journalman's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proof That Things Sometimes DO Work Out -- Pre-Belizian Bliss I am truly, genuinely happy. This has been one incredible day, and the days that lie ahead are even more promising. The two giant pillars of my present happiness are as follows: 1) I leave for Belize in three hours. My bags are packed, and I await admission to a 11 sun-kissed days of sailing and diving in the worlds (second) most magnificent coral reefs. If I e-mail you, chances are I've sent you this link (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/galleries/belize/photo2.html). Copy and paste that (sans parentheses) and hope that I'm enjoying that to its absolute maximum in real life. I work hard... I pound NY's pavement very hard. It's time to get out of dodge. I'm ready for the trip. I haven't smoked in weeks and weeks, I waltzed into a discount retail store today and $ 16 later, I walked out with a waterproof watch that keeps 2 time zones, has a light, and an alarm with snooze. It even has a 10-year battery and tells you what day of the week it is. It's the perfect travel watch. Best of all, it's not at all dressy... it doesn't make you look like a "rich American". I often take my watch off and put it in my pocket, (mess up my hair, untuck my shirt...) before I negotiate with street vendors. I think the watch and shoes are the first 2 things they look at before pricing their handicrafts. And most significantly, I took a leap and got my back and shoulders waxed(!) right along with my eyebrows. Screw it, I said. I'm going to the Caribbean, there's shared quarters, I'm not THAT hairy (at all), but you know what? I'm completely baby smooth now. It feels LOVELY. It looks even better. It actually didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would. Eyebrows hurt much, much more. Oy vey, I couldn't fathom around more sensitive areas (thank you to all women who have done this for their men.) On the boat, I actually look forward to being subservient to my wisecracking friend, the captain.. Eleven of us are sharing a very nice catamaran with sails & six cabins. The captain is a damn good friend, and he organized this incredible trip for us. Even when at our expense, we laugh at his jokes because the captain went to military school, and that is how the world makes sense to him. The world ALSO makes sense to him only when he puts together absolute dream vacations for his friends, brings spearguns in case sharks encircle us, and all he asks for in return is a little bit of respect as cappy. Done. Sign me up.
My commute shrinks from 45 minutes to 15. By bicycle, the ride (including a breathtaking spin over the Brooklyn Bridge), will take no more than a half hour to work. For our backyard, I plan on putting in a planting bed, a hammock, and an outdoor fireplace. Roommate wants to hang Japanese lanterns throughout the rear yard. My parents have a tremendous amount of 'extra' patio furniture that they'll never even notice missing. The apartment even has a long, private entry hallway that has a ton of neat storage. We plan to make shoe-removal mandatory, and we'll have a bench with slippers at the end of the hallway, where the apartment entrance is. Somebody asked me today, "why not Manhattan?". I thought about it, and it just boils down to 'size'. I think Roommate and I get along very well... exceptionally well, even. I credit this in part to the large size of our current apartment. We're never a nuisance to one another... the place is big enough. The next place is even BIGGER. After living in Manhattan for over a decade, I've lived in all kinds of places, big and small. I think I'm really going to be happy here. 3) (Secret bonus kicker) Cabinetmakers have arrived in my office and are installing a beautiful unit on one wall that will house various goodies. And to tie it all together... my apartment is so new, they haven't even furnished the refrigerator yet. Coincidentally, we have a 2-year old fridge in the office that is being replaced by the counter unit. My new landlord immediately agreed to buy it from us. Done. End of story. The stars aligned today, my friends. Wish me a lovely journey & love/kisses to everybody. I'll be back on March 6. QUOTES: "I am feeling how soft my back is, and all of a sudden I really want to eat pu**y" "The Blue Hole - Not just a date at the morgue". - Captain
12:40 a.m. - 2006-02-24 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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