decisions, lists, and trends

I decided:

I love this city.

As if it was even in question.

The weather today was perfect. Well, it was one version of perfect. The kind that’s chilly and sunny. Well, if you don’t count that the sun is only up for about 8 hours a day. No earlier than about 8.15, and no later than around 4.30.

On a sidenote:

There are three version of perfect weather.

And I like lists. So I’m making another one.

1. Snowy. You know the weather I mean. Well, some do. The kind of weather that means a white-gray sky with those really huge snowflakes falling down gently in whatever manner suits them. The snow banks gradually adding up on the sides of hills and in small puddle shapes. Sometimes there’s even a wave of ice before or after the snow that creates those perfect iced trees. They look frosted. Frosted trees.

2. Chilly. Usually found in the fall or spring. Entails weather just chilly enough to force most to a jacket, a few brave the weather without. This is the weather I experienced today. The sky is clear and the sun shines down to give the dose of Vitamin D you’ve been craving with the overcast weather. Goodbye seasonal depression!

3. Hot. Not so overwhelmingly hot that you can’t move without sweating, but warm enough to mean nothing heavier than a light cotton tshirt and your favorite pair of shorts. Can be improved with watermelon or ice cream.

I met a few girls in my dorm, and they’re ubernice. And they love Disney movies, so that’s positive. Last night’s selection was Madagascar (not a Disney movie).

I’ve discovered an odd trend in my life. Yes, another one. And no, I’m not talking about streetlights. [Although I discovered a streetlight that likes me here.] This trend has to do with my living spaces and construction.

Let me trace a pattern for you.

First year of college, I lived in the basement of a dorm. The construction began around finals time during the first semester in the electrical room RIGHT NEXT DOOR. Work would begin at 7 am. Not cool.

Sophomore year, the building I lived in was having repairs done. These were more manageable because they were a few stories away and didn’t last more than a couple of months.

Last summer, the city decided to fix the road directly in front of the building I lived in. The jackhammers started at 7 am. On the dot. Not a minute later. After they had ripped up the street entirely, the other machines were brought in to remake the street. You wouldn’t believe how noisy those can be when combined with the voices of workers yelling right outside the door.

Last semester wasn’t too bad. Just some glitches with the elevator. I can stand to walk a few flights of stairs.

When I arrived here, the pattern seemed to be broken. But, never fear. Monday morning at 8 am, they began ripping out the bathroom right across the hall. And I mean right across the hall. 3 feet. Max. Now I have to use the other bathroom (a whole 15 feet away) and negotiate around the construction guy to get in my room. Bummer. They’re also doing construction on the outside of the building. The machines turn around the corner and always look like they’re about to smash into my window.

The upside to this construction is that it wakes me up in the morning. I’m in a fight with my alarm clock. We aren’t speaking.


“Toads who paid rent were naturally leaner.”
--The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot