Thoughts at the end of things
Right now, thinking about meeting up with the friends I have left tomorrow to go to the city, it's hard to feel sad about the end of the workshop, but then I think of the friends who have already left, who are even now in new places, with new people, or whose lives will continue here at Berkeley, as if never interrupted by the twenty odd of us taking the workshop, and that does sadden me. I was planning on writing this from Caffe Strada, with the comforting background noise of a half dozen languages and soft classical music, sipping a latte, reflecting on how I went to Caffe Strada for the first office hours, then to study, how we met up there for the fourth of July, and coming full circle, I was back.
However, in the beginning of the workshop I was on my own, and tonight Megan and I were there together, so despite her coming ostensibly to read, and I to blog (wait...was that....brachylogy?) we actually spent most of the time just talking, which I think we were both fine with.
This morning we met for coffee and then had the final, which was a bit weird. My last funny stories from the workshop are these:
1. When I came in the classroom today I noticed my GSI looked a bit different (he drastically cut his hair earlier this week, it wasn't that) and after I second I was like "Oh! You shaved!" (might I add this is the second time I have come up with this marvelous pronouncement and both times it has been met with "I do that sometimes") and he mentioned he doesn't shave everyday because it cuts his face. The conversation about facial hair continued with one of my classmates, whose epithet is appropriately "hairy," mentioned he is really looking forward to shaving, as his beard has gotten out of control, to the point where he doesn't even like it. The GSI asks if he could just trim it. He replies he hasn't used his new trimmer yet and doesn't want to risk it. The GSI asks if he could just use scissors. Pause. "I tried that once, and I ended up cutting my face." Pause. "Well, I was kind of drunk at the time." Pause. "And angry."
I don't know why it was so funny, but it really, really was.
2. As we began the test, my neighbor pulls out a fortune cookie. Not just any fortune cookie, but one he won in a Greek off at least six weeks ago. He has carried it in his briefcase since then, and pulled it out today, presumably for luck. Again, maybe this isn't as funny as it seemed.
After the exam, I turned in my final and talked to the GSI's for a minute, confirming our group lunch plans, and then Megan and I went to run errands. As we are wont to do, we ended up at Starbucks, where we ran into--well, who do I keep managing to awkwardly run into?--and read until people started walking by to go to the restaurant, and we went with them. I want to say more about lunch and how today I feel like I did all the things that are quintessential to my time here, things like texting Nick and Brenda, coffee with Megan, awkward run-ins, buying books, talking about articles and particles, sitting in the sun, all sorts of things, but I am very tired now, and will post a few pictures instead.
This is the half of me class that came to lunch after the exam. It even looks like a class picture.
My GSI's. Anyone notice the haircut? I was proven wrong about my discussion of whether or not your hair affects who you are, by my GSI ruthlessly cropping his hair.
The beautiful view from the Rose Garden. The weather was so clear today, when Nick took us to In and Out Burger we could see the bridge from the freeway.
And the link to more, if anyone is so inclined: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2292112&l=ad545&id=5204500
However, in the beginning of the workshop I was on my own, and tonight Megan and I were there together, so despite her coming ostensibly to read, and I to blog (wait...was that....brachylogy?) we actually spent most of the time just talking, which I think we were both fine with.
This morning we met for coffee and then had the final, which was a bit weird. My last funny stories from the workshop are these:
1. When I came in the classroom today I noticed my GSI looked a bit different (he drastically cut his hair earlier this week, it wasn't that) and after I second I was like "Oh! You shaved!" (might I add this is the second time I have come up with this marvelous pronouncement and both times it has been met with "I do that sometimes") and he mentioned he doesn't shave everyday because it cuts his face. The conversation about facial hair continued with one of my classmates, whose epithet is appropriately "hairy," mentioned he is really looking forward to shaving, as his beard has gotten out of control, to the point where he doesn't even like it. The GSI asks if he could just trim it. He replies he hasn't used his new trimmer yet and doesn't want to risk it. The GSI asks if he could just use scissors. Pause. "I tried that once, and I ended up cutting my face." Pause. "Well, I was kind of drunk at the time." Pause. "And angry."
I don't know why it was so funny, but it really, really was.
2. As we began the test, my neighbor pulls out a fortune cookie. Not just any fortune cookie, but one he won in a Greek off at least six weeks ago. He has carried it in his briefcase since then, and pulled it out today, presumably for luck. Again, maybe this isn't as funny as it seemed.
After the exam, I turned in my final and talked to the GSI's for a minute, confirming our group lunch plans, and then Megan and I went to run errands. As we are wont to do, we ended up at Starbucks, where we ran into--well, who do I keep managing to awkwardly run into?--and read until people started walking by to go to the restaurant, and we went with them. I want to say more about lunch and how today I feel like I did all the things that are quintessential to my time here, things like texting Nick and Brenda, coffee with Megan, awkward run-ins, buying books, talking about articles and particles, sitting in the sun, all sorts of things, but I am very tired now, and will post a few pictures instead.
This is the half of me class that came to lunch after the exam. It even looks like a class picture.
My GSI's. Anyone notice the haircut? I was proven wrong about my discussion of whether or not your hair affects who you are, by my GSI ruthlessly cropping his hair.
The beautiful view from the Rose Garden. The weather was so clear today, when Nick took us to In and Out Burger we could see the bridge from the freeway.
And the link to more, if anyone is so inclined: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2292112&l=ad545&id=5204500