Toss the Turkey, it's Time to Trim the Trees!

You know a little bit before Thanksgiving I was planning on blogging on how great the fall weather was, but now it's COLD!

But with the cold of winter comes the joy of Christmas. The apartment has had most of it's Christmas decorating completed on Monday. Sarah and I bought a voluptuous tree and some more decorations on Monday afternoon and the decorating of 24 commenced.

I was told I decorated the wrong green about 5' 5'' thing in the room

I haven't had a live tree since I was at least 7-years-old. I can't believe what I've been missing! There's something about having a live Christmas tree. The whiff of pine when I walk in the door. The fun of watering it, well I think it's fun.

So not only did we decorate the real Christmas tree, but we have decorated the bamboo tree that has been in the apartment now for over a year (Thanks Mom!). We have decided to have the real tree be a more traditional looking tree and the bamboo tree...well take a look.

I want to get this off of my chest...

A longtime annoyance of mine is when on DVDs the names of the actors/actresses are opposite of where they are pictured. As seen here:

BAD

GOOD


Although I love the film this movie, it just don't got it...


Yes, there are four people but it's possible, look

Does anyone else join me in this annoyance?

The ABCs of Tomoser's current life

Accounting 200. Blech!
Black Bean Soup
Chris Koza, who didn't show up for his concert in SLC on Monday
Dance party in SLC library parking garage, in lieu of no above listed concert
Embarrassment from open windows
Forever 21, my first trip last week...a new love
GAP, where I bought my fantastic new jeans
Halloween!
Ice Breaker, the most important speed on Hamilton (my blender) for my virgin drinks
Jon, who has taught me a refresher course in driving stick, brought candy for Halloween and may just be the best hometeacher ever
Korea, rather a letter from Elder Grant serving in Korea
Law school surveys for Comms 318
Maestro's...mmmm gelato
New York City Internship Application
Opposition in all things
Pumpkin Cookies
Quixotic
Range we got a new range (stove/oven)
Springhaven this weekend!
Toenail split in half from overenthusiastic snapping of fingers while dancing
Upwords, from the makers of Scrabble
Veronica Mars
W.I.N.C. Witches In Nature's Colors (wink)
X-Ray, I haven't had one in over a year
Yogurt, I've expanded the varieties I purchase
Zurchers, first trip yesterday (Nobbies in Omaha is better)

"When your stomach is empty and your mind is full it's always hard to sleep."

That E.B. White knew what he was talking about in Charlotte's Web. I can't sleep. I'm so tired but I can't sleep.

I thought I would communicate some of the things that have popped out to me recently in application to my life from various forms of entertainment.

From "The Holiday"

Arthur: "In the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend, you I can tell are leading lady, but for some reason you're behaving like the best friend."

Iris: "You're so right. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for *goodness sake."

*Changed from original form

From Death Cab for Cutie, "Someday you will be Loved"

But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to met
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved
Like you never have known

Maybe I need to be more of a leading lady to be loved.

Maybe I just need to get some sleep.

It comes but twice a year...

If you would have asked me how my weekend was going to go Friday morning it would have been quite a different than how it went. Luckily it went BETTER!

Friday afternoon, Nicole calls me and says Brittany is in Provo and Ben is coming in that evening! It was so much fun hanging out with them again, it's been awhile since all of us were in the same place to play. At the end of the night it turned out that they had an extra ticket for the morning session of General Conference!

Then in between the morning and afternoon session Ben got tickets to the afternoon session! We also ran into Sister Fokken, (who is serving at temple square) a girl from my home stake who I've been friends with for like 8 years.

I think my favorite part of conference was when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang I Believe in Christ during the morning session. It's in my top five of favorite hymns. I also really enjoyed Elder Ballard's and Elder Teh's talk.

Not only was I spiritually fed, but I ate well today too! After our apartment watched conference from the comfort of our own apartment. Our hometeacher fed us lunch, then following the afternoon session Sarah and I had our now traditional (because we've done it more than once) General Conference dinner get together. Sarah made Pozole and helped me with an experimental mac and cheese.

We Eat Like Kings!

Good Weekend.

On an unrelated note, I've made a new blog of reviews of "The Last Movie I Saw." Check it out. http://www.fruit-snacksmovies.blogspot.com

The Happenings in Happy Valley

Well my friends it's been awhile since I've posted. I've been busy with a good number of things school, as always, plus it got a little challenging to get back up to speed since I went back to Omaha for a few days for my Grandpa's funeral.

So I figured I'd give a thumbnail version of what I've been up to as of late, besides school.

I am now a part of Divine Comedy now. From unofficial crew member last year, to official crew member, to according to a web site management error, cast member. But in reality I'm on the crew and having a fabulous time.

Also Sarah, my roommate, got Jamie (my other roommate) and I hooked on Veronica Mars. We just finished watching season 1 last night. SO GOOD!

