Replies

Yes, I guess waiting for all these pieces to come together had me a bit more wound up than I was admitting to myself. And a little voice tells me I shouldn't be drinking wine anyway. Though as I cut back and cut back on booze (ultimately quitting altogether, but I'm not in any hurry!!), I find I'm drinking "cleaner" drinks (like wine, in fact I now drink only wine, if there's no wine then I don't have anything, because Socrates says it's OK to drink wine, but in "moderation"!), and I'm drinking less often, like now I have a moderately strict rule of drinking no more than two days in any week, and sometimes no days. And in fact, I've found the reduced frequency and only drinking wine does actually keep my mind crystal clear, and I easily remember everything I said and every one I talked to and where, it's pretty cool.

But still, even just one glass slows your cognitive abilities, then the weenies of the world have more of a chance to mess with you (and to be fair, many of them are roasting in agony, even if they don't show it on the surface, so your sudden "weakness" (that is, your suddenly being a bit slow on the uptake, because you imbibed in an adult beverage) is a catalyst they are not capable of resisting)). And all that comes together to imply that my run in with crap head is largely my own fault for drinking (however moderately), and something being one's own fault is the most annoying thing of all, isn't it?! ;-)

And all that comes together to imply that my run in with crap head is largely my own fault for drinking (however moderately), and something being one's own fault is the most annoying thing of all, isn't it?!

Well, no, not necessarily, I mean you were in the Internet cafe for a reason. There is no law against drinking any beverage. Maybe you're too hard on your self over this. I would drop it. I agree with your being a little wound up over your affairs, we all do that.
I guess the other guy was too. You are only responsible for your actions, you did nothing to him, just reacted within your own skin. He is not worth any more fretting over. ;)

Yet more good news! The Consulate came through with my new passport just before I need it to fly to my new job on Thurs, so I feel much more relaxed now. You just don't know what hidden delays might suddenly appear when waiting for a passport, and when I applied for it that automatically marked the previous one as "pending cancellation" so I felt I was painted into a waiting corner there for a bit.

Freepers will be happy to know the Consulate is well guarded. They have a bullet proof glass window with two guards in it, and one more who opens the door for approved visitors. All three have side arms. And they only let you in if you have business there, so if two friends came while you ordered a passport they would have to wait outside (of the building, that is). Of course metal detector and baggage scanner are just inside the door.

While I'm not a huge personal fan of Cheney and Rice (they're ok, but their no Ronald and Margaret, that's for sure), still, when I walked into our modern and very high class (which is to say, simply normal by US standards) waiting room, I looked up at three big pictures of W, Cheney, and Condaleeza smiling benignly down at me, I was quite pleased and moved.

Our society is definitely the best in the world. Once I'm ready to return in 6,7, or 8 years, however many, I'm sure I won't ever leave it again.