Moving Day

Yep, I'm moving! To a cute little one-bedroom downtown in the avenues. I'm excited about it, for many reasons that I will explain later. Right now I'm sitting in my packed-up room, getting ready to pack it all away. What I'm not excited about is the freakin' freezin' weather right now--18 degrees! Never move in the winter.

Pictures and more to follow.

Free Time, For Now (Good News Post)

My cousin Phaedra informed me that I have a lot to blog about. And I do. But I've been distracted. By a few things, and they're all interconnected to each other. First of all, my nights have been spent wrapping presents. And watching Chuck. Just like the last time I took a break from blogging, I've been sucked in by a tv show. Basically, I'm easily distracted by beards.

I'm not proud to say this, but I spent a good portion of my day Sunday watching Season 3 of Chuck. I just had to know what happened. And because my free time is a commodity I want to take advantage of right now before things get busy, I don't feel bad about it.

You see, I was officially accepted into the Masters of City and Metropolitan Planning program at the University of Utah. Exclamation point! Or two or three. It was super exciting news, dampened a little by the fact that they are still classifying me as a non-resident even though I've been living in Utah for over a year and a half. But instead of dwelling on that, I'm getting the proper paperwork submitted and am looking forward to the (slightly) terrifying and (completely) exhilarating prospect of starting school January 10th.

So I'm going to be busy pretty soon. And am trying to soak up all the free time I have, time that isn't burdened by the stress of school work and projects, but instead by 12-hour marathon viewings of Chuck.

Christmas

So Christmas was two days ago, and my last blog post was like a week ago. Why haven't I been blogging? I'll tell ya about that later. For now, let me tell you about my Christmas.

Christmas Eve we made snowflakes and decorated the wall.



Christmas morning was spent opening all of these presents:

Before

After

And most of Christmas day was spent eating, taking naps, and giving ourselves carpal tunnel playing Guitar Hero (which the kids got from Santa, or dad. I'm not sure, but in the end it's all the same :))

Ivy got the Rapunzel hair wig and wore it all day.

The best moment had to be when Ivy opened her present of a calendar of Robert Pattinson. Now that it was true joy and happiness looks like.

Christmas truly is a lot more fun with kids. They were so excited they couldn't sleep, but Mo knew that the faster he fell asleep the faster Santa would come. Too bad they woke up at five and Emily and Jojo and her kids weren't coming over until 6:30. They somehow made it through the two hours of waiting (Jojo was late) and we opened presents. It was pretty awesome. Hope all of yours was, too.

My Car the Racecar

My car is old. It was made in 1988. I gave it the name Afton after my 97-year-old Grandma. It's rusty in a lot of places. It's rather boxy like all those old cars are (which I love, I don't like sleek). So when I was driving to the movie theater with Ivy, Elliett and Moses, shifting the gears like a pro now (for the most part) imagine my surprise when Mo said my car sounded like a race-car. It put a nice big smile on my face that his cute little self, who sees things so simply, thought my car was anything similar to a race-car. I sure love him.

Christmas Goodies

My Sunday afternoon was spent slaving away in the kitchen, making all sorts of goodies for Christmas for family and friends and co-workers. It started Saturday morning when I made fudge, which turned out quite well. I finished it up with making Peppermint Brownies and Sugar Cookies. It was made all the better with the wearing of my Christmas apron, and completed with a viewing of It's A Wonderful Life.





I have a few more things to make, but I think I'm going to give myself a break :)

Tangled With Kids

Saturday afternoon I took my nieces and nephew to see Tangled. Since this was my third time seeing it, I decided to mix it up and see it in 3D (even though I generally hate 3D). I thought the kids would like it, and I must admit that there's a certain scene in the movie that I thought would look pretty awesome in 3D. I was not disappointed.

It was fun to see the movie with kids and how excited they got about the 3D images! There were numerous times when they put their hands out and tried to touch the images! I think Ivy started crying at the emotional scene at the end when you think someone has died. She and Elliett were enthralled by the love story, little Mo liked the action and Flynn (so possibly Disney was right), and we all liked the humor (which isn't over-the-top for-kids-only that makes you roll your eyes).

And Ivy, just like me, wanted her picture taken with some upcoming releases that she's excited about.

I Miss the Sun

It seems we're in the dead of winter right now, and as I drove home tonight, at 5:15 and in the dark, I thought about how much I miss the sun. It's barely rising when I get to work, and all day as I'm stuck inside behind cubicle walls I miss it. When I go on my lunch break I stare out the big windows in the breakroom, wishing it were warm enough for me to sit outside. When it's finally time to go home, the sun is already set. Some nights I get the last inkling of a nice sunset over the mountains. But tonight, nothing but darkness.

