Dear Family, a Christmas Letter

To see my "Christmas Letter" from last year, click here.

This year wasn't quite as exciting. I started my senior years (yes, years, but I'm hoping it will only be two). I bought a new computer and got a free iPod touch! I turned 21, and worked all summer, and when I wasn't working I was reading (about 60 books!). I first said goodbye to my sister and brother-in-law as they went off to Grad School in California. And then a couple months later it was time to say goodbye to my brother when he entered the MTC to prepare to go to the Dominican Republic to teach the people there.

So, here I am, all alone at BYU, just making it through. I've decided to try and graduate next December instead of April 2011 like I previously thought. As excited I am to be finishing up school, it scares me to death to think about going and starting my career and be responsible for myself. And even then it's exciting to think about starting my career and being responsible for myself.

Anyway, not too exciting, but it was a year and next year is a new one.

Merry Christmas!

Love you all.

Adventures in Cooking

Wild Rice, Chicken, and Cheese Casserole

1 box (6 oz) fast cooking Wild Rice mix (I used Uncle Ben's)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 can milk

1/4 can water

1 large chicken breast (or 2 small ones), uncooked

1 large carrot, shredded

broccoli flowerets

almonds (optional)

cheese (I used cheddarella!)

Preheat the oven to 350*. Mix rice mix and seasoning packet with soup, milk, and water in a 9x9 glass baking dish. Add shredded carrot and broccoli. Cut chicken into thick slices and lay on top of rice mix. Put almonds on top. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover and put cheese on top (however much you want). Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted, the chicken is cooked, and the rice is cooked.

Eat and be happy!

For other recipes by Whitney, click here and here.

A Reminder . . . Hope I remember

It's the words, not really the music.

A Bit of a Rant . . .

We had stake conference this last Sunday. The theme of the conference was on developing righteous habits, and most of the talks were very good--about reading the scriptures, being kind, etc. There was one talk that kind of rubbed me the wrong way though. A member of the stake presidency talked about dating.

First off, dating talks are a little hard to take when all you ever hear about at BYU is dating and getting married and if you are the last member of your freshman ward to get married, there is obviously something VERY wrong with you. I had a hard time with this talk because the counselor didn't even give attention to the fact that dating might be difficult for some people, or that it's just not the right time for someone to date. Or that some people will be single for many years of their lives. It was all "date now, get married now, and if you don't, you'll be cast to the lowest part of the celestial kingdom no matter what you do." And I have a problem with that.

When discussing this talk with someone in my ward, he said something to the effect of "well, you don't have to worry about it. You'll get married." As if that's why I had the problem. (Which, sometimes it does feel like I'll never get married, or get married when I'm older, but I don't say this to get reinforcement, I say it because it could very possibly be true. No one ever knows when or if they are going to get married unless they are already engaged and even then it's not a certainty until you say "yes" across the altar. But I digress.) He also said that he felt that the talk was more directed toward the priesthood holders than the women.

I guess that after having listened to President Uchtdorf's CES fireside I just can't see why someone would talk about dating without also acknowledging single members and what they can do with their lives. While everyone should listen to the fireside because it was amazing (let's face it, every talk Pres. Uchtdorf gives is amazing) here is just a little bit that I really enjoyed:

In the meantime, do not wait for someone else to make your life complete. Stop second guessing yourself and wondering if you are defective. Instead, seek to reach out to your potential as a child of God. Seek learning, become engaged in a meaningful career and seek fulfillment in service to others. Use your time, your talents, your resources, to improve yourself and bless those around you. All of this is part of your preparation for having a family…The great purpose of this mortal existence is to learn to fully love our Heavenly Father and our neighbor as ourselves. If we do this with all our might, mind, and strength our eternal destiny will be glorious and grand beyond our capacity to imagine. Be faithful, and things will work out for you. That is His eternal promise to all who love and honor him.”

