dietsch ::

Vacation, winter, etc.

Been back from Orlando since Wednesday. My cameraphone went kaput on Sunday, so I don't have many pictures. Bah. But what I have you can see on my Flickr page.

Although everyone thinks I'm nuts, I love colder weather. I don't like icey sidewalks or streets, but I like cold. One reason why is chili. Big old pot on the stove, simmering all day. Yep. That was my Sunday. Yummmmmmmm. Goes well with Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

Also, seasoned up six more duck legs for confit. I'll cure them until Tuesday (keep it down, down) and then bake them in some fat.

As I said earlier, my cameraphone is deader than Caesar. Cingular's shipping me a new one. Let's hope I see it before the new year.

Back off!

Don't you go hurricanin' on my travel plans! Bitch.

Away

Off to Detroit Rock City for a few days to visit Jen's family. We'll have my laptop and the use of the hotel's web hookups, but no telling how often we'll be online. Try not to break the Internot while we're gone.

I see Paris

So it looks like we might be traveling this fall.

CFPin'

With a funny and insightful speech from writer Bruce Sterling, CFP2002 drew to a close this afternoon. I know I've had little to say thus far about the conference, but I greatly enjoyed it, I learned a lot, and I have much to think about--many things that I never really considered before. I'll give a full update somewhere on my site when I return. Despite having had little to say thus far about CFP, I've been mentioned on a couple CFP-related Web logs, to my surprise. I'm mentioned at cfp2002.blogspot.com and also on David Singer's blog. I chatted at some length this morning with Mr. Singer. He has a list of CFP-related blogs that you should see if you wanna know more. I've skimmed some of these, and they look great. Those of you who've talked to me about attending next year should read all these Web logs, to a feel for the CFP culture--and believe me, there's a definite CFP culture. This evening, I'm off to James Sime's Tiki party, somewhere in Oakland. James runs Comics and Da-Kind and he's hosting a party associated with Wonder Con. Tomorrow evening is Comic Relief's 15th Anniversary party. Unless it rains, I probably won't be at Wonder Con itself. There's simply too much cool stuff in San Francisco to warrant spending all day inside. I need to figure out where the hell this Tiki party is, get directions, and suss out how to get to Oakland on BART. Otherwise, I'm feeling wistful already about my time in SF winding down. I leave Sunday morning and I'm already beginning to miss it here. Le sigh.... We have one functional Internet kiosk now in the hostel, so this'll probably be my last Blog entry before I leave. I probably won't have much email access either.

CFPin'

My conference started yesterday and I suspect it'll keep me pretty busy the rest of the week, so expect less frequent updates. And, really, expect less interesting updates, assuming the updates have been interesting at all to this point. The conference has been fascinating, learning about Constitutional law, the PATRIOT act, and biometric identification techniques--so far. Tonight was the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Awards, given annually to those who've helped shaped the Internet, computer technology, or freedom and privacy issues. Among this year's winners were the Norwegian teens who cracked encryption on DVDs and created DeCSS to play DVDs on Linux. John Perry Barlow, who co-founded EFF and who also wrote lyrics for the Grateful Dead, was in attendance. Dude entered like a rockstar, with rockstar wife and rockstar clothes. We heard today from California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, a genuinely warm and witty man who's support for privacy issues is commendable. Very cool speech on his part. More later.

Alcatraz

Couple days since an update, but that's okay. I think only two people are out there anyway. Courtney, Anne: hidey-ho! (Not THAT kind of ho.) I got up to Alcatraz yesterday. I was actually rather surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The prison itself was interesting, but I really loved two things about the experience: the ranger-led tour and the island itself. The National Parks ranger who led the tour was funny and knowledgeable about the island and its history. I haven't enjoyed a guided tour this much since seeing the Tower of London back in December. The other big surprise was just how beautiful the grounds of Alcatraz Island are! The Parks Service is letting the grounds go wild, and the range of flowers, trees, and other vegetation was stunning. You'd expect the Rock to be gray, not arrayed in many colors and shapes and scents. Don't be turned off by Alcatraz. The island gets a lot of tourists, yes, but if you book an early tour, it's not so bad, and it's well worth seeing. I continued my busman's holiday, as Rory Root phrases it, with a trip to Comics and Da-Kind on Noriega Street. I walked in, browed a bit, and finally introduced myself to the proprieters, James Sime and his girlfriend Kristen. James grinned widely, stood up, offered his hand, and said, "Michael! I heard you were in town! It's nice to finally meet you!" Goddamn. I feel like a rockstar. James has a very cool shop, with overstuffed sofas for lounging, beautifully displayed Silver Age comics on the walls, a diverse and wide-ranging selection of comics from every genre, and even a stocked bar for the parties he throws his customers. Avengers artist Kieron Dwyer is among his customers and brings in finished art from the book for James to show off. And show it off James did. I was able to see pencilled and inked pages for an issue of Avengers that won't be on sale for a couple months yet. Very cool. James gave me a pass to yesterday evening's free showing of a new 3D IMAX film, shot aboard the International Space Station. Altthough the line to get in was long, the wait was worth it. The movie is beautifully filmed and the 3D effects are used fabulously. Seeing the ISS in orbit over the Earth was stunning, especially in 3D. Also, highly recommended, if you have a chance to check it out.

