Twenty-one points for discussion...

1. Arrived in Colorado last Monday and feel almost unnaturally peaceful and happy. Beyond giant redwoods and Pacific bluffs; beyond Rocky's mountains and Virginia's blue-tinged hills; beyond Yorkshire's moors and valleys and dales - there's nothing quite does it for me like the red rock canyons of the Four Corners. Hiking here...mucho de expletives and wows.

2. I love American positivity, even when it's delusional. For example, Coloradans are always telling me how they have 360 days of sunshine a year - yet at least half my ten days here have been overcast. I suppose there's one way both those things could be true.

3. In contrast, I remember once in Canterbury, after a solid six days of sunshine was broken by a brief shower, overhearing people grumbling, "it's always bloody raining". I could barely believe my earholes. There's all kinds of illustrations therein.

4. I wonder if I have any facebook friends who think any of the following: that Wayne Rooney is one of the world's top 50 footballers; that Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly are anything but a laughing stock; that James Joyce's 'Ulysses' is "a good book"; that something mystical really did happen in 2012 after all; that David Icke is right about the lizard thing.

5. You know you're getting used to America when you see a sign that says: "Los Angeles - 194 miles" and you think to yourself, "oh, we're nearly there."

6. My old granddad used to say you can tell a lot about a person by how watching 'The Truman Show' makes them feel. In my case, it makes me want to set sail for THE EDGE, and even convinces me that I just might make it.

7. I reckon if my current incarnation - Rory v.38 - were a movie character it would be Jeff, from 'Jeff, Who Lives at Home'. Wonderful film.

8. Perceived flaws in America and Americans:

Not very good at signalling or changing lanes.

Buy unnecessarily large pickup trucks.

Groceries strangely expensive compared to UK.

Always leaving engines running when not going anywhere.

Retarded 3- and 4-way stop signs.

Sort of technologically backwards in a weirdly futuristic way (ie, as though resting on the laurels of the jet age).

When you buy something for ten dollars, it's never ten dollars (tax added later on).

Supposed protectors really bad at not incorrectly killing people (police and army).

A bit too keen on putting people in jail.

Crazy pharmaceuticals industry (the commercials have to be seen to be believed).

It costs money to have a baby, if you can believe that.

Plus the obvious ones, but no point mentioning them.

9. Number of people killed by US police in November of this year: 94. Number of people killed by UK police in last 15 years: 12.

10. It's all in the news about the above being born of racism. But seems to me the police are just as good at unnecessarily shooting white guys. Google "James Boyd Albuquerque" if you want heartbreaking video evidence of this.

11. What's that disease called where, even when things are 99% perfect, a person only sees the 1% that isn't?

12. Dreamed last night I'd had a fling with a really good friend's missus. Boy, was he cross! Not a good idea, if anyone's considering it.

13. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody posts a video of it, does it actually happen?

14. Had an idea for a TV show: 'Cannibals Do The Funniest Things'. Self-explanatory, really.

15. When I was in the library yesterday there was a guy doing that usual public library thing of getting frustrated with the computer, working himself up into a state, and saying the same thing over and over while everybody else exchanged glances and did their best to ignore him. I suppose in the past I might have asked him to quieten down, but this time I slid on over, asked him if he needed assistance, helped him do his thing, and sympathised and encouraged. Seems like a wee bit of progress.

16. Isn't it ironic that now we all have free calling time on our phones we're so much less likely to ring someone up for "a good long chat"?

17. I just finished re-reading Pride & Prejudice. Wow, what a lovely book - and sure makes me want to sit right down and get cosy with the legendary BBC adaptation. Moral of the story this time: if only people had shared what they were thinking how much less hassle they would have had. Plus, that decision of Darcy not to reveal Wickham's wickedness, which had all kinds of repercussions. Reason that struck me was I know a bit of a Wickham, always going round messing with women's hearts and minds. Maybe I could save them some bother.

18. Best book I read in the last year: 'Travels', by the late Michael Crichton. (It's not science fiction, it's a memoir of his journeys around the world and in spiritual realms.)

19. Realised. Traveller. Neighbourhood. Marvellous. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

20. It's kind of odd sometimes, knowing oneself a molecule floating through the dream body of consciousness, surrounded by the same, unforeseen miracles and synchronicities possible around every corner, and then having these moments where everything seems so material and normal.

21. Finally, I'd like to share what I consider one of the greatest love songs ever written - though one most likely unknown to my Stateside chums. It's about the heartwarming romance between a slightly chubby woman and her small-willied man. The Brits, in their infinite wisdom, sent it to number two in the charts. I'd like to dedicate it to...well, better not name any names. But you know who you are, and how much I love you. Enjoy! :-)