today feels like a usa today kind of day. so here is all the news you need in tiny, bite-size nuggets. mmm. chicken nuggets.

i saw two films this weekend. akira kurosawa´s rhapsody in august (i think this is the english name). it is in japanese unless you count richard gere´s lines, which i dont, so the whole thing was subtitled in spanish. i was so proud of myself, i understood about 90% reading along. yahtzee. the second film was an excellent french film, ¨monseur n¨, or ¨el señor napoleon¨ in spanish. the movie was again subtitled in spanish but also had some english in it. this was a great movie. i had no idea there was mystery about the death of napoleon.

ok, that was a long entry.

five people were shot and killed in veracruz (a neighboring state) on friday, including the president of the state. one of the people killed was from oaxaca so there was a nearly two hour parade on sunday that went through the street next to my house. fifty taxis drove at a slower than walking pace while simulateneously honking their horns. this, along with the horns from the buses that followed, lasted approx 15 min. there was no hiding from it or drowning it out. amazingly, there were people on street level having to deal with it. i watched from the balcony and wanted to throw eggs and fruit at them. i know, it is a funeral, i should have more respect, but come on. why the obsession with loud, piercing noises? fireworks at all times day and night. the need to honk horns at anyone at any time?

i think we get a little too complacent in the states. not that i am condoning random violence, but an assassination every once in a while might keep these politicians on their toes. at the very least it would give fox news a reason to elevate the terror alert. what color are you guys on today anyway?

ok, the last part about the killing was a joke. but honestly, not that many people down here are that concerned about it. a high ranking official was killed back in october also. no real concern. is that bc the media is so tightly controlled, the people are desensitized to violence, the general apathy of the people or some combination? or that all the people feel all politicians are corrupt so no one cares?

i have been walking home from school for almost a week now. someone with a car figured out it is about 5 kilometers each way. what is that, about 3 miles? almost? i am happy with myself. not as happy as the guy with the car, but i will be healthier than him.

no news on the job front. i should hear today.

i finished my first real book in spanish two weeks ago. it was a book of interviews with gabo. garcía marquez. pretty good. i am about halfway done with my second book. carlos fuentes ¨la frontera de cristal¨ or ¨the glass(clear) border (something like that) - it is about the mex-usa border. interesting but not a favorite so far.

sports? um, marcus vick didnt pull a gun on anyone or get arrested this weekend. i think that is news.

let me know if i missed anything significant in the states. unless it is about marcus vick and his arrests. i have heard enough about con-vick.