What We've Been Reading

When we lived in China, everyone was writing about China.  Bookstores were full of non-fiction, fiction, family memoirs and travel memoirs.  China was everywhere.  I've got a few shelves devoted to my books on China, and had hoped to add a few shelves of Venezuela to my library.  This may happen over the next few years, but the accumulation will be slow.  Folks have been writing their opinions on Chavez for years, but I've got no real interest in reading those.  So, we've got a few books on our shelves, but they're not demanding our attention.

What we've been reading lately are periodicals.  Since Chavez flew back in secret style, reporters swarmed the city and have taken all the rooms at the nice hotels.  Articles on Venezuela show up in the Washington Post every other day, and we keep making headlines across the world.  It would be exciting, except they have nothing to say.  Chavez has not been seen or heard from at all since his crazy arrival, and no further plans have been made.  These poor reporters are scrambling to write something now.

Still, its amusing to read their efforts, and to be reminded what a crazy country we currently live in.  Dave and I put together our budget and our travel plans, constantly reminding ourselves that whatever works now may not work in the future.  Who knows where the value of money will go, where our level of security will go, whether or not we will leave in a mad rush and need to abandon some of our things.  Exciting times!

Here's what I've been reading this morning, from The Financial Times blog.

And I will admit - the main reason I check the news every morning is to be one of the first to learn when he dies... or resumes his throne.  Whichever.