Sunday, October 31, 2010

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . .

BLASTOFF!
With this post, I am making October tied for the month in which I have the most blog posts. I just realized that I had to do it really quickly, before it turned midnight and my blog turns into a pumpkin . . . I mean, before it's November.  Favorite things from October? 
  • Conference
  • Winning both home football games
  • Homecoming dance with Spencer
  • Basically anything with Spencer
  • RECEIVING AND OPENING MY MISSION CALL!
  • Looking at the Cyrillic alphabet instead of doing homework.
  • Surviving school.
  • Ingrid Michaelson
  • Basically anything involving my roommates
  • Jessie
  • Fall colors
There are so many more things to look forward to in November. I can't believe it's already practically November though. I hope I can finish this post while it's still October. 2010 is coming to an end. So much to do, so little time. 

Happy Fall, Halloween, and November, friends.
(via)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Short Vignettes from the Past Week

Life has been crazy busy, and I've wanted to blog, but haven't had the time. So, here's my life in a nutshell, all the short blog posts I would have done. I think you'll agree that even though this was a hard, stressful, emotional (not necessarily in a good way) week, that in the end, the good far outweighed the bad.

Ingrid
After the doors opening an hour late, and standing outside in the rain and snow-hail without a coat, and then waiting for everyone to get in, and then for the opening act to perform, and then even more after that for Ingrid Michaelson, I was getting stressed out. I had so much homework to do and why was I there and I'm not going to get home until ridiculously late. But then she walked on stage and everything was better. Everyone sang along. Ingrid told funny stories about how she's really not that cool (proving that perhaps she's probably one the coolest, most wonderful people out there). And it was beautiful--Ingrid, the music, and people I had come with. Definitely worth every second of time not doing homework and all the sleep I lost. And then, because I had just listened to a talented musician who made me so happy inside, I didn't even hate driving home in the snow.

Shakespeare
Othello. 3 movies. Wells, Olivier, and edited O. Awesome people in my group, and an awesome presentation idea. Only one more week and then it's done, which will be bittersweet and so releasing/relaxing all at the same time. Okay, so more the latter.

Halloween Surprises
I'm not a huge Halloween person. But I love it when all my roommates get excited about things, and when Kate freaks out about finally being able to be Velma and then offers to do my Belle hair. And when Jen's burn scar and eye-liner tattoo fit perfectly into her pirate costume and when Lisa has great ideas for our "Caramel Apple Pagan Party: A Secular Celebration." And when Jessie's hair is Jessie's hair and she's back in our apartment like she never was gone, and Landen wears the fedora that she made herself. And Michele looks classy and snaps pictures, just like always. I love seeing people's creative costume ideas around campus and at my apartment and enjoying how excited other people get at this time of year. But the thing I think I probably loved most about this Halloween was when a certain boy named Spencer decided he was going to walk in my door after telling me that he was really almost an hour and half north in his parent's car taking a 15 minute nap. I couldn't stop smiling and never wanted to let go of his hand. It had been 6 days (read: too long) since I'd seen him and I had thought that I wasn't going to get to see him until Sunday. It was one of those moments, when I turned around and saw him, jumped up and ran, and I just stood there hugging him, not believing that he was really there and that he hadn't told me he was coming. He said he wanted to surprise me. Well . . . it worked.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Way I Am (Rock-out Style)

Awesome
  • Ingrid Michaelson live. You should be jealous. Definitely worth the wait and the stress, which is saying something.
  • Sleep
  • The people I associate (or more than just associate) with in life
Not Awesome (and by that I mean, things I really don't like right now)
  • Snow
  • Driving in said snow
  • Writing papers you have no inspiration for
  • Not having seen or really talked to Spencer in so long. I know, I'm pathetic.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

On Personal Essays

Jen has to write a personal essay tonight. I wish that was my homework. I miss writing. I pulled up some of my stuff to have her read, to help give her some ideas, and got caught up reading it. Not to sound cocky, but some of it was really great. I'm a good writer. Why don't I write more?

