Trailing Male

2009-08-18T15:32:00.001+02:00

Testing 1, 2, 3

2009-08-17T10:43:00.003+02:00

Bye-bye Birdie

Yesterday this little guy (an ordinary house sparrow) was sitting in front of our front door. Apparently he took a tumble from the nest over the door (stolen by his parents from a house martin family that built it).

Obviously he was not yet ready for fledgling status. We've already seen one clutch of fledglings emerge and hop-fly their way into the world; this guy was from batch two of the season. We did our best to avoid frightening him and Emily put some water out in a shallow lid. (Baby had no idea what to do with it, but Mama Bird did - hello birdbath!)

When we came home from our afternoon in Tirana yesterday, birdie had moved to the base of a downspout, a much better location away from our doorway. I saw Mama in the vicinity several times, so all appeared well.

Unfortunately this morning birdie was dead. There was no sign of foul play, so he apparently didn't fall prey to one of the neighborhood cats. Perhaps it was a bit too cool overnight, or perhaps he suffered injury in the tumble from the nest. Either way, it was a bit sad, but not wholly unexpected. Every spring and summer in Manassas we invariably had dead baby robins in our yard. In Mexico we had one young dove that didn't survive the transition to adulthood. The situation reminds me of a classic Yes tune, "Survival."

In any case, this will be the last season for this particular nest. We've resolved to remove the nest this winter and put up something (boards, screen?) to prevent birds from rebuilding in that location. The nest litter and droppings on our doorstep quickly overpowered any warm, fuzzy feelings we had for the cheeping of little birds. Besides, Mama and Papa bird hate the activity of our door opening and closing. Better for all if they relocate. I'm sure there will be plenty of new house martin nests to steal with all the new construction in the neighborhood.

On another note, this blog posting marks my return to more regular updates. I'm pondering several sorts of "projects," some written and some photographic, that I hope to start here shortly. Stay tuned and keep in touch.

2009-05-24T21:43:00.002+02:00

Albania at last!

We finally made it! Friday afternoon we flew in to Tirana and started our two years in Albania. Not having slept on the flights over enough to measure, we were exhausted. We pushed on, unpacking stuff and going grocery shopping in the evening. Saturday and half of Sunday were spent doing housework, unpacking, rearranging, and unwinding/resting. We went to a BBQ hosted by another Embassy employee and got a scenic tour of the area in which we live.

Here are two quick pictures just to show a bit of the neighborhood. First, a castle (don't know the name yet) that we can see to our south.

Second, a local farmer, his cow, and his sheep. Every evening he brings them down the hill behind us to graze in the empty field below us. Around dark, he takes them back up the hill. The little lamb, barely visible in the grass, is quite playful and last night followed two boys that walked by, much to the farmer's chagrin.

2009-04-23T00:54:00.002+02:00

Yes, it's been five months since my last posting, or so it seems. Facebook has taken what little time and energy I have for online postings, unfortunately, and I've neglected this space.

Quick updates:
My Albanian training ends next week. Woohoo! I won't be fully comfortable in Albania, but I feel I have enough of a grasp to get around. I'll have two weeks of intense pack-out work and last-minute purchases and then depart.

Boots will be going to live with my sister-in-law and her family soon. We have to work out the details soon. I'll miss her more than I care to think about, especially when we get to Albania and I'm alone each day while Emily is at work. It will be odd. Boots has been with us for over 14 years now. We'd love to take her, but don't see any scenario where a 15 year old dog, that has never flown before and doesn't like kennels/cages, would survive the long trip.

I'm getting used to my new laptop. It's the first time I've ever had to use just a laptop, so it's a bit of a learning curve. My old Powerspec PC is nearly ready for my brother. I plan to deliver it this weekend.

I just received my DVD of "Reclaiming the Blade" today (finally!). As with the majority of the movies I've purchased since I returned to the States last summer, it'll go into the "watch in Albania" pile, which is substantial. I still need to pick up a few more movies that I missed while in Mexico or just after we got back, but I've made a good start.

Once I arrive in Albania, I will resume my full-time student activities, either with NVCC or another institution. I also plan to spend some time developing a personal website as well as some practice/play sites, just for practice.

We will definitely be doing some serious traveling while in Albania: Albania itself, Monte Negro, Kosova, Macedonia, Greece, Italy - and maybe Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia. Mostly for fun, but we also want to scout out Macedonia, Italy, Kosova, and Monte Negro for possible future postings. Italian is pretty easy and I'm sure Emily could pick it up very quickly. Kosova is an Albanian post and both Macedonia and Monte Negro have Albanian as a minority language.

Well, time to run. I have to prepare a short presentation on human rights in Albanian for tomorrow.

2008-11-03T22:35:00.002+01:00

Yes, it's been over a month, again, since my last post. I have been busy, honest! Emily and I have been taking Albanian classes full-time (5 days a week, 5 hours per day) for the past eight weeks or so, just long enough to know how tough a language Albanian actually is.

Twice a week we've gone to an introductory Italian class at NVCC. Since neither of us needs the credits and neither wants the stress, we're auditing the course. So, two nights a week we spend two and a half hours learning Italian. Compared to Albanian, Italian is incredibly easy: far fewer irregularities and NO cases! I had forgotten how much of my high school Latin was memorization of tables.

For most of the first eight weeks, Emily was on the morning shift and I was on the afternoon shift. As of today, we switched. As a result, I had trouble getting to sleep last night and then woke up around five o'clock this morning. After trying unsuccessfully to get back to sleep for a bit, I got up around 5:30, a full hour before I had planned. Yuck. I was awake for my class, but by noon was beginning to get tired. Now I am quite tired, but know that I can't take a nap. Naps tend to make things worse for me: I get up from a nap groggier and later have trouble getting to sleep. Thankfully Heroes isn't on tonight, so I can go to bed a little earlier than usual perhaps. I'll be fine once I get used to the schedule. As it is, I came home today, ate lunch, checked email, did my homework quickly, did some laundry, watched a little TV, and am now awaiting Emily's return after her first afternoon class. I think she wants to go shopping, although just why eludes me at the moment.

The Italian class is mostly for fun, since we do intend to travel to Italy while living in Albania. In addition, we hope to visit Greece (at least Korfu, since it's close), Croatia (Dalmatian Coast here I come!), Monte Negro (pretty much sits between Albania and Croatia), Kosovo (as research for a future posting - one of only three places Emily can work with Albanian), Macedonia (ditto), and we are seriously pondering a return trip to Malta. With two R&Rs to London included in the benefits for serving in the undeveloped Albania, we could end up there instead. Right now it's impossible to say. If it sounds like we'd burn a lot of vacation time doing this, we would; on the flip side, Emily took very little vacation during our two years in Monterrey.

I have started a list of places in Albania that I want to visit, largely based on historic sites:

Butrint: Unesco World Heritage Site. Wonderful Greek and Roman ruins.
Berat & Gjirokastra: Unesco World Heritage Sites. Berat is home to an old citadel. Gjirokastra is often called the "museum town" and is home to a nice castle.
Durres. Home to a large amphitheatre.
Perhaps some caverns (Balkans are chock-full of them; the term "Karst topography" started with part of what is now Croacia, if I recall my Physical Geography terms correctly)
Pretty much any old castles or ruins I can find.

Other activities planned for Albania include 2009's NaNoWriMo. I would have loved to participate this year, but just do not have that kind of time. Next year I will be ready for it. I hope to draw some inspiration from Albania to flesh out some of the many story ideas I've jotted down over the years. Something I hope to start here and complete there is something like Conjuguemos, but for Albanian. It will be a labor of love rather than for money, but good experience I think. I'm planning an initial database, to be followed by a web interface later.

Next posting I will try and get some photos up. One last note: we really wish we could go to the Obama rally in the Manassas area tonight. Unfortunately with our split schedule (AM/PM), it just wasn't an option. We did manage to get our votes in last Thursday, since our absentee ballots were mistakenly sent to our old address. IF they successfully forward, twice, we'll probably see them later this month.

2008-09-25T16:24:00.002+02:00

It's been a month?!

What the heck? How could it have been a month since I posted? Sheesh, time flies and all that.

Updates:
Emily and I are learning Albanian, albeit slowly, 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, plus homework. In addition, we are taking an introductory Italian class at NVCC two nights a week (2.5 hours each class), plus homework. Italian is way easier and is so close to Spanish.... Unfortunately it's the "disposable" of the two languages: if things get too difficult, we abandon Italian. We're only taking it for vacation/travel purposes. The biggest problem with the Italian class is the pace: glacial. The book isn't that big, yet it is supposed to cover four (yes, 4!) semesters of Italian. That would be 18 hours in one book! Given the confusion suffered by some of our classmates over various bits of grammar, however, I could easily see it taking an entire semester to cover a chapter in sufficient detail. What grammar is causing the trouble you ask? So far: syllables, adjectives, adverbs, and masculine/feminine/single/plural agreement of nouns and adjectives. Pronunciation contines to be a problem, although I have my own problems there, which I attribute to warring Spanish and Albanian neurons.

The house is fine. We *really* love the location. At a slightly brisk walk, I can be in class in 7 minutes. Ten minutes at a normal walk, 12-15 if you truly make it leisurely or you're in heels (not me, I'm just saying). We would love to buy in this neighborhood, but even with the downturn, houses are @ $500K. Sigh. Maybe one day I'll win that lottery or (as my parent's said when I was younger) my rich uncle will get out of the poor house.

On other news, when I read Sluggy Freelance this morning, there was a link to this video. I can only assume that's a mama bunny, but whatever the case, don't mess with that rabbit! (Unfortunately it's a MySpace video and doesn't give me an embed link.)

I managed to watch all of Heroes seasons 1 and 2 on DVD before the new season started. Emily only managed season 1 and the first episode of season 2. After that, I gave her a quick synopsis of the major plot points of the rest of the season. We happily watched the two hour (actually just two episode) season 3 premier on Monday. Woohoo! We finally have a clue what scary mom's power is, Sklyar is freaking more dangerous, and the previews for next week are a bit troubling.

We also watched the return of Big Bang Theory, our favorite sitcom (about the only one I watch regularly). Again, woohoo!

My only problem is that BBT was up against Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and I had to make a choice. Since moving back from Mexico, I've been unable to get my DVD player/recorder to work with Comcast cable. I hope this weekend I can find the time to completely disconnect, check cables/swap cables, and get it working.

2008-08-16T20:05:00.003+02:00

New Digs

As some of you know, when we returned to the States for training prior to our departure for Albania, Emily and I planned to buy a condo in the Arlington or Alexandria area. Unfortunately it didn't work out. We found a few acceptable places, but the condo fees were just too much, rendering it impossible to break even as a rental.

We got lucky. On Livelines, a Yahoo! Group designed for mutual support/commiseration of Foreign Service personnel and families, we found the perfect house: in Arlington, very close to FSI (Emily can walk to class in @ 10 minutes!), furnished, and adjacent to Alcova Heights Park. The owners are FS folks, too, currently abroad. We took the place over immediately after another officer, who was just wrapping up language training prior. The timing was right, the location perfect, and the house great. Best of all, rent is via per diem and all-inclusive, making our lives a lot easier.

Boots is having occasional problems with the hardwood floors upstairs and the Pergo in the basement den (she had the same problem in Mexico with tile and marble floors), but loves the park. She has become reaquainted with squirrels, something she didn't see at all in Monterrey, and soon enough we'll encounter a bunny or two on our daily walks; what more could she want? (Aside from cheese, of course.)

2008-07-31T22:10:00.002+02:00

Stability Index

NPR had an interesting story recently on the availability of Coca Cola as a measure of the stability of a country. I found it very interesting. It ties in nicely with an often-used measure of development by members of the Foreign Service: cost of a Big Mac. (In some cases acquiring a Big Mac involves a plane ticket to the nearest city that has a McDonalds.)

For every Foreign Service post there is a list of items to bring with you (because you can't find them there). Common items: peanut butter, salsa, "Mexican" food (actually Tex-Mex or American-style Mexican foods such as taco seasoning and shells), and often various Asian food items (unless you're talking IN Asia, of course). Many people help use this information to help them decide on where such a place falls in their priority, along with other factors such as language, climate, crime, pollution, pay, quality of housing and medical care, and, for those with kids, availability and quality of schools.

This started a train of thought: what other measurements do we use on an everyday basis to decide if something is good/bad/tolerable? As you drive through a neighborhood, what visual clues do you observe that frames your opinion? Lawn care? People walking the neighborhood and what they're wearing? Children playing? Graffiti? Skin color/ethnicity? Make/model/age of cars parked? Each person has his or her own criteria, I'm sure. After 17 years of marriage (celebrated just a few days ago, thanks), Emily and I don't have identical criteria. In one Arlington neighborhood, some combination of factors made her nervous and state that she'd probably not be comfortable there. I totally missed whatever it was. I admit the development wasn't as nice as some others, but I recall I really liked the mature oak trees that shaded both the front of the buildings and the street parking. Since we never actually made it into the unit, it really didn't matter. (We've since decided that the condo market in Arlington and Alexandria is just too expensive. Condo fees are ridiculous.)

2008-07-29T17:22:00.001+02:00

This pretty much sums me up:

View it here on its official site. Not having access to the hard copy of the Washington Post, I had forgotten about this comic strip. Now I'll have to wade through the archives.... *sigh* ...yeah, tough gig.

2008-07-23T00:45:00.002+02:00

Movie updates

I think my last movie post was after seeing Iron Man. I did manage to see Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull while we were still in Monterrey, but that was about it. Since getting back to the US, I've only managed to catch Hancock.

As for Indy, I enjoyed it. I still like the first movie best and would rank this as my second or third favorite, probably third after Indian Jones and the Last Crusade (the second film, Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom, is my least favorite; I think the makers were trying far too hard to push the "gross factor" envelope just for titillation). I wasn't crazy about the scifi twist to this one and had some serious trouble suspending disbelief with the rain forest action sequences (one minute you need a machine to break trail for you, but the next there are parallel trails sufficiently smooth to race down at full speed?). The dialogue and action were pure Indy magic, though, so it all worked out. I did enjoy seeing Indy's old flame back in this one; that was a nice touch. The makers obviously set the stage for potential sequels and a "passing of the fedora" to a new generation, but I honestly don't know if that will ever happen. I doubt that a different cast (and possible director?) could pull off the same magic.

Hancock was better than I expected. Emily and I went to see it a week or so ago and both of us enjoyed it. It was grittier and less comic-booky than many of the "super hero" movies. I wish they had given more detail on the back-story, but I guess that would have detracted from where they were trying to go in general. I generally enjoy Will Smith and he didn't disappoint. Now that I think about it, this movie really only had four actors: Will, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, and Jae Head. The rest barely even registered. Given its commercial success, it could easily spawn a sequel, unlike the last Will Smith movie I saw (in Mexico): I am Legend.

At the rate I'm going I won't get to see several of the spring/summer films before they disappear: Prince Caspian (only one listing in my area now) and Incredible Hulk (dwindling fast with all the other summer films coming out). I might manage it, but I think I'll be lucky to catch Hellboy II, Wanted, and Dark Knight at the rate I'm going (not to mention the cost: way cheaper in Mexico!).

So, I recommend both Hancock and the new Indy movie. On the DVD side I have a bunch of titles to buy that I missed in the theater in the last two years: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Golden Compass, Resident Evil: Extinction, The Seeker... notice a trend here? I'm big into SciFi/Fantasy, comic book adaptations (although I didn't read that many as a kid), anime, and some action films. Most comedies end up annoying me more than entertaining me. I enjoy a good drama or period piece, but I generally catch them on TV or rent them. My reading runs the same way, although I do read a good bit of news online (politics, general current events, lots of science and tech, etc.).

2008-07-21T16:30:00.003+02:00

Back in the USSR... er, the USA

It's been a few weeks since I posted. I blogged about part of our journey back from Mexico, then got too busy and didn't get back to it. We arrived back in the Manassas area on July 1. We're staying with Emily's parents during home leave (federally mandated vacation for Foreign Service personnel - time to "get reacquainted" with the home country and avoid "going native").

