North Maple Rag

I did my taxes tonight and I qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. If you're unfamiliar with it, the IRS describes it as "a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families." Apparently, once you're 25 years old, the IRS doesn't care if you're a full-time student. So, despite the fact that Citibank gave me most of the money I lived on during 2005, the IRS only cares about the money I made at my summer job (which, while generous for a non-profit organization, was not all that lucrative).

There's something about this system that just seems wrong. Mainly, that I'm not poor. I whine about being broke, but let's face it, my budget provides sufficient plane tickets, jeans, and pad thai (the essentials of life). It doesn't appear there's a way for me to turn it down on my e-filing program (not that I necessarily would if there was a way), so I guess Spring Break will be extra fun.

I know this is shocking, but until tonight, I'd never gone to a Broadway show. Luckily, the NYU box office recently offered discount tickets to Spamalot, a show I've been wanting to see for months. So, I ventured uptown this evening despite the theater's proximity to Times Square (hate) and had a great time.

During my extremely dorky high school days, I was a member of a debate team that had an unnatural attachment to Monty Python. Having the nights of the very, very round table on stge in front of me was pretty cool, not to mention the Knights Who Say "Ni" and the guy who's not quite dead. Anyway, the play's great. Go see it.

Despite the fact that New York City has been windy and cold, I spent the weekend playing tourist with a couple of friends from college. We managed to tackle a couple of sightseeing goals that I hadn't gotten around to on my own. Here's a quick list of the ones you should check out for yourself:

• Staten Island Ferry ride to see the Statute of Libery: I've actually done this before. The good news is that unlike the last time, the ferry didn't crash the next day.

• Grimaldi's Pizza: Located beneath the Brooklyn Bridge and rumored to have the best pizza in New York. I'm not actually sure it was the best, but it was significantly better than most of the greasy options in the Village.

• Brooklyn Bridge Footpath: Full of pizza and beer, we decided to walk back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge despite the frosty temps and frigid wind. The incredible views of Manhattan were worth it.

• Top of the Rock: The observation deck on the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center reopened this past November and like just about everyone else who's been up there, I think the view is better than Empire State Building's. To the north, you can see all of Central Park and to the South a great view of Midtown, including the ESB.
  

We also fit in brunch in the East Village, a little bit of shopping, and Capote at the Angelicka. Good times all around.

Lately, I've found myself reading ESPN.com on a fairly regular basis. It turns out Bill Simmons really is quite funny (which several people had told me, but I foolishly refused to believe). And, now that the Olympics haves started, ESPN is where I go for Torino-inspired snark. This article on ice skater Johnny Wier made my day.

I know that doesn't make any sense but I was seriously convinced all through class this afternoon that my vision was on the blink, so to speak. Of course, I've got a bunch of things to finish tonight so I won't be sleeping anytime soon.

My return trip was remarkably smooth. My flight left on time and the only glitch was the smelly man (cologne is meant to be splashed, not poured) sitting next to me who insisted on reading my con law book over my shoulder. When I got to Islip, the shuttle to the train was waiting and my train arrived just a couple of minutes after I hit the platform. I made it back to school in time for class and now I'm mainlining caffeine in the hope that it'll get me through tonight's class.

Anyway, despite the storm and delays and even the extra bus rides, it was great to get away for the weekend. It's good to be back, too.

Since Friday night, I have paid no attention to the news. None, whatsoever. I checked my email once but didn't have time for my usual glance at the Times; and so, I was shocked this afternoon when I discovered that my flight back to New York had been cancelled. Blizzard, what blizzard?

Anywho, I'm hanging out in Chicago for another day. Luckily, I've got my computer and a couple of my books, so I can spend the afternoon with most of my homework. I also managed to acquire four new books this weekend, so I've got those to fall back on if con law doesn't hold my attention all evening.

