Monday, March 6, 2017

I slept well despite a few squeaky brakes early in the morning.

I watched the first 30 minutes of the Today show, MT came over and we all left for the gym at 10:45.

I worked out on a few machines and then got on a treadmill for the first time.  I did 20 minutes at speed 5 achieving a heart rate of close to 120.  While still there Jose came over and I wished him a nice vacation.  He told me he changed it to June because his best friend’s mother-in-law is sick.  He then told me his birthday is in July and not to forget.  Lol.  I told him not to tell me the day but he did anyway – the 15^th.  He informed me he likes chocolates and shorts.  (I might be able to have some fun with that!)  Laura asked me if I know what’s downstairs and I told her I thought it was parking.  She said no so I went downstairs where I saw they have a free weight exercise room.  Back upstairs I worked on some more machines and finally we all left at 12:15.

On the way back to the apt I walked thru the park but only saw one chess game in progress.  They were playing on one of those strange chess sets (non staunton) so I’m beginning to think that the guy who used to bring chess pieces by at 11am isn’t doing it anymore.

I looked online and it appears El Viejo y El Pancake is now open Wednesday thru Sunday.

At 3:45 I changed into my jeans, t-shirt, and gym shoes and headed to the park to play chess.  I walked about 100’ and felt a couple rain drops and saw dark clouds out east so I did a u-turn and returned to the apt.  I heard a clap of thunder a couple minutes later but it never did rain.  Drat!

I completed a short chapter - Chapter 13 – Over-Protection and Weak Pawns in My System.

The wife of the couple renting the finca stopped by and dropped off the 500mil monthly rental.  Teresa told me they now have 3 large dogs and they are very happy there, so I guess they’ll be staying, meaning a steady rental so that’s good.

I received an email welcoming me to EnCicla, Medellin’s “rent a bicycle for free” program.  I have 7 days to go to their office with my Cedula and Civica card at Carrera 53 #40A-31 in Alpujarra to finalize the registration.  They are open Monday thru Thursday 7:30am-1:30pm & 2pm-5pm and Friday 7:30am-1:30pm & 2pm-4:30pm.  I checked the map and it looks like its just 4 blocks (SW) from Estacion Alpujarra.  I think I’ll take care of that Thursday morning and then continue on to El Viejo y El Pancake for lunch.

Teresa tells me she wants to go to Santafe tomorrow if the weather is nice.

T-shirt of the day: I like you but if zombies chase us, I’m tripping you.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

I slept well last night except at 5am someone talking loudly outside woke me and it took a little while to get back to sleep.

I finally woke/got up at 8:30.  The water was back on, yay!

I saw it was very overcast so I knew we weren’t going to Santafe today.  Teresa asked me what we are going to do today.  I said we’re going to Pizza Americana in Itagui for lunch.  She said she doesn’t like pizza so she’ll stay home and make fish for her and Laura.

About noon I started feeling the shakes because I was too hungry.  That isn’t something that happens often, maybe a couple times a year. All I had a couple hours before was Fitness cereal with a small banana.  I guess it’s due to low or high blood sugar; the cause isn’t as important as the cure.

I dressed and grabbed my things and left the apt.  I only had to wait a couple minutes to catch a taxi right outside our front door.  He took me to the Pizza Americana in Itagui for 10,000 pesos.  This location wasn’t in a quiet residential area like the one in Laureles.  It’s next to an apartment building on a pretty busy street.  I was the only customer so I chose a seat at one of the two outside tables.

I ordered my usual – Napolitana – which is double cheese, tomato and oregano and it comes with a 600ml bottle of Pepsi.  I read my Nook for the 20 minutes it took to prepare.  This selection – Napolitana – in this restaurant – Pizza Americana – is the closest I’ve come to the pizza I was used to back in the States (specifically Chicago).  Next time I’ll see if I can add some onion and green pepper.  I ate 3 of the 4 slices and had the 4^th wrapped to take back to Laura.  The total price came to 14,000 pesos or about $5.

