hoi polloi.

So I figured that since I said I would put up pictures of my apartment (and I've now lived here for 4 months) I should probably do that. Anyway, here it is!

Living room.

Bathroom!

Kitchen.

Kitchen side 2.

My room!

and the other side. (I sewed those curtains, very proud.)

So I haven't really been doing much besides school and work. I cut back on work so I don't work Mondays and Wednesdays now which is super nice. It's good to have some time to yourself :) I haven't had much lately so I'm enjoying it. I went to the coast and got to see some sun! eat at Mo's, and see how fast my car could corner ;)

I've decided (once again) that I'm going to major in elementary education, but also hopefully minor/major in art. I've come to conclude that I really do love kids, and would love a job where I get to be with them and teach them every day. Not to mention that summers off will be nice...

I'm a little tired of the grey skies here in Eugene, but that's part of the package right? I just applied for my passport. That was an irritating process. I went during my lunch break and waited for AN HOUR and the line didn't move a SINGLE PERSON. I went the next day at 8:30 in the morning and it took a whopping 10 minutes. I guess you just have to catch them at the right time apparently.

The power just flickered off and on... oh shoot.

One thing I REALLY dislike, is when Christmas music is playing on the radio before Thanksgiving is even here. I like it, but by the time Christmas gets here I'm so tired of it that I don't want to hear it anymore. Christmas is my favorite holiday, but it's just not supposed to come before Thanksgiving; turkeys should get their fair share of fame.

I really like my classes that I'm taking right now. My teachers are super helpful and seem like they actually want to be there, haha. It's nice when you have a teacher who seems like they really do care about how you're doing. I hope that's how I'll be someday :)

peregrination.

Since I have almost seven more hours of work sitting behind this boring desk, I think it's a good chance to elaborate on my short entry...

Summer is practically gone! I don't really know what to think about it. It seemed like it lasted forever when I was in the middle of it but now everyone is leaving for school already. Taking classes, working, and attempting to be social takes a lot of effort, I don't know that I'll be up for it that much longer - maybe I'll cut one of them out soon?

I moved into an apartment inbetween 11th and 12th on Charnelton Alley. It's a cute little two bedroom apartment with a kitchen, bathroom, and a living room (the bathroom is practically as big as the living room). Kim and I have somewhat opposite schedules, but we've been getting along super well and we seem to have everything we need for right now as far as the apartment goes. It gets VERY hot in the apartment if we don't keep the windows open and fans on at all times, so I don't think we'll have any trouble keeping it warm during fall and winter.

I finally almost have my room put together/finished, I'm just waiting for a bed-frame and I'll be all set. My room in my apartment is bigger than either of my rooms at my parents house so that part is nice! Kim has a sewing machine that we've used to make curtains for our apartment (I made mine all by myself, woo!) we put fabric up on the walls as wall-paper, and we went to ross to get random things for the shelves that run around the ceiling in the kitchen (everyone always has random things up there, right?).

I just sold my Xterra a couple of days ago. I've been thinking about it for awhile, so I finally put it up on craigslist and got a call back about it a couple days later, and sold it! I wanted to sell it because it gets absolutely horrible gas mileage! I got 12 miles/gallon <-- bad. When I thought I was going to move to Bend it would've been the perfect car, since I'm staying here and "commuting" to work 15 minutes away it just makes more sense for me to have a car that is more fuel efficient. I'm looking at getting a volkswagon golf or rabbit, but we'll see what I end up with. And let's hope the grandparents will co-sign on another loan for me...

I'm dual-enrolling at Lane and University of Oregon this year. No going back to Hawaii for me :( Dealing with school has been a pain! I finally got admitted into U of O, but now I have to wait for orientation to sign up for classes, and guess when orientation is? The WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS! What is this?! I think they are trying as hard as they can to make it not possible for me to attend school there. I'm supposed to be giving next month's work schedule in by the 15th (two days from now) and I still have no idea what my class schedule is going to be like. Oh geez, I hope something works itself out.

My roommate and I have decided to get our motorcycle licenses... Haha. She might be getting a vespa, and in order to get one that goes over 35 mph you must have a motorcycle license. So that's what we're going to do! They get like 60 miles/gallon on fuel so we figure it's a pretty good investment. The training is only three days! Granted, they are going to be very long days, but it's going to be worth it. Wish me luck!

I've been a little more relaxed the last couple weeks, and hopefully it will stay that way until school starts (and maybe after?). I've gone to the coast a couple of times, ridden my bike, hiked Spencers Butte, eaten at Sweet Life, and slept. Really, how much better can it get?

