Eight Days Later

Well, it's March, and Minnesota has decided to become the winter-wonderland everyone was warning me about. We finally had a good dousing of snow. Classes were canceled Monday (although my volunteer clinic was not) and my ride to Milwaukee canceled on me today because she wasnt comfortable driving with the prospect of snow on hand. Hmmmm... I had to last-minute problem solve my spring break plans, ended up dropping my tax returns on a flight to Chicago and a hotel there since the "staying with friends" thing wasnt working out either. Anyway, this is more expensive, but perhaps a bit more relaxed. Too bad about missing St. Patrick's Day at Marquette. That would have been a terrific time.

This also means that I wont be having brunch with (Mitchell) as planned. The whole thing was my idea really, just to clear the air and hopefully jump-start a friendship again. One of my friends asked quite sucenctly, "What the fuck are you hoping to accomplish?" Truthfully? I want to make sure he is okay. When I last saw him he was not doing so hot, and I want to see how he is doing with the job and a few other non-public details.

Its been amazing though, and I write this more for my own ability to look back if I ever have to go through a miserable break-up again, that as of this week, or perhaps last, I am finally over it. It was a long time coming, and usually very dependent on the friends around me distracting me, but with the entrance of a new group of friends and hanging out with the law-school crowd a bit less, I really havent thought about (Mitchell) other than to try to make plans for the weekend.

Spring break starts tomorrow, and I am now flying to Chicago to hang out with Carey, Will, J and D, possibly some TC friends, maybe even get together with my Aunt. Then I fly to Tucson to hang with the grandparents. I really dont know what to expect down there, but I look forward to bonding and just relaxing if nothing else. Too bad that I am finally at an age that I want to golf, and neither of them can any longer. There is also the reality that this might be my last visit with my grandfather, so I want to be rather strategic about how I spend my time. I might even be willing to wake early and go to mass with him. (last time I was at a church with them I walked out of the service when the priest started pontificating on "acceptance"... this the same month as the Church gave $500,000 to support the marriage amendment in Michigan to ban gay marriage)

School has calmed down a bit. After my last entry I had to explain my outburst to some, but few cared, and those that did agreed with my sentiment, if not my mode of expression. I went ahead and then had another outburst in the same class when a "visitor" corrected me on the reading. This is a guy who I gave a tour to a couple of weeks ago, and he has taken to sitting in on our class... Not just that though, he bought the book and has become a balloon-hand. God, do I sympathize for his classmates next year. Anyway, I took care of the situation on an administrative level.... Hell, if the Prof isnt going to do anything, hell if I stand by idly.

LOL... on that same note, I had a tour to give today of a gay guy looking at UST, and our Prof tried to extend class into our lunch hour and everyone was pretty much dismayed... We just wanted to get out of there and are all looking to Spring Break. I told her she wasnt allowed to extend class: "Excuse, me Mr. Eichenlaub, why am I not allowed to?" I calmly responded that by order of the Dean, 12-12:30 is the "spiritual hour" and no non-spiritual activities, curricular or otherwise, were allowed to be hosted. Can't much fight with that.

We are heading toward the Marriage section in this particular class, and this Prof and I are on the opposite side of the argument, and Ive made it clear that Im not going to let much slide in class. But she and I had a good early-morning chat this week, sitting in the sunlight, and just kinda heard each other out. I really respect her for that. I am SURE that she has heard my side of the argument before, as she has made a career out of fighting it, but just having her sit there and listen and care about how this issue affects me and mine made me feel more comfortable about her, us, and the particularly sensitive issue we are going to be having shortly with 70 others.