Laura Erickson's For the Birds

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Internet at last!

I don't have internet yet, but my neighbor got hers installed yesterday and I'm getting a free ride on her wireless until mine is installed next week.

So how is Ithaca? Lovely! Not nearly as cold as Duluth. Most days have been gray and/or snowy, but when the sun shines it's ever so beautiful, and there are SO many birds!!! I live in a neighborhood within Ithaca but on the outskirts, called "Ellis Hollow." There's a wooded wetland back of my apartment, and the view is beautiful from my balcony. It's too cold to sit on the balcony, but I have my bird feeders up there, and things are HOPPING! I haven't seen so many birds so consistently all day long every day since my own feeders were hopping like this in Duluth back in the 80s.

How's the Cornell Lab? Every bit as wonderful as I imagined it! I love my job, I love the people I work with, I love everything! People seem to flow with good ideas, and there's a wonderful and empowering synergy there that is ever so much more productive than competitiveness.

Keeping everyone and everything straight has been exhausting, though. I come home very tired every day, though I'm doing a lot better than at first. Photon seems to love our neighborhood. I take her for two walks a day and she likes the familiarity now. Kasey has had a splendid time helping me put together furniture. Since I couldn't fit any furniture except my collapsed Sleep Number Bed mattress in my car, I've decorated the apartment in Early 21st Century Target. Kasey has to poke into every box, stick her nose into every piece I'm working on, and toy with the screws and small parts--she's been great fun, and I'm really glad I brought her and Photon along.

Of course, I miss Russ and Tommy and my Duluth chickadees. Russ and I had our first interstate date last weekend--we went to the movies to see Atonement at close to the same time. I called him while I was in line at the Ithaca Mall, and he called me after his showing in Duluth ended. It was lovely but ever so sad. There was a hauntingly beautiful scene with a Barn Owl.

I'll get around to posting photos later in the week, assuming the internet keeps working. And now I can get back into the swing of trying to podcast my new programs every week.