So, my parents got in on thursday (same evening as the conversation with the Amazon recruiter). Went out to dinner with Simon & Ro & them at Long Life Vegi-house. It was kinda entertaining. Next day, we did a little trip through tilden. Showed them the views from grizzly/skyline and inspiration point, and what not. Whole foods for more protein powder, then lunch at the monte cristo taqueria. Then home for two hour nap. After that, we went back to their hotel, planned the evening, which ended up being a trip into the city for a viewing of Big Fish (a feel good movie about an estranged father and son. Father is a life-of-the-party tall-tale-teller, and son is more of a fact-oriented introvert, distinctly annoyed with his father’s grandiosity. It’s a reconciliation right before death kind of movie. Happy-but-sad. My dad’s idea, overall pretty good. Mostly told in the whimsical stories of the father.
Afterwards we went to herbivore. Only the mission branch was closed for remodeling, so we went to the divisadero one. And ended up circling the block a few times, eventually getting a spot right in front. We got in like 20 minutes before closing, only two other parties left in the restaurant and they were like “sorry, no”. I prevailed upon them to serve us dessert (we had gorged on movie popcorn). Then home again.
Saturday morning, out the door at 9. (dad showed up at 8:50 while I was getting out of the shower). Protein shake goodness & out the door. We hit muir woods, then headed towards stinson beach, but turned around because it would have taken us too long to get there (I was getting a little nauseous from the winding roads, and it was making mom very nervous and grouchy, so no great loss). Nice view from muir beach overlook. I think the last time I was there (also with parents, and with
Herbivore for brunch. Which is much more consistently good than their dinner/lunch entrees. (we had pesto toast, cayenne lemon almonds, and a [tempeh] blt for mom, southwest tofu scramble with corncake for dad, sausage biscuit for me (wish I’d gone for the french toast), and fruit-filled crepes for dessert. Then parents off to hawaii.
Mostly while we were at Muir Woods, my parents let me know that if I did get admitted to grad school, they’d want to talk with me about ways to make it a possibility for me. Which is both cool and sweet of them. I dunno. Part of me likes the notion of working for Amazon full time for a few years, taking a few classes at the university of washington, and then, if I feel I’m doing the right thing (after taking some time off from the grad school scene), apply to phd programs all over, while being debt free, having a retirement plan, and probably being able to afford at least the downpayment on some condo type thing near campus. Plus, since it’d be a phd plan instead of a masters, incurring no further debt (which would be especially yay).
But assistance and free meals aside. Also stress due to conflicts aside, I missed them rather alot when I saw them driving off to the airport. I imagine it’ll be awhile before I see them again. (this was their first trip out here since I moved here). I hope they have fun in Hawaii.
Later in the evening, after getting home, hung out with
The trouble was that none of the three of us was in a particularly social mood. was fried from gaming all day and just wanted to hang out for a little while before going to sleep. I wanted to DO something – movie or games or going out – but was too bleah-feeling to initiate anything. And Stephen.. well, the journal says it all. So all of us were kind of frazzled in different ways and, I think maybe, looking for more happy/social people to key off of. Oh well.