Over and Out

Well, it's official. This blog is done. I need to save all the entries to a disk or something, 'cause this chapter of my life is over. It's been great being single and out of my parents' house. I've thoroughly enjoyed my roommates - although, to be honest, there're one or two I wouldn't wish to live with again. I've enjoyed, for the most part, traveling back and forth across the country. Okay, actually, I hate it. I mean, I love traveling, but MOVING my LIFE across the world and then back and forth and back and forth across the country a ridiculous number of times in a very short matter of years is extremely annoying. But really, I've been blessed to see some places I wouldn't have been able to otherwise; and do things, particularly various jobs that would've been undesirable with a husband. And that's all behind me now. One awesome chapter of my life is closing ever more rapidly on me.

And yet, married life, along with it's inevitable hardships, is getting ever more intriguing. Although I will always have Mike with me (Heaven willing) I'm not feeling any sadness over my "loss of freedom." In fact, when I think about it, I feel like I'll just be able to do more, because I won't ever have to do it alone if I don't want. Climbing mountains, riding rollercoasters, and jumping out of planes will all be easier, because I'll have Mike there to talk me through my fear of heights. (Okay, not jumping out of planes. I wouldn't get your hopes up, Mike.)

DON'T think for one second though that I'm done blogging. Although I've talked about starting up another blog for Mike and I, I simply haven't got around to it. Give me a break! I'm in the middle of the woods with shoddy internet capabilities. Mike, on the other hand, took the initiative and started it up for us. He even made the first entry. Go to www.mikeandmal.blogspot.com and give it a look. I think we've got potential.

This is Major Mal, over and out. ;)

One Quick Story

I know I've been neglecting my blogging duties in an entirely inexcusable fashion, BUT, I have a vast array of excuses:

-The internet connection here at Jordan Pond Dorm is embarrassingly slow.
-I feel bad for not putting up pictures because of said slow connection, and so I figure, I just shouldn't post at all.
-This is my personal blog, and I'm considering getting a new one so Mike and I can have one together, so there's "no point" in posting until then.

So anyway... I just wanted to tell one quick story of how I almost made a Muslim sin. Here at the dorm I am the janitor and the dinner-watch and Saturday cook. (Dinner-watch, which is a word I made up, in case you didn't know, involves me watching the dinner and cleaning up the kitchen after Carla, the regular cook, leaves.) So I'm watching dinner one night, and we have the Turks that just moved in - two girls and a boy. Of course, they're Muslim, and so when they saw meat was on the menu they asked if there was any pork, so they could avoid eating it. One of the girls reads and speaks English pretty well, so she was translating for her friend, but her boyfriend hadn't come in yet. When he did, they were already sitting down. He asked if there was pork.

"No, it's riblets, they're made of beef," I told him, assuming they were, even though I didn't make them and I hadn't read the menu on the white board.

"Oh, okay, thank you," he said as he dipped into the real meat, rather than the vegetarian option like his countrymen. (Or women, whatever.) About 30 seconds later she brought him up there, a little bit frantic, and asked again, what they were.

"Beef," said I.
"No!" said she. "They are made of pork! It says on the board!"
I leaned over the side, looked stupidly at the board, and said sheepishly, "Oh, sorry. I didn't make it. I just assumed that's what they were made of."

Yeah, I'm a dolt. I get it.

Winter 08 is OVER!!

It's a beautiful thing when the semester comes to a close, even if it means that no one but a select few are staying for the week-long break.

Rexburg is a ghost town during breaks.

But we breakers have so much fun! Saturday night a bunch of us went to the cheap theater to watch Be Kind, Rewind and then we came home and Kyle had just bought I Am Legend so we watched that on Jeremy's big-screen. Yesterday we planned a big pot-luck for lunch after church, and actually got a good-sized group there, although Rita and I were the only girls. (Not that it matters much to me, but I think some of the guys were a little disappointed that half the female population was engaged.) Then Mike and I went to his sister's in-laws for dinner. It was amazing - she makes very good rolls.

Today, I'm going with Mike to work at the youth ranch for substance abusers in Idaho Falls. After that we're going straight to Pocatello to check out some lava hot springs. (The ones near Rexburg aren't lava, and they're not very well taken care of, so they've gotten a little ghetto.) Then, Bishop Walker has invited all of the members of his ward that are staying over for dinner tonight, so we're gonna hit that up. I'm excited! They put on some great barbeques, and he has an amazing back yard, with a two-hoop court, a trampoline, and a volleyball net.

Yeah, us breakers get pretty special treatment. We can park wherever we want in the lots. We can shop in the stores without getting mauled by urgent mothers who only have a week to get everything their precious babes could ever want. We can loop the roundabouts as many times as we want, and most cops don't care - not that they do when everyone else is here, but still. Yeah, it's a pretty special life.

Updates: Mike and I are finishing up the announcements, not that they need to be sent out any time soon, but we're almost done with them. Oh, and Sox-Yankees = 8-5, respectively of course.

