Chad and I just spent the last couple of days with my family in Bountiful. We had a lot of fun all together and it was just another reminder of how much I love my family, and how much I love the fact that my husband fits into my family. It would be completely torturous if he did not. It would be miserable for him, and for me, but instead he likes them and they like him and we can all have fun together! He doesn't think it's weird that we are competitive board game players, or that we are sarcastic, he just joins right in! We played two intense Monopoly games two nights in a row (Chad won both times...WHO IS HE? I've never met ANYONE who can roll as many doubles as he can! And every time he picks a chance card he inherits money or something. My husband is a lucky man). We also played other games and laughed a lot. If you have never spent time with my family they are very funny people. These are a few things about them (those who were there this time anyway):
My Daddy- Picture Steve Martin and you have a somewhat visual image of my Dad (complete with white hair and all). Picture his personality and you also have my Dad. My Dad is very funny, sometimes even without trying to be. He is constantly confusing parables, fairytales, and words of wisdom without meaning to. When he tries to pass on the advice that these things carry they come out sounding like "well, beauty's in the eye of the skin" instead of "beauty's only skin deep" and things like that. It is very funny. My Dad can make friends with anyone. If we stand in line at a grocery store, he knows the life story of the stranger in front of us before we check out. He is a hard working, wonderful father, who can always make me laugh. I love him.
My Mom- My mom is probably the most talented woman on the planet. Not only does she completely put Martha Stewart to shame when it comes to crafts, sewing, cooking, and all the other things Martha does so well (minus her criminal activity of course) but she also is so intelligent it makes me sick. My mom is going back to school right now and getting her nursing degree- and she gets straight A's WHILE doing all the other things I just listed. She is an amazing mother. In high school she single handedly fixed every formal I wore to a school dance to make it modest. (But they always looked FABULOUS- I didn't just have to buy an ugly jacket and make it work. She would add beading and silk embroidery so that everything matched and looked great. Even when I didn't act as appreciative as I should have). My mom watched every play I ever performed in and she was at every Junior Miss performance. When I was over-involved and over-stressed my mom was always right there with me. Most importantly my mom taught me the value of chocolate and of literature. All the bedtime stories and book discussions we have shared through my life is probably what guided me to the career decision I have made now. I love her very much.
My Brothers- Even though we fought while growing up (to the point that I now wonder how we are all possibly still drawing breath) I now realize so much of who they really are, and how much they bring to our family. They are both funny and intelligent, but in remarkably different ways. One the source of constant information, impossible to reason with, protective, conservative, and independent. One the source of constant "PUNK!" skater apparel and music, funny comments, the list goes on and on. Both: the source of worry and aggravation for my parents, lol...they're teenagers.
My Grandma- Quite possibly the world's most stubborn woman. When we play scrabble we have to have a dictionary present the entire time...and Grandma even sees fit to argue with Webster. My Grandma is one of my greatest heroes. She is someone I have always looked up to since I was a little girl. She is an outstanding mother of 5 children, a nurse, and a fabulous grandma. My Grandma has always done things to make me feel special and loved. It think it's really funny because she keeps calling herself "old and decrepit" which is the biggest lie I have ever heard. My Grandma is nothing like other Grandmas. She uses a web cam, talks to us on MSN messenger, and I can call her on the phone and talk to her like an old high school buddy. There is nothing "old" about her. (Other than her love for old movies, which I inherited from her).
My family is pretty much the best thing ever. As my friend Maggie would say "I like them pretty ok." And it is nice to have a husband who joins in so nicely. It is such a wonderful blessing to have them all.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Friday, December 23, 2005
Grades
In my "younger days" I was always a little bit obsessive about grades. This was entirely self-inflicted. My parents wanted me to get good grades of course, but my mom who would try to calm me down every year by telling me that a" 'B' every now and then is ok Katie." To me it just wasn't ok. In Junior High I would put off projects to the last minute but they would always get done- and they would be completed to a brilliant perfection. My mom would try to explain to me that I didn't have to go so overboard, that I could be less stressed and still get an "A" but I was driven. In high school I was devastated by my one A- and am still bitter about it making it impossible to be in the top 10 of my graduating class.
