The good news is I got home just in time this morning to go to the feelings doctor where I talked about things like “my friend kaitlin said sometimes replanting plants can be traumatic on its roots” and “I hate this place” to which the feelings doctor said, I think you are sad about leaving Philadelphia. and then I wept for 45 minutes. Does this make you uncomfortable? Don’t fret! I’m going to Texas! For 8 days. Yeehaw. Today I went to the H and the M and bought sundresses for $12 and I don’t have cowboy boots but I do have a sunhat that I wore to the horse races in Tenneessee once. That counts? Maybe I will find Texas husbands. This seems unlikely. Are there Jews in Texas? Sounds confusing. Mazel-Haw?
In other news: SarahSweeter got herself a boyfriend. More photos here.
Tonight Ma Sweet and I went out to dinner to her new favorite restaurant called Saigon Sisters. We walked in the restaurant and the owner greeted her by name, asked if she’d like a VIP pin, then sat us down and sent over two glasses of champagne. “I’ve been here 6 times in two months,” she said. Ma Sweet is famous?
Yesterday I arrived early at the airplane station and I went up to the airplane station attendent and said can I fly home early? And she was like yes you can! and I got the last available seat on the early flight and it was the front row which means bad news no room for my carry-ons but great news I get to face a wall and pretend I’m on a train not a plane. I sat between a woman who played solitaire and a man who quickly established himself by name dropping DuPont and telling us how much he spends on dinner in Philadelphia. I countered and told him where I went to dinner last week for graduation and then I earned his respect and then he asked me for dinner recommendations in Chicago and I told him to go to La Sardine and get the fois gras because s’delicious. Then we flew through 50 miles of thunderstorms and it felt like a big giant bully kept pushing us from the left side of the plane and I closed my eyes and pretended that the big giant bully was pushing a train not a plane. Then we landed and at the baggage carousel and mr dupont gave me some popcorn. Then my phone died. I don’t know if it’s dead but it’s def in a coma. Then Pa Sweet came and picked me up and we went to the Hinsdale where we ate dinner outside and talked about what exactly is “city planning” and he determined that I am a street architect which makes me happy. Then we took photos with his iphone and I said ok dad here’s you’re inspiration: I’m home! And he goes Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. And then I ate squid ink pasta. the end.
This weekend Kaitlin and I drove to New Jersey and went to the beach with Carrie and Lauren. Here’s a short film called, Where’s Carrie?
Then today Kaitlin and I drove up to Bronxville, NY where we went to a bridal shower. I have never been to a bridal shower. There were a lot of girls and dresses and balloons and salad and half eaten plates of cake and then the bride-to-be opened gifts. Kaitlin and I spent most of the time sweating because it was too hot inside and also we were hungover from too many glasses of wine on the beach and also because bridal parties are kind of stressful who knew? Maybe it was also bad because we had tater-tots for breakfast in the car. Those were delicious.
Ok I graduated. I also posted graduation photos. They are a mix of photos from my digicamera, Sarah’s digicamera, and Uncle Paul’s grownup adult camera. Browse here. Or watch slideshow here.
Alright well here I am and guess what? Penn gave me a diploma AND an award. I know. I’m not sure what the award was for but they had a separate award ceremony before the diploma ceremony. All the Schweetski’s came to watch and SarahSweeter filmed it. I’m the one waving. Speaking of awards, this video is going to Cannes. More photos later.
This place is warm and also has mountains and the cab ride took 7 minutes from the airplane station to the Hotel De Anza where they upgraded me to the corner room Playwright Suite (it’s in cursive on a plaque on the door) and gave me “welcome cookies.” Srsly. Oatmeal raisin. I’m never leaving.
UPDATE: And there’s a free fruit bowl! I love a free fruit bowl.
Know what fixes fears of flying? Graduate school. I boarded all of my flights, passed out, and slept the entire way EVEN THROUGH SNACK TIME. And I didn’t get the panic attacks. Ra ra. I meant to type Ta Da! but I like Ra ra! So ima leave it.
Here I am at the airplane station. It is early and it is also very sunny. I am going to some interviews in the California. Yesterday I bought myself a new fancy slacks suit at the Banana Republic and now I am sitting here with the rest of the professionals who are traveling to Dallas, Texas on their way to San Jose, California. How did I get here? /jec is driving down from SF for dinner and maybe we will practice interview questions like, How was your stop in Dallas, Texas? Do you love San Jose? Why or why not? Can you create a rush-hour skip-stop bus schedule for a 3-mile downtown corridor with 10,000 boardings at Station A, 3,000 alightings at Station B, and a passenger who can’t find their transit pass? The San Jose question is a real brain teaser.
In other news, I received an award from Penn. It’s called the Martin Meyerson Award for Public Service in the Profession. I think it’s awarded to the only person in our class who actually wants to work in the public sector instead of making money at a private firm. If going into public service means becoming JSK then this is the best award in the world. I feel great. I should email her and let her know. Oh, speaking of which, a bunch of students went to a conference last week and guess who was there? My bff herself, JSK. And my friend Raman went up to her and was like Hey wanna be besties? And then he brought her a glass of wine and then they had breakfast together the next morning. That statement sounds misleading. But he said the entire time he was trying to figure out how to tell JSK to hire me while they were hitting it off, but all he could come up with was, Need another glass of chianti?
I hope I grow up to wear grey hair and fuschia tunics as well as you.