Of course, the times when I feel most inclined to write are the weeks that I have absolutely no time whatsoever. Like right now. Gotta go read 50 bajillion (okay, so just 50) pages of literary criticism and a sociology chapter so that I can got to bed soon so that I can wake up early to write a response paper for Dr. Siegfried. And hopefully live through the week of craziness that will be fun and horrible and awesome and stressful all at the same time!

And all I want to do is write a personal essay. Or two. Or ten.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

One Week Later

So I've known that I'm going to Russia for almost 1 week now. It's starting to sink in. The first few days all I could say to myself over and over again every 30 seconds was "I'm going to Russia. I'm going to Russia." And on each paper I took notes on I kept writing "Moscow, Russia." Thursday night I spent 2 hours looking at sites like this one instead of writing papers. I've calmed down a bit since then. Not much, but enough to actually function.

In other news, I'm getting over what might be the worst cold I've ever had in my life (besides that one I had junior year of high school where I, and everyone else in Jive, was sick for like 2 weeks, and I thought I would never be able to breath/talk normally/sleep/think without my head pounding again). Luckily, I only had to take one sick day, but the effects are still lingering.

Also, I am once again back to foodgawker. Tristan informed me of this delectable site during last Winter semester, but I broke the addiction because it would always make me really hungry during my long work shifts. Well, Madeline has been looking at it now, and here I am again. Tuesday night. Dinner Time. I need to stop browsing foodgawker! But here I am looking at all these pictures of beautiful food that I don't have the time, skill, or money to make and just wishing I could eat them. Like . . .

(via)
For those of you who don't know, I am in love with Macaroni and Cheese. Not from a box. But almost any homemade/restaurant mac and cheese--I adore it. I also love bacon. And I am starving. Therefore, I want to eat this RIGHT NOW. Please and thank you, library employee food delivery service? No, you don't really exist and I can't just push a button to get food at work?

. . .

Sigh.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

I am hereby called to serve as a missionary in . . .

Kremlin
The Russia Moscow Mission!!!

Language: Russian
Report to the MTC: January 12, 2011
Mission President: President Stephen J. Soreson
Mission Map: Unhelpful, but looks pretty awesome. My mission is pretty small, I think, especially in comparison to Russia in general. And Moscow is the 7th largest city in the world. Please feel free to Wikipedia stalk it. And look at these pictures.
The Church of Cornelius the Saviour
Moscow
Federation Tower
I get to live here and teach the gospel here
Старейшина Айринг сказал мне, что старается представить, где эти миссионеры должны заканчивать свою миссию. Это помогало ему понять, куда их следует призвать. Затем он изучал комментарии епископов и президентов кольев, медицинские справки и другие документы, касающиеся каждого миссионера.
После этого он переходил к другому компьютеру, на экране которого отображались различные регионы и миссии по всему миру. И, в конце концов, по побуждению Духа он назначал миссионера служить в определенной миссии. (From Elder Rasband's talk about how missions are assigned. In my mission language. AHHHHH! Good choice, God via Elder Christofferson)
I get to learn how to speak that language. Oh my goodness. Not only do I have to somehow learn how to speak Russian, but PREACH THE GOSPEL in Russian. So scary. So terrifying. So awesome and wonderful and how in the world am I so blessed?
Russia . . . Watch out--I come. :)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

:D

It's here. It's here. It's here. Let me tell you, opening the mailbox was an epic moment. But it's here! I can breathe again. 3 hours until I know where I'm serving, folks.

4:32 p.m.

You know, this whole sitting a computer with no patrons to help at work thing really isn't working out for me. I need to be doing something to get my mind and my hands and my fingers.

I keep having to remind myself to breathe.

30 minutes until I'm off work and on my way to the mailbox. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Monday was Columbus Day. Which means it might not come in the mail today. But I'm sure hoping it does, for both my sanity, and that of those around me. Please don't judge me. You would be freaking out too.

How about the Czech Republic? Or Connecticut?

I have no idea.

Tentatively 5 hours. I hope.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Irony

Today I was in line at Taco Bell with my brother, who was being nice and buying me food. They've started asking for your favorite Disney character now instead of your name. I told them Belle. I saw this kid who looked familiar walk up to get his food. I thought to myself, "Hey, that's the only guy in my Women's Studies class."

