Home, whittle away whittle away

14 hrs, 54 minutes from Chapel Hill to home.  Stopover in Chambana to dump some of my belongings/make sure the apartment hadn’t burned down.

10 weeks, 6,100 miles.

And so, the adventures have come to an end…  well, N.C. adventures.  Back to where I can see the scenery when I drive, to a land of good hot dogs and pizza.

Welcomed back as the Cubs moved into 1st place and kept it, in dramatic fashion, with a walk off GS last night from Soriano.

Glad to be enjoying the amazingly cold Chicago July.

See ya, South.

Richmond, II

I don’t know.  Main St., downtown.

capitol

Another part of downtown I had yet to see… shocking!

Capitol statue

Richmond has MANY statues, here is one that is not actually in the middle of a real road (unlike monument avenue… where there are many in the middle of intersections.  exciting to drive down.)

Statue AND the capitol

The capitol statue and the capitol in the same picture, don’t be too jealous of my photography skillz.

And then… the best restaurant ever… STICKY RICE!

tots! sticky balls! sushi!

The best part of sticky rice is the tater tots.  the bucket o’ tots.  notice they do indeed come in a bucket, and you eat them with chopsticks.  AMAZING.

Richmond is awesome, part I

james river blues, i just heard the awful news.  i could steer around the rocks, but they’re busting down the docks.

James River and Richmond

james river blues, that train came on through.  now the works gotten slow, now where’s a boatman to go?

think i’ll float on down… to richmond-town…

they don’t need us anymore, hauling freight from shore to shore. that big iron hauls much more than we ever could before.

i’ve seen good men going wrong, i’ve seen bad ones get it right.  as that river rolls along, i’ll be stepping out tonight

James River

on the cool flow, floating down, down below the bridge

to the water’s edge

from the ridge, to the ledge

from the hills to the sea, i’ll become a memory…

Hollywood Rapids/Hollywood Cemetery

Pam Goes to Upscale North Carolina

I work in public interest.  I was told this should mean…. expect little to nothing.  Not so!  I work in a small town.  We win free chipotle for lunch.  Sometimes work buys us ice cream or sponsors a happy hour.  Whee!
Our internship outing was perhaps the most unexpected… and probably much cooler than most people’s internship events at big firms.

See, we went to the beach for a day.

Not just any beach.  The Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Actually, we went to a private island in the OBX.

Yeah, we’re cool.

I got to achieve a life-long goal:  kayaking!  Yes, I was able to kayak through the marshes in the inland side of the island.  Amazing.

It was a glorious day.  We spent a lot of time hanging out on the second story deck looking at the ocean… watching coworkers trying to ocean kayak…  walking the twenty feet to the beach and going to the ocean ourselves…  I even went in even though it was rougher than the last time…

Complete with a huge and delicious array of food and drinks.

It was a very very fun day.

Pam Goes to Charlotte

At this time last week, I believe I was eating Mexican food of ambiguous quality in downtown(ish) Charlotte.   In approximately five minutes I would leave to put my sunglasses in my car and run into Carter in the street.  I would proceed to not recognize him for about ten seconds because apparently you don’t get to cut your hair or shave on tour.  Sorry Carter, but…

So yes.  I got to see some more Carbon Leaf!  They were playing in Charlotte last Thursday.

Good things about this:

- Carbon Leaf!

- I get to say I went to Charlotte.

- I knew I would/did have a fabulously good time

- I got to see a bunch of familiar faces… very nice after being marooned in the South for a spell with only a short visit from the bro.

Bad things:

- Show was on a Thursday.  Charlotte is 2.5 hours from my apartment.  Meaning… I had to leave work early.

- Work almost caused me to cancel

- That caused ticket anxiety

- Which turned out to be both unfounded and unnecessary but I didn’t know at the time

- Work on Friday was Snazzy Intern Outing (more on that later) which meant that, I might get home by 3, but I’d have to be at work at 7… so 3.5 hours of sleep was all I could hope for.

So, what’s a girl to do?

Go to the show, of course.  I only considered not going because… it’s my summer internship, and that’s important careerwise.  But I asked for the time off well in advance, made it known I was willing to cancel my plans for work (ugh), and was told… NO. Go.

And you know what?  I felt better on Friday than I do most days.