We had planned to buy a condo in the Arlington/Alexandria area, live in it during Albanian training, and then rent it out as an investment property while we're overseas. Unfortunately this didn't work out. The condo fees changed the attractively-priced condos (under $200K) into the equivalent of $300K properties. This changed the scenario from one in which we could break even on rent (or at least bleed cash minimally) to one in which we would lose a considerable amount of money every year. Since condo fees would be out of our control, there was no way to even be sure how much money we'd lose. (I've heard stories on NPR regarding condo fees and the current foreclosure crisis.)

It now appears we'll be renting a small house very close to where we'll be training in Arlington, close enough that we'll be able to walk to class every day and probably walk home for lunch as well. The best part is that the cost will be covered by our per diem, so there will be no net out-of-pocket expenses. Actually, I take that back: the best part is that it'll be relatively stress-free, unlike buying a new place, fixing it up, furnishing it, finding a property manager, etc. etc. ad nauseum.

Emily's been doing some landscaping around her parents' yard (I helped a bit). Meanwhile I wrapped up my last (extended) class from NVCC, a Java programming class. I am glad it's over. At the moment I'm only signed up for one class next semester, and plan to audit it: Introduction to Italian. Yes, Emily and I will be attempting to learn TWO languages before departing for Albania next spring!

I hope to do a post later today or at least this week of some pictures from our final days in Monterrey (some distant vista types, more butterflies and hummingbirds, etc.). Meanwhile, here's a picture I took a few days ago. A moth got in the house the night before and he posed on the bathroom soap dish, before I gently escorted him outside. I love the camoflage.

2008-07-01T03:18:00.003+02:00

And the journey continues....

Today we managed to make it back to Virginia, Bristol specifically. We're overnighting at, wait for it, the La Quinta Inn. We looked up the rules and it turns out we don't have to get our car inspected until we arrive back "home." In this case, Emily's parent's house, which is fairly close to our old house in Manassas, as well.

Tonight's dinner was, again, Taco Bell. Beer was provided by WalMart, Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale. For the first time in our trip, it rained a fair amount, thought thankfully it wasn't seriously heavy.

We hope to stop by my dad's place in Harrisonburg on the way, assuming all continues to go well on the trip.

My new favorite commercial: Mastercard's Mr. Bill. I've loved Mr. Bill since I caught his episodes on Saturday Night Live when I was in grade school or thereabouts. Gosh, commercials in English. What will they think of next?

Gas update: $3.99 outside Bristol, TN. Probably so high because it was a) not a truck stop and b) pretty much the middle of nowhere.

2008-06-30T05:47:00.002+02:00

The Journey Continues....

I was wrong. Due to Rockwall's proximity to a big reservoir east of Dallas, hotels in the area (yes, even La Quinta) were too expensive for our government per diem rate. So we ended up *closer* to Dallas, in "East Dallas." Again, we stayed in a La Quinta Inn. The Inn in Laredo is a bit of a dive, or nearly that, but the clientèle in Laredo was far superior. Yes, in Laredo we did have a group of ten or so guys hanging out in the parking lot, clustered around a flatbed truck and drinking beer for hours and hours. In East Dallas we apparently had... um, ladies of the night?

As we pulled in to the fine establishment, we were a bit puzzled by the number of women hanging around, many in shorts. Later in the evening I observed several minivan taxis picking up numerous women and taking them elsewhere. Hmm. We can't be sure, but it did seem a wee bit suspicious. I mean, how many women wear low-cut blouses and daisy dukes at a particular location. Draw your own conclusions; we did.

We had a tasty dinner of fish and hushpuppies from Captain D's. A couple hours later we enjoyed our two remaining Shiners. Apparently the alcohol ordinances vary by county in Texas. Laredo was much like Virginia: grocery stores and convenience stores sold beer and wine. In the Dallas area, only liquor stores sell alcohol. We arrived late and there were none in our immediate neighborhood anyway.

On the plus side, the room had Cartoon Network and Saturday is Toonami time! Cartoon Network in Mexico was a varying mix of English and Spanish audio cartoons, but no Toonami and few of the action/comic type cartoons I enjoyed in the US. Emily let me watch it for hours: Ben 10 (the new series), Inuyasha, Samurai Jack (an oldie but a goodie - "You can fly?" "No, me jump good!"), and others. She's a good wife. :-)

So, we left the Dallas area and headed east. As we headed homeward, the landscape grew greener, with more and more trees. I saw cattle egrets, red-winged blackbirds (something I grew up with and have missed immensely in Mexico), blooming mimosas and sumacs, and increasingly familiar trees: oaks, sycamores, maples, and cottonwoods. As expected, I also saw a lot of pecan trees, which also grew in Monterrey.

We left Texas and crossed Arkansas. Emily commented on the signs on each bridge we crossed: bridge may ice in cold weather. "Cold weather! Home!" she said. We headed into Tennessee at Memphis, admiring the cool pyramid building. Our next overnight stop: Brownsville. Never heard of it? I'm not surprised. We're staying at the Econo Lodge. Brownsville apparently doesn't rate a La Quinta. Gotta love this 440 miles per day rule. Under the old rules we wouldn't be stuck between major cities like this, struggling to find a pet-friendly hotel that is within per diem rates.

Dinner consisted of KFC's new chipotle crispy chicken washed down with Sprite. Walmart doesn't appear to sell alcohol in Tennessee, or at least this area. Tonight we split a small bottle of Chartreuse that we got with a Christmas gift pack in Virginia at least five years ago, moved to Mexico, and packed in the car for the trip back. It amounted to less than a shot each, I'd guess. Tasty, though.

Tomorrow we'll complete our drive across Tennessee and overnight in Bristol, Virginia, possibly in the same La Quinta we enjoyed on our drive to Mexico nearly two years ago. We hope to get an early start so as to arrive in Virginia early enough to get our car inspected Monday afternoon. If not, we'll shoot for first thing Tuesday morning and hope for the best. Our VA plates are good (our diplomatic plates took so long that we ended up renewing our regular plates while we were in Mexico) and our emissions inspection isn't due for another six or eight months, but the safety inspection is about 18 months out of date. We'd rather not have to cross all of VA with an expired sticker. We could probably talk our way out of a ticket easy enough, but it would be better to just get it over with. We're hoping for no major problems/repairs.

Well, if we're going to get an early start, we gotta go to bed, not to mention reclaiming the laundry from the nearly-antique equipment here and taking the dog out for her evening constitutional.

Gas update: regular unleaded has been under $4 for our entire trip thus far. Best price: $3.75 at a Pilot station in West Memphis, followed by $3.82 at Walmart near Texarkana.

2008-06-28T17:05:00.002+02:00

We made it!

I write this from the lovely La Quinta in Laredo, Texas. Yesterday we cleared out of our house in San Pedro, hit the road, and Emily drove us all the way to the border. Once we reached Laredo, we stopped at the HEB for some dog food pouches and some beer, then swung by a Taco Bell for some gringo food, and finally checked in at the hotel.

After feeding the dog, we fed ourselves. We felt much better after some food and some fine Shiner Bohemian Black Lager. I stayed awake long enough to catch Letterman's Top Ten last night.

This morning Emily rose early, as usual and took her first real bath in.... ages, I guess. (We had only showers in Monterrey.) While I shaved, showered, and fed the dog, Emily headed out to take care of a few errands. Check-out is at noon, so I spent some time re-packing and cleaning up the room. When she returns, we should be able to hit the road fairly quickly.

Our destination for this evening is Rockwall, Texas, just northeast of Dallas.

2008-06-14T00:08:00.007+02:00

Nature at its finest
Today I spotted a pale yellow butterfly doing its thing, fluttering from flower to flower in our yard. I hurriedly grabbed the camera and headed out, remembering to go into the menu and change the quality from "better" to "best" (Emily changed it for household inventory photos) as I walked out. I soon spotted the beastie and got a few decent shots.

The butterfly then headed to our larger lantana, the one actually planted in the yard. I followed and managed to get one shot.

I didn't notice at the time, but the butterfly wasn't alone. Apparently the butterfly didn't notice either.

Next thing I know, as I was trying to line up for another shot, the butterfly is fluttering like mad, but not getting anywhere. I started shooting like mad, but only managed a couple shots. Unfortunately I hadn't taken the time to turn off the "preview" (where the camera shows you a copy of your shot before moving on to the next; I've found this preview to be really annoying when dealing with non-cooperative subjects such as hummingbirds and butterflies), so only a few blurred shots worked out.

The butterfly soon escaped. I guess the mantis didn't have a good enough grip on it. I then got a series of shots of the mantis itself, which soon got tired of me. This guy is particularly spooky looking with that small, curled up posterior (vaguely scorpion-esque).

All this reminded me of a cartoon I once saw. The occasion was at my first "rock" concert, at least the first one I ever attended without parents/siblings and for which I paid: Weird Al. The opening act was his mentor, Dr. Demento. One bit of the show was a short (1:30) cartoon called "Bambi Meets Godzilla." So, with no further ado, here it is:

2008-06-06T20:25:00.003+02:00

Plug for web comics part 1: Sluggy Freelance

Thanks to mentions in some John Ringo books (he's having a Red Shirt contest now, for those who might be interested in some literary immortality), I found Sluggy Freelance. It took quite a while to work my way through the archives, but I keep current with it now. This comic has been running for over ten years, and has two NPR interviews (one & two) to prove it. I don't always love an individual strip (not a huge fan of some of the parodies), but overall it's a lot of fun. Every day I head over and check out the new madness; it's become a part of my routine.

Sluggy Freelance revolves around a cast of characters including Torg (web designer), Riff (mad inventor), Zoe (babe next door), Aylee (alien), Bun-Bun (mini-lop rabbit seen above), Kiki (hyper ferret), Gwynn (bungling witch of sorts), and others who come and go as the stories progress. Creator Pete Abrams has parodied Harry Potter several times, various sci-fi classics, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Wikipedia as a decent summary. The strip is a mad mix of sci-fi, fantasy, social satire, and general absurdity. It's pure geeky fun.

2008-06-03T04:51:00.002+02:00

Plugs for Things I Like

For the remainder of our time here in Mexico, I have decided that I am going to try my best to put in a few plugs for things that have kept me informed and amused during a time of major changes. For tonight, though, a bit of rambling dialog is in order.

Before Emily joined the Foreign Service, I was a productive yet frustrated IT guy, making good money and working too many hours. I left that job, learned a *very* little Spanish, helped prep our house in Manassas for rent, and then moved to Monterrey in the first stage of this grand adventure. I left behind job, family, and friends, although my best friend was right there by my side the whole time: my wife, Emily. She does her best to keep me sane and put up with my idiocies, er... that is, idiosyncrasies.

All I can say is, thank goodness for decent internet! If internet wasn't available here, I couldn't have gone back to school, kept in touch with friends and family (by email and phone - Vonage), or maintained my sanity in all likelihood. This is a subject of considerable concern in Albania, although we've heard some favorable news on that front lately.

As we prepare to pack out for training in the States followed by two years in Albania, I am trying to remain philosophical. I may be able to continue my studies in Tirana; chances are actually very good. I'm beginning to really feel that I need to contribute more, however, so I don't know how much longer I can do the full-time student gig. Do I want to go back to IT? I've worked in it for 10 years and loved computers for many years more, but maybe it's time for something new. We shall see.

I'm giving up nearly all my beloved science-fiction and fantasy books; most are packed for Freecycle and a few will be donated to the Consulate library. I have set aside a few books that either hold special meaning for me or that I've found hard to find in used book stores. All my signed first editions (not many, but a few) will go to storage. I'm currently debating about some certification books. Should I ship them back to the States and hope to find the time to actually use them? Should I give up on it for now and just give them away? I really don't know.

I'm giving up my regular computer; it'll be cleaned up and given to my brother before we head out to Tirana. I'll replace it with a laptop, a breed of which I'm not overly fond. I gave up my server, spare computer parts, and nearly all my cables. What's a guy without cables?! :-) That's okay; the computer stuff has gone to a good home. Hopefully Gerardo will put them to good use.

Well, I'll put this aside for now. Tomorrow I'll start my plugs, hopefully frequent, for Things That Keep Me Sane.

2008-05-27T19:59:00.006+02:00

Reciprocity, anyone?

I generally avoid issues relating to my wife's work; it's a good way to get her in trouble. This is more of a general political-diplomatic issue, so, with her caveat that she's not allowed to post such things, I'm going to rant a bit.

First off, a brief explanation of the IVA tax. It's a value-added tax (VAT); details here. The tax doesn't apply to everything, so it doesn't help with much of the food cost or medicine, but it does apply to imported items and luxuries. If you go to a nice restaurant and order drinks, you will be paying IVA. If you have a sizable group of folks at a happy hour or a farewell dinner, the IVA can add up to a sizable amount.

American diplomats in Mexico are entitled to a refund of the IVA tax. Sounds great, right? There's just one problem: lots of hoops! First off, you can't apply for a refund on any purchase less than US $50. Some stores and the Pemex gas stations allow you to combine receipts obtained within a month into a single "factura" (tax statement/receipt) and meet the $50 minimum. (Telmex, the monopoly phone company, and Pemex also don't have to hit the $50 limit for filing.) If you miss that target amount, even if it's only by a few pennies due to the fluctuating currency valuation, you get nothing back.

So, you have some qualifying receipts - what next? Well, first there's a deadline: you must submit within 90 days (60 days is advised for us, since we have to ship our stuff to the Embassy - does it really take 30 days to travel there???) of the date on the receipt. Second, there's a form and procedures: fill out the spreadsheet, print it out, sign it, tape (not staple) each factura and accompanying receipt to a plain sheet of white paper, sign that, too, group the receipt/factura bundle with the spreadsheet, put it in an envelope, and send it to the US Embassy in Mexico City. At some point in the future, you'll get a refund. When? Who knows? (Turnaround has been several months for us.)

If you make a mistake on any part of the rules, you have probably lost any chance of getting your refund. Some of you may say, "but at least you're getting a refund!" True, but let's look at how Mexican diplomats are treated in the United States. A Mexican diplomat is presented with a tax exemption card. No sales taxes are charged on purchases made with this card. No muss, no fuss, no taxes.

Meanwhile the Mexican government decided to encourage tourists to visit Mexico by (wait for it) refunding the IVA tax at handy kiosks in airports. The story doesn't give all the relevant details, but here's a great little quote:

"Of the money they can claim back at airports, tourists will be able to get half in cash pesos, up to a maximum of 10,000 pesos ($955). The rest will be credited to their bank accounts or credit cards within 40 days."

Immediately?! Within 40 days?! Gee, do you think they'd mind if US diplomats started queuing up at these kiosks? According to our own government's web site, we're supposed to receive reciprocity; obviously we are not. The Mexican government is clearly more concerned with the happiness of US tourists than US diplomats. Perhaps it's time to write my representatives and complain about this specific issue or start a petition.

2008-05-21T16:21:00.002+02:00

Oops, forgot one!

I forgot to include this bit: Christian Bale (currently playing the new Batman) has been cast to play in the next Terminator film and two possible sequels! Woohoo! I'm currently trying to keep up with the local rebroadcast of Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles and gladly welcome another feature film or three!

2008-05-21T15:58:00.003+02:00

Emily and I have been practicing our Albanian vocabulary before bed most nights. I've learned a few words. Mostly I've learned just how painful the learning process will be, before we even get into all the compound tenses....

Saturday night Emily and I went to see "El Hombre de Hierro," otherwise known as Iron Man. I loved it! I liked the effects, enjoyed the sarcastic dialogue, and, what can I say, I'm a sucker for SciFi/Fantasy, which is the heart and soul of most comic books. Upon returning home, I immediately tried to find the soundtrack, but unfortunately they only seem to be selling the score.

