What in the world?

When I was a little munchkin, I loved to play with little toy kitchen sets. There was one in the nursery at church, and we had a little plastic one in my basement. I remember the day when we brought our plastic kitchenette home from DI (Deseret Industries). It was covered in crayon marks from the playtime of a previous owner, but we scrubbed the marks off and it looked brand new. Here is a classic picture of my lil' bro, my lil' sis, and me playing on it.

Ahhh, lovely. Look at us all being so happy and nice to each other. (Ahem, Rachel...)

Anyway, point is, yesterday I was at Target doing some Christmas shopping, and I saw a very different kind of plastic play set. I almost couldn't believe it.

They have stainless steel appliances! And wooden cabinets! And, unless my eyes deceive me, a MINI-FRIDGE! What in the world? And I love how it is called the "New Traditions Kitchen." Yes, new traditions of over-consumption, lavish homes, and unrealistic expectations for small children. It's no wonder that new married couples go into huge debt so often because they want to buy homes like the ones their parents live in (the parents having worked for decades to obtain such homes).

Here are a few more ridiculous kitchen play sets:
Very nice, little boy. Just keep talking on your toy cell phone. It'll get you far in life.

The product description on this one says it has six electronic features: microwave, oven, dishwasher, phone, hob and light. It makes sounds and has a cutlery drawer. Yes, because all little kids need somewhere to neatly store their CUTLERY. Sheesh.

Le sigh. To be honest, I loved my childhood, even if we did have a second-hand plastic kitchen/house. I had hours of fun playing with that thing, and it probably cost my parents $10. Plus, I had to use my imagination to create stainless-steel appliances and a tile backsplash in my kitchen. Actually, I probably didn't know about those things, never mind wish I had them.

Thank you, parents, for giving us a good childhood and understanding that we didn't need to have ridiculous toys in order to be happy.

Here's us having a grand old time in 1996-ish...
... and here is the littlest brother havin a grand old time in 2009.

Some things, thankfully, never change.

I'm back! (Again.)

School is finally over, so now I have some time to sit down and write a post! Oh glorious day! I have been so fed up with this semester, but now I feel the beautiful relief of not having to worry about school for a few days. Even if my grades are not what I want them to be, there's nothing I can do but wait to see what my transcript looks like.

For now, it's time to hang out with family. While my family and I were at a performance of Savior of the World just after I arrived from Provo, I realized how awesome it is that I get to be with my entire family for the next couple of weeks. It's time to look forward to the holiday, spend time with the people I love most, and think back on the good and bad of this semester. Three semesters down, who knows how many to go!

Fall Semester 2009

• new apartment, new roommates Cali and Whitney
• horrible Physical Science class
• wonderful Hist of American Lit class
• seeing great plays, especially Death of a Salesman and Absent Friends at BYU
  
• watching my sister in her performance in Hillcrest's Curtains
• brilliant birthday parties - Karl Marxmas, Hapy Hick Birfday, and 80s Dance Party
• complete and utter exhaustion
• the satisfaction of doing difficult things
  
• getting buff :)
• missing people
• getting much closer to good friends
  
• finding my first boyfriend and learning about relationships
  
• being a TA for the first time
  
• volunteering
• learning
• growing up

It's a long list, but it's nowhere near complete. Here's to looking back and moving forward.

Peace.

This is not going to be poetic, but oh well.

...



...






...

The Thankful Post

So, Thanksgiving is tomorrow... Woo! Instead of doing my I Am Thankful post tomorrow, I'm going to do it today. I think I'm allowed to give thanks today.... In fact, I probably should give thanks every day. Don'tcha think?

So, here are a few things for which I am thankful. I am, of course, thankful for the essential things in my life--parents, siblings, extended family, religion, friends, safety, education and all of the other blessings in my life. (Sorry if the word "blessings" is too cheesy, but that's what they are.) I consider myself very, very fortunate to have so many good things. Now, here are a few things off of my "random" list for which I must give thanks.

1. Black Pilot G7 pens. These pens make my handwriting look amazing, plus they don't bleed through any type of paper. And the way they write is so smoooooooth! (I get a little giddy about good pens.)
   
2. Socks. Feet are ugly and cold without socks. That is all. I am especially for my roommates' creative and spunky socks. I have been buying the same white socks since the beginning of high school, so I'm grateful for my friends' more expressive and exciting socks. ;)
   
3. Regina Spektor's music. Her songs are both beautiful and intelligent. In those ways, they remind me of some of my best friends.
4. Going to school close to home. When I was picking a university, I thought I wanted to go far, far away and go to museums and see old buildings and wear turtleneck sweaters in the East. I still want to do that someday (and yes, I will wear turtlenecks), but for now, being in Provo is perfect for me. I am able to come home for holidays, birthdays, family events, and random trips to see the fam. I'm very lucky to be able to do that.
5. Alone time. I've come to be very grateful for alone time since starting college. I love college and I love being around people, but sometimes it's refreshing to spend some time alone with your thoughts.
6. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Thank you, Amber. I am still reeling from the deliciousnessocity of those cookies.

There are countless (literally, countless... I'm not good at math) other things for which I give thanks, but I won't post them all here. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Challenge: please sit down and think about the things for which you are thankful, from the big to the small. Whenever I do this, life gets a whole lot easier.

Gratitude is an uplifting, exalting attitude. You can probably say from experience that you are happier when you have gratitude in your heart. You cannot be bitter, resentful, or mean-spirited when you are grateful.

True to the Faith, Gratitude (see lds.org)

Ch Ch Ch Changes

So, the paper that I was supposed to be writing on Saturday has finally been turned in. I got up at 3 this morning to finish it. Oww.

Next semester will not be like this.

That is a promise I am making to myself.

For some reason, I have always felt that I need to have an overflowing schedule. This year, I am taking 18 credits (the max for BYU), plus I'm a TA for a 3-credit class. I do all the readings that the students do, so I'm effectively taking 21 credits. In addition, I volunteer for a hospice center. I'm currently assigned to three patients, who are scattered across the valley. I also have another job on the side (which frequently gets neglected), 5 great roommates, two ward callings, a boy (hee hee, betcha didn't know that!), a set of fun friends and wardies, and a fab fam. That is quite the lot of things to occupy me. It's probably too much. No, it's definitely too much. My perfectionist self needs to be quiet so I can have a schedule that is Less Than Full to Bursting.

