This week's poem is more for the fine folks who read my xanga site. I am taking a break there. Might take a break here too, but not sure yet. If you want me to stick around, leave me some comment love. Now on to this post's feature presentation...
Every week these stupid poems I would write A couple even had things hidden from sight And some I had to revise just to be polite Sometimes my brain and heart would fight As I would give glimpses into my plight. I hope they brought some form of delight, Yet I ask have these entries become trite? Taking a break at this point just feels right Perhaps someday I return to post on this site Until then, I bid my friends a very good night.
The other week I asked the age of a coworker's child. I got some response like, "twelve months," which I said isn't that a year? Being the insensitive child disliking person that I am, I pondered when do people stop counting in months for a kid's age, and switch to the years. After further thought it dawned on me that on August 24, I would turn four hundred months. To me, that is freakin' cool. Don't know if I am going to switch over to referring to my age in months, but at least for this next month I will.
Speaking of time... I am ever amazed at the timing that happens in my life. Some call it coincidence, dumb luck, kismet, or a fluke. For me I think it is additional proof of a God that is in control of the universe, even the minuscule details.
Today's timing experience: I had met up with a friend for lunch and a trip to my favorite coffee shop. Afterwards we headed over to Costco, as I needed to pick up some bagels for my student's evening snack. Upon exiting the store, I jumped into a cab to head back to school. In the cab, I was selfishly thinking about how I was going to have to pay for a cab ride across town, even though the bagels were for the dorm. Not soon after that thought crossed my mind, we were at a red light. I looked out my window and noticed a large yellow and black bus next to me. No, Stryper wasn't in town, but it was one of our school's buses and at the wheel one of the coolest bus drivers I know. I quickly made some random hand gestures to try to see if we were both going back to campus. Seconds later, I'm handing over some money to the taxi driver, jumping out of the car with my box of snacks, and jumping into a bus. All this while wondering if the light was going to change in the process leaving me standing in the middle of traffic with bagels. But it all worked out, and I enjoyed a ride in style across town in my own private school bus. To me, that is some pretty sweet timing.
Give me a minute to listen to me - I said hark! At the end of this poem please leave a remark. I prefer milk chocolate over any that is dark, Not that I dislike the candy bar called Clark. Traveling in Turkey I did not see Noah's ark. Hopefully soon I will get to swim with a shark. In London I stayed the night in Saint James Park. Sometimes in Germany I would cook with quark. Coming Thursday - four hundred what will I mark?
Currently listening to: If You Leave by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
This weekend I snuck up to Seoul to hang with twoguys I knew back at BFA. I am amazed at how global my life has become. I am sitting in Korea with friends I knew in Germany talking about common experiences we have had in Turkey and the Tashkent airport. And after they leave me I stop for diner at a place serving Indian, Pakistani, and Arab food. And to think there was a time I thought going for Mexican food was a cultural experience. Although I could go for some good Mexican, now that I mention it.
We took a spin through the COEX Aquarium. Midway through I was already dreaming about my next dive trip. It didn't help that I saw some scuba tanks near one of the tanks. Too bad it was in an off limits section of the aquarium. And yes, that stopped me this time...
Speaking of water related fun, this evening I found myself splashing around in some serious puddles. Last time I took the time to play in puddles and the rain was way too long ago. In fact, I think it was back at Miracle Camp when the center circle flooded. Think I need to make a note to do that more often, weather permitting of course.
So this one comes just a little late I hope that doesn't make you irate But some poems take longer to create. In Spanish class I hated to conjugate, I think to this many of you can relate. Today I taught a student not to hate As it just isn't a wanted character trait. When I was younger I took my date To the roller rink where we did skate. I've got a story about a shipping crate, But unfortunately that will have to wait. The start of this school year was great.
Now and then, I get emails from Amazon recommending various products. I had to laugh when while on my trip across Russia this was in the email from Amazon.
Now it was nice they recommended a guide to travel the rails of Siberia. But how very thoughtful Amazon is to recommend that I have some fresh fruit for the journey. They did not want a faithful customer to succumb to scurvy. Thank you Amazon.
Speaking of adventures, I'm already scouring the web for ideas for next summer. We joked on the trip that next summer we would journey to Hollow Earth to check out the monorail system. But I had such a great time in Mongolia, that when I came across the Mongol Rally, I began to salivate. That could also be a reaction from the smell of pistachios in my apartment.
But the big question is who wants to go for a rickshaw ride this Christmas? I have already been in one rickshaw chase in India, so why not another? Maybe it was really late when I found that page, but it has made it into my top considerations for Christmas break. So who is in?
I've spent the last four hours working as a pseudo-air traffic controller. It started with an email from the parent of a student informing me that a flight was delayed. With my Google-fu, I quickly discovered the exact time he should be landing, and what flight he would probably be rescheduled on. But then a few minutes later, after reassuring the parent, I hit refresh on the webpage. "DIVERTED," what does this mean? Better yet, where to? There can not be too many airports in Japan to divert an Airbus 343. So there I was with the Kansai Airport, Narita, and Incheon airport webpages in front of me as I tried to figure out where my student could be heading. From all the pages, I saw that the plane had yet to make it to the final destination, although Air Canada's site told me it landed on time, with no delays, in both English and French, eh. Upon further deduction, I figured he had at least made it to Osaka, but perhaps caught a connecting flight. According to the guy I spoke with at Air Canada, my student was probably in Osaka waiting on a flight out. So I sent out a few emails to the student and parent to make sure they knew where things were, and that I was trying to keep up to date.
As I started to finish this post up, I got word from my student that he was in fact in Osaka and will arrive tomorrow. So, a quick message sent to the parent to let him know I was taking care of his kid, and a final check of flight arrival times into Incheon. And then I can call it a successful evening.
It was a great trip around this big blue sphere At times I felt like I was living in the wild frontier. In a meseum in Siberia we saw a musk deer. Some girls on the train had way too much beer, But at least they didn't drink with the engineer. I'll admit a couple times on the trip I had some fear Like once when my mind told me my end was near, But it didn't happen, as you can see that I am here. I am back to work as the school begins another year Which from some students will not cause a cheer. I think a friend of mine has one really cool career He just won a major award for making things disappear. Here is a video of two guys hacking with Lenin in the rear....
I have been back for a few days now, and it feels good to have a regular place to sleep, a shower every day, and an empty suitcase. At least for the time being, of course. I have posted quite a few of my photos from the trip online.
I have also started posting a few of the videos I shot online as well. Here are three from the trip. Enjoy.
Drinking of Mare's Milk
The train pulls away without two of us
Changing Of The Guard
Well, work starts again tomorrow, so I should get some stuff done. More stories from the summer should appear here soon. Or better yet, give me a call or meet me somewhere to hear them directly. They are usually better that way.
I want to go on record that I had nothing to do with this report. When I left the Egyptian spice market today I left several kilos behind. I also left several bags on the shelves at Carrefour too. And I am pretty sure there were some left at that other store too. But what I am saying is that there were a few pistachios left today here in Turkey. The rest are in my carry on luggage.
This goes out to my great Istanbul guide Your phone number I lost I must confide Several times to find it I have anxiously tried I have searched my back pack on the inside At one point I almost sat down and cried. (Well not really, in that last line I just lied.) I have a ticket for a trans-Turkey bus ride. At ten a.m. it will arrive, if it does not collide Then to Carrefour by the ferries I did decide Where around eleven we can meet outside. Then I will buy the pistachios that they provide Perhaps buying until my credit card is denied.