Tangled Thoughts

Today I saw Tangled again. Yes, I had already seen it on Thanksgiving. But my mom's work hosts a movie every year for their employees and their families, and since the grandkids are currently partyin' it up in Disneyland, and because honestly I really wanted to see it again, I got to go. I went even though my mom was sick and didn't make it.

It's hard for me to explain why exactly I love this movie so much (my only complaint is that I wish they had kept the title Rapunzel). For one, it brings back that Disney nostalgia from my childhood, when my sister and I would watch The Little Mermaid over and over. I really feel like a kid when I watch it. As I've gotten older, and more cynical, I've had a tendency to deride a lot of the Disney movies and their princesses, who seemed to only want to find their prince. To me, life should be more about discovering yourself and traveling and learning than finding your prince. The Disney Princesses seemed to be the antithesis of feminism.

What I've slowly come to understand, though, is that feminism doesn't mean the opposite of being that girl who only looks for their prince, the girl who wants to be a wife and mother. It's about having the choice to do whatever you want as a female, and to not be judged by other women for your choices. Being a wife, a mother, a working girl, a singleton are all roles we can choose to have, and all are important.

Rapunzel goes on this great journey (albeit in two days) where she fulfills her dream, saves the guy, and handles herself quite well. Does she get the guy in the end? Yes. And there's nothing wrong with that. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to find your prince. I'm 27 and I'm looking for mine and my happily-ever-after. But I'm also traveling, learning, finding myself. These are the things I'm supposed to be doing. I think most people want to find their prince/princess, and we shouldn't have to feel sheepish about it. I love that Rapunzel is daring and optimistic, driven and kind, loving and fearless. She's entirely her own person with dreams and goals, and it's just a bonus that along the way she also met her prince.

In case my words aren't making sense (it's sorta late and I'm possibly tired) here's some dude's thoughts on it that I agree with:

I see what you’re saying about wanting to have the whole idea of Rapunzel finding herself and being a self-sufficient woman. However, her having the happy ending of being with the prince does not negate her realization of her making her own destiny, i.e. upholding the ideology of feminism. I think people get confused in thinking that the girl finding the right guy and getting married = the girl sacrificing her independence and being dominated by patriarchal societal norms. But that is not the case. Feminism isn’t about women dominating men; it’s about women having choices, and if a woman chooses to be with a man, the way Rapunzel chooses to be with Flynn/Eugene, then she is being true to herself and her desire. And her having that happy ending is not an anti-modern notion, the way people seem to see it today.

It's also nice that her prince is funny, and has the voice of Zachary Levi, who totally rocks the beard.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is amazing. When it's done from the heart and with real sincerity, it can have so much power. I really believe forgiveness is most beneficial to the one giving it. For me, it has profoundly affected my life recently. For about four and half years I've been holding on to a lot of things from a past relationship. While I felt I was over it, I wasn't aware of how much I had still been holding on to it until I truly forgave. It wasn't something I was actively pursuing. Well, at least not recently. I remember going to General Conference a year after the incident and hearing Elder Faust's talk, The Healing Power of Forgiveness. It struck me so deeply, and I wanted more than anything to feel that healing power.

But forgiveness, at least for me, didn't come quickly or easily. I wanted it to come with a snap of my fingers. Maybe if I had worked on it more earnestly, it would have.

And then just the other night, it came. It was so sudden and out of left field, that I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I truly felt in my heart that all was forgiven. And with that forgiveness came a huge freeing--of my troubles, my heavy heart, my fears, and my inability to move past it. It was so powerful that I couldn't believe it had taken me this long to finally feel that forgiveness. I let the other party in the incident know my feelings, and it was nice to know that both of us have changed for the better since the incident and are working on our flaws. Cathartic doesn't even begin to describe the experience.

Forgiveness comes when you are ready. Some times it's a few months, other times it's a few years. But it's definitely worth it.

Jazz Beat the Lakers!!

The Jazz beat the Lakers tonight, and because my cousin Phaedra was in St. George for Thanksgiving I got to use her ticket and witness the awesomeness first-hand. The game was exciting, intense, electric, and amazing. The arena was loud, the Lakers fans annoyingly loud, and the Jazz fans louder. I was on my feet for much of the game. It felt like a play-off game. It felt like we just won the National Championship. It felt like we were on top of the world.

But honestly, I was slightly distracted by Memo in his strikingly handsome suit. I dare say I prefer it to his basketball uniform :)

Another Turkey Day

This year was a very low-key Thanksgiving. My mom, sister and I headed to my Aunt's house in West Valley to share the day with them and their family. I didn't have to make anything, which at first I was a little sad about it, but then I got over it.

My Thanksgiving was full of all the requisite Thanksgiving-y things:

Mashed Potatoes, which Emily loves (I love yams way more than regular potatoes), hence why they covered her entire plate.

Family. My Uncle Vinn, my cousin's husband Dave, and my mom. Seriously, this is the only family-type picture taken, and I didn't even take it.

A movie. I started this tradition about four years ago. This year's movie was Tangled, and it was awesome. It's totally old-school Disney and reminded me a lot of The Little Mermaid. Oh, sorry Pam and Cat, but there was nothing else playing that I wanted to see, but I'll see it again with ya guys!

Crazies who went out at midnight to get the Black Friday deals. Not counting the four times I had to work retail on this day, I haven't done this in well over ten years, and it was kind of a shock. I truly think that Black Friday brings out the absolute worst in people. My mom and I stood in line for an hour and forty minutes, just to buy some clothes for my nieces and nephew, some tupperware, a small vacuum, and other non-essentials. Then we went over to JCPenny, which was a completely different experience from Walmart. The workers were nice and helpful, the line was super quick, and no one was crazy.

I went to bed at 5 this morning.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Have you read the story about the dashing Sir Percy Blakeney and his lovely French wife Marguerite? Well if you haven't, you should stop reading this and find a bookstore, library, friend and start reading it. It is awesome. I've read it, my friend Cat has read it, and my friend Pam has read it. We all read it at different times, Pam first, then me, then Cat. I would report to Pam where I was at and how much I loved it. When Cat started reading it, she'd report to Pam and I on where she was at and how much she loved it.

So when we heard it was coming to Hale Center Theater in Orem, and right around the time of Cat's birthday, we knew we had to get tickets.

Last night we experienced it, Cat and I for the first time and Pam for like her fifth time. I don't quite know if Amazing is enough of a word to describe to it. Spectacular. Awesome. The cast was so energetic and really infused it with a sense of urgency and fun. The actor playing Percy, a.k.a. The Scarlet Pimpernel, played it well but was slightly short. Well, really short. Especially when compared to the giant who played Chauvelin (who had an awesome singing voice).


The show was sold out, and only plays through the rest of the week. Take the trip down to Orem if you have time. You will not be disappointed.

Light Up the Night

Last night we braved the rain and cold to see the lighting of a Christmas tree at Gateway mall. The kids got all bundled up and were so excited to wear their hats, scarves and gloves. Unfortunately, it was rainy instead of snowy, and we all got wet. The kids didn't really care though, because they got free hot chocolate and cookies and a pretty awesome light-up necklace.

Before the lighting, we were treated to a performance by Peter Breinholt. I think we all know how much I love Peter Breinholt. The kids were getting anxious at this point, and were so excited when we started counting down to the lighting of the huge tree. All lit up, the tree looked spectacular! It's fun to see the excitement on Ivy, Elliett and Moses' faces and how much energy they have.

Little Women

Tonight my friend Cat and I headed out to Magna to the Empress Theatre to check out their production of Little Women. Since Cat so kindly helped with their costumes (which were Amazing!) she got four comp tickets, and her, me and her parents sat in the front row. The production was really good and the acting and singing great. They are a small theatre, having recently reopened, and are very enthusiastic about theater, from the actors to the concession people to the ushers. It's only playing til the end of this week, on Friday and Saturday, and I would urge anyone in the Salt Lake Valley to make the trek out to downtown Magna to see it.

As I watched the play, I tried to think which sister I most identified with. My roommate Rosemary in New York came from a family of four sisters (and a brother) and she said her and her sisters definitely fit into the roles of the March sisters: bratty Amy, kind Beth, headstrong Jo, and sensible Meg. I think most girls want to identify with Jo, and I'd like to say that parts of her I do. But I'd like to me more kind like Beth and more sensible like Meg. And perhaps snag myself a German professor like Jo! :)

Jazz Green Team Suite

Remember my luck with winning suite tickets to a Jazz game? Well tonight was the night, and boy was it AWESOME! My guest (which was my mom) and I arrived promptly at 6:15 and were greeted by the chick who organized the whole thing, Carly. We were given our (totally awesome) t-shirts and waited with the other winners. We all laughed about how all of us, when we received the call that we had won, thought for sure it was a prank. It was a really great group of people that won. Our names got picked from a spreadsheet of at least 2500 who had joined the Jazz Green Team! Wow!

We were taken to our suite, where there was food and Mr. Pibb waiting for us. There was actually an assortment of drinks, but you can't get Mr. Pibb or its equivalent in the arena, so I was pretty excited about this. We were all kind of giddy with excitement.












Three minutes before the first half ended we all made our way down to the court. Again, we were all pretty giddy and excited. Then it was our chance to go out on court, and it all happened so fast that I'm not sure I can even explain it!! We made our way past the broadcaster station and I looked at Mattie H. He made eye contact with me and then waved at me! I waved back, of course, and then my mom shouted to him that he was my favorite. He got a big smile on his face and waved some more! So awesome!!

Then we were being rushed to center court, where our group had its picture taken and our names were called out. It seriously happened so fast and was quite the whirlwind. We barely had time to savor being on the court with the players. I snapped a few pics, but they're of the Nets players.

We all then headed back to our suite, excited and talkative about what had just happened. I was super regretful of not taking a picture of Mattie H. when he was so close. The second half was much more exciting, and the Jazz won. It was a night of pure awesomeness.

British Invasion

Today Prince William and his girlfriend got engaged. For some reason this is fascinating to me and I can't seem to get enough information about it! I watched the video, clicked through all the photos, and read all the articles. I have no idea why but I am completely infatuated with the whole thing, and can't wait for their wedding next year! I feel like a giddy twelve-year old, but seeing people in love always makes me happy (and a bit wistful). I sure hope their marriage is better than his parents', but from my purely outsider point-of-view, they seem really happy and I'm happy for them.

In other good news today, Beatles' songs will now be available on iTunes. Perhaps my luck has something to do with it.....

I'm Feelin' Lucky

I think I need to return to Vegas, because I am on a lucky streak. First, I got a call from the Utah Jazz last Friday saying I won tickets to the Nov. 17th game for joining the Jazz Green Team. Me and my guest to watch the game from a suite and get to go on court at halftime for photos and introductions. Oh, and we get t-shirts.

Then, today I found out that I won a $25 Walmart gift card for commenting on a blog that I recently discovered (on my cousin's blog). I was hoping for the stand mixer, but free money is good too! Everything on their site makes me want to be a domestic goddess, and I'm thinking of trying the Apple Spiced Donuts this weekend.

I sure like feeling lucky.

I'll Admit It

Yesterday, as I was driving home from work, I left the radio on the station that is already playing Christmas music. The song was Paul McCartney's Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime. I'm not sure if that's its exact title, but I'm a sucker for this song. I continued to listen to the next two songs, which were both Christmas, and all of a sudden got super excited for the holiday. So yeah, I admit it. I'm looking forward to Christmas and it's only November 11th.

Jazz Win!

The Jazz just beat the Heat (the team with LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade) in overtime by 2! Em and I were jumping up and down with excitement as the point gap got less and less, when Deron fouled out, when Paul hit those threes, and when those last .4 seconds ended with the Jazz ahead. Woohooo!!!

Election Day!

Hey Everyone--today is Election Day! Get out and Vote. I did, and wore my "I Voted" sticker with pride all day.

I think voting is super important. Lots of people don't get the chance to vote on their leaders and have no say in how their country is run. We do. It's awesome and a right we should all exercise.

Happy Halloween

This year for Halloween I was a flapper. It was a ton of fun wearing fishnet stockings, a feather headband, pearls, and red lipstick. Friday at work tons of people were dressed up, and my co-worker was 1st place in the costume contest for her truly scary zombie makeup and clothing. I basically ate food and walked around for most of the day, and even got to sit in one of our auditoriums and watch the full-length version of Thriller with popcorn to boot! It was quite awesome.

Saturday my sister and I headed up to my cousin's house in Bountiful for their Costume party. This was rather momentous because Emily dressed up, too!! She hates Halloween and everything associated with it. I can't seem to find my camera, but I have pictures to prove that she dressed up. My cousins Phaedra and Marilyn put on an awesome party with prizes, games, food and entertainment. Check out both their accounts of the night to see pictures. Thanks for a fun night!

Birthday Trip To Vegas

Emily turned 30 on October 27th. To celebrate that momentous milestone, we headed down to Las Vegas to ring it in.

We arrived and promptly went to Walgreens on the strip to buy sunglasses, mardi gras necklaces, and a "Happy Birthday" crown. Then we promptly went to the Hard Rock Cafe, where they had Dr. Pepper in abundance and a pretty neat design.

