#65 - bla bla bla

Also, you should know (and that is an ambiguous "you" so, basically anyone who reads this and cares) that I have been studying and testing and projecting and presenting and debating and writing a lot a lot lately. It has presented a need for breaks, example 1: blogging.

Example 2

Happy smiley filthies

Example 3

Yolk-a-matic

Example 4

How to walk with a rock

#64 - what's this?! what's this?! there's white things in the air.

Remember, way back, when I told you it was spring. I was just pulling your leg. Ha. Ha. Ha. It has been terrible weather in Rexburg the last few days: blizzards, cold, ridiculously windy. I'm very confused and sad inside. Today though, the snow was in a good mood. It decided to come down in cute little squishy balls. I was walking home from the library when it started to come down; my initial reaction was something along the lines of, "you've got to be joking! I was just in sunny, warm, happy, Spanish Fork - please let me go back." accompanied by lots of boo's and urg's. BUT THEN, when I was in it, I realized that the snow was making lemonade when it was given lemons and was positively as happy as it could be. I took lots of pictures on my walk home and even brought some happy squishies into my roommates to show them the excitement outside. I just hope two things: one - that the weather in Washington will be better than here when I arrive and two - that Rexburg will come to its senses sooner rather than later.

#63 - Hara Krishna!

Yesterday, my two best friends and I made our way south to warmer weather for the Hindu Festival of Colors! The festival represents the coming of spring from winter and the triumph of good over evil. We first attended a performance by the BYU Indonesian Percussion Orchestra, which mostly just consisted of loud, boring bell tingy songs. We were sitting in the very front row so it was pretty loud (somehow Brent managed to still sleep through it). Oh but wait... all of a sudden, they circled up and started making odd train noises; chanting and behaving very strangely. I was a little frightened - thinking they might attack me when immediately my suspicions were fulfilled. They started jumping around like monkeys, making screeching noises and one guy came right up to my face. I burst out laughing (which, I'm not sure how "culturally appropriate" that is or if it was even supposed to be funny), but I positively could not control myself. Tears started streaming down my face while I tried to hold in my laughter. Brent finally had to hold me into his chest to try and control me but as soon as I controlled my breathing, I could hear (and feel) Brent and Sami both laughing which just got me going again. It was out of control - it was ridiculously funny. Then! in the middle of the animal/train chanting and swaying, two of the girls started singing "If you could hie to Kolob". Oh.. man... that put me over the edge. Too funny for words - we were all speechless and tried not to be too much of a distraction. To sum up: it was awesome and totally worth the five bucks.

This one (above) is from this year. If you look closely you can see us in the middle of the middle for the concert. Just kidding, it's impossible. BUT WE ARE THERE!!

This one (below) is from last year, but I just liked how beautiful the color throwing was.

After that we headed down to the field for the "throwing of the colors". Some punk kid evidently light off the effigy before it was time (signaling the commencement of the color throwing) so there was preemptive throwing. We made our way toward the middle (per my request) and after a speech, explaining the purpose of the festival, the actual throwing began. For about a minute you couldn't see or breath (awesome!) and were bombarded with colored chalk from every direction. The Hindu rock concert started and thankfully, we all knew the words (Hara Krishna, Hara Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hara Hara, Hara Rama, Hara Rama, Rama Rama, Hara Hara... repeat). They put those words to just about every tune, from reggae to nursery rhymes, "Jack and Jill when up the hill to fetch a pail of Hara Krishna, Hara Krishna...." and "A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-R-I-S-H-N-A Hara Krishna, Krishna Krishna..."

After the concert, we headed back home to Rexburg while we were serenaded by Brent, putting those lyrics to the playlists on my iPod. Surprisingly they fit well to just about every tune. It was incredibly fun and well worth the drive.

HARA KRISHNA!!!

#62 - da sniffles

Today I am sick. Yesterday I was sick. Tomorrow I will be sick. Blah.

