I write to you now while agitated and still on edge from what just happened to me. I suspect parts of this story may seem incoherent or unclear. But I need to get this story off my chest and I don't plan to edit it once I'm done. Tonight was the first time I have ever felt as if my fate was not in my own hands when driving my car. It is a scary feeling.
Typically, I try hard to be conscientious of those around me and try to anticipate the actions of others. Heck, my driving pet peeves list is based on behaviors that I have trouble understanding. Then, there are the few times where you are in a situation that is unavoidable no matter how many contingency plans you may have in place, no matter how much you "anticipate" the actions of other, and regardless of how "careful" you are as a driver. Tonight, I experienced one of those moments.
I went out to dinner with a few friends and, for the most part, had a good time (the company was good but it didn't make up for the terrible food). It didn't take long for me to get home but parking, apparently, was an ordeal. It was taking me longer to find a parking spot than it did to actually get to the neighborhood!
I went around my usual spots to no avail. I decided to go back to one of my old stand-by's from when I first moved to the neighborhood. On the way to that side street, I came across an intersection that I cross practically every time I'm driving. Though I am always on the street with the stop sign, tonight I was on the cross street that doesn't require you to stop.
My gut reaction was to come to a full stop. The cynic in me feels it is necessary to say that it could also have been my familiarity with the intersection that caused me to stop. I stopped at the intersection despite: not having a stop sign to have to stop on; there being NO sign of a car coming on the cross street; and the clear violation of one of my own pet peeves (though there was no one around me to prove I did it). When I realized what I had done, I figured I could use that chance to look around for a parking spot but there was none in sight so I moved on to the area where I used to park.
One of these streets is a one way road that is parallel to train tracks (not MTA). On this road, there is a curve that redirects traffic back to the grid where my residence is. Typically, as I approached the curve, I tend to coast into the curve and begin accelerating halfway through it. Tonight, however, I approached it at a much more "casual" speed than I'm used to driving at and didn't even consider accelerating as I entered it. I am now grateful for this change in routine because for some inexplicable reason there was a car coming in the opposite direction along this one way street. We both came to an abrupt stop and came within a few inches of hitting each other. If it was a parking spot, even the skinniest of my friends would have had trouble walking between our cars.
My heart was in my throat and I could feel it pounding harder than it ever has in my adult life. I felt my blood rushing through every vein and artery in my body as the other car began the slow retreat in reverse up the street to give me room to pass. I took several deep breaths - it was all my body would allow me to take - and closed my eyes. At that moment, I decided to not let my anger take a hold of me. I was grateful for the fortuitous turn of events and would simply drive past the fool that nearly changed my life (to varying degrees, of course, but I'll leave that up to your interpretation). As I passed the car, I didn't look at the driver. I didn't want to have a reason to hate someone with the intense passion that I knew I would be feeling later.
I drove past the curve and did not find a spot to park in which made me resentful for even going to that area to begin with. I drove around the neighborhood for a few minutes more before finding a space several blocks further than I'm used to parking around. My nerves were still rattled but I was beginning to calm down.
I walk up the sloped street on the way to my house. On this street, the sidewalks are slippery - due to irresponsible neighbors - making them fairly treacherous to walk on. Pedestrians have the option of taking their chances walking through that (might I remind you, on an incline) or walking in the street. I chose to walk on the street. Just mere moments after I set foot on the cold asphalt, a car turns onto the street from the top of the slope and approaches me slowly. I immediately recognized the car! It was the same one that almost hit me just a few minutes prior!
As the car comes to a stop next to me, several thoughts race through my head: maybe the driver wants to apologize for being a complete asshole; maybe it's the exact opposite and he wants to give ME shit for nearly crashing into HIM; or maybe the guy is having trouble finding an address (considering there is a 60th Road, 60th Avenue, and 60th Place in the immediate area, I can imagine someone being easily confused). As he rolls down his window, it becomes instantly clear to me that he doesn't know me from Adam and he proceeds to ask me how to get to a street that he is NOWHERE nearby! This was a slight relief as I wasn't in mood for his shit but I also was repressing a lot of anger and just wanted to ask him what the fuck he was thinking back there on the curve. I gave him very general directions since I feared any additional use of my voice would result in me reading him the riot act and I wasn't really eager to start a fight (verbal or otherwise) when all I wanted to do was get home. The man thanks me and drives off in his POS car as I continue up the 'hill'.
