Freedom from Addiction

My experience today in Communications 101 was a sobering experience. Usually, this class is relatively lighthearted, involving listening to debating presentations, learning vocabulary, and getting glimpses of the media. Today, however, was different--we spend most of class watching a video about how the internet affects our world today.

In this video, they took us for a brief look into South Korea, where the internet is a particularly popular form of media. They talked about the Internet cafes lining the streets of Seoul, and how young people there spend hours on end--sometimes all night--playing video games there. These kids spend 7 to 10 hours a day just playing video games. They just sit there and play without eating, drinking, or sleeping. Some kids have even died sitting in these internet cafes!

These kids are examples of people with an internet addiction. They live and breathe internet and video games. They literally couldn't live without them.

I'm so thankful that in the course of my life I've learned how to avoid potential addictions. I've been taught to just not even touch something that could easily lead there--drugs, alcohol, a knowingly addictive computer game. Because once you get into one, your life stops. Just slows to a complete halt as far as personal progress is concerned.

I'm unchained. And happy.

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Voice Lessons

Every Monday after Chem 102, I walk down to the RB music office for my voice lesson. Simply put, I love them! They RB music office assigns teachers pretty much at random, and I got a really good one. She's really helped me work on my voice so far this semester, and she's always cheerful when I see her on Mondays.

I also love finding and learning new songs. I love going to the fourth floor of the Library (The Music and Dance floor), thumbing through the scores, and seeing what they've got to offer. I also love going to the bookstore and taking a look at the music there. I guess you could say I'm a music nerd. And I'm proud.

It may sound strange but I also love practicing when I get to it. Singing is stress relief like you wouldn't believe. :)

I Love Voice Lessons!

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Online Ordering

Last weekend, I flew home to Portland to spend some time with my family. While I was there, I made a trip to the Washington Square Mall to do some shopping. I headed to Lucky Brand to pick up a pair of jeans. I needed a pair of extra-long length pants in order to fit my long legs, but alas, there were none in stock in the store.

I did the next-best thing--I went to the register and asked to order some online, to be shipped to my dorm in Provo, Utah. The transaction went quickly and easily, and I left the store satisfied with how it had gone.

February 27, 2011. I receive an email saying that my order has been shipped and that it will arrive within the next week. In the email is a link that takes me to a page that takes me to a tracking page. It's pretty sweet--I can see exactly where my jeans are and how many days are left in their journey to Provo.

So far, they've gone from Nashville, to Kansas City, to Commerce City (Colorado), to Salt Lake City. According to the tracking page, they arrive tomorrow. I'm excited.

So it took a few more days for me to get my jeans than I really planned. So what? I get a better deal, and in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter when I get them--I'll have them eventually either way. Win. :)

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Practice Rooms

There's a hallway on the second floor of the HFAC that's pretty much completely dedicated to practice rooms. Each room is about ten feet by ten feet, with a piano pushed up against one of the walls and a mirror on the door. You're probably thinking, "wow, that's horribly crampy!". But however crampy, I love the practice rooms.

Just going and shutting yourself away for a half hour to warm up your vocal chords or your fingers is therapeutic like you wouldn't believe. Practicing always makes my bad days good, and my good days better. I'm glad I can always go to that little hallway down in the HFAC and sing or play my heart out. :)

What a great building.

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Live Music

Today after Book of Mormon, I walked to the Wilk to get some food before my next class. Brigham's Square was booming with activity due to the impending BYUSA elections. There were booths, balloons, and--the best part--a live band. There was a good-sized flock of people gathered around the band, which was promoting Greenburg and Steele. And their music was good! So good, in fact, that instead of finding a table in the CougarEat like I usually do, I brown-bagged my lunch and went outside to join the listeners.

There's nothing like the awesome feeling of watching people make music, or doing it yourself! Sure, CD's are great. But nothing will compare to the live music that I know and love. From BYU Men's Chorus, to Acoustic Explosion, I love watching performances.