The problem is, I love having all of those things in my life. It's hard to let any of them go. I have to come up with a solution of some sort.

Here is my plan:

1. Take fewer credits next semester. I've narrowed it down to 16, but I think I might be able to whittle it further. I can still have school in my life, just not backbreaking school.
2. Have alone time. It's hard to deal with so many people (even though I love them) all the time. I need to spend time with Me.
3. Sleep. Things take a lot longer if you're exhausted. I might as well sleep and be more efficient.
4. Change the volunteering situation. This one hurts. I love doing the hospice visits, but it's time for me to explore other areas of social work, preferably at places that don't require so much driving. Right now I'm looking @ Wasatch Mental Health, which is almost right next door.
5. Realize that not everyone close to me lives or dies by how much time I spend with them. I am not always available to everyone at the same time. They need to learn that, and so do I.

I think that's good. We'll see how this goes. I am now off to take a quick nap and work on another paper. Peace.

Dancing in bunny pants

It is November 21st. It is 11:30. I am writing a paper that is due at 8a.m. on Monday. I am also blogging. I don't care if I'm wasting time, because sometimes you just need to pull your sweatpants all the way up to your armpits and dance around to music by The Supremes. It's a fact of life--you can't hurry love.

1. Favorite Season: Autumn. I love the colors, the cardigans, the apples, the temperature of the air... Yeeah. It's pretty neat.

2. Favorite physical feature: I like smiles. I don't really think there's such thing as an ugly smile (not if you're smiling sincerely, anyway).

3. Chore you most detest: Laundry and dishes. Ugh. I think I hate them because as soon as you're "done" with laundry or dishes, the job is instantly undone. It's a cycle of death. A rinse cycle of death.

4. Color your hair regularly?: Nope. I don't really ever want to dye my hair. Too much upkeep.

5. Top item on your wish list: A nap.

6. Favorite way to 'scent' your house: Cooking food. It's the only way to get the legit yummo smell, not the canned air variety.


7. What are you eating for dinner tonight: I think Ann is making some yummy chicken casserole thingy tonight. Sunday is the only day of the week when I eat real dinner. Yeah college!


8. Are your toenails painted?: Cha.

9. One thing you splurge on even if $ is tight: Books books books.


10. Post the most recent photo of you:

Yeah for fall photo shoots with roommates!

Tag 8 friends: Umm, I don't think I have that many people who regularly read my blog... Here we go anyway. I tag Rachel @ The Crazy Bakery, Derek @ Running Croft, Lara @ What's Up With the Bells?, and anybody else who wants to do this... Ready, go!

School, Sniffles, and Saturday Shenanigans

Hallo there, blogalicious friends. I apologize for my long absence. I'm sure you've all been refreshing your Google Reader pages millions of times a night, waiting for a post from me to show up. Umm, yeah, just kidding. And if you really WERE refreshing your page in anticipation of a post on this blog, then you need help. Email me. I have phone numbers for places that can help you. Conecciones!!

Anywhoodles... Update. School is absolutely insane. The only reason I'm writing this post is that one of my classes got out 30 minutes early (BONUSSS!!!!), so I have some time to spare. I'm somehow keeping up with my grades and whatnot, but I'm losing sleep like woah. That also means that I'm highly succeptible to sicky bugs, hence the sore throat/sniffles that currently plague me. ('S no biggie. I'll get over it. I was dramatizing so I could use the word "plague." It's a good 'un!)

Despite the insanity of school this week (and last week and the week before, and probably next week), things are pretty good. The other day, I had the feeling that I might have actually learned something in one of my classes. It was nuts, yo. And today I found out that I got the highest score in the class on my last statistics test. Woo! :) Sorry, I had to gloat just a teensy bit. At any rate, things are alright. I'm a teaching assistant for an honors civilization class, and so far I'm not completely incompetent. (I have my good moments.) I usually find time to go to the gym (love love love!!!) at least three times a week; therefore, I'm not turning into a complete flabby blob of stress. This is a Good Thing.

Anyway, this is getting boring. Pictures are better. Enjoy!

Adventure in da carAmber (she's totally married!), Ave, and Jessica buy matching cardigans (only $15!)

Ave, Ann, Briana, and Jessica (who looks preggers in this pic.... ew) get henna (don't hate! they're temporary!)


At the park, doing the Sound of Music, extreme sports style

Ann

Me

Averyl
Briana

The calm before

Tomorrow is going to be heinous. That is, I'm probably not going to stop moving for a LONG time. I've planned for a 20 hour day.

Somehow, right now, I am okay with this. Life is very good right now. I had a great day today. I had good church meetings, good time with roommates and a guitar, excellent dinner cooked by an excellent Ann, and Ave is currently packing tomorrow's lunch for me so I won't have to worry about it.

Tomorrow I am waking up very early, but I'm doing it so I can study and learn out of good books. Life can never be too bad when you have good books.

Tomorrow I will be running from class to test to class to study session to work to test, but I'm doing it at a great university where my professors care about what they teach.

Tomorrow I will probably come home worn out, with sore feet and messy hair, but I'll be coming home to a great set of friends who care about me.

Life is good. :)

Teeny tiny home sweet home

Hey friendi-friends. You get a special treat today! You get a look at my apartment's teeny tiny interior! Felicidades!

Here we go!

Wall #1 - mini gallery
The frames are actually cork boards. We put black posterboard onto the cork board (using super cute colored thumb-tacks, then put our own black and white photography up. We are very talented like that. Kudos to Averyl for the design!

Wall #2: Americana gallery
(fancy names, right? I'm making them up as I go)
This wall features my lovely poster and two black and white photos of guitars (purchased at DI, in perfect condition, for $2 each. The lamp is from WalMart ($10).

Windows: Elegance and Innovation
Averyl came up with this and put it all up. The valances are actually just black cloth, gathered and pinned up to the wall. The pins are hidden by black ribbons. VERY COOL. Good job Ave! Total cost: under $15!