I love that he gives us advice on how to live our lives as a single person. It shouldn't just be us trying to get married, but we should be using our talents and finding a career and doing things. Learning and growing and becoming better people and trusting in God.

In my opinion, every talk on dating should include a section on what to do when you are single--without mentioning that we should be looking for someone to date and get married to.

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Today I said goodbye to my brother for two years. He'll be serving in the Dominican Republic, Santiago mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I think I understand what Juliet meant now--it's a good thing for him to be gone, but it's sad, too. My big brother is gone, for the first time in my life.

Love you big bro, and so proud.

Keep your Hope

I know this is a little strange, but as I was playing Rock Band last night I got a little inspiration. We were playing All American Rejects' "Move Along," and in the verse it says

"When all you got to keep is strong

Move along, move along like I know you do

And even when your hope is gone

Move along, move along just to make it through."

It was like a message to me. "When your hope is gone, move along."

Please wait while your life updates . . .

When I was home this weekend, my mom complained about how I never write on my blog, so here's a little update for Mom and the rest of you.

As you might remember, I had sent an e-mail interview to an author of mine, but I fear that the e-mail might have gotten lost in the cosmic void of the internet, since I never got a reply back. Sad times.

School, and work are keeping me very busy! Research papers are getting nearer; tests, assignments, and keeping my bosses happy make for full-time effort on my part. Of course, that doesn't keep me from procrastinating, but I'm stressing while I'm doing it, so I guess it's somewhat like effort.

My brother enters the MTC a week from tomorrow! We are all so proud of him and excited for him to be taking the Gospel to the people in the DR!

I register for my last two major classes tonight, and by next April I will be done with my major! Since I started my minor two years late, I'll be at BYU for one more year (graduating in April 2011), and then . . . I guess I'll have to see! I'm getting excited to start living my own life, but the thought terrifies me at the same time! My only hope is that the economy will be better and therefore I will have a somewhat easier time finding a job! Anything that makes it easier I will appreciate!

I'm not writing as much as I used to, but I hardly have the time--I'm reading 30 books and 8 Shakespeare plays plus all my other school work! I do have a Sunday project that I look forward to, but since I only give myself leave to work on it on Sunday, it's a little slow going. I do have ideas in my head, but I never know if I'll get a full story out of them.

Hope everything is going well for everyone else!

Love ya

Yum

Graham Canyon ice cream is back!

And it is SOO good!

::Squeal!::

I sent an e-mail to one of my favorite authors, and she responded!! I'll be having an e-mail interview with her! So cool!

I'll make sure to post it.

:D

Update . . .

As you can probably tell, I've updated my blog's background. I'm not quite sure how I think about it, so if ya'll don't mind telling me what YOU think about it, that would be great.

You Can't Tell Me What to Read!

Excuse me as I get my soapbox into place.

I don't believe in societal censorship. Maybe it comes from being raised in a country where my first right is the freedom of speech. I don't think anyone should be telling me what I can watch, read, listen to, or participate in; though I do have the right to make those decisions on my own through guidance (ie, the MPAA rating system, or religious guidance). But NO one has the right to tell ANY one else what is good and what is bad and to prevent that person from reading, watching, listening to, or doing something. That's just not the way our society works. You know, Hitler banned books and we all know what happened there.

This week is Banned Books Week. The American Library Association (ALA) celebrates this every year by inviting people to read a book that someone somewhere thought was inappropriate. And, you know, there are some banned books that I probably will never read because I think they are inappropriate for me, but I would never tell anyone else not to read them. So, read a banned book this week.

For help in what is banned, here's a short list:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Harry Potter series

A Wrinkle in Time

Bridge to Terabithia

The Giver

The Golden Compass

The Lorax (Dr. Seuss? Really?!)

The Da Vinci Code

Leaves of Grass

The Great Gatsby

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (remember what I said about Hitler . . . um yeah.)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Little Women

and more!

So, if you have time, go out and read a banned book this week--and all the weeks to follow!

Life

I always feel like I need to explain the things that I write. Maybe eventually I'll try to let them speak for themselves, but now is not that time. I went to a social for a literary magazine called Inscape tonight. I received a free back copy of the magazine, and listened to some the the writer's read their pieces. I guess it got me in the "writing" mood. I put "writing" in quotes because the kind of writing mood I got in was one where I try to write something deep and profound, with metaphors, etc. So this is what I wrote when I got home. The quote at the beginning of the piece isn't from one person, but two. My roommate wrote "life which looms about me" on our fridge with those word magnets, and I thought of the rest a little later on. I'm not quite sure who to give credit to, so for now there isn't any. I'd appreciate it if you left comments about what you think of this, and if you want to read some of my other stuff, just check the archives.

Life

"This is life, which looms about me, as skyscrapers built from experience."

Light interspersed with dark. Black mixing with white. Mottled shapes.

I walk through a maze of metal and glass trees, which hide the sun in the day and the stars at night. This forest is anything but peaceful. It's dizzy activity keeps me going straight; straight past the business men on their cell phones, past the hippies and their songs, past the bullies, the stoners, the queens.

The path was easy to see in the beginning, where the trees were small and barely grown. They didn't hide the golden bulb planted in the sky, but drew on it. Everything was sharp, clear, bright. A color was a color, black was black, white white. Trees build higher.

Trees are built and start to block the sun. The shadows cause confusion, blurring colors. Mixing them without any of the careful accuracy of art.

Lost ways, circles, meanders. Everything added together to build a city-forest. Experience filters the light until there is nothing left but ambiguous shapes on sidewalks. LIght touches a straight path.

The path I'm following. Following past everyone else's maze. Past the looming skyscrapers built over a lifetime.

This is life.

Whew!

I made it through the first week of fall semester. Returning employees, new schedule, and starting classes do not a happy Whitney make.

Surprise!

I cut off 13 inches!

Sing a Sad Song

On the Next Episode . . .

. . . of Adventures of Cooking with Whitney, Whitney makes an original recipe! Chicken Cordon Bleu in a Biscuit is a wonderful twist on a classic recipe. Created while Whitney was standing at her register at work with no customers in the entire store, it is inexpensive, easy, and delicious. This is what boredom creates!

Chicken Cordon Bleu in a Biscuit

2 chicken breasts (chicken)

2 cans of crescent rolls (cheap option [CO]: Western Family Crescent Rolls, original)

1 can cream of chicken soup

Swiss cheese (CO: Western Family Swiss Singles)

Ham (CO: Western Family thinly sliced ham)

milk

Preheat oven to 375*. Cut the chicken into cubes, big enough for one to each roll. Cook the chicken in the microwave until cooked through. While the chicken in cooking, pop open the crescent rolls. Make sure no one is around because when it pops open unexpectedly and you drop it on the ground, you feel kind of stupid (not that I would know . . .). Keep the rolls in squares instead of separating them into triangles, so you should have 4 squares from each can. Take the swiss singles and put one half on each crescent roll square. Then put the ham on top. Next, take the cream of chicken soup and mix it with 1/3 can of milk. When the chicken is completely cooked, place a piece on top of the ham and spoon a dollop of cream of chicken soup on top. Not all of the soup will be used. Fold the crescent rolls over and put on a greased cookie sheet. Stick in the oven for 11-13 minutes, until golden brown. And voila! You're done!

One Hundred!

For my hundredth post I decided to blog about the coolest thing I know.

My big brother, Neil, is going on a mission. He got his call today and he enters the MTC on November 4th to prepare to go to the Dominican Republic and teach the gospel.

I can't think of anything cooler for my 100th post.

Love you, Neil and I'm so proud and excited!

Book Binding

I made a book out of old maps and ribbon! Cool!

One more until my hundredth post . . .

Sharing the Joy of Cooking

I decided that I wanted to learn how to make Beans and Rice. So I looked up some recipes, but I didn't really find one that seemed appealing. Therefore, I took the things I liked and made a new recipe! Here it is!