It's just one of those things where you feel like strong little men are pushing pushing pushing on your temples; trying to break through. Your nose and ears are like little volcanos, filled with pressure, ready to explode. Your throat feels like it's being punished for talking to much by scratching you all over. I bought some medicine yesterday hoping to relieve some of these ailments... one should never buy medicine when one is sick. Have it already in your house so you can just use it when you are. The former requires going out into public when you are in sweat pants, hair crazy and red nosed only to come to the isle that is filled with medicine, all claiming to do the same things! Too many choices! Don't they know we are sick and just want a big red neon arrow pointing down to the right medicine that I need? Groggily, I accidently purchased allergy medicine (which I downed anyway, because it's so dang expensive. Waste not), and some curious pills. What I really desire above all else is adult Dimetapp. When I was little I used to read off the symptoms it cures and tell my mom I was suffering from just that. She then would prescribe Dimetapp. Joy! It tastes so good and made my body happy. I search for an adult version but am only faced with "children's" labels. Why do they luck out, and I'm left with horse sized pills to down? Defiantly not fair.

I found a box of old medicine I've had for a while in my cupboard, mostly without labels and direction. I figure, I've only really ever been sick with this same kind of thing, so I'm sure I bought this medicine sometime to help with these same symptoms. I took 4 blue jelly ones and they are making me sleepy, so I'm crossing my fingers for nyquil. Everyone has been so nice though! Calls from friends with lovey things to say and offers to bring me medicine, soup, etc. It's all very wonderful! (Except for one friend who said I sounded like Pinocchio and wouldn't stop laughing at me. Rude).

#61 - what I can't have

I've come across a very disturbing phenomenon. When I can't do something - that's when the desire for it consumes me. Example. I can eat a normal amount of food right before church, but in that three hour block, my stomach starts growling and I get so hungry, I think for the sole reason that I can't eat. If food is available to me all day, I don't get really hungry and my stomach doesn't growl because I know if I want it, I can have it. Same with work: it doesn't matter if I eat a big meal before work; once I get there, knowing that I can't get food, I am immediately hungry! What is that about?! Last summer I remember that I never drove my car. I wanted to save gas and didn't really have anywhere to go, but as soon as I couldn't drive my car because it was in the shop - I all of a sudden needed it all the time! When I can't sleep (like while I'm in class or while I'm in church, etc.) is when I'm incredibly exhausted (even if I got a good night's sleep the night before), but when I am sleep deprived and can sleep, I'm not tired and stay up late. It is so bizarre to me. Come on body! Just want what you want when you want it, and don't when you can't!

Also, this really doesn't have anything to do with what I'm talking about, but I can drink lots of water all day long, but with out fail, in the middle of the night I am DYING of thirst! Not just a little thirsty, but if I don't get water right this instant into my mouth, flowing down my throat, I'm going to actually die. My whole body feels like it's been stranded on a deserted island for years, so when I get up and get a drink, I guzzle it down like my life depended on it!!! I feel bad for Sami; I'm sure I wake her up as I realize my water bottle by my bed is empty and then stumble towards the door to get a drink. I grab one of the jugs of water in the fridge and take a swig (which, you would think would be satisfying, but it's SO cold that it hurts when I drink it so fast. Then I have to sit on the ground while I wait for the freezing pain to go away). It's a nightly ritual I could do with out.

#60 - tiptoe through the tulips with me

Happy Spring! It's so exciting - the night and day are exactly the same length (almost romantic)! I found a website on how to celebrate the Spring Equinox, and to me, this was nothing short of magical brilliance:

Step 1: Get in the "mood" by taking a walk in a field of flowers. Pick some fresh flowers and take them home to bring the spring into your house (my residence in Rexburg might require a floristial purchase... we've got slim pickins... unless I want to pick brown/tan grass. SLASH feel free to bring me flowers-that is always welcome).

Step 2: Reflect on the meaning of spring. It is a time to plan what you want to accomplish in the coming months. Decide what new things you want to bring into your life (I would like to add less crazy people and more cookies).

Step 3: Wear colors of a pastel nature that are traditional for the Spring Equinox (I think after the spring break I'll invest in some yellow and orange shirts. There is a yellow/orange void in my life).

Step 4: Paint hard-boiled eggs as a symbol of fertility, rebirth, and spring. Deviled eggs are also appropriate, as well as nuts and seeds - symbolizing the planting of new ideas and life (mmm sounds like nuts and eggs for dinner tonight!).