Wall #3: Collage

This is all photography by people in the apartment. Yeah, I know, we're hot. This picture wall is slowly expanding, and will eventually fill most of the wall. Exciting! The photo prints are very inexpensive, considering how classy they look. Each photo is about $.15, so each of us pays a relatively small amount for the decor. Besides, we get to display our own artwork, which rocks. GO CREATIVITY! Stay in school kids, so you can be as awesome as us.

Well, there you have it! I'd post pictures of the other rooms, but they're not clean, nor are they as awesome as the living room. Yeah. Anyway, have a loverly Saturday! Peace be upon you.

Meet Curly

It's almost midnight and I should be going to bed so I can Work Out Like Crazy tomorrow morning, but I feel like doing a blog post. You're welcome.

Yesterday, I found a friend at a sidewalk sale on campus. I loved him so much that I bought him and took him home and put him on top of my bookcase. His name is Curly, and he is cute.



His name is Curly because he is... curly. Here's what I mean.


Preshhh!!!!

I bought him because I needed something to put into the pretty planter thing that my sister bought for me this past Christmas. The pot came with a bulb, but somehow I killed that, and then I tried to grow rosemary in it, but the seeds never came up. It looks like I'm a horticultural failure. Hopefully Curly doesn't meet the same sad fate as the previous inhabitants of his little house.

(It probably wouldn't hurt if you prayed for his survival.)

K, I'm going to bed now. Six o'clock is the ONLY cool time to go to the gym, obviously, so I have to get up kind of early. Cha. G'night.

Free Food Fiends

BYU is great sometimes. Take this week, for instance. My roomies (Ann and Averyl) and I recognized a pattern in the campus events that were going on this week. We noticed that EVERY night for four or five days, there was a free food event. That's right, food free of charge. We decided to see how much free food we could hoard in one weekend. Let me lay it out for you.

Tuesday: Ward social (pizza, fizzy lemonade, and Teddy Grahams). The food was ok (not really worth it), the people were bomb. Our ward is hilarical. Also, the hotness rating of our ward is off the chizzarts. More on this to follow.

Wednesday: Honors Opening Social (pizza, chips, salsa). Ick, pizza again. No bueno. But it was free!

Thursday (This has to go in a bullet list...)

• Honors Seminar (brownies),
  
• Women's Services social (brownies - attended by Averyl),
  
• Humanities department social (Hawaiian Haystacks),
• Math major's social (pizza AGAIN - obtained by Averyl and Ann)
  
• Museum of Art (hot cross buns and wassail--yummo!),
  
• Honors Brownie Bash (attended by Averyl only), and
  
• Random Free Food in the Fine Arts Center (cinnamon rolls, obtained by Ann)

HOLY FREE CALORIES! I almost felt guilty attending all of these events. Ann and Averyl are in the Humanities department, so they were supposed to eat haystacks, but I wasn't.... I'm TECHNICALLY not in the Honors program, but I take their classes and whatnot, so the brownie was mostly guilt-free (except for that it contained about a bajillion calories. But that's okay!) I didn't eat the pizza at the math social, but Ave and Ann did (both English majors).

Friday: BYU Fall Fest (pizza and sub sandwiches) This was too gross for words. I don't know why we felt the need to search out this food, but we did anyway.... The FREE frozen yogurt I got at Yoasis (mostly to get rid of the memory of looking at that gross pizza) was awesome, though.

Moral of the story: Free food will probably kill you if you eat it very often. Why can't they ever give out just like a salad or something?

Update FAIL

Hey everyone. I doubt I have any blog followers anymore, since it's been quite a long while since I last updated. Hopefully, if you are reading this, you will find it in your hearts to forgive my slackoffishness. Yes, that is a word. (Not really. I lied.) Anyway.... Here is a wicked short summary of what I've been doing for the past little while. Better posts (with, like, cute pictures and stuff) will be coming soon, hopefully before the week is out. At any rate, here we go: my recent past in bullet list format.

• packed boxes, packed suitcases, packed my car
• moved to Provo
• moved in, chilled with the roomies (Averyl, Briana, Ann, Cali, and Whitney)
• unpacked my car, unpacked suitcases, unpacked boxes
• cleaned, organized, generally conquered the nastiness of the empty apartment and turned it into HSH (Home Sweet Home)
• spent bazillions of dollars on books
• visited my Old People (love them!)
• spent bazillions of dollars on apartment supplies, food, and cooking stuff (I WILL COOK THIS SEMESTER! THIS IS A VOW!)
• watched cars crash into each other at the busy intersection right outside my kitchen window
• visited my fam
• started classes, most of which are pretty good so far
• homework homework
  
• watched my brother run a sweet cross country race at BYU
  
• finally got my ears pierced, in the company of my mom, my sister, and my best friend. Yes, I am turning 20 on my next birthday. Yes, I realize that it is weird that my ears did not previously have holes punched in them. But the holes are there now!
• saw a weird film called Howl's Moving Castle. Culture shock much, but it was pretty good.
  
• homework homework homework homework homework

Aaaand, I think that pretty much catches us up. There ya go! Pictures and blogtasticness to follow, I promise.

Today I was compelled to act violently

Today my mom and my sister and I went shopping together (all part of The Famous Fortnight of Fantastic-time-spending!!). As we were driving down the road, we ended up at a stoplight, right behind the most revolting, horrendous, sinfully ugly thing I have ever seen. It was...

a Chevrolet SSR.

BARF!!!!

I think I have found the ugliest car on the planet. As I stared at its ugly, lumpy, imitation-truck backside, I found myself undergoing a strange chemical/hormonal/whatever reaction. Hatred for that nasty, naaasty vehicle started to well up inside of me. I had a strong urge to act violently toward that pathetic excuse for a car... or is it a truck...? Or a hideous beast of ugliness and death? I don't know what it is. But I wanted to kill it. I still kind of want to maim it a little bit.

Normally, I'm not a violent person. I guess not anyway. But for some strange reason, seeing that... THING made me horrifically angry. I like cars. I drive what is possibly the cutest car on earth.

