I’ve had some fever dreams lately. Mostly because I have Covid for the third’ish time. I didn’t take the ear infection I had seriously. I noticed it on vacation in Wales. It was an outer ear infection so it didn’t hurt. So my defenses are down when I get home from that international flight and then pop back onto a domestic flight just two days later. All flights through the squeaky clean miles of ATL.

Aside from fever and general fatigue, this bout of Covid is ok. So my brain already foggy then add 10 days in mystical Wales. (For my American friends: Wales is a country. It’s in between Ireland and kind of attached to England. Yes, there is another country there.) so it’s no wonder I’m having awesome fever dreams.

Aside from having over 600 castles, Wales has a variety of eco-tourism venues, and vistas. Sheep outnumber humans in Wales 3/1. Fun Fact: I found out walking through Wales, sheep don’t give a shit about you. Just leave them alone. Oh, and they also have the right of way on the roadway, which is something I also found out from experience. Of course everywhere on vacation is wonderful. Even the subtle differences in culture are so novel and charming. But only for a short while I’m sure.

Sigh

It’s not surprising that I’ve been fairly depressed in the past few years. I have my reasons. I’m not going to hurt myself or anyone else (to help my sensitive friends) but I’m taking my time and reevaluating my place in the world. It’s ok to be heavy about shit like that.

I don’t care for anyone’s opinion about much these days on any given subject. And I hate when people mention “healing”🤮. It’s putrid. Go fuck your self serving selves. And yet, it was (all apologies British people) so lovely to be away.!! Away from a computer, work, the American news… and the unending pace of being an American riiiight now.

So. Wales! We started in Llandudno, a bight sunny seaside resort. Lots of middle class’ish folks. Mostly English and a fair amount of Chinese tourists. But this was no Jersey Shore or Virginia Beach, it was just slower. And AND nobody was buying a bunch of crap OR standing in line for stuff. Stuff. So much less stuff. Less stuff, less trash.

You can’t talk Wales without talking Castles! We saw castles in both Conwy and Caernarfon. And it was funny to see a building that stood for over 700 years but only took four years to build. “ Why don’t they still make buildings like this?” my sister jokingly asked.

I’ve been to the UK before, and I’ve experienced the Very Serious British Bartender, but I feel like Wales elevates it to art. Im not complaining. That rejection that just makes you want them more and more. I blame Catholicism. I was disappointed that there were no seats at the bar in most pubs. And then I got a thought bubble about all of the bars I’ve ever worked in. I pictured all of our regulars who came in and told the bartender absolutely everything that was going on with their life as if the bartender cared OR the tourists who wants to tell the bartender all about how authenticity Irish/English/Scottish they are (I’m thinking of you Randy! Max & Erma’s in German Village circa-1988). Suddenly I realized the brilliance of NO chairs at the bar. It’s an earned spot.

But truly, every everybody you passed was so polite. Here to report that there are still tons of cute babies in the world. Or little boys, bored teenagers, and somebody that just had foot surgery; you are seen. What I didn’t see were gigantic TVs. But I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, amazing flowers (it’s got to be the jet stream) quiet and short conversation, and yes, a bunch of sheep.

This is the perfect time to fever dream. To recalibrate. Honestly, I know a lot of people say this, but I could’ve stayed in Wales for another month. (I probably would’ve needed to have gotten my ear infection taken care of though.) Just as soon as we got to our beautiful Airbnb, a knot left my stomach. The neighborhood was absolutely silent at night and you could see the stars. And no screens on the windows to obscure your view.

I’m gonna try really hard to not let my stomach knot up again. I don’t think I can go to Wales every six months which I’m gonna put an indeed search: “American needed in Wales every six months for about a month. Starting salary $70,000 US.” just in case.

This is the perfect time to fever dream. To recalibrate. Honestly, I know a lot of people say this, but I could’ve stayed in Wales for another month. (I probably would’ve needed to have gotten my ear infection taken care of though.) Just as soon as we got to our beautiful Airbnb, a knot left my stomach. The neighborhood was absolutely silent at night and you could see the stars. And no screens on the windows to obscure your view.

I’m gonna try really hard to not let my stomach knot up again. I don’t think I can go to Wales every six months but I’m gonna put an indeed search: “American needed in Wales every six months for about a month. Starting salary $70,000 US.” just in case.