More Winter

I tend to be relatively inconsistent with updating social networks. To some extent, it's impossible to actually be consistent, whether it be by year (exercising resolutions, anyone?), by week (like YouTube), or (like twitter) by day. In order to try to make more consistent updates, I don't publish movies I make right once they're done rendering on iMovie--instead I wait a week or so. I queue my posts on Tumblr, and I save posts as drafts on this blog. 

And since I'm not sure exactly when this will go up, today is Sunday January 22. On Friday the evening of January 20, it snowed, and due to the freezing temperatures, the snow hasn't gone away that much. It didn't snow that much in the first place, but any snow transforms the world I see each day from a blank winter canvas to a majestic and mysterious winter canvas.

In winter I'm much more creative in everything than I am throughout spring, summer, and autumn. I think the content I produce on YouTube, my tumblr, and this blog also varies depending on the season. Also, I'm more motivated to do work, such as getting work done that isn't due for one month. And I enjoy doing it.

I took these photos in 32 F weather with a light sweater, no undershirt, and thin pajama pants. It was very enjoyable, even though I was shivering. And the ice was pretty.

Snowy Thoughts

Last night, Friday, I got on the bus to Ski Club with very low expectations. I was expecting to have a horrible time, get hurt, almost cry, and write an angry blog post about my experience. I'm so glad that this didn't happen. I, using mental techniques, learned to ski extremely fast and efficiently, and had a good time skiing. Luckily, enjoying the skiing is the part that used to get me nervous, so I am not at all nervous for next weeks Ski Club. The social part, while I'd rather not have it, is easy to handle. So, Ski Club was much better than I expected it to be.

Two years ago, it had snowed over a foot by this time of year, but this (school) year, it has snowed about one inch all together. One inch in October and maybe 1/5 inch throughout December. Last night, on the bus back from Ski Club, I noticed snow on the highway. Once we arrived back to the school at 11:00pm, heavy snow was falling. I love snow, and while I wish it had chosen a day when we had school the next day (so we could have the day off), this one inch of snow was a nice treat.

Cue PhotoBooth picture of the snow. 

Also, I hit 1.3 million points in Temple Run having had it for less than a week--I accomplished this on a moving bus.

And my camera has a problem where no sound is recorded...almost as if the mic isn't working. So sadly, I'll have to be taking my camera into a shop soon.

I'm definitely looking foward to more snow, more skiing, and more cake.

Haircuts + Waffles

Free Fallin'

The video might help.

On the eve of Christmas, 2011 AD, I visited 'Great Falls', a small nature reserve near my house that holds a canal, many trees, and the rapids of a thriving river. On the day we were there, the temperature was approximately 40 degrees (F), making for a pleasant experience of walking the woods in a sweater. And so I walked--not too far, but by observing the minimally polluted park, it seemed like a much longer, excuse-for-exercise type of walk.

In order to be (practically) in the rapids, you must cross a dirt path, a canal (avec un pont), and another pathway. The canal is, as most canals are, usually filled with water. But this time, there was no water in the canal. The retired ferry that usually wades in the mirky water was docked on a raised platform, forcing me to conclude that the drainage was done purposefully--most likely to protect the canal and it's housings from ice damage in the coming winter. But for all the years I've been going here, the park services have never drained the water. HUMPHH.

But alas, I crossed the canal and arrived to the falls. In order to get the full 'falls experience' you most definitely should walk across the thin bridge and feel the rush of the rapids. It's always been the most exciting way to experience the rapids, and I crossed the various bridge for the 1zillionth time. 

Once over the various small bridges (took two minutes), there is a large, more open viewing platform in which I saw the sky at its best.

The most visually amazing part of this viewing platform is seeing the widest angle of the river, as well as the trees of Virginia. The water looks so shallow and innocent, but it isn't, at all. (First hand rafting experience. Lost my Croc--remember those?)