Hello, barbecue…?

In Spanish, the “b” is pronounced “bay”. So “bb” is shorthand for “babe” or “baby”.

I jokingly sent a text to a friend and typed in “Hola, bb”. My text self-correct, which never knows which language I’m speaking at any given moment, sent “Hola, bbq.” Yep. Am I cool or what?

Sigh.

Well, after a few months of glorious summer weather (December and January), we’re beginning to get some rain. I enjoy it, and it certainly keeps things green.

Life goes on. It’s a very busy time for me with my grant application in California. It’s due in a month, and it’s a big project. I enjoy it, and I’m skyping two to three times a week with folks. I’m teaching a few classes per week, which gets me out of the house. I love my house, and I often don’t love what happens when I leave it, so it’s good that I have these classes. I really enjoy my students, who are professionals and quite motivated to perfect their English.

I was invited to interview for an online ESL company in Latin America; and it’s much friendlier than the Chinese one for which I worked before. I can also teach from anywhere I end up. They don’t make teachers teach mangled syntax and incorrect grammar. I was interviewed in Spanish and did great. The possible barrier here is that they use a platform which is a monster in terms of megabytes. I doubled my capacity today with my internet provider. (From 50 mg to 100mg was free; why didn’t they tell me before?) I also realized during the process that I’m currently showing 8mg when I’m supposed to have 50. Hmm. If nothing else, I’ll end up with more speed.

Today the power went out several times, once for two hours. This is not typical. However, I had wisely (if I may say so myself) invested in UPC power backups, so neither my online work nor television watching is interrupted. I primarily watch Netflix, but I’ve been on my seasonal quest to see all Oscar-nominated films and performances prior to the awards ceremony. I’ve found all here but Little Women and Pain and Glory. (Actually, I found Pain and Glory but only in Spanish; Spanish from Spain is a bit fast for me.) I hope I’ll find them before the end of February.

While in the States in December, I purchased a few things I needed: a new cell phone, eyeglasses and a replacement camera for my security system. I won’t share with you the details of the nightmare of buying a phone on Verizon’s horrible horrible website on Black Friday or of getting them to honor the sales price upon activation. The final straw was when, after resolving such issues as incorrect charges and a dysfunctional mobile hotspot, I learned that I can’t switch SIM cards for 60 days; so I can’t use the phone in CR until 2/20. For security. Theirs, not mine. The eyeglasses, meanwhile, arrived incorrectly made: my laptop monitor looks great, but, in order to read a book, I need to touch my chin to my chest, turn my head to the left, and look right. No problem! And the upgraded camera, which was not expensive, requires a next-generation hub, which no one mentioned during the purchase. I ordered one on Amazon from here, which I’ve never done, and was promised delivery by 1/24. On that day, I received an email that I might get it in March.

So it has become clear to me that the ability to royally screw things up is universal and is, as they say, the new normal.

I have been following the insanity in the US on the news. It’s heartbreaking to see the devolution of public discourse into political posturing. Que verguenza! (What a shame!)

All the more reason to live in the land of Pura Vida. It’s pretty and tranquilo, if lonely, at times. But my house is way cool, and the view is great.