Ta-daaa!!
Everyone, meet Poppy.
:)

Now, I realize that it is not always practical to drive your dream car. Sometimes you have to stick with the car that has enough space, fits within your budget, and gets you from point A to point B. I used to drive my parents' old maroon Astro van, and I was extremely grateful to be able to do so. I understand that a car is, primarily, a practical item. But the SSR (Super Sport Roadster--what?!?!) is not only ugly, it is impractical! What can you put in the bed of the truck? Umm, pretty much nothing. How many people does it seat? TWO. How expensive is it? Upwards of $24,000! Insane!

Anyway, sorry about the rant. Also, my apologies to any owners of a Chevy SSR that may be reading this. Really, I'm so sorry that you drive that car.

What do you do with 14 days?

Here we are, in the middle of August. In two weeks, I'll be moving out again, returning to cute little Provo, UT for my second year of college.



Wait, WHAT?!?!

First of all, the phrase "my second year of college" sounds absolutely bizarre to my little ears. Am I seriously over halfway done with my undergraduate degree? How did THAT happen?

Second of all, how is it that this summer--which, three weeks ago, I thought would never end--is rapidly coming to a close?

Third of all, what am I going to do with these last two weeks? I'm super excited for school to start again (seriously, I can't wait), but I feel that the next two weeks need to be jam-packed with quality time spendage. My family rocks, so I'd better pack in the good times before I hit the southbound freeway.

I swear that the passage of time undergoes some serious alterations once you reach age 16. Elementary school seemed to drag along at a snail's pace, and middle school seemed to take longer than it was worth. High school actually moved along pretty nicely. That is, it did until my senior year, when time suddenly purchased a rocket engine jet pack and sped away faster than I could say "graduation." Don't get me wrong, I was SO GLAD (so ridiculously glad - no offense, awesome teachers and friends) to get out of high school and start livin', but after high school, time started moving at an absurdly fast pace. My first year of college was over in the blink of an eye. (That was one expensive blink. But it could have been worse. Thank you scholarships!)

I'm a little afraid to start another year of "adulthood." I'm not afraid of the challenges or the hardships that I'm sure will come. Those are unavoidable, so I'd rather not waste energy on that kind of fear. I'm more afraid that I'll miss something. The same goes for the 14 days I have before I move away from home again. I'm very lucky. I have a rockin' family, a great neighborhood, a good job, and plenty of volunteer opportunities. With just two weeks left, I can't let a second go to waste, so I'm going to make the most out of the next fortnight (hee hee, cool). Ladies and gentlemen, presenting The Famous Fortnight of Fantastic-time-spending.

Me's doin' a meme!

Every once in a while, when there's absolutely nothing to blog about, you gotta do one of those little survey things. *Sigh.* I promise there will be more interesting and creative blog posts in the future. For now, feel free to learn a little about me.

What is your favorite time of day? 5 in the morning. Nope, I'm not kidding. :) Early bird gets the worm! Actually, that's gross. I'd rather be the early bird that gets the parfait or Jamba Juice or something.

What is your current favorite thing? Black dresses... and I think I've found the perfect one! I just bought it for my friend Amber's wedding!

What was the last thing you bought? Movie tickets to Monsters vs. Aliens for my brothers and myself. It was a pretty good movie, not gonna lie.

What is your favorite weather? I love it when it's drizzling outside and it's just cool enough to wear a jacket.

What’s on your bedside table? Books, books, books. I actually use a small bookcase as my bedside table. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I have uncontrollable urges to study the works of Plato, Aristotle, and Dr. Seuss, so I keep books close by, just in case. KIDDING.

If you could have a house totally paid for, anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Ooo... Boston, maybe. Boston or NYC. Or London. Actually, I don't know where I'd want to live. Hmm. I should think on that one, seeing as I'm nearing real adulthood soon. Eek.

Broccoli? Umm, yes!! Duh, it's like garden fresh candy! Well, not really, but it's delicious and I lurve it.

Ever been in a car accident? Not a real car accident. I once knocked the side mirror off of our old Astro van, but that about covers my experience with car accidents.

What would you like to get rid of? Belly fat, just like all the Internet ads say! Kidding... No, probably the scars on my knees. I hate those scars. My knees are a detailed visual record of my accident-prone history. Why is it always my KNEES that get hurt?!

If you could be anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Just an hour?! What kind of fool question is this? Umm... umm... the LDS Manhattan Temple.

When you were younger, what did you want to grow up to become? An artist, then a teacher, then a neurosurgeon.

What is your favorite color? Um, duh, GREEN! But not forest green. Ick.

What do you like better, e-mail or phone? Email, probably. For some reason, I'm horrifically awkward on the phone. It's pretty embarrassing, to tell the truth. I can't communicate like a normal human being over the phone, which is no bueno. There's probably some sort of telephone psychotherapy that can cure my awkwardness. I'll look into that.

What do you do when you get time alone? I write a lot of lists—to-do lists, grocery lists, idea lists, lists of different lists I could make.... I also sleep a lot and read a lot. WOW, I live an exciting life!!!

Who do you tag to fill out this survey? Everyone! (Unless you don't want to. I'm cool with that.)

Sniff... sniff...

I've always been amazed by the phenomenon of odor memory. (Eew, I hate that o-word. It sounds awkward.) Isn't it weird how just a whiff of a certain smell can trigger memories out of nowhere? Freaky...

For instance, smelling pineapple body lotion makes me think of middle school, and thus makes me feel a little bit sick. I'm not kidding.

The smell of Aussie hair spray makes me think of my senior prom.

The scent of Lysol makes me feel nauseous, since that's what my parents always doused the bathroom with after one of us kiddles was sick... Yuck.

Biosilk Silk Therapy reminds me of my first real salon hair cut... OH GLORY.

Bug spray makes me think of family trips to Yellowstone.

Ginger will forever remind me of my momma and all of her yummy Chinese cooking.

Burned popcorn takes me back to that one time.... It was almost Christmas.... The apartment was filled with smoke.... They were laughing at me.... Yeah.

The sumptuous scent of Cafe Rio tortillas reminds me of... ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THIS WORLD.

Isn't it crazy how powerful our senses can be? Awesome. By the way, I totally did a science project on olfactory memory in 9th grade. My biology teacher thought it was bomb dot com, of course. Booyah! Actually, the project probably stunk (haha, that's punny), since I did it all in the four days before the science fair. Hmm, typical me. Nothing can compare to the famous Acupuncture Science Project of 8th grade, though. Wow, what a night that was. Aaaaaand, apparently I have gotten off track. Are there any smells that bring up fond/horrible memories for YOU, blog friends?

