El Ojo del Lago - November 2017 by El Ojo del Lago

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z D I R EC T O R Y z PUBLISHER

Richard Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alejandro Grattan-DomĂnguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Associate Publisher David Tingen Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Diana Parra Morales

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

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10 BOOK REVIEW Margaret Ann Porter reviews Kelly Hayes-Raittâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s How to Become a House-sitter, and concludes that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an enjoyable read for anyone who loves to travel.

Associate Editor Victoria Schmidt Contributing Editor Mark Sconce Theater Critic Michael Warren Book Review Panel Margaret Van Every Margaret Porter Clare Gearhart

Art Critic Rob Mohr Sales Manager Bruce Fraser 2á&#x201A;&#x2C6;FH 6HFUHWDU\ Rocio Madrigal ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9am - 5pm Sat. 9am - 1pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528

46 LAKESIDE LIVING

12 PROFILE Robert James Taylor looks back at the life of Helga Estby, who in dire straits accepted a challenge in 1896 made by a wealthy sponsor who promised to pay $10,000 to any woman who would walk across the entire United States. The MRXUQH\ GLG QRW HQG KDSSLO\ EXW LV WRGD\ WKH VWXá&#x201A;&#x2021; of folk-lore.

18 DRUG PREVENTION &KULVW\ :LVHPDQ D &HUWLÂżHG 'UXJ 3UHYHQWLRQ 6SHFLDOLVW GLVSHQVHV D JUHDW deal of common sense about a topic which because of the huge opioid crisis is more relevant than ever before. 34 MIGRANT WORKERS $UPDQGR *DUFLD OLNHQV 0H[LFDQ PLJUDQW ZRUNHUV WR ZLOG Ă&#x20AC;RZHU VHHGV DQG LQ a lyrical way indicates why such workers are so essential to the agricultural industry in the United States.

Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago http://www.chapala.com ojodellago@prodigy.net.mx Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: (376) 765 3676, Fax 765 3528 PRINTING: El Debate El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco dĂas de cada mes. (Distributed over WKH ÂżUVW ÂżYH GD\V RI HDFK PRQWK) &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH 7tWXOR &HUWLÂżFDGR GH /LFLWXG GH &RQWHQLGR Reserva al TĂtulo de Derechos de Autor 04-2011-103110024300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la SecretarĂa de GobernaciĂłn (EXP. 1/432 â&#x20AC;&#x153;88â&#x20AC;?/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. DistribuciĂłn: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, MĂŠxico. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed E\ WKH DXWKRUV GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHĂ&#x20AC;HFW WKH views of the Publisher or the Editor, nor are we responsible for the claims made by our advertisers. We welcome letters, which should include name, address and telephone number.

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Special Events Editor Sandy Olson

Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart

COVER STORY

VOLUME 34 NUMBER 3

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

COLUMNS THIS MONTH

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page

14 Child of Month 16 Uncommon Sense 22 Welcome to Mexico 32 Focus on Art 46 Lakeside Living 70 Front Row Center 3URĂ&#x20AC;OLQJ 7HSHKXD 0DJQLĂ&#x20AC;FHQW 0H[LFR 88 Ojo Web-board

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COLUMNIST

Editor’s Page %\ $OHMDQGUR *UDWWDQ 'RPLQJXH] Lincoln and Chronic Depression

rofessor Michael Hogan’s excellent book Lincoln and Mexico has spurred my interest in both topics but for now I’ll stick with Lincoln, with just a brief word about his one-time counterpart in Mexico, Benito Juarez. A most enjoyable way to learn much more about him (and here I show my film bias) is to see the movie Juarez.* In 1939, Warner Bros. Studio sent a troupe of almost 150 people to the Vera Cruz area of Mexico, where they labored for several months, the effort resulting in what is one of the finest biographical films of all time, as well as one of the most expensive; for several years, Juarez remained one of the costliest films ever made, second only to Gone with

the Wind. For those who have seen the film, they might have noticed that you can count on half the fingers of one hand the times Paul Muni (the great actor who played the leading role and who had come from the Yiddish Theater) . . . smiled. Muni had done his homework, because Juarez, like Lincoln, was reputed to be perpetually engulfed by melancholia. Like Juarez, Lincoln was also known to rarely smile—and for good reason: one of the finest presidents in all of American history was ter-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

minally depressed, and had often in his younger years thought of ending his life. Later, his law partner, William Herndon, would say, “Lincoln’s melancholy dripped from him as he walked.” Arm-chair psychiatrists have placed much of the cause for this on two factors: the commonly-held belief that Lincoln’s father was a cold and physically abusive parent, and that some years later, the one true love of his son’s life, Ann Rutledge, had died at a young age. Such speculation may have some basis in fact, but it is undeniable that from that time on Lincoln would often talk of suicide. In the immediate aftermath of Ann Rutledge’s death, he suffered what might today be called a “nervous breakdown.” After a second breakdown in 1838, Lincoln wrote a poem called The Suicide’s Soliloquy. But as Lincoln began to establish himself as a shrewd, self-educated lawyer and start his scramble up the political ladder, (and few men have ever suffered more election defeats before ascending to the presidency!) his melancholia gave rise to an unexpected attribute: wisdom. Gloom and genius can be the flip sides of the same personality. Some decades earlier, Lord Byron, faced with a similar melancholy temperament, had called it a “fearful gift.” The “fearful” had to do with a condition that could eventually consign a person to a mental asylum, (or even cause to take his own life) but the “gift” could be a stunning emotional depth and an almost other-worldly wisdom. Still, Shakespeare’s immortal line “To be or not to be,” was much on Lincoln’s mind, as he grappled with what Albert Camus once said was the only serious question human beings ever have to consider. But at this point the “wisdom” kicked in: Lincoln decided to live because he realized that he had an “irrepressible desire” to accomplish something while he lived, to become

connected to the great events of the day, “to impress them so as to link his name with something that would redound to the interest of his fellow man.” (That he certainly did so could well be an understatement for the ages!) In his mid-40’s, Lincoln joined the fight against slavery, and fought with moderates in his own party that thought the curse would eventually disappear on its own. Instead, he believed that the issue could well destroy the country before such an optimistic notion became reality. William Herndon (who was perhaps closer to Lincoln than anyone else, excepting for his mother and Ann Rutledge) was to remark: “Lincoln crushed the unreal, the inexact, the hollow and the sham. Everything came to him in its precise shape and color.” His melancholia did not allow him to wear rose-colored glasses. Life itself saw to that, and the personal blows he took were unremitting. In 1862, his eleven-year-old son, Willie, died. Moreover, Lincoln’s marriage brought him little if any joy. Mary Todd Lincoln was a chronic busy-body, a compulsive shopper and what today might be called an “airhead.” Why Lincoln married her is another riddle that has never been solved. The final irony is this: Lincoln preserved the union of a country that from its inception was noted for its enormous optimism, buoyant spirits and deep belief in its own great destiny—and he did it in the throes of a bottomless depression. (Note: I am indebted to historian Joshua Wolf Shenk (among others) for the quotes cited in this article.) *Juarez is in the Alejandro LCS Film Library. GrattanDominguez

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BIP ATTENDS A DINNER PARTY %\ 'D\ 'REEHUW

“

ome…come,” he urged, waving us to him. My husband and I hesitated, alone at the stage door of the Chicago theater where the great French mime, Marcel Marceau, had just performed. A dauntingly long passageway led to his dressing room, but Marceau had heard us and stepped out of his inner sanctum, disheveled state notwithstanding; he was still in baggy clown pants, but bare-chested, white face half on, half off. “Come talk with me. Tell me who you are.” He put us completely at ease. We were grad students at the University of Chicago, but had seen him in Paris, Geneva, then New York City. It was 1955, Marceau’s first U.S. tour. “My U.S. performances…how do they compare to those you’ve seen in Europe?” He truly wanted to know—but critique the Master! We could only stammer our praise. Mustering my French, I said,“Vous êtes

sans pareil. pareil”” Marcel Marceau, the “Poet Laureate of Silence,” eventually performed the world over. I saw him many times, lastly in Guadalajara, his classics more than once but always with fresh eyes: “In the Park,”“Walking Against the Wind,” “The Mask Maker;” the Bip sketches: “Bip Plays David and Goliath,”“Bip Hunts Butterflies,” “Bip Dreams he’s Don Juan.” Marceau described Bip, his alter-ego as “alone in a fragile world filled with injustice and beauty, a silent witness to

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the lives of all.” A former French Minister lauded Marceau’s ability to communicate with everyone, beyond the barriers of language. The U.N. would choose him as a Good Will Ambassador. France named him a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. Fifteen years later in Los Angeles, through mutual friend Elwyn Ambrose, children’s filmmaker and puppeteer, an enduring connection with Marcel was forged. A wood block print, a gift from the artist, Marcel himself, animates one of my living room walls. Bip, in battered top hat, carnation dangling from his mouth, floats Chagall-like amongst suns and moons. Below him Marcel’s white face emerges, partially obscured by clouds; a single eye fixes on the viewer. In L.A. Elwyn and I attended the U.S. premiere of Marcel’s eloquent The Creation of the World. Like his Youth, Maturity, Old Age and Death it epitomized the artist’s genius for employing symbolism and metamorphosis to condense time and space. In “Creation,” the history of human existence unfolds in the briefest of visual moments. A priest once asked Marcel, “Are you religious?” Marcel replied, “I don’t practice really, but when I enact “Creation” God enters me…the best of man coming from the cosmic world, maybe from the godly world. But it’s important to go deep into the

roots of ourselves….there, in the silence there’s music.” We had accepted Marcel’s invitation to the reception which followed his opening—a glitzy, hotel penthouse affair. Beverly Hills show-biz is not my style—nor my wardrobe’s, so I sought refuge next to a frail, elderly woman sitting apart from the crowd. I didn’t catch her name but we began to chat. Once a concert pianist, she’d given it up in deference to her husband. “Two artists in one family is one too many,” she declared. She reminisced modestly how she and her husband, recognizing Marcel’s talent early on, had been anonymous patrons. “But don’t tell him” she said. “He never knew.” Marcel, slipping away from the crush, joined us and made proper introductions. She was Mrs. Stanley Laurel, widow of the great comedian of Laurel and Hardy fame. One day Marcel phoned saying, “No more receptions, Day, I never know half the people who come. May I entertain a few friends of yours and mine at your place? I want to escape the Bel Air Hotel.” Hostess nerves set in immediately. He called daily, adding more names to his list, yet another the afternoon of our gathering. “Just one more? he cajoled. You’ll love her. Elsa Lanchester?” Could I say no! Our guests arrived, not glitterati

headlined in the tabloids, but luminaries all the same, casting their own mellow glow. Wine and conversation flowed. Marcel, in high spirits, remarked, “Day calls me a ‘chatterbox.’ I’ve told her that if you start a mime talking he’ll never stop,” a line he loved. Furthermore, he was multi-lingual and a mimic. He’d recently toured Russia, and though he spoke no Russian he convulsed us with gibberish that for all the world sounded like the language of the land. Ray Bradbury, celebrated creator of science fiction, and I exchanged confidences. “I have this ‘flying-an-airplane fantasy’ I sheepishly revealed, “and I don’t even drive an automobile.” Ray grinned. “I don’t either.” “Shhh,” I cautioned, “neither does Marcel.” Scott Carpenter, pioneer astronaut, picked up on our talk of flying machines—and cars. “You know where I got this?” He pointed to a conspicuous facial scar. Marcel jumped in, laughing. “Not in orbit.” He’d heard Scott’s confession earlier. “He was 16,” said Marcel, “had a little accident ‘joy riding.’ ” Scott, also an aquanaut, had narrated English versions of Bruno Vailati’s underwater films; Bruno, Italian documentarian and oceanographer, was my boss and great friend. The John Colliers were a hit. I’d introduced John’s fanciful stories to Marcel and a film adaptation featuring Marcel

and his troupe was in the works. That said, John had an additional collaboration in mind. “Listen, all of you, Harriet and I want you at our place next time. Bruno’s going to evaluate my pasta; I make my own.” Elsa, not merely a superb actress, lived up to her reputation as a lover of felines. Barely through the door, she spied my two minxes and burst out with, “You’ve got cats!” Marcel was right, I did love her. Mrs. Stanley Laurel was there, of course. Rob Wolders, the Dutch actor, later Audrey Hepburn’s companion until her death, charmed everyone. Urbane, Oxford educated Ted Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Suess, talked children’s books with Marcel who’d written three himself. Neighbor Chris Andrews, Julie’s kid brother, arrived with his banjo…and others— gracious, gifted. There were connections and conviviality everywhere, Marcel the catalyst; his levity and lack of pretension was contagious. I’d prepared most of the food in advance, my sauce for the main course, a last minute culinary ‘challenge,’ was under control and I was about to serve when the telephone rang. A gushing voice, totally unknown to me, came on the line. “I understand you’re having a party for Marcel Marceau. May my friends and I join you?” Unbelievable! I gritted my teeth. “It

is a dinner party and really…” “Oh,” she went on, undeterred, “then why don’t you’ll just come on over to my house afterwards.” Marcel took one look at my face, appropriated the phone and dispatched the lady in less than a minute. I never did learn who that character was or how she tracked me down. After dinner, in a rare lull in the conversation, Elwyn called out, “Marcel, about your music…accompanying ‘Creation?’ ” “Wait,” I interjected. I knew what was coming, and, inspired, pulled out Mozart’s piano concerto #21 and set the old LP going. Never could I have anticipated what would follow. As the first notes resonated, Marcel, in a single, lithe movement, leapt to his feet, and with a solemnity oblivious of setting, began to enact The Creation of the World—by candlelight and the glow of my fireplace. A hush fell…. Then came a horrendous sound— a grating, grinding, fingernails-on-ablackboard sound. The ancient record was cracked, the needle stuck in a groove, and round and round the same note played. Heroically Marcel attempted to continue, but with rueful smile and Gallic shrug subsided into his chair. My mortification palpable, Marcel leapt up again, embraced me, and began to laugh. My chagrin dissolved, we all laughed, poured more wine and talked

late into the night. The final curtain fell on Marcel Marceau on September 22, 2007, the date that year coinciding with Yom Kippur. His father had died at Auschwitz and before the young Marcel began his dramatic studies in Paris he worked tirelessly with the French Resistance. He spirited children across the border into neutral Switzerland and forged documents to help others escape the camps. He later joined the Free French forces, then fought alongside U.S. troops under General George Patton. It was typical of Marcel that I learned this, not from him but from his brother, Alain. Marcel would never have spoken of past good works; he lived in the center of the moment. Marcel Marceau was laid to rest in Paris, in Père Lachaise Cemetery with other greats—Chopin, Molière, Oscar Wilde, rocker Jim Morrison. Atop his coffin lay Bip’s battered top hat and a single red carnation. Before the rabbi’s eulogy and the reading of the Mourner’s Kaddish and other prayers, Hebrew and French, music played—Mozart’s piano Concerto #21. (Ed. Note: As has often been noted, some of the most interesting people in the world can be found right here at Lakeside—and Day Dobbert is one of them.)

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NEW BOOK FROM THE HOUSE-SIT DIVA 5HYLHZHG %\ 0DUJDUHW $QQ 3RUWHU

s a testament to creativity being at the heart of resilience, author Kelly HayesRaitt introduces us to ‘house-sitting’ in her book: How to Become a Housesitter: Insider Tips from the House-Sit Diva (129 pages, Living Large Press, launching on Amazon at a discount on November 16, 2017) Kelly offers steps on how to become a house-sitter; introduces best practices for assuming the responsibility; and shares travel-savvy ideas of how to enjoy while thus engaged. Interspersed throughout the book are stories about her adventures in housesitting that are humorous, delightfully shocking, and educational. The book presents the simple idea of an exchange in the ‘gig’ economy, whereby pet owners engage a housesitter to care for their home and pets while they are away. Typically, homeowners cover all the household and pet care expenses while the house-sitter enjoys the home and surroundings for free. Although some house-sitters

are paid, it’s usually a quid pro quo and no money exchanges hands. The idea to become a full-time house-sitter occurred to Kelly after she ended a long career in politics. A campaign and legislation consultant, she had suffered disappointment in her bid for a seat in the California State Assembly. While reflecting on dashed

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hopes, Kelly decided to make a wholesale change: She resigned from politics and launched a second career as a writer and journalist. She’s now the author of foreign affairs articles, most especially those involving her time in Iraq and Syria working with refugees; she has a memoir in-process inspired by her experiences in those two countries. She also writes columns on her travels for US and Mexican periodicals. While pursuing journalism in the far corners of the world, Kelly schedules house-sits in locales that interest her; these provide her time to focus on writing books. The reality is that the lifestyle has its costs – airfare, food, personal needs – and she’s found a way to offset them. “I own a home in Santa Monica, where I can’t afford to live while pursuing my writing career. I rent it out while I travel full-time,” Kelly explains, and winks, “So it’s all true – I sleep around, usually with animals.” How to Become a House-sitter: Insider Tips from the House-Sit Diva has an ethical focus because the lifestyle has strong service and accountability elements to it. “Most importantly, do not house-sit if you aren’t able to put the pets’ needs and household duties before your

sightseeing,” she implores. “House-sitting is often glamorized as a free way to see the world – and it can be. But it comes with huge responsibilities that the house-sitter must be up for.” She says it also helps if you adore animals, as she does. With house-sits accomplished in Berlin, Amsterdam, Hanoi, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Maputo, Mozambique, Kelly has numerous requests for return engagements. She spends half of each year at a recurring house-sit in Ajijic, Mexico, in a fourstory house with panoramic views of Lake Chapala where she spoils Cha Cha, the rambunctious pit/lab rescue that she’s helped to raise over the last eight years. “Traveling is transformative – not only for the traveler but for all the people you meet along the way,” Kelly says. “Now more than ever, we need to open our hearts and homes to each other. House-sitting is one way to expand traveling opportunities, so I want to shout it out to the world!” In this smart, well-written book, she shouts it quite well. Not only is How to Become a House-sitter: Insider Tips from the House-Sit Diva a practical guide, but it has an amiable ‘voice’ and comprises an enjoyable read for anyone who loves to travel.

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HELLGA EST TBY—The woman who walk ked across Americ ca. %\ 5REHUW -DPHV 7D\ORU

elga Estby, a Norwegian immigrant, had married her husband Ole in 1876; they settled on a 160 acre farm in Mica Creek, Spokane, Washington. By the time she was 35, Helga had given birth to eight children, six of whom survived, and in 1893 when the deep economic depression occurred, the family was faced with financial difficulties. They struggled through until 1896 when the Estby’s borrowed against the property: matters became more desperate when Ole had a back injury which limited his ability to work. The prospect of losing the farm became imminent. Helga Estby was a strong-minded woman, a suffragette, who did not conform to the general role of womanhood in that Victorian Era. She was determined to save the family from eviction and destitution and sought out

every opportunity she could to find the much needed funds. She responded to a most unusual East Coast challenge whereby a sponsor would offer $10,000 to any woman who would walk across America. This would mean a journey of 3500 miles from Spokane

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to New York City, but, it had to be done in a specific time frame. Helga chose her eldest daughter, level-headed and shy 18-year old Clara to accompany her. However, the family saw the trip as an abandonment of her motherly duties; Helga’s courage and determination won her no admirers. And so it was arranged, the sponsor announced the event in the press and they departed on May 6th; the local Mayor gave them a letter of introduction and they carried calling cards that read- “H. Estby and daughter. Pedestrians, Spokane to New York.” They travelled light, and would do domestic work along the way to provide for their needs. Using the railroads tracks of the Northern and Union Pacific lines they averaged 30 miles a day and citizens offered overnight lodging. Helga could rightfully foresee that public awareness would increase along the way by visiting newspaper offices of each town they passed through, and meeting local dignitaries help spread their increasing fame. They were eventually welcomed on their anticipated arrival in many towns. The seven month trek would take them over mountains, through floods, heatwaves, native Indians, and, on one occasion they were threatened by a stalking hobo, who Helga shot in the leg with her gun- this

incident was featured in the Minneapolis Tribune, giving them an added ‘wild west’ status. In Pennsylvania Clara broke her ankle; Helga asked the sponsor to give them some extra time for it to heal. Between them they wore out 32 pairs of shoes. They finally arrived in New York City but they would soon face the devastating news that the sponsor would renege on the $10,000 award because they were a few days late. (It is still not known whether in fact the sponsor even had the funds.) While in New York, Helga’s written journals which she would use for writing her book later, disappeared, possibly stolen, and to add to her grief, Helga learned that diphtheria had taken two of her children back home. Now destitute, unable to even afford the train fare home they were at the mercy of hoped for benefactors. Railroad tycoon Chauncey Depew took pity on them and gave them tickets to Minneapolis. It was now the Spring of 1897. On their arrival home they faced resentment by the tight-knit local community. Many felt that Helga should have stayed with her children; the hostility was so great Clara left home and did not return until 20 years later. The seven month sojourn was a bitter blow and the farm was not saved.

