Michael: Butterflies

Jekyll and Hyde days:
Smiles in the morning and sneers
In the afternoon.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

One of the great things about living in the Panama highlands is that you often find small elements of beauty in unexpected places.

Today, for example, we went out for our usual Wednesday morning trail run on the farm road to Los Posos. It’s a challenging road that winds it way through some very bucolic scenery. But it wasn’t there that we found what struck as pleasantly delightful today. It was at the bus stop waiting to be picked up for the 15 minute ride back to Volcan.

There we saw an array of very distinct and beautiful butterflies. There fluttering about after we were finished running just put an extra special little shine on a very clear and comfortable morning.

Michael: The Experiment Continues

The white butterflies
Flutter about the meadow
Like tiny angels.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Creatine is the first dietary supplement I’ve taken that’s suppose to increase muscle mass in 40 years. 40 years ago I was in high school and my high school sweetheart, Mary, was just about as tall as me and weighed almost as much as I did. She was tall and thin and beautiful. I was tall and thin and not so beautiful. That didn’t seem right, so I drank a very calorie concentrated drink called Nutrament to try and put on some muscle. It didn’t work. The jury’s still out on creatine, but early indications are my body is able to absorb it.

How do I know? The preponderance of Google research claims that if I’m going to be among the majority of people that can benefit from using creatine I should gain between 2-4 pounds of water weight in the first week. I have. Ahhh… where was creatine when I wanted the additional weight in high school?

Hopefully, now, creatine will change from water weight gain into muscle mass gain. Already I’m beginning to shed some of the water weight. The muscle will hopefully follow soon enough. Unlike high school, now I don’t mind being tall and thin, but I still would like to be stronger. I’ll give it 3 months. That’s probably about as long as I gave Nutrament.

Michael: Off the Beaten Path

The warm dry rhythm
Of the day quickly becomes
An afternoon storm.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

If you are a runner coming to the Panama Highlands, you might feel that you’d have to exchange your running workouts for arduous hikes. You could, but you shouldn’t feel you have to.

Oddly, here some of the most beautiful roads are much more off the beaten path and have far less traffic, both in terms of cars and pedestrians, than the well known trails. And they are runnable whereas most of the trails are not.

All most all of these country roads were suggested to me by members of the Volcan Hiking Club. If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit this area, Google them and ask what roads they would suggest. If you’re on vacation but want to see some of the most beautiful country in the highlands, there’s  no reason to leave those road running shoes at home. The runs are beautiful, challenging and safe.

Michael: Indirect Object Pronouns?

The bloody eared dog
Seems to crave our affection
As much as our food.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Two of the sources I’m using to learn Spanish are heavily grammar based and it’s frustrating. Not only is it frustrating, but as a retired primary school teacher of 25 years, it’s embarrassing.

At just the beginning level I’m expected to distinguish between direct objects and direct object pronouns, which in Spanish probably wouldn’t be so difficult if I had any idea of what that means in English. So before proceeding in Spanish, I’ve had to take a timeout and send myself to the corner (of the internet) and spend sometime studying what I’m suppose to be an authority on.

Curses on me for so often telling my students after many of the grammar lessons I taught, they were almost certain to forget them and would never likely have to recall the information again once they were out of school.

Oh, and the direct object answers the question “what” is the verb acting on. For example; I wrote a letter. I wrote a “what”? A letter - that’s the direct object. The indirect object answers the question “for whom/ to whom?” Again, an example; I wrote a letter to her. The indirect object pronoun would be “her”.

Class dismissed.  

Michael: God is a Small Time Prankster

Breaking up the gray
The speckles of a bird’s song
Begin the morning.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

A few blogs ago I mentioned Armageddon but forgot to make any reference to the big dude, God. Or maybe he’s not a dude. Damned, the dude’s an enigma.  That’s why I pretty much avoid writing about … Him/Her/Whatever.

But it’s pretty hard not to think of God when the world’s suppose to becoming to an end. Of course despite numerous predictions, we’re still here. So what’s that say about the Almighty? Is he too weak to pull it off? Likes to see us twisting in the wind? Doesn’t exist? Doesn’t care?

Here’s my take; God is a personal type of  all powerful being. So much so that playing to a big crowd doesn’t do it for him any more. He’d rather pull a small prank on an individual so he can sneak off with a little insider chuckle. That’s why I like God. He’s given up the fire and brimstone gig and decided to amuse himself with the occasional small relatively harmless hot foot gags.

