Years ago, my flash fiction piece “Blue Devils” was published in the book Cuéntame un Blues: Antología de minificciones (La Tinta del Silencio Press). It shared pages with “Blues para todos mis sueños” —the debut literary work of Héctor Juárez Lorencilla (my husband!), who got published on his very first try (lucky him, right?).
The Back Bone (Not “Homoplato”) | Definition & Anatomy
If you’re searching for ‘homoplato’ or ‘omóplato’, you’ve come to the right place. The correct term for this back bone is the scapula, also widely known as the shoulder blade.
Here, we’ll explain what the scapula is, its key functions, and why confusion with terms like “homoplato” is so common.
The Real Shoulder Blade of the Back
The shoulder blade is the flat, triangular bone located in the upper back, behind the shoulder. It’s sometimes informally called a “wing bone” or “chicken wing” due to its shape.
Its primary function is to connect the arm to the torso, enabling a wide range of shoulder movements. It’s a fundamental part of human anatomy.
In Spanish, the correct term is “omóplato” (without an initial ‘h’).
The Spanish word ‘omóplato’ comes from the Greek ‘omos’ (shoulder) and ‘platys’ (wide/flat), hence its description. You can verify its precise definition in the RAE dictionary.
The SEP’s Error: When “Homoplato” Slipped into Textbooks
A notable fact is that the term “homoplato” (with an initial ‘h’) appeared in some free textbooks from Mexico’s Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), specifically in the Third Grade Natural Sciences textbook (Block I, page 14 in certain editions). I even took photos as evidence of this serious editorial oversight.
The correct spelling is ‘omóplato’, even if the SEP published otherwise. Errors in their free textbooks.
This error caused confusion and was widely noted, as the correct and recognized form in both anatomy and the Spanish language is “omóplato”. Such typos highlight the importance of careful review in educational materials.
Similar Words That Do Exist
While “omóplato con h” (homoplato) is not a valid word, the prefix “homo-” (meaning ‘same’ or ‘similar’) is correctly used in many other words. For example:
Homonym: Words that sound or are spelled the same but have different meanings (e.g., “hi” and “high”).
Homogeneous: Having the same nature or composition.
It’s important to differentiate these valid words from the incorrect use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you spell “omóplato”? It’s spelled “omóplato” in Spanish, without an initial “h”.
What bone is the “omóplato”? The “omóplato” is the flat, triangular bone located in the upper back, just behind the shoulder. It is also known as shoulder blade.
What is the function of the “omóplato”? The “omóplato” connects the arm to the torso, allowing for a wide range of shoulder and arm movements for various actions.
How do you say “omóplato” in English?
In English, the “omóplato” is commonly known as the shoulder blade.
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Latonería: What It Is, How Brass Is Worked, and Its True Meaning
—or the art of shaping tin sheets…
🔨 Looking for a “latonería” workshop?
Latonería (or hojalatería) is the craft of working with brass (copper + zinc alloy) and tinplate (steel coated with tin). Here’s everything you need to know —including the story behind my brass angel (pictured above), bought at the León Fair in Guanajuato, Mexico.
📚 What does the Royal Spanish Academy say?
“latonería (from lata, ‘tin’):
A collection of food cans.
In Andalucia and Latin America: hojalatería (tinsmithing).”
So, latonería is where tin and brass are crafted. My angel? Born in a latonería.
🛠️ What is latonería? Definition and uses
It’s the traditional craft of shaping brass and tinplate into:
Decor: Angels, crosses, candlesticks.
Utensils: Pots, pitchers, baking molds.
Tools: Funnels, gutters.
Architecture: Roof ornaments, weathervanes.
🔧 How it’s done:
Cutting: With tinsmith’s shears.
Shaping: Hammered over anvils.
Soldering: Joined with tin.
Polishing: Buffed to a shine.
🌎 History and tradition
A colonial-era craft in Latin America.
In Spain, linked to lanterns.
Today, a dying art —except in places like Zacatecas, Mexico, where it’s used for religious ex-votos.
Why do people confuse latonería with lataría?
(Or: How I spent years arguing with my mom over grammar)
The RAE defines latir (“to beat,” like a heart) but notlater —yet 99% of Spanish speakers say “me latería” instead of “me latiría.”
⚔️ The Great Debate:
My mom (Team Grammar):“It’s ‘latiría’! ‘Later’ isn’t even a verb!”
Me (Team Real World):“But 117,000 Google results say ‘latería’! Language evolves!”
💡 The verdict?