Whitney's Beans and Rice

1 can black beans (any kind of beans would probably work)
1 can corn (or frozen), drained.
½ onion
½ red or green pepper (I used red for the color)
2 small cloves of garlic
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp curry powder
Rice, cooked (I used four cups of water, two cups rice. My rice was a mix between white and brown)
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

Cook rice. While the rice is cooking, chop up the onion, pepper, and garlic. Heat the olive oil and put in the previous ingredients to cook. When the garlic is browned and the onion is transparent, pour in the beans (do not drain!!) and the corn (drained). Mix everything together well. Then add the spices. If it seems too thick, add in a little more water. Pour over rice and you're done!!

If you like a spicier flavor, up the spices to 1 tsp each. (This is what I did the first time and it was pretty spicy!)

Daddy's Day

There's not much to say except this:

My Dad could totally beat up your dad!

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Ideas! I need ideas!

Hey everyone, so my 100th post is coming up and it needs to be AWESOME!

So here's what I need everyone to do:

1) Read my blog

2) Decide if there is something that you would like to know about me or for me to blog about

3) Leave your idea in the comments

Then, in about 4 posts, your idea might be a winner!!

haha

Love ya!

Somebody

It's time to play another round of . . . WHITNEY TRYING TO WRITE LYRICS!!!

::cheering crowd::

Anyway, I just recently found these lyrics that I wrote in my documents file. I kind of forgot that I wrote them and I'm a little surprised because they are better than most of my lyrics (which isn't much, but still). I don't know how to do links or else I would link my previously posted lyrics, but the main thing is that I love music. I wish I could write music and perform and share it with the world. Well, I'm not that talented (nor that dedicated), so mostly what I do it write lyrics that I think would make a good song, or at least a good idea for a song. Maybe someday, somewhere down the road, someone will come across my blog and read some of my ideas and decide to use them . . . haha, in my dreams right?

This song I called "Somebody," and it's about feeling alone and just wanting someone, anyone, to love you. It's not finished, but here's what I have.

I wish I had somebody to miss

somebody who missed me too.

I wish I had somebody

to help me get over you.

I wish I had somebody,

to hold me tight

on a night

like this.

Never knew how lonely it could be

on a night so cold and dark.

Never knew this loneliness

taking over my heart

Never knew without you

my life would be

so empty

like this.

CHORUS:

If I can't have you

can I please just have somebody

to stop the hurt tonight?

I just wish I had somebody

to stop me from thinking of you.

Somebody, anybody, somebody

Or you.

The Bright Side

We can't help it if the Creamery is the coolest place to go on campus.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

There is a guy who comes through my line at work every morning and asks a question. Not the same question, but a different question every morning. Yesterday his question was "What would you change about yourself if you could?"

I think what I would change the most about me isn't necessarily physical because I have come to terms with the way I look and how my body is--what I would change would be the way I am socially. Now, I don't think that I'm necessarily a socially inept person. I get along well at work and church. Mostly I just wish I was like the other girls that I see and associate with. While I'm a girly-girl in that I like to look good and I adore cute shoes and wear make-up, I could definitely work on a more girly personality.

That sounds like I want to be one of those girls who screech and giggle and throw themselves at every breathing male that crosses their path. This isn't so. I do wish that I could flirt. And I wish that I were comfortable in situations where I am surrounded by a lot of girls. But I'm private. I keep a lot to myself until I know someone very well. I'm very bad at comforting and having empathy over things that I know are a big deal to others, but just aren't to me. Sometimes I just wish that I were the girl people knocked on our door to talk to, and not just the last choice when no one else is home. This is turning into a pity party and it wasn't meant to be. Ah well, "Those who do not complain are never pitied."--Jane Austen. Though I hardly ever complain to anyone but my family, which is probably why I don't get the pity I sometimes feel I deserve.

