Rainy morning in the park.

All my vendor friends shivering in the "cold" (for a Colombian) after a deliciously warm week.

Air still thick somehow with the scent of burnt wood from last night's food vendors.

Fair grounds dormant before their last day.

Rumba classes booming in two corners.

Nature doing its thing without any pomp or circumstance - indifferent to us all.

#Colombia

I received the following note on my writing this week, and it's food for thought.

This person feels that there's a "plainness" to my writing from lack of "witticisms, allusions, bon mots, and deviations".

And they're welcome to that belief! It's just interesting, because I'd never thought that building stories of the present through history & lit analogy might be considered plain.

If the baseline is "not willing to sacrifice accuracy for a witty aside", though... then yep! I'm a plain writer!

🤔 Quick! What am I getting y'all on the way back? (Yes, you have to share with your sister/brother, don't make me turn this party chiva around.) #Colombia

Well @daniel, I was really hoping that on my walk this afternoon I'd find a great big celebration for Colombia's Independence Day, to tease you with sign of a whole country celebrating your birthday with you, but evidently the country's mood hasn't recovered from last Sunday. 🙃

I did, however, find a boxing match in the street *right* by a mass in process, so I don't know how you get more Latin American than that. 😅

May your birthday be as full of pleasant sights and company as you would like!

#Spanish #Colombia

New words today:

Vitrinear - From the same root as "vidrio", for glass, this is "window-shopping" / "just looking".

But there's another level to eyeing temptations when you're in a country that loves going out to enjoy the towns on weekends, so you also get...

Puebliar - To skip out to the village / villages, to sample their delights.

This is why Antioquia's pride and joy is Feria de las flores, every August: because the people here are *proud* of their rural treasures. 💛

Chapters 7 & 8 are now up, with 28 minutes of 100% elephant-free audio, for Patrons following A FERTILE SOURCE OF RUIN, my wartime space opera inspired by Thucydides.

Each post not only includes a quick summary of where we left off, but also reflections on history, political science concepts, and key historiography, as they relate to our world and/or elements in my tale of dodging war and nationalism (in space!).

Enjoy! 🚫🐘

#SFF #AFSR #Reading #Novel #WritingCommunity
https://www.patreon.com/posts/fertile-source-7-108492006

Misplaced, squinting, and dangling modifiers for my two classes tonight. Who's got a funny example of how English can go horribly, horrible wrong?

😅 I woke up to the world still choosing grinding mediocrity. So that's nice.

I think everyone should get a pass today for one very silly, small screw-up with major consequences. Go out there and live your best lives, folks!

One thing I find makes all the difference on CoSo is that we do the whole "Morning Sam, Morning Ralph" routine with each other really well.

Over the course of the day we might spit, curse, flail, and wail around each other--while we're on the clock, doomscrolling like our lives depend on it (because it often feels like they do!).

But before all that, we say hello, g'morning, how's everyone doing, who needs a cuppa, wishing you the best!

Then the bloodletting can begin.

But courtesy first! 😉

I feel like a lot of people here might fit the bill. 😉 'Night, CoSo. #Memes

Close-up on the truck parade when it came back to my side... I THINK for the last time!

Going for a walk on the OTHER side of the building. 🙃

CW: NOISE. LOTS OF NOISE.

Like I said, the tootening goes on. 🙃

#AlmostOverThough
#IThink
#LetsSeeWhatFreshHellTomorrowBrings

Had to print some documents at a tienda with all kinds of random junk for sale. I can't figure out what kind of party this weird assortment of favours is supposed to be for, though. I see... a sanitary napkin, a plastic woman's torso, a plastic butt...?!

Also, here's a typical decked out taxi for the day. Most cabs and non-integrated busses are flush with Catholic iconography on most days (plus giant protection prayers in the busses). This is just a lil' extra, for special occasions. #Colombia

The tootening begins.

(Just out the door.)

#Colombia

I didn't finish Zine tasks or all my correspondence, but I'm calling it a night and hoping to be *up* at 4:20, for 15 minutes of yoga before I head out for a run.

Tomorrow the highway is going to be untenable for working at home. It's Día del Conductor! There'll be massive lines of decked out cars, taxis, trucks, and busses... and even a Virgin Mary or San Cristóbal statue!... parading up and down the roads for hours.

TOOT. TOOT TOOT TOOT.
TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.
🚚🚗🚌🚕

I'll be working at the mall. 🙃

@LiseL @cmskiera @Boyceaz

Outside for the second half. Everyone was enjoying the show! 😊 And now, it's judgment time. 😬

@LiseL @cmskiera @Boyceaz

It's wild here. I'm watching the first half inside, and one TV went out, so everyone turned frantically to another one, and then IT went out, so we all rushed with our chairs to a backup on the other side. 😅

#WhateverItTakes #Copa #Colombia

@LiseL @cmskiera @Boyceaz

And the overall vibe before gametime...

#Copa #Colombia #Sportsball

@LiseL @cmskiera @Boyceaz

Quick! Who needs a vuvuzela?! 😅

#Colombia

@LiseL @cmskiera @Boyceaz

🤣 All the stores closed early. They know what's up!