SAD Seasons

As you all know, we had our first snow fall of the year just last week.  While I love snow, I'm still adjusting to this early-snow business.  For the past 3 Octobers, we have consistently had our first snowfall before Halloween, something that is pretty uncommon for Nebraska.  Usually, our first inkling of snow was not until mid-way through November, if not later.  Now of course, we've had exceptions,  like the year it snowed so much they actually postponed Halloween.  But for the purpose of this post, just assume it waits until AFTER Halloween to snow.

my pup, Sophie, enjoying our first snowfall!

When we first moved here, my aunt warned us about the long, dreary winters.  I wasn't really worried.  Nebraska had snow, it was cold; I figured I could handle it.  That was until our first winter lasted from October to March.  Considering that is 6 months (or HALF a year), I was sort of depressed.  On top of that, there's hardly any sunshine during the winters here (special thanks to that lovely thing called inversion).  While it got cold and blustery in Omaha, the skies were usually blue with hints of sunshine each day.  

The hardest adjustment to winters in Logan?  Increased occurrence of S.A.D.  Known as "Seasonal Affective Disorder," this is an area of depression that often surfaces around the winter months, when we don't get as much sunlight.  This is often a temporary 'down' that can be maintained with antidepressants and fake UV-interactions.  I was actually told that tanning (for short periods of time - NOT to get tan) can lead to increased serotonin levels, making you feel happier.  Perhaps it was because it was my first winter away from home, or that I was stuck inside all day with no job and no school, but the first winter here hit me hard.  Having already been diagnosed in my earlier teenage years with situational depression, the added lack of sunshine greatly diminished my serotonin levels, thus making me feel awful.  With short tanning bed visits and an adjustment of my medication, I was able to make it through the winter without feeling completely dead and hopeless.

This being our third winter in Logan, I have adjusted to the added stress of the inversion.  While it was not something I dealt with at home, I've been able to maintain my positive attitude and smiling face much easier, after learning I wasn't the only one who was sad from S.A.D.

Punkin Patch

L-R: Me, Whitney, Chandler, Dad, Mom

I was privileged to fly back home this past weekend and spend time with my family who I haven't seen in over 4 months.  It was a very short visit, so when my parents asked what I'd like to do, I mentioned Vala's Pumpkin Patch.  Vala's, just west of Omaha, is over 200 acres, 55 of those dedicated specifically for the planting of pumpkins.  It hosts piggy races and plays, has tractor, train, and pony rides, a 3-acre corn maze, a couple haunted houses, petting zoo area, and a "Pumpkin Mine."  We also got to dress up in old-fashioned clothing and get pictures taken. On top of all that, it also has countless wood-painted displays for turning your child into a witch or goat, shops with candy, souvenirs, and Halloween decorations, and plenty of old-fashioned barn-lookalikes for grabbing a bite to eat.  There is no better fall activity out there.  It's perfect for any family and any age, since it has activities for everyone.  

While my family and I didn't get the chance to ride out on the tractor to the pumpkin fields (the line was ridiculous), we did manage to find a decent pumpkin near the entrance that seemed appropriate for carving.  It's always been a tradition to carve pumpkins for Halloween; we try to find the toughest designs too.  One year, my dad and I did a Husker pumpkin.  He drew it out by hand.  I mostly just supervised.  This year, we didn't get the chance to dig into one of those slimy oranges.  By the time we arrived back from the farm, it was late and I had to get up the next morning at 4:45am to catch my flight back to Utah.  Roger and I have tried to continue this tradition, although last year, we were lame and didn't carve anything (at least I don't think we did - maybe they molded before the day arrived). There's something about getting into the spirit of Halloween that makes it so much more fun.  I'm not into the beliefs of witches and black magic and whatnot - I enjoy the juvenile part of Halloween that just lets people be someone they're not for a day.             

Outcasts

When I first moved to Utah, I realized very quickly that there are two distinct groups here: those who are Mormon and those who are not.  While I was part of the majority, I felt like the minority. I was an outcast in what should have been a familiar setting.  

