Not too long ago was the 5 year anniversary of my arrival in BA. I celebrated by coming back.
Some things have changed: Argentine wife, Argentine kid, the exchange rate, inflation is worse
Some things have not changed: President Cristina is unpopular (although she did manage to get re-elected through very pervasive vote-buying), the purchasing price in dollars is about what it was 5 years ago (although the exchange rate went from 3.3ish to the now unofficial 9.5), the Kirchners are still trying to turn Argentina into Chavez-style Venezuela by cracking down on a free press. She is also trying to end judicial independence.
Things do not look good for the economy, although I bet Cristina will somehow make it through the October mid-term election before any devaluation. Stability until then is key to her plan to subjugate the judiciary branch. After that, the economy here is a crapshoot.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Thursday, January 13, 2011
That's not cool. literally.
No electricity last night from midnight to...well, not sure exactly, but I think it was somewhere around 4am or so.
In summertime, that's not fun. Especially when you already have a few mosquitos in the bedroom, and you don't want to open the windows and risk getting more.
In summertime, that's not fun. Especially when you already have a few mosquitos in the bedroom, and you don't want to open the windows and risk getting more.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Auditorial power
It's amazing to me how music connects me to memories that would otherwise be lost to history. When I put a particular song or album on, I'm instantly transported to what I was feeling in that minute. The joy, the expectations, the plans, the frustrations, whatever.
Right now I'm listening to Snow Patrol's A Hundred Million Suns, which I think is totally brilliant (especially The Planets Bend Between Us), and yet I've never gotten into any other album of theirs. But when I put this album on, I am instantly transported to my early days in Buenos Aires. I don't really remember what I wrote now, but there's tons of nervous energy wrapped up in this album for me. That's what I felt at the time -- energized, but terribly nervous. Completely uncomfortable, but enjoying the challenge. I specifically think of the apartment on Arevalo and the sun streaming in the window.
I didn't speak a word of Spanish. I'd never left the country before. I wasn't quite sure exactly why I had decided to move, and I wasn't sure how long I'd make myself stay if I hated it -- and I love the US, and hate being outside of Texas. When I left the house, I really had no idea what to expect and the easiest things in life were difficult for me.
All that has come flooding back to me as I listen to this album. Wow it's brilliant, and I have goosebumps from the combination of the music and the memories.
Final thought: it's also amazing to me that frequent listening to music tends to happen during particularly productive periods of my life. Causation =! correlation, yada yada yada, but I think it's a self-reinforcing mechanism. Virtuous cycle, as it were.
Right now I'm listening to Snow Patrol's A Hundred Million Suns, which I think is totally brilliant (especially The Planets Bend Between Us), and yet I've never gotten into any other album of theirs. But when I put this album on, I am instantly transported to my early days in Buenos Aires. I don't really remember what I wrote now, but there's tons of nervous energy wrapped up in this album for me. That's what I felt at the time -- energized, but terribly nervous. Completely uncomfortable, but enjoying the challenge. I specifically think of the apartment on Arevalo and the sun streaming in the window.
I didn't speak a word of Spanish. I'd never left the country before. I wasn't quite sure exactly why I had decided to move, and I wasn't sure how long I'd make myself stay if I hated it -- and I love the US, and hate being outside of Texas. When I left the house, I really had no idea what to expect and the easiest things in life were difficult for me.
All that has come flooding back to me as I listen to this album. Wow it's brilliant, and I have goosebumps from the combination of the music and the memories.
Final thought: it's also amazing to me that frequent listening to music tends to happen during particularly productive periods of my life. Causation =! correlation, yada yada yada, but I think it's a self-reinforcing mechanism. Virtuous cycle, as it were.
Happy New Year
Feliz año nuevo!
Most people make resolutions about this time of year. I've never been a fan of that -- no particular reason why, maybe I just like being a contrarian.
Probably the most common new year's resolutions are to go to the gym or get their personal finances in order. Not really things I ever need to make a resolution to change, so that's out for me.
I have however started doing pushups again. I did 500 pushups a day (in sets of 50, and then later of 75) for about a year in 06-07 until I busted my ankle and couldn't do them anymore. It made quite a difference and I enjoyed it, although folks pointed out that I'd probably have grown more muscle if I did them every other day.
So now I'm trying to do pushups every other day. I've been semi-committed to it for the past month or two, and so far it does actually seem to have worked. I can definitely tell a difference looking in the mirror, plus I think it helps me stay energetic throughout the day.
And it doesn't cost me $50 a month in gym membership.