Still walkin'

Another full day, but a little quieter, which is nice. Colder, too, which is not so nice. Up to now, the weather here's been in the lower 70s, which I hear is balmy for SF at this time of year. Today, however, it was a good 10 - 15 degrees cooler and VERY windy. Still, though, with the sun shining and the sky cloudless, you won't hear me complain. In fact, this entire paragraph is me bragging about the weather up to now. I cable-carred up to Fisherman's Wharf this morning to reserve a ticket for Alcatraz tomorrow. I got to ride on the side again, which always makes me feel like a little kid. It's amazing that in a world that's so safety-oriented, you can still hang off the side of a San Francisco cable car as it climbs a steep hill. Next, I headed over to Columbus Street in North Beach, selected a charming little cafe, and sat outside with a scone and a double latte and read for about two hours. That was very relaxing, and with all the people about on a Sunday morning, it was quite enjoyable as well. Overall, I'm really charmed by how friendly people here tend to be. Next, I walked. And walked. And walked. I first hiked up to Telegraph Hill and photographed the surroundings. That might be one of the few places in San Francisco where you can look in one direction and see the Bay Bridge and look in the other and see Golden Gate. Gorgeous views. I was a little annoyed at all the people who drove up the hill instead of climbing it and I was even MORE annoyed at the couple who were all smoochy-smoochy over in the corner. As much fun as it is to travel, I get depressed sometimes that I spend so much of every day alone. Next, I hiked down Telegraph Hill, over to Lombard Street, and up to the curvy road you see in everyone's SF pictures. Don't be surprised: You'll see it in mine, too. Then, more walking. From Lombard, I strolled down to Market Street. I dunno how long that is, but it took me about an hour, so probably three miles at my pace. To my surprise and delight, the Farmers Market was happening today, so I grabbed a nice little picnic lunch. From there, I found the Cartoon Art Museum. Today was the last day of the Calvin and Hobbes Sunday comics display, a presentation for which Bill Watterson hand-picked Sunday strips. I was fascinated to see his original art, having been such a huge fan of his work for so long. In some cases you could still see his pencils under the inks. You could also see where he'd whited-out and redrawn certain things. For someone increasingly interested in how comics are created, to look so closely at the work of a proven master was fascinating and one of the highlights of my trip. Next, I headed out to the Castro and Mission Districts. Very cool. I loved all the great little shops in each and I really wish I had more time to really explore. I'm reminded again, though, of what a depressing monoculture Indiana really is. I had an early and wonderful dinner at Bagdad Cafe in the Castro. What a charming place. I took a window seat and was so mesmerized by people-watching that when the server brought my meal, I was startled. And I have to say, that place has the best French fries I've ever eaten. I'm not joking. They were perfectly crisp, a lovely golden-brown, and they tasted so good. Most French fries, to my taste, are bland. Not these. There was such a deep, rich, and complex earthy flavor to these, like a really fine roasted potato. I can't explain, but I was very happy. It's been a quiet day: sipping latte and reading this morning, visiting Telegraph Hill and the twisty Lombard Street, browsing the galleries at the Cartoon Art Museum, and exploring Mission and Castro. I'm back earlier than normal, so I'm going to write for a bit and then read. I've had such a satisfying day.