Step 5: Ask the goddess of spring for guidance in carrying out your wishes in the coming months (this one is my favorite. I like to imagine her with hair made of flowers wearing big leaves in the form of a very stylish party dress).

BYUI is celebrating in their own way: the studiers have emerged from the desks of solitude and homes of silence to study on the hills and lawns on campus; short sleeve shirts and toes that we haven't seen in months. It is positively glorious weather - and listening to the birds loving the weather, almost reminds me of waking up in New York in the summer to beautiful chirping (only to quickly be extinguished by the death-grip from my cat). Ahh spring.....

Taste it

Feel it

Love it

#59 - seredipiosity... serendipatiousness...

During my shifts each week, I have some 'regulars'; people I have met in the gym or see that always exercise while I'm working. I don't know most of their names, and as far as guys are concerned, I have no desire to pursue anything with anyone I, "met at the gym". I've had some less-than-positive experiences in that department... the testosterone filling the weight room makes some of these guys feel on top of the world and the questions of 'what's your number?' or 'can I take you out sometime?' are quick to follow. Keeping in mind that I'm not looking to date these guys, there is one in particular that I always see. I call him "The Chiseled" - for he is thus. One of the best looking, best built guys I see. I talk to him sometimes, but it's mostly just smiles and "hi"s. I was telling my friend a story about him last night at music outlet. After the performances, we left to hang out at her place with a few friends. We all got talking and one of my friends mentioned that she got asked out at the gym by this guy that was "not her type at all" so we decided to look him up on 'facebook' - the easiest way to stalk people invented. I glanced at his profile picture - then ask to see another one, just to be sure... it's The Chiseled! What are the odds? I thought the night's events were very serendipitous.

#58A - spondee

I went to a concert tonight to support one of my friends who was performing (SoundCheck). I heard band though that was pretty good (aside from my friend's band). They are out of boise, called Spondee (they are sort of indie/rock/popish). All very young too, seemed about my age, so that alone was pretty impressive for how good they sounded. They also have great stage interactiveness (they are good at getting the crowd going). They are coming out with (their first?) album tomorrow and are on tour right now, headed to Pocatello for the release.

#58 - almost as a.d.d as Weezer's El Scorcho

Tonight I am filled with random thoughts so I apologize for the chaotic expulsion of words.

(my random mood also inspired the random pictures... one is a newly completed blue beanie - accomplished while on a school field trip. The other is a very discouraged me while trapped in a park bathroom.)

I am full of the cravings: craving to go to a sweet, huge concert and dance until my feet hurt and my body flails just enough to be awkwardly close to those around me. I am going to a Vetiver concert in a few weeks, but something tells me this indie band (amazing as it is) won't help me release my dancing bursts. Right now I can't get enough of the concerts (I like them best, currently, when they are free). Also, tacos.

I want to be one of those people. You know the kind that feels okay going to concerts or to dinner alone. Why not? Why feel weird and lonely? OWN IT! "What of it. I'm here for the music, man. Be jealous of my self dubbed power." Currently, I need to call about three friends to get outside approval that I am cool enough to pull it off before I venture out.

Whatever happened to meeting new people? Freshman year I was all about the random knocking on people's apartments and making new friends. I was full of a ridiculous amount of energy and couldn't get enough of people. Now... I'm the person who has my friends, likes my friends, am satisfied with my social life and don't care to expand. It's not that I'm anti-social. The opposite, in fact, by anyone's definition. I'm just content with the bounds of my circle. Sad, but I guess that's what comes with old age; marked by the removal of my parental-mooching medical insurance. Welcome to the adulthood cave of social satisfaction.

If you read below this entry, you will discover that I have recently gone grocery shopping. It was an incredibly exciting and rewarding experience. I have ran across a problem though: I am afraid to actually eat the food. It looks so glorious and delicious, but if I eat it, I won't have it anymore. I want to keep the food in it's perfectly preserved state forever! I bought two artichokes. Maintaining their artichokish properties, they need to be eaten right away. If I eat one, I'll only have one left. Okay, I can deal with that, but then I can't eat the other one because then I will have none and I will be sad. This goes for all the food in my house. I don't want it to be gone... begging the question - what else is food good for, but to eat? Having the food around, knowing that I can eat it and that it is comfortingly by my side is a pleasant feeling. Eat the food = kill the feeling.

