Back in Texas

My last week in the city was great. Okay, all my time in the city was great. Strange for a misanthropic, antisocial hermit like me, but I really love the place. We ate out every night that last week, and the final night Ryan and Julia came up to join us for dinner at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse, a Jewish steakhouse on Chrystie that I've been raving about since our first visit I-don't-remember-when. I'm dying to take my sister and Jonathan there, but I suppose that will have to wait another two years now. Hopefully Ryan and Julia liked it. I thought the food was even better this time than the last. The latkes thick and flavourful, the half-sour pickles crunchy and satisfying, the steak beautifully tender, and the chopped liver not too intense. Brother Love even served us again, and we had rugallach for dessert. *sigh of contentment*

After returning Julia's belongings to her and seeing them off at the subway, Brett and I headed to Palais(e) Royal(e), the existence of whose 'e's I cannot recall. We hung out there with Jordan & Co. then, after Laura met us, we headed to Pianos for one last dance. She wasn't really into it, but it was nice of her to come. Most importantly, beginning wth Julia, every hug that night seemed extraordinarily heavy. I guess the reality of my departure finally began to set in. I headed back to the apartment in a really pissed off mood, though I had no recollection why when I woke up in the morning (just a hangover, which I suppose is better than being angry, but made traveling rather painful). Luckily the departure was so quick, and I was so out of it, that I had no chance to get sentimental. (I don't normally, but why risk it?)

Just to catch up on a few other things:
Ritu Ba's wedding in San Francisco (Santa Rosa, to be exact) was very sweet. It was a personalized ceremony, which is how I believe things should be, set on a verandah overlooking a Sonoma Valley vineyard, and her new husband is a juggler. Their daughter, Natalie, a lovely blonde child, also took part in the ceremony and is quite a ham. I guess people do find their complements. The outgoing Andy and Natalie seem a good match for Ritu Ba's quiet, sweet ways. Meanwhile Hera, Devi Ba's two-year-old (?), was terribly shy most of the time and ran from me, but afterward, just before we parted, she started warming up to me (which is merely to say she stood and stared at me instead of hiding behind her parents). Well, perhaps she'll be friendlier next time we meet. If nothing else, I had the pleasure of hearing myself referred to as Indu Mahi. It has a pretty nice ring to it, doesn't it?
In my last couple weeks, I also spent a little time in Long Island. I got to see an *amazing* video of Brett, age four(?), dancing to the Nutcracker Suite. In all seriousness, I was astounded. He hasn't changed much since those days. It was all there to begin with. I've never seen anything like it. In other news, I painted the tele he'd stripped. Hopefully it will look cool once the finish is applied. I'm not too happy with my work. It's looking terribly childish to me these days. I don't feel I've progressed much since high school (whereas those four years of work show growth in leaps and bounds), likely because I don't draw as much as I should anymore. Maybe one day I'll actually apply myself and study art. Ah, well. If he can fix it up and fetch a decent price... well I still won't be satisfied with my work, but at least he'll be compensated somewhat for his patience.

Since being in Humble, I've spent most of my time in my room (not surprisingly). I unpacked all the boxes from Princeton and finally "moved in." There's still nothing on the walls, but it's finally starting to feel like "my room." Yesterday I spent the day rereading a novel from my bookshelf. It's not a great book, I don't think I'll finish it, but it's interesting how we (I) slip so easily into comfortable, old roles. I should be spending time with my parents in my last weeks here, but this is as I've always been. *shrugs*