Sarah's Thoughts

2008-04-05T13:53:00.001-06:00

3 out of 5 of my dad's siblings are in town (well, SLC, but that's only an hour away on most days, although this weekend it's more like 3) and they got together with all my cousins in the area for dinner last night, but didn't invite me or my sister, because they forgot we were here.
The same happens with my mom's side of the family, with several aunts, uncles and cousins living within 20 minutes of my apartment and forgetting I live here. I'm at 5 years younger than my youngest cousin, so maybe that's it. I'm also single and childless, so maybe that's why they forget.
I've been feeling super lonely for the past monthish. My mom hasn't been returning my calls and when she does she just talks about how she's worried about me. My roommates are all wrapped up in getting ready to graduate and/or get married, and I'm failing out of school and won't be able to take classes this summer or fall and don't know where I'm going to live or what I'm going to do. They're the only friends I have and they're all leaving and they don't even know about my situation.

Puppy Love

2007-08-07T15:45:00.000-06:00

I don't know how it's possible, but I'm in love with Hunter and I've never even met him! He's the cutest thing ever, and he makes my family happy, so how could I not love him? Just look how cute!

Christmas Crafts!

2006-12-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

I really wish I had a picture to go with this item I actually read in a serious magazine (from the 1970s) Maybe I'll have to make one just to have pictures for next year:

Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Spray paint gold, turn upside down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas Cards.

EEEEEWWWW!

I think the point of blanching it is to remove as much of the hanging flesh as possible, but I could be wrong. My family always has a turkey for Christmas, so maybe I'll blanch the carcass (or make turkey stock as usual, but pull the carcass out before it has totally fallen apart)

Thanks to R. Simmons (not Richard!) for sharing this lovely magazine entry with me.

What Kind of Ridiculousness is This?

2006-12-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

My furnished apartment is supposed to have a vacuum cleaner. I know this because every month they come and inspect it to make sure we keep it clean, and every month they complain that the floors haven't been vacuumed well enough. When we tell them that we don't have a vacuum because they took it away in July to "fix" it (personally, I don't think it was fixable so they threw it out)
Well, today they brought us a replacement vacuum. The "new" one isn't as old as the other (I'm pretty sure I've been around longer than this one), and it doesn't smoke when you turn it on, but as you can see, it is a total piece of crap. It kind of works, if you run it over the same spot about a dozen times, if you can move it at all with the dysfunctional wheels and missing handle. It is also missing the hose, which will make vacuuming out the sofa for the monthly checks problematic (although no more than having no vacuum at all).
This, and having no phone for more than two weeks (I'd like my money back) and the lies about what's being done about it (um, nothing?) and their failure to inform me they would boot my car if I didn't get a new parking sticker, isn't making me like the new management.
I know that all landlords suck, so I'm glad to be at BYU, where they require students to live in "BYU approved housing," or someplace that will require us to follow the BYU rules. In exchange the landlords are required to follow certain rules, and if they don't, we know who to call. No manager wants to get a call from BYU housing informing them they are close to having their approval revoked, which would mean their tennants could all move out and not owe them a dime. It's great motivation.
Unfortunately, the housing department doesn't have anything to say about vacuum cleaners, so we'll have to either make do with the crap they gave us, or go shopping for something better.

It's Fall!

2006-09-23T03:01:00.000-06:00

It's fall, and even Green Monkey is getting ready!
Fall is my favorite season. I love the cooler weather, the rain, the beautiful fall colors and smells. I love the lead in to winter and the holiday season that fall provides. It's just so lovely!

Funny!

2006-09-14T09:49:00.000-06:00

I've never posted anything frou YouTube, but this is the funniest thing I've seen recently!

The Bee Hive State

2006-09-14T08:53:00.000-06:00

Yeesterday I learned I'm not only allergic to penicillin, but now sulfa antibiotics too! I started to itch yesterday afternoon, so I took a shower to see if it helped. It did a little, but shortly after dressing I saw a line of little red dots going up both arms and thought they were probably bug bites. My roommate came home and said the spots on my neck didn't look like bites, they looked like a rash, and at about 4:00 I started to see the dots getting bigger and joining each other to become huge red itchy blobs. I called the doctor and he said take benadryl and call back in the morning. About two hours later I was covered in them head to toe. I tried not to scratch, but by 8:30 I knew it was bad. I had hives on my scalp, my face, hands, the bottoms of my feet. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep, so I went to the ER (a few blocks away) I did the whole epi/prednisone/benadryl/pepcid thing (same old routine) and left hive-free. YAY!! I slept great, but unfortunately the hives are reappearing. I hope they leave again before I have to work in the preschool.

UPDATE: They came back during preschool, along with some breathing problems, so I went to the ER and had benadryl, steriod, and epi injections, everything cleared up, and I went home. Less than two hours later they were back, and more painful and extensive than ever. It was awful. I went back to the ER (roommate drove me, no way I could in that condition!) I got all checked in and was waiting for them to call (they're much faster when you can't breathe!) when I fell asleep. I checked myself out of the ER and went home to sleep. The next morning they weren't as bad, but not gone so I went to a regular doctor, got all checked out, blood tests and everything. He prescribed a different antihistamine (obviously the 50mg of benadryl every four hours weren't doing anything) and I felt much better, even though the hives didn't completely leave until the 18th.

UPDATE: Pictures (if you really want to see them, kinda gross,but...) are at the parental-appropriate blog (the one they know about, they don't know about this one, I'd feel a lot less free to express myself if I knew they were going to read it, or maybe I just like my parents not knowing every thing about me, sorry about the awkward phrasing) because they wanted to see and I didn't want them on the picture blog (eeeww!) Anyone curious enough look can go here.

Remembering Juan Romero Orozco

2006-09-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Juan Romero Orozco, a man from Acatlan de Osorio, Puebla, Mexico, and presumed to be in or near the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, was reported missing after when someone, presumably a family member, made a call to the US Consulate in Mexico, asking about his whereabouts. It has been assumed that he died in the tragedy.

His name was removed from the official list on October 29, 2003, after city officials decided to remove the names of forty people because their death or even presence in New York in 2001 could not be confirmed. “The names removed include illegal immigrants whose jobs were not well documented and people whose relatives say they were near the trade center… but know little more.” (CBS News)

Very little information about Juan Romero Orozco is available, but I tried my best to find out who he was. I suspect that he was an illegal immigrant that worked in or near the World Trade Center. His employer probably did not have documented proof he worked there or look into his disappearance following September 11, 2001.

In early 2001, a Spanish filmmaker made a documentary called "Caminantes." The film is about Zapatista guerrillas that marched “unarmed, to Mexico City in order to speak at congress… in March 2001, in a controversial event. The march was nicknamed Zapatour…” (Wikipedia) The Zapatistas “oppose corporate globalization, or neoliberalism, the economic system advocated by the Mexican presidents from 1982 to 2000” (Wikipedia) The film credits list a Juan Romero Orozco as being largely featured in the film. It is possible that, thinking publicity from the release of the film could lead to unwanted attention and poor treatment by others, Juan moved to New York as an illegal immigrant. I have no proof that they are the same Juan Romero Orozco, but the timing would suggest that they are.

