Not really. I mean it still, except that I understand him now.
I just had the most satisfying conversation that I've had since I came to Alaska. I walked into my hostel from having been out downtown with a friend of mine (story in a bit) and he and this other guy, Josh (who is purely insufferable in his personality -- I'll never take that back) were sitting around talking. I stood on the steps by the lobby dais and just sort of started listening in and adding comments here or there, and then the conversation slowly shifted from Peter/Josh to Peter/me until Josh was out of the room and Peter and I were just talking about life. It's not really...necessary or prudent to try to recreate the conversation. It just ended ~10 minutes ago. I realized that Peter is not only a smart guy, but he is a correct guy. He knows what he cares about and why, and why all that matters to him is what he cares about. I think that I will remember having that conversation for awhile, and perhaps will base decisions of my own off of the conclusions it will have helped me draw. Hmmmm...
Before that, though, I had one of the best days here this trip. I was at a coffee shop on the phone for an inordinately long amount of time, when I knew that I was supposed to be working on my personal statement for grad school applications so I could get it done before hanging out with my friend Matt when -- ta da -- Matt ran right into me walking down the sidewalk outside the coffee shop. Matt, who is in the Army as part of a really neat sounding intelligence unit (he had to learn Korean) is stationed in Fairbanks, which is a six-hour drive north of Anchorage. The temperature never gets above negative 10 degrees in the winter, and it gets as low as minus 47 (apparently). Anyway, we went into the coffee shop and sat around talking for, like, at least an hour, maybe an hour and a half. It was fantastic. I laughed a lot, and Matt has a lot of really interesting stories to tell and things to say about what's going on (in the world). He is fairly knowledgeable on world politics, and illuminated the Korean situation for me (hint: nothing is going to happen and N. Korea will dissolve in 30 years).
We eventually started wandering around Anchorage in search of pizza for me; I ended up eating a delicious toasted bread bowl of broccoli cheese soup at Quizno's (but it was like $6.45!!). It's the first time I've ever eaten there! When I told Matt that, he gave me such a huge wide-eyed look that I laughed un-self-consciously. We then walked back to the good ol' Qupqugiaq, from where he got a taxi to downtown (to meet his friends for dinner) and I started working on my personal statement (I finally finished it! It's good!).
After an hour or two, he called to invite me to a bar they were at. I went, but it was awful. It was called Platinum Jaxx, and it was just full of incredibly loud music, incredibly loud lights, and incredibly loud people. I had the most fun when Matt and I started talking about people we knew from high school; when Matt's friend's friend and I were talking about his army experience; and when the Met-Rx World's Strongest Man Competition came on the screen right above my head (Canada sure grows some huge-armed men). We left not too long after I'd gotten there, which I was fine with. I drank one glass of Guiness, which ended up costing me $20 ($9.50 taxi [+ tip] + $5 entry fee + $5 beer = oof). I didn't do anything else today, and except for the milk I bought this morning and the Quizno's....well...and the Italian soda from Kaladi's....I guess I didn't spent that much. :P
I don't have many pictures from today. Just two shots I took beause they were filming a commercial for the coffee shop inside it today, and so in the opposite corner from our table there were production crews all set up with lights and giant cameras and stuff. I took this picture of them from outside:
and this picture of their big van that I tried to tempt Matt into stealing, until he reminded me of a conversation we'd just had about how Alaska's gun laws are so lax that everyone has one:
and here's a picture I forgot to upload from last night; Julio brought me baklava!
But the title of this post is correct! I'm coming home tomorrow night...sorta. My plane leaves at 1 a.m. on the 31st, which means I have to be packed and out of the hostel by 10 p.m. at the latest, in a cab, to the airport and checked in and everything by like...midnight would be ideal, I guess. If no delays occur, I will be landing in Charlotte at around 4:45 p.m. on New Year's Eve, which means I'll be back in Winston-Salem by ~8 p.m. and from there...the night will proceed! I would like to spend it in Chapel Hill, but if that's not feasible, then...well...there are plenty of kazoos in the Henderson household, I'll have you know.
UPDATE:
I just want to add this, because it emphasizes how awful of a person Josh is to be around. He just came into this area and sat next to me saying "Hey, you want to make a lot of money?"
That's never promising from a demonstrably moronic hostel tenant, but I humored him. So here's what he made me do, in his own words:
"I need..give me your computer. I need to type. Can you give me a blank space to type?"
*me opens Notepad.exe*
"Perfect. Now I need 18-point font."
*me knows that Notepad.exe doesn't support large font sizes; opens MS Word*
"Perfect. Now I need 18-point font. Perfect, now imagine this. Anchorage is Alaska's biggest village, right?"
*me: nods*
"Right, so imagine this, man." Josh types out "ANCHORQGE ALASKAS VILLAGE" [sic]
*me: confused, reaches to correct typo*
"No, man! Think about it! We could make millions, put this on t-shirts and merchandise. For the natives."
*me silent*
"It's like native, man. Anchor-[horrible sound] Alaska! They love that stuff?"
*me: expresses incredulity*
"Man, you gotta help me out on this, let's design something real quick tonight."
*me realizes it is almost 4 a.m.*
"Just a quick design..let me show you in lowercase too..." Types with one glove-blackened finger the same phrase in lowercase, then points to 'q' on screen.
"See, man! You and me can make so much money offa this!"
*me reminds Josh that I'm leaving tomorrow night*
"Awww, well...you can just help me come up with the design tonight and I'll cut you in on the check!" Kicks feet up and settles beside me
*me closes MS word and returns to instant message conversation. shoots down idea. ignores Josh*
"Well, fine. But it's my idea! Don't you try to take it!" Walks off to room
:|
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