How I Spent My Summer Vacation Part 5: Ohio
Following my week in Florida, it was time to head back home for another eleven days or so. Fortunately, the weather was pretty much stuck on summer with highs in the 90s, even though the season officially changed to fall.
My cousin Chris got married on September 15th at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Columbus. The ceremony was beautiful and interesting because it was very very traditional (wearing and exchanging of crowns, walking around the altar, etc.). My brother and I managed to entertain ourselves at the reception (open bar) even though he didn’t catch the garter this time around (as he had at my cousin Emily’s).
The Maurer Men... thanks for the ears, genes!
The interior of the beautiful Greek Orthodox Cathedral
The dome at the church
Andrew and I feign enthusiasm for our flat champagne
Fortunately, the wedding was also close to the Short North which meant an opportunity to meet up with friends after. Trent was down from Cleveland for the weekend so I got to see him in addition to Greg and some of his work friends. The next day I met up with Jen at Planet Coffee which I don’t think I’d been to since high school. It was nice to catch up with everyone.
Greg, Trent, and I enjoy a pint at Bodega
I also took a couple trips down to Cincinnati to visit friends there and embrace my alumnicity. I caught a small but nice retrospective on illustrator Charlie Harper and his wife Edie’s work at the Cincinnati Art Museum (which also had a really well-done Saul Steinberg special exhibit). I also attended Bearcat Live! which I helped design the materials for again this year. Though they decided to do a country concert this year (not my cup of tea), I enjoyed seeing some familiar faces as well as free LaRosas pizza and OTR beer for my design efforts.
The Bearcat Live! stage (featuring a banner designed by yours truly)
Nice looking logo...
The BCL headliner, Carolina Rain, from backstage
On Saturday the 22nd I attended the UC-Marshall football game which was great. I tailgated with Dom and a group of young alumni beforehand and then joined the crowd flooding into the stadium. The attendance at Nippert set a record with an absolutely packed student section as UC dominated and brought our record to 4-0 (at that point). The game’s outcome ended up launching UC into the top 25 for the first time in thirty years and it was great to be able to get to see the team in action.
The Cincinnati Bearcats trounce Marshall at Nippert Stadium
I drove home early Sunday morning in order to meet more of the old Pickerington crew for lunch. Jameson was in town for that weekend’s OSU game and so he, Jen, Matt, Greg and I ate at Steak’n’Shake. It was a really nice way to say another temporary goodbye to everyone. I know I’ve said it before on multiple occasions, as have all these folks, but we have an amazing group that can pick up with each other like nothing has changed and there’s something really refreshing about that.
Following that, my mom and I drove up to Fremont to visit my Grandma Lotycz and even had success trying to convince her to try Mexican food. It was a good afternoon, but before I knew it, it was already evening and the realization that I would be departing the next day.
Fortunately my flight out wasn’t until 1:00 which afforded the opportunity to have brunch with the family. Even so, I soon found myself back on a plane journeying towards Geneva (with a requisite layover in Newart which, for the record, features the worst Starbucks in the world).
All in all, I had an amazing month back home. I don’t really tend to get homesick, but I can honestly say that upon returning to Geneva I felt ambivalent than any time over the past year. Sure, I’m really happy to be back here, but I do love my family and friends and – to a more limited extent – my country, so it’s bittersweet. At least I have the assurance that though things do change, friendships soldier on and regardless of where life takes me next I’ll have the chance to see everyone again before too long…
My cousin Chris got married on September 15th at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Columbus. The ceremony was beautiful and interesting because it was very very traditional (wearing and exchanging of crowns, walking around the altar, etc.). My brother and I managed to entertain ourselves at the reception (open bar) even though he didn’t catch the garter this time around (as he had at my cousin Emily’s).
The Maurer Men... thanks for the ears, genes!
The interior of the beautiful Greek Orthodox Cathedral
The dome at the church
Andrew and I feign enthusiasm for our flat champagne
Fortunately, the wedding was also close to the Short North which meant an opportunity to meet up with friends after. Trent was down from Cleveland for the weekend so I got to see him in addition to Greg and some of his work friends. The next day I met up with Jen at Planet Coffee which I don’t think I’d been to since high school. It was nice to catch up with everyone.
Greg, Trent, and I enjoy a pint at Bodega
I also took a couple trips down to Cincinnati to visit friends there and embrace my alumnicity. I caught a small but nice retrospective on illustrator Charlie Harper and his wife Edie’s work at the Cincinnati Art Museum (which also had a really well-done Saul Steinberg special exhibit). I also attended Bearcat Live! which I helped design the materials for again this year. Though they decided to do a country concert this year (not my cup of tea), I enjoyed seeing some familiar faces as well as free LaRosas pizza and OTR beer for my design efforts.
The Bearcat Live! stage (featuring a banner designed by yours truly)
Nice looking logo...
The BCL headliner, Carolina Rain, from backstage
On Saturday the 22nd I attended the UC-Marshall football game which was great. I tailgated with Dom and a group of young alumni beforehand and then joined the crowd flooding into the stadium. The attendance at Nippert set a record with an absolutely packed student section as UC dominated and brought our record to 4-0 (at that point). The game’s outcome ended up launching UC into the top 25 for the first time in thirty years and it was great to be able to get to see the team in action.
The Cincinnati Bearcats trounce Marshall at Nippert Stadium
I drove home early Sunday morning in order to meet more of the old Pickerington crew for lunch. Jameson was in town for that weekend’s OSU game and so he, Jen, Matt, Greg and I ate at Steak’n’Shake. It was a really nice way to say another temporary goodbye to everyone. I know I’ve said it before on multiple occasions, as have all these folks, but we have an amazing group that can pick up with each other like nothing has changed and there’s something really refreshing about that.
Following that, my mom and I drove up to Fremont to visit my Grandma Lotycz and even had success trying to convince her to try Mexican food. It was a good afternoon, but before I knew it, it was already evening and the realization that I would be departing the next day.
Fortunately my flight out wasn’t until 1:00 which afforded the opportunity to have brunch with the family. Even so, I soon found myself back on a plane journeying towards Geneva (with a requisite layover in Newart which, for the record, features the worst Starbucks in the world).
All in all, I had an amazing month back home. I don’t really tend to get homesick, but I can honestly say that upon returning to Geneva I felt ambivalent than any time over the past year. Sure, I’m really happy to be back here, but I do love my family and friends and – to a more limited extent – my country, so it’s bittersweet. At least I have the assurance that though things do change, friendships soldier on and regardless of where life takes me next I’ll have the chance to see everyone again before too long…
posted by Aaron at 11:58 AM
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