Quirky McQuirkles

People are weird. More specifically, I am weird. Before you all start thinking this is a self-hatred/I-hate-humanity post, let me 'splain.

Think about your life for a minute. When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing that pops into your head? (This morning, the first thing that popped into my head was the word "oscillate.") When you take a shower, do you have a routine you go through - shampoo first, condition second, body wash third, then rinse, then blah blah blah - or do you bathe "at random?" When you put your pants on, which leg goes in first--your right or your left? When you get in your car, do you put your keys in the ignition before or after you put on your seat belt? Do you prefer a certain color of M&M over the other colors?

See? We all have strange little routines, rituals, and slightly obsessive preferences, sometimes without even realizing they exist. My theory is that we do things a certain way because we need some smidgen of familiarity in our crazy lives. Think about the children's TV show "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" for a minute. Every time Mr. Rogers walks into that cute little house, he does the same thing. He hangs up his suit coat the same way, zips his sweater the same way, takes off his shoes the same way, etc. every single day. As a child, that was one of my favorite parts of the show. I could always guess what was coming, and it made me feel secure. We all have the same type of methods that, possibly, we use as methods of "grounding" ourselves. (I mean "grounding" in a good way, not the "You are definitely NOT going to any birthday parties for two months, young lady" kind of way.) Just for fun, I'll list some of my quirks. Feel free to do the same in a comment or on your own blog. Don't be ashamed of your quirks! Nay, rather, embrace the cute little quirklings.

• When I look at myself in the mirror, I get a little bit of a glare on my face. See picture for example, if you dare. I'm not sure why I do it. It makes me feel... hotter, I guess? I dunno. At this point, it's a reflex to look at myself that way. Odd!!
• I have recently formed the habit of using the word "monkey" in the place of random adjectives/nouns/verbs. Examples: "What kind of monkey is this dumb store? They don't sell cinnamon bears!" "What the monkey! That car just cut me off!"
• When I sit down to play around on the piano, I always start playing in the key of D major. That be my favorite key.
• I pop my neck a lot (gross, yeah), and I always turn my head right first, then left.
• I bounce my legs up and down when I sit at a desk. This one probably bothers other people, but it sure as monkey doesn't bother me, cuz it probably burns, like, extra calories or something.
• I hate it when men wear sweatpants. Track pants=whateva', but the sweat pants=please don't. I don't know why this bugs me, so don't ask me why... I'm not even sure I want to discover the answer to that question.
• I don't like cheesecake (GASP!! from the crowd). Yeah, I know. Whatever.
• When I eat goldfish crackers, I like to bite them in half along the little "seam" thingy. Then I have two little goldfish that are like separated Siamese twins! Yay! I do the same thing with peanuts, and sometimes almonds. Also, when I eat cinnamon bears, I always bite the head off first. Then they can't feel any pain as I consume them.
• I used to love the band Snow Patrol, but I can't listen to them anymore because hearing their songs reminds me of middle school. Ick.
• I like green and blue M&Ms the best. I swear they taste better than the others! (The brown ones should die.)
• I always fill up my water bottle at the same sink in my house. The other sinks probably have germies or something. (Jk, they don't, but the water from the small sink in the kitchen is so much prettier/more tasty/more awesome/more drinkable than the water from the other sinks.)

Anyway, that's probably a long enough list to make you all think I'm a freak show. I am okay with that. I like quirks. I think they are quirktastic. The end.

Holy week of ferocity, Batman!

My parents are back from Hawaii! Woohoo! They have been in Hawaii for the past week for their 20th anniversary vacation, which is totally cool. Staying married to the same person, and very happily at that, for 20 years can definitely be considered an accomplishment in today's world. Go padres! Anyway, it was my responsibility and pleasure (ahem) to be in charge of the sibs and the house while my parents were gone. When the week started, I thought, "Psh, this ain't no thang! I've already lived on my own and cooked and cleaned and whatnot. This will be a buh-reeze." Hmm.... Well, things didn't come quite that easily. Here are a few highlights from the week.

Monday

• went running, came back, dropped the padres off at the airport (where my mom totally saw David Archuleta!)
• successfully drove Dad's car home without crashing it
• cleaned the bathroom and kitchen
  
• made dinner, even gave an FHE lesson Woot! Go Crofty. You've GOT this, girl!
• FREAKED OUT about checking the locks on the house, couldn't fall asleep for fear of hostile criminals breaking in

Tuesday

• I went to the gym at 5 am, worked out, then found that my cell phone had somehow fallen into pieces and was now useless. AWESOME.
  
• found and successfully purchased the Ugliest and Worst Phone Ever Made from an old guy for $30 (this is a very temporary replacement phone)
• cleaned the kitchen like, 30 times. Come on people! Let's try to be tidy!
  
• I made BLT pizza, but somehow forgot to put cheese on it. HUH?! Umm... oh well. Less saturated fat for the siblings.
• Sleepless night... checked the locks every two hours or so
  

Wednesday

• successfully went running again
• successfully rescued foolish brother who locked his keys in his car
• went to see Up (such a good movie!) at the theatre with sibs, fed them way too many Twizzlers
• Dropped the ball on dinner, since we were full of Twizzlers anyway. Yay, leftovers!
  
• severe anxiety about break-ins once more
  

Thursday

• went to the gym at 5 am sharp
• sat through a 2.5 hour meeting at the place where I volunteer
• vacuumed, scrubbed, swept
  
• went to the movies with the sibs again (HP6 this time), fed them way too many Twizzlers
• dropped the ball on dinner... again. Sibs and I had sandwiches and leftovers.
  

Friday

• I went for a really good run. I'm gettin' stronger, yo.
• Umm, totally cleaned the whole house. Woot.
• drove sibs around to various frivilous activities
  
• Made some really yummo parmesan ranch chicken for dinner, and the sibs gobbled it up.