The drive to Charlotte?  Uneventful.  My chat with The Beard That Ate Carter?  Very informative.  I got scolded for my lackluster mandolin practice and was given life advice.  Hmm.  The venue? Pretty good, I was immediately given the ‘job’ of filling the floor (it was set up weird) which I accomplished with grace and ease, and which netted me a sweet spot in front of Carter, next to some stairs (prohibiting people from standing on my left) and with a big box in front of me (to hold my things).  Anddd a big group stood behind me so I wasn’t super crowded.  Nice!

The opener?  Much better than in Richmond.  The show?  Great!  Well…

Sure, there was no banjo.

Sure, Carter *chose* to not play mandolin on Desperation Song for no good reason.

But these things don’t matter.  Except that now I can start up all my conversations with, REMEMBER THE TIME YOU DIDN”T PLAY MANDOLIN??? (Sorry Carter).

Great setlist, some fabulous older songs (Blue Ridge Laughing!) and my favoritest cover (Bron y aur Stomp by Led Zepplin), new songs sounded good, band was tight.

But most importantly?  The story of How Pam Accidentally Became Famous.

It was those stairs, you see.  They turned out to be how people left the stage.  So, first rhythmn guitarist Terry comes out… and gets swamped.  I’m just standing in my little spot, enjoying not having to hold all my crap, so I get stuck behind Terry and the Crowd That Wants to Talk to Him.

Eventually I realize I am also in the background of Every Picture someone takes with him.

Shoot.

So Terry eventually moves away.  Next out: Barry, Lead Singer.

Well, this is even worse!

Too bad I go to so many shows and the guys know who I am… if they hadn’t stopped on the stairs to say a quick hello maybe I wouldn’t also be featured in the background of Every Picture Taken of Barry.

And I do mean that.  I was right behind him to the side.  I even told him I was in the background of the pictures.  He then gave me advice on faces to make…  Great!

And THEN, because I was stuck (could not leave, huge crowd determined to meet the band), people starting assuming I was “with” the band, and talking to me… noooo I’m just a fan let me beee I just like my little shelf by the stageee…

Eventually it thinned out.  And I escaped.
Gdamn.

Anyway, I “updated my scrapbook”.  I was actually photogenic that night – all the pics of me turned out great!

Here are my favorites from the adventure:

Downtown Charlotte

Carter, not playing mandolin, with his hat, and his beard. Unrecognizable I say.

I finally get a good picture with Terry and he rejected it because "What is THAT growing out of my head!" and made me take another.

Pam v. The “Beast”

Before reading this entry, it is imperative that you read:

http://cubsfaninnc.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/i-want-to-go-home/

and

http://cubsfaninnc.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/vegetables-are-scary/

Caught up?  Okay!

On Tuesday, I was holding Brownie.  He promptly coated me in a thick covering of brown fur.  I went outside to shake off my shirt and shrieked as a HUGE insect rattled in front of me and dashed towards the apartment.  But it couldn’t just RUN through the glass doors, I reasoned.  I was safe.

So  sitting on the couch, I was working on my clerkship stuff when I heard a rustling.  I looked over and came face to face with the largest bug-like monster I have ever seen.  It was standing on a pillow on the couch, ready to devour me in a single bite.  I reacted as any normal person would:  I screamed louder than I ever have in my life, leapt to my feet and ran away, and then called my mom.  The monster moved.  I screamed again.  No neighbor came to see who was trying to murder me… I thought this disheartening.

I couldn’t use the Raid – it was on the couch.  I felt uninspired to approach the creature, as it could eat me.  It couldn’t STAY here.  What to do?

I grabbed a paper bag.  I would trap it, then take it outside and either kill it or release it.

But it had disappeared.

This was not good.
I poked the couch.  It popped out.  I screamed and recoiled in terror.  I put the bag down and retreated looking for another object to assist me in my quest.

I returned and it was on the ground.  With audible rustle and movement from the couch cover, it disappeared underneath.

I placed the paper bag on the ground, opening facing the couch, and retreated to my room.  I placed a towel under the crack at the bottom of the door to seal any openings and moved ALL my bags and stuff into my room.  There, I did the only rational thing:  I texted LocalIntern, as I had promised before, to inform him of the existance of the creature.  The ensuing conversation is hilarious, so I will reproduce it here.

Me: Four inch bugs have returned… I promise they exist.

LocalIntern: You exaggerate

Me: No. It made my couch cover rustle.  And if you were listening carefully you could hear me scream, I am sure…

LocalIntern:  I thought I heard something…

Me:  I may have just captured the bug aka the beast.  If I am successful I will bring it to work tomorrow to show you.  Listen for my imminent shriek of terror.

LocalIntern: Haha… Is everything okay? Did you have to call 911?

