There is a great film from 2002 called "Mr. & Mrs. Iyer" - it's mostly English, some Hindi, some Tamil. It holds a great deal of information about some of the absurd prejudices between Hindus and Muslims, and it explains some orthodox Hindu traditions (such as not drinking directly from a bottle). But it GROWS to be inclusive of all mankind.
It was written and directed by Aparna Sen who was an actress in India in the 1960's - I can think of one great film she was in "The Guru" (supposed to be story of late Beatle George Harrison). Ironically, her daughter (who turns out to be one great actress!) is in this story: "Konkona Sen Sharma" as an Orthodox Hindu (Tamil) on a bus ride that changes along the way and turns into a labyrinth of mystery and forlorn love.
If you can't see the film, please enjoy the main theme "Don't Look Away" remix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaumVQai9qo
Two people who are meant to be together for a while, change their views and prejudices, then "look away".
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Good Ole' Uncle Arturo
I had an Uncle who was such a spendthrift that he “squeaked” (just kidding) when he walked. Uncle Arturo (or “Art” as we called him – he even skimped on his name!) was a rare breed. He cut his own hair – “why pay a barber?” he would say. He cut his wife’s and two daughters’ hair (although many times they cried with the end results). “Why pay a hairdresser?” he would say. He even took toilet paper from public restrooms. “Why BUY toilet paper when I can get it for free?”. I can tell you some stories about Uncle Art that would put hair on your chest. He wouldn’t buy his family a TV – “Why should I? I have a perfectly good radio and can listen to radio for free!”. Uncle Art didn’t even believe in washing towels (and their towels were so dingy we were afraid to even touch them!) – his theory was “One is CLEAN when one uses a towel, so why waste water and soap to wash it??”
He put a 5-minute timer on the shower and if one showered longer than that, one was rudely awakened by ice cold water. Again…..it was to save money. Lights out by 10:00 p.m. because he didn’t want a high electric bill. He rode a bicycle to work (“Hey! Why should I spend perfectly good money on gasoline when I can get my exercise and save money at the same time?).
But there is a really sad ending to the story. I don’t really know WHAT he was saving all that money FOR. He and his wife were sadly killed in a car accident and their 2 daughters (then in their early twenties) inherited all their money. LET me TELL you……those two girls went through their Dad & Mum’s life-savings in about 6 months!!!!….and it was a fortune they were left! They ran out and bought expensive cars, homes well beyond their eventual means (they didn’t THINK about property taxes, etc.) They had their nails manicured and feet pedicured….at a very costly price. They went to hair salons that charged $40 a haircut.
SADLY – I thought about Uncle Art. He was a good man who lived a very honest life (as did Aunt Maria). But what did all that scrimping and saving achieve??? Their daughters lost their houses to bankruptcy and had not a penny in their accounts when all was said and done.
I compared Uncle Art’s life to our own. Yes, I know how to cut my husband’s hair and my daughter’s hair (although both screamed when I cut it the first time) – but we are in an economic recession – so I save money (for whom when I die?) and make a barber and hair salon go out of business because I’ve not given them any business?? Doesn’t the economy depend on consumer spending?
Sure, I could get a roll of toilet paper from every public toilet I visited, but that would be STEALING, and I don’t mind spending on that and keeping some toilet-paper industry employees in jobs. I could ride a bicycle to work and back to save money – but how would that be helping the economy?
There comes a time when we have to WEIGH what we contribute to the economy vs. what we can do for free. Of course we can do many things for free – but where does that leave the economy? There has to be BALANCE in what we do. Fanaticism to any degree doesn’t work and since tomorrow is never PROMISED to us – we never know…..a car accident COULD take our lives, then perhaps all we’d scrimped and saved would go (perhaps in trust if it’s a minor) to our offspring…..but they may decide to use it to put in CRYSTAL stairways and golden doors. We don’t know what they’ll do.
After knowing the story of Uncle Art my theory is – it’s perfectly OK to do “green” things like grow one’s own garden with veggies. And it’s not a bad idea (although we would never set the timer for that) to limit showers to 10 minutes to save water. But the rest??? We have to let others make a living or our whole economy goes DOWN. And that might mean a hairdresser or barber or gas (petrol) station closes because of lack of customers. Everything has a chain reaction. We want the economy to go up? We want our investments to increase? Then we'd best contribute to getting the economy on its feet again by helping keep jobs alive and well.
I AM still upset over dishwashing detergents and how they are gradually making it impossible to open the tops, but MOSTLY because of ecology…..I don’t want to throw plastic bottles away! Our recycling won’t accept such plastic bottles unless they’re RINSED and CLEAN – but how does one rinse and clean if the top won’t come off??