The True Story of How I Met Diah

Theah is a man I used to know
who kept his house behind my own;
a simple shack and nuthin' moah,
with a chimney stack 'n' wooden doah.
He wahs rahly seen by any eye
but my friends all said he wahs a scaary guy.

I'll tell ya o' the only chance
I met him - wahs by happenstance:
I's walkin' through the woods alone
'n' singin' in a gahlish tone,
when of a sudden I turned a bend
'n' theah he wahs on the othah end!
Well I jus' stood and staa'ed wide-eyed;
but he jus' smiled 'n' then replii'ed,
"Well, hello theah, deah. How you doo'in'?"
I mumbled somethin' 'bout needin' t' be goin'.

I booked it home like the woods was on fiah.
That's the fahst 'n' last I sahw o' Diah.

This poem was written as a creative piece for Bro. Babcock's British Literature class on March 29, 2008. It demonstrates the Romantic era characteristic of local color.

An Engaging Story - Read Film Noir Style

It was a warm Tuesday afternoon when I walked into my apartment. It was dark, too dark. I walked to the back of the apartment and to the half-closed door of my room. I cautiously pushed the door ajar, and there, on my bedroom floor, were balloons. Pink and white, everywhere. (Except you can't tell that they're pink and white, 'cause you obviously see in black and white right now.) On a chair, pulled into the middle of the room, is a sealed manila envelope. I tear open the seal and pull out the contents: candid photographs of a handsome culprit, a disc, and a list of instructions. I popped the disc in and found a transmission from Agent A to me. I was to find one Michael Watkins, who was armed and extremely dangerous.

This should be interesting.

I prepared for the mission I had been given. The list of instructions told me to be dressed sharply, so I put on a white skirt, red top, and red stiletto heels - some say they're not practical, but they've never had to stab anyone with a heel before. I didn't know what to expect.

At precisely the given time, I left to the given place and found in the cabinet a clue! I pulled the bridal magazine from the shelf and red the next clue, "Go to apartment 209. There you will find a Vinni and a Fingers." I left immediately. I had heard of Vinni and his hitman Fingers before. They were not to be left waiting. 

I walked into the darkened apartment, and there they were, sitting at a table playing cards oh so cooly. 

"We've been expecting you."

"Sorry. Traffic kept me."

"Fingahs, show the lady some manners. Vacate your seat."

"Sorry, Bwoss." 

"Please, Miss, take a seat."

I sat in Finger's place, after being thoroughly checked with a tongue depressor. Vinnie and I chatted for a while, and played a quick game of blackjack - Vinnie loves cards, it's a good way to win him over. After we were done with the pleasantries, we got down to business. 

"We have an informant who you might be interested in listening to," said Vinnie, pronouncing every syllable. They handed me a rose with a clue on the package. I would have to go to the Hinckley building, but I wasn't allowed to see. They blindfolded me, wrapped a coat around my shoulders, and lead me outside, down the stairs, across the snowy parking lot, and stuffed me into their car. The drive to the Hinckley is maybe 2 1/2 minutes, but it took us at least 6 to get there. (Vinnie is a very discreet man, even when I know where the location is.) Vinnie and Fingers talked nonchalantly the whole way. When we got out, Fingers was sent to find the informant and bring her to the meeting place where Vinnie and I would be waiting. 

It took a while for the informant to get to the statue we were to meet at, but when she did, she gave me the last clue: a box of perfume with the last clue on it. I took the blindfold off and grasped the clue.

"You should be able to find your way from here," she said, and she walked off around a corner.

I left the building promptly. The clue said he'd be in the gardens wearing black. No one was to be seen, except a young couple and their photographer. I searched over the gardens and finally saw a stone gazebo. I rounded the gazebo and there he was, in black as promised - the culprit! I walked into the gazebo.

"The gig is up, Watkins."

But was it? He had a new way of wriggling out of trouble, as always. He reached in his pocket - I reached toward my stiletto just in case - and pulled out a box. He dropped to one knee and opened the box.

 

Epilogue:

We went out to dinner at a place called Sandpiper in Idaho Falls. It was amazing! After that he took me to the Jim Brickman concert at the civic auditorium. (For those of you who don't know, Jim Brickman is a huge romantic piano soloist.) It was so much fun! Although I think I may have failed my mission - oh well. That's where wining and dining will get ya!

 

Girl's Night: Conner Style

"Ang, I have a proposition to make."

"Shoot."

"Saturday: you, me, the roomies, Aileen, Martinelli's, junk food, Miss America Pageant."

"Uhhh, yeah.  Let's do it!"

Okay, beauty pageants have been a Conner Women tradition since Mum had daughters old enough to enjoy critiquing, which surprisingly enough was when Alexa and I were at very young ages.  Every time a big one came up, we'd schedule a Girl's Night and reserve the living room.  There's quite a few actually: Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, Miss America, Miss Universe, and Miss World.  I think there's even a Mrs. America/USA (not sure which). We focused mainly on Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Universe.  I've seen a couple of the others.  

