“Patient Reassured” — As a 16-year-old senior in high school, I wore my gym clothes to school under my regular outfits to avoid exposing my skinny, underdeveloped, naked body to the jeering eyes of my much more round and bosomy classmates. Not only a year younger than everyone else — I had skipped…

The Gateway to La Pura Vida — When I first arrived in Costa Rica to become a permanent resident, I stayed for a while in a gringa friend’s cabina not far from town. My household goods had been loaded into a shipping container and were on their way from Washington state to Uvita, a beach town about…

A text conversation between two ancient, stoner friends — Adelia: It just occurred to me that we rely more and more on emoticons in texts than actual words. Who needs words when AI can do it? This is my new panic. Dan: I wrote a poem just now. I know you because I know me I know the despair of…

Reflections on a new life —

And how ChatGPT does it better. — I’m no songwriter. I can barely call myself a poet wannabe. But sometimes a gurl just feels inspired despite her handicaps. One night decades ago, my kid brother and I were staying up all night playing board games and drinking too many Cuba libras. At one point, he looked at…

I was standing in the kitchen last week as dusk approached when the sounds of thunder, earthquake, building demolition, and airplanes crashing sent me fleeing for cover in the bathroom doorway. When I was a kid in Japan, earthquakes were frequent, small, and rarely dangerous. Whenever she felt a rattle…

Hello, old friend. You’re looking fine. Please, have another glass of wine. I come here often, same as you, a perfect place to catch the flu. Give me a light, my dear old friend. The Zinfandel I’d recommend, but they don’t have my favorite blend. We’re older now, and wiser…

The Legacy of Jan Hart — My stories about discovering, adventuring in, and falling in love with Costa Rica would be woefully incomplete without mentioning Jan Hart, artist, watercolor instructor, author, and friend for nearly 20 years. I first met Jan in 2003, when I was working under contract to the Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco…

What to watch out for — Yesterday I received an email from PayPal saying that I had received a request to transfer $799.99 to purchase Bitcoin. Ha. Spam. I will never pay for imaginary money with real money. However, I thought it prudent to check my PayPal account and forward the email to spoof@paypal.com, as I…