Thursday, October 30, 2008

On a new addition and another month gone by

So it's the end of October, unbelievably. Time flies when you're sitting around staring at a wall. Seriously, my main activity for an afternoon about two weeks ago was killing flies with my flip flop, and I don't like killing things. Now I know I've been keeping some people in suspense here, what with the whole not writing for a month thing even though I may or may not have accessed the internet in the interim period, and for my delay and general truancy I apologize somewhat less than sincerely. The past couple two weeks have been a little rougher than normal for lots of reasons I don't care to get into here and I'm hanging on for the swing back in the good direction. We've lost three volunteers now (that I know of, maybe four if the rumors are true today) in the last two or three weeks and it seems October is a mad month for PC RIM.
Work is going as work has gone and our mayor continues to dally and sidestep questions about actually giving us a building. Right now we're technically sharing the building that is now the mayor's office and Cortney and I plan to apply for materials and center funds first thing next week after the Halloween party. We figure if we just show up one day with a ton of mattelas, computers, and stuff in general, we can give them a big hint that we really do need the space. I'm hoping to have an open house by january and maybe open the center sometime into next semester.
On the upside, we may have found a counterpart. Selma is a badass boutique owner with a very successful business. She's unmarried, chain smokes, and owns her own business. That makes her a very strong woman in a culture where it's usually only men that smoke, people are expected to marry young and start making babies, and most of the time men run boutiques. She's a badass and she seems to understand what we're doing as well as get excited about it which seems almost too good to be true right now after two months of slow going.
Oh, and I've now added a fun little feature at the bottom of my blog, courtesy of Matt's advice, where you can look at a map of M'Bout. I couldn't figure out how to leave bookmarks or I'd have noted where I live, where Cortney lives, and all our major landmarks. In any case if you can find the water tower in the middle of the town on the main north-south road, I'm about three blocks due west of it. Ah, modern technology.
I have the amazing good fortune of not being in the country for this upcoming election day. Sadly, voting passed me and M'Bout by, which I regret given that I come from a swing state, but I am feeling quite glad that I don't have to put up with the last minute desperation calls and pollster mania that is indubitably rocking the good ol' US of A. I look forward to the results though, so even if you weren't planning on it, you should still go vote (that goes for you too Dad)
I got seven packages today. Included in them, as a sampling, was a foam football, a pumpkin light, candy corn, twelve pounds of velveeta, lots of spices, a whole lot of fishing supplies (note the river running next to my town), a huge bag of halloween candy, a solar shower, three jars of peanut butter, and a frisbee. I'm overhelmed, in a good way. We had to take a taxi back from the post office. Who knows how I'll get all that hoard back to M'Bout but that's a problem for when the sugar high wears off.
Okay you lot, I'm off to the region house to lay low on the night before the party. I'm going to be a farmer, I think being from Iowa might be enough of a qualification for a costume for some of my more new england-ish fellow PCVs but I got ahold of a too small pair of overalls (really that's all they had unless you're short like Brian and buy the only overalls that would fit someone taller than you anyway) and a nice flannel print shirt with cut off sleeves. I'm going for the hayseed look. I will post pictures and maybe videos too soon, I have them on my camera at the region house right now, I just don't have the time to do it right now. Maybe in a couple days :) Alright all, good luck with election madness and leave me comments!

P.s. I learned to use italics and bold today, did you notice?

5 comments:

Allison said...

I am SO impressed with your use of italics and bold! I love the picture of your town too. It will be fun to find out if where I think you live is actually right.

SEVEN packages? You must be very loved! :D Glad you got your halloween candy, pumpkin flashlight, peanut butter, and other good stuff. I didn't know if you'd like the solar shower or not, but thought it was worth sending.

Try not to portray us Iowans in too "hickish" of a light. We are remarkably advanced in certain areas. I'll get back to you on what. :P

Have a fun Halloween party!
Love,
Mom

Tracy said...

Thanks for the update brat. Hope everything turns in a definite upward direction for you. Just keep thinking happy thoughts. Remember the best advice I ever got from our uncle..."A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it'll piss off enough people to make it worth the effort." Stay positive! Love from the good old US of A where I am avoiding all things political through not having cable or a landline phone. Whoopie! And, I already voted.

Anonymous said...

I am glad you got so many packages, can't remember if I sent the football with the syrup. Did you get syrup, if so, I hope it was still contained in the bottle :)
It is good to see M'bout and have a general idea where you are living, very general.
Have fun this weekend, take care, be safe and God bless you.
Love,
Grandma

andarenee said...

YOU ARE ALIVE. i thought i had maybe gotten out of sending you an email back. but no, you are still quite stubbornly alive and no that i reflect quite possibly positively unkillable so i shall commence writing as soon as i return from jolly old london-town. cheerio, john-bobbers! and keep your chin up, and your left hook at the ready:) i'm sure all will start to work eventually...

Allison said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Have fun with all your friends. We'll miss your smiling face at the table. Grandma said she'll drink some wine in your honor. :)

Love and miss you!
Mom