So Chicago, i met up with my old internet friend Sebastian and we talked about a whole load of stuff, including how the world is becoming more impersonal since everything is done online and via self service machines, how the media spreads paranoia and distrust (see 9/11), how corporate interests obstruct social reform.

We shot some archery in his back garden and went to an english themed pub as i hadn't had a steak pie for 3 months. It wasn't great, but what did i expect!

I stayed the night in Englewood, an area described as "up and coming", but it seemed nice enough in the daytime! $12 to sleep on a sofa including a friendly chatty host, several other foreign travellers, getting my laundry done, breakfast, internet and a friendly cat is not to be scoffed at, even if there were some stories involving the police!

Next day i got what turned out to be a free water taxi ride across the marina at sunset, and then we went out for two firsts for me, Chicago stuffed pizza (its like a double decker) and a jazz club. Niceeeeeeeee.

Visa running out so onwards to Canada...

transport update. train cancelled due to mudslides on the line upstate. lol that predictive text for mudslides was Muslims.
So it's 17 hours on a greyhound bus instead. bad enough, but having to queue up for a bus three hours early to beat the other 300 people from the train is just tiresome. especially with church nutters discussing their interpretations of bible passages and events and how far they take them as metaphors or true events. and then using blind faith statements to justify. HE IS THE LORD WHO GOD PUT ON EARTH TO DAVE US yes Dave. good old predictive text.
Stopped in nowheresville Pennsylvania. I think they designed these bus seats really diligently to make them as uncomfortable as possible to sleep in. even if you do get settled you find the circulation to some body part cut off.


I'm on my own again. constantly starting again with new people is draining. is it? its not like they're all identical uni freshman is it, with the same few questions and life stories. It should be stimulating and enlightening. I like sharing experiences though, its more fun.

Someone recently told me that every person you meet has an impact and changes something in your life. if you let them. open up. There was elaboration. people are too often paralysed by the "what ifs" of starting a relationship or a business venture or travelling...

I've always envied people who knew from an early age what they wanted to do with life. But now i'm realising that i my mission in life is currently to not have a mission and just see what happens

This is coming from meeting people being so passionately (need a thesaurus to stop using that word) wrapped up in a way of looking at the world, that decisions and opinions are obvious, lines are clearly defined, goals and direction would be irresponsible not to pursue, rather than procrastinating and worrying about money.
And i'm not talking about crazy religious people.

I wrote a poem this week. when did I last express myself like that? Not that i'll be posting THAT online.
I criticised art thus week- I used to draw, although on reflection nothing good, but I've not dared really for years. why be so uptight.

Now i'm thinking should i post all these thoughts on the internet? Half of them are for me, not a description of my travels.
But whats the point in thinking things and nobody else knowing? most of the above is paraphrasing discussions and conversations anyway.
Not that i want to bombard the world with my musings, but i'm not forcing anyone to read this either!

If you are reading this, please don't worry!!!

i'm enjoying writing things down though. my thoughts, what people said etc, before i forget them.
I think this will help when i get round to reading more philosophy books in terms of thinking all round a concept, because i'm a) writing the first thing that comes out of my fingers and b) rethinking it to be sure ive expressed what i wanted to (as far as that goes)

I should get a tattoo. (not a big obvious one), I'm going to want some momento of this year.

Bus stop in Toledo. I know its Sunday morning but this place is a ghost town. Concrete wasteland.