My hands weren't quite as shaky as they were when I parked but I still felt my blood coursing through my body and my breathing had only steadied slightly. I decided to update my facebook status to reflect my mood: "Alan is grateful for his instincts and, on nights like tonight, believes there are spirits watching over him". As a believer of the occult, I truly feel fortunate and these occasions make me think again about the existence of entities in realms/dimensions/planes of existence other than our own. I'm thankful I have the opportunity to vent about a close call and not recalling a story of how my car needed to be repaired (or worse yet, me needing to be repaired).
It also brought to light many things that I've taken for granted. I hope to not put myself in a position where I may live to regret my actions (or inaction) should something more serious and devastating ever happen to me in the future.
Until next time, faithful reader... (there will be a next time)
UPDATE: For those of you who are curious to see the intersection in question:
View Larger Map
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
RaUM: La Reconquista
Hello again,
Welcome back.
I've been staying true to the purpose of this blog which is, essentially, to not post anything if it feels like I'm forcing myself to write something. Posting an entry for the sake of writing anything seems to ruin the spirit of what I've got going here. The main reason why I haven't written a lot lately is not a lack of inspiration but rather a lack of time.
Much of this has been due to my indulgent personality. Once I find something I really enjoy, I tend to stick to it like glue. It's a bit obsessive, I know, but it's probably built into my DNA because I always seem to default to that. I often find myself fighting the urge to continue with the same old thing - whether it's a person, place, or thing - until I (1) finally give in and manage to forget about it or (2) find a new thing to focus on. Call me stubborn... or whatever else you will... =P
With my teaching job at QC starting at the end of January, I knew that I wouldn't be able to go out as often as I could in the weeks leading up to the start of the Spring semester. I took advantage of my free time by going out practically every night (there was a stretch where I honestly could not recall the last time I had been home before midnight). I spent the majority of my free time traveling around town, satiating my wanderlust with weekend getaways, keeping myself in good company, and simply enjoying all of these experiences. This has also forced me to give up pieces of the "old" me, for better and for worse. I stopped being a couch potato which is a good thing (though I still manage to make time for certain shows like Lost and 24, e.g.). I stopped blogging which, between you and me, is bad - for you and for me. I may have posted, albeit sporadically, in January, I'm sure there would have been more to read had I not been out gallivanting.
My current 'indulgence' is my teaching gig. I LOVE my new job!! I can't say that in enough ways to truly express how fortunate I feel to have the opportunity to teach others and to have found something that I am truly passionate about. Knowing I'm having a direct impact on others' lives - No! that isn't overstating the truth - is an intoxicating feeling. But that feeling is tempered by the understanding that after they're done with my class, they are now representative of me and my work. I take that seemingly minor fact seriously and I do everything I can to make sure that my kids come out of my class learning SOMETHING that they can apply in their other classes and in the 'real world'.
Now... I don't want to make it sound as if I regret how I've spent my free time. On the contrary, I've had an amazing start to the year! There is so much more for me to do, to see, and experiences that I hope to discover (and, in some instances, rediscover) in the near future. Though I did feel like I've neglected the blog a little over the past few weeks and didn't want to lose this part of myself. Despite my inability to properly manage my time, I will continue to compose my musings on my digital acres (brought to you by Blogger.com) so long as they continue to be random and unforced entries.
Well... that's all I've got for now (FYI, there is another entry in the works... should be posted some time this weekend).
Until next time, faithful reader...
Welcome back.
I've been staying true to the purpose of this blog which is, essentially, to not post anything if it feels like I'm forcing myself to write something. Posting an entry for the sake of writing anything seems to ruin the spirit of what I've got going here. The main reason why I haven't written a lot lately is not a lack of inspiration but rather a lack of time.
