Oh, Sweet Saturday

I am having such a nice day. Shinpei went to work, and I stayed home. I read half of The Golden Compass, which I got off Amazon last week, checked my email and read about the political unrest in the Middle East and the situation in general in China off of cfr.org , the Council on Foreign Relations. It was very enlightening, and both things that I read were very well written and organized, so now at least I have an inkling of what is going on. Other than Wikipedia, most of the internet is a series of pieces of information - nothing is usually a consolidation of information, so I have to go tripping around the internet on expeditions for information.
I also opened the back window so that Ebi can look out from his kitty bed at the canal, and cleaned up a bit. I had a hot dog for lunch, my favorite!
I am looking forward to spring. I can feel myself waking up with the weather. The plums have begun to bloom.

Spring is in the air... but not yet anywhere else.

"a scent, such as never clings, to ought save happy, living things..." (from Rennaisance by Millay)

I popped my nose near the screen this morning, and a lovely smell was wafting around, a smell of things quietly awakening, not yet stirring, but considering, in their earthly beds, what it would be like to grow, and stretch graceful branches toward the endless blue above, arch delicate leaves to touch the canal, whisper to the neighborly birds so still and intent before flight. The plants are breathing, their sweet scent tells us that spring is near.

I wore my new sweater to school today. The students exclaimed when they saw it, it is a very festive striped sweater, red, green, yellow brown and white. I like to wear bright colors, to remind the students that there is a bright and happy world outside, and inside their hearts. The always appreciate it when I wear bright colors. I think that it helps them feel more excited about school, too. Colors have been proven to have emotional effects. If I wear bright colors, I hope that it will help them to associate English with fun and excitement, and help them to focus more in class.