We aren't "have-the-TV-on-constantly" people. And for years I read the morning paper religiously. I enjoyed the ritual of retrieving it from the driveway and scanning the pages while drinking a cup of coffee each day.
So I never tuned into the Today Show in the US. But I recently discovered it's aired on DirecTV only five hours after the live broadcasts in the States. This may not seem very timely in our current world of instant communication. When you consider I've watched episodes of Dinner Impossible from five years ago that's pretty darned speedy for around these parts.
Since the show airs at 1 PM I've found it's an entertaining diversion during lunch. Two big pluses are HD and English. The one downside is l-o-n-g commercial breaks which (although I haven't formally timed them) seem to last up to ten minutes. We've discovered this is actually better than the one or two minute intervals we're used to that barely allow time to go to the bathroom. We can refresh our beverages, throw a load of clothes in the washer, and check email before the next segment starts.
Not only do we get to keep up with current news and various entertainment fluff, sometimes the information dispensed unexpectedly comes in handy.
I was recently chatting with our daughter, who lives in Hoboken right across from Manhattan, on Skype. She told me me that she had outdoor plans that afternoon but was worried about rain. I replied, "Oh, don't worry about it. Roker said that front is going to go through the upstate area. You'll be fine."
We both laughed at how in Ecuador I knew more about her current weather than she did.
Well, looks like the commercials are over. Thanks, Al. Keep up the good work.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Just Peachy
Shortly after we moved to Cuenca I was cruising the Supermaxi trying to learn what was available. This was back in the days when I hoped if I stared at labels without pictures long enough they would somehow magically translate themselves from Spanish into English. Needless to say grocery shopping took a while back then.
When I got to the produce section there were several vegetables and a lot of fruits I didn't recognize, but one immediately jumped out at me.
Peaches!
I'm a Southern boy and it was summertime. What more do I need to say? Even though they were small, hard, imported and pricey, I bought several so I could enjoy a little taste of home.
I waited until they seemed sufficiently ripened and anxiously sliced into one. It was dry and mealy. Ugh. Another one. The same. All of them turned out to be nasty and inedible, and had to be thrown away.
Where I come from it's almost a sin to throw away peaches. This incident left such a lasting impression that I've never bought another one here.
Until last week.
I wheeled into the produce section and there they were, gorgeous beauties beckoning me to come over and give them a squeeze. They were bigger and, well, more "peachy" looking than normal. I picked one up, looked at the label. California!
When we lived in Vegas peaches from California were all we could get. They aren't in the same league as ones from Georgia and especially South Carolina but were at least edible. I couldn't resist. But I bought only two in case of further disappointment.
Yesterday morning I peeled, sliced, and macerated those babies in sugar. I set the stage with a bacon, eggs, and grits breakfast. Then with hesitation I tried a slice----.
Yes! Real peaches! Hallelujah!! I savored each bite with undisguised pleasure. The bowl was empty much too soon.
Once they're gone who knows when we'll see them again. I'm heading back to Supermaxi today. There may be a peach cobbler in the Staton's immediate future!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Trip to Olon
Cynthia and I went to Olon, located a few minutes north of Montanita on the coast, last weekend for several days.
Ecuador is a small country, only about the size of Colorado. The major highways are honestly better than many we’ve ridden on in the States.
But getting from here to there, especially when you live in the highlands like we do, is problematic because of geography. The Andes run like a spine from north to south. Going west to the coast requires winding through the Cajas mountains to Guayaquil, then generally heading north (in other words, following both sides of a triangle instead of the shorter hypotenuse).
Traveling north or south is even worse because you are constantly zigzagging through the mountains. How much worse? A flight to Quito takes 45 minutes. The drive takes eight hours. Ouch.
We tried the new express bus service to Guayaquil this morning. In the past we usually used a van service which takes three hours and costs $12/person. But the bus companies and airlines have been complaining for years about these improperly licensed operators, and this time it appears their opposition may finally shut them down.
Police roadblocks have resulted in over 100 impounded vehicles with passengers left on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere to fend for themselves. No thanks.
We discovered the “modern” express buses, as they were described, were—not so much. Granted they were clean and comfortable with a bathroom in the back, but no air conditioning? It has been so damned chilly in Cuenca that this didn’t matter on the way over, but Guayaquil’s heat and humidity made the first part of the return trip very uncomfortable. Never thought I’d look forward to reaching the Cajas mountains, but the cooler air was a great relief.