Much of this has been due to my indulgent personality. Once I find something I really enjoy, I tend to stick to it like glue. It's a bit obsessive, I know, but it's probably built into my DNA because I always seem to default to that. I often find myself fighting the urge to continue with the same old thing - whether it's a person, place, or thing - until I (1) finally give in and manage to forget about it or (2) find a new thing to focus on. Call me stubborn... or whatever else you will... =P
With my teaching job at QC starting at the end of January, I knew that I wouldn't be able to go out as often as I could in the weeks leading up to the start of the Spring semester. I took advantage of my free time by going out practically every night (there was a stretch where I honestly could not recall the last time I had been home before midnight). I spent the majority of my free time traveling around town, satiating my wanderlust with weekend getaways, keeping myself in good company, and simply enjoying all of these experiences. This has also forced me to give up pieces of the "old" me, for better and for worse. I stopped being a couch potato which is a good thing (though I still manage to make time for certain shows like Lost and 24, e.g.). I stopped blogging which, between you and me, is bad - for you and for me. I may have posted, albeit sporadically, in January, I'm sure there would have been more to read had I not been out gallivanting.
My current 'indulgence' is my teaching gig. I LOVE my new job!! I can't say that in enough ways to truly express how fortunate I feel to have the opportunity to teach others and to have found something that I am truly passionate about. Knowing I'm having a direct impact on others' lives - No! that isn't overstating the truth - is an intoxicating feeling. But that feeling is tempered by the understanding that after they're done with my class, they are now representative of me and my work. I take that seemingly minor fact seriously and I do everything I can to make sure that my kids come out of my class learning SOMETHING that they can apply in their other classes and in the 'real world'.
Now... I don't want to make it sound as if I regret how I've spent my free time. On the contrary, I've had an amazing start to the year! There is so much more for me to do, to see, and experiences that I hope to discover (and, in some instances, rediscover) in the near future. Though I did feel like I've neglected the blog a little over the past few weeks and didn't want to lose this part of myself. Despite my inability to properly manage my time, I will continue to compose my musings on my digital acres (brought to you by Blogger.com) so long as they continue to be random and unforced entries.
Well... that's all I've got for now (FYI, there is another entry in the works... should be posted some time this weekend).
Until next time, faithful reader...
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Rebirth of Slick and the Add-ons (RaUM Expansion Pack #1)
Hello friend,
Long time no see!
I've been actively filling up my free time with activities that have kept me away from my trusty (and dusty) ol' laptop for the better part of two weeks. This is a meager attempt at getting back to the habit of posting weekly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Musical Coffee Break 1-26-09 (Taking you back!)
Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That) by Digable Planets
They Reminisce Over You by Pete Rock and CL Smooth
Dwyck by Gangstarr
Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim
I'll Do For You by Father MC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now time for some add-ons to previously posted lists:
Driving Pet Peeves--
#2 - Idiots who take up two perfectly good parking spots with their one crappy car. This rule was originally considered when observing this behavior in residential parking areas. However, I now include the idiocy of taking up multiple spots in public parking lots as well.
#23 - Drivers that suddenly become VERY aware of the speed limit and somehow manage to drive 5 miles below it only because a police car is nearby. This typically occurs on the highways and not on local roads.
#14 - Drivers that stop at an intersection despite the obvious absence of an ACTUAL STOP SIGN!!
#7 - Drivers that signal left (or right) and turn in the opposite direction. This also applies to drivers that change lanes on the highway.
#10 - The misuse of high beams on the highway. Now granted, this is might make me seem real nitpicky but I truly feel that most drivers do not understand the purpose of the high beams. They don't know when to use it correctly and end up being rude to other drivers on the road.
Ultimately, my perspective is based on the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would like to be treated. On a two-way road, you do NOT want to have your high beams on as another car is passing in the opposite direction. It's somewhat blinding and just makes you a douchebag for doing it. You can shut the high beams on for a second or two and turn them back on once the car in the other lane passes. Also, have you ever driven at night and had a car behind you with the high beams on? Nasty glare off of your side view mirrors and rear view? Annoying, isn't it?? Don't do it to others.
