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July 26, 2002

so here we are in good ole maplewood new jersey where I spent a chunky portion of my youth. we're visiting John and Andrea at the current moment who are most kindly allowing me to use their computer. I'm exhausted but want to write while I have a chance to. We've just spent the last week in New York at a writing workshop with the cartoonist/novelist Lynda Barry, whose work I highly recommend. She is super energetic and cool and has tons of great ideas for how to keep working on stuff when you think you can't go on. It was lots of fun the only problem being all the food at the place was vegetarian and really healthy and by the end of the week I had stomach cramps and the runs. So everyone warned me about that going abroad, but it turns out you can get diarrhea right here at home. The east is incredibly lush and breathing green so that's a nice change from the desert-y west, mom you should see the flowers out here you should go nuts. And it only took me about two days to acquire my old NJ accent back. Now it won't go away. Katie, Kristy, and Kelsie have all grown so much I hardly recognize them until I look real hard. Also we spent a couple days at the Jersey shore in Ocean City with my grandparents which was a great way to start the trip and I got to eat Prep's pizza on the boardwalk. And visited Aunt Jane! She had a party for us with wonderful roast beef sandwiches and horseradish from hell. You can tell I've been eating leafy greens for a week. OK enough tomorrow we leave for Vienna and then a bus to Hungary, next time I write will probably be in two weeks or so.