'I've Still Got Sand in My Shoes..."

Just wanted to post something quick tonight, but I am freaking exhausted. Yesterday was the first day of the workshop, and it's pretty invigorating. We did a lot of talking in the morning, a lot of sharing. In the afternoon, we wrote and then read what we wrote. We had more writing to do last night, which I did after a group of us returned from dinner, which involved a long walk because the place we wanted was closed for a holiday, the name of which I cannot remember and am too tired to look up. We ended up at Bebo's, which was just a couple of blocks from the beach, so we stop by there before the walk back (uphill!). But I finished my homework when we returned. Today, we spent the morning reading our writing from last night. This afternoon, they provided an optional tour that took us to El Morro, a fortress in Old San Juan. Many of us split apart at that point, and I wandered a bit around the city to get to Plaza de Colón, which is where we were going to meet our bus. I was over an hour early, but I sat and watched people. Some cruise ships had just arrived, and crowds of people began to fill the place, mostly Americans, but there were some Germans and Italians. I wandered a bit more but then returned to the plaza. They had scheduled a dinner for us at a restaurant right on the beach. I quickly pulled off my shoes and socks and wandered out just so the ocean covered my feet and ankles. I can't remember if I've ever actually touched the Atlantic Ocean before. Then, we returned, and I am just exhausted. And we have to get up a bit earlier tomorrow because our sessions are taking place at the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, and the bus leaves at 7:30. I'm the guy who normal gets up at 9:00, remember?

I haven't written a huge amount, probably about five pages total of various things, but I like what I've done. Our workshop leader had some really good things to say about some of what I've read, which have given me a boost I needed. And we've had some good theoretical discussions about truth and fiction, authority and identity.

My shoes will have sand in them long after I return, though. But I'm fine with that.