Baltimore

Baltimore

Sunday, May 13th, 2012

So far my stay in Baltimore has been a bit of a blur. This could be due to the fact that I've been here for a few days and instances become less memorable, or it could of course be all the drinking. Upon finishing my previous entry I received an invitation from my friend to have a drink. So I went over to his place and felt much classier than I should while having a beer on his balcony in Mt. Vernon. After that we went and waded in the fountain by Washington Monument and had happy hour at a divey gay bar. Later on we headed to Mt. Royal Tavern with and slew of other friends from college and post-college. The Tavern usually sponsors a fairly diverse crowd and I can appreciate that in Baltimore. I've been staying at my friend's apartment in Remington. Staying there reminds me of my initial arrival in Baltimore when I crashed in Hampden for three weeks at my friends place before finding a job back in 2009. The lack of city sounds and bright light in the mornings makes me feel like I'm staying at a cottage near the beach instead of being submerged in the pavement and row houses that actually exist outside. I often find myself looking out windows to confirm that I am not in fact on Cape Cod. It's a beautiful feeling, even if the scenery isn't how I mentally perceive it.

Yesterday a friend and I drove out on 40-West to Patapsco State Park and went for a short hike. As we passed through the long meadow corridors created by power lines, I liked to imagine that if one were to follow the path created by the lines, they would continue on until they get all the way to the coast, let's say to somewhere in Florida.

Last night I saw the Matrimonials preform with their new drummer. Though the gusto of the old drummer is missed, the band sounds really tight. Seeing that band brought me back to the Summer of 2010, playing beer pong, being rambunctious in bars, and making day trips to places where we could go swimming.

But Baltimore is different for me now. Instead of being constantly surrounded socially, I often find myself alone in my car being homeless. I don't mind being by myself, it can be a welcome escape here. I noticed that I find myself moving around a lot, since my home base is also my vehicle. Speaking of which, I think I'll make a trip to Prettyboy Reservoir now. The cornfields are calling.