Grateful Dead.....greatful dread

I think of travel and I have an itch to go to Milan. I'm a Happy Hour King and I love NYC. However, many NY'ers tend to be aloof to the process of Happy Hour. Obviously, these are the dreads or dreadful people I speak of in my title. Happy Hour...once you enter, you are king. Cheap drinks, cheap appetizers and hopefully a waiter or bartender or two to flirt with and/or converse with. Beautiful scenery...and just maybe, just maybe....someone will catch your vibe and the two of you will share in the beauty of this way of life.

I'm dedicated to this way of life. I will schedule life and work around happy hour. Did I say cheap drinks? Think 80% off the price they charge after Happy Hour. Now, you may think whats the point. Okay, here goes....Happy hour is not a place for negotiations. I've noticed in my travels to Europe that our skinny jean wearing brothers and aptly fashionable sisters of this area know this. Please, Blackberries on OFF! Next, people seemingly flock to happy hour in Milan to catch up with friends, to meet new people (wink), to drink and socialize, and more than likely...to show off their skinny jeans or tailored attire. And some simply go because the cultural ethos implies that the air requires slow breathing and a pause in everyday life affairs.

Part 2....did I say Milan. Yes I did. Here is where I tune into my Grateful Dead, while wishing those that are not so grateful...to be greatful in dread. Confusing. this is the closest i can get to expressing this. In regular words, I say and speak for travellers who wish they could travel more...that I envy those in certain regards who are able to live and travel to divers places and see/live/co-exist in foreign communities. I hate these guys who put this off as a detterence to their lifestyle. I know of a few atheletes that are not able to play in American arenas, so they have to play overseas. However, they hate and despise not being able to play at home. however, when I think of the privalege associated with playing ball in these foreign arenas...I melt. I wish I could live in three continents while making money doing an activity that comes natural (I assume)! Some/many of these players have lived on 3-5 continents in less than a 5 year span. They have witnessed cultures and life move in a different way as opposed to life in America.

Then you meet, the Americans that wish to do this. And we are lucky if we leave the country once a year. We are blessed if we can live on another continent. We are travellers at heart and we hope to do this. Give me life in 10 continents in a ten year span. Give me professional sport money to live in a foreign place. (sidenote-what if they don't even play that much. What if they ride the bench. This means they are paid to essentially live in another area) Hell, I could live in a foreign area for that.

Overall, my rift says this. I'm grateful to go once or twice a year to these foreign places, but I wish for a new frequency and the old frequency to die. Hence, grateful dead. As far as greatful dread goes....well, I wish these idiots would realize that they are the great-ful ones and quit the dread. Maybe I'm mad...that I just can't afford to travel as much. All I know is...damn....I wish to be in Milan for happy hour. Who knows...maybe my life there and other places will happen sooner than later. til then...it's happy hour in the village, with Blackberries and businessmen who negotiate. Then to next computer as I figure out how I will get to Milan...wish me luck!