My new favorite musical artist as of now is Mika. You can check out the first song I fell in love with here and if you are up for a second go here.

I also just found this blog which is really quite homourous. It consists of overheard converstations in San Francisco.

Oh! I also got a new bike! It's a 26" Triax Blade Mountain Bike. Unfortunately, I've had some challenges with it though. While on my first ride my new bike lock somehow reset itself. So when I locked it up no one in the world knew what the combination was including myself. After a friend decided to finally get those bolt cutters he's been wanting to get, we set my bike free by cutting the lock. Then only a few short days later, I went on a bike ride and went through a field of grass. A few blocks later I got off of my bike to cross a busier street and heard "psssssssssssss" both of my tires were flat. Unbeknown st to me the field of grass was full of sharp stickers. After I returned back to Provo, Peter, a nice young man in my ward offered to patch my tires. A few hours later after he returned the bike to me the front tire was flat again. Peter took a second stab at patching it and the next day when Sarah and I were running late to Divine Comedy auditions my front tire was flat again. Finally, I asked Peter how much a new inner tube cost. After finding out there were less than $5 I said let's just get a new inner tube. Peter put the new tube in and FINALLY it's as good as new.

A new "Sundae" on Sunday

Today was the first day of church for the new semester, having moved back into the apartment that I was in last year there were a good number of people who were in the ward last year. But also many new faces. After meeting new people at ward prayer and at the festivities despues de ward prayer, I came up with an analogy about the ward...involving ice cream sundaes.

The people who are returning to the ward are like the ice cream of the sundae, you know it's good, you're comfortable with the ice cream and enjoy it.

The new people to the ward are the various toppings. That give the the sundae a little punch and make it unique. You may not have tried a sundae with a 100 grand bar, hazelnuts and drizzled carmel, but it looks to be a winning combination.

(blush)

So I saw Eragon for the first time this weekend. It was a decent film, I kept thinking it was like a preteen version of the Lord of the Rings. But I have to admit I think the actor Edward Speelers is umm...a an attractive young man. (He's on the left.)

Yes.

One year ago today...

August 17th 2006

This day will be forever etched into my brain, it was my first day back in Omaha after an amazing trip to Austin, it was the day in question when I went to trial on November 20th 2006. It was the first day I wore my new watch. The day when the world around me took its ques from the lyrics of the Gran Bel Fisher song "Crash and Burn" I was listening to.

August 17th 2006 3:20 p.m. 87th Ave and Pacific Street = my first car accident

Yes, one year ago today after picking my brother up from school I attempted to make a left turn onto Pacific street when a young man driving a Toyota Scion coupe proceeded into the intersection while the light was red. While the lyrics of "Crash and Burn" could be heard through my window...


BAM!

Next thing I knew I was getting out of the car and coughing on the smoke from the airbag. I checked to make sure my brother Stephen, in the passenger seat was okay. He assured me he was. I hadn't realized my own injuries. It wasn't until the girl in the car behind me brought to my attention that my hand was dripping blood.

I looked at my windshield and looked at my hand. The deployment of the airbag caused my hand to punch through the windshield. My brand new watch that had been re sized not even two hours ago had caused a deep laceration on the head of my ulna (the bump on your wrist) along with many tiny shards of glass embedded in my hand.

Once I came out of the ambulance after the EMTs had wrapped my hand to stop the bleeding, I was delivered a ticket by a police officer, who didn't even care to hear BOTH sides of the story before determining who was at fault.

So I have a lot of glass in my hand and I have a ticket I don't deserve. I recall my dad telling me he recently took the collision insurance off of the car.

After some miscommunication resulting in me sitting by my busted car for an hour by myself I was treated at the urgent care. There I had almost all of the glass removed from my hand (I had to get a few hiding shards removed in Provo a couple months later) received some stitches on my ring finger and some superglue on my hand and wrist.

Later in November I contested the ticket issued against me and won. Yeah, take that. I was so relieved to have all the car business taken care of.

Or so I thought.

In March the young man I was in the accident with decided to sue me in civil court for the damages to his car, since he decided to let his insurance lapse on his 2006 Scion, he wanted me to pay for it.

THANKFULLY just a few weeks ago after a counter sue and some pressure from my lawyer, he decided to drop the suit and we therefore dropped our counter suit.

Although I wouldn't do it again I did learn some things. (In no particular order)

• The legal system really takes a long time.
• Some people have no problem with lying under oath.
  
• Getting glass removed from your hand is extremely painful and although it was taken care of quickly, it's a toss up as to whether I would rather break my arm again or have that amount of glass removed from my hand again.
  
• I'm more self-conscious about the ugliness of my scars than they really are, but I'm getting better about it.
  
• Having had two lawyers during this process, it's essential to have a lawyer who believes you and understands exactly what happened. Therefore he/she doesn't question you when someone of the other party lies under oath.
  
