I watched the Packers win over the Bears today. There's not much special about that, except that they won, that the Bears looked awful, and I sat and appreciated the 3 hours of work that the average football player playing professionally must endure. Will Blackmon was able to jump from a prone position to his feet, and one of the commentators remarked on his admirable state of conditioning, to be able to do that. I stared hard at Donald Driver's arms in wonder. Even as he limped off the field on more than one occasion, that man is toned.

It's a cold wet November day.

I'm sitting in a small room with an instructor and her 3 teaching assistants.

Group projects aren't going well. The students won't commit to a project. They won't turn in their progress reports. They are asking questions about what their final presentation is supposed to look like, and aren't happy with the answers. They look tired, worn down.

One of the TAs says "I'm not sure that I even care anymore. It's not up to me to make sure they go to class or turn in their homework."

I went and voted today, early, in Verona's new city hall. There I met a professor that I see often at the U, a lovely man with an Irish brogue and the flirty Irish wit. He confessed to me that it was his first time voting, having recently become a United States citizen. (Only after asking me if I was old enough to vote!)

He was so excited to be able to vote. He told me he'd never voted before, even when he lived in Ireland, and was looking forward to doing it here, now, for this election.

Recently, I heard someone running for office in Wisconsin to lament that "they were going to clean up the mess in Madison".

What mess?

I think we just like our choice here in Madison. We like options. We like to know that we can vote, or register to vote, or express our voting opinion. We like to have the choice between going to Freakfest on State or going elsewhere. We like the Eastside or the Westside, or both. Maybe it is a fundamental wishywashy-ness that infuriates some more set in their ways.

So Canada was our trek of the day, and we wound along the scenic highway near Lake Michigan, drinking in the colors, drinking in the blue ice of the lake. We laughed at all of the signs for Pasties, smoked fish, and fudge. We marveled that the abandoned little tourist traps closed up for the season, and the abandoned little houses that looked so forlorn. Of course, we kept our eyes peeled for deer, having almost hit at least two having come this far.

There are few places as beautiful as Wisconsin in fall. The colors are vibrant and stretch for miles upon miles, with hidden treasures of deer and turkeys to offer contrast, and the cool weather is just perfect for a warm fire and snuggling up to someone special.

I'm lucky to work at the same campus where I took classes many many years ago. That means I regularly have to attend meetings in beautiful old buildings that really have climbing ivy along the brick facades and I can walk to my next meeting along the beautiful Lakeshore Path, back to my building.

As October erupts from the fading heat of September, the nights turn cool, the leaves turn colors, and the products of the summer growing seson are literally falling off their vines. Or...er....trees. Recipes have turned to pumpkin and apples. And demand for those items is high.

One of the easiest, most familar bike rides around is to trek out to the tiny crossroads of Riley, WI for pancakes. The Riley Tap does a wicked good pancake and sausage breakfast, and as it stands only a few yards from the bike path, it's a destination for old and young alike.

My oh my, Madison is awash in music this weekend! With the Forward Music Festival and the end of the Madison World Music Festival, it seemed you could hear music no matter where you turned!

We chose the Union Terrace for Baba Zula, an electronica inspired, reggae flavored, beach boy tinged, trance band...using Turkish music instruments and heavy use of sound effects like echos.