In two and a half days, we were able to visit New York, Paris, Rome (Caesar's Palace), Venice, a Treasure Island, an Italian Villa (the Bellagio) and a Mirage in the desert, all without leaving the Strip. I find it funny that Vegas just rips off other cities' architectural landmarks and designs and uses them for their own landmarks and design. Only in Vegas.


The night of Em's birthday we saw Phantom of the Opera at The Venetian. One word: Spectacular. Which is fitting, since it's billed as: Phantom, the Las Vegas Spectacular. I would expect nothing else from this city.



Some other highlights: the omelet I had for breakfast; the volcano nachos at Margaritaville; the light and water show at the Bellagio; the roller coaster at New York New York; random strangers wishing Em a Happy Birthday after seeing her crown; fire show at The Mirage; definitely NOT the "Siren" show at Treasure Island (anybody going to Vegas, I implore you to skip it!!); Em and I attempting to use a slot machine and being totally confused; the decadence and dirtyness of Vegas.

From Mountains to Desert

The cold came quickly this year. Maybe it comes quickly every year but my mind just can't remember it. But it was 70 degrees last week and now it's, well, I don't know the exact temp, but there is a soft blanket of snow covering the mountains and a constant drizzle of rain/almost snow. I think it looks breathtakingly beautiful. I work right in the foothill of the mountains, and I love looking out the windows and seeing the marvelous mountains softly dusted in white. When I drive home I look out on the Oquirrh Mountains, bathed in the light of the setting sun and the shadows it creates. It really is amazing, and makes me grateful for this wonderful world I live in.

But I'm also glad that there are places like Las Vegas, where one can go for a few days to get away from the cold and chill in the desert! Viva Las Vegas!!

Phonetically Spelling

My niece Elliett made a birthday card for Emily's birthday on Wednesday, which we celebrated tonight at my mom's house. This is what it said inside:

Happy Birthday Aunt TM.

I was sort of confused at first, until I read it out loud. Happy Birthday Auntie Em. It was SO cute. I love her.

Neglected

Hey blog. Remember when I used to write on you multiple times a week. Sorry if you've been feeling neglected as of late. It's not you, it's me. I'll try to be a better owner.

Planning Block

In order to have all my application for Grad School complete, I need to write a "Personal Statement" letter about why I want to be in the program and what my future plans/goals are. Even though I've known for over a year that I needed to this, I've put it off until it is the last thing I need to get done. I figured that I would concentrate on the GRE first, and then when that was done I would write the letter.

The GRE was two months ago. The application is due in two weeks.

The thing is, I've never been the best at describing something that I just know to be true. I love my nieces and nephew. I can't tell you how or why, I just do. I know with every part of me that I want to be an urban planner. I don't know how to put that down in words when I just know it in my heart and soul.

And because I want to get into the program so badly, I'm super fretting about the letter. To the point that I think it's causing some sort of block. I know the solution is to stop fretting and just do it, because not doing it at all is worse than writing something mediocre. So basically I just need to buck up.

People Who Know Me

There's something about being around people that know you. People that just get you. There's no one I can think of that gets me more than my sister. Being with her is just comfortable. It's a really great feeling. I thought of this last night when I went over to hang with my sister and she gave me a present because, as she walked past it at Kohl's, she thought of me. Yeah, my sister knows what I like, what I don't like, what annoys me, what really annoys me, what gets me excited, what makes me smile, what actors I like, what kind of movies I like, what makes me sad, and what is important to me.

Family is important.

Road Trip to Vegas

My quirky best friend, Pam, her two cousins, Annemarie and Julianna, and I headed down to Las Vegas on Friday for a baby shower. It was nice to get away for a weekend and have a road trip with three awesome girls.
Here are some nuggets from the trip:
--Twizzlers are the snack of choice for a road trip
--when traveling with pregnant people (Pam's cousin Julianna is 11 weeks) there are a lot of bathroom breaks and a little bit of vomit
--the desert, and its accompanying architecture and colors, is ugly
--when out of town, it's completely okay to order all-you-can-eat pancakes at IHOP and pig out
--all grandmas worry
--fathers are teaching their sons how to treat girls: when the other girls and I were entering a gas station at the same time as a father and his son, the son went in before us while the dad waited and held the door; inside I heard him say to his son, "Why didn't you hold the door open for those ladies?"
--at a baby shower, if there's a dog to play with, I choose the dog over any babies in the room
--if I am wearing a white shirt and eating from a chocolate fountain, I will most definitely get chocolate on the shirt
--I am shockingly unaware of many Beatle songs
--cars are good places for good conversation

