Looks like over 30 were killed in Arkansas from the tornadoes going through there recently. Ick. When I was on holiday away from law school there was one that hit the park across the street destroying most everything, but skipping the school. Everyone had to wait it out in the basement … and since the school used to be the medical faculty, the basement is a morgue. Creepy times.
Today would be my last day in the US. Filled with a sadness in almost everything I do, from my last meal in Little Rock, cooking session, watching comedy clips on the computer, snuggling in bed. But at least I’ll be financially secure soon, and hopefully that would translate to more frequent trips to visit each other.
Finally got my hands on the Chronicles of Narnia from the Barnes and Noble in Little Rock, and for only USD20. Will pen down some feelings about the book after I read it on the flight home. Also managed to procure the Yu-gi-oh 2004 World Championship Tournament for the Gameboy. Hopefully all these would make the flight home more bearable.
Watched a Bill Maher special Randall recorded on his PC. It was really funny, and somehow always contained some grain of truth in his jokes. Esp liked his description of how America is becoming more feminized, in TV shows and such.
Not much going on today… basically just recuperating after being on the road for the last couple of weeks. Went to Crazy Hibachi for lunch – teppanyaki stuff, with some mediocre sushi. The chef at our table was a Taiwanese-descent from Central America — seemed rather inexperienced (which he was) as he dropped his tools a couple of times (although I suspect this might be part of the performance). But I was a tad disappointed that he didn’t do the fire thing, or caught the egg shells with his hat. 
Dinner was at this riverside restaurant in Little Rock overseeing the Arkansas River with Randall Sr and Terri. After a slightly long wait, the food arrived and it was pretty fabulous. I had the shrimp and scallop etoufee (pronounced eh-too-fay) which had just the right balance of consistency and spiciness. And brimming with seafood and rice. Was almost full just having that, but had ordered the mixed grill – salmon, halibut, shrimp, and scallops – which, fortunately, was not overwhelming or overly-buttered. The folks were really friendly, and gave me a running commentary on the interesting historical trivia about Lonoke and Little Rock.
As summarized in this website , Lonoke’s name was derived from the “lone oak” tree that stood at the site of the town of Lonoke, the county seat of government.
Also passed by Clinton’s presidential library on the way back – to be ready in a year’s time. I thought it looked fine, but Randy Sr commented it looked like a house on stilts.
Catfish, which is rarely available back home in Sg is rather popular here, with restaurants dedicated to it. Randall’s dad brought us to Murry’s, a catfish restaurant just outside Lonoke. I had a half dinner (3 planks deep fried), along with some excellent onion rings and fried okra – that’s lady’s fingers back home. It was pretty good, although a tad too salty.
Had earlier in the afternoon gone to UALR School of Law – both for a toilet break as well as to have a look-see. Nice facilities, definitely better than the main campus (where one of the corridors at Stabler Hall actually smelt of fried chicken and toilet detergent).
Also managed to drop by the MacArthur Museum of Military History in an old building once known as the Little Rock Arsenal. Can’t seem to remember much of it 2 days later, although I recall the former governor Sid something was quite good-looking, although Randall said he looked kind of fruity. 
Road trip to New Orleans coming up!
Randall drove around today, and I got to see some of LR in daylight. It was pleasant, urban but not overwhelming like some other cities. Went to U of Arkansas @ Little Rock, which was ok, but the person at the Financial Assistance Department gave us wrong directions to the International Students Office [which incidentally, is the wrong place to consult since I was enquiring about graduate studies].
Here’s a postcard view of Little Rock.
Had dinner at his grandad’s – popcorn shrimp and fried potatoes. I think Randall scared me with too many stories about food there, but he assured me this was the exception cos I was a special guest.
Then followed them to an AA meeting at the Cosmopolitan Club [no relation to the drink the girls on Sex and the City down all the time]. Special speaker today, but thought he was a little too self-involved, and almost made alcoholism glamorous, which would have defeated the point of AA?
