be your own patriot

the funny thing about the rest of the world is that once you've spent some quality time in new york, everything just looks so small. not wanting to malign the rest of the world, or anything, but it's true. i've been noticing it a lot since i've been here. in boston, even the skyscrapers seem modest, demure and just plain...well...short. it's very odd. because the whole world seems like that sometimes. i've noticed that it takes me a good two days to get used to the normalcy (relative) that is the rest of the world.

anyhoo.

my brother graduated from college on a bright but crisp (read: sunny but freezing) may day. that's today, actually. i'm very proud of him, which is the only reason that i and the rest of my family stuck around for the entirety of the ridiculous ceremony. i now have a new respect for the families that show up and sit through these things. i can't imagine what it's like for those parents who have children at institutions such as the university of california berkeley, where the graduating class is invariably something along the lines of 4,000 people. curry college had about 300 graduating, and it absolutely did my head in. after the class orator, the tripartisan and horrendously dull commencement speech and the mangled star spangled banner, it was all i could do to stick around until my brother's name was called.

upon which i grabbed my family and we ran for the lowlands in search of coffee and brownies. far, far away from the maddening hordes.

and now i sit in the "business center" of the quincy marriott, writing this entry and preparing myself for what will be the first furitive cigarette of the entire excursion.

mmmm, delicious.

i have no shoes on, i'l probably end up with pneumonia. whatever. bring on my nicotine!

oh, and this particular family excursion brought me face to face with my brother's girlfriend for the first time. she's lovely. more about her later.

kisses, petunias. off for some self pollution and frigid feet. more later.