Christmas break adventures

Finally sitting down with my coffee and computer in Caleys room in Burlington with a pretty little New England window looking out on to a pretty New England street. I honestly still can't believe we made that flight on Tuesday!! I shall briefly recap the trials and travails we went through to get there. The day began late Monday morning with us waking up to snow and deciding we better leave Durango early so as to make it to Colorado Springs or Pueblo and the airport the next day for our 4pm flight. We ended up leaving town around 1:30, took two hours to get to Pagosa Springs (usually a one hour trip) then sat at the base of Wolf Creek for 3 hours waiting for it to open up, which it never did. We then decided to try going through Chama and Cumbres Pass to Alamosa and up to I-25 from there. Got to Chama about 2 hours later after a horrendous 42 miles in blizzard and slippery roads, tried to head up Cumbres buy got stopped as they were folding down the closed sign due to an avalanche. Had to head back down to Chama, but the wind was so bad we were reduced to going about 10 miles and hour, and stopping every so often do to visibility and also the wipers were freezing up on the windshield. I honestly thought we might be lost in a snow bank. Finally got back to Chama and after trying a few motels, found a room with heat and no bugs or smoke. The next morning we tried making it back to Pagosa but had to turn around due to the extreme possibility of gettng bogged down in the 6-7 inches of snow on the road. Finally we decided to go down through Santa Fe, NM (about 100 miles south of where we were) and then driving up on I-25 through NM. After some snow in Santa Fe and I-25 madness all the way to Las Vegas, we made good time on the flats and go to the airport in time to make the 7pm version of our original flight.
Whew, I'm exhausted just writing about all of it!
The stay with the Botte's was amazing. So much family and good food and beautiful houses and Christmas cheer:)
I'll post a bunch of pics at the end of this entry for some visuals. Lots from my house and some from the Botte Christmas.
Anyway, I'm so happy to finally be in Vermont, and hopefully we'll get to go skiing if the boys ever get off the new wii.
Merry Christmas to everyone!!!
-Megan

Christmas break=week long cold, then fun!!

It's inevitable, the cold following finals stress. Oh well, I'm sure it will be done soon. Caley and Caitlin and I made our way to Durango yesterday, stopping in Silverthorne for some Sunshine Cafe and some outlet shopping. We got a later start than we though, noon instead of 7am, and averaged about 35mph over Wolf Creek, but made it home by around 9:20pm anyway! Durango has a beautiful cover of snow and a distinct Christmasy feeling:) I can't wait to go ski out at Vallecito (hopefully Cold will allow...) and Burger Night on Monday, and traditional Christmas Eve dinner tonight, and gift exchanging and all the wonderful Christmas things we always do.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
-Megan

Imagination Procrastination

So, I think one might be able to tell my level of slacking by the number and frequency of blog posts. I'm sitting in the lovely Cafe Ardour, supposedly preparing for my Vector Biology final exam. I actually got an A on the lab practical portion, which is awesome! Not much I can do to change my grade either up or down at this point. I suppose I could drop it lower significantly, but not increase it all that much. I'm sure I'll end up with a B. Not bad considering I just don't care about the bugs! It's interesting, and the parasitology part was interesting as well, but I just can't be passionate about it like some of the kids in my class. There are two girls in my class (well, three actually) that are entomologists to begin with and Dr. Black loves them, I think he's disappointed that I don't ask more questions and engage in the material. I feel bad about that because he's essentially providing for me the next year and half, but at the same time, I tried to get away from the mosquitoes! I tried to get into another program here at CSU and if fell through, and now I'm suffering for my choice to just stay put where I've been the past four and a half years of my life. I'm trying to get my head around it and have a better attitude since my life situation is pretty sweet, but I end up feeling guilty that I haven't put my best effort into my work because I hate it so much, and end up unhappy about everything!
Oh well, Christmas break is almost here and I will be leaving without looking back. Hopefully to return refreshed and ready to buckle down and get this thing over with!

A fun Christmas Elf Dance for You!

Come one come all to the Megan and Caley disco dance floor!
I think it's only available until Jan. 15th, so look now while you still can, it's hilarious!

