Brien's page was under construction.

Funny how things change. Ever since this site was indexed by google, I've been clamoring to my dad about getting a page. He said he'd let me have one if I did all this stuff for him, like update his logs and take care of his cat. Of course I agreed to this.

18 April 2006

So, some reflections from the trip, and thoughts about my upcoming one...

It's too cold in Chicago.  I have either been brainwashed into believing it or have realized it for real every morning while riding my bike.  On that note, I think it would be hard to ride a bike on most islands in the Caribbean.  for one, there are a lot of hills.  I like Chicago because it is flat.  Another thing, and this has to do with the hills, is that... well... DRIVERS ARE INSANE down there.  And I ride my bike through rush-hour, not rush-hour, and bar-getting out hour, on a regular basis here in Chicago.  (Bar-getting out hour is the most hazardous... lots of hungry cabs , lots of drunk people in need of a crossing guard.)  I am getting pretty good at accidents though.  Uh, anyway, my earring, in the ear that Caitlin pierced for me while I was there, is totally cool.  And it never got infected.  My favorite beer is pretty easily Guinness Foreign Extra (Stout).  They brew it in St. Vincent (among other places around the world), and it is very good.  I haven't been able to find something comprable around Chicago, but I will keep looking.  It's alcohol content is 7.5% and it is dark dark dark brown, not like those see through beers.  If they were to try and concoct a "lite" version of this beer, it would probably take all of the best minds in the world a few decades to do, and it would still have more calories than a bag of Oreo's.  Yum!

Before the trip, and during, and now, I have become interested in cricket.  (they say I am an english major, I just ignore them)  It was pretty cool to see some young lads playing cricket on the beach.  One of the reasons I like cricket so much is the ways that different colonies took the game from the British and made it into their own.  I doubt a proper English gentleman would ever be caught playing cricket with a tennis ball on the beach with his shirt off.  I was able to catch a little bit of the New Zealand vs. West Indies match playing on TV in a bar while we were down there.  The bartender helped to explain a lot of it to me.  My friend at work has also been teaching me about it.  He roots for the Indian cricket team.  (Who just whalloped England.)  I bought a West Indies cap online, and wait each day for it to come. Very excited.

I will be visiting my family again on May 10.  Can't wait.  My most of the time girlfriend Molly will be coming the 17th.  We plan to meet them in the Bahamas, and sail with them all the way to Charleston.  I am anxious to see if Molly is a sailor or not.  As Lydia mentioned in her log, once we get to Charleston, we will be taking Amtrak back to Chicago.  I am very happy about this, as it feels very much like an old-timey journey.  Taking a ship from the Bahamas to Charleston, then catching a train back to Chicago.  Now if only I could talk Molly into taking an Oregon Trail style wagon down to Florida.  hahaha.

14 March 2006

Well, It's not like I went anywhere yet.  All I've to say, as the default editor of this site, is that sea travel is slowy turning my parents' brains into mush.  Either that, or it's hard to type while underway.  It's been fun to witness the steady decline of their grammar and spelling since Aracaju.  I usually, without even realizing it, correct some of the mistakes, though I have left some in where I think they add a little something special to the overall feel of this ongoing travel narrative.  (So, yeah, I'm just covering my ass for all the mistakes I didn't catch.  I hope it doesn't matter all that much to you.)

I've been preparing to leave.  My time with my family is going to be over my spring break, and being a college student, I think we all know that any reasonble spring break involves a whole lot of...

READING!    I am little worried at how heavy my bag's gonna be.  Here's some of the books I will be bringing:  The Bible (for class, and for salvation! hahaha), Omeros by Derek Walcott, which I mention below, a signed copy of American Dreams by Studs Terkel!, thanks to my friend Tim, and one of two books that Molly has lent me.  I will also probably take with me some books about Australia for a paper I still owe a professor of mine from last semester.  On that note, she is one of my favorite teachers, ever, and I recently attended a presentation she gave on the book jacket art of Caribbean novels.  Pretty cool, huh?  one might even say... relevant?  kind of, hopefully...  You can find out more about all of the novels she spoke about at http://caribbean.lib.uic.edu .

February sometime

Well, these are two pictures. One is of me, and one is not.

The one on the right is not of me.

The one on the left is of me. I believe on that day I was seeking out injustices wherever they be found and stamping them out like so many unattended campfires.

My dad said I could not go with them for the whole trip because I posed a “security risk”. I don't really know what that means, but it sounded alright, so I decided to assume the role of Chicago Base Network Ops Commander. It's a title I just made up for myself and basically it means that I stay here and sometimes my dad will call and ask me to do something simple for him , like update his webpage, and I am supposed to turn that into a big and complicated affair in the spirit of “making it better”.

Two things before I go: This is my website, and since my family will be sailing through the Caribbean, I thought I should mention a book that will just knock your socks off. It's called Omeros and it is just amazing. (sorry, I would've felt lame linking it to Amazon) I can't wait to be reading it on a boat in the caribbean when I meet up with the salty crew of the S.V. Roam.