Let The Games Begin

Tonight was the first Utah Jazz pre-season game. It's good to be back in basketball season again, scopin' out the new players and cheering for the regulars. The off-season saw some major departures, most notably Boozer (who I miss), Korver (who my sister and cousin miss), and Wes Matthews (who lots of fans miss). We got some great players in exchange, though, like Jefferson and Gordon Hayward (who is only 20! and who I hope endears himself to me so I can give him the nickname Gordie H), and it was great to see them in action tonight with Deron, Kirilenko, and Millsap. I think it's going to be a good season.

On a side note, I have my new crush for the season: Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trailblazers. As soon as I saw him on court, it was obvious he would catch my attention with his beard and curly hair. Apparently I'm not the only who thinks he's cute, but I think I can control myself to not do what this lady did.

Volleyball and Ice Cream

Last night my friend Cat and I drove down to Provo to check out her vollyeball-playing cousin square off against in-state rivals Utah. Volleyball is exciting and fun to watch, and even though the Cougars lost, it was a fun time.

A ton of Cat's family was there to support their cousin and niece, and I spent the time chasing Cat's little cousin around the court. Despite my ambivalence about having my own kids, I definitely like playing with them and seeing their energy and excitement for the most simple things.

Then Cat and I headed to the BYU Creamery on Ninth. The ice cream was awesome and super cheap, and while there I felt nostalgic for a college experience I never had. Sometimes I feel like I missed out on something by not going to BYU, or even having a traditional college experience. I never lived on campus or did traditional college things. But I guess that's life, and I have a degree, even if it is from Utah :)

A Pet Peeve

A pet peeve of mine: when people do not use the on-ramp to accelerate. This frustrates me beyond no end, because I hate trying to merge with traffic that is going more than the 65 speed limit when I'm going a measly 50. That's what the on-ramp is for. This is general knowledge, right?

You know what else I hate? Lights that are turned on for no reason. We have this conference room at work called the War Room, for no reason I've yet to be able to find out, that every time I walk by I have to turn the light off. Why are we wasting electricity and energy on a room that no one's in?

While I'm on this kick, I also dislike when people think they are the exception to the Express 20 Item lane at the grocery store, when guys wear skinny jeans, when people pull out in front of you when there are no cars behind you, when George Lucas tries to fleece more money out of his fans, people who talk during movies (either at home or in the theater), and those who buy vowels in Wheel of Fortune when it's so obvious what the phrase/word is.

Fall Movies

With the autumnal equinox this past Thursday, we can officially be done with Summer. While I'm a little sad to see it go, I'm excited for not only the changing leaves of Fall but the movies that also change. This was a dreadful Summer for movies, and now all those big-budget blockbusters (or not) change into meaty dramas eyeing for Oscar gold.

Last week I saw The Town, and it was awesome. Yesterday I saw Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and even though a little talky at times, was also pretty good (especially with my small crush on Shia Labeouf). The previews in front of each movie were for movies that I'm actually excited about: Hereafter, The Company Men, Life as We Know It, Love and Other Drugs. Excitement is good, and it was sadly something that was lacking this Summer.

So I say Bring it on Fall movies.

One Year

Today was my year anniversary at Myriad Genetics. It's amazing how fast the time flies. It was originally just a one-month temp assignment. I was hoping it would turn into more, and after six long months of hearing that they could/could not offer me a permanent position, I was finally offered a place at the company. I'm so grateful for this job, and how it's allowed me to support myself, buy groceries, buy a car, go to San Francisco, pay tuition, go to movies, and all that other stuff a girl needs to do.

A year go, I literally had nothing: no home, no car, no job, no money. I truly felt at the end of my rope. Now I have a home, a car, a job, sufficient money, and, finally, security. It feels good.

Flat Tire

Yesterday, as Ivy, Elliett, Moses and I hopped in my car to get an ice cream cone, I heard a weird floppity sound as I pulled away. When I stopped to check what was causing it, my suspicions were correct: a flat tire. As we piled out, the kids were more than a little disappointed, and even offered numerous suggestions to get it fixed. Alas, though, a simple bike pump, despite how earnestly they wanted it to work, would not suffice.

Thankfully I have a jack and spare tire in my trunk. Although what good is the jack if the spare tire cannot be loosed free of its screw. And this being a Saturday night at 8:00, no tire places were open. So once again I had to call my brother to come pick me up, all the way out in West Valley.

