Wow, it's been almost two years since I've scribed anything on this blog. I forgot that it even existed. It probably would have remained that way had I not experienced something so funny that it made me think, "hey, that's worthy enough to write about somewhere. O, my blog!" And, here we are.

This is a story of true awkwardness and it, once again, involves a bathroom. So, we're bringing in our good, ol' friend MS Paint. If you've read my much older posts, you'll see other uproarious episodes of clumsiness and bathrooms--sometimes one, sometimes the other, and sometimes both. But, the common thread that binds them is MS Paint. So, here we go:

I work at the UN, so here's more or less what it looks like:



As you can see, it's undergoing renovation. OK, enough with the exposition. I tell you where I work because it's pertinent to the story. The UN department I work for has its own Secretary-General and he's my boss of bosses. He's kind of like a Kofi Annan, but not as well-known. For my purposes, though, he has to be treated like a VIP whenever he visits our office. The guy is so important, I feel like I have to worship him when he comes around.

That is me worshipping him. I know I look like a tribal, deformed Three Stooges Moe, but, alas, MS Paint is limited in its capabilities of illustrating my awesome physique. I also didn't know how to signify the guy's importance, so I just stuck a crown on his head.

I don't speak much to him, I'm just responsible for getting done whatever needs to be done-- then he's on to the next one. Conversation is at a minimum when he's around staff, and we all kind of just know to get out of the way.

CUT TO: Bathroom (Interior)
So, I had to really go to the bathroom around lunchtime. I exited quietly from the room, thinking the big boss was out to lunch. This is what the bathroom on our floor looks like:
Two stalls and one urinal. Sinks are not shown, but obviously they're there, even though some dirtbags refuse to use them. But, that's a different MS Paint story.

So, I casually walked into the bathroom, humming my happy song because this room is often my safe-haven from the rigors of work. Only this time, it was a hall of horror. I saw the big boss standing over at the other side of the room. I'm sure most people can relate, but I hate talking to people in the bathroom, let alone someone I completely feared and had nothing in common with. So this was my initial reaction:

After spotting him, I dashed into the first stall:
For a good amount of time, I was safe. I wasn't spotted, and now I could relax. A second later, I heard someone else walk in. I didn't see who it was, so I'm going to portray him as a long-haired cowboy for now:

This is the point when the proverbial poop hits the fan (figuratively, not literally). Now, I've gotten to know the doors of these bathroom stalls pretty well over the course of the years. They're terribly built and a light breeze could probably blow them over. The entire frame also has a knack of shifting over if someone slams the other stall door. Some of you may notice the same things in your own wash rooms. To counter this effect, I usually have to do a little dance by using one foot to lift up the door, using both hands to manipulate the door into position, and then locking the door. Here's a close-up drawing of the distance between the locks of the door:
As you can see, it's a matter of about 3 millimeters that separates the door from the frame. On a good day, the door locks fairly well on its own, but, on a bad day, if someone else comes along and slams the other door, this one comes unlocked, and it swings open really quietly, as if the door is saying, "O, this is gonna be good." Well, this wasn't the good day scenario, it was the bad day one. I guess you know where I'm headed with this.

So, as I'm standing there and as the other guys walks in and slams his door, I'm completely oblivious to the fact that my door is now wide open. My problems were compounded because on this day I chose to wear the most horrid-looking boxers . I can't really describe them. They have this kind of paisley design all over and there's even a rip on the side of them. I didn't know how to illustrate that, so I just drew some symbols on them:
So, as I'm standing there, I hear the guy washing up; mind you, my door is still wide open. As he finishes at the sink I can hear his steps getting closer to the exit door, but I'm thinking that it sounds really loud. Here's my internal conversation: "Wow, those footsteps sound a lot louder than usual. I wonder why my door isn't blocking the sound." Here's what the scene must have been like before I noticed anything:
Well, I finally did notice what was going on because the footsteps were passing right behind me. Just as I turned to look, the guy was right behind me. Here's how it looked:

OK, so I didn't wave, but I might as well have because it was awkward beyond belief. We briefly glanced at each other as I tried everything to get that door shut. He had a look of almost absolute disgust.

