2006-03-05

Awake at almost 4 am. This is like about the time of day that I used to populate this diary with all of my entries, working at my late night internet job. But that was years ago, and now I�m living in a different place, with different rules and habits. One of them is regularly sleeping between midnight and 7 am, but all rules are meant to be broken occasionally, no?
Kelli and I had another professor over, his wife (also a prof at another school in town) and their two little boys, Quinn and Reed. We made them lunch in the guise of fish tacos, black bean banana empanadas, gigantes beans, mango salad, a regular spinach salad, and baked pears with nutmeg, raspberry sauce, and vanilla ice cream. You know, your typical Sunday brunch fair.
We had a meeting at work where we discussed, among other things: basic outfits, how to serve the rice, garnishes, and how to deal with the fact that half of our kitchen has to leave due to visa expirations. They are a bunch of Thai ladies, you see, that in a short few months have caused a sensation up here in Fargo/Moorhead with their cooking.
Now we have to find replacements.
Last weekend, I went to California to visit UCLA and UCSD schools as the longest MFA quest ever continues. Well into my third year, and I�m having recommendation letter problems from my old Penn St. connect. She�s always sent my letters late, and somehow I haven�t learned to stop using her. It�s been over a month since she�s supposed to have sent these letters. It�s so frustrating that this might actually screw up my chances for some schools.
I wonder how some friends are, that I haven�t talked to in ages, old time readers of this space� I invite them to give me a call or email.
The trains are whistling warning calls as they pass through town in the middle of the night. I wonder how many people are up to hear them. We have trains come through all day and night, as a major thoroughfare for the northern Midwest. Its crazy. And yes, there is snow everywhere, just like in the Cohen bros. movie. It�s like a white desert. They poured an ice rink in the playground down the street. Just poured a bunch of water on top of the grass, and its permanently ice now. I think they even zamboni it. Kids come and skate and play hockey . . . how perfectly quaint.
It isn�t that unbearable though, as I might have imagined it. People say it�s a warm winter here, unusually warm. I don�t know if that�s global warming or not, but I wouldn�t be surprised. Anyway, you just stay inside most of the time, with the heat cranked. One thing they�ve learned to do well up here is insulate houses, so the drafts are minimized.
I got an Ipod nano for xmas, (like all the lucky young kids whose parents can afford one), but I am thinking of trading it in for another brand of MP3 player with more storage. What do you think? Is this a good idea?