Lentorama 2017: Lenten Observers of Instagram

Day 32: This isn't helping.

Bell tower #sunset #dusk #sundown #church #lent #instatravel #travelgram #wanderlust

A post shared by Ariz Dimalanta (@arizdimalanta) on Apr 8, 2017 at 3:15am PDT

This looks like the exact opposite of the gray, wet, cold weather we're having. Springtime in New England, ugh. 

With the variety of employers letting people out early today, we again stand resolute in the face of winter weather and remain open. The reason, according to our HR office:


"This is due to the fact that the majority of our students live on campus and require service and support from all areas."

Questionable writing style aside, this is at least more logical (and more honest) than the previous response to wintry weather. Still, an afternoon off would have been nice.

If you work for an institution of higher education, and you're looking for a way to drive staff morale through the floor, cancel classes during a snowstorm but require staff to come in. Nothing says "you're expendable" better than that.

Sorry for the disappearing act, but between the surgery and Monday I was down to one hand, and I quickly decided not to type more than necessary. On Monday they took off the bandages and took out most of the stitches, but the two fingers that were bent needed a couple of days to get used to being on the outside. Thankfully, they didn't go all Brooks Hatlen on me and have taken to life back on the outside as well as can be expected. I'm now pretty much at the same place I was the day before the surgery, but with the promise of increased sensation and function in the index finger as time moves along.

It would figure that we'd have our first two big storms the week I couldn't shovel. The wife did a great job in my stead, and our neighbor's son helped out by taking a pass with his snowblower on Sunday morning. The best I could do was help clear off the car, as that's a bit easier to do one-handed.

On the whole, I wouldn't recommend the experience. But it does give one a newfound respect for the importance of having both hands.

While the three flakes I saw would argue for yesterday, I'm calling today as the first day with snow for the season as there's been steady snowfall for the last hour or so. It's fairly light and not sticking, which is just the way I like it. Not that it would stay long if it was sticking, as it's going to be in the 50s the next couple of days (nearing 60 for Thanksgiving; we could go to the beach!).