Forget Boston in the fall! Let's talk Boston in the Spring! And new journeys!

(Waiting in the wee, cold hours of the morning for the darn Brits to attack. They finally did.)


I'm serious! Boston in the spring puts Boston in the fall to shame! You have never experienced the trees blooming like this! A world of fluffy colors all around! And Magnolias - my favorite! And the colonial day reenactments? So much fun!

And then there's Vermont, wherein lie the quaintest, pleasantest places to visit! Never mind that there's still snow - it is beautiful. And in case you were wondering, I get to live in it (Vermont) for two months this summer. It will be splendid.

I love having set a goal of doing "firsts" - because firsts pop up around the corner all the time! Going to Vermont - a first. Visiting the birthplace of a prophet of God - a first. Seeing a squirrel with an acorn in his mouth - a first. Arising at 2:30 a.m. to watch the British soldiers beat down the poor colonists in Lexington (but don't worry - they get stopped in Concord! And we win the war!) - a first. I'm having a blast. Now, if I could just get the terrifying firsts out the way that are looming over me - writing two 25+ page papers. (BIG sigh.)

Loving life - and needing more time in which to enjoy it. But so very grateful. I have been so blessed. Enjoy the pics of my latest adventures!

Today's Reasons to Love Living in Boston

Despite the loveliness of fall, and the (initially charming and truly abundant) snow of winter, I think that spring, particularly April, is shaping up to be my favorite time of year in Boston. Hmmm...maybe I just love whatever season I'm in. I tend to feel that way about wherever I live. But I am LOVING the spring weather. I say this after months of bitter cold weather, including inside my house, where utility costs are such that we couldn't keep the heat above 55, and even a not-so-warm spring, to date. But all the cold sure does make the warm spring breeze all that much more invigorating and appreciated!

Now, let us remember that spring means end of the semester, which, of course, means high (really high at the moment) levels of stress. But the stress of tomorrow just can't overpower the beauty and joy of today - and I mean that literally, not just figuratively. There is nothing like walking the lovely streets of Boston in the spring. They really are picturesque! And I'm not speaking with the tourist gaze anymore (but maybe still with the wonder of an out-of-towner).

So, picture this (my afternoon): driving home from church, windows down, warm breeze blowing in. Stopped briefly at a rotary (turn-about - Boston's full of 'em), and the breeze carries in the sound of penny whistle and snare drums. A glance to the right reveals the source: up on the hill of the lit

tle Powder House Square park is a small group of coloni

al militia-men practicing their demonstration for the upcoming Patriot's Day celebrations. You ignore the grumbling tummy and pull over to climb the hill and take a closer look. You talk with some of the reenactors, wearing period clothing, who explain various aspects of colonial life, particularly that leading up to the Revolution.

That's part A. Part B: After a quick meal of yesterday's leftovers, it's time for a Sabbath stroll with a good friend. Again, gentle breeze, trees budding, some blooming. Any walk in Boston is full of classical architecture, lovely (usually historic homes), and often small lakes the locals call ponds. Today is no exception. You join up with Minuteman Trail and bask in the sunshine. Down the trail a bit is Spy Pond.

You sit for a bit on some granite steps next to the water (granite is everywhere in Boston - steps, curbs, fence posts). Light scatters every direction from the tiny waves, and in the middle of the lake some canoers glide along silently. On the way back, you are passed by 2 or 3 different groups of unicyclists. The trees are lovely.

Finally, Part C: You've been invited to enjoy a dinner of Boston-baked Beans with some friends at a family's home. Boston-baked beans! And good company - and both were delightful.

Sometimes I ponder on things, and I wonder why I am so blessed. Really, I don't deserve it. And I've been truly blessed lately. Not just today, but really, almost every day. (I need to pick up a small journal for me to carry around and write down all my little blessings along the way, because they're so many!) On Friday, I went to Harvard Hillel (for those of you who, like myself until Friday, don't know what Hillel is, it's an organization named after a 2nd-century rabbi, Hillel; it's the Jewish college student organization, on most campuses all over the states) for their Sabbath meal, and then a meeting with Mark Paredes. He is basically a self-proclaimed Mormon-Jewish ambassador who works to strengthen ties with Mormons and Jews. He spoke about the relationship between Mormons and Jews, and it was fantastic. Later I was able to speak a bit with him, and he is a great person for me to know. And I found out where I can attend a Seder dinner (for Passover), and made some great Jewish friends. What a great night! The Lord keeps putting experiences and people in my life that inspire me, and open doors. I suppose I'll just keep walking through until I stumble upon what He has prepared for me.

