nuttin' ta say

It ain't easy during our antipodal winter here to keep in synch with all of the summertime attitudes of the much more populated Northern Hemisphere. Well, you could ...but it would require living in more of a bubble than the yanq would prefer. Our winter here is my winter. Perhaps, my tone is a source of joy for those who live north of the Equator during that time when the snow is up to yer kiester around the Great Lakes! Right now, I want my hibernation. I look at my pet "monkey-rat" all curled up in a warm spot and my cows slowly munching on winter hay as they huddle comfortably together for warmth ...and I get to thinking pretty easy that my animal world has the right idea for the right place and the right time.

But there is no escape! Resistance is, truly, futile when confronted by the cultural dominance of the North and their cohorts. Maybe that's a tiny bit of insight as to the differences in Southern Hemisphere attitudes. I believe that I am graduating to Argentine status.

Light, rather than heat, I think, governs this circadian conundrum. Global warming is giving us quite mild temperatures in Buenos Aires this year ...but I feel surrounded in gray as I rise often before full-daylight and begin to think about bed at a surprisingly early, dark hour. Don't even mention that ain't none of us gettin' any younger!

There is an old tale among Argentines that, during the Golden Age, the well-to-do would sometimes steam toward Europe for their de rigueur Grand Tour during our fine weather of November and December ...only to find that they had neglected to bring anything warmer to wear than a sweater. I always joined in the laughter at that ...but nowadays my giggles at that old joke are tinged with a bit more empathy.

It becomes an effort, after several years here, to stay aware of the environment in which things occur on the other side of the world. The events are easy to remember: the 4th of July will remain forever etched in my brain but it's so different to celebrate it en pleno invierno! I have a Denver convention this August to constantly plan for. The US presidential election will come in our Spring ...although the date was clearly, intentionally invented for AFTER the harvest and BEFORE we settle into our long winter's nap!

Maybe more than that, a long hot continental summer does things to the attitude that the coastal foggy chill of our Winter does not. Discontent! The North is discontented with everything, it seems! Summer driving is curtailed by high gas prices. Houses usually sell better in Summer but this year ...well, you know about that. Republicans are in the run-up to an election in which they cannot comfortably consider safe any of the seats that they hold. The Democratic candidate is under fire (ahh... fire. A good blazer from my new cast iron stove in the campo...) for his support of the FISA bill. A group is forming to make sure that his primary challenger gets a real "up or down" vote at the convention. I fear that I'm going to get off that plane after more than 3 years between visits ...in hot August ...as unprepared as a Martian ...if not a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court ...for the general mentality that I will encounter.

Not only unprepared for the mentality of simmering confrontation but also for the unavoidable push into the deep-end of the pool of US culture. My mind, heart and soul tell me, "Junk Food". Hmm... maybe there's a reason for all the... aaah, forget it.

Don't get me wrong, Winter here is far from being exactly gloomy. The biggest responsibility I have, outside of feeding my family, is cutting through not only my own torpor but getting through to other yanquis that the time to make sure that they can vote from abroad IS NOW!

Please register to vote in November ...right now. If you have any difficulties at all, write me immediately, please.

I also wonder how I can best write about the concerns of US citizens outside the United States and its territories during Convention Week. I have my own ideas, of course ...but I'd love to have yours, as well ...and I need to anticipate your concerns even if you don't tell me what you want to know from the convention floor. letters@yanquimike.com.ar is a great place for you to clue me in as to whatever you would like me to use my unbelievable access to the proceedings ...toward representing you better.

Like I said, I got nothing to say.