I know nothing of Mr. Orozco’s age, profession, or family. I do know that he died needlessly in a terrible tragedy that shook our nation and rallied the support of the world against terrorism.

May our hearts and prayers be with the Orozco family, as well as all the families of the victims of the attack on September 11, 2001.

2,996

2006-09-09T14:31:00.000-06:00

I'm working on a tribute for a 9/11 victim as a part of the 2,996 project. Enough people have voluneered to have a tribute for each person who died in the tragedy. I'll post it on Monday.

Sea Star Fun

2006-09-01T22:35:00.000-06:00

My Seastar is in Vienna for a semester abroad and has a fun blog with her friend Lexi. YAY!

Calling all creative people!!

2006-08-25T20:19:00.000-06:00

Who can come up with the best synopsis of one of the following movies? I know you can come up with something clever!

- Alexander the Great Santini
- Analyze That Darn Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
- The Naked and the Dead Poets Society
- Shall We Dance With Wolves?
- Night of the Living Dead Man Walking
- There's Something About Mary Poppins
- All the President's Men in Black
- Air Force One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
- Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
- Children of a Lesser Godzilla
- The Man Who Knew Too Much Ado About Nothing
- Bridges of Madison County Over the River Kwai
- In the Heat of the Nightmare on Elm Street
- Singing in the Rainman
- The Spy Who Came in From the Cold Mountain
- An Officer and a Gentleman Prefer Blondes
- Dirty Harry Potter
- My Best Friend's Four Weddings and a Funeral

(all movie titles are from this article)

big house

2006-08-15T21:46:00.000-06:00

I'm writing a paper on buying a house that is the right size and price and came across this quote:
“We just bought this house. It’s too big. It’s like 400,000 square feet or something. We got an indoor lake and ski slope in the house! It’s just too big. There’s only me and the wife right now so it makes no sense. There’s so many rooms. We got, like everyone else, a bedroom, a living and a family room. And then you start running out of reasons why you have all these rooms. Now I say, ‘That’s the room I eat grapes in and that’s the Comb-my-hair room and that’s the Where-I-Put-My-Keys Room. If you’ll take the seventh door on the left you can enjoy the sock room, followed by the shoe rooms, the room I look out the windows of, and don’t forget to stop off by the Let’s-Listen-To-My-Echo Room, it’s real exciting!’ I’m starting to think all us rich people are crazy to buy things just because we can—kind of pointless, huh?”
-Adam Sandler 19/12/2004

Sock Monkeys

2006-08-14T22:20:00.000-06:00

When I got to my family's house last week I learned that my brother (age 10) has been making sock monkeys. They're really funny and cute, and I finally got pictures of them. The little camoflauge one is even funnier because he made the "socks" from a stretchy book-cover. He cut out sock shaped pieces and sewed them together then cut them apart and made them into the little monkey. The blue one was his first.

RIP Prince Charming

2006-07-30T23:53:00.000-06:00

You might have already heard, but my fish passed away last Monday. When I got home from my trip that afternoon I saw that his tank was full of water but missing a fish. I just assumed he had died (he was over 18 months old!) but this afternoon I heard the rest of the story.
Prince Charming was alive and swimming when my roommates left for school and work that morning, just as every morning, but when J got home a few hours later everything had changed. She and a friend, A, were talking when she noticed something dark on the floor. It looked like a fake fish, but they didn't know how it would have gotten there so decided to have a closer look. A picked it up and made the shocking discovery: it had a fish face! (apparently other than the face he didn't look much like a fish) They both looked up. There was no fish swimming in the tank on the shelf! They looked back at the fish in A's hand and knew it was Prince Charming. I don't know why he felt he had to end his life, but I will miss him.

...by the way, I'm getting a new fish tomorrow and have no idea what to call him (I didn't name PC, and the fish I did name I called Fish, so I need a little help) Any suggestions would be appreciated (as long as they're family/Sarah J friendly!)

UPDATE- I got a new fish and he is a beautiful, deep blue. He seems to enjoy his new (much larger) space and is very active. He doesn't have a name.

ALARMING UPDATE- He won't eat! Any ideas on how to get him to eat?

YAY! He ate!! He doesn't have a name, but he's eating now

SUPER LATE UPDATE: he's had a name for a few weeks, my brother and I decided on Phinneas ("like Phinneas Nigellus or Phinneas Gage!" he said) and he'll be Phinn for short. YAY!

Southwest...

2006-07-26T01:32:00.000-06:00

isn't what it used to be, I gather.

No, my experience on Southwest a couple of weeks ago was unlike any other flight I've been on, mostly because the flight attendant thought he was funny and the rest of us thought he was silly, especially when he dumped the peanut packages on the floor as we took off, sending the blue foil-wrapped snacks sailing down the aisle for passengers to grab. I'd never even heard of such a thing! He also attempted to make jokes, such as suggesting that if we wanted to pay $2000 to fly we would have flown American, not flown Southwest and disabled the smoke alarm. Also, if we really wanted to smoke, the wings were available as "designated smoking areas" and could be used as soon as we reached our cruising altitude. I sat next to a woman who is a HUGE Barney Fife fan. She knows all kinds of quotes and has an 8 year-old son who did fantastic impressions
The flight back from San Jose last week was less funny, and it took me nearly as long to fly to Utah as it did my parents to drive, but I wasn't in a car with sometimes working a/c and a tempermental transmission (the fourth in ten years, probably to be replaced soon) and seven family members (five siblings, two parents, and myself) listening to missionary-appropriate music. I was in planes and airports with fantastic a/c, one brother, and plenty of space to move around in. YAY! for air travel!!

8. My Baby Brother

2006-07-25T22:33:00.000-06:00

I have the best little brother EVER!!

My little brother is the cutest. He's ten years old and way too smart for his age. He has an older brother who taught him how to tease his four older sisters, and he does it well. He makes our family happy, he makes me happy, and he makes us laugh. He does some pretty silly things, like hiding when someone tries to take his picture:

He takes up odd hobbies (such as learning shorthand and having my mom quiz him on it, sewing, building electrical circuits, drawing in his bed at night, etc) and he keeps us guessing. He's the only member of the family who has ever taken an interest in sports and his sports of choice are lacrosse and basketball. When I asked him recently what he wants to be when he grows up he said a basketball player, very different from my other brother's dreams of becoming a doctor, scientist, or artist. He bought himself a basketball a couple of months ago and now he and my dad ride bikes to the elementary school and shoot hoops. This shocked me as much as when my dad bought my 16 year-old brother a bullet bike. Dad playing basketball? Absolutely unheard of!!

He's recently taken up art and does quite well with it, as do many of my other siblings (I totally missed the drawing/sculpting/painting gene) He and I played with Model Magic™ and he made a dog and a platypus (his favorite animal)

He then got a hold of my camera and took a few pictures that show he's all boy (he took the platypus one too)

YAY! for my baby brother!!!

Super-cutest of all he sleeps under the quilt I made him for his birthday. (see the picture blog for pictures of the quilt) It's just the size of the top of his bed and he lays it out on top. I don't know what happened to his comforter, but it's no longer on the bed!

