Tiny writing, for a not too tiny post.

This is a trick I learned when my school papers extended past the required length. Teachers can get mad at you for making the font huge, but not too many watch out for making it smaller. This morning I had to defrost my car windows. I was not too happy about it. Lately I've been waking up later and later. My work's too lenient with me, so I get away with it, but I hate staying later at night just because I don't feel like getting up in the morning. And that's even when I have been going to bed early. I gave up a few times this week and just didn't go to bed before I went to work. That went quite well. One of those night's was when we went to the Switchfoot concert in Park City. Luckily in the events of that night I did not get any sore ribs like the rest of my companions, because I was the tallest of the four of us in front, and as such well surpassed the bar's height--at least up to my ribs. The whole thing was a good time. Especially the ride down to Park City; although Frogkisser cut off the conversation Ugly Duckling were having on Diet Coke trees (she wants cans falling on conveyer belts while I say it would be better to just tap the tree like a keg--for lack of a better equivalent) because my dear little frog is a spoil-sport who saw either as an unlikely event and thus had to crush our ambitions; also, Ugly Duckling didn't believe me that my book (and many others for that matter) smelled like sugar--which I'll admit is one of the reasons why I liked reading as a child. I still rather enjoy the random colored moose they have scattered around down there (in Park City), and I must give props to whoever had the idea of doing that. I actually made Frogkisser drive by one just so I could take a picture. The actual concert was enjoyable, though freezing. It would have been nice if two particular boys standing in the back would have made it on time though, so they could have stood by us. It's always nice to have friends near by when crowd surfers fly over your head and over the bar.

Work is continually becoming oppressive to me. Sort of. I still like my job and those I work with, I'm just becoming continually more lazy. It's an unfortunate side effect of school, and being tired from life as a whole. It'd be nice if it was mindless work, but it's not. Winter is usually dead to allergen testing, but it seems everyone and their dog has found something they think they might be allergic to this season. School is interesting. I like the subject of Biochemistry, though my professor's teaching method leaves me to question what he could possibly test on, and more importantly, how he will grade the material. I have a test on Monday I have yet to study for...much. I have some more reading to do, but I'm not too worried about it on the whole because I get a page (front and back) of notes during my test and I write really tiny, he gave us a splinter of what to look for in the book along with