Más allá de la semiosfera

The Rain is But a Pretext for the Raincoat

1. If I could paint, I would make an wall sized portrait of two boys I saw in the metro last weekend. They were dressed in suits and dress shoes, and situated at that particular border of adolescence at which they may or may not be old enough to be pallbearers and wedding ushers. They sat across from each other, propping up their feet on each other's seats, communicating hilarious messages back and forth in short, low tones. Liberated from the event that required formal behavior, they experienced a secret shared thrill from being so elegant in the metro together. I would paint them like that: young and happy together.

2. As a grad student, I have noticed that it is useful to say that thing B is just a pretext for thing A. Example: The photograph is just a pretext for the painting. The jar of rasperry preserves was just a pretext for the sandwich as a whole, for the diagonal line. The diagonal line is just a pretext for getting to know you better. Try it! The umbrella...

3. My roof doesn't look anything like this photo, but I can't get my camera out of the delayed shot setting. Help!

When Justin had my camera in Chilapa

When Justin had my camera in Chilapa, he took pictures of the tigrada, a tradition in that town in which many people dress as tigers (even tiny children) and participate in an enormous party. I missed the party, but am in posession of Justin's pictures because he had my camera in Chilapa.

Why do so many tiger masks have mirrors for eyes? It is notable that human eyes can be used for this puppose, that is, to see one's reflection. When is the last time you looked for your reflection in someone else's eyeball?

Por ti no tengo camisa / Por ti no tengo capote

let's hear it for the boy cover