as though he really can follow my words. Zephyr stares at me as though I am nuts for trying to talk to a dog. Of course, she always has that look.
As I mentioned before, our landlords/upstairs neighbors split up. This means that they have to put the two unit house we live in for sale. The sign went up today. Sara and I find this very stressful. We are going to have to deal with realtors and others trodding through the place.
Mexico played an awful game today. Kudos to Angola for their spirit.
That was a bit of my exciting life...hope you enjoyed.
I have been feeling rather lazy.
For dinner I did make some crab enchiladas. I did not have a recipe - just played it by ear. They turned out fairly well. I used a tomatillo sauce with several different peppers in it.
I had leftover crab filling, so I added some breadcrumbs, lime, chiles, diced cellery, and egg to make some "Baja-style" crab cakes. We will have those for lunch tomorrow, I guess. The enchiladas were enough for one meal.
I also put in the a/c units into the windows. It is supposed to get rather warm and sticky here this weekend. I usually wait until it gets to that point to install them and I end up in a pool of sweat while trying to do the task. Not this year. Hehe.
We bought some little basil plants a while back and they have been patiently waiting to be trasplanted into a real planter. Today I actually transfered them over. "It's about time!" they cried.
No, I usually do not talk to plants or trees or other forms of vegetation. The dogs is another matter. Zeus looks at me as though he really can follow my words. Zephyr stares at me as though I am nuts for trying to talk to a dog. Of course, she always has that look.
As I mentioned before, our landlords/upstairs neighbors split up. This means that they have to put the two unit house we live in for sale. The sign went up today. Sara and I find this very stressful. We are going to have to deal with realtors and others trodding through the place.
Mexico played an awful game today. Kudos to Angola for their spirit.
That was a bit of my exciting life...hope you enjoyed.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
In da money...
$$ In Da Money $$
Oh the surprises the mail brings. Yesterday it was a rejection letter from someone I know. Today it was my first royalties check.
Royalties? Even I did not know they were due to me.
Apparently I get them from people who have purchased copies of my dissertation.
Ten people, who are not related to me and owe me no favors have spent money to read what I wrote in a frenzy to get out of graduate school. Ten people!
Who would have thunk it?
My reward?
$10.19!
Now I need to figure out how to spend it....
Oh the surprises the mail brings. Yesterday it was a rejection letter from someone I know. Today it was my first royalties check.Royalties? Even I did not know they were due to me.
Apparently I get them from people who have purchased copies of my dissertation.
Ten people, who are not related to me and owe me no favors have spent money to read what I wrote in a frenzy to get out of graduate school. Ten people!
Who would have thunk it?
My reward?
$10.19!
Now I need to figure out how to spend it....
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Rejection
Friendly Rejection?
Today I got a rejection letter signed by someone I know. We were in graduate school together and friends at the time - she finished a few years before I did. It was a bit bizarre getting the letter.
It was the standard old form letter they send out to everyone. No personal note or mention - just her signature.
To be fair to her, she did send me an email a few weeks back letting me know that I probably wasn't going to get the position.
I wonder if she actually signed the letter or whether she just had a stack of them and signed them without seeing to whom they were addressed.
It all doesn't matter because, as I said before, I have a job! [smile]
Today I got a rejection letter signed by someone I know. We were in graduate school together and friends at the time - she finished a few years before I did. It was a bit bizarre getting the letter.
It was the standard old form letter they send out to everyone. No personal note or mention - just her signature.
To be fair to her, she did send me an email a few weeks back letting me know that I probably wasn't going to get the position.
I wonder if she actually signed the letter or whether she just had a stack of them and signed them without seeing to whom they were addressed.
It all doesn't matter because, as I said before, I have a job! [smile]
Monday, June 12, 2006
Tid Bits
Tid Bits
- I accepted the job offer I received last week today.
- The US started off their World Cup in the worst possible manner - there was both bad play and bad luck.
- It is good to see the sun again. It has rained so much over the past month and half here.
- I got the part I needed for the Daewoo, had it installed, and it passed inspection. The cost of the brake pads? $45 each! Far less than the scam artists at North Smithfield Nissan in Rhode Island - they wanted $225 each!