Those, my friends, are my thoughts. I'm so undeserving of these blessings, but I am truly grateful for them. As this school year winds down, I can hardly believe that a year ago I was grappling with the decision to come here. It was a tough one. But the right one. Now I am here - driving places without a GPS (sometimes), and loving life, in between the tough days of school. I love Boston. I do. I love the passion for life, and for their heritage, that New Englanders share. I love the woods, and the culture, and the history, and SPRING! And now, I'm going to bed. I will probably not feel this sense of well-being in a few days - it's going to be a tough few weeks of paper writing and studying and overall sleeplessness, but today was the blessing. Today is spring.

p.s. The picture to the right, of the blooming tree framing the statue of Mary - that was taken last year at this time. By myself.

Spring is in the air!

I want you to look at the title of this post, then sing it to yourself (out loud is preferable) to the tune of "Love is in the air" from "Strictly Ballroom", and then maybe do a little dancing. Then you will get a bit of a feeling for how I feel as I look out the window (an incredible view from the 3rd story of the tallest building on the highest hill in Waltham) onto the nearly snow-free grass and sidewalks. No more taking my life in my hands as I make a left turn - I can now see over the melted snowbanks; no more gingerly stepping onto (or, sometimes, to my dismay, into) 3-4 ft. snow piles just to get across the road to the next sidewalk; and (the most exciting all), no more driving down a 2-way street, to find that it has become a 1-way, simply because 2 cars won't fit with all the snow piled on both sides. Yes, my friends, SPRING IS IN THE AIR! I know they say that Boston in the fall is lovely, but Boston in the spring is a Heaven-sent release from cold, harsh winter.

I am pleased to report that I have not participated in any of my own melting this time around. I am quite composed. In fact, I'm feeling pretty good - about as good as a person who has been doggy paddling to keep her head afloat for several weeks can feel. But I have not drowned yet! If I get my papers done at the end of the semester, I will crawl up onto the beach from the deep waters of my study, and I will smile and perhaps dance.

Speaking of dancing, I went to the funnest dance I think I have ever been to. If you know me, you know that dancing is not my forte. Not by a long shot. Not blessed with grace or flexibility. But I went to an activity of combined YSA wards (we have the best activities out here!) called "The Cotillion." Now, to those of you who, like myself, have no idea what a cotillion is, don't worry, I still don't. I do know it is somehow associated with "Pride and Prejudice" style gatherings/dances. We were invited to dress for the period, but didn't have to (I didn't, sadly), and we had an instructor teaching us various dances (yes, some like P&P) to do in groups, and some more like an American hoedown (Virginia Reel), and some Irish. The Irish nearly did me in! My legs and feet were sore, but my spirit happy. Why don't we still do these kinds of things in our culture? They are so much more fun and engaging than our lame dancing of today. Another mystery of pop-culture I will never understand.

Speaking of things I don't understand, I must get back to the studies (OK, I understand most of it - the problem is finding time...). Midterm tomorrow, you see. Wish me luck!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, after last week's tears, I think it only fitting that I ignore the hours of reading I should be doing (and the paper that I have to turn in tonight that I haven't even begun to write) and tell you all about my happy "Pink Night".

Two Sundays ago a very pleasant young man in my ward (though none of us are young in the traditional, "in our 20's" sense) invited me to dinner. I was delighted to come to dinner, and asked what I could bring, assuming it was a group of us getting together. He said he'd get back to me. He did get back to me, but never told me what to bring. I received instead a delightful (dare I say "cute," in relation to anything created by a man?) internet invitation inviting me to "Pink Night." So, I brought chocolate no-bake cookies. It turned out to be a date - and a very pink one.

He met me at my car and walked me up to his apartment where I found the table set for four (his roommate and a date were joining us), with pink name cards in front and pink, hand-made valentine cards on the plates. In the middle was a plate of hand-dipped chocolate-covered cherries (which, it turned out, his mother had made and sent him). I quickly realized my chocolate cookies would not go with the theme at all. I should have paid more attention! Even the soap in the bathroom was pink!

We ate dinner: Pink Lady apples with cheese for an appetizer, salad with a pink salad dressing, pink salmon with pomegranate sauce (and, oh, it was exquisite!), and pasta with a "pink" marinara sauce (and by "pink" I mean it was really rather orange). Later we stood around the piano and sang primary songs, after which we had strawberry smoothies (which I proceeded to spill down my front) and chocolate cookies. And about all the chocolates our little tummies could take. So much for my personal ban on sugar! But this major leap off the wagon was worth it!

As we left, the boys gave us each a pink rose and walked us to our cars. I don't remember the last time I was treated with such thoughtfulness - ever - but especially for Valentine's Day. I felt like a queen (even with strawberry shake down my front). I feel very grateful.

