Chasing the Sun: Odd Things Happening in Odessa, Texas

Or perhaps not really. It is just different. Having lunch at 11:15 or 11:30 AM in the US, when we usually eat around 2:00 PM in Mexico is just different. This is something we Mexicans have in common with Spanish colleagues, however, my Spanish roommates have refused to eat dinner until 10:00 PM, despite eating lunch around noon. Once school starts, I guess it'll be like having our recess lunch and early dinner (perhaps at 7:00 PM, not 6:00 PM as Americans seem to do) due to the fact that waking up early will be a must, and being awake for 10 hours without any food is too much.

You can feel the sun burning you in Odessa as soon as you walk out the door, even if your skin doesn't really burn. I have been used to winter sun in northeastern Mexico, when it is cool, dry, and you feel the cold sun slowly burning you. Contrariwise, summer sun in Monterrey makes you feel sticky, hot, and humid, but not as much as Houston or South Padre Island.

People are warm and seem to be friendly too. I don't mean to say that people in big cities in Texas are mean, but I would say that Odessans' kindness outperforms other peoples' kindness in places like San Antonio, Houston, or Dallas (Austin is a different story with which I need further observation to reach a possible conclusion). Would it be perhaps that unlike previous shopping trips, now I'm really having the opportunity to interact with people north of the border? 

Being invited to dinner or for a drink on an almost daily basis is cool, however, I will be on a budget until my first paycheck. Hopefully as we start school this will start to be something that will be done mainly on weekends so that we can all save money to travel, to cover unforeseen costs, and simply save for the sake of doing it. Odd is not bad, it's just different. I am looking forward to this life I live.

La Escuela y la Comida Mexicana en Odessa, Texas

Es bien sabido que es difícil encontrar comida mexicana autentica en Estados Unidos (de esa sin queso cheddar), pero también es difícil conseguir los ingredientes reales para prepararla. Encontré una tienda que se llama “El Rancho” en la 8th ST. Encuentras casi todos los productos LALA (menos la crema que no es ácida), galletas Gamesa (la más importante, las saladas), crema la Lechera, todos los polvos Knorr, fritos Barcel, algo de Sabritas, algo de pan Bimbo, nopales, chorizo (hasta de soya) y varios quesos mexicanos como el panela y el fresco además de los que se derriten (asadero, oaxaca y manchego y simplemente queso mexicano que quien sabe de qué sea). No hay salchichas San Rafael, y de la leche LALA de tetra brik no había de la que buscaba, y hace falta porque uno tiene que andar comprando galones de leche que no duran… Si me sobra tiempo, mas delante checo las galletas Marías para hacer un pay de queso con fresas. Curiosamente no hay arroz Diamante del impegable, y eso que lo hacen acá. Falta ver si los arroces son impegables por default.

La escuela es un edificio enorme. Son solo dos pisos, pero puede tener la misma cantidad de metros cuadrados que una colonia entera. Hay alberca de unos 4 metros de profundidad y al parecer semiolímpica, y esto no es nada. Hay un “gym” chico, de un tamaño parecido a la cancha de basket del TEC, y el “gym” grande, que es mucho más grande, hay un “salón” para practicar golf, salón de teatro, un auditorio grande, gimnasio, salón de baile, salón de arte, salón de piano, salón de arpas, salón de guitarras, salón de orquesta, salón de música, salón de coro… y los pasillos enormes. Como casi todas las luces estaban apagadas, parecía ya escenario de una película de Scooby Doo, aunque todavía no descubro los pasadizos secretos. Literalmente me perdí. Ah! Falto la cancha de tenis  afuera y la cafetería de adentro más grande que un restaurant, dos salas de maestros, un montón de oficinas… Se me hace que si le sigo no acabo nunca, a lo mejor terminaría de calificar a los 1,400 alumnos antes de terminar de explicar todo lo que vi. 

