That's just the way it is!!

Some things will never change.

I had a great time in NYC after all that. Baxter is amazing! His project was a very neat game, and he curated a great show of the other Masters' Theses. The opening reception was super fun, and their cook out the next night was as super fun if not more super fun. Austin's parents came into town and they are really fun people, too. Yes, so basically: fun.

Highlights: Mom and I went to the same Mexican restaurant Thursday and Friday. They have amazing food (Pequena), and what's more, they had buy one, get one free margaritas! Yummmmmmmmmmmm. That was fun on Thursday, before we went to MoMA, where they were having an intriguing exhibit by performance artist Marina Abramović. Afterwards, we went to Baxter's/Parsons' Opening Reception for the Thesis Symposium.

Friday after our margaritas, we were going to go to Coney Island but that, um, didn't work out. Mom went to Baxter and Austin's adorable apartment to nap, and since I was in the mood for some exercise, I walked to the park for my nap. It was such a lovely day, truly.

I wandered back in time to help get ready for the cookout. Hilariously, we must have made about 15 trips to the corner store between us.

"Oh, we need to get the meat!"

"Oh, we need beer!"

"Oh, I need to get Guinness because I don't like lagers!"

"Oh, we need mayonnaise and ketchup!"

"Oh, we forgot tin foil!"

"Oh, we need more beer!"

It was wonderful. Baxter and Austin love their friends sooooo much, and every time I meet more of them, I understand why. They are very good hosts, too. The next morning I was feeling a bit ill all day. I almost lost it in the Metro, but managed to hold on to it. Mom and I barely made it to the keynote address by Baxter's own boss at the Symposium, but luckily we were able to hear most of it. What a great presentation! No wonder Baxter likes his job and his boss so much. Afterwards, we stopped by a restaurant with Austin's awesome parents, where I had soup and about 13 glasses of water (mmmm) since I couldn't ingest anything more at the moment.

After we got to the airport, I had a slice of pizza, since I was feeling better, and anyway, I can ALWAYS have a slice of pizza. I said goodbye to Mom at her gate where she waited for her connection to Greensboro and then my SWEET friend Chris Cap Hayes - who is also a brilliant improv artist and comedian - picked me up.

[Photos of the trip]

Sunday I was supposed to go to the High/Zoo but I really couldn't do it. I had to do laundry, go grocery shopping, pretend to clean for a significant amount of time, and play with my cats. Oh, and watch Series Two of The Catherine Tate Show, of course.

Hopefully I'll be able to get together with them another time. We had our last class together last night and it was really "so hard... to say goodbye... yesterday..." The good news is that several of them are planning to take the follow up courses, but we all need to wait, so hopefully we'll still be able to be in classes together again! We did scene studies last night. It was really fun, but I feel bad for my partner because I felt like a LUMP on a LOG. My energy was just about gone. I know, surprise! Oh, did I mention that we had a small event, a focus group meeting, and another meeting at work Monday and then I had to go to rehearsal from 9 until 11, after working out with Katie after work? And that Tuesday I had a staff meeting? Oh, I didn't? Well, I did. I am CRAZY TIRED. But happy.

COMMENCEMENT IS IN FIVE DAYS!!!!! Boo-yah.