I forgot to mention, I saw it in IMAX for less than six bucks. Gotta love that bit of Monterrey! Unfortunately that is my single complaint of the entire movie: the theater. The left side speakers faded in and out quite often, really detracting from the auditory experience of seeing any film in an IMAX theater. Even so, it was well worth it.

Spoiler alert: my only complaint of the film itself was that Obadiah seemed to pick up the basics of suit function far too quickly for my liking. You could assume that maybe we didn't see all the training that Stark himself went through, but you can't make the same leap with Obadiah.

Rumor has it that if Iron Man does well, which by all accounts it's done very well, the studios are already looking into an Avengers movie. That could be fun.

Now, on to Prince Caspian, followed by the new Indiana Jones film (rumor has it it'll open in IMAX here, too!), and possibly The Incredible Hulk (sure hope they do a better job with this one than the last attempt in 2003) before we head back to the States. Unfortunately I won't be here for the IMAX screening of Batman: Dark Knight. Maybe I'll catch it at the Dulles IMAX.

2008-05-14T02:59:00.002+02:00

Woohoo!

With a tremendous sigh of relief, reportedly heard as far away as Nuevo Laredo, I completed two of my classes recently (Biology and Geography), having already wrapped up an Advanced Composition class earlier. I extended a Java class until mid-July; given pack-out preparations, I needed the extra time. As I told one professor, I should have either taken no classes or maybe just one this semester. I'm burning out. My old brain can't handle this college stuff! :-)

So, I have some additional Java programming to do in the next six weeks and one more exam, but other than that, I am done. Whew.

Now maybe I can get back to a more reasonable schedule, to include walking the dog (now that her broken toe is completely healed) and more exercise in general, not to mention sorting my books into several piles: going to Albania, going to storage, donating, and possibly shipped to my brother. I believe the "donation" pile will end up being the largest. Most of my much-read SciFI/Fantasy paperbacks either have to be donated or shipped to my brother. Given that I can't ship media mail from here, only Priority Mail, it would probably cost about $30 to ship 20 pounds of books. I could probably replace them at a used book store at that rate.

What I do know is going with me is my reference and writing section. I expect that section to slowly expand over the years. My few signed first editions will go to storage, as will some hardbacks. (If anyone knows of a website where I can buy professional/library archiving materials, let me know quick!) Many of the computer books that Emily and I brought will go away; they've become too dated at this point. I might pursue a couple certifications if time permits during Albanian.

2008-04-25T20:21:00.003+02:00

Critter Pix

A few days ago I spotted a lizard on the bricks of the patio. I grabbed the camera and sneaked outside, but couldn't spot it. Suddenly the lizard, an anole, dashed out of hiding and snatched a small roach as it ambled in the shade of the bush I was looking at. I had trouble getting the camera to focus on what *I* wanted, rather than whatever it chose, but I did get a decent action shot.

The greater tail grackle is one of the most common birds spotted here year-round. It's breeding season, so they are quite action right now. Boots has enjoyed chasing them out of our yard, repeatedly. She doesn't stand a chance of actually catching them and it makes her feel empowered, so I allow it. This male grackle was doing a bit of prancing atop our wall. I hope to get some better pictures of these guys later. In the right light, the black has green and blue overtones.

Today the woodpecker almost cooperated with me. We have several in our neighborhood (at least one mated pair), but I never manage to get pictures. Today this one was on the tree just outside the sliding glass door to the patio, but I didn't have a camera handy. I did get a picture of him on the other tree in the yard though, before he decided he didn't want an audience for his prospecting.

2008-04-19T06:31:00.002+02:00

Too bad I didn't make the reunion...
...'cause I had ammunition!

No, I would not have gone psycho at my 20th HS reunion, had I been able to attend last October. And, yes, that does date me.

While going through boxes of stuff that were packed and shipped here that I never unpacked, I found a manila envelope containing the Senior Prophecy. In the spring of 1987 the senior class at Buffalo Gap High School was asked to fill out a short survey. Based upon that survey, personal interviews in some cases, and our general knowledge of our huge (@ 125 graduated, I think) class, Sean Neff and I composed a skit and performed it for the seniors. In this skit I played myself (a very complicated role, let me assure you) and Sean played a gypsy fortune teller. He wasn't a very well-to-do fortune teller; he couldn't even afford a crystal ball. Instead, he had a crystal bowl, complete with gold fish. Whenever he wanted more money he would complain that the future was cloudy, at which time I'd bribe him. He would then sprinkle in some food for the fish and things would clear right up. What can I say, we were operating on the cheap.

When I pulled out the slightly-yellowed notebook paper from the envelope, I immediately recognized Sean's handwriting. The first lines at the top of the page caught my attention, so I flipped the page and here was Sean's line:

"I see... I see... I see space, the final frontier. I see a ship boldly going where no man has gone before. I see Curt in the captain's chair.... Oh, he's just an actor. This is the set of Star Trek XIII: The Last Voyage."

I thought: how appropriate. All through college and beyond, Curt Sawyer has religiously maintained the roster of his ship, the USS Excalibur. Maybe the prophecy wasn't too far off after all.

Not only do I have the skit, I have our original notes, the surveys that people turned in, and other assorted bits. As I said... ammunition. Coulda been fun. Guess I'll save them for the next one. Let's see, I'll be home from Albania in mid-2011, so if we have a 25th, I might manage to make that... or I might already be at our next post. Only the Shadow knows.

2008-03-31T00:55:00.007+02:00

Birds (and other beasties) of Monterrey
It's spring and bird-love is in the air. We have regular coo-fests and squabbles among the doves. I've heard the clay-colored robins (this site has the distinctive call they term the "mono-duet" that I hear frequently) this year, and seen a few, but apparently they've elected not to nest in my yard, which is fine by me. (See last year's problems here, under "critter updates.") I've heard, but not seen, what I believe to be Great Kiskadees, which we saw and heard last year. We also have what appear to be Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, or a very similar species. They don't nest in our yard, but do in our neighborhood somewhere. I also saw what I think was a pair of crows this morning, which is very unusual. I see plenty of great-tailed grackles, which are black, and buzzards, but no crows. Perhaps they're migrating?

We see a gecko on our front porch nearly every night and we've spotted several anoles this season (one in our yard, one in our neighbor's, and one the neighbor found on a plant in their house - they moved him outside).

In a case of extremely poor timing, a little hummingbird started building a nest in a tree in my yard last Thursday, while I was discussing tree trimming with the gardeners the landlord sent. I asked him not to cut that particular branch, but I guess all the trimming and activity was enough to scare it away. I saw it pop by a few times when things were quiet, but I've only seen a hummer back feeding on our lantana since. The few tiny twigs and bit of windblown insulation are the only signs that a nest was imminent. I tried to get a picture of the hummer on the branch, but it was too skittish. Here's the best picture of the (barely-started) nest I could get:

Today I spotted what appeared to be a Yellow-tailed Oriole in our neighbor's Jacaranda tree and also perched on a power line outside our bedroom window. It was feeding amongst the numerous purple blossoms. It would make a great picture, if only the bird wasn't so skittish and/or I had a better camera. (Note: if anyone has any digital camera recommendations, please let me know.) Nice pallet: light green foliage, light gray-brown bark, purple blossoms, and a bright yellow and black bird. You'll have to settle for a shot of a jacaranda branch, followed by two partial shots where I've circled the bird in red.

I also spotted one of the local hummingbirds (probably a broad-billed) and the local bumble and honey bees in the same tree. I'll try to get a shot of the bumblebees one day. They're large and solid black, unlike the black and gold we have back in the States.

I also spotted a migrant in our yard: Danaus plexippus, a Monarch Butterfly. Here's a picture I managed to catch of it feeding on our lantana bush.

2008-03-19T17:01:00.002+01:00

A few quick updates
Travel - My trip back to the States went well. Visited with family, participated in my mandatory on-campus BIO lab, and did a little shopping. Watched the Transformers movie on DVD with my brother. It was okay, but it was a bit mature for the market for which they design the toys. Overall, I still prefer the cartoons.

Scary robot
Slashdot referred me to this YouTube video on Boston Dynamics' "Big Dog" robot. All I can say is... creepy. If I encountered that thing alone, particularly in the woods portion of the video, I might freak out a bit. Just a bit. :-)

Here's the video:

Weather update
Perhaps I'll post more about this later, but yesterday was a bit rough. I went to the Consulate in the morning to take an exam. That went fine, but when I left to catch my bus home I found that the pollution level had increased dramatically. Buildings less than 100 yards away were blurred. The hill that divides Monterrey from San Pedro, Loma Larga, was nearly invisible at a distance of maybe half a mile. You could smell and taste the pollution. The wind had picked up a little and it was gusting grit and dust everywhere. Altogether an unpleasant day was had by all. After catching my bus home, I did have one small high point. Walking from the bus stop to the house, I heard a distinctive tsk-tsk-tsk noise I've come to know well: hummingbird. I looked up and a small, dark green hummer with a bright red bill was perched in a tree overhead, looking decidedly unhappy over the increasing winds. Trash, leaves, and trashcans were blowing down my street. I managed to get our trashcan out to the curb just a few minutes before the trash truck picked up, and then quickly grabbed the empty can before it blew away.

We lost power briefly several times over the next two hours, with numerous flickers and dimmings, and then lost power completely around 1:30 PM. Power was restored about six hours later. Anyone know how long food is good in a refrigerator/freezer if the door is left closed? Guess I'll Scroogle it. Anyway, once Emily arrived home (had to manually open and shut the garage doors) we set about finding candles and flashlights. We baked a frozen pizza and ate it by candlelight.

As of 9 AM this morning, our cable TV still isn't working. That means we missed Jericho last night, as well as the opportunity to see if the Warner Channel carried the new episode of Big Bang Theory which we missed on Monday (Darn the revised Daylight Saving schedule! We're still an hour behind!).

With internet and power back and stable, I have lots of school work to finish (it's about mid-term time). Back to the salt mines.

2008-03-04T20:53:00.002+01:00

Travel update and sad news
First off, I'm headed back to the States for a week. For part of that time I'll basically be unavailable by email (the horror!) since I'll be visiting my folks in the valley. I have to head back to do an on-campus lab in Alexandria. I'll also get a new student ID, maybe try to sell a few old books back, and take an exam. (I tried to take one here yesterday and the Blackboard system went down.)

For the sad news, I just heard that Gary Gygax has died. I never met the guy, but he and the other authors of D&D had a profound influence on me. D&D was a staple, along with SciFi/fantasy books and films, both a source of wonder and a good way to stay out of trouble. I credit D&D with vastly increasing my vocabulary and sending me off on many a fine quest to find more information on the origin of a particular mythos. Rest in peace.

2008-02-26T03:56:00.002+01:00

Rippin' good time

Tonight I've completed an important pre-move task: ripping all our music CDs to MP3s. I've been working on it off-and-on for over a week now and I'm done (barring the discovery of a few loose discs buried in a drawer or something). I haven't done a disc count yet (I'll post one soon), but it amounted to 34 GB on a new external drive purchased just for music and iTunes.

Why? As a part of our "weight-reduction" plan (a household effects diet?), we're not going to take the physical discs to Albania with us. The discs will go to storage (so we're still legal) and the MP3s and iTunes' TV shows will travel.

2008-02-22T06:45:00.002+01:00

Just a quick plug

I just wanted to give a quick plug to WUWM (University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) radio, both NPR and, more importantly perhaps, WUWM2 "The Deuce." The NPR side of things has allowed Emily and I to keep in touch (in the same time zone) with current news. "The Deuce," WUWM's HD channel, is also broadcast on the web and has proven a godsend for us. We've been introduced to so much good music through this one station. I've been working my way through the MySpace pages for a number of bands this evening:
Silver Seas
Standfast
The Weepies
Midlake
Persephone's Bees

And probably my favorite band for the past... maybe five years?... Hem. I managed to catch three of their four DC-area shows before we moved to Mexico. I even bought tickets for an NYC show at the Lincoln Center, but had to sell the tickets (thanks, Craigstlist!) when Emily got her dream job with the Foreign Service (worth the loss, believe me). If you listen and like their music, I recommend you sign up on their list. I've gotten links to MP3s of various songs over the last few years as freebies.

We've bought at least two CDs based on music heard on WUWM's Cafe Tonight or The Deuce in the last year:
Brett Dennan
Carbon Leaf *

I encourage you to tune in to WUWM and The Deuce and take a listen. WUWM introduced me to another program I hadn't experienced in the DC area: Alternative Radio. Not all of the programs are of interest to me, but some are so I try my best to remember to tune in at 8 PM (CT) on Sundays.

* How odd that I'd hear a band from my home state (Virginia) for the first time over the internet from a Wisconsin radio station, while living in Mexico!

2008-02-17T03:39:00.002+01:00

Spring must be here!

Why? Because the geckos are back! :-) (Sorry, no new photos - Emily has the camera!)
I spotted my first gecko of the new year tonight, plastered to the wall on the front of the house.

In a previous post from last year, I had a sky-shot of new leaves. We have those, too, but I think the old leaves took a little longer to fall this time. Our winter has been much warmer and far, far drier than last year.

As for an update, I've been busy with classes - too busy. I've never been a great student, but this all-remote bit is getting old. Thankfully this is the last semester I'll have to do it. With any luck, I'll be an in-person full-time student at the University of New York - Tirana once we get to Albania in 2009. Taking classes in person will be a pain, in some respects, but I'll honestly welcome the structure.

We still don't know when we're leaving Monterrey, only that my language classes run from September 2008 - April 2009. Emily still doesn't have a schedule, so we have no departure date. Hopefully we'll know soon, so we can start planning for the big move.

We are probably going to purchase a condo (or townhouse/house if we can afford it) while back in the States. We'll live there during training, then rent it out after we move to Albania. If we're back in the DC area for an extended period again, we'll probably live there, since we plan to get something convenient to the Foreign Service Institute and Metro.

I must say, NBC Universal, the owner of Battlestar Galactica, has greatly annoyed me. In December, they dropped the show from iTunes. I guess we'll have to wait until the new season comes out on DVD and pick it up while we're back in the States. Grr. At least Stargate:Atlantis is still available, although I think the season ends soon. With any luck, Big Bang Theory will make it back with a few episodes now that the writers' strike is over. We've managed to catch all but one or two of the few episodes released on either the studio channel (Warner, I think) or a re-run on the network. We are also watching Jericho, although we didn't see most of the first season, just the last few episodes of it and the new show that just kicked it off. I don't know when/if Smallville and Supernatural will resume here in Mexico. I think a few fewer episodes aired down here than in the States; we stopped getting new episodes before the Christmas episodes.

That's about all I have time for now. I have some class work to wrap up this weekend and, with Emily in Nueva York with her parents, I have nothing else to do . Other than TV... and games... and books... and a dog that really needs a walk... more accurately: I have no excuses.

2007-12-21T02:30:00.001+01:00

'tis the season

My all-time favorite seasonal song has been running through my head lately, so I did a quick search and found the video on YouTube.

Without further ado, enjoy!

2007-12-13T20:39:00.000+01:00

Argh! Time flies!

I've been promising myself I would get back in the habit of posting, but... well, it's been over a month, again. So for those few who actually check the site now and then, I apologize. I'm basically lazy when it comes to these things. In my defense I can only blame college classes, the early-onset of move related stress, and the lack of better excuses.

Snoozy dog
Today, though, Boots was just too cute to pass up. She hates cameras, so catching her asleep is almost the only way to get a picture. With no further ado, here are two pictures of Boots, sleeping on her downstairs dogbed, curled up with one of her toys.

2007-10-26T16:10:00.000+02:00

Nifty story about nerdy celebs

Slashdot referred me to this story about nerdy celebrities. Some weren't a surprise (Tom Schulz of Boston fame, Danica McKellar, etc.), but it's a very interesting read. I found it reassuring, although the idea of Dolf Lundgren going to MIT on a Fullbright is simply mind boggling. The reference to Hedy Lamarr was probably the most surprising to me.

