Totally pointless

Going to school in Rexburg, Idaho in the winter is...an experience. One thing you ought to know about Rexburg is that it is really really cold, and snows. A lot. The snow is never shoveled or plowed anywhere, resulting in a lot of ice everywhere. It has become an art to distinguish between the patches of ice that are bad news and to be avoided at all costs, and the patches of ice that really aren't that slippery and no problem to walk on. You can imagine what happens in the process of learning this art, I don't think anymore explanation is necessary.

There is a particular spot on the sidewalk just outside my apartment complex that has a sheet of ice layers of inches thick, and very slippery. The fear of falling and looking like an idiot exists within everyone, but let me make myself clear, looking like an idiot is inevitable. Let's be honest, we have all spent many flailing moments, looking like an idiot with arms and legs flapping in every direction, staying erect on our feet by some miracle. Somehow, we still manage to justify our dignity since we "didn't actually fall."

Over the past couple of days, the weather has been beautiful and the sun has been shining, aka, the temperature has been above the freezing point of ice. Following our logic, this means melting. This means standing water everywhere, particularly on the sidewalk that used to contain the ice of fatality, which has now transformed into the lake of saturation and depth, and by that I do not mean wisdom.



Upon reaching this complimentary wading pool of ours, a decision must be made within a matter of moments. One has several choices. You can a) attempt to walk around the gigantic puddle and get stuck in the mud, ruining your shoes, b) walk through the mounds of snow remaining to the street, and pray you don't get hit by any angry drivers, or c) suck it up and wade through the pool, still ruining your shoes and also soaking the bottom of your pants. having tried them all, I've come to the conclusion that risking my life, venturing into the street, and going around the whopping waterway is the best choice, in my opinion, even at the expense of driver's road rage. I'll go with option b and take my chances. It has been great fun.