Melissa's Miscellaneous Musings

New Blog

2011-01-10T00:41:00.000-07:00

Hello friends who follow this blog. Are the three of you still here?

If so, head over to my new blog, Spinsterhood 101. I've decided that I do want to continue blogging, but I want something a little more focused, so from now on I'll be writing about my efforts to learn how to make my single life full and rewarding. I've got some ideas about new adventures for myself this year, (and I use the word adventure very loosely--pretty much anything is an adventure for me) and hopefully my prose will be more entertaining than my previous musings (again, a loose term as most anything will be more entertaining than some of the things posted on this blog).

See you on the flip side, I hope!

Sometimes Being the Big Sister Sucks

2010-02-07T01:32:00.004-07:00

Tonight I can't sleep. Some unknown is troubling my brain and I can't figure out how to make it go away. Katie can't sleep either. She's got a nasty cold and can't figure out how to make it go away. She can't breathe very well either. She's in the shower now running the hot water to steam herself.

Before she got in the shower she came out to see why I was still up, and I was suddenly reminded me of an evening many years ago when Katie was only about three. I was home alone with my siblings and Katie had a cold. The poor kid was terribly stuffed up and had such a nasty cough she sounded like a dog barking. I took her into the bathroom, started up the hot water, and held her while the steam filled up the room. She was absolutely miserable, but I tickled her back while singing lullabies, and eventually she started to fall asleep. I felt like a pretty good big sister that night.

I watched her walk down the hall tonight and couldn't believe how much time has passed. This morning Katie took the ACT exam so she can finally turn in a score to all those colleges wanting to offer her scholarships. She graduates this Spring, then she's off to a-college-to-be-determined and I won't be able to hold her and make things better anymore.

Until then, I think I'm going to go check on her and make sure she's OK.

To Be Or Not To Be

2009-12-23T22:24:00.002-07:00

That's the question I'm confronting right now. Well, ok, Shakespeare was really talking about suicide, and that's not the question I'm confronting. But I am wondering if my blog should continue to be. I haven't updated since August, and I don't know if I'll update again soon. Plus, this blogging endeavor seems to be the height in narcissism, since most of the people who read this are the people I work with, and you guys already know anything I'd post on here. In fact, most of the "blog worthy" events in my life are experienced with you guys.

So I'll have to think about this. To be or not to be ....

Yellowstone Day 2

2009-08-13T21:25:00.005-06:00

Wow what a day! Our first stop at the park was old faithful then we stopped at biscuit basin and played in the river. Jess and her friend got soaked :) then we took the south loop around the park, saw some animals, hot pots, and great scenery. We're finishing dinner and i'm ready for bed!

Yellowstone Trip

2009-08-12T22:19:00.005-06:00

Well everyone made it here alive and camp is set up. Dinner is cleaned up, desert will be shortly, and i'm enjoying the last of the dying embers. The trip up went faster than i thought which was a relief :) tomorrow we explore the south end of the park-i think- so until then!

Less than a month away ...

2009-06-02T21:56:00.003-06:00

The boards are all ready just waiting for the names to be filled in. I can't wait!

A Letter

2009-06-02T14:27:00.002-06:00

Dear Man-With-Excessive-Body-Hair,

I saw you in your sporty tank top this afternoon, and just thought you'd appreciate some friendly advice. Even though it's a sweltering 79 degrees outside, and that tank top is probably the only thing between you and death by heat exhaustion, odds are it really wasn't the best wardrobe choice today--or ever.

A better choice would have been the removal of your excessive body hair. You could shave it off, wax it off, pluck it out--I even hear Nair works pretty well. With the hair gone you could channel your 1980s, tank-top-wearing personality any time you like, and I wouldn't risk losing my lunch. Or, if these options sound too painful/time consuming, you could just wear a t-shirt and cover up the hair.

Because guys with excessive body hair should not wear tank tops. It's gross.

Sincerely,

Your Friend

Random

2009-05-15T12:19:00.003-06:00

What is with birds crapping all over my car?! I think they sense I hate them.

Blogging as Cure for Insomnia

2009-05-04T03:01:00.001-06:00

It’s 2:45 in the morning and I can’t sleep, my body is very unwashed, and downstairs are piles of laundry with my name on them. But I don’t care about any of this BECAUSE I’M SICK! And what else is there for a disease-ridden insomniac to do but blog about her condition?

Here are a few observations and lessons learned during my time of illness:

1)You know how some oranges aren’t very good? They have that weird taste and texture because they’re over-ripe or what-not? Yeah, I can’t taste that, and I’m ever so grateful for it because my body is craving the Vitamin C they (oranges) offer. From the texture I can tell that the orange I’m eating probably isn’t the best tasting, and under normal circumstances I’d spit it out and toss the rest away. But tonight, due to my blessed congestion, all I can tell is that this orange is juicy and vaguely sweet. Of course, if I wasn’t this congested I wouldn’t have these orange cravings in the first place.

2)Seltzer water is strangely delicious when you’re terribly thirsty and/or horribly sick—both of which I have been this weekend. The bubbles feel nice in my slightly cramping stomach, and the coolness of it is refreshing. I like seltzer water.

3)The recent discovery that I like seltzer water may be due in large part to my previously mentioned congestion. In fact, it may be the exclusive reason for my enjoyment of it.

4)Small things mean a great deal when you’re sick. Like the feeling of just brushed teeth, or a boss who says “Take all the time you need to get better because we don’t want your disgusting germs.” Or the luxury of a soft, fuzzy towel after a piping hot shower. Or the relief when the pain killers finally kick in.

5)I LOVE the Vlogbrothers (do a Google search cause I’m too sick to provide a link, then watch as many of their videos on YouTube as you possibly can—they are fantastic). This observation has nothing to do with my sickness, other than that they will be entertaining me with their delightful nerdiness whilst I recover.

6)”Whilst” is a great word.

5)Making lists about your sickness is highly therapeutic, as are hot cups of mint tea.

Well, I’ll leave off for now. There will be plenty of time for more blogging in between the bursts of restless sleep I will no doubt enjoy tomorrow.

Until then.

In which weeds are discussed

2009-05-01T01:04:00.002-06:00

I got home this evening and was hit with the I-need-to-do-some-yard-work bug. I blame the decorative grasses. Every fall we tie them up and wrap Christmas lights around them, then each spring they get cut down so the new grass can grow in. When I pulled up this evening I saw those grasses still tied up with green shoots struggling to come in and knew tonight was the night to pull out the electric saw and get to work.

After cutting down the grass, I started cleaning up the yard and weeding the flower beds. While tugging away at a particularly nasty weed, one of the neighbor boys came by on his bike to talk to me. This kid is a unique soul. Last summer he spent a lot of time roaming the neighborhood sans shirt and a knit ski hat pulled over his face—not a ski mask, an actual hat. I think he was pretending to be Batman, or Spiderman, or something-man, but I don’t know how successful a superhero you can be without eyeholes in your mask.

Last night when I got home from work, he was riding his bike in our cul-de-sac. He saw my car heading down the street and changed course straight for me. I slowed down and watched him carefully, but he seemed determined to play a quick round of chicken. Finally, he swerved off into the neighbor’s yard, and I pulled in front of my house. As I opened my car door I heard his little voice accusing me: “Hey dude, er lady. You almost hit me!” I told him I didn’t even get close, but he seemed quite insistent about it. His parents haven’t served me with a lawsuit yet, so I think I’m ok. Right?

Anyway, tonight I’m tugging away at this huge weed, and he rides up next to me and asks, “Whatcha doin’?”

“I’m—pulling—(grunt, grunt, tug, tug)—weeds.”

“Why? Is it because they kill your other plants?”

“That’s—right (pant, pant, tug some more).”

He watches as I keep tugging until finally, the roots pop out with a satisfying rip. Then he looks at me and says, “You know weeds just keep growing back.”

Yes, I do know that. Thanks for reminding me of the futility of my efforts.

That pretty much killed the yard work bug, so I threw away the slaughtered weeds, and put everything away. To the kid’s credit, he did offer to let me move into his house where they apparently don’t have any weeds, but you can understand why I was a little hesitant to take him up on that offer. Instead I grabbed a lawn chair and a book, and enjoyed the fruits of my labors. Why not enjoy those weed-free flower beds while I still can?

2009-04-29T16:59:00.001-06:00

wahoo just turned my last final in--the semester is over!!!

Who Said Librarians Weren't Funky?

2009-04-23T16:13:00.002-06:00

OK, so they're not funky, but it sure is funny!

Check out the "Flight of the Bumblebee" one that should come up after it. Or just search Youtube for "book cart drill team" and find a strange assortment of librarians with too much time on their hands.

2009-04-15T00:33:00.001-06:00

Ok we're testing this out to see if i set it up right. If i did, then this is my first blog post from my cell phone. Woo-hoo!

I Love Google Alerts

2009-04-14T00:38:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple things I found interesting as I tried to catch up on all my Google Alerts:

The University of Virginia's Founding Era collection is being digitized and made fully searchable. Available now are the papers of Dolly Madison, George Washington, John Adams, and (most recent) Thomas Jefferson. The only downside is that to actually view the texts you have to sign up for a free trial that only lasts 48 hours, and you can only sign up for a trial every six months. (Or, if you can find enough spare change in the couch, you can just purchase access.) In any case, it looks like quite the undertaking, and they have more collections coming soon.

So I've been hearing about this new book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I read one review that really blasted it, but most other reviews I've read were positive. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of this book, but I'll have to read it as I have to read all things connected to Jane Austen. Now it seems the author, Seth Grahame-Smith, will be combining the supernatural with another of my favorite people: Abraham Lincoln. Oh dear.

I've got some book things to blog about on my book blog, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Night!

Here Comes the Sun

2009-04-13T14:14:00.003-06:00

So I'm very trunky, ready for school to be over with and summer break to begin. (And yes, you can take this as an official announcement that I'm not taking summer school classes. I should, but I'm not going to.)

I've decided that I want to spend my summer reading, reading, and reading. Reading in bed and reading outdoors. Reading in the shower, and reading on the couch while summer thunderstorms rage outside. Old books, new books, poetry, biography and lots of fiction. Young adult books, kids books, and even the occasional book for adults.

This means I've got to start pulling together a summer reading list now. I've got a small list going in my head already, but what suggestions and recommendations do you have for me? What "must-read" book should I add to my list?

Good News!

2009-04-12T21:57:00.001-06:00

Just saw this a few minutes ago. Can't say how happy I am for the Captain, his family, and crew!

Captain freed when snipers kill pirates.

I Could Break Out Into Song!

2009-04-06T14:15:00.002-06:00

I just read this today, and I am so excited! Romola Garai will play Emma Woodhouse in a new BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. It's a 4 hour mini-series, and the wonderful Sandy Welch is writing the screenplay. Welch is the genius behind North & South and the most recent Jane Eyre adaptation. I love her! And best of all, no Andrew Davies in sight!!

Romola as Emma is a brilliant stroke of casting genius; Johnny Lee Miller is set to play Mr. Knightly, which I'm a little worried about, but still think it will be OK; and Michael Gambon is playing Mr. Woodhouse. Even though I can't stand him as Dumbledore (*shudder*) I've loved him in other roles, and look forward to him in this. I can't wait to see who they cast as Harriet--neither of the previous adaptations I've seen had the right Harriet, so fingers crossed they get it this time.

Filming starts this week in Kent and Surrey--where the novel actually takes place! Hurrah!

Just a Thought

2009-04-05T23:05:00.004-06:00

I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know I don't say it often enough, but I am. I don't talk about my feelings about the gospel very often for a couple of reasons. First, I'm embarrassed of my emotions in general and any display of emotion. For good or bad (probably bad) it's just the way I am, so I avoid emotional subjects. Second, my feelings and experiences in the gospel are so profoundly personal and treasured that it's hard for me to find the right words. Plus, it's hard to talk about something that means as much to me as the gospel does because there's the fear that people will treat it lightly, or misunderstand, or whatever.

But lately, I don't know, I've just felt that I need to say that I am grateful for the gospel, and it does mean the world to me--more than that in fact. It's true, and it brings me more joy than I can say. I listened to Conference this weekend and loved it! I am humbled when I think of how blessed I am to have the gospel in my life, and was reminded again how much it means to me. Just thought I'd share that thought.

I Know They're Here Somewhere ...

2009-03-18T01:15:00.003-06:00

This article makes me feel so much better about our "mislaid" books at work :)

British Library Mislays 9,000 Books

Just some odds and ends

2009-03-15T23:31:00.005-06:00

I was reading some random news articles and blog posts and found the following things, all of which I thought were interesting. First of all, a copy of the first comic book to feature Superman sold the other day for for $317,200. The owner selling the comic book bought it when he was 9 years old at a secondhand store for 35 cents. If only my 401(k) could get that kind of return.

Next up, an interesting article about libraries in difficult economic times. Apparently, libraries are in some kind of sad irony: the demand for their services is going up, but their budgets are going down, and so is their ability to meet those increased demands. I don't have much to say on this article. I just thought it worth a read.

