While the Cat Gently Sleeps...

So, I got home on Thursday night from Provo for Christmas. I had a few finals to finish up before I could go to sleep. I was working on them in my room, while my cat waited...patiently...for me to come and cuddle with him as he slept...

Isn't he precious?

He likes to rest his head on soft things..

Yeah, he does some weird things.

He was happy when I finally joined him at 2 in the morning...

This is for Sara

I'm posting so you'll post. 

Meeting of the Minds

Not really. But I get to meet my brother's fiancée for the first time on Friday. I'm excited. We talk on the phone all the time. And we text each other all day long. So....I really already know her, but we've never actually met so this will be great fun.


Poor Jolly....

This Totally Made My Day

I don't know about you, but I love CSRs. Some of them are just so, how to say this unoffensively...dim? I know that the job sucks, and that you deal with a lot of stupid people calling in...but seriously? This guy is amazingly rude, and just so...unreachable. Caller just wanted his AOL cancelled...

Best Consumerist Post Ever

My Adorable Cousins...

I went to play, I mean, gather data from my cousins on Tuesday. These kids are amazing, and I love being around them. So it was natural for me to want to write a paper about their amazingness (read: amazing linguistic development). 

Here's the story of the week: 

The six year old says to me, "What does that "T" stand for?"

As I'm stumbling for how best to explain that it is a cross, and not a "T" (after a few seconds of trying to figure what she was referencing) her 8 year old sister chimes in and says "It's a cross, K...." 

To which K responded: "Oh." 

I then told them that I wore it because my dad's parents had "given" it to me. Which isn't totally untrue. They gave me my Catholic heritage (though I never practiced, or was raised to do so). It is part of me. It explains things about my family and my upbringing, and I embrace my Catholic side, it is a beautiful thing.

My Apostrophe

I know, that's a lame title for such an upbeat post. But here it is: I'm happy with my life.

Yes, you read that right. I'm happy with my life. So don't listen to me if I complain, because it's all a ruse, a lie, a sham. I love my life. I'm happy I'm single. I'm happy I'm in school. I'm happy that I have a plan, whether it pans out or not. Life is good. Why? I think it was the snow today. (For those that have heard me say that someone must have sinned because it's snowing, I know that statement came as a shock. An ambulance will be at your house shortly. Don't panic.)

It snowed today. Pretty, white, fluffy flakes. I sat in the window of my office and just watched it come down...until one of my students showed up for their interview. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. I think it ultimately comes down to this: I am addicted to water. (If you think snow, rain, or any other precipitation is equivalent to "moisture" stop reading now! I've just lost respect for you.) My dad is a beach bum surfer from California. I learned to swim in the ocean. Water rejuvenates me. I went swimming this morning at the gym, and then got to see the snow falling. (The best bit was the swimming this morning, but the snow is just so beautiful...) I don't know if snow can really count as a water form as it makes no sound and the sound of water is half of it's appeal. But it sure centered me today.

Unfortunately, the snow caused me to realize there was a leak in the roof of the JKB on campus today. I have my "office" in that building and I was sitting there in the silence when I started to hear this undefined noise. Sounded like it could be a ticking sound, or a dripping sound. I checked all the computers (of which there are 8) and they were all normal. So I started to follow the sound to its source. There was water running down the wall, so I called Physical Facilities and reported it and then called the professor who's room it is. (It's the Translation Group Room, in case anyone was wondering.) The gentleman that came was glad that it was the corner of my office, which just so happens to correspond with the corner of the building, so that would make it easier for him to find once he was on the roof.

So now I sit here listening to Norah Jones, and I realize: I'm happy. I'm really happy with how my life is right now. I don't think I could handle dating anyone at present. In fact, I don't think I want to date anyone anytime soon. I want to be single. I want to experience more things. I want to prep for medical school (even if I never get there)! I want to be me, and I want to be doing what I'm doing. Which is what the Lord has asked me to do. He directed me to graduate school, and though it's hard and I want to give up, it's where He's asked me to be. All is as it should be.

