tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88347358845987983692024-03-07T21:54:19.787-08:00Living in UgandaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-67201161857406602772005-08-06T18:38:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:52:54.681-07:00Quite an Adventure Today!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We had some more errands to do, so Debby and I headed back out to Kampala today. I also hoped to maybe get </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amalthya/sets/700963/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #a42c04; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">some better pictures</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> because I was unhappy with the final showing from yesterday. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I didn't feel like the pictures I'd taken were at all indicative of Kampala. Also, an antiquities shop in town had new primate prints in it, and Debby and I were eager to go peep at them. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, among other things, another trip to Kampala was in order. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We headed off later today, because it was Saturday and it's only right to loll around during the morning on Saturday. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We took the landcruiser this time, seeing as one of our tasks was to pick up a new freezer for all of our various freezables and it was large and needed the big back. Previously, we'd had 3 mini fridges, but considering that we buy dogfood frozen, and have lots of medical supplies (drugs, etc) that need to be frozen as well, it was really appropriate to have a dedicated freezer because those mini fridge freezers are teeny tiny.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We'd had no room to put our own freezables!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, so the landcruiser was having issues with changing gears, and we'd driven about 25 miles (we were about 10 miles from Kampala) when smoke started emitting from the front hood. The temperature gauge hadn't actually raised, but it did indeed seem to have overheated. So, the car stopped working on the MAIN road into Kampala. Cars were honking at us, and whizzing by at breakneck speed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I finally found an opening to get the door ajar, and asked some guys to help us push the car to the side of the road. Debby was convinced that they'd ask for money or something, but you know me -- I can sell snow to eskimos :P</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, the car was by the side of the road! Little children of course thought it was very funny to see two wuzungu stranded like that... of course they stood around, giggling and pointing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We called Richard and asked him to come and bring some jerry cans full of water to cool down the car, but Debby thought that maybe the engine was seized or somehow damaged from overheating. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Richard came and we exchanged cars. He stayed with the Land Cruiser, and we headed off.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So many errands! So little time! Always behind!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We managed to get most everything done, except popping in to see the Primate Prints. Cry, cry.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Richard had called a tow truck at noon to bring the car back to Entebbe, and had taken a matatu back.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">By the time we'd gotten everything done, we'd been out for hours.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Imagine our surprise, when, on the road back to Entebbe, but </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">closer</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> to Kampala than we'd broken down, we drive past our CAR. Being towed, and in the entirely wrong area that it </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">should</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Well, actually, by this point, it should be at home. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I think it's quite funny, but Debby is finding it quite suspect. That the car was towed into Kampala...i.e. in the opposite direction of Entebbe, before they started bringing it home. She figured they probably stripped parts from it or something. She pulled over and waited for the tow truck to pass us, but after 20 minutes, it still hadn't.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Concerned, we turned around to look for it. Finally, we saw them pulling it, slowly, along the highway.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We turned around again, and drove to catch up to them (they were driving pretty slowly). But by the time we reached them, they were pulled over to the side of the road.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Totally suspicious by this point, we pulled over. It looked like they were </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">unhitching the car from the tow truck</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. As the tow truck pulled off, Debby got out and tried to figure out what the heck was going on!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It seemed that they were going to Entebbe, but "running other errands" first. If one of them included siphoning off our newly full tank of gas, I guess I won't know. But whatever it was, it was sketch.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We, however, continued on our way. Finally getting home, and bringing Annie the donuts and pizza that she so desperately needed to finish analyzing the sample slides for her thesis-y type paper, I realized what an exhausting day it had been!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Between driving everywhere to finish our errands, getting in and out of the car, sitting and waiting in the hot hot sun... </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">BLAH!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Tonight we'd been thinking of heading into Kampala - Gerald, the Assistant Sanctuary Manager, Isaac, the Education Director, Terry, Ben (the guy who was here last week) and um, Joanna, our longstay visitor. We were gonna start at the Lake Vic, which I'll probably still do, but woooo, I dunno about partying in Kampala.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Maybe if I take a NAP first! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Speaking of which, I'm gonna go do that!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">If people would be </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">so</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> kind to go and look at the new pictures I uploaded :P (heh) ... I'm hoping they'll give people a better sense of Kampala, and, maybe, Africa! Again, I've written lots of comments too! Enjoy! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-6641467637160323082005-08-05T22:05:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:51:47.986-07:00Far Far Away<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This song made me think of this particular person, who I haven't heard back from recently (okay, fine, two days. I'm impatient.)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And I was like "Wow. I wonder if I'm ever going to hear from ____ again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The thought of losing someone in my life, who clearly, to me, matters, is really, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">really</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> sad.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I realized suddenly the things I might be giving up to come here, and do all this. The sacrifices you make.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Of course, the argument stands to be made as well that I'm being entirely premature. And spazmatic. Like usual. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And also, that if they don't write back, that they're not much of a friend anyway. