May day!!! May day!!!!!! I need emails from anyone and everyone. I am sick and that is amplifying the homesickness. Thank you to those who have been emailing, it really helps. I am in Seville as of an hour ago and it is beautiful and I would be at Flamenco if the room weren’t spinning as such. I love you all and would adore hearing from anyone right now because I am miserable. Everything will be fine when I am well.

It is strange posting on this blog. I wonder how many people are reading it. I feel somewhat apprehensive posting some things, because such a wide range of people may be reading this. Will the adults in my life approve after they read this? Will my friends still find me cool after I spill my proverbial guts online? I don´t know it´s a bit odd feeling. Then I just hope that people are acctually reading it, and moreover finding it interesting. It is comforting to know that there are people out there reading this, especially when they comment on it.
I wonder who is out there…

I am still in Plama, and am going tonight to stay in a little village on Mallorca, Deia where the poet Robert Graves lived. I will go to valencia on sunday (arriving monday) and then to Seville.
That´s the travel update. My head space is okay. I am a little homesick but am rapidly learning what I must do not to become too sad. I have learned that it is VERY important for me to keep a routine as much as possible. I have specific things I do int he morning and evening and that makes me feel secure. It is also good for me to know where I am staying for several days in the future.
My morning routine is really great. I get up and do circles (a little Qi-gong set of joint mobilizations that my dear friend Alexis taught me, thank you Alexis!) do a little stretching and mayb some Pilates depending on where I am and if I can lay down or have to remain standing. Sometimes I do some yoga, sometimes I do a little pilates or some Irene Dowd stuff (more somatic hoopla). It is great. After I feel sufficiently warm and awarke, I go walking, strolling, meandering, running or jump rope. Then I finish with a little more stretch or some pinky ball rolling or theraband stuff. Usually I spend an hour or two and it is cool because I have to adapt it depending on where I am. I have an array of things to choose from and the place where I am dictates what I do.
This morning I went for a little jog right beside the Mediterranean on the sand while the sun was coming up. You cannot believe the colors of these waters, especially at sunrise and sun set. Palma is known for it´s sunrise and sunset colors and rightly so. The color of the water is azure, opalescent and sometimes a deeper blue. When you combine those colors with the sky colors at dawn and dusk it´s unbelieveable.
Yesterday I did some yoga, ballet-like stuff and handstands in the park, and a group of children playing football (soccer I mean) became very interested in what I was doing. They tried to talk to me, speaking very rapidly and I explained that I didn´t speak spanish very well. They were very frustrated and confused that I couldn´t understand them and they kept trying. We managed perfunctory communications, Hola, Que tal? Me llamo Bethany. Que Haces? Me llamo Miguel etc. I managed to tell Miguel that my boyfriend´s name was also Miguel. It was fun and the best conversation I have had in spanish yet.

I had the first really hard and depressing day yesterday. The kind of day that made me seriously question what the hell I am doing. I got in to Palma at 6;30 am after sleeping stuffed into a ferry seat all night. The ferry was good and pretty much empty which seemed to be a good thing at first because then I would have 3 seats to myslef. But whoever made those ferries rigged them so that you can’t put the arm rests up so I found a way to have one arm rest pushed up against my stomach and put my legs under the other and sort of sleep on this small 8in space.
So, I was disoriented when i woke up and had to find the hostel I had reserved 2 days prior. I walked away from the port to find it and after about an hour of asking for directions, trying to understand in spanish, going too far, asking directions again and again, I found it. unfortunately the Hostel I thought that I had reserved had a sign on the door that said it was closed until march. I was ready to jump back on the ferry or sleep on the beach.
I called the number for the hostel and the woman (who thankfully speaks english) explained that the phone number I had is connected to both hostels and she had my reservation at another hostel that was in the center of Palma. She gave me directions and instructions on where to take the bus. I took the bus no problem and then got off where I thought it would be. Repeat the above scenario of walking around, asking for directions, only partially understanding, asking again, partially understanding etc. I did that for 2 hours before I finally found the tourist office (it wasn’t open when i got in) and they gave me a map. So by the time i got to the hostel I was exhausted and discouraged. I was also missing michael and having withdrawl from traveling with someone and having their support.
I layed on my bed just being sad for alittle while and then walked down and found the beach which was soothing for the soul. The water was clear and azure and it was warm enough to laying in a tee shirt and lightweight pants. I stayed on the beach for a couple of hours stretching and looking at the water. It was beautiful. i even got a little bit sunburned!!!
The island is pretty. I am going to take a bus out of Palma today and find somewhere to go hike. It turns out the dorm is nice and my dorm-mates are a canadian woman, a swedish boy, an australian boy and an englishman. They are all very nice. I am going to valencia tomorrow or sunday depending on what I find today.

There comes a time, when man is pushed beyond the levels of indurance…there comes a time when apathy is no longer an option…there comes a time when one must go forth to make ones own mark on the world. there comes a time to take a stand. Or make a point. Or write your own doddamn survey because you are tired of filling out and reading the wicket retahded ones…-Churpa

1. Worst thing you’ve ever puked: Really spicy shrimp curry from Poppi´s Anatolia in Eugene. It was way too good to be puked up!