I love my car, but it sure has been quite the issue for me lately. What's that saying, about it being crazy just before the calm? Or is the other way around?

Self Changes

Tonight I had some moments of self-reflection. I don't normally do this. Probably because I don't like even talking about myself, let alone thinking about myself and my flaws and insecurities and issues and annoyances. Because thinking about them means I should recognize them and do something about them. This is most definitely not my strong suit.

But tonight....well....I feel like I should do something about them. I won't get too personal and spill all my thoughts right here on my blog, but suffice it to say that I need to make a lot of changes. This obviously won't happen overnight (but man, wouldn't it be nice if I woke up a completely changed person?! And the changes stuck?!!!) These have been going on for way too long, and if I truly want to be happy and the best me I can be, then I should get started on them.

Hopefully by the time I wake up in the morning, the desire won't have been left in my dreams.

What I Did This Week

I started work on an apron I'm going to sew with my master-seamstress friend Cat, went on a random last-minute double-date with my roommate Summer on Friday, hit up the Greek Festival on Saturday with roomies and our dates and stood in a very long line to get a delicious gyro and some not so delicious other things, realized the sole reason I have my job is to learn to be a better communicator, questioned my desire to attend school this semester, discovered (or more like re-discovered) that I fret about a lot of things that don't need to be fretted about, and ate a lot of peanut butter. Seriously, it's a huge addiction right now. So that was my week.

Rise and Shout

Saturday was the first BYU football game of the season. It was the perfect day for football.


The game was awesome, the weather perfect (well, it was a little hot until the sun went down), and the outcome what we wanted (BYU won). Welcome, football season.

Stuff My Brother Tells Me

So my car had a heart attack on Friday. My brother came over Saturday morning to check it out, and after a bit of time, it was discovered that Afton (that's my car) needs a new timing belt. Instead of lamenting that fact and wallowing in it (which I might blog about later) let me fill you in on the advice my brother gave me as we drove around.
--do not over-think guys
--guys do not use special codes or hidden messages; don't try to find them
--guys are not like your girlfriends, so don't expect the same things from them
--sometimes you've got to be a little aggressive and straight up

I share this with you, in case some of you don't have a brother and are in need of a male's perspective. Everything he told me is almost the exact opposite of what my female friends tell me. Strange.

Books and Music

Mockingjay, the third and final book of The Hunger Games, came out on Tuesday and my two awesome friends, Cat and Pam, and I went to Barnes and Noble at midnight to get it. That's why these girls are awesome--they love to read just like me and we're always getting books for each other and lending and borrowing from our personal libraries. I finished the book on Thursday. I loved it, probably because it ended just how I wanted it to. But also because I've come to love the characters and the story.

On Thursday Pam and I headed downtown to catch the last Twilight Concert Series in Pioneer Park. The act was She and Him, and I loved it, despite it being hot and crowded (but that's what you get when it's a free summer concert!). The music was super cool; Zooey Deschanel has a crazy cool voice and plays the piano and ukulele. The best part of the night was when their (totally awesome) band left the stage and it was just she and him (haha, funny I know) with their voices and guitar. I love simple and stripped down music.


The end of summer is pretty much here now, but I'm glad I got in one last good book and outdoor concert!

Another Semester Underway

Today was first day of classes for Fall Semester. I only have three classes this semester, but with Grad School beckoning in the near future I was already planning on dropping one of them because it really wasn't needed. And tonight I learned that I can drop one other class AND that I'm just one class away from getting a Certificate in GIS!! Seriously, this made me super happy.

The euphoria, though, was quickly replaced by my remembering that my laptop has really gone kaput (not a virus this time, but my hard drive all of a sudden not being "bootable" when I turn my laptop on; yeah, that's not good). And I need that laptop to get schoolwork done this semester (and to post to my blog and Facebook and check my bank account and check out movie times and watch hulu.com and pretty much everything). So I'm feeling the stress of my pocketbook pinching as I try to figure out how to buy a new one on top of paying tuition.

Guess it's a good thing I dropped that class and my tuition bill is lower.

(P.S. Since the laptop is currently out of commission, and work doesn't allow me to actually post to my blog, my blog posts will be very few and far between for the next week or so. Try to hide your sadness at not knowing all the goings on in my world for a little while. We can make it through together.)

