One Week Review

Though I hesitate to say that I am wiser, more knowledgeable, after only a week, I’m still going to make you people listen as though this is a milestone. And maybe it is.

So, without further adieu, things I’ve learned in the past week:

1) My family is crazy.

Just read the comments sections to understand this one.

2) Big cities like explosives.

The fireworks display put on by the city of Boston was phenomenal, more fireworks than any other single celebration I’ve ever seen (though Epcot for a celebration at midnight on Dec. 31 was close). There wasn’t much wind, though, so about half of the show was viewed like cloud-to-cloud lightning (there you go, Pat): parts of a cloud sometimes got brighter than the rest (and some of those flashes were colored). It was interesting, though I suppose I would have preferred to see those parts of the show.

3) Variety is the spice of life…

But sometimes you want something you’ve always had. There are restaurants from many different cultures here, and I’ve enjoyed getting to have Indian food again, some good Thai food, Mexican (though they didn’t have salsa, stupid salmonella), and fish and chips which I suppose is technically British. All that said, the best two meals I’ve had since getting here were Thai food (with sweet chili sauce; ooh that stuff is good) and a cheeseburger at a corner pub just half a block away from where I’m staying. What were two of my favorite restaurants in AR: a hamburger joint in Fort Smith and a Thai place in Fayetteville. Sometimes, all you want is what you’re used to.

4) Practice is useful.

In this case, practice means living away from friends and family, from my comfort zone. I’m starting to get used to this, which makes grad school look a little more manageable. That being said, I’m sure the solo life up there will be different than the one down here, so maybe this isn’t much practice after all.

That’s it for musings after week 1. I did, by the way, come up with another thing to do while I’m here—visit the Sam Adams brewery. We’ll see what else there is.