I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Thursday, March 11, 2010

When the ice goes out

I just noticed today that even though my front yard still has some good snow coverage, in the back woods the snow is mostly gone. All these days of 60 degree days and not freezing nights have worked their charm.

And also, I hadn't noticed having been mostly locked up in the house, it's sugar maple season. Which also means it's pancake season, and I haven't had any yet. When I was but a wee lad, my Mom used to make pancakes and waffles. And I'd love them, until the headaches kicked in. So I learned to use a modicum of syrup. And I love pancakes and especially waffles. Except they give me a headache if I covered them in syrup. Until I discovered, as an adult attempting to please my wife, that is was the type of syrup giving me a headache. See, real syrup, the kind that comes out of trees, doesn't give me any headache at all. And give me a good grade B syrup (light to dark amber - heavy maple taste) and I'm damn happy. While judges rate A and AA grades higher, it's the B grades that really are the best. As Jim McDonald says, "We sell the A grade stuff to the gullible tourists."

And today, the harbinger of spring came floating back home. I saw the first red winged blackbird on the drive home. It was immature, but no mistaking it. Spring is here. Pretty soon the bulbs will start sprouting.

Today felt strangely different. For one I went out of the house for the second day in a row. There was a resume builder seminar that I went to. And oh yes, we are redrafting out resume (which we'll then have to update in eight different places). I learned a lot. Or I should say, much of what I knew makes sense now and I see the way forward. Also, the next few weeks are going to be heavily scheduled. For someone without a day job, I'm going to be very busy.

Here's hoping this mood elevation isn't just because of Vit. D or melatonin levels and that something grand in the universe has shifted.

2 comments:

Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles) said...

Mood elevation? You make it sound like a side effect of Viagra. You know, I used to do outreach and counseling. People think most people off themselves in winter. Not true. It's spring.

Steve Buchheit said...

Well, you know, Viagra can help with mood medication. I know it isn't a laughing matter, but the dark humor side of me always chuckles when I see that some anti-depressant medications have the side effect of "sexual disfunction." Cause, you know, that would make me more depressed right there. (Full disclosure, yes, I use Viagra)

Most people get to Spring? Hmm. I could come up with plenty of reasons for that, but I wonder what the actual cause is? (Length of depression, having mood elevated by longer sunlight and then seeing the difference, realizing in most northern climes that Spring=Mud and Rain which seems to surprise people every year, or a "I made it through, don't want to do that again", or the pressures of "It's Spring, I should be happy and in love, at least according to the cultural pressures").