Me:  Fine.  PS The Beast is still at large…

LocalIntern:  Sounds like you need a lasso…
Now you ask, Pam!  When did you capture the Beast?  Well, i didn’t.  I walked out and saw it standing in front of the paper bag.  I screamed, grabbed a book, and returned.  It was gone.  I hoped into the dark bag.  I threw the book over the opening of the bag.  Then I ran away and texted LocalIntern.  Then I cautiously returned, seized the bag, ran outside, and peered in.

It was empty.

Back to the room.

The next morning, I get up.  My dinner plate had not been washed as per usual, because I was so preoccupied with my imminent demise.  I had eaten a vegetable pack and they had included brussel sprouts.  Brussel sprouts are disgusting.  So I had moved them all into a small pile on my plate.  Also, in draining my pasta, a piece had dropped into the sink.

The brussel sprouts and pasta had disappeared.

The only logical assumption was that the Beast had eaten them.

I went to work and LocalIntern inquired as to my bug status.  I told him the Beast was still at large and asked what he thought the odds were that an enormous bug would take my brussel sprouts.

Response:  That question needs no response, because clearly there were never any brussel sprouts in your apartment.

*Sigh*

Later I restarted my inquiry.  The response:  That is a moot question.  There were never any brussel sprouts.

I explained that they had, in fact, come in a multipack of veggies and I could show him the packaging if he would like.

Then I was informed the odds that a bug would take them were, exactly, 0.  I can only presume because they are so disgusting.

THEN, on my way home, I stopped by to chat with LocalIntern and GISIntern before heading out.  LocalIntern decided it was the perfect moment to catch GISIntern up to date on my bug woes.  He started with the brussel sprouts…

GISIntern:  There were BRUSSEL SPROUTS?!?  Pam, who ARE you?

*Sigh*

Then he told me that brussel sprouts were another of the ‘most disgusting vegetables ever’ and I was eating all the wrong things.

Then he thought maybe a bug could take a brussel sprout, depending on the bug.  But not six.  And not pasta.

Then I went home and told my mom, sadly, that I thought I had two roommates.  She was like, yes!  Blackie and Brownie.  So I said, okay, there are four.  She said, Yes!  You, Blackie and Brownie, and the Bug.  OKAY.  Let me be clear.  Five of us…

My mom:  wow your apartment is getting crowded.

That evening, however, events turned in my favor.  I was sitting on a chair, nervously looking around my apartment, when the Monster walked out of the other bathroom.  I screamed (of course) and called my mom, who told me to capture it, quickly, so I could show it to LocalIntern at work…

So, I watched it run into the empty bedroom and then I grabbed a tupperware and approached.  It looked at me.  I screamed.  I tossed the tupperware towards it.  It landed over it.  I screamed.  Then I received bug-catching instructions from my mom.  Then I texted LocalIntern to tell him to get ready for show-and-tell at work tomorrow.  He responded can’t wait but by then I had let it escape in trying to get the lid on (shudder) and so I mentioned it had gotten loose, at which point I recieved a doubt-filled response… sure, likely story… i still doubt it’s existance.  Grr.

Luckily the Creature was just scuttling around the big empty room so I managed to recapture it, let it loose, recapture again, (ugh, kill me now), get the lid on, at which point i put it in a plastic ziploc bag in case the lid came loose and put it by the door.

It proceeded to throw itself against the confines of its cage, making a hugely disturbing thumping noise for an hour.

Then it died.  I think.

Later, my boss suggested that I had suffocated it.  He also identified it as a roach and said it was large enough that, (had I not suffocated it), I could have taken it home with me and we could have taken turns driving.  He even narrated our converation-  Bug:  Pam!  Take over at the wheel.  I’m going to head to the back and eat Blackie and Brownie.

Oh, geez.

The next morning, however, I put it in another bag, and then a paper bag, and brought it to work.  (Yes.)  And I emailed LocalIntern informing him I had the Monster and he could come by to see it any time he wished.

Two seconds later he came sprinting down the hall.  I handed him the Bug.  He examined it critically, then informed me it was two inches at best and left.

Death shrinks things.

And with that, I give you:  The Prehistoric Monster

By a doorknob to show size. Be grateful its blurry.

Oh, right!  I still had an extra roommate!  He came back to revisit the Site of the Brussel Sprouts- apparently he really liked them.  But Friday night and Saturday morning I cloroxed the shit out of everything in the kitchen and my furry little friend didn’t come back again… to the best of my knowledge.

