Where in the World Am I?

Blogger is finally doing its users right: we can now schedule a post in advance! If all goes according to plan, this post will go up exactly as my flight to Pittsburgh departs. Yes, for the third weekend in a row, I am running off to see a friend who I have not seen in eons. (Next weekend, it's on to my parents' house to celebrate Bubbe's 85th birthday at a Russian restaurant. "It has an orchestra!" she told me repeatedly on the phone, her voice trembling with excitement. "Great," I replied in the same way I might if I was told that there was an all-you-can-eat herring buffet and no other forms of nourishment. Oh, shit...) I'm not sure how all these trips wound up happening in the same month, but when it rains, it pours and all that.

This trip is very special to me, though, because I have not seen my friend Julie in ages. In addition, I will be attending her graduation from grad school. Growing up a in racist community screwed Julie for many years, and I am so proud that she has overcome the crap that was hurled on her and accomplished so much. It's not just the graduation, it's everything she's done since college, in communities around the western hemisphere. I am so inspired by her. After graduation, she is visiting Qatar for six weeks. She's totally fearless.

On a less tear-jerking note, this trip is going to be crazy. No, we won't be partying it up and falling down drunk to celebrate Julie's achievements. The insanity is going to emanate from the fact that her entire family will also be staying with us at Julie's tiny apartment. Her family makes mine look like a calm, buttoned up WASP clan. Sometimes when I'm with them, I wonder if I secretly entered some sort of alternate universe. (In fact, it'll be good prep for my trip to my folks' house next weekend.) I'm so excited. It's going to be just like back when we were in 5th grade, except that Julie reads The Economist now.

PS - I forgot to give a shout out to my dad on his 62nd birthday, which was May 10th. Happy belated birthday, Dad! I love you, even if you won't leave me alone about going back to law school. :)