One Way Ticket: Part Eight

April 26th 8:30am

            Waiting for the Metro, always waiting for something. Might as well be the Metro, right? I’m, excited about today! Going to wait for Elisabeth for an hour before noon, if she’s still in DC we were going to try and meet again. But she doesn’t have a working phone, and I don’t have Internet access, so it makes for a fun time trying to make plans. Then, fingers crossed, I ‘m going to see Audra later!! Yay!

            I’m so very excited about seeing a familiar face. Not that this trip hasn’t been good, but I’m homesickish

            My travel plans for today end with a 15 hr bus ride tonight that end in Atlanta GA, then the Marta to as close to Elizabeth I as I can get, I have a few hours to kill once I get there so I’ll try to find a movie . Then I’,m hopefully getting to the Lavenders on Sat Night/Sun Morning if all goes accordingly.  My plane leaves out of ATL May 3rd out to Branson, then a cab to catch a grey hound to Springfield where Aunt Tara said she’d pick me up!.  

            I don’t think that I’ll make it out to Colorado. That will have to be another trip. Another time.  That makes me kind of sad, but I really enjoyed NYC. :D

            Gerald has been a really good host. His house is neat and his great danes are adorable. He fixed grilled pork chops last night. I’ve had so many sit down dinners since I left on my travels, it’s unexpected and kind of weird. But pleasant. I like to eat well.

            Being on one’s own is complex, the stress of things, everyday living, over shadows even sleep. Where am I going to be? How do I Get there? How much will it cost? What will I eat? When? Again, cost and I would while I don’t feel mentally stressed, I can fell the physical manifestations on stress. I’ve been drinking about a cup of fresh ginger tea about ever day. Or at least the days I’m close to a stove and can boil water. Which is, thankfully, most days. And I know that my lack of a steady communication with God only makes the stress seem worse.  My comfort zone has been so far stretched, I don’t even know if I’ll find it’s edge for a while.

Noon -Sitting in the lobby of the National Museum of American History.

           

            Working on finances and talking to Tricia. Had a few odd cented Metro fare passes going to try and give them away today. You can’t combine them, but you can add to them and maybe it’ll help someone get to their destination today. This is my last day here in DC and I have a couple long rides on the trains, but I have a day pass.

~

April 27th 8:26am - Charlotte, NC

            A layover, the bus needs servicing and I would concentrate on writing, but Charmed is on... tempting... mediocre acting or writing?

My day yesterday after Elisabeth didn’t show (I discovered that she had left either that morning or the day before):

            National Museum of American History

            National Air & Spce Museum

            National Museum of American Indians (actually, I just ate at the cafe there. :D)

            Butterfly Garden (was asked for money)

            National Archives (they didn’t even have the LEGIT Magna Carta on display. I’m going to protest.)

            US Botanic Gardens (I think I spent two hours in there. BE U TI FUL)

            US Capitol Visitor Center

            Library of Congress (the none book side... :/ )

            CVS for a water bottle, the Capitol Visitor center made me throw mine away, and snacks for the bus ride

            Arlington Cemetery. This was a spur of the moment decision, I managed to make the 6pm change of the guard, too. Breath taking, it really makes one feel patriotic.

~

April 27th 2:39pm @cafenineteen

            Drinking a $4 drink. Waiting for an $8.50 movie.

            Going to watch Source Code, mostly because it was a movie that’d be getting over with about the time Elizabeth will be getting off of work. This Mint Mocha Shake thing is actually really really good. And the barista gave me the extra stuff in the metal mixing cup to have too.

            I’m wondering if the movie theatre will have an issue with my luggage, when I asked the gal at the cafe she said that they shouldn’t mind, but, “You can bring it back here and we’ll put it behind the counter for you if they do.”

            Getting to the Regal Cinema Plaza in Mariette GA wasn’t a small feat. Anwar, my 15 hr seat mate was very helpful in which Marta to take. The Marta (rail) is the dumbest subway system I’ve encountered.

5:01pm,

            Back again. And another drink, this time a double chai for $3. It’s very refreshing, but I think I’ve maxed out my sugar intake for the day.

            Speaking of sugar, I was doing really well diet wise, pretty much zero sugar until circa Easter. :D YAY for candy! I’ve walked off a lot of body fat, my arms look toned and I’ve not done any upper body exercise at all. Yesterday I walked DC until my feet ached, they really wanted me to drop dead. I’m so glad I’ve got Burt’s Bees’ peppermint lotion.

Later
Today:
Arrival in Atlanta: 1ish.
Marta to Atlantic Station (purely went on gut instints once I got on the marta to pick directions)
Regal Cinema - ticket
Cafe’d
Movie: Source Code
Elizabeth picked me up: circa 5:30pm
Five Guy’s Burgers
Tornado Warnings till 2am!

~

April 28th {Hallie gave me her room to have while I’m here!!}

Lots of coffee
Hung out with Hallie
Home alone a little bit
            blogged
            drunk moar coffee
            caught up with everything online
Operation Grover with Andrew and Hallie; removed stitches
Imeson Parents home
Sweet potato
Target run for stuff!! Eliza & I make a good team.
Kings Speech - v. good
            icecream
Bed by midnight.