Mostly I just wish that I wasn't as conserved as I am--that I was more able to join in a conversation. I just don't have the way of conversing with others that many of my peers seem to have. Basically, if I were in a Jane Austen novel I would be more the Darcy type of character than the Elizabeth. My roommate tried to make me feel better by saying that I had the best type of personality of all because it's not so outwardly shown, people need to get to know me to see it . . . but I can't help but wonder if people just aren't willing to get to know me because I don't show it.

Alas. The older I get the harder it seems to be social. I wonder why that it?

Anyway, what would you all change about yourself if you could?

Dreams Do Come True

"Happiness isn't happiness...

... without a violin playing goat."

A Mum for My Mum

This is a special post dedicated to someone very special. This wonderful woman suffered through nine months of pregnancy and nausea, just to have my ripped from her womb at the end of it all. She has gone through 25 years of getting up in the middle of the night with crying babies, of changing dirty diapers, and cleaning up vomit. She has stayed up late waiting for her kids to come back from a date or a night out with friends. She has suffered the loss of them all leaving for college, and the distress of them all coming back to the house. :) She has endured long phone calls with a crying daughter, and ungrateful children at times.

She might have thought that everything she did went unnoticed. Well, Mom, I'm here to tell you that it didn't. I might not have said it at the time, but thanks for what you've done. You (and Dad, but it's not his day yet) are the reason that I'm who I am. And I mean that in a good way. :) You taught me how to cook, to clean, to pack my own lunches, and to do my laundry. I appreciate every time you listened to your over emotional daughter make a bigger deal out of everything than was probably necessary. What would I have done without your wisdom, your love, and your great hugs? Never doubt that you didn't raise us to be the best people that we could ever be. I only hope I can raise my children half as well as you did.

I love you, Mommy.

Uplifting? Ha!

I have lost my faith in the purpose of Women's Conference. Instead of being uplifting, they apparently teach the women how to be rude and yell at student employees who work at small grocery stores and are just trying to do their jobs.

I don't think I will ever go to Women's Conference.

I have also lost my faith in middle-aged women. Only one in 30 are kind. I hope I'm the one when I get to that age.

Acrostically

Remember when you had to write a poem using the letters of your name? Well.

When I fall in love (Sam Cooke)

Homeward Bound (Simon and Garfunkel)

I do believe in fairies (James Newton Howard)

Thankful (Josh Groban)

Nessun Rimpianto (883)

Easy as life (Aida)

You are loved (Don't give up) (Josh Groban)

1988: True Vintage

So, I guess I'm 21 now. Pretty crazy! As my cousin said: turning 21 isn't nearly as fun when you have morals. Haha. I keep telling people that now I can order a drink I'll never taste and go to a casino where I won't gamble.

I had planned a whole big kegger to have, but then I realized that would take money and time to plan. Instead I had a quiet dinner with my parents and went to the ward talent show.

Birthdays aren't much fun as you get older.

Oh well! 21 years down and I'm still alive! I think that's a pretty good record.

Love you all!

A Song for Everyday

About four months ago, I decided I wanted to find a song for everyday of the week. Thursdays were definitely the hardest, but I finally did it! I don't have some of the artists for the songs, so if you know what they are, put it in the comments so I can edit the post accordingly!

Friday, I'm in Love (Cure)

(Another) Saturday Night (Sam Cooke)

Manic Monday

Ruby Tuesday

Wednesday (Jimmy Eat World)

Thursday Afternoon (Indigo Girls)

Friday on My Mind (Easybeats)

Saturday Night's for Fighting

"When I Grow Up and Get Married... I'm Living Alone"

I feel like Kevin from Home Alone. I woke up and everyone was gone.

I made my roommates disappear!

Oh Gosh

I've only been a manager for four days... and I already made someone bleed.

How embarrassing.

Another Adventure

I guess I should tell people about this now. About a week ago I interviewed for the front-end manager position at the CONE. I wanted the job, but I didn't really think that I would get it since I've only been a supervisor for about 6 months, and as such have the least amount experience.

