I Brought a Snowstorm With Me

Before moving, people would ask me how winters are in Topeka, how much snow they get, does it get cold. Not exactly knowing the answer, I would say that they get snow but not a  lot like we get in Salt Lake. Maybe I jinxed it.

Last Thursday Topeka was hit with a huge snowstorm. Wednesday night the local t.v. stations were scrolling the schools, businesses, churches and other organizations that would be closed the next day. When I woke up Thursday morning and looked out my windows it was like a white out. It snowed during the night and all through the day. It was preceded by some freezing rain, which made everything slick and glisten (remember that random freezing rain Salt Lake had a few weeks ago?! It was just like that). I didn't go anywhere that day, but I did venture out to take some pictures and clean off my car (thankful that I don't have to shovel sidewalks).

 

All the snow was pushed into the middle of the street for the day, since it just kept coming down. During the night, however, the snow in the median and from much of downtown was hauled out. We were supposed to get another big storm this Tuesday and Wednesday, and in anticipation the parking lot across the street from me hauled out the huge piles of snow that had been pushed and plowed to the sides. It was a good idea with excellent forethought, however we never got the accumulation we were expecting as it ended up being too warm and most of the snow didn't stick to the ground or road.

I have been accused by a few people of bringing the snow with me, as Topeka had not had any snow this winter until I came. I'm okay with it, though, because having the snow reminds me of Salt Lake.

On the Road to Oz

Actually, can Kansas be called Oz? Isn't Oz the place Dorothy goes when she leaves Kansas?

The trip was pretty good, as there wasn't any bad weather (even in Wyoming) and we made it to Topeka with all my possessions and my car intact. Since it's been nearly two weeks since the journey began, I will give just the highlights.

--the night before leaving, having pizza with my brother, sister-in-law, mom, sister, Jorge, Josue, Athena and Ivy. It was perfect.
--making my mom drive first because I was scared to drive the truck with my car attached in busy Salt Lake morning traffic
--playing "Name the State from the Nickname" with Ivy officiating (I won)
--braiding Ivy's hair every night
--staying with my cousin Rachel, who is seriously awesome
--playing with Kitt and his parachute men
--convincing Ivy that we would most definitely not experience a tornado in February
--listening to the Les Mis soundtrack and belting out "Do You Hear the People Sing" with Ivy
--eating at Subway (hahaha, inside joke)
--walking into my loft for the first time and being blown away
--eating pizza and watching The Princess  Bride after a long day of unloading
--Ivy very thoughtfully and methodically arranging my shoes
--Ivy, after nearly being brought to tears when left in Primary at church, afterwards saying she had so much fun

It was a pretty fun trip all around and I'm so glad my mom had the idea to bring Ivy along. She brought an aura of fun and excitement to everything.

Still No Internet

I am at a Panera writing this on my iPod using their free wi-fi. The storm last week delayed my Internet connection. It was supposed to be working yesterday, but alas there are some problems with my loft not being in their system. It's all very annoying and I came thisclose to just canceling it and going elsewhere for my internet needs. But I was given a specific person to work on my case and hopefully it will be sorted out by the end of the week. I've been frustrated with this issue because I start work next week and will not have the time to worry about sorting it all out. That is why I moved here two weeks early, so everything could be settled when I started work and could concentrate.

I've also been frustrated that there is not an Ikea here or anywhere close except Denver. My home will not feel like home until all my books are on shelves and my pictures all over. I found some bookshelves I liked at Target, but the large one will not fit in my car.

I'm just really anxious to start working and have my days be filled  with work and structure and purpose.

A Quick Post

Hey.  my internet was supposed to be installed today, but topeka has been hit by a rather large snowstorm so it has been delayed until Monday.  this is being written on y phone, which apparently doesnt the shift too capitalize letters. the move went welll and i will post a full report next week.

