Water takes a surprisingly long time to boil

I’ve been an absent blogger for the past two days and for that, I deeply apologize. What on earth have you been doing for the last 48 hours without any new updates from glorious old Austin? Oh, living your life. Right. Because blogs are inane and (admittedly) the self-centered product of the author. But I acknowledge that and take it in stride.

If, perhaps, you were wondering what I’ve been doing the past two days that has kept me from you, lovely friends, I will gladly tell you: Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, recommended to me by Johanna. If this were the only morsel of wisdom she ever passed on to me — it isn’t — our friendship would be well worthwhile.

His wit! His snark! His tantalizingly unpretentious vocabulary! I almost couldn’t stand it. I haven’t devoured a book like this in a long time. I may never hike the AT (thank goodness), but thanks to Bryson, I can feel like I did sans all the drama inherent in hiking 870 miles. A few gems:

“…the inestimably priggish and tiresome Henry David Thoreau…”
“The continents didn’t just move in and out from each other in some kind of grand, slow-motion square dance but spun in lazy circles, changed their orientation, went on cruises to the tropics and poles, made friends with smaller land masses and brought them home.”
“A moose is a cow drawn by a three-year-old.”
“So bears have learned to associate people with food. Indeed, to them people are overweight creatures in baseball caps who spread lots and lots of food out on picnic tables and then shriek a little and waddle off to get their video cameras when old Mr. Bear comes along and climbs onto the table and starts devouring their potato salad and chocolate cake. Since the bear doesn’t mind being filmed and indeed seems indifferent to his audience, pretty generally some fool will come up to it and try to stroke it or feed it a cupcake or something. There is one recorded instance of a woman smearing honey on her toddler’s fingers so that the bear would lick it off for the video camera. Failing to understand this, the bear ate the baby’s hand.”

There are so many things I will never get to do/see/[insert action verb here] firsthand, but thanks to books, I can experience these magical phenomena anyway. Amen.

Speaking of books, I found this little present (literally) waiting for me upon my return home from Bennu.

Seriously. This is how it came to me. It really is Christmas in (almost) July!

Under that charmingly out of season wrapping paper? It’s Your Ship by Captain Michael Abrashoff. Recommended by Roger, my fantastic co-worker, who, upon reading the book, developed a lifelong friendship with Abrashoff as he courted him to come speak to his students. I love the world. Going to read this and, depending how that goes, recommend it to Judy and David, who, in their prolific studies of leadership, have, I’m sure, already heard of it. Wow, comma diarrhea, much?

Sunday and Monday I spent some time at a new coffeeshop, JP’s Java. Allow me to give you the quick-and-dirty: average prices, great interior, nice outdoor patio (with fans!), terrific music, WINE AND BEER! Sunday I had the Iced Mocha, recommended to me by the barista. Wasn’t overwhelmed; did overpay.

Monday I had their Iced Toddy (cold-brewed the night before!) and a large dark roast drip. Excellent. Hearty. Huge mug.

Name: JP’s Java
Order: Iced Mocha; Iced Coffee; 16-oz. “for here” drip coffee
Price: $4.25; $2.50; $2.35
Overall: 4

And, if you’re wondering what I’m listening to right now, here’s my work-in-progress playlist. I’m dying for suggestions of the same genre; please avail yourself of the comment functionality of my blog.

Both Johannas are coming to visit for the Fourth of July. I actually may pass out. As JoHanna (to denote that the h is vocalized) pointed out, I am well on my way to establishing a tradition of spending my Fourths of July with JoHanna +1 former Burncoat High School alumnus. Have already started the itinerary drafting process.

Have a lunch scheduled with Will, the business development director, for Thursday or Friday to talk shop. Really excited and hoping to create a new project out of our discussions. Speaking of work, mailed the executive interview “cold call” letters (as they were) Monday, and will follow-up with those on Friday, if you were wondering.

This is why I can’t go two days without blogging. The result? Extreme prolixity.