In Which I Am Alive

You know you're accident prone when you tell your roommates you got hit by a car on the way home from work and their reaction is, "Again?"

For the past 36 hours, my diet has been absymal. Or....awesome? You decide. Friday Breakfast: Applesauce Brunch: Arroz con leche Lunch: 3 brownies and arroz con leche Snack: A bazillion Hershey's nuggets Dinner: Grilled cheese sandwich, Oreo mint milkshake, and a few fries I filched from Tyler Midnight snack: More arroz con leche Saturday Breakfast: Dum-dum pop, Welch's fruit snacks Lunch: A mountain of arroz con leche and some Smarties (the Canadian kind). Dinner: Haven't decided yet, but it will probably end up being either wedding reception food or graduation party food. Clearly, I live a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

You know those times when you forget some key aspects of the laws of physics and schedule yourself to be in several places at once? When reality sinks in and you realize that you can't possibly be in both Heber and Salt Lake City while also being at work in Provo, your stomach sinks. Anxiety creeps in. No matter what, you will have to bail on somebody. No matter what, somebody will think you're a flake. No matter what, you lose. And you know those times when you go on a first date with someone, and you really want to go on a second date, but every time they invite you to do something, you're busy? Not "busy" like you're actually just making an excuse so you don't have go out with them, but legitimately, terrifyingly, staying-up-until-6-am-just-to-finish-this -ridiculous-paper busy. How do you convince them that yes, since that first date they have invited you to slackline with their friends twice, invited you to come watch three  different movies, and ...

To the freshman I frightened at work today: You'll understand when you're older. Sometimes, there are days when the pressures from school, work, church, dating, and trying to plan your summer (oh, and your entire future) become so intense that the only possible way to keep from going crazy is to rock out to Queen's "Somebody to Love," with all the volume you can muster. And if you  happen to have a large mop that can double as a microphone for you to dance with as you channel the frenzied genius of Freddy Mercury, well, so much the better. The startled look on your face when you came upon me swaying, dipping, and belting indicates that you have not yet reached such a desperate emotional state, and I am glad that you have been spared thus far. But just know that one day, little freshman, you too will join the ranks of the crazed upperclassmen. And that is the day when you will have to explain to a terrified, timid first-year why you were dancing with a vacuum cle...

I keep thinking that one of these days I'm going to grow up and magically be responsible. That I won't be late to every single one of my classes every day...and sleep right through them sometimes. That I won't forget to go to important research meetings, or double-book myself or play board games when I should be doing my homework. That someday staying up until 2 surfing facebook and reading blogs will sound unappealing. But maybe it's a trade-off. Because maybe if I magically grew up in every way possible I wouldn't like to climb trees anymore. Maybe I wouldn't be able to appreciate picture books. And I'd definitely have to stop making forts out of couch cushions. But still...it would be nice to make it to class on time more often...maybe I should start setting my alarm for earlier...

Sometimes I desperately need to create a lesson plan, write in my work blog, and study for my music history test... And instead I spend an hour and half reading online essays about comic strips.... And yet somehow, I don't really regret it.

Someday, when I am rich (or at least...out of paycheck-to-paycheck range), I will: Eat things besides pasta and granola bars. Have my own room again. Go snowboarding every weekend (and even some weekdays, since I could afford to miss work) Go rock climbing on days besides "Bring a Friend Friday" (where I can get in for free, because I have friends with season passes). Buy all of the music I ever loved. And all of the books ever written, even ones I don't love. Have a car. Own my own camping gear. Travel. A lot. Things that I do now, instead of being rich: Get really creative with my food sources, so I can eat things besides pasta and granola bars. These include: attending social/church functions just because there will be free food, try to date as much as possible, and go to my grandparents' house for every Sunday dinner possible. Bond with the two other girls who share my room, and pretend I'm a pirate when I climb up the ladder to my little bunk. (...

My apartment tends to exist in a constant state of messiness. Every time I try to figure out why the domicile can't stay out of pig-sty zone for more than a day at a time, I can only come up with one answer. It's not "my" apartment after all. It's "ours". There are, in fact, six of us currently living in my tiny little flat. Six college-aged girls: three in school, two with boyfriends, all with jobs. We're all far too busy to clean up anyone's messes but our own. And whenever anything is messy, it is definitely  anyone's mess but my own. Crumbs all over the counter? Well, I'm always careful when I eat, so they couldn't possibly be mine. Let the perpetrator wipe them up Dishes in the sink? Why can't those silly roommates of mine take the time to wash their cereal bowls? Trash needs to be taken out? I can't believe  they'd let it overflow like that! Notice a pattern? Nothing is ever, ever  my fault. And I have a f...

2010 has been a year of firsts...which always makes for an adventure. First time writing a check (I'm such a grownup!) First time holding a job while taking classes (and first job not at a swimming pool) First time getting a flower for Valentine's Day (Thank you, random Cannon Center customers). First time applying to the Music Education program First time getting accepted into the Music Education program First relationship lasting longer than 2 weeks First kiss First real breakup First time getting rejected for a job I applied for First half-marathon First time living at home since coming to college First time attending a non-BYU singles ward First time being ward organist First time visiting Washington D.C. First time going on a date with a co-worker First time singing with BYU Women's Chorus First time failing a test First time getting a B minus in a class (and being deliriously happy with it) First time introducing a significan...

I will never understand why the days in which I have the "free" time in which to, y'know, be productive and stuff, tend to be the days where I sit around all day, do absolutely nothing and then feel like a lame bum. Case in point: Today was Sunday. I don't have church until 2. My family has church from 11 until 2. I usually wake up around 10:30 0r 11, leaving me 3 to 4 hours to fill. I usually get realllllly bored. Today I decided to counteract said boredom by drawing up a list of objectives, a "to-do list," if you will. Here it is: 1. Read my scriptures. 2. Make a training plan for my half-marathon. 3. Put my missionary letters in the mailbox (they've been written and sitting on my nightstand for a week). 4. Make cookies for my dad for Father's Day. 5. Write my dad an awesome, artistic card. 6. Balance my checkbook. 7. Get in a good hour of piano practicing. I even woke up at 9:30. That's really early for me! Somehow though, all ...