Though, at first, this seemed like a real setback, it's turning out to have a few pro's: firstly and foremostly, Philadelphia is one of the greatest cities on earth for a history major like myself. I mean, I walked past Independence Hall today like it was no big deal. Try not to mind my Nicholas Cagey-ness here, but if you're a person as passionate about American history as I am (I understand that the odds are that you're probably not, but you may be pretty close), standing at the corner of Chestnut and Independence Mall is breathtaking. All I could think about, walking around the building, was that inevitably, I was walking the same walk as Thomas Jefferson walked in 1776 and that James Madison walked eleven years later to present his ideas for American government that evolved into the Constitution. Inside those windows, real people sat and debated and produced a brilliant and time-tested, if deeply flawed, document.
Yeah so there was that. I have a whole list of other must-sees from a professor who did his post-doc here in Philly at U-Penn's McNeil Center for Early American Studies. Meaning that he lived here and did history here and should basically be a pro at giving must-see lists, which is why I asked.
And I tried some other things for the first time today, too- I HAILED A FREAKIN' CAB LIKE A FREAKIN' NEW YORKER. Okay, the first time it was wimpy, and it was 9 am and the driver saw me and wanted my business and whatever. But then I did it a bunch more times throughout the day, and then finally, when I ended up on the other side of town after dark all alone (don't tell my Mom), I did it. I stopped a cab going way fast down Lombard and hailed him over and SUCCEEDED. And felt pretty cool about myself.
Also, I had a cheesesteak from Jim's on South Street, which is, as I found out while waiting in line for it, a very famous establishment. And the thing was delicious, ok? They aren't kidding. Not a lot of things more American than a cheesesteak. I ate it from the top floor of the place and watched the night life creep out in this weird little corner of the world.
After the cheesesteak/taxi adventure, I came back up to my swanky hotel here in the heart of this fine city, and found that the Braves/Reds game was actually being shown on TV! And I watched it! And I watched Kimbrell for the first time this season! (Utah doesn't really show Braves games ever, you know?) Good to see my boys, especially playing at Turner Field, an element of home that I am always nostalgic about.
Let me backtrack for a minute and make sure I crank out the actual reason that I'm even in Philadelphia in the first place, though- this really should have been my priority, but consider all this other stuff to be a build-up.
Truth is, I had a really freaking cool opportunity this past semester to participate in the McNeil Center's Undergraduate Research Workshop. Basically, a few months ago a professor approached me about submitting a research prospectus for a paper that I would, then, spent the semester writing. I proposed a paper about the transparency of Br'er Rabbit folklore as literary, day-to-day slave resistance. In February, I flew to Philadelphia for a meeting with several other undergrads, as well as graduate students (who are current fellows with the McNeil Center here at Penn) who would serve as individual mentors to our projects. There, we hashed out our general plans and our mentors (as well as faculty advisers) offered feedback and guidance for the projects.
Somewhere between that day and this day, I researched and wrote my paper, and yesterday, flew back into Philly for a seminar and dinner with the other participants. The seminar took place in the Historical Society here in Pennsylvania, which is a beautiful library, and I have to admit that at that point, I was kindof thinking a lot of myself for even being in the room with the scholars who were there. We had dinner at a very urban Indian restaurant and I, for the second time in the same day, turned down a beer (for religious purposes), and felt kindof excited and cool that I was doing it (because in order to turn down a beer, you have to be offered a beer... I really am 21 after all!)
This morning, I woke up and got ready in my weird little upscale hotel room, cabbed it over to McNeil, and actually really enjoyed a morning of presentations made by myself and three other, very talented undergraduates. If I can justify myself in saying this, I think I did pretty well- and several of the faculty and students there agreed with me. Frankly, all four papers were quite good. And that, in itself, was really cool. I found myself asking questions and contributing to discussions and, you know, felt, as I seem to feel ALL THE TIME these days, that I have truly discovered a niche in this world for which I am just unceasingly passionate. I can honestly say (and I do say, maybe too often if I'm being honest) that I love what I do. I LOVE what I do. The rewards just never seem to stop coming. It didn't hurt, either, that Dan Richter, the current head of Penn's history department, sent us off with some very kind words about us being inspirational for the older historians in the room, and stuff... it was lots of good like that.
I am very grateful, and will wear my oversized McNeil t-shirt to bed, with pride.
What a day. What a freaking great day.