~

April 29th 11:17am

            I was just thinking about the 15 hour bus ride from DC, greyhounds are not for tall people....

later
Talked on the phone with mom
ate eggs (as prescribed by mom, I need protein, been eating tons of carbs)
Went biking with Hallie and Andrew
Grilled cheese sandwich of amazing. + chicken noodle soup
Went to see Your Highness w/Elizabeth. DUMBdumbDUMB. Would have been more fun to literally burn the cash.

~

April 30th 3:25pm

            A whole month of traveling and it feels like a few days.

            Went to Murphy in NC and to the store Moose Hollow. E took me to a river, where we saw a couple get married and another couple tango in hiking boots. She also treated me to lunch at a restaurant that hangs over the river. Now, if I could just recall the name of the place. We did a lot of people watching, and even talked to a few.

~

            As you can tell my writing has gotten VERY lax. I write outlines and list and there isn’t another dated entry in my travel journal until the 3rd of May.

~

May 3rd 12:19pm

            In Branson outside the greyhound pick up area. I’ve got two hours to kill before the bus is supposed to arrive. It’s the bus to Springfield, the only bus to Springfield. So, I really shouldn’t stray too far, it’d be really bad to miss that.

            I didn’t writing on the plane, again, due to chatting with the older lady sitting next to me.

12:42pm
            The flight was good. It’s wonderful weather here in Branson! But... it doesn’t sate my heart’s longing for the Colorado scenery. Ah, the deal to not go to CO was sealed when I sent my winter coat home with Gerald.
    Feeling light headed, going to head inside The Spirit Shop (the liqour store where the bus stops at) for some food.

            Lunch: Beef jerky, 16oz Milk, sunflower seeds. Yum? Yes.

2:56pm
            Bus #... four? It’s thirty mines late coming. I’m going to be really practiced at waiting before this is all over.

~

            The bus came a little while later and I got safely to Springfield and to Aunt Tara. I hung out with the Harris’s for a few days. Then the Bowen house over the weekend and then back to the Harris house. While with mom’s sister and her family I had some really good talks with Tara and Eric. Uncle Eric told me something very poignant to my situation, “Don’t expect or force an “ah ha!” moment with everything you’ve experienced on this trip, it’ll happen, but maybe not today or tomorrow but maybe a few more years down the road.” More or less. He can say this because when he was my age, he did a lot of traveling. Abet it wasn’t alone, he was with his band in a bus. But it was still traveling outside of his hometown and his past comfort zones.

            This “ah ha” moment isn’t something I had put a whole lot of thought to during the beginning of my trip, I really wasn’t thinking, “Oh, so just what am I going to get out of this trip?” but there were tendrils of it floating around. It’s edifying to know that I don’t have to force anything to formulate.

            Also, he called me a pup. And that made me smile.

One Way Ticket: Part Seven

Something about New York...

As soon as I got in on the 15th of April, I felt so very lost at Port A, there were so many people and I didn’t know where to go... I knew I had to take the R to Brooklyn, but I was still confused. I did eventually make it to 77th and then my nycHome by 2:30pm ish and then it seemed liked Robyn and I turned around and went right back into Manhattan... the first thing we did was go to the Met, I got in for a nickle. Now, that’s doing NYC the cheap way.

Looking back on what I did and how I got about I feel like a different person, even in this short of time, maybe not very much more grown up, but more mature, hopefully better with the brain to mouth thing... and more knowledgeable about public transportation systems, at least. A more thorough observation is pending.

~

April 20th 3:45pm on the 1 train

A kid talking about the subway while we were still on the platform said this to her mother, “But the express will be here in 900 mins!” And I just can’t help but think how true that is, every train is going to take nine hundred minutes to get here.

Also, a kid at the Museum, when he walked into a room full of dinosaur bones, “I’ve died, just died and this is heaven.” :D

I must for sure have a migraine, I think I’ll just go back and spend my last day in the apartment. So tired. bleg. I’m due for more ginger tea. Homeward.

~~

Things to do in DC

National Geographic Society

Tour the White House

Lincoln Memorial

Holocaust Memorial / Museum

National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian  (Zoo, Wisconsin St, red line)

Butterfly Park

United States Botanical Garden’

United States Capitol

Library of Congress

Arlington Cemetery- Veterans

Alexandria Center, Pentagon

Book recommendation: Water for Elephants.

~

Bus to DC. April 21st 8:20am.

I am my father’s daughter, indeed. I guessed that I would spend the three hour trip either writing, or sleeping. But so far I’m talking. And my buddy isn’t feeling well, so I’m going to close my eyes too.

6:44pm.

My companion was feeling bad, dehydration headache and travel sick. I slept for close to an hour myself. But, good news! We’re meeting up again, tomorrow @ 10:30am to do something together. At the South Eastern intersection of Constitution Ave and Penn Ave. I think. I know where it is on the map, because we checked one out on a wall before we parted ways at the greyhound station. She to her hostel, me to find the Metro station and then off to find my host.      My bus buddy’s name is Elisabeth, she is from Germany and has been traveling for some time now. I’m very impressed and I know that I’d be terribly homesick. What I’m doing is small stuff to what she’s doing.

