The Next Big Adventure...

Week 6: Getting Appreciated

2012-02-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I've only got two more weeks to go now! I realize that there are women that do this everyday--and that most of them are cooking for more than just two people. And truthfully, I hope I get to be one of those women someday. But it still doesn't take away from the fact that this has been a tough little Experiment I've created for myself! I don't think it would be so hard if I hadn't given myself those rules at the beginning of it. But it's also been fun trying out new recipes (which I would never do for just myself) and learning more about crock pot cooking.

Sunday

Sunday was this month's family dinner, so I didn't have to make an entire meal. Instead, I tried a new recipe for a potato casserole and we took a green salad.

Swiss Potato Bake (from Bless Your Heart)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp lemon pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3 lbs red potatoes, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (I was able to buy exactly 2 cups from the grocery store in the deli section)

4 tbsp butter, divided (I used margarine since we didn't have any butter)

2 cups chicken broth (1 can)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray 9x13 pan. In a small bowl mix all spices. Place 1/2 of potatoes in the baking dish, sprinkle with 1/2 the seasoning and 1 cup of cheese. Dot with half of butter. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients. Pour chicken broth over the top. Bake for about 1 hour or until golden (30 minutes into the baking time, the bake was starting to get golden but the potatoes weren't done yet, so I covered the pan and cooked for another 15 minutes).

Monday

We had one of my favorites on Monday! Fettuccine al Fredo. I love this recipe so much. It's really rich, but so creamy and flavorful. I used to ask for this every year for my birthday dinner. To round out the meal, I heated a can of corn and we had left over green salad. I did make a half recipe since it was just for the two of us, but what is below is the full recipe.

Fettuccine

1/4 c margarine or butter

1/4 c flour

8 oz cream cheese (I usually use neufchatel because it's cheaper and less fattening. Slightly.)

salt and pepper

1 1/2 c milk

1/2 c parmesan cheese

Melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk and cream cheese. Stir over medium heat until thick. (Just keep stirring. It seems to take forever until, voila! It's super thick.) Pour over noodles, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Toss and serve.

Tuesday

For our Valentine's Day meal I planned Engagement Chicken--mostly because I thought it was clever. :) There's some story that goes behind the name about how every girl that made it for a boy ended up getting engaged to that boy. It was in a magazine or something. Anyway, because of when I get home, Mom kindly offered to get it together and put it in the oven for me so we could eat at a reasonable hour. I am a little bummed because this was going to be my first time cooking a whole chicken. I made rice, half a bag of Caesar salad, and strawberries.

Engagement Chicken

1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)

1/2 c fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons--including 1 slice for garnish

1 tbsp kosher or coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

fresh herbs for garnish (ie rosemary, sage, thyme, or 1 bunch flat leaf parsley)

Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400. Remove giblets from chicken, wash inside and out with cold water. Let chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes. Pat chicken dry with paper towls. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out. Soften lemons by rolling, then prick 2 whole lemons three times each with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. If one lemon is partly sticking out, that's fine. Put chicken in oven, lower temp to 350 and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove roasting pan from oven and turn chicken breast-side up. Return chicken to oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (I feel like it's always taken way longer than this) or until meat thermometer reads 165 and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Here's the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken--this is the "marry me juice." (That was in the recipe. I'm not making this up.) Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Wednesday

We had one of the daddy-man's favorite meals--Enchilada Casserole. Super easy, 5 ingredients, no rolling involved. For a complete meal we had orange slices.

Enchilada Casserole

10 corn tortillas (the smaller ones)

1 lb ground beef (we had some already cooked in the freezer)

1-20 oz can red enchilada sauce (I kind of used the big can of sauce instead of the medium, they turned out fine, just a little saucier than normal)

onion (usually I would dice the onion and cook it with the hamburger, but since the meat was already cooked, I just sprinkled on the layers)

cheese, cheddar or taco blend

Spray 9x13 pan and layer tortillas, meat, cheese, sauce, and repeat. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and/or olives.

Thursday

The new crock pot recipe of the week comes from Betty Crocker's Easy Everyday Vegetarian cookbook. It's a Winter Vegetable Stew. I don't think my dad liked it too much, and it isn't really my favorite either, though it's good. I think we gave it three out of five stars. I put it together the night before. We had the other half of the Caesar salad from earlier in the week.

Winter Vegetable Stew

1-28 oz can of italian-style tomatoes (haha, I did it again! I'm pretty sure I did not use this big of a can of tomatoes. I really should pay attention to these things better! I thought the regular sized can of tomatoes was plenty though.)

4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (all veggies cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

4 stalks of celery

3 carrots (totally missed that there were carrots in the recipe--but I was talking on the phone while making it, so . . .)

2 medium parsnips (I had never seen a parsnip before.)

2 medium leeks (never used leeks before either!)

1-14 oz can vegetable broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

3 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp cold water

Put everything except cornstarch and water in crock pot. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and water; gradually stir into stew until blended. Increase heat setting to High, then cover and cook for 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Friday

Last week, as I was cleaning up from dinner, the dad-i-nator says "Since you've been doing such a good job, how 'bout I take you out to eat sometime next week? We could go to the Greek Souvlaki." So that's what we did today! I was talking to my mom about how I had started thinking "Is this what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life when I get married--trying to think of a different salad to go with dinner every night?" And she said, "That's why you get to be taken out to dinner sometimes." It was nice to know that Dad appreciates what I've been doing for him these past 6 weeks, and it was really nice to not have to cook dinner or clean up afterwards.

Saturday

We had bought a rack of spare ribs when they were on sale last, so I just cut it in thirds, stuck them in the crock pot, put a bottle of barbecue sauce on them, and cooked them for 8 hours on low. With them I tried a new kind of potatoes. For the work, I didn't seem them as anything really fantastic. We also had a green salad.

Valentine

2012-02-14T16:40:00.001-08:00

Well, it's that day again. Valentine's Day. The day to celebrate love.

I've come a long way since the first time I ever blogged about the day five years ago. I have tried to celebrate all the love I have in my life. The love of God and His Son. The love of my family and friends. And now that I no longer have to be around love sick college students on this day, I feel that I can turn my attention more fully to the people in my life who love me for me.

But, in my silly, stupid, hopeless romantic heart, I still wish. I think, maybe, just today, something great could happen to me. Maybe, just for one day, I can be that girl walking around with the flowers, and the giant teddy bear. I can be the kind of girl that gets surprised at work, and gets serenaded to. In the sensible part of my brain, I know that those things would all be extremely awkward in real life, but that little secret desire is still there.

I think my parents understood me--their romantic little girl, on the most romantic of days, having to come to terms with a life unromantic. Starting in high school, my dad always bought me something on Valentine's Day. My junior year I got a carton of ice cream. My senior year, a set of fairytales. A couple of years ago I got balloons in my favorite color. Last year I got roses. This year I got a card and candy. I love my parents, and I love that they seem to understand me so completely.

But the fact of the matter is, other than these gifts from my parents, the only thing I've ever gotten on Valentine's Day was an e-card and a sucker. I mean, really? Even the most unromantic person could surely come up with something better than that (especially considering that roses were being sold at school the entire week leading up to the day. Kind of a brainless choice right there.).

I don't mean to complain. I have so many people in my life who love me. I have a wonderful family, and a great group of friends. Valentine's Day is only once a year. I get to be loved every day of the year. Just because I'm single doesn't mean I don't have people who care about me. I will always be a romantic--it's part of my personality, and I love it! I love getting all teary eyed and feeling giddy during movies, or books. I love hearing stories about people who have been married for 70 years and how they still love each other. I may not have the life I imagined at 12, or 16, or even 20, but it's been a pretty good life so far. And I hope that when I do get romance in my life, it will be forever, and not just for a day.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Remember the people who love you and show your love for them in return.

Week 5: Downward Slope

2012-02-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

After you make it halfway through, shouldn't it be easier? This week wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but it wasn't storm clouds and puddles either. Just kind of one of those blah weeks. By Thursday the week started looking up though and I think I'll be just fine next week (once we get past that nasty V Day :) ).

Sunday

Since it was the Super Bowl, we just snacked on Super Bowl food. This included wrapped lil smokies (smokies wrapped in crescent rolls), a fruit plate, a veggie tray, barbecue wings (Tyson's in the freezer section), and potato chips and onion dip. And we watched the BBC Pride and Prejudice while we ate. (Darcy won! I was rooting for him the entire time--it got sticky in the middle when Wickham intercepted, but Darcy performed a second half comeback and successfully threw Wickham off his game before coming in for the winning TOUCHDOWN!)

Monday

We had one of my favorite soups for Monday's dinner; Chicken Noodle! This recipe is adapted from the old (around 1980) Lion House cookbook. We had "good" bread with it, La Brea Country Sourdough (you can get La Brea breads in the bakery section of most grocery stores here in the Salt Lake Valley).

Chicken Noodle Soup

carrots

celery

onion

(I just cut up whatever looked right)

2 cans chicken broth (about 4 cups)

Cut up veggies and put in pot with broth. Cook until veggies are tender. Then add:

2 cans cream of chicken soup (this is really what makes the soup. I have a hard time eating clear chicken noodle soup now.)

1 large can chicken (you can also use fresh chicken, obviously, but this is a lot easier)

1/2 bag of Country Pasta noodles (you can use whatever kind of noodles you want, but these taste homemade)

salt, pepper to taste

Heat through and enjoy!

Tuesday

We had hamburgers (grilled by the Dad-man), steak fries, apples, and oranges. I added some avocado to my burger. We actually switched what I had planned since the parentals were going to the temple.

Wednesday

This is the meal I had planned for Tuesday, and switched, but I should have switched it to Thursday since Mom and Dad were going to the tax specialist and this takes a while to cook. We had top-stuffed pork chops and a spinach salad with blueberries, mandarins, and almonds. I was going to put poppyseed dressing on (because that would have totally rocked the salad), but we didn't have any, so instead I used raspberry vinaigrette.

Top-Stuffed Pork chops

4 pork chops (I used two since there is just the two of us)

3 cups bread crumbs (I used the rest of the stuffing from week 1's crock pot meal--I'm pretty sure it wasn't 3 cups, but then I was only using 2 pork chops, so it worked out)

2 T chopped onions (we had a little bit on an onion left in the fridge, so I used that)

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 a stick)

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp sage (I didn't use this since the stuffing mix was seasoned)

Brown chops (I didn't do this; it takes extra time and is only for the flavor). Cook the chopped onions in butter (I didn't do this either [it's almost like I didn't even make the same recipe], instead I just stuck the onions and butter right in the stuffing mix). Combine ingredients. Place pork chops in pan and put stuffing mix on top. Pour 1 can cream of mushroom soup mix with 1/3 cup water over the stuffing. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350.

Thursday

This week's new recipe was mostly just a new food, though I did make a sauce to go with it. We had potato and cheddar pierogies with a sour cream and chives sauce. Not too bad, but when I asked my dad if he would want them again, he said something to the effect of "uuhhh, they aren't my favorite" which we all know means "no." :) I don't think I'd mind so much though. Consequently, Thursday was the day I felt the best all week. Part of that might have something to do with the catching up I did with a good friend on the way home.

Friday

For our crock pot meal this week we had Herbed Mushroom Round Steak. Oh yum. It smelled so good when I walked in the house. I did cook for a bit more than the recipe says and Mom says she put a little water in when she got home from work. So keep that in mind. I put it together Thursday night, and we just had peas to go with it.

Herbed Mushroom Round Steak

2 lb round steak (3/4" thick) (I used a sirloin steak because it was in the freezer. It worked really well though)

1 T oil (I didn't use this and you'll see why later)

2 med onions, sliced (In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE onions. I use them a lot.)

2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced, or 2-4 ozcans

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp dried crushed oregano

1/4 tsp dried crushed thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

3 cups hot cooked noodles (I used egg noodles)

Trim fat from meat, cut into serving sizes, brown in oil (I skipped the browning. Again, it's only there for the taste and it takes time). In crock pot place onion slices and mushrooms. Place beef on top. Combine in bowl soup and herbs then pour over meat. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5. Serve over noodles.

Saturday

Tomorrow we will be having tortellini (left over from last week's soup) with left over Prego and probably a salad of some sort. (UPDATE: I made a spinach salad with apples, blueberries, and chopped walnuts with pomegranate blueberry vinaigrette).

Week 4: Halfway!

2012-02-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am, halfway through the Experiment! Four more weeks to go and they are going to be good ones (I really don't know if they are or not, since I have no idea what I'm going to make next week let alone four weeks down the road . . . ). I've actually really enjoyed making dinner, some nights more than others. It's a time to unwind, listen to my music, sing out loud, and dance, all while feeding "my man" (ie, Dad). I think the key to enjoying this is just deciding that it's going to be enjoyable. Probably my least favorite thing is coming up with the weekly menus.

Sunday

Sunday dinner probably used the most pots, pans, and dishes than any other meal I have made so far! We had a pot roast made in the crock pot with a packet of dry onion soup on top. Mashed potatoes and gravy (Dad's the gravy champ), steamed carrots, and a spinach salad. This spinach salad is one of my favorites: toasted slivered almonds (I forgot I was toasting the first batch and had to start over again. oops!), craisins (dried cranberries), red onion, and light raspberry vinaigrette. Yum!

Monday

I found Monday's recipe this last summer as I was trying to think of ways to use up zucchini from our garden. This tortellini and zucchini soup is pretty hearty--lots of veggies, and the yummy tortellini. It's even better if you sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese on top. When I came home today I had the start of one of my stress headaches, but I put on some music, and in the process of chopping up veggies, the headache started going away (rare for this to happen). This is something that I've liked about cooking meals: most of the time it's a more productive way to wind down after the work day; just me in the kitchen making a meal. Anyway, to complete the meal we had strawberries and blueberries (I love it when berries are on sale during the winter!).

Tuesday

Tin Foil Dinners was the menu for Tuesday (when I was a kid we called them "hobo dinners," but maybe that's not considered PC?)! Anyway, really easy, fast clean-up. Put a hamburger patty, sliced carrots and potatoes, with some onion on tin foil (make them individual sized). Wrap the tin foil up. Stick it in the oven at 350 for about an hour (this is the only hard part about this--waiting an hour for them to cook). Pull out of the oven, dump on a plate or leave in the tin foil, and smother with ketchup (I love ketchup--just not this much)! Yum! To make a full meal we had orange slices with it.

Wednesday

We had breakfast for dinner on Wednesday. The great thing about this is that in a couple of weeks, we could have breakfast for dinner again and it won't be a repeat because there are so many different things you can make! For this breakfast we had bacon, hashbrowns (the shredded kind, they're my favorite), scrambled eggs (part egg substitute to watch out for that high cholesterol!), and a fresh pineapple.

Thursday

Since this was Groundhog's Day we bought a pizza, and as per tradition, we got sausage on it. What does sausage have to do with Groundhog's Day? Well, what's another name for a pig? Hog. What is sausage? Ground up pig. Therefore: ground hog. And now you know how twisted my family's sense of humor is. This actually worked out perfect for me because I had a department meeting at work on Thursday that went late, so I got home, we put the pizza in the oven (Papa Murphey's Cowboy pizza), and I put together a quick salad.

Friday

We did something on Friday that we call at my house "Good Sport's": if there is something edible in the refrigerator, it's fair game. Basically, it's leftover night. Now this is not breaking the rules because . . . well because I say so and I made the rules, so I can do that. But I can't do another "Good Sport's" for the rest of the Experiment. This actually worked out pretty well because I spent most of my time at work today standing in on spot, resulting in an aching back and sore legs (it kind of took my back to my days at the CONE . . .) and the idea of having to stand to chop, mix, and cook something would probably have had me dissolve into tears. The clean up is pretty easy too. I guess this week of cooking has been pretty easy.

Saturday

I tried my hand at Greek food today--not one but TWO new recipes! The first was chicken for Greek pitas made in the crock pot. They probably didn't need to cook for as long as the recipe said, and I added a bit of fresh lemon juice at the end. I also brushed the pitas with a light coating of olive oil and heated them in a pan before we ate them. The second new recipe was Lemon Rice Pilaf. I had to cook this for about 15 minutes longer than the recipe says and the last 5 minutes I did it without the lid on. I think I would have about 1 cup less liquid in it. We finished off the meal with artichokes.

Week 3: Cooking on a Budget

2012-01-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to complain too much here because my parents' food budget is way more than my personal budget, but it is a little difficult to shop on someone else's budget. So, this week (besides the new recipe on Wednesday) was basically trying to make a menu on what we had since it was the week before payday. Fortunately, I'm amazing and was able to stay under budget even with all the stuff we had to get for this week's new recipe! The good thing is that I am used to making do with whatever I have/can afford (college taught me that at least!), so I didn't find it that difficult.

This is what I've learned about shopping on a budget (I rarely coupon, because that takes too much effort):

Shop the ads--I am still learning to do this better but plan your menu around what's on sale, keeping in mind that just because it's on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. If you aren't going to eat it, you are wasting money for all it's on sale. Also, watch out for traps. I worked in a grocery for 4 years to pay my way through school and I can't tell you how many times we had a sale that was "3 for 5" and people thought you had to buy three to get the sale price. About 90% of the time, this is not true. It's a marketing ploy to get you to buy more.

Buy store brand, (or the cheaper brand)--Everyone has brand loyalties, I get this. I don't buy cheese unless it is Tillamook (I . . . don't buy cheese much). But when you are shopping on a budget, sometimes you should just buy the cheaper brand. I love Western Family because it's cheap and most things are pretty similar to brand name items, though there are some Western Family items I will never buy. And this week at the store I was buying enchilada sauce and put the brand we usually get in the cart before noticing that a different brand was much cheaper. Back went the usual brand! It's almost like a bonus when the brands you like are on sale, like how my favorite pasta brand was on sale this week.

One last thing . . . when I was in school, there were times when I would go over my food budget because there was an awesome sale going on. Usually pasta and chicken. But if you know that you use something a lot and it's on sale, don't be afraid to buy some. It's going to save you money in the long run.

Sunday

For Sunday dinner we had grilled pork chops (grilled by Dad the Grill Master; and already in the freezer), steak cut fries (we had half a bag in the freezer), and the World's Best Applesauce (Mom's homemade and canned applesauce). No money spent on this meal!

Monday

Monday was Chinese New Year!! Go dragons! (I was born in the year of the dragon. They're cool.) We decided to celebrate with half a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies (already had), some dumplings that were in the freezer (unfortunately, they seemed a little old--they fell apart when I was boiling them), and ham fried rice (we had all the ingredients). Again, no money spent on this meal!

Ham Fried Rice

1/2 cup ham, cubed

1 stalk celery, cut diagonally (oops, I didn't do this! haha)

1 1/2 cup pre-cooked rice

1 green onion

1 beaten egg

soy sauce

Heat wok (or pan, we don't have a wok) to medium with 1 tablespoon oil. When heated, fry ham, celery, and onions. Saute until tender. Add scrambled egg. When cooked, stir in. Add rice and mix well. Let cook for a couple of minutes. Add soy sauce to taste.

Tuesday

Just because you're on a budget doesn't mean you can't have fancy food! For Tuesday's dinner we had salmon, rice, and peas. And all it cost was 33 cents! We already had the salmon in the freezer (they come in individual packets and we bought a bunch when they were on sale for 10 for 10), as well as the peas, and then we used Rice a Roni Chicken flavor (the only flavor we had, haha). I mixed dried rosemary, garlic, and olive oil to put on top of the fish as well as a slice of lemon (there was probably too much rosemary). It was the lemon that cost 33 cents (again, on sale).

