Tornado Town

Ten months into my existence here.

I'm sure I'm not fooling anyone into thinking that I'm from the Midwest, but one thing that definitely gives me away is my reaction to the tests for the city tornado sirens. I've tried to register that they're tested the same day each month, but I'm caught off guard every time. This morning left a particularly strong impression, because the bus driver timed it perfectly so that a siren tower started sounding off just as the bus drove past it.

Heart palpitations, followed by a quick check of the watch to confirm that it was 11AM, followed by the inability to believe that June was already here.

Considering the severity of this tornado season, I consider myself lucky that this is the worst that I've dealt with here. It boggles my mind that a city that is paralyzed by 1/2 inch of sleet can react with such tolerance to the idea of a giant funnel cloud swooping their homes up and away to Oz.

Spooky Slumber

Man. I need to start going to bed earlier on nights when I don't have a reason to be up late. I know this isn't revelatory or anything, but I feel tired enough today to feel ill.

Furthermore, I need to work on my food scheme. At my old job, I could get away with a stupid dinner because I'd have a reasonable salad for lunch every day from the salad bar (despite the fact that it tasted like Band-Aids about 20% of the time and had unwanted ham slices tainting all of the non-meat options.) Here, my diet of lots of tomato soup and miscellaneous carbs and sometimes fruit just makes me feel wiped. And in the case of class today, hypoglycemic enough to get up and run out of the room to find something to eat when the professor ran late and wouldn't stop talking.

That said, I'm a bit sad that A) I still haven't found candy corn to supplement my deliciously poor diet, and B) I won't be getting Trick-or-Treaters at my house because of the layout of my apartment building. Still, I will admire my little pumpkin and try to brainstorm a stellar 80s costume for an upcoming party this weekend...

Morning procrastination

Writing here is better than outlining overdue readings, no?

Briefly: my car was nailed in my home parking garage earlier in the month courtesy of a very special drunk gentleman, who then parked and tried to get away several hours later in his smushed up car despite a witness and video surveillance.

So, although my car was MIA for almost 2 weeks, it has so far worked out for the best, and forced me to spend some quality time on the shuttle to and from school. This also allowed for some catching up on what it means to ride public transportation in the midwest , i.e. having your bus driver smoke on the bus.

This weekend I have some goals of spookiness (possibly spooky maze and spooky movies) to make up for last weekend's unnecessarily harsh self-imposed exile out of society and into my apartment to study for stats. I like having my own space, but this is one example of it working against me.

It's unclear how music studying is getting done nowadays anyway, with the resurgence of the previously self-described "Idiots" taking another shot at winning the World Series. I cling to this rare chance of televised American League home team like a crazy lady, which most people here take to assume means that I've always been one of Those Fans. If they knew me better, they'd know how homesick I really am.

Remember September

That title sounds like a 1950's senior school dance theme.

So I figured that instead of doing work and making progress towards not flunking out of my program, I'd spend the evening with pumpkin beer, cheese, bread, and hundreds of digital photos from days of yore. There were a lot of good laughs in the process, but now I've accomplished little aside from stirring up homesickness.

Good work.

Let's try to summarize September since I managed to not post for almost a month:

1) Survived stats exam nicely. Not expecting to repeat this in the future.
2) Handling other classes pretty decently.
3) Failing at reading 4232 papers for the research review paper I need to write this semester.
4) Admire my incoming class for strong efforts to engage in fun group activities. Worry a little bit about the potential insularity of it. Still, it's been 6 weeks. Must give it time.
5) Study habits will help Panera post a sizable profit margin this quarter. Other pleasant study place filled with husky paraphernalia and faux-Canadian decor.
6) Admire the amount of restaurants offering sidewalk tables and outdoor eating. I need to make myself do this more often, when the budget allows it.
7) Still on a quest for my personal brunch place.
8) Located Chinatown, which is actually bizarre assembly of unattractive strip malls/freestanding stores. Still, snackies make the trip there worth it. Also finally had dim sum for the first time, after neglecting many chances to do so previously in That Other City.
9) Ventured to the independent theater for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. Also, as seems to be the trend, they sell booze and frozen custard.
10) Have yet to eat frozen custard. This seems impossible, given my ice cream love. A trip to Ted Drewe's is on my list.
11) Still haven't gotten paid since moving here. Crisis scenario on the horizon if this isn't resolved ASAP.
12) I do admire the number of free/cheap things to do around here on the weekends. Still, it feels very small.
13) Had our first tornado watch. Nothing too exciting but it was interesting to see the streets emptier than usual.
14) Visited museum of modern art; saw cool exhibit (also free.)
15) Hatred of cupcakes overwhelmed by delicious cupcake place in my neighborhood.
16) Enjoyed humorous Midwest version of rock scene. At least the beer is cheap.
17) Purchased pepper spray and The Club. I feel armed and dangerous, and a bit ridiculous.
18) Still using a Staples paper box as my coffee table.
19) Finally started using little gym in my building. It's great and I have no excuse to avoid it (but will generate plenty.)
20) I've managed to drop this computer three times in two days. Hoping to avoid repeat performances and thinking that it's time to buy that renter's insurance.