Disappointment

2006-07-09T21:06:00.000-06:00

I don't know why I've had such a hard time putting this thing together. It's still not done, but I've had a lot of setbacks and am a little disappointed with the end result. I am very much a perfectionist, but I think in this case I just want it to be done so it's okay for now. I'll probably tweak it later, but for now it's going to look a little sloppy; at least I know it's sanitary ☺

Part II

2006-07-08T15:59:00.000-06:00

I took measurements, drew diagrams, and redrew plans with seam allowances and hems included. I used those to make the pattern.

I drew the pattern on Hallmark wrapping paper for three reasons:
1. It's big enough to draw the pieces out on
2. It's thinner than butcher paper
and the biggest reason I used Hallmark brand paper?
3. It has a 1" grid on the back, which makes it SO much easier to transfer the plans from the diagram to full-size pattern pieces

Then I cut out the pieces. Right now I'm working on sewing the pieces together and figuring out how I want to embellish the boring blue. I'm currently thinking about sewing on stripes of white grossgrain ribbon, but I'm not sure where or how many or if I really want to do that or not. We'll see.

Lastest Project

2006-07-07T17:53:00.000-06:00

I've been working on a fitted slipcover for my hand-me-down chair (it's had 4 previous owners that I know of, and I don't know where the first got it from.) I want to document the process and post it here, but it's taking longer than I thought so I'll start with what I have.

This is what the chair looks like. It's a little ratty looking and if you look closely you can see stains (it might be hard to see, it's stained pretty much everywhere) especially on the top at the back. The arms are a little weird which is why I've decided to do it "jacket style" with a zipper going up the back; I think that'll be the easiest way. I'm making it removable so it can be easily washed.

I hope to have the next segment up soon.

Woo Hoo!

2006-07-07T16:21:00.000-06:00

This blog just reached 1500 hits! Thank you all for reading and for your comments, I enjoy reading what you have to say!

*smooch*

TeeHee!

2006-06-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

This is one of the best blonde jokes ever.
apologies to those who have already heard it.

So That's Why They're Cutting the FaCS Programs!

2006-06-28T10:02:00.000-06:00

They don't support a class they failed.

7 Things List

2006-06-27T00:33:00.000-06:00

I am ending the list at 7 for now. I might add to it later, but I can't think of anything else I feel so passionately about. I need to get into a more regular writing habit and I think that a change in direction will be helpful.

7. My Family

2006-06-27T00:28:00.000-06:00

My family is one of the most important things in my life. I’m concerned about not only the family I have now, but also my family of the past and the family I will have in the future. I’m trying to prepare as best as I can to raise and teach children, and developing skills so I can provide for them physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I love learning about those who have gone before. I recently got a copy of my Grandma Ann’s journals and have been reading them; they’re so interesting. I love reading words she wrote to my Grandpa Max when he was stationed in the Pacific during WWII, the descriptions of family gatherings, the stories from my father’s childhood. I enjoy looking at the pictures of her mother, grandmother, great-grandparents and seeing their physical features in the faces of my family members.

I enjoy spending time with my family, immediate and extended. We work, play, laugh, cry, love and experience life together, both the good and the bad. I know that they care about me and my well-being as much as I care about theirs. As the ads say, family is about time.

A year and a half ago my Grandpa Max went into the hospital. I visited him several times there and then nearly every other week after he was transferred to an assisted living facility. He died in September, and I was sad and cried, but I felt that I had been so blessed to be near him those months. I treasure the time I was able to spend with him in that last year.
On the day he died I walked home from class with my sister. We had a test the next day (which we postponed after hearing the news) and were going to study and have ice cream. My mom called my cell and told me, and I was so glad to be with my sister when we found out. It can't be coincidence that we decided to walk to my place together that day, we'd never done it before and both felt pretty ready for the exam, but we did.
I feel privileged to have such a wonderful and loving family, I know not everyone does. I hope that my future family will be as wonderful and loving, and I think it will. I have a great example to follow.

6. Feeding People

2006-06-19T23:24:00.000-06:00

(Yes, that is a real cake, and yes, I did make it)
I know I talked about this in #3, but I love feeding people. There’s just something wonderful about working hard to create something that will make people happy, and nothing makes people happy the same way as good food does. Food can be a work of art. It can be beautiful, it can smell amazing, it can taste fantastic, it can have wonderful contrasting and harmonious textures, there are so many possibilities. It’s so good to be appreciated. I often feel like it doesn’t matter if I’m here or not, that nothing would really change if I was somewhere else, but when I feed people I know that people are glad I’m there. I think that’s why I have a hard time cooking for myself, I would eat whether I cook something really good or not, as long as I have food I’ll survive. But I LOVE to cook, to experiment, to try new things and try to improve old and familiar recipes.
Tonight I made an apple strudel to take to an activity. There wasn’t a single crumb left at the end of the evening. Everyone liked it, appreciated it, and enjoyed the experience of eating it. It was a wonderful thing to know that they were grateful I had come in a very tangible way. I’m sure they would have liked having me there even if I hadn’t brought food, but I was able to contribute something no one else could. As I told a friend my goal in life is to make other women look bad and be Betty Crocker, June Cleaver, and Martha Stewart all rolled into one. That’s not quite true, my goal is to not have a fat husband (I really think telling me my husband will be fat is an odd way to try and compliment my cooking.) Just kidding (kind of) my real goal is to be happy, and feeding people makes me happy.

5. Cleanliness and Organization

2006-06-19T18:51:00.000-06:00

The two go hand in hand.
I like having things be clean; I hate dirt. Even when I was little I didn’t like dirt. My mom talks about me not liking going to the beach because there was “dirt” everywhere. I wouldn’t sit on the sand, I had to have a towel or blanket between me and the icky, dirty, gritty sand. Dirt is one of the reasons I don’t enjoy camping (bugs coming in at a close second)
I firmly believe in there being “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Right now if you were to see my room you wouldn’t believe me, but I promise it’s true. The problem right now is that there isn’t a place for everything, so everything can’t be in its place.

4. Music

2006-05-20T12:20:00.000-06:00

“If music be the food of love, play on,” said Shakespeare [Twelfth Night (I, I ,1)] Music is a truly wonderful thing, it can convey so much meaning in just a few bars. Music expresses emotion more effectively than even words can. Music can lift you when you’re down, it can calm you when you worry. Music is a magnificent art. I learned to appreciate music even more through living and interacting with a master cellist on a daily basis. I saw more clearly the dedication and passion it takes to be a great musician. The wonderful result of all that work is the clearest expression of feeling known to man.

3. Creating

2006-05-13T19:14:00.000-06:00

I love to create. Whether it's cooking, sewing, reading, writing, taking photographs, scrapbooking, or talking to people, I like to create. I feel that is our purpose, that the way to find happiness is through creativity. Destruction brings sadness, anger, and bitterness.
People often tell me that I'm very "domestic." I often find myself compared to Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, or June Cleaver (I think it's the apron and heels) and I think there's a reason. I find that the things I like to create, my hobbies, involve doing things to please others. I am a people pleaser. I don't mean that I'm a doormat, I mean that making other people happy is what makes me happiest. I love to cook, but I hate to cook for myself; I have a "need to feed." (I've been told that my husband will be fat. I'm not sure if it was a compliment.) Every now and again I have to invite someone over to eat, whether it's my sister, my home teachers or even someone I hardly know, I feel like I have to feed someone or I will go crazy. I recently made a quilt for my brother's birthday and I haven't done anything recently that made me as happy as sewing a blanket for my baby. It made me happy because it will make him happy, and knowing he's happy is a wonderful thing.

