Blogging for Chrissake

I know: it's been an unforgivably long time since I blogged. But it's not because I haven't thought about blogging or because I have nothing to blog about. In fact, I've sat down to my Movable Type page many times since I've been "Stateside." Sometimes I just don't know where to start. So here are some highlights, any one of which could easily have been developed into a full-fledged blog entry:

* In the last three weeks, I've managed to hit three major cities on the east coast. Weekend one, I went to Philadelphia, which I did not know is the 5th largest city in the U.S. Amazing architecture; humid weather: loved the buildings; hated the heat. Lucky for me, the friends I stayed with had both air conditioning and an intricate knowledge of all the nooks and crannies to see in Philly. I had a lovely time and want to go back soon.
     Weekend two, I headed into NYC, where I had not been since before 9/11. The city is now quite different, not least because of the pronounced police presence (in the form of a huge banner reading "POLICE" at a central kiosk greeting one at Penn Station). I'm not the first to observe that the city "feels" different, now too. What some people have described as a "nicer" NYC, though, felt a little to me like a muted NYC: I'm not sure people are nicer, but the city has lost some of its edge and energy. This, of course, is to be expected--it's still very much a city in mourning and a city not yet comfortable enough to be flamboyant again. Nonetheless, the place is dear to me. I spent my Saturday walking down Broadway among the illicit marketers, selling knock-offs; perusing the market at Union Square; sitting in Washington Square Park, reading the Village Voice; having a drink with my ex-from the crazy Calgary wedding at a bona fide lesbian bar; and finally eating dinner at a wonderful little Italian restaurant up near Columbia with two old friends. As I describe the day, it's funny, because I don't remember it being that busy...
     Finally, for weekend three (the weekend before last), I travelled to Boston. Several NYC bus companies offer this fabulous deal where you go from Chinatown in NYC to Chinatwon in Boston for $10 each way! And they have buses leaving every hour. So I took advantage of the opportunity to go see my sister in Boston (and my mother who was down visiting her). My sister has two babies (one is 2 1/2 and the other just turned 1 year old). Surprisingly, I was not driven crazy and seemed really to hit it off with the one-year-old. Who knew.

* Now I'm staying home for a little while until Oct. 2, when I travel to Toronto for the 40th birthday of the sexiest woman I know. Yes, Dr. Fem turns 40. And there will be a queer Toronto party to prove it. You can bet I'm counting sleeps until I see her again...

* In other news, my work here proceedes apace. There have been few slow moments. My two classes are keeping me quite busy and when I'm not teaching, I'm working on my own research (what a concept!). Meetings with faculty advisors have gone well so far. And my dissertation supervisor is spearheading a Sexuality Studies Working Group that is bringing in some big-name scholars from all over the U.S. This week, Thomas Laqueur hits town and I'm now in the middle of reading his cultural history of masturbation. Interesting stuff.

* In spite of all the above, though, I do long for Halifax--its greenery, its Film Festival, its smoked salmon, its well-stocked grocery stores. New Brunswick, NJ is the strangest college town one can imagine. I have to walk a solid half hour to get to a grocery store, which is not even in New Brunswick. Otherwise, I need a car to get there. (To be fair, there is a little market for produce and Mexican and Asian food, but one cannot get a complete supply of food there.) All of this, however, I treat as motivation to get work done and live elsewhere. I'm not sure how long one can go on the hope of "living life elsewhere," but for now, that is just fine. And besides, if I feel stir-crazy, there is always Philly, or NYC, or Boston to give me a temporary respite.