Mark My Words: Snow, politics, and valentines

I was debating this week whether I wanted to make one of my usual weekly recap posts, or do a sort of essay on Valentine's Day (a holiday that I like, but it nevertheless is my least favorite and one for which I have many reservations), or go on some political rants. But I decided just to stick with the usual format, with a few of the other elements included.

First, the snow. We had a foot of snow on Monday morning! My teacher mom didn't have to go to school, and snow days almost never happen. I don't think I ever had one growing up!

One of the big problems was the wind, which blew the snow into big, unusual drifts.

Then, we had more snow on Thursday. I was running too late to go to the pool, so I decided to hike the Wild Rose Trail in the snow, which I did a few times last winter. It was pretty and fun, but nowhere near as pretty or fun as running on the trail the other eight months of the year. I hiked on some of the downhill bike trails, which are off limits to hikers, but I thought it was OK because it's not biking season. A man on cross-country skis asked me where the trail went. Maybe I should try skis sometime, but I don't see the point when walking in my boots works just fine.

Mulesears! These cover the hills and are simply spectacular in May and June, but they're depressing in February.

Monday's snow was so substantial that I thought it would take forever to melt, but I'm astonished at how much has already melted! It almost looks like it did a day or two before the storm.

On Tuesday night, I watched most of the State of the Union address. Well, that was something. I don't condone tearing up the speech, but neither do I condone refusing to shake hands with a political rival in that setting. I know the SOTUs are usually partisan (I remember watching them under Obama), but gee. Why would he use that setting to give the Presidential Medal of Freedom to someone who has spread misinformation and hatred against Democrats? Two years ago on this blog, I said, "I hope [Rush Limbaugh] gets a permanent case of laryngitis and can never go on the radio again until he only tells the truth." Lung cancer is obviously way worse than laryngitis, but I can't help but think it's karma for all the lies he's told. But more likely, it's a natural consequence of smoking cigars.

Then on Wednesday, I was delighted at the integrity and courage of Mitt Romney! And then I was not delighted at the backlash he was getting. Here's a question I have had for Mike Lee for years, and now I have it for the critics of Romney: Donald Trump is a Republican and a bad person. Mitt Romney is a Republican and a good person. Why would you side with a bad person instead of a good person? "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20; 2 Nephi 15:20).

And even if you didn't agree with his vote, can't you appreciate the integrity it takes to vote your conscience? My respect for those people criticizing Romney has plummeted.

Some of the more extreme people in Utah want to recall him as senator. But Republicans accused Democrats of doing the impeachment process just because they didn't like what Trump was doing, but now some of the Republicans want to do the same to Romney. It is literally one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard of.

And then, the next day, he says he doesn't agree with loving your enemies and mocks Mitt Romney's faith, at an event devoted to faith. I really don't see how practicing Latter-day Saints can support the current president! Despite pretending to be otherwise, he is one of the people in the great and spacious building!

I am neither Republican nor Democrat. At this moment in time I lean left, but much of that is because the Republican Party has lost their sense of morality by electing and supporting an evil man. (The Democrats aren't all good either, for what it's worth.)

Anyway...

Yesterday I ran the Sweethearts 5K at the South Davis Recreation Center. I'm not very big on races, because I'm slow and not competitive, and why spend money for a distance I can run for free? But since there's really very little to do for Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun. I was looking forward to a festive running shirt, but the shirt was only a blue shirt with a picture of the rec center on it and a tiny heart. Previous years' shirts were much more festive; why not this time?

My goal was to finish in less than 27 minutes, and I got 25:15. I got second place in my age division (out of eight people), so I won a teddy bear—again, less festive than I would have hoped.

Here it is on the Peanuts Valentine pillowcase I made last month. I don't really like Peanuts-branded stuff anymore, because they just take a few stock images and modify them. But this one I like because it features panels from the original comic strip, and it's festive yet mildly cynical, which is how I feel about the holiday.

See, I need to do all this exercising, because I feel this excessive and obsessive need to eat all the holiday desserts.

(That's the end of the post, but if you like, you can scroll through all the Valentine's desserts I've had this season.)