El Lugar que voy a Extrañar

Decir apurado con todo lo que falta por hacer antes de salir mañana en la madrugada es poco, pero irme sin decir esto haría que sienta que me faltó hacer algo.

A la familia y amigos, ya saben que voy a extrañarlos, y también a esta Tierra de Osos, de las Hamburguesas del Río, de las Enchiladas Rossy, de las Pizzas La Stazione y de la Nieve Sultana. Esta tierra donde el desierto y el bosque se juntan. Ahora, a seguirle con lo que falta. 

Cuando la Vida parece un Electrocardiograma

Cuando la vida tiene altibajos como un electrocardiograma, si la tendencia es positiva, es bueno.

Opinion about Snowden and his Leaks, an Ethical Dilemma

Many of us have heard about 1984, the book written by George Orwell. I confess that this was one of the few books which I refused to read in high school, but with Sparknotes summaries, I did figure out what the book was about. What many of us have learned is that we are being watched. We are being watched, in a similar way as in the book, but at the same time we are hidden.

As it was initially published in the media, only telephone records within the US, as well as the calls to and from the US were being monitored, looking for specific patterns that may arise suspicious terrorist activities. Now we are being told that the US is spying other countries, but other countries are doing the same to their citizens, and countries have been sharing this secret information. We are perhaps way too many people to be spied upon, as it would require a great amount of people for us to be monitored all the time. If this has been going on for so long, how could this be kept secret all this time? If too many people had been involved, we would've known this, but even so, it is too much work for one single mind to keep an eye on another all the time.

Do I mind being spied upon? Well it depends. I would compare this information as going with a doctor. I certainly would let the doctor know and see everything as needed if that would do me good, but it would be incorrect and impolite to share and let others see what they shouldn't. You trust a doctor, knowing that your information will be kept secret. The question here is, if your information and activities are found to be suspicious and once they look further into this they find out that you have nothing to hide, will they simply move on or will they put a trace on you for purpose that has nothing to do with the safety of others? You trust that a doctor will not publish or share pictures to bad reputation magazines just as a psychologist will not share your issues or a Catholic priest will not tell anyone about your sins.

What you (a regular person just like me) CAN do is see others' information that is made publicly available. If you are thinking about hiring someone, and that someone allows you to see his or her information thorough a social network, what you want to do is to get as many references as you can in order to see if it is the best match for you or not. 

It certainly feels uncomfortable to know that someone is watching you if it is information that you do not wish to share, but if doing this prevents terrible things from taking place, well, what do we do? I strongly agree that the end DOES NOT justify the means, but when we have to choose between privacy and security, we apparently can't have both at the same time. When we have to choose between two or more bad choices, we get an ethical dilemma. The right answer MIGHT be an equilibrium between the two options. If 100% privacy means 100% insecurity, I certainly don't want it, but I also don't wants strangers to know everything about me, being able to hide only what I dream at night. The real dilemma is: how far should we go between one way or the other? As I do not have an answer for that, I am glad this decision is out of my hands.

In regards to Snowden, I really wonder whether he is really in Moscow's airport or not. Just imagine going to the airport for two weeks. You may have plenty of money in your debit card, but will you stay two weeks without a shower? People don't just stay there and take a bath where people wash their hands, as Tom Hanks probably suggested in the Terminal movie. Regular people should have seen him by now unless the airport has a place where people can actually live normally. I guess these places actually exist, but not for regular passengers. 

As for Julian Assange, I don't know if he is guilty of what he is being accused of other than Wikileaks, but hiding in a small, known, untouchable place for over a year must be terrible. I certainly wouldn't handle that, especially knowing that you're either stuck there forever doing what you want to do or being stuck elsewhere, possibly forever without being able to do what you want to do. This makes me wonder if people like him or Alex are immune to thins that make most other people suffer. Series like 24 and Prison break, even though they exaggerated and surpassed any possible survival chances for many of the main characters, they may not have exaggerated people's resistance to pain so much. People fighting for good or bad causes often behaved like martyrs. 