2. The Written Word

2006-05-09T14:24:00.000-06:00

I love to read. I like to read fast-paced exciting books with lots of plot twists and surprises. I like to read children's books full of fantasy and make-believe. I like Jane Austen's books and the like. I like Russian literature (translated into English, of course.) I like reading light-hearted books that make me laugh. I like reading complex books that make me think, question, and doubt. I like reading books that bring me closer to my Savior, that help me know how I can become the greatest possible me. I like reading the newspaper in the morning, knowing what's going on in the world around me (I miss getting the paper, but it just isn't practical) I like reading letters from friends and family. I like reading the journals of my ancestors, the memoirs of my grandparents, the recollections of long ago.
In 1447, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press, a machine that would change the world forever. He created a means for people to share information more effectively and easily. I am profoundly grateful for his creativity and contribution to the world.
My grandfather was a printer and lithographer by trade. Books were his life. Learning was a constant and life-long process. Education didn't stop when he graduated from college (BYU, yay!) in 1938. He passed his love of learning, reading, and books to his children.
My father reads more than just about anyone I know. He is always reading articles to keep up with current developments in his field. He reads to answer questions. If he wants something done he will go to the library to get a book about how to do it, read the book, and follow its instructions.
The house I grew up in had more bookcases than I can count. I know there were at least two in every bedroom, a few large ones in the living room, more in the garage, a small one in the kitchen, and walls covered in books in the family room. There was never a shortage of reading material in our home.
Here at school I have far too many books. I recently moved and had 6 moving boxes (smallish ones) full of books. Two of the boxes are going to my parents' house next month, but that still leaves a lot here in my small room. I don't think I have gone a day without reading something since I was three years old.
The written word is a powerful thing. It can influence many people, express many ideas and emotions, and can be used for both good and bad. It is a shame people don't read as much as they used to. I find reading to be relaxing, intellectually stimulating, and entertaining all at the same time. Books are good. Kids should be taught to value and like them, to go to them for entertainment and inspiration, answers and peace. Reading a computer screen just isn't the same.

1. Being a Woman

2006-05-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

Women have the gift of civilizing. "We use our creativity and our intelligence to improve our communities and to beautify our surroundings. We build connections between neighbors. We band together for good causes and are courageous in defending right and virtue. In ways large and small, women help to civilize the world.
"Women have done this through the centuries by their manner of behavior. Historically, women have been the custodians of characteristics of gentleness and courtesy, of sweetness and of gracious influence. These qualities tame the savage beast in all of humanity, and without them the world would be a cold and hostile place... Women do not have to be loud and pushy to be strong. The world... needs the quiet strength and refining influence of women who are at peace with this side of their nature and are not afraid to be kind, gentle and supportive."

Women also posses the gift of nurturing. "The hallmark of women's gifts is that of giving and nurturing life and caring for people. We are designed to be capable of and interested in doing this...Women's brains are specially structured to be skilled in the use of language, the perception and expression of emotion, and the capacity. Thus, we are gifted in communicating, building relationships and responding to human needs...Historically, women have spearheaded some of the great movements of social compassion, from prison reform to the abolition of slavery, striving to relieve human suffering in its many forms"

I am glad to be a part of the sisterhood that comes from being a woman. I like knowing that I can influence the world, even though I am shy. I can beautify the world around me, seeking and acquiring the good, rejecting the bad. I like knowing that I have a power for good, that I can help others, find joy in lessening their pain, and build ties that will lift and support others and myself. Someone once asked me what I liked least about being a woman and I couldn't think of a single thing I would trade. Sure, some things are painful or difficult, but I can't imagine not being a woman. No offense to men, they're great in their own way, but I enjoy my femininity, my girlyness. I know that someday, in due time, I will meet a man who will compliment my girlyness, and who's masculinity is complimented by my femininity, and we will create two halves of a whole, a beginning of a family. I don't need to be like a man to accomplish things, to make a difference, I can do it in a womanly way and be just as strong.

Ten Things I Love

2006-05-07T19:46:00.000-06:00

Ten things I love? That goes against my upbringing. As my dad used to remind me often, a wise man once told my grandmother, "We love people [Mrs. J] we like things." But I've been tagged, so it looks like I'll have to forget that and think about what I like most. This is going to take some thinking, so I believe I will make it a ten part series.

PS. I would love any comments or criticisms on my writting/blogging, as I would like to improve both. Any suggestions would be great (especially about my writing.)

Popcorn Popping

2006-04-13T14:42:00.000-06:00

The trees are in bloom and the flowers are so pretty. My only problem is allergies. I have terrible allergies and am on 3 different allergy medications at all times and have done shots in the past. I'll probably do the shots again sometime in the future, but for now, no.
I love the beauty of the blossoms. They are so pretty and in so many different colors. I can see three different colors of blossoms from my bedroom window, which is lovely, especially when the window is shut. The pretty pink, white, and green petals blow around in the wind, dancing in the sunlight. It's just beautiful.
(that picture looks a little funny because I took it out of a collage I made of my flower pictures, so there is glue on it)

2006-04-12T22:24:00.000-06:00

One night my roommate and I drove through the Provo City Library's underground parking to put books in the return drop under the library because the boxes topside were full. The library had closed just 10 minutes before, so there were no cars underneath. As I pulled toward the exit the gates went down. I thought they were probably motion sensored so I backed up and came at it from a different angle. I tried this a few times, but we were still locked in the underground parking. There was a call box so my roommate pushed the red "Press Here for Help" button and was connected to 911. She was pretty shocked and had never called 911 before. The dispatcher called library security and reported that they had seen us down there on their cameras but they HADN'T DONE ANYTHING to help us.!! They opened the gates and we drove away.
It kinda sounds lame, but we were REALLY scared. We couldn't get out and there was no cell phone signal. If that call box hadn't been there I don't know what we would have done. I couldn't believe that the security people were just watching us panic in the parking garage.

The Provo City Library is a beautiful building. It was originally Brigham Young Academy, which later moved north a few blocks to become Brigham Young University. The building was restored and reopened in September 2001. It is located on a main road through the center of the city and is one of Provo's prettiest and most historic buildings.

Very . . . um . . .

2006-04-10T11:52:00.000-06:00

This is the perfume I use every day. It smells better than any other perfume I've smelled. I'm on my third bottle in 18 months. The only problem is that I'm embarrassed to say its name. People are always telling me that I smell good (right after I've sprayed it) and then asking me what scent it is. I always say it's Victoria's Secret, hoping they'll leave it at that, but all too often they follow it up with, "Which one?" I am forced to choke out the words. "Very Sexy" I timidly whisper. "The original one, not the pink one," I clarify. The pink one is not nearly as lovely (isn't lovely a fun word?) as the red. I'm just not comfortable saying that "S" word. It makes me nervous, especially at BYU where such language is not heard all that often and people can take offense at many seemingly "mild" words. I don't say things like that, never have, and had a hard time reading a certain play aloud in English class in high school (Lysistrata, eep!)
(I couldn't find a picture online, so I took one of my bottle on the bookshelf where it lives, so, sorry it's a little blurry)

Driving

2006-04-04T23:40:00.000-06:00

My first driving experience was pretty traumatic. On a Sunday afternoon when I was 15 my dad decided to take me to the church parking lot for a driving lesson. We took his car because it was smaller (yes, I did say was.) I started off doing alright. I could turn it on, I remembered to put on my seatbelt, and I looked all around before pulling forward. The problems started, and ended, when I tried turning. I hit the curb. Not very hard, how could I? I was only going 5 mph. But that wasn't all. When I hit the curb I blew the tire. My dad was furious!!! He was still in his suit, I was wearing a dress, and now we had to change the tire. I started to cry. I was a failure! I would never learn to drive! We got out of the car and he started barking directions at me. He was really, really, really upset. He was still yelling when to my joy someone came out of the church and he had to stop yelling at me. He told me very tersely to go inside and call my mom to come and get me while he and this other man put the spare tire on. My mom picked me up and drove me and my tears home. My dad had an appointment the next day in a city about an hour away. He took the car in to get a new tire in the morning and the repairman said that it was a good thing I had hit that curb or he could have had an accident on his trip that day. Those tires were threadbare and just waiting to give out. He replaced all four of the tires that day, didn't have an accident, and didn't die. I say I'm responsible for his living through that day, even if I was afraid to go driving with him again. It still makes me kind of nervous.
That's my car, pictured, or almost, I have the same car as that anyway, white 2002 Corolla.
Update: I said was in relation to my dad's car because it was destroyed in Dec '05, I had nothing to do with it, I promise!
Also, please feel free to share your stories, as always. I love to hear what you guys have to say!! }i{

Shhh . . . . . . . It's a Secret

2006-04-03T23:35:00.000-06:00

I am secretly married and pregnant. Just kidding. But, not. I've been on a baby blanket crocheting kick since Saturday. My sister asked who's babies the blankets were for and I said, "I don't know. Maybe mine." Her friend said, "yeah, didn't you know your sister's pregnant?" "I'm also secretly married," I added. I even wore a ring for part of the afternoon.
I've really enjoyed doing the blankets, but I'm having a hard time finishing them, edging them. I'd really like to do a scallopy edge like is on a blanket I grew up with, but I don't know how. I have enough trouble crocheting squares and rectangles of single-stitches! I've been working on two; one is as big as I want it but I can't do the edge, so the yarns are still attached to it waiting while I work on the second. I hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those projects that get started but never finished.

Poisson d'Avril!!

2006-03-31T23:24:00.003-07:00

Every year I play the same April Fool's joke on a different person, often more than one. I cook a lot and make a lot of things from scratch. I am also very trustworthy, except on April 1st, so I can easily dupe people into eating something truly disgusting. Every year I get people to eat chocolate covered play-dough.

I begin with my four ingredients: flour, salt, water and chocolate.

I mix 1 part salt, 2 parts flour, and 1 part water to form a dough.

I roll the dough into a snake and cut it into small pieces which are then rolled into balls

I bake the balls on low heat to make the outsides dried out.

Then I cover them in chocolate.

They look pretty tasty, don't they? They are gross. I know because I ate part of one. Generally I just leave them on the counter in a pretty dish and people take and eat one. The facial expressions of those who try them are great, the best part of my April Fool's day every year.

UPDATE

I've taken to adding even more salt, and this year I mixed the ingredients in a zipper bag, leaving the dough soft enough to pipe out of a hole in the corner of the bag, baking as usual, then dumping the centers into a zipper bag of melted chocolate, shaking to coat, then moving the "treats" into a baggie of powdered sugar, to individually coat each "treat" . They look nice enough to eat.

Please Share

2006-03-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

Please feel free to share your worst date stories! I know my story is long and rambling, but I have not yet worked out a short and concise writing style. Any feedback and/or (constructive) criticism is welcome as I learn how to write my stories in a more entertaining way. Thanks!
Horn-tooting update: This picture is one I took. All and any flower pictures that end up on this blog will be my own work.

My Story

2006-03-23T01:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I've written anything, and I promised I would tell the story of my worst date ever, so here it is:
I was a junior in high school, only 16 years old, and the junior prom was coming. I knew that I would not be asked, but I wanted to go, just to say I did. My mom didn't go to prom, and I wanted to be able to tell my kids that I did. I was talking at lunch with the girls I considered to be my friends. They were, of course, talking about prom and who they should ask because they were pretty sure they wouldn't be asked either. One girl, "Mary" said that "Kristen" should ask Mike (that's his real name), but Kristen said she wasn't so sure she wanted to. I had known Mike since the fourth grade. He lived next door to my mom's good friend, and my piano teacher. I decided I would ask him to the prom. Kristen had said she wouldn't, so I thought it wouldn't be a problem. More on that later.
I had math with Mike and decided to ask him after class. I'm a pretty shy person and so approaching someone to talk to them is a terrifying event. I was so nervous that I asked him three times before I realized that he had said yes. Mission accomplished. Now it was time to find a dress. I have different requirements for a dress than most girls do, namely that it must have sleeves, cover my back and front sufficiently, and no slits past the knees. Obviously this is a near impossibility, but thankfully I and both my parents sew. I chose a pattern and beautiful purple charmeuse and organza fabric. My mom is the queen of procrastination, so of course my dress was finished at the very last minute, and I mean the very last minute.
Prom was to be held in a very fancy reception hall in downtown San Jose. My date was to pick me up at 6:00 so we could get there before they closed the doors and served dinner. At about 4:30 I got out of the shower and dried my hair, in my slip. My mom began doing my hair and stopped when she realized that my dress wasn't hemmed yet!!! So my dad set up the sewing machine in the living room and began sewing the hems of all three layers of the skirt. Mom went back to doing my hair and was interrupted again when my grandfather arrived. It was opening night of Peter Pan, the play that two of my little sisters were in. Those sisters weren't home, they were at the school getting ready for their performance. My baby brother ran back and forth between the living room and the bathroom to see how the dress was coming, and my other sister was gathering things for me: my jewelry, purse, shoes, etc.
Then I heard the doorbell ring. My date was there, and I was in my underwear. Grandpa answered the door and showed him into the living room, where Dad was still sewing the dress. My dad tried to talk to Mike, but it was too hard to hear over the sound of the Bernina. "So, what is it that you do for a living?" Mike asked my dad. "I'm vice president over facilities and manufacturing of a pharmaceutical company," was the answer my stunned date got. I don't think he'd ever seen a man sew before. My grandfather, who's only hobby is family gossip, tried to talk to Mike over the sound of the sewing machine while my brother continued to run up and down the hall from all the excitement. Finally it was done and he brought me the dress. I put it on, grabbed my purse and sweater and walked into the living room where we did the whole corsage and picture thing. Then we went to his car and got on the freeway.
We got lost getting there, which was apparently my fault because I couldn't read the directions he had written down. When we did get there we went into the dining room to see those girls sitting at a table with their dates and two empty chairs which were removed from the table almost a soon as we had arrived. I waved hello and got only cold stares in return. We sat at a table with people I didn't know and ate. The food tasted ok and the conversation wasn't too bad because we had ended up at a table with intelligent people, not too easy at prom. After dinner we went to do pictures. It is the worst picture I have ever seen in my life. I look retarded because I didn't want to be draped all over him like the photographer kept positioning us, and we look really awkward. The other reason the picture is so bad is that Mike was born with dark Brillo-esque hair and eyebrows to match, but he bleached most of his hair for this special occasion. That's right, not all of the hair and none of the eyebrows. Immediately following this horrible ordeal we went to the bar, where he spilled Coke all down my dress.
The dinner made me ill so I had to keep escaping to the bathroom. I had been completely shunned by all my girlfriends. Mike was being obnoxious and trying to touch me in ways I did NOT want him to. I was relieved when it was over and we went to collect my sweater. On our way out Kristen asked Mike if he could drive her home. She and a couple of the girls had come alone, and the others were going out and she was tired. He said that was fine, which I was okay with, and we drove away. He dropped me off first, even though geographically it would have made more sense to drop her off first. He came around and opened my door and said "thanks. That was fun" and left me at the curb while Kristen got out of the back and into the front seat.
That is not only the story of my worst date, it is also the story of my first date ever in my life. I must say that all the dates between then and my last date (18 months ago) were better than that, if only slightly. I think it was good to start off so low, I could only go up from there!