I also just found out that flights from Portland to Hawaii, roundtrip, in January are $219. I AM GOING.

flower.

Yes, I am finally updating much needed to be updated blog. Lots of things:

• Moved into my own two-bedroom apartment with Kim!
• I'm going to be dual-enrolling at Lane and University of Oregon
• I just sold my Xterra, not quite sure how I feel about that decision yet
• I went to the Xavier Rudd concert up in Portland (awesome!)
• Just went see Michael Franti
• Also saw Band of Horses (can you tell where all of my extra money is going?)
• I want to go to take a road trip to Canada (as soon as I get a passport)
• I'm turning 20 in one month and three days, WOO!

There is my life.

elbow tag.

I've been back in Eugene now for about a month and a half. I'm really missing Hawaii, but Eugene has been fun too. I haven't written in awhile, so I need to fill in the big blank space... I've found a job as a lifeguard at the Eugene Swim & Tennis Club, and I'm taking a writing class at Lane to make up for my passed A.P. English class senior year (long, horrible, boring story). Those two things are pretty much what run my life right now, but I'm still getting some time for myself so it's worked out really well. My writing class is very (un)iteresting. My teacher, Perry Ma, came over from China and taught himself english. Why he is teaching my writing class? I have no idea. It's very hard to understand him and he seems so stressed all of the time that I really don't know how he goes through the day. He also has a funny tree branch theory he uses that involves his arm and finger... HA.

I got the amazing chance to go see Coldplay. SO NEAT! The coolest concert, by far, that I've ever been to. They were better live than they are on their cd's. So good. It was up in Ridgefield, WA (right past Portland). We thought we were going to miss it because of traffic but we ended up getting there right before Coldplay came out so it was perfect timing. There were thousands and thousands of people there. I had only gotten my tickets like a week before the show, and I ended up sitting in the same row as my mom who had gotten her tickets back in February, it was pretty funny.

I've been admitted into University of Oregon, and hopefully I'll be attending this fall, but we'll see how everything goes. I'm adjusting to life back at home as a college student and it's been going fairly well. It's definitely different living on your own for a year and then coming back home to parents and everything you left behind. It's been fun, but it takes some adjusting.

I have signed my life over to the bank to be the proud owner of an Xterra. So excited, but let's hope I can keep up with the payments. and GAS! The car gets freakin' 14 miles per gallon and the gas goes so fast... I literally watch the needle go down as I drive. It looks like it's going to be back to the bike for me!

Nutrilligator.

I am back in Eugene. Besides the weather, I love being home. It's been amazing to see friends again and be back with family. I've gotten settled in and have been making up for lost time. I have already succeeded in losing my tan I had in Hawaii, but hopefully that will be somewhat coming back if the weather ever decides to get nice here.

I take that back about loving being home (well, the job department anyway). Finding a job in Eugene = Impossible. I've turned in like 15 applications and haven't heard anything back... I'm really starting to stress out because I need to be able to find a job this summer to be able to save up some money. Besides the job part... home is great.

I've been camping, been on a nutrilligator bike riding adventure where we encountered snakes and an alligator, been trying to get my body adjusted to the 3 hour time difference, and played a softball game with the IB Roof Systems softball team (IB Ballers...). I missed Eugene, I'm glad I got to come home.

Fillip.

I've been counting down the days until I go home, and it's down to 11... I don't know if I want to go! I really like it here, and have loved meeting new people and making new friends. It's so much fun having people come out to visit me, and just getting to be a goofy kid. I do miss Eugene, but I know I'm going to miss it here so much! I'm liking classes, biking, the beach, the swap meet, the people, oh boy... I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to leave. Here's a group of us waiting at the bus stop to head home from the Swap Meet.

I had my last day of work yesterday and I was actually really sad. I mean, who would've thought I'd be sad about not having to wash dishes for hours upon hours a night? Tui brought pizza for my last day! That was nice, I haven't had pizza for like 2 months, it was great!

My friend Cait came to visit with her family and they were so nice! It was fun getting to the other side of someone's life that I met in college. It was kind of wierd seeing her like 4,000 miles away from where I met her, but it was nice to see a familiar face. We went to Matsumoto's shave ice down in Haleiwa, and I took them to a secret beach spot where we saw turtles!

I'm so excited to go home, but I'm just not too excited about leaving here. I wish I could just have both as once, that would be the life. But oh well, you can't have it all. However, I have to say, having to choose between Hawaii and Home... neither is really that bad of a choice :)

Whoop.

