Augusta, A Dozen Days

I have been in Augusta for a dozen days.
I have been in Augusta for a dozen days.
I have been in Augusta for a dozen days.
For a dozen days,
for a dozen days,
for a dozen.
For a dozen days I have been,
for a dozen days I have been,
for a dozen days I have been in Augusta.
In Augusta. In Augusta. In Augusta. In Augusta.
In Augusta. In Augusta. In Augusta. In Augusta.
In Augusta. In Augusta. In Augusta. IN AUGUSTA.

Life-Altering, Augusta

Yesterday it was hot as Hades here! I couldn't believe it. I just moved 500 miles north and I was sweating like crazy. I think the sweat destroyed my $9 Casio F-30 (made in Thailand), which I purchased only a month ago from the HIT WHOLESALE MART on 14th Street in DC. So I went to BIG LOTS on my way to work and got a $5 Athletic Works AW130 (made in China), which I like better because the date is readily available on the face of the watch. I also bought a new pair of New Balance shoes (made in the USA). And from a story that ran in the Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel I found out that New Balance has 3 factories in Maine. On Friday one of the factories in the local town of Skowhegan had an accident resulting in the minor injury of an employee. They closed down for a day to investigate the factory's 130-year-old structure, which lead to the mishap. Man! Maine is old as Hades! (Makes me feel young.)

Car Search, Augusta

I have been searching for a car since I arrived in Augusta, Maine over one week ago. Most of the cars I've looked at have been sketchy, probably because of my price range- cheap. Every car in Maine is rusty, and the cars I am looking at are the rustiest. Last night my hopes of finding a cheap, reliable car were renewed. While walking home, I saw a 1996 Hyundai Accent for $500. Of course I can't get in touch with the people. The numbers says call after 6pm. The next day I won't be at work at 6pm is Saturday! Maybe I'll just get a new pair of shoes.

Fiction Writer Finds Following for Violent Vigilante Series

Last night, aside from proofing the papers, I wrote my first headline and did a partial layout of the entertainment page. I'm not sure, but I think I'm picking up on this stuff pretty quickly. Also, one of the maintenance workers speaks Moroccan Arabic, so I am able to talk to him a little bit. Maybe I'll pick something up. There are a couple area music festivals, one local and one in Bangor. I can't get to them though because I don't have a car. Best to start slowly I've learned- the (not too) hard way.

Walking Home Nights, Augusta

I ate a mango yesterday morning . Before work I realized that was all I ate so I went to Arby's for the first time in years. I ordered the 5 roast beef sandwich special, and they gave me a free drink "because it's so expensive." Because I finish all 5 sandwiches the manager gave me a free giant roast beef sandwich to take with me. I walked it home with me after work and saved it for breakfast this morning. I am still looking for a car. Not that the walk is bad, it's only a half hour. (Which seems unheard of in Maine.) If anyone wants to sell me their car at a reasonable price I will pay for your bus ticket back Ssuth or west. A one-way bus ticket is only $59 from Augusta to DC. Come and see me over Labor Day. I have 5 days off!

First Day Off in Augusta

Yesterday was my first day off from the KJ. It came directly after my first day of work. I sorted some things out, decided I probably won't get a vehicle for a while until I have saved a little more money to open up my options. I drank some beer on the porch of the Edwards House Inn, while my closest friend here, Michael, listened to some Irish music on my i-Pod. We communicate okay for speaking different languages, he speaks Haitian French. He is up here working construction from Haiti. We walked Across the bridge to Lou's Discount Beer Barn. I got some beer, he got some Piña Colada mix. I kept trying to tell him in the store that he needed to buy alcohol to put in it. But gave up and when we left he told me that alcohol wasn't good for him, so he just drank the sugary mix. We sat there for a couple hours watching the traffic, people, and the old abandon Edwards cotton warehouse across the street. I did some laundry and found out the dryers don't really work. Write soon!

First Day (Night) at the KJ

My first day at work was great. I went into the human resources department and they went over my benefits. I watched a video on sexual harassment. Completed a test on work safety. For some reason the girl at the gas station even gave me a free coffee when I took a little break. (Probably my lack of harassment.) When I got to the newsroom I dove right into proofing. First, proofing the printouts. Then making corrections and placing the ads on the network. And finally, readying the pages for output. I was happy to see a copy of the Journal in the lobby of the Edward's House Inn this morning. And I could see the tangible efforts of my new job. "Awesome!," I mean "Wicked!" (That's what everyone says up here.)

Damon's, Augusta's Mom & Pop

On the way to my first day (night) at work, I stopped at Damon's. It's a local pizza and sandwich place about 300 feet from the Kennebec Journal. I got a chicken, bacon, spinach wrap. It was awesome, an actual chicken breast fried on the grill. Then I went to work. When it was time for my 1/2 hour union-regulated break I went back and got the small Greek salad and a bowl of chili. Also awesome. And the two customers ordering after me bought the last two Kennebec Journals on the rack.

Augusta's Reading List

I stopped into the Kennebec Market today to see what kind of coffee they had. Not very good, which is strange for up here. I started talking to Pete the proprietor about the different papers he sold. He had a Bangor paper right at the top. He said the views were more conservative than the Kennebec Journal. I told him I could see that, the people being further away from civilization- you would think they would be less informed. (I guess I am stereotyping.) Then, since I didn't get any coffee, I said "Nice to meet you, I guess I'll be back when you have something I want to buy."
"Okay," said Pete.
On the way out I noticed the Boston Globe, then The New York Times.
"Ahh, The New York Times, I guess you do have something I want. Wow, I got the last one. Geez, how many of these do you sell," I asked.
"That's the first one I've ever sold," said Pete.
"What! Kind of tells you something about the people around here," I said.
Pete said nothing.

China King, Augusta's Buffet

Here's a local food review:
I went to the first buffet Chinese place I've been to since I vowed never to go back to the City Lights Cafe in DC. The China King, 57 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330, was one of the strangest Chinese buffets I have ever been to. It was staffed with what appeared to be authentic Chinese people, but their accents were not. I began to wonder if they even knew Mandarin. I asked for tea. It was the blackest tea I'd ever been served at a Chinese place. I soon switched to ginger ale. The plates of meat were good. I ate chicken, pork, and string beans. They were all great. Then the woman brought me some beef. Terrible! Chinese places, please don't use corned beef and try to make teriyaki beef out of it!! Before I left another party ordered tea, they took one sip and rejected it. The most mediocre part- my fortune: "Practice makes perfect."

Breakfast w/ the Dead

This morning I had breakfast with some of the most enjoyable citizens of Augusta. It's not that everyone here is a jerk. They are all very happy. They all stop when anyone, anyone, anyone comes to a crosswalk. I guess I just don't have much in common with the majority of the people yet. I met some great folks at the coffee shop in Hallowell, which the town itself seems to be filled with good people. My future workmates were great when I came up for the interview, and I imagine I'll be doing a lot of outside-the-workplace activities with them. I think maybe there's too much of an interest in driving here. Maybe that's it? (Even though I'm in the market for a car.) They don't have enough sidewalks around Augusta. I had to walk along the berm of the highway to post this blog, out by WAL-MART. And I realized, maybe it's because of the weather or something, but Augusta doesn't walk enough! And it shows. I thought I might be moving to a land of tough mountain people, not to a land where many of the people resemble mountains themselves. I have also learned that kayaking does not count as a form of physical exercise up here. There are plenty of folks with kayaks on the roofs of their vehicles that make me wonder how they would ever fit into their kayaks. I did get a good tip about kayaks and other products though- Buy local! Buy Maine! As in L.L. Bean, everything has a lifetime warranty.