There is a MIDDLE road for everything in life. We can’t follow Uncle Art because we will see that his heirs spend their money on nonsense. Yes, the MIDDLE road is good.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Dishwashing Detergents.......
Oh, I am very, very disappointed with the manufacturers of many dishwashing detergents. It USED to be that one could simply unscrew the top. Now, many have put a protective plastic device that prevents it from being opened. Firstly - of course I understand THEIR point.....they want to make money, and they want you to buy more detergent!!!
However, in addition to preventing customers from opening the top, adding water to use up the LAST DROPS of detergent.....it also prevents one from RINSING out the plastic bottle so that it can be recycled! Recycling department won't take the bottle "as is" (with all that detergent residue) - they want it rinsed out.
So here is a case where going "green" is outweighed by a company's desire to make more money, and I notice it on more and more brands.
However, in addition to preventing customers from opening the top, adding water to use up the LAST DROPS of detergent.....it also prevents one from RINSING out the plastic bottle so that it can be recycled! Recycling department won't take the bottle "as is" (with all that detergent residue) - they want it rinsed out.
So here is a case where going "green" is outweighed by a company's desire to make more money, and I notice it on more and more brands.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Flower Drum Song.....
If you have NEVER treated yourself to viewing the 1961 Rogers and Hammerstein film "Flower Drum Song", you are missing so much!!! I present SOME of the lyrics of this wonderful musical:
“THE OTHER GENERATION”
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
How will ever communicate
Without communication?
You can't account for what they'll say or do.
And what peculiar thoughts they think
They never reveal to you.
A very discouraging problem is
The Other Generation.
They want to lead a life that's all their own.
Perhaps we ought to let them,
Forsake them and forget them!
But then we'd only find ourselves alone.--With one another!--
I don't believe we'd like to be alone!
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
They never take the blame for one mistake.--Oh no!--
Their parents are responsible
For ev'ry mistake they make!
A very discouraging problem is
The Other Generation.
And soon there'll be another one as well!
And when our out of hand sons
Are bringing up our grandsons,
I hope our grandsons give their fathers hell!--Can't wait to see it!--
I hope our grandsons give their fathers hell!
(Reprise)
Well, the more I see of grownups
The less I want to grow.
The more I see what they have learned
The less I want to know.
And yet we've got to all grow up,
There's no place else to go.
I wonder why we're all so poor
And they've got all the dough!
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
How will ever communicate
Without communication?
When we are using words the modern way,
They're much too big to try to dig
The colorful things we say.
If we could take over the training of
The Other Generation,
We know we could improve them quite a lot.
But they will never let us.
They stay the way they met us,
And so we're simply stuck with what we've got.--You can't improve them.--
The kids are simply stuck with what they've got.
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
How are we going to stop them when
They start an explanation
Of "What is used to mean to be a kid!"
The clean and wholesome fun they had,
The innocent things they did!
They all had a wonderful childhood in
The Other Generation.
The games they played were bright and gay and loud.
They used to shout "Red Rover,
Red Rover please come over!"
They must have been an awful droopy crowd when they were younger.
They must have been an awful droopy crowd
The Other Generation?
How will ever communicate
Without communication?
You can't account for what they'll say or do.
And what peculiar thoughts they think
They never reveal to you.
A very discouraging problem is
The Other Generation.
They want to lead a life that's all their own.
Perhaps we ought to let them,
Forsake them and forget them!
But then we'd only find ourselves alone.--With one another!--
I don't believe we'd like to be alone!
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
They never take the blame for one mistake.--Oh no!--
Their parents are responsible
For ev'ry mistake they make!
A very discouraging problem is
The Other Generation.
And soon there'll be another one as well!
And when our out of hand sons
Are bringing up our grandsons,
I hope our grandsons give their fathers hell!--Can't wait to see it!--
I hope our grandsons give their fathers hell!
(Reprise)
Well, the more I see of grownups
The less I want to grow.
The more I see what they have learned
The less I want to know.
And yet we've got to all grow up,
There's no place else to go.
I wonder why we're all so poor
And they've got all the dough!
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
How will ever communicate
Without communication?
When we are using words the modern way,
They're much too big to try to dig
The colorful things we say.
If we could take over the training of
The Other Generation,
We know we could improve them quite a lot.
But they will never let us.
They stay the way they met us,
And so we're simply stuck with what we've got.--You can't improve them.--
The kids are simply stuck with what they've got.
What are we going to do about
The Other Generation?
How are we going to stop them when
They start an explanation
Of "What is used to mean to be a kid!"
The clean and wholesome fun they had,
The innocent things they did!
They all had a wonderful childhood in
The Other Generation.
The games they played were bright and gay and loud.
They used to shout "Red Rover,
Red Rover please come over!"
They must have been an awful droopy crowd when they were younger.
They must have been an awful droopy crowd
“I ENJOY BEING A GIRL”
I'm a girl, and by me that's only great!
I am proud that my silhouette is curvy,
That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait
With my hips kind of swivelly and swervy.
I adore being dressed in something frilly
When my date comes to get me at my place.
Out I go with my Joe or John or Billy,
Like a filly who is ready for the race!
When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl,
I float as the clouds on air do,
I enjoy being a girl!
When men say I'm cute and funny
And my teeth aren't teeth, but pearl,
I just lap it up like honey
I enjoy being a girl!
I flip when a fellow sends me flowers,
I drool over dresses made of lace,
I talk on the telephone for hours
With a pound and a half of cream upon my face!
I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl... like... me.
When men say I'm sweet as candy
As around in a dance we whirl,
It goes to my head like brandy,
I enjoy being a girl!
When someone with eyes that smoulder
Says he loves every silken curl
That falls on my ivory shoulder,
I enjoy being a girl!
When I hear the complimentary whistle
That greets my bikini by the sea,
I turn and I glower and I bristle,
But I happy to know the whistle's meant for me!
I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl... like... me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
I am proud that my silhouette is curvy,
That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait
With my hips kind of swivelly and swervy.
I adore being dressed in something frilly
When my date comes to get me at my place.
Out I go with my Joe or John or Billy,
Like a filly who is ready for the race!
When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl,
I float as the clouds on air do,
I enjoy being a girl!
When men say I'm cute and funny
And my teeth aren't teeth, but pearl,
I just lap it up like honey
I enjoy being a girl!
I flip when a fellow sends me flowers,
I drool over dresses made of lace,
I talk on the telephone for hours
With a pound and a half of cream upon my face!
I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl... like... me.
When men say I'm sweet as candy
As around in a dance we whirl,
It goes to my head like brandy,
I enjoy being a girl!
When someone with eyes that smoulder
Says he loves every silken curl
That falls on my ivory shoulder,
I enjoy being a girl!
When I hear the complimentary whistle
That greets my bikini by the sea,
I turn and I glower and I bristle,
But I happy to know the whistle's meant for me!
I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl... like... me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
“CHOP SUEY”
Chop suey, chop suey!
Living here is very much like chop suey.
Hula hoops and nuclear war,
Doctor Salk and Zsa Zsa Gabor,
Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, and Dewey,
Chop suey, --Chop suey!--
Stars are drifting overhead,
Birds and worms have gone to bed.
Men work late in laboratories,
Others read detective stories.
Some are roaming 'round the country,
Others sit beneath just one tree.
Tonight on TV's Late, Late Show
You can look at Clara Bow! --Who?--
Chop suey, chop suey!
Good and bad, intelligent, mad, and screwy.
Violins and trumpets and drums,
Take it all the way that it comes,
Sad and funny, sour and honey dewy,
Chop suey!
Ballpoint pens and filter tips,
Lipsticks and potato chips.
In the dampest kind of heat wave
You can give your hair a neat wave.
Hear that lovely La Paloma,
Lullaby by Perry Como.
Dreaming in my Maidenform bra,
Dreamed I danced the Cha-Cha-Cha.
Chop suey, chop suey!
Mixed with all the hokum and bally hooey.
Something real and glowing grand.
Sheds a light all over the land.
Boston, Austin, Wichita, and St. Louis,
Chop suey.
Chop suey, chop suey!
Chop suey, chop suey!
Living here is very much like chop suey.
Hula hoops and nuclear war,
Doctor Salk and Zsa Zsa Gabor,
Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, and Dewey,
Chop suey, --Chop suey!--
Stars are drifting overhead,
Birds and worms have gone to bed.
Men work late in laboratories,
Others read detective stories.
Some are roaming 'round the country,
Others sit beneath just one tree.
Tonight on TV's Late, Late Show
You can look at Clara Bow! --Who?--
Chop suey, chop suey!
Good and bad, intelligent, mad, and screwy.
Violins and trumpets and drums,
Take it all the way that it comes,
Sad and funny, sour and honey dewy,
Chop suey!
Ballpoint pens and filter tips,
Lipsticks and potato chips.
In the dampest kind of heat wave
You can give your hair a neat wave.
Hear that lovely La Paloma,
Lullaby by Perry Como.
