Happy (Belated) Hanamatsuri!

Last week, my birthday fell during spring break, which was nice! Thanks to all those who sent me cards and well wishes! For my birthday, I treated myself out alittle bit at the casino (apparently there was no luck on my side for my birthday). Then I went out to dinner with a few friends to Buffalo Wild Wings. It’s a sports bar centered on chicken wings and chicken dishes. It’s one of my favorite restaurants and unfortunately they aren’t out west yet. Charlie, Shawn, myself, and Mark went. Besides have some wings, I also got a delicious, free chocolate cake there as well.

Im not sure if PBS planned it, or if it was just irony, but PBS premiered a special on Siddhartha Gautama last Wednesday, the day before Hanamatsuri. (Hanamatsuri is the day parts of Asia celebrate Buddha’s Birthday). I didn’t catch it on tv, but found it online (http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/program/). I started watching it over the weekend; however, I started watching it late at night and started to fall asleep during it. So, I have not finished watching it yet myself, but I hope to watch it this week and will probably will have some comments about it on here soon.

Tidbits By Thomas: The Day finally arrived! Out door baseball returned to Minnesota! Though we have been spoiled with abnormally warm weather for the past couple of weeks here, I’m still scratching my head as to why Minnesotans would want out door baseball. There could still be snow on the ground right now. There could be snow on the ground at the end of the baseball season. Spring and fall are the rain seasons here. And mosquitoes are the un-official state ‘bird.’ So where is the fun of out door baseball in Minnesota?