Moving on so I can catch up and actually write about my Yale visit.
It was Tess's first visit to the city so we had to brainstorm what to do. We settled on the Natural History Museum after eating at Fred's, a nice brunch place named after a black lab. Brunch is becoming my favorite meal, now. And my biggest meal, when I can get it.
James went shopping while we museumed because he was making a really cool dinner that night…unfortunately I don't remember what it's called. It's similar to chinese dumplings though.
We had to pay to get into the museum, or rather, make a suggested donation, which I thought was lame! But it was worth it. We spent most of our time in the dinosaur exhibits since Tess is super interested in that. And near the end of the day we went to the ocean room and saw the BIG BLUE WHALE! It was huge.
Even if we had spent the whole day there it still would've been impossible to see everything, but I think we spent our time wisely. It was all very cool and interesting. Though I think I learned that I'm a little more interested in the oceans than I am about dinosaurs–though I enjoy learning about both.
there'll be more pics from this visit later. I just have to get them from TessTess kept trying to persuade me to go into archeology or something of that realm, but to no avail. I'm pretty set on my passions for healthy food and a healthy world.
Tess would also exclaim, "that would be so fun to ride!" when she saw the skeleton of a dinosaur…. Oh Tess. haha! I feel as though we're really becoming friends. I thoroughly enjoy her company and we never seem to run out of things to talk about.
She also keeps me sane when I have my "bad Parker" days. I bounce my feelings off of her and usually end up with more insights about my own emotions at the end of the day because of that.
After the museum we made a stop at whole foods and picked up, I think, 4 things. It was almost $50!
I know why good organic food is so expensive, believe me, I do. I work on an organic farm and it's not easy. But $50 for 4 items?! That's impossible. If we really want a food revolution, that must change.
Soon after we got back to the apartment Darren arrived and although I'm positive I'd met him before, I couldn't quite place when or where. But it was awesome getting to chat with him! Kate has really awesome friends, I like all of them. It makes me nervous and excited about going to college and making my own friends. I can only hope they're half as awesome. So far, though, most of the ppl I meet at colleges seem pretty bland. Though that's probably because they really don't care to show me much of their personality since I'm not part of their world.
One thing I've noticed when visiting colleges is that I'm introduced to someone, and then they start acting as though I don't exist and chat with other people about things I couldn't possibly understand because I don't go to that school. I think it's just a freshman thing…the whole new college-new life selfishness. I believe most people grow out of that. But it's annoying.
Don't get me wrong, not everyone is like that. But enough to get to me a little bit.
And a mildly related personal note, lately I've been feeling somewhat left behind, since now my friends are settling in with their new lives and they're making new friends. I wouldn't change anything, because I still love where I am, it's just...it is what it is, gap years ARE hard sometimes, especially if you go down my path and don't join a program with a bunch of other kids your age.
I'm just not able to "settle" into anything long-term and I'm not in a place to make new friends, really, so I still feel like my only friends are my old friends–but they're all moving on.
Luckily, it's easy to work the pain away here. That sounds harsh, but it's actually really nice.
Back to NYC…
The dinner James made was delicious. And after we ate Tess and I took off for home. It was a long, fun day.
And driving to and from the city is nothing to me now. I'm very happy with my new confidence as a driver.
That is really rough, the whole friends thing...but I have no doubt that you will find a way to surround yourself with very good people...and you're actually doing a remarkably good job of that even though you aren't part of a program...it may not feel like it because you don't see many people very often, but you are definitely making meaningful connections where it counts.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, if you do ever come stay with us for a good length of time, I promise to introduce you to all of my friends here, that they may become yours as well!
Miss and love you!
(PS-we had a really great day, too!) (Come more often!) (though I have to admit that I am super proud of you for taking the initiative to visit all your friends at all these different places.)
(I'm also drinking the ridiculously honey-y tea you brought me from your galapagos journeys as I read this...I am so excited for you on all these various adventures, but I miss you. Go soak up everything you can, but keep coming back to us in between, k?)
I loved those Chinese dumplings...
ReplyDeleteSo all those dinosaur documentaries we watched for naught?! I would've preferred ocean documentaries. :-p
And maybe you won't go through that freshmen selfishness, since this experience is more rewarding in building character. College kids are figuring out who they are just as you are, only they have to test it out with people, leading to some weird social interactions. You'll be in a better starting place, I think.