Christmas Bells Are Ringing

Our house is all decorated for Christmas (and yes, this is an actual photo taken by my amazing photographer husband). It makes me so happy to see my cranberry wreath on the wall and smell our fabulous Salt City candle. The only problem is it also makes me want to sip away at hot chocolate and disregard my list of things to do. There is something about this time of year that always has me wanting to give up on school. Lately, I can become distracted by the lights on our Christmas tree for a full hour before I realize I haven't read a paragraph in my textbook. I can't wait for vacation!!! YEAH!!! I have decided I'm going to stop worrying about my student teaching experience and just enjoy the break. I can do anything for 3 months, even if it is the absolute hate. I went to talk to my practicum advisor and she told me to stop worrying about it. She thinks I will do fabulously and that I am just too stressed to realize that now. PLUS, I found out that my supervisor is one of my most favorite professors of all time. She will give it to me straight without making me cry. AND I know that she won't freak out if I cry, so that is even better. I'm going to start trying to have more positive thoughts about the whole thing. Wish me luck!

Don't Tell Me What I Already Know!

I am tired. There is no need for you to say, "You look tired." Especially when I am trying to put on my happy face and act like it's not 9:00 and I haven't been home for longer than 15 minutes since 7:30 this morning. Especially when I thought I was actually having a cute day. I guess most makeup isn't supposed to last for 14 hours straight, but still! It's uncalled for. It's just a way for you to really say, "Gosh, you really look like crap," without really saying it. Such a pet peeve. There is this kid at work who says, "You look tired," pretty much everytime he sees me. It's not my fault there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done and still sleep. Trust me, if it was in my hands I'd arrange things that way.

Thanksgiving!!!

I am excited for turkey, family, and SHOPPING!!! I had my last class today and don't have to go back until Monday! YEA!!! I am so thrilled. I spent the afternoon getting things together for a Christmas project. I'm making a magnet board that we can put everyone's Christmas cards/photos on this year. It's just going to be so nice to have some time to relax and breathe over the weekend. My hubby still has a few more classes and a big project and paper due. I am switching him places and being the supportive one while he stresses for once. So tonight I'm on my own for a while. He's at the library, so I think I will put on a good chick-flick, make some hot chocolate, and just enjoy my freedom.

ALSO, someone is probably going to buy my computer! That means I get to buy a bookshelf! I've had my eye on a really nice one at Sam's Club. We desperately need one because I have a trillion books and the collection just keeps becoming larger. It is pretty expensive, so Chad and I made a deal: I can buy it with the money we get from selling the computer. Someone called about it and said they want it! Let's keep our fingers crossed that it all works out. If so, the stacks of books in our bedroom can have a place to call home =-)

Serious Doubts

So my pre-student teaching experience isn't going so hot. I've had about a zillion meltdowns in the last week and a half. I am having some serious doubts about the profession I have chosen for myself. I just don't understand! When I did my first field experiences I loved being in the high school. Now I'm in a different school but it's the same grade and everything. You'd think I'd love it just as much but I don't. The kids are completely unmotivated, and they have no respect for their teacher (meaning they have even less respect for me). I just can't be the kind of teacher who screams and tells kids to shutup to get students' attention. My cooperating teacher thinks I'm too nice and that I'm afraid to be mean to them. It's not that I'm afraid to be mean to them, I just don't want to be. I'm perfectly ok with not being their best friend--I have plenty of friends and don't need eleventh graders to apply for the position. I just want a level of mutual respect. Is that too much to ask? I'm just not feeling it. I don't know if I'm cut out for this, and I think it's a little too late to change my mind. It's already not going well and I imagine it will only get worse when I'm "in charge" and the "real" teacher leaves the classroom. Any advice? Chad thinks it will be better when I have my own classroom...right now I just want to cry. I'm seriously contemplating applying for grad school. A masters degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing is sounding like a pretty good alternative to facing the real world =-)

Apartment Drama

Girls showering with their boyfriends. Girls screaming that we're horrible RAs because we're not on call 24 hours a day. Girls who have never had to clean because their mommies have done everything for them their entire lives. Somebody give me back my boys. They might have been slobs, but they knew it. Didn't try to hide it. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss them.

Priceless

Red, sexy, impractical shoes that Katie cannot possibly afford:



$265.





Brown, more practical, teacher shoes that Katie still cannot afford:


$70.



Spending an hour on Piperlime.com when you should be studying:

Priceless.

There are some things money can't buy. Shoes aren't one of them. Money can buy shoes. And someday...when I have money...I will buy some. (Although I don't know if it will every be $265 for a pair...but maybe a chat w/ Aunt Pamela could convince me.)

