I have just arrived in Fort Collins and will be here for a few days to look for a place before I move in August. The trip from the Denver airport to Fort Collins caused a little bit of anxiety, due to the massive doses of suburbia that we traversed. Now, though, I am in the heart of the Old Town, precisely at the Bean Cycle coffee shop, which also houses the independent Matter bookstore run by Wolverine Farm Publishing and promotes a variety of initiatives revolving around bicycling.
Also, my suburbia angst started to fade as soon as I got to my colleague's apartment, which is here in the Old Town and is filled with art and books and pictures of loved ones. This colleague is also a painter, and the apartment is covered in portraits of male nudes...and for some reason, this too makes me feel better :-).
On my stroll out of the apartment and into the Old Town, I also stopped by the cute food co-op that is only 3-5 minutes away and ran right into the huge Brewfest that is taking place this weekend. Tons of beer-tipsy and downright drunk people roaming around downtown, lots of shirtless guys, but everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun.
So here I am, sitting in the public space of my near-future home. I am truly hoping for the best. Some of my favorite songs by the Cure are playing on the coffee shop's speakers. It brings back high school memories and adds some familiarity to this strange, new place.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Graduation times
So, I graduated with my PhD on June 12. It's done, graduate school is over. It's kind of surreal to think about it.
Graduation time was really good. Two of my bestest friends, Kyoko and Caroline, came to visit from Japan and Brazil respectively. I have missed them so much, and yet when they were here it just seemed like they had never left.
Here we are playing with the camera in front of Cafe' Allegro, a Seattle U-district institution:
After taking this photo, and right before the graduation ceremony, we had a drink with my friend Ryan, also a newly minted Doctor of English. Ryan lent me his brand-new Rayban shades, mainly to let me hide the fact that the one and only glass of wine I had drunk was getting to me:
Here I am in front of the Communications building with my friends...the gang now also includes Irooshka, and I am wearing a very stylish purple Harry Potter gown:
Here we are lined up for the actual ceremony. Due to alphabetical reasons, I was first in line (out of 500 people, including all the BAs) and I experienced some performance anxiety...
Nancy, a wonderful professor who was on my committee, hooded me and I noticed that we were both a bit choked up in the moment:
Photo-ops with Nancy and another favorite professor, Ralina:
By the end of the ceremony, the gang has increased further. Here we are, now also with Iole and Piper:
More photo-ops...here Caro is subjecting me to the Communication torture machine:
Interesting parade of shoes, offered by the BAs (photo courtesy of Irooshka, like most of the other pics here):
Post-ceremony dinner at Maneki, another Seattle institution (I miraculously managed to make a reservation for one of their tatami rooms):
Overall, really good times...it almost makes me want to get another PhD :-), perhaps this time in Anthropology...
Graduation time was really good. Two of my bestest friends, Kyoko and Caroline, came to visit from Japan and Brazil respectively. I have missed them so much, and yet when they were here it just seemed like they had never left.
Here we are playing with the camera in front of Cafe' Allegro, a Seattle U-district institution:
After taking this photo, and right before the graduation ceremony, we had a drink with my friend Ryan, also a newly minted Doctor of English. Ryan lent me his brand-new Rayban shades, mainly to let me hide the fact that the one and only glass of wine I had drunk was getting to me:
Here I am in front of the Communications building with my friends...the gang now also includes Irooshka, and I am wearing a very stylish purple Harry Potter gown:
Here we are lined up for the actual ceremony. Due to alphabetical reasons, I was first in line (out of 500 people, including all the BAs) and I experienced some performance anxiety...
Nancy, a wonderful professor who was on my committee, hooded me and I noticed that we were both a bit choked up in the moment:
Photo-ops with Nancy and another favorite professor, Ralina:
By the end of the ceremony, the gang has increased further. Here we are, now also with Iole and Piper:
More photo-ops...here Caro is subjecting me to the Communication torture machine:
Interesting parade of shoes, offered by the BAs (photo courtesy of Irooshka, like most of the other pics here):
Post-ceremony dinner at Maneki, another Seattle institution (I miraculously managed to make a reservation for one of their tatami rooms):
Overall, really good times...it almost makes me want to get another PhD :-), perhaps this time in Anthropology...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Kid J and the dance department
Other things I have done over the past two weeks include hanging out with this munchkin during bath and bedtime story time (together with big J and Iole)....
