Pleasant music makes for a pleasant mood

The craziness of Thanksgiving break is over. Everyone who went somewhere has made it back. Classes have started back up. We've once again settled into the constant stream of stress and work, like a train barreling towards finals...I can't believe I only have 5 more sessions of class for each of my classes (did that even make sense, what I just said?), and then a week or so of studying, finals, and CHRISTMAS! I'm very excited to go home. I'm ready. Seeing my roommates go home and get even just a few days and nights in their familiar, clean and calm homes, sleeping in their own beds, eating real food, makes me ready to take a break from the city and enjoy some quality suburban action. It will be very interesting to see how I've changed. How people think I've changed. How home hasn't really changed at all.
Thanksgiving was very nice. It was so much fun to see Samantha again and participate in some hardcore tourist action. I loved showing off my city. Although many a time, I would think I would know where we were, and I would be very adament that we were not lost, and we totally were. A common phrase uttered many times this weekend was, "It's really just fun to just walk around New York, too, even if you don't know exactly where you're going..." or some variation of that. Haha. We hit such popular sites as Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty and Battery Park, the completely sad Rockefeller Center tree, NBC studio tour, top of the Empire State Building and 3 shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade. We also spent a good deal of Friday walking around lower Manhattan...the Village, Soho, Chinatown, Tribeca and the Financial District. As one can imagine, that was the day I thought I knew where we were going...and we completley zigzagged around the base of Manhattan. It was a really nice day, though, we had gorgeous weather. Can I just say that Black Friday in New York City is far more frightening than anywhere else? In order to get to the Empire State Building, we had to get off at the 34th Street station. What's right outside that stop? MACY'S. And, consequently, hell. Craziest, busiest area ever. Ahh!
Dinner was very nice, too. No turkey for me this year! As I may have said before, we had dinner at the Odeon, a very trendy and historic restaurant in Tribeca. My professor and his wife hosted the dinner, and I think maybe 5 or 6 other students were there, one of whom is in my Cultural Foundations class. I think Samantha had a good time, too; it was definitely not a traditional Thanksgiving, but it was very fun and VERY tasty (I had a cheeseburger, actually, and molten chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream...yummy real food).
I just wanted to add that the music I'm listening to right now is making me VERY happy. I just keep listening to Paul Simon's "Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War" and "St. Judy's Comet" alternately repeating. Happiness. Calm. Yay.
Asssscat was completely crazy last night. Like, not necessarily good crazy, just out of control. Like 20 people were there to perform, including Horatio Sanz, Seth Meyers, Jack McBrayer, John Lutz, Jason Sudeikis, Miriam Tolan (yay!) and Amy Poehler. So, obviously, everything was going to be a bit manic anyway, and things just got ridiculous. Still funny, obviously, always funny. Miriam Tolan is quickly becoming my favorite improviser. I really want to meet her and tell her how much I respect her improv choices. But, of course, in a less nerdy way than what I just typed...haha.
I think on Wednesday I might go to the tree-lighting ceremony in Rock. Center. I want to see if they can make that sad tree look a bit happier and stuff it full of some holiday cheer. I'm assuming it will be crazy-crowded...I'll probably decide last minute if I want to take the 10 minute ride uptown.
Okay, I have to go to bed, Paul Simon has succeeded in making me very sleepy. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!