I quickly caught a taxi back to the apt for 9,000 pesos.  The ride there and back cost more (19mil) than the pizza (14mil).  If I took public transportation back to my old location in Laureles it would cost me about 6mil each way for 2 buses and the metro.

I checked my MBE account and it appears my belt has been sitting there for a while waiting for a receipt.  I sent them my shipping confirmation.

Teresa and I left the apt about 5:30 for Exito.  After shopping for about an hour I told Teresa I was hungry so we stopped at Qbano (hot sandwiches) where we shared a large sandwich combo for 29,200 (about $10).

We resumed shopping and left about 7:30.  We each picked up new workout outfits and I also picked up a large bag of granola.

We were back at the apt just before 8pm.

I completed Chapter 12 – The Isolated Queen’s Pawn and Its Descendants in My System.  This chapter made more sense to me than the previous.

T-shirt of the day: My wife says I don’t listen … I think.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Well, for the first time in a couple weeks I didn’t sleep real well last night.  I know there were a number of things on my mind I wanted to remember to take care of today.

I woke/got up at 8am.

I told Teresa I forgot to keep yesterday’s receipt for my Isoklon purchase.  She made a couple of calls to Todo Drogas and then gave me the name Juan Benites.  I left the apt about 8:45.  I first stopped across from the apt we want to rent in May and was disappointed to see the “for rent” signs have been taken down.  Well, I guess it wasn’t meant to be; there’s probably something better out there for us.  Teresa’s going to check out the apartment complex down the street.

I walked to Todo Drogas and asked for Juan Benites and right away he handed me a receipt.  The only problem is I bought 2 packages and this receipt was only for one.  I explained the discrepancy and within 5 minutes I had a new receipt (listed as a copy) for 2 packages.  Walking down the street I ran into Alan.  He said he had just come from the gym – Comfama.  I briefly told him about the new gym Smartfit as he seemed to be in a hurry.

I stopped at a BBVA ATM machine but the maximum it dispenses is 300,000 pesos.  I stopped at a Davivienda ATM but its maximum is 400,000 pesos.  I stopped at BanColombia but my card still doesn’t work there.

Back at Citibank I went thru all the steps for withdrawing cash and then it told me there’s a problem so I didn’t get any cash.

As I turned around a man asked me if it was working. I told him no and then he switched to English.  I told him it’s been a few days now that it hasn’t worked.  He talked to the guard in Spanish and I understood he directed him to the other Citibank locations.  I gave him details about the one that’s down the hill by Exito.

He left and after a few seconds I remembered I could withdraw 780,000 pesos from Servibanca.  I ran after him and caught up with him a block away.  I told him and he explained that he’s Colombian, he worked first in Canada and obtained citizenship there and then moved to the US and obtained citizenship there.  Now he’s retired living off his Social Security income.  Because of all the bank fees he takes out 1,000,000 pesos 4 times a month so he’ll wait until he can get to Citibank again.  I explained that I was using Bancolombia but my new debit card with a chip doesn’t work there any longer.

He gave me his name Luis Carlos Maya, his cell phone number 310 466 2024, and said if I’m ever in La Ceja (Spanish for eyebrow) to look him up.  I gave him one of my personal “business” cards.  Back at the apt Teresa told me that La Ceja is a nice area, but cool as it’s near Rionegro, and he probably has a finca there.

I checked online and it looks like El Viejo y El Pancake is now open for breakfast.  I’ll try to get there next Tuesday.

Speaking of money, lately I’ve noticed the Dollar has been getting stronger against the Colombian Peso.  It closed for the week at 2,976 COP per Dollar so it’s going up.  Probably something Donald Trump said.

We’re probably going to have MT talk to Social Security next week about the progress on her Bancolombia deposit request.  In preparation for that I put all of her information on one page and translated it to Spanish.

I found the EnCicla (bicycle rental) website, EnCicla.gov.co, and, with the help of google translate, started filling out their registration form.  They asked for a copy of both sides of my Cedula and the front of my Civica card.  I walked to the paper store where I paid about 4,400 pesos to have them scanned to my memory drive and also I printed the information page for MT.

