as seen in...

alright, i have to admit

to feeling a tad conceited

writing a

'as seen in'

post. 

but i just wanted to share,

since this has been a year and a half in limbo,

inspired by real events aboutttttt 6 1/2 years ago.

plus i thought it appropriate for a life list wednesday post,

since a couple of items on my list

revolve around being published.

i wrote a story that appears in the aopa 

(aircraft owners and pilots association)

pilot magazine, in the january 2011 edition.

it's part of the series

'never again',

a compilation of scary situations and close calls,

written by pilots.

the point is, let's learn from each other's mistakes, 

so we don't have to make them ourselves.

so if you follow this link, 

you can read a harrowing tale 

and a plea to pilots, to know

WHERE and HOW to adjust your GPS settings,

and how we should focus on surroundings and not electronics,

during a night flight. while traversing an ominous mountain range. in jarring turbulence.

hanging off the edge of your seat yet?

xo

alli

hazelnut maple goodness.

this is what it looks like outside.

apparently i have super powers.

because whenever i think about snow,

it appears

in the masses.

we have about 12-14 inches in the backyard,

but down in the valley it's a wet slushy mess,

with a lot less snow and a lot more rain.

so this is what i spent my morning doing!

with this recipe.

hopefully it's good! 

i figure i should get some maple syrup desserts 

under my belt,

living in canada and all.

what yummy desserts are you making for the holidays?

xo

alli

le weekend.

snow. sleet. powder.

number 9 express.

lift rides with general custer.

christmas shopping and wrapping.

this is what my weekend was full of.

it snowed,

and then it melted,

and then it snowed again.

i'm back home in salt lake for the holidays.

this year's new christmas traditions,

(besides the fact that we are nearly guest-less)

include putting LED lights on the christmas tree.

these suckers are BRIGHT.

looks like we decorated the tree with

glowing Trix cereal.

when we sit in the kitchen eating dinner,

the blue lights make the wall look purple.

we've set out complimentary sunglasses to wear,

so not to look directly at it. 

sneak attack.

tomorrow's itinerary:

more of the same.

we're playing musical cars at the happ household this week.

and i'm getting a haircut that is WAY past due.

what did you do this weekend?

almost ready for christmas?

xo

alli

wintery mix.

well, finals week is over for me.

mainly because i didn't have any...

but before you think i'm all lazy over here,

the last four weeks i've been slaving over four papers.

i was pretty happy to turn my last one in, yesterday morning.

now i'm going to slush through the rainy snow 

until TOMORROW

when i'll hop on a plane (well two planes)

and go home for the holidays.

praying atlanta isn't as bad as it usually is for my flight connection...

monday it rained and melted all the snow

and today the snow is back with a vengeance,

making up for lost time I guess.

I had a dream last night,

that my family didn't wait 

one more day for me to come home,

and went and bought the christmas tree without me

:(

guess i'll find out tomorrow!

anyone as behind as I am 

with christmas shopping???

xo

alli

friday top ten.

thank you gen, 

for requesting

'the top ten crazy things that happen at the happ house'

xmas style.

1. can we just start with the fact that 

on average

we housed 15-21 people for a week. 

yea.

2. uncle george's crazy morning wakeup calls/departure countdowns.

on speaker phone.

once every 27 seconds.

3. walmart tag.

manager didn't like that so much.

4. mac party at the kitchen table.

i think we had at least 10 laptops?

5. ten years and only one broken arm. 

that deserves an applause.

6. the plan to steal the presents,

hide them in the bed of uncle's truck,

and convince isaac that santa forgot our house.

7. action sports movie. 

versions one. two. three. four?

8. the number of daily trips to the grocery store.

9. the bloody decapitated snowman

that colin made in the front yard.

10. oh yea.

that time the christmas tree fell over.

who wants to add something?

xo

alli

meet sammy.

friends, i just want to make a few important announcements.

it was 14 degrees today.

and felt like 6.

i definitely felt like it was 6.

there are 8 pages and 4 days 

between me and the end of the semester.

which will be celebrated,

by reading for pleasure (Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks is on the list)

playing in the snow,

and a dire wish for some vin chaud.

anyone in europe want to fed ex me some?

penpals?

:)

i am kinda disappointed in our christmas tree.

it does not smell like christmas in the apartment,

what up with that. 

maybe it's because the tree is not (cough) decorated yet.

oooh well. i'll get there. 

somebody make a recommendation for 

friday top ten tomorrow.

