Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Lollipops

Welcome to my life...well a small part of it. I spend many hours everyday sitting here on my bed with lappy rather appropriately on my lap. This is my artistic representation of what I call life. But if you are my parents please ignore the piles of clothes stage left. I should be studying for my Social Psychology test but I have already studied for 2hrs and my brain is turning to mush.

In other news...
- I will be turning 20 tomorrow and conveniently feel younger, less mature, and a lot less ready to deal with life than ever before.
- I am contemplating making a short film...but will have to wait until I have hours of extra time on my hands.
- I ate a banana this morning and my intestines feel like they are going to explode.
- I made an attempt to break things off with Boy this week. Yes, an attempt. Although he is a great guy and an even better kisser, our outlook on our relationship in the long term and short term were rather different. He didn't talk to me at all yesterday after our long talk the night before. It felt weird and I wasn't sure if I should talk to him, I don't want him to hate me more than he probably does. Here goes round one of being "just friends".
- I fell in love with this quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, " I begin to think that none are so bold as the timid, when they are fairly aroused." Power to the people!
- I am going on a Relief Society retreat this weekend, leaving tonight. We are staying at some cabins up in Island Park. I think given my week it will be nice to get away from everything. Girls are nosy though so hopefully no one will ask about Boy.
- When we get back from the retreat, my roommates are going to take me to I-HOP, for a little birthday fun!
- I will be getting a birthday package from home today, and I am way excited to see what sort of surprises are inside!
- I think I shall live to see another day.

Conscientious Confessions

I CONFESS:

I had too much fun while cutting my hair last week. If I had available, large amounts of hair gel or Crisco my hair may have remained like this for a the rest of the day

I also absolutely love my new shorter hair, and taking pictures of it.

I am seriously considering purchasing one of these http://www.kristascups.com/pstyle.

I found my old I-card last night while making my bed. It had ended up between my mattress and box springs. How? I haven't the slightest idea. Now I have two of them.

I am losing motivation to do any school work. Getting anything done is quite the accomplishment.

My life has been better, but thanks to the support and encouraging words of some amazing friends I feel a little less like bagel and shmear and a little more like a doughnut.

Trippy Travel Trappings

What a weekend. Las Vegas was terrifically fun and ridiculously warm. The 20hrs spent in a car were not half as bad as I thought they would be and I feel a little bit closer to those I spent those 20hrs with....mostly in a good way. : )

This weekend included a few fabulous firsts:
- My first large cockroach sighting. I am glad this was my first and hopefully last time...it was gross.
- My first time watching Baptists at our Barbeque.
- My first time venturing to Fremont Street and the shindigs that go down there. There is a reason it is no longer the cool place to go.
- My first time in a long time closing my hair in the door of a car.
- My first time learning that these are called Sin Bins...


But there were a lot of other things that were just fun. The crazy highway between Nevada and Utah is always fun. And there is Cafe Rio, In-and-out Burger, hanging out with my bestest sister, being in 120 degree weather, winning my first ever game of Pit, learning how to play In a Pickle, seeing my girl Rashida again, piling in and out of Larin's truck, and seeing hoards of Taylor Swift trucks driving like maniacs.

It was a fabulous weekend with lots of hugs shared and games played and talking about everything. I love my family and love spending time with them!!

Day In The Life...

My Day In A List:
- My morning class got canceled for tomorrow.
- My Social Psych professor didn't show up for class today and instead sent his TA to have us watch 12 Angry men and look at the different persuasion techniques that they use throughout it. I had never seen it before. It was quite interesting.
- I thought of a really good idea for a book while I was sitting in my writing class...goodness knows if I'll ever get around to writing it. But it was a good idea.
- Boy and I had a rather intense dtr today...and even after all of that I am not sure really where we are with everything.
- I am leaving tomorrow at 5pm to spend the weekend in Vegas with Sarah and I am incredibly excited. I am also excited for ten hours in the car with Scott, Cassie and Dan. I do not think this break could have come at a better time.


My Day In A Picture:

Bagel and Shmear

Today I feel like a bagel and shmear. I am pretty sure I am lacking a heart and therefore I similarly have a hole in the middle. I look fun and yummy and while I really might be, once you dive in things tend to get a little messy. Those who spend too much time with me often experience bloating and in excess I can cause heart burn and high cholesterol. Buyers beware!