When Helga Estby died in 1942, aged 82, one of her daughters burnt all of her mother’s records and journals, the same ones she had written from memory for the book that she wanted so much to write. The family still felt that she had shamed them and wanted to suppress all memory and mention of the story. Much later a daughter-in-law would discover newspaper clippings of the long walk, that gave rise to Helga’s forgotten story. Decades later Helga’s “scandalous and irresponsible behaviour” was perceived in a much more heroic light: the strict social codes of the Victorian era were

long gone. Today, Helga’s story has received increasing awareness everywhere and her name and reputation in Spokane, where she died, is now respected. But she never did write her book, a considerable loss, because that unfulfilled intention could have given us a unique travel odyssey portraying American life across those vast lands that she and her daughter travelled against Robert James such great odds. Taylor

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COLUMNIST

CHILD

of the month

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inthya Nicole was born in January 2013 and lives with her parents and one sibling. In December 2014 Cinthya was referred to Niños Incapacitados by the DIF Social Worker in Jocotepec and immediately accepted into our program. Cinthya suffered Neonatal Hypoxia. Hypoxia in a newborn is considered a medical emergency. After birth the delivery room doctor or nurse assesses the newborn for typical responses, behavior and

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

physical condition. If the baby displays signs of hypoxia such as abnormal coloring or behavioral problems, the immediate response is to attempt to restore oxygen flow to the brain. This can only be done if the reason for the hypoxia is clear. Unfortunately in Cynthia’s case the lack of oxygen to the brain was not corrected quickly leaving

her with irreversible brain damage. Cinthya doesn’t speak, walk or have any form of communication. She has no control of her bodily functions and will wear a diaper for the rest of her life and suffers seizures. Cinthya does have very caring parents and grandparents who make her feel loved every day. To date, we have reimbursed the family $70,675 pesos for transportation, anti-convulsive medications and therapy. Thank you for the opportunity of presenting one of our children to you. Remember we see families at three locations, Jocotopec, Chapala and Ajijic. Should you be interested in attending a clinic, please contact Nicole Sergent at 376-766-4375 or Barb Corol at 376766-5452 We are looking for individuals or foundations who can help us take over the care of our ageing out children. If you can help, please contact Nicole Sergent at the number listed above. If you would like to learn more about Niños Incapacitados, check our website www.programaninos. com

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COLUMNIST

UUNCOMMON NCOM MM MON CCOMMON OM MM MON SSENSE ENSE %\ %LOO )UD\HU ELOOIUD\HU#JPDLO FRP Big Challenges Ahead

he world is in the midst of transition and realignment. This, of course, occurs periodically, and the results of these changes will become obvious over time. It is always difficult for us to see exactly where we are headed even when we can sense that the pace of change itself is accelerating. This column has been devoted to clear thinking. If we are aware of trends that are occurring in the world, and we can assess their origins and effects rationally, we stand a better chance of surviving intact. As critical thinkers, we should be focused, in my opinion, on four major areas where we are experiencing major upheavals: the denigration of truth, the rapid pace of climate change, the unanticipated effects of advanced technology, and an unprecedented degree of income inequality. The preservation of democracy (and the prevention of tyranny) depend, ultimately, on a respect for truth. Around the world, and particularly in the United States, truth is suffering from a dangerous relativism. The media, whose job it is to dig out the truth and present it to the citizenry, is being attacked as an actual danger to the American experiment. This regularly occurs in despotic regimes just before the free press is extinguished. Truth is seen as fluid, and unpleasant facts are attacked as “fake” news. These days, many people believe things that simply are not true. Politicians are shameless about propagating patently false beliefs. This threatens the very concept of free democratic rule. A second area of concern is the acceleration of human-generated climate change. This is, of course, related to our concept of truth. Science has established that the earth is getting warmer rapidly due to human activity. Instead of attacking scientific truth, we should be acknowledging the obvious facts and working to figure out what to do. Otherwise the consequences will be cataclysmic in terms of catastrophic storms, coastal flooding, and massive global migration.

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Many believe technology will save us. Perhaps. But, as we have seen, technology always has unintended consequences. A case in point is climate change itself. We certainly did not consider this when we developed fossil fuels. With advances in artificial intelligence, we may also be facing tremendous job loss and consequent changes in how we can guarantee a livable income for everyone, many of whom will soon be unemployable. The isolating effects of technology are also increasing rapidly. As more people retreat into their computers, tablets, and smartphones, we are losing the ability to socialize face to face and are increasingly alone. The irony of technology which connects us makes us lonely simultaneously. Finally, we are living in a world in which a select few are prospering at the expense of the many. Economic hopelessness has led to populist, extreme political movements. The disappearance of the middle class is changing our quality of life as we speak. Many are surviving with cheap Walmart products from China, but economies change. Cheap imports may not continue indefinitely, and many would suffer. Income inequality is turning our democracy into a sclerotic oligarchy. These are serious developments. They threaten our way of life and even our survival as a species. Of course, we’ve faced crises before and have risen to the challenge. Yet today’s challenges seem unprecedented and difficult to address especially if we can’t even agree on what’s true. Perhaps, as Isaac Asimov famously predicted, better technology will be the answer. Perhaps unanticipated trends will mitigate our demise. In the meantime, we each need to get involved and persist. There is no other way.

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THE DRUG FIX THAT IS PERMANENT %\ &KULVW\ :LVHPDQ

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t happened again. This time to a friend’s son. He was found dead in his apartment. He was 47. They listed it as a stroke, but his friends knew better and so did his parents. What they didn’t know was how they could have helped; what they could have done. Opioid addiction has become epidemic and affects not only the addict, but those living with him or her and those who care. There is one death from heroin every ten minutes in the U.S. It seems rarely to miss anyone’s family. Life throws curves at each of us and when hit we want to avoid the pain that comes with them. Maybe the curve is a lost job. Maybe an unwanted divorce is requested. Maybe someone you love dies and you are haunted by the “would have, could have, should have” syndrome that often plagues the survivor. Curves, curves and more curves. Life is full of them and they hurt. We want to protect those we care about from emotional pain. We do it any number of ways and with the best of intentions and love. If we are successful, they avoid the pain. The “catch 22” is that they haven’t learned to be resilient in a healthy way for the next time a curve in life hits them. When we skip or ignore the smaller consequences of unwise behavior or

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adverse happenings, either for ourselves or for those dependent upon us, we deprive ourselves or others of the chance to build resilience in a world in which resilience can be lifesaving. There are programs to help turn one’s life around, but there are also fixes and the fixes have the appeal of being immediate. Ignoring inappropriate behavior is often just another way to keep the shame of addiction away from one’s door. The greater shame is in ignoring a problem that has a solution. Whatever is the cause of one’s emotional pain, the real fix is often hidden by the lure of alcohol, pain killers, or illegal drugs. That lure comes at a cost. Meth can hook you with the first use. Fentanyl is many times stronger than Heroin and the first use could prove to be lethal. Heroin seems, to be the current drug of choice among many. Alcohol seems a good choice, as it is socially acceptable. But there are those who although their problem drinking has become evident to others, kid themselves into believing it isn’t, and that they could quit anytime. So many times the alcoholic looks at people who are intoxicated and assures himself/herself, “I’m not like that. They are much worse off than I am” and they forget to add the guil-

lotine of truth which is the simple word, yet. When you become aware of the excessive and regular use of a drug in someone close to you, you might cite the behavior and ask that person if he/she considers the behavior to be “normal?” An admission just might be the catalyst needed to create a desire to get help which may make all the difference. It did with two of my three sons. One involved “S’hrumes” when he was picked up with them in So. Dakota and jailed. Another son was suicidal after a drinking binge when his wife told him she wanted a divorce after 23 years of what he had thought was a happy marriage. We think men are the stronger sex, but the truth is we all have tender hearts, sometimes damaged, hurting and vulnerable. The person closest and caring needs to be strong and armed with the slogans and help found in Alanon or Narcanon or spiritual meetings and literature. Not because we can change or save someone else, however much we love them. But it can give us the understanding and the strength to be fully human while being fully practical, with boundaries as to what behavior(s) we will tolerate and what ramifications we will need to bring to bear if those boundaries are crossed. The alcoholic or addict is extremely perceptive so only state a ramification if you truly mean it. It’s called “tough love” and is seldom welcomed at first. There are no guarantees, but there’s a chance it might prompt a behavioral change. We can literally “love a person to death” if we allow them to continue their destructive behavior without setting boundaries to protect ourselves as well as them. With luck, tough love and boundaries, your loved one might find a group; get a sponsor, acknowledge a power greater and give life another try. The 12 Step Program, available everywhere, is free and there are willing sponsors to help anyone who truly wants help with their disease of addiction. The drug fix that is permanent doesn’t need to be death. It can be in life affirming choices, friendships made, living one day or one moment at a time. It can be in finding the joy in recovery and in helping others as they are recovering. The choice when all is said and done, and however much we may want it to be otherwise, is Christy Wiseman theirs.

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HOWARD AND HELEN PLAY HOUSE %\ -DPHV 7LSWRQ

elen had not been the same since Howard had hit her in the head with a can of tuna. That was Howard as in “husband” Howard, the same Howard who liked to tell Helen that she needed to change her hair, that he wanted her to look more like Betty Crocker on the cake boxes after the “big” war. Helen, twenty years younger than Howard, had no idea what Betty Crocker’s hair looked like after the “big” war. All she knew was that Howard was a little boy then and that he had waited every day for four long boy years before his father finally came home, only to leave again, a couple of years later, and that time it was forever. Helen’s head had hurt now for over two weeks. Howard had been mad because Helen once again had started to chop celery and onions to make tuna fish sandwiches for supper. Howard hated tuna fish sandwiches. Howard had hurled the unopened can of tuna at Helen, but he had not, he said, intended to hit her. He thought she would catch it. She caught it all right, right in the middle of her old forehead. Helen slumped to the kitchen floor and leaned against the cabinets. The white terry cloth towel Howard handed her turned red. When she could finally stand and the bleeding seemed to have stopped, Howard helped her to his leather Lazy Boy and turned on her favorite channel, Animal Planet. He ordered a pizza, double pepperoni. He paid outside the door and returned to Helen. Around her eyes and across her forehead she was already beginning to turn a dark and ugly blue. “I think you need to stay at home and rest for a few days,” Howard said. “Howard…tomorrow is the day I go to

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get my hair done.” “Your hair looks terrific, Helen, it can wait a couple of weeks.” “I will go tomorrow, Howard.” “You can’t go looking like this!” “I’ll tell them I ran into a can of tuna.” He put two slices of pizza onto her best china and handed it to her. She waved it away. Now, two weeks had passed. The dark blue circles were lighter and the wound on her forehead had begun to heal. Her hair had never looked so good. But that tuna can also hit Helen’s heart. That wound had not healed at all. And Helen was beginning to hate The Animal Planet. Howard was standing in the kitchen chopping celery and onions to make tuna fish salad, Helen’s favorite. Helen ordered a pizza, double pepperoni. Her battered green American Tourister bag she had purchased shortly before the wedding stood hidden behind the bushes just outside the door. When the delivery boy arrived, she set the pizza inside and offered the boy $10 to take her to the bus station. As Helen picked up her bag she realized she had packed it years ago. James Tipton

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COLUMNIST

%\ 9LFWRULD 6FKPLGW

El Dia de Los Muertos

eing from the United States, I came from a background where no one talked about death. We use terms like; deceased, late, passed, or departed. There is usually a period of mourning, a funeral, burial, and perhaps visitation to graves. Death is a fact of life, but it wasn’t until recently people started actually planning funerals before their death. But people didn’t like to discuss death, or death amongst the family or friends. Everything was formal, quiet, reserved. Even the old tradition of wreath or flowers at the gravesite on Memorial Day seems to have slowly disappeared into Memorial Day sales and picnics. When I first arrived in Mexico, the entire concept of Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos seemed strange to me. In fact, I was uncomfortable with it. But as various aspects of the holiday and the customs surrounding it intrigued me, I grew to love it. The first experience I had with altars was on a walk down Cinco de Mayo on El Dia de los Muertos in Chapala. The time and effort the families put into each display to honor the lost loved ones was not only heartwarming, but extremely respectful. Items of the dead that were big parts of their lives were on display. People take great pride in presenting their forbearers. Photos, musical instruments, a favorite saddle, or a favorite cigar or tequila are displayed there, along with favorite foods, and even food for strangers to share. We could walk the entire length of the street, and get to know the history of Chapala through the revelations on the altars. Instead of sullen remarks, there was laughter and enjoyment of the lives shared with the dead while they were still living. To me it felt more honorable and a happier way to remember our lost friends and

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relatives. It wasn’t long before my husband and I rented a house with its own altar. I hadn’t realized people made them inside their homes. I thought it was just out on the street or in the cemetery. It was not long before I had made an altar to one of my own recently departed loved ones. My fascination was also piqued by El Día de los Muertos and the Mexican willingness to laugh at death itself. I learned about catrina dolls and came to understand that originally catrina was an elegant or well-dressed woman, so it referred to rich people, meaning that everyone is equal in death. I collected catrinas, and loved looking at the young Mexican maidens with their catrina make-up art and costumes. Often shared at this time is a drink known as Atole, a popular Mexican hot beverage, thickened with masa (a maize [corn] flour or dough that has been soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution in the nixtamalization process and) flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar. And what Mexican occasion would be complete without music? Whether it is played at the many altars, or cemeteries, or gatherings, there is a plethora of Latin music which melodies poke fun at death itself. At the altars or gravesites people would share the favorite songs of their loved ones. November 1 is “el Dia de los inocentes” or the day of the children and All Saints Day. This day is dedicated solely to children. November 2 is the actual el Dia de los Muertos. I think what I truly like is that el Dia de los Muertos actually celebrates life itself. Something we should do each Victoria Schmidt and every day!

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ONE STEP AHEAD %\ -DFN 3ULQV DQG 3LD $LWNLQ 5HYLHZHG E\ -RKQ 6WRNGMLN

hile introducing Zwartboek at the 7th Annual Ajijic Jewish Film Festival in January, local resident Jack Prins mentioned his book One Step Ahead - A child’s story of daring and bravery during the Holocaust. This memoir will be of interest to the many Dutch, Jews, and Germans living at Lakeside, as well as so many others who were impacted by the events of WWII. One Step Ahead might never have seen the light of day had it not been for the encouragement and support of friend and co-author Barbara Harwood, otherwise known as Pia Aitken, who passed away shortly after the book was published. Jack Prins was born in the Netherlands in 1933, a Jewish boy in a country soon to be invaded by Germans. When Jack is six, we see events unfold through the eyes of a six-year-old and when he is ten we see his life through the eyes of a ten-year-old and so on. We share his relationship with his parents, one of whom did not survive the Holocaust. We tour the Netherlands with Jack as he flees from hiding place to hiding place. After the war, we travel with him to the new state of Israel. There is a refreshing honesty and Dutch bluntness in Jack’s storytelling as when, after at least eight brushes with death, he identifies the primary reason why he was one of the survivors: luck. Added to the story from time to time is historical information later gained through research. There were 140,000 Jews living in Holland before the war and only 20,000 by its end. At times I would have liked a bit more history, particularly about the Dutch Nazis, a term I was not familiar with. But this is Jack’s personal story, not a history text. Only occasionally, Jack links his early years to later events in his adult life. I wish he had done this more often, as I was left with unanswered questions. How did his post-traumatic stress syndrome manifest in his adult life? How did it impact his first marriage, which

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ended in divorce? How did it impact his relationship with his children? Jack Prins did more than just survive. He thrived. He continues his story on his website www. jackprins.com where he describes his life in America and his successful career. We can appreciate that telling his story in considerable detail was not easy for him, but it did prove to be therapeutic. At first Jack Prins said no, he could not do it, too painful. But he could and did. It took Jack and Barbara three years of tears and laughter to complete the project. As his co-author describes in her epilogue, afterwards Jack’s nightmares finally stopped. Storytelling is a healing experience. A compelling story can illuminate an historical period. Personal stories like Jack’s have special value relating history in the voice of the one who lived it. Personal experiences make the bare facts come to life. I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book because of how the story connects to my own life. My parents lived near Rotterdam during WWII and moved to Canada in 1954. As a boy growing up in Nova Scotia, I almost never heard stories about their lives in the old country during those dark years. Only as an adult did I gain enough knowledge to awaken a desire in me to delve into their story. Jack’s book was helpful in filling that void at least a little bit. The Kindle edition of One Step Ahead is available at www.amazon. com

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TODOS SOMOS MIGRANTES (WE ARE ALL IMMIGRANTS) %\ .HOO\ +D\HV 5DLWW

expected to be in tears; instead I was in awe. For years, I’ve written about refugees’ struggles, pains, and losses, so I thought I knew what to expect when I visited FM4 Paso Libre, a shelter in Guadalajara for Central American refugees seeking asylum and migrants seeking a better life. But I left the shelter dry-eyed and feeling small. A humble staff of nine people provides beds, showers, meals, clothes, medicine, laundry facilities and hygiene kits to 100 weary, desperate refugees and migrants every night, and in the process restores dignity and hope. Legal, medical and psychoso-

cial counseling are also provided. So are Internet access and free calls home – not an insignificant service as Guadalajara’s public phones are among the most expensive in the world. In response to the U.S’s increased restrictions on refugees (who flee persecution due to their political activism, ethnicity, or sexual or gender orientation), the number of people seeking asylum in Mexico has nearly doubled over last year, according to Janet Valver de Hernández, the shelter’s Advocacy and Networks Coordinator. Many of them seek help from FM4 Paso Libre. Additionally, tens of thousands of migrants (who leave their country to

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pursue better economic prospects) seek help at the shelter, which also serves Mexicans and Central Americans deported from the U.S. who are traveling south. To make the 2,300-mile journey from Chiapas to Mexicali, many migrants hitch la bestia (“the beast”), the fast-moving freight trains that traverse Mexico. They run alongside a moving train, jump aboard and climb to the top, a dangerous feat they will repeat on a dozen trains before they reach the U.S. border. Although many suffer injuries or the loss of limbs from accidents hopping on or falling off trains, this route is still safer than scrambling through the lawless jungles. Alone, undocumented, unprotected by the Mexican government, and afraid of deportation, migrants are vulnerable to extortion, robbery and beatings from the police, private security guards, sex or drug traffickers and gang members – and even from local homeless people who see los trampos (“the freeloaders”) as a threat to their meager resources. Transgender and gay people are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault. Migrants risk being kidnapped for ransom, sex trafficking or organ harvesting. They arrive at FM4 Paso Libre traumatized, often sick from respiratory infections from sleeping outside and exposure to severe weather. Exhaustion is common. People fall from the trains because of lack of sleep or are pushed by gang members if they can’t pay bribes. Nearly 10% of migrants arrive at the shelter with broken or missing limbs. One block from las vías (“train tracks”), the shelter blends into an upscale residential neighborhood. Inside, however, it’s a cavernous warehouse with two floors of bedrooms in the rear and an open floor plan with banks of public sinks for grooming and washing clothes, an industrial kitchen, a large game room with exercise equipment, a TV room and a library.

