http://www.costajill.com Just another writer's blog Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:31:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en After way too long, it’s finally time for me to pull up my blog, dust it off and rant. I’m outraged at the Florida primary election results. A virtually unknown billionaire candidate, Rick Scott, using all his own $50 million, has become the Republican Party’s nominee for Florida’s governor. This ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/08/25/outrageous-florida-primary-election/ Farmer's Market Rincon de Uvita, Costa Ballena, Costa Rica open Saturdays 8am - 1pm My productivity as a writer is increasing, and when the writing helps those in need, that’s even better. In his book The Geography of Bliss Eric Weiner travels the world looking for the happiest place and/or people ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/06/14/feel-good-help-a-local-costa-rican-family-in-need/ My son Ray is my book finder. He has the most eclectic taste and is more widely read than anyone else I know. On my visit to see him and the family, one of the several books that make it into my suitcase is Writers Dreaming by Naomi Epel. While ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/05/19/meandering-thoughts-on-naomi-epels-writers-dreaming/ What made the recent Herald Tribune article about the Sarasota High class of 1970’s 40th reunion newsworthy, was the fact that it was the first time in all those years that the rift of racial conflict between the black and white alumni was finally mended. The article calls it ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/05/03/discrimination-then-now-and-forever/ [caption id="attachment_508" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Staff and volunteers at El Porvenir office"][/caption] We spent our last days back in Managua getting a tour of the main office of El Porvenir, meeting the dedicated staff, getting a taxi tour of the central market, and the highly guarded, decorated and chain-linked waterfront. We climbed ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/04/20/managua-nicaragua-the-end-but-never-the-end/ [caption id="attachment_495" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Riding the roads in the back of the truck"][/caption] A few statistics on Nicaragua: · $1028 - Second lowest per capita income in the Americas · 48% of population live below poverty line · 30 – 40% of homes have a woman head of household · President - Daniel Ortega – ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/04/15/nicaragua-the-good-bad-and-ugly/ [caption id="attachment_486" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="El Porvenir Staff, El Sauce"][/caption] Jimmy stays with us at the only hotel in town, El Blanco, run by a Katherine Zeta Jones look-alike, with an added Latin American plumpness. Elvis lives in El Sauce and is finally able to go home. I decide to enter the ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/04/02/living-in-the-past-el-sauce-nicaragua/ [caption id="attachment_474" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Oxen carrying firewood"][/caption] Up with the dawn – as usual – Bob and I walk the waking streets of Dario. See it cool and quaint. Men with oxen make their rounds delivering lena (stove wood) gleaned from all nearby bushes and trees, for the breakfast fires. No ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/03/15/the-survey-begins-nicaragua/ [caption id="attachment_462" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Hotel Las Mercedes"][/caption] Immediately upon arriving three hours late in the capital city of Managua, Bob and I get tremors of third world country glitches. The chip installed in my phone doesn’t work, but it’s a nice relief. The representative of our hotel tells us we have ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/03/09/nicaragua-with-water-for-people-and-el-porvenir/ Just a note before introducing my next volunteer experience in Nicaragua with the same group I went to Africa with - Water for People. [caption id="attachment_455" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Edge of our road"][/caption] While waiting at the airport for the flight to Managua I reminisce on these last few weeks of my busy, ... http://www.costajill.com/2010/03/03/slipping-and-sliding/