Smelly Feet and A Stuffy Nose

Right now I am sitting in my pajamas and writing a blog instead of doing the hours of homework that I should be doing. My husband and I went out to eat because he convinced me that was a better alternative to me having another mini-breakdown over the list of things that are waiting for me to do that there is not enough time to complete. Here is what I have left to do:

-Turn in my student teaching application
-Turn in my graduation application
-Buy a birthday card for my friend
-Do laundry
-Do research and prepare a 30 minute oral report on Autism and teaching Autistic children
-Complete a genre project that consists of: collecting 6-7 sample resumes, annotating the resumes, writing a resume, and writing a reflection on my learning process.
-Do a 2-3 page Teacher Work Sample #1
-Write a lesson plan dealing with writing (for imaginary students)
-Plan my units for my student teaching experience to get approved by my cooperating teacher for next semester. I am covering British Lit- Restoration through Victorian periods from January to April
-Read about a million-gatrillion pages
-Study for the most ridiculous grammar test ever invented and take it

I decided I'm going to take some Nyquill and say the heck with it. I have been sick all week. It started with a sore throat and has moved into severe sinus pressure that makes my whole face feel full of snot. It's gross. And I feel bad because I know I am complaining about this way to much to my husband. Every five seconds the poor chap has to hear me say, "Honey...why do I feel sick?" Anyway, all of this yucky sickness isn't exactly motivating me to study. It makes it hard to concentrate. I've decided I just need to get some rest so I can study tomorrow.

Apparently even when a person's as stuffed up as I am it doesn't stop the scent of smelly feet from drifting to the nostrils. There is this boy in one of my English classes who always takes off his shoes in class. I don't know how HE can't recognize the putrid scent, but I certainly can- stuffed nose and all. It's disgusting. I mean, honestly, I don't see the reason for him removing his foot attire. It's not like he's a girl wearing painful heels- that I could understand (I'm a girl, I know that pain). But no, he's wearing BOY shoes- I don't even think they make uncomfortable boy shoes. He needs to learn to keep them on, because the smell is nauseating. EWWWWW.

Goodnight all, I'm off to bed!

Greatly Bothered

Right now I am in the midst of beginning Fall Semester. It's a complicated one for me because I'm nearing the end of my BYU experience. While I am greatly excited to put my school days behind me, part of me is trying to figure out how I will possibly function in a life without classes everyday. I like learning. I like going to class. I don't know if I know enough to be a teacher, and I'm scared I'm going to end up wondering what I've gotten myself into by graduating. Anyway, aside from that I have a lot of interesting courses and next week I find out where I have my practicum experience (which is also where I will be doing my student teaching next semester...let's all join in a silent word of prayer and beg that it will be nearby and with a teacher I get along with). Anyway, all of the above really has nothing to do with what my post is about. I just had to include that as a preface so that you understand I am about to become a teacher and I'm taking a lot of classes that include field experience observing classrooms.

Yesterday I went with a friend of mine from my program to observe an 8th grade English class. The class was a general education room where special education students also attend. It was a reading day and so the class was going to spend all period reading a book of their choice. We went with them to the library so that they could have a few minutes to choose a book. Getting to the part that bothered me- the teachers were very...interesting. The teacher we were observing was there, along with a special education teacher, and a couple of others. While the students were picking out books, they proceeded to talk about them as if they weren't within earshot. They weren't exactly talking quietly, either. As if that wasn't bad enough, I found a lot of their comments inappropriate and borderline offensive. A lot of them were racially related. One teacher was complaining about her Hispanic students while one of them stood behind her trying to get her attention because she needed help. Then, when one of the special education students asked for help she didn't seem that interested in helping him. He'd picked out a book that wouldn't work for the assignment, but I think the poor kid just didn't know what to read. We've talked so much in my classes about pairing the right book with the right child so that they can learn to enjoy reading, but the teacher didn't really do that at all. Then, later when we got back to the classroom, he asked if he could call his mom and go home because he felt sick. It was so obvious that he was faking because he felt uncomfortable in the classroom. It really upset my friend and me. We vented all the way home about how appalled we were. I guess I always just picture teachers as wanting everyone to succeed and really trying to help everyone to succeed, and I didn't get that kind of impression from these teachers. It disappointed me.

On the bright side of things, my friend and I decided that we will be excellent teachers...even if it's only because we don't think and act the way those women did.

Dear Apartment Residents,

As your RA I must admit I am a bit concerned for your welfare. Indeed, after spending many long hours associating with you I have come to believe there is little hope you can ever develop into successful, socially competent individuals. Here's why:

1) Perhaps the most notable reason of all, is that when my husband tells you to leave a self-addressed, stamped envelope (for the return of your deposit) you ask him, "Where do I put my address? In the left hand corner?"