Dreaming in my Maidenform bra,
Dreamed I danced the Cha-Cha-Cha.
Chop suey, chop suey!
Mixed with all the hokum and bally hooey.
Something real and glowing grand.
Sheds a light all over the land.
Boston, Austin, Wichita, and St. Louis,
Chop suey.
Chop suey, chop suey!
Chop suey, chop suey!
“LOVE LOOK AWAY”
I have wished before,
I will wish no more.
Love, look away!
Love, look away from me.
Fly, when you pass my door,
Fly and get lost at sea.
Call it a day.
Love, let us say we're through.
No good are you for me,
No good am I for you.
Wanting you so,
I try too much.
After you go,
I cry too much.
Love, look away.
Lonely though I may be,
Leave me and set me free,
Look away, look away, look away... from... me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
I will wish no more.
Love, look away!
Love, look away from me.
Fly, when you pass my door,
Fly and get lost at sea.
Call it a day.
Love, let us say we're through.
No good are you for me,
No good am I for you.
Wanting you so,
I try too much.
After you go,
I cry too much.
Love, look away.
Lonely though I may be,
Leave me and set me free,
Look away, look away, look away... from... me.
_______________________________________________________________________________
“I AM GOING TO LIKE IT HERE”
I'm going to like it here.
There is something about the place,
An encouraging atmosphere,
Like a smile on a friendly face.
There is something about the place,
So caressing and warm it is.
Like a smile on a friendly face,
Like a port in a storm it is.
So caressing and warm it is.
All the people are so sincere.
Like a port in a storm it is.
I am going to like here.
All the people are so sincere.
There's especially one I like.
I am going to like here.
It's the father's first son I like.
There's especially one I like.
There is something about his face.
It's the father's first son I like.
He's the reason I love the place.
There is something about his face.
I would follow him anywhere.
If he goes to another place,
I am going to like it there.
There is something about the place,
An encouraging atmosphere,
Like a smile on a friendly face.
There is something about the place,
So caressing and warm it is.
Like a smile on a friendly face,
Like a port in a storm it is.
So caressing and warm it is.
All the people are so sincere.
Like a port in a storm it is.
I am going to like here.
All the people are so sincere.
There's especially one I like.
I am going to like here.
It's the father's first son I like.
There's especially one I like.
There is something about his face.
It's the father's first son I like.
He's the reason I love the place.
There is something about his face.
I would follow him anywhere.
If he goes to another place,
I am going to like it there.
“DON'T MARRY ME”
You are young and beautiful,
Sweet as the breath of May.
Earnestly I speak to you.
Weigh ev'ry word I say.
If you want to have a rosy future
And be happy as a honey bee,
With a husband who will always love you,
Baby, Don't marry me.
If you want a man you can depend on,
I can absolutely guarantee
I will never fail to disappoint you,
Baby, Don't marry me.
I eat litchie nuts and cookies in bed
And I fill the bed with nutshells and crumbs.
I have irritating habits you'll dread,
Like the way I have of cracking my thumbs.
My grandpa was a big game hunter,
He met grandma swinging on a tree.
If you want to have attactive children,
Baby, Don't marry me.
--I would like to see my sons and daughters
Sliding up and down their father's knee.--
They'll get splinters in their little fannies,
Cookie, Don't marry me.
I'm devoted to my dear old Mama,
And if you and Mama disagree,
I would always side with her against you,
Schnookie, Don't marry me.
--I would always like to know where you go.
I don't like a man to keep me in doubt.--
Honey that's a thing that's easy to know,
You will always know where I am, I'm out!
I am talking like a Chinese uncle.
I'm as serious as I can be.
I am saying this because I love you,
Darling, Don't marry me!
Sweet as the breath of May.
Earnestly I speak to you.
Weigh ev'ry word I say.
If you want to have a rosy future
And be happy as a honey bee,
With a husband who will always love you,
Baby, Don't marry me.
If you want a man you can depend on,
I can absolutely guarantee
I will never fail to disappoint you,
Baby, Don't marry me.
I eat litchie nuts and cookies in bed
And I fill the bed with nutshells and crumbs.
I have irritating habits you'll dread,
Like the way I have of cracking my thumbs.
My grandpa was a big game hunter,
He met grandma swinging on a tree.
If you want to have attactive children,
Baby, Don't marry me.
--I would like to see my sons and daughters
Sliding up and down their father's knee.--
They'll get splinters in their little fannies,
Cookie, Don't marry me.
I'm devoted to my dear old Mama,
And if you and Mama disagree,
I would always side with her against you,
Schnookie, Don't marry me.
--I would always like to know where you go.