Take this morning for example. I decided to order some shoes for myself for Christmas (I know - September; another story.). Within minutes of this, as I prepared to go for my Thursday ride, my BOA lacing system on my cycling shoes broke. Coincidence, you say? I say somewhere in some dark corner of the universe a spirit is having a shoulder quivering, trying not to laugh out loud kind of sneaky I’m in church tear inducing giggle fit.

Michael: Battle of the Brownies

Like a ghostly hand
The storm clutches the mountains
With a chilling grip.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

No one makes brownies like good old ma, but there is an ex-pat that sells some pretty damned good ones at the Friday market at Mana’s. And the price is reasonable as well; a dollar for a deliciously moist walnut brownie.

Before she started selling her bits of chocolate heaven I bought brownie like bars from a Panamanian at the market for 3 for $2. A good deal for a decent brownie. For a while I was buying them both, but decided in my concerted effort to eat better and reduce my body fat, to give them both up.

But now, after hearing the Panamanian’s story of her and her husband’s efforts to build a house off of her earnings and his meager social security, I’ve decided to jump back on her brownie bandwagon. Of course this isn’t a completely selfless act. I enjoy them. I’m going to eat them and not give them away. I just wish the ex-pat with the really delicious brownies would come up with a great excuse for me to by some of her brownies as well.

Michael: It's Back

Security bars
Prevent me from reaching out
And touching Venus.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Late Monday afternoon our phone line was repaired, at least until the next dairy truck with new and fully inflated tires comes by. That means we again have access to the net.

I do use the net for some useful purposes like communicating with my family and searching youtube for drawing and Spanish lessons. But I’m also guilty of wasting a great time meandering through the news and looking for sales and reviews of shoes or gear I shouldn’t buy.

Usually I read the news for an hour every morning. This morning the great news was that apparently the earth and most of it’s inhabitants had a relatively calm 4 day stretch while I was out of the loop. Sad to say that after any length of time away from U.S. news I expect to open up my Nextbook to articles about another police shooting, a bombing, some solitary lunatic attack, Presidential crud, and some weather related calamity. Surprise, surprise; looks like the country had decent weather throughout while I was incommunicado.

And speaking of news that hits closer to home and is the reason I can justify looking through the internet sales bin; I loaned my favorite hydration pack out over a month ago to an enthusiastic local trail runner and despite numerous calls, have not heard back.

Just two years ago I would’ve jumped at the chance to get a new pack, but like Clint in Unforgiven, I’m not like that anymore. Or at least I’m trying not to be.

Michael: Low Wire Act

Cotton candy clouds
Crawl across the horizon
Over a warm sea.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

For the past several months our internet service has been outstanding. But we’ve been without service, no fault of the internet provider, since Thursday. So who’s fault is it?

The reason we’re without the net yet again is because the telephone wires were taken down by a dairy truck. There are two reasons why this happened, has happened in the past, and what’s worse, will probably periodically re-occur. 1. The lines were built to low or, 2. The trucks are too high. Frankly, as the famous line goes, we don’t give a damned. We just want it resolved so the lines don’t keep getting taken down.

And I have no idea how that would work. Our landlord says she’s going to talk to the dairy farm owner. But I’m sure the dairy truck that comes to his farm also goes to many other farms in the area and hopefully their height isn’t causing the same problems throughout this community.

So if it’s not the farmer’s responsibility, that would leave whatever company installed the utility poles. Would they take responsibility, or even more importantly, either install a taller pole or figure out another way to stop the lines from being snagged? Or is it just their practice to leave things the way they are and put up with the occasional complaints and repairs?

I’m betting on a temporary fix and that the lines will come down again in the not too distant future, but I would love to be surprised by a more enduring solution.

Michael: Taking Turns

A drop here and there
Slides down from its morning perch
And falls to the earth.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Waiting your turn has always been a pet peeve of mine.

After we go grocery shopping there’s a taxi pick up point in the center of town, but the ethic of waiting your turn doesn’t seem to exist among a good many Panamanians. Often we’ll be there alone for quite some time waiting so it’s obvious to those that show up later that we were there first, but that won’t stop aggressive Panamanians from rushing ahead of us if they see a taxi coming.

Of course this whole taxi thing is new to me, so maybe this is the way it works in the states or other places as well. My only experience with taxis in the states was at LAX where I’ve waited in a cue until an attendant singled to me that a taxi was ready.

Otherwise I wouldn’t say that Panamanians are any more or less courteous than people in the states. But the taxi thing really eats at me.

