Cussin the Weathah

April 26, 2011 mayiwrite environment, miscellany, nature french, grammar, old ladyhood but not, the snow might actually stick, video, weather

I apologize for the bad video quality. Just pretend that is snow, too.

So, I missed my bus this morning, and I decided to walk toward campus to one of the bus stops that would take me to work. It’s about a 25 minute walk, and the weather was nice enough, though the sky was a little bit overcast.

The first 22 minutes were uneventful. I was hitting all the walk signals at the intersections, and I was making good time. I knew I wouldn’t miss this next bus.

Then, the last three minutes. I was heading east, and a gust of wind came from behind me and with it, a light flurry of snow flakes. Then, following that, more gusts and a steady, swirling, barrage of white, wet flakes. I raised my hands to the air and asked, “What is this?!?”

Yet, because I’m an old person and check the weather every day before I leave the apartment, I was expecting snow, so I wore my winter coat, and I was able to reach back and bring the hood over my head. I walked the rest of the way to the bus stop. I could have been way less grumpy.

I also had an umbrella in my backpack (old-person, boy-scout syndrome), but someone else had come to the bus stop, not prepared at all for the weather. I didn’t share the umbrella with her (cancels out boy-scout aspect, but retains parts of old person). I’m a horrible person when it snows at the end of April.

Oh, the first of my grades are in! My first Bs of my second-chance college career. Can you guess what subject?

Alerts

November 23, 2010 mayiwrite travel, weekend byu, thanksgiving, the snow might actually stick, weather

At 1:33pm:

The National Weather Service is warning of a winter storm today that “will far surpass anything that we’ve seen, probably for the last several years.” The combination of snow, extreme cold, and possibly damaging winds will make travel extremely hazardous. The storm will begin in the north and move south, hitting Salt Lake City later this afternoon.

Please watch the weather reports and be prudent in your travels.

At 2:06pm:

This is a Y-Alert. As you were informed earlier, a major blizzard warning has been issued by the National Weather Service. Because of the severity of this expected storm, BYU will close campus at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010. All classes should be canceled after this time.

Campus will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010, except for essential services as determined by unit supervisors. If you have questions about specific locations or events, we encourage you to contact the respective organization.

At this time, the men’s and women’s basketball games are still scheduled.

I’ll spare you any sarcasm about the basketball games. Please be careful out there. I’ll be so very pissed if you die. You know this.

Sticks to Melts

October 28, 2010 mayiwrite nature, observations, photo photo, the snow might actually stick, weather, winter

It’s only up on the mountains now. But I think, for the most part, winter is on the curb, waiting to get out of the car and ring the doorbell. Even if I don’t open the door, it’s going to be there.

Maybe it will drive around the block a few times before parking again.

Last Night’s Setlist

October 27, 2010 mayiwrite music, nostalgia awesomeness, concert, having fun etc., ingrid michaelson, live music, photos, the snow might actually stick

So, the concert was a lot of fun. We waited for an hour outside while whoever was in charge was taking their time admitting the crazy long line. Once we got in, it was crowded. The show sold out, and while we stood next to a bunch of beehives and Mia Maids who talked the entire time (I actually think the father-chaperone was the fan and the girls were an excuse for him to go to the concert), Ingrid put on a fantastic show.

Soldier
Breakable

(A story about LeAnn Rimes tweeting Ingrid to maybe hang out sometime, and maybe Ingrid was completely starstruck and hasn’t responded yet, so instead at all her concerts she dedicates the next song to her.)
Once Was Love
Die Alone

Parachute
Mountain and the Sea
Everybody
You and I

(A story about covering the next song using a looping pedal at an R.E.M. tribute, where Michael Stipes approached at an afterparty at the City Winery and told her how original and inspiring her cover was, but she was too drunkenly, dumbfoundedly starstruck to say something dignified? so he walked away, but then she tried grabbing him by his far shoulder and ended up caressing his chest. Awesome story.)
Nightswimming
New song
New song
The Chain
Locked Up
The Way I Am
Maybe
Toxic

Encore (after hiding on stage while we cheered as if they left the stage and wanted an encore):
Be OK
The Way I Am – punk

Then, when we left the concert, this was waiting for us:

—

I like fun.