Sadly, when Dad took us out to Saipan (yes, DAD; it would be a boy that took us away from our beloved Girl's Nights) the parents decided against getting television.  It's really not the worst thing in the world, but there a few things that I would really like to watch - pageants being a few of them.  So the Girl's Nights pretty much ended.  Yeah, once in a while we'd rent a movie when the guys were out or Dad was on a business trip, but that stopped too after Mum gave up her addiction to ice.  (That's a story for another time, folks.) 

I haven't seen a pageant since I've been back in the States.  For a couple of years they were doing all sorts of weird stuff to try and get their ratings back up.  One year they even did a FearFactor version, which was just totally against everything these pageants stand for. 

Pageants stand for something? you may ask.  Oh yes.  The point of all beauty pageants has been to inspire women to not only be beautiful on the outside, but also strive to achieve great things and become great women on the inside.  The stereotypical beauty has no brains, and these pageants are out to prove otherwise.  The winners and runners-up all receive considerable scholarships. 

Although this is a worthy cause, the pageants were getting a little out of hand.  They were losing ratings steadily, and it was because the style of everyday women had changed since the original airing in 1921.  (Ya think?!)  But the women were still doing the big-hair-big-make-u-dress-up-for-every-activity-even-if-it-was-a-marathon thing.  This year they passed it into the hands of TLC - a daughter channel of the Discovery Channel.  They aired the pilot of "Miss America: Reality Check" four weeks before the pageant.  The reality show put the 52 contestants into a house together and divided them into teams.  I really liked this because it brought the women closer together than ever before.  Even though they lived in the same hotel for the week of the pageant, they had always been there to compete, not to make friends.  The friendship was apparent among the ladies throughout the entire pageant, particularly when Miss Utah dropped to the ground and gave about 10 pushups after been eliminated from the top 16, and about seven other girls followed suit.  (The crowed was going wild.)  

I only saw the pilot of the reality show, but the gist of it was to revamp Miss America.  The message they wanted to send was, "Any girl can look beautiful no matter what she's doing, including real-life things."  The message they were sending was, "Any girl can look beautiful no matter what she's doing as long as it can be done in heels and hairspray."  They brought beauticians and hairdressers to teach the girls how to say "NO!" to aerosols and dangly earrings when the activity was a relay race (and yes, there were a number of girls who actually needed to be told so).  They brought on Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear (LOVE THAT SHOW! too bad I have a life) to teach the girls that their sparkly cow-girl boots were something to wear at home, not on stage.  

Another thing they did different this year was have 16 semi-finalists rather than 15.  The last one was voted on by Americans over the previous four weeks online rather than by the judges. The winner was Jill Stevens, Miss Utah.  Seriously, this girl was AMAZING! I mean, the 10 finalists were really cute and talented and smart, but NO ONE was as spunky as Miss Utah.  I am certain she won Miss Congeniality.  When she was called off I thought the crowd might rush the stage.  

Over all, I liked the new version.  I was a little disappointed that Kirsten Haglund, Miss Michigan won.  I mean, she was okay, but definitely not the best one out there.  In fact, after Miss Utah was voted off, I was all about the girl that got runner-up, but I can't think of who she is, or where she's from.  Oh well.  

Oh yeah!  I almost forgot the best part!  As they were crowning Miss Michigan, and she was freaking out and all, it was very obvious that there was bright red lipstick on her tooth and up her face quite a bit.  Angela, Jenni, and I were laughing so hard!  That would suck!  I mean, that's on camera and everything for the REST OF HER LIFE!  Hahaha!  The thing is, no one told her, not even the guy who walked right up to her face and gave her the flowers and a kiss.  No!  It wasn't until she got back from her little walk and the other ladies came up to congratulate her than one of the girls finally wiped it off for her.  Man, her face after she realized what she'd done was almost better than seeing her do it!

Get This!

So my grammar class is one of the funniest, most interesting classes I've ever taken.  Yeah, there are lots of boring parts, like diagraming, but I just ignore those aspects of it.  Anyway, we had a class on phonetics on Tuesday - which come to find out has always been one of my favorite topics, and I didn't even know it!  Bro. Hunt was going through the anatomy of the throat and mouth.  I thought it was really cool, and it made me a little giddy or hyper or whatever you want to call it.  Either way, I was probably having way too much fun in the class for me to be considered normal, even for an English major.  

Bro. Hunt said, "Let's all make the B-flat sound."  A girl near the piano hit a B-flat and we all om-ed together.  "The B-flat," he continued, "is the most commonly occurring sound in nature.  That is why Buddhists make that noise when they meditate."  I thought for a second, and being the somewhat corny wise-crack I can be sometimes, I said, "So the world really does want to B-flat."  

