Topic: Thoughts

Tuesday, October 28, 2008 - 03:39 PM

Today is my beloved's birthday. He is not really into celebration. In fact, he has a list of clients and tasks and plans to work today just like any other day. Which is a little strange, because his family is very into birthdays and still insists on sending us gifts even though we are adults and live way down here in Mexico, which makes both of us feel loved and missed.

Thursday, October 09, 2008 - 11:40 PM

Last night, while we were sitting around in puddles of sweat and pretty much trying not to touch anything or let anything touch us, I kept thinking I was feeling a stray cool breeze every now and again. I sat in the sweat puddle in my chair, which is the one thing I have to touch if I don't want to stand all day, wondering about this perceived coolness. My eyes repeatedly flicked to the thermometer. The temperature remained an unchanged 89.2. So why did I think it was refreshing? Finally, it dawned on me. The air wasn't becoming cooler, it was drier. Boy what a difference.

Thursday, October 02, 2008 - 03:50 PM

Those of you who have been reading for awhile know that I have some trouble with maids, and I don't understand why. I am not a tyrant. I am really easy going. I never complain. Well, except with that one, but I was totally entitled. And yet, my maids keep leaving me. Okay, at least two have gotten better paying, full-time jobs with health benefits, so I really can't blame them. But I still feel like I have done something wrong. And to make matters worse, no one tells you they are leaving. It's not the Mexican way. Telling me would hurt my feelings, and that would be unacceptable. So they just don't show up, and I have to figure out for myself that there was no emergency or they aren't sick – they just aren't coming back. That usually takes a couple of weeks, during which time my house gets dreadfully dirty.

Friday, August 15, 2008 - 06:24 PM

The musical scene in Mazatlan is not a highly varied one. It is dominated by banda, banda, and more banda. I am starting to develop an appreciation, if not an affection, for this music that mixes traditional Mexican sound with an entire brass section and an accordion, giving a very German oom pah pah flavor. The next largest segment of music is cover bands who do American 60's, 70's, and 80's rock. I have heard every possible variation of Hotel California. Sometimes, I think if I hear that song one more time, my ears may start to bleed. I am so hugely grateful for my satellite radio.

Monday, August 11, 2008 - 08:28 PM

When we came home today, our neighbors were standing around outside. We have been waiting and watching for a chance to talk with them. We were hoping that we could make a last ditch appeal with them do something. What, I don't know. Maybe kick him out. I hadn't thought that far ahead. We were just waiting to see them outside because we didn't want to knock on the door and risk having Pepe answer. And they haven't been outside much lately.

Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 06:39 PM

The next morning, around 11:00, an old, dirty, beat up, red Tsuru with no license plates pulled up in front of Pepe's house. Our street is very narrow, and the car completely blocked access so no one could come or go. A man got out and started calling to Pepe. I just thought, "What now?"

Saturday, August 09, 2008 - 08:31 PM

The police who work our area are very conscientious men and women who are really trying to do their job. When we were robbed, the police reaction was immediate and thorough. They fanned out through the neighborhood, checked all the known fence places, rousted known bad actors, and really tried to recover our stuff and arrest the culprit using good, old-fashioned police work. Unfortunately, they are hindered in their jobs by a number of factors.

Friday, August 08, 2008 - 09:00 PM

One thing about living next to a meth head – life is never dull. For awhile, we tried to tell ourselves that he wasn't really back on the drugs, and he did indeed have sober stretches that lasted a week or more. But, although self delusion can be entertaining, it is not very helpful, and we finally admitted we were going to have to do something or come up with a coping strategy.

Thursday, August 07, 2008 - 05:05 PM

Most of you know that we were robbed last August. It was a terrible and beautiful experience that taught us so much about our new country and our new neighbors. For a while it was like a raw, festering wound that kept us on our toes and never quite comfortable in our own home. It was like that hole left in your mouth when you lost one one of your baby teeth. No matter how hard you try to ignore it, your tongue continues to find that tender spot and explore it despite the pain. But eventually the pain fades, and a new tooth grows in its spot, so you don't even quite remember it was ever gone.

