-Engineers live there...you have to love engineer(s).
-The girls bathroom on the 4th floor has borax soap in it--you know, the powedered stuff from back in elementary school, that you can mix with elmer's glue to make gak.
-There's a vending machine on the 4th floor that is full of electronic stuff--resistors, CD-R's, old floppy's, electrical wires...the works. How about a computer chip with your chocolate milk?
-You can see little shreds of the humanities creeping into the building. I've only begun to explore it because I have a class there--History 490. The headquarters to the BYU studies magazine is also centered there.
Also, Faith and Hope are two different things, and they're awesome.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
And Your Little Dog Too!
These stories shouldn't be as funny as they are, but they make me laugh a lot. It's probably my cold and heartless nature.
In another country, far from here, there are a lot of little dogs. Personally, I think little dogs fall into two categories--really cute, or hideous. Chihuahuas, I think, are horrid yappy little dogs. When I heard this story, I pictured a chihuahua, you may picture any small dog of your choosing. One family apparently had a particularly yappy annoying little dog. Well, one day, while out on a walk with this dog, a large bird of prey swooped down and carried the dog off to regions unknown...
...little dog 1 gone.
The same family gets another little dog...in my mind, this dog becomes chihuahua number 2. One day, the family is opening the freezer, and little dog is underfoot. A killer frozen chicken of death falls out of the freezer, lands on the little dog, and kills it.
No more little dog 2.
Moral of the stories--if you've got a small dog, keep it inside and away from the fridge, or just buy yourself a bigger dog.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Awww...Tender.....Sick!
So, yesterday I went with Best Friend and our siblings (minus 3) to watch Chronicles of Narnia at the Scera outdoor theater. The movie was good, as usual, but the side show was something else.
Backstory: this summer, I started using two words on a pretty regular basis: "Sick!" and "Tender." These words are exceptionally useful. It's also really funny when one person says, "tender" to have another person reply with "sick!" immediately afterwards. This experience sort of made you feel both...but mostly just "sick!"
So, there's this really old couple--like, 70 or 75, and they're making out under a blanket next to us after the movie is over. Sick! Usually, I love seeing old people who are affectionate. It shows that they haven't lost the excitement in their relationship. This, however, was just sick.
Later, as we were getting into the van to drive home, we saw this couple again...this time, mounting their motorcycle to ride off into the darkness.
Some old people just don't know that they're old, I guess.
Backstory: this summer, I started using two words on a pretty regular basis: "Sick!" and "Tender." These words are exceptionally useful. It's also really funny when one person says, "tender" to have another person reply with "sick!" immediately afterwards. This experience sort of made you feel both...but mostly just "sick!"
So, there's this really old couple--like, 70 or 75, and they're making out under a blanket next to us after the movie is over. Sick! Usually, I love seeing old people who are affectionate. It shows that they haven't lost the excitement in their relationship. This, however, was just sick.
Later, as we were getting into the van to drive home, we saw this couple again...this time, mounting their motorcycle to ride off into the darkness.
Some old people just don't know that they're old, I guess.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Flitzxle, Pluto
I went to my new student ward for the first time today, and it was great. There are probably a total of about 30 freshmen in it, putting them in the minority, and not-freshmen in the majority. I'm pretty excited about that. There are an incredible number of barely-off-their-missions young men who are really funny to watch. A lot of them cluster in groups, and a few make the effort to actually talk to girls without another guy standing right next to them. Many of them bore their testimonies in chruch today in the same manner as many other missionaries that I've heard...it was really fun. There's a great spirit about the ward though, and I think things should be great. In the ward today, we got nametags with our names on them (duh) and where we're from. Mine stated that I was from Flitzxle, Pluto. I'm not sure if the new bishoprich was stating that I am out of this world, or punishing me for not having records in the ward by making me from a non-planet. Either way, I liked it.
Speaking of newly returned missionaries, Best Friend just got back a little while ago, and life has been so great! After this summer, I expected a potential dip in the excitement/happiness factor, and there hasn't been one. If anything, my happiness is multiplying exponentially...and that's a lot of happiness.
Speaking of newly returned missionaries, Best Friend just got back a little while ago, and life has been so great! After this summer, I expected a potential dip in the excitement/happiness factor, and there hasn't been one. If anything, my happiness is multiplying exponentially...and that's a lot of happiness.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
If You're Happy and You Know It, Do It All
You know what? Life is soo good right now. I'm living in an adorable apartment, which has storage and lots of light, and all kinds of happy feelings. Well, I have all kinds of happy feelings, especially about the wonderful little kitchen with lots of cabinet space. it's so wonderful, I'm so happy about my little apartment.
Also, I'm really home. School starts soon, I'm done with my summer work (finally), and I just belong here. I've got a great job, wonderful coworkers, amazing friends, and a family that loves me. On top of all this, Best Friend returns in a matter of days (about 48 hours). I spent my summer doing an internship that was custom made for me in Washington DC. In case you don't know Washinton DC : History Major :: Candy Store : Fat Kid.
Basically, I have the best life ever, and God loves me, I am blessed.
Also, I'm really home. School starts soon, I'm done with my summer work (finally), and I just belong here. I've got a great job, wonderful coworkers, amazing friends, and a family that loves me. On top of all this, Best Friend returns in a matter of days (about 48 hours). I spent my summer doing an internship that was custom made for me in Washington DC. In case you don't know Washinton DC : History Major :: Candy Store : Fat Kid.
Basically, I have the best life ever, and God loves me, I am blessed.
Monday, August 21, 2006
When I Grow Up...
I should apparently live in one of these cities, at least according to findyourspot.com.
1. Ft. Collins Colorado
2. Ogden, Utah
3. Provo-Orem, Utah
4. Jacksonville, Florida
5. Tallahasse, Florida
6. Tacoma, Washington
7. Salt Lake City, Utah
8. Knoxville, Tennessee
9. Charleston, South Carolina
10. Cinncinatti, Ohio
11. Carlisle, Pennsylvania
12. Gainesville, Florida
13. Boise, Idaho
14. Loveland, Colorado
15. Ashland, North Carolina
16. Colorado Springs, Colorado
17. Bloomington, Indiana
18. Albany, New York
19. Denver, Colorado
20. Olympia, Washington
21. Kent, Washington
22. Chattanooga, Tennessee
23. Orlando, Florida
24. Norfolk, Virginia
I think I could handle any of those places...with my family's record of moving...maybe I'll handle them all.