The non-profit, non-governmental organization relies as much on volunteers as it does on donations. Greeting me when I visited recently, was Jakob, a young German who is spending a year volunteering at the shelter and living with a local tapatío family. “Isn’t it ironic that your country is dealing with a huge refugee crisis and you’re here?” I ask. He wants to help those who aren’t getting as much attention. He mentioned that the German government pays 75% of his expenses – and those of five other Germans – to volunteer at FM4 Paso Libre. The name FM4 Paso Libre (“free passage”) comes from forms given to foreigners who enter Mexico. Although Migration Form #4 does not exist, “we wanted to allude to a crossing that is violence-free, just and respectable,” the organization declares in its annual report. Thus, the organization also works to change and improve Mexico’s policies toward migrants and it partners with other NGOs (Doctors Without Borders maintains an office) and is connected to regional, national and international networks of shelters for migrants and refugees. I also met Paola, a 21-year-old single mother who left her son in Honduras with her mother in order to find work in the States. According to the World Bank, Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and the highest level of economic inequality in Latin America with 66% of the population living in poverty. In rural areas, 20% of Hondurans live on less than US$1.90 per day. Paola simply wants to provide for her son. Her mother begged her not to leave, not to take such a dangerous trip. She was the only woman I saw at the shelter. “Yes, the journey is difficult,” Paola said. “But I suffered in Honduras. I think it’s better to suffer trying to make things better.” (Ed. Note: Kelly Hayes-Raitt is launching her new book How to Become a Housesitter: Insider Tips from the House Sit Diva at Yves’ Restaurant (Carretera Poniente 493 in west Ajijic) on Friday, November 17 from 2:00 – 4:30. The event is a fundraiser for the shelter to celebrate this spirit of finding a better life elsewhere, as many of us have. Free margarita, chips, salsa and guacamole, compliments of Yves and Nettie. 100% of your 200 peso donation goes to FM4 Paso Libre. Reserve BeInvolved@aol. com.) Kelly HayesRaitt

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ails of Mexico is a new name, but not a new organization. This group of expats, with the original name of Operacion Compacion and Companions initially had a singular focus. It was to provide spay and neuter clinics for cats and dogs of families who lived in the Municipality of Jocotopec, who could not readily access or afford this type of care. Similarly, Operacion Amor in the municipality of Chapala has provided many free cat and dog sterilization multi-day clinics for several years now. As you probably know our local dog shelters, “The Ranch” and “Lucky Dog” are usually at capacity. Generally a ‘vacancy’ at the

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shelter is created if and when one of their dogs has been adopted. Tails of Mexico’s co-focus is to relocate selected Mexican dogs to go to adoptive homes, specific rescue organizations and accepting shelters located north. This particular program is in its infancy. Credit should be given to “The Ranch” who started their own program called “Fights to Freedom” about one and a half years ago. Since that inception they worked through a complex process, and to date have successfully relocated about 48 dogs north. This group of ex-pat volunteers have graciously shared what they have learned with the Tails of Mexico volunteers as they all share the same goal of providing a good life for a dog. Many locations up north have been so successful with their spay and neuter efforts, they do not have an abundance of dogs waiting in shelters for a new home. Hopefully in my lifetime here at Lake Chapala we will be in such a happy situation. To make this dream a reality, please help support our local spay and neuter on-site programs. Contact info - Tails of Mexico: Carolyn Cothran and Operacion Amour: zo-onna@hotmail.com Tails of Mexico has created work teams who have volunteer members

to take on specific tasks and components of this program. One team’s work identifies locations in the USA and elsewhere who have rescue groups, agencies and or shelters to work with who will accept our Mexican dogs. It also includes follow-up regarding how the dog is doing in its relocation and adoption. Another group is to work on the logistics of moving the dog from here to there. This involves many steps: knowledge of rules & regulations of the involved countries and transport companies, as well as develop alternative plans if there is a problem along the way. Each dog for going north has to be identified for being a suitable candidate, have its health and temperament evaluated, prepared health wise to meet all requirements, and secure the agreement of the northern receiving party. Even a dog in one of our shelters can be considered as a candidate. Another task is to find a person willing to travel north with the dog(s), and prepare and support that person in this role. This of course all takes money. So one team’s task is to work on publicity about the program, develop a website, create fund raising events to pay for all the expenses involved with this program. Some of the relocation costs involve: vaccinations, health certificates, sterilizations if not already done, travel costs of the dog(s) and human accompanying the dog(s), purchase or borrowing of travel crates, grooming and possibly boarding of the animal(s) until time to travel. If you would like to assist and be part of this program or financially contribute to this dog going north program, please contact: Dee Mistrik: deemistrik@ gmail.com. I know your help is appreciated. Jackie Kellum

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Highlights from Jaltepec Centro o Educativo 6XEPLWWHG E\ &DUROH 7HUU\ %DNHU

hristmas at Jaltepec Reserve your table for the Christmas event prepared and served by the students with Musical Director Timothy G. Ruff Welch and a “Taste” of Los Cantantes del Lago. Tuesday November 28th Luncheon Wednesday November 29th Candlelight Dinner Please contact Linda Buckthorp at 766-1631 or email buckthorplm@ gmail.com

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP OUR STUDENTS? At Jaltepec, 30 laptop computers are rented for $9500 pesos per month. We have NO MEANS of purchasing these laptops. Our students must have access to them to gain proficiency and expertise. We can arrange monthly deductions for as little as $320 pesos -US $18.00 or CAD $20.00 from your Mexican Bank account to Jaltepec’s Multiva Account. Your support would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Linda Buckthorp at 333-407-8193,766-1631 or email buckthorplm@gmail.com for more information. An inspirational poem for Linda Buckthorp – From Bernie St. Louis, Rotary Club Mississauga, Canada You are our leader, so, always re-

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member... You are a volunteer, as are we. The golden rule in volunteering is never let the leader fail. If the leader fails, we all fail. That’s why we operate as a team. Failure does not become us.

I do not know of anyone who could take the pulse of Jaltepec as accurately as you have. An organization that can develop that level of professional skills for women to effectively compete in a man’s world has my entire support. This may be not the best known cause at Lakeside, but it is the absolute jewel. So, here is my pledge….. As long as I am able, I will always have your back. I will support you. I will encourage you. We will have good years together. We may have disappointing years together. But, we will never have a disastrous year together, ever. Together, we will not fail. Love to all you do for others. Bernie

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Focus on Art %\ 5RE 0RKU

Color and Light Speak - Xill Fessenden, Fine Art Photographer

“A

photographer’s work is formed by the way she looks at life and the world around her.” —Annie Leibovitz (Main photographer for Vanity Fair magazine) The rich texture of Xill Fessenden’s life, her actions to improve the quality of life at Lakeside, cooperative work with the indigenous people of Michoacan, ability to see the world with focus and insight, each, supported by her lifelong mastery of the challenging technical realities which engender her ‘fine art’ photographs, confirms Leibovitz’s reflection. Her innovative photography, imagination, aesthetic sensibility, intellect, and technical excellence, places Xill among an elite group of internationally acclaimed photographers who are shaping the future of photography. Xill’s photo, The Fingerprint of the Artist, featured on the cover of Art and Beyond, a Chicago based art magazine, is an astounding image that is at once a portrait of the artist - unlike any in art history - an image with rich texture, line color, refined detail, luminosity, and juxtaposed realities (like those found in

Rene Magritte’s paintings). It reveals an ethereal, introspective universe complete unto itself. The needle puncturing the artist’s finger, and the thread hanging both within and outside the frame, evoke pain we all share as it moves in and out of our lives. For Xill, each photograph is an exploration, an adventure into the unknown, where she finds fascinating realities, worlds previously unseen. However, since the creation of the camera obscura over two thousand years ago, many still see a photo as a visual record of events, a child’s birthday or the war in Syria. A “selfie,” for example, is an ego-centric record of someone’s existence. Art photography up until the

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1980s was, with few exceptions - like photographs created by Man Ray, or the sensual photographs of Imogen Cunningham - limited by the medium, and an intense focus on composition of a significant visual event or pose, coupled with creative use of light, dark, and color. A mix of painting and photographs with multiple, contrasting realities, by artist like Robert Rauschenberg, also gained importance. Digital photography’s technical capacity to capture and reproduce light, color and images in ways that encourages artistic interventions, caused violent upheavals, and sparked an ongoing struggle between conservative purist who resisted the digital world’s temptations, and progressives who saw the digital realm as an ‘app’ which enables creative outcomes. This break with optical reality destroyed film as a primary medium, and enabled everyone with a digital phone to become a photographer of sorts. In that moment the concept of visual truth was radically changed. “The formula for doing a good job in photography is to think like a poet.” —Imogen Cunningham While photography as a record of events continues to have an important role for artists, this digital freedom opened the way to create new realities, new ways of seeing light and color, to see beneath the surface, and to work at scales never imagined. Xill’s photo Alcatraz, (Calla Lily) - selected by Elizabeth Avedon, curator for Fotofest in Arles, France, to be included in an exhibition at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado - represents this new way to see. Alcatraz is a sensual exploration of color, light and refined detail only possible in a digital reality. When confronted with a six foot tall presentation of Alcatraz the sensuality present in all forms life is eminently evident. Xill shared an important distinction, “My works are

photo rather not manipulation of a photo, an intervention creating a statement of feeling. I don’t feel like I take a picture, but am given a picture.” Through her participation in art education for children with the Centro Cultural Axixic, work with the Centro Axixic de Bellas Artes, (CABA), involvement with indigenous communities in Michoacan, and her new undertaking, Galeria al Aire Libre Axixic (GALA), which includes the placement of metal frames for photos throughout Axixic Plaza. Her first three GALA presentations included photographs of generational families, children’s art, and historic pictures from Lakeside. In the coming months, GALA will continue to feature photos related to life and the environment of Lakeside. This project was designed “to transform people’s knowledge of the local environment,” promote participation in the life of the community, and entice residents to share communal time in the plaza. “My relationship with indigenous people has changed my quality of life. Their identity is much bigger than themselves. If I could open up as an insider rather than an outsider - that would make me happy.” Xill Fessenden’s contributions to life at Lakeside are significant. Her life and works are gifts for the community. Her creative and enabling energy changes how we see and understand the world we live in. *On December 9 -11, 2017 Fiesta Purepecha, which Xill has organized for the past twenty years, will take place in the Ajijic Plaza. During the fiesta, indigenous communities from Michoacan will share their arts, culture, dance, and food. *Volunteers are needed to help with the Fiesta. Contact - xfess e n d e n @ y a h o o. com.mx. Rob Mohr

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%\ $UPDQGR *DUFLD

t doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grow in greenhouses, nurseries, or tended gardens, and survives on but a single season of rain. Borne of hardship it is tempered and thrives where the less hardy wither away. The wildflower seed migrates riding the wind, the wind that recognizes no borders. When in foul moods, the wind casts the seed onto barren rock or wetlands, fating it to dry under a merciless sun or sink into the mire. When in good humor, the wind sets the seed onto arable land to germinate and rise tall and firm, but

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even here it may be consumed by grazing herds. The migrant rides this angry or gentle wind to the land of opportunity. He makes his perilous odyssey leaving the barren ground of the homeland where his aspirations have long since been scattered by the arid storms of greed. He comes seeking those grueling labors that the less hardy are unable to do. Desperate for a chance to sprout and grow, he pays smugglers to slip him into the land of eternal promise, but at times he is abandoned, and left to the fate of the wildflower seed drying in the desert under an unforgiving sun. At times he is swept away while attempting to cross the river of hope. And even when he succeeds at crossing, he often falls victim to the avarice of godless bosses. But fueled by the dreams of earning a dignified life, he continues his arduous treks on, and on, and on. And the forever wind carries countless seeds of wildflowers to uncertain destinations, casting them over barren rock or sowing them over fertile loam. Behold, how their blossoms in every color grace the land.

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Willow, Weep Not For Me %\ .DWK\ .RFKHV

hispers in the wind serenaded me as I sat and watched the branches swirl and undulate in Nature’s dance. I breathed in peace and tranquility as I sat enjoying just being in the moment. For the last two weeks of my recovery from knee surgery up in the US I was fortunate to be invited to stay with a close friend at her home in Battle Ground, Washington. While the town’s name conjures up images of fighting, in reality it is a beautiful small town just north of Vancouver. It started out as mostly rural farmlands and country homes, but has over time developed into a small modern community, which boasts one Best Western Hotel and now even has a Wal-Mart. For me, the best feature of my friend’s lovely home, second only to her deck with its comfy patio furniture and umbrella, is the weeping willow tree in her backyard. When she bought the house over 30 years ago, there was almost nothing in the way of landscaping. Over the past three decades the tiny trees, bushes and flowers she planted have thrived and grown into mature plants. The willow tree, however, is not actually on her property. It is in the neigh-

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bor’s yard, right on the property line, and the long, flowing branches drape over the fence, falling gently into her yard. While I do love nature, it is usually from a distance, and I don’t get up close and personal with it, and certainly not with trees. But somehow this particular willow tree called to me. As I sat in the yard, alone except for Mary’s dog, Jack, I was overcome with a sense of peace and calmness. I felt light, airy and free as I watched from my lounge chair. This feeling stayed with me even after I returned inside, and I know that this greatly aided in my recovery. I had many hours to rest, relax and recuperate after my surgery. I discovered that just being still, and allowing my thoughts to drift where they may, helped both my body and my spirit to heal from my ordeal. Weep not for me, beautiful willow, I am whole and happy once again. I thank you for sharing those moments in time with me, as we enjoyed the sunshine and beautiful summer days together. Kathy Koches

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Old Sayings Still True Today

Illegal aliens have always been a problem. Ask any American Indian. (Robert Orben) * You’ve always made a mistake of being yourself. (Eugene Ionesco) * Water and words – Simple to pour, but impossible to recover once poured. * People are only influenced in the direction they want to go. * I have just returned from the United States. It is the only thing to do once you find yourself there. (Fred Allen – 1956) * I am not prepared to accept the statement that the largest number of people are always right. (Nehru) * Have you ever seen a politician talking to a rich person on television? * In the heat of politics, some politicians squirrel away tidbits of misinformation and sometime later drop them into public discourse, like gumballs into quiche. (Lucy Howard about Ronald Reagan)

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* A compromise is often an agreement between two factions, each of whom ends up with something they did not want. * Hope can be the definition of all evils because it can prolong the torments of man. (Nietzeche, F.W.) * The most realistic attitude for me to have toward future consequences is, “It will be interesting to see what happens.” (Huge Prather)

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Monday The day’s become unravelled. The night’s begun to fall, yet I’ve not accomplished anything. I’ve done nothing at all except cooking a curry and writing several drafts of poems still uncompleted–they’re bobbing here like rafts afloat upon my consciousness but have nowhere to go. The words all came so quickly, but their gelling has come slow. They want to group together in concrete communities, but instead they’re fluttering like moths and landing where they please. Tuesday I’m a syllable collector, a hoarder of each word without a purpose for them. It’s come to be absurd. Verbs are piled up on shelves, adjectives under foot. The gerunds hang like spiderwebs. I have no place to put The adverbs and the articles. They leak out of my head. When I nudge them into lumpy piles, they hide beneath the bed. I’m going to have a housecleaning of consonants and vowels. Collect them up in buckets and wipe them up with towels. Wednesday I’ll sort out all the lovely words. The ones I like, I’ll hoard, then pile the others in tidy stacks and tie them up in cord. I’ll keep the good ones by my desk to sort through when they’re needed. Bad words go in the basement, unsorted and unheeded. Then I’ll have a yard sale of unused words like “pickle” and sell them in unsorted lots—a handful for a nickel. Then perhaps I can make room for words more orderly that come to me in sentences that make more sense to me. Thursday My muse is hyperactive, I need to tame her down. Instead of resting close to me, she runs all over town collecting words at random— funky words like “phat”— so when I really need her, I don’t know where she’s at. Then when I am sleeping, she unloads word after word until there’s no room left for them. It has become absurd. They’re piling up around me. They’ve reached my nose and ear. I cannot swim my way through them. I’m smothering, I fear. Friday That’s why I’m calling poets, every novelist or bard to have a drive-by of my house and stop here at my yard. Bring a bucket and a rake. Take all the words you please, for now they’re raining down like leaves falling from my trees. Just gather them in armloads. I won’t find it queer. Better bring a wheelbarrow if you cannot park near. You do not need to pay for them. Today they’re yours for free. If you don’t help I fear that words will be the end of me! Saturday YARD SALE Take what you wish. Please do not disturb occupant.

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7+( . .,1*6 2 2) . .$//67$'7 — My village, Ketchup and the Prince of New York %\ .DUO +ROPDQ

his is the title and subtitle of a 2014 German film by Simone Wendel, which was classified as comedy. Where the hell his Kallstadt and who on earth are its “kings?” I visited the village last June at the end of my trip to Europe. Kallstadt is a charming village in the RhinelandPalatinate, one of Germany’s 16 federal states. During much of the 19th century, it was part of the principality of Bavaria. Population: 1,225. Friendly and scenic, surrounded by vineyards on sloping hills. Popular folklore has it that a white wine from Kallstadt was served at the coronation dinner of Princess Elizabeth in June 1953. Still, what’s all the fuss about? For one, Kallstadt is the ancestral home of Johann Heinrich Heinz, founder of the H. J. Heinz Company (as in Ketchup), 1876. And, it also happens to be the birthplace of Friedrich Trump, or as the locals say, “Drumpf,” grandfather of the 45th President of the United States, and of Elizabeth Trump, nee Christ, his grandmother. As Simone Wendel, a native of the town, suggests in her film “The Kings of Kallstadt”, that the locals have more appreciation for the Heinz family because they recently provided a major donation for the renovation of the organ in the local church, St. Salvator, while Trump did not contribute a dime.The Heinz’s also have returned to the village for occasional holidays, although they prefer to remain incognito. Trump never has. In fact, for a time he denied his German heritage and claimed to be Swedish. The Deutsche Welle notes: “The villagers used to have a better opinion of Donald Trump before he started his boisterous campaign.” And a local vineyard owner said, when I asked: “He comes from a nice family. We just wish he would shut up.” Or as a well-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

known Kallstadt phrase goes: “Before you put your mouth into gear, be sure to turn your brain on.” The vintner and his wife took me on a tour of the village, showed me the house where grand-father Friedrich Trump was born and that of his grandmother Elizabeth Christ, right across the street from each other. No plaque commemorates its former owners. My friendly tour guides dropped me off at the cemetery, where I found a couple of Trump and Heinz grave sites. The Guardian newspaper (Kallstadt, Germany: on the trail of The Donald) also mentions “the faint outline where once “Trump” was set in wrought iron above a bunch of silver grapes at a winery that went bankrupt several years ago”.

Trump’s grandfather Friedrich left Germany (then Bavaria) in 1885 for the United States, at the age of sixteen, without notifying the authorities. From New York, the young Friedrich decided to go west, eventually settling in Seattle, where he opened “The Dairy Restaurant”. It had a curtained-off area that served as a low-rent whorehouse, according to Gwenda Blair, who had the family’s cooperation in her history of the Trumps. In 1892, Friedrich became a US citizen, lying about his age by saying he’d landed in New York two years before he had. After hearing about the Klondike gold rush, “Frederick” headed for Canada’s Yukon Territory. He had no inter-

est in the hard, physical labor of panning for gold in frigid streams; so, he “mined the miners” instead. He built a bar and grill on a land claim that wasn’t his own. It offered hard liquor and again “sporting ladies,” as the prostitutes then were called. So, the current person in the White House was not the first ….. grabber of the family. By the time the gold was running out and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police came riding in, Fredrick had made a small fortune to take with him. In 1901, at age 32, he returned to Germany, where his mother introduced her “nouveau riche” son to eligible young ladies. He, however, took a liking to a woman from across the street, which his mother did not care for, a twenty-year-old, named Elizabeth Christ, blond and with big boobs. Thus, Trump men favoring busty blondes would become also a family pattern. Fredrick took his new bride with him to America and scouted for opportunities to increase his fortune. But Elizabeth did not like New York. She desperately wanted to go home. So, in 1904, Friedrich or Frederick, by now, sailed back to Germany, with his young wife and their infant daughter. Once there, however, he had to convince the authorities to overlook the fact that he had left Germany (Bavaria), without notifying the authorities, shortly before facing mandatory military service. Draft dodging thus became another family trait. In a flowery, syrupy letter to the Prince of Bavaria, full of “alternate facts”, Frederick begged to be allowed to remain in Kallstadt. He explained his absence to the government in writing: “I did not emigrate to avoid military service, but to establish a livelihood that would enable me to support my sick mother”.The German authorities didn’t buy it, established a “Trump ban”and ordered him togo back where he had come from. Donald never knew his grandfather, because in 1918 Frederick died in the Spanish Flu epidemic, leaving Elizabeth, still homesick for Kallstadt, having to fend for herself and her three children. To support her family, she founded the real estate company Elizabeth Trump & Son with Fred, Donald’s father. So, if there is a hero in all this,” points out Wendel, “it should really be Elizabeth.” Nevertheless, with his greed for money and flouting legal niceties, grandfather Friedrich cast a century-long shadow over the Trump family. As a native of Germany, I extend my sincerest apologies on behalf of my “fatherland” to all US citizens for having inflicted Herr Trump on you.

