Questions I Have for Myself

As I embark on day 2 of this projet brillant, I find myself wondering many things, some of them superficial, some very serious, like:

• What do the distribution patterns for Michigan Craft Brews look like? and,
• What about my stupid boy? and,
• How can I, of commie-loving, folk-music-adoring, energy-efficient fame, ever really hack it in the land of gun-toting, Sarah Palin-electing, taxless Alaska ?

I ask these things not without concern. As strange as it is, I am highly partial to Michigan Beer, and I don't see much in AK that isn't macro-sludge, or the moderately better Canadian macro-sludge. My mother would call this a notable boon to my waistline, but who has two thumbs and is serious about craft beer? This girl right here. Perhaps I could get the secondarily mentioned stupid boy to ship me a supply... Or maybe you can get the West-Coast micros up there. I can deal with that. My uncle is shipping me some Pliny...If I like it I'll convert my beer-ituality to a more west-coast hop-head style.

And stupid is an unfair label for the boy- he is really one of the smartest people I know, and the person to whom I come home...who loves to tell me about his day when he's not being crabby. I will have to be confident in our excellent telephone skills, and supress the crazy welling up within. Hopefully when I get home, he will actually have missed me.

Regarding the last bulletted point, there is an actual fear there. If the previously mentioned boy can make me almost totally give up my argument on why guns are bad, what will happen to me when I'm surrounded by energetically conservative meth fiends. I have prepared many fool-proof-but-polite protective arguments to shield my values and ego, but what happens when I feel them attacked en masse. Can I possibly withstand it, or will I feel myself cowed into Zombie-Republicanism (the worst form that requires willingly placing pieces of your brain into the mouths of the 7 hounds of hell; Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush, and Big Oil).

I feel I am strong enough to withstand the pressure, but I'm not sure I can do so warplessly. I will probably quit joking about abortion or something...it will only cause my soul to fracture a little bit.

So...what am I going to do up there for all that time? I will definitely be looking for a real job, and a little part time one while I'm there. I will be exploring, but that is in my nature where ever I roam, I will be helping Mo, and I will be doing A LOT of writing. There is free-lance for the taking up there- there is a novel to finish, and a sitcom to collaborate on with the boy. My expenses will be minimal. Almost non-existant. And after 5 years of college, my spirit is feeling a little splintered. I will be repairing it, and I will be having fun.