But Utah is worlds apart from Nebraska.  In Nebraska, being Mormon means you're the minority.  When you talk about how you met your husband on his mission, people have no idea what you're saying.  They don't understand words like, "stake," "ward," "priesthood," "bishopric," or "primary."  In a way, it opened up a window of opportunity to share my beliefs.  You don't get that opportunity in Utah because, even if someone isn't of the LDS faith, they've been around enough Mormons to understand the lingo.  In a way, it is convenient because you don't have to explain everything to everyone.  You say you met your husband on his mission and people understand.  At the same time, it leaves less room to share your beliefs with people. 

People just assume you're Mormon if you're living in Utah.  And if you're not, then there's something wrong with you.  I remember one Sunday in my first ward out in Mendon when the Relief Society president was talking about a new family that had moved into the area.  Before mentioning anything else, she stated bluntly, "They're not Mormon," with a hint of shame in her voice that almost made it sound as if she'd straight up said, "They're going to hell." It was like we had to base whether or not they were accepted on if they believed the LDS faith.  That we had to feel sorry for them because they just didn't have what we have.  I was livid.  

I didn't have that option in Nebraska.  NONE of my friends (save one) were LDS.  Had I been picky and only hung out with Mormon kids, I would have had 4 very lonely years.  But you know what?  I was okay with that.  I was surrounded by Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, Jews; you name it, I had friends who were it.  And I LOVED it.  It opened me up to so many new things.  I loved learning about other faiths.  I never tried to convert my friends and they never tried to convert me.  It was just a mutual understanding that we were happy with what we believed and that was just fine.  We respected each other.  I don't feel like that's an option out here.  If you admit you're not Mormon, it's almost as if people automatically switch into missionary mode and have to tell you about their faith.  That, or they put up a wall, and conclude you're a lost cause.

One of my coworkers, and good friends, is not Mormon (anymore).  She stopped going to church because she just decided it wasn't for her.  I'm sure there are many people out here who judge her for that reason. I'm not one of them.  I know that church is not for everyone.  And I'm not going to tell her she's going to hell.  I'm not going to tell her she's evil or a terrible person.  It is sometimes a breath of fresh air being around her.  She is very blunt and open. She's not like a lot of the stuffy people around here.  It's like being in high school again, where everyone is different, but we still love each other the same.  I hope that Utah continues to bring in people of other faiths for that reason - it's too Mormony.  And people are too cliquey.  Regardless of the commandment, "Love thy neighbor," there is a lot of judgement passed around in Utah.  

Target > Walmart

This doesn't account for places outside Logan, but for this post, I'm going to focus on where I'm residing currently.  Which is Logan.  And Logan, Utah does not have a Target.

This isn't a statewide thing, I know that.  Mainly because we had to travel down to Ogden to use our Target gift cards we received for our wedding.  Woulda been a lot more convenient if we just had one in the place of the North Logan Walmart.

My parents' house in Nebraska is 7 minutes from a Target.  I will be perfectly honest in saying that most of my makeup, shirts, and bathing suits came from within that bright red wonderland.  It's hard not to love the store when you can always find awesome deals and it always feels clean.  I also heard once that it's painted red to appeal to the woman's eye specifically.  I'm alright with that.

What I'm not alright with is that there is no Target in Logan.  I think it would do great here!  It is affordable and is fun, perfect for a college town.  Now, some may say, "Oh, but there's two Walmarts!"  

No.  

Walmart scares the living crap outta me.  I don't know what it is.  Maybe it's that I always leave feeling like I need a shower, that the people can be rather, erm, sketchy, that the workers (if there ARE any around!) are never friendly, and that, OH, there's usually only 2 checkout lines open with about 50 people.  I know there are people who think Walmart is great.  I'm just not one of them.  If you happen to catch me at Walmart, it's usually because my husband is buying car oil.  I might also avoid it because of the horrible experience my mom and sister had there two Christmases ago during Black Friday.  It was their first and last Walmart-Black-Friday outing.  My mom has not gone back since.  Not once.  Might sound crazy, but then again, most of the people that shop there are too.