Saturday

• went for a short run (yeah, I know, all my runs are short)
• took the sibs to buy tennis balls and go to the park, where the sibs overheated in about 30 minutes
• successfully purchased a bed sheet to replace the one that I somehow shredded in my sleep (maybe I'll blog about that later)
• hung out with the bestie for like, 90 minutes, drove her home
• successfully went to dinner at my uncle's house (yummo enchiladas + relaxed conversation = love)

Sunday

• woke up absolutely giddy to see the padres
• successfuly drove to the airport without crashing or getting lost or getting pulled over (ahem, Derek)
• joyous reunion with the padres, went to church and chilled with the whole happy fam

What lovely adventures, right? Don't fret, there was a lot more that happened (oh boy was there more that happened), but I feel like I've already made this a long post. Umm, so keeping track of four sibs is a lot harder than keeping track of yourself, and cleaning a whole house is a lot harder than cleaning a teeny apartment (especially when the sibs are factored in). I can't believe my parents have been doing this for 19 years straight. Seriously. I learned this week that we kids have nothing to worry about because our parents have everything to worry about. Anyway, this week will probably go on my list of Best Weeks, not because it was easy or relaxing, but because it was memorable. And I'm glad my parents got to escape to paradise, because they totally deserve such a treat. Love you guys. :) (And yes, siblings, you can have some lovin' too. Thanks for not being demons this week.)

Creepy, crawly hypocrite

Yesterday afternoon, as I stared out my bedroom window, I noticed a spider sitting quietly on the glass. Upon closer inspection, and after screaming a little bit, I discovered that the spider was sitting on its web, which was located on the outside of the glass. Phew. Close call. No screaming necessary. I decided that it was safe to look at the spider up-close, since we were separated by a sturdy pane of glass. I noticed that the spider was actually in the process of constructing its neat little web, and i got to see it work its natural magic. The little creature spiraled around and around its growing web, all the while creating and distributing silken thread, weaving it into a geometrically perfect pattern. Amazing!

I took a few pictures of the process, but unfortunately, you can't see the web in them. All you can see is a spider that looks like it's floating in the air, since the pictures were taken through the window glass. Here's one of the shots I took. (You'll have to look closely for the little critter in this one. Some people get the jitters even when looking at a picture of a spider, so I'm not posting any close-ups.) And yes, I know I'm not a great photographer and this is not a good picture. I am okay with that.

Anyway, my sense of wonder was reawakened for a few minutes. I think I might have even stopped to consider the beauty of all living creatures, great and small, before continuing with the rest of my day. Hmm. That's not normal for me.

This morning, as I made my bed, I happened to glance up at the window and see my arachnid friend once again. A tiny smile probably (maybe...) graced my lips as I thought about how talented that little creature was. I shook the wrinkles out of my blanket and prepared to fold it, when I felt something land on my foot. I looked down and saw that a FREAKING SPIDER was crawling across my toes, racing for the safety of the shadows under my bed. I yelled/shrieked "HAI-YAH!!!" and smashed it with a paper towel. "HA!" I threw the nasty carcass away triumphantly. (I normally don't kill spiders. This isn't because I love them or anything, obviously. It's more that I'm usually to freaked out to get close enough to squoosh them. I guess adrenaline took over in this case.)

A few seconds later, I was startled by the horrible realization that I am the walking, talking definition of hypocrisy. One afternoon I'm admiring the beauty of a spider's instinctive creativity, and then the next morning I'm smashing its sista' with a disposable towel? What the flip, Crofty?! How can I lack so much compassion? How can I live like that? What changed so drastically from one day to the next that would cause me to transform from a curious, appreciative human being into a creature-killing monster? What made spider #2 so deserving of death, and what made spider #1 the object of an amateur artistic photo shoot?

I'll tell you what made those spiders what they were.... Spider #2 freaking touched my foot and spider #1 stayed outside where it belongs. That's it.

**This post was probably offensive to people who really like spiders/other animals. Sorry. But I'm really not bloodthirsty. I cried when my brothers caught a fish at the lake and tried to convince me to eat it for lunch. Spiders are just... nasty. And that is my shallow rationalization. The end.**

Run, ninja, run!

There are several people in my family who really like to run. I am not one of those family members... not yet, anyway. My parents, however, run several times a week, and for LONG distances. They're both in really great shape. My younger brother, Derek, runs 6 days a week, usually twice a day, and for even LONGER distances. Check out his blog to see how passionate he is about running. If you're like me--that is, not a runner--then hearing about how great my parents and brother are has just made you think to yourself, "Self, you should really go out for a jog or something so you look less pitiful compared to these running fiends. Maybe then you will understand the insanity behind peoples' obsession with running. And then maybe you will get a smokin' hot bod. Also, maybe you will become rich."

I do work out every day, so I'm used to physical exertion, but I usually do weight training and alternative methods of cardio--elliptical, aerobics, kickboxing, calisthenics, etc. I might actually say that I'm in decent shape. I've got some muscle.... (Yes, you can all start lining up for tickets to the gun show, cuz there's plenty to go around! Woooo!!) Cross-training is really important, though, so that gives me at least one good reason to start running. Anyway, last night, I told myself that I would get up this morning and go for a run, no matter how much my little brain likes to gripe about how disgusting running is. (I think I've been to too many cross country and track meets to see running as something graceful... There are SO many different body fluids all over the ground by the end of a meet that I hesitate to attempt a description for fear of grossing you all out.) Here's the surprising thing--I actually got up and ran this morning! Nuts! Maybe I do have a little self-discipline after all.

Anyway, all of you running people are going to laugh at my sorry attempt at athleticism, but I will describe my run regardless of my pitifulness. (Is that a word?) I ran for about 1.5 miles (I know it's pitiful--you can stop laughing!), and I actually didn't have to stop and walk. Amazing! The last time I "started running" after a period of inactivity, I could only go, umm... a quarter of a mile without feeling like I wanted to lie down on the ground and donate my running shoes to Deseret Industries, so I was quite surprised at how far I went this morning. I guess all of the weight training and cardio that I've been doing this summer has helped my overall fitness, even if I'm not in "running shape." I realize now that I probably should have kept going--I theorize that you only get stronger if you're out of your comfort zone by a wide margin--and I should have timed myself. Oh well.

