usa: indiana: bloomington

Every time I come back to the States, of course I spend time in my hometown. This ended up being the longest visit in quite a while. I think the total time was 9 days?

Dad picked me up at the airport, and we stopped for food on the way back to Bloomington. Since the portion was American sized, I took home at least half of my food.

When we got home I brought my bags up to my room and went about figuring out everything I would need in my Russian work visa application.

(I already knew I should've had this figured out, and sent off as much as a week earlier, but I didn't get my act together.) I called the visa company at least twice.

We drove to Kinkos/FedEx so I could print something and mail everything, it all went smoothly. From there we drove to the mall and stopped in a couple stores. Then we drove home.

After getting home, I called my sister to figure out when we could hang out. In the middle of the conversation I somehow realized I had forgotten to sign the dotted line on my application. Eeek.

I knew my application would be denied for forgetting that, so I started running to Dad to ask if I could borrow the car to get back to FedEx.

I rushed around, and in my haste, tripped and fell down the stairs. Immediately I knew something was wrong. It was the same feeling I'd had when I'd tripped over nothing in particular a bit over a year ago in Kyiv. Something felt like it had popped, and my foot HURT. Dad helped me stand up, and I was able to walk (not easily, but it was possible,) so I knew it wasn't broken.

That didn't solve my signature problem though, so instead of me driving the car, Dad drove me while I put a bag of frozen vegetables on my foot. Even with the frozen vegetables, I hopped from the car to the store, rather than walk. (I could walk, but it hurt, soooo...)

It turned out I had just missed the chance to catch my packet, so I had to print out the page of the application once more, and pay for another envelope to be sent. Argh. After this disaster we went to the supermarket to get another bag of frozen vegetables, and an ankle brace.

When I got home I propped my ankle up on pillows (it had already swollen quite a bit) and stayed there the rest of the night.

The next morning Dad dropped me off at my sister's house. I got to hang out with her all day, and my nephew. He is awesome, of course. I always love spending time with my sister, I wish it got to happen more often.

For dinner that night I met up with more Gappers. They're everywhere! Kristy is originally from Indiana, though we didn't know each other in the States.

She married a guy she met there, this was the first time I met him. We had good food, and more importantly, good conversation. I love gappers, I'll never get tired of saying that, or with meeting up with them.

The next day Dad had a rotary club something or another, so I went with him to campus, then walked around while he had his meeting. My ankle was still swollen, but I wanted to do some walking.

I went through parts of the Union, looking for a specific spot to take a photo. I'd seen it in other photos, and wanted my own photo.

I found it, but there were people studying there, and I didn't think it would be cool to say 'hey, can you move so I can take a photo?' Studying definitely takes priority.

I also walked through parts of the building that used to be known as HPER. (In my head that's how it will always be known, but the powers that be changed the name.) The intramural basketball courts were empty, which seemed strange. I'm used to there always being a pickup game or two going on. Royer Pool was empty (not just of people, of water too,) so I"m assuming repairs are being done.

This pool is where the science and sport of swimming as we know it today were invented.

Next to HPER is the fine arts museum, which apparently is closed for a while due to more renovation work.

From there I walked next to the 'new' global/international something or other building, which did not exist when I was a student at IU. Given my life now, maybe I should've had a major along those lines? I also walked through the arboretum, which is a lovely green space on a campus full of green spaces. I still find it hard to believe a sports stadium used to be there.

After meeting back up with Dad we drove to another side of town to visit a coffee shop I love. Needmore Coffee is owned by a friend, who does all the roasting herself. She sources her beans from ethical, organic farms in Central America. Someone complained to me once that the place is expensive, and my answers were that you pay the same amount at Starbucks, and this is a local business. The only way you get cheaper coffee drinks is to make them yourself at home. I will always support a local business, even more so when I know the owner!

Dad and I went home for a few hours, I'm sure he did something productive with the time. I'm pretty sure I took a nap, or browsed social media sites. That night we went to dinner at Janko's, a steak place in town. I've loved it for years; they aren't fancy, but the steaks are great. Dessert was at an ice cream place. No, I did not need dessert, but it's soooo hard to resist.

