Life, and all that jazz

Another quick shotgun blog as the sun arcs its way into my office and across my desk. We’ve had 3 straight sunny days in Missoula, which is unheard of in the winter – of course the forecast is for a prompt end to all that.

I took advantage on Wednesday by going out for a run along the snowy and icy river trail. It’s hard to believe this was me (finishing my marathon) just four months ago. I guess being in shape is anicca (impermanent) just like everything else. I made it just 2.5 miles before needing to walk, then another half mile in fits and starts. Perhaps I could blame it on the icy trail or the cold, but I think 3 months of holidays and laziness is the true culprit. Oh well, training for the marathon in July – the best marathon in America – starts now.

Yesterday – still loving the sunshine – I rode my bike downtown for Pali, again finding myself more winded than expected. Then, capping off my outdoor-exercise-no-car days, I walked down to Posh Chocolate where I met with Dani to study Spanish and help him with his English pronunciation.

Tuesday, via an invitation from Dani and his wife, Marga, Julie and I saw a touring group of Chinese dancers. It was a bit surreal, at times an odd mix of Aaron Copeland music and Swiss/German looking outfits. Their portrayal of “ethnic minorities” in China reminded me of old American films in which white actors would caricature Native and African Americans. It was nothing like what I saw in the real China.

In other randomness-of-life writing; I’m due back in England in 2 months to defend a section of my thesis. That’s scary, given how little I feel I’ve accomplished. I work best under pressure though, so here’s some pressure.

In very good news, as of last July, the government has a new “Income-based-repayment” plan for student loans, meaning I won’t be saddled with horrific payments once I start working. Basically the plan is simple: if you owe more than you earn in a year you pay just 15% of your disposable income for 25 years and the remaining debt is forgiven. For me, depending on how much I earn, this could mean that as much as half of my outstanding student loans are canceled in the end. God Bless America – and Obama. God help us if the Republicans decide to try to take this clearly socialist unAmerican program away… In Obama’s SOTU speech he suggested we make it 10% and just 20 years – woo-rah!