January is over and my blog is overdue.

It's been one long week, my friends. But I did keep track of what I learned. So here goes:

Monday, Jan 26:
My friend Sheonaid taught me what a yurt is. It's like a hut/tent that is semi-permanent. When I looked it up, I found out they were originally used by nomads in Central Asia. But we also have them here in Colorado in the mountains, if you ever want to use one for camping.
Tuesday, Jan 27:
My sister is doing a report on Ella Fitzgerald, and she taught me some of what she has learned. Ella Fitzgerald had a troubled childhood and an amazingly successful career. But the thing that stuck out most that I didn't know before was that she had both of her legs amputated due to complications with diabetes. I might be a little out of the loop not knowing that, but I'll admit my ignorance anyway.
Wednesday, Jan 28:
Wednesday was a re-learn day. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of the being in the gym. I like to exercise outside in the sun and wind and nature. But in Colorado, there are times of the year that it's the gym or nothing. So I was at the gym on my lunch hour, which is unfortunately a pretty busy time for my YMCA branch. And I re-learned another reason why I hate that place.
IT STINKS. Yes, running makes me feel healthy, but exposure to the smell of sweaty people in close proximity is a definite temptation to join the ranks of the sedentary. At least the odor suppresses my appetite, so even if I have to cut my workout short in order to breathe, I can make up for it by skipping my dinner.
I can't wait for spring.
Thursday, Jan 29:
My friend Laura is one of my favorites. She lives in NYC and I am staying with her when I go out there at the end of February. We were talking about all the things to do in New York, and I learned one thing I am unapologetically excited about (in all my nerdiness): The Tenement Museum. I love history. I love learning about the day-to-day in different periods of history. I love seeing old furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. I love learning about the way things were. So the Tenement Museum is a must-see for me. They conduct tours of an old tenement building. It was built in 1863 and housed thousands of New York immigrant families until it was vacated and boarded up in 1935. It was untouched until 1988 when the Tenement Museum discovered it and restored it to its former glory. I'm probably more excited to see that than I am about seeing Times Square.
Friday, Jan 30:
I learned a few small lessons from a night with friends:
1. The proper pronunciation of the word Curaçao is "cure-a-so," like this.
2. Some people aren't cut out for card tricks.
3. It is possible to spend time with Jared Harp without witnessing a Chris Brown dance routine.
4. Best in Show is still hilarious.
Saturday, Jan 31:
I learned the joy of answered prayers. I had a date with my sister. If you are not a girl with a sister, I'm sorry you'll never know the pleasure of a sisterly bond, but it is a beautiful thing. There are ten years between me and my sister, so when she was little, our relationship was atypical. I was more of a babysitter/third authority figure. But now, she's a teenager. She's heading into high school, and over the past few years, I've been praying about how to navigate the transition between authority-type and sister/friend. It's not been that easy, but it has been worth it. Friday was a really sweet time. We had dinner and a movie and talked about boys and school and real life. I realize I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best sister ever.
Sunday, Feb 1:
I learned that some things are still embarrassing, no matter how old you are. On Sunday we had fantastic weather, so I went for a run outside. At least, I made it through most of my run. But on the last block back to the house, I definitely took a nice, classic, completely ungraceful face plant. I am blaming it on the downtown sidewalk that is cracked and broken. But I had just run on such a sidewalk for 20 minutes, so there might be more to it. Like me not picking up my feet. Or the gods being against me.
Anyway, I definitely scraped a nice piece of skin off my knee. And I definitely looked around immediately afterward (you always do the look-around when you're embarrassed). The only thing that saved me was the complete state of desolation that befalls most of America from 4pm-9pm on Superbowl Sunday. So there was basically nobody around to see it. Although I'm sure some CC student was looking out the window of their apartment and had a good laugh. All I know is, it still hurts, and I still feel like a kid. Your pity is welcomed.
Monday, Feb 2:
I learned that my friend Allison is now LEED-accredited! Allison is an architect and she has been studying like crazy for the test she took today. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation demonstrates a knowledge of green building: environmentally friendly design and construction with an emphasis on sustainability. Last week, Angela, another good friend of mine, also became LEED accredited. Congrats Al and Angela! I'm proud to know you both. I'll take you out for a celebratory drink at the next possible time. Ange- that means we should wind up in the same state again sometime. ;)