The Windows Here Are Really Cool

One of my favorite feelings is running on a flat road at night, with a full moon, trusting that the pavement will be there for every step, feeling it pound up against my feet. Wearing my pajama pants and a sweater, my dad next to me. Two minuscule people in the middle of the night on top of a hill, away from any city, running mindlessly through the dark. Sometimes it feels like running away, in a sort of fun way. We get to the top of the hill, slow down, amble along, usually to the first stop sign, and then turn back. Coming around the curve before the hill drops back down is amazing at night. The single (completely randomly placed) streetlamp reaches only far enough to show there's more there than what you can see.
This has become a sort of routine for us, and it's really nice.

I'm in Rochester alone this week. Compared to other weeks, anyway. I drove here myself this morning (7AM), had stuff until 4ishPM and then came home (is that what I should call it? It's one of two, I guess...). Lauren (the woman who lived here, just moved) is here this week, she's getting ready for her sister's wedding, which is this weekend. But I had the house to myself for a long time, and that was awesome. Of course, in this nice block of alone-time, I only did homework (except for a few apple breaks (going to the kitchen, chopping up an apple, going back to the couch)).

--> Inserted after re-reading: What I wrote there sounds like it could be misinterpreted as this: I would go to the kitchen, chop up an apple, LEAVE it there, and go back to the couch. Then later, I would get up again, go to the kitchen, chop up another apple, leave it there, go back to the couch. Repeat process. Resulting in a mountain of apple slices, which, in an image generated by my sleepy mind, would eventually overflow the counters. This image of apple slices flooding the kitchen is very vivid. *Must sleep.* <--

I parallel parked in a fairly tight spot today, on my first try, and it made me happy. I got to literally 2 inches from the curb, too.

I walked around Olean yesterday while the tires were getting changed (no more snow tires! Yes, snow, I know you're listening, and yes, snow, I know you will be back soon now). It was interesting being in a smaller town again, after being used to Rochester. I re-discovered the thrift store there, and wandered in, and came out with an awesome skirt for contra-dancing (which I did not expect to find there). And now I'm thinking I didn't really need another one. Ah well, what's done is done.

In the post office, mailing something, I'm pretty sure the dude behind the counter remembered me from when I took forever putting together the package for the composition competition. It had been twenty minutes before 5:00, the deadline for postmarking things on that day, and I had a large selection of things I needed to include in the huge manila envelope, including ANOTHER manila envelope.
I was a little bit more together this time, but not much. I refuse to put everything into the envelope, address it, stamp it, and seal it before I'm at the counter. It's so much more fun letting the postal dude watch me shuffle everything around on the tiny counter space.

I suppose sleep wouldn't hurt too much, now that it's past midnight.

Day of Mis-Matched Eyes (a.k.a. My Day At Home)

I haven't had a whole day with hardly anything planned for such a long time. I forgot what it's like. I went to class this morning, got back around 11:30. Then I did my homework, took pictures of an awesome chess set, did back-bends and handstands, and composed a bit, and now I just feel lazy and yucky. I need to practice flute, and I need to clean my room (which will take about 10 minutes, it's really not that scary right now), I need to be off of the computer. And after I practice and clean, I can only imagine how good it will feel to be done with everything for today. Which hasn't happened in ages.

Jack-the-dog's eyes are the coolest eyes. One is bright, bright blue, with an icy glow, and the other is dark reddish-brown. He's curled up on the rug in front of the (empty) fireplace, looking at me now, and they're beautiful. Whoever picked this rug picked well. It's tan and extremely fluffy, just a fluffier version of Jack-the-dog's fur. I'm picturing all of the dog hair that's probably in the rug sort of floating out. It would be a two inch thick rug of pure fur rising out of the normal one. Cool. 'Cause it hardly shows up.

Why Do I Do This?

I can't figure out why I do this. I like to type, but I sort of prefer paper-journaling. I have no idea if anyone even reads this at all. That may or may not be a hint.
OK, I'm going to sleep now. Maybe. If I can?

Jelly Keys

I just have to describe this keyboard.

It is made out of gel-stuff, and it can roll up, and the keys are islands that my fingers can miss (getting stuck in-between, not fun). The keys also don't necessarily press straight down, making my typing sort of wobbly. They are completely silent. There are two spacebars, one for each thumb. The whole thing is sort of clear, and I can see the wires inside, which is veryvery cool. Anyway, I'm in the Eastman computer lab, since I was early for flute choir. This is the only keyboard like this in the whole place.

And y'all are probably thinking, "So, it's gel roll-up keyboard, move on."

But it's exciting to me, I've never used one before!

Ok, off to play flute with other people playing flute.

Title Eludes Me Right Now

Being at Eastman for four hours every Tuesday is good to get things done, but once I've gotten the things done that need doing, I get antsy.  Or, once I get the things done that I can stand in one sitting...  

And since when was chocolate with espresso and more chocolate supposed to make me TIRED?!  Oh right, I already knew it would.  This is why I don't drink coffee much.  Gahhhh.  

Of course I'll have to do more homework when I get home because I left the math textbook home.  Smart going.  I left the headphones home too, so I can't work on my composition in Margaret's (my composition teacher's) office (she teaches a class in the next room over, and if I don't use headphones I'll annoy the daylights out of them all, which I really don't want to do).  I could practice flute, but I'm not motivated.  I really should be motivated.  But it's ever so much more fun talking about how un-motivated I am than actually trekking over to the annex and pulling out the flute.  And don't get me wrong, I love flute.  

Maybe I'm just still tired from this weekend.  

This weekend I:  Played at the Fiddlehead Frolic, an all day contra dance in Ithaca.  Brought Rafi and Sylvia, saw Ben, Alex, and lots of other people, had a wonderful time dancing and hanging out, and basket swinging.  Then stayed up until 5AM, which was awesome, and drove back to Rochester on Sunday morning w/ mom, Margaret (different from my composition teacher at ECMS), and Rafi.  Went to RPYO rehearsal.  Stayed overnight in Rochester in the big house on Trafalgar St. with Jack-the-dog and mom.  Drove home to Hinsdale in the warm sunshine on Monday, drove back to Rochester in the snow on Monday (yes, the very same), because mom wanted to drive at night in the snow rather than early in the morning in the snow (go figure).  Jack-the-dog decided that 5AM was a lovely time to bark, and that 6AM wasn't early enough to stop (resulting in an hour of near-continuous barking.  He has a loud voice that travels through floorboards insanely well).  And I was kind of freaking out, thinking maybe someone is breaking in, Jack-the-dog hardly ever barks, is that a creaking step, yikes.  That was this morning.  

Had a math test, chem class, no english class today.  Got to see Sylvia at Java's, and when she gave me a ride to Eastman, and talk with her.  Had my flute lesson, and did homework for a few hours, and now here I am, doghairy and sleepy, with well-exercised fingers from flute-playing, hand-writing a near-essay for chem, and typing on this stubborn keyboard.

I safety pinned my chem assignment together today because I didn't have my stapler with me.  It felt ridiculously funny.  I hope Prof. Gulde doesn't mind too much.

Of course someone commented on my having random safety pins with me.  I just use them for a lot of things, I told her.  Like sewing my backpack back together, because it tends to break.  I've gone through many safety pins that way, mangling them completely, re-attaching the straps.  It's fun.