Come Hell or High Water

Huelga General

There is a general strike today. I should be able to get to Madrid on the Cercanias (the Train). And then the Metro will be running at 20%. People are protesting the Government cutbacks, but the government doesn't have enough money. So what do they do? They bring the capital to a standstill, making the recession worse. Brilliant. I don't have class til 14:00. There is one train every hour. I'll catch the 12:56. I have 5 hours of classes and they majority are private students who pay the same day. So i will be there come hell or high water.

The Getafe Deliverance

Leon Washington

Monday. Back to work. All is well.

Soon i will be back in Madrid. Hooray!

Living with Eartha Kitt has been fun, but then again i am demented. I would sell my soul to see her eat a 20 oz. steak.

Less cats, more room await me on Friday.

It's getting cooler. You can finally wear pants without sweating like Nell Carter.

I will miss Bitchy (bee - chee [it means 'bug']). He's a big lug of a cat who likes me to throw one of Eartha's loop earrings so that he can fetch it.

I am listening to Monday Night Football on radio. Specifically to a commercial for Barbasol shaving cream. Really? They are advertising on radio?

Boomer Esiason is on the radio. What a tool!!!! My left ass cheek could beat him in a game of Trivial Pursuit.

....You better run!
-Pink Floyd

GETAFE CRASH CITY

A car just burst into flames on the street outside of Eartha Kitt's window. It looked like it was planned. They must have left it in the middle of the street and torched it. The police were inept. After 8 minutes they ran because they thought it would blow. Luckily, the bomberos (firemen) finally arrived and put it out. Nuts. Things like this never happen here.

But these folks did very little damage. I could own this town. To be continued.....

SOUNDS OF THE DAY, part 27

ALL IS WELL.

SAW THE BAND YESTERDAY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN. IT WAS FUN.

THANK YOU LEON WASHINGTON FOR WINNING YESTERDAYS GAME VS. SD!

BACK TO WORK!

AND I MOVE THIS WEEK. OY!

STAY WELL.

OUT.

The Platypus

Alive! Busy! Lots of classes, which is all good, with more to come.

I will get my new corona (crown) for my tooth on Oct 5th. Hooray!

"My...my....my....new corona!"

I have created a MySpace page for The Platypus (yes, i think we're dropping the 'wayward' part. The tens of people who actually know us all call us The Platypus anyway - give the people what they want.) I'm uploading music, but with a Spanish Internet connection it may not be loaded until tomorrow. The new album is done; music, titles, artwork etc.

Maria is in Guadalajara. So i have the place to myself and can bring home cheap floozies! Actually, i only have one floozy in mind as I am meeting this gal Asun for drinks at 22:00. She's a sweetie. I saw Pete last night and he said that if i bring her home we should use Maria's bed.

Forgive me Father, for i have done wrong....
-Dire Straits

Tres Elenas

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SPACES

We are secrets to each other Each one's life a novel No one else has read
-Rush

16:01

Has it been since Miercoles? Crap. Where have i been?

Busy I guess. Looking at flats, not really finding anything. Prepping for class all this morning/afternoon.

Making space on the computer. Soon to be making space in my little mauve 10 x 10 ft. room. Things are a wee bit tight.

I need some space man.

In other flat news, Eartha Kitt is way too thin. She's got big problems. She's falling apart because she weighs nothing. She never eats unless i cook. There is too much empty space in her stomach. It's quite upsetting, but i guess you can't help a person until they are willing to help themselves. She gets a cold every time she takes antibiotics (she had an abscessed tooth), i guess cuz her body is too weak to take the shock to the system. And she's obsessed with her appearance.

Plus, she is very jealous that now, with my new haircut, that i am prettier than her. I can sympathize with her.

How dare i be so beautiful?!
-Genesis

Move Dude. Move.

18:30

Room clean. Bathroom cleaned, for first time in quite some time; well, she doesn't do number 2 ever. Kitchen clean. She doesn't use that either.

So much cat hair. Clumps float by like tumbleweeds across some rural route in New Mexico.

Why is my life this way and how did it get this way? And why is it this way. Again?

Time to bolt and watch Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona.

We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
-Rush

21:28

Atletico lost to Barca, 2-1. That's two losses in a row now. And Wed night vs. Valencia who is at the top of the table. Ugh.