The Horrors. . . of Dating?

2006-03-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

My last post made me start thinking about dating. I think that worst date stories are hilarious. Probably the worst one that I have ever heard was told to me by a classmate. Her boyfriend’s house had burned up, so his family was renting another (expensive) home in the neighborhood. While his parents were out of the country, he invited her over to make dinner and watch a movie. While they were making dinner the burglar alarm went off and they left the kitchen to investigate. While they were figuring out why the burglar alarm went off, another alarm went off: the fire alarm. Yes, they caught the kitchen on fire, and ended up losing most of the roof over the kitchen, and a couple of walls.
I have quite a dating horror story myself, but I think I’ll save it for another day…

Build her a cake?

2006-03-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

After Napoleon Dynamite came out, kids at my sister's high school in California started "building" cakes to ask each other out, thinking that it was just something funny from a movie. Little did they know they were doing something normal, and to be honest, quite unimaginative, in "Mormon Culture." It's been around for ages, this creative-date-asking thing, and cakes are pretty bland in comparison to some other ways I've heard of. The following are things that I have known people to do or (confession time!) I have done myself. Oh! Let's make it a game! Guess which ones I've done!
- The treasure hunt- She put an alarm clock under his bed, set for 3am. Taped to the clock was the first of a set of clues to lead him to a toy dump truck full of hamburger buns and a note that said "I'd like to haul your buns to the dance"
- The cereal one- Written on a box of Honeycombs: "Honeycomb your hair, I'm taking you to the dance!"
-The Half and half- She gave him a carton of half and half attached to a bouquet of balloons. On the carton was written "Half of me wants to go to the dance with you..." and in the balloons were the words "and the other half does too"
-The butter- She sent over four sticks of butter with his name written on them, about 15 minutes apart. Last to be delivered was a loaf of bread with her name baked inside and a note that read "Now that I've buttered you up, will you go to the dance with me?"
-Ice cream- Her name was hidden towards the bottom of a hand-packed half-gallon of 31, and the lid asked if he would go.
-Super corny- Roses hung from the shower, Hershey kisses strewn all over the floor, the note: Now that I've showered you with roses and kissed the ground you've walked on, will you go to the dance with me?
-Flour- Written on the outside of a 25lb bag of flour, "Will you go to the dance with me?" Hidden somewhere inside the bag, her name. That one made quite a mess trying to figure out who it was from!

Help?

2006-02-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

I started this blog because I wanted to be able to express who I am and say things that are personal, almost as a therapy. My problem is that I don't know how to do this. The fifty things post was good like that, and the ritual one, but I am stuck and don't know what to write about. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Brrr!

2006-02-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of snow lately, and it has been cold. I grew up in California, and the cold is something I'm not really used to yet. One good thing I can say about the snow is that it is really pretty. I took this picture a while ago, but it is still one of my favorite snow pictures. The snow makes me want to stay inside and not leave my house, which you would think would make it easier to study, but it doesn't. I spend way too much time just watching it fall. It's so peaceful and lovely. I have been extraordinarily busy lately, with loads of things to get done, but I can't stop watching the snow.

2006-02-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is a painting of the LDS temple in Oakland California. It is perched in the Oakland hills, overlooking the bay. On a clear day you can see the Golden Gate, the Bay, and the San Mateo bridges from on top of it. At night it is a field of lights. My dad proposed to my mom at a bench on top of the first tier. They were married there a few months later. I will probably be married there too. I think it is very pretty.

The Ritual

2006-02-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

I check the clock; good, I have two hours to get ready. I hop in the shower to shampoo my hair and scrub my face. I stand in my robe with a towel on my head trying to decide what to wear. I pick the cutest outfit I can, try every pair of shoes I own with it, and get dressed. Then it's time to blow dry and curl my hair. Then on goes the makeup, no rush now, not like in the mornings. I take my time, relaxed and unhurried. Next it's time for contacts; I check to see I have the essentials in my bag, then put on my coat and shoes. I have 10 minutes extra, so I decide to leave early and walk slowly, to the Testing Center.
This sounds like it should be for getting ready for a date, but it isn't (I haven't had a date in about a year and a half, 17 1/2 months to be exact.) This is my pre-exam ritual; I never do as well on the exams if I skip this routine. When my roommates come home in the afternoon and see me putting more effort into my appearance than is usual, they always ask if I have a test.
This week was the first wave of exams this term. Next week will be midterms. Twice this week I primped for a bubble sheet, and next week I will again.

If you liked Brokeback to the Future

2006-02-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

You'll love these recuts:
Sleepless in Seattle
Psycho
Shining
Titanic (this one's not as good)
SOTU

Update: the psycho clip doesn't seem to want to work quite right so here's the URL:
http://www.movietrailertrash.com/views/demos/psycho_hi.mov

2006-02-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Rhymes With Orange is probably my favorite comic strip because I can relate to it so well, and to today's strip in particular. There was one a few months ago that was so like an experience I had that I wish I'd saved it. It was of a woman opening her freezer and being attacked by falling frozen bananas. She then decides that it would be a good time to bake banana bread for "the entire [church] congregation." I had a roommate for the past year that would buy bananas, never eat them before they turned brown, and then put the icky banans in the freezer. It got to be that every time I opened the freezer bananas would fall out. I threw away any banana that dared to land on my feet. She moved out the the day before the strip ran and I was finally able to throw all the bananas away and reclaim space for food that belonged there, like frozen potstickers and ice cream.

Recipe Time!

2006-02-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Rolls
3 ½ cups flour
1 1/4 c butter, divided
1 T yeast
1 ¼ cups milk
½ c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
In mixing bowl combine 1 ½ cups flour and yeast. Heat milk, sugar, ¼ butter, and salt to 115 , stirring. Add to dry mixture, add egg. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds, then at high for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Shape into ball. Place in lightly greased bowl, turn once to grease surface. Cover, let rise until doubled (1 1/2 -2 hours). Punch down. Let rest 10 minutes. Roll into a 14-20” rectangle (about ¼” thick). If the dough is too elastic let rest for 5 minutes, then roll again. Melt about 6 T butter, spread over dough. Sprinkle sugar on top until the butter cannot absorb any more. Sprinkle cinnamon over this and roll up. Cut into 1-1 1/2” slices, put in greased glass baking dish. Let rise 10-15 minutes. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes. Melt remaining butter, brush over tops of rolls.
If you must frost them, I usually only use a glaze, but often leave them completely bare. For a glaze I start with about a cup of powdered sugar in a zpper bag and add milk, one smidgen at a time until it is thin enough to squeeze over the tops, but not too runny to soak in. This is the easiest way to make them pretty with the least amount of mess.