That Old Song

September 26, 2009September 27, 2009 mayiwrite my life, new york city, nostalgia new year, rain, the snow might actually stick, what i'll miss about NYC

What I’ll miss: New Year’s Eve
I know I just said I won’t miss tourists, but nothing is quite like the phenomenon of one million people standing in Times Square waiting to ring in the New Year, or the thousands of parties around the city watching it on television. I might actually be in Utah on New Year’s Eve, and I know I’ll be looking at my former home and wondering where everyone is or how they’re anticipating the rest of their lives. I miss it already.

What I won’t miss: Dirty snow and unjumpable puddles
I love when a fresh blanket of snow covers the city overnight, and it softens the noise and makes everything look brighter, but once the plows come through and traffic awakes and turns the snow into mud slushies, it’s gross, and I feel like spitting. I’m done.

I love summer rains and the fresh and cooler air it brings, and even how the clouds and I even seem to bond as we perspire together, but summer doesn’t even seem like summer when you fear catching a disease from jumping in a puddle. When it rains, all the city fluids combine and the drains become sewers above ground, turning us all into grumpy, 9-to-5, scurrying, mangy-haired rats. All I want is a fresh, clean puddle.

Winter’s Blanket

January 11, 2009January 13, 2009 mayiwrite church, friends, my life, nature photos, the clutches of winter, the snow might actually stick

More at flickr.

It hadn’t really occurred to me to skip church so I could wander the park across the street from my apartment building to get some wonderful shots of the layer of white accenting the bare trees and frozen ground. I chose to go to church. Then I considered wandering around after church to take more photos. Instead I chose warmth. I’m kind of a winter wimp, people. Look outside, though. Most of these are from my bedroom window. It’s a great view. COME VISIT ME.

As you can see, I have a serious love-hate thing going on with winter here. Pretty, yes. Dark most of the day and making me want to shrink inside myself a lot of the time, yes. That’s just the way it is. Some things may never change. Thanks, Bruce Hornsby.

Church today was fantastic. Lots of insight, lots of discussion, lots of healthy speculation and unintentional spreading of false doctrine. Potential uprising, so close to a heated argument. Maybe a slightly warm argument, from being too close to someone’s self-righteousness and indignation. We silly mortals.

I’m getting ready to head to dinner at a friend’s. Her name is Becky. You may have heard of her. I think she misses me. Maybe that’s what comes across, if I’m reading that sort of emotion correctly. Sometimes I confuse that with annoyance. You may not think they’re similar – I never thought they were – but it seems like they are. “Is everything okay, May? You look annoyed.” “I AM annoyed. I miss Becky.” Hmm. Maybe they’re not so much similar as they are connected. Whatever.

It’s weird how everyone’s lives take on individual paths. They split and weave and accelerate and stutter-stop. I guess we have to learn from the ride. And wear boots with some pretty thick, non-slip soles. And wear layers. And schedule regular exercise. And keep drinking water and take our vitamins. And pray. And read. And show kindness and compassion. And date, even when it seems utterly pointless because the men won’t ever commit. And smile, to crack the frown winter has frozen on our faces. And make new friends. And maintain and nourish all our relationships. Even the love-hate ones.

Powder, Slush, Crystal, Dust

December 20, 2008December 20, 2008 mayiwrite my life, nature, weekend blog, moving, packing, poll, snuggie, the snow might actually stick

Here’s another poll. Right now I’m in the middle of packing my things for the next big move. My mind is pretty fixated right now. I took apart my bed and am making sure the boxes are efficiently packed. I need to put away some more books and leave out enough clothes for the next two weeks.

Do you notice anything about the front page, here? Feeling a little chill? Having the sudden urge to build a snowman or start a snowball fight? Wanting to go sledding or skiing or making snow angels? Needing to bundle up, perhaps with another sweater or socks or flannels, maybe even a Snuggie?