Flashback - Settling in 2004 (it seems so LONG ago)

Janie is back from Playa del Carmen so I am back with another flashback. I wonder why you aren't commenting anymore? Am I boring you?


December 6, 2004
10:38pm

Okay. So today, up at 8am, showered and had coffee over at Laura’s. She messaged Martha and we set up a time to go to Cablemas to get the internet set up, we went to Cablemas around 10am. The appointment is set for tomorrow between 8am and 1pm, but pretty much nobody thinks they will come. Great. I’m not leaving til they do. After Martha dropped us off, we went shopping to get the last of the crap that I need, the stuff that we abandoned in the cart at Walmart last night plus more. We shopped for a couple hours, I don’t care if I never see the inside of the Soriana or Carrefour again… of course after that I still didn’t have all I needed, but I had a good start. Laura picked up Jorge and we came back over here, he needed her computer, and then I unpacked the rest of my crap (drawers finally) and put together my stuff and just basically organized the afternoon away. That felt good. I left a message for Joan too to let her know I would call Tuesday evening, but for now was planning to come see them Wednesday.

I had a little lunch and then Laura and Jorge came back by to see if I wanted to go with to drop Jorge off and finish, finally, the shopping. So I did, and we got the last of it, then agreed to meet at 4:40pm to go pick up Jorge and hang out at Over 30 for the evening. It rained a little (flip flops, could be dangerous), but it was nice. Quiet, like 3 tables from 5:30 to 9:15 when we left, but Laura said that was pretty good for early Monday night. We talked and watched Jorge and his staff interact, cute waiter Alex and the teeny tiny bartender, it was entertaining if nothing else. Good pizza for dinner that I took home.

I saw that I had a text message from Oscar Mendez and so I responded to him, and so Angel phoned me on the land line. I love him, truly I do, but I think he is bringing the family over to my apartment tomorrow and I don’t know how to tell him how to get here. And frankly, I am waiting for the Cablemas guy, dang it. He told me Oh this is Mexico, he won’t come, and I said, I can’t take this chance, and so he says, What time will you meet me at the Soriana’s?... Okay… I am not getting through… I am waiting for the Cablemas guy so I am not meeting you at the Soriana… plus, I live by the Carrefour, and I don’t think he believed me. Anyway I finally got him off the phone by saying I would get directions to my apartment and he can come over WHILE I WAIT FOR THE CABLEMAS GUY.
It was pretty irritating. I mean, I was irritated. He said that Oscar had not heard from me and that he was worried that I was lost. I appreciate that and have to not fault that worry, truly, and maybe that is all I am going to type on the subject… but wow. It’s a language barrier thing. It has to be.

Anyway, now I write my entry (oh I forgot too that I was explaining that I was not waiting for cable tv, I was waiting for internet, so it was VERY IMPORTANT that I wait for him, and he said, Oh no, don’t use Cablemas, use Telnet… oh man, okay, he is just trying to help, I know this), and my throat is sort of scratchy, and there is a mosquito in my bedroom (great) and the best part is I have a universal remote in the bedroom now too (well that isn’t the BEST part, the BEST part is that there are no critters yet, knock on wood), and I am tired and ready to sleep. Another good day, although Laura has her cranky moments and they generally revolve around Jorge and his agenda, I can’t fault and I understand, but it is not healthy for her. Not my place. She has been a God send, and I truly appreciate her being here.
10:56p

11:07pm

While I am on the subject, there are things that bear mentioning – the hairspray I bought, though it says por hombre y mujer, smells VERY STRONGLY like Mexican men’s cologne. So I have been here for 2 ½ days as a Cancunense and I have unlocked the secret to the way that Mexican men smell – it is this freaking hairspray that I can NEVER EVER USE AGAIN because a) I am not a Mexican man and b) as much as I love that smell on them, I do not like to smell it on me. Shit is strong, I used one blast and the smell lasted for a couple hours. I think that may be why Ever the gay cashier at Over 30 was looking at me all night… just kidding.

Also I replaced the shower head so we will see how that goes. That became my holy grail. My shower this morning was out of control. Seriously. Turned on the water and it sprays all over the bathroom EXCEPT on me. Or better yet, rinsing the front of your body: The ONLY WAY TO DO THIS is to let this one stray stream of water go right directly into your eyes. Not good times. We went to Walmart (or Carrefour or Soriana, we have gone to all three no less than 4 times each in the last two days) where Laura always gets hers and of course there are none left. Got one at 3pm or so in the Soriana, it was the last thing I bought. I was not allowing the day to end without it. I hope it installed okay. We will find out tomorrow. Okay, I am sure I will remember more but I am tired and want to go to bed (believe it or not).
11:15pm