Cee-eff-peein'

Wow. I am an idiot. I thought my conference began Monday with tutorials and Tuesday with the formal conference proceedings. I was wrong. Well, it gives me an extra day to play, I suppose. I awoke early again today. Being exhausted by 8:30 usually means calling it a day, heading back to the hostel, doing email and Web log, and then reading for an hour or so before bed. Which then means waking up about 7. Gives me an early start, I guess, so I won't complain. I found a lovely little greasy spoon around the corner and down a block or two from the hostel. Instead of a couple danishes and a posh latte this morning, I had bacon, eggs, huge hotcakes, and bottomless coffee--all for about five bucks. My arteries have filed a restraining order against my stomach. After breakfast, I roamed through Chinatown, looking at kitschy souvenir shops and browing book and video stores. Perusing Chinese softcore is interesting, with titles like Samurai Voyeur. After Chinatown, I made my way to SFMOMA, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which is fabulous. The collection is first-rate and fascinating, and with a student discount, the price was just right. Then, Berkeley. Y'know, as beautiful as IU-Bloomington is, UC-Berkeley is even prettier. The trees are older and larger, for starters. (You'd be amazed how many trees at IU are only a hundred years or so old.) And the women. Oh god. I then stopped at Comic Relief, one of the country's best comic bookstores, two blocks from the Berkeley campus. Rory Root, the owner and proprietor, runs a shop that looks more like a bookstore than any comic shop you've ever seen. He stocks primarily graphic novels, those collections of comics into book form that you can find at any good Borders. Rory and I talked for nearly three hours about comics retailing, Berkeley and the Bay Area, and various other topics. But mostly about comics. Good man, that Rory, and it's cool to have a new friend. Three hours, we talked, and we met for the first time today. Isn't that amazing? Well, that's enough for tonight. It amuses me how many people here look at me like I'm a mutant just because I can touchtype. I see them hunt and peck and then they just stop and stare at my hands as I write.

More walkin'

Thanks to how fully exhausted I was yesterday, I slept beautifully last night. I turned in about 10:30 and dropped immediately into a deep sleep, broken an hour later when my two roommates came in and flipped on a light. I must have said something in my disequilibrium, because they both chuckled. But they laughed even harder after asking me how long I'd been here. "I just got in today from San Francisco," I muttered. After they finished freshening up and getting ready for bed, they switched off the light. I fell back into a deep sleep almost immediately. This morning, I cast about for a local breakfast eatery. Because I'm in a neighborhood filled to the gills with Asian restaurants, the first place I found suitable for breakfast was Starbucks. Lovely. I travel across three-quarters of the country to breakfast at Starbucks. Well, when you're really hungry, what are you gonna do? I bounced onto the cable car after breakfast and, after transferring, was back at Fisherman's Wharf. I left that tourist Gehenna as quickly as my feet would carry me and headed west, along the beach. I followed a scenic trail that led me to Fort Mason and eventually to Golden Gate Bridge. I don't have words to describe how lovely the morning was, so I hope my photos do it something like justice. Walking to the bridge was such a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Everyone seemed so happy, just in general. I received more smiles from pretty women this morning than I did in the previous three months in Bloomington. Perhaps they were squinting into the sun.... I eventually made my way up to the bridge and crossed over and back. By this time, a thick fog had covered the area, so the view wasn't quite what I'd hoped, but I won't complain. I snapped a picture of the San Francisco skyline arising from the mists like some modern Brigadoon, but I don't know how well it'll turn out. I briefly and insanely considered walking back into town, but my feet groaned too much to allow me to do that, so I took a bus back to Fisherman's Wharf. I lunched at a seafood restaurant in Ghirardelli Square, and then had dessert in the soda fountain. I shouldn't admit to a soul how large, decadent, and expensive that sundae was, but damn was it good. I wanted to take a cable car out of the area, but the line to get on the damn thing was literally a hundred or so people long, so I settled for a mundane bus. I meandered over to Golden Gate Park and wandered through there a bit, before heading into Haight Street. I thought Haight was a little disappointing. Sure, there's some great shops there. I browsed through a vinyl fetishists store (ahem--that's LPs and 45s, Amanda, not YOUR vinyl) and went into a wonderful place with zines and comics and Tarot and coolass books. Oh man, the damage I could have done to my bank account.... But overall, the scene wasn't much of a scene. Attire was tame--not as tame as Indiana, of course, but much tamer than I expected. One group of kids did entirely misunderstand me, though, which was funny. I walked past them but in the split second before doing so, noticed a Free Winona shirt in a shop window. As I turned back to look at the shirts more closely, I heard one kid say Oink. I didn't pay any attention and then one sniffed the air and said, "Smells like pork." I turned back and passed them again, and the same kid said, "Oh yeah. Definitely pork." Very odd. I'm sure I don't fit in there, but I hardly think I looked like a cop. Perhaps they were squinting into the sun.... I'm shamefacedly living a cliche here, I must admit. After buying Howl last night, I bought a copy today of Tales from the City. What's next? Tony Bennett's Greatest Hits? I think it's interesting, though, to read the literature of a place before or during a visit. You learn more about the culture and history of a city that way, I think, and it puts you in the mood to explore. That's all for now. I've had an odd evening as well, but I'm not sure how much detail to share with the class. Perhaps this is a story to roll out after a few drinks.

