Spring has arrived! Granted, I'm still seeing patches of grimy, dirty snow in some shady areas and along the streets, but sprouting crocuses and daffodills tell me to say goodbye to winter.

To officially welcome the new season, I wore shorts on Saturday for the first time since the fall. Yes, it was chilly, and yes, I wore my giant blue puffy coat on top, but the change in clothes let my claustrophobic (and pale) legs get a little air.

I've been trying to take lots of walks lately, especially because my gym membership has been kaput for a month now. I wandered the East Village on Saturday, walked home from Time Out through Central Park on Sunday (from 77th to 138th - not bad) and explored Ft. Tyron Park yesterday. I needed to clear my head yesterday afternoon and headed north instead of the usual route to Central Park. Ft. Tyron is hilly and runs along the Hudson, and it was pretty relaxing, despite the traffic you can see on either side of the park.

I can't wait to get outside again today! It's about 70 outside and sunny. I'm hoping no one has noticed I didn't shave my legs, because I'm wearing a skirt - with no tights! Joy!

Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the weather coincides with my new resolution to wear sunblock on my face, neck and ears EVERY DAY. In the most recent issue of Self, I read an article about young women with skin cancer that scared me into action. I had no idea that young women are the fastest-growing group to be diagnosed with skin cancer. So now, every morning I'm slathering on face cream with SPF 30. So I'll be pale, but I'd take pastiness over cancer any day.

Last night Eric and I went to a Knicks-Trailblazers game with the U of O alumni association. It was my last day at Self and so I figured it could be a sort of "happy unemployment" activity. Barry, the alum group president, arranged it so we got to watch the teams shoot around, and we even met Freddie Jones of Oregon fame.

Freddie was totally chill. I hope he appreciated that Barry and I pulled on Duck gear over our work outfits - so much hotness.



We managed to stay in the courtside seats for part of the first quarter. Then Barry got us corporate seats for the second half, where we watched the Blazers smack the Knicks around. I yelled and clapped as loudly and obnoxiously as I could - after all, I am related to my brother, who has gotten into plenty of trouble for his heckling at various sporting events. Perhaps I should count myself lucky that the thousands of pissed-off New Yorkers didn't take out their frustration on us Oregonians.



Speaking of the Ducks, they play tonight against UNLV. Go Oregon!

I haven't posted in a million years but felt inspired to do so tonight. Things have been pretty slow at work this week and so I've had the time to look at random blogs, which remind me I have one of my own.

Unfortunately, things are slow mostly because this is my last week at Self (again). In fact, as of tomorrow, I will be officially unemployed. I was hoping to be offered an editorial assistant job there that I interviewed for, but I don't feel that great about my chances. So I'm pretty bummed.

BUT my leaving inspired me to create these:



I wanted to say thank you to the executive editor, Dana, who initially thought of me and asked me to fill the Dishes internship position, and whose kids are so darn cute.



I also wanted to thank Maridel, a fitness editor, with whom I've worked most closely. She has been so wonderful - helpful, appreciative, kind. She is taking me out to Nobu 57 for lunch tomorrow, where I'll stuff myself silly with trendy Japanese food - or at least that's my plan. :) We've been talking about it since last week, so I'm determined to work up an appetite tomorrow!

Hopefully my short, informal meeting with Lucy, the editor-in-chief, won't tie my stomach into knots - knots that would make it difficult to eat sushi, that is. Gah. Wish me luck.