That's why the music video below is one of my favorite music videos. I love the creative way that they portray the live performance. The kids look pretty mystified too--and with good reason.

Good idea, Greenburg and Steele, setting up a live band during lunch hour for promotion. If you win the election as a result, I won't be surprised!

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Lost and Found

There's a lot of different things that I could write about today. Wendy's frosties, or airport shuttles, or getting to say hello to one of your best friends before you go into your first class of the day because she is conveniently studying right outside your classroom. I'm thankful for all those things. But today I'm definitely going to have to express my gratitude for the Lost and Found on campus.

Today after I left American Heritage and sat down to take my chemistry test in the Benson building, I realized that I was missing my phone. I stayed calm, knowing that it was probably in the JSB, where I had last had it with me, and resolved to go retrieve it after I had finished my test. I went straight to the JSB to get it back, and when the bell rang, I quickly scuttled into the auditorium and began looking around on the floor. Someone who was leaving noticed me searching and asked, "did you lose your phone? Someone found it and is bringing it up to the Lost and Found. If you hurry you can catch up with them."

How great was my relief.

I hurried to the Lost and Found, waited in line, and stated my loss. One of the guys in line behind me held out my phone, asking, "Is this yours?" I said yes, took it back, and graciously thanked him. What would I have done without my phone for however long? I shudder to think about it.

Many sighs of relief were breathed. Thank goodness for Lost and Found.

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Wood Stoves

One of my favorite things about being home is that I get to relax in front of the warm, comforting wood stove in my kitchen. There's something about sitting in front of a toasty fire when you know it's cold outside that just makes life feel a lot better. :)

I'm cold-blooded. I mean to say, I like heat a lot, lot better than cold. Ever since we got our wood stove, whenever someone started a fire in it, I would huddle up close to it and just sit there and soak up the heat. I did it all the time, and still do.

Wood stove fires seem to remind everyone of a comfortable, cheery, warm home. Why else would they make videos like the one up above? I remember during December last year they would play that video in a loop in my high school cafeteria. My English teacher would also put it up on the projector in class. Amazing, the power of a crackling fire.

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Snow

Today, I flew home to Portland to spend the weekend with my family. While standing in line at the Salt Lake City security checkpoint, I received a call from my mother, warning me that I might need to take public transit in order to get home, due to the impending snowstorm.

Three hours after that phone call, my plane touched down in Portland. Except for a few pathetically small white patches, there was no evidence that any snow had fallen at all--the ground was mostly wet, like it had rained. When we landed, it was still "snowing", per se--occasional, specky little flakes that were barely legit snowflakes at all. I walked off the plane and past the security checkpoint to find my dad waiting for me on the other side. As we walked out to the parking garage, he informed me that my siblings' schools had been cancelled because of the snow.

Yep, this is the snowless world that I come from.

That's why I'm so happy to live in the abundance of snow that is Provo! (Even though we're apparently having a mild winter, it's still an abundance to me!) I love the snow. I love watching it fall, I love walking in it, I love playing in it and building things with it, and yes, I even love eating it. Plus, snow makes everything prettier. No argument necessary. See below :)

Too bad we don't get any in Portland. But hey, if we did, would I love it as much as I do right now? Plus, it makes for some good entertainment. Below is an example of how Portlanders drive in the snow--because we don't know how. Enjoy :)

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Being Done with Midterms

My past two days have included three visits to this building:

Love it or loathe it, everyone at BYU has to go through the Testing Center at least a couple times a semester. This week I had the task of taking three midterms there: Book of Mormon, Communications 101, and Calculus.

I took two tests on tuesday. They didn't go so bad, which made me feel happy. Then, today, I sat in the Testing Center for two hours to take my final midterm of the week. I walked out, saw my score (which wasn't so bad either), and exited the Testing Center.

What a relief it was to finally be done. :)

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Flashcards

Ever been given a list of terms to study for a big test coming up? Ever tried to study by just reading over the list a million times, trying to remember what the terms are, and maybe writing little notes in the margins of the study guide? I definitely have. And let me tell you, it's not the most effective way to study.