Walkin' San Fran

Busy day. Wasn't sure it would be, given how little sleep I got last night (four hours), but I did a lot today. I started with a big, early dinner in a lovely Thai restaurant near my hostel. Yummy. After acquainting myself with the cable cars, I walked The Embarcadero from the downtown area up to Fisherman's Wharf. That's a long walk, and carrying my heavy backpack made it longer, but it was beautiful. The weather today was so nice. It initially looked like it would be cloudy and drizzly, but that cleared up quickly. It was near 70 and brightly sunny. And because California's not ass-backwards like Indiana, it observes Daylight Savings Time, which meant it was light until almost 8. After such a lovely stroll, the gaudy kitsch that is Fisherman's Wharf seemed even tackier. Tourists everywhere. I shouldn't judge or complain, since I too a member of that nomadic tribe, but still... Chain restaurants, souvenir stands, Gaps and Starbucks. Damn. You want that stuff, stay at home. I made my way to Columbus St, which runs diagonally from downtown up past the Wharf. Columbus is home to many SF landmarks, including the Museum of Tattoo Art ("museum" is grandiose, but it's still very cool) and City Lights bookstore. On the walk down Columbus, I saw a line of people waiting for the evening's Ben Harper concert. Joining the line was a woman who looked uncannily like one of my Bloomington friends--right down to hair and attire. Strangely enough, I actually DID see someone I recognize from Bloomington today, but it's not someone I know well enough to talk to. As some of my friends know, I can't seem to travel anywhere without running into someone I know, someone who has a friend in common with me, or someone who has some other close connection to me. City Lights. Made famous by the Beats, this bookstore is just a quaint and niche-oriented and well-stocked as you probably imagine. I could easily have spent thrice the time and quadruple the money there that I did. My only purchase, and perhaps it's a cliche, was a copy of Allen Ginsburg's poem Howl, collected with several other of his works. By this point, my feet were swollen and achy, it was nearly 8:30, and I was exhausted, so I headed back to the nearest cable car. Along the way, I passed a little restaurant called Cafe Niebaum-Coppola, owned by the director and his wife. The cafe occupies the ground floor in a building that also houses Coppola's production company, American Zoetrope. I was still full from Thai, but the auteur oversees some delicious winemaking, so I'll have to stop in later for at least a glass or four. Time's nearly up on my Internet access, so I'll sign off.

Ha!

Ha! You bastards! I'm in San Francisco! Where are you? Oh, right. Not much to report yet, except to brag that I'm here. And, geek that I am, I checked into the hostel and went immediately to an Internet terminal. Dork = me. We flew in over the Bay, which was probably one of the prettiest sights I've seen. You could see the skyline and the Bay Bridge off in the distance. From the airport, I took a shuttle bus into town. When we rounded a bend and I got my first look at the Golden Gate Bridge, my jaw dropped. I just couldn't believe I was seeing it in person. I'm off. I need to decide what I'm doing with the rest of my day. Probably walk about a bit and get a feel for the neighborhood.

Leavin'

In less than 24 hours, I'll be here:

Home again

Well, I've returned to Bloomington. Spent yesterday (Thursday) in transit, after a morning at Harrod's. Today, I've just been doing basic housekeeping: picking up my mail from the post office, a couple packages at UPS, finishing Christmas shopping, and so forth. I'm still jetlagged a little. I got sleepy at nine pm and wondered why before realizing my body thinks it's not nine pm but two am. Anyway, although I haven't kept Blogger updated, I have a healthy set of journal writings, some of which I'll put in here for both of you who've actually been reading this. I've finally got photos developed. I'll get a few online tomorrow while I'm doing my laundry.