Cleaning and Packing

Moving is a lot of work. There's the packing and the cleaning; I've already taken one nap today and am already ready to hit the sack at a quarter to ten. It seems like your home is never cleaner than the day you move in and the day you move out. I've been cleaning things that I've never cleaned before, like my baseboards. They're so clean and nice now that I'm kinda bummed I don't get to enjoy their cleanliness. Maybe I should do more than the general cleaning--vacuuming, dishes, clean off the counter, dust every once in awhile.  There's always the hope that I will do this at my new home.

Goodbye with Friends

I'm leaving Salt Lake for Topeka on Wednesday, so I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with my friends that I will be leaving. When you live in the same state as your friends, even if you don't hang out with them regularly, you at least know that you can hang out with them. But when you live out of state, that possibility is taken away. Thankfully there's facebook and email and skype and facetime to stay connected, but it's not quite the same as actual face time.

My Physical Face Time Tour of Goodbyes started on Thursday at Buca di Beppo with my favorite writers and D-named kids. Friday brought Red Rocks with co-workers who became friends. Saturday I traveled to Pocatello to hang with my bestie and see a dear old friend from my first job at Wendy's. I braved the bad roads that night to have Cafe Rio with my old roommates from when I lived in Sugarhouse.

It was an excellent weekend and I love my friends so much!

Old Foto Friday

When I was my best friend's Maid of Honor for her wedding five and a half years ago, I was in charge of the Bridal Shower. And for years I've been upset with myself because the pictures I took on my digital camera were lost when I got my new laptop.

Since I am moving, I am packing everything I own up and getting rid of things. I came across an old film camera I had that still had film in it. I thought I would get it developed just to see what, if anything, was on the film (did you know that Walmart stopped developing film 3 years ago! And that it cost $12 to get it developed at Walgreens!). Imagine my surprise when I opened up the envelope and was treated to an entire roll of pictures from the Bridal Shower! It was the best moment ever.

Here's one of those photos. This was July 2007, back when my hair was thick and my body was thin (and now my hair is thin and my body is thick!).

Can You O.D. on Les Mis?

A few weeks ago I thought I had reached Les Mis over-saturation. The London cast recording and movie soundtrack were the only things I listened to while driving and at home. I had a Pandora Les Miserables station that I listened to at work. So to be sure I went to my fourth viewing of the film.

Turns out there is no such thing as over-saturation! The music is still on repeat on my iPod and Spotify account. And today, because I needed to use a Free Popcorn coupon and there was nothing else I wanted to see, I saw it again for viewing number five. And it just never gets old.

More and more "Stars" becomes one of my favorite songs. Russell Crowe does not deserve any of the bad press he has gotten for his singing. And I never tire of hearing "Do You Hear the People Sing?"--it's so rousing and angry and beautiful. I'll also never tire of Gavroche running and singing around the streets of Paris, or of Eddie Redmayne and his freckled face singing to his lost comrades. I'll never tire of Jean Valjean doing the right thing, forgiving and sparing Javert, learning to love and care for others, for turning his life around.

Someday soon I will blog about things that don't involve Les Miserables. But it's not because I don't want to. :)

Moving On...Again

You might remember that I was in Topeka a bit ago for a job interview. This was the one job that I really wanted of the 30+ I applied for--it was in the field of transportation planning AND was in a city that I had been to and had friends in. I found out about two and a half weeks ago that I got the job!! I was at my brother's house when the call happened, so he and my sister-in-law knew about it, and I of course told my mom and sister and my co-workers as they all knew about the interview, but I've been waiting until the background check and drug tests came back and I was officially hired before sharing the news with everyone else. Even though I knew those tests would come back negative and there wouldn't be a problem, I was still a little paranoid that something would go wrong. I had been sick the days leading up to the drug test and I was terrified the Nyquil I had taken to sleep would somehow show up on the drug test that I do hardcore drugs. Silly girl.