C'mon, you know it funny, and I do too, but I did not expect to get the reaction out of the class that I did.  Bro. Hunt gave a good chuckle and my friends who sit around me, but the rest of the class just erupted in laughter.  In fact, it made such an impression that on Wednesday I was in Craigo's, not working, but waiting to talk to someone, and a customer on her way out stopped and said, "Aren't you in my grammar class?"  I looked at her and said, "Sure," as I shrugged.  "You made the joke about B-flat, right?"  I smiled. "Oh yeah.  I guess I am."  She laughed again.  "I told that joke to my mom," and she made a gesture to one of the women that was with her.  

Wow.  I'm even funnier than I realized!

Rhyme and Rhythm

So, I just got the email inviting me to read my poem Rhyme and Rhythm at the Pre-Professional conference coming up next week.  I submitted Rhyme and Rhythm along with two other poems, Insomnia (which is on here somewhere) and Psalm of Resolve - which I wrote in seminary years ago.  Rhyme and Rhythm was written in high school for a class.  I had to create an anthology of 30 poems - ten from the text, ten from outside sources, and ten of my own.  

Rhyme and Rhythm

Poetry from the heart

doesn't have to rhyme.

All it needs is an easy flow,

a little Rhythm to push it along.

But if you're uncomfortable 

With a free-verse ditty,

You can put in a word

To make it quite Witty.

Then again I know some people

who prefer not to rhyme.

They like the beat-nick Feel,

like the pound of a drum.

But others, I know,

Would like it much better

If the poem could Rhyme

With a word or a letter.

-February 5, 2003

Wish me luck!

Mal's Moments of Madness

So, I've finally started going back to the gym. Good grief, it's taken me long enough! I was amazing at it last Fall, I went at least three times a week with Angela. Then I went to Saipan for Christmas, and when I got back in January, I was down to three times a semester, and the occasional game of basketball. I've been meaning to get back, but it wasn't until last Sunday, when I showed them this ad in a magazine of mine.



"By the end of Fall semester, guys. Fall semester." Kenneth and Anton scoffed, as did Amber and Jamie, but Kyle said,
"Hey, if you can do that by the end of Fall, I'll do handstand push-ups. Those can be our goals."

Typical Kyle answer to something like that. I'm pretty sure he really thinks I can do anything. I mean, I'm fairly certain that I can actually do this - whether or not it's on a Pyrex 2-cup measure, we'll see when the time comes.


The following Monday I thought to myself, it's been a while since I've even attempted a handstand. I guess I should start out with that. Yeah... after four or five tries I finally got my legs up high enough and straight enough, and tight enough so that I was actually in a real handstand. It lasted for about 3 seconds.


This may be a little harder than I thought.


I've been doing handstands in my room every day since. I'm still not holding them much longer than 7 seconds. Not to mention in order to do the pose above I'm going to have to move slowly, which means there going to be some major expectations on just my upper-body strength alone. In all reality, I'll probably have to start in something like a headstand and push up into a handstand from there. (You can mount headstands slower, that's the perk. Con: I've tried it before, even back when I was a gymnast. If I can pull it off, I'll be the next Xena.) However I do it, it'll take some real figuring out and a whole lot of strength.


Anyway, so I decided that the best thing to do would be to start going back to the gym and doing some real workouts, not any of this dilly-dallying I've been doing since January. My arms, shoulders, and back are so sore. I've been running the track too. It'd be kind of nice to get my mile back down to 6 minutes, and I figured I might as well work on that while I'm being rediculous anyways. We can just clump it all in together in what I like to call, "The Fall of Amazing Feats."


Wish me luck.

A Working Wonder

For those of you who don't know, I serve tables for work. I like to serve, actually, I like pretty much anything there is to do in a restaurant... almost anything at least. Serving is fun 'cause I get to do things for people. I like knowing people can rely on me, and with serving, they have no choice, even if I'm tired or just sucky! Haha! It's awesome!

Anyway, so I was serving, and had quite a few tables; it was busy, but not crazy - that's a good thing. When I get into a nice groove where the pace is perfect and everything is just working out beautifully, I can't help but be extra smiley. This wasn't one of those nights, but it wasn't bad. I was having fun, but I did have a couple of anxious tables.

I saw this couple, probably in their 40's, waiting at the pasta bar for a chef to come help them. (It doesn't have to be a chef, anyone can do it, and everyone knows how.) I saw them standing there for quite some time and as I walked by with some dishes, I promised I'd be back in a moment to help them. A second later I was there getting their pastas. The next time I went to my section I saw them at one of my tables. I didn't know anyone had been seated there. I felt bad. Sometimes when things start to get busy, the hostess will seat them and tell them to get started if they are getting the buffet and then forget to let the server know. (The server will find out anyway 'cause she's running to her section all the time, but the hostess will let us know if she has the time.) I thought that perhaps they had been there a long time and just got tired of waiting. I had a table right next to them that was fairly needy - which, by the way, is really annoying. If the server asks if they can get anything for you, let them know EVERYTHING you can think of all at once so that they can just get it in one foul swoop and stop running back and forth. That just wastes their time! *Heaving a sigh*

Anyway, I gave this table as much attention as I could, and it actually turned out to be just fine. The needy table left and so I could get the other tables everything they needed and wanted without delay. I must have turned out to be pretty good, 'cause the man from that couple left me a 30% tip and wrote on the bill, "You had shiny eyes!" Sweetest thing I've heard all summer. Course, the money doesn't hurt.