Sunday, July 20, 2008 - 11:36 PM

Joss Whedon, the king of camp, my hero and the most under appreciated man in television, has done it again. If you are not watching Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, you are really, really missing out. It's vintage superhero camp in three easy-to-digest webisodes, and you can watch for free at drhorrible.com.

Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 07:41 PM

I know I have been a bad blogger lately. My posts have been sporadic at best. Even this doesn't really qualify as a post; it is an excuse for not posting. I am truly sorry, internet. But the good news is that my lack of posting is due to an upswing in our new business. It seems that word has finally gotten out that I am the best web developer in all of Mazatlan. Well, okay, good enough to talk to. And that means I have had a lot of meetings, which as I mentioned before, take hours.

Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 06:15 PM

Almost no one uses the mail system here. All of our bills are hand delivered. There is practically no direct mail marketing. When someone has a sales circular or flyer to distribute, they hire people to stand at busy intersections and hand them out to passing motorists. Some people refuse them, but I always eagerly stick my hand out the window when it's my turn. The ads are a good basic Spanish lesson and a great way to find out about small stores in the area.

Monday, June 30, 2008 - 04:35 PM

I woke up this morning much earlier than I wanted, but Tasha was well rested and refreshed and ready to play. Not in a particularly good mood, I sat at my desk and gazed out the window at a leaden ocean and slate sky, an indifferent start to the day that matched my mood. My hand wandered around my desk until it found my ChapStick. I started to put some on and that's when I realized something was definitely wrong.

Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 04:57 PM

I have fans! Who knew? Yes, I know this site is read. I have a counter on each article so every visitor can tell how popular each one is. The fact that the counter has anything to count is evidence that people are at least clicking on the articles. But I don't get a lot of comments, so its easy to think my only readers are friends and family.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - 05:02 PM

I love this time of year in Mazatlan. It is just now starting to get truly warm, with the afternoons getting hot enough to make you sweat, promising future mysteries like a tentative, clumsy first kiss. The heat has been enough to drive most of the gringo tourists and snow birds back north. The city has heaved a huge, collective sigh of relief and let its hair down.

Friday, May 30, 2008 - 04:34 PM

Every time we think we are doing well with our Spanish, something happens to humble us. We do pretty well most days, which is what starts to make us think we are stellar students of the Spanish language. But really, most of the times we are speaking Spanish, we are in control of the situation and dictate the flow of the conversation, which means we are usually shopping or eating out.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 06:24 PM

Back in Fort Worth, we bought Tasha a Giggle Ball. It's a sturdy, red, rubber ball that has one of those gravity whistles inside that makes a cute sound when you turn it over. We brought it home to her, and it was love at first sight. She kept the ball with her at all times. She loved Giggle Ball so much that it didn't get packed in a box with the rest of the dog paraphernalia. It made the trip to Mexico in the over-packed truck with us.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:55 AM

We have a large, empty lot between our house and the ocean. It has been wild and overgrown since we moved in. I have been known to complain about it, as it has been a source of hordes of ticks, some snakes, clouds of mosquitoes, numerous feral cats, and the crash pad of the occasional drunk. The brush has been getting taller and taller and blocking more of our ocean view. I have fantasized more than once of setting the whole thing ablaze.

Thursday, March 27, 2008 - 12:18 AM

Today is the first official day of Spring. I know your calendar may have told you different. Ignore it. It's wrong. Today is the day – the one, glorious day. You know that day each year. You wake up and can just smell it in the air, and then, you see that ultimate harbinger, that signal that Spring has truly arrived.

Sunday, March 23, 2008 - 12:25 AM

Since the start of my career in IT, I have excelled at what I do. I'm very fortunate in that I really understand all the little technical details, and can also explain things well in everyday terms to people that don't have a lot of experience with computers. From the start I have always quickly become the person that both my customers and my bosses know they can hand a problem to and trust that it will be resolved without any further worry on their part. This gave me great opportunities to advance my career. I often was given responsibilities or projects that would ordinarily be outside the scope for my position. This meant that when questions of advancement arose, I already had experience and a working relationship with the people in whatever group I would be moving to. In short, I guess you could say I was really on the fast-track to success.

