from friday to new york

friday 6th, 2.30am (at least):

too - much - playstation. that motorstorm is addictive. my thumb hurts.

...

i got a ride to the office, and got stuck into the anthology until SxS arrived and left me chatting with one of ze germans on skype. some of the conversation was quite interesting - he was horrified that i would do something so financially irresponsible as to go back to university, especially when it's for something unrelated to my career.

i thought about it all a few times since - i've come to the conclusion that while there could definitely be easier times to do it, now is without any doubt the best opportunity in context of where my head's been for the past... decade. i'm pretty damn sure that i'm doing the right thing, even if it's not the smart thing.

it usually isn't :P

i went with to the office depot (very impressive, compared to the israeli version) then returned to that area by myself to visit at&t. great service! and although they don't have accessible wifi, they weren't embarrassed to send me to the subway thirty metres down where i could call SxS on skype :)

a bit later i did the same on the office network to call my mother on skype - i have come to the conclusion that a world with constant access would definitely be a better one. since then, i've seen the iphone in action (the lack of service worldwide prevented me from seeing it in all its glory) and that experience has only strengthened my conviction.

we stopped by a petrol station (a lá clerks) on the way home; not only did i find salt and vinegar pringles, but it turned out that they were produced in israel (where you can't find them).

of *course*. *facepalm*

the evening was as chilled as it gets: swimming pool, dinner, console gaming. now - i sleep.

---
oh, shit. the bad news for the day: the new kindle is out. it makes it a mission to purchase an old one (eh?!) and it renders it obsolete to the point where it is, in fact, preferable to lug around the anthology in india and wait a couple of months to make the purchase.

i probably would've been pissed if i *had* secured one before finding this out. one simply can't win.

---
my digestive system's doing weird stuff. i can't tell if it's acid reflux (which would indicate, however unlikely, the successful eradication of my h. pylori friends) or ye olde lactose intolerance's pizza nightmare (i *had* to treat myself to a dairy dessert earlier).

---
friday, approaching lunchtime:

i woke up uncomfortable - i hope i'm not coming down with something. i dragged myself out of bed for breakfast, was introduced to the ipad by a four year-old and then stretched out on the couch to watch a bug's life.

i wonder if i have time for a nap before we go out to eat...

---
pre-shabbat dinner:

it's nice to bring flowers and have them received with enthusiasm - i'm really unfamiliar with the whole experience.

we didn't meet for lunch today, so i slapped together a sandwich and grabbed a yoghurt, uncomfortably conscious of the fact that my b12 programme may not be working out.

see - today i began worrying about hair loss. i washed my hair and watched bits of it floating in the sink. not tufts or anything, but in enough quantity to make me suspect that i'm not absorbing quite enough from the pills and my general diet improvements.

bummer.

i watched a show on rhinos and finished reading about gawain (yay! on to chaucer!) before heading upstairs for a quick nap that lasted over an hour and a half.

then it was time to go shopping.

---
sunday, august 8th:

9.30am
mid-morning wake-up: it's been a rough day and a half.

friday night: dinner was great. afterwards, i watched SxS's brother playing starcraft 2 until SxS was ready - it took him a while, he appeared to be suffering from the hollywood mean on wednesday night (is that possible? or did we pick up a bug from somewhere?)...

after much patience and nervous spoiler avoidance, i was taken to the imax in fort lauderdale to see inception. that was *TOTALLY* worth the effort! an insanely beautiful, clever and elegant movie!

walking out of there and into downtown revelries was a decidedly dreamy experience - we caught a cab back to SxS's friend's place and spent the rest of the morning watching pirates of the caribbean (all sighs for kiera as king of pirates).

aside from enjoying that thoroughly (in spite of the exaggerated snoring and flatulence from the diggs-mate sleeping on the couch), i spent the night attempting "inception" on myself - i have had a revelation.
i have spent many years unable to submit to a higher power, attempting to perform and take responsibility for all of god's tasks in spite of the fact that i know that "he" will take care of everything.
it doesn't matter which aspect of myself is in charge, and leaving things in god's hands will leave my ego less taxed / stressed. maybe *that* is why my hair's falling out.

"and now, it's time for us... to give a little love BACK to god"
- ministry - psalm 69

there's a well-known story about footsteps in the sand; to keep with that metaphor, every time god's tried to carry me i've stubbornly been trying to keep my feet on the ground.

---
saturday was spent in bed. in the evening, SxS and i went to the cheesecake factory for a great dinner, after which i was handed over to reflection. the two of us went to fetish factory to window shop, then to his place to watch videos until it was time to go.

we stopped at moonlight diner on the way - great place, great pancakes! too much, though - i need to start ordering half (human) portions...

the club (Xit) was very cool, the music was great, the girls good looking (and dressed to kill - sexy steampunk? HELL yeah!) and everyone in general really nice and easygoing... the only problem here is that there are so few people in the scene that the evening was really low energy... and by 2.30am i was falling over.

luckily SxS was still around and about - we met up with him at a burger king (grand milkshake) and i shivered (a cold grand milkshake) all the way back to boca.

i can't believe this week is almost done.

---
monday, august 9th:

6am
almost done packing - i'm going to miss this place big-time...

we went shopping for a universal adapter yesterday, and came home with something that proved less than useful. at least the hotdog stand outside made the trip worthwhile.

we drove up A1A to look at the houses on the other side of the intercoastal, then sat down at an aussie-style restaurant called outback for great steaks. i enjoyed it immensely, but was made a little homesick for cape town.

after saying goodbye and thanking my hosts, i passed out in front of speed of life - phenomenal documentary.

---
almost 10am, on the plane

i couldn't keep my eyes open on the drive to miami... i don't know how SxS managed.

outdoor check-in? the clerk "did me a favour" by not charging the american airlines "check-in fee" ($25) - what the hell is that?! he then (unsubtly) suggested that a tip would be greatly appreciated, but i didn't have any small bills on me.

i walked into the building with the unsettling sensation that my luggage and i would not be arriving simultaneously...

the subway 6" bacon & egg breakfast (plus giant coffee) was excellent, although i strongly suspect that the girl ripped me off. and what is it with spanish being the primary spoken language in miami???

i've been reading the introduction to the canterbury tales - as long as the narrator's voice (in my head) speaks with a scottish accent, it's mostly easy to understand.

i'm fairly certain i'm going to fade away as soon as the caffeine boost wears off.

...

flight inspectors are supposed to do things by the book. we had to wait for an hour before taking off because some idiot hadn't signed to log-book.

geez.

---
new york, 3pm

there are screaming babies on aeroplanes, and we deal with them. the little girl behind me, however, was too old for the infant pass and screamed and bawled and sobbed and wailed and yelled way past any amount of time that could be considered reasonable.

i *really* wanted to smack her mother.

i happily found my luggage (and didn't have to wait very long, either) and walked out of the building straight onto the shuttle. i'm glad i walked from grand central - it wasn't a long way, and it got me excited.

i think i'm going to like it here.

...

walking randomly, eating a great bagel for lunch, and abusing starbucks' wireless - soy caramel frappucino? fantastic.