Hoarfrost

Hoar-frost, n: A grayish-white crystalline deposit of frozen water vapor formed in clear still weather.

The hoarfrost phenomena is one that doesn't occur very often around here; the weather has to be a perfect combination of damp, cold (in the air), warm (in the ground), and foggy. I think the best example I ever saw was back in 2009--I've since misplaced those pictures, but basically everything outside was covered in frost that extended to an inch in all directions. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen, and ever since I've not seen any that was that extensive. I still see it once every year or so, and back in February we had some that was really quite stunning. 

Even the cat's whiskers get all frosted..... :P

 

 

This was later in the day--that shelf-looking cloud is heavy with snow. Snow skies are almost a little eerie because one never notices them moving in until they're right over you--and they move in quietly, with that weird sharp snowy smell. (Yes, snow has a smell--especially right before it actually starts to fall).

May I Present....

....the new Mr. and Mrs. Obed Acevedo! (Or Mr. and Mrs. Emily Nelson, depending on which side of the family you prefer. :P) Obviously I'm going to have a TON of pictures on here, so more after the break!

(Apologies for not posting anything lately--I bit off somewhat more than I could chew for this post. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things soonish though)

Stressed. And slightly freaked.

I'mma just gonna blow some steam off for a few minutes, mkay?

I'm not really stressed at people at the moment, but for the past couple of weeks I've been having this underlying feeling of unrest related to school, work, upcoming work, etc. I've been working like a madwoman on my medical transcription stuff, and sometimes I wonder if I'm even cut out for it. (This may or may not be coinciding with some homework that got returned with a poor grade that had to be redone...) I'm also freaking out because I'm trying to finish a 12-week class in 9 weeks, and there's a wedding this Saturday, I'm still cleaning houses and working at DQ, I'll be in Florida for 10 days in April, and I wanted to go with a friend to Chicago for a day (take the train and make a day of it sort of thing), but my time is getting shorter and shorter and I'm steadily getting more freaked out because of the imminence of it all. *deep breath* Granted, this is the 5th week and I'm working on Week 7 stuff, but it still seems quite overwhelming.

At work lately (on a side note, I'm leaving DQ in about 3 weeks to get ready for leaving in May O.o) my employer has been alternately telling me that I don't do enough cleaning/restocking during slow times and that I'm doing too much cleaning/restocking when we suddenly go from slow to busy. I feel like I'm trying really hard to please, and as long as I do everything right I don't get a word (positive or negative) spoke to me, but the moments that I slip up instantly get pounced upon. I know my employer is a busy guy, trying to make his business work to the best of his ability, and I don't blame him for trying to run things efficiently. It's just.....I'm trying hard to stay busy, gosh darnit. It's hard to do that when one day I'm told to stay only at my register and then next I'm staying at my register too much.

Over the past month I've had 2 guys trying to get me to go out with them (one showed up at church on a Sunday afternoon and asked Pastor for my phone number because I wasn't there, and then showed up at my work the next day *facepalm*). I feel like I'm in this really awkward/picky stage where I'm not interested in hardly anyone to begin with, and all the guys who show interest are not my type at ALL. So first off I'm stuck trying to explain why I don't want to go out with someone, and then I feel bad for turning them down and wonder if I'm being overly picky.

And I need friends, dangit. My best friend is moving to Florida after Saturday and I'll have only one close friend my age who lives within 2 hours. Do you know how depressing that is? I'm sure that going to Colorado isn't going to help that much, because I'll just have more friends and acquaintances spread out all over the place, but sheesh. Growing up is rotten, because all of your friends move away and work/go to school/raise families all the time. *feels like Calvin right now*

Oy. It kinda felt good to complain for a bit. XD Now it's back to the daily grind of transcribing...

Weddings are Silly

For the past few weeks (months, actually) I've been involved with the planning and execution of 2 weddings: one for a very dear friend of mine, and one for my brother. The longer time goes on, the more convinced I am that weddings are very silly.

Case in point: a person spends anywhere from $5,000 (for a very conservative wedding) to $26,000 (the average wedding cost, according to Google) for one day, inviting anywhere from 200-500 people, making everything perfect and wonderful and doing the right thing and getting the right stuff, all for ONE DAY. Am I the only one who sees something a bit off with this? And that's not even going into all of the stress of planning and execution. Most brides are exhausted by the end of the day...it's a lot of hassle....etc.

I know that some married women would probably say to me 'but it's all worth it in the end!' And yes. I agree that marriage is wonderful and SO worth it (not that I'd know, but, y'know, I watch and learn from the people around me ;) ), but I think the whole wedding thing needs to be done differently.

You know what I think would be hilarious and a simple way to get around it? Back in the old days if a couple wanted to get married, they would go up at the end of a church service, exchange their vows, and that was that. So, my idea (if a girl can find a guy--or more accurately, a prospective mother-in-law--to go along with it) is when one is engaged they keep it on the down-low. Like they plan on living arrangements, honeymoon, etc quietly, but not tell anyone except the pastor (and maybe parents, if they can keep a secret) what's up. Then after a church service one day they go up to the front, exchange vows, and split while the congregation reels from shock. And then make sure there's a potluck or something to distract said congregation after the couple leaves. 

I think it's a brilliant idea, anyway. It'd save a chunk of change and side-step all the planning and stress and such. (Plus the looks on peoples' faces would be PRICELESS. I'm just sayin'.)

Does anyone else agree with me? If you're married would you have done something differently? Maybe not as drastic as my suggestion, but something?

More Snow and My New Baby

A week ago the skies were rolling in, foretelling the snow they were bringing with them. I love the look of a snow sky, because the air is very still and expectant--almost like a storm, but without the violence. It moves in softly and quietly, makes itself at home, and then unleashes the white stuff.

7 inches the first day--and from then on we've gotten a couple inches (or six) a day. For the past three days it's snowed all day every day....it's weird in a way, but kinda cool too. It'll snow, the temperature rises slightly above freezing, compacts the existing snow, and then snows again. So overall we've gotten something more than a foot, but it looks like less due to compaction. *deep breath* It's cozy in a way...I like it (when I'm not getting stuck XD).

After the first wave I built a little fort and got Javert to pose.

And after the 2nd or 3rd wave I made this little guy. (Don't make too much fun of him--I know that he's pretty shoddy. XD)

 Funny story: Javert was outside when I made this, and watched me do it. Later on around dusk we put him out, and he spent ten minutes barking his head off at the snowman thinking it was an intruder. *facepalm* He puts the Inspector to shame, I tell you.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In other news, this is my new baby! Isn't she purty?

I've had a lengthy love affair with manual typewriters--from when I could first set up the typewriter at Papa and Grammie's and peck out horse stories, I've been fascinated with them. Since Grammie passed away on the 12th we've been going through the things in her house and divvying them up amongst the family members, and I've had dibs on the typewriters for years. One is a normal one with normal type, and this little beauty writes in script.

AND it has a red/black split ribbon. I needed something to copy, and grabbed my trusty Lord of the Rings omnibus for that purpose.

This is double-spaced. The ink is a little dark in places from the ribbon being old, and mistakes being typed over.

And this is single-spaced. I think the double-space looks better, but I can fit more on the single-space...my impulse to conserve space has been clashing with aesthetics. XD

It's surprisingly little and light (even though the manual mode has dropped my typing speed from 85ish to 28 :P), comes in a case, and there's an extra ribbon somewhere. I just wish I had a permanent place to set it up. My room is too small...sigh. 

Eventually I'll get pictures of the other typewriter, but this should be enough for now. I've got pictures from Grammie's funeral that I'll put up over the weekend, if I can get my act together. *hangs head*