I flew out to Houston, TX this past weekend to visit my friend Glenn (whom I’ve known since high school). As per usual, I shopped around and found the cheapest available ticket package to get me there and back again. Oddly enough, despite the fact that there *are* direct flights from Jacksonville, FL to Houston, the cheapest way for me to get there was to fly Jacksonville-Miami-Houston. Like going around your fist to find your thumb, or whatever the hell that saying is. Well… I’m pretty sure you can guess what’s coming next. Yep, my plane was delayed out of Jacksonville just long enough that I was able to see my connecting flight to Houston rolling away from the terminal as I rolled in. This was around 3pm. I expected perhaps a two hour delay before they could get me on another flight, but sadly the next one out didn’t leave until 9pm! Let’s just say I got to know MIA’s Terminal E really well. Sigh.
Luckily, the rest of my trip panned out a lot better than the first day. I suppose here is where I should mention that if you somehow haven’t noticed it by now, I Am A Nerd. That being said, large portions of my weekend were far nerdier than my comfort level. Let’s start with Friday. Most of the day was pretty laid back. Possibly because I was asleep, and Glenn was being all nice and not waking up his guest… apparently he didn’t realize that if no one wakes me up I’ll sleep for 14 hours straight or something. Whoops. Anyway, after getting up and making our way towards a local diner for a yummy grease-fest, he took me to the University of Houston campus to show me his office and stuff.
Luckily, the rest of my trip panned out a lot better than the first day. I suppose here is where I should mention that if you somehow haven’t noticed it by now, I Am A Nerd. That being said, large portions of my weekend were far nerdier than my comfort level. Let’s start with Friday. Most of the day was pretty laid back. Possibly because I was asleep, and Glenn was being all nice and not waking up his guest… apparently he didn’t realize that if no one wakes me up I’ll sleep for 14 hours straight or something. Whoops. Anyway, after getting up and making our way towards a local diner for a yummy grease-fest, he took me to the University of Houston campus to show me his office and stuff.
Glenn on the UH angry mascot
Me with the UH friendly mascot.
Then it was time for the poetry reading. Yeah. See, Glenn is in grad school for poetry. Meanwhile, I am a total philistine. (Poetry = Boo) Glenn had to introduce the readers at this event, and as such was a tad nervous. I had to attend this event, and as such was a tad nervous. Therefore, we went and had margaritas for fortification. I spent the reading trying to maintain a look of interested concentration, and possibly failing. The minute it was over and the scary-pretentious-poetry-oneupmanship-smalltalk began, I went and hid in the travel section of the bookstore where the reading was held. (No, they did not have any books on Kyrgyzstan. Possibly because there are no books on Kyrgyzstan.) Eventually Glenn and I snuck out and went to go have some kick-ass Mexican food. Yay!
The next day we went to Space Center Houston. SCH is the tourist museum located next to the Johnson Space Center, through which you can take guided tours of JSC itself. I have been a space-geek my entire life, and I LOVED both the museum and the tour of JSC. I think the photos speak for themselves. (The full set is here.)
I love me some space men.
Real live shuttle mission control.
It was empty as the shuttle had landed three days prior.
The tail end of a ginormous Saturn V rocket
The engine in the forefront is ONE of many engines from ONE Saturn V rocket. The tallest rocket there is what powered the Mercury missions.
Mock-shuttle in the Space Center Houston museum
Moon landing diarama
Robonaut, frakin' Cylon.
Glenn has a friend who works for something along the lines of the Houston Free Press, and as such this fellow gets free tickets to all sorts of cool shit in the Houston area… and he had four tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival for Sunday. Woohoo! Now, I love being weird and dressing up in odd costumes, and I’ve always wanted to go to a Renaissance fair, so I was quite excited. I must say, however, that the renfair was a little frightening. Aside from the fact that so much of the fair had nothing to do with the Renaissance (ancient Greece, fairies, dragons, elephants, monsters, etc), there was way too much unattractive boobage. As Glenn said, “I’ve never in my life seen so much cleavage, and I’ve never in my life been so turned off by cleavage.” The whole event was simply bizarre. Again, the pictures speak for themselves; however, in the interest of keeping this blog vaguely work-friendly, I’m only posting a handful of my renfair photos here. I highly recommend checking out the full set by clicking here.
Fairies!
Jousting
Molesting a bald pirate
I'm pretty convinced that the dude on the far right has married into this family and is wondering what the hell he has gotten himself into and how soon he can get himself out.
Sound and Fury, pseudo-Shakespearian vaudeville group
Glenn, Sophie and I eat frozen, chocolate-covered bananas.
The dude on the left is totally trying to play up his vague resemblance to Orlando Bloom whilst drinking meade (seriously) with his mother. Yeah.
Glenn attacks a turkey leg, and looks rather insane.
And by rather, I mean incredibly.
A sad fairy eats a quesadilla.
Me with... um... something.
Glenn and Chris do archery
Random centaur dude
Glenn and Xerxes
Ophelia: the only cat to make Daddy Cat seem small
Full Space Center photo set here.
16 comments:
What makes unattractive boobs? Size? Firmness? Context (i.e. the rest of the body)? Gender?
I recently read in a pregnancy book that it is not in good taste to show more than 4 inches of cleavage. That seemed like a good rule to me.
Also - I was going to ask you to remind me that if I ever look like the chick in the picture I should not wear a thong around in public. Then I realized that I don't plan to wear a thong around regardless of my shape.