The ride costs only $8 per person and takes about 45 minutes longer than the vans, which was fine because the ride was smooth and we didn’t get slammed around on the many curves. Plus we were treated to free entertainment--a dreadful old Robin Williams movie called Jumanji and straight-to-video “Sniper.” Both were in Spanish, of course (with Spanish subtitles just for spite). I have to admit watching both, and they did make the trip seem shorter.
We made our traditional lunch stop at McDonald’s (going and coming) in the Guayaquil terminal’s food court. I highly recommend the McBacon burger. Hey. If you’re gonna do fast food, why hold back?
The buses run by CLP between Guayaquil and Olon are really nice—super-comfortable seats and, yes, air conditioned. The just-shy-of 3 hour ride costs $6 and goes by quickly, especially when the north route starts running along the coastline about halfway through.
Olon’s beachfront is occupied by a line of about 30 seafood shacks (that all seem to serve exactly the same menu), so accommodations are close by but not right on the ocean. Our modest room less than a minute from the sand set us back a whopping $25 per night.
So let’s add up the cost of transportation and lodging for 4 days and 3 nights:
Transportation: Cuenca to Guayaquil & back (4 tickets @ $8) $32
Guayaquil to Olon & back (4 tickets @ $6) 24
Lodging: Three nights @ $25/night 75
Total $131
Eating abundant seafood and drinking a lot of beer maybe ran $30/day, so throw in another $120 for food and we were all in for around $250. That ain’t bad!
We had been warned the weather at the beach was much the same as Cuenca’s during this time of year. Yes and no. The skies were overcast like here but it was much warmer. I was comfortable walking around in shorts and even went bodysurfing in the renowned waves of this part of the coast. Our getaway was more for business than pleasure so the climate wasn’t a primary concern anyway.
Nearby Montanita is---well, Montanita. What else can you say? A minor league version of New Orleans, Times Square, and Vegas all rolled into one, on the weekends the streets are teeming with people, drinks are flowing, music is blaring, and video screens are flashing.
One of the streets is lined on both sides with around 40 portable bars where your $2.50 Pina Colada is made from a fresh pineapple sliced right in front of you. Street performers share their space with stray dogs that happily wander around but never bother anyone.
It’s a place unlike any other I know of in Ecuador. You either like it or you don’t. I happen to like it very much—in limited doses.
Wouldn’t you know it, thirty minutes before we boarded the bus to return to Guayaquil, the sun burst through and cloud cover gave way to brilliant blue skies. Wow, we came close to staying, but the tickets were paid for and our bags were packed, so we reluctantly took our seats and enjoyed the scenery out the window.
It’s OK. There will be many other times.
Ecuador is a small country, only about the size of Colorado. The major highways are honestly better than many we’ve ridden on in the States.
But getting from here to there, especially when you live in the highlands like we do, is problematic because of geography. The Andes run like a spine from north to south. Going west to the coast requires winding through the Cajas mountains to Guayaquil, then generally heading north (in other words, following both sides of a triangle instead of the shorter hypotenuse).
Traveling north or south is even worse because you are constantly zigzagging through the mountains. How much worse? A flight to Quito takes 45 minutes. The drive takes eight hours. Ouch.
We tried the new express bus service to Guayaquil this morning. In the past we usually used a van service which takes three hours and costs $12/person. But the bus companies and airlines have been complaining for years about these improperly licensed operators, and this time it appears their opposition may finally shut them down.
Police roadblocks have resulted in over 100 impounded vehicles with passengers left on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere to fend for themselves. No thanks.
We discovered the “modern” express buses, as they were described, were—not so much. Granted they were clean and comfortable with a bathroom in the back, but no air conditioning? It has been so damned chilly in Cuenca that this didn’t matter on the way over, but Guayaquil’s heat and humidity made the first part of the return trip very uncomfortable. Never thought I’d look forward to reaching the Cajas mountains, but the cooler air was a great relief.
The ride costs only $8 per person and takes about 45 minutes longer than the vans, which was fine because the ride was smooth and we didn’t get slammed around on the many curves. Plus we were treated to free entertainment--a dreadful old Robin Williams movie called Jumanji and straight-to-video “Sniper.” Both were in Spanish, of course (with Spanish subtitles just for spite). I have to admit watching both, and they did make the trip seem shorter.
We made our traditional lunch stop at McDonald’s (going and coming) in the Guayaquil terminal’s food court. I highly recommend the McBacon burger. Hey. If you’re gonna do fast food, why hold back?
