Monday, January 26, 2009

Notice, I Didn't Curse




I'm pretty upset today, because I came to the realization that my favorite airline, Mexicana, is a nasty, disgusting business and I hope it goes into bankruptcy and its dirty rotten employees remain unemployed forever.

I should have accepted this a long time ago, but I didn't because nothing bad had ever happened to me in the jillions of flights I've flown with them. They always seemed to be a vastly better option than the bare-bones American airlines like AA, United, and Delta. On those airlines, the seats are uncomfortable and tiny and always more expensive and the flight attendants seem really angry at you most of the time. But at least the workers don't steal from you while they're loading or unloading your baggage!

But I should have known better. They've stolen from my family members and friends who came all the way out here for my wedding, and, as I just found out recently, they treated my two best friends in the world like criminals (or worse) on their flight back to California, so much so that one of them resolved never, ever to come back again. Unless it was to the beach or some other touristy area where they really can't afford to meddle with the foreigners too much. And that made me sad to hear. When I asked her about it, she said that she hadn't wanted to tell me about her experience because she didn't want me to feel bad about it. But now I know, and I feel bad about it.

They also stole my aunt's brand new video camera, which was filled with lots and lots of adorable memories, I'm sure. And who knows what else. Apparently, as I'm finding out/accepting, being robbed while flying with Mexicana is a big problem.

I know that Mexico is a poor country and the people who stole a bag filled with brand new baby clothes that were given to AJ at her baby shower probably need it more than we do. I know that it could have been worse and they could have stolen something that I really NEEDED or something really VALUABLE, even though those clothes were given to her by people I love and had a lot of sentimental value. I know that it could have happened on any airline or in a number of situations not involving airlines, and that it probably happens in lots of different airlines in lots of different countries (including the US, I guess) every day. I know I should have packed my things better. I know I have to think these things to keep from feeling so angry.

And I also know that I really can't do anything about it, except write this blog entry and hope that someone out there reads it and flies some other airline instead as a result. Or just packs up their personal effects in such a way that makes it harder for Mexicana employees to steal.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Person of the Month




Name: AJ
Nicknames: Princess Candy, Miss Daisy, Locotiturris
Favorite things to do: taking baths, making her daddy be Morgan Freeman and drive her around while she looks at things and screams whenever he stops moving
Occupation: Baby
Bad Habits: Bulimia
Claim to Fame: freako eyelashes


AJ is a two-month old Mexican-American baby and January's person of the month. She was born in Clovis, California but lives in Queretaro and has already been to her first Casino, though she stayed in her hotel room for most of the trip. She was born at 8:18 on November the 8th of 2008, so now I'm into numerology because of all the 8's. Her doctor is a little old man who moves really slowly and dots his i's with little circles. Because she can't talk yet, CC does her voice for her thereby giving her a personality since she really doesn't have one of her own yet. She can only hold a smile for a good second or two, as Aunt Chaudrey pointed out, and the truth is that she really doesn't do anything remarkable, but this is sure to change as she's growing every day. So far she's an excellent baby and we love her and are very glad to have her around.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Books


I read a lot, so here is a list of all of the fiction books I read in 2008:

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, by Lillian Jackson Braun
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton
City of Glass by Paul Auster
'Tis by Frank by McCourt
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
The Liar's Club by Mary Karr
All the Numbers by Judy Merrill
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks (gag)
King of Torts John Grisham
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham

Trainspotting Irvine Welsh

The Thief Lord Cornelia Funke

Run by Ann Patchett

Running With Scissors by Augustine Burroughs
Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Whatever

The Best Old Book of the Year Award goes to: Tie: Angela's Ashes and Giovanni's Room
The Best New Book of the Year Award goes to: tie: Run and Book of Ruth
The Hardest Book to Read but Totally Worth the Effort Award goes to: Trainspotting
The Worst Book of the Year award goes to: ALL THE NUMBERS
The Biggest Waste of Time award goes to: tie: The Cat that could Read Backwards and ALL THE NUMBERS
The Most Fun To Read Award goes to: EAT PRAY LOVE
Honorable Mention for being a cool book: Power of One