Thunderstruck

Here are a few extra tidbits swirling around my mind today. Meanwhile, check out the view from my bedroom window.

• A wild thunderstorm raged through Seville last night. Though it rarely rains here, when it rains, it pours. Around midnight, a storm unleashed a fury of thunder and lightning right outside my window. I'm fascinated by thunderstorms (especially after the film "Twister"). In Seville, however, people don't exactly know how to react. My housemother started screaming at her son (who could barely walk). Traffic lights were still out at 8 a.m. today. Imagine the chaos. People say New Jersey drivers are insane, but there aren't even words to describe certain people here. People here also like to park their cars on the sidewalk.

• When businesses shut down in the afternoon, the streets are absolutely dead. There's no such thing as returning to work early to get a head start on the afternoon's work. Yesterday I learned that getting to work 25 minutes early means standing in the hot sun for almost 40 minutes. At least I learned my lesson.
  

• I met my exchange student, Fabian, today, at a nearby mall for coffee. Now, I don't drink coffee, but he suggested a cappuccino that seemed to be mostly chocolate. It turns out that it was (and I'm guessing) 60 percent whipped cream, 35 percent chocolate and 5 percent coffee. Naturally, I liked it, but I felt sick almost immediately afterward. I'm better now. As for Fabian, he's in his late '20s, and he's a down to earth and friendly guy. It'll be fun to practice Spanish with him and help him with his English.
  

• The Philadelphia Phillies are in the thick of a division and wild card race. With nine games to play, the team needs to be perfect in order to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993. Regardless of whether or not the team makes it, this has been one of the most exciting summers for baseball in Philadelphia in my memory. For even the casual fan, now is the time to watch. Earlier I watched the Phillies' big comeback from last night at MLB.com.