new shoes to see the Dalai Lama

I'm stalling before heading out into a grey, gloomy world for my morning constitutional. The weather has us Michiganders on a seesaw--warmish and sunny, cool and wet. I'm holding out for warmish and sunny so I can delve into my fun and flirty spring wardrobe. I just ordered a new pair of fun, preppy green Ked's skimmers to trek around this summer. Truth: I needed a comfy yet stylish shoe to wear to Chi-town in two weeks when I go to see the DALAI LAMA! I'm so excited. He's speaking in Millenium Park and though I know I won't really be able to see him from my vantage point on the lawn, I can't wait to be in the presence of someone with such a clear and open heart and mind. H and I are going down for the weekend, which will likely include a visit to Bloomie's, Vosges Haut-Chocolat and maybe lunch at Cafe Spiagga...and this time I'd like to find the Intelligentsia coffee shop. I also hope to see M and B briefly, before they move away from Chi-town to their new digs in PA.

I decided yesterday that I for one could not watch *The Matrix* in class after the VT tragedy...I distinctly remember watching *Heathers* in a grad class right around Columbine, and feeling seriously disturbed. So, we had a little chat about why I decided against the movie and then proceeded to write fun pass around stories. I forgot how exercises like that really open up students' minds and sense of fun with writing...even if their stories feature in large part kegs, pot, and nudity. Today we're--they're--reading their creations aloud and then we're going to do Mad Libs. I suppose some might think it retro/middle-schooly, but sometimes, especially at the end of the semester with research papers, exams, and presentations looming, it's good to lighten the load a bit.

And tonight is the annual departmental party, with a fancy cheese and fruit tray, a whole salmon (yuck to me, but a big draw for many), awkward speeches, awards, and presentations. It promises to be an interesting soiree...