La Canícula Parte 3

Empezaba el mes de marzo, justo después de haber visto un trailer de lo que sigue, cuando el pasillo se puso más oscuro que antes, solo que en mi bolsa traje desde entonces las llaves del futuro exitoso.  Legué a pensar que esto fue así “invitándome” a dejar de trabajar para quienes solamente ven a los empleados como si fueran naranjas a las que hay que exprimirles dinero a toda costa sin importarles nada más. Esto además de tener que lidiar con los gusanos de clientes que buscan podrirte, normalmente no dejando contentos ni a los gusanos ni a los exprimidores.

Era tanta ya la oscuridad que aún sabiendo que pronto amanecería decidí prender la luz. Esto si esta constando caro, porque pensé en renunciar para acabar la tesina. No contaba con que la asesora se iba a atravesar a lo mucho una vez por semana en el camino. Esto me ha atorado un poquito y no voy a poder tener la tesina presentada este mes como pensaba. Pude haber aguantado unas dos semanas más en el trabajo de antes.

Desde que conseguí esas llaves a finales de febrero el amanecer se programó y este no se va a esperar a que tenga yo más para recibirlo, aunque esos 35mil pesos extras al año no habrían estado nada mal por terminar la maestría. Ahora en vez de dejar que me expriman, mi trabajo va a ser el pulir diamantes, que va a ser divertido. No hay nada mejor que trabajar en lo que te gusta y que te paguen un sueldo justo. Voy a estar satisfecho en la medida en que les guste mi trabajo. Se acerca con esta nueva oportunidad la hora de cambiarme de casa. Ahora la pregunta aquí es: ¿Qué me llevo y qué dejo?  

Dog Days part 5: Time to move on

It was early in the night when the first rumbles of thunder were heard. The lights went out. The weather was pleasant, however, the place inside felt hot and humid. Cool air was not coming in through the windows and thunder would not let you sleep. The best you could do to beat the heat was to stand next to the windows and watch the show. After a while you get tired and feel like you ought to sleep, but there was no way to do so due to the continuous sound of thunder. The night seemed to last forever and clocks were stuck at midnight. Would this ever end? At times, in-cloud lightning was so bright that for an instant the city would be completely illuminated as if every lamp post was shining as bright as a stadium light, but without those lights being there.

I wake up, it was all a nightmare. The lights were out, but there was no storm. The air was indeed hot and uncomfortable. At dawn I see a message from the red haired lady:

I am waiting for you now, if you only knew that I need you more than you need me, your absence makes me suffer more than what you suffer for me. I need you to come to me by the end of next month. You and I will both miss the forests, but we’ll be in an oasis. I also promise shorter summers. I will go with you anywhere you want to go during Christmas and during the summer, and I would encourage you to take me with you back to Monterrey often, though not to live there permanently until we both retire. I love the place as much as you do, but this is not the place to make a living right now.

I found a picture at the end of the note; both her hair and eye colors were changing, both features with all their respective natural colors. A different color in either eyes and/or hair did not make her look less beautiful.

After a long fought battle the time has come to uncover the pot of gold, and this is not about money, it is about a lifetime adventure. It is exciting to know that you'll be moving to a place where you've never been. I will miss my friends and family, but I will keep coming back. I promise.

El dilema con las Tarántulas, (¿Aphonopelma hentzi y/o Aphonopelma anax?)

Si has visto una (como esta que apareció ayer afuera de mi casa), o al menos has sabido de ellas estarás de acuerdo en que son animales repugnantes. No por nada hasta el Lonje Moco llegó a quejarse de su acompañante por disque criticarlo y le decía: “que yo no digo nada de la tarántula que tienes de esposa.” A pesar de que son no gratas a la vista no hay que tenerles miedo (salvo que te topes una en situaciones inoportunas como cuando te despiertas en la noche y ves una en tu almohada). Si buscas en internet, vas a ver que las tarántulas en Norteamérica no son agresivas como las australianas, y algunos hasta les dicen “dóciles”. La otra es que nadie en el mundo se ha muerto por un piquete de estos animales, aunque puede que no te salves del dolor.

