Thursday, April 24, 2008

"Wow I Feel Like a Pirate"

Last night, under the glow of the waning moon, a plan was set in motion to save the planet. Granted, it wasn't the most comprehensive plan, nor did it extend beyond that evening, but it was a world-saving plan nevertheless.

Cloaked in university apparel and athletic wear, two young men slipped silently into the mirky night to set upon their secret world changing adventure. I cannot say who these two men were, though I can say they are both quite hansom and any woman would be lucky to have either of these important world changing men.

They moved so casually that any observer would have only suspected they were two good friends enjoying a leisurely stroll in the crisp evening air. But it was so much more then that. Upon closer inspection, the observer might have noticed the moonlight glinting off an object held by one of the two men, or perhaps that, held in the other hand, there was something gently swaying with the wind.

This gently swaying parcel was secured the day prior at a festival. To many, that day was considered to be "Earth Day" and that parcel was, in fact, a sapling, given out gratuitously by two other very kind world-saving gentlemen. The sapling was cared for throughout the day by one of our two protagonists, and eventually it made its way to north Seattle where it would become the focal point for the top secret world-changing plan previously mentioned.

Before too long the casually strolling duo strayed from their worn concrete path and set foot upon the squidgy earth. Their heads craned and bowed looking for the perfect place, a place where a young tree could grow into an old tree. At the top of a hill overlooking a park, the two men set upon on their master plan. One of the men grabbed the tool that twinkled excitedly under the ebbing moon. He raised it above his head, and paused to take aim and add dramatic effect, then forced it down into the cold damp soil.

Working quickly, he pulled up scoop after scoop of dark earth until a small hole was made. Digging away, he paused for a moment and said to his companion, "Wow, I feel like I pirate". Before too long, the digging was done and the young tree was placed in its new home. Loving hands pushed the soil back around its fragile base. To two men got up from their work, then parted ways. The work was done, the plan was complete, and the Earth was saved... at least a little bit.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Just Ride

Just ride.

The wind whistled as it whipped around his glasses. Normally, the stinging blast would have made his eyes water, but he was already crying. "Thank you for that" he whispered to no one. The wind carried the tears back across his face.

Just ride. Harder.

His thoughts came faster than he could pedal them away. With each exhaled breath, he breathed away a worry. With every exasperated thrust of his leg, he pushed away a fear. But with every revolution of the wheel, something bad came back to him.

Just ride. Harder. Stand up.

He stood up. The tears now streamed down his nose and fell off to the pavement speeding below. His body rocked up and down with every turn of the crank, his legs screamed fire, his arms pulled unceasingly on the bars. The bike creaked and moaned the agony inside him; he said nothing.

Just ride. Harder. Stand up. Faster.

The sun beat through the broken clouds and warmed the shivering pavement. A layer of steam clung to the road as if it was afraid to fly away. He cut through that mist like a ship through water and left it swirling in his wake. The sun tried to warm him as well, and for a moment he welcomed it, but with the spin of the wheel another sorrow came. He ached for the speed to get away.

Just ride. Harder. Stand up. Faster. Longer.

The wind tried where the sun had failed. It blasted him from all sides, tried to slow him, tried to stop his hurt driven madness. But he sustained. The sun could not entice him. The wind could not slow him. The tears continued to fall and the wheels continued to spin.

Just ride. Harder. Stand up. Faster. Longer. Stop.

She can succeed where the others had failed. He came to the crest of the hill and she revealed herself to him. Her vast blue expanse stretched out in all directions. At the oceans edge he was forced to stop. His breathing slowed to match the breaking of the waves. His muscles relaxed. The tears rolled slowly to a stop. The thoughts stopped.

Breathe.


Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Survived.

I've survived my 21st birthday! It was a good one and I got to see many of my friends. We started the night by going to Shultzy's Sausage on the Ave. We had quite a few people there; Tom, Nick, Scott, Devin, Amy, Mango, Will, Kevin, Emily, Kaile, and probably some others that I'm forgetting now. I had a good dinner and plenty to drink. We then moseyed back to the 47th Street Shack, which is a nickname I've just given to my friends house on 47th. It's got another name that's just not appropriate for a public arena such as this.

