Zona

iTunes diversity

Tunes I bought today

The Rolling Stones: Slave
Randy Newman: I Think It's Going To Rain Today
Red Hot Chili Peppers: By The Way
Lenny Kravitz: Where Are We Running?
No Doubt: Hella Good
Frankie Valli: Grease
ZZ Top: Jesus Just Left Chcago
Culture Club: Victims
Bronski Beat: Smalltown Boy
Dyango: Odiame

Among others

Me in Bolivia.

The top two were taken on Lake Titicaca. The others were in La Paz.

Yellow schools of taxi fishes
Jonah in a ticking whale


Taxis rule in La Paz. If I lived there I would never buy a car. Too much hassle in too much traffic. You pick up the phone and a taxi is at your door in 5 minutes. There are dispatchers and taxi companies all over the city. I would also learn the taxi fare manual. From the house to downtown should be 6 Bolivianos max. But I was charged, or asked for, everything fron 3 to 10. So I took on a simple philosophy. I paid 10 to all the taxi drivers. If they asked for 10 I knew I was paying extra to a thief. If they asked for 6 I was tipping an honest man. One wasted the extra on silliness and the other used the extra to put food on the table. I was certain it happened that way because I have such faith in karma.

After making the round trip downtown for saltenas I discovered that the saltena place delivered! Right to the front door of the house! Pizza too! You paid for the food and 4 Bolivianos for the taxi that delivered the goodies. FOUR BOLIVIANOS. Maybe I should have worn a pizza box.

Outrageousness? Not when you consider that 10 Bolivianos is about $1.30. It cost me 45 Bolivianos to get from the house to the airport in La Paz. It cost me $35 to get from the airport to the house in Vancouver. You figure it out. My math sucks.

(lyrics by Joni Mitchell. Harry's House/Centerpiece. From "The Hissing of Summer Lawns")

Day off lazy with lap top on lap back on pillow against the wall watching NASCAR on TV. Things I should do but won't because I do too much already with long hours to pay for time off. Home to AZ in late October and was thinking of Memphis/Nashville but now kinda doubt it. Dean is settling in far south so no Texas which is kinda relief to all in household. Green flag because the fog has lifted but low clouds loom here. Sun tomorrow they say so golf is a possibility. Doctor's order.

I am on call to go to Texas if Hurricane Dean comes ashore in the U.S.

I just posted my 1500th picture on Flickr.

You may now return to your normal activities.

My younger daughter just announced that she wants to move in with her boyfriend. She did it in a way to make it sound like she was asking. But she wasn't asking.

I told her no.

But she's made up her mind.

Now my wife is upset with me because I'm not trying to talk her out of it. I'm watching TV. I'm on the computer. I've raised my daughter for 18 years. If my "no" doesn't mean anything to her in this matter nothing else I can say will either. Eighteen years of being there has come down to some 20 year-old knowing better than me. Again.

My older daughter broke my heart.

Now my younger daughter has too.

"Bolivia is not easy"...

I told my son when he complained that we we're going to take the bus back to La Paz rather than fly. The eight hour ride versus the 40 minute flight.

I lost five pounds.

Didn't play golf because the altitude just kicked my ass.

Saw some really good concerts.

My best friend and I have decided that when I win the lottery we're going to build a 2000 seat arena in the rich section of La Paz. He figures we'd make our money back in two years.

When I went to MY embassy I was told that I could not go in unless I had an appointment or knew somebody there. This despite me having a diplomatic passport.

I was upgraded to first class on the flight from La Paz to Miami (6 hour flight) but gave the seat to my wife because she had a migraine.

I lost my iPod 4 gig nano somewhere in Bolivia.

The wife and kids are already talking about returning in the next couple of years. I figure it will be at least 5 before I return.

Unless somebody dies,

or gets married,

or I win the lottery.