Now that I realize that running is not that scary, and is only slightly disgusting, I think I can motivate myself to run a few times a week. I won't run on Tuesdays and Thursdays because I love my weight training class too much to give it up, and I'm definitely too wiped out after that class to even think about running. My goal, at least for now, is 6 miles a week. Stop laughing! That's a lot for me, okay?!?! I've publicly announced this goal so that I won't be able to avoid accomplishing it. (Speaking of publishing goals, I'll publish another one so I make sure to get it done.... I am getting my hair cut sometime next week. There.)

So, there you have it. I am not a running ninja like my brother or my padres, but I am workin' on it. Running updates (most of which will probably be hilarious) will follow.

Oh, how I've missed thee, blog. Actually, not so much.

Well, it appears that I haven't updated my blog in a while. Oops. I suppose my only excuse for not posting is that I just haven't really... cared. Sorry if that's offensive to anyone who is super in love with blogging. I like blogging, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I prefer real life and a handwritten journal. But FRET NOT, because you'll keep hearing from me. I know you were all SUPER concerned that this was a goodbye post, but it's not. Your bloggy lives can remain safe and sound under the watchful eye of jCroft(y). (P.S. - this blog needs a different name. "jCroft(y)" just doesn't cut it. Suggestions are welcome. Perhaps I shall even create a cute little poll so you can vote on a new blog name. Woohoo!)

Umm... I should probably report some stuff since I'm updating. I guess my latest news is that I am officially a volunteer for LifePath, which is a hospice service. My job as a volunteer will be to provide companionship/support for hospice patients. Most of the patients have six months or less to live, so the hospice services help to make them as comfortable as possible before they pass away. I'll mostly be sitting and talking with the patients, reading to them, helping them record life histories, and helping them be aware of and express their emotions as they go through the dying process. I know, it sounds like pretty heavy stuff, but I'm really looking forward to working with the patients. I think it'll be a very unique and sacred experience, and hopefully I'll be able to help these individuals in some small way.

Anyway, I guess that's about it. Hopefully this post will get me back into the bloggy mood. Hasta luego, bloggy pals.

Book Review - The Memory Keeper's Daughter

It's time for another book review! And this is review of a (dramatic pause)... NOVEL! Yes, it's true, I finally read a novel! This book actually made the transition quite easy. Usually (or at least lately) when I pick up a novel, I become bored by the end of the second chapter and I just can't force myself to continue past the plot exposition. With Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter, however, I found that I could slip easily into the story. In fact, I found the novel quite absorbing, and read it--quite literally--straight through without putting it down. (Yes, I did have WAY too much free time on my hands. It's summer. Gimme a break.)

The Memory Keeper's Daughter tells the stories of the members of an American family. The family starts the way a "normal" American family does--David and Norah Henry are completely in love, and they both follow their roles with exactness. David is a doctor, Norah is a dutiful 1960s wife, and both are wonderfully excited for the birth of their first child. However, when Norah delivers twins--a healthy, normal little boy and a little girl who has Down Syndrome--things change. Devastated and scared, David makes a split-second decision to hide the truth about his daughter. He whisks her away and places her in the care of a nurse, simultaneously telling his wife that their daughter was stillborn. Thus, in a single moment, a family is broken apart, and the beginnings of a complex web of secrets and lies are formed. David and Norah's daughter, Phoebe, is raised by the nurse, Caroline, while their son, Paul, grows up at home, in the shadow of a complicated and problematic marriage.

I can happily say that I enjoyed reading this book. Kim Edwards' narrative voice is both comfortable and poetic. (BONUS!) The book is written in episodic format, and follows the members of the Henry family through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Edwards quite successfully switches her narrative point of view between Henry, Norah, Caroline and Paul, thus allowing well-rounded character development. The character development is the strong point of the novel, in my opinion. The most beautiful moments in the novel are the moments in which the characters think to themselves and the real issues of the story are brought out, at times with gorgeous imagery and voice, without overuse of the dramatic plot structure.

The storyline was generally good, but faded to so-so in many parts. While the complexity of David's decision to give up his daughter and lie to his wife and son--and to everyone else--is intriguing, the drama that happens within the Henry household seems to be pretty soap opera-ish. Unimaginative love affairs, a painfully typical angst-y teenage son, and the husband/father-who-looks-so-successful-but-is-just-never-there all combine to create the appearance of a cookie-cutter family drama. However, the parts of the plot that involve Phoebe and her adoptive mother, Caroline, are very original and engaging.

Overall, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Some of those points come from the simple fact that I was able to stay interested through the whole book. Like I said, after a couple of years of reading non-fiction (behavioral economics, psychology, sociology, gender issues, other nerdy stuff, etc.) almost exclusively, novels have left me wanting as of late. This makes me very sad, as my nerdy, bookish self really loves a good novel. The Memory Keeper's Daughter, however, was a nice intro back into the world of fiction. Hopefully I'll come across some more good novels in the near future.

Broken phone - but things could be worse

You guys. My phone is broken. Dumb!

Actually, it still technically functions, but it's looking pretty sad. See the picture? Tragic. Poor little red phone. Before I got this particular phone, I had another phone that was exactly like it--same color, same model--but the hinge broke randomly one night when I flipped my phone open to answer a call. A little piece of plastic snapped off and *peeeeew!* went flying off into the sunset. What did I ever do to deserve this, you silly little piece of plastic? I've done nothing but care for you! (And accidentally drop you on the floor. And accidentally leave you in my frozen car overnight. And accidentally lose you literally two or three times a day. Anyway....) According to the Verizon store, this particular phone model causes hinge problems for a lot of people, so they gave me a replacement phone, since I was still under warranty.

I realize now that I should have asked for a different phone, since now the same part of the phone is broken. Actually, it broke in exactly the same way--a little scrap of plastic flew into the air when I opened the phone. And the same person who called me the last time my phone broke was the person who called me this time my phone broke! Nuts!

Anyhoodles, now I am on the hunt for a replacement phone. I don't want to pay a million bucks for a new phone when I can get a cheapo temporary one for now, then a free phone in December when my contract renews.

