The Last Day of March

This last week of March, Spring finally came for good to northern Wisconsin. There were 3 days of glorious sun and relatively warm winds from the south, and it must have gotten up to 60 for a while. Lots of the snow melted, and Bay City Creek outside my window shed the last of its ice and started to rise. On Tuesday my heart sang as I heard the cry of the first seagull of the year; I was sitting in the sun in the amphitheatre, and he was sailing circles around the sun. Yesterday it started to rain a little, and again today, and now the creek is at its highest. Last night in the rain I saw earthworms on the sidewalk for the first time. The little buds on the trees in the ravine are multiplying, and I am breathless with anticipation.

Yesterday was really exciting because I finally purchased my plane ticket for my Spring Break trip to New Orleans. I got a really good deal, on the flight with the most perfect schedule. The promo fare had been suddenly removed from the nwa.com site, so I was for a moment despairing that I would have to get a more cumbersome flight for an extra 100 bucks, but then I happened upon an obscure flight search website that still listed the promo fare, so I got that one in the nick of time!! My teachers were gracious and said I could take my 2 finals early; I was very pleased with the kind things Bruce Goetz said about me going to NOLA. So I get 10 solid days in New Orleans, with flying on the 19th and 30th. It is very relieving to have the ticket secured. Now my days are truly numbered here, so that should improve my time management and ensure I get all my work done.

This week was also monumental because I finally made it to the gym to start working out again. The last time I consistently did so (not counting yoga, pilates, biking, etc.) was about 2 years ago when I was preparing for my Boundary Waters canoe trip of May 2004. Even after just 3 times, I feel so alive and vital. This new year, which began on the March 20th Equinox, is bringing about a great deal of changes and new life. I think there will be more life in me than there has been for many years. Maybe I'll feel as good as I did when I was 4.

Last night was much fun because Amy, Ben, and I were a team for the "Quiz Bowl." It was very wonderful to relieve this thing which was so important to me through junior high and high school. I miss those scholar bowl days. Amy almost didn't do it, but Ben persuaded her, and I'm so glad because she did a wonderful job and proved to be a million times better at it than she thought she would be. We were in the very first match and won by a lot, but then in the second round we did not advance because that other team was just too fast. I'm glad I got the 2 Q's right which were the subjects most dear to me:
*What state was nicknamed "bleeding" as a result of the abolition conflicts there during the late 1800's, etc.... Kansas!
*What are counties called in Lousiana? parishes, of course!
The winning team of the second round then played the team of faculty/staff named "Old and Slow;" they were Rick Dowd, Tom Fitz, Paul Schue, and that one funny lady. The teachers won. It was great fun, and I wish teachers and students would have more social activities outside of class like this one.