- Sara has an obsession with yarn and wool - it has been a healthy way of coping with the stress of the past weeks, though. And she got to go to a sheep farm in Vermont last Saturday.
- I feel bad for our upstairs neighbors. Divorce sucks. And their two dogs are going to get split up.
- I am not looking forward to moving. Moving sucks.
- But I have a job, yay!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Mexico, Mexico, Ra, Ra, Ra!
Mexico, Mexico, Ra, Ra, Ra!
As I admitted to before, I am an avid watcher of futbol when the World Cup rolls around. It is almost an adiction and I am drawn to watch as many games as possible. You never know which game is going to be a good one.
For example, I was only marginally interested in the Sweden-Trinidad and Tobago (you can't forget the Tobago, as Sara has pointed out to me) game. I did spend time in Sweden and I had a crazy calypso friend once, but the game was not one that was on my radar screen. Sweden is a good technical team, but in general kind of boring to watch. T&T is new to the World Cup, the smallest country, and longest shot to win. I had it on as I was doing some house chores and it drew me in. I also tend not to like games without goals, but this was the exception. I was fascinated by the courage and mettle of the Trinidadians and Tobagans on the one hand and the growing desperation of the Swedes. For the T&Tians the tie was the greatest victory and for the Swedes it was a major defeat.
Today Mexico played. When I lived in Mexico, I had mixed feelings about when Mexico played. They tended not to be good and my father would get mad and yell at the tv. In some ways I found it entertaining, but his foul moods were not pleasant. Away from home, with the children in my neighborhood, we would cheer for Mexico, but then we would have our backup favorite(s). Some of these were Italy, England, Argentina, and Germany. There was a weird kid who liked Poland. My back up was Brazil. I was born in 1970, shortly after Brazil won the World Cup in Mexico. It was their third win and got to keep the original World Cup. When the tournament was started in 1930, they had set up the rule that the first country to win the tournament three times would get to keep the Cup. But I digress - the point is that the win by Brazil in 1970 was a big deal, it had been in Mexico, and for that reason I had an affinity towards it.
Fast forward to 1986, when Mexico hosted the Cup for the second time. I was ambivalent about Mexico at that time. Their star player, Hugo Sanchez, was someone I did not like. My relationship with my father had deteriorated that I actually enjoyed watching him get upset. At the same time, I still hoped that my home country would do well. I still liked Brazil and they had a great team that year. But I had also gained an interest in Germany. Some of my friends at the time were German and I had begun to trace my mother's family to Germany. I was torn when Mexico played Germany in the quarter-finals. It was one game I did not want to watch. Germany won and went on to lose to Argentina in the final.
There has been one other game that tore my allegiances, but I actually did watch that one. It was in the last Cup when Mexico played the US. I pulled for the US a little more in that one. Why? Because I felt like if the US did well, it would spark more interest in futbol in the US. The US did win and I think it did have a positive effect. It has also created a deeper rivalry between the US and Mexico, which can be fun to watch as long as it is good natured (it hasn't always).
So this post has evolved into something I never intended it to be (and it is probably boring everyone out there). My initial purpose was to say that I am enjoying the futbol, however, I seem to be doing it on my own. Futbol has always been a comunal event, where you talk, discuss, and watch the games with friends or even strangers. For the last World Cup, we were in Italy, where even I felt overwhelmed by the coverage and discussion. Sara will watch a game or two with me and listen to the tidbit of trivia I through her way. For the most part she tolerates my interest (read: obsession).
I could search out others who are interested, but the point of futbol in the past was that you did not have to. The interest (read: fever) was all around you. So I will continue to watch here on my own.
So Mexico is off to a good start and the US plays tomorrow. Before things started, I picked The Netherlands to win the whole thing (beating Brazil). After watching them today, I am not so sure.
As to the title of this post, it is part of a cheer for Mexico that I believe started during the 1970 World Cup, but I could be mistaken. I have tried to find the origin and the meaning of the cheer without success. In any case, the whole cheer goes like this:
Ok, that's it.
As I admitted to before, I am an avid watcher of futbol when the World Cup rolls around. It is almost an adiction and I am drawn to watch as many games as possible. You never know which game is going to be a good one.
