Home Sweet Home

My roommate showed me a short cut through the neighboring apartment complex. There are lots of small isolated woods around here, and this apartment complex has a few. Or maybe just this one.

This one has a pond that can't be more than 50 yds across (probably much smaller - I have no idea how to gauge size or circumference), and it resembles in every way the part of Lake Manitou that I've called home for the past 20 years.

The water is green - stagnant looking - covered in duck week. This pond looks like it's dying.

The only difference perhaps is the lack of crappie rolling around in the green nast.

On sunny days, I love walking on the path that leads past this little sanctuary. The turtles come out to sun-bathe on these days. There are 2 spots in the pond that are elevated enough for them to get warmed by the sun. One is right by the path - it's a cement block or something. The other is a stick situated at an angle rising out of the water that is a ways away from the path I walk on.

Yesterday there were 4 painter turtles all piled on top of each other on the cement block. There are 2 huge ones - I'd say the size of serving dishes - bigger painters than I've ever seen in Lake Manitou. They must be 25 years old or something. The smaller turtles would prop themselves up on the shells of the large ones so they could all fit on the block.

But they are not tame, like my squirrel friend from last week. As soon as I paused to watch them, a little guy spotted me and ducked into the murky green water, followed with larger splashes as the others followed suit.

My little piece of heaven - mini Lake Manitou.

Nature

I love Nature.

I love Fall.

I love this campus in the Fall.

I was walking through the woods behind Swain and the Law School last week, and on the brick path was a squirrel, stretched completely out - even to the point of his tiny back toes stretched as far back as they could possibly go. He had just begun to chew on a black walnut, and he was not interested in moving. I walked within 8 inches of him, and he stayed put, chomping away on the tough outer casing of that huge nut.

He watched me out of the corner of his eye, all the while chomping.

I was amazed at his tameness. He was on the ground - splayed out on some bricks - eating his afternoon snack.

I wanted to take him home.

Anyone have a pet squirrel for sale? I've always wanted one. That and a raccoon. Best offer?

I've seen several disturbing things this week.

It started on Tuesday - after a great day in class and at work, I was waiting for the bus. I heard screeching tires and look over at an intersection that is no more than 50 yards away. A college-aged guy and girl jump out of this huge Ford truck and run to the front of his truck. A woman comes running up the street from the other direction and disappears behind a bush which is blocking my view from whatever it is that appears to be lying on the ground in front of the truck.

I have reason to believe it was a person. I've never witnessed (or almost witnessed) such a horrific event. The guy who'd be driving looked like he was going to throw up, he kept taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair. He was doubled over, like he was going to lose it - I really think he was crying. The girl with him kept putting her arm around him when he'd cover his face.

Then the police started coming - car after car - and 2 ambulances and a fire truck. It was awful. That's why I suspect it was a person. I was there for 15 minutes watching the scene until I just took off on foot for home. I couldn't wait for a bus - traffic was diverted and no bus would be coming.

I've been scanning headlines for a report of this, but have seen nothing. I just want to know if the person hit is okay.

So that was disturbing.

Then yesterday, I took a different bus than usual, the one that elderly and handicapped people from the home by BSHS are more likely to ride. There was an old woman sitting near the driver - talking loudly about some sort of political something-er-other that was on the night before. "He doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Heh heh." She stopped jabbering when the busdriver got up to secure a handicapped boy's wheelchair. And when this woman ceased talking, she began popping her lower teeth out and in, out and in - like middle school kids do with their retainers when they forget how disgusting that is. Subconscious - out and in - with the sucking in between. Oh gosh. It was sick. I couldn't stop staring.

My life is really never that boring. There are always things like this going.

I just keep going out...

Last night counted the 3rd Friday night in a row that I've gone out. Not in the traditional state school meaning of the phrase "going out", but in a sense that I've never experienced before.

And this weekend, it wasn't with library students, which to me is a plus.

It's called the Lotus Fest, an annual music and arts festival in Bloomington. And it rocks.

I wasn't sure about it - "world music", Bertie told me. But what does that really mean? Let me tell you:

Brazilian acoustic, Balkan Beatbox (electronic/world fusion), Creole Cowboys, Nordic folk, swedish folk/rock, Uruguayan folk, contemporary Greek, "hot" bluegrass, Agro-pop from Niger, contemporary Spanish flamenco, French Gypsy jazz, Perto Rican plena, virtuoso Hawaiian ukelele, Black Sufis of Gujuarat, Celtic traditional, Mexican fold music, Palestinian oud, and Canadian fold-pop.

This is not a comprehensive list. And we didn't get to see all of them last night, but we saw several in the 5 hours that we wandered around downtown Bloomington. Can I just say this was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

My roommates and I each got at least one cd of the groups we saw - and one by one fell in love with various musicians.

Next year, please come with me! All of you.

You can check out their website at: www.lotusfest.org

Now I can understand one reason why people love this city so much. I'm not sure how Indiana was able to conjure up this much culture, but it DID. And for that, there are no words.

By the way, the Hot Bluegrass and the Celtic traditional were my favorites, although the Balkan Beatbox was the most unique and exciting show. Nordic folk was high on the list, as well.

It's true, I want to know.

There is this song that I've loved for years and I have no idea what it's called or who sings it.

but I have been wondering this...

Where did you go, my lovely? I want to know. Where did you go?

If any one has any suggestions where this came from, or if I'm misquoting - or if you know the answer to my question - please reply.

Vanilla Stalkers

This week is great so far.

I've completed my horrible computer class assignments for the week - amazing!

Kate and I watched Gilmore Girls tonight - I don't know how I could have been so attached to American Idol so as to neglect my love of G.G.

I have one vanilla and one rose candle burning on my desk, beside my favorite birthday touch lamp (which is not-so-touchy anymore).

And I spent last night with my roommates watching Mona Lisa Smile and talking for hours about funny things.

Not only is she "everybody's favorite person to sleep with," but she knows that because, she was "on track to be a slut" in the fourth grade. Oh dear! You are so entertaining!

Thanks for quotable quotes!

What the HELL is this?

I don't know what my roommates are drinking.

I had 1 8 oz. cup of coffee this afternoon and I'm so freaking WIRED that I can't control myself. I can now type 300 words per minute and my heart is officially racing off the charts.

It's amazing and scary.

I feel like they buy super duper caffeinated coffee beans, and I don't know how they are still alive. Driving to class I almost killed myself several times because I was looking every direction at once. I had to move, so I was tapping ALL of my fingers on the steering wheel - which surprisingly reduces the ability to react quickly.

I'm also sweating 20% or 45% more than before. I hate the coffee makes me sweat. That's gross. But I also feel like I could 10 miles and be fine. Even if my joints hurt, I don't think I could feel them at this point.

Off to class...hope I can concentrate enough to contribute to conversation - although, I'm terrified of what I might actually say. Yikes!