An Update from Chapel Hill

Hi y'all.

So I realized I never sent an update from Chapel Hill. Here is the rundown on my current situation.

I returned to Chapel Hill (after a whirlwind few days of moving) from Sedona/Grand Canyon/Las Vegas/Akron, which was whirlwind and alternately amazing/horrible. Sedona is breathtaking, the Grand Canyon was wonderful. I fucking love Las Vegas (and I got to go to the Playboy affiliated club at the Palms for free and Xzibit played a surprise show and yes that all was kind of weird). Vegas was followed by Akron. For my late grandmother's gravestone unveiling. The day after the unveiling my Great Uncle Stu (my grandmother's brother) died. I had to go back to Chapel Hill, but my family stayed in Akron for the funeral. I'm hoping that misfortunate will give my family a respite. I think we deserve it.

I live alone in a little one bed apartment near campus. I like living alone, because I am a neat freak and I enjoy the freedom of doing laundry at three in the morning if I so desire. The complex is extremely quiet, which is perfect. I know there are two Asian women living beneath me, one of whom is on crutches, and I think there is a lesbian couple with a beautiful long-haired calico somewhere in my building, but otherwise I never see my neighbors. The apartment is more or less put together. I'll be getting a table in the next week or so. I'm adding a few final touches such as curtains, and my books are slowly being shipped up from Sarasota. Otherwise my apartment is thoroughly homey. When the table comes I might consider taking a few pictures, because I know you all are dying to see where I live.

Chapel Hill is gorgeous. And loves the environment. They fine you if they find corrugated cardboard in your trash and there are recyling bins everywhere. All the grocery markets have local and organic options. I buy my milk from the local dairy, Maple View Farms, which sells its products at all the grocery stores--and in reusable glass jars, so I am supporting local farmers and saving the environment! Chapel Hill itself is small. I have ventured to downtown Durham for the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival at the Carolina Theatre, but otherwise I haven't gone much outside the city--except to Hillsborough, when I visit my uncles. Chapel Hill is full of fabulous restaurants and funky coffee shops, which I am (very) slowly exploring. The Franklin Street scene lives up to its reputation. When the weather cools I plan on devoting a Saturday to walking the length of Franklin Street. I also plan to try every restaurant on Franklin Street, though that might take some time. Carrboro, which is adjacent to Chapel Hill, is funky. I have tickets to see Peter, Bjorn, and John at the Cat's Cradle (also in Carrboro) on Tuesday. That's just the way Carrboro rolls y'all.

I am enjoying the program. The department is small but stacked with talent. I am the baby of the department and by far the youngest in my year. Most of the students in the program seem to be married/engaged/in long term relations/26+ or some combination of all of that, which is a little startling to me. Everyone is extremely friendly and personable, but they're at different stages in their life, whereas I am still in the "we are young, we are free" stage and wouldn't mind going out for drinks on Franklin Street every once inawhile. Some of the girls in the MA year above mine are super excellent. They are more my age and my speed, and have a generally excellent taste in movies and music. One of them is accompanying me to Peter, Bjorn, and John and, next Sunday, Interpol (!!!) The department just hired a new contemporary art professor, which works very well for me. I knew we would be life long friends when we had the following conversation:

Cary (he says we can call him Cary, he's just relaxed like that): Where did you go to school?
Me: The University of Florida
Cary: Oh so you're a Gator?
Me: I'm a die hard.

Alarms went off in my head. No professor had asked about sports when I said I went to Florida. I later learned that Cary had done his undergrad at Michigan and was a huge Wolverines fan. Now is not a good time to be a Wolverines fan, however, so I had to offer him my sympathies. Still, he likes sports, and contemporary arts, and is laid back...I am excited to work with him. Unfortunately he is on a Getty Grand that prohibits him from teaching/seriously advising until next fall. I'll just utilize this year to finish my non-modern requirements.

I have a ridiculous amount of reading every week and am already forcing myself to step up to the plate. I led my modern art seminar (with the Mary Sheriff ohmyGod) this week, which was extremely stressful and nerve wracking, but I survived and any future leading will seem like not-that-big-of-a-deal. Conquered my fear, time to move on with life.

I'm a little homesick. I spend my Saturdays now with the Gator Club at the Gator Bar watching the Gator Game. Watching the game from a shabby sports bar in Durham makes me long for the Swamp. I haven't met many people up here outside of my program. I'm a little lonely, but this is to be expected. I figure it'll take me time to adjust--although they really don't care about football up here, which is something that needs to be remedied.

I'm looking forward to fall, and to watching the leaves change. Fall also means I get to break out the cool weather wardrobe I am slowly acquiring, particularly the red trenchcoat. Yes, I am vain, but I'm 75% convinced that I want to make fashion my focus area, so I guess that's excusable.

I think that's all. I'll try to update more frequently, considering I am far far away from most of the people with whom I have mutual love. That will change soon, I know, I'm just getting a little antsy.

Ciao kids,
Lindsay