Life is full of un-exepected surprises. Although we can control the severity of it, we can never remove it all together. The last 5 years have been all about finding balance through extremes. The defining moments in my life have always happened in the extremes, and I don't know anymore if it's that I'm addicted to it, or if I just don't know anything else.

My ability to journal keeps sliding as time goes on. I don't blame it on trying to outdo myself, but rather that lifes complications have increased while, my ability to connect thoughts, and pen them to paper has decreased.

When I look at my site, I've kept up w/ photos of my apartment, but am missing photos of major moments in my life. And for all these photos there has been no text to accompany. So what about present day Panama.

I have a notebook which is a running list of my outlines/plans/thoughts/todos/etc. In this book used to be pages of todo items in Panama. Anything and everything had to be done. starting out in a new country, is nothing short of a hassle. Language barriers add to the mix, and when it comes to getting stuff done this culture frustrates me on a daily basis.

My older brother was here for alot of the early disasters. Apartment delays, rentals, cars, furniture, applicances, utilties, to name a few. I'm glad he was here, and I'm also glad the days of carboard box furniture are over. The whole reality of being here, still hasn't sunk in, and I don't think ever will.

I'm not really sure where I fit in here, because I don't fall under any of the typical stereo-types for foreigners in Panama. I'm too old to be the child of a foreigner and I'm too young to be a retiree. (For another 3 years). The advantage to this is that I can be in any stereo type that I want on anyday, as I have no boundries. That's a dangerous card to hold, and I'm guilty of having abused it over the last 6 months.

I became interested in Panama well over 2 years ago. After visiting for 3 weeks in 2005 I knew I wanted to spend time here. I wanted to purchase property at that time as well, and would have been the investment of a lifetime, but I wasn't near ready to dive in, as I was still getting my feet wet in Canada. A purchase in Edmonton, a 2nd trip to Panama, some maturing and here I am. Seeing your plans/dreams become a reality is an exciting but also sobering thought. Now it's a mix of enjoyment, and planning for what's next.

In the enjoyment mix comes having my own place, and although my work isn't as good as it used to be, it's still high on the scale, and w/ the flexibility I've alloted myself, I'm far from complaining. Houses are an exciting thing, and whether you like it or not they become a part of who you are, and it's true - you can tell alot about a person by the house they live in. My house, is finally becoming a home that I'm proud of and enjoy living in. I guess to start w/ I was nervous about buying anything for it, but now after thinking about buying everything from lights to appliance to furniture to painting and curtains, I feel alot more comfortable. One thing I would like to note - An empty house full of white concrete walls is an intimidating thing. Add that to my interior design experience, and I think we'll just have the jokes about living in a hospital stop. Thanks.

Since I bought this place last January, I've had a running list going of things I wanted in my own place. It's all about things that I would think about randomly when I was in Canada, and wanted to remember for when I did finally have my own place. I've covered most of the bases, and still have some good things coming.

There is pictures of all the stages, and I've attached a few below. I recently upgraded my 'media room'. It seems that the more I work the more movies that I watch. I'm still not quite sure how that adds up, but as evidence I have growing list of over 400 titles. If my dad is reading - Sorry - But - I paid for them once didn't I? I've been throwing around idea's for a long time now as to how to have a funky media room both for watching movies,etc. but also to be media for my apt, and do some more useful stuff like communications.

I'm not near 100%, but I definitely solved my problem w/ a purchase of a plasma tv, and PS3 last week. I wallmounted the Plasma, in a section of my living room, which makes it cornered off to one room, but makes it visible in the kitchen, eating area, etc. I hid a laptop behind the screen on the wall, which gives me everything windows can deliver me on a 42" surface in my living room, as well as the PS3 for Blue Ray and media center (and video games if I ever make a comeback). W/ the bluetooth controller, and wireless keyboard, It's awesome how the system works.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm anal, or because I'm a tech geek, but I have a tendency like my dad to research the socks of something (ricies), before I buy it. This tv purchase was no joke, and if I get really really bored one day I might write about my experience w/ purchasing/installing/etc. Probably not though, so enjoy the pictures.

I used to joke about waking up to the footsteps of Rosetta in the morning. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm close. Twice a week I have a person coming in to clean my house. It's almost a joke to be living like this, but it's a luxury that I can afford, and I'm going to. I'm joking about step 1, while I'm setting up step 2, which is full time cooking/cleaning/etc. It's the paradise and it just keeps getting better.

My best friend here in Panama, is named tutu. It's a turtle that I bought a couple months ago. I still don't know the sex, and I originally thought that we would be able to do alot of stuff together, but that hasn't really worked out. He really just keeps to himself, and doesn't say a whole lot. I think it's a language barrier thing, so I'm working on my spanish to make our relationship better.

