Weather: 20s, windy
Music: NPR
The four of us in the capstone met in Pearson at 8:30 and headed towards the meetinghouse to retrieve Mark's car. I thought he was joking when he pointed to a black PT Cruiser and said "the hearse is mine", but then the lights flashed and in we got. I guess having a family kind of necessitates having a family car, and it's certainly not a minivan.
We tore onto 320 towards the pike and I grinned at the idea of our "ordained minister and generally saintly human" being a crazy driver. Not much traffic up to the ramp to the Blue Route, and the interstates were moving surprisingly well. Congested, certainly, but we were still at about the speed limit through the 95 merge and onto I-76. Things started to get a little hairy there, so we got off a little early and probably made better time than we otherwise would have despite sitting through several long red lights. Thumbs up for bushwhacking.
Parking was no problem and I even got to use that big pile of nickels and dimes. Now I'll keep collecting them in my wallet for at least another five years...we went a couple of blocks in the wrong direction before getting squared away, and it was freaking cold. Somehow it's harder to deal with high winds in a city, when I know they're being partially caused by the surrounding tall buildings, than when it's 100% all-natural. We passed a bunch of normal-looking Penn students and eventually made it to the coffee shop next to the White Dog cafe.
Ann Karlen was waiting for us with laptop and cell phone already engaged. We spent some ES department funds (I got a bottle of Newman's Own sparkling raspberry kiwi juice--who knew?) with the help of a raspy voiced young woman with bangs, moved some chairs around, and spent about 90 minutes talking about the Chester co-op. Ann was really really impressive--smart, realistic, and direct without being condescending. Someone who definitely gets things done, which is good when you're working with a bunch of distracted college students. I was struck by how much I really am going to miss being in situations where meeting people like this is commonplace. Better late than never.
We were a little pressed for time on the return trip, but were fine after Mark burned tires while making a screeching u-turn just fast enough to avoid a long line of traffic. I was in never-never-land and thus had to hold on for dear life and said "Jesus Christ!" or something similar...later, we found out that he had learned to drive in Los Angeles. What a character.
This was my first time on the Schuykill (I-76)--lots of billboards and other urban interstate stuff. Being a Boston sports fan is great until you see some of the deals that other cities put on to attract fans ($31 for a 76ers game and all the food you can eat? You kidding me?) Thank god for the Sea Dogs. There were a surprising number of blank billboards coming eastbound. It always surprises me that the advertising industry can stay as large as it is given that everybody says they don't get influenced by ads. Sure, a lot of it is subconscious, and newer products need to be advertised to get noticed at all, but given the belt-tightening that's occurred over the last 20 years, I'm surprised there hasn't been more a decline.
I can take or leave or billboards as long as the ones on NH-16 on the way to North Conway survive...it just wouldn't be right not knowing when the Yankee Smokehouse is 20 smiles ahead.
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