Jan 16

I took my watch off before leaving for La Plata and haven’t worn it since, so I could only guess-timate when I woke up. I’d say it was mid-afternoon. The sun was so intense that my laundry, which had whipped around in the driving rain all morning, was already dry. I read and watched more local punk-rock documentaries until late evening when a filmmaker named Lea showed up and we all went out for pizza. She recently returned from a trip to Europe by herself.

On the way to pizza we talked about her past journey and my forthcoming one. I am totally befuddled by all the by-myself time and I was curious to hear how she dealt with it. I asked if she ever got lonely or bored and she stopped walking, grabbed my arm, and said: Wherever you are, that is Now.

Her philosophy seemed a little, well, cliché, but the earnestness and resolution she delivered it with made me think she was someone who figured it all out on her own. I encouraged her to elaborate so I could better understand her.

Getting lonely or homesick, she continued, served no purpose to the Now. It’s a total waste of time. It’s like Americans and salt intake. There is no need to waste energy trying to get enough salt – Americans get enough regardless. Therefore, if I am away, whatever I miss will compete for my thoughts regardless, so why waste the extra energy on it?

Lea and I watched a Ramones documentary with the rest of the house and shared a delicious cheese pie. A few hours later Patricia set a bug-proof candle outside my room and I slept soundly with a belly full of pizza.