Like latonería reshapes metal, speakers reshape language. The RAE eventually accepts popular usage (e.g., “okupar” with a *k*, “bloguero”). So, will “latería” stick? Stay tuned.
🎭 A linguistic rollercoaster
From “cantinflear” (to babble nonsense) to “googlear” (to Google), the RAE resists —then surrenders. My favorite?
“okupar (with a *k*, because rebellion): To squat in an empty building.”
Moral? If millions say “latería,” it’ll say latir in the dictionary someday. Until then: ¡Inguesú! (Also not RAE-approved.)
I was pregnant when I started watching Game of Thrones, the show that had half the world obsessed. But I couldn’t handle all that graphic violence with a baby in my belly. So instead, I picked up the first book at the Central State Library of Guanajuato, Wigberto Jiménez Moreno. The series is called A Song of Ice and Fire.
Then my maternity leave began. And since I never got a library card, I downloaded the book as a PDF (poor me!).
For the rest of my leave, I watched every single Adam Sandler movie. From his early roles as a side character (like the ridiculously stupid Airheads, with that ugly Brendan Fraser guy) to the mind-numbingly boring The Cobbler. Heck, I even rewatched Jack and Jill… No wonder my poor laptop chose a quick death. One day, it just refused to turn on. Poof.
I downloaded the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire.
After finishing it, I tried reading a bunch of other books. But I abandoned them all halfway: Norwegian wood by Haruki Murakami, A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe (and I even suffered through I Am Charlotte Simmons again just because I was too lazy to find another book)…
So after The Sweetest Dream by Doris Lessing and Brothers by Yu Hua (a masterpiece you just can’t put down) and Don Quixote… I couldn’t read anything that wasn’tA Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones.
When my laptop died (thanks, Adam Sandler), I started using the forgotten tablet my husband gave me like ten Christmases ago. Honestly, it’s the only reason I survived months without a computer!
So I kept reading and downloading the remaining four books in the series:
A Clash of Kings,
A Storm of Swords,
A Feast for Crows, and
A Dance with Dragons.
Of course, not all of them are equally gripping.
Once they start introducing new characters like the Krakens or those sand snakes, you lose interest because you can’t keep track of who’s who —and really, you only care about two or three people (I love the Lannisters, such a karmic soulmate fairy tale). At first, you adore the Khaleesi, but after five books, she turns into Dumbteesi, and all you want is to smack some sense into her thick skull.
I had no idea what to read next that I wouldn’t abandon halfway: The Lord of the Rings wasn’t available in my tiny home library, The Hobbit was… BUT I got used to reading comfortably on my tablet, which I later replaced with an Amazon Kindle —no more hauling around three kilos of bound paper.
Low-Calorie Oatmeal & All-Bran Pancakes (Ready in 10 Mins!)
Blend these weight-loss-friendly ingredients:
⅓ cup whole-grain pancake mix (or oat flour for gluten-free)
⅓ cup rolled oats (not instant!)
⅓ cup All-Bran cereal (for extra fiber)
1 egg (keep the yolk for nutrients!)
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or light milk).
In the picture is my final result: 3 low cal pancakes for an original birthday cake! It was my husband’s 50th birthday and I wanted to cook him a pancake birthday cake!
Tips for Even Lighter Pancakes
Use sugar-free syrup.
Zero-calorie cooking spray.
Freeze for quick breakfasts.
Tried my low calorie pancakes for weight loss? Tag me on social media @eltarotmx (X: @todomepasa) with your low fat pancakes pics! I’ll feature my favorites.
My healthy pancake recipe is perfect for weight loss —fluffy, filling, and just 150 calories each! Just don’t bing-eating on them! Your house is not an all-inclusive resort…
Low calorie oatmeal pancakes for your diet
My Famous Weight-Loss Recipe!
I promised I’d share how I lost weight without diets, pills, supplements, or nutritionists. Turns out, my diet oatmeal pancakes helped me drop 10 kg (22 lbs) in just four months before vacations —plus around 5 jeans sizes! I wasn’t even aiming for a drastic weight loss (I liked my curves!), but eating healthy and exercising 6x a week boosted my metabolism like crazy.
For now, here’s my upgraded high-fiber, diet-friendly pancake recipe —now with All-Bran for extra nutrition!
Why These Pancakes Work for Weight Loss
My first time trying diet pancakes was years ago at a government cafeteria (where meals cost almost nothing—lucky bureaucrats!). Over time, I tweaked the recipe: swapped half the flour for oats, and now I’ve added All-Bran for even more fiber.