On my way back to the apt I walked through the park but I only observed one chess game in progress.

Back at the apt I checked the files and they all had a file type of .lnk aka shortcut.  I need them to be in a .pdf or .jpg format.

I went back and ended up having to go back behind his counter and show him a regular .pdf file as compared to this .lnk file.  He ended up just returning my 4mil.

Back at the apt I used my iPad to take .jpg photos, emailed them to myself, used my laptop to download them, copied them to my pictures folder and then used them as attachments to their form.  

The system finally appeared to accept everything.  Now I just have to wait for their acceptance email.  Then I believe there will be something on my Civica card indicating I’m eligible to check out one of their bicycles.

We watched Midnight Express (7.7) and then The Hills Have Eyes (6.4) on Netflix.

About 7:30 we discovered we didn’t have any running water.

Teresa called Wilson and ordered chicken breast dinners for the 3 of us.  At 8:30 I went down to Bocados Bar where I waited about 15 minutes for him to finish packaging everything.

It was such a sunny day all day today that if it’s the same tomorrow Teresa wants to go to Santafe to work a little on her tan.

T-shirt of the day: I run entirely on caffeine, sarcasm, and inappropriate thoughts.

Friday, March 3, 2017

I woke/got up at 8am.  It’s obvious we got some rain overnight.  It’s an overcast day.

MT still hasn’t gotten her Social Security deposited into her Bancolombia account so I sent another email to Social Security.  You just get an automated reply that an answer will be coming within 15 days. 

I watched 45 minutes of the Today show waiting for the ladies to leave for the gym.  There I signed a document for MT and we were all admitted by fingerprint.  The ladies went upstairs and I stayed downstairs learning some new machines and repeating some I had previously used.  Jose was there; he’s real funny; and he says I’m funny!  Jason (actually spelled Jeison) was there and seemed to be keeping an eye on me; maybe he just wants to practice his English.  I left after putting in my hour.

I stopped at the newsstand and bought today’s Q’hubo newspaper which has the Condorito comic book inside that Chuck wants me to buy for him each week.

Among new US movie releases there isn’t anything I want to see.  Locally, Santafe and Oviedo haven’t listed their movies for today.

Teresa told me she talked to one of the trainers at the gym and he said he could work with her for 150,000 pesos 5 times a week and in 4 months she would have a new beautiful body.  I told her, because we’ve had some unusual additional expenses this month, we’d better wait until April to start.  I also told her after I finish my Fritos, salted-in-the-shell peanuts, and English toffee I’m going to work on losing my paunch.

I’ve decided, since I have a new debit card with a chip, to reinvestigate all the ATMs to see which work for me and what their limits and fees are.

I left the apt at 2:30 and quickly caught a bus in downtown Envigado.  I got off at Calle 7 and walked up to Clinica Medellin where I used their Servibanca ATM to withdraw their maximum of 780,000 pesos.  (In the past I’ve been fortunate to usually receive all small bills.)  This time again didn’t disappoint as I got 2 10s and all the rest were 20s.

I walked down to Mail Box Etc. where I picked up my package and paid an additional 6,650 pesos (about $2.30) for their shipping.  I walked outside and quickly caught an Envigado bus.  Remember me mentioning street people performing for change?  This time I saw a guy sitting on a bench playing a harp!  The bus crawled through the Gold Mile traffic and I finally got off at Oviedo.  I retraced the road a block and crossed the street to Starbucks. 

I was in line behind a guy about 6’3”.  When it was my turn I ordered a large vanilla latte for 8,400 (about $3) and a blueberry muffin for 7,100 (about $2.50).  I asked the order taker, who spoke a little English, what the temperature is of the coffee and he said 147 degrees Fahrenheit.  In the future I’ll try to remember to order 160 degrees.

While waiting to pick up my order a few other coffees arrived.  When I heard something like “champion” I knew it was for the guy ahead of me.  He was still standing close to the ordering line and I told the server (barrister?) that it belonged to the guy in the green t-shirt.  I put my fingers together and whistled and he turned around and I motioned him to pick up his coffee.  He told me his name is Stein, he’s from Denmark and he’s been living here for the last year and a half.

