MonkeyMan business #1: Appleseeds (cont.)

Hello all you part-time MonkeyPeople!

2010 has meant a loss in the job jungle but only in the number of jobs.

I am now only working 1 part-time job but a lot more hours and it's at my favorite of them all: Appleseeds!

Not only do I get to lead some of the movement classes now, but I also get to paint and make a mess in Art class.

Today we got our MonkeyMan hands really messy when we painted textured paintings using toilet paper and cornmeal.

The MonkeyAdults weren't too happy that they had to clean all their clothes afterwards and walk around all day with all sorts of colors everywhere. But relax! Its all

washable and it's fun.

I want to encourage all those MonkeyParents out there to get down and messy with their children in Art class, they will imitate you and if you let them do it, they will express themselves in ways you would never have thought.

(all above the information and photographs are property of Appleseeds ©)

MonkeyMan cultural observation #6: doorman vs. portero

Hello all you MonkeyPeople!

This week I am going to explore a cultural difference that may be overlooked by many but which I think shows a lot about hospitality - doormen in NYC and porteros in Spain.

The doormen in residential buildings here in New York City can be quite emblematic; sometimes a wearing a full on suit with a golden rimmed hat and take much care in their appearance. In Spain however, the porteros wear casual clothing or royal blue, plumber looking one-pieced suit and hardly pay attention to their grooming style.


Manners are not supposed to part of a portero's work. He usually lives on the ground floor with his kids running around the lobby, smoking cigarettes as his wife prepares his 3 hour lunch. And he NEVER opens the door for you. He is more of just a live-in "take care of everything" person, yet whenever you need him he is no where to be found.

In New York, doormen are respectful and will open the door for you most of the time, especially if you live in a nice neighborhood. They do not show the whole building their living quarters and are there to maintain some kind of sense of security for the inhabitants.

For the Spanish speakers out there check out this funny link: http://sosungroso.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!D46DA81CD9A4801!431.entry

Follow up on Healthcare post

Hello MonkeyPeople!

Don't be a processed monkey.

Watch the trailer for Processed People at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G96Sztb8Ctk

You can watch the whole thing on alluc.org.

MonkeyMan cultural observation #5: New Years traditions

Happy New Year MonkeyPeople!

This year I decided to take it easy and enjoy the holidays even more. No Christmas tree, few gifts and New years weekend in nature instead of in a club.

The traditions of putting up the Christmas tree on the 24th of December (baby Jesus' birth) and taking it down on the 6th of January (Epiphany) have been replaced by shopping till you drop and regretting all the food and alcohol consumed.

Old traditions are transformed to meet today's need. In Spain for example, it is tradition to eat 12 grapes at each stroke of the clock at midnight on New Years. Its quite funny because you are expected to have finished all the grapes by the 12th stroke...pretty much impossible and quite comical!


There are various speculations as to where this tradition came from. Some say that one year there was a very good harvest of grapes and the king decided to give the people some to celebrate. Others claim that a mayor of Madrid once put a fee on being able to visit a holy site in the city and some farmers decided to make fun of this elitist law by stuffing their faces with grapes.

In NYC, people (mostly tourists) wait all day at Times Square to watch the ball drop; freezing cold all for just a couple of seconds. Auld Lang Syne is a song that is sung at this time of the year and asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness.

Whether you celebrate these holidays or others, it is important to remember that they come from somewhere. In fact, before the rise of Christianity, the New Year usually took place on the first day of Spring which makes sense since it is a time of rebirth and growth. Also we must not forget that many other cultures around the world do not celebrate the new year at the same time we do.

Love, health and happiness for 2010!