His favorite Disney character?

Gaston.
found on Google Images

Monday, October 11, 2010

Again

I know I just posted a few hours ago. But you know what? I am very impatient. 48 hours from now I will have the envelope in my hand and I will be waiting waiting waiting for just one more hour and then I will open it and know where I'm going. If I can wait that long.

I think this blog post right here that I wrote 7 months ago is probably the one I've linked back to the most. I wrote it the night Tracy got her mission call. When I wanted nothing else but to leave on my mission right then. So much, and yet so little, has changed since then. I definitely feel like staying here at the Y for Fall semester was one of the best choices I've ever made. I am not supposed to be on a mission right now. In January, February, whenever I get called to leave, THAT is when I'm supposed to be in the field. There are people who will be there who have been prepared just for me to share the gospel with them. But there were, and still are, definitely experiences I need to have this fall that I just didn't know about back in March. My new little sibling coming in a month, Spencer, Jen and Kate, my new coworkers this semester, the classes I'm taking right now. It's amazing how suddenly the Lord will reveal to you all these reasons for what you're doing, how only after you act upon your faith you realize why He told you to wait. Contrary to how I was feeling in March, I'm so glad that I'm here, in Provo and at BYU right now.

But one thing hasn't changed. I still hate waiting. Except now it's excited, anxious waiting and not yearning, painful waiting. Well, it's still painful. Just a happy painful. An I-can't-sleep-at-night painful. And instead of 6 months, or 2 even, it's only 2 days. 2 days. 2 day. 2 days.

Okay. I'm not blogging about my mission anymore until it actually happens. Maybe. Maybe. Okay, probably not.

My Brain

Sometimes, when you ask my sister Leah (who's 6) who told her something or where she learned it, she will answer coyly, "My brain." So here are the two things, and the only two things, running through my brain right now:

 Approximately 51 hours.
And.

Not the original Sinatra, but I actually really like this version.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

3 days

It is coming. No questions about it. 72 hours from now I will have that white envelope in my hand.

Friday, October 8, 2010

The John Elton Concert Conversation

People: [Matthew Ashby] or my brother Matt, and [You] aka me
What: half facetious, partially serious, slightly edited, totally awesome conversation with Matt
Place: Hum Ref Workroom computer
Time: Approximately 4-5 p.m. on Friday, October 8, 2010
How: Facebook chat

[Matthew Ashby]
4:07pm
sup?
[You]
4:07pm
nm
[Matthew Ashby]
4:07pm
good good
[You]
4:07pm
just chillin in the library while waiting for an hour for sarah lutz
[Matthew Ashby]
4:08pm
yeah me too
[You]
4:08pm
you're waiting for sarah lutz?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:08pm
except for the waiting thing
you didn't let me finish
so how is spencer?
[You]
4:09pm
awesome
***

