Things...

Like just about every kid since the invention of bed linens, Harper has a favorite blanket. Unlike most kids her age it isn't a small one with a Mickey Mouse print on it or any sort of blanket marketed to children; she has about fifty of these and doesn't love any of them particularly.  No, her favorite is a large furry blue blanket that used to be mine. It's big enough to fit on a full bed, and she adores everything about it.

I have had it for several years, my mom got it for me when I had just had ACL surgery and was hobbling around "Bed Bath and Beyond" with her.I felt it sitting in a bin in the middle on an isle and commented that I might could use a new blanket, feeling sorry for me and my pain med addled state mom got it for me.  I slept with it, at school in my dorm. It was often smelly, covered in "Icy Hot" and didn't get washed near often enough.

When Harper was born it found it's way into a compartment in our entertainment center with a few other blankets(now having been cleaned properly several times), and about six months ago Harper discovered it. We had often used it to keep warm while watching TV, but Harper claimed it as her own. She falls to sleep clutching it's over sized fluffy corners. If it were a lighter shade you could almost think that she was Linus from the Peanuts cartoons.

Thinking about the blanket reminds me of my college dorm rooms, freshman year I had a room in the middle on the hall on the top floor of the worst dorm on campus. It was usually infested by ants, the communal showers had things growing in them older than me, maybe even my parents and the heater was only a heater in theory.

Having said all that it was a really good experience, I had two roommates at different times though neither of them for very long. One moved out to live with a friend who's roommate never showed up, but I got to know him and he was a pretty cool guy. We even roomed together again later. The other guy was also cool, but we had opposite schedules so we would constantly wake each other up waking up or coming in late.

All in all I had a room to myself for 6 for the 8 months I was in that room. I liked that because it cleared up a lot of space for my clothes and I could engage in all sorts of activities that another person might not love. I only used lamps which kept the room pleasant but ill lit. I dabbled in beginners yoga, played strange music(I got on a Ravi Shankar/ Ali Farka Toure kick) and made tea with cats claw, a foul smelling herb that boots your immune system and induces drowsiness.

I also used "Icy Hot" like an addict, I have had a titanium plate in my left leg since I was 12 that is still uncomfortable during the Winter months. So intense workouts during January it hurt like you can't imagine. Or maybe you can, but I hope not. So every night after workouts I put the Icy Hot all over my leg, I bet that room still smells like it.

So the gross dorm that I initially hated brings back some fond memories, something that I wouldn't have bet on during week one.