Friends, we live in perilous times. If trends continue, monthly production of Cranberry Jack and frozen Bacardi mixers may exceed all-time Italian soda and Flinstone push-pop consumption within two fiscal quarters. That is to say, the astral augury is for a party-time.
So … when I left you last the Gente de Teatro production of ‘La Señorita de Tacna’ had wrapped, I’d been to California to look at Santa Cruz, and I was in the process of deciding on the University of Pennsylvania for a PhD program. That was in early April, Nutty times. I can’t believe that I managed to get through something of a thesis in the few weeks after than, but I did. In the meantime, I managed to have a little fun. The second week of April we had a long weekend, and I went to Austin with Jose, who had never toured the city. We had fun checking out the new (and not-as-good) Half Price Books and the much better Spider House coffee joint, where I had never been either. We also checked out the University and went to the First Thursday fashion festival on South Congress with Wilson, Carrie and their friend Sara. While we were browsing the goods at a Country-Western-Leather joint, Sara told me about her plans to move to Argentina and we practiced some Spanish. She’s a very cool girl who I had met the previous fall with her husband Mark, but hadn’t really spoken to much. Their becoming fast friends of Wilson and Carrie’s. Another highlight was the café on MLK (the World Beat, or something like that?) where we had one of my all-time favorites, Ethiopian food. Speaking of food news, which I am always keen on, the morning before we left for Austin I took Paul to the airport for his conference at NYU and we stopped by Christy’s Donuts (Gray & Montrose) for breakfast. Fan-freaking-tastic. I’m just now remembering that meal incidentally. I had a sausage wrapped in some fried dough that I’m told resembles what a Kolache is supposed to be. Check it out and also get some of those donut hole balls.
While in Austin, I got a call from Casey who said he going to finally introduce me to his friend Lu (who we had been talking about for a while). She was in Austin too, checking out the Texas law school, so we set a party date for that Saturday night. In the meantime, we bummed around Austin while I tried to get some work done (and maybe produced 10 words total) on the third chapter of my thesis, the one about Los planetas by the Argentine Sergio Chejfec, which may be one of the harder novels I have ever tried to read. I would have hung out with Kara, but she was in Knoxville at her father’s retirement. Either that or in Dallas having dental work done … with Kara, that jet-setter could be anywhere! No, now I remember, it was Knoxville, because she had all this trouble with her flight. Poor Kara, she has been traveling too much and needs a break!
So, back in Houston I picked up a couple of Maudites, then headed over to Casey’s, where I met his roommate Brian (very cool), his partner Josh (who I had talked to once before) and their dogs. Lu showed up and we hit it off right away. The whole crew went to Miyako where we did Sake bombs (that is to say, sake dropped in a large glass of Sapporo and slammed as a team) and things got silly from there. The “Dunstan house,” where they all live, is Houton’s answer to the set of “Friends,” except with cigarettes and booze and incredible DIY landscaping. I also met Carrie, who’s in law school at TSU and even found myself drunk reading one of her law textbooks (the print in these things is super small, like in a bible). It’s been hella fun to hang out with that crew from time-to-time over the last few weeks, so thanks to Casey for inviting me into the vibe. I guess I got to repay him the favor by letting him substitute my 102 class a couple of times for his teacher training class. He did well, but I know it’s always a shock to find out, in his words, that you basically have to cattle prod the kids. They will participate, but being good Rice students, many need to know that precious points of their grades are on the line at every given moment. As far as Lu, well, she’s in the proverbial dictionary under fun-loving. Also very passionate about immigration law and justice in general, which I have to respect.
