July 15, 2014

Life at University

My fellowship card. I guess I'm official.

After breakfast, another great run, and my workout (this important part of my routine established), I got to work.

Apparently, most of the University of Utah’s campus is under construction, so getting to the library — which should be a pretty straight shot from the guest house — was more like finding my way thorough a labyrinth under a heat lamp. After a couple of wrong turns and backtracks in the 100° heat, this wet rat’s prize was a cool university library. Ah, like I’m back in graduate school.

And of course, like being a college student, I needed to get my bearings. I was sent to four different parts of the library on three different floors, just to get my guest pass. A true college experience. The guest allows me two hours’ work on the computer. I can research quickly, right?

The answer was “yes.” I found quite a bit in two hours — enough to get me started, at least.

After my work, I met another member of the Norman Mailer Writer’s Center program, and he and I had dinner at Aristo’s, of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives fame. I had a Greek salad and a chicken souvlaki, and Cliff and I shared a couple of dips. The food was adequate. My salad needed salt, but there was none on the table. I should have tried the octopus.

I still need to find a liquor store. How can I properly be a Norman Mailer Fellow without a bottle of bourbon?

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  Campus on a scorching day.

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  The library offered books and air conditioning.

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  Holy cow!