May 25

The best adjective to describe this picture may be "silly." Today we went to Boston and a couple noteworthy things happened. One was that we passed a man with a shirt that said "I Love Cats" when we were near the MFA. Sadly, I missed it, and Michela pointed it out to me enthusiastically afterwards. Later, while walking down Newbury Street, we passed the man again, and again, I was oblivious. I think me missing the chance to comment on this man's shirt not once, but twice, is an example of cruel cosmic irony. I love cats. This man and I could have shared a close bond, but the gap of opportunity has closed. Two guys standing near Urban Outfitters were playing a game where they guess what passer-byes listen to. When we passed they said "Oh tough group... uh... The Postal Service!" to which I enthusiastically cheered because they were close enough. I mean all of us listen to the Postal Service, with the exception of Michela. I don't know though, I don't really want to be characterized as someone who listens to the Postal Service, even though I do. What does that say about me? I wish he had said Belle & Sebastian. We found this funny little book in the MFA gift shop called Hipster Haiku. It's pretty self-explanatory. I just looked it up on Google and found these funnies:

I only kissed you

Because I saw the playlists

On your damn iPod

After my fifth year,

"Philosophy Ph.D."

Didn't sound punk rock

Extra-small sweater

Reveals a complete lack of

Muscle tone, or fat

My bike frame tangles 

With yours on the curb outside

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Michela bought a homeless man a Snickers Bar. While we walked away, we turned to see him eating it, and we all felt really happy and proud and we smiled to ourselves, even though only one of us had been responsible for this man's temporary happiness. I am a little disillusioned by the lack of interracial relationships around me. You'd think there would be more integration in a big city. That reminds me of something sad. This morning in the New York Times Magazine there was an article about a high school in Alabama that has two proms, one for white students and one for black students. They are at the same venue on two different nights. Apparently this is not uncommon in the Southern United States. How sad, to think we haven't come nearly as far as we thought we had. 

The song of the day is "Record Year" by the Decemberists. I like Boston, more than most cities.