Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card

It wasn't an overly exciting week, so I'm going to talk about frivolous things.

Perhaps the most interesting thing this week was that I got a library card, which I haven't had since I was a kid in the '90s (unless you count my BYU/U of U student cards). For my BYU contract job, I have been doing a lot of research to write footnotes about different sites and events in Asian history. I have gotten good at finding things on Google Books, Internet Archive, and JSTOR, but it can still be a struggle. I thought it might be helpful to have the library's resources (Libby, etc.). Alas, I think their online resources won't be better than what I already have. But it will be good to have anyway. I don't use the library that often, since I don't really read for fun. But I think it's great they exist! If I'm looking for a specific book, Worldcat shows me what libraries have it, but the local library usually doesn't have what I'm looking for.

I'm glad the folks at the Davis County Library, unlike MAGA and Dallin H. Oaks, don't think "diversity" is a bad word

Last fall, something reminded me of Amelia Bedelia, and I was amused by the images I remember from my sister's Amelia Bedelia books when I was a kid. So I went down to the children's section of the library to look at Amelia Bedelia books. Alas, they only had newer books that portray her as a child. I was hoping for the silly maid outfit and the bizarre, slightly horrifying images, such as iced fish. 

Thank you, Google Images!

Thanks to the warm, springlike weather, I was able to get back on the Wild Rose Trail again, because the snow melted rapidly.

Wednesday

. . . and Thursday

On Thursday and Friday, I was in our yard, and our neighbors' cat was its usual friendly self. I adore this sweet cat, even though I don't know its sex or its name. On Friday, it was swatting at me through our neighbors' fence.

Despite some problems with thread and bobbins, I finally finished my six new pillowcases. When I went to Joann at Christmastime, they had a Christmas ghost fabric, but I didn't get it because I had enough Christmas pillowcases. Now I regret it, and I can't find it again. Also, I am so disappointed the firework, hot dog, and candy fabrics have glitter on them. Do I want glitter on my pillowcases?!

I'm obsessed with the Addams Family pillowcase. There was a Munsters fabric, but it had a dumb design, even though The Munsters was a better show

And yesterday I made a special trip to Target so I could get this deviled-egg-and-salt decoration, since deviled egg decorations are rare.

And here are this week's dreams.

the female history professor shows Mark the fossil displays of alligators and mammoths on the second floor of a hotel

Ann picks up a rattlesnake in the kitchen

In Ireland, tarantula-like creatures wash up on the shore and jump on people and snap them

at the Catholic funeral, the dead woman in the casket removes trash from her pockets

Mark walks several blocks in his socks to get a cranberry cookie

Mark finds a stinging anemone in a plastic bag in the lake

the fish in a lake have labels on them

Mark changes the garbage bags at This Is the Place Heritage Park

March Miscellanea

Monday was St. Patrick's Day, and I was amazed at how much I was able to do in one day. I made corned beef and cabbage in the slow cooker; I worked both jobs from home; I edited an article for Wayfare magazine; I went on a short (less than three miles) trail run to and from Springhill Geologic Park; I got a mint shake from Arby's (after McDonald's was out of Shamrock Shakes); and watched Song of the Sea, finishing in time for the new episode of Spring Baking Championship. Phew! If only I could be so efficient every day.

(Other holidays where I have fit so much have included Halloween 2014, when I worked, ran, went grocery shopping, picked up my car, visited my grandparents, got pumpkin shakes, and watched The Munsters' Revenge. And also Thanksgiving 2017, when I ran twelve miles, went in the hot tub, and cooked, all before Thanksgiving dinner.)

Tuesday I drove in the snowy conditions to our in-office meetings. The Utah Historical Society is building a new museum, set to open in May 2026, and every month the museum team hosts a staff piñata day with trivia for different counties. If you get the trivia right, you get a swing at the piñata. This week we had Juab County, and our director said, "We should have a playlist for every county. What would be a playlist for Juab County?" And I chimed in, "The Killers made an album about the town of Nephi!" The trivia guy said, "That might be one of the questions." They let me have the first swing because I knew the album was called Pressure Machine.

I try to do cardio every day, and this week I was able to do five kinds of cardio in six days. Monday was the trail run. Tuesday and Thursday I swam with the recreational swim team. Wednesday I went hiking in the snow. 

Friday I went street running. And Saturday I went biking up to the top of the Summerwood neighborhood. As I was going up a very steep road, a woman walking her dog said, "Good for you." I do always feel accomplished when I go up there. I should bike more often, but I prefer running.

One advantage of being single and living with my parents is that I have plenty of money to spend on silly things. I bought a new bike pump that works for both presta and schrader valves. My bike currently has one of each tire, and I want to punch someone in the face whenever I have to use the presta adapter. So hopefully having a better pump will help.

I also have a large collection of holiday pillowcases I have made with different fabrics. Since Joann is going out of business, I splurged on various seasonal fabrics for pillowcases: sunflowers and bees, both of which I associate with Pioneer Day; happy gumdrops with candy canes; Addams Family silhouettes; apple pie; fireworks; and anthropomorphic hot dogs, ketchup, and mustard.