Wednesday

New recipe tonight and oh my gosh, it's a keeper! Tonight was Chicken Enchilada Pasta and it was very yummy! I was recommended this recipe by a friend who I'm pretty sure found it on pinterest. It's super easy to make (I already had the chicken cooked and shredded from a recipe I made last week), smells great while it's cooking, and tastes just as good as it smells! Even though I had no idea what it tasted like I have been craving this for about two weeks and it was as good as I imagined it being. The only disappointment was that my avocado wasn't ripe. :( We ate orange slices to make it a meal. It was the most expensive meal, but almost everything we bought was on sale or store brand.

Thursday

For our crock pot meal this week we had potato bar. Just poke the potatoes with a fork a couple of times, wrap in foil and stick in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. To shakes things up a little bit, after I poked the potatoes, I put them in a bag with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and coated them. Then just put your favorite toppings on. Potato bar is a full meal as itself, but we did have a clementine each. As for cheapness, we already had everything for this meal. The potatoes were small, so I cooked all five and we ate them all (like, they were really, really tiny).

Friday

For Friday's dinner I raided the freezer. Mom had made some taco soup before the Experiment started, so I got that out, heated it up, and made a salad. Just popped some cheese, sour cream (we ate a lot of sour cream this week--and it's not over yet), cheese, and tortilla chips on top!

Saturday

For tomorrow I'm making one of the ultimate comfort foods (I haven't been feeling 100% the past three days, so I need it): Hamburger Stroganoff. This recipe is from Mom's home ec days. If 13 year olds can make, anyone can make it. We're going to have peas and a salad with it.

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 lb hamburger

dried onion

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken (to halve this recipe, just use cream of mushroom)

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup sour cream

Cook hamburger with onion. Add everything else and let thicken. Put on top of egg noodles (my personal favorite), rice, potatoes, toast, or biscuits.

"Want to see something cool?"

2012-01-22T12:34:00.001-08:00

Alex, one of the volume editors (aka, a historian), will frequently come out of his office and say, "Hey, you guys want to see something cool?" To which I always answer "Heck yes I do!"

One of the perks of working on the Joseph Smith Papers is that the historians frequently get to have original documents in their offices--Alex especially. He'll show us something interesting in the journal he's working on or whatever. Well, last week, he had called up all sorts of cool documents for us to look at. Here's a few:

This is an original architectural drawing of the Nauvoo Temple (the original one, obviously). The detail on this was amazing!

This is the Relief Society minute book, with Eliza R. Snow's handwriting.

Okay, this one is way cool. This is Willard Richards's (an ancestor of mine) personal journal. Richards at this time was in charge of Joseph Smith's journal as well. When they went to Carthage Jail, Richards left the prophet's journal in Nauvoo and took only his own journal. This picture of two of the pages of the hour by hour activities of the day of the martyrdom.

This is Joseph Smith's 1832 journal, with his own handwriting! Most of Joseph's journals were kept by someone else, but for about 9 days in this journal he kept it himself. The really cool thing about this journal was that it was purchased the same day Joseph received Doctrine and Covenants 85:1 which directs the Saints to keep a record. So, Joseph was following the will of God and went out and bought a book to keep a record in! Pretty cool!

Week 2: Getting into the Groove

2012-01-20T18:14:00.000-08:00

Before I started doing this experiment, I would come home from work and sit down and wait until dinner was ready--usually bumming around on my computer. I always felt exhausted and worn out. Something I've noticed since I've been cooking dinner every night is that I feel happier, have more energy, and feel like I can make more out of my night. It's hard sometimes, too, like on Wednesday when the day felt like it took forever to end and I didn't feel like I had really accomplished anything at work and then dinner took longer than I thought, but for the most part, I think that cooking dinner has helped me conquer the winter blues a little bit. Having said that, here's this week's menu:

Sunday

Every month we have a family dinner with my mom's family, which made Sunday dinner pretty easy! My dad made a German chocolate cake (mix with canned frosting) and I made a family favorite--Hot Artichoke Dip:

2 cups mayo

2 cups sour cream

2 cans artichoke hearts

2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

pepper

cayenne pepper on top

Mix together and cook at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with french bread or crackers.

Monday

Dad got to choose what we were going to have and he chose brats. He grilled them (in about 20* weather), and I made a pasta salad (Suddenly Salad, Caesar flavor) and cut up a fresh pineapple.

Tuesday

Dad had a club meeting this night, so I was going to make my crock pot meal Monday night and plug it in, but I learned something about crock pot meals--When you are gone 10.5 hours out of the day, sometimes it makes it hard. I have had to search for more crock pot meals that take 10 hours to cook. Anyway, I had to rearrange my menu a little bit, and still made something fast and yummy--BBQ Cups. These are definite crowd pleasers! I have taken them to different parties before and everyone has loved them! And they are way easy to make. We rounded out the meal with strawberries, cucumbers, and carrots.

BBQ Cups

2 packages biscuits (I use Western Family homestyle and they taste fine)

1 lb hamburger (We had some already cooked and in the freezer, which makes it easier)

dried onion (OR 1/2 fresh onion)

~1/2 cup of favorite BBQ sauce (I'm not exactly sure how much, I just put some in until it looks right, but I'm pretty sure it's about 1/2 cup. My family's favorite is Honey BBQ)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook hamburger and onion together. Add BBQ sauce and brown sugar. Mix well. Press biscuits into muffin tins. Spoon hamburger mixture into cups and sprinkle with cheese. (I forgot the cheese and had to pull them out of the oven to put it on. This became a theme this week.) Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Wednesday

For this day I made quiche. It's not Dad's favorite, but I like it and he'll eat it. Again, I forgot to add the cheese to the mix and had to sprinkle it on top. It looked pretty. :) To round out this meal I made a fruit salad using leftover pineapple and strawberries from earlier in the week, half an orange, and apple, blueberries and blackberries (all the berries were on sale last week).

Thursday

Wednesday night I put together the casserole for Thursday. Right after I took out the quiche, I stuck three chicken breasts to cook in the oven, then made the rice. Here's a health tip about rice: use half white and half brown. It's healthier than white, but tastes better than brown. But the cooking is a bit different: 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice, add rice to boiling water, cook on low for 20 minutes, then turn it off and let sit for 10 minutes. This guarantees that the brown rice is cooked all the way. Anyway, I basically made two meals in one day, which was a little hard, but I also ended up with enough chicken for a recipe I'm making next week, so that's a plus! To make this a complete meal I heated a can of corn and sliced some oranges.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 square margarine

1 cup chopped celery (I use three ribs)

1 cup chopped onion (I did 1/2 onion)

Saute until brown

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

Cook, then add:

3 cups chicken, shredded or diced

1 can cream mushroom soup

1 can cream chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

Put on top:

slivered almonds

buttered bread crumbs (I used panko, but that's just because that was all we had)

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Friday

I was so excited for this new crock pot recipe from Betty Crocker's Easy Everyday Vegetarian cookbook (I highly recommend this cookbook. I'm not a vegetarian, but there are great recipes in here)! Dad only worked half a day today, so he was able to put it in for me. A couple of things: this makes a LOT! So, you could probably halve it. We just put the rest of it in the freezer for another day (after the Experiment is over) Also, it got burned on the sides. I don't really know what to do about that. Anyway, we had 1/2 a bag of caesar salad, and a can of french cut beans with butter and salt and pepper. It was so good!

Cheesy Ravioli Casserole

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

2 jars four-cheese-flavored tomato pasta sauce (I just bought traditional, since there was already a lot of cheese in this. My favorite is Prego.)

1-15 oz can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 bags frozen cheese-filled ravioli (we bought the round ones because they were cheaper, and they really puffed up!)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional (we didn't do this. Buying fresh herbs is crazy expensive and you always have to buy more than you really need.)

Heat oil and cook onion and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning. Spray slow cooker and place 1 cup sauce in the bottom. Add 1 bag of ravioli, put half of cheese on. Then put rest of ravioli and cheese and pour remaining sauce on top. Cook on Low for up to 6 1/2 hours (Pasta will hold up to 30 minutes). Sprinkle with parsley before serving, if you want.

Saturday

Tomorrow we are going to have BYU Creamery Pasta Salad. When I had to close and didn't want to get something from the grill, I usually got pasta salad. I don't even know if they still make it, but I liked it. We'll probably have oranges with it.

Creamery Pasta Salad

Mix together tricolor pasta, olives, green peppers, tomatoes, with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Instead of mozzarella, I'm going to use the rest of the feta from the quiche. Pour Italian dressing over top.

Someone at Work Knows Me Too Well

2012-01-17T19:06:00.001-08:00

Around March of last year, I got a free Josh Groban calendar. I didn't use it at home because I already had one and it had all the birthdays and stuff written on it already, so I didn't put it to use until I started working at the JSP. I got a bit of flack about it from the male historians (good natured flack, no worries) and they started doing things like this and this to Josh.

It had become such an integral part of my cubicle that I felt I needed to get a 2012 calendar, but I couldn't find one!! I mentioned this one day and a few days later, I found this outside my cubicle!

Someone made me a January calendar with Josh on it! Basically, made my day. I have no idea who made it, but I think it's awesome that someone would do that for me.

Week 1: Easy Peasy

2012-01-13T19:32:00.001-08:00

The first week of the experiment was pretty easy.

Tuesday

I had visiting teaching on this day, so Dad made dinner. He made his famous macaroni and cheese. To complete the meal, we added frozen peas and home canned pears. Here's the recipe for our mac and cheese:

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups macaroni

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c milk

1 tsp dry onion

pepper

1/2 lb cheddar cheese, cubed

Cook macaroni. Combine other ingredients and mis with macaroni. Put in greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. OR (and we did this because of time) you can cook it in the microwave for about 10 minutes. We like the oven better because then you get crispy cheese, but in a time crunch, the microwave works well.

Wednesday

Dad had a work dinner, so I cooked some frozen tortellini and put some canned mushroom al fredo on it. Not the best, but it works. I fully intended to make it a meal by eating an apple, but that didn't happen.

Thursday

Dad cooked again! Twice in one week! We had sloppy joes, with potato chips and finger jell-0.

Sloppy Joes

2 lbs hamburger, cooked (we had some already cooked in the freezer)

1 can chicken gumbo soup

1.2 onion sliced (OR 2 T dry onion)

Brown hamburger and onion. Pour off grease. Then add:

Soup

2 T mustard

1/2 c ketchup (or catsup, whatever you prefer)

1/2 tsp. chili powder (so, Dad couldn't find the chili powder, so he used chipotle instead. It was quite a bit spicy than we are used too!)

salt and pepper

Cook until consistency desired.

And then to make finger jell-o:

1 package jell-o

1 package knox gelatin

stir, then add

1 cup boiling water, stir until dissolved

1 cup cold water

chill until set.

Friday

I'm in love . . . with my crock pot! Seriously, this thing is fabulous! I put it all together the night before, stuck it in the fridge overnight, plugged it in before I left for work, and it's done when I get home! It's like it does the work for you. Amazing! (And the house smelled awesome when I got home.) So, I made crock pot cordon bleu. I used 3 chicken breasts from the freezer instead of 6 because they were humongous. If I ever make this again, I would cut up the chicken (not too small) to cover the entire bottom of the crock pot, probably double the amount of soup and milk, and pour the soup over the stuffing, otherwise the stuffing was a bit dry. Also, it was a little bit overdone because I'm gone 10 hours out of the day and the slow cooker I used didn't have a "warm" setting. I'd probably make it on a Sunday or something like that where I could make sure it didn't go way over the cooking time. We filled out the meal with a green salad and the left over jell-o from Thursday (we were going to have oranges, but I changed my mind)

Saturday

Tomorrow we're going to have spaghetti and meatballs. This is super easy because the last time Mom made meatballs, she made enough to freeze, and Dad made a whole bunch of homemade spaghetti sauce from the plethora of tomatoes we got during "harvest." We're going to have a salad and french bread baked with parmesan cheese and salad supreme.

Well, one week down, 7 more to go. Right now I'm having a hard time planning the meals, but I'm hoping that maybe that will get easier? (Who am I kidding, I'm going to run out of things to make in three weeks!) I just put the shopping list together and by some magic about three things I need to buy were on sale (the big things too)! It's like fate! Or something. So, keep a look out for next week's recipes!

The 8 Week Experiment

2012-01-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

So, starting tomorrow, I'll be making dinner for both my dad and I every night while my mom is conducting an experiment of her own. My experiment is seeing if I can keep us alive!

What I would like to do is try at least one new recipe a week, use my crock-pot at least once a week, make a variety of foods, and not to repeat any meal for the entire eight weeks. (This last one might be the most difficult and I have not yet informed my dad of it.) At the end of each week I will try to post what we ate that week and include a link or recipe for anything I feel worthy of sharing as well as the new recipe I tried that week.

Ready, set, cook!

Sunday Special: Do Your Best and God Will Help with the Rest

2012-01-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

While my brother was home, he wanted to watch Facing the Giants, a Christian movie about a football team. For those of you familiar with Christian movies, this is pretty much cheesy like most of them. But this scene that I've embedded below was actually really powerful to me. It showed me that if we keep trying to do our best, even though we can't see the end, God will be there to push us through the hard times and the pain to get us to where he knows we can go. And that's a good thing to know.

Looking Forward to 2012

2012-01-03T18:04:00.001-08:00

Last year I posted at least one picture for everyday of the year. This was such an interesting experiment, mainly because it forced me to look for something to post about everyday. I had to find something unique, different, exciting, funny, or interesting that happened that day. This was hard, but it really made a difference to me. The experiment also changed as I went on. At first, it was going to be a photo that I took, and just a photo. Then I started writing a short explanation every once and a while. A few even got paragraphs worth. Then I started just putting a picture on--this could be a photo, or something from the internet that stood for something. It was a really cool experiment, but I'm glad that it's done! (Though I still have thoughts about taking pictures and what I'm going to put on my blog. Habits die hard.)

Looking forward at 2012, I've been trying to think about what I want from this year. What I really want is to write something everyday. Whether this is working on my novel, or writing on this blog, I feel like this is something that I need to do. I'm never going to get any better unless I try. I think I'm going to start by going over what I've already written in my novel (the ending will have to wait) and making revision notes.

I had a goal to read 200 books by the end of 2011; I read 182. This year, I will make it!

Big goal for this year? Find a job!! I've got four months left on my internship and I'm pretty sure I exhausted the internships I can do.

So, here's to 2012 and all the adventures that will come this year!

2011 Highlights

2012-01-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Before I think about what I'd like 2012 to be, let's take a quick look back at some highlights of the last year:

First "real world" job

First interview (interviewed two amazing kids)

Working for a book company

Seeing traveling Broadway cast of Les Mis

Reading Les Miserables (unabridged version)

Seeing Josh Groban in Concert

Becoming an "Aunty" (a nonrelated aunty)

Acting Class

First Article in New Era

Articles in International Magazine, Liahona

Neil getting home from his mission

Christmas Eve Recipe

2011-12-24T20:36:00.001-08:00

Every Christmas Eve, we have clam chowder for dinner. This year was the first time that I had ever made it, and my dad called it a "sacred undertaking" and warned me not to mess it up. :) I thought I would share this recipe with you all. Merry Christmas!

Bratten's Clam Chowder

1 cup onions, finely chopped

1 cup celery, diced

2 cups potatoes, diced

3/4 cup butter

3/4 flour

1 quart half and half

1 1/2 tsp salt

pepper

2 T red wine vinegar (optional)

Drain juice from clams and pour over vegetables in saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover vegetables. In another pan melt butter, add flour and cream, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until smooth and thick. Add undrained vegetables, clams, and vinegar. Heat through.

Christmas "Letter" 4.0

2011-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Family, Friends, and Random Strangers in the Great Abyss of the Interwebs,

Well, another year has passed by! I think the theme this year has been change, and constancy. Which, I know, are two completely different things. But we'll get to that later.

First, I want to mention something that has been on my mind a lot the past few days. This is my first year, in five years, that I have not had to go through finals to get to Christmas. As all of my friends have been stressing and counting down on Facebook, I have been hit with this strange sense of nostalgia. Not that I want to have to take three-hour tests, and study my butt off in between, but there is something about having to take finals to get to Christmas which made Christmas Christmas, ya know? I don't quite feel like it's Christmas as I just go back to work everyday same as any other month. I think it was the semester ending, and finals starting that just let me know Christmas was right around the corner. I also miss ABCFamily's 25 Days 'Til Christmas. I love cheesy made for TV movies, as well as the Harry Potter marathon, and old Christmas favorites.

Now to this past year. It has almost been a year since I graduated from BYU and moved into my parents' basement (I know, such a stereotypical thing to do). I started off the year with a big change in my life--my first internship! This meant working 40 hours a week, in an office building, with my own office. Working at the New Era was such an amazing experience. And now that my articles have started being published, it is like the gift that keeps on giving! After four months there, another change came in my life. After three weeks of waiting, I was offered an internship at Deseret Book! While I only worked part time here, I had a great time. I was reading books, and editing, and learning, and source checking. After 16 weeks that affirmed to me that editing was really what I want to do with my life, I left there and started at my third internship at the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

I'm back to working full time, and really loving it. I like the people I work with and the things I get to do (though they do get tedious sometimes, but what job doesn't?). The great thing about all these experiences is that they built upon each other--each one prepared me for the next. When I took the editing test at Deseret Book, I just got this peaceful feeling that God knows what I need and if I trust in Him, everything will work out. And it has! It is so amazing!

Another wonderful change this year was that my brother got home from his mission in the Dominican Republic! It's so good to have our family all in one country again!

I also took an acting class! That was very interesting, and good for me to do--got me out of my little shell for a little bit.

So, those are all the changes that have occurred in my life this year, so what about the constancy? Well, though I have changed jobs every four months, I have remained in my parents' basement. That's a constant, as is their love and concern for me. God has remained constant, though I have changed (for the better) in regards to Him. Though I am serving in a different capacity at church, the gospel has forever remained constant, and will ever remain constant. It may not seem like much constancy, but these are the things that are really important.

Also, I'm still single. That has been very constant these past few years!

What am I looking forward to this coming year? I'll continue at JSPP until April-ish, and after that . . . who knows? Hopefully I'll get a "real" job, move out of my parents' house, and start another new chapter in my life. It'll be an adventure, I'll tell you that!

Happy Christmas!

Whitney

It's the Little Things

2011-12-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day! And you know what made it so fantastic? The small things that happened today.

Small Thing #1: Getting European Chocolate

A coworker spent the last week in Rome (was I jealous? Oh, just a lot.) and just came back to work today. Besides being able to hear about wonderful Rome, she brought a Kinder Bueno bar for me and the rest of us! I LOVE Bueno bars!

Small Thing #2: Talking to Cute Little Kids

As I walked off the elevator on my way out the door to go home this afternoon, I saw two little red-headed boys (they looked like twins) standing on the other side of the security gates. As I beeped myself through, I saw them shaking their hands in the air. "We've got magic in our hands," one of them says to me. "Do you?" I reply. "What are you doing with the magic?" One little boy touches the metal of the security gates, "When we touch this, it opens!" The security guard had been playing with them by opening the gates when they touched them! They were so adorable, I just had to smile!

Small Thing #3: Reading the Same Book as Someone Else

While I wait for my second train to come (I have to transfer), I usually sit on a planter, reading and swinging my legs like a little girl. It's the start of me being able to block out the rest of the world and relax from the work day a little bit. I had pulled my hood over my head, my scarf over my nose, and sat hunched up against the cold and curled toward my book. I don't usually pay attention to others around me, just the trains as they go by so I don't miss mine. Today, a woman came up next to me and got a book out of her bag. Then, she leans forward and says, "I thought so! We're reading the same book!" I look up and she shows me her cover. Sure enough, it read The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. "That doesn't happen often, does it? And it's an older book; my favorite!" Though I didn't say anything, just smiled, and we went back to reading our books, it was kind of like we had this little thing that connected us. It's nice to feel connected to other people. Sometimes.

