happy birthday, mark!

um. that's it.

talk to you soon. gotta run.

i'm glad that you're alive, if previously bored, mark. sounds like south america is thoroughly rocking already, which is awesome.

things here are hectic. the aquarium is starting to come together and we're trying to hammer out final kinks in the system before the opening. the whole wall is lit up now and it's looking sweet. i think there's still a shroud of secrecy, but as soon as i won't get my ass sued off for it, i'll post some sweet photos. yo yo yo.

reading sort of a lot. i got this big old pile of 'classics' that i'm trying to plow through so i'll know what the hell people are talking about at parties where the big dick contests are about letters rather than bits.

umm. yeah. other than that it's mostly just hot here. in this office.

is it possible that the people were saying 'vista' to you, mark?

Texas, Texas

Mark you dont get to bitch about canceled and delayed flights until Brad and I do. Maybe I already have, but who's going to read through all those obnoxious blog posts?

Heres how my trip to Chicago went:

Friday. I drove to Chicago
Saturday. I had lunch with Nathan and Josh. I went to a wedding.
Sunday. I drove back to Atlanta

Then on Monday I flew to Lubbock Texas. Which gets me started on Texas. But first, I should mention that I dont think I've ever had anything more than a superficial conversation with Matt Flagg since I've known him. Then I spent 24 hours in a car with him. Matt is cool.

But Texas. Forget 'dont mess with texas' (Yes, I saw the signs Mark) how about: 'Texas; What the hell is wrong with this place?"

I drove from Lubbock to Plainview (to visit a prison) I drove up I-27. On either side of I-27, there is something you might call an access or service road. EXCEPT ITS TWO WAYS. Imagine my surprise when I got off the highway to find an oncoming 18 wheeler... uh.. oncoming. It was surprising. There was something else about Texas. Oh yeah. up north of Lubbock, no one speeds. it was weird. I figure its because nobody wants to go nowhere faster, but every car was going the speed limit. I think someone honked at me when I passed going 75. (in a 70)

I left my apartment at about 7 on Labor day, and I have spent less than 3 days there since. That includes weekends. I've been told that I have to spend next week in Atlanta, so thats what I'm doing. Except for Monday, because I'm going somewhere this weekend, but not for work.

Heres something for the ATL peeps to think about: One week, while I'm in Atlanta all week, maybe especially if Brads in town, I'd like to try and do a week of Trivia. Just go to 5-7 trivia nights at different places. Crazy, I know, but I think Texas is getting to me.

There are very few hotel rooms in Dallas these days. I think its weather related.

Huaraz, Peru

After about 7.5 hours on the bus I am in the city. It looks good. There are several places here that cater to trekkers and climbers alike. The bus ride was crap until I got out of the city and to the country side. It was amazing seeing the different landscapes. Past the city heading north is a cliff side with what looks like the road just gouged out. The soil looks like a sandy silt with jagged sandstone mixed in there. The soil looks like a good hard rain would wash away the road--the soil looks balanced at a precarious relief angle. There was no vegetation to speak of.

After that, the road dropped more closely to sea level. There were corn and other fields planted. Very different from jagged cliff sides. As we progressed further we passed more area that looked like desert. After that, we crossed a point that put us going into the mountains and up. This looked more like rough scrub grasses and harsh living. There were tiny villages carved on the side of the mountains. Also, there was terraced fields, just like they said in 6th grade geography. They have set up irragation channels to be able to grow on those steap sides. When it felt like we crested the mountain range we came upon more rolling hill tops that looked like mountain meadows that are found out west. Lush green grass grew and some trees darted out of the land. For the most part, it was exactly what I am looking for. On top of that, there are the Cordillia Negro and Blanca mountian ranges in the distance. They frame everything nicely.

Oh, the roads were good and the bus was very nice. Nicer that I can probably afford. They fed us and breezed by the lone military checkpoint we ran into.

I am now in Huaraz. I have high hopes I will meet Shannon tomorrow morning. After 3 days, 4 buses, and 3 taxis she is still a 9 hour bus ride away. She is taking an evening bus to arrive in the morning. The city is nice. Larger than Okondja but can´t be by much. I have not seen much of it but it looks much better than Lima. Maybe thats just because I like things a little smaller.

I feel like everyone understands my spanish. I am able to think out a sentance that _could_ make sense. Say that one and maybe another. But, after that I have no idea what they are saying. Pista? I,m guessing that means river or stram as in go over the pista and look there. My phrases go something like:

Es Huaraz el automobus primera y ultimo parade?