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Memories Begone! %\ 6XH 6FKRROV

’m a genetic collector, daughter of a notorious hoarder and granddaughter of a survivor of the Great Depression who believed in her later years that two of everything still wasn’t enough. When Grannie went to the Big Warehouse in the Sky, my mother packed her sedan with boxes of treasures that she could tote home without hiring a van. When it was time for Grannie’s spinster sister to meet The Master Collector, my widowed mother again inherited all of those heirlooms. In Mother’s own last months, she looked around lovingly at her rooms where only a path could wend its way through the piles and said “Someday, this will all be yours, Sue.” I didn’t know if it was a benediction or a curse. My nieces and nephews show no interest in family history, even if I hold grainy pictures of settlers, solemn in their determination to endure neighbors and weather, friendly or foul. In my heart I hold stories passed down through generations with no one to tell. Boisterous reunions of large clans of the grateful with mounds of buttered potatoes, crispy fried chicken, shelled peas and fresh pies cooling in the kitchen. I still have the family serving platter. There’s an opaque glass bowl with a cruet pair and fortunately on the bottom is a tape with my grandmother’s handwriting: “This salad set was given to me by my grandfather on his deathbed.” It was a treasure imported from Europe in early 1800’s, passed down through the generations, and now it’s mine. Costume jewelry worn by my modest ancestors with rhinestones that sparkled like the queen’s jewels are creations more feminine than current clunky fashions. They are remnants of a time when occasions were special and men and women both donned their Sunday Best. Mother was given a bible on her 10th birthday and it was left to me

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with a couple of her original school primers. A hardbound copy of “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of SEX” by Drs. Willy, Vander and Fisher was published in 1950 and I often wonder if she read it or it collected dust. Through many decades of living, I also accumulated more stuff than any one person could ever need or use. Having gone through weight changes, I kept various sizes and styles of clothing, thinking how cute I could again be … if only …. Many hobbies, charities and activities have attracted my energies, but my poor house was always left with the detritus when my attentions jumped to another adventure. When the remaining ladies of the family had departed to the Great Costco of All Times, I was left with their memorabilia plus my own collections. And then God invented the storage warehouse … a blessing and a bane to mankind! Monthly fees have ensured that my junk is out of sight and out of mind. It will take months to properly dispose of my treasures, trinkets and trash, not to mention the emotional frustrations. What to do ?? Some things are aesthetically joyful to behold; some things represent cherished memories, while others are memories best forgotten, left behind. And each article represents choices, whether to keep, sell or toss. What I must decide now is to keep only items that are precious to me and especially only keepsakes that can be seen. Objects left in drawers, hidden on shelves or, heaven forbid, boxed in a storage unit, need not take up my space. If there is such a thing as reincarnation and we are allowed to choose our future afflictions, I hope to return as a minimalist with OCD tendencies!

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Sandy Olson

Phone: 331-283-8529 Email: sandyzihua@hotmail.com

KNOW YOUR FOLK ART The annual Feria Maestros del Arte will happen again on November 10 and 11 (10 am to 5 pm) and November 12 (10 am to 4 pm). It’s held at the Club de Yates de Chapala. Admission is 70 pesos. Over 85 artists will present their work. There will also be all day entertainment and food, not to mention the chance to do some serious shopping. For Feria questions (general information, volunteering, artists), contact feriamaestros@gmail.com or call (376) 765-7485. OPEN CIRCLE Sunday morning finds many Lakeside residents at the Lake Chapala Society and Open Circle, a forum on a variety of stimulating topics. A social hour with coffee and snacks at 10 am is followed y an interesting lecture and discussion at 10:30. November12 Know Thyself Presented by John Stokdijk Previously at Open Circle, John has shared both his spiritual journey and his mental health challenges. This Sunday he will share more insights from his journeys in life. One of the greatest of these, he believes, is the journey of deep self-discovery. Knowing well our own story can open us up to appreciating the stories of others and help mitigate the alarming polarization in the world today. John and his wife Pat have lived at Lakeside for five years. Previously they resided in Calgary, Alberta. Last year he launched the Ajijic Book Club, which focuses exclusively on nonfiction. November 19 The Allure of Gold Presented by John Wells Men and women have died for it, empires have risen and fallen because of it, and Bond girls have been dipped in it. The Incas thought gold to be “the sweat of the sun.” John will relate the history of gold from the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans to the conquest John Stokdijk of the New World and the Gold Rushes of the 19th century. He will also talk about gold mining in the hills above Ajijic and the uses of gold and gold mining in Mexico in the 21st century. Finally, he will explain why gold is deemed to be so valuable and its role in the development of money. November 26 The Shamanic Worldview Presented by Gale Park Over many thousands of years, our ancestors developed ways of expanding human capacity for healing and problem solving. The systems and practices they originated came to be called shamanism. Gale will talk about how shamans and shamanic cultures view and interact with our Earth and its inhabitants—both the physical and the supernatural—and the ancient tools and practices they still use to serve their tribes. December 3 Variation on a Theme Called Life Presented by Rev. Don Beaudreault How might we live amicably with the paradoxes of human existence? In his book The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker writes that we are “out of

Rev. Don Beaudreault

nature and hopelessly in it…dual, up in the stars and yet housed in a heart-pumping, breath-gasping body that once belonged to a fish.” Some people, including our presenter, choose “mystical humanism” to help them with this paradox; it is a variation on the theme called life. Don will also share his jazz piano talent with us. VIVA GOES TO THE OPERA On November18, Viva la Musica will take a trip to the Teatro Diana for a Met Live production of The Exterminating Angel by Thomas Ades. This is the third opera by this British composer, based on a famous surrealist movie, with Audrey Luna as Leticia Maynar and Amanda Echalaz as Lucia de Nobile. (2.5 hours). Bus leaves 10:30 am. Trips to the opera are 450 pesos (550 for non-members) and are available at the LCS ticket booth Thursday and Friday from 10 to noon, or call Rosemary Keeling at 766-1801. LITTLE THEATRE PLAYHOUSE SERIES Lakeside Little Theatre is pleased to announce the 2017-2018 Playhouse Series. This will be the fourth season of collaboration with London’s National Theatre Live. All of these are actual performances recorded in stunning high definition before live audiences and shown on LLT’s 14x8 foot screen. Still to come are: November 18-19 Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, Anthony Burgess December 2-3 Il Volo with Placido Domingo Notte Magica January 27-28 Angels in America 1&2 by Tony Kushner March 3-4 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee April 7-8 Yerma by Simon Stone, Federico Garcia Lorca Performances are Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees at 3:00 pm. Tickets (250 pesos) for the upcoming shows can be purchased two weeks prior and the week of the show at the LLT box office Wednesday and Thursday from 10am until noon, and one hour before curtain. VIVA LA MUSICA AND THE DEGOLLADO THEATER This is exciting news for music and ballet lovers. Here are Viva bus trips to the Degollado Theater. Sunday November 19 Gustav Mahler, Resurrection Symphony, conducted by Marco Parisotto, Nicole Heaston Soprano, Cassandra Zoe Velasco Contralto, with the Zapopan Municipal Choir: Director Timothy Ruff Welch. Bus departs at 3:30 pm for the 6:00 pm concert. No dinner stop. Sunday November 26 Operatic Gala, directed by Marco Parisotto, Nicole Heaston, soprano; Lorenzo Decaro, tenor. Mozart, Don Giovanni; Bellini, Norma; Puccini, La Boheme and Turandot. Bus departs at 10:30 am. Thursday December 14 Ballet: The Nutcracker, Conductor Jesus Medina, Ballet de Jalisco: Director Dariusz Blajer. This is an annual sell-out. Bus departs at 6:00 pm. No dinner stop. 700 pesos (800 pesos for non-members). All theater seats are premium orchestra seats. Trips to the Symphony are 450 pesos (550 for non-members). Tickets are available at the LCS ticket booth Thursdays and Fridays 10 to noon, or call Rosemary Keeling at 766-1801. MEET TWO BRILLIANT PHYSICISTS The next production from Naked Stage is Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. It’s directed by Michael Warren and runs November 24, 25 and 26 at 4 pm. The Box Office and bar open at 3 pm. A donation of 100 pesos is requested. Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg famously met at Bohr’s home in Copenhagen in 1941. They were two of the most brilliant physicists of the twentieth century. Both of them had been awarded a Nobel Prize (Bohr in 1922 and Heisenberg in 1932), and they had collaborated on the Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum physics. To this day, that set of ideas remains one of the leading ways of thinking about the strange and paradoxical behavior of atomic particles. Nobody knows what they said to each other that day in 1941. Naked Stage is at Hidalgo #261, on the mountain side and directly across from the Catholic Church. Reservations are recommended. For more information and reservations,

From left to right: Michael Warren (Director), Don Beaudreault, Kelly Hayes-Raitt and Ed Tasca continued on page 58

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email nakedstagereservations@gmail.com. For those who use Facebook, look for The Naked Stage for breaking news and updates. IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR Book for Christmas at Jaltepec Centro Educativo for their traditional Christmas dinner or lunch prepared and served by the students. Musical Director Timothy G. Ruff Welch and Los Cantantes del Lago will entertain as a special contribution to this festive occasion. The dates are Tuesday, November 28 for the luncheon at 600 pesos per person and Wednesday November 29 for the candlelight dinner at 700 pesos per person. Both days will feature a no host bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres prepared and served by students before the concert, followed by roast turkey with all the trimmings. Contact Linda Buckthorp at 766-1631 or email buckthorplm@gmail.com to book now. VIVA CHRISTMAS CONCERT On Thursday, December 7, once again The Hermosillo Family Singers will give us another lovely evening of choral and instrumental music. This event is not to be missed! It’s at 7 pm in the Auditorio, La Floresta. The ticket price is 300 pesos. NO, THERE’S NO NUDITY Lakeside Little Theatre’s latest production is Calendar Girls. It’s directed by Candace Luciano. Show dates are December 8-17. The play is based on the true story of eleven Women’s Institute members in Britain who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund. When Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an “alternative” calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. (And no, we’re not going to see any nudity). Cast members are Debra Bowers, Lupita Campbell, Greg Clarke, Collette Clavadetscher, Lori Grant, Pamela Johnson, Chris L’Ecluse, Jean Llewellyn, Peter Luciano, Wendy Petersen, Susan Quiriconi, Georgette Richmond, Diana Rowland, and Ed Tasca. The performances are at 7:30 pm and 3 pm. First Saturday and both Sundays are matinees. Tickets are 250 pesos and are available at LLT’s Box Office, 10 to noon every Wednesday and Thursday, also one hour before curtain. Email: tickets@lakesidelittletheatre.com or call (376) 766 0954. ART, READINGS AND CLASSICAL MUSIC How could you go wrong by attending The Lake Chapala Painting Guild’s cultural event at Cafe La 133 (Independencia #133) in San Antonio Tlayacapan for Saturday, December 9 from 4 to 6 pm. In addition to watercolors, oils, acrylics and prints, there will be classical music by the daughters of one of their members, Yaeli and Paz Nunez, poetry and stories by members of the Ajijic Writers Group, canapes and libation. All are welcome. HELP AND APPRECIATION Naked Stage board member Diana Rowland recently presented Yolanda Martinez Llamas, president of Cruz Roja, with a donation of 50,000 pesos. In the photo Yolanda in turn has presented a certificate of appreciation to Naked Stage for their support. AN IMPORTANT BOOK The Ajijic Book Club will discuss When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi at its November meeting. This book is a New York Times best seller and a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. The memoir finds hope and beauty in the face of insurmountable odds as an idealistic young neurosurgeon attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living? ABC meets at Just Chillin, at Constitution #32, on Tuesday, November 28 at 4 pm. PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE DREAMS Our Judy Dykstra-Brown, poet and writer extraordinaire, has had a story included in a new edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s called “Waking Up!!!” Judy says, “Although I rarely remember dreams, when I do, I pay close attention, for my best brainstorm of my life came in a dream.” Check out the book and Judy’s story on the

Judy Dykstra Brown

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

Pictured below, left to right: Eduardo Andres Perez Espiritu, Janet Corona Torres, Ali Hammurabi Ochoa Velazquez, Roberta Kalan, Ana Maria Del Refugio Bautista Trujillo, Lalo Palma, and Monica Molloy site chickensoup.com. It’s available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and at Diane Pearl Colecciones. FLEDGLING COOKS AND GLOBOS CASA (Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic) is sponsoring five culinary students from the Instituto Tecnologico Superior de Chapala on the Libramiento in Ajijic. These culinary students are all A+ students and are now in their third semester of a 4 1/2 year degree program. These students participate in all CASA’S monthly meetings and were extremely involved at the Globo Regatta where CASA had another perfect Globo launch under the experienced hands of Lalo Palma. The photo is credited to Allison Quattrocchi. For more information on helping CASA sponsor these students please contact Monica at monicamolloy17@gmail.com. SUPER GOOD DEEDS The new Lake Chapala Charities Grant Program awarded more than 160,000 pesos to eight programs proposed by local AC charities at an awards ceremony in September. Two representatives from each of the eight charities funded by the Lake Chapala Charities Summer Grant Program surround Margy Kassier [center] Grant Program Coordinator. For more detailed information or to put your favorite AC charity on the Grant Program mailing list, contact Margy Kassier at tmkassier@live.com. LET’S HELP CENTRAL AMERICAN REFUGEES On Friday November 17, from 2 to 4:30 pm, we can attend a fundraiser for Guadalajara’s FM4 Paso Libre Shelter, which houses, feeds, clothes and gives hope to 100 refugees and migrants daily. Your donation of 200 pesos will go 100% to support the shelter. Check the website at www.fm4pasolibre.org. The event will be at Yves Restaurant. While you are there you can enjoy a free margarita, guacamole chips and salsa, compliments of Yves and Nettie. Also it’s the day to celebrate the launch of Kelly Hayes-Raitt’s new book How to Become a Housesitter; Insider Tips from the House Sit Diva.

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STRONG WOMEN %\ .DWK\ .RFKHV

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woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Eleanor Roosevelt Yesterday I got an e-mail from my eldest granddaughter. She gave me news that was both sad and encouraging. She had left her abusive husband, after seven years of marriage. How difficult this had to be for her with three small children, ages 7 yrs., 4 yrs. and 2 yrs. to support and raise. What could I say to her that would help in even a small way? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be strong,â&#x20AC;? I told her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and more than that, you ARE strong! You come from a long line of strong women, and you will survive and get

through this.â&#x20AC;? I related to her the stories of some of the women in our family. I told her of my grandmother, her great, great grandmother, who had watched the covered wagons roll by across her farm in Texas, whose husband had died while saving a child from drowning in a frozen lake, leaving her with a 1 yr. old baby to raise alone, and who had made her way to California, creating a wonderful life for herself and her daughter. I told her again my story, and how her grandmother, who lost both of her parents when she was 15, had survived an abusive marriage and escaped to make a better life for herself and her children. I reminded her who it was that rescued her from a horrible situation to give her a chance at life. I spoke about her aunt, who persevered through many hardships to become a successful career woman and who raised three children of her own. She listened in silence, taking in all I had said. Then she thanked me for reminding her of her own strength and that of the women who had come before her. It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy, and there will be many hardships for her to endure, but I know that she will dig deep and find the strength to carry on, making a better life for herself and her children. And she will teach her daughter to be strong and stay strong.

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I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY STATEROOM %\ &DURO / %RZPDQ Part One

s the Azamara Journey navigated through the Gulf of Finland, I stood on our veranda and fidgetedwith binoculars. For the past six months, ‘Russia’ had spurred an onslaught of negative press in the US, but I felt a surge of positive energy. In a matter of hours, I would experience the crowning glory of this trip, St. Petersburg. Through the dawn’s mist, I spotted the first sign of land; a small mound of earth and rocks rising out of the water, sprouting fruit trees and a vegetable garden, neatly furrowed. In the center stood a tiny cottage, a traditional summer house

called a dacha. Practically every urban Russian family either owns or rents one of these vacation properties to escape the chaos of the city on weekends. After the collapse of the USSR, citizens had the opportunity to privatize these retreats, which have been a unique part of the Russian way of life since Tsar Peter the Great started giving dachas as gifts to loyal staff. Miles of commercial seaport activities, cranes unloading cargo and fuel depots emerged along the banks as we glided toward St. Petersburg’s harbor. Considered a ‘small ship,’ the Journey by-passed massive cruisers forced to tie-up far outside

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the city, while our captain maneuvered his craft to the most enviable dock location in downtown St. Petersburg. I called for my husband to share the magnificent view from our veranda. The gilded domes of the Russian Orthodox Church of Assumption of St. Mary, glistened in the early morning sun. He raced out, camera in hand and in his witty manner, yelled out, “I can see Russia from my stateroom!” Of course, unlike Sarah Palin, he really could. Facing the Neva River, imposing 17th and 18th century buildings shared the block with this five-domed place of worship. The ship’s marina berth was located directly across from the tree-lined promenade that fronted the street. I paused for a few speechless moments to take in the enormity of our current position on the globe and the breadth of history before us. We snapped photos of the church while the ship cleared Russian customs. I googled this forgotten St. Petersburg cathedral not included on major tours. I had to know about it. Originally erected in 1730, the current building was reconstructed in 1895 with curved brick and mosaic tiles. Crossing arches inside the main dome provided a spacious interior and gleaming aluminum coated the cupolas. The church functioned as a Russian Orthodox monastery until the monks were arrested by the government in 1932. It served as a warehouse until 1956, when the Communists converted it to the Leningrad School of Figure Skating. USSR ice skating athletes trained at this facility and I remembered that in the late 60’s, Soviet champions dominated every Olympic skating event. That supremacy developed here. Returned to the Russian Orthodox in 1991, restoration to the church’s original splendor, revealing interior frescos hidden under layers of whitewash and oil paint, remains in progress.

