Currently Reading One Hundred Years of Solitude By Gabriel Garcia Marquez see related

Hello friends,

It is a scant 9 days I have left at home until I leave (on a jetplane?) for Philadelphia. See, up until now I've been thinking of the Next Step in my life as some far away event that will happen in six weeks, or a month, or whatever, as just that--six weeks or a month away. Now I find myself telling people, "Oh, yes, thank you for asking what I will do as the Next Step in the rest of my life. I leave for that blessed event a week from this Tuesday." A week! A week is not an amount of time that can be easy written off or pushed to some remote back burner for a rainy day. No, a week requires planning, strategizing, and getting a cable plan for my new studio efficiency apartment. A week means I've just about used up my quota of procrastination.

I am happy to say that some things have already been taken care of. When I get to my apartment, the electricity will work when I flip on the light switch. My IKEA futon and dresser will arrive within a day or two, and my queen sized, Summer Plush Pillowtop Euro mattress will be there for my sleeping pleasure the day after I arrive. Hopefully it will fit in the loft area I'll be sleeping in. And my dad will be with me for the first five days of my Philly experience. I intend to use these days wisely. Because what do we do when the going get's tough? Well, while the tough get going, I intend to cling to the familiar. I've been quietly putting together some old stuffed animals that have no chance of fitting into my suitcases. I have pictures from graduation and such that I'll have ready, on hand, when the inevitable homesick moments come about. And, as I said, I'll have a parent there to act as a form of authority and a reminder of home. It's time to leave, I know this, but I still can't believe that I'll be leaving so soon. I hope city living agrees with me.

And I hope I enjoy Phillycheesesteaks. Now I'll have to eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I want to blend in.

Currently Listening Let It Be By The Beatles see related

I realized today that the jar of peanut butter I purchased on Friday is now half gone. I do not say that is half full because I am feeling negative today (probably because I am running out of peanut butter). I had thought one jar could last me two weeks. Now the estimate is closer to one week. Going through four jars of peanut butter each month can't be good. I wake up each morning looking forward to my toaster waffles/peanut butter/honey breakfast. Then later on I think to myself, "Hey, wouldn't a 3 pm snack of peanut butter and honey with saltine crackers be ever so delicious?" And it is. Then I'll usually have another type of bread product with peanut butter and honey later on in the day, perhaps during dinner or as a late-night snack. Rice cakes are particularly tasty.

Really, any carbohydrate will work. Tortilla chips, popcorn, pita bread...I'm even contemplating oatmeal. Point is though, if I ever decide to develop an allergy to peanuts, I'm screwed. I need a new staple food.

Zen.

Fantastic class today in Asian Religions. Monday's class was canceled, which we found out today was due to Dr. Nadeau being stranded in New York. He explained that he probably could have fixed it, as he realized he was stranded on Saturday, but why would he try? We all appreciated his slacker attitude, especially since our last class is fast approaching.

He began today with a joke. Q: What Valentine's card was sent by Nagarjuna (a famous philosopher of the Doctrine of Emptiness) to his lover? A: " You mean nothing to me." Dr. Nadeau responded, "Romantic, eh?"

I won't go into our lesson, though it was a great one on Zen practices and how they basically regard with contempt anything seen as sacred in traditional Buddhist practices. On one day a year they go into town and get drunk with the geishas, and they are sure to eat a large meal every day after noon. I think my favorite part of today's class was when he was describing the three sects of Buddhism, one being Zen. Zen Buddhism was adopted heavily by the warrior class at the time that it became popular. This is why Zen is often connected with different forms of combat, such as archery or martial arts. While describing marital arts, he couldn't think of the word "karate." So what does he do? He acts out karate moves around the front of the class, complete with sound effects ("HA! CHA! CHA! Jab jab jab!"). He looked to be quite a formidable opponent.

Currently Listening The Beatles (The White Album) By The Beatles see related

Lonely.

Friends, I now have no third roommate. Last Friday, when the pest control guy came to check the trap in my attic, he discovered that we had actually caught something (even though a cookie was used as bait--do animals even like cookies?). I now have a face to go with the name Cindy and I gave to our attic-critter. Of all things, Alfred is/was an extremely large raccoon. Maintenance brought him out of the attic and carried him, still in the trap of course, down to the parking area in front of my apartment. Preetika, always a giver, decided he looked hungry and pressed a honey granola bar into the metal cage. You could tell he appreciated the gesture.

Now, without my impromptu roommate, the apartment seems a quiet, lonely place. No one scratches at my ceiling or thumps around above my bed at 5:30 in the morning. I have no cause to stand guard at the trap door, hair straightener in hand. I must find another reason to bother the Keystone management.

Alfie, you'll be missed.