For example, I was only marginally interested in the Sweden-Trinidad and Tobago (you can't forget the Tobago, as Sara has pointed out to me) game. I did spend time in Sweden and I had a crazy calypso friend once, but the game was not one that was on my radar screen. Sweden is a good technical team, but in general kind of boring to watch. T&T is new to the World Cup, the smallest country, and longest shot to win. I had it on as I was doing some house chores and it drew me in. I also tend not to like games without goals, but this was the exception. I was fascinated by the courage and mettle of the Trinidadians and Tobagans on the one hand and the growing desperation of the Swedes. For the T&Tians the tie was the greatest victory and for the Swedes it was a major defeat.
Today Mexico played. When I lived in Mexico, I had mixed feelings about when Mexico played. They tended not to be good and my father would get mad and yell at the tv. In some ways I found it entertaining, but his foul moods were not pleasant. Away from home, with the children in my neighborhood, we would cheer for Mexico, but then we would have our backup favorite(s). Some of these were Italy, England, Argentina, and Germany. There was a weird kid who liked Poland. My back up was Brazil. I was born in 1970, shortly after Brazil won the World Cup in Mexico. It was their third win and got to keep the original World Cup. When the tournament was started in 1930, they had set up the rule that the first country to win the tournament three times would get to keep the Cup. But I digress - the point is that the win by Brazil in 1970 was a big deal, it had been in Mexico, and for that reason I had an affinity towards it.
Fast forward to 1986, when Mexico hosted the Cup for the second time. I was ambivalent about Mexico at that time. Their star player, Hugo Sanchez, was someone I did not like. My relationship with my father had deteriorated that I actually enjoyed watching him get upset. At the same time, I still hoped that my home country would do well. I still liked Brazil and they had a great team that year. But I had also gained an interest in Germany. Some of my friends at the time were German and I had begun to trace my mother's family to Germany. I was torn when Mexico played Germany in the quarter-finals. It was one game I did not want to watch. Germany won and went on to lose to Argentina in the final.
There has been one other game that tore my allegiances, but I actually did watch that one. It was in the last Cup when Mexico played the US. I pulled for the US a little more in that one. Why? Because I felt like if the US did well, it would spark more interest in futbol in the US. The US did win and I think it did have a positive effect. It has also created a deeper rivalry between the US and Mexico, which can be fun to watch as long as it is good natured (it hasn't always).
So this post has evolved into something I never intended it to be (and it is probably boring everyone out there). My initial purpose was to say that I am enjoying the futbol, however, I seem to be doing it on my own. Futbol has always been a comunal event, where you talk, discuss, and watch the games with friends or even strangers. For the last World Cup, we were in Italy, where even I felt overwhelmed by the coverage and discussion. Sara will watch a game or two with me and listen to the tidbit of trivia I through her way. For the most part she tolerates my interest (read: obsession).
I could search out others who are interested, but the point of futbol in the past was that you did not have to. The interest (read: fever) was all around you. So I will continue to watch here on my own.
So Mexico is off to a good start and the US plays tomorrow. Before things started, I picked The Netherlands to win the whole thing (beating Brazil). After watching them today, I am not so sure.
As to the title of this post, it is part of a cheer for Mexico that I believe started during the 1970 World Cup, but I could be mistaken. I have tried to find the origin and the meaning of the cheer without success. In any case, the whole cheer goes like this:
Chiquitibum a la bim bom baThe cheer is known by almost every Mexican. There was a satirical (and very controversial) film made in the 1970s in Mexico with the title "Mexico, Mexico, Ra, Ra, Ra", which I have looked for, but failed to find. So if anyone knows of about the cheer or the film, let me know.
a la bio a la bau
a la bim bom ba
Mexico Mexico
Ra Ra Ra!
Ok, that's it.
Friday, June 09, 2006
What Would You Do?
What Would You Do?
Yesterday Sara and I went out for lunch in Newton (a suburban and fairly ritzy area of Boston). Newton has paved over what probably used to be its common (plaza, piazza, central square/park) and turned it to a lovely parking lot so consumers can shop at the nearby Pier One, Starbucks, Coldstone, etc.
