I just got home from a party at one of my professor's apartment in Chelsea.  I wasn't originally planning on attending, but I felt like i should go.  Something to do with some sort of closure I think.  That was certainly a non-committal sentence.  Anyway, since I was sick and missed my last class on Monday, I thought I should go to this party where all my classmates would be, and get an official end to my graduate school career.  And I almost got all nostalgic.  It was almost sad, and the more I think about it, the sadder it gets.  I was never super-close with any of them, any of the people that didn't quit, anyway, but save a few they're all really good people.  And I think I'll even miss some of them.  It's just weird when you know you're probably not going to see someone again, even though you get along with them.  Just no overwhelming desire to hang out or whatever.  Anyway, it's only now starting to set in that graduate school is over. All the talk about Christmas break and so-what-are-you-doing-now and stuff like that.  I guess this is my last real winter break.  Fuck.  I really should go do something, shouldn't I?  I need to go to Europe or down to Austin or somewhere.  I've never been to Austin, and I'd sure like to see Doug right around now.  I haven't seen him in four years now.  way too long.

    Anyway, it was nice to see the NYU crowd.  Hadn't seen them in a few weeks. I saw my two professors that are in charge of my particular program as well.  I told them the tale of my mugging on friday, and how I was thinking of them when I was sitting the in police station, and how ashamed I thought they'd be of me, the super-observant journalism student who couldn't recall a godamned thing about the muggers.  I also told them how Katey was sort of upset that she had to keep describing the muggers as "the black one" and "the hispanic one," as if we were being totally un-PC or racists or something.  They got a kick out of that as well, and one of them started hypothesizing what else Katey might have said.  I don't know if I'd ever really impressed my professors, but I could usually make them laugh.  And that's important too.  I don't think they think I'm dumb or anything, just maybe on the wrong track or going about things in the wrong way.  Which some would say is worse than dumb.

    But I felt good about myself at work today.  Twas a long day.  Right after I got there, I had to go over to The Publisher's house and pick up some boxes of his clothes and take them to the Salvation Army.  So Ben, the other intern, Lonnie the office manager, and myself got a car service to take us to Bob's West Village home.  I really didin't mind the work at all, because I really wanted to see what kind of a place a magazine publisher lived in, and I liked the two people I went with. Lonnie's one of the nicest guys I've ever met.  Always cool and calm. Overtly, anyway.  So Bob's place wasn't what I expected.  I was thinking maybe a huge swanky pad wth a largely white interior.  but the place looked more like a ski lodge.  Lots of wood.  It was what you'd call a triplex I guess. and a split-level design.  And not too big at all.  You walk in, and you're standing in the kitchen, which was fairly modest.  Just a very little table that seats two on bar stools.  Then right in front of you are about 5 steps that go up to the living room. Lots of cds and books and a 27-inch TV and leather couch against the far windows.  then over back toward the kitchen was the steps to his bed area.  Then more small steps out to a deck.  nothing huge.  but good for a one-person place.  Definitely no privacy for more than one person.  But I suppose he doesn't need that.

    Anyway, after lunch I tried to finish up one of two projects I'm working on that might get in the magazine. I finished one of them, and handed it to the editor who's in charge of these kinds of things who was surprised to find me working on it. Anyway, he was hopefully pleasantly surprised.  I spent a lot of time on the research. Anyway, he read it over, crossed out 13 of my 20 things, handed it back and said "you've got some really great stuff here."  It's a start. It's just nice to be doing actual writing and research that might pay off.  I wish it hadn't taken me three months to get tot his point. But it actually makes me want to go in to work. It makes me want to go to work early.  And stay late.  just to finish it.  And I don't mind thinking about work or talking about work when I'm not at work.  If that doesn't say I "direction" to me, I don't know what does.

 
 

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