Thoughts and Musings

Holes in My Sidewalk

2011-12-06T17:04:00.001-07:00

I love this poem. There are so many times in my life where I go back to this poem and remind myself that I can change bad habits or thoughts, it just takes some time and effort. Hope you enjoy.

There Is a Hole in My Sidewalk

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

By Portia Nelson

Chapter One

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost…I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend that I don’t see it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in this same place.

But, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep whole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in…it’s a habit…but,

My eyes are open

I know where I am

It is my fault.

I get out immediately,

Chapter Four

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter Five

I walk down another street.

My Cousin's Awesome Video

2011-11-23T22:37:00.001-07:00

Check out the really cool video (click here) my cousin Chris Peck made for the Doritos Superbowl competition. The more views they have, the better their chances of making it to the final six videos so please check it out!

A Few Notes

2011-10-28T23:41:00.000-06:00

Dear employees of 24 Hour Fitness,
Thank you for working on your Friday night (when I am sure you would rather be doing anything else) so that I can run my guts out at ten pm because I was too busy watching Friends reruns to get to the gym before then.

Dear shoe store,
I apologize in advance that I will be coming to your store to spend over an hour dithering about which type of running shoes to purchase because I can't feel a difference between air, cushion or foam support in your performance, superior or endurance styles. Thank you for your patience, because I have managed to wear out my current pair of running shoes in 1/5 of the time it took for me to wear out the last pair.

Dear feet,
Suck it up!!

RUNNING ROCKS. Next event: Winter 10k in Moab on Dec. 3rd.

A Little Science Project

2011-10-19T15:46:00.001-06:00

Check out this super cute girl and her science project! And I will do my best to refrain from saying "I told you so!"

My Potato Project

A Little Melody on the Brain. . .

2011-10-11T16:20:00.000-06:00

Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.

It Astounds Me

2011-06-10T20:51:00.005-06:00

I have recently been contemplating the privilege of my life, especially as a woman. I am an educated, free, independent woman who has the luxury to do what I want, when I want, how I want and not fear for my life, my family, my ability to support myself or to truly be ostracized from society.

It is astounding to me that just a few decades ago, a woman's best option for survival was through marriage, where she had no more rights or considerations than the land HE owned. And that even today, women around the world still live in societies where that is still true. It is astounding to me that women still live in fear everyday of being raped, maimed, or killed. It is astounding to me that women live in a world with so little opportunities that they must sell their bodies to feed their families. It is astounding to me that women live in societies where they must risk their very lives to get an education. It is astounding to me that not only do women live like this in some of the remotest places in the world, but that women can still face these obstacles here, right where I live.

I am so blessed. I have so many freedoms and opportunities. I am a very highly educated, independent woman. I have a basically disposable income and an extremely high standard of living. And I have the power to choose my own life. That is so incredible to me. I don't have to get married, if I don't want to. I don't have to live under the control of someone else (be they husband, dictatorship, religion, etc). I can very selectively pick how I will support myself and if needed my family. I choose how and with whom I spend my time. I don't have to live in constant fear or limited opportunities.

I am capable and powerful in my own right, and because of my privilege, more so than 99% of the women who have gone before me in this world. I can embody their grace, dignity and ambition. Then I add the blessings given to me to do even more and that is so empowering. It astounds me.

My Residents Rock

2010-12-22T16:21:00.005-07:00

Here are some of our awesome residents enjoying the break and demonstrating their talent (both those on and off the screen).

Isn't he just too cute for words?

2010-10-02T19:09:00.001-06:00

Wolverine Crossing Commercial

2010-08-12T20:19:00.000-06:00

My Path to Vegetarianism

2010-07-27T00:11:00.005-06:00

Over the years, I have had several people ask why I became a vegetarian. I thought I would share that here for all 14 of you who follow my blog. ;-)

I didn't grow up in a home that always advocated vegetarianism. In fact, it was in some ways just the opposite. In sixth grade, my dad decided to take advantage of the barn and extra acreage we had and bought cows, goats and pigs. We spent two years getting up early each day to feed them and then time after school cleaning up after them and feeding them again. I hated it, but I learned exactly how tasty meat is that comes from animals that receive proper care.

Then, during college, my ever project hunting father, bought a steakhouse. Yep. And so we spent the next several months learning all the intricate delicacies of how to burn a steak. This particular restaurant had the recipe for the best ribs, ever. Seriously.

See, I grew up eating meat, with nearly every meal. And I enjoyed it. In fact, I imagine I wouldn't hate the taste of it now. I occasionally even now crave burgers, roast beef and tuna melts.

Several months after my father bought the restaurant, my parents separated. My father, who had been morbidly obese for as long as I could remember, sold the restaurant and decided that if he didn't drastically change his lifestyle he may not live to see his grandchildren. He had tried every diet known to man, and at his heaviest was over 600 pounds. Several years before, he had spent three weeks at a place we nicknamed "Wheatgrass Camp". This facility spent three weeks helping people cleanse their bodies and learn the value of a raw/live food diet. My father had lost quiet a bit of weight during that time, had become a fan of wheatgrass (a habit which he passed onto me), and quickly saw that if he really wanted to lose the weight he would need to drastically change what he ate. It was too difficult for him to maintain the change once he got home as was surrounded by unsupportive work and family demands.

After selling the restaurant, we packed him up and shipped him off to San Diego, to spend four months volunteering at Wheatgrass Camp so he could focus on dropping the weight. When I saw him two months later, he passed the 100lb weight loss mark. Within a year, he was under 300 lbs. During the time he was in San Diego, I spent two weeks with him, eating like he did. I lost 15 pounds and felt this amazing sense of clarity that shocked me. A change in diet could do this? It was a powerful experience for me that I see now was just one of many experiences that lead me to my current lifestyle and beliefs.

I came home and quickly faced the same difficulties my father had faced years before. But, the seed was planted. I started to simply reduce the amount of meat I was eating. It wasn't hard, at all. At the same time, I started a class all about sustainability, a subject which I had been passionate about since childhood. My mother tells this hilarious story of me when I was five or six. I had come home from school simply distraught. We had learned about recycling in school that day and I was convinced my family was destroying the earth because we weren't recycling. My mother tried to explain that there were no recycling systems in place where we lived, but I would not be consoled. Eventually, I patted my mother on the head, and told her, "It's okay, Mom. You just don't understand."

Yeah, I have always cared about recycling, so this class was no surprise. What was the surprise was the real skill my professor taught me: how to research and understand my impact as a consumer. I spent the semester learning about light bulbs, personal care products, LEED construction, socially just imports and the animal industry. And like most people will tell you who have walked this path before, right here is where you panic. There were SO many things I was doing and buying and supporting that were NOT good for me, the planet or the human race. But, as the panic subsided, I started to gradually make changes. I spent the next two years living as a preferred vegetarian. I ate as a vegetarian if it was convienent and I didn't have a major craving. Or if my roommate wasn't panicking about me getting enough protein and force feeding me chicken for a whole summer. :-)

When I moved to Tucson, I decided it would be a great time to make the whole transistion. I didn't do it perfectly, and in fact ate meat for a full six weeks when I came back home after my first year. But, I quickly reaped the benefits of cutting out meat. I felt better, slept better, controlled my weight, spent less on food, and felt less nauseous everytime I thought about the animal industry.

Along the way, I found lots of other reasons to support my decision:

The first is religious. In the Word of Wisdom, it admonishes the Saints to each meat sparingly, in times of extreme cold or famine. As I live in the US, where there hasn't been a famine since the 1930s and I have a heater in my apartment, I am not sure I could qualify for either of those exceptions.

The animal industry causes more pollution than our cars. Plain and simple. And you all know how I feel about pollution.

The amount of resources like water & corn used to maintain the US population's meat intake could alleviate poverty for millions and millions across the world if redistributed for the approximately 1/6 of the world's population who are literally dying from the squalor in which they live.

Not to mention that the most inhumane things are done on factory farms and slaughterhouses - for both the animals and the employees. In chicken farms, male chicks are thrown in the garbage, like trash. And those chicks that survive get their beaks cut off, because they live so jammed packed that they panic and would otherwise peck each other to death. Companies like Tyson Chicken specifically hire undocumented workers, and then provide information to immigration services for weekly raids, maintaining a culture of fear and explotation that prevents the employees from uniting and demanding appropriate working conditions.

People often tell me that being a vegetarian would be too hard for them, they could never figure out how to eat a diet free from meat. Actually, I find it about as hard as to abstain from alcohol. Being a vegetarian is a choice, one I make every day. Just like I choose to not drink alcohol, I chose not to eat meat. And I didn't just stop eating meat one day and never do it again. It took me time to fully change and find options to supplement my diet. Just like I tell people when they are looking at the products they use in their homes, it isn't terribly realistic to throw everything away and start all over. Make one change a month, research one product or idea a month. And then implement that one thing into your life. After six years of making changes, my lifestyle, perspective on things like sustainability, social justice and vegetarianism and especially my product use is dramatically different that it was when I first moved out to college.

I eat a fair amount of meat alternatives (my favorite brand is Quorn), and also have tried a whole variety of things I wouldn't have otherwise (like hummus and these AMAZING rosemary pita chips). Being vegetarian also saved me the money to allow to make other changes that are also just as important, like eating organic and local. My sister is also vegetarian or "meat-free" as she calls it. My brother is not. Most of my family, particularly the older generations think this is a passing phase. But, I am proud of what I have decided, and feel that in my own little way, I am making a difference. And that brings me great joy, peace and satisfaction.

This Makes Me SO Mad!

2010-07-13T22:38:00.002-06:00

These are the type of people who watch out their windows to see if their neighbors go shopping on Sunday, and then won't let their kids play with the neighbors' kids because of it. Don't these people have anything better to do?

Mystery Group Lists 1,300 in Utah it Claims are Undocumented Immigrants

Eww. Gross. And SHAME ON THEM!

If they spent half the time they did on this compilation doing something valuable like volunteering, they probably could have fed every homeless person in the state of Utah, or raised enough money to pay for a semester of tuition for a deserving student, or cleaned up and renovated a city park. Or just not been so disgustingly horrible to other living, breathing, feeling human beings.

I am absolutely mortified.

A Franciscan Blessing

2010-06-24T12:32:00.001-06:00

“May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

Amen.”