You're a 90's kid if:

You've ever ended a sentence with the word "PSYCHE!"
You can sing the rap to "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air"
You remember when Kurt Cobain, Tu Pac, River Phoenix, and Selena died.
You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey from "Blossom" and that "How Rude!" comes from Stephanie from "Full House"
You remember when it was actually worth getting up earlyon a Saturday to watch cartoons.
You got super excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
"Goosebumps" were the books to be reading.
You know the profound meaning of "Wax on, wax off"
You have pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
You took plastic cartoon lunch boxes to school.
You danced to "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls; Females: had a new motto, Males: got a whole lot gay-er. (so tell me what you want, what you really really want.)
You remember the craze, then the banning of slap bracelets and slam books.
You still get the urge to say "NOT" after (almost) every sentence...Not...
Where in the world is Carmen San Diego? was both a game and a TV game show.
Captain Planet. 'Nough said.
You remember when super nintendo's became popular - and you can beat every level on every game.
You remember watching home alone 1, 2 , and 3........and tried to pull the pranks on "intruders"
"I've fallen and I can't get up"
You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates
Two words... Trapper Keeper.
You never got injured on a Slip 'n' Slide
You wore socks over leggings scrunched down
You wore leggings with the strap that went under your foot.
"Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, all dressed in black, black, black, with silver buttons, buttons, buttons, all down her back, back, back" SHE ASKED HER MOTHER MOTHER MOTHER FOR FIFTY CENTS CENTS CENTS TO SEE THE ELEPHANTS PHANTS PHANTS JUMP OVER THE FENCE THE FENCE THE FENCE he jumped so high high high he touched the sky sky sky and he didnt come back back back til the forth of july ly ly he jumped so low ow ow he stubbed his toe toe toe and thats the end end end of the elephants show show show
You remember boom boxes vs. cd players.
You remember New Kids on The Block when they were cool
You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell"
You played and/or collected "Pogs"
You had at least one Tamagotchi, GigaPet or Nano and brought it everywhere
You watched the original Care Bears, My Little Pony, and Ninja Turtles
NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOYS WERE THE BEST MYSTERY BOOKSY
Ikes pencils and erasers were the stuff!
All your school supplies were "Lisa Frank" brand. (pencils.notebooks.binders.etc.)
You remember when the new Beanie Babies were always sold out.
You used to wear those stick on earings, not only on your ears, but at the corners of your eyes.
You remember a time before the WB.
You've gotten creeped out by "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"
You know the Macarena by heart.
"Talk to the hand"
You thought Brain woud finally take over the world
You always said, "Then why don't you marry it!"
You remember when everyone went slinky crazy.
You remember when razor scooters were cool.

When we were younger:
Before the MySpace.com frenzy...
Before the Internet & text messaging...
Before Sidekicks & iPods...
Before MIKE JONES...
Before PlayStation2 or X-BOX......
Back when you put off the 5 hours of homework you had every night.
When light up sneakers were cool.
When you rented VHS tapes, not DVDs.
When gas was $0.95 a gallon & Caller ID was a new thing.
When we recorded stuff on VCRs & paid $3.50 for a movie.
When we called the radio station to request songs to hear off our walkmans.
When 2Pac and Biggie where alive.
When the Chicago Bulls were the best team ever.

Way back.
Tag.
Get Over Here!!!! means something to you.
Hide-n-Go Seek at dusk.
Red Light, Green Light.
Heads Up 7 Up.
Playing Kickball & Dodgeball until your porch light came on.
Hopskotch.
Slip-n-Slides.
Tree Houses.
Hula Hoops.
HELLO....HOT WHEELS!!!!!
"POWER OF LOVE" BY CELINE DION. ONLY COUPLES COULD SKATE TO THIS.
The annoying Giga Pets & Furbies.
Running through the sprinklers.
The "Little Mermaid"
Crying when Mufasa died in the Lion King.
Happy Meals where you chose a Barbie or a Hot Wheels car.
Getting the privelage to sit in the front seat of the car.
Drinking Sqeeze It "Squeeze The Fun Out Of It"
CAPRI SUN
Watching Saturday Morning Cartoons in your PJ's still wrapped up in your TMNT, Power Rangers, Barbie, or Fairy Princess comforter.
The original Power Rangers

Or what about:
Hey Arnold.
Rugrats.
Ren & Stimpy.
Rocco's Modern Life.
AAAHH!! REAL MONSTERS.
Wild & Crazy Kids.
Clarissa Explains it All.
CAMP NOWHERE - Salute Your Shorts (CAMP ANAWANA)
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
The original cast members of All That.
Kenan & Kel.
"CITY GUYS"...ROLLW/ THE CITY GUYS
Doug.
Magic School Bus.
Flash Forward.
Hey Dude.
Dinosaurs.
Alladin.
Mummies Alive!
Pinky and the Brain.
Gargoyles.
Sailor Moon.
Blossom.
Hangin with Mr. Cooper.
Beavis & ButtHead
Wishbone.
Bill Nye the Science Guy
MR RODGERS!!!!