On the way home we stopped by the gridiron (football,) stadium because the lighting was fantastic and I noticed I would be able to take a photo without any cars or people in the photo. I grew up going to games at this stadium, and though the team hasn't been very good for years, it still brings back heaps of good memories.

The next morning I had breakfast with my old boss KGB at a local place called the Village Deli. They're known for the ridiculous size of their pancakes, and generally having good breakfast food. It's always good to have a catchup with KGB, and to hear what the latest plans are for Rec Sports at IU.

The Village Deli is close to campus, so that's where I walked next. I figured it was early enough in the morning to find that spot in the Union and hope no one was there. I was right, I was the only one, so I took my photo and left.

From there I walked to the office of another old boss and dropped by for a chat. Another good catchup, and this one wasn't even expected!

I walked to the law school to check out their library, as libraries can often be really photogenic. For some reason I thought there was a specific reading room there, but either I didn't find it or it isn't there. Oh well. Not surprisingly, the law library was super quiet.

On the way home I passed the observatory, which always strikes me as really small. How does anyone see anything at night? It's the same height or shorter than other buildings all around.

I walked home, which had me dripping with sweat pretty much the entire way. It wasn't far, at least not by my standards, I just wish I hadn't felt like I was in a sauna the whole time. I walked on the wrong side of one road nearly the entire way because that side had shade, and the proper side didn't. I had no desire to pass out just because I was on the right side of the road for pedestrians.

That night I met up with a couple twins who were also high school classmates. Non stop laughing and smiling for the next several hours. I swam with Julie and had gym class with Jennifer. I'd just missed my 20^th high school reunion, I guess this was a mini reunion of sorts. Jennifer also brought some amazing chocolate, I could've eaten my weight of the chocolate, yum.

We went to a local microbrewery and had fried pickles, which were amazing. There is definitely an art to getting the right ratio of breading to pickle. Too much breading and they're no good. We also had huge burgers, yum. The beers the girls drank smelled good. Our dessert (after the pre meal dessert I'd already had) was from a food truck. Yum! I can't wait until the Chocolate Moose opens again.

The next day was a day trip to West Baden Springs Hotel with Dad. 

Sunday morning we went to church. This was the service where the church officially decommissioned the organ, which we've had for decades. I'm glad I was lucky enough to appreciate the amazing music and musicians with my church.

Who knows if it was originally commissioned or not, but it brought a lot of amazing music into the church for years.

That evening I went to the house of my high school swim coach for dinner. Her husband was there, as well as three other coaches/former bosses of mine. It was great to see everyone, and to hear the stories they all have to tell. They've all been in swimming in the area for a long time, so they know all the gossip, old and new. They were all big influences in my life, whether they'll admit it or not.

The next day I went with Dad to the monthly meeting of the Press Club. It was interesting to meet some of the other attendees, most of whom are older/retired. After lunch we walked through campus to get to the library parking lot, and took a picture of Hoagy Carmichael at a piano on the way. The song 'Stardust' is fairly well known, as is Hoagy, but not as many people know he is from Indiana.

That afternoon and evening I went to Mom's flat, and hung out with her for several hours. After dinner she drove me back to Dad's house.

The next day my sister and I did a road trip to Columbus, Indiana.

Wednesday, 26 July was a day of stress relief. My passport was delivered, with a Russian work visa inside. Getting the passport back meant two things: I was going to Russia, and I was going to Cuba with the tickets I'd already booked. (I was afraid the passport wouldn't come back on time and I'd be forced to postpone/cancel Cuba.)

I'd made plans to meet up with a couple more friends that afternoon. We're the same age, but they went to a different high school, not too far from mine. I hadn't seen Katie and Krista in five years, I think. We met up at 1500, and I managed to do a whole lot of nothing earlier in the day. More good conversation, and I really wish we could see each other more often.

Krista drove me to Mom's flat, she and I went shopping then out to dinner. Mom isn't very good at sitting around and chatting, though she is good at sitting by herself. When she and I hang out I've discovered it's a good idea to be doing something.