I don't know what it is but, lately, I have been very into sepia. Hmm, maybe it's an idea for a new photo shoot?

Not much has happened since camping. I met a girl who seems like she fell straight out of Eugene, but she's from Utah! It's one of the wierder things I've come across. She's super nice and really motivated. Maybe she will help me in that department. We've decided that we're going to make a business making and selling lava lava pants. Woo! I'll try and remember you when I'm rich and have 20 houses all over the world.

My friend Cait, from Utah State, is here with her family and I get to see her on Wednesday! I'm SO EXCITED! She's coming up to the north shore for the day and I'm going up to visit them in Haleiwa. I can't wait to see her!

It's official, I'm going back to Eugene for summer. I'm hoping to move into my own apartment, so if you hear of anything cheap then please pass it on! I'd very much appreciate.

Mmm, I have my bio midterm this friday, and pretty much I'm only writing right now because I am procrastinating - I should probably start studying now. Ugh... Have I mentioned that I hate bio?

Corrigible

I still hate biology. We took our first test last friday and over 3/4 of the class failed (yep, me included). The teacher said we did so bad that he had to revise it so that our scores would be better. There were 50 questions, and an essay we had to write. 38 of the questions got thrown out... I think it shows you something more about the teaching style than the learning, wouldn't you think? There are study groups next week and whatnot so we'll see if those help. We have our midterm this coming up friday, I hope I amaze myself.

I experienced camping on the beach last night and it was one of the best things I've ever done. It was absolutely amazing sitting and being able to listen to the ocean all night long. It was a full moon and so it was light even at 2:00 in the morning, and especially lighter with all of the sand reflecting the light. We got there about 10:30, built a campfire, roasted cinnamon rolls (they are actually pretty good toasted!), talked about life, and fell asleep in blankets next to the ocean in the sand. I don't think my night could've gone any better.

Big Jumps

So, today didn't have the best start in the entire world. I woke up, looked out my window, and thought to myself, "Hmm, it's wierd that it's light so early... AHHHFSDJDKFDJ!" Looked at the time and it was 5:49 A.M. (my jogging class starts at 6:00 A.M.) I fell out of of my bed and into some clothes and ran out the door. 

I ended up making it just in time to change into the mandatory workout clothes they have here, and was on my way for our 1.5 mile run today around campus. I forgot to mention, last week I ran a total of 6.2 miles! Yes, some people do that everyday as their warm up, but whatever. Go me.

I am pretty sure I am going to fail my biology class. It's from 7:30 until 9:30 in the morning monday, wednesday, and friday, right after my running class. I'm awake when I get there from running and showering and whatnot, but that class is SO incredibly boring. I have absolutely NO need in my life to know that,

"By forming a two-layered membrane, or phospholipid bilayer, the hydrophobic parts of molecules stay away from water, while the hydrophilic portions remain surrounded by water." 

-Essential Biology, third edition.

Why can't we just say something like, "Some things like water and others don't. It's like that because that's the way it is." I'm all for it. Props to whoever is majoring in biology, it takes a lot of effort to try and understand all of the gibberish coming from those boring textbooks.

Besides my morning.... my day was great! We got let out of biology half an hour early, I took the kids to the beach, I saw my friend Akane perform amazingly well at her senior percussion recital, I  walked to Foodland and ate a Melona Bar (try them! I think the green ones are the best), and cleaned up my room. Now I'm off to bed (and yes I double checked that my alarm was set, and on this time). Goodnight!

Idiosyncratic

I started spring term at BYUH on Monday. My teachers all seem really nice, and I'm hoping that I can meet some more people in my classes. I found out that my biology teacher is a math prodigy (GENIUS), and also that he's OCD about background noise (so, basically, if we talk in class he straight yells at you). Other than that... he seems nice. My jogging teacher is from the land down under and has the coolest accent, and is in very good shape for being an older woman. My other class (which I switched into taking a class that hopefully I'll be able to get certified as a lifeguard) is a small class, and there's a teacher and two assistant teachers. She knows what she's doing. We have to swim 550 yards the second day of class (THURSDAY!). In other words, Sienna + swimming a lot = dead. Oh boy, I can't wait.

