"The memories fire, the rhythms fall slow..."

DATE: 05/31/2004 07:07:39 AM
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BODY:
This weekend was hectic. First was Ron and Arthur's going-away party held at Wade's house. It was a blast -- too much of one, I'm afraid. I got sick and passed out on Wade's couch at about 1:30, and I was far from the only one (see, I told you I get sick approximately once per quarter). This time, the culprit was no dinner, some tequila and lots and lots of vodka. People were just obliterated.

The next day, I hung out with family (stepmom's side), and went to yet another party. This was a housewarming party for the exchange program boarding house in Pretoria. I danced, drank a lot less, and spent the night with some of my housemates.

[A side note: the program house in Pretoria is everything my house isn't. It has high-speed Internet, new and well-maintained appliances, a spectacular view, real beds with mattresses in each bedroom, and two Pyreneese dogs that Waweru described to me as "lions" before I even saw them. When I did see them for the first time a few months ago, I said "Holy shit!" He's right; they <b>are</b> huge, and they <b>do</b> kind of look like lions. The problem with the house is that it's incredibly isolated, so you're totally screwed if you don't have a car.]

Sunday, we went swimming (4 of us this time). Last night, I went to an open mic to see Ron play one last time. Along with all his originals, he did 3 Jeff Buckley songs: Last Goodbye, Hallelujah and Mojo Pin. Though I didn't get to sing with Ron (thanks to some mic-hogging, beatnik douchebags), I did get to play bass with him on Mojo Pin. But because of the jackasses, I stayed out a lot longer than I thought I would and ended up going to bed quite late. Why would you play two separate sets for over an hour, and refuse to cede to someone who hasn't done a song all night? Assholes.

Anyway, today it's cold in Joburg. The issue isn't the air temperature; if I was in the states, it would be like a San Francisco winter's day. The problem is, none of the houses have any insulation in this country -- they are all designed as if it never gets cold. That means spaceheaters are very common, and mornings are VERY cold. Thanks to the temperature and no daylight savings, it's hard to even get up in the morning. I am now sleeping in Bende's room, and he's going to get a heater for our room today.

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