The buses run by CLP between Guayaquil and Olon are really nice—super-comfortable seats and, yes, air conditioned. The just-shy-of 3 hour ride costs $6 and goes by quickly, especially when the north route starts running along the coastline about halfway through.
Olon’s beachfront is occupied by a line of about 30 seafood shacks (that all seem to serve exactly the same menu), so accommodations are close by but not right on the ocean. Our modest room less than a minute from the sand set us back a whopping $25 per night.
So let’s add up the cost of transportation and lodging for 4 days and 3 nights:
Transportation: Cuenca to Guayaquil & back (4 tickets @ $8) $32
Guayaquil to Olon & back (4 tickets @ $6) 24
Lodging: Three nights @ $25/night 75
Total $131
Eating abundant seafood and drinking a lot of beer maybe ran $30/day, so throw in another $120 for food and we were all in for around $250. That ain’t bad!
We had been warned the weather at the beach was much the same as Cuenca’s during this time of year. Yes and no. The skies were overcast like here but it was much warmer. I was comfortable walking around in shorts and even went bodysurfing in the renowned waves of this part of the coast. Our getaway was more for business than pleasure so the climate wasn’t a primary concern anyway.
Nearby Montanita is---well, Montanita. What else can you say? A minor league version of New Orleans, Times Square, and Vegas all rolled into one, on the weekends the streets are teeming with people, drinks are flowing, music is blaring, and video screens are flashing.
One of the streets is lined on both sides with around 40 portable bars where your $2.50 Pina Colada is made from a fresh pineapple sliced right in front of you. Street performers share their space with stray dogs that happily wander around but never bother anyone.
It’s a place unlike any other I know of in Ecuador. You either like it or you don’t. I happen to like it very much—in limited doses.
Wouldn’t you know it, thirty minutes before we boarded the bus to return to Guayaquil, the sun burst through and cloud cover gave way to brilliant blue skies. Wow, we came close to staying, but the tickets were paid for and our bags were packed, so we reluctantly took our seats and enjoyed the scenery out the window.
It’s OK. There will be many other times.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Restaurant Riviera
Three years ago Cynthia and I hoped we had made a good decision. The container filled with our possessions was en route to Ecuador and we had no residence in which to unload its contents.
Yikes!
We knew we didn’t want to live downtown or on the west side of the city, and could find nothing suitable in the south/central part of town where we had focused our search. With the clock ticking we finally found and leased a beautiful place in the southeast that we loved and would hold all our stuff. But we’d only been in Cuenca for a month and knew absolutely nothing about our new neighborhood.
Turns out we couldn’t have made a better choice. The surrounding streets are filled with large older homes, big trees and mature landscaping. A Supermaxi, Ecuador’s dominant supermarket chain, is a 10 minute walk away, as is Parque Paraiso, Cuenca’s largest park. El Centro can be reached in 20 minutes.
Our street, Avenida Paucarbamba, has undergone exciting transformations. Neither of us are big shoppers, but two lovely high-end clothing stores have opened plus several new restaurants.
Speaking of which, I’m thrilled to report that this part of town has evolved into what I will call the “Restaurant Riviera!” I thought of this as I was walking to Milenium Mall (yes, that’s the way it’s spelled) this morning. On the way I noticed a gorgeous new Spanish restaurant and two more dining establishments under construction. Roux Bar & Bistro opened right up the street two weeks ago and has enjoyed instant success.
I realized within a five minute stroll from our home we have a choice of six seafood restaurants. And we’re in the Andes--can you imagine? Extend that protractor out fifteen minutes and, counting the food court at Milenium, I’m certain we have over 40 nice places to eat. That doesn’t include the numerous blue-collar cheap lunch joints. Or Cuenca’s very first McDonald’s that will be open soon!
To be honest we usually eat at home. And after all this time we still haven’t tried every dining possibility within walking distance. But it’s awesome to know that, if we’re just not in the mood to cook and clean up (no dishwasher!), a great meal is only a few minutes away!
Yikes!
We knew we didn’t want to live downtown or on the west side of the city, and could find nothing suitable in the south/central part of town where we had focused our search. With the clock ticking we finally found and leased a beautiful place in the southeast that we loved and would hold all our stuff. But we’d only been in Cuenca for a month and knew absolutely nothing about our new neighborhood.