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Or, conversely, hate email.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In the span of a year, though, it's bound to happen. And that just is making me a little melancholy.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-64820420097325873812005-08-05T17:02:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:31:25.352-07:00Ahhhhhhh...<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I just came back from walking to the post office with </span><a href="http://photos21.flickr.com/31416075_ac127e3de1_m.jpg" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #a42c04; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Terry</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Now, even though I opened my box about 2 weeks ago, my key still isn't ready. Wanna know why?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Because they </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">had to order it from Nairobi</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">(Kenya)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Now, aren't there key makers in Uganda? In </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">any</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> of Uganda? Eek!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Plus, I had no mail. Boo hiss. Cry, even.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But, sitting here in my room, I have really the most perfect crossbreeze. And sun.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Am </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">so</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> happy. Are people enjoying the pictures/video?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-23972632404068124412005-08-05T15:31:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:31:02.700-07:00MEDIA UPDATE<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've finally got some fun stuff for people to peek at on the site right now:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Some photos still haven't quite uploaded, especially ones of me and Leo (the smallest puppy who just found a home yesterday).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But, surprisingly, the .movs are nearly done.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, without further ado: </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Chronicles of my Second Week in Africa</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amalthya/sets/700963/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #a42c04; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Photos</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><a href="http://www.lauradarby.com/weektwomovies.htm" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #a42c04; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Video</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-62357661258806285022005-08-05T14:16:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:29:46.603-07:00Wash With Caution<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm relaying this story knowing that, after telling it, no one is </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">ever</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> going to visit me here ;)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Annie was in DRC with Debby last week, in Bukavu. They did a little bit of wash while they were there, and Annie hung up her pants outside on the deck for a few hours to dry.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">About 3 days ago, she had a horrible mosquito bite on her abdomen. It was super itchy, and pretty big. She thought she'd over-itched it in her sleep, because a day went by and it was getting bigger, and redder and it hurt a little. She thought it might be infected.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Yesterday, it continued to grow. I offered some antibacterial stuff to put on it, but she thought it was probably healing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Last night, she thought it looked a little pussy, so she squeezed it an a big tube of pus came out. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">She looked at it by candlelight on her finger, and realized...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">... it was wriggling.</em><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">She ran into Debby, who nonchalantly said "Oh, it's a mango fly maggot."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">***********</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Apparently, mango flies are prevalent in the DRC, but not so at </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">all</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> here (thank god)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">They love wet clothes, and they lay their eggs. The eggs come alive when they come in contact with warmth (i.e. human flesh) and they burrow into the warmth and gestate. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Once they're ready, they emerge from your skin. Annie was lucky to have squeezed one out prematurely.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I personally thought it was sort of cool. But I can only imagine the comments I'll get after my first bug post!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-65712641970178616832005-08-05T13:44:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:28:54.011-07:00Will it ever grow old?<br />
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Will I ever get tired of the lush greenness, contrasted by the rich, orange soil? I'm still trying to process everything I saw today. It's all just a jumble in my head, but I sat in the front seat on the way back, my eyes open despite the dust of the road, just amazed with everything I was seeing.<br /><br />I can't imagine how I lived my life for so long without experiencing other cultures that are so diverse from our own. Or the things we take for granted.<br /><br />For example, in Garden City, we were intercepted by an enormous group of schoolchildren who were... get this... riding an escalator for their very first time. They were teaching them proper escalator technique, and safety procedures. They all queued up at the entrance of the escalator, while it was turned off. A security guard lectured them while they waited, giddy in their tiny red and white uniforms and knee socks.<br /><br />Finally, they turned on the escalator, and they rode up. They were exuberant. But, of course, very safe.<br /><br />It was amazing to watch.<br /><br />We had an enormous list of things to do in Kampala, and we had to be back by around one, so we left the house around 7 am this morning. I'm still not used to riding on the left or driving on the lefthand side of the road, but it's the least of anyone's problems because people drive like <strong>lunatics.</strong><br /><br />Kampala's traffic is probably some of the worst in the world as well. So many traffic circles, and bodabodas weaving between cars, and people crossing the streets willy nilly.<br /><br />The drive <strong>to</strong> Kampala was absolutely beautiful, because the sun was just coming up and it was shining over the green hills. There was a moment where we came over the crest of a hill, and all I could see for miles was rolling greenness, and I think I probably had my mouth open, gasping, because Debby looked over and was like "it's really something, isn't it?"<br /><br />We had breakfast at this place pretty early, and watched some news. I also finally got some money from the ATM. Thank goodness.<br /><br />I thankfully found a grocery store that sold feminine products that weren't made by <strong>o.b.</strong>, which, otherwise, is all you're going to find in Africa.<br /><br />Oh! There was a man on a bicycle that was a payphone! It was quite funny!<br /><br />I took lots of pictures to try to give people a sense of what Kampala looks like. Or East African cities, for that matter.<br /><br />Overall, it was just an exquisite morning. I sort of hoped that I'd be able to illustrate it verbally better.