a few years ago on halloween, i suffered seven consecutive instances of sleep paralysis in a single night. i would wake up not being able to move and then eventually pass out, repeat. by the fourth or fifth time, i was getting pretty annoyed. then, on the seventh and final time, i felt all the blood in my body rushing to my head almost as if i was hanging upside down.

ooooooooooooooooo!

i’ve been hard at work since noon today so i’m feeling a little woozy. i’m dead tired, my eyes are burning, and i think i’m going mad.

at any rate, imaginary judo > tae kwon do!

the wedding in Detroit was pretty fun (congratulations, mr. and mrs. epoxy!). i had a bit of a headache from not getting enough sleep but the abnormally gigantic slab of prime rib i was served during the reception more than made up for it. then, after the reception, i went with a bunch of hooligans to some bar/lounge, had a few drinks, and shot pool until they kicked us out.

not bad, not bad.

last night i slept on the floor in my street clothes with my jacket for a blanket. i lapsed in and out of consciousness for about three hours then got up to head out of town for the weekend. it was then, tired, confused, and shivering from the cold, that i realized that there was a sleeping bag nearby that i had overlooked entirely.

i, of all things, got stung by a stupid wasp this morning. i felt something hit the back of my head so i instinctively reached back to brush it off. unfortunately, when i brought my hand back, there was an enormous yellowjacket on my index finger. i flung it off but it managed to gore me before i loosed it into the wall. it hurt like hell but the wasp paid the ultimate price for its insolence.

one of my most vivid memories of childhood was taking the Star Ferry to Kowloon with my brother and my 大伯娘 (dad’s eldest brother’s wife) one night when i was six or seven years old. i had always liked boat rides, even those that cut through the soy sauce sea that is Victoria Harbour, but this would put an end to that enjoyment for some time.

so there we were, sitting quietly as the ferry rumbled toward the skyline, when my aunt suddenly told me that a sea monster had risen from the water and eaten a former occupant of my seat just the week before. seeing my eyes go wide, she quickly answered my questions. no, she wasn’t joking. yes, it was this particular seat on this particular boat. i looked nervously at my brother but he just nodded solemnly.

absolutely terrified, i stared out into dark waters and wondered if i was next.

umm…i just found a bottle of malaria pills that i was supposed to have finished and refilled over two months ago.

this can not be good.

a five alarm fire broke out at about 3pm today in South Loop but i didn’t have a chance to get to the scene until 6pm or so. i was out there for more than two hours and, unsurprisingly, a lot of my photographs started looking the same. by the time i made it back home, i reeked heavily of smoke, left tissues grey when i blew my nose, and picked up a few pounds of lung cancer.

still worth it, though.

i wager that millions of people promise themselves fresh starts on any given day but only a handful really commit to their decision. i desperately want to be part of that few.

i guess i’ll find out in a week or two. o_o

just got back from spending the weekend in Champaign. i seriously don’t know how you crazy kids can stay up so late at night.