I love school. Correction: I love learning. If I could just audit every class and not have to worry about grades, life would be superbly blissful. Alas, the existence of tests, quizzes and dread. Notice I didn't put papers; I like writing papers - therefore, this school attribute will remain in my self proclaimed perfected collegiate program. I'm a little sad that I can't take more classes and that graduation is swiftly approaching, with my enrollment in only two classes in the summer. If I could, I would take Theory, a few culinary arts classes, more humanities classes, and a few philosophy classes. Again, for auditing purposes only - purely to fill the file cabinets in my mind.

I pretend I am more crafty than I am. I either need to tone down the awesomeness of my skills, or expand the limits of those skills. And why is crocheting hobo gloves so dang hard? Do we really need all four fingers AND a thumb. Jeez.

#57 - food glorious food!

If anything was ever "blog-worthy" this, my friends, is it. For the past couple weeks or so my diet has consisted of pancakes, waffles (from my bisquick mix) and oatmeal. Funds are extremely low and the food previously purchased has been slowly disappearing. One night, while preparing my oatmeal dinner, I called my dad to chat and he started describing the meal they had just finished, "Fillet minion, roasted potatoes, peas and corn, three choices of deserts"...

With only four more weeks of school, I figured I could get by with what I had, but times were getting desperate. GLORIOUS! I got a package today from my wonderful parents filled with snacks, salmon, couscous and other little presents. Closely followed was a present in my bank account which I took immediately to the grocery store. I stocked up and now won't have to go shopping again until I get into my new apartment in the summer.

So, to review: Yay for Moms and Dads! Yay for going home soon! Yay for food! My first meal post shopping was a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a big sandwich (toasted wheat bread, mayo/mustard, cheese, turkey, lettuce). Delicious!

#56A - canoe

So Canoe is almost finished with their next album "The Goldminer" - it is expected to be out summer 2009. They will be going on tour to promote their new album and say they might come through Rexburg in June! Needless to say, I will be at that show. I sent them a message, letting them know who to talk to about scheduling venues and I can't wait! You can download a few of their "Places Pre-release Recordings" on their website if you haven't heard them before. These are songs from their first album, and so I have high expectations for their new CD.

#56 - sweet tunes

Give me a minute; I have to gloat. So we all are now keen on the fact that I work a lot and thus, that I am bored a lot. One of my pleasures is the music at the gym: music purchases can be requested but it all goes through a rigorous "BYU-Idaho scanning process", filtering out profanities, hints of innuendoes or suggestive topics. From this narrow (roughly 1300 songs) selection I have gleaned out my own personal playlist (58 songs). I play it every time I work, which isn't a big deal because that comes to about 3 1/2 hours of music; that way one exerciser doesn't hear the same song. In the selection process, I wasn't really thinking "what would be good to work-out to?" or "what would people want to hear?" It was much simpler than that: "do I like it, yes or no." If the gym people don't like it, they have their iPods... I want to just entertain myself here. Now the glorious part: practically every time I work, someone comes up to me and asks me if I picked the music. A little nervous, thinking they are going to complain, I respond, "Yes, it's mine." And every time, the compliments are plentiful: I love these songs! When do you work? Can you always play this playlist? This music is way better then the stuff they play usually! You have great taste in music! All these songs are so great!

To which I respond, "ah yea, that's right"

#55B - vetiver live!

April 18th is the day! I'm going to be home for the spring break and Vetiver is playing at a venue that just opened up in Seattle, The Crocodile. I absolutely love Vetiver. These mountain looking men have a very harmonic soothing sound. It's very meditative and penetrating (Been So Long, especially). But with each album, they throw in a few up-tempo happy songs that you can't help but bounce along to. Great guitar picking with some slide guitar, and their lyrics speak right to me. I have yet to hear a song by them that I don't like.. I can't wait to see them in concert!

Vetiver News - They also just came out with a new Album: Tight Knit, Feb 17th! So far, I can't get enough of "Everyday" "On the Other Side" "More of This" and the bonus track, "Pay No Mind".