Life Goals--
- Attend a live hockey game
- Try out for Jeopardy! (I don't even care if I don't make it... I just wanna try out once)
- Visit all 30 MLB stadiums and watch a game live (tours of ballparks DO NOT count and one must root for the home team unless our team of choice is the road team - 4 down 26 to go)
- Revisit: Baltimore
- Visit: Aruba (primarily since there are tentative plans in place)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE:
UFC 93 Predictions outcomes::
Jorge: 5 for 5 (including the round of two finishes and method of victory for another fight)
Roger: 3 for 5 (including predicting Hendo v Ace going to a decision)
Me: 2 for 5 (including predicting a decision for Lytle v Davis)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't worry, folks. There will be more stories to come re: my trip to Philly/Baltimore and my first day as Professor Gonzalez.
Be sure to stay tuned, ladies and gents!
Until next time...
Long time no see!
I've been actively filling up my free time with activities that have kept me away from my trusty (and dusty) ol' laptop for the better part of two weeks. This is a meager attempt at getting back to the habit of posting weekly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Musical Coffee Break 1-26-09 (Taking you back!)
Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That) by Digable Planets
They Reminisce Over You by Pete Rock and CL Smooth
Dwyck by Gangstarr
Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim
I'll Do For You by Father MC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now time for some add-ons to previously posted lists:
Driving Pet Peeves--
#2 - Idiots who take up two perfectly good parking spots with their one crappy car. This rule was originally considered when observing this behavior in residential parking areas. However, I now include the idiocy of taking up multiple spots in public parking lots as well.
#23 - Drivers that suddenly become VERY aware of the speed limit and somehow manage to drive 5 miles below it only because a police car is nearby. This typically occurs on the highways and not on local roads.
#14 - Drivers that stop at an intersection despite the obvious absence of an ACTUAL STOP SIGN!!
#7 - Drivers that signal left (or right) and turn in the opposite direction. This also applies to drivers that change lanes on the highway.
#10 - The misuse of high beams on the highway. Now granted, this is might make me seem real nitpicky but I truly feel that most drivers do not understand the purpose of the high beams. They don't know when to use it correctly and end up being rude to other drivers on the road.
Ultimately, my perspective is based on the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would like to be treated. On a two-way road, you do NOT want to have your high beams on as another car is passing in the opposite direction. It's somewhat blinding and just makes you a douchebag for doing it. You can shut the high beams on for a second or two and turn them back on once the car in the other lane passes. Also, have you ever driven at night and had a car behind you with the high beams on? Nasty glare off of your side view mirrors and rear view? Annoying, isn't it?? Don't do it to others.
Life Goals--
- Attend a live hockey game
- Try out for Jeopardy! (I don't even care if I don't make it... I just wanna try out once)
- Visit all 30 MLB stadiums and watch a game live (tours of ballparks DO NOT count and one must root for the home team unless our team of choice is the road team - 4 down 26 to go)
- Revisit: Baltimore
- Visit: Aruba (primarily since there are tentative plans in place)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE:
UFC 93 Predictions outcomes::
Jorge: 5 for 5 (including the round of two finishes and method of victory for another fight)
Roger: 3 for 5 (including predicting Hendo v Ace going to a decision)
Me: 2 for 5 (including predicting a decision for Lytle v Davis)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't worry, folks. There will be more stories to come re: my trip to Philly/Baltimore and my first day as Professor Gonzalez.
Be sure to stay tuned, ladies and gents!
Until next time...
Friday, January 16, 2009
UFC 93 Predictions
WARNING: If you don't care about the UFC, or are looking for additional content in this post, leave now. Nothing for you to see here.
I've enlisted the aid of two friends who are fans of the UFC. I asked them for their picks for UFC 93 on 1/17/09 to take place in Ireland. I hope to keep picking their brains all year and tracking how well we predict the outcomes of what is arguably one of the toughest sports to prognosticate.
