For the last three years, I have been a regular reader of Countdown to Mexico.
Paul and Nancy moved from Washington to Mazatlán with their dogs. They were on their way south when I started planning my own retirement in Mexico. But Nancy's posts on how she had planned their move were invaluable to me. It was encouraging to know someone else had gone through a lot of the same issues I was facing -- including whether or not to include the dog.
I will never be as organized as Nancy. But I did learn it was possible to survive the move -- and to thrive.
From time to time, Nancy publishes lists of new Mexico blogs she has run across. Several of them have been true gems -- and are ensconced in the "Blogs I Read Regularly" column to the right.
When I asked Nancy how she discovered most of the sites, she directed me to a great tool in Google. By entering a word or two, Google will daily search for blog entries that include the key word.
By entering "Mexico" I regularly receives "Google Alerts" on topics ranging from earthquakes to football.
In the years I have subscribed to the service, I have not received a Google Alert for any of the blogs I read regularly. That is until yesterday.
If my memory is not failing me completely, Nancy first introduced me to Garry Denness's Mexile.
Gary teaches English in Mexico City. We have shared his adventures with turtles, photography, bicycling, getting married, and being an all-around good citizen of Britain living in Mexico. His posts are always filled with new information and enough opinion to make you agree or disagree -- and feel the exhilaration that only comes with serious analysis.
Yesterday, he joined the star list. Google Alert informed me he had posted on "Scientology in Mexico." That was not news to me. I read the article the day it was posted.
But there he was. Prominently displayed in a Google Alert. Between a post on the gulf oil spill and an analysis of Pablo Barerra's possible move to an English team.
The thrill was seeing one of our own with his name above the title -- as they say on Broadway.
Gary will soon return to England. Or so he tells us. Before he does, hop on over and take a look at his blog.
And leave a comment. Despite being English, he enjoys a nice intellectual tug and pull now and then.
