No Way!

Watching the Olympic pair figure skating competitions, Julian grew silent. As one ice princess after the other was lifted up into the air by her studly prince and tossed away in a nerve wrecking twirl, he scorned, "No, if I were married, I would not do that!"

Pura Vida!

When in Costa Rica, you will become closely acquainted with ‘pure life’ in the form of a wide-smile, bright-eye greeting that beams across pot holes and drain pipes clogged with crumpled milk cartons.

“ Pura Vida, Senora!” my gardener used to holler from underneath a smothering vine of flesh eating plants in the back of my garden at seven o’clock in the morning, and it was the last I heard from the armed guard closing the gate after our 4x4 steam ship had heaved itself into our drive way at night.

Over the four years that we lived in Costa Rica, “Pura Vida!” became to signify stubborn serenity in the face of abject nonsense. For Christ’s sake, enjoy this while it lasts. It’s just life after all. This is it!

Costa Ricans, at least the humble majority of them, grow up to be amazing problem- solvers. They take life one minute at a time and try not to worry about the big picture, a strategy which all those whose lot in life is less fortunate may be well advised to adopt.

Being able to switch into a “pura vida” mode from time to tome is something I have worked on over these past years and I am proud to report that I have been able to perfect it to a surprising level, given that all that I had going for myself was relentless perfectionism.

I guess, being a mom which entails problem-solving 24/7 everything from torn toe nails, broken bikes to problem pets, I have turned into sort of a subcontinent myself. Just making it through the day...minute by minute while making the best of it.

It’s an art.

Pura Vida!

Yep, it's working!

Broadband is back. After long conversations that turned into intimate relationships with first Satish and then Arun, I managed to change the broadband channel from channel 1 to channel 5 and reclaim my place in cyberspace for 18.99. My knees are still hurting from the time I spent underneath my desk cajoling the router into submission. I am not a young lover anymore. Twenty years ago, with our then brand new Gateway PC, I was abel to poke and prod the harddrive for hours at a time. Ah yes, where would multi-million conglomerates be without those gentle acts of love?

Check out 'Showdown in America' !

While the kids and I like to cuddle up on the sofa and read about the Kings and Queens of England, I have started early on sowing a healthy amount of doubt about leaders and their institutions. To scrutinize and question rather than accept and trust is my guiding principle. More often than not, the truth hides behind the facts that we are presented with.

Rather than focus on a few facts and figure heads, I have tried to point to the people and ideas behind. And not last but least, those millions who throughout history have kept the engine running - or not. And more than anything else, those moments in time when the masses have decided to pull the brake, to organize and rally for a cause other than the one prescribed from above, have left an impression on me. Simply because they are rare and require people to overcome their inner demons of denial and fear and, instead, raise their voices to speak up. The abolition, women's and civil rights movements are great examples, and although in the past some have let to considerable unrest and even have ended in bloody rebellions, there is still a lot to be said about people pulling down the walls of apathy.

What is life...

...but love minus the sum of our fears?

Brrrrr

On a snowy January morning, the sight of Mouse and Rudolf is comforting. It has been awfully cold this past week and after Rudolf somehow got left behind, Mouse came to keep him company yesterday. Together they make the garden look less forlorn. I like snow - it is awfully pretty. Too bad it always comes with cold feet.