Without further delay... here are our picks for the match-ups on the main card for UFC 93::
Chris Lytle v Marcus Davis:
Alan - Lytle by decision
Jorge - Davis by 3rd rd TKO
Roger - Lytle by 3rd rd submission
Jeremy Horn v Rousimar Palhares:
A/J/R - Palhares by 2nd rd sub
Alan Belcher v Denis Kang:
A - Kang by decision
J - Belcher by 2nd rd TKO
R - Kang by 3rd rd sub
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua v Mark Coleman
A - Rua by 2nd rd sub
J - Rua by 3rd rd TKO
R - Rua by decision
Rich Franklin v Dan Henderson:
A - Franklin by 3rd rd TKO
J - Henderson by 3rd rd TKO (GnP)
R - Henderson by decision
Check back during the later part of Saturday 1/17 for the results (and to see which of us had the better night).
... Until Saturday night, fellow UFC fan...
I've enlisted the aid of two friends who are fans of the UFC. I asked them for their picks for UFC 93 on 1/17/09 to take place in Ireland. I hope to keep picking their brains all year and tracking how well we predict the outcomes of what is arguably one of the toughest sports to prognosticate.
Without further delay... here are our picks for the match-ups on the main card for UFC 93::
Chris Lytle v Marcus Davis:
Alan - Lytle by decision
Jorge - Davis by 3rd rd TKO
Roger - Lytle by 3rd rd submission
Jeremy Horn v Rousimar Palhares:
A/J/R - Palhares by 2nd rd sub
Alan Belcher v Denis Kang:
A - Kang by decision
J - Belcher by 2nd rd TKO
R - Kang by 3rd rd sub
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua v Mark Coleman
A - Rua by 2nd rd sub
J - Rua by 3rd rd TKO
R - Rua by decision
Rich Franklin v Dan Henderson:
A - Franklin by 3rd rd TKO
J - Henderson by 3rd rd TKO (GnP)
R - Henderson by decision
Check back during the later part of Saturday 1/17 for the results (and to see which of us had the better night).
... Until Saturday night, fellow UFC fan...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My wanderlust has been satiated ... for now
Hello,
You've probably been spoiled rotten by my many posts to start this year. Nevertheless, I've been keeping busy lately and haven't had as much time as I'd like to post this past week.
*sigh* Where to begin...
This past weekend, I had a severe case of wanderlust. I had originally planned out my weekend where I'd spend time with old friends (Saturday) and some family (Sunday). Unfortunately, I had gotten paid on Friday and felt the urge to get away from NY... away from everything and everyone... just get in the car and drive away... despite my plans.
I happened to be chatting with a friend online and told her of my need to getaway. I didn't have a destination in mind at the time and she had been very encouraging offering options for byways. I figured going back up to Boston, MA would do me some good. And perhaps a stop in Providence, RI on the way just to take in the vibe all over again would be refreshing to my soul. Ultimately, I'm not quite sure if it was through my powers of persuasion or simply kismet, she agreed to accompany me on this overnight trip. I grabbed my gym bag and packed it for the 2 day trip and went to her place.
As my friend walks over to the car, I wondered whether she really was prepared for the trip or maybe she just packs really light. When she sees my bag in the back seat, she looks at me and says "Oh, you were serious." Now, I know I tend to be pretty sarcastic, and it is difficult to gauge sarcasm in an IM, but I was devastated. I needed to leave!!
Just minutes ago, I was grateful to have a travel companion. Now this?? I was ready to tell her to just stay home so that I could head off alone. Much to my surprise, after explaining that I really was serious, she told me to give her 5 minutes to get a few things together in an overnight bag. I was back on my travel high and ready to hit the road.