...and attend the last week of the two dance classes that have kept me sane during spring quarter.
Here is the 'audience' for our final showing across classes and levels:
Big J and kid J were there too:
The 200-level showed a compilation of Martha Graham choreographies:
The 300-level showed us a group piece with the integration of lots of solos and overall asymmetry, choreographed by Mark:
And here are some of my favorite people in the Dance department (beside J):
Jen, whose awesome class I took two years ago...
...Mark, wonderful choreographer of Italian roots:
...and Alice, also Italian (what's up with that) and rising-star dancer and artist who created this super-cool choreography that she performed in airports in Europe and the U.S.
The dance department rocks!
...and attend the last week of the two dance classes that have kept me sane during spring quarter.
Here is the 'audience' for our final showing across classes and levels:
Big J and kid J were there too:
The 200-level showed a compilation of Martha Graham choreographies:
The 300-level showed us a group piece with the integration of lots of solos and overall asymmetry, choreographed by Mark:
And here are some of my favorite people in the Dance department (beside J):
Jen, whose awesome class I took two years ago...
...Mark, wonderful choreographer of Italian roots:
...and Alice, also Italian (what's up with that) and rising-star dancer and artist who created this super-cool choreography that she performed in airports in Europe and the U.S.
The dance department rocks!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Montreal
Since my PhD defense, it's been a rich yet more mellow two weeks.
The day after defending I went to Montreal for the ICA conference. There, I also got to hang out with these two wonderful ladies, Leni and Sarah, who are both actors and live in a funky neighborhood.
They took me out to their favorite coffee shop, Caffe' Olimpico, which was a very genuine version of a coffee shop that could be found in Italy (i.e. just very utilitarian, with sports on tv and mostly men hanging out:
Sarah had made milk from cashews from scratch and brought it to the cafe' to mix in with the coffee -- delicious. She had also made a delicious chocolate treat from raw ingredients, with coconut and agave syrup. She is planning to start her own business making vegan raw chocolates. Yum!
We the walked around their sunny neighborhood, simply enjoying people-watching and the variety of local businesses and sights. Leni, with the long dark hair, told me about her career as an actor in Canada and I found out that she is rather famous, especially thanks to the role of an alien that she played in a TV series.
Montreal offers a hybrid North-American/European feel which I enjoyed very much...Lots of art on the streets!
And in the museums...The Québec Triennial was truly excellent.
The day after defending I went to Montreal for the ICA conference. There, I also got to hang out with these two wonderful ladies, Leni and Sarah, who are both actors and live in a funky neighborhood.
They took me out to their favorite coffee shop, Caffe' Olimpico, which was a very genuine version of a coffee shop that could be found in Italy (i.e. just very utilitarian, with sports on tv and mostly men hanging out:
Sarah had made milk from cashews from scratch and brought it to the cafe' to mix in with the coffee -- delicious. She had also made a delicious chocolate treat from raw ingredients, with coconut and agave syrup. She is planning to start her own business making vegan raw chocolates. Yum!
We the walked around their sunny neighborhood, simply enjoying people-watching and the variety of local businesses and sights. Leni, with the long dark hair, told me about her career as an actor in Canada and I found out that she is rather famous, especially thanks to the role of an alien that she played in a TV series.
Montreal offers a hybrid North-American/European feel which I enjoyed very much...Lots of art on the streets!
And in the museums...The Québec Triennial was truly excellent.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Friends from abroad soon in town!
In less than a week two of my best friends will be in town for my graduation, directly from Japan and Brazil!
Here they are:
Kyoko...
...and Caroline!
I love them so much, it will be great to see them. Sweet.
Here they are:
Kyoko...
...and Caroline!
I love them so much, it will be great to see them. Sweet.
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