Day 1 Complete and Now on to Day 2 Jet-lagged

Last night, DeLana and I arrived in State College at around 3pm. After checking in at the hotel and checking the email, we departed for the sushi restaurant, Say So, which was such a staple for me during my undergraduate years. Lots of tuna, salmon, and more. It was a fantastic meal in preparation for the reading at Webster's. There we arrived early. According to the conversation I had had with the events coordinator, the reading was to start at 6pm. Unfortunately, the publicity for the event - consisting of a few black on white posters - listed it at 7pm. I was then informed that there would be a musical event at 8pm.
There were no banners at my reception. Very little warmth. The lovely lady who sold me books introduced me - she was wonderful, incredibly dedicated to her work - mispronouncing Cave Canem (but everyone does as the Latin V is pronounced as a W, I learned) but still kind. A few students filtered by to hear a word or two, but the main listeners were DeLana, Aldon Nielsen and myself.
About the reading itself: rather than quiet, it seemed the louder I became, the louder the conversations became at the opening to the store. It seemed they did not realize that there was a reading going on or if they did, that they did not care. I felt rushed, too. The response of the students was minimal, though on occasion they looked up. Their eyes were not active, though. At least, it did not seem so to me.
I read the following poems:
Believe p. 46
Negro Bembon Daddy p. 49
Funktified Hail Mary p. 59
Assumption aubade p. 61
Ascend p. 63
And newer poems: Wolf Rock School, October 2006, GED, and Escape
Perhaps this reading was a preparation for what is to come ... or maybe the worst I have been given to get out of the way first.
I should not be so cruel, though as the experience did thrill me, especially to converse with Aldon again. It was also a good practice on how to choose poems to read, to read them for an audience again, and watch their reactions.
I hadn't seen Aldon in years, too, though he's on my dissertation committee. He's a walking compendium of knowledge, and I felt privileged to have access to his stories again for a moment. He was even kind enough to take pictures of the event and afterwards take DeLana and I out to dinner at India Pavilion (though, unfortunately I couldn't eat much because of the early snack and my crashing due to jet lag). It was a great meal, though, filled with my random connections as usual.
In 8 minutes, we leave to get out the road again. I have to take some aspirin for the headache I am having, but I'm really looking forward to tonight's reading AND the sushi restaurant on Franklin that is going to have me as a customer today. :)