1. Ft. Collins Colorado
2. Ogden, Utah
3. Provo-Orem, Utah
4. Jacksonville, Florida
5. Tallahasse, Florida
6. Tacoma, Washington
7. Salt Lake City, Utah
8. Knoxville, Tennessee
9. Charleston, South Carolina
10. Cinncinatti, Ohio
11. Carlisle, Pennsylvania
12. Gainesville, Florida
13. Boise, Idaho
14. Loveland, Colorado
15. Ashland, North Carolina
16. Colorado Springs, Colorado
17. Bloomington, Indiana
18. Albany, New York
19. Denver, Colorado
20. Olympia, Washington
21. Kent, Washington
22. Chattanooga, Tennessee
23. Orlando, Florida
24. Norfolk, Virginia
I think I could handle any of those places...with my family's record of moving...maybe I'll handle them all.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
La Cucina de Miriam
I just finished writing a paper for class, and it sounded like a blog entry, so I thought, this should go on my blog! And it did. The end.
Before I came to college, 5:00 in the morning was nothing. I could wake up, shower, get dressed, get to seminary, and be there with a smile on my face and scripture mastery scriptures in my head. Once freshmen year hit, it became a struggle to wake up just to get to an 8:00 class. That said, the prospect of getting up to feed homeless people at an hour so terribly soon after I’d gone to bed didn’t immediately fill me with the greatest joy. The experience, however, was even more pleasant than I told myself it would be.
We all got up, trudged down to the kitchen, and tried to remind ourselves of how good it feels to do service, and how much it would mean to these homeless people that we were up and helping to feed them. We all got hairnets and aprons to wear…I felt like I’d been put back to work in the Morris Center. The individual running the kitchen hadn’t expected all of us to come, and in a hurried and slightly gruff manner, told us to fill out some paperwork, and then get to work. We all managed to smile in spite of the slight harshness. All of us seemed determined to have a good time while serving, that’s what we were there for, right? I was immediately put to work cutting small sausages apart and placing them in rows on a cookie sheet. I went at the job with all the vigor I could muster.
As we all worked in our respective positions—some of us making smoothies, some of us cracking eggs, some of us helping to wash dishes—I began to notice a change in the individual who was running the kitchen. His gruffness started to melt away as he saw that we were a bunch of cheerful, pleasant youth who were there to help do a job. We weren’t there for any reason other than the desire to serve. As we chatted merrily amongst ourselves, the other workers in the kitchen began to chat more merrily. Soon after I finished cutting all the little sausages apart, in a burst of generosity, I was given a box of other sausages to cut up so that we could give the homeless people more meat if they wanted it. Soon, those were cut and cooked, and it was time to start serving breakfast.
As people came through the line, it was interesting to see their personalities. Each individual was different. Some of the people were peppy and grateful, some people seemed resentful that they were there, having to get food from a bunch of perky college students. Some of the people were exceptionally young, and looked like they’d been through so much in their lives already. There were a few couples, a few older people, and a lot of gratitude. I was in charge of serving the cole slaw and the smoothies. It was the oddest combination of words in reference to a meal that I’d ever said. Interestingly enough, most of the homeless people who came through wanted the cole slaw, and wanted no part of the smoothies—they didn’t know what it was. I was surprised that we were serving cole slaw at all in our meal. The kitchen director explained that it has a ton of calories, and that they really try to load up the meals with them so that when people leave they’ll have enough calories to make it through the rest of the day if they can’t get any other food.
From the experience I became more appreciative of what I have. Sure, it was early, and I would have rather been sleeping when I woke up, but by the time I was cutting those raw little sausages apart, I was happy to be there, and feeling like I was doing something worthwhile. Just getting to watch the people eat a good meal, and to be able to come back for seconds, made me more fully aware of how much need there is all around me. I hate walking through areas where there are lots of people begging for money because I feel badly not being able to help them all. Working in that kitchen gave me the chance to feel like, even if I weren’t helping very many people, I was doing some small part to serve and make up for the fact that I can’t help them all. It also has encouraged me to think about the problem of homelessness, and what it means to our country. It’s such a complex issue, and I certainly don’t have an answer as to what we should do. Thanks to my experiences recently with the homeless though, I’m a lot more encouraged to try and find one.
Before I came to college, 5:00 in the morning was nothing. I could wake up, shower, get dressed, get to seminary, and be there with a smile on my face and scripture mastery scriptures in my head. Once freshmen year hit, it became a struggle to wake up just to get to an 8:00 class. That said, the prospect of getting up to feed homeless people at an hour so terribly soon after I’d gone to bed didn’t immediately fill me with the greatest joy. The experience, however, was even more pleasant than I told myself it would be.
We all got up, trudged down to the kitchen, and tried to remind ourselves of how good it feels to do service, and how much it would mean to these homeless people that we were up and helping to feed them. We all got hairnets and aprons to wear…I felt like I’d been put back to work in the Morris Center. The individual running the kitchen hadn’t expected all of us to come, and in a hurried and slightly gruff manner, told us to fill out some paperwork, and then get to work. We all managed to smile in spite of the slight harshness. All of us seemed determined to have a good time while serving, that’s what we were there for, right? I was immediately put to work cutting small sausages apart and placing them in rows on a cookie sheet. I went at the job with all the vigor I could muster.
As we all worked in our respective positions—some of us making smoothies, some of us cracking eggs, some of us helping to wash dishes—I began to notice a change in the individual who was running the kitchen. His gruffness started to melt away as he saw that we were a bunch of cheerful, pleasant youth who were there to help do a job. We weren’t there for any reason other than the desire to serve. As we chatted merrily amongst ourselves, the other workers in the kitchen began to chat more merrily. Soon after I finished cutting all the little sausages apart, in a burst of generosity, I was given a box of other sausages to cut up so that we could give the homeless people more meat if they wanted it. Soon, those were cut and cooked, and it was time to start serving breakfast.
