boots

There was this man who worked along with me named Wilson. Wilson is from Kerala. And everyday he brought in a lovely lunch that had greens and fish and rice. I was always jealous that he was born and raised in a place where people were taught from birth to eat balanced meals and new how to do it with flavour and love.

Wilson talks with his hands in a way that is uniquely S. Asian and Wilson knew how to get along with people of different backgrounds in a manner that was both elegant and strong. I really liked Wilson. I always called him “Vilson” because where he is from, W and V are the same letter.

by Laura
Grade 13

So, today, September 6, 2005 during my lunch hour, I hopped into my 1998 Gold Saturn Station Wagon and drove to Capitol Hill on a mission to meet the famed Robots. This proved to be a rewarding yet difficult task. Oddly enough, finding parking was really easy.

I parked in a 1 hour spot across the street from Cafe Vita assuming that if nothing else I could ask the employees of Vita how to find the Robot Coop office. I mean who DOESN’T know Dan Spils, right?

So, I walk into Vita, tell them what I am looking for and I get a full on Seattle blank response. “Um, I dunno. I should, but I dunno know.” I took this as a challenge and began marching my little self up and down Pike looking in building address listings for something, anything that resembled Robot. But to no avail. But something in me told me to soldier on even though sweat was collecting on my upper lip and my stomach was grumbling (lunch hour, right?)

So, anyway, the moment of truth came when I was standing in the lobby of the Robot Coop office building (one 1/2 block EAST of Vita) and who should waltz in but all of the Robots. Dan introduced me to everyone and then I went upstairs, got the tour and chatted with Ivan about Denial of Service Attacks and layer 7 rules and not entirely answering Ivan’s questions.

IT WAS AWESOME!

If you ever want to do something cool that you can brag about to your friends, go to the Robot Coop Office.

Oh, and Dan Spils? He likes to hug. It’s worth it just for the hugging. I kinda went there for hugs and although none of the other Robots touched me, Dan did. He is bold that way, though.

I like La Jolla. My younger sister lives here. It’s bueno. And the gateway to Tiajuana.

you don’t need to go for more than 3 or 4 days. And no more than 2x/lifetime. I mean really.

I didn’t eat anything. Isn’t that sad? Well, not sad because I went upstairs and had a fantastic lunch at Matts. I’ll eat at the Crumpet Shop someday. But I have now been there.

is gor-gee-ous.

It makes me want to swim my butt off.

I’d have had no idea that existed. Maybe me and umeboshibaby could take a day trip.

I like pool, I like bowling, but I don’t like the garage.

I had a Scottish friend who lost tons of weight when he moved to the U.S. because the food there was so outrageously bad.

But I hear it is gorgeous there.

Not because I am ashamed or anything. It’s not like I did anything wrong…

Last November I decided that my older sister Nancy really needed a good vacation. You see, Nancy lives in Maine and somehow manages to get pneumonia every year. This worries me because, well, she is my sister. Coupled with the fact that the 4:30 sunsets were starting to get under my nails, I decided that my tight-chested older sister would be a perfect travelling companion to Mexico.

I decided to go to Akumal (mexican word for Sea Turtle) because my good buddy John had gone there and he had nothing bad to say about the place. Except that in an ironic twist of fate he had gotten pneumonia from Yal Kul lagoon. If you ever go to Akumal DO NOT SWIM in Yal Kul lagoon. It’s pretty but ragingly bacteria laden.

So, I booked flights for my sister and I and we met up in Cancun. In hindsight, I’d rent a car and drive straight to Akumal. Nancy’s luggage didn’t show up and by the time we needed to drive to Akumal she was freaking, and I mean completely freaking out, to the point where she ended up giving tips to like 10 people at the hotel for having driven them (and me) insane about her luggage.

So, we booked a ride to Akumal with Nancy going ape the whole way about her luggage and me trying to be chill about the whole thing (not my strongest suit) and we got to Akumal with an airport freakout pitstop which managed to ultimately ensure the safe arrival of Nancy’s luggage at the point in time in which we had completely given up hope that her luggage would arrive. I had no idea that my Spanish was so good.

And thank god it did. Because Akumal is my idea of heaven. We got drunk with our downstairs neighbor on the first night there and traipsed along the beach. I somehow managed to leave my keys at the internet cafe down the road which forced my sister and I to sleep at our downstairs neighbors rental unit. Thanks again, Linda! Linda basically saved me from a drunken plunge to my own death when I got it into my head that I could break into our place. All that luggage drama just to lock ourselves away from Nancy’s posessions.

The next morning after breakfast and hangover nursing, we strolled down to the internet cafe, got the keys, avoid a sibling argument, got home, drenched ourselves in SPF 30 and passed out on the beach.

And for the first time in my life I got to swim with sea turtles.

Akumal and it’s neighbor Tulum is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Thank god the europeans vacationized it before the Americans got there and covered it in cement. I’d go back right now if I could.

The reason I was hesitant to tell folks about it? Because I want it for myself.