weekend recap, march 3

1. Afternoon snack | 2. Twilight comes later | 3. Sweet Baby Jesus! | 4. Pie Making | 5. Cookie Making | 6. Traveling Man

As I write this, the weather outside is very unsettled. My friends north of me on the East Coast, and further west of me are already in the thick of it, I imagine. This was a storm whose approach I quietly watched all weekend because I feared that the powers that be would pull the plug on some of the days of Cal's last week of the Page Program. It's a big week. The kids have a reception with the Governor and their Mock Session. So! Much! Stuff! For once I didn't want the snow. Once we passed sometime between 12-3 yesterday, I felt pretty good, and he's off. Trapped there now, I assume. We all hate that it's over.

As for us today. Right now it's blustery and the sky looks leaden. The temperature has dropped two degrees since I got up (and that feels especially weird since it was in the 70s yesterday), and there's first ice (ahem, YIKES) and then snow headed our way. The local weather guys had been downplaying this event a bit, but you guys know I geek out a bit about the weather, I have other sources. By late last night our local guys were catching up.

We're only meant to get a few inches of snow, but it's the ice that'll be a problem. Neel headed into work early with plans to come home before noon, and I'm already planning to cancel a meeting I had this afternoon.

But enough about the weather, right? It's thrilling to me, but I'm sure not to you! What were your feelings about the Oscars? We're still fighting colds here, so we went to bed early, but I'm gonna be honest, aside from a few hot spots it seemed draggy to me. And did it seem like every. single. presenter. was tripping over their words? I wouldn't miss it though. All those sparkly dresses? Violet was in heaven!

five things, february 28

1. I think my pharmacy thinks we're cooking up a meth lab. I bought so many cold meds yesterday that I had to purchase them in two transactions. YIkes! It's for me and my husband, I hastily explained. I don't think she cared. She just wanted me out of there before I needed 911 for lack of oxygen due to the coughing.

2. I think the Seth Rogen story from this week was really interesting. He was on Capitol Hill to testify about his charity to support research into Alzheimer's Disease. Only two senators in the subcommittee he spoke before stayed for the whole testimony and several people, according to Rogen FELL ASLEEP during the meeting. Now to be fair, there were several staffers in attendance, and those are the people Rogen is really speaking to. Congressmen and women are too busy in other meetings. And raising money. Oh, that. Seems a shame doesn't it?

I'm glad Seth Rogen went to congress, and I'm sorry he spoke to a bunch of literal empty chairs. I understand that Alzheimer's has touched his family personally, and I applaud his work. What I wish he'd gotten up to speak about (anyone? any celebrity?) to a roomful of empty chairs was how important it is to fund basic research, including Alzheimer's. That next great discovery? The great finding that cures cancer or limits the march of any other nameless disease will only come with more money put to basic research. But if congress isn't listening to the Alzheimer's talk, they likely won't listen to that one either.

3. I think I'm not sure I can't wait the week until this movie comes out. Wes Anderson, I love you. And seriously, that movie poster? Frame worthy.

4. I think I'm so glad my mom sent me this link from the New York Times. I'd breezed past it when it hit my twitter feed, and having her send it to me made me pause and really look. We talk about these kinds of things a lot, the photographers I hang with. There's all sorts of buzz these days about how our compulsion to photograph every experience causes us to remember less not more. So what happens on vacation? Where's the balance between capturing your memories and enjoying your time away? For photographers, especially. At my photography group we talk about how reluctant we are to pull out our big cameras in favor of our phones. I'm not sure where I fall, but I think about it, especially when I'm traveling, a lot.

5. I think I can't believe next week is the last week of the General Assembly session. Cal graduates next Saturday, and then he's home for good. So bittersweet. In the meantime, Neel and I are going out to dinner every night next week.