She told me, “That’s awesome that you’re traveling your country, most people, even at home, never even leave their own state.”

-DC

I arrived here; about 12:20 then walked about half an hour out of my way before getting to the Metro ($2.20) so I could get to Gerald’s work place (on L st NW) to drop off my luggage. And then wandered  around the city a little. My feet wanted to give out at Port Authority this morning then the bus ride was bad, with the exception of meeting Elisabeth.

As soon as I got back from wandering around the War World II Memorial it was close to 4:30pm. Gerald had his truck so we drove to his house, it was the first time I’d been in a car in weeks, which is kind of weird to think about. And after being greeting by the Great Danes (# & *) I took a long awaited shower, huzzah for hot water. It’s a traveler’s best friend, I don’t care what season you travel in.

Now, off to plan tomorrow, for while I wandered I found a discarded Metro map and the nice guys at the WW2 Memorial gave me a map of the city/area. So. Here is to packing in as much as I can!

~

Liz to DC. Part 2     4/22nd 2011  

Fingers crossed hopefully schedule, most is optional.

Starting at © 8am.

Holocaust Memorial Museum (tickets by 8:15am, please God. ) [haha, I silly. tickets @ 10am, two hour wait. was in the first block inline, woooorth it, got one for Elisabeth too.] [we went around 2pm, spent five hours in there.]

-[Japanese Pagoda]

-Korean War Vet Mem

-Vietnam Veterans (called Olman when we got there)

10:30 am meet Elisabeth @ Constitution Ave/15th (huzzah!)

{National Museum of American History & Air and Space (yes & yes)

{Smithsonian Castle (nope, told it was boring, didn’t go)

{Organization of American States [closed??]

{US Botanic Garden [BE U TI FULL]

{National Archive (fun times!, actually, it’s a dark room full of people... >.>)

{Library of Congress (got to looook but not touch or actually go in it proper)

{Butterfly Garden (behind NM of NH??)

{Arlington Cemtary or Iwo Jima Men (not both)

{International Spy Museum (nope, $$)

{US Capitol Visitor Center ?? (underground, weird)

{Pentagon -- way far

{Cathedral off of Wisconsin  (nope)

~

Some of the things that I did go to aren’t on my list. Elisabeth wanted to go to the DAR (Daughter’s of the American Revolution) House and the Lincoln Memorial and we didn’t get to tour the White House, because that requires about six months of fore planning. I know right, they don’t just let people step in off the streets. And I wonder if they would let a random non-citizen even go. Hm, something else for me to research.  DAR was pretty cool, they had replica rooms that I took tons of pictures off. And we didn’t do all the stuff of the list that I commented on, a lot of that I did on my own on a later date.

We spent a good amount of time walking in the rain after DAR, a pit stop to get coffee (it was Earth Day and Caribou and Starbucks were doing free coffee if you brought a cup. which I had. :D) and after the rain and before the Holocaust Museum we spent some time in a cafe to eat and warm up.

~

April 22nd, 9:44pm.

    So very emotionally exhausted. Spent close to five hours in the Holocaust Memorial Museum & I still didn’t get to see everything. It’s horrifying. How does one express an apology to a whole nation of survivors? I am so saddened.

~

May 11th, 8pm

At this point I do not know if I can express, in writing and at this time, any more about the Holocaust or the museum. I know that I am rereading my journal as I type it up for you to read and time and distance has given me a buffer. But, even now, it stripped me.

From the first step of the exhibit I felt wrenched from deep inside... I was not alone, that was the quietest museum I have ever visited. Voices all around were dimmed... in shock? in respect? Both? I cried. I sobbed. I’ve talked to people who were physically ill from the experience of seeing this Memorial to the Holocaust.

I wish I could walk you through it all, I do not know if I would go again, but I think that everyone should go once.

~

April 24th 8:56am @ the Klicka’s church near Warrenton, VA

    This has been an emotional journey. Not Something I really planned for. I just thought I’d be going to see some sights and meet some people.

But, regardless of my failings: Christ Is Risen, Amen!! It is right to be in an assembly to celebrate Easter. Jesse Klicka picked me up from the Vienna Fairfax metro station, end of the orange line, yesterday.

At the Klicka house we had an Easter lenner of corned beef and Greek salad. So much yum. Then I assisted in an egg hunt, both hiding and seeking.  & they made me  a basket for me! of candy, <3. Then Suz, Amy, Charity, John and I watched Tangled before bed. Last night, as I was heading to bed, I noticed a missed call from Alexandra. Even though it was close to midnight I called her back. We talked for some time about things that change and things that don’t change. And of childhood regrets.

Solomon tells us, reminds us, that there is a time for everything.

    In service: “I have seen the Lord!” Announce it to the world, not because you have to, but because you get to.

