a word of advice to my 20-something friends

Do not read the introduction to your IRA packet. It will depress you. Their intention, I'm sure, is to make you feel secure in your investment. To feel good about the many years ahead of you in which you can plan, save and think about your future and your some-day retirement. Relax, you've got anywhere from 40-45 years left to ensure that your retirement allows you to live comfortably and securely. FORTY TO FORTY-FIVE YEARS?!?! ¡Madre de Dios! I quickly ran a mental projection of myself after reading those words...and predicted approximately 12 career changes and 8 major geographical moves. Okay, maybe not quite, and time passes really quickly, and things happen and people make connections and put down roots and settle down. That may well happen, I recognize that as a possibility. But can we just take it in 2-3 years steps at a time for now? I CANNOT THINK ABOUT 40 YEARS FROM NOW! That's not to say I refuse to start saving money, on the contrary, I'm all for it, my account's already set up. Just please don't try to comfort me by talking about something 4-5 decades away. I am kind of a gypsy.

snow day

Apparently I brought the snow back with me from Indiana... I was just ahead of it driving back to Albuquerque but this morning had to brush snow off my car and scrape the windshield. Scratch that, I had no scraper or brush! I just wiped it off with my hands, breathed into the lock trying to thaw it enough to turn the key, and then set the defrost on high while I finished getting my stuff together for work. Welcome back to New Mexico. (?!?!) It kept snowing and the forecast is a bit grim, and since New Mexicans have no idea how to drive in snow, a mere 3-4 inches shuts the city down. If I didn't have a rear-wheel drive tiny convertible that handles una mierda in the snow, I probably would think the amount of accidents today ridiculous, but I slid around a bit getting in and out of the parking lot where the snow and ice hadn't been melted away by cars before me. And on the way home I bought an ice scraper and snow brush. Tomorrow I will be so prepared.

In other news, since I got to come home from work early due to the snow, I finally got around to making some granola bars. I'd been planning on it for ages, ever since a friend asked me for a recipe (which I didn't have) and he ended up finding this one, trying it out, and liking it. My pan o' deliciousness is cooling now. Should be a good snack for work.

I also finished my book (The Sun Also Rises) and experimented with a silly collage:

It was a pretty good afternoon, although I had to skip salsa dancing tonight, since I figured it was a bad idea to be out on the roads. Oh, and my stupid sister has been playing pick-up ultimate on the beach, and hanging out at the zoo in the sun on her vacation in California. *sigh* Come back, summer!