The Cavity of Absence or, Redefining Gravity

He left for the mountains in the Victorian countryside. A train and two hours brought him back to me. When you pine for someone or something, time willingly stretches itself to fill the cavity of absence. It is one of those things you possess, but do not always have. It is carved by companionship, by affection, and appears only when you are apart from something dear to you.

He was gone for four days.

In that time, I became a kind of fading daylight. A waning moon. I walked around to the back of the house and slipped the key into the lock. My hand on the doorknob to my room; the creak of its aging and there he was again, in my presence. We held each other for a little while, there in the center of my room. He rolled a joint for us and like rag dolls we lay half-entwined on my bed. Dreamy, white haze filled the space. We questioned our hunger and decided to take a walk to the cheap Vietnamese restaurant I had discovered. We carried the bags of take-away down Sydney Road. Our wrinkled palms, the sound of his voice after mine in the cold air. I smiled. The menu he gave me to keep was folded in my back pocket. On the wooden floor of my room we sat cross-legged, shoving our mouths with plastic forks and spoons. Coriander and red chili. Rice noodles. Bright orange julienned carrots. Little slivers of mushrooms. The door was left ajar.

“Should we shut the door?” I glanced at him, feeling my lust rise like heat.
“I don’t know. Should we?” He grinned with eyes of desire.

I stood up and pushed it shut. How eager he was. With my foot, I slid the containers of half-eaten food away from his mattress. I fell upon him with my lips and my tongue. His shoulders embraced me, the muscles contracting, harder it became. We had already undressed each other with our eyes and now, with our fingers. I had not even stripped bare and he was ready to consume me. He positioned my legs above his waist and pulled my body downward, now caught in his gravity.

I sigh and sigh, like blissful flames.
Our bellies were full. Our hunger,
satisfied.

What Daylight has Saved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eileen Cooper, my Music T.A. invited the class to see her Thesis Recital. Held at the Schare Recital Hall on the Douglass Campus, the hall itself was stunning. And Eileen’s voice? Gorgeous. Strong-willed.  Emotional. I’ve never listened to Opera sung live; it felt like every note suspended in air like strong sunlight held the hearts of the audience! The way of story-telling through just voice and expression (she was singing in German, Latin, French) was magnificent and breath-taking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aside from that, I drove to North Jersey to visit home. My dad changed the oil in my car and replaced my left headlight! Thank goodness for him. I watched my mom fry some fish (delectable!) and make Vietnamese stir-fried noodles! We went to Home Depot, I strolled around photographing flowers.

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Lately i’ve been actually managing and researching Japan English-Teaching / ESL programs, budgeting living costs, and compiling some good data on that. It makes it a bajillion times easierknowing that rent will be split right in half between Kyle and I. We’re both going to apply to the same teaching positions and hopefully score two jobs around the same area. So far, I’ve found this:

A super-cute lofted apartment with big windows in Osaka!

AtJPY59,000, it converts to about USD$715. I figure we’d be splitting about $400 a month. Not bad at all, considering that a lot of teaching positions i’ve come across pay starting at around $3,200 a month. Kyle and I already know how much money we need to eat every month.

Honestly, my future has never looked brighter. What’s also nice is that we’re never going to buy a house and get trapped in mortgage payments. Nope nope.

Enjoy your Saturday night. I’m trapped inside a library until Midnight.

Alternative: Philadelphia in the Wake of Springtime

The morning arrived as crisp, yellow sunlight through the tall, lofted windows. I stretched my arms, nudged Kyle with my foot, and sat up. Courtney, Kyle’s sister who we were visiting, was rummaging around preparing the rest of her paperwork to finalize her wedding. We stumbled around, folding blankets, sipping coffee. We intended to drive back to Matawan early–Kyle planned on completing an essay; Courtney had a lunch date with their mother. I somehow convinced Kyle to just try and do his work here, at the loft, and within a few hours, he finished!

I made delicious cinnabutter pumpkin-spice pancakes with a side of blueberry Chobani for the two of us. We scarfed it down. The lighting from the windows beautifully lit up our breakfast! We got ready and began our journey.

The trees have bloomed here! I couldn’t believe it; I was ecstatic to see the magnolias and the daffodils and the precious, soft, newly-bloomed leaves! Slowly, this urban landscape was becoming colored by nature. We walked along the Piazza, this side of town is apparently the up-and-coming area, the Bushwick/Williamsburg of Philadelphia. The Steel Factory lofts are in a considerably alright part of town, open lots of grass with a bit of trash, stray cats, lots of parking, strange buildings. Kyle and I walked the Piazza and ended up at PYT Burger!