Then came college. It was as if living in the dorms sucked out every ounce of academic motivation I had. At first the charisma stayed. I studied like a mad woman for my first BYU test, but after watching the screen in the testing center inform me I had made a 60 percent study habits went down hill from there. Having fun just became more important. Suddenly a "B" became a miracle grade (How did I POSSIBLY pull that off) and a "C" became a saving grade (HEY! I don't have to retake this!) It hasn't been until the last couple of semesters that my old criteria for determining what is a "bad" and "good" grade has returned.
This last semester is the prime example. I have been anxiously anticipating the posting of my grades since I completed my last final. I check online every 30 minutes or so just to see if they have updated the system. I think I got all A's. That will make this semester my first 4.0 at BYU if I actually pulled it off. I am keeping my fingers crossed. There is one "A" posted for my advanced writing class...four more to go...
Then came college. It was as if living in the dorms sucked out every ounce of academic motivation I had. At first the charisma stayed. I studied like a mad woman for my first BYU test, but after watching the screen in the testing center inform me I had made a 60 percent study habits went down hill from there. Having fun just became more important. Suddenly a "B" became a miracle grade (How did I POSSIBLY pull that off) and a "C" became a saving grade (HEY! I don't have to retake this!) It hasn't been until the last couple of semesters that my old criteria for determining what is a "bad" and "good" grade has returned.
This last semester is the prime example. I have been anxiously anticipating the posting of my grades since I completed my last final. I check online every 30 minutes or so just to see if they have updated the system. I think I got all A's. That will make this semester my first 4.0 at BYU if I actually pulled it off. I am keeping my fingers crossed. There is one "A" posted for my advanced writing class...four more to go...
Saturday, December 10, 2005
"Satan's Five & Ten" Put the Final Piece of Heck into My Weekend...
So I have been looking forward to this weekend all week long. Sadly it didn't turn out quite like I expected...The details:
FRIDAY:
Amidst the overwhelming task of paper writing this week I always had Friday night to look forward to. My Mom and Dad got tickets for Chad and I, plus my sister (in-law) and her husband to go see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert Friday evening. If you have never seen this it is amazing! They always bring in a guest soloist who sings with them, they have dancers, the set is outstanding, and hi- they can sing a bit themselves- it's a great show! Thursday night I completed one research paper, and I took work off on Friday so I could write another one before we left for Salt Lake. We had to be in our seats by 7:00 and the show started at 7:30. We left at 5:30- giving us PLENTY of time to get from Provo to Salt Lake. Don't worry, apparently there was a Jazz game going on at the same time. We got stuck in miserable traffic and didn't make the show (even after parking 6 + blocks away since we could walk faster than traffic was moving and practically running to beg them to let us in). We all tried to be positive (well, mostly everyone else, I was complaining about how disappointed I was) and decided to walk back to the car and park it at the ZCMI center where we had a free parking pass. Then our car would be closer, we could get some hot chocolate at the mall and walk around temple square and meet up with my family after the concert. Almost 40 minutes after getting back in the car we still hadn't reached the ZCMI center. Out of pure frustration we decided to skip the lights and freezing cold weather and jet back to Provo. It was RIDICULOUS! A perfect evening wasted...sigh...Ok, so I figured Saturday has got to be better!
SATURDAY:
This morning proved me wrong. I decided to go and get our Sam's Club Card. Chad's Dad signed us onto their membership (so nice of him), but I had to go get my picture taken and all that jazz. We are out of some of the essentials around our house so I thought I could pick up a bag of frozen chicken and such. I had to go by myself because Chad has his calculus final on Monday and he was studying. First of all I have no clean clothes so I had to wear this pair of pants that have been too big for me for over a year now. That already put me in a not so pleasant mood. "Oh well," I thought, "The chicken's worth it, I'll wear a belt." I guess I should preface this by saying I hate going into Wal-Mart stores. I will do it because it has to be done, but all of the people just make me so angry! It's like people go into those stores and instantly become these creatures who have no consideration for others. They just stop their carts in the middle of aisles and block the path so you can't get by, or they come down the aisle going the WRONG WAY and block up everything that way. Their stores always feel dirty, and people are rude. I think the fact that my mom and brother were almost killed at a Wal-Mart in a Harry Potter book scuffle is enough proof of how horrible they are, lol. Chad and I lovingly refer to Wal-Mart as "Satan's Five-and-Ten" after