Rinse, Repeat

Sitting here, watching 'The Lake House' again -- despite having 12 or so unwatched shows stacked up on my DVR. I don't know what it is about some movies that, no matter how many times you've seen them, make you stop on that channel.

'Overboard' does it every time. So does 'When Harry Met Sally,' the last bit of which I caught the other night. Of course, I had to rewind the last scene a few times (you know, the part when Harry says, "I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out ...").

I've probably seen every episode of 'Sex and the City,' oh, seven or eight times. I've watched the complete series of 'Deadwood' three times. I plan to watch all of 'Battlestar Galactica' again this winter (and this is a series that I'd re-watch before every new season).

And, I even re-read books, too. Some people find this revisiting incomprehensible -- what's the point, they ask, if I know how it all ends. I guess it's a sort of comfort food ... comfort culture?

I'll never get enough of 'Pride and Prejudice' (book or miniseries) ever.

Some random thoughts:

• Won the Emmys pool, to the consternation of my co-workers. I really didn't even pick who I thought was going to win, but my bets paid off. Next year's Oscars are changing things up, though, so maybe I won't win again. Maybe.
  
• One of the unforeseen advantages of a lengthier commute is the chance to read The New Yorker. If you haven't been reading it lately -- go the newsstand immediately. The last handful of issues have been amazing. The story on the financial crisis almost made me understand what happened.
  
• I wrote a bit in Spain, and went back to re-read it. My handwriting is terrible, awful! I could barely make anything out. Then again, I never had that beautiful, loopy, girlish handwriting, even in high school. I'm now entirely dependent on typing.
  

Partying Like It's 1999 ...

... Except it's not. It's 2009.

This past week, I've come home at 5am and 6am. I slept in my clothes again. I didn't get anything done this past weekend (laundry, cleaning my apartment, writing, grocery shopping among other things). In short, I've been acting like I'm 20. But I'm not.

I was describing this to a couple friends recently, and one said, "Well, you're making up for lost time" and another said, "You need to get it out of your system." And I suppose, in some ways, I kind of rebooted my life three years ago and picked up where I was B.L.T.R. (Before Long Term Relationship).

But, you know ... it's not like 1999 - 2006 never happened, though those years do seem like a completely different life. I wasn't frozen in carbonite. Sure, I didn't party hard, drink too much, sleep with the wrong people and generally make bad decisions when most people my age were doing just that. But do I really want to be doing that now?

Time for a little less boozing -- a little more Listing. It's mid-September, and I haven't made much of a dent on the 30 List. Sadly, I'm very, very, very poor, so some things might prove difficult (like, going to South America or taking guitar lessons). Maybe I'll head out to Montauk or the OBX before winter sets in and take care of a few of the easier items (flying a kite? seeing the sun rise?). Also, get back to quiet activities I used to enjoy, that don't involve getting wasted and passing out, like -- reading books, cooking and baking, eating at new restaurants, going to movies, attending concerts.

It's fall, my favorite season. There's always that bit of struggle when summer's coming to an end, when I can't let go of it. But I do love the decaying leaves, and apple cider, and woolen scarves and mittens, and brilliant sunsets, and burnished gold mountainsides, and playing spades by a fireplace.

Some list updates:
17. Cook or bake something new/untried at least twice a month
Made a triple berry pie, which was sort of new. Cheated, though, and used a pre-made pie shell. Next up: a tuna/white bean panzanella salad this weekend.

New:
25. Visit the Cloisters
26. Make pie crust, from scratch
27. Ski or snowboard

Barcelona, Again: Hasta Luego

Just a quick note, as I only have a few minutes left on this computer. It was a long day of mega-sightseeing (Montjuic, Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell). Now we eat our final meal, fittingly enough at Cerveceria Catalana ... where it all started 10 days ago.

It´s hard to believe it´s been 10 days; they´ve flown by so quickly. And while I´m sad to leave, I know I´ll return to Spain some day. I want to see Madrid and the north, and I still want to do a driving tour.

I thought such a long vacation would make me sick of traveling, but instead, I just want to keep going.

Buenos Aires, New Year´s Eve anyone?

Sevilla: What a Feeling

Take your passion, and make it happen

Picture´s come alive, you can dance right through your life

Now I hear the music, close my eyes, I am rhythm

In a flash, it takes hold of my heart

Last night, we saw a stunning flamenco show, and the images and music and beats still inhabit the corners of my mind.

What emotion! I understood almost none of the lyrics, yet I had no trouble feeling the dancers´pain and anger, longing and desire. Strangely, it reminded me of hip-hop from the streets -- letting the music move you. It´s spontaneous, unrehearsed, without rules. The passion and utter dedication was unmistakable, and it flowed forth from their staccato stomping and clapping like a tidal wave. You couldn´t help but be swept away.

It also the first time during this trip I truly felt: I belong here. I could open a little cervercia/flamenco bar, eat jamon and gambas every day and live simply but with mucho gusto and pasion.

I was born in Korea, raised in North Carolina and live in New York ... but perhaps I am an Andalucian at heart.

¡Sevilla! ¡Le amo!

Off to Barcelona, then back to New York. Back to reality, too, but perhaps a changed one.

Dear Citibank ...

... You suck. A lot.

So, after I got robbed and had to cancel my ATM card, my financial situation has been sort of a nightmare.

There are Citibanks (where I have a checking account) in Spain, but accessing my own money proved to be nearly impossible. I had to ask for "emergency cash," which involved talking to two separate people on the phone last night, then talking to five different people over two hours at a branch here in Sevilla this morning.

Again: This is my own money in my own account at this very bank.

Seriously, how did we all live and travel before ATMs? Did they just carry around wads of cash ... or is that what "travelers´checks" were for? In any case, I now can buy my own zumos de naranja and cafes con leche without begging Jen to loan me a few euros.

Tonight, hopefully, flamenco and celebrating JW´s birthday. If I don´t post tomorrow, I´ll post again once more from Barcelona.

Hasta ...

Ronda, Malaga: Man > Nature

Didn´t quite have enough time to post from Ronda, so I´ll have to make it up later with photos (they say a picture´s worth a thousand words, right?). We hiked down the gorge in the morning and marveled at the Punta Nueva, an incredible feat of human work. As awesome as the gorge was, as insignificant as it made you feel in time and space, it was still tamed by man. Some people centuries ago decided they wanted to live on top of this cliff, despite the odds -- and they made it happen.

Later, in the afternoon, we took the bus down to Malaga (a last-minute change of itinerary; Cordoba will have to wait for another time) and strolled down a beautiful, marble-lined paseo which Jen and I agreed reminded us of Las Vegas, another wonder of brute human creation. A bunch of people decided they wanted to live in the desert, despite the odds -- and they made it happen.

And in both cases, I´m not sure if man´s triumph over nature is admirable. On the one hand, it´s allowed me to live, and live well. On the other, well, there´s Las Vegas as it is today ... excess and vanity and above all, capitalism.

The next two days: Sevilla. More on that, and perhaps my financial travails -- luego.