[new york text dump 7]

i can't think about anything but you today! what time are arriving?

have you left yet?

hey. hope you're safely en route to ny. had fun with you guys! xoxo

dim sum.

ask kuz to take you to the dumpling place and also the tortilla factory near his place.

k that' fine. i'm gonna stay at school for trivia night but let's hang out tomorrow.

hi there! i have another friend visiting from school and we're gunna have a picnic excursion around 3.. can you join?

duh friends are great! thinking i could take you on my brooklyn mystery walk from fort greene to dumbo...its to right under the east river.

i'm still a little sick and need to get some work done. can i meet u for dinner?

yes! i have to run around right now but i should be back at 3. do you need help getting here?

36th avenue and 34th street. right?

thanks. it's on the 26th though.

boogers! be here now! are you taking the subway?

i work in dumbo.. what are you doing here?

i'm reading your blog doing a test to see if this ends up in the 'dump'. love you. hope you're having an amazing time.

new york!!!

u still in dumbo? i'm still workin. =(

i wanna see you tonight what's ur deal

omg dude. i'm scared for my life. i was just in the car with fluffs and zo and they're both coughing like crazy.

the thing in manhattan is ten bucks but i can get one person in for free. would you be into that?

we're videochatting with dave and jack.

miss you.

please don't. thanks.

mornin ian! i hope you slept well. keys are on my dresser in my room. what's your plan?

oh no tell luca not to even think about it! when and where are you getting lunch? im gunna stop by home before the show at pratt.

or you could drive if you want. driving in brooklyn aint bad.

sorry i was on the subway. i'm staying right near union square off 12th and 4th

new york.

[inauguration text dump #6]

yaaay. it's not the same without you.

you weren't kidding about that sailor jerry's. j--- threw up and passed out just now.

i missed you last night.

wish i was there.

just said bye to death. one more tomorrow.

i meant to say dave. not death. i'm too stoned.

ryan and i got standing tickets! what time are you leaving tom am?

free booze and food man call me!!!

no no, take your time! just wanted to make sure you didn't get lost or anything. =)

happy inauguration day ian! have an awesome time.

why did you have to send that book now!? I have to pack! it's really good so far.

vodka rally?

i'm so jealous right now.

wtf.

holy shit! tap obama on the nuts for me. jenny says she misses you. i guess i do to... ; )

no fucking way!!! he showed up?!? he's supposed to be working! haha he's so fucking rad he loves everyone. i wish i was there. alos u are a hot ass hipster haha.

haha. wow. i'm just leaving work. i lose =(

obama's there??!! NO FUCKING WAY!!! PS I picked out your shit and tie. yay!

you are so lucky! i love you! tell obama hi for me!

what!!!

omfg

nice man. enjoy urself

i'm touching myself

heard jay-z is there singing "i got 99 problems but a bush ain't one" hahaha.

bomb and bomb. enjoy brotha. catch up with you when it's clever.

damn! how close are you. can you touch him??

whaaaaaaaat???? call me and tell me the story. i had no idea you were in DC!

ian! i had work last night and again tonight. i'm going to sleep now but call me tomorrow k! love ya! dc must have been amazing.

today's horoscope: you may feel totally invisible today, as if others are looking directly at you without even noticing you are there. but unlike yesterday, now you can push through your own resistance, even if no one appreciates your extra effort. after all, taking care of everyone -- like a mother hen -- sounds good in theory, but it can take a lot out of you. don't worry about what anyone else thinks. nurture someone only if it seems like the right thing to do for you.

up at 545am, i take 15 minutes to put everything that i owned on. before we leave, i quickly decide to switch coats - leaving my cell phone in my front pocket. i was conscious that i could not get lost, or i'd be on my own. the earliest bus from virginia was scheduled to arrive at 6:20am. it never arrived. we walked back in the cold to nina's car, drove to another metro station where the crowds were already collecting and and all the cars were already full. after waiting 20 minutes, we decide to take the empty train in the opposite direction to the final stop on the line so that we could hopefully get on a metro heading downtown. jumping off the second to the last stop, the four of us managed to squeeze into a train - rubbing and falling against the crowded car. standing against strangers, nina decided to get off where we started because she was feeling claustrophobic. the metro stop and goes unexpectedly before each station, but spirits seemed high for all passengers that weren't sleeping standing up. about 45 minutes later we reach the first stop and decided to walk from there instead of trying to transfer and get on the red line. zo directed us, as we followed the crowds through the barricaded DC streets - the closer we approached the mall, the slower the crowds walked. i felt a little warmer with the sun now out and shining and the people around me warming up the air around me. we finally found in inlet toward the national mall on 18th street and needed to find a way to 1st street, but soon discovered that there was no direct way to the purple gate. after hitting dead end streets closed off by empty buses and cop cars, luca starts to get nervous that we won't make it on time and walks quickly ahead of us. we ask a police man where we should enter with our tickets. he laughs at us and gives us strange directions, sarcastically wishing us luck making it to the ceremony. zorina decides to part ways to meet with nish at the washington monument since she didn't have a ticket. luca looking back a me nervously, "we have to run there. we only have 30 minutes before the ceremony." we run away from the mall and head towards the capitol down independence. luca more than 500 feet away from me with my ticket, my side starts hurting and i can't keep up running in my dress shoes. ten minutes later, he's out of sight and i'm left alone on an empty street not really sure where to go. i see a few people walking in a different direction and follow them to a dead end. it's 11:15am. i'm convinced i won't make it. even if i did i wasn't sure how i was going to get in at the part of the mall with no ticket. i enter 4th street, but somehow need to find a way to the opposite side of the mall from where i was approaching it. they cattle us through a sidewalk walled by metal gates and i end up standing by the smithsonian native american building. i stop not expecting to get any closer. i can see the capitol building from where i'm standing, and convince myself that that's the best i'll get. i could hear the final notes of the opening ceremony music and slowly push my way through a crowd. i look around for a blockade to stand on to get a better view, but had no luck, when all of a sudden i hear a crowd of people yelling and running. i run with the crowd to our right and realize that the blockades into the front standing section are being knocked down by the crowd in front of me. stunned, i slow down as i enter the mall and make my way along the reflection pool in front of the capitol building. five hours after we left the house, i'm in disbelief that i am there. i freeze as i watch biden, obama, and his family walk out to the front of the capital. i smile and cry out of giddiness that i'm here. i'm here. i'm here. holy shit. i'm here!

my last night with shahin.