The Water

Most men will not swim before they are able to... they are born for solid earth, not for the water. And naturally they won't think. They are made for life, not for thought. Yes, he who thinks, what's more, he who makes thought his business, he may go far in it, but he has bartered the solid earth for the water all the same, and one day he will drown.

The Wolf
Hesse

Ride

On my way home from getting groceries, a stranger at a stop sign rolled down his window to ask if I needed a ride. He had a good beard. I like this place.

The Game Plan

Yeah yeah, I've been home from Spain for a week, but I really needed a post-vacation vacation. Come on, it's only my fourth one this summer. But really, I wanted to do something a little different. So in an effort to do it justice, I've made an interactive map. All the destinations are there ready for you to click on them. Each one of them has the dates we were there and then says a little something about it. I even put in a few pictures. Let me know what you think.

Triple Vacations

In a week and a half, I'll be in Spain, in a month and a half, I'll be home for good. Where the hell has the time gone? Sure as hell not spent writing my blog.

Anyways, before I was even done with exams, I went right into working at the restaurant. The whole set up is a bit strange. There are about 20 different chefs there who all work on and off. They range anywhere from high school students to guys who are about to graduate from cooking school, and from no English to perfect English. Keeps it interesting. Unfortunately, with that many guys fighting for one kitchen, it's hard to get a reliable schedule.

View from the Restaurant
(Courtesy of Letzo)

But in June, I worked my ass off, had some days approaching 14 hours. Couple that with my 40 minute ride to and from work and I'm beat. But it's good money.

Then, Tonia came. An art teacher I'd met last summer decided to visit me for her first trip to Europe. We played the whole tourist vacation thing for a couple of weeks, which I hadn't gotten to do since being here. It was really quite wonderful. We kind of fancy each other.

Camera Happy

She left, and a few days later I headed home for a wedding. I barely make it out of Newark (best damn airport in the world) to finally arrive in Rochester. As my dad is strategically stalling in the bathroom, out of the corner of my eye I see this little kid run up and hug my mom. I'd never put it past my her to hug miniature strangers, but I've never seen one so willing. I got a good look and I'll be damned, it was the sultan of stink, Tyler. As a surprise, my parents bought Jake, Cari, Tyler, and Elizabeth tickets home. Good stuff. Though I really missed Sabre.

Talking About How Much We Love Bananas

Good Swimmer Does Not Entail Good Naval Architect

I saw the prince the other day (the one on the right). He came to check out our bitchin' fuel efficient cars. As a gift I made him a homemade cheeseburger. I even wrapped it in deep fried pancakes. And to drink a big vanilla milkshake, blended with 15 extra strength Tums. In return, he's made me a Danish citizen, but only under the condition that I get a haircut. Normally, I wouldn't agree, but he threw a pair of underwear with the Danish flag on them. To celebrate we put on some of those wooden clogs everyone loves and danced around to Devendra Banhart.

Yeah yeah, I know, but it's been one of those years. First semester, I decided to make half my classes in Danish. Awesome idea. High five. At about October, I was more than ready to drop out of college and become a horticulturist. Instead, I decided to go to Italy and pick on everyone who wears those big sunglasses. That helped.

Second semester, I told myself that I'd do it right. I maxed out my credits, while still taking a class in Danish, and figured I'd take a ship design course on top of that. Thought it would be easy since I'm a good swimmer and all.

So I kind of feel like my heads been stuck up my ass the past year. But at least the music's been great.

Metaphors on the Metaphysical

It has always been my intention to maintain a relatively coherent stream of discourse on here. No one wants to hear bitching and moaning of an aimless college student. So in an attempt to avoid that, I've effectively gone without a single damn update in more than a month. My bad. No pictures either... no fun.

So what's up is that big thing is about to happen, I think I'm about to be done with college. And having decided to permanently postpone a premature decision to apply to grad school, I've left myself with about a hundred others decisions to make. Now none of them are really bad, they're actually all quite nice. It's like I'm in some delicious smelling restaurant run by all the Iron Chefs. Whatever I get, I know it'll be pretty damn good. The thing is, it's the last night it'll be open. That bastard Bobby Flay caught them dissin' his ribs behind is back, and Food TV has sentenced them to a life of Rice-A-Roni and instant mashed potatoes. Shit luck, right? Anyways, my belly's only so big.

Would you believe me if I told you I had some sort of personal connection to the various dishes. Like maybe I slept with the baker's dozen of pirogies, or that I really connected with the cazuela. Maybe I owe it to myself to try the hagus. You know, I've never really been elegant, do I have to shave and where a shirt with buttons to try the caviar and brie?

Mayonnaise

Today, Guillermo showed me how to make quick, cheap, delicious mayonnaise.

Tonight, Guillermo will sleep with his door closed and barricaded.