The Sweet Feeling of Completion

I really like it when things I am dreading--3-week Public Speaking Course, Statistics, prepping for a 10k, taking the GRE--go from being in the future, to the present, and finally to the past. For all the dread and fretting, they all inevitably end up in the past. And they generally end up being not as bad and terrifying as I expected; Public Speaking was over before I knew it, as was Stats (with an A-, natch), the 10k came and went, and the GRE that I worried about is now over, with pretty decent scores. Everything feels so much better when you can move it into the "Past" column and can feel the sweetness of completion.

Simple Pleasures

Earlier this week I was driving in my car with my nieces, Ivy riding shotgun and Elliett in the back. Since my AC doesn't work, I told them they could roll their windows down to cool off. Since my car is old, there are no "child-safe" windows and they go all the way down, which they of course took full advantage of. As we drove down Redwood Rd, they laughed and squealed with so much delight at the wind blowing in their faces. They rode just like dogs--their heads out the window and tongues sticking out. I usually think of it as such a burden that I must roll down my windows to stay somewhat cool while traveling, but to them, man, it was just so cool.

Test Freak-Out

I am taking the GRE next Monday afternoon, and I am slightly freaking out about it. When I registered six weeks ago, the date seemed so far away that I was sure by the time it came I would be ready. But with Stats (and other things) taking over my life I never really hunkered down and studied for the GRE. Until now, when I have one week to do so. And I still can't hunker down.

All of a sudden I need to take a nap, or organize my room, or go to Jimmy John's for a BLT, or read a book, or take another nap. And when I do finally hunker down for an hour or so and take some practice sets, I get super discouraged because I've missed half of the questions. I do not think missing half of the questions on the actual GRE will get me accepted.

What really frustrates me is the idea that this test is an accurate gauge of whether or not I can do graduate school. Does it really matter if I can write an essay in 60 minutes, or if I know the antonym of enervate, or if I can figure out the area of circle within a rectangle? They all seem a bit arbitrary to me, and not in the least indicative of what I'm actually capable of. The real world is not a standardized test.

My Weakness for Books

Tonight, against my better judgment because I know myself, I went into Barnes and Noble to get a book for my nephew for his birthday (I am that aunt that always gives a book for a present to encourage their love of reading at a young age). I say it was against my better judgment because I know that whenever I go into a bookstore with the intent to just buy a book for someone else, I inevitably end up buying one for myself. I just can't control myself. There's always a billion books that I want and a billion more that I think I should have read by now.

So after I perused the children's book and found one for Mo and his five-year-old self, I started looking around for myself. I happened upon a table of the ever-popular-and-even-more-so-now-because-of-the-movie, Eat, Pray, Love. I took it over to a comfy chair and started reading. I was hooked, and, even though in my poorer New York days had once read an entire book in multiple trips to Barnes and Noble, decided I had to have it for my own personal collection and promptly headed for the register. Forty pages in and I am sufficiently intrigued.

This happens very regularly. Most often with their "Classic" collections that are usually buy two get one free. That's the best way to stock up on classics. It's also a great way to get way behind on your personal to-read list. I currently have four books that I'm reading. Good thing I have a break before classes start again....

Mo is 5!!

Happy Birthday to my nephew Mo, who is 5 today! Which means that today is his Golden Birthday! Mo is super cute and I love him to pieces. Whenever he calls out my name, "Aunt Jewie," it just melts my heart. He loves cars and Batman and Spiderman, he likes to play basketball with the little hoop in Grandma's kitchen. He is just too cute and I love him. Happy Birthday little guy!

Dear Statistics Class,
Tonight is the last night I will stress over you. And, in all honesty, I'm not even stressing that much. I did pretty awesome on your last test, and the final from last semester that you gave as a study guide did not phase me. So yes, I feel confident that our time together will not have been a complete waste of time, but instead, like any relationship, a time of learning and growth. Thanks for taking up my summer nights and weekends and making them less carefree. (In case you can't tell from these words on the screen, my tone is a bit sarcastic.) I will take your final and have that be that.

Sincerely,
Julie

Perkes Reunion

Every year, on the last Saturday in July, my mom, her six sisters, their kids, and their kids' kids, descend on a park in Blackfoot to eat, run races, play volleyball/softball, and get updated on each others' lives. I always enjoy getting together with family and seeing how they all change. Since my mom is near the end of seven sisters, I have a lot of cousins that are older than me. This means that they're all married and have kids, some of which aren't that much younger than me. So we have lots of little ones running around, participating in races and getting in to trouble.



























I am pretty sure that I was the only cousin there who was not married and/or has kids (thanks for not coming, Em!). Because of this, I took my time getting to know my cousins' kids and trying to learn their names and get to know them. It was a fun time and I'm already looking forward to next year!