At this point, snow had been falling for a few hours already and the roads were not only covered in dirty snow and slush but they were not salted or plowed yet. We driving in some terrible weather. Making matters worse (in terms of road conditions) was that we did not take the I-95 but rather the Merritt Parkway. Needless to say, we didn't quite make it to Providence on Saturday but we did stopped at an awesome little coffee shop in South Norwalk, CT called Caffeine. If you happen to be in the area, or driving through, take a load off and relax for a few. The decor is wildly clashing IMO but the place is quaint and cozy.
I also had the (guilty) pleasure of introducing my friend to the evil empire known as Ikea when we reached New Haven, CT. She had never been there and I was more than happy to take her inside to the Swedish wonderland. We didn't have time to hit the food court since we got there after they closed (they closed early due to the weather so we would have missed out either way). We did have some very helpful Ikea workers tell us where we could find lodging for the night and some eats nearby.
Sunday's leg of the trip started with more snow and more cleaning of the car (much as it had during practically EVERY stop on Saturday!). Yet this time things were a little different. The car wasn't covered in snow, as it had been the day before. No, on this morning, we had ice covering the entire car. Don't believe me?? See the pictures below.
OUTSIDE:
INSIDE:
Snow was no longer in the forecast for the day and after clearing off the car, we returned to Ikea for breakfast. Before you cast judgment, it was close by and the price was pretty good for the meals we got. The next stop was Mystic, CT. A fairly small town but one that my friend wanted to see so I showed her around as best I could (which, naturally, means we got somewhat lost... lol). Her love of anchors was rewarded as she managed to get a picture of a decent sized anchor on display near the harbor. After driving over the drawbridge over Mystic River, we made our way to Providence. (For those of you wondering, it wasn't JUST the name of a movie. It DOES actually exist.)
Providence is a city I happen to love dearly despite having only been there once before. Something about the small city vibe that seems to invigorate me. I'm not one to consider leaving NYC but if I ever did... Providence would be on my VERY short list of destinations. I wish I could tell you why. There isn't one specific thing. It's just the overall feel of the city. It's like a node of revitalizing energy emanates from the ground when I'm there. It's very strange but I love it. I applied to Brown for grad school in the hopes of entering their Demography program. After walking through the campus and visiting the local area, that desire extended to the entire city and not just that school. I almost felt like I needed to be there.
Now here I was a few years later... and I felt like I was back home.
The weather was not conducive to walking around but there really doesn't seem to be much to do in Providence but walk and admire the mismatched architecture. At least this was the case for us who arrived without an itinerary or destination in mind. There were no list of tourist attractions. Just Google Maps and an iPhone. An iPhone that needed to be charged!!
After walking down Benefit Street (and back on South/North Main St.), we decided to find a charger so that my navigator could have a functioning phone. Throughout Saturday, it proved to be indispensable and I was willing to go the extra mile to find a place where a car charger could be purchased (preferably one with audio playback capabilities). I was sure that we would need the phone on the ride back home.
To quote my friend: "Providence is all anchors and hills and bliss and NO FUCKING SIGNS but hey is that too much to ask for?"
After a few futile attempts at purchasing the charger at Radio Shack, Staples, and FYE, (not to mention futile attempts at FINDING the freaking strip mall where these stores were located!) we gave in and went to the Apple Store at a mall in Providence. With charger in hand and a rumbling in our bellies, we made our way to a restaurant on the other side of town. By now, we had driven back and forth often enough to know our way around the city already. We had dinner at a Portuguese restaurant - a Madeiran restaurant for those of you requesting more details.
On the ride home, we vibed to a variety of good music courtesy of the charging iPhone. We returned home much the same way we made it up to this area: down the I-95 until we could hop back onto the Merritt Parkway. Though the ride wasn't completely without incident.
My friend had to pee pretty badly... and when she mentioned it to me, I agreed to stop at the next rest area. I missed the exit... of course I did. What else would I do on this trip?? The next chance I had to get to off the highway... I got out one exit early. *SIGH* I should have expected something like that would happen.
We eventually made it to a Dunkin Donuts where you will find the worst men's room door in the history of any public establishment!! It starts easy to open, then it gets really hard to open. By the time you exert extra pressure to open the door completely, it loosens up again. It's a cruel practical joke on the customers of that Dunkin Donuts. I was looking around for the video cameras.