Pretty rough to get out does this bus go straight to Huaraz. But, I get a jumble of answers and sometimes I can piece it out. Whew.

Hope you mugs are doing well.

Mark

Lima, Peru

Currently I am in lima and I have a bus ticket to Huaraz. I am at a small internet cafe in the big city. My trip haas been problematic so far. The airport in Chicago got closed down for a while due to some (in my opinion) weak thunderstorms and caused my flight to be canceled. Then I get on another flight to Miami and that one was delayed so that I miss my flight to Lima. I arrived in Miami at 2 in the morning. I get booked for the Lan Peru flight the next day on the same flight number and have to spend the night. They offered a room at the Something-that-costs-you-money Hotel for 69 USD + tax. I asked if it was still okay to sleep in the airport to which he replied SURE!. I pulled out my thermarest and sleep sheet and staked out my small spot on some carpet. I slept until about 8:00am but it was not very restful. There were many disturbances. The next day I went to the lone television playing news and thought to myself I´m never getting out of here. I had to wait out hurricane Rita in Miami. Fortunately I had half a bottle of peppermin schnopps to keep me company. It was a small bottle but that and a book made the day go by fast.

In the morning there were about half the flights cancelled for the day. As the day wore on and the storm veered south of the city the flights went to about 20% cannceled. At about 5:00pm my flight to Peru looked like it was goiing to make it. I checked in and went to the gate and grabbed a few mor Zzzzs. Basically, imagine me holding a book with a bored expressioon on my face and that is what I did all day. The interent phone there is a complete rip off. 25cents for a minute. Where I am now is a pruvian dollar (Nuevo Soles). That is about 30 cents US. Oh, also there was nowehre to go with the storms outside in Miami.

Anyway, I am here in Lima. I am going to go by bus to Huaraz today at 11:00. It should be a six hour bus ride. Shannon said there was a transportation strike. She is in some podunk town not even on the map. The do have an internet cafe though. We shall see who arrives first in the city.

I feel like I know enough spanish to get me shot or dropped off in some little village I have no idea where. We shall see how well immeersion does for me.

The keyboards here are kinda whacked.

That is all.

I cannot curse on the computer because it closes the window. Some child protection thing. So, I will just say that I do expect you mother farkers to write and or post to the blog. When you are cut off from civilization the one thing that you want most is communication with normal people. So, write.

Mark

Miami- USA?

3:45PM

Waiting out a huriicane is neve45 a good idea. Typing at an internet phone is worse. I should be all set to fly out to Lima tonight. I missed it yesterday due to bad weather in Chicago. The same weather that I looked out a window and sasid,n "huh, its raining."

Anyway... Miami sure is a different country. The airport is so quitet with many flightse cancelled.

Hope all is well.


Mark

Chicago, USA.

Ted got married. It's official. Ted and Nikki are now Man and Wife. The wedding was very nice, simple, and short. People gathered around the park area and the justice of the peace was a friend of Ted's who did the officiating. The wedding party walked out and the service started post haste. There were no readings, no hippie shit. Just "do you?" and "do you" and some other minor speak-after-me kinds of things. All told, seven minutes. Thats right. 7. The wedding party filed out with the rest of the guests looking on and following to the reception site. The reception was at a museum of sergical science. Very cool. The bar had plenty of wine and beer and beverages. Also very cool. The bride and groom was there to receive the guests right after the wedding beacause (and this is key) they took pictures before hand. None of this don't see her on her day crap. I think I was the first person to get a beverage. An oat soda, Gary. The reception was very good with some tastey food and beer. Did I mention the open bar? I lasted long enough and was small enough the the bride and groom got to spend some good quality time with everyone. That is something that is usualy missed. Then we went back to the hotel and really got our drink on. There was a roof ontop of the hotel that had a good view and it also happened to be a cloudless night. All in all, a very good day to get married and a very good day.

I went to the free zoo in lincoln park in Chicago. Very nice. Just a little south there is a city farm where kids can see where crops and animals come from. I fully support the education of kids to know where their food comes from. Meat does not start shrink wrapped in the Kroger. I spent some time on the beach and wandering around the city. The archetecture is different here than Atlanta. They really have the city density thing working for them with small market shops every so often to get staples like bread and beer. I spent the night with Nathan, Josh and Ryan. We watched Donnie Darko.

