Babbling Flower
Well it looks like Alex C. left Salisbury for good. THANK GOD! I visited his house this afternnon while biking to Rite-Aid. I wanted to pick up the CD's that I so graciously let him borrow. I walked into his room and it had been stripped down to a poster on the wall. Brian told me that he had left for home in Baltimore. When I heard that I did a little happy shuffle :) I am so glad because this means I no longer have to deal with him. No more running into him here and there, no more wondering about who the other woman in, no more this no more that... just no more. The gods have reached down and plucked him from my existence like the pestering pimple he had become. A great weight has been lifted from my shoulders! I hope the encounter we had prompted him to move back home, I hope he was so ashamed of himself that he realized he has no place in Salisbury.
Powershift 2007 was awesome. Elizabeth, Chris, and Jami all pooped out at the last moment...which is typical and exactly what I expected. Good old Chris M. kept committed and got the both of us plus his roomate Kyle a place to sleep. I am forever grateful. So the three of us drove there together in his little Honda. We talked the whole time and bonded a great deal. I never once felt that aweful vibe or sensed a wall of exclusion between us.
We brought our bikes as well which was a wonderful idea. Both Chris and Kyle are hardcore street cyclists and they were just tickled to take an amatuer enthusiast like me under thier wings. We biked every day up and down Route 1 and into College Park. We had to climb this enormous hill tho, it was strenuous but I felt proud of myself for dominating it with a one-speed cruiser. They were proud of me as well and they made me feel exceptionally comfortable for being an amatuer. I learned how to be more confident on the road- that I must own my space and my right to the road, that I must keep my head up and act like I own the street...which we do. I had so much fun with the two of them just zooming in and out of rows of traffic, just tearing up the street like we were forged from belly of the asphalt god, passing cars right and left.
We stayed at Chris' friend Christian's house with all of his roomates. Everyone there was positively welcoming and totally granola. Once again there was no terrible vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in thier presence because they all enjoy the same things we do- biking, the environment, activism, and marijuana. Some of them even spoke Spanish! We spent our evenings there conversing in good spirits, passing the bong, joking and drinking. It was a superior experience! The house was your typical college residence- dirty but not on the verge of discomfort, lined to the walls with bicycles and liquor bottles, band posters and house plants, open windows and soy milk in the refridgerator. One night we even biked together- maybe 10 of us in total- to a lake near the metro station. That was lovely. I bonded significantly with Chris and Kyle and I cannot wait to hang out with them soon. Kyle even talked seriously with me about a road bike that has my name written all over it. I realized while biking in CP that a decent road bicycle would be a great investment. Kyle is serious about letting me purchase it too.
Anyway, Powershift as an event was incredible. I went to several fantastic lectures and worksops, including one on civil disobedience. There were thousands of granola kids from all across the nation all coming together to discuss the most important issue facing our and the next generation. I saw Ralf Nader speak and went to the Co-op and explored UMCP. I gathered so much useful information and strategies and actions that I cannot wait to share with ESA. I also reconviened with the MSCC and caught up with the Eco-floor. Tuesday's meeting will be phenomenal because we all learned so much and have so much to offer. I even met good old Zainab there. This even was well worth the hair pulling.
I have an unbelievable amount of work due this and next week. as usual.
Finally, with the parting of Alex, the hate in my heart is gone.
Powershift 2007 was awesome. Elizabeth, Chris, and Jami all pooped out at the last moment...which is typical and exactly what I expected. Good old Chris M. kept committed and got the both of us plus his roomate Kyle a place to sleep. I am forever grateful. So the three of us drove there together in his little Honda. We talked the whole time and bonded a great deal. I never once felt that aweful vibe or sensed a wall of exclusion between us.
We brought our bikes as well which was a wonderful idea. Both Chris and Kyle are hardcore street cyclists and they were just tickled to take an amatuer enthusiast like me under thier wings. We biked every day up and down Route 1 and into College Park. We had to climb this enormous hill tho, it was strenuous but I felt proud of myself for dominating it with a one-speed cruiser. They were proud of me as well and they made me feel exceptionally comfortable for being an amatuer. I learned how to be more confident on the road- that I must own my space and my right to the road, that I must keep my head up and act like I own the street...which we do. I had so much fun with the two of them just zooming in and out of rows of traffic, just tearing up the street like we were forged from belly of the asphalt god, passing cars right and left.
We stayed at Chris' friend Christian's house with all of his roomates. Everyone there was positively welcoming and totally granola. Once again there was no terrible vibe. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in thier presence because they all enjoy the same things we do- biking, the environment, activism, and marijuana. Some of them even spoke Spanish! We spent our evenings there conversing in good spirits, passing the bong, joking and drinking. It was a superior experience! The house was your typical college residence- dirty but not on the verge of discomfort, lined to the walls with bicycles and liquor bottles, band posters and house plants, open windows and soy milk in the refridgerator. One night we even biked together- maybe 10 of us in total- to a lake near the metro station. That was lovely. I bonded significantly with Chris and Kyle and I cannot wait to hang out with them soon. Kyle even talked seriously with me about a road bike that has my name written all over it. I realized while biking in CP that a decent road bicycle would be a great investment. Kyle is serious about letting me purchase it too.
Anyway, Powershift as an event was incredible. I went to several fantastic lectures and worksops, including one on civil disobedience. There were thousands of granola kids from all across the nation all coming together to discuss the most important issue facing our and the next generation. I saw Ralf Nader speak and went to the Co-op and explored UMCP. I gathered so much useful information and strategies and actions that I cannot wait to share with ESA. I also reconviened with the MSCC and caught up with the Eco-floor. Tuesday's meeting will be phenomenal because we all learned so much and have so much to offer. I even met good old Zainab there. This even was well worth the hair pulling.
I have an unbelievable amount of work due this and next week. as usual.
Finally, with the parting of Alex, the hate in my heart is gone.