Saturday, March 24, 2007

poker, picadas y los pinche porteños

I was wondering if it would actually be possible to get all of my favorite things into a single post when my favorite night of the week returned to haunt me - poker night. Last night we were joined by the incomparable Gena Mavuli, her friend M.E., M.E.'s Bolivian boyfriend whose name (but not personality) escapes me, and their Brazilian friend Rodrigo.

Poker night is always good for fun. The evening moved beautifully from tasty picaditas and empanadas, to brownies and cookies, to far too much beer and wine. Conversation drifted from why Hold 'Em is the most jodido game of poker in the world (and naturally so since everything from Texas is jodido), to how great it is (this mostly came from those with giant stacks of chips), and around to a subject that we were all violently agreed on - that porteños are the most jodido people in the world. Lots of laughs were shared on this one. God bless porteños for being a constant source of amusement and entertainment in mixed company.


It was all going swimmingly until Gena stepped up and won all the chips like a rockstar. Even low stakes poker comes with a pinch and pocket jacks sting like a bee. For me, it was nice to see another female take the big prize after the men consumed too many beers but Gena will have to come back soon so that I might have my vengeance. When you don't have the cards, you don't have the cards...

Saturday morning beckons me back with thoughts of crosswords, Scrabble games, and bike rides. I will try not to shoot myself in the meantime while my two elderly neighbors are rocking out like teenagers to the dulcet sounds of Phil Collins. Mal estilo porteño knocks from all sides.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

cómo te quiero, changuito

So having suffered a week bout of general malaise and writer's block, I decided I would craft a meaningful post about my changito and being engaged and in love and all that bollocks - all in honor of our "fakaversary" which was yesterday. I crafted it thoroughly in my mind. It was a heartfelt post, funny but tender, touching all all the delicacies of finding someone to share your life with, however lame and Scrabble-filled your life may be.

Naturally, that little bastard beat me to it... again. His ode to our "healthy" relationship is posted today at One Sorry Blog. You gotta check it out. It's hilarious and better than anything I could say. It says it all, really.

I will say this. I do love the kid. I love that he doesn't let me win at Scrabble - ever (though I pretend to hate him for it). I love that he buys me the crossword on Sunday. I love that he makes fun of my "shows" then BEGS me to watch them. I love that he helps me make the bed sometimes. I love that he is almost entirely socially unacceptable. I love that he doesn't mind my panza gigante. I love that he lets me love him and he loves me back. I love having someone to scratch my back in the middle of this mosquito infestation.

The photo above is one of my favorites of us after a mosquito day in Colonia, Uruguay. Playing scrabble COVERED in lotion and trying, trying not to scratch.