Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Facil
Muy Facil
Way down here in old Mexico they use the word facil a lot. I know I do – I like saying it. Everybody likes things that are easy. I never thought all
that much about it until Harold showed up.
Harold is helping me rebuild my boat trailer and summerizing my panga and motor for getting back out there to search for the big ones. Harold is a
retired sheet metal worker and it is a joy to watch him work because he’s a perfectionist and a brilliant problem solver.
I’ve always been the antithesis of a perfectionist, more relaxed with the idea that what work I’m performing will fulfill its function within my
narrow system perimeters. Harold wants to crunch down on ever nut and bolt, use heavy-duty material where possible and reinforce anything which might
undergo more stress than usual to the normal operation of the thing he’s working on.
While he’s busy solving problems I’m looking for the easy way out. Many would label my attitude as lazy but the more I think about how Mexico changes
people I’m convinced that lazy is not a fair name for my actions and attitudes. Harold, and others have not had the chance to study the Maya,
predecessors and contemporaries of the Mexican people living and working today all around my part of Mexico. In the Maya heyday a farmer in many parts
of Mexico could clear land, plant enough corn for himself, his family and his imperial tithe with only a hundred days labor.
Some of you might be familiar with the Mexican cultural imperative to make things work, find an easy way, adapt and improvise what’s at hand to gain a
workable end. That’s anything but lazy. My way is not disregard for form or function – it is facil, as in the word facility. So I am, we are
facilitators. Solving problems the old fashioned way; seeing the suitable end accomplished with the least expenditure of foot pounds or calories.
I have never called Mexicans lazy. Some, endowed with more sloth than one would expect, are sometimes called huevones but it is usually done with good
humor and no ill intent. Sometimes when I am able to loan my talent as facilitator to a Mexican performing work for me, my genius does not go
unrewarded. You should see the smiles. I’m always pleased to hear “Si Jorge, muy facil.”
[Edited on 4-20-2011 by Osprey]
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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Right vs Easy
There is reward for doing things the easy way.
You get to do them over, and over, and...
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Us facilitators spawned the "buy one, get one free" trend because of our love of redos so you can thank us (or not).
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Iflyfish
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Mui suave e mui facil amigo!
Iflyfishinaweandwonder
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Gypsy Jan
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Our Friend Eduardo
Calls it "Chique Nada" = Mexican Ingenuity.
(And please feel free to correct my spelling, because I don't know.)
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
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My favorite Spanish word is "suave". It usually gets a laugh, too, as I ususally say it as a single word reaction to somehting I think is cool, which
is often.
I think Mexicans are a bit lazy, often more mentally and intellectually lazy than physically lazy. They don't see it as that much of a fault, nor do
they see it as a personal defect nor do they see laziness as immoral. Americans see laziness as an unacceptable defect and view it as somewhat
immoral. Personally, I view laziness as a form of theft. But, this trait comes in degrees. We all exhibit some laziness in our own behaviors but
the distinguishing thing is where one draws line on one's own laziness and who are we really harming; only oneself or others?
I am not so forgiving of Mexicans who have caused me unfair hardship and money due directly to their laziness and dereliction. I include just about
every so-called Mexican professional that I have had to use over the years as well as most all government agency personnel that I have had to deal
with, with very few exceptions I might add. It is so prevalent, ubiquitous and pervasive that I can only conclude it is a cultural characteristic.
My wife will not have anything to do with Mexico because of what she has witnessed over the years. And, it is really difficult defend against her
arguments.
[Edited on 4-20-2011 by MitchMan]
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Wow, what an evocative post! I'm paying attention because your posts in the past have not been a message from a complainer.
1. I'll take up the challenge to debate your wife.
2. I'll debate you (til my last breath) about lazy people being thieves.
3. Your post, from the position you've suddenly displayed would be more welcome on Nebraska Nomads -- "will not have anything to do with Mexico".
Mitch, you're a good guy, tell me you're just having a bad day.
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bajafam
Senior Nomad
Posts: 654
Registered: 9-6-2009
Location: Northeast AZ, Bahia Asuncion, BCS :)
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Mitch ~ you been hanging out with DENNIS??
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
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Zzing!
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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bajafam
Senior Nomad
Posts: 654
Registered: 9-6-2009
Location: Northeast AZ, Bahia Asuncion, BCS :)
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Mood: DLTBGYD
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Osprey
2. I'll debate you (til my last breath) about lazy people being thieves.
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If you can't find a contestant, I'll play.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Won't be much of a debate Dave. I'm a poster child for the subject: too lazy to steal. (at least anything heavy)
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
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Location: on the bayou
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Lazy??? That's not a descriptive word that I'd apply to the Mexicans I've dealt with.
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
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Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
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It could be the Mexican relating to the Gringo??
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1856
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Osprey,
The connotations in your version, your paraphrasing of what I said is not the same as what I said.
| Quote: | | I'll debate you (til my last breath) about lazy people being thieves. |
I said laziness is a form of theft and I also said that was "my view". That is different from declaring as an absolute fact that all lazy people are
thieves. I made no such declaration as fact; what I said was clearly my 'view' (i.e., my opinion). As with any view or opinion, there is certainly
room for debate. I realize that. I don't presume for one minute that my views are automatically universal fact, they are simply, my views, and as
such are certainly susceptible to being universally wrong.
I will admit, Osprey, that I do harbor alot of resentment for the bad experiences I have had. I have had to pay alot of money and waste alot of time
needlessly due to the laziness and ineptness of both professionals that I have paid and of government personnel not knowing or doing their jobs
professionally. Take note that I did not say that I was swindled. That would have been theft. That did not happen, well, I did get swindled out of
$3,000 by one Loreto attorney. The others did not swindle me, they were just grossly derelict in their duty and it cost me.
I love Mexico, I want to live there. I have many friends there, I like Mexicans that I have chosen as friends and associates. I have respect for
them, my specific friends, that is. But, I am not naive.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Another honest post made in the spirit of reason and introspection. I think those things that happened to you that now give you pause, should have
happened to somebody else. A lot of us Nomads have given Baja a second, third, fourth, chance and were able to put it all behind us. Hope you can too,
some day.
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
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Thanks, Osprey, I appreciate the kind words.
You're right about giving Baja some slack. There have been times when I have been given slack while in Baja, now that I think of it. Now, if I can
just convince my wife.....
[Edited on 4-21-2011 by MitchMan]
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
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Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajafam
Mitch ~ you been hanging out with DENNIS?? |
Do we really need to air your dispute with Dennis in every thread?
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bajafam
Senior Nomad
Posts: 654
Registered: 9-6-2009
Location: Northeast AZ, Bahia Asuncion, BCS :)
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oh bajamigo ~ we have moved past all that
thanks for bringing it up again though!!
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
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Location: Punta Banda, BC
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Mood: hubimos llegado
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“Whenever there is a hard job to be done I assign it to a lazy man; he is sure to find an easy way of doing it.”
Walter Chrysler quote
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