Turns out we couldn’t have made a better choice. The surrounding streets are filled with large older homes, big trees and mature landscaping. A Supermaxi, Ecuador’s dominant supermarket chain, is a 10 minute walk away, as is Parque Paraiso, Cuenca’s largest park. El Centro can be reached in 20 minutes.
Our street, Avenida Paucarbamba, has undergone exciting transformations. Neither of us are big shoppers, but two lovely high-end clothing stores have opened plus several new restaurants.
Speaking of which, I’m thrilled to report that this part of town has evolved into what I will call the “Restaurant Riviera!” I thought of this as I was walking to Milenium Mall (yes, that’s the way it’s spelled) this morning. On the way I noticed a gorgeous new Spanish restaurant and two more dining establishments under construction. Roux Bar & Bistro opened right up the street two weeks ago and has enjoyed instant success.
I realized within a five minute stroll from our home we have a choice of six seafood restaurants. And we’re in the Andes--can you imagine? Extend that protractor out fifteen minutes and, counting the food court at Milenium, I’m certain we have over 40 nice places to eat. That doesn’t include the numerous blue-collar cheap lunch joints. Or Cuenca’s very first McDonald’s that will be open soon!
To be honest we usually eat at home. And after all this time we still haven’t tried every dining possibility within walking distance. But it’s awesome to know that, if we’re just not in the mood to cook and clean up (no dishwasher!), a great meal is only a few minutes away!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Groundhog Month
I’m cleaner these days than I’ve been in years. And my skin is wonderfully hydrated. Why? Because I find myself lingering for excessive amounts of time in the shower, the only warm escape from the constant chill in our apartment.
Cuenca is touted as the “land of eternal spring,” and I’ve written about this very subject for International Living. But July and August are the winter months here, and for the second July in a row the weather has been continuously and aggravatingly dismal.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not overcoat-wearing cold. However, we have no central heating and air conditioning (a blessing when it’s time to pay the utility bills each month). So when the sun refuses to shine day after day our place never gets a chance to warm up and retain a bit of warmth.
The temperature inside our home has pretty much fluctuated only between the low 60’s and high 50’s all month. As you’re reading this while enduring the sweltering summer heat you may be thinking, “That sounds pretty darned good to me!”
Trust me, it’s not.
Every day we wake up, throw open the curtain---and look out at the same gray overcast skies. We check the thermometer on Cynthia’s nightstand.
57 degrees. Oof---.
I get up, put on a heavy fleece bathrobe, and make coffee. Then I often crawl back under the covers for a while. After that long shower I dress quicker than a fireman being called to fight a blaze. On the worst evenings I roam around the house with the bathrobe over my clothes—and I’ve been known to don a toboggan cap as well.
We have a small electric space heater that I dragged around from room to room last July. But since my friend pointed out that the little beast eats as much power as 25 60 watt bulbs I’ve been a bit more judicious this year about firing it up.
As I’ve gotten older I have new-found appreciation of retirees who opt for the warmer climate of Florida, Nevada, and Arizona. My kids have nicknamed me “The Reptile” because of my increasing intolerance of weather extremes.
In my defense, people who live at altitude (Cuenca sits 8400 feet above sea level) develop thinner blood with more red blood cells to better oxygenate their bodies. So we experience temperature variations more severely than our coastal counterparts.
I’m not sharing all this information as a “bitch session.” It’s important for folks contemplating relocation here to know the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Presently it is a bit ugly.
I am not alone being uncomfortable with the current chilliness. Numerous expats have found Cuenca’s weather too cold and moved to lower altitudes.
In doing so they trade a cooler climate for the increased humidity and, worse, bugs that go hand in hand with warmer temps. Growing up in the South I’ve had more than my share of both, so the greater good for me is to pull on a sweatshirt and put up with this short dismal period.
And hope each morning when I open the curtain for the bright, warm sunshine that will eventually return.
Cuenca is touted as the “land of eternal spring,” and I’ve written about this very subject for International Living. But July and August are the winter months here, and for the second July in a row the weather has been continuously and aggravatingly dismal.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not overcoat-wearing cold. However, we have no central heating and air conditioning (a blessing when it’s time to pay the utility bills each month). So when the sun refuses to shine day after day our place never gets a chance to warm up and retain a bit of warmth.
The temperature inside our home has pretty much fluctuated only between the low 60’s and high 50’s all month. As you’re reading this while enduring the sweltering summer heat you may be thinking, “That sounds pretty darned good to me!”