There's a period of pitiless, self-loathing that one goes through when he or she is now alone in a bathroom stall, just seen by his or her boss, with ugly-ass boxers and pants down to his or her ankles. I think if a bird somehow came out of the vent and took a crap on my head, it would have made the day complete.

Needless to say, I didn't speak of this incident to him or to anyone else.

I thought that by revealing this event to you all now, it would have provided some type of cathartic after-effect. I was wrong. I'm going to go and cry now. Thanks for listening.

Freestyle

Had to get some thoughts on virtual paper because the last few weeks have been pretty tough. I just wrapped up some mid-terms for school, so now all I have to worry about is working on my Spanish for this language class at my job. That's the plan as I head into Spring break, which incidentally, isn't as fun when you have a full-time job.

In other news, I'm reading about B. Madoff and the numbers he's making now: 61727-054, which is his inmate number. The dude is obviously deserving of what he gets and maybe worse, but is it just me that also feels anger towards the investors? I mean, it involved a huge group of already insanely rich people who felt compelled to go after higher returns and higher returns quickly. It's like the rich eating the rich. Most of America can't relate to this story. By the way, has anyone ever seen that guy Ponzi, originator of the eponymous scheme? I caught a picture of him on CNN a few weeks back and he looks like he would be the guy to have a scheme named after himself. I think I have a picture... oh, here it is:















Isn't that a hoot?