Ever taken the same list, laboriously copied each term out on one side of an index card, and wrote the definition and key facts concerning the term on the other side? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Flashcards are a bit annoying to make, but they're definitely worth it. I study a lot, lot better whenever I have the aid of flashcards. 

The majority of my afternoon today was spent copying out 74 such flashcards for my Communications midterm, which I am going to be taking tomorrow. I don't know yet how well I'm going to do on the test, but I do know that the study method I'm using will do me good when I'm sitting at that desk in the testing center. :)

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Brick Oven Pizza

If someone asked you, "What's the top restaurant in Provo for BYU students?" what would you say? If you're like most people, you would probably answer, "Brick Oven Pizza". I know I would! Lots of students rant and rave about Brick Oven's homey, original feel and yummy food (not to mention it's right on the edge of campus--super convenient!). Yep, Brick Oven is the place to eat in Provo.

I've gone to Brick Oven twice. The first time was back in August, with my aunt and uncle who live here in Provo. They asked me if I had ever been to Brick Oven before, and when I replied that I hadn't, they said, "Oh, we've got to take you there then." Their choice to take me there was definitely the best one. I loved the cozy little restaurant immediately. That night, I dined happily on breadsticks, chicken alfredo pizza, and homemade apple beer. Needless to say, my night went well!

Tonight I revisited Brick Oven with three of my wonderful roommates. We walked there (and back) from Heritage, clear across campus, through the rain, and soaking our feet in puddles along the way. But it was worth it! It was great to get out of the dorm after a day that consisted mostly of quiet studying and eat delicious salad and pizza. Definitely an "up" in my book.

I love Brick Oven!! :)

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Midday Naps

I'm a huge fan! It's so nice to just put down your homework and go rest up for a couple hours. Whenever I wake up from a midday nap, I always feel refreshed and ready to start back up on my work. Whoever invented the Spanish siesta had the right idea. 

Napping can help refresh the mind, improve, overall alertness, boost mood and increase productivity. Napping is good for you, too! Gotta love naps!

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Temples

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to go do baptisms at the Provo Temple with my roommate after classes were over for the day. We drove up to the temple, showed our recommends, changed into baptismal suits, and walked into the waiting room to be confirmed, and then baptized.

The reason we had come to the temple was to feel peace and do the Lord's work by performing baptisms. We quickly realized after entering the waiting room that we were not the only ones that desired the peace that the temple brings. The benches were nearly all taken--and still filling. By the time we had done confirmations, been baptized, and walked out the door, people were squeezed as tightly as possible next to each other on the benches. It was clear that many other people besides us knew of the blessings of the temple and wanted them for themselves.

And blessings were indeed what we obtained. We walked out of the temple with a deeper sense of peace and fulfillment. It's so easy to forget what's really important, but going to the temple helps you remember.

Here is a list of the temples I've been inside and why I love them:

Portland. This is my hometown temple! It's the one that I've been to the most out of all of the temples I've been inside. The youth in my ward go to this temple at least three times a year together to do baptisms. Not only do I love being inside this temple, I also love walking around the grounds and looking at the beautiful flower gardens, fountains, and pine trees. The Portland Temple means a lot to me, and always will.

Provo. This is the "BYU" temple. It's a fifteen minute walk from my dorm, and it's situated on a hill, so you can see it from across Provo! It's usually very busy because both the students at BYU and the missionaries at the MTC do work there frequently. The fact that BYU students cause so much traffic at this temple makes me happy--it shows that temple work is important to students at BYU (which makes me even prouder to go to this great school). Oh, and walking around the grounds on Sunday afternoons is the best! 

Nauvoo. I did baptisms here when my family was in the Nauvoo Pageant (one of the best summers of my life!) There's so much history behind this temple. To me, it's a symbol of perseverance--the pioneers refused to leave Nauvoo until their temple was finished, even though they knew that it would be destroyed. I remember when the new Nauvoo temple was dedicated, and how everyone was so glad that the work that the early saints started was finished. The Nauvoo Temple is a living miracle.