I took some spanish lessons a couple months ago, but w/ the hassle of driving downtown at bad times, and my random schedule that didn't last very long. I'm not near fluent, but I can definitely understand people, and get across what I need to. I'm working on setting up more convenient lessons but in the meantime below is typical Panama:

My boss described it best, in that - People in Latin America work to live, and not live to work. That does sum up everything, although it's contradicting, as many of these countries, such as Panama, are considered 'Service Industries', but the service sucks everywhere. Alot of it has to do w/ out-dated technology, mainly paper over electronics, but it also has to do w/ the fact that Panamanians are just slow at what they do. I can't blame them as on average they're making 3-500$ a month, but they must realize that even here, if they work harder they can get ahead. I remember my friends dad griping in Dubai, about how in Canada he used to have a list of things he wanted to do in a day, and that list would be finished by the end of the day. In Dubai, and just like here, you're lucky if you get one of them done. A trip to the bank to do something useful takes a couple hours, to do anything w/ the government will take a couple hours times a few days.

I'm in the process of getting a local Driver's License. This is a 3 step process:
- Canadian embassy validates my license
- Panama Govn't validates the signature of the CDN embassy document
- Final application at 'registry' for license

Canadian embassy was no problem. Have to love Canada. Validating the signature has turned into a 4 day process. Day one I arrived, and the line-up was at hour long, so I decided to go the next day at open. I dropped my papers off no problem, but then they told me I need to go to the bank to pay for the service, 2$ - because they wouldn't accept the cash directly. (at this time the bank isn't opened). I go back later in the day to the bank and I'm not allowed to enter. Why? - because I don't have shoes and pants on. I'm spinning off random spanish the guard, and trying to figure out why he's trying to power trip, when all I need to do is pay 2$. He assures me that it's a rule in Panama, and I can't enter. I ask to talk to his manager. I told the manager that never in Panama I have had this problem, and that I really need to pay this today. 10 mins later I was allowed to enter - Curious look on the security guards face when I came walking back in, after she called him. I paid my 2$, then only to find out that back at the validation office, that it was closed, today for some reason early. A one day, one location process in Canada, has turned into 3 and 3.

I guess this is a bit of an extreme example, as what I'm trying to do, isn't exactly a normal process in a foreign country. Here is a better one:

Shop at an equivalent of 'Best Buy' or 'Future Shop' here, and it's again a 3 step process:
- Once you've found what you want - Tell sales clerk & they add it to your account
- Pay in the account area
- Collect items at seperate counter.

I'm not really sure that all the extra steps were necessary but we do have to give them credit in that they've created 3 jobs for every 1 that we would have in America. There is a service element in this system that would be awesome if they were efficient. But when it takes you 15mins at every stop, you start to wish that you could just grab what you wanted, pay the cashier, and get out.

This has quickly turned into a marathon. By quickly I mean that I've been journaling for over 2 hours, and a strange scraping sound just started coming from the next room.

I thought that I would be able to write about a typical day in Panama, but there is no such thing as a typical day in panama. It's almost 5 am now, and I'm in the middle of my work 'day'. I'm still working in cycles, and I'm not sure if it's my work schedule that is throwing off my life balance, or my life balance throwing off my work schedule? Either way.

I made the mistake of buying a very impractical car for the road conditions in Panama. Tire problems can be added to the running list of disasters. Ironically right now my car is in at the doctor - I went out last night, and when I arrived back at my car their was oil all over the place. My car is now sitting in the shop, and I should have it back tomorrow. I've taken a few trips w/ my car outside of the city to different beaches or to the interior. Panama does have alot of wickid nice beaches. There is a few average ones in close proximity to the city, or close boat ride, otherwise you have to fly/drive a ways to get to the exclusive/clean ones. Once I'm back from America next month, I want to take a few trips back to the interior, as well as to the Carribean side.

One of the reasons I chose Panama was for it's central location to the Carribean, & South/Central America. It's crazy cheap to fly to anywhere in this area, and I need to take advantage of it. A trip to Peru in February was a good taste. Peru was great, and words can't describe Machu Pichu.

I'm working right now from my home, doing Web Development. I have several projects on the go, but the main was is the development of a community platform. It's what's powering this website, as well as my largest project atm - www.quantumshift.tv. Quantum Shift is a community built around videos on environmental/social causes. We've done alot of funky things, including a Video Contest platform , which is hosting several contests across North America. We just launched one yesterday called "Finding Earth's Super Hero ". Because this contest is strictly for bragging rights, and not monetary prize, I'm allowed to participate. The guidelines are to create a superhero for the planet, and to create a short video about it.

I would recommend checking out the site, and you might even want to help me win this contest by joining my team! (I'll have my video up in the next couple weeks).

Initially in Panama, I was eating at alot of restaraunts, mostly because I didn't have a proper kitchen at the time, but also because I was lady, and was enjoying it. I've spun out of that completely, as it's such an inconvience. I remember if I was too lazy to make food in Canada it was easy to go anywhere, and have a decent feed in 15-20mins. Asides the fact that the roads are crazy, and it's a mission just to get anywhere, once you get there it's minimum 30mins just to get your food. There has been several times where I've been in a restaurant or store, and am frustrated w/ how long they're taking, so I just leave. That really only accomplishes leaving the hassle for another day. There is alot of great food here. Panamanian/Colombian/etc - but stress is an element not needed in life - That and I keep finding ways to impress myself in my own restaurant.

Over the last week I've been planning a road trip through America w/ my brother. I'll post some more details on that before leaving early next month. For now it's back to the randomness.