Well, Wednesday I was told that I got the position! I guess I'm excited, but mostly I feel very overwhelmed! There is a lot to learn and figure out, and trying to be a good leader and everything.

I hope I'm up to the challenge!

"Houston, we have a problem..."

I don't know much about space. The little I know comes from shows like Star Trek and Star Wars. Not the greatest source of knowledge. But I do remember this little movie that my brother loved watching when we were younger called Space Camp. If you're interested in what the movie is, ask him because I just really want to focus on something that I know about space travel from this movie.

There is something called a window. If I remember correctly (if not, I'm sure I'll be told in the comments to this post) a window is the time and place where a space ship can reenter the earth's atmosphere safely. The "window" is open only for a specific amount of time, and if the ship doesn't reenter during that time, it has to wait until the next window opens.

I would like to compare this to the proverbial window of opportunity (or, the WO). The WO opens at a specified time, at a specified place, and is only open for a specified amount of time. You miss this window and you're going to have to wait for the next one to open up. Now, I'm pretty sure that I have missed a few WOs in my life (Why, oh why couldn't I just SAY something?), but I have also experienced many people missing their WO with me. What I just can't understand is why we let "the fear of striking out keep us from playing the game"? (Thank you A Cinderella Story.) I mean, the only thing keeping our ships from coming safely home is that we're scared. We've heard too many stories about ships blowing up, or we have experienced something like that ourselves in the simulators, so when the window finally opens up we hesitate, and end up losing our chance. Sometimes this might be for the best but we never know because we never took the chance!! Sure, maybe we will end up falling to pieces, but we could also end up just bobbing lazily in the ocean, happy to be home.

I know that I have let fear keep me from going through the WO. And we probably shouldn't take every WO that comes our way, but if there is a WO that could lead us to something that we think that we really want-- a WO that is taking us safely home-- we should take it. It could be bad, or it could be good, but we'll never know unless we make our way to earth. I wouldn't want to be left in space, wondering if that last window was my window.

85% Theory

I came up with this theory (well, my voice teacher over the summer put the idea in my mind) called the 85% Theory. The main point of this theory is that 85% of life is just pretending. I don't mean pretending in a "being someone other than who you are" type of way, but in that there is a definite charade that it put up. For example:

It's your first day at a new job, most of what you do that first day is pretending that you actually know what you are doing.

In a relationship, you're pretending that you know what the relationship needs.

You're about to perform. You're pretending that you are confident and know what it takes to be a performer.

You just had a baby, you're pretending that you know how to be a parent.

Sometimes these pretendings start turning into truth--You actually do know how your job works, or your relationship. You perform enough times that you are slowly gaining more and more confidence. Sometimes pretending doesn't help us at all, but I think that most of the time all of our pretending is what helps us along throughout life. It's not so much a concious effort as it is a survival method, a coping mechanism.

Anyway. That's what I think.

So Proud...

... of my big bro!

Prayers Work!

Biggest relief of my life! I thought my hard drive crashed (again), but it hadn't! I got to Cougar Computer and it looked like everything was working fine, whereas last night nothing had been working!

Yay!

Aww...

I came home from church yesterday and there were homemade cookies on the doorstep with my name on them! yay!

Firsts

Another way to get to know me!

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?

Paul, a friend my junior year

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?

We write letters... but the love has now turned *EDIT* only into friendship (there you go Mommy)

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?

Haven't had one, and never will

4. What was you FIRST job?

Closing at Sugarbear Academy

5. What was your FIRST car?

Still waiting on that one

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?

Mia, my funny roomie who forgot to wear shoes to school ;)

7. Who was the FIRST person you thought of this morning?

Probably myself, wondering why I had to get up

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?

Mrs. Vawdrey, she was also my kindergarten teacher

9. Where did you go on your FIRST plane ride to?

I'm pretty sure that it was to California when my grandparents took us to Monterey

10. Who was your FIRST best friend and do you still talk?

I think it was Kirsten, and I haven't talked to her for years

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over?

