I'm back in Ann Arbor, and there is a lot of snow on the ground. I'm happy to be back, but not necessarily to go to class on Monday. I got home tonight and I made a true college meal, eggs and creamed spinach. But that's not particularly exciting. What is particularly exciting is that I got to see arguably the best bowl game (thus far) of the season. Jimbo and I left the beautiful weather in Palm Beach at about 3:30 on New Year's Eve and drove top down up the Florida turnpike. By the time we got into Orlando, it was cold, pouring, and people were giving us looks because the top was still down and we were getting poured on. Sorry, Orlandoans, it's not easy to pull off to the side of your shitty highway to put the top up when the shoulder is closed. We had bigger fish to fry though...it was New Year's Eve. We met up with six of my friends from Michigan and proceeded to have a seriously awesome time..
Popped Collars...apparently "in" yet again for the new year
The next morning we were up early because Michigan kicked off at 1p. And while, according to ESPN, 91% of America thought the Wolverines would become "Gatorbait" that afternoon, um, it didn't quite work out that way. It was grey, it was cold, it was situated in the middle of the swamp/'hood and it was a beautiful thing to see Michigan smack Florida around and win the game. It was equally beautiful to see all 40,000 or so Gator fans and their 200 or so collective teeth walk out of the stadium while the Michigan faithful stuck around to see the trophy presentation and to hear some parting words from Lloyd Carr.
The sun finally came out but it was freaking freezing at that point and it was time to go back to the bars for a few celebratory cold ones and some good-natured gloating. The next morning my friends took off and I was left to kill a few hours before I took the train back to Palm Beach. I figured while it would be a particularly long train ride, at least I would see a little bit of America. I thought it was kind of an appropriate thing to do, you know, given that it was an election year, and I could kind of simulate a presidential candidate traveling through the middle of NOWHERE from one campaign stop to the next. There were two women behind me as I waited in line to get on the train in Orlando. One woman offered this advice to her friend who was about to board the train. She said "Girl, call me when you get in, and if I don't pick up then call me next week, because you know my phone bill is the last bill I pay every month". They both laughed, as did I, and we were off...
Every time I looked out the window I saw hawks circling. They circled over the orange groves in Winterhaven, they circled over the trailerparks in Seabring, they circled over the rusted cars in Kissimmee, and they circled over everything in between. It was as if the entire middle of the state was dead or dying and the hawks were ready to pick at the remains. Quite sad.
So here I am now, and I've got a few days until classes start, but unfortunately not a few days until the work begins. But between now and then get excited, get very excited, because The Wire is back starting this Sunday.
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