Some of our conversation that night revolved around "the privilege to wait" - by which they were talking about how challenging it is for all of us (the boys brought it up) to wait for the promises of the Lord, but how so many of the Lord's chosen had to wait (Abraham and Sarah for Isaac, Isaac for Rebeccah, Jacob for Rachel, Joseph in Egypt, etc.), but they did find joy in the promises of the Lord, and saw those promises fulfilled. With men like these two out there waiting too, I believe it will be worth the wait. And in the meantime, I sure am glad I have such great friends! I hope everyone out there, with a valentine or not, shares much love today.

More melting - myself and the snow

So, remember my last meltdown? Well, three days later I experienced another, related one. Bigger, more public, and more disastrous than the last. What is this world coming to when Amber can't get a hold of herself - and over stupid Massachusetts car registration!? It was a simple matter of finding out that I couldn't get a Brandeis parking pass until my car was registered (which meant I wouldn't be able to park on campus the next day...which meant either I take public transportation at my own expense, try to convince the guard at the gate to give me a day pass...again); having no time the entire week to complete said registration; finding out that if I drove my car with an expired registration (expiring the day in question), I could be fined $1000 and have my car impounded; and, finally, that I was going to have to miss my most important classes that day to go get it taken care of. I had no other option. I was frustrated and angry at the absurdity of the situation, and anger always turns to tears for me.

There I was, trying to figure out how to explain to my professors that I had to miss their classes to register my car (which has to be one of the lamest excuses anyone could possibly come up with), when I saw one of those professors - the one I most want to impress, no less - walking toward me. He greeted me, and I burst into tears. Sobbing, really. Could hardly put a sentence together. I got out something about not being able to attend class today, and he awkwardly put his hand on my shoulder, surely thinking someone had died, and asked what was wrong. I could only sputter, "I can't get my car insured!" He fumbled for something to say to console me, assured me we would meet soon and discuss it over coffee, and hurried into the building. I, on the other hand, desperately looked for some place, any place, where no one could see me crying like this. I stepped behind another building and took my frustration out on the snow, kicking it savagely over and over. And boy, I sure wanted to swear! I had just made a fool of myself in front of my professor! I looked like a complete emotional wreck, in no means capable of dealing with the demands of academia! But no foul words escaped my mouth. I was in control enough to know that I couldn't justify letting loose. I'm such a weirdo!

BUT, you'll be glad to know that I am now the proud owner of Massachusetts license plates (along with new insurance), and I even made back for one of my classes. The rest of my week went much better. In fact, on Saturday, my tummy full of goodies (I allow myself to eat sugar on my free day), I had an overall feeling of well-being and happiness. Is this PMS? I've never really felt moody, or at least not in control of it, before, but perhaps it gets worse with age.

In celebration of getting over that stupid day, I have decided to write my top 10 list of my favorite things about Boston in the WINTER. OK, some of them may be sarcastic:

10. Snow, snow, and more snow (which could also be found on a list of most hated items as well).
9. Melting snow that creates small ponds and rivers in the streets and sidewalks, and then freezes at night, leaving a death trap (slickest ice imaginable) for all drivers and pedestrians unfortunate enough to be out and about early in the morning.
8. Bundling up.
7. Hot chocolate (agave cocoa on regular days, the real deal on Saturdays).
6. Snow days!
5. Cream of Wheat for breakfast - really do love it!
4. Frozen rain/snowmelt droplets on tree branches, electric cables, etc., looking like (and surely, the actual visual effect from which tree twinkle lights sprang) millions of Christmas lights ontemple square, everywhere, and even better!
3. Driving! Seriously, Boston roads in the winter are nothing less than an adventure. I think it should be a video game - dodging pot holes, parked cars taking up half the road (because the snow took their spot); two-way roads that turn into one-way roads (again, the snow took up the space) so you have to back up and let the other guy by half the time; left-turn and right-turn only lanes that show up out of nowhere, so you end up driving down a straight road in a weaving pattern just to keep going straight; snow banks that prevent you from seeing if a car is coming at any small intersection, so you just gun the gas and hope for the best (so far, so good). And this just doesn't do it justice!
2. My new heating blanket. Ahhh.
1. Being told by a native New Yorker that I'm a good driver - and by that, she meant that I was not afraid of doing what it takes to get around. Always knew I had that adventurous driver side to me!

So, there we are. Now, off to drive!

The meltdown - and not referring to the snow

No, don't worry - the snow is still high and deep, and, like Visa (or is it American Express?), it's everywhere you want to be. I, on the other hand, am not where I want to be (as in, I have gotten NONE of the homework done I needed to today), and have had a bit of a meltdown. Minutes ago I just erupted into crying, and wandered around the house with tears and snot running down my face, wondering why in the world I was crying. Really. I have had big Amber dramatic crying moments before, mind you, but I could usually attribute it to a specific frustration. This time it came out of nowhere. The catalyst was simply the issues I'm having getting my car registered in Massachusetts (which truly is proving to be a trial, and I don't have time to do it another day - heck, I didn't have time today, but it had to be done because it expires Monday!).

