I leave in a few hours on a lone journey to New York. I suspect I will not be so alone, as, both strategically and coincidentally I will be making the trip at the same time as several others that I know. The journey will being this evening when I board a train here in Milwaukee bound for Syracuse (Duration: 14 hrs, 27 mins, not including transfer time in Chicago). The train will ride overnight and I will arrive in Syracuse shortly before noon on Tuesday. My adopted sister, Stacy, is a graduate student attending Syracuse University and, as I was unable to visit her in Chicago before she made the move, I made arrangements to see her in Syracuse during my venture to New York City. I will be taking another train from Syracuse to New York (Duration: 5 hrs, 40 mins) and arriving Thursday afternoon. This gives me from Thursday afternoon until Monday evening in the city. For those of you who are keeping track, it will be my second time there.
I hope to devote some time each day to write and reflect upon my experiences and what I have seen (or intend to see). It has been a while since I have set any similar goal for myself and feel as though it would put me at an advantage, taking cue from Ev Bogue and doing the work every single day. As of right now, I have only one day thought out. I like the openness of being aware of what is going on yet having no concrete plans. Perhaps it would be best to go at a day-to-day pace, keeping ahead of myself only slightly and allowing for redirection.
Much like when I set off to California last December I will not be taking a camera with me. What I will have, and will likely use, is my camera phone, which I have been using more and more (some previous posts have been images from my camera phone). Unlike the California trip, I will have my laptop. I will also have my backpack and $3 sixteen inch square suitcase I bought some months ago in excitement for this trip.
My eyes are already stinging from tiredness and I have a long way to go even just today. I stayed up late last night - okay, really it was midnight - watching Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I finally rolled over and had to finish the last half hour or so this morning. My perception of late has changed much since I left the life of a student staying up at all hours to complete assignments.
Now I am sitting on my brother's patio getting ready as the time gets closer and closer to leave. The perfect autumn day spent in anticipation: a perfect place to start.
