Weekend of April

Friday, after returning from a photography exposition at the National University, I had planned to go out solo to a café and try to write for a bit, and instead got wound up in an extended conversation with Ray, who I live with, eventually winding its way out to a café and a club, until around 1:35 or so, at which point I did end up at a different café whose owner is an acquaintance. There I jot a few words about having ranged about with Ray, and on our jostling conversation; existentialism, Colombianism, Semi-Semitcism, and the neuro-sciences.

I reflect to the point of vertigo on our previous ruminations ‘…the thoughts of energy and complication collapse me; pointing me down as to their irreducibility. There (contrary to contrarian contradictions) are a stable of stable reliabilties, bridling to convey you upon them.’ The kind of thing stuff my Spanish doesn’t convey very well, let alone my native tongue.

Saturday

Rose surprisingly early to make a Spanish Tortilla http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5179976 --NPR recipe link. Listened to the radio to catch up on news most of the afternoon. Night plans turned into a quiet dinner out and quiet evening in, a massive rainstorm (aguacero, in these parts) lessening our resolve to carry out our earlier plan of hitting a nearby club.

Sunday

Some shopping for running shoes (a considerably expensive endeavor) in the afternoon. Maya treats be to a lunch including a crepe with goat cheese and basil for me, that does wonders for my taste buds. No dice with the shoes; though maybe I’ll be better braced for the pain after my next paycheck’s been deposited next week. Not exactly exuberant over the prospect of facing my little charges early tomorrow morning, but I’ve got a maté and a hot shower to relax me tonight, and a Tuesday holiday to break up the week quite nicely.

School Week Flying

Just got through another Wednesday of the school week having barely had time to register that it started. They’ve gotten their act together a bit more and have given me a regular schedule, with a large amount of flexibility built in on my part. At recess after lunch today, I started out playing telephone with some first-graders, which degenerated into them trying to tackle me. For my last class of the day, I read Little Red Riding Hood to some Kinder kids. Last week I read Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. Amazing the way that book fascinates after so many years. Must be a true classic.

Went to the gym today after work, the perfect time as it was practically empty. Afterwards, I discovered a new shop that recently opened a block away from the apartment. The lady at the counter was very friendly, offering me a sample of some dried chorizo. The shop also has cheap beer, empanadas, and sandwiches, so I suspect I’ll become a regular there rather immediately.

Thirsty Thursday

Assisted in the painting of Easter eggs, in various states of non-brokeness, in various pastel shades, and even brown and black, today with the 1st graders, transition and Pre-K students at the colegio. It was hot and hot with a cancer light today during the recesses. One of the assistants took to wearing her jacket over her head. Heard the news about Vonnegut kicking it, as well. A goddamned shame, as they’d call it, though surely what he was meant for. His books and ideas will keep on with those who don’t keep faith in the logic of war and self-delusion, and despair in the face of evil absurdities.

Museum, stroll, evening

Really playing at being a benign, bohemian, pseudo-intellectual this evening: sipping aguardiente, listening to one of my favorite radio programs http://philosophytalk.org/pastShows/Skepticism.html, and typing up some years-old notes on Foucault “Society Must Be Defended”. Won’t post the notes, as they’re pretty much useless except for someone whose done their own and wants to compare.

Taking advantage of a day without rain (quite a stroke of luck considering the last couple weeks’ weather), Maya and I took a bus down to the Centro where we ate some delish pizza at a little shop called Mona Pizza, and then went to the Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango to check out the latest visiting art exhibit, a series based on an exploration of the intangible, occasionally supernatural in the face of disappearance, absence, or loss. Most of the installations incorporated the viewer, often physically, playing with shadows, reflections, smoke and light. Here’s a link for any interested Spanish readers: http://quimbaya.banrep.gov.co:8080/calendario/servlet/MoreInfoHome?idEvento=1496

Later, we took the long stroll (40 blocks) back to the apartment, pausing a couple markets, picking up a t-shirt at one, and a very cool cactus at a flea market.