Thursday, April 30, 2009

beautiful, lazy thursday evening

One more day of this week then it's bye-bye crazy workweek! It has been kind of fun being super super busy- I really do enjoy being part of things- but I am also looking forward to things just getting back to normal! :O)

Geoff brought me lunch today. And right now he's at Walmart buying me grape juice because I just wanted some grape juice so bad. The trade-off is that I stay here and fold laundry and hang out... sounds like a great trade-off to me!!

Without having school in the evenings, every day feels like Friday. It is soooo nice. This weekend we can do whatever the heck we want. We'll probably just pull the air-mattress out into the living room and watch netflix movies, but you also just never know when the mood for an impromptu getaway will strike. ;)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Stuff that happened today

Coming up with blog titles is so hard.

My poor coworker got sick in her garbage can today and went home early. I hope she recovers okay and I hope it's not serious.

At work I got to look at some pictures from the co-founder of the company, who is on a mission with his wife in South Africa. For Christmas each year, we all donate $$ and it is used to buy gifts for the management. This year, instead of buying gifts, the $$ was given to this co-founder to use for the people he is serving on their mission. He decided to take a large group of people on an overnight trip, to do baptisms at the Johannesburg temple. I think he said there were 44 youths and 15 adults or something like that. I guess all of those people have planned and prepared for this trip - which may be the only time in their lifetime that they get to go - and it was really neat to see the pictures. The kids wrote thank you letters in their varying degrees of english - most seemed to know it pretty well. It was so touching to see their cute personalities come through in their letters. One person wrote, "you're the bomb," and drew a little picture of a bomb. And another signed the letter and said, "here's my autograph for when I become famous." But just to see how overall truly grateful they were and how much that one trip effected their lives, it was very humbling. I think that would be so fun to go on a mission like that someday.

I'm going to start doing some light bookkeeping for the CPA. I don't think he's actually an employee of the company - I'm not sure how that's set up. But his books are maintained seperately, so I'll be going back to Quickbooks for that portion of my job. In turn, he's going to start overseeing the payroll taxes, instead of the CFO. So he'll be the one I go to with any tax questions, etc. I think it will be fun - something different yet familiar. I for sure enjoy having new things to do at work, so I'm excited.

Geoff finished his last finals today, so tonight we played. We bought a new kitchen-garbage can. We've had the old one since we got married and it was gross. And we got sodas at the gas station and came home and watched recordings of Ghost Hunters and the Biggest Loser. Even though we already knew who was getting kicked off. Yesterday I just happened to turn the TV on right as Filipe was being told he was not the biggest loser, so it kind of ruined the ending, but we watched it anyway.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Home sweet home

Well, I haven't been tagged by Johnny B to write about this:

"Dancing Deer’s Sweet Home Initiative raises money for scholarships to help educate homeless women and end family homelessness. As a part of this initiative, (their) CEO, Trish Karter, will be riding her bike 1,500 miles from Atlanta to Boston, visiting family shelters in each city to raise awareness about this issue. She’ll also be recording stories from the women she meets along the way, asking them about their experiences. One question she’ll ask them are what foods remind them of home." (See more: click here.)

Since I wasn't actually tagged, I'm not going to blog about favorite foods that remind me of home. I really can't do justice to the goodness of grilled cheese sandwhiches anyway... that they are my ultimate comfort food - and delicious with tuna - is really beside the point right? (Kidding. Lame joke alert)

Not that grilled cheese was the only thing mom ever made - she's a great cook. In fact, hubby loves it when we get invited for dinner because it means he gets delicious food without having to scrounge for himself. (Because usually when I try to make pancakes or 5-minute rice I have to ask for help and he ends up doing it anyway.)

But I remember many dinners of pot roast topped with carrots, potatoes, and cabbage... loved that cabbage. And there were many casseroles as well. I've even tried to replicate a few of them... someday I will be a better cook. And as always the best dessert - no bake cookies, the kind with peanut butter and little cocoa. Mmmmm. No one makes it like mom does.