Small Thing #4: Seeing Your Name in a Multinational Magazine

When I got home to an empty house (everyone else was at the temple), I walked in to find a big white envelope with my name on it from the LDS Church Magazines. Confused, I turn it over, run my finger under the flap and open it up. Inside was a magazine. I thought maybe it was the New Era, because of the three articles I had it in this month. But when I pulled it out, to my surprise it was the Liahona, the Church's multinational magazine. Still confused, but on my way to being excited, I opened up to the contents pages and look frantically for my name. And there it was: Whitney Hinckley!! Two of my articles had made it into the magazine! A magazine that is translated into tons of different languages and shipped all over the world! Full of excitement, I started hopping up and down and saying "Oh! Oh! Oh!" and turning around, looking for someone to share it with! But no one was home, so I raced downstairs, posted it on Facebook and then proceeded to put my energy to good use by have an impromptu dance party while making dinner. This dance party included songs like "Something That I Want" from Tangled, "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid, "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstell, "Down" by Jay Sean, "Get Back" by Demi Lovato, "What Dreams are Made of" from The Lizzie Maguire Movie, and, when I needed some cooling down, "Holiday" by the Kinks. I let my hair down (literally, I took my hair out of the braid I had it in), and may or may not have down some hand banging, jumping up and down, and singing as loud as I can (there was no one else home, remember?). I went crazier than I have in a while and it felt good.

I am so grateful for the little things that make life so great!

Review: Time Traveling Adventures

2011-11-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

So, it seems that time traveling is sort of the new thing in YA fiction, considering I have read at least three books about time traveling--each with varying degrees of success. Here are the three that I have read:

First up, Timeless by Alexandra Monir.

This novel was okay. It's about a girl who finds a diary from 1910 and is transported back in time to meet her ancestor and a mysterious boy that has been haunting her dreams her whole life. The writing was so-so, and the plot a little predictable. The thing that really ruined this novel for me, though, was that it was the beginning of a series (probably a trilogy, because that seems to be the "thing" now. ::Sigh::), and it ended like it was the beginning of a trilogy, meaning there was no ending. And what really bothered me was that it could have been one book. It was only 280 pages--little short for it's target audience--and with some editing and cutting, and then adding 100 more pages, it probably would have been a pretty good book. It's kind of fun and cute, but I don't recommend it.

(Can I just go on a little rant about series? I would rather have ONE good book than three so-so books. But it seems like everyone is writing series now! If you are going to write a series, please make it so the books stand alone! It's so frustrating when you end in the middle of the story. It is only after I get connected to the characters and get comfortable with the prose that I become okay with there being cliff-hanger endings. Harry Potter is a good example of this. The first few books completed the story line for that book, and once everyone started loving it, no one cared how Rowling wrote them. Rick Riordan is another good example. Because I like the way he writes, I don't care that I have to wait so long for his next book to come out. I'm comfortable with his universe, and the characters, and even though there is a larger story arch throughout his books, each individual story line completes within it's own book. It's like a TV show--there maybe be an arch, but each episode [usually] contains a full storyline. Anyway, back to the reviews . . . )

Second, The Time-traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

This book was cute. It's a little younger (main character is 12, I think, so probably for 10 to 13 year olds). What I loved about this novel was the pictures. The girl goes back to 1912 and there are some beautiful drawings (done by a real fashion designer) of Edwardian clothes. It was one of those cute little novels that you read when you need a break from your "thinking" books. This was also the beginning of a series, but it was a stand alone book.

Third, Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier.

I loved this novel! It was originally written in German and has just recently been translated into English. This one is about a girl, living in London, who has a gene that makes it so she spontaneously transports back in time, except everyone thought her cousin had inherited it instead of her. So well written and translated! This is also the beginning of a trilogy, but this is done right. The book is so good that you want to read the rest, not because you just want to see how it ends, but because you want to get taken on the journey to the end. Good characters, great story, good read. It's intriguing and I am excited to finish this trilogy.

Sunday Special: Turning a Blind Eye

2011-11-01T19:49:00.001-07:00

I have severe myopia (near sightedness). Like, horrible. Fortunately, with corrective lenses, this is only something I usually only have to be aware of for a few seconds morning and night before and after taking my contacts out. I started wearing contacts when I was thirteen, and there have been a few times since then that I have had to go back to wearing my glasses for a week or two--usually because I have lost one of my contacts and I can't very well be going around with only one good eye.

I hate wearing my glasses. The last time I lost a contact, I realized just how much I hate wearing them all the time. My eyesight is so bad that I couldn't even but on my make-up without difficulty. I had to get so close to the mirror in order to see that not only did I go cross-eyed, but I couldn't get my eyeliner pencil at the correct angle because it's about 6 inches, and I was only giving it 2 inches between the mirror and my face.

What people don't realize is that not having my contacts or glasses in doesn't make me completely blind. I can still see things, they just happen to look . . . furrier than normal. People have no individual features, but the basic shape is still there. I can still make sense of most of what is going on around me. For example the "how many fingers" game. I may not be able to see your individual fingers, but I know the basic shape a hand makes when holding up two or five fingers. I guess you can say I know what it's like to not see things clearly (literally).

Sometimes I think that we take out our "spiritual" contacts when it comes to things in this world we live in. We thinking that not seeing something clearly will make it so we don't become affected by it. We use our self inflicted blindness as an excuse; "I just ignore it when people swear" "I fast forward through that part" "I skipped those pages".

I don't know about you, but I have come to learn that I am extremely affected by the things I subject myself to. The images I see, the words I hear, the things I read. And I used to make up excuses too--I used to take out my contacts and think that fast forwarding through a scene or trying to ignore bad language made it so it didn't wear on me. I would skim through scenes in books, because that way I wasn't really ingesting it. But the thing is . . . I was. It had a major affect on me in ways I wouldn't even have thought about.

It changed the way I viewed other people, the thoughts that came to my head. And I learned that once I saw something, it was filed away somewhere, waiting to pop up what I didn't want it. It changed the way I felt.

I'm not perfect. I still make mistakes and make excuses. Sometimes I find myself with my spiritual contacts out. But I think that once I learn to view the world through my spiritual lenses, not only am I going to be better able to see the good, but I'm going to better able avoid the bad. We live in a world that perverts sex, language, relationships, freedom, morality, and even religion. But we also live in a beautiful world with wonderful advances in technology. A world that is full of good people, and good things.

In Sunday school last Sunday, my teacher said something that has stuck with me. He said, "You can't stop the birds from flying, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair." So, I'm not saying that we should stick to the scriptures as our only form of literature, or only watch Disney cartoons, and listen to hymns. I love movies and music and books. I'm saying, seek out the good in the world, whatever that may be to you. Know your own limits; know what affects you, and stay away from it.

Stop looking at the world in a haze because you turn a blind eye to everything in it. Put on your corrective lenses and see things clearly! Life is better that way.

Taking the Bad with the Good

2011-10-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

I like my job. I really do. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful project, and to associate with the people I do.

But sometimes, it drives me crazy!

This last week was kind of a difficult on at the Ol' JSPP. The entire week was working on one thing--checking the website. This is a completely repetitive task that involves little to no brain work. Basically, you are given a checklist, then you head on over to the JSP "ready" site and check links/images/pop-ups. In order to keep me from going utterly INSANE with the monotony, I had to resort to watching BBC period dramas* on YouTube. (I know, my life is so hard. I'm getting paid to watch some of my favorite movies.)

It wasn't until about Wednesday that things started to get really bad. Before that, my eyes would be exhausted from staring at a computer screen for 7 and 1/2 hours the whole day, and I'd have a bit of a headache, no big deal. Besides, I got a free donut on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, the ready site was down the entire morning, meaning we couldn't do any work on the site. When something is unpleasant, you just want to get it over with (besides the fact that I wanted to finish Northanger Abbey). Besides that, I don't like leaving things at work unfinished. I did have some other things to work on that morning and the site was up in the afternoon. The other interns, though, weren't there, which meant that the work was going pretty slow.

On Thursday the other interns were there, but other things had started popping up. The woman we were checking the site for wanted us to be done by Friday, something we thought was completely plausible. Then, another girl comes around with an assignment that she wanted done by Friday/Monday at the lasted. We finally agreed that we would have to take the second assignment home and work on it there (because we both had a few extra hours during the week we hadn't used). The website was touchy at best and the entire JSP staff was off at the ADE conference in the afternoon. We tried to get as much done as we could and then I headed home, carrying half of a 600 page manuscript with me to work on when I got home. By this time I was getting a bad case of the jitterbugs, so I played the piano to release some of that pent up energy until dinnertime.

Friday was by far the worst day of the week. Everyone was gone to the conference, except a select few. The website was again being "bipolar" as two of my coworkers independently called it. At one point it said it would be down until Tuesday!! Fortunately it came back up and didn't give us anymore trouble the rest of the day. Then, we were given another project and since the website woman was at the conference, we were told to abandon the website for a while and work on this one. This is what was probably the hardest this week: everyone wanting us to work on their project. Everything seemed to have the same deadline and there were a few "discussions" about which was the most important--print or website. As interns, we just have to try to do what we're told without getting everyone mad at us. The only highlight of my day was watching Doctor Who at lunch time, a Friday tradition with some people I met that work in different departments. I stayed late to try to get done what I could, but even with Bleak House, there was only so much I could stand, meaning that I had to leave without the website check being completed. I was so exhausted. I didn't even read on the train ride home; I just couldn't bring myself to use my eyes for anything.

Have you ever been so tired that when all these negative/sad thoughts start pushing forward and all these emotions come bubbling up, you just don't have the energy to keep them at bay? That's how I felt when I finally reached Daybreak and got in my car to drive home. Some song (okay, Adele's "Someone Like You") came on the radio, which prompted some thoughts about something that had happened early that week, which prompted some other thoughts, which prompted some emotions and I just couldn't keep them at bay. I found myself driving with tears running down my face, and the antsy feeling that comes from doing the same thing for about 30 hours that week. I finally turned the radio off and came home. I went downstairs to change out of my skirt and found myself crying again for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

Fortunately by the time I had gotten some food in me and was at a bookstore with my parents looking for the perfect book to buy with my mom's 25% discount, I was feeling much better.

I have been thinking about something lately, though. I think that I would rather take the hard times with the good, then just having the good all the time. Without the hard times I wouldn't be who I am (for better or for worse) and the good times wouldn't seem quite so sweet. Without having had an awful day on Friday, going to the bookstore probably wouldn't have been such the sweet relief it ended up being.

*For those wondering, I have so far watched North and South, Persuasion (2005), Northanger Abbey, Little Dorrit, and have almost made it through Bleak House.

Why I Love Google and Other Stories from My Job

2011-10-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

I work in a library. That alone is awesome. A library is full of books, and this library in particular has really old books.

Plus, working in a library means that I am not the only nerd around, as being a nerd is a prerequisite to working in a library. No matter if you are in the library proper, or upstairs in the projects like I am.

I love the people I work with. The first day when I met them all I thought, "Wow. Historians are really awkward." Which, okay, they are, but they are also a lot of fun too. I have a great friendship with the other intern, and love our little chats that cover topics from Disney Channel stars to raising children (even though neither of us have any). It makes work more enjoyable.

Now, on to why I love Google. At work we have been spending a lot of time working on Geographical Directory entries to put up on the website. This means a lot of source checking--over and over again. These entries have gone through about 4 or 5 other people before I get them, and yet I still run into problems. Our lovely source inputers sometimes just put a source in without making a photocopy of the original source, or where it's from, or even who said it! Such was something that I ran into the other day. It was credited to Joseph Smith, but it obviously wasn't. I decided to take a chance and type a phrase into Google. The first three results popped up with the quote. I looked at two of them--both Wiki sites--Wiki sites are also wonderful because of their inclusion of sources!! I looked at the source for the quote, looked in the Library's catalog and discovered that we had it! I ordered it to be brought up to my desk, problem solved! Seriously, what did we ever do without the internet?

If we didn't have the internet, the Joseph Smith Papers Project would probably not be getting done. Instead of a 20 year project, it would probably take a life time. Tracking down the papers, and the sources, would take a long time. And my job would take even longer than it already does.

Anyway, that's why I love Google!

Banned Book Week 2011

2011-09-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again! Banned Books for the win!

Here's my deal with "banning" and "challenging" books: It is taking a personal opinion and forcing it on others. That's just the short version.

I have nothing against someone choosing not to read a certain book. I do it all the time. I think that everyone should take care and research the media they subject themselves to, whether it be movies, TV, magazines, music, or books. I base my decisions concerning these things on my own personal belief system.

I also have nothing against a parent taking care to protect their children from age inappropriate topics.

But I do have something against someone saying that NO ONE should read/watch/listen to something. The best thing about this country is one of our most basic rights is the freedom of speech! No one should be able to say that something shouldn't be published or read, just because they don't agree with the subject matter.

In fact, I think that a lot of times parents (it is mostly parents who challenge books) are missing out on a great teaching opportunity. Not only can reading a book with a differing view than your own help you understand your beliefs better, but it can be used to open a conversation with your child about topics and situations that face them in the world. Communication is key in teaching your kids right from wrong.

As an illustration of this, let's take a look at the list of 50 Banned Books Everyone Should Read. Let's use The Bridge to Terabithia as an example. (If you haven't read this book or seen the movie and would like to, this next part will contain a major spoiler.) The biggest objection to this book is the theme of death (as well as the use of imagination to create a "magical" world). Death is something everyone has to deal with and I think this book is a beautiful example of how a someone can change your life and be a part of your life even when they are no longer on this earth. This is a great opportunity to talk to your child (or friends, parents, whatever) about your beliefs on death and how to handle death.

So, this week, read a challenged/banned book. Maybe pick one from the list I linked to. It's up to you what book you want to read, and I am not saying that I personally approve of every book on that list, but it isn't up to me. As for me, I'm going to be reading The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger.

Why is this Considered Romance?

2011-09-14T20:15:00.001-07:00

I've never understood why people think that Jane Eyre is a romantic story.

A man who mocks you, who ignores you when his friends are around and then demands to know why you didn't talk to him is not romantic. A man who owes you money is not romantic. A man who makes you think he is marrying another woman just to see if you'll get jealous is not romantic. A man who tricks you into a sham of a marriage when he is already married and is hiding his insane wife in the attic, and then when you find out about the insane wife, tries to convince you to live with him in sin though it goes against everything you believe is not romantic.

A man who sleeps around and doesn't like children, not even the child who may or may not be his is not romantic. A man who lies to and takes advantage of other people is not romantic. A man who takes advantages of a young girl's vulnerabilities is not romantic. A man who is vain enough to think that he can do all these things and still get you to love him is not romantic.

Romance this is not.

Summer Vegetable Pasta

2011-09-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

This new recipe I create tonight uses white sauce. It is my belief that everyone should know how to make a white sauce--it's easy and can be used for all sorts of things. Once you know how to make a basic white sauce, you can add cheese of any kind, use it for pasta sauce, a chicken pizza sauce, in cream soups, or for creamed vegetables. It is so versatile and if used correctly, it can make any recipe seem elaborate!

Ingredients:

1 package favorite pasta, cooked

olive oil

half an onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 large carrot, sliced

shredded zucchini

fresh spinach

medium white sauce

Medium White Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter; add flour. Mix together to make a roux. Add milk. Use a whisk to mix together. Add cheese. The sauce will get thick--remember to stir constantly!

Heat olive oil in pan. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook until onions are transparent and carrots are crunchy tender. (You can start making the white sauce once you put everything in the oil.) When the pasta and white sauce are almost done, put zucchini in with the other vegetables. Mix up. When you are ready for everything to be put together, add spinach (this way it will be able to cook down a little, but not enough to get really wimpy). Combine pasta, sauce, and vegetables and sprinkle with more parmesan cheese.

Serve with strawberries and enjoy!

Movie Review: Wild Things

2011-09-10T10:23:00.001-07:00

Where the Wild Things Are

MPAA: PG

My rating: *

Short review? Read the book, skip the movie.

Long review? It's difficult to take a 32 page, 500 word book and turn it into a 101 minute movie. Of course, the movie felt like it was about 3 hours long . . .

This is my big beef with the movie. The main message, themes, parallelism, whatever, was so obtuse that it was almost hard to tell what they were supposed to be. And to have come from a children's book, I was surprised to discover that it was NOT a children's movie. It was kind of scary at parts, and had some scenes that would be confusing to a child. (Particularly the scene when Carol wakes all the wild things and Max up and talks about the sun going out and gets mad at Max.)

Then there was the fact that about 15 minutes after Max ended up with the Wild Things I was thinking "When is he going to go back?" I mean, in the book, Max is sent to bed without supper, goes off in his boat to the land of the Wild Things, becomes king, has fun, goes home and his dinner is still warm.

Here's what I thought was good. The Wild Things' costumes, which is to be expected because they were made by the Jim Henson Company. And . . . that was about it.

If you need a little Wild in your life, buy the book by Maurice Sendak.

Sunday Special: God's Time

2011-09-04T20:56:00.001-07:00

I think all of us have an idea of how our lives are going to go. A certain timeline that we plan out for ourselves. I know that I did: my first date, first kiss, marriage, children. I really thought that I would be married at or near the age of 21, and where I am now I would be graduated from college, and maybe expecting my first child, or working a full-time, steady job.

Of those three things, only one of those things has happened.

And, I'm sad to say, sometimes I get jealous when I see a graduation picture with that special someone sharing the day. Or when another one of my friends gets married, or announces that she is pregnant. Sometimes, I even think about the different guys I may have crushed on or even been on a date with, and wonder what I might have missed out on.

The thing is, most of those "deadlines" had for myself have come and gone without the event I had planned for them happening. But I have come to realize that by not achieving my "goals" I have been able to have some great experiences that I never would have thought to plan for.

That is why it is so important to rely on God's timeline, instead of our own. If I had gotten married at 21, I probably would not have met some of the amazing people that I have. I probably wouldn't have had these amazing internships that I have, where I have learned so much.

God knows what I need in my life so much more than I do. I may still wish for a husband and a baby of my own, but I have to realize that the thins that I do have, and the things that I have experienced have made me a better person. God knows what I need. That's a great comfort to me when I think how different my life is than how I thought it would be.

So, whenever your life seems to be going in a different direction than you planned, jut remember that there is probably a better reason, one only God knows.

A Collection of Thoughts at the End of the Day

2011-09-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Worst part of the day: waking up.

Best part of the day: At the CHL, where I work, they have this really strict policy about not eating food at your desk or anywhere other than designated areas (the break room and certain conference rooms). This was really hard for me! Not only am I hyperglycemic, which means I have to eat something every few hours, but in the afternoon when you start dragging, I need to snack on something to help keep me awake. I like my snacks. It has been hard these past four days. Well, this afternoon we all get an e-mail saying that the policy has changed and we can now eat at our desks! Within seconds of getting the e-mail we could hear "whoop!" and various other cheers coming out of offices. We all congregated in the hallway to celebrate our little victory. Then two of the girls went out and bought donuts for us to eat . . . at our desks!

Miscellaneous part of the day: As I was standing at the train station waiting for my transfer, I was surrounded by a sea of red. And then I thought "I am definitely in the wrong city."

First Day on the Job--Again

2011-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the third first day I have had this year, in concern with jobs. Today I started at the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

I rode the train up to Salt Lake. Just after it left the station, it made the sound that it makes when a train breaks down . . . maybe it's not so much a sound as the absence of sound. Anyway, the train starts up again and immediately breaks down again.

Start and stop again.

About three or four times this happens. I'm starting to calculate the amount of mud outside and the ability of me to walk back to the station in my heels. I decided that ability was about zero.

So I went through the HR process again, and then made it over to the Church History Library, where we did some more of that first day stuff.

Anyway, I'm still a little unsure about what the next 9 months are going to bring, but I can see some definite good points.