5K Awesomeness

2010-06-14T23:54:00.002-06:00

I ran my first 5k race on Saturday and set a personal record of 37.5 minutes, which is a 12 minute mile. For being someone who never like to run, I was pretty dang proud of myself. I even got a running blister on my foot, which I totally deserved as I have been training for the 5k and the triathlon with shoes I used to wear to mow the lawn back in Layton (for those of you who are counting - yes, that was a decade ago). Next on the agenda, really need to buy new shoes.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-04-22T00:22:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite things about student housing is the constant change of pace. I love that we have super slow and extremely busy parts of the year. It keeps things interesting. Right now, I am at a practically unreal busy part of the year. Our academic year leases are ending at the end of the month, and we are getting ready to clean and turn apartments. We also are picking up with leasing, doing lots of tours and applications. To add to the busy, we are in a staffing drought. We lost our General Manager, Accountant and Marketing Assistant all in a week. Add these to our still vacant Maintenance Supervisor, and it has turned into a two-woman show starring myself and Andrea. We are working to keep things afloat and to find some lovely people who want to work with us, ASAP!

With all the craziness, I got a promotion and raise. My new title is now Assistant General Manager. This will be a great chance for me to finally really learn the business side of student housing and property management. Just today, I learned how to run credit card payments. I am slowly relearning all the stuff I forgot in my accounting class from over a decade ago.

I have also started fully training for my triathlon in August. I am running a sprint length triathlon, which is a 750 meter swim, 12.4 mile bike ride and a 5k run. I asked my friend Allina, whose is studying for her personal training certificate, to help me train and she has been a godsend. She pushes me and keeps me motivated. Kevin has also created a website for us to track our training. We are also collecting a little batch of people also training with us, including my brother Matthew whose whole goal is simply to beat me. I bought this really great bike that I love. Next purchase, new running shoes (mine are YEARS old).

Here is our website. I have been really bad at updating it, but I promised Kevin today that I would do better from now on.

Here also is a picture of my ADORABLE nephew. He is quickly approaching two and so awesome. One of his new favorite words is "want". I'm sure you can imagine just how funny this is, especially since he has NO problem expressing exactly how he feels. I am super excited to get to watch him this weekend, during my first real weekend off since the middle of March. Porter time is the best!

My Own Prejudices

2010-03-02T00:22:00.003-07:00

Tonight I stopped by Lane Bryant, mostly planning just to browse and window shop. I was quickly approached by one of the employees. I acknowledged her, but continued to browse.

After a few minutes, I noticed another employee who by their interaction, clearly was new to the position. She also addressed me, and unlike with the first woman, I responded back. She and I carried on a dialogue and discussed some of the new items they had in the store. She then helped me find a dressing room and purchase a pair of pants I decided to buy.

As I was walking out of the store, I realized why I had engaged in a conversation with the second woman, and not the first. The first employee was not plus sized. I felt surprised when I saw her there, and did a double take. And even though she clearly was the manager and the second woman was new to the job, I chose to solicit the opinion of the plus sized woman. I didn't trust an average sized woman to assist me in a store designed for plus sized women.

I pride myself for being aware of bias and prejudice, for understanding power and privilege, and for pursuing a more socially just world. And part of that is recognizing in myself my owns prejudices. But, it sucks to realize that I still allow my own bias to affect my decisions. Even superficial decisions about whose opinion I trust more about my wardrobe.

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

2009-12-29T23:48:00.005-07:00

I can't believe how quickly this year is coming to an end.

Got a new job, new apartment and new hair color.

Still am single (to my dad's eternal worry and most days my relief), vegetarian, and a school nerd (who just nerds about emergency prepardness and the need for policies/procedures now).

Learned to be more comfortable with my contradictions, how to balance professors and their agendas with the student club I advised, and to make baked potatoes in the microwave.

Happiest moments were when I graduated with my master's, spent time with my nephew, and finished my mini-triathlon.

Hardest when I discovered I really don't like Utah county, working for the associate dean of anti-diversity, and going to my deposition.

Going to miss the first half of my twenties, living somewhere where I could recycle and eat good mexican food, and student loan deferment.

Looking forward to starting training for my next triathlon, exploring more hair color options, playing make believe with my nephew, Kevin moving closer than Layton, trying the Peruvian restaurant here, the return of GLEE in april, having a staff with some returners next fall, the end of winter, Deseree's baby, Instant Star Seasons 3 & 4 out on DVD, starting a recycling program on the property, meeting the six other democrats in the county, and maybe going back to school in the fall.

Committing to finishing a spring and fall triathlon, eating breakfast, being more interested in who I am and less worried about other people's expectations, and living within my new budget.

2009-12-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

Which Bones Character Are You?

More on Bones. Created by BuddyTV

Gotta Love The Muppets

2009-11-24T15:27:00.002-07:00

Muppets + Queen = Pure hilarity!

When Lyrics Say It Better Than I Could

2009-11-03T00:21:00.010-07:00

The Long Way Around
Dixie Chicks

My friends from high school
Married their high school boyfriends
Moved into houses in the same zip codes
Where their parents live

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

I hit the highway in a pink RV with stars on the ceiling
Lived like a gypsy
Six strong hands on the steering wheel

I've been gone a long time now
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way somehow

By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

I met the queen of whatever
Drank with the Irish and smoked with the hippies
Moved with the shakers
Wouldn't kiss all the asses that they told me too

No I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

Its been two long years now
Since the top of the world came crashing down
And I'm getting it back on the road now

By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
The long
The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger and I met myself
I opened my mouth and I heard myself
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow

Well, I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found

Taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Taking the long way
Taking the long way around

Monday Confessional

2009-10-19T15:32:00.003-06:00

1- I still have boxes I have not unpacked in my house. And a pile of pictures I haven't hung. I feel no motivation to decorate this apartment. As it is, half of my belongings are still in a storage unit in West Jordan. And the rest are only sorta organized. Not quite sure what I am going to do about it, either. I even have an empty pile of boxes that need to go back to the storage unit that are sitting in my apartment.

2- My windshield wiper motor has been malfunctioning since I bought my car nearly 18 months ago. At the time I bought it, it only stopped working sometimes. So, since I was living in Tucson, I didn't bother replacing it. It completely stopped working right before I moved. This means that my windshield wipers don't ever work, at all. I have lived in Utah now for four and a half months, enduring countless rainstorms where I either had to drive blind, or not use my car. I still haven't taken the time to get it fixed. So, I convinced Kevin to take my car in this weekend while I am out of town, because I can't seem to get the motivation to get it done myself.

3- Half of my mail is still being forwarded from various addresses where I have lived over the last few years. I can't seem to muster up the motivation to take the time to get it all sent to my current address. There are a number of people who have to take time out of the their day to either forward it onto me, or hold onto my mail until the next time they see me. I even have mail that gets forwarded twice.

I just noticed the apparent theme today. . . lack of motivation. . . hmmm. . .

Live Animals in Student Housing

2009-10-01T14:12:00.002-06:00

My first year as an RA, someone let loose three sheep in our building. It was the middle of the night and I and a few other RAs got to chase them down and call the police so they could be picked up by their owners. It was one of those defining moments of the year.

Last night, someone let loose a chicken in one of our buildings. And upon calling the police because Animal Control was closed, I was informed that I would have to transport the chicken to the Animal Shelter because the police would not pick it up. So, we put the chicken in a big box and I headed to the address given us by dispatch.

While trying to drive carefully so as to not upset the chicken enough that it escaped the box, I got lost in an industrial park in Lindon. And then, I got pulled over by a police officer concerned that someone was wandering around late at night in said industrial park. When I explained to him that I was lost and was trying to deliver the chicken, he said he had heard Orem Police was dealing with the situation and then gave me directions. Basically every police officer in the county knew about the "chicken girl".

The chicken was eventually dropped off and is hopefully enjoying its accommodations at the Lindon Animal Shelter.

So, as if college students don't act crazy enough, people apparently think that we need live animals too. Superb.

Balancing Out the "Liberal Propaganda" I Post

2009-09-20T20:14:00.004-06:00

My dear friend Meredith sent me the link to this blog that I had to share. This is a conservative Christian stay at home mom who shares ways to exercise better stewardship over the earth and be a better christian by being environmentally conscious.

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2007/10/being-good-stewards.html

So there.

And no worries, "Liberal Propaganda" to resume shortly.

What If?

2009-09-02T10:22:00.002-06:00

Exploring the world of "What If?" today. . .

What if I hadn't moved from Tucson?

What if I go back to school already?

What if I can't complete the triathlon on Monday?

What if there really is something more there?

What if I go crazy here in Orem?

What if I freeze to death this winter?

What if health care reform doesn't pass?

What if I have to sacrifice part of myself in order to meet expectations?

What if I never learn to cook?

What if I cut my hair short?

hmmm. . . lots to ponder. . .

Check It Out!

2009-08-10T23:56:00.004-06:00

Tonight, I finally got the courage to dye my hair brown. I have been thinking about it for months, and apparently tonight was the right time. I love it! Why did I wait so long?

You Know You Live in Orem If. . .

2009-07-28T16:54:00.003-06:00

1- Every time you go to Bed, Bath and Beyond, there is a line of people wanting to set up a wedding registry.
2- Every girl who is wearing a shirt or a dress without sleeves is wearing a t-shirt underneath.
3- NOTHING is open on Sundays, except Wal-mart, which is full of people dressed for church.
4- Your apartment complex has NO recycling, and there are no community recycling drop off points.
5- 95% of the restaurants in town are chain restaurants.
6- When you say the word "sustainability", people look at you with blank stares.
7- Bishops fight over members, to drive up their numbers.
8- At any given time in public, you can see at least three pregnant women.
9- "That's so gay" jokes are apparently still considered appropriate and funny.
10- Glenn Beck is considered a revered public figure, almost as important as the prophet.

Needless to say, its been an adjustment.

Baby Names by Profession

2009-07-23T17:56:00.002-06:00

So, I got into a conversation with an old friend about baby names today. And she mentioned the hilarity that would be if we names our kids based on our chosen profession. So, I thought of a few examples and thought I would post them just for kicks and giggles.

My cousin Caty is a chef/caterer/wonder-woman with food. If she named her kids all after spices: Basil, Rosemary, Coriander and Saffron.

My little sister Jessica is a paralegal/soon to be attorney. I thought these names would be appropriate: Justice, Mercy, Judge and Court.

My friend Stacy is a geologist. So, they must of course be after rocks: Gem, Stone, Jasper and Shale.

Where we had a hard time coming up with names was for my profession! But, finally we came up with an appropriate category: University Mascots! How do you feel about Baxter, Lulu, Ollie and Aggie?

Funny Memories

2009-07-21T09:54:00.003-06:00

So, I work for housing again. And therefore the RIDICULOUS crazy ways that people cause drama in their personal lives is now front and center in my job, again. This has caused me to think a bit about my prior housing experience and all the crazy funny stories and events that happened. Today, I thought I would share one for your enjoyment.

When the Comb Wins the War

My second year as an RA in Valley View, I got a knock on my door from a resident who had a hair problem. We will call this resident Becky.

