I’ve been at the online scrabble a fair bit of late. It’s a good way to pass the time during bouts of insomnia. Probably the most important factors are:
a) it’s never more than 2 players, meaning there’s a greater chance of you getting decent tiles at some point and
b) each player has a time limit (I go for between 10 and 15 minutes per side, depending how alert I’m feeling) so there’s no interminable waits and
c) I like the optional chat feature where you can discuss the weather in Cheltenham, or Istambul and so forth
d) Using the “SOWPODS” dictionary means you’re playing against other denizens of the UK or ex-pats so you can be certain your conversation won’t be misinterpreted by someone in Alabama, and they won’t question words like ‘chuffed’.

I wish there was an online Spanish version too, but for now there’s only English, French, Romanian, Italian, or Dutch. It’s almost as if people in Spanish-speaking countries have better, more interesting, more fulfilling lives…Surely not?

Anyroad, my favourite number’s always been 23 and now I know why:

Pholph’s Scrabble Generator My Scrabble Score is: 23. What is your score? Get it here.

I was looking forward to wandering round the International Book Festival, but as Sita and I approached the entrance I was turned away because I didn’t have a press pass. So the only photos i have are from hanging around outside. Sita picked up some bargain books on Tequila and we’ll go back tomorrow when they allow gente de la calle like me in. I also had a bit of a wander around the barrio while Sita shmoozed.

Anyroad, from FIL through traffic chaos to Starbucks (their coffee’s good, what can I say?) and onto Santa Teresita to try and find more gaudy paint than Walmart were prepared to sell us. The sun was setting and the xmas decoration stands were out, have a butcher’s here. We didn’t find any paint shops but it was a nice little stroll. Sita’s cooking now, chicken and ginger I believe, and I think later on a quiet night in watching Jonathon Ross interview Gorillaz.

I’ve got an meeting with the Guad. parks authority on Friday. Which sounds promising, voluntary, but promising. May the floodgates be flung open. And thanks Arturo for long distance proof reading and thoughtful and entertaining emails.

Hasta pronto,
gwyn

I keep making highly selective posts, first no vegetarians, and now one for Spanish speakers who’ve been to Guadalajara. Apologies… Click on the “Comments” link below for 55 “You know you’re a Guadalajaran (Tapatio) if…”. Highlights include: You put lime on your tacos al pastor, you know where at least one narcotraficante lives, you went to or plan to go to the University of Guadalajara…

I joined Technorati today and appear to be getting a bit of traffic from it. Thanks for stopping by and if you fancy the full-on stalking experience check out the rest of the site that starts here at www.gwynunlimited.com.

And in other news, our water’s on the blink again.

