End of Semester Wrap-Up

Wow. I had forgotten how great the time change is going east to west. My plane left New York in the late afternoon and arrived in Seattle when it was still early in the evening. I woke up at 6:30 am today feeling better rested and more awake than I have been in weeks. I mean, I am chipper, and even my morning-loving parents are giving me that “can’t you dial it down a notch?” look. But I can't keep it in! The semester is over and I’m back in Seattle for an extended winter break. And if you aren’t in a good mood, here is something to fill you with holiday cheer:

That would be a picture of my mysterious unknown fiber. Isn’t it beautiful? When silk comes out of a silkworm there are two strands (or “brins”) attached together with a coating. Usually the coating is removed and the strands are separated, but sometimes the silk is left raw like this. This is what it looks like! Merry Christmas!

Doesn't do it for ya? How about this:

Festive.

So, apparently I just finished my first term of grad school. It is pretty hard to believe. Four months ago I couldn’t tell a warp from a weft. Now I’m that annoying girl who wants to tell you about the weave structure of your coat. I’ve already tried to bring up the significance of the cage crinoline at a party, and I spent part of Thanksgiving dinner staring intently at my aunt’s napkins. As planned, grad school has added rich, nuanced levels to my nerdyness.

But how have I progressed as a New Yorker? Now that I will be gone from my new city for about six weeks, I have to wonder if I will miss it. Have I grown attached to New York, or am I just going through the motions? It is hard to say. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people, but I can’t say I’ve made any close friends. I’ve been up to the Cloisters and down to the financial district, yet I feel like I only really know the blocks between FIT and my subway stop. I’ve enjoyed New York pizza, hot dogs, and bagels, but I still find myself wondering why there aren’t Pho places on every corner.

In some ways, I feel like there must be two New Yorks: the famous one (as seen TV and film) and the one where I live. I live in the every day New York. The one where I get on the F train every morning and stare ahead stoically when it gets delayed. One where the bright lights of Times Square are just a distant glow I notice on my way home. One where weekend evenings are spent watching Project Runway DVDs on the couch with my roommate and his cats.