331.February 4

Nottingham, UK

I slept until 14:00, and then walked to the University for E-mail. At 21:00, Becca, John, and I took the bus to Clifton campus for a party in G-Block. We found the room, and they were playing a card drinking game called A--hole. What a coincidence, I just learned that. Becca and I played for a bit, and since we both remained a--holes we decided to quit. The party had some marijuana at it, and Becca and I left. John stayed, he was mingling much better than we were. We came home by bus. We all made pop-corn and watched "History of the World Part One."

1994

Kate, Congratulations on your new job! I can't wait to watch you on TV's in some big electronics shop from some deserted street in the middle of the night. If you don't happen to be around that weekend, I do hope I'll be able to visit you wherever you might be. I understand how you might have lost touch with all those university mates. I think Malcolm might have had a few people in mind to get in touch with. It sounds like he's pretty busy as well, but I think because it's his birthday weekend, he will be pretty open to being entertained and entertaining. He's offered to let us stay at his place already, although he did admit that it was small. I told him I was not picky and sleep on a couch in real life anyway, so a british floor would be like heaven to me. We'll see if he will change his mind and kick us out, but I'd love to stay with friends if that is possible, because it is so much more fun, and then I can make breakfast for people, my ultimate joy. Goodnight, hope your new job is a huge step in an even better direction, but I'll miss the updated info on your new tops. David Storlie

2002

Sandy Bartlett cove, Carefree, AZ

After I woke for the first time, I re-tucked in and began to find warm in my blanket, re-applied my stocking cap, and slept comfortably for some time.

After the fifth time being wakened by the cold, I realized that it was close enough to morning to rise myself, pack up, and get out. All of that went well. It is very nice to have a car right next to the tent.When you are packing up and or discarding everything you've bought on the trip so that the airport checkin will go well. I've packed very lightly. I hope they will be able to get everything repacked if they need to open my bag. I took a few last pictures and left. Five miles from my campsite I had a signal again on my cell. I called Jill. Ten miles later I called mom. I went a different road back to Phoenix accidentally. So I didn't get to stop for breakfast in Cave Creek as I had planned. The only breakfast I could find was in Scottsdale at Denny's. What a hell-hole. I stayed there long enough to read the paper. I drove for a few hours back north to 101, headed west to 60, then followed that old highway, no longer a highway, mostly RV's and Cocktails, junkyards, swap-meets. But it was like traveling through 50 years, into Phoenix. I was a bit disappointed with Phoenix downtown. I couldn't find where the action was, or if it was, but I know that I love rural or national park Arizona.

I've got an hour left at the airport. It's 16:13 says the ticket for my Jose Cuervo margarita, priced at $9.18. Ouch. It is lovely, on the rocks. I'm bathed in cigarette smoke, sitting at the airport bar, unshaven. Only five days worth of stubble, but it seems more so, because regular bathing must pull away a few of those pestering dark hairs. I've been reading from Stephen Fry's "Paperweight", drinking Dos Equis, and listening to dance music, slow and a bit driving.

History: that's what the Southwest is all about, but in this case, the history is so much more recent than any other place I've been. Early history rarely goes beyond 400 years here, if that. The art museum of Phoenix was only disappointing in that it was small, and the second I came in a door I was accosted by a greeter who made me stow my camera in a locker. It was a great museum in many ways though, and it was very locally focused. As becomes a recurring theme in my life, Georgia O'Keefe was one of the prominent displays, but there were more modern local arts there as well. After that, I went to the Happy Apple restaurant for lunch, a bar-b-que place that I hope to stop again at when I am flying through Phoenix, it's not very far out of the airport.

I'm ready to sleep, ready for seeing my pictures when I get home. It's been such a beautiful trip.. Etc. Bye Phoenix.

2003

Tonight, after I ran over to the bank in New Albin to check on loans, Rachel and I made a wonderful Pad Thai and watched two movies. The first was a Stanley Tucci film called "Blind Date" that was amazing and would also make a brilliant play. The second was Hideous Kinky, which I'd seen at the Uptown Theater in Mpls. when it came out in 1998. I realized that I was a day behind in my journals, and now I'm caught up and going to sleep.

2010