Blustery Valentine's Day

It is cold, windy and rainy in New York today. And there are two ways you can deal with it. One-be grumpy and irritated, or two-laugh when your umbrella gets turned inside out and realize that yes, you're gonna get wet, so you might as well put on a happy face.

So, after having a happy face on all day, I'm going to put on a different kind of happy face and unstick myself from my wet clothes and go take a hot shower and be very grateful that I don't have to deal with all that saccherine Valentine's Day crap.

I did get a Valentine today, though. It was in my mailbox at school. Totally funny, 'cuz when I opened it, it read, "Love, Michael." I had no idea who the hell Michael was!! This is school...here, names don't exist without a Mr. or Ms. in front of them! With the help of a friend, we deducted that it was either Mr. Gadomski, who all the kids think has a crush on me (he's the only white, male anywhere near my age in the building, and he happens to have the room next door) or Mr. Cigala, the gym coach who, ahem, helps me out with by being tough with some of the boys who are tough with me.

It was finally decided that it was Cigala, because the card was addressed to Laura, and no one here calls me that. Except Cigala. After hearing the oh-too-many-Lauras-at-Teaching-Fellows story, he declared that I didn't look like a "Lily" to him, and he just couldn't call me that. So interesting, because I think a lot of that depends on how you're introduced to someone. I've actually had several people remark offhand how much they think "my" name fits me. So, I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.

In other things to be thankful for, my aunt and two young cousins are safe after a scary experience. They were shopping and getting haircuts at the Hudson Valley Mall when a crazy man opened fire on the crowds there
http://www.showmenews.com/2005/Feb/20050214News007.asp Luckily, a woman who was a mall employee ushered them into a storage closet where they waited with about 5 others until the shooting stopped and they were evacuated from the building. Thank God for miracles. I know I couldn't have dealt with another death this year. I talked to my aunt tonight for almost an hour. While she is understandably shaken, she is also thankful that she and the boys were unharmed and sympathetic to the young man who has so obviously put out a cry for help. I am especially looking forward to seeing her and the rest of my family next week while I'm off from school.

Tell your families you love them-make them your Valentines this year!