i'm still bringing reading, but will consider the weekend a clamorous success if none of it gets done

Couple things:
1) I live 3 miles from downtown for the following reason: if I WANT to be in the middle of Philadelphia's "WE'RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES" rioting, I will go downtown.  Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but bringing the riot to my neck of Broad Street was a bit much.  (PS: Phillies are round two-ing the World Series!  It's so weird to live in a city that has really good professional sports)

2) As beautiful as Philadelphia is, my pictures of the city are starting to get boring.  I took a wrong turn downtown yesterday and found some fun stuff, but more importantly I found some great people and got really excited.  Unfortunately, trying to take pictures of people you don't know is really awkward so ... next time.  When I build enough courage to be awkward on purpose.  So, stayed tuned for my next project: "The People Here are So 'Unique'"!

Anyway.  Here's another picture of a building:

3) I got a string of Phonathon emails in advance of this weekend that made me cry:
- "Hey everyone!  Exciting news!  It's almost homecoming!  And Annie is coming to town (ONLY TO VISIT US, OBVIOUSLY)!  Lets hang out! ..." - Sup1
- "Since virtually none of my graduated friends love me and are not coming to homecoming (besides Annie), I ... can hang out whenever.  ... My parents will be in town for the weekend, but I can work them around hanging out with Annie." -Sup2
- "YOU GUYS.  Seriously you guys?  I am so excited that you're including me in your supervisor hangout.  I literally just shed a tear.  People in the Temple Library are looking at me funny.  You guys are awesome." - Me

Part of coming back for Homecoming (for me) is realizing how few undergrads I'm acquainted with and what the campus is to me now, after four years of dedicated service and crushing academic schedules.  Honestly, I was so worried that no one would really care that I was around and that coming back would be a mistake -- Happily, as evidenced above, there ARE people who look forward to catching up with me!  And not just the ones I've been bugging for weeks (Amanda and Diana especially have suffered through some novel-length emails).   I'm really excited about the weekend, but also really grateful that there are more people who care about me than I give credit to.  Note to self: be more thankful. You guys rule.  And I can't wait to see you too!

[Side note: growing up is hard, you guys.  It's weird to be on this side of campus, trying to find people, not sure what your new "alumna" role is.  Getting old blows (29 days to my next quarter-life crisis)]