Habits from Living Alone

2011-08-24T21:18:00.001-07:00

Before you get on me, I don't live alone in the way that my parents do live upstairs and may occasionally make their way downstairs. But my basement is an apartment and it is my space, just as another apartment would be.

My brother will be moving in with me in about two months, and as I have started considering this, I have noticed that I have fallen in some habits that I'll probably have to change once I am sharing my space with someone.

Like doors.

When you live alone, doors kind of lose their meaning. I mean, I still close certain doors (ahem, bathroom) out of habit, but for the most part, there is no meaning to doors. Obviously, this will have to change.

Also, stuff. I just set my stuff down anywhere. I take my shoes off and leave them in the middle of the floor where anyone (including myself) can trip over them. Papers, work stuff, books, empty snack packages; all of these are strewn all over my living room and kitchen. What is that about? Who knew that I was such a slob? That's going to have to change.

Dishes. After living in an apartment without a dishwasher for four years, you'd think I'd be better at this, especially now that I have a dishwasher. I take forever to unload the dishes out of it, and then my dirty dishes pile up in my sink, and I don't hand wash them, and it's just a mess.

Ah. It's amazing how fast bad habits can build up when you aren't trying to keep anyone on your good side.

Well, I'ma gonna try to be a better housekeeper-a. I'm going to put my shoes in the basket by the door (or even in my ::gasp!:: closet) where they belong. I'll file or throw away papers. I'll unload the dishwasher and load it back up again. I'll close doors. So when my brother moves in with me, we will live together in comfort and peace.

Here's to trying!

Second Internship in Review

2011-08-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at Deseret Book. It was really hard to leave!

To correctly review this internship I have to go back to the last day of my internship at the Church magazines. That was the day I went to take the in-house editing test at Deseret Book. I was pretty nervous about this because I had never taken an editing test like this before and I really wanted this internship.

In the middle of the test I just got this feeling; God knew what I needed, and I needed to trust in that. After that I felt calm.

I heard back from them about two weeks later, and set up an interview for the next week. Walking into the interview, I was still nervous, but I felt like this was where I needed to be. Sitting with Suzanne and Lisa, it wasn't so much like an interview as a conversation. Yes, they asked me the usual interview questions, but I didn't feel like I was floundering for answers or to get my meaning across. I didn't feel as if they were really judging me, like you feel in some interviews. I left wanting the internship even more.

I got called back later that same day and was told that I was one of three people chosen for the internship! And I would start the next day!

There never was the same anxiety that I felt at the start of my first internship (I think part of that was because there just simply wasn't the time to get myself worked up, but mostly I just really wanted to be there).

This internship was so great because I was actually doing what I want to do as my career--working on books! I worked on fiction, nonfiction, reference, cookbooks, and even a songbook. I think they said that I worked on 42 projects in some form or another. In 16 weeks. Some of that was just prepress checks, or bluelines, or corrections checks which don't take that long. But I also did proofreads, pre-edits, and source checking which take a lot longer. I got to read some really great stuff (and some not so great . . . ).

It's good to know that the profession I chose for myself at 16 is what I actually enjoy doing. I loved my work these past few months. I loved the pace of it all, and I loved seeing the projects change and grow. And I really learned a lot, even from just seeing how other proofreader's marked a manuscript. I became a little more confident in my editing.

Now, on to another internship in a week. (I think I'm just going to be a professional intern.)

Homemade Rice Pudding

2011-08-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

When I went to London on my study abroad I fell in love with rice pudding. You just can't get good rice pudding in Utah. So I decided to find a recipe. I found a lot, but this was one of the easiest looking--and it has raspberries. Enjoy!

Rice Pudding with Raspberry topping (from Shirley Privratsky)

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup long grain rice (I used arborio, which is actually a short grain rice that is used in risotto because it is known to make a creamier mixture)
3 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk and sugar. Cook 20-30 minutes longer or until rice is tender and mixture is thick and creamy. (I had to cook it about 35 minutes, probably because I changed the kind of rice. Also, do this part with the lid off.) Remove from the heat; cool. Fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate.
Drain raspberries, reserving juice. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and reserved juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in raspberries. Remove from the heat; cool. (I totally did this part wrong, haha. I had forgotten to get the raspberries out of the freezer the night before to thaw, so when I went to make this, I had to resort to crushing up all the raspberries in order to get enough juice. Then I just decided to put the crushed raspberries in so it ended up being more like jam than a raspberry syrup.)
Spoon the rice pudding into individual dishes; top with the raspberry mixture. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

A Love Affair

2011-08-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

At fourteen I fell in love.

It was early 2002. The world was gathering in Salt Lake City, and he came with it. He was 21, with unruly curls, expressive eyes, and the voice of an angel. It was love at first listen.

From that time on, I was hooked. Our moments together were short and far between, but sweet and special. His name?

Josh Groban.

I loved him in a time and place where “Mormon housewives” were considered his fanbase. But they just didn’t know him like I did.

His first tour to Utah was in 2004, and the tickets sold out in 10 minutes—leaving me without. I was determined the next time he came, I would have tickets to his show.

That was in 2007, during his Awake tour. I dragged my brother to Salt Lake with me. It was amazing. The voice, the energy.

Fast forward to yesterday. Probably one of the best days of my life so far! My mom offered to go with me to the concert this time. I was a little anxious, hoping that she would enjoy it.

We got up to Salt Lake at about 7:15, and waited in line to get in. There was some confusion because ESA did something really different with tickets. They have these things called “Flash Seats.” Basically, you buy the tickets online with a credit card, and when you get there, the ushers swipe your card and print off your seat information. Well, we weren’t sure at first if you were supposed to go to Will Call or what, but after asking about 4 different people, we (and the people in line behind us) figured it out and got in.

Because I was willing (and able) to spend a little more money this year, we had much better seats. Last time Josh came, we sat up high in the nosebleeds, but this year we were on the right side of the stage about 21 rows up. Someday, I will make it onto the floor seats. I don’t know how much they cost or how you get them, but someday, I will be there.

The opening act was a pianist named Elew. Amazing!! He didn’t use a bench, just spread his legs to support himself. He would put his hand inside the piano and pluck strings, or whatever. There was one song that sounded like there were drums being played because of how he was playing. I can’t even tell you how amazing this guy was. I don’t even think listening to his CD would really give you the full affect.

Elew played for 30 minutes, then we waited for another 30 minutes as the roadies set up the stage and all that.

Then his band came out. The only thing I can compare this to is an overture, like in a musical. We were all watching the main stage, and almost missed Josh coming out near the back to the floor stage. The first song he played was one that I’m pretty sure I had never heard before.

Then he played another and then he talked. The thing that I don’t think people know about Josh Groban is how funny he is. He sings these beautiful, classical-like songs in different language, but he’s actually really funny. And he has so much energy. It’s just a good show that he puts on.

The band (Josh called them his “Groband”) played “Live or Let Die,” which was awesome, and then Josh came out and played the drums. What can I say, he’s a multitalented guy. Then he did something else that was a little different. Before the show they gave out this number that you could text to ask Josh a question, then they picked a few and he answered them. They put a light on the section and had the person stand up. He only answered three, but they were pretty funny. The last one asked Josh if he could play some of Kanye West’s Tweets (I guess he did this on one of those late night talk shows I don’t watch). That was pretty entertaining.

I just loved being at the concert. Feeling the music vibrate in your chest, and seeing the songs you love performed live. There is something about it. Especially when songs mean something to you. When Josh performed “Higher Window,” I almost cried, because I was really paying attention to what the words meant to me.

He ended with inviting four people onto the stage with him. He wanted a couple that had been together for a long time, a single girl, and then Ethan, this little boy that Josh had talked to earlier in the show. Ethan was so cute! The bodyguard lifted him onto the stage and he ran straight back to the band and high fived every single one of them. Then Josh got these blow up couches for his guests to sit on, brought some water and milk. (Seriously. They brought out an entire gallon of milk.) The couple had been together for 39 years and it was the girl’s birthday. Josh sang happy birthday to her!

Then he sang a song about cheating. Haha. But it was “Broken Vow” which is beautiful.

He sang two encore songs, one by Neil Diamond called “Play Me,” and then “You Raise Me Up.”

Then I bought a t-shirt and Mom and I got on the train to go home. The train was packed! I was pressed up against this random old guy. The first stop after we get on, the train stopped really fast and everyone was thrown forward with a unison “whoa!”

We finally got home at one in the morning, tired, but even more in love than I already was.

Thanks Mom for going with me! I loved being able to share something I love with you. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

(I was going to put videos up, but I’m still trying to figure that out. I will do it later, I guess.)

Review: Gary D. Schmidt

2011-08-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

About two or three years ago I read a book called The Wednesday Wars. It is an amazing book by author Gary D. Schmidt.

Set during the Vietnam War, it tells the story of Holling Hoodhood and how his teacher tortures him with Shakespeare.

This summer, I read the companion to this book, Okay for Now. Doug Swieteck, one of Holling's friends, has to move away from Long Island to a small town for his dad's job. There are several different strains of Doug's story, from the girl Lil, to Principal Peattie (who always refers to himself in the third person), to the playwright, to his brother Lucas who comes home from the war different, to Audubon's birds.

What I like so much about these two books is how sweet they are, how innocent but not the main characters are. Schmidt has you laughing out loud, then you turn the page and you're crying, then you're laughing again. Then you are crying and laughing at the same time. The emotions are real.

Read these books. They are fantastic.

Tales from a TRAX Rider: Protestors

2011-07-27T17:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was another adventure riding the UTA!

I stayed at work late to finish a project I had been working on. I get out to my stop about 35 minutes later than usually. The other line's train pulled up. And there it sat. And sat. And sat. For about 45 minutes it sat there! Meanwhile, my train is at the previous stop, right where I can see it. Finally the conductor comes out and says that they are trying to get everything started up again and the trains should be moving soon.

"You know what the problem is?" asks the unbelievable short man next to me.

"Yeah, apparently there is a protest at the courthouse," the conductor said. "Some of the protestors where sitting on the tracks. But they got the police there now."

Um, protestors? Sitting on the tracks? Are you kidding me?! I'm all for the right to assemble, but do they really have to ruin everyone else's day? I was already an hour late, I was hungry, I was tired, and I was grumpy.

Finally the other train moved and mine pulled up. Getting on, I just happen to get on the same car as that guy. You know the kind: the guy that complains about something without having all the information, and talks with a loud annoying voice to anyone who is polite enough to not ignore him. With my low blood sugar, headache, and exhaustion, I wanted nothing more for him to shut up.

He didn't, and just my luck, he stayed on until the last stop, which is also mine.

I finally got home two hours after I left the office.

Being a Teenager

2011-07-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

You remember being a teenager, right? Mood swings, acne, awkwardness, low self-esteem . . . yeah, it sucked. And yet, there are times in life when we revert back to being a teenager.

Like that middle aged guy in the fancy car. Fantasy car+the money to finally buy it+the need to be young again.

For me, I feel like I revert back to being a teenager whenever a big change comes into my life. Which I have been dealing with the past 7 months as I have transitioned from college student to intern. To intern. It probably doesn't help that I am back to living with my parents.

My life seems to be in a constant state of flux, which makes it hard to settle into this change. Every four months my life has changed.

My emotions seem to go from high to low quickly, just like when I was a teenager. I'm so self-concious, more so than when I was in school. It's like trying to discover a whole new me, and it's strange and, really, a bit uncomfortable.

I can't wait until things get a bit more settled and I can stop feeling like a teenager and more like my age--which is somewhere between not grown up and adult.

Sunday Special: It's a Choice

2011-07-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

One of the main things I hear against the LDS Church (Mormonism) is that it's members follow blindly without making any of their own decisions.

I think that this idea comes from many things. One is that people just don't understand our religion. They don't care enough to really learn about what we preach.

Another reason, I believe, is that it is the faults of the members.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think that anyone who truly loves this gospel ever willfully misrepresents our church. But I think that we live in a world where we feel like we have to make excuses for ourselves, no matter who we are or what we believe.

"I can't . . . I'm Mormon."

There was this t-shirt company that started making these "I can't . . . I'm Mormon" shirts awhile back. While I can see the humor in them, I think that this phrase perfectly illustrates what I'm trying to say; which is that sometimes we use our religion as an excuse.

By saying that we "can't" makes it seem like we are either ashamed of our religion or using it to take the easy way out. Is it a wonder that people think we let our religion rule our lives? We should be having our religion guide our lives. Instead of "I can't," it should be, "I don't."

What is wrong with just saying, "I don't drink coffee. I don't smoke. I don't drink, etc."? I almost feel like we are putting down our religion when we say "I can't."

Why do you follow the gospel?

I guess it really comes to your attitude. Do you follow the standards, doctrines, and principles of the gospel because you have to or because you choose to?

I hope that everyone lives the gospel because they choose to, not because they feel obligated. I hope they live it because they love God and Christ and they see that their lives will be better for it.

I don't drink alcohol just because I was told not too. I don't drink because, based on my religious beliefs, I have chosen not too. There is really nothing holding me back--I am over the legal drinking limit. But I have chosen not too.

It's a choice. And we should make it seem like we have made that choice--not just following blindly.

Memory Quilt, Part 3

2011-07-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry this has taken so long.

Now that you have squares done, put them in the order you want.

Then it is back to pressing seams!
And pinning!
Then you sew the squares together in a row.
Then you press and pin and sew all the rows together. After that press and pin and sew even more until all the rows are together into one big quilt top:
All that's left is picking out batting and a back, then tying the quilt and finishing it off.

Not Just a Summer Thing

2011-07-03T19:53:00.001-07:00

For the past five years (and probably more), summer was when I had to do all my "fun" reading. My mom (a librarian) would bring home a box of books, and I'd borrow them from her all summer long, as well as reading my favorites again and suggestions from friends.

This summer I have felt very anxious about getting all the reading down I want to this summer. I've got all these books I've got to get through, plus others that I want to read again. And then I realized something:

I can read all year long now!

I am no longer confined to summer to get all the reading done that I want to. It is hard to wrap my mind around this concept. I don't have to give it up to read books for class, and do my homework.

Pretty exciting discovery.

Being an LDS Single

2011-07-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

I was source checking in old Ensigns a couple of weeks ago when I came across a gem of an article in an old 1980s issue. I have no idea the name, year, or issue it was in, but it was pretty great. This article discussed the correct way to interact with single members of the Church. Imagine, if you will, that Steve Irwin did an episode on the Discovery Channel about LDS Singles. It would go a little something like this:

Steve: Here we can see the LDS Single in its natural habitat. Now, it's looking pretty tame right now, but just wait and see what happens when we start asking intrusive questions about its love life. Oh, this is going to be fun!

That was basically what the article was like . . . acting as if we LDS Singles are a different species and the "marrieds" don't quite know how to act around us. We are still just people! And members of the Church!

That being said, the article did make some good points. Like, you probably shouldn't say the following things to someone who is single:

"But you're so pretty/handsome! How can you not be married?"

"My wife's brother is single. You should go out!" (The second councilor in my bishopric said this. During a temple recommend interview.)

"So are you married? Why not?"

"Are you dating anyone? Better get on it!" (A bishop said this to me. When I was 19.)

"You have to stop being so picky . . . "

"You aren't getting any younger."

"Don't you want to get married?"

"Temple marriage is necessary to get into the Celestial Kingdom." (Yes, I have heard this. To clear this up, it is only necessary for exaltation, not admittance to the Celestial Kingdom.)

Here's a little advice, if you are truly nervous about talking to an LDS single. We have jobs, hobbies, and even families. There are plenty of subjects to talk about without bringing up the fact that they are single. If they bring it up, follow their lead.

Baby Shower Cupcakes

2011-06-24T14:10:00.001-07:00

Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 8oz package cream cheese cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup chocolate chips

Make a chocolate cake mix according to package directions. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and egg. Mix well. Add chocolate chips. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full with chocolate cake mix. Then place generous teaspoonful of cream cheese mixture on top. Press down lightly. Bake at 350 for 18 to 25 minutes or until they test down with a toothpick.

I decided that instead of frosting the cupcakes (not too big on frosting), I was going to try making little edible decorations out of starbursts. I chose red and pink because they matched the color theme of the baby shower I was hosting:
Put them on a plate (we did four at a time), and heat them up for about 6-8 seconds:
Roll them out, first going one way and then the next:
Cut with your favorite small cookie cutter. You might recognize this from when I made cookies earlier this year:

Place on the tops of the cupcakes. Success!
I'm pretty proud of these cupcakes and can't wait for the baby shower!

Conversations with My Father

2011-06-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

Dad walks in the kitchen.

Dad: Has anyone seen my glasses?

Me (pointing a finger at the glasses hooked on his shirt collar): Right there.

Dad looks appropriately ashamed as I laugh at how old he is getting--not only does he need reading glasses, but he's forgetting that he is wearing them!

Tales from a TRAX Rider

2011-06-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

When you ride public transportation frequently, you hear and see a lot of interesting things.

True, most of the people I ride with are either business people or university students, but there are those little treasures that make the ride worth telling. Here a couple of those stories:

The Artist

This happened my second day riding the train. I got on, sat down, took out my book, and started reading. About two stops later, a young-ish guy boards the train and sits down across from me, facing perpendicular to the direction I am facing. About 5 minutes later, he pulls something out of his bag. It's one of those sketch pads with the yellow covers. He starts drawing. No big deal. People do things like that on the train all the time. But then I notice something. He keeps looking over at me. Like, more than someone usually would. A thought starts forming in my mind. Trying to be sneaky, I stretch a little and glance over at him. Fortunately, the pad was turned just enough toward me that I could see what was on it. And what should I find but a portrait of myself! I smile, but I try to decide whether this is flattering or creepy.

The Jailbirds

So, I'm on my way home from work. Two kids get on. A boy and a girl, probably not older than 19. And they talk as if there is no one else on the entire train. First I learn that they are going to go visit the girl's boyfriend, who is in jail. Then I learn that the boy has been in jail on more than one occasion. Then I learn that the girl's boyfriend has threaten to beat up the boy because he thinks something might be going on between them. The girl has assured her boyfriend that they aren't like that. The guy talks about how whenever he gets out of jail and they give him back his steet clothes they always smell, "like the guard." Then the girl starts talking about some guy they both know that had the hots for her mom, but only because he wanted some place to sleep. The girl's mom had a boyfriend at the time. Then the girl talks about all the boys that propositioned her for sex (as a sidenote, this girl was not a skanky looking girl. She was pretty hefty, wearing basketball shorts and a baggy t-shirt. Take that as you will.). But don't worry, she wouldn't ever do that to her boyfriend (remember him? The one in jail?), because she loves him and would never hurt him that way. At this point in their conversation, they reach their stop and get off. I kind of wonder what else I would have learned about their very colorful lives if they had stayed on?

Add that in with the gaggle of Seattle soccer fans cheering the whole way to the stadium, the number of white wannabee gangstas, and the homeless people that get on in the "free fare zone", it can be a pretty interesting ride.

Homesick

2011-06-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to be homesick for a place where you spent only two months?

My heart aches for England. It has haunted my dreams and followed me in the books I've been reading and songs I have heard (a few days ago the song "London Calling" came on while I was going to work). I have been watching BBC TV shows/miniseries. My brain has been thinking of all the things I would like to see if I ever get to go back. I miss ancient buildings. I miss . . . it's hard to describe what I miss. All I know is that I would go back at any opportunity.

Because it has been on my mind, here is my list:

In London

Hatchard's bookshop, est. 1797

Kensington Palace

Doctor Who Experience (yes, I am an unashamed fangirl)

Hampstead Heath

St. Paul's Cathedral

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Outside London

Chawton House/Cottage

Lake District

Stratford-upon-Avon

There's more, including things I've already see and places I've already been to that I would like to see again, but these are specifics. I would love to just be able to walk along the Thames at night again. Hopefully I'll be able to go back again (and again and again)!