Mount Timpanogos. I went to this temple to do baptisms with my roommates back in December. I don't really remember it, but I actually went to the dedication of the Timp Temple when I was really little! The Timpanogos Temple is a bit smaller than the other temples that I've been to, which I like; it has a nice, cozy, homelike feel. It's also beautiful, inside and out.

I love to see the temple!

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Cleaning Checks

They say that cleanliness is next to godliness. Nothing reinforces this belief like a good, thorough cleaning check.

Before the day of the check arrives, I usually approach it with the utmost dread. But once the cleaning begins, I realize, hey, it's not so bad after all! And afterwards, I am rewarded with a nice, clean apartment and a tidy bedroom. Everyone's happy. :)

Today was another one of those days. Woke up with a pang of dread, began doing chores, scrubbed, swept, and watched Enchanted while tidying my desk and folding clothes. Once it was over, it felt SO nice to have everything spic and span.

Below are some visuals of the fruits of mine and my roommates' labors:

 

Bed made, shelves all neatly organized

  

No clutter all over the desk

  

Items in cupboard arranged

 

Burners spotless and clean

Table clear, free of built-up clutter

Hip, hip, hoorah for Cleaning Checks!

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Fake Glasses

Friday, February 11, 2011. I meet up at the Provo Towne Center with my good friend who is visiting Provo from his hometown of Moab, Utah. We just walk around the mall for a good half hour. During this time, we stop by Icing by Claire's so that I can buy nerd glasses for the dance the next day. He risks his man card by walking into the store with me to help me pick them out. Which we do quickly. I buy them, put them on, and wear them the whole rest of the time we are in the mall.

Saturday, February 12, 2011. My good friend and I go to the Stake Dance dressed as nerds, decked out in homemade T-shirts, polyester pants, and glasses. We get our picture taken together, then go and shake up the dance floor. I get several compliments on my glasses from my friends.

Sunday, February 13, 2011. I forego wearing the glasses to church, but I wear them to choir practice. My good friend stops me and asks if they are real. I tell her that they aren't, but I think they're cool so I wear them anyways. Later that night, at ward prayer, valentines made at the dance last night get handed out. I receive one that says, "I love your glasses."

Monday, February 14, 2011. Nothing has happened here yet; this is tomorrow's date. But I plan to wear the glasses. I'm excited.

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iCal

Today, I was on facebook chatting with my little sister. I told her that I was going to write my blog post about iCal, the calendar application on my MacBook. After I told her this, she said (And I quote directly), "your writing… about a CALENDAR???" She obviously thought that writing about something like iCal was a silly, poor choice. But I don't think it is, at all. Sister… if you're reading this, I want you to know that I am very, VERY thankful for iCal. For very, VERY good reasons.

Why? iCal is practically my organizer for my schoolwork, study projects, and tests. I record all of my assignments and their due dates on the To-Do list in iCal. Whenever sit down to do homework, I bring out my computer, take a look at iCal, and see exactly what I need to get done and what order I need to do it in. The list arranges itself. It's pretty nice.

This may sound a bit dramatic, but I think iCal saves me from failing my classes in some ways. It really does help me get things done in a timely manner, which leaves me stress-free. And hey, that's always nice. :)

Yes, my dear little sister. I'm thankful for a Calendar.

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Mash-Ups

Music. I love it! On a typical day I'll have my iTunes up and running at least four times. I'll listen to certain songs over and over without getting tired of them at all. 

Yeah, songs are great. Which makes me so happy that people can "Mash Up" songs--putting three or four or more together at once! Someday, I want to make a mash-up. To me, mash-ups are works of art--and complicated ones, too. The person making the mash-up has to dice, splice, and rearrange the music in certain ways so that it sounds good when it's all put together. It's not easy work.

