Life in the Frozen Tundra
So I've been talking to people in other states about the level of cold there, and I've heard them complain...well, there is really no reason to complain about anything until you've lived here ;) When I walked to my car this morning, I was reminded of my issues with Minnesota last year: why would people choose to settle somewhere and establish a city in a place where they couldn't even go outside for three months of the year? It's actually inhabitable! My fingers were shocked by the temperature (about 3 degrees) and didn't stop throbbing for five minutes in my car. Grr. I think Minnesotans have some amount of necessary amnesia that sets in in June, when it is absolutely beautiful and perfect in this state: "Oh, I can last the winter...it's not that bad." But then you risk frostbite running (really fast) to a post box and then you remember that this is what actual cold feels like and it won't end until March.

My weekend was so busy! I went to the staff holiday party with my dad, which was actually so much fun. It was at Benchwarmer Bob's, which made me laugh all night. We played fun, steal-other-people's-prizes kinds of games and my dad had the nerve (as an outsider) to steal from the principal! Some of my co-workers seemed annoyed to realize that they were old enough to be my parent, but oh well.

Then I ran in the reindeer run on Saturday morning. It was freezing, but so beautiful with the snow on the lake. So many people make costumes to run in...my favorites were the Pac-Man (with about 10 characters), Mary and Joseph runners, and the cowbell chorus ("...the only prescription is more cowbell!") My aunt and I tried to jog and sing carols, but it didn't really work...until we found someone running with a karaoke machine who let us sing along. My dad froze in the coffee tent, and my calves are still quite tight, but I got a cute t-shirt, so I'll write it off as fine holiday fun.

Then we drove down to St. Olaf's so see my brother, meet his girlfriend's extended family, and watch their holiday choir concert. It was fun...my brother is the funniest singer of the whole 300-something member choir, which is saying a lot.

Yesterday I watched a lot of movies, decorated my Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, and finally bought more huge post-its. I love them so much! They're really useful in all situations:)

Other updates, summarized:
*my computer died. I feel completely cut off from the world! I won't get in back for 9 days:( But that gives me a lot more to do at work:)
*I've been feeling the need to recapture my youth...eat multiple candy canes, drink Kool-aid, and play old school games. I wonder if there's someone who wants to play video games with me.
*I'm going to buy a big new bed this weekend and finally move back into my bedroom. Apparently all the huge bugs have died, or maybe just realized it's too dangerous to come out of the radiator since the vacuum cleaner is always right there.
*Blogulator (I thought you might like a shout-out;)- "Murder by Death" is showing at the Uptown in a few weeks...do you want to go with?
Have a good week! And try not to freeze.