Catching Up: Madtown and Spring Break

Finally back on line and able to blog.

The pace of things has been ridicuolously busy and then very tough to find time to blog.

Hubby, Stepdaughter and I went to Madison last weekend. Stepdaughter is graduating from college this spring and wanted to go to a Career Fair that Wisconsin was holding. Her first exposure to interviewing, grown-up clothes, resumes and answering the dreaded "where do you see yourself in 5-years?" question.

I went to college at Wisconsin. I was 17 when I left for the dorms and stayed five years. I was a little too young, a little too impulsive and a little too much of the party girl to really concentrate on studying. You had to be 18 to drink then (now the legal age is 21), it was the late 70's so drugs were fashionable and relatively cheap. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (or English Major) to figure out how those five years went for me.

I have a lot of mixed emotions and memories about my days in Madison. There were some really great times with some really great people and a lot of not-so-wonderful times. What is really interesting is that I feel very emotionally bonded to the school and the city.

Eventually, after I moved to Minneapolis and got my act together, I graduated from the University of Minnesota. Perfectly respectable school with which I have no emotional bond. I get calls about twice per year from the alumni association asking for money and I just can't bring myself to donate.

Madison is another story. I still check out the headlines from the Daily Cardinal (a student publication). I became a card-carrying member of the Memorial Union -- all so I could relive memories and buy popcorn...I love wandering past my old apartments, up and down State Street, reading the Isthmus (a weekly newspaper that I worked for as a proof reader), and retracing my steps on campus, which includes walking past the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the top of Bascom Hill to see if he will finally stand up. (Wisconsin students will understand the reference).

I love going back there.

Hubby, Stepdaughter and I had fun. We went to the Union and watched the basketball team lose in an early round of March Madness...we ate some great burgers at the Plaza Pub...we gave Stepdaughter pep talks on interviewing and making a good impression.

I did my "I used to live here" tour and found that one of the apartments I lived in is slated to be torn down. Looks like a brand new highrise will be put up in its place. I grabbed some pictures and relived some memories of listening to Todd Rundgren, eating Rocky Roccco pizza and trying to figure out what the heck I'd be doing for the rest of my life....

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

On the training front: I'm running a bit with the club; I'll start coaching newbies again next week; I'm swimming a bit and am looking forward to getting back on the bike....

More later this week...