As people came through the line, it was interesting to see their personalities. Each individual was different. Some of the people were peppy and grateful, some people seemed resentful that they were there, having to get food from a bunch of perky college students. Some of the people were exceptionally young, and looked like they’d been through so much in their lives already. There were a few couples, a few older people, and a lot of gratitude. I was in charge of serving the cole slaw and the smoothies. It was the oddest combination of words in reference to a meal that I’d ever said. Interestingly enough, most of the homeless people who came through wanted the cole slaw, and wanted no part of the smoothies—they didn’t know what it was. I was surprised that we were serving cole slaw at all in our meal. The kitchen director explained that it has a ton of calories, and that they really try to load up the meals with them so that when people leave they’ll have enough calories to make it through the rest of the day if they can’t get any other food.
From the experience I became more appreciative of what I have. Sure, it was early, and I would have rather been sleeping when I woke up, but by the time I was cutting those raw little sausages apart, I was happy to be there, and feeling like I was doing something worthwhile. Just getting to watch the people eat a good meal, and to be able to come back for seconds, made me more fully aware of how much need there is all around me. I hate walking through areas where there are lots of people begging for money because I feel badly not being able to help them all. Working in that kitchen gave me the chance to feel like, even if I weren’t helping very many people, I was doing some small part to serve and make up for the fact that I can’t help them all. It also has encouraged me to think about the problem of homelessness, and what it means to our country. It’s such a complex issue, and I certainly don’t have an answer as to what we should do. Thanks to my experiences recently with the homeless though, I’m a lot more encouraged to try and find one.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Everyone is Out To Get US
Weakening Storm Still May Form Hurricane
Page A13
MIAMI, Aug. 2 -- Tropical Storm Chris weakened Wednesday but still threatened to become the first hurricane of 2006, aimed at Florida or at U.S. oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, where monster storms such as Katrina wreaked havoc last year.
--http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/print/asection/index.html (emphasis added)
Is it just me, or does this little blurb make it sound like it's not just the terrorists who are out to get us, it's now the hurricanes too? Nature doesn't "take out" things in strategic strikes...it just goes where it wants to. I'm pretty sure this storm, while it could be heading in the direction of those oil facilities, is not, in fact, predeterminedly (Yes, I did make up that word.) aimed toward them.
Page A13
MIAMI, Aug. 2 -- Tropical Storm Chris weakened Wednesday but still threatened to become the first hurricane of 2006, aimed at Florida or at U.S. oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, where monster storms such as Katrina wreaked havoc last year.
--http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/print/asection/index.html (emphasis added)
Is it just me, or does this little blurb make it sound like it's not just the terrorists who are out to get us, it's now the hurricanes too? Nature doesn't "take out" things in strategic strikes...it just goes where it wants to. I'm pretty sure this storm, while it could be heading in the direction of those oil facilities, is not, in fact, predeterminedly (Yes, I did make up that word.) aimed toward them.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Holy August Batman!
Suddenly, it's August, and I can't think what happened to May, June, and July. Especially July. It's over already! Just last week I could have sworn that it was July 4th. I could have sworn it, but I would have been crazy.
I've been noticing that when I don't pay attention to what people are saying in conversations closely enough, I lie to them. Not just, "Oh, you didn't understand" kind of lies...just lies.
The other day, I was walking with a fellow intern and doing the Crossword puzzle on my way to work. She noticed me doing the crossword puzzle, and apparently started asking me about whether or not I had seen Wordplay. I had, in fact, gone to see Wordplay the night before. In being distracted and kind of ignoring her, I responded, "No, I haven't seen that yet, but I really want to." Then we started talking about some scheduling things and I started to pay attention.
That, and I got stuck on the crossword, so I had nothing else to do for the next 5 minutes.
Later that day, my fellow intern and a supervisor were talking about Wordplay again...and I was excited to get into the conversation, seeing as I had just seen the movie. I start to talk to them about it, and I was really excited about it, when the other intern looks at me and says, "you said you hadn't seen that movie."
"What?" I replied. "No I didn't. I just saw it last night."
"This morning, when I asked you about it, you said you hadn't seen it."
At this point in the afternoon, I have no recollection of lying to her this morning. I, in fact, don't remember conversing with her before talking about our schedule change that weekend. I only remember working on the crossword puzzle, and then running into her after putting it down.
Isn't it interesting how we remember things? Clearly, my brain just edited what happened in the situation. I've certainly had instances where I remember things one way, and someone else who was there remembers it differently...or where something seems to become a memory based on the stories that I heard about being there.
Why is memory such a slippery thing? If mine is going now...I'm worried about what's going to happen when I turn old. Maybe this is why it's so important to keep a journal...so that you've got one source you'll feel dumb disputing with--yourself.
Rabbit Rabbit everyone.
I've been noticing that when I don't pay attention to what people are saying in conversations closely enough, I lie to them. Not just, "Oh, you didn't understand" kind of lies...just lies.
The other day, I was walking with a fellow intern and doing the Crossword puzzle on my way to work. She noticed me doing the crossword puzzle, and apparently started asking me about whether or not I had seen Wordplay. I had, in fact, gone to see Wordplay the night before. In being distracted and kind of ignoring her, I responded, "No, I haven't seen that yet, but I really want to." Then we started talking about some scheduling things and I started to pay attention.
That, and I got stuck on the crossword, so I had nothing else to do for the next 5 minutes.
Later that day, my fellow intern and a supervisor were talking about Wordplay again...and I was excited to get into the conversation, seeing as I had just seen the movie. I start to talk to them about it, and I was really excited about it, when the other intern looks at me and says, "you said you hadn't seen that movie."
"What?" I replied. "No I didn't. I just saw it last night."
"This morning, when I asked you about it, you said you hadn't seen it."