-Megan

Elf Movie!

I'm a nerd

Watching The Chronicles of Narnia on t.v. and now inspired to read the books again, for what, the 20th time? :)

Also, have decided to go to the doctor on Monday. I don't really think I have mono, but just in case, better to know now I guess. It's 6:30pm and I think I could easily go to bed and fall asleep for the whole night.

Sweet Sebby is keeping me company on the couch. We both miss Caley who decided late last night to go to Cross Nats. It's a good thing I didn't go just because of finals and this damn fatigue, but still, hard not to feel left out. I can't believe it's already been a year since he went last! I have a lot of those "I can't believe it's been a year since" moments.

One paper and two exams left!

Sooooo Sleepy!

I think I'm going in to hibernation, a very early hibernation brought on by finals stress, no sleep, and a possible iron deficiency. I'll have to ask Caitlin about that supplement she takes and whether it actually helps at all. Oh, another reason for the hibernation is probably the exceedingly messy apartment. I think I'm trying to shut it all out and maybe the brownies will clean it up while I'm asleep.
Things to do this evening include, grocery shopping at SunFlower, dish washing and paper writing. I would like to finish that stupid paper now so I don't have to do it this weekend and can focus on studying for the exam instead. Bah, I just wish I had some energy!

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

Not really, but it is dang freakin cold!! Caley and I met up with Brian and Tara and their Indian friend named, Profulla(sp??) at Avo's for 2 for 1 tempeh burgers. Delish! Now at home, trying to study for that lab final on Thursday. I think I'll be ok on everything except for the mites and perhaps the ticks. I should probably go stop by the open lab tomorrow, could be helpful, but could be not so helpful...we aren't being tested from the teaching collection of bugs, and most of the teaching collection are damaged in some way, so it makes it pretty hard sometimes. In any case, I'll be glad when this lab is over. I would like it a lot more if we actually got to go outside and look at bugs, it gets super old when they're all on slides under a microscope. Also will be glad when the lecture is over, I CAN'T STAND POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS!!! It was the latest and greatest thing like 5 years ago, and now it's all any teacher does, and they SUCK!!! I swear my body has been rewired to fall asleep during powerpoint presentations, no matter what time of day, or what the subject, guaranteed snooze fest for Megan.
In other news, Caley started to blog again, the link for his is.... http://pro1069.blogspot.com/ if you are interested:)
I am finding, the older you get, the more expensive Christmas becomes! Geez Louise! No wonder people get stressed out about the holidays, as a kid you are never aware of all the crazy hustle and bustle and pressure etc...all I want to do is ski and eat food and hang out, (and not spend money) there is now, however, more than one family to worry about getting gifts for! Oh well, it's still true that giving is better than receiving, just that much more giving I guess....:)
Anyway, better go be slightly productive!
-Megan

New Laser Pointer

IT'S SNOWING

And it is so so so pretty! Tiny little flakes of beautiful, Christmas-y, frosty, wonderfulness. I think I must wax the skis tonight or tomorrow and head up to Wyoming for some skiing this weekend.
I will try to take a picture or a video and show the amazing wonderfulness of winter finally coming to Colorado!!!
Love and Happiness and Wintertime feelings,
Megan

Books

Upon entering college five long years ago, I found myself in a strange situation, I could no longer enjoy and feel comfortable reading a book for fun. What a sad and terrible state it is. So, this Christmas break, I have decided, I shall read a book, and not just one book, like 10, or maybe even more, we shall see if I can find something to keep me interested. What you might ask is the catalyst of this crazy desire? An article in the CSMonitor that's what! :)

http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/12/02/best-novels-of-2008/

Click on that! I will use these books as a starting point, maybe jaunt on over to the NPR book list as well,

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96539642

I used to love reading, anyone who knew me back in middle or high school knows I was an intense sort of bookworm. I hope to regain that lovely past time and pursue it the rest of my life. No more of this college-homework-guilt-syndrome!

Maybe I'll even read the Twilight books....wouldn't that be a hoot:)

ciao,
Megan