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?

Monopoly, A Fabulous Family, and A Husband Who Fits

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.

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...

"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...

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!

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!