2) After I speak with you and tell you that, yes, you will indeed have to do more than one cleaning assignment since there are only 3 people living in your apartment, you call mommy dearest and have HER yell at me. First of all, there's a little thing called INDEPENDENCE that a good amount of college students are trying to develop these days...GET SOME!!! There is no way in heck that my mom would have done that for me when I was in college. Secondly, give your mommy a little message for me. See, the best way to get someone to want to help you is not by belittling them, yelling, and making yourself look like an immature idiot. That makes the other person angry, annoyed, and pretty much they just hope that something horrible will happen to you later during the day (nothing too permanent... just a very painful stubbed toe, a case of chicken pocks... you know...temporary pain).

3) When I show up to check your apartment, using the LIST that I gave you telling you exactly what I would check, you still seem shocked that I'm asking if you mopped the floor..."Oh, was I supposed to do that?" HELLO PEOPLE!!!

4) You apparently think I am stupid and try to play the game you used to play with your parents while still living at home. You know, when you ask mom and she says no you ask dad? Hmmm, well that doesn't work on me kids. See, when you go to the office and lie, they just call me and tell me the lie, then I tell them the lie that you told me about them, and then we laugh and CHARGE YOU THE FINE!
5) You call my apartment at 1:30 in the morning. When we don't answer, you wait five minutes and call AGAIN!!!!
6) When I tell you that, yes, you will be getting the $50 fine for not making an appointment with me 48 hours in advance (and let's not forget that I did give you THREE...yes, not ONE, not TWO, but THREE...reminder notices about this very thing) you give me a sob story about how "I didn't know..." and "I didn't get anything about that..." or even "My roommate hid that from me..." You know what people, you DESERVE the fine!

You DESERVE the $100+ fine that's going to come because you didn't clean a THING! You deserve to be the future unemployed. Your parents DESERVE to be covering your expenses for the rest of your lives because they didn't teach you an ounce or responsibility when they had the chance. WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE????

Yours Unrespectfully,
Katie

P.S. For those of you who were responsible, delightful, and just all around good people this week- thank you. From the bottom of my heart I wish you all the happiness in the world.

I Want One...

Of these...

Annoyed

Last night we went to see Da Vinci Code in the dollar theatre. Now granted, I know that it only cost a dollar, but I still think there is no excuse for people to talk through an ENTIRE movie. Chad and I sat by possibly the most obnoxious three people in Provo. They talked through the entire film. They didn't whisper. They TALKED! For some reason I didn't feel like I could say anything to them since it was a dollar movie. The more I think about it though, the more I think I should have said something. I just don't understand people's lack of courtesy for those around them. If you want to chat through a movie that's fine. Be my guest. RENT the movie, sit at home, and talk your little hearts out. BUT DON'T RUIN MY 3 HOUR BREAK FROM PAPER WRITING by interrupting the film with snipets of your puny, insignificant opinions!!!! UGH! I was so disgruntled. Then I had to come home, stare at the blinking cursor that is supposed to be formulating a significant analysis of a Bronte novel, and all I could think about was pre-teen snickering coming from people who aren't pre-teens!!! Life can be difficult.

A Tribute to the In-laws: My Thanks for Your Normalcy

This post is a tribute to my husband's family (now mine too) who I greatly love. As far as I can tell, they love me too which makes me very happy. Read on and you will see why I am feeling so thankful for them:

Last night my hubby and I were working in the apartment office and one of the other RA's came in and we started chatting. (As a side note I didn't know her that well before but now I think she's completely adorable and we are destined to be friends.) Anyway, in a round-about way the subject of our weddings came up. She told us that her in-laws a) tried to talk her into going on a mission instead of marrying their son and then b) refused to come to their wedding- not because they disapproved but because their kids were in school and they won't go to anything their kids can't also go to. I couldn't BELIEVE that! Apparently these parents have 5 children who are married and they've only been to two of the weddings. (I guess these were the only convenient ones?) I said, "It wouldn't matter if one of my mother-in-law's kids called the night before and said I'm eloping to Las Vegas...she would beat them to the altar!" I can't believe someone would miss their child's wedding. I mean, that is one of the biggest moments in your life. NOT to mention how RUDE it is to the other family. And HELLO- TAKE YOUR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL! I'm sure my brothers-in-law still would have come to our wedding, even if it was during the school year. It's an important event they would want to share with their brother. (Plus, what kid can't miss a day or two of high school...come on now...I'm going to BE a teacher and I admit this.) PLUS, if you're utterly opposed to missing a day of public education, it's a little thing called a BABYSITTER! Hire someone to be with your kids and GO TO YOUR SON'S WEDDING! Anyway, I think these people are a little mixed up and strange. If Chad's parents had done things like that I think I would have been seriously concerned about marrying into such a family. So, after reflecting on how utterly strange these in-laws of my friend are, I decided I am thankful for the following things about my new family:

1) They GO to special events in eachother's lives (from soccer games to weddings)
2) They realize what things matter in life (i.e. a temple wedding vs. a day in high school)
3) When I met my in-laws for the first time they HUGGED me and weren't awkward AT ALL (and didn't sit me down to tell me to go on a mission)
4) They know how to have FUN and they let me join in!
5) They treat me like another daughter and make me feel loved and included
6) I would trust them with my children without thinking they would rub off on them in a bad way
7) They aren't strange