And finally, the best part. Here's a fabulous blog post on the world's most beautiful libraries. I think I need to go see them all, but for now here's a few of my favorites.

Biblioteca do Palacio e Convento de Mafra I, Lisbon Coast, Portugal

George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Handelingenkamer Tweede Kamer Der Staten-Generaal Den Haag, the Hague, Netherlands

Sansovino Library, Rome, Italy

Suzzallo Library, Seattle, Washington, USA

And there's a whole bunch more that I love, but don't have time or space to post here. Just go check it out, it's incredible. But be prepared to scroll--a LOT.

Just for fun

2009-03-12T00:03:00.003-06:00

I've seen these in a couple of different places and since I couldn't sleep (again!) I decided to try it out.
Here's how it works.

1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search. http://www.flickr.com/search/

2. Using only the first page, pick an image.

3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into mosaic maker.

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php (choose four columns and three rows, also choose individual URL's)

Questions:

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One word to describe you.

12. Your nickname.

Unfortunately ...

2009-03-10T11:19:00.006-06:00

So I saw this on another blog and thought it was pretty funny--especially when I tried it myself. Here's how it works. Type in a Google search: "unfortunately, _______" but put your first name in the blank. Also, make sure you put the whole thing in quotes. Then giggle over the silly things that come up. Here's my list:

--Unfortunately, Melissa has nothing else to say.

--Unfortunately, Melissa doesn't have time to look after her own pets because she is training every day.

--Unfortunately, Melissa's head would be the only thing I hit all day.

--Unfortunately, Melissa was blind-sided - but she’s better off not being with someone that doesn’t care for her the way she deserves.

--Unfortunately, Melissa did not have a matched relative, so she underwent a year of drug therapy in hopes it would cure her illness.

--Unfortunately, Melissa says her son’s attempts at crawling may just be to get away from his big brother!

--Unfortunately, Melissa was the one who suffered most in this process. I think one day Melissa will be very glad it didn't work out.

--Unfortunately, Melissa is frequently adulterated with other lemon-type aromas like Lemongrass, Lemon or Citronella.

--Unfortunately, Melissa's mom never heard from her again.

--Unfortunately, Melissa is spotted by the killers, who are hit man Bruno Decker and his employer Rudolph Hartman, who turns out to be Walter's client.

--Unfortunately, Melissa didn't grow up with a paintbrush in her hand.

--Unfortunately, Melissa's last words have been stuck in my brain for the past six hours of my life, like a sappy song you hear on the radio.

--Unfortunately, Melissa did not respect Dave.

--Unfortunately, Melissa couldn't keep all her food in her mouth and off her chin.

--Unfortunately, Melissa was busy on the JD loading feeds with Bingo as navigator and could not join us.

--Unfortunately, Melissa can’t sing and Chelsea can’t dance.

And my personal favorite ...

--Unfortunately, Melissa can't stop thinking of how bad Jerry looks naked, and the relationship is ruined.

Update

2009-01-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

I've updated my book blog for the first time in almost a year-and a-half (!). I'm trying to be more regular about blogging there, so check it out and tell me what you think.

Very interesting article today ...

2009-01-09T14:40:00.004-07:00

I read this today and thought it was worth sharing:

What's Wrong With Teachers?

It's something to think about.

Craptastic Cell Phone Pic

2009-01-07T18:28:00.003-07:00

My evening class was moved from the new Elizabeth Hall back down to the old Social Science Building--blech! My prof says she wanted blackboards and chalk for diagramming sentences, but the new classrooms have whiteboards and she thinks we'll all get high on the fumes of the dry erase markers. Whatever.

Class finished way, way early and I decided that since I wouldn't be attending classes in EH this semester, and since I was going to be waiting a while for a ride home, I would wander around EH and see how it all looks. And the verdict is ... I really like it! There are surprisingly few classrooms, but it still looks very nice inside.

And since I was really bored, I took a pic with my cell phone of the outside, then came up to the library to blog about this all. And that's been my evening.

Enjoy!

p.s. That's the Bell Tower on the side. In case you were wondering.

Mi pero es en mi corazon

2008-12-21T20:19:00.002-07:00

So last night I was having a bit of a cry. Abby, who was sleeping near my feet, got up and curled right next to me and let me hold her until I fell asleep. (When I woke up in the morning she was back down by my feet where she likes to sleep.) She kept trying to lick my face to make me feel better--even though dog kisses don't really make me feel that good, yuck! But anyway, this is why I love my dog.

Tagged

2008-12-12T23:47:00.003-07:00

I've been tagged

I was tagged by: Janessa
I am: glad that I survived the week.
I think: that there's so much more I should be doing.
I know: that some things are just true.
I want: to enjoy this holiday season.
I have: no more finals!
I dislike: small, annoying sounds that I can't shut out, and that drive me CRAZY!
I miss: my innocence.
I fear: failure.
I feel: tired.
I hear: my dog breathing.
I smell: my "Welcome Home" Scentsy candle.
I crave: time spent with family.
I cry: only when I'm alone.
I search: google almost every day.
I wonder: how to do better.
I regret: the things that should have been said ... but weren't.
I wish: I was in England.
I love: my family--extended and immediate.
I care: about you.
I always: wait to buy my textbooks until I see the prof. show me the right one 'cause the bookstore always messes up.
I am not: sure what the future holds.
I remember: the good times.
I believe: what God tells me.
I sing: in the shower just about every morning.
I don't: do as many things I love as I used to.
I argue: to put my opinions into words.
I write: but wish I wrote more.
I win: the final hand of texas hold 'em every time.
I lose: just about every other hand of texas hold 'em that I play.
I listen: better when I'm doing something with my hands.
I don't understand: why people hurt other people.
I can usually be found: at work.
I forget: where I put my chapstick.
I am happy: when I'm surrounded by people I love.

I tag: whoever reads my blog but hasn't done this yet and has nothing better to do.

Temple Lights!

2008-12-10T23:05:00.017-07:00

Last Saturday evening I went down to SLC with my sisters and various members of my branch to see the temple lights. The crowds were huge and we didn't get to actually see too many lights, but I still got to have fun with two of the most awesome ladies ever! Here's proof:

Jessica and Katie being all goofy--well, Jessica at least. We were just about to go into the Assembly Hall to listen to a choir sing and I made them pose for this picture really quick. Meanwhile, just out of frame, a senior missionary is checking bags for guns and knives.

Here I am on Trax as we're heading over to the Gateway for dinner. We had reservations with the branch at Z'Tejas, which was pretty good, if a little overpriced.

Jessica and Kate again. This was one of a few of their attempts to take a picture of themselves. Later on in the night, it turned into Katie in the front seat of the car trying to snap a picture of Jessica in the back seat of the car without turning around. I'll spare you those pictures, as they're mostly of the car door.

In the car on the way home we got really goofy. Katie says she snapped this picture of me as I was telling her to shut up, but I don't quite see it. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing here, but it still makes me laugh.

And to finish things off, a really great photo:

I had lots of fun with everyone, but what I really loved were those chances for a few moments of peace and stillness. I love being reminded what this season is really about, and taking a moment to be grateful for my Savior and his Atonement.

p.s. Yes, I did update my blog so I could avoid studying for my final tomorrow. Cause I know my co-workers were thinking it through the whole post.

Just Because I'm Bored and I Can

2008-12-05T13:35:00.005-07:00

So it's been one of those days where no one wants to do anything, and ladies at work have told me I should update my blog. This seemed like something fun and goofy--good for passing the time. Here we go.

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago...

1. Packing up the house in AZ.
2. Painting the house in AZ.
3. Finishing my last semester of high school.
4. Enjoying our last Christmas in AZ.
5. Prepping with the marching band for the Rose Bowl parade.

5 Things on today's "to do" list ...

1. Call the temple.
2. Buy a wedding gift for the reception tonight.
3. Attend the wedding reception tonight.
4. RSVP for the baby shower.
4. Maybe try to get some actual work done.

5 Snacks I enjoy ...

1. Hummus and veggies.
2. Glazed donuts (on occasion)
3. Veggie and fruit trays.
4. My mother's cheeseball.
5. Reece's Pieces and popcorn.

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire ...

1. Get myself and my parents out of debt.
2. Buy a new car.
3. Finish school.
4. Travel Europe.
5. Give the rest away.

5 Places I have lived ...

1. Clearfield, Utah.
2. Ogden, Utah.
3. Tempe, Arizona.
4. Warrensburg, Missouri.
5. Springville, Utah.
(This just covers most of the cities, not the several different apartments and houses in those cities.)

5 Jobs I have had ...

1. Volunteer at the Davis Hospital ER (that was fun)
2. Special Collections student assistant.
3. Office Specialist (in the library)
4. Special Collections hourly employee.
5. Special Collections Processor.
(Yes really. Most of my working life has revolved around the library and Special Collections in particular. What can I say? I work with great people.)

Well, I hope all my readers have as much reading this as I did writing it. Actually, here's hoping you have more fun, because mostly I was just trying not to fall asleep.

"We couldn't afford Disney Land, so we went to Smith and Edward's!"

2008-10-21T18:00:00.010-06:00

Well, last weekend was Family Fun in the Fall weekend at the Johnson house, except we didn't do all that much. We were going to go to a movie on Thursday night, but instead we just stayed home, at pasta, and watched ... what did we watch? I can't remember. That's real sad.

Anyway, Friday was a lounge around day--I stayed in my pajamas and read all day, which I have not done in forever. So, even though I know my coworkers will probably be mad at me when they read this, I'm still glad I did it. :D

Saturday was the real fun day, unfortunately John Perry had to work :( We drove up to Morgan, and I'd say we got lost up there, but really it's Morgan. How lost can you get there? We had no idea how to get to the place we were looking for (and we never did find it), but we always knew where we were.

We discovered that Morgan has lots of weird signs. I've heard that cop-tipping is almost as fun as cow-tipping, and who knew that you could play giant-frisbee while parked in a handicapped spot?

After wandering all over the Morgan area, we hit Trapper's Loop, came down Ogden Canyon, then drove out towards Pleasant View. We found a roadside fruit/veggie stand, picked out pumpkins, tasted fresh apples, and bought fresh apples and other fruits. They were delicious.

Lots of pumpkins! (Sorry for the really crappy camera phone pics. They really don't do justice to the fantastic colors of the pumpkins, and they don't capture how beautiful a day it really was.

Our final stop for the day was Smith and Edward's. That place is truly one of the most unique places on earth (and I haven't decided yet if it's a good thing or a bad thing). We spent most our time in the army surplus section goofing off, as these pictures prove.

Well, until next year, that's it for Family Fun in the Fall!

Kansas City Gets a Temple!!

2008-10-04T18:23:00.014-06:00

So I know most the excitement about the new temples announced today is centering around Rome, Italy, but I just have to say how excited I am that there will finally be a temple in Kansas City.

I was 12 when my family and I lived in Warrensburg, Missouri (which is about an hour and a half from Kansas City), and I had the opportunity to go to the temple for the first time. The summer before this, our ward had organized a temple trip for the adults to the Dallas, Texas, temple and we traveled with my parents so they could go and do several sessions. I remember one of my friends and her family also went to the temple to be sealed together, so it was quite the experience for everyone. But when I was 12, and had just started in Young Womens, the youth had the chance to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead in the Chicago temple.

This temple trip, as I understand it, was the first youth temple trip for our ward in about five years, meaning there were priests and laurels who had either never been, or had only been to the temple once before. As youth we had to earn and save as much money as we could to pay for our way to the temple--which for me was quite the experience and a story for another day. Our ward leaders asked all the ward members to give the youth any little odd jobs--yardwork, babysitting, etc.--so that we could earn our way, and after months of preparing, we were finally ready to go.

We left in the late afternoon and drove all night until we hit St. Louis. We got up early the next morning and drove all day until we hit Chicago. (The Chicago and Dallas temples are both about the same distance from Warrensburg, just in opposite directions, by the way.) Once in Chicago, we checked into our hotel, changed into Sunday clothes, and then drove over to the temple where we spent most of the rest of the night doing baptisms and then having a small testimony meeting in the temple. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

But the problem was, the temple was so far away, these kinds of experiences for the youth (and indeed for all the members) were few and far between. Then, shortly after we left Missouri, I heard that a temple was going to be built in St.Louis. I was so excited for that temple because I knew how many lives it would bless--how much easier it would be for the members in the area to go often to the temple--and many times I've said that the St. Louis temple is my favorite.

Until today that is. Now this new Kansas City temple just might be my new favorite. I broke into tears when I heard President Monson announce that there would be a temple in the greater Kansas City area because I know how much the people in that area have wanted and needed a temple. I know that the Church has been growing and growing in this area, but now ... now I can't imagine the changes and blessings that will come to the members in this area! And it all just makes me so very excited!

Plus, this means the Saints will have a temple in Jackson Co., Missouri again. Think on that people. Think on that.

