Is that all people can talk about? The WEATHER? Yes, it's nice out.
Nice. Such a subjective word. Too easily used, if you ask me.
Do I like nice weather? No. I love clouds and rain and temps below 70. When it was still chilly a few weeks back, I loved it. I love sweaters and boots and having to bundle up. My vacation spots would not be in Mexico. I think even if I had a "bikini-ready" body, I would still want cold. Scarves. Mittens. Yeah. That's who I am and what I like, but I don't go around when it's 10 degrees out asking, "Isn't it nice out?" I keep my demented love for crappy weather to myself; for some reason, I wish others would do the same. Oddly, I don't think I'm being that "grumpy" or "crabby" about this. It's just the truth of who I am.

Ode to my bug
who got me through the pre-blizzard last Thursday
Ode to my bug
who is a trooper through yet another winter, her tenth or eleventh
Ode to my bug
who since I started talking about getting an SUV, has turned over without a flinch
Ode to my bug
who has mostly cosmetic issues at this point in time
... the fog light cover crack, the pigeon-smashed side mirror, the side hole in the driver's seat, the plastic peeling inside
Ode to my bug
who gets snowhawks and pulls herself through small drifts
Ode to my bug
who will be mine forever.

Okay, so I don't know if I'll "go wild" the ways that wildness pops up in life, but I do plan to blog more this year personally, fashion-ally, and teacherly. And I plan to make up words. And read more books. And add more to my life in general, I guess. I didn't really make resolutions, but I do have a few goals bouncing around in my head. I don't think putting pressure on a person mid-vacation is a grand idea, anyhow. Plus, one can always add resolutions later, right? Right. These are my first recorded thoughts of this year. Hmmm...

[Originally written Tuesday, December 28, 2010.]
Watched Tuesday, December 28:
1.Did You Hear About the Morgans? >>> Funny in spots; I love Hugh Grant's side jokes.
2.Four Christmases >>> Vince has side jokes like Hugh; however, at times, I wanted to turn it off because it was almost too realistic (with the family dramas, etc.) & frustrating. And, please, when they are at the dance class and the about-to-get-married couple feels all bad = whatever. It's always the other way around; marrieds wanting singles to just get hitched and quit with the apparent "b.s."
3.Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment >>> Not as blasphemous as everyone said. Typical Family Guy funny!
Watched Wednesday, December 29:
4. Date Night >>> Wonderfully funny with an actual plot. I think Tina and Steve could really be married. It was romantic, funny, and adventurous.
5. Confessions of a Shopaholic >>> A fun adventure for someone who likes to shop.
Watched Monday night, January 3:
6. I Love You Man >>> I giggled throughout.
7. Hot Tub Time Machine >>> Muy excellente! Chevy Chase is in it, John Cusack shows his funny side, and I generally enjoyed watching it. I want to write the female version! )
Watched Tuesday morning, January 4:
8. Burn After Reading >>> Crazy plot and crazy characters; it was worthwhile & a fun romp for a morning.
9. Men Who Stare At Goats

Easy A was fully rented out.
But I have all these movies for a week, so that's cool.
And I got a Pepsi Max after a stop at the bank.
And I got a fairly good workout (2 miles in Sorels and sometimes deep snow); it's a balmy 20+ degrees out... weird for late December, but oh well.

p.s. I rarely watch movies, so I realize some of these are uber "old." Last movies I saw in theaters: SATC 2, Inception, and Devil. Last two were the bf's idea - I love comedies.

First of all, I can't figure out why my NBC station has taken on the high-volume-then-low-volume approach that commercials have. It gets loud, then it gets soft. I thought it was my TV (still could be I suppose), but only that channel does it. So far.

Secondly, I discovered an analogy for front-wheel drive and 4WD in comparison to heels and flats in the winter... basically, if you are on ice in either situation (with wheels or shoes), neither is going to be better than the other. I've seen people biff it when they are wearing flats; I've seen people burn rubber with four-wheel drive. I guess this is kind of another argument I can use as to why I wear heels in the winter (plus, they dig themselves into the snow... ever seen my tracks? Yea.).

Thirdly... I have officially assessed twenty papers in two days. I'm about halfway through. Most of the papers are good, really, it's the amount and those not-so-good ones that make my pancreas hurt (right, Bill?). Waiting on the horizon when I'm finished with these? Another batch from my Ag section came in this last Tuesday night; their course is 12-weeks long which is nice; however, they hand in things quicker, so I have to be "on the ball."

Finally, it's snowing; it's pretty out. Yet again, I think I'm the only one in this area of the country still happy it's winter. I suppose it helps that I just bought a new peacoat (down from $200 to $40!) and want to show it off.