Michael: Clinton and Trump are Poisoning Me

The quivering leaves
Are tickled by the warm breeze
And playful sunlight.

Friday, September 16, 2016

This is a particularly good time of the year to be living outside of the U.S. Though even being thousands of miles away doesn’t protect us from all of the noxious fall out from the Presidential election.

We don’t have television here, but we do get our internet feeds from the U.S. So this morning when I logged into to get my e-mail AOL blasted me with this headline; “ Doctor: Trump and Putin are Poisoning Clinton.” Wow! I didn’t read the article to find out what kind of doctor was making this claim or if he/she meant they were literally or just figuratively trying to poison her. I rarely read the blurbs that pass by on AOL on my way to check my mail.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about what’s happening in the states. My Nextpad came with MSN as a free home page. I like the format of their news. It’s far more sedate than the dire warnings or startling grabbers AOL throws at me. Though, just like AOL, Clinton and Trump still dominate the headlines of MSN.

I do also get a bit of Trump and Clinton through youtube; watching every The Late Show (Ahhh…wouldn’t it be great to have that old tandem of Stewart/Colbert right now.) and some of John Oliver and Samantha Bee.

At least here though, without commercial T.V., I’m not bombarded by campaign adds or CNN reports; special or otherwise.

Michael: Eggs and Cheese

Shining through the clouds
In a soft white glow the moon
Watches over us.

Friday, September 15, 2016

Kimme and I are vegetarians which is not as difficult in Panama as some may think. In fact, living where we do is, in some ways, less morally conflicting than living in Los Angeles was.

For instance, we live right next door to a dairy farm so we can see the dairy cattle leisurely grazing. I have no idea how dairy cattle are treated in the states.

In the states I was always conflicted about eating eggs. I’ve read that many supposedly “cage free” eggs are cage free in name only. That may be the case here as well. But, since a few weeks ago, our landlord has been giving us eggs from her chickens. Again, like the cattle, we see them every time we leave the house, and they are living the good life.

Admittedly, we do still buy our share of eggs from the super market, and at the moment I’m turning a blind eye about how the chickens are treated that produce those eggs. Regardless of what I ever find out about that, I may experiment with or at least think about going vegan. But at the moment I can assure myself that many of the animal products I’m using come from a source that treats them humanely. Heck, the damned chickens next door are treated better by our landlord than most people’s dogs.  

Michael: The Heisenberg Conspiracy Principle

He pins his ears back
And sprints away from the fight
Without any shame.

Thursday, September 14, 2016

Since we’ve been here, we’ve been exposed to a number of conspiracy theories that were told to us by well meaning people believing that our being forewarned would allow us to prepare properly and survive. We haven’t prepared, yet still seem to have managed to have escaped Armageddon. Is there an explanation?

Yes. These people, by exposing the fact that aliens or whatever were about to invade, or secret organizations were diverting rainstorms from areas of drought, have frustrated the masterminds of these catastrophes into stopping their diabolical plans and going back into hiding.

But naturally not all’s well that ends well. We must be constantly vigilant. Our enemies may have retreated, but they haven‘t surrendered. And who knows what clever schemes they’ll come up with in the near future.

You may laugh. Honestly, you may laugh. But who knows? Your laughing may be part of their next seemingly outrageous plan.

Michael: Sitting Still

Followed by four dogs
The old woman led her pack
To the town center.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Kimme meditates everyday. Her wheezy breathing for the last 4 years has vacillated between amusing to driving me mildly insane. Since this practice seems to be ingrained into her morning routine, and it’s too cold outside to get away from, I decided I might as well join her. How hard could it be to close your eyes for 5 minutes or so, wheeze and sway back and forth? Heck, when I was a kid and had asthma I did it all the time.

But I didn’t want to follow exactly in her cross legged footsteps, so I read a book called the Urban Monk that suggested some alternatives. What I’ve chosen to do is sit and use my thumb and index finger to close one nostril at a time and try to focus on breathing slowly and to focus my breath on coming from a few inches below my navel.

I thought since I focus for hours on trail runs and bike rides, sitting still and just relaxing and concentrating on my breathing would be a piece of cake. But it’s not as easy or as goofy as it looks. Well, maybe it is pretty goofy looking. I can’t tell. My eyes are closed. But all kinds of random thoughts sail through my consciousness. It’s not as crazy as dreaming, but is sure is a lot more difficult to just think about breathing than I had ever thought it would be.

Michael: The Insidious Side of the Rainy Season

Solitude travels
A jagged path like a tear
Moving down your cheek.

