I have been traveling for 11 days straight, which can be a bit disorienting and kind of exhausting, but also LOADS of fun.

Happy things (in no particular order): finding CDs I thought were long since lost or stolen to listen to on the drive, getting out to the XFO fights, visiting a bazillion jiu jitsu gyms and a Crossfit gym, learning to make pottery, drinking way more than usual, spending time with friends, spending time with groups of women (a rarity for me), going to an insane Korean spa which was both amazing and bizarre, getting to see the Stanton Moore trio play at Riverside, an urban farm tour in Milwaukee, drinking chai…

Scary things: being forced to go the wrong way down a one-way street by a cop redirecting traffic (who got mad when I hesitated), visiting Waukegan, where my college used to be–and realizing just how creepy and sketchy the neighborhood is/was.

Here’s a few other random thoughts from the past week or so:

Making broad generalizations, especially those that involve scientific claims, hurts your credibility at best and is wholly irresponsible at worst. Be prepared to back up your statements, and you’ll make the world a better place.

Paying lip service to values such as integrity, fairness and respect doesn’t mean shit if you won’t stand up for what’s right when it really counts… even if it’s inconvenient; even if there’s a lot at stake. When I look at what people say and what they do, I have to shake my head sometimes.

I prefer spending time with people who are less flashy but work well with others in their own quiet way.

And finally, 9/11 was yesterday. I always try to ignore that day. On 9/11/01 I was studying in Oxford. Although we didn’t start dating until November, Oxford reminds me of my boyfriend at the time, Chris McBride. Chris died in September 2005 due to an unprovoked attack. He was quietly drinking his pint at a Liverpool pub when this took place. Chris was a total pacifist, an Oxford graduate and the nicest guy you could ever meet. He had a huge heart and a very bright future. His murderer was recently moved to an open prison, where he can go home on weekends and work in nearby towns. Just doesn’t seem fair. I’ve been thinking about this, and him, and how he might’ve responded to a similar situation. He was opposed to the death penalty, for example, so I feel that directing anger at the POS that did this to him might not honor his memory. It is a conundrum. R.I.P., Chris. I miss you, buddy.