Thursday was my last day in Bloomington. I started the day by meeting with a financial advisor, which was surprisingly interesting. Then I met up for coffee with the man who has what sounds like an ideal job to me: planning travel for IU alumni. Totally awesome.

From there I walked up the street and met up for lunch with another of my high school classmates. I don't think I'd seen Mahala since high school, so this was pretty awesome. Who knew the Trojan Horse has such good key lime cheesecake? I definitely could've eaten more. Another really good catchup, and we definitely won't wait another 20 years to do it again.

After getting home from lunch I borrowed Dad's car to do a couple last minute errands, then packed up all my stuff. Dad drove me up to Indianapolis, and checked me into a hotel. Almost across the street was a nice place to have dinner. The reason for the hotel was the timing of my first flight the next morning: at 0525.

After dinner Dad drove back to Bloomington and I tried to get some sleep. It didn't really work, but it never does when I have something really really early in the morning.

Bloomington, I will always come back as long as I know people living there.  

indiana: bloomington

The drive from Bristol TN/VA to Bloomington was seven hours I think? Dealing with the curvy highways through the Appalachians, then the traffic mess that is Louisville, Kentucky.
As I was driving into town, I stopped at Target and bought myself a Fitbit. I'd been wanting one for a while.
I arrived home at dinnertime.  I brought all my stuff in the house and up to my room. It was really nice to come back to a place I know so well. I felt so comfortable, and knew exactly where everything was. 

Despite knowing Dad and I were going out to dinner, one of the first things I did was to get some cheese out of the fridge. We've always kept blocks of cheese in there, usually a medium cheddar or colby jack.
Dad and I had our regular dinner date at Janko's Little Zagreb. I know I've written about it before, but I will mention it again here. The restaurant has been around for quite a while. It's quite basic, but I love it. It is especially popular among athletes, especially when they are hosting recruits for a weekend. Also in the normal clientele are business people, for a casual dinner.

It's not fancy, but the food is worth it. If you're not into steak there are a few other options, but in general, if you don't like steak, I think there are other restaurants in town that are much better.
Janko's is all about steak. Much of what they have on their menu is locally butchered. SO GOOD.
After dinner, Dad and I walked around the neighborhood. One of the things I love about the neighborhood is that it doesn't change much. People live in this neighborhood long term.
The next day we did our basketball day trip, coming back to Bloomington in time for dinner.

The day after that, I met up with one of my old bosses for our normal breakfast date at Village Deli. It's always good to hear about the updates of Indiana University Rec Sports from the leader. Students at Indiana University have a lot of opportunities, and from my experience they don't know how awesome those opportunities are until years later. KGB is a great leader.
The following day Dad was scheduled to go skydiving. Unfortunately, the weather didn't let that happen. Argh. Instead, we drove around Bloomington a bit. We started with souvenir shopping for me at the Varsity Sports shop in Assembly Hall.

All the Indiana Univeristy gear you could possibly want. I walked out with two coffee mugs and a sweatshirt. There were more items that interested me, but I managed to exercise some willpower for once.
I grew up in Bloomington. The city is home to Indiana University, which is an internationally recognized research university. When you have a university that attracts international students, they bring their culture with them. The awesome part of this is that Bloomington is home to food and culture from all over the world.

Ever heard of the Dalai Lama? What I bet you didn't know is that his brother lived in Bloomington for many years. Thubten Jigme Norbu was the older brother of the Dalai Lama, and was a professor of Tibetan Studies at Indiana University for many years. He founded the Tibetan Cultural Center (which later became the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center) in Bloomington, living on the grounds until his death in 2008.
Despite growing up in Bloomington, I'd never visited the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center. The weather was rainy, so maybe we could've picked a better day, but oh well.
Google maps does not know where the entrance gate is located, we drove down one wrong road before figuring out the correct place to go.

