Home again, home again, yiggity-yig.

Dear Jason

Hi everyone,

As you may or may not know, Brian (Alexander) and I got a dog, Jason, a while back. As you probably don't know, we had to put Jason down last Saturday. I've been really sad (obvi), and I wanted to write some things down...and then I remembered our blog! If you'll permit me...

Dear Jason,

I miss you. Things I miss:
- watching The Simpsons with you
- sneak-stretch
- being quiet when I roll over in the morning so you don't think it's time to go for a walk
- when you yawn when you wake up
- trying to make you snuggle me
- letting you sleep on the bed
- when you wiggle your whole body when I get home
- when you lick my face/when I immediately wipe it off afterward
- lying in the sun with you
- watching you be inappropriate with other dogs at the dog park
- helping you into the car
- seeing your little doggy face in the rear view mirror
- leaving the door open when I go to the bathroom to make sure you're not getting into trouble
- when you follow me around the house
- when you drool when you're waiting for your food
- feeding you
- playing with you
- petting you
- walking you
- talking to you
- catching your vomit
- saying goodnight to you
- saying goodnight to you a second time on my way back from the bathroom
- your eyebrows
- the way you smell
- cleaning your eye goop
- when you woof at people who are too loud
- when you sleep-woof
- singing songs and putting your name in them

I wish you would be a ghost and come visit me. It's lonely without you. Your dad put all of your toys up in the closet. I secretly wish that one of them would fall down from the shelf so I know you're here. I don't like walking anymore because it is inferior to walking with you. On my way home from work on Monday, I started crying in the hallway, and your dad had to come out to get me. You would greet me at the door, and I would say hi to you first, your dad second. The other night when I was setting my alarm before bed, I started crying because I didn't have to account for the time it would take to walk you in the morning. How do I start my day? I then realized that during the seven months we had you, I spent more time with you than with anyone else. I don't ever want another dog because I know it will be inferior to you. I love you, and I hope you come back as a ghost doggy to keep me company.

Love,
Mom

Things My Dad Talks about on the Phone

• Lawn, growth of
• Lawn, mowing of
• Bicycling, plans for
• Bicycling, friends' injuries sustained during
• Pritty Kitty, weight of
• Pritty Kitty, dietary changes for
• iPad, frustrations with

today, i actually saw a chicken cross the road
who knows why she did it.

Going to Madison

So in a week or so I will be driving from Wilson through Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and arriving in Madison, Wisconsin. I'll definitely be stopping in Deadwood, SD! Don't even worry! My question to you is: you know any other places between Wyoming and Wisconsin that I should see on my drive?

Hey! Roamerzzz!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

I leave Seoul in two weeks to go to Honolulu via Taipei.

Where are you all and what are some recent events in your lives?

Food and Bike Crash

I'll say this about Korean food: my digestive system's response to it is a constant surprise.

On Sunday I was in a bike crash. I had ridden about 10 or 15 miles along the river, and I was on a pretty heavily travelled bike path. As I was riding two abreast in the eastbound lane of the bike path, another biker in the westbound lane made a left turn into me. I'm not sure exactly what happened, because I blacked out, but when I woke up there were people rolling me over onto my back. It seems I broke my fall with my face, which in turn broke my face. I have a broken schnozzer and a wicked headache, but other than that I'm fine. Everyone around was really helpful, including tiny Korean children, who smiled and waved and flashed thumbs-up at me, and my boss from work who came to the hospital and helped me avoid a tetanus booster in the ass. At the scene of the crash, someone called the police, people brought cold washcloths for my head, one guy seemed to be on dedicated keep-Brett-from-trying-to-sit-up duty, and a few minutes later an ambulance came and took me to the emergency room.

In the emergency room, I had two x-rays, a CT scan to check for bleeding into my brain, a shot of antibiotics, and a blood test. All of that, plus the ambulance trip, cost $240. A police officer came to the hospital later with the cyclist who hit me. That cyclist told the officer it was his fault, so he's paying for all my medical costs, which I feel kind of bad about, but I guess that's how it works. Anyway, no infection, no internal bleeding, just a broken nose. I might need surgery to make sure it heals properly, but I won't know until Thursday.

So far, the worst part is that I can't wear my glasses. Apparently they put too much pressure on my broken schnozzer. Teaching a bunch of colorful blobs has been interesting. "Hey you--blurry kid in the back. Wearing red. Yeah, you. Pay attention." On the plus side, I now have a good reason for being slow at learning names.