A-walkin' London

It's been a busy couple days, and I haven't had much time to update. A lot has happened, though, which is exactly WHY I haven't had much time to update. Let me give you a rundown of life since Thursday. I'll fill in details later. Friday: Walked from Victoria Station (where EasyInternetCafe is located) to the London Eye, on the south bank of the Thames across from Parliament. Went up in London Eye and saw nearly all the city from the air. Walked to Tate Modern and saw the Surrealism exhibit. Went back to hostel, dropped stuff off, and came back out for the Jack the Ripper Walk. Ate after the walk and dropped in bed at about midnight. Saturday (today): Went to Camden Market and bought cool stuff. Did more shopping and bought more cool stuff--some for me and some for Arwen. Met up with London members of the Warren Ellis Forum at about 1:15 at the Ben Crouch Tavern. Left Ben Crouch at 10:30. Yes, that's right. I was in Ben Crouch, drinking, for nine hours. What's the longest you've been in the same pub? Consecutively? I'm tired, and still a wee bit drunk. I'm heading soon to bed. Tomorrow, I go off to Paris for a couple days. That should be damned cool.

Pubbin'

Tuesday, 13 December 0730 I awoke to the sounds of rustling and shuffling in the room. I looked up, groggily, to see what was going on and saw one of my roommates dragging his bag across the floor. Leaving early, I guessed. I rummaged under the bed and found my watch: 7:30. I'd gone to bed only 6 hours before. I stayed in bed a bit, hoping to go back to sleep quickly, but no luck. After getting a shower and clean clothes, I gathered up my stuff and headed out. I walked around the corner to a small grocery hoping to find a bit to eat. I was looking for Pop Tarts or something similar, but the grocery did me much better than that. As I was wandering around, I noticed the singular smell of fresh baked goods. Following my nose, I found several bins of fresh breads and pastries. I settled on a pain chocolate and a lemon-custard danish. Still warm. I took those and some orange juice to the register, where the counterman said, "You've got great timing. They're still warm." We all have these moments of serendipity when we travel. That's one thing I love about traveling. You turn a corner, not really knowing what you'll see on the other side, and you're face-to-face with some famous monument or museum. You meet a person from your home town or school. I love these moments. The pastries were not just warm; they were so hot I burnt my fingers. Now that's living. I walked to the Tube stop and hopped a train for Tower Hill. First stop: the Tower of London. Now, when I was in London in '93, I didn't go to the Tower because I didn't want queue and crowds. But I feel rather silly telling people I've been to London but never to the Tower. I picked the right time. 10am on a cold December morning isn't the most tourist-friendly time to visit. Instead of the long queues you'd expect at the Tower, I was often alone when seeing things. When I entered the vault containing the Crown Jewels, I was the only one there. They have this people conveyor set up to carry queues past the Jewels. They do this so people don't linger, clogging up the queues. Makes sense when you've a couple thousand lined up to see, but when it's one person, it's a bit silly. So the Beefeater standing watch invited me to go back as many times as I wanted. He also answered all my questions and was generally a convivial fellow. Which I noticed to be generally true of the Beefeaters. The guide who led our tour was a hilarious, friendly man of about 55. He cracked jokes, took the piss, had fun with the kids, and charmed the ladies. A couple large groups of children passed by, on field trips or whatnot, and shouted and hollered all the way. He shouted down at the adult chaperones, "Please! Please! Keep them quiet! I can't give a tour when my group can't hear me!" But he said it with humor and grace, which isn't easy. I enjoyed the Tower, the history. I remarked to my new friend Tess later than day that I loved that I could see the exact places I'd only read about. Anne Boleyn executed here. Traitor's Gate there (reminds me of Elvis Costello: "The pretty things of Knightsbridge / Lying for the Minister of State / Are a far cry from the nod and wink / Here at Traitors' Gate"). But after a while I was happy to go. I caught the Tube again, made the necessary transfers to get to Covent