Snow Day(s)

I know I am a very sporadic blogger. But out of what I am going to call official "cabin fever", I am going to start writing on this little blog again. And what better event to start it off with than Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse...call it what you will, it has been great/awful.

I love the snow. I love how quiet the world becomes. I love the chill on your face. I love being in the snow with a bright blue sky. I love being inside with a blanket, hot cocoa, and a good book/friends/ family/movie when you can hear the wind howling outside. After the excitement of the snowfall, however, I appreciate being able to do something with that beautiful snow. I prefer skiing, snowshoeing…things like that. Generally they require open space and mountains. Unfortunately, I don’t live in the mountains anymore.

So, DC got a lot of snow over the weekend. Hopefully everyone heard, because, well it feels like the world has come to a standstill. Oh, wait. I think maybe just we came to standstill. The rest of the nation is functioning just fine. But here, it seems like everyone is snowed in. Loads of snow everywhere. Schools canceled. Work canceled. Museums closed. Sections of Metro closed. Streets unplowed. Basically, all I hear is snow, blah, blah…weather, blah, blah… It hasn’t been that bad. Kind of nice, but definitely surreal. I dug my car out, but don’t really have anywhere to go. And even if I did, I would be scared because someone might take my spot. And then what would I do? So, I stay in. And shovel snow. And walk to Old Town with my roomies. And read. And shovel snow. And read.

On the street where Cornelius (my little car, there on the right) and I live.

So before I realized my school would be closed on Monday I dutifully read and read and read through the weekend. You cannot imagine how thrilling it is to read about American photography theory unless you really dig in to it, you know? That is what I would do. And take breaks to watch Alias. Or talk to my roommates. Or shovel snow. Or eat.

But, I can absolutely tell you what is bad to have happen on a snowed in weekend (quickly turning into week, apparently) is one of the below. I do recognize all of the below would be bad to have happen or hear. Only one happened to me this weekend, however.

A) Power outage

B) Power on; spotty internet connection

C) Unable to locate cell phone charger

D) Hear about ex-boyfriend getting engaged to someone seemingly perfect

E) Tree branch falls onto car

Don’t be fooled by E. That was LAST year. I am much wiser this year, don’t you worry! And yes, A would be bad. Luckily, we had power the entire time. B would almost be as bad as A. What did people do before the internet? I should remember; I am old enough to vividly remember. Luckily, we have good internet. Okay… it was D. Yep…that was fun. I am 1000% happy for him. I know we were not a compatible pair. But wow…news like that is always a bit hard to swallow (given he dumped me), but generally you have stuff to do to keep you occupied for a few days until logic sets in again. But what do you do when you can’t take a nice drive, or walk, or go to work/school/internship, go to church, go out and you are just stuck reading things like American photography theory or stuff about museum evaluation? Of course I am being a bit dramatic; I am doing just fine. But, needless to say, the timing of the news maybe wasn’t my favorite. But, bring on more snow, I guess.

Other than that…all is well in the snowed in(out) capital of our nation.

If you think you are having a bad day...

consider the Secret Service agents who let two attention grabbing, would be reality tv personalities "crash" President Obama's first state dinner. Although it is all kinds of ridiculous on the level of people trying to get attention--again (seriously, doesn't anyone just want to have a nice quiet life anymore?)--it is a little alarming. What if they weren't just attention seekers? I feel very safe in DC, but sometimes I also forget I do live in the nation's capital. With the president. So, obviously, it could get a little interesting. I still trust the security of the nation, however. But I do feel bad for those who had a little slip up in their job the other night. Reminds me of why I'm not doing anything connected to the safety and security of others. I would not handle that well. But I am grateful for all that do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28crasher.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1259362833-r7cVU/4B7Mq+ZC/Dz0WYbA

Do All Counties Have This?

In my research I have discovered that Montgomery County, Maryland, has its own official Coat of Arms, Flag, and Official Bird and Blossom. I do not recall Cache County having the likes.I did a--very--quick search and found that the Sheriff has a flag in Cache County. No coat of arms that I can tell. No flag. No bird. No blossom. I guess the county could have a contest? Maybe an Aggie would be represented?

Montgomery County, MD
(No...I don't live here. I live in Alexandria, VA. They also, as far as I can tell, do not have an official flag, coat of arms, bird, or blossom. They have a seal, but I am sure Logan does as well. So, Logan shouldn't feel bad. Alexandria is pretty great and very old, as far as US cities go.)

