Entries this day: Dream Hiatus gin_in_Potes_Cantabria-Espana

Dream

8:55am CDT Tuesday 24 September 2002

(dream)

In a library writing html to represent entries in a checkbook register, I was just hardcoding all the entries themselves, and then realized that it would be much easier in the long run to write a template and let the entries be stored in a database and let the comptuer format them nicely.

I paced around the library a bit and my laptop power cord got stuck on the opposite side of a shelf than where I had been so I untangled it and woke up.

Hiatus

10:56am CDT Tuesday 24 September 2002

Ok, I'm going to take a computer hiatus for a bit, right after I synchronize my journal and emails.. (I have just caught up on livejournal, that real life soap opera of all my YRUU peeps (all that I know of), and read a long article about how the acceleration of technology is likely to fuck us (humans) up pretty harshly within 30 years as we reach the singularity.) Actually, I'm not. Fuck it. I'm going to go jump on the trampoline and write some letters, not necessarily in that order.

Oh, and study Japanese.

5:18pm

Studied japanese while laying on the hammock and bouncing on the trampoline, both standing and on my back.

Lisa came home a bit early from work; Julie was sick at school. Not more sick than a quick nap at home could apparently solve. She was trampolining a bit with me and we're about to go to her soccer game in a few minutes.

While bouncing on the tramp on my back, tossing a plastic bottle of lotion in the air (it's amazing the kinds of things one can think to do while on vacation), I caught the bottle close to my face and my thumbnail cut my nose, right on the underside tip, like a booger scooper slightly off target. It didn't bleed much, but it still sorta stings. I did wash it off.

In the past, I've wondered if I can write japanese characters here in emacs and then get them to show up correctly on my site. Let's see:

- - - -

Oh my gosh I don't think I mentioned this from last night. Over the past few weeks I've been slightly infatuated with Eminem. Janette and i would listedn and listen and listen over and over to Eminem Show album and I've been listening to a compilation of Eminem Show and Marshal Mathers LP (I think) since I left Dallas.

Anyway, I was talking randomly with Lisa and Hannah last night and I mentioned Eminem or something and Lisa goes, "oh my brother in law just made a movie with Eminem."

And I go, "

                       (blank look)

Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wait. Your brother in law just made a movie with Eminem." My brain is like, holy shit, that puts me three people away from knowing Eminem.

"What's the big fat hairy deal?" I can hear you asking (actually I can hear Colleen saying that).

Have you listened to his lyrics? So funny and so creative and so many rhymes! And such lengual dexterity I've never heard before. Plus he's hilarious! And the music ain't too shabby neither. And, um, oh very catchy stuff. I love it. And I also am really pleased with him being able to make some fat cash doing what he loves to do. Just like The Beastie Boys, and they are equally awesome in an entirely different way.

So I think it would be pretty cool to meet him, or at least to write him a letter to check in as a fan. (I've looked for his address online and found nothing.)

7:07pm

Game is over. This was the most stressful job I've had while on my trek. I was the flag person for this side of the field. I had to think for a second each time the ball went out to figure out which way to point the flag. Quite traumatic. Especially when I miscalled a direction! D'oh! It was a subtle hit by the other team so it was mostly out on the team that I called, but I called wrong. Sigh. Fortunately I didn't get paid any dollars, and the fate of the game was not hinged on that one play. Our team won 7 to 0.

8:21pm

Oh my gosh. Random chatting with Lisa and I find out that they never have homework on Wednesday nights because 80% of the population is Baptist, and they have church on Wednesdays. Lisa's kids love it. Being Unitarian, they don't have church *or* homework on Wednesdays.. Wow!

- - - -

We walked along the river, talking randomness and I called my dad for his birthday; I sang him Hippo Birdy Two Ewes on his answering machine.

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones was in the local $2 theater, and Lisa hadn't seen it, so we went to see it. Lisa and I were half of the people in the theater.

Piled into the hot tub and now it's time for bed.

gin in Potes Cantabria Espana

date: 24 september 2002
from: gin
subj: Gin in Potes,Cantabria-Espa–a

Na-Nu-Na-Nu!Ê I am occasionally reminded that these electronic mind
blasts are going out to people who do not usually read english, but
never-fear, even some people who do understand my words do not
understand me at all. I hopeÊan underlying feeling comes through.Ê
Love and rage, fire and earth, wildÊand wilder...?Ê I have finally
arrived at the base of yet more incredible mountains.Ê These are Los
Pecos De Europa, the Peaks of Europe, and my how spectacular...

ÊÊÊÊÊ My voyage out of the Basque Country was one of those roads that
I got lost on, only because any other road would have taken me in any
other direction than west, where my final destination point rests.ÊÊI
took that cow path west instead of north-east.Ê It ended in the woods
on a mountain side, so on my usual 'don't look back' course, i
continued up the mountain wishing for a mountain road.Ê I still
reserve the wish list, for it seems most of my wishes come true, so i
choose them carefully, after accepting whatever consequences might
come of it.Ê Up the mountain, passing a timely water spring leaking
out of the mountain, and to a road!ÊÊ On the way up the road every car
stopped and asked me if i wanted a lift.Ê I did not even make it to
the top before a guy stopped and told me there was a refuge at the top
where i could stay for the night.Ê I made it to the top and was given
a house and a key.Ê At the top of this sierra (1100 meters) in the
very corner of the Basque CountryÊ(i had thought i left) was a village
of sheep herders.Ê There was even a young woman staying in one of the
cabins.Ê We all had great laughs, they invited me to stay for weeks.Ê
I stayed two nights, the second night going down to a town in the
state of Burgos for a fiesta.Ê It was an excellent way to leave the
Basque Country.Ê IÊmade a little study of the Basque Country.Ê Also
trying to find out what is up with the ETA (the terrorists!).Ê While i
was in Euskal Herria (the greater Basque Country) one ofÊ the
nationalist political parties was illegalized.Ê Wow, 250,000 voters
illegalized!Ê Those folks are terminally pissed.Ê I never got to the
bottom of why that many people think it is more or less ok to kill
innocent folks in the name of independence from Spain.Ê I was given a
Basque flag, of which i has wished for many years ago.Ê I now know not
to show it to anyone, less i create more controversy than usual.Ê I am
fascinated by this part of the world, and the intense history and
culture that has brewed here.