I tag anyone else who would be interested in passing the word along.

Yay, done

Well, the test went okay, and I am officially done with the semester - another one bites the dust. And happy to say, I really didn't have any major complaints about either professor. In fact, I kind of liked them. (gasp) We've already got homework for the capstone which starts next Wednesday. Hopefully it can be done in a day or two then we can enjoy the rest of the week off.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Erudite Vernacular indeed

So today I worked through lunch (got a TON done today!) and immediately after did some homework for a class then went and took a final exam then started studying for another exam. It's 11:00 (way past my bedtime), my mind is swimming with information. This accounting information systems class I've got - useful stuff sometimes, but I feel like I've just been reading lists and lists of wordy and incredibly repetetive information. For example:

"IT Service Delivery and Support:
-To provide assurance that the IT service management practices will ensure the delivery of the level of services required to meet the organization's objectives. Such as: Evaluate service level management practices to ensure that the level of service from internal and external service providors is defined and manageable."

What exactly does that mean? Well, not too much after a very long period of time... it all just kind of slurs together into one large ambiguous mess. Oh, there are lots and lots of little lists of things, lists that overlap each other and cross the same territory over and over again... gets hard to keep it straight after awhile. Or... maybe it's just late and I'm just super tired and also a little stressed about managing the day tomorrow. :) I sure wish I could go early to work and stay late. And now for the very important aspect of the day: sleep.

ONE FINAL DOWN, ONE TO GO, YIPPEE!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

"It's like my specialty and junk"

name the TV show...

This weekend was pretty awesome. Friday night, hubby and I had a date night. We watched a movie and made grilled chicken sandwiches for dinner.

Saturday, Geoff took care of some business in Draper and I went back to Park City. Turns out I accidentally bought the wrong pair of jeans last weekend and had to return them. (Worth the trip because I found a dress that was soooo much more worth the money). That night we bought a used copy of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at FYE and watched it for old times sake. It is one movie that we both used to watch all the time as kids, so it was fun. Now we can't get the "Cheer up Charlie" song out of our heads... which was also the one scene that we both always fast-forwarded through.

Today, we slept in, went to church, and took a late nap. I started on my homework at about 7:30 p.m. Yes, leaving Governmental Not-for-Profit exam-studying until the very last minute seems to be, like, my specialty and junk. I might not do very well on it, but I kind don't care at the moment? This has absolutely been the laziest semester thus far. And all I can really say about it is oh well. OH WELL. :)

Friday, April 24, 2009

Party-hardy

It's Friday! Geoff and I are currently skipping the Beta Sigma Gamma (Gamma Sigma?) induction. We have a fun night of dinner-eating and movie-watching ahead of us. We were going to go, but now that it's the end of the week, the last place either of us really wants to be is at the school. Plus I'm kind of tired from waking up several times during the night because of all the BYU-graduate partying going on. I know right? BYU partying. I guess they've had enough of school and that ridiculous honor code... at 3 a.m. I hear "huh! huh! huh! huh! huh! huh! huh! huh! ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" <people yelling and cheering>... sounded like a damned drunken frat party. :)

We watched Yes Man. I thought it was pretty funny. It spurred me to dig out my old Third Eye Blind album, anyway. Gave me something to listen to at work today.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

In love with summer

It is so warm and I'm in love with summer! I love the smell of heat and fresh cut grass and watermelon. I love when the lights from the baseball stadium across the freeway are on. I love the sunlight. I love driving with the windows down and having it mess up my hair. It's hard to be down when the world comes alive again. (I'm cheesy but it's true!)

Tonight class was cancelled. Geoff took our assignments to the school and turned them in. I went to dinner with my friend Kenna, and we went to Target and bought flip-flops, fruit snacks, a scarf and two things of milk. Love it.

Also Geoff and I watched the Biggest Loser and now I'm doing homework.... sorta. One more class tomorrow and then finals!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

stuff...

Well, after a few weeks of red-boxing, we have decided on Netflix. We just signed up for the 3-at-a-time plan. I don't know how much of what we'll be able to watch, but I'm strangely excited to get movies.