One Way Ticket: Part Six

A very short post today! I'm in Pittsburg, Kansas and about to head to church. Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely ladies in my life that are mommies. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. <3

~

A list of things to do while in New York City and Brooklyn:
{Most of it was decipherable, but some of it... I don’t even remember what I or why I wrote it down. Lists like this have kept me sort of on a guided path. General ideas of where I want to go and do as I get to each place.}

Laundry – (L), to Bay Ridge Pwh, 2 streets
718-238-6060     (L), past Starbucks
Post Office – off of 4th Ave-68th St.
Katie Bell
The Rose is off of the (C) $18 by 1pm/6pm
The Guggenheim   - across central park $15
Chealsea Market – use stash cash R->D->E
Kinohumiya books
               1072 Ave of Americas    Bryant PK.
               From Guggenhiem -> 86th/Lexington. tax (8 downtown)

$20 The Guggianheim – (212)-423-3500  5th/E 88th
($) Post Office 7am-8pm 718-855-0912
$0 Statue of Liberty (212) 363-3200
$0 American Girl Place 5th/W 49th 877-247-5223 10am-7pm
$0 the Brooklyn Bridge (212) – 477-8150
$10 Central Park Zoo (5th Ave/E 63rd -> 65th) (212) 439-6583 10am-5pm 11:30am- sea lion feeding
$6 Transit Museum (718)- 694-1600 10am-4pm Schurmerker Boerm PL
$10 Brooklyn Botanical (718)623-7200 8am-6pm

See other
Grant Memorial Museum

~

April 19th 10:48am.

            So this is a fun new development in my trip. I somehow have managed to lock myself out. I feel like an idiot, and who knows when the super will call me back. Robyn gave me her keys, and I have both hers and Elizabeth’s numbers, but both are going to voicemail right now. I just need to be walked through how to open this door! Ahhhh. Elizabeth is with family in Queens and Robyn is at work in Manhattan, so I don’t expect either to come all the way back to Brooklyn to let me in, I just need to figure this lock out! A lesson in assumption in my part, next time I need to make sure I ask how to open a door, and not believe I know how just because I watched it happen more than once.

            Did laundry at a laundry mat, cost close to $4. Not bad, I’d say for clean, dry, clothes. And I’m inside with my money and clean clothes and jacket... so it’s not like I’m without or in danger of the elements. I just don’t like this zero control thing (hey, look my human nature!) Also, as I sit here trying to find things to do BESIDES fiddle with the lock again, I realize that I don’t seem to have Katie’s number in my cell phone. I have to get a hold of her at some point; she said her fiancée would house me while I’m in DC. Oh the things you think about when you’re locked out of your abode.  I’ve tried to open the door about thirty times in the last ten minutes. It has an automatic lock and there’s a special way of opening it...  

___________________________________________________________________

UPS men are awesome! I’m so glad God answered my prayer with physical help. My angel today is a tall whistling black man in brown delivering packages.  <3

1:38pm

            I just missed a train by a minute and have to wait ten minutes for the next one. Just seems to be how I ride the subway. I get frustrated when I miss the train by seconds, it’s roaring into the platform just as I get to the turnstile and by the time I get down the next flight of stairs I get to see the tail lights as they leave. Yippee. Some trains are closer together, but most, it seems are ten or more minutes apart.  Cei la vie. Gives me more time for people watching and frantic looking at the subway map to quadruple and quintally check my route. (Quintally even a word? Probably not.) This excessive checking still does not keep me from getting turned around while underground. I go down two flights of stairs and I loose what little sense of direction I could claim to have.

            I got laundry done this morning. I feel slightly productive. Being locked out was the tipping point for some welling emotions. “Dear God, I’m unable to get a hold of anyone but you, please help me to get the door unlocked.” And then there was a peace upon me and, moments after, a cheerful whistle floated up the stairs.

He held the package out to me, as if it were mine, I held out a set of keys to him, “Are you any good with locks?”

“I’ll try sugar, if it was meant to be then it was meant to be.” He sets the box down and applies hand to keys, key to lock. A wiggle, three tries, and a jiffy later he has the door open and the keys back in my hand. At my look of relief he cheerfully replies, “It was meant to be, sugar.”

I could have hugged him for being such a Godsend.

~

April 20th

            Officially my last day here and I’ll spend half of it packing. I only brought as much will fit in this carry on and one shoulder bag... and I’m mailing stuff home, why is this such a lengthy process? Next thing I’m going to write about is how to survive out of a carry on and still look human.

            I met up with Hiromi at the Japanese bookstore (mentioned above) and we bought origami paper (and resisted all the kawaii)and she taught me how to fold 3D roses! (http://usefulorigami.com/valentines-day-origami-rose-lesson-2/) Then we made our way to Cafe Eruopa on 6th/26th. This was only after much debate of which coffee shop might be the closest/coolest/still open. Robyn met us at the cafe after she got off work and then we went to Little Italy for a late and yummy dinner.