ÊÊÊÊ I am now in my last valley of Cantabria.ÊÊ I have seen these
"Peaks" for a week or so, at the top of almost every mountain i have
climbed.Ê From the tops, to the north i can see the Atlantic-The
Cantabria Sea, to the west has been these mountains, and to the east,
every mountain in a easterly direction are the mountainsÊi have
passed.Ê The people here are of a special breed as well.Ê When i
crossed from Burgos into Cantabria i met a farmer that was a giant.Ê
Blonde and almost 2 meters!Ê I thought, this Viking is no Basque.Ê Two
days later, and passing a few more with this dramatic build, i was on
a mountain top and I passed a group of archaeologists.Ê The director
of the project thought i had climbed the mountain toÊjoin the
excavation.Ê When he asked i said, "Sure I did!"ÊIÊgot a tour, saw the
areial photos and photos of theÊtreasures they have found and joined
the group.Ê It did feel like a cult.Ê I learned that they were
excavating an ancientÊdwelling of the Cantabros, the Celtic people
that lived here 2000 years ago (explaining the giants).Ê The Cantabros
lived on the mountain tops because the valleys are/were too humid.Ê
Also, the tops are easier to defend.ÊÊYet, unlike the Basques, the
Romans conquered Cantabria, and the mountain tops were remodeledÊinto
elaborate Roman forts.Ê This one was for a battalion or
twoÊ(5000-10,000 soldiers).Ê I am very interested in pre-roman
civilization, but after a day of digging, and feeling like i was being
assimilated into the circle of 15 "arqueologos", i bowed out and made
my route towards where i am now.Ê I prefer digging for crystals.Ê Some
history just slaps me wrong.Ê The imperialists leave me wondering what
kinds of things they destroyed.ÊMy own present imperialist country
included. ÊI know itÊis a cycle, and it all has its place, but for
right or wrong, some bones are better left buried, or unslaughtered.

ÊÊÊÊÊÊ The Equinox has passed, the falling leaves and cold winds and
rains present different insights.Ê The mountain roads, like many
paths, lead nowhere fast.Ê I know i am loved at home, and i look
forward to being there, sometimes it is an echoingÊlonging.Ê Yet, i
shall not pass this way again.Ê It is like licking a tootsie-pop
(bon-bon) and searching for the carmel in the middle.Ê I am not in the
middle, i am on the sweet outskirts.Ê I have been gifted 5 whiffs of
the most delightful smell of my life, i could not find the flower, so
the mystery remains.Ê I stop and talk to everyone that wants to talk.Ê
I answer all their questions, and assure them my fear has nothing to
do with the potential dangers presented to me on this walk.Ê The
tender good-byes of the people from this area are not to be
forgotten.Ê There are no good-byes without a list of good wishes to
pave my way with luck and ease.Ê An elderly woman invited me in her
house this morning for coffee.Ê She apologized sincerely for not
having fresh cows milk.ÊShe recently had operations on both knees.Ê I
did not have to ask why, a lifetime on the side of such a mountain,
even a year or 3, would take its toll on the knees.Ê Such love in the
world.Ê Such suffering to complete the balance.

ÊÊÊÊÊ The last days it has been raining, and hence foggy.Ê I climbed
two mountain ranges without being able to enjoy the fruit of my
labor...the view from the top.Ê It was a great surprise to wake up
this morning and see the peaks right in front of me.Ê I am on the GR
71(Grande Rondonee or Gran Recorrido= big walking trail).Ê I have been
on many GR routes, and this has been one of the best.Ê I look back and
almost everything has been the best, so it is hard to say.Ê I have
about 500 KM left, possibly less.Ê I do ask myself everyday if this is
still my way,Êmy time to make this happen.Ê I am getting to the center
slowly, enjoying the conversations and sensations of every other bar,
of the forests, the animals, the people along the way.Ê The deer are
mating in the mountains now, and the bucks (the size of horses) groan
all night long.Ê They sound like suffering cows, sometimes elephants
or wolves.ÊÊ Yesterday they were not even scared when i walked by, but
among the many fears people try to implant in me are those that the
bucks attack women.Ê I roll my eyes and fight the fear, with respect.

ÊÊÊÊÊÊ Sometime tomorrow evening i will probably walk out of
Cantabria, and into Asturias.Ê After Asturias is Galicia (the 2
northern provinces). I was told yesterday i walk the distance and with
the same weight on my back as the soldiers in the Roman Legions.Ê I do
feel like a private in my private army.Ê Marching along to a song, or
the silence.Ê I know i have come to the area of the rains, and when it
rains i don't sing my rain song, i figure, 'let it rain'.Ê I sing my
rain song for the sun, and love the time for what it is, and try not
to look too hard for what it is not.Ê It will all come.Ê I hope
someone besides my mother enjoys this long letter.Ê I sing a song to
you all.Ê I hope that you can overlook the rudeness of a 'broadcast
mail', and write me back if you want.Ê Thank you for the messages you
have sent.Ê Bless you, big hugs and lots of healthy heart beats to
come.ÊÊ ultreîa,ÊÊ gin