23:54

The Seahawks are getting ripped after an error prone first half. But they just scored on their first possession of the second half. We'll see. Both sides of the football have been horrible until the the O put together that last drive. Hasselbeck has been off target and error prone. The D has taken bad penalties. Coughing up big play after big play.

Losing to Denver like this brings back memories of the 70's, 80's and 90's.


And they lose again. It's tomorrow now. Time for bed.

Just between us
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow
-Rush

Hardly

(Mammaries of Summer, part 4 - Annie and I)

Talked to Mum last night. She turned 55 yesterday. Yeah, that's right - she had me when she was 13! You wanna take this outside you flea bitten hoor????!!!!

Just like i tell the IRS; that's how it happened. That's my story and i'm sticking to it.

I'm New Jersey Italian from Palermo, and the Pigs will never break me.

This summer, Colin was joking with me about something and he called me a criminal. It was kind of weird that his intellect has developed to that point. And what the hell are H and K telling him about me? Not that it matters. The boy has known me long enough. He knows i'm warped.

So i gently corrected him. I said, "You mean 'Hippie.' I hardly break any laws."

He had a dubious look on his face.

Ahh..... How many times I've seen that look on his father.

a la plancha

Listening to the Jets/Ravens. I hate Baltimore. Not the team as much as the city. It's what Mos Eisley was to Star Wars. It's a hell hole. Number one in STD's 4 years running while i lived in that part of the world. Well done Crackmore, well done.

Time for sleep soon. Two classes manana. Tonite i was studying Spanish with Cat Women.

How did my life become this way? I'll never know. It's not bad, though.

I live in a mauve room in Getafe.

I am getting to be a good Spanish cook. I cooked setas (mushrooms) today with olive oil and bread, a la plancha. It's like a pan that's more or less a foreman grill.

HAPPY B-DAY MUM!

Week 2

Domingo

• May have found a flat today. they said they'd get back to me
• last night was Noche Blanco (White Night) where they have performing arts and stuff in the street
• Seahawks survived a very shaky first half to crush San Fran. The division sucks. Seattle is rebuilding and has a plethora of holes, but San Fran is the fave to win the division. So Seattle got off to a good start in a monumentally important first game. Next week in Denver. Fuck. It's like we have 10 division games this year, playing the AFC West as well. Luckily, most of those teams suck.
• Listen to the game on NFL Audio. It was fun.
• It's been 89 or 90F the last few days. So fucking hot.

Monday

• 89F again today! No more heat!
• Sending out my CV to a bunch of places.
  
• Doing laundry. Exciting stuff!
• I finished THE HUNGER GAMES Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It was Awesome!
  

Back, Black, Cracked

Evan and I (Aupa Atleti!)

Does the time change lag never end?

My hamstrings (ummm.........Ham strings), ankles and feet hurt. Not used to so much walking after a summer in the Toyoya. Bichy, the only male cat, is grooving to the sounds of the new Platypus album, Brunch with the River Man. And he's Spanish. It only validates my theory that all male cats love progressive rock.

Fripp was freaking in the car this July until i put on Pink Floyd's Animals.

Viernes

Looking for flats, got 13 hours of classes, never sitting; constant motion. Constant chaos. Re-injured my right elbow again, so off to the fisio therapist today. Looked into getting health ins here. Lots of former students still on holiday. What else is new? But i am back baby. I am back.

Here again, part V

Mammaries of Summer, part 2

Jim and i cut down three trees the morning after a night of boozing and jamming at the One-Eyed Pig in Newtown

So i am here again in Spain, getting re-expatriated. 5th time i've done this. I taught my first class today with an excellent student from Barclays, Angel Luis. I already have 9 hours a week, which isn't bad for only Sept 7th. More to follow. I will have more repeat students this year than any before.

They started work on my new crown today (corona). My-my-my... new corona!

My whole body hurts. Not used to walking so much.

The cats are fun but you have to count all three before you leave. They like to hide.

Looking at flats. I've only seen ones owned by creepy old men, so far, whom i am concerned will try to molest me. Oh, i could take them if i had to, easily, but i promised Mum; No more killing!

Haven't slept a night straight thru yet.

Sleep of no dreaming
-Porcupine Tree

In The End

(Give thanks and praises)

In the end, God doesn't give a baboon's ass about us. Luckily He doesn't exist.

Whew!!! Dodged a bullet there.

I was going to say some other things, but i forgot. I need to get up at 7:30. May the baboon's ass bless us, every one.

When the thrasher comes...