<br /><br />The big feeling was like you are part of this living, breathing, community. This enormous mass of life. Everything busy. Everything alive. The area around the people is alive too. It grows past their borders, and isn't contained or controlled. Everyone is moving and working.<br /><br />*shrugs*<br /><br />Maybe I'll have further illuminations once it's processed in my brain a little better.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-90723552010504796242005-08-05T06:28:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:24:10.391-07:00Finally<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The power came back on last night around 8:30, minus the internet, but I had to wake up early (as its now 6:30 am) to get to Kampala before the traffic hit with Annie and Debby.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I wish I could write about yesterday and last night, but it'll just have to wait until later!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-43233981209521283092005-08-05T06:27:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:22:53.816-07:00Stupid Power<strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thursday, 3:30 pm</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Ah well, so the power has just gone out again. Luckily for me, Annie and I have a swimming date at 5:00 pm, so there isn't really so much to endure before I can skidaddle to the land of </span><s style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">rich people</s><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> generators at Lake Vic. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm not sure if I'll have dinner there again.. I mean, it'll start adding up. Plus, Debby is here tonight. And I'm wondering whether not having dinner was good for me. I might only have dinner every other night or something.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've been beastly productive today. I spent the morning finally unpacking all my things, and just feeling really compelled and driven to get stuff done. My clothes are officially entirely unpacked. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I also burned stuff from the marketing laptop onto a CD, since I seemed unable to make the external harddrive show up on my machine.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I started working on some of the signage too for the island shop. And it feels really good.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Tonight, Debby is making veggie lasagna (Yum!) and I'm heading to the Pool with Terry and Annie!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-18944506716110561222005-08-04T08:30:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:22:25.028-07:00Weird Dreams<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I had strange dreams last night about searching for a copy of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Astonishing X-Men</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in this comic shop. In my dream, I was in this comic shop, and I was sure I'd seen a copy in the window, but when I went in they told me they had no more copies.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I asked if I could have the copy in the window, but they told me I could only have it if I could "get it".</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">First, they made me stretch for it. So I had to stand, and close my eyes, and just try to reach for it, even though it was at least four or five feet away. I closed my eyes, and imagined myself stretching, and I could picture every elasticized superhero in my head. I thought I could actually </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">feel</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> my arm stretching. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But when I opened my eyes, my arm hadn't stretched. Fie on you, Mr. Fantastic.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So instead, they were like, "Well, you can go under". What it was was a see-through plexiglass maze. I got down on my hands and knees and wriggled through it, while the comic book shop guys just watched. I finally grabbed the comic and returned, exuberant!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">When I realized, to my chagrin, that it was really ULTIMATE X-Men. And not Astonishing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I kept rummaging through the piles, until finally I found something that </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">said</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> Astonishing X-Men - Life Without Xavier</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But I opened it up, and it was colored balls in water. Like those old games where you use a flipper and knock the balls around the water. One of the comic book guys came over, and said "You know, that's for the PSP"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And I said, "Lies. This is a water toy." </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And that... was the end of the dream.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">... On that note. I could really use some comics. Especially </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Astonishing X-Men</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. I'd finished through Issue 10 before I left.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-30130536630536161662005-08-04T07:38:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:21:45.373-07:00Chronicles of a Mosquito<br />
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I was flying around Entebbe last night, so hungry for blood!<br /><br />Our mosquito colony has been so busy thanks to the impending rainy season and you, know, just getting busy, and I need to lay my eggs, so I was on the prowl for some succulent yummy blood.<br /><br />I was flying through this house near the lake where I'm hoping to lay my eggs, and I went into two rooms and could SENSE blood! But when I tried to fly in for the kill, I was somehow unable. I scanned the perimeter, but there was some mesh that was impeding me.<br /><br />I ventured into a third room, positive that I'd have to fly <strong>ALL</strong> the way to another house, and I was feeling pretty upset.<br /><br />I saw the mesh hanging over the blood source again. Just for kicks, I went through my routine of scanning the perimeter... and, what's this?<br /><br />There was an OPENING! It was probably only a foot wide <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<em>I'm a US-based mosquito. I don't use the metric system)</em></span> but it was PLENTY big for me!!<br /><br />So, I flew in and YUM! Juicy delicious blood! I figured, hey, this is sweet! So I buzzed to my girlfriends to come and take a bite as well! (I think I made the call when I was over the "ear")<br /><br />Trudy, Beth and Serena all came over, and they were HUNGRY! Serena alighted on the thigh, and I think she had some sort of deficiency, because she tried biting three times within a one inch space before she finally "got it"<br /><br />Joyce and Hildegaard <em>finally</em> came over after about 10 minutes, because, well, they're slow like that.<br /><br />And the six of us had a right feast! I'm surprised that that human had any blood left at all once we were done.<br /><br />Our bellies almost too full to fly, we made our way very slowly back to the Lake, where we laid our eggs.<br /><br />But we'll be sure to tell <em>all</em> our friends AND our newly hatched children where to go for the best blood in town!!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-90248493963471435832005-08-03T16:57:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:20:57.764-07:00I am an IndEEpendent W00man<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I decided that lying here in the perfect, lovely sun and feeling sad and morose was simply not a way to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What might be </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">really</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> nice would be a dinner and a swim. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I just ensnared Annie (who was far too busy being productive and work-good) into coming with me to Lake Vic for exactly that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Fie on you, co-dependency. Fie on you, loneliness.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I scoff in your intangible faces!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-24554572984943948302005-08-03T16:27:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:20:24.090-07:00Grrr. Argh.<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Okay. So I'm seven hours ahead. It's rare that I'm awake and free when other people are.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, when Mason sent me an email and I was like "Woa, he's awake, I'm awake!" I thought it might be nice to revisit Instant Messenger.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">How foolish I was. Foo-Lish.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Not only does my connection stink, but I'm left at this end, feeling annoyed, unsatisfied and generally so distant because having this urgency of concurrent awakeness, along with the lack of proper connection reminds me how far away from everyone I know and love. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And it hit me. Again. The sadness. The distance. I'm suddenly tired, and I'm contemplating closing and locking my door and taking a nap. I'm supposed to be working for another 30 minutes, and I just can't do it. I have gotten some stuff done today.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Annoyingly, the Volunteer Handbook that I spent time updating seems to refuse to open on the director's PC. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The weather is </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">finally</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> clearing up today too. I sort of wish that more time had elapsed, so that I could go to the mailbox and fetch letters and have all my spirits lifted. But alas, it's too early for that.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-124493193964997902005-08-03T16:00:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:19:51.236-07:00Ah well<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I need to learn the African timetable already.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My appointment that was supposed to be at 2 pm hadn't shown up yet. It was already 4 pm.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I just called him and he informed me that they (the printers) were "still finalizing compartments of my order"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Uhh.. okay. I said, in my nicest tone, "Please, in the future, if we have an appointment for 2 pm, can you call if you are going to be delayed?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But still. Argh.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've been waiting for this guy all afternoon. Wtf?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, he's "leaving Kampala in a half hour" ... he's not gonna get here til like, 6 pm!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-53060189273611353112005-08-03T11:02:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:17:32.061-07:00The Rest of the Endless Evening<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, I want to cover my bases. Plus, all the relatives that are reading this don't need to read how drunk off my ass I got.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, we're at the Lake Vic at the bar, and we're sitting J, L, Me. I'm sitting next to this flight attendant who flies for Safair. He's totally doofy looking and has got huge metal braces, and he's totally trying to hit my shit. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm sort of mocking him, mostly because I can, and also because I'm just not interested at all. Eventually, I migrate away from him towards J and her friend G, who wants to work for CSWCT.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">J is dying to go to Kampala, to see her friend "Nobert" who is soon moving to the UK to be with his muzungu wife and son. To my horror, L invites Gavin the Doofy Steward to come with us, and they're holding hands on the way to the taxi stand, and we go to get into the car, and J just takes the front seat, with the claim "I get car sick". So me, who's got the biggest ass of the bunch, is stuck in the back seat with G, L and Gavin. J, who's a waif, is in luxury in the front.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What's worse, L and Gavin start making out in the car and like, fondling each other. I'm sitting next to L, and Gavin is drunk, and he keeps inadvertently fondling ME! GAH!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">FINALLY we get to Kampala, to a pub called "Bubbles O'Leary"... basically, a haven for Whiteys. I think every white person in Uganda was there.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was already buzzing, because I'd had 3 drinks at Lake Vic, but Gavin bought me another Bell at Bubbles and then bought all of us shots. So, now, well, I'm drunk.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I start talking to this dumpy 40's-ish guy who works security at the UN merely because he looks like he could use someone to talk to. Eventually I skitter off, and befriend another J and this girl B, who work in Kampala, J for the IPS. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">They're heading to Rouge, and they've got Nobert in tow, so we follow. Rouge is BUSY and HOPPING. Really. I spend some portion of the evening scoping out this guy who looked like a total dork, but didn't actually feel compelled to talk to him. I danced quite a lot, but still felt slightly out of place.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">L and Gavin disappeared after a time, and J was with some tall handsome guy. Although he was the excuse for coming to Kampala, we saw little to none of Nobert, so [shrugs] don't ask me about that either ;). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I had oodles of fun dancing, because they played a nice mix of Ugandan music and white pop/dance music. I loved the dancing, and danced with J 1, J 2, G, B, and really, just anyone who was around. Usually when I go out, it reminds me of my teenage years, and makes me feel a little old.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But at Rouge, I didn't feel old. I felt </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">new</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. Because I wasn't rehashing old memories... I was dancing at a nightclub in KAMPALA, UGANDA... in AFRICA. Like... when have I </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">ever</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> done that before? ;) </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I got pawed a bunch on the dance floor, and this one guy just wouldn't take the hint as I found excuses to dance AWAY from him. I went to sit down, because it was just too warm, and he came over to try to mack. THANK GOD G came over and scared him away. But then, I think, because I was so grateful to see him, that G got sort of the wrong idea.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Also, he was probably drunk too! It was around 3 am, and I'd drunk all I wanted to. I'd eaten almost nothing during the day and had drunk quite a lot, so my stomach was feeling mega funky.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'd also danced just about enough for the next month. I was sweaty, and tired, and I said so to J.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Now, J complained while her dad was here that he had endless stamina and that he kept her out too late. I hoped this meant that she was reasonable. After all, we'd been out in Kampala for a little over 3 hours, and had been partying since 8 pm. That's 7 hours of fun. Isn't that enough?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So when I came to her, hoping to leave, and she called back to me over the din "It's still early!" I wasn't quite sure </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">what</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> to do. It would be really bad if she hated me and thought I was a party pooper.