begin at the beginning.

i feel the need to catch y'all up...

the neatest thing to me about driving north is that the road looks exactly the same for about 5 states' worth but the trees are so different that about every 1 1/2 states there's a marked difference (so you know you're going somewhere). in sc it's all pine, except for the occasional something else that might peek it's branches through the underbrush... and as you drive north pines become shorter and broadleafs steadily shove their way to the canopy layer... in nc and va there's a decent mix, but up in md it's almost entirely deciduous with only a few brave firs sticking out. the trees get taller too, so not only do the trunks get lighter colored and more naked, they also reach to incredible heights along the side of the road.
"this is the most exciting thing about driving up 95?" you ask. yes, yes it is.

but another thing hit me when i saw a red-tailed hawk fly over somewhere in new jersey: i've got a LOT of new birds to learn. some i recognize around the neighborhood, but in order to reach my previous level of ornithological self-righteousness (far inflated anyway) i've got some studying to do.

there's a shortage of cats here. every third person or so has a dog or two, but i've only seen about 5 cats in the entire week of walking and driving around town. i guess maybe people keep them in all year because of the prevailing weather. there's a black and white who likes my back brick patio area near the grass, but i don't know which house is his.

we drove up to east rock the other day and peered down at east rock (part of which, including where i live, is called the grad ghetto - google it for some juicy and scathing editorial references) and all the rest of new haven including the harbor and could easily see my house! then yesterday we went to the "beach" (thank God i live at sea level again!) which is one of the most disgusting and dodgy places i've ever seen, whcih include some pacific beaches in mexico. so i don't have plans to go there anytime soon, especially considering it would take me at least 2 bus transfers to get there, but at least i can say i've seen it, that is is in fact beautiful if you're looking out over the water as opposed to at the water, and that on a breezy day (which is most of them) i can smell the salt air just walking down the sidewalk.

new haven seems to be everything an american town should be. independent cafes and shops including very resonably-priced grocery stores, public entertainment, green space, biking-friendly streets (though not friendly cars on those streets), walkers, a hefty dose of history, over-priced chain stores for undergrads, racially charged crime and violence, poverty... oops, slipped into some of what's wrong with new haven... but understand, it is exactly what i was expecting and better in many ways. i feel very much at home already.

i'm meeting a friend from high school today for lunch and then a walk around to help me get my bearings some more. beth is a PhD student in some high-falutin' over acheiving subject...