(For those wondering still what the "plan" is, it's simply medical school. I have a plan to go to medical school, and even if it's just His way of helping me get through this semester, I'm okay with that. I'm glad I have something to plan for and to be excited about. It's been awhile.)

The Most Boring Class Ever

I love this class, don't get me wrong. But I hate it when certain people are in charge of elicitations. Like today for example, I have no reason to be here. I have more than enough information for my paper, and this is for their paper. I really would just rather be at home sleeping. Or stressing. Which seems to be my life lately. But that'll be touched on later.

The point here is that this class is boring. In fact I'm typing this as I'm sitting in class. They are currently arguing about "empty" and "filled" complementizers. (There was just a squeaky toy. Are we five?) Now we've just restated that we DO NOT find non-finite clauses in Haitian. Please people...pay attention.

And don't get me started on the fake sentences. These people make up the most unnatural sentences possible in English, and then try to get our Language Expert to translate them into Haitian Creole. If they don't work here, I doubt they'll work there. I mean UNNATURAL in any language type sentences. GAH!

The Geek Won!

I have a friend and he was competing in Mr. BYU. He had asked me to video tape it for him, so I went. Turns out, he found someone else to do the videoing. So I sat back and "enjoyed." They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here you are!

All the contestants...Agents 001-012

Agent 008 kicking it old school?

That's Brad, doing who knows what...

Agent 012 is out of order...but then so are most of them...

They've got skillz.

Brad's talent was spinning things...

The sign reads "MR BYU, put Brad here" With a place
for his face...very clever.

This guys talent was to put his head in a
bucket and play a Journey song
while audience sang it.
It was not good.

Napoleon Dynamite. So over done.

The pose off, or what happens when
you take away swimsuits.

Yes, it's Harry Potter.

More from the pose off...

Yes, that's a pimp.

This guy was pretty awesome. He not only won
the crown, he won the audience choice award. :)

It's Shake 'N Bake and I Helped

So I made my own banner. Pretty good for playing around late at night when I should be sleeping because medicine induced comatose like states never yield anything good.

But yeah, I was pretty happy about getting it all figured out under such circumstances. Expect more playing as the comatose state wears off...

It Totally Looks Like I'm Smoking

I'm on a nebulizer to treat my sickness...and it totally looks like I'm smoking. :) Made me hate this whole thing a little less...

Typical College Student?

Today, I am the canonical college student. T-shirt, jeans, flip-flops and hooded sweatshirt. Oh yeah. Combine that with my large, dark sunglasses and my iPod, and I'm totally a college student wannabe...oh wait, I AM a college student. But most days, I don't dress like one.

See, Noel had an office job once upon a time. And started to get used to the idea of having heels on every day, and nice clothes everyday (read: nice shirt, shoes, and jeans (I worked on the shop floors sometimes (and by shop floors, I mean shipping))). So I like to look nice. Yesterday, I wore my kickin' pink heels, black slacks, and a nice cream and black shirt. I looked professional, I looked young, I look GOOD! (Let's go look, SO GOOD!)

So this is out of character for me. But I no longer work any office job, so why not take advantage of that? It just feels weird. I have a Notre Dame shirt on. Little boy's T-shirt even. I'm a slacker. Or at least a poser of a slacker. I'm not really. But I look it.

Just a random thought for today.

What Defines the Millenials?

Seriously? (I say that way too much!) I was looking around me as I walked to campus today, and noticed a girl (probably a few years younger than my 26 years) wearing a Pink Floyd shirt. She's too young to know who they are and what they meant to the generation of kids that listened to them. Hell, I'm too young to truly appreciate what they meant to their generation. I then thought about style in general and realized, yet again, that we are moochers. We have no style that defines us. As I was thinking this, I noted two girls wearing the same vest, embarrassing...lol. The vest was early to mid-90s. And now it's back 15 years later. (Give or take). Seriously?

Not being one to follow the fads, my clothes are things that look good on me, and will still be fashionable 10 years from now. (Provided that I don't gain weight, this allows me to just keep growing my wardrobe and not having to throw things out in a few months/years.) I don't want to go into a long discussion about fashion, so I'll leave it alone for now.