At this point in the afternoon, I have no recollection of lying to her this morning. I, in fact, don't remember conversing with her before talking about our schedule change that weekend. I only remember working on the crossword puzzle, and then running into her after putting it down.
Isn't it interesting how we remember things? Clearly, my brain just edited what happened in the situation. I've certainly had instances where I remember things one way, and someone else who was there remembers it differently...or where something seems to become a memory based on the stories that I heard about being there.
Why is memory such a slippery thing? If mine is going now...I'm worried about what's going to happen when I turn old. Maybe this is why it's so important to keep a journal...so that you've got one source you'll feel dumb disputing with--yourself.
Rabbit Rabbit everyone.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Tender Mercies
I have to work today, and I have to work from 10-5:30, which means that I can't go to church.
I've been feeling pretty bummed about this. It's odd. There are some days where I don't really get excited to go to church, but I always miss it when, for some reason or another, I can't go to church. I miss the boost in morale I get from being in church--the chance to refocus, regroup, and return to where I'm supposed to be.
So, I'm sitting on the Metro this morning, riding to work, feeling sad and a little alone, and asking in one of my silent little prayers to just feel loved. It wasn't even a really earnest pleading prayer. It was one of those things where you say something in passing, but if someone didn't catch what you said and then asked, "what did you say?" you'd answer with, "nothing." Anyway, right as I prayed my little prayer, a guy from the program I'm in sits next to me and gives me one of those little side hugs right before getting off the metro about 10 seconds later.
Coincidence? Possibly, but the fact that it could be coincidence doesn't matter to me. For me, that little incident was an answer to a prayer, because it did exactly what I needed it to--it made me feel loved.
This is certainly not the first time this has happened either. I am consistently amazed at the little requests that my Heavenly Father sees fit to grant. In August of 2004 I was feeling pretty lonely. I'd just said good-bye to Best Friend for a couple of years, and all the other friends that I'd hung out with freshmen year were all still at home or on missions. That, and I was moving all my stuff around my room and unpacking, which generally makes me somewhat nostalgic. In short, I was pretty blue. I'm moving stuff around my room, feeling a little grumpy at the lack of space in a DT single room, and I'm asking Heavenly Father to help me change my attitude, because I don't like feeling the way I was.
Well, I picked up my fridge, and found a circle made out of blue construction paper under it. This paper had a big happy face on it, a scripture from The Doctrine and Covenants about a cheerful heart, and the word "SMILE!" written across the top in bold letters. I couldn't help myself--I just started to laugh. All alone on my empty floor, I laughed, and my mood was completely changed.
I guess it's hard to see exactly how great these moments were for me if you're not me, and if you don't have the same mind set and such. For me though, they've been little testimonies to me that God is listening, and that he really does care about me and all my silly little ups and downs. He even listens to the things that I half-mutter under my breath when I think no one cares. It reminds me of this quote:
"The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live."
Elder David A. Bednar
Ensign, May 2005, 100
It's true. Honestly, it's all true. God really does love us, and he is our Father. I'm sure thankful, and I'm even more thankful that he actually cares. Here's to hoping you all have the same affirmation.
I've been feeling pretty bummed about this. It's odd. There are some days where I don't really get excited to go to church, but I always miss it when, for some reason or another, I can't go to church. I miss the boost in morale I get from being in church--the chance to refocus, regroup, and return to where I'm supposed to be.
So, I'm sitting on the Metro this morning, riding to work, feeling sad and a little alone, and asking in one of my silent little prayers to just feel loved. It wasn't even a really earnest pleading prayer. It was one of those things where you say something in passing, but if someone didn't catch what you said and then asked, "what did you say?" you'd answer with, "nothing." Anyway, right as I prayed my little prayer, a guy from the program I'm in sits next to me and gives me one of those little side hugs right before getting off the metro about 10 seconds later.
Coincidence? Possibly, but the fact that it could be coincidence doesn't matter to me. For me, that little incident was an answer to a prayer, because it did exactly what I needed it to--it made me feel loved.
This is certainly not the first time this has happened either. I am consistently amazed at the little requests that my Heavenly Father sees fit to grant. In August of 2004 I was feeling pretty lonely. I'd just said good-bye to Best Friend for a couple of years, and all the other friends that I'd hung out with freshmen year were all still at home or on missions. That, and I was moving all my stuff around my room and unpacking, which generally makes me somewhat nostalgic. In short, I was pretty blue. I'm moving stuff around my room, feeling a little grumpy at the lack of space in a DT single room, and I'm asking Heavenly Father to help me change my attitude, because I don't like feeling the way I was.
Well, I picked up my fridge, and found a circle made out of blue construction paper under it. This paper had a big happy face on it, a scripture from The Doctrine and Covenants about a cheerful heart, and the word "SMILE!" written across the top in bold letters. I couldn't help myself--I just started to laugh. All alone on my empty floor, I laughed, and my mood was completely changed.
I guess it's hard to see exactly how great these moments were for me if you're not me, and if you don't have the same mind set and such. For me though, they've been little testimonies to me that God is listening, and that he really does care about me and all my silly little ups and downs. He even listens to the things that I half-mutter under my breath when I think no one cares. It reminds me of this quote:
"The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live."
Elder David A. Bednar
Ensign, May 2005, 100
It's true. Honestly, it's all true. God really does love us, and he is our Father. I'm sure thankful, and I'm even more thankful that he actually cares. Here's to hoping you all have the same affirmation.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Baleted!
So, this one time, I had a facebook account deleted by an administrator...
...and it was hilarious, it was also not my main account. It was one of my old board 'nyms. I logged in the other day as them just to see what was up...and found over 200 friend requests Apparently, all the activity alerted the authorities...and they deleted me.
Many people in the world of Facebook just lost a friend, and they don't even know it.
...and it was hilarious, it was also not my main account. It was one of my old board 'nyms. I logged in the other day as them just to see what was up...and found over 200 friend requests Apparently, all the activity alerted the authorities...and they deleted me.
Many people in the world of Facebook just lost a friend, and they don't even know it.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
I too am a People-Loving Macedonian Dwarf.