Thanks guys! I'm feeling REALLY appreciative =-)

Jolly Ranchers

Today at work I got a jolly rancher. As I was fingering it's plastic wrapper I had this memory of my Grandparents, and my Grandpa in particular. My Grandpa has always been the candy man at church. All the kids know to check his pockets and they're sure to find a tootsie roll or jolly rancher. Even when I was older, I'd spot my Grandpa in the hallway after church. He'd be there with his white hair,wearing a suit (but you could spot his staple suspenders underneath-he's a farmer, he can't go ANYWHERE without wearing suspenders). He'd give me a smile and say, "Here you go, Katie" and hand me some sort of treat.

At my Grandparents' house there was an old candy jar in the kitchen full of jolly ranchers. Just walking into that kitchen is like a blast from the past. There's no dishwasher because they always refused to get one, they keep a bin by the sink to collect food scraps for compost because there's no disposal, and the colors are dated...I LOVE THAT KITCHEN. I remember canning there with my Grandma the summer before she died (I found out more stake gossip than I ever knew existed that summer), I remember making cookies there with my cousins, and I remember a bizillion sweltering, summer Sundays (they don't believe in air-conditioning either) when we ate roast that was made in that oven. But today, I remembered the candy jar...and how I used to dig through it to pick out only the watermelon candies. Today, when I chose my jolly rancher, it was watermelon...Isn't it strange how a little candy in a wrapper can remind you of so much?

The Move

I find it impossible to understand how two newly-married people can have so much STUFF. Chad and I started moving to our new apartment last night. My Dad and brother came down to help us move the big things like coffee table, microwave, couches, shelves, etc. We are no where CLOSE to being finished. We are currently between two apartments. This drives the OCD part of my personality completely insane. Today, I had to go to the old apartment to brush my teeth before I left for school, we forgot to bring the toothbrushes with us last night. It is ridiculous. Anyway, luckily for me Chad is there to calm me down. I had a nervous breakdown last night when the computer monitor wouldn't fit on the desk. I started bawling and said "I don't want to live here...." But Chad is helping me start to see it will be ok. I am just depressed because the carpet is ugly and we don't have two-toned walls anymore. BUT on an upside we have a bookshelf over our desk now. SO you can see all of the titles instead of having to dig through piles to find Austen or Poe. It's quite exciting! AND I think our bedroom is bigger, I really do!!! That is a plus too, more room to pile laundry on the floor =-) And, I really have no reason to complain, because our rent was only $60 for the month...including utilities. It's definitely worth it, just a bit frustrating.

Seven

So Scully said she wanted to hear mine...here they are. It's hard to think of these kinds of things on the spot:

7 Things I Want to Do Before I Die
1. Live in London again
2. Serve a mission (preferably foreign) with my hubby
3. Write and publish a novel
4. Have adorable children
5. Travel the world
6. Swim with dolphins
7. Decorate my dream house


7 Things I Cannot Do
1. Not sing along with the radio in a car
2. Leave a thrift store without buying anything
3. Not Sweat...I'm a sweater, it can be 20 degrees outside and my body will still feel the need to sweat.
4. Kill a spider without having a mini-breakdown
5. Not use at least a "tone" when I'm angry or frustrated or stop myself from whining when I'm sick.
6. Say no to dessert, even if I'm stuffed
7. Dim the blue in my personality (even if it's not my fault I'm always feeling guilty about something).


7 Things that Attracted me to My Spouse
1. He's adorable
2. He's sarcastic too
3. He was sweet to his sister, and I later found out to his entire family
4. He could make me laugh and still does all the time
5. He is patient and mellow, and I am unbelievably inpatient so we balance each other
6. He's musically talented and I always knew I'd marry a guitar player
7. He likes ethnic food, art, and other random things that a lot of boys hate

7 Things I Often Say
1. Bless your/his/her heart
2. Dang it all to heck!
3. Hi! My name is Katie and I am a student calling on behalf of Brigham Young University... (insert beg for money here)
4. Swamp hag- as in "You're such a swamp hag!"
5. I love you
6. Crap
7. You know what I mean?

7 Books I Love
1. The Catcher in the Rye
2. Ella Enchanted (I just read this one for Adolescent Lit and I LOVE it!)
3. Crossing to Safety
4. Middlemarch
5. A Yellow Raft in Blue Water
6. The Fountainhead
7. Quest for a Maid (another adolescent one... I read this over and over when I was younger)

7 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over
1. Breakfast at Tiffany's
2. Steel Magnolias
3. Ocean's Eleven and Twelve
4. Pride and Prejudice
5. The Indiana Jones Trilogy (esp The Last Crusade)
6. Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty
7. Molly Ringwald 80's hits on TV (The Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, etc. when they have those marathons I go nuts!)

