11/30 Down

Must something be thrown

for top capacity?

Contribute to the

impurity state in

Tijuana.

Handy IDs in the hood

unwanted.

Kind terrier slows down

traffic by stairs.

1,000-foot state line

many miles away,

with a 180 apple

offering zoo keeper.

Noodle over the number

of people in a room.

Numbered in the

friendly introductions.

Faster!

Bring in Gerald Ford.

Muslim Mystic, Theodore Roosevelt,

Man of many words.

Press briefly

bowling alley button.

On to

"There is no team!"

Name in govt. records

for short,

"Whiz" Jennings.

Update on my life

Well...I'm not going to start off this post with how neglectful I have been of my blogging duties lately because (a) I hate reading other people's blogs, only to have every other post begin with the words "Sorry, it has been such a long time since I've posted!", (b)I know you have so many other blogs and pinterest-y things you subscribe to that you don't notice how seldom I update this one, and (c) I do not feel that blogging should be considered a "duty" at all. There. No apologies.

I am going to graduate from BYU very soon. Like less-than-two-weeks soon. I think this is the sort of thing that usually causes single girls to have anxiety attacks and mid-twenties life-crises. Which is why I feel almost completely justified in my slight anxiety about my life plan. The 'almost' is thrown in that last sentence, because, well, I never really like to feel like I'm following the crowd, so it adds back into the equation a smidgen of the unjustified feelings that being 'normal' just eradicated.

That being said, I am also quite happy with the progress I have made during my time in college, and am happy with who I am as a person. I am 26. I feel like I'm 26. That is a good thing. I often am mistaken for a 20 yr old...but I can deal with that, so long as I know the person is judging me based on my looks and not my intelligence. The thing that makes me happiest about my college experience is that I did many things to intentionally challenge myself. Being a woman in the business school at BYU was not always a comfortable or an easy endeavor. I can honestly say that I felt out of place at least once a day (but usually far more often than that) as I walked the halls and sat in the classrooms among many, many men. By the end of my time here I have simply learned that great things come to though who know how to fake it. :) And, that I did...until it almost doesn't feel like faking anymore! I had a class last winter semester with roughly 35 men as my classmates. No other women. And I held my own. I will not say that the program or my colleagues, or my professors ever really made me feel inadequate or inept. Rather, the opposite is quite true; they were at time my biggest supporters and cheerleaders. (Insert funny mental image of all my classmates in their business attire... with pom-pom's and big letter signs that spell my name in glitter puff-paints) It was me who held me back during those times I was too scared to voice an idea or opinion, and it was always me who assumed that everyone was judging me for being a "hairstylist". It was in this last semester of college that I really tried to shake things up and find that lost courage I knew was inside me somewhere. I opted out of joining a group that will definitely get an "A", in order to be a leader in a group that might only get a "B", all because I knew I wanted to have my opinions heard and see what my ideas could create.

When I decided to choose a business-related major, it was because I saw a hint of leadership potential in myself, and perhaps other traits and talents that could be strengthened along the way...but it was also because I knew I was scared of entering"The Business World." What if they saw right through me, and realized I wasn't someone who liked to check the top stories in the Wall-Street Journal every morning, or that I don't care about a stock portfolio and can't even envision myself at some networking event in a pants-suit?! But because I was scared to do it, I knew I needed to. I live according to the motto, "Make a decision, then make it a good one." It's what got me through beauty school, and it definitely helped me get through BYU. It has also helped me in tough relationships with roommates and also in ward callings, etc. I think one day it might help me out in marriage. Who knows?

I am rambling a bit here. Can you tell I'm not a "journaler"?

The point is, yes; I am scared of what the future holds, and I hate it when people ask me what I'm doing next. I feel like I'm disappointing everyone because I'm not moving on to some executive position at the next Omniture-type company. But I am content to work as a hairstylist for now, and save up some much-needed money, and slowly make plans to create my own salon. No; it isn't the next Netflix or Skull-Candy...but I don't want one of those. I want to create something that is beautiful to me and I want to take my time in doing it. I want to challenge myself and work hard, and I want to support myself. If I can do good along the way; make friends, give to people in need, be the best darn employer in the history of hair salons, and go out to eat at restaurants every once in awhile...then I'm happy. I'm so happy.

