Loaded Up and Truckin

Today begins the $20 experiment. Nothing I'm carrying, except my cellphone, cost more than $20 brand new. Including my brand new 42 litre pack ($19.88). In fact, I didn't even pack it all.

Its my party and I'll puke if I want to.

Heading to Portland this week to celebrate my 14th consecutive 26th birthday.

40 is old, but it ain't that old. Hell, Nolan Ryan was 46 when he kicked Robin Ventura's ass.

This week could have been a drag. Instead of beginning what I had hoped would be a 2 month trip to SE Asia (via the London Boot Bash), I found myself engaged in an orgy of practicality.

Is everyone in Portland as impossibly cool as they seem to be? It seems every time I encounter an enterprise embodying even a hint of American "sanuk" its located in Portland, or at least in the Pac-NW.

First and foremost, there is Boots n' All, then yesterday I discovered CD-Baby who sent the following e-mail to let me know my cd had shipped:

It Gets Better (For Once)

Running out of hope for enough cash to pay for my planned excursion this summer, I met with a local official who agreed to pay me a very fair rate to tackle some special projects. This means I get to work on my own schedule, in the office or at home, with freedom to teach as the opportunity arises. All-in-all a spectacular event. A true Blessing.

Further proof that Faith and prayer work, and that God takes care of him who takes care of hisowndamnself.

And now back to your regularly scheduled spiteful, cranky correspondent...

Excitement Crackles as Your Intrepid Correspondent is

Dissed & Dismissed

(Sorry, I harbor a secret fantasy to write headlines for the National Enquirer.) Anyway:
I didn't get the teaching job that I was counting on to pay for my trip. So, the question is, what now? I should be pissed, sad and afraid, but I feel none of that. Instead I feel liberated and excited.

Because I bring out the best in everybody.

I love my feedback. Nobody has fans like mine! BillyBob thinks I'm "random and useless." High praise indeed. Life is far too fucking full of linear utility already. I would slit my fucking wrists if I thought I was contributing to that glut.

Bob is looking out for my prostate health while on walkabout with tips and tricks on dipping wick in SE Asia. Unfortunately, when it comes to umm, err, 'professional help' what is dippy on Monday is too often drippy on Friday. Better to practice my James Taylor tunes and woo hippy chicks.

Of course there are the backhanded complimenters like Jenn. To her I'm just a "dipshit" blog-doggie who needs a good bitch-slap now and again when I forget to mush. Lucky for her I have a weakness for chicks named Jenn;updates are on the way mistress; WOOF.

And there is my favorite, phentermine (the person, not the drug), master of minimalism, who simply says: "-".

Thanks for the encouragement!

-eb

Can 25 bucks buy a decent pair of boots? Dunno. Maybe the question is whether the $25 I spent bought a decent pair of boots. Now I know that the boot snobs in their Raichles, La Sportivas and Vasques boots are laughing their laces off, but WHAT IF they don't suck? What if they last half as long for a quarter of the money?

OK. I'm gonna plug my Xmas gift. I received an XM Satellite radio that hooks up to my PC via a USB cable. It's called the XM-PCR and its available for about 50 bucks through PC-Connection. It uses the USB for power and to run the software front end, but does not require an active internet connection.

I think XM would be of interest to travellers in the US. For those who don't know, radio reception in the Western US is a hit-or-miss affair outside of major cities. This particular might not be the best for down-the-road listening unless you have a laptop with plenty of battery power, but there are other products.

The service costs $9.95 per month, no contract, and there is a sign-up fee, though it was waived on Xmas day for those who signed up via internet.

Songs I listened to while composing this: