Spain

There are so many things to say that I don't even know where to start...cliche or what? Spain. Occupying the vast majority of the Iberian Peninsula. For you Geo buffs can you name the other two countries. Well I guess that you could say that there are actually four other independent nations. But that would be bending some international norms and rules. You'd have to include Pais Vasco (Basque Country) and Catalunya, the nation/provence where I currently reside. Occupying the northeastern most stretch of Spanish Mediterranean coast, Catalunya feels more than hundreds of miles from the matadors of Madrid. The native language, Catalan, is spoken by nearly all as is Spanish. Children from their wee ages are bilingual. They speak one sentence in Spanish and another in Catalan. It's amazing but headache inducing when trying to grasp the bare essential of what the hell is going on. The staple foods, which I'm growing to love, are toast (baguette toasted) with tomato rubbed on in a manner that basically grates it, then drizzled with olive oil and salt. Sound strange? Try it and you'll dig it. They (including my fantastic Catalan girlfriend) have a relationship with All I Oli that borders on an addiction. I would describe All I Oli (translates to garlic and oil) as close first cousins with mayonnaise. One of those cousins that you'd go fishing with at the summer cabin, really bond, pick up on each others nuances, and then say adios until Christmas. Basically, Mayo and All i oli look similar in color and texture but their tastes, uses and components are slightly different.

So how do I spend my days you ask? I'm making a living teaching English. I work at a school where I'm professing the nuances of my native language to a variety of levels and ages(certainly not synonymous). Usually I quite enjoy the work and am thankful that I have found a steady income. I also teach a private class and some classes at Accenture, a consulting firm. Accenture was formally Arthur Anderson, accounting firm for Enron. Hmmmm... Outside of work, I seek kicks, eating, drinking, attempting to speak Spanish, listening to music, watching football (shit I mean Soccer) hanging out with my girlfriend, Jessica, going to the beach and staying up on current affairs. (Obama's blatant move to the center through his recent positions on FISA, the death penalty and gun restrictions have me threatening him via brainwaves that he's not gonna get my vote if he keeps this up. Also the continually heated rhetoric splashed across front pages between the USA and it's spoiled adopted son Israel and Iran. Hopefully Obama, when president and once again level headed, will cool things down.)

There are so many things to say that I don't even know where to finish. How about this: To my friends and family, I miss and love you all very much. Check in again soon and vote in my little survey at the bottom of the page.

Ps. To Tim Russert: You were great. I can't comprehensively compare you to other legendary newsmen and moderators from yesteryear but you were amazing, more than a class act or "hard-hitting" journalist. To me you were a role model, a man that had it all but never lost track of who he was. I'll miss you.

Pps. George Carlin: Courageous, intelligent, and ridiculously funny. He lived a full life and went out swinging. Heed his words and you'll learn a lot.

Ppps. Mrs McCurdy: Even though we weren't your grandchildren you always treated us a such. Gingersnaps poolside being inhaled by Co and I is a memory that will never fade. I told myself I ate them fast so they wouldn't become soggy from my wet, pruny hands, but I really just loved them that much. Thanks for all the Thanksgivings.