In the last week my freelancing load has grown from 2 travel articles about the state of Oklahoma and all the neat stuff to do in it, due by the 15th of June and (in my optimistic mind), the end of June before we leave for D.C. and Ireland, to FIVE ARTICLES, one of which I just finished writing about very small cattle and how they might rid us of CAFOs forever. It’s a neat story; look for it, and my travel pieces, and then two more pieces for the gay pride issue at the end of the month. Why all the work? BECAUSE WE’RE LEAVING THE COUNTRY AND I’M TERRIFIED WE’RE GOING TO GET TO IRELAND AND NOT HAVE A CENT AND HAVE TO WORK IN A FISH-GUTTING FACTORY OR GO ON A HORRIFIC GAME SHOW TO EARN PLANE TICKETS BACK HOME. (Read: ”Because I’m not a well man.”)

Speaking of Ireland, here’s a photo of the place we are staying for the latter half of our journey, in Kenmare:

That’s pretty neat, right? Yeah, I’m stoked.

Before that, however, our summer looks pretty good, even if we’re spending the vast majority of it having fun for free, as most of our money is being poured into this trip. I don’t know why I’m getting so weird about money; the last time I lived in Ireland, FOR TWO MONTHS, I don’t think the entire trip cost as much as the amount of money I’m taking with me over there this time. I’m just going to do us all a favor and blame George W. Bush; I’ll figure out later how this is his fault.*

This has been an emotionally exhausting week. We lost someone we love very, very much last week, and it’s sort of colored the seven days since very darkly. I had one really good bawl about the whole thing Thursday morning before the funeral, and then that afternoon two very good friends of mine rolled through town on a cross-country road trip they’ve been doing, and though I had to go straight to the funeral from seeing them, it did my heart good.

Tonight we’re headed down to Texas to see our buddy K.C. perform as a mainstage artist at the Kerrville Folk Music Festival in Kerrville, Texas. It’s a whirlwind trip – we’ll be back Sunday evening – and when I get back I’ve got 3 stories to complete in just over a week, which will be SO GREAT**.

*For Republicans who were offended by that: come on. Have a freaking sense of humor.

**Well, no, but I’ll get paid for it, so.