That's the point.

11/21 Across

Welcome to the first installment of "Crossword Clue Poems". I finished the crossword puzzle much too early today for my liking. Usually I like to have them drag on a bit so that they can keep me occupied through at least my first class of the day...but today I was campus far too early for a group project meeting, and now I'm sitting in the first hour of a class on macro-economics and the financial crisis with nothing to do! So, naturally I figured out another way to pass the time, and created a poem by blacking out strategic words on the crossword clues. The poem below is from the Nov. 21st crossword in the Daily Universe, and is comprised solely of the Across Clues (hence the title of this post).

So, without further ado;

Fateful day for

all dance party;

Laboratory maze runners

completely confused.

The "E" in treat

sluggish from sedatives.

Catch Groucho

while blues play.

18 chaotic battles-

Farewell.

Falafel cereal

doesn't taste like

anything.

Period of 1930's-40's

beyond repair.

Expected Islamic decree

that can't sit still

dances to

Hawaiian music.

Astronaut Armstrong

emergency signals

new program paid by

white workers.

Formal wear for Cupid,

an electric fabric

that's glossy on one side.

Feudin' with June left

numbers to be crunched.

(Hopefully these will become better with time.)

(Hopefully.)

Not a sound argument

There is a quotation on my fridge* that says, "If we're not meant to dance, Why all the music?"

That's a neat thought, for sure, but not a very sound argument at all.

Think about it. You could use this logic to argue all sorts of other things.

"If we're not meant to be fat, Why all the high-fructose corn syrup?"

or

"If we're not meant to stalk, Why all the social networking sites?"

See what I mean?

I'd love to hear what you come up with. Comment please. :)


* I made an error when typing 'my fridge' and accidentally wrote 'mr fridge' and I thought about leaving it and letting you all think that I addressed my kitchen appliances in a formal manner.

Also, as of tomorrow it will no longer be my mr. fridge... because I am moving.

"It doesn't really matter which way you go."

I just read an online article about some students who won an entreprenuerial business plan competition. Their new marketable technology is a vibrating mouth device, that when worn 10 to 20 minutes a day can help expedite the work of teeth realignment procedures like braces. It seems like a neat idea to me. Imagine having the amount of time wearing braces go from two years to one!

I laughed out loud when I read this one line, "In animal trials, the technology cut the treatment time in half."

Somewhere, some dog or cat is walking around with a pretty rad smile.

Hah.

Happy Mother's Day

This is just a quick post to express my love for my mother and for my sisters who are now mothers themselves.

Mom- Thanks for being such a warm, genuine, and giving person. You taught me the importance of having integrity, you gave me the ability to laugh at myself when life just makes me want to cry, and most importantly, you sparked within me a conviction to live the gospel more fully everyday by your example of patience and humility. Dad once told us children that we would avoid so many of the troubles and heartaches of the world simply because we were blessed with a mother like you. And ever year that I learn more of the world and the people and problems in it, I see more clearly what he meant. I love you mom.

Audrey and Marcene- I love being able to watch how you raise your beautiful children and how many blessings come into your lives from being mothers. I remember being so worried when Aud was first pregnant with Greta, because raising a family in this day and age is something that is incredibly scary to me. But, now as I see that it can be done; that teaching your children the truths of the gospel and giving them love and a wonderful family environment from the very start can make all the difference, I am not so scared to have a family of my own one day. So, thanks for the wonderful examples of righteous (and gorgeous) mothers you are to me.

And a quick note to my many friends who are now mothers. I love you, keep up the great work!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Cute, no?

I made this purse last weekend when I had a couple hours to spare. I really like it. I am horrible at taking good pictures of it.

The front and back pockets are lined with a contrasting fabric.


And the interior is different. It has pockets on the inside, and a special cell-phone pocket.

like it?