Dan’s Delights 2/24-3/2
March 3, 2025Hey Dear Folks,
These weeks are so full of activities that sometimes I am in awe of all that can be accomplished in a week. I know it’s just seven days but occasionally it feels like seven little lifetimes interrupted by visions of what could be (highly recommend teaching yourself to lucid dreaming, makes falling asleep all the more fun!) There are so many delights to recap as I sit here in the final hours of my stay at the Salt Lake City House so let us get going. This chapter has been oh so lovely and this ending is the baked beans on top of it all.
Monday was such a beautiful day. The sunny day where I saved skittles haha. Funny to think back on that little escapade. I spent so much time outside that day writing, sunbathing, and enjoying my one of my favorite views in Salt Lake. One I’ve shared before and will share again. It then finished off with a lovely Pad Thai. Dang I’m gonna miss having immediate access to a good kitchen.
Tuesday I spent almost the whole day at one of my favorite places to work, the Downtown Library. I walked 2ish miles over and along the way just enjoyed so many little things that made me smile. From little dogs and cats to funny plushies, there is so much around that lends itself to be noticed and appreciated.
On these kinds of walks where I just have music in and am immersed in my own world I think back on these words by John Green “From the quark to the supernova, the wonders do not cease. It is our attentiveness that is in short supply, our ability and willingness to do the work that awe requires.” And what better place to put that awareness than in the understanding of others.
At the library I spent a good time looking through photo books and one that specifically caught my attention was It’s Complicated: The American Teenager. For those that don’t know this is my favorite age range to teach as there is such hope, curiosity, and enthusiasm for the things they adore. It’s our job as educators to not get in the way of these things.
On the way back from the library I passed this street art. A great question and proclamation. Alongside this stellar vivid and lovely sunset.
Tuesday night meant BINGO!!! The first stop was a little burger place that Harrison and I have passed time and time again. I give it 3.5 stars, better than fast food, but still yearning for more.
This time with more friends new and old! We won some candy and some extra cards but no grand prize jackpot, so I guess we’ll have to go again in the quest to win $2100
Wow, Tuesday was magical cause the day wasn’t finished! After Bingo a few of us returned to a friend’s house for Karaoke and tomfoolery! From Pink Pony Club to Tangled and Neon Moon there was a mix of everything til we all got tired and it was time to walk home under the stars.
Wednesday was another wild day! I went climbing with my friend Tammy and her friend who I hadn’t seen in 4 years almost? Last time we climbed together was a fun trip up Montezumas Tower in Colorado Springs and this time we went out for a beautiful day in American Fork Canyon. Thank you to Mason for literally also holding my hand on a real sketchy part of the approach trail that i got rather spooked on.
After climbing Harrison and I went to a soccer game! It was so fun to go watch the sport live again. I think both teams had fun and that’s all that really matters, right?
Oh and the pickles we got from the hot dog topping cart. Clutch halftime snack.
Thursday was a busy day prepping for friends arriving over the weekend but It ended with making a new friend new who knew what Drum Corps was! They found out I was musical and then described how they knew of these “athletic marching bands that worked all summer for hours and hours” at the place where they used to work. Turns out it was Trafalgar and highly likely they were watching the Madison Scouts! This friend is also doing so many cool things with documentary work up in the PNW and when those are finished I will have to share about them!
Then that evening I went to watch Yudi and Stephen known as Butterbee perform at the Natural Law Apothecary. It was such an eclectic environment with herbal shops, honey stands, and a really hodgepodge building style. Intimate and cozy a lovely place to hear some beautiful music from these two talented music makers.
Friday meant the arrival of friends for the long awaited Ski Weekend! All these folks are friends from my Grand Canyon trip earlier this year and it was the biggest joy to see them again. I’m so excited for whatever the next adventure we can have together will be. I hope it includes more childhood games on the playground at night with people in the Rat Tank, Spikeball, Slacklining, sunsets skiing, free ice cream, many rounds of Russian BS, frisbee in hurricane winds, forgetting skis at the resort and finding them the next morning, finding goldfish in a tube on the playground, eating said goldfish the next day while skiing, learning to not put apples in the same bag as your goldfish that you found on the playground, dank pizza, family dinners of good goop, running into an entire lacrosse team from Florida in chipotle, and so many other shenanigans. Hans, Robyn, Alex, Bryn, Mitchell, Harrison: I love you all. Thanks for such a special weekend. It was such a delight to be like a momma duck making sure all y’all were taken care of and fed.
Wow oh wow what a busy and amazing week this was. What adventures did you all get up to? I would love to hear from you! Send me a note :)
Last little piece of advice of I learned this week, If you’re parking near the intersection of 900 E and 900 S in SLC. Look out for the place where there is no curb. Cause if I had a nickel for each time I’ve seen this nonsense I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.
Til next time. Keep Spreading the Love inside of you to all you meet. You are all beautiful humans.
I love you,
Dan