My point is larger than fashion: what defines the Millenials? (Barack Obama has taken to using that term to describe the 20-somethings and I've heard other using it too...not sure if he really started it or not.) We came of age during the millennium and that defines us. But what makes us truly unique? Computers? Video games? Cell phones? iPods? The whole iMovement? We've made no stand against the war in Iraq, as some generations have done with their own wars. We've done nothing truly significant as far as I can tell. 100 years from now, what will our great-great-grandchildren learn about our generation? What will stand out to them as our defining moment? I sure hope, it wasn't just that we happened to live through the "catastrophic" Y2K. That? Would be pathetic.

Facebook could be our defining characteristic. But not even that seems important. It's simply part of the larger information age. We are more connected than ever, we could do so much good. Yet, we spend our time finding that amazing piece of Flair that defines our friendship with someone. Or throwing a sheep at them.

Truly, we are the generation of no clear goals. Sorry, I'm not meaning to be pessimisstic, some of us are trying to redefine ourselves and make things better. It just seems we're not reaching our collective potential.

And now for something truly special

I have another blog now, that is coauthored with a friend of mine. You should check it out.

The Stupid Things Boys Say

And now, the stress of "will the boys I write about on here, find it and know it's them?"

This amused me

Blinkers: not just pretty flashing lights

I hate Utah drivers, they NEVER seem to signal. I'll admit that is a gross generalization, but it's still fairly accurate. In fact, today I was driving behind a cop...who came to a complete stop in the middle of the right lane and turned into a parking lot ALL WITHOUT SIGNALING. How can we expect others to signal, when we can't even get the cops to signal?

Ridiculous.

Lessons in "Dealing with Noel"

So, I went to lunch with a friend of mine today, and he told me "I know how to deal with you." He knows how to deal with me? ME? I nearly died laughing. I was telling my sister this story and she said, "not even your father knows how to "deal with you" and he has had way more practice." This is true. She then called my friend "slightly delusional" which he is. Most people don't know how to deal with me. My personality is generally overwhelming, and, I'll admit, manipulative. I'd say 9 times out of 10, I get my way...and when I don't get my way, I sulk and then move on...really, I do. I have come to terms with not always getting my way...oh, and eventually, I'll get it anyway. ;) Moral: I remember what I want and will eventually get it...if it really is important to me...that pony? Do not want anymore...therefore, not something worth wasting my time on getting...

The lesson is, that it's a fine art in learning the intricacies of dealing with me and my attitude...what works one time, won't work the next. It just made me smile to think that he knows how to "deal with me" when really? He's not even close to knowing how to deal with me...oh well, not everyone can...

Yes, I realize this was a little ego-centric...but it's my blog!

Who are these people, and why do they trust me with money?

My bank approved me for a student Visa card. Have they met me? I feel so adult-like now. My very own non-store specific credit card. And? My limit is much higher than I had dared think of getting...they have WAY to much faith in me! Europe, here I come...

Just kidding. This card is EMERGENCY only. There have been a few times this last year that I didn't know where money was going to come from to cover some basic needs. (Apparently, "they" are right...it does NOT grow on trees...bugger.) A credit card would have been nice, because it would have gotten me through the hard times, and then I could have paid it off. And I would have too. I hate having balances on my cards. (I have 2 gas cards, and 2 store cards...always paid off when the bill comes...except in dire straits sorts of circumstances. But then they're paid off as QUICKLY as I can manage.) I just would rather not have one more bill to pay, which is why I am going to be completely responsible with this card. No frivolous here...just a means to an ends. Namely, keeping my sanity.

Hillary Cares: Wait, no…it’s a Form Letter

So, after sending in my comments, Hillary decided it was necessary to send me a thank you…wait, no she didn't. She sent a form letter. So here's is what "she" wrote:

Dear Friend,

Thank you for your message. I have received thousands of emails from people all over the country. Your comments are very important to me and I am excited that so many people are joining our conversation about how to change the direction of the country. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of comments, I am unable to respond to each email individually.