I don't like a man to keep me in doubt.--
Honey that's a thing that's easy to know,
You will always know where I am, I'm out!
I am talking like a Chinese uncle.
I'm as serious as I can be.
I am saying this because I love you,
Darling, Don't marry me!
“YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL”
Along the Hwang Ho Valley where young men walk and dream,
A flower boat with singing girls came drifting down the stream.
I saw the face of only one come drifting down the stream.
You are beautiful, small and shy.
You are the girl whose eyes met mine
Just as your boat sailed by.
This I know of you, nothing more,
You are the girl whose eyes met mine
Passing the river shore.
You are the girl whose laugh I heard,
Silver and soft and bright;
Soft as the fall of lotus leaves
Brushing the air of night.
While your flower boat sailed away,
Gently your eyes looked back on mine,
Clearly you heard me say,
"You are the girl I will love some day."
A flower boat with singing girls came drifting down the stream.
I saw the face of only one come drifting down the stream.
You are beautiful, small and shy.
You are the girl whose eyes met mine
Just as your boat sailed by.
This I know of you, nothing more,
You are the girl whose eyes met mine
Passing the river shore.
You are the girl whose laugh I heard,
Silver and soft and bright;
Soft as the fall of lotus leaves
Brushing the air of night.
While your flower boat sailed away,
Gently your eyes looked back on mine,
Clearly you heard me say,
"You are the girl I will love some day."
“A HUNDRED MILLION MIRACLES”
My father says that children keep growing,
Rivers keep flowing too.
My father says he doesn't know why,
But somehow or other they do.
--They do! some how or other they do.--
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
And those who say they don't agree
Are those who do not hear or see.
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
--Miracle of changing weather:--
When a dark blue curtain is pinned by the stars,
Pinned by the stars to the sky,
Ev'ry flow'r and tree is a treat to see,
The air is very clean and dry.
Then a wind comes blowing the pins all away,
Night is confused and upset!
The sky falls down like a clumsy clown,
The flowers and the trees get wet.--Very wet!--
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
And when the wind shall turn his face,
The pins are put right back in place!
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
In every single minute so much is going on,
Along the Yangtse Kiang or the Tiber or the Don.
A hundred million miracles!
A swallow in Tasmania is sitting on her eggs,
And suddenly those eggs have wings and eyes and beaks and legs!
A hundred million miracles!
A little girl in Chungking, just thirty inches tall,
Decides that she will try to walk and nearly doesn't fall!
A hundred million miracles!
A hundred million miracles, a hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
My father says the sun will keep rising over the eastern hill.
My father says he doesn't know why but somehow or other it will.
--It will! somehow or other it will.--
(Reprise)
--Miracle of making music:--
When an idle poet puts words on a page,
Writes on a page with his brush,
A musical friend writes the notes to blend
Suggested by an idle thrush.
Then a young soprano reads what they wrote,
Learns every note, every word,
Puts all they wrote in her lovely throat,
And suddenly a song is heard!
--Very Pretty!--
A hundred million miracles, a hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
Rivers keep flowing too.
My father says he doesn't know why,
But somehow or other they do.
--They do! some how or other they do.--
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
And those who say they don't agree
Are those who do not hear or see.
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
--Miracle of changing weather:--
When a dark blue curtain is pinned by the stars,
Pinned by the stars to the sky,
Ev'ry flow'r and tree is a treat to see,
The air is very clean and dry.
Then a wind comes blowing the pins all away,
Night is confused and upset!
The sky falls down like a clumsy clown,
The flowers and the trees get wet.--Very wet!--
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day,
And when the wind shall turn his face,
The pins are put right back in place!
A hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
In every single minute so much is going on,
Along the Yangtse Kiang or the Tiber or the Don.
A hundred million miracles!
A swallow in Tasmania is sitting on her eggs,
And suddenly those eggs have wings and eyes and beaks and legs!
A hundred million miracles!
A little girl in Chungking, just thirty inches tall,
Decides that she will try to walk and nearly doesn't fall!
A hundred million miracles!
A hundred million miracles, a hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
My father says the sun will keep rising over the eastern hill.
My father says he doesn't know why but somehow or other it will.
--It will! somehow or other it will.--
(Reprise)
--Miracle of making music:--
When an idle poet puts words on a page,
Writes on a page with his brush,
A musical friend writes the notes to blend
Suggested by an idle thrush.
Then a young soprano reads what they wrote,
Learns every note, every word,
Puts all they wrote in her lovely throat,
And suddenly a song is heard!
--Very Pretty!--
A hundred million miracles, a hundred million miracles,
A hundred million miracles are happening every day!
