First Forty

All we did today was play because we had the day off.

Scan family photos at Amy's desk; in the market for a DV camcorder; Yumi and I go to classical guitar concert on campus; Joseph is the stage director; I am "monkey hand"; talk of Marcel contributing rent; Yumi resorts to "American" medicine.

Struggling with Hume; guest speaker in class from Shoshone Nation; cool guy, reminds me of Grandpa; beautiful sunset; attend talk on Hubble telescope; interested in space, once more; night walk.

Go to Naval Reserve Center to find out what I need to do for summer training; they're going to put me on a frigate based out of Treasure Island, in San Francisco; during my physical, the doctor detects a heart condition: mitral valve prolapse; I'm told to lay off strenuous exercise.

Grant and I go to Jodie's birthday party in Streamwood; it's been ages since we've seen her; Jodie shows us her pictures of the Europe trip, which bring back a LOT of memories; even Grant is feeling nostalgic; suddenly want to talk to Ann.

Today Todd and I played and watched Project U.F.O.

Amy furious at Baytree for tracking her down while on vacation; Japanese class is a real train wreck; Tajima sensei is great, but totally disorganized; Ted, Don, and I are ready to take out some of the younger punks; Muria has already promised the garage as a practice space for some friends of hers in a band.

No one in Section can agree on a topic; Prop 187 hunger strike planned for the weekend; don't tell me what to do; $7 massage; movies on Western Shoshone; finish National Geographic article on the Universe, which puts everything into perspective.

Decide to get hair-cut at barbershop on Larchmont; while there I meet Huell Howser, from KCET; we get to talking and he wonders if I wouldn't mind working with him on his next project; we exchange information, but I don't expect anything to come of it.

Go to another meeting at Stu's; stop by Yorktown to see Grandma and Grandpa at the show; while there I pick up re-mixes of "Sweetest Girl" and "Our House"; ask about getting Madness videos; Grant and I play Subbuteo; Jodi calls me out of the blue; she's having a party and would like Grant and I to come.

Tonight we were at a pow-wow in Wheaton. The Spotted Pony people were celebrated by Chief Walks-With-The-Wind.

Yumi and I have breakfast at Cowell; B.J. spots us and comes inside; he needs help with some translation and tells us about an international job fair he attended; he says I have the right "look" for Japan and says JET is a waste of my time; work in the office a bit; Virginia and Cheyenne drop by and Virginia is pleased that her daughter and Yumi can finally meet; Mose Allison show at Kuumbwa; tell Nina and Shinya of my plans to move into the garage.

Gorgeous day!; pick up hotel brochures for Mom; ride up to campus; before riding down, stop to take in the beauty; Meggin calls; tell her that I'm tempted by the women at school; she has similar feelings about the men around her; she tells me to just be careful, if something DOES happen; what!?; talk about my issues with sex and guilt.

August 2: Iraq invades Kuwait; I'm following the news constantly on KCRW; Case is put on alert and sent to Norfolk, where he spends his time digging ditches; while there, he meets a stripper.

Grant back from Pennsylvania; blood pressure still a little high; Grant goes out with Ann to movie; she's mad at Amy, too, and says I'm acting childish; head over to Pauls' after work; Grant and I go to Wag's but he's in a weird mood so I just drop him off and go to bed.

Today we had a feast. We had foods from other countries. Tonight we went to a pow-wow.

Spend day with Ted, watching movies; see American Beauty first at Cinema 9, then Totoro at his place; Ted has redecorated his apartment; he tells me of his idea to hawk desktop shrines; raining all day; WWII propaganda film; Ted relates his fated meeting of Masako in Tokyo.

Run into Michael at library; he must think I'm following him; watch Angel Island and bell hooks videos; bike parts come; finally clean room; Case goes out with both Maureen and Amy; he's worried about becoming an alcoholic like his dad.

While you were away... (pt. 3)

Change out of Calculus to Government; so many awesome girls at the Field House; cleaning "party" at Stu's; John and I are assigned to the inside the ice-maker; grades come — they're not good; measure blood pressure in class and mine is 150/50!