Sheesh, I havent done this in a while...

I think its been what, ten days since the last post? Sorry about that, I've had quite a time here learning more and more Spanish and having a few adventures as well. I've made a few friends around Barcelona, some Spaniards, some Italians, etc.

Its funny, most of the Italians I know hang out at the same bar Mike and I hang out at, YaYa. I generally go in there for a drink and end up conversing with half the bar about America, music, language, travel, politics, sports, etc. Sometimes the bartenders give me free meals or drinks, which kicks ass cause its great when you receive some nice gesture unexpectedly.

The Spaniards are definitely better to talk to about Barcelona and where you can find things and what things to watch out for. Many get so excited when I tell them a musician, but strangely enough, they generally think we Americans are a musician-oriented society (I guess that's accurate enough).

I can't wait to get my guitar, but due to communication problems between me and the credit card people, I am not cleared to use Mom and Dads card to book the trip to Paris. That means, that about 300 bucks left my bank account, 300 bucks that could have gone toward a guitar. Also, the Verizon people have been billing me, even though I contacted them NUMEROUS times before and clearly explained that I wanted my service suspended the day after I left. Somehow, they didnt get the memo, and just thinking about it make me want to direct my heel to their face so maybe they'll get the message...

Anyways, you can tell the subject makes me irate, so we'll change the subject. Hmmmm...last night was interesting. I was at YaYa talking to Mike when a black Frenchman apologized before commenting on Americans. We told him that we weren't generally offended by French people in general, just rude French people. He laughed and ended up buying me drinks (Mike had left to Skype his girlfriend at this time). Later, we made plans to go to this kick-ass Indian restaurant called "Kama," where the spicy lamb over rice was just spicy enough to satisfy, yet not send you to the bar begging for more water. Perfect.

It ends up that Sosthene (the French guy) has tons of connections, so Mike and I end up meeting tons of interesting people like musicians and artists and such. Later we wander around Las Ramblas before heading back, but when I get back, I realize that I dont have my keys with me (Mike had already gone home, Sosthene had just gone up into his apartment which is on the same street where I live, and Carol, our friend from YaYa had just left). I immediately panic, running back the way I came frantically searching for the keys. I had terrifying thoughts of some theif picking my pocket and running amok in my family's apartment while I went looking for the keys, so I decide to call Mike or Raquel to warn them about what happens. As it happens, Mike's phone is dead, and Raquel is asleep.

I get a call on my phone, hoping that Mike or Raquel finally saw my missed call, but its one of my other Spanish friends saying goodnight (we had talked earlier that evening). I immediately begin relating my situation to her in loud spouts of anger and fear, cursing myself for having gotten myself in this situation and also seeing if she could offer any help. As it happened, she couldn't, so she let me go and I returned dejected back to the house, planning how I would tell everyone that I had lost the apartment keys and we might have to get new locks and such and I would pay....you get the idea.

I buzz the door and Marina answers, letting me in. I walk into my room to set everything down, when I spy my keys sitting on my desk.

Talk about much ado about nothing. I was relieved and angry at myself for being so foolish. Anyways, everything worked out fine. Mike told me that I really needed to get a hold of myself, and he's right. I freak out and panic way too fast sometimes.

Anyways, right now I am listening to my Itunes playlist, which, thanks to Mike's awesome collection of music, is now full of Chili Peppers, QOTSA, Radiohead, Led Zeppelin and Coltrane. Tonight we are going out with Marina's boyfriend Chavi, his friends, and the friends of another of Marina's friends, Lali, to celebrate their birthdays karaoke style! Raquel is cooking dinner, and it smells delicious. Gonna see if there's any help needed in the kitchen, although I'm of very little substancial help when it comes to food. I've burned soup before. I should be banned from cooking again. Anyways, this was really long and I'm outta here!