Greetings to everyone!
Just a personal note from me… nothing too profound. I'll leave that
to Kryon.
Tomorrow I leave for Mexico. Now, to some this may sound exotic, and perhaps
it should be to me too, but you have to remember that I live 20 miles
from the Mexican border! So Mexico is not that unusual a place to me,
and I love their culture… which I understand and have lived with
all my life.
In San Diego, 20% of the population is Latino, so I'm also used to being
in a culture that is mixed. San Diego, where I live, used to be Mexico
(history lesson coming). Mexico won its independence from Spain and owned
San Diego for about 25 years. In 1846 the United States declared war on
Mexico because… uh… well… I think it just wanted the land
in California. Imagine such a thing! The USA attacking a country just
because they wanted the resources! Times have really changed, huh? (wink
goes here). We were a very young country then, and I think we were worried
about Mexico's stock of WMDs.
In 1848 a treaty was signed which ended the war, and California became
US soil. It got statehood two years later. I arrived shortly thereafter
(only kidding). Hey… perhaps I did! I'll check with Kryon (wait a
minute… wait… wait). Nope. Kryon says I was a all grown up and
kind of old by then and working in Boston… something about tea.
Therefore, I should speak fluent Spanish, ride bulls, wear sombreros,
and everything else. Unfortunately, like many Americans, I only learned
English. (I throw the bull, but that's another story.) The only thing
I got from the rich Mexican heritage in California was a passion for Mexican
food, as served in San Diego (who knows if it's 'real' Mexican?). It's
such a passion that when in Japan last year, I took the whole Kryon team
to El Torito of Tokyo (honest!). Everyone enjoyed it but Robert Coxon.
He likes that hotsie-totsie French cuisine and fine wines. El Torito didn't
cut it.
So when I arrive in Mexico City tomorrow, I'll be just like any Gringo
- a nice word for "a white person from an English-speaking country."
It actually means " a white person from America who has no respect
for anything, but has traveling money, so be nice to them." I'll
try a little Spanish until I'm asked not to (probably take about 5 minutes).
I used to go to Tijuana (our nearest small border town with a million
people) and practice my few Spanish words on the waiters at the restaurants.
They usually laughed so hard, tears would run down their cheeks. They
said it was from the jalapenos (pronounced Halapeenyos) but I knew better.
It was my Spanish (sigh). I once ordered some salsa and they brought me
a margarita. I should have know then to stop.
My one sojourn to lower Mexico happened in my early thirties. I went down
to Manzanillo to the resort Las Hadas where the movie "10" was
filmed. It was before the movie and before anyone knew about the place,
or about Bo Derek. It was awesome (the place, not the movie), and a resort…
but not much local flavor, however, so I went into town. I used my Spanish
and proudly told the taxi driver to "come back in two years."
He didn't even smile or wince, but promptly returned in two hours as was
my intention. Later my amigos told me what I had said.
I am really looking forward to this trip! One of the things I got to see
by living so close to the border is a very real look at the Mexican work
ethic, their integrity, and what is really important to them. They are
all about family, and are respectful, smart, and work very, very, hard…
and I'm referring to the American Citizens here, not the illegals (who
also work hard, but don't have much chance to get to actually know many
locals due to their circumstances.) I remember in elementary school that
the kids to beat in math were always the Latinos! I think this is why
I grew up in business always looking for Latino accountants (smile). Don't
write me letters about stereotyping cultures… I've heard it before.
I'm only reporting my feelings and truth that comes from living through
stuff… not a politically correct sterilized version for my Kryon
readership. (Honk, if you're tired of this in our society.)
There will be an auditorium filled with folks who have pre-registered
to see Kryon. Kryon in Spanish is popular, and all the books have been
translated and available for some time. It's a privilege to finally go
to Central America! Then later this year we head for Argentina… which
is another country whose historical facts are known to me only through
Madona's songs in Evita! (Yes, I think I'm pathetic when it comes to the
history of cultures other than my own… sigh). I'm also looking forward
to someday going to Brazil and Chile if it works out. I'll probably relate
to them through music too.
I'll start by taking massive amounts of photos, since that is my hobby.
Some of you might recognize this from our Kryon scrapbook pages (in this
very Emagazine)… photos from every country we have been in, the cruises,
etc. There are a whole bunch of them that I have fun with too, like on
the "Italian Fashion Police" photo page (http://www.kryon.com/inspiritmag/scrapbooks/sb-IFP-05.html).
I take lots of "artsy" photos too, and Barbara Harris (our trusty
editor) wants me to publish some of those. Some day… perhaps.
Right before I say "adios," I'll tell you about something that
happened to me yesterday that made me feel stupid and more-stupid. I was
scammed by an Internet retailer in the most pitiful way. I was a schmuck
(a Yiddish word that means fool... and worse). Sometimes I do as many
of you, and just assume that others have the same integrity standard that
you do. WRONG! I was purchasing a new camera (an expensive model that
will take a year to pay for on time payments). I believed the salesman
as he led me down the golden scam path. I just gulped at the prices as
I was talked into more and more things that seemed to be needed to complete
the package. Come to find out that they simply took the "included"
things in the Nikon camera box and then sold them separately at about
6 times the price they should be, and put them back in! It's a bona fide,
genuine scam house, and I fully participated in all of it (my metaphysical
teaching taking hold). In retrospect, it's kind of funny! It's like being
in the car sales office and the guy saying… "Oh… you wanted
a steering wheel with it? Well, that will be extra…" That's
exactly what I did!
When I realized it, I called them up. BIG MISTAKE! They all come from
the same school of scam, and were ready with double-talk with hard-core,
insulting, defensive attitudes. I've been to Brooklyn, but this is the
first time I ever got this treatment (that's where they are based). Anyway,
I thought, as a service to anyone reading who might be a photographer,
I would simply list the folks so nobody else would be trapped like I was
(so easily!). Maybe that's why it happened – so that I could publish
it here? If so, then it was worth it. I also would like to supply you
with the Internet sight where others like me have been able to vent about
this supplier. I wish I had been smart enough to check them out first.
My advice: NEVER EVER BUY FROM: www.bestpricecameras.com
Take a look here to see why:
http://www.price.com/vendor_review_display.html?vid=-2147483120
I figure with almost 20,000 folks visiting this website every day, I might
save someone some hassle and "schmuckdom." I hope so.
Adios Amigos!
LEE CARROLL
