Call me old-fashioned, but …

Sometimes the best things are the ones that don’t change. I cringed when I typed that, because for my life, change is great and constantly changing itself (call it a derivative of the derivative). One of the traditions during the last spring semester was a group of friends who did dinner together every Monday night. Either cooking in one of our apartments or planning a night at a great restaurant, we make a point of gathering each week for great food and fun times together.

That semester there were five of us; now two of us have incorporated some others and started it again. Last week I made dinner; I gave it a 4 out of 10 ranking (I just wasn’t on top of things). Next week I’m planning a redemptive effort. This week, however, we made it to the “Old Neighborhood Grill.” On 8th and Park Place in Ft. Worth, this place was crowded but not unbearably so like many chain restaurants. The food was also better than we could have expected. Chicken-fried Steak is amazing; I didn’t know I had missed it until I came back and had it! Fried Okra is also good at this place. The best part of the night, besides nurturing the friendships, was the price of the meal: 6.75 for the main course and two sides. It was more than I could eat too!

After getting back to the house, spending some time with the two cats I’m housesitting (they’re attention-hungry when I get home since the house is empty all day), I read some and planned today.

One of the habits I didn’t like changing when I first got back to the States was not walking as my primary mode of transportation. Florence was great because (besides the art and the people) I could eat a ton of great food and then walk and still not gain weight. Ft. Worth is a city in which one definitely needs a car. The public transportation is inefficient and the distance is too great. Planning last night, however, I started thinking about how far it really was between the Schmidts’ house and Beasley Hall. 2.4 miles. 2.4 miles; that’s it! I clocked it on Sunday afternoon and decided it was definitely doable today. So, waking up 40 minutes earlier, I pulled on my coat and walked to and from work today. Not only is walking in the crisp air refreshing, but that time would have been spent sitting either in front of a computer or books at work or the TV or books at home had I not been walking.

Perhaps the highlight of my morning walk was seeing the friends I have offer to give me rides. One after another, Megan and Jessica both passed me while driving up University and offered me a ride. I know, it’s random to have that many friends see you walking to work, but it’s kind of fun too! Granted, I did pass them up on the offer, but it was their thought and kindness that counts. I now know, though, that for the days when I don’t have a tight schedule, I’m definitely going to walk instead of drive. Call me old-fashioned, but … sometimes not changing is better.