traveling, traveling, traveling
reading: The Legend of Kamui by Shirato Sanpei
listening: Myriad Harbour by the New Pornographers
On Friday I just got back from Boston to visit one of the many universities the area has to offer in my applications to PhD programs. It's a beautiful city, quite walkable, and I enjoyed campus (though I didn't get to see most of it). While there, I journaled about the program and what I noticed about its offerings, my feelings, and information I got from current grad students and faculty.
Flying is my favorite way to travel because it's so infrequent for me, and feels really special. But it is exhausting. I hate dealing with the TSA like everyone else, but thankfully haven't encountered too many major frustrations. Knock on wood. The one thing I hate is having to rush to a connecting flight--I'd rather have a longer layover so I can chill for a moment and really stretch my legs, or explore the weird airport stores, but this time around I was running from gate to gate for both legs of the flight. I didn't get the chance to eat anything when flying from NYC back home, so when I got back, T took me to dinner and I ate an entire pizza. Without getting too graphic, I had some bad stomach issues the next day, but it was truthfully worth it--the pizza tasted like ambrosia after being so hungry.
Next week, at the end of February, I'll be traveling again to Minnesota to tour another campus, then in early March, I'll be flying to Philly to the NeMLA conference. This is the most travel I've done in such a short term in my life--my family was never big on trips or vacations for a variety of reasons (for both perfectly understandable as well as total bullshit reasons), so it's something I feel very privileged to do.
I only wish the weather around here in February would be a bit more predictable and reasonable. Before flying to Boston, I stayed overnight in a hotel so T and I wouldn't have to brave the interstate to get to the airport in potentially dangerous conditions. I'll be glad to visit MN in the winter to see what it's really like and how cold it really gets, so I'll know how to prepare if that's the school I end up attending.
There are some truly massive decisions ahead of me, and I also admit the anxiety is getting to me. I truly feel like I'm at a crossroads where either choice is equally good, but for different and equally valid reasons. It's stressful, but I feel optimistic in general.
- Marc