Birds and smoke and blessings

Today was the first really chilly day of the season. The apartment temperature was in the lower 60s this morning and I didn't want to get out of bed. Tonight as I was waiting for the train at campus to return to Irving I wished I had brought my gloves. I had a good 10 minute wait and I noticed two things: a lot of cigarette smoke - other's attempts to keep warm, and I also heard a lot more chirping than usual. The birds must have been congregating to talk about flying south. Then I wondered if they had any clue they were all sitting on high voltage wires. What if the rubber coating ever came off? I wouldn't want to be that bird.

I also realized today how many new people I know. It was one of those retrospective moments I have from time to time. Just to mention a few, I know a Jamaican-mon who is really cool, many Koreans and Chinese who love to smile and always stop in the hall to say more than hello, a very nice red head who is becoming a great friend and is already a great study partner (she and her new husband just bought a house!), another man who has decided to change careers in the middle of his life, and great potential future lab buddies. Even though the class is hard, I'm enjoying this new stage in my life.