‘Visas Upon Entry’ for cruise ship passengers differ from individual travel permits obtained from a Russian Consulate. No one is allowed ashore without a pre-booked tour ticket and passport in hand. Every person leaving the ship must pass through immigration for inspection of these items. Wandering the streets of St. Petersburg without a tour guide who serves as a ‘minder’ is now forbidden. Three full days in port, with two scheduled 10-hour tours allowed time to visit many of St. Petersburg’s historic sites. Jaws dropped at Peter the Great’s residence, Peterhof, Catherine the Great’s opulent Summer Palace in Pushkin and the meandering halls of the Hermitage Museum. Thousands of summer tourists shuffled along the corridors of these magnificent structures. My experience of being swept along with the crowds, left me cold. At the Hermitage, I viewed Rembrandt’s Mother and Child in between taller heads bobbing. Security guards ordered the mob to ‘move along,’ crushing any hope of appreciating the art upclose. I longed to feel the cultural capital of Russia that I had witnessed from the bus window; immaculate streets void of trash, sidewalks filled with on-the-go Russians and outdoor cafes brightened by petuniafilled flower boxes. Schools of ballet, concert halls and opera houses lined wide boulevards that resembled the Upper Eastside of New York. Drawbridges that crossed the Neva River connected the 14 islands that make up the city. I wanted to be part of the fabric. On day three, this American in love with St. Petersburg got her chance. (To be continued next month) Carol L. Bowman

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et into to t h e car, Son. Hitchhiking is against the law in Pasadena.”” nd He leaned over and ng ger door. door opened the passenger hrough ough the town I had to get through to get to the freeway entrance and hoped to get a ride with a car headed for LA on that same route. This was a first. Stopped by a cop. I don’t remember him showing any ID but this was right in front of the Pasadena City Hall and his car was a four-door, black sedan. He was dressed in a sport coat, tan slacks, white shirt and knit tie. He sure acted like a plain-clothes cop. All I cared about was that this was causing a delay in my trip. What was going to happen? Would I be jailed? Would my mother be called? She’d be mad. When could I resume my journey? I was thirteen-years old in 1947 and I could roam without limits, particularly the LA area by my newly discovered means of exploration thumbing. My buddies had talked about their run-ins while hitchhiking with those they called, “Queers” - single guys, very friendly, driving slow moving cars. Was this one? He had a serious look on his face, then smiling slightly, he asked my name and where I was headed. I responded, “Bernie, and I was going to my aunt Ruth’s in Highland Park.” (Not true.) The cop nodded in approval. I was glad he could see I wasn’t a

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

vagrant or a miscreant. He addressed me as Bernie before each sentence and commenced a horrific tale of young boys hitchhiking and the tragic ends they had come to. I tried to look interested and concerned while thinking, “How long is this going to take? Am I responding in a manner that will lead to my early release? Am I going to be jailed or subject to God knows what?” He continued for what seemed like forever relating horror stories of boys like me found after taking a ride with a stranger, murdered and their bodies mutilated. I kept a serious and interested face throughout, nodding in affirmation where I thought appropriate, intermittently responding, “Gosh” and “Really.” I said, “My aunt Ruth will be wondering where I am.” I promised that after his talk with me I would never hitchhike again and I was going to call my mother to come pick me up. (Also not true. My mother was at work and she didn’t drive.) Then he reached in front of me. “Is he going to lay his hand on my thigh?” “Oh, Oh, here it comes, the smile and fondle.” His hand continued past my legs as he reached to open my door while saying, “Bernie, you look like a good boy and I think our talk has helped you. Make that call to your mother and remember what I told you.” Then he drove off. I walked around the block watching for the man and the car then continued hitchhiking to the SC Football game at the LA Coliseum. The lesson I learned was, “Never hitchhike in front of a City Hall.” Bernie Suttle

Saw you in the Ojo 65

HUGH HEFNER - A Personal Tribute %\ 5RVHPDU\ *UD\VRQ $.$ 5RVHPDULH +LOOFUHVW 0LVV October 1964 Playboy 0DJD]LQH

Si non oscillas, noli tintinare—Latin for “If you don’t swing, don’t ring.” Famously it’s engraved below the door knocker on Hugh Hefner’s original mansion. In the summer of 1963, I had just arrived on a Greyhound bus in Chicago. I made a beeline for the nearest payphone. Magically, I nailed an innocent lady on Playboy Magazine’s switchboard. She refused me Hugh Hefner’s phone number, yet curiously gave me the address of his mansion on North State Parkway. Later, it emerged that she thought my call was from London. I was a British cub reporter. I had visions of breaking the big interview story in the UK. Hugh Hefner was the millionaire owner and publisher of Playboy Magazine in glitzy Chicago. My story was aimed at my student newspaper at Exeter University, in rural Devon. I had no idea what plans if any, he had for his story. Many Americans fuzzily envisage the British living in castles, whilst the British think most Americans are millionaires. I was in hot pursuit of a millionaire; any millionaire, for my story. So here he was, on a plate. I simply rang the bell and announced Playboy Magazine had sent me. A young black lad in white wig and buckled shoes let me in. I thought, let the pantomime begin. Charming, smiling, pipe-smoking, in his silk pajamas, Hef gave me a superb interview. What a bull’s eye. On my feet ready to run like a rabbit; Hef gently sat me down suggesting that I might like to be their next centerfold. I equally gently said ‘no’. He scribbled his direct line in my notebook ,“In case I should change my mind.” I did, but for a bet. Three days before flying home I rang Hef within earshot of a skeptical fel-

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low student who bet me five dollars I would never get through. Bikini style test shots followed at the mansion. This time I noticed, with a slight shudder, that infamous door knocker motto. Duty called back at University. My interview was burning a hole in my pocket to be written up for our South Westerner newspaper. But I mentally filed Hef’s centerfold request under ‘deeply embarrassing’ and ‘pie in the sky.’ Yet as a penniless 19-year-old, the dollars in five figures, a free Christmas trip for a month at a mansion crammed with celebrities, predictably had me hooked. I was invited to join Hef in the famous big round bed. I can happily and possibly disappointingly, reveal every detail. We both pored over the prototypes of Playboy. These were appalling scrap books on brown sugar paper. Every badly shot black and white photo featured Hef with some dire-looking girl. Yet he was fearless in his faith and vision. It would all metamorphose into the glossy, tasteful, informative American’s dream of a sexual Shangri-La; which came to pass . . . The Playboy ‘family’ is perhaps one of the world’s most glamorous and friendly of alumnus; so an enormous plus there. Free of wannabes, all the girls I met had ‘made it,’ so no catty jockeying for position in a pecking order. At last, this side of the pond, at Lakeside I have been able to ‘come out.’ My salute to Hugh Hefner at his death on September 27th at 91 years old is with one of my nude Playboy photographs on Face Book. I said “Farewell, dear Hef. You gave us all a good time. You gave me a great story.” Rosemary Grayson

Saw you in the Ojo 67

WHEN N RAVEN PLACED TH HE STARS S IN N THE E SKY— stor ries of th he Spiirit World d %\ 'U /RULQ 6ZLQHKDUW

aven occupies a fascinating niche in the stories of many peoples. The Tlingit people of Alaska, for instance, say that Raven placed the stars in the sky. In their stories, all the stars once belonged to a great heavenly chief who kept them tied up in a sack for his own amusement. One day, Raven turned himself into a pine needle and was accidentally swallowed by the chief’s daughter when she came to a spring to drink. Raven was later reborn as the chief’s grandson and was given the stars to play with. At the first opportunity, Raven latched onto the bag of stars and took flight. As he soared across the heavens, he scattered the stars in his wake. And thus we have them in all their sparkling extravagance, lighting the night sky, glittering beacons for wilderness travelers.

Norse mythology places the two ravens Huginn and Muninnon the shoulders of the god Odin, who sends them out to patrol the world, bringing back news and gossip. In the book of Genesis, Noah sends Raven out to reconnoiter as the floodwaters recede. True to his nature as

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a trickster, Raven never returns. Perhaps that is why ravens seem so often to be chuckling to themselves, because their ancestor put one over on Noah. Many Native American peoples say that when Raven speaks, he speaks of mystery, that he delivers a message from the spirit world. The most terrifying manifestation of Raven among any peoples is the Cherokee Raven Mocker, who steals the lives of dying men and devours their hearts in order to add to his own lifespan. Raven occupies an important place in Cherokee mythology. When Sam Houston ran away from home as a teenager, he was adopted by the Cherokee leader Oolooteka and given the name Colonneh, the Raven. The Celts identified Raven with death, particularly death in battle. Raven also possessed the gift of prophecy. There is even a legend that King Arthur was transformed into a raven after his death. Some years ago, while on an extended wilderness backpacking trek, I found myself perched atop a boulder far up on a cliff overlooking the Upper Missouri River in Montana. I had parted from my companions and scaled those heights on that July day in order to better experience a line of thunderstorms roaring in from the west and in hopes of meeting a mountain lion. I was not fated to meet the one whom the Navaho call Nashdoitsoh, Mountain Lion, Guardian of the Mountains, but I did meet Raven. His message to me sounded only like a solemn “Grok”. To this day, I am clueless as to what kernel of wisdom was concealed in his strange language. Raven is a much more solitary bird than his nearest relative the crow, whose raucous laughter echoes throughout the cornfields and woodlots of rural areas. Crows tend to congregate in heavily populated rookeries. According to Barry Lopez in his

book Desert Notes, many fall victim to an infection that causes them to go blind, tumble off their roosts, and die. Raven sticks to himself. He has been driven out of many populated areas but loves wilderness. He can be found throughout the Mountain West, the Pacific Northwest, the southwestern deserts and throughout the taiga and tundra of the Far North. He earns his living as a scavenger or just as often by raiding the nests of other birds, like seagulls. Shellfish, eggs, insects, berries, even small animals are on his menu. Raven is famous for his penchant for mischief. Many Native American stories portray him as a trickster, much like Coyote or the Cherokee character the Great Rabbit. While working as a National Park Service ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park, I came upon more than one campsite that had been decimated by Raven. Campers’ belongings were scattered all over the ground, food items looted, every inch of the campsite vandalized. Raven seems to take joy in such activities. Generally, I would find him prancing about delightedly amid the wreckage with all the grace of a ballerina, yet somehow reminding me of the Looney Toons magpies “Heckle and Jeckle.” My old friend James P. McMullen, author of The Cry of the Panther, who hangs out in the Everglades, once explained to me that the phrase “Nom yofara on” connects one with the animal that he is spiritually nearest to on the food chain. On one shimmering Colorado morning, I decided to try it with a half dozen ravens who were perched in the branches of a cottonwood tree over my campsite. The lot of them immediately flew into a panic, scrambling from their branch and fervently cursing as they soared away into the tree line. I concluded that I am not nearest to Raven on the food chain. Over the years since, I have met with greater success when calling in hawks. Recently while on my daily walk near our daughter’s home in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I overheard a familiar, mournful “Grok” from high among the branches of a long dead hardwood tree. Sure enough, my old friend Raven was delivering yet another of his mysterious messages. I wish I knew what it is that he is so eager to share with me. Dr. Lorin Swinehart

Saw you in the Ojo 69

FRONT ROW CENTER %\ 0LFKDHO :DUUHQ Ripcord %\ 'DYLG /LQGVD\ $EDLUH 'LUHFWHG E\ &ROOHWWH &ODYDGHWVFKHU

ipcord was commissioned by the Manhattan Theater Club, as an off-Broadway production designed to entertain an older subscription audience, and David Lindsay-Abaire delivered an “Odd Couple” comedy set in a retirement home. We can hear the comedic gears clanking as two old ladies play thoroughly nasty tricks on each other, and it takes skillful acting and direction to make this play work. Fortunately Collette Clavadetscher, in her directorial debut at LLT, was able to do just that. The pace was excellent, and the two main characters were perfectly cast – Georgette Richmond as “Abby” and Barbara Pruitt as “Marilyn.” Georgette is a mainstay of the Lakeside Little Theatre and has served on the Board as Past President longer than anyone alive can remember. As Abby, she is on stage for the entire play, and delivers her lines with great timing. Bitter and acerbic, who would want to share a room with her? Apparently, Marilyn enjoys the challenge as Abby tries to make her quit. While Barbara Pruitt has appeared many times at Naked Stage, this was her first appearance at LLT, and she was totally believable as the relentlessly cheerful Marilyn. It’s a big part and she gives an emotionally nuanced performance. There’s a danger that the audience will dislike both of these women,

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but this doesn’t happen and we laugh at their wacky behavior. Zane Pumiglia is a reliable actor, and he comes across well as the professional and at times exasperated male nurse “Scotty.” He’s the one who brings around the pills, and tries to overlook the semi-criminal behavior of these crazy ladies. Linda Freeman made her LLT debut as Marilyn’s bossy daughter “Colleen,” and Al Kirkland was her chicken-head husband “Derek.” I really appreciated Damyn Young’s cameo appearance in Act Two as Abby’s prodigal son. Damyn is a good actor, and I well remember his excellent performance as a bewildered young man in Caught in the Net. It’s good to see him again on the LLT stage. Finally, Johan Dirkes was a clown in the haunted house scene, and later appeared as the scary skydiving instructor. This play tries almost too hard to be “funny” and the ending is totally implausible, but Collette and her team succeeded in making it an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. The special effects were remarkable – special congratulations to James Jack for the sky-diving sequence. Set design was effective, thanks to first-timer Sheron Brackenbury. Karen Lee was an efficient Stage Manager, and Sharon Lowry was her Assistant. Margo Eberly was the Producer – welcome back to the team, Margo! Overall, it was a good performance of a forced piece of writing by Lindsay-Abaire. I thank Collette and all the cast and backstage team. Next up is Time Stands Still, a drama by Donald Margulies which opens on November 3rd. Michael Warren

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COLUMNIST

PROFILING TEPEHUA %\ 0RRQ\HHQ .LQJ 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH %RDUG IRU 7HSHKXD

PRRQLH #\DKRR FRP Raising The Roof At Tepehua!

he Health Department of Jalisco visited the humble Community clinic on the Tepehua Hill, a surprise visit...catching us all unaware, close to two hundred women and children were being fed free brunch, the kids played in the yard, our Pediatrician and family Doctor busy with patients and a line up at the pharmacy...and dental patients on their back in the chairs. Everything stopped. Our medical units opened about six years ago, and the year following we were inspected and praised highly, but got a citation for not having enough “no smoking” signs. That was when the dental clinic and medical clinic were little more than a Mash Unit under a tin roof. Of which we, the Board of Tepehua were very proud. The officers, recently, went through the Dental clinic in the old Unit with a fine tooth comb, and the citation that has closed it down was the tin roof. Work on patients was stopped immediately and a CLOSED sticker put on the door. The kind if you break it is jail time. The new Medical Center was also inspected and they tried very hard to find something wrong...and they did: medication that was only in English and not with the Spanish translation sticker stuck over the instructions. You know the kind, you find your imported comfort food in the supermarket, and over the instructions is a sticker in Spanish that you do not understand...it is a “permission to sell” sticker. So you have your comfort food in your hot little hands and cannot read instructions in English. Officialdom, not impressed by the fact we do not sell the medication, (it is given free to the patient, by prescription from the residing physician), has sealed the medications away until we rectify the situation...other than that the clinic has flying colors. We do not fault the local Government, we can see how a tin roof is hot, and dusty...so we are happy to comply. Whatever helps to give better service to the people can only be good. There is always a silver lining. Once renovated, the left hand side

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of the old building, will be a gymnasium to pull the young people off the street, boys specifically. The time that hangs so heavily on their hands because of lack of direction, needs to be channeled to a healthy body. Looking past the body tattoos is a young man waiting to happen. He wants to be part of life but no-one has shown him the way. We can change that. In conjunction with Love in Actions founder, Anabel Frutos, we will join forces and get the young addicts the help they need. Give them an alternative. Have you had bursts of “being good to your body”, exercise because your Doctor insists it is the only way to good health, and to enjoy the Golden years with a good body, so you rush out and buy those machines, row, cycle, pump, skip...weights...and then they are stored away and gathering dust, because if you were honest, you have no intention of inflicting that kind of pain on yourself. The Tepehua Center needs them. Please donate the torture chamber to the Tepehua Center Gymnasium for Boys....they need to pump iron, they need to put the aggression into activity to activate a wasted mind. The Center can give you a factura (receipt) for your donation. We have an ironed body instructor who used to be a gang member, he now has a gym of his own. He can identify with the frustration of meeting walls he couldn’t find the door to walk through. He had a little help from friends and he made it. The Tepehua Hills are well known for the availability of any type of drug, from the soft to the hard, it is a way of life. Too many of our young fall through this crack, an ever growing crack that covers the world. Much like a volcanic fault. The 21st Century seems to have been born with addictive behavior. For some too much of plenty, and for others lack of opportunity through poverty. Like most things, we can overcome-with your help. Moonyeen King President of the Board for Tepehua.

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How the Wealthy Gain From GOP Health Care Billl B\ %HQJ\ 6DUOLQ

epublicans are once again n bogged down in negotiaations over health care, with h moderates and conservatives pulling g the Senate bill in different directionss and polls showing the public overrwhelmingly unhappy with their plans. ss.. But the key to understanding their strugggles might not lie in health policy so o much as tax policy. As frustrated GOP senators are discovering, their bill is much less generous than Obamacare because it spends hundreds of billions of dollars less on people’s health care. And the main reason it spends so much less is that its savings are used to cut taxes for wealthy Americans and for medical companies. How close is the relationship? When it comes to Medicaid, it’s almost 1:1. The Senate bill slashes tax revenues by $701 billion over a decade, while reducing Medicaid spending by $772 billion versus current law. Overall, the Senate bill reduces federal health care spending by $1 trillion. The result: More Americans without insurance. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the bill would cover about 22 million fewer people by 2026 than Obamacare. It might be easier to make this tradeoff if the Americans losing aid for health care were the ones benefiting from the tax cuts. But unless you’re paying a penalty under Obamacare’s individual mandate for deciding to go without insurance, you’re unlikely to notice the difference in your return. Instead, the biggest gains from the bill, by far, go to the top 1 percent of earners and especially the top 0.1 percent. The individual taxes the Senate would eliminate, a 3.8 percent surtax on investment income and a 0.9 percent payroll tax, only apply to single filers making over $200,000 and families making over $250,000. The cost of including these tax cuts, even for small numbers of high earners, is not chump change either. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the bill’s tax benefits for the 400 highest earning households in America alone are equal to the cost of keeping Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion in four states that cover 726,000 people. On the spending side, the bill requires people to pay higher premiums to buy a private plan similar to what’s avail-

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able under Obamacare. It accomplishes this by reducing spending on subsidies and distributing them in a way that encourages people to purchase higher deductible plans with lower premiums. At the same time, it eliminates Obamacare subsidies that help low-income people pay their deductibles. Here, too, the lower end of the economic spectrum fares worse than the higher end. The nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation projected premiums for people making over and under 200 percent of the federal poverty line (about $24,000 a year for an individual) and found the biggest spikes came for older low-income customers. The CBO also found this group would have the hardest time finding affordable insurance under the Senate bill. Some Republicans are interested in easing the bill’s Medicaid cuts and making subsidies for private insurance more generous at low incomes, but the math doesn’t add up as long as the bill gives them $700 billion less in revenue to work with than Obamacare. And some Republican senators have expressed unease in recent days with the bill’s tax cut for investment income from high earners and indicated GOP leaders might drop the idea. “The point is, you cannot increase the burden on lower-income citizens and lessen the burden on wealthy citizens,” Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., told NBC News “That’s not an equation that works.” Keeping Obamacare’s tax on investment income adds $172 billion over 10 years, which is significant. But there’s little talk of keeping the taxes on medical companies, which critics say are passed on in higher prices for consumers. Nor is there any indication yet that Republicans are willing to raise taxes elsewhere to make up the income. That could leave them with the same fundamental problem: Less spending that provides fewer benefits than Obamacare can deliver.

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Thanksgiving In Little Rock %\ *DEULHOOH %ODLU

“Quick! Here’s a turnoff. Take it!” We made a ff sharp turn off n this desthe highway. On e passed a olate road, we wrecked, clap-board house. “Looks haunted,” I said with a sinking feeling. “Don’t make me go there! We’re liable to be killed,” was Alec’s response, remembering horror movies. We’d seen too many run-down parts of the States already, testament to a failing American dream. With no alternative, we crept along to conserve gas, watching the needle inching at an alarming rate towards zero. One kilometer left, then ‘EMPTY’! In neutral, we coasted down the narrow levee road not knowing if we might soon run out of tarmac. This was barren Arkansas. On each side was swamp with no possibility of turning with a trailer. There was no shoulder. We were driving from Toronto to Ajijic hauling household possessions and our precious baby-grand piano, a 1935 heirloom, recently inherited. Our SUV was guzzling gas and needed frequent stops to fill up. We’d survived the delayed receipt of U.S. Wild Life permits to bring an instrument with ivory keys across the border, held up because the government was shut down; endured the early freezing Canadian Winter, with the piano coddled in blankets; and now this! Our previous ordeals had been briefly lightened by a funny moment at the Canadian customs, when an official asked if we were transporting a parrot (she’d heard ‘parrot’ not piano) and I’d replied, “We’re taking our elephant through”, at which point another agent had sat bolt upright in her chair and said loudly, “D’you have the elephant with you!? Does it have food and water?” She was serious. We crawled around a bend in this unpopulated, Clintonian wasteland, and then - relief - a sin-

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gle house with people outside! We pulled up and p a tall, ta elegantly woman, perhaps dressed wo om mid-forties, came in her mid mid-f to greet us. “We’re out of gas and there’s been nowhere to fill up for miles,” we explained. “I know,” she smiled. “The nearest gas station is about twelve miles from here.” “Any chance you might have a gallon of gas we can buy from you?” we asked hopefully. “I don’t think so, but hold on; I’ll ask my brother.” She had a wonderful Arkansas drawl. While we waited anxiously, we looked around. It was a neat bungalow with well-kept yard and a number of adults and children milling around, all smartly dressed. In a moment she returned and I noted her graceful carriage. Could have been a dancer, I thought. “He’s gone to look out back. There may be some gas for the lawnmower he can spare. It’s lucky you caught us. We were just heading out.” We marveled at her beautiful voice. Her brother appeared with a can of gas. “We’re going to visit my father-in-law in the old-age home, to spend some time with him for Thanksgiving,” he said. Absorbed in the trials of transporting the piano, we’d completely missed that it was the U.S. Thanksgiving, the Canadian one long gone. We offered him ten dollars, which he was reluctant to take. “Use it to buy your fatherin-law a present,” I suggested and he thanked us graciously. “We’re about to leave. We can guide you in the right direction to the gas station, if you’d like.” Turning carefully in the driveway, we followed their packed car towards Little Rock, giving thanks at our good fortune at having come upon this friendly Black family who’d helped us out of a desperate situation. Thanksgiving in Little Rock!