LOST DOG

2008-09-05T19:34:00.005-06:00

I know most of my (very few) readers don't live anywhere near me, but since I hope for miracles I'm posting this here anyway.

This is a picture of my wonderful, stupid dog, Zach. He's been missing since Wednesday, September 3rd, and I'm starting to get a little frantic about him. We've checked with the local animal shelter and have posted/handed out flyers in our neighborhood and at local stores. We've e-mailed his picture to local vets asking if anyone has brought Zach in for any kind of treatment, and as soon as I finish this post I'll be heading over to a couple of websites that help find lost pets and posting an ad over there. All of this to no avail.

So here's hoping that this helps--it's better than doing nothing but worry anyway. Zach is a basset hound mix, copper-colored with a white chest and belly with white markings on his face. He was wearing a blue collar when he took off, and he has a microchip registered to (I believe) Wasatch Humane Society. If you know anything please let me know, and if you live near me and can spread the word I'd appreciate it tons!

Thanks!

Why (Some) Math Teachers Hate Me

2008-08-20T15:49:00.002-06:00

My junior year of high school I took pre-calculus. I did not particularly like pre-calculus--or any math classes for the matter--and yet I took it. My teacher was a very nice woman who thought one thing, said another thing, and wrote an entirely different thing on the board. I liked her, but couldn't understand a word of what she said. Needless to say, it was very difficult for me to understand the concepts of calculus which we studied.

Finishing my homework each evening was, therefore, a struggle of near epic proportions. My father, who throughout my school years usually helped me with math homework, suddenly found himself helpless in the face of matrices, graphs of sine waves, and logarithms. I was equally helpless.

And then one week my uncle and his family came for a visit. This particular uncle engineers rocket boosters, which is quite impressive work. He had always been a bit of a math/science geek, so in desperation my father turned me and my calculus questions over to Uncle, even though Uncle was on vacation. Hope sprang in my bosom, (or somewhere in that general vicinity) and I spread my homework out in front of a kind and helpful Uncle.

Uncle began to peruse my homework with a look of studied concentration, and I'll never forget his next words to me: "Hmmm, I don't know. I haven't done any of this stuff in years." My father and I looked at each other incredulously: a man who builds rocket boosters doesn't regularly use calculus?! The hope in the general vicinity of my bosom began to fizzle out, and a righteous indignation began to build instead. The next day I walked into class and told my teacher, "Calculus is useless. My uncle is literally a rocket scientist, and not even he uses this stuff!"

And that's why (some) math teachers hate me.

Cats and Dogs

2008-08-01T13:49:00.004-06:00

So I've decided my dog is a feminist. My feminist theories teacher used to say that a feminist recognizes that she has more in common with females not of her class than she does with the males of her same class, and this pretty well describes Abby: she reaches across barriers to form relationships with females not of her species, rather than form relationships exclusively with the male of her species. Let me explain.

Two years ago we adopted two dogs: Abby and Zach. Abby is a beagle mix, and Zach is a basset hound mix, but that's not important to the story. We adopted these two lovable muts from a local humane society, who had in turn rescued them from an animal shelter out in Tooelle. They had been abandoned and abused, and were both in such bad shape the humane society volunteers weren't sure if the dogs would survive. But they did, and they're the two closest animals that I've ever seen. When we adopted the two, the volunteers made it very clear that they were a pair and couldn't be broken up, which was fine with us because we had fallen in love with both of them.

And they are a pair. They sleep curled up next to each other, they groom each other, and they whine at the door if the other is outside. I really don't blame them, though, for being so close and dependent on each other. They've been through hell and back again, looking out for the other all the way; I don't care what species you are, experiences like that will keep you close.

Now, enter Della, and here's where it gets fun--or rather, funny. Della is a stray cat who followed my sister home one day. (No, literally, she just followed Kate home and has stayed ever since. Animals tend to that to us a lot in our family.) Once it became clear that Della was staying put and had decided to become a member of our family, we started letting her into the house. She and Abby hit it off right away. They sniffed each other's private parts, then curled up next to each other and went to sleep. Easy-peasy.

Della and Abby have continued to stay "friends" I guess you could say. Della is a bit of a tease (she's a cat after all) but things stay amiable between them--no spitting, scratching, and biting matches yet. Abby is never perturbed by Della prancing around in front of her, and Della isn't bothered by Abby's unnatural propensity to sniff every rear end that passes by. It's not unusual for one to curl up next to the other on the couch and fall asleep.

Which all got me thinking. I started thinking about human beings, and women in particular. Sometimes we feel like there are barriers between us and other women: she doesn't like me, I don't like her, how could she say those things, why does she have so many kids, why doesn't she have kids, she's too pretty/skinny/fat/stupid/smart, we don't have anything in common. I've been one of the guilty ones myself, assuming that I "get" somebody when really I don't get her at all.

That's why I'm grateful for a big, fat dog like Abby. She was already very selfless in her relationship with Zach, and obviously got a lot of fulfillment out of their friendship (as much as dogs can be fulfilled, I suppose). Yet when Della came along I like to think Abby recognized her own need for female companionship, and that transcended the barriers that should have existed between them. They should have been fighting like, well, cats and dogs. But instead Abby decided to just go with it and have a good time. No matter how fulfilling our relationships with men might be, and no matter what we might think of other women, the fact is that sometimes women need other women.

So, maybe it's all a bit silly, and maybe I'm reading a bit too much into canine/feline relations, but thanks anyway to Abby for reminding me how important my relationships with other women are, and for reminding me that I've got some pretty great girlfriends. We don't sniff each other's rear ends, but we still manage to have a good time.

Moving is Bittersweet ... and Painful

2008-06-01T09:23:00.003-06:00

I am officially moved out of my apartment, and this is my first morning living at my parents' house again. I've woken up this morning with aches and pains all over my body, and I can barely walk. I've got to try to unpack and arrange all my crap, but this house is in such a major state of chaos, I don't know where to begin. So I decided to blog about yesterday. :D

The move yesterday was an all day affair. We got up to the apartment around 9:00 or 9:30, and Jessica and I didn't leave the apartment until after 10:00 last night. My parents were particularly awesome yesterday, carrying boxes and furniture up and down stairs at their advanced age ;) No, actually it was really hard for them, but they kept going, and really helped out. Some neighbors of ours also helped--they brought a truck and took down a bunch of my furniture, and helped load a bunch of other odds and ends. I really appreciated them.

Then Jessica and I were left to clean the apartment. We had to make a stop at Wal-Mart to pick up a few things--light bulbs, drip pans for the stove, etc.--so we also picked up a little something to eat, went back to the apt., and had a little picnic. It was our last meal together in our apartment, and we started talking about all the memories we'd made in this place, and all that had happened over the last year. We snapped a few silly shots of each other with our cell phones, then got back to work. And work we did! That apartment has never been so spotless--even when we first moved in. I had better get my security deposit back, that's all I can say!

Finally it was time to load all our cleaning supplies in the car, turn out all the lights, and leave. I stood there for a minute by myself in the dark before I walked out. As much as I have hated this apartment, I've loved the memories that Jessica and I created there. There were hours of talking and laughing, cooking dinner, and watching countless movies. And even the not-so-pleasant events are morphed by the magic of memory into silly things only to be laughed at. That's what I love about my sister and our relationship: that even when we're mad at each other, we're not really mad at each other; and even when we think the other is asking too much of us, we don't really think that. Because the truth is, I'd do anything for Jessica, and I know she'd do the same for me.

I walked out of the apartment last night, and Jess stood next to me as I put the key into the lock and locked the door for the last time. She went downstairs, and I looked at the door to apartment #19 one last time. Behind the the door was a dark, empty apartment, but in my head I imagined that the apartment was the same as we'd always left it before. I think that's the way I'd rather remember it.

Montana Continued

2008-05-24T15:52:00.002-06:00

OK, so where did we leave off? ... Oh yes, we had just picked up the car rental.

After we picked up the van, I dropped my cousin off at her house so she could pack, then I drove down to Provo to pick up my aunt. She had to run to the store to pick up some things, then we loaded her and her tons of crap (just kidding, she actually had the least crap of any of us) in the van, and headed back to Draper.

The orgininal plan was to get up at 3:00 to load up, then get on the road by 4:00 am. But by the time we got back to my cousin's house it was after 1:00 am, so we just decided to load up and take off right then. So we did.

We left the house around 2 am, and drove all night long. We stopped twice to sleep because both of us were having a hard time keeping our eyes open. The drive through Idaho was fairly uneventful, except for the snow that hit around the ID/MT border. It was sticking to the ground, slush was everywhere, and it really slowed us down. After we crossed into Montana, the weather got a little better, but still not great.

Montana was an interesting place to drive through. There was beautiful scenery, but every little outpost along the way had the same bar/saloon in it--and none of them would let you use their bathrooms unless you bought something from them, which we had to learn the hard way. We pulled off at several of them, only to get back on the freeway as fast as we could, until we reached a desperate situation. Our bladders were full and our gas tank was empty, so we stopped in Clinton, home of a unique and legendary celebration: The Testicle Festival, aka The Testy Festy. Their slogan is, "Have a ball!" and we had to take pictures of all their advertisements, and so forth. I'll share them as soon as I can. The gas station was also the same type of bar we had seen in every other town, and I can now tell you all that I have been in a bar. It was thrilling. Gas was over $4 a gallon there, though, so we only bought a couple until we found a larger town with cheaper gas.

Around 3:00 pm we hit Kalispell and found ourselves in the middle of some kind of freak traffic jam. It was really weird, because I couldn't figure out what so many people were doing on a Thursday afternoon in a town like Kalispell. Oh, and every Kalispell driver (except my cousin) drives at like five miles per hour. It was frustrating in the extreme! My poor cousin got really car sick because I was driving, and trying to pass stupid drivers as fast as I could. I got a little crazy, I admit, but I had reached the end of my traveling rope long before we hit Kalispell, and this traffic jam was like being kicked when down. It was a cheap shot citizens of Kalispell, a cheap shot I say!

Anyway, we finally arrived, and spent the evening catching up, showering, and taking naps. It was good to be out of that van! Well, I'll close for now; in the next post I'll tell you all about the trip to the temple, and what a nice but weird town Cardston, Alberta is.

Fun Adventures

2008-05-22T22:13:00.002-06:00

Good evening (or morning, or afternoon as the case may be). I write to all my devotees from almost the tippy-tip-top of the U.S. of A. I'm in Kalispell, Montana, to be specific, and what, you may ask, am I doing here? Well, tomorrow morning, bright and early, we drive across the U.S./Canada border to attend the temple with my cousin, who will be going through for the first time. It's an exciting time, and we're very proud of her, but we've had quite an adventure getting up here. Let me begin at the beginning ...

Yesterday, I spent the day in Logan with my coworkers. We completed our disaster training by destroying things--books, fur, photos, maps, newspapers, etc. We dumped them in tubs of water and practiced drying them to get some hands on experience in what might happen after a disaster. It was all kinds of fun throwing our trainer for a loop with the odd things we brought to play with. After the requisite visits to Pepperidge Farm and Gossner's Cheese factory, we returned to Ogden, and I returned to my apartment for last minute getting-ready-ness. By about seven we were on our way to Draper to begin our trip to Montana.

Why Draper you ask? Well, Jess and I aren't the only ones on this trip. We've traveled with a cousin, her son, and an aunt, and we had to head down to Draper to run errands, pick people up, and ultimately, pick up our car rental. At 10 p.m. we got to the airport where our car rental was waiting for us. Only we hit a small snag. Turns out the company we rented from requires proof of insurance if you don't purchase theirs, and we were completely unprepared for that. My cousin had purchased some insurance online when she reserved the car, but was planning on using her personal auto insurance to cover the liability on the rental. When the lady asked for her insurance card we almost panicked. We were exhausted, we still had a full night ahead of us, we had never heard of a rental agency asking for proof of insurance, and now we were facing the real possibility of returning to Draper to pick up her insurance card, then coming back to get the rental. Fortunately, the rental lady offered us a complimentary upgrade to a minivan to make up for the unexpected expense of purchasing their insurance. In the end, I'm completely glad we got the van, because I don't know how we would have made this trip with the five of us and all our crap in car--even a full size one.

I must pause the story telling for the time being, as there are preparations I must make for tomorrow, and this post is already long enough. Coming up, look for tales of sleep deprivation, gasoline woes, an excess of bars and saloons, and an interesting local festival where one can "Have a ball!" All in the next installment of MELISSA'S MONTANA MEANDERINGS!

Moving Out

2008-05-20T12:08:00.002-06:00

Cupcake, my co-worker, has been after me for a while now to update my blog. I guess she just finds it that fascinating ;) There hasn't been a great deal for me to comment on lately, but I'll try to find something to write about because I'm the only one at work and am really, really bored right now.

First off, the school semester: it's over, I passed both classes, I rejoiced. Summer school is in session, however I am not attending. I just didn't want to, ok? I will be back in school this fall taking a history class and another class called Museum Methods. We'll be studying how to work in museums, which will be all kinds of fun and excitement. Plus, I'm taking the class with cupcake, and we both like the teacher. She's nice--the teacher, I mean, but cupcake's nice too.

