It hardly seems fair, but....

The newlyweds are back in Seattle toiling at their respective jobs, walking their dog, Ditka, and swilling untold amounts of coffee. They are, in other words, settling into Real Life. Meanwhile, I get the extended honeymoon -- 6 weeks in Buenos Aires. It's not seemly behavior for the Mother of the Groom, I know. But as the late, great Steve Goodman wrote: "From the cradle to the crypt is a mighty short trip, so you better get it while you can." And besides, when have I been known for seemly behavior?

Buenos Aires, aka Baires, aka BsAs, aka BA, is the capital of Argentina, a gritty 24-hour city which calls to mind New York or Paris. Why Buenos Aires? The primary incentive is to study and dance tango, about which there will be more in later posts. Secondly, our winter is BA's summer, so it is late spring here. Jasmine and other fragrant blossoms abound. And a third factor is that and extended stay here is good value: Right now BA is one of the few Western capitals where the US dollar still counts for something. (One is tempted to say that's because Argentina's government has followed even more questionable policies than ours. But that would be over-simplification, and there is nothing simple about Argentine politics.)

I've had some qualms about starting this blog. For one thing, after so many years as a writer, it feels suspiciously like work. For another, I seem not to have brought the cable that allows me to upload photos from the great new camera I bought in New York before coming down. And of course, I'd like to adorn the blog with photos. For now, they will be those taken by others.

But many have asked for updates and tales from the bottom of the world. So here it is. Feel free to tune in at your leisure, and send me feedback when you feel like it, either by posting a comment or back-channeling. You know where to find me.