Driving home from the beach Friday (more on that later), telling this story to my boss and others, I explained that I had decided in order to survive these experiences I needed to get married so I had someone around to handle these creatures for me.  They all loved the idea and everyone thought it was precisely why you should get married.  But I was told to hurry up, since I only had two weeks left…

Vegetables are Scary

So, I don’t eat many vegetables.  This is not something people usually concern themselves with or even notice.  Down here, however, that has not been the case.  It was quickly noted that my lunch everyday consisted of:  diet coke, pb&j, bag of chips.  I don’t know what is wrong with this; that is cheap, delicious, and not an overload of calories. However, I think people assumed that I ate the same for dinner.
So thus began the quest to determine if I ate vegetables.  Officemate observed this and coaxed me to try new things, although did not focus on the vegetables.  LocalIntern was the first to notice and comment.  I explained I did not like vegetables.  He was doubtful as to this statement.  GISIntern, his buddy, was also doubtful, so I was grilled as to my vegetable tastes.  I explained I liked some vegetables… carrots… radishes… cucumbers… onions… potatoes… corn… potatoes were rejected as a ‘vegetable’ as were onions.  Sigh.

Then, we are setting up a big group dinner.  We are contemplating a late dinner at Carolina Brewery.  In a multipoint email response, I ask how late they serve food… GISIntern replies: I think they stop serving vegetables at 9, but that shouldn’t effect you, Pam.

So, this is followed by lunch with an attorney about his clerkship in Alaska.  He drug along GISIntern too, to try to sell him on Alaska.  First, he suggested I NOT apply in Barrow.  And told me the story of his friend, who went to visit a friend clerking in Barrow. They were walking to the football field of the high school, just a few blocks, when a pick-up truck pulled up. The driver rolled down the window -”Hey!  What are you guys doing out here?  Didn’t you hear -there is a polar bear walking around!  Get in the truck!!!!!!!!!!!”
Right.  No Barrow for me.

But anyway, then the conversation turned to cooking.  As if I cook.  And they were discussing something about broccoli.  Attorney turned to me, as if asking my opinion… so I laughed.  Vegetables! I said.

GISIntern snickered, and explained.  Pam doesn’t eat vegetables.

Attorney was horrified.  What? Which vegetables? Why?

GISIntern tried to convince me. It’s easy! Look at this pasta I made!  I just got this this and that veggie, cut it up, sauteed it, then mixed it in!

I informed him that he lost me at “cut it up.”

He gave up on me as hopeless.  I tried to explain I sometimes mix steamed veggies in with my pasta sauce.  And usually there is broccoli in the bag.  And cauliflower.  GISIntern said cauliflower!  That’s probably one of the most disgusting vegetables ever!

I can’t win.

But the saga continues!  I go back to work and stop by another intern’s office.  She is eating a strange lunch.  She makes me try some.  She then sends out an email to all the interns:

Breaking news!  Today Pam tried kale, quinon, lentils, (and other things I don’t remember).  Give her a high five next time you see her!

Response from GISIntern:  Don’t lie, Pam, it’s only because Attorney and I lectured you for thirty minutes at lunch today about your diet.

*Sigh*

That night was the group intern dinner. Now, I love pasta.  So I saw the seasonal special for some sort of pasta primavera and seized upon it.  Unfortunately for me, it was titled “vegetable pasta primavera”.  There was a significant reaction from the group when I stated my intention to eat this dish.  But PAM!  It has VEGETABLES!!!!!!!

*Sigh*

This is my life on the Fourth of July

There’s a really great band out of Boston called Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers.  And they have a great song called Fourth of July.

So of course, every 4th I listen to it… this, this is my life, on the fourth of July.  It isn’t much but at least it’s mine..

So, happy Fourth to all of you.   My Fourth (up until now) was spent in downtown Raleigh, where I had a series of adventures.

First, I ran a four mile race beginning at the Capitol building.  Do you like my purple shorts?  I bought them ten years ago!

Here I am before the race, unable to pin my number on straight... yet again.

Interestingly, downtown Raleigh has a ‘capital district’ apparently:

Downtown Raleigh

So the state CapitOl is in the CapitAl district…

Here is the CapitOl…

CapitOl

Oh right, the race.  Umm… it was freaking hilly, man.  I finished about 30 secs/mile slower than I wanted.  The whole third mile was one big uphill… it killed me.  Oh wellll..

