who knew...

So, yeah, I figured out how to use youtube. Here's Day 02

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and here's Day 03 sucks, cuz the timing seems to have gotten a little off when I uploaded... the exploding picture break thing happens right on time in Quicktime on my computer... sad.

without

So far today, I've done several strange things. Or, more accurately, not done several normal things. Zero caffeine. Zero cigarettes smoked. Zero alcohol consumed. Zero driving in my car. Zero dollars spent.

And what strikes me the most is that I'm most stricken by the number of dollars spent. (that was "zero") There was a small battle this morning to determine whether Dunkin Donuts or Owen's Bagels would get my breakfast business. In the end, the leftover fried rice from last night won out. Then there was the question of lunch... the last 6 Teeter-Totters or whatever they're called was an easy call in that situation tho. (you know... the girl scout cookies with chocolate covering peanut butter... red box... Teeter-Totters.) It's kind of dinner time now... I kind of want to go to McDonald's, get a bottle of wine, and a pack of Camel lights. So far, however, I've managed to just clean my house, do dishes, figure out how to put a Flash project on youtube, and watch The Velvet Underground. Not bad.


Kind of the idea I was thinking about but now have totally lost is that it was annoying to me that each decision today had an answer that involved spending money and an answer that did not involve spending money. And, pretty much every time, I had to consciously disallow myself from choosing the one that involved spending money. It's not right to find it somewhat difficult to go one entire day without actually handing someone some money, is it? Or maybe it's totally normal. It just seems weird.

And this is the end of Day 5 without caffeine, but it turns out that a couple cups of coffee a day seems to be more likely good for you than bad, so I guess I'm going back on that drug. Probably in just a minute. Coffee. The Youth Minister's Coor's Light.


Oh yeah. I also wondered something the other day about something to do with the things that the people who clean up your stuff after you die will find. It was kind of interesting. I mentioned something about not having the finger tips of little girls in my freezer. But that was probably the highlight... maybe it wasn't so interesting after all.

And sometimes, doesn't it seem like it would be nice to just completely shut out everything about the outside world completely and just focus on one thing you really want to accomplish? Like for a week? But if it's really good, you're going to need a bigger room.

I'm going to McDonald's now.

Back to London

After we were in Amsterdam for about a week, we went back to London for the weekend. I don't like London. I didn't like it the last time I went, and I didn't particularly like it this time. Amsterdam is a MUCH nicer place to visit. And not just because the pot is legal. But I digress...
The first night we were there, we went straight to a pub to eat. Allison had a beer . Well, we both had a beer. Actually beerS. And they weren't actually that expensive... considering that everything over there is twice as expensive as it is over here anyway. Stupid USA. (have I ever mentioned anywhere that I really REALLY fucking hate george bush? Not that it's necessariliy related, but still...) Somehow we managed to start talking to some guys that were sitting behind us... in particular, this guy named Victor. (I might be spelling it wrong... if so, that sucks, and I'm an ass.)
After a while, Viktor's girlfriend Alie (I also might be spelling that wrong... I totally suck) joined us as well... After a few, they invited us into their abode which was this SWEET pseudo-underground apartment thing just a couple of blocks from the bar. I have no idea how late we stayed there, but it was LAAATE. I only know that I didn't take any pictures for some reason, lots and lots and lots of alcohol was drunk, and it definitely made me like London better. Even tho Victor is from Amsterdam (that's how the conversation started!) and Allie was from South Africa via Saudi Arabia. Cool. CityBag. If you hear of it, it's Victor's. Hopefully.
After crazy night out with our newfound foreign friends (where WE were the foreigners), we managed to actually wake up and try to do something... or go somewhere... which turned out to be more difficult than it should have been. We couldn't quite exactly figure out where we wanted to go... and, when we did, we didn't know what bus to take. And then it was kind of raining, and Allison had her hair all cute for later functions of the day... I tried my best to save it with this make-shift hat. If you see this in London today, it was our fault. (The same, I suppose, with weird chopped up sideburns) Allison posed for three photos - The Wistful Look, The Pensive Look, and The Suggestive Look. Magnum? What's Magnum?
After some debate, we (probably *I* b/c I'm an ass) decided that we should walk down to the British Museum. Which might be my favorite place in London.... They had this here rock as well as a bunch of dead people. Really really really dead people. Last time I was there they also had a bunch of old books and a copy of the Magna Carta and... just stuff that I couldn't find this time. A guide or something overheard us talking about the Magna Carta and said that it had been moved to the British Library about 4 years ago. Suck. I was definitely interested in seeing that and some of the old Shakespeare stuff again.
Oh. And they had this on display too... I have no idea wtf that is supposed to be, but it's got to be the ugliest display in the entire museum. Which, I suppose, is saying a lot considering there's that picture of the gooey rotted mummy above...
After hanging at the Museum for a while, we met Victor and Allie again at a Dutch Pancake house for bitter balls and pancakes. Somehow we didn't get pancakes when we were in Amsterdam... although we did have waffles and ice cream and cherries. Holy shit. Maybe the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. (I think I can say that with a straight face.) Anyway... we hung out with them at this place which was really quite good and Victor made us have sweet pictures taken of ourselves...
Having had enough of the silliness, we headed back to the hotel to get ready. Allison's boss was kind enough to give us money for (what turned out to be) this really really really really great restaurant called Asia de Cuba. (14 St. Martin's Lane... I don't know why I remember that) It ended up that we didn't actually HAVE to dress up, but we did. We were hot. Kind of.
I didn't even drink a lot, but I somehow managed to end up looking like this after the meal. (damn, it was good!)
In an effort to get rid of all that awesome food, we zapped on the Underground down to the Tower of London. It was kind of sad that it was so dark (for us) b/c we couldn't photograph much. The easy thing to photograph was, naturally, The Tower Bridge.
As we walked around the Thames, we took about a zillion pictures. Most of bridges. Here's only a few...
'tis London Bridge... at night. Walking around the Thames at night really only affords one photo opportunities of bridges...	And these were at the end of the Millenium Foot Bridge on the North side of the Thames on the way to St. Paul's Cathedral. You can't see Allison very well, but I thought it was a neat idea for a picture.	While we were walking we came upon this play that was just kind of randomly happening near the banks of the river. I don't know what it is, and we didn't stay very long, but I thought it was neat that you could just happen to come across a play.
	And then we had to leave. This is Allison demonstrating the saddness at the airport. We were supposed to go back and see Allie and Victor, but we tried calling four times and had our money taken or the phone was broken every time. It sucked; definitely would have liked to have hung out once more before leaving. Ah... bygones, Allie... bygones.

This is now the longest journal entry ever, and I refuse to proofread it. Especially since I'm already pretty sure I spelled both names wrong. And I don't know if sarcasm translates well into Dutch.

Tourists in London

Looks like I'm bored again... Pictures from our first day in London...

Allison in front of the Buckingham Palace gates...	And the "palace" itself...mostly... it's not all that pretty.	And Allison in front of Big Ben... from afar.
A couple of the pictures we took while walking through St. James park. I used to know the name of that body of water, but I forgot... maybe something as stupid as "St. James River." Even though it doesn't look like a river on the map. I dunno.
I've been to London twice. Neither time have I actually gone into Westminster Abbey. Annoying. I'm actually in this photo... under the "Give Way" sign...	And this is just the side of Parliament... kind of neat, but nothing overly special.	And here we're about to head back to the airport to go to Amsterdam. 'tis me in front of Victoria Station.

This is the first time in years that I've updated this from a client instead of directly on the webpage. I hope it works.