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School v FanX

Why, school? Why do you get in the way of me being a first-rate nerd? Aren’t you supposed to further my betterment? How can you stand for progress while hindering my cultural education?

I encountered a green-blooded giant.
I encountered a green-blooded giant.

Salt Lake FanXperience 2016 happened in March. I love having fantastic fan conventions in my quadrant. Normally, I’m engrossed in these things longer than the USS Bozeman was stuck in that time loop but I was mid-semester during this one so I couldn’t completely nerd out. Still, despite school being a downer, Jason and I condensed FanX rather effectively.

Holy Doctors, Batman!
Holy Doctors, Batman!
Hearing Buzz Aldrin speak was a privilege.
Hearing Buzz Aldrin speak was a privilege.

We went to a special presentation given by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Hearing from someone who’d been to real space instead of plywood space was fascinating. We got a picture with Matt Smith and Alex Kingston while wearing full bowtie, attended some intriguing feminist panels, and went to a session on male cosplay so Jason could get a few tips on how to perform better. Data showed him how it’s done.

You never know when you might come across a Catbus or Dogvan.
You never know when you might come across a Catbus or Dogvan.
This happened in a galaxy really ridiculously far away.
This happened in a galaxy really ridiculously far away.

We attended the Doctor Who Ultimate FanXperience, which featured the Fifth Doctor, Seventh Doctor, Eleventh Doctor, and River Song this year. It was over an hour and a half of Doctors jabbing each other on their weird wardrobe choices and reminiscing about aliens. It was quite entertaining. We also witnessed our first FanX cosplay contest. This wasn’t trick-or-treating; it was the big leagues baby!

Carbonite. Why did it have to be carbonite?
Carbonite. Why did it have to be carbonite?

Moreover, something truly momentous happened at FanX this year. I acquired the last autograph for my ST:TNG cast poster. That’s right, LeVar Burton’s signature made my cast collection complete. I have arrived!

A guy in spandex with multiple mouths... that's pretty scary.
A guy in spandex with multiple mouths… that’s pretty scary.

Hmmm… after some consideration, it would appear that I am still a first-rate nerd even if my master’s courses made it impossible for me to immerse myself in FanX like the Joker immersed himself in that vat of chemicals. Hey, I wore a Darth Vader dress and lightsaber earrings to one of my graduate classes just so I would be properly arrayed for FanX. That took some serious nerd balls; you know I’ve got big ones.

Rachel May 12, 2016 2 Comments

Going Viking

Although Jason and I had dined at a yurt recently, (How many people can say that?) we ended up doing so again last month. When our friend Jeremy and his fiancé invited us to check out The Viking Yurt at Park City Mountain Resort with them, we said ja.

As it turns out, besides its round shape and mountainous setting, The Viking Yurt shares little in common with Solitude’s primitive Mongolian version. The Viking Yurt is posh, fully heated, pumping with electricity, and even has a grand piano somehow sandwiched in its innards. It may be remote but rustic it is not.

The Viking Yurt is 1,800 feet above the base of Park City Mountain Resort.
The Viking Yurt is 1,800 feet above the base of Park City Mountain Resort.

To get to The Viking Yurt, you hop on a massive sleigh pulled by a snow cat. It dashes you up 1,800 vertical feet, which takes about 25 minutes. At 8,700 feet, you find a warm mug of glogg, a spiced berry drink, awaiting you inside a surprisingly inviting shelter.

My many Viking ancestors were "peaceful traders" according to my mom.
My many Viking ancestors were “peaceful traders” according to my mom.

You are then served a six-course dinner with Scandinavian flair that begins with butternut squash soup and smoked trout salad. Next, to cleanse your palate, you’re given a scoop of sorbet stuffed in a rock from Norway. (My stone came from Goxdeglicindovajavinojaslovan.) The main dish, braised short ribs and Jarlsberg potatoes, follows. A cheese course, which features a variety of unusual fermented and pickled products, comes next, presented on aspen slabs. Then, a warm pear strudel with lingonberry ice cream crams itself into your already occupied stomach. Yummy!

The helmet, the mug, the look, the man... it all fits doesn't it?
The helmet, the mug, the look, the man… it all fits doesn’t it?

After all that eating, you jump into the sleigh again and it drags your heavy butt back down the slopes. The particular night we went the moon was full so we were expecting a spectacular return ride but clouds came between us and that lunatic dream.

The Viking Yurt seemed particularly luxurious considering its isolated location.
The Viking Yurt seemed particularly luxurious considering its isolated location.

So which of the two yurts was my favorite? Would I rather be conquered by a Viking or a Khan? That’s a hard call because Vikings have those cool hats and Khans have… those cool hats. Really, the two experiences were dramatically different but we loved both of them. The food at Solitude was a little better and it was cool to watch it being prepared. Plus, it was refreshing to completely unplug from modern disruptions. However, if you want to be pampered at 8,700 feet, then The Viking Yurt may be your kind of hut dining. You can’t go wrong either way… unless you don’t like eating amazing food in unique settings. If that’s the case, you best stick to gobbling P&J in your PJs.

Rachel May 2, 2016 No Comments

A Few Passing Thoughts

My grandpa passed away recently so Jason and I traveled to a remote section of the South for his funeral. This experience made me contemplate the power of such rituals. Perhaps it is because the death of a loved one provides a somber, and often crushing, reminder of life’s fleeting treasures that these occurrences are able to unite families in a way that few other occasions can.

If I had lived a couple hundred years ago, I would have made a great professional mourner. Why, you ask? Because at funerals I am almost always that person who loses it. You know, the one sobbing so hard their chin twitches and their eyes swell up like caterpillars. My closeness to the deceased is irrelevant… it’s a little awkward when I’m crying more than the kids, spouse, or parents. My dad has always said it’s because I have a tender heart but you might say I’m a wimp, and rightly so. Nonetheless, even for those that don’t dehydrate as much as me at these services, funerals are never fun. Yet, they have a unique might.

Funerals bring families together. You will connect with relatives you never knew you had and reunite with ones you haven’t seen in decades. Since we live so far away, we met a lot of new faces at my grandpa’s service.

Funerals are a great time to snap a few family photos.
Funerals are a great time to snap a few family photos.

Another incredible thing about funerals is the support network they spontaneously create. A common purpose is suddenly formed that spans generations and locations. Work, school, and social responsibilities instantly become comparatively insignificant. My master’s program made attending my grandpa’s funeral quite difficult but there was no way I was going to miss it. It wasn’t a question of if Jason and I could make it work but of how we would make it work. My parents and a few of my siblings assembled despite the distance and the difference it made to my grandma was remarkable. The moment my parents walked through her door her entire demeanor changed; it was as if their strength literally began holding her up.

The last notable thing about funerals is the goodbyes they afford. Although these services may seem small compared to the people they honor, they often provide a solid sense of closure.

Goodbye, Grandpa. I am so grateful for the countless ways your jolly spirit positively impacted my life. I’ll love you forever!

Rachel April 25, 2016 No Comments
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