Fuji Livin' the Low-Fi Life

Wow, that's quite a retirement plan! First off, best wishes on your wife's continued recovery - nothing more important than that. But haven't you been living in the Pacific Northwest of the US, or do I have the wrong guy? Or just a faulty memory? I love Barcelona - one of the world's most interesting cities IMHO. I've never thought about moving that far out of the US for retirement, but with recent events here, I'm starting to think about the possibility a bit more... I'd love to hear more, although I don't want to take this too far off-topic...

-Ray


I was just thinking, I believe you sold me the first X10 I owned.
 
I don't consider Bellingham all that small. Having lived in Seattle, Redmond (actually, now it's Sammamish), and Olympia, Bellingham isn't BIG, but it's bigger than Mt. Vernon, La Connor, Anacortes. And I'd love to retire back out there (well, I've already retired, but if we're ever gonna move somewhere), probably either in Seattle or somewhere in the rain shadow, such as it is. I loved Olympia, but it's too damn wet down there... If you move to Barcelona, you're gonna have to adapt your Spanish to Spain's lisp-y way of speaking, but you've got a great head start. I have a couple years of high school Spanish (Arizona, clearly the Mexican version of the language), but I left the vast majority of it in high school. I do remember sitting in a dive bar in Barcelona in 1981 and getting into a long involved discussion with a couple of Spaniards, which is probably the MOST I ever got out of that little bit of Spanish I knew... I think having kids here would probably preclude us from doing anything similar, but it sure sounds interesting.

Best of luck if you decide to go for it. And, to get back on topic, don't forget to take your X-10! I'd completely forgotten about selling you that camera. I had two of them, the first with the dreaded white orbs, which weren't an issue very often, but they managed to wreck a few shots I'd have really liked to have gotten. I sold that one before they'd agreed to fix 'em all, with full disclosure, to someone overseas. And then I bought one of the newer orb-free models which I had for a while, and I guess that must have been the one I sold you. I did really enjoy that camera but as sensor technology advanced, my shooting changed enough with it that I think dealing with 6mp EXR jpegs would probably frustrate me to no end these days. But it was a pretty clever solution to the limitations of the day. I guess you sold that one too, and have since gone back and grabbed another?

-Ray
 
My grandparents lived on Young St right by the high school. I love B'Ham!! (but yes, Barcelona will be much warmer)

LOL, I can't complain, we lived in Seattle for nearly 20 years and when I was diagnosed with cancer 16 years ago i decided I wanted to go back to school and get my Masters (cancer makes you do odd things). We had always like Bellingham and I got into the environmental education program at Western. We moved up, I recovered, got hired by the university, we had a wonderful son and fifteen years later it's home. It's not too big, close to Seattle and Vancouver, our weather is better than most folks realize and we're right on the water.

BUT...when retirement rolls around I'll be ready for warmer, sunnier and some adventure.
 
I don't consider Bellingham all that small. Having lived in Seattle, Redmond (actually, now it's Sammamish), and Olympia, Bellingham isn't BIG, but it's bigger than Mt. Vernon, La Connor, Anacortes. And I'd love to retire back out there (well, I've already retired, but if we're ever gonna move somewhere), probably either in Seattle or somewhere in the rain shadow, such as it is. I loved Olympia, but it's too damn wet down there... If you move to Barcelona, you're gonna have to adapt your Spanish to Spain's lisp-y way of speaking, but you've got a great head start. I have a couple years of high school Spanish (Arizona, clearly the Mexican version of the language), but I left the vast majority of it in high school. I do remember sitting in a dive bar in Barcelona in 1981 and getting into a long involved discussion with a couple of Spaniards, which is probably the MOST I ever got out of that little bit of Spanish I knew... I think having kids here would probably preclude us from doing anything similar, but it sure sounds interesting.

Best of luck if you decide to go for it. And, to get back on topic, don't forget to take your X-10! I'd completely forgotten about selling you that camera. I had two of them, the first with the dreaded white orbs, which weren't an issue very often, but they managed to wreck a few shots I'd have really liked to have gotten. I sold that one before they'd agreed to fix 'em all, with full disclosure, to someone overseas. And then I bought one of the newer orb-free models which I had for a while, and I guess that must have been the one I sold you. I did really enjoy that camera but as sensor technology advanced, my shooting changed enough with it that I think dealing with 6mp EXR jpegs would probably frustrate me to no end these days. But it was a pretty clever solution to the limitations of the day. I guess you sold that one too, and have since gone back and grabbed another?

