A geography of becomings

I love that phrase, which I came across in my thesis reading (where else?). I like the dynamic of "becoming."

Yesterday my old roommate invited me to go to NYC. Since I felt that I spend far too much time in the library, and I love city adventures, I woke up early and got myself down to the bus station. On the train in I got to overhear some Nova students bragging about how they cheat. This was just really odd to me. I don't know why that is something to be proud of, and also, I thought it was stupid of them to talk about it on a public train.

NYC was cold and rainy, but we still had a great time. I'm always in awe of how confusing the Metro system is compared to Philly's subway. We visited some of old roommate's friends, and it was really funny because in the apartment they are subletting was a truly beautiful photo of the King and Queen of Thailand. It was one of the ones from early in their reign, in sepia without a background, but with the royal insignias.

Old roommate's friends told me I was the first person who recognized the monarchs, and that they had initially assumed it was a photograph of the owner's parents. It was so interesting to be sitting so far from home and yet see a distinct reminder of Thailand. I guess it was comforting to think that even when my parents have left, I will still be connected to Thailand, even if it's just in moments like these. Someday, I'll get back to studying the royal photographs, maybe extending to the Thai diaspora.

We then visited the Guggenheim. I had never been there. I got really annoyed with the audio guide. I prefer to read about things instead of having people prattle in my ears, particularly when they make such decided statements about the intentions of long dead artists, because really, how do they know? Also, there was a bit about making the "exotic" accessible for Western audiences and that kind of attitude just really pisses me off. So I took off the headphones and just looked, which was extremely enjoyable. What struck me as I was looking at one of Picasso's odd portraits was how that particular artistic movement (and I get the terms all mixed up so I won't use them) made the familiarity of the human form so fantastic and strangely beautiful. I thought the spiral architecture was just fantastic also. As I wandered upwards I was ashamed to realize that I have not yet been to the Philadelphia Museum of Art since I moved down here. That will have to change soon.

We had dinner in Korea-town and it was just wonderful. I want to do these kinds of trips more. Maybe make my way through the major cities of the Eastern seaboard. I haven't been to Boston yet, and there is a museum there about His Majesty that I need to visit.

When I got back, I made my way to my current roommate's birthday party in Old City. In my great wisdom (and pure cussed stubbornness, might I add), I ended up walking from 30th Street to 3rd. This was because I didn't feel like taking the subway, and old roommate needed something from Chestnut St, so I went there with her intending to catch a bus. There were no buses. I didn't want to pay for a cab. So I just kept walking, thinking about how stupid I was being. But I also was thinking, I like this place. It is mine.