Please visit www.hillaryclinton.com to learn more about my views on the issues and to read the latest information about my campaign.

Below are some suggestions for how you get involved in the national campaign today:

• Join Team Hillary. We're building one of the biggest grassroots organizations in history. Over one million supporters have already contributed over one million hours to help with my campaign in this critical election. To join in this movement, sign up to volunteer at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/teamhillary today.
  
• Get updates from the campaign. Keep up to date on new campaign victories and challenges by signing up to receive the latest news from the campaign via email at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/join/
  
• Join the blog. Read daily updates from the campaign trail and discuss the latest news from around the country at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/blog
  
• Host an event. Get others in your area involved in the campaign by hosting an event. This is a great way to meet people in your community and find out how you can help in this critical election. Learn more about planning an event and post your event on our website at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/actioncenter/event/
  
• Contribute! Your contribution today will help fund critical campaign efforts to build our grassroots organization throughout the country. https://contribute.hillaryclinton.com/
  
• Become a Hillraiser. Have your friends help you to help Hillary! Sign up to become a Hillraiser at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/actioncenter/raise/
  
• Register to vote. Make sure you are registered to vote. http://www.govote.org
  

Thank you again for your interest.
Sincerely,

Hillary

Wait. Is that a fake signature?! Wow, now I know I'm special and she REALLY does appreciate my comments. What? It's just a ploy to get me to join more things? Dang it. Here I thought she had a heart and maybe she cared. But nope. Sorry…

 

Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President –hehe…not really, just the email was! Such good use of money…

Why Hillary Sucks: or One Girl’s Continuing Battle to Undo What her Sister did

So my sister thought it would be funny to sign me up for Hillary's mailing list. This must be how my friend felt when I signed her up for the NRA mailing list. At least that was easier to get off of though…So I have now sent three emails to Miss Hillary with notes attached trying to get off the list. However, I still get emails. For each one they send me, I'm going to start sending them requests to be removed. The first note to Hillary was not saved, but it was something along the lines of:

I do NOT support Hillary. My sister signed me up for this to get even with me for ignoring her. I am a Barack Obama supporter and I do not want to continue to get her emails. Obama '08!

I have received two new emails from her. Second unsubscribe request accompanied this note:

Dear Person that reads these:
This is my second attempt to get off the mailing list. I do NOT like Hillary, I was put on this list by someone that was playing a joke. If I had any inclination towards her, it would have been squashed by her support of the gas tax holiday. This is the STUPIDEST idea I've heard of. It'll hurt more people than it will help.
Anyway, delete my email from the list. Thanks.

I am hoping that along with the third letter they'll get the message:

To the reader of this note:
Unsubscribe me! I keep getting emails and I'm upset by this. From now on, each email I get from you guys will be followed up with another unsubscribe request. As you guys like to send a "thank you for your comments" email, this could get ugly.
PLEASE TAKE ME OFF YOUR LIST.

I had thought about including a note that said: Oh, and she may want to consider getting better speech writers. But that may be a bit harsh, you think? HMMMMM…drastic times call for drastic measures. I'll keep you posted. I might be sad if this is the last time I get to email them…

This was supposed to be 120 degrees...

I'm a Starbucks junkie. I admit it. But my order is very simple. I want a hot chocolate with the caramel syrup (sauce) and not the flavoring. Oh, and add whipped cream. My roommate orders a caramel machiato...upside down. We each have our quirks about what we want, but I watched a lady order her drink today and then refuse to take it because the cup didn't say "120 degrees" on it. Her drink HAD to be 120 degrees. Oh, and no fat, no sugar, please. Seriously? I understand the need to make it no fat, no sugar, but what's so important about the 120 degrees? Does it change the flavor any? Are we (as Americans) really so picky that we can't just accept what's given to us? I blame Burger King and their persistent "Have it your way, right away" slogan.

I know that saying "Starbucks junkie" and then talking about liking their hot chocolate seems to be rather strange. I've been meaning to try the caramel machiato, but I'm so dedicated to the Moxie Java Milky Way, that I'm not sure I can branch out. I like my Milky Way, I can't help it. Caramel machiatoas look good though...hmmmmm...