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%\ &DUORV $ORQVR 0' /LFHQVHG $XGLRORJLVW 8QLYHUVLGDG 1DFLRQDO $XWyQRPD GH 0p[LFR

n 1989, the report of the task force for National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (USA), determined the identification of biologic risk factors leading to the disability of age related hearing loss as a major research goal. At present, we know that several factors have contributed to the global burden of disabling hearing impairment. The first one

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

is that mean life expectancy has increased in many countries, another is improvement in the technology available for diagnosis and rehabilitation and third reason is ototoxic medication and hearing loss due to labor, recreational and environmental noise. While mortality directly related to hearing loss is minimal, quality of life may be substantially reduced. Hearing loss has been associated with a twofold increase in

depression and social isolation, it also is one component of memory loss and decreased cognitive function in the elderly. Although they do not substitute professional care and pure tone evaluation, self-hearing screening questions are a great help to identify hearing loss. For example: 1. Have your family complained about the volume of your television being too loud? 2. Do you find that people do not speak clearly enough? 3. You do hear but you donÂ´t always understand what others are saying? 4. Do you have trouble hearing on the telephone? 5. Do you avoid social activities because of hearing difficulties when many people speak together? The good news is that hearing loss often can be rehabilitated. With a visit to your Hearing Care Professional, you can get an evaluation and find out whether modern hearing instruments can help you regain clearer, more natural hearing, and stay engaged with the world around you.

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THE OJO INTERNET MAILBOX :KHUHLQ ZH SXEOLVK VRPH FRPPHQWV DERXW RXU SUHYLRXV LVVXHV

Focus on Art - September 2017 BrettFoster Estela’s sculpture really must be seen in person alaphs well to though it photographs onally you experience it personally can “feel” the workk truly aweinspiring. ptember 2017 Editor’s Page - September w Herbert Piekow nd to the point. point Well laid out and Most people did not feel that justice was served, but that God will be the final judge. It Ain’t For Sissies! John Howell Good one Tom, keep ‘em coming :D Welcome to Mexico! - August 2017 Gabrielle Blair It is strange, but true, that many of us fortunate enough to be living our retirement in Mexico, and who are blessed with enough money to be able to afford the help of the local people, indulge ourselves in feelings of superiority. We should listen to ourselves as we speak about the Mexicans, hold up the mirror and take a good look at the person who is so ready to cast aspersions on the Mexicans, our hosts, who have graciously accepted us into their community. If we were able to really imagine being

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on tthe receiving end of our ou ungrateful, selfservi serving manners, observe what we do and hear what we say, we migh might shame ourselves into a bit of humility. It wou would seem that economic wealth, for some, encourages ingratitude and a desire to denigrate those with less. The master/ slave relationship comes to mind. Dear Mr. Hemingway rob mohr Michael - enjoyed your wit - as always - thanks - rob Cinderfella Gabrielle Blair Oh my! What a story! What a wonderful love story! Congratulations Jack on your 35th year together. May you have many many more. History Says A Man Discovered The Clitoris Rico Wallace Margaret, You’re welcomed. We gave women the clitoris and since then all we got back was the sign they give, holding up the thumb and index finger about 2 inches apart. It only took us 400 years after that for men to give you women’s lib. Hint (4 mop top lads.)

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The Spanish Oliv ve Caper %\ 3LD .UDXV $LWNHQ

n 1984, I decided to take the whole family to Spain to celebrate the winter holidays. The whole family included my 6’ husband, two boys both 6’4” tall, one daughter, 5’10” and me at 5’8”. Height became relevant the moment we landed in Madrid. Knowing how chaotic things can be when our family isn’t totally organized, I had made every arrangement down to the minutest detail, beginning with a van reservation for our arrival at the Madrid Airport at 8 a.m. Spain didn’t understand about meticulous planning. The Hertz desk? Hello! Nobody. . really nobody . . . was awake. I shook the shoes propped

upon the counter. Startled, the rep woke up. “Van, what van?” the sleepy-eyed agent asked. “Reservation for who?” No reservation. No van. But he could provide two small cars. Small? “How small,” I asked the agent, all of 5’4”, as he scanned the crowd of giants staring down at him. “Will two small cars fit all of us and our luggage?” He hesitated, probably considering what would happen if he returned a truthful No to this crowd of seriously large males. So he lied. “Yes, of course,” he answered, trying to appear nonchalant. I caught the nuance and rolled my eyes at my

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

husband. I had warned everybody that Europe would be about 40% bad and 60% good. “Good to get the bad stuff out of the way,” I assured them. We decided, after extensive pleading by the two boys, to let them take one car and my husband would drive the other with our daughter and me on board. No, the luggage didn’t fit in the shoebox trunks, so lots had to be piled on the back seat of the boys’ car. They stuffed their long bodies into the Spanish roller skates and we set off. Madrid in 1984 was 30 years different . . . quieter, more orderly and less difficult to drive in than it is now, but also less well marked. It was still a city where you could get seriously lost. And separated. We did. Our car found the hotel in about an hour. Our boy’s car didn’t arrive until two frantic hours later. No cell phones. Just have a drink and wait. I’m a very cheap drunk. I was too far gone to be mad when they arrived. Our first excursion was northwest to Segovia of the ancient aqueduct and Avila with its turreted walls. Next, down to magnificent old Toledo, the ancient hilltop city sitting in a moat formed by the Tagus River. On the road south toward Cordoba where olive orchards cover the brown hills of La Mancha below the famous old windmills of Don Quixote fame, my husband started frantically honking the horn, our prearranged signal for the boys in the front car to stop and wait. Without a word to his puzzled passengers, he pulled off to the side of the road, jumped out of the car and dashed toward an olive tree that was crowned with a dozen men throwing olives down into a net below. As he ran toward the tree, the pickers waved their arms and yelled, “No, no, no . . .” “Uh-oh,” my daughter said as he headed back with two big handfuls, stuffing them into his mouth as

he ran. He threw open the car door and jumped in, jammed the manual transmission into first, and stepped on the gas. No sooner was in gear than he began to gag and sputter, throwing open the car door at the same moment he put on the brake. He leaned out, choking, spitting, and gagging all at once. The boys had heard him honk and seen us stop. They came running. “Dad, what happened?” At that moment, the two of the pickers who had descended the tree ran over. One carried a water bottle he thrust into my husband’s mouth. “Peligroso, Senor,” one said. “Peligroso. Mucho acido!” The other one was laughing. So were all the rest of us. The perfect punishment for thievery! Olives are like sulphuric acid until they’ve been soaked in vinegar and spices for months. Who knew? The pretty shade of reddish-mauve spreading across my husband’s sheepish face matched the purple juice of the unripe olives running down his chin and shirt. The boys headed down the road in front of us, a plan we had originally suggested so we could “watch” them. More like so we could watch them disappear into the distance at whatever speed they chose. But at this point, two cars instead of a van were a godsend. Our daughter got into the car with the boys where they all laughed uproariously for the next hour. That would not have been a good idea in our car where the sting of the olive caper lasted at least that long judging from the muttering coming from the other side. That night, our waiter brought us a beautiful plate of tapas – ripe olives and bread. He couldn’t figure out why we all burst out laughing. Pia Kraus Aitken

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Sayulita’s Desert Brother %\ 'XQFDQ $OGULF GXQFDQDOGULF#\DKRR FRP

here is a place in the high desert well known to many of the inhabitants of Sayulita, that is to say, well known to the Huichole, whom inhabited Sayulita in days of old and new, and to a great few of us interlopers as well. To the Huichole (you see them in their colorful dress selling their wares in Sayulita´s plaza everyday) it is a sacred place, a mountain astride the city of Real de Catorce 3000 meters above sea level overlooking the towns of Estacion de Catorce and Wadley and the great desert beyond in the state of San Louis Potosi. The mountain is called Quemado and resembles

an elephant with its high forehead, long trunk, intelligent, friendly ears and graceful lines seeming to stride along the sky in eloquent grandeur. I have been honored to visit all three towns and spend days and nights, sometimes alone and sometimes in the company of others, in the desert as well. In the desert, magical as it is, it did not seem strange that I spent time there with representatives from Mexico, Japan, Germany, Italy and, err... me, from the United States. Indeed, my first night in the desert was on a new moon (a powerful symbol of regeneration and especially powerful for me as I am a man

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

and was born on the new moon). I spent time learning origame from two, lovely Japanese ladies and being stunned by the beauty of the numerous stars that seemed, in their brilliance, connected to one another by portals of light. The axis of the Milky Way was so clear that there was to be seen millions of tiny pinpricks rather than a vague, milky swath through the sky as it normally looks to the naked eye. I learned that in Japan they call this swath Ama no Gawa, or translated, the River in the Heavens. The desert is one of the sweetest smelling places I have ever had the delight to smell. Smells of sweetness, either in the air naturally or, especially, by the fireside burning cactus wood, permeate every aspect of the desert. Sitting under a Mesquite Tree in the midday heat is a delight in and of itself with the gentle green leaves looking like soft fern petals, the delicate and elaborate yellow flowers playing with the yellow rays of the sun against the exquisite blue sky and the bold, stark, mangled brown trunk and branches interspersed with an olive green, Medusa-like moss that makes itself at home on the tree. I simply cannot remember a place that smells so sweet (unless I was to go back to Iowa and my early childhood and remember the smell of my Aunt Laura´s kitchen as she cooked cinnamon rolls for us children). Nor will I long forget the comfort those trees offer in the way of shade while taking rest from walking miles alone in the endless landscape. I said alone, but that is not so. There are numerous birds, some with elaborate colors and songs, reptilian life and insects that all combine to make aloneness togetherness. Eagles and buzzards (the latter giving me a hopeful eye) circled above, as well. The desert itself has an energy

about it that can be felt physically and that makes you believe that it is alive and aware, or at least should be and perhaps one day shall be (didn’t even Jesus say the rocks may rise up and sing as he entered into Jerusalem?). The feeling is not unlike what you feel when watching the waves crash on the rocks of Cerracitos and La Playa los Muertos near Sayulita. It is amazing to me how lost you can feel while knowing exactly where you are at. Having lived in the mountains of Virginia for many years (as well as doing much exploring, horseback riding and hiking there) I am used to using the horizon for reference. But the desert and mountains in Catorce are much larger and distances in between much greater, and that is not factoring in the sheer levelness of the desert. My mind was taxed to factor these added spatial-dimensional features. I could only laugh out loud when I could not find, for a few minutes at least, a road that was less than a couple hundred feet away from me despite my surety that my relative position to several, tall Yucca cactuses (known to the locals as Palmachina) seemed assured. This desert is not for the timid at heart nor for the directionally challenged! By the way, the names Real and Estacion de Catorce refer to 14 banditos that were infamous during the time the mines at Real were in operation. When the Spaniards were drawing gold, silver and other precious metals from the mountain, 14 men regularly looted the caravans to and from the mines. I learned this while riding in a Willys Jeep through the mountains from Real to Estacion (the ride alone is worth the visit to the place) from a friendly local. To learn the rest of this story, you will have to visit the place yourself. If you ask around Sayulita, I am sure you will soon find people who not only know of this sacred land, but who actually spend part of the year there. This is because there truly is a connection between the two places. It is a connection that has gone back hundreds of years, perhaps even before the Huichole. It is a connection I hope to be a part of for years to come. What about you? But remember, “In the desert, you can’t remember your name, for there ain’t no one for to give you no fame.” (Lyrics from the 70s rock band “”America,” song entitled “Horse with no Name.”) Be careful, you could lose yourself (and perhaps find yourself ) here.

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%\ 0LOGUHG %R\G

The Men In White

aintings and statues from pre-Columbian times show that the female of the species had to take a back seat when it came to personal adornment. Kings and nobles bedecked themselves in gold, silver and jade in the form of pectorals, armlets, lip plugs and ear spools and wore feather mosaic cloaks and magnificently plumed headdresses. The Aztec Emperor, Montezuma even wore golden sandals and was so heavily laden with ornaments that he could only totter a few steps without the support of two of his attendants. Even warriors went into battle loaded with jewels, wielding lavishly decorated weapons and wearing elaborate costumes, usually representing some fierce animal totem such as the eagle or the jaguar. How times have changed! Today, even in those out of the way places where regional dress has not been replaced with the tasteless modern uniform of blue jeans, tee-shirts and Adidas, the women wear stunning outfits but their men are usually limited to simple white cotton trousers and loose tops. Perhaps that is why most men leap at the chance to wear colorful costumes. On special occasions, feast days and official ceremonies village elders and ritual dancers shine forth in a sartorial splendor that rivals, and sometimes surpasses, that of their ancestors. Traditional Not even on his wedding day gives this handsome young Mixtec from the coastal area of Oaxaca a chance to dress up. While his bride is resplendent in traditional finery, both are barefoot and he is wearing the same homespun cotton which, if the stain on one trouser leg is any evidence, he wears to work in the fields. His simple trouser and blouse, crudely constructed of rectangular pieces of cloth straight from the loom and with a minimum of cutting and stitching, is typical of those worn by the poorer classes in rural areas. Nahua Though little different in actual construction from the tra-

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

ditional whites worn by our bridegroom; the outfit of this gentleman striding confidently, hands in pockets and seemingly deep in thought, along the streets of Cuetzalan, Pueblo has several distinctive features. It is differentiated by a slightly longer top with full sleeves gathered at the wrist and trousers that are rolled up and tied just below the knee. The cooler climate of the central highlands often dictates the addition of a sleeveless black overgarment that resembles a long vest. A broad brimmed straw hat and thong sandals complete the ensemble. Huichol Not all the everyday outfits are so unadorned. In some areas the basic whites are perked up with colorful accessories; brightly colored scarves or sashes and embroidered shoulder bags. Few, however, go to such lengths as the Huichol of Northern Jalisco in sprucing up their outfits. Even their every day dress is lavishly embroidered with religious motifs in brilliant primary colors and each man carries an equally elaborate hand woven bolsa. Ceremonial dress is much the same, only more so, and religious leaders wear fancy hats and beaded jewelry as well as the fetish bags containing the sacred peyote used in their rituals. Tacuate Another small group of men who still wear their traditional dress, the Tacuate Indians of the Mixtec area are even more distinctive in their short pants and long sleeved tops. The trousers have multiple bands of embroidery and are so full that they resemble skirts. The long, intricately draped and pouffed overblouses that make them look like they are wearing rompers are also lavishly embroidered on yoke and sleeves in a rainbow of brilliant colors. Both wear simple foot gear and the gentleman on the left, obviously a dignitary of some consequence, proudly exhibits his ribbon decked staff of office. Maya These young men from Huistan in Chiapas have also relieved the boring austerity of pure white with embroidered shirts, but the distinctive feature of their costume is the sash, if so dramatic an appurtenance can be called so mundane a name. What appears to be a five or six yard length of brilliant red material is twisted, looped several times about the hips like an enormous doughnut and tied so that the ends flare gracefully almost to the ground on either side. Another length of dark gray can be slung over the shoulder like a serape and serve as a wrap in inclement weather. Alas for tradition! One of our subjects is wearing running shoes! Village Elders Many small pueblos still elect elders that have nothing to do with PRI or PAN or any other political party. Such men conduct village business, pass judgement in purely local disputes and preside over markets and festivals dressed in the colorful costumes of their office. These solemn gentlemen from Chenalha are magnificent in red, black and white outfits consisting of long, fringed, tricolor cloaks, white shirts and tight pants with multi colored ribbons and bells at the knee. Triple tiered, turban-like head gear, elaborately woven sashes, colorful neck wear

and intricately laced, red thonged sandals serve as stylish accessories. Long staffs of office with ribbon tassels would mark them as men of consequence anywhere in the world. Tzotzil Maya This solemn gentleman wears the standard costume of his region while presiding over a private religious rite. His outfit consists of short pants, an undershirt with simple embroidery at the neck and a long overblouse, all in the ubiquitous white. As an elder of his tribe, however, he is not always limited to such colorless attire. Feast days and official occasions give him the opportunity to step forth in the regal splendor that is described in the next section. Lords of the Clouds The elected officials of the Tzotzil Maya in ChĂapas, Los SeĂąores de las Nubes, preside over the religious and civil life of a proud people. Their official uniform is fairly plain; a square necked, black, poncho like garment worn over a white, long-sleeved shirt and short trousers. It is the addition of long, brilliant red and white scarves wound several times around their necks and the high crowned hats bedizened with dozens of fluttering ribbons and tasselled chin cords in rainbow hues that make their outfits spectacular. The silver bracelets sported by several of these important personages may be optional but rather battered huaraches as footgear are obviously mandatory. Gold headed staffs, also gaudily beribboned, complete an ensemble that might excite even a peacockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s envy.