Monday, September 12, 2016

It seems the insidious side of the rainy season is now upon us. That’s the way the rainy season works here. It’s sad, and I mean sad as in S.A.D.

Sure, from the beginning of May until the end of October, is officially demarcated as the rainy season. But inside that framework is a wide range of climate differential. What begins as a spatter of rain on and off in the afternoons in May will become, by September, earlier, longer, and harder rains. And with that comes darker and colder nights. The trails and roads take longer to dry out and daytime sun and warmth dwindle to just a few hours a day.

It’s nowhere near as harsh as a North American winter can be, but it does get bleak enough to become a bit depressing. Fortunately, by Halloween it’ll all be behind us and longer days in the warm sun will prevail again through April.

Michael: September 11th Flower Festival

The jagged finger
Of lightening reaches across
The starless heavens.

September 11, 2016

Funny how time marches on and how slow it can seem to be marching when you’re watching a marching band.

Today was the 2nd annual Tierra Alta Flower Festival. And, though it coincided with the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, only a vague and I’d be willing to bet coincidental reference was made to the U.S. That was by one of the bands using a Souza composition to march to.

The reason I’m pretty sure this wasn’t any salute to the U.S. was because in front of the band was a group of boys dressed sharply in white shirts and black pants goose stepping and behind them were children paired off in boy/girl couples that were dressed in traditional Spanish colonial attire performing a traditional Spanish dance. Then came the band. Behind the band was a group of young ladies doing a coordinated flag routine using the regional flag. So if it was in any way intended to comment on the U.S. it was done in a pretty high minded very very insider kind of way.

How the whole shebang fit together at all was a head scratcher to me. But it was apparent that everyone had spent a considerable amount time practicing. They looked good and sounded decent enough. I’m sure their families were satisfied, and that’s enough to ask of a marching band.

Michael: Dinner by Candlelight

The impassioned cow
Repeatedly rasps a loud,
Long distressing calls.

September 10, 2016

We shouldn’t leave the decision on when to have our dinner by candle lights up to the whims of the gods, but that’s the way it’s worked out here in this Zeus guarded region of Panama.

Last night, for instance, our power was knocked out right as Kimme was about to prepare dinner. Out came the candles and really it lent quite a nice atmosphere to our meal together. Though afterwards we played a game of chess, which I’m sure isn’t rated very high up there on the romance scale, but we enjoyed ourselves.

Late afternoon/early evening power outages here are fairly common so it doesn’t hurt to have a lighter and a few candles on hand. You can’t count on the power going out enough, thank goodness, to make a date night schedule around it, but when it happens, it’s not all so bad.

Michael: A Tear in My Eye?

Buses and thunder
Overpower the birds’ calls
In the afternoon.

Friday, September 9, 2016

Every few weeks either REI or Trail Runner magazine sends out an email with a little inspirational film attached. I watch most of them, but I don’t expect to either learn or be inspired by them. They’re all so redundant in both form and content. But yesterday’s “Thirty Hour” vimeo sent by Trail Runner almost brought a tear to my eye.

The “Thirty Hour” refers to the time mark that a person needs to complete the Western States 100 to be an official finisher. This film’s about Wally Herseltine, a racer in his 70s who was attempting to become the oldest finisher of the Western States. He just misses; entering the track under the limit but so out of it that he falls, gets up, but doesn’t quite make it in time.

I don’t know why this little short got to me. It’s got the same slow motion passing of the trees, same overdub narration, an old guy moving like an old guy…But I guess I find the failure of mere mortals closer to my heart than most of the stories the elites tell.

Michael: Not Knowing Could Be a Good Thing

Dashes of yellow
On the dark green leaves are as
Random as raindrops.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Yesterday, as we stepped off the bus, a man carrying a very full grain sack got off with us. If we were in L.A. he would’ve appeared to have been one of those content friendly homeless older dudes. Here, I’m sure he was on his way to his family and their modest home.

I believe he asked us where we were going and I did my best to indicate we were running to the springs.

Kimme and I, at different times, both passed him again on our return to the bus stop. He shook Kimme’s hand. As I passed his mannerisms suggested to me that he was impressed with my running. While he gestured, he also said a few things that I’m going to interpret as “Wow, that’s amazing!” , though he could’ve been calling me a crazy asshole for all I know. My rule is when in doubt go with the ego stroking translation.

I wish I could’ve conveyed to him how impressed we were that he could carry more weight than I would carry on a three day backpack trip in that potato sack all the way on that roller coaster road to his house. Hopefully someday soon.

