Author Archives: Myra
What’s that smell?
One day last week, I got a whiff of something noxious nearby. The smell was not unlike ones I’ve sniffed driving through Pennsylvania farming country— fertilizer, maybe. A bitter, acrid smell invaded my senses. I felt it in my nose, … Continue reading
Crossing the border
For the myriad expats who have to cross the border every ninety days, here are several ways to get to Nicaragua from San Jose. Those who can afford the price may fly, at a cost of over five hundred dollars. … Continue reading
A world without lies?
I’ve been thinking about lies and liars since reading an article in the New York Times, about software scientists are working on to detect lying in speech. Though I abhor a liar, I have to admit to having lied in … Continue reading
Incursions into the bureaucracy
Like most other incursions into the bureaucracy here, acquiring a driver’s license in Costa Rica can be an adventure. My first encounter with the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes, (MOPT), was not horrible, if you don’t count getting lost … Continue reading
Feed them and they will come
The hummingbird feeder on the tiny veranda in front of our house was empty when Jack and I sat down to chat. A solitary Rufous-tailed Hummingbird perched on the clothesline nearby. It flew in, chirping loudly, and hovered near the … Continue reading
Honest Graft: An Oxymoron
A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor sent me to a November 13th segment of CBS’s 60 Minutes. In case you haven’t seen it, you can find it here. Steve Kroft interviewed, among others, Peter Schweizer, author of a … Continue reading
NaNoWriMo Two
It’s that time of the year again when writers all over the world drop everything else and write a novel in thirty days. It’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Last year, the first year I participated, there were 200,530 participants, … Continue reading
A Return to the Dark Ages?
In the last several days, The New York Times has published information about the new constitutional amendment on the ballot next week in Mississippi. This amendment, which is gathering momentum in six other states as well, would prohibit abortion, even … Continue reading
The Big Box
When we made the decision to retire in Costa Rica, I did my homework. I researched the requirements for residency, and had the application process well in hand before leaving the States. The requirements are onerous, seemingly designed to induce … Continue reading
Stop Bitching and Start a Revolution
Back in 2005, on a trip to Washington DC, I bought a sweet little tank top from a smiling young man. Emblazoned on the front were the words: Stop Bitching and Start a Revolution. I’m not a revolutionary, but neither … Continue reading