            Before that (Hiromi and I met at 6:30pm yesterday) I went all the way south to the World Trade Center (got on the wrong train, again, and the new building that they’ve got going looks like an upsidedown icicle) and then northward to Chelsea Market, dropped in to get some Kinder eggs (I hope they don’t melt, I’m mailing them.) Then to the Museum of Natural Science (it has an entrance directly from the subway, so I didn’t have to get rained on, again) got lost via Guggenheim (long twisty road below/through central park, so I never actually saw CP. oh well. Next time!!) and never actually made it to the round museum. Spent some time in an Apple Store, which was cool. I discovered a yummy pizza place, I got a white sauce with three cheese (asiago, mozzarella, parmesan) and summer squash slice that feed me for lunch AND an evening snack. I also stumbled across a little market that had apples for less than a dollar apiece, which by this point of my stay in NYC I was very happy to find.

            I walked a lot. Was “lost” most of the day. But every native I asked was very helpful with directing me closer to my destination. I’ve been told that the people in NYC are rude, maybe as a whole, but every individual I talked to was very cordial.  It was damp and rainy most of the day. Even though I bought a travel umbrella the second night in NY, I was very glad that the Subway stop for the museum was directly into the lower story of the place. I got in there for a dollar, it says tickets are 18, but it’s suggested donation pricing. Got to read the fine print! I didn’t write about it before, but the Met is the same, I got in there for a nickle.

Well, I’m mailing home a box and then heading back into Manhattan. I am mos def taking a nap on the subway.

One Way Ticket: Part Five

            Very, very, long overdue and belated update on my North Eastern travels. The last day of Boston/Worcester and the days in New York were so very full and fast paced, I barely had time to write (lots of time on the subway, but there is so much people watching to do down there!!) down my experiences and thoughts in my journal. I still don't have a full accounting of NY, it was just so very busy.

However from where we left of in the middle of the month....

~

Friday, April 15th 12:18pm. Still on a bus from Boston to NY.

    Wednesday was a day of being inside. Dishes, laundry, food, domestic things. It was nice to just stay in and clean. Once Erin got back from morning class we got on Skype and talked with James. It rained a lake. I didn't leave the house the whole day. Read some and ate warm foods. I finished, mostly, the package that was supposed to go home.

    I just got off the phone with Robyn, my hostess in NYC and I'm in Harlem!! Well, driving through it at least. Not to judge a book by it's cover, but I'm glad I'm not staying here, I feel like I could witness a mugging at any moment and I'm half a story up in a bus. Port Authority, here I come!

~

April 16th, 10am.
    I was sad and homesick yesterday as soon as I got to Robyn's apartment. It was the same welling feeling I had experienced when I first got to Boston. I called the house, knowing that if I talked to a familiar voice it's make it it worse. I got mom. And I choked up and cried a little. I feel that I was physically and mentally prepared for this trip... but not emotionally.

And sometimes I wonder if I am prepared in any aspect at all... some moments during my journey I've had some surreal moments of “Who am I in this place?” Almost out of body, or like I was dreaming. In retrospect, the sensation is probably connected to exhaustion and blood sugar. But when they happen, I can push through things that I feel that I would normally give up on sooner because I feel a disconnect to the experience.

    Navigating the subway system from Port Authority in Manhattan to where I needed to be in Brooklyn was one of those times. I was stressed out at first, but that faded to be replaced by an alert empty mindedness. It's hard to describe. Its as if I wasn't emotionally attached to the situation, even though I was in the middle of it and the outcome was centered on myself. Perhaps it's a warrior reaction to situations, but I didn't feel like a warrior. Anyways. I got off and out at the wrong station at one point, so I turned back around and set off an emergency exit alarm getting back on to the platform. (This is something that worried me that first time, but I came to hear it a whole bunch during my stint in the underground of NY. The “emergency exit” doors are what people with strollers and lots of luggage use to get on and off the stations.) Once you scan your subway fare card, it won't let you scan it again for another 15-30 minutes (I'm not sure about this, I never timed it and the locals kept on giving me different estimations when I asked them. Also, there was never anyone in the information desks at the stations. Grr much? Yes.)

    About to head out to experience more of Manhattan (last night was crazy) with my lovely hostess, Robyn.

Later: 1:54pm before curtain!!!!!!

    Robyn's been tempted me with a surprise and.... it's a Broadway show!! American Idiot by Greenday. Aaaahhh, so pumped. :D :D :D :D

5:11pm at the bar where Robyn does stand up comedy.

    Oh, NYC you're all wet and rainy and cold. But I think you're still pretty sweet. There is a starbucks on ever block. Flashback.

    My last day in Massachusetts was spent in the Museum of Fine Art while Erin visited with a dear friend of hers. I got in on student pricing and wandered through Egyptian, Medieval, and European with a side of Greek and Asian. Also there was a really far out blown glass and light exhibit. The whole time I was in those rooms I just wanted was a bunch of different sized and weight balls to throw at the whole thing. Again, another one of those out of body experiences I was talking about. I'm glad I didn't have a bowling ball with me... ah, I'll pack it for the next trip.

