Bishop’s Journal

What's the biggest obstacle you've had to overcome within the last 24 hours?
Submitted by ILoveYouMr.Dragon.

This new car thing, to abuse a cliche, was too good to be true.  Sitting in the dealership across from the salesman, next to my dad, I spoke with a credit union's representative over the phone about financing a bright red, 2003 Honda Civic EX.  The representative, given all speculations of the vehicle, told me that I could finance the car for a five year term.  This five year term would ensue sixty monthly payments of $onehundredfifty. Thrilled with the deal, I sell my car to the dealership as down payment and purchase the '03. 

Come Monday, I receive a call from my credit union that knocks me on my ass.  The new correspondent I'm speaking with tells me that I can only be financed for a two year term.  This would bring my payments to $fourhundredfifty a month.  Fuck that.  I need more cushion in my life.  For me to exert so much of my time for money only to drop it on a car... well... it just doesn't feel like me.  I don't particular care for cars in my life.  I can identify many cars, find beauty in their design and speed...  I maintain my own cars and keep them clean-ish, but I don't hold much value in cars beyond their intrinsic value as a means of transportation (and a sentimentality attached to my own vehicles).

So, push come to shove, the past twenty-four hours have consisted of tread marks across my opinions and a sudden down-shift in my emotions.  

I'm kinda feeling in limbo... like nothing can be done until I settle this.   

Who do you write down as your Emergency Contact? Why did you pick this person?

I've always written my Aunt Julie as my emergency contact.  Ever since I was filling out permission slips for my parents to sign, I wrote her name down.  I'm sure it was because my mother told me to.  Aunt Julie did live a few houses down from us and ran a daycare from her kitchen and backyard.  She was always around to answer the phone... except Tuesdays because the Carlsbad Shopping Mall had entertainment for kids midday.  

Yay. I'm moved in.  Internet is up and running.  Wireless isn't but I think we need a new router anyhow.  Kaya and Lolo aren't getting along, but I didn't expect them to.  Not at first.  I need a new bed.  The couch I have isn't nearly comfortable enough.  I also need a desk.  A small one... with drawers for my shit.  I like my room.  It's almost pieced together the way I'd like it.  Beads, nag champa, bong, books, a mirror, and a couple posters; it's beginning to feel like my room.  

"Would you be our Preacher Enmarius?"  Hans held the joint below his lip for a moment before hitting it again. "That is, if you're willing to."  The joint trailed between us as Hans handed it to me.

The pictures I included in my memoir:

Wooo! Tax Refund!

What question do you ask when you really want to get to know someone better?

wanna fuck?

Since it is a royal pain in the ass to upload pictures onto this site... I mean, relatively...  Facebook sizes them for you... I am only uploading a couple of my favorite shots from Chicago.  I've come to terms with the fact that my photography is shit, so there are only a couple of pictures I actually liked.

Today was fun. Running the table was fun, I met a few writers who assumed I was the editor of 1913 and had the pleasure (?) of hearing about what they were trying to get published.  I walked around the hundred+ tables of publishers, writing programs, and university presses collecting info on MFAs, buying literary journals, and snagging as much swag as I could. From noon till four, I was enjoying the community of writers swarming around the bookfair below the Hilton. 
Jenn, one of the crue, and I decided that we wanted some Chicago pizza and headed to Pequod's, a highly regarded pizzaria in the middle of the city. Hoe Lee Shit. A pepperoni and black olive pan pizza and a pitcher of Fat Tire made me a happy, happy boy. It was a fucking amazing pizza.
Since we paid a $20 cab fare to dinner, we decided to walk to the L to chepen our ride home.  During our walk, it began to snow. It was beautiful.  We walked through one of Chicago's shopping districts in search of the L's platform and ended up wandering through the city for two hours, following the elevated tracks, until we finally found the platform we needed.  Neither of us minded the adventure.
Our attempt at a chep trip to the hotel wound up being a three and a half hour journey through several districts of Chicago.  I enjoyed it--so did Jenn.  If she weren't married, I think I'd be in persuit.
When we got back to the hotel, we headed straight to the pub and drank. A few beers and a couple of shots later, it was two AM and I headed back to my hotel.  Good times, good talking... damn that ring on her finger.