Well, it's been quite some time, hasn't it? Two and a half weeks or so, should be, since that's the last time I was home. It's taken me that long to get online. :P Finally, though, after moving my computer up 3 flights, getting an ethernet cord delivered from Albany (courtesy of housemate Pam's parents), screwing up Ayako's computer getting the software I need put on a Zip disk, contacting Laura to get the password and a few more days of random troubleshooting ending with the discovery that our router has a bum plug, I am finally world wide again. Of course, I haven't found a chair for my computer table yet, so I'm sitting on the floor and reaching up to my Ikea desk to type. Ouch.
Much has happened since I last wrote. I guess I'll take it one day at a time and try to break it up so that a lazy ass like me might actually read it.
Day 1 - I drive up. We leave late, it's rainy, the highway downtown is crowded with traffic, and I'm driving without the use of my rear-view mirror due to massive amounts of stuff hovering behind our seats. We stay in the Holiday Inn in Beckley. Whoo.
Day 2 - We get here. I drive some, mom drives some, we stop in Wexford to figure out how to get to Oakland without the use of the tunnels, which are under construction. Say hi to Bruce, Kathy, and Jonathan, then take off to go move in. Get all my stuff out of the car and pile the vast majority in the dining room. Thankfully my bed is here and installed, and I actually get to sleep on it before working the next day. Mom takes off to go back to Bruce and Kathy's around dinnertime.
Day 3 - First day of work. Alexys and I begin our recycling odyssey joined at the hip in an empty cubicle and start on the Campus Recycling Master Plan, a term which thenceforth becomes annoyingly overused.
The rest of the week is basically this - wake up at 8, dress, grab a Slim Fast and make a peanut-butter pita sandwich and throw a bottle of flavored water into my backpack. Walk 20 minutes to the FMS building, sweating like hell because it's HOT. Work until noon, eat lunch with Alexys and sometimes Jeff (her sweetie boyfriend). Go back to work, quit at 5, go home, eat something before I pass out, take some stuff upstairs or downstairs, waste time, shower, go to bed.
Now the interesting parts. Wednesday night it is discovered that not only is the Cirque du Soleil in town, but they're leaving on Sunday. We all agree to buy tickets, groaning, and Jeff gets them online. Thursday night we meet up and fork over 62 dollars each and head downtown to PNC park (the tents are in the parking lot). It is so worth the money. Magnificent artistry, talented people, beautiful colors and textures, live music that can only be described as sublime (not the band), funny clowns, wonderful wonderful. Staggeringly overpriced food and a 'VIP' tent (you know I hate those). Those attending: Ayako, Me, Pam, Alexys, Jeff, and Dave. I rode with Jeff and Dave in Dave's car, the 3 girls rode with Alexys. On the way out, Alexys turned right and Dave turned left, for the hell of it. We were to meet at La Fiesta (1/2 price Mexican food after 11 pm) - they got there with no problem, we were 20 minutes late because we were wandering around downtown. Dave followed some of Jeff's directions, but not all of them. Zooming down alleyways, making left turns because the last one was right, going around in circles, laughing hilariously - good times. We ended up taking the bridge across the river over to Southside, because we at least could get home from Carson street. Ayako called to find out where the hell we were about the time I spotted Philthy McNasty's (a restaurant) and I knew we were set.
Hm, what next. Goodwill shopping for work clothes one day (all I have are cheap t-shirts with printing on them, not quite work attire although no one's said anything), lots of grocery shopping and hummus consumption, eating out various places, cooking various meals.
This past weekend was very social - Friday night I went to yoga with Ayako (ouch), then went back home to bake a vegan spiced date and walnut cake (although I substituted every ingredient except dates and sugar, but only because I didn't have them, not cuz they weren't vegan) which turned out good but scone-like. We hauled ass over to Edleen's dessert party and had a very multi-cultural evening. There was me and Ayako, a Korean designer friend of Edleens, Edleen herself who I found out is Haitian, Rodolfo the Chem-E from Chile, a Mech-E and her boyfriend, and two Pitt students from Brazil and Romania. Or was it Bulgaria? Somewhere. Everyone was very cool and we had lots of good wholesome discussion, and lots of dessert.
Next day we joined Alexys, Jeff and Dave, along with Chris (Doulgeris) Blue (looking fabulous in his mini-fro and navy and white jogging suit, by the way) and Edleen and went to the 'Strawberry Festival' at the ... something house off of Highway 28 (no idea). The Festival was strawberry shortcake for 3 bucks a pop under the porch, plus a 2 dollar entrance fee. I of course had no cash, so Ayako was my sugar mama, albeit begrudgingly. The house was hand built in the 1820s and looks better than the room I'm currently in. Filled with old stuff and agressive volunteers. We got hijacked upstairs by a woman in period dress discussing the history of the railroad in the Pittsburgh Area, then managed to escape outside (Ayako remained trapped within discussing career options). Alexys and I wandered into the tool shed to examine old settlers and Native American tools, only to be hijacked ourselves by a knowledgable old man explaining the various displays. Explaining the leather warrior weapons, he progressed to stories of inhumane treatment of Indians, especially in the Florida trailer parks, where they should be educated and given a decent house like everyone else (good intentions, didn't quite get the picture, sweet man). Discussing the atrocities of Custer, he branched off into good old fashioned Christian preaching and held us, um, spellbound for a good half hour, mostly looking at me while telling me to accept Jesus into my heart before the world ends. Finally he said he had to close up, but as we were leaving invited us back in for prayer. Interesting guy. Ahem.
Anyhoo, after our escape we proceeded to the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Mt. Lebanon for the Greek Food festival. Overpriced but good, rainy unfortunately. Ayako and Edleen were the only non-white non-Greek attendees. Ayako said she was getting 'Oh, so *that's* what they look like' looks. There was dancing and a live band in the gym, and Edleen and Chris (remember, Doulgeris) joined the circle and danced pretty well. Then the ameteurs left and the professionals took the stage in full costume and did some incredible dancing. Hot greek men doing traditional dance is very.. um, pleasing to watch. Mmmm.
At about 9 we took off and went back to campus, and Ayako and I rented 'Pleasantville'. I watched it all, Ayako passed out about halfway. Next day, it was GORGEOUS. 70 something degrees, bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds, and of course everything is super green. After a mexican breakfast to get rid of my avacado, I went out on the deck and used oil sticks to paint in my sketchbook. Ayako came out and drew me in pastels. I knitted a little, then we went to yoga (ouch) with Edleen and Lori. After yoga and a shower, we met at Aladdins for good cheap Middle Eastern food, then to the Coffee Tree Roasters for some goood coffee (white mocha, mmmm).
Today I got back from a harrowing day at work (we're behind already!), made Tofu Pad Thai and watched part of Goldfinger (Lisa had never seen a Bond movie). Ayako's downstairs catching what she missed of Pleasantville (love that Tobey Maguire, and Reese Witherspoon is the best) and I plodded upstairs to solve my DSL dilemma.
Expect more updates whenever I find a decent chair.
