Midwestern Days

[pollaczek]

A week ago today Emma and I landed in St. Joseph, MI, her hometown on the southwestern Lake Michigan beachshore, and land of ice-cream, fudge, and spectacular Bells Beer (actually based in lovely Kalamazoo). All of this time has been greatly appreciated after two happy weeks on the road, camping in northeastern Oregon at Wallowa Lake, driving

Comments

[space_princess]

Glad to hear you found a pretty new house. Sounds like things are going well. Post pictures. Lots of pictures.

[pollaczek]

Thanks! I need to either pay to upgrade my livejournal account to post pictures- or am I wrong?- or start updating my flickr account- http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=pollaczek. Hope things are going well for you, too.

[ganatronic]

My parents both went to college there. And I was thinking about applying there for grad school. But I'm not so sure. I remember the campus being nice. But from what I've heard, the entire region is so middle-of-the-giant-field. I look forward to hearing your take on it. I'm sure it's a fun place. Lively music scene, I bet.

[pollaczek]

I know, the whole region is so middle-of-the-giant-field. The only advantage to hill-less areas is that the biking is a breeze (save in the winters!). But in a way, I feel more than prepared for it after spending four years in the even more podunk place of Oberlin, Ohio. And the university honestly seems to truly define the whole two towns, offering the best employment opportunities, the most young people, and the cheapest (and presumably tastiest) nearby food. And the music scene, please please please, I hope is vibrant and accessibly cheap (unlike that of southern california). Still, it wouldn't have been my first choice of place to live, so I understand your hesitation! I don't know what type of graduate program you are thinking of applying to, but if it has anything to do with Natural Resources or Environmental Science, I'll have Emma to keep me posted. And hey, if both your parents made it through the place just fine!...

[ganatronic]

Well, only one of my parents actually made it through the place. My dad spent too much of his time traveling through the steam tunnels and playing in rock bands, so he ended up dropping out.

I'm not applying for natural resources or environmental sciences, but rather social work. I really want to go to the east coast, preferably nyc, and I'm trying to weigh if it's worth the debt.

[ganatronic]

I meant to ask: do you have any opinion of Madison, both as a town and as a university? David recommends the place, and another friend to me the town is great. (I'm also looking at communications/journalism as a major, fyi.)

[pryomoax]

Gald to hear you made it across in one piece, and that you are still together ;)

FYI - you pay less for you place that I do! Mine a studio, yours a 3BD house. I have to ask again, WTF Santa Barbara?!

Anyway, I'm putting your board to good use these days. I'm trying to get surfing in about three days/week. The ocean is warm and the wet suit optional. I've started surfing Campus Point, you would love it out there.

Good to hear from you old friend, keep it up.

[pollaczek]

Thanks- good to hear from you too. It was a challenge at times, but actually the road-trip was overwhelmingly and surprisingly relaxed and easy.

Hah, I was hoping for that kind of response. I am really putting a lot behind this place working and hope I don't get burned- still haven't heard back with a copy of the lease- but if it does work out, I definitely will feel a tad bit smug about the price we'll be paying.

That's fantastic you are surfing often these days. Three plus days a week would be more than we could ever pull off! Enjoy it while the water is warm-ish. The waves must be decent, then, at Campus Point, even in the summer? Hope you and L are staying well.

[ganatronic]

Speaking of boards, how's that board of mine that you took? At least, I'm assuming you took it, but I really dunno. I'd been seeing if you wanted to buy it, then all of a sudden it was gone.

[pryomoax]

I never really used it after I bought my first board (the one that got mangled on the freeway six months later.) I tried to get Noah take those both back to you before I left the Chard House (seeings as I didn't, and still do not, have a car.) They are probably still in the back.

[reveuse247]

Hey Noah! Paul said you updated your journal and that all is well. Thought I'd check it out for myself to see how your trip was. Sounds like quite an adventure. Glad to hear you're doing well, keep updating. I look forward to seeing some photos!

best,
Laura