hello . . . it's been a year since my last post. i've moved.

if you still want to find me, you can. email hijodeunaplaya@hotmail.com and ask for the address.

unfortunately for me, some of my best narcissism is fed through writing. so that's why i've been 'on strike.' but perhaps there is balance in the universe, if not perfection . . . so i am back, kinda.

hope all is well with everyone. doha family (you all are my family) . . . i miss you and love you. i hope you are all well. i really do miss you and think of you often . . .

the night was cooler than usual, though the wind still lightly carried the scents of sun-baked berries and grass. the moon had risen over the water, illuminating a path that was only broken by a lone buoy.

across the water sparkled the lights of the city, emanating a never-ending daytime of business and sleeplessness.

but even here, standing at the edge of the pier in the silence, the night seemed alive as it would any August. the stars were bright and wide awake, the moon was on full watch, a few lights and voices could be heard from different points on the cove, near and far echoing across the glassy, shimmering water. there was quiet, and the pretense of sleep, but three seconds revealed a more restlessness in the air.

one couple huddled together, clinging to the railing about half way down the long pier. a small congregation with beers on the beach were clambering towards the stairs, talking to each other in volumes that betrayed their evening activity just before their breath on the wind did.

a few more drinkers lingered towards the very end of the pier, eyes towards the sparkling city, then down to the water where . . .

car doors slammed under the glowing orange street lights back at the base of the pier. little flip flops, and larger ones, slapped down the pavement, then clanked onto the wooden slats of the pier. a small army of blondes came tumbling down the pier, towels over shoulders. the number was enough to intimidate, but their movement, while obtrusive, was completely unthreatening in its sporadic nature.

as the feet made rhythmic tones with the planks beneath them, glowing swirls of fish would scatter from the posts beneath.

the bioluminescence was out.

streaks of green-blue glow in the black water swirled, jetted in all directions as the parade of blondes marched by. next, small pebbles dropped into the black lit up even brighter as they hit the water. moments after the oohs and aahs had subsided from these little jewels of aquamarine light, dark silhouettes launched themselves from the railings, barely seen until, introduced simultaneously with a human yelp and the ocean splash, they hit the water and instantly became aglow, lighting themselves, and the water around them, in a frosty blue and green light. the glowing sparkles flashed with each arm stroke of the gasping swimmer. the blue green surrounding the jumpers looked like the bright pool lights of a hotel or club in the evening.

all city lights were forgotten in the delight of the glow. the jumpers, now breathless from the coldness of the water, were gasping their pain and delight simultaneously. they splashed as much as possible, as the onlookers from above crooned their approval. more astonished exclamations were made as the water-borne pulled themselves out of the water onto the floating dock, splashing millions of glowing sparkles onto the surface as they flung their arms up over the deck. then, much laughter followed as hands rubbed arms, hair and swimsuits to induce more sparkles.

now the jumping was random and chaotic. big batches of green blue glow were announced with each new splash. there was one, then two at a time, then one more. one on this side, two on that side, now more gasping and splashing.

but, due to the temperature of the water and lateness of hour, almost as soon as they had come, the yellow-haired troop, now dripping and shivering, hurried back up the pier, excitedly murmuring to themselves about how beautiful it was, how it was the best bioluminescence ever, how they wanted to just jump again and again, how they were coming back tomorrow night . . .

yes, it was August '04 in Indianola.

there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

long day at work.

what's worse / better:

1. new friends that will do anything for you and are totally polite and kind, noticing and appreciating who you are and what you do, who feel the weight of earning the friendship and trust of another soul, but don't really know you deeply?

or

2. old friends / family that know you through and through and still are there for you, but cease to appreciate you, take you for granted, and put in little or no effort to keep your affections alive?

i cease to have an opinion on which is more exhausting/frustrating. sometimes i want to just walk off someplace new where Someone does know me through and through. is the best of both worlds only possible in the next?

