Kinda Sorta Back

Eek. I'm such a slacker. I'm still not quite back on track. I haven't cracked open any of the textbooks yet, and my desk is still sheer essense of chaos. Because my coworker Shane insisted so much that we do a little shopping yesterday, my blisters are in a rage today. We did a little shopping where I bought absolutely nothing as usual and he bought a bunch of clothing, and since we didn't celebrate my birthday much due to the fact that he was holding down two jobs, we went to a restaurant of my choice (finally! Shane never lets me choose!).

As you know, there is just one man to whom I pledge my unconditional everlasting love, and that's Tony Romas. May god bless his delicious soul! So I had ribs, and it was about 9PM, so I was ravenous, and I scarfed down those ribs like there'd be no tomorrow. I had a cosmo which was also very sweet, but very weak (tasted like a fruity sprite), but the ribs -- my oh my. Mmmm. Mmmm. Tony sure knows ribs. Mmmmm.

When I got home, I was full, I was semi-sleepy, I didn't want to start on a large project that wouldn't be finished in one sitting (i.e. cleaning desk) so I did only what a sane (or rather insane) person would do. Watched the two final episodes of Sex in the City while inhaling a tub of ice cream (chocolate chip). And sniffled. Those two episodes are just so moving. I will continue to mourn for that show. The first of its kind, you know. But I'm digressing.

So you realize that I am completely ignoring the task at hand, which is to do something about my recent trip. So far, all I've done is to upload the photos onto my computer and look through them. I only have a couple of myself (you know, camera shy), and a plethora of just things. I even have a shot of the Pentagon, taken from the plane (aerial view!). I have multiple photos of a few Monet's -- I love Monet. I couldn't believe that I was standing in front of an actual Monet. I even touched one. I know. BAD. But I just had to physically feel that it existed before my eyes, and that it wasn't some hologram of sorts. And it's not like I slobbered over the painting. I respectfully pressed my finger, ever so lightly, at the bottom corner of the painting. And I just touched one -- which is my favorite Monet painting, and one of the more famous ones.

I think once I get my desk cleaned and cleared and squared away, I'll be ready. I'll spend Sunday getting caught up and cleaning the monstrous desk (unlike most people, I don't have an actual desk -- it's more like a large dinner table for a family of 8 which is enormous -- nearly the length of one wall of my room). I'll try to read most of the Taming of the Shrew (Shakespearean assignment) and start on some studying, then I can organize my thoughts on the trip and so forth.

It has been a special trip for me, probably a bit different from the other millions of tourists. It was visiting the headquarter of America as a foreigner who's in the inside but outside the loop -- someone who longs to be an American. It made my patriotism stronger, and renewed my vows to be a good American. A good citizen. To love and honor and respect my home. This is home. It's good to be back.