That's where the final pics in this photo set were taken and where I bought my final cup of coffee for the day. That coffee cup would only be half full by the time I managed to get a sip out of it because my travel buddy felt it was her prerogative to help herself to my coffee. Madness!! It was getting late on Sunday night and she dares deprive the driver of his coffee?? Someone has a death wish.
We made it back without incident (other than dodging two fools who decided to play a hybrid of chicken and leapfrog with their cars in the passing lane!). My friend had to pee yet again and she managed to get back upstairs with her Ikea booty and overnight bag in hand.
As for me... I came back relieved, revitalized, and refreshed. I had an amazing weekend and will be eternally grateful that my friend went with me. It wouldn't have been the same had I gone alone.
For the people I upset that day by flaking on our plans and for ignoring your phone calls and texts, I apologize. I needed this time to disconnect from everything that kept me grounded in NY. If you know me and care about my well-being, I know you will understand.
This was truly one of the best road trips I've ever had!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I bid you farewell for now. Until next time, faithful reader...
You've probably been spoiled rotten by my many posts to start this year. Nevertheless, I've been keeping busy lately and haven't had as much time as I'd like to post this past week.
*sigh* Where to begin...
This past weekend, I had a severe case of wanderlust. I had originally planned out my weekend where I'd spend time with old friends (Saturday) and some family (Sunday). Unfortunately, I had gotten paid on Friday and felt the urge to get away from NY... away from everything and everyone... just get in the car and drive away... despite my plans.
I happened to be chatting with a friend online and told her of my need to getaway. I didn't have a destination in mind at the time and she had been very encouraging offering options for byways. I figured going back up to Boston, MA would do me some good. And perhaps a stop in Providence, RI on the way just to take in the vibe all over again would be refreshing to my soul. Ultimately, I'm not quite sure if it was through my powers of persuasion or simply kismet, she agreed to accompany me on this overnight trip. I grabbed my gym bag and packed it for the 2 day trip and went to her place.
As my friend walks over to the car, I wondered whether she really was prepared for the trip or maybe she just packs really light. When she sees my bag in the back seat, she looks at me and says "Oh, you were serious." Now, I know I tend to be pretty sarcastic, and it is difficult to gauge sarcasm in an IM, but I was devastated. I needed to leave!!
Just minutes ago, I was grateful to have a travel companion. Now this?? I was ready to tell her to just stay home so that I could head off alone. Much to my surprise, after explaining that I really was serious, she told me to give her 5 minutes to get a few things together in an overnight bag. I was back on my travel high and ready to hit the road.
At this point, snow had been falling for a few hours already and the roads were not only covered in dirty snow and slush but they were not salted or plowed yet. We driving in some terrible weather. Making matters worse (in terms of road conditions) was that we did not take the I-95 but rather the Merritt Parkway. Needless to say, we didn't quite make it to Providence on Saturday but we did stopped at an awesome little coffee shop in South Norwalk, CT called Caffeine. If you happen to be in the area, or driving through, take a load off and relax for a few. The decor is wildly clashing IMO but the place is quaint and cozy.
I also had the (guilty) pleasure of introducing my friend to the evil empire known as Ikea when we reached New Haven, CT. She had never been there and I was more than happy to take her inside to the Swedish wonderland. We didn't have time to hit the food court since we got there after they closed (they closed early due to the weather so we would have missed out either way). We did have some very helpful Ikea workers tell us where we could find lodging for the night and some eats nearby.
Sunday's leg of the trip started with more snow and more cleaning of the car (much as it had during practically EVERY stop on Saturday!). Yet this time things were a little different. The car wasn't covered in snow, as it had been the day before. No, on this morning, we had ice covering the entire car. Don't believe me?? See the pictures below.