In other news, Christmas in July went well--really well in fact. It was so much fun! There was plenty of food for everyone, no one went hungry, and everyone was so chipper. The Christmas Spirit was all over the place. That's what this was all about, helping people feel that great Christmas Spirit...and having leftover turkey. :D
I'm realizing that I've only got a little while left here...and I've got massive amounts of stuff to go through again. I barely got it all out here when I came...I dunno how I'm going to get it all back. Maybe if I ship all my paper stuff home...books, pamphlets etc. then I'll be able to make it...maybe not. I really should figure that out. I've also got three papers to write and get turned in before I leave...this could be intense, but it probably won't be.
Life is good, but I'm ready to come home. I feel like I've learned a lot this summer, and that I've grown some, but I don't know if Washington Seminar, and Washington DC at this point, has much more to offer me in the way of personal progress. I'm ready to start life in Provo again, and to find new ways to grow there. No use in being stagnant...right?
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Pearl Harbor
I saw this movie for the first time today, and it was less terrible than I was expecting. This could have been due to several factors.
1. I was locked out of my room for about 5.5 hours today, and so the 3 hours it took away from my life would have been spent doing nothing else productive.
2. I had been told that the movie was horrible--like, completely and utterly terrible, and was thus expecting to be completely disapointed. Usually when that happens, I end up at least slightly surprised, and in this case, I was even pleasantly surprised.
3. My friend who I watched the movie with edited out a scene involving parachutes...apparently it would have been too much, and is pretty infamous. Whatev, I haven't seen it, and can probably put the pieces together on my own.
So, the movie at least made me think about a few things. First, isn't it interesting how we find ourselves rooting for the good old American flyboys, and comdeming those Japanese to the abyss from which they must have crawled? I thought it was interesting that the movie let you do that by only showing the Japanese fighters preparing for a sneak attack, and when they were determined to kill Americans. When those flyboys are shooting at the planes, you don't ever see their faces, you just see the planes blow up. Now, I'm certainly not stating that I think the Japanese should have won the war, or anything like that, it brings a whole new perspective to the horrors of war though when you think about the fact that EVERY death mattered to someone, and that both sides feel the pain of the war. Americans do a good job of synthesizing this information when we're talking about the Civil War, and that's because it was 600,000 Americans who died. Just an interesting thing to think about. I don't know if we're capable of comprehending that kind of human suffering. It's difficult enough to understand the suffering of just one person over the death of someone they care about, let alone comprehending the feelings of the collective family and friends of all those who died. It's an incredibly sad thought. It brings me back to All Quiet on the Western Front. There's a quote in there where he talks about the other side being seen as robots, and as faceless ghosts. I don't think it would be possible to fight against and kill other people unless you were able to make them less than human in your mind.
The fact that the movie spurred some of these thoughts made the ending seem a bit trite. Yes, it ended up cleanly, and she got to marry the man she really loved, the man who she loved, but not as much, was still a hero, and the friends reconciled. After all the suffering they showed, it was really hard to believe the "happily ever after" feeling the end of the movie had. It was all so terribly convenient. Sad, and terrible, but convenient. Overall, the movie was better than I was expecting, but still not something I would purchase. I might watch it again...sometime, in the future, which is not soon.
1. I was locked out of my room for about 5.5 hours today, and so the 3 hours it took away from my life would have been spent doing nothing else productive.
2. I had been told that the movie was horrible--like, completely and utterly terrible, and was thus expecting to be completely disapointed. Usually when that happens, I end up at least slightly surprised, and in this case, I was even pleasantly surprised.
3. My friend who I watched the movie with edited out a scene involving parachutes...apparently it would have been too much, and is pretty infamous. Whatev, I haven't seen it, and can probably put the pieces together on my own.
So, the movie at least made me think about a few things. First, isn't it interesting how we find ourselves rooting for the good old American flyboys, and comdeming those Japanese to the abyss from which they must have crawled? I thought it was interesting that the movie let you do that by only showing the Japanese fighters preparing for a sneak attack, and when they were determined to kill Americans. When those flyboys are shooting at the planes, you don't ever see their faces, you just see the planes blow up. Now, I'm certainly not stating that I think the Japanese should have won the war, or anything like that, it brings a whole new perspective to the horrors of war though when you think about the fact that EVERY death mattered to someone, and that both sides feel the pain of the war. Americans do a good job of synthesizing this information when we're talking about the Civil War, and that's because it was 600,000 Americans who died. Just an interesting thing to think about. I don't know if we're capable of comprehending that kind of human suffering. It's difficult enough to understand the suffering of just one person over the death of someone they care about, let alone comprehending the feelings of the collective family and friends of all those who died. It's an incredibly sad thought. It brings me back to All Quiet on the Western Front. There's a quote in there where he talks about the other side being seen as robots, and as faceless ghosts. I don't think it would be possible to fight against and kill other people unless you were able to make them less than human in your mind.
The fact that the movie spurred some of these thoughts made the ending seem a bit trite. Yes, it ended up cleanly, and she got to marry the man she really loved, the man who she loved, but not as much, was still a hero, and the friends reconciled. After all the suffering they showed, it was really hard to believe the "happily ever after" feeling the end of the movie had. It was all so terribly convenient. Sad, and terrible, but convenient. Overall, the movie was better than I was expecting, but still not something I would purchase. I might watch it again...sometime, in the future, which is not soon.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Foggy Bottom School of Art
Today I joined* the Foggy Bottom school of art. Having been completely full of Potomac Fever for the past couple of days, I decided to pour my illness out onto canvas. Actually, it was great. TheGoldenMean, Yarjka and I all went exploring. We went to Ford's Theatre, saw the box in which Lincoln was shot, and then looked at some pillows that he bled on. Hrmm, that sounds less reverent than I intended. The theatre was quite cool, and I really enjoyed looking at stuff. It does make me wonder about why we have such a fascination with death. We, being society at large. It's something you don't talk about a whole lot regularly, but it seems like American Society as a whole tends to visit people's graves and see the places where they died. Odd.
