MaDnEsS

Watching the Seahawks

Injuries to Hasselbeck, Tatupu and Locklear. What the F@*K! Plus the NFL was having feed problems and i only started watching at the end of the 2nd half!

20-10, San Fran. Frank Gore has over 200 yards and 2 TD's. I guess at least he's on my fantasy team. That guy eats the Seahawks for dinner. Wallace was intercepted. Bitches brew!

Bad news. 4th quarter. This doesn't look good. If Seattle doesn't win the division, San Fran will. Brian Billick is the color commentator and he is a moron. Someone teach him how to talk. Face mask on Seattle. Ugh! make it stop.

Last night was a blast. We went to the Debod Temple, which Egypt gave Spain, and they had tents and a Sahara exhibit that was way cool. There were like 20 of us. We started at J&J and then walked the streets, as you do on Noche Blanco.

I hope the Giants crush the Cowboys, but i don't know if it will happen.

6:54 left. C'mon Seneca, or Fresca, or whatever the hell your name is. Mum and Mel both like him better than Hasselbeck. What???? Has the world gone mad?

There's a Michael Strahan sitcom on Fox? I give up. Kill me now.

The Seahawks are punting with 5 minutes left down by 13!!!! I hate Jim Mora. I have always hated Jim Mora. I hate his father too.

"Playoffs???!!! Playoffs???!!!"

Nothing really matters

anyone can see

-Queen

Black and White

I'm a black bat, babe, bangin' on your window pane
I'm a black bat, baby, bangin' on your window pane.
Well, I'm a black bat, babe, I need my high octane

-Neil Young

I jammed with the band last night. It was great to see Pete and Tam. We were all a bit rusty, but that'll improve.

Sent out a billion CV's to other schools, as it is that time of year. I am itching to get working.

Tonight is Noche Blanca. They will have big lights and street performers all over the city tonight. The museums will be open too.

Incidents, draws and dinner

But after a while
you realize time flies.
And the best thing that you can do
is take whatever comes to you.
'Cuz time flies.

-Porcupine Tree

Well, it's 13C, which is 56F. Talk about a fast cool down. I wore a jacket on Tuesday to the Atletico Champions League game vs. Apoel Nicosia of Cyprus. It was an ugly draw, 0-0. Atletico played ugly in the first half. They were better in the second half but had no luck despite their opportunities. But it was awesome to see Pedro and my Atletico family again. I hadn't seen them since before i was mugged.

I taught one of my private students Tuesday. The class from the Academies are still rolling in. Nothing happens quickly in Spain.

Sofia and i had dinner and drinks last night. It was really fun. She's a cool gal.

New Porcupine Tree, The Incident, came out on Tuesday. I like what i have heard. It's massive - 20 songs!

Buying New Soul, the first edit, is done. I shall email it out. Let the marketing begin!

Football, American Style

Domingo

The Seahawks and the Rams are involved in an Ugly Bowl. Seattle has 3 turnovers in the first half, and it hasn't finished yet! Seahawks 7-0. Carlson 1 yd TD reception. Burleson just fumbled a punt return but recovered.

But I love the American Football Season. And thanks to technology – I see it in HD! O'Brave new world!

The weather is getting cooler. Between a record summer in Madrid and August in the northeast, I can't wait for Fall. This has been the hottest summer of my life, even topping Jamaica.

Hasslebeck is a bit off today, with 2 INT's already. Julus Jones looks very good.

FUDGE! Seahawks had their first FG of the year blocked for a TD. The Seahawks look like a Pop Warner football team. But the Rams had 12 men on the field. This game is insane! It's like it's week one of preseason. 1^st down Seattle! Well spank my ass and call me Loretta!

I met this gal named Sofia from Vancouver. She's a bag lady, in that she designs women's hand bags. I think we're going to do dinner sometime this week. Cute. Long dark hair. I have to ask her if she likes hockey and Rush.

She knows Salt Spring Island, an island off of Victoria, where I did that consulting project with GW in 2004.

She was like, “How is it that you know that area? That's crazy!” I don't know. I just sometimes find myself in an odd place.

TD Recpt Nate Burleson, who has done more in this half than the last two seasons combined. Holmgrown was awful with picking or negotiating with wide receivers (See: Joey Galloway, Koren Robinson).

Terry Bradshaw just said a guy “bantered his way into the end zone." James Brown was like, you mean 'battered' right? Bantered is talking.”

And Bradshaw responds, “You caught me again, JB.”

I met a guy in his twenties last year from the states who never even knew that Bradshaw was a player, let alone a Hall of Famer. The dude was like, “the goofy old man on Fox. Won 4 Superbowls? Are you kidding?”

Somebody say fair warning to all

Lord strike that poor boy down!

-Van Halen

Aaron Curry looks great. He and Lofa should kick some ass this year. 21-0 Seahawks. A second TD for Carlson. Jones scores on a 60+ yard run! 28-0.