7 People I Would Like to Hear From-
Whoever wants to do this =-)

We've Got a Biter, Folks

And no, I'm not talking about a fish...I'm talking about a toddler. On Sunday he bit two children in the nursery. TWO. Not just one, but TWO! And they are both the sweetest little girls too. He bit the first one in order to win a battle over a toy, but the second one he bit for the pure enjoyment of it. She was just standing there being adorable and all of a sudden she was crying and Chad was screaming, "HE JUST BIT HER!" I couldn't believe it. We tried to show him what he did and make him say sorry but he wouldn't. I felt so bad for the two little girls. I remember once during Dracula what was supposed to be a stage bite ended up being a real bite once. I didn't have to act like I was screaming, I was really screaming. It seriously hurt SO bad. After the scene I told the kid "NEVER bite me again, if you do I swear you will regret it!" I seriously had a bruise on my wrist for days. Anyway, back to the nursery, I'm telling you...it is a struggle to like this child. He is also a screamer. Not because he is sad, but because he just likes to scream. I think he likes to watch all of the children cover their ears in agony. Or maybe he likes to hear us say "We do NOT scream." It's a toss up. Anyway, the mom of this kid didn't even seem fazed by it. I mean, if my child was biting people I would be a bit concerned. As much as it's completely awful, it was kind of funny. This one little girl (the one who tried to put the fire out with an elephant-subject of an earlier post) started following him around reminding him of what all the leaders were saying "We do NOT bite! WE DO NOT BITE!" It was just funny watching her follow him around in dress up heels reminding him of how bad he'd been, lol. And the first little girl who got bit kept saying, "My mom's gonna slap him!" It really was quite humorous. I'm just worried some of the kids will start being afraid to come to nursery now. On a brighter note, we helped the kids make macaroni necklaces for their moms for Mother's Day. They LOVED it! I've never seen them get so into an activity before. Only a couple had the actual motor skills to do it on their own, but we helped them out and they were so excited to give them to their moms. It was adorable.

Something You Just Don't DO!

Ok, so here's just a friendly piece of advice. A little lesson in etiquette if you will. If someone agrees to give you a ride home, and you live WAY out of her way, she is already cranky from 4 hours of telemarketing, she is hobbling along like an old woman because she just worked out for the first time in a year and is now feeling the aftermath-LACTIC ACID, and all she wants to do is eat a Bojangles biscuit, the first thing you say to her when you get into the car should not be "Why would you drive a SUV?" Your tone should not be rude. You should also not proceed to lecture her extensively on what she already knows- that SUVs guzzle gas. You should not talk about the impracticality of an SUV and how she should just get a station wagon because it has just as much room. This is just reminding her that a) she's wasting gas by taking you home, you are not friends and she was only doing this out of the goodness of her heart b) she never wants to give you a ride again and c) you are socially inept! Some more appropriate options would be to say THANK YOU. Keep any comments about high gas prices to yourself. Go buy YOURSELF a dang station wagon. Remind yourself that an SUV would certainly be better than your current vehicle- BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ONE! Some people are so rude! I just don't get how you can be THAT socially retarded. Did their parents teach them nothing??? GOSH!

I love Target

And not just because we registered there for our wedding and are still reaping the benefits of amazing gifts...but because today I spent some time in the shoe department. Feast your eyes on my find please. These little babies cost me $26:


I could have purchased these at the mall for over $80 :





Look like practically the same shoe?!??? I thought so as well, and it makes me quite happy in my little heart. They are even more darling in person and on my own little footsies. I love them. And I owe it all to Target! Even though I am poor I can still make Stacey and Clinton proud =-) Gosh I'm stylish, even if I do say so myself!

Where Am I?

It snowed today. I was wearing flip-flops. I was freezing. I had to wait for the bus.

Yesterday was Easter. We played with the nursery kids in the grass. Outside. In short sleeves. I was hot. Dad barbecued. It was tasty.

It snowed today. I hate Utah.

"Poor slob...Poor slob without a name!"

For Valentine's Day this year my hubby bought me an Audrey Hepburn collection on DVD. This thrilled me beyond belief, because if I had an idol, it would be this chic actress. Something about old movies has always made me feel warm fuzzy inside, ever since I was a kid. Until recently I hadn't really had a chance to break out the films and watch them. Over the last week I have procrastinated immensely by watching the digitally remastered Breakfast at Tiffany's (pretty much my favorite movie of all time, ever since I saw it curled up on red shag carpet) and Sabrina (Oh how I love Bogart and Hepburn on the same screen...sigh...) Anyway, it has been a lot of fun watching, even though I should be doing homework. I still have Roman Holiday left to watch, but I am saving that one for a reward after finals. So there you go, by the end of next week I will have visited New York, Paris, and Rome all from the comfort of my living room, and partially in black and white, which is ever-so-classy. Anyway, that's about all I have to say.