I sat down at the only available space (out of the sun) at the long laptop table.  While reading my Nook and enjoying my muffin and latte I noticed a lot of attractive Colombianas traipsing through.

When I finished I opened the box and found, not the red umbrella I ordered, but a black one.  I checked the box and was surprised to see, beside the MBE address, the address of my apt back in Laureles and my old cell phone number.  I’m beginning to think this was the 1^st umbrella I ordered that didn’t have my MBE code on it.

I broke the box down and threw it and the packing material away.

After the obligatory trip to the restroom I walked across the street and quickly caught a bus back to Envigado.  I was a little surprised when, close to downtown Envigado, the driver turned and headed southeast down some diagonal.  Then I realized I was on an Envigado bus not a Sabaneta bus.  I let him go a few blocks since I would have to walk both south and east to get to $efecty.  I got off and I was walking down one of those crazy diagonal streets.  I was walking down noting the side streets, Calle 33, Calle 34, Calle 34A, Calle 34B, Calle 34C, Calle 34D, Calle 34DD, and finally I got to Calle 36.  After about 10 blocks I finally arrived at $efecty where I paid the utility bill of 115,850 (about $40).

I stopped at the corner store for a bottle of Coke and was back at the apt by 5:15.

I dashed off an email to MBE asking why my umbrella is black instead of red.

My expert level chess friend Ruben in Hawaii told me that the 1^st game I played against Dario was of the strength of a Class A player.  (I used to be a Class C player but my latest tournament play has been even weaker so that comment was encouraging.)

I checked the local theaters again and I’d like to see Split (7.6) but it’s only playing in the evenings.  I’ll try to remember to check again after the weekend.

T-shirt of the day: Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?

Thursday, March 2, 2017

I woke up at 7am and got up at 8am.

After a breakfast of French toast I left the apt and was at the paper store by 9am.  I had another Informed Consent form from my USB drive printed for MT.  I understand I’m going to pay her fees and she’s going to repay me.

I stopped in Citibank but the ATM machine wasn’t working and it said to try again later.

Back at the apt I gave MT her form, the ladies left for the gym, and I watched the first 30 minutes of the Today show.

I left and stopped at Citibank but after waiting in line for 5 minutes I found it still wasn’t working.  I went to Banco de Bogota and after a 5-10 minute wait I finally was able to withdraw some cash.  I stopped in $efecty where I stood in line again for 5-10 minutes before paying my 121,000 Direct TV bill for March.  I went to Todo Drogas where I picked up my Duodart medicine for 116,500.  The one I just started will run out just before the end of March.  They didn’t have the Isoklon sleeping pills but was told to come back later in the afternoon.  I only have enough pills for a couple more nights so I have to return soon.

One of my readers informed me that “repuesto” means “spare or replacement parts” in English.

I keep checking online but El Viejo y El Pancake still hasn’t reopened.

After lunch I went back to Todo Drogas where I picked up my 2 boxes of Isoklon sleeping pills for 137mil.

MT came over and I had the feeling we would all be going to Laura’s teeth cleaning appointment.  When the time came – 4:15 – Teresa asked me to go with her alone.

We quickly caught a taxi but the driver didn’t know any way to get to El Tesoro without going up Calle 10 so it took a lot longer to get there and we arrived 5 minutes late.  (On the way I confirmed that the hotel I stayed at on my initial visit in 2012, the Plaza Rosa, has now been turned in to an Executive Center.)  We still had to wait a few minutes for him to finish with his existing patient.  Dr. Rendon gave his patient a couple x-rays and he ducked behind the door while they were taken.  I asked him if this door was strong enough to shield him and he said the door AND the walls contain lead in order to contain the x-rays.

After Laura was finished with her teeth cleaning I paid the 155,000 pesos and we waited in line for about 15 minutes for a taxi.  The driver dropped her off at San Fernando Plaza – something about “working”, “helping a friend” and “reviewing something”.  The driver spoke some English and we had a nice conversation back to the apt.

