I know you are all worried about my survival in the absolute coldest place on earth. Well, rest assured that NYC’s Arctic Circle has not killed me. It’s freezing. I saw real snow for the first time. It’s not cute like in It’s a Wonderful Life or some such film. Sure it’s beautiful for about fifteen seconds while it falls, and then it’s just little itty bitty pieces of cold manifesting on my cheeks and on my hands and in my hair. And the California is really starting to come out. But I got myself a good pair of boots and a couple of warm coats. I need to get some scarves.

Still, all is well. The semester ended well. I had a show in Connecticut that went well. Performed at a conference and it was good for me to get out of the city. I finished all of my classes and got good grades. I am still on Gallatin Student Council, working on a course evaluation project (so that NYU Students in Gallatin can hear a student perspective on the classes before they enroll). Fun stuff.

Also, I am collecting Metro Cards and dirty looks from perfect strangers.

I am still desk attending. Toilet paper dealing has recently become very lucrative. I meet a lot of people, and get a lot of home work done. It’s great, and my friends still come and visit me at the desk. I actually ended up making really good homies with the RA from the eleventh floor (the one who came up with the clever pirate theme), and he kept me company in the lobby of our sometimes chilly building with his witty stories about pirating, and lobster in Cape Cod. New England folks are great in their own special way. He graduated this semester and is moving to the South Pacific, so my heart is breaking. But I’ll piece my life back together. Really, I’ll miss him though. Chris, if you’re reading this, good luck with the whole, you know, thing.

My best friend at school is wonderful. She makes sure that I eat. For those of you who don’t know, I was a hardcore meat eater until July when I became a strict vegetarian. ’Cept I still am in that whole Toys R Us-I don’t like to eat my vegetables-Peter Pan stage, so my diet consists mostly of grilled cheese sandwiches. Delicious, but not always full of those essential vitamins a growing girl needs. So my friend force-feeds me salad. She’s from Boston. Score two for New England.

I have a couple of other homies from Jersey. I have a new appreciation for the words “naamean” and “naamseyn.” If you don’t know what I mean, or don’t know what I’m saying, pick up a Wu Tang album. Once again, more dope folks from the East Coast.

I have another amazing friend out here. He makes sure I express my anger. He’s the bomb, and I love having him around. He’s not originally from the East Coast though.

What else? I played Lady in Red in an audio production of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. Performing another poet’s work made me step mine up. I’ve been writing a lot. Shorter, more manicured work. I am happy-ish with what I’ve been working on. Also, I’ve been working with all of the friends on my freestyles. Hopefully I’ll make it to 106 and Park. Just kidding, but really my wack stylin’ has been quite therapeutic. Homework for everyone reading this: rhyme off the top of your head to your screen for the next sixteen bars. For real. Go. All right, good. Back to the update.

Oh, yeah, guys and all. Well I quit. Decided to stop dating people for a while, cause it sure isn’t working to my advantage right now. Maybe it’s good for me. Maybe I’ll write one of those Mama why don’t my man love me like he ought to plays and sell out the Oakland Paramount theatre. Maybe Comicview can be my opening act. Maybe …