2007-10-25T04:12:00.000+02:00

It's been a month?!!

Time flies. Well I don't have much time tonight, but should post at least this much:
We're going to Albania next! Tirana here we come!

Going to Albania will entail learning Albanian, so we'll be in the US for 8-10 months after we leave Mexico next summer.

I've been very busy with school this semester, far more reading and studying required this semester than previously. I hope to get ahead soon and gain a little breathing room, but it's touch and go right now. Next semester looks like another minimum 14 credit hour semester, and I really should do 17-18 credits if at all possible. I will take few, if any, college courses while learning Albanian, so I need to get in what I can while I can. Next semester should leave me just a few math courses short of a degree in IT, and a couple more English classes short of a Certificate in Professional Writing (which I hope to grow into a degree in future). If all goes well I'll be able to complete the math courses while back in the States.

Anyway, I need to run and do some "pre-maid" cleaning: put away laundry I've washed this week, do the dishes I neglected to do earlier today, etc. I also need to try and keep Emily on track: she heads out for a Consulate visit to Durango tomorrow and needs to pack tonight.

2007-09-19T16:44:00.000+02:00

The Weird Juxtaposition That Is Monterrey
Two San Pedro municipal workers recently gave me yet another example of how this area is a bridge between Latin America and the US. I was walking the dog on the Calzada a few days ago. I passed a worker using a backpack leaf blower to clear the leaves and dust from the sidewalk, a scene I've witnessed countless times in the US. I reached the end of this branch of the "cross" (where the two Calzadas, del Valle and San Pedro, intersect) at the statue of David and turned back towards home.

A few minutes later I encountered another worker. This one was probably 15-20 years older and he was clearing the sidewalks with a large dead palm frond, sweeping it back and forth. I'd say this method was just as good for the leaves, seeds, and twigs, though probably not for any dust or dirt.

A few days later I saw this same older worker using a backpack leaf blower. Maybe he lost the rock-paper-scissors or coin toss that determined which worker got the gadget the first time around.

Modern and primitive, high tech and low tech, Hummers and donkey carts - this is Monterrey, Mexico.

P.S. I finally saw the tangerine sherbet colored Lamborghini that everyone told me about about a week ago. I can add that to all the Ferraris and Porsches I've seen tooling about. Have I mentioned that San Pedro has one of the highest per-capita incomes in Latin America?

2007-09-08T04:02:00.000+02:00

Multiple topics to cover this time, so I'll try to make each quick.

In Memoriam...
I heard on NPR today (we're members of WUWM, previously members of a DC-area station that gutted its news schedule for classical music, not that I have anything against classical music) that an author that held a warm spot in my heart, Madeleine L'engle, died Thursday at the age of 88. I fondly recall getting A Wrinkle in Time off one of those grade school book orders, reading it, and then heading to the Staunton Public Library to find more. It was science-fiction written for my age level that I didn't feel talked down to me. Without that book, how long would it have been before I learned the word tesseract? As with C.S. Lewis, faith colored Ms. L'Engle's works, but I honestly didn't even notice as a kid. Later I just didn't care; I loved the book, so why worry about the author's faith? I can only hope that there are other authors out there to carry the torch for our youth. She will be missed. The New York Times has a nice write up.

NPR has a several stories and interviews with her, as well as mentions of her works in various book lists.

Missed Opportunities
Last Friday, Emily had plans to see the Vienna Boys' Choir here in Monterrey. I was waiting for her to get home, knowing she'd have little time to change before heading out to dinner and the show with her co-workers, when she called. Her cell phone was dead and she was borrowing the phone of the woman who had just rear-ended her; said cell phone was also nearly dead so she had little time. She was fine, but they were waiting on the insurance people to arrive. She told me to pass a message on to the co-worker who was going to give her a ride to the show. I did so and waited anxiously for Emily to come home.

When she got home the first thing she had to do was call our insurance people. Since she had no functional cell phone, she had to wait until she got home. She called and we waited. The guy arrived, but took a long time to complete the paperwork. By the time he finished, it was too late for Emily to make the show. Here's the only thing she'll have to remember the show by:

$513 (pesos, about $50 US) down the drain. The only bright spot, if there is one, is that the bumper is likely to be replaced. That will also eliminate the scratches on it from two previous collisions, neither of which was our fault either and neither of which we were able to pursue at the time.

How Sweet It Is...
Emily found this recipe she wanted to try, but it required maple syrup. We found it at HEB, one of the two big grocery stores here, but it was expensive: $119 pesos ($11 US) for 100 ml. Today Emily found it at Costco. Here's the visual comparison:

The Kirkland syrup, also 100% pure maple, was $196 pesos ($19 US) for 1.89 liters. So, that would be nearly 19 times the size for about 66% more. I guess this means lots of pancakes in the next year, 'cause we're not moving it!

2007-09-07T04:54:00.000+02:00

South Park Me

Curt is to blame for this one, both on a time-wasted and on the eyesore bit. First time with the South Park Studio, here is Neal in Mexico:

2007-09-07T03:12:00.000+02:00

Air Mail - Mexican Style!!!

In the spring semester of this year, the college sent the exam package to the Mexico address for the Consulate. Admittedly my proctor probably put that on part of his correspondence, but the college sent the previous semester's exam package to the Brownsville, Texas, address. In any case, the package took perhaps eight weeks to make its way to Mexico. Lesson learned.

Unfortunately for regular ex-pats, this service is provided to US Government employees and family members only. I say this because we continue to get mail for the previous residents of our lovely house, an American family we met at a number of ASOMO events. Our first few weeks here, we arrived in July 2006, we didn't receive any mail for them, then we received a few letters, then a veritable flood, and then a long dry spell of nothing. Once we met them we would occasionally pass collected mail off to them, a mix of college alumni, retirement plan, bank, and credit card bills for the most part, along with months-late holiday cards. The husband said he once received an American Express bill six months after it was due.

We continue to receive their mail, although they moved back to the US (Michigan, I think) several months ago. We simply shred it, along with any convenience check offers we've received via US Mail in the past week. Recently we received two items which caught our attention (photo courtesy of Emily).

Note the two dates I've high-lighted: June 18 and July 16. Both envelopes arrived on Monday, September 3. You do the math. By any calculation, that's not speedy service. I almost forgot: the front of the envelopes were also marked "Priority." Maybe that was the problem: it simply wasn't a priority for the postman.

The postal system isn't as highly regarded as that in the US. Many companies here use couriers to deliver their bills rather than use the Mexican system. I'm not certain which of our bills come which way, but I've only seen our mailman once in the past year, so I don't think he's delivering the cable or phone bill, and possibly not the water, gas, or electric.

Hmm.... I'll have to think up a motto for the Mexican postal service. I realize the US Postal Service has no official creed, but the "unofficial motto" is: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Perhaps something like: There is no snow, but plenty of heat, and that or rain, or cerveza or tequila, or las chicas... I'll deliver it tomorrow, or maybe next week.

2007-08-27T18:11:00.001+02:00

Theater Review - MM Cinemas, Paseo San Pedro

Saturday night Emily and I walked up to Paseo San Pedro, the ritzy mall near our home. The movie theater there was finally open, after several delays and great anticipation on our part. We can walk to this theater in about 15 minutes. The next closest is a 30+ minute walk, not to mention that they shut down the Bennigan's Express! (Last week we found this out when we planned a gringo meal at Bennigan's - with Guiness! - followed by air hockey and a movie, only to have the first part crushed.)

The new theater is all VIP-style, with comfortable leather reclining seats and, so we discovered after we sat down, delivery service from the concession stands. The prices appear excellent: two paninis and drinks for $125 (pesos, 10 or 11:1 exchange rate, so maybe $12 US). Tickets were 75 pesos each, with assigned seats. The theater still had that "new car" smell from the leather seats! The seats may be a bit less comfortable than some of the other theaters, but I think it will take more experimentation to be sure. I've volunteered for that onerous duty, considering that matinées cost 35 pesos. It's a high cost, but in the interest of reporting, I guess I'll just have to endure it, somehow.

Movie Review - "Knocked Up"

I was hesitant to see Knocked Up based on the previews I had seen. Its humor seemed too typical, too sophomoric for me. I had, however, already rejected the other comedic option, "License to Marry" based on the reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. Knocked Up had rather favorable reviews, so I gritted my teeth, slightly, and went. I realize this review may seem a little late, but the movie just opened here.

Although there were points where I was a bit disappointed with it, the movie was very funny and Emily and I both enjoyed it. The language is, of course, very adult. Nudity is mostly confined to clips from other films, although there is a bit of flesh during the earthquake scene. Sex isn't particularly graphic, certainly less so than many other films of this type and rating (R). Honestly, most of the sex scenes are also humorous, so that sort of deflates any potential eroticism. There's quite a lot of recreational drug use as well, so the film certainly earned its rating. I was pleased to see Harold Ramis in the film; he's always been a favorite of mine. I expect those of you who have been through pregnancy and childbirth will appreciate portions of the film even more than we did (Curt, Cheryl - this means you). I prefer to see big special effects films in theaters and comedies and dramas on DVD at home, but either way, Knocked Up is worth it.

2007-08-27T18:03:00.000+02:00

Yet another critter

On Friday I tried repeatedly to get more pictures of the hummingbird, but he would have none of it. I also tried to get a picture of a nice butterfly, but that also proved problematic. After my last attempt with the hummingbird, I spotted something else of interest. Unfortunately there was a bit of a wind initially and the first shot isn't the best, but it gives you an idea of the color and why I spotted it in the first place.

For the second shot, I managed to crouch down and get a more interesting angle. I'm rather pleased with this one. If you look carefully, you can even see the mantis's antennae.

2007-08-24T17:21:00.000+02:00

A new semester begins...

Sigh. It's that time again. I've now started another semester, 14 hours at the moment with a possible additional 3 credit class to be added (although I doubt it). I have a Biology class (with lab), Advanced Composition (first term paper since 1988 - eek!), Intro to Programming (yeah... I've only taken, oh, two or three programming classes at THIS college plus several at JMU and yet I have to take "Intro"? What a wise use of my money and time!), Physical Geography (okay, this one is mostly fun for me, but it will transfer elsewhere), and (drum roll, please) Student Development 100. What's that, you ask? It's a required class for new college students, particularly online students. What's that you say? Why yes, I have taken 31 credit hours of online classes in the past year and probably half a dozen other online classes previously, plus a couple years of classes on campus. Did I mention that my cumulative GPA is currently 3.92? I think I have the basic concepts down, thanks.

Sigh. Stupid required classes! Of two advisors, one for IT and one for English, one said "No problem, I'll waive the Student Development requirement - you're obviously past that point." The other one said I could test out of the class... if I flew back and visited the campus. Yeah. It's cheaper to take the course.

One day soon I have to force myself to do something I pledged to do last semester... and over the summer: take a math assessment test. It's been so long since I've taken a college math course that it's required. Scary thought. I'll probably test at the "remedial middle school" level. Either way, Statistics and Advanced Calculus will prevent me from getting my degree for a while as I work my way *back* to that level of math competency. Of course there is a handy aspect to that: I have time to work on an English degree and improve my writing skills. After all, my dream is for IT to be the fall-back career.

Time to hit the books and Blackboard.

2007-08-16T22:38:00.000+02:00

One last post (for today)

I really only have time for one more quick post today, and then I really need to get some work done!

Bid List - Coming Soon!
We get our bid list next Monday. This will be the list of all available positions world-wide for which Emily can bid. We have to compose a list of our top 20 and submit them. We won't actually know where we're headed until October, with a departure of approximately July 2008. Everyone asks where we want to go. That's not an easy question. We have created a sort of "things we want" and "things we want to avoid" list, but not so much a "where we want to live" list. I've told Emily repeatedly that her career and happiness come first, me and the dog second and third (or perhaps that should be third and second). If serving in Iraq is what she wants and needs to do, I'll support her. If Canada is a better choice, I'll root for it. If she decides she really wants to learn Tagalog and serve in the Philippines, that's fine.

My only real need is for high-speed internet. It makes our lives so much easier and more enjoyable. We can keep in touch with friends and family via Vonage and email, take online college classes (we're both enrolled now), and order things online that we just can't find here. I listen to NPR on the web on a daily basis, both for news and music. Living without these opportunities would indeed be a step toward hardship. Don't get me wrong, I can live with less, but I'd much rather live without a lot of other things than internet at this point.

School update
I'm continuing to take classes toward a degree in Information Technology and a certificate in professional writing, which is likely to turn into an English degree down the road.

Emily has signed up for another graduate class. She has my pity. :-) This one only has one movie requirement (the last one had three): 12 Angry Men. I think I'll enjoy it.

Travel update
I'll be back in the States in October for a few days, but I haven't finalized my plans yet. I have a laboratory section for a Biology class on a Saturday and I will take the opportunity to visit friends and relatives while I'm back.

Writing update
I'm giving thought to participating in the National Novel Writing Month event this year. I'll have to watch my time carefully, though: school must come first. Even if I don't try it, I have committed to spending more time writing or reading books on writing (I have a small shelf of useful reference material) .

That's all I have time for today. As I've said before, and failed to do, I'm going to attempt to post more often. Honest!

2007-08-16T21:53:00.000+02:00

Critter Updates

Periodically I try to throw a few "critter pix" up here and let you know what beasties we've spotted here recently.

Yesterday one of the neighborhood cats (I don't think he's feral, but can't be sure) came through the yard twice. You'd think after Boots chased him up the tree and out of the yard the first time he'd get the idea, but no. So, Boots chased him again. I haven't seen him today.

A couple months ago we had a problem with which I was very familiar while living in Manassas: baby robins. The robins here are a bit more drab than back home: no ruby breasts, just brown. They also seem to sing less, although their calls have a bit more of an exotic sound to me. In any case, a pair decided to have a nest in one of the trees in our yard. I have no problem with robins, so that's fine by me. One day Boots and I go out into the yard and what does she spy with her little eye? Birdies! Charge! Normal birds are not a problem. They are plenty fast to elude our old dog. Two of the three fledglings managed to fly up into the tree. The other did a 90 degree turn and flew across the yard and landed in the grass. Dumb birdie. Boots pretty much had it caught and I had to scold her to get her away from it. I then had to herd the blasted beast into the hedges where it could hide. Meanwhile the parents have started their strafing runs, so I have to watch my head.

If only the story ended there, but no, this last little birdie didn't build up enough strength to fly UP into the tree for several days. Every day I'd have to be careful letting Boots out and periodically shoo the baby into safety. Our dog became rather neurotic. She was afraid of going outside and doing her business in the yard because she might get yelled at. She was thoroughly confused. Finally, after nearly a week, the baby managed to get up into the tree and out of our hair. Here's a snapshot of the darling little monster:

Interestingly enough, we had another nest in the same tree, but one I was never able to locate. Apparently the local hummingbirds built a nest in our yard. I was sure of this when I repeatedly spotted one or both parents perched in the tree over my head, "scolding" me with little "tsk tsk tsk" sounds. I did manage to get a few decent shots of both feeding and scolding. I'm actually rather proud these turned out. I've found that getting shots with a digital camera takes a bit more patience in some respects (re: blog posting about a butterfly (Oct. 26)). The delay between pushing the button and the actual picture sometimes means the difference between a good shot and a useless one. The actual, non-chopped-for-the-web shots include more background, particularly the flower.

Our other beasts are well known to just about everyone this time of year: cicadas. They have been emerging from the ground for a couple months, but more heavily in recent weeks. I've found the shells scattered around my patio, as well as wings from those unfortunate enough to be caught by the local birds. Here are a few shots, first of a few shells, then an "occupied" shell (tried for a before and after shot, but a bird snatched the un-emerged cicada while I was away), and finally an adult.

Thankfully I haven't had encounters with any scorpions or tarantulas, both of which have been reported by other consulate families here.

