fried on a stick

car problems suck.
there is a shocker.
battery died on me this week. really not a big deal. however, it gets covered by my warranty, so i am not going to go out and buy one from sears or something. the catch is the dealer could not get me in until today...car bit it on monday.
you fail to realize how dependent you are on quick and reliable transportation.
that and i have been walking to work everyday.
now, i walked all over europe when i lived there. no big deal. you would think based on peoples reaction that walking to work was some sort of capital punishment.
perspective: it is roughly 10 blocks. we are talking 15-20 minutes tops.
people in america don't walk anywhere.
scratch that. people in IOWA don't walk anywhere. they drive 2 block to the 7-11.
now, it has been upwards of 95 degrees the last few days, so even at 7:45/8 ish it is pretty warm. but still.
i guess i never considered walking that controversial.
in some circles, it appears it is.

what else is new...?

i broke down.
moment of weakness.

i went to the iowa state fair.
perspective for non-iowans: the fair is a big deal. a REALLY big deal. over 100,000 people PER day show up. it is the largest state fair in the country. you can find a fried twinkie on a stick there.
so, after weathering 3 years of shocked faces "you've NEVER been to the fair!!!! how is that possible??" i broke down.
i went.
there is so much food you would not believe it. and it is all on a stick.
cheescake on a stick
pork chop on a stick
fried macaroni and cheese ON A STICK
fried oreos & fried snickers ON A STICK
perhaps you are picking up on a theme here... hint: fried & stick.

i saw a pig that weighed 1100 pounds.
his balls were bigger than my head.
his name was pepperoni.
i think the irony was lost on him.

i saw every form of individual style you could think of.
of course, i was blending. practiced my top of the line WT look, complete with wife-beater and the cowboy hat.
this is an insane thing to witness first hand.
you have to see it to believe it.
trust me.
no amount of prepping could really convey the true feel of the place.

so after that little bout of culture shock, i have returned to the normal world with no visable scars.
i made it.
a return visit next year is still undecided.

on a slightly more accelerated cultural note, damien rice. the album is "O".
buy it.
listen to it immediately.
listen to it again.
you will be hooked.