Michael: The Flower Festival

The rose colored sky
Slowly washes into gray
As the sun goes down.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

We are becoming Volcanites. One way I can tell is that we favor our little flower festival over Boquete’s.

Right now the town is sprucing itself up by either putting out new old tire planters or sprucing up last years. I suppose the reasoning for starting this festival in September is to draw people together and have a little break of color during the long rainy season. Though it’s risky. It can rain hard here this time of year starting around noonish. Boquete holds there flower festival in January when they’re far more likely to have a long sunny day.

Boquete is also much more crowded with tourists during the dry season and many end up at their flower festival. In fact we walked past the festival as tourists a few years ago. But I like that Volcan isn’t trying to piggy back on Boquete and draw tourismos over here. It gives the festival a more intimate and local flavor. The town isn’t going out of its way to snub tourists, but it’s not going out of it’s way to target them either.

In November schools are out and the national holiday festivities take over. I’m sure Boquete’s, in some peoples’ eyes, outshine Volcan’s celebrations. That I can’t comment on. I’m not a big parade fan so if I’m going to have to wade through one, I’d rather stay local.

But the flower festival is another story. It’s small and quaint and if they keep it calendared in September, it’s bound to stay that way.

Michael: Lessons Learned

Glistening sunshine
Moves across the pond’s surface
In perfect circles.

Monday, September 5, 2016

The great thing about racing is the opportunity it gives you to update your self knowledge.

One thing I learned is that I’m getting older, though this lesson never seems to stick. When I started racing in high school there were very few people my age that could beat me and even fewer boys younger than me that could compete with me. The good news and bad news of what I’ve been learning from racing lately is that the very few part of the equation of people my age is still true, but the people younger than me finishing ahead of me has been slightly expanding over the years. Yesterday was no exception.

Now I’ve added looking to see if anyone older finishes ahead of me. Yesterday no one did. I feel good about that, but until recently that wasn’t as much of a concern. I can’t shake the feeling that given the right distance and course, I could still win a race, but it’s not going to be a road race at any distance and the circumstances would have to be just right for me to sneak in a trail race win.

Another lesson I learned is that I’ve got to step up the interval work if I want to stay competitive. The first 4 miles of the race was downhill and the best I could manage was a 6 minute per mile pace. Just a few years ago I could go under 6 for a 5k on flat ground. That’s negligence at work and something I can work on overcoming.

The last lesson I learned is that I still enjoy short road races and can still be competitive in them in my age group. So long as that’s true I’m going to keep searching them out and giving them a go.

Michael: PILA 12K Race Report

The folds and shadows
Carved into the mountains look
Like a well worn face.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

First off, this was a small local race with about 200 runners participating. No doubt it’s never going to be anything but a local race and that’s all for the good. So I’m not going to describe the course or how to run it because unless you’re a runner vacationing in the Panama Highlands in early September, you’re never going to enter this race. Instead I’m going to highlight a few of the idiosyncrasies of running this local Panamanian event.

Even before the race began there was a little Panamanian honesty about it that you don’t get in the states. On the website they announced that the race would start sometime between 8 and 8:30. It actually started at 8:25. Many stateside races will have slight delays but rarely do they list a starting time “window” on the net.

This was a point to point race that required a shuttle to the start. Yeah, I know, I’ve been in races in the states like that too. But was everyone shuttled in the back of pick up trucks? That was a first for me.

There was also prize money. Again, yeah, I know. But for a $15 dollar entry fee to return $30 for Kimme’s 3rd place age group finish and $45 for my 2nd in category finish, plus a nice tank top to boot, is a much greater return for the money than I’ve ever gotten in the states. I’m guessing from the $15 increments, 1st received $60. Not bad.

On the flip side, we had to wait 4 hours for the awards ceremony to start. All of the results were tabulated the old fashioned way; by hand and they seem to have had some disputes and other difficulties.

The awards were given in the public gym. And the race wasn’t the only activity calendared for the gym as part of a weekend festival celebrating the anniversary of PILA (Park International L’Amistad). There was also a traditional dance performance scheduled and when the very dressed up little girls in their Spanish colonial attire started being escorted in by their moms, we thought we were going to be duped into being a captive audience. They were scarily adorable; much like what I imagine girls are like in those goofy kiddies pageants in the states. But thankfully we escaped without the Little Miss Sunshine show.