Maybe it's the winter blues people always talk about (but here it's the whites! for snow, of course), maybe it's PMS, which I never thought I was victim to, but I think it has bared its ugly face more and more over the last few years, and maybe it's just that I'm overwhelmed and can't deal with even normal things anymore. Maybe it's all of them. Whatever the case, I'm a mess today. I feel not smart enough, not well-read enough, not dilligent enough (which is part of both of the preceding issues), and not of much contribution in this world at the moment. I'm so out of my league, and don't know how to keep up!

Don't worry, I'll be OK - in fact, I'm fine now. But I sure do think I'm a bit nuts! But let's talk about the snow, as it is a major part of my life now. I drove past a snow dump yesterday. Apparently snow removal businesses literally fill dump trucks up with snow from parking lots and dump it there - and it's a huge, parking-lot size space, completely full with about 80-100 ft. mounds of snow! And a caterpillar trailer on top smoothing it down - just like at a garbage dump. Crazy!

This morning I spent a good half hour digging out my car. On the passenger's side, the snow came up to the roof of the car, so I didn't even try to dig there. But, using a snow shovel, I dug out the driver's side and back, and used the shovel to get all the snow off my hood. Apparently, people carry snow shovels in their cars for just such reasons. I think I need to start! But the problem is where to put it! The roads are like luges (is that how it's spelled?), lined with 5 ft. of snow. It's quite a challenge turning into your driveway! Or backing out (which usually takes me 6-7 little shuffling moves to get turned the right direction) - not to mention when another car needs to pass the other way. You have to find an empty spot, pull into it, and let them pass.

And apparently this is only the beginning of the season. I really can't fathom where all the snow is going to go! It doesn't melt in between! Just keeps getting higher and higher! I feel like I'm living in the mountains, not at sea leve. I didn't realize anywhere in the U.S. was like this, let alone Boston! But, I do enjoy the snow, and it's beautiful, so I just have to remember that as I grumble about how long it takes to dig out and drive anywhere.

All I can say at the moment is, let's hope tomorrow is more productive than today! If it's not, I may be on a fast track to failure.

Boston streets, January drizzle, and Karl Marx

Ignore my delightful pictures of crawling into the snow/rock cave at Donut Falls, and first answer this question (then look to your heart's content). What do streets in Boston, yucky January drizzle, and Karl Marx all have in common? Nothing - except that they are all an annoying part of my life at the moment! Even with the GPS (and thank goodness for it, or there would be no hope at all!), navigating the streets in Boston - I think they are like a big pot of spaghettie noodles that someone dropped all over the ground and called them streets - is like a bad dream. Sometimes it makes me wonder if I'm in some kind of dream world like the movie Inception. I can't ever orient myself! And, come to think of it, I woke from a dream yesterday morning to find that I was still in a dream! It was rather distressing - my hair (in the dream) was damp from sweat, and all matted and curly, and I didn't have time to shower. Hmmm...anyway. It has been an adventure, to say the least.

Now, if you've kept up with the news, you know that Boston has had more than its share of snow this year. This is true. But snow is infinitely better than its wet, sniveling cousin, rain drizzle! But get the two of them together, and it's disaster! Nasty, cold weather, with constant drizzle, melting snow that contributes to the huge puddles (and I mean huge, and right where you can't walk around them, because of the 4-ft. piles of snow!), and overall stupid weather conditions for January!

Surprisingly, I'm actually in quite a good mood. This may be because I finally deposited my student loan check, and now have more than a dollar in my bank account. Or because I'm eating cashews - that always has a positive effect on my mood. But I think the reason is two-fold. First, a girl I tutored briefly in the Writing Center last semester stopped me on campus today to tell me that she specifically wanted me to tutor her writing class (I saw the job posting, but I really don't think I can squeeze in anymore this semester). It was very flattering and nice to know I'm of some help. Second, I just finished my classes for the day, and I'm really going to like them all. It's going to be tough - no way around it. And I mean, I tough! Hundreds of pages to read each week (and I'm a painfully slow reader! At least for the academic world), some major papers to write (I'll have written somewhere between 50-100 pages of research by May 10 or so), etc. But the topics are so interesting! I have never taken sociology before, but I should have! I like it! And History of Israel! So cool! I'm definitely in the right place!

Speaking of the right place, did you know that I am at the best school in the world for Israel Studies? How did I manage that!? I didn't - not even a little. Heavenly Father did. I feel so blessed. I just have to talk myself into appreciating the salad I had to satisfy myself with for dinner. Oh, and go read 100 pages of Karl Marx by Monday. Yeah, life is good.