I'm kind of obsessed with DJ EarWorm. At the end of every year, he takes the top 25 billboard hits, mashes them up, and makes them into an entirely new song. This is my favorite work of his. Enjoy! :)

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Little Laws that Seem Stupid, but Keep us Safe

Ever heard of some new rule that's been enforced, and scoffed, thinking, "Wow, how totally pointless! Why are they making a dumb rule about something little like that which doesn't even matter?" I'm pretty sure that most of us have at some point. I remember being a kid and going to the indoor pool close to my house. I would always want to be the first to go down the water slide, and would run on the slippery pool deck to get in line for it. If a lifeguard saw me doing this, he or she would sternly instruct me to WALK back to where I had run from, and to WALK to the line for the water slide. It was nothing short of annoying.

But what if one day while I was at the pool, and I happened to slip on the watery pool deck, fall, and badly injure myself? That never did happen to me as a kid, but sadly, it's happened to many other kids who were just like me. The "No Running" rule was really there to protect the kids who came to swim, not to restrict them from having fun.

I saw this sign by the edge of the highway near my house in Portland last spring, after the State of Oregon began enforcing a new law banning texting while driving. I thought it was so amusing that law enforcement would take the time to put up a sign like this that I parked my car, walked up to it, took a picture of it, and sent it to all my friends. But even though I laughed, I know there's a reason behind this "silly" legislature--to keep us accident free. 

This video is hard to watch, but it shows that this law is just to keep us safe!

I'm glad that we have the "little things" there to protect us.

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Break The Fast

Fast Sundays. The first sunday of every month gives every red-blooded mormon foodie a familiar pang of dread. That's because they know that the first sunday of every month is a day when they need to skip a couple meals in order to become a bit more in tune with the spirit. Which is a good thing, don't get me wrong. But after the fasting is over, one needs a nice, satisfying meal to fill that empty stomach space.

Which is why I love BREAK THE FAST. Each first sunday, every dorm in my ward is assigned something edible to prepare for a huge meal that we all have together during the afternoon, after church. The food we have is always delicious at face value, but being able to wolf it down after you haven't eaten anything for 15 plus hours makes it three times more so.

We've had a different sort of meal for every Break The Fast. Today's Break The Fast theme was "Breakfast for Lunch". It was scrumptious! It consisted of such delicacies as this:

And this:

And this:

 And, finally, this:

Thank you, Break The Fast!

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My Apartment

"You live in Heritage? That's so ghetto! I'm glad I'm out of there."

I hear this a lot from off-campus dwellers that I meet who ask me where I live. It seems that those who lived in Heritage Halls only ever talk about how old the apartments are and how glad they are that they live in newer apartments now. It's undeniable that my apartment truly IS a little bit old. But I'm so thankful for it anyways.

My apartment keeps me sheltered from the elements. Just like yesterday, it was bitterly cold today. I spent pretty much the whole day on campus. It felt so good to step back into my warm, comfortable apartment after a long day of schoolwork, and to know that I didn't have to go back outside and go numb again.

Today, I went to the JSB and watched the movie The Pursuit of Happyness for American Heritage. The main character, played by Will Smith, starts out in the film with a small, but comfortable apartment. It wasn't a terribly fancy or nice apartment, but it was a place to stretch out a little and live. Will Smith's character was eventually kicked out of his apartment and had to move into a hotel room. He eventually got kicked out of there, too, and ended up having to spend his nights at homeless shelters with his young son. This movie made me realize how lucky I was to have a place where I can go at the end of the day and relax! I'm so glad I have my apartment to spread out and live in.

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Gloves

I remember the first time that the temperature hit below freezing during fall semester. It was late October when the temperature dropped to a chilling 30 degrees fahrenheit. After my classes were over, I stumbled into my kitchen and announced to my roommates, "Wow. It is FREEZING outside." My two roommates from Utah looked solemnly at me, the Oregonian used to mild, above-freezing temperatures, and announced, "You haven't seen nothing yet."

They were right. Today I woke up and checked the forecast on my laptop, only to discover that the day's high was projected to be a bone-chilling 19 degrees fahrenheit. Stepping outside felt like stepping into a deep-freezer. After less than five minutes of walking, I could feel the tips of my ears tingling, and my thighs becoming numb. This was the Utah weather my roommates had warned me about.