Well, that's all that's on my mind. I was hoping for Seton Hall to go farther in the Big East tourney but those hopes are dashed. And I'm looking forward to getting No Line on the Horizon so if anyone has reviews, let me know. Actually, if anyone is still even reading this, then thank you.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Oscars '09 There was a slew of great pictures this year. Here’s my verbose rundown: Gran Torino – How do you adjust to a changing world? I was reading Roger Ebert talking about Eastwood and how relatively few people can actually get better at their jobs as they get older. I would agree that that pertains to Eastwood. This movie reflects his age and, presumably, some of his thoughts on life as he ages, so well so that the sheer honesty of it really keeps you fixated. Race relations have always been an interest of mine and this movie is almost a study in that topic. No longer is racism so overt, but when it is, it’s almost shocking. And it shouldn’t be hidden--if it’s there, it should be displayed for what it is, so that it can be addressed correctly. That’s what I really liked about this flick. The counterparts to Eastwood are on an equal footing with him. They respond to his attitude with the same asshole-ishness that he gives out. I have a feeling that those people, who say there’s too much PC in the world today, probably wouldn’t be saying that if those same un-PC comments were thrown back at them. This is a great commentary on how our society has evolved and is continually evolving, and I hope Eastwood picks up best director or Schenk picks up best screenplay. Benjamin Button – Should there be a certain progression in our lives? I liked this movie. I like movies that play with the concept of time and our relationship with time. It reminds me of that saying, “The older I get, the less I know.” The world either gets so much more complicated or you just think about things more to the point of utter confusion. It kind of begs the question as to whether we should be living life a certain way, is there an order for us to do or accomplish certain things. I thought the acting was good. I think Taraji Henson has a shot at winning supporting actress and I think this one or the next flick might pick up best editing. Slumdog Millionaire – Can you still have faith in your own abilities when everything is against you? They say that this is Hollywood mixed with Bollywood, but I see this as a quintessentially Hollywood movie by the way it is written and acted. Great story, acting, directing, cinematography. While I was watching it, I could imagine it being the Philippines or any South/SE Asian or Latin country. It reminded me a lot of City of God but this movie actually had a love story at its center. There was one scene in this movie that I particularly liked which helped the movie to avoid falling into the trap that other “slum” pics fall into: When the brothers are talking they’re looking out at Mumbai and it is evidently thriving—roads, cars, skyscrapers. With the spotlight now on this movie, people who are exposed to seeing images of those slums for the first time believe the rest of the country is like that. But in one small scene, the movie counters those perceptions. People who are critics of the film and its negative portrayal of poor areas should really think about that. I can see this picking up directing, cinematography, or best picture awards. Revolutionary Road – What if? This was a really brutal flick, and there wasn’t even any violence in it. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who are considering getting married. You get a real feeling of heaviness after you watch it. The acting was incredible but there’s something that’s starting to bother me about Mendes’ (the director) subjects. He seems to have a real bias against 50s American suburbs, aAs if the entire era was just a façade and evil things were lurking. How about picking a different setting or time period? Frost/Nixon – How does a country move on after it’s been wronged? Another good acting duo in this movie in Sheen-Langella. In thinking about this movie I really believed it was more about the President and the interviewer and less about the country, but it’s really the other way around. The country couldn’t move on in its affairs after Watergate, or didn’t know how to. Ford pardoning Nixon was probably a good thing because it acted as a catharsis for the country. This kind of background tension really adds to the battle between Frost and Nixon. You get a sense of what is at stake for these two. I’d like Langella to win for his portrayal but I’d have to say that the winner for lead actor should be from either of the two next films. Milk – How much should you fight for something you know is right? I used to think Morgan Freeman was the greatest living actor, but I’m really reconsidering that with every Sean Penn movie that I see. He is pretty much astounding in this movie. I hadn’t seen footage of the real Harvey Milk before so I can’t do an adequate comparison, but Penn’s performance speaks of real acting, not impersonation. The movie documents the rise of councilman Harvey Milk and his repeated attempts at public office. The strength of this movie is in how it portrays the struggle for gay rights not only from a local perspective but nationally as well. It really elevates the magnitude of what Milk is doing because he had the potential for overturning, or having laws passed, in every state of the country. What might be overlooked is how amazing a politician Milk really was. Taking the gay rights issues out of the equation, Milk really knew how to ‘milk’ the political system. Incidentally, this movie really makes the city of SF shine. It shoots the city so well. I hope Penn picks up leading actor, but if not, it should go to the guy in: The Wrestler – How do you survive in a world that’s forgotten you? I have yet to see a couple of movies, but from what I’ve seen, I think this is the best movie of the year. Set aside the fact that it’s filmed entirely in Jersey and Springsteen is on the soundtrack, the story is just too moving. I can see a thread linking the movies this year and it seems to be on the theme of getting older. This movie shows the painful side of that. If a lifestyle that you enjoyed no longer cares for you, do you face the real world or keep trying to capture that excitement? This is Mickey Rourke’s dilemma and it’s sad to watch. This movie really felt like I was watching a documentary. Everything was just so real, even the technical aspects of wrestling. I really loved wrestling as a kid, but I never knew it was staged. What I did know was that guys get hurt, and you see a lot of that behind-the-scenes stuff in this movie which makes it even more fascinating. For Rourke’s character the pain that hurts him more is mental and emotional rather than physical, and he makes his ultimate choice based on that realization. I think Aranofsky should get the director award for this. I’ve written too much already, but if I could, I’d talk about the Dark Knight and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, of which I hope both win awards. I'd give honorable mention to Defiance and Marley and Me. I have yet to see Doubt or the Reader so hopefully I’ll have the chance soon. I’ve also heard about a picture called Synecdoche but it's playing in about 2 theatres.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