Becky had gotten out of the shower and decided to comb her hair out while she was laying down on her bed. Shortly after beginning to comb out her hair, Becky's comb got stuck in her hair. Becky made some effort to dislodge the comb from her hair, but was unsuccessful. In fact, she just made the snarl around the comb worse. At that point when she realized she needed some assistance, where did she turn? Oh yeah, to that weird girl who housing paid to be her RA, Tiffany.

Becky comes in to my room and shows me the giant snarl right on the top of her head. I can see one of those large "unbreakable" combs embedded in the middle of this hair snarl. Becky is near tears at this point. I spent several minutes trying to remove the comb, but am unable to find anyway to pull it out. At this point, I brought in reinforcements: an RA with the curliest, craziest(and so pretty I was always jealous) hair around. I figured if she couldn't get this comb out, no one could. After several minutes of both of us trying anything to make the comb come out, we determine that if we can break or cut the comb apart, maybe we can get it out. This is the point in the story where you imagine two college girls using a steak knife to saw apart an unbreakable comb that is fused to the top of another college girl's head. Every time I think about it, I shudder too. Sadly, this insanely stupid idea only helps us shorten the comb. It is STILL lodged in Becky's hair.

At this point, we know it is time to get a hair expert: yet another RA. This RA had experience cutting hair, so she came in and carefully cut the comb out. She also tried to style Becky's hair so it looked like we hadn't just cut a comb and giant snarl off her head. It took several months before Becky's hair grew out and hid the evidence that she lost the war with the comb.

Life Lessons Learned:
1- Don't comb out your hair when laying down on your bed.
2- If you get a comb lodged in your hair, go to the RA with the hair styling experience first if you want to avoid a steak knife held over your head.

New Movie I Want to See

2009-07-16T09:45:00.000-06:00

and you should too!

Time for an Update

2009-07-13T10:09:00.002-06:00

I thought it might be time to update, as it has been a while. I have moved from Tucson to Orem, with a small stop in Midvale in between. I am SO glad to be close to my family again. But, I do miss things in Tucson (like mexican food and the weather).

I got back the beginning of June, and after a few weeks of job hunting, I have starting working at a position in Orem (which is about thirty minutes south of Salt Lake). I am the Resident Director at Wolverine Crossing, a private housing complex right next to Utah Valley University. Yes, I went back to housing. And, I am actually really glad to be back. I enjoy the work, as crazy as it can be. I really like my co-workers and am much more comfortable here. I am still unpacking - not sure why it is taking me so long this time - and getting to know the area. I did find Sunflower Market, which was a relief. Utah Valley University only became a university recently and they have no on-campus housing. So, we are trying to position ourselves to fill that need, and that includes a residence life program. There is lots of opportunity for growth here, and that is very appealing for me. Now, if I and the locals can just get along. . . as Orem and the surrounding area is known for being full of conservative mormons. But, they haven't kicked me out yet, so that is a good sign.

My nephew turned one, and is growing and learning so fast. He has started walking regularly and is talking a mile a minute. He has also discovered doors. There are a few he can open in my apartment. But mostly, he loves to take people's keys and reach for door handles to try to "unlock" the doors. It is so cute! We also went to the park to watch fireworks on the 4th and he would see one go off and then say "Oooohhh" and "Aaahhh" every time.

One of the other really great things about living back in Utah is that now I am really close to the Peck family cabin. Each summer for the last few years, we have been trying to renovate and repair the cabin. The last few summers I haven't been available to do much to help. But, this year I am close enough to participate. We painted the kitchen earlier this month, and we have several other projects on the list this year. I love going up there. The pines and aspens are so pretty, and it is a place full of peace and fond memories. I could spend a whole summer up there.

I went to church yesterday, and met a few people from my new ward. And, I proved Kevin's theory correct. My independence and social awkwardness DO get in the way of any dating/friendship aspirations others may have. This very nice guy sat by me during sacrament meeting, talked to me and afterwards told me how to find the classroom for sunday school. Then, when he offered to walk me there, I (thinking he didn't need to make the effort because I can figure it out) turned him down saying I can find my own way. @#$&!! I am SUCH a dork. And this is why I am terminally single.

The other big news in my life is that I have decided to run a mini-triathlon on Labor Day. Kevin and I are both going to do it. I officially start training for it today. I was going to get up and workout before I got to work, but Jessica called because she left her work badge in my car and needed it asap. So, instead I went to Thanksgiving Point to meet her. She spent the weekend here, trying to study for the national paralegal exam she has coming up in a few days. It turns out, I am not much of a helpful study buddy. Erika, who was in town visiting, was a much more efficient option.

This week my goals are to actually stick to my triathlon training plan, finish unpacking, and do my laundry.

Create!

2009-06-13T16:22:00.003-06:00

I mentioned how amazing this talk by Elder Uchtdorf was several months ago. Apparently, the media department of the church felt the same. Check out this great video!

Lessons Learned

2009-05-19T13:15:00.002-06:00

As I am finishing up my last days in Tucson and basking in the glory that is a completed master's degree, I thought I would take a little time to reflect on my experiences here and mentioned a few things I learned along the way.

1. Graduate school is WAY better than undergrad, but anything is better than junior high.
2. The worst imaginable can happen, and you can survive. But, it's okay to need help getting over it.
3. Living off campus is expensive, but so much quieter. Especially if you aren't obligated by your job to get to know your neighbors.
4. Sharing an office with your boss is REALLY awkward.
5. You can't solve other people's problems for them. In fact, most of the time by stepping in and "helping", you just make it worse by preventing them from dealing with the consequences of their actions.
6. You can't eat pizza and ice cream every day like you did as an undergrad and expect to feel good.
7. Family is number one, always.

Too Excited to Sleep

2009-05-12T04:13:00.003-06:00

I am FINALLY done with graduate school! I have just completed my last paper and submitted it to my professor. And, I was way too excited to go right to bed, even if I have to get up and go to work in four hours.

YAY!!!!!!!

It's Official. . .

2009-05-07T19:18:00.002-06:00

I am moving back to Utah at the end of May! I don't have a job, a place to live or any clue as to what my plans are beyond moving all my stuff to my brother's storage unit. So, pretty much it is business as usual for me.

And, I have an ear infection. Again. This is the third time in the last 10 years. That is about three times more than any normal adult. The doctor wanted to investigate to determine why I am so prone to ear infections, but I resisted. The last way I want to spend the rest of the month here is in a doctor's office. She did convince me to come back in two weeks for a check up.

I have one paper, four works days and a GIANT housing conference left. My brother will be here on the 28th with the U-Haul.

Maybe I should start packing.

So Close!

2009-05-04T13:55:00.002-06:00

My School To Do List:
Go to Class 2 more times
Presentation for Latin American Higher Education
Anthology (and presentation) for Immigration and Education
Final Paperwork

Still haven't started packing. But, I have had another phone interview last week, and I have one on Friday I am pretty excited about.

Erika came down over the weekend, and we had an absolute blast. We swam and watched movies and tried a new vegan restaurant (which has the BEST vegan ranch dressing ever, better than the real stuff)and we cooked and went shopping. AND, she helped me finish my research paper. Yep, she totally rocks!

I Graduate in Four Weeks!

2009-04-16T23:36:00.004-06:00

Just thought I should let everyone know!

My School To Do List:
Go to Class 8 more times
Case Study (and presentation) for Educational Policy - Due April 30
Research Paper (and presentation) for Latin American Higher Education - Due May 1
Anthology (and presentation) for Immigration and Education - Due May 11
3 Comprehensive Exams - on May 1
Final Paperwork - by May 15

And because I know you are all wondering, no, I haven't started packing yet. I am still resisting the constant desire to start. I have told myself I can start as soon as my School To Do List is done.

And, no. I don't have a job yet. I had one phone interview, but haven't heard anything in two weeks. Not a good sign. Maybe I can sing for quarters in the park?

What Kind of Mormon Are You?

2009-04-15T23:12:00.001-06:00

Your result for The what kind of Mormon are you? Test...

Misfit Mormon

4 Orthodoxy, 7 LDS knowledge, -1 Cultural homogeneity

Orthodoxy ranges from (-) anti-, non- and liberal Mormon, to mainstream, conservative, and fundamentalist Mormon (+).

Doctrinally, you're a perfect Latter-day Saint. You follow the word of wisdom (mostly) and you love your faith, but other Mormons might perceive that you're a little different.

Maybe it was when you were three and couldn't keep your green Jello down. Or maybe the colourful use of minor swear words appeals to your sense of fun. Whatever the reason, you break up the monotony in Mormon culture. Thank you.

Take The what kind of Mormon are you? Test at HelloQuizzy

What my students are up to these days. . .

2009-04-15T14:08:00.002-06:00

This video is pretty funny!

Church Leaders Meet with Al Gore

2009-04-02T22:02:00.001-06:00

SALT LAKE CITY 2 April 2009 Mr. Gore had a brief courtesy meeting with President Monson and then met with Elder M. Russell Ballard, Elder Quentin L. Cook, and others members of the Church’s Public Affairs Committee. He gave a 30 minute presentation and expressed his concerns about CO2 emissions, which was followed by several minutes of questions and answers.

Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs have procreated!

2009-03-31T21:31:00.003-06:00

Seriously, this child will probably be one very beautiful, talented child!

We actually are Irish. . .

2009-03-29T23:22:00.002-06:00

I got to see my family during spring break. It was also the first time in a while I was also home for the annual Peck St. Patrick's Day party. Jessica FINALLY gave me the link to her pictures from our festivities (this is where she tells me I wouldn't have to wait so long if I could figure out how to use my own camera). I thought I would share some highlights.

Aren't they cute?!?!

Jessica found it for me, and I had to have it. We bought Porter a onesie as well!

That's right. Porter is proud to be Irish, too!

God DOES want you to be a tree hugger!

2009-03-28T02:12:00.002-06:00

Earth Hour is Saturday, March 28 from 8:30-9:30 pm!

SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO SWITCH OFF LIGHTS FOR WORLD WILDLIFE FUND'S EARTH HOUR
Friday, March 27, 2009

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - March 26, 2009 - In celebration of World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour at 8:30 PM on March 28th, the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has committed to turning off its lights in support of Earth Hour’s global call for action on climate change.

The Salt Lake Temple joins other iconic landmarks around the world such as the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge and Broadway Theater marquees in New York City, the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong.

“Prudent stewardship and wise use of resources are principles that Church leaders have emphasized throughout the history of the Church,” says Scott Trotter, LDS Church Spokesman. “The Church encourages its members to join with their fellow citizens in supporting worthy programs that will make their communities better places to live and raise their families.”