I searched out my companions,
Who were lost in crystal canyons
When the aimless blade of science
Slashed the pearly gates.
-Neil Young

Tried to make some space in my room today. No problem. It's comfy. But it's a 8' by 9' mauve cell.

So goddamned hot. Catwoman doesn't feel the heat (because she's 5'7 and 112 pounds!) Her Body mass index is 17.5, which is underweight. I always have to open the windows, but be sure not to let the cats jump out. Most of them have woodwork in front of them but not all. It's still 81F at 23:30! Fuck this. I'm moving to Maine.

So I got bored and left them there,
They were just dead weight to me
Better down the road without that load
-Neil Young

Hmmm. I should end with something clever. Um...um....

Mauve!

Motorcycle Mama

in the garage, the Mum's garage
the Toyota sleeps tonight


Viernes 13:01

Nothing ever ends. It just picks up where you left off. I just spoke to Edward and he said he will email me info about opportunities in Belize for 2011, probably for Sept. It's like it's spring all over again.

Gaspacho and fresh mozarella. Finally!

Music to re-expatriate by;

Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Clash on Broadway (disc 3) - The Clash

Sabado 22:54

Got some stuff from Laura's. My fan! Praise Jah! It' s so hot in Maria's house. It's built like a fortress. Plus, it's been 90F everyday. It's still 84F!

I finished, Catching Fire, the second book of The Hunger Games. Fantastic. Kind of brutal for young adult fiction, but i really dig it.

I want to work in a think tank when i get back to the US. Or i want to drive a really smart armored vehicle. But not in Iraq or Afghanistan. In Wyoming, maybe.

Brain slowing down. Tired ~ then awake ~ then so tired ~ hungry~ awake ~ not hungry ~ sleepy. And so it goes on and on and henceforth and forward. The never ending cycle.

Just me and the 3 cats; Bichito, Lala and Guiness. They are all insane, but quite lovable. Like me, i guess.

Mammaries of Summer, part 1

Colin and i saw a guy and a gal riding a motorcycle (without a helmet of course) and the gal on the back had cut off jean shorts but leather boots that went up to her knees. We both thought it was awesome, i can only hope for different reasons.

The never mending snorey

Smithstock, 2010

Doubledeal: Son, I'm the commissioner of Ultimate Robot Fighting. I'm a connoisseur of jerks like you who pick fights in movie theatres and you're the biggest I've ever seen.

Bender: You should see me at funerals.

-Futurama

3:24

Fell asleep at 23:00. Woke up a half hour ago. Trying to get back to sleep. Normally i am so good at sleeping.

Waking up in the morning is painful.

Maria woke up yesterday with an infected tooth. Her cheek was horribly swollen. Ouchy. So she's on amoxicillin and feeling better.

They'll be no romance between her and i. She's as crazy as a bedbug high on ether. But, i think we'll be good housemates for a few months, if that's what's meant to be.

Will i be pretty?
Will i be rich?
Here's what she said to me

Que sera sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not our to see
Que sera sera
-Doris Day

HORRIBLE Spanish pronunciation in that song.

I went to J&J's today for happy hour and lots of folks were happy to see me. It was good to be seen.

Sleep, i hear your callin'.

Lagging

Frippy - on the 9+ hour journey to DC

Sept 2

3:22
Can't sleep. So hot. Need to get my fan from Laura's. Slept for 5 hours from 14:00 to 19:00. Tried to only sleep for 2 hours but never heard my alarm and Maria never woke me. Oh well. Only 5 hours sleep in 2 days. Still awake. Welcome to jet lag. The older i am, the worse it gets. And i keep getting older. And that's good.

Things are surreal. Like getting Cajun hot sauce in your eyes. Like going on a roller coaster too many times. Like forgetting to close the garage door with the car running. And then you remember and open it.

welcome my son
welcome... to the machine
-Pink Floyd

My Mac says it's 66F outside but it's way warmer in here. Rained all day. Humid as hell.

Futurama: it eases the pain.

14:20

Finally slept at 7:00. Just woke up. Ugh.

Back in Madrid

Above; Packing Day

I am back. Safe and Sound. Exhausted. It's 11:18 GMT +1 and 5:18 EDT. I am exhausted in a disembodied kind of way.

I have memory and awareness but i have no shape or form -Rush

Here with Cat Woman and los tres gatos. Time for an early siesta. It's so surreal, intercontinental travel.