>>Se sabe que alguien es tapatio cuando:
>>1. Le pone limon a sus tacos al pastor
>>2. Toma chesco en vez de refresco
>>3. Le dice mijo o mija a cualquier wey que nunca a visto
>>4. Dice EY o SIMON en vez de SI
>>5. Dice “me volaron” en vez de “me robaron”
>>6. Nunca visita el centro mas que pa’ comprar en una merceria, uniformes, tela, o algo pa un trabajo de la escuela.
>>7. Se estaciona en el camellon
>>8. Compra sus chelas en en oxxo
>>9. Conoce por lo menos dos sucursales de TELAS PARISINA
>>10. Conoce los tacos del Venado o los tacos Fonseca
>>11. Va al cine los miercoles
>>12. Dice la palabra FRESA o la palabra NACO por lo menos 10 veces al dia
>>13. Tiene algun conocido que conoce a alguna de las esposas/amantes/novias de Alejandro Fernandez
>>14. Ha estado por lo menos una vez en las fiestas de Octubre
>>15. Ha escuchado la cancion “porque te tatuatis”
>>16. Va a comprar tortillas con un trapo en la mano
>>17. Va a la tiendita de la esquina a comprarse pecositas, tix tix, o rockaletas!
>>18. Ha comido jericallas
>>19. Va a por lo menos dos posadas al año
>>20. Come buñuelos
>>21. Le gusta bailar Banda y punchis punchis
>>22. Sale a jugar “fucho” con sus amigos aunque no sepa
>>23. Ha estado en el estadio jalisco por lo menos una vez y piensa que esta PADRISIMO!
>>24. Dice “eda” en vez de “verdad”
>>25. Dice “ira” en vez de “mira”
>>26. Dice NEL en vez de no
>>27. Le encantan los Simpson
>>28. Su idolo es Beto Cardenas
>>29. Le agrega “S” a los verbos…. comistes, tirastes, jugastes
>>30. Lo llevaron como 50 veces al zoologico de chiquito
>>31. Se ha trepado a todos los juegos en Selva Magica
>>32. Piensa que Divertido Guadalajara es un fiasco!
>>33. Ha tomado o vende Omilife
>>34. Ha ido al tianguis del sol, al de zapopan, o a cualquier otro!!!
>>35. Sabe la direccion de Oswaldo Sanchez
>>36. Sabe que el cerro del cuatro se llama asi por el canal jajajajaja
>>37. Le encanta ver MTV y canta canciones en ingles aunque no sabe lo que significan
>>40. Lo han asaltado
>>41. Sabe donde vive por lo menos un narco
>>42. Esta molesto que ahora en vez de decir Chedrauoiuuouiuouoyi o lo que sea!
>>43. Piensa que Plaza Galerias esta perrona!
>>44. Ha ido a pasearse en carritos electricos en la plaza
>>45. Ha ido por lo menos una vez al grito el 15 de Septiembre
>>46. Ha visto un castillo de fuegos artificiales en el templo
>>47. Ha jugado futbolito en la feria de las fiestas patronales del templo!!!!!
>>48. Dice cosas como “chin!”, “ay wey”, “chido”, o “casi casi”
>>49. Sabe que Guanatos significa Guadalajara y no Guanajuato!!!!
>>50. Ha bailado el Son de la Negra, el jarabe tapatio, o Guadalajara, Guadalajaaaaaaa
>>51. Le cae gordo Jorge Arana
>>52. Sabe que Galilea Montijo trabajo en el Cucurrucucu, y que este lugar es un Teibol!
>>53. Fue o planea ir a la Universidad de Guadalajara
>>54. Veia Sixto o Lalo y Lagrimita!!!
>>55. Sabe que Guadalajara es la ciudad mas bella de Mexico aunque no haya ido a ningun otro lugar del pais!!!!!
>>Si te identificaste con un buen de estas cosas que me avente…enorgullesete, eres un buen tapatio!!!!

Stolen from http://spaces.msn.com/members/hectorock88resaka/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c=

You turn your back for 10 minutes, then the next thing you know your kitchen and other parts of the house change colour.
We’re in two minds about whether to leave it white or paint the same colour on the door area. Comment if you’ve really nothing better to do…

We went to the opening ceremony of the festival in Tequila yesterday. Click on the picture of Sita and Jayna (sp?) for a slideshow of the highlights. We took the toll road for 89 pesos (9 bucks, 5 quid). The journey there was easy enough- through foothills and fields of agave as the sun was setting. But it’s a steep price for 25 miles of dual carriageway. It’s not like we were going to Wales (How much is the Severn Bridge these days?). Anyroad, we got there and made our way along the route of the procession and found a bar to settle in (El Mesón del Mezcal). Before we knew it we were freebied up with margaritas and chips and salsa while two blokes trundled along the road pausing only to fill their minicanon with gun powder, tamp it down, light the fuse and fire it into the air. An indio beer and a torta ahogada later and the procession arrived, just like Taunton’s carnival, but without a float playing Wurzels hits.

We wandered into the town centre after all the desfile had passed by and drank in the sights. They cut the ribbon on the festival and the P.A. system launched into Tequila. Anyroad, a nice little evening. I missed the turn off for the toll road on the way back so it took an hour or so as I wasn’t up to overtaking the lorry we were stuck behind. Got back to Guad, dropped off Victor & Jayna and went to Rene’s house for beverages, tales of surgical disasters, and light snacks. Got home quite late. But all in all a grand day.