Out of Hibernation

The amount of daylight is increasing every day. As the temperature slowly climbed above freezing the snow melted. Can spring be far behind? Hmmm, maybe? Here in Missouri we can still expect anything from a late winter blizzard to a riot of daffodils blooming tomorrow.

It is March and I should come out of hibernation. I haven't done a lot of anything since the winter weather arrived in early December. The problem with being inactive all winter is how much you get behind. I have so much to catch up on. I have to finish my income taxes, so I can fill out my FAFSA which was due March 1st. The VW license is overdue. The university wants my Faculty Accomplishment System (FAS) post haste.

What I would prefer to do is to take a long bicycle ride on the Little Blue Trace in a warm morning’s dazzling sunlight. I did go to the YMCA yesterday for a late afternoon swim. I've paid dues all winter and that was the first time I'd set foot in the door.

Speaking of a foot. Dulcinea broke a small bone in her left foot. We were just about to leave for Mizzou to see Cassiopeia’s acting debut in a production of “The Vagina Monologues” when she slipped off the last step and torqued off the head of the fifth metatarsal. Instead of seeing a play at Mizzou we spent the evening in St. Mary’s emergency room.

According to last Tuesday’s NPR Morning Edition, it is the bicentennial of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s birthday. You know the guy who wrote Paul Revere’s Ride and Hiawatha. Because Longfellow had such a wonderful ability to put nature in the context of the human soul the director in charge of the 200th celebration wants weathermen to use “The Longfellow Poetry Forecast”, quotations of some of Longfellow’s poetry while giving weather forecasts. She said, “Maybe he wasn’t writing a forecast, but he used this wonderful imagery as a segue in to his state of thought. It often matched the state of the weather.”

I thought this was a good one for Kansas City on most any winter occasion.

“The day is cold and dark and dreary
It rains and the wind is never weary.”

Or the Longfellow weather quote I prefer:

“Oh perfect day
Whereon shall no man work, but play
Whereon it is enough for me
Not to be doing, but to be.”

Happy soon to be spring!

Blog Readings

I have been catching up on some of my favorite blogs after being away over the holidays.

It was nice to read that me, my life & infrastructure had a successful first semester in grad school and aced her stat class. I wonder if it was as difficult for her to get back to school as it was for me.

I should read Living in the Scoot Utopia more often. He is always doing something interesting. I like his walking tours about Kansas City; which I have tried to do with much less success. The bar tour across Iowa to Minnesota was great. Living in Blue Springs, his blog on the gangsta pants at the Independence Mall rang so true.

I have been particularly interested with the posts on his karaoke experiences at Winslow’s BBQ in the City Market. I have always wanted to sing. Having no ability to tell one tone from another I have so far refrained.

Last Thursday I just had to check it out. It was a small crowd, but certainly dedicated to the art of karaoke (I’m trying to be kind). The barmaid and someone did a great job with the song “Houston”. As I had to give an early lecture the next morning I couldn’t drink enough to get the false courage to try it myself. As we were leaving the crowd was just building. Next time I’m going to do it! Maybe.

Happy New Year!

The holiday break went all to fast. One day I was languidly dreaming of how to fill all the open time and then it seemed as if the next day I was back at school. However, I was able to enjoy a few days of sleeping in late and taking afternoon naps.

I had a delightful Christmas. I drove down to Dallas to visit family and friends again this year. The Dallas Museum of Art had an excellent Van Gogh exhibition. It had less major works than the Impressionist exhibit in St. Louis a few years ago, but it was much better done. We did the traditional Christmas Day hot tub and then the polar bear dip into the icy pool. I also treated a group of friends to my favorite Texas eatery; Babes Fried Chicken. They only serve fried chicken, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, and biscuits; all family style. The building may look like it’s falling down but it is truly comfort food; which is so dear to my heart.

Dulcinea went on to El Paso to watch the Mizzou Tigers lose a heart breaker to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl. On the way back she got delayed in New Mexico in a snow storm and almost missed New Year’s Eve back in Missouri; which we spent rather quietly at the Trouser Mouse in Blue Springs. The blues band was good; we drank too much and greeted the New Year with a bottle champagne.

I’m thinking about going to SXSW in Austin this spring. If anyone out there has advice on how to best enjoy the week, please let me know.