from the "day one, four days late" dept.

January 1, 2009
San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala

And so it begins.

"It" being a three-month project to see if it possible to eek out a living as a freelance writer living in a tropical semi-paradise. The chances seem as strong as the local coffee. And, with both feet now firmly planted in the depressingly named "middle age" stage of my life, I reckon I have little to lose.

At the same time I have an urge to find a page-bound home for the cast of characters that I met here late last year and continue to meet on a regular basis.

My friend Brent, who lives next door in Belize, came up with a pretty dandy opening line last night as we prepared to welcome the new year.

"I'm sitting in a bar looking at Albert Einstein as he chats with Germaine Greer."

I admit that I had to Google Germaine Greer to be reminded of who she is.

That opening line just scratches the surface of San Pedro's resident ex-pat population. Not to mention the local Guatemalans and the collection of short-term tourists who pass through San Pedro's orbit.

So, in addition to making a living, I feel challenged to find a home for these characters. An arc. A beginning, middle and end.

And, unfortunately, I really can't open that story, whatever it might be, with someone else's line. Unless Brent becomes a character too.

"Look over there," Brent says, while finishing off a ridiculously cheap double Cuba Libre, "Albert Einstein is talking to Germaine Greer. That would make a good opening line."

I agree, disappointed that I didn't come up with it myself.

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