At Whitney Brook's... actually, I think that's a lie, mine was probably at my house for my 11th birthday (because I couldn't have sleepovers until then)

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?

My roomie Cecily! She's always happy in the morning, and I'm not, so it was actually more of her saying good morning, and me grunting in response.

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?

I was a bridesmaid for my sister's, but I wasn't really IN the wedding

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?

Wake up. Then hit snooze (because it's tuesday and I can)

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?

I went to the symphony in fourth grade (I think it was fourth, or maybe it was sixth?), but I think my first REAL concert was Josh Groban's in 2007

16. FIRST tattoo?

A butterfly or bird or something like that... it came off a few days later...

17. FIRST piercing?

Never had one

18. FIRST foreign country you've been to?

England!

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?

Uh... Little Mermaid? Maybe?

20. When was your FIRST detention?

Never had it! I was soooo good!

21. What was the FIRST state you lived in?

First and only! Utah!

22. Who was your FIRST kiss?

Still waiting on that one too.

I love these things, and really there is no reason why. Love you all!

Tender Mercies

So, been going through some hard times lately. Feeling like a bad person/friend/employee. And then some remarkable things happened.

My brothers showed me some great love as they have hugged me, and talked to me about what's going on.

A fellow coworker noticed that I seemed a little stressed and not only gave me a hug and made me feel loved, but also gave me chocolate!

In my hymns class on Tuesday, all of the hymns we studied were about overcoming trials and trusting in God.

My roommates have been fantastic as I rode the emotional roller coaster up and down these past couple of days.

My parents have been encouraging; with my mom reminding me that there are people who love, not because they have to, but because they get to.

Thank you to everyone. Love you all.

Sisyphus (or, Living a Myth)

Sisyphus was one of those guys in Greek mythology that happened to really tick off one (or more) of the gods; in this case, Zeus (which you should probably never do). Probably not a good idea. Because of this, Sisy was condemned to pushing a stone up a mountain for all of eternity. But the REALLY horrible thing about this punishment is that every time there seemed to be an end in sight, when the top of the mountain was just a few feet away, the stone would fall back down the mountain and poor Sisy would have to start over again.

I feel like this myth is my life. Not that I ticked off any ancient Greek gods (and especially not Zeus, never Zeus!), but I'm pushing the stone of achievement/happiness up a long mountain and just as I'm about to peak, and I'm feeling pretty darn good about the work I've done so far, I lose my grip and the stone falls back down to the bottom. When I get to the bottom, there are all these people walking past, thinking that I'm not even trying, not believing when I tell them I am.

And this continues for eternity.

Brother From Another Mother

Here is the post I promised when I had written about my real brother. This is about my other brother.

So, my other brother didn't really have a choice in the matter (much like real brothers in that respect) as I just decided that I was going to save him from a life without sisters and adopt him. Fortunately for me, he's been pretty good natured about it. Haha. Course, I do kind of have them both wrapped around my little finger. :)

What makes this brother so great that I would purposely choose to add to my number? Well, he's funny, tolerant (I already mentioned his good naturedness), talented (plays a number of instruments), good priesthood holder, and-as with my real brother- I'm pretty sure he would be there to protect me if the need every arose (arised?).

I'm a lucky girl, aren't I? Bet you all are jealous because you don't have rocking brothers (real or otherwise) like I do, as you should be.

Love ya!

How To...

... date 10 guys in 30 minutes!

Friday night I participated in a strange phenomenon called "Speed Dating." The basic concept is thus: a least 100 marrying age guys and girls are all put into a room in the hopes of meeting an eternal companion (or at least someone to go on a date with). At each table is ten guys and ten girls. Every 3 minutes a gong is sounded, and the guys change places; a conversation is supposed to take place until the gong sounds again in 3 minutes. The hope is that at the end of the night you would have found at least 1 person you would like to meet again.

