Magic Moment

I think we can all agree that for the most part life day-to-day can be pretty monotonous. Work, eat, sleep, etc.. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. I like routine, and if every moment of my day was something new and exciting that would, by definition, become monotonous and commonplace. Thankfully, things are they way the are and life as it is provides for moments that are special and mark themselves in our conscious to the effect that when we look back our minds more keenly recall the magic moments rather than the monotony of the daily routine.

This time of year for me tends to produce some of these moments as nature begins its slow slog out of winter's grip. Every year about this time the railroad museum where I work has what they call a photo shoot weekend. This is where they get out all the equipment, fired it up and photographers come to take pictures of the equipment and yard in various situations and arrangements.

This is one of my favorite things we do at the railroad. Most of the year work for me at the railroad consists of construction and repair projects that are forever linked to low grade emergencies incident to dealing with aging buildings and infrastructure and never enough funds. While the museum is a great place and the projects are always interesting, I probably let it be more commonplace than it should be. (I mean who else gets to try to take a phone call over the sound of a steam whistle?) During the photo shoots I get to see the complex in a completely different light. That obscure building that we spent months restoring gets lit up in the dark and the place comes to life. That rotary snow plow we spent the summer having repaired and repainted is put on the front of a 100 year old steam locomotive, the headlight is lit and it is sent out into the snowy night and the effect is captivating. The new water main and water column we put in one spring is watering tenders of steam locomotives and the scene you see as you look across the yard is no different than one you would see in 1922. I have little to do with the train operations or the photo shoots themselves, but I always make a point to go down during these weekends and watch for bit, because for me the experience is re-energizing and gets me excited about the coming year of projects.

After what seems like months of relentless cold and snow we've had several days of warm (read above 32 degrees) weather. The sun is nice, but we are rarely shorted on that here in the high desert. What I can't wait too see and experience each year is a warm and dry spot of dirt. Thanks to the warmer days as I was walking into the engine house at the man door on the south side I noticed it.

I'm not really sure what it about the first spot of dry earth, I mean I'm not Noah looking for a place to park the ark or anything, but it's just so heartening after shoveling snow for weeks and looking at the feet of snow in the back yard, and the glacial snow piles in my parking lot that you know it will all eventually melt away. I must of stood there for at least 30 minutes.

So in short: The work you do is worthwhile and spring is coming.