Today, the professor presented the class with our grades for the quiz we took two weeks ago. I got a C. Not a plus or a minus. A solid C.
Oh well, better luck next time.
Did I tell you how much I absolutely hate the chemistry segment of biology?
I swear I'm hanging around family too much. The last few trips to Boston were with my mother which, trying as it may have been at times, managed to be enjoyable. This past Easter weekend was no different, only there were two additions, my cousins. Because they hadn't been before, Friday, we took them into Boston, hopped the Red line, and situated them both on the Freedom Trail. Meanwhile, my mother and I headed to a cemetery in Roxbury to find a grave for her genealogy project. After we accomplished all that was needed, we headed back into Boston proper and met up with the others to finish out the remainder of the trail.
Leaving the North End, I was left with a feeling inside. It felt different, not tiring or frustrating, just a kinda sorta empty and longing feeling. More longing, actually. Then it all came full circle; Boston hasn't been explored on my own in well over ten years. It was all clear now. Each and every time I have visited it has been either with other travelers or for exclusive visits to people.
It's not like I have never had a great time. That's just the opposite. In fact, my impression of this city is only of fun and happiness, not to mention the youthful transgressions that still make my friends and I laugh reminiscing about them. What happened was I haven't, in a long time, given myself a mini solo trip, a chance to spread my wings again and be as unfettered and independent in what I believe to be, the second greatest city in the country.
The next and last day of our quick city jaunt, the group split up. My mother and cousins went to Fenway Park and I, all by my little lonesome, went to explore the campus of the university I will start attending this summer. Although I am a distant student and won't be campus bound for my education, I still have all the privileges afforded to me as if I were studying brick and mortar style. While there, it felt so good to relax, walk around, and take everything in stride. Aside from the excitement of seeing the campus, it confirmed the need for some Boston alone time. It also gave me a chance to breath and plot my next trip to the city, alone. Without a travel companion.
Hopefully, the next trip will be to come back, get my student ID, maybe purchase textbooks if classes happen to be starting then. That will be the business side of things. The rest will be a nice meal, some meandering around, maybe a T ride to some random destination. If she's available, perhaps I could meet up with H for some fun and always enjoyable times together. Something, anything, to return that piece of Bostonian freedom back inside my soul again.
Shelter duty proved to be an easy, breezy night. I was teamed with the same person I volunteered with last month. In an odd twist of events, I actually got to know and like a guest whom I previously always seemed to butt heads with. We chatted about nutrition, of all subjects, and she began to open up about certain periods in her life. It was eye opening and the divider between us began to crumble.
Today was spent pretty much all day at the NY Times travel show where I was able to procure a 50% discounted entrance ticket thanks to one of the many travel forums I visit. Otherwise, in my honest opinion, it wasn't worth the full price.
One of the few things I looked forward to were the sweepstakes and various freebies. It's also good to know that my collection of free pens will continue to be safe and sound for another twenty years. I scored a few Post-It note pads and an American Express key chain/flashlight. I also had a lively conversation with the person at the Romania booth who seemed relieved to hear that I knew more about her native country than Dracula's castle.
I did win a trip, a 5 day cruise to Bermuda. But something was fishy about that congratulatory phone call and the suspicious feeling inside my gut was confirmed. Sundance Vacations is your run of the mill scam operation. Better luck next time, I guess.
Biology class started today and I thought I was going to die when the alarm clock went off at 7:20am. That's not a normal time to be up on a Saturday morning, unless you're just coming in from a night out.
My first worry was that the class would be difficult, though my biggest fret was over the issue of dissection. This is something I am morally against. After some investigation, I learned that previous classes dissected fetal pigs, was resigned to this fact, and only okay with it because I consume pork. Infrequent as it may be. Thankfully, the professor informed us that instead, we will be dissecting owl pellets.
Since the professor has an accent, I misheard owl pellet as owl palette. For the remainder of the class, I was beside myself with anxiety. An owl's palate? What a serious waste of a living creature. My mind danced about with disturbing visions of owls being culled only for their precious palettes and left to die a cruel palette less death on the ground beneath the tree they were perched in. After doing an online search, Yahoo blasted back at me with a corrective, "do you mean owl pellet?" Woosh! Thankfully, I learned it was nothing painful and will actually be a cool thing to dissect. Well, not painful for the owl, just their prey.
I don't have a crystal ball, but I think this professor will make the class informative and interesting. I have a weird feeling I'm older than her too.
I keep telling myself that it's only twelve Saturdays until it's all over. Twelve Saturdays.