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The Burro, The Llama & The Pony %\ .D\ 'DYLV

t was a hot afternoon at the circus, upper 90s, no rain relief in sight. Barney, the burro, was nibbling dry grass. Close by stood Patty, the Shetland pony, and at the far end, Larry the llama chewed his cud. Then a wagon arrived with slatted sides and two divided ends. Lewis, the old lion, lay quietly at one end of the wagon. Lewis nearly always rested. He was so old he didn’t even have teeth! Wild lion, indeed! At the other end of the wagon was a tiger named Tom who wanted to run free. As Charlie the camel watched the big cats, he scrunched up his face into the funniest expression you ever saw. Camels are like clowns with buckteeth,

a hump on their backs, big flat feet and knobby knees. They moan and complain more than any other animals. Just then the man who looks after the animals put a dish of water into the lion’s end of the wagon and closed the door. “I suppose I have to get up to get a drink,” complained Lewis. Lewis hated getting up to do anything. The man brought some water for Tom too, and he was about to close the door when Barney started braying. The noise distracted the attendant, and he left the door to Tom’s cage open part way. Tom took a long drink of water

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

and waited patiently. No one noticed that the door was open. Soon the attendant had watered all the circus animals and left. Tom quietly approached the cage door, put one paw under the bar that was partway open, and he was out. He skulked through the tall grass along the edge of the field. “So far, so good,” he thought. A short while later Tom entered the main street of town. There were people displaying goods like sliced watermelons, red and juicy and sweet. There were ladies at the beauty shop, getting things done to their hair. The place smelled awful. There was the grocery store. Tom walked in, smelling meat. People shopping stopped, scared, while their grocery carts blocked the aisle. Tom jumped up onto the meat counter and roared. Then he grabbed a large steak in his teeth and ran off. By this time there were ladies screaming, stacks of cans and boxes falling all around the store. People tried to see what was happening, but they were too late. Tom was gone. A policeman outside the grocery store blew his whistle. All the cars stopped. One car stopped too fast. The car behind ran into his back end, and there was a loud crash. Tom ran across the road and was soon out of sight, heading up the mountainside. The people in town, however, did not feel safe. There was a tiger on the loose! Some policemen got the jumbled cars out of the way so traffic could move again while others looked after the frightened people. The police Captain went to the circus and told the owner that his tiger had gotten out. The owner of the circus gathered his men to hunt for Tom. The circus animals turned to Lewis, the old lion. As a big cat he would know what to do. “Well,” said Lewis. “I think Tom might find a safe place to rest. He’ll come out again when it’s dark. Uhhh, you don’t need me to go along, do you?” “No, Lewis,” said Barney. “We’ll look for Tom. Where do you think he will be?” “If it’s up the mountain,” said Larry, “we llamas and burros can climb.” “So can Shetland ponies,” said Patty. “On the northern islands, cold winds blow all year round, and still we climb the mountains in search of food. I can go, too.” “OK, then. It’s a team of three.” said Barney. And so, the burro, the llama and the pony all chewed through their ropes and walked quietly out the back way and up the mountain. Larry was in the lead. Llamas live in the high mountains of South America

where they are very cautious about where they put their feet. Patty came next. At the rear was Barney. And so they climbed higher and higher, looking for caves where Tom might sleep until nighttime. Suddenly a wild cat howled, jumping down from a tree! “I want that little horse with you,” said Phil the Panther. “She would feed me very well. What kind of animal are you?” he asked Larry. “I am a llama,” answered Larry indignantly, “and no, you will not eat Patty. We can fight if you want to, but if you’re as smart as I think you are, you will find a rabbit or two. There are three of us and only one of you.” “Never heard of a llama,” growled the panther. “But a burro and a llama do make it a harder fight. I prefer you just give her up.” “Absolutely not,” said Barney. “Oh, for goodness sake,” growled the panther. “I’ll settle for rabbit stew.” And off he went. The three friends could hear Phil muttering for the next few minutes as he complained to himself. But the panther had left them alone. In all the excitement, Larry, Barney and Patty had passed very close to a small cave. So they looked inside, and there was Tom! He looked back at them and asked, “What are you doing up here?” “The circus men are coming, and we were worried about you,” said Patty. “Why don’t you tell us the whole story on the way down the hill?” suggested Barney. And so Tom did – from the time he discovered the cage door open to grabbing the steak at the store and then his wild run up the mountain and finding a cave to rest in. By the time his story was finished, they were back at the circus. Charley, the camel, opened one eye, grumbled a bit the way camels do and went back to sleep. Lewis looked up and watched while Tom went to his cage and closed the bar across the door. The burro, the llama and the pony stretched out on the grass where they had been earlier. Lewis sighed with relief. He had worried about them all, but now everything would be OK. The circus men returned and saw the animals resting peacefully, the tiger back in his cage. They were very tired but happy that all was good at the circus. The police were glad the tiger was back in his cage, and the people in town had a very exciting story to tell everybody they knew. Kay Davis

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The Ojo Crossword

ACROSS 1 Masculine 6 Karma 10 Want 14 Unsociable 15 Notion 16 Intend 17 Title of IslamÂ´s head 18 Tyrant 19 Taboo 20 Tails 21 Trunks 23 Pro 24 Thousand (abbr.) 26 Baseball player 28 GretelÂ´s friend 31 Ditto 32 Before, poetically 33 III health 36 Set 40 Costa__ 42 Put together 43 Espy 44 Very large trees 45 Supervisors 48 Pro Football Conference (abbr.) 49 Possessive pronoun 51 Muslim theologen 53 Sock 56 Mummer 57 Animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coat 6RPHWKLQJ WKDW KDV DQ Há&#x201A;&#x2021;HFW 61 Festive 65 Except

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

67 Trolley car 68 Fear 69 Capital of Italy 70 Steering mechanism 71 Eight 72 Writer Bombeck 73 Young Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christian Association 74 Making a knot DOWN 1 Spice 2 Actor Alda 3 Icy 4 Lifts 5 Spoiled 6 Sheer, triangular scarf 7 Tool 8 What Celestial Seasonings makes 9 Terrestrial 10 Licensed practical nurse 11 Held high 12 Long, skinny boat 13 Seasoner makers 21 Soda 22 Bro.Â´s sibling 25 Skirt edge 27 Not bottoms 28 Champion 29 Opera solo 30 Where a necklace goes 31 Totals 34 Country in SE Asia 35 Advertisements 37 Opaque gem 38 Lounge 39 __ -a sketch (childÂ´s toy) 41 Ashen 45 Audible emission of breath 46 Muslim ruler 47 Total 50 Pixy 52 Inheritance 53 Before 54 Hearsay 55 Fairy Tale writing brothers 56 Female parent 59 Sailors 60 Baby powder 1HJDWLYH SUHÂż[

63 Legal Claim 64 Acting (abbr.) 66 Beverage 68 Cooking vessel

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Over 60 years of “People Helping People”

The

Lൺ඄ൾ Cඁൺඉൺඅൺ Sඈർංൾඍඒ

News

www.lakechapalasociety.com

Annual Giving Campaign Update

LCS Health Day

The LCS is well into the 2017 Annual Giving Campaign which will wrap up December 31. LCS requires funding over and above that provided by dues, fees and special events, so the Annual Giving Campaign is vital to continuing our important role in the promoting the well-being of our members and the entire Lakeside community. The LCS Board of Directors has stepped up to the challenge by introducing a donation matching program. For every three pesos donated, the board will contribute one peso. Your $1,000 peso donation will grow to $1,333 pesos. Donate through the LCS website using PayPal and follow the donation links, or make your donation in person at the LCS Service Office. Major credit cards are accepted. U.S. donors may receive a tax deductible receipt by making a check (USD/Canadian or Mexican pesos) payable to: “Foundation for Lake Chapala Charities”, specifying the intent of your donation, (e.g. annual giving). Include your email address to receive your tax deduction letter. Place the check and your information in an envelope marked to the attention of Emile Badawy in the Service Office. (At this LCS is limited to offering tax deductions to US citizens, but we are working diligently on finding a method to offer this to Canadian citizens as well.) Lake Chapala Society offers more than 90 programs, services, and activities: from helping newcomers successfully integrate into our community, to providing continuing education and stimulation for our longer-term residents, and health services open to the entire Lakeside community. If you are not currently a member, consider becoming a good friend to the entire Lakeside community by supporting the Lake Chapala Society. Respectfully, George Radford Vice President and Chair of the Fund Development Committee

Friday November 17, 9:30 a.m. on the Patio Health services are open to the public. No membership is required. Shots Pay when administered. Prices subject to change. *Note: flu and pneumonia may be taken together. Shingles and hepatitis series cannot be taken with any other immunization shot. Influenza 500 pesos Pneumonia for Life (Prevnar 13) 1,600 pesos Pneumonia - 5 year 650 pesos *Must sign up in the office for Zostavax and hepatitis shots Zostavax (shingles vaccine) 2,300 pesos Hepatitis A & B series 1,200 pesos Typhoid 700 pesos CPR Class by Red Cross: 12 to 2 p.m. 200 pesos *Sign-up and donate in office – class is limited to 30 participants. Donations will benefit Red Cross. Blood Pressure Check: 9:30 a.m. to 1p.m. Free Diabetes Screening: 9:30 a.m. to 1p.m. Free *Note: eat a high carb meal 2 hours before testing, i.e. pancakes, oatmeal, granola, fruit, honey, etc. Hearing Services: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Free screenings for those interested in purchasing hearing aids. 20% discount will be offered on hearing aid orders. No hearing aid repairs. *Sign-up in office. How to Die in Mexico: A Primer for Foreigners Free presented by Cynthia Guzman of Funeraria San Francisco South Campus Board Room from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Suspect a Stroke or Heart Attack? Free Presented by Dr. Gabriel Varela, Neurosurgeon Sala 2 p.m. All Health Day services are open to the public. No membership is required.

Intro to Lakeside - For Newbies New to Lakeside? LCS in partnership with Lake Chapala Resource Academy, is pleased to present “Introduction to Lakeside” available to LCS members only. You’ll learn about your new community, your new neighbors and your new neighborhoods. Topics include: Daily life: banking, shopping, medical, transportation, etc. Housing information: major housing developments, utility payments, maids and gardeners Cultural insights: fiestas, greetings and other social protocols,. Thursday, October 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Seating is limited, sign up soon in the Service Office. Cost is $250 MXN per person and includes a copy of Street Smart Maps.

1RYHPEHU

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

Upcoming PEP Classes LCS’ popular Personal Enrichment Program for members will return with a variety of courses. Each course is taught by knowledgeable, experienced professionals with extensive backgrounds in their particular areas of expertise. History of Tourism in Mexico, and The Grand Sweep of Mexican History, (Daniel Grippo, PhD), Prospects Beyond Man, (Daniel Bassett), and Traditional Pre-Hispanic Nutrition (Ricardo Navarro). All courses will be held in the South Campus Boardroom with the exception of Traditional Pre-Hispanic Nutrition which will be held in the kitchen at the Wilkes Education Center. Check the website for details. This is a members-only program. You must be a member of LCS to attend, and your membership must be current for the duration of the program.

Wanted!

Activities Added or Resumed For November

Garden Crew needs volunteers to trim, plant, weed, and maintain our lovely gardens. ¡Que Ganga! needs volunteers Mondays and Thursdays. For more information about volunteer opportunities, see the website at volunteer@lakechapalasociety.com or fill out an application in the Service Office.

Android For Beginners Class If you are a new (or puzzled) owner of an Android smartphone and/or tablet this may be for you. This class will be held in two parts on successive Thursdays, November 30 and December 7 in the Sala from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Open to members only and class size is limited to 20 participants. Register at androidclass@saundersinmexico.com. Include your LCS member number. Membership must be current at the time of the registration and active throughout the course. Bocce Ball has resumed on Tuesdays from 2-3 p.m. Learn Bridge or brush up on your skills kslcs@live.com. Scrabble will take place on Mondays and Fridays, beginning in November in the Sala TIMES? Blood Pressure Screening will be held on Mondays and Fridays beginning in November from 10 to 12 p.m.. Cane Fu Self Defense Learn simple techniques to defend yourself using a cane, walking stick or your hands as weapons. The second four-week class begins Wednesday, November 15 from 2-3 p.m. in the Gazebo. Drop-ins welcome. Introduction to iPhone/iPad will be held Tuesday, November 14, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Sala. Open to LCS members only. Register by email at LCS.TECH.TRAINING@gmail.com. Membership must be current throughout the course. Class size limited to 20. Apple iPhone Basics (applies to iPad as well) Do you know how to reboot your phone when it’s stuck? Do you know how to copy and paste? Do you know how to backup your data on your phone? If you can answer “yes” to these questions you do not need this class. We will cover the basics of using these Apple devices well as buttons, installing applications, and good apps to have.

Introduction to Spanish This casual class for the beginner that covers the Spanish alphabet, simple vocabulary and phrases useful about town, and information about Lakeside and Mexican culture. In December we will offer two sessions due to popular demand. Starting the first Tuesday of the month and continuing for three weeks, the December session will start Tuesday, December 5, on the LCS campus. Sign up for: Class A - 12 to 1:30 p.m. on the Gazebo; or Class B - 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Sala; in the Service office. Learning materials are provided. Tuition is $175 pesos. Sign up at the LCS office or on our website. This is a members-only program. You must be a member of LCS to attend, and your membership must be current for the duration of the program.

Interested in Volunteering? Check out the LCS website to fill out the required form: lakechapalasociety.com/weebly/volunteer.php. Put your life skills to work here at LCS. We’re always looking for volunteers who can add their expertise to the programs we offer our members and the Lakeside community at large.

Neill James Winter Lecture Series for 2017- 2018 Lecturers Needed! This popular series of lectures returns for the of 2017-2018 winter season. We plan to have 18 lectures at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays in the LCS Sala between December 5, 2017 and April 17, 2018. We need your assistance in identifying and enlisting people to present lectures for this series. Those of you who have attended lectures in the past might like to participate again, or you may know of someone who is interested in giving a presentation. If you or someone you know is interested in giving a lecture, please forward information on proposed lectures to Rick Rhoda at rrhoda730@gmail.com with the name of the lecturer, lecture topic and preferred date. Dates: December, 2017: 5, 12, 19, January, 2018 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; February 6, 20, 27; March 6, 13, 20, 27; and April 3, 10, 17.

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November Activities *Open to the Public ** US Citizens (S) Sign in (C) Member card Health Insurance * IMSS & Immigration Services Mon+Tues 10-1 Lakeside Insurance Broker Tues+Thur 11-2 San Javier Hospital last Fri 10-12 Health and Legal Services * Becerra & Galindo Services Thurs +Sat Nov 11+25 10:30-12:30 Blood Pressure Mon+Fri 10-12 Hearing Aid Services (S) Mon+2nd and 4th Sat 11-4 Ministerio Publico Wed Nov 1+22 10-2 Optometrist Claravision (S) Thur 9-3 Skin Cancer Screening (S) 2nd + 4th Wed 10-12 US Consulate** Wed Nov 8 10:30 Sign up 10 Lessons(C) Cane Fu Self Defense Wed 2-3 p.m. Chair Yoga Fri 2-3 Children’s Art Sat 10-12* Children’s Chess Club Sat 12-1 Clases de Bordado Artistico Mon 3-6, Wed & Fri 4-6 Exercise Mon+Wed+Fri 9-10 Exploring Spanish Wed 12-1:30 Sat 11-12:30 Fitness Thru Yoga Mon 2-3:30 Intermediate Hatha Yoga Tues+Thur 2-3:30 Introduction To Spanish (S) Tues 12-1 cost Introduction to Lakeside (S) Thurs 9-1 Line Dancing Tues+Thurs 10-11:15 Photography Club 1st Mon 12-2 Scottish Country Dancing Thurs 11:30-1:30 Stretch and Balance Exercise Tues+Thurs 8:45--9:45 Tai Ch Chih Fri 10-12 Warren Hardy Spanish Classes (S) Mon-Sat check office Write-to-Prompt Writers’ Group Thurs 10-12 Zumba Gold Begins Nov 15 Wed 10-11 Libraries Audio Thur 10-12 Book & Video Mon-Sat 10-2 Library of Congress Books*/ Talking Books Thurs 10-12 Wilkes Mon-Fri 9:30-7, Sat 9:30-1* Social Activities (C) All Things Tech Fri 10-11:30 Bocce Ball Tues 2-3 Bridge 4 Fun Tue+Thurs 1-5 Conversaciones en Español Mon 10-12 Creatively Mindful Art Wed 11-12:30 Discussion Group A Wed 11-1:30 Discussion Group B Wed 11-1:30 Everyday Mindfulness Mon 10 -12 Film Aficionados Thurs 2-4:30 Games Group Mon 1-4 Needle Pushers Tues 10-12 NextChapter Book Group 2nd Thurs 1-3:30 Scrabble Mon+Fri 11:30-1:30 Spanish/English Conversation Sat 11-12:30 TED Learning Seminars Tues 12-1:15 Tournament Scrabble Tues 12-1:50 Service and Support Groups * ASA Board Meeting Wed Nov 1 10:30-12 Al-Anon (in Spanish) Mon 6-7:30,Wed 5:30-7:30 Information Desk Mon-Sat 10-2 Lake Chapala Painting Guild 2nd Fri 1:30-3:30 Lakeside AA Mon +Thurs 4:30-5:30 Open Circle Sun 10-11:30 Smart Recovery Mon 2:30-4 Toastmasters Mon 7-8:30 p.m. Ticket Sales: Monday-Friday 10-12 a.m.*

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

Video Library Additions November The library needs couriers to bring back DVDs to help us keep our inventory current. We order them on-line, pre-pay them, and have them delivered to the address of your choice. If you can help, email Tom Keane at keanhombre@prodigy.net.mx. Thank you. Here are some new additions. They are not new movies; they are new additions. There do not seem to be many new movies that would interest the LCS members available right now. If you have any suggestions for films of interest, we would love to hear them. Easy A #7721 (2010 Comedy 7.1) After a little white lie about losing her virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne’s in Hawthorne ‘s “The Scarlet Letter” Zodiac #7725 (2009 Crime 7.7) In the late 1960s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the elusive Zodiac Killer. Penelope #7723 (2006 Comedy 6.9) A romantic tale about a young aristocratic heiress born under a curse that can only be broken when she finds true love with “one who will accept her as one of their own.” The Fountain #7736 (2006 Drama 7.3) Three stories - one each from the past, present, and future about men in pursuit of eternity with their love. Hugh Jackman The Jacket #7729 (2005 Drama 7.1) A Gulf war veteran is wrongly sent to a mental institution for insane criminals. When he becomes the object of a doctor’s experiments, his life is completely altered. Adrian Brody and Kiera Knightley Cold Mountain #7726 (2003 Adventure 7.2) In the waning days of the American Civil War, a wounded soldier embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina to reunite with his sweetheart. Jude Law and Nicole Kidman The Pledge #7719 (2001 Crime 6.9) The night he retires as a Nevada sheriff, Jerry Black pledges to find the killer of a woman’s murdered daughter. Jack Nicholson. The above movies can be reviewed in the green catalogs. We have researched every source of films available and we have all of the good ones. Honest, we do. If you have any suggestions for additional movies, please let us know. Remember, they should be the type of films that will appeal to the majority of our members. Thank you.

Mark your Calendars December 1- 2, 2 to 6 PM Holiday Gift Fair Support local artisans and peruse the variety of beautiful handicrafts, just in time for the gift giving season.

TED Talks Learning Seminars Tuesdays In the Sala 12 noon to 1:15 p.m. Members only. Bring your card. Nov 7 Can a Divided America Heal? How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -and provides a vision for how the country might move forward. Nov 14 Why People Believe Weird Things Michael Shermer asks, “Why do people see the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich or hear demonic lyrics in “Stairway to Heaven”? Skeptic Michael Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe -- and overlook facts. Nov 21 Is the War on Drugs Doing More Harm Than Good? In this bold talk, drug policy reformer Ethan Nadelmann makes an impassioned plea to end the “backward, heartless, disastrous” movement to stamp out the drug trade. He gives two reasons why we should focus on intelligent regulation. Nov 28 There’s More to Life Than Being Happy Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but what if there’s a more fulfilling path? asks writer Emily Esfahani Smith. Having meaning in life -- serving something beyond yourself, gives you something to hold on to.

Upcoming Bus Trips Wednesday, November 8 Guadalajara Zoo Join us for an visit to the world-renowned Guadalajara Zoo. Cost is $440 pesos for members and $540 pesos for non-membersincludes bus transportation, train ride, safari and aquatic show. Cable car ride is extra at $43 pesos. Bring bottle(s) of water and a light bag lunch. Food and beverages available inside the park. Purchase tickets at LCS Service Desk. Bus leaves the sculpture in La Floresta at 9 a.m. Thursday, November 16 Costco and Home Depot at Lopez Mateos Shop Home Depot for home and garden needs and then on to Costco and Mega. Cost is $350 pesos for members/$450 pesos nonmembers. The bus will leave from the sculpture in La Floresta promptly at 9:30 a.m. Coming up in December: December 7 Andares Mall December 18 Costco/Galerias Mall December 27 Tlaquepaque

Thursday Film Aficionados Open to LCS members only. Bring your card. All films shown in the Sala from 2-4 p.m. No food. No pets. November 2 Megan Leavey 2017- USA Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal and a combat dog. (109 minutes) November 9 The Other Side of Hope 2017 Finland A poker-playing restaurateur and a former traveling salesman befriend a group of refugees newly arrived in Finland. Directed by the great Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. (96 minutes) November 16 Red Sorghum 1987 China In 1930’s China a young woman is sent by her father to marry the old owner of a winery. In the nearby sorghum fields she falls for one of the workers. An early film of Chinese director Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. (85 minutes) November 22* (Wednesday) Afterimage 2017 Poland The story of charismatic painter Wladyslaw Strzeminski who opposed socialism’s realism and maintained his own artistic freedom in spite of political obstacles. (95 minutes) November 29 The Divine Order 2017 Switzerland Switzerland, 1971: Nora is a housewife and mother who lives in a peaceful village near Zurich with her husband and two sons. None of the huge social upheavals that started a few years earlier in the cities is felt here in the village, but change is coming! (93 minutes) *NOTE: LCS is closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 23. This film will be shown a day early on Wednesday, November 22. Discussion will follow.

U.S. Passport Update Updated passport information is available in the Service Office. You may use the reverse of the new form for faster service when you to need to obtain the required check for passports services from Banamex in Chapala. . The updated form reflects the change, if any, in fees required for passport services. Applicants with checks drawn for the previous higher fees will receive change reflecting the difference. Nothing else has changed. Ask for the new form at the Service Desk in the office.

THE LAKE CHAPALA SOCIETY, A.C. 16 de Septiembre #16-A, Ajijic, Jalisco LCS Main Office: (376) 766-1140 Office, information and other services - Monday-Saturday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Grounds open until 5:00 p.m. LCS BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Ben White (2018); Vice-President - George Radford (2019); Treasurer - Michael Searles (2019); Secretary - Carole Wolff (2018); Directors: Dee Dee Camhi (2019); Nicolas Hanson (2019); Cate Howell (2018); Philip Newbold (2018); Philip Rylett (2018); Roberto Serrano (2019) Janis Sirany (2019) Immediate Past President: Howard Feldstein. * Executive Director - Terry Vidal

The LCS Newsletter is published monthly. Deadline for submissions is the 17th of the month preceding publication. Submit all news items to lcsnewsletter2016@gmail.com Note: The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions according to time, space availability and editorial decision.