Laura’s appointment with the oral surgeon –  Andres del Valle at 314 18 71 - is next Wednesday at 10am at a location near Aguacatala.  I guess we have to call to get the address.

I finished reading Chapter 11 – The Doubled Pawn and Restraint in My System.  I read it but I don’t claim to understand it.  I hope Chess Praxis will clarify things.

T-shirt of the day: If you see someone crying, ask if it’s because of their haircut.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

I love those short months (month).  There should be more of them!

I slept well, woke/got up at 7:45, had breakfast and left for the bank at 9am.  I told Laura I wouldn’t need her help this time with the electronic payment machine in BanColombia.  When I got there I understood it was “out of service”.  Drat!  I went inside the bank and with someone’s help I was given turn number H187 and they were presently serving H87.  There weren’t any seats left inside so I went back outside and leaned against a railing for a while thinking.

I left there and walked to the other BanColombia where I saw their electronic payment machine was working.  I stopped in Citibank and took out some cash and then went back to BanColombia where there were only 5 people in front of me.  They had a cashier helping to speed up the transactions and I soon had completed my health insurance and apartment rental payments.  I got back to the apt just in time for the beginning of the Today show.

I left at 10:25 and headed to the gym.  I got inside using only my fingerprint after trying for a second time.  I checked out some more machines that I hadn’t had time to try on Monday.  I ran into Jose who had just started there today.  One of their personal trainers Jeison (Jason) helped me with a few machines.  I met a man named Wilma (yes, a man) who also helped me with a machine.  At 11:30 I left and had to use my fingerprint again to exit.

Teresa didn’t have lunch ready until 12:30 but I still finished in time to leave the apt at 1pm.  (I chose taking a bottle of water over the small umbrella (big mistake) as I didn’t have room for both in my tech bag with the chess clock there.)  I only had to wait 1 minute for a bus to the station.  I took the metro to Estacion Hospital and was at Dario’s store by 1:50.  I earned the White pieces for the first game and I played the Ruy Lopez opening and soon he had 2 sets of doubled pawns.  I quickly switched my action from the queenside to the kingside and he resigned on his 21^st move.  During the 2^nd game I heard thunder outside – uh-oh.  I probably started my attack to soon and was unable to castle and he mated me on his 26^th move.  

I wasted (rain’s coming, right?) some time making a trip to Aventura mall’s restroom.  Thankfully the stall had both a seat and toilet paper.  The TP was, of course, very thin but at least soft.  The problem was that while trying to fold the plies into an acceptable thickness a breeze from an open window had other ideas.

It still wasn’t raining as I left the mall.  I could see a little blue sky to the north but it was only dark clouds to the south.  I got to the hospital station uneventfully.  Just as I crested the top of the stairs I saw an “orange” train leaving.  Five minutes later a “green” train came through.  Five minutes more and another “orange” train arrived.  Surprisingly, it wasn’t very crowded and I soon had a seat.  On the train I soon saw a lot of people outside with umbrellas and the Medellin river was roiling.  Like that old CCR song, “Roiling, roiling, roiling on the river!”  Lol.  I could see that the expressway traffic was very slow.

When I got off at the Envigado station people were sitting on the stairs and more standing around upstairs by the ticket booth.  It was actually difficult to wade through the crowd as they were waiting for the rain to stop or lessen.  I ran to a filled metro bus but they let me on.  A man actually got up to give me his seat but I declined, telling him I was getting off soon.  There were a couple seats in the back and 2 ladies waved me back to them but again I declined.

As the bus pulled out there was a lot of standing water it had to work its way through.

The bus stopped at a red light at the top of the hill and the driver deemed it safe enough to allow me to get off.  I got back to the apt by 4:30 a little wet but far from soaked.

5pm and traffic leading to the highway is backed up all the way to our apartment.  For about 30 minutes I constantly heard wet brakes squealing and impatient horns honking.  That’s the main reason we want to move.

