Posted 2:04 PM by Ben
So I drove down to Miami for the weekend. Not sure if it counts as "home" anymore but it's still great.

I took I-75, then the Turnpike, and then cheated Florida out of $7.40 by taking I-95 half of the way. It's the populist, working man's highway. Stopped at McDonalds in Ft. Pierce to feed my McGriddle addiction. Mmmmm.....

Yesterday my dad and I took my mom and Bubby (my grandma) to Miami International Airport. They left for a one-week cruise that set sail today from Barcelona. Go them.

As for me, I was excited enough being in the airport. If I don't go anywhere cool and foreign, at least I can sit here and watch cool foreign people as they come to my city.

Last night there were fireworks a few blocks from my house, so my dad and I sat in our patio and watched. There was something very epic about it, being out in the humid summer air watching a fireworks display with my dad. One of those rare moments of feeling connected to the world, which I appreciate.

This morning was a true adventure. More McGriddles with my dad, then we went on a garage sale hunt. We ended up hitting nine garage sales, which must be a record.

I bought 12 cassette tapes for three dollars total, including selections from AC/DC, Madonna, Sting, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen (including his big hit, "Drivin' Down I-95 (The Rich Man's Turnpike Ain't For Me)"). Plus three late-period Kool & The Gang albums. Don't ask why, I don't know.

I might have stolen a CD. I'm not sure. At garage sale #7 we were walking back to the car and passed three CD's sitting in the grass, dirty, with no jewel cases or liner notes.

Two of them were Tori Amos, which I left on the ground. The third was Coldplay's Parachutes, which I took home. Did it belong to anyone? Why was it laying out in the grass? Maybe I'll never know. I do feel somewhat bad.

Now there's nothing to do. But that's fine. I feel good and I hope you do too.

Happy birthday, Will!!!!

Posted 10:27 PM by Ben
A topsy-turvy day; it's been hard to figure out.

I got to work only to find out that I had ruined a pan yesterday. I had attacked it with a metal scrubber and completely destroyed the non-stick surface.

My boss was nice about it but clearly disappointed. I offered to pay for it but he wouldn't have that. I tried to explain, "I was trying to clean the heck out of it!"

"You did! You cleaned the shit out of it. You made it shine!"

I mostly avoided him the rest of the day. People mysteriously get fired at the restaurant now and then and I'm suddenly petrified that I'm next. It's probably irrational but I'm really worried.

When I got home I was able to set up an interview at a local middle school, and I got a call from a high school in the next county. And I'm waiting on the high school I'd interviewed at on Monday. Things are looking up in that department.

I got home and Katie went to work. We haven't been able to talk much today but hopefully she will call later.

Solipsism and depressing thoughts, as far down as you can read. I don't mean to be a whiner but it's been a weird summer for emotions, what with two job searches, school ending, and being apart from Katie.

My neutral moments are sadder than they used to be, and I'm trying to figure out why. On the other hand, there have been moments of extreme happiness: spending time with Katie, hanging out with Evan, being at work, seeing my classmates outside of school. Neither emotion lasts very long.

Thanks for reading thus far, and have a good night.

Posted 7:24 PM by Ben
Lots of "ZUH?" this week. Six straight days of work, enough to make me worthy of listening to all those Bruce Springsteen records. It's physically exhausting, nonstop running around and carrying dishes.

While I'm there, I love it! When I get home I stare at the wall and fall asleep at 10:30. It's a weird trade-off but it feels good for now.

I had an interview this morning at Williston High School, a very driveable 18 miles away. I think it went well! It lasted an hour and ten minutes, most of which consisted of the principal talking.

I like the principal. I like the school. I have no idea how a good interview is supposed to go but this might have been a decent approximation of one. I'll know at the end of the week. Wish me luck.

Katie and I haven't been able to talk much lately. I work days, she works evenings, she calls after midnight and I speak from behind an impenetrable fog, we hang up and I go back to sleep. E-mails are fine but they really don't cut it. I miss her.

I did have a nice talk with my friend Vanessa today. And I might go shopping with Jenny and her boyfriend Elliot tonight.

Congratulations to Steve Knowlton; he and his wife Jessica are expecting a new critic in a few months. He/she is going to be a lucky little music snob. Every baby should have parents who are so nice (I don't know Jessica but I know she's nice by association). The best to all of them.

So life is pretty good. I hope the same is true for you, whoever you are. Have a good night, thanks for reading.