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By "Blue"
Her Bio
Her Home Page
This, my 72nd column, will be my last. At six years on the dot, that's twice as long as I've held any other job in my life. As a matter of fact, I've lived in Ajijic seven years now and that's twice as long as I've ever lived in any home in my adult life.
Someone once asked me how I come up with new article ideas every month. Now, in our second year of publishing Living at Lake Chapala, our monthly Internet magazine, Judy King and I come up with 13-16 new article ideas every month. It hasn't been difficult and it's been such a joy sharing my own experience of living in Mexico-from a woman's perspective.
Many men over the years have, of course, let me know that my perspective isn't much different than theirs, but when David asked me to write this column six years ago, it's what he wanted. Now, paradoxically, we get men readers in our magazine, asking for more from a man's point of view.
I made this decision to retire as a regular columnist on Mexconnect while visiting my family and friends last month. They kid me about being retired, and when I explained that I was working more than half time and that deadlines created the same kind of stress I had escaped to Mexico to avoid; I decided I needed to cut back somewhere.
I've really enjoyed receiving emails from my readers throughout the years and have been blessed by meeting many of you during your sojourns to the Lake Chapala area. One of my readers sent me a CD of Willie and Lobo; another brought me some pure maple syrup in a maple-leaf shaped bottle and many have shown up with both red and black licorice in the early days before they became available here.
I suppose that I'll have to give up the semi-fame I've enjoyed while writing this column. I imagine fewer people will stop me and say, "Are you Blue? I've read all your columns. You helped us make our decision to move." Ah well, fame is often fleeting and I'm sure I'll survive with more anonymity.
I'm planning to spend more time drawing, studying Spanish and traveling throughout Mexico and Central America.
Many expatriates talk about the seven-year itch and there's a part of me that feels it as well; but after a two-week sojourn into the Northwest, visiting friends and family in Portland, Seattle and the two Vancouvers, I've had my shopping fix.
I find nowadays, that the consumerism and commercialism up north is simply overwhelming. The stores are so big and there are so many choices, that I often leave without having purchased anything.
I also spent a few days in California's Silicon Valley, getting reacquainted with my incredible 10-month old grandson and helping out his parents after my son broke his clavicle bone playing softball.
Yes, I'd like to live closer to them, but retiring in California is out of the question for me. It would cost me $1,000,000 to buy back the house I sold for $300,000. So, I'll wait until my kids decide California is no longer right for them and then see where they end up. Ideally, I'd like to spend a few months a year up north and the rest here at Lakeside, but I don't want the hassles of being a long-distance landlord. I'll just let life unfold one day at a time and see where it leads me. As my co-publisher says, "When people make plans, God laughs."
Fortunately, I missed the extreme heat that May brings and the blessed summer rains began two nights before I returned. The mountains are turning green, the dust has settled, the birds are nesting, our Internet servers have been working well for sometime now and all is well with my little corner of the world.
I wish the same for all of you, along with good health, friends, joy and balance in your lives.
Hasta la vista, amigos. (Until I see you again, friends).
Blessings,
KBlue
PS And to David McLaughlin, publisher of Mexico Connect, thank you for having given me this opportunity. I wish you great success as you move forward with your magazine. Perhaps on occasion, I'll write a guest article, just to keep my fingers in your pie.
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For MexConnect.Com LLC & Conexión México S.A. de C.V. © Mexico Connect 1996-2006 |
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