Anyway, after doing that, we also walked to an art store, which happened to be having a sale. We picked up acrylic paints, canvases, paintbrushes, pallets...it was great! We then walked to the Jefferson Memorial and painted. Actually, just Yarjka and I painted, and TheGoldenMean read his book. All-in-all, it was quite pleasant. I really enjoyed just sitting outside right as the sun started to set. The weather goes from hot to medium (that was a salsa joke), and the fireflies just start coming out on the lawn. It was so picturesque, and all of us captured a little bit of it in our own interpretation.
Once we got back home, we made some fried rice, ate some flavor-ice (it's like otter pops...but not.) and now I'm blogging. It's been a good day.
Oh! This morning, I also got a free bag from the EU, and while the speaker fairly droned on for about an hour and a half, I memorized the flags of the countries within the European Union, so the time was not a total waste, and the bag was, and is, amazing.
*TheGoldenMean wishes to correct this. He claims that I helped to found it. I didn't come up with the idea, Yarjka I merely went along with it.
Anyway, after doing that, we also walked to an art store, which happened to be having a sale. We picked up acrylic paints, canvases, paintbrushes, pallets...it was great! We then walked to the Jefferson Memorial and painted. Actually, just Yarjka and I painted, and TheGoldenMean read his book. All-in-all, it was quite pleasant. I really enjoyed just sitting outside right as the sun started to set. The weather goes from hot to medium (that was a salsa joke), and the fireflies just start coming out on the lawn. It was so picturesque, and all of us captured a little bit of it in our own interpretation.
Once we got back home, we made some fried rice, ate some flavor-ice (it's like otter pops...but not.) and now I'm blogging. It's been a good day.
Oh! This morning, I also got a free bag from the EU, and while the speaker fairly droned on for about an hour and a half, I memorized the flags of the countries within the European Union, so the time was not a total waste, and the bag was, and is, amazing.
*TheGoldenMean wishes to correct this. He claims that I helped to found it. I didn't come up with the idea, Yarjka I merely went along with it.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Washington DC Has Been Good For Me
Well, the end is approaching. It's a little hard to believe that there are only a few more weeks left, and that I've still got so much left to accomplish. Between work projects, tourism, and hanging out with people, I think that I've got most of my time scheduled between now and the end of my stay here.
Actually, come to think of it, I've got my time scheduled basically until school starts...Meh.
Anyway, I thought I should make a list of things that I've done, and things that I still want to do before I leave. That way, if it's in some organized state, I might actually accomplish all those things.
Things I've done (and loved)
-Worked in the Museum of American History
-Seen all the monuments
-Gotten a library card from the library of congress
-surfed on the metro
-walked on the steps behind the Lincoln memorial
-served food to a homeless person
-watched many, many movies
-walked at night (not unaccompanied)
-seen the white House at all different times of day and night
-watched the fireworks on the fourth of July
-Went Canoeing on the Patomic
-Rode a Boat to look at the monuments at night
Places I've visited (and also loved)
-The Museum of American History
-The Air and Space Museum
-The Museum of the American Indian
-The Hirshorn Gallery
-The Freer and Sackler Galleries
-The Holocaust Museum
-The National Aquarium at Baltimore
-Ft. McHenry
-The OAS
-The Supreme Court
-The National Archives
-Independence Hall
-Rocky's Steps
-Gettysburg
-General Pickett's Buffet
-The Museum of the National philosophical Society
-China Town
Places I still Need to Visit
-The National Gallery of Art
-The Museum of Women's Art
-The Museum of Natural History
-The National Zoo (I've been told to go early in the morning...like 6:00 am...and the animals will be out and frolicking)
-The Dulles Air and Space Museum
-The Pentagon
-Mt. Vernon
-Monticello
Things I still need to do
-Go up to the top of the Washington Monument
-Watch a movie at "Screen on the Green"
-Play Ultimate Frisbee on the National Mall
-Revisit all the monuments on one long walk
Alright, I know there's probably more that I need to do, but I'm feeling like this is a pretty good list so far. Now to hire a DC buddy to accompany me. :)
Actually, come to think of it, I've got my time scheduled basically until school starts...Meh.
Anyway, I thought I should make a list of things that I've done, and things that I still want to do before I leave. That way, if it's in some organized state, I might actually accomplish all those things.
Things I've done (and loved)
-Worked in the Museum of American History
-Seen all the monuments
-Gotten a library card from the library of congress
-surfed on the metro
-walked on the steps behind the Lincoln memorial
-served food to a homeless person
-watched many, many movies
-walked at night (not unaccompanied)
-seen the white House at all different times of day and night
-watched the fireworks on the fourth of July
-Went Canoeing on the Patomic
-Rode a Boat to look at the monuments at night
Places I've visited (and also loved)
-The Museum of American History
-The Air and Space Museum
-The Museum of the American Indian
-The Hirshorn Gallery
-The Freer and Sackler Galleries
-The Holocaust Museum
-The National Aquarium at Baltimore
-Ft. McHenry
-The OAS
-The Supreme Court
-The National Archives
-Independence Hall
-Rocky's Steps
-Gettysburg
-General Pickett's Buffet
-The Museum of the National philosophical Society
-China Town
Places I still Need to Visit
-The National Gallery of Art
-The Museum of Women's Art
-The Museum of Natural History
-The National Zoo (I've been told to go early in the morning...like 6:00 am...and the animals will be out and frolicking)
-The Dulles Air and Space Museum
-The Pentagon
-Mt. Vernon
-Monticello
Things I still need to do
-Go up to the top of the Washington Monument
-Watch a movie at "Screen on the Green"
-Play Ultimate Frisbee on the National Mall
-Revisit all the monuments on one long walk
Alright, I know there's probably more that I need to do, but I'm feeling like this is a pretty good list so far. Now to hire a DC buddy to accompany me. :)
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Coming Soon...
Sad day...
I'd been blogging about an incident with a cockroach, and it just died completely. Not the cockroach, but the post. I'll have to post it again in the morning, it's getting too late to get those kinds of willies.
