I've Created a Monster

Do you ever get inspiration for your life from the wrong sources? I find the ridiculous messages on passiveagresivenotes.com wildly entertaining, and thought "Wouldn't it be funny if I created situations like that in my own house among my roommates?" Recently I had the perfect opportunity to try it out. When I came back after Thanksgiving weekend our kitchen sink was clogged and it was filled with filthy water. After a week and a half no one had done anything about it, or even mentioned, it so I left this note:

A response on the very sticky note I posted was exactly what I was hoping for. Karen did eventually call someone to come look at the sink and I was home when he came. He told me that the clog was due to someone putting potato peels down the sink! I was ticked that we had to deal with that messy inconvenience for over two weeks when the problem was completely preventable. By this time I knew who the culprit was, but I decided to post another public note in case anyone else in the house was unaware that potato peels cannot go down the sink.

Another roommate had other beef with this girl so she decided to follow my lead and leave her a note. Her note got a text response:

"Sorry i just saw your note. Id appreciate if you would speak with me rather than leave notes around and walk around being pissed at me. ive never done anything to try and disrespect you...only tried to be kind to you. Sorry if you feel that i have been but please come and talk to me if you have issues"

This girl then wrote the following two-page note to another roommate (instead of speaking to her like she recommended in her text):

Then she sent me a facebook message very similar to the note above in which she assured me that she "somewhat considers me a friend" and "hopes to speak with me face to face if I have any concerns." As she sent this message the day she left town for the holidays I guess I'll have to send her a response via facebook. I applaud her use of three different mediums of passive-aggressive communication. I had no idea that my note would set off this chain reaction, but I'm kind of thrilled that it did. One day I hope to learn to communicate like an adult, but until then I'll let you share in the absurdity with me.

If You Also are Putting Off What You Need to be Doing...

Check out this website for some holiday cheer.

I L.O.V.E. this Picture.

But I hate studying.

I'm Thankful For:

• My family, who loves me and supports me in all that I do yet helps me see what is needed to become a better person
• My friends, who support me and have tirelessly listened to my relentless wondering (whining)
• The Gospel, which keeps me centered and happy even though I’m not quite cutting it in every other aspect of my life
• The excitement I feel for my future even though it is far from figured out
  

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Make A Wish

Last night while driving around I saw the most amazing

shooting star I've ever seen: almost the entire sky lit up

and then there was a bright streak through the sky as a

meteor fell through the atmosphere. It was incredible.

I took it as a sign that I was in the right place at the time

(which otherwise would have been doubtful).

Girls' Night Out...in Provo?

I find myself having fun whatever I do because I have great friends, but often our fun times involve a night in because, well, Provo is lame. If I feel the need to go out and do something I usually look to Salt Lake or Park City to fill that need. However, this weekend I went out with some girl friends to trendy locations without having to leave Provo.

We started the night at 9:30 with dinner at Communal. (I'd like to say that we always eat that late, but it was really just because I had Stake Conference). Communal is a new addition to the Provo "downtown" restaurant selection, and the food is delicious. It is owned by the same people who own Pizzeria 712 in Orem. I appreciate these people who have worked so hard to bring quality food to Utah Valley. I have always thought that if a restaurant served good food people would notice and eat there. I am excited to see this theory play out.

We then went to Spark, a lounge that offers a variety of fancy drinks and hors'dourves. We had some more delicious things to eat and drink and enjoyed listening to the live music. We ended the night past midnight, and it didn't end because the Provo police broke up the party we were at.

Is Provo actually getting better, or have I just been here too long to tell the difference?

Happy Halloween!

My friends ended up getting caramel corn. Not great, but good enough.
A fellow law student and flamenco dancer enthusiast.

Here we are at the law school Halloween party. Aren't we all good sports to dress up just to make trick-or-treating for the children more fun? Clearly none of us are that excited about our costumes...

How great is it that this many law students were willing to take a night off of studying, dress up, and shake what their mommas gave 'em?! (Please ignore the sad fact that even though I was far away from the library I was still surrounded almost entirely by law students).

I'm glad my friends also see Halloween as the perfect excuse to wear heavy eye liner and bright red lipstick.

Trick-or-Treat Disaster

These jack-o-lantern caramel apples didn't turn out quite how I envisioned them in my head. My friends would have been exited to find these on their desks in the morning...

I should have taken some tips from Emily who baked this darling cake for the law school pumpkin palooza.

Oh Oregon How I've Missed You!

For my first full day back in oregon I headed to the coast. I love that drive--90 minutes on a windy, two-lane highway through old-growth forest. Oregon has some of the most beautiful coastline.

