One Advantage of Winter

One advantage of winter is that as soon as you walk out of the front door, you'll know whether you left your fly unzipped.

Gym Membership

I look in the mirror and think, "Damn! I should join a gym!"

Then I realize that no one wants to see the body of a guy my age even if it is in great shape. So, I guess that I'm better off staying home and saving what a gym membership would cost.

Impressions of Mexico City

Sun

It's out and it's strong, even in January. Any Mexican who spends their days outdoors (gardeners, police officers, people selling items to tourists, etc.) wears long pants, long sleeves, and a wide-brimmed hat. Apparently, Mexicans would rather endure the heat of an extra layer than risk overexposure to the ultraviolet radiation. Tourists take note. The Mexican sun is serious business.

Bargains

If you have ever been on a vacation where things seemed to cost more than they should, Mexico will be a pleasant surprise. Meals, transportation, entry fees, and most goods are priced significantly lower than I would have expected. I bought a 1 liter bottle of drinking water today for about 40 cents. I would expect to pay $1.75 to $2.50 for a bottle like that back home. My wallet is smiling!

Police

They're everywhere, heavily armed, dressed in bulky bulletproof vests and looking quite serious. I don't know what they are preparing for, but I don't want to be around when it happens.

Antiquities

Mexico's pre-Columbian civilizations build impressive cities of stone. Those antiquities still exist, some of them are in excellent shape - better than the Greek ruins, for example - and Modern Mexican culture is very proud of its heritage.

Steelers!

Steelers jerseys! Steelers jackets! I've only seen one US sports team represented in Mexico: The Pittsburgh Steelers! I see Mexicans wearing Steelers apparel every day. Sorry Yankees! Sorry Cowboys! Sorry Reiders! Your logos just don't cut it south of the border.

Traffic

There's a lot of traffic in Mexico City despite adoption of an odd even system for limiting auto usage. Gridlock is common. Traffic jams are ubiquitous. Mexico just isn't a place where you can expect to get from place to place quickly.

Crossing the street can be tricky. Surges of traffic can appear suddenly from unexpected directions, and even when pedestrians have a green signal, turning cars will compete aggressively for the right of way.

Pedestrian traffic is also disorganized. No one follows any sort of convention on sidewalks. Navigating your way around crowds without being struck by a vehicle can be tricky. The bottom line: it's best not to be in a hurry.

Air Quality

It's better than it used to be back when Mexico City was known for its thick, sour-smelling smog. Happy, the city has improved quite a bit in this dimension.

Gay Couples

Mexico seems to be quite gay friendly. I've seen lots of couples enjoying the city together, tourists and locals alike. Viva Mexico!

Bus Stops

Bus stops exist in Mexico City. There are places where busses stop regularly in order to pick up and drop off passengers. What doesn't exist is any sort of signage indicating where the bus might stop - you just have to know - or where it might take you once you climb aboard.

Directions

If you're lost, ask for directions. Just don't expect those directions to be right. On the contrary, expect them to be completely wrong, even if the person seems certain that they know what they're talking about. (They don't!) 

The only accurate directions I have received so far came from people working in hotels. So if you really need directions, look for a hotel and ask the people at the front desk for help. You might actually get to where you're going.

Uneven Sidewalks

Let's face up to an ugly truth here. So called 'slip and fall' lawsuits and one of the most prevalent scams perpetrated in the USA. If there's an uneven patch of sidewalk in front of your home or business, and someone trips on it and falls down, they'll hire a greedy lawyer and expect you to pay them a small fortune in damages.

Luckily, such un neighborly nonsense doesn't happen in Mexico. The sidewalks here are obstacle courses of uneven concrete, holes, dips, ramps, cracks, and unmarked steps and level changes. You, the pedestrian, are expected to watch your step instead of relying on the justice system to compensate you for being unmindful or clumsy. As a Norte Americano, I find Mexico's emphasis on self reliance refreshing.

Blue Hair

Bright blue. It seems to be in fashion.

Food

Outstanding! It's so good that it makes me sad, sad that I'll never be able to find Mexican food this tasty once I return to the States.

Copyright © 2016 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved 

  

Bold Arguments

I'm losing my patience for people who make bold arguments based on things that they don't understand - history, economics, and the US Constitution, to name a few. 

Moments of Friendship

Friendship is a series of warm, surprising, and memorable moments. Like when you go for a hike in the woods with a couple of your best buds, you stop along the trail for a quick bathroom break, and one of them amuses himself by peeing on your pant leg.

Future State Of The Union

I can't imagine Donald J. Trump giving a state of the union address. I just can't. It would be like watching Bill Cosby give your wife a gynecological exam.

Into The New Year

It's sad to watch the Christmas decorations being taken down. The city was adorned so beautifully this holiday season! I'm ready for Christmas all over again!

It's troubling to see all of the businesses that closed at the end of the year. So many empty store fronts! So many signs claiming "Retail Space Available!" Those spaces wouldn't be vacant if the buildings had kept the rents at reasonable levels. 

Copyright © 2016 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved 

  

What Happened To The Gifts?

A child is born. A bright star lights up the sky. Three wise kings see the star as a sign that something significant has happened.

The kings organize caravans. They travel for twelve days until they find the child, his mother, and her husband making the best of their stay in a stable.

The kings realize that the boy is special. A Messiah. A Saviour. They give to him the finest gifts that they have to offer: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And then the kings depart. They go back to their respective lands. But what happened to the gifts?

Granted, two of the gifts were not durable. Myrrh is a scented oil. It has to be used to be appreciated. Perhaps the myrrh was used from time to time to anoint the child.

Frankincense gives off a fragrance when it burns. Perhaps it was used to cleanse and purify the child's home and quarters.

Gold, on the other hand, is one of the most durable materials in the universe. It doesn't tarnish. It doesn't react with other materials. Gold lasts forever. 

What happened to the gold that was given to the boy? As a young man, he worked as a humble carpenter. There's no mention of material wealth at this point of his life, no portfolio of precious metals.

Was the gold spent over time to take care of basic family needs? Was it lost? Stolen? Gambled away? Was it used for bribes in an effort to keep the boy safe from Herod's soldiers?

And what of the kings? Did they ever return to look in on their young protégé? Were they interested in his progress? Did they see intervention in his life as unnecessary? Or did they meet their demise before they could return?

So many unanswered questions! Unfortunately, none of the extant accounts were recorded as the events occurred. The Gospels were written decades later. 

Over the centuries, people have kept the tradition of giving gifts. We give gifts on the anniversary of the Christ child's birth. We observe the Epiphany twelve days later in honor of the travelers who gave the very first Christmas gifts - gifts presented by kings to a newborn infant sleeping in a stable.

Copyright © 2016 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved 

  

The Oregon Embarrassment

Calling these Oregon protestors terrorists would be an insult to terrorists. They don't have any guts. They're not prepared to give their lives for a cause. They don't even have a cause. They're immature bullies beating their chests in defiance of a non-existent enemy, a bunch of overgrown three-year-olds playing army.

The Waking City

I love the city when it's waking up, the beginning of a new day, a new week.