First things first:
Have you heard about the documentary: Super Size Me: A Film of Epic Proportions?
The director ate nothing but McDonald's for 30 days to find out the health effects it would have on him and guess what? He got fat. But he also had a liver akin to an alcoholic's at the end of the month and lost his sex drive among other things. Now, it's not like I thought McDonald's was good for you, but I also didn't realize that it was that terrible for you. This has made me not want to eat fast food ever again and I haven't even seen the movie. It recently (yesterday, I think) won the best director award at Sundance and so, I think it might actually be released in theatres, despite expected opposition from Mickey D's. I can't wait to see it.
The weekend:
Skiing was out and I spent most of the weekend flat on my back with my feet in the air... but, my back is feeling mostly better. (whewh) And, we got to see FAME the musical on Sat. night which was fun. I don't think it's the best musical I've ever seen. I liked Rent thousands of times better, but I enjoyed Fame and hearing the old TV show theme song was fun as was seeing all the legwarmers. :)
On Sunday, Neil and I went to Acoma Sky City, the oldest continually inhabited city in the U.S. The Acoma tribe gives tours of the town, which is on top of a mesa and has no running water or electricity. Some of the newer houses are 500 years old. Our guide, Orlando, is a resident of Sky City. He's one of 30 people who still live there full time and he was amazing as a guide. He told us about the Spanish conquistadors who forced the tribe to build the catholic church beginning in 1629 and completed in 1640. The church, San Esteban del Rey, still stands on the mesa today. Orlando told us how the tribespeople built the church with dimensions that corresponded to sacred numbers in their own native religion. He told us about the matriarchal society and the cemetery that is 40 feet deep and contains layers of Acoma ancestors all buried under dirt that was carried to the top of the mesa.
Orlando spoke very quickly, used distinct hand gestures and interspersed words in his tribal language. When asked about this he said that he was speaking to us in three languages at once and that he spoke quickly because he wanted us to understand what he was telling us but not to remember everything because he wants to keep his oral history. It worked. I don't remember much of what he told us. I wish I took notes. But I left with this almost cheesy feeling that Orlando had given me a gift. I had been allowed into this sacred place and some greater wisdom was imparted to me... about survival and connectedness and strength. I will have to go back to the Sky City...
Meanwhile, I am crossing my fingers for Howard Dean tomorrow.... But I'm also going to try not to watch this time. (yeah right)