The first black US President Well, what's new these days. Oh yeah, there's a new young, black US president... I guess that deserves a quick write-up. For a long time, it seemed as if the country had been watching these campaigns and had been getting weary, and almost sick of all of it. What struck me was how fast it all started to go about a day or two ago. It was like watching a slow movie and then when it starts to build up and climax, you fast forward through the rest of it. I read a short blurb on what Tim Russert would have said about this election and what he would have wrote on that board of his and it probably would have been "Bush, Bush, Bush." You just have to look at an electoral map to see how many red states turned blue. People really wanted to fight Bush with their votes. It's a bit strange how much people hated Bush. He was actually a little bit more centrist than everyone thinks. I mean, a solid conservative President would not have signed a campaign finance reform bill into law like he did, which, incidentally, was sponsored by McCain. Either out of ignorance or shrewdness, he went against his own party on several initiatives but then again he did start a war that no one cares for now. But, back to my main point about Obama. I don't believe there was much doubt that he would win. These types of political party realignments happen every so often--it happened after FDR and his New Deal and after Nixon's horrible performance. It basically happens after something really bad happens. In today's case it would be the economy, which leads to my main point about the man. My raging enthusiasm for Obama is tempered by my dislike for another thing--hype. Hype distorts reality, and hype is pretty much what surrounds Obama right now. He hasn't really proven himself professionally and he has yet to take control of the office of Presidency. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be much of a bother, but a new face that is facing the worst conditions could have negative effects. He is working quickly already, though, by picking Emanuel as his chief of staff, and mulling over others for his cabinet. He's also already planning to pitch that the Olympics be held in Chicago in 2016 (incidentally, he made an awesome statement on being a White Sox fan). Overall though, I think people are going to have to be patient with Obama because if he's going to change things it's going to start happening maybe a year or a year and a half from now--not in the first few months. The thing that I'm most interested in is the aspect of race relations and how it could potentially be permanently changed. We know now that race is not a factor in the selection of President. I'm so fascinated by the interplay of race and politics and there were so many interesting things about how race was used and looked at in the media during the presidential campaigns. But, what's going to happen in the next 4 years with President Obama? Are people going to look at his some of his future actions as motivated by some kind of loyalty to some groups over others? Or will people be able to judge his actions based on their merits and only that? On the other side, will some citizens expect him to support their initiatives because they perceive him to have or that he should have certain allegiances to them? Or will people take those feelings out of the process and judge his decisions objectively? I can't wait to see what happens and how our country responds. But, whatever side of the aisle you're on, this is still a day that has no equal. I'm sure our civil rights leaders could envision a black man at the helm one day, but I'm sure many of them thought it would take many more years (although Bobby Kennedy actually did predict a black president right about now). Hopefully, it won't take many more years before we see an Asian-American president :) EDIT: Scratch everything I said. I just want to see how Iraq turns out.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Joe Namath II So it looks like the AFC East is fun again, yay! It's hard not to get caught up in the excitement with the Faverererer trade to the Jets but, folks, you know who the real loser is in this entire deal? It's the man himself. Yes, that's right. To wind up with the Jets and to know that your market worth is a "conditional" 4th round draft pick? Yipes! I honestly don't know if he's going to be a good fit with the Jets lineup. They've got a terrible run game and now they're going to have to depend even more on the pass game with Favre. I dont even know who's on the team these days. Coles? Cotchery? Martin-or did he retire already? They're going to have to have a great backup QB also and I don't see it in that guy Clemens. As far as his surroundings go, I think he'll be able to handle the NY media and fans alright. And you can probably even compare the frozen tundra of Lambeau with the muddy swamp of Giants Stadium which can get pretty frozen during our crappy winters--so he should have no problem adjusting. I think this will give rise to another NY-Boston rivalry with the Patriots, and it'll probably last for a while if the Jets improve. I've been watching the Olympics and there was a moment where they showed Amanda Beard and some kind of crazy swimsuit that swimmers are wearing this year. I wondered what other new tech gear is out there and I found this: http://tech.msn.com/products/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=8251075 I think my favorites are the discus (disci?) and the bball jersey. It seems like R&D for olympic gear is just as crazy as the Pentagon's spending on military weapons. In a related story, I was reading about this: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/08/11/invisibility.cloak.ap/index.html How awesome would it be if they combined the olympic swimsuits with an invisibility cloak? The possibilities...

Monday, June 09, 2008

Journey from the Philippines This guy could be really great. Already seems a lot less bizarre than Pe

Friday, May 30, 2008

Kobe's miserable treatment of women continues...