I also had a really good weekend. Carly, Hailey, and I went down to town Saturday night and went to Jammin Hawaiians. They had J Boog and Ten Feet and some other people there that played, it was a lot of fun. We stayed in a hotel and then the next morning we played in the pool, went down the water slide, swam in the ocean, and sat in the hot tub. We wanted to order pina coladas (yum!), but when a hamburger is $27, I don't think I'm going to like the price of the drinks either.

Outré

So, I have managed to keep my job for the last week. Hopefully that will continue! I eat subway every night for dinner, and have some leftover ice cream for dessert. The girls I work with tell me I'll gain 15 pounds within the next little bit of working there. Oh joy, so many good things to look forward to from working in an ice cream shop.

I registered for school today and got my official BYUH ID card! You need it for absolutely everything here, so I'm glad I finally have it. I start my classes next week. I'm taking a jogging class, biology, and some lifesaving deal that will get me my lifeguarding permit deal - hopefully I'll score a summer job with it!

I have yet to use my film camera here. I've just been kind of on a digital streak, since I don't want to pay money to develop my film. I like being able to go to school and do it myself! Oh well, it will probably be better for me anyway because I take more pictures this way. I've taken some cool ones that I never would've thought to take with my film camera.

I rode my bike to Kahuku the other day. It was a pretty nice ride, it took about 25 minutes each way. I rode my nice little cruiser all the way down there and had a grand ol' time. What I didn't factor in was that the way there was much easier than the way back would be (I forgot about the wind!) I was wondering why I looked like I was speeding compared to the people coming back the other way, and I didn't realize until I was on the way back that the wind has a nice little way of making you pedal with all of your effort to go like 1 mile an hour.

My mom visited last week. It was nice having her here and getting to spend some time with her. We went to Waimea, Sharks Cove, and Haleiwa (I don't know how to spell it) and her and Omar and his kids seemed like they had a good time. The weather wasn't too great for them, but they managed to tour and hit the beach and have a good time anyway. Mike and Amy also were here for Amy's birthday, and they were happened to visit the PCC and I live about 5 minutes away, so we met up for ice cream where I work! I introduced them to the "Angel's Halo," it's a giant shave ice with ice cream on the bottom, the flavors, condensed milk swirled over it, and whipped cream to top it off. The BEST thing in the whole entire ice cream shop (except for maybe the cookies n' cream milkshakes, or the bubble drinks, or the...) I guess everything from there is good.

I also met a kid who sounds exactly like Sid, the sloth, from the movie Ice Age. He's super nice, but it's just really hard to take him seriously when there is that constant slur in all of his words. I didn't think I would ever meet someone who talked like that, but now I have! I think I'm going to try and record him talking someday. It's great.

Chimerical

I've had a some firsts in the last couple days:

-I was psychoanalyzed

-Hopped over a fence to get into a grocery store

-Made stir-fry (Yep, I cooked!)

-First day of work at the ice cream shop! :)

-Saw a centipede as long as my foot IN MY ROOM

-Been backstage/upstairs in the P.C.C.

The psychoanalyzation was actually one of the coolest things that I've come across. Depending on how much you really think about it and answer truthfully, it's amazingly accurate and intriguing to learn things about yourself that you "know but don't actually know/can't put into words." You must answer four questions with as many details as you can and then you get your answers.

1. What is your favorite color? (Don't say it, or say "the color of grass," use adjectives like, "happy, friendly, relaxed, natural, striking... etc.)

2. What is your favorite animal? (Again, don't say the actual animal or what it looks like, but HOW it is, for example, "unique, playful, social tendancies, awkward...etc.)

3. You're in a white room, how do you feel? (Anything you imagine, just describe how you feel.)

4. You're in water, how do you feel? (Any way you picture yourself in water, then describe it.)

Once you have the answers to these questions, they describe different things about you and how you view things. Want to know what they are? Ask me! :)

I just got a job at an ice cream shop. I've learned how to make lots of good stuff! I just need to learn how to do the cash register because I've messed up on that a couple times... oops. The girls that I work with are super nice and they help me a lot with learning everything. I work nights, so if you ever happen to be in Laie at night then stop by for a visit!

Diaphanous

So I attempted a run on the beach the other morning. PATHETIC. I made it to the beach, stopped for a rest, stashed the sweaty shirt, shoes, and socks in the grass, ran to the curve and sat on a log to watch the sun come up. Yes, yes, it would have been more rewarding watching the sun come up if I had actually run the whole way; but whatever, I got off my butt and  tried so I'm a happy woman.

