“It might as well be Spring” 1 April 2008

To make up for an extended Spring Blog Break, here’s a little montage of all things spring that have been making me smile lately. I hope they do the same for you.

You know it’s springtime at Drury when…
…Boys start playing volleyball in the sand court between Wallace and Smith, putting their board shorts and athleticism on display
…Dogwood trees are in bloom, so Drury Lane smells oddly like fish sticks

It’s medieval jousting time in the park on National and Sunset. Someday I want to do more than drive by and laugh. I have a feeling this is an experience not to be missed.

Deaf actress Marlee Matlin is on the newest season of Dancing With The Stars. I don’t even watch the show, but I caught her on Ellen, and this story is make-me-cry inspiring (well, as are many stories, I admit). She can’t hear the music, but she can still dance. Love it.

Went to a bridal shower last weekend. Maybe I was feeling particularly schmaltzy (well, when am I not…), maybe this was a particularly special bride-to-be, but I was struck by the power of love and family and friendship and connection and memories. It’s enough to make a girl feel a little warm inside, even a girl who’s usually pretty bitter come bridal shower time.
But I also can’t help but conjure the Sex and The City episode where Carrie wants to have a single-shower. (just looked it up, it’s season 6, episode 83, “a woman’s right to shoes”) Yeah, I’ll admit I’m a little jealous when I stop to think of all the brand-new kitchen gadgets that I await me, and society deems perfectly appropriate for my friends and family to buy for me, IFF I commit to a legally-binding long-term relationship with a man…

I love the first flip-flop friendly days, and allowing my toes out of hibernation

I’m a sucker for new tank tops in a variety of bright colors and sassy patterns, and will pay Express way too much to let me have them

Easter: Yes I enjoy the redemption and family togetherness, but my favorite part has to be putting peeps in the microwave. Did you know if you stick toothpicks in them beforehand you can make them joust?

Another Easter highlight: the candy. Starburst jellybeans, Cadbury, old-school marshmallow eggs in Styrofoam cartons. Does it get any better?

One more: Saw a little girl at Target, sitting in her mom’s cart, pointing up at an Easter ad: “look at the chickie! He’s got a mag-a-nifying glass!” Adorable!

On a recent Sunday run I crossed paths with a family: mom in sunglasses, dad in baseball hat, baby in stroller, dog on leash, cat trailing lazily behind, out on a midtown spring walk.

And finally, a random musical moment, featuring Momma Partridge in younger days. Taken out of context it’s really amusing. Note the tuxedo-wearing fellows.

What a difference a [nice] day makes 12 March 2008

Flipped back through my purse composition book tonight, and found an entry I’d forgotten about from a couple weeks ago. Managed to have a brief Moment of Zen at Jimmy John’s (yeah, I know). Among all the cheeky tin posters that say things like “your mom wants a sandwich” there was one that actually made me stop and think:

If you do the things you need to do when you need to do them, then someday you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them.

Now if that ain’t my mantra. I scribbled this afterwards: “lesson of early 20s (and, oh god, MID-20s): paying dues, patience with less glamorous portions of adult life, storing away acorns hoping someday it will be spring.”

Lately I feel like I’ve been storing a lot of acorns. I know I’ve also had a lot of unbelievably fun times this year, too.
(Is it possible to be both the ant and the grasshopper?)

At any rate, I think that someday might be on its way, because today felt like SPRING.

Ran some errands across campus, and felt like I was living a commercial for Drury, stopping to say hi to everyone I knew, always saying something like “isn’t it a beautiful day!” Everywhere you look: flip-flops. Outside my building, barefoot boys practicing their rock climbing on ropes between trees. I don’t know what this process is called exactly, though I know carabineers and flailing are involved.

Tonight stopped at Starbucks after a visit with a friend (who is also a reader…first blog shout out!), to discover a new collection of spring-themed mugs and a brand-new frappuccino flavor: honey. Walking back to my car I’m still comfortable in short sleeves. All these new spring developments make me feel hopeful.

And next week I’m off for Spring Break in sunny…Minneapolis.