All in all, the trip has been fun. Except for the fact that I have to miss a class tomorrow, I'm not even stressed about staying an extra day. Apparently, there's going to be an ice cream and Grey's Anatomy party this evening and that's gotta be a good time.

Can someone please tell me why the Italians chose American disco music as the backdrop to the Olympic Parade of Nations?

Update: Bob Costas just commented that if he could "hear "Betty Davis Eyes" by the immortal Kim Carnes," it would make his night.

Yesterday, after my last class, I hopped on the subway (well, "hopped" isn't quite accurate considering the two bags I was lugging around) to Penn Station. Once there, I found a spot on a Long Island Rail Road train to Ronkonkoma. After about 90 minutes sitting between two large, sleeping men I got off the train and hailed a cab for the quick drive to the Islip airport. I hung out in the airport for an hour or so and then boarded a plance to Chicago. I'd intended to get some reading done on the plane, but I wound up just listening to my iPod. I landed at Midway and quickly found Kate, who had kindly bussed it out to the airport to meet me. We stood around for another 20 minutes or so waiting for a bus and then rode the bus for about 45 minutes to Hyde Park. All in all, it took me about 7 hours to get from NYU to the place I'm staying in Chicago. Not too bad for taking public transportation basically from door to door.

Today, we walked. There were some stops along the way and some good food, but for right now, all I can remember is the walking. That said, we'll be spending the evening indoors, watching the Olympics and maybe a movie. I'm excited.

The only bad part of my day was riding the bus. I hate busses. Busses manage to uniquely merge my hatred of stop-and-go traffic and crowded, enclosed spaces. Also, my old neighborhood bus in DC made me suspicious of even the most pristine-looking busses. I lived in nice neighborhood -- nice enough that very few of its residents ever required bus assistance. Even I, arguably one the poorest people on my block, had a car. So our bus was underused and subsequently, appeared to be in excellent condition. Then one day I met it's perma-rider. He was about 30 years old and probably developmentally disabled. He liked to talk loudly about birthday parties, which was fine. The only problem with this universally friendly rider was that he also tended to wet his pants. Call me picky, but I don't like sitting in urine and now, that's what I imagine on every bus. Other than that, Chicago's great and as long I didn't have to rely on its busses, I could definitely live here.

I saw a picture tonight that made me homesick. It was a picture of a small-town museum that had been taken just after dusk on what appeared to be a summer evening and for a second I could feel the breeze and smell the grass of a summer night in South Dakota. I think it was something about the light. Somehow, it was apparent in the picture that the light from the museum was the only light around. There's a kind of darkness that drops over small towns that you just can't experience in a place like New York.

I saw Brokeback Mountain last night and I think the lingering scenes of sky and space and quiet had an effect on me. I've only been back in New York for a month, but I'm ready for a break. Luckily, I'm headed to Chicago this weekend. Chicago's not at all a small town, but it's so much closer than I am right now. Plus, I'll be spending the weekend with old friends and there's not much that's homier than that.

all that is bad about America can be summed in this article.

I'm about to say the most toolish thing I've said on this blog: My spinning class tonight was awesome. I recently joined a real gym (as opposed to NYU's gym) because I've found that having people (class instructors) scream at me makes my workouts significantly more productive. Also, I won an iPod last week and sold it for an amount that just about covers the cost of the gym this semester. Anyway, the class was great. The last one I went to featured an instructor who falsely believed that loud music = good music. He was wrong. Tonight's instructor, however, played a great mix. And that, I promise, is the last time I'll boast about any gym class on this blog.

Oh, and speaking of toolish behavior, I went to the gym wearing both NYU sweatpants and an NYU public service auction t-shirt. I swear they were the only clean gym clothes I had left and they're the only NYU clothes I own. There was a time, in the late 90's, when I would sport clothes advertising my school at least three times a week. Those days are gone. I don't really know why, but I don't have any desire to advertise my status as a lawyer-in-training to the world. Also, NYU's colors are purple and white. Gah.