In This Issue....
Hi everyone! This issue we’re having another co-author (Phillip). I got a letter from Aunt Rocky and I added it to this issue. I will not write about my Summer Fun trip for this week because I decided not to go on the trip.
The picture of me above is me in costume for Halloween. I forgot to have mom take a picture of me this week.
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Articles and Links....
The Wilkinson Chronicles Part V
Test your IQ
Ketchup or Mustard?
Grasshopper Pie
Phillip the Fireman
Back Issues
Official Website for Guelaguetza
Here is a letter I got from Aunt Rocky.
Hi Cara,
Here is the promised update on Oaxaca and Guelaguetza.
July is a really great time in the city of Oaxaca. Here in Mexico, every village or city from the smallest to the largest has several huge fiestas every year. From the middle to the end of July, Oaxaca has its biggest festival, which is really a series of festivals. The most well known of these is called the Guelaguetza. Apparently there was a Catholic festival that was celebrated on two Mondays in July beginning in colonial times and it happened to coincide with the time that the indigenas here traditionally held ceremonies worshipping the corn goddess. Over time there has evolved a huge celebration that has elements of both traditions. Anyway, I cannot begin to explain it properly, so here is a quote from the official website at http://guelaguetza-oax.com/ :
This is the origin of today's festivities of "Lunes del Cerro", in which the "Guelaguetza" is particularly outstanding for its music, dances and songs. "Guelaguetza" is a Zapotec word meaning to participate and cooperate at the same time; it is a gift that demands reciprocity.
The "Guelaguetza" in the "Lunes del Cerro" is expressed by the offerings the groups representing the seven regions of Oaxaca, make to the city. These seven regions are: The Central Valleys, The Sierra Juarez, The Cañada, Tuxtepec, The Mixteca, The Coast and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Each one of these groups gives us a taste of their rich cultural heritage through their dances, executed to the rhythm of their songs and music and dressed in their gala outfits. At the end each group offers their "Guelaguetza" of products typical of their region, to the public.
They have built an amphitheater just for the Guelaguetza; it is perched high on a hill called Cerro del Fortin and it overlooks the city (this is why it is called Lunes del Cerro or Mondays on the hill). Ryan and I went to the Guelaguetza last time we lived here, six years ago. We were sitting in the free seats that are pretty far from the stage. A group representing each region of Oaxaca, dressed in their finest traditional clothing, performed several dances that are typical of their region. At the end of their presentation, each group threw into the audience gifts that were produced in their regions. So, some groups throw pineapples, others throw baskets or hats or even pottery. One of the most popular dances is the pineapple dance. Pretty much it is a bunch of pretty ladies dancing with pineapples on their shoulders. (The music for this dance is what is playing on the official website) They have been showing bits of this dance on TV and Rowan says "Dancing with Piñas!" The other dance that I remember the best comes from the coast (Costa). The women on the coast in this region are famous for being very strong and very much in charge of the community. Apparently they have festival where all of the women throw rocks at the men. Anyway, in their dance the women pretend to be bulls and the men are bullfighters. So the women charge around and "gore" the men and knock them over throughout the dance. The dance ends after all of the men have been completely knocked off of the stage!
The festivities have already begun and this coming Monday is the first of the Guelaguetzas. Oaxaca is estimating over 60,000 visitors in the next few weeks. It seems like they are all already here. There is much more going on besides the dances on the hill. There are huge plays and processions all over the city and fireworks like very night. Every place that there is any spare room, parking lots, plazas, and some streets are filled with rides and food booths selling all kinds of tasty treats. Next week there is also a mescal festival in the city's biggest park. Mescal is a liquor made from agave cactus, just like tequila except that it is less distilled (more rough) and always has a worm in it (only tequila sold to tourists has a worm). Also like tequila, you drink it with lime and salt, except the salt has ground up worms in it. Virtually all mescal is made here in Oaxaca. They make tons of flavors like different fruits and one called pechuga that is flavored with chicken breasts! The festival is very fun because it will have mescal makers from all over the state and they give away tons of samples. I guess they figure that if they get you drunk enough you will buy a few bottles. Anyway, I better go get ready to party!
http://www.emode.com/tests/uiq is a cool IQ test. My score is 117. The results said, “During the test, you answered four different types of questions — mathematical, visual-spatial, linguistic and logical. We analyzed how you did on each set of those questions, which reveals the way your brain processes information.
We also compared your answers with others who have taken the test. According to the sorts of questions you got correct, we can tell your Intellectual Type is a Word Warrior.
This means you have exceptional verbal skills. You can easily make sense of complex issues and take and unusually creative approach to solving problems. Your strengths also make you a visionary. Even without trying you're able to come up with lots of new and creative ideas.”
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add lime rind and juice. Beat egg yolk slightly; slowly add gelatin, stirring constantly. Add milk and bitters, stirring until blended. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks will form; then fold into gelatin mixture. Add food coloring. Pour into pastry shell. Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream or prepared Dream Whip Whipped Topping and lime slices, if desired.
At 8:30 PM on July 20, we got a medical aid call for a non-responsive person. When we arrived we found a 61 year old male without a pulse and he was not breathing. CPR was started right away and soon after he was attached to an AED (Automatic External Defibulator, you know, the machine that they use to shock people). He was shocked several times and was then taken to the hospital. Unfortunately he was pronounced dead before he arrived.
On the 23rd we received a call for a vegetation fire but we were cancelled en route.
On the 25th Roy called to say that we might get a call for a vegetation fire at Frankwood and Piedra. I was just leaving work and I go through that intersection on the way home. We never did get called, but I went to it anyway. We drove all over the place trying to find the fire. We could see the smoke but not the fire. The area is along the river and we were not sure which side of the river that it was on. After about 30 minutes of searching we finally found the fire but it had already been put out by the property owners with their two 1500 gal. water trucks.