Diminishing Daylight

Well, this post isn't necessarily about Nebraska/Utah differences.  Because they actually both include this awful characteristic.  I guess that means I just don't like it, regardless of what state I'm in.

The awful characteristic?  DAYLIGHT SAVINGS.

I sit here at work, staring out the windows that surround 2 of the 4 walls of our office.  It is barely 4:30.  And it's getting dark.  We haven't even moved the clock back an hour yet!

While I don't particularly like the summer heat, I do love that it stays dark until 9:00 at night.  This whole turning-dark-at-5:00 thing is not working.  Never has.  Never will.  Once we turn the clocks back an hour, I'm going to be riding my bike home in the dark when my shift ends at 5.

It happens in Nebraska too.  And I hate it there as well.  It makes it feel like it's bedtime at dinnertime.

It hasn't even happened yet and I'm already depressed.  Sigh.

Ferocious Fans

This is a slightly more difficult post to write, mainly because it's bashing the school I attend.  And I don't want it to come off in a really negative way - I'm just explaining what I've noticed here compared to what I was used to.

Utah State fans are brutal.  It's that simple. I remember the first basketball game I attended last semester.  I was horrified with how they acted at the end of the game, when we beat the opposing team.  They made chants about their rivals sucking, being losers, that they should go home.  I was embarrassed.  We also know that the President of USU issued a formal apology to BYU after a basketball game that included some rather inappropriate signage.  It's a little humiliating to be known as the school that has the nasty fans, especially when I came from an opposite situation.

Nebraska is known for having some of the best fans.  That's because we don't make crude signs, we don't yell demeaning things to the players, we don't make fools of ourselves (unless it's after the game and people go running around Lincoln like hooligans after ingesting post-win beverages).  The only time I've heard fans boo is when the refs make a bad call.  They don't boo at specific players.  That's horrible sportsmanship.  So when I went to the first USU game, I was stunned.  I couldn't believe how rude some of the fans were being.  Since, then I've only attended one other game.  Not because I don't like my school, or I don't like cheering on my team.  But because the environment is uncomfortable.  I've always been taught to be nice to others.

Sorry, USU.  But your fans are not nice. 

Passionate for Plates

Recently, the registration on my car had to be renewed. Since it is in my parents' names still, they reregistered it back in Nebraska and sent me the stickers.  It was the first time we'd had to reregister it since moving here (the first time they just sent whole new plates) and I was panicky.  

Roger claimed they require an inspection every 2 years in Nebraska, and since my time was up, I'd just have to register my Jeep in Utah.  I ignored him and put it off until I could validate this with my mom. 

Not more than a month later, my registration stickers arrived in the mail.  Apparently, Nebraska doesn't require inspections.  Once you get it passed the first time, you're good to go forever.  

My dad had told my mom that I should just register the Jeep in Utah.  My mom, bless her heart, knew better.

"Chelsea's not going to want to do that, Eric.  Those Nebraska plates are the last thing she has to remember home by."

And alas, I still have my homestate plates on my Jeepy.

Football Frenzy

I learned (when, I don't know) that BYU and Nebraska will actually go head-to-head in the 2015 football season.  Because BYU is a private institution, they can play whoever they want.  Why they decided to play Nebraska is beyond me.  The thought of this is both thrilling and terrifying.

This past weekend was slightly depressing with USU losing to BYU.  Because obviously, no Aggie wants to lose to the 'zoo.'  While it is crappy, it's not my home state losing against BYU.  That just cannot happen.

My older cousins, aunts, and uncles all went to LDS universities.  Like I said, I'm the first one in the family to not attend a church school.  I still have one cousin at BYU.  She will be graduated by the time the Huskers and the Cougars play, but that doesn't mean she won't be rubbing it in my face if we lose.

My dad also went to BYU.  When I asked him who he planned to cheer for during that game, his answer was simple: "I've been a Husker longer than I was a Cougar."

Amen, Papa. Amen.

I guess that would sort of be like USU playing the Huskers.  While I love USU, and always will, Nebraska is my home and I'm required to always root for my red- and white-clad boys.    