Another Item to Add to My Bucket List

2011-06-09T20:10:00.001-07:00

So, about a month ago another blog that I read directed me to 75 Abandoned Theaters From Around the USA. I'll give you a minute to take a look.

::whistling::

*Looks at watch*

Okay. Did you see how beautiful those old theaters are? It breaks my heart to know that they are just wasting away, becoming the camp grounds of druggies, stupid teens, and graffiti "artists." Theaters like that just aren't made anymore.

About halfway through the pictures, I got a big urge to buy one of those theaters and restore it to all it's former glory. Maybe I'd make it into a movie house that shows classic movies on the weekends. Or maybe I would put on plays.

Basically, I just can't stand knowing that they aren't being appreciated, so one day, when I have loads of money from marrying that rich handsome man, I am going to do it.

Veggie Quiche

2011-06-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

I had a roommate in college who was wizard at putting random ingredients together and making them taste yummy. She made this quiche which was great, so I talked with her a bit about what she usually made it with. I make dinner for my parents every Friday and I made quiche one week. It was way yum! So I thought I would share the recipe.

Vegetable Quiche

6-8 eggs

1 cup of milk

fresh spinach (don't use frozen, it makes it watery and the eggs don't cook in the center)

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow or white onion

1 clove garlic

mushrooms (optional--I don't like mushrooms so I didn't put them in)

tomato-basil feta cheese

salt and pepper

2 deep dish frozen pie crusts

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and put in the pie crusts (makes 2 pies--but quiche is easily frozen). Bake for 30-45 minutes until the center is firm. If your crust starts to burn, cover with aluminum foil.

Enjoy!

(To reheat frozen quiche, thaw the pie in the refrigerator. Then bake at 375 for 23-35 minutes, until the middle reaches a temperature of 165.)

A Very Jane Austen Review

2011-06-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Jane Austen Ruined My Life

Author: Beth Patillo

Rating: 4 stars

Jane Austen ruined Emma's life. Because of Jane Austen, Emma believed in a "happily ever after," but after finding her husband in a comprising situation with her TA, all hopes of the happily ever after are dashed.

A Jane Austen scholar, Emma decides to go to England to try and discover the "lost Austen letters"--the letters that Cassandra supposedly destroyed. Along the way, Emma learns what love really is and the truth about "happily ever afters."

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't trying to rewrite Jane Austen, it wasn't using Austen's characters. It was a look into "what ifs." I always like a good speculation. Jane Austen is shrouded in mystery, and I think that this is a very respectful and historically based to who we know Jane Austen was and who Jane Austen could have been based on her novels.

If you like Jane Austen, England, and a good book, I recommend this book. It's clever and a quick read.

You Can Learn from TV!

2011-06-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

So, I was proofreading a novel at work and came across this word:

anticlimatic

Well, now, someone else would just overlook this word. But not me, no sir! Because I used to watch TV (used to . . . ha!) and I learned something from it.

See, I used to watch this TV show called "Joan of Arcadia." In one episode, Joan is talking to someone (well, God) and she says "That's mad anticlimatic."

God looks down at her. "Anticlimactic. Anticlimatic means that you're . . . against the weather."

That was 7 years ago that was on TV, and I still remember that. I will not be tripped up by anticlimatic ever again!!

One of THOSE Days

2011-06-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

I wake up this morning to a general feeling of unwellness. I'm just tired, I think to myself as I take my shower, make my bed, get dressed, and do my hair and makeup. I'm not as hungry as I usually am by the time my body catches up to me, but I eat my dry cereal as my mom and I head out the door.

My book can't seem to hold my attention. I just need to get into a bit more, I think. I put my book down and flip through a magazine instead as I wait for my time to drive to the TRAX station. I sing along with a newly purchased album on my iPod (going through the car's tape deck) and get to the station, a bit later than normal, but on time to catch the train.

I have been reading on the train the past two weeks. Though I suffer from horrible motion sickness, it doesn't usually affect me on the train. About halfway through the train ride, my head starts getting that dizzy icky feeling of motion sickness. I probably just didn't eat enough breakfast, I think, I'll feel better once I get to work. I put my book away and try not to stare out the window at the scenery rushing by one long blur.

An hour later, the motion sick feeling still hasn't gone away. I think that if I eat some crackers, I'll feel better. Nope. Maybe I should drink some more water. Nope. Even doing my work seems to aggravate my head. The motion of my eyes going back and forth on the page make me feel like I'm on a carnival ride. It's getting a little ridiculous. Finally, it's lunch time. A bit of fresh air, and some sugar in my system will do me good.

Though a bit windy, it is a beautiful day. I don't read my book like I usually do. I just eat my lunch and people watch. I feel better. Good, it's finally going away, I think. I go back to work and sit at my desk to continue my reading, and the tilt-a-whirl starts back up. Do doddle do do do. I'm getting kind of tired of this.

After I finishing my proofreading, I am given a picture. "Find the artist's name for this," I'm told. Here are the things I know about this picture: it's the nativity, and it is a woodcut print. No title. Not even a time period. I spend the last 2 1/2 hours of my day going through thousands of pictures trying to find it. No go. None of my search terms seems to work. Finally, it's time to go home. I am so exhausted! All I have to do is get on the train and get home.

I stop to talk to the editor who gave me the picture. Because of this I am a bit later leaving and miss the train by 5 seconds. I have to wait another 15 minutes for the next one to come. Then, about 5 stops from mine, there is a bump and the train goes quiet. It coasts into the station and stops. While the conductor tries to figure out how to fix it, we sit. For 15 minutes.

And that's when I think: Today is just one of those days. But at least I got to talk to the cute new mailroom guy.

Who Am I?

2011-05-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

I love going to the theatre. There's an excitement as you walk in and see the gold leaf on the walls, the red velvet curtains hiding the stage. The chandelier glitters above you and all around you are the murmurs and conversations of the audience. The orchestra sits unseen, tuning their instruments and running scales.

You sit and take it all in, waiting with anticipation for the show to start. Then the lights dim and the music starts. The curtains are drawn back and you are transported to a different world. Shivers run down your spine as the characters start to sing.

I went to see one of the greatest musicals today; Les Miserables at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake. It was my first time seeing the original production (I had seen the school version when I was 16). What a beautiful and moving show! I was brought to tears many times, as I was transported to 19th century France, following the plight of Jean ValJean, a man who spends his life righting his wrongs, and running from the man who believes only in justice. It is a tale of mercy, love, redemption, and valor.

I came away singing.

Little Secrets

2011-05-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

Here are a few admissions of my guilty little secrets:

I joined "Friends of Josh Groban" (Josh Groban's fan club) just so I could buy tickets to his concert a day early--which meant that essentially I paid an extra $20 for tickets.
Sometimes, when a car moves out from behind me to pass me, I'll speed up just enough to keep them from getting in front of me. I will also do this if a driver waits until the last second to merge.
I will buy an audiobook, not because I am particularly interested in the book, but because it is read by David Tennant. MMmmmm, sexy Scottish man voice!
I have read more than 70 books in the past 4 1/2 months alone.
YouTube is my favorite! I have watched entire movies and seasons of TV shows on it.
I love Disney Pop. Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, and even some Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus (Gasp!) all have a place on my iPod.
I'm a total celebrity gossip. I love reading People magazine and looking at all the pictures from award shows and knowing who is dating who. It's all so stupid.
I still sleep with a stuffed animal.
Sometimes I get so involved in characters' lives that I genuinely feel happy or sad when things happen in their lives.
I cry over just about everything. It doesn't help that I am a sympathetic cryer. And that I cry when I laugh. Curse these over productive tear ducts!
I like to pretend that I am someone so much cooler than me. You know, graceful, talented, witty, charming, fashionable, and elegant. Because usually I trip and say "um . . . " a lot.

The Times They Are a Changin'

2011-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how fast life can change.

Four weeks ago I took a test. And finished my internship at the Church Magazines. Then for the following three weeks I heard nothing from the internships I had applied to.

For three weeks I read books and watched TV, waiting to hear.

Then in one week I had two interviews set up (on the same day). I went to the interviews, which ended up being a very long day. While I was taking the test at the second interview, I could feel my phone vibrating in my purse. I check it after I leave, and it's an offer for the publishing internship at Deseret Book! And it would be starting the next day!

Whoo! It was crazy!

So I started that internship on Wednesday. I felt so much more prepared and relaxed going into this internship than I did when I started at the New Era. I think it mostly was because 1) I had already had experience, and 2) I didn't have weeks to work myself up about it, just a few hours. Haha.

The editing team at DB is a lot smaller than I would have thought, with only 4 editors and the three of us interns. This means that I will always be busy, which is fabulous. After a little bit of training, they got us started. Instead of an office, I have a cubicle. And it is right next to John Bytheway's. Oh yes! Of course, I don't think he comes in very often, but hey. I only work three days a week, from 9-5. And I get to work with books! Big long, involved books! And novels!

It's fantastic!

And tough. I've been working on a book that talks about LDS Beliefs (I think it might actually be called that, but I don't know), where they quoted from a text they can't quote from, so I have been going through and finding all of the places it has been cited and then trying to find that same quote in two other texts that we can use. It is time consuming, and can be interesting, and tedious. I finished the part I had yesterday, and was rewarded with be able to start proofreading a novel!

In one week my life has changed quite drastically, but for the better. I have truly been lucky this past year, luckier than most people.

Words of Truth, Mr. Hugo

2011-05-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

So I was reading in Les Miserables last night when I came across this little piece of wisdom that I thought was particularly fitting for my situation:

. . . nothing is more dangerous than discontinued labor; it is a habit lost. A habit easy to abandon, difficult to resume.

A certain amount of reverie is good, like a narcotic in discreet doses. It soothes the fever, occasionally high, of the brain at work, and produces in the mind a soft, fresh vapor that corrects the all too angular contours of pure thought, fills up the gaps and intervals here and there, binds them together, and dulls the sharp corners of ideas. But too much reverie submerges and drowns. Woe to the intellectual who lets him fall completely from thought into reverie! He thinks he will rise again easily, and he says that, after all, it is the same thing. An error!

Thought is the labor of the intellect, reverie its pleasure. To replace thought with reverie is to confound poison with nourishment.

On the Event of Mother's Day

2011-05-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

Mother o' Mine by Rudyard Kipling

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If Life Were a Musical . . .

2011-04-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of my some favorite movie musicals (before anyone gets on me about a certain musical not on this list [or a musical on this list], please note that it says movie musicals). This discludes (which I know isn't a word, but it should be) all Disney musicals (because I like most of them). The list would also be too long to list all of my favorite classic musicals with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and all them.

Singing in the Rain (1952)

Okay, this does have Gene Kelly in it, but it is the ultimate Gene Kelly musical! If I could only watch one Kelly movie for the rest of my (the horror!), it would be this one. Debbie Reynolds is beautiful in it. And it is so funny! Wonderful songs, wonderful dancing. Love it.

R&H's Cinderella (1957)

This is the very first R&H Cinderella. History lesson: This was written for TV, and this was a live broadcast--there was no dubbing, no going back and cutting. And I love Julie Andrews. She is beautiful, graceful, classy, and had a wonderful voice. The clip above is "My Own Little Corner," but if you watch all of it, you will see that her ball gown is far superior to any other R&H Cinderella, as is the rest of the musical. Unless, you know, you like the impossibility of the Brandy version, with a white king, a black queen, and an Asian prince.

My Fair Lady (1964)

Who doesn't love this musical? I do have to say, that I think Julie Andrews was cheated out of the part of Eliza, considering she played her on Broadway, but I do have a love for Audrey Hepburn. And Marni Nixon (who dubbed Audrey's singing) has a wonderful voice (you have also heard her voice in other movie musicals such as The King and I, and West Side Story).

The Sound of Music (1965)

Another Julie Andrews. What can I say? I just really like her. This is another movie that I think it is impossible not to love. Christopher Plummer is so handsome and has those beautiful bright blue eyes. The songs are wonderful, the scenery sublime, and the kids are just so darn cute. This is the ultimate love story.

Finian's Rainbow (1968)

This is a movie that most people don't know about, which is a shame. It has Fred Astaire in it (obviously an older Fred Astaire, not that that hampered his dancing at all), and Petula Clark. It is the story of an Irish man and his daughter "following the rainbow" to a small American town. The scene I linked to is one of my favorite songs, but it isn't a very good introduction to the movie, which I apologize for. Basically, just get the movie and watch it. It's very 70s, but has great music and a fun story (including leprechauns!)

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

This scene was my favorite when I was little. I used to rewind the tape and watch it over and over again, driving my siblings crazy! This is a heartwarming, sometimes funny sometimes sad, story with beautiful music.

Slipper and the Rose (1976)

This is another not very well known musical, but one that I grew up watching. It is Cinderella, but my favorite thing about this movie is that it doesn't end with finding Cinderella, it goes beyond that to the difficulty of the prince wanting to marry a servant girl. You will laugh at the King and the Dowager Queen, you will sigh with satisfaction when Cinderella and the prince first meet, and you will be singing the beautiful songs. My favorite song is "Tell Him," sung by Cinderella. It's a wonderful version of the Cinderella tale. (BTW, the costumes are gorgeous!)

Moulin Rouge (2001)

Let's skip several decades and get to the 2000s. Moulin Rouge. It's a slightly risque film, as well as being bizarre, but the integration of contemporary songs is great, and the love story is beautiful. The song I linked to is "Roxanne." Basically I just love that they made Roxanne a tango.

Hairspray (2007)

The reason I linked to this scene in Hairspray is because I think the words are so hilarious! "Nice WHITE kids," and "He's Corny!" Hairspray is fun and colorful, with catchy music, and a great cast.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog (2008)

Okay, Joss Whedon is a genius. I love his work and this is no exception. This is the story of super villain, Dr. Horrible, the girl he loves, Penny, and his arch nemesis, Captain Hammer. It's completely ridiculous, but you will love it. The song I linked to is a song that I used to sing every time I did laundry in my apartment's laundry room. "Underthings, tumbling."

Anyway, there you go. Hopefully you have been introduced to some movie musicals you haven't seen before. Go watch them! You won't regret it, I swear!

Memory Quilt, Part 2

2011-04-29T13:38:00.001-07:00

Here's the first part of this project.

Okay, so part two involved sewing the rows of three squares together. Take one row and lay the adjoining squares back-to-back and pin. (One side onto the middle square at a time.)

Once you pin, sew! You want about 1/4" seam. I'm not a seamstress. As such, I didn't really stress over the straightness or size of my sewing. I also kept having problems with the sewing machine--the thread kept slipping off of it's little thingy, which caused problems when I tried to run the fabric through. I discovered it was because I was going too slow, so I sped up and this helped to keep my seams a bit straighter, too.

This is how one row should look after you had sewed all three squares together. Do this with all the rows.

When you're done with all the rows, lay them on top of each other so you can remember which row you want on top. Then fold the pile in thirds and put back in the plastic bags until you are ready for the next part (which is coming soon!).

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Because I am an Anglophile and a romantic, I did something that my father thought was absolutely crazy. I woke up way early in the morning to watch Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding.

This is the way I see it. I may never again see an heir to the British throne get married. I mean, I could, but this was the wedding of the decade! When people talk about weddings, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's comes to mind. Sure, that story had a horrible ending, but the wedding! Ah, the wedding! Thirty years later it is still talked about as the fairytale wedding. Well, this story was even more of a fairytale. Commoner turned Princess. I don't envy Kate for the life she will lead, but the idea of meeting a prince and him falling in love with you is something just about every girl dreams about.

Anyway, here is the timeline of the night:

2:35 am: My alarm goes off. I go and wake my mom up so we can watch this momentous occasion together. My dad continues sleeping.

3:15 am: Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey. William was obviously nervous. He tugged at his collar, smoothed his hair, tugged at the front of his uniform, and hit his hands together. But he smiled and chatted with the guests, and took some teasing from his brother. They both looked very handsome in their uniforms.
3:45 am: The Queen and Prince Phillip arrive at Westminster Abbey immediately following Prince Charles and the duchess. The Queen wore a yellow hat.

3:50 am: Kate and her dad leave the Goring Hotel. We are finally awarded a view of The Dress--one of the biggest secrets about the wedding.

4:00 am: Kate arrives at Westminster Abbey. Her dress is gorgeous. Classy, simple, and so very Kate. She has a nice train--gratefully nothing like Diana's 25-foot train.

4:10 am: Kate makes the 600-ft walk down the Abbey aisle. This is something that I am so glad I don't ever have to do--not that I'd ever have to walk down a 600-ft aisle, but walking down an aisle with all those people looking at you? No thank. Anyway, Kate walks down the aisle and stands next to William. This is the first time William sees Kate in her dress. He smiled at her and leaned over. You could just make out him telling her that she looked beautiful (awww!).
4:15 am: They get married. It was actually a very nice ceremony.

4:30 am: Mom and I set a tape to record the rest of the coverage just in case there is anything we want to see (like the kiss on the balcony) and then go back to bed.

Photo Walk

2011-04-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

So, I am on Spring Break--well, in a manner of speaking. I don't have a job and my internship has ended, so it is kind of a forced Spring Break. At the moment, I don't mind, but if this goes on too long I'm pretty sure I will get desperate.

Anyway, I decided to not spend the whole day in bed being lazy (I know, shocker). After the morning warmed up a bit, I borrowed my dad's DSLR and took a walk. It has been a long time since I was able to take a walk in the middle of the day.

Here are some of my favorites:

Playing around with F-stops

Springtime is coming!

Last of the morning dew

Internship in Review

2011-04-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

About four months ago, I stood at a bus stop at 6:45 in the morning, watching my mother drive off. Though I was 22, I felt as if I were 5 years old again on the first day of school. Watching my mom drive off, I thought "How could she just drive off like that? How can she leave me here!" I felt betrayed, and nervous.

It was my first day of my internship, and I was scared to death. Two weeks before I had graduated from BYU, and I was walking into the real world for the first time and I had no idea what to expect.

An hour later I got off the bus in Salt Lake City. The sun was just coming up, and my nerves were running crazy. About two hours later I had gone through all the new employee stuff and was on the way up with the other interns. I was walking in wide-eyed wonder, with a haze over my mind. Everything seemed to not quite make sense. I met the New Era staff, which was short a managing editor. Six hours later I was on the bus to go home and I was exhausted.

After the first week or so, I had gotten into a rhythm. Everything wasn't quite as new and different. About a month into the internship I was given the opportunity to do something I had never done before--I performed an interview with two high school seniors. My supervisor was out for a surgery, making our small staff even smaller. But this was good in a way because it gave me the opportunity to work closer with the other two members of the staff.

Another month goes by and we have a new managing editor and my supervisor is back. I perform another interview, over the phone this time. I learned how hard it is to make a 14-year-old talk. By this time I became more confident in giving my opinions in meetings and realy felt like I was really a valid member of the staff. The entire curriculum department was getting ready for general conference at this point. The coolest thing happened--I got to read all the conference talks before conference. It was awesome! It was also about this time that I realized that the internship was coming to an end soon and that I needed to start thinking about the future.

I applied for an open position at the magazines and an internship at Deseret Book. The magazine job didn't work out, and I just took the test for DB. The last month of my internship was spent finishing up conference stuff, and writing stories. Yesterday was my last day.

When I started this internship, I was scared. I didn't know if I would like it; I never thought I would work for the Church. But everyone talked about what a good experience it would be, and that I would learn a lot. And I knew I needed experience. Turns out that I loved it! Where I thought reading GA talks all day would be boring, I enjoyed it. I learned so much, and felt my testimony grow. I received inspiration. It was amazing.

I also felt that I needed this internship, and that God knew I needed it. Not to give me editing experience, and not necessarily for me to read all of those GA talks, though that was probably part of it. But I needed it to grow stronger. I needed the courage I got from it, and I needed to learn that I can work through things and be okay. It was hard.

I am grateful for the chance to have learned so much.