I have but one complaint. It's -17 degrees, and the only thing I'm concerned about (since the parka was officially pulled out of the closet yesterday, the furry earflap hat found in a box of stuff, the bug has a new battery after functioning for nine - that's right, go VW! - North Dakota winters on the first one) is...

...my electricity/heating bill this month.

But, I probably have the money to cover it. I have heat. I have shelter. So, yea... how's that for an outlook, kids? Sure, it's cold out. Sure, it's bitterly cold out, and we may not see above zero temps until Friday or the weekend, but I'm not going to bitch about it. I love winter. Why oh why? Well, I get to wear layers. I get to wear big furry hats and boots and tights and scarves and mittens.

I'm always warm. My sisters, when we all lived together, called me the Heat Nazi. I kept our house at like 68 degrees. I'm not a huge fan of the summer. I detest sweating when doing nothing; if I'm exercising, then fine, but... yea. One can put on a lot of clothing; one can only take off so much and still be appropriate.

This morning... "we" made The Today Show because yesterday morning's temperature in Grand Forks was a record: -37 degrees. Yes, without windchill. I kind of think that's cool, in a very demented way.

If it's going to be a) this cold and b) this windy, then it should c) just snow already. Then it'd LOOK like winter at least, and not an uber chilly late fall. Ma Nature must be out of town; she's missed all our voicemail messages.

Realizations from last night's talk with Taya: 1) No relationship rule ever applies to all relationships at all times, 2) Why should I have to work at a friendship with someone who won't reciprocate?, and 3) Just like how "they" have proven that people eat more when with friends, I think I buy more when I shop with friends (which may be another reason I like to shop alone?)?

One way to start of a day well is to wake up in the dark and, then, as soon as one turns on the TV, the sirens start going off in town while the TV starts beeping and showing your county shaded red on a map. Tornado warning. I thought about grabbing the iMac (but didn't, yet was relieved I'd turned her off last night)... I didn't close windows or my balcony door enough... grabbed a sweatshirt... felt my heart race as I put the bug in the garage... and then waited it out telling the college kids who camped out with me on the lower level of the building that an Indian legend has stated we'll never have a tornado because three rivers meet here. I was certain someone had just spotted rotation or a funnel cloud; and I was correct.

I came back to wet carpet and a delivery from FedEx. It was delivered in the storm? That's nuts!

ESCAPE! Ditching town. It's supposed to be a hot one. Did my cardio this morning, threw on the swimsuit, and thought, "Well, I might as well be sweaty all day; I'm going to the beach."
My life is rough.

Well, thank goodness the work I do during the summer weeks doesn't have me necessarily stuck indoors. If I only had the weekends to enjoy warm days, I'd be torked right about now. It's a rainy, windy & cool weekend... and, of course, I like it. I can say that and be snotty, basically, because I enjoyed the warmth of the week...

With the wind pushing itself into my windows and deck doors, it's been one of those days I've been slacking away. Happily. I tend to try to do that with any weekend whether it's during the school year or not. Weekends are for relaxing the body (and mind)... or at least a good attempt at it. (If I could get my brain to do it today, that'd be nice. Need to find the OFF switch.) Tomorrow will probably be much of the same with the addition of catching up on my exercise in the morning.

I think I've officially done to my body what I've done to my brain many times before. Exhausted it beyond belief. I feel like I used to feel after the first week of tennis practice back in the day. Sore, sore, sore. But I'd rather be sore than not sore/not exercising, so... plus, when one is sore, they know they did something to some muscle that hadn't been done in awhile. If I have to have sore quads and hamstrings for the rest of my life, so be it. Let's just say interval training is kicking my butt.

And so I go from high intensity out on the bike or on the running paths, to sitting atop my exercise ball on the internet/computer dinking around for too much of the day. I'm starting to feel like I need to take a break from sitting in front of that thing/this thing (even thought that iMac is so cute). I'm addicted to checking my email or getting on Facebook. Daily. I mean, yes, I should check in on my students, but I should be doing summer things too. I should be conducting more blog research. I should be out on my balcony taking in the lovely afternoon w/a book.

I finished the second Chelsea Handler book; I laughed out loud many times. It was the perfect bedtime book; I'd read a chapter or two, and then fall asleep with a smile on my face. Now I need to move on. I've been doing better than expected with my reading this summer (in comparison to last)... I've gotten through Klosterman's book, two of Chelsea's, got back into Ken Bain's for a chapter, and dabbled in some philosophy books one day. If I could just get into that pile of Deb Tannen books during the day, I could read Rushdie at night. Yes, I have piles of both authors; they are an odd combination, aren't they? For some reason, though, I feel like reading all sorts of different authors and books this summer. Those Tannen/Rushdie piles will be there forever. I still have a biography about Madonna that I haven't gotten to or any of those odd books I "stole" from Errol. Huh.

Well, I feel like a trip to the library is in order... and then it's lunch and reading time for this camper.