tall arched churches

rows and rows of empty wooden benches

cobblestone streets

shoeshine children with darkened faces and hands

tiny tiny people with packs on their backs

selling colorfull cloths and jewelery

school kids in uniform playing on the steps

jumping laughing running

cars and more cars everywhere
on the cobblestone alleys

honking and screeching

people hollaring incoherently

at others, us

all starring at the fair haired ladies

clouds and overhang
lush trees and green mountains flanking on the outskirts

closing in the noise and mess

we made it!

I saw “We Own the Night” tonight, a cop movie featuring Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix. As the credits were rolling, we were discussing what we thought of the movie. I mentioned I had a hard time taking Mark Wahlberg seriously due to his career as Marky Mark. I was shocked that my friend (who to her credit is 6 years younger than me) had no idea who Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch were. I told her we were no longer allowed to discuss him or any other actors until she researched the subject.

Wikipedia turned up some interesting facts. Did you know Marky Mark was originally part of the New Kids on the Block but quit because he thought it to be too “bubblegum, squeaky clean” for him? This allowed Joe McIntyr to join which totally makes sense, he never really seemed to fit with the others anyway.

He also did a workout video after the Funky Bunch but before his Calvin Klein career. Here’s an summary of it.

“A shirtless, shiny and ultra-buffed Marky Mark (a.k.a. Mark Wahlberg) provides plenty of eye candy as well as useful muscle building techniques.”

We’ve all done things in our youth that we much rather forget. For most people, this does not include making a music career of stripping down to his/her briefs. Nonetheless, you have to give the guy props for reinventing himself. All the pictures you see of him now show no hint of the troubled youth and punk ass kid I remember him as.

Yesterday was Day One of the snowboard season for me. I feel like it was summer when I left two weeks ago, maybe a hint of autumn in the air. When I came back, autumn had already passed and we’re right smack in the middle of winter. It’s been snowing nonstop since I got here three days ago. I’ve always loved the drive from Denver after I’ve been away for a bit. I love how you can see the mountains in the distance; it still amazes me that I live in them. On this trip, I could see how snowcovered the peaks were even from the plane. I was like a little kid as I drove through the pass and everything went from brown to white as I got higher. That feeling never gets old.

life is good.

……Mel and kevin (not pictured)

October 29th I leave for 2 months in Ecuador. OMG.

We’re scary, I know.

little bluebird on my shoulder…..

we really love this purse

she wants me.

Last week, I was pulled over for speeding. Unfortunately, this particular run-in with the cops was going to be more eventful than usual. Someone in the county clerk’s office didn’t do their paperwork properly and put a warrent out for my arrest citing a nonmoving violation that I had already gone to court for and had dismissed. The overzeaolous cop took me for a dangerous criminal, handcuffed me and loaded me into the back of his car. No one seemed to care to listen to my protests so my brother had to empty our bank accounts to bail me out of jail. it was a “surreal” experience to say the least, one I never want to repeat. Being arrested is a scary, dehumanizing event.

The following morning, still shaken from the event, I went down to the county clerk’s office. The clerks responsible for the mistake were sheepish and apologetic. All has been erased from the records, I’m no longer “wanted”. I’m relatively unscathed. I say relatively because I’m still a little traumatized by the event.