To Everything...Turn...Turn...Turn...

There is a season...Turn...Turn...Turn...and a time to every purpose...

Ok, so I've decided there is a time to be in Provo, and a time to move on...

I have sincerely enjoyed my time at BYU, I really have. It's a great school! I've grown in a lot of ways. I met the man of my dreams while going to school here. I lived in LONDON thanks to BYU Study Abroad. I've had some great professors. I've learned a lot. I truly believe I am a better person because of the opportunities I have had while attending this University.

Having said all of that, there are also several things about this school that severely annoy me. Living in a bubble is not something I would recommend for more than 4 years, and I am going to be in it for 5.

Today, after my friend Steph and I left our 2 o'clock class we both simultaneously burst into laughter and Steph voiced what both of us were thinking when she said "Katie...where do we go to school?" There were two girls playing some medieval rendition of something on recorders in the courtyard. There are just so many oddities like this that I encounter on a daily basis. I like original people. I like people that are different. People who are just plain weird scare me! There seems to be a high percentage of such people on our campus. I am ready to leave them behind.

If someone would like to fund a vacation so that I can escape this area for a brief time it would be greatly appreciated =-) I think Chad and I are going to try to take a little break before Spring Semester starts, depending on when my finals are scheduled. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this works out...if not, I may have a nervous breakdown.

Slacker for a Day

I am not going to my classes today. I have two- Multicultural Education and World Literature and I am not going. I decided I was entitled to get actual sleep today. That is why when my alarm went off I told my husband "I am not going to class" and went back to sleep. I know this is very horrible, but I am justifying my decision so I don't feel too guilty. Here are the reasons why it is ok:

1) This is the first time I will have missed these classes all semester (quite an accomplishment I MUST say!)

2) If I didn't actually sleep today I would be falling asleep by the time I went to work this afternoon.

3) I am sick of school. School is all I do. I go to school, I go to work, I come home and do work that is due at school the next day. I can't TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

4) It has been raining like crazy the past few days. Not pretty rain, but cold rain. That makes it very depressing to wait for the bus. My umbrella (keeping up with the umbrella conspiracy) is dysfunctional. The slightest gust of wind makes it turn inside out and then I have to use all my strength to realign it to protect me from the downpour. Not fun, and definitely a reason I didn't need to go to school today.

5) I haven't heard anything about the internship I applied for. I probably will not get it, which will mean I will have to keep working at the Telefund during the Spring and Summer...I don't know how much longer I can sound pleasant on the phone. I need time away from school to adjust to this.

6) Our apartment is a mess and we have people staying here this weekend, so it has to be clean by tomorrow. What better time to start cleaning than during class time???

Well, there are many more reasons, but that is basically it. I am still feeling slight guilt, but I'm sure I will get over it. After all, we have a TV now, season one of The Office on DVD, and there's a carton of chocolate icecream in our freezer just waiting to help me cope.

"So Fresh and So Clean-Clean"

Today I tried a new product for the first time. A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law introduced me to this Glade carpet & room deodorizer. She convinced me to buy it when we were on our big Satan's Five-and-Ten trip. Well, today I was vacuuming and decided to give it a whirl. It's this stuff that you sprinkle on the carpet. Then you leave it there for a couple of minutes, come back and vacuum over it.

You wouldn't think this would be that revolutionary, but can I just say, it is pretty much the most amazing stuff EVER? Our apartment now smells like "clean linen" and is filled "with the refreshing smell of freshly laundered sheets, just dried on the line with a touch of gentle breezes. Created by Nature...Captured by Glade." And honestly, who DOESN'T want their apartment to smell like that? So fabulous!

Anyway, a big thanks to my wonderful sister for this one, as well as a thumbs up to Glade. I love it!

Vampires

Right now my husband is watching a movie about Vampires on TNT. "TNT: We know drama!" From the little snippets I am hearing, it seems like a pretty weak sauce movie. In high school I was Mina in "Dracula." Dracula bit me, and thus I was also a blood-thirsty individual for a period of time. The stage blood was made out of cherry jello and some kind of sugar syrup. It tasted really good. My mom wouldn't let my little brother come watch the play, she was afraid my performance would disturb him. It's amazing what you will do for a lead in a high school production...

Disease Infested Visitor

My in-laws are visiting and they took me grocery shopping on Saturday. This is a very positive thing! It means that we now have actual meat in our freezer (I lot of which I have no idea how to cook...but luckily I have people to call in order to resolve such issues), along with other basic necessities to fill our cupboards. Their generosity often overwhelms me, and I am so grateful for all that they do for us...Seriously...you should see our kitchen, I don't think it's ever witnessed so much food! Anyhow, after braving "Satan's Five and Ten" (Wal-Mart) for multiple hours on Saturday I returned home to put away all of our new treasures.