I'd been blogging about an incident with a cockroach, and it just died completely. Not the cockroach, but the post. I'll have to post it again in the morning, it's getting too late to get those kinds of willies.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Learn More, Play More, Baltimore
Today was quite the trip.
It started out well. Actually, that's kind of a lie. It started out late. I got up at 6:55, and was supposed to meet up with friends at 7:00 so that we could be at Union Station by 8, so we could ride the MARC train and get to Baltimore by about 9:00. I get up, look at the clock and think, "dang!" So I start hurrying to get ready. I do the quick mirror check to see if I'm looking greasy, and am pleasantly surprised to find that my hair actually looks just fine. I decide to put it into pigtails. I part it, and then put one side up, and then realize that I don't really want to spend a whole lot of money on food, so I should pack a lunch, and I should probably bring stuff for others to share too. This thought causes me to forget about my hair, and I start to pack up a lunch. I'm hurrying around my room with half my hair in a pigtail, and still in my pajamas. I then hurry to get dressed, and hurry even more to get downstairs. In this time I also remembered to grab ibuprofen in case people got heat headaches, and a sweatshirt in case it was cold down by the ocean. Yes, that's right--I'm well on my way to being a mom. :)
So, I hurry downstairs, and find that no one is there, which means I was either left, or not the only one running late. Turns out it was a little of both. I was left by a couple of people who made it there on time (I got down there by 7:08) but I was definitely not the one who was running the latest. I called a couple of people, and we all ended up meeting. It was great--we got to Union Station on time...despite missing our transfer point by two stops and having to go back, and we got to ride the train.
Now, apart from the Metro, I've never ridden on a real train. There was a place in Fairfield that we used to go to that had some little trains that drove around a park, and we rode on that, and I think there was a train at a wildlife petting zoo we went to once, but this was a real train. It was cool. Yarjka, JD, and I all worked on a crossword and read amusing stories from the Express. Really, the Washington Post express is incredible.
We get to Penn Station in Baltimore, and we look at a map. We find out that the warf is about a mile and a half away from where we are, so I suggest walking. After all, it's Baltimore! Everyone agrees...albeit reluctantly, and we begin to walk to the warf. While walking there we pass several things. First, there are bus stop benches all over the place that say, "Baltimore, Greatest City on Earth." While I don't necessarily agree with them, I do admire their ability to flaunt it. We also pass Mount Vernon Circle, which contained the first Washington Monument, with real fasci and a statue of Layfette nearby. I liked it.
Finally, we get to the warf. Now...it's hot outside today. In fact, it's pretty really warm. Some people in the group aren't too happy about the heat, and they start complaining a bit...sad day for them. Really, fun is what you make it, and they weren't making fun...they were just making whiny faces. Anyway, we're going to stand in line for Aquarium tickets, and I'm all excited about seeing the Atlantic ocean for the first time, when a bird poops on the sidewalk right near my feet...and the poop sort of slashes up on my leg. Now, at this juncture I've got two options. I can either be really grumpy about the fact that I've got bird poop on my leg, or I can wipe it off and move on. I actually thought it was hilarious, since I've been pooped on by a pacific seagull as well. I figure that getting pooped on by a couple of seagulls from sea to shining sea has to be somewhat patriotic...right?
So, we've got our tickets, and some of us really want to go and see Ft. McHenry, which is the fort that housed the original Star Spangled Banner, and which was the site of the bombardment that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that later became the National Anthem. I sort of wonder sometimes if I'm the only one who really wanted to go and see it...but regardless, that's where 6 of us headed--me, and 5 of the guys from our program. It would have been incredible odds if that's what I was looking for. :D Ft. McHenry was really cool--the guy who spoke there for our group was amazing, and the water taxi out there was really great. They stamp your wrist, and you can ride it for a really long time. It's just...awesome. I even managed to acquire an extra stamp on my wrist. Before taking the water taxi back across the bay, we stopped and ate a picnic lunch using the stuff that I'd brought, combined with the stuff that everyone else had brought. I used the old "Safeway card as a knife to cut the apple" trick, and it seemed to impress them...oddly enough, it seems to work every time. If you're unfamiliar with the trick, I'd be happy to teach it to you, and then you too can impress your friends with know-how and pragmatism.
The Aquarium itself wasn't really that great. I've been to some amazing aquariums in the past, and this one just wasn't really amazing. The part about it that made it really worth it was the Dolphin show, which was a mere $3.00 extra. This show was awesome. We sat in the Splash Zone, where else would you sit? And at one point, the trainer came out and asked for some volunteers. I raised my hand rather exuberantly, and was picked...to go down with 3 10 year old boys. I'm pretty sure that the trainer, and the rest of the audience, had no idea that I was, in fact, 21. Perhaps I look a lot younger than I thought...but I certainly don't look THAT young. Still though, I got to play basketball with a dolphin for a little bit, and I got to bunny hop to get the dolphin to walk a little. It was a lot of fun :D
After the Aquarium, we all set out in search of Seafood. When you're by the ocean, it's what you just have to eat, right? We ended up (2 suggested restaurants and a wrong turn into a bad neighborhood later) eating at a more upscale restaurant, that was actually quite tasty. After the restaurant, we boarded a bus bound for Penn Station (people weren't keen on the idea of walking back) and it was crazy--the ride was intense, and the driver was nuts, but it was a lot of fun. The train ride home was amazing. There are doors between the cars, and you push a button and they cause the door to open. Really, it feels like something out of Star Wars. It was awesome. Then, due to a little sunburn and a lot of walking, I realized I was very tired, and slept for a little while.
