To my dear men of Hillsdale

including my fellow students, exceptional professors and especially, you men of Delta Tau Delta (I had to give a shout-out to you guys, of course--I haven't forgotten that rumoured talk I was going to give you)
and, not to neglect the men I'm blessed to call my good friends from home and my family--

I've teased some of you mercilessly and now it's time to repent. And more than merely to apologize, I'm here to say thank you. Thank you for speaking to me as a thinking, reasoning human being rather than a brainless body. Thanks for not being too creepy, as a general rule. Though not enough of you have motorbikes nor wear great cologne, you're still alright.

I appreciate not having to leap out of your way when we are walking on a sidewalk and nearing a head-on collision. I'm glad that I normally don't need to be at all worried when strolling by a group of you. Thanks ever so much for holding the door open for me or even helping me with my coat (not, of course, that it's necessary--but it's an appreciated gesture). You are swell.

I miss you.

Do you know, you're probably as presumptuous on the fifth date as they are here after the fifth minute of the first?

And this isn't to say all American men are one way and Spaniards are another. This is just big ol' generalization, as per usual.


P.S. It's raining, it's pouring! And has been for a week. Today, I biked from Marina's house to mine. It was the first time biking in heels and a pencil skirt, precariously shielding my backpack & Mac from the pouring rain with an umbrella: yes, while I was biking. "¡Valiente!" they shouted. Biking down a fairly busy street, the fruit truck tried unsuccessfully not once, but twice, to kill me, I'm convinced. Then, as I decided to go around him, I rode right into oncoming traffic--oops. Then, the people along the sidewalk were slow to move out of my way. I furiously rang the bell, in an attempt to warn them, to no avail. I had to stop. Then go. Then finally arrived home: damp, over-heated, muddy tights and wrinkled skirt and all, I announced to Leo "I don't know how, but I survived!" sitting down for lunch a half hour late.