Of Snow and Lazy Ants...

It's finally started to snow in Ann Arbor... well, something like snow. On my way back from class on Wednesday, I was mildly surprised to hear the little tinkle tinkle of hail falling on my car. Hail is like ice pellets, thankfully they were pretty small and harmless. (Snow comes in the light flaky form). Snow also means that I have to wear multiple layers now, since it's abominably cold outside, and my skin dries up into scaly flakes (ugh).

School-wise, I'm approaching the end of term (Dec 15) and then there's a short 2 week break for Christmas. You would think that the US is predominantly a Christian nation, but in fact, the US takes great pains to keep religion out of the public square. For example, there are laws in some states that you may not display the nativity scene (Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph) in public because of its religious significance. Similarly, no religious holidays are permitted in the US. In a manner of speaking, I think that Singapore is far more accepting in celebrating the different faiths in our community.

It's always amusing to see how life and nature imitate the culture of the country. After dropping a chocolate chip on the floor (baking accident), I was somewhat annoyed to see an ant trail leading up to the chocolate chip the next morning. The strange part is, the ants move soooo slllooooowwwwwwllllllyyyyyy. Like they were having a leisurely walk. Whereas in Singapore, the ants scurry around like the world was coming to an end. Make whatever conclusion of that as you will =)

I should be headed down to Florida next week for the Thanksgiving break. I'm pretty stoked about FINALLY going to Disney and Universal Studios. Yes, I'm the biggest kid around here haha.

The Colors of Autumn

Linguistically, since I'm in the US, it should be the "Colors of Fall", but I'll make my exception for my fellow British ex-colonialized countrymen.

It has been a really chilly and blustery autumn lately, with temperatures from -2 to 8, but the wind really makes it a challenging affair. The wind can blow right through 2 layers of clothes and set your teeth chattering. In the morning, the steering wheel of the car is so cold that I have to wear gloves to drive. How cold is it? Take 2 bottles of ice water out of the fridge. That's how cold it is.

I'm headed down to a latin music and dance concert today with a friend. It's part of the University's Arts and Eats programme. For $15USD, you get a pizza dinner and a lecture by a member of the University's music faculty on the history and background of the music/performance. You also get a student priced stall ticket (normally about $35) in one of the best concert halls in the country: The U of M's Hill Auditorium. According to my math professor, the conductor of the Boston Philharmoic Orchestra will only perform in 2 places in the US: The Orchestra's home concert hall and Hill Auditorium.

Anyway, I have a great set of photos to share: The Colors of Autumn. Check it out, especially the gorgeous houses/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19385174@N04/