The Latina Disconnect

[burbuja2]

On Saturday morning I awoke at the Burbuja Bungalow.  It is similar to the BatMansion except it is bigger. I noticed that the heat was on but that in the room where the thermostat was located, the windows were wide open.  My wife is college (well, Colombian college) educated and has been living here for over a year.  Does anyone have an explanation for her inability to grasp complex technology?  I encountered the same problem with separating whites from colors when she does the laundry.  Don't they have to do that at the rio?  If no one can offer an acceptable explanation, I will continue to do my research and see if I can't isolate the offending gene.

[Pete E]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

It can be hard for a girl from Cali to get it that it costs money to heat and cool the house,so you close the doors and windows when that system is in use.In the summer its open the door to the garage from the laundry area.The garage is not insulated and its 100 degrees in there.In the winter just open the doors and windows.
There is one way to get their attention.Hand them the bill.
The last gas and electric bill I will pay goes to Dec. 17.I left on the 7th.Its $276.Maybe one week of that the hot tub was there before I gave it to my son.I told my son to pay it(I left him with signed checks),but show Rocio  the bill so she will get an idea what is coming.But if its $276 again thats 28% of her net income.
Also,either her or my step son keep turning the furnace off instead of the thermostat down.Then the pilot light goes off and the furnace won't work.They did that before I left.I explained it to both of them but they did it again after I left and frooze for a couple of days untill someone lighted it for them.
But clothes,thats different.My ex was very carefull to sort out whites where I would just toss it all in.I got in big truble a couple of times for mixing some of her clothes with others.Sometimes she will have the washer with clothes soaking in bleach for a day while the other laundry is piling up.
Life is simpler in Cali.No heat and mostly no cooling.And how someone can complain if the weather drops from 85 to 80 that its cold and then still take cold showers amazes me.

Pete

[Cali James]

... in response to Re: The Latina Disconnect, posted by Pete E on Jan 5, 2004

Hey Pete,

Wow....276 bucks...seems really high to me.  I just paid our PG and E bill for our house out here in the central valley where the winters are definitely cooler and it was only about 80 dollars for both gas and electric.  This last bill was representative of setting the heat to 69/70 during the day and turning it down to 65 at night.  We're pretty careful about turning lights off though and not wasting energy.

Your ex is going to be in big trouble fast with her bills unless she lives with the house a little cooler, throws away the cell phones for herself and her son and gives up the digital comcast and HBO.

Take care, James

[Pete E]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by Cali James on Jan 5, 2004

James,
Hopefully alot of that was my hot tub.I fired it up and used it one more time before I gave it to Barry.
Yes the hot tub.I asked Rocio if she wanted one and she said yes.I got her in it twice,briefly.Didn't fit my pictures of how it was going to get used.But it was part of my plan for the house to be the way I wanted.It probably cost me $100 or more a month and I didn't use it that much.
She got a new cell phone.Its a fixed monthly rate,about $40 a month for unlimited local calls.The month before she went way over our minimum hours.I had 1300 and she used 2200 herself.Its was $420 extra for the extra miniutes.No problem,not her money.All she had to do was fake concern and forget it.
There will be a delayed reaction,but it will hit big time eventually.She will have to be writting utility checks by next month and about 6 months she will get to join the local rental market.As much as I have explained it too her I don't think she will really get it untill it happens.

Pete

[cancunhound]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

I've tried everything shy of purchasing a clear spanish textbook covering the laws of thermodynamics - but I figured that wouldn't help either. Try performing some simple experiments with her illustrating how heat flows from hot to cold, hot air rises, etc..  It will be fun and informative for her.  Make sure your dog is present when performing these tasks - he may actually learn something and prove to be a good ally in your absence.

My ultimate solution has been to accept it, it you can't beat 'em - join 'em.  So I've installed such handy features as spring loaded exterior doors that assure me that my hard earned hot or cold air stays where I want it to.  But fortunately I haven't encountered the window thing - that's a dilemna.  If you peg 'em shut that could be a bad idea in case of a fire - maybe just coat the tracks with rosin so that it's too dificult for her to consider operating?

The washing machine technology is an easy one to overcome - get rid of it (get a maid for all that).  There's nothing that can't be overcome with these rhodes scholar latinas - it just takes more money.

-CaliGringo.com

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to The Windows - that's a new one ....., posted by cancunhound on Jan 5, 2004

I'm a computer programmer, ex-CPA and I've taken continuing education classes in financial planning before.  The other day my wife started lecturing me about lease/purchase decision making.  She's upset because I leased a car and it has a mileage limit.  Someone on Spanish TV said that's a bad idea so now she's an expert and I'm an idiot.