And here are this week's dreams.

Mark plays with a handheld tool with a spinning blade

Mark walks up office stairs with a shoe on one foot and a sock on the other

Mark wants to swim to the high school mistletoe donation drive, but they drain the water

Mark pulls garbage from the snow in the yard

Mark hoses down the basement, getting water in the record player

on a neighborhood walk, Mark sees a red monkey, a flamingo, and a hummingbird

Mark asks Google Gemini if there is a movie about Cawnpore (this week I was doing research about a massacre in Cawnpore, India, in 1857)

Mark goes to the vet with his three cats, Reggie, Bentley, and Sean

Mark triggers a trespassing alarm in a parking garage while holding empty boxes

Historian, Hibernian

 Last weekend, since I helped out at RootsTech for work, I hoped I would have lots of extra time on Friday. But various things caught up with me that I didn't end up having that much extra time. On Monday, I was working when I noticed I was getting an aura. For me, an aura is where I have blind spots in my vision, and then I get a migraine. I tried to power through the aura, but I couldn't even read the authors' names in the sources I was consulting online. So I had to stop working and take a nap. And then, since I napped so long, it took me a long time to fall asleep, which meant I slept late on Tuesday.

Tuesday was also a busy day because I was invited to attend a book launch for Carry On: The Latter-day Saint Young Women Organization, 1870–2024 at the Church History Library. It makes me really happy that the folks at the CHL invite me to events like this because of my current position with the Utah Historical Society. I loved working there, but I probably will not work there again, so I'm happy that I still get to visit as part of my current job. 

In December 2022, one of the authors of Carry On asked me to verify entries in an appendix about Young Women medallions and stickers. Honestly, I don't remember much about what I did, but I do remember calling up stickers and things up to my cubicle. So I contributed to this new book project very slightly.

Then on Wednesday, I helped judge at the National History Day contest. This is like a science fair but for history. Some of my colleagues at UHS are in charge of this, so they encourage us to help out on work time. I helped judge websites, which means that I and two other judges looked at the websites students created, and we ranked them according to their historical arguments, sources, and presentation. And then I helped with a second round of judging for student papers. National History Day can be fun in its own way, but I don't know if I would choose to do it if I weren't encouraged to do so.

On Friday, my ward had a party for Pi Day. Since it is green season, I made an avocado pie. It tastes more like a lime pie (lime juice and lemon juice), but the color is all natural! This was the first time I have made this pie and the first time I have made a graham cracker crust. No one told me what they thought of it after they ate it.

Yesterday I went swimming (since the weather was iffy for outdoor activities), and I swam in the deepest lane. There was a scuba class in the deep end, and it felt funny to be swimming laps when there were people directly underneath me.

It is St. Patrick's Eve, and I keep liking St. Patrick's Day more and more. It used to be my least favorite of my canonized holidays, but now I like it more than New Year's and Valentine's Day. I feel a little weird observing it, since I have no connection to Ireland, but I think of it as an American holiday. It has been celebrated in the US since at least 1762. Yesterday I went downtown for a couple of hours to see the Siamsa festival. I listened to some live music; I had heard the local bands before because I've been several times now. 

I love this time of the year to listen to Celtic music, embrace the color green, and watch Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, and The Secret of Kells. (My biggest gripe with the holiday is that I am firmly anti-alcohol, and I don't think I will ever be otherwise.) And I think this is one of the best food holidays. I love the availability of corned beef and cabbage, colcannon, Irish stew, Irish soda bread, Lucky Charms, and all the green flavors (mint, lime, pistachio, apple, avocado, pickle, etc.). I made both colcannon and corned beef and cabbage this week. And here are a couple other interesting food highlights this week: 

• For years I have loved the See's St. Patrick's Day Potato, which has become my all-time favorite candy. But apparently Irish potato candy is originally a Philadelphia tradition, and this year I ordered some Philadelphia potatoes from Amazon. They have a coconut flavor. I like them, but they're not as good as See's.

• Harmons has Irish toffee brownies and Irish toffee cookies. I opted for brownies, since I didn't need both brownies and cookies. They're really yummy. I like having an unusual option, but I think they made up "Irish toffee." But I like that they have the chocolate gold coins, which seem to be a (kitschy) tradition all their own.
  

And to close, here are this week's dreams.