When we parked, I noticed as I got out of our car a guy slouched in the driver's seat of the taxi parked next to us. The cab had backed in so he was right next to me. His window was down and although it was not raining, the weather was cool and damp. I looked at Sara, subliminally asking her, "What should we do? This guy does not look good."
As we walked away, we decided that if he was still there after lunch we would deal with it then. For all we knew, he might just be napping.
When we returned, the guy had moved but he was still slumped over his steering wheel and it had begun to rain. His window was still down and he was getting wet. The bit of his face we could see looked ashen.
I decided to go into a nearby bank and see if I could call the police to come check the guy out. The people in the bank were helpful, but the woman at the police station was curt and I had a hard time explaining the situation. She finally said she would send someone, but I had to meet the patrol in the parking lot. Since it was raining, I told Sara she could wait at the Starbucks. No sense both of us getting wet.
After about five minutes, a police officer showed up followed by a fire truck. By then the cab window had gone up, but the guy still was slouched. The officer knocked loudly on the window and the guy popped up, startled.
"Are you ok? How are you feeling?" the officer asked.
"Fine, just getting some rest," was the guy's nervous reply.
"You sure? You want to see a medic?" asked the officer.
"No, no. I was just tired. I needed some rest."
The officer radioed in to cancel the ambulance and told the firefighters everything was fine. I felt silly to have caused so much commotion and I apologized to the officer. He was very understanding and said that it is job to check on these things and that it was good that I had alerted someone.
I went to Starbucks and got Sara. By the time we got back to the car, the cab had left - probably to find a more secluded place to rest.
I probably should have just asked the guy if he was ok. I do know CPR, although it has been a while since I have been certified. Something kept me from doing that - probably not knowing how the guy was going to react if indeed he was just sleeping. He did not look good, though, and he was quite slumped over - not in your normal napping position. I could not just ignore the situation either. I have seen enough videos where people ignore others in need. It would have destroyed my conscience if I had not done anything and then heard on the evening news that a cab driver was found dead in a Newton parking lot where no one stopped to help him.
What would you have done? Have you ever had experiences like that?
Yesterday Sara and I went out for lunch in Newton (a suburban and fairly ritzy area of Boston). Newton has paved over what probably used to be its common (plaza, piazza, central square/park) and turned it to a lovely parking lot so consumers can shop at the nearby Pier One, Starbucks, Coldstone, etc.
When we parked, I noticed as I got out of our car a guy slouched in the driver's seat of the taxi parked next to us. The cab had backed in so he was right next to me. His window was down and although it was not raining, the weather was cool and damp. I looked at Sara, subliminally asking her, "What should we do? This guy does not look good."
As we walked away, we decided that if he was still there after lunch we would deal with it then. For all we knew, he might just be napping.
When we returned, the guy had moved but he was still slumped over his steering wheel and it had begun to rain. His window was still down and he was getting wet. The bit of his face we could see looked ashen.
I decided to go into a nearby bank and see if I could call the police to come check the guy out. The people in the bank were helpful, but the woman at the police station was curt and I had a hard time explaining the situation. She finally said she would send someone, but I had to meet the patrol in the parking lot. Since it was raining, I told Sara she could wait at the Starbucks. No sense both of us getting wet.
After about five minutes, a police officer showed up followed by a fire truck. By then the cab window had gone up, but the guy still was slouched. The officer knocked loudly on the window and the guy popped up, startled.
"Are you ok? How are you feeling?" the officer asked.
"Fine, just getting some rest," was the guy's nervous reply.
"You sure? You want to see a medic?" asked the officer.
"No, no. I was just tired. I needed some rest."
The officer radioed in to cancel the ambulance and told the firefighters everything was fine. I felt silly to have caused so much commotion and I apologized to the officer. He was very understanding and said that it is job to check on these things and that it was good that I had alerted someone.
I went to Starbucks and got Sara. By the time we got back to the car, the cab had left - probably to find a more secluded place to rest.