To date, more than 2,700 cities and towns located in 83 countries have committed to officially going dark for one hour as individuals, businesses, government buildings, schools and major landmarks turn off non-essential lighting in what will be the largest climate event in history. More than 210 cities have signed on to participate in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A full list of cities can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org.

WWF officials stress the importance of safety during Earth Hour, asking that all lighting related to public safety remain on.

National partners for WWF's Earth Hour 2009 are Esurance, Cox Enterprises, The Coca-Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Hewlett-Packard.

Note to Editors: B-roll and Earth Hour still images can be found at http://www.earthhourus.org/broll.php. In addition, the Earth Hour PR team can help facilitate interviews with major participants, including government officials, well-known personalities, and WWF officials discussing their involvement in the lead up to this historic evening.

About World Wildlife Fund and Earth Hour
Earth Hour (www.EarthHourUS.org) is a global initiative of WWF in which millions of people around the world will cast a vote in favor of action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour on March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants will send a powerful, visual message to their leaders demanding immediate action on climate change. WWF is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

My Classifieds

2009-03-25T21:39:00.004-06:00

I am looking for the following:

1- The self-discipline to not wait until the absolute last possible moment to do homework. If this self-discipline also comes with the power to exercise daily, I will pay extra.

2- A job interview with a university located in the state of Utah, offering a job that pays at least what I am making now, that I am excited about, where my boss doesn't share my office and where I can start June 1st.

3- The ability to sing like a rock star.

4- A LDS boyfriend who is smart, kind and appreciates my liberal, vegetarian, "saving the world one recycling bin at a time" ways.

5- Plane tickets cheap enough that I can fly home to see my family every weekend. Especially interested if they come with a flight that doesn't involve take off and landing.

6- A self-cleaning bathroom.

7- Interest free credit cards.

8- A way to fast forward through the next eight weeks and graduate tomorrow with Caty.

9- A vaccination that prevents racism and prejudice, or at least stupid ignorance.

10- A solution to having a new fresh toothbrush everyday without being that wasteful.

I am advertising the following:

1- Any type of puzzle imaginable.

2- An impromptu ability to tell people who have no interest about the harms in their personal care products, the evils of neoliberalism, or how being a vegetarian can stop global warming and solve world hunger simultaneously.

3- A promise to never make you eat anything I cook.

4- The best home pedicure set ever made.

5- Every type of menstruation product currently on the market. Comes with all the horror stories and surprising side effects.

6- A great ability to ignore you while you are talking to me on the phone because my freecell game and television show are too distracting.

7- A desk with a great view of white cinder block. At no extra charge, you can have the gravel path I walk through everyday to get inside the building.

8- Big boobs. I have more than enough, so I can definitely share!

9- A slightly random LDS girlfriend who promises to do her best to not nag too much or obsess about your exes, and will let you eat meat as long as you don't make her touch raw poultry.

10- An insatiable curiosity that means I know things like the spork was patented in 1998.

Please contact me if you would like to discuss any of the items mentioned above!

Blue Button Up Shirts

2009-03-24T23:38:00.004-06:00

I had to post this today. Just yesterday, I confessed my love of men wearing blue button up shirts. And TODAY, this guy in my program who I have always kinda had a thing for was wearing. . . you guessed it! A BLUE BUTTON UP SHIRT! He was giving a presentation in class. I don't remember a word he said, but he looked good!

Monday is all about the confessing!

2009-03-23T18:00:00.002-06:00

I look forward to moving. I know, it's weird. But, I love moving. I like packing up my stuff and starting out at a new place. The anticipation of getting to know a new home and people, getting to start over. I love it! It's so fun and I don't even mind having to move everything, even in the hot Tucson heat.

Most of the time, I will eat whatever is easiest to make, rather than what I really want. This means that I rarely cook. So, I have a frying pan without a handle, and a big pot that REALLY needs to be tossed. But, instead of buying new ones, I am waiting to see if the stars align and I end up living with Caty so then I can just use her super cool kitchen stuff. Cousins really are the best.

It is rare for me to go more than two days without getting on itunes. I love it, and I am constantly surfing for new music and movies. I am pretty sure that itunes hears from me more than my family.

I don't like button up shirts on me. Nope. They are ugly, and I don't like them. However, I don't think there is a single man on the planet that looks bad in a bright blue button up shirt. Very nice.

I couldn't pass up posting this cartoon

2009-03-12T11:56:00.002-06:00

For those of you who don't know about the INSANE Arizona Legislature:

I am going to be in Utah on Saturday! And the semester is SLOWLY creeping along, so I only have 24 more class sessions left. I graduate on May 14th & 15th!

My boss's father passed away, so I have been on my own for two weeks. It has been very busy, but good. I forgot how nice it is to have my own office space.

I am still on the job hunt. Feel free to send me any opportuntities you see.

Mayan Pyramids is the oldest place I've been

2009-03-03T18:16:00.001-07:00

Trying out this new blog prompt in an attempt to write more, preferably not just about how much I want to be done with school and work.

For All My Housing Buddies. . .

2009-02-09T22:11:00.001-07:00

This is my new favorite show, Dorm Life. Found it on www.hulu.com.

Monday Confessional!

2009-02-02T17:50:00.002-07:00

I didn't go to work or school today. I needed the mental health day. I did manage to get dressed in enough time to go to the grocery store. And instead of reading my homework, I am watching movies.

I only read two of the approx. fifty articles required for my intro to higher ed class last semester. And I still got an A, only because I have the best study group ever. They are what is going to help me pass the comprehensive exams in May.

The first five feet of my apartment are almost always strewn with shoes. I absolutely love to shop for them, buy them and put them with an outfit. But, I don't really like wearing them for longer than about twenty minutes. My feet, maybe as a reflection of my personality, long to be free. So, the shoes are the first thing to get tossed when I get home. After about a week, I pick them up from the front of the apartment and put them away.

My Alter Ego's Name is Samantha

2009-01-26T21:55:00.002-07:00

Meredith does a Monday Confessional each week and I have decided to join in on the fun, rather than just confessing in her comments.

1) My alter ego's name is Samantha. She owns a fashion boutique, which she bought after working her way up for several years in the fashion industry. She has a pink stripe in her hair and she also owns more accesssories than I own books. She doesn't know the difference between diversity and social justice, but she can tell you about every Aerosmith music video ever made and who in Hollywood is doing what. She subscribes to four different hard core fashion magazines, can recognize a pair of Manolo Blahniks from across the streeet and she really loves to help women feel beautiful.

2) When I am bored, I look up useless information on the internet. Things like, as a Taurus -which is a fixed sign- I tend to butt heads with other fixed signs. Example one: my sister Jessica (an Aquarius). Example two: Kevin (a Leo). Approximately half of my family members on my father's side are fixed signs. No wonder there is an overabundance of stubborness.

3) I don't "office". Really. I hate sitting at a desk for more than about an hour at a time. And doing it for eight hours a day while staring at a white cinderblock wall. NOT COOL.

Your turn! Share your confessions; just let it out. You know you want to.

Not a good sign

2009-01-26T01:20:00.001-07:00

Insomnia tonight means a really long eleven hour day on campus tomorrow. Grr. . .

January 20, 2009 - Our Moment

2009-01-20T22:02:00.004-07:00

I took the day off work today to watch the inauguration today and it was so great. The whole day was just monumental and historic. I am so glad to see our hard work to make the world better take this giant step. President Obama’s inaugural speech was spot on. He painted no illusions, making it very clear that our problems would not just go away now that he is the president. He recognized that all great things accomplished by this country have been done by the people. We know that, and President Obama knows that. His speech was not a nifty sound bite. His speech was not to spout his own success. This speech was a call to the people. His speech was a call to me, a young American, to work as hard as those who have gone before me. And I will answer that call.

Here is the video and text links to his speech for those who missed it.

Christmas Vacation

2009-01-03T18:30:00.003-07:00

The last two weeks have been a great deal of fun, and I am sad to know that I have to go back to work and reality on Monday. But soon I will be starting my last semester of school, and that is really exciting.

I was in Utah for about ten days for Christmas. It was so nice to spend time with my siblings and my nephew. He is so big, and is nearly crawling. We had a ton of fun, and a really great Christmas. I also saw my extended family and a few friends from Utah State which was really nice too. Here is a picture of me, Danielle, Danielle's daughter Sophie, Melissa and Meaghan after our lunch.

Utah had a few snowstorms while I was in town, and one big one on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. And then on Friday, I took Jessica's car to get it registered for her. I got stuck in the snow like three times, was freezing because I was wet from the snow, and by the end of the day remembered exactly why I hate winter in Utah. Yuck.

When I got back to Tucson, Erika and I spent a few days together to celebrate the new year. We watched a lot of movies, and I mean a lot. We also saw the butterflies at the Botanical Garden and rang in the new year by watching the sun rise on top of Mount Lemmon with Abbie, a friend I met here. I had a blast.

During the break, I have been catching up on books I wanted to read, as I rarely have time for them during the semester. One I have loved is "Islam, Democracy, and the West" by Benazir Bhutto. She was the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and was assassinated a year ago. It was a really great book, and I am including here two paragraphs that were really powerful to me. I recommend this book to everyone!

"The world would be a very different place if the West had made a similar commitment to building the economic and democratic political infrastructure of the Muslim world instead of frequently draining its material and human resources and thwarting the growth of democratic values. An educated society - where parents have jobs, where children are properly fed, housed, and clothed, where a successor generation has hope to build a better life than their parents' - is not the kind of society, not the kind of political and social environment, that would be susceptible and vulnerable to the appeal of religious fanatics and political extremists, nor would it accept the legitimacy of a regressive and internally interventionist military as a key political power player within society.
Hunger breeds extremism. Hopelessness breeds extremism. Despair breeds extremism. Opportunity makes democracy thrive. A government that addresses the human needs of its people is given the benefit of the doubt. A government that successfully addresses the day-to-day needs and concerns of its people is likely to be given the necessary political support and the time to grow democratic structures. People who are deprived are impatient, and that impatience is often radicalizing. Nations with Islamic majorities may greatly benefit from assistance from the West to make the necessary progress of social and economic development that will sustain progress on political development, although ultimately the responsibility rests within the Islamic world."

No Surprises Here. . .

2008-12-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Physical Touch

My Detailed Results:
Physical Touch:	12
Acts of Service:	8
Words of Affirmation:	6
Quality Time:	4
Receiving Gifts:	0

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.

Tag 3 people so they can find out what their love language is.

Take the Quiz!
Check out the Book

Life's Little Dilemmas

2008-12-03T21:53:00.005-07:00

What do I do when I realize I double booked myself?
I am supposed to attend the holiday party for the student group I co-advise, Engineering Ambassadors. And I also agreed to teach the last lesson of the semester for my old people institute class; the topic is something I am excited about teaching. The party starts at 5:30 and will probably be two hours. The lesson starts at 7:00, but I really don't think my boss is going to be very happy if I skip out of the party early.