Second, as the title of this blog entry states, my sister and I are moving out of our apartment. Where are we moving to, you ask? Back home with our parents. I know it would appear that I'm regressing, but actually I think this will be the best thing for all of us right now. There are some possible changes for our family on the horizon, and I think Jess and I need to be home. Plus, I just miss everyone, and I hate our apartment.

----------

OK, I started this a few days ago, but didn't finish it. I don't remember where I was going with all of this, but I have lots of new things to talk about, so I'm going to post this, then create a new post to update you on all my fun adventures.

Jane Austen Presentation

2008-04-07T14:54:00.004-06:00

I gave a presentation in class today about Jane Austen and her development as a writer, and I proved myself to be a very great geek. :) Of course, my friends and family all know about my obsessive geekiness when it comes to Austen, but my class didn't really know the extent of it. Now they do.

I was going to try posting the PowerPoint presentation I used today, but I think that will be far more complicated than I really feel like dealing with now. Instead, here's a link (I hope) to a scanned copy of Jane Austen's brilliant satire of British history, written when she was about 15 or 16 years old. (Once you click on the link below, click on "Jane Austen's Early Work" and the window with the scans will pop up.) Enjoy!

A Brief History of England

The Best Star Wars Video Ever

2008-03-29T23:29:00.001-06:00

Seriously, this thing is hilarious. It will make you pee your pants.

Midweek Girls' Night Out (and Other Updates)

2008-02-28T00:24:00.003-07:00

I was just looking over my last posting and that was a pretty complain-ey post! My apologies. Blame it on the drugs.

Things are pretty much the same. You'd think that with as much time as I let pass between postings I'd have lots to talk about, but I'm just not that interesting I guess. I'm enjoying my classes: I've started writing again, which is always a good thing, and I'm learning a bit about music history. Nothing overly taxing, but I'm still learning.

I got to visit some cousins and aunts last weekend when I went down to Salem for my cousin's son's baby blessing. He's a real cutie-pie and loved by lots of people. All the cousins, aunts, my sisters, my grandma, and I gathered around the baby and took turns holding him. The poor guy was out like a light, though! He'd wake up a little, look up at the faces, roll his eyes and fall back asleep. My dad was in the circle and said he was a little fussy, but not too much. (For my friends who are not Mormon, and have no idea what I'm talking about, a baby blessing is like a christening, but without the water. The guys gather in a circle holding the baby and give him/her a blessing of health, guidance, etc. Then, per tradition, the family gathers to eat food and coo over the new baby. Good times.) I love family gatherings, especially when it includes cute new babies. :D

Tonight I stayed at work late to make up hours, then my Aunt Liz and Jessica picked me up. They had been hanging out together and visiting another friend. Once they picked me up, we went to McDonald's to get me a burger (they had already eaten dinner), then we went to Bistro 258 because we had a craving for really nice desserts. Jess and Liz got the chocolate soufflés and I got their desert called Fuzzy Peaches: battered peach halves flash fried then served with cinnamon caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream, and peach sorbet. Yeah, it was as good as it sounds.

Liz gets camera happy whenever we go out, and tonight was no exception. She was snapping pictures of the desserts, each of us at the restaurant, and she even made us (well, me) go into the bathroom to take pictures of the decor. She's funny like that, and it's why we love her. After dessert we went down to my parents' house to visit a bit with them, but only my mom and Kate were home. We still had nice visits. It's now almost 1 a.m.; I got home about a half hour ago, but I'm not all that sleepy.

While we were driving to McDonald's, I got a call from my friend, Joey. It was really good to hear from him and catch up a bit on each other's lives. He told me he found a librarian action figure that he's going to send me and I'm totally excited about it. It was originally my Christmas present, but apparently, one of the postal workers at his local post office was stealing people's mail, so we're assuming that's where the original package went since I never got it. But YEAH for librarian action figures!

This weekend we're having another family get-together. More aunts and cousins are coming in from out of town, and one of my cousins is bringing her new fiance. We all get to meet him and see if he passes muster, and is worthy to enter our family ;) I'm sure he is worthy, but it will still be fun to mess with his head a bit.

Well, this blog ended up much longer than I intended so, goodnight!

I hate being sick!

2008-01-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, this has been a crazy weekend! On Thursday I went to the doctor because of some back pain I have been having. He gave me drugs and sent me to physical therapy. Turns out (according to my physical therapist) that my hips were out of alignment so we started working on that. Later that evening I started getting the sniffles. No big deal, I thought. A little congestion won't be so bad---boy was I wrong!

Friday was a normal day at work, except my sniffles started getting worse. By the end of the day I knew I was completely sick. All I wanted to do was to go home and sleep--and by home I mean my mom and dad's. So that's what we did. I was still hoping, though, that this cold wouldn't be too bad. The next day I took a dose of sudafed and headed off to Ikea with my sisters. We bought lamps, a rug, storage boxes, a mini ironing board, and throw blanket, and a wall shelf to hang in Jessica's room. Oh, and some Swedish goodies. I really like the stuff we got (especially my lamp) but shopping was stressful and exhausting. We decided to get some dinner after our shopping trip, then we headed home. By this point I had taken multiple doses of sudafed but they had stopped working. This was the beginning of hell.

Sunday I was too sick to go to church. I spent the day in bed reading, but I could feel the congestion moving into my chest. A few years ago I had a nasty case of bronchitis, and my lungs have never been quite the same, so feeling that cough coming on was not something I was too happy about. The coughing started, and that combined with the sneezing, and the tossing and turning in bed started to wreak havoc on my back. By Sunday evening I was completely immobile. I was lying flat on the floor and I couldn't even roll over. It was brutal.

Monday was more of the same, but worse. The cough had definitely settled in, and I felt yicky all over. I was stressed because I knew I had a physical therapy appointment the next morning, and I had work the next evening--I didn't know how I was going to do either. In the end I decided to skip on the physical therapy, but I was going to try to make it in to work.

Tuesday morning was awful--major coughing and congestion, but I got myself ready for work. When I got in I could hardly stand, but I didn't know what else to do because I needed the work hours. Fortunately, I work with great people. They told me to go home and we'd trade weekend shifts around so I could still get my hours. Jess came and picked me up, and after a stop for some food, I went home and slept for about 4 hours. I'm heavily medicated (Dayquil is my friend) but I'm doing much better today. I can't wait for this stupid cold to be over with!

Wasting Time at Work

2008-01-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

I'm really bored at work right now, so I'm posting this just to pass some time. (I stole it from a girl I work with--from her blog. Thanks Cupcake.)

1. What is your occupation?
Manuscript processor
2. What color are your socks right now?
Orange and tan striped
3. What are you listening to right now?
I just plugged my iPod in, put it on shuffle, and Mika's Big Girls (You Are Beautiful) just came on.
4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Hershey's kiss.
5. Can you drive a stick shift?
No, and my attempts to do so have been ... adventures.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
I hate questions like this.
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My sister.
8. How old are you today?
26 years, 6 months, 25 days, 6 hours, and 49 minutes old. Approximately.
9. Favorite drink?
Rootbeer.
10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
Tennis. I can't wait for Wimbledon!
11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
Yes.
12. Favorite reality TV show?
1900 House from PBS. Some of the other "House" shows were good, but this was the best.
15. Favorite day of the year?
Any day spent in laughter with people I love.
16. What do you do to vent anger?
Throw pillows. Pout.
17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
There was some doll that "grew" hair if you cranked on her arm. That one was fun for a while. My Barbie dolls (*blushing*) and my marbles also provided much fun.
18. What is your favorite fall or spring?
Fall is my favorite. Spring is too artificial: it promises more than it can deliver.
19. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs from people; kisses from Hershey's.
20. Cherries or Blueberry?
Fresh I prefer cherries, in pies I prefer neither, and in artificial flavorings I prefer cherries. In other words, I don't like blueberries.
21. Living arrangement?
I share an apartment with my sister.
22. When was the last time you cried?
I don't know, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you.
23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Shoes and storage containers.
24. What did you do last night?
Went to the store to buy dinner, ate dinner, watched t.v., then read my new annotated copy of Pride and Prejudice.
25. Favorite smells?
Fresh baked bread, homecooked meals, and so forth.
26. What inspires you?
People who change their lives for the better; Jane Austen.
27. What are you afraid of?
Being wrong.
28. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
The cheesier the better.
29. Favorite dog breed?
My two mutts.
30. How many years at your current job?
Almost a year and a half in this position; six years in other positions at the same place.
31. Favorite day of the week?
During the school semester it's Tuesdays because I get to sleep in; during breaks it's Saturdays for the same reason.
32. How many states have you lived in?
3
33. Ever driven a Motorcycle or heavy machinery?
No, although I got a ride on a motorcycle once when I was little--from my grandpa or uncle, I don't remember which. I was really little.
34. Who's your favorite NFL team?
I have no patience with professional football.
35. Do you have a house phone that is NOT cordless?
No. I only have cell phones. My parents have three non-cordless phones, though.
36. 10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather?
100 degree weather because then I'd be in the desert. I love the desert.
37. Oldest thing in your freezer?
That container of kidney beans I've been too afraid to go near.
38. What makes you laugh out loud?
My family when they're just being themselves.
39. What is one thing you are REALLY good at?
Learning things, analyzing literature, loving people.
40. What would be TWO things you would like to do before you die?
Travel England; finish college.
41. Hardwood or carpet?
Depends on the room, but generally I prefer hardwood floors.
42. What do you plan on doing when you finish answering these questions?
Go to the bathroom.
43. Are you a morning or night person?
I'm a night person all the way. Mornings suck.

Snow Snow & More Snow

2008-01-10T15:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday a huge snow storm hit northern Utah and we got about 14 inches of snow dumped on us (more and less in some areas). Here's some pictures taken from my back porch.

In the second picture you can't really tell, but there's a bird in the tree. Jessica and I threw down some food for the birds and soon had about four little birds hanging out around our porch and munching on the goodies. It was cute.

School had started up again, and I'm not so glad. I think the spring semester is harder than the fall because you jump into the spring semester right after the holidays when you're still feeling fat and lazy. Fall semester is after a long summer break (unless you're stupid enough to take summer classes) so you're pretty well rested and ready for school to start. There is nothing restful about the holiday break.

I'm taking two classes this semester: Introduction to Music, to satisfy my creative arts requirement, and a writing class. The music class meets for the first time tonight so I'll post later about that one. My writing class is on notebooks, journals, and creativity; I'm hoping it will help me be more creative because I really don't feel all that creative right now. In fact, class has been somewhat discouraging and intimidating because most of the people in the class are creative writers and have all these great ideas (one guy has even published a novel already and is working on the second). I, on the other hand, am crap at creative writing, and (lately) all writing. I've felt like quite the idiot in class so far, but the professor is a really good one so I'm hoping in the end I'll feel better about my writing.

Well, that's all for now.

End of the semester

2007-12-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I just finished my last paper for class, and e-mailed it off to my professor. The Fall '07 semester is finally over. Feminist Theories has been a very interesting class, and I've learned a lot. Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned is that despite what anyone says, and despite any feminist backlash, the need for feminism is still very real. Case in point: check out this little article from the February 2006 edition of Esquire:

I came across this blurb while I was working on a final project for class about portrayals of women. What angered me so much was the title: Shut Up and Show Us Your Tits." Who do these men think they are that they can get away with something like that?! Something so sexist and racist! Gwenyth Paltrow's altruistic and philanthropic efforts have been completely undermined in some crude attempt at humor. They've sexualized and demeaned her, as well as millions of African women--and women everywhere. And as my professor pointed out, you would never see something like this about a man. When have you ever heard anyone say to Bono, "Shut up and show us your dick"?

This is why we still need feminism--right now.

An Evening With the Symphony

2007-11-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

Jessica and I got a phone call this evening from Mom and Kate asking if we wanted to go to the symphony. I was pretty tired, and didn't really want to leave the house, but Kate had the tickets and I didn't want to let them go to waste. So I changed out of my jeans into nicer clothes, and we drove down to the house. The Utah Symphony was playing at the Browning Center at the WSU campus, but we had to pick Katie up.

Once we had grabbed Kate we went out to dinner at Denny's. Hot chocolate sounded good, and it was right on the way. Katie updated us about her life at school and all her friends, and we just enjoyed being sisters and chatting. It was nice.

The concert was wonderful. I haven't been to the symphony in ages, and my soul needed it. The first number was Mendelssohn's Symphony no. 3 in A minor, op. 56 (I got all that from the program). I can't say I'm the biggest Mendelssohn fan, but there were some beautiful moments in the piece, and I was quite entertained by the maestro's silk shirt bouncing around. He wasn't wearing the traditional tux, just slacks and a silk shirt, and every time he waved his arms around his shirt put on a little dance.