I’m still studying Aron Nimzowitsch’s My System but it’s getting more and more difficult to understand the point he wants to make.  I’m pretty sure it’s a translation problem as it was originally written in German.

T-shirt of the day: I’m so glad I grew up in the 70’s.  I did so much stupid stuff and there is no record of it anywhere!

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

I woke/got up at 7:45am.

Teresa left at 9am for the gym.  I told her to be careful going every day; I’m just going M/W/F.

I watched the first 30 minutes of the Today show.

It was a very overcast morning so I didn’t know whether to take my umbrella or my sunglasses so I took both.

I left the apt. at 10:30.  I tried adding 50,000 pesos to the cell phone at a small “kiosk” next to the corner store but I understood something wasn’t working so I told her I would go to another place.  Across the street I saw the Gana store had a line so I stopped at a kiosk where I had recharged my cell phone before, only I knew I wasn’t going to get a receipt.  I watched him enter my cell phone number and the amount and he seemed to have some confusion entering the right number.  I said 1 “5” and 4 “0”s and his friend and I were laughing.  I saw a green checkmark so I think everything was okay.

I walked to the bus stop and after waiting 10 minutes for a metro bus I decided I would only give him 5 more minutes.  It arrived at the 4 minute mark.

I took the metro to San Antonio and transferred to the west line and got off at the Stadium station.  I walked over to the old El Viejo y El Pancake location and saw a sign that said they moved and are now serving breakfast and lunch with the address of their new location.  At this point it was 11:30 and I couldn’t decide whether to try to get to the barber shop before noon (when I assumed the barber would go to lunch) or take a chance that El Viejo y El Pancake might actually be open.  I walked over to the ne restaurant and I easily found their new location across the street from Piccolo’s (pizza).  They are a short block from the station so they actually aren’t any further than where they were before except you have to cross 2 busy streets.  It’s just what I would call a garage restaurant with their kitchen in the back half and tables and chairs will be in the front half and outside.

I walked down Avenida 70 expecting to find Mondongo’s where I knew I could get a decent lunch.  When I got to San Juan (Calle 44) I decided to turn around.  (Back at the apt I saw that Mondongo’s is at Carrera 70 #C3-43 so I have no idea where that is Calle wise.)  At Piccolo’s I had an individual vegetarian pizza and 2 Cokes for 42,000 pesos including tip and tax (about $15).  I could see the owners working on EVyEP across the street.  I could see their Postobon cooler had been delivered but it had yet to be filled with drinks.

I left just after noon and walked over to the chess league office in the stadium area.  I saw they just had a 7-round chess tournament last Thursday thru Sunday.  I’m beginning to get the idea that their tournaments are usually at the end of the month.

I walked over to The Town Barber Shop where I got a good haircut, maybe my best ever there, from Luis for 10,000 pesos (about $3.50).

I walked to the Floresta station where I caught the metro back to San Antonio and then a local back to Envigado.  I didn’t see Herman at the orange juice stand so I didn’t stop.  Some drops of rain fell down that helped to cool me off a bit, but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be playing chess in this weather so I didn’t stop to check if there was anyone playing at the little store.  After a couple blocks it started raining harder so I put up my umbrella.  I was back at the apt by 3pm.

I received an email from MBE in Miami that they received a package containing REPUESTO (whatever that means) that arrived without an invoice.  It must be the belt I ordered so I emailed them my shipping receipt.

I received an email that my Trip Advisor review for Classic Diner was published.

Teresa returned at 3:40 and she confirmed that 50mil had been added to our cell phone minutes.

We watched Frozen Ground (6.4) on Netflix.

Tonight I started my new prostate medicine which still contains the 0.4mg Tamsulosin (for relaxing muscles in the prostate and bladder) I had been taking plus now the new 0.5mg of Dutasteride for reducing the size of the prostate and reducing enlarged prostate symptoms.  We’ll see how that goes.

T-shirt of the day: I told myself that I should stop drinking.  But I’m not about to listen to a drunk that talks to himself.