After my first venture outside today, I knew that I was in trouble. I was going to freeze my poor fingers off out there. Wait--there was a solution! I remembered the warm pair of fleece gloves that my mother had sent me in a care package a couple of weeks earlier. My hands would be spared!

I recovered the gloves from my closet, donned them, and wore them all day. My hands stayed nice and warm. :) Gloves are quite a worthwhile investment, right?

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The Book of Mormon

To put it simply, I'm really, really thankful for this book.

It's almost cliche to walk up to the pulpit in sacrament meeting and hear someone say, "I know that the Book of Mormon is true". Even so, those people who have studied its pages intensively, "feasting" on the words they say (not just nibbling), and praying for inspiration as they read really do know the truth that this amazing record holds.

It's amazing that the Book of Mormon has withstood all the things that it has been put through during its history. The descendants of Nephi had to painstakingly carve their words into the records made of gold plates. They had to guard the plates, making sure that they did not fall into the wrong hands. They had to have spiritual guidance in order to ensure that the things that we as latter-day saints really needed to hear made it onto the plates. Then, after the Book of Mormon was translated, it began to be attacked. Countless people have tried to "disprove" the Book of Mormon, ripping it apart, trying to find reasons that it cannot be true. This record has withstood almost two hundred years of such scrutiny.

My bishop is always telling us how reading the Book of Mormon every day will make us a happier person. He's right! When I take the time to read the Book of Mormon, I find that my day is easier, whatever load is on my shoulders is lighter, and I'm much happier. I can get information from the Book of Mormon that helps me through a hard day, or assists me with a difficult decision.

I feel so blessed to have this "Most Correct Book" in my life. I wish that every person in the world could know the power it holds and the comfort it brings in time of need.

Moroni 10:4--"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."

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YouTube

Ah, youtube. Where do I begin? I can't even start to count the funny memories and inside jokes I have associated with this website. What genius invented youtube videos? Because that's exactly what they are--a genius. 

Obviously, I love youtube for it's entertainment purposes. From Glozell to the Backin' Up Song, I just get loads of entertainment from that place. I can quote almost endlessly from YouTube (Yes, I have no life, I know.) But seriously, some of the best inside jokes that my friends and I have are from there.

When I've been in the depths of boredom, movies on youtube have saved my day! I love being able to watch some of my favorite movies on the website. Waiting long hours for a flight seems a little less long when you've got youtube movies handy. :)

Boy, am I glad that YouTube exists!

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BYU Men's Basketball

I feel like it might be a bit blasphemous if I didn't express my gratitude for BYU Men's Basketball on this day of all days. So here goes.

I'm so glad that the BYU men's basketball team has had such a great season so far. The fact that we can excel at athletics, as well as academics, makes my school pride go up more than a couple notches. I love watching our team play and defy the odds--like they did tonight.

When I went to the Wilk today with some friends to watch the game against SDSU, I was a bit nervous about the outcome. What if we lost? What if the game went totally downhill, and all those people that stood in line for bracelets did it for nothing? I really shouldn't have worried. Our boys played their best, and made me--us--proud.

I wonder sometimes if people will ever stop ranting and raving about Jimmer. He's going above and beyond.

BYU men's basketball--great game tonight! You make us proud.

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My Wonderful FHE Family

The turnout of my FHE family has probably landed it near the top of my "gratefulness" list. At the beginning of Fall Semester, we were a bit awkward around each other, not really knowing what to say to each other. Now, however, we're a close-knit group, with camaraderie, memories, and inside jokes to show for it.

I love every member of my FHE family so much. Everyone in the family has something to contribute and participates in the fun activities that we do together. I remember writing letters to our FHE brothers with my roommates before thanksgiving break. We had so much fun talking and laughing about the fun memories that we had had with each of our brothers as we wrote to them. I love how everyone in my family has a place--it wouldn't be quite the same with anyone missing (and isn't the same with two of our boys on missions--I miss them so much!) Our family is so organized that we even have a birth order (in which I am the youngest child--how I got that distinction, I'll never know.)