Life After College

2011-04-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

After 17 years of school, you are just about ready to call it all quits. Good thing it's your last semester of college. Instead of writing that 10 page research paper, you daydream about how good life is going to be once you graduate. No more teachers. No more text books. And best of all, no more tests. Oh yeah, life is gonna be good.

Reality Check!

I have been graduated for four months and this is what I have learned. School doesn't end! The world becomes your classroom, except you don't know who your teacher is, there is no syllabus, and every test is a surprise. Of course, there are no grades, but if you mess up it could mean your career.

You don't realize how easy school really is. True! You live in low rent housing, you go to class, you have a job that gives you enough money for what you need, you don't need a car, you aren't paying for insurance, you don't have to worry about what you are going to be doing in four months. You get to be around people your own age, and do fun and crazy things with them. It's so nice to be in that kind of environment.

Then you graduate. Maybe you move to a new city, maybe you move home to live in your parents' basement. Maybe you have a job, maybe an internship, or maybe you have to start out pounding pavements. Your future is hazy, and you can't see past the next bend in the road. And you're wishing you were back in school . . .

Being a college grad isn't all bad. You finally realize how stupid grades are. You have freedom to do what you want in the evenings when you get home from work. No homework! You no longer have that guilty feeling that comes when you are out having fun and the 100 pages of reading you haven't done yet crosses your mind. You can read whatever you want, at whatever pace is takes--you finally enjoy reading the classics. You can gloat over all your college friends as they complain about finals. You finally feel as if your life can move forward now, instead of just remaining stagnant.

Yes, life after college can be scary, and hard. But it can be fun too. I like knowing that I made it through college and now have a BA. Sometimes I think about college and wish that I were still there, but it doesn't last long.

The past is in the past, and the future is before me.

Hi, I'm Whitney and I'm an Anglophile

2011-04-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me very well, knows that I LOVE England. I love the country, I love the culture, I love things that come out of England (sweets, people, history, news, movies, television, books). If I could, I would move back to London in a second. Or any other city/town in England.

Well, today I'm going to talk about my favorite BBC shows. English people and English humor, I'm all for it. In fact, there was a time last year after I had gone through my BBC TV phase when I started watching an American fantasy show and couldn't even finish watching the first episode because "they don't have English accents!" I'm not that bad all the time. I swear!

Anyway, here are my favorite BBC shows starting from the oldest (with some links to scenes):

Fawlty Towers (1975)

*Hint: If you like Monty Python, you will love this. It has John Cleese in it.

*Synopsis: About an incompetent inn owner and the guests that come and stay in his hotel.

*Hilarious! One of my favorite episodes involves Germans.

All Creatures Great and Small (1978)

*Hint: Just watch the first three seasons. They took a 8-year break or something in between the third and fourth seasons, and changed one major actor. I don't think I made it through the first episode of the fourth season.

*Synopsis: About a young man who becomes a veterinarian in a small York town pre-WWII.

*Absolutely hilarious! The members of the town are so funny. There are also some very heartwarming parts. I remember this one part about a man and his dog that made me cry. Based on the real life and memoirs of James Herriot

As Time Goes By (1992-2005)

*Synopsis: Two people who fell in love when young find each other in their "golden years" and fall in love again.

*Okay, there is so much good to say about this series. First: Dame Judi Dench. Second: Geoffrey Palmer. Third: Alistair. The great thing about this is that it just shows that people can fall in love no matter what stage of life they may be in. And it's funny

Marple (2004?)

*This one is hard to say because they are actually little short minis instead of an actual series. Started in 2004, I think. There are a lot of Miss Marple's out there, but Geraldine McEwan is the best.

*Synopsis: A little old woman uses her skills of observation to solve mysteries.

*Just homey and fun to watch. Miss Marple is a wonderful little lady. Based on the book series by Agatha Christie

Doctor Who (2005-present)

*Hint: So, I don't really know where to put this because it is actually a continuation of the 1968 series. But you don't need to watch all forty years to understand it. And if you do want to go back and watch some of the older ones, watch Tom Baker's doctor. He's one of the best.

*Synopsis: About a time-traveling alien called simply Doctor. His adventures with his companions as he fights other aliens and saves the world, and the universe.

*Everyone who knows Doctor Who has "their" doctor. My Doctor is David Tennant, the tenth doctor. The Doctor is satirical, serious, funny, scary, good, kind, and intense. Watch it, you will love it. Sometimes I just have to go back and watch all my favorite episodes (which ends up being almost all of them).

Robin Hood (2006)

*Hint: So much better if you watch with someone and make cookies. :)

*Synopsis: It's Robin Hood, there's not much else I can say.

*It's a little cheesy. But fun. Everyone needs a little Robin in their life.

Merlin (2008-present)

*Synopsis: The story of the young Merlin as he tries to hide his magic in a kingdom where it is illegal all while saving Prince Arthur with it.

*I really like this, but I've been having a hard time watching the third season, though I'm sure it is just as good.

Sherlock (2010-present)

*Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes updated to this time. Follow him and Dr. Watson as they solve mysteries and deal with the mysterious Moriarty.

*This is absolutely wonderful! It has a very dry humor, which is actually pretty characteristic of the English. Be warned though, watching the first season will leave you wanting much, much more!!

So, there you go! Maybe next time I'll tell you all about my favorite British miniseries! Have a good one.

The Shopping Theory

2011-04-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago my mom and I went shopping. After not finding anything I wanted to buy, I very dejectedly left the store. As we were leaving, my mom said, "Shopping is kind of like dating." And you know what? It really is. I mean, think about it.

What's the first thing you do when you walk in a store? You start browsing. You pick out a few clothes that are attractive to you (and a few that aren't), carrying them around with you until you're ready to try them on. What's the first thing you do when you move into a new ward, or start a new class? You browse! You find what is attractive to you, get to know them, until you're ready to try them out.

Then it's time for the dressing room. This is hard, because you are putting yourself out there. You are in your most vulnerable state. You pick the first piece of clothing and pull it on. Maybe it fits maybe it doesn't. Maybe it makes you look and feel great, chances are it doesn't. When you go on a date with a guy, you are putting yourself out there. And sometimes it works out with the guy, mostly it doesn't. You just don't feel great when you're with him, even though it is a perfectly nice shirt that looks good on that other girl in the dressing.

Once you weed through the clothes in the dressing room (and you have to go through a lot just to get two or three items you like), you put back the ones you don't like. At this point there is a lot more digging into the clothes you have chosen. First thing you do, look at the price. You don't want to have to give too much for that shirt--I mean, after all, you have to eat and pay rent still. No point investing too much for something only so so. Then you look at the care directions. Dry clean? Too high maintenance. Hand wash? It's a possibility, though not ideal. I would be willing to make changes if I really liked the shirt. Line dry? Definitely doable. The best though is just plan old washer and dryer.

If you leave with one shirt, you're going to think of that shopping trip a success.

But, unfortunately, sometimes nothing you try on works. Either they are too loose, too tight, too long, too complex, too scratchy, too short; they make you look boxy, fat, or buxom. The fabric which looked so pretty on the hanger or the mannequin ends up being weird on a real body. (Of course, I have to take a moment and say that sometimes something that you didn't like at all when it was on the hangar looks AMAZING on you. But I digress.) And, so, you dejectedly leave the store empty handed. It's hard to feel confident and happy after something that beats you down like looking terrible in everything you try on. You look around at all the other customers and they all look happy and amazing and you start wondering what is wrong with you. So, you resolve not to go shopping again. You'll just be happy with what you have at home (or with the plain t-shirt that isn't to exciting, but it's safe).

Of course, we are women--we can't stop shopping for too long. So, a couple of months later finds us back in the store, looking for that one shirt that will make us look, feel, and be awesome.

Book Review: Moon Over Manifest

2011-04-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

Title: Moon Over Manifest

Author: Clare Vanderpool

Moon Over Manifest is Vanderpool's first novel, and 2010's Newberry Medal winner. In short, the novel is about WWI, the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, Prohibition, family, the past, religion, fortune tellers, spies, hobos, love, emigration, trains, bootlegging, small towns, and influenza. Sorry, that wasn't really short was it?

The book is told in several different ways. There is the main narrative told by Abilene. Then there is the secondary narrative told in third person. There is also newspaper articles and letters.

This is one of those books that I felt an emotional connection too. I was brought to tears several times throughout the book. A cover blurb by a two-time Newberry Honor winner called Moon "the best book I've read in ages." And I have to agree.

Conference Project, Part 1

2011-04-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

For conference this year I decided to work on a project instead of just sitting around and watching. Those of you who know me know that I am not a "crafty" sort of person, but I decided to make a "memory" quilt out of shirts and pants from my college years. The first thing I did was collect what I was going to use, and then decided how big I wanted the individual squares. Then it was time to cut them out:

I used a rotary blade and the square pattern was just from a cardboard box. I cut on the floor, but my knees and back got tired easily. I would recommend using the table or something else. (UPDATE: Seriously, use a table! I woke up this morning with my entire body sore from leaning over and cutting. Not pleasant.)
These are the cut out squares.
After I got all the squares cut out (it took about 1 and 1/2 sessions), I laid out the squares into the 9-square blocks that I wanted. There were some squares that I wanted in a specific way.
I made sure that I piled the squares up in a way so that I would remember how they all went.
Then I put them in individual baggies to keep all the blocks separated and in order. Soon, I hope to get to the sewing and then I can decide the order of the blocks.

My Title of Liberty

2011-03-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

I know this is probably obvious from references I have made in previous posts, but I don't think I've ever come out and said it:

I am a member of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.

I believe in God the eternal Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. I believe that they are three separate beings with distinct roles and purposes. I believe that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone. I believe that I can have the Holy Ghost with me at all times, as long as I am following the commandments of God.

I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament and that He came to this earth as a babe, and that He suffered in the garden of Gethsemane and died on Calvary. I believe He did this for me, and for all people.

I believe that Heavenly Father still speaks to living prophets. Miracles are not just something that happened in the Bible. Prayers always get answered. These may not be the big events we read about in scripture, but they do happen.

I believe the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It testifies of Christ, and is a second witness of Him along with the Bible. ("Out of the mouth of two witnesses . . . ") I also believe that there are more records that we don't know about, because I believe that God and Jesus Christ spoke and testified to all men, of every nation. They still do.

I believe in the saving power of repentance. All of us can be forgiven. All of us have the opportunity to make it back to live with our Heavenly Father.

I believe in families. I believe in marriage between a man and a woman.

I am an American. I believe in following the law of the land as long as it is not immoral or contradictory to the commandments of God.

I believe that I chose to be sent to this earth, even though I knew the trials I would face. I believe that I have divine gifts and a divine purpose. I believe that I can receive heavenly help in completing that purpose.

I am a child of God.

I'm A Winner!

2011-03-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have never won anything in my life. I have entered drawings, and contests. All for nothing. Until today! I won two books from Janette Rallison's give away today! I have been entering the give away every day, and never thought anything would come of it, but just take a look at this!

Being persistent pays off!

(BTW, y'all can now enter, since I won)

Free? Yes Please!

2011-03-14T17:15:00.001-07:00

If you're like me and like books and free stuff, you should check this out!

I love Janette Rallison's books. They are sweet, funny, heartwarming, and unique. Take a look at the link above and see what you think!

(But don't enter to win, because I want to win! ;) )

Vampires in the Closet

2011-03-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

I don't remember being the kind of kid who had her parents check under the bed and in the closet for monsters. I think I was scared of witches for, like, a day after I had a bad dream about them. And I once asked my mom if anyone had died in our house because I was scared of it being haunted. There was also a time when I was a little afraid of burglars (funny story, I used to try to make myself as small as I could in my bed so that if burglars ever did get in our house, maybe they wouldn't see me and kill me. I had a little too vivid of an imagination as a kid, but I digress). These weren't long lasting fears; usually a day, at most a week.

There was one time in my childhood, though, when I became terrified of something. Vampires. I don't know what it was, I don't even remember reading or seeing anything with vampires at that age. I had to have been between 5 and 7, and I just remember thinking that a vampire was going to sneak up on me, chomp their sharp teeth on my neck and suck my blood. Somehow, I even knew that vampires didn't have reflections, so in the bathroom while I was looking in the mirror, I would keep a hand behind my back in case a vampire came up behind me so I could feel them if they were there (because I also was certain that they could go through walls). I don't know how long this fear lasted--in my imperfect memory it was at least two months if not longer. I never told anyone about my fear of vampires, I just went through it alone.

This was a completely irrational fear. There are no such things as vampires (sorry Twihards, but it's true). I lived in fear of having my blood sucked and never talked to anyone who could have calmed my fear. Though I no longer have a fear of vampires, I find myself doing almost the exact same thing in other cases.

These are just as irrational fears as being scared of the big V. And yet, there they are, making me put my figurative arm behind my back as protection, all the while not sharing my fears with another person who could possibly help me calm them. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem too. What makes us so afraid of nonexistent things while not paying attention to the real things in our lives? And why don't we tell anyone?

I have learned a little bit that there is someone I can always rely on. I have knelt on my knees many times and described to my Father the fears I have of life's vampires. Sometimes it doesn't get rid of that fear, but it does give me the courage to put down my arm and go about my life with only a small fear in my brain. But by putting down my hand, I am able to see past my fear and face it.

We all have vampires in our lives. We just need to learn how to turn to our Father for help in calming that fear, and for the courage to face it.

Josh Groban

2011-03-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I'm totally going to it. :)

Movie Review: I Am Number Four

2011-03-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

Okay, first off, I was so excited to go see this movie. That last movie I saw in the "regular" theatres was The Dawn Treader, which was great, but there was something about me taking the initiative of going to a movie that I wanted to see, when I wanted to see it and not feeling like I had to wait until there was someone to go with me. Yes, that's right, I went to this movie by myself. Another thing before I went, I had already read the book by Pitticus Lore and I had surprisingly liked it. Okay, with that in your mind, here is my review:

Title: I Am Number Four

MPAA rating: PG-13 for violence

My rating: Four stars

There were some changes from the book to the movie, obviously. But it didn't really bother me, because the book dealt with a lot of internal revelations and issues which would be very difficult to put across in a film.

I walked into the movie with some expectations from reading the book. I was pleased that all my expectations were met, and then some, which is why I enjoyed this movie so much. I was very impressed with Alex Pettyfer who played John, and now can't wait to see him in Beastly (which comes out this month). I was pleasantly surprised by Dianna Agron, of Glee fame, who played Sarah. I was glad to see her step out of her Glee role and was impressed with her acting.

If you like action movies, with a bit paranormal fantasy thrown in, I think you'll like this movie. Also, read the book!

It's Like Meeting an Old Friend

2011-02-27T15:30:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I got an Amazon gift card. Of course, I bought a ton of books, some of them new favorites and some favorites from when I was a teen. And it got me thinking about how books are like friends, and just like friends there are different degrees:

That person you see all the time who seems really awesome, and has lots of friends, but you never get up the nerve to talk to. This is that book that everyone loves, and it's been on your list to read forever, but you basically know that you are never going to read. Some of my examples of this are: Les Miserables, Wuthering Heights, The Poisonwood Bible

That person you met once at a party, a work meeting, or through a mutual friend and had a great time talking to, but you'll probably never see them again. You know that book that is fun/amazing/good when you read it, but it's not something you are going to go out and buy? It gave you some good times, kept you from boredom, but you don't really seek out reading it again. My examples: The Hunger Games, Atonement, Great Expectations

That person who you really liked when you met them, but then you spent some time away from them and realized how they really are and now you avoid them at all costs. This is that book that you read because it was cool and exciting and fresh. You'd never known something like this. You wanted to spend all your time with it, and when you weren't reading it, you were thinking about reading it. You procrastinated doing all the things you were supposed to do because you just had to read one more page. Then you finished it, went away from it for a little while and when you came back you noticed all the flaws and manipulating within it. My example: Twilight

That person you were really good friends with in school that you thought you were so lucky to be their friend, but you randomly saw them at the grocery store and you said hi and maybe caught up a little but it isn't the way it used to be. This is that book that you just remember loving when you were younger (like a teenager). You read it over and over again and the spine is all broken. But it has been years since you read it and you see it in a bookstore or library, so you get it and read it. And it's good, just not as good as you remember it being. My examples: Spindle's End, Summers at Castle Auburn

That person who you were friends with at school and every once and a while you'll see them some place and it's just like it used to be, laughing at the same jokes and talking without any problem. These are the books that you know no matter what that you love. You read them maybe every couple of years, and it makes you feel the same way you did when you read them for the first time. Not only that, but now that you've grown some, you get even more out of it than you did before! My examples: Anne of Green Gables, the Chronicles of Narnia, Ella Enchanted

That person who will be your best friend forever and always even if life takes you in different directions and your only face contact is every few months, but you talk about them all the time and think about them occasionally and tell everyone how great they are and that they would love them if they met them. These books are close to the previous books. It might not be that you read them every month, but when someone asks you for suggestions, these are the books that you recommend. And when you read them, it's like meeting your friend again after being apart and just feeling like everything is right again. These are the books that grow with you and seem to change every time you read them, but are still basically the same. My example: Pride and Prejudice

That person you just met, and right now you are great friends, but it's too early to tell which of the previous kinds of friends they will turn into. Don't you just love meeting new books? You get into the new world, and you learn about new people. It's so fun, and exciting. Sometimes you know right away how you feel about them, but sometimes you get to be friends for a while, or maybe even forever. It's hard to tell. But right now, you get to have some fun. My examples: Beastly, I Am Number Four, the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus series, Little Women

What are some of your friends? (From any of the categories.)

When Strangers Come to Town

2011-02-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I entered a Writer's Digest "Your Story" writing contest. They gave the opening line of the story, then you can take it in anyway you want as long as you keep it under 750 words. I really liked my story. I thought it was interesting and one of the best things I've written. Well, today I went on to see who made it to the top 5, and my story wasn't there.

I guess I can't be too disappointed. What I'm mostly upset about is that no one except some unknown selection committee will ever read that story. It won't be published for a national audience. And I was just thinking about how if I were a songwriter I could go to a venue and play my music. If I were an artist, I could enter my art in an art show. If I made films, they could be entered in festivals. At all these things at least I would be able to share with other people and they could decide whether or not they like what I do. Writing isn't like that. You submit your manuscript and if you're lucky one person reads it. If that person doesn't like it, it sits in an ever growing pile of manuscripts. No one of the general public will ever see it.

So, I decided that I will put the story up on my blog (at the bequest of some friends). Maybe some random person will come across my story. Maybe that person will like it, maybe he won't, but at least it will get read.

When Strangers Come to Town

It was on a bright, starry night that the traveling circus rolled into town. Needless to say, the townsfolk were livid. No outsiders had dared come to town since they ran off Bob Barley ten years before.

“I declare, some people have no regard for boundaries,” said Mrs. Simmons, the mayor’s wife.

“Yup, they’s just as well turn their trucks around and butt outta town,” agreed the local bartender Joe.

The sheriff said nothing, but nodded as he turned the page of his newspaper.

The circus didn’t butt out of town. They set up the big top and made themselves comfortable. The townsfolk avoided the circus folk like they would avoid a rabid dog.

All of them except young Tyler Poole. Tyler Poole had always been a queer member of town, with his big dreams of traveling the world and meeting new people. His school teacher called Tyler a “smart kind of kid but with the most ridiculous notions.”

The first time Tyler was seen at the circus, the mayor was informed immediately.

“Now, Tyler, you know we don’t take kindly to strangers in our town,” Mayor Simmons said. “People are starting to talk. Let’s make sure I don’t hear anymore of this circus business.” And the mayor left, thinking that was the end of it.

Two days later Tyler was seen buying one of those circus folks a drink. The townsfolk stared at them sitting at the bar, laughing like they were best friends. Joe the bartender wouldn’t have served them if Tyler hadn’t been paying.