It's been windy, cold, and rainy the last couple days (always reminding me of Eugene) but today was nice enough to where we could go to the beach for at least a couple hours. We all got our swimsuits on, made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (the best kind in my opinion), got in the car, and were on our way. We went to a beach called Sharks Cove. I hope the name has nothing to do with the creatures that are swimming around it besides the one I'm about to tell you about. The kids hunted for hermit crabs and waded around trying to catch fish. We were just beginning to climb on some rocks when everyone looked right behind us and started cheering - there was a WHALE! (Way out in the ocean of course). It was breaching and spouting water for everyone to see, it was really neat to get to experience how beautiful nature can be.

Also, I cooked dinner tonight. DANG right I did! Woo! Yep, it was only pancakes and bacon, but oh baby did I do it! Slowly but surely, I'm learning to cook. Hopefully I'll have this business down sometime soon, otherwise I'm going to starve.

Quote of the day :)

"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And one you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."

--Bill Cosby

(I tried laughing hysterically at my running attempt, but it didn't help. Hmm, this quote must be talking about other things...)

Corazon

I got the chance to go home for "Spring Break" (I've been on a break for almost five months now) and it was a blast. The flight there was horrible having screaming kids directly behind me the whole flight, but... I got to see friends, family, and attend my dad's wedding so it was worth enduring the blue-faced babies. I loved being back in Eugene, it's one of my favorite places. I experienced the cold, rain, Cafe Yumm, Spencers Butte, learning actual guitar, Portland, Burrito Amigos, Alton Baker, bowling, Sweet Life, MY BED, Pita Pit, nice fluffy carpet (we don't have that in our house here), and guitar hero; how much better could it have been? Not much! Maybe being able to stay a little longer. (I just now noticed that like every other thing I mentioned had to do with food... I guess I like to eat!)

I somehow managed to be one of the last four people to board the plane even though I made it to the airport with an hour to spare, but oh well. At least I made it! The flight back home was probably the best flight I've ever had anywhere. I think I was awake for a total of ten minutes the entire time. It was glorious. I also loved being able to walk out of the airport into the bright, warm sunshine. I love Eugene, but you can't beat having to go back to Hawaii :)

Quote of the Day :)

"Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up."

--Robert Frost

Warbling

I've figured out what path in life I want to be on the for the moment.

I've been admitted into BYU Hawaii.

I've caught hermit crabs and collected shells at the beach with my cousins.

I've met some girls. They just so happen to be softball girls. Super nice :)
I've also been to the basketball games here. Our team is good! They'd give the ducks a run for their money.

I've decided that I like it here. A LOT.

I've learned the benefits of a bicycle. Doesn't cost money to fill up (all human power!), easy to fix, faster than walking, you can park almost anywhere, and it's healthy. I ride it everywhere.

I've also peeled a couple good inch long chunks of skin off of me from my sunburn, but I figured pictures of that wouldn't be so great...

To conclude!
I like it here. I'm happy here. I hope I'm here to stay.

Come visit!

h.i.

     So I got here a couple weeks ago. I'm living with my Aunt Jenica and her family and they've done a wonderful job at making me feel at home here. We live five minutes away from BYU campus and about two minutes from the beach. The beach. Yes, the beach. Love the beach. I've already been sunburned, and hope to not have to experience it again since I've already had to go through it once.

     Today I got accepted into BYU Hawaii and I'm stoked. I'm going to be starting spring term and can't wait! I've walked around the campus and, yes it's small, but it's open and light and the class sizes are going to be small which will be a big help. The students that I've met so far have been super nice and very helpful with directions! I love that there are so many different kinds of people at BYU. There are people here from like seventy different countries or something. 

     I feel pretty blessed to have everything work out as well as it has. The last couple of months have been a little rough, but I think things are going to be smooth sailing from here on out. I'm learning more about myself and (I think) more of what life's really about. It's been a neat experience to come out and actually live, not just stay in a hotel for a week. The people are very simple and so happy. Yes, we don't have all the pretty little decorations and nice wallpaper and baubles, but we have a roof over out heads and are as happy as can be. I like this different lifestyle. It's been very eye opening for me, and it has made me realize that I don't need half the things I thought I did. Although, I could really go without the bugs, but it's a package deal ;)

Lexicon

Well folks, I have yet another move to announce... this time it's to Hawaii. (Yes, I am being completely serious here.) It was kind of a surprise, and I'm a little tired of all of the packing and unpacking I've had to do over the last couple months, but hey! How many times do you get offered the chance to go live in Hawaii and be with family? Let me tell ya, not often.