I was going to write a second blog today, one titled "It's called an ambulance, the siren means you get out of its way!" And rage against this girl I was behind last night...but as I'm trying to be more Christ-like

Doctors are sadists who like to play God and watch lesser people scream.

That pretty much sums up the last two months of my life. I've racked up more doctor bills than I care to think about. Let's start at the beginning...

Here's the situation, my parents went away for a weeks vacation...okay, just kidding...no more Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...I'll get to the story:

About 2 months ago now, my tonsils decided that they didn't like being a normal size. They grew way beyond what they should have been. So I went to the doctor. They tested for strep: negative. I went home and decided it would heal itself and I went on with life. Over a week later, it was worse, and I went to the doctor again. This time they didn't run a test but they told me: persistent tonsillitis. I called bull...oney! and scheduled an appointment with a specialist.

I went to the specialist on President's Day. She ordered a mono test and an EBV test. (EBV = Epstein-Barr Virus...for more information do the google search.) After passing out from the tests (I know, I'm pathetic...I know, I know), I found out that neither test was positive. So then I preceded to forget that she had taken a throat culture for a bacteria. Anyway, I decided that I hated doctors and that they were all quacks. (At least in Utah, I actually like all the ones I've had outside of Utah...seriously, do we get the bottom of the barrel in Utah???)

Fast forward to yesterday. I woke up Thursday morning at about 5 in the morning and my throat was killing me. I'm not kidding. I had to dig through my storage closet to find my cough drops so that I could go back to sleep. I woke up the next morning and took my temperature (I was freezing!): 99.5. I made an appointment with the doctor (sorry, nurse practitioner) and went back to sleep. By the time I was getting ready to go my temp was up to 101. So I popped some Tylenol and went to the appointment. More tests!! This time I got not only the strep and mono test but I got a CBC and a flu test. (FYI: Flu tests are the new torture device for the government. YIKES!! It hurt so bad, I would have given up any information they wanted to not repeat that experience!!) This time, I did not pass out...but I took precautions this time. :) This time I got an answer: influenza. I was ordered to bed. And have been there ever since.

Today, I get a phone call from the specialist that I had forgotten about. Apparently, there is more bacteria in the back of my throat than at the CDC. Okay, maybe not that much, but I have a lot. I'm now on meds for that too. Finally, an answer for the swollen tonsil...and influenza on top of it. If one of the first two doctors had just been smart enough to do a test for all sorts of bacteria, then maybe I wouldn't have come down with the flu. Oh well...

What is this "holiday" and who commercialized it?!

I want to start by pointing out that I'm not anti-love. I'm anti-needing a specific day to tell someone just how special they are to you. Are you kidding?! This should be EVERY day, not some commercialized hoax of a holiday. This is not a "I'm bitter because I'm single" rant either. I've had boyfriends on Valentine's Day; I've done the whole Valentine's Day thing. And I realized, that if I have to wait until February 14 to get flowers and whatever, then he's not the one for me. This shouldn't be some forced ritual...he should do it because he loves me.

Personally, I think we should return to the rumored traditions of the Romans:

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed.

This sounds much more promising than wearing red! Bring on the being slapped by blood covered hide!! And, to top it all off, we get paired up with a guy?! No awkward dating?! Sign me up!! Seriously though. I just received a text message from my friend. She says:

I truly hate Valentine's Day. The girls (at her office) are all talking about what they got their husbands and how much they hate the presents their husbands bought them.

Are you serious?! Be grateful he didn't forget the day! Which is possible, despite the over-advertisement of the day. I've heard plenty of wives/women complain that their husbands/boyfriends have forgotten the day. It's really disgusting...

So, I propose an abolition of Valentine's Day and instead propose that we use each day of the year to tell that special someone (or your friends/family) just how much you care and how much they mean to you.

Fat Tuesday! (or What if I'm NOT Fat?!)

