Last week, barely hours after Independence Day here was over, the stores started switching over their wares from Mother’s Day (in August) to … Christmas decorations.
Santa Claus is already in the aisles. This is so not fair. It’s the middle of freaking September, people!!
Fortunately, they haven’t started playing Christmas music. I think I’d have to kill myself if they did. Ugh.
I don’t mean to have a longer “hate” list than I do a “love” list, but when you come to a new country, you have to expect a number of things to bug you. Sadly, I’ve ended up with a few more than I’d like. But that’s okay. It’s expected, and it’s part of adjustment to a new home. Still, they make me long for Canada, where I find these things don’t bug me as much.
(Though it might be fair to say that some of them would bug me pretty much anywhere.)
And just so you know, I’m not speaking out as a disgrunted ex-pat who wants to bitch about how this country isn’t conforming to me. I’m the one who needs to conform, and there are things I simply have to accept. Some of these things are purely my points of view, and are probably things that most Ticos don’t mind, and might even like.
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Well, I’ve been in Costa for nearly two straight months now — this is the longest continuous time I’ve ever spent outside of Canada — and I think it’s high time to answer the two most often-asked questions that I get: What do I like about Costa Rica, and what do I hate?
I’ll answer the latter in a separate post, but like all reviews, there’s reason to start with the positive stuff. Of course, these are not in any order whatsoever — they’re just as they come to mind.
Dear Calgary, my former home, I have a reminder and a request for you.
First, please remember that Jim Prentice, one of several MPs up for re-election in Calgary, will be running again in the October election.
Second, remember that Mr. Prentice is wholly responsible for Bill C-61 — that vile pile of ass-kissing lobbyist-driven legislation that will destroy any sense of fair use of media we’ve purchased. Might not affect you yet, but if you thought the RIAA trials south of the border were nonsense…
This is a man who clearly does not understand technology, the people of Canada, or even his portfolio. This is not a man who should be responsible for the Industry portfolio, who does not represent his constituents, and should not be allowed to make more mistakes.
Please do not vote for Jim Prentice. Please.
Well, it would appear that short of an Act of God (or, heaven forbid, some actual common sense runs through Parliament), Bill C-61 will forever handcuff Canadians and prevent long-term technological evolution. It’s one of the worst-written pieces of legislation to hit Canadians in years, as it does not take real-world habits into account at all (short of the negative views, of course), and penalises everyone for something most of them haven’t done.
I’m going to get the Government in on a little secret. I’m breaking it. I refuse to let your ridiculous industry ass-kissing paperwork prevent me from moving with the evolutionary tide. I’m breaking the law and doing what I think is right.
I have to chalk this one up to network oddities, which is about the only thing I can think of. Everything seems fine now, and I’m humming away as usual.
Still, odd.
Gah. Did the upgrade. Images busted. Things broken. Admin panel might be toast. Gonna be a bit weird for a while. Sorry, folks.
When Alex and I first came to Costa Rica 3.5 years ago, we went on a little packaged tour. The tour included a two-night (possible three-night — Alex and I are struggling to remember which it was) stay in the Arenal area. Our first afternoon/night included a hike around the south side of the active Arenal volcano, and dinner and a splash at the Tabacon Hot Springs.
At the time we’d been there, it was highly magical. We’d seen lava (in the form of red-hot tumbling rocks) rolling down the side of the mountain, the clouds of steam rolling through the trees illuminated by the carefully-placed lights. It was something to behold.
Ever since then, Alex had wanted to go back. Rack up Surprise Weekend in Costa Rica #3.
I remember kids music when I was young. A lot of it was Disney (or published by Disney), available on vinyl 45s that we played on our Mickey Mouse record player — you remember, the one where Mickey’s arm is the arm for playing the record, and his forefinger contained the stylus?
You don’t remember… You don’t even know what a 45 is? Frick, I’m getting too old for this.
Sigh. There’s nothing more frustrating than watching Apple come so close to finally tying the knot, only to leave threads dangling.
I speak, of course, of yesterday’s Let’s Rock event where the apparently-not-dead (but much gaunter-looking) Steve Jobs talked at length about iTunes and iPods. And they played Jack Johnson, who is somehow the most popular male performer on iTunes to this point in history. (Yeah, I don’t get that either. Don’t get me wrong, Jack, you’re a great performer — just didn’t see that coming.)
But why — oh why! — does Apple have to continually deny us a complete entertainment experience?