Late July

It's been so long since my last time at the internet that I can't think of anything to say. It's overwhelming. I'm sitting here picking at my fingernails and can't think of what to say or any sites I'd like to visit. I stared at the US govt homepage for half a dozen minutes before opening my email.

I was in Niger last week for a short vacation before my English teaching program in Ouaga with the American Language Center. I'll be here until the beginning of September. Being in Ouaga, and knowing I'll be here for more than three or four days, is insane. I can't get over it. On the way home yesterday I was daydreaming about what Adlai and I could go out and do. I thought, hmmm, should we do happy hour half price White Russians at Showbiz, or go to the Blue Marlin for the steak plate and garlic fries, or should I stay in, make some real coffee, and write, or should we go to the Paradisio for pints and cheeseburgers....The very idea of having options, it's nice. Hopefully Grant and I'll be able to get some more of our comic book done with the amount of time I'll be at the computer.

Nanny, I opened your package today. Thanks for the twinkies, and good call with putting them in a jar. Also thanks for the shorts, I feel like one of my favorite journalists, Hunter S. Thompson, in them. They were also a reminder to get to the tailor and have nice pants made for Paris. And the shirts are the softest I've worn in a year.

Mom, when you said I'd know for sure what it was you put in my package, did you mean the saffron rice or the Dr. Pepper? Thanks for the packages Mom and Dad.

Aunt Edie and Uncle Gordon, thanks for the package. I finished a book a while ago that I loved called The Intuitionist, and it was said to be an allegory on par with one you sent me. I'll read it and get back to you soon.

If you sent me something recently and I haven't thanked you, I'll be here for another month and I'll try to say thanks. I'm sorry. These pictures are taking forever and I want to post a few.

Here are some pictures of giraffes I saw in Niger.

The picture of me trying to smile is pretty painful. That was by far the hottest day I've ever experienced. The sun bouncing off the hot sand was terrible and beautiful. The beautiful is dependent upon the number of litres of bottled water in your bag. My camera must have mixed a few of the pictures in with Venice. I'm glad it did. Our hotel in Venice looks pretty sweet from that angle.

Here is my cat, Norman H. LaPoint. He's a great cat. I only get half my pillow now because he takes up the other half, but other than that he's a great roommate.

****Pretend this is a nice collection of photos of Norman. The security guard just called and is kicking me out. I'll put some up tomorrow or this weekend.****

Here is outside the hacienda. I made a flowerbed, and the corn in the field out front has just started growing. I was gone one weekend about a month ago, and when I came back my neighbors had found and planted all the flowers for me. La vie est bonne avec les voisins, life is good with neighbors.

I bought a copy of Le Monde yesterday and read the translation of Obama's speech in Germany. It's the first campaign research I've done. Have the Olympics started? I'd feel a bit out of the loop except that I'm so outside of the loop I've forgotten about the loop. I'm loopless.

Sorry I never got around to posting my one year anniversary blog entry. I can't say if I've learned anything or not this last year. Even if I have it is too soon to write about it, even on a blog.

Adlai and I joined the American Rec Center here in Ouaga for the month of August. I've never been a member of a country club before, and I've got to say the confidence boost alone is worth the 10,000 francs.

Okay, I'd update you more, but I'm getting kicked out. It's my fault though, I spent most of my time looking at vocabulary words I can't get in my dictionary from village, and looking up Henry Miller quotes.

All my best, Clay