I probably should have just asked the guy if he was ok. I do know CPR, although it has been a while since I have been certified. Something kept me from doing that - probably not knowing how the guy was going to react if indeed he was just sleeping. He did not look good, though, and he was quite slumped over - not in your normal napping position. I could not just ignore the situation either. I have seen enough videos where people ignore others in need. It would have destroyed my conscience if I had not done anything and then heard on the evening news that a cab driver was found dead in a Newton parking lot where no one stopped to help him.
What would you have done? Have you ever had experiences like that?
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Change of Mind
I was going to post, but then Blogger didn't work.
Now I don't feel like it.
Instead I am trying to find the strangest songs on my playlist and make a CD to listen to in my car. I am also pricing tickets for Sara to Albuquerque.
Thanks to all the well wishes, though. More on the job later...
Now I don't feel like it.
Instead I am trying to find the strangest songs on my playlist and make a CD to listen to in my car. I am also pricing tickets for Sara to Albuquerque.
Thanks to all the well wishes, though. More on the job later...
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Driven to Insanity?
I am back and I am tired.
Driving 400+ miles and having an interview will do that to you - exhaust you, I mean.
The worst part? The last 10 miles home in Boston traffic. Ugghhh.
The interview? I did as well as I could. You never know with these things.
Wait and see - that's the name of this game.
I hate this game.
I think I will go have another beer.
I am back and I am tired.
Driving 400+ miles and having an interview will do that to you - exhaust you, I mean.
The worst part? The last 10 miles home in Boston traffic. Ugghhh.
The interview? I did as well as I could. You never know with these things.
Wait and see - that's the name of this game.
I hate this game.
I think I will go have another beer.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
My Chaotic Life
I need to update on the ongoings.
Sara's Dad:
He met with a neurosurgeon and finally called Sara to update her. It was a long wait for us to get more information. In the meantime we spent a lot of time looking at information on brain tumors online. The diagnosis is that he has a meningioma, which if you are going to have a brain tumor is the one to get. They are rarely malignant. He is still is going to need surgery to remove it and great care is needed anytime you go poking around the brain. The surgery is probably going to take place later this month or early next month. Sara will go out to be with him when it does.
Thank you to all who have left comments of support here and over at Sara's and to those of you who didn't but kept us in your thoughts, prayers, chants, etc. We appreciate them.
Job Search:
I have an on-campus job interview on Tuesday. I am driving to New Jersey tomorrow. I applied for the position the day I got back from California and they called me the next day. After I sent them some supplemental information, they called last week to invite me to campus. I have not mentioned it because I don't want to jinx myself. I am feeling rather anxious about the whole thing. I really need this job and if I get it, life gets much simpler for us and our move to New York. I'll be home Tuesday evening.
The travails of owning a discontinued car:
As I have mentioned before, we own a Daewoo car. It is a nice car, but Daewoo went bankrupt a couple of years ago. This means servicing it and getting parts can be a major headache. Last week I took it for its four month bath (spring here leaves massive amounts of gunk and pollen on cars). One of the guys at the carwash pointed out that the safety inspection sticker had expired last August.
Unbeknownst to me, you have to inspect your car every year and there is no reminder. All other places I have had a car, inspection is tied to registration. You cannot renew your registration if it doesn't pass inspection. Fortunately we were never pulled over. I took the car to get inspected and it passed on everything except the parking brake. It needs new pads. The mechanics called around trying to find the pads without success. I told them that there was a Nissan dealership in Rhode Island that used to also sell Daewoos and that I used to take it there.
They called the dealership and found out that the parts could be ordered. It would cost $199, though (pads usually cost about $60 a pair). I thought there was little choice and agreed. In that time, the price went up to $220. I agreed again. Then I hear the mechanic scream (he is a goofy, tall Eastern European fellow). The dealership had asked him which side. So the pads were going to be $440 for the pair!
"They are ripping us off! I refuse to do business with them!" he cried. "Not even the fanciest cars have brake pads that cost more than $200 for a pair." The manager told me that I should try to call around some more and see if could find the pads. So I came home and Sara and I looked online. Lo and behold, we found pads for $45 each.
I have more recently found that you can now order parts through the small front organization Daewoo still has in the US. Good for future reference.