A couple of interesting note about the awards. In the states I’ve been at races where there were computer glitches and they had to mail the awards, but that wouldn’t happen here. There aren’t postmen or addresses to mail to.
In contrast to the states, I only noticed one person asking for their medal early and leaving. Everyone here seemed to take this delay in stride and many participated in a zumba class that lasted longer and seemed just about as strenuous as the race itself.

Michael: Envy Versus Fitness

Winding down the hill
The road and the river are
Constant companions.

Saturday, September 3, 2016

We listened to an interview of Ed Whitlock the other day; damned inspirational bastard. He’s in his 80s and holds numerous age group records for road and track. In a year and a half I’ll turn 60 and I’m hoping I can at least scribble my name in the age group record books for a few Southern California races.

But I’m coming up against a possible roadblock (pun intended). If you look at Ed Whitlock, Tour de France and marathon winners, it’s pretty easy to notice they’ve given up some upper body fitness to keep their weight down. Now granted I don’t have a lot of upper body to deal with either, but for overall health purposes, I’d like to try to gain some strength. I realize that could cost me a bit of weight, but at this stage of the game, I feel I’ll be healthier in the long run if I risk a slight weight gain if it’s upper body muscle.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that if I do gain weight it’ll be balanced out by body fat loss, and then I believe the extra strength could be a positive overall gain; even boosting my running and riding performance. Since athletics is not my livelihood, I’m going to take the risk of being a bit slower if it means putting on a bit more muscle before I get any older and it becomes even more difficult to do.

Michael: Pills and Powders

The cold mountain air
Prods us to curl up at night
Close to each other.

Friday, September 2, 2016

There are clarifying moments in life that need to recalled periodically to keep me on my path.

One of those moments was at dinner with some relatives where a very conservative family member took out a plastic rectangular case that was divided into the days of the week. When he opened this case it contained a variety of pills for each day. I was stunned. I’d never been a drug user and here a much older, staunch Republican was downing a small pharmaceutical’s worth of pills at one sitting. That was never going to be me, I thought to myself. I’m going to stay fit and eat right and avoid drugs as much as I can.

But starting Monday, I’ll begin taking my fourth pill or powder. Monday I’m going to experiment with creatine to improve my strength and bone density. Currently I’m taking vitamin D, B3, and omega 3-6-9.

I know those aren’t drugs, but they are pills and it worries me to turn to something that comes in the same form as most drugs. It may be an exaggerated concern, but I’d like to draw the line at these four supplements unless a doctor can thoroughly convince me through blood tests that I missing something I can’t get through a dietary change.

Michael: The Irony of Learning Spanish

Wings that mimic bark
Hide the wood moth from the birds
That would devour it.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Kimme has recently decided to bare down and make a concerted effort to learn Spanish. That’s good news for the both of us.

Since neither of us is very sociable we don’t get a lot of practice, so if we can at least begin to speak to each other a little bit in Spanish, we’re hoping that’ll accelerate the learning process. It’s been over a year and a half now and we both are a little frustrated that we’re barely able to get past the “Hello, how are you?” basics of the language.

The irony is that the quicker we learn Spanish, the quicker we’ll move back to the states. The way the economy is now in the states, I’d be very hesitant to try to re-enter the job market, even for part time work. But if I had Spanish down, that would make me much more marketable. Heck, I might even want to go back into education as a teacher supervisor, and I’m sure my resume for that position would be enhanced by Spanish fluency; particularly in Southern California.

So estudias mucho, Kimme. Es bien para tu. Es bien para mi.

Michael: The Protector of Fat

The roving dog pack
Unites for a crescendo
Of barking mayhem.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Marissa, my favorite panaderia server, has now decided to protect me both from stale pastries and pastries she believes have too much fat for me. Though she’s been doing this for months, she didn’t tell me about this until a couple of days ago.

A few months ago a baker came and showed the bakers at Panaderia Molek how to make some new pastries. One of those looked and fortunately tasted very much like a good old U.S. donut shop jelly fill. The difference being that here, the donut is split open so you can see the cream and jelly filling.

When they first made these Marissa allowed me to try one, but since then she’s always shaken me off; like a pitcher that doesn’t like the pitch a catcher’s called. I thought it was because they were stale, but on Friday she finally whispered to me that they were “mas grasa” - “very fat”.

I’m grateful she’s looking out for me, but it is a bit amusing that she’ll happily sell me any fresh pastry that’s basically a slab of sugar, but is worried if I order a pastry that might contain too much fat.

But I’m not going to fight her on this. She’s been too good to us. I’ll just have to hope on the rare occasion that someone else is working behind the counter, the cream fills will be there.