I guess I should preface this next part by letting you all know that last week I heard some strange noises coming from our kitchen. Noises like the rustling of potato chip bags and scratching. It turned out to be nothing and so we figured the noises were actually coming from upstairs or downstairs (we hear a lot of interesting things due to the thin walls between us and our neighbors).

Well, when I started clearing out the cupboards so I could start organizing all of the food I found some evidence that seemed to point to the presence of a rodent amongst our belongings. I of course did what can be expected and FREAKED OUT! I waited until Chad came home from work so that he could move everything out of the back of the cupboard (I was scared it might still be lurking in such dark shadows and was too frightened to do this myself). Sure enough, when Chad came home he pulled out the potato chip bag and there was a perfect vermin size hole gnawed through.

I was in hysterics, over-tired, and crying. Chad explained that the mouse was no longer there, and that we would go buy a trap for it later. I don't really know why this itty-bitty creature seemed such a threat to me, but I was overcome by feelings of immediate danger. I mean, this MOUSE had been by our FOOD! DISGUSTING!!! And not only that, but Chad was severely underestimating the mouse. I mean, it could be ANYWHERE in our apartment. Just because it was no longer inside the cupboard, didn't mean it was stupid! I'm so sure it would return to the bitterly cold outdoors, when it could be comfy and fed in our kitchen! It definitely could have left the cupboard for greener pastures elsewhere, it's not like our cupboard door is impossibly heavy. I'm sure the little mouse could manage to shove its way out. (Ewwwww I feel all icky just thinking about this!) Anyway, I insisted we go to the store immediately in order to solve the mouse problem. We bought the mouse some poison food to eat.

On Monday, the maintenance man came to our apartment to look at the heater. Chad explained to him that we had a mouse and showed him the opening in the wall near a pipe where we are guessing the mouse creeped in. Unfortunately, the maintenance man didn't speak English very well. Judging from his accent, we think he is from some sort of Eastern European country. Maintenance Man: "No...no lik" Chad: "Lik?" Maintenance Man: "Lik" Chad: "Oh, LEAK! No, we don't have a leak...we have a mouse...a rodent...little...furry..."(hand gestures) Maintenance Man: "Oh, a MOUSE! Inside? Heh...well, have a good day!" Chad went to the office and they came by and fixed the hole.

So here is my current predicament: I now have 3 mouse traps set, just in case the mouse happens to still be inside. I have food spread all over the kitchen counters, because I'm scared to put it back in the cupboards. It has been a full day and no mouse snapped yet. Do you think this means it is safe to put things away? Hopefully Mr. Mouse left the way he came and now has no way of re-entering our cozy apartment...but it's better to be safe than sorry. The thing is our kitchen is small and it makes the house look very messy when things are spread all over the counter. Eventually I will have to make peace with the mouse possibility and just restock the shelves. It just makes me feel so uneasy...A mouse...gross!

Completely Flabbergasted

Ok. So yesterday I was reading The Daily Universe while at work. Not so much because I enjoy reading it, but more because it is one of the only things I am allowed to read while at work and it helps to pass the time. Anyway, one of the letters to the editor completely shocked me. Read below and I'm sure you will see why:

" Women in the Past:

From recent readings in my history textbooks, I learned that there really is much that we can learn from our ancestors. Especially enlightening to me was my readings of a certain section called 'Women in Classical Societies.' Although I may be highly criticized for this, I feel it my duty to express my opinion that these ancient societies got it right with women.

My first lesson came from the Chinese. They understood the true value of a woman: to serve her husband. The husband of course, is also left with responsibility to create an atmosphere in which his wife could serve him. Think how much more orderly our society would be if we just adhered to this basic principle.

Next it was the Romans' turn to further enlighten me. They spoke of the danger of giving women too much power, and gave the wise insight that 'it is for the weaker sex to submit to whatever you [the man] advise.' So I call on all to consider these important messages from our ancestors long gone, and help bring our society up to the level that it once held. - Josh Kacher (Midway, Utah) "

OK! So pretty much I came home completely OUTRAGED that someone had actually WRITTEN these things about women!!! I marched through our front door and proceeded to read the letter to my husband (who found my angry pacing and added emphasis to the letter quite humorous). He couldn't believe it either, although his opinion is that Mr. Kacher really feels this way, and is a complete geek with no social skills who's probably never talked to an actual female.

I just don't get it! Is this person trying to be funny, and incite infuriated women to respond to his letter as a joke? Or does he seriously feel this way? Either way, he is pretty much the stupidest boy ever to actually associate his name with something like this in a school newspaper. I can guarantee he will never get a date for the rest of his life!

The sad thing is, he probably really does feel this way. It makes me so sad, because he's probably been taught to feel this way because of the way he was brought up. That makes me sad, because it means there is a woman in the world who actually buys into this CRAP!