Its not a typical gate, you are very aware you're entering a place that is different from 'normal' America.
Due to the rain, we were the only visitors at the time. We found the gift shop (the lady turned on Buddhist music for us just after we walked in.) first. We saw a couple stupas, one bigger than the other. Under one of them was a sand mandala, beautiful. We saw a prayer and meditation room, and were given a short tour by one of the monks. I loved hearing the explanations of everything in the room, there is soooo much I don't know. We saw the prayer wheels outside, those wheels are BIG!

After leaving the grounds, we went to the Chocolate Moose, an ice cream place. I was disappointed they didn't have eyes to put on my ice cream, but the ice cream was still as good as it always is.
The next morning I went hiking at a lake really near the house. I don't know why, but Griffy Lake isn't listed on tripadvisor, or triposo. Sure, it's man made, but it is one of the official reservoirs of the city, and there are pretty trails all around the lake. Bugs were out like crazy, but I loved the peace and quiet of being out in nature.
I changed clothes and went to meet my sister at work, we got lunch from food trucks. YUM. I had more ice cream from the Chocolate Moose, just because I could.

You have to take advantage of what you can get while you can get it, right? She also gave me the keys to her house, so I could move my stuff over there later that afternoon, and let her dog out.
Then I went to the IUOP. The Indiana University Outdoor Pool. I worked there as a lifeguard and swim instructor for years, it hasn't changed. I haven't been there in probably 10 years, but it still looks (and smells) the same. I love laying out :)
Even though I thought I was moving quickly, I ended up being really late to meeting up with my sister and her friends. Argh.

The next day was the day trip with my sister and dad.
Sunday morning I got up and went for a short run before getting ready for church. I'm proud of myself for actually getting out the door to run. Yay!
At church it was nice to have quick catchups with people I've known nearly my entire life. AWESOME.
Just after church, my sister and I quickly changed clothes, then drove to a business called Massage Envy. A few years ago I went to the wedding of my friend Scott, and at the wedding I met his family. I got along with them really well, and have kept in touch ever since. At the time, they lived in California, but a couple years ago moved to Bloomington. They opened a franchise of Massage Envy, and I figured it was the perfect opportunity to see people I like, and support their business. Great massage, and great to catch up.

My sister and I shopped that afternoon. She is a very good shopper in that she can 'see' if something will look good on someone else, regardless of differing styles and body shapes.
Dad came over to my sister's house for dinner that night, my sister made tomato soup from scratch. YUM. She also made rosemary bread, and sent home an extra loaf with Dad. After dinner, the three of us took her dog Rocky for a walk. Rocky was in heaven.
The next morning I moved my stuff back to Dad's house. Then I met one of my high school swim teammates for lunch at Steak n Shake. I don't normally like visiting chain restaurants, but Melissa had one of her children with her, and he was only 4 years old. Really good to catch up!
After going back to Dad's, I stopped by the Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau. I know I can buy postcards there, and another high school swim teammate works there. She and I hadn't been able to figure out a meal to eat together, but I was able to chat with her for 15 minutes, which was nice.

Then I got my 4th tattoo. There was another lady in the tattoo shop at the time. I noticed on the inside of her left arm she had tattooed NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK. I kid you not. I saw the picture of the face she was getting tattooed on the inside of her right arm, I"m pretty sure it was one of the New Kids on the Block. Really? 
That night I had dinner at another local place, the Crazy Horse. I ate with my best friend from high school, and another friend from those years. Both of them went to a different high school (only 15 minutes down the road from my high school,) and in the way life is sometimes funny, both of them now teach at that high school. Really good to catch up.
The next morning I had another breakfast at the Village Deli, with another of my old bosses. After breakfast I walked down the street to the campus of Indiana University and took a few photos of my alma mater.

It's a gorgeous campus, I could've wandered for hours and hours. It was the awesome time of year when there are no classes and students. Even though Bloomingtonians know the University brings a lot to our community, we sometimes hate the students and all the chaos they bring. The few weeks of summer when there are no classes are a beautiful, quiet time of year. 
I feel bad because I didn't get to see more people while I was in Bloomington. I didn't make nearly the effort I should've made to contact people, and do it ahead of time.