On Friday, I was offered an editing job with the Sundance Film Festival, and I accepted. I can't think of any reason not to. It goes from October 31 ("What a way to spend Halloween!") until the festival starts in January. I don't know that I would say I'm excited, because indie films aren't really my thing, and I don't look forward to commuting to Park City, especially during the holidays. But they said there's a van pool, and they close the office if there's a bad storm. And it will be nice to get back to editing. No one else has hired me, so hopefully this will make me more hireable. My editing experience is almost exclusively academic Mormon history, so this will give me experience outside of academia and outside of history. And the timing is right, because it starts when This Is the Place ends its season. (It does mean I probably won't work Christkindlmarkt or Candlelight Christmas there.)
On Saturday evening, I was happy to visit Antelope Island for the third time in the last sixth months. An indie band I love, the National Parks, was playing a benefit concert for and on Antelope Island. An outdoor concert on Antelope Island on the first day of fall under a full moon? Of course! They had an opening guy who was OK, but TNP is the real draw. I was among the crowd in front of the stage. It was really fun and energetic, and there couldn't be a lovelier venue. They opened with my favorite song of theirs, "Coração."
I love all their songs, and they even debuted a new one, "Time."
I won't bore you with all the details, but it was a great evening.
Other stuff this week:
I picked the last of our grapes and made a small batch of juice, the best batch we've had this year. I was feeling really satisfied and happy after finishing a glass. Until I saw the dead earwig in my cup.
Two days this week at work, I was stationed in the telegraph office, which is one of the less-visited buildings in the park, mostly due to location. One day, I only had three groups come in, and two of those groups were not very interested. (One seemed to be a know-it-all, saying it looked bigger than a real telegraph office, but now I know that it's not too big because it's based on the original. The know-it-alls drive me nuts, especially when they're wrong.) But there was one kid who was very excited about all the war stuff we have in there. (The Transcontinental Telegraph was completed in Salt Lake City in 1861, so we have a Civil War emphasis.) He kept asking, "Why were the East and West [sic] fighting with each other?" How am I supposed to explain the Civil War to a seven-year-old?
Above the telegraph office is a storage room with holiday decorations. To fend off boredom, I did some sweeping and dusting up there, and I opened the curtain on one of the Halloween skeletons so it would be visible from the outside, just to be funny. I don't know how many people will notice, but I know at least one girl did!
Last spring, I blogged about the feral kittens that were living outside the print shop. I didn't see them for many months, but I saw them again this week. I was talking to some guests in the print shop when we started hearing lots of meowing. The kitten had apparently snuck through the space between the door jamb and the open door (you know, by the hinges), and its mother began crying for it. So one of the guests went and picked the kitten up and put it outside. It was hissing and spitting at her. But I just wish I could have picked it up, even though it was mean, because kittens are the greatest thing ever. (Oh. Last week I said cats in boxes are the best thing ever. Is there a difference between "best" and "greatest"?)
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Pumpkinundation roundup continues!
Trader Joe's Pumpkin O's are like Apple Jacks but with a pumpkin spice flavor. I wouldn't consider them my favorite, but there was one day this week that I craved them for breakfast more than any other cereal. 7/10.
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Tortilla Chips are OK, but they're a little bland. 6/10.
But Trader Joe's Fall Harvest Salsa is a spicy, tasty concoction. It's nice to change it up from perpetual sweetness. 8/10.
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter is a solid pumpkin product made of pumpkin, sugar, honey, and spices. It's a lovely flavor. I made a peanut butter sandwich in it, and it tasted like a PB and honey sandwich, with some spices. 8/10.
I think every historical tourist attraction in the country sells products from Pennsylvania Dutch Candies, even This Is the Place. Pennsylvania Dutch Candies Nut'n But Natural Pumpkin & Oats were really good. They're pumpkin seeds coated with oats and cinnamon with some small date pieces mixed in. I loved the crunchy texture and comforting cinnamon. 8/10.
I didn't like the Spiced Pumpkin Pie Clif Bar as much as I have in the past, but maybe I just got tired of them? I still think they're one of the company's better offerings. 8/10.
Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Seed & Flax Granola is sold year round, but it counts. I loved it back in 2010, but I got tired of it. 6/10.
I've been using Trader Joe's Pumpkin Body Butter as lotion, as my skin has started to dry out. It smells good, but it mostly just smells like coconut. 6/10.
I had a Cinnaholic Old Skool Roll with Pumpkin Spice Frosting. I had never been to Cinnaholic before. I like cinnamon rolls, but I don't love them. It was a typical cinnamon roll. The frosting just tasted of spices, not really pumpkin. It also had a gross buttery taste to it. I think these are vegan, so maybe it was a margarine taste. Much of the frosting dripped off the roll onto the paper, but I couldn't eat the frosting plain, it was too gross. 5/10.
I only eat seasonal Pop-Tarts, but I'm not missing out, because the seasonal flavors are some of the best. Like Frosted Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts. You know how good the cinnamon and brown sugar ones are, but these are even better. 9/10.
I'm not a huge oatmeal guy, but I still had Trader Joe's Pecan Pumpkin Instant Oatmeal. I added too much water. This oatmeal is better than most, and the pecans provide a nice textural element. 7/10.
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Waffles are like Eggos, but not quite as good. I had to add some pumpkin butter to counterbalance the blandness. 6/10.
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| Trader Joe's Pumpkin Waffles are part of a balanced breakfast. |
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Organic Frosted Toaster Pastries are different from Pop-Tarts, but they're still plenty tasty. Probably because they have more sugar. But one of their ingredients is "natural flavor," and the next is "flavor." "Flavor" is organic, but "natural flavor" is not. Whatever. 9/10.
This is strange to say, but CVS Health Pumpkin Spice Cough Drops are the best cough drops I have ever had. I've been waiting for the slightest tickle in my throat to try them. The spice flavor is warm and comforting, and when it's combined with menthol, it makes for a very satisfying experience. 9/10.
This Pumpkin Pie Chap Stick is leftover from last year. I don't use lip balm that much. It's OK. 5/10.
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