You make me smile with my heart

Snow magnified:

Pretty, no?

Having 1)Watched NBC's Today this morning, 2) Looked out my picture windows and 3) Come up the hill to get into the office I can will all certainty report the following: It is snowing. Alot.
I moved to New England knowing full well that snow was to become a more premenant fixture in my life. Rather than the 2 inch fall - melt the next day cycle I had grown accustomed to, snow in New England has staying power. And, people greet it with less fear and far less glee than the good people of Maryland (unless they are avid skiers, in which case the fresh power and desperate mid-week specials of the local trail makers has undoubtably made this a Wednesday to remember for some New Englandites). Life does not stop for snow.
While interviewing, I asked if the campus ever closed for weather. "I don't think we've had a snow day in 15 years," was the response. I asked the same question a few weeks ago as I was blown across campus to a rather important meeting. "No, we don't close for weather."
Today, the campus is closed due to the inclement weather and prediction of worsening conditions.
Maybe I've made New Englad wussier. I hope not.
I, myself, am not granted a full snow day because I live where I work and someone has to make sure that everyone is safe, comfortable and healthy. It's part of the deal. And I don't really mind it.
That's not to say that I didn't lie in bed for 10 minutes or so in the early morning watching the white fall and planning a day full of cleaning, laundry, reading and hot chocolate. And I might still get some of that... it's just on a few hours delay.

Interestingly, I almost forgot that it's Valentine's Day. Perhaps this will sound naive to some (or wise to others) but I think I've made my peace with this Hallmarky celebration of romantic bliss (or Singles Awareness Day as I've recently heard it renamed). My feelings are generally summarized over at Yarn Harlot and as she's a professional writer, I'm gonna say "ditto" to that and move on.

So, meetings continue, snow falls, and Keifer is waiting for me in my mailbox. Now, if I could only convince my charges that they would be much happier hunkering in and reading a book for the evening.

The ancient snow

A tale of three men: Titus Pullo, Paulo Nutini and the Monopoly loving Brit.

I have, of late, become absolutely enamored with HBO's Rome. It is decadent, a bit sinful, and fantastic tour of 10 years study of Latin and Roman culture gone to waste (Should one of my Latin instructors ever come across this blog, I can still conjugate verbs and do elementary translations, I swear!). Ciarian Hines has been on the many loves of my life since he appeared in Ivanhoe, Persuasion and Jane Eyre during my formative years. He's a beautiful, gruff, pompous man and as Ceasar he commands and controls much of the series.
But, whilst Ceasar is off screwing Cleopatra or having epileptic fits (take your pick depending on the episode/hour) the audience is treated to the ins and outs of friendship between two Roman soldiers: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. Lucius is a stand up guy who struggles to be honorable, admirable and true. Titus Pullo is a hard headed son of a slave who prefers women and wine to political posturing and rhetoric.
And he is absolutely gorgeous - in the same way that the football player in my college Ancient Novel class who couldn't pronounce a bit of Latin to save his soul was absolutely gorgeous. There's just something about them. Men, I mean.
There must be something absolutely basic that attracts us (or,perhaps, just me) to men who can't hold conversations but can easily rescue us from attack. Vorenus is constantly tortured by the decisions he must make, and I have to say I get bored with his inner struggle and self-rightousness. On the other hand, Pullo expresses his every feeling in the moment and is just as quickly killing someone who's offended his honor as sitting down to another drink.
Absolutely gorgeous.

This past weekend it was suggested to me by numerous of my favorite radio DJs that I head over to my favorite radio website and enter to win tickets to see Paulo Nutini in concert. I thought little of it until Monday when I was indeed on the website and clicked on the entry box. I figured, "I'm probably too late. The Guster concert in this series was insane."
Lo and behold, I have been given two tickets to see the Scottish Nutini tomorrow afternoon. Who would have thought? I bought his album and I have to say that it is very good. Right up there with the Mindy Smith and The Shins albums I am also recommending to everyone I know this week. The Nutini album has an Amos Lee, Joe Crocker feel to it (take what you will from that description).

**Best radio station ever? Boston's The River, hands down!**

And the Monopoly playing Brit? Well, occasionally I like to go onto craigslist.com and poke around for a laugh. This week I came across the only personal ad that I've ever given thought to replying to. It was a from a man who claimed to be from Brittain and interested in playing Monopoly, Risk or Charades. His ad was legitly funny and I took more than a second look at it.
But who knows if 1) he's actual a "he" 2) he's actually Brittish or 3) he's not insane.

At least there's Titus.