Resting on my hotel bed, I compose

myself after a 6.5 mile walk around state college. A walk that, according to my friend, Gmaps Pedometer, burned 1048 calories. Nice. Surprisingly during/after said walk, I never got hungry for dinner, so I'm guessing the lunch I had at Plyler's Buffet on the way to State college had a full trucker caloric intake of 10,605 calories. It was worth it though. Strangely enough, there were some English ladies (as in Tea and Crumpets not wah wah wah 19th Century Russian Lit wha wha wha). English ladies in Brookfield, PA was, well pretty strange, but also somewhat cool.

If I had an accent, I'd be an English one, and I'm not talking "cup 'o tea, with the missus kind", I'm talking "oi git y'r fookin' arse off me bumpa 'fore me garden breaks open y'r bib n' brace." When I'm alone in foreign places like I am today, I often consider trying to uphold an accent for all conversations....become someone else for a day. Unfortunately, my anti-social nature precludes me from most social interaction, and I generally don't keep up the charade outside my head.

In any event, I've never really been to State College Before. Sure, I was here once in high school with my physics class to look at their nuclear reactor, but we didn't really walk around. So the goal on my walk today was two fold: 1. find gifties for my wife and baby (because all dads have to come back with presents when they go to faraway places. It's a law of fatherhood) 2. observe strangers.

So I did a lot of wandering. I found that College and Beaver streets had plenty of shops and restaurants, so I kinda wandered around there for a while. As I looked at people, I noticed that State College is a lot like a big city; no one smiles, no one notices you; everyone is invisible. I like anonymity but, I really felt almost alien here. Perhaps it's because I'm a decade older than a good chunk of the population, or because I just don't think/act/like a college student anymore (did I ever think/act like a college student? <---maybe for a minute, week).

My observations: America is homogenizing. We're getting fatter. Cell phones are ubiquitous. I didn't feel bad for listening to my headphones because everyone else was doing the same thing.

I remember college being more divided, clique wise. Granted, I only walked a small area, but I'd say 90% of the people I saw fit into a general category of sameness. I saw only a handful skaters, and hippies, and no other groups. Where oh where did all the goth kids go? Punks? Emo? anything? Everyone had that Old Navy, Gap, Abercrombie shit look. Everyone drove expensive cars--I've never seen more Mercedes, BMWs, Volvos, and muscle cars...Isn't state college really expensive? Where the fuck are they getting money to shop for homoginity clothes AND have fancy cars?

We're getting fatter. In a way, I think this is a good thing, to a degree. I'm talking to you, girls. Thanks to all the friends over at Al Key Hall, there weren't all that many rail thin guys and gals floating around. Most people had substance. And I think that's good. It's good because I used to religiously watch America's Next Top Hot Model, and always rooted for the Plus Size model. I don't follow the show so much anymore because, well, the plus size girl never wins...and honestly 10 is not Plus! Fuck 10 is like the "don't go any lower than that, sister" mark for me. The last episode I watched, the girls were bitching at the one girl because she was a 0. A fucking 0. C'mon, who could fall in love with something so thin? That's why I love my wife. She's short. She's beautiful. She has curves, and she's not going to get rid of them because America wants her to. So bravo to all you other girls out there who don't believe that 2, 4, 6 are sexy. You can be healthy and a 10-12. You'll look good, feel good, and not count calories when Ben and Jerry come over for dinner, after dinner, and midnight snacks.

Cellphones: Jesus Christ. I hope someone develops a Cellphone Bomb. Hate em. 'nuff said. Got behind 3 people on the way from Erie to here that nearly caused accidents thanks to Cellphones--one near my house actually; he decided that while he was taking his call at the wheel, he'd also create a new lane to get from Rt 5 to 955; nearly ran me into the meridian. I think he was a priest. Fuck you Church.

Music: One time, a long time ago, my friends and I were talking about superpowers. The first one I listed was "appropriate background music for all situations." I think this one is starting to come true, on an individual level. Everyone down here has iPods, earbuds. Tuned in, tuned out. I was doing the same, and I noticed that all the stores had their music up real loud, so you had to listen to what they wanted, unless, of course you turned your shit up louder.

Tomorrow the conference starts. I present on Saturday. I'm hoping to meet some old profs, and maybe find me a job. That would be the all time best experience. Either way, I'm looking forward to this weekend--especially since I'll get to see my wife and baby on saturday after the conference (I've missed them much this week).

I forgot to bring my camera cord, so I can't upload any of the photos I took today, but maybe I'll edit and add later.