Melissa
The University of Houston mascot is Shasta the cougar.
Strange about your cat allergy though. Mine took years to come about. We had about 20 outdoor cats growing up (at one time), and now if I go indoors where just one lives, I nearly die with a severe reaction. Right now, I fear cats more than global warming. Luckily, I still get along great with canines.
I finished your excellent book, or is it, booklet? I have some questions about the book though. What happened to your old co-workers, Joe and Stacey? How did the "escape" affect them? And, how did Gwen end up here in South Korea after you left and then starting her own hagwon? You could expand your book with this information and your second, and more stable and rewarding, stint here.
Right now I'm reading Shawn Matthews' "Korea Life Blog." I can't put it down. One of the best books I've ever read. Even if I hadn't lived many of the same experiences. Both of your books should be required reading for those interested in teaching overseas.
I was not surprised to learn that he had taken his life since he talks of his depression from a young age before he ever left for his overseas adventures. And, it can be quite lonely over here at times, especially around the Thanksgiving/X-mas holidays. Well, Costco now has some pretty nice, and big, frozen turkeys this year. Now, if only my apartment had an oven to cook it, or cookies and cake for that matter.
Oh, BTW, if you, your friends, or your mother are interested, The Amazing Race (U.S. version) is accepting applications here: http://alpha.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race12/
Scroll down and left to casting call.
Later,
John, still from Daejeon
Hey, what's up over at BLOG SUPERGROUP? Are all of you on a vacation? Are the guest bloggers not pulling their weight? Just wondering as it is now closer to Thanksgiving than Halloween.
Hooray for Ren Fair! If I don't get into poetry phd school, I'm totally joining the ren fair circuit and wandering around the country dressed as a troll or something.
Melissa - lots of things, apparently. Like being really saggy and yet obviously braless and with a seethrough shirt. Or with weird scary old person skin and nearly all of your bosom out there anyway. Or this.
John - I got your various messages and I will write you back I promise! I'm just an absolute slacker at emails. There are nearly 200 in my in box, unanswered... sigh. And when did Shawn Matthews kill himself? And why did I not know this? And regarding BlogSupergroup... gah, I don't know. Glenn and I talked about it this weekend and didn't come up with a solution. Apparently we are BlogSlackergroup.
Glenn - How about instead you live in my house? You can still dress like a troll. Also, is that you, bowl of cherries?
W. Shedd - Those people would be really surprised if they were somehow transported to the *real* Renaissance! It was entertaining though!
Jane,
Here's some info. on Shawn's death from one of his best friends who has a pretty good blog of his own.
http://chinavlog.typepad.com/china_video_blog/2006/05/shawns_final_st.html
It seems he was bi-polar and was really struggling at times late in his life over here. Mental illness is a disease most fight alone while others, who don't know what it is like to be tormented by one's own mind and voices, just don't know what to do or say to those with such afflictions.
Sadly, we lost a friend in the blogosphere and a truly gifted writer due to disease that many suffer through in shame. I don't know the type of lives some of my mentally unstable students over here in South Korea will have as they grow older and deal with their diseases. I wish I could help them, but just implying that they might have problems could do them more harm than good in this society.
http://chinavlog.typepad.com/china_video_blog/2006/05/shawns_final_st.html
If the code is truncated again, type Shawn Matthew's suicide into google or another search engine. There are many posts out there.
Oh, but the inappropriate and unattractive cleavage is one of the charms of Rennfestery everywhere.
As is eating things that aren't even remotely possibly from the Renaissance, but are delicious...
Awww...these pics almost make me want to visit Glenn. Almost. Actually I would visit if I wasn't broke 99% of the time.
What's with the glasses Glenn?
I really like the pic of you guys eating the frozen bananas. Particularly the look of horror on Glenn's face - is that because of the taste or the phallic nature of it?
I should really come and hang out with you sometime Jane - it looks like you always find something interesting to do.
I was trying to make a sad face because I took a bite of mine before the picture was taken. Also, I can't wear contacts for more than 8 hours a day, so usually I just wear my glasses.
Damn. I wish I hadn't clicked "THIS."
What, exactly, is four inches of cleavage? I mean, how do you measure that?
I went to Ren Fest once. I totally do not get the appeal. Do. Not. Com. Pute.
I can totally understand the unattractive cleavage thing.
Korea Life Blog by Shawn Matthews is a good book as well, I recommend it despite the misspellings and other unfortunate side effects of publishing with Lulu. And I agree with John that his suicide is less surprising after you read it and his China Life Blog (what remains of it.)
Wow, who knew that there were Renaissance Indians. Sadly, I understand your problems with Kyrgistan books. Claire and I searched for ones everywhere here as she is planning on circumnavigating the Caspean Sea and planned on stopping by Kyrgistan. We could not find any books in English, so she had to wait until she got back to France. I love the picture of Quasi Moto Glen. It is quite funny. Oh well, I have work to do.
Hope that all is well.
Christopher
Were you wearing a camo shirt at the Renaissance Festival?
haha! NO. from a distance it does kinda look like camo though. i'd never realized... it's actually swirly tiger stripes with tiger faces embedded throughout.
This is creepy - of my 1700+ photos on flickr, that photo I linked to in the comments above is my EIGHTH most viewed and it hasn't been online a full week yet. Damn.
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