I've grown (in my 4 weeks of being here) to really, really like Texas. Colleyville is a great place, it has everything you need, and if you want a little something extra then Dallas and Ft. Worth are both only 30 minutes away (mind you, not in rush hour traffic). Yes, I've come to realize what the actual meaning of rush hour traffic is, not the pretend 5 minute delay we sometimes had on Coburg Road in Eugene. This is messy, jerks constantly cutting you off, moving at 5 miles an hour (if that) for miles and miles. I'm not going to miss that, however I am going to miss a few other things.

My aunt and uncle, kids, grandparents, and cousin have done a wonderful job of making me feel at home here. I'm going to miss them terribly, because I'm only just beginning to really know them. I didn't really have a chance to know them because I had been living in Oregon while they were in Texas. I'm also going to miss my job, I love it. The girls are super nice and the managers are great. The discounts are also going to be one of those missed greatly, haha. The classes that I had here were really good too with awesome teachers. Ceramics and photography were my favorite, but you win some, you lose some, right?

I'm going to be living with my Aunt Jenica and her family in Laie, it's on the north shore of Hawaii close to BYU and right down the road from the temple. She told me that it's pretty much like living in the country, so it's going to be a big change from living in Texas where there are tons of things going on, tons of people; tons of everything. I'm going to be a nanny for my cousins over the next couple of months, and then hopefully going to school in the summer to catch up for the school that I'm missing out on right now.

Another thing, the dad is getting married! I'm happy for him that he's found someone he wants to spend the rest of his life with. It was definitely... a surprise, but oh well. What can you do? Hopefully I'll be able to go home for the wedding, but we'll see how that goes. If I don't, I won't be back home until the end of August! Oh baby, that's kind of scary to think about, but exciting!

My new address is going to be:

55-651 Lanihuli Pl.

Laie, HI 96762

Write me! :)

"You make the world a better place by making yourself a better person."

--Scott Sorrell

Sometimes.

Sometimes things happen in your life that make you wonder what really matters. There are things that you do that you wish you hadn't, there are things that you wish you could change about your life and yourself, there are things you wish you could change about other people... but what I've come to realize, is that that is what makes you who you are. All of your life experiences are just little pieces making up the person who you are to become. Yes, they may not necessarily be what you want at the time, but as my good friend said, "Shut it, grow a pair, and deal with it." It will all work out in the end.

Mhmm.

Well it seems that's I've somewhat turned into a Texan. I got the plaid collared shirt and some of my words have gotten a little bit of an accent to go along with them. I have yet to get the cowboy boots and hat though...

My negatives turned out great for my first assignment for photo class. I have a pretty cool shot that I printed today that's of barbed wire. It's drying though, so I'll put it up when I get it back. I'm learning a lot in that class and I hope to continue on learning everything that I can. It's great!

Last night I couldn't really sleep, the T.V. was blaring, the driveway light was on, the blinds didn't work, lots of things going through my head. I had it in the plan to go to a spin class this morning that started at 5:45, but when I couldn't call asleep until 12 I figured that wasn't the brightest idea. And so, I haven't worked out yet today. And I don't know that I'm going to. Maybe I'll go in for a steam room run later tonight, who knows?

The weather is pretty nice today, about 60 and sunny with a little wind. I'm really liking it a lot. It has been getting pretty chilly at night, but that's when you're supposed to be inside, right? I'm off to practice my speech that I just wrote for today's class, wish me luck.

Gee Whiz.

Well, I thought today was going to be a great day. In yoga I touched my forehead to my shins for the first time, woo! Then later I found out that my dad told everyone else but me that he's getting married. Now I realize why everyone was asking me if he had called or not. He finally did. He called back a day AFTER I called him and left a message. Glad to know that my dad didn't have the balls to call his own daughter.
Can't wait for this whole marriage thing to happen. I get to be ignored even more than before. Yay. Maybe he'll just stop talking to me altogether.

And just for the record, it's not Devry. Nothing against her. This is all on my dad. This happens no matter who he's dating. So stop telling me that she's great... that's not the point (and it's not "consolation") and I'm tired of hearing it.

Cryptic

I LOVE my job, I'm just going to put it out there right now. I work at Victoria's Secret and it's absolutely amazing. All the girls I work with are super nice, I get great discounts, and it's in a good location. I worked my first day yesterday out on the floor and I was being trained behind the counter for the cash register. Mel said I did pretty well, I just kept forgetting to take off the sensors... but I think we caught them all before the customers left because the alarms kept going off, haha.