Garden. I wandered around Covent Garden Market a little and found my way to the London Transport Museum. I like trains and I especially like transport art, as anyone who's seen my apartment will know. I didn't buy any posters (mainly because I wasn't sure how to get them home), but I did buy a couple books of Underground-poster reproductions. I also picked up two appropriate fridge magnets for Ellen. After leaving the Transport Museum, I went off to Picadilly. I was looking for Wagamama, a noodle bar I've heard much about. I had an address and a map, but not much else. After walking about for an hour, I finally found it in Soho. (Funny that both London and New York have Sohos, but the names have completely different origins.) I got a big bowl of ramen in chicken broth, with sliced chicken and vegetables on top. I also bought fresh juice and some grilled dumplings. Very tasty--all of it. Wagamama rightly deserves its reputation. I headed back to the hostel. After being displaced the previous night, I was nervous that there's be someone new in my bed again. I went back to the room. It was dark inside, but my bed was empty. A young woman was kneeling in front of a locker fiddling about. I rummaged in my camera bag and pulled out a flashlight. I said something, and she said there was a guy asleep in one bunk. By her accent, I could tell she was North American. We chatted a bit and then she left. I saw her again briefly downstairs in the rec room when I went to check my e-mail. I took off for the pub. I was supposed to meet members of the Warren Ellis forum, a Delphi forum I frequent. Ellis writes comic books, video games, short fiction, and film scripts and he's got this forum where his fans meet to discuss his work, music, films, current affairs, and just about anything really. I've met up with people from his forum before (in Boston). We planned to meet at the Bull and Mouth pub, near Bloomsbury, at 6pm. The Bull and Mouth is a regular Thursday gathering place for this crowd. I entered the pub, not knowing how I'd know anyone or be known, although I'd given a brief description of myself on the forum. Although many of us have posted pictures online, I wasn't sure I'd know anyone that way. I got a pint from the bar and, because the place was packed out, I stood so I could be seen from the entrance. After a short time, this young man walked in, blinked a few times at me, and walked up, saying, "Are you Michael?" It was Lindsay, as it turns out. Very shortly after, others began to arrive. We eventually had about a dozen people there. Funny enough, two people arrived who looked EXACTLY like their pictures, or close enough that I knew them on sight--Christian Adams and Stuart Nathan. It was a fun time. Chris Adams and I talked at length about the September 11 situation, world reaction to it, and whether the actions in Afghanistan would bear any fruit for long-term peace. Stuart and Chris and I talked about sites and dance clubs and I got recommendations from them about where I might find a good time clubbing. Andrea urged me to walk Waterloo Bridge at night, which I must do. Stuart again recommended the Jack the Ripper Walk, which I'm doing tonight. Around nine or so, Chris, Stu, and Andrea were hungry and recommended Wagamama. Because I had mentioned on-forum, before leaving Indiana, that I wanted to go, I couldn't tell for sure if they were recommending Wagamama for my sake or theirs, so I stayed quiet and didn't mention that I'd lunched there. But I didn't really care anyway. I liked the food enough that eating it twice was no problem for me. And we went to the Bloomsbury location anyway this time, and it's nice to know where more than one is located so I can go back easily. Just as yummy the second time as the first, I think. I got back to the hostel around 10:30. I was exhausted and ready to wind down a bit. I saw the woman again who I'd seen in the room earlier (in the dark) and sat and started talking to her. Tess is from California and is attending a year of university at a school in Canterbury. She up in London because her term's ended and she wanted to see some shows here. We chatted a little over an hour and went back to our room around midnight to get some sleep. Well, that was long, wasn't it. I'm getting a late start today, so I'm going to either the Globe Theater or the Tate Modern. I wanted to do both, but as it's noon now, that won't happen. I'll catch the other tomorrow or next week.