The defense looks good, as does the offense in the second half, but it's only the Rams. I can't get too excited. The Rams may be the worst team this year.

Lunes

Happy Birthday Mum!

Oh well

I love gazpacho! I missed it while i was gone.

drinking lemon tea

and feeling free

-Marillion

I still have insomnia/jet lag. It seems to be worse every year. Oh well.

and one and two and three.....

Still here.

Saw the Babylon Sisters tonight. Same as it ever was. Lovely to see them.

Since i don't seem to sleep much this week, will watch the Steelers and the Titans. I hate the Steelers (see fixed Super Bowl of 2005).

Viernes

It was a good game.

Today - editing and then drinks with Cara tonite.

And the days go by....

Nothing ever really changes. But everything changes.

Explain!

I can't.

Pretty much unpacked. House is kind of clean. I have already barbecued lamb chops, hot dogs and bratwurst. It gets a little cooler now at night, praise Jah.

Still lagged. My brain doesn't know what to think, so it mostly doesn't.

I am 2/3rds thru the last immediate edit of the novel, which means i'll get it out soon.

You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Tried to run
Tried to hide
Break on through to the other side

-The Doors

Alternate Timeline

I made my will today. Hopefully that means i'm not going to die anytime soon. But getting my skull cracked open by muggers made me think. Some one has to be designated to make decisions in the extreme case that i cannot.

So let it be written

So let it be done

-Richard Pryor as Pharoah, Wholly Moses

Music to put your life back together by:

Starless and Bible Black - King Crimson

The Crossing - Big Country

Love, Death and Mussolini - Porcupine Tree

Live '70-71 Archive - Pink Floyd

I had a great time in the states. Sue and i had a great time with Annie. It's cool - i get to see what my life may have been like in an alternate timeline. I also watched Colin while Kev y H went to a PTA meeting. Did i really just say that? It seems so surreal! They asked if he was any problem and he wasn't at all. We just played Wii

for about an hour and i made him an ice cream shake. Pretty painless. Anyhoo, spending time with Colin and Annie, and all my friend's kids, is important to me. Kids are really cool. I may have one, i may not, but i enjoy my time seeing how the other half lives.

I emailed the pic of Annie making the funny face that i posted a week or two ago. Sue said she showed it to Annie and she laughed. Ah laughter, the gift that keeps on giving.

Sleep of no dreaming

At the age of sixteen
I grew out of hope
I regarded the cosmos
Through a circle of rope

So I threw out my plans
Ran on to the wheel
And emptied my head
Of all childish ideals

The sleep of no feeling

-Porcupine Tree

I am lagging. I sleep for a few hours and then wake up. Five hours seems to be the steady number.

My friend Alastair, who i know through the Martian, was in from Ireland this weekend, so we hung out yesterday and watched Kilkenny defeat Tiperary in the huring final.

Lunes

It's still 32C here, which is 90F. Too damn hot. But i slept thru the night, mostly. I woke up at six but fell back by seven. No dreams. Just the dead sleep of the exhausted. Maybe that's why i don't feel very rested.

Coming back to life

Back in town. Slept from 1:00 - 6:00 and then was up til 13:00, when i fell back to sleep again. Did some food shopping and cleaning products. Fumigation has begun! How does a grown man not clean a bathroom for almost 8 weeks! Joder! I thought i was lazy (and i am). Listening to Robert Fripp's Exposure. It's one freaky freaky album. But it fits all out cleaning and reorganizing. I mop therefore i am.

Domingo

It's morning. Or is it night? Well, the sun is up, so it must be morning. I am not asleep, nor am i awake. So be it. I watched The Time Traveler's Wife last night. It was pretty awful, not half as good as the book. The script took a lot of short cuts trying to be a romantic film. It didn't explain half of the nuances of the story.

I feel like i have been time traveling.

My room is clean, as are the common areas i use. Maybe i'll finally go out into town today.

High Hopes

The grass was greener

The light was brighter

The taste was sweeter

The nights of wonder

With friends surrounded

The dawn mist glowing

The water flowing

The endless river

Forever and ever

-Pink Floyd

Slept for five hours. Cleaned dust. Now going to scour myself and then meet Jessica from Seattle. She's staying in my neighborhood this month. Sheets are clean! Oh it's the simple things. Cleaned 8 thimbles full of dust out of the fan.

Here Again

I am back home, in Madrid. I am like a bad fungus - i keep coming back. The flight was uneventful. Some mindless Sandra Bullock film, but Betty White played a crazy old coot who did indian rituals in Alaska. She was funny.

So we begin season 6 (semester six as well).

We have all been here before

We have all been here before

-CSNY

It's good to be back. Chema destroyed the place and left it in tatters. No surprise there. But he's such a slob. My room is dusty. I just washed the sheets and they are hanging. Got gazpacho and bread for toast. Woo hoo! Set new computer to the Internet. Put money on my pay-as-you-go phone. Life is very different here. But it's a good life.

It was great to see all of you! You're kids are great! Annie and I had a lot of fun too.