Anyway, I started moving forward on plans to move before it was official. I found a super awesome loft downtown that is crazy close to work. It has wood floors and brick walls and high ceilings. I love it. When I was there for the interview I stayed with my childhood best friend's mom, Terry, who was practically my second mom when I was a kid. Amber and Terry and I went out to dinner and they showed me around Topeka. It really is so crazy that I would end up in Topeka.

(I feel like this post is all over the place)

I moved to New York City five and a half years ago, with no idea how that move would benefit me so much in the future. When I moved, I was running away more than anything. The previous year was pretty tough, as I had gone through a pretty wrenching divorce. I felt lost and wanted to be lost in a place where no one knew me. It's because I lived in New York that I discovered what I am passionate about. It's because I lived in New York that I understand cities. It's because I lived in New York that I'm not scared to leave my family and friends and move across the country. And honestly, I think I partly got the job in Topeka because my boss liked the fact that I was adventurous and would just move to New York. The city will always be special for me.

So now I'm going to embark on a new adventure. It feels different to move for a job and have a purpose. Things have worked out so well that it must be right. And who knows, maybe my future husband has been waiting for me to cross the yellow brick road into the land of Oz.

Sugarhouse

When I first moved to Salt Lake City I didn't really know what the cool neighborhoods were. All I knew was the East Side had the rich people and that I was living in West Valley. And I knew of a place called Sugarhouse, which has shopping and the discount theater. Whenever I'd visit Sugarhouse I always knew it was different but couldn't quite figure out why.

Now I know that Sugarhouse is different because it's walkable. The businesses are built up to the street, with parking generally in the back or on the street. I never really noticed this before, but did know that there was something about that area that I liked that I just couldn't put my finger on.

When I moved back to Salt Lake I lived in the Sugarhouse area, and it was awesome for someone who didn't have a car. The bus went right to the commercial area, where I could shop for groceries and books, go the library and the bank and the post office, and eat at a local restaurant. Pretty much everything.

Today I needed to run some errands, and I went to Sugarhouse to do them because I could park my car and walk to the various destinations I needed. I bought some books, had lunch, went to the bank, and just strolled along the streets. And it was perfect.

Old Foto Friday

I came across this picture the other day and just couldn't stop smiling at it. Em usually is looking pissed and disgruntled in these old photos I post, so I thought this one was a nice change of pace. This was our house in Pocatello (the one on Spaulding Ln.). It looks like a lovely Spring/Summer day, blowin' bubbles on the porch. Probably 2002.

Birdsong

I told my friend Pam that one of my New Year Resolutions was to read a book a month. This seemed a pretty simple resolution to keep, as I had a few books that were already on my list. What I didn't realize, however, was that I made that resolution in the mindset of a person who is in grad school; co-workers at book club once told me that they stopped reading for pleasure while in grad school. I am fully out of school now and with tons of free time to read, and have realized that my one-book-a-month goal was fairly tame.

January is just ending and I have already read three books! And really, Pillars of the Earth can count as two! In my quest to watch anything and everything Eddie Redmayne has been in, I have been led to various novels that his film choices have been adapted from. Pillars of the Earth led directly to Birdsong (which will next lead to Tess of the D'Urbervilles), which I finished just tonight while devouring it during my time spent at home being sick over the weekend.

Birdsong tells the story of Stephen Wraysford, a young man who embarks on a passionate love affair with his employer's wife in France and then must endure the brutality of the First World War. The first part of the book is so beautiful and passionate that you can feel the sun and smell the French countryside. You get swept up in the love affair and then are placed square in the hell of war. And it's awful, the tragedy and despair and death and dirtiness and ugliness of war that was faced by men who had no idea what they were doing. The utter aloneness the soldiers feel when in civilian society is perfectly described, and the bond between men of war is expertly told.

Stephen is such a lovely character. I felt his sadness and awe at the savagery of war. He's kind of a loner, but cares for the men in his battalion. I was brought to tears on numerous occasions. This book is just great. My only quibble is that in the last thirty pages the author introduces some new characters, which I feel was extraneous; it dragged out the last moments of the book a bit too much. Overall though, the writing is wonderful.