Where should I spend what little funds I have?
I have been trying, somewhat unsuccessfully, to pay down some debts. But, Christmas is almost here and my nephew could use some new clothes and the expensive sensitive formula. I would also really like to be able to buy a ticket to visit my family sometime during spring semester. Last year I didn't go home for five months. I was so excited to be back, I was crying as the plane touched the ground. And then the woman next to me felt really awkward about the whole situation.

When do I tell someone all their hard work isn't going to pay off?
I am seriously considering moving back to Utah when I graduate. My boss is going to be VERY upset. She just spent all this time training me and adjusting to my quirks, and now she may have to train someone all over again. And me leaving doesn't bode well for my position even continuing to exist, with the budget cuts. But, I need to do what is best for me. And that includes allowing prospective employers to contact my current employer. It also takes a lot longer to hire someone in the academic world than in lots of other fields, so a two week notice will not go over well. But, I have seen what upsetting people with bad news can do to a working relationship.

How do people ever get to know the real me?
It occurred to me today as I was sitting in my old people class that most of those people probably have a very narrow opinion of who I am, and the chances of that opinion being accurate are really small. I have made a concerted effort to follow expected social norms while at official church functions since I moved here to Tucson. And now, I am starting to wonder if all I did was prevent people from seeing the real me. And if (by some miracle) anyone ever wanted to get to know me better, it wouldn't have been because they had seen a part of who I really am and wanted to know me better. But, it is so frustrating sometimes to deviate from those social norms and deal with the consequences.

Why don't I ever learn this lesson?
I have a paper due on Monday and a final the next Monday. The paper is going to reasonably take me at least ten more hours to work on it if I am going to get a decent grade. And have I made any real effort to work on it? No. Like always, I am procrastinating until the last moment, and will probably be up all night right before it is due. Then, it won't be my best work. And like the last paper I wrote, I won't get an A. Which is why I have to take the final, since my professor made it optional. So, everyone else who didn't procrastinate their paper and put in real effort; they are all not taking the final because they got an A.

Who can this be calling?
I have very few phone numbers in my phone from my time in Logan now. I lost most of them when my last phone died. So, occasionally people call and expect that I am going to know who they are because they should be in my phonebook. Most of the time I manage to stumble my way through a conversation and recover. But, when people call who aren't in my phone and I can't answer because I am in class or whatever, I feel really awkward calling them back because I have NO IDEA who it is. It happened again tonight while I was in class. This person has called twice recently; both times I have missed their call and I haven't called them back.

Not quite ready for Monday

2008-11-30T19:06:00.002-07:00

I had a really great break, which was surprising because I didn't get to spend it with my family. I spent Thanksgiving Day volunteering with The Giving Tree, feeding a few hundred people for Thanksgiving dinner. We also handed out food and clothes. I spent most of my time handing out clothes. It was cold and rainy and a bit disorganized. But it was fabulous! They had lots of leftover food and too many volunteers to really keep busy. It was an amazing experience, and I had to keep myself from tearing up a few times. How great to see that during a particularly rough year for people, that there are so many people who spent their holiday volunteering and worrying about those less fortunate. It was really moving.

During the rest of my vacation, I have put up my Christmas decorations, watched a million movies, cooked and enjoyed a vegetarian Thanksgiving meal, missed the family, and tried to pretend that Monday was never coming. Sadly, it is only a mere twelve hours away.

I will be in Utah for winter break in three weeks!

It's even the right season for this post!

2008-11-25T21:21:00.003-07:00

I just want to share how grateful I am to the Lord for His all knowing wisdom, and how He uses that wisdom to help me make decisions in my life. Especially when I discover later on just how wonderful those decisions are!

The last 18 months have been a serious growing period for me. I have had some unique challenges and experiences. But, I am SO GRATEFUL that I made the decision to leave Utah State and come here to get a degree and to experience somewhere new. I have learned SO much, not only academically, but professionally, emotionally, spiritually, fiscally, I could go on and on. It has been really hard to be this far away from my siblings, and to not have a built in social network, and to deal with some of the challenges I have faced. But, I don't regret it. I know that if I had stayed where I was, I would never have grown the ways I have in the last 18 months. And did I mention how grateful I am?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am a Dancing Queen!

2008-11-20T22:42:00.008-07:00

Nicole and I went to see Bjorn Again, which is an ABBA impersonation group. They were great and we had a blast! It was the perfect ending to today. My brother got offered a job today as well! He starts December 8th and it is even in his field, which is land surveying.

And I included some pictures of the cutest baby I know! I get to see him in four weeks!

I Heart Ugly Betty!

2008-11-18T20:01:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to let you know. . .

2008-11-18T19:39:00.001-07:00

. . .I graduate in 176 days. *Sigh*

Avoiding the Laundry

2008-11-11T12:14:00.007-07:00

I am so glad that today is a holdiay and I don't have to be at work today. This is a much needed mental health day. But, if I don't get my laundry done, I will be going to work naked tomorrow. I am going to play tennis with Nicole tonight, which makes me happy. We have been taking lessons, and big surprise, I am completely uncoordinated. But, I am having fun so that is what matters.

Winter has officially come to Tucson. My apartment was like 55 degrees this morning. And because my apartment (like most buildings in Tucson) doesn't have heating, I decided to bake cookies because then I could use the oven and warm up the apartment. What a great excuse, right? I am going to run the dishwasher next, because that also warms up the apartment.

I am very excited to be done with my degree in May. I love school, but trying to keep up this pace with school and a full time job is a bit draining. Add in any personal life drama and things get a bit insane. My brother was laid off from his job two weeks ago, and so there has been a lot of added stress. I also am really struggling to know what I should be doing after graduation. I change my mind almost daily, which just means that the Lord isn't about to provide any insight anytime soon. I rarely get an answer or any sort of confirmation until right before (or even after) I have to make a decision. It drives my family especially crazy, but at least we learned as children that a plan is just an acronym for a Poor Logistical Attempt at Normalcy!

Most days I am convinced that I am going to look for a job back in Utah, but there are days when I think that it is not what is best or what I want. I am actually starting to find some enjoyment in my job, some sense of purpose. If I wanted what was really best for my careeer, I should stay for at least a few years, hoping for some change in the status of women in engineering at UA, so I can put it on my resume. Plus, I haven't held a job for longer than a year for the last three years, so that doesn't impress potential employers. My real problem is that I just love change, and I get bored easily. If I hadn't signed a lease for 10 months for this apartment, I imagine I would be apartment hunting, just to try something different. This tendency of mine does not bode well for the really important stuff does it? No wonder I never have long-term relationships.

Then there are the days when what I really want is to move to Costa Rica and sell pineapples on the beach, so take my ramblings for what they are worth. . .

This is just the beginning!

2008-11-04T21:49:00.006-07:00

I am sitting on my couch, watching CNN and marveling in the historical election I just participated in. Barack Obama will be the first African American President of The United States of America. A boy with nothing, rose up and is going to be our President. How monumental!

I am thinking about a few things as I wait for Obama to address the world. First, I am thinking of those I know who desperately wanted to be able to participate in this election and weren't able to. People who are just as American as I am. I will continue to think of those people who still don't have the same advantages as me, and I promise to never stop fighting.

Second, I think that this historic change could not be coming at a better time. The demographics of the United States are changing. We are a considerably more diverse people than we have ever been. And Obama not only represents our diversity, he represents me! He can be the symbol that this country needs to truly unify and be inspired to rise above our challenges and make this world a better place. I can't wait to get to work! I invite all of you to join with me and Barack. We have so much to do, and so much we can accomplish.

YES WE CAN!/SI SE PUEDE!

The Best Part of Halloween

2008-11-04T00:20:00.004-07:00

So, I think my nephew is going to re-inspire an interest in holidays for me. Especially fun ones where we get to dress him up! I can't remember if this costume is actually a dinosaur or an alligator or what exactly. We just called him "Baby Godzilla"! We even have some footage of him "destroying" a village of his toys.

In other Halloween news, I was kinda hoping that in my first apartment off campus I would see a few trick or treaters. But, not one came to my place. Oh well, maybe next time!

Multiple Personalities, here we go again!

2008-10-18T21:01:00.001-06:00

Which Disney Princess Are You?
	You are part Belle. You are strong, deep, and you are not a slave to petty superficial things. You are independent and allow yourself to see inner beauty without sacrificing your values. You are almost too good of a person.
	You are part Pocahontas. You defy convention and sometimes do what is considered taboo. Unfortunately, others do not always appreciate your differences, so it's good that you are so strong-willed. You are loyal and you believe in fate. Your true love will find you one day.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

2008-10-14T19:57:00.003-06:00

Here are the rules...

1. Post the rules on your blog:
2. Answer the six "8" items
3. Make sure you tag 8 people!

8 Favorite TV shows:
1. Project Runway
2. Ugly Betty
3. Jon and Kate Plus 8
4. Gossip Girl
5. Army Wives
6. What Not to Wear
7. Anything on CNN with Anderson Cooper in it (YUMMY!)
8. Masterpiece Theater

8 Things I did Yesterday:
1. Went to the dentist
2. Went to two classes
3. Finished my paper at 4 am
4. Ate Lunch
5. Read a chapter in Wuthering Heights
6. Went to a BBQ at Gila Hall
7. Updated my blog
8. Went to bed early

8 Things I look forward to:
1. Graduating in seven months
2. Deseree's wedding
3. Seeing The Secret Life of Bees
4. January 20, 2009
5. Mamma Mia out on DVD
6. The weekend
7. Spending time with my nephew
8. Putting another stamp in my passport

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Mandarin Grill
2. Su Casa
3. Cafe Poca Cosa
4. Chili's
5. Baggin's
6. Beyond Bread
7. Fresco Pizzaria
8. Mimi's Cafe

8 Things on my Wish List:
1. An ability to recycle everything
2. Real musical talent
3. To never procrastinate again
4. More time each day
5. End of poverty
6. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
7. To cherish and enjoy each moment
8. $1,000,000.00

8 People I tag:
1. Tricia S.
2. Jessica P.
3. Ashley P.
4. Suzanne L.
5. January W.
6. Erin M.
7. Tawni J.
8. Lauren B.

So Tired. . .

2008-10-13T18:55:00.004-06:00

I am in class pretending to be actively engaged, but mostly I am completely exhausted and sore. I was up until 4 am working on my paper because I procrastinated until the very last minute, as it was due today at 4 pm. I got three hours of sleep and then had to get up to go to the dentist. Yuck. But, when I go there, I got some good news: no root canal. I had a tooth bothering me and I was worried I was going to have to have a root canal. I have never had to do anything more than a local anesthetic and root canals count as surgery, so I was a bit nervous. So, I am really happy that I only had to have a filling, even though my mouth is sore and sensitive to temperature right now.