This is the last week of the semester, and then we have finals. Yay!

I am kind of behind my normal quarterly-schedule at work, so this next week will also include pushing hard straight through to the April 30th deadline. I've stocked up on lean cuisines in case I have to do very much lunch break skipping. (Hopefully not.)

We've got a whole week of 70's ahead of us, so you know what that means! Time to buy some watermelon-scented deodorant! Yay!!

I went to ward-council this morning in place of our primary president, who just had her second child and was out of town. The stake leaders were there. I found it interesting, the giving of "stewardship reports," which are an account of performance numbers and accountability in how well their efforts have been and their successes, some things they may be struggling with and where they could improve, and the welfare of the people in their... stewardship. It was pretty much exactly like report day (or "numbers day") at work, only in a religious context. And council and encouragement was also provided, of course.

I have asked to be released from my calling in the primary. The bishop had a meeting with me to discuss my feelings about it. I told him there were some other things in my life that need to take priority right now. I guess they are going to be reorganizing our primary anyway, so I would've got released anyway. One of the things that I need to work on that I think will help (maybe not solve, but help) with things is my personal relationship with Heavenly Father. It has kind of suffered in the last six months or so. There are many things I can and will do for that, and one of them is go to the full three-hour block. So I actually look forward to just being able to go to church, and sit and listen and be taught and uplifted, without worrying about some more things that need to be done. (I suppose it is wrong for me to say it that way, I don't know how to excuse myself for that.) But the bishop asked that I continue to serve in other ways, for example in my home, and for my neighbors and others around me. I'm fine with that.

And also, I say 'help not solve', because I feel that while it is possible to recieve divine guidance in our own lives, I think that we are expected to do our share of work too, to do what we can.

Geoff made it home from Oregon safe and sound, and so ends my weekend alone. It wasn't as scary being alone in a dark house at night as I would've thought. Even given the fact that we suspect our place is haunted. I avoided watching the scary ghost hunting shows, and was sure to stay up late and just go to sleep quickly so I wouldn't have to think about it. (I know I'm a wimp). Wally kept me company too. In fact, he was unusually cuddly with me while Geoff was gone.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Why I love cats

Pleeeaase watch this video, it's worth it.

You have to actually click on the link to view the video, sorry. I can't figure out how to embed a youtube video. It's funny though.

A day out

Geoff is in Oregon this weekend. I miss him so much. Not to worry though, I played a little myself today. Went up to Park City by myself and ate at a grill and went shopping at Tanger outlets. The power had gone out a few hours prior to my arrival, so all of the stores were closed. Then the power came back on and about half of the stores re-opened. It was fun to just walk around and shop a little though.

This is cute. Such is life sometimes, huh?


Friday, April 17, 2009

Change

Hey. I guess this past week has been sort of a hellish one - in a 'the-world-is-coming-to-an-abrupt-and-terrible-end kind of way. (Not to be too dramatic). It's like there's always been this little bit of something sneaking around underneath and finally it surfaced. I've done a little bit of soul-searching, and plan to do much more this weekend, and probably for a long time to come. There needs to be some changes and I'm ready to make them in my own self. At least I have reached for help (to overcome my stupidity and answer some questions) and made some definite steps and I hope it helps to get the ball rolling in the right direction again. Even for the gut-wrenching feeling inside me, it is a little bit empowering to finally be working toward a change.

I am also humbled by the caring people around me. The ones who took notice and reached out even though they didn't know what was going on... I never even suspected or expected that my problems would matter to anyone else. I am so humbled by their shows of love. How blessed I am to be surrounded by such awesome and wonderful people! They are true friends.

