This Friday at around 6:45, I got
it in me that I should go for a walk. I didn't really plan out how long it would be (and I can prove that by my choice
of shoes—clogs), and I wasn't even really sure which direction I would go
in. But I started at the same place I
start all of my walks, which is at the Great Lakes Research Center. It’s a newly built campus building that is
right on the edge of the Portage.
When I
got to the base of the Research Center (literally the shore of the water), I
started walking west. I didn't really
know what was west of there exactly, but it turned out to be Facility Type
Buildings and Campus Vehicles, and dirt roads.
It was interesting to me that this whole part of campus is blocked off
and not really visible from Main Campus, so I kept going west. Eventually I hit the end of that trail/dirt
parking lot, and had to move back up towards real road. This road ended up being the Bike Trail/Snow
Mobile Trail.
From there, I walked.
And walked.
And just kept walking west.
When the Trail turned, I turned
with it.
Until I got just 200 feet away from
the Houghton-Hancock Lift Bridge.
Then I turned around.
But rather than just return the
same way I came, I went up even higher, to the streets of Downtown Houghton.
And this is where the real magic
happens.
I was walking back, when I saw
Cyberia Café. And I thought to myself, “Hey,
Jinan. You should get something from there. It’s getting chilly out, and why
not?”
SO, I went inside, I placed my
order, took my debit card out, and the barista was about to start making my “Leprechaun
Latte” when she said “actually, we don’t have a card-swiper here, and I dunno
what bank you use, but there’s a Wells Fargo ATM down the street.” And feeling
a little defeated, I said “You know, it’s okay, I actually don’t use Wells
Fargo, so it’s probably not gunna happen.” And as I turned to walk away, she
(amazingly) responded with “well, if you want, we could probably just use the
Honor System (as she continues to make my drink), and you can just come back
sometime later this week and pay for it then…” I stopped in my tracks. I couldn’t
believe it. And all I could think was “What? Only in Houghton would something
like this happen.”
So I took her up on it.
And I enjoyed that Leprechaun Latte
all the way home.
And then when I got home, I sat in
my comfy chair, with my warm(ish) drink, and read.
It was really great.
And more important from a “free”
latte, and the beautiful sights I saw while on my walk, I learned something
very valuable. I learned that it’s okay to do things alone. And as Nicole later
said: “Being alone, doesn't have to mean being lonely.”
Later that night I got an early
Birthday Cupcake from Myder, and I went to a Country Music (Katie Armiger)
Concert with friends, where I swing danced, and had a great time.
I also saw a shooting star that
night
.
This week was great. At times it
was almost boring. But truly, this week was great.
Other Cool Things that Happened This Week:
Saw Ted in Fisher; Watched Presidential Debate #2, and Bonded with Amanda; Went
to “the Dating Doctor”; Went to Cyberia to repay my debts with Sophie, and
played with a puppy; Life Chats with Audrey and Catie; Went to the HuskyLEAD
Seminar on Robert’s Rules of Order; and Skyped Liz for 2 Hours.
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