From C-Blocking To Internet Blocking

Last week Binh, my landlady, got in the way of a potential sleepover. That was annoying and frustrating however now she's gone too far. Now she's blocking my Internet access. Binh went away for five days and I think turned off the power at her house. I'm all for saving electricity but when you turn off the power you also turn off the wireless router. And well, you cut off my loyal readers from my daily blogs. Now I'm subject to writing this blog at my school while teachers fight over computer access time. It also means I can't post any pictures for a few days.

To update on a few other things:
1. The mouse/rat got caught in the cage....twice...and both times escaped. The food was gone, trap door closed but no mouse/rat. I just finally bought sticky pads. He's a dead man.
2. I finished watching Season 4 of The Wire. All four seasons were amazing. Last night I started Season 5. This was one of my goals for the year. Check it off the list.
3. I saw Indiana Jones the other night. Um, space aliens? Yeah, it's time to end the franchise.
4. Today I finish my cycle of Cipro. If my stomach hurts tomorrow I'm pretty sure I have some new Vietnamese super bug.
5. How awesome is the Euro cup!
6. My sister apparently is going to bail on me to hike the Appalachian Trail next year (unless McCain wins then she might join me). Anyone want to go for a long hike?

Happy Father's Day!!!

Dad,

Even though you've recently lost a bunch of weight you're still the Big Guy to me. I love you and miss you and think of you every day. For example, I think about how you haven't sent me Dinosaur BBQ via Fed Ex. I also think about how I could have been a professional hockey player if you sent me to Canada as a little kid. I also think about how you tortured me for years with the tickle bug. I also think about how you boosted my self confidence as an awkward teenager by telling me my nose was too big for my face. And I also think about how every time I come home you tell me that either my hair is too long or my facial hair is too thick. I also think about...well, the list is really long. But I really do think often about how damn lucky I am to have you as my father. In fact, Hannah, Zev and I are all really lucky to have you as our Dad. And Lilah, well, she's about to find out how lucky she is to have you as her Grandpa. Love you, Big Guy! Happy Father's Day!

Ben

Tim Russert

I just read that Tim Russert died today. This saddens me terribly. Tim Russert was far and away one of my favorite journalist and from what I know and have read, a very good man.

This Morning I'm A Man

10:12AM. Saw the rodent again in my kitchen. With the morning light I could tell it's a mouse. I didn't scream like a girl today and am about to walk to the store to buy some sticky pads. The question is, what do I do once the mouse is caught on the sticky pad. Do I need to buy a baseball bat too? And what if there are more?!

I Just Screamed Like A Girl

1:29AM. I just went downstairs to get water before going to bed. I flicked on the light and the hairiest, dirtiest rat/mouse thing I've ever seen scurried across the kitchen and ran behind the refrigerator. I believe I screamed, "Holy Shit-Jesus-what-the-hell." Second later Ryan came charging down the stairs in just his trousers (I say trousers now instead of pants since I've been teaching British English): and mumbled, "who's there?" I explained to him the situation and we both kicked water bottles behind the refrigerator to see if the thing would come running out. Tomorrow morning I'm buying traps (which I saw at the store the other day when buying cockroach spray and thought, "At least we don't have mice or rats.").

Ironically Brett Goldstein just emailed me about the post from yesterday and asked, "are there any other critters you're not telling us about." This is your fault, Brett.

I Could Be A Rich Man In China

(One of my recovered pictures from my hard drive. I knew that $200 was worth it.)

In Beijing many street vendors sold cockroaches on a stick. Um, delicious.

Well, I need to figure out how to start an export business because I've just struck gold--cockroach gold. Turns out that my house is situated above a cockroach colony. Okay, I'm being dramatic...all of Vietnam is situated above a cockroach colony. Check out this footage.

Two Things

1. I'm sick as a dog again. No, Mom, I don't have Dengue fever. I think my body is just reacting to being around so many teenagers every day who are used to living in a society where picking your nose and flinging it is not considered disgusting. I mean, come on people, this isn't my living room in New Jersey!

2. I just read Steve Song's blog and apparently he's coming back to Hanoi in October for a week or so. Song, you're not getting your camera back (which clearly I'm not using enough of since this is a picture free entry).

Going to bed...