IPADS for sale - half price
As you all know, my husband works in hospital. They ordered too many, and now due to government cutbacks have to sell them - at any price. My husband has about 20 left, so you'd best order quickly as they are going FAST!
Here is a picture with the model and make and all the specs so you know what you are buying:
Here is a picture with the model and make and all the specs so you know what you are buying:
Saturday, August 27, 2011
How did my husband come to America???
This is a long, long story, so I suggest you pull up a chair, have a cup of tea or coffee as you read it.
My husband, who was born in a "hut" in Mexico - with earthen floor, no electricity, no plumbing......dreamed of what it might be like to live in America ("el Norte" as it is often referred to in Mexico and other places).
I'm not quite sure of which year Jimmy Carter was President of USA, but during his Presidency, he opened up an "amnesty" for agricultural workers.....one that would last until 1990, I believe (then it closed). It wasn't a "blanket amnesty" - one had to prove that one had worked at least 6 months in agricultural work, had no criminal history and then could apply for "amnesty".
Sometime in 1988 - my husband would come to America.....by going UNDER a 16-wheeler truck and holding on for dear life. He didn't pay a "coyote" (people paid to smuggle one across the border between Mexico and USA). It was a long, long arduous journey "holding on" - and had he let go at any time, he certainly would have been killed.
SOMEHOW - he landed in Dallas, Texas and that was a miracle in itself. He found a job picking "okra" ("ladies fingers" is how we referred to them in Asia). That was an agricultural job, thus he would eventually qualify for Amnesty.
He is a clean person without any criminal history - however, when he was processing his paperwork (by that time we were married) Immigration gave him such a hard, hard time. They charged him $1,000. for having crossed the border "illegally" even though Amnesty was in effect!
Gosh, how I remember those days and nights. If he had an 8:00 a.m. appointment with Immigration - we camped out from 3:00 a.m. onwards because if one was not in the first 50 in line (appointment or not) - one would be sent away by a security guard. I also can remember a time when FINALLY my husband could apply for the much-valued Green card. We had gone to 6 different photographers, knowing that Immigration could be "picky" on the photos. We had about 36 photos taken in all. When he went to Immigration in Orlando with his photos (all 36 of them!) he encountered a true WITCH (and I prefer this word to any that begins with the letter "B").......she had a stamp that read "rejected" and she promptly stamped EACH and EVERY photo my husband turned in....can you believe this??? It's true. She then told him he needed to make another appointment with Immigration (which was almost like making an appointment to see the President!). My husband broke down and cried after that horrible incident. I told him "we'll face this battle together - not to worry!!" Can you believe that 5 months later (oh yes, we had to camp out for our given appointment) he came in with copies of the SAME photographs the Witch had denied, and the Officer looked at the first two and said "Accepted to next step!"
People sometimes think that he had it easy being married to a U.S. citizen - no way!!! He had to study day and night with the Citizenship Booklet. I went with him to the examination - 2 (one from Russia, another from Ukraine) came out CRYING that day.....it was "touch and go" although I knew my husband had studied really, really hard for this test. Can you believe, he came out with a SAD face (hoping to kid me!) and said "I didn't pass" - then he clicked his heels and said "JUST KIDDING!!!" and he was then awarded U.S. Citizenship!!!
His Citizenship ceremony was really moving and a lot of our friends attended. When one thinks of HOW it all started - clinging on the bottom of a 16-wheel truck.....it is truly amazing.
If you ASK me about the "Dream Act" (whereby children brought to USA illegally can qualify to become citizens if they serve in Military or attend College/University) - YES, I do believe in that!!!! America eats apples, grapes, tomatoes, etc.....it's about time they realized WHERE their food was actually coming from. TOO often - people who normally care about Human Rights in America focus only on those whe are legally documented (i.e., African-Americans, Puerto Ricans) - they don't really want to cross that "line" into Immigration territory...in spite of the fact that almost every fruit or vegetable on their table came from being picked by someone (documented or indocumented) from Mexico.
A very good film to watch is "A Day Without a Mexican" - it depicts how helpless USA would be if we deported all Mexicans.
Anyway - and I know this will make a lot of wives jealous - my Mexican husband is the BEST husband and father (to our daughter) one would EVER, EVER ask for - he appreciates my work. He sees when I am tired and puts a cassock for my feet to rest upon. I have "dry feet" and he gives me what he calls "bodyshop" which means thorough rasping of feet followed by cream treatment. He is my knight in shining armour and I thank God for him every day of my life.
When we do go out to eat (at restaurants) - we notice that we are the only PAIR actually TALKING to one another.....so many other couples eat and sit in total silence.
