Jennifer NelsonIce cream and flip-flops: 101

What do I have to do today? School, work, schoolwork. Too much homework for a day like this. Family, friends. That sounds more like it.

Anything else?

Anything I can get away with not doing? At least for today? I know I said the same thing yesterday, but can’t I have just one more day?

Is it warm enough to wear flip-flops?

Is it cool enough to drink coffee?

Should I walk to school or catch the streetcar? Walk. Of course, I should walk. When I woke this morning with the sun on my face, my first thought was, “I should go for a walk.” So what if it takes twice as long. So what if I might be late for class. At least I’ll get there.

Right now I have to walk. At this moment, nothing is more important to me than walking. And drinking coffee.

I love my new pinwheel. It reminds me of the beach. I should buy more. I should go to the beach. I should go camping. I should go to Europe. I should sail around the world.

My feet are cold. Maybe these flip-flops were a bad idea. Maybe I’ll get lucky and it will get warmer.

A lucky penny.

The city is busy at 7:45 a.m. I like it, these mornings, getting up early, making my bed, skipping breakfast and running out the door to be productive and contribute to society. But will I feel the same in 10 years? Five? Even next year? Will I still feel this way tomorrow or will I sleep in?

I’ll try to get up early. I’ll try to avoid freeways. I will never skip breakfast again.

I’m hungry. Is anything open? Where can I buy a banana? Where can I get some peanut butter? That’s what I want. A banana dipped in peanut butter like the ones I ate last summer. What a great summer. Has it really been a year? Where will I be a year from now?

Nice pants.

Advertising works.

Class outside. Hey, there’s Liz. What class is that? We should have class outside today. Last time we tried it wasn’t warm enough. People got cold and complained. It’s warm enough today, though. As long as we stay in the sun. Is there any more? How can there only be one sunny patch of grass? Can anybody spare a square?

What if Portland State had outdoor classrooms? By the tennis courts. What if class was on the tennis courts? No. I will not go there. I will avoid bad sports analogies.

Life is not a game.

I should go to the farmer’s market. And eat a tamale. What makes tamales taste so good? What’s better: roasted root vegetable salad from Food For Thought Caf퀌� or an artichoke heart and cheese tamale from Salvador Molly’s? Do I have enough cash for both? I should cook more. And eat more. And sleep more.

I should do this more.

What am I doing? What time is it? What do I have to do today?

I should get some ice cream. I should get some ice cream and sit in the park and read. That’s what I should do.

And I will. After I finish my column and get some coffee and go to class and eat lunch and do my homework and …

This is my brain on spring term.