While we were there I called Jacob and got him to come over to the Shack. He brought his friend and a 50 dollar bottle of Jack Daniels for me. Wow. We played a bit of beer pong and I was doing pretty well, or at least I thought I was doing well! I didn't get to finish that game because I was meant to be at the Irish Emigrant by 10:30. Jacob had left a bit before me so I met him and his friends there. When I got there, I was disappointed to say the least. Not because my friends weren't there, because they were. No, I was disappointed because the place was barren and there was some rubbish Jazz Band playing. We weren't there very long before I decided to move along.

The idea was to have a pub crawl but in truth, we only went to two. I wanted to recreate the crawls I had in Bristol, but the pubs in England were so much better for that. I'm sure I'll go on a good crawl here eventually, possibly with my Communication people, but right now the possibilities are looking bleak. And I won't be drinking again for a while...

The second pub we went to was the Big Time Brewery. This one was more fun, and we met up with Joel, his girlfriend, and some of his friends there. Then my friends started trickling in as well. Emily showed up, Eli showed, and some others that I'm forgetting now. Sometime while we were there Jacob gave me the world deadleg of my life and I was limping for the rest of the night. But it was all well and good for a while, except I kept getting drinks handed to me. And then I was in the bathroom. My plan was to tactically chunder and return as if nothing had happened, but Jacob followed me in and took pictures of me over the toilet. That's when the night was over for me.

With a grateful arm around my buddy Nick, we returned to his place where I can only recount information that others have told me. Apparently I was put on, or I made my way to, the couch. They left me be for a while, but in the absence of attention, I threw up on said couch. I don't remember that, but I do remember being mortified as two of my friends stripped off my disgusting shirt and replaced it with a fresh one. I never take off my shirt, never.

That was the last of anything I remember and it's probably for the best.

I woke up early that morning; I always wake up early after drinking. I was cold and shivering, my head didn't ache by my body did. I was queasy and dizzy. My muscles ached and I was terribly thirsty. I slowly and painfully sat up. I realized I'd thrown up, there's no mistaking that smell. I wanted to leave but I simply couldn't. I tried to walk around, maybe walk it off. Nope. I found a scratch piece of paper and pen and managed to write a letter to the house in apology for the couch and gratitude for taking care of me. I slept for a while more but really wanted to leave. Nick was up by that time so I had him find me a ride home and by 10:30 or so I was back in my own bed.

Frozen in the fetal position, I didn't stir until about 2:30. I got up and managed to walk to my favourite coffee shop to try and get something in my stomach, but that was the worst walk of my life. I did get something down and it stayed down. When I got home my bed once again called to me and I returned to it's nurturing embrace. Again, I didn't stir until about 5 but I laid awake in bed until about 6:30 when I finally got up.

Was it all worth it? I don't know the answer to that. It was fun and it was terrible all in one night. The cleaning of the couch is costing me quite a bit and I'm pissed about that. It's definitely more than I would have spent not getting drunk...

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Let The Job Search Commence!

Today I biked and wandered for hours through the streets of Seattle carrying with me my precious parcels. I am, of course, speaking of my resume.

I applied to many institutions but there are very few which I think will respond to me. If I could have it my way, I would be working for the College Inn Pub which is one of the coolest pubs that I entered today. More likely, I'll be hearing back from this German pub I found on Greenwood Ave or one of their affiliates, the 74th Street Ale House, the Irish Emigrant, or Shultzy's Sausage. Anyhow, the point of the matter is that I've put myself out there for the food service industry and I'm hoping they'll like what they see. I've even changed my voice-mail message to be more "appropriate" in hopes that someone will call me back.

Other than that, I've been through two days of classes and I think it'll be a good quarter. There are a vast amount of beautiful women in my classes so that makes me hopeful, but I also like the material. I'm taking Com 201, an intro course, Soc 270, Social Problems, and Spanish 103. It's as if I've gone back to Freshman year, but again, that's fine with me; There is a lot of reading and paperwork, not so much problem solving or sciency stuff. I'm ok with that!

Anyway, It's my birthday in 3 days. I'm excited. I should go to bed. I'm going to get up early to do the homework I've neglected tonight! haha! Cheers,

Z