Back in the paleotechnic dawn of the 21st century, my mother’s request was understandable. “Just call me once a week to let me know you’re alive,” she said, as I wandered off across… Continue reading
Last couple days, checking things off the list. Eat Belgian food: check. This is fricadellen met kriekensaus, that is: meat-balls in sweet cherry sauce. And of course, Belgian beer. Saying goodbye to familiar… Continue reading
Winding down, winding up! Our apartment is barebones, the mattress is on the floor, and the peripheral piles of miscellany were revealed. So: Wednesday junk market time. They open the hall for sellers… Continue reading
The first weekend of post-work and pre-departure has passed. Saturday I woke up at 6:27, 3 minutes before my alarm used to go off for my Saturday teaching routine. I slept through the… Continue reading
Good evening. My name is Tim Tendick, and I used to be an English teacher. Last days are an odd thing. Every gesture and act, even silly small ones for saps like me,… Continue reading
Today is my last day at work. It’s been a long time, and a couple continents, since I was last sitting here. (When I first quit the call center job it was unpremeditated… Continue reading
I share a fear with the man in front of me. So we cast around for opinions to protect ourselves. We’re standing in the florist, it’s Valentine’s Day, and we are both afraid… Continue reading
Last night I went to get my results from the sleep lab a couple weeks ago. After a lengthy monologue featuring many numbers and a variety of graphs, the surprisingly young doctor (who… Continue reading
Remember that legend about the Inuit having dozens of different words for “snow”? Are there any Inuit people reading this? What do you call the ice crystals like fine-grained shredded coconut? Cocosnow? Or… Continue reading
It may not be this cold in Nicaragua…but right now I wouldn’t trade. This week has separated out the thin-blooded immigrants from the Belgians (and thick-blooded immigrants; the Polish laugh at this temperature… Continue reading
Happy February 2! And no, not because it’s Crepe Day, (although celebrating the “purification” of the Virgin Mary via crepes is reason enough for a party…but how do Catholics “purify” a virgin? In my religion… Continue reading