2007-08-16T21:37:00.000+02:00

Evan Almighty

Emily and I went to see Evan Almighty (called Todo Poderoso here) recently. I'm not a big comedy film or (shudder) TV sitcom fan; I generally get annoyed with the stupidity of the plot lines and dialog. There are exceptions, but in general I avoid them. So it was with some slight trepidation that I went to this film. I had seen Bruce Almighty and enjoyed it, so I had some small hope.

I was pleasantly surprised. Although predictable in many parts, I found it very funny. As always, I found Morgan Freeman an absolute joy to watch. I can't think of a time I haven't enjoyed him on screen. I didn't find the religious message a massive, over-the-top bludgeon. It stuck to some very basic premises that few would find objectionable, other than the entire Old Testament Ark arc (so to speak) story. In summary, Emily and I recommend it.

My review of the VIP theater in Mall San Augustin, on the other hand, is not so good. We previously viewed Spider Man 3 in a VIP theater in another mall (Valle Oriente) and were impressed: leather reclining seats with foot-rests, small tables between groups of two seats, wide aisles, waiter service, etc. This theater had the seats and tables, but all food was sold in the lobby area. Admittedly it included a sushi counter, but not what we expected. (Don't ask me why sushi is so popular here. I have yet to figure it out.)

Our biggest complaint wasn't the seats, but the aisles: none were labeled! In order to find your seat (you purchase assigned seats in VIP theaters), you have to count the rows yourself! This resulted in a mild argument with a guy who was sitting in one of our seats. After recounting the rows a few times, he realized he was in the wrong spot, apologized, and moved. Heaven forbid you should walk into the theater when it's dark! Ridiculous!

2007-08-16T21:13:00.000+02:00

Surreal Moment

Yesterday I accompanied Emily to an appointment. Sitting across from us in the doctor's waiting room was a man wearing what I've come to recognize as a uniform here: beige (occasionally OD green) vest (link to similar one) with pockets. That means he's likely a bodyguard/driver and definitely a paid personal employee. Sitting on the table next to him were three cell phones.

This was all fine, until I happened to notice the music playing in the background: the theme from The Godfather. No, I'm not kidding. A few minutes later a couple in their 50s or 60s emerged from the doctor's office and the guy in the vest immediately got up and left the room, no doubt to pull the car up.

I've seen these vests before, you see. While on our way home from the grocery store recently, we were passing through Centrito in San Pedro. Suddenly a car on our left stopped and a guy in a beige vest hopped out and hurried up onto the sidewalk in front of the juice bar. I then noticed that not only had that car double-parked, but another car had done so ahead of him. This was a case of the bodyguard (in a separate car) reacting to the employer's decision to stop for a drink. In all likelihood the employer was a local "narco" (drug trafficker), although it's possible he was simply one of the many wealthy people of San Pedro.

A few weeks ago a small group of us decided to visit what was reputedly a Swiss restaurant. Emily and I walked, as we do to any dinner or party we think is walkable (we can each have a drink, no parking issues, we need the exercise, etc.), and as we arrived we drew the hard stares of two guys in OD green vests. As we entered the restaurant, I spotted a third bodyguard. Our party discussed them, but we were never certain where their employer was. Best bet was the spa upstairs or one of the expensive furniture/decoration/kitchenware stores in the plaza. Given we were eating on Gringo time (before 8 or 9 PM), it was unlikely anyone in the restaurant.

So, I can now add these vests to the maid/nanny uniforms (some much like hospital scrubs, some more "maid-like") for quick reference. If you spot the vest, stay alert: at the very least there is someone wealthy and (at least in their own eyes) important in the area, possibly someone dangerous.

2007-07-31T05:40:00.000+02:00

Goodbye, Mr. Nanas
For those of you who enjoy comic strips, I have sad news to annouce: Bo Nanas is no more.
Complete story here. It's one of half a dozen or so comical strips I read on Washington Post on a more-or-less daily basis. I will miss it.

Dear Blogiary, it has been far too long since my last confession... er, that is, posting. Now that my classes are wrapping up and I'll have a whopping couple or three weeks of time with no classes, it's about time I tried to get back into regular posting.

I have some hummingbird pix I'll post one day soon (honest). Apparently there's a nest in one of the trees in our yard, though I've never managed to spot it.

The weather here has been a bit cooler and considerably wetter than a year ago. We celebrated our 1 year in Mexico anniversary on July 13. We just celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this past Friday.

Bidding Season begins (for us) very soon. Emily and I have discussed various places, priorities, and other criteria in determining our future home. It's complicated. More to follow, I promise.

2007-06-02T23:34:00.000+02:00

Hate the RIAA?
Although I don't approve of massive music file sharing services in general, I truly abhor the methods the RIAA has used to go after people on their hit list. They basically bully universities, utilities, ISPs, and others to reveal the identity of the person at a particular IP address. Thankfully they haven't won every case, but their deep pockets have enabled them to not only win some, but to simply scare many people into settlements.

Here's a link to an interesting article, it shows the politicians who have accepted money from the RIAA. The VA rep on the link, Goodelatte, doesn't cover my home district, but I did see both Obama and Clinton on the list. I went to their sites and sent them a request to return the money to the RIAA. I doubt it will have any effect whatsoever, but it felt good.

Like internet radio?
I recently contacted my US Senators and Congressman regarding the revised royalty payment rates that internet radio stations are currently obligated to pay. If you'd like to do the same, there are a number of sites that help streamline the process. Here's the one I used.

Personally I use streaming audio for NPR news, which wouldn't be impacted, but I also use it for streaming music from the same station, WUWM in Milwaukee. They have an awesome all-music stream as well as several all-music shows. I've already purchased at least two CDs for a band or singer I first heard there (Carbon Leaf - you can listen to full-length streams of several of their songs here; Brett Dennan - he looks nothing like I expected) and have added a number of others to my Amazon Wish List for future purchase. Occasionally I listen to other online stations, such as Radio Paradise. NPR has led me to a number of bands and singers, prior to commercial radio or TV: Norah Jones, Hem, various ethnic music, Tom Rush, and many others I can't think of now.

As for Carbon Leaf, why is it that I had to move to Mexico before I heard of this band? They're from Richmond, Virginia, and have toured around for many years. Guess I just didn't get out much.

Actually, now that I think about it, I really didn't get out much.

2007-05-31T21:07:00.000+02:00

Yes, I am still alive. I've simply been busy, not to mention lazy when it comes to this blog. On the off chance anyone still checks in from time to time, I'll throw a post up today dealing with political issues that have caught my attention.

1) NASA chief interview on NPR. My only response to this is WTF? (I apologize for the implied profanity, but nothing else truly fits.) Even his boss, our, ahem, beloved President, is apparently finally actually possibly maybe just maybe realizing that global warming/climate change isn't going away.

2) NASA lead climate change scientist on NPR. Ah, the voice of reason. I particularly like his subdued "WTF?" reaction to the above interview. He'll probably lose his job for not being political enough, not covering the boss's behind, or complaining about budget cuts.

3) Phonemarks. Ah, the Democratic Party... I'd hoped for more from you. Alas, you are only human... no wait, are politicians human? Hmm. Well, anyway, it won't take a lot to lose the trust of the people and erode the gains made in the last round of elections.

Friends update: I finally got back in touch with my long-time friend, Sean. Rumors of his abduction by aliens were exaggerated, though not by much. Another friend, Brandon, is on the mend, having survived a brush with death following oral surgery. Yet another long-time friend, Jeff, continues to keep in touch. It's nice to catch up with people from time to time. I've emailed about the 20-year high school reunion, but haven't heard any details. Chances I'll go are nearly null, but I'd like to find out what's planned anyway.

School update: I've wrapped up two classes this semester (well, since I started classes on multiple dates, it's an odd sort of semester-session-unending-purgatory thing) with a few more to go. Grade-wise, I'm doing fine. Everything should be wrapped up in June, with one class possibly dragging into July. My goal is to have 2-4 weeks of blissful non-education in August before the fall semester begins.

Monterrey update: The drug cartels continue to kill policemen. A recent assassination attempt failed. It's the closest yet to our house, only a few blocks away. Two cops were at an OXXO (convenience store chain) when the gunmen drove up and sprayed their car (and the store) with automatic weapons fire. I heard these were AR-15s (altered to full-auto), not the AK-47s used in some of the other attacks. The gunmen didn't succeed quickly so they fled, fearing getting trapped when the cops locked the area down. We didn't hear the shots, but our next-door neighbor did. Despite all the killings, it's had little impact on us. We don't see any big, obvious changes in traffic patterns or anything; maybe we're oblivious to it. The State Department has thus far decided that Monterrey isn't dangerous enough to warrant either evacuation or additional danger pay.

Weather update: It's been wetter and a bit cooler than I expected for the last month or so. The last few days are more what I expected: sunny and highs in the 90s.

Critter update: I've seen fewer lizards (anoles and house geckos) than I expected to see based on last year. Hopefully they'll return; we have too many mosquitos. A dove was out on our patio and I let Boots out to chase it (she gets to chase far fewer critters here). Unfortunately it was a fledgling, which I didn't know at the time, and couldn't get away. Boots seemed just as surprised to catch it as I was. She didn't injure it and I called her away and back inside. I then shooed it along until I could catch it and place it in the tree by the patio. It remained there for several hours, gradually working its way higher until it finally fluttered off onto the roof and beyond. Here's a picture:

2007-04-05T06:13:00.000+02:00

Movie Reviews

Emily and I recently saw two movies: Music & Lyrics and 300.

On my birthday Sunday before last, Emily and I walked to MM Cinemas to watch "Music & Lyrics." We first played a few games of air hockey, then hustled up to the Bennigan's Express for a couple Guinesses and some potato skins. (Ain't livin' in Mexico tough?) The taters were a bit overdone, but they came out quickly as requested. The Guiness was wonderful, after probably a year without one. (We've spotted Guiness here occasionally, but it's even more expensive than back home. We usually settle for Leon, but snag Negra Modelo when we find it.)

As for the film, given the cast and what little I knew of the plot, I hoped it wouldn't be a truly dumb comedy. Don't get me wrong - there are a number of romantic comedies I have enjoyed (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Joe vs. the Volcano, and plenty of others). I'm just not into most of the comedies, movie or TV, that make it these days. Thankfully, this movie was not in the latter category. Emily and I enjoyed it. It was witty, fun, and we had a blast. A particular scene I enjoyed was near the end. Parents with their kids at the concert were a bit stunned at the revealing outfit worn by the performer. The mother was trying to hide the little girl's eyes, meanwhile the father and son were practically drooling. I'm not a parent, but I understand it totally. Good luck, all those friends with kids.

During the movie we heard thunder and thought it was in the film, until we heard it again. We emerged from the movie to find a deluge, with lots of thunder and lightning. We trudged next door to the supermarket, hoping to spot a taxi. After a bit we gave up and started walking. We soon encountered a taxi, which proceeded to head towards home at a blistering 10-15 mph, with fogged windows. We got out around the corner from our house and had to splash through ankle-deep runoff to get inside. Joy of joys, the courtyard between the maid's quarters and the laundry was flooded. I waded out and cleared the drain. Fun stuff.

Last Saturday we went to see "300"... in IMAX. I held out to see it in IMAX. I figured, why not? So, I saw all the gore and blood on the Largest Movie Screen in Mexico and heard the *thunks* of limbs being severed in all the clarity provided by 12,000 watts of surround sound. The theater has wider aisles than back the States (easier for people to get by) and comfortable seats.

As for the film, I enjoyed it. I know there were huge historical inaccuracies, which I'll have to research and find the truth of some day. I also wasn't crazy about some of the CGI, such as the wolf early in the film. It just looked BAD as far as I'm concerned. I found the NPR reviewer's comments about the "manly men" valid. I seriously doubt the Spartan men routinely went about and into battle bare-chested. I also agreed with the reviewer that some of the effects were a bit over-done. Personally, I don't think the headless torsos and severed heads added much to the film. On the realism front, it's just not all that easy to sever limbs or heads with a sword. Anyone who's chopped the head off a chicken (which I've done) or butchered an animal (with which I've assisted) knows that a knife or even an axe doesn't easily sever bone. It takes some effort. In the thick of the battle it's unlikely a warrior would have the necessary time to get sufficient force behind his blow to accomplish such a severance. If so, he'd likely be unprepared for attack/defense or off-balance. Note: I won't claim to be an expert in this, but it just seems to be common sense to me.

That said, I did enjoy it overall. I'm a sucker for fantasy, mythology, history, war - this was all of the above. It's definitely not for the kiddies, but if you enjoy bloody fight films, you might like this one.

The best part for me is that it's another example of what can be done in film today. Films such as the LOTR movies, Harry Potter, Narnia, Star Wars, and many others have proven we have the capability to pull off nearly anything. Now that Disney has optioned Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter of Mars series, I'm having dreams of mighty, six-armed green warriors, ferocious giant white apes, and gorgeous princesses on the big screen. I'd honestly be happy with animated, but they can definitely pull it off in live-action these days.

Here's a scan of the ticket stubs. Note the circled prices are in Mexican pesos, which are about 10-11:1. I'll gladly pay $5 for a film or $7 for an IMAX. That's way better than back in DC!

2007-03-22T03:36:00.000+01:00

Birdie season
The local birds are definitely nesting. I've observed courtship behavior in the great-tailed grackles (much more pleasant than their smaller cousins back home in VA). The doves continue their coo-fests. Mated pairs of what I think are greater kiskadees (or something with nearly identical markings) visit the yard regularly. I heard a mockingbird for the first time this evening, a pleasant reminder of home. Best of all, I've spotted a hummingbird nearly every day for the last week. I guess that means it's officially spring. Spring also means a return to regular lawn-mowing and hedge-trimming (both of which I need to do).

Boots would argue that the best part is she has more birdies to chase, but she's a dog. What do you expect?

2007-03-12T19:05:00.000+01:00

Sudden shifts in the weather
Here's what I got on my Google home page this morning:
It appears it'll be a bit brisk hereabouts! (And, no, it's not displaying Celsius.)

An hour or so later, the correct forecast showed up.

Right now, it's about 74 degrees and overcast under a very white sky. Not dark and dreary enough to be seriously depressing, but not exactly inspiring, either. The only distinguishable clouds are on the mountain, where they shroud the upper half, scudding along like wayward sheep.

2007-03-05T17:26:00.000+01:00

Emily's off to Merida
I dropped Emily off at the airport this morning. She's headed out to Merida (down on the Yucatan) as part of the US presence for the upcoming Presidential visit. She probably won't see, let alone meet, any of the dignitaries, given the number of people involved and a no doubt busy schedule. I expect she'll work a lot, socialize very little, and take full advantage of the hotel room's bath tub.

(Apparently there was a study or news article here many years ago stating that tubs were less hygienic than showers. As a result, there are very few tubs in the housing pool here. Emily really misses her tub time.)

So, me and Boots have nearly two weeks alone, followed by one day with Emily, followed by another flight, this one back to visit her parents. I have lots of class work to do, several exams to take, and plenty of other things to keep me out of trouble. Still, it's going to be quiet for a while.

2007-03-05T16:58:00.000+01:00

Emily makes the news!
Okay, not really. A case Emily was involved with made the local news recently. Often Emily's day is composed of replacing passports, visiting US citizens in Mexican prisons, or trying to explain to the nice, but unqualified applicant, that she can't approve his visa. Other times she has to deal with things like this:
My San Antonio site story
My San Antonio site story - updated.
Dallas News
Dallas - Fort Worth ABC affiliate story

It was a long night. She worked late and stressed over the incident all evening. Privacy concerns prevent her from discussing details, but it was a very sad incident.

Background and terms:

Visas are for non-US citizens only
New babies of American Citizens apply at the consulate for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad - CRBAs - as proof of the child's citizenship and to serve as a birth certificate in the US
CRBA's are the "seed" citizenship document and can be used to cross the land border or obtain a passport. Because of the importance of this seed document, CRBA applications are closely scrutinized.

