The Day Today

Well, my clan of supporters make their way back to the UK tomorrow and I've just said my goodbyes. After showing them the wonders of Tucson, Arizona I've come to view my current life with greater invigoration. Perspective is a wonderful thing in all aspects of living. Before they left they bought me a tidy bookcase and a neat little coffee table that have turned my flat from a dingey student digs into a flowering bachelor pad. The swimming team swam today against Wisconsin and won fairly convincingly, which my travelling fans were able to witness, and the day's festivities have since kicked off proper in the typical American mode. Although having it's roots in the Christian reformation, Halloween inspires a lot more people to have fun in the US compared to the UK. Whereas the British culture takes only the darker side of Halloween, often employed as an excuse to get drunk and act stupidly, the Americans here promote the idea of dressing to amuse people. It's a communal thing. So far I've seen one wheelchair-bound companion who has customised his vehicle to mimic a freight train (wheels and cattle grill, etc.), and another dressed convincingly as Osama bin Laden. What can one do but laugh? It reminded me of Harry's stupid election of a Nazi uniform - would Osama be laughed at in New York? I doubt it. Nonetheless, the joke wasn't lost on me.