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I sat down, had some water, and hoped that my stomach would calm down. It didn't, but after about an hour, J was like "Let's go!"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">However, she meant going to a third club. As she phrased it to me "Don't you want to go? You might never get another chance while you're here!"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">[sighs] So I went to Silk with them. She told us in the cab that there was a 20,000 Ushs cover charge. Whhhhat? That's like, $10. I don't even pay that in the US. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But we were already there, so J paid the cover with the intention of me paying more of the cab ride on the way home. Or something.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I went to the bathroom, hoping for respite. J had said she wanted to stay at Silk for an hour, so I was resolute that I wouldn't suggest leaving until 5 am. Funnily, the club was all "trendy" and there was see-thru toilet seats with barbed wire inside them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Also, they showed the fashion channel and there was a LINGERIE show, so they're watching mostly-naked skeletal white women parade up and down the catwalk as their "ambience" on the televisions. Quite odd.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">G kept leaning in and saying "Let's tell J we want to leave" and I kept saying "no, no, not until 5 pm"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Around 4:55 am, J asked if we wanted to tour the whole club. Silk has three levels, one for the "kids", one that's called Silk Royale, and then "Silk Lounge" which is the very exclusive high-end section (that we were in)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, we walked through and wow, they loved blacklight. Silk Regular had already closed because hell, it was 5 am. I figured, though, that a facility-tour was a perfect end-of-the-evening experience.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I can't imagine I looked good. My stomach was in knots, and I wasn't sure whether I was going to pass out or vomit. I hadn't drunk in about 2.5h now, but I still felt like ass. What was going on?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Once in Silk Royale, J is like "want to stay here a bit?" to which I finally stood up and said "no, I'm really tired. I want to go home" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Then she looks at her watch and is like "Oh, you must be tired because it's 5 am!" and chuckles, as if she </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">just realized it.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We walk back downstairs, and, as we pass the Silk Lounge again, she's like "Sure you don't want to go in for a bit more?" I really just wanted to scream at her then. Not even Paris Hilton parties like this anymore. Come ON. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I started walking towards the door with hopes that she'd get the damned hint, but everyone just moved SO SLOWLY. Cabs were rallying for our business, and they were negotiating, and again, I just wanted to scream. I just wanted to GO! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> Luckily for me, I just fell asleep on the way back to Entebbe. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I think I ended up paying for all of the cab, which, in retrospect, uh, I shouldn't have had to, but I just didn't care. We came in and I crashed into my bed, thinking that sleep was immediate.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I figured, anyway, that I'd get to sleep late the next day, a Sunday, where nothing was planned.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Ha!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Was I wrong.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">At 8:30 am (read: 2 hours after I'd fallen asleep) J's alarm went off. Amazingly, she'd already woken up because she had to pack to go back to the forest. And she'd left her alarm clock on. And she wasn't in the room.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It just went off over and over and over again. She finally came in and turned it off.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Hate. Hate. Hate. Die.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">At 10 the dogs started barking, the two puppies playing with each other. I screamed, hoarse and cracking "Shuuttttuuuppp" but they didn't stop.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">With people coming in and out, packing, I just gave up. I went downstairs, did email, LJ, etc and had some tea. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">YAY! Precious sleep. </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">preeccciooousss</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I went upstairs to sleep. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-44705773502069477502005-08-03T10:49:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:08:28.536-07:00Like the Race<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Wednesday, 10:30 am. The power came back on, amazingly. Everyone is surprised, and the rain is finally letting up from torrential downpour to moderate flow.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've also got a good list of things to do today with power. Hurrah for electricity! YAY Edison!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-43107081691239591602005-08-03T10:00:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:06:43.376-07:00Ha!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Someone clearly had a rougher night than I last night during the blackout, because there is candle wax ALL over the toilet seat.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">***********</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In other news, </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">happy birthday</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> to </span><span class="ljuser i-ljuser " lj:user="dshadow" style="background-color: white; border: 0px !important; color: #333333; display: inline !important; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; height: auto !important; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: static !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important;"><a href="http://dshadow.livejournal.com/profile" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead" height="16" src="http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=101.7" style="border: 0px !important; height: 16px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px 1px 0px 0px !important; vertical-align: bottom !important; width: 16px !important;" width="16" /></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://dshadow.livejournal.com/" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><b>dshadow</b></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">***********</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The power came back on just as I headed off to a slothful sleep last night after being unable yet again to stay awake for our record Star Wars marathon. Unfortunately, when the power goes out, we turn off all the UPSes in the office because, without power for SO long, they cheep and eventually scream and well, it's horrible and annoying. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thus, although power was returned, the router plugged into a UPS wasn't back on, so I couldn't surreptitiously download my 7 emails. Just as well, because, by the time I had woken up, the seven emails had turned into 18. I downloaded 9 of them, but now the remaining nine has turned into eleven!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I feel so loved.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The trouble being, of course, that it's taking </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">forever</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> to get those 11. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">*************</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Something that no one ever expects anyone to say who lives in Africa:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm freezing. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Absolutely, totally freezing. After I moved rooms, I had relinquished my guest room blanket, and had been using just a sheet. But last night, I curled into the tiniest ball that I could make and shoved my hands into any warmth that I had left and just chattered through most of the night. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Today is a big rain day, which means that any day visitors that had wanted to go to the island will just have to wait. It's not safe to travel out on the lake when there's thunder and lightning.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Last night was particularly fun, mostly because it was unexpected. I didn't realize the power had gone off until my mac display settings change. When it's plugged in, the screen doesn't go to sleep for a long time, but when it's on battery power, it goes to sleep probably not even 2 minutes after your last input. Ohhhhh teh d0rk. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Another evening without power seemed so unappealing, and Terry was planning on going to Lake Vic for dinner, so I just decided I'd come along!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Lake Vic, being a big hotel, has tons of generator power, so an outtage there is really no big deal. So, we walked over, and ate some food.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I ran into Gavin, the guy Liz had picked up Saturday night, which was ass-awkward, especially considering he was already wooing another young fool. Those airline stewards! They hide under the cover of effeminacy, but really, they're dangerous! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Also, the power just went out. Damn. I'm told that a daytime outtage usually spells doom because it means they're "working on the line" during the day and it'll be out until 6 pm. Hmph. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm glad I got most of my net stuff done this morning.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Okay, back to last night. After dinner we boda boda'd to the Four Turkeys. I got my second marriage proposal since I've been here from my driver, but for some reason, I still have no urge to be Mrs. Boda Boda.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The Four Turkeys is basically a bar with a pool table in the back. We went and had two more drinks, and had great discussions about mostly everything. It was nice to have conversation. *thunder crack*</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We looked for boda bodas to take home, but there were none, so we walked a bit and finally a single guy came and I hopped on, after trying and succeeding with some price negotiation.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I got home, and the power was still out and Annie had waited up for us, worried that I didn't have a key to the front door gate (I did) but it was so nice of her to do. I've been in her shoes!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We headed upstairs to the common room and started on Hoth, but it was sadly not to be, as both Terry and I started falling asleep before even seeing an Imperial Walker. Not a good sign!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Either way, it was quite a nice night. Provided the power returns, we'll watch </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Empire</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> again tonight! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And today, I need to figure out what work I'll do with no power. Bah. Stupid Outtage.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-10485582218013372502005-08-02T07:52:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:05:26.111-07:00Rocky First Day<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I had my official first day of work today. I planned to pick up my first </span><a href="http://www.ngambaisland.org/visits_longstay.htm" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #a42c04; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Long Stay Visitor</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Liz told me that she was coming tonight at 9 pm. But when we got a call this morning saying she was waiting on the pier to go to the island, it was rather surprising.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">As it turns out, she was supposed to get here on </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Saturday</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and there was just some sort of miscommunication between she and Liz.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, we didn't have accommodation for her on the island, and things were a bit manic and frantic. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, and into that having to negotiate all this while in the middle of the staff meeting!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">If I was expecting more respect here than I got before, I was mistaken. I don't know whether it's an African thing or whether it was because I was super new and junior, but people just kept talking OVER me. Like, not even interrupting. It was as if I wasn't talking.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And yea, it was a little unsettling.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Overall, lots for me to do but I really do just have to sit down and suss everything out first.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was also pleased to finally find a way to upload pictures, too. It brings things full circle.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What I didn't expect was being called to </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">dinner</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> around 7! I guess it's because of Debby's return to the house, and my unfamiliarity with it, but she cooks dinner and we sit out on the veranda and eat and drink wine.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">MY GOSH was it fun. We laughed and laughed, and Debby told absolutely wild stories about her </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">incredibly</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> interesting life, and really, I think it might be the most fun I've had since I got here.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Also, it was </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">far</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> better than my usual dinner of Nothing. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I intend to do some real work today, and maybe tonight finish the third episode of the webcomic.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm glad people enjoyed the pictures! I'll endeavor to take more soon!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-55153853522072715422005-08-01T18:10:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:03:55.012-07:00The Endless Evening™ (aka Saturday Night)<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It all started with a plan to go to "Lake Vic" ...i.e. the Lake Victoria Hotel for dinner. It was, essentially, both Julia and Liz's last night, and we thought it might be nice to go and have dinner.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What I didn't know, was that much, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">much</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> more was being planned!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Julia had spent the last couple days in Kampala, and she had bought new Belly Beads.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Belly Beads are a traditional Budanga custom, of wear strings of seed beads around your waist, and the more beads you wear, the more womanly "aura" you're supposed to have.