Trust me, it’s not.
Every day we wake up, throw open the curtain---and look out at the same gray overcast skies. We check the thermometer on Cynthia’s nightstand.
57 degrees. Oof---.
I get up, put on a heavy fleece bathrobe, and make coffee. Then I often crawl back under the covers for a while. After that long shower I dress quicker than a fireman being called to fight a blaze. On the worst evenings I roam around the house with the bathrobe over my clothes—and I’ve been known to don a toboggan cap as well.
We have a small electric space heater that I dragged around from room to room last July. But since my friend pointed out that the little beast eats as much power as 25 60 watt bulbs I’ve been a bit more judicious this year about firing it up.
As I’ve gotten older I have new-found appreciation of retirees who opt for the warmer climate of Florida, Nevada, and Arizona. My kids have nicknamed me “The Reptile” because of my increasing intolerance of weather extremes.
In my defense, people who live at altitude (Cuenca sits 8400 feet above sea level) develop thinner blood with more red blood cells to better oxygenate their bodies. So we experience temperature variations more severely than our coastal counterparts.
I’m not sharing all this information as a “bitch session.” It’s important for folks contemplating relocation here to know the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Presently it is a bit ugly.
I am not alone being uncomfortable with the current chilliness. Numerous expats have found Cuenca’s weather too cold and moved to lower altitudes.
In doing so they trade a cooler climate for the increased humidity and, worse, bugs that go hand in hand with warmer temps. Growing up in the South I’ve had more than my share of both, so the greater good for me is to pull on a sweatshirt and put up with this short dismal period.
And hope each morning when I open the curtain for the bright, warm sunshine that will eventually return.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
What Your Research Won't Tell You
A lot of my writing these days is devoted to articles for International Living. For those of you interested in the possibility of living abroad I encourage you to sign up for daily Postcards delivered free to your email inbox. To do so just go to http://internationalliving.com/daily-postcards/ to do so.
I think you'll enjoy this one I wrote that was just published today:
WHAT YOUR RESEARCH WON'T TELL YOU
Much has been written in International Living by me and others about the tangible benefits of living in Cuenca, Ecuador—the low cost of living, the temperate climate, the lovely colonial architecture, excellent medical care, and cultural amenities plus modern conveniences.
So perhaps you already know that on a budget of around $1,800 per month, my wife Cynthia and I live in a beautiful two-story penthouse apartment with expansive views of the city.
Or that we may spontaneously decide to catch a $2 taxi to enjoy a free symphony performance, then stroll home in the cool evening air.
Maybe you’ve read how I can call any of our doctors on their personal cell phones to make a $25 appointment to see them today—no waiting around.
Or that a healthier lifestyle is easy to have here with fresh, inexpensive produce readily available at markets throughout the city and good, filling lunches abounding from as little as $2.
They’re all wonderful aspects of living in Cuenca, for sure. But there are some other intangible, but equally compelling, aspects of life in this beautiful city that your research won’t turn up—things that reveal themselves slowly as you adjust to a new culture and settle in to your adventure abroad.
If you’re leaving behind a hectic lifestyle filled with the constant pressure of appointments and deadlines…one where you’re always in a hurry to finish what’s in front of you so you can hurriedly move on to the “next thing”…the pace of life here will surprise you.
When you arrive, things are still stressful…for a short time at least. After all, you’re in a new city in a foreign country where the locals speak a different language. You need to learn your way around…apply for a visa…form relationships.
But after clearing those initial hurdles, it begins to feel like a heavy weight has been lifted from your shoulders. You can breathe again—you can finally relax. You can’t remember when (or if) you have ever experienced such peace.
And you can get back to what’s really important. In my previous life I never gave myself permission for much of a social life because I had neither the time nor the energy. But in Cuenca, I have made so many wonderful friendships in the last three years that I feel like I have a “second family” here. I’m blessed to associate these days with folks with whom I share common interests and that I truly care about.
It’s all because I now have the time to move past cocktail party patter like, “So what do you do?” …and really get to know people over leisurely two-hour lunches and casual get-togethers.
But the biggest surprise of living in Cuenca has been the discovery of the basic goodness of the Ecuadorians. Our hosts are kind, humble, and generous. Smiling taxi drivers help unload groceries from their trunk. The lady at the dry cleaners waves every time I walk past. Merchants patiently listen and try to understand as you mangle the language.
So yes, the tangible benefits of living here are great…but it’s the intangibles that really make the difference.