Overall, the day was great. I really think that it's largely due to the attitude that I had heading there--I planned to have a good time, and boy howdy did I! I also made sure to hang out with people who clearly planned to have a good time as well--being the chipper one in a group can be really exhasting if you're the only one who's doing it. Overall, I give the city a pretty high score, and I think that I would definitely go back again sometime. After all, there are still so many museums that I haven't visited...and the water taxi still runs all day. :)
It started out well. Actually, that's kind of a lie. It started out late. I got up at 6:55, and was supposed to meet up with friends at 7:00 so that we could be at Union Station by 8, so we could ride the MARC train and get to Baltimore by about 9:00. I get up, look at the clock and think, "dang!" So I start hurrying to get ready. I do the quick mirror check to see if I'm looking greasy, and am pleasantly surprised to find that my hair actually looks just fine. I decide to put it into pigtails. I part it, and then put one side up, and then realize that I don't really want to spend a whole lot of money on food, so I should pack a lunch, and I should probably bring stuff for others to share too. This thought causes me to forget about my hair, and I start to pack up a lunch. I'm hurrying around my room with half my hair in a pigtail, and still in my pajamas. I then hurry to get dressed, and hurry even more to get downstairs. In this time I also remembered to grab ibuprofen in case people got heat headaches, and a sweatshirt in case it was cold down by the ocean. Yes, that's right--I'm well on my way to being a mom. :)
So, I hurry downstairs, and find that no one is there, which means I was either left, or not the only one running late. Turns out it was a little of both. I was left by a couple of people who made it there on time (I got down there by 7:08) but I was definitely not the one who was running the latest. I called a couple of people, and we all ended up meeting. It was great--we got to Union Station on time...despite missing our transfer point by two stops and having to go back, and we got to ride the train.
Now, apart from the Metro, I've never ridden on a real train. There was a place in Fairfield that we used to go to that had some little trains that drove around a park, and we rode on that, and I think there was a train at a wildlife petting zoo we went to once, but this was a real train. It was cool. Yarjka, JD, and I all worked on a crossword and read amusing stories from the Express. Really, the Washington Post express is incredible.
We get to Penn Station in Baltimore, and we look at a map. We find out that the warf is about a mile and a half away from where we are, so I suggest walking. After all, it's Baltimore! Everyone agrees...albeit reluctantly, and we begin to walk to the warf. While walking there we pass several things. First, there are bus stop benches all over the place that say, "Baltimore, Greatest City on Earth." While I don't necessarily agree with them, I do admire their ability to flaunt it. We also pass Mount Vernon Circle, which contained the first Washington Monument, with real fasci and a statue of Layfette nearby. I liked it.
Finally, we get to the warf. Now...it's hot outside today. In fact, it's pretty really warm. Some people in the group aren't too happy about the heat, and they start complaining a bit...sad day for them. Really, fun is what you make it, and they weren't making fun...they were just making whiny faces. Anyway, we're going to stand in line for Aquarium tickets, and I'm all excited about seeing the Atlantic ocean for the first time, when a bird poops on the sidewalk right near my feet...and the poop sort of slashes up on my leg. Now, at this juncture I've got two options. I can either be really grumpy about the fact that I've got bird poop on my leg, or I can wipe it off and move on. I actually thought it was hilarious, since I've been pooped on by a pacific seagull as well. I figure that getting pooped on by a couple of seagulls from sea to shining sea has to be somewhat patriotic...right?
So, we've got our tickets, and some of us really want to go and see Ft. McHenry, which is the fort that housed the original Star Spangled Banner, and which was the site of the bombardment that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that later became the National Anthem. I sort of wonder sometimes if I'm the only one who really wanted to go and see it...but regardless, that's where 6 of us headed--me, and 5 of the guys from our program. It would have been incredible odds if that's what I was looking for. :D Ft. McHenry was really cool--the guy who spoke there for our group was amazing, and the water taxi out there was really great. They stamp your wrist, and you can ride it for a really long time. It's just...awesome. I even managed to acquire an extra stamp on my wrist. Before taking the water taxi back across the bay, we stopped and ate a picnic lunch using the stuff that I'd brought, combined with the stuff that everyone else had brought. I used the old "Safeway card as a knife to cut the apple" trick, and it seemed to impress them...oddly enough, it seems to work every time. If you're unfamiliar with the trick, I'd be happy to teach it to you, and then you too can impress your friends with know-how and pragmatism.
The Aquarium itself wasn't really that great. I've been to some amazing aquariums in the past, and this one just wasn't really amazing. The part about it that made it really worth it was the Dolphin show, which was a mere $3.00 extra. This show was awesome. We sat in the Splash Zone, where else would you sit? And at one point, the trainer came out and asked for some volunteers. I raised my hand rather exuberantly, and was picked...to go down with 3 10 year old boys. I'm pretty sure that the trainer, and the rest of the audience, had no idea that I was, in fact, 21. Perhaps I look a lot younger than I thought...but I certainly don't look THAT young. Still though, I got to play basketball with a dolphin for a little bit, and I got to bunny hop to get the dolphin to walk a little. It was a lot of fun :D
After the Aquarium, we all set out in search of Seafood. When you're by the ocean, it's what you just have to eat, right? We ended up (2 suggested restaurants and a wrong turn into a bad neighborhood later) eating at a more upscale restaurant, that was actually quite tasty. After the restaurant, we boarded a bus bound for Penn Station (people weren't keen on the idea of walking back) and it was crazy--the ride was intense, and the driver was nuts, but it was a lot of fun. The train ride home was amazing. There are doors between the cars, and you push a button and they cause the door to open. Really, it feels like something out of Star Wars. It was awesome. Then, due to a little sunburn and a lot of walking, I realized I was very tired, and slept for a little while.
Overall, the day was great. I really think that it's largely due to the attitude that I had heading there--I planned to have a good time, and boy howdy did I! I also made sure to hang out with people who clearly planned to have a good time as well--being the chipper one in a group can be really exhasting if you're the only one who's doing it. Overall, I give the city a pretty high score, and I think that I would definitely go back again sometime. After all, there are still so many museums that I haven't visited...and the water taxi still runs all day. :)
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Helmet Anyone?
Does anyone need a helmet?
Because the bike that went with mine ran away today.
(This sounds really sad and traumatic...it's sad, but not THAT sad...so don't feel too bad.)
Because the bike that went with mine ran away today.
(This sounds really sad and traumatic...it's sad, but not THAT sad...so don't feel too bad.)
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
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