We both ordered PYT Burgers and a side of cheesy tots. Mmmm cheesy tots. God I love cheese. (I’m having a whiskey sour as I type, happy St. Patrick’s day!) The PYT burgers had “special” sauce on the bun, medium sized burger, a large, crisp slice of tomato and lettuce, and a side of chips! Apparently, within the restroom of PYT, there is another door which actually leads to a club and bar at night. How cool is that??

We went to The Foodery afterwards to find a movie-set being filmed outside. The Foodery is a cafe-beer store that sold mostly craft beers individually. Kyle was like a child in a candy store. We got these DELICIOUS Walnut chocolate chip cookies, Hercules Double IPA and a bottle of Leffe Brune. Delicious.

We explored Fishtown and the area by Courtney’s loft. There were grow-your-own parks, a children’s park, fences painted with giant flowers. Kyle and I took cool pictures of ourselves around there.

 

 

 

 

 

There was a chicken behind one of the fences! Such a strange surprise. We walked along, enjoying the sun and the reams of people and children roaming the city.

THIS IS REAL! The garbage bin yells at us! I stumbled upon some interesting street art, and captured those too.

Doors that lead to falling, abandoned buildings. Infectious vines on cement walls. Stickers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our day was coming to an end.

We had dinner at Sampan Philadelphia. A high-end, pan Asian restaurant with smaller portions and higher quality food. We ordered edamame dumplings, pork buns, kimchi fried rice, and Korean BBQ. It was all incredibly delicious. We walked off our full tummies, heading back to the Piazza to check out El Camino Real.

In the end, we escaped the crowded bar scene and spent the rest of the night watching The Office and America’s Funniest Home Videos. I’m glad I gave Philly a chance. It’s a city with a lot of potential, and I can’t wait to get back.

North to South: 84.8 Miles from West Orange to Mt. Laurel (To Philadelphia!)

I hate the Turnpike. The strict, three-lane, solid lined, construction surrounded, truck infested stretch of gravel…did I mention I hate the turnpike?! 16 Miles to 32 Miles to 17 Miles to Route 32 and i’m passing mounds of gravel and 88 Acres For Sale signs. But then, I see a gnarly, ivy-grown abandoned farmhouse in the center of a field and i’m intrigued. And that odd stump, and the small shops around the corners with hand-painted signs–they peak my curiosity.

I’ve made it–almost–to Philly, stopping over Kyle’s band’s guitarist Johnny’s house. It’s a really huge house. And they have one of those curly, medium-sized dogs that like to play around, but not too much. And the entire basement’s carpeted. How nice!

I brought the band some Asian baked goods from Kam Man Foods up north: a custard bun, a coconut tart, some sponge rolls. Eagerly awaiting Philadelphia. I’m watching Kyle and Scott (their awesome drummer) play a game of chess. They stare at the board, quiet, with intent. Hehe, my Kylie’s such a cutie.

So for now, relaxing until we depart, sprawling myself on this couch, contemplating a cat nap.

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We’ve Made it to Philly! (Update at 10 a.m.)

Look at me with my yogurt & coffee !

Kyle’s being a sleepyhead on the couch. His (awesomely radical) sister Courtney blew up a bed for us, and as all inflatable beds do– it deflated overnight. I’ve gotten up a bit earlier, as I’ve been doing a lot lately, made myself a bit of coffee and snagged a Chobani from the fridge. There are pomegranate seeds in it! It tastes amazing. I think i’m drinking French Roast.

Our plans for today!
Courtney left us an entire page of fun things to do. This is what she wrote:

Kyle & Claire,
Feel free to eat anything you want! (Barely anything…) If you walk south towards Girard/Supermarket, there are a lot of cafes/restaurants/shops by the Piazza. Walk out of the gate, turn right, and go to Girard. Right on Girard, left on 2nd. Walk into Piazza, or go right into Liberties Walk.

Coffee: One Shot Cafe, Sweetspot Cafe
Breakfast: Darling’s Diner
Lunch: El Camino Real, Darling’s, PYT

If it’s raining: Walk to North Bowl (Bowling, Retro) or Dave & Busters
If it’s nice out: Walk down to Piazza, or cab to South Street

Also –> Philadelphia Magic Gardens
PS: I can also leave & go to lunch/drive you somewhere, so call!