Hamlet. Also, moving rooms

Prior to meeting lovely girls last night, I saw Hamlet by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Unfortunately, my fatigue and the warmth of the room caught up with me, and I kept dozing off. Shame, really, because what I saw of it was excellent. Although the woman doing Ophelia and the actors playing Claudius and Gertrude seemed rather lifeless, the man playing Hamlet was superb. And it's a double shame. Although I was in a sort of terrace-level section (not really balcony), I was in the dead center of the auditorium. Dead center. I was thrilled with my seat, but completely unable to watch much of the show. Went back to the room last night, after drinking and meeting cute girls, and found a guy sleeping in my bed. Since virtually everyone else in the room was also trying to sleep and I didn't want to keep them awake while we sorted it all out, I offered to take a new room, provided they had a bed for me. So at about 1:30 last night, I was moving rooms. Brother, what a hassle. Well, I'm off. I'm supposed to meet up some people from the Warren Ellis forum and I need to get going.

Got cut off last night.

Got cut off last night. My Web access ran out and I didn't have change to refeed it. Anyway, here's the rest of what I was going to say... ...and since I doubt I'll remember their names by the time the pictures come back AND since I doubt I'll see either of them again, I wanted to get their names into some form of writing while I remembered.

Hostelling

I love the fact this place has its own bar. I've been sipping beer since about 11, with Vivienne and Jimmy, who are two of my roommates. Strangely, Vivienne isn't really Vivienne. She's Sally or something like that, but she's moving from Italy to London to make a new life for herself, and I guess a new name's part of the package. You really do meet the most interesting people when you travel. I met up with Jimmy and ol' Viv in the bar tonight and shortly after I caught up with them, Vivienne invited two other women to join us. Lily is a Brazilian from Sao Paulo, and Elena is Swiss-Italian. Both of them are beautiful, I must say. Elena could be a model--she has the looks and the twig-thin build for it. And she gave me my first-ever test in the Italian kiss goodbye thing. I failed. Lily, on the other hand. Oh boy. Perhaps not as classicly pretty as Elena, but still. Okay. I'm bragging about meeting pretty women tonight. I'll admit that. But I'm also getting their names down in writing because I have pictures of them, and since I doubt I'll

Arrival

Well, I'm here, finally. Here's a little test. If you're reading this, send me an e-mail to let me know. I'm curious whether this does any good for anyone but me. So, my flights went pretty well. The trip from Indy to O'Hare was about as flawless as I might have hoped. The trip to Heathrow was good, too. British Air now has seatback video throughout its 777 fleet, so that helped while away the time, especially since sleep was so hard to come by. We were able to watch a real-time model of where the plane was throughout the trip, the miles and hours left until Heathrow, the altitude and ground speed, and so on. That was pretty cool, if you find geeky things cool. My seatmates from O'Hare to Heathrow were interesting and nice. Both were meeting connecting flights--he to Saudi Arabia and she to Cairo. That's a lot of travel on top of a flight from Chicago to London. I don't envy them. After retrieving my luggage at Heathrow, it was a piece of piss to jump on Heathrow Express for Paddington Station. Quick, too. 15 minutes instead of the hour or so you'd expect to spend on the Underground. I then caught a series of tube trains to my hostel... ...which is interesting in itself. It's been described as Blade Runner come to earth, and if you recall how rundown and seedy some of the settings were in that film, I'd agree. What they really mean, though, is the future-chic the movie puts forth. The hostel certainly is rundown and seedy. But the beds and bathrooms are clean, and that's all that really matters. The staff is friendly and helpful, which is also nice. And there's, so far, two women in my room. This hostel only offers mixed-sex rooms. Which should be interesting for me tonight, since I forgot to bring my jammies. Heh. Well, it's not worth being embarrassed over. Ye, gods. One problem with my lack of sleep last night: I can't hold open my eyes now. And I'm supposed to see Hamlet tonight. Wonder how well that will work out. I considered a nap, but I figured there was a better-than-even chance I'd sleep straight through the play and awaken sometime around noon tomorrow. My thoughts are losing coherence. It's a wonder my thoughts ever had coherence.

Down and Out

I've been reading George Orwell's first novel Down and Out in Paris and London in preparation for my trip. I've intended to read this book for quite a while, and this seemed like the perfect time. Orwell writes about a young writer living in poverty in the two cities. The book is based in part on his own experience as a young writer living in poverty in the two cities, and that comes across in rich character detail and his descriptions of living for days without food. It's quite a brilliant book, really, and although I'll be actually be rather up and in while in Paris and London, it seemed a perfect title to borrow for my log.

Anticipation

Ah, it's getting close. I have one more final project to complete and then it's off to London. I just checked the weather for Indy, Chicago, and London, and so far there's no talk of bad weather. In exactly 48 hours, I'll be on a plane to Europe!

RSC Hamlet

I now have a ticket to see Hamlet at the Barbican in London. I've never seen the Royal Shakespeare Company perform, so I'm excited. A little disappointed they're not doing anything at the Globe Theater in December, but it's no big deal.

Itinerary

I expect this is now set, barring something entirely unforeseen. My revised itinerary: 11 December, Indianapolis to Chicago - O'Hare: American Airlines flight 4144, Depart 3:35 PM Arrive 3:36 PM 11 December, Chicago - O'Hare to London - Heathrow: British Airways flight 298, Depart 8:15 PM Arrive 12 December, 10:00 AM Accommodations: The Generator. Compton Place, 37 Tavistock Place, WC1, London ENGLAND; Telephone 011 44 20 7388 7666 16 December, London - Waterloo to Paris - Gare Du Nord: Eurostar, Depart 3:10 PM Arrive 7:23 PM Accommodations: Hôtel St-Jacques. 35, rue des Écoles 75005 Paris FRANCE; Telephone 011 33 1 44 07 45 45 18 December, Paris - Gare Du Nord to London - Waterloo: Eurostar, Depart 7:19 PM Arrive 9:28 PM Accommodations: The Generator. 20 December, London - Heathrow to Chicago - O'Hare: British Airways flight 299, Depart 3:05 PM Arrive 6:05 PM 20 December, Chicago - O'Hare to Indianapolis: American Airlines flight 4147, Depart 8:37 PM Arrive 10:32 PM