Although I have no idea who Josh Kacher is, I have some serious issues with him, and he better be hoping he never bumps into me on campus. Although, as long as he's buying into Roman philosophy, he might as well look for a man to spend some time with. The Romans supported homosexuality because of their opinion that males were superior to females. Since I'm pretty sure he'll have a hard time finding female companionship after publicly announcing his chauvinistic, pig-headed ideology, he might be better off looking for a handsome young man to keep him warm at night. What a jerk!

Did you know?

Did you know that the people who make "Sour Patch Kids" also make "Swedish Fish"? They totally do, true story! I am procrastinating right now and eating some "Sour Patch Kids" that Chad and I bought to sneak into the movie theatre last week, but then the movie was sold out, so they have just been sitting in our cupboard. They are really quite delicious...especially the orange and red ones...They remind me of my childhood watching movies with my Dad because they are our favorite movie-theatre candy. Although, they don't make them as sour as they were when I was a kid, which I think is a cryin' shame. Or maybe they do make them as sour, but my tastebuds have just matured, I guess there's no way to really know for sure... Anyway, when I looked on the back of the package it said "Check out these other great soft and chewy candies too!" and then it showed the "Swedish Fish" symbol. It suddenly made such sense to me why "Swedish Fish" are so good. Anyhow, kinda fun.

AWKWARDNESS to the EXTREME

Today I experienced one of the most awkward moments of my life...The details follow:

So, Last time I checked I got married in July. Last time I checked, that was over 6 months ago... Last time I checked I wear a ring on my left finger...it has a diamond, usually a sign of attachment to a member of the opposite sex. Last time I checked, I was incredibly in love with my husband, he with me, and he is someone I talk about all the time. Well, for some reason a co-worker managed to miss all of the above reasons why he should not ask me out on a date. In fact, I can recall 3 distinct times I've mentioned my husband in an actual conversation with this person! Yet for some reason, he seemed completely flabbergasted when he asked me if I'd go out with him and I told him...I'M MARRIED! He then replied "Oh! Sorry...I didn't know...this has actually happened to me before..." Weird...I mean, it's Provo...doesn't everyone do the ring check? When I was single I CERTAINLY did the ring check. It's just the most intelligent thing to do... Some people just don't catch such social clues, which leads to rather embarrassing moments in their little life... So... Incredibly... Awkward.

I came home and Chad and I had a good laugh about it =-) How grateful I am that he is my handsome hubby so I never have to go on awkward dates EVER again! Just one more blessing of being a wife.

Boxes of Juice

Today's post is a tribute to the latest source of extreme pleasure in my little life: the juice box. This little invention has proved to be a pleasant addition to my lunch each day on campus. I have become quite passionate about my Minute-Made thirst replenishers. The two flavors recently tickling my tastebuds have been white-apple-grape and the classic fruit punch. They make me very happy, are a good source of calcium (replacing yucky milk), and are 100% juice! I'm telling you, they're the way to go!

The Job Hunt...

OK, so here is the low-down. I have exactly 3 days to find a job!!! School is starting on Monday, I can no longer work where I am due to scheduling issues, and if I do not find a place of employment Chad and I will be surviving on little more than bread and water. Actually, I take that back, Chad and I will not even be able to afford that unless we move out of our apartment and live in the tent the Hogsett's gave us for our wedding present...I love camping, but that just doesn't sound like a bright situation...I have gone all over town filling out job applications, having interviews, etc. I think I have a pretty good shot at getting the BYU Telefund job (yes I will be one of those annoying BYU students calling alumni and begging for money) and I am "auditioning" yes, that's right "auditioning" to be a host at The Chef's Table, pretty much the nicest restaurant in happy valley. So we will see...by the end of the weekend I will have some kind of job...and I have an interview for another job at 7:30 am on Tuesday. The Telefund job seemed like I would hate it at first, but I think I will actually like it. It's a quick bus ride from campus, has flexible hours (I choose my own each week), and the people there are ridiculously nice. The Chef's Table job is a positive because it could open up an opportunity for me to become a server there and make money on tips- ALWAYS a good thing, it's near our house, and I would probably only have to work a few days a week for the same amount of hours, donating the REST of my time to studying. OH and I'm supposed to go for an interview at the Happy Sumo, a nice sushi restaurant at the Riverwoods...which is very far away and probably not that feasible. So the question is: WHAT DO I DO???????? OH WAIT, I don't even HAVE these jobs yet, so I can't make a decision. I think I am just afraid. I have worked at the same place for so long I don't even know HOW to start a new job. What if I hate it? What if the people don't like me? What if I'm miserable and cry and whine and drive Chad so insane HE hates me...that won't happen, he loves me =-) BUT STILL!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! And school is starting- oh the horror! the horror! BUT I did get some yummy new clothes to wear this semester with my Christmas/birthday money. Shopping...doesn't it put a positive spin on everything?