En tu casa no las vas a querer dejar entrar porque por más dóciles que puedan ser, nunca sabes dónde te las puedes topar o cuándo sin querer se van a sentir amenazadas. En Villa Montaña las veo más seguido en abril, y sobre todo en mayo, quien sabe por qué. Si sales a caminar temprano en la noche en esas fechas, puede que la mitad de las veces te topes al menos una en la calle o en la banqueta. Aunque muchas veces las he matado, últimamente me he tenido el dilema de hacerlo o no. Estos animales se comen a los ratones y cucarachos, que esos sí entran fácil a las casas. De ahora en adelante, si las veo afuera, creo que lo conveniente es dejarlas vivir para que los cucarachos no se multipliquen tanto, y si las veo afuera de la casa, pues ahí si convendría matarlas para que no se aparezcan inoportunamente, y evitar los gritos de terror de las mujeres en la casa.

En cuanto a las especies, la mitad las he visto con un color café oscuro en la pansa y las patas, y color mantequilla de cacahuate en la cabeza, probablemente Aphonopelma hentzi y/o Aphonopelma anax. La otra mitad que he visto, se ven simplemente negras o cafés, probablemente es la misma especie con la cabeza más oscura como esta de la foto. He llegado a verlas en la Sierra Madre en Nuevo León (San Pedro, Santiago) y en San Jerónimo. En Axtla, en la Huasteca Potosina vi una negra con pelos literalmente rojos en la pansa.

The May Tricks, just like The Matrix: Living in a Dream World like Neo

As the continuous summer heat season has just begun, the pressure is rising. Everything happening around me is showing signs that it is time to jump off the cliff and fall into the stars. A bridge that will guide me through is quickly being built. Just as a slingshot needs to move backward before you throw something, and just as it often gets hot before a cold front moves in, the pressure is rising, and once the big bang takes place, it will not be to destruct, but to build a better life. It will be my job to help others do so. Clouds may not allow you to watch what lies ahead, but I feel that a bright future is waiting to be discovered.

Passion for Chocolate drives a Continuous Improvement Project Based Experiment

Everybody loves chocolate, or most of us at least. The problem here is that what makes it great usually has its price. Cocoa butter may be the one causing pimples when they would normally not appear. It can also be considered candy (with all its implications), too much sodium, etc.

The question here is: can we make a better treat than what popular brands offer? If so, can we make it healthier? So far, chocolate cookies have been successful, chocolate cake has not been 100% successful. Big companies surely have an answer to this, and when the market is ready to turn their discoveries profitable, we may start seeing them at the grocery store. 

The slice on the left is dark chocolate cake, made with dark cocoa, the second one is made with cocoa, and the one on the right is red velvet cake from a commercial brand. Except for the latter one, the ones I prepared myself were sweetened with fructose. Splenda will make the cake dry (unless you use polydextrose, which is not available at the local supermarket), but even using Stevia, as an alternate sugar substitute, sugar is needed to make bubbles (or a sugar alcohol substitute).

Duty comes first, and while the possibility of moving out to live alone might give you less time to spare, this will not be the end of the project. I acknowledge the fact that this may take years, though.

ETS TExES in a non-traditional Way

An exam coming from a predominantly christian, but not catholic state, in a country with religious freedom, the last thing one would imagine is to take a standardized state test with images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. This is something reasonable, as this may not be comfortable for non-catholic or non-christian people. But who would be surprised to see this in a catholic school in a predominantly catholic country?

The end of May seems so far away now, as I have yet to discover the upcoming lifetime adventure. After a long fought battle, victory draws near. Something exciting is about to start, and I just can't wait.