Monday, May 12, 2008

Multicultural Lesson of the Day Today we go to Italy--more specifically, Naples--for my first and last Multicultural Lesson of the Day. The Nepalese, Neapolitans, take their pizza very seriously. They should, they invented it. Pizza makers here in the US strive to meet exacting standards, and some go so far as to even have the same pH level in their water as the water used in Naples to make the dough. In order to be called an authentic Naples pizza, it must meet certain requirements. Enter the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana--an association that originated in order to ensure that any pizza that calls itself Neapolitan meets said standards. So what are these rules? Here's a piece extrapolated from the VPN Charter (yes, there's a charter): The certification mark of Verace Pizza Napoletana is reserved exclusively for those establishments whose pizzas fulfill the following standards: "Verace Pizza Napoletana" must be made from the following raw ingredients: · Flour · Natural Yeast, Yeast of Beer · Water The pizza dough must be worked with the hands or with a mixer approved by the Association's committee. After rising, the dough must be shaped with the hands and without a rolling pin or any mechanical means. The cooking of the pizza must take place on the surface of the oven and not in any pan or container. The oven must be a wood burning oven and structured in a bell shape and of special brick with the floor of the pizza oven constructed of volcanic stone. The oven must be fired with only wood and kindling. The classic pizzas and their respective basic ingredients are the following: · Marinara (Napoletana): Tomato, olive oil, oregano, and garlic. · Margherita: Tomato, olive oil, grated Parmesan, and fior-di-latte or mozzarella. · Ripieno (Calzone): Ricotta, fior-di-latte or mozzarella, olive oil, and salami. · Formaggio e Pomodoro: Tomato, olive oil, and grated Parmesan All types of pizza are agreeable to basil leaves. Variations of pizzas are recognized if they are informed by the Neapolitan tradition of pizzas and are not in contrast with the rules of gastronomy, with judgment reserved to the Association's committee. The pizza, when eaten, should present the following characteristics: soft, well cooked, fragrant and enclosed in a high, soft edge of crust. Excerpt from the "Disciplinare" Manual: Art. 5. Characteristics of the final product a. Description of the product: «Pizza Napoletana» STG [Ed. an EU designation of an authentic regional product] is an oven made circularly shaped culinary product , of a variable diameter which should not exceed 35 cm, with a elevated border (crust) and with the central part covered with toppings. The central part should be 0.3 cm thick, and the crust 1-2 cm thick. The pizza as a whole should be soft, elastic, easily folded as would be a pamphlet. b. Aspect: «Pizza Napoletana» STG is characterized by a raised crust of golden color, typical of oven-made products. It is soft to the touch and taste, especially in the center of the toppings, where the red of the tomato stands out, and to which the oil or for the pizza marinara, the green of the oregano and the white of the garlic has perfectly amalgamated; In the case of the pizza Margherita, the white of the mozzarella should be in patches more or less close together, with the green of the basil leaves, more or less dark from the cooking process. The consistency should be soft, elastic, easily foldable. The product should be soft to the touch, with a characteristic taste deriving from the crust, presenting the typical taste of risen and cooked bread, mixed with the acidity of tomato, combined with the aroma, respectively of the oregano, garlic or basil, and with the flavor of the cooked mozzarella. The pizza, at the end of the cooking process, will emanate a characteristic aroma, at once perfumed and fragrant. There you have it. If you want to believe this author, go with the Neapolitan, it's my favorite type (if you're in NYC get it at Lombardi's, Grimaldi's, etc.). But if you want the best slice, go to NY Penn Station, to Don Pepe's near the Krispy Kreme. It's a secret, only 500,000 commuters know about it. It really is the best, though. And next time Tony's flipping your dough up in the air, ask him if his Neapolitan pie is certified by the VPN. You don't have to, but I just want you to get laughed at.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

For Prospective Parents Most of you have probably seen these already, but I thought I would just pass on the wisdom anyway: I have like 20 more of these, by the way. Someone just tell me they want to see more and I'll post the rest. I'm always seeking affirmation, thanks.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Hey you, check this out. It's fun. Thanks, Wendell.

