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muscles and nerves Sadly today started out just as poorly as yesterday did, but it got slightly better in the afternoon so I shouldn't complain too much. At least I could think again and do something productive with my day. ... A stop at the library was in order before I went to class this afternoon, because a small stack of travel books that I had been reading needed to be returned. Once I was there I used their edition of the Oxford English Dictionary to complete an assignment for class, which took longer than I had expected. All was going well until I walked out the door and discovered that the clock in the library was slow. The clock in my car was at least ten minutes ahead of what I saw in the library. That sudden surprise made me late for class for the second time this semester. Sigh. I must confess that I take a certain amount of pride in my punctuality so walking into class about five minutes late did bother me. Usually I get to class with ten to fifteen minutes to spare, but that didn't happen today. For the second time in less than a week I could feel the eyes of the class on me. It had happened last week when I was the first to hand in the exam and here I was again at the front when everyone else was sitting down. There is a happy ending to the story though. I got an A on my exam so I had every right to hand in my exam when I did. ... The hostess of the party from last Friday said I looked as though I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there and maybe she was partly right. I did feel out of place and leaving made me feel better. I hope that she understands. It certainly wasn't her fault. ... Lately I've been wondering if I ask too much from life. Other people seem to be content with what they have in their lives, but I always seem to want more in mine. Am I missing some secret that they know and I don't? Is it wrong of me to want more from life than just a regular nine to five job? Does this make me greedy and or arrogant? Is it wrong of me to want to see as much of the world as I can? Less than a year ago I stood on the southern coast of Australia and watched the waves pound into the shore. Here was water that may have touched the continent of Antarctica. These were waves that had brought down hundred of ships since the Europeans started making the long voyage to Australia. To some people that may sound like nothing, but for me it was something worth enduring a fourteen hour flight and I would do it again. Almost two years ago I stood outside the gates of Buckingham Palace at three in the morning in a London drizzle. I have yet to meet someone else who can say the same thing. Most people are there during the day with crowds of people. For my brother and me the moment had more meaning or at least there were less distractions. Maybe the quiet of the night gave the place more dignity than the tourist trap feel that it seems to have during the day. I've swam along the Great Barrier Reef. I've stood on the Charles Bridge in Prague at night. I've walked along the Seine river as the sun set. I've experienced the chaos and freedom of the red light district in Amsterdam. I've kayaked in the Atlantic Ocean off of the coast of Nova Scotia. I need moments like that in my life. In fact I've already made up my mind that I'll be going to New Zealand next year. The year after that I'll be going to China. I want to walk the Great Wall of China and set foot inside The Forbidden City. Those are the things in life that make me happy and I don't see why I should expect less. ... On the pop culture front I caught another episode of Smallville and it still works for me.
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