While I was trying to dig up any additional news coverage, I stumbled across this article on the California Family Law Blog. The situation appears to be similar.

2007-03-02T00:36:00.000+01:00

Brain Man
I hit the following link off a completely unrelated story and found it fascinating. They're from 60 Minutes and focus on "Brain Man." After watching those segments, I turned to Google and found a few more at the Discover/Science channel. Now I'll have to hunt down the documentary about him....

I do hope that the scientific and medical establishments keep track of this guy (to the extent he wants it). I also hope he finds his "true calling" in life. Perhaps he'll be the one to make a huge breakthrough in compression algorithms or encryption. The potential is there.

On a completely unrelated note, I stopped by the Consulate this afternoon to get my Hepatitis-B booster shot. My pretty yellow shot record is now complete... until the next post.

2007-03-01T17:28:00.000+01:00

And you thought it was cold in the States!
I was cleaning up my computer desktop and came across this one; I'd forgotten all about it. There was something wrong with whatever weather site Google was using (wunderground.com, I think) on January 8, 2007. It's not quite as bad as the forecast discussed on NPR a while back. Apparently San Jose, CA, was set for a record low back in December: -30,000 F. Still, this was an eye-opener for someone enjoying the Mexican climate.

Meanwhile, it's in the mid-70s now, with a predicted high of 86 or so. The orange tree next door is starting to bloom (caught a whiff of it this morning) and one down the street is so fragrant you can smell it from up to half a block away. The doves must be starting to breed: it's a non-stop coo-fest from dawn to dusk, not that I mind. As long as I don't find lost chicks in the yard, like the robins back in VA every spring, I have nothing against the birdies.

Yesterday I mowed the grass and watered the lawn for the first time this year; the hedges and other plants are watered every other day or so, at least until we get some more rain. My hedges are completely out of control. I hope to get around to cutting them this weekend. I'll get some before-and-after shots and post them up.

2007-02-24T19:37:00.000+01:00

Local critter

Emily and I had a fall friend, one I wouldn't object to seeing again. Apparently it's a Spiny Orb Weaver, an arachnid. It has a hard, yellow and black shell, sort of like a crab.

Our only problem was when it built its web in a spot where Boots or one of us would walk into it. Apparently it caught on and stopped that. It stayed around until the weather got too rainy in the fall, then disappeared.

2007-02-24T19:27:00.000+01:00

Christmas bargain

Emily and I went to one of the local grocery stores during the holidays. I spotted something in the liquor section and had to buy it. I simply couldn't pass up a "Lord of War" DVD (a movie I wanted to see) and a liter bottle of Don Pedro Brandy (not bad stuff) for 100 pesos (less than US $10).

There were some other movies as well, but how many 1L bottles of brandy do I *really* need? (That was Emily's argument, not mine; I admit she had a point, maybe.)

We finally watched the movie a few days ago. We enjoyed it. There is a brief Don Pedro ad before the movie starts, but other than that, it's the original movie. If they do this next Christmas, I might stock up and bring the extra bottles back to the States as gifts.

2007-02-24T19:06:00.000+01:00

Christmas in Monterrey is noisy!
Mexicans enjoy celebrating holidays with fireworks. Starting Christmas Eve we heard firecrackers (some little, but mostly big, like M-80s), bottle rockets, and other loud things. We were told to expect it at midnight, but no one waited that long. Eventually it quieted down somewhat, allowing Boots, our fearless dog (ha!), to allow us to sleep. This didn't last long, since the midnight Mass crowd got home about 2 AM and promptly ignited their fireworks... in the empty lot across the street from our house... until about 3:30.

Here's Emily with her low-key fireworks (the legal kind).

We did NOT get up early to open presents. In fact, we didn't open them until around noon. I'm holding an item Emily really wanted: a hand-held bug zapper. I'm sure she'll put it to good use once the mosquitoes return.

Here's the fabulous chicken Emily baked for our Christmas dinner.

Boots even got a special treat. Emily took leftover egg yolks (from cardamom bread - yum!) and whipped up a sort of quiche. Eggs, meat, cheese - Boots' favorite food groups!

Here's a picture of a special cake (rosca de reyes) made for the holidays (New Years, in particular). It's mildly sweet, has bits of fruit around the outside, and hidden somewhere inside is a small, plastic toy (a baby). It's considered good luck to find it. More details on this page.

2007-02-24T18:35:00.000+01:00

Walk pix
Here are a few pictures Emily took on a recent walk we took with Boots.

This is a monument at "our" end of the Calzada del Valle. It was presented by a group, the Italy-Mexico League or something like that. (Now that I've forgotten, I'll have to look at the plaque again.) The globe lights up green at night.

Here's our favorite pedestrian overpass on Calzada San Pedro. It's quite attractive. Those are the peaks of Chipinque in the background.

This is from the overpass of Calzada San Pedro, probably a mile from our house. In this view we're looking southwest down Lazaro Cardenes, a major street. This is looking in the general direction of Saltillo.

This shot is of a local lawn ornament/statuary shop (although they have other art work inside). Yes, the statue is covered in Christmas balls for the holidays (gone now). During major futbol (soccer) season, he'll often sport the colors of a team. And, yes, those are Beatles statues. I don't know why, but the locals seem to like the Abbey Road cover shot, which they alter. Don't ask why, given the small population of Indian and SE Asian people locally, but there are a lot of Hindu and Buddhist statues and figures available in local shops. There are also several Egyptian-themed shops. Just another little mystery.

Here's a shot of Boots on the walk. She rarely holds still for a shot - camera bad! Scary!

Here's a shot of Mitras, a small mountain on the outskirts of Monterrey. It's been used heavily for aggregate for construction, so it's missing chunks. I'll have to dig and see if I have any more shots of it.

2007-02-24T18:22:00.000+01:00

Ah, warm days are here again!
By 10 AM it was 77 degrees and warming. By 11:30, 80. I saw my first butterfly of the year today. The geckos continue to appear nightly on the porch and I spotted this year's first anole last week.

I'm taking a little time off my classes today to catch up on some posts. Bear with me, some of this stuff will date back to Christmas! Better late than never, right?

Meanwhile, here's the view from my desk in the den. It's not much, which is a large part of why we chose this room for the den, as opposed to the guest bedroom. That room looks out over our yard and has a tree in it, not the neighbors' roof.

2007-02-23T22:34:00.000+01:00

Time flies.

Actually, I've found it more-or-less has two speeds: when you need the time or you're not paying attention, it zips; when you really just want the staff meeting to be over, it slogs along, seemingly in defiance of mighty Entropy.

So, I looked up yesterday and the tree has leaves, not just buds. This is the same area, although I couldn't pick out the exact branch, as my last posting, some 18 days ago.

I am quite swamped in my classes now. I'm running behind in one class, holding my own in two others, with two more starting in a couple weeks (and one, thankfully, ending around the same time). Problem: NVCC hasn't delivered the exams to my proctor. I know there were some delays due to severe weather in the US in the last couple weeks, but it didn't take two weeks last semester.

On the plus side, I did get my copy of Jessica Mae Stover's newest publication: Greyfeather Catch. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but hope to soon. Thanks for the prompt delivery, Jess!

2007-02-05T23:34:00.000+01:00

It was a long, cold winter....

But apparently it's now spring! Yes, the picture tells the story. I still have leaves falling from my trees, but Emily noticed new leaves and blooms are beginning to open. I'm down to mowing about once every four to six weeks, but I expect that to pick up as the temperatures rise.

Meanwhile, it's been in the upper 50s today. I must admit I feel sorry for the wife of one of Emily's co-workers, who is teaching at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee this semester. With wind chill, it's about 15 below today.

For those (few) out there who read this space, I apologize for the long absence - and had NO idea it had been so long! I will endeavor to do better this year. With three separate class start dates this semester, and four different end dates, not to mention an additional three credits (17!), I will be even busier. I will be better organized, however, so I hope to devote more time to this space.

2006-12-16T19:38:00.000+01:00

Go, Virginia!
Today a Minotaur rocket successfully lifted off from Wallops Island, Virginia, and successfully deployed its payload. Woohoo! For the full story, go here. Given the overall abysmal progress we as a species have made since abandoning the moon in the early 70s, I'll take any small accomplishment as a positive step.

Personally, I want to see more exploration of Near Earth Objects (NEOs: asteroids, burnt-out comets, etc.) from an exploitation perspective. What are these objects made of (carbon-rich materials, can water be extracted?, valuable metals, etc.) and what can we do with them? Can we develop automated factories that can mine the objects, refine the metal, form it, and sling it off to an orbit where we can retrieve it? If a particular object has sufficient water material contained within it, could we develop a factory to refine the water and store it in tanks to be used at a later date for refueling? Could we tow an object back to Earth-orbit for resource exploitation or as a base for manufacturing? Could we rendezvous a probe with an object that would then deploy a solar sail and, ever-so-slowly, steer it closer? An automated refinery/thruster that would first generate its own fuel, then use this fuel to move the object to Earth-orbit?

If we want to ensure the continuation of our species and elevate the standard of living of the destitute without destroying the planet in the process, we have to get out there. We have to explore, we have to develop new capabilities, and we have to harvest the resources available. If you want to read up on the subject, I suggest Robert Zubrin The Case for Mars and John S. Lewis Mining the Sky.

2006-12-15T02:02:00.000+01:00

Somewhere, a Hispanic comic is laughing....
NPR reported today that a company that builds fences, including between the US and Mexico, was busted for employing illegal immigrants, not once but twice. Now some of the company's bigwigs may see jail time.

Many months ago, back when I had Comedy Central in the States, I saw an episode of Mind of Mencia wherein he joked about who was going to build the proposed border fence. How predictable, that he should prove correct on this. I remember his joke about the inspection, "it looks good from this side. Wait, how are we getting back? Awwww....." (Picture guys on the Mexican side appreciating their handiwork, only to discover they're on the wrong side.)

(I freely admit that I may be quoting the wrong Hispanic comic, but I think it was Mencia.)

Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6626823

2006-12-11T20:03:00.000+01:00

One down, three to go!
I received email from one of my professors today: one class down. *whew*

Today I have to send a recording to my Spanish professor and FTP my personal home page up to the college server. Tonight and tomorrow I'll wrap up the last bits of work before taking another two exams on Wednesday (web design class and intro-level IT class).

Wednesday afternoon, evening, and all day Thursday I'll work my way through more Spanish, then take an exam Friday. Well, that's the plan anyway. If all goes well, I'll take the Spanish final next Thursday or Friday, wrapping up that class at last.

I'll then have @ 5 weeks to wrap the two remaining classes, which shouldn't be too bad. In that same time frame, I also have to decide which, if any, classes I'm taking with NVCC next semester. I'll also continue to investigate other online options, such as WGU, Excelsior, and a bunch of others. I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck, including base cost, hassle factors, transfer credits, military credits, and work/certification credit.

2006-12-10T17:58:00.000+01:00

Alan Parsons Project - Live in Monterrey
Last night Emily and I went to see Alan Parsons Project. It was a good show. The band played a bunch of the old hit songs, with a couple I didn't know, at least one of which is from a new CD (A Valid Path) which was nominated for a Grammy (Best Surround Sound Album? I didn't know they had that category). I was disappointed not to hear one of my favorites: Days are Numbers (The Traveller). They did play my other favorite, Old and Wise, a song I always envision being used at a memorial service for someone who died tragically young. A few songs I didn't anticipate hearing, but did, include The Raven and (The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether. I guess I should have figured on it, though, since they "rock" a bit more than some of the other tunes.

If we had only known how lax things are here, we'd have taken our digital camera AND camcorder. I kid you not, we saw both in use, not to mention dozens and dozens of camera cell phones. At least then I'd have some royalty-free pictures to post!

The funniest thing was that Emily and I pegged the lead vocalist identically: he looked like he should be fronting for Guns N Roses! The drummer looked a bit hard-core for the band, too, and the bassist definitely looked a little on the young side. Then again, it's not like APP had a solid lineup through the years. A quick glance at the two-CD The Definitive Collection shows sixteen (16) different lead vocalists! Last night's singer had a few minor problems hitting the "quiet" voice often used in APP songs and definitely had a "rock" voice. He was dressed in tennis shoes, black leather pants, a flannel shirt, and a dew-rag. The guitarist, keyboard/synth guy, and, of course, Alan Parsons himself were all old enough to look as if they belonged in the band. Go here to see the band's bio. I did enjoy the fact that all six members of the band not only sang harmony parts, but each took lead on at least one song.

My only question is, what the heck were the locals chanting when they were trying to get the band out for an encore? I think it was, "Claro claro claro" over and over. That word is used widely for an affirmative "of course", "I understand", and "clear" so it makes some sense.

My only complaints were:
1) Cost. It was a fairly expensive show, particularly outside of the US & EU. There were quite a few empty seats. This did result in us getting "promoted" into better seats, along with many others. Can't complain about that.
2) Temperature. It was cold in that auditorium! My guess is that they generally don't need heat in there and so they never installed it. Given recent temps in the 40s here (unseasonably cold, we're assured), they need it now.

2006-11-29T04:21:00.000+01:00

Post-Thanksgiving recovery
We had our first visitors over Thanksgiving: Emily's parents. We picked them up at the Monterrey airport the Sunday prior and I drove them back to the airport yesterday. In between we had a busy week. Luckily Emily did have a few days off (Monday was a Mexican holiday and Thursday was turkey day) and I put classes on hold for the week. We tried to hit the high-spots and give them a good overview of the city. I think we succeeded. At any rate, I think they left tired and we are exhausted. :-)

We also had another visitor during this time: Kodi, the dog of one of Emily's co-workers. Kodi is pretty sweet overall, getting old (they estimate 8-10 years), but not a good fit with our dog, Boots. What can I say? These two old bitches just can't seem to get along. Admittedly there was no blood, but after a week, they're not friends. Now we have a couple days of peace before Kodi comes back for a few more days. Perhaps they'll work it out, perhaps not. In the meantime, I'll be setting the Roomba loose to capture a fraction of the billions and billions of dog hairs floating through the house. I'll try to get a photo of Kodi to post later in the week.

2006-11-14T21:19:00.000+01:00

Babylon 5 direct to DVD
Slashdot has an update on new "Babylon 5" productions!
I don't know how I missed the original announcement and rumors, but this is official! Woohoo!

Now I just have to spend @ $300 or so to get the entire series and movies on DVD....
I'm sure Emily won't mind the cost, or the weight for our next big move....

Personally, this is the first bit of SciFi sunshine after the cancellation announcement of Stargate SG1.

Unfortunately several of the actors from the series have died, as pointed out in Sunday's Candorville.

2006-10-30T04:53:00.000+01:00

Good weekend!
Saturday started with Emily working an early half-day shift; I slept in with the dog. We had an evening commitment for dinner at her bosses, so we didn't do too much. The dinner was good, with a large attendance. Emily's pecan pie went over well, as usual.

Sunday was much busier. We initially planned to go to Saltillo or to the Cola de Caballo (Horsetail Falls). We eventually decided upon the Falls. We looked up some basic directions; it looked simple enough. We drove down the Carreterra Nacional until we saw a sign for Santiago, which also mentioned Cola de Caballo and turned there. We drove around the scenic village of Santiago and didn't see any further signs. We ended up going to the nearby lake and walking around there for a bit, then tried again. Failed again.

Stopped for gas, asked for directions. Apparently we didn't properly comprehend directions, failed again.

We decided just to drive on down the Carreterra a little further before heading home. Guess what we found? A bigger sign pointing to Cola de Caballo. Turning here, we had a straight shot all the way to the falls. There were some blind curves and one scary moment when a young idiot on a dirt bike passed a car coming the other way.

The falls reminded me a great deal of a state or regional park in the US: nice enough, fairly safe, attractive enough, lots of places for picnics or cookouts. This is not an adventure park or a hiker's dream, and the falls are NOT Niagara! I think it's a good place to take young kids or the mobile elderly.