The last weeks with Jose were great, even if I was busy as hell. I think we just really wanted to spend a lot of time together. We did some trips to the Tapatía, got pretty tipsy once at El Pueblito Place, and dropped by a party at least once (or was it twice?) at Bernadetta and Gerard’s. His help to finish the thesis was key … I spent the last 36 hours before my draft was due camped out at his apartment (now “mine” for the summer) and got a lot done just not wanting to look like TOO much of a procrastinator. The defense itself went fine (I don’t even want to remember the details) and Kate had interesting questions that probably made me do some thinking I should have done much earlier. The next day (the 29th) I rushed around the university to get the final draft turned in, then went to a talk before Jose and I (and Casey and Lu, and those Dunstan House boys) hit Valhalla for the end-of-year free booze fest before going to María Selma’s for more margaritas (and also, the most ridiculous upscale fajitas I’ve ever had … sorry to keep commenting on food!) The next day we hit the International Festival in downtown Houston, where I saw (among other things) Capoeira dancing, oompa-loompa old-school European style dancing that did not look cool by comparison, a whole bunch of dogs, and a giant sand sculpture of the Taj Mahal (India was the honored country). Casey’s brother was there too, visiting from Alabama.
The next day the partying continued at Bev’s (the department coordinator) down in Friendswood. Her husband is an incredible cook, which I guess it why he does it professionally. Still, he was surprised to see me drinking beer from a bottle with a champagne cork! I guess he mostly caters with wine. The afternoon was great, except for Bev and Mike’s blind dog who (according to them) is a cow herder by nature. He had apparently decided that I was the cow at the party, so he kept biting the back of my heel and trying to drag me off somewhere. General ridiculous spilled over into the next week, as I graded and did Penn paperwork by day while partying by night … Paul had a party one night, and another we went out to celebrate Kate’s going away. There was also a dinner party for the LRC, where we got tin mugs with “Rice” engraved on them. I also had an end of the year dinner with some of the kids who had been my students, at La Mexicana. Or that might have been the next week. And I finally had dinner with Ingrid, who I hadn’t really talked to since she went to Uruguay for the winter.
On Jose’s last night we drank beers at his place and talked about everything … and watched Y tu mamá también one more time. Seeing him go was sad, but I know he’s about to start having a helluva time touring the Baltic republics.
I also started the process of selling my furniture. The couch was taken by a couple of frat-boy types with an F350 with Bush stickers all over it. One of them had the given name (I shit you not) of Bush Cummings. Actual name. As far as the rest of the moving duties, I’ve put them off entirely. I did finally get some boxes today, but they’re still in my trunk.
One sad moment was going to the funeral of Inés, my former girlfriend Andrea’s aunt. I had only known her from conversations and correspondence over the last year in Houston, and I knew that she could be difficult at times, but she was always extremely kind to me. I regretted not having much contact with her in her last months. The funeral was nice and Manuel (Andrea’s dad) especially spoke very eloquently. I also spoke briefly … which affected me more after-the-fact. I guess saying a few words about someone who’s passed doesn’t seem like a huge deal until you open your mouth and realize the significance of the moment. I’m sure everyone has those existential moments of wondering what will be said at his or her own funeral. I had only done that one other time, with my grandfather three and a half years ago, and I got equally nervous on the spot. But, well … in the bright news category Andrea’s little sister Alison got accepted to my alma mater Haverford.
The last week before my graduation I started my summer job at the LRC and went about looking for some other work too … a couple of little jobs for my department (including helping Beatriz with an essay volume and re-doing some promotional material) and some tutoring gigs. At the LRC we are in the process of hiring Henny’s replacement, so I’m interested to see how that will turn out. I also started back with improv after a hiatus, which I am completely psyched about.
Graduation weekend, as I said in the previous entry, had it’s minuses (the ceremony) and its pluses (everything else). Mom and Mary Beth (who are now living together) came in, as well as my dad (1st time in Houston to see me), my grandmother, and my aunt & uncle. On Friday I had a small party at my new place … Wilson and Carrie also came in later. Saturday afternoon we hit the art car parade and saw at least the last half of it, then went for snow cones at the Tampico and headed to Mi Luna for Mónica’s elegant tapas-buffet graduation party. (I was just now on the verge of describing the whole experience as a “money-shot” day, but that would have been a little crude, yes?). Sunday morning I had breakfast with my dad’s cousins at the P.F. Chang’s in Sugarland … 1st time, that place ain’t bad, but I didn’t pick up the check either, so it’s hard to know! The weekend was only ruined by me scraping the hell out of the heel of my left foot on a rusty nail (and eventually winding up in the minor emergency center the following day), but everyone was gone by then. As for family news, my sister broke up with boyfriend Anthony, but seems to be O.K. about it (and really happy about her new apartment), while my brother announced that he’ll be applying to the composition program at Texas next year.
