Enchanted, I am

I woke up this morning at 5:00 am, after falling to sleep about 1:00 am…at the earliest. Why so early? I had to catch the subway over on 157th at 6:00 am, because I had to be at Penn Station to catch the Amtrak to Virginia at 6:55 am. Why so early? I had to be at the University of Virginia before 3:30 and this was the only way to do it. Needless to say (but I still will), its been a long day. Getting to UVA wasn’t the end of it. We had Conference check-in, and an orientation, and a tour of Monticello, and a reception afterward. And when I got back to my room at Davis Hall, I still had to read 3 declarations of independence—thanks Rhodesia, Israel and Viet Nam!

So I’m totally tired, but I’m also enraptured by a few things that need recording.

1. New York. I’ve posted about this fine city twice already so I’m holding off another entire post. But it ROCKS. The East Village with S’mac, and Rent territory was everything I hoped for and more. Much Ado About Nothing in Riverside Park was totally awesome. Peanut Butter & Co. was so good I think I’ve been inspired. Mariah is a doll and I want to play with her everyday. The Cloisters are beautiful. Serendipity made me ill it was so good, and I should have bought more candy at Dylan’s. I miss NY already.

2. The train is an awesome way to travel. I was so pleasantly surprised! There was spacious leg room, two bathrooms with plenty of room. A dining car to buy snacks if you wanted (I hear…I didn’t actually visit myself), and big windows to see everything. The East Coast is broken up in such small pieces. 6 hours on the train, and we passed through 5 states. Woot! I woke up from a quick nap in Baltimore. Good Morning, Baltimore!! YAY! Anyway, I love the train.

3. University of Virginia. Crazy old school. Crazy old, and beautiful, school. My dorm room is actually two rooms. For current students, they have two students to the suite, and they share the bathroom with two students on the other side. But back in the day? One student had a two-room suite. The inner room was the bedroom, but the outer room—with THE FIREPLACE!!—was a sitting room! How cool?! Its bizarre to lay here knowing that students were living here almost 200 years ago. Or something like that. AWESOME.

4. Monticello. Is. Amazing. I want to live there. Too bad it’s a national historical site, huh? Its seriously awesome though. If you haven’t been yet, get ‘er done!

5. Thomas Jefferson is my new hero. I can’t wait to read his biography. Only a few hours into the conference, enough comments had been made that I'm certain I need to read about Tom J, and quick! I’m behind the times and I hate not knowing stuff. So put that one on the list when I get home. But even before reading anything, I’m ENTRANCED. He’s incredible.

6. Home. I miss you. I love vacations, but this one has lasted quite long enough, I think. I can’t wait to be back in Utah! Not too long now…