Steve

PS: 12000 miles per year is enough for the average American (me anyway) but not for an unemployed Colombiana.  

Colombiana's Motto: If you got it, waste it.

[NightRaven]

... in response to Rhodes Scholar - That's a good one!, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 5, 2004

"Womens logic 101 :
If a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it... YES HE'S STILL WRONG!!!" (statement from my old computer logic theory instructor, a woman)
Day one she told us that her husband is always telling her what an angel she is.
"Honey, you are always flying around harping on something."

"but not for an unemployed Colombiana."
"Colombiana's Motto: If you got it, waste it"

Error? Try: Colombiana's Motto: If HE has it, waste it.

"Someone on Spanish TV said that's a bad idea so now she's an expert and I'm an idiot."

Wouldn't happen to be the cooking show guy who is related to the English instructor would it?

Friend of mines wife (24 year old AW) is soo bad with money it would make you cry, well as an ex CPA you'd probably vomit first.
$80.00 for her weekly spending cash in account(Oh her cash, he pays her insurance etc. all nights out etc). Day one takes out $20, $12.?? for gas, writes two checks $5.?? and $15.??, borrows $30 from him because her ATM card wont work later that day (wrong ATM). That night she spends $20 on "stuff" and $15 on pizza. The next day she tells him in front of me that she has $86.00!!!! So he should chill about her just writing a $60.00 check!!(cosmetics) and two days later she cant figure out why she is broke and the OTHER checks bounced!!!!

Her mother likes to tell him. "I didn't raise her to be no housewife!" Mommy wont say that around me anymore. I asked what the hell she did raise her to be, Cant cook, clean, hold a job, get a job, feed the dog, empty litter box, let dog in or out, do laundry, do dishes(with a dishwasher!!), balance check book, mail the checks for bills(he wrote,sealed etc. all she had to do was put them into the box at the front DOOR while he was out of town), near as I can guess she can watch T.V., spend his check(just not on food or cleaning supplies) and complain even in her sleep!!

[burbuja2]

... in response to Rhodes Scholar - That's a good one!, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jan 5, 2004

They're all smarter than us.

[NightRaven]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

She is testing you. She just wants to see if you notice. You're not paying enough attention to her. If you say something she has a speach prepared and if you don't then she is sure you are sleeping around. *Wonders if he should tell him if his wife orders that kit*

[NightRaven]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

hmmm lack of attention to detail?
If the clothes get screwed she gets to shop for new ones?
Maybe its the only way to see what you look like in pink, one load of your white undies and one load of new red shirts and tada.
Mayhaps it is a status thing. "I made the big time I dont worry about bills anymore." Hmmm who pays that bill anyway? Maybe thats the problem.

Might be able to get you a good rate on a "suitcase" style complete (yeah right) disection kit. Sorry no gene labs on the web today. Perhaps a long term study, have say 15 children each by 100 women and observe them, gonna need a bigger house though.

Hmmm maybe she is practicing for getting one of those houses run by your PC so it can do all of that tedious stuff for you. Its a hint, she wants a new modern design.

[Nathan]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004


   Hmmm...is this anything like the Latina mama who
 thinks her son in law is an SOB for playing around
 with another woman, and in the same breath tell you
 how proud she is of her daughter's young 12 year old
 brother because he has 4 girlfriends...?

[NightRaven]

... in response to Re: The Latina Disconnect, posted by Nathan on Jan 4, 2004

Always thought the idea of "Girls keep virginity until married" and "Guys get all the experience they can prior to getting married" Was funny as hell in the odd sense So ummmm just who are the guys getting experience with? A new reason to be paraniod when ones wife says "I am sure he will take good care of our daughter. Women just know these things dear."

"how proud she is of her daughter's young 12 year old
brother because he has 4 girlfriends...?"

BUT HE'S family, besides there is NO commitment, (and later) "Well if SHE was a good wife then he would not HAVE to sleep with all of those others! Poor boy he deserves so much better. He just needs a good woman."

One of my old neighbors had a mother like that. She was a huge anti-porn (rabidly) activist. (Odd as she was an exotic dancer in her youth and middle age) But when the fact that her son was running 23 different porn sites came to light. "Well I guess there is a need for that sort of thing."  "It's not his fault, if they would not pay for it he would not sell it."

[Red Clay]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

We have a few of those types of issues at home also.

[Locii]

... in response to The Latina Disconnect, posted by burbuja2 on Jan 4, 2004

If its similar to the Batmansion then she is invariably getting back at you for all the naked women in every room.

[burbuja2]

... in response to Re: The Latina Disconnect, posted by Locii on Jan 4, 2004

I forgot to mention, its different in that respect too.  Unfortunately.