Back to the Capitol… so after the race, after watching toddlers toddle on a 50 yard ‘dash’.. (hilarious!) and dumping many cups of water over my head, I changed and wandered about.  There were festivities around the downtown area… starting at the capitol… or the capital area… gah so confusing.  First, flags magically appeared:

Flags....

Now, look at this pictures carefully.  On the right are the flags that magically appeared around this area.  that monument in the back on the right is the one I was standing by in the earlier picture.  (An Ode to Confederate soldiers).  Looks to the left now.  Aside from flags appearing, so did men in wool Civil War uniforms and women in hoopskirts.  4th in the South, baby!  Those flags on the left are not only US flags, they include every Confederate flag designed (there were a few).   I find that… intriguing… for the 4th of July.

I also found it intriguing when the band playing 1800s music inside the Capitol (more on that in a bit) played Battle Cry of Freedom.  That was a Union Civil War song.  It includes these lyrics:

The Union forever- hurrah boys hurrah!  Down with the traitors and up with the star!

So I got a huge kick out of that.

So yeah, as part of the festivities there were:

-A helicopter

-People in hoopskirts

-People in Civil War uniforms

-Ben & Jerrys

-The Capitol was open for exploration

So I went inside….  A band was playing in the senate room… also intriguing…  Here are a few shots, including one of a self supporting staircase just like in the SCOTUS!!!!!!!!!  And I walked up it… and it did not break!

Self supporting staircase

Inside the House hearings room I believe

Old law books in the library...

So then, I wandered over to some events occurring at a 1799 house a few blocks away… mostly to see the interior of the house. 

Very old house

But before I could go in, I heard music!  Some familiar chords… and then…

rock me mama like a wagon wheel

The band was covering Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show!  For the uninformed:  (I HATE the music video and every other video taken at shows is drowned out by screaming so I will treat y’all to some more Stephen Kellogg and his rockin non-bluegrass cover)

This is a great North Carolina song, by the way.  Heading down south to the land of the pines, I’m thumbing my way down to North Carolina… and I’m hoping for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight…

ANYWAY.  To make a long story short, they noticed I knew the song, I asked a question about the mandolin at the break, and before I knew it…

Playing a song with the band...

My first experience onstage.  My first experience miked.  My first experience with a bass player.  My first experience where people could hear me play.  My first experience where I led a whole song.  It was freakin terrifying and the mandolin strap was way too long.  But I persevered.

And, in ode to the Fourth, here is one more song I like that is titled Fourth of July.  Although it has nothing really to do with the Fourth of July.  Happy hot dogs, bbq, and beer day to all!

There are too many trees in North Carolina

When I told my cousin I was working in Chapel Hill, she thought about her visits to the area (her good friend lives in Raleigh) and her reaction was, There are a lot of trees there.

My brother came down last weekend to visit the great state of NC.  I told him this story.  He agreed.  He also found the high amount of trees rather annoying (apparently, they impede your view).

Here is a list of adventures.

We went to the baseball game in Durham.  I introduced him to my boss.  They have the same name.

I got an appetizer of fried pickles because that is what LocalIntern likes to make me eat.  I felt I shouldn’t be the only one in the family forced to undergo this experience.

LocalIntern was stoked *I* ordered fried pickles when he found out and high fived me.

Twice.

Brother’s reaction to fried pickles:  Interesting.  You said it, man…

Durham Bulls ballpark

The next day we went to the mountains.  My brother is 1) injured 2) not been running as much as me 3) not been running on hills like me 4) not been hiking like me… and he STILL beat me on the uphills.  I am very Jan Ulrich-like in the mountains .

Mtns

Then it was off………… to Durham.  Where I got lost.  For 2 hours.  Trying to get to Duke’s fuckin West Campus.  I HATE DURHAM AND I HATE DUKE.

We made it.

Then Chapel Hill…. and exploring campus… we met two weird squirrels.  It seems abnormal they would be napping… on the ground?

Weird squirrels

UNC campus- so many trees!

Duke Chapel

Then it was Sunday and it was back to the airport.

I did, however, get him some BBQ…  it got higher ratings than the fried pickles, for sure.

Intern outings

Last week was the week of several intern outings.  First, we lost one of our beloved interns, as he was doing a split summer with a firm in Miami.  So we had a going away dinner at Carolina Brewery.  Delicious!

all the interns -1, +1 non-intern roommate

Then, the next day was a firm outing to Durham to see baseball: team usa v team canada.

Here is Brother by the ‘waterfall’ in the ‘river’ at the park.  More on Brother Meets North Carolina later!

Bro at the top of the 'river'

Quickly, tell me what you think the score is.