It's that time of year again! The time that we make resolutions and try to make ourselves better. No, silly! I'm not talking about New Year's! I'm talking about Lent. Yes, Lent. 40 wonderful days of self-deprivation in the name of religion.

I actually really love this holiday. I enjoy celebrating it. Last year, my Catholic cousin (she's also a nun) came to visit during Lent. She's amazing. She was absolutely thrilled that I would celebrate it on my own.

This year, I've been pondering my many options. I don't usually go traditional when I do these things. I like meat. I'd have to adjust my diet to make up for the lack of protein...and that's not easy. So meat is a no-go. I've been known to give up caffeine, and I've been contemplating this as an option. But then I think of my busy school/work schedule. Do I really want to give up caffeine? Would I be successful? In past years, it has been easy to do. I don't even miss it. So here are my Lent rules this year:

1. Diet sodas only. If they don't have a diet option then I go with a lemonade or water. (This extra to the rule is added on as a "if I eat out" rule.)
2. Caffeine drinks once a week. So with the above rule, I'd only be allowed diet/caffeine free at a restaurant...it's Utah...it could happen.
3. Abstain from Laziness!!

I worded the last rule that way, since Lent is about giving things up. So, tonight, I'm going to convince my cousin to go to Gold's and get a joint membership (it's 2 for 1) so that we can keep each other on the getting healthy thing!!

And that is my Lent.

Megan2, this is the last time!!

Okay, so I guess it goes something like this. There are some questions, you google your answer to the question and then post the picture that is the most amusing. I guess I'm also supposed to tag someone...so I tag my bestest Megan! (Sorry, I'm bored at work again.)

1. Age I'll be on my next birthday:

Aren't they beautiful? I feel like Lilo and her fat people pictures with this one!

2. Favorite Food:

Yes, I googled a food, and this is what I got. Simply brilliant.

3. Middle Name:

I think she's fabulous. Great representation of my middle name!

4. College Major:

Yeah, it's like super like annoying.

5. Favorite Color:

Hehe. There's no explanation for the coolness of this place!

6. Place I'd like to visit:

Seriously, this represents a place.

7. Place I live: (No, this is not for Provo...)

Gay cowboys!! WOOT! (I couldn't resist it. They were cute!)

And now, my boys!! Aren't they wonderful!? They wear orange...what more could I want?!

8. Name of Past Pet:

This one had to be treated with some respect. As my cat's name was an Indian religion. I think I did well.

9. A Favorite Place:

Who wouldn't love this place?!

10. Favorite Holiday:

What's not to love?! It's the best holiday of the year!!!

11. Bad Habit:

No, it's not get stoned! I swear. But he does look it...hehe...hence, the choosing...

12. Favorite Animal:

On DVD Feb. 5, 2008. And that's all I have to say about that.

Well, that was fun...and work is almost done so yay!

Why do I do these things?

Megan tagged me! And normally, I wouldn't do things like this..but she's being insistent. Okay, 10 quirks about myself.

1. I have a HUGE literary obsession. And NOT with fiction. I prefer to read memoirs and biographies. Occasionally, I can find a novel that doesn't bore me, but it's rare.
2. I'm also obsessed with music. I have a lot of it, but still crave more. I'm also rather picky about my music. I'll listen to pretty much anything - as long as it lives up to my standards.
3. I HATE feet. HATE, HATE, HATE them. I've only found a few situations in which they don't repulse me. And no, I will not share those situations. That information could be used against me.
4. I have an obsession with brushing hair. Okay, with hair in general. I can look at a person and tell by their hair whether or not we'll be friends. I've also sat in classes completely distracted by girl's hair that isn't brushed. Biggest pet peeve: people that could have BEAUTIFUL hair, but don't use a brush enough...it's weird...but it's a quirk...so no mocking! I also love getting my hair done! Someday, I'll hire a personal stylist to come over every day to do my hair...
   
