It's funny how a few cases of the flu can turn us into a country of hypochondriacs. On the other hand, Mexico can be such a contradictory place sometimes.

These are some quotes from emails I've gotten from two friends in Mexico City:

#1 "siento que es un movimiento manejado por el gobierno" (I think it is something designed by the government)

#2 "I didn't think it would get like this...it's like a ghost town...everything is closed...supermarkets packed and empty of basic food... people are freaking out."

The most prominent feeling I get is from the first camp. "No pasa nada" is like the mantra of this camp. Everyone is either suspicious of the government or so disillusioned after years of corruption and poverty that it's just one of those things that happens that people on top talk about and people on the bottom deal with one way or another.

Tolo, an ex-patient of Piña told me that fear itself can become a disability or a sickness, if we let it consume us. At the time, that seemed pretty amazing, especially since they say that stress can actually weaken our immune system. My landlord´s advice was to just keep working (and sweating- to get rid of toxins) and not to worry about it. "God will kill us if he wants to". That was pretty important too, I think. If the Good Lord wants to do you in, he won't need a viris to do it. He'll just knock you out of a coconut tree or send a scorpion into your bedroom.

Personally I feel fine. We're in the country and near the ocean. Although if this were a movie, the viris would make a sweeping comeback and kill everyone that didn't believe in it. So once in a while I put the mask on just in case the swine flu is watching.

Semana Santa continues here on Death Beach in a haze of Mexican tourists, Sol beer, disgruntled locals, government corruption and endless amounts of sand. I've spent probably about 50 hours at the beach this week with my camera on standby trying to get some action. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right (wrong) time to film a rescue last week. I plan on seeing the week out as some of Mexico celebrates Samana Santa through this Saturday.

I went to my first Mexican wedding as well. One of the long-time employees of Pina Palmera got married and all the staff was invited to the cermony/reception which ended in a late night of volunteer bonding and ice cold Coronitas.

I've been getting closer and closer to what you might call a story. It's a real challenge to get your mind around how to turn reality into a story. I've tried thinking about how I do it orally. If I tell a story about something that happened to me. What I leave out and what I emphasize. It's interesting to actually pay attention to the choices I make. Try it next time you tell a story. I think the key are the strong emotions that I feel during the event or events of the story. The moments that seem longest or most ironic or most metaphorical. I'm coming to realize that it's all a very literary process. The choice of whether on not to actually tell a formulaic story always exists, obviously, however, and I constantly find myself playing with ways to avoid falling into easy, well-worn cinematic devices.

For instance, making a film about characters in an environment is very common. But what about if the characters are used to illustrate an environment. Herzog's recent film (which did NOT win best documentary at the academy awards) Encounters at the End of the World plays with this a bit and I think he pulls it off quite well. Still, Encounters is primarily about Werner Herzog meeting people, which is very different from how it looks like this film will turn out.

Oh, and Avi just went on a short trip to LA where he picked up a Ewa Marine underwater housing for the DVX. Harpoon fishing scene. Check.