Okay- onto cleaning. Just wanted to let you know i was alive.

The Never Ending Story

So no need to worry

no need to fuss

just go about your work now

and leave the driving to us

-Neil Young

Thank you all who boarded me (and for not water boarding me!)this summer 2009 North American Tour. Jim and Lisa, Kev and Heather, Pat and Laura, Mum, Mel and Jan, Mike and Mima, Bryan and Rebecca.

Special thanks to The Toyota, 3,500 miles plus on this trip. It's an old friend. And thanks to my travel buddy who logged over 1,500 miles with me, Fripp.

There are no endings. Just beginnings.

UFO

Unlimited Freak Out (UFO) hits every time I switch continents. It messes with your head, all the lists and logistic. Not my strong point. But then you stop shaking your ass about it and go on the offensive, and all is well. And put on some Joe Satriani.

Music to Leave By;

Professor Satchafunkalis...-Joe Satriani

Arriving Somewhere - Porcupine Tree

Exile in Guyville - Liz Phair

Marillion - Somewhere Else

El Adios Grande

I saw Annie, Sue and Frippy for the last time today. We took Annie to the Tower which is what she calls the Washington Monument. It was a crystal clear day and Annie had a blast looking out the windows of the observation deck. "Beautiful," she kept saying.

Then she played with her beach ball in a fountain for twenty minutes.

We played a little soccer too.

I have already seen the last of the Smith's and Sheridans. Tomorrow I say goodbye to DC, and Bryan and Rebecca.

It's so surreal. I am going home, yet i am saying adios to so many people. It's a pretty bizarre situation. The world is my Oy! Ster.

Floating high
In the evening sky
I see my faint reflection

Pale facsimile
Like what others see
When they look in my direction

-Rush

Senor tres mil

Scaggsville

Yesterday the Toyota hit two milestones; 148,000 miles while passing thru Newark (pronounced 'New Ark') Delaware and 3,000 miles for this trip as i was passing thru Scaggsville (wouldn't you love to be a young women who lives there!) Maryland.

I also saw a sign for the Decoy Museum as I was passing thru the great state of Maryland. Does that mean they house famous decoys or is it just a fake museum?

Fripp has finally returned back home after a long and fun vacation. When i arrived, Annie didn't realize that he was in the Sherpa bag. When i put it down and his head popped out, she jumped up and down and yelled "Frippy!" Robert Frost was wrong. You can go home again.

Liga de Campeones!

The city walls are all come down
The dust, a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance

-U2

Atletico defeated Panathinaikos 2-0 today to advance to the Group Stage of the Champions League. Fripp and i watched it together on the Internet. Frippy and i watching sports together, just like old times. Today is a fix-it day - preparing Mum's pool for winter, replacing the doorknob on the cellar door, cleaning my room, dealing with my taxes that the accountant hasn't done yet, etc. For soon i shall go back across the Atlantic Ocean.

Smithstock

No sleep, no sleep, no sleep, no sleep, no sleep

and no mad video machine to eat time

-King Crimson

• Smithstock on saturday in Newtown CT was a blast. We jammed for a few hours. I got to play a good bit. The rain held off, so it was lots of fun. I saw many old friends i had not seen in years - Denis, Kathy, Dave and Kathy, etc.
• Next week i head home. Hard to believe, but it's time. Time to get back to work.
• But i have oodles of things to do before i go - take Fripp back to DC. Talk with doctors and take care of legal crap.
• All in good time everything falls into its right place

Back in CT

• 2,336 miles driven in the US so far! Global warming loves me. 
• I am blogging from my new Mac Book Pro. Boo Yeah! Bill Gates - suck my balls!
• I have three glorious weeks left in the Northeast.
• I will post pics of the trip once i find that damn chord that attaches my camera to my laptop.
• I am in Ansonia, watching the Yanks romp the Mariners 5-0. And Boston continues to swoon.

El Padrino

Tomorrow is the long drive from DC to CT. D'oh!

Watching the USA - Mexico World Cup qualifier. We have never won in Mexico. The Azteca Stadium always has smog, high altitude and 110,000 rabid fans. It's 1-1 in teh 39th minute.

Bryan and Rebecca had to go out so i am watching Caleb, teh German Shepard, to make sure he doesn't wreck shit or steal food. I, a dog watcher - who ever could have imagined. O brave new world that has such a me in it! Caleb is sleeping. Hallelujah!

Mexico is in danger of not qualifying for the world cup. I like Mexico. Megan, my one and only god daughter, is Mexican.

And what does that make me? It makes me El Padrino, the Godfather.

down by the river

Kayaked in the Potomac today with Bryan. We went under the Key Bridge and down around Roosevelt Island. We stopped off on the Island and hit some crazy mud, but all was well.

The DC area feels more like home than any other place in the USA, probably because this was the last place i lived before Madrid. I've been in Georgetown twice now this visit. I used to work there so it's strange to go back there.