5. I'm obsessed with politics!! I mean OBSESSED!! Obama, is my favorite...and I'll stop there, because I can go on forever!
6. I have OCD issues. I've gotten pretty good about controlling them, but I think I'll spend my Friday night cleaning...unless someone finally asks me out...but I doubt he will.
7. My nephew is the cutest boy ever, and I never need to have kids because I'm so in love with him, that I doubt I could ever love another kid half as much...which isn't fair to my offspring...so I'll refrain.
   
8. I like clothes and make my own jewelry, and I love shoes. I know shoes might seem weird in contrast to my foot hatred, but if I can cover them with something cute, then they're a little less wretched.
9. I love to take pictures. I take hundreds of them. And then I keep them on my computer to someday put into a digital or paper scrapbook.
10. I have a language obsession. I'm going to learn Arabic this summer. :D

There they are! And I think I might tag Eleka...or Megan...I don't know. Maybe both??

A Room without Books is like a Person without a Soul

What Eleka asks for, Eleka gets. All the books that I have recently acquired, but haven't the time to read:

1. Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam*
   - Looked Amazing!!
   
2. Black White and Jewish.
   - Given to me by my aunt...she loved it.
3. Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why It Often Sucks in the City, or Who Are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?*
   - Looks Hilarious!!
4. The Doctor's Wife*
   So far, it's fabulous...I was able to start this one over the break.
5. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
   - My aunt loved it and passed it along
6. Hunger and Thirst
   - It's a novel that looked entertaining...we'll see
   
7. I Am America (And so can You!)
   - Duh...I would have to have this one!!
8. The Kite Runner
   -Another one from my aunt. :)
9. Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein *
   - Looked really good...and I finally bought it
10. Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie *
    - Who wouldn't want to learn more about her?!
11. On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood
    - A birthday gift from my aunt (noticing a trend yet? We read the same types of books...we can't help it!)
12. The Painted Veil
    - I have a rule: read book, then see movie....
    
13. Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid *
    - I've wanted this book since it came out. We'll see...
14. A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man became History's Greatest Traveler *
    - Charles Darwin and Sir Richard Francis Burton based their work on James Holman. What's not to like?! Incredibly intriguing....I'm weird...
15. Snow Falling on Cedars
    - Looked good...picked it up on a buy 2 get one free...or something along those lines...
16. Suite Francaise *
    - It's finally been translated to English...and it looks incredible!!
17. Three Cups of Tea *
    - I couldn't resist. This one is about a guy setting up schools for girls in Muslim countries to educate them better than their elders would allow. :)
18. Woman in Red *
    - It was $5 and it looked intriguing...so what the heck?!

That's not even all of them. It does include all of the newly purchased books that were mentioned in the last post. They are marked with a * so you'll know the difference. As you noted, my aunt has given me quite a few. I've given her just as many, if not more, over the year too. We do this. We buy books, read them, and then pass them along. We have very similar tastes in books and no one else in the family quite gets it.

On a side note: all the ones purchased in the last few weeks came to a total of about $63. Not too shabby, when you consider that the books totaled about $158. So almost got them for a third...roughly of course. :) DEAL!

Like Sands through the Hourglass...

...yeah, that would be more entertaining than sitting here without undergrads. It's my TA hours, and no one has come to visit me today. I think I'm going to start reading fun books here. I just bought 10 new books...I need somewhere to read them!

I was, however, just told that I have made the class "a lot less intimidating" in spite of the "horror stories." That's comforting. It means I'm doing my job, right? And the best part is that I've done this without talking to many people!! Sweet. It must be my presence that calms them. Who knows. Just wish they'd come see me...

It's a Mormon World After All!

So this is a picture of my cousin and his new wife. Nothing out of the ordinary to it, right?

WRONG!

You see, this picture was on one of the computers at work. I did NOT put it there. So someone else had to have put it there. But which coworker? Megan said she didn't do it. So I asked Taren. Apparently, cousin's wife is a friend of a friend of Taren's. Taren thought the pics were cute, so she downloaded them off of facebook. (And by cute, I mean, she liked the concept of the pics.) Don't get me wrong, I love my cousin and they are a cute couple, but I wasn't anticipating seeing them on my work computer.