Someone suggested that I occaionally post a recipe that has won me some sort of award. This can't be a weekly thing (I haven't entered that many cooking contests) so I don't know how often I will. I have entered (and won) two bake-off competitions with this recipe and it is one of my most requested. Sometimes it feels funny to be only 21 and have enough recipes requested to have a "most requested" list. Even my mom switched to my recipe, which started out as hers but has been changed gradually over the past 10 years to what it is now. It's kinda crazy that I started cooking for real when I was 11, huh?

50 Things About Me

2006-02-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

I know everyone is doing these, but I think they are a pretty good way of fitting a lot of personal information in a small place without the pressure of needing to be clever or funny or really profound.

1. I am a 21-year-old student at BYU, which makes me almost an old maid here; I have not quite two years until I really am.
a. BYU joke time—Did you know that if you don’t graduate with both a BA/S and an MRS they refund your tuition?
2. I am LDS
3.
4. I love to read
5. Favorite books include “No Doubt About It” by Sherri Dew, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “Wives and Daughters” by Elizabeth Gaskell, the Harry Potter series, and “Daughter of a King” by Rachel Ann Nunes.
6. I have all of the Harry Potter Books on CD except the fourth
7. I use them to fall asleep when I am worrying about something; they’re a great prelude to dreaming.
8. I really enjoy Oscar Wilde as well.
9. My favorite colors are blue and white, which is convenient here in Cougar Town.
10. The perfume I wear every day is Victoria’s Secrets’ Very Sexy, the original, not the second one.
11. I have never dyed my hair, which people often don’t believe because I’m the only one in my family to keep the blonde after age 12.
12. The one store I grew up with that I wouldn’t mind having here in Provo is Trader Joe’s. Fresh produce and great pre-packaged foods for less than normal grocery store prices.
13. The broccoli at Trader Joe’s is the only store-bought broccoli that I can eat. I grew up on homegrown veggies and broccoli is the most different.
14. I am an avid scrapbooker, when I have the time.
15. I have never been skiing, even though I know one of the US Olympic skiers.
16. I have been sewing since forever and got my first sewing machine when I was seven years old.
17. I learned to sew from both parents.
18. The fact that my dad sews was our family's best kept secret until I let the cat out of the bag at a church girl’s camp in front of more than one hundred women and girls, many knew him and called him to “ask for help” after camp let out. I was telling them about my worst date: the junior prom. When my date arrived my dad was finishing the hems of my dress, but that's a long story, so I'll have to save it for later.
19. I’ve been dealing with depression since I was thirteen years old.
20. In that time I have hit four major low points and am always afraid of finding myself in the fifth.
21. I found in the past year that I also have ADD- attention type (not hyperactive)
22. I spent $120 on prescription co-pays in the month of January, more than normal, but not by much.
23. I have really bad allergies to anything that grows, which is why fall is my favorite season- everything is dying but not too cold yet.
24. I have a dream of decorating my home in a nautical theme, with sailboat artwork and a color palatte of blues (navy to pale), tan, white, and red accents.
25. I am a very girly girl, but not in the shopping/beauty parlor way, I'm more practical than that, but I do wear makeup.
26. The only jewelry I wear is a necklace I got in the seventh grade and small silver hoop earrings.
27. I am the oldest of six kids, the youngest is 9, so there are twelve years between oldest and youngest, but the three after me were born before I turned 5.
28. My favorite comic strip is Pickles. I especially enjoy the “secret jokes” like the pictures on the wall, the magazines Nelson reads and the shirts he wears (CTR!)
29. I’m a recent Mac convert
30. I play the piano and the flute.
31. Yes I was a band-geek, flute section of course.
32. I joined the marching band because they were going to Hawaii my sophomore year, but my parents made me keep doing it for the rest of high school.
33. I’m strictly an amateur musician, not very good at all.
34. I have a wide variety of musical interests. Basically I like something of everything (except rap, which, IMHO isn’t music) and everything of nothing.
35. I have been listening to classical-ish music more than anything else lately- especially William Joseph (piano, album “within” is AMAZING) and Joshua Bell, also amazing.
36. I really like mellow music, it's calming.
37. Probably the strangest musician I listen to is Badly Drawn Boy. My favorite of his albums is the “About a Boy” soundtrack, followed by “Have You Fed the Fish?”
38. I think Utah is a funny place. People here actually think Salt Lake City is a “big city”! HAHAHAHAHA!!
39. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, an area that has like 3 times the population of the entire state of Utah.
40. People go to the symphony in Utah to feel cultured and then clap between the movements!
41. I feel like that one was cheating so I’ll add extras past 50.
42. I would really like to go to a pastry school in France right after I graduate.
43. My favorite person I have known was my Grandpa Max. I feel really blessed to have been able to visit him so often in the last year of his life, and am looking forward to reading his autobiography, which I don't have a copy of here in my posession, but they have one in the library.
44. I really enjoy learning about my family history. I recently found out about an ancestor that experienced severe persecution in Missouri that I have been trying to read more about. I also found out that I have Huguenot ancestry.
45. I really enjoy photography, something I got from G-pa Max, former professional photographer, lithographer, printer and ceramist.
46. I have a special place in my heart for England, especially London and west Yorkshire, a couple of my favorite places ever visited.
47. I liked England way better than I liked Hawaii.
48. I hate dirt to the point that sand is my least favorite thing about the beach and I refused to sit or play in it when I was small.
49. I miss "my baby" more than anyone else from home.
50. I also miss my family’s bird and wish I could kidnap him and bring him here. He’s a blue and white Australian Grey Wing Budgerigar, and he’s gorgeous and behaves better for me than anyone else.
51. I am more likely to marry an accountant than someone with any other profession.
52. I don’t really have any friends here in Provo, and I keep telling myself there are just three months until I move to a new apartment and ward.
53. New- I think this picture is kind of icky and I look blah. It was taken while I was being a wedding photographer at a wedding I helped to plan and organize, so it makes sense that I don't look my best. Even in "bridesmaid attire" one must never look better than the bride, (whom I have lots of pictures of, naturally, and she looks great in all of them!)

Questions?

2006-02-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Am I the mom of my apartment? Some days it feels like it. It has been this way in every apartment I have lived in, even when I was the youngest of the roommates, which was most of the time. But the questions... Here's a sample of the strangest, funniest, and stupidest (yes there is such thing as a stupid question):

- How do you cook ground beef?
- What should I look for in medical insurance?
- What are the costs involved in planning a wedding?
- Will you be my wedding photographer? (asked the morning of the wedding, I said yes)
- What is the best way to clean a countertop?
- Do you need to refrigerate Skippy?
- Which is harder: organic chemistry or microbiology? (I donÂt know anything about science, I'm a FaCS Ed major)
- How do you say, "I feel like I have a cold coming on," in Spanish? (I don't know any Spanish, I took 6 years of French in middle/high school, and would have to think for a bit before I could say something like that in French, it's been a while)
- Questions about calculus- the last time I took a math class was in 2001, and it was algebra, I have never even attempted calculus, so I would not be a good person to ask.
- Where country is Frankfurt in? I can't remember?
- Is Albania by the Ukraine?
- Which war was McArthur in?
- Who discovered penicillin?
- How do you spell lawyer?