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But you have to graduate to new strands, and it's bad luck to have even numbers of strands. Julia had been wearing the same beads since she got to Uganda, which was </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">years</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> ago! She decided it was time for a change, so she had bought strings of beads in Kampala and thought that it would be nice girl bonding to all put some on. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Which is why I am wearing my very first belly beads. I'll graduate soon, probably! But whee for now!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">After that, we went to "eat" at the Lake Vic but really, it was code for "sit in the bar and drink"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, and I forgot to mention that, for the first time since I was in Kampala in 2002, I rode a bodaboda (the motorcycle taxis). In Kampala, there is CRAZY traffic, and really, riding it was terrifying because he weaved between cars and really, I thought I might die. But Entebbe is a much smaller town, and there is almost no traffic, and riding the boda was just</span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">exhilarating!</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> The air was cool, and we went fast, and I was this time, wearing pants instead of a skirt! Yay!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, we got to the bar and there were a bunch of drunk guys from Safair there (another South African Airline). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've lost my train of thought. I'll finish this entry in a bit.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-37038348242018078382005-07-31T21:01:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:03:23.883-07:00Yuck<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I somehow ended up in the house entirely on my own tonight, because Liz and Julia left earlier in the day, and Debby doesn't return until midnight.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I had to feed the dogs, and Liz had said that Lilly would come by with dog food, as we were out. But 6 pm came, and Lilly hadn't come, and the dogs were swarming me for food.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I figured if I could just call Lilly that everything would be okay. So, I called her and interrupted her Sunday and asked her if she was coming with the dog food.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In her hurry, Liz had forgotten to tell Lilly about the dog food, so Lilly had to run over to John's and get it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was so relieved when she came, but also embarrassed because it had been the "policy" to cover up any puppy accidents with newspaper, and there was newspaper everywhere, and there were dishes in the sink, and it was just terrible.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'd managed to strip the beds upstairs, but I hadn't gotten around to cleaning the downstairs yet.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">She could see I was a little overwhelmed, so she helped me make tea for the night guard and to tidy a little. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, she left as I was trying to defrost the meat for the dogs' dinner.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've never actually seen anyone make the amalgam of meat and rice, and I knew the rice had to be boiled, but no one said if the meat had to be cooked!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And, well, the meat looked sort of rare. I wasn't sure what to do, but the dogs were </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">so</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> hungry that I just figured that someone would have said something.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">But then I didn't know how much rice to put with how much meat, and how the bowls should be laid out outside so that one dog didn't get left out or get their food stolen. Or, for that matter, where the four bowls were.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I managed to find three, and after about 10 minutes of searching I found a bowl under the water tank that's bottom was half missing. But it was the only other bowl I could find! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I brought them into the kitchen and loaded them up with food, not before having to mix it together -- the rice and the raw meat-- with my hands. BLLLAAAHHHGGGGRRR it smelled so bad and there were tendony bits pulling apart, and just the SOUND of it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">... I remembered why I don't eat red meat, and I'll admit I dry heaved a few times.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What I wasn't counting on was the puppy, who had already been fed, scrambling and stealing food from the big boys and ending up eating so much that he could barely fit through the bars of the gates on the front door. He was just furry and rotund! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, so everyone ate, and I think I did okay. I washed all the dishes and tidied everything I saw that could be tidied, and now I'm just trying to finish packing! And then I think some </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Return of the Jedi</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> is called for.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">::yawn::</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My fingers stink. Blech.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-11857671118251022222005-07-31T17:23:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:02:45.615-07:00Useless<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I promise that I'm working on the entry from last night in between watching </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Empire Strikes Back</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> and sleeping. I've barely gotten to sleep today -- between "waking up early" and then going to the Lake Vic hotel to meet some Forest Walkers with Richard, it's been more interruption than sleep at this point. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm supposed to meet with the Bead for Life girl today and I guess I could radio the island but I'm not really versed on radio protocol yet and know a few of the things I'm supposed to say, but by no means am I ready for a solo call. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What I'm realizing, however, now that Julia and Liz have left and Debby isn't back yet and I'm alone in the house is that I'm </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">useless.</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Yes, I know where some things are. But I went to make pasta, because I realized around 4 pm that I'd yet to eat anything all day, and I found the matchbox to light the range. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">There was ONE match left inside it, and inside my head I thought with a chuckle "Oh, wouldn't it be funny if this match somehow failed"....</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Promptly, upon the first strike, the match snapped in half. I struggled to try to light it anyway by holding it tightly altogether too close to the match head. But it seemed the striking service was somehow wet or crappy or something, so it just failed as the match continued to splinter. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, I decided to find another matchbox. Ha! What a joke. I rummaged through every shelf, cupboard and cabinet with no success. Starving, I tried to make toast. We have a toaster oven, so I took some bread from the fridge and put it in the toaster.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Another failure, I couldn't get the toaster to initiate. Try as I might, pushing down the lever didn't lock it or start it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is why for lunch/dinner, I had a cold-bread-from-the-fridge and butter sandwich, with a lime Fanta. (</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Wanta?