well, this is the beginning of my new homepage. and this is my blog. not that anyone is going to read this, or find it of interest, but hey, why not write this anyway...

first and foremost, a very big thank you to marcello for setting this up and hosting it.

on to other news...

i am going to europe in a month. i will be there for two months. i am going by myself. i am very excited, although, i have to say growing a little bit more terrified every day. several things are really intimidating to think about. first there's the money issue (as in, it's going to cost a lot and i don't know if i have enough). second, there's the fact that i speak one language fluently (english, duh) and one language where i can ask someone if they like red shoes (te gusta las zapatas rojo?) and not much else. well, ok, i know a little bit more spanish than that, but still...

as scared as i am about the uncertainties of what lies ahead, my apprehension is minute and my anticipation fierce. every conscious thought i have seems consumed by the queries, "where will i go? when i will i go there? what will i do when i get there? where will i sleep? eat? shower? who will i meet? what's the best way to get to the next place?" it's a seemingly endless parade of questions that grows exponenitally in response to each previous, currently unanswerable one. actually, parade would be a bad description since it's nearly impossible to organize my thoughts. if i were to diagram the organization of these thoughts it would look more like a half-assed 8th grade science project of the solar system, with wire coat hangers and pipe cleaners sticking out all over the place and the sun, moons, and planets all roughly the same size, shape, and color.

unfortunately, i have come to the disheartening realization that i will have to return my kick-ass computer that i recently bought. the $1000 that i will get back is essential for my trip. so, for a while, i am stuck with this horrendous piece of scrap metal that i reluctantly call, "my computer."

expect my blog to be an oft used medium while i am away on my trip (so you can live vicariously through me, or just find out some cool shit that europe has to offer, or to just hear about how fucking stoned i was in amsterdam...). i will also be trying to update my site and add some more writings, pics, and links to it as soon as possible. thanks for stopping by and reading my first entry in the blog. and don't forget to sign my guestbook!

-jon