the stories (below, in italics) are beginning to take over the blog, and they're a little embarrassing, because, though i have a great compulsion to tell them, i'm really not so sure there's much of advantage to having my kids, my friends, everyone in my life, to be reading them. they might belong in another blog, tucked off somewhere, but then, when i do that, i tend to lose track of them. this happened with my haiku project, which was also intended to tell the story of the travels (but leaning more toward the poetic, less toward the truth)...and several other unfinished projects, including the latest play. i'm mulling this over...don't know how it will work out. stay tuned. and, if you don't like it, just stay away from the ones in italics...or go read about the world cup....