seeing a funny skit about it on the Daily Show. Anyway, enough about my vendetta against the global monstrosity that is destroying America. The point is I went to Sam's club, trying to be cheerful, with a belt holding up my pants. The car ride there should have warned me I was in for trouble. It was bright outside so I decided to wear my sunglasses- but the screw popped out so I decided to pull down the visor and make due- but the visor wouldn't pull down. After arriving at Sam's with sun spots dancing in my glazed eyes I received my card without a single problem (the woman helping me was competent- I was thrilled!) I proceeded to fill a cart with some basic items we needed: the chicken, a box of cheezits, some bread...all the while having to fight through crowds of people, little children running from their parents, and old ladies stopping in the middle of aisles to examine crockpots on display. After finally reaching the checkout I decided I'd buy Chad and myself some hotdogs from the food stand for lunch after I paid. The checker rang up my items, told me my total, I scanned my card and told him I needed him to run it through as credit (the bank finally sent me my debit card but they haven't mailed me the pin number yet) and he said "I can run it as debit but not credit...we only take DISCOVER, not VISA." It was the last straw. I had endured the missed concert, the large pants with missing buttons, even the blinding sun, but the realization that I would now be leaving Sam's club empty handed was too much. Me- "Are you kidding me?" Checker- "No" Me- I only have 6 dollars in cash... Checker- "I'm sorry" Me- (trying not to cry) "It's not your fault...Sorry, I guess you'll just have to cancel it." I thought VISA was "everywhere you want to be!" I mean WHO DOESN'T TAKE VISA and takes DISCOVER? That is the most RIDICULOUS thing I have ever heard. When I got home I flopped down on the couch and cried to Chad. "All I wanted was a hotdog, my pants don't fit, and the sun was in my eyes"- It's a good thing I have a husband who loves me even though I cry about stupid things like that.
I'm hoping for a better Sunday...
FRIDAY:
Amidst the overwhelming task of paper writing this week I always had Friday night to look forward to. My Mom and Dad got tickets for Chad and I, plus my sister (in-law) and her husband to go see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert Friday evening. If you have never seen this it is amazing! They always bring in a guest soloist who sings with them, they have dancers, the set is outstanding, and hi- they can sing a bit themselves- it's a great show! Thursday night I completed one research paper, and I took work off on Friday so I could write another one before we left for Salt Lake. We had to be in our seats by 7:00 and the show started at 7:30. We left at 5:30- giving us PLENTY of time to get from Provo to Salt Lake. Don't worry, apparently there was a Jazz game going on at the same time. We got stuck in miserable traffic and didn't make the show (even after parking 6 + blocks away since we could walk faster than traffic was moving and practically running to beg them to let us in). We all tried to be positive (well, mostly everyone else, I was complaining about how disappointed I was) and decided to walk back to the car and park it at the ZCMI center where we had a free parking pass. Then our car would be closer, we could get some hot chocolate at the mall and walk around temple square and meet up with my family after the concert. Almost 40 minutes after getting back in the car we still hadn't reached the ZCMI center. Out of pure frustration we decided to skip the lights and freezing cold weather and jet back to Provo. It was RIDICULOUS! A perfect evening wasted...sigh...Ok, so I figured Saturday has got to be better!
SATURDAY:
This morning proved me wrong. I decided to go and get our Sam's Club Card. Chad's Dad signed us onto their membership (so nice of him), but I had to go get my picture taken and all that jazz. We are out of some of the essentials around our house so I thought I could pick up a bag of frozen chicken and such. I had to go by myself because Chad has his calculus final on Monday and he was studying. First of all I have no clean clothes so I had to wear this pair of pants that have been too big for me for over a year now. That already put me in a not so pleasant mood. "Oh well," I thought, "The chicken's worth it, I'll wear a belt." I guess I should preface this by saying I hate going into Wal-Mart stores. I will do it because it has to be done, but all of the people just make me so angry! It's like people go into those stores and instantly become these creatures who have no consideration for others. They just stop their carts in the middle of aisles and block the path so you can't get by, or they come down the aisle going the WRONG WAY and block up everything that way. Their stores always feel dirty, and people are rude. I think the fact that my mom and brother were almost killed at a Wal-Mart in a Harry Potter book scuffle is enough proof of how horrible they are, lol. Chad and I lovingly refer to Wal-Mart as "Satan's Five-and-Ten" after seeing a funny skit about it on the Daily Show. Anyway, enough about my vendetta against the global monstrosity that is destroying America. The point is I went