Time to get to work. :)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Easter weekend

I know it's long past now but I just wanted to write about the weekend. It was our Stake Conference weekend, and Elder Richard G. Scott from the Quorum of the Twelve was our speaker. They held it at the McKay Events Center because I guess they expected a lot of people to come. But before that, on Saturday evening, he spoke at an adult fireside at our stake center, and Geoff and I went. It was so neat! I didn't know if I really wanted to go that badly, but I was so glad we did. He's got quite the cute sense of humor, which we don't normally see during General Conferences. He was cracking joke after joke in the beginning, but then he got serious. He spoke about the justice and mercy of God, and came at it from an angle which I'd never considered before. There were quite a few other things that we both gathered from the talk too. And while discussing it in the car afterward, we realized just how badly we both needed to hear it. I REALLY needed it. We've each been struggling with some personal things in the last six months or so, and the spirit in our home just hasn't been the same in a long time. We came away with a renewed committment to increase our faith and testimony and to try to invite a good spirit back into our home. I'm so glad we went.

Sunday, Mom and Dad invited us over for dinner, so we went and it was delicious! Then we watched a movie. My mom - being her cute self - prepared an Easter basket for us, so we even got candy.

I feel just so grateful for everything. For my family, mostly. My parents and siblings and my cute, wonderful husband.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

What to do?

Yesterday we had a date night and went to eat at La Caretta, a Peruvian restaraunt. The food was yummy, but our waiter was high on something. The first thing I noticed was the excessive sweating. (Gross.) Geoff is the one who said "he looks high," and sure enough, totally dilated pupils, and he was quite fidgety and walking around with quick, impatient gestures. He was still a good waiter though. We tipped him good. The menu had lots of beautiful pictures of Lima and Machu Picchu. You know I've seen lots of pictures of that place and have wished I could go there someday but never actually knew where it was. So as I'm looking at these pictures I'm thinking, "hmm, 10 days off in August..."

I thought it would be fun to go down there and see the city of Lima, as well as the ancient ruins, and maybe we could go to Ecuador too (since they are next to each other) thinking Geoff served his mission there and might like to go back. He was not as on board with my cute idea. He knows that I have a tendency to get overly-excited about things and am prone to spend lots of money on something I think I want really bad. Like the time I hired a personal trainer. And when we almost bought another condo. And when I wanted to drop 2500 bones on beachfront accomodations in San Diego for a week.

He is right. There's just all of these neat places I want to go and see. I just don't want to still be talking about it when I'm in my 50's and never have done any of it. And there's this sense of urgency too, that it would be best to do some traveling now, before any kids come along. Though I guess we could have them and leave them with grandma and grandpa - if possible. :)

Just round-trip airfare to Peru is $1,000 / person. :( The question is do we want to spend it on travel or save it for a rainy day, or a bigger down-payment on a house. Why must we be responsible?

GOOD news though, I am going to go to New York City this year!! In October! This is one of the places I've really wanted to go, so I am sooooooo excited! I'm going with two of my aunts and an uncle for sure, (my aunt is the one who invited us, bless her!) and we'll see about mom and Geoff. Geoff is a little unsure about what his job/internship situation is going to be at that time, so we aren't booking a flight for him until we know for sure. But I just can't wait.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Thursday, April 9, 2009

George Harry or Hairy George...

Today on the way from work to school, a song came on the radio that totally took me back. George Harrison's Got my mind set on you. I remember loving that song as a kid. And I remember that the music video was this old hairy dude sitting in a dark cabin room all by himself singing while the furniture and wall hangings moved around. I watched the video again to see if it was really as creepy as I remembered. Yep.

Some other songs I remember liking were Sting's Englishman in New York, Gloria Estefan's Rhythm is Gonna Get You, and Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. (I remember watching that video too - a guy standing in front of a fence). Were there others, dad? That's all I remember right now.

I just looked them all up and they're all from 1987. Three-years must have been the magical age.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

No match for my erudite vernacular

Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly. DANIEL M. OPPENHEIMER (of Princeton University)

To liven up a boring powerpoint slideshow tonight, our professor interlaced the titles of research articles written by professors that were awarded for their ridiculousness. We've been challenged to use the words "erudite vernacular" in a sentence sometime this week.

The one I thought the funniest was the study of how temperature affects the speed of sound traveling through cheddar cheese.

