a week gone by

* the city of New Orleans
* accomplishing visible progress in a flood damaged home
* sparks of hope in the form of FedEx and BellSouth
* new friends

- empassioned late-night talks with friends
- not letting go
- sleeping in my bed
- crispy microwave bacon and orange juice
- more new-to-me musics

* the first day of classes
* welcoming a new dean
* figuring out how to graduate
* knowing there are other options when obstacles arise
* a rigorous round of new classes
* shiny new books and pretty flowered folders and loads of pens
* arriving 20 minutes early to get a good seat and then almost falling asleep in said seat
* breakfast cookies
* excited, inspiring professors with good book lists
* making progress with mission planning
* sitting on a cold stone bench watching my friends play frisbee, feeling ridiculous but really enjoying it
* just enough people
* conversation and laughter in the living room
* big leather chair by the window