He is my strength and rock - and God, I love this man who married me with ALL my heart!
My husband, who was born in a "hut" in Mexico - with earthen floor, no electricity, no plumbing......dreamed of what it might be like to live in America ("el Norte" as it is often referred to in Mexico and other places).
I'm not quite sure of which year Jimmy Carter was President of USA, but during his Presidency, he opened up an "amnesty" for agricultural workers.....one that would last until 1990, I believe (then it closed). It wasn't a "blanket amnesty" - one had to prove that one had worked at least 6 months in agricultural work, had no criminal history and then could apply for "amnesty".
Sometime in 1988 - my husband would come to America.....by going UNDER a 16-wheeler truck and holding on for dear life. He didn't pay a "coyote" (people paid to smuggle one across the border between Mexico and USA). It was a long, long arduous journey "holding on" - and had he let go at any time, he certainly would have been killed.
SOMEHOW - he landed in Dallas, Texas and that was a miracle in itself. He found a job picking "okra" ("ladies fingers" is how we referred to them in Asia). That was an agricultural job, thus he would eventually qualify for Amnesty.
He is a clean person without any criminal history - however, when he was processing his paperwork (by that time we were married) Immigration gave him such a hard, hard time. They charged him $1,000. for having crossed the border "illegally" even though Amnesty was in effect!
Gosh, how I remember those days and nights. If he had an 8:00 a.m. appointment with Immigration - we camped out from 3:00 a.m. onwards because if one was not in the first 50 in line (appointment or not) - one would be sent away by a security guard. I also can remember a time when FINALLY my husband could apply for the much-valued Green card. We had gone to 6 different photographers, knowing that Immigration could be "picky" on the photos. We had about 36 photos taken in all. When he went to Immigration in Orlando with his photos (all 36 of them!) he encountered a true WITCH (and I prefer this word to any that begins with the letter "B").......she had a stamp that read "rejected" and she promptly stamped EACH and EVERY photo my husband turned in....can you believe this??? It's true. She then told him he needed to make another appointment with Immigration (which was almost like making an appointment to see the President!). My husband broke down and cried after that horrible incident. I told him "we'll face this battle together - not to worry!!" Can you believe that 5 months later (oh yes, we had to camp out for our given appointment) he came in with copies of the SAME photographs the Witch had denied, and the Officer looked at the first two and said "Accepted to next step!"
People sometimes think that he had it easy being married to a U.S. citizen - no way!!! He had to study day and night with the Citizenship Booklet. I went with him to the examination - 2 (one from Russia, another from Ukraine) came out CRYING that day.....it was "touch and go" although I knew my husband had studied really, really hard for this test. Can you believe, he came out with a SAD face (hoping to kid me!) and said "I didn't pass" - then he clicked his heels and said "JUST KIDDING!!!" and he was then awarded U.S. Citizenship!!!
His Citizenship ceremony was really moving and a lot of our friends attended. When one thinks of HOW it all started - clinging on the bottom of a 16-wheel truck.....it is truly amazing.
If you ASK me about the "Dream Act" (whereby children brought to USA illegally can qualify to become citizens if they serve in Military or attend College/University) - YES, I do believe in that!!!! America eats apples, grapes, tomatoes, etc.....it's about time they realized WHERE their food was actually coming from. TOO often - people who normally care about Human Rights in America focus only on those whe are legally documented (i.e., African-Americans, Puerto Ricans) - they don't really want to cross that "line" into Immigration territory...in spite of the fact that almost every fruit or vegetable on their table came from being picked by someone (documented or indocumented) from Mexico.
A very good film to watch is "A Day Without a Mexican" - it depicts how helpless USA would be if we deported all Mexicans.
Anyway - and I know this will make a lot of wives jealous - my Mexican husband is the BEST husband and father (to our daughter) one would EVER, EVER ask for - he appreciates my work. He sees when I am tired and puts a cassock for my feet to rest upon. I have "dry feet" and he gives me what he calls "bodyshop" which means thorough rasping of feet followed by cream treatment. He is my knight in shining armour and I thank God for him every day of my life.
When we do go out to eat (at restaurants) - we notice that we are the only PAIR actually TALKING to one another.....so many other couples eat and sit in total silence.
He is my strength and rock - and God, I love this man who married me with ALL my heart!
The Little Bird Story......