And the one about how rats can't distinguish between the sounds of japanese and dutch spoken backwards.

These people actually get money to research these things???

Monday, April 6, 2009

Easter Eggs

At work every Easter they pass around plastic eggs with dollar bills in them. Usually fives, tens, and usually a $100 for one lucky person. This year, the lowest amount was 100! I couldn't believe it! That is a lot of money when you think they did it for the whole company! The CFO (I'm just trying not to use names) is the one that planned it and he was so excited to watch everyone open their eggs, he he. He's so nice. It was pretty cool.

Now we're just trying to push through the final weeks of the semester, and then we get a week off! Yay! I'd love to go camping in Zions or something. We'll see.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

New bedroom

(Sorry for the poor-quality cellphone pictures! Our computer no longer uploads photos from the digital camera!)

Before:







Here goes nothin'!


After:


My favorite view.




Geoff moved everything out and taped it off Friday night, and Saturday morning got hit with a pretty violent stomach flu, so he was out through the late afternoon. I put most of the first coat on myself, and then mom came and helped me with detailing and the second coat. It was fun!
.
The color ended up going on the wall much darker than I had thought, and dried much brighter than I had thought. But, I think it turned out. I might purchase a floor lamp to lighten it up at night when there's no light from the window. I'm no interior decorator, but, it is cozy and I think for a first time it turned out pretty well.

Friday, April 3, 2009

A recent funny "overheard in the office"

This one was funny:

5PM What's Known As Divine Intervention.

Customer care rep on phone: Okay, sir, we'll talk occasionally. (pause) Well, yes. (pause) Okay, sir, I have to go. (pause) I believe in Jesus! I believe in Jesus! (pause) Sir, my other line is ringing. I have to go.

Milpitas, California
Overheard by: Alisha
-----------------------------------------------------

That reminds me - this morning my coworker told me a story of her 7-year old little boy - always a handful with a flair for the dramatic, and cute as anything. Saturday night he hadn't slept well and so the next day in church he was acting up. It was during sacrament meeting and he was sooo grumpy and wouldn't calm down. As the sacrament came around she held it in front of him so he could take one and he refused, yelling, "I'm ignoring Jesus today!" He he he, isn't he cute!! Oddly enough, she got him to calm down by threatening to take him home before primary and sunday school, because he LOVES his primary and sunday school classes.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Goodbye MVP

Well it was an interesting day, I guess. I had to interview a government officer this morning (someone that mom works with) for my class. It sucked that I had to ask for time off work to do it, but at least they let me go, and I'm glad the lady was nice enough to let me interview her.

I decided to go with a lighter color for the bedroom and so had to make a trip back to Lowe's for another can of paint. (This lighter color will be so pretty though!). As we were driving out of the parking lot we passed an ex-boyfriend - whom I affectionately refer to as "slimeball" - and his new wife. We could've stopped to say hi, but we didn't.

We are being forced to say goodbye to our favorite weekend pasttime of the past four years... our Hollywood Video MVP plan. They are "upgrading" to a plan wherin you actually have to pay for your movies, so we are probably done. Most Friday nights we'd drive to the video store, pick out three movies, bring them home and watch them and pop popcorn. It's a little sad that things are going to change. We're looking into some other options, like Netflix, but I'm hesitant. It won't be the same as dropping what you're doing and going to pick out whatever you're in the mood for at that moment. We've had it good for four wonderful years!

Am I 80 years old??

It is 3:30 in the morning. It's been months since I've been able to sleep through the night without having to wake up to go to the bathroom. It's like I'm 80 or something. Now I can't go back to sleep because of the suffocating feeling of having a stuffy nose. I've been a month and a half nasal-spray sober, but I fear having done permanent damage. Hoping that sitting up for a few minutes will help.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Mother Nature says...

APRIL FOOLS!!

And we thought it was spring around here... (those poor little birds on the tree)

It is the beginning of quarterlies again! I am so busy! Love it!!

My friend Brayden and his band, Formerly So, have a new song, and it's pretty good. Listen/watch here.