You may want to know what I think about Castro's resignation. I'll keep it simple: watch out for politicians talking up the notion of encouraging "a peaceful transition to democracy" for Cubans, because you know the globalising vultures are circling and eyeing up future grabs.
Anyway, regular readers know that when my life gets too hectic or stressful for me to post what I hope is a well-reasoned opinion piece, then I tend to put up a few links which I've been saving for such a time.
And this is the time.
The Matambo-Neilson Family have been here for a year now and their account of coping with life as a young family in the international development field and having regular WTF moments makes for engaging reading.
For example, you know it's time to escape (Jakarta) when:
1. You create elaborate fantasies about how to systematically wipe out all motorbike riders.
2. You create elaborate fantasies about which kinds of NATO banned weapons you could mount on the hood of your Kijang.
3. You greet each day with the phrase, "I f***ing hate this city"
4. You have amazed yourself with a newly created mental calendar which accurately counts down the days until the next Singapore trip.
5. You are coughing up foreign substances throughout the day even without having a cold.
6. You feel happiness when someone does something for you after being asked "only" 3 times.
Dilligaf has been chronicling WTF moments for a bit longer and we can all think of rational reasons for this. Can't we?
To be or not to be .... anonymous that is.
An old debate has resurfaced in the Indonesian blogosphere about the fact that many expat bloggers here, including yours truly, choose to publish under a pseudonym.
A. Fatih Syuhud still seems puzzled by this honourable tradition, so his 'bloggers of the week' publish under their own names and Jakartass hasn't featured - yet.
Oigal, who publishes Greenstump, got a bit peeved about this, the anonymity bit that is, said so and has subsequently attracted many comments.
I actually think that this issue is rather petty, but once I saw this cartoon (courtesy of the J-Walk blog) I couldn't resist as it sums up so many of us.
And to close - guys, read this and cry.This "is certainly one of the most moving things I've ever read."