Some of my favorite memories of BYU have come out of FHE. From funny moments during our first FHE together playing games ("witch"), to watching my FHE brother charge through the Duck Pond during a game of Capture the Flag, to passing a Sunny D bottle full of leftovers around the table and being caught on video screeching, to disputing the number of light balls in a Christmas light display during a scavenger hunt (29 or 30? We'll never agree), I'm never going to forget the fun times we've had together.

By far one of my favorite memories from FHE comes from our epic PRANK WAR. It started out with us giving our brothers beef in fortune cookies, and built up slowly and surely until it came to a head on the night before halloween. My roommates came home from the stake halloween dance to discover that our kitchen had been filled, from floor to ceiling, with crumpled NEWSPAPER. I remember not knowing how to react, except by beginning to scream my head off! It was quite a night, and one where I was proud to be a part of the FHE family that I was from.

The other day, one of our brothers was over at our apartment. He had come over just to hang out and talk with us. He told us how glad he was to be a part of our family and what awesome sisters he felt he had. I want my brothers to know that I'm so glad that they are my brothers, and my family to know that I really love and appreciate them. You guys are wonderful!

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My Guitar

Music is an awesome thing. Who can imagine a world without it? It's so beautiful, and just lets people express themselves in ways that just plain words can't. Yes, music is wonderful. But there's something better--the ability to MAKE music.

That's why I was so excited to get my very own guitar this weekend. I've wanted a guitar for awhile, so that I could learn to play it and eventually write my own songs.

My guitar has a unique history. My dad started building it at a guitar shop in Provo even before I was born. He married my mom, they started our family, and a few years later we moved to Portland, so it never got finished. Fast forward about 20 years later and I'm studying in the HFAC for finals. Knowing that I want a guitar, my dad sends me a text asking if I would be interested in having his guitar that he began making so many years earlier. Of course I said yes.

Two saturdays ago I went up to the guitar shop and got to see the finished instrument. (It still needed a little bit of fine-tuning.) It was so beautiful and obviously carefully crafted. I liked it right away. The next weekend, I was finally able to bring it home.

Tonight my roommates, my FHE brother, and I all had dinner at my apartment. While we waited for dinner to be served, I brought out my guitar. My FHE brother picked it up, and after we asked him if he knew any songs, he just started strumming. That's a great thing about the guitar--you can just pick it up and start playing. No special prep necessary.

Needless to say, I can't wait to begin learning to play this beautiful instrument. My life just keeps getting better. :)

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Pizookies

Have you ever heard of an odd food combination, tried it, and loved it? I'm pretty sure that most everyone has. Tonight I tried one such seemingly odd combination.

Pizookies. Here's the deal--you take a mound of cookie dough, flatten it in a pie pan, stick it in the oven, bake it until it's almost completely baked through, take it out, scoop gobs of ice cream on top of it, and eat it with a spoon. The method is unorthodox… but the food is delicious.

It's like the way that Peanut Butter and Jelly go so well together. Almost-baked cookie dough and Ice Cream go together even better.

Being able to partake of this amazing delicacy was definitely a blessing. What a treat. :)

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Wireless Internet

Having to use an ethernet cable to get on the internet is like having to use a phone with a cord. It's a bit irritating and it ropes you down in one place--which can get annoying. Me, I like to be a free spirit and use my computer outside my dorm room--in my kitchen, out in the lobby, and maybe even outside if it's nice enough. Today I acted on my free-spirit studying tendencies and decided that it was time to get a wireless router.