The townsfolk were outraged as they watched Tyler through the windows of their stores, and homes. Every morning they gossiped in the diner as they watched him walk into the circus camp, and every night they huddled together in the bar when he walked back out. Sometimes, he even brought one of them into town.

Two weeks went by and the talk of the townsfolk got louder. Something had to be done about young Tyler Poole and those circus people. It just wasn’t natural. Mayor Simmons gathered the men in the bar late one night. Joe ran the taps as freely as the men ran their mouths.

“I don’t like it. What’s he doing there all day?” asked Pat the mailman.

“Can’t be nothing good,” said Joe.

The sheriff said nothing, but nodded as he turned the page of his newspaper.

“Exactly, so what are we going to do about it?” The mayor banged his pint on the table.

The men raised their voices, getting louder as they drank more. The mayor shook his head at all their suggestions. The night grew old.

“I say, we show those freaks what we think of ‘em!” Joe suggested. “Show ‘em how we feel about thems encroachin on our hospitality.”

“Yeah!”

“Let’s show them, mayor!”

The mayor nodded, and finished his last beer. “Let’s show them, men.”

In not very long, the men were walking through town carrying various items. Bats, car jacks, knives. The only man left behind was the sheriff, reading his paper.

The circus men came out, attempting to talk some sense in the townsmen. But a couple of broken windows, a dented truck door, and a smashed animal cage changed their minds. As the circus people ran about trying to salvage their livelihood, the townsmen destroyed it.

“Mayor, stop!” Young Tyler Poole stepped into a flashlight beam. He held his hands up.

“This is for your own good, son,” said Mayor Simmons.

The men moved closer, but Tyler stepped in their way. A murmur rose up from the crowd, the drunken men wavering. In a surge the crowd moved toward Tyler. He moved from man to man, trying to stop them, but he was thrown off and the crowd streamed past him.

The camp was destroyed by dawn. As the last circus truck left town, the men sent up a cheer. A yell pierced through and they turned to see young Tyler Poole lying in his own blood.

At the funeral the men held their hats in their hands. The women cried into their handkerchiefs. The minister read words from his worn Bible.

At the diner afterward, Mrs. Simmons said, “We tried to warn him. Foolish child.”

“He shouldna spent all that time with them,” said Joe.

The sheriff nodded his head and folded his newspaper. “Yup,” he said, “that’s what you get when strangers come to town.

Love Day

2011-02-14T17:51:00.000-08:00

First, I have to say that not being at BYU for Valentine's Day is AWESOME!! No icky couples kissing all the time, no seeing everyone else get flowers, no sitting at home alone eating ice cream and watching a chick-flik . . . Pretty much a good V-day on my end.

Last year I posted about how Christ is my Valentine, and with Him I have no need of anyone else. Well, you want to hear something really cool? I have a friend on a mission in Austria right now and she sent me a letter last week. She says that there they call Valentine's Day the Day of the Pure Love of Christ.

Kind of makes you think a little differently about it, huh? I never have loved Valentine's Day, but I've realized that it is more than romantic love, it is love for all people, all things, all creation. It's the love that Christ has given us by everything that He has ever done for us. He and the Father created this beautiful world, Christ lived and died, all for us. For everyone, no matter who you are or what you believe or what you've done. That's love for you.

So, here's wishing everyone a Happy Day of the Pure Love of Christ!

Sunday Special: Mormon's Work

2011-02-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

So, I'm an editor. Part of my job right now is to cut down articles so that they are the correct length for what we want to use them for. About two weeks ago I was asked to take an 800 word article and make it into a 250 word article.

I got to about 400 words and then felt I couldn't cut anymore without losing the integrity of the story. I explained this to the managing editor and we came up with a different idea for the feature. Instead of a story about the Book of Mormon, I was going to do a little step by step of the introduction to the Book of Mormon and talk about what Mormon did to make it what it is.

I started thinking about it and here's a little of what I learned:

Mormon was an editor too! He was asked by God to make an abridgment of the records of the Nephites so that it would be the correct length for us. Now, this isn't just merely taking an 800 word article and making it 250 words--in fact, Mormon might have scoffed at my inability to do so. This was taking over 1000 years of records and finding the most important data, writing in summaries of the rest and maintaining the integrity of the entire record. That is a task I wouldn't have wanted to be given.

If you read Words of Mormon, and Mormon 1:1-5 and parts of other chapters, you'll see kind of how Mormon approached this task. But I think the most important thing is that he had God helping him. I'm sure that God gave him inspiration on what to include and what could be left out--for now. We know that there is more of the record that we don't have, but I don't think that we need it at the moment. The record we do have is exactly what we need for right now.

I don't really know what the point of this is, except that we should trust in God to inspire us in the work that He has asked us to do. Trust in him and the work will be done.

An Adventure in Baking

2011-02-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I found a recipe for thin mint cookies. I decided it would be a nice thing to make some and take them to my co-workers for Valentine's Day. Little did I know what an adventure it would be!

I doubled the recipe, which was not necessary at all. I am including the regular recipe which I got from the internet at The Family Kitchen, posted by Brooke McLay.

Cocoa Wafer Cookies

3 T butter

1 egg white

1/4 c brown sugar

pinch of baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 c flour (plus 1/4 c)

2 drops pure peppermint oil

Combine all ingredients together (I ended up using a pastry cutter, and then my hands). The dough shouldn't be sticky, and you should be able to roll it out. Preheat the oven to 325. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes. I found a really cute heart one at the store. Roll the dough out. The recipe says "verrrry thin" but I don't think that's accurate. Just do what you think it best. Bake for 4-7 minutes until cookies have firmed and browned slightly. Let cool.

Baked cookies, cooling.

Peppermint Buttercream Layer

2 c powdered sugar

4 T melted butter

2-3 drops peppermint

1/2 tsp milk (the recipe says heavy whipping cream, but I didn't want to buy a whole thing of whipping cream for 1/2 tsp.)

Mix all ingredients together. The buttercream layer will be stiff, and not sticky. You will be able to roll it out. I was going to make them pink since it is for Valentine's Day, but I forgot. I realized this after I rolled them out.

Cut with the same cookie cutter you used before. To make the cookies and the buttercream layer took me about an hour and a half. I have no idea why. AND! I was trying to make the buttercream layer, and measuring out the milk and I was trying to not spill a whole bunch of milk so I got this great idea of just sticking the measuring spoon into the milk carton. Well, the spoon is now in my milk carton. And I ended up with too much milk anyway, so I had to put more powder sugar in. But it all worked out and I got it rolled out.
After you cut the buttercream, put it on top of the cookies.
The next step is to dip it into chocolate. The original recipe said to use Candiquik, which I don't know what that is. I just used confectioner's chocolate from the grocery store. I bought two pounds (since I was making a double recipe), one pound milk chocolate and the other dark. Follow the directions for melting on the package. I did the microwave directions.
Dip the cookie in the chocolate and cover. Set on parchment/wax paper to cool. This step took FOREVER! My hands got all chocolatey and I kept licking the chocolate off, which meant I then had to wash my hands, and I got sick of chocolate. For the time being.
Here's the finished product. I don't think I will be making these again in, like, ever. They were majorly time consuming and frustrating. I spent all afternoon on them with very few breaks and I finally finished them at around 8. My parents said they taste good though--I was so disgusted with them by the time I was done that I haven't even tried them yet.

Anyway, if you're up for it, try them. They look cute and I really hope that my co-workers like them.

Sunday Special-The Adversary Works Hard

2011-02-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

This last week as I was researching something for work, I came across a story about a young man named McKay Hatch.

McKay is a resident of California and is LDS. When he reached middle school he became increasingly disturbed with the amount of swearing that he heard in school and among his friends. He decided to do something about it and started the No Cussing Club. That was almost three years ago and now he has almost 20,000 members of the club, internationally.

I think it is such a wonderful thing, and he has gained so much attention that it seems many people think so too. But unfortunately, not all the attention has been positive. Though a club that has members who are resolved not to swear seems innocent enough, McKay and his family has received a large backlash. Not only has he received hate mail, but even death threats. McKay even received suspicious packages with derogatory names on them. These got so bad that the Hatch family had 24 hour surveillance by the local police and the FBI got involved.

Why would there be such a backlash against a no swearing group? It seems ridiculous. Except, when you think that the adversary would be so against any little good thing that he would work very hard to get it shut down. He would dislike anything that is in alignment with the Father's teachings, that he would even fight against the littlest and most innocent of causes. Fortunately, I think that the adversary underestimated McKay and his friends' resolves to do right.

If we all can fight hard to do what's right and not let Satan make us waver in our resolve, we can help to change the world--at least a little part of it.

Snippets of a Conversation at a Retirement Reception

2011-01-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

A male employee sees a female employee that he apparently hasn't seen in a while.

Male: I thought you retired ages ago!

Female: No, I'm still here. I can't retire. I don't have a sugar daddy!

Keep in mind that I work for the Church. And that these two employees were probably at least in their 50s.

Movie Reviews

2011-01-25T18:18:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have posted a review of any movies, so I decided to just post a bunch of little reviews of the movies I have seen lately:

The Last Song

MPAA rating: PG

My rating: 1 star

I was pretty disappointed in this movie, especially I since I have liked Nicholas Sparks' books/movies before. Too much happened that I couldn't concentrate on the big conflict. I felt that the story arch was undeveloped. There was a touching moment where the little brother insists on finishing a project he and his dad started.

Ramona and Beezus

MPAA rating: G

My rating: 5 stars

Anyone who has been a younger sister, a middle child, or just one of those kids who could never seem to do anything right will love this movie. I wouldn't have thought it when I started it, but it had both my mom and I in tears by the end. A good film showing a strong family, with strong values. I loved the Ramona books when I was younger and I loved this movie.

Post Grad

MPAA rating: PG-13

My rating: 1 1/2 stars

I watched this movie because I am a recent grad. The irony came when I learned that not only was the main char a recent college grad like me, but wanted to work in publishing as an editor, just like me! It was a pretty stupid movie with a few funny parts, and a few cute parts, but it's probably not worth your time to watch.

Flipped

MPAA rating: PG

My rating: 4 stars

This is almost just like the novel, except it is set in the 1950s instead of the present day. It's a beautiful story about growing up, seeing the truth, and asking and giving forgiveness. It is told from two points of view, which adds some comedy.

Eat Pray Love

MPAA rating: PG-13

My rating: 3 stars

An interesting story about a woman who goes off to find herself. It definitely made me feel like taking some time to run off somewhere and find myself. There were times when I felt like either that she just was too lucky, or that she whined too much, but for the most part I liked it.

So, there you go. Just a few movies to check out (or not). I just realized that they are all kind of girl movies, but that's what I've been watching lately.

Reminder for Me

2011-01-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Therefore, take ye no thought for the morrow, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed. For, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these. For your Father, who is in heaven, knoweth that you have need of all these things. Therefore, let the morrow take thought for the things of itself.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:81-84

"Mom, Dad, I'm moving to the DR."

2011-01-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

I love Wednesdays because there is something to look forward to: my brother's e-mails! Bro is on a mission in the Dominican Republic and Wednesday is his P-Day. I wait anxiously all morning, checking my e-mail constantly until I see "1 Unread email" in bold. Then I wait with bated breath as I start to read.

Well, this morning's e-mail was the highlight of my day . . . and not just because it was an e-mail from bro. It's because what it said. I'll put in a little of it for your enjoyment:

"I want to take a minute to talk about a barber here in Navarrate though.

"We first went to his peluqueria (babershop) two weeks ago. My companion was getting his hair cut and the barber started telling him that he should tell me that if I arranged for him to go to the US he would cut my hair for free, for my whole life. He obviously thought that I didn´t speak Spanish, but I just started laughing, and after a few minutes he realized that I was understanding what he was saying. So then he started to talk to me about it. And after a little bit he asked if I have a sister that he could marry.

"Well, we went back there today and he started up again. At first it was just the free haircuts, but then he started to up the ante. In the end he told me to tell you that he´ll give you a thousand dollars if you come here and live with him. I just laughed. But I took a couple pictures of him just in case you were interested. ;D"

This is the man who wants to marry me.

Don't you wish you had a Caribbean barber offering you $1000 to go to his island and marry him? ;)

Have a good one!

(By the way, this was my 200 post!)

My Unique Job

2011-01-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Things that make my job unique.

*President Monson is, literally, my boss. (No, really. He is the CEO of the company I work for.)

*Every meeting starts with a prayer.

*There are sets of scriptures in every room.

*I use those sets of scriptures almost everyday for my work.

*The elevators have uplifting thoughts from prophets, seers and revelators.

*It isn't strange to see a GA. I saw Sister Beck. Twice. In one day.

*I spend hours reading about other people's spiritual experiences.

*We use vocabulary like "prophetic priority" when talking about upcoming issues of our magazines.

*All the men wear shirts and ties (and sometimes jackets) and all the women wear knee length (or longer) skirts and nylons.

*If you feel like it, you can go to the temple after work, without going outside.

My First Day

2011-01-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I got through it. One day down. A lot of you might now how nervous I was to start.

I work at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake on the 24th floor. And guess what? I have my own office! With four walls and a door! And a plaque with my name on it! So much better than the cubicle I was expecting.

After hours of orientation, I finally got into my office. I went to a meeting, and learned about what is expected of me. I am in charge of the "Instant Messages" part of the magazine, which means that I get to pick out the submissions and do the editing for them. I also got my first writing assignment (well, technically, first two). I'm also the admin for the New Era facebook page.

Everyone is really nice and hopefully I can be just what they are expecting.

A Top 10

2011-01-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Top 10 Handsome Men in Classic Literature:

(These are in no particular order, as picking 10 was hard enough)

Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

*Who could resist his curly hair and Canadian "sore-y"s? He is everything that Anne needs.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

*Of course. This list would not be complete without him. He might start off as seeming arrogant, but we (and Elizabeth) realize by the end that it was just a cover for his shyness.

John Thornton, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

*He is very similar to Darcy, but he wins over Margaret's heart at the end.

Mr. Henry Tilney, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

*I consider Mr. Tilney Austen's best hero. He is so friendly, and kind, with a slight joking side to him. He is perfect for the dreamy Catherine.

Sydney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

*He seems a jerk throughout the whole book (probably because he is a little), but that is just because he is so in love with Lucy Manette. This love causes him to make one of the biggest and most beautiful sacrifices in all of literature.

Peter Pevensie, The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis

*I have been in love with High King Peter since I was eight years old. I don't know what it is about him . . . maybe the way he watches over his family, or he accepts Aslan's decrees, but he has always been one handsome man/boy in my mind.

Theodore Lawrence, Little Women by Lousia May Alcott (You've got to scroll a little bit to get to his description)

*Though Lairie goes through a stage of jerkiness after Jo refuses his proposal, he is such a good friend to all the March girls that it is hard not to like him.

Peter Pan, Peter Pan by JM Barrie

*Technically not a man, but who wouldn't go to Neverland without a second thought if Peter Pan showed up at their window?

Dickon Sowerby, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

*Again, not technically a man, but he is my favorite character in The Secret Garden.

Mr. George Knightley, Emma by Jane Austen

*He is the perfect balance for Emma's strong (and snobbish) nature. He is kind to everyone he knows.

Runners-up:

Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility)

Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet)

Sir Percival Blakeney, Baronet (The Scarlet Pimpernel)

"Does Not a Child Recognize Her Own Mother?"

2010-12-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

Another review for you, in light of the holiday season. This is The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

For all of you out there that love a good period piece, this is a great one to get into. Taking place in Victorian England, it follows Lucy as she meets her Aunt Helen, the twin sister no one knew her mother had.

Full of intrigue, mystery, and a bit of love, it had me up until 1:30 last night trying to finish it. What I love about this book is that I thought I had it all figured out--I thought I knew the big twist in the story. And I was okay with that, I just wanted to see how it came about. But Baratz-Logsted threw me for a loop when it came to the end!

It is a bit twisted, and is more for older YA readers (in terms of sex and content), but nothing graphic (there is a brief description of a murder scene).

Mostly, all I can saw about this is . . . Wow. I was completely blown away.

An Electronic Christmas Card

2010-12-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

To read the last two years' Christmas letters, click here and here.

Hello family and friends! Merry Christmas! Here is my year-end update.

I started this year as I do most years, by waking up on January 1. I went back to school and enjoyed having my own room for most of Winter semester. I had two amazing roommates who both got engaged then. During that semester I was able to take a Writing for Children and Adolescents class that I really enjoyed. Not only did it spark my love of writing, but it also led me to being a part of a writer's group and to finding a MFA program that I would like to do someday. I have already written over 200 pages in my novel and will be finishing it in the next 100 or so. :)

In that same line, I just had two articles bought from the New Era! If being a professional means that you get paid for your services, I guess that means I'm now a professional writer! I hope that they actually get published.

After that semester ended I decided to celebrate by taking another class during Spring! I just worked and read and studied, all the while getting excited for my trip to California in June which I took with my roommate two weeks before she got married. What a great bachelorette party, huh? Aren't I a great friend? We were able to visit the sis and bro-in-law in Monterey as well as enjoying being outside of Utah (but mostly just Provo) for 5 days. I enjoyed not having to go to work.

The rest of the summer was me working three days a week, with every Friday being a 14 hour day. That was an adventure. I also walked in Commencement and Convocation at the end of the semester! Even though I knew it wasn't "for real" it was a great feeling to get my diploma (cover) and have my family and friend there to support me. The only problem with that was that I had to go back to school for four more months!

I only took two classes this last semester, the last two I needed for my minor and for real graduation. One I wasn't look forward to was my design class, but despite some minor pitfalls I really enjoyed learning about InDesign and creating some really cool things. I finished the semester strong, I believe.

I had spent about a month training my replacement as Front-end Manager at work, but when my last day or work came I was sad to leave. In fact, I was sad to leave BYU and Provo in general. Mostly I think it is because it is comfortable, and known. In January I start off on an unknown. I got an internship with the New Era at LDS Church Magazines in Salt Lake! It is a wonderful opportunity, one that I am very grateful for, but it is also scary and "nervousing." I hope I do a good job!

That was just a quick review of my year. Merry Christmas to you all! Love you!

Review: Matched

2010-12-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

(My mom loves this cover. It is pretty cool.)

I just finished reading Matched by Ally Condie this morning.

Matched is about 17 year-old Cassia and the dystopian society she lives in. This book has been compared to both The Giver, and to The Hunger Games. There are similarities to both which is what makes me think that if you liked those books, you will like this book. However, there are differences.

The Society that Cassia lives in is horrific, but not in the way that Panem is horrific. What I find so horrific about the Society is that no one realizes how awful it really is. They aren't pitting children against each other, instead they have taken away every choice, everything beautiful. The Society says that it is in the citizens own interests, but really it is a way to keep control over them. Imagine not being able to choose who you marry--it's chosen for you in a scientific manner in which the two most genetically compatible people are put together. You can't marry who you love. You can't choose your profession. Everything in your life is predicted for you. There is no running outside, no one is allowed in your home, they can make you forget if they want.

Imagine a world where you can't create anything. There are only 100 poems, 100 pieces of art, 100 lessons in history. Everything else has been destroyed. You don't draw, you don't write, you don't play music. Everything is made so that it is the most useful. You don't even get to choose what you eat--your meals are made for the exact calorie count you need and you don't get anything that tastes good except on the most special of occasions.

Cassia is content with this life--would you be? What would you do if you met someone who showed you that things could be different?

This is the first book in a series, but I thought that the emphasis on freedom of choice was a wonderful. It is there is other books like this, but I felt that it was stronger here. I am interested to see how Cassia's story finishes out. I highly recommend this book.

. . .

2010-12-16T21:17:00.001-08:00

Wow . . .

I'm done.

As of today I'm a college graduate. I have been walking around with a look like that above on my face all week, when I wasn't crying from all the emotions going through me.

