Clarity with Conclusion

So.... basically it's over. One 20 minute presentation to go--on Wednesday. 10,000 tons have been raised off my back, and yet I don't really notice it yet. At the moment, it feels like my weekend tripled in length.

The past two weeks have probably been the most intense in my life, roiled with an alarmingly severe emotional roller coaster. Excitement, depression, anxiety, joy, betrayal, pride, relief, fright... various events have triggered them all in the past few days. Hopefully it's all calming down now, we shall see. Much looms ahead in the next few months. This experience has really hardened all of us, truly tested our mettle, and some of us have most definitely been broken down and recast--hopefully into stronger forms.

Finally made it a ridiculously emotional and powerful art exhibit yesterday: Caravaggio's final years at the National Gallery. An hour and a half at the gallery (there were only 16 paintings) came in the middle of light birthday/conclusion celebrations. Amazing to actually see the city at night for the first time in 2+ months. The city was simply sparkling in the early evening twilight and later in the dusky night. I can't wait to see how Woody Allen will capture it on celluloid in a few months. A mere 8 days left... I'm on my back pages of this novel (Ok so that was a CHEAP Dylan reference, but I had to).