White Christmas

Who says dreams don't come true? We got almost 2 feet of snow over Christmas this year. We didn't leave my parent's house from Christmas Eve, till the afternoon of the 27th. Despite being snowed in, and not being able to make it to either of my grandparent's houses, it was one of the best Christmases I've had. It was nice, not having to rush off anywhere. I love my relatives, and I am still hoping to see them soon, but it was great having a calm, quiet Christmas. Ok, so it wasn't necessarily either of those two things. My family is pretty rambunctious, and all of us except my oldest sister and her family were stuck in the house for almost 5 days together. All 9 of us! We played games and made fun of each other, went sledding, ate too much good food, exchanged presents, watched movies. I got some quality sleeping and reading time in, which was great. I really just needed some time off that was actually relaxing. So I'm ok with this huge Christmas blizzard we had, even tho it's kinda wreaked some havoc in the midwest. People get mad at me for enjoying it so much; my defense is "If you can't do anything about it, you might as well enjoy it." But I can't say I would have wished it away anyway. :P

Sweaters

I love the cold of winter for many different reasons. Today's reason is because you can wear big, soft and bulky sweaters that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and out! Yes, folks, sweaters are soul food! (And today's sweater is even green, which makes it that much better!)

The fact that they make you feel warm and fuzzy inside as well as out, is verified by this blog post. I'm not usually that...well...fuzzy, am I?

Monday, Monday

Field season is officially done for us at the Augustana Archaeology Lab. The significant snowfalls in both of our project areas--NE South Dakota, and Fremont, NE--have very effectively put a stop to any unfinished surveys. While I'm going to get incredibly bored in the office this winter, I can't say I'm sad to be done with the field season. I'm getting less and less fond of hotels in my "old age" and it will be nice to be able to work on projects at home, and see people who aren't my co-workers! Not that they are terrible people, but a little variety in one's company is a good thing! And besides, it was getting downright cold outside!

Weekend was fun. Helped out with the annual lutefisk dinner at NESODAK on Lake Enemy Swim with Rachel. Came home smelling like nasty fish jello, but I had fun serving it while my clothing was absorbing the scent. Got to hang out with Rachel and see her new house afterwards. Yesterday, after I got back to Sioux Falls, I went to the Sudanese Mass at the Cathedral, then to Panera with Kaia, Del, Carrie, and Edwin, who was in town visiting. He had his camera, as always...I don't think I've ever seen any of his photos, but I'd like to! Afterwards everyone huddled in our living room, drinking tea; nerdily discussed Lord of the Rings, guitars, Anglo-Saxons, the Vices of Herbert Norris, and sang the good old songs. I can't help but wonder what our neighbors think of us, as this isn't the first time that random late night singing sessions have occurred!

Alone Together

I was driving home from Waubay yesterday, listening to Garrison Keillor on the radio. The Lake Woebegone Lutheran pastor had been called to the bar, because he'd been told one of the men there was asking for him. He walked in and sat next to the man, who had a glass of whisky in front of him, and listened as he told his troubles. His life had fallen apart. He'd lost his livelihood, his sanity, and had been left by his wife. He said "I've just never felt like I belong, and I'm all alone."

The pastor told him, "No one feels like they belong, and everyone feels alone, because no one does belong here. We belong with God, because no one can love us as completely and as perfectly as God does. We're all alone." He said "come with me now, I will help you, we'll talk."

But the man stayed behind. Why did he stay? Are we so wrapped up in our own loneliness that we can't embrace anyone else's? That we become afraid to step out of it, not knowing what is on the outside?

No matter how lonely it gets, it's strangely comforting knowing that everyone else is too. Because one day, we'll all Belong.

"You Will be Assimilated!"

Game carried on from Miss Doom's blog. If you want to play, leave a comment that says "Resistance is Futile" and I will leave you five questions. Mine from Doom are: [and I like that they're almost all SCA questions. She knows me well enough to know that I have nothing else going for me!]

1. What do you enjoy about fencing?
I have to admit that I really like just knowing how to do something completely off the wall and awesome. But it really is one of the only "sports" I could ever get into. I like playing historical sports. It appeals to the uber geek in me.
2. What keeps you playing in the SCA?
The people. I mean, no matter how much of a historical geek I am, I would get my fix elsewhere if the people were awful.
3. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Tough choice. I really, really love the plains, and I"m not sure I could leave them permanently, but I would love, love, love a chance in England, at least for a few years.
4. If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Well, probably pay off my school loans. It's tempting to say travel, but if I could pay the durned things off, I'd be free to do whatever I wanted with the money I was no longer giving to the bank.
5. Would you ever want to be an SCA peer?
It could be fun, in a horrible sort of way. I'd give it a whirl.

Hotels Inspire Laziness

I have eighty bajillion different projects I could be working on, particularly my overall life's goal of learning everything there is to know about anything that ever happened in the past. But no. I am in a hotel, therefore I feel like a lazy bum who has no motivation whatsoever in my life. I'm going to sit around and watch anime online. I'll be productive when I go home tomorrow.

It has to get better than this

I am sitting alone in a hotel room, in my pajamas watching sappy, depressing chick-flicks, while I crochet one blanket, with another one across my lap. Please see post title.