Monday, March 17, 2008

My first cricket... I was walking past Grand Central Terminal the other week and I saw some freebies being handed out on the street. I thought they were free samples of food, but after I got one I looked at it and they were dead, flavored crickets: Funny enough this was a promotion for the show Bizarre Foods, which I had just started watching lately. These things don't seem to have that much nutritional value. Only .5g protein and 9 calories? I think it's time for the cricket eaters to push for organic. Anyway, I decided to dive in and see what all the fuss was about, and these are pretty much the results. Please excuse the attire and, for clarification, I'm using tongs not chopsticks: So how did it taste, you ask? It was kind of like an unpopped popcorn kernel...pretty much just shell. I think I was really disgusted by the sour cream and onion flavoring. God, I hate sour cream and onion.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Man oh Manning This Superbowl will be so super! After watching the playoff games, this may turn out to be the better matchup over Pats - Cowboys... Packers, etc. I'll tell you why... the strengths of one team will offset the strengths of the other team making it, hopefully, competitive. The passing game of Brady & Co. has been the thing that has boosted them during the regular season. I think the Giants will neutralize that with their amazing secondary. It's such a great thing seeing good defense in any sport nowadays. I think it takes more focus to play that role compared to the offensive side, and people who excel defensively never get the spotlight unless it's the only thing working for a team. Anyway, for the Patriots I see their strength being their run game lately, and also the way they protect Brady. The Giants really need to get that first step and, more importantly, collapse that pocket, because only when Brady gets hit and starts to feel shaky is when it shows in his passing. I keep saying what the Giants need to do because they're the underdogs here. They're the ones who are going to have to learn "on the job" much quicker during one game than the other team. The Giants only really found their groove in the latter half of the season on into the playoffs, but the Patriots had it the whole time. Damn, F the Patriots! The more I think about them, the more I hate them. Boston doesn't deserve to have all of these championship teams, at least not all at one time. For godssakes, how about some parity, people. I guess I shouldn't rail against parity because then the Giants wouldn't even be in this year. Well, I'm not going to make a prediction this year. I will predict without a shred of confidence, that it will be a close game. I will also predict that Tom Petty will blow big chunks, but the caliber of commercials will be of a higher quality as compared to last year. I believe there will be a great Bud commercial involving some type of animal and a hot chick (or 2 different commercials dealing with each separately). I think they'll also unveil the trailer for the new Indiana Jones movie and for a Godfather prequel. OK, maybe the Godfather one is a stretch, but it'd be cool to see them do a new Godfather and completely CGI Marlon Brando, ha! Actually, they should just dig him up and dress him like Bernie, that would be a hoot. OK, I'm clearly done here.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Thought this was interesting: Mark Malkoff Lives in IKEA This, too: First Pay Toilet in NYC $.25 per use... It's funny that it now costs more to make a public phone call than to have your waste evacuated. They should charge by the turd. Now, what's there to talk about... what's there to talk about... ahh, yes, the primaries. Well, Iowa showed once again how insignificant they are. I guess one could say that they have their finger on a pulse that's non-existent. I mean, Huckabee? wtf?!! I think registered Republicans are thinking, "who can we nominate that we hate the least?" or, "who is our best chance of beating Obama or Clinton?" If I were to vote on that side, my man would be Ron Paul. He believes in the Constitution and would probably do all that he could do to protect it. His mega-flaw is his timidity--he seems too grateful at times and not outspoken enough. But a Mike Gravel-Ron Paul matchup would be so friggin sweet. Although, it won't probably won't line up that way. I can see Clinton winning only because she has more experience at the federal level. It took a lot for Obama to vote against the war which should automatically push him into the White House, given how tough a decision that was at the time. But most Americans will probably look past that. I see Clinton as someone who knows how to play the game, but isn't willing to change the game much. Obama seems as if he wants to change the game but doesn't want to play the game. If Clinton is elected, look for universal health care, and if Obama is elected, look for a completely different foreign policy. The primaries/caucuses have been fun to watch this year because they're so unpredictable. This election year is a really unique one and one that everyone should be engaged in. It's truly an open election, meaning that for the first time in a long time, there is no sitting Pres. or VP who is running for election. These are all new candidates for us to judge on a somewhat blank slate. This is the year for the independent voter. If you feel as if you're waiting for the right time to learn about these issues and vote, well this is a good year to start learning about it. The next person in the White House wants to undo or change a lot of things, so that person could have a great impact on the way America does business, even on the way each of us lives. Don't think so? If Huckabee gets elected, he wants to eliminate an income tax. Think that doesn't apply directly to you? But, Januel, where do they stand on the issues, you say. Look here, says I.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Hey, if you really want to reminisce, check out http://www.ratemyteachers.com. It's advised that you look at the website with former classmates. And if you didn't go to school then disregard this post. Actually, you're probably not even understanding this right now because you might not be able to read. This site got me thinking about my old teachers and which ones were major influences and which ones were garbage. It's strange how you have to go through different experiences in your life to, only now, understand how great a teacher was--and that person didn't even have to be teaching something that is even remotely related to what you are doing today. I guess it's because passion and loyalty for something is never more visible in anyone than in the face of a teacher. And these days, it's hard to find those qualities in many people regardless of what field they're in. We respect people who are good at what they do and who love what they do. But teachers are different because their passion actually changes your life in some way, and that's a pretty unique thing that no one else can really lay claim to. My favorite teacher was a teacher of theology in high school and he didn't tell me what to think, but that it was OK to think and question things that were, prior to that point, a "given." So, Mr. Dellanno, if you're reading this, I just want to say, what the hell are you doing on my site, stalking me? you perv, get lost! Any teachers influence you all out there?