2. If you could put teleportation stations in two bar bathrooms (allowing you to only teleport between those two bars) where would they be? Any bar in Eugene and Sadie´s flying elephant in San Fran

3. Ever thought about f*@cking your cousin? Nope.

5. If you could take over one country, which one would it be? and why? American so that I could take down the man.

6. War with Canada? Yes or No? No - war is bad and Canada is pretty cool.

7. If you could have three celebrity minions, who would they be? Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Mike Patton

8. What would you dress them in?
Johnny Depp would be dressed exactly as he was in Pirates of the Carribean. He would provide massages and cocktails and recite poetry.
Angelina Jolie would cook lots and would be dressed in big sun hats and white chiffon on Monday Wednesday and Friday, and would wear leather, with lots of zippers, clasps and hooks on tuesday thursday and saturday. Sunday would be her day off. She would also assist with bathing and grooming in general.
Mike Patton would wear hotpants, miniskirts, and fedoras. He would go shopping with me and allow me to dress him in the morning and would help me to dress. He would provide weekly entertainment and would organize parties every other sunday. He would provide unlimited foot and head massages and would sing to me in the shower.

9. Would you rather be a dictator or a self declared monarch? Monarch sounds better.

10. Favorite Tom Waits song: “I want you”
but dammit there´s others and I just found out that they are not on my goddamned Ipod!!!!!!! I should have realized that the hard drive wasn´t full enough.

11. If you could eat one historical character who would it be? and how would they be cooked? Jack Kerouac, cooked in butter with Romesco sauce on top.

12. Would you rather Jimmy Buffet or Bob Dylan? Bob Dylan

13. Most recent dirty or murderous thought: burning cities, revenge on my enemies, flying pigs with poison darts and electric cattle prods ready to shoot down the man!

14. If you could turn one celebrity into a hat: David Byrne

15. What group would you send to the gulags first? The current American Executive branch and all cabinet members. I agree, taylor.

16. When in power, would you inforce any dress code regulations? (i.e banning Ugg boots) What would they be? I would ban most stupid-looking pointy toed shoes.

17. Name the celebrity or historical figure the person who last posted this most resembles? I have no idea, she´s my sister and that´s all. Maybe Louisa May Alcott at times. She sometimes reminds me of myself but I don´t think that would be classified as a historical figure.

On my birthday, Michael and I came upon a pack of Brits. A veritable gaggle, if you will. They were wandering drunkly, aimlessly around (of course we were drunk at the time too). So we figured that they needed to have more fun, and so did we. We decided that the best course of action would be to take them to our room, blidfold them, spin them many times so that they were disorinted, and then make them box. They would have a bloody lousy time boxing because of the lack of directional sense and the drunkeness. Not to mention we couldn´t really undertand what they were saying due to the Queen´s English and all that.
This definitely rivals the Stone Foxes of last year AND prank calling the EPA!!!

Michael left today. It was sad. I cried which is something I haven´t done since new years. I had so much fun with him and had really gotten used to being around him once again. I had an awesome birthday weekend thanks to him. We went out and saw sights, ate good food, drank good wine, relaxed at the hotel and he took me shopping and got me some awesome clothes. So much fun!!!
My past two birthdays have kicked ass. Last year, my best friend showed up as a surprise 2 days before my birthday. I was so happy to see him and had wanted to hang out with him more than anything on my birthday. It was the sweetest thing he ever did for me. Taylor was in Sacramento and we all (michael and my dear friend Hazel included with the aforementioned friend) went to sacramento to get my dear sisso. We saw our wonderful friends Dan and Ariele and their adorable 2 sons, Astor and Ezra. Ezra was only 6 weeks old or so at the time and michael held him and serenaded him with a little Metallica lullaby that put him to sleep. Tres adorable!
Once we got Taylor, we drove up to Harbin Hotsprings and had some great soaks, camping under the stars and lounging in a giant room full of pillows. We ate good food, had chocolate cake and lots of laughter. Not to mention the enounters with the stone foxes and the prank calls to the EPA. Some of my favorite people in the world did great things for my birthday.
I love the things that people do for my birthday. It makes me feel very honored to have the friends and family that i have. I feel lucky, especially at my birthday times.
This year I was apprehensive about my birthday. I have been in a heartbroken, irritable, and generally bitchy state for the past few months. Most of you probably know that this trip was born partially of some huge emotional turmoils in my life.
Among many things that have to do with this stage of my life, I have had huge dissapointment and tremendous confusion about how to deal with an especially painful situation. The dissapointment I have been feeling has jaded other areas of my life. The confusion about the state of my friendship-capability has caused me to doubt my ability to carry out close relationships in general. I was worried that on my birthday I would be cranky and homesick but also be in my general state of late, which equals wanting people but not knowing how to deal with them. All of you who did kind things for me and sent me little birthday wishes made my birthday fantastic. This birthday even ended up rivaling last years´. Everyone has been so thoughtful even with me so far away. I value tremendously the support that I have recieved… Thank you!

Michal just informed that the aforementioned shot is called a B-52!

My birthday was definitely a success. Or an excess depending on how you look at it. We went to dinner at the 4 Cats (Picasso´s hang out nad first art showing venue) Michael embarassed me by haveing the waiter bring my desert with a candle stuck in it and while a pianist/violinist duo played happy birthday. The food was great but I will save that description for another day when I am not so amazingly hung over. Wine was had, we went to a bar where we met a bunch of brits (on of which was a bartender who shared my birthday. She gave me a free shot of Kalua, with bailey´s and cointreau on top yum!) Then we met an Irishman and a Kiwi who cotinued buying me birthday drinks. It was a ton of fun. I have been in bed all day. i thank my lucky stars that we decided to stay in the hotel until tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, at 9pm I am hoofing it to the port at the end of Las Ramblas and I am going on the Ferry to Palma, Mallorca! I made reservations in a cute-looking hostel on the beach. It should be georgeous, it´s on of the Baeleric islands off the east coast of Spain. Yay! It should be a good start to the solo ordeal of the trip.

This is my test picture, and it´s a cool photo taken on The Boat Show in september 2005. It was a group A show in which I danced a duet with Dawn and some saran wrap. I think it was called Product.