encouraged, ready

I rested again for much of today. I hate resting. Of course it is supposed to be relaxing but I want to get on with my life and lying around trying to get better from a what is now a mild cold is not my idea of progress. In the afternoon, Kuthan and I left to run a few errands. I'll skip over the bulk of what happened and just say that it seems crazy to me that I should have to get a passport officially translated before using it to get a document from the tax office. Seriously?? Can't I just tell them where it says my name and last name? I mean I was already at the gorram (oh Firefly) tax office. For the last time... errrrrrrg Turkish bureaucracy, how I loathe you. But with that out of the way, I went to the translator and go that stuff worked out. I'm still jumping through the hoops that come with the transition. For all my complaints about the system, I am thankful that there is a way through it. Truth be told it is not that bad as far as these things go.
After a long afternoon, we met up with Murat and went to Fenerbahçe for hookah and beer. We talked about our plans for tomorrow and the weekend. As it got dark, a breeze picked up off the water. I love the smell of the sea. I love the narrow streets and the sidewalk trees. These things I love and these things I enjoyed this evening.
I often like to romanticize at the end of these posts about how great the next day is going to be, but this time, it's really going to be a good one. In the morning I will run a few errands. Afterward I will go to Nişantaşı to spend some time alone, exploring, and then to meet with someone who can probably help me get established here. After that I will return for a special evening at the home of Murat and his family. There will be pictures and stories and probably good news.