Okay, it's been a week.

Greetings readers.

I want to make a public apology to my American friends. Several people reacted badly to my "American Socialising" blog entry. They took it extremely personally. And they were not meant to do so.

The blog entry was not specific in it's rant about American socialising, because it was not MEANT to be specific. I was speaking of the fact that Americans tend to NOT socialise. AMERICANS! Not my best friends. I see my friends. Perhaps, not as often as I would like... But I see them.

The rant STANDS as a rant against a cultural lack of socialising in America. I wrote the entry because Fiona and I went out, and saw no one in a pub except a few (six) 20-somethings.

So, one final time. I am sorry that I angered my personal AMERICAN friends.

Now... That that is said. I want to say that I still think Americans IN GENERAL, with a broad stereotyping brush do not like to go out. Americans, once past their 20's seem to enjoy staying at home, and being APART from people.

I find that weird. ME. I do. This is my blog. I can say things that are my opinion here. And it is just my opinion.

I have always had this opinion. When I was in university at River Falls, I had a talk with a fellow 20-something. He was saying that his ideal "calm down" and "place" is to be away from people. His idyllic dream was (and probably still IS) to go to a quiet bubbling brook, in a far off forest with no people around, to think.

Since people don't live in forests or BY them, I'm assuming that the "home" is the replacement for this. I was perhaps a bit cruel in talking about Americans and their tellies... I do know some Americans who do not turn ON a T.V. to relax. They read, they ponder, they troll the internet. Whatever.

Fine.

However... I still find that strange. I always have. When my friend from uni, spoke of HIS idea of "calm downs"... I told him mine: "To sit in the skyway (over-head walkways in Minneapolis filled with people travelling indoors instead of out) and watch humanity bustle around me."

Weird, huh?

But seriously... If I want to calm down, I need to be OUT somewhere with tonnes of people moving about, and living their own busy lives. There's something about the frenetic pace of humanity that allows me to "step outside" if you will, of my own body and busy mind, and "see, feel, know" that I'm NOT alone in my crazy life.

If I'm alone, my brain goes into some sort of 'over-load' where I can't seem to think, or relax, or feel good. I can't. The longer I'm alone, the more stressed I get.

I make jokes about "camping" and how my idea of roughing it, is a hotel WITHOUT room service. Or that I hate bugs (which I really do) But the truth is... I just HATE being out in the middle of nowhere with nothing and no one in sight except the occasional ground-squirrel. GAH! The fucking HORROR! If I were allowed to pitch my tent in Times Square in New York, or Piccadilly Circus in London, and still have a campfire and cooler filled with beer... I'd GO for it. Wow... That would be great, grilling vegan weenies over and open-fire and a can of Guinness whilst watching most of America or England streaming past me! THAT would be relaxing!

I like Britain, not because of the heavy drinking... But the fact that it's ASSUMED you're going to go out occasionally to the pub (which is JUST a meeting place) and talk with people, interact with bar-staff and friends and perfect strangers... As a matter of COURSE. I miss that.

I really do.

-- Tuckmac (an obviously "Brit-like" American stuck in a boring place.)