Whew. So much has happened, I’m sure the dear reader tires of this entry, so I’ll try to wrap it ASAP. Sunday night after another improv class, I went to a Bar-B-Que with Lu (things are going great) and Brian and Josh, then went to Henny’s house to have a few last drinks with Jake and Virginia, seniors who have graduated and are heading west to California. (I still think about going there … you never know). Monday I can’t remember, but I think I tried and failed to do something about the moving situation. Tuesday Kara got here from Austin on a two-day visit … the first night we had the super-strong Patrón margaritas at Pueblito place and caught up on everything. She seems so happy right now. Then Wednesday she came to see me at work and we hit Dimassi’s for some Middle Eastern before having shrimp with Lu and going to Helios for an improv show. Later we also stopped by Café Artiste, where I got a call from Tim Haupt in Ithaca. Shit! And I just realized I haven’t called him back! Anyway, Kara will be back from her wedding in Mississippi tomorrow and will hopefully remind me. Tim will be in Memphis next weekend when we’re both going to Elise Pugh’s wedding. (Elise is an old friend from HS and the reason I went to Haverford. More on that later … she knows Tim from HC too, but the 3 of us have never been together).
On Friday Lu and I drove to Austin to see the Houston crew do improv along with another group (Tight) from Austin. We met Wilson and Carrie at their house before, then all went down on bike. Afterwards, we hit Kerbey Lane for late night muchies, which was ironic since the Austin improv troop had lampooned their service. Our waiter was the loopiest I’ve had in a while, but I think I responded something sarcastically to him and didn’t improve the situation. Getting to Austin took forever because traffic was horrible on both ends … and I also got rear-ended not far from Highway 6. Damage doesn’t look too bad visually, but the bumper may have to be replaced. Lu and I woke up LATE Saturday and didn’t do too much until it was time to go to San Antonio (except walk to the warehouse-esque flagship store of Whole Foods to buy wholesome all-natural products on credit, yay!).
In San Antonio, we went to Gen’s graduation party at her house. Gen finished with me … actually, she was the only other person to graduate from the program with me, so we were near each other in the ceremony. Anyway, her party was awesome … one of those big family deals with tables set up in the carport and people hugging and kissing everywhere. We ate WELL (this is becoming a theme, I will have to get in shape this summer) and then talked to some of Gen’s boyfriend’s brothers, one of whom also graduated. Actually, come to think about it, this was the most pro-education party I’ve ever seen … at least 15 or so grads, including several from college, 2 or 3 Masters, some high school kids, and even someone from a professional program. Around 9:30 a Mariachi band showed up as a surprise to Gen and she sang a couple of songs on the spot while her dad teared up and her Mom beamed. Beautiful.
Today was peaceful … I did about 4 hours of tutoring and went to an improv class, then went back to Café Artiste where I was supposed to meet Althea to catch up, but ended up running into Lu and her friend from Capoeira Nick. Althea came, but didn’t see me, so that was a shame. Shoot … well, that just about takes me to the present moment … are you exhausted reader? Try a push-pop or a Creamsicle, they are great this time of year. I’ve had too much Cranberry Jack myself, so I’m done. Will right more soon, I promise, after moving and the Memphis trip next week. By the way, speaking of trips, I’m going to be tooling around Mexico in July so I’m seeking general advice and recommendations. I’ve been once before, but it’s such a big country and every wayward gringo or gringa or venezolana or holandes seems to have his or her secret hideaway. What’s yours?
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