Philly, Day 2

Everything was perfect--the weather was great, the light was great. I stayed half a mile from the conference and loved walking. Seeing friends was great. Conference stuff was great. 

I met some publishers. Two planned and one impromptu, introduced by a friend. I somehow thought I should high five him instead of shake hands when saying good-bye, so that was a very confusing moment for both of us (what happens when I'm nervous). With one publisher I shared many very personal details and he shared many personal details of his life (his poetry that no one knows about and read me a quote from Marcus Aurelius) all in about 15 minutes, so I guess it all evened out? The things that I do when I'm nervous...

Below, my grandmother's alma mater. 

Below: I loved this quotation from Benjamin Franklin about slipping (in two ways) on a step in Philadelphia. So great. 

Above: A tree growing on the side of the building. 

Below: I visited a used book store where I had a decade-old credit. They begrudgingly gave me two free books and I canceled the rest of the credit. 

In general, I ate so well the whole time. I had lots of food from Reading Terminal Market--lots of good PA food such as a pretzel, bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich and whoopie pies, pumpkin and chocolate (different days). So glad to have a real Amish whoopie pie--no cream cheese icing for me, thanks. In an effort to eat like one vegetable, I had a vegetarian (eggplant po'boy).

Don't worry--I also went to lots of talks and receptions. The first night I had three delicious cocktails! And my first cigarette in I have no idea how many years. I told you--it was all very fun. 

Below: Fake flowers.

It was sublime to walk through a city again--one thing that struck me architecturally is that there is just so much texture in a city.