Homecoming Horrors

I saw some news clip over the weekend about how there were girls turned away from their homecoming dances because their dresses were "too short."

Let me preface this by saying that I am LDS, so I know about the whole "modesty" thing.  I was raised in the Mormon faith and have known about the book "For Strength of Youth" that the church put out as a guideline for teens since I was 12.  One of the "guidelines" talked about is modesty - viewing one's body as a temple and to not defile it.  This includes wearing modest clothing.  'Modest,' in the church's eyes, is clothing that covers one's shoulders, doesn't show the bare back, keeps the girls inside the shirt, and reaches to the knees in length (shorts, dresses, etc).  Basically what the church is doing is preparing youth for when they further their covenants with the Lord and start wearing garments (the 'holy underwear' as people say).  I know people who have even gone as far as to not let their infants wear sundresses as they don't follow those guidelines (but we won't get started on that...).

Me, the disobedient one, at my senior prom without sleeves

My sister, Whitney, being obedient with sleeves

My point is this - you know I grew up in Nebraska.  Nebraska is not Utah, certainly not Provo.  Finding dresses that covered our shoulders for dances was extremely hard.  And looking online wasn't helpful either.  Most 'modest' LDS dresses are, frankly, hideous.  So my mom let me wear sleeveless dresses to my homecoming and prom occasions.  The dresses were always appropriate length, and were otherwise modest, just minus the sleeves.  This was a decision I made and my parents were okay with it.  My clothing other than these occasions followed these guidelines.  I always made sure my dresses were modest for church and I covered myself properly for school.  My sister has tried hard to remain within the church's guidelines and has been lucky enough to find dresses throughout high school that have sleeves and are not frumpy. 

To imagine someone being turned away in Nebraska for a short dress is unfathomable.  Most of the girls looked like they should be standing on some street corner in Vegas.  They just didn't care.  No one cared.  I was one of 3 people in my high school who was LDS (one other being my sister).  We did what we could to follow the church's guidelines but sometimes there were occasions where we had to compensate.  Am I ashamed?  Nope.  I was a young, teenage girl.  I was in high school. I wasn't wearing garments and one night without a dress with sleeves wasn't going to corrupt me.  

I realize that a large majority of the Utah population is Mormon (dur).  That being said, I'm still shocked at the way the high schools reacted.  This wasn't that the dress was barely covering their butts.  This was that the dresses were TWO INCHES ABOVE THE KNEE CAP.  The horror!!

I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.  And I'm Mormon.  Sigh, sometimes people are too stuffy for their own good.

I saw my breath this morning.

This isn't the first time it's happened so far this fall season, but today I took particular notice to it.  Maybe it was because it was 30-some-odd degrees out when I biked to class and I wasn't wearing a coat.  You tend to notice how cold it is when you don't wear a coat.  

But this led me to thinking about winter.  And how it is quickly approaching.  And how I overheard some people talking a couple weeks back about how miserable it was here in Logan last winter.

Erm.  Apparently, having an average temperature of 40 during the WINTER is miserable to some people.  I find it fabulous.  Like shorts weather.  Not to mention, it hardly snowed last winter.  I hope it snows ten feet for them so they're not disappointed.

Because Utah is so dry, winters here are fairly mild compared to what I was used to.  Not exactly sure how to describe it, but winters in Nebraska are worse than here.  Sure, we get the same amount of snow and it gets very cold there.  But something about the Nebraska air makes winters there awful.  Here, I can step outside in pajamas and snow boots to take my dog potty at 3am and be fine.  You can't do that in the Midwest.  The air is so cold, I swear it freezes you right down to your bones.  It takes forever to get warm after being outside.  And the wind!  Oh, the wind is brutal.  It just hurts!  Blizzards are very common, along with 10 foot drifts along the road.

One thing Utah doesn't have as much as Nebraska is wind chill factor.  Though it might be 25 degrees outside, it's so windy during the winter that most days include a wind chill of 20+ degrees.  That takes it down to 5.  5 degrees outside.

Yeah, that's a little cold.