As if this were not enough, we just got a safety recall notice from Daewoo US. It says to take the care to a Daewoo dealer. Problem is that there are none! There are places, like the rip off dealership in Rhode Island, that will still work with them, but I don't trust that place anymore.
I think it is time to get rid of this car. Does anyone out there want to buy a nice station wagon with low miles and good gas mileage?
Unstable Housing:
We live in a two family home. We live on the first floor and our landlords (an older married couple) live on the second and third. The other day as I was leaving the guy stops me and asks me what our plans for the fall are. Sara had already mentioned that we were moving to New York. He then proceeds to tell me that they are putting the house up for sale.
We have an uncanny knack for renting places that get put on the market. Fortunately this time it does not seem to be much of an issue, since we are planning on leaving anyway at the end of the summer. The way the housing market is right now and the time it takes for all transactions to take place, it seems like we will be ok. The only annoyance will be all the realtors and prospective buyers trudging through our place.
It seemed strange, however, that out landlords would sell the place. They bought it only two years ago, just before we moved in. It was also at the peak of the market and they are certainly not going to be able to sell it for the same price they bought it for. Later, when I saw the wife, I asked where they would be moving to, she shared that they were splitting up.
Even though it is a nice house in a nice location, there does seem to be a bad aura to it. Our landlords split up, Sara got kiddney stones here, our job searches were not very successful, Sara's father has had health problems while we were here, we had a break-in attempt, and so on. Maybe these are just parts of life and have nothing to do with the house. Who knows, but in some ways I am glad we are moving.
Anticipation:
That low sounding buzz you hear in the background is my growing anticipation for the World Cup that starts next week. I like soccer, but the World Cup is an obsession. I was fortunate enough to go to several games when it was played in Mexico in 1986. Those were so much fun.
Publishing:
Over the last three weeks, I have had two articles (one co-written with Sara) and a book review published. Getting the proofs and seeing your name under the fancy title is pretty cool. It has energized me to work on a few more articles I am almost ready to send out and to work in earnest on my book.
In Good Company:
I did not realize how many people shared my fascination of glimpsing at snapshots of people's lives through their windows. Nor the passion with which I detest mosquitos. I actually have a catalogue in my mind of the different types of mosquitos I have encountered around the world and their unique way of making your life misarable.
This post has become much too long. So bye.
I need to update on the ongoings.
Sara's Dad:
He met with a neurosurgeon and finally called Sara to update her. It was a long wait for us to get more information. In the meantime we spent a lot of time looking at information on brain tumors online. The diagnosis is that he has a meningioma, which if you are going to have a brain tumor is the one to get. They are rarely malignant. He is still is going to need surgery to remove it and great care is needed anytime you go poking around the brain. The surgery is probably going to take place later this month or early next month. Sara will go out to be with him when it does.
Thank you to all who have left comments of support here and over at Sara's and to those of you who didn't but kept us in your thoughts, prayers, chants, etc. We appreciate them.
Job Search:
I have an on-campus job interview on Tuesday. I am driving to New Jersey tomorrow. I applied for the position the day I got back from California and they called me the next day. After I sent them some supplemental information, they called last week to invite me to campus. I have not mentioned it because I don't want to jinx myself. I am feeling rather anxious about the whole thing. I really need this job and if I get it, life gets much simpler for us and our move to New York. I'll be home Tuesday evening.
The travails of owning a discontinued car:
As I have mentioned before, we own a Daewoo car. It is a nice car, but Daewoo went bankrupt a couple of years ago. This means servicing it and getting parts can be a major headache. Last week I took it for its four month bath (spring here leaves massive amounts of gunk and pollen on cars). One of the guys at the carwash pointed out that the safety inspection sticker had expired last August.
Unbeknownst to me, you have to inspect your car every year and there is no reminder. All other places I have had a car, inspection is tied to registration. You cannot renew your registration if it doesn't pass inspection. Fortunately we were never pulled over. I took the car to get inspected and it passed on everything except the parking brake. It needs new pads. The mechanics called around trying to find the pads without success. I told them that there was a Nissan dealership in Rhode Island that used to also sell Daewoos and that I used to take it there.
