Dearest Rachel – You probably know what’s coming here. Back in the day I always used to believe that I wasn’t a picky eater; given a situation where it was called on to be polite, I’m able to eat anything… and yet, somehow I wind up balking when confronted with some of your mom’s cooking.Continue reading “Just Not My Scene”
Tag Archives: blog
Not Done Out Of Boredom
Dearest Rachel – While I’m specifically writing to you with these letters – complete with references to things only you would know from actual experience – I’m well aware that there are people reading this over your shoulder. It’s what happens when you put something out on the internet; someone else will stumble across itContinue reading “Not Done Out Of Boredom”
My Own Personal Marathon
Dearest Rachel – It’s kind of ironic; since I’m assigned to the booth this weekend, I won’t be heading downtown to cheer our runners on tomorrow (and I keep mentioning this, because it feels like this should be a topic I ought to go into more detail about to you, but I don’t know ifContinue reading “My Own Personal Marathon”
Less of the Same, More of the Usual
Dearest Rachel – The beauty of a morning flight is that, when you arrive, you still have most of the day to ‘enjoy’ the place you’ve landed in. The… dare I say ugliness?… of that same situation on the return trip means that you’re dropped right back into the responsibilities of home that you neglectedContinue reading “Less of the Same, More of the Usual”
Ill at Ease
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning, and something just doesn’t feel right. Much as I’m planning to head to the ‘office’ for what should be an ordinary day (with a side request to help the folks deal with “a credit card situation,” which probably just involves an internet communication issue), there’s this sense that I’m forgettingContinue reading “Ill at Ease”
Set in Concrete
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday was our last day of actual work. Today, we’ll be on what they refer to as an ‘adventure day’; another nod to the ‘volun-tourism’ concept we discussed the other day. But with my work as an educator over with, this last day was spent doing manual labor – which, toContinue reading “Set in Concrete”
Primera Mañana
Dearest Rachel – I’m not sure what you would’ve thought of this place, honey. I’m still trying to get used to it myself. After yesterday’s travels (particularly the obscenely early start to the day), I retired at what might otherwise be considered a ridiculous hour of nine o’clock, but which you might have at least beenContinue reading “Primera Mañana”
I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It
Dearest Rachel – I have this goal regarding travel that, one day, I’d get to the point where it’s a perfectly normal thing to show up at the airport, get on a plane, and be on my way to wherever it is I’m wanting to go without another thought. It’ll be almost a routine thing;Continue reading “I’ll Never Quite Get Used to It”
Professor Perdonname
¡Buenas días, estudiantes! Bienvenidos a Hojas 101 (o Contabilidad 101). Mi nombre es Randy Larson, pero puedes llamarme “Señor Perdonname”, porque no sé mucho español, y voy a decir “¿perdonname?” a la mayoría de sus preguntas. De hecho, tengo tan poco español que necesitaba escribir este monólogo con antelación y revisarlo de antemano para asegurarmeContinue reading “Professor Perdonname”
Queasy
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what’s been going on the last few days, honey, but every so often – at least, when I bother to think about it – there’s been this nagging sense of unease in the pit of my stomach going on. Now, it’s entirely possible that it’s simply due to anotherContinue reading “Queasy”
Sixteen Hundred Days
Dearest Rachel – It’s been fifty-three months as of today, honey. In that time, I’ve written you well over two thousand letters – actually, over twenty-two hundred or so, in fact – and once this is sent, I’ll have dropped you a line every day for sixteen hundred days straight. Which by the way, meansContinue reading “Sixteen Hundred Days”
Refreshing Inertia
Dearest Rachel – The world outside my door may be speeding by at a ridiculous pace – when I woke up for the first time a couple of hours ago, there were an insane amount of unread articles in my news feed to go through – but that doesn’t mean I have to move atContinue reading “Refreshing Inertia”
Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?
