Satisfied. Full of myself. Pontificating on life.

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Poland - The woman who walks by making faces at her reflection as she adjusts her outfit. Completely absorbed with her momentary beautifying task while walking by, as if she were in a room by herself with a mirror, she is oblivious or indifferent to the airport full of people who may be watching her.

The group of Russian men. Identifiable in their identical charcoal colored suits, black tee shirts, shiny black shoes, silver watches, and mostly shaved heads in a hurry as they scuttle by. I hear them speaking Russian.

And so, I sit in an American style pub restaurant that reminds me of a very small TGI Fridays. The walls are covered with cool old school 1950s signs. Pepsi-cola, Phillips 66, red rock cola, and that sort of thing. If that weren't enough, they are playing hits from the 50s. I have to chuckle to myself over the blatant Americanism. I never expect to find such things but somehow I find them all over the world. I think my entire life I have under estimates the influence America has on the world. Who we are as a people, and who we were, has left a mark on the world. Everyone likes pizza. Everyone likes cheese burgers and fries. And everyone likes Americanism. If only everyone liked Americans. Ha. If only Americans could live up to the reputation handed to us by the pages of history.

Do you ever feel as though you walk incognito in the world? I do. It's this high opinion of myself and this chip I carry on my shoulder about traveling the world. Not everyone can, wants to or does. I feel privileged absolutely upper class to do it in the way that I do. I have the universe, and a few good choices, and luck to thank for it. But honestly I've come a long way from the highways and bi-ways of small town Hicksville to the luxury hotels of every international city I can think of. I am by no means as rich of pocket as those that can truly travel on a whim. But, it is with constant amazement that I live as I do and go where I do. I don't know if I will ever get used to it and see it as normal. Some part of me seems certain that I will eventually reach my fill of the world and give it all up one day. Settle down. I admit it must be much harder to conduct this lifestyle with a wife and kids either to return to or in tow.

It occurs to me that I travel with very little information on where I'm going. Currently in Poland, I have no idea what the local laws are on anything and I rely entirely on watching others, and my good sense, for knowing what to do any given situation. God help me if I find myself in an extremely strict country like Singapore. I might find myself in trouble for littering or something. That being said I suppose Europe is a reasonably easy place to get by. You can generally smoke and drink anywhere without worry. On my smoking, I am still very undecided on the issue. I'm a new smoker with in my first year and I have been against it for all of my life until now. Somehow the circumstances of life and the easy and comfort of smoking in Europe have impressed it on me. A bad habit, I know, but at this point in my life I feel that I have so many others it is of little consequence. There are a lot of reasons I have decided to smoke. Adrian's death being one of them. Outward evidence of my vices being another. Social integration another. When you are a smoker, you fit into a certain category, and it helps others to see/know who you are. Outward evidence of vices. It makes people around you more comfortable to know who you are.

Do you know why I think writers write? They are full of themselves, have a lot to say about everything because they think so highly of their own opinion, and they don't have anyone sitting next to them listening. Thus, they are compelled to write to find release for all the bullshit building up inside of them.

You know what I like about little kids? They are terribly observant. Adults walk by engrossed in their own existence. Kids walk around engrossed in the world around them. They will notice you sitting there and look at you right in the eyes and smile. Little kids are awesome.

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