Wow, I am so lucky. Seriously! I'm not being sarcastic here. I really am lucky! Here I am, blogging from my own personal laptop, sitting at a desk in a comfortable room with air conditioning, whining about how my own personal cell phone has a broken hinge. If I lived in Nigeria, I might have to worry about militant attacks like this one. If I lived in Kirkuk, Iraq, I might have to worry about car bombs. If I lived in Honduras, I might have to worry about my president being kidnapped in a coup. The list could go on. In short, I am happy to have a broken cell phone!

Love... and Loss... at First Sight

Today I fell in love.

Unfortunately, it only lasted for about 7 minutes.

But still. I fell in love.... with these shoes (click here)!!!

Call me a dork, but I think those shoes are h-a-w-t hawt. They're so Americana, but with a touch of modern funk/etsy-ish craftiness. Gah. So cool. But UNFORTUNATELY, my love affair with these shoes was cut short because there are ZERO pairs of this shoe in my size in any of the stores in the valley. Dumb! How could this happen to me? I was almost willing to squeeze my feet into the shoes that were a 1/2 size too small for me, but I decided against it. Sure, I can stand in shoes that are too small, maybe even walk in them, but I'd only last about five minutes.

So, sorry for being a total dork and having a crisis over a pair of shoes, but I went shoe shopping for about... um... TWO HOURS and I didn't find anything that would satisfy me (besides these lovelies). Yeah, I'm really picky. Grr. And sorry if you think those shoes are ugly. Actually, not sorry, because I think they're kind of cool. :) And I promise that I am not shallow! It's okay to be in love with a pair of shoes. This doesn't prevent me from having a deep discussion on the themes of revenge and guilt in Shakespeare's Othello. I just can't help but think how much hotter I would look in a Shakespearean discussion if i were wearing those shoes.... Anyway, thanks for reading my rant!

Update on the dentist

So... apparently I have two options for my wisdom tooth extraction nightmare.

1. Get a needle jabbed into my gums a few times so I can be awake for the bone-crunching, gum-ripping surgery, which will last about 40 minutes, but not feel any pain.
2. Get an IV and be sedated--that is, thrown into the freaky, dark nothingness of unconsciousness--then wake up 40 minutes later acting like a goofball.

Hmm.... Is there an option #3? I really can't decide which scary, intimidating, unattractive path to choose. My fears for the local anaesthesia (option 1) are that it won't completely dull the pain and I'll be trying not to scream for the whole 40 minutes. I have a low pain tolerance. Like, kinda really low, unless I'm working out. Just ask my mom. And my roommate. And my basketball teacher from my sophomore year of high school. And the lady who rescued me in her van when I crashed my bike in March. Yeah... I think I might be okay with being awake to feel them pressing on my jaw and whatnot (as long as there is no pain!), but I'm not sure.

My fears for the IV sedation (option #2) are that I will be too freaked out by the IV needle (if they put it in my hand, that is. I'd be okay with it in my arm.) and that I'll be sick when I wake up from the surgery. People in my family have had bad experiences with being violently ill after waking up from a general anaesthesia. I also don't know if I'd like the feeling of being completely and totally unconscious of everything that is happening to me for nearly an hour. Hmm...

Anyway, I still haven't decided. I suppose that getting teeth ripped out of your gums can't really be a "good" experience no matter what happens. I'll be "out of commission" for at least two days. Ooo, I won't even be able to go to the gym. That bites... I hate it when my routine is thrown off!! (Por ejemplo, I had yogurt for breakfast instead of oatmeal this morning, and now I feel like a little piece of my universe is out of place. Bah.)

Some of you have said that your wisdom teefers experiences weren't all that bad, so I'm hoping mine will be the same way! Apparently my oral surgeon is pretty talented, so hopefully it won't be too traumatic. :)

Death by dentist

I have an appointment at the dreaded dentist's office today. It's allegedly a "consultation" in "preparation" for the "removal" of my wisdom teeth. Riiiiight. I am, and have been for quite some time now, suspicious of dentists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and other breeds of tooth-related professionals. I wasn't always this way, nay--not before I had braces, that is. After enduring the dreaded mouth stretcher, annoying little rubber bands that break in your mouth and act like little bull-whips against your lips, tooth cement, permanent retainer (that thing will be in my mouth until I'm DEAD. And it'll still be there AFTER I'm dead.), and other such horrors, I now have a healthily flourishing fear of going to the dentist. And NO, this fear is not irrational. Braces are far too traumatic for a seventh-grader. I practically have dental PTSD.

I really don't like people touching my teeth. Seriously, how scary is it to have someone digging around inside your mouth while you stare bug-eyed into a bright examination lamp, all the while hoping that you won't gag on Dentist's fingers and up-chuck into her/his face? Meanwhile, you're feeling like a disgusting freak because a pool of spittle is slowly collecting beneath your tongue, and you are completely powerless because you can't swallow when someone's nasty rubber-gloved hands are poking at your molars. Humiliatingly enough, you have to wait for the dentist to realize that there's about to be a deluge of saliva, and then allow her/him to suck out the moisture with a vacuum-powered straw. Lovely. Just lovely.

Anyway, hopefully this "consulation" won't be too horrible. Wish me luck. Actually, save the wishing of luck for later. I'll need it a lot more when I actually have to get the blasted wisdom teeth ripped from my skull.

Top Ten Inventions

The Science Museum in London recently created a top 10 list of the most important objects invented in history. Here's their list:

• Steam engine
• V2 rocket engine
• Electric telegraph
• Stephenson's Rocket
• X-ray machine
• Model T Ford
• Penicillin
• Pilot ACE Computer
• DNA double helix
• Apollo 10 capsule

I thought I'd make a top 10 list of the inventions that are most important to me. Here's my list!

• Volkswagen (originally started by Adolf Hitler and Ferdinand Porsche!)
• acetominophen
• the personal computer
  
• the telephone (...including the cellular variety)
  
• movable type printing press (revolutionized the mass-production of books!)
  
• indoor plumbing
  
• World Wide Web
• plastic
• the Interstate highway system
• the piano
  

These are mostly off of the top of my head, and there are many more inventions for which I am very grateful, but I thought I'd stick to a short list of 10, just so I don't bore anyone. But I'm interested to know what YOU would choose for your list of 10. Go for it!

Photo Theme: Gather

Photos from the Croft family Heber trip

Enya

Madelyn

Jared

Dane