Other: Old City, Mutter Museum (oddities, weird stuff), Yard’s Brewery, if open.

I’ll be home soon!
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So many options! I’m sure Kyle would love to hit up a cafe, we could do some writing there, or maybe just explore downtown and find some cool shops. I’m excited for Philadelphia, I never give this city enough credit and it’s definitely in the shadow of New York. I’m especially excited that i’m getting to stay overnight and locals’ suggestions are always the preferred ones!

Alright folks, this coffee’s giving me acid reflux and i’m a bit chilly. I’ll let you in on how my day went later.

TGIF!

Courtney & Joe, this is their loft!

The Mercury Retrograde, An Early Spring, Part II

I made lumpia for the first time.

Filipino Eggrolls! Heck yeah! I was in my local Asian market Kam Man Food when it hit me: let’s call up mom and ask her to list off ingredients for lumpia! It’s always been up there in the ethnic foods i’ve wanted to learn how to make, you know, to continue tradition and my gastronomy, as Patrick says.

My mom texts me this:
Bean sprout, cabbage, green onion, carrots, green beans, sweet potato. Slightly brown the ground pork, then saute garlic and onion with it. Salt and pepper and little soy sauce, then put sweet potato and carrots til halfway tender then put all the rest of veggie! Half cook as much as possible then drain it. Don’t put water ! Juice will come out from the veggies. When it’s cold, you can start to wrap it. Don’t forget to buy wrapper. Wet the edge of the wrapper at end of folding. You could add shrimp for more taste. Enjoy!

I spent a good hour and a half slowly browsing the market, inspecting every package, vegetable, fish head and Asian candy.

It was a Thursday evening, sometime after midnight, and I decided: I want to start cooking this now. It was just after 1 a.m., right after a small house party, when I cleared the left over beer off the table, laid out the cutting board, strainer, and cutting knife. I put music onto the 8-Track player. Now, without further adieu:

Perfectly crispy with the sweet, soft, vegetable inside. I was so proud of myself! With just a little bit of Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, (or vinegar, if you prefer) you have yourself a delicious, filling meal. I double wrapped the ones I planned on freezing. When you want to fry them up, there is no thawing necessary! Throw them right into the hot oil and within minutes, you have fresh tasting lumpia! Hooray!

My plans for this weekend?! Hang out with my buddy Hope Thomas and Allie Allie Mason (we’re hanging out right after the last bell rings; she’s a high school teacher.) We’re going to get Thai food in Bloomfield. Then I’m driving straight down to pick up the love of my life, Kyle, and we’re going straight to Philadelphia!

Enjoy the sweet beginnings of spring, my friends. :)

Geography is Destiny

It’s the second day into March and, despite the cloudy, cold weather (unsurprises of early Spring) I have been doing much better and Kyle has broken out of his funk as well. I’ve been shoved into a routinely lifestyle, mostly for the sake of a steady income for our trip to the Philippines! I’ve had the strongest urges to travel lately, to be out of this country and to explore and get lost in a foreign city. New Brunswick has nothing to offer me.

My quick solution? Cooking!

Two nights ago, Kyle and I took our weekly trip to the Route 1 South Farmers Market to pick up a week’s worth of food. I was excited to pick up ingredients for Lubia Polow (Rice with Green Beans). The freshly pressed blog Violets and Cardamom caught my eye: her photographs of the dish were absolutely enticing. So much so that I even purchased dried saffron threads, a bottle of rose water and a pound of ground chicken at the Middle Eastern market (conveniently) around the corner from the Market!

I spent a good hour and a half carefully preparing the dish. After squishing my fingers around in ground chicken and Middle Eastern meatball seasoning, chopping green beans and simmering rice, salt and olive oil, I set everything to simmer under paper towels and an air-tight lid for thirty minutes, happily anticipating the finished product!

It tasted incredible. Kyle exclaimed, “I can’t believe my Asian girlfriend made this for a white guy!” The meatballs were perfect, the rice with the green beans and the slight sour zest of each bite into a diced tomato made the dish come alive. It was my first time making Persian/Iranian food and it was such a success!

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In other news, last night was The Lost Woods‘ 90’s Dance Party! It was a hit, everyone danced and really enjoyed themselves. I got to catch up a bunch with Patrick Ree. He came dressed from the 1890’s. I ended the night with Kyle. I ate waaay too many finger sandwiches and on top of that, tomato soup. I fell asleep by his side, curled up in a ball while he played a zombie shooter game.