Who could forget:
Snick? & Nick @ Nite with Bewitched, I Dream of Jenie, The Facts of Life, I Love Lucy, TGIF, and Happy Days. (Sunday, Monday, Happy Days!)
Where everyone wanted to be in love after watching The Wonder Years.
Kool-Aid was the drink of choice.
Kids under 16 were too busy climbing trees to have cell phones.
When $5 seemed like a million, & another dollar a miracle.
When you begged to go to McDonalds for dinner everyday.
When Toys R Us overuled the mall.

Go back to the time when:
Decisions were made by going 'eeny-meeny-miney-moe'.
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming 'do over!
''Race issue' ment arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was banker in 'Monopoly.'
It wasn't odd to have two or three 'best' friends.
Being old referred to anyone over 20.
A chance to skate as a couple at the local roller rink was like winning the lottery.
Scrapes & bruises were kissed & made better.
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the 'big people' rides at the fair.
When Ninja Turtles ruled the world.
Another Baby Sitter Club and Little Sister (Karen) book came out and you put your name on hold for it at the library.
When Aladdin was new, before the trilogy was complete.
Sockem Boppers
Before we realized all this would eventually disappear
Who would have thought you'd miss the 90's so much!!!!!

From the group "You grew up in the 90's if you remember this" on Facebook.com.

Fireworks and Waterballoons!

So for the Fourth of July a bunch of us went up to R mountain. (I've seen good fireworks from mountains before, but R mountain is so far away that it doesn't really give you the effect you're looking for. I wont make the same mistake next year.) Anyway, so, we went up there, and watched some of the firework shows put on by different towns and counties. You could kind of see Idaho Falls' from where we were, but it would've been better had we been farther up. You just have to keep in mind it was pretty dark and there's not really too much of a path in lots and lots of places, so we decided to stay where we were. We shot some fireworks off ourselves on the tiny plateau we were on. Not the most brilliant idea, but they weren't anything big, so nothing happened ... at least nothing we started. There was a fire down below us that some other hoodlums started. Foolish kids. What kind of an idiot doesn't realize that fire around dry brush is dangerous?! Once we realized that they didn't quite have it under control, two boys rushed down to help and the rest helped us girls get off the top of the plateau. By the time we got down there our boys had it pretty well contained. The other kids had climbed up away from the fire and called the fire department. One of our guys looked at them and was like, "well, is that all you're going to do?" He rushed in and started pulling the branches away from one another and away from other bushes. (Two had lit.) As we drove away, we saw the trucks rush past us. Stupid kids.



The rest of the pictures are from out ward's closing social! We had a catered Dutch oven barbeque - it was soooo good - and a huge waterballoon fight, including Bishop Walker and Brother Wright (the first counselor). Afterwards there was a big game of ultimate frisbee. (It's a fun game, but quite frankly, people have become obsessed.) We also had kickballs, a soccerball, a baseball and some gloves, a hose, a football, and a tug-of-war rope just in case anyone was interested. Most were used, but the others were there just in case anyone wanted to start something.



We had hundreds and hundreds of waterballoons. They came in packs of 250 I think, and we had like, 6 packs. We had three or four bins filled with them. They were really heavy. Plus, there was a hose was involved. The kid in the white shirt is Jon, and the girl in the blue shirt all hunched over happens to be me trying to defend myself. Don't worry, I got him back.

Here's a good picture of the fray. It was crazy! Everyone was in on it here, until we ran out of balloons. Then those of us who knew where the last bin was, ran to the other end of the field and got in a big fight there too. That's when Bishop and Bro. Wright joined in. It was pretty fun. I was the first to throw at Bishop, but it didn't pop.

That was frustrating!

Summer Fun in Rexburg!

Pictures from this summer here in Rexburg. It's a small town, but we seem to have plenty of fun!

The view from Birch Creek, where Josh, Ang and I went overnight fly fishing. It was a lot of fun! This is only the second piece of real pretty land I've seen this close to Rexburg. Pocatello is pretty, but it takes a couple hours to get there. Rexburg just isn't very pretty. It's fairly flat, the mountains are far off, and there's not enough greenery to make up for it's lack of rolls. This spot is about an hour away.

(Below): This is from our Egin's Lake activity. Out in the sand dunes there's this waist-deep pond really, where they really like to go play football. Anton J. is the big guy, and before his mission had a scholarship to play football for a college in, I think, California. He gave it up to come up to BYU-Idaho, where there's not even competitive sports. The smaller guy is the Elder's Quarm Pres., Matt B.

