Tis the Season

After a rainy (well, maybe just drizzly) day, it finally started snowing. A very wet snow, granted, but it's snow.

And so, for just a small moment, things are right with the world.

Bliss

Have you ever seen a panda play in snow? I haven't in person, but I have seen some great videos of pandas playing in the snow, including a new one that just came out this week--good ole Bei Bei made the most of the first snowfall in his neck of the woods. Here's the thing about pandas playing in the snow: there is a lot of tumbling and slipping and wallowing in the snow.* But most of all, there's a lot of sheer pleasure. I don't know how you could possibly be certaian, but they sure look like they are having the best time of their life. It is super hard not to just be happy too when you see a panda playing in the snow.

My favorite panda in the snow video is of the panda at the Toronto Zoo taking on a giant snowman. It's amazing. And I have especially good memories of watching this with each of my two-year old nephews. One was sick and feeling miserable, so I showed him this on my phone and every time that panda fell off the snowman, he just laughed! I can't even count how many times we watched it. But it made him smile, which made everyone feel better. Then I showed it to his cousin a few days later. I wasn't sure I'd ever get my phone back. I think he watched that panda 40 times in a row. And loved it every time. Now I can't watch that happy panda without remembering that cute, sick little two-year old and his cousin enjoying Panda's antics. Happiness points are automatically doubled.

Anyway, to all the pandas out there enjoying snow, thank you. You make the world a better place.


*No joke. They can't get enough of the snow. It's amazing!

Cultured

I had the chance to go to the symphony last week, which was cool. First, the building was amazing, so just seeing that was totally worth it. And the music was good, too. But I did realize that I probably don't quite have the symphonic appreciation that I maybe ought to have.

See, symphonies are not the most visual form of entertainment and my mind kept wandering, only it was wandering with a soundtrack provided by very talented musicians*. This probably wasn't helped by the fact that I was super tired (I know, I'm always tired). Also, there were no distractions--no books, no TV, no tablet, etc.--so my brain really cranked up the thought processes. Clearly, I need to disconnect more often so that instead of cramming 5 million thoughts into a 2 hour symphony concert, my brain can present them to me on a more regular and manageable basis.

But when you think about it, it's pretty cool that we still have symphony concerts. I mean, this was THE entertainment for people up until about 100 years ago. There was no radio, no TV, nothing like that. To hear music, they had to go to concerts. And we still do that, even though we have all these other ways to access music. It's pretty awesome!

Also, the conductors are really fun to watch. My friend sent me this TED talk by Itay Talgam about how conductors lead and it was fascinating to see the different styles. I found myself watching the conductor at the symphony and  it was super interesting. The first numbers--Bach and Boulez--he was very hands off. At certain parts, you might have thought an audience member was standing on stage to get a better view, because it was all very laid back. But the second part, Copland, it was almost like watching a dancer. I kind of wondered if it was a different conductor (but the program says no) because it was such a different style--very involved, very engaged. It was cool to watch.

And I learned that there is such a thing as a piccolo trumpet and a piccolo violin. Who knew? So you can see it was a very educational experience. Even with the wandering mind and sleep head.

*I have learned 4 different musical instruments in my life and have never come close to being that good. I did have a moment of inferiority syndrome/what am I doing with my life? I am all around average but I can't think of a single thing I really excel at. Is that a bad thing? Or are we all good with this? Anyone else out there a well-rounded average soul?

Trade-offs

This week a colleague and I were talking about the brave souls who came west in the mid-1800s and maybe just the past in general. Or maybe we were talking about the present and all the madness that's going on (seriously, peeps, the world has lost its mind!). I don't even remember, which shows something, I'm sure, but the important thing is that during this conversation, I mentioned that if it is a trade-off between crazy today and going back 175 years to no indoor plumbing, I'll take today.

Does the "Internet"* drive me nuts at least fifty percent of the time? Yes. Do I want to blush and put on those fake glasses with the nose and mustache attached almost every time anything comes out of the DC government? Pretty much. Do I want to pull my hair out every time we hook up another appliance (say, a vacuum cleaner) to the internet and give it artificial intelligence? ABSOLUTELY (why? Why does my vacuum need the internet? Or a pseudo brain? Why?!?!?!)

But, I do like the internet**, mostly. And I LOVE indoor plumbing. And planes. And grocery stores, where I can buy cheese, rather than having to work on a farm and make it myself (although I can see some attraction to that. Not enough to wish I lived in the 1850s, though). So, if the trade-off to having all of these things is the 24 hour news stations and selfies and WAY too many memes, I guess that's okay.*** I know how to avoid that and just get the good stuff I want.

And it definitely beats outhouses.


*"Internet" being the version of the internet that has been anthropomorphized into some sort of actual person/entity. As in, "The Queen did such and such and the Internet lost its mind." Or, "Suzy Q wore such and such on the red carpet and the Internet can't get enough of it." Can we make the "Internet" not a thing?
**the internet: "the global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to link devices worldwide". Thank you, Wikipedia. The internet is pretty great. 
***As long as they don't force me to view all this stuff. 

These things happen

I am sitting at home listening to Christmas music.

I am fully aware that it is barely November*. I know that Christmas is 2ish months off. I know there are standards for these things.

But today needed Christmas music. Needed.

There is a part of my brain that thinks if I look outside there will be snow and lights, but considering it rained yesterday and sprinkled (in the absolute sprinkliest of sprinkly ways) today, well, maybe it's no wonder I need Christmas music.**

But don't worry, I won't decorate the tree for at least a week.

*although, given the way time is functioning these days, tomorrow will be December, so it's fine, right?
**It could also have to do with the fact that I really just can't wait to go visit family for Christmas. Maybe I just really really need time with the kiddos. I think I need a vacation.