Five more days and counting....

Okay, I have to admit that I really do not like the whole commercialized Christmas Hoopla. I'm not a big fan of Christmas music, snowman and Santa Clause figurines, or metallic garlands of green and red. I cringe each time I hear the song "Frosty the Snowman" (unless it is sung by my nephew, who gives it his own special twist) and flinch away from all the bedazzled, sparkly, moving Christmas decorations. My family often asks why D and I don't decorate for the holidays, there is no tree, no lights, not even a sprig of mistletoe. They don't understand that our home is the only respite we get from the decoration blitz. The outside world is just too much right now, I'm way over stimulated every time I walk out the door. The blinking Christmas lights my neighbor seems to add more of each day doesn't help matters either.

That being said, I have found the most hilarious site to help get all those who Grinch, like myself, the holiday spirit. Elfyourself.com provided the best 20 minutes of wasted time I have ever enjoyed. The site is sponsored by Officemax, and it gives you the opportunity to make anyone you know turn into an elf and get their groove on. I morphed my boss into said elf and then proceeded to show everyone the fruit of my efforts. It might have started a trend at work. People were elphing each other left and right. It was fabulous. The site also has some Christmas short films, games, and basic time wasters. Check it out, I promise it will lift your holiday spirits.

For an example of just how much fun this can be, cut and paste the following link:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=0370afdffbebadfa42cf1f9G06121816

Vivo en Guayaquil, Pero Mi Corazón Está en Quito

Oh Quito, how I love thee... Dave and I needed a break from the heat and honking of Guayaquil, so we hopped on a quick flight north. We spent a wonderful four days in beautiful Quito, Ecuador. Enjoying the many artisan markets, coffee shops, restaurants, mountains, and cool weather. I wore jeans and long-sleeved shirts, slept with three blankets on the bed, and never left without my jacket, hat, and gloves for the first time in months. It was pure heaven. Quito is a very tourist friendly destination, with people from all over the world walking through the streets. It is not uncommon to hear whispers of French, Dutch, German, English, and, of course, Spanish as you travel down its cobblestone avenues. The people are also so very friendly, pointing out points of interest that they have discovered to any other tourist they see. People often can be seen giving tips on which restaurants to try or where the nearest bookstore can be found to complete strangers they bump into. Many ar

Años Viejos, Pyromaniacs, and Fireworks...Oh My

I have to admit, it has been quite awhile since I have actually been awake to ring in the new year and say goodbye to the old. Dave and I have always been a bit more concerned about the eight hours of sleep necessary to enjoy life rather than seeing the ball drop. But this year...is different. It is 12:58 and the neighbor's hired band just started, there are rapid fire explosives (aka fireworks) going off in three minute intervals, and the car alarms throughout our block seem to be answering the loving call of said fireworks. There will be no eight hours to start off the year for the Richert's this time. Nothing about our experiences in Ecuador could be classified as typical, and New Year's Eve is proving to be no exception. The evening started out quite and low key, dinner at home with a movie. There were the occasional firework, but that isn't anything atypical. I was even contemplating continuing the tradition of snuggling into bed by 10:30. Before I called

Yes or No?

A couple weeks ago, slipped in the far reaches of my mailbox, I found a note that took me back to the good ol' days of elementary school. You know what I'm talking about. Remember how you would just be sitting at your desk, one leg pumping back and forth, pencil eraser nudging your bottom lip, as you tried to puzzle out those mind-boggling multiplication tables? And then, out of the corner of your eye, you would see Andy passing a note to Melissa, who would then pass it on to Mark, who would then palm it off to you right before Mrs. Nelson turned around from the blackboard. Your name would be written all in cursive and curly-q's on the clumsily folded paper. Carefully, stealthily, you unfold the paper to find: Well, InterAmerican sent me a 'check yes or no' note, and it raised the same sensation of anxiety that those old love notes of yesterday used to inspire. Instead of the traditional, "do you like me?" question, it was the "will you continue

Living The Good Life

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