time

I am always amazed at the amount of time it takes me to do something. Except when driving, I am rarely correct about how much time it's going to take me to do a given thing. I'll just sit down and write this paper, that'll take me about 4 hours. 2 hours later it's done. I'll just re-write this paper, that'll take less than 2 hours. 4 hours later, it's still not done. Same thing for hobbies, same thing for walks, same thing for bike-rides, and most certainly same thing for sleep.

travel piece

I've got to write an "article" about my trip to Italy, and I am pretty unsure about where to start. I've got an idea referencing the power of a travel agent, but this was such a unique experience I think it's almost worth just writing something a little less journalistic and a little more about the experience. Vignettes maybe.

The memorable moments of the departure and the subsequent malfunction that led to the flight's cancellation. The young girls who lost all shreds of composure, Sobbing into her cellphone, "I just... I don't even care about going, I just want to be home with you. I will not get back on this plane." The awful smell, the plane banking back towards chicago at such a low and slow altitude. The groans of the hydraulics... this would be no ordinary trip. It was friday the thirteenth, we were scheduled to land in Rome on the ides of march.

The whirlwind walking tour of rome (to and from trainstops/bustops, an apt. and the vatican on no sleep. Crushed in between my girlfriend, my mom and the upity snoot in front of me. Up all night on the plane reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X. Walking the streets of rome, hurrying back to the apartment, feeling like I was dreaming (best "high" i've ever had - au naturale - just a touch of exhaustion), it was amaizing. Crouding onto the bus, the chilren. Aqua, and I held up three fingers. Blissful sleep. Waking up with children staring at me. Fiat ride up the hill. Pat. Dinner with Carlo, Celso, Pat and Pete. "You just want a salad? you've got to at least get some soup."

Perugia.

Todi.

My european jeans, and the tailor on the square. Trains planes and automobiles. Cab ride back to the airport. 20 hours of traveling home. Halfway around the world in one piece.

I kissed the ground. 5 good landings, I only thought I'd need four.

!الحمد الله

Making the Transition - Under Atack!

Bjeebs! I been attacked, windows style! Emergency! I was using firefox on my mac and I got one of those shut everything down, tries to take over your computer pop-up attacks! Now I've got to switch over to Safari 4... and install no script on firefox, so the internet can look lame again! yay!

good night sweet prince

Tomorrow I head to Green Bay to play cards. That's going to be fun...? right? Supposed to snow, I don't really want to go, but I really want to be there. I've got no decent decks to play, and a dozen other things I should do. Still, nothing has the appeal of spending my day driving, eating bad food and hanging with a bunch of smelly dorks in an enclosed space. Sounds like a proper spring Saturday to me.