Thursday, January 31, 2008

confessions of an arizonan heart

i can't believe i'm admitting this to myself let alone to the world wide web but i think i'm actually beginning to enjoy the snow. maybe it's because this realization came while i was sitting inside my car after just working out and the endorphins were at an all time high along with my body temperature so i was oblivious to the fact that my heater is horrible and my car was an icebox. nevertheless, i have actually looked upon the snow these past few days and have smiled. (my usual reaction is a big huge "OH CRAP! I HATE THIS PLACE" so believe me a smile is an improvement) yes i wear the exact same outfit every snow day (black hoodie, black jacket, black tights - i can't remember the last time i only wore jeans with nothing under them, jeans, and rainboots) and yes it takes longer to walk to class and yes you have to plan to leave 40 minutes early to go anywhere just in case you have to scrape the frozen ice from your windshield but all in all it's starting to blow my mind!

now i thought i was truly loving the snow but then i had to walk home in it as it was pelting me from all different directions and suddenly i couldn't remember why i ever thought falling frozen water was ever a good thing. so i've made a list of pros and cons to help me remember.


PROS:
*learning to drive in it is a huge accomplishment for me! this pic is of my actual first time EVER driving in snow. i made my roommate come with me so i wouldn't die and if i did she would go down with me. we live to tell the tale.

*it has made me a pro at driving with my knees (who wants to hold a frozen steering wheel?!)




*when it snows at night everything around you lights up. it's the most peaceful experience walking out into complete silence with everything around you coated in a fresh never been touched blanket of white cotton. it amazes me every time. (camera phone pic. i promise it looks better from the natural eye)






*you get lovely sights like this









CONS:
*sometimes your car looks like this.









*and the windshield always looks like this. (it's against the law not to scrape your windows but sometimes it just takes SO LONG so i'll scrape just enough (about a 6" x 6" square) to see out of and at the time this seems like a good plan until i start driving and realize i still can't see anything around me. an adventure of the not so good kind.)

*walking through it. to school. to church. to the grocery store. to your friend's house. never. ever. a. good. idea.






*it gets cold. really really cold. and my arizonan heart just can't take it.

8 comments:

chelsea :: stock said...

ah now see... thats why I like the northwest. we had one day of snow, then it was gone. a little slushy the next day, but mostly gone. I just avoided leaving the house for one day and that was that. It makes it a little easier on our arizona selves.

you should live here instead.
please.

Myke said...

No, Afton, no! Don't let those endorphins deceive you! Honestly, when you've been home during an AZ winter, rocking shorts and a t-shirt in January, other than that one night last winter, when have you ever wished for snow? I think "never" would be the appropriate answer. Sure, the snow can be pretty (when it's not all ugly and black, piled up on the side of the road), and sledding, skiing, and snowboarding is fun, but, don't kid yourself, is it really worth it? I think we both know the answer to that question. You know what your heart is telling you, and when is your heart ever wrong?

Camille said...

I'll feel bad for you when your little temperature dashboard widget starts showing a little minus sign in front of those numbers.

But props for posting--I could hardly believe my good fortune when I clicked on your blog!

Jami said...

afro...you are crazy for living there...I thought I was going to freeze to death the last couple of days becasue it was raining! AND my thoughts match camille, I love that you are posting again!

Amy Jo Nelson said...

Oh man AFT. You know that I understand everything you said. I feel like I wrote it (weird though... because i didn't). Especially the part about never wearing just jeans anymore with out some type of thermal under them. Oh and not to mention the FREEZING cold walks to dang campus. BUT I also related with the part about everything lighting up at night- it really is quite enchanting (sigh). Honestly... what will i do when you follow your arizonan heart and leave me here all alone?

Unknown said...

aftoooon. last week i was walking to my classes and it was really windy and raining, and i was like "this is the coldest i've been in a really long time".. and then i was like.. i'm at ASU. so i quit complaining.

and i'd tell you to come home, but who am i to say that when my top law school i'm shooting for is in freakin Chicago?

kayleen said...

pro...you don't live at home.

con...your home is utah. gross.

Geevz said...

Amen sister. I think you should add to your pro list cold weather clothes (maybe you need more of them). Sweaters, scarves, gloves, and long sleeve layers in a variety of colors pretty much rock. And then I also have a nice little place in my heart for textured tights and sexy boots. But the stupid ice scraping morning ritual is enough to make me scream if I don't have some jams loud enough to hear through the closed car doors. Good luck with the winter!