[Matthew Ashby]
4:10pm
are you going to divine comedy?
[You]
4:10pm
false
we've already had this conversation
[Matthew Ashby]
4:11pm
i know i was just hoping your answer had changed
[You]
4:11pm
well, if you get me a ticket for tonight, i will go
it's not like i don't want to go
[Matthew Ashby]
4:11pm
i will forsake my date for tomorrow and take you instead
[You]
4:12pm
really?
except for the fact that i don't know if i'm willing to forsake my date for tomorrow to go with you
[Matthew Ashby]
4:12pm
uh no that was a joke
do i really look like the kind of guy that would give up a date for his sister?
[You]
4:13pm
nope
do i look like the type of girl that would give up a date with my boyfriend for my brother?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:13pm
I'll just have to tell you how absolutely funny it was and make you feel really bad that you didn't get tickets
your gross
[You]
4:14pm
whatever
[Matthew Ashby]
4:14pm
sisters should not talk about these things to their brothers
***
[Matthew Ashby]
4:17pm
so its pretty awesome that paul was in sociology today huh?
[You]
4:17pm
i guess
[Matthew Ashby]
4:17pm
what i guess?!
[You]
4:17pm
it's pretty awesome that that 30 minute nap was in sociology today
[Matthew Ashby]
4:18pm
you are sinner, I would never sleep in class
[You]
4:18pm
psh
liar
[Matthew Ashby]
4:18pm
except for maybe today
and a few other classes
[You]
4:19pm
hahaha
[Matthew Ashby]
4:20pm
so what are your thoughts about seeing eye dogs?
[You]
4:21pm
warum?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:22pm
warum nicht?
[You]
4:22pm
uh...it's kinda weird that we're talking about this
but i'm fine with them?
what am i supposed to say?
i don't think they're bad
they help people
win-win
win
[Matthew Ashby]
4:23pm
that they are a horrible menace to society and that they should be abolished
[You]
4:24pm
is that what you think
[Matthew Ashby]
4:24pm
win-win-lose
the dogs are mistreated
why should they have to live their lives as somebody's eyes in forced slavery\
[You]
4:25pm
who says they aren't willing to help out?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:25pm
the dogs are on a leash!
[You]
4:26pm
because he needs to lead the human!
[Matthew Ashby]
So I was having a conversation with Brett the other day, and we were talking about our most embarrassing moments, but I don't think I have any.. What would you say?
[You]
4:27pm
I have a ht
hat
or is your name mutt
[Matthew Ashby]
4:28pm
that wasn't really that embarrassing though....
[You]
4:29pm
it's dang funny
i don't really have any embarrassing moments either
[Matthew Ashby]
4:29pm
no there has to be some time, maybe when I was really little?
[You]
4:30pm
i already gave you my two
[Matthew Ashby]
4:31pm
uhhhh, fine, that doesn't give me a whole lot to go off of
[You]
4:31pm
ok
[Matthew Ashby]
4:32pm
so i was making myself a sandwich the other day
and i realized I was out of bread, so I just ate rolled up ham and chees
cheese
it was good
[You]
4:33pm
ok
i was eating food the other day and realized that i was still hungry
so i ate more food
right now i am hangry
[Matthew Ashby]
4:34pm
me too, uhhhhh, stupid homework
did you see the new harry potter trailer?
[You]
4:36pm
nope
heard it's good
i know
don't judge
[Matthew Ashby]
4:36pm
you should watch it
[You]
4:36pm
ok
***
so are in love with EDITED?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:41pm
i don't know, I'm inclined to say no. I'm in love with this girl named EDITED
[You]
4:42pm
yeah?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:42pm
she's in my ward, she's really cool
[You]
4:42pm
are you guys going to get married?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:43pm
probably not because she's a redhead, and you know how redheads are
[You]
4:43pm
they're awesome

[Matthew Ashby]
I don't know
but she's actually really cool
[You]
4:44pm
and you're in love with her
[Matthew Ashby]
4:44pm
hopefully I'll have some good news to share with you later next week
***
[You]
4:46pm
really.
so good news = she is waiting for you on your mission and you'll come back and get married?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:47pm
no cause she's a redhead
[You]
4:47pm
ok...
why can't you marry a redhead?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:47pm
I would feel too much like harry marrying ginny
***