Oatmeal & All-Bran Diet Pancakes
Blend in this order (start with milk to avoid clumps):
– ⅓ cup pancake mix
(I used regular mix this time, but light/whole-grain works too.)
Mexico has crowned its new folk hero: “The Vigilante”—the Lone Ranger of buses and taco stands, the Zorro of highways. Truth is, most citizens cheer this bald man’s unbeaten streak (rumored to be a bodyguard).
The authorities, ever the legalists, invoke the Rule of Law: No one may take justice into their own hands, they intone. This isn’t the age of lex talionis; retributive justice is archaic. Meanwhile, the hyper-moralistic crowd shrieks that no one has the right to take a life, ever. And the media? They churn out daily clickbait, treating the story like a jigsaw puzzle—digging, speculating, hungry for the next blurry photo to unmask this avenger.
Enter biopower (Foucault’s pet concept): the modern state’s art of control through economics, politics, police, media, even faith. But Mexican society is done —done with lies, injustice, hunger, sickness, and poverty. The President and his coterie of intellectual-lites wax poetic about Mexico’s greatness. Tell that to the 70 million poor who’d disagree.
Now, the antihero emerges. They call him The Vigilante. Beware.
Cases of “DIY Justice” multiply; the façade of institutional legitimacy tears at the seams. Corrupt governors, once shielded by power, are now abandoned by it. The elite pull strings, but no one’s safe when stability cracks.
What’s brewing? Gas price hikes, currency devaluation, budget cuts, inflation —a recipe for more antiheroes. Grandmas whacking assailants with frying pans, mobs tying thieves to lampposts after a beating, women defending their purses in broad daylight and leaving attackers in critical condition.
Thieves, rapists, fraudsters —they all risk being caught, lynched, and sentenced ipso facto to corporal punishment.
Byung-Chul Han, Europe’s darling philosopher, offers metaphors for our neoliberal, globalized post-modernity in “The Burnout Society”. But Mexico’s 21st-century mantra is simpler:
“We’re sick of this fucking bullshit”.
A soap opera former President, his comedy-princess sidekick, and an endless cops-vs-army-vs-cartels farce—all shackled by Rule of Law but strategy-free against crime. Farmlands lie fallow; Mexico can’t feed itself. Daily insecurity means criminals rob pennies from workers, not the rich —they have bodyguards, guns, and friends in the judiciary.
The poor bear the catastrophe. So antiheroes gain traction, and imitation spreads. “Wild Wild West Mexico” is a myth; Vindicta Mexico is real. Just dare to challenge government corruption, and the dominoes tremble—remember the Arab Spring?
In this text, the writer Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo highlights how the squire Sancho Panza, after some time serving his master, begins to reason and adopt attitudes worthy of Don Quixote of La Mancha. This is what is known as the process of quixotization.
Madariaga takes as an example the beginning of the Chapter V of the Second Part of the book:
“Of the discreet and gracious dialogue between Sancho Panza and his wife Teresa Panza, and other events worthy of happy recollection”:
“When the translator of this history reached the fifth chapter, he declares it apocryphal, for in it Sancho Panza speaks in a style unlike what might be expected from his limited wit…”.
Here, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra plays with words and the narrator’s voice, as in other chapters of the First Part. He aims to convince the reader that these adventures were drawn from another source —though he may also allude to the unauthorized sequels of Don Quixote published after the original.
Don Quixote is the most famous warrior ever
I.I The Process of Sancho Panza’s Quixotization
Later, Madariaga references the Chapter III of the Second Part:
“Of the laughable exchange between Don Quixote, Sancho Panza, and the bachelor Sansón Carrasco”.
This bachelor informs the protagonists of a book written by Cide Hamete Benengeli, “who left recorded the history of your great deeds”.
Sancho listens to the conversation between the bachelor and his master. As he learns that his name has gained fame, the squire swells with pride, even declaring himself “one of the principal presonages” (sic) of the story.
Sancho’s quixotization lies in this: after so often hearing Don Quixote speak of how their adventures would be remembered through the ages… Sancho comes to believe it and acts accordingly.
Don Quixote was a romantic.
II. The Sanchification of Don Quixote
Here, Salvador de Madariaga explains how Don Quixote gradually sheds his knight-errant persona. In the First Part, Alonso Quixano abandons everything to roam the world, honoring his king and his lady.
But as the novel progresses, the protagonist —through his madness— gains awareness of the real world. He now travels with saddlebags full of coins and pays for his lodging at the inns where he stays.