The second number was Lois Spohr's Violin Concerto No. 8 in A minor, with the solo part by guest violinist Ralph Matson. I haven't really heard much from Spohr before, so it was interesting to get acquainted with his music. The violinist was pretty good--no Itzhak Perlman, but good in his own way. I enjoyed the piece.

But the real highlight of the evening for me, was the final number: Ottorino Respighi's Pini de Roma (Pines of Rome). I love, love, love this piece, but this was the first I've heard it played live, and man oh man did it send chills up and down my spine. The opening movement made me smile with its delightful chaos, and the second movement (Pines near a Catacomb) had such brilliant brass parts it almost made me cry. The third movement almost had a touch of Debussy in it, and the solo clarinet line ... I can still hear it in my mind and each note was so graceful and perfect. The final movement is spectacular with its military fanfares, and again brilliant performances from the brass section. This final movement lifts you up on wave after wave of sound and you want to just float away in it. This was truly one of those concert moments that you know you will remember forever and ever.

What this all comes down to is that I miss making music--making music with an ensemble. I was never a very good musician, but I loved being in rehearsal or on stage or even on the football field with my bands and making music with all of them. There is something so transcendent about a moment like that: when a several dozen people (or a couple hundred in the case of my marching band) become one musical ensemble. I miss that. And I miss having music in my life on a daily basis. There's not much I can do about it at this point. I just miss it is all.

Speechless Campaign

2007-11-27T16:57:00.001-07:00

A number of A-list actors have joined with members of the WGA to produce a series of short videos as part of a new campaign called Speechless. This is my favorite so far.

Check out SpeechlessWithoutWriters.com to watch the rest of them.

Picture didn't work

2007-11-17T22:03:00.000-07:00

For some reason Jessica's picture isn't working. I'll try to fix it later.

Sister's Photography

2007-11-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here's one of Jessica's photographs. I think it's my favorite so far. Just thought I'd share.

Yet another reason why you should support the WGA

2007-11-15T12:44:00.001-07:00

OK, this one really got to me. Check out this woman's blog posting about her husband's experience getting residuals for a show he wrote, and the way it affected their family.

WGA Father

This is what residuals are used for--to take care of families. This is what studios want to do away with to fund their own bloated lifestyles.

Insane Studio Executives

2007-11-14T16:18:00.001-07:00

More WGA strike stuff. Check out this video. It's funny, and gets the point across that these executives are raving lunatics. I mean, you'd have to be to so blatantly and hypocrytically screw people over. Either that or insanely greedy. Take your pick.

Writers Guild of America Strike

2007-11-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

OK friends and family, here's the deal. I don't know how much you all have been following the writers' strike which started early this week, but I'm asking you stand by and support all of the writers.

Why, you ask? First of all, because it's the right thing to do. Despite what you may have heard or read, this isn't a money grab, it isn't quibbling over a bonus, or anything like that. Yes, I believe the entertainment industry is generally bloated beyond all reason, but what the writers are asking for is that they be compensated fairly when their creative materials are rebroadcast--no matter what the media form of that broadcast is--because they live off of those residual checks. Here's a short video that explains it better than I ever could--and it's entertaining to boot!

The second reason why this is so important is because it sets the precedent for other industry guilds whose contracts will be up for negotiation soon. (The Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild will all be facing similar issues in the near future.) You might be wondering, "Don't they all make enough money already?" Well, sure maybe some do, but all of these guilds include middle-class nothings who depend on residuals to pay the bills. And besides, the issue isn't about money. It's the principle that if you work to create something you have a stake in it, and should get compensated fairly. (Yes, I know I keep saying that over and over again, but it's the best way to describe what the writers want: fair compensation.)

My final reason for supporting the writers is out of solidarity. Even though I don't plan on writing for the big screen or for television, I do plan on being a writer in some form or another. And who knows? Maybe one day I will end up writing a hit movie ;) The point is, the thought that a writer could create something and then not be compensated fairly for it, while corporate yahoos make billions, is particularly repugnant to me. I would hate to see anything like that ever happen to any of my writing.

So here's what you can do.

First, sign this online petition: www.petitiononline.com/WGA/petition.html It might not exactly force the AMPTP to give in to the writers' demands, but it is a place where you can voice your support for the writers--and they need it.

Second, write to studio execs and tell them that you appreciate and support scripted television. With the writers going on strike, most networks are going to increase the number of reality shows they produce and broadcast. While there are plenty of awful scripted shows out there, reality television is particularly thoughtless and ... well, skanky. Tell the network execs that you're not a mindless viewer, and you support the writers. Tell them to stop all their corporate spin and stop trying to give writers the shaft. Here are a few addresses to get you started:

Jeff Zucker
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal Studios, CA 91608

NBC Studios
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91523

OK, that's it from me for now, but expect to hear more on this in the not-too-distant future!

Sunday Lullaby

2007-10-28T22:28:00.000-06:00

Today was a pretty good day. Kate spent the night last night and went to stake conference with Jess and me. Elder Oaks and President Eyring were the speakers at the conference, and it was great to hear them speak. Barbara Thompson, 2nd counselor in the General R.S. Presidency also spoke, and I enjoyed her talk too.

After the conference we went to my parents' house and spent the rest of the evening there. We watched Miss Potter the movie about Beatrix Potter, the author of the Peter Rabbit stories. It was very good. I had a nice time chit-chatting with my dad while he browsed iTunes for some more Christmas music. He wanted Christmas songs in German because it takes him back to his mission in Austria. I cooked dinner for everyone and we just had a nice evening at home.

I'm staying home tomorrow to try to catch up on some things. I feel like I've been trying to play catch-up on life since this summer. I make some progress, then something comes up (like big homework assignments, or the symposium) and everything falls to pieces again. Well, I had better go. Even though I'm not going to work tomorrow, I'm not sleeping in, so I had better get to bed.

p.s. The title of this blog is referencing a song my mom used to sing when I was little. It describes a quiet Sunday afternoon and seemed to fit the mood of today.

Bride sues florist for wrong colored flowers - At a glance

2007-10-26T15:56:00.000-06:00

Bride sues florist for wrong colored flowers - At a glance

Check this article out. Quite ridiculous. I was bored at work when I found this, and since I was still bored, I decided to blog about the article.

College Progress Report

2007-10-24T13:19:00.000-06:00

Just got out of class, and am covering the service desk at work. Since there's nothing much to do while covering the desk, I'm writing another blog.

Today in class we started our section on Freud; that is some crazy, crazy stuff. As my dad put it the other day, Freud creates his theories of psycho-sexuality from a case-study of himself. What a way to develop a universal theory. The class discussion was pretty good--I got to make a connection to Jane Austen, which always makes me happy ;) -- although one girl in class, who obviously has read up on feminist issues around Freud, did most of the talking.

I'm processing a collection right now that's full of personal letters from this guy to his mother. Talk about Freudian issues--this guy was loaded with them! It makes for interesting reading.

I started looking at the Spring 2008 class schedule, and I've been debating an issue. I realized that I could finish up all my general ed. requirements next semester, and get my Associates degree. I'm tempted, but it also presents some problems--mostly money problems. I want to take another class next semester that probably won't be taught again for a LONG time, but it's not one of my generals, and if I try to finish off my generals, I don't know that I'd be able to afford another class. Plus, I wonder if the Associates is really going to do anything for me. I guess I'm going to have to talk to an adviser and see if the gen. ed. requirements are going to change anytime soon.

In trying to figure out next semester's classes, I also realized that I'm almost done with my major requirements too. That means it's about dang time for me to pick a minor, and get some work done on that! I'm just going to make it easy on myself and go for history. Oh, and I'm changing from a B.S. to a B.A., so that means I need to start taking foreign language classes; I'm thinking German. All in all, I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. It will still take some time, but I think I just might survive college.

At least my bachelors.

New Phone!

2007-10-23T19:14:00.000-06:00

So I got my new, awesome, totally free phone today! (Picture on the left.) I've been playing around with it today, and really love it! It has a camera, so maybe I can finally get pictures up of my apartment.

As for other things in my life: school is going well, and at work I survived the Utah Construction Company symposium. I decided to drop my magazine writing class, because it just wasn't working out. Like I mentioned in my last post, I just wasn't learning much, and the class was only adding stress to my life. I'm doing very well in my Feminist Theories class and loving it! We have some very interesting discussions, and the professor is one of my favorites.

Work was nuts last week because of the UCC symposium. It's our biggest event of the year, and we schmooze the donors, and listen to speakers, and pretend that it's all very interesting. We also put on a photo exhibit every year, but this year we let some photography students go out and take the pictures, and mount their own exhibit. BIG mistake. I spent the week before the symposium cutting matboard--which is physically exhausting--late into the evening. In the middle of conferences and other work responsibilities, I had to cut and assemble the mats for two of the artists who didn't get their photos printed in time. I think there were three days in a row that I didn't leave before 10:30 p.m.

The week of the symposium was even more chaotic because of all the last-minute details that always have to be taken care of, but we survived, and we probably won't be doing another symposium for two years--happy dance!!! I went to the fancy donor dinner with my boss. Her husband had to work, but she got her brother and his boyfriend to babysit (which the kids loved), and we went ahead and rewarded ourselves with a nice dinner and good conversation with people we like. Oh, and I got a really cute new dress and shoes, which I may or may not post pictures of .... someday. ;)

Time to go!

Row D, You're Fired!

2007-10-02T19:24:00.000-06:00

I'm just about to leave work, but I had to post a quick message because I realized that I get off of work in time to watch House! That makes me so very happy. Tonight House begins firing off his interns, and I can't wait!

I need to go close down the department, but Jessica is taking some pictures of me in the office for her photo project. I'm just babbling now so I look busy in the pictures. Blah, blah, blah.

What else can I write about?

...

...

I've decided I don't really like my magazine writing class. My professor is nice enough, but his lectures really aren't planned out very well, so we cover the same stuff over and over again. I just don't feel like I've learned very much in the class.

Yeah, Jess finished the pictures so we can go home now and watch House and Wilson piss each other off, but know that deep down they love each other. ;)

2007-09-19T14:40:00.000-06:00

I've got a lull at work, so I'm here posting a blog. There's not a whole lot that's new going on in my life at the moment. I've started school, and it's going like any other semester. I'm taking Feminist Theories and Magazine Article Writing, so I'm doing a lot of reading and a lot of writing. I'm excited for my magazine writing class, because I'm actually going to try to get published. We're going to spend the semester working on two manuscripts and trying to get them sold. If we sell to a large publication (a circulation of 1 million or more) then we get an automatic "A" -- and a nice paycheck too! So keep your fingers crossed for me. The first article I'm writing is about photographs of World War II German and Italian POWs that were camped here in Ogden. I'm going to try selling it to the Smithsonian.

Anywho. I'm going to get back to work now.

The Villian I Must Be On The Lookout For!

2007-08-31T13:27:00.000-06:00

You scored as Elliot, Be warned that you could fall prey to an Elliot! While he may appear to be extremely agreeable, you will find he is political in order to achieve a position. If you do not help him in his ambition, he will find someone else to use. Question his motives!

Elliot

65%

Wickham

55%

Churchill

45%

Thorpe

40%

Willoughby

35%

Crawford

20%

created with QuizFarm.com

2007-08-17T15:38:00.001-06:00

I'm feeling a bit crap right now. I don't know why exactly. Maybe it's just a combination of many things.

I'm working on the stupid Roberts Collection, and I am so sick and tired of it. I'm so tired of finding random pieces of crap tucked into odd places. I'm tired of Roberts's crap that will never be used. I'm tired of the feeling I get when I look at all the boxes--the feeling that this will never end. It needs to end--and not just for my sanity, but there are other collections that I need to be working on.

I found out today I have to go--excuse me, I get to go to the CIMA conference in October down at BYU. I hate BYU. And the prospect of sitting through a conference of archivists at BYU is really quite ghastly.

Plus, I'm worried about some things, and angry about others, but I won't go into them. I haven't slept well this week, so I'm tired and worn out. I'm getting a headache too, and my eye won't stop twitching. This is a very complain-ey blog!

On the positive side, I'm going to the Davis County rodeo tonight with my family. I actually had fun the last time we went, even though I wasn't expecting to. It's kind of exciting watching the cowgirls doing the barrel races, and the cowboys on those bucking broncos and bulls. Plus, I like being with the family--it settles and regrounds me.

OK, I think I've got to go take some Tylenol for this headache.

My Show is Back, People!!!!

2007-08-15T16:53:00.000-06:00

OK, so it's not back back yet, as in back on the air, but the cast and crew of The Office are back on set (and location) filming new episodes for season 4. Spoilers are beginning to abound, and the blogs and message boards are coming back to life. I love this time of year!! ;)

The first episode is called "Fun Run" and from the little bit I'm reading about it, the episode sounds very funny. And we've got the first filming pictures of the season!! Here's a great JAM picture that fills my heart with all kinds of joy and happiness:

According to the guy that took the picture, when "action" was called there was lots of hand-holding and laughing between Jim and Pam, so I am so super-duper excited for this season premier that I can't even begin to describe it! I keep telling myself that I'll stay away from all the spoilers, but I have no will-power. Oh well, what can I say? I'm a sucker for spoilers.

