Dec 13, Day 122, Quarter-Century

I’ll try to revisit the last-weekend entry, but things are accelerating as my departure approaches, and I may not get around to it.

I don’t have very much to say about my 25th birthday other than that twenty-five sounds shockingly old for me. How can I be 25 already? Neglecting relativistic effects, I’m closer to 30 than 20, closer to 40 than 4, and half way to 50. It’s probably better that I don’t remember the mathematics well enough to work out the relativity because that will only make 50 seem closer! I’m reflecting a quote that I wanted to include in the England/Thanksgiving entries that I never wrote. I was talking to a guy on the train about my recent adventures (Italy, Argentina, Stanford, Australia, Peru) and he told me that, The world is yours. I think it sounds a little James Bond-ish, but I like it. It reminds me that I’d better ensure that I don’t start to become complacent in my old age as there’s a lot more of the world left than I’ve seen! I’ll continue to mull it over as a potential starting point to evolve a new chapter in the 2007 emendation of my Manifesto.

I’m struggling a bit to define this document. Last year I called it a Manifesto; which seemed appropriate because it was somewhat public. However, I think manifesto has a more political connotation that I’m reaching for at this time. Distorting it into Latin (manifestus obvious) has a nicer ring to it, and I like the slight ambiguity because it’s understandable but not colloquial. I keep thinking that Credo is also pretty close, but I feel that it implies a certain amount of dogmatic acceptance without reasoning. Ideology could work, but it may suggest an amount of speculation or idealism that I’m not going for. Convictions hints at a guilty verdict. Philosophy would be a broader scope than I’m going for. How about Resolutions! Duh.

How about getting back to my birthday?

Ricardo turned 26 on the 12th, so we had a little shared party for the two of us on Tuesday night. I left the office at 6 with Ricardo, Fabrizio, and Antonio, but between traffic and some other delays we didn’t arrive at Gloria’s apartment until 9PM. We snacked on some chips while waiting for a couple of their friends to arrive. I think it’s interesting that I’ve recently stumbled into this island of southern Italians but I guess it’s appropriate because I’m at least part terreno as well. I’ve come to realize that this is the part of Italy that I’ve been searching for. I believe it does exist, but I’ve only seen it though the stories of other people so far. Unfortunately, I can’t foresee a way that I could test-drive that lifestyle while furthering my career experience unless I do it on my weekends. This is something I plan to focus on as spring approaches.

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to cut this entry short because I’m still tired from the escapades of last night. Sorry for getting bogged down in some semantics back there.

After the chips we ordered pizzas to be delivered. Frabrizio and Ricardo went to go pick up one of their buddies, and I was left with Antonio and the girls. Giovanna told me a charming story about spending a few weeks sailing from Genova to Sicilia. I’ve wanted to sail around the Bahamas for some time, but the Mediterranean is also very appealing! Her voyage reminded of when I stayed on a house boat on Lake Powell. The boys came back, and before long it was time to open the champagne. For the past couple of weeks I’ve been teaching the guys a bit of American culture, or at least some of our (my) expressions. So I was asked to repeat “my toast.” I taught the guys this toast a while back: “Live like movie stars, Party like rock stars…” The ending is a bit vulgar, so I’ll omit it. They seem to really like it. I guess it represents a certain element of the American dream that is highlighted by the off-color decadence in the American tv shows that are imported here.

Then it was time to open presents. I even got gifts! -A cover for my ipod, and a little cube-book. I was not expecting such a gesture, so it made the surprise that much better. I I couldn’t think of anything as thoughtful, so I gave Ricardo a bottle of a well-crafted Venezuelan rum.

The next morning I saw frost on the ground and some of the cars on the way to work. I wore my alpaca wool scarf that I bought in Pumamarca, Argentina last summer. I think this is the first time I’ve ever worn a scarf! It made me feel very Italian.