Keep in mind that this is only a sample, and that I can answer all of the questions except the ones I have indicated I do not know the answers to.

Utahisms

2006-02-02T23:56:00.000-07:00

Generally Utahisms are funny things that people say here, either due to the culture or the accent (yes Utahns have accents).
The accent makes them sound like this:
"I was barn in a carn feld in Saint Jarge and I live in the farty-farth ward." Also the guttural stops that replace consonants: Mou'ain, sa'wich.
"Culture" ones can be things like:
"Fer cu-ute"- how cute, or "Fer ignern't"- how rude (?). Also "sweet spirit"- the best thing he/she has to offer is a sweet spirit, pretty much means ugly.

But of course, you know you've spent too long living in or are from Utah when. . .

Green jell-o with carrot shreds mixed in doesn't seem strange.

You can pronounce Tooele. (you know you're in Tooele when there are cattle guards at the driveway to the church, the gas station, and the high school)

The U is not just a letter - Neither is the Y.

You have actually eaten funeral potatoes.

You've gotten both heat and frost burns off your car's door handle in the same month.

You are not surprised to hear words like "Darn, Fetch, Flip", "Oh, My Heck" and "Shootdang". (and in cases of extreme disgust/surprise/etc: Oh my freakin' heck")

Hunting season is a school holiday.

The largest liquor store is the state government.

30% humidity is muggy and almost unbearable.

Somewhere in your family tree is a polygamist.

You know the difference between a 'Steak House' and a 'Stake House'.

The elevation exceeds the population

You have a bumper sticker that says "Families are Forever." (or even worse a license plate frame that says "RULDS2?")

You were an aunt or uncle before you were three.

Your spouse's mother was pregnant at your wedding.

You have more children than you can find biblical names for.

Your first child was conceived on your honeymoon.

hurricane isn't something you worry about coming, it's a city, and it's pronounced "Hurecun"

You feel guilty when you watch Monday Night Football.

Your kids believe the deer hunt is a national holiday.

You drink Coca Cola from a brown paper bag.

You wonder why fire truck drivers honk when you drive 35 mph in the left lane on the freeway.

There is a similarity between a church basketball game and the L.A. riots.

You think Jack Daniels is a country western singer.

You can make Jell-O salad without the recipe.

You've heard about BYU football over the pulpit at church on Sunday.

You have two gallons of ice cream in your freezer at all times, in case of emergency.

Your father-in-law thinks Ronald Reagan was a liberal.

A member of your family wrote in Lavell Edwards for president in the last election.

Cars in the slow lane are traveling the fastest; cars in the fast lane are traveling the slowest; cars in the middle lanes are always trying to exit, and the turn signal tells other drivers to speed up.

Sandals are the best-selling shoes, and are often worn with socks.

You have to ask for the uncensored version of "Titanic."

You learn about the Mormon Church by taking history in elementary school.

You live in a state where Democrats always come in third place, unless a zoo animal is running. Then they come in fourth.

You're on your own if you are turning left.

Schools stay open, even if two feet of snow falls overnight, but close for the opening of hunting season.

People wear shorts and T-shirts if the temperature rises above 32 degrees.

There is a church on every corner, but they all teach the same thing.

People drive to Idaho (or Arizona) to pick up a gallon of milk so they can play the lottery.

In-state college football rivalries are bigger than the Super Bowl.

Beer drinkers don't shop on Sunday.

Every driveway has a minivan and a pickup truck.

When you buy a new vehicle, cigarette lighters are optional equipment but gun and ski racks are standard.

Every time a new family moves into your neighborhood, the local elementary school has to hire a new teacher.

Your paycheck has an additional 10 percent deduction.

"Temple recommend" is acceptable identification for cashing a check.

More movies are filmed in your town than in Hollywood.

Your neighbors complain about where they live, yet refuse to return to the state they moved from.

You make a toast with red punch at your wedding reception.

You have more raw wheat stored than some Third World countries. (As well as a year's supply of TP ready to be raided by any willing youngster)

Your idea of a wild party is a six pack of Pepsi and a PG-13 movie.

You think "You're an 8 cow wife" is a compliment.

BYU

2006-01-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

I attend Brigham Young University. This picture makes it look really pretty. This is more what it looks like. It's not ugly, but not as lush and picturesque as the first picture would have you believe. The picture in the link is all campus from the bottom to about 2/3 up. I live just south east of the picture (the view is looking north).
BYU is a wonderful school and I really enjoy being here, even if I complain that I've been here forever as it sometimes seems, and that I can't wait to graduate. Mostly I am just excited to teach someday and can't wait for that!
I'm studying family and consumer sciences education in this brand-new gorgeous building. It has a great courtyard in the middle with tables and chairs, benches, trees, grass, and a granite fountain with a big pool surrounding it, which is great for the hot and dry summer months.

2006-01-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

Provo is a college town in Utah Valley, which is, of course, in the "Great State of Utah," where it is actually very uncommon to see beehives.

Oh, Santoro!

2006-01-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't written anything for a while. I've been really busy with family stuff and the start of a new term. This picture has nothing to do with anything, I just wanted one that makes me happy. I love the movie Love Actually, it's in my top 5, and Rodrigo is gorgeous.
Over the holiday break my car got hit by a truck on the back left door and wheel and the side of the trunk. This is where it got hit before, but last time I was in the car! I was in CA for the holidays and left my car (and my fish) with my aunt in Salt Lake, where it got hit in front of her house. The lady that hit it is paying for everything, which is great, but she hit it on 12-29 and it won't be ready for a few more days. It will be three weeks since the accident! I feel stranded. I think "I need to run this errand" and then remember I can't. I'm not old enough to get a rental car so I have to rely on bumming rides from my roommate, which I hate to do. I hate to ask for help.

New Shoes

2005-12-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

I have a pair of black heels that I absolutely adore, but they're wearing out and cannot be fixed, so I am on a quest to find a new pair of favorites, and I think I might have found them. For only $100. Aren't they great? The only problem is that I am a college student and have very little money. I just bought Christmas presents for my whole family (all seven family members), so I am more than usually lacking. But I must have shoes! I need them to wear to church! and other dressy things! Not that I don't have other black dress shoes, but these are my favorite shoes I'm trying to replace! I was planning on wearing the faves tomorrow (and still will, they're the only ones I have with me), but now I am thinking "must. have. these. shoes."

Beginning

2005-12-24T03:49:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start out with a picture and looked through all the ones I have on my computer, only to discover that this is the only picture I have with me in it! It is about a year old. I'm the blonde one on the far left. In case you couldn't tell, the six of us are related. I'm the oldest, next my tall brother, then girls left to right, then "the baby," who is nine years old. This picture was taken to be sent out with Christmas cards (which we made that year, never again) so it's kind of posed and not natural.