Friday, February 22, 2008 - 08:58 PM

The following two posts are about the exact same events. Unbeknownst to each other, both Chuck and I wrote about the same events at the same time. I was getting ready to publish mine when he gave me his to look over. After reading his, I decided to post them both.

Thursday, December 27, 2007 - 04:56 PM

Christmas was quiet. Very quiet. We didn't hear even the usual shuffling and breakfast making noises from our neighbors until after 1:00 pm. Not a soul walked down our street, not a car drove by. The previous evening's celebrations didn't wind down until about 5:00 am, so I guess everyone was sleeping in.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007 - 12:31 AM

Winter rolled into Mazatlan early this year and weather conditions deteriorated under a steady north wind that had daytime temperatures struggling to reach 19 degrees centigrade. For many, my self included, this was a serious cold snap that drove us into extra garb, with multiple layers for mornings and evenings. I have had on long pants for four days now and willingly seek comfort in the warmth of an evening barbecue. However, the newly arrived Canadians are finding the temperatures down right balmy and are cruising the Zone in shorts and tee shirts.

Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 08:55 PM

It’s the dog days of summer and even the dogs are relentlessly hounded by the heat and humidity while the days just seem to run together in a sweaty continuum of time. Depending upon the day and the location, the temperature’s hover around 90 degrees and moderate to about 84 at night; unless the wee hours are cooled by the rains. The humidity can be a tolerable 75% or shoot up to an oppressive 90% just before Mother Nature unleashes one of her tropical thunderstorms. These monsoon type storms will build huge thunderheads over the mountains throughout the day and then descend on Mazatlan and disgorge their moisture late in the afternoon or during the night. The lightning spawned by these tropical storms is very spectacular and will sometimes stretch across 120 degrees of horizon with thunderclaps lasting as long as 15 seconds. As the storms move down from the mountains, the increasing reverberations from the mighty peals of thunder will invariably set off every car alarm for miles. One huge bolt from above is enough to create a horrible electronic wailing that is ear splitting at street level. You would think that when this happens, people would turn off their alarm systems not simply reset them for the next thunderclap. However, this is Mazatlan where common sense is sometimes lost in the cultural shuffle.

Friday, July 06, 2007 - 07:06 PM

Our stuff is here! OK, we actually got our stuff June 29, but I haven't posted until now because I've been digging through boxes like a kid on Christmas morning, tossing bubble wrap into the air as I try to discover what treasure each box holds.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 - 06:52 PM

It's 5 am. Its 5 am, and I'm awake. Its 5 am, and I am awake and upstairs and writing. We moved to paradise, the land of no schedules, no alarm clocks, and I'm up, alone, in the dark, writing. What's wrong with this picture? Its the bed. I hate it. Actually, we have two. I hate them both.

Monday, May 14, 2007 - 12:00 AM

I rolled into Mazatlan last May thinking about spending a few days before heading further south into Nayarit; my initially perceived, first real stop on the west coast of Mexico. Then after 3000 brutal miles, Mazatlan loomed before me like a palm studded sanctuary and besides; my 18 year old son had acquired the haunted look of a caged animal, time to take a break. At that point in my life, the last place I wanted to be was within the teeming mass of humanity that comprises metropolitan Mazatlan, so we kept our distance. We found a very pleasing little RV park on the beach in Cerritos, parked our travel trailer, rolled out the awning, broke out the lawn chairs and cold beer and declared ourselves camped. I didn’t realize at the time that just how long I would be camping. Never a long term planner, my conceptual strategy for retirement in Mexico had not progressed past the RV phase; would I ever want a house?

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - 11:40 PM

Day 5 on the road. We're hot. We're tired. We're out of ice. We decide to stop at a Pemex to use the facilities and add some ice to the cooler. The facilities are no problem. They are easily accessible from outside, stocked with soap and toilet paper, and clean. Small favors.

