Author: Jim Santos
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What is the Shape of Water Anyway?
I saw an interesting post on Facebook over the weekend. Someone asked if anyone had seen the movie “The Shape of Water” and liked it. OP apparently did not like it at all, and wanted anyone who did enjoy the movie to explain why they liked it. I almost commented – in fact, I did…
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Confessions of a Gumbo Junkie
I could feel the urge building over the last few weeks, and then this Sunday, it finally happened. I woke up with a raging gumbo-ner. I just had to make my favorite New Orleans meal. Gumbo is not something to be taken casually. It is not one of those “one pot” dinners that you can…
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At Long Last, Yes
On April 7th 2017, a great injustice was finally rectified. The band “Yes” was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This has been long overdue. Yes, in its various combinations and incarnations, was one of the best bands going for decades. Their music was a big influence in my life, and as…
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I Hope You Don’t Meme That!
Phone the neighbors, wake the kids, it is time for another Facebook rant! Today’s topic: the misuse of memes as proof of the further dumbing down of America by Facebook. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few decades, you have run across memes on the Internet. Technically, a meme can be…
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50 Years Ago on June 3rd – A Music Historical Event
I wonder how many people know the significance of June 3rd in the world of popular music? And this year, 2016 is the 50th anniversary of this important event. Give up? June 3, 2016 will be 50 years since Billie Joe McAllistar jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge. How many of you just heard a bunch of…
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Confessions of a Serial Monogamist
I have a confession to make. I am a serial monogamist. I know you’re shocked. If you’ve seen my profile picture, your first thought was probably “Is that Brad Pitt?” Of course, your second thought was probably “Wow, he’s really let himself go!” But it’s true, all of this good stuff is being wasted on…
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A Non-Comprehensive List of Things For Sale on Ecuadorian Beaches
Another picture-perfect day in Salinas. May is a great month here, with most of the snowbirds gone, and kids back in school. We have a lot of days with blue skies, temperatures in the low 80’s, and cool breeze coming in off the water. Rita and I took a beach walk in Chipipe yesterday, and…
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Tips for Driving in Ecuador
Rita and I just returned from an 8-day road trip through part of southern Ecuador (hence the gap in blog posts), and we had a really wonderful time. We saw some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet, and met interesting people in some great cities and towns. We know several people who have…
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Another Facebook Foible Rant
There’s and old joke that goes like this; a man and his son are walking down the street, and they see two dogs having sex. The boy points and asks what’s going on there? The father is a little embarrassed, so he says, “Oh, the dog in back hurt his front paws, so the one…
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I’m Just Mad About the ‘Tad!
One thing I really enjoy about living in Salinas, Ecuador is when we have an excuse to visit the ‘Tad. That’s what Rita and I call La Libertad, which is the next town inland from Salinas, and the commercial center of the peninsula. We love to jump on a bus and ride into the ‘Tad.…