I have come across a very bad habit being around all of the malls and stores here that we don't have in Eugene, I LOVE to shop. Too bad I don't make millions a year like all the people who live here. Oh well, I have a pretty good life, I'm not going to complain! School has been fun to go to. I really like my art classes. I've learned a lot in only a couple days of drawing, I really like working with the clay in ceramics, and in photo we developed our first roll of 120 film. It's bigger squares that you have to develop with a "Holga" camera. The camera is kind of cool because you can't adjust anything on it. Yes, it's kind of a pain because you can pretty much only shoot on bright days, but it's cool because it takes you back to the very basics where there aren't all of these fancy settings, it's just 1/60 of a second, you, and the button to make an image on the film.

Since I joined the gym and have been to yoga almost everyday, it's one of my new passions. It just makes you feel good. Who wouldn't like that? Anyway, it starts in fifteen minutes, so I'm off!

Eucalyptus

Welcome to Texas.

I really don't know how I could've forgotten to include this earlier, anyway...

I wasn't even in Texas for an HOUR and I got pulled over. What kind of crummy luck is that? I was going 10 over because it switched from 80 to 70 because we were getting close to town. I saw the cop on the other side of the highway and decided to slow down. I watched in my rearview mirror as he turned around, in one of those "official emergency whatever vehicle only turnaround" places, and felt my stomach drop onto my seat as he sped up behind me and the lights came flashing on. That was definitely more of a welcome than I needed. I did, however, luck out in the fact that the cop was nice and didn't write me up for anything except a warning. I did feel dumb though when I had an insurance card that was five months expired. Oops.

     I am now a member of Lifetime Fitness and it's the COOLEST place ever (besides the car wash). It's huge. I couldn't tell you square feet because I don't know the first thing about that, but it's huge. They have every machine you could ever think of, every class you could ever think of, a rock climbing wall, a salon, a massage place, a cafe, an indoor pool with a water slide, an outdoor pool, and sweet locker rooms. In the women's locker room (I don't know about the men's) there is a steam room that is scented with eucalyptus. That sounds wierd, but it clears you right up after being in there for a couple minutes. It's one of the most relaxing things I've ever done. It's open 24 hours, so that is definitely going to be a plus when I'm freezing at night and would just like to go warm up in the steam room... :)

     Two days ago it was eighty degrees, yesterday it was seventy, and today it was 30 with 20 mile an hour winds. Really, the weather here needs to make up it's mind. You never know what kind of clothes to put on for the day. I guess it's not so bad though, because I'm inside for often than not now with school.

     I'm a little nervous. I go to my first meeting for work tomorrow. I really hope I don't make a bumbling idiot out of myself. I've figured out that I'm a nervous-talker (when I don't have anything to say, I babble on about nothing, and usually it's nothings that shouldn't be said because they just make it more confusing for everyone) and I really don't want to have confusing nothings popping out tomorrow. I really hope everything goes well. But I do have yoga after, so I can look forward to that if the meeting does in fact go horribly. Wish me luck!

AfterWords

Officially official for my life:

My room is never clean now that I have no roommate to make me think about cleaning it.

I experimented with dying hair on my grandmother (and was pretty successful if I do say so myself).

I love my aunt and uncle and their kids!

I am employed. 

I miss having someone close to me that I can talk to.

I have learned the full range of my scanner's capabilities.

I have started school.

I am going to see Dave Matthews on May 2nd.

I am a pro at getting lost and asking a billion people how to get back to where I came from.

My photography teacher is an exact replica of my U.S. History teacher's personality.

Flights to mexico from Dallas are only $89.

Highway 26 really does have everything you need.

Art classes are freaking expensive.

I miss my roommates.

My car has the absolute worst gas mileage in the entire world.

     

     Now that we've gotten that all straightened out... That's really all there is to say. I guess I can expound a little on my notes. I've started school and really like my classes. I'm taking 3 art classes, which are super fun, and I know I'm going to learn a lot. There is a guy in my business computer class who reminds me of Phil, but I really don't know why. But he's nice, so I guess that's all that matters. I only go to school two days a week, basically. I have classes all day Monday and Wednesday. Then I have one class on Tuesday and Thursday from 8-9:20 in the morning, then I'm done for the day. No class on Friday! Woo!

     I went to Fort Worth today to pick up art supplies. It is one cool city. I didn't get to explore much, but I liked what I saw. Abran and I ate a place called Corner Bakery and it was yummy! I'm going to try and go back there tomorrow and take some more pictures. University of North Texas, I think, is around there. Who knows, maybe I'll end up there?

