2001-06-07 - 11:49 a.m. - brevis11

We have a visitor in our house... she's from Okinawa. I know my mother has known her for a long time, but I haven't been able to figure out exactly how. I think the way it works out is that she is the older sister of a friend who my mother had for one year.

Something like that. Anyway, last night she was trying to teach me a little bit of Taiwanese (interesting dialect-language, but it's like distorted Mandarin, so... yes. Difficulties arise.) We then fell to talking about travel... it came up that almost all of the places I want to go are in Europe or the "Near" East. Very few are out her way. She warned me that if I were to travel out to Europe, that I might be killed by marauding gangs of youths... then I pointed out to her that that wasn't everywhere and that the same might be said for certain parts of most cities and countries. Especially places like Taichung. (There's a reason my cousin's cousins are studying in the States.) Not that Asia is a bad place. Not that anywhere in general is a bad place. Just watch your back. Anyway.

It's beautiful weather out there. I really should start waking up before ten o'clock.

I need to get moving. There are things to be done... like practice, packing for the tour, and the daily dose of Chinese writing... I really don't feel like doing any of it but I must. A couple more wasabi beans and I'll be on my way.

Of course I will. Just give me a moment...

I'm listening to Shostakovich and Elgar again. God knows what that says about my mood... (d minor sonata, e minor concerto).

As before: what makes us alive? Why doesn't it pass out with every breath until we're left husks of our former selves? How do I know that that isn't what happens? Can't disappoint my friends, can't hasten the process, can't let it out yet...

I've been feeling a reservoir of wormwood recently. Perhaps that will pass... I'm hoping so.

"I don't think everybody's made of iron, buddy." -J. D. Salinger (Franny and Zooey)