Monday, December 25, 2006 - 09:12 PM

Chuck and I actually had nowhere to be today. No getting up early to get dressed and drive across the county to be at either of our parents' houses for Christmas breakfast. I love our families. I love Christmas with our families. But sometimes all the schedules and obligations and rushing around feel a lot more like work than a holiday. So we lazed our way through the morning. I did a little work. I made a late brunch. Then we decided a nap would be divine. Out of habit, I stopped to check my email before crawling into bed.

Saturday, December 02, 2006 - 12:30 PM

When My 18 year old son and I arrived in Mazatlan it was the height of the dry season, however the only thing dry was the jungle, we were both drenched, natures sauna cleaning your pores. The heat and humidly this time of year required any and all outdoor activities to be conducted only in areas where you were wafted by the constant ocean breezes or actually submersed in the water itself. We spent our time between the water, beach front cantinas and air conditioned comfort, it was in the beach front cantinas we replenished the liquids that continuously flowed from every inch of our skin.

Thursday, November 30, 2006 - 12:50 PM

After completing my most recent foray into the English-speaking world, I discovered that I have had a complete shift in my personal reality. Six months in Mazatlan is the longest period of time I have immersed myself within this open and friendly culture.

Thursday, July 27, 2006 - 05:28 PM

We've gotten some interesting weather thanks to tropical storm Emilia. Mazatlan is in a very protected location, so the effects haven't been too bad. We've gotten some much needed rain, and a little flooding. The wind kicked up quite a bit, and the surf turned wild.

Thursday, July 20, 2006 - 10:50 PM

Ok, after spending a little more than a week here, I have to revise one of my earlier statements about life in this city. It is entirely possible to feel uncomfortable or even unsafe in this town. I'll describe the scenario for those of you who haven't been there:

Friday, July 14, 2006 - 07:40 PM

The locks on our doors are really quite clever and quaint. They add to the charm of living in an old building in Centro Historico Mazatlan. The door latch is directly controlled by a spring-loaded rod that you pull out to open the door. If you want to leave the door unlocked, there is a lever that you move to hold the rod in the extended position. There is no knob on the outside of the door. You either leave the door unlocked or you use the key to move the rod.

Monday, April 03, 2006 - 04:34 PM

So far, these posts have all been from my wife, but now I’m going to jump in occasionally and offer my thoughts. It just amazes me how little accurate information is available. Mexico is so close, but no one really knows anything about it. I keep having the same conversation with people when I tell them I’m going to Mexico. They start with something to the effect of “be careful”, “You’re going to get robbed”, or “Watch out for bandits”. We talk a little more, then they exclaim, “YOU’RE DRIVING!! Its so dangerous, you shouldn’t drive in Mexico”, etc.

Monday, January 30, 2006 - 03:45 PM

Today’s post is short. I know - whew! I just wanted to share two of my favorite articles I have come across in my reading.

Judy’s Amazing Adventure

Chino’s Chicken

Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 11:53 PM

So we were originally thinking we were going to take up residence in the central highlands near a lake. This is because we both love the water and I hate the heat. And the humidity. Really, really, really hate it. In the summer here I get fussy and a little hard to live with, and I tend to hide in the air-conditioned indoors as much as humanly possible. It can take a crowbar to get me out of the house. There are many problems with this, but the biggest is that I like being outside.

Sunday, January 01, 2006 - 11:55 PM

The most common question we have been asked when we say we are moving to Mexico is, “Why?”, so I thought I’d gather some of our reasons here. It’s not actually a top ten list, that just made a catchy title. These are in no particular order.

Monday, December 26, 2005 - 05:06 PM

So far, the hardest thing we have had to deal with is the reaction of friends and family. Responses have run the entire spectrum from brutal to beautiful. My mother said, “I’m not coming to visit you.” That’s it. One flat statement. Nothing else. I have tried to broach the subject a few times since, but she definitely does NOT want to talk about it. We got an almost identical reaction from Chuck’s grandparents: “oh? We won’t visit you. Have fun.”

Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 06:05 PM

It was the last truly beautiful day of the season here in Fort Worth: 77 degrees, light breeze, sunny, and no humidity. We were a little bummed because we were supposed to be in California with my family visiting my Grandmother, but Chuck’s work had decided that they couldn’t live without him and cut his vacation short.