Bye bye Boston

It’s the weirdest thing ever. I’m moving. To Illinois.

Well actually, Chicago, which I didn’t think really counted as the Midwest until I saw road signs for Indiana and Milwaukee. Tripped me out.

But I digress.

I moved to Boston in 2001 as a freshman at Boston University. My first day of classes was an exciting and wonderful one.

And my second day was Tuesday, September 11th 2001.

I suddenly felt so far away from everyone important to me, and so isolated.

Anyone who has been reading this blog knows that I’ve had qualms with the racial landscape of this city. I’ve always felt a deep divide between the races, one that’s hard for a mixed girl like me to reconcile. I’ve tried to quell my frustration, but it’s always been there – from the day a white Jewish friend from Philly visited me at BU and asked “Where are all the freakin' Black people in this city??” to just a couple months ago, after I returned from my first trip to Chicago (where I spotted numerous people of color downtown sipping martinis and cokes at fine restaurants... gasp!) and found Boston just as segregated as I left it.

But now that I’m leaving, I’m going to forgive Boston for all that. Because there are so many wonderful things about this city that have shaped my life here:

The seafood.

The proximity to Philly, and Philly’s seafood (a dozen Maryland blue crabs? Yes please!),

cheesesteaks (that's a bride at Pat's Steaks. At 3 a.m.),

and people.

The foliage.

The sports. Or rather, the beer at the games… because, as you can see by my total lack of attention to what's actually happening in the game, I don’t give a crap about the Red Sox. Which I can say out loud without getting clocked now that I’m moving.

Saint Patrick’s Day. I’m not Irish at all, but I REALLY dig bag pipes. There’s something so urban about them.

The shenanigans.
      

But most importantly:

This face. These eyelashes. This man. He's meant and means more to me than I can even say.

_______________

The month of August will be my last month here in Boston. And I really want to celebrate the city, along with the people who have had a positive influence on my past 8 years.

Plus! There’s still so much I haven’t done here. I’ve never been to Martha’s Vinyard. I’ve never seen the art at the ICA. I’ve never taken a duck tour or been on a whale watch. I’ve never taken one of those Freedom Trail tours with a colonial person. And probably a whole bunch of other crap that I should have done by now.

So I’ll try and fit in as much as I can. And if you’re from the Boston area, suggestions welcome!

As far as this blog goes… obvs it has been in a transitional period for awhile now. So with the move, I’m thinking of taking a different angle. Something about adventures in a new city (inspired by my Jesse Jackson run-in, naturally). Maybe I’ll think up some alter ego like Beyonce/Sasha Fierce, see what happens, and document my findings here on CheapThrills... who knows?!

The future’s an exciting place to be.

 
(As you can see, I'm still pretty tickled by Chicago's beachfront)

Comments

[Gavin Heaton]

I am sure that you will love Chicago - except the part about the freezing cold winters ;)

Looking forward to hearing how you settle in!

[FunnyBusinessCartoons]

Hi, great blog!

[ckeach]

This is a lovely entry. I'll miss you in Boston, but looking forward to hearing about life in Chicago. I hear it's a great city.

[Ironyofironies]

If the racial composition of beantown bugged you so much, why are all the people you're photographed with white?

Did it really bug you all that much...cause it dosen't look like it did.

[ThePrinceofRoxbury]

@Ironyofironies
Is it conceivable that she has photos with white friends and not white friends? Fool.

[MannyStevens]

:)

[ironyofironies]

@ PrinceofRoxbury

Sure. I know how Boston works.

But I was just asking a question that seemed reasonable in light of the pics.

Saying, in effect "I can't wait to get out of here" and sighting the rigid racial segregation of the place seems like a false-bottom complaint given there's not one photo with a person of color in any of her ''things I'll miss'' pics.

What's wrong with holding that out in the daylight for examination?

[Action Bob Markle]

hey, i just read this...you're gong to love chicago...one of my favorite us cities...

so, will you still be doing the ad gig there?...

p.s. blow off the freedom trail but the duck boats are a kick...

[Joyce]

Greetings from the Chi! I really hope this town will be kind to you.

I'm sad to say we have really bad segregation and racism in Chicago too. Some of it is because many Chicagoans never leave their comfort zone. Be sure that you don't get trapped by one or two neighborhoods. No matter where you end up living, travel all over the city--North Side, South Side, West Side.

Good luck with your move!

[George]

Good luck in Chicago. Look up Wenner E. there, if you haven't already. BTW, I lived on the South side in Hyde Park while in grad school there. The city has lots to offer. Let me know where you land... and feel free to post a comment on my blog.