Only 43 more days until the premier!!

Fighting the Boredom

2007-08-01T15:07:00.000-06:00

I'm in the middle of processing a collection, but I needed a quick break, so I thought I'd post some random thoughts and experiences. Just because.

**Jessica and I went to a laundromat about a month ago. It was quite the experience. The only things on TV were Spanish soap operas and soccer games broadcast in Spanish. Then a man brought in his dog while he did his laundry. The dog was very sweet, and mostly well behaved (he liked to bark), but I've never seen a dog in a laundromat before. As I said, an experience.

**Jessica and I actually went to our ward on Sunday and attended all our meetings! Sad thing: they didn't bring the sacrament out to the foyer where we were sitting. Funny thing: our Sunday School teacher shared his experience getting "Dear-John-ed" while on his mission. It involved The Lion King (from which he shared clips) and was truly hilarious. Interesting thing: we met a guy who lives in our apartment building, and he was very nice. He helped direct us to the people we needed to talk to about transferring our records to the ward.

**Today is August 1st!; that means CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!! Yes, friends and family, as per Johnson family tradition, Christmas music is now free game until the end of December, and the Christmas countdown officially begins--only five more months!!! I've been listening to Bing Crosby's White Christmas album, and when I get home I'll be sure to put on Manheim Steamroller--yes!!

I know I had other random thoughts and so forth to share, but I've forgotten them in the excitement over Christmas ;) hehehe. I better get back to work anyway, so I'll post again later.

p.s. my apologies to you Kira, if you're still reading my blog. Shall I listen to some Hanukkah songs in honor of you? ;) Love and miss ya!

Quick Update

2007-07-17T14:52:00.001-06:00

I haven't posted a blog for a while, and I really shouldn't be doing it right now--I should be working, but oh well. I just wanted to post a quick update about some things that have been going on.

The last couple of weeks were kind of crazy crazy because Jessica and I were watching my cousin's daughter, and then my cousin spent a couple of days with us when she got back. Plus Katie spent the night one night and stayed the next day. John came up that day too, so it was pretty crowded in the apartment. House guests always complicate life, but it was nice to spend some time with all of them. All the same, Jess and I were glad to have the apartment back to semi-normal. It's still a mess: the floors need to be cleaned, dishes done, laundry put away, but that will get take care of slowly but surely. Last night I cleaned the bathroom so progress.

My parents went to Oregon last weekend. Actually, my dad went up the week before for work, but my mom flew up to join him over the weekend. I think they had a laid back weekend driving along the coast, and it was nice for them. I think they needed a quick break like that. They stopped at a great little ice cream parlor/candy store that we found last summer and picked up some fudge for all of us. It's a wonderful place on the side of the coastal highway, in a town called Seal Rock. I think the name of the store is "S.R. Fudge" or something like that. If ever you're driving the coast of Oregon you must stop there. The woman gives out HUGE scoops of ice cream: one of her scoops equals like three from any other place, and it's fresh Tillamook ice cream--sooooo good. I love Oregon ...

Anyway. I also went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I will never, ever go again to a midnight showing. Too many snotty teenagers, and I'm just too old to stay up that late and then process a movie. So sad. The movie was pretty good; I like it. There were some problems, but on the whole I think this one was adapted really well. Favorite moment: Harry's flashback in the occlumency lessons to the Mirror of Erised and his parents, then Snape walking into the memory. AWESOMENESS! And Snape will be a good guy, he will be a good guy, he will be a good guy, he will, I know it.

I hope.

Book 7 this weekend and I am getting more and more excited. I haven't pre-ordered the book, because last time I walked into a store that morning and could purchase book 6, so I'm not dealing with that crap. But hopefully I'll have the book done by this weekend. If I get my homework done on time.

Speaking of homework, my class is going ok. There are a bunch of stupid people in my class, but since it's online I don't have to actually talk to any of them face-to-face. That's nice. But I do have to debate them, if you can call it debating. This is how it usually goes:

Stupid student: I believe something stupid for no good reason other than I don't know how to think for myself. I don't know how to research or look anything up for myself, so I have no supporting evidence for my opinion, but I feel very strongly about this.

Me: Ummm, ok, well let me give you some facts. [Insert numerous facts.] So you see, what you believe is stupid (except I'm sometimes nicer about it, unless they're really, really stupid).

Stupid student: But you see what we're really talking about is this feeling (or random experience, or assumption, etc.) that has no basis in logic or fact, so we don't want your facts that make us actually think. We just want to go on in ignorance unchallenged. And while we'll try to be nice to you, we really think you're a liberal who wants to destroy America.

Or another favorite of mine:

Stupid student: Well, this is a very debatable issue, and there are so many opinions on this subject. I can see why so many people feel so strongly about it. And even though this is a debate and I'm just stating the obvious, I'll keep on stating the obvious so I don't really have to think or express my opinions, but can still feel like I'm participating in the conversation.

Wow. Glad I got that all out. I better get back to work now.

We have a piper down. I repeat, a piper down.

2007-06-14T12:50:00.000-06:00

We have a bag pipe playing neighbor. I love it! He/She lives in the apartments behind us, and we're separated by a little wood, so it was a funny experience opening my bedroom window and hearing bag pipes that I couldn't see. I sat down by my window and listened to the music and the birds calling to each other, and smiled. I was sitting at my loom (I love that my loom is now by a window with a great view), and I started thinking about old, dying-out art forms. Something about the setting and the music made me very contemplative and relaxed. It was nice.

Jessica and I are all moved into our apartment now. We're getting settled--last night we finally found enough shelf space for all our books (at least, I hope it was all of them!), and slowly the apartment is becoming home. I hope our bag piper friend plays again tonight.

Adventures in Snorkeling

2007-06-05T17:38:00.000-06:00

My aunt and uncle have been living in Costa Rica with two of their daughters for the last little while, but since they only have two months before they return to the States, they decided to go adventuring in the surrounding countries -- because apparently, Costa Rica wasn't enough of an adventure. ;) Below is an excerpt from an update my uncle posted on our family website; it was just too hilarious not to share it, so I hope he doesn't mind. They have been spending the last few days in Belize, and one of their adventures was a snorkeling trip that included this run in with some manatees.

"We swam around for another half hour. People started getting tired and climbing into the boat. I came up to the boat trying to decide if I was done or not. Just then, the guide pointed out and said he thought he saw four more manatees surfacing in the distance. I was the only one close by, so I swam out by myself to see. Sure enough, there were four of them playing together. After a bit, one of them pealed off and swam up to me. She was about 5 feet down and 10 feet away. She just sat there staring at me. I wondered if she was waiting for me to give the secret password. I tried to mimic her behavior, but obviously I did it wrong because she spun around and went back to frolic with the others. I was not included. Soon, I noticed a very large male looking piece starting to appear near the rear quarters of one. So manatees are just like horses, donkees and fifteen year old boys. I thought. They have no control over when the self test runs. How embarassing. Then I thought, I sure hope this isn't mating season. As if to confirm my suspicion, just then another one came swimming up from behind and stopped right under neath stud man. Oh gees, I didn't want to watch this. But the female took off as if to say "just kidding". Good for you girl, I thought. Then in a completely unexpected turn of events, this guy's huge male thing suddenly detached and started floating away. "Dude, you might want to get that checked. I don't think that is supposed to happen" I thought.

But suddenly it dawned on me: 1) it was not a huge male thing, it was a huge manatee turd and 2) it was heading right for me. I don't know if you have ever tried to swim away from something in water. It creates a back suction and pulls the thing right at you. At this point, the jaws theme started playing in my head. I was swimming frantically backwards and this huge green thing kept coming closer and closer, filling up the entire view screen of my snorkel mask. "Scotty I need more power!". At the last second, I did a kind of rolling vertical move and threw off the heat seaking sensor on this thing and it floated by harmlessly. About then 3 other snorklers showed up and the manatees headed out. That was fine with me. I had had all the up close and personal I needed with these fellows."

Hilarious!! He had me laughing so hard -- well, on the inside at least, because I was at work when I read his post.

On other matters, I know I promised pictures from our Les Mis night, but I haven't gotten to it yet. I spent the weekend at my cousin's graduation and moving into the apartment, but I will post them! As for the apartment, it's going, but slowly. We still have to figure out how to move all our furniture, but we have been taking car-loads of boxes, and I have high hopes for getting everything done this week. Then, I will also post pictures of the apartment.

Until then,

MAD

p.s. I apologize to any of my family members who already read the manatee post on the family website -- on second, thought I don't apologize. It was funny enough for a second read! Hehehe!

Quick Update

2007-06-01T14:30:00.000-06:00

Well, Jessica and I signed our lease today--so it's official! We'll probably start moving in tomorrow afternoon, so yeah!

Tonight we go with the whole family to see Les Mis, and I'm really excited about it. I didn't find a dress, but I did find some stuff to spruce up an old dress I have, so I'll look awesome! ;) hehehe. I'll post pictures here tonight or tomorrow. You're gonna want to see the shoes I got!

And on that little cliff hanger, I'll leave you now and get back to work!

Approved!

2007-05-31T00:15:00.000-06:00

JESSICA AND I GOT APPROVED FOR OUR APARTMENT!!!!! I have to call tomorrow to set up a time to sign the lease and pick up the keys, but then we're moving out of the house and into our own place! Happy dance!!!!!! Eek, now I actually have to deal with all my junk! Oh well, I'm moving into my own apartment!!

MAD

p.s. This blog has a lot of exclamation points--guess I'm just happy!!

Clothes Shopping and Makeup

2007-05-29T22:15:00.000-06:00

Tonight Jessica and I went shopping for outfits for Friday night when we're going to go see Les Mis. She got a cute black-and-white polka dot dress with red sash, and a pair of red ballet flats--it's REALLY cute. I didn't find anything yet, but I'll look some more tomorrow.

Katie has her 9th grade dance tomorrow, and she got a cute dress, but needed a pair of shoes. While we were at the mall, Jess and I went into a shoe store and found a cute pair of brown satin ballet flats that I think will be very cute. This shoe store was awesome, though; I think I could blow my whole pay check there!

I also ordered a free sample of the mineral powder makeup. I had heard some good things about it, so I though I'd try some, but I wasn't very impressed. It felt like a heavy powder and didn't blend very well--it just kind of stuck to my skin when I first touched the brush to it. I don't think I'll be buying any of their stuff. Well, none of their foundations. They had a concealer powder that I kind of liked, and wouldn't mind experimenting with some more.

Anyway, I'll post some pictures of everyone dressed up for Les Mis so you can see the cute new outfits. Oh, and Jessica and I turned in our applications for an apartment and we should know in a day or two if we meet their rental requirements--so fingers crossed and knock on wood, we could be in our own place very soon!

Furnishings

2007-05-28T23:01:00.000-06:00

I finally went to Ikea today, and I mostly had fun. There was a lot of cool stuff there that I'd eventually like to get, but today was more about exploring rather than purchasing. Plus, Jessica and I aren't exactly sure what apartment we'll be moving into, so we'd better figure that out before buying a lot of furniture--oh, and there's the money issue too, as in not having a whole lot.

So we wandered around loving almost everything we saw, jotted down a couple of items for our wish-list, and then did make a few minor purchases (I didn't want to leave completely empty-handed!). I bought some magazine boxes that are really cute; a shower curtain that we loved and want no matter where we're moving into; and finally, we bought some Swedish candies and cookies from their imported goods section. All in all not a bad spending day. I think that I will wait a while before I go back, though. I'll let the novely wear off so there aren't so many people. I mean, highway patrol and city police were everywhere directing traffic, and the crowds were quite suffocating! It was fine for an afternoon of exploring, but I don't feel like repeating that shopping experience any time soon.

After we got home, Jess and I went to a sister's house in our ward. Her daughter just moved back in with her and so they had a lot of extra stuff--extra t.v., extra pots and pans, etc. etc. They offered to let us go through it and pick out what we wanted for our apartment, and we got some pretty decent stuff. Adding this stuff to all the things my parents say they're going to give us, Jessica and I probably have most of the apartment furnished--now if we could just find one and move into it!

MAD

p.s. My body hurts.
p.p.s. I should say that my Dad went to Ikea with us too, and we had fun with him. He explored with us a bit, then went out to the car to get some work done on his laptop. Afterwards, we went and got Chinese, and it was nice just spending a little time with him.

Saturday is a Special Day

2007-05-26T22:26:00.000-06:00

I spent the vast majority of my day pouring concrete. It was so much fun.

We're working on a cement path on the side of our house and today we poured two slabs. Usually we just do one because it's so exhausting, but that's taking too long. I don't know if my hands will ever work properly again. They feel stiff and twitchy.

The neighborhood kids decided to stop by while we were pouring the concrete. One of the kids actually wanted to help--and did--but the others just got in the way. It's not a lot of fun trying to mix cement while worrying about wacking a three year old in the head with your garden hoe. Then they got into a water fight with our garden hose and their squirt guns. Again, more fun.