-Ray

True enough, Bellingham isn't that small...maybe laid back is a better description. I grew up speaking Spanish with a Panamanian mother but I din't use it at all up here. When we went it took me a bout a week before it started coming back. The funniest part id that it confused the heck out of the locals. They told me that I speak with a Central American accent as opposed to one of an American that learned Spanish, they were always trying to guess where I was from all the time, it was pretty funny.

You're right about having kids. The toughest part would be being so far away from my son (or grandkids) should he stay in the U.S. The option we have considered is one we got from a couple we met that travel 9 months out of the year and come back to the States to be by their children. They have a couple of places they go to regularly where folks know them and then they hit up new spots every year. They get 3 month travel visas and go live in a place for three months at a pop. The coolest part is that they often house sit or take caretaker positions for estates. They say it's great fun and more often than not their housing costs are covered. Some of the places they have been are pretty cool.

I did end up selling the X10 you sold me. I immediately regretted it. Last year when my wife was diagnosed with cancer I sold off most of my gear to help pay some up front costs that insurance wasn't covering. When things evened out I picked up an X10 on a $99 deal on eBay. I'm sure it has the dreaded white orbs but I didn't really care all that much. It was just mean to be a cheap camera while I saved up for a "real camera". As it turns out I'm enjoying using it more and more and the my "real cameras' are just sitting in the cabinet.
 
When you come to London (inevitable!!!) make sure you look me up. Take you around the old place to see things only cab drivers and cops know :0)
Best wishes for the retirement and continued recovery.
 
No, we're thinking of retiring to Barcelona so we're going there to celebrate the end of my wife's treatment for breast cancer (she's doing really well) and rent a place and just enjoy being there for the holidays. Have fun on the Camino!
Sounds like a great idea, Kevin. I moved to Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain) some time ago, got everything settled and lots of stuff there already. I had to take care of my grandmother (93) for a while though who lives in the middle of nowhere and almost got completely ripped off by some bad folks she blindly trusted (long story). It took much longer than expected to get everything arranged but she's in really good hands now and I can finally move on in a couple weeks - can't wait.
All the best to you and your wife!
 
If you move to Barcelona, you're gonna have to adapt your Spanish to Spain's lisp-y way of speaking, but you've got a great head start.

-Ray
That's not a huge problem, they will understand non-lisping pronunciation as half the country seems not to use it anyway, you just have to attune your ears to hearing it. Do Central/South Americans also do the pronouncing v as b thing? That threw me first time I heard it but then I've never had any formal teaching in Spanish. Beano tinto o blanco? Que??
 
That's not a huge problem, they will understand non-lisping pronunciation as half the country seems not to use it anyway, you just have to attune your ears to hearing it. Do Central/South Americans also do the pronouncing v as b thing? That threw me first time I heard it but then I've never had any formal teaching in Spanish. Beano tinto o blanco? Que??

Yep..Venga sounds like Benga
 
Sounds like a great idea, Kevin. I moved to Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain) some time ago, got everything settled and lots of stuff there already. I had to take care of my grandmother (93) for a while though who lives in the middle of nowhere and almost got completely ripped off by some bad folks she blindly trusted (long story). It took much longer than expected to get everything arranged but she's in really good hands now and I can finally move on in a couple weeks - can't wait.
All the best to you and your wife!

Life in Las Palmas sounds wonderful. Part of why I haven't left already is that my mother (also 93) needs help and my wife's parents (Alzheimers and dementia) are also in our care. Of course retirement is still a few years off yet but we're also dealing with care issues. I can appreciate it, sometimes life has a way of taking us a bit off course. Good to see that you're getting back to Spain. Enjoy, I can't wait to hear more about it.
 
That's not a huge problem, they will understand non-lisping pronunciation as half the country seems not to use it anyway, you just have to attune your ears to hearing it. Do Central/South Americans also do the pronouncing v as b thing? That threw me first time I heard it but then I've never had any formal teaching in Spanish. Beano tinto o blanco? Que??

Yes, I'll stick to the Latin American form of the language if I ever go to Spain, but there are regional variations there as well. For example the double L might be pronouced as a Y or a J depending on where you are. Phonetically it's a very easy language to learn, however (and like all languages it's very easy to forget when you don't use it!).
 
Yes, I'll stick to the Latin American form of the language if I ever go to Spain, but there are regional variations there as well. For example the double L might be pronouced as a Y or a J depending on where you are. Phonetically it's a very easy language to learn, however (and like all languages it's very easy to forget when you don't use it!).

The only reaction my Central American accent ever prompted was the inevitable "you're not from the United States" (I'm very white looking). It was pretty funny to see them try and figure out where I was from.
 
Back
Top