Official Bird and Blossom: robin and dogwood

Official Flag:





Official Coat of Arms:

Desperate Times For All

Hey, even museums have to find a way through the difficult times :) Ha, ha...

To find out what The Met is doing about it!

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/struggling_museum_now_allowing?utm_source=EMTF_Onion

You Belong To Me

Surprise! Believe me, no one was more surprised than me when the song I had been singing along to happened to be a Taylor Swift song. But then again, life is kind of surprising. I am surprised I actually rooted for USC tonight. I am surprised that I love where I live so much. I am surprised that the thought of moving anywhere doesn’t scare me so much anymore. I am surprised I survived without living so close to family last year. I am surprised I enjoyed my collections management internship this summer. I am surprised that I am actually very scared to turn 31 next month and leave single ward status forever. I am surprised that I am still emotional eight years after September 11, 2001. Life is surprising. Whether it is categorized as a “good” or “bad” surprise, life catches me off guard all of the time. The trick is finding some contentment that in all types of surprises, I can rest assured I can never guess what will come next. I am also surprised I am done with my Monday assignments and it isn’t even Sunday night (or Monday afternoon!).

I Like My Fellow Commuters

It is official. I am now tired of commuting. It wasn't too bad for awhile...but now I am ready for it to be over. I have to say, though, that I really like my fellow commuters. I feel that those commuting north from Salt Lake are great. Whenever I hear of accidents, traffic problems, etc., they seem to be concentrated on the commute going SOUTH. Read into that what you will...but I have concluded that I owe everyone who commutes north a thank you!! Good job! There is only one little slow down spot in Kaysville and there have only been a couple of little accidents...but nothing major. So, I have been overall very grateful. I expected much worse.

Summer Reading

Ah...summer reading. Thinking of light hearted paperback reads? Ha. Well, apparently I have missed the memo entirely on what is appropriate summer reading. I will just blame it on grad school. I put off reading things I have wanted to read because of grad school, so the summer is when I do my "for myself reading." Don't judge, but these are two books I would recommend, though I must emphasize, not for any fun, or escape value. If you are looking for something to get your mind off anything of a serious nature, these books are most certainly NOT recommended.

I started my summer off with The Kite Runner. I really felt like The Kite Runner had an amazing story of confronting the awful things we do, trying to reconcile and sometimes hide from them, and finally reaching redemption and confronting the costs of our decisions. The hope of love, amidst the most awful of circumstances, was illustrated vividly in this well written story. Most people I have talked to really have liked the book, but be warned, it deals with some hard story lines and some intense violence. It is set in Afghanistan beginning with the Soviet take over. It follows the story of a wealthy boy, and his boyhood friend through a moment that alters their lives and friendship. I was riveted and could not put it down. I felt the book was beautifully and simply written.

I just finished Massacre At Mountain Meadows, and lets just say, this book makes The Kite Runner seem almost cheery. I mean no disrespect to the awful events in The Kite Runner, but at least there is a sense of hope in the power of love and redemption at the end of The Kite Runner. Massacre At Mountain Meadows just made me wonder exactly how much evil lies in each human heart. I am sure most are aware of the basic events of the horrific story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. I, however, somehow have never taken the time to learn the details of what happened and was horrified at the atrocity that occurred. The book is wonderfully researched and written and tells a very clear and gripping story. I was riveted by this book. I haven't read anything else on the Mountain Meadows Massacre to compare it to, but I felt the book was fair and balanced and painted a clear picture of what was happening in Utah at the time of the event. The authors really tried to explain the actions of the leaders in Southern Utah, and how the massacre was eventually carried out. It is very informative. However, despite the explanations of what was happening with the Utah War, society, mindsets of the time, etc., etc., I was left with the most sickening feeling in my soul about what evil must rest in each individual heart if allowed to be manifest. The authors really tried to explain how such mass violence occurs, and tried to explain the context, but at the end of the day, a group of men methodically masterminded the deception of emigrant men, women, and children and massacred them with their own hands, and the hands of ill-fated Native Americans. I was, and am more than ever, unsettled at how this happened. The book did not answer that question, and I am afraid no book ever can. But it was VERY informative, well written, and--I felt--balanced in the treatment of something so horrific I can't even comprehend it.

So, hopefully your summer reading is much more cheery, but I do recommend both of my summer reads thus far!