</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And I'm still annoyed and upset about my dress. ::sighs more::</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">People all left here in sort of a chaotic hurry today. They left sort of a mess of dishes, and, well, other mess. I agreed to strip the beds, but did they leave the other mess for Betty tomorrow or is it for me to clean? I don't want Debby to come here tonight and think I've wrecked the house... </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Julia didn't have much money left, so I lent her 23,000 Ushs (about $10). Then, I was told by Richard later in the day that the only ATM I could use was at Entebbe Airport. Which is not within walking distance. I'd have to take a boda boda. Which costs money. Which I don't have, because I lent it all to Julia. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">D'oh!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Anyway, even if Liz comes back today from the airport, she can still sleep in her room but I'm gonna have moved my stuff in. I think unpacking will be really cathartic.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-75271678837995619792005-07-31T16:54:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:02:10.550-07:00WELL POOP<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I discovered that, while I slept this afternoon, Basil, the older puppy, ate my brown dress that I wear all the time (I wore it last to George's wedding). He literally ripped the top half to shreds. I've had that dress since about 1994. I met </span><span class="ljuser i-ljuser " lj:user="gmonger" style="background-color: white; border: 0px !important; color: #333333; display: inline !important; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; height: auto !important; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: static !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important;"><a href="http://gmonger.livejournal.com/profile" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead" height="16" src="http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=101.7" style="border: 0px !important; height: 16px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px 1px 0px 0px !important; vertical-align: bottom !important; width: 16px !important;" width="16" /></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://gmonger.livejournal.com/" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><b>gmonger</b></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in that dress. To date it. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Perhaps I'll take it to Titus to be turned into a skirt.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">::sigh::</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-18386278370209406652005-07-31T10:31:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:01:38.250-07:00Why On Earth Am I Awake?<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Because people who left the bedroom left their alarm clocks on, and then puppies were barking and </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">no one</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> was scolding them!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">ARGGGHH!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-36451480040669851392005-07-31T06:21:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:01:13.351-07:00<strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Sunday, 6:17 am</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">i've just returned from a night of clubbing in kampala with liz and julia</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm too tired to write any more than that now.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-56883829671088141172005-07-30T17:28:00.000-07:002013-03-11T19:00:41.967-07:00Who is the African Equivalent of Montezuma?...<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">.... and can he wreak revenge?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><a href="" name="cutid1" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></a><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I'm not gonna lie and say that I've had a solid bowel movement since I came here. Because I haven't. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I'm not really eating anything "bad" or "weird" either. The fact is, I'm barely eating. Most of what I ingest is carbohydrates too. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I've narrowed it down to one main meal during the day: lunch. It's because it's the one that is prepared for me by the house cook, Betty. And that's just Monday through Friday.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">I don't eat dinner. Or breakfast. Unless it's there. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Sometimes I'll have tea, but I should really consider writing it all down to see what's really going on.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">It can't be good for my system, can it? I'm also not drinking even half as much water as I usually do. Could it account for my tiredness? The looseness, that is.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">If there was gatorade here, I'd suggest that I drink some. But with the lack thereof, does anyone have any other suggestions?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">And P.S. "Don't live in Africa" is not a helpful or requested suggestion</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8834735884598798369.post-4717585572626059612005-07-30T10:11:00.000-07:002013-03-11T18:58:27.473-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">When I came downstairs this morning, the bug was dead. Totally dead. I don't think it was an eggsack it secreted, whatever it was.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Also, I spent the better part of the morning on the veranda, counting my blessings because the sun coming over the hill was SO BEAUTIFUL. And then the "squee!" I'm in Africa! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Liz is waiting for me to work, but there's a puppy curled up, sleeping on my foot which is irresistible. Not quite cute enough to make me forget that he chewed my Birkenstock, but still cute.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">THANK YOU</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> to all of you who pandered to my neediness last night and wrote me emails.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I came upstairs and Liz and Julia were watching a movie, so, uh, I just watched a movie by MYself. Star Wars Laserdisc rip, so kindly given to me before I left by </span><span class="ljuser i-ljuser " lj:user="reverend_dave" style="background-color: white; border: 0px !important; color: #333333; display: inline !important; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; height: auto !important; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; position: static !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important;"><a href="http://reverend-dave.livejournal.com/profile" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead" height="16" src="http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=101.7" style="border: 0px !important; height: 16px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px 1px 0px 0px !important; vertical-align: bottom !important; width: 16px !important;" width="16" /></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://reverend-dave.livejournal.com/" style="border: 0px !important; color: #a42c04; height: auto !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: auto !important;"><b>reverend_dave</b></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. I heard the little mac alert sound while I was watching, so I paused and Apple-Tabbed to discover that a) everyone is weird and demented for being so enamoured with my Bug of Mysterious Secretion™ and b) that at least a few people tolerate me enough to pop in and show some letterish love. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, hiraminpro-w3, 'ms mincho', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So yes, thank you!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0