• It's amazing how in the heat of the moment you really can't feel pain.
  
• When the heat of the moment is gone, the pain takes it's place.
  
• Tylenol with codine makes you really tired.
  
• If you are given a ticket you honestly don't deserve handle it THEN not later. Without violating the officer be firm but lawful and explain to the officer how things happened and why you are not at fault. If the officer had been accurate in his investigation or/and I would have gotten him to understand how it really happened, I would have saved over a thousand dollars in legal fees and never would have had this gorilla of burden on my mind for a few weeks short of a year.
  
• When I am in a stressful situation I am able to be focused and handle things and somewhat even reduce the severity of the situation. (Ex. my explanation of my injury to my parents gave them the impression that I just had a few minor cuts, that may or may not need to be seen by a medical professional but if so it wasn't a big rush.)
• In some ways I can't believe how much this accident has effected me.
  

The sweat of my...everywhere

As many of you may know this summer I have been an intern at a consulting firm for non-profit organizations called Paul J. Strawhecker, Inc.

On Friday we took the afternoon off from our normal business attire of dress slacks and button-up shirts to paint splattered shorts and t-shirts. Exchanged our computers for powerdrills, pens for hammers. We took a break from helping non-profits by helping them raise money and helped Habitat for Humanity with our time and the sweat of our brow...and back, shoulders, arms, basically everywhere (that's Nebraska for ya during a heat wave, 97 degrees with over 90 percent humidity).

I was apart of the team cutting and putting up drywall, while the rest of the group was putting up a decorative panelling for the ceiling of the outdoor patio. After being inside of an office where my efforts are stored inside of a computer box, it was extremely gratifying to see the direct result of my, our labors. Before we arrived this stairwell wasn't drywalled when we left it was. The work was gratifying and it was refreshing to see a directly see the results of my work. It reminded me of a quote from the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley's talk "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel."

There is no substitute under the heavens for productive labor. It is the process by which dreams become realities. It is the process by which idle visions become dynamic achievements.

Though my work may be menial, though my contribution may be small, I can perform it with dignity and offer it with unselfishness. My talents may not be great, but I can use them to bless the lives of others. I can be one who does his work with pride in that which comes from hand and mind. I can be one who works with respect for my associates, for their opinions, for their beliefs, with appreciation for their problems and with a desire to help them should they stumble. I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small. But it will count for the greater good

The last quotation I found while rereading the talk and I will try to instill in my life.

A "failure" in my brother's eyes

On Friday evening my youngest brother Erik (9) and I were watching TLC's "What Not to Wear." The person was a 24 year-old girl who was dressing like a punk rocker to her high-end Interior Design firm. Within a few moments of Erik sitting down to watch the show the following conversation took place:

"She's dumb she's not married," said Erik.
"How do you know she isn't married?" I replied.
"She doesn't have a ring on," Erik said nonchalantly. "Everyone should be married by the time they are 19."

I was shocked to discover:

a) My 9 year-old brother has already gained the habit of looking at people's hands to see if they are married, when I myself didn't get into the habit of looking until my first year at BYU.

b) I'm a "failure" in my brother's eyes having reached the "ripe old age" of 20 without a husband, nor any prospects.

But I'm okay with having accomplished this "failure," it'll happen when it happens and as long as there is cake at the reception I'm sure Erik'll be happy whenever it happens.

Chicago and a little photography comparison

My hair has fallen back into place as I have now returned from my family vacation from the Windy City. Chicago is the biggest city I had ever been to and as much as I know that I am more of a city slicker than a country girl, upon driving into the city I cannot deny that I felt an ounce of intimidation and almost fear flow through me. But by the end of the week I really came to love Chicago and wouldn't mind working there for a few years after graduating.

The vacation was good and extremely educational in any and all aspects possible. I learned loads about Chicago and it's background and tons of information from the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and The Art Institute of Chicago . But perhaps unreplicatably (new word!) I learned a lot about my family and my place in it.

I took dozens of pictures (12.67 dozen approximately.) My favorite picture of the entire trip is of my family outside of the Adler Planetarium shown here on the right.

After looking at it a I realized my photograph reminded me of a piece done by one of my favorite photography artists, Rodney Smith.


Funny huh? Skyscrapers, water, five people...

A new identifier para mi...blogger.

I've decided to get a blog. I haven't completely decided what this blog will encompass, but we'll see where the wind blows.

By mid-morning today I realized I was going against normal protocol for Omaha in July (HOT...more HUMID + hot). I ate hot oatmeal for breakfast, wore a sweater to my internship, and brought soup for lunch.

I know I go through phases where in the Summer time I can't wait to pull out my pea coat and beanie; similarly in the Winter I long for flip-flops. Well today I guess I just did it anyway I wore that sweater and ate my oatmeal. If only my coat wasn't still in Utah...yeah, take that summer.