All right. That's the best I can do for now to make up for being terrible at updates.

flunking blogging

I knew when I started this thing that I would be terrible at upkeep. Part of the problem is spontaneity -- I think I've been spoiled by instant messaging over the years, where I can immediately send off disposable thoughts to others with little consequence as opposed to sitting down and trying to formulate something after the fact. That, and I still feel self conscious in thinking that anything I post here is actually worth reading, especially without a specific "angle" to what I write.

Anyway.

I walked (dear God!) to the Bread Co in my neighborhood today (Panera to the normal folk) and found a few more interesting businesses along the way -- more art galleries, a Middle Eastern restaurant that holds some promise, and a place that looks great for Sunday brunch. Given that the little Mexican place on this stretch turned out to be really good and pretty cheap, I'm trying to remain positive. Still, part of what I find eerie about this city is the lack of people/pedestrian traffic, and that feels echoed in the "for rent" units interspersed between these businesses. I'm curious to watch what happens in the next few years.

The plus side remains that I really like my program and the people in it. I guess I've spent enough time applying to, attending, (and in some cases, leaving) the wrong grad programs that the sacrifices associated with going to one that might be right for me will have to be worth it. But for now, it's a challenge to not let my mind wander and think too much about all of the things I like about other places that I can't be right now. For the next five years.

finding my footing

Well, I'm a little behind.

Whether it was the lack of consistent wireless access, or just feeling overwhelmed from the move, there haven't been a lot of times in the last week where I've felt like sitting down and writing.

I guess I'll probably have more things to say about the trip here and the first week at some point, but for now I'll aim to look forward.

There's been a lot of driving around the city and vicinity -- some of it intentional, some of it because my GPS doesn't quite have the knack for deciding the best routes.

A recurring feeling this last week has been a bit of claustrophobia. It doesn't seem possible -- there aren't any mountains or valleys or anything at all, really, to limit my view of the horizon, except the city itself. I've gone out and driven every day, and until today it really felt like I could only go a few blocks without hitting disrepair (and, often times, areas that were debatably unsafe.) I'd prefer to be on foot, frankly, but haven't found a direction to walk yet where I didn't have to turn around after a short distance. My neighborhood has been billed as one of the hubs of the city, but I sometimes have been wondering if I'm missing something aside from the cluster of businesses right by my building.

Today, though, I got legitimately lost driving through the city park and it was one of the best feelings I've had since I arrived. After previously seeing some of the less exciting parts, I found the right combination of roads to take me to some really beautiful sections, and it was such a relief to be able to just keep moving forward. (Although, I suspect I may have been going in a giant circle at some point -- it would help if my internet was decent enough at this point to at least let me download a map.) I guess it's a bit cliched to like the park, but I'm happy and am looking forward to spending more time on foot exploring all of the things there before the weather turns.

On top of that, I spent some more time exploring one of the other neighborhoods I had considered before moving here -- there's definitely some charm to it and it felt nice to think that I had a possible (albeit likely more expensive) option in the future if I ever felt like moving closer to campus.

I guess it's a good thing to be feeling positive, because orientation starts tomorrow. Right now my insides are an odd mixture of confidence and cluelessness.

P.S.

Seriously? Is this what cicadas sound like? I can't imagine what else that sound would be. They are out of control with their bug love, or whatever that noise is for. It's like the fire alarm going off at my old workplace. I walked up to a tree to investigate yesterday and they got really quiet; I guess I'm not their type. As it is, I should consider myself lucky -- the units on the other side of my building are right next to them, whereas I have a buffer of restaurant rooftops that blow the tasty and slightly dizzying smells of Eurasian foods and grease into my windows all night long.

P.P.S.

Whoever thought that attaching the trash room to the laundry room and outfitting the laundry room with really heavy doors that don't prop open was a good idea was actually mistaken. Still, it's better than having to haul my trash and dirty clothes up and down several flights. I think.

meet me in...

Made it in body, at least.

More updates soon. Goals are small now and include, getting mattress, getting wireless set up, furnishing apartment...the good stuff.

But even smaller goal for now: sleep.