That's all. Let's hope I don't actually fall asleep since I will be in class until 9:30 pm. It is a little bit more noticeable in a graduate class.

Free Handbag

2008-10-08T22:37:00.001-06:00

www.handbagplanet.com is giving away free handbags, one every hour for 24 hours! Go to the site to enter and choose which bag you'd like to win.

General Conference

2008-10-07T22:55:00.008-06:00

General Conference was so great this last weekend. I thought the Saturday afternoon session was particulary fabulous, and the adorable primary choir made me cry. It is such a miracle to me that I can be in my own apartment in Tucson and yet I can jump on the internet and watch conference and truly feel unified with all 13 million members of the church. It just totallly rocks.

My favorite talk of conference by far actually happened a week earlier at the Relief Society General Meeting. Pres. Uchtdorf gave the most fascinating and faith promoting talk I have heard in a long while. If you haven't checked it out yet, you NEED to read/watch this. I was blown away. Here is the video link (click on additional videos) and the article link.

A few of my thoughts from conference:

Personal revelation is the most powerful tool you can use as you search for actions that make a difference in both your life and in the world. Being worthy of receiving personal revelation needs to be a priority in our life.

Unity as a church is going to keep us safe in the last days. The strength of our unity will be the refuge from the storm. We have an obligation to use this unity to organize and work to eliminate poverty and suffering.

Our prayers carry real power, and as we work to make them more meaningful, we strengthen our relationship with God and our own ability to do the things asked of us.

In a global world where there are so many contradictions and misunderstandings, sharing our testimonies of gospel truths carries more power than the most well intentioned politician, charity or technological innovation.

I think the most amazing part was just the overwhelming feeling of the spirit. I am so grateful for the extraordinary gift that allows my thoughts and actions to move from merely temporal to purposefully eternal.

And of course, a picture of my adorable nephew!

Work and school are going well. I only have one more semester of school after this one and then I will officially have my master's degree! I can't believe that it is October already. I will be in Utah in two weeks for Deseree's wedding, who is getting married on the 25th in Logan. I am very excited to get to see some of the Utah fall season. We already have plans for the corn maze before the wedding. And, of course pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2008-09-23T20:48:00.008-06:00

I have learned that the one food item I miss most in Tucson is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Don't get me wrong, Tucson has some great food. I can eat Mexican for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snack here. But, the only place I can find my favorite cookies is at Starbucks, where they are $2.00 a cookie, and not near as fabulous as Lee's. So, I asked Caty for a recipe and when Erika was in town a few weekends ago, we made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Okay, when you have collected yourself from falling off the floor in shock, YES, I made something from scratch in my own kitchen. And Erika only had to bring a mixer. All the rest of the kitchen appliances and dishes we used from my own collection. I even had about half the ingredients already! Most importantly, they were delicious! We even made a fzookie (if you haven't lived in Cache Valley you call them pzookie) with pumpkin ice cream too! I gave some to Nicole and to some of the girls I know in the apartment complex. They all thought they were really good. Yes, so in conclusion: Tiffany baked and no one died.

Here is the recipe I used:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

-Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
-Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
-Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
-Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.
-In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
-Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips.
-Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges.
-Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes.
-Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

I want to promise this is the last one, but then I might be lying.

2008-09-20T22:22:00.000-06:00

You Are 86% Non Conformist

You're incredibly strange. And a weirdness like yours takes skill to cultivate!

No one really understands you. And you're cool with that. You just hope you never have to understand them!

Are You a Nonconformist?

Even Sesame Street can see my weaknesses!

2008-09-20T22:10:00.001-06:00

You Are Cookie Monster

Misunderstood as a primal monster, you're a true hedonist with a huge sweet tooth.

You are usually feeling: Hungry. Cookies are preferred, but you'll eat anything if cookies aren't around.

You are famous for: Your slightly crazy eyes and usual way of speaking

How you life your life: In the moment. "Me want COOKIE!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

If only online quizzes really held all the answers to life's problems. . .

2008-09-20T22:06:00.000-06:00

You Should Be a Social Worker

You are deeply caring and empathetic.

You are able to take on other people's problems as if they were your own.

Sensitive and intuitive, you understand human emotions well.

Helping others gives you the most joy in life. You feel like it's your purpose in life.

You do best when you:

- Have a lot of responsibility

- Greatly impact someone's life with your work

You would also be a good philanthropist or stay at home parent.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

Well, I DO drive a blue car. . .

2008-09-20T21:40:00.000-06:00

You Should Drive a Blue Car

You're the type of driver who isn't hung up on the what car you drive.

You don't need a flashy car to show off your wealth or style.

Instead, you go for value and reliability. You're quite practical.

You're a great driver, but you don't show off. Part of your skill is not standing out on the road.

What Color Car Should You Drive?

Because he is just too cute!

2008-09-14T22:56:00.017-06:00

Yes, it is one very big zucchini.

No, we couldn't have possibly planned that face.

Is there any question who he belongs too?

And with family like this, Porter will probably be just as crazy as the rest of us!

Political Compass

2008-09-12T01:16:00.003-06:00

So, after Tricia took the political compass test, I was curious where I would fall in the graph, so here is my results. I know, I know, back to politics I go. I am pretty close to where they plotted Nelson Mandela and Ghandi (Two points for my ego! Not that I need it, I know). If you want to take the test you can visit www.politicalcompass.org/test.

Economic Left/Right: -6.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.90

Gratitude

2008-09-10T22:54:00.007-06:00

So, I have decided to list 100 things for which I am grateful today. I was recently told my blog has become too much like a political platform, so I decided to try and refocus on a topic that might be a more eternal use of my time! These are in no particular order, as that would suggest a chance to over analyze and I have way too many opportunities in my life to do that already and didn't need another!

1. My "old people" institute class. I love the conversations we have in this class, and the chance to really push my comprehension of the gospel.
2. Poppy seed salad dressing. Even though 95% of the calories are fat calories, it is SO yummy!
3. That my little sister is loving her first experience at a professional conference. And that she was recognized for all her hard work with a state wide award and got to spend her reward money on shoes and a new purse!
4. Josh Groban. Need I say more?
5. That everyday I am forced to park in the parking garage that is ten minutes away from my office and so I get twenty minutes of exersize in by default.
6. I have lost 20lbs since May and actually have a pair of pants that fit awkwardly because they are too big!
7. That it didn't start raining until I was almost to my car tonight.
8. How cute my hair looks when I actually take the time to do it.
9. The fabulous new eyebrow pencil and brush that shows people I have eyebrows.
10. Designer perfume!
11. The extra amazing ability hymns have to invite the spirit.
12. That for whatever reason people find my genuinely awkward sense of humor at least mildly entertaining.
13. For the ability to recycle!
14. That there are lots of places on my walk to work each morning that have shade.
15. That my drive to work is only 5 minutes.
16. My classes. Even with how much work I have, I thrive on going to class and participating in the discussions. It is so much fun!
17. Meg Cabot. She writes the best fall-on-the-floor-pee-your-pants-make-your-neighbors-think-you-are-crazy chick lit I have ever read. If you haven't read her books yet, you must start. And if you once worked for housing, YOU MUST READ "Size 12 is not fat"!
18. My amazing sister, who reminds me how important it is to feel each moment and to not be numb or ignore your emotions. She works hard and makes a real difference in people's lives everyday.
19. Chocolate ice cream.
20. Text messaging.
21. Air conditioning.
22. The privilege to choose my own destiny. I am incredibly blessed to have the power to decide what I am going to do with my life and each day.
23. Great TV shows available on DVD.
24. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!! Oh, how I miss these.
25. Exciting life events for those I love. Deseree is getting married in October and I am super happy for her.
26. Porter Ryan Peck, my nephew. There is no question in my mind that babies are born perfect. He is so amazing. I can't believe how fast he is growing. His mommy sent me pictures today and if he keeps growing this fast, he will be in college next week! I had no idea I could love someone so much, so fast.
27. The chance to work with students and help them make the world a better place. I love to advise students. It is the best part of my job, for certain.
28. Pedicures and Manicures.
29. Personal Revelation from the Lord. What an amazing gift, to have something stronger than your natural senses to help guide and inspire your life. I can't imagine living without it.
30. My toothbrush!
31. Organic milk. It just tastes better, and no pesky concerns about what else you are ingesting.
32. Facebook. I know, I know. But it allows a more healthy way for me to channel my gossipy, nosy side. And to stay in contact with all sorts of wonderful people.
33. The perfect timing that allowed for my "old people" institute class to start right as work ends for me on Wednesdays.
34. Jon and Kate Plus 8. They are an adorable family! And if Kate can do it with eight, maybe someday I can handle one. Someday.
35. Long, hot baths with a good book.
36. Meetings that aren't really important, but break up my day and allow me time away from my desk.
37. Shoes! Especially fun shoes!
38. Peppermint, anything. My body wash has peppermint scent and it is just the perfect way to wake up in the morning.
39. This blog. A totally socially acceptable way for there to be a website ALL ABOUT ME!
40. My brother, Matthew. He works so hard for his family, cooks amazing food for us, and can be total Zen when I am panicking and need to freak out.
41. The beach. My computer background at work is of a perfect island and blue water. Someday soon, I am going to get there.
42. People who listen to me and are okay with the fact that I have an opinion about everything.
43. Erika, who is coming to see me this weekend!
43. YouTube, so I can catch up on my favorite shows.
44. Borders, my favorite bookstore and the fabulous strawberry drink they have there.
45. My ipod nano. I use it everyday on my walk to and from work.
46. The freedoms and privileges I have from being a United States citizen.
47. My sister in law, Ashley. She picked us by choice!
48. That I finally stopped chewing my nails and now they look great!
49. For the sacrifices that my Savior made for me. I am so grateful that He made it possible for me to progress and gain eternal salvation.
50. My cousin Caty, who is always willing to jump on board whatever crazy adventure or scheme I have planned.
51. CNN. Again, you can attribute this to my nosy side. I love the news.
52. The ability to get up everyday and try to do better than yesterday.
53. That feeling of relief when you walk in your front door and know you are home.
54. The snooze button.
55. Endorphins. A recent rediscovery for me. Working out sucks, but at least I get endorphins at the end.
56. Amazing memories from my undergraduate years at USU. I miss Logan and everyone who impacted my life there.
57. Melissa and Brian G.'s love story. It reminds me that all good things take time.
58. Indoor plumbing.
59. Any and every chance I get to prove to my boss that I am not a moron.
60. Swimming on a really hot day.
61. My journals. I love being able to look back and see how far I have come.
62. The chance to get an education. What a blessing. This has changed my whole life.
63. Not getting married at 19 or 20. Not to knock anyone who did, but I was SO not ready (not ready now either), but I have learned so much in the last several years that will help me be a better wife and mother one day.
64. My laptop. I just have a hard time thinking at a desk, and my laptop allows my cognitive juices to flow in more unconventional patterns.
65. Musicals. Isn't is amazing to think that someone can feel something so strongly that they need to sing to adaquently express themselves?
66. Strawberries.
67. Short lines at the post office.
68. The chance to attend Relief Society each week and get to bond with an amazing group of women.
69. My green eyes. How vain, eh?
70. Anyone who is still reading this!
71. Chances to serve other people.
72. Tomatoes.
73. Those check in kiosks at the airport that mean you don't have to stand in a really long line to get your ticket or to check your bag.
74. My dishwasher!!
75. That Brandon is co-teaching my class with me, and so there will be half the work for me and twice the fun.
76. That I never have to be on call for ResLife ever again.
77. Army Wives. Isn't Drew Fuller dreamy?
78. That it almost never snows in Tucson.
79. That the institute building is on the way to my car, and not on the opposite side of campus.
80. My bishop. He is so great, and has really been inspired in helping me.
81. Stretching when you first wake up.
82. The tinting on my car windows that makes it less hot.
83. Beyond Bread and their fabulous sandwiches.
84. Stephanie, my favorite classmate.
85. Living on the second floor and thus avoiding any flooding or most of the cockroaches.
86. Having this many things to be grateful for.
87. Cheesy pop songs that you MUST dance to.
88. Clean laundry.
89. The knowledge I have about social justice and the chance to use it in my job.
90. Direct deposit payroll every other Friday.
91. The chances to bear my testimony that I get so often.
92. Unlimited calling within the Verizon network.
93. That Arizona does not observe daylight savings time.
94. Being a vegetarian often makes it easier to avoid junk food.
95. That connection I feel when I find a liberal mormon like me!
96. Singing at the top of my lungs in the car and waving at the guy next to me who is looking at my like I might be crazy.
97. Crossing things off my to-do list.
98. Disecting the value of relationships with Kevin.
99. Pony tail holders that don't hurt or snag on my hair.
100. Knowing that I made a difference.

