Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Does what we put inside of us affect what comes out? Is it e-ffect as opposed to a-ffect? I will not indulge my second guesser. I'm stalling. The plan was to write a list of everything I can remember from the last seven days, three in Kentucky four in Madison, but I ate at the A & W in the Minneapolis airport and am wondering if my recall will be colored by cheeseburger. One of the best things about airports, fast food restaurants, and combinations of airports and fast food restaurants is their guaranteed anonymity. The lack of context and expectations that come with context. I don't feel bad about eating fast food in airports because nobody I know will see me: no expectations. Unlike a trip to see family and old friends, old palaces and old restaurants. For the first time I wondered if the squash curry I love at the Vientiane Palace in Madison contains MSG.

In Kentucky spent a lot of time with Uncle Jim. Do I capitalize Uncle? He gave me two hats and cousin David let me take a third. After a day with Jim the rest of my family sans elders came: brother, in-law, sister, niece and we stayed at my great Aunt Jean's house who died last last January but the house hasn't sold yet. My two point five year old nicece fell in the pool behind the house by accident, was quickly scooped out, but she had a nightmare that night and told her dad when she woke up, "swimming pools are for grown-ups." Three days of donuts, second cousin Emily's soccer game, chicken salad, a trip to Wal-Mart, swimming, heat, crossword puzzles, Jim's eye, a mammoth's tooth, napping w/my brother, time-zone adjustment, Ebay, that chair made out of horns, a picture of Peanut, and Beatrix and Zane squealing together on the sideline.

On Friday I flew out of Lexington to Detroit, and then on to Madison. J made Pizza. On Saturday I went with my mom up to the horse ranch and brushed her horse Oliver. Also learned how to walk behind a horse before I left and went up to visit my dad at Clearview, where he was sitting in a chair. I spoke with one of the younger caretakers. She was cute but her heavy eye make-up scared me a little. She asked if my dad was a photographer. I said yes, back in the day. I told her about his history in Southern Wisconsin care facilities over the last seven years. It was her fourth month on the job. I wanted to speak to the head nurse about his fever two weeks ago but she wasn't there. I told my dad I would come back on Tuesday, which is kind of like telling myself. I left to go pick up my mom from the horse ranch.

I was depressed the rest of the day. That night I sat with Anna and Kwame by the lake. At this point this blog posting is getting a little long so I will speed it up. On Sunday I went out to Mineral Point to visit Ted as well as Joe and Christy, who were firing the kiln (i'm in the blue hat looking into a fiery little hole). That was probably the most exciting part of my trip. Went to bed early and did school work on Monday, saw my step-brother, and hung out with Nate and Megan in their last pre-Phd moments. There's more but I need to go to bed because I have to get up and finish planning for tomorrow's class. In transit I started reading "The Hunger Games" trilogy which is pretty fun to read, if you're looking for young adult science fiction. to read on an airplane and at your parents house. I will leave you with this image from today's edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.