Albany

Hockey games -- who knew they could be so much fun? I went for the first time Saturday night. Shane and I drove up to Albany Saturday morning to visit his sister and brother-in-law, Alana and Rich, for Easter. Albany is about a 2-1/2 hour drive north from New York City. We rented a car.

Shane had bought this video game system that appears completely pirated, much like the one my family bought for cheap in Taiwan when we were kids, from a shady electronics store on 14th Street. It had Super Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, Donkey Kong, Lode Runner, Burger Time, Pacman, all the classics. It was an Easter present for Alana. We spent much of the afternoon chatting and playing Super Mario; only I didn't play because I suck at video games. If there's no Mario Kart or martial arts fighting games, I lose interest quickly. But the old games and their awesome music took me back; it was actually quite comforting.

That evening we went to the minor league hockey game. The Albany River Rats were playing the Bridgeport Tigers. "Where's Bridgeport, anyway?" everyone was asking. I think it was the Bridgeport in Connecticut, which you go through on the train if you take it from Boston or Providence to New York City. You approach it, ever so fittingly, by bridge. The game was incredibly intense. We sat in the third row, behind the glass, where we could see the puck hurtling straight towards us on several occasions, or where we'd get a great view of players getting slammed up against the wall. Everything happened so quickly; you could hardly digest what was going on or see where the puck was. I think my jaw was dropped for most of the game. It was a good first game, too: (1) Albany won, and (2) it was tied at the end of the three periods, so there was overtime as well as a sudden-death shootout. Quite exhilarating! It gives me a new appreciation for my modern Chinese literature professor at Ohio State, whom I already admired greatly for his academic accomplishment, but who, being Canadian, plays hockey in an amateur league in Columbus. I now see him a completely different light.

Back at Alana and Rich's apartment, we drove Alana crazy trying to figure out if we should order pizza or make something there. Most pizza places were closed, though, so Rich ended up cooking tasty hamburgers. Alana and Shane played some more Mario Brothers, and then we all played Pictionary. Alana and I were on a team together, so it was boys vs. girls. Little did they know that I am an expert at fast drawing, trained from my many years as an EFL teacher, when I'd have to convey meaning to children without reverting to their native language. Alana wasn't bad either, so we pretty much slaughtered the boys.

Sunday morning we got up and went to church. Oh, goodness -- church! Shane's family are quite regular churchgoers. Well, what a relief it was for me when Shane, Alana, and Rich complained later that the pastor was sexist and had generally given a poorly organized and rather confused sermon. This started stimulating conversation about the meaning of Christianity, so all ended well, without agnostic/Buddhist-leaning-Jeanne putting foot in mouth.

After church we went back to Alana and Rich's to make Easter dinner: pot roast, butternut squash, asparagus. It was by far the most delicious beef I've had in ages, unfortunately for that part of me that wants to become vegetarian again. This gigantic feast was followed by chocolate brownies and ice cream. As I helped clear the table, the binging caught up with me; I felt as if I would burst from all the food I had crammed into my body. It was thus unfortunate that Shane and I had to drive back to New York at that point. We made it back safely, despite the devastating food coma that set in halfway through the trip.

I realize that I am being vague about this Shane, and that I completely avoided Eveily's comment last week requesting more information. He and I have been spending a good deal of time together, and I realize now that I haven't been as subtle as I thought I was being, since I do chronicle a lot of that time here. He's become a good friend, and we have a great deal in common, personality-wise, and we help each other a lot through similar difficulties. While most people would like to put labels on what is going on between us, especially now that I've met part of his family, we don't really feel the need for it, at least not just yet. You meet someone, you have a good time at the beginning, but that's only the beginning, and you have to be careful, because it's when the shit hits the fan that you find out whether that person can give you what you need or not.

In other news, school is going much the same as usual: crappy. Today I thought I had three lesson plans due, and I hadn't done any of them. I worked like a mad person much of the day, trying to get lesson plans done while also doing things for the job, and then I realized that I only had two lesson plans to turn in. I did the two lesson plans, just in time for my two classes tonight, where I discovered that I actually only had one lesson plan due. Well, at least now two are out of the way, but I still would've appreciated less stress today. I wish that my instructors would get their acts together and communicate with each other better on when things are due. I grow increasingly weary of this program.