forcing spring.

I ran in shortsleeves and shortpants (aka knickers, but I can't help but think of that kind) today. It was a little too cold for it, but it just felt so good, I couldn't help it. The IU campus is hilly, probably the hilliest run I've done, and my gizmo didn't find me till a bit into the run and I got turned around once (see, right there.) I also take back what I said to some folks last night about it being lovely- the part that's lovely happens to be where I'm sitting, but the fringes are just as ugly as Wisconsin's 50's buildings, only more rural-feeling. There are also far more frat/sorority houses. (I laughed when, after running by all the fancy cars parked in the lots of the Greek houses - which are on campus here! - I saw a house with normal working people cars in it. I figured that's the boys I would date. Then I saw it was the Evans Scholars house- guys who got scholarships from caddying. Yeah.)

Last night I was dazzled to see Ethiopian food available in little Bloomington, but when I walked in the restaurant's door, the host asked if I was there for Italian or Ethiopian. WHAT? This wasn't going to be good. They sat me next to the only other occupied table in the place - a couple of mormon grad students on an awkward first date - and explained that service might be slow since the young white guy who was the only server was also the cook. Ugh. Yeah. You can imagine how the rest turned out. It was fun watching that couple do an odd verbal dance around who should pay the bill, or if they should split it.

We went to a bar called Nick's last night, which I'll liken to the student union at Madison - or maybe the Plaza? - but they asked me for 2 forms of ID to get in. I haven't been asked for a second form since I was 19 and happily handed over my big sister's ID and credit card.