Plans for Europe

Plans for Europe proceed apace. I ordered British pounds sterling so I have cash immediately when I land at Heathrow. Going to Thomas Cook right away upon landing is a hassle I don't want. The currency arrived today. I'll worry about getting francs probably before I get on Eurostar for the trip to Paris. I also stopped off for more travel supplies. I picked up a padlock with a retractable cable. Pretty cool. The cable's of small enough gauge that I can snake it through the metal rings on my luggage. I also got one of those toiletry packs that hangs up in the shower, on a hook. I have a little case for my stuff, but I learned in Boston how unwieldy it is when I'm using a hostel shower. My itinerary is now set in stone. I'll post it separately. I cancelled the hostel reservation at City of London. I had to alter the plans anyway and the online booking service I used allows only reservations and cancellations, not alterations. If you change your plans, you can only cancel and make them again. So I decided not to mess with that. Instead, I hooked up with The Generator, a hostel in Russell Square, near Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, and Bloomsbury. I was booked in City of London, which is near St. Paul's Cathedral. The problem there is that the neighborhood is dead at night. Frankly, most of my evenings will probably be spent in the West End anyway, and since my new hostel is right there, it seemed ideal. Plus, you can't beat an onsite pub. My hotel reservations are set for Paris. I'm staying at Hôtel Saint Jacques, which is located in the Latin Quarter, near Notre Dame. Cool location, yes, but what's even better is that Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn were in Hôtel Saint Jacques in 1962, filming Charade, which is among my favorite movies. This is exciting! Finally, I have my Eurostar reservations now and should receive the tickets soon. Eurostar heads out of London's Waterloo Station, into Gare Du Nord in Paris. I'm spending two days and part of a third in Paris. I know that's time enough only to dip my toes in, but that's okay. I'll go back some time. I wish I could get more excited about this, but I'm so busy right now, it's difficult to do so. But that's okay, too. With all I have going on, December 11 will arrive before I know it.

Travel itinerary

My travel itinerary, for the curious, concerned, and bored: 11 December, Indianapolis to Chicago-O'Hare: American Airlines flight 4144, Depart 3:35 PM Arrive 3:36 PM 11 December, Chicago-O'Hare to London-Heathrow: British Airways flight 298, Depart 8:15 PM Arrive 12 December, 10:00 AM Accommodations: YHA City of London hostel, 36 Carter Lane, London, EC4V 5AB, ENGLAND; Telephone 011 44 20 7236 4965 20 December, London-Heathrow to Chicago-O'Hare: British Airways flight 299, Depart 3:05 PM Arrive 6:05 PM 20 December, Chicago-O'Hare to Indianapolis: American Airlines flight 4147, Depart 8:37 PM Arrive 10:32 PM

London hostel

The hostel in which I'll be staying.

Europe plans

My travel plans are finalized now for Winter Break and I'm really excited. I've been wanting to escape Indiana again for months. Didn't do it over the summer, but I am now. Getting back to London after eight years should be a real joy. I arrive at Heathrow the morning of 12 December and return 20 December. I'll be staying in a hostel while there, and despite its quirks, I still quite enjoy hostelling, primarily for the people you meet. Cheap travel's good, too. I hope to keep this log up to date while I'm preparing to go, and if I can, I'd like to update it daily while I'm there. Watch this space!

Marie's world tour

I have this online acquaintance, Marie Javins, who is currently touring the world by land. You can look her up at www.mariesworldtour.com. Anyway, she has this sponsorship dealie going where you send her 25 bucks and she sends you souvenirs from the road. The souvenirs are worth less than 25 dollars, because she uses the rest for food and lodging and so forth. I think what she's doing is a cool thing, even though it's something I'm unlikely to ever do. Maybe I'm living vicariously, or maybe I just want to help her do this cool thing, but I sent her some money. So her souvenirs came in today's post. Both things she sent are from either Thailand or Indonesia (not sure) and they's nifty. I got a set of 10 colorful little wooden monkeys, so designed as to be strung together. They're hanging from the lamp in the corner of my living room, dangling over my bookshelf of reference materials. They are the cutest damn things. They have these adorable little cartoon-monkey expressions that are funny to see. I also received a nifty puppet-type thing of this old woman. The arms each have a small rod by which you can move them. They're jointed at the shoulders and elbows, providing hours of amusement. I want to contrive a way of hanging this puppet on the wall. Marie's in Berlin right now, recharging her batteries and planning her trek through Africa. When she leaves Europe in a few weeks, I'm planning to send another check. I'd love to see what she'd send from Africa.