WELCOME BACK! to Escuche! I'm your host Ale, and boy do we have a treat for you today. . .

we're featuring my adopted brother, philliephan! i'm so excited for the interview, we're going to skip the introductions completely . . .

Escuche: It's lovely to see you, again, PP! It seems like ages since we last saw each other in June.
PP: duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Escuche: Ummm . . . sorry, I said it's been ages since we saw each other.
PP: dunnnnnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Escuche: (nervous laugh) ha ha, you're funny, PP. So, uh, tell us how your training has gone this summer.
PP: dohhhh duhhhhhhh hhhhhh.
Escuche: Wow, that's great, uh look! it's time for a commercial break, we'll be right back after this . . .

(MUSIC)

Escuche: What the junk, who got this guy on our show?! get him out of here!

(MUSIC)

Escuche: We're back! Well, apparently our guest suddenly remembered a prior engagement, so I'll just sum up - philliephan enjoys baseball to an almost obsessive level, likes picking on those shorter than himself, but underneath all that, it must be admitted that at one time there was a peace treaty between Escuche and himself -

CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTT!!!

random info man: hey, i thought that the "One-Year Immunity for Life" contract was for a whole year! it hasn't even been 9 months!

Escuche: uhhhh . . . well . . . he broke it first! 

acme conscience: taaaake it baaack.

Escuche: but i just spent 15 minutes writing the last portion!!

random info man & acme conscience: TOO BAD SO SAD

Escuche: (grumble grumble) FIIIINE. FINE!

(CAMERA ROLLING)

Escuche: (mumbling) Ok, in real life, philliephan can talk quite well and won an award in a multi-school contest for speech class. and he scored a ridiculous number on his SATs that qualifies him for nerd of the century. PP sometimes likes to poke fun at Escuche, but really, he did rescue her from his little brothers and their hose, when she was locked out on the ledge of the bathroom window. with only cactuses to jump into. and he didn't prank her. and he said nice things about her in a video. and was a good wrestling coach when she pinned 'medium-sister' twice.
but let it also be stated that Escuche did bring him Starbucks more than once, also didn't prank him back, didn't mock his height, defended his awesome hair to the bitter end, set his plate upside down so he wouldn't eat dust for dinner, cut strawberries very small so his little brother wouldn't choke to death, and a bunch of other things not mentioned so that Escuche doesn't sound like a bragger.

and that wraps up today's edition of . . . ESCUCHE! remember, if you'd like to be featured or NOT featured on the next Escuche, follow the instructions attached to the bottom of Escuche's First Edition, about two posts back . . .

take care, folks!

application selection continues right after this . . .

just got back from creation. haven't even showered the sweat of hundreds off of me, ew YUCK. sunburned. had a great time with a tiny camp of 4. had to watch relient k, because we wanted to be in the moshpit for delerious and newsboys. the moshpit was great; jess, charlie and i had about 4th row, front center YEE freakin HA! and they were fabulous, both of them. martin and peter are both incredibly wise and make me feel better about being a 'loser who grew up in the church.' they were churched kids and they have pretty amazing stories to tell any way and really cool stuff they're doing that wouldn't have been possible with the wisdom and grace they exude had they backgrounds different from what they do.

and i thoroughly, finally, enjoyed reckless abandon in worship down in the pit, with newsboys and delerious leading excellent worship music. it was wonderful to be in the midst of everyone but be completely invisible to everyone except God.

we were camped next to dynamik, jess' friends that look and sound waaaaay better in real life. and charlie and his gaggle of girls were just beyond them. man, charlie and the ladies, i tell ya. i couldn't stop cracking up every time he passed with his starsky & hutch shades and a trail of 6+ femmes.

got yelled at by creation staff for ale's jet engine imitation at 2 in the morning. but i also received instant celebrity status in our camp, so pshhht to authority. (mom, refrain from commenting on this pp.).

i start work tomorrow. hopefully the lobster look has diminished, and i have some clean conservative clothes lying around . . .

Currently Playing World Service By Delirious see related