spring is a comin'

I took a jog this afternoon, but after ten minutes of running I found a little path that led into the mountains, and my jog turned into a brief sunset hike. Dalian is a mountain city, like San Fran Sans Trollies, and there ain't nuttin' butter then having a mountain trail ten minutes from your front door. B-U-T-ful.

Yesterday was International Women's Day. Has ANYONE in the States EVER celebrated this? Actually, I have to say it's one of the more sensible communist holidays on the calendar-- rather than celebrate Mothers' Day (to the exclusion of over-worked, under-appreciated, yet-to-spawn women), Russia and China and many other Countries With Marxist Sympathies dedicate March 8 to celebrating the inestimable value of the female gender.

My girlfriend-- while hardly over-worked and by reasonable accounts exceedingly appreciated-- is still in fact a woman; and having grown up in the USSofR and having spent the last five years enticing and subsequently battling off hordes of adoring suitors, she is quite accustomed to receiving many gifts and attentions paid to her as matter of course on March 8th.

We made a lovely holiday of it-- a slow, comfortable morning, an afternoon of coffee shops and chocolate, a gourmet dinner at a very nice Mediterranean restaurant, and candlelight tea back at home with presents.

Now I'm back at home, wondering why there are fireworks outside my window, and getting ready for another busy week. Tomorrow afternoon, my modern art professor friend is taking me to see his Crazy Painter in the Woods friend, who was apparently famous in the 80s before he packed up, disappeared into the forest, and built a house there with his own hands.

Should be interesting-- will update with stories.