allison jacobsen

In April, 2001, I traveled to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore on an International Residency with my MS/MOT class. We visited many companies and heard many lectures, but the experiences that have stuck with me are the images and the feel of (an admitted small part of) Southeast Asia.

The impressions I have now are somewhat fleeting. I’ve never been anywhere as hot and humid as it is there. I was four months pregnant, and I could feel the atmosphere pressing down on me. It was one of the few places I’ve been where I was a minority ethnic group. People were friendly and helpful, and the cities had beautiful areas.

I’d like to go back someday.

Photo: Swiss Ball Fountain, Singapore Botanic Gardens

At what point does my stuck-in-the-80s body decide that low-cut jeans do not feel weird? I have been unconsciously hiking up my pants 1200 times a day for a few years now because I can not get used to the feeling of pants that don’t come up to my armpits. And let’s be clear, I’m not wearing ultra-low rise jeans. These are just below the waist pants, designed for those of us over 25 who want to be somewhat current and stylish but also would like to avoid flashing our underthings to the world. And I walk around yanking them up ALL DAY. I have now pulled the right belt loop off two pairs of jeans because that’s what I use to hike them up. And because all the shirts are short now, it’s looks strange to have a belt loop flapping. I think that it may be time to admit that flattering or no, I need to give up on fashion. Where’s my embroidered sweatshirt and stirrup pants?

It snowed more today, and it didn’t fill my heart with hate because I didn’t have to go anywhere. It actually was very pretty, with big, fluffy flakes, and I may have had a little of the light-hearted feeling I used to get. But mostly I’m feeling pretty grinchy about it. If we keep getting snow now, it had better stick around for Christmas because that’s the only time I really want it. I live in Minnesota, for pete’s sake, we should get white Christmases, but we don’t always have them.

When I was a kid, I remember getting so much snow that cars had to pause at intersections and honk since they couldn’t see over the banks. I know people who had to shovel their windows out so they would get some light in the house, and everyone didn’t go crazy. The Shining can happen; don’t discount the crazy-making of snow and cold and lack of sun. I grew up in a small town in West Central Minnesota, and it is definitely colder and snowier there than it is in the Twin Cities, but there has not been a winter like that here in the last twelve years. And, since I’m an adult now and tromping through snow that’s over my head isn’t so much fun anymore, that’s OK.