Wow, that is a lot. And, it was surprisingly easy. Okay, you read mine. Now it is time for you to post and I promise to read yours!

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

2008-09-05T14:54:00.001-06:00

Proud to Be a Woman, Proud to Be a Democrat

2008-08-26T22:44:00.008-06:00

This week is shaping up to be the best week ever. School started on Monday and I was quite excited to be back in the class; using the part of my brain that has been torturing Kevin all summer because I didn't have anywhere better to apply it. It is nice to be back with my friends in the department.

The next fabulous thing is that I am going on vacation this weekend! I am headed to Las Vegas on Friday and Caty and I are going to see Wicked on Saturday! Yay!! I have been listening to the musical soundtrack and getting super excited.

The other great event of the week is the Democratic National Convention. It is like a direct line of political cocaine ALL WEEK LONG! I apologize for all of you who keep trying to talk to me. I promise to return everyone's calls on Friday, after the convention closes. There have been some amazing speeches, including a surprise visit from Ted Kennedy that made me cry. And tonight, as I listened to Hillary Clinton, I felt such pride for her and all the women who have gone before her that have made it possible for me to do whatever I aspire to in this world. What a monumentous election season this has been. The possibilities for each child, no matter race, class, or gender seems infinite. I am so proud to be a woman and a democrat. I can't wait to see what we can do! I will post her speech once I can find a full video of it.

And because I have the cutest nephew, some photos for your viewing pleasure!

Starting to find the groove. . .

2008-08-14T22:44:00.004-06:00

Well, I am slowly building a tolerance for my 8-5 job. And, I am starting to get busy and have things to do which helps a bit. I don't think I am ever going to enjoy this type of schedule, but I am learning to appreciate the opportunities it is opening up for me, like some consistency. It is amazing how having routine allows you to make time for things you could never make time for otherwise.

School starts in about 10 days and I am excited to get back into classes.

One Month Without Plastic

2008-08-01T13:31:00.004-06:00

This family in the UK is attempting to live the month of August without purchasing or using any plastic. Check it out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/monthwithoutplastic/

It's all about the hair.

2008-07-29T20:46:00.005-06:00

So, for the last few years I have been totally envious of women who can do the tousled wave hairstyle. Mostly because my hair is stick straight. But I saw this idea on how to get the perfect tousled wave and decided to try it out. And it worked!

You pull your wet hair into two high pigtails. Spray the tails with hairspray and then seperate each tail into two sections. Wrap each section around each other(like you were making a rope or a braid). Secure each tail on top of your head with another ponytail holder and bobby pins. Sleep on it or dry with a hair dryer. When you pull it out, don't use a brush. Just flip your head upside down and shake it out. And now, you have fabulous tousled waves!

Beyond the adventures with my hair, work was good today. We were busy and I had projects to keep me occupied. I am just going to keep hoping that it stays this good. And, I am going to be in Utah August 6-10 so I will get to see my family and my nephew who will be two months old already! Wow!

Chew on This

2008-07-23T22:16:00.004-06:00

Even if you don't give up meat entirely, you can make a huge difference by simply eating one half of your typical meat intake. Did you know that if we reduced our meat consumption by one-half just in the United States we could have enough resources to feed the whole world? And the biggest contributor to pollution in the United States isn't our cars, its our animal production industry.

Think about that today.

Power America with Cheap, Clean Energy in 10 Years? Yes We Can!

2008-07-19T18:46:00.005-06:00

Watch the whole speech at
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dt9wZloG97U

Me? A Conformist? What?

2008-07-18T01:57:00.003-06:00

I am not sure why I have given in to the description of a grown up created by society. But, I am currently trying to mold myself to that definition. And that means getting up and going to an 8 to 5 job that I don't love yet(or possibly ever) and spending two thirds of my day at work. So far, I am going a little bit crazy. This has to get better, that is what I am going to keep telling myself.

I did find some sanity tonight. I treated myself to a very nice dinner, a funny chick flick (Made of Honor, so funny) and a fabulous mental health session with my ipod, fruity drink and Borders. Bookstores are my safe haven, my nirvana, my bright light at the end of the tunnel, my Raison d'être. I think that if this job isn't better by graduation time, I might just ditch the higher education scene and go back to selling books. I could own a bookstore one day, don't you think?

And, I am totally missing my nephew. Those of you who see him regularly, send more pictures!!

Thanks Meredith!

2008-07-16T15:41:00.000-06:00

Took this from Meredith's blog:

"Each of us will have our own Fridays--
those days when the universe itself seems shattered
and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces.
We all will experience those broken times
when it seems we can never be put together again.
We will all have our Fridays.

"But I testify to you
in the name of the One who conquered death--
Sunday will come.
In the darkness of our sorrow,
Sunday will come.

"No matter our desperation, no matter our grief,
Sunday will come.
In this life or the next,
Sunday will come."

Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, Nov. 2006, 30

Flower Power

2008-07-11T18:25:00.006-06:00

What An Iris Says About You

You are incredibly hopeful and courageous.

Even when you've been challenged in life, you have faith that everything will work out.

Your feelings run deep, and you are a very grateful person.

What Do The Flowers You Pick Say About You?

I Heart the 80s!

2008-07-11T18:11:00.003-06:00

You Belong in 1988

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

Back in Tucson

2008-06-30T21:19:00.007-06:00

I am all moved into my apartment in Tucson. I am living in Sierra Pointe apartments, just about a mile away from campus. Thanks to Kevin, Erika and Sara for helping me move in. You guys rock! Kevin rode down from Utah with me and we stopped to see Meaghan and Kyle in Cedar City and Caty in Las Vegas. We also took a little detour to Prescott when we missed our exit. It was a fun weekend and I discovered Kevin really does have a silly side. You just have to deny him decent sleep for three days and force him to move a U-Haul full of furniture up awkward stairs first!

I am unpacking one room at a time. Yesterday was the front room and today was the kitchen. I still have the bathroom, bedroom, walk in closet and the dozen boxes of books left. But, it is slowly coming together. I start my job tomorrow! And ironically enough, I am headed back to Utah this weekend. My super cool and fabulous Uncle Doyl bought me a plane ticket so I can come back for my nephew's blessing!

Papa, Dad, Matthew and Porter. Four generations of Peck men.

Perfection Personified

2008-06-19T02:53:00.002-06:00

So, I am sitting here with my nephew who is already over a week old and having a great old time. I am absolutely loving being an aunt and can't believe I have to leave him in a week. The next time I will see him, he will probably be six months old and I am just not thrilled to miss so much of his life. Watching my brother and his wife go through this process, I am still convinced that pregnancy is a really scary thing, but that newborns might not be. This is by far the most interaction I have ever had with a baby so young, and it has been good for me. I was pretty much afraid to hold any baby younger than about four months. But, that fear has left me. Porter is so funny and so adorable. He has his dad's nose and he sucks his bottom lip in. He loves his car seat and he is a flailer(sp?) so he moves around like crazy sometimes. He is super freaking adorable and I am loving it!

Today I went to Logan. I forget until I come around that final turn in the canyon just how beautiful it is up there, and how much I loved it. If I ever decide to move back to Utah, I think it would be to Cache Valley. I have such great memories there and I love the area. It was really good to get to see Mandy, Heilit, Whit, Shannon, Chris, Brian and Ammon while I was there. I had dinner at La Beau's, which is one of my favorite burger places ever. They have great fries and fabulous fry sauce. And I got to see Whit's new house, which is SO COOL!! I am super jealous. She has a huge backyard for her garden and animals. And her house is gorgeous and has all sorts of really cool features. I also got to meet the new kitty, who has been nicknamed Satan. :-) Kevin drove up with me so he could go canoing with some of his friends.

I am amazed that my time in Utah is almost at an end. I go back to Tucson in a week and I still don't have an apartment yet (maybe I should do something about that tomorrow). Kevin is driving down with me and is going to help me move my stuff before flying back to Utah. We are stopping in Cedar City for the night and I am going to get to see Meaghan and Kyle, who I haven't seen since Melissa's wedding. And then we might swing by Las Vegas too, depending on whether Caty is available to play. She will be in production for another PBS cooking special, but she doesn't have her day to day schedule yet, so she isn't sure when she will be shooting.

Porter Ryan Peck

2008-06-11T16:04:00.004-06:00

I have a nephew!

Porter Ryan Peck was born on June 9, 2008 at 1:49 pm. He weighs 7 lbs and 8 ounces and is 19 and 1/2 inches long. He was doing so well, he didn't even need to take a trip to the nursery before Ashley could start feeding him. We are all super excited!