Most people make resolutions about this time of year. I've never been a fan of that -- no particular reason why, maybe I just like being a contrarian.
Probably the most common new year's resolutions are to go to the gym or get their personal finances in order. Not really things I ever need to make a resolution to change, so that's out for me.
I have however started doing pushups again. I did 500 pushups a day (in sets of 50, and then later of 75) for about a year in 06-07 until I busted my ankle and couldn't do them anymore. It made quite a difference and I enjoyed it, although folks pointed out that I'd probably have grown more muscle if I did them every other day.
So now I'm trying to do pushups every other day. I've been semi-committed to it for the past month or two, and so far it does actually seem to have worked. I can definitely tell a difference looking in the mirror, plus I think it helps me stay energetic throughout the day.
And it doesn't cost me $50 a month in gym membership.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
In case you haven't heard: baby Zoe passed away
I realize that I should probably save some people the embarrassment of asking the "Has she had the baby yet?" question. So if you haven't heard...
My wife and I lost our baby about a month ago when Zoe was at about 6.5 months. It was a brutal experience, and has left a scar that doesn't easily heal, and certainly hasn't done so yet. She talks about it being the worst thing to ever happen to her.
My wife and I lost our baby about a month ago when Zoe was at about 6.5 months. It was a brutal experience, and has left a scar that doesn't easily heal, and certainly hasn't done so yet. She talks about it being the worst thing to ever happen to her.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Christmas in Mar del Plata
Christmas in Mar del Plata was a nice change of pace.
I would never go to Mar del Plata during January or February, when the city is full of folks from Buenos Aires. But even during Christmastime, a week before the crazy madness is at 100%, it is relatively tranquil.
Will write more later when I put pictures up.
I would never go to Mar del Plata during January or February, when the city is full of folks from Buenos Aires. But even during Christmastime, a week before the crazy madness is at 100%, it is relatively tranquil.
Will write more later when I put pictures up.
Monday, December 27, 2010
End of December is the worst time of year to live in Buenos Aires
We've been having a ridiculous amount of power outages recently, as well as internet outages. It's driving me up a wall. And it seems to fit the same experiences I've had at the end of my previous two Decembers here.
Summer arrives here around mid-December, and people start using their air conditioners so energy usage spikes. The school year also ends in mid-December, so kids are all in their houses full-time. That means that not only are commercial properties hitting full blast with AC, but all residential properties are likewise being air conditioned or at least using multiple fans (as air conditioning is far from 100%, even in stores).
Everyone goes on vacation January 2nd though, so the infrastructure isn't nearly as taxed for the month of January. Though the temperature is hotter, many businesses close and from an American perspective, it's just amazing how many people leave the city. I've written about this in previous years, so I won't repeat it. But both years so far, it has been kinda mindblowing.
School doesn't start until mid-February, so the infrastructure isn't taxed because there are still a surprising percent of the city on vacation. I guess the people who don't have kids but want a slightly cheaper vacation go on vacation in late February. A few people go on vacation in early March, as well.
But yeah, like 95% of Buenos Aires vacations happen in a very small timeframe...which we are about to arrive at, but haven't yet. So until then, the infrastructure is just overwhelmed. That's my theory.
And that means that I continue being super annoyed every few hours when my electricity and/or internet cut off. It's something like low 90s, so it can be annoying to be both hot and with nothing to do.
Summer arrives here around mid-December, and people start using their air conditioners so energy usage spikes. The school year also ends in mid-December, so kids are all in their houses full-time. That means that not only are commercial properties hitting full blast with AC, but all residential properties are likewise being air conditioned or at least using multiple fans (as air conditioning is far from 100%, even in stores).
Everyone goes on vacation January 2nd though, so the infrastructure isn't nearly as taxed for the month of January. Though the temperature is hotter, many businesses close and from an American perspective, it's just amazing how many people leave the city. I've written about this in previous years, so I won't repeat it. But both years so far, it has been kinda mindblowing.
School doesn't start until mid-February, so the infrastructure isn't taxed because there are still a surprising percent of the city on vacation. I guess the people who don't have kids but want a slightly cheaper vacation go on vacation in late February. A few people go on vacation in early March, as well.
But yeah, like 95% of Buenos Aires vacations happen in a very small timeframe...which we are about to arrive at, but haven't yet. So until then, the infrastructure is just overwhelmed. That's my theory.
And that means that I continue being super annoyed every few hours when my electricity and/or internet cut off. It's something like low 90s, so it can be annoying to be both hot and with nothing to do.
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