Colder Weather is Great, Until Your Apartment Floods

Kimber has problems.

A few mornings ago I noticed that walking around in the carpeted section of my apartment didn't smell so good, and it was making my feet wet. At first I felt like blaming one of the dogs (really blaming Spartacus, since he is the bad one), but after a few exploratory sniffs, I realized it wasn't urine.

This happens every year, but I always manage to forget about it. When it rains or snows very hard, the water seeps in underneath the carpet, causing my apartment to smell like mildew, and my floor to be unpleasantly damp. There's really nothing I can do about it that wouldn't involve a back hoe, so every year I'm stuck pulling things up off the floor, doing my best to keep things dry, and wondering if I'm doing any damage to my respiratory system by constantly breathing in mold or mildew.

There really is no point or lesson to this blog, other than to say that sometimes crappy things happen, and there's really nothing you can do about them. However, those crappy things usually aren't so bad, and may even give you the chance to wear your rain boots with your pajamas, thus giving you the opportunity to play Florida Glades with your dogs (the schnauzers are gators, watch out!)

I Love the Farmers Market

BYU has been hosting a test farmers market over the past few weeks to see if they should hold one full-time next year. It's being held on Thursdays from two till seven until October 14th. Try to go, as higher turn-out means it's more likely they will hold it again next year.

I care so much about the continuation of any farmers market because they are so awesome. I feel healthier just shopping at a farmers market, and the produce is usually organic or heirloom variety (which just means it will probably look uglier, but taste better and contain more nutrients). I also think it's really important to support the local economy by truly shopping locally, and what could be more local than a farmers market?

When I first started going to the farmers market, I was extremely nervous, because one of the things a lot of people tend to like about farmers markets is being able to talk to the farmers. This is good if you want to know where and how your produce was raised, and the best ways to store and prepare it. This is bad if you have extreme social anxiety like I do. Still, after a few shaky tries, I found that most farmers are happy, open people who are enthusiastic about what they are selling and delighted to share information about their produce. I actually learned a lot of really interesting stuff just from a few short conversations, and I now can wander around an open market with much less anxiety than I normally have.

There are two drawbacks to a farmers market. The produce tends to be more expensive, and the times and places the market is hosted are not always convenient. I can't go to a farmers market at two in the morning for a doughnut run, and I find I have to be much more mindful of how I'm spending my money at a farmers market. However, I like that I have to make time for the farmers market. It means that I am more conscious of what I am eating, and the effort it took to produce it. Spending a little more is kind of frustrating, especially as a poor student, but it does feel good to know that my money is staying in the local economy, that I'm supporting people I am getting to know, rather than throwing money at a faceless corporation, and I do get a little bit of a superiority kick out of living my ideals. In short, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

So, in conclusion, I highly encourage everyone that is able to carve out a little extra time, save up a few extra dollars, and head down to their local farmers market, if anything, for their own happiness.

Pictures that I found on this computer

I thought I would remind you guys why we all love Nolan so much.

Learnding is Hard

Kimber gripes, sort of.

Jarret and Devin got an x-box yesterday, along with the new Halo game. This is all well and fine, except for the fact that my video-game experience is limited to about two and a half games of Ms. Pacman I got to play last time I went to Las Vegas.

I come from a very strict family, especially in regards to media. We didn't watch a lot of movies, television was off-limits, and Reader's Digest was the only magazine I was allowed to look at. Video games were strictly off-limits, as they would make us kids both stupid and violent, an admittedly bad combination, but one which likely would not have been the result of a few rounds of Mario.

So, since Devin and Jarret are good and supportive friends, I find myself trying to play video games for the first time ever. Unfortunately, I still have trouble making my avatar move where I want him to, but fortunately, Devin and Jarret are adept enough that they can run around me killing bad guys while I bonk myself in the head trying to turn around so I can get out of a corner.

