The ivory tower

I left Virginia and caught a flight to Boston today. I'm visiting Harvard for a conference with my adviser and other old friends and professors from Michigan and other places. I was pretty active in a group called, 'new world agriculture and ecology group' through grad school. An informal group of students, professors, and activists focused on applying environmental-agricultural science to social change and revolution in the food system, mostly in Latin America. Science for the people. I loved it.

Once a year there is a conference, this time at Harvard. I've never visited Boston. I'm staying with a couch surfer grad student from New Zealand who showed me around a little bit...Wow, the 'BIG' ivory tower, and plenty of those to go around on this campus. Its both familiar and alien being around so many rushing, preoccupied students again...

Getting out and away for a little while can put things in perspective. After just four months out I can't even think of going back to that lifestyle, at least any time soon. Trying to keep up with all the anxiety ridden faces passing by everywhere. Whooa, sloooow down there. Breeeaathe!