Frisbee Fencing Fun

Boy and I opted to support our ward ultimate Frisbee team last night for their game. We however got horrible directions to which field they were playing on and ended up on the other side of the street behind a fence with no visible opening. So of course we decided to climb it even after noticing that the fence was not meant to be climbed. Needless to say the jeans I was wearing will not be the same, and neither will my hand...

My hand felt like it was on fire by the time I was finally able to get home and get it washed...I don't think the fence was very clean.

There were also small cuts like these all over my hands. The worst injury from this escapade was to my inner thighs. I am not sure how it happened, but they got bruised to the point where it is incredibly painful to walk. Boy made it over with one small scratch and no rips in his pants. Lucky!
While we are going over all of my self inflicted injuries. I replaced the blade on my razor (which I rarely do) and as a result tore up my knees. Pictures do cuts no justice, but had I taken one of the blood dripping down my leg upon exiting the shower it would have at least been cooler!

Aside from my multiple cuts and bruises I am having a fantastic summer. I am super excited to go to Vegas this weekend with Scott, Cassie, and Dan to visit Sarah and her man friend. We don't have any classes Monday or Tuesday which will be a nice break and to top it all off my birthday is the weekend after that! I have been promised a trip to I-HOP!

Enjoy your Wednesday (or Windsday if you're here in Rexburg).

Just For Fun

Some pictures to share...

A picture of me and Boy just before climbing R mountain on Saturday. I didn't think anyone was really taking a picture.

For FHE last night we played with sidewalk chalk. I strayed and decided to harass Boy's FHE group, staring with Boy himself. I had fun in case you couldn't tell!!

Overheated Monday

As a budding psychologist I officially declare Rexburg to be bipolar. Today it decided to welcome spring with 86 degree weather. It is hot, and I am somewhat thankful that my apartment is more of a cave than a house.

Given the unnaturally warm weather and free access to the indoor pool in my complex, I have been feeling immense pressure from Boy and friends to get myself a swimsuit so I can join them in the pool. I hate buying swimsuits. I hate wearing swimsuits. That would be why I conveniently left mine at home. I fear I may cave into either the heat, the pressure, or the boredom. Which one will get the job done first? Who knows.

In other news, my lappy at its ripe old age of 2 1/2 years has been having some over heating issues. Just having it on my lap for very long will get it piping hot, and it has a few times even shut itself off because it got too hot (which is not good for the battery or other internal organs). I have cleaned the outer vents as best I could and downloaded a CPU temperature monitor (so I can see more easily if I should move it to a more ventilated area), but perhaps a deeper cleaning may be necessary. Any advice would be welcome!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Butte-iful Bonfire Bit

I have had a fabulous weekend.

On Friday Boy feeling a bit more like himself and we ventured out with a group from our ward to climb R mountain (aka the North Menan Butte). We left around 8pm so while we were climbing we got to see the sun set. It certainly was very romantical. Going back down after it was dark was a nightmare though. It was steep, rocky, and very slippery. After we got to the bottom we went to Beaver Dick Park (yes that is the name of the park...I swear) and had a bonfire. Our bonfire was lacking food so we didn't stay for very long.


Today Dan and I decided to have lunch together after church at my place and Boy came along too. That was pretty fun and yummy! Then around 7pm Boy and I went to watch a movie with another couple. The movie was about killer lions. I am now extremely glad that there are no lions in Idaho, only killer return missionaries on the hunt for beautiful young brides (thank goodness I'm not beautiful!). Boy and I then went stadium singing. And after, Boy sent me home to do my homework. I didn't and decided to post a blog instead.

I hope you also had a fabulous weekend!

Windy D.I. Finds

I had really wanted to post these pictures yesterday but we were having 60mph winds again. But this time they knocked out the internet. Everyone told me Rexburg has great weather in the Summer, I guess that forgot to mention the wind. My apartment is on the top of the hill that is Rexburg, and is across the street from a large field. While walking back from my last class of the day I looked up the hill toward my apartment and could not even see the temple there was so much dirt in the air. The entire top of the hill was a cloud of dust that I had to walk through to get home. I took a picture from my apartment looking at the temple...please note that I am standing in the cloud while taking the picture so it does not look as drastic but still, that's not fog folks. On a clear day to the right of the temple I can see the mountains.

