Es Schneit!!

I worked this morning. Coffee for people. Lattes, Mochas, Large to go, Medium Mill Mountain and a everything bagel toasted with cream cheese to go, coffee for here and a sesame seed bagel EXTRA TOAsted with cream cheese and butter. So tired of this. Allman Bros. playing. Coffee and a peanut butter english muffin to get me through. Work was obnoxious. Something that got in the way of my sleep like a loud neighbor or having to get up to pee five mintues before your alarm went off. That was work for me today. I came home and felt exactly how I wanted to. Cup of coffee, then a cup of tea. Flight of the Conchords on TV. Relaxed, on Spring Break. Recliner time. Warm oatmeal and tea on a cold rainy day.

Snowing now, up in my room. I feel warm, like in my fort. My day will be interrupted by my dream of work in the morning. All I think about is what I'll have for breakfast tomorrow. The only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning. Sausage, Egg and and Cheese. Everything bagel with cream cheese? Cappuccino? the smell of coffee reminds me of why I work at a coffee shop at all. The reason I've always loved it. I feel like I'm part of a thousand year old tradition, serving coffee to the cold, tired and hungry masses, eating depression-bagels and talking about how much better it's going to be. I can stand back and watch the documentary as its happening. people talking about the Bail-out and Obama's new budget. I stay informed and opinionated through these people's conversations. But for now, I already long for those mornings getting a coffee and a cruller on the way to class in the cold rainy morning. There's something about this moment that feels good. It feels like I am where I should be; moving forward in the right direction.

Oh and by the way, it's snowing for the first time all winter....

pre Spring Break woooohooo!!

Keeping up with the previous pledges, I am once again writing in/on my blog. It was a long day today. I woke up early and went downstairs to make coffee and have breakfast. It was a day that felt like spring. I had left my window open the night before so I woke up to fresh, moist clean air and started my day with a feeling of rejuvination. I emptied the dishwasher, washed the dishes and ate cereal and drank coffee. I got dressed and left with plenty of time to stop by the library before class. I had just seen my professor two nights earler at a bar. She was on a date with a bald man in a coat and tie. They seemed really happy together. I sat at the bar, casually, non-awkwardly. I said "Cheers" when I got my drink and waitied for Whitney. Class got out early and as I walked to my car, I heard my name. Whitney was standing outside of Trexler with a pack of cigarettes in hand. We talked for a bit about the brake and chatted up a Campus Safety officer while standing under a magnolia tree in the rain.

I went to the optometrist to pick up my contacts, then on home to Roanoke. I decided to go to the coffee shop to pick up my paycheck and a mocha (with an extra shot) before work. Jenny requested a bagel and I went behind the counter to fix my drink. I stopped by the house to pick up Jenny and we were on our way to an incredibly long, very tiring day of work.

I worked with the K-2 kids today. I always have more fun when I'm with them. Today, I felt at ease the whole day. It was strange considering how chaotic it was with K-5, around 70 kids all in one room together the entire 6 hours. I watched Garfield the Movie while taking care of a sick kid, ate pizza and drank soda. Then I played dodgeball for about 2 hours and laughed at how ridiculous kids can be. Then I built a lego house with a Kindergartner. I left work with a positive glow about me. All I could think about was getting on the treadmill and running. I left work with the energy to run almost 3 miles, happily...listening to music and feeling energetic. I came home and watched Flight of the Conchords and ate Pizza Rolls while drinking beer. I felt so relaxed and at ease. I played with Mog and felt happy that he's around. I love watching him play and grow up.

It was the perfect end to a perfect week. I had a great day hanging out with Whitney on Wednesday. We had an amazing day. We started out with bacon, egg and cheeses from Hardee's with a Diet Coke. We watched Will and Grace, as per usual and she talked about her boy problems and I talked about mine. We went to the library and worked for a while. She went to class and I finished all my work for Math and went back to her place with an iced soy vanilla latte in hand. I took a hit from the bong and made a sandwich. I turned on Top Chef and relaxed. After a while, I got inspired to fix her toilet seat, which I had planned to do for 2 months now. I bought her the toilet seat around New Years. I felt good after fixing it, so I decided to do more good deeds for my friend. I cleaned her toilet and did her dishes. More relaxation earned. She got back from class and we went for a walk.

It was warm and Springy. The sun was shining and everything was drying out after the morning rain. We walked through the neighborhood where I used to go running. Up past the golf course and around where the park is. We sat on the swings and I climbed up on a rock and watched her. We started to walk back and took the path under the bridge, jumping on rocks. We got back to her apartment and I had milk and cookies and she had a sandwich. She watched TV for a while and I listened to music and read Rolling Stone. Then I headed off to class. I felt the inspiration to teach once again. The girl that was presenting her lesson plan brought in M&M's as part of her teaching operations lesson. Then we played a game where a multiplication problem was called and we had to swat the right answer with a wand. I left feeling great.

That's when I saw my professor at the bar...Tuesday night Jenny and I hung out which was awesome. It's been great working with her lately. I get to spend more time with her and I feel like we're friends again. Before we were roommates, we were friends and it's been good to reconnect on that level again.

6:45 comes earlier. Sleep now...

Lost & Found

I was sifting through a box of old CDs, mostly empty CD cases, the actual discs lost or misplaced whenever they became obsolete and I moved to Germany. Most of them only exist in CD form, not on any iPod or computer or burned CD that I have, but actual CDs with the art work and everything included. Strange, I know. So I started sorting through and finding albums that I had bought used from Plan 9 and had forgotten about. I found a Little Feat CD that my dad used to play in his car when he would take my brother and I up to Paint Bank to the cabin. Memories came flooding back. The album lived in my car for a while and I eventually put it on my iPod. What surprised me was the order of the songs. I thought something was wrong when I looked at the tracklist. What I thought was Side 1, Track 1, was actually Side 2 Track 1. I had been listening to the album from the middle onward on the tape basically my entire life. How quaint, I thought and I smile a little bit remembering the song "Let It Roll." My first favorite song. I was probably around 8 years old. There was something about that song that sparked something inside me. I feeling of freedom and rebellion, the feeling of being able to jump off the edge of Potts Mountain and fly all the way down into the towns and valleys below.

I still get that feeling from that song...from the whole album. Since then, I've been finding other lost treasures still in CD format deemed obsolete because it's not on my ipod. As I write this, I keep looking for the time on the computer screen even though there's an analog clock on my desk. My moleskine remains almost as neglected as my blog. I started writing it in Amsterdam on the way back from Werchter. It's sad how empty it is.

I check Leah's blog just about every day, waiting for her to post something new. But, here I am, writing in my blog once every 4 months or so. It feels old and familiar to write on the blog. When I started it in Munich, I wrote for people at home, so they could keep up with my life. Now that I've moved, I haven't done the same for people I left in Munich (if anyone still checks it). So, I'll make a pledge, or a few pledges.
1) I'll start writing more on my blog, and writing about more personal stuff
2) I'll revisit an album that I love but haven't heard in a while (starting with Weezer's "Blue Album")
3) I'll read more books that aren't assigned

so, just the three I guess. But I do plan on writing more and hopefully I'll find more music, inspiration, love and friendship that have been boxed up and stored away somewhere.