Dearest Rachel – Despite the relative tranquility of our own personal lives, we were born into a world of utter chaos. The year of my birth was a particular annus horribilis; I can – and often do – imply the date by connecting it to the assassination of Martin Luther King (I have an alibi,Continue reading “Have We Lost Our Minds (Again)? Did We Ever Have Them?”
Until the Last Minute
Dearest Rachel – This is really not my style, honey; you know that. Raised as I was, arriving somewhere fifteen minutes early was considered late. If we’re heading out to the island, I’d prefer to leave town as soon as possible – and have the car loaded up as much as possible the night before,Continue reading “Until the Last Minute”
When Even the Experts are Stumped
Dearest Rachel – By the end of the day today, it will have been nearly a week since dropping the car off at the dealer’s for what I rather thought would have been fairly routine – if admittedly less regular than just a simple lube, oil and filter – maintenance. Sure, a multi-point inspection wouldContinue reading “When Even the Experts are Stumped”
Why Tiny Houses?
Dearest Rachel – The other day, I was telling you about how I fell down a rabbit hole of real estate listings, particularly in a place that we’d both individually been to and wanted to return to, but never got the chance to do together (let alone take Daniel with us to show him whatContinue reading “Why Tiny Houses?”
Assume That They’re All Fake
Dearest Rachel – So… tomorrow is Friday, a day we all celebrate, for our various reasons – even if only because most of our fellows are (temporarily) released from their workaday prisons (which they may or may not recognize as such, but whatever). It is also Valentine’s Day, which for the fifth year in aContinue reading “Assume That They’re All Fake”
Assembling Layers
Dearest Rachel – So even during the holidays, I’m trying to keep up with this self-imposed plan of assembling at least one T-shirt worthy graphic design each week. Daniel gave me a pass last week as we walked through one specifically for him – which is a good thing, as I’ve been working on oneContinue reading “Assembling Layers”
No Time to Spare
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure that some of these letters look a bit like they were pre-written, rather than covering the events of the day – which probably make them look a little less heartfelt. It’s what happens sometimes when I’m trying to say something to you every day, when there’s not a whole lotContinue reading “No Time to Spare”
Broken Bed
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another task I’m not looking forward to having to deal with. This time, it’s a case of having to either buy an extra mattress, or find a handyman to see if the old Jenny Lind bed can be repaired or not. If I remember you and your mom correctly, thatContinue reading “Broken Bed”
The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet
Dearest Rachel – So this is it; a day that I’ve promised myself would come, in which I’m doing the whole ‘tourist in my home town’ bit. Oddly enough, I’m doing something that we’ve done before – which, considering how little time we ever spent in the city (apart from admiring the annual Christmas decorationsContinue reading “The Ship That Hasn’t Sailed Yet”
Give the Superego What it Wants…
Dearest Rachel – There are some mornings, honey, where I come to the conclusion that I don’t necessarily like who and what I’ve become. This morning found me lying in bed at a little after four, with that little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that “well, as long as you’reContinue reading “Give the Superego What it Wants…”
The Extent of the Effect
Dearest Rachel – “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So goes Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, the product of the Enlightenment concept of experimentation and observation, as opposed to blind acceptance of received wisdom from generations past. Best envisioned (and demonstrated) on a billiard table or a croquet lawn, thisContinue reading “The Extent of the Effect”
Impulse Indulgence
Dearest Rachel – I’m honestly not sure how you would have reacted; maybe, as you hear the details, you wouldn’t think of it as such a big deal. And, truth be told, it wasn’t quite the impulse buy as the title might indicate (although there wasn’t that much thought put into it, either, leading toContinue reading “Impulse Indulgence”
Dragging Him Out of the House
Dearest Rachel – It’s probably completely unnecessary for me to do this; Daniel has gotten out of the house on a regular basis in my absence. Partly out of necessity, of course, since I’ve not been around to go shopping for whatever the household may lack over these last couple of months, but also forContinue reading “Dragging Him Out of the House”
I’m So Looking Forward To…
Dearest Rachel – Despite all the things that I’ve been able to enjoy here on the ship for the last three months, there is a lot that I’m looking forward to getting back to. And since my time here is coming to a close, I thought that, rather than bemoaning that fact, I ought toContinue reading “I’m So Looking Forward To…”
Not All Sweetness and Light
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a while since I talked to you about earworms; frankly, it’s been a while since I focused much on any topic other than my travels. Let’s face it, on a trip like this, there’s rather a lot of that to talk about, to the exclusion of almost everything else. EvenContinue reading “Not All Sweetness and Light”
To Kabuki-cho At Night
Dearest Rachel – They tell me that to take a cab out from Yokohama to downtown Tokyo would run me some ten thousand yen; I say stuff that noise. I consider the public transportation system to be its own adventure (especially in a place like this, where it’s safe in a way that I can’tContinue reading “To Kabuki-cho At Night”
Return To Where I’ve Never Been
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure that, to my tablemates, my Japanophilia may seem a little strange. It dates, as you remember, from our college days, before I was aware of terms like ‘anime’ (back then, what little there was that came to the States was referred to as ‘Japanimation,’ and even then, those who coinedContinue reading “Return To Where I’ve Never Been”
But Why Repeat Myself?
Dearest Rachel – Ordinarily, on a day when we’re about to land in another port, I should be putting together an essay about culture and history, sights to see and things to experience… particularly with regard to local cuisine. But I have to admit that my heart’s not in it today. Some of that isContinue reading “But Why Repeat Myself?”
The Great Firewall
Dearest Rachel – I think I’ve mentioned a couple of times about how, over the last couple of days, I haven’t been able to do all the work that I’d like to, or need to, because of limited Internet access. To be sure, “like” is a strong word for it, as I’m more than happyContinue reading “The Great Firewall”
Bali
Dearest Rachel – As mentioned yesterday, our next stop will take us a short hop over from Lombok to Bali. Unlike today, which didn’t actually even start until early afternoon (the gangway wasn’t lowered until after 2pm), we’ll be arriving at Bali by seven in the morning. My excursion, however, being a literal day atContinue reading “Bali”
The Sea You Always Wanted
Dearest Rachel – Maybe this was due to us having to charge out, hell bent for leather, from the Bay of Islands in order to make up for lost time in our attempts to stick to the original schedule. Maybe it was a cell of bad weather than the captain simply couldn’t navigate around (atContinue reading “The Sea You Always Wanted”
Not So Easily Said
Dearest Rachel – As much as I’m not particularly fond of their attitudes, I have to give the TikTokers their due. Being able to talk straight through everything, without hesitation, without self-consciousness – I’d say it was easier said than done, but the whole point is that it’s not so easily said at all. For me toContinue reading “Not So Easily Said”
Publication Jitters
Dearest Rachel – When I first set this website up, and decided to write you daily letters, I found myself having to think long and hard about nearly every word that I wrote down. In fact, the first few letters were almost completely written out in longhand on paper before I ever committed anything to theContinue reading “Publication Jitters”
On the Same Frostbitten Wavelength
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that, intentionally or not, the gang has (mostly at my insistence) developed something of a habit of getting together at a splashy restaurant on or about the first of the year since you’ve been gone. It hasn’t been the same one each time – indeed, it’s been somewhere different everyContinue reading “On the Same Frostbitten Wavelength”
The Important Out of Focus
Dearest Rachel – Given the situation that’s been more or less dominating our lives for the past two weeks, even overshadowing the Christmas season and its attendant hustle and bustle, you would think that I would have more to say about Dad at this point. If nothing else, I’m pretty sure I’d given you the impressionContinue reading “The Important Out of Focus”
Unfinished Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – Most of the time, when I’m writing you, I find that I need to do so all at one sitting. Which makes sense; if I’m writing you every day, I need to have a certain amount of time set aside every day to do so, so why not finish the job duringContinue reading “Unfinished Thoughts”
Letters to Rachel 