"Every new beginning is some other beginning's end . . . "

Sunday Special: Be True

2010-12-12T19:17:00.000-08:00

As an English major I have read a lot of the classics. It is always amazing to read something that is enlightening and helps you understand a part of life that was previously cloudy before. The example that I want to talk about is from my favorite Shakespeare play, Hamlet.

There is a character in Hamlet called Polonius. This otherwise ridiculous character gives his son Laertes a good piece of advice as Laertes prepares to go off to University in Paris. His speech starts off as a regular and mundane speech, telling Laertes not to party too much, sleep with too many girls, start fights, or be flashy, that kind of thing. But he ends with a rather profound piece of advice considering how stupid Polonius usually is:

This above all: To thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man. (I.iii.78-80)

"To thine own self be true." I wish that I had taken this piece of advice to heart many times throughout my life. There were so many times in my life that I was trying so hard to be what someone else wanted me to be that I lost sight of who I really was. Not only was I being false to everyone else, but I was making myself unhappy.

I think that many fathers want this for their children. Thinking about the scriptures I can think of many times when, essentially, fathers gave their sons this piece of advice. Alma the Elder, Mormon, Lehi; I'm sure Daniel's father told him that, as did David's. They produced strong men in the faith. And then think about the father of all fathers--our Heavenly Father. I like to think that he took each of us aside before he sent us to earth and gave us a speech. Among the things he might have told us, I think one of them was "To thine own self be true." Remember who you are and you, and everyone around you, will see your worth. Unfortunately, we have forgotten about this talk with our father; the veil has obscured it from us. But that is why he has sent prophets, and earthly fathers. To remind us to be true to our selves.

I think I might have rambled a bit, but this is such a profound piece of advice from such a shallow character. In my years in college, I have seen how books can give me a better understanding of the Gospel, which I am grateful for. I am also grateful for parents who have given me pieces of advice, and help through my life. I am also grateful that I have met people who are willing to let me be true to myself. Thank you to everyone who has done this.

Love you all.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 7: Trials

2010-11-27T15:09:00.000-08:00

I saved this for last because it is probably what I am least thankful for. Considering this, I do have to show some gratitude for my trials.

Things get hard sometimes. Everyone knows this. But I think that all of us forget that at the end of our hard times we come out stronger, braver, older. Whether we like it or not, our trials help us to grow, and teach us valuable lessons.

When I think of who I was four years ago and compare that to who I am now . . . wow. I mean, I'm basically the same. The framework is there, the foundation intact, but the rest of me has undergone a major renovation. And not all at the same time. Each trial took a little bit of us, tore it up and rebuilt it into something new--bigger and better.

I wanted to end this week with a little thank you to my trials. You suck, but thanks for making a better me.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 6: Music

2010-11-26T19:23:00.001-08:00

You know that one song? The one that seems to describe your situation perfectly? You know how you love to listen to that song in your room, or sing aloud with it when no one is home? Or how about that one song that you just belt out in the shower? And those songs that you dance to in your room?

I love music. I have annoyed my family my whole life by singing just about every song I came across. My poor mother had to go through years of badly played piano and a couple years of my complaining how much I hated it. Then after I got over hating it, they all had to listen to me play it.

There is something about music and how it can reach the soul. It can make you happy, it can make you cry. It can make you think, dance, and laugh. Listening to music can make a tedious task slightly more bearable. It can make you feel closer to God and understand Him better.

I'm glad that my mom forced me to continue piano lessons. I'm so happy that she saw my love for singing and paid for my voice lessons. There is something about being able to possess a skill in music. No one can take it away from you. They can take away my piano, but I will always have my voice (though once they hear it they might give me the piano back! ;) ). I will always have the songs I have heard in my head.

Music makes life more interesting. Have you ever watched a movie that had absolutely no background music in it at all? It's boring. It is so hard to have an idea of what is really going on. Life may not have background music . . . well, not the kind of background music that starts up with no source whatsoever and lends dramatic interest to each situation. But, how about that really bad day when you just needed to listen to some Secondhand Serenade because they are just totally tear inducing? Or when there is that one guy and you're sure that you are in love with him and you just can't stop smiling and listening to "your song". Or you just need to scream it out and you put on some Metallica. Or it's a lazy, rainy day so you listen to some folksy music, like Microwave Jenny. We each create our own background music, and while it may not give us clues about life (like if something bad is coming in the future, or that person is "the one"), it does make it more interesting.

I'm very grateful to have music in my life; both in the form of artist's albums, and in my own fingers and voice.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 5: Imagination

2010-11-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever met anyone who didn't have an imagination? And they give you that really strange look when you tell them about the dragon living in your pipes? Yeah, what's up with them?

Ever since I was little have had an active (sometimes too active) imagination. I was (and sometimes still am . . . what? I didn't say that, that's embarrassing!) constantly involved in my "stories"--a game of make believe where I created a life for myself either as a character I made up, from a book, or just as me living and amazing life. Two of the earliest instances of this were when I made believe I was in the Babysitter's Club, and my little imaginary family: my husband, Thomas Benjamin Franklin, and my three daughters, Meghera, Polly, and Charity. To my knowledge I didn't use my imaginations in the way most kids used them. I didn't talk out loud to them, or blame things on them. I did talk about my little imaginary family, but I never thought of them as real or insisted that they were.

As I grew I would use my "stories" to take my mind off of unpleasant things. I would be Cinderella during our weekly cleaning, for example. They became more and more complex, and there were times when I had several "stories" going on at the same time and then I would pick and choose which was best for the situation. I would revisit certain scenes and change things about them as I learned more about the world (or if I just wanted to change something).

So, why am I letting you all know about something that is actually kind of embarrassing? Because I'm grateful that I have such an active imagination. Sure, sometimes I need to wake up from these stories and face life as it is. But, I think that the stories have given me a good outlet for all of my secret desires, hurts, and needs. I don't like getting mad at people, so instead I will play out a scene in my mind where I do get mad at them. After that, I feel better. It's cathartic. And it is an escape. Sure, I read and watch movies/TV to escape too, but there are times when you just need to put yourself in a complete different situation, one where you are the star.

Also, my imagination has given me a gift: the gift of writing. I know that I'm not the best writer out there and I may never be published, but taking my stories out of my head and putting them on paper (read: little metal complicated pieces belonging to a computer that I have no idea how they work, but they do and for that I am grateful. As long as they don't crash) is such a wonderful feeling. Maybe someday someone will read my writing and it will be an escape for them just as I have used other authors' imaginations to escape.

So, yes, I am very grateful for my imagination. And am very sad for those who don't have one. What do they do?

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 4: Work

2010-11-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

There is a line in one of my favorite movies that goes: "I'm blessed with work."

Okay, most of the time I don't feel this way at all. I don't enjoy having to get up and go into work, and dealing with customers and problems. As I'm walking through campus my mind is back in my warm, cozy bed (or on the music I'm listening to; or both). But when I get to work and I start doing what I need to do, it's not so bad.

There are times when I have actually liked the fact that I've had to go into work. Work is distracting. Most of the time you have to apply your mind to it and not think about anything else. There are good people to talk to that I work with, and always something to do (whether or not I always do those things are a different matter . . . ;) ).

Work is a blessing. Being able to work and support myself is a tremendous blessing. This is a hard time to try to find work and I am glad that I have a job. I don't want to make a career out of working at a grocery store, but it has put me through college and taught me a lot about leadership and attacking problems that you see. My job has given me some amazing opportunities as I have worked my way up to student manager.

I will lose my job in about three weeks when I graduate. That is a hard thing to deal with. For months my mind has been filled with worries and questions about what I was going to do, how would I find work, where I would find work. Fortunately, I have been blessed with work in the form of an internship. It will only last four months, but will hopefully give me the experience and confidence I will need to get a job that I like. I'm excited to be a professional and gain the independence that my little student job couldn't offer me.

So, yeah, I'm glad that I have the ability, health, and chance to work.

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 3: Home

2010-11-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

I have been truly blessed in my life.

As I sit in my parent's living room on this cold November evening, I have to reflect on how thankful I am to have a home. A roof over my head, food to eat, a warm bed to sleep in and people who love me.

It isn't just my parent's house either. I have a home with three other girls. My little apartment in Provo is a home to me. A temporary home, but a home none the less.

How blessed am I that I have two homes?

My mom told me when I was fifteen that a home isn't a building, it's where your family is. We were on the brink of moving from the only home I had ever known and I was upset. My memories were there! I had planned on all the most important events of my life taking place within it's walls. How could I leave it behind? I found out that she was right (as she usually is). When we moved to our temporary home in Provo and finally into our new house, I realized that I carry those memories with me. That's is why they are called memories--because they live on in your mind! This new house quickly became my home and it is because I was there with my family.

I'm thankful to be in a position where I have such a comfortable home. A home that is filled with laughter, tears (mostly mine), and memories.

Big News!

2010-11-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

I got my internship!

Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 2: Friends

2010-11-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

I have always said that I may not have a great many friends, but the ones I have are great. This is a true statement. I have been blessed throughout my life with just a few friends that have helped me realize the good in me and helped me help myself. They have been my Jerry Maguire.

I wish that I could name them all and say wonderful things about them, but I would certainly leave someone out and then I would offend someone, and then I would be down a friend. That would just be tragic. So, to avoid this, I would just like to thank anyone who has believed in me, trusted me, helped me, and loved me. A big thank you to the friends I've had for years, those I just met, the ones I have worked with, the ones I have had classes with. The friends who have comforted me when I cried, and shared laughs with me. The ones who have read my writing, and came to know my imaginary friends almost as well as I do. And to the friends who have become a part of family.

Thanks.

A Week of Giving Thanks, pt. 1: Family

2010-11-21T20:17:00.001-08:00

Since it is Thanksgiving, and I've been having a bit of a hard time lately, I decided to post everyday this week about something I'm thankful for.

This most important thing in my life that I have to be thankful for is my family. I feel like I post a lot about how much I love them and how amazing they are, but it's just because it is all true. Without the family I have, I wouldn't be the person I am right now.

My parents. Both my parents instilled in me at a young age several basic parts of my being that have made my life beautiful and successful. The first of these is my religion and love of God. If I didn't have the Gospel in my life, I think that I would probably never leave my bed. Knowing that there is so much more out there than just a life that you live until you die is so comforting to me. Knowing that there is a Father in Heaven that wants me to be successful and who loves me keeps me going.

The second basic part is love of education. I am graduating from college next month, and I know that I couldn't have gotten there without my parents. Not only did they let me know how important getting a degree was, but they showed me by their example. Both of my parents have their Master's degrees. And it isn't just education, but learning continually throughout life. How many random things have I learned about on my own just because I wanted to? It's almost impossible to say, but I know it is because I was taught that I can keep learning and that it doesn't have to be restricted to the classroom.

They also taught us all about the importance of family. I count my parents among my best friends, which is really good when I just need someone to talk to about something going on in my life.

My sister. Every girl should have a sister. I was lucky and got a big sister. What is so great is that I can talk to her about things that I am going through that she has had to go through too. Our lives aren't parallels of the others, but there are similar circumstances that we have both had to deal with and it is nice to talk to someone who has already been there. There are just somethings that you don't want to talk to your parents about no matter how good of friends you might be with them. That is where a sister comes in handy.

My brother. Just as every girl should have a sister, every girl should have a brother. He is a protector, and a friend. He is a rock that I can lean against when things get hard in life. A sturdy figure in life. He has problems too and I think it is great that he wants to talk to his dorky little sister about it all. He is an example to me, and I know that he is an example to his companions, the members, and the people he is teaching in the Dominican Republic.

My bro-in-law. I remember a time from my freshman year. I had just gotten my UTA bus pass, but I didn't know how to ride the bus. Frankly, riding public transportation scared me. My bro-in-law was so nice and rode the bus with me. He told me what I needed to know and helped me feel confident about using the UTA system. That's just the kind of guy my bro-in law is.

I love them all, and am so grateful to have them in my life. Thanks for loving me unconditionally and being there for me for now and forever.

Sunday Special: Feeding the Flamingos

2010-11-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Last summer I was able to go on vacation to California. While there I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where they had a special exhibit of flamingos.

Real flamingos (as opposed to the garden variety) have a beautiful bright pink color (as opposed to pepto-bismol). You might know this, but that bright pink color comes from the food they eat, which contains high amounts of beta carotene. This means that if a flamingo cannot get the brine shrimp that it usually eats, its feathers will become white or gray. Since we relate that bright pink color with flamingos, we might not even realize that that white bird is a flamingo.

So, what does this have to do with anything? Let me tell you what I've been thinking about.

In 2 Nephi 31:20 it reads: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father. Ye shall have eternal life."

We are kind of like flamingos. When we are feasting on the scriptures, and the words of the prophets, people can recognize us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They realize that we are children of God because of our "color." If we stop eating what we are supposed to, not only could it be dangerous for our health, but we start losing our brilliance. People can no longer easily identify us as what we are.

We are children of a Heavenly Father. We should be showing the world our colors! We should be feasting on the word of Christ so that we will have that special "glow" that so many people have associated with us. Just as flamingos can share themselves by their brilliant colors, we should be willing to show the world what we believe.

Be like a flamingo. Don't be afraid of being pink, of being different. Our differences are what make us recognizable.

Good Can Come from Bad

2010-11-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

This week did not start out well.

I came off the weekend nursing a cold. On Monday my cold was almost better, but still there and I had developed a cough. Work was fine, but my class was so . . . can I say boring? Okay, boring. FHE was okay, we made pizza and watched Muppets Treasure Island. Overall, Monday wasn't too bad.

Tuesday was when I started getting down. My afternoon was spent working on a project, spending several hours on a computer doing what I find tedious design work. There is something about sitting in front of a computer for three hours that makes me feel irritated, bothered, and restless. Usually that feeling will go away in an hour or two after I finish, but on Tuesday I had to close at work and my bad mood just followed me. I was short with people and was glad when it ended.

The bad thing about working in the morning is that when you close the night before, you don't really have a break between being and work and going back to work--except sleep, which isn't really a break. So, my bad mood didn't truly go away. I did talk to my cashiers and was pleasant. Class was a work period, so at least I did something, but working with a group on a computer project is difficult and irritating, so I went home not feeling much better.

Once I got home, I immediately changed into my pajamas. This was because of two reasons: 1) It was laundry day and I wanted to wash the pants I was wearing, 2) pajamas are comforting. So I did my laundry, watched Glee and Raising Hope, and relaxed. I made dinner: yummy, warm, creamy hamburger stroganoff. Comfort food. I was feeling slightly better, but still sad and not very happy. Then there was a knock on the door.

It was one of my very best friends! She came by to sing with me because I had just gotten The Scarlet Pimpernel sheet music. I love that girl; the moment I saw her my mood was instantly lighter and as we sang beautiful music together I was genuinely happy. Who would have thought that one person could clear the cloud that had been three days above my head?

This morning something else made me happy. I received a call from the Church Office Building. I got some good news from them! It isn't official, so I'm not going to say anything else right now.

Anyway, sometimes good can come from bad.

PS A very happy birthday to my wonderful Mommy! Love you!

Halloween

2010-10-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

Halloween isn't my favorite holiday. I dread it every year. But this year I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had with the holiday.

I had a costume this year. I wore my Dorothy costume from when I was in the play when I was 11. Still fit okay, surprisingly. My roommate, Melissa, was a doll and Hannah was a zombie. We got ready on Friday to go to the ward Halloween party. So much fun! We danced and listened to a band in our ward. By the time the party ended, I was exhausted!

The next day I woke up sore and tired, but there was another day of fun ahead of me. Hannah and I went to WalMart were I bought my second costume. And some hair dye! So I dyed my hair (I love it!). First time I had ever done it on my own.

My second costume was Bella Swan. I bought a t-shirt at WalMart that said "My boyfriend's a pain in the neck," and I changed my name tag at work (because I had to work the closing shift) to read "Bella Swan, Forks, WA." I thought it was clever and so did at least two other people. I saw lots of fun costumes as people came through the Creamery.

So, all in all, this Halloween wasn't so bad.

Growing Up

2010-10-28T11:02:00.001-07:00

The past four or so months I have slowly started to come a realization--I'm growing up. I have realized that I have to put away my teenage way of dressing and approaching life . . . especially since I haven't been a teenager for almost 4 years!

I have made some efforts to start being more grown-up. I got a grown-up purse, and am working on getting a more grown-up watch. And you know what? Being grown-up doesn't mean you have to be boring! You can still be fun!

Today I did something that was very grown-up. I had my first grown-up interview. About a month ago I applied for an internship at the Church magazines. Going to my interview in my grown-up suit, I was very nervous. My hands were cold, and my tummy felt a little sick. But I looked good, and I was going to do this thing. I had prepared, but I could hear some of the questions they were asking the previous candidate and they didn't ask any of the questions I had prepared for! But there wasn't anything else I could do but go in and do my best with what I had.

For the most part, I think I did pretty well. There is one question that looking back on, I realize that I think I misunderstood it. But something great came out of this interview. Janet Thomas, who works with the New Era, said that she loved two of my pieces that I had submitted in my portfolio and would like to publish them! She gave me her e-mail address--not the magazine's, but hers--and asked me to send them to her. So if nothing else comes out of this experience, that is more than I could have asked for.

Sometimes, when I'm being a grown-up, I feel great and so comfortable in the role. But I still have those moments when I feel like a little girl playing dress up.

Weekend Update

2010-10-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you familiar with SNL, this is kind of like the Weekend Update with Seth Meyers, just not as funny.

Monday:

Went to work, nothing exciting there.

Went to class, nothing exciting there.

Went to the Mac Lab to work on my big project, again. My phone buzzed, telling me that I had two voicemails. Once I listened to them, my whole day was turned around! I had been chosen for an interview for the internship at the Church Magazines! Wow. I'm a little nervous, but pretty excited because I didn't think I would even get to the interview stage.

That night for FHE we tie-dyed t-shirts! That was the first time I'd ever done that. Very fun.

Tuesday:

Had a work meeting, nothing exciting there.

Had class, nothing exciting there.

Had the longest closing shift at work, nothing exciting there.

Wednesday:

Had work, nothing . . . well, you know.

Had class. We had critiques on our designs and my TA liked mine! Maybe I'll get a better score on this project than my last . . . especially with the amount of work I've had to put in.

Made Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner. Mmmmmm.

Won $5200 playing Jeopardy! that night. (Yes, sometimes I keep score)

Stayed up late reading Birth Marked. It was good, you should read it.

Thursday:

Did homework.

Worked on my design project while listening to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Went to class.

Wrote in my novel.

Friday:

Went to work.

Thought I was going to have to go work on my project, but my TA sent out an e-mail pushing back the printing date by a week. Yay!

Took a nap.

Watched How to Train Your Dragon.

Wrote in my novel.

Went to bed.

That night I had the creepiest dream that I was living with a homicidal maniac who was trying to kill me and my roommates.

That's it. Nothing too exciting. :)

Double Feature

2010-10-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

I promised in my last post that I would review of fun book; well, here's a treat, TWO fun books!

Book #1:

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. On Alcatraz's 13th birthday, he receives a bag of sand. And that bag of sand leads to an adventure that changes everything he thought of the world. He fights librarians of the worst kind, and gets an awesome pair of glasses.

If you like dry, sarcastic humor, this is the book for you! I loved Alcatraz's narrative. Read it, you'll like it.

Book #2:

The Wide Awake Princess by E.D. Baker. When her family and the rest of the castle falls asleep, Princess Annie stays wide awake. She takes it on herself to find a prince that can break the spell that has taken a hold of her older sister. Meeting all kinds of people on the her way, and being guarded by the handsome Liam, Annie learns that there is more to life than being the younger and less beautiful, princess.

If you like someone taking a twist on a fairy tale, this is a great book. It is fun and inventive. And you might find yourself falling in love with Liam. I did. ;)