    For lunch I redeemed my free burrito voucher (got it for giving blood, did I mention that?) at a Qudoba's two blocks from the MFA. I met a wonderful gal in the line who let me sit and eat lunch with her. Christina and I talked about family and places. She's really close to her sisters and it was good to see in person that there are family centric people everywhere. The city of Boston seemed so big, but that might be because I walked a lot of it. The subway system there was easy in comparison to NYC.

10:55pm at an improv. show, before curtain.

    So, it's been over twelve hours since I awoke this morning, at 9am. I did get to settled in, drink some ginger tea & do finances, and journaled this morning. However, once we left the apartment to go into Manhattan for the Broadway show.... I feel so overstimulated. I saw so many bill boards and ads in Time Square! It's way overcrowded there and I dislike that. Too tired to write anymore now and the night is just beginning for us. (Robyn and two of her friends, Elsbet and Leah (sp?) were with us from dinner just before the improv show 'til the end of the evening which concluded with Karaoke at Lucky Chang's, which is known as a drag bar. Interesting experience, singing karaoke isn't as hard as I thought it would be.)

~

Sunday, April 17th 2:30pm
    Riding the sub to meet Hiromi! She's a friend I know through a couple other people. We've never meet in person before, so I'm expecting a little bit of awkward.
     I'm not sure what we are going to do... I think I'll ask her to teach me how to make origami roses. We're meeting at the station on 7th Ave and 18th St. This requires me to get on the R train @ 77th St in Brooklyn, then get off at... 59th? To transfer to the N, which will after 20 mins or so take me to Times Square where I will then transfer to the 1 and go downtown till I get to the correct station. All by my lonesome, just like everyone else on this transport. People are mostly personality-less on the subway. Quite, introspective. Unless you're a performer, which I've seen a few of those already. Rather interesting to watch panhandlers here in NYC.
   
    Elizabeth, Robyn's house mate was very helpful this morning in giving me good directions for the subway and excellent conversation. It will be the last that I see of her, since she's going to Queens to spend the week with her family. Passover.

    Last night was so very long. I went for 18 hours nonstop on about eight hours of sleep... oh, after seeing that written that's not too bad, but still. 45 min subway ride, Starbucks, Hershey Store (did I mention Time's Square is nuts?), the Broadway show, the M&M store, 30 min subway ride, pizza and an open mic show in Brooklyn, then vegan food (yummy spicy veggie soup) with Elsbet & Leah, The Chris & Paul Show (funny guys, too critical of themselves), drag bar where I sang Fidelity by Regina Spektor, cab home. … crashed.

My first evening in NYC I got a delicious taste of eating JUST fries for dinner and then went to a restaurant that ONLY sells chocolate based dishes. Which is where that marshmallow chocolate pizza came from. So much omnomnom.

~

April 18th 1pm – on the 7 toward Queens.
    Heading to her family's Passover dinner (they don't even call it a Sader) with Robyn. Went to Chelsea Market with Hiromi for an hour. She bought us Earl Grey chocolates and I discovered and treated her to Kinder Surprise Eggs. There was also a Milk Bar that sold only dairy.... cold and creamy yummy milk “fresh from the farm.” While I don't believe that it was “fresh from the farm”, it's the closest to it that I've drank since we babysat a milk cow. And since my hostesses so far have been more or less vegan, there has been a lot less dairy in my life! I drank a whole pint in about two minutes. I'm going back to Chelsea Market to get more eggs for the family, it'll be my souvenirs! Micheal had to travel all the way to Germany to get them for us, I find them south of Manhattan. It'll be the last thing, besides food, I'll buy while in New York.

    I did not realize how much MORE everything was going to be, I knew that NYC was expensive (thankyouthankyou Robyn & Elizabeth for sharing your home with me!!) but I still judged off by about 50%. This will affect my Midwest and west coast travel plans. All it takes is a small visit to Lush, a couple extra coffees, and Toys R Us to get one off track. Actually, I had planned in some “fun” money, it was the food I didn't expect to be so much all the time! (I'm happy to say that I haven't eaten ANY fast food that's not a mom&pop place and I'm being super wary about the meat.)

    After noming on chocolates with Hiromi we made plans to hang out again while we were still both going to be in the city. Then, I had to skoot to meet Robyn at 4:30. She had another surprise for me! We went to Coney Island, ate fries and chowder from the original Nathan's, wandered around the carnival, rode the Farris wheel (a first for me! I filmed some of it. Heh), went to a freak show which I was an audience participant, then to a candy shop and home. It was a good day.

One Way Ticket: Part Four.

April 14^th - Train to Boston

              I’ve not been journaling very diligently thing and my personal laziness has surfaced. I have an unwritten gap of close to four days and not near the amount of detail I could have written. I should continue writing now,… but my head feels split and I fear it may be a migraine or the beginning of one. Leaving tomorrow for nyc should post tomorrow or tonight is possible.

April 14^th 5;35 in subway train on the way home

                I observe the people around me

                The things that they do

                The words that they say

                The choices they make

                All the events going on in their lives

                A sweet sour kaleidoscope of time

                When problems arise

                And celebration ensures

                They are whipped in the wind of fate

                I see this go on and I wonder how

                I feel a lack of movement in my own sphere.