Above the falls is a sign warning you to proceed at your own risk. With an invitation like that, how could we refuse? All the other cool kids were doing it! So, we squeezed through a hole in the fence and began a scramble over slick dirt, rocks, and tree roots. After a bit you get to some cliffs, with evidence of earlier erosion leaving small pits and caves. Some good views can be had up there. I didn't go all the way to the top. Emily was having a bit of trouble with the terrain, so we'll try for the top on a drier day (we've had a lot of rain in the last month).

The falls weren't as nice as they should have been, given the rain. Apparently a local landowner has dammed part of the stream that feeds the falls. I don't know if it's made it to court, but I suspect a State-run park will trump a guy trying to water his goats.

I will try and get pictures up Monday.

2006-10-27T22:27:00.000+02:00

Descent into the Hole
This morning I caught a ride to the Consulate and took another exam. I also dropped off a package to my brother (containing his license of f-secure 2006 - I forgot to install it on his PC before I came down and his license had expired) and several pre-stamped and addressed envelopes for future Spanish exams. Emily persuaded me to go to lunch with her and another couple at the Hole.

Why is it called the Hole? Well, no one knows its real name, it's just a hole in the wall. There is no sign, other than a sandwich sign listing the types of food prepared. This is about as Mexican as you can get. It appears to have orginally been a carport or garage. There is a narrow balcony overhead for additional seating, some small plastic tables and chairs, a counter, a stove, a cooler for drinks, and precious little else. Two middle-aged ladies cook the food and collect the money in a tiny, tiny space. You eat off real plates with real forks. You eat whatever they've prepared that day. Today they had prepared enchiladas con queso and some sort of pork dish. Emily did the ordering while I held down the table and we both got enchiladas, refritos (refried beans), and rice. The enchiladas were mild, but good. The beans were a bit runny, but okay. The rice was the best I've had here yet. It wasn't the texture but the taste: a bit peppery, zesty, very tasty. I washed it all down with a Coke. I believe the total was $4 (that is, forty pesos) each.

If I can find out an actual name or determine the street address (it's on Ocampo, not far from the Consulate), I'll post it.

Post exam follow-up: I arrived home via taxi to find that the professor had already graded my exam. I had a couple grammatical mistakes (no surprise - I rushed - but ones I normally would've caught). I received an 89. If that was strictly for grammar, I'll be more careful in future. If it was for content, as I suspect, I'm a bit irritated. I think the teacher graded not based on the "exam prep" page, but on additional criteria not specified. Grr. Live and learn, I suppose. I emailed my thoughts on the matter to the professor. Perhaps she'll revise her documentation so future students won't make the same mistake.

2006-10-26T20:31:00.000+02:00

Updates
Hmm... it's been a week. What's happened? We've had loads of clouds, cool weather (brr - in the 60s and 70s if you can believe it!), moths ('tis the season?), and school work. I took my first Spanish exam, but since it has to be snail-mailed back to the professor, I won't know the results for a bit (I'm sure I did fine).

I tried to take another exam, but the school forgot to give the proctor all the materials, so now I'll be taking that one tomorrow morning. I also hope to take an at-home exam later today, or tomorrow at the latest, for my fourth class. Progress is slower than I'd like, but it's beginning to pick up.

The weather today is a vast improvement: no rain, lots of sun, highs in the mid- to upper-80s. This weekend is going to be gorgeous: sunny, low 80s. Really, I'd rather have the 40s that my family is dealing with in Virginia. Honest. ;-)

Yesterday was a mix of sun and rain. A butterfly decided to take a rest on our front porch area. Getting a picture with its wings closed was easy, but open took a while. I'd see the wings beginning to open, try to get a shot, but by the time the digital camera actually TOOK the shot, the wings were closed again. This happened a lot.

I've also seen Monarch butterflies here for the first time, so I guess they're migrating through en route to their wintering grounds south and west of here.

Yesterday we got cable TV (somewhere, while interviewing a tourist visa candidate, Emily finds herself cheering for no apparent reason). Not to go into gory details, but we tried to get satellite TV for a while and finally abandoned it. Since the cable TV lineup didn't appear to carry ABC or SciFi (sob!), we bought a season pass for Lost and, thus far, the first three Battlestar Galactica episodes. So last night Emily is merrily flipping through the channels and finds... wait for it... Lost. As in the current episode that should come in via iTunes today!

I think it's going to take a while to figure out why some channels are in Spanish, some not, and what's on and when. We have channels such as WB (Warner studios, not the new CW) and Sony (also studios) that have an odd mix of current and recent (last 2-10 years) shows, many of which are also available on DVD. There's a channel called AXN that reminds me a lot of the old USA network, before it was "familyfied" and still aired La Femme Nikita, Xena, and other such shows. AXN airs Highlander, Andromeda, Lost, and other scifi and drama shows.

Now if I can just figure out how to get Cartoon Network and Animax in English, I'll be fine. Okay, it would also be nice to get the various Discovery and History channels in English, too, but I have to set priorities!

And the best part of having cable TV is: NO RABBIT EARS!

Emily spent a week on-call recently, which meant she didn't get out much, which meant another rompecabezas (jigsaw puzzle). Here's the latest (the third since we arrived):

And, from a week or so ago, here's a random sunset. The mountains you see are ones we rarely do; it's generally cloudy/hazy in that direction.

All for now - back to the oh so scintillating textbooks!

2006-10-19T22:57:00.000+02:00

Studunce

I took my first exam yesterday, for an English class (Applied Grammar). It was easy and I scored a 97. Now if only the rest of the exams are that simple....

Although I'm still trying to get into the whole "back to class full-time" thing, little by little it's beginning to click. Motivation has always been my chief problem as a student, not ability. I'm far too easily distracted - oh, look! The laundry is piling up! Emily might need those pants tomorrow, so I'd better get right on it! And just look at those dishes! They won't wash themselves!

Right. Reality is, Emily told me not to worry about the housework. Problem is, I can't NOT worry about it. I'm by no means a neat-freak, but if I see that things are getting out of hand, I have to deal with it.

Then there's the siren call of reading for pleasure... well, I've nearly given that up. I think I've only read one book (Peter F. Hamilton's Misspent Youth) since I started classes in earnest.

In the past I've envied Emily's ability to put the rest of the world on hold, or at least auto-pilot, while she concentrates on something. I've also found it incredibly frustrating as the spouse on the receiving end. I watched her do this with occasional college classes, several certifications, work-related tasks - all while I tried my best to keep things from falling apart.

I'd give nearly anything to be able to emulate her now, but I'm just not wired that way.

Oh, and if you didn't read yesterday's Dilbert, you missed a good thing. :-)

2006-10-16T20:02:00.000+02:00

VOTE VOTE VOTE

Last night Emily and I filled out our absentee ballots. Today she'll drop them in the mail and our civic duty is fulfilled. We're sending ours a few weeks early simply because I didn't want to wait until the last minute and risk the ballots arriving late. I have voted in most local and state and all but one Federal elections since I turned 18. My first voting experience was in May of 1987 in the Republican Primary, in which I supported Bob Dole over George Bush. This reminds me of a Bob Dylan song, "My Back Pages": Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

This is a friendly reminder to anyone out there who may still debate on whether it's worth voting: it's not just a privilege, it's a responsibility. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain about the government - at all. Either participate, or keep your trap shut.

A few years ago, I heard a story on NPR about the American Institute of Graphic Arts get out the vote poster competition. The members came up with some very cool illustrations. Here's my favorite:

2006-10-15T06:48:00.000+02:00

End of the episodes... sigh.

Well, today we watched the season finale (cliffhanger, of course) of Stargate Atlantis. Last night we watched the same for Stargate SG1. Sigh. I guess we'll have to watch the webisodes of Battlestar Galactica and be ready for the new season. One of these days we'll get cable or satellite and we won't have to borrow taped episodes from friends... or wait for the season to come out on DVD. The problem is finding a decent selection of US channels down here.

We also watched "Syriana" tonight. This is a movie we bought months ago, but hadn't gotten around to watching. I have to say, I hope the book was better to read than the movie was to watch. I like the actors involved, but I found the whole thing just a bit dysfunctional.

In the "library" of movies on hand we still have to watch:
Ultraviolet
Equilibrium
From Hell (had this one for a couple years, but haven't watched it yet for some reason)

Emily hasn't seen, but we have:
The Thing
Body Heat

I haven't seen, but Emily has:
Moulin Rouge

In the last few weeks, I've managed to re-watch the entire Lord of the Rings Extended Edition trilogy, Serenity, Dark City, and Swordfish. All but LOTR I watched with Spanish sub-titles, picking up the odd word or phrase here and there. I had forgotten how good Dark City was. I'm still not fond of Dr. Schreber's affectations and voice, but the movie is solid. Besides, how could any movie featuring Riff Raff be bad?

2006-10-14T16:46:00.000+02:00

Top 223 Star Wars Lines Improved By Replacing A Word With "Pants"

Techrepublic pointed me to this one by listing the top 10. If you're a Star Wars fan, you can't help but chuckle. (And, yes, I do know how old the list is. It's a classic!)

2006-10-12T22:01:00.000+02:00

Grutas de Garcia

On Sunday we visited the Grutas de Garcia (Grottoes/caves of Garcia). This involved a drive of 30 or so minutes out of town. It was very easy to find, especially once you left the city traffic behind. In route, we passed many "Tecate 6" stores, which I promise I'll get a good photo of yet. A hint: think of a brew-through shaped like a 6-pack of canned beer. We also passed this interesting advertisement for the local brew. Note the fence posts for perspective.

Did I mention the mountains are gorgeous here? It was a bit hazy, but still impressive.

Once we arrived, I had to get a picture of the entrance to the small valley in which the caves are located. I particularly love the narrow entrance with what are nearly walls on either side.

Within the valley is just about the best little "sugarloaf" mountain I've ever seen. While I'm down here, I'm definitely going to hunt for a topographical map of this area. It's just too tempting to adapt it for a fantasy setting....

The entrance to the caves is more than halfway up a mountain. In the past you had two choices: walk or take the rail car. Apparently the rail car system broke down some years ago and they replaced it with a modern cable life. I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet and smooth the ride was, as good as anything similar I've ridden elsewhere in the world, including the US. Here's looking up at the cave entrance and a shot of one of the cars from above.

Unfortunately we didn't get too many good shots in the caverns, but here are some of the better ones. First the entrance:

Several shots of various spots:

La mano de muerto - the Hand of Death:

Is that daylight?

The platform at the top of the cable run gives an excellent perspective of the valley, and a healthy respect for the slope! It's also the only way to see the entire complex.

Here are several shots looking up-slope from the platform.

Here's a shot of what I assume is the old platform, visible in some other shots, but this is a close-up.

We elected to walk down. I can honestly say it would've been easier with steps! Instead it's a paved path, some brick, some stone, with multiple switchbacks zig-zagging down the slope. It's actually easier to jog or run down portions than it is to walk. Along the way we saw some items of interest. A nice nopal cactus:

A millipede:

A small flower I just had to shoot:

Emily finally gave up and turned around - so she could walk backwards down slope! Savor this, it's rare proof that Emily does indeed show up on film!

And to prove I was there, too, here's a cheesy shot of me.

After we got home from the caves, we had a little time to clean ourselves up, feed the dog, then head out to a BBQ at one of Emily's co-workers house. The husband is a former restaurant owner and an excellent cook. Among other things, he made two types of curry, one yellow and one red. Both filled a need: there's no good Thai, Indian, or Vietnamese food here! We'll continue to look, but so far no one we've talked to has found any. I guess that's something I'll have to look for in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville! (Is that ironic? An American driving out of Mexico to get foreign, and spicy, food?)

Thankfully my wife wisely chose not to stay too late, even though Monday was Columbus Day, a Federal holiday. If we had stayed much later, I probably would've ended up with a hangover, given that the tequila shots were flowing and the poker chips had just come out....

2006-10-12T21:43:00.000+02:00

Street Art, Part 2
(Told ya it'd be soon, oh ye of little faith!)

Across the street from the Festival, in the edge of the park that runs through the area, was a display of chalk artwork done by children, also from Mexico and Texas.

Below are two varieties of fowl:

Here are a couple cartoonish drawings. One reminds me of a Nicktoon, perhaps "Fairly Oddparents" or something of the sort?

A kids-eye view of Monterrey, La Silla on the left and the bridge to Cumbrace on the right. (I'm not certain what that is in the middle, unless it's supposed to be Chipinque.)

This is La Silla and the Tower of Commerce monument.

A nice still-life, much better than I could manage.

We continued walking through the park and Emily got several really nice shots, all of which feature the Tower of Commerce monument.

After this we strolled back to the car, somewhat nervously as our two hours of meter time was a few minutes over. No ticket, so all was well. In the process of walking about, we found several restaurants and bars we'll have to visit and yet another movie theatre. Considering the Bier Haus is next to the theatre, Booze & Flicks may be back on the agenda in the near future.

2006-10-12T20:57:00.000+02:00

How the time does fly....

Hi, my name is Neal, and I have a problem: I haven't been posting either frequently or in quantity.

So... to take up where we left off, last Saturday we visited downtown Monterrey, Barrio Angtiguo, to see the Street Painting Festival. For this event, a short street was closed and a number of artists from both Mexico and Texas reproduced classic works on the pavement with chalk. Here's a perspective shot, as you come up to the start of the Festival.

And here's another perspective partway through.

Here are two shots of one particular work-in-progress.

Here are a group of artists taking a break. We found that technique varied: some started with the hardest part of the image, finishing it completely before moving on; others did a rough-in of everthing, then refined it piece-by-piece.

Here are several that we both enjoyed, including a Dali.

There were also entertainers dressed in Renaissance garb wandering about, including this jester who posed for us. A group of about 20 young men strolled through playing guitars and singing.

Next post (coming soon, honest!) - the children's art.

2006-10-08T04:58:00.000+02:00

Last night we had several of Emily's co-workers and their spouses over for pizza and games. We planned for Trivial Pursuit and Party Scrabble, but ended up playing only the former, plus a game one of the couples brought: Catch Phrase. It was a lot of fun, but I'm obviously out of practice on how to give tips. I guess it's been too long since I've played Charades or anything of that genre.

Today we started out slow, munching on leftovers from last night for breakfast/brunch/lunch, watching another catch-up episode of Stargate Atlantis in the process. In the afternoon we drove into Monterrey, found a parking spot, and hit the sidewalks in search of a "street painting" festival we'd heard of via the Consulate. Near the end of our expedition, which yielded the location of Das Bier Haus and a couple of intriguing bar/club blocks, we stumbled across the festival right next door to a restaurant we visited a while back: Neuquen (Argentinian indian word, as I recall).

The festival consisted of artists "painting" in chalk on a street that was closed to traffic. It was very nice, though obviously the artists will need another day to complete their work. Across the street were chalk masterpieces done by schoolchildren, some of those surprisingly good. Emily took some pictures and I'll try and get them posted tomorrow.

For dinner we walked to a seafood restaurant and sports bar a few blocks away, Ocean Drive Cantina de Mariscos. Unfortunately we picked a night when there was a big soccer game, so it was even noisier and smokier than we expected. We got a bad table near the kitchen. Having already been warned that there were no good margaritas in Monterrey, I bravely made the attempt. I can confirm: there isn't a good one there. The drink was tart, salty, weak on the tequila, and no hint of sweet. Emily ordered a Manhattan (she was thinking Cosmopolitan, oops). I think it was just bourbon and a cherry, maybe a little water or quickly-melted ice. Lesson learned: stick to the cerveza!

I ordered fillete de "fish" (honest, that's how the menu had it), al chile y limon (with chile and lime). Hot, tart, a bit too fishy for my taste, but it was okay. Emily had camarones ala diabla (devil shrimp): spicy, tasty, an overall winner.

Conclusion: we might go back on a weeknight, or just for beer and chips, but we'll avoid game nights for sure.

