This is a test

I talked to my Dad today while he was packing up things in Austria, and he kind of laughed at how long it takes me to act on things I decide upon: for example, I thought I'd get a Mini at least a year ago...not close to happening, even now.
His theory is that it takes me a year to act on anything. I finally get to prove him wrong! Well, ok, not really, but still. I bought an LSAT prep book so that I can at least begin studying for the test to see if I have any chance for law school. Considering I started talking about this only four months ago, I'm way ahead of schedule.
Yay, me.
Now, let's see when I actually crack open the book.
I have Extreme Makeover: Home Edition going on in the background. Holy crap, the people do some screaming.

Dream catchers

It's usually the oddest, most random things that set my memory a-spinnin'. Today, I happened to see a dream catcher hanging off of someone's rear-view mirror (to ward off the bad dreams one gets while driving, no doubt.) While the connection is indirect at best, it brought back memories of the Sundays I would have off while worked at a summer camp in North Georgia.
An aside: If you ever happen to find yourself working in the South with only one day off during the week, Sunday may not be the best day to choose, as pretty much everything that isn't a McDonald's or Wal-Mart is closed. I must have missed the day they allowed us to pick the day off we'd get during the course of the 8 weeks at camp. This wouldn't necessarily be a big deal, but seeing as how the rest of the week was taken up by 16-hour work days, the one day off was the only time to get anything done. (Wait...since when do I get anything done on the other days?)
Anyway, but I digress...that was seriously not the point of what I wanted to talk about.
That dream catcher reminded me of the time off I did have, and how I managed to spend it. In between various trips to Atlanta I took with the new friends I had made, I would take off for the roads on my own. On one of those occassions, I took off from the camp pretty early and eventually found myself in a town called Cashiers (I wasn't aware I was missing.) I got myself a cup of coffee and a good newspaper, and I sat down at one of the local coffeeshops. I was 20, away from home and the support system of friends and family that I had come to rely on to help guide me, yet I felt for the first time adult-like and liberated from that reliance. I had to do things on my own and make my own decisions, and while some of those decisions weren't brilliant in the least, for better or worse, they were mine.
I guess it's all part of becoming your own person, learning to rely up yourself. You need to break away from the things that you rely upon to create your own world and live by the consequences, and only then can you realize and benefit from the full value of those relationships.

What are you doing?

* I started using a new little Web app today called Twitter. It's basically a hyper blog where one answers a simple question: "What are you doing."
You can update this over IM and through your cell phone, and whenever one of your friends leaves a Twitter message, it alerts you by text message.
So, sign up and check out my Twitter page.
* I read all of the Harry Potter book. Bloody fantastic, it was. What a perfect way to end the series.
* On Friday evening, I had to drive on a stretch of highway. Even on that rather short stretch of highway I was on, I felt that familiar itch to travel. It was weird, but I had an intense desire to take a road trip somewhere.

Planning

I've had a bit of a writer's block for the last month, which is rather a drag, you know? It's not that the words aren't there, it's just that I don't know how to start to really get at them. As for a topic...I spent two and a half weeks travelling around Europe with one of my best friends, so I'm not at want for a topic. Actually, the topic has bitch slapped me a few times, saying "get on with it already, man!"
I can only get at the periphery, like this:
I'm a horrible planner. I never really thought I was, but this fact has been proved to me over this trip. I think it's the pouring over details that really gets me. Anyway, it does not help if the person you are traveling with also isn't the best of planners.
We had pretty much everything accounted for during this trip, except for a hotel in Amsterdam, only one of the most popular cities in Europe. It's not like we hadn't looked in the weeks previous, but we never nailed down a place. So, the night before we were set to leave (at 6:30 am, no less), we scrambled to find a place, as there was barely anything available. Our one backup was a boat in the harbour close to the heart of the city called the Botel, but of course, due to our decisiveness, we lost our backup.
I think this might have been around 2 am.
At 3 or 4, I believe we were finally able to track something down, even though it was a bit away from the heart of the city. Still, it was all sorts of modern and hip as well as right on the tram and bus path.
Next time though, I'm planning a bit earlier.

Bats 2: Electric Bat-aloo

I had another bat evacuation from my apartment on Tuesday. I heard the thing rustling about somewhere, so I had the gladware container ready. Then, it flew in the room, circling overhead of me and squeaking in that special way bats sqeak, and each time it came close, I would both try to catch it with the container and get out of its way. My body contorted wildly.
Finally, the thing flew right at me, and I almost got it, but it landed on my leg. I was about to start screaming like a preteen girl at an N'Sync concert (I'm not even joking. The scream was right there in my throat), but I was able to remain calm.
An inner monologue:
"Hi, Mike. Nice to see you are still around. I'm not sure if you've noticed...oh wait! Yes you have! You and I are on the same page, then. That's a good thing. Now remember, we don't like bats, so instead of doing that screaming thing which I feel you are about ready to do, I suggest we remove it carefully, and all will be resolved. Good job, Mike. I'm going back to sleep."

A river runs through it

There are a few movies that usually stop me dead in my tracks and require me to plop myself down on the sofa. The Shawshank Redemption is the first that comes to mind, and possibly Die Hard. Another is A River Runs Through It, though it hasn't come on in a while. When you think of wanting to be elsewhere, I don't think there's another movie that'll bring you to an "elsewhere"--Montana in the 20s--so different from New Jersey. It makes me want to learn how to fly fish...or at the very least visit Montana.
I watched it again last night, just so I could hear the last lines in context:

Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.

I could get all English major-ish on you, but I won't (that would require thought). I think the writer is trying to say is that if you get hit by a big enough rock, you could lose all your memories. JK. :)

Bats!

I used to have a fairly strong dislike of Canadian Geese. Not because they're from Canada or anything. I like Canada. However, those geese are generally mean and of foul temperment (I almost typed "fowl" for the sake of the pun, but I spared you. Be thankful.) They are mind-numbingly stupid. I'd give you examples, but this isn't really why I'm writing. OH! Also, no bird should have any business leaving crap that big and reeking.
I digress.
I have found something new to point my hatred toward. Bats.
First off, let me note two things. Wings are cool. Fly if you got 'em. I would. Nothing against wings. Second, teeth. They are great. They help you chew and eat, and also help you pronounce the really big words. Also, it gives our jaw a greater purpose.
Generally speaking, though, and I don't know if this is something that is inherent in all of us - ingrained in our DNA or something- I'm not necessarily a fan of any animal that happens to combine these two traits (OK, they freak me out to no end). Teeth and wings need to be mutually exclusive.
There's a reason I bring this up...contrary to popular belief, I do not conjure up topics like this out of thin air.
There were bats in my apartment last night. My apartment is unique and has a lot of character. Fantastic. I have no problem with that. However, I do have a slight problem with my apartment showing its "character" by letting these evil, evil little creatures fly in.
My one cat Ginger cornered one, and I was able to gingerly carry this little demon bird out with a covered dust bin.
I thought "well, that was an experience! thankfully, the little bugger is gone," so I went off to bed. A little while later, I heard creepy little squeks and my other cat Galileo running from one end of the hall to the other.
YAY! Two damm bats in one evening. I was able to get this one in a large Gladware container with a lid, and I took a close look. Bony little wings wtih a rat-like body, along with teeth in its mouth. The beast was smaller than my hand, but it creeped me the ef out.
I let this one out and promptly hid under my blankets. Apartment Gods, whoever and wherever, you are, I do not need this episode repeated, thank you very little.