Today I will head to the Shed Aquirium and then onto Miami. After that is Lima, Peru followed by a bus ride to Huaraz(sp?). That is the city in which Shannon and I will meet up hopefully on Tuesday if all goes well.

Thats my news,
Mark

Welcome back people.

This thursday will mark an important game night. We will have: myself, Jeremy, mikex0r, Carolyn, Rich, Brad, but the star of the evening will be Mark, who is leaving the continent for a long time (4 months). This will be his last game night of '05.

My recent purchase of the DS has given me an addiction I haven't known in a videogame in a while. I've been playing Advance Wars and Meteos, although there are other games that are supposed to be just as good. I'm looking forward to tuesday so I can play some wireless action with Rich. Innovation, man, that's where the cool shit is.

In other news: My family has managed to show itself this weekend. It started with my phone ringing and a 212 (keeps me marvolous) number showing up. If you don't know 212 is the city, but I only know Heacox in Queens, and that isn't 212. It turns out that it is my Aunt Jeanie Coogan from florida (used to be Manhattan). She was calling from work (Bloomies) and apparently they route all of their calls through New York, wierd. Anyway, we talked for a while and she wished me a happy birthday and such. We got to talking about Billy (my cousin, and Aunt Dot's son) who has taken up the riegns as head of the family. She and I talked about what was originally a small plan to potentially go to New York for Christmas. I hadn't really put too much thought into it, because I think it will piss Chowning off if I don't spend Christmas with her. But at the same time I would be going to see what little family I have left. Anyway, Jeanie and I left it at whichever of us makes plans first we'll coordinate with the other and then they will do whatever the fuck they want (as is the way it goes in my family). Then later on today Billy calls and we have basically the same conversation. This settles things abit more on the "go to NY" side as he would be particularly down with it. All the same it was cool to get phonecalls from two relatives in the same day. I'm luck if I get calls twice in a year let alone the same 18 hour period.

In talking with Billy and Jeanie it seems more clear to me that I am my mother's son. Before you get on my case about how reduntant that is. When talking to Jeanie and Billy they said things and left things out in a very comfortable manner. I'm not surprised with Jeanie because we talk at least a few times a year, but Billy and I never talk and it was still like talking to someone I've known for a while. It is something that I don't find when I talk to a lot of people. It is as if the timing is off, or they feel the need to same something that I feel is understand and a waste of time to say. It definetely is the way it goes with a lot of people at work. Even Chowning's family is a little wierd to talk to. I guess it boils down to how much people think they need to say. It seems that in what little family I have we assume that things are going well, and if they aren't it is your call whether or not you want to bring it up.

Now in response to Mike's comment that this is my blog and the rest of you are mere spectators (if that), I will now refrain from posting for the rest of september. Out.

Dude, you're so dumb. We came over yesterday and you were there. I know that I do not have a plan to visit today, Friday. Also, there are 3rd graders that can write better than you. I mean, man Martin, do you even know English? English motherfucker, do you speak it?!

In other news, Shannon did arrive in Quito. It turns out that she was on the correct flight. It just so happened that when the plane stopped and everyone got off, she was supposed to stay on the plane. Nowhere did she hear "stay on" or did she read on her ticket contiuation. There should have been a stop listing on her ticket but whatever. 6 USD and 8 hrs later she is on a bus bound for Quito. All is well from there.

So, how about those gas prices. Getting kinda crazy. I just hope that at least some people come from this saying "How can we be less dependant on gas?" than "How can we bomb other countries to make sure supply stays high?" I fear the latter.

Thats all I got to say right now.

Mark

Friday?!? I thought you guys were coming over tonight


this is the first time that I have ever tried to write a post using my tablet that Was given to Me for my annivvsary

Obviously it doesn't work amoziyly well

the Main problem is with caps and tk fact that my handwriting isn't pretty

At one poiht I put some thought into usMg this technology as a way to teach not at tk front of He class . . . I th.hk that migh+ not be tk best i dea

my h's look like k's whenever I write the

Also I Can't seem to write a lowe case W to save my life .

In tk end I thmk thB technology Might work if I Learn to stop sucking

A bunch Of friends have called recently - - - one 0 F which has a house in Ne W Orleans which May be Underwater right now
4

Stoopid fuckivy Capital leHers _ - 7 May they all go to hell

Herés to seeing people soon