So, basically I've decided that this picture is good enough to start making me some money. Maybe I'll send it in to Sports Illustrated.

Me teaching the girls in my Relief Society to dance Tahitian. They asked me for a mini-enrichment night. The other half of the night was for Latin dancing, taught by Jessica H.

Here's Ang, Josh, and me hanging out by the creek. Josh lost both his and Ang's flies, so we decided we would just hang out for an hour or so, since everyone else was strung out along the brook still fishing.

The Battle of Saipan

Jym was talking to me last night and said that he was looking at a brochure for one of the cruise-routs done by Princess Tours (that's who he works for) and said that he saw a picture of Saipan that showed a tank in the water. "What's up with that?" he asked. I thought I had told him about the battles of Saipan and Tinian, but I forget who I have and haven't told. Jym really likes history, so I told him I'd look for some articles and pictures and email them to him. I made up quite the nice little package. He's busy, so I couldn't have a million articles and pictures (there are at least that many on the web), but I did put in three articles that describe a few different parts of the significance of Saipan in American history.

The Last Command Post: Here it was that Lt. Gen. Saito (Japan) ordered seven officers

to give their lives in the name of the emperor, and then committed herikari - ritualistic

Japanese suicide. (Top: outside. Bottom: inside.)

Obiyan Beach bunker.

Top-Bottom: Banzai and Suicide Cliffs. These were the sites where Japanese soldiers and civilians were forced to jump over. (If they wouldn't they were thrown.) It was better to die than to be captured by the Americans.

The following is an article of the mass-suicides at Banzai and Suicide Cliffs. It's a little graphic, so use some discretion.

"... since Saipan had become a part of Hirohito's domain in 1919, over eighteen thousand Japanese civilians had settled there. Tojo's propaganda officers had been lecturing them since Pearl Harbor, describing the Americans as sadistic, redheaded, hairy monsters who committed unspeakable atrocities before putting all Nipponese, including women and infants, to the sword. As the battle turned against Saito's troops, these civilians, panicking, had fled northward to Marpi Point. After the great banzai obliterated their army, depriving them of their protectors, they decided that they, too, must die. Most of them gathered on two heights now called Banzai Cliff, an eighty-foot bluff overlooking the water, and, just inland from there. Suicide Cliff, which soars one thousand feet above clumps of jagged rocks.... Saito [the Japanese commander] had left a last message to his civilian countrymen, too: "As it says in the Senjinkum [Ethics], 'I will never suffer the disgrace of being taken alive,' and I will offer up the courage of my soul and calmly rejoice in living by the eternal principle." In a final, cruel twist of the knife he reminded mothers of the oyaku-shinju (the parents-children death pact). Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons� all had to die. Therefore children were encouraged to form circles and toss live grenades from hand to hand until they exploded. Their parents dashed babies' brains out on limestone slabs and then, clutching the tiny corpses, shouted "Tenno! Haiki! Banzai!" (Long live the Emperor!) as they jumped off the brinks of the cliffs and soared downward. Below Banzai Cliff U.S. destroyers trying to rescue those who had survived the plunge found they could not steer among so many bodies; human flesh was jamming their screws. .. . But Suicide Cliff was worse. A brief strip of jerky newsreel footage, preserved in an island museum, shows a distraught mother, her baby in her arms, darting back and forth along the edge of the precipice, trying to make up her mind. Finally she leaps, she and her child joining the ghastly carnage below. There were no survivors at the base of Suicide Cliff."

There are two more articles. Maybe I'll put them on later.

Piercings! WOO! TAKE YOU'RE SHIRT OFF!

Calm down! Nothing weird, just a lower-rib piercing. They are so the thing right now!

Seriously though, today I went with my my closest friends, Melissa, Andrea, Angela, and Josh, to the mall. (Funny story: Josh asked me a few days before if he was allowed to come. I was like, Josh, where else would you be on such an important occasion!? Then when we got there, we were shopping a little bit, and Andrea came out of the dressing room. We all gave our input on her shirt, and then she looked Josh straight in the face and asked, "Do you think my cheeks look puffy?" He slowly turned away and said, "I do think I need some more guy friends." Ha!)

Anyway, here are some pictures!

Picking out studs! (When applied to things other than earrings, it is quite the sport.)



Half-way there! Andrea was pretty impressed, I didn't flinch. What can I say? I'm pretty amazing.




Okay, it just occurred to me that I don't have any pictures of the finished product. They're probably on Angela's camera. But you get the idea.

Utah - Memorial Day Trip

Here's me in Melissa's car, playing with Melissa's new phone, on our way to go scouting for our shopping trip to the Gateway Mall we were planning for Monday (Memorial Day). This was Saturday. I just got back. Maybe I'll put more pictures on here later. Oh, and Mum, I know I'm making the lip face thing. I'm meaning to. It's a pose.

The Decision

I'm staying with English Ed. I've tried for over a month now to give it up, and I can't actually go through with it. It's an addiction. Thanks for the input everyone.

