Boiling and Frying

Hey, squirrel. I got your back.

The trolley station I went to Monday and Tuesday to go to school is absolutely crawling with squirrels. I saw at least ten while I waited for the trolley each day. On Wednesday, which is my shortest day since I only have Star Trek class, I drove to school and found I arrive there a full twenty minutes earlier than I do by trolley, even parking way off in a neighbourhood to avoid buying a parking permit. Though this has meant walking quite a distance to class in over 100 Fahrenheit weather. It was especially bad to-day because I decided to pack somen (cold Japanese noodles) and a hard boiled egg for lunch with a big ice pack and I had the paper brick that is The Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton. I applaud my professor's insistence on no electronic devices being active during class but walking in the heat with this heavy bag the Kindle edition started to look pretty good, I can tell you. These amorous butterflies accompanied me part of the way, though.

A couple photography students asked if they could take my picture to-day. They said their assignment was to take pictures of challenging statements and they said that I looked like I was making an argument with my outfit which was grey slacks, white shirt, spectator shoes, grey fedora, grey linen sport coat, and green and yellow tartan bow tie. I said, "Yes, I am--everyone should dress this way."

The linen is light and not warm but still I'm ruing my decision to wear sport coats a bit. I'm just so addicted to having the pockets. Instead of cramming phone and camera into my pants pockets with wallet and keys, now I have the big pockets on the bottoms of my coats and a convenient place for pens and kleenex in the upper pockets.

Mind you, a sport coat was plenty sensible on Tuesday when it rained and got down to 77 Fahrenheit. This crow with the ruffled face feather represents that day.

If you think I'm crazy, you should see all the kids in sweaters and hoodies. Though that's not the most confounding fashion trend. There's also the general shorts and flip flops on guys, the pervasive urge to dress like four year olds. Two things among the young women I've noticed that aren't quite as bad but are more perplexing--a lot of girls wear open backed tops and dresses with visible bras. The first time I saw this, I thought the young lady had dressed carelessly but I've seen enough now to think this is a thing. A little more subtly weird is the sudden popularity of short, pleated grey skirts. They're not sexy, they're not pretty, they don't look professional, they don't look especially cosy. All I can think of is a general drive to be dull, I can't think of any other motive behind this trend.

Anyway, I'm beat. This week has felt like ten. Here's one last shot from the trolley station:

Twitter Sonnet #784

Polydactyl pterodactyls flew straight.
The teeth of buildings were swallowed by lifts.
The gold abacus was a useless bait.
Trauma monitoring took place in shifts.
The lifted witness veil revealed the box.
Sure Pandora did not intend the masque.
The room campus was strewn with paper socks.
Even the gods can't really multitask.
Inevitable costumes enlarge time.
Sliced apple clouds cut capers in the red.
In storms monochrome planes struggle to climb.
Brittle leaves scratch what's already been said.
Long distance sunlight surrenders to base.
Sev'ral red mushrooms rejected the case.