If you...want to call me bay-by

ah, back safe and sound in good old Cambridge. it was nice visiting the wilder parts of Mass but only visit. My jaunt to Amherst was very successful. I was on the first panel and gave my paper first as the guy next to me was having issues with his laptop and the projector. I'd like to think my paper went off pretty well. I got a couple of questions and had way too much to talk about so I had to truncate my paper a bit. I wish I had brought my camera as there were some interesting characteristics to the town. I stayed with friends in the Grad family housing. It looked a bit like an internment camp. Un-attractive. But they only paid $700 a month with everything included. you get what you pay for. UMass was interesting. It has been a while since I have seen braided bracelets. It was like a time warp back to the early nineties. I expected to hear a Spin Doctors song at any moment. The town was chock full of bars, hemp shops and Jamaica themed establishments selling black light posters. And it was friggin huge! I don't know how many students go there but then when you add in the kids from the other five colleges in the area, that adds up to a shitload. I headed home on the bus yesterday and it took me four hours to get from Amherst back to Boston. I wouldn't have thought it possible to take that long going across the state but Peter Pan buslines managed to do it. We spent a fun-filled fifteen minutes at the bus station in Worcester. That was exciting let me tell you. I sat listening to my iPod and watched the chubby guy in the seat in front of me pick at the zits on his neck for the duration. I don't know about Worcester. What a shit-hole of a town. Totally depressing.
I very happily met C and his friend J at a French bistro for drinks upon departing the bus. Thankfully it is just across the street in the newly fashionable "leather district." A neighborhood that is not nearly as exciting at its name would imply.

long story short: happy to be home. we went and bought a wok today. I am very excited.

names...