Rutina desviada

Lest everyone freak out and think that I've ground to a halt here in Paraguay since finding more of a routine, I wanted to post and say that such is not the case. Achieving "normal" is at last reassuring and indeed what we strive for to make our lives comfortable. All of us should be lucky enough to establish routines--to find surroundings and people that are routine and for that reason make us happy. I'm sure that I'll be able to live with a routine, and was almost setting one up just before I left DC, but for now I find it quite difficult to have too much of a routine. I usually run for cover when commitments to regularity come along.

In any case, the post riled up some of my readers, despite the fact that I can count them all one hand. There were no photos on the last post because I was at home and the Internet connection is rather poor, but better than nothing. We were at the Expoferia a past weekend and had a good time there. It's like a state fair for the state of Paraguay, and everyone sets up their stand to show off what they have been doing for the year. One of the main attractions are the women in tight bodysuits, like what those new suits that swimmers use. Paraguayan men love to head out there and get their picture taken as they pose with some divina. I have always wondered, though, what does it really do for them to have a photo just like all the other men have, with a woman who is being paid to stand and take photos with random men? I don't really understand that part, but my friend Arturo and I did get a photo.

The size of some of some of the houses in Asunción, mostly near my house in the ritzier part of the city, is just staggering. I had seen this one several times and caught them this time without the guard out front, which is
pretty rare. A good part of the Paraguayan workforce is employed in the industry, and altogether with the time that they spend pacing and sitting they could read Moby Dick five times in a month. Unfortunately there is seldom printed matter, let alone literature, in their hands. Something does happen every once in a while, I am told, and I guess that is what they wait for, an event that they can write about it their own book. With the guardia in mind, a shout out to Yessica and our guardiahere at the firm, who is named Blas. One of you will recognize him, and you'll know that he still asks about that photo you've been meaning to send.