Imagine sitting down to a computer that multiple users are on and seeing a picture of one of your family members there....a bit shocking, no? (Of course, this is Utah...and she is from PG...so there is a possibility of Utah coworkers knowing her...especially one from AF.)

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the pictures. I think they're a bit too contrived. And poor wife seems a bit pained in some. I feel it is safe to assume that's because of the photographer and not wife's disposition. She's a really sweet girl, and I just think that the poses were not to her benefit some of the time. Which is why you should always find a GOOD photographer...one that'll work with you. :) But that's another post, for another time.

I should be the one behind the wheel

No, this is not a road in Utah, but it might as well be lately.

Yesterday, I was out driving around looking for ice melt. And I think I encountered EVERY stupid drive Utah has to offer. (Okay, that's a GROSS HYPERBOLE, but let it slide, please?) I'll start from the beginning:

I was annoyed with my roommates. (You need to know this because it sets up the mood I was in when I went out driving.) I head down the road, and decide that I don't want to wait for the light. I cut through a parking lot just to realize I should have waited for the light, because everyone is driving so DAMN SLOW that there isn't a break in traffic until the light changes anyhow. *sighs* Needless to say, I did get out across traffic and went on my less-than-merry way. I get to Macey's and pull into the middle lane to make a left hand turn into Macey's. I'm about 6th in line to make the turn. No one is turning though. The first car in line, finally braves the left hand turn after he already passed up 6 opportunities. (Yes, I was counting.) Car number 2, passed up about 10 choice turn options, and wastes more of my time and gas. At this point, roommate that isn't annoying me and I are beyond frustrated. I start watching the traffic to my right and decide to pull into it. I go up to the light that's is about 100 yards up and make a left turn with the light, and get right into the parking lot of the Macey's (using a left hand turn, shocking how easy it was!!) As we drive back to the Macey's roommate notes, that car number 3 has finally braved a left hand turn. Translation: I would have been sitting there still.

We find that Macey's is without ice melt, and decide to try the Albertson's just up the road. So I head out of the lot and I get onto a road that is a sheet of ice, I slid a bit. But! Being the excellent snowy weather driver that I am, I did not hit anyone and I got to the intersection to make another, left hand turn safely. This time I'm stuck behind Mr. White Truck. Mr. White Truck passes up about 7 good left hand turn opportunities, choosing to add to my annoyance and frustration instead of being proactive and placating me. Non-annoying roommate comments that two annoying roommates should steer clear of her, because her bad mood is NOT getting better because of all these really stupid drivers we've encountered. I agree. FINALLY, Mr. White Truck takes the leap of faith, and turns. I follow quickly behind. We travel along without incidence until we get to Albertson's.

As we're rounding a corner to get to the parking lot entrance, we watch as Mr. Four-wheel Drive decides that HE gets to make a right hand turn out of the left lane into the parking lot. This is much to the horror of me and non-annoying roommate and Mr. Hondo Civic that got cut off. Thankfully, no one is injured. We get into the lot, without further incidents. We even drove to Shopko and Ream's and didn't see too much more stupid. However, I did slide a bit in the parking lot of Ream's. Again, my stellar driving skills prevented injuries.

We decide to go home and not deal with anymore stupid for one night. Only to come face to face with more stupid when we get home. But this is not a blog about that...moving on.

I make a few phone calls and find that the ONLY places to find ice melt (remember, all these stupid encounters came about because we were trying to de-ice our driveway and parking lot at our place.) are Sam's Club and Lowe's. The ONLY TWO. So I head out, solo this time, to Sam's Club since they have the better deal. It was an uneventful drive, until I get to Sam's and try to pull into a spot. I had noticed that the car next to the spot that I wanted, had their back up lights on, but the weren't moving so I paid them no mind. Until they started moving, as I got right behind them and was turning into my spot. I honked, thinking they'd hear it and stop. They did not. I honked again and this time it was a prolonged honk. It still took them several moments to realize that there was a car behind them and that they should stop. 6 inches from my car. That's how close they came to hitting me. 6 inches. Seriously? I give up. And there's more snow on the way...