A Bummer of an Easter

It's been a bummer of an Easter. First, it's the last month of the semester and the last two weeks particularly were extra-busy and stressful. And now I'm sick. Not the low-level cold I've had since who-knows-when, but a nasty one that beats me up and takes my lunch money. I move at a slug's pace and I'm so congested my nose whistles when I breathe. Seriously, there's no excuse for that at my age. I was valiantly pressing on though because I wanted to have a little fun in the little time I have before I go under again. Paul suggested we go to a Russian Orthodox midnight vigil because they're interesting and fun. Unfortunately, there is no Russian Orthodox church here. Oh sure, there's a Serbian Orthodox and a Romanian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, possibly Macedonian Orthodox, and multiple Antiochian Orthodox churches, but no Russian. None of them were very close and the vast majority seemed too small to really be busting out the mosaics of which I am so fond. So we went Greek Orthodox, of which there are many. They're large and fancy and brand-new and everywhere, so we picked the closest and investigated. It's a good thing we did. Apparently, they've been infected with a horrible Protestant sparseness. Maybe it's the practicality (haven't raised the funds for lavish decoration yet, but that's no reason not to start using the building), but there were no mosaics. Just white walls and a big crucifix. There wasn't even an iconostasis. How can an Orthodox church not have an iconostasis? It was very disappointing. Paul was surprised and disappointed by the presence of benches. (True Russian Orthodox churches--which this obviously wasn't holding itself out as--don't have benches. Sitting shows a lack of commitment.) Anyway, we gave up on a midnight vigil and returned home. I didn't even get to go to our own Easter services this morning because I was too sick and apparently a snoreosaurus in the morning (given Paul's fleeing to the couch). I found an Easter talk from President Hinckley, which was nice but not the same. I downloaded the Easter hymns and tried to sing alone but it didn't have enough of a voice. It was really pathetic-sounding.

So, it's been a bummer of an Easter. Now, I have to go take more dayquil.