Matthew and Ashley brought Porter home today from the hospital, and for the next few days friends and ward members will be bringing by dinner for all of us. Yay!!

I think I may have bad weather karma.

2008-06-04T13:42:00.002-06:00

What is up with the rainy and cold days? And it is supposed to snow tomorrow?!?!?!?

My sister in law is still pregnant, much to everyone's dismay. But, they head to the doctor tomorrow with a plan to schedule a time for her to be induced. So, maybe we could have a baby here soon.

I gave in and bought a car. It is a 2004 blue Honda Civic. It is nice, and I got a good deal for it. I also got a great interest rate on my loan from America First. But, I am quickly remembering why I was happy to get rid of the last one. Cars are expensive!! I have spent so much money and time just trying to get it all registered and insured. It is lots cheaper to just rely on public transportation and not spend money because it takes too much effort to travel.

I am really enjoying spending time in Utah, with my family for a period longer than four days. It has been a while since I was really around and able to physically participate in everyone's lives. It is also really nice to have some time off, especially since I have spent the last six years dedicated to the black hole of ResLife. I am curious to see how my life is going to change now that I am no longer working and living in the same place, telling drunk students to be quiet at 3 am, and mediating ridiculous roommate conflicts. It has been a really great experience to work with ResLife, but you can easily spend all your time only caring about everyone else, to the detriment of you own life. I have always struggled to balance this, and at the UA it got even harder, so I knew it was time to try something new.

Next project on the list: Find a place to live when I move back to Tucson in three weeks.

It's summer, but who forgot to tell the weather?

2008-05-25T14:56:00.004-06:00

I am in Utah, and very happy to be here. I have missed my family and my friends. But, I have been cold since I got off the plane. Big surprise there.

Right before I left for the airport, I got a call offering me the job I wanted! I am now working with the College of Engineering doing recruitment and retention efforts, with an emphasis on recruiting women. I start July 1st and I am pretty excited. I need to purchase a car because I will be traveling throughout Arizona for recruitment events, so I am starting to look. I am planning on purchasing one here in Utah and then driving it back to Tucson.

Saturday was Deseree's bridal shower. It was a lot of fun and it was great to see her and her family, many whom I haven't seen in years. It turned out really great, which was satisfying, because Natalie (the other bridesmaid) and I put in more work than I have ever done for a shower before.

Well, for the next few weeks I will be in Utah without specific plans. So get in contact with me if you want to play or get together!

I'll be in Utah on Thursday Night!

2008-05-20T20:00:00.004-06:00

Well, I am officially done with the school and work for the year. Right now, I am frantically trying to pack and get my stuff moved because I am getting on a plane on Thursday and going back to Utah. It is slowly happening, especially considering that I continue to collect stuff in a manner that is beyond comprehension. How does one person own SO MUCH STUFF? It would probably help if I ever started packing early enough to really sort through drawers and containers rather than just shoving everything into boxes at the last minute. Hmmm. . . not procrastinating, what a thought. . .

My birthday was yesterday, and it was a nice way to celebrate turning a quarter of a century old. I finished up my last assignments with work and worked on a presentation for a job interview. Except they turned off the wireless internet connection in my building, so it took me FOREVER to get anything done. But, I did get a phone call from the students who attended NACURH from Utah, and they ALL sang Happy Birthday to me. And then, Nicole and some other friends in ResLife took me to dinner. We had a blast, and they sang to me twice; once for each dessert I got. The table next to us was celebrating a birthday too, so it was a little nuts at Chili's, but way fun. Then Nicole and I wandered around Barnes & Noble for an hour. We decided that as much as we love reading, we could never work at that specific store. The employees there were having the WEIRDEST conversations, about tape worms and cocaine and I can't remember what else, but it was awkward.

I had a campus interview today. It was with the College of Engineerng as a coordinator for recruitment and retention. I would spend half of my time specifically recruiting women. It went well, and I think that I would really enjoy the position. Tomorrow, I have my campus interview for the Office Manager of La Aldea, the graduate housing complex on campus. I would take either job, and think they both are interesting. My real dilemma is that because one starts in two weeks and one in five weeks, I don't know how long I am going to be in Utah. So, do I pack for ten days or for a month? I expect I won't find out if I got offered either position until I am in Utah.

Keepin' it interesting. . .

I should be packing. . .

2008-05-14T01:02:00.005-06:00

I am so excited to be done with classes for the semester! And I don't have another one until August, which is super nice for me. I have really enjoyed school this year, but I am ready for the summer break.

We had our last ResEd meeting today as well. During the meeting, I found out that I most likely need to be out of my apartment by Monday. So, I frantically started to pack today, because as you all know, I hadn't started yet. I should know by tomorrow what the plan is for the building. They are doing serious renovations, and that involves turning off all the fire safety equipment, which means I can't live here. PC, the Director of ResEd is trying to get them to push back the renovations until I move a short four days later. We will see. I might be racing to pack and move my stuff over to the storage space Nicole so graciously arranged for me in La Cienega while everyone else is trying to move their stuff out this week.

Today, I was on the phone teasing my brother about becoming a dad any day now, and I heard him slam on his brakes and his wife gasp as they narrowly avoided an accident. They were fine, and didn't hit the other car, but it was a few very tense moments. With the baby due in three weeks, an accident could have very easily sent Ashley into labor.

My little sister Jessica started her new job yesterday. And I am so excited for her. Her old job was torturous and horrible for ALL of us. I told her today that it is possible her quitting and working somewhere else has shifted the balance of power so far back to good that world peace is now a distinct possibility. She is loving it so far, and her coworkers seem really great, which makes me super happy. As for me, I had one phone interview today and another on Thursday for jobs. The one today went pretty good, and I am excited for the next one. Maybe I actually will find employment before school starts. Actually, both of these positions start well before school does (one June 1 and one July 1), so that makes my summer a little more interesting. It is all about building suspense, I tell you! Life can't possibly be interesting if there isn't some drama and mystery. . .

Running the Numbers: An Artistic Perspective on Waste

2008-05-08T02:09:00.007-06:00

One of my staff members showed this to me today. It is super interesting and another way of thinking about product use. This is one set of about twenty on this website. I would really encourage everyone to check it out.

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

Depicts one million plastic cups, the number used on airline flights in the US every six hours.

Partial Zoom:

Detail at actual print size:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Which Jane Austen Character Are You?

2008-05-03T21:03:00.002-06:00

Take the Quiz here!

Here come finals and everything else!

2008-04-30T23:04:00.003-06:00

So, I am on my bed trying to convince myself to start seriously studying for my first final exam that I have next Tuesday. As you can see, it isn't really going so fabulous. I am by nature, a bit of a procrastinator. Add in that I am easily distracted, and it doesn't take much for the three hours of study time I blocked out to be completely wasted. Oh well.

Mostly I am thinking about the fact that I am moving off campus for the final time in less than a month. And at this point, I have no idea where I am going to move all my stuff too. So, if anyone knows of a cheap storage place in Tucson close to the University, let me know! I am headed to Utah on the 22nd of May. My tentative plan is to live with my brother and his wife for a few weeks so I can help out with their new baby, who is due June 6th. After that, it all gets a little fuzzy. I don't have a job for next year yet, so I am not sure that I will be attending school in the fall. I just can't afford to pay the six thousand a semester tuition on my own. So, I need a job with the University. I am leaving my current position, and so that is leaving me in a little bit of a predicament. I am applying for everything I can, so hopefully someone will want me.

If I don't have a job by July, my plan is to move to our family cabin which is up near Brighton and Solitude, and try and finish the renovations we started several years ago. I LOVE THE CABIN, so this would be ideal(minus the lack of salary to pay for food part). There are a ton of great trails to hike, the quaking aspens are so beautiful, there are some great puzzles up there, and it is just such a fun and peaceful place. I think if I could figure out how to survive without water for seven months out of the year and tolerate twenty feet of snow, I would live there permanently.

Hello World!

2008-04-25T00:20:00.000-06:00

I have given in and joined the world of bloggers! After spending months stalking everyone else's blogs, it is time to start my own.

I attended the UA RHA Closing Banquet tonight. It was bittersweet, as it is the last I will ever be attending. I am so proud of the students I have worked with this year. They have grown so much as a group and as individuals. I am ready to leave Residence Life, I need to move off campus. However, I am going to miss this part of my life. After, I was at home wandering in my own musings about leaving this chapter of my life when some craziness broke out in my hall. And as typical for this year, I had another situation that makes me glad I am leaving. It amazes me how I can feel such contradictions, even with them being pretty common for my life. At least it keeps my life interesting!

I look forward to sharing my blogging with you!

Thoughts and Musings

Holes in My Sidewalk

My Cousin's Awesome Video

A Few Notes

A Little Science Project

A Little Melody on the Brain. . .

It Astounds Me

My Residents Rock

Isn't he just too cute for words?

Wolverine Crossing Commercial

My Path to Vegetarianism

This Makes Me SO Mad!

A Franciscan Blessing

5K Awesomeness

Busy, Busy, Busy

My Own Prejudices

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

Gotta Love The Muppets

When Lyrics Say It Better Than I Could

Monday Confessional

Live Animals in Student Housing

Balancing Out the "Liberal Propaganda" I Post

What If?

Check It Out!

You Know You Live in Orem If. . .

Baby Names by Profession

Funny Memories

New Movie I Want to See

Time for an Update

Create!

Lessons Learned

Too Excited to Sleep

It's Official. . .

So Close!

I Graduate in Four Weeks!

What Kind of Mormon Are You?

Misfit Mormon

What my students are up to these days. . .

Church Leaders Meet with Al Gore

Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs have procreated!

We actually are Irish. . .

God DOES want you to be a tree hugger!

My Classifieds

Blue Button Up Shirts

Monday is all about the confessing!

I couldn't pass up posting this cartoon

Mayan Pyramids is the oldest place I've been

For All My Housing Buddies. . .

Monday Confessional!

My Alter Ego's Name is Samantha

Not a good sign

January 20, 2009 - Our Moment

Christmas Vacation

No Surprises Here. . .

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Physical Touch

About this quiz

Life's Little Dilemmas

Not quite ready for Monday

It's even the right season for this post!

I am a Dancing Queen!

I Heart Ugly Betty!

Just wanted to let you know. . .

Avoiding the Laundry

This is just the beginning!

The Best Part of Halloween

Multiple Personalities, here we go again!

Which Disney Princess Are You?

So Tired. . .

Free Handbag

General Conference

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I want to promise this is the last one, but then I might be lying.

Even Sesame Street can see my weaknesses!

If only online quizzes really held all the answers to life's problems. . .

Well, I DO drive a blue car. . .

Because he is just too cute!

Political Compass

Gratitude