The Beginning

(Picture mostly unrelated, it was the only one I took before I left, so it'll have to do)

So, those that have known me a long time know that (by choice) I pretty much don't do anything, ever. I'm perfectly content with that lifestyle; however, in this world we all need something in order to maintain comfortable living.

Income.

When I have a job, I don't have a problem going to it, completing my responsibilities, and almost without exception being an exemplary employee. But that's where that ends. When I don’t have work, I DESPISE looking for it. I hate the borderline dishonesty that goes along with the application process, the bureaucratic garbage that stands in between you and actually getting considered for an interview. All of it. I wish that everyone just had a factual job performance history tattooed to their forehead. That way I'd either stand out, or understand completely when I don't end up at the top of the ladder. Regardless, as things are, job hunting is the mental equivalent of digging through a pile of manure in search of the house key. You REALLY don't want to do it; you probably won't find it; and even if by some twisted miracle you happen to grasp it, you'll likely realize that you probably never really wanted it. Long story short, instead of continuing my manure diving, I've decided to take a gamble with travel. Sometimes foreign manure appeals more than what's available at home. Some people eat bat guano.

I've had this on my mind for a long time (travel, not bat guano), but planned on the very, very short term. I'm fine with that. Others aren't. I think that fundamentally those two types of people make up the vast majority of the population. People that are afraid of the unknown, and people that are intrigued by and attracted to it. I used to fear pretty much everything . . . crowds, darkness, commitment, raisins . . . you name it. I'm very consciously breaking out of that mold.

Now, I can't say that things have never been better, but things are good, and I have high hopes. Even though nothing has really fallen into place (except that apparently Radiohead is playing in BA soon). I haven't found any fantastic work opportunities, I'm far from capable of navigating this city, and there isn't a single pair of headphones in South America that will satisfy my audiophillic needs. But for no particular reason, things are looking better every day.

My main source of optimism: Almost every surprise has been a good one. The average person here is very aware of international politics, and they can reinforce their opinions with concrete evidence. A dissenting opinion wouldn't flag you as the Buenos Aires equivalent of un-American(a truly strange word to see written). Different opinions stimulate deeper conversation rather than the abandonment of it. Long story short, people should talk about everything, and it seems like they do that here.

But that doesn't mean that BA isn't ridiculous for a slew of other reasons. It is. Five hours after I arrived here, we were roasting heaps of meat and emptying bottle after bottle of local beer and wine. This only lasted about . . . seven hours before everyone moved on to the bars. After all it was only 5AM. Yes, 5 in the freaking morning, that time that I can't remember being conscious at during any other point of my life. And that's when they decided to go out. I didn't. Not yet. Even more than I like sleeping during the day, I like sleeping at NIGHT, when the sun is down. When 95% of other mammals decide instinctively that they'd be better off not jumping between tree branches, navigating cliff faces, or crossing the street in a city has collectively agreed not to obey traffic laws.

My roommates came home at 8 AM. Breakfast was around 4PM, and everyone else looked miserable. Jetlag (similarly to how I'd imagine menstruation) not only exists, but can wielded powerfully as an excuse for engaging in healthy activities. That's all I've got for today, a few of us are going to bed while the others are out again making more shockingly un-mammalian decisions.