One of my New Years Resolutions was to talk less.
I don't even make resolutions -- I have my own sets of personal goals for which I work year-round -- but for whatever reason, Earth's marketing department is convincing us to buy Red Bull by making us cold.
......I'm going to leave that there just to show you that I could write an entire book in my sleep. It would make as much sense as Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and would sell half as well. As I'm writing, I'll blink, but my eyes don't open again. I'll drift off as I'm typing, and the visions I see in my head and the thoughts that immediately jump in and monkey around fall out onto the keyboard. Then I suddenly wake up again and find clues of what I was thinking in the text. But the days here are so packed and so deliciously eventful that the only time I have to compose a decent blog is when I'm already half asleep.
What I was going to say was that this year, for some reason that had to do with the Earth, I deigned to call this a "New Year's Resolution."
Alright. Good so far.
So I'm talking less. Now, those of you who know me know that I don't talk all that much as it is, so this may seem to be a strange decision. But being in a foreign country where the local language is something completely different from my previous experiences, listening is key. I've immensely enjoyed the moments when I can actually connect with a local and converse in Greek, but invariably the conversation moves into English. To be fair, when asking directions, I would be dumbfounded if they started pointing randomly and analyzing their gestures in Greek, but when they switch languages, I perceive a slight sigh, as if to say, "you tedious American." So instead, I mutter Greek phrases under my breath and convince myself that I'm the king of travel. This evening, for example, I utilized special, slick rain ruts in the sidewalk to expedite my trip down the side of a hill. I was repeating a name I had just learned how to pronounce, and I knew exactly where I was and where I was going. I felt extremely competent, confident, and worldly, despite being clueless about the environment. Once again, I strove to blend in.
My lamp is staring at me malevolently. I need to stop writing now.
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