Marissa Explains It All: My First Midwest Snow Storm

Top of the morning to ya!

For my European friends I guess that works, but it's only super late for the American ones.

Details, anyway..I left you with my shark feeding frenzy and a sever weather warning about an ice storm and snow that was supposed to hit Carbondale.

Go to your tv, turn on the weather channel right now. You'll see that majority of the midwest and the east coast and the south was/is being hit by a massive storm. Thursday it started around late afternoon with sleet, or rain in the form of ice. It's still not sunshine and rainbows right now either, 4 days later.

Yeah. That's a thing out here. Ice falls from the sky and it's little and not hail, it's ice. And it was cold and icy and didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. But we had our staff holiday party that night at the local pizza place, Pagliai's or better known as Pag's. As it was storming pretty hard and people are in the middle of prepping for finals not all of the staff was able to make it. We did our white elephant exchange and had a good time though. I ended up with a kinda eclectic array of boxed cake and biscuits, mini alcohol bottles (so cute and so easy to take with you to take a quick shot before or after a final!) and well some other things you could use on a date night. At least I think that was the thought idea behind it…some dinner for 2, some classy booze and then um…ya…let's just say that it was good of them to think of safety first.

Never understood 'the birds and the bees' analogy.

But it was really funny to see people's reactions to that and the singing tie gift, the box of protein bars (classic gym rat gift) and reindeer antlers for your car (I secretly really wanted that one!) among some others. I was glad to say thanks and see some of them before we head off to break though. Gonna miss my goons!

Right then it started snowing and I had class and was struggling to get the ice off my windshield. So I bought an ice scraper real quick. And luckily class got out early because it was getting pretty nasty out. There was talk of other schools canceling but I didn't think the University would close since it hadn't shut down due to weather since like the stone age.

But the next morning I woke up to this…

My poor baby Pearl!(she's not in this photo but still)

It was her first snow and she was not only encased in ice fromt the sleet but then covered in a good 5-7inches of snow too!!

And that ice as the first layer made it just about impossible for me to get into my car. It was frozen shut. Like wouldn't budge a little bit. So I called my boss to ask if I should use hot water or what was the midwest way of dealing with this crisis and he goes "Oh Cali…you just better stay at home, you don't know how to drive in this let alone worry about other dumb drivers."

So I don't have to come into work? Ok cool, but what about class?

"Class is canceled. The rec is still open and some other places on campus but otherwise no class."

Wait…what? A Snow Day?

A SNOW DAY!!!!!

I went out and did a snow angel right then and there and immediately regretted it because it was still snowing and I was only in a t-shirt.

My last day of classes in my first semester of Grad school was a snow day! Is this real life?? YES!

I was so happy that after my snow angel I realized that it was 7:50am so I did what any normal 22 year old would do that early. Go back to bed.

I woke up sometime later and it was STILL snowing. Not fun light snowing but blowing snow and windy and frigid and cold. Fun to be in for about 2.5seconds and that's it. But after cleaning the dishes, watching a movie, spontaneous dance party with myself and more laziness I got stir crazy. My boss then called me and asked if I needed anything from Wal-Mart. I was like oh that's ok, I was thinking about driving over soon to stock up on food (i did not stock up for the storm. Cali noob move). He was like yeah no you are not, I'll come get you.

So me and the boss man went to Wally world together in a winter wonderland. He's pretty bad with road rage especially with people not knowing how to drive in the snow. Pretty hilarious. i stocked up on baking goods and other goodies. On the drive back we had a good chat about the job and what we both want for the future of this program. And I'm feeling like setting common goals is good but voicing them is better so that we can actually achieve them. So it was a very productive trip all around.

Luckily it quit snowing but it was still very very very cold. I went out to eat with some friends to the only restaurant open, Applebee's, but it was still fun even if the wait was like 45 minutes. That night some friends were holding a graduating senior party for some kids so we ventured out in that shittayy weather. But it turned out to be a lot of fun and we had a good time. Nothing like a snow day to start the party early. But because it was so bad some friends that live farther out couldn't make it. One in particular, my friend Amy, who is graduating and will be out of here next week. She's a favorite not only with me but with most people and she is going to be sorely missed. Her and all of her south side Chicago sassiness. So a few of us decided we have to throw another party in her honor. And guess who had the brilliant idea of hosting?

Me!!

So I threw a small kick back at my very unfurnished apartment. We wore ugly christmas sweaters, played cards, and laughed and had a jolly good time. The girls had gone to dinner before and we were just enjoying each others company and we invited some more to join in on the fun. And that lead to more people. And then their friends. And soon my little apartment had more people that I didn't know than I did know in it. Funny how that happens.

Things I learned from hosting-

-get more seating. Chairs, bean bags, etc. Just get more.

-invest in a tv. watching my pink xmas tree just doesn't quite cut it for entertainment.

-invest in a stereo system. The portable one you got luckily at a gift exchange sucked really bad and blew out by the second song.

-don't have your stuffed dog in your room and then let people use your bathroom connected to your room. They will think it's real and get scared and scream or make fun of you for having a stuffed animal or both.

-do not let people put cans on your ceiling fan.

If they do, do NOT attempt to get them down. Just incase one happens to be half full and you end up spilling it all over the place. Thanks tall asshole…

But even if it wasn't the best or most raging party, I had fun and I think others did too. Good company, good times, good memories.

On our way to the bar we did happen to run into some other friends from work. Well, they were outside of the bar after what looks like was a fight that had just gotten broken up. Can you guess who tried to take on 3 bouncers, by himself, all 6ft 150lbs? Yep you guessed it, HotHead! He was belligerent…class act...we luckily talked him into leaving before anymore damage. Thank goodness his last day is over...no longer can claim him and I'm ok with that!

But we went to the bar and forgot all about the fiasco and it was good to spend some quality time with our very awesome albeit a lil bit ratchet at times friend. A good send off for her to remember good ol' Salukiville.

And Sunday I worked on some work stuff and tried to work on studying. But meh, I'll just blog instead. It's so much more entertaining anyway.

Here's some photos from last night. Sorry there aren't that many, I forget to take photos when I'm having fun!