2006-10-06T06:47:00.000+02:00

Blog dating

No, not socially - I'm talking time-date stamp here!

I had a draft posting I hadn't touched in a few weeks, but since I hadn't posted lately, I thought I'd finish it up and throw it out there, start the flow again.

Lo! and Behold! It preserved the original time-date stamp of when I started the post, ignoring when I actually posted it.

SO... there is a newsed post (new to you!) dated 9/18/06, concerning my recent readings.

2006-09-20T03:06:00.000+02:00

An amazing MP3!
I was listening to WETA, NPR Washington, DC, over the internet this evening at various times. I was listening to Living On Earth just a few minutes before posting this (couldn't wait). They concluded the show with an audio recording of a bird that immitates a few oddities (camera shutter clicks, car alarms, chain saws!). I've heard mockingbirds immitate cell phones in Arlington before, but this is way beyond that.

The MP3 is @ 1.8MB. Click on this MP3 link to hear it.

2006-09-19T22:28:00.000+02:00

Colibrí, picaflor, chupaflor - 3 words for our visitor
The hummingbird returned again today. Yesterday he (or she, I have no idea) buzzed in, sampled a few flowers, and buzzed out, as usual. Today was different.

I was connecting the garden hose to water a few potted plants, including the flowers the hummingbird likes, when I saw noticed him. He didn't hit the flowers because our dog was basking in the afternoon sun a few feet away, something she enjoys more and more as she gets older. Instead our resident helicopter perched himself on a branch in a nearby tree and watched Boots. I stopped in my tracks and remained still. I have never seen a hummingbird perched. They've always seemed to be, well, flighty. The slightest movement or disturbance will see them whizzing away into the blue.

A few moments later, Boots shook her head and half-arose, apparently irritated by a fly or mosquito, before flopping back down in the grass. The hummingbird rose off his perch, hovering, then moved to a new perch about six inches from the first and resumed his observation. Since he seemed to be ignoring me, I carefully dropped the hose and lowered myself to the tiles, watching our guest all the while. I sat this way, trying my best to memorize features, the better to find out exactly what species our guest is. (Note: I spent a while on rubythroat.org and couldn't decide. I guess I'll have to get a photo of the beastie!)

Unfortunately I didn't have either the camera, to take a photo, or my watch, to time the event. It did last several minutes before the hummingbird stretched his wings, took flight, and quickly left the yard.

Boots, the great hunter that she is, never noticed, and that's just fine.

2006-09-18T16:47:00.000+02:00

Idle readings
Upon first arriving in Monterrey, I suddenly found myself with a little time on my hands. I turned to reading, as I often have in the past. Now that I'm starting college classes again, not to mention catching up on episodes of Stargate and Atlantis, I expect I'll be reading for pleasure a great deal less.

Here is the list of books I have read since I arrived in mid-July:

Peter F. Hamilton Night's Dawn Trilogy (re-read, actually: Reality Disfunction, Neutronium Alchemist, The Naked God) & A Second Chance at Eden (related short stories), The Commonwealth Saga (Pandora's Planet & Judas Unchained); still have to read his Mispent Youth.
Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series, books 1 - 7 (The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, Fires in Heaven, Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords).
Walter Wangerin, Jr The Book of the Dun Cow

I also read some sample chapters from some of R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt books, trying to remember which book I last read (definitely read The Thousand Orcs, possibly The Lone Drow).

I'm also reading Wade Davis' One River at the rate of a score pages or so a day.

People often ask what I'm doing with my time, seeing as how I'm a kept man and all. In addition to the above, I read a number of comics nearly every day: Washington Post political cartoons, Bo Nanas, Candorville, Non Sequitur, On the Fastrack, Red and Rover, Sherman's Lagoon, Zits, and, of course, Dilbert. I check out CNN.com and Washingtonpost.com several times a day, use Google News some, and graze a bit at Newslinx.com several times a week.

I also stream NPR news via WETA-FM in Washington, DC, of which Emily and I are proud members.

2006-09-17T18:22:00.000+02:00

Stargate fix
We went to a neighbor's BBQ last night. It was fun: good times, good people, Indio beer. While talking with a few of the other guests about TV options (DirecTV, SkyTV, local cable, Dish, etc.), we confirmed that our host was indeed a SciFi fan and he loaned us most of this season's episodes of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Apparently someone knows someone who has MythTV, something I really wanted to try, but never found sufficient time to build. I figured that or a Slingbox set up back at my in-laws or a friend's house would likely get me through the rough patches without key shows while I'm overseas.

About this time we began to hear thunder. Their dog, Mariposa - named for her love of chasing butterflies, immediately sought out "dad" and began shaking. She really hates thunderstorms. Several of the other families chose this time to leave as well, it was past the kids' bedtimes. Knowing our cowardly canine was undoubtedly frightened as well, we made our goodbyes, too.

After another 20-30 minutes of thunder, all was well: no rain, no more lightning. We broke out the sangria I made the night before and watched the first episode of this season's Stargate SG-1, "Flesh & Blood." It was enjoyable and capped the evening off nicely. In a few weeks we'll be caught up and, with a little luck, have a TV package that actually includes the SciFi channel. And of course, we'll keep our fingers crossed that somehow SciFi changes its mind and renews SG1 for an 11th season. If you want to add your voice to one or more of the campaigns to save the show, here's a link at savedanieljackson.com that points to several.

2006-09-13T23:15:00.000+02:00

And now for some scenery...
Here are a couple of shots from the front of the house. I apologize for the power lines and buildings, but such is life.

Here's another from the front of the house. This was an afternoon shot with some really cool clouds on the mountain.

About a month ago, Emily and I went to Chipinque, a local park on the mountain visible out our bedroom window. We got some nice pictures there. We're definitely going back now that our hiking boots arrived with our household goods. The top of the trail, if I read the signs right, are at about 2km altitude, so over a mile high, but we just went to the end of the paved portion.

You can see a portion of Monterrey from here, but it covers such an area that you'd need a whole series of shots to get it all. We were maybe 2-3,000 feet up.

Note that the three "peaks" in the shot above are the same ones we see from our bedroom. I think of them as three dull teeth.

2006-09-13T19:59:00.000+02:00

Lizards in Love and other beasties
Today I thought I'd add a little wildlife. There isn't a lot of it here. I spotted a hummingbird visiting our flowerpots again today (second or third time now). Boots is very disappointed that there are no bunnies, birdies, or squirrels in her yard to chase. A few birds visit our yard, but don't hang around for long. We've seen one baby oppossum while walking Boots (I'm sure she thought it was a rat) and one squirrel while hiking Chipinque, a local park. Thankfully she hasn't shown a lot of interest thus far in what is here: lizards and butterflies.

This was the first anole (often called chameleon) we spotted, and the largest yet. The body is probably about 5" or so long, with a longer tail.

A day or two later, Boots alerted me to something odd. She was sitting in front of the sliding glass door to the patio, drooling and making nose prints. I looked and only saw what I initially took for a few dead leaves, until they moved. The big anole was back, and had a "friend." I didn't want to interrupt them (how would you feel about some guy with a camera?), so I didn't get too close for the picture.

It's probably a coincidence, but a few weeks later, I spot this little guy and one other in one of our bushes. Body: about 1-1.5".

Soon after, we started spotting our nocturnal visitors: geckos. We've seen up to four at a time. This one was spotted eating a moth on our porch wall. I've seen geckos from about 1.5" body to 5" body. They remind me of those rubbery toys that you hurl against a wall and they stick.

Here are a few butterfly shots Emily took while we hiked on Chipinque. There's a butterfly garden there full of flowers.

2006-09-13T04:47:00.000+02:00

Soggy Bloggy
Today was dreary: cloudy throughout and intermittent rain. Boots didn't get to do any sunbathing, her favorite activity in Mexico, other than walks on the Calzada. The real rain didn't start until about 5:30 PM, with several stops and starts until about 7 PM or so, at which point the monsoon began. Here is a shot of the patio with rain coming off the roof.

The rain continued, steady and heavy. I finally gave up on the rain diminishing and dashed out to rescue some potted plants (basil) that were absolutely drowning. To give you an idea of how much rain we've had, we discussed the rain in Spanish class last week. We were already on our third day of overcast and intmittent rain at that point. We haven't had a completely clear day since, and we've had rain nearly every one. I wouldn't be surprised if the dry riverbed in Monterrey proper was full.

The rain led to a potential problem: flooding. The maid's quarters in our house are reached by exiting through the laundry room and walking about ten feet across an open courtyard. (If we had a live-in maid, we'd have to really dislike her to make her live there. She'd need about six keys just to get in the house, exit the laundry, and enter her room. Then there's the room itself: tiny bedroom (good luck fitting a single bed in there!) and tiny (claustrophobic!) bathroom.) To get back on track, the courtyard has a single drain, just outside the maid's quarters door. It was clogged with leaves from the neighbor's tree and other bits (probably including drowned roaches, but I try not to think about it). As a result, the water was about an inch from coming under the door into the laundry room and less than half an inch from entering the maid's quarters. Wading through about eight inches of water, I went into the maid's quarters bath, the only place we had a plunger (what planning!), cleared the drain with my fingers, then plunged it a couple times just in case. After removing the obstruction, I could immediately feel a strong current.

Within just a few minutes, the water level had visibly dropped. I declared victory!

Perhaps tomorrow I'll get some scenery shots up. The maid called in sick, postponing until Thursday. That means I have Spanish class in the morning, but plenty of time for college stress in the afternoon. Until then, stay dry.

2006-09-12T20:24:00.001+02:00

I had just decided to take a break from evaluating what online college classes to take and write a bit about the frustrations of going back to college, when Hem's "Reservoir" came on Radioparadise... which reminded me that I left the CD in the car, which is at work with Emily. Guess I won't be listening to that one today.

I can't accurately describe what Hem's music is - folksy, old-timey, traditional, chamber music overtones? All I know is Hem has been my favorite band for about five years now. I first heard them on NPR, bought their "Rabbit Songs" CD (still my favorite) and visited their website to join their fan list. That list has netted me numerous free MP3s, concert announcements, and advanced ordering of their newer CDs. An autographed copy of "Eveningland" was Fedexed to my doorstep the morning the CD released (talk about service!). I should be receiving an additional CD of material as a reward for ordering their newest release, "Funnel Cloud," in advance.

Emily and I have seen Hem at Iota in Arlington, Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis, and The Birchmere in Alexandria. I've never bothered seeing another band or musician more than once. We bought tickets for a February show in NYC, at the Lincoln Center, with plans to take a couple days off for the show and trip. When Emily's Foreign Service dream job came through, we had to sell the tix on Craigs List. Interestingly enough, the Hem list sent out a link to a bootleg video someone made of the entire show, with a distinctly "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" tone to the message.

I highly recommend any and all of their music, with "Half Acre" from "Rabbit Songs" as my all-time favorite. A few months ago, before we left the States, I heard "Half Acre" as the background music on a Liberty Mutual commercial. For samples, go to the various websites below or Amazon for snippets from the various CDs.

Hem
Hem's MySpace page
"All about hem"

2006-09-11T18:39:00.000+02:00

No, I didn't consciously choose September 11 to start this blog. Although I'm sure politics will crop up from time to time here, today probably won't be one of them (no promises). I have no special plans for the day to personally commemorate the event, but it's nearly impossible not to remember the day.

I was working at my (then) new job, having started nearly a month prior at AHC, Inc. in Manassas. Although audio-visual equipment wasn't specifically listed as part of my support work, I was attempting my best to weed through the cables and connections to get the big screen TV and VCR working for a marketing department employee. The issue was complicated by the absence of some other components and a non-functional satellite system that was still connected. After a few minutes, I managed to get audio, at which point we heard something about a plane striking one of the Twin Towers. At this point I was urged to get the video working, and did. Several others gathered around to watch the unfolding events for a few minutes and a manager came by to say that the TV in the lunch room was showing it, too.

I spent the next several hours, even after the staff was officially dismissed, attempting to get any additional solid information from the internet (pretty fruitless) and talking to my co-worker in the Florida office, Mike. I served six years in the infantry, VA National Guard, and Mike was a former Army nurse and medic. It was a scary, almost surreal day. Later that evening, with serious thoughts of reenlisting going through my head, I spent some time listening to music such as Gordon Lightfoot's "Protocol" and Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms," while embibing too much bourbon. Ultimately, this is what it came down to as far as personal impact: my freshman roommate from JMU was booked on the plane that hit the Pentagon. About a week prior, his boss changed the schedule and flew him to LA a week early. I didn't personally know anyone who died at any of the sites.

Five years later, do I feel safer? Safer from what? Planes used as weapons? Yes, the sheer inconvenience of air travel these days is likely to prevent that precise attack. Safer overall? No, not really. I have no confidence that the current political environment will foster better relations with those who might wish us harm, let alone prevent them. (Sorry, but I said "no promises.)

The US is an open, nearly impossible to secure environment. Remember, I lived in the region the DC Snipers stalked. One of the victims was slain about a mile from my workplace, a location I passed on my way home perhaps an hour before the crime was committed. My biggest fear at the time was that it was not home-grown lunacy. I am extremely thankful that we've had no "copy-cats" thus far. Americans are just not used to thinking in security terms. After five years, I see only limited proof of change. One good example: the tank farm on 28 in Chantilly near Dulles Airport finally got some limited protection. How many others out there are unsecured and easy targets?

In closing, if you have any opinion on the current state of affairs in our nation and our world, do the one thing that you can do to make a difference: VOTE.

In the beginning, there was blog...

2006-09-11T17:18:00.000+02:00

Actually, there wasn't, and therein lies the problem. After many delays, most self-inflicted, I have finally set up my blog. I can't promise daily updates, but I'll certainly try. For those of you with whom I've been out of touch (sorry!) or those who don't know me or Emily (mucho gusto), we are now living in Monterrey, Mexico, otherwise known as Far South Texas. I apologize in advance for the length of this first posting, but there's a lot of ground to cover.

(For additional background, see my complete profile.)

We arrived in mid-July, received most of our household goods a few weeks ago, and made our first back-to-the-border dash last Saturday. The primary purpose in our trip was, as was our bidding for foreign posts, dog driven. Boots was nearly out of food and (zoinks!) Scooby Snacks (otherwise known as crack for dogs). Unfortunately we haven't found a local pet store that carries Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior or Scoobies. Our other purpose was diplomatic and, we thought, mandatory: renew the Temporary Import Permit (TIP) on the car.

The trip went smoothly, presenting our diplomatic credentials to the nice, assault-rifle-toting soldiers only once (of two military checkpoints) and once to a Mexican customs official. After presenting our IDs to the US Customs officers and telling them we were shopping for dog food in Laredo, the officers then offered helpful advice: Petco is a better choice than Petland (we confirmed this later). We missed our turn after the Columbia bridge and ended up paying a $2 toll and driving several miles out of our way. This ended up as our only U-turn of the entire trip, of which we are justifiably proud.

After picking up dog food for ourselves and one of Emily's co-workers (he has a horse, I mean, Great Dane) at Petco, we hit Walmart, Target, and HEB for other necessities such as Baked Cheetos (how can they NOT carry them in MX?!), a couple DVDs (Serenity, Ultraviolet), angel hair pasta (only available as "nests" or 2" pieces here), and other assorted items, we headed back. In route, I spotted a sports bar named "Buck Ugly." I wonder if the locals shorten it to "bugly?"

We stopped to renew the TIP, only to have the kindly officials tell us that we didn't need to, simply wait for our Diplomatic plates. Argh! Why couldn't they have mentioned this in the letter they sent from Mexico City? Oh well, live and learn. We've already passed that little golden nugget on to some of the others here. Perhaps it'll save them a trip.

I did see several notable signs and such on the trip, cursing the lack of a camera. Next time I will remember it (pack it the night before) and post the photos here. I had no idea Ducks Unlimited operated down here. Apparently Pokemon live in Mexico, too, but you'll have to wait for the photos.

As always, don't mind me; I don't.