Hello friends !
Seems like a lot of folk are leaving me to "go to school" and "start the semester." This week I met up with Anna before she flew to Athens on Sunday. We went to this bakery in Boston called Tatte. It's a chain and I'm not sure if it's exclusive to Boston but they have stores all over the place here. We got some desserts and just chatted for like 3 hours. We ended up talking about a lot of stuff that I wasn't expecting, like existential life crises and climate change and stuff. It was a super enlightening conversation with a cool friend, and I'm really glad I got to see her before she left!
We also agreed that it's probably for the best to have some time away from Smith, since the culture there can start to wear on you over time. At least for me so far this year, absence does seem to be making my heart grow fonder. I do really like Smith, even though there's a lot about it I don't like. But even though I missed Smith in DC, the more time that goes on, the more I feel good about my decision to go abroad next semester. And from talking to Anna, I know that she's really glad to have a break from campus for a while. So all in all, I think this year will be (or has already been) very healthy and transformative for us all, queens.
Then on Thursday, I went to see Tenki no Ko (Weathering with You) with my sister and our friend River. This is the new animated film from Makoto Shinkai, the director of Your Name. All in all, it was a very fun and sweet movie! I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it pretty touching. I'll leave it at that, just in case people named "Caitlin" are reading this blog and don't want spoilers. And honestly the plot's a little unusual so it's one of those films that I think it's better to just see without knowing anything about. So if it comes to a theater or streaming service near you, check it out.
Friday, Colleen, River, and I made boba. We tried a new recipe and messed up the first batch of pearls so it ended up being kind of time-consuming, but it was a fun time. River showed us this video and it's all we talk about when we're together now. We're practicing to do a cover but I make no promises.
Me and River were really proud when we got the dough to have a kneadable consistency.
I've also been getting perilously into sudoku. I bought a book two summers ago when I worked at the pool, so I could do it when things were slow. I recently picked it up again and now it's almost all I do when I'm at home. It's really taking over my life. Colleen, River, and I are imagining it like it's a sports anime (River is my disillusioned, mid-mid-life crisis coach, Colleen is my sister who is seeing how sudoku is changing me...for the better. I have a new drive, friends [in this universe I'm on a competitive sudoku team], and a passion the likes of which she's never seen in me before) Anyway be on the lookout for the script.
Also Naoni called me the other day and it was really nice! We sent each other transcontinental punches <3
Finally, today I went into Boston to hang out with my friend Laura. She's going back to Smith in a few days and we had talked about doing something in the city together since we live on opposite sides of Boston. A lot of Boston museums were free for MLK day, so we decided to go to the MFA. I definitely like visiting museums more after last semester, and I already liked visiting museums a lot. Plus, it's been a while since I've been to the MFA and there's so many cool things that I'm always just overwhelmed by everything. They have a really cool open conservation studio in the Asian art section, where you can see how they restore Buddhist statues and things like that. I think it's super cool (Chemistry of Art Objects ooohh) but I would not want to be a conservator working in basically a glass case where anyone can look at you while you work. Thank you to the brave folks who do that so I can stand idly by and be impressed.
Anyway, that's about it from me for now. Tomorrow, me, Colleen, and River are maybe going to go to an animal shelter.
Also I'm nearly done with all the official preparations for Korea. Less than a month left. Yikes.
I loved the rat vid, it really butters my biscuits. Also, it seems like you, your sister, and friend are having so much fun, I enjoy reading y’all’s adventures! And I am glad you got your paperwork done for Korea, now it’s just a carefree waiting period :D
I’ve been to tatte before I think! I always associate those type of conversations with norgil 🧐 but they’re fun I agree that It’s good to be gone from smith. A change in scenery can really give you a different mindset (mine being.. lazier... but it’s neither here nor there)! And ooh you’re right, sudoku is really fun, I should get back into that instead of wasting my days away on that dang internet I need to see that movie still!