Mark admires the Easter decorations of a family named Sandwich

a social media influencer posts a video of cats and dogs and rattlesnakes in his house

on September 18, many houses have Halloween decorations up

the fast-food restaurant remains open while it holds a funeral for a former employee

Mark sits at a different fast-food booth because the bench is too full

the cookie shop must throw away all the cookies they didn't sell on Saturday

Mark is furious that the opening hymn at church is a dumb Easter song with a swear word

the criminal catches Mark writing in the criminal's notebook

Mark takes video of the temple that was never completed in rural Utah

the cat exits the house and runs through the fence

March, Mardi, Matters, Mayhem

Though I have nine officially canonized holidays, I am interested in other regional holidays, and Tuesday was Mardi Gras. Last year, I got a king cake from Parsons' Bakery, and I was trying to figure out how to fit that into my schedule, since Tuesday is also the day I work in the office. But then I saw a spot on TV for Délice French Bakery in Salt Lake, and they were advertisting king cakes! So I went and bought one, since it wasn't far from my work. I didn't want to bring an entire cake home, so I brought it into the office and told people about it when I saw them. (I didn't want to advertise it widely, since I didn't think I had enough for everyone.)

As someone who avoids single-use plastic as much as possible, I was very annoyed it was covered in plastic. My supervisor took the beads home to her kids at least.

One of my colleagues came by my desk and said, "It was you!" He was surprised and told me I'm full of surprises. I wonder what it was he found surprising; a holiday-themed treat is pretty on-brand for me. I guess I'm not an overly generous person?

Anyway, I kind of like being mysterious and surprising, and I was thinking about what other things people have found surprising about me.

• When I was a teenager, some people were surprised I watched The Simpsons
• People have been surprised that I'm not a gamer or a Star Wars or superhero nerd
• Someone was surprised that a quiet person like me had a detailed, wordy blog
• People have been surprised to see pictures of me when I was ~250 pounds
• I had a coworker who was surprised to find out I was a runner. Actually, she sounded disappointed, because I think she was jealous and insecure
• People are surprised I like Lady Gaga
• I think people were surprised I'm gay (come on, if you knew one of these last two things, you should have guessed the other)

This week, some of the Faith Matters folks asked me to look at the endnotes for a book they're working on, which was a rush job. I don't think people realize how much work goes into fixing footnotes and endnotes; it is by far the most time-consuming part of any editing project, especially when authors have been sloppy. But I know I'm very good at it, so I agreed, and that's how I spent Wednesday and Thursday evening. It's a good thing those evenings were rainy and the pool was closed, so I wasn't missing out on much. 

This week was RootsTech, and the Utah Historical Society had a booth that I helped with on Friday and Saturday. I had never been to RootsTech before. (I had a stake family history calling a decade ago with a very gung ho high councilor, and it kind of burned me out from family history.) I just sat at the booth and talked to people about what we do, and it occurred to me that I don't know much about what people are doing in our division if I'm not involved with it. It was nice to be away from my computer, but it was a little challenging for a socially awkward introvert like me. But I signed up for Kindex, a software that can transcribe handwriting.

I had been to the Salt Palace before, but somehow I hadn't noticed the art installation of Martha Hughes Cannon made out of carpet scraps. When I saw it, I instantly recognized who it was, since her statue was just unveiled in Washington DC in December.

Other random things this week:

I found this piece of paper that had blown into our backyard. 

I received my new CD of It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown this week. I'm really excited for it, but I try not to listen to Easter music until after St. Patrick's Day. My Easter playlist is my worst holiday playlist, so it will be good to get some new music in it. 

I've been listening to Lady Gaga's new album, Mayhem, minus the songs with swears. So far I think the standout track is "Abracadabra," which was released as a single on February 2 and has been stuck in my head ever since. And I think Mayhem is my favorite album of 2025 so far, but it's still early.

And since I'm a sucker for twentieth-century holiday kitsch, I also ordered the DVD collection of all the Rankin-Bass Christmas specials. I already had most of them, but if I ordered the extra ones separately, it would almost be as much. And also, I learned that DVDs made by Warner Bros. between 2006 and 2008 are deteriorating, which might affect one of my box sets. To remain seasonally appropriate, I watched The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold, while drinking hot cocoa with special St. Patrick's Day Lucky Charms marshmallows.

And here are this week's dreams.

Jesse accidentally knocks down the walls of the gingerbread house after he puts a candy pirate inside

Jesse makes a cookie display of Marilyn Munster

Mark drives his car inside the building that sells home decor

at a church dinner, Mark reads a book with funny old pictures and pictures of animals

Mark slides down hundreds of beer cans on a mountain trail

Mark sees his second-grade teacher and another middle-aged woman in public, and they are both very short

Mark's family goes camping in early September, and some of the tents have bathrooms, and the leaves are starting to change

every time Mark puts up a Christmas tree in his great-grandmother's house, someone does mean things

Mark gets ink particles on his white button-up shirt

Mark buys lots of fabric at JoAnn for the last time

small moose walk between people's legs

a Latter-day Saint missionary brushes his teeth at the sink in a family's living room

a family teaches their toddler to swim by dropping her in a swimming pool and waiting for her to surface

rows of chairs are set up in the men's restroom in a church

Mark tries to order two nonalcoholic drinks in Spanish from the woman bartender

Mark invites his mom to an event at the gay bar

Mark plucks an invasive plant from someone's yard and then debates whether to put a history folder on the front step of the home

a high school student tries to take a used history folder from a guy who's supposed to deliver it