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

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&2/':(//%$1.(5 &+$3$/$ 5($/7< Tel: 766-1152, Cell:(045) 33-1175-9632 Pag: 90 - FOR RENT 3DJ Tel: 333-667-6554 - FOR RENT Tel: 33-1011-3185 Pag: 94 +$&,(1'$ 305 3DJ Tel: 766-3320 +(51$1'(= 5(17$/6 -RUJH 7RUUHV Tel: 766-3737, 766-3030 3DJ 0$1=$1,//2 9$&$7,21 5(17$/6 Tel: (314) 100-6773 or (314) 109-0657 Pag: 94 - SANTANA RENTALS Cell: 315-104-3283 Pag: 60

5(7,5(0(17 5(67 1856,1* +20(6 - CASA ANASTASIA Tel: 765-5680 / 33-3452-5864 - LA CASA NOSTRA Tel: 765-3824 1856,1* +20( /$.( &+$3$/$ Tel: 766-0404 - OHANA Tel: (01387) 761-0403

3DJ 3DJ 3DJ Pag: 44

6$7(//,7(6 7 9 $-,-,& (/(&7521,&6 6 $ '( & 9 Tel/Fax: 766-1117, 766-3371 3DJ 6+$: 6$7(//,7( 6(59,&(6 $7 /$.(6,'( Tel: 331-402-4223 3DJ

/26 1,f26 '( &+$3$/$ < $-,-,& Tel: 765-7032 Pag: 96 352*5$0$ 352 1,f26 ,1&$3$&,7$'26 '(/ /$*2 $ & Pag: 41

63$ 0$66$*( - CORPO BALANCE Tel: 31-2132-3415 3DJ - FRAU SPA Tel: 766-4393, Cell. 33-1736-5772 3DJ - GANESHA SPA Tel: 766-5653 3DJ +27(/ %$/1($5,2 6$1 -8$1 &26$/$ Tel: 01-387-761-0222 3DJ - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 766-5131 3DJ - TOTAL BODY CARE Pag: 11 Tel: 766-3379

* TAXI $57852 )(51$1'(= Cell: (045) 333-954-3813

Pag: 60

* TREE SERVICE - CHAPALA TREE SERVICE Tel: 762-0602

3DJ

* TOURS - CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 766-1777 .$581$ <(6 72856 /<',$Â¶6 72856 Tel: 765-4742, (045) 33-1026-4877

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:$7(5 7(&12 $48$ Tel: 766-3731, 108-0808

Pag: 91

* SELF STORAGE - SELF STORAGE-BODEGAS CHAPALA Tel: 766-0661, Tel/Fax: 766-1045 3DJ

6(37,& 7$1. 3803,1* -3 +20( 6(59,&(6 Tel. 766-1569, Cell: 333-968-2938

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The Ojo Crossword

* RESTAURANTS/CAFES/BAR $-,-,& 7$1*2 Tel: 766-2458 $/)5('2Â¶6 &$/,)251,$ Tel: 33-1301-9862 - ARILEO Tel: 106-1627 $50$1'2Â¶6 +,'($:$< Tel: 766-2229 - BEER GARDEN Tel: 765-3656 - ELEGANTE Tel: 766-1066 - GO BISTRO Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 - GRUPO PASTA Tel: (33) 3615-4952 +8(572 &$)e Tel: 108-0843 -$60,1(Â¶6 &ODVVLF ,QGLD Tel: 766-2636 /$ &$6$ '(/ :$))/( Tel: 766-1946 - LA CASA DEL CAFE Tel: 766-2876 - LA HACIENDA DE DON PEDRO Tel: 766-4906 /$ 0,6,21 Tel: 108-0887 - LA NUEVA POSADA Tel: 766-1444, 766-1344

3DJ Pag: 64 3DJ 3DJ 3DJ 3DJ Pag: 11 3DJ Pag: 91 3DJ Pag: 19 3DJ Pag: 91 3DJ 3DJ

Saw you in the Ojo 99

CARS

FOR SALE: Mercedes Benz C320 2005, Mexican Plate, white with black leather interior, below 100,000 km. recently serviced at Mercedes dealer, everything up WR GDWH $VNLQJ 86 RU EHVW Rá&#x201A;&#x2021;HU Call me on cell number: 331-545-8333 FOR SALE: Premium Acura MDX 2011. Imported by Guad Acura from Canada. 24,800 km or 14,880 miles. Price: $540,000 vehicle for $17,900 USD. Call: 765-3668 or hxc954@gmail.com :$17(' Older Mexican plated vehicle in good condition. Automatic, air cond. Maximum $70,000.00 pesos. Call: Kevin 331-826-1641. FOR SALE: VW DERBY JALISCO PLATED. ONE OWNER, (spotless interior/undamaged exterior)1996 4 door with 45,000 Miles. Tires nearly new. Air Conditioning, Standard Transmission. Gold tan color. Service/repair history. Delivery early 2018 when am returned to Mexico to sell home/furnishings. Price: $4,000 USD. Email: vivateahora@yahoo.com FOR SALE: Mercedes 500 all wheel drive luxury SUV. 2009, Silver, excellent, 108,000km (68,000mi). Jalisco plated. Price: $413,388p. $22,000 US, obo. Email: VHDFOLá&#x201A;&#x2021;UDQFK#\DKRR FD :$17(' Pickup Truck for Have Hammers Carpentry school in Riberas needed to pick up wood in Guadalajara. Can pay some money, but prefer donation can give 501c3 receipt for US tax deduction wish list, prefer later model 10 year old or less. Wayne 766-

1860 or stop have hammers shop. FOR SALE: 2004 Audi A6 Quattro w/ only 55,000 miles. Going permanent, so must sell to someone going north of the border. Best car Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever owned. 3-litre, 6-cyl. engine, leather, sunroof, permanent all-wheel drive, C/D, A/C. Always garaged. Price: $87,500 Pesos/$5000 U.S. Call:766-2754 or railsplitter58@gmail. com. FOR SALE: 2012 Nissan Sentra that I recently drove here from the U.S. I have decided I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want a car here and want to sell it. It is in excellent condition, about 43,000 miles, 4 door, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power windows/ doors, etc. CD player. Email: dlemel@dlemel.net. FOR SALE: 2007 8 passenger van. 95,000 Km. Very good condition. 3.5 litre engine. Camel color. $155,000 pesos. Call: 765-2290 FOR SALE: 2010 HONDA CRV LX, Mexican plated, white exterior, black interior, cruise control, excellent condition and well; maintained, 114,000 km. Price: $155,000 pesos, contact 376-766-4128. FOR SALE: Honda 1100 CC Motorcycle. Jocotepec Centro. 2006 Honda Sprint with 16,000 miles, excellent condition. U.S plated in Arizona. Price: $60,000 Pesos. Call: 333-949-8770 or email: lawandrew29@outlook.com FOR SALE: 6.5 x 10 feet utility trailer converted to cargo trailer (sided and topped 3/4 of way back). Reliable. Outstanding

heavy duty trailer tires ($300 usd service work in Albuquerque). Trails straight behind the tow vehicle. Jalisco plated. Price: $18,000 pesos. Call: 765-3668. Chapala or hxc954@gmail.com :$17(' Student going back to U.S. to study needs U.S plated car. Email: susannahreeser@icloud.com.

COMPUTERS

FOR SALE: Shaw Elliptical Dish c/w double LNB. Essential for Shaw Direct users. Contact Don at 333-405-0787 in San Antonio. Price 1000 pesos. FOR SALE: Samsung EVO 64GB high speed microSD/Tf cards. 2 lightly used Samsung EVO 64GB memory cards purchased from Amazon.com. Fit phones, tablets, most cameras, etc. 7 year warranty. Come with USB 2.0 card reader for PCs. $23 each USD or equivalent pesos. Call: 331-547-3129 US (845) 580-6945. Selling to get larger capacity cards. FOR SALE: 1 TB backup drive, Epson Mini Photo Printer, Almost New Over (DU +HDGSKRQHV 6HOÂżH 7ULSRG 6' &DUG to Lightning Adapter for iPhone and iPad. Email: cynthiatheappletutor@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Almost new iPad Mini 4. 64GB. Includes Case, help setting up and one hour of individual iPad tutoring. If interested email me at cynthiatheappletutor@ gmail.com. Price: $6000 pesos. :$17(' Need to clean up and soup up (more RAM please sir) our 2012 MacBook Pro. Please recommend a Lakeside person RU ÂżUP WKDW KDV GHOLYHUHG TXDOLW\ 0DF VHUYLFes to you. Conversely please mention any whose services were less than stellar. Email: richardliptrot1@gmail.com. FOR SALE: RAM. ADATA 4GB DDR4 SO-DIMM 2133 512x8, Retail, AD4S2133W4G15-R *used* (500MXN) HMT42GR7BFR4C-RDT8 Hynix 16GB PC314900 DDR3-1866MHz ECC Registered CL13 240-Pin DIMM Dual Rank Memory Module. Email: BradyHuddleston@Hotmail. com. FOR SALE: Avic View-i Dual Lens Dash Cam for Car. A handy device that starts recording from the moment the engine starts. When a sudden impact occurs, the camera records up to 15 seconds before and after the shock. The package includes the device, a MicroSD Card, cigar jack power cable, user manual, IR lighting, mount and doublesided tape, and front (outside) and rear (inside) view cameras. Price: $900mxn. scrubbers1958@gmail.com or 331-960-5885 :$17(' Does anyone have a used newish laptop theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to sell? Standard no frills generic laptop with a cam and Bluetooth. US model. 3& RU 0$& QR GLá&#x201A;&#x2021;HUHQFH WR PH (PDLO BradyHuddleston@Hotmail.com. FOR SALE: I have a set of Epson 195 cartridges for sale. One each black, magenta, Cyan and Yellow. Current cost $1,096 pesos at Wal-Mart. Will sell for $600 pesos. %RXJKW D QHZ SULQWHU WKDW XVHV D GLá&#x201A;&#x2021;HUHQW cartridge. Best to contact me by email: chazgree@yahoo.com. Name is Charlie

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

FOR SALE: Vertical blinds, The larger blind measures 106.5 inches wide by 84 inches long. The smaller blind measures 52.5 inches wide by 42.5 inches long. Cost for the pair was $6,600 pesos last year, Price: $3,300. They are burned orange. PM or call 333721-4968 Can be sold separately, make an Rá&#x201A;&#x2021;HU FOR SALE: Ornate iron scrolled large chaise w/new cushion. Price: $2kpesos

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El Ojo del Lago / November 2017

Please respond via pm with phone to view. Email: imburnen@outlook.com. FOR SALE: Selling 2013 Mabe fridge/ Freezer. Inside dimensions - 22â&#x20AC;&#x2122; wide, 58â&#x20AC;? high, 16â&#x20AC;? deep. Outside dimensions - 27â&#x20AC;? wide, 26â&#x20AC;? deep, 68â&#x20AC;? high. We are located in the Chapala area. $3500 pesos. Call 376765-2598. Ask for Craig. :$17(' The residents of an independent living home are wanting to buy a table tennis table in good condition, Must be for outdoor use. Please PM me if you might have one for sale. Email: sunnyvogler@ yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Very unique, solid wood table with thick glass cover over beautiful wood paneled door that was cut down to make this table. Comes with two solid wood chairs that were recently recovered with quality brown vinyl, entire set only $3,200 pesos. Shown by appointment only. Email: jguerin46@hotmail.com. :$17(' Looking to buy a used mixer with at least 6 channels for keyboard, mics and guitars. Email: cindypaul2@gmail.com. :$17(' I really would like the risk board game, if anyone has it or knows where to get it i would love to know. Email: rex2023beatle@gmail.com. :$17(' Wanted Ladies Golf Clubs, graphite shafts, Cobra would be great, but PM me if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a set available. PM or msg at 376-766-4231. FOR SALE: 'Lá&#x201A;&#x2021;HUHQW 3LHFHV RI *\P Equipment, Price: $33.000 pesos. Email: novakmiguel@gmail.com for more info. FOR SALE: Inversion Table. This is the medium weight metal version (not the light weight ones on Mercado Libre) and is said to hold 400 lb. Price: $1800 pesos. Email: imburnen@outlook.com. FOR SALE: Dish network satellite system. Single dish w/single LNB, down link cables, Wally receiver box w/ original remote. Paid US $ 550.00 for system and will sell for MXN Pesos $5750.00. Pls. email to romecm@aol.com or call at 766-3561. For a call back you can also leave message on English speaking recorder . Buyer to arrange for your installation & service from Dish. FOR SALE: Wireless headphones, paid $279 usd these are only $2000p. Antique loveseat, paid $700 usd yours for only $4000p. Email: julieywayne@yahoo.com FOR SALE: I have an android TV box for sale. Kodi is installed as well as other apps for you to get all the programs you want to see. From networks, news, sports, movies, TV series from all networks to TV from around the globe. $3000 pesos installed, explained and support afterwards. :$17(' I am looking to buy a small portable generator in the 1,000 to 2,000 watt range. Must be lightweight and easy to start. Email: Lawandrew29@outlook.com. :$17(' An used electric kiln working or not! I might consider a gas kiln as well. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working, I need to see it work, open boxes to expose possible wiring problems, continuously glowing elements etc ... if I am going to pay for it. Free non-working kilns are desirable also. Email: 831bob@gmail. com. FOR SALE: Storage chest/bar + more. The long chest 71â&#x20AC;?wx32â&#x20AC;?h. $2kpesos. $425 each or $700 for the pair. Send me a note with your number and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll call all who respond. Email: imburnen@outlook.com. FOR SALE: Small collection of board games. All in good shape. Outburst(2), Auction America, MindTrap, Trivial Pursuit, Year in Review (1992), Fact or Crap. $100mxn. Email: scrubbers1958@gmail.com or 331960-5885.

FOR SALE: The complete set of Simpsonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DVDs from Season I - VI (in the photo, Season VI is that funny shaped yellow box in the top right corner). Included in this package are 8 additional original DVDs and the Sookie Stackhouse series (True Blood) plus the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Princess Sultanaâ&#x20AC;? trilogy. All of this for just $550mxn. Email: scrubbers1958@ gmail.com or 331-960-5885. FOR SALE: Adjustable bath and shower bench. Weight capacity to 250lbs/113k. The bench can also double as a tray if you like to relax (in a plastic container). $175mxn. Please e-mail scrubbers1958@gmail.com or call 331-960-5885. FOR SALE: Garden furniture. Square table and four chairs, excellent condition. cushions included. Price: $7,500 pesos. Email: adriar@prodigy.net.mx. :$17(' ISO a used babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playpen or deep cot (car bed?). Email: miller.jennifer171@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Dard-sized toilet. Paid $2,500p. Beige-ish LAMOSA brand. Call Cecilia. 331 422 0364. $2,000p. FOR SALE: Bookcases. One 44 wide 78 tall one 54 wide 95 tall, that is inches, $7,000 pesos each, Can be seen at El Gallo Gallery. 30 Guadalupe Victoria, Ajijic Centro, 11 to 3 Monday to Friday or contact me here Email: kgosh365@hotmail. com. FOR SALE: James Coleman Art, Title: Midnight Blue, 24â&#x20AC;? x 39â&#x20AC;? $3500p. Email: julieywayne@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Two matching decorative

planters made in San Juan Evangelista by Emilio Barrera. $300 pesos each or both for $500 pesos. Each planter measures 13 inches across by 10 inches high. nolajoe@ yahoo.com FOR SALE: Cargo Carrier. 30 â&#x20AC;&#x153; x 66â&#x20AC;? x 12â&#x20AC;? Cargo Carrier adapts to most roof racks. Available for U.S. $320.00 used twice. Email: burtoftnorth@hotmail.com. FOR SALE: Large lantern style heater- Paid $2.4K, sell $2k, Queen size blue/ cream quilt+ 1 sham $400pesos, Send a pm with contact info please. Email: imburnen@ outlook.com. FOR SALE: 2 still-in-the-package reSODFHPHQW ZDWHU ÂżOWHUV IRU .LWFKHQ $LG Whirlpool, Jann-Air, Maytag or Amana by One Purify. Price: $265mxn. Call: 331-9605885 (cell) or scrubbers1958@gmail.com FOR SALE: Slow cooker/Rice Cooker/ Food Steamer like new $750, Aroma, olla de cocciĂłn lenta y arrocera, Horquilla de bici/Bicycle Fork $100, English books for teaching (never used) $50-$75, Knee& elbow pads $200. Questions feel free to contact me. sweetkandi425@yahoo.com. FOR SALE: Rustico Secretary. Specialty painted. Price: $2,900 peso. Call: 333-966-5657. FOR SALE: Downsizing, LIme Promequipment treadmill, used only a month, paid $900US, asking $500. Like new Schwinn Airdine stationary bike, $175 US. Like new stepper, $40 US. mdmayland@ yahoo.com. Ph. 387-661-0472. :$17(' Small Chest Freezer for

home use. Email: rnclucas1@earthlink.net. :$17(' In search of used items in excellent condition for a local young paramedic in training: Stethoscope, digital blood SUHVVXUH FXá&#x201A;&#x2021; DQG JOXFRPHWHU 3OHDVH JHW in touch if you have any of these items for sale. Email: deborahmarch@gmail.com. :$17(' I would like to buy the complete (Dish, Received and Control) Shaw system connected to active account, preferably in Ontario. Call: 766-2326. FOR SALE: SONY 53â&#x20AC;? Projection TV, Inputs: Cable, 2 Video, 2 others, with remote, Model KP 53 V100 - $3000pesos OBF. Call: 766-4315 Miguel. FOR SALE: Warren Hardy Spanish CDs: 1, 2 and 3. Half price at $350 pesos per CD. Email: v.v.kaskow@gmail.com. FOR SALE: I have several old pieces of Mayan pottery. Contact me if you are interested. Email: jeratzacar@gmail.com. FOR SALE: Reciprocating Saw. Price: $1000 pesos. Call: 331-125-8877. FOR SALE: Philips XL Airfryer, The Original Airfryer, White, HD9240/3 - $3,000 pesos. Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker - $3,000 pesos. Both are practically new and in perfect condition. Call: 766-4558. FOR SALE: Rockford Files-Complete Set. 2QO\ RSHQHG 6HDVRQ 2QH ÂżUVW GLVF Balance remain sealed. I paid $189 will sell for $100 or peso equivalent. Call: 106-1254 late mornings best. Email: imburnen@outlook.com. FOR SALE: Young girl bicycle SCH-

WINN, CRUISER, excellent condition, color mauve with front wire basket and mud guards on both wheels. Top brand, sturdy build. Asking $75.00US. Call 376-766-1965 or e-mail at michgirou@yahoo.ca. FOR SALE: Whirlpool gas range, gently used, 4-5 years old. Two oven shelves, 6 EXUQHUV FRPDO 3 RU EHVW Rá&#x201A;&#x2021;HU 1768. FOR SALE: 2 folboats kayak with extra equipment and lessons. $20,000 pesos. With equipment. Please see them Todo Bueno Consignment and thrift shop in Riberas Phone 331-016-0619. FOR SALE: I have seven pieces of various sizes of a chain link fence. They range from about six feet to 8 feet high and about 5 feet or so wide. Come and have a look if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to fence in that garden. Hoolia 376-765-7569. FOR SALE: I have 3 pine kitchen stools in fairly good condition has a few dings on them. Asking $1000 pesos for them. Call 766-4971 if interested. FOR SALE: Set of 2 nice little end tables. Tables measure 23 1/2â&#x20AC;? x 20â&#x20AC;? x 24 3/4â&#x20AC;? tall. There are large wheeled casters on the legs making them easy to move around. Price: $1,500.00 for the set. 376-766-2521 or PM here. :$17(' Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking for a good used apple iPhone 5 or 6 for the Telcel network. Eric 332-310-2084.

Saw you in the Ojo 101

102

El Ojo del Lago / November 2017