Things I did this weekend

Basked in the glory of these blossoms that EXPLODED in the sunny, 75 degree weather we've had all weekend

Used the new bag my marmie made me for my birthday

Made friends with this bunny

Had a picnic!

Forgot to bring my camera on a trip to Trillium Dell farm and timberworks, where Food For Thought helped to plant about 4,000 onions. But the rows looked beautiful, and there were some nice dogs

Pumped up my bike tires and re-adjusted my seat

Spent quality time with lots of friends

Hard to focus when it's this beautiful out. Luckily I didn't have much work to do this weekend. I'm a little pink from the sun (even with the sunscreen, my pasty winter skin couldn't handle the sun's glory!), but it was worth it for the hours I spent outside!

Food Matters!

Last night I went to a meeting at The Center to plan a "protest" of a Tea Party Rally being held in Galesburg on Thursday. We, a group of community members and Knox students, are going to go and have thoughtful dialogue with the people at the rally. And some people might dress as members of the "Mad" Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland....

It made me feel empowered to be involved in the community outside the "Knox Bubble". But the evening only got better! It turns out they show movies at The Center most Sunday nights, and since I already had my homework done, I decided to stay. Good choice!!! The movie was Food Matters, and awesome documentary about nutrition and the "sickness" industry. Good things that often get pushed aside. The trailer makes it seem more sinister than necessary, but the movie is definitely worth a watch. I often think of "alternative healing" as a bunch of hippie kooks, but the people in this movie are just talking about eating well and eating what our bodies really want and need to stay healthy and heal themselves. It all makes a lot of sense, but as they say, health isn't as profitable as sickness.

Afterwards I was talking with a few people, including the president of our eco-club on campus. We met a Galesburg resident who has some training in bike repair and would love to teach some Knox students! So now we're working on coming up with a meeting time to start a bike repair group! Good stuff.

Enough activism, food politics, and bike talk to get me through the week!

My bike!

I've wanted a new bike since I was about 12 years old. But I didn't really need one. But then, tada, I decided to go to college somewhere flat with actual sidewalks, where having a bike is actually a viable alternative to driving. And I got a card on graduation day with an IOU from my parents for a bike of my very own.So one weekend during the summer, we ventured to the Old Spokes Home in Burlington, Vermont. It is an awesome place that sells refurbished old bikes. And it was there that I found my awesome old-school turquoise Schwinn "Starlett".

Apparently I am not the only one here with a bike like this. I've seen some sweet fenders and white wall tired round these parts. I found my bike's soulmate outside one of the buildings the other day. I've also spotted a yellow one that is similar.I figure giving my bike another incarnation is pretty green. Yeah, it may be a little rusted and the seat squeaks, but I'm not wasting materials to build a brand new bike when there are still plenty out there that are running just as well.

I'm feeling much better. I went to my first class yesterday and realized that I needed to still be in bed. So I emailed my professors and went to sleep! I didn't go to practice either. Luckily, I'm feeling much better today, and luckily have no classes, so I can catch up on my work. I'll check in with the trainer this afternoon to see if I can practice! I'm super excited for my dad to come friday for family weekend, too. I wasn't homesick at all until I got sick- that's when you really want someone to take care of you!