Fieldwork

As an anthropologist, I'm drawn to make initial conclusions regarding my new environment in as I seek to gain rapport with the native population.  Here's what I have so far:

• People in Colorado drive very slowly.  I noticed all the more because I just moved from Utah where you are going too slow if you aren't 10+ over the speed limit (not me, of course; I'm too afraid of getting a ticket).  I understand if traffic or the weather is bad, but when there are only four cars on a sun-drenched four lane highway?  They must not be in a hurry to go anywhere.  I feel like a speed racer as I zoom by people at the speed limit.

• Little boys are much different house-mates than 20-something girls.  I forget what it's like to live with small children.  It's exhausting, especially since I'm the novelty, so they are always checking to see what I'm doing.  If it looks boring, they want to play basketball instead.  (If we could harness the energy of small children we wouldn't have an energy crisis.)

• Colorado is NOT in a drought.  It has rained every day but 3 I think since I arrived.  And it snowed 3 inches my first or second day of work.  I have learned that many people keep a jacket, ice scraper, and umbrella in their cars year-round.  I now do too.

• "Parking management" has its own language, which I am slowly learning.  I now know what "process this application for JC, send an AR to Marlene and then lets go check the booth at Wynkoop after you scan the BD" means.

• Three-year-olds also have their own language.  I am not learning it slowly.  Or at all.  I usually defer to a translator.

• Singles Wards are all the same.  Going to the ward here has been the easiest transition for me to adapt to.  First day at church I found the guy who sits in front and answers all the questions in Sunday School, the very eligible nice-guy in a position of authority who nobody seems to know why is still single, the funny-man and his entourage, the bubbly RS president who already remembers my name, the wife of a counselor with a hobby of setting up single people, and the handful of chill people who are ready to adopt me as an insider.  Per usual, every meeting starts 10 minutes late, and the "cool" people don't get there for another five.  I'm still that new girl who seems nice and goes to activities, but not everyone has met or remembers my name.  It's a label I can handle.  I like being new because you always have an excuse if you don't know what is going on.  "I'm new" inspires both compassion and curiosity, both excellent ice breakers.

Announcements

No, not that kind of announcement.  I'll prepare you better before that happens. Speaking of marriage, I was with family all weekend so I got that question a lot.  Not as much as I used to get.  Maybe they are giving up on me.  Or graduation overshadowed my singlehood this time.  Haha, that reminds me of a story.  My little brother and I had a conversation this weekend.  It went like something like this:

     little brother: So are all those guys at BYU idiots?
     me: Apparently.  Guys don't go for girls who aren't staying around.
     little brother: That's dumb.
     me: Well, what would you do if you liked a girl but she was moving away in a week?
     little brother: Change her mind.

Good answer, little brother.  I gave him a high five and assured him of future success in life and marriage with that attitude.

Yes, I'm moving away from Utah.  That's one of the real announcements.  My brother Luke offered me a job with his company in Denver and I accepted.  Now that I'm done with school and nobody has really tried to "change my mind", there's no reason to stay around here.  I'm moving to Colorado next weekend and start the job in one week from today.  I don't know anything about Denver except that everyone likes it.  That's encouraging.

The other announcement is connected to the reason I was with family all weekend.  Twelve days ago I took my last final ever.  Then I went home triumphant until my mom called to tell me my Aunt Gayle had passed away on a humanitarian trip to Tonga.  It was shocking and terrible, but we're ok.  She's ok.  Uncle Gary's ok.  Isn't it so nice how we can be ok because of what we know?  I love that.  I've felt really peaceful and good about the whole situation despite the tragedy.  It's sort of weird, to be ok about it, but I know she lived a great life and is still doing good where she is now.  The hard part is learning to live without her.  But even in that department there have been miracles to reward our faith.

One blessing is I got to see all my immediate family but Josh this weekend as we traveled to Rigby, Idaho, for Aunt Gayle's memorial service.  My mom got us hotel rooms and all the siblings had to share two rooms.  No additional deaths or major altercations = another miracle.  (We love each other, but sometimes we love better from a distance.)  Under the circumstances, it was a nice weekend of fellowship and comfort.

Uncle Gary and Aunt Gayle are both from Coeur d'Alene originally, so the local paper did a nice story on Gayle.  You can read it here if you want more details.