....or else i'll be forced to list 

major ideas 

from each of the ten+ pages in my paper.

waaa haa haaa.

xo

alli

life list: brave the winter in a big city.

this is the view 

(can i call that a view?)

from my bedroom window, 

taken last night.

monday afternoon at 3pm it started snowing,

and the 2-4 cm of snow (1-1.5 inches) 

they forecasted....

turned into 35 centimeters.

that's 13.77777 inches of unforecasted snow folks. 

since everyone was obviously WAY unprepared,

the plows didn't come into the city until last night.

but man, did they come in full force.

the trucks, plows, and tractors

towed more than 5,000 cars 

in order to plow the streets.

overall, the afternoon/evening of snow

cost 17 million dollars.

17. million. dollars.

just so you know what we're dealing with here.

they mean business.

and while it took a little longer 

than i would have liked

to (semi) find the sidewalks again,

they've been pretty efficient.

at least for as much warning they were given

i.e. zero.

supposedly.

the top weather man in montreal was apparently 

'unavailable for comment' 

for an article in the metro newspaper this morning.

psh.

so not only does

'brave montreal's winter'

make my list, but also

'brave the winter in a big city'.

it's a little different when you don't have 

your car to drive around in everywhere.

and even then, 

a ford focus does not = suv.

although most times i love living in a city,

where i can access a lot by foot, bus or metro,

winter is the only time i find that

completely contradicted.

BUT

i must say,

i love my winter coat,

my handy new winter boots,

and my furry warm fantastic mittens.

this is the most prepared for winter i've been in years!

xo

alli

le weekend.

snowglobe!

might as well 

skip le weekend,

as it was spent

working.

studying

writing.

with a nice break to go buy a christmas tree!

just need some tinsel and lights to liven it up a bit :)

the backyard (ok, the 2 sq ft balcony) is now a snowglobe,

and i am glad i'm on this side of the glass.

seems the snow has arrived folks!

glad my snow tires are installed and ready to tear up the roads.

ps. i heard this song months ago,

wrote down the artist's name,

and promptly lost it.

i found it today when i started working on my last paper,

and have had it on repeat this afternoon.

i feel like karma is poking me in the side,

 saying i should have started the paper earlier...

are you having a snowy monday?

xo

alli

a belated friday top ten.

random style, because i can't think of a theme.

start sending me recommendations, people.

1. yesterday (friday) was the first time i cooked dinner this week.  end of semester? yes.

2. i love candles, but i always feel guilty using them up. 

3. i indulged in a 5 episode seinfeld marathon tonight.

4. i want this scarf for christmas.  in all colors.

5. today at work i listened to some strange npr podcasts: car talk, this american life about chicken grooming, and wait wait don't tell me about offensive itchy wool sweaters.

6. we bought a christmas tree tonight.  

he's either going to be named sammy (for sapin de noel)

or chris (christmas tree). 

7. sammy/chris looks like a fat kid with no neck. 

i'll wait for the branches to relax a little before i post a picture.

8. i was in the U.S. for about 2 hours this week.

9. sometimes i miss india. do you ever have strong vacation nostalgia?

10. it's currently -28 degrees in alert, canada. -40 with the windchill.

don't worry, it's pretty far away from where i am now.

what made your week random?

xo

alli

shaggy houses.

dear readers,

i have disappeared for a bit.

i seem to be trapped 

between working saturdays scanning and cleaning documents,

referencing 27 class readings in papers,

and giving too many presentations.

my brain has been filled with

learning happening in nonformal settings,

aesthetic music experiences and their role in culture and education,

the disappearing humanities,

paradigm shifts,

and

political graffiti in morocco

just to name a few.

it seems it's snowing in EVERY city worldwide 

except Montreal

(universe, I am NOT taunting you, 

let's be clear on this).

i just think it's comical that things seem to be reversed at the moment!

home in 2 weeks.

christmas trees and chocolate advent calendars,

ornaments and present wrapping,

SKIING and snowman making,

are plenty of lights at the end of the tunnel.

as is this house, 

completely overgrown with vines.

i feel like i'm looking at a picture of a dog, 

with tons of hair in his face, all you can see is his tongue hanging out 

:)

what is your light at the end of the tunnel?

let's stick together here!

xo

alli

picture via architectureblog.