Vacation Studio Rental | Vacation Condo 1 | Vacation Condo 2 | FOR SALE/RENT | New Curmudgeon's Corner | Bertram 28-Perfect Condition! | Welcome | Island Living FAQ's | Business Ideas | Early Curmudgeons | Curmudgeon's Corner 2005 | Curmudgeon's Corner 2006 | Curmudgeon 2007/2009 | Dirt Cheap Tours | Island Photos | Shopping! | Beaches | Links

THE "CHRISTMAS" CURMUDGEON

December 2005

Recently while cruising around the net I found one site from Margarita Island where they were interested in starting an ex-pat club with weekly meetings and information sharing/"b.s.ing" about problems and other "Gringo" things.
Now, let me say this about that...
When I lived in Mexico (Mazatlan) a friend wanted to start a club- "Friends of Mexico". He actually did get it done and as far as I know it's still going. The founding members came to me and asked if I'd like to join.  I laughed and answered "If you're so desperate for members that you would let me be one, then I do not want to join!" A few laughed too, a few got miffed, but I've never been a 'joiner' and prefer to lead the parade. “Friends of Mexico” was successful with what they wanted to accomplish. Raising money for charity and having an excuse to socialize, have lunch and some drinks.
Actually, I don’t need an excuse to do these things, so I didn’t see the reason for a club, but others do and I respect their rights... UNLESS they want to ‘Americanize’ the foreign area they live in. 
The last thing this island needs is an “American community” wanting to change everything to “the American way”!
If you’re that fond of the American way, for God’s sake, stay there! 
Most of the people I’ve met or corresponded with have moved to Margarita because they were disgusted with the way America has changed and want a different way of life.  

Another point I’d like to make is about trusting the information you find on bulletin boards. Again, in Mazatlan, someone started a bulletin board aimed at ex-pats.  There was a lot of mis-information and petty squabbling. One incident I remember had to do with the ‘red tide’ that occurs there occasionally.  Questions like “is it dangerous to swim in?, can you eat the fish now? what caused it? how long will it last?” I answered the questions and explained what a ‘red tide’ is.
Boy, was I sorry I bothered!  I got arguments from people telling me I was wrong and oddly enough most of those comments were from people who had never lived near an ocean--ever!  I was just trying to help, and since I have a degree in Oceanography from UCLA, I thought I might know a little more about the subject than someone who had spent their entire lives in Nebraska! 
Not being one to learn an easy lesson, and in answer to another question posted about oysters,  I stated that the raw oysters sold in some areas of the beach were contaminated.  I was promptly lambasted by owners of real estate companies, tourist businesses, and even by those who had eaten the raw oysters without any problems.  I didn’t hear from the guy who spent two days in the hospital as a result of eating raw oysters.  He went back to Kentucky as soon as he was well enough!  How did I know some of the oysters were contaminated, you might ask?  I sent some to Los Angeles to a friend in the seafood business who wanted to import raw oysters from Maz to the states.  Before you can import any raw seafood it has to be tested by the U.S. F.D.A.  The test results showed contamination by human feces.  Anyway, that was the last time I ever posted anything to a bulletin board. 
No need to go out of my way to make people mad (I can usually do that without really trying).
My point (at last) is that if it is on a bulletin board on the net it may be wrong or accidental mis-information.  On one bulletin board here I have seen many wrong answers to questions--one example--Tourist Visas.  Some swear the visa is good for 6 months, not 90 days.  I went to immigration when I first came to Margarita Island and asked how long the visa was good.  On the visa it says 6 months.  The answer was “They are the old ones the airlines give out. Those are really good for 90 days--regardless of what is printed on the visa.  My next question-”Can I renew this visa without leaving the country?”  The answer was “Probably, but the rules might change soon.”  As of today you can “probably” get the visa renewed without leaving Venezuela, but “the rules may change”.

Now, since I make some income from my rental units and from helping people go through the relocation process here, please don’t expect me to walk you through the immigration labyrinth, help you start a business or get Venezuelan citizenship, etc. for free.  Not unless you’re going to open a liquor store or a fishing charter business--then I get everything for free!

Last point.  Don’t send me a list of 30 or 40 questions and expect me to answer them.  Don’t send an e-mail asking “What kind of money can I make if I move to Margarita?”  Believe it or not, I’ve had dozens of this kind of question.  How the hell do I know if you can make a living here?  If someone can’t organize his thoughts any better than that, maybe they shouldn’t leave the confines of the their native country without supervision!  
 
Well, it’s Happy Hour and I’m on my way to get happy and admire the “eye candy” and the sunset over the sea...
From the REAL Margaritaville,
Scott Boswell

Thanks to all my loyal subscribers who have been with me from the start, and welcome to all those who've just recently subscribed.
Thank you for your good--
(or at least honest) remarks and encouragement.

I Really do appreciate you, and hope you all have a marvelous Christmas,
&
A Peaceful and Prosperous New Year!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

FROM THE CURMUDGEON & KC

Just a "Little" bitch...

Actually, I'm ALMOST 5'4" in high heels!
Hi, I'm KC--usually the "Pollyanna" to Scott's "Curmudgeon"
I have a question...

Suppose you want to jump in your car and run by the post office, do some banking, shop for a gift, stop by the library and the music shop?
BUT--what if, before you can do that, you MUST check the air in your tires, the fluid levels in the engine, top off the gas tank from the can you keep in the garage, clean your windshield, vacuum the carpets...wouldn’t you just decide to stay home?

Am I the only one out there who’s beginning to feel the same way about using my computer?
By the time I run all the programs to stop/remove spyware, adware, mal-ware, check for and download updates and patches, delete spam, reconfigure, reboot, etc., etc., I have forgotten why I sat down at the computer in the first place.
And, after all this work, I don’t dare leave and go have a life, because the next time I turn the darn thing on, all this “maintenance” will have to be done again!

Soon, even firewalls won’t be enough protection. I’m going to need a really deep moat and a drawbridge!
That will be very nice because then I will have someplace to throw this [expletive deleted] machine!
I remember when I actually looked forward to using my computer to e-mail friends and family, do a little record-keeping, search for information on subjects I found interesting...can you remember back that far?
Now I feel like I should approach this monster with a whip & chair--or a shotgun!

Unfortunately, what started out as fun, a learning experience, and a way make my life easier has become just another annoying & potentially costly problem.
Every aspect of our lives has been so inextricably interwoven in the “web”--aptly named, don’t you think?--that there’s no going back.
So I’ll keep buying all the newest programs to protect my glorified typewriter against all the terrible viruses, bugs, and ‘stuffed horses’ lurking out there just waiting to turn this wonderful “window” on the world into a useless chunk of landfill.
I promise to update, upgrade, download, refresh, scan often, and never sleep again.
With what little money I have left I will invest in the companies that make all these wonderful solutions...
Surely it’s just a coincidence that the more problems and threats that arise, the more money these companies make? That solutions/fixes/patches occur almost as quickly as the problems arise?

Yes, computers are getting cheaper and faster all the time, but the software required to make them ‘safe’ is getting more expensive, complicated and time-consuming.
Golly, just what I wanted--another instruction manual!
Now I can waste more time faster than ever before!

Thanks for listening. I feel much better having said all that.
(I would have said-- ‘having gotten that off my chest’, but I can just imagine where Scott would go with a phrase like that!)
So I think I’ll take the car and drive to the beach...after I rotate the tires and change the spark plugs.

On second thought, maybe I’ll just walk!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MARGARITA ISLAND