I discovered that it really all just depends on why you're going on these "dates." I heard some people say that they were out looking for dates, and at the end of the night they hadn't met anyone. As for me, I went to meet someone outside of work and the ward. And I met some interesting guys. I think that best thing is did for me is prove to me that not every attractive, nice guy at BYU had a girlfriend/fiancee/wife. And it helped to improve my conversation skills a bit.

True, there were still guys like the ones I have gone on dates with previously (bad conversationalists, and AWKWARD!), but I only had to talk to them for three minutes. And then there were the guys that the three minutes ended and I was loath to let them go because we had just started a great conversation. I don't know if anything will come of this experience, but it was fun to go to!

BTW: I don't have any truly awkward stories to share (unfortunately) but my roommate had a guy accidentally spit on her face!

Next time I might drag my brothers with me! ;)

Anniversary

It has been exactly two years since I was hired at the CONE.

Doesn't seem that long.

But it's been TOO long.

To My Brother...

A couple of days ago, my brother asked me if I could think about what he had been doing right, or well in his life. Well, I thought about it, big brother, and I decided to write it on my blog so everyone could know! Here is a celebration of my brother (my biological one, I might have to do another one for my other brother).

Brother. Here are some things that you are doing well as a big brother:

*I know that I can always count on you for help; whether it's for my technology problems, or I just need someone to comfort me.

*You always have my back. You once offered to kill someone for hurting me, and I think you actually might if I gave you the chance.

*You have always been a protector, but you have also been my bodyguard, my support, and my friend.

Here are some things that you are doing right in life:

*You are a good example. You are happy. And a good friend. You aren't afraid to be yourself, or to step out of the box.

*You have determination. If you want to learn something new, or start a new project, you go through with it.

*You are uber talented. You take beautiful pictures, you write amazingly, you can create a mini world in an aquarium, you can cook (deliciously!).

Brother, you are the best big brother I could have. You have always been a hero in my eyes. As humans often do, you have made mistakes, but you haven't let them keep you down (at this point I started singing a song which has those words in it, but that was a complete accident). I know that you are a great friend, brother, and son, and that someday you will be a wonderful husband and father (as long as you don't curse your kids with any of those crazy names you have thought up). And I am constantly amazed that there aren't girls swooning over you, because you are so fantastic! (Maybe if you let me take you clothes shopping? And you promised to wear what I tell you to buy? Maybe?)

I love you, brother. You're a great one.

George the Dragon

We have a real live fantasy creature in our apartment. His name is George and he is a dragon. Though none of us have actually seen George (he's shy), we hear him multiple times a day.

George the Dragon lives in our pipes, and when the water turns he does one of two things (or changes from one to the other):

1) He will either complain loudly about the injustice he has to go through early in the morning as we wake him by turning on the water.

OR

2) He will sing and harmonize with us.

Sunday morning he sang with me. This morning he complained fully, outraged that I would wake up at 8:00 this morning when it is a holiday. But I suppose that he forgave me, because this evening he sang with me as I washed my face and got ready for bed.

How many other people can say they have a singing dragon named George in their apartment?

Snow

Though I may not be a big fan of snow (especially when I am required to walk further than to my mailbox and back) I have to acknowledge the hushed reverence that covers campus when it is snowing.

As I was walking to the bookstore to, of course, buy some books, I looked around me and was surprised by what I saw as what I was hearing would have suggested something the complete opposite. There were people all around me! And yet, the everyday sounds of college life seemed muted. It was as if the snow blanketed everything and muffled the sounds.

The only time this seems to occur is while the snow is in the process of precipiting. (Yes, I am fully aware that isn't a real word.) After the snow has stopped, the world's sound is turned on again, and the laughing and groaning of college students is heard at full level.

What is it about snow which causes such respect and reverance?

Love you all.

Insight...

So I was bored yesterday (a consequence of being the only one at the apartment I suppose) so I decided to paint my fingernails black. I'd never done it before. Thing is...I kind of like it. Maybe I have a little emo/goth in me afterall?