Ode to the Construction Worker

So I work in a construction zone. My building is literally surrounded by new dorms going up.There is mud and dirt everywhere. My car is constantly gross. My shoes are constantly gross. The carpet in my office is constantly gross.

And yet the buildings keep going up. There are four dorms going up right now by my count. I thought they would only do two, but out of nowhere two more popped up out of the ground like daisies.

I work in what used to be a cafeteria. Well, the actual cafeteria part is still a cafeteria, the rest of it was re-purposed into an office. It works. There are industrial grates up everywhere that hold the wires up to the ceiling. I kind of like it. But I take my lunches in the cafeteria (we euphemistically call it "the atrium"). There is great natural light and I get to sit in a booth by the window. I get lunch and a show as I watch the workers build these massive dorms.

Over the past few months I've been so impressed by these men (I have not seen any women as of yet, so I'll stick with masculine pronouns and referents). They come to work every day. Come rain, come shine. Come snow, come freezing. And those buildings keep going up. Today it was sleeting and they were still out there working. Granted, their numbers were few, but still, they were out there in their boots and jeans, sloshing around in the mud. I'm sure they were cold and miserable. I'm sure some of them hated their job at that moment. But they were there.

And they're always nice to me when we're standing in line at the Creamery. So here's a thank you to those workers. I'm glad that I've been able to observe a different world and learn to really respect some unsung heroes.

One More Rave

I just thought I would help you see the difference Stella makes in my life:

decreased surface area = decreased friction
decreased friction = increased velocity
increased velocity = decreased force necessary to maintain normal velocity
decreased force = decreased exhaustion
decreased exhaustion = one happy Laura


Physics can work in my favor sometimes. More on this later.

A Big, Warm Welcome to My New Addition: Stella

If you would recall my post of last year I had a rough time on a mere 20 mile ride. This, in bike world, is nothing at all. But I was pooped. Really. I cursed my heavy, thick tired bike (though dear to my heart, it is). I told myself that this would never happen again and that I would get a lighter, more distance apt bicycle this year.

Well I did.

And I named her Stella.

She's beautiful.

Want to see her? Here she is!

I really love her. A lot.

She rides like a dream.

I commuted to work today on my bike and it was a dream compared to the former commute that I had. The gigantic hills (yes, there are two on my way to work, my 10-minute commute) were a piece of cake compared to the former ride that I had, where I had to often admit defeat, dismount, and shamefully walk my bike up the hills. Shamefully I ride no more.

I love that the weather is nicer and that I can ride my bike and that I live close enough to work that I can ride. It makes all the difference.

And now my poor roommates, friends, and coworkers no longer have to hear about me talk about which bike I'm going to ride. I no longer have to go from shop to shop, trying out different bikes. I no longer have to go to online forums for wisdom and bike know-how. I can figure it out myself (with the help of nice friends and helpful pamphlets.

I love the outdoors.

Help Public Broadcasting!

So one thing I love is public broadcasting. I grew up watching PBS (Sesame Street) and NPR (Car Talk) and I listen to NPR almost every day, at least on the good days. Life for me is so much better because of public broadcasting and I've learned so much through everything I've watched and heard. Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me keeps me current on current events, but also makes me laugh at the same time. This American Life warms my heart and helps me understand complex ideas. And Radiolab gives me a new perspective on the world and the people in it. And my sisters are addicted to Antiques Roadshow. Public broadcasting is all over my life.

Right now Congress is moving to take funding away from public broadcasting. This makes me very sad. So I went here:

http://capwiz.com/170ma/issues/alert/?alertid=27487501&type=CO

and I contacted my congressmen and senator and asked them to vote to keep funding for public broadcasting.

I'm not saying that you should all contact your local government officials. It's your choice what you want to support. Thankfully we live in a free country. But if you support public broadcasting, let your congressmen and senators know. Maybe it will make a difference.

A few fun facts for you about public broadcasting:

http://170millionamericans.org/sites/apb.civicactions.net/files/170_Million_Americans_infographic.jpg

Ode to My Space Heater

Space heater,

You make me warm.

You help me battle wet hair

And over-air conditioning.

Even though you make me sleepy,

You keep me happy,

Because you keep me warm.

Thank you, space heater.

I’ll try to stop accidentally kicking you all day.

Love,

Laura

Adult World

So this week I joined the world of adults: I got a real job. I have been working for BYU Independent Study as a student employee for the past year and a half and this week I joined their full-time staff. It's been a busy week and so many problems came up and I had to make so many decisions. But, it was a really good start. Everyone was really nice to me and very welcoming. I was super impressed by everyone.

But I realized something as I was sitting in one of my many meetings during the week: my peers have now become people 15+ years older than me. I sat around looking at everyone and realized that most of them have several children and were either going through puberty when I was born or were already in college. It was then that I realized that I'm glad that I've always gotten along well with people older than me. I think it will serve me well. I think it also helps that my humor is "mature" (so says one of my co-workers), meaning that I have humor drier than a new-comer's skin to Utah.

So the coming weeks will bring a lot of new experiences for me and new ways of seeing the world. (Such as being introduced to Howard Jones's music this week. Who doesn't love 80s music?) Hopefully I work well as an all-around liaison for anything you could imagine at Independent Study. Let's see how it goes. Any advice?

Liberation

So about two months ago I started to become aware of my hair. I know that may sound odd, but I just started to feel it all the time. Obnoxious. It was like all those nights when you've made the brave decision to wear socks to bed. (It can be pretty hit or miss.) And suddenly all you need to do is take off your socks because you've suddenly become aware that they are there, and they are suffocating your feet. That is how my hair began to feel to me. With every time I put on my scarf, and my coat, and my backpack, I felt my hair as I irritatedly pulled it out from under each of these new enemies. It was a constant annoyance.

So a month ago, I chopped it off. Nine inches of it. Every time Patrick took another slice at my hair, instead of feeling panicked and distraught, I felt freer and lighter. And I have not looked back since.

Hello, new short hair cut. You are my new best friend. I have missed you.

Sometimes all it takes is facing the enemy and deciding to make a change.