It was quick and fairly simple to start up. It began working almost as soon as I had gotten it running. And it not only blesses me, but it also blesses the lives of all my roommates! They're thankful for the fact that I got a router as much as I am--as shown by this lovely facebook post by my roommate:

It was great to see four of us in the kitchen, lounging around on our laptops doing homework, not confined to our bedrooms to do it. I guess money can buy freedom… in some ways.  :)

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People who Listen

Before this evening, I thought I was going to end up writing this blog post about one of the small joys of life. Like flannel shirts, for instance, or fruit snacks, or wireless internet. (All of which I'm grateful for, don't get me wrong.) But for reasons I'm not going to delve into, I feel like I really need to express gratitude today for the people in my life who truly care to listen to me when I need it the most.

Have you ever had an experience where you're just overwhelmed with your own feelings, like your heart has turned into a giant bag of rocks? If you have, you probably also know how good it feels to sit down with someone, tell them what's on your mind, and discuss it with them, and know that you're not completely alone. It's such sweet relief to know that you don't have to go through what you're going through alone.

You can't handle everything on your own. It's a hard fact of life. That's part of the reason why we're supposed to interact with other people--to pull each other through the hard times.

People who listen--I love you, and I am so grateful that you are in my life. I honestly don't know what I would do without you.

(Want a boost? Listen to the song ^ )

I love you!

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Hot Chocolate

I guess I'm a typical, stereotyped, baffled college student at the moment. Tonight is one of those nights where I'm pretty much swamped in homework. Swamped.

I sat down at my kitchen table this evening, determined to do a few calculus assignments before bed. My eyelids beginning to droop, I decided that I needed something enticing to help me stay up and finish this daunting task.

I walked to my kitchen cabinet to see if I had anything that would. Instantly my eyes hit upon this:

Sweet relief! My sweet roommate had given me this mug, along with several hot chocolate packets, around Christmastime. Here was my antidote to falling dead asleep at the kitchen table while doing homework.

A Steaming Mug of Hot Chocolate = MY ANTI-SLEEP.

And the words on the packet about Warm Choclatey Memories are absolute truth. Just so you know. ;)

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Calculators

MLK day was a carefree, fun-filled day for many people at BYU. Some of my friends ventured to their Utah homes, some hit the ski slopes, and some others bedazzled themselves and went to prime parties. But not me.

I, who had just added a new section of Calculus to my schedule, had some make-up work to do. LOTS of it. Being a grade-conscious student, I sat myself down and did Calculus homework during my day off of school.

I wandered over to the library, backpack in tow, with everything I thought I would need. Textbook? Check. Scratch Paper? Check. Laptop? Check. TI-89 Calculator? CHECK.

I rode the elevator up to the fourth floor, found a table, and spread my array of calculus essentials on the wooden tabletop. All settled, I began working. Everything was going well until I reached for my calculator and pushed the "on" button.

Lo and behold, my calculator had run out of batteries. Disastrous? Yes. Thank goodness my laptop had a calculator built right in.

They're on computers, they're on cellphones, they're even on i-pods. Calculators are devices that help us through life nowadays. From simple add-and-subtract, to natural logarithms and limits, they make calculations (and calculus) easier. Imagine if we didn't have calculators to help us with sums. There would be a lot more time--and pencil--that would go to waste.

I'm thankful for calculators. (And for an amazing friend who photocopied the calculus homework schedule for me this evening. You know who you are. :) )

How am I so blessed?

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Card Games

Today, around the dinner hour, my roommates and I were hunkered around the dinner table with nothing to do. Then we had an idea. We brought out one of these little beauties:

A deck of cards. That's right. Now the fun was REALLY about to begin.

We began our epic game night by playing a game of Mao. I had never played it before, but I can assure you that it is one of the funnest games I have yet played. Mao is like Uno, except there are certain rules that go along with playing the game. For example, if you put down a diamond on the discard pile, you have to say, "Look at those sparkly diamonds!" If you fail to remember a rule, you have to draw a card. The person who gets rid of all their cards first gets to make up a new rule, which the other players figure out as they play.


You can imagine what this all led to--all sorts of hilarious new "rules", like having to shout "Narwhal!" after putting down a black card with an even number, or having to say "Ooh La La!" after putting down the same number or face as the card that was previously played.


One deck = one night full of unforgettable memories. What more could one ask for?

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