Much has happened since the last post, such things as job interviews, curious bulldogs, chicken fried chicken... that is fried, Mistakenly long runs, parking lot victories, and interesting reading indeed.
To start things off I would like to talk about my ever so impressive, yet unabashedly humble co-author/girlfriend/Karate Sensei Kari. This morning we struck on our third adventure to the great sloping city of Portland, Maine. She had an interview at 9:00 am so we were up bright and early to make sure we had enough time for our travels. She looked very professional and prepared and, dare I say, suave, in her job interview attire. We arrived in time all thanks to Kari's lack of fear of toilet bowl reservoirs (I know it's clean water, it's not the water at present that grosses me out, it is the future water, but enough potty talk.) We made our way to a parking garage and meandered towards the destination point. It was a beautiful morning and the location was quite nice as well. After the well-wishing and mushy lovey dovey talk Kari went inside for her interview and I sought off roaming the streets looking for adventure or free egg sandwiches, whichever would appear first. Although no egg sandwiches were unveiled, I found a quaint second city within the city. We were on free street (don't get me starting about the false advertising at the Free St. Parking garage) and walked around the general vacinity.
Noticing nice mural of a pint of Guinness on a bar so appropriately named Brian Boru, after passing the pub I was at an intersection with an interesting sculpture of what turned out to be another Irish king, though of American lore. There at the intersection was a tribute to, Portland native, director John Ford.
It was nice little spot. Later on my walk I stumbled upon very curious Bulldog an arms reach away but at eye level, all thanks to the elevated lawn that he had been positioned on, he looked at me with that same old bulldog look that says "Listen, I know you are not from around, but that's okay, I think you are pretty cool anyway", I think we've all experienced that. Then I walked by the Portland Civic Center which apparently is right next to the Museum of Art and a , soon to be weekend destination, Portland farmers market. All in all it was a fruitful journey and on our way home we both had some reinvigorated spirits about our futures here in Maine.
On last Monday, we decided our dinner would be fried chicken. A little homage to a southern dish, being that we now reside in southern Maine. I originally intended to do my classic doubles battered drumstick with one dry application of seasonings and then another layer atop a coat of egg dipping. Instead I thought that it may be better to go without the egg on all of them and only do to that way. Now I know, always use egg with seasonings the flavor is way better and the appear to retain a lot more moisture as well, but the meal was delicious none-the-less, all oil burns aside.
The voravious appetite that was sated by the prior meal may have been blamed upon my adventurous nature when running. Egg batter is better is not the only lesson I learned on Monday. The other education I received came from a simple equation:
Running + Sight Seeing = A VERY LONG RUN
This might seem like common knowledge to most folks, but not to a 28 yr old with an mind for adventure relative to someone 21 years his junior. (That is not meant to offend any 7 year old patrons to this blog) I was on a regular 6 mile route down route 9 and around my beautiful campus, when I decided that a strange road just 15-20 yards beyond my normal turning point had a alluring presence of intrigue and fascination, so like a any good fool I chose to run on it. This road turned out to be a connecting road to the same road that takes us to our oceanic beach that we so love to patron and was also a 4.3 mile "scenic" detour. It was really a beautiful road and I saw some interesting flora and fauna in my adventure, but trust me when I say that even today... I hurt.
To finish off this post you will be glad to hear that we have stapled down our own, saved and protected, parking space in our own parking lot. (imagine that) After pointing out kindly to our neighbors that the space with our apartment number in front of it was not just a poor choice for amateur, and very unimaginative, graphitti.
Kari and I both watching Heroes Season three right now, Flight of the Conchords Season 2, and enjoying the sweet and thoughtful writings of one Edward Abbey. I implore you to try the same
I like that I'm going to be reading about your place of residence getting colder and colder, while mine gets warmer and warmer, until I am dying of heat & humidity in December while you are freezing to death in Maine. By then it will be refreshing to hear about the other person's weather. :)
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