Stress is no longer a part of your vocabulary. You have time to do what you want to do…when you want to do it. Deep relationships are an integral part of your life instead of an afterthought. And you find yourself immersed in a culture that readily supports your new, easier lifestyle.
I think you'll enjoy this one I wrote that was just published today:
WHAT YOUR RESEARCH WON'T TELL YOU
Much has been written in International Living by me and others about the tangible benefits of living in Cuenca, Ecuador—the low cost of living, the temperate climate, the lovely colonial architecture, excellent medical care, and cultural amenities plus modern conveniences.
So perhaps you already know that on a budget of around $1,800 per month, my wife Cynthia and I live in a beautiful two-story penthouse apartment with expansive views of the city.
Or that we may spontaneously decide to catch a $2 taxi to enjoy a free symphony performance, then stroll home in the cool evening air.
Maybe you’ve read how I can call any of our doctors on their personal cell phones to make a $25 appointment to see them today—no waiting around.
Or that a healthier lifestyle is easy to have here with fresh, inexpensive produce readily available at markets throughout the city and good, filling lunches abounding from as little as $2.
They’re all wonderful aspects of living in Cuenca, for sure. But there are some other intangible, but equally compelling, aspects of life in this beautiful city that your research won’t turn up—things that reveal themselves slowly as you adjust to a new culture and settle in to your adventure abroad.
If you’re leaving behind a hectic lifestyle filled with the constant pressure of appointments and deadlines…one where you’re always in a hurry to finish what’s in front of you so you can hurriedly move on to the “next thing”…the pace of life here will surprise you.
When you arrive, things are still stressful…for a short time at least. After all, you’re in a new city in a foreign country where the locals speak a different language. You need to learn your way around…apply for a visa…form relationships.
But after clearing those initial hurdles, it begins to feel like a heavy weight has been lifted from your shoulders. You can breathe again—you can finally relax. You can’t remember when (or if) you have ever experienced such peace.
And you can get back to what’s really important. In my previous life I never gave myself permission for much of a social life because I had neither the time nor the energy. But in Cuenca, I have made so many wonderful friendships in the last three years that I feel like I have a “second family” here. I’m blessed to associate these days with folks with whom I share common interests and that I truly care about.
It’s all because I now have the time to move past cocktail party patter like, “So what do you do?” …and really get to know people over leisurely two-hour lunches and casual get-togethers.
But the biggest surprise of living in Cuenca has been the discovery of the basic goodness of the Ecuadorians. Our hosts are kind, humble, and generous. Smiling taxi drivers help unload groceries from their trunk. The lady at the dry cleaners waves every time I walk past. Merchants patiently listen and try to understand as you mangle the language.
So yes, the tangible benefits of living here are great…but it’s the intangibles that really make the difference.
Stress is no longer a part of your vocabulary. You have time to do what you want to do…when you want to do it. Deep relationships are an integral part of your life instead of an afterthought. And you find yourself immersed in a culture that readily supports your new, easier lifestyle.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Yes, She Should Be Forgiven??
When the Paula Deen story first appeared I must admit I was angry (for those of you who may have just awakened from a coma, celebrity chef Ms. Deen has been vilified for admitting in a court deposition that at some point in her life she used a racial epithet).
No, I’m not mad at Paula. All she did was tell the truth. As a fellow Southerner of a similar age I know that times were very different in our younger days. Back then calling a black person a nigger—oh, please, can we dispense with this political/social correctness “N-word” malarkey?—was completely normal. Brazil nuts had no other name but “nigger toes” when I was a child.
I’m not saying any of this was right, but I honestly wasn’t raised to think of the word in a derogatory sense. That’s just the way it was, and what things and certain people were called. And I grew up in Atlanta, not some rural hillbilly town without a red light.
But the point is not about whether Ms. Deen uttered the word 30 years ago or yesterday. Our Founding Fathers thought that freedom of speech was important enough to include it in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Remember the Constitution? It’s that quaint document upon which our once great nation was founded, now regularly trampled on by the courts and government.
When I first read about this “racial slur scandal,” as it’s being termed in the mainstream media, I remembered a skit Dave Chappelle, a black comedian, did on his TV show way back in 2004 called “The Niggar Family.” It’s a spoof of a Leave It to Beaver white family with an interesting last name that trots out every racial cliché and stereotype imaginable.
