I know I still have some catching up to do, but I just wanted to post about the first half of my break because a lot has been going on and I don't want to forget about it! Namely New Years / today!
For the past four or five years or so I've had New Years Eve / Birthday parties with a bunch of my friends. This year, despite being so far away for the previous four months, I still decided to have friends over, even if it was only 4 of my best friends.
We had a great time just hanging out and catching up on everything that's happened since some of us went off to college, and other are still at St. Joes, etc.
Truth be told, I was rather nervous about losing some of these people after I went off to college, because people change, circumstances change, and people just dont' stay in touch. I feel like that's hardly an excuse in this day and age when we have means of communication such as Facebook and texting, but it still happens. It's both comforting and frightening how dependent people are on having a personal face-to-face level in order to continue a friendship. It's unsettling in some ways, when I think about how I've been making all of these new relationships with people around the world... does it mean that in four years I'll just forget half of them because I'll never see them again?
On the other hand, it's nice ot have the personal, formal yet casual at the same time, relationship where you can go meet up with someone for coffee or spend a day with them talking about life since you've last met.
Excuse the rambling. Today was a long day and I'm trying to focus all of these thoughts before they become even more jumbled and I eventually forget them...
Today was one of the best days I've had in a while. I took the 2.26 train into New York with my friend Emily. It's been a while since I've seen Emily, but I couldn't think of another person that would have appreciated my reasoning for going into the city...
We arrived around 3:45 and walked around a bit, heading up to Bryant Park, visited the New York Public Library and saw the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals (yup. those were the highlight of my trip to the library..)
Then we headed over to Sardi's for a nice dinner. I had these delicious pork chops with mango and red peppers on top over broccoli rabe with some lemon seasoned potatoes.. so good.
After that, it was time for the main event!
Mom and Dad got me tickets to see Seminar, starring Alan Rickman, for Christmas.
If that weren't enough.. they got me front row tickets.. and I don't mean we had a good view.. my knees were touching the stage when I was sitting - we were THAT close.
The show was inspiring, hysterical, and brilliant. Rickman's character was a writer turned editor turned private writing instructor, giving lessons to these four aspiring writers. The cast, while only five people, was incredible and included Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Hettienne Park, and Jerry O'Connell The show, which is a 1hr 40 minute one act with no intermission was great because it focused on something that I want to do with my life. I highly recommend it to anyone that has the opportunity to go into the city and see it. If you can see Rickman and the rest of the original cast, I highly recommend that as well.
Rickman's performance was awe-inspiring. He's truly one of the most incredible people I've been privileged to see on stage.
After the show, Emily and I made our way outside where we waited in the FREEZING cold to see the cast as they left the stage door. We got to see everyone, and I was able to snap a picture with Jerry O'Connell
As well as had the opportunity to get autographs from O'Connell, Linklater, and Rickman, all of whom were incredibly pleasant.
Best Christmas/Birthday present ever. Great start to 2012,
and I can't wait to see what else they ear has in store for me!
Hope you all had a great holiday.
I'll try to get the rest of my Academic Travel posted before I head back to Switzerland on the 19th.
Best,
Nick.
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