List time!

Random thoughts at the Two - Month mark:

One of the things that I missed while living in Cancun was Bill Kurtis's voice on A&E's "Investigative Reports". He was on it, but they had a voice-over of somebody else in Spanish. If you listened really closely sometimes you could hear Bill but it was pretty hard and there had to be absolutely nothing else on TV to devote that kind of time to it. Now that I am back I never watch it, but it's not because I don't want to.

There are so many changes in the escrow/lending world that have happened in such a short time that I am almost amazed. FHA regulations, for one, have changed dramatically. So far this hasn't made a difference in my life, since, though technically employed, I don't actually work.

Mondays are not as bad as they used to be.

It's difficult to say why, but getting a Starbucks coffee before work in the morning is too much of a hassle with an arm in a cast and the kind of cup holder I have in my car. I still do it once a week, but it's just easier to get a coffee at the little coffee stand next to my office. I love Starbucks, but part of the charm is getting something fun along with your coffee. I don't have a home so I won't buy a new mug, and I don't have an assistant so I can't buy fun finger puppets.

Upon learning that I lived in Mexico for over a year, most people that I barely know will offer their views on immigration in casual conversation with me. I am not sure why this is, because I am not an expert on immigration from any country into the US. But it sure seems like these people are gunning for a fight. I don't know what I ever did to them.

Everybody thinks I was living in Cabo for the last 15 months.

I notice that people here in the US (well, Portland anyway) are a lot more apathetic than what I have become used to. Very few people smile, and if you say hi to their pet, for instance, they look at you like you might be crazy. They are also sick a lot. Maybe it's because it is always cold here, but I can't get over how sick everyone is. It's because they are unhappy, I can tell.

The US is also way too involved in show business folk. In a world where a princess is killed being run off the road by a photographer, wouldn't you think that we might just back off a little bit? On the morning news there is a 10 minute or so segment devoted to "Hollywood" gossip. I don't get it. Why do I have to watch that? Can't I just choose not to tune into Access Hollywood or Entertainment Tonight? Why am I being penalized just because I chose Channel 2 News? People know every random guy and gal Angelina Jolie screwed, but they don't know the name of the Secretary of State.

I am okay with branching out from Coach. It's okay for me now to not be so devoted. I blame this on the signature line. If a person feels the need to broadcast the brand of their purse to a bunch of strangers, keep them away from me. We have nothing in common.

I can wear my Dansko clogs with virtually everything I own. I am looking forward to summer when I can see how well they go with pastels.

If I never turn on Lifetime Television for Women again, I will die a happy woman. Turns out, I am stuck without that option for another couple of weeks at least.

The people I most want to talk to are long distance. Some REALLY long distance.

I run into this a lot too - people who say "Mexican" as if it is derogatory. Example: "The people mowing the lawn out there are pretty inexpensive because most of them are Mexican." Then they look at me and say, "Sorry, Joyce." I usually just look back at them blankly. But sometimes I respond by saying something along the lines that dealing with stupid, ignorant people is simply my cross to bear.

I could hear "I Weel Serrrrr Viiiiiiive" sung by Ladys right now and actually not cringe.

I am not the slightest bit stessed out about having a flight to Cancun booked and having no idea where I am staying. This is a stretch for me. I generally have to have flight and accommodations booked at least 6 months in advance in order to rest easily.

I am no longer a slave to the snooze alarm. Another enormous stretch. This could be thanks to Tunguska, but I will know for sure when I finish my first bottle.

It is a piece of cake to spend enormous amounts of money living in the US. And yet I was once able to live on $850 pesos for over a month. I don't know what I spend it on, but my money is never mine for long.

Janet is never online when I want her to be.

Spiders bother me just as much as they did before I left. I really took for granted my nearly spider-free existance. At least Raid is international.

The weathermen in Portland are 0-36 so far. Seriously, I will be watching the TV news in the morning, staring at a clear blue sky, and the weatherman will actually tell me it is pouring down rain.

56 days is a really long time from where I am sitting.