OUTSIDE:
INSIDE:
Snow was no longer in the forecast for the day and after clearing off the car, we returned to Ikea for breakfast. Before you cast judgment, it was close by and the price was pretty good for the meals we got. The next stop was Mystic, CT. A fairly small town but one that my friend wanted to see so I showed her around as best I could (which, naturally, means we got somewhat lost... lol). Her love of anchors was rewarded as she managed to get a picture of a decent sized anchor on display near the harbor. After driving over the drawbridge over Mystic River, we made our way to Providence. (For those of you wondering, it wasn't JUST the name of a movie. It DOES actually exist.)
Providence is a city I happen to love dearly despite having only been there once before. Something about the small city vibe that seems to invigorate me. I'm not one to consider leaving NYC but if I ever did... Providence would be on my VERY short list of destinations. I wish I could tell you why. There isn't one specific thing. It's just the overall feel of the city. It's like a node of revitalizing energy emanates from the ground when I'm there. It's very strange but I love it. I applied to Brown for grad school in the hopes of entering their Demography program. After walking through the campus and visiting the local area, that desire extended to the entire city and not just that school. I almost felt like I needed to be there.
Now here I was a few years later... and I felt like I was back home.
The weather was not conducive to walking around but there really doesn't seem to be much to do in Providence but walk and admire the mismatched architecture. At least this was the case for us who arrived without an itinerary or destination in mind. There were no list of tourist attractions. Just Google Maps and an iPhone. An iPhone that needed to be charged!!
After walking down Benefit Street (and back on South/North Main St.), we decided to find a charger so that my navigator could have a functioning phone. Throughout Saturday, it proved to be indispensable and I was willing to go the extra mile to find a place where a car charger could be purchased (preferably one with audio playback capabilities). I was sure that we would need the phone on the ride back home.
To quote my friend: "Providence is all anchors and hills and bliss and NO FUCKING SIGNS but hey is that too much to ask for?"
After a few futile attempts at purchasing the charger at Radio Shack, Staples, and FYE, (not to mention futile attempts at FINDING the freaking strip mall where these stores were located!) we gave in and went to the Apple Store at a mall in Providence. With charger in hand and a rumbling in our bellies, we made our way to a restaurant on the other side of town. By now, we had driven back and forth often enough to know our way around the city already. We had dinner at a Portuguese restaurant - a Madeiran restaurant for those of you requesting more details.
On the ride home, we vibed to a variety of good music courtesy of the charging iPhone. We returned home much the same way we made it up to this area: down the I-95 until we could hop back onto the Merritt Parkway. Though the ride wasn't completely without incident.
My friend had to pee pretty badly... and when she mentioned it to me, I agreed to stop at the next rest area. I missed the exit... of course I did. What else would I do on this trip?? The next chance I had to get to off the highway... I got out one exit early. *SIGH* I should have expected something like that would happen.
We eventually made it to a Dunkin Donuts where you will find the worst men's room door in the history of any public establishment!! It starts easy to open, then it gets really hard to open. By the time you exert extra pressure to open the door completely, it loosens up again. It's a cruel practical joke on the customers of that Dunkin Donuts. I was looking around for the video cameras.
That's where the final pics in this photo set were taken and where I bought my final cup of coffee for the day. That coffee cup would only be half full by the time I managed to get a sip out of it because my travel buddy felt it was her prerogative to help herself to my coffee. Madness!! It was getting late on Sunday night and she dares deprive the driver of his coffee?? Someone has a death wish.
We made it back without incident (other than dodging two fools who decided to play a hybrid of chicken and leapfrog with their cars in the passing lane!). My friend had to pee yet again and she managed to get back upstairs with her Ikea booty and overnight bag in hand.
As for me... I came back relieved, revitalized, and refreshed. I had an amazing weekend and will be eternally grateful that my friend went with me. It wouldn't have been the same had I gone alone.
For the people I upset that day by flaking on our plans and for ignoring your phone calls and texts, I apologize. I needed this time to disconnect from everything that kept me grounded in NY. If you know me and care about my well-being, I know you will understand.
This was truly one of the best road trips I've ever had!!
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I bid you farewell for now. Until next time, faithful reader...
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