joyful and triumphant

Is it honestly already December 28? Crazy! Well, it's certainly been a fantastic holiday season for me. Finishing up with school was a pretty stressful task, but once I had that behind me I was able to get into the holiday spirit and celebrate the season with the people I love.

Before heading down to Oregon for the holiday I spent an evening with my favorite Seattle niece and nephew. We ate peppermint bark and drank hot chocolate, decorated a paper Christmas tree and played hide-and-go-seek behind the real tree. It brought a smile to my face when my nephew told me that Santa was coming soon and that he'd recently sat on his lap and asked for a remote control race car for Christmas. It reminded me of the whole fascinating idea of Santa Clause, of the 'Santa myth', of the beloved figure who has withstood the test of culture and time. I find it utterly enchanting. Even in a child as young as my nephew, I can see that his firm belief in such an endearing and powerful figure is boosting his mental and social development. This belief is teaching him fantastical thinking, generosity and the advantages of good behavior. To a child, receiving a gift from Santa is far more special than receiving it from a parent because they've received it from this benevolent hero who uses his special power to give to every child in the whole world. This is so special! And someday, through his own investigation, reasoning and intelligence, Cam will discover the truth and his mind will no longer have the capacity for faith in such a fantastic manifestation. But I can guarantee that he will often remember the importance that Santa held in his life, just like every Christmas I remember the importance he held in my life.

Anyway, after I left the awesome state of WA I made my way down to Portland to visit my Dad. He actually just bought a house in Vancouver and it's absolutely perfect. Nice neighborhood, cute yard, hot tub, fancy new TV, etc. And in the two or three days that I was there I did so much shopping. It has become tradition that I help my Dad shop for everyone. He never knows what to get for his kids, grandkids, etc. so we always go together and I end up pretty much getting to pick out gifts for everyone without actually paying for them myself. Then, my sister came to down for a day to finish up her Christmas shopping. She ultimately drug me all over God's green earth, but it was so fun! I wouldn't have chosen to spend those days any other way. Plus, while we were out and about, my niece and I took a picture of our shoes and concluded that we are, in fact, sole mates...Eventually I made my way over to Astoria, where I spent the remainder of the week and weekend. I was able to relax, spend time with my mom and my nieces, eat lots of sugar, decorate the tree and just generally have a good time. Slowly, more family trickled into town until finally almost everyone was here enjoying each others company. Church on Christmas Eve is always such a wonderful experience. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season and if he hadn't been born we wouldn't be celebrating! I think it's important to keep in mind why we celebrate and remember the babe that was born in a lowly manger in Bethlehem some time ago. During this glorious time of year it's easy to lose sight of the important things, but going church on Christmas Eve always, without a doubt, reminds me of the greatest gift to mankind. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.' " Luke 2:9-11.

I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful gifts I got this year! Highlights: Ugg boots, so now I can fit in with the rest of the girls in my family. Glee season one soundtracks, so now I can rock out to some simply stellar cover songs. Some books (The Sociopath Next Door and Girl, Interrupted), so now I can assume my nerdy, psychology-loving identity during J-term.

<3>Cait

open letter to able-bodied people: stop using the handicapped button!

For those of you who don’t know, I work at the PLU concierge desk. I have a number of important jobs, one of them being sitting at the snazzy looking desk and smiling at the patrons as they enter the University Center. To my immediate left is a set of big glass windows and doors. It looks like this:When entering the building you pull the door, and when exiting the building you push the door. This is a very rudimentary process. Or so I thought. And to be in compliance with the "Americans with Disabilities Act," the doors are equipped with a fancy button that a handicapped person can opt to push. The button actives a mechanism to open one of the doors to allow easier access. (As a side note, pushing this button once requires the same amount of energy that it takes to operate a light bulb for 17 hours!) This button, as I understand it, was designed to be used for those who are otherwise physically incapable of opening the doors themselves. But apparently that is not the case according to the populace of PLU. Indeed, my fellow Lutes, it seems, have taken to pushing the button when they are cold. Yes, as in chilly. As in, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! Not only is it a disgusting display of laziness, but I don't think the buttons are designed to accommodate so much handicapped-ness. The school is going to have to replace the mechanism at a much faster rate if this continues. Personally, I really don't want my tuition bill to cover this. Also, I don't know much about the laws of physics, but I do know that the path the airwaves take when the doors are activated leads directly to the chair I sit in. Actually, I think I remember the law. It's called Murphy's.

Anyhow, so the other morning I opened the desk at 7am and after witnessing a number of seemingly normal, healthy, able-bodied people use the handicapped button I decided it was time to take a few notes. I figured this would be a much more constructive outlet for my frustration than these individuals themselves.

And so, for the duration of this blog, I am going to provide you with a catalog. A count of various elements of my experience with the door and its button, which should give you a feel for precisely how infuriating this was for me...

• Number of people who entered/exited the building: 423
• Number of people who pushed the handicapped button: 27
• Number of people who pushed the button who had a valid reason for doing so: 1
• Percentage of people who used the button for entry: 6.4%
• Percentage of people who didn't need the button, but used it: 96.3%
• Number of seconds the door stays open upon activation: 20
• Number of seconds I received an unnecessary gust of cold, freezing air: 540

You get the idea?

I'm not trying to be a baby. I don't like to complain. But I'm just saying, it was cold. In fact, it was so cold in my little area that my boss called facilities management and had them bring a space heater up:I'd like to conclude with a short and sweet letter to able-bodied people:

Please stop.

war of the roses

It is one of the longest-standing college rivalry football games in the United States. It is what every Oregonian knows at least something about. It is the Civil War. For the first time in the history of this ancient rivalry, which dates back to 1894 , this year's Oregon State vs. Oregon match-up will determine the Pac-10 champion, no matter who wins. This infamous game rarely has national implications, but this year it means everything to the BCS standings and to the Rose Bowl. Tonight, the Beavers and Ducks will determine their own fate. They hold their destiny in their own hands and don't have to rely on anyone else.

Gosh, I hate the Ducks. They're arrogant. They're famous for no reason. They have a rich Daddy (Phil Knight) who throws millions at their school. And so on. There are so many reasons why I don't like the Ducks, but I don't have the time nor the energy to list them all.

But no matter who we may choose to root for tonight, we can all rejoice in the fact that for the first time in years, someone other than USC will be representing the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl.

Also, in the most adorable display of innocence ever, my sweet niece Claire gave her two-cents about the game the other day. As she was vainly playing with her hair in the mirror she made a comment, half to her-self/half to whoever was listening, that went something like this...

"It seems like the Beavers are always in the Civil War no matter what!"

I don't know what else to say other than,

Let's. Go. Beavs.