In other news I went to D.I. to fill in my summer attire as I left most of it home not thinking I would be staying for summer. I found 2 T-shirts, 2 light thermals, and a slotted spoon for about $9.
I decided to take a pic of one of the shirts....and also show off my great bod. I have lost almost 40lbs since high school! Don't look too closely at my hair as it is full of dirt.

My greatest find, although still a little smelly, was a deck of Pit cards for only $1!! Only those in my family or those who have spent Thanksgiving or Christmas with us will understand the significance of this find, but it is an impossible game to find anywhere! I currently am trying to destinkify the cards, but I think it may take a while!

Other than fun D.I. adventures, life here in the windy city is going great. As I did not have internet last night I couldn't do any of my homework (the assignments being in the syllabi's online) and have a lot to make up for tonight. I also will have to spend $10 to get a new I-card so I can take my test this weekend since the recent disappearance of my old one. TEN DOLLARS?!? Yeah that's what I said, and the new ones are ugly too.

Personality Falls

I cannot believe that it is already Friday. If the rest of this semester goes this fast maybe it won't be so bad!!

I received an email from the school today confirming a case of swine flu on campus and have accepted the fact that now I am probably dead. Just kidding. It just amazes me, how fast far the flu has spread along with the immense fear of a perfectly curable virus.

In my personality class we are encouraged to come up with ways to take our tests according to the theories we are studying. This has so far proven to be a wonderful opportunity. Last week to follow Adler theory of social interest, we took the test as a class. Today to follow the attachment theories of Bowlby and Ainsworth, we seeing our textbooks as our mothers, maintained our secure relationship with said textbook, by using it on the test. Mind you deciding on that method of taking the test took 30min or so (we as a class have to think of an applicable method), but it got me a perfect score!

I am hoping to get a group together to go visit Mesa Falls in Ashton, if the weather is good tomorrow. I think could be a fun a beautiful activity! We'll have to see if that actually happens though!

Carrot Working Advertisment

I must thank you all for your advice on my previous post. Particularly for the humor. I said something today while wiping the counter for the 3rd time, but only one of my roommates was home. I made a side comment that it "looked like the kitchen had thrown up and it ad all landed in the sink." My roommate who was there laughed and then offered to help me with the dishes! It worked though so I think I will try it again. Baby steps...

I was flipping through the school newspaper instead of doing homework, when I ran across the following advertisement that made me laugh.

Wait, what?!? To help fix you internet addiction, go to our website....our website that is on the INTERNET. The funniest part is that I'm pretty sure its not even a joke.

I also found this little gem in my bag of half frozen baby carrots. Not very baby, but twas yummy. I'm not sure what cause them to freeze as they were in the middle of the refrigerator, bu I will be sure to put them lower next time!

I am ridiculously busy with reading and home work but I certainly hope that you all are having a wonderful week!!

Sinking Communication Filth

It has always been a dream of mine to be more assertive and to be bolder and braver. The skills of communication have seemingly slipped from me...

But this semester that might have to change. In our initial roommate meeting, we went around and talked about keeping our apartment clean and some pet peeves that each of us have. My roommates all assured me that they were very clean and knowing that my prior roommates were not they assured me that cleanliness would not be an issue. The pet peeves I mentioned were food in the sink and hair in the shower.

However, there is always food all over our apartment. Worse than last semester. There are some days when I sweep our floor 3 times simply because I cannot stand to walk on it it is so filthy. Every morning as I am the last one up most days, the counters are covered in crumbs and sticky substances. The stoppers in our sink regularly are filled with pieces of carrots and/or broccoli. The stove no matter how many times I wipe it down is filthy by the next time I go to use it.

(my counters this morning when I awoke looked like this)

(Yes friends that is spaghetti sauce on the stove. Gross)

It's not just me right? Sometimes I feel as though I have become a little OCD about being clean, but at the same time all it takes is two seconds for them to clean up after themselves. Needless to say I am not sure how long I can live, cleaning up after them. But how on earth can I get up the courage to say anything to them about it? ::sigh::