Buckeyes

Likely Craig won't be pleased at the title of this post. It's got something to do with college rivalry and his complete disgust for Ohio State. Nevertheless, we were in Cleveland, Ohio this past weekend to see our good friend Gordo, to help him see through his entire 30th birthday, from early afternoon when we landed from New York at Hopkins, all the way to 5 a.m. the next day. Painful. Staying awake past 9 takes courage anymore, much less to almost the next morning. But we did it. It was a fantastic time - Gordo's girlfriend Julie made so much food, it was as though we were beginning the holidays early - and such games (previously foreign to me) as beer pong and flip cup were played, as well as Left Right Center (which I just missed but possibly could have won and brought home tons of money. Oh, well). Gordo and Julie live in a completely cute neighborhood lined with modest Midwestern homes with backyards covered in snow and lit by pure orange dusks as seen above. I won't lie: I kind of missed the old world. Nothing like returning to stinky subways, jabbing elbows and curbs littered with trash to remind you that the everyday Midwest actually does feel nice to call home. But don't jump to any conclusions: I still love it here.*As evidence of my continued love for this City, we are planning a solid, happy and likely sidesplitting reunion here in NYC for New Year's Eve. My friends Roger and Mary are spending some time in Cleveland for the holidays, some time in Rochester (New York) then heading here. Our co-worker Wojo and his girlfriend Karen, plus Gordo and Julie (whom it took no time to convince to come! yay!) will all be here, plus an old friend of all of theirs named Jenny. It will be flat out fun - Gordo, Roger and Wojo worked together in Milwaukee way way back, Roger and Wojo worked in Houston together not long after, and Craig roomed with Gordo in Farmington Hills (MI) right around the same time Roger and Wojo were in Texas. Then I met Rog in St. Louis, and there you have it: many, many degrees of separation with continued reconnection. We have such great friends!*Moving on to what I wanted to say, at the tail end of this post - I had a really stimulating class tonight and next week marks my first last class in New York (first last meaning first last of semester, since I plan to take more). I've loved it - I haven't missed one. (See old college KB - never skipping school, such a nerd). I've found my new book club, though I missed my first meeting Sunday night due largely to the fact I had seen the light of 5 a.m. Sunday morning in Cleveland and landed back in New York in no shape for book club. We're reading Howard's End next, followed by On Beauty, a book written only recently but inspired by E.M. Forster (and Howard's End). Our next (my first) meeting is at a yoga studio belonging to one of the members - how great is that?? And basically, if I had to stand up on a chair and say it loud to anyone who would listen - New York has afforded, does and will continue to afford me opportunities that were never just right there. So much for dusky skies. This morning I saw bright pink reflections on the skyline of New York as I traveled into Queens. The skies behind us were lit by the gorgeous reddish morning. How could I miss one moment of the suburbs? New York has it all.*