It was sunny and in the high 60s. You'd be lucky to get a day like that in July, let alone October. There's nothing quite like a long walk on the beach alone with your thoughts for some deep personal reflection.

I've always been fascinated looking at the sea creatures abandoned on the sand as the tide goes out.I remember taking our German Shepard to the beach when we were younger, I remember how much he loved playing in the water and biting at the waves, and I remember how much he hated throwing up in the car on the way home (we all hated that). I love the memories going to the beach drums up, I love the smell of the ocean, I love the icy water that makes your feet start to cramp if you walk in it for more than 10 seconds--I just love the Oregon coast.

We went to a fashion show of some local Northwest designers. It was located at a shipyard. So cool. So Portland.

No trip to Portland would be complete without eating at a food stand. This one specialized in Dutch tacos.

It's Definitely October

Thriller dance theatre.

I saw this house while running in the morning and came back to snap a

picture when it was all lit up. And I though I loved Halloween...

Goooooo Cougars!

Attending law school at BYU has been a much

different experience from my undergrad. I feel

far removed from the main campus and all that

goes on there. However, it is fun to occasionally

participate in regular college life. My parents

couldn't use their football tickets this week,

so Danielle and I went instead.

Check out the security guard in the background

wearing sunglasses at a night game. (Danielle did her

undergrad at USU--she's not just being obnoxious).

We ran into Emily (a very loyal BYU fan)

while buying fresh cut fries. Yesss.

September 30

I turned 25. Spending the entire day surrounded by people I care about and who care about me, plus all of the phones calls, texts, emails, and facebook messages made it a wonderful birthday. Knowing that so many people wanted me to have a good day made me feel warm and fuzzy down to the very center. The phrase I kept repeating throughout the day: "I really love my birthday." I started the day a little annoyed as I had to get up at 6:00 am to get some work done, but as soon as I saw my study carrel I immediately became excited for a day of celebration. Thank you Emily and Danielle.
Calories don't count on your birthday, and I took full advantage. Birthday lunch at Flour Girls and Dough Boys.

Birthday dinner at Martine.

It's the first birthday for which I had to buy more than one package of candles (they come in 24s). I did manage to blow out all 25 in one go because luckily I was practicing all day.

My brother came down from SLC. This was the only normal pic of MANY.

Thank you to everyone who came for cake, and thank you to Steve for supplying the birthday hats.

I received many wonderful gifts, including this gorgeous bouquet from Rachel. I'm not modest about it--I love presents!

General Relief Society Meeting

Because of Lindsay's internship with the LDS Church's media department, she and I got to watch from inside the press room. It wasn't too different from watching with everyone else, but there were snacks and water and we could easily talk without bothering others (except for that mean lady with brown hair). If you didn't get a chance to watch it, I recommend taking the time to listen to Sister Thompson's talk--it was a good one. http//www.lds.org/broadcast/grsm/0,6220,285-1-41-1741,00.html

Old Traditions with New Friends

The Utah State Fair is upon us once again.

As going to the fair is the most patriotic

thing I do all year, I felt it necessary to

dress like the American flag.

We ate.

We drank.

We looked at animals.

The butter sculpture was as impressive as always.

(*Note: this sculpture represents the amount

of butter one cow can produce in a year.)

Through cooperative teamwork we conquered

corndogs, lemonade, deep-fried twinkies, slurpees,

sweet potato fries, and my all-time favorite: funnel cakes.

(*Note: I am not a purist who only likes powdered sugar

on her funnel cake. This year I went with Bavarian

cream and cherry topping--a delightful combination.)

Labor Day Weekend

I didn't do any school work, but I did... Hike Mt. Timpanogos with my family.
It was a 9 1/2 hour ordeal, but so worth the
incredible view at the top.

The scenery along the way was beautiful as well.

And we saw a moose!

And we spent some time on the boat.

Insight of the Day

A "NO" is better than a "maybe." Always.

School Started This Week

That's about it.

Olfaction and Memory

As I stepped out of my car to do some grocery shopping at Sunflower Market I smelled what is probably the best smell in the world: green chilis being roasted. It reminded me of my childhood in New Mexico where that was an almost constant scent during chili season. I bought three packages of them (yes, I'm still wondering if that will be enough) as they were authentic Hatch green chilis. Here I am cleaning off the skin and dreaming of all the wonderful recipes that will be made even better with some fresh green chili piled on.

Sister, Sister

Courtney came for a visit. Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.
Afternoon on the boat.

Check out the slack in that rope--I am so surfing the wake!

Matching without even planning it.

Some mother-daughter time at the Beehive Tea Room.

A funeral procession of sorts.