They called the dealership and found out that the parts could be ordered. It would cost $199, though (pads usually cost about $60 a pair). I thought there was little choice and agreed. In that time, the price went up to $220. I agreed again. Then I hear the mechanic scream (he is a goofy, tall Eastern European fellow). The dealership had asked him which side. So the pads were going to be $440 for the pair!
"They are ripping us off! I refuse to do business with them!" he cried. "Not even the fanciest cars have brake pads that cost more than $200 for a pair." The manager told me that I should try to call around some more and see if could find the pads. So I came home and Sara and I looked online. Lo and behold, we found pads for $45 each.
I have more recently found that you can now order parts through the small front organization Daewoo still has in the US. Good for future reference.
As if this were not enough, we just got a safety recall notice from Daewoo US. It says to take the care to a Daewoo dealer. Problem is that there are none! There are places, like the rip off dealership in Rhode Island, that will still work with them, but I don't trust that place anymore.
I think it is time to get rid of this car. Does anyone out there want to buy a nice station wagon with low miles and good gas mileage?
Unstable Housing:
We live in a two family home. We live on the first floor and our landlords (an older married couple) live on the second and third. The other day as I was leaving the guy stops me and asks me what our plans for the fall are. Sara had already mentioned that we were moving to New York. He then proceeds to tell me that they are putting the house up for sale.
We have an uncanny knack for renting places that get put on the market. Fortunately this time it does not seem to be much of an issue, since we are planning on leaving anyway at the end of the summer. The way the housing market is right now and the time it takes for all transactions to take place, it seems like we will be ok. The only annoyance will be all the realtors and prospective buyers trudging through our place.
It seemed strange, however, that out landlords would sell the place. They bought it only two years ago, just before we moved in. It was also at the peak of the market and they are certainly not going to be able to sell it for the same price they bought it for. Later, when I saw the wife, I asked where they would be moving to, she shared that they were splitting up.
Even though it is a nice house in a nice location, there does seem to be a bad aura to it. Our landlords split up, Sara got kiddney stones here, our job searches were not very successful, Sara's father has had health problems while we were here, we had a break-in attempt, and so on. Maybe these are just parts of life and have nothing to do with the house. Who knows, but in some ways I am glad we are moving.
Anticipation:
That low sounding buzz you hear in the background is my growing anticipation for the World Cup that starts next week. I like soccer, but the World Cup is an obsession. I was fortunate enough to go to several games when it was played in Mexico in 1986. Those were so much fun.
Publishing:
Over the last three weeks, I have had two articles (one co-written with Sara) and a book review published. Getting the proofs and seeing your name under the fancy title is pretty cool. It has energized me to work on a few more articles I am almost ready to send out and to work in earnest on my book.
In Good Company:
I did not realize how many people shared my fascination of glimpsing at snapshots of people's lives through their windows. Nor the passion with which I detest mosquitos. I actually have a catalogue in my mind of the different types of mosquitos I have encountered around the world and their unique way of making your life misarable.
This post has become much too long. So bye.
Friday, June 02, 2006
The Battle Begins
I killed the season's first mosquito inside our apartment today (I got her before she got any of us - it is the female mosquitos that bite - no blood in the squished mess). How do you feel when you squish a mosquito and find a bloody mess? A sense of vengeful fulfillment or great disgust?
I digress. With all the rain and flooding we have had recently it is certainly going to be a long itchy summer.
I am happy that our neighbor (pseudo-mafia man) finally drained his cesspool of a swimming pool (above ground). It had water in it all winter long and was now a wonderful mosquito incubator.
I hate mosquitos - one reason I could not be Buddhist.
I killed the season's first mosquito inside our apartment today (I got her before she got any of us - it is the female mosquitos that bite - no blood in the squished mess). How do you feel when you squish a mosquito and find a bloody mess? A sense of vengeful fulfillment or great disgust?
I digress. With all the rain and flooding we have had recently it is certainly going to be a long itchy summer.
I am happy that our neighbor (pseudo-mafia man) finally drained his cesspool of a swimming pool (above ground). It had water in it all winter long and was now a wonderful mosquito incubator.
I hate mosquitos - one reason I could not be Buddhist.
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