Spring has Sprung.

A large weight has been lifted from my shoulders. The dreaded parent-teacher conferences are now behind me. They went pretty great (thanks for asking), with one little exception. A parent made the following comment to me: "No offense Lauren, but I'm so thrilled about Matthew's new school next year. All of the teachers at his new school are much older, and seem to be much more experienced. Thank you, Matthew's mom--regardless of your "no offense" disclaimer, I still think that you are moderately tactless. At least on the bright side, I know one person who would appreciate having a young teacher. That person is my great uncle, who recently said to me..."they didn't make teachers like you, with curves like yours when I was a kid." I never really know how to react when my seventy-three year old uncle compliments my body. So, thanks? I think.

Now that conferences are over I can concentrate on more important things... like tomorrow. The much anticipated first day of spring.


In high school, the first day of spring meant ultimate freedom. With my sunglasses on, and my sunroof down, I was invincible. And oh yeah, let's not forget my seven friends smushed into the backseat of my car too. Oh, the perks of being the first one with a driver's license. Each day after school, we drove to TCBY and ate free frozen yogurt for hours on end. Hell yeah, we had connections! I guess it was no surprise when TCBY went out of business a short year later. (And oddly was turned into a store that sold decorative scrub sets for nurses.) Spring also began the start of lacrosse season--Sweaty team runs around town, contemplating if our female lacrosse coach was actually a man, and primitively flirting with the boys baseball team were our spring rituals.

In college, the first day of spring was signaled by the first warm day that girls broke out their short skirts and flashed their newly tanned legs courtesy of _______(insert tropical spring break destination here.) Every year I watched as my guy friends gathered together on the quad oogling girls from a far. Each year they had the same verbal reaction..."I never knew how many hot girls went to this school."

Here in NYC the way I know that spring has sprung, is the return of the outdoor tables and chairs. Last year I stood outside of BANC (BONK!) mesmerized in excited anticipation, watching the waiters hose down the tables and chairs, ready for some outdoor, late night martinis and apple pie desserts. No matter what spring means to you--spring is in the air my friends-- spring has sprung.