He even seeks advice from the bachelor Sansón Carrasco on how to begin his new series of adventures.
Today, Don Quixote would fight against global warming.
II.I The Meaning of Don Quixote’s Sanchification
The fervor with which Don Quixote begins his exploits wanes as reality intrudes.
The knight and his squire travel to El Toboso, to seek the maiden Dulcinea. But when Don Quixote sees that his lady is merely a peasant girl, he blames his enemy, the enchanter:
“Sancho, dost thou see how I am hated by enchanters? And mark how far their malice and the grudge they bear me extend, for they would deprive me of the joy I might have in seeing my lady in her true form. Truly, I was born to be a model of misfortune, the target and bull’s-eye for the arrows of adversity…”.
Ultimately, Madariaga contrasts how Don Quixote’s illusions are eroded by reality, while Sancho undergoes the inverse: he begins grounded but becomes filled with fantasy and dreams of glory.
SOURCE:
De Madariaga, Salvador. Quixote reading guide. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1981. Chaps. VII–VIII: “The quixotization of Sancho and the sanchification of Don Quixote”.
Jimmy Donaldson AKA MrBeast Just Pissed Off Mexico’s 4T Government (And Their Imaginary Gods).
So Mexico’s Ministry of Culture—aka the clowns from the 4T’s second floor—is threatening to sue Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast), the biggest YouTuber in history, over his “scientific documentary” about Chichén Itzá, Calakmul, and Balamcanché…
Ridiculous.
Let me break it down:
MrBeast visited Chichén Itzá, one of the most AWFUL “vacation” spots I’ve traveled to. It turns out that my mysterious back rash wasn’t an allergy from the cochinita pibil’s purple onions… it was BED BUGS.
BED. BUGS.
León Guanajuato’s flea markets don’t have bed bugs!
Back then (more than 20 years ago), the only way to arrive to the archaeological ruins was via disgusting, dirty buses —worse than Mexico City’s extinct Ruta 100.
A total scam.
20 years ago, I got bed bugs visiting Chichen Itzá hahaha.
The heat? Whatever. We’ve all known about global warming since the ‘80s (thank you very much, Donald Trump, for making fun of it).
But waking up covered in itchy bites?
Thanks for nothing, Maya gods!
Had I bought an “I Went to Acapulco and All I Got Was This Shitty T-Shirt” merch, mine would say:
“I Went to Chichén Itzá and All I Got Were These Shitty Bed Bug Bites.”
Dear Luisito Comunica: I’ve never watched your videos, but please go ASAP and check if Chichén Itzá’s buses are now as clean and fresh as Cancún’s ( I doubt it). I haven’t visited Cancún since I read about the kid who lost his leg—and life—at Xcaret’s pool (Xenses Park). Did the 4T even fine the owners?
Teotihuacán was sooo gorgeous, but now it’s too far away to visit every other weekend. I need MrBeast helicopter…
Chichén Itzá? Overpriced, ugly, hot, and you can’t even climb the one pyramid. I sincerely congrat MrBeast for “bribing” his way in.
Even my mom hated Chichen Itzá:
And back then, do you remember? we entered where a relic was, which they no longer let you in, unless you’re Mr. Beast hahaha 😂 and it smelled like armpit, almost impossible to bear.
4T’s Priorities: Clown Edition
Instead of solving Valeria Márquez’s murder, little Fátima’s case, or 12 year old Mateo’s killing by a monster named Christian Augusto Jafet Gómez Villalpando, they’re crying over a YouTube heavily EDITED video.
Classic distract-the-masses move.
Pro tip for Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo minions:
Maybe?
1. Fix the feminicides,
2. water shortages, and
3. actual crimes,
before whining about gentrification, white privilege, American colonialism, acuracy of the scientific documentaries posted in MrBeast Youtube Channel (395 millions subscribers so far!).
Open Letter to MrBeast
Dear Jimmy Donaldson:
Glad you survived Mexico!
We love you so much 🙂
Next time, skip the tourist traps and just:
– Feed our hungry kids (since the government won’t).
– Dig wells (since my government can’t provide water).
– Invite me to Singapore, where officials don’t harass tourists? Do they?
P.S. If you really wanna troll the Mexican Ministry of Culture, buy all of their buildings and turn them into Chicken Pizza pyramids (local joke).
🎤 Mic Drop
#LeaveMrBeastAlone!!!
He’s out here doing YOUR job while you’re busy trying to sue content creators over memes.
