Things that get me out of bed on a cold Tuesday morning in April

1. Homemade granola: So granola has become my newest culinary obsession because it combines three of my favorite things -- saving money, bulk foods, honey-covered baked goods. Last night I was feeling DOWN, raided the bulk foods at Madison Market, headed home and immediately set to work furiously toasting honey-glazed oats and almonds and sunflower seeds. Does my apartment smell delicious? Yes. Is my tummy full of goodness at 9 a.m. this morning? Yes. Do I now possess enough granola to feed a small country for a year? Fo sho. Wins all around.

2. The threat of sunshine: Hey sunny, I saw you peeking out from under my blinds this morning. It's okay, baby; I don't bite. Come gimme summat sweet Vitamin D.

3. An inflamed right tonsil: HO. LY. WOW. It hurts. It hurts! What is it about sore throats that makes everything feel icksville? My teeth hurt, my ear hurts, my sinuses hurt. And as to where this came from, well, I'm pleading the fifth.

4. Major endowments: Of the college persuasion, dirtymind. Columbia just gave me 12 credits free next year ... that's about $12k I don't have to stress about. And/or a year's worth of rent in Brooklyn. And so the benefits of a well-endowed Ivy League university begin to reveal themselves. I'll take 'em.

5. http://www.theonion.com/content/news/son_of_a_bitch_mouse_solves_maze Aww, son of a bitch mouse!

6. NOT TALKING ABOUT Pennsylvania. I'm already overwrought.

il pleut.

today is one of those early spring (not quite spring-like) days in seattle when i just have to throw my hands up and concede. the sun is nearly here. nearly. we get glimpses here and there; just enough to jog our memories and make us forget for a short time how goddamned miserable wet feet and frizzy hair are after 6 months. but. it's still raining. and today, i had to let it go, or perish. my windows are open. there is a warm and hopeful breeze. the rain does sound nice. olive is howling at the ceiling fan. earlier today she discovered crows and has not left her window perch since. one has just landed on the chimney across from my window. they are having a heated conversation. crow does not seem to be impressed by her ability to lick the back of her own neck. (a trick that will certainly never be lost on me) i moped my way over to elliott bay books this morning. as did every other seattlite escaping the weather. we do like our books and coffee over here. that is not a lie. picked up dave eggers' new book "what is the what," and am now taking my very first graphic novel for a spin: "persopolis" by marjane satrapi. will eventually get around to posting about the book i'm currently reading: "we wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families." it's infuriating. and has spurred an africa obsession in me. more on that later. the world is frightening right now, isn't it? i say this and realize that for 90% of the world's population, the world has been frightening for a long time. can't wait to be off the brink of everything. i just want sunshine and peace already. in the meantime, olive will nap and i will bake adam some scones.