I found the skit on YouTube. Re-watching it made me think, “H-m-m-m, Dave Chappelle’s career certainly wasn’t destroyed by this.” I imagine a lot of his audience found the piece hilarious and admiringly thought, “The stuff that guy says and gets away with------.”
Consider the hypocrisy, and think about the shitstorm of trouble Ms. Deen finds herself in as she continues to be dumped by one gutless sponsor after another.
What in the hell has happened to our country? I’m sad that such obvious double standards are somehow OK in modern society. Just why is it acceptable for this person or group to say something and so horribly wrong for someone else to say the exact same thing?
Freedom of speech? Fuggitabowdit.
A former President disgraced the nation’s highest office when he got a blow job in the White House then lied through his teeth about it. Now all is forgiven and he’s a revered statesman.
Paula Deen used a word that blacks often call themselves, admitted it, and her life is ruined.
I’m disappointed that our citizens have become so spineless and apathetic that they put up with this kind of nonsense. Put up with it? Apparently, since this non-story refuses to die, the public is actually enjoying watching a decent woman being crucified in the press. “Oh, look, she’s crying. What BS—she’s just trying to save her ass. Ha-ha-ha---.”
Let me ask you-- who hasn’t said something in their life that they regret?
OK, now I’m mad again. I just saw a USA Today poll. The affirmative response is, “Yes, she should be forgiven.”
Huh???
Forgiven for what? And by whom?
Paula, you told the truth when a lot of weaker people would have lied. You’re now being unfairly persecuted by a horde of bloodthirsty, “holier-than-thou” jackals whose lives and reputations would probably wilt under the same spotlight of scrutiny to which you are being subjected.
I’m behind you all the way, sister.
No, I’m not mad at Paula. All she did was tell the truth. As a fellow Southerner of a similar age I know that times were very different in our younger days. Back then calling a black person a nigger—oh, please, can we dispense with this political/social correctness “N-word” malarkey?—was completely normal. Brazil nuts had no other name but “nigger toes” when I was a child.
I’m not saying any of this was right, but I honestly wasn’t raised to think of the word in a derogatory sense. That’s just the way it was, and what things and certain people were called. And I grew up in Atlanta, not some rural hillbilly town without a red light.
But the point is not about whether Ms. Deen uttered the word 30 years ago or yesterday. Our Founding Fathers thought that freedom of speech was important enough to include it in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Remember the Constitution? It’s that quaint document upon which our once great nation was founded, now regularly trampled on by the courts and government.
When I first read about this “racial slur scandal,” as it’s being termed in the mainstream media, I remembered a skit Dave Chappelle, a black comedian, did on his TV show way back in 2004 called “The Niggar Family.” It’s a spoof of a Leave It to Beaver white family with an interesting last name that trots out every racial cliché and stereotype imaginable.
I found the skit on YouTube. Re-watching it made me think, “H-m-m-m, Dave Chappelle’s career certainly wasn’t destroyed by this.” I imagine a lot of his audience found the piece hilarious and admiringly thought, “The stuff that guy says and gets away with------.”
Consider the hypocrisy, and think about the shitstorm of trouble Ms. Deen finds herself in as she continues to be dumped by one gutless sponsor after another.
What in the hell has happened to our country? I’m sad that such obvious double standards are somehow OK in modern society. Just why is it acceptable for this person or group to say something and so horribly wrong for someone else to say the exact same thing?
Freedom of speech? Fuggitabowdit.
A former President disgraced the nation’s highest office when he got a blow job in the White House then lied through his teeth about it. Now all is forgiven and he’s a revered statesman.
Paula Deen used a word that blacks often call themselves, admitted it, and her life is ruined.
I’m disappointed that our citizens have become so spineless and apathetic that they put up with this kind of nonsense. Put up with it? Apparently, since this non-story refuses to die, the public is actually enjoying watching a decent woman being crucified in the press. “Oh, look, she’s crying. What BS—she’s just trying to save her ass. Ha-ha-ha---.”
Let me ask you-- who hasn’t said something in their life that they regret?
OK, now I’m mad again. I just saw a USA Today poll. The affirmative response is, “Yes, she should be forgiven.”
Huh???
Forgiven for what? And by whom?
Paula, you told the truth when a lot of weaker people would have lied. You’re now being unfairly persecuted by a horde of bloodthirsty, “holier-than-thou” jackals whose lives and reputations would probably wilt under the same spotlight of scrutiny to which you are being subjected.
I’m behind you all the way, sister.
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