Spring Rituals

[ZeaLitY]

As I grow older, I internalize things I love about the changing of seasons. There is a connection in these constants of change; even the feel of slight temperature difference and the scent of the air can evoke countless, unnamed, ethereal memories of past years. No season is more important to me than this one, and I've found I do certain things to trigger this enjoyment and remember every springtime season before this. I was prompted to make this topic when I noticed that Adult Swim won't be playing Trigun this time around. During every past April for five years, AS has given Trigun a run, usually in the graveyard slot of 12:30. It's a constant to see Vash's joyful story and optimism, and I was pleasantly surprised in 2005 and 2006 that the show continued to air during this time of year.

But now this automatic reinforcement of Spring is passed; watching DVDs will not be the same. There is something different about hearing a treasured song on the radio versus playing it. Something like chance, or something like certain things' remaining the same in this case add spice to life. But anyway, this is a pretty ephemeral topic, so whatever:

• The first rainstorm always grabs my attention. There is something like the perfect rainstorm. It's a day of unceasing blue and gray clouds; the cover is never lifted, covering horizon to horizon and not showing any speck of blue sky or sun whatsoever. The darker the sky the better, and rain should come constantly. I almost experienced a couple days ago, but the sun came out shortly before sunset. I guess it's one of those things like "a life spent searching for the perfect rainstorm would not be a wasted life."
• There's a whole bunch of music specifically associated with spring that I listen to.
• Trigun, Inuyasha, whatever. I sound like some catastrophic Japanophile here, but I caught both of these back in 2003 when they first appeared on Adult Swim. 2003 was a special year, and these shows have always given me good feelings.
• The summer garb: where I can get away with it, I'll wear very light tan shorts and white shirts all the time with sandals. It's like a total beach bum outfit, and it probably doesn't do too much for my image (due to my height), but whatever. Jeans gets boring.
• The first time I turn on the A/C in a specific car, I'll really suck in the air through my nostrils. I don't know if it's the car plastic or freon or something, but there is a particular smell to the activation of a vehicle's air conditioning. It brings up tons of nameless feelings and memories.
• At the end of April, I attend a jazz festival near here. It's not so much jazz as it is a giant music thing, and I love seeing this musician named Joe McBride there. He's this funky keyboardist who plays awesome funk with four on the floor and all kinds of backing stuff. He'll set up on stage at dusk and play this keyboard in a total groove. This will be the third year. Or not; I just checked and damnit, he's not going to be there.

[Ramsus]

Spring, eh? I usually develop an anti-social streak, seeking isolation and focusing on my own personal interests. It's usually in the spring that I pick up a new skill and develop at least a basic mastery, or I jump by leaps and bounds in an already existing skill/talent.

So I guess my spring rituals are mostly just:

• Get away from people.
• Learn something new.
• Master something I can already do.
• Generate new ideas and work on them.

[Daniel Krispin]

Finals. That's a spring ritual in April that I've had now for the last six years. And not a very fun one, I must add.

[Hadriel]

April is rapidly becoming the one month I'm guaranteed to get laid in.

[Arauna]

Reading though this, maybe it is the fact that it's 4:05am, or maybe it's the work and rotation equasions I have been stareing at for 4 hours now, but I admire the way you live your life.  You seem to take such notice and such care in the way time passes.  I only wish in life I could slow and and take in the world arround me.  I have to say the work force, to me at least, really doesn't see to be an admirable way to live a life.  You work, you gain finance, and die. 

• I always notice the first time I step outside and that majestic smell of rain lingures in the air.
• For some reason every spring I always have a desire to listen to more chrono trigger music.  I'm not really sure what to say about it, but it has been 11 years now, and for some reason I still have a love for the game.
• It's sad really I want to say I've done more with my life that would be worth noting, but it seems I can't really remember to many things about spring and summer.  Although I am looking forward to the first few days in summer when I lay outside in a hammic with my girl and let the world pass us by.

Anyways, other the that my adjenda current consists of Obtaining a 3.5 GPA, and attending Play! at either San Jose May 26, 2007, 8 pm San Jose Center; or Fort Worth Saturday, January 19 2008 at Bass Performance Hall.  I may go to the one in May for my birthday, or Jan because it would be a 30 minute drive.

[Kyronea]

My annual Spring Ritual is to complain vigorously about the temperature changes. I adapt somewhat slowly to overall changes in temperature so when I'm used to 40 degree highs and 10 degree lows for several months, 60 degrees can become almost unbearably hot for a while. As such I end up sounded like a grumpy old man even though I'm 20.

[ZeaLitY]

Reading though this, maybe it is the fact that it's 4:05am, or maybe it's the work and rotation equasions I have been stareing at for 4 hours now, but I admire the way you live your life.  You seem to take such notice and such care in the way time passes.  I only wish in life I could slow and and take in the world arround me.  I have to say the work force, to me at least, really doesn't see to be an admirable way to live a life.  You work, you gain finance, and die. 

• I always notice the first time I step outside and that majestic smell of rain lingures in the air.
• For some reason every spring I always have a desire to listen to more chrono trigger music.  I'm not really sure what to say about it, but it has been 11 years now, and for some reason I still have a love for the game.
• It's sad really I want to say I've done more with my life that would be worth noting, but it seems I can't really remember to many things about spring and summer.  Although I am looking forward to the first few days in summer when I lay outside in a hammic with my girl and let the world pass us by.

It comes in part from a certain feeling I have. When I see some beautiful thing that happens by chance, I enjoy it, but I also become distraught or slightly miffed that it is transitory. There is no way to fully capture it; to harness that experience for on-demand recreation. In a way that's what makes it special, but it's also part of what's made me take a deeper look and appreciation of these moments. Even the smell of rain can't be synthesized; it's a wet mix of everything on land kicked up by rain called petrichor.

[V_Translanka]

I did a little "Spring Cleaning" of sorts, myself by getting out of a stupid scene with a bunch of a-holes (takes one to know one) that I didn't like and well, they were all just freeloading weed addicts...yes, you heard it here first, these numbnuts were addicted to WEED...FTW...So I ditched that nonsense and am trying to get back on track with my real, good, not lame friends. Hooray for coming out of a fog (fog=pot smoke cloud).

Spring would almost rule if not for the horrible, stupid memories it brings...almost as bad as Fall...or Winter...uh, or Summer, I guess...Where's the damn restart button on my life? And, likewise, is there a soft reset?

[Radical_Dreamer]

I was just in Tacoma. That fog is industrial exhaust.

[Lord J Esq]

Spring rituals? None. Well...to mark the equinox and beginning of spring I tell a picture-story, but otherwise I don't have any sping-specific rituals other than dreading the inevitable arid swelter of summer. I sweat like a fire hydrant, and my eyes sizzle in the sun. Summer is the worst season, and spring is the dreadful waiting period ahead of it where you know it's coming but you can't do anything. =(

I guess I do do a few specific things in spring...

I like to visit the cherry trees at the UW when they are in bloom. I put away my heat dish and bring out my fan. One relatively new tradition is that I like to take some scenic trips to compare the deep green of the evergreens with the sprightly green of the new deciduous growth.

[Lu Su]

i agree but for me its more to do with the pollen infested air
IT HAS BEGONE D:

[Zakyrus]

Ostara!

[ZeaLitY]

Now there's a ritual...

[Burning Zeppelin]

You bastard Northern Hemisphereites!

[Kyronea]

You bastard Northern Hemisphereites!

Hey, we're not the ones plunged into the depths of winter in mid-July...I mean, seriously, what's up with that?