Friday, September 07, 2007

Ya sas from Crete! We've made landfall in the land of Zeus and we are now getting used to our surroundings. Here are just a few observations so far after day 1 (well, technically, day 2, since we spent day 1 on a plane). 1 - The Greeks are very proud people. Almost every building is painted in the Greek colors of blue and white; the same goes for all the signposts, restaurant interiors, chairs, walls, etc. We couldn't imagine the US getting away with the same things. I'll bet even Americans wouldn't tolerate the same thing at home. Being here in Greece, I'm surprised they didn't color everything right down to the toilet paper (although, if there is a country that has a brown and white flag, then I believe that I did them justice). 2 - The Greeks are hospitable. Now, I'm not one to speak in generalizations and of course, we didn't speak to every Grecian for me to come to this conclusion, but, obviously we don't have the time nor the means to stay with old Mama Nikodopolous and see how the "real" Greece lives and acts. However, I do believe that you can get a good sense of the people from just the merchants that the normal tourist would interact with (away from the metropolitan areas). Our rental car driver was the first Grecian whom we spoke to and he was very nice and very direct. He spoke openly and honestly, but not in a crass way. He gave me his opinion on his personal life, tourism on the island and even baseball and the Yankees. 3 - To drive like a Greek is to drive like a crazy person. I ended up renting a standard shift car for our time here in Crete and Santorini. I've only driven a stick shift a few times so this was very much a trial by fire and, unfortunately, these fires are pretty damn hot. The drivers like to tailgate you to get you to move faster and if you don't pull to the side, then they just pass you on their one-lane roads. It's also nifty how the motorcyclists drive at night without their headlights. I am probably over-exaggerating as we have been making our way around pretty well but I haven't driven during the busy times, yet so that is yet to be discovered. I guess with any country if you drive safely, you'll avoid any problems. 4 - Many "colorful" smells. Already passing through some areas of Europe, I've noticed a thread that binds European Community countries, and that thread would be a smelly one. The stories are true about body odor and I just get on my knees and thank God for our soap. Please, don't extrapolate my views to the European population as I am just speaking based on my experiences with a handful of European tourists, but body odor does exist and it exists in large doses here. 4 - Greek food is great. Not only that, but the local Cretan liquor is extremely strong. I think it's called raki and when we tried it, it almost burned our throats. I think we'll need a few more tries in order to get used to it. After all we can't offend the locals, right? We've been enjoying an excellent honeymoon so far and we'll try to post pics on here when we can. The architecture is beautiful here. Our hotel is on the beach and Nikos, the owner, is very friendly. Hopefully, I'll have more stories in the next post.