maria rogal

It’s nice to see it warming up in time for spring. I suppose if it’s this warm now, and May is the hottest month, will it be like last year when the buildings started to crack and sway?

My friend who recently visited Japan sent me this site of smoking etiquette Japanese style which is basically “don’t smoke, but if you do, use of of our portable ashtrays.” It’s quite fantastic and by JT Delight World. They also have a link to the Mobile Ashtray Museum and their own store filled with fun, [...]

For the last few weeks there have been signs up all over the city celebrating the greatest party of the year. Today was the first day I attended and it was impossible to get close unless you got there early or had tickets for the show. See some photos of the participants at the end [...]

This week I met with members from the Lol-Bal Che Honey Cooperative in Santa Elena, Yucatán. I love the landscape of this area, the Puuc Route, near Uxmal because it is hilly and peaceful, covered with brush and trees and wildflowers. I visited my first real milpa and finally understand how complex it is and [...]

For the last few months on my way to work I watch houses being built in Paraiso Maya. The name always seems ironic. Today I went to check it out. At some point, taking pictures of the street sign, the “superintendent” nicely asked me if he could help …. but what he really wanted to [...]

The African-American theologian Howard Thurman said: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.”