     I made Ali's Chicken Over Rice (ACOR?) last night. It wasn't as good as hers, but it was edible, and that's all that matters to me at this point, for I am learning to cook! I got some cookbooks the other day hoping that they'll give me some inspiration... I want to learn how to make a good, full-course meal before I die. That's a good goal to have, right? (and I would like to go skydiving, but that's for another time.)

"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

--Unknown

Winter Break then back to... Texas?

     Well, these three pictures pretty much some up my winter break, and my move to Texas. I wish I would've taken a picture of my dirty, sick, gross, practically camouflage car. Driving 1200 miles would've given a better idea of what the move was like than a box, but that's what I got folks! Let me tell you my story...

     So excited for winter break, couldn't wait! I had half my dorm room sent home with my in boxes and bags and whatever else I could fit for my trip home. I worked at IB to make some Christmas shopping money for presents, ate lots of Cafe Yumm, attempted to run a 10k race on New Years Eve, and spent a lot of time with friends and family! Christmas was a little wierd this year, I didn't feel quite as in the spirit as I usually do (I think because I was away from home for so long) but it was still fun getting to see family and eat way too much food. Christmas decorations and lights are always cheerful :)

     Over break I had time to think, and new it was time for a change. Utah State is a great school, but I wanted to try something else! Where could I go that would give me a good change, but would still allow me to attend school? Texas! Of course? My aunt Calli and uncle Joel were in town and that's what gave me the brilliant idea of asking to possibly live with them while I got settled; they told me yes without even a pause. Family is wonderful, and I absolutely love them to death for it. Then came the hard part, telling my roommate that I'd be leaving her...

     The minute I walked in and told her we had to talk I knew what she was thinking... "What a frump..." She eventually accepted that I would be moving out of our room and down to Texas. We had grown really close over the last couple months and it was going to be really hard to leave her. I didn't realize that a wierdo like me could have made such an impression her!

Anyway, she helped me pack, move boxes out to my car, move my 
boxes out to her car, take them to the post office with me, and helped me write the billion and a half labels the mailing guy made me fill out. Such a good helper!

     Now, the driving arrangements for getting down to Texas were a little difficult to figure out. My dad wanted me to drive so I would have my car, but didn't want me driving alone because it was over a 20 hour drive. Friends and family had both volunteered to fly out and drive with me, but in the end my Aunt Calli's younger brother Scott flew up from Texas and drove back down with me. Wow, wouldn't that be exciting, flying two hours only to drive back 20 hours right where you came from. The drive down to the Salt Lake Airport was a little scary, I slid a few times going 65 miles and hour (and, let me tell you, those were the scariest couple seconds of my life up 'til then) but I still made it to the airport in my good 1 and 1/2 hour time! I picked up a somewhat enthusiastic Scott and off we went through snow, rain, desert, prairie... anything you can name we went through it (including 3 birds that flew right in front of the car and got themselves hit by my bumper). We also almost went through the biggest elk known to mankind, because it just stopped right in the MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY with us going 75 miles and hour but someone must've been watching out for us because somehow we ended up slamming on the brakes and swerving around it. Cross my heart and hope to die it was bigger than my car (which happens to be an SUV). Other than stopping for gas and not really having much to look at for most of the drive nothing else too exciting happened. But we made it safe and sound, so I guess that's pretty exciting in and of itself.

     Now for Texas... the first thing I did was take my car to a carwash! Now, let me tell you, they have the COOLEST car-washes here, haha. I felt like a small-town girl when I pulled up and they had to explain to me that "around here you don't stay in the car while it goes through the car wash." Anyway, I got out and they put the cars through the car wash, with no one in them! It was very odd to see your car moving along by itself getting all nice and clean. They had me go through this little shop where I paid and saw my car going through. A nice old man there explained the whole process to me. They send your car through the carwash while you wait inside, then when it comes out of the carwash they drive it out around front. I hadn't cleaned out my car yet from the drive so I was a little embarrassed having someone else get in the car with all of my junk in it. I watched them for a couple minutes and then they waved me over to inspect it. They had dried off the car, wiped down the whole inside, and thrown away all of my trash! Oh boy, how much better can it get?

     Well, much better! But that's for another time. I'll say all the wonderful things about Texas in my next blog. 

Sneak peak:

-job applications

-family

-highway 26

-school

-dying hair

-rearranging

-malls! malls! everywhere you look!