3:33 am

Why am I still awake? Sleeping all day is definitely not conducive to sleeping right now. Nor are crusty, gaping, throbbing holes in the back of my throat. Holes where my tonsils used to be. Even if my throat didn't hurt, I would still be afraid to eat because food would definitely get stuck in these blackholes and who knows where it would go next? Ew. Sorry, enough grossness.

So I guess this is as good a time as any to explain Charlotte, North Carolina, as I have come to know her.

Everybody talks to you here. Not like the homeless guys on 3rd who yell things at you when you pass, but sane people. Or, seemingly sane people (I believe everyone is a little crazy) that are home-ful, yet still don't know you at all. I don't know how to deal with this. I'm a nice person in new york, but I don't think this translates here. First of all, I don't know you, I don't care. Secondly, why do you care? I don't think you do. So let's save us some time, and let me carry on my merry way. I have gotten good at avoiding these probing types but sometimes its inevitable. ie.) the dentist office. I have frequented the dentist office this week, in addition to the doctors and the hospital. (I never recommend avoiding your medical appointments for 3 years, there is hell to pay) Anyways, my dentist, and the assistant, and the hygienist, all asked what I'm doing with my life, and expect me to know! and my answer that I'm majoring in international business only leads to, "hmm interesting, what do you plan on doing with that?" Now, even if I knew the answer to this question, I couldn't tell them because they have already stuffed plastic wedges and cotton tubes in my mouth, and begun to make me feel guilty about my flossing habits. So they continue to talk about me while a I lay completely conscious, but completely mute.

Which leads to my unconscious experience of today. Anesthesia is the weirdest thing ever. It hits you before you even know they have switched your IV tube, and then you wake up with no idea that anything has happened. You especially don't realize that someone has stuck a tube down your throat to videotape the tiny incisions they are making. This is what the nurse told me, pre-surgery, after asking what I was doing with my life, of course.

The radio here is a pretty even blend of County, Top 40 hip hop (that bleeps out swear words like "drugs" and "crap") and Praise music. And in December, about half of these stations transform into the respective Christmas version of themselves.

The grocery store here is called Harris Teeter. I don't get the name, but I do like that they have sliced mini samples of all produce. The delicatessen gives you little slices of cheese before cutting up a whole pound, as if to sample the aroma, like wine.

The streets here are all named something to do with Providence. I live in Providence Plantation, off of Providence Road, off of Providence Lane. The name of the school I would have gone to if I ever really lived here? Providence. I am lost 70% of the time. Thank goodness the bros have their licenses and these drugs officially forbid me from driving.

Charlotte has a "booming down town". All seven blocks have banking buildings and newly developed condos. Condos I have had the pleasure of touring over Thanksgiving Break with my parents when they were baiting me into living here. This promptly led to a minor panic attack where my attempts to swallow my tears in front of the realtor caused me to cry more, and my skin to get all white and pink-polka dotty. (which was reflected magnificently on every surface of this glowing tower) They were beautiful shiny new buildings filled with white people in pastel polos all between the ages of 24 and 30. 2nd street has never been so perfect to me as it was in this moment.