My sweet, sweet husband hailed from a place in Mexico where it was literally a "hut", not a house. In the times he lived there with his super-mean Grandmama - there were only dirt (earth) floors, no plumbing and no electricity. His mother died in complications of childbirth to him (a few months later - and believe me, his family BLAMED my poor husband for "killing his mother"). That left only his Dad, who was a very poor man who collected "leña" (odd pieces of wood for firewood) up in the mountains. Many times he would be gone for weeks or months to collect the leña. Meanwhile - my hubby lived with his Grandmama (since his brothers and sisters were grown and had their own places to live).
Hid Grandmama was really MEAN - in fact, she lived to be almost 110 years old (probably being ornery kept her alive that long!!!) - and when the Governor of that state came to award her a plaque for being the oldest person in the state (possibly the oldest in Mexico) - she came after him with a machete yelling "All you Government people are the SAME - you all want to steal our land!!!" So, the Governor never got to present her with the plaque.
ANYWAY - one of the meanest things (besides beating my husband senseless for nothing) she used to do was to demand that he catch one bird daily with his slingshot (which she de-feathered, cooked and served - in spite of what little meat it offered). But my husband was (and still is!) an animal lover. He felt so guilty killing a poor little bird.
One day he caught (in his hand) a bird and was determined that it would not be eaten. He was about 5 years old at the time. THIS little bird would become his pet, his friend and he would hide it and save it from being eaten. He told his Grandmama a lie that he had not caught any bird that evening.
In his loving hands he took this little bird (whom he named "piocito") to his "bed" (I say "bed" in quotes because he had a straw mat on the earthen floor). However, during the night, as he caressed "piocito" with loving thoughts, he accidentally rolled over on it and killed it.
Morning came and his Grandmama, seeing the dead bird was FURIOUS at him for not having turned it in to her the previous evening. Not only was poor "piocito" defeathered and COOKED - but my husband was beaten with a very thorny and heavy stick.
Somehow, since that day, he has a very special relationship with birds. He has rescued about 4 since I've known him. One of the 4 died, but it must have been very sick to begin with (a pigeon). One of the birds he rescued was a "starling" and we know a person who makes a wry face and utters an UGH about starlings because they are not "native" to the Americas. But that's not THEIR fault - some idiot scientist brought them over and here they are. Anyway - to this day his relationship to all wildlife, but especially birds is very, very close.
The mean Grandmama? She died at about 110 years of age. The "hut"?? My husband and I signed over all rights (as did his sisters and brothers) when the younger half-brother (his Dad remarried at a later date) wanted to have the house to raise his family. He put in a floor, plumbing, electricity - that was the least we could do was to sign over the "house".
There is a LONG story about how my sweet husband came to America; I will tell it another time.
Hid Grandmama was really MEAN - in fact, she lived to be almost 110 years old (probably being ornery kept her alive that long!!!) - and when the Governor of that state came to award her a plaque for being the oldest person in the state (possibly the oldest in Mexico) - she came after him with a machete yelling "All you Government people are the SAME - you all want to steal our land!!!" So, the Governor never got to present her with the plaque.
ANYWAY - one of the meanest things (besides beating my husband senseless for nothing) she used to do was to demand that he catch one bird daily with his slingshot (which she de-feathered, cooked and served - in spite of what little meat it offered). But my husband was (and still is!) an animal lover. He felt so guilty killing a poor little bird.
One day he caught (in his hand) a bird and was determined that it would not be eaten. He was about 5 years old at the time. THIS little bird would become his pet, his friend and he would hide it and save it from being eaten. He told his Grandmama a lie that he had not caught any bird that evening.
In his loving hands he took this little bird (whom he named "piocito") to his "bed" (I say "bed" in quotes because he had a straw mat on the earthen floor). However, during the night, as he caressed "piocito" with loving thoughts, he accidentally rolled over on it and killed it.
Morning came and his Grandmama, seeing the dead bird was FURIOUS at him for not having turned it in to her the previous evening. Not only was poor "piocito" defeathered and COOKED - but my husband was beaten with a very thorny and heavy stick.
Somehow, since that day, he has a very special relationship with birds. He has rescued about 4 since I've known him. One of the 4 died, but it must have been very sick to begin with (a pigeon). One of the birds he rescued was a "starling" and we know a person who makes a wry face and utters an UGH about starlings because they are not "native" to the Americas. But that's not THEIR fault - some idiot scientist brought them over and here they are. Anyway - to this day his relationship to all wildlife, but especially birds is very, very close.
The mean Grandmama? She died at about 110 years of age. The "hut"?? My husband and I signed over all rights (as did his sisters and brothers) when the younger half-brother (his Dad remarried at a later date) wanted to have the house to raise his family. He put in a floor, plumbing, electricity - that was the least we could do was to sign over the "house".
There is a LONG story about how my sweet husband came to America; I will tell it another time.
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