Today I gave 4 portraits to Mario, of his granddaughter and grandson. And two him and his wife at their wedding. He loved the regal one, where he stood for a moment as a matador, bride with a ten foot train, two angelic girls in waiting, surrounded by a loving family. He was impressed. I was a little worried he thought I was a douche, so good.





Soledad said bonita like 5 times. WHICH PICTURE DO YOU THINK IS BETTER?

There's totally a wild party across the street or something. I think a dude keeps making freaky bird calls, keeping the party crazy. Drunks are ranting creeds. Now that shit's bonita.

Update: Now it's a loud chick sing-a-long. I almost bet they're swinging arm-in-arm. As well, the I swear cheese I'm eating labelled mozerella is totally monteray jack. Land of contradictions: Mexico.

I went to the reception for a baptism today. The whole family was there. These parties last 3 hours, and nobody leaves early.

One boy had a birthday, so he sang 3 songs. No lyrics prompter here! Everyone knows the traditional songs by heart, including the kids.



A woman in a traditional dress sang at least ten songs. One entailed snippy snip fingers, and I was laughing, so she pointed out that I must not know Spanish, as the song's about lopping off the nuts. Mexicans!



The boys found a deep ditch and took turns jumping it from further and further back. They quit before anyone fell in.



The father of the child throws pesos to the children. As it happens, an ice cream man's jazz-blastin' motorcycle ice box was in the street. Everyone wins!



The big surprise was a horse gone wild galloping up the street. Everyone ran to look.

Today we didn't really leave the house, except for tacos and juice. I played on the swing with Chloe while Emily bought milk and cheese. Chloe had a pretty successful day, much more comfortable here at her new home, taking two naps without much trouble, even going to bed with ease. We enjoyed some ball kicking, some balloons, watching the monkeys and kitties on the computer, dancing to some music, and even some skat/singing/"word jazz" where the words aren't quite cogent English. She usually let me pick her up, because she has come to dig me and my whole scene of groovy discovery fun, and sometimes she climbed right up to me. Food also went smoothly, with munches on apple slices, hot quesadillas, and bites of chicken taco. And she drinks water, which used to be passe in colder climates, and spills it all down her smock, cuz it's cool. She's adjusting to tropical living. She respected me a lot more today, because now I can just say, "Oh, you want to fight with me?" and she realizes she doesn't, so she stops freaking out and lives with the options. Actually I don't think I reminded her that I'm the boss once today, while I said it like 5 times yesterday. I try not to be picky about what she chooses to do. We're just showering her with adult attention and she's feeling very comfortable at this point. Today she said "bye-dios!" again as we left the taco stand. I guess part of her improvements are my own, because I know more how to just take over and refuse to let her flip out, instead insisting that she get in my arms and calm down. She grouses about this powerful voodoo, but it's as if yesterday's mad girl craving freedom has almost totally melted into a curious and calm person who is willing to exert a scintilla of dignified effort for this whole deal called straight-shooting with grown-ups.

Sometimes when I hold Emily I think it's Chloe. I spent all day in their arms.

Today I took Emily, Jenny, and Chloe for tacos. Then, since it's Sunday, and it's also the day after their wedding, it's necessary for Mario and Soledad to party all day in the street. Which means 10 kids and 10 adults on the sidewalk with an enormous amplifier playing dance tunes, two cool boys playing DJ and taking it seriously. There's Coronitas (Corona beer in tiny bottles), curried chicken, and cake. The kids all got little toys today, like a firetruck for the boys, lip gloss for the girls. I think we're going to the carnival later, with bumper cars and such. Carnivals, circuses, and clowns are huge deals here.

I spent some quality time with Chloe, who is almost 2. I convinced her that I don't accept squirming or bossing around, and apparently she believed me today. Funny to watch her realize she's not gonna get away with the same old games. It helps that she's tired. Together we explored the house and danced with the chicas on the sidewalk. I was happy to re-capture the same sort of pleasant grownup-child vibe I used to have. We bonded. It requires knowing my power is strong, sincere, just, and clear, and then just Offering The Groovy, and being comfortable at her speed and in her vibe. Once you get into the kid's vibe, the rest is easy. I am happy I am not the daddy with actual binding responsibilities here, because her Terrible Twos have begun. But I think I could handle a year of war with a 2-year-old, without turning into a cranky tyrant. So long as I had some help. That's where Mexico far outperforms America. The whole block is friends, or related. The kids are always under someone's eye and care. In America, we've screwed up, going independent and individual to a fault.

Chloe is a fanatic for dancing. As are these Mexicans. I swear you put that kind of speakers in a Seattle street and people just stare. But they keep up the dancing here. It's great. I don't understand America on this point and never have. Let's sit on our asses! Let's drink our beers and talk awkwardly about nonsense! We're ironic! WTF! Whatcha are is a pasty freak, and then you disappear into the cul de sac and die.

The girls (four 9-year-olds) love Chloe. They dote on her and take her all around the block. They prevent her from running into the street. I figure she's as safe as a Mexican child. Which is not that safe but so be it. It takes hundreds of rides in a pickup flatbed before you actually fall out, probably, on average.

ALSO: 21.5 hours to job interview. It will go like this:

Can you work 40 hours per week? No? Only 35? Cuz you're not effective at 40? Ok, see ya.

"I'd like to ace the remainder of the interview so perhaps you will be impressed enough to recommend me elsewhere within your company where my schedule constraint is not a barrier."

I struggle for the right words. I'm kind of sick of the regime of interviews at the moment. It's important but they seem to beat me on the head and send me home over and over again. Meanwhile c'mon I'm an ace in this field. I need to get some of that legit "kill or be killed" sink or swim shit. This PW2 is training wheels shit anyway. Not even qualified for training wheels shit? F U.

I went to find some tacos and I found two baby tigers in a truck cage, advertising the circus. The circus is huge in Puerto Vallarta, as are clowns. I ate 4 tacos and fresh orange juice for $3.50. This beats my $3.50 burrito ripoff last night. Go to the places with posted prices!

We went to the mountains and crossed ravines on zip lines. I was 600 feet above the river. There were ten zip lines. I passed through jungle canopy. Then we enjoyed some Mexican food. There were horses and chickens everywhere along the river. On the way home Fatima and her friend laughed in the back seat whenever I made some sound effects. They're about ten. I realized I love Mexico.

We ate tacos. I got the bicycle, but the tube died when I tried to inflate it. Then I got lost and had to find my way with the GPS. So tomorrow we will take it to the bike shop.



There were sand sculptures on the beach. We walked in the shops. I bought shaved ice.



At Mario's house I laid in the hammock. I get so tired in the sun. Tomorrow we are renting ATV's and defiling the natural beauty.