I swear there is nothing that makes me happier than being at home and being around Flip. Now that I've spent nearly a week with him, it's going to be tough to get back into school mode for three weeks, but winter break is the light at the end of the tunnel. And then, soon, I'll be able to see him almost every weekend if I want. And then... guess I'll have to get a webcam and finally jump on the Skype bandwagon. I just read about this website, A Story Before Bed, too, that lets you record yourself reading a book and send the video to "a special child in your life" for him to watch whenever he wants. Adorable concept, no? Not sure if I'd really want to pay $5 for every book, though. I mean, couldn't I just take the idea, forgo the read-along animation, and record as many videos as I wanted? Maybe I'll finally start him on Harry Potter. I just reread HP7 on Monday; I'd forgotten how good of a story it was. The scene at Shell Cottage (if you've read it, you know exactly which one) gets me every time. I'm not weeping uncontrollably like I did the very first time I read it, but it's still the most emotionally stirring scene in the book, I think. (For the whole series, Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised comes to mind, but I'm probably missing other obvious scenes in my long-time absence from the world of J.K. Rowling. All the more reason to read the books to Flip.)
While I didn't get as much accomplished over break as I had hoped (I know, I really should just stop pretending that I'll get any work done over any break), I wasn't totally unproductive. I found an apartment after minimal searching (thank you, Craigslist) - a little cheaper, a little smaller, probably also a little safer than the one I was in before. No cats either. Small miracles. I also got to catch up with a couple friends in Philadelphia for a little bit. Thought about how cool it might be to go to school there. Somewhat surprisingly, the city's really grown on me in the last few years. Wish I'd had more time to walk around Penn and see the law school (I've been "under committee review" there for nearly a month!), but I had to catch an early train back. I think I missed the original one I was going to take (though I definitely got to the station exactly as the train was scheduled to arrive after a short sprint), but after a minor freakout, I realized that there were other trains to Glenside, one of which came just ten minutes later. But hey, what would a trip to Philly be without the requisite SEPTA confusion? I should just be thankful the strike wasn't still going on.
Other than my day trip, I was just home catching up with family and friends, just the way I like it. Obviously, I can't wait to see everyone (and everyone I missed seeing this time) again over winter break. Even as people slowly leave the area for life's next adventure, myself soon-to-be included, it's nice that, for the most part, we are all guaranteed to be in the same place at least this one time a year. There's just something so heartwarming about keeping traditions like decorating our timeless plastic tree (that probably predates Flip by at least a half-decade) or a Secret Santa exchange or watching the Penn State bowl game with some of my oldest and dearest friends. The sentimentality of the season, I suppose. Three more weeks...
Finally, an update to my last post: I did get into Michigan, so the streak, if I can even call it that after only two acceptances, continues. I got a lot of "if you go to Michigan, we're no longer friends" teasing, but Moses, who went to Michigan, was enthused enough to make up for everyone else's hardcore Penn State loyalty. It's my hardcore Penn State loyalty, too, of course. It would be difficult for me to ever root for the Wolverines.
I'll always bleed blue and white. (And, in keeping with the general theme of this post, green and gold.)
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