(no subject)

I have this stereotype of the American tourist who shows up overseas wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and a foam baseball cap, who'll gladly stomp all over your pristine tatami mats with their Nikes and eat all their meals at McDonald's and complain about anything that isn't like it is in America.

Therefore, as an American tourist traveling overseas, anything I can do that is different from that stereotype will make me a better ambassador for my people.

Unfortunately, this meme ends up extending to things that probably won't matter, like whether I should see "Lost in Translation" before I go. Joe Sixpack will probably have seen it and considered it "research", and therefore maybe I should play it safe and wait until I get back.

So how neurotic is that?

I could cover for it by saying I'd rather see "School of Rock" first.

(no subject)

Well, I spilled Papa John's garlic sauce all over my favorite wool fedora.

It's soaking in the bathroom sink with some dishwasher soap right now, but I'd appreciate any advice on how to get the garlic smell out.

BTW, I've taken hats like this to the dry-cleaner before, and they say they can't clean it in a way that it'll keep its shape. That's too bad, because I have a blue one that is either really dirty or really faded and I don't know which.