John Perry and I were watching Rosemary and Thyme just a little bit ago. It's a show about two British women who solve murders while creating beautiful gardens. Sometimes it's a little bit cheesy and far-fetched, but I forgive that because the two women are so funny. Case in point. In tonight's episode the bad guy shoots through a window at one of the women to "scare them off the case." She runs to the front door, throws it open, then yells into the night: "What the hell were you thinking?! You've broken the bloody window!" The other woman grabs her and throws her back into the house, then promptly fills her with liquor since she's obviously in shock. John and I had a good laugh anyway!

And speaking of TV shows, I'm going to go watch Dr. Who. It's the new series with Christopher Eccleston as The Dr. and I really like it. It's quirky and weird and cheesy, but so funny. Eccleston is a hoot, and I'm sad he didn't stay for more than one series. Oh, and I just found out that he's playing The Rider in a new movie called The Dark is Rising. It's based on one of my favorite books of the same title, and he's the bad guy. I'm nervous about this movie because I love love love the book--but anyway, I'm going now.

Just Ramblin'

2007-05-25T22:56:00.000-06:00

--Katie went to see Pirates of the Caribbean last night with her friends at 11:50 p.m. She didn't get home until almost 3:30 a.m. Then she got up at 7:30 a.m. to go to school, and fell asleep when she got home. It's almost 11:00 p.m., and she just got up an hour ago. Reminds me of my younger days when I went to see Star Wars: Phantom Menace at the midnight showing. She said Pirates was very confusing, and from everything she said, I think the movie sounds like crap and I refuse to spend my hard earned money to see it. I think I'll just stick to the first one, thanks very much. That's when Pirates was exciting, and funny, and unique.

--I spent the evening doing a little yard work with my parents. I mowed and watered the lawn, dead-headed and trimmed my snapdragons, then attacked some of the aspen shoots that have popped up all over the yard. I am worn out, but in a good way, and feel quite satisfied with my work. ;) I also smell like sage because the aspen shoots were in the middle of our Russian sage bush.

--Cupcake went to the new Ikea today and I am jealous. In revenge, I plan to go down there myself sometime this weekend. Don't ask me why that's revenge, it just is.

--This last Thursday was weird because it was the first Thursday after The Office finale, and the beginning of the summer break. I felt a little lost.

--A small crack in the sprinkler pipe caused the flood in my basement. We have now turned off the water to the sprinklers.

--My random thoughts are getting shorter and shorter.

--Goodnight.

The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up!

2007-05-23T23:28:00.001-06:00

Another chapter in the ongoing saga of my basement flooding! With the rain we've had the last couple of days the window well in my old bedroom filled up again. This is the same bedroom that is now a storage room because the carpet and drywall got soaked a couple of floods ago.

Well, to make matters worse our sump pump for that window has decided to stop working. In fact, when it tries to turn on, something happens and it shorts out the electricity! So there I was at 11 o'clock at night, in the window well, standing in water (and who knows what other muck) above my ankles, bailing that water out with a bucket. When the water level got down low enough I had to squat and reach down into the sump hole with a plastic cup, and fill the bucket that way.

John Perry was helping me with everything, but of course he had to throw in some teasing. He told me there was probably some horrible creature, like a giant water spider, living in the sump pump, and was going to eat me. I suddenly had visions of the head of some alien creature rising to the surface of the water, hissing and snarling, and trying to bite my hand off. What are brothers for, right?

With the back problems I've been having all this bailing was not a good move. I could feel my back protesting each time I lifted a bucket-ful and threw it out into the backyard. My back is already stiff and starting to spasm, and my body is shaking with weakness. I'm afraid to go lie down because trying to stretch my back out seems to make it tense up even more. I've taken an Alieve, eaten some pickles, and will hope for the best. (The pickles have nothing to do with my back, I just like to eat them.)

OK, I think that's enough of a pity party. I think I'm going to go scrub my feet and hope I don't get any rashes from that yucky, yucky water! Oh, and there were no evil water creatures, so happy day.

MAD

Office Finale

2007-05-18T16:26:00.001-06:00

So the finale is finally over. I'm still taking it in, so I'll be watching it over and over and over again. I'm going to go home and buy it on iTunes. This will have to last me all summer until the Season 3 DVDs come out. Then I will wear those out, and then I will have to wait until Season 4 starts. I don't know if I can do it. I felt this way at the end of Season 2, and survived, but I might not this time. OK, time to go home!

Office Season 3 Finale

2007-05-17T16:53:00.000-06:00

OK, so the season finale starts in two hours and seven minutes ... six minutes ... ok, I'll stop. Anyway, I'm ridiculously nervous and excited right now. A tv show shouldn't do this much damage to your psyche!

There are so many rumors and so much speculation going on right now, and it's driving me crazy! I should stop reading all that stuff, but I just can't help myself. It needs to be 7 pm right now. Actually, 8 pm would be better, because then my anxiety would be over, and I would now what's going on!

OK, I'm going to go and try to hold on to my sanity while I wait for two more hours and three minutes ... two minutes ...

California Dreamin'

2007-05-02T12:06:00.000-06:00

I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago, but thought I was starting to get better. Well, not so: the last couple of days it's been getting worse, and now today I'm home from work popping ibuprofin and putting hot packs on it. Stupid back muscles.

I need a vacation. We've talked about a family vacation for this summer, but nobody seems to be able to decide where they want to go. Well, that's not entirely true. We just can't decide between California and Oregon. The last two days I've been looking up info on hotels and airfare and such for both places, just to get the ball rolling. We'll see where we end up--just as long as we go somewhere!!

I hear the dogs in the kitchen getting into to stuff, so I better go and take care of them.

2007-04-26T17:13:00.000-06:00

So I haven't blogged for a while, and I don't really have anything interesting to add right now--but cupcake has been harassing me to update this blog; and I'm nothing if not accommodating.

I have finished class work for the Spring, and only have to take the final exam to be finished entirely with the semester. Only 50+ credits remaining until graduation (i.e. FOREVER!). It's been an interesting class--at least, the ones I attended. Class attendance isn't really a strength for me--hehehe. Our final will not be comprehensive (thank goodness) so it will only cover our last few sections: World War II, the Cold War, and the Middle East crisis. I don't think the final will be too difficult. Plus, I calculated that I only need to get 60% on the final to keep an A in the class.

For the first time since I started college, I have signed up for a summer class. I abhor them, and think them cruel and unusual punishment (punishment for what, I'm sure I don't know, but anyway); I've avoided them like the plague. But I have come to the conclusion that if I'm ever going to graduate in this century, I need to take some drastic course of action--hence, the summer class.

I will be taking English 2010--I know, I should have taken this a LONG time ago, but I never could make myself do it. It's a class focused on the writing of research papers, but (not to toot my own horn too much) I'm already quite good at that, and I've dreaded the monotony of taking a class covering material I already know. But I must take it to graduate--and to take any of the writing classes I really want. It's an online class, so this might make it a little easier. Plus, it's a summer course, so it will be a little bit shorter. I will conquer this! (Hehehe, funny little Pride and Prejudice movie quote.)

I've also just recently made my first foray into the world of Charlotte Bronte. I am almost finished with my first ever reading of Jane Eyre, and it's been quite interesting. I find myself truly loving the story of Jane and Rochester, but I also find myself quite annoyed with Bronte's style of writing--VERY annoyed. For instance, I can only recall once where she used the word "open." Throughout the rest of the novel she says "unclosed." Jane unclosed her eyes; Jane heard a door unclose; etc., etc., etc. It's ridiculous! But I'll probably blog more about Jane Eyre on my book blog when I've finished the whole thing. Suffice it to say, I prefer Jane Austen much, much, more.

But let me share with you the latest adaptation of Jane Eyre which led me to finally pick up the book after much cajoling from my mother. I LOVED this adaptation, and just purchased it on DVD. Soooo good! Enjoy!

Started Dull Ended HOT!

2007-03-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

So the first half of my day was really, really, really boring. I went to the new employee orientation since I just "started" my new job, and this orientation was about what you'd expect from an orientation. Here's the thing, I've been working and going to school on this campus for 6 1/2 years. I know more things about the campus, the services, and the people that work for the University than I ever wanted to know! So why I need to go to a new eomployee orientation, I'll never know.

We learned not to share passwords and to shred documents because personal information is private--duh. We toured the campus and visited various departments. Then we went and learned that illegal software sharing and copying is not allowed--duh again--and that our computers need to be protected--double duh. Then two people from the Purchasing department came in to explain the various ways that the University obtains good and services. This was, again, a major snooze for me because a very large portion of my previous job was spent dealing with purchasing issues. Finally we learned that a particular woman in the department of performing arts likes to talk a lot. Actually, I knew that already from working with her on events in special collections, so see, the whole day was a waste for me!! At least I got breakfast and lunch out of it.

When I got home from my dull morning (by the way, orientation started at 8am, I got there at 8:30am; my usual Tuesday work-day begins at 2:00pm. I was very tired!) I went shopping for new shoes for me, and a new dress for Kate. We had tickets to the annual storytelling festival the university puts on, and I wanted it to be a kind of special evening for all of us. The shopping took about two hours (quick for us!), then we rushed home to get ready. We got there a half hour late, but still in time for dinner, and in time to have some enjoyable conversation with my boss, some co-workers and their spouses, and some othe nice ladies who all sat at our table.

After dinner--which was fair--the storytellers came up, and they were awesome! The first was Syd Lieberman, who I have heard before, and absolutely loved! He told a great short story to kind of introduce himself, and we got to hear his impressions of Brando, Bogart, and especially Sean Connery. I love this man's stories!

The second storyteller was a woman names Olga Loya; she told a Venezuelan folk tale about a rabbit who discovers he has more strength in himself than he thought. She was a lot of fun because she gave her characters such great voices, and really got into the story. The third storyteller was Diane Ferlatte, and her story was about John Bosco (?) outsinging the devil. She was accompanied by a man named Erik Pearson playing steel guitar; both of them were AWESOME.

The final storyteller was Patrick Ball, and he shared some stories from Ireland and played some folksongs on his celtic harp. His stories were sweet and funny, but the music was breathtaking! Jessica particularly loved it. She turned to me afterwards and said she wanted to play the celtic harp now!

All in all it was a great evening. I was glad to spend it with my sisters--especially two sisters who look as great as these two do! For your viewing pleasure, here's a picture of three HOT ladies who had a wonderful, wonderful evening together!

MAD

p.s. I love my new shoes!!!

Boredom

2007-02-26T22:48:00.000-07:00

I'm bored tonight, so I'm blogging to pass the time. I filled out all the paper work for my new job in the Library--so it's official: I am now the Special Collections Processor. I'm excited about this, and feel really blessed. I love my job and the people I work with.

We finally had a little family time tonight with my sister. The weekend was just constant visiting and even a little drama, so it was nice to just sit down and chat this evening; to finally sit down and be all together again.

And now I'm bored blogging, so I think I'm going to go downstairs and hang out with my brother and sister, and then get ready for bed.

MAD

She's Home!

2007-02-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

We picked Jessica up today, and it was awesome! She just left for the Stake Presiden'ts office to get released. I think we might watch some movies when she gets back ;)

I can't believe she's really here! I was sitting with her when I noticed a hair on her sweater. I reached over to pick it off, and it hit me: She's really here! It's not just a dream! Kind of silly, I know, but true story.

Well, that's all for now. I'm just so excited!

MAD

First, Second, and Third

2007-02-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

So, first things first: my sister comes home the day after tomorrow. I am so excited! and a little nervouse too. I mean, she's been away a year and a half, and a lot happens in a year and a half. I just don't want her to be overwhelmed, and I don't want to pressure her into things--adjusting to non-missionary life can be really hard. We'll see how it goes.

Next, I'm working on my research paper for my history class. My topic is gender roles as portrayed in Punch magazine in 1895--the year of Oscar Wilde's trial. I'll be arguing that Victorian gender roles and ideals were being heavily challenged at this time, that Oscar Wilde was made an example of, and that this is evidenced in Punch. Kind of confusing, but I think I can pull it all together. I've done some research on Oscar Wilde and Victorian gender roles before, so mostly I'm working on looking through Punch and making notes on the engravings, poetry, and essays. I know it's kind of geeky, but I love doing research like this. My only problem is that I do too much research, and then have to scramble to write the stupid paper--and struggle to not write a whole book with all the research I did.

What else? I have a "first" and a "next" now I need a "finally" . . . oh!

And finally, Valentine's Day was not that bad this year. I spent the evening with my family: we had dinner together and watched an old Bob Hope movie. If Valentine's Day is about love, then I think I celebrated in fine style.

MAD

Single Awareness Day

2007-02-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, it's Valentine's Day. I call this holiday Single Awareness Day not because I'm particularly bitter about my single status (mostly), but because it's the one day of the year when my single status is shoved in my face no matter where I go, or what I do. I defy even the happiest and most comfortable single not to feel some level of discomfort on this day of days.