to Sam's club, trying to be cheerful, with a belt holding up my pants. The car ride there should have warned me I was in for trouble. It was bright outside so I decided to wear my sunglasses- but the screw popped out so I decided to pull down the visor and make due- but the visor wouldn't pull down. After arriving at Sam's with sun spots dancing in my glazed eyes I received my card without a single problem (the woman helping me was competent- I was thrilled!) I proceeded to fill a cart with some basic items we needed: the chicken, a box of cheezits, some bread...all the while having to fight through crowds of people, little children running from their parents, and old ladies stopping in the middle of aisles to examine crockpots on display. After finally reaching the checkout I decided I'd buy Chad and myself some hotdogs from the food stand for lunch after I paid. The checker rang up my items, told me my total, I scanned my card and told him I needed him to run it through as credit (the bank finally sent me my debit card but they haven't mailed me the pin number yet) and he said "I can run it as debit but not credit...we only take DISCOVER, not VISA." It was the last straw. I had endured the missed concert, the large pants with missing buttons, even the blinding sun, but the realization that I would now be leaving Sam's club empty handed was too much. Me- "Are you kidding me?" Checker- "No" Me- I only have 6 dollars in cash... Checker- "I'm sorry" Me- (trying not to cry) "It's not your fault...Sorry, I guess you'll just have to cancel it." I thought VISA was "everywhere you want to be!" I mean WHO DOESN'T TAKE VISA and takes DISCOVER? That is the most RIDICULOUS thing I have ever heard. When I got home I flopped down on the couch and cried to Chad. "All I wanted was a hotdog, my pants don't fit, and the sun was in my eyes"- It's a good thing I have a husband who loves me even though I cry about stupid things like that.
I'm hoping for a better Sunday...
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Over-stressed and ANNOYED
Don't you think it makes sense to not work in a computer lab that's supposed to be quiet if you're going to be TALKING to the person next to you the entire time. SOME PEOPLE ARE SO RUDE!
Friday, December 02, 2005
Let the Anxiety Begin
Last night it hit me after staring at a computer screen for over an hour and only accomplishing the completion of a paragraph...I can't do this. There are not enough hours between now and next Friday to write the 4 papers due/catch up on my reading/read for my classes now. According to Chad this is completely possible, I just need to keep typing. The problem is I don't know what to type. Here is what has to be done by the end of next week:
Monday- Completed (12 page) draft of final research paper
Wednesday- Shakespeare character analysis paper due, along with 2 more Shakespeare
critiques of performances I have to watch between now and Wednesday.
Thursday- 6-8 page research paper due in my modern American lit class (this is a lot more complicated than it sounds, it has to be based on PRIMARY research- not just throwing in random quotes from books)
Friday- research paper due in my British lit class
Then, at some point read 2 novels I never read, read a zillion pages for British lit I never read, read Henry V and As You Like It, and if I manage to finish the week I can then use Saturday to start studying for finals...BUT the wonderful thing is, whether I finish the week with any amount of sanity remaining or not, it will STILL be done. AND, after next week I WILL HAVE 3 WEEKS OF NO SCHOOL! Bless my little heart, I can not wait!
Monday- Completed (12 page) draft of final research paper
Wednesday- Shakespeare character analysis paper due, along with 2 more Shakespeare
critiques of performances I have to watch between now and Wednesday.
Thursday- 6-8 page research paper due in my modern American lit class (this is a lot more complicated than it sounds, it has to be based on PRIMARY research- not just throwing in random quotes from books)
Friday- research paper due in my British lit class
Then, at some point read 2 novels I never read, read a zillion pages for British lit I never read, read Henry V and As You Like It, and if I manage to finish the week I can then use Saturday to start studying for finals...BUT the wonderful thing is, whether I finish the week with any amount of sanity remaining or not, it will STILL be done. AND, after next week I WILL HAVE 3 WEEKS OF NO SCHOOL! Bless my little heart, I can not wait!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Maybe it Was Loyalty to Something...
So, you may recall my previous post
on my decision to leave my hair stylist. It was a decision that took a lot of courage on my part because I am quite attached to her. Well folks, I am having a hard time sticking to this one. First of all, my hair turned out EXACTLY how I wanted it when she cut it this time. I absolutely love it... As if that doesn't make it hard enough I got a THANK YOU CARD from her in the mail last night. She was thanking me for being such a wonderful client and gave me a card for 20 percent off my next visit. If that's not torture, I don't know what is. What do I do? I think it is my blue personality forbidding me to let go.
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