It's officially summer...

When your hair gets greasy and your face feels sweaty, it's a sign that it's hot outside.  When your single scoop of ice cream (albeit a large one) melts faster than you can even attempt to eat it, then it's definitely hot outside.  And when you're up in New Hampshire and it's still warm enough to create a photo this unflattering, then the signs are clear: summer is definitely here!

This past week brought an absolute flurry of activity in the way that only a summer vacation can.  Despite the idealistic notions that I always have of a relaxing summer break spent lounging in the backyard, or fishing off a pier somewhere, things always get busy and the summer invariably speeds by.  Luckily, this summer has kept me busy with wonderful things, and I still have nearly two months of summer left.  

After finishing out week #4 at my internship with the Department of Environmental Conservation in Albany (which I'll have to fill you all in on sometime soon), I caught the bus (which I'll also have to fill you in on sometime soon) home.  I threw a bookbag into trusty old Mort the Mazda, who also deserves a post of his own, and headed north to catch the ferry to Burlington, VT once again.  I was in town around 10PM, meaning there was still time for lots of evening exploration.  While Burlington is filled with lots of cars and motorcycles on a Friday night, just as any city would be, a good chunk of the 20-something crowd gets around by bicycle, and so there were lots of great bikes to look at!  Everyone seems to have a quirky old bike of some sort, and I'm hoping to fix my new/old road bike (more on that later, too) up to their standards.

Anyway, Saturday began with a jolt around 6:45, thanks to a sleepy alarm clock that didn't go off until 12 hours later than intended.  Charlotte and I quickly packed our game faces and headed out the door to New Hampshire.  After a long day of apartment searching in towns surrounding the University of New Hampshire campus, she found an absolutely incredible studio that is perfect for a grad student.  You can see some pictures of it over on her blog.  As you can see, it's sunny and happy, and I'm hoping I'll be able to say the same about mine in a month or so.  And, as it turns out, I'll be heading down to Westchester County to pick up the key to my own apartment this Wednesday, so watch for some pictures of another great (and, hopefully, freshly-renovated) apartment!  

Now I'm back in Latham and eagerly preparing for an exciting weekend of company.  There will be lots to write about, so stay tuned!  In the meantime, enjoy this summer while it lasts!

Onward to summer!

As the first post of the official summer, I'm happy to report that I had the chance to partake in some wonderful, summertime activities this past weekend.  After a long week in the Department of Environmental Conservation in Albany, I had the chance to travel to a small town about an hour south of Albany (to a school one of my good friends teaches at).  There, I was the guest speaker at a terrific arts reception for 7-12 graders, and spoke about the importance of keeping arts in one's life, regardless of what path you choose to pursue.  If you had 10 minutes, I could tell you why, but hopefully you know already!  

I spent the much of the remainder of this weekend in Vermont.  Home base was Burlington (where my girlfriend, Charlotte, is living for the summer).  However, side trips included locations such as Shelburne Farms, which is an astoundingly gorgeous organic farm; a hike up a scenic mountain overlooking Lake Champlain; a morning exploration of Montpelier, VT, the smallest capital city in the United States; a tour of the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream factory and an award-winning cider mill in Waterbury, VT; and a lunchtime jaunt through scenic Stowe, VT (which is in the shadow of enormous Mt. Mansfield).  I also got to enjoy smaller things, like eating dinner at a wood-fired pizzeria; cooking yet another dinner using food bought at a great co-op in Burlington; observing various quirky people all throughout Vermont; and discovering the grave (aka giant monument) of General Ethan Allen just a couple blocks away from Charlotte's home.   And did I forget to mention the composting toilet that's enclosed by a shower curtain and adjoins a noisy ballfield?  Yes, I suppose I did...

After traveling to Vermont a mere 5 times so far, if you asked me why I've fallen very much in love with the state already, I'd definitely attribute it to the unexpected.  Every time you turn the corner, there is something unique, wonderful, and, very often, stunningly gorgeous.  Case in point-this photo, which was simply taken from the deck of the commuter ferry which links Essex, NY to Charlotte, VT.  And now, with that beauty fresh in mind, it's back to cubicle-land!

No more cords!

Welcome to my humble home in the blogosphere!  I'm excited to be here, as this is something I've been contemplating for quite some time now!  I am looking forward to the chance (and the challenge) of keeping all of you up to speed with my latest adventures.  Back in the old days, getting an update entailed calling me and talking on a landline.  I was notorious for pacing and getting severely tangled in the cord.  Thus, providing-or receiving-an update on my activities was rather stressful for everyone involved.

This blog is a significant technical leap forward.  I can go anywhere and share my travels instantly-no cords required! 

What should you expect?  Well, you'll have to check back, but I'm hoping to share as many of the wonderful things I come across as possible!  New York is an awesome place to live, and so I'm hoping to give you all a glimpse into life up here.  You should also expect to receive some insight into the life of a law student, as well as a peek into my travels elsewhere, too!  

For now, though, welcome!  Make yourself at home, feel free to comment and share this blog as often as you wish, and please check back often!