Mr. Sperl's Donut Machine

This morning I was awake at Too:Early AM (about the time I would wake up to go to class if it wasn't SATURDAY). This is because, once again, an irritating beeping had nudged in on my dreams. It wasn't until I rolled over to glare at my alarm that I realized the beeping was my dream, and that it was, in fact, a Saturday. By then my brain (and bladder) were thoroughly awake, unfortunately. And so you find me here.

It's just as well, I suppose, because I've got a lot to tell you.

Did you know there's a Salsa Club, on campus? As in salsa dancing. Salsa dancing! And they meet every Thursday in South lounge! I only found this out last week, and I'm really excited about it. The movements of salsa dancing feel great, it's a very liberating kind of dance. You can't be shy in salsa. There are leads and follows, just like swing dancing, but in salsa, it's like the lead is paying homage to the follow, guiding her with his fingers, letting her twirl and show off and feel like a powerful woman, (there's actually a spin for which the Spanish to English translation is literally "show the girl off").

Tests are so much more stressful when they're timed! Case in point, I had five minutes to complete that dominant 7th chord resolution test I had on Friday, and it really did not go well. At all. I just completely didn't have time to do the last problem. And there were only four! I think we're going to take it again next week, since I was not alone in my distress. I need to study more for the next one, for sure.

So far, today has been pretty groovy (except for the negligible amount of sleep I got last night. Just for future reference, drinking a big cup of coffee right before you go to bed is just not a good call, no matter how good the company or how fancy and organic it is). Today, between the hours of 11 and 2, I removed myself from Oberlin, both mentally and geographically. I went to Mr. Sperl's house in Cleveland with Nishana, Gerald, and Janie for the annual donut bash. That will take some explaining...ok, so don't ask me why, but Mr. Sperl has a donut machine that makes approximately 400 donuts an hour, and every year he invites Cleveland orchestra folks, church/neighborhood folks, and his Oberlin bass students to have free donuts, cider, and coffee at his house. We got to meet his family, and there were all these adorable little kids bumbling around with chocolate and powdered sugar on their faces. Best of all, us bass students got to be silly and irreverent away from our responsibilities. I dunno what it's like back home right now, but it's been a beautiful day here. The sun was out, and the temperature's perfect, with a nice breeze. All the leaves are just starting to turn. It's just a great day to sit outside and get fat. Mmmmm fried sugar!

Hmmm, well tonight is the contra dance, and I've still got things to tell you from last week, so I'll come back to this. I hope everything is going well back home. Congrats, Daniel, on your fabulous report card (definitely finagle some good eats outta that one!), and all your recent soccer success (two shutouts, folks, give the man a hand!)! I miss you like crazy, hope you're finding time for fun.

Mr. Sperl's Donut Machine:
-First, the Donut Man flips the long red switch on the movable batter funnel up. It -clicks-.
-The batter funnel begins to gyrate slowly, side to side. A little tan puff of sweet batter squeezes out the bottom and -plops- into the oil. It immediately starts to bubble and -sizzle-, sinks to the bottom, and then bounces back to the top. As the bubbles clear, you can see a thick circle of dough. The funnel moves to the other side of the oil pan and lays down another little circle.
-The donut bobs up and down, floating in the oil, but half of it stays under and begins to brown. Metal rods move through the oil away from the batter funnel, carrying the donuts down the line. Then, about halfway through the oil pan, a metal sheet with holes in it turns through the oil. It lifts the donut out of the oil, and flips it so the uncooked side is submerged. The donut bobs along, and the newly presented side is a perfect golden brown.
-The donut is propelled through the oil until it reaches a ramp with moving chains stripped vertically along it. The donut is picked up by these moving chains and carried out of the oil to the top of the ramp. The donut teeters on the edge of the ramp, then slides down the other side, into a pan of hot, perfect donuts. It is soft and sweet.
-The donut is picked up by a little kid (or a big kid/a bass player), licking his lips, who is already covered in powdered sugar. He juggles it and blows on his fingers while running to the icing table.