I love my life. Being a husband and a dad is really where it's at for me. I absolutely dig it when I get home and Goobs screams "Daddy" when I walk in the door. There is nothing finer than when the Bun brings me something, no matter what kind of mundane household item it is, and blurts out a whole sentence in absolute gibberish about it. It's wonderous when J and I settle down in front of the TV at 9:00 and do nothing but veg out with each other after a long day at both of my jobs. But...I still have this little nagging fantasy that rattles around in my skull. I think about a job...just one job that would really send me. I want Anthony Bordain's job on the Travel Channel.
Last night before settling down I watched him again and my imagination ran wild. There he was, in India, sitting down with the locals at some sort of ramshackle Indian version of a roadside cafe, eating and hanging out. He was eating all of this stuff, that he pretty much told himself was going to give him a massive case of the squirts, but doing it anyway out of the sense of adventure. Afterwards, he was part of a desert festival that had events like the "grow the most facial hair contest" , "The Miss Desert Pageant" and a strange game of wrestling mixed with tag.
Yup, in the secret recesses of my brain, I want to be that guy that takes a crew over to different out of the way places and just dives in. Yeah, I suppose I could also take Andrew Zimmern's place or be a part of the Globetrekker crew. I don't know about Andrew Zimmern though, there's some stuff that I probably just couldn't choke down, so I suppose his job is safe. I'm a wimp, so I don't want to do anything like Bear Grylls and be just me against hardass nature-I'd lose in a heartbeat.
I know that's not in the cards for me. I'm a dad and husband here in Minnesota. The closest I probably could come to a cultural adventure these days is going into a Lutheran church basement and sampling a lutefisk supper with the "church basement ladies." I guess I'll just count my blessings and keep my fantasy to myself. J would laugh at me uproariously if I let this one slip to her-or just roll her eyes.
But...I have done something. To win my mother-in-law's approval, I did try to eat Balut in the Philippines. Balut is an unfertilized duck egg that's had a few days to grow and then is hard boiled. It was gross and I did it! So...I suppose that will have to do. I'll look back and know that I was just a little bit of an adventurer. A man must be content with his memories.
So, that's that. I'll just keep watching the Travel Channel and dreaming.
5 comments:
I wouldn't last a minute if I had to live on those "foods." My idea of adventure is McDonald's.
I agree. If I'm ever in a situation where I have to drink my own pee, I'll gladly choose death.
Anthony Bourdain is one brave guy. I don't know how his stomach can take all the things he digests - or tries to.
Wow, I'm impressed that you ate Balut. That one really grosses me out.
I always thought I was so superior to my fellow travelers/teachers when I lived in the Marshall Islands and ate all sorts of things that carried a high risk for, well. . .let's just say--stomach maladies. I did pay for it once or twice, but I loved just being all, "Aw--it won't hurt you--dig in!" while everyone else was politely declining everything. But that's pretty much as far as my food bravado extended.
When it comes to eating exotic things, I'm a major wimp. I mean, eating squid was a big deal for me the first time. I'm embarassed to admit that. I always wanted to eat bundaegi in Korea, but never had the guts.
i think I'd have a hard time with Balut... but then, I've eaten things that some people would consider iffy. (well, so have many many Koreans!)
My fantasy is to be a writer for National Geographics - be paid to travel and write. I think the gist of it is that to be able to travel the world AND be paid to do so... well, that's one good fantasy, my friend.
Fish eyes. Cooked fish eyes, that is. Yep, when I was little, my mom got me hooked on fish eyes... then I grew up... now, I feel grossed out that I used to go for the eyeballs.
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