I don't have a moral or lesson I've learned from this experience, other than learning is hard, though I've found that out on several occasions. And while playing Halo still involves more screaming at the controls than it does screaming at the enemy, I am starting to get the hang of it, and it is really fun. I'm definitely going to let my kids play video games.

A Shout-Out

Kimber shouts.

Hello Nolan in Scotland. I'm sorry I keep missing your calls, but I am glad to hear that you're alive, in an awesome country, and presumably in good health. However, I am a little disappointed in the fact that you have yet to post more videos. We got you that camera for Christmas for a reason, don't you know?

Books to Live By

Kimber thinks the scriptures are important, but she has also found other important knowledge in other books which are not the scriptures and which she will tell you about right now. But seriously, read your scriptures; there's some crazy stuff in there.

Born To Run by Christopher Mcdougall: This book not only told an awesome story about running, but it explains why all people were born to run, and why. It made me, one of the laziest people in the world, start running. So even if you don't want to read it, you know it's convincing.

Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Steel: This book explains, to put it bluntly, why brown people aren't as technologically advanced as white people. Don't worry, it's not racist, but it does explain a lot about a lot. It may be a little academic for some peoples' tastes, but I liked it, so you should too.

Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler: I hated yardwork until I read this book. Alys Fowler is a classically trained gardener who approaches things guerilla style. She's a proponent of dumpster diving, seed gathering, and renters' gardens.

That's all I can think of for now. Look for a part two tomorrow.

Why the Post Office is Awesome

Kimber goes on a happy rant.

I love the United States Post Office. They have friendly, competent workers, they make stamps that are little works of art, and they deliver to and pick up straight from your house. I know that a lot of people hate the long lines, junk catalogs, and occasionally lost piece of mail, but I think this is all part of the adventure. Junk mail can be recycled (and it gives me a David and Goliath feeling to hunt down the right way to get my name removed from the list), long lines give me a chance to people watch without seeming creepy, and lost mail is just an odd thing that happens every now and again, like the bus running early, or my dog chewing up my favorite piece of clothing. Sometimes life has a few speed bumps, but I think they're there to show us what a problem really is, as opposed to an annoyance.

More important than all of that is the sense of importance I get when things come for me in the mail. I love ordering packages online, and getting letters are even better. I'm a little sad about direct deposit, because it means I don't get a paycheck in the mail, but I suppose that's a good thing, because then I don't have to worry about going to the bank in time to cash it. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love getting letters in the mail. It means the person took the time to send me something, even if it's just a post card with a hastily scribbled note on the back, and that they didn't mind getting stamps, putting it in the mail box, or the risk that I might not get it. To me, personal mail means love, which is why I try to send out as many letters as I can.

White Guilt

Kimber doesn't know what to do.

I like to read feministe, a feminist blog which has guest bloggers during the summer. One of these bloggers is Maia, an insightful woman who, while rejecting the use of punctuation and typical editing, has opened my mind up to new points of view. However, though she is showing me a new way of thinking about things, I also find myself dredging up a lot of old anxieties, particularly the one that I am racist.

I have yet to do anything blatantly racist, and I'm pretty sure the few inadvertent racism faux pas I've made have been taken care of (i.e. I've apologized and pinpointed what was wrong with my thinking). Still, I worry that by the very nature of being white, I am oppressing colored people the world over.

Really, this anxiety is making me more racist than anything, because every time I see a person of color I go out of my way to be nice to them, or even just smile at them as I'm passing them on the street. It's a kind of screwed-up personal affirmative action.

I partially blame this on growing up in a primarily white community. I had a few multiracial friends as a child, but that was before my anxiety started to crop up. By the time I was nine, all my friends were white, and they've mostly stayed that way. Thinking about it, I realize I've had several non-white friends, but pointing to them as proof of my non-racism just feels more racist.

Really, this is all terribly egotistical. If anything, I should just accept that possibly I am racist (or at least have racist behaviors). I don't really think this is true, but it is the worst that could happen, so accepting it, resolving to do better, and moving on might be the best course of action I could take. Plus, it would result in less anxiety-related stomach aches.