My First Journal Entry Upon Returning to the States

Other Tudor Building, Manchester, originally uploaded by Phoole.

(This is what I wrote (with a pen in a big black Moleskine) on June 4, 2007.)

I DID IT. I went. I lost! I choked. I feared. I failed. But I still succeeded.

The tiredness is finally setting in. The voyage was epic -- escalation, conflict, resolution, rest, escalation, conflict, resolution, rest. Not quite enough rest.

And fun. Heart-filling. Fun like I haven't had in a long time.

And people: funny, intelligent, strange, real. Kind.

(And some other things to be disclosed with Pictures That Make Sense. This I wrote on June 5:)

The bloke at Passport Control at Manchester Airport reviewed our documents impassively. "Which one of you's the jester?" he asked, having seen the occupation on my form. I spoke up, and said we were bound for a Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle. He looked over at another agent at another desk, who was extremely cheerful and a girl. "Well, you can stay right here with us then -- we're fool enough!" She chirped assent, and we had our first laugh on English soil together.

(I know this has nothing to do with the picture. I'm getting there.)