— tapioca world tour

Been working hard, all of us here in Texas. We get silly at night, even during anti-torture lobbying, as evident above. Everyone seems to be struggling with some physical problem — I puked up a lot of dirty salad the other night, several people couldn’t sleep, or body parts were aching, or sinuses were clogged — it would almost be funny, if it weren’t funny at all. Good thing I don’t believe in sickness. Fortunately health is on the rise again, a necessary thing and happy fact.

The one thing I do love about Texas (since it certainly isn’t the food) is the clear sky. Every day, no clouds. I didn’t realize how much of a difference it makes — but I find myself with more energy and uplift, despite the 100 degrees. Am on a break now, which I’ve capitalized on with a long swim in the hotel pool, although I guess it was more of a mini-swim, since you can only take a few strokes before hitting the other side. Unitarians, being the insane hippies they mostly are, are everywhere at this convention, and it’s been fun to see them in restaurants and on the street with their Birks and rainbow bags, blending like an armadillo in soup with the poofy-haired, pink-pumped, lipsticked business women of Fort Worth. I wish I could film all of this…

Seriously man, we must have walked for miles. This mini-city is a tourist trap targeted towards convention-goers. The food is all pre-made and pre-frozen and no good. You have to spend at least $30 to get a decent meal. It’s depressing, although we were able to score some fresh salads off a nice lobster waiter named Tyler.

After dinner we dressed up like Spice Girls and walked around downtown until we found a big rig that said “Let’s get this show on the road” written on the side. I echoed its sentiments.

I laid in the pool tonight for an hour, alone. It was great. I cherish these conventions for the sole purpose of getting the opportunity to practise how to float. This time, as I struggled to keep my stomach and nose above water, I stared out at the building across the street. It had about 17 stories and three open windows on one side, in which crows were flying. The sky was huge and blue and when the generator went on by the pool, it sounded (underwater) like jets were about to crash above me.

In other news,
There’s an apartment complex in Dallas called Harvard Square. N. got the housing classifieds so we can see what amazing lofts we could have if we wanted to live in this God-forsaken state. In Harvard Square, rents start as low as $405. Check, please.

Texas is a strange place. There are many brand new babies that are being held incorrectly (I’m serious, there are all these moms and dads in restaurants who hold their newborns upright, not supporting their heads at all — it’s disturbing) and bleached blondes wearing pastel skirts.

After entering our hotel, this is one of the first signs you see. To answer your question, I have no idea.

This is the view from our hotel window. The reflection of our pool in the opposite building has been very helpful for reconaissance. We don’t want to walk around half-naked in front of our CEO, but we definitely want to go swimming, constantly.

So, we swam around half-naked in complete automony tonight, since the masses for this convention don’t arrive til tomorrow. N. just got a new tattoo, which I stealthily captured on camera when her back was turned.

We went for a walk after dinner and took lots of pictures next to cowboy statues and lone stars. You can tell, but I’m standing between the legs of a big cowboy-businessman statue in this photo. The moon was huge tonight. Its aesthetic appeal was just enough to squash the knawing reality that, alas, we’re in Texas, land of Herr Presidente and guys who whistle at us out the window of their pickup trucks. Thank you, God, that I don’t live here and never will.

When I was terribly sick a few weeks ago, Ry stood at the end of the bed calling, “Jumping jacks! Get up, buddy! Let’s do jumping jacks!” After a sour, busy busy day, I need that kind of ridiculous uplift again. Alas, I found out Ry is por fin returning, but he’s literally entering town the hour I leave en la manana — bah! — although with enough time to bring me breakfast and drive me to the office, being the cool friend that he is. Vete, Tejas! No me gusta los viajes!

And now, in completely unrelated news, except for the fact that complaining about my inability to meet the right person has become the anthem to my existence, I introduce you to my favorite discovery of 2005, quite possibly the best “About Me” description on any online community forum ever.
Credit goes to a guy named M., found on myspace.com:

I would like to meet somebody who will add good things to my life.
A woman who will help me grow day after day. I already had enough
of the stupid ones. I have made all my mistakes, so now I know what
I want from a woman. She does not have to be the most attractive
woman in the world, but must have the biggest heart of this world.
A good family relationship is a must. I have a good relationship with
my family and friends, she needs to have the same or at least trying
to have. Also religion is important, if you have some faith in your heart
you can make life easier, because you have hope. I hope there is some
good girls out there with goods values, otherwise I will be single
for the rest of my life.

Dude, whoever you are, I totally understand.

So we did the postnatal workout video shoot yesterday, me and the video boys, above. It was 13 hours long. Three cameras. Many lights. An incredibly cool refinished warehouse studio. There were something like seven babies, since the workouts involved using babies as weights and at any given time, half were crying or napping. It went remarkably well, considering. I actually had quite a lot of fun, despite the shoot’s extensive length and my inability to chew solids. I love production.

Afterwards, I followed the crew to the birthday party of a girl I’ve never met. All I figured out was that she’s a nice girl with a crush on my ex-boyfriend, who was among the production entourage. “Back off, bitch,” I would have said, had I been a person who says or thinks such things. But being the nice person I am, I bought her a cannoli and let her banter with my ex, calling him affectionate nicknames, etc. [Puke] Am still torn up about the G-factor, but that’s obvious and boring, so we’ll move on to other obvious and boring topics, like my teeth, which hurt really badly, but whatever.

It feels like late fall or early spring, not nearly July. I need to go to Home Depot — with a jacket on — but all I want to do is sleep. 4-eva.