I've been reading an interesting blog the last couple of days. A woman in the UK started a blog about her New Year's resolution to have a date for Valentine's Day. She decided she would give herself 31 days, and each day she would do at least one thing that could potentialy help her meet Mr. Right. I've only read a couple of entries, but they're cute. Yesterday's post was about her eBay auction date. She auctioned a date with herself on eBay, and the highest bidder paid 210 British Pounds (sorry, couldn't figure out how to do the little pound symbol) for her. After paying for dinner, the rest of the money would go to charity. Anyway, she went on her date with the guys last night, (after taking proper precautions for meeting someone over the internet) and she said it wasn't bad. The guys was nice, normal, and rather sweet. You can read her blog at www.thirtyonedays.com

I don't know why I felt compelled to go into that whole story, but it was just interesting and appropriate for Valentine's Day.

So, what are you all doing for Valentine's Day? And if you're in a relationship, and you're planning something mushy and romantic tonight, I don't want to hear about it. So, I guess I should ask, how are my single friends surviving tonight? Any tips for me?

MAD

2007-02-07T23:51:00.000-07:00

So, I don't know what to write about tonight, but I feel like I should blog something. Is that sad? Is that the right word? I don't know.

My sister comes home from her mission in two weeks. I am so super-excited I can't even begin to describe it! We've got to get the house cleaned up, and my room (our room, actually) especially needs to be cleaned. I've been trying to be a good little girl: organizing financial papers, throwing away junk, doing laundry, etc--but I can never keep everything up at once. So I'll make a lot of headway with organizing my papers, but that means everything else goes to pot. And if I try to clean all the dirty clothes on my floor, I end up with a box of papers in the middle of the floor waiting to be organized. And don't even get me started on how badly that floor needs to be vacuumed! (Darn dogs. Mutter, mutter, mutter.)

On a happier note, the weather has been fantastic! I am so sick and tired of winter, and the record breaking cold temps we've had lately have really thrown me over the edge. The last couple of days have been a nice reminder that I'm not always a popsicle (oh, speaking of popsicles, that sounds really good right now. A nice banana or rootbeer popsicle, yum!). I know the warmer weather won't last for too long (it is only early Feb. after all) but it's a light at the end of the tunnel; a glimmer of hope after a long, dark, frigid winter.

OK, it's one minute after midnight, so I'm going to go to bed.

MAD

For Cupcake's Benefit

2007-02-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

This post is to let you know that at 1:49 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2007, I completed and submitted my application to the HR department for the Processor position. I have completed my application with 34 hours and 10 minutes to spare, thereby proving you wrong. So nah, nah, nah.

Oh, and I haven't watched The Office yet either. So nah, nah, nah again.

Because I Was Bored . . . Thanks Cupcake

2007-01-29T22:59:00.000-07:00

001. real name ? If you're reading this, you probably know it.
002. nickname ? Maloo, Mellie, Lissa, etc. etc.
003. single or taken ? singe
004. zodiac sign ? sometimes cancer, sometimes gemini--I'm a cuspy.
005. male or female ? That would be . . . female.
006. elementary ? Grant Elementary in Springville
008. highschool? Tempe High--Go Buffaloes!!
010. hair color ? brown. nothing special
011. long or short-- medium
015. are you health freak ? I don't think anyone would call me a health freak.
016. height ?Actually I don't know exactly. 5'4" ish?
017. do you have a crush on someone ? Yes.
018. do you like yourself ? Mostly.
019. piercings ? Ears--one in each.
020. tattoos ? Yeah right. Because I want the pleasure of ink being injected under my skin with a needle.
021. righty or lefty ? righty, but in Kindergarten my teacher asked me if I was left handed because I held my scissors backwards.

FIRSTS :

022. first surgery ? I had caps put on my teeth when I was four--but is it surgery if internal organs aren't exposed?
023. first piercing ? ears
024. first best friend ? dustin was the friend I first played with all the time, but Kristine is the one I'd call my first best friend.
025. first award ? I think I won a coloring contest in third grade.
026. first sport you joined ? basketball . . . or was it swimming?
027. first pet ? That I remember? Miss Kitty--but there were other cats before her that I don't remember.
028. first vacation ? Probably to St. George or maybe it was when we went to Fresno.
029. first concert ? what kind of concert? I was in school musicals in elementary school, but my first concert was in 6th grade: recorder band. Oh yea, that was pretty (insert heavy sarcasm).
030. first crush ? Well, maybe you could say Dustin was my first crush because we were friends of opposite gender (in kindergarten, and then he moved), but it was probably Brandon that I first considered as a crush. We told each other we loved each other in first grade, but then in third grade he swore at recess and I stopped liking him. That was also the year that Dustin moved back from New Mexico, so I think I was just looking for an excuse to dump Brandon.

CURRENTLY :

049. eating ? nada
050. drinking ? zilch
052. i'm about to ? get ready for bed.
053. listening to ? the ceiling fan in the bathroom and the sound of me typing.
055. waiting for ? Godot. Oops, no. Waiting for . . . so much.
057. wearing ? jeans, hoodie, slippers.

YOUR FUTURE :

058. want kids? Never, ever. And if you believe that, then you don't know me.
059. want to get married?? and how!
060. careers in mind? College professor, literature critic, foremost Jane Austen authority, world dominator--wait, did I say that out loud?

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX? :

068. lips or eyes? ? I think I like looking at eyes more than lips, but you can do funner things with lips.
069. hugs or kisses ? get back to me when I've actually had a kiss--wait, did I say that outloud?
070. shorter or taller ? taller than me, but not too much
072. romantic or spontaneous? spontaneously romantic
073. nice stomach or nice arms ? arms--the better to hold you with my dear
074. sensitive or loud ? who would actually want someone who's loud?
075. hook-up or relationship ? what kind of question is this?
077. trouble maker or hesitant? I like a little bit of a trouble maker

HAVE YOU EVER :

078. kissed a stranger ? no
079. drank bubbles ? bubble liquid is disgusting, why would you drink that? ;)
080. lost glasses/contacts ? don't wear them so, no. Do I need them--probably.
081. ran away from home ? I've packed up to run away, but never actually went anywhere.
082. broken any bones ? I guess I broke my thumb when I was 4 when I got it stuck in a folding chair, but I don't remember that.
084. broken someone's heart ? not to my knowledge
085. been arrested ? no, but oddly there's a part of me that wishes I could answer this question differently.
086. turned someone down ? not directly. I just gave him excuses until he got the hint. I'm a chicken.
087. cried when someone died ? umm, who wouldn't?
088. liked a friend ? Yes, I typically do like my friends. j/k Yes, I have been romantically interested in friends who are of the opposite sex.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

089. yourself? sometimes
090. miracles ? yes
091. love at first sight ? sort of . . .
092. heaven ? yeah
093. santa claus ? That a big, fat man in a red suit comes down my chimney to give me presents? No. That there was once a man who gave gifts to children and has come to represent the spirit of giving and kindness at Christmas-time? Yes.
094. sex on the first date ? who would say yes to this?!
095. kissing on the first date ? only of the hershey variety . . . ok maybe a quick one on the cheek
096. angels ? yes

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY :

097. is there one or more people you want to be with right now? I'm not exactly sure what this question means . . . but if it means are there people that you care about and miss, but they aren't around right now, then yes.

Wheres 98? <-------right there . . . no, over here -----> 98

099. had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? Please, as if.

100. do you believe in god? See #92 (That means yes.)

Singin' and Dancin'

2007-01-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

So my little sister is freakin' awesome! Tonight we went to the opening night of her school's dinner theater program, and she performed in seven songs. She's just too good for words. She moved my mom and aunt to tears, and I think I saw a couple of other audience members wiping away tears too.

The program was a musical review, so they performed selections from a number of musicals. Their first number was an ensemble number: "Footloose" from Footloose. This was the musical they performed at the end of last year, so I think this was a little nod to some of the alumni who had returned to perform tonight. The kid who sang the song was one of those alumni, and he also played Ren last year. It was nice to see him reprise the role--he's got some power in his voice.

The girls then performed "Wash That Man" from South Pacific, and the guys followed with "Nothing Like a Dame." Both numbers were very cute. "You're the One That I want" from Grease came next, and the kids who played Sandy and Danny were good--I really liked them.

Kate's first main song came next: "Step Too Far" from Aida. It's a trio between Radames, Amneris, and Aida; Kate played Aida and totally rocked the house! Aida is such a powerful part, and in this song she's so torn between her love for Radames and her love for her people. Kate really caught the conflict, and her voice was so strong.

The next number was a really cute one: "Agony" from Into the Woods, and it was performed by the two light/sound guys. I guess someone dropped out at the last minute, so the drama teacher taught these two the song in a couple of days. They were total hams, and really had the audience laughing; it was fun!

The next number was a montage of songs from Les Mis, and oh boy, did these kids really knock the socks off all of us! Kate played Eponine, and it was her songs "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain" that brought my mom and aunt to tears. She was so, so good! The kid who played Jean Valjean was awesome too. He's got the purest voice--perfect for Valjean. "Bring Him Home" gave me chills up and down and all over.

"Seasons of Love" from Rent came next, and Kate had worked so hard on this song. She had a solo part in the song with some scatting and then a really, really high note. She was so scared that she'd bomb on that note, but she hit it! It was great, and I was so excited for her! "Grease Lightning" from Grease was a fun number too. The guys are all actually pretty good singers and got into their parts--unusual, I think, for young teenage boys.

"What's the Matter with the Man?" from Cinderella was a real hoot. This is my favorite song from this musical, and the two girls who sang it were so very obnixious--perfect for the ugly stepsisters! The guys had one last number: "Carrying the Banner" from Newsies. This was probably the best I've heard them perform this one--and I sat in on quite a few rehearsals. And that reminds me: funny story about this number. During the last rehearsal two of the boys are supposed to get into a "fight" and chase each other around the stage. They throw a couple fake punches at each other, and it's funny. Well, last night one of those fake punches turned into a real one. I guess, they just got too close, and one kid punched the other right in the eye. The Punchee then flipped the Puncher the bird before finishing the rehearsal. Good stuff.

The final number was "We're All in this Together" from High School Musical, which will be their play at the end of this year. This is actually a pretty fun song, I think, and their dancing was cute. Kate was Gabriella in this song--she's hoping to get the part again when they do the full play. The kids had a lot of fun with this final number, and the audience went wild for them.

Before we knew it, they were coming out for cutain calls and final bows. Then it was over. :(

But we've still got two more performances tomorrow! :)

Just Had to Share . . .

2007-01-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

One more reason for me to go to London--even on-line quizzes say it's my city!

Ivan the Terrible & Elizabeth I

2007-01-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

So this semester I'm taking History of the World since 1500. It's been an interesting class so far. We're covering absolutist monarchs of the 16th century: Ivan the Terrible, Louis XIV, and Elizabeth I. Actually I didn't go to class the day we covered Louis, so I don't know what was so absolutist about him--except that he killed people who left the Catholic church.

We spent most of our time covering Ivan the Terrible--about a week!--because our professor is a Russian historian, and can really go on and on about it. Let me tell you, Ivan was pretty terrible! I'll spare you the grisley details, but suffice it to say, I thought I was going to throw up a couple of times. He makes Hitler look like a nice guy. Blech!

Today we covered Elizabeth I, and I was slightly disappointed in the lecture. I think that Elizabeth's reign is one of the most fascinating in history, and it bummed me out that we glossed over it one day--especially after a week of Ivan. Blech! I mean, the woman was one of the most powerful women in the history of the world; ruled England for 45 years; built the world's most powerful navy from nothing, and destroyed the Spanish Armada; expanded England's military, political, and economic power; formalized the Anglican faith, and brought religious peace to England; was a patron of the arts (Shakespeare anyone??); and had a most fascinating personal life. Wouldn't you agree that she deserves more than a quick, 40 minute summary?

The Rennaisance is one of the greatest cultural revolutions--ever!--and this is the time that England really rises into power and becomes one of the greatest forces in the Western world!! And we skip over all that for sick-o Ivan the Terrible?!? Blech!

OK, I've got that off my chest now. Maybe now my wounds can start to heal.

MAD

John and Abigail Adams

2007-01-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

I watched the last half of American Experience last night. This episode was about John Adams, and actually, I learned quite a bit about him that I never knew before. I've long been interested in his wife, Abigail, and their correspondence with each other, but this program also touched on Adams's feelings about his place in history, his up-and-down relationship with Jefferson, and a little bit about his relationship with his children (at this was what was covered in the parts I watched). I would really like to watch the whole program sometime.

There was a great historian that was interviewed for the program. She had more personality than most PBS documentary historians have, and I was always a little glad when they cut to her. I've got to find out her name--maybe she'll have some interesting books or something.

David McCullough was, of course, also interviewd. It was weird seeing him interviewed and putting a face to that distinctive voice. A couple of times, if I glanced down or something, I would get confused as whether he was being interviewed, or narrating the program! And this reminds me: *Note to self* Read 1776!!

MAD