Count me in as another one who hates traveling. I really don't see the point of it. I hate being a tourist, I'm not particularly interested in seeing monuments or some bullshit architecture, and I also prefer to experience their culture through the arts.
Plus, I know it's not a popular opinion, but I don't think there's any country more fascinating to me than America. I'd rather visit The Alamo or the Vietnam memorial than going on a safari in Africa or hob-knobbing in Europe.
Movie Theater DiaryQuoting Donald Glover
The UK (being the "country" that it is, cough) comes pretty close, but generally I agree. Even if I was not an American, studying American history would be more fascinating to me than the history of any other nation.
"How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?"
--Homer
I haven't had much opportunity to travel, but I'm planning on making trips in the next year. What I don't really understand are those travel packages, especially to Europe where you visit half a dozen countries in 2 weeks. You never really have the opportunity to appreciate the landscape or culture, and instead of enjoying yourself you're rushing from place to place. I'm more of a go to one place, even one city for as long as you can. Far more enjoyable.
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But wouldn't going to the Alama or Vietnam Memorial reverse what you just said in your first paragraph?
"Other people's bullshit architecture and monuments" was clearly implied.
"How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?"
--Homer
Just read this stately piece of prose in a book that I'm editing:
"Winter, which has so long reigned triumphant o’er the conquered year, begins to show indications that his reign is not eternal. The scepter trembles in the old man’s hand like a reed shaken in the wind, and he seems to be sensible that he must ere long surrender his authority and retreat before the triumphant advances of the king of day."
Know where that came from? A fuckin farmers' almanac from 1836.
I dunno what to think.
"How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?"
--Homer
Nope. No other, just no interest in monuments or architecture.
Seeing the cathedrals in Italy, and the city of Venice itself is so fascinating, that it boggles my mind that people wouldn't want to see it, or be interested in a building that has lasted longer than the history of America itself. There's also a ridiculous amount of artwork in the cathedrals. Russian religious art in Florence was also pretty unique. Extremely dark yet religious. Reading the history about these artists is even more interesting.
Taking a safari and seeing animals in their natural habitat in Africa is something I know I would cherish.
But again, I guess this is all because I'm a White guy.
Alamo or safari. Hmmm.
Too close to call.
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Love that site.
I've lived abroad, which I didn't like as much as travelling abroad for short periods of time. Let me tell you, I never loved my country as much as I did when I returned home from living in Europe.
I love being a tourist. You know that obnoxious type constantly snapping pics? That's me.
Question:
When someone says safari, do you think 'click click' or 'bang bang'?
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
Pith helmets and bushy mustaches, first and foremoest.
Then bang bang.
I think "Hatari!".
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A friend of the family committed suicide a few days ago.
She had been diagnosed schizophrenic 18 years ago, and was suicidally depressed for about 10 years prior to her death.
I feel awful for the daughter she left behind, as well as her ex-husband who, despite leaving her, still loved her dearly - he just couldn't handle living with her anymore, due to her violent mood-swings.
And while this is terrible news, I must say that I find her "method" to have been awful - she drove full speed into an oncoming car. I haven't really heard anything since, but at the time it happened, people were saying that the man driving the other car may have been killed as well.
"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"
"Rick...it's a flamethrower."
Jeebus.
Just got off a 14-hour plane trip with the inflight entertainment system down. I did managed to read Camus' The Outsider (awesome awesome awesome) and watch a few episodes of The Wire on my laptop until the batteries ran out, but man it was torture.
I'm sorry for your friend..............but that's a shitty way to end your life. And very selfish.
/sad and angry for the whole situation
"How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?"
--Homer
“What we are dealing with here is a perfect engine, er... an eating machine. It's really a miracle of evolution. All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks and that's all.”
Yes, that's what I thought as well.
I don't want to get into a whole political debate over euthenasia, suffice to say that I agree with it in some cases.
But for anyone to do this, whether they really do "need to die" or not, is just awful.
"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"
"Rick...it's a flamethrower."
If you need to take your own life, that's terrible, kind of selfish, and ultimately sad, but don't take someone else with you. Jeez.
That's too bad meg. It's a tough thing to deal with.
I've known a couple of suiciders - one I understand, the other I don't.
I also prevented a friend from offing himself. I got him 5150ed in a loony bin for a few months. When he got out, he came by and thanked me for saving his life, and then jokingly game me the bill for the $3500 they charged him to stay in a padded cell.
You did a good thing.
I think euthenasia is acceptable when someone is terminally ill and in horrible pain. Someone with inoperable lung cancer who is just living because they're attached to machines, for example - they should have the right to just end their suffering.
But I don't believe in someone killing themselves because they are troubled, or owe money, or whatever. In my experience, everything really does get better with time.
"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"
"Rick...it's a flamethrower."
Yeah, I'm sorry for the loss, but I too find it hard to muster up simpathy when she may have took another life with her. That's seven shades of bitchy right there.
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I guess. I just like paying respects to monuments and places that have its own embedded history (like the two aforementioned places. I experienced a strange feeling of serenity when I visited the Vietnam black wall last year), but I was talking about avoiding vain tourist traps. I have the same disinterest towards The Statue of Liberty as I do to the Eiffel tower or the Venice canals. I've got no use for pretty Kodak moments.
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Travel is something I want to do only if I have ample means to do it. Till then, I'll be the subpar white person I am.
And when I do go somewhere a little bit different, I'm not terribly eager to hit the tourist spots. When I saw Mount Rushmore a few years ago, I thought to myself "Huh, looks just like all the pictures of it."
But I would like to experience some more diverse and interesting regions personally in the future. I think working somewhere in Europe or Asia would be fantastic, at least for a spell.
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