Definitive proof that I fall into the "nerd" category, and other developments

Although I am now possessed of two jobs--one of which is forcing me to teach three units of information in four class periods--I still find time to get my kicks. Some of my kicks are of the teacherly variety. For instance, my Final Exam Review uses people that I actually know for a section that asks students to write sentences about "personal profiles." So, if you are within my social circle, there just may be 80+ Chileans writing out.....oh, say......"Phil is an airline employee. He is 25 years old. He speaks German, English, and French." Just to pull something out of the air, you know.

Surprise! That's not the proof that I'm a nerd. It gets better (wait for it).

So, yesterday I went for a walk with a pair of New Friends (I'm moving up in the world). It was a beautiful day so we wended our way down through Cerro Concepcion, and then down Avenida Brasil. Now, Avenida Brasil is where I work, so it is my "commute," if you can call a 15 minute walk a commute. Nonetheless it is a very nice walk. The center of the avenue is a wide green area, with statues and monuments all along the length. If you are from Boston, picture the section of Comm Ave in the Back Bay. If you are not, picture an avenue with a wide green area at the center with statues and monuments all along the length. Yes.

Anyhow we always ignore the things we see most often, or often do. So I was very happy to discover these previously unnoticed fish mosaics on a bench on the Avenida:







It being Sunday, we decided (post-fish mosaic) to head to the antique/flea market. This is a fabulous, wonderful, endlessly entertaining weekly market where you can buy no end of bizarre items. New Friend Allie and I had a thorough look-through and found, amongst other interesting items, teapots with feet, printing press letters, giant travelling trunks, a nice little desk, decorative spoons, and an antique sewing machine with a light built in. Allie acquired a very cool and--I maintain--practical cast bronze candle holder in the shape of a small Asian lantern.

The item on the left, I am very pleased to say, is for catching the milk when you milk your cow:

Typical spread:

Anyhow, I discovered a treasure. Or actually I think Allie discovered the treasure, but I took the treasure, so that's what counts. Here is the proof that our post title refers to. I am now the proud owner of somebody else's antique stamp collection.

And I mean Proud Owner. I have it in my bag right now, just in case anyone might come up to me and inquire as to whether I might have a Cuban stamp from the 1800s. "Why yes!" I will tell them, enthusiastically. "Would you like to see it? I also have some lovely diamond shaped stamps from early 20th century Costa Rica!" And they will go away satisfied and impressed.

Really, though, this book is just. so. cool. The majority of the stamps are from the first two thirds of the 20th century--obviously a time of massive change and bizarre occurences. So looking through this book is just amazing to me. It's a physical history of imperialism, dictatorships, and war, all evidenced in these tiny pieces of paper that merit so little of our attention. And so I present to you a selection from my crazy book of colonies and conflict.

So, yes. I have officially embraced what is widely acknowledged as the Most Boring Hobby Possible. Whatever. I am in love with my stamp book.