Adventure Time in Chile, Second Drafts, Taxes, Books, and Bob

Highlights

  1. I planned and booked a three-leg, two-week trip to Chile (including internal flights), so I feel like a travel champion. Why Chile? My girlfriend and I were watching Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” documentary, the one with Francis Mallman. The food made us salivate. And, as usual when we see breathtaking natural beauty, we exclaimed, “What a shithole.” That’s really all it takes for us to want to travel: food in pretty places. Argentina was the original idea, but Chile turned out to be an adventure traveler’s dream: Motorcycle and astronomy tours in the desert! Whitewater rafting! Glacier kayaking! Hiking in Torres del Paine! (None of this backpacking/camping business, though. I grew up in roach motels and mobile homes, and I am willing to spend money for a clean bed, hot running water, and a functional, private toilet.) We even get to see some penguins near Punta Arenas and can avoid the whole “waves of terror” situation (and high prices) of traveling to Antarctica on a boat. Empanadas and wine and fun times galore. I’m super fucking gleeful and can think of pretty much nothing else, which is bad because I have to wait several months before we depart.
  2. After flailing about for a month or so, I remembered my strategy for second drafts: Read the first draft, note all the pros/cons/disasters, and then hammer out the timelines in Excel over and over until the story makes more sense. I always forget this. But it’s the one thing that gets me unstuck after a first draft because my first drafts contain confusing timelines that junk up the works.
  3. I had a really great appointment with my new tax guy. I feel freed from the burdens of tax on a combination of 1099s and W2s. Bonus: Because I was organized and came prepared, he entered me into his raffle. The top prize is a gift certificate to Capital Grille. Would it be wrong to ask folks on Facebook to pray for me?
  4. Finished The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing. It’s a lovely and heartbreaking story. Am now diving into What Belongs to You.
  5. My cat, Bob, is currently snuggled up next to me on the couch. Everyone who meets Bob loves Bob. They say, “He is a great cat.” They are correct. His breath, however, is terrible.

Lowlights

  1. I really need to learn how to write book reviews that go beyond “lovely” and “heartbreaking” and “yay” and “awesome.” Jesus. Get your shit together, Kel.
  2. Today is a high holiday in our house due to the Oscars telecast. But I’m not all that excited about the nominees. (Though, I loved Carol and Spotlight and plan to root for them.) The lack of diversity pisses me off. It’s fucking 2016. Get your shit together, Hollywood.

Image credit: “Vast”
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic License by Eduardo Fonseca Arraes

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