A Major Dilemma

Okay, so I've been thinking of changing my major, yet again, but am finding it almost impossible to let go of my current one. I've decided on weighing the pros and cons to each, and taking any input. Let's begin, shall we?

English Ed. (Current Major):
Pros: *I am already in this major and have started on some of my major courses.
*I would love to teach, especially between middle and high school.
*I love the history, imagination, and meanings found in literature.
*I love that prose and poetry are left up to the interpretation of the reader.
*I love to study about authors.
*I could take classes in journalism, and would not only be taught to do it, but would be qualified to teach it with just 20 credits.
*I've only ever had one English teacher I didn't like, well two, if you can consider Mrs. Dunbar-Kari a teacher.
*My philosophy is that if a student has a solid understanding of their language, all other subjects come more easily, even subjects such as math, that don't seem to have any link to language, but in reality are impressively affected by it. To teach remedial English would not be the most fun part of the teaching occupation, but I do think it would end up being one of the most satisfying.

Cons: *If I did go into teaching, which is most likely to happen, I would have to stop once I started having kids. (This is not up for debate, it's a personal decision.)
*I feel that it does, in some ways, confine or at least obligate me to be a teacher. (Look, it's a noble thing, but so is being able to feed, clothe, and shelter myself!)
*Although I love to read, I tend to be slow. Keeping up in class-assigned readings have always been difficult for me, and I can see those classes taking a lot out of me.

Communications, Emphasizing in Journalism (Major up for Consideration):
Pros: *I would love to write for magazines like Discover! or National Geographic. That would be freaking awesome!
*Freelance journalism would be easily workable from home, even after having children.
*Where I fall short in reading, writing comes naturally. I can (and have) research, write, edit, and cite a paper on almost any topic in four hours and still pull off nothing short of a B+.
*I absolutely love writing research papers. They're my favorites!
*I think that doing investigative journalism for, oh, I dunno, like The New York Times would be a lot of fun.

Cons: *The few education credits would not transfer over, and I would almost certainly end up having to apply for a credit extension and I would have to stay in school longer.
*I would have to, especially at the beginning of my career, cover the topics that no one wants to cover. (i.e., obituaries, etc.)
*I wouldn't be teaching, and that would kind of suck.
*I might not get to take classes on the literature side of it all.

Now, changing my minor is not an option at this point. I want to keep it Russian. I could look into double minoring, but that'd be hard with an education major. They are pretty adamant about making sure everyone who majors in education also minors in some field of it.

Catching Everyone Up - Picture Wise at Least

Okay, here are some of the pictures I have been meaning to post over the last couple of weeks. They cover from our crepe party, which was the last week of winter semester, to the day I got back from Houston.

Here's Ang, enjoying a crepe filled with, I think, apples, strawberries, and a little whipped cream.

Me making bunny cake! I had to get it decorated before we left to Bro. Wright's place for dinner.

Kyle named it Derryl. It's some inside joke the boys have, but I am totally out of the loop here. I haven't a clue as to what they're talking about.

This is what you get when the ratio of men to women is 3 to 1. Easter dinner hadn't started, so they ate Pizza Bites or whatever they're called. Jym and Kyle were done, Josh had some left - you get the picture.

Jym and me down in Houston. It was a relatively cold day, so I borrowed his brother's jacket, which, come to find out, is actually a girls jacket anyway. It's not that great a picture of me, personally, but Jym looks good, and I know he's the one everyone wants to see anyway, so there you have it.

This is Josh and me in Angela's new apartment over in Nauvoo House. They're right across the street from where I live. This is the night I got back, I think.

Things I Love

Mum and Dad.
Levi.
Alexa.
Sam.
Jacob.
Kaitlyn.
Ezra.
Eden.
My family all over the world.
Music, singing is so much fun. But probably most especially piano music. I love it. I love everything about it.
Sports, especially gymnastics, basketball, baseball, and hockey. But there are so many others!
Hanging out with my roommies.
Hanging out with my friends.
Hide and go seek in the dark.
Maine, especially MDI, particularly during summer, fall, and winter - not so much during mud.
The ocean, rivers, streams, brooks, lakes, ponds, etc.
Snow, especially when I can play in it, or if there are soft and silent woods I can walk around through after they've been covered in snow.
Pounding rain when I'm inside, and can hear it and see it pounding through the window in the living room, as I drink something warm. (Watching my roommates venture out into it one-by-one for meetings and classes, when I don't have any, is just an added perk.)
Animals. Playing with them. Acting as one. What?! Me?!
The sky. It's a pretty amazing creation. The moon. The sun. Clouds.
Thunderstorms.
Books. There are some really amazing ideas out there, and so many of them are written down just for us to read.
Pictures.
Cookies. They're my weakness, and that's okay with me.
Certain T.V. shows: Seinfeld and The Office, and House.
The human body - another baffling creation. I mean, I think about it, and then I have to stop, 'cause my head starts hurting. It's awful. It's crazy.