A Guy's Moleskine Notebook Will Be On Vacation...Last Rambling Before Trip

So I'll see you all in a week after I get back from Asia. I might check in and update you with my latest adventures and anecdotes as well as photos through TravelPod. I have a lot to blog about today before I go and off the top of my mind is the San Francisco AIDS Walk on July 16. I'll be joining Dan's (Turning 40) team and other bloggers for the fun 50km walk that begins and ends at Golden Gate Park. If you're bloggers in the Bay Area, please join us to make a difference in fighting AIDS. Visit Dan's AIDS Walk homepage and make a donation toward his team's participation in the event. Contact him at turning40@gmail.com for more info and to join the team.



Germany rang the victory bell at the World Cup opening game after the host defeated Costa Rica with a whopping 4:2. At the time of writing this post, England leads Paraguay 1:0. My prediction for the semi-final: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, England. Croatia and Italy are the black horses. Speaking of Italy, I have to ramble about my two cents on the group to which it belongs.

Group E catches my attention this year. It's not a difficult situation, but for the United States it is for sure a daunting challenge. 4 points--1 win, 1 tie, and 1 loss--were enough for the USA to advance to the second round back in 2002. This simply won't do this time. Taking on two legitimate teams, the Czech Republic and Italy, it will be luck if the USA tie with them. I measure the success of the Yanks be beating out the Czech on Monday 6/12 and maybe having a tie with Italy. The road to the World Cup for sure will end in the Round of 16 because in order to avoid Brazil there, The US must win Group E.

So I pick the US would play some good, presentable soccer, gain the 4 points but finish third in Group E behind the Czech and Italy, only if it beats Ghana, which will finish last in the group.

Back to my trip, what am I bringing with me other than the basic necessities (T shirts, shorts, at least one long-sleeved shirt and a pair of khaki pants, medications, tums, masks...yes masks...in case of airborne outbreak, earplugs, eye shades, SPF 45 sun block...)? For sure my iPod with some 800 songs will be my companion during the flight. I have to update iTunes with some Telemann flute/oboe concertos as well as Haydn's London Symphonies. Reading wise, I just finished the intriguing Da Vinci Code--the breath-taking convolution of the story compensates Dan Brown's poor (full of cliche) writing. Should I bring another airport novel or some pulp fiction just to kill time? A friend of mine used to write his e-mail address on the front page after he finished a book and left it behind wherever he traveled--it would be curious to see who might have picked up the book. I'm considering:

The Last Temptations of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis
Seeing by Jose Saramago

I have considered John Banville but have decided against it because his prose, though very erudite and poetic, might be somewhat drony for a vacation mind. How about a hearty Trollope? Something to think about.

I got these cool inflatable free weights so I can work out along the way. Just fill them up with water and they will inflate like the fitness ball. I have trouble adhering to the workout schedule as I don't stay at a hotel. So I resort to pushups, pullups and and free weights. Even jogging could be a problem as I'm taking up the congested, serpertine streets at the expense of my safety!

So have a great weekend everyone.