April 15^th 10;30am 2^nd bus from Boston to nyc

                Happy birthday Michael! Things like birthdays make home even further away, thank goodness for cell phones and the internet

Now, and overview of days starting on the 12^th

April 12^th -spree day!

                This college has a day every year that’s dedicated to games and drinking (remind you of any fallen city of antiquity? Thought so..) Theoretically the underage do not participate in the latter. Erin and I started the day off with an eeeeaaarly morning breakfast adventure at Annie’s. We got there just in time and we woke up at 5:15 and went in our PJ’s too. This marks the second time in my adult life that I’ve been in public with my sleep wear on. The line of students formed up outside soon after we slipped into a booth with Michael, Kate, and their friend, Elliot (who shared his tater tots until my food came). Kate has been very encouraging to me about blogging. We saw some other students who had gotten up early, like us, and others who had been “Spreeing” since the night before and were taking a food break.

                It was a while before we were served, but the four slices of French toast and the plate of homefries were so very worth it. I’m kind of sad to see my short love affair with the place if over, for now. Lord willing, I might make it back up for MA.

                Once we made it back to the apartment for a nap, I skyped James instead. Who needs naps?! (Me, but that’s beside the point…. ) I can’t recall the particulars of what we talked about, but we watched an episode of Dr Who together and were skyping for a good hour. I like watching Who with James, his snarky comments and spoilers is something I enjoy with my family when we watch films. Erin doesn’t like to give stuff away so James was more than happy to answer all my queries. If it was around 7am my time, then it was 8:30pm his time, which also means it was officially the earliest conversation, his time, that we’ve had. So, thanks for the taste of home from half a world away!

                Erin had Spree Day surprise for us of Tropical Mimosas. It was one of two alcoholic drinks I had that day, the other being a shot of rum around 2 pm. After morning drinks we went and investigated the games and things put up for the students. A s non students, Erin had to registere me to even get in! As it should be.

                Fifty seconds on a mechanical bull later, we played a bungee race game that took some skin off of my arm, got pictures in a photo booth, bounced in a moon walk, rode the bull twice more, played laser tag with other people, and rode the bull again and again and again and…. Riding it once wasn’t good for me physically; riding it a total of seven times was really not good for me (once was just spinning in a circle, at my request, to see how long I could stay on). Three days later I’m still sore from it, my rib heads are out. But it was fun, talking to my dad about it I found out that he used to train on them for real bull riding.

                At some point in the day I ran across Zach again and asked about teaching me the Haka, “When are you leaving?” he asked me. If you’ve never heard a New Zealander speak then you’ve missed out on some auditory pleasure. “Friday.”  He laughs at me, “I can’t teach you to Haka in two days.”

                So I showed him what I thought was a fairly decent, amateurish stance and he just laughed again, “It’s not Jazz hands!”

                But Heather told me that she could see me being really good at the Haka, “You have to get angry, I couldn’t believe how angry I got when I danced it!” Heather was part of the students who danced it during Gala. She was super intense and scary looking on stage. We practiced our angry faces while waiting in line for the photo booth.

                Dan, another of Erin’s friend, join us for a second breakfast of Erin cooked waffles at the apartment. It was rather chilly that day, so tea was consumed as well. After the hobbits went back to get cotton candy and ice cream, Dan and his acapella group (college club) preformed an impromptu show! I was very impressed at their skill. Erin told me, “Dan has perfect pitch.” Even when he’s sick.

                There was a Spree Day BBQ I had been invited to, but I ended up napping for close to two hours, only to be woken up by the fire alarm! Apparently the 2^nd floor neighbors are pyrotechnics. Then Erin swung by at 6:30 to get me in time for the Moan Chomsky speech. He spoke on the American, Israel, Palestine issues. It didn’t get out till 9:30pm. Dinner consisted of tortellini and red sauce, again, made by Erin.

                I took out recycling, for the first time ever in my life, and talked on the phone with Josh. It was good to bounce some ideas and thoughts off of him, since he’s traveled so much. It was a good day.

One Way Ticket: Part Three

Lisa from the Basement. Circa April 4th.

“The French department is very demanding. You can go to France. Steer clear of Assumption.* The language majors don’t require a lot of courses. But you get to choose. The French professors are great. You could double major in languages.”

Laptop bumper stickers: Live Simply that others may simply live. & We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

*there is something called the Consortium of Colleges here in Worcester where if you’re a student of one school, you can pick up classes in any of the other colleges in the group.

~

April 5th - 7:52pm
Donating blood! Woohoo. Yes. Haven’t done this in a few years.

~

April 6th 2011 12:21pm

Sitting in Intermediate Spanish Class. It looks like so much fun! Esta muy dirvitado. [Tanya was my escort, she applied, was accepted, and is now attending Clark without prior visiting. Brave! There are 16 students in this class.] “Tu tienes que volver ami.” Espero qu te diveirts. I hope you have fun :P Gracias por …. otra ves?