[You]
you can't feel like harry potter
1) no lightning bolt scar
2) no magical powers--i'd know if you'd've gone to hogwarts
3) you have never even met Lord Voldy
4) you don't have black hair or green eyes
5) your best friend doesn't have red hair, and you woulnd't be marrying his sister
[Matthew Ashby]
4:49pm
yes to the holding hands, no to the magical powers statement
[You]
4:49pm
(please don't marry lindsey)
you do not have magical powers
p.s. i am fb stalking her
[Matthew Ashby]
4:50pm
don't talk to her though
[You]
4:50pm
um. why not?
also. why would i?
i'm not going to add her as a friend. unless i actually meet her in real life
that'd be creepy otherwise
[Matthew Ashby]
4:51pm
good, as long as you follow the unwritten facebook stalking code
[You]
4:52pm
of course
you can't tell me that you haven't fb stalked people
[Matthew Ashby]
4:53pm
i have, but i follow the code
[You]
4:53pm
of course
[Matthew Ashby]
4:55pm
so yeah
[You]
4:55pm
cool
you didn't answer all my questiosn though
[Matthew Ashby]
4:55pm
which one?
[You]
4:55pm
and what's her major? she's from idaho, i see. what are her life ambitions?
hoping to be officially dating next week?
she is your date this weekend, i'm assuming?
those are the questions you didn't answer
would i like her? is she funny? does she play rook and settlers?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:56pm
She works at the paleontology museum
hopefully to #1
yes#2
She wants to be a music director
[You]
4:57pm
so...she works with dinosaur bones. that's cool. and she's a music major?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:57pm
she's fun
yes
[You]
4:58pm
cool cool
when do i get to meet her?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:58pm
Not until after the fact
[You]
4:58pm
can we double sometime if the fact happens?
[Matthew Ashby]
4:58pm
sure, that would be cool
[You]
4:58pm
k i think that would be cool too
but i need to go now
we will talk more later.
auf wiedersehen
[Matthew Ashby]
4:59pm
ok we will indeed have to talk later

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Goals

This picture has nothing to do with my post, but it makes me happy because I feel like it encapsulates Lisa's and my relationship. Russian Hitmen all the way.
Here are some things I am trying to be, especially in preparation for my mission. A few of them are successful. Others . . . not so much, but I'm getting there. Slowly.

I am trying not to look like a hobo, as Christine put it. This is one of the ones where I'm actually succeeding. I have yet to have a complete grunge day this semester, and most days I feel like I look nice. Yes. Quite the change from high school or freshman year, where I liked looking nice but definitely didn't put it as a priority. Huh.

I am trying to have patience. Whether it is waiting for my mission call (hopefully 8 days, can you believe it's so close?!?!?!?!?!) or the next time I get to see Spencer or the end of a work shift or all of the above, being patient is, always has been, and probably always will be very hard for me. As made manifest by the fact that I cannot wait 8 days when I have waited this long already.

I am trying to get up earlier. This also means going to bed earlier. I have found that getting up early in the mornings is becoming easier, although is still not natural for me. But I am definitely getting better, especially with the help of early work, phone calls, and Kate's radio.

I am trying to be a good student, trying to manage my time better on all accounts. Usually my time management is actually really great. Surprise! Unfortunately, certain situations in my life (see first two items in my being patient list) are making it kind of hard to focus in class sometimes. But I feel like I'm doing well in all my classes so far. Maybe. And keeping on top of things.

I am trying to pray morning and night and all the time. I am trying to help others whenever I can, even if it's inconvenient. I am trying to read the Book of Mormon every night and study Preach my Gospel. I am trying to go to the temple (which is really hard when your recommend has expired). I am trying to bear my testimony more often. I am trying to work hard and love others unconditionally.

I am trying to become the person God wants me to be.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Weird

I have the oddest encounters with missionaries. As in, I run into missionaries I know in places I am definitely not expecting to. Like a kid from my home stake in a random ward in England while on study abroad. Or a kid I've known since he was like 4 and haven't seen in years and didn't even know he was on a mission at Spencer's house while watching conference. Yep.

Speaking of conference, it was so wonderful.

Friday, October 1, 2010

October?

Pet Peeves:
  • Bicyclists riding on the sidewalk and practically killing me as I walk to school.
  • Waiting for my mission call.
  • Things costing money.
  • Living 45 minutes away from Spencer.
  • Living 4 hours away from my best mate.
  • Waking up early in the morning.
  • Not seeing my roommates
Awesome things:
  • Getting a mission call, eventually
  • Conference!
  • Spencer
  • Saying "Llyfrgell" over and over again with Kate late at night.
  • My roommates
  • Shakespeare and Film
  • Life in general
Places people have guessed already for my mission:
  • Boston
  • somewere Spanish-speaking
  • Peru
  • Arizona
  • Argentina
  • the UK
  • Sweden (a couple times)
  • Berlin (a couple times)
  • Switzerland (counting this as the Alpine States German-Speaking mission, a couple times)
  • Romania
  • Wherever you guess.