By Madeline Lau
Despite my mother’s best efforts, I refused to write an entire column about homework. She was convinced my articles about excessive travel were tarnishing my image as a diligent student and suggested I devote my spread this month to talk of essays and assignments to prove that I am, indeed, still in college with a mountain of homework.
I could not bring myself to fully embrace this task. Instead I must admit that yes, I am a rolling stone with a bad case of wanderlust and I just can’t help it; I do my homework, mind you, but I do it on an airplane. I just can’t stay in one place too long before the fidgets come on and I get that faraway look in my eyes.
A little while ago I was writing from one of my old favorite haunts: Cincinnati, Ohio. Now, why Cincinnati you and many other people ask with a look of confused interest? It is a simple matter of geography and long-time love. Cincinnati is located right on the Ohio River border next to Kentucky. Kentucky, some would argue, is not quite Southern but it sure as heck is backwoods and more than a little redneck. I find it delightful.
Now, with this infiltration of Kentuckian values Ohio becomes a little bit residually Southern while still maintaining all the charm of the Midwest. Because of this the people are lovely, the food is totally scrump, as my step-grandmother would say, and sweet tea is in abundance especially at Frisch’s Big Boy.
I really love Cincinnati, despite how random that might sound. It has my favorite art museum in the world, with free admission no less, about a katrillion little suburb-y neighborhoods each with its own distinct flavor and old-school charm, weird weather (thunder storms and oppressive humidity), great restaurants, a cool downtown and, most importantly Skyline Chili, the holy mecca of Coney dogs.
I go every year with my mother to this great metropolis to visit her stepmother, Maxine, but this year I went without Mom to spend a long weekend in Cinci just Max and me. Maxine and I do very little other than EAT.
The woman loves good food. As a starving college student I am in no position to refuse sustenance and thus get my grub on in a major way whenever I’m down there. But really, I just love this city. Lumps and all.
I want you to know I was doing work there too. I wrote essays when I had many essays to write. I calculated some future life plans and spent hours on the phone professing my affection for the same boy you read about a couple columns back (yeah, you knew we’d end up together, didn’t you?). I cherished my family from afar and read an entire book about a cat that lives in a library.
I was diligent! Diligent enough to convince my mother I take school seriously. Which was proven when grades came in this semester, not to be big-headed or anything. Just because one is not on campus does not mean one cannot accomplish things of a scholastic order. Shazam!
I left Cincinnati, my love, after a few short days of luxurious rest and overeating to return to LMU to finish the school year so I could go back to Oregon. Each trip I take clears my mind and settles my heart. So what if I have a restless spirit? It leads me to new experiences and that is most important of all to me. Until I remind myself that now I have to work on getting a summer job…
