Monday, November 10, 2008

Around the world and back again

So, I'm far too busy lazy to blog in a regular fashion, which is why it comes out in dribs and drabs.

Obama won as we all know. I voted for him and it was the first time I voted for a winning Presidential candidate. My previous two Presidential voting experiences my candidate lost. I thought maybe my vote was the kiss of death and I contemplated voting for McCain giving him the kiss of death I gave to Gore and Kerry so he would lose. Luckily I didn't have to, as my vote clearly isn't a death knell. Obama won and we are all happy about it. Since everyone and their grandma has already commented on the historic importance of this election I don't think I need to write on it. Suffice to say it's about time we've had our first Hawaiin president. Did you know aside from being the first president from Hawaii, Obama is also the first president who is an undergraduate alum of Columbia University? Two historic firsts in one man, how amazing is that?

Moving on, to even further in the past.

Nashville was fun, and drunk. Very very drunk. I can't remember the last time I drank so much in one weekend (possibly because I was very drunk at the time). One the down side we only went to one authentic honkey tonk country western bar and I would have preferred more, if only to get a more authentic experience that I can't get up in New York. Perhaps being from Atlanta the majority of the folks wanted bars that weren't country or southern-y. It was the only bar we went to with live music and it kicked ass in my humble opinion. I have never loved country music more in my life and probably never will - as I don't care for it that much to begin with - but that evening listening to it live I was enthralled and getting my country on (as the kids say).

I was hoping we would do something interesting in Nashville during the day on saturday, but the day was spent indoors in our hotel drinking bloody mary's watching college football. But c'est la vie. I had fun, but it wasn't my bachelor party and Jason had a blast and that's all that matters.

One highlight, extremely drunk on Friday night, some friends were hungry, and nothing was open save a taco bell drive through. We waited on line sans and automobile, but wouldn't get served since apparently it's unsafe for them to serve people outside of a car. I don't exactly understand how this can be, but no car, no food. Thus my friends hopped in the back of a taxi, already occupied and waiting on line for food, to order. They freaked the girl out in the front seat, but the taxi drive was cool and said it happens all the time. All the time? Really? My buddies paid for all the food, but the girl was freaked out still, and complained that they got the wrong things.

On a side note, apparently all strip clubs in Nashville are byob. It was my first strip club experience and I can tell you I wasn't that impressed. It was a very nice strip club, and though I like breasts as much (or even more) than next guy, to me there is something very unsexy about a woman dancing naked for strangers for money. It just doesn't get me going. I didn't get a lap dance as I know that I'd want to apologize to the stripper the entire time. I don't know what I'd be apologizing for, something along the lines of "I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances." Or "I'm sorry you are forced to do this to make a living." Or something equally stupid and condescending, as they probably like their job more than I like mine, and make more money than me to boot. I skipped out early with two other guys who didn't care for the club that much either. I don't feel like I missed out on anything as from what I gathered one stripper kept talking about her dog who just had elbow surgery, and kept asking my friend the vetrenarian what she should do (and consequently every one she gave a lap dance to afterwards). Another guy there I heard wound up giving a lecture while getting a lap dance on the importance of keeping good credit, and how to build good credit after having a bad credit rating.

Over all, a very good time, but not what I'd want to do on my bachelor party (if I'm ever to have one).

To the future.

Next Monday around noon I shall be on a plane making my way to Hong Kong. I have an HSBC bank account so I'll actually be able to use my bank card in Hong Kong and not get fined for it (even though it's a British Bank HSBC stands for Hong Kong, Shanghai Banking Corporation). So that's pretty cool. On top of that I'm going to get a prepaid credit card from AAA for travel, so if it get's lost or I get robbed I won't have to worry about anyone getting to my personal finances (I'm not going to be taking my bank card with me everywhere, I'll be leaving it securely with my passport the majority of the time). I still have to buy a camera, a long ass book to read - my flight leaves around noon on Monday and doesn't get to Hong Kong due to crossing the international date line, and a three hour layover in Seoul, until Tuesday at ten-fifty pm.

My pal who lives there said she already planned a lot of fun stuff for us to do, while I got some good advice from another friend of mine who grew up in Hong Kong (albeit the British part - as she is third generation white Hong Kong) of stuff to do and see. I'm going to buy a guide book and look up stuff on my own because I'll have a good deal of time on my own and I want to see as much as I can. It's going to wicked expensive since most of Hong Kong from what I understand is mostly shopping. Maybe I'll get a suit some pants or shirts tailor made for me. Probably not, but who knows.

I think that's it for now. I just got the new Firewater and Fleet Foxes albums. The Firewater album is awesome, and though I wasn't the biggest fan the the Fleet Foxes album it has been growing on me.

The end, probably until I come back from the far east. Have a delicious Thanksgiving for those of you who might celebrate the turkeyiest of holidays. And for those of you who don't well, you should. It's a delicious holiday, even if it's as fictitious as Christmas.