~

April 6th 7:43pm

Yesterday, the 5th, I watched Dr Who in the morning, met up with Erin in the Academic Commons, listened to a lecture by NOAA president (look her up, interesting, her speech is clearly been reviewed, but the Q&A is good!), donated blood, almost fainted, hung with a girl on a bench until the two of us were less green, ate delish tortellini, watched more Dr Who, Erin went to Poker, me to fanfiction and then bed @ 11pm. And that’s the fifth in a nut shell. I should expound a little on the blood donation, mainly that I got a voucher to redeem for a free Qudoba burrito! Really looking forward to that, I’ll just have to remember to use it before I leave the Mass area, since it’s only valid here.

Today was more productive, up by 8am, off to Admissions by 9 {I’m starting to recognize some people here, & had a nice breakfast on the college with a student, Matt, who was very interesting and informative about Clark and the surrounding area. I was later told by some other students that Matt was a very good representation of the Clark student body.} Then 10am to a formal info session, which I skipped out halfway with the adviser's blessings to locate Ron, a transfer advisor, and subsequently miss the guided tour of the campus. Ron was also very helpful and reviewed my unofficial transcript and let me know which classes would transfer. I need to review my Common App and get it submitted.

Then from Ron’s office I sat in on Intermediate Spanish, in which I felt that I understood 50 to 60% of what was going on. Not bad considering I’ve been out of classroom Spanish for close to three years. Also, Zach, the New Zealander was in the class; it was nice to recognize a face, and he lent me his text book so I could follow along. Twenty minutes after the class found me still exploring the four story language and music building. 1:40pm found me back in the AC to meet Erin. Since new/old developments have made it impossible for her to come to Boston, she printed out bus and train schedules for me. We soon migrated for the evening to the Arts Center Basement. The place that is quickly, next to the library, becoming a favorite place for me here. I blogged, then went back to Erin’s house on my own for a oatmeal dinner. I am a huge fan of instant oatmeal. Omnomnom.

~

April 7th 12:23pm. -South Station, again. but with less baggage.

$10 for a taxi & $10 for a bus, which was close to an hour late. I should have just woken up earlier and taken the 9:30am bus. Oh well. My budget for today’s trip to and in and back from Boston is $70 and as soon as I down this coffee, I’m off to the MFA (Museum of Fine Art) to get postcards for family. I know that mom told me not to walk the streets alone, but that’s unavoidable at this point in time. I’m assuming that you understand, right mom?

When I got to the mezzanine I borrowed a table from a young man who looked to be a lone traveler. He was writing in a paperblanks journal and I might strike up a conversation with him as soon as I feed the caffeine deprived beast within.
   

Between you and me, at this moment, deep down, I’m not sure as to the whole point of this journey I’m on.

~

Subway stops - get a map
Aquarium is on the Blueline from South Station. Chinatown is on the orangeline. Harvard - red line.

~

April 8th 1:30 pm. in class w/Erin, a writing class.

Last night I crashed around 11, I slept close to twelve hours. Being in the city wore me out. I was so very tired. My bus an hour late, then only an hour in the MFA shop since I wasn’t going to spend $18 on a ticket to roam the museum for an hour. Maybe I’ll get to go back later, it has three stories of stuff. And Monet and Dega and and and ancient Egyptian and Japanese and and a new glass exhibit that looks cool. Around 1:30, Nick Tate, a friend of Erin’s met me at the Boston Aquarium. He has a membership and got me in as a guest. The Aquarium has penguins! And a jellyfish room! And a touch tank! Yay! It was fun, smaller than the Florida Aquarium, but I enjoyed my time there nonetheless.

After we browsed the Aquarium, we went to Quincy Market and ate. Then we went wondering all over Boston. I have a map somewhere. We went to the Boston Commons and down to where there were swans. And we managed to make it all the way where the set bar for the show Cheers was. We got root beer and then went to a Starbucks to rest our tired feet. This girl is not use to that much walking in one go. Can we say out of shape much? Yes.

~

April 11th 4pm.

(Cont. Boston.) Tate and I walked around the city, then our feet rebelled (at least, mine did), the end. The Boston Commons was partially under some construction, so I didn’t get to see all of it. I have to find that map! We got back to Worcester around 9 and Liz and Jeremy picked us up from Union Station. I don’t recall anything of interest happening Friday & Saturday. They were about the same as last week’s. but Sunday, well... yesterday, well, that was spent inside all day. I went out once and that was for a thirty minute stint to the Arts Basement to meet Erin at the end of her shift. The day was spent cleaning, eating, and copious amounts of Dr Who. I am not ashamed!!

Today I was planning on going to some of Worcester’s museums, but apparently the town shuts down on Mondays. Even the public library is closed. What? I know. So I went walking around the town for close to two hours and had a few adventures and two people solicit me for money.

Once I got back to Clark I found a niche to sit in, took my shoes off and four way convo’d with Mike, Tricia, and Dad for close to forty-five minutes. Talked about travel plans and daily plans and life plans. Then. Then.... I finally went INTO the library... all five floors of it. <3<3<3 I spent many moments wandering the stacks like a dazed and overwhelmed child in a candy shop.