Destiny and Alaska

College application time in the Reisman household was something of a battle of wills. We made a nice little tour of schools in the summer of 1993, motoring east to Boston to visit Boston University, then hopping a train to New York City to check out New York University. I think my dad hoped that once I saw how noisy, disgusting, and evil New York City was, I would come to my senses and shun the place. Instead, I left my heart in Greenwich Village, and my dad left the City with much stomach acid.

Upon the family's return to our quaint domicile at the side of the Edens Expressway (because there is nothing noisy or disgusting about living by a highway), my parents sat down with me at our ancient dining room table to discuss where I would apply to school. I read them my list, from first to last choice: NYU, BU, George Washington University (in DC), University of Iowa, and University of Illinois. "You are not applying to NYU," my father informed me.

Long story short, there was much yelling. A few weeks later, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks sent me a letter informing me that my ACT test scores qualified me to attend their fine institution of learning for free. I decided that if I could not apply to NYU, I would take them up on their generous offer and run away to the frozen tundra. My dad wrote me a check for NYU's application fee that night.

I reflected fondly on this piece of history today after reading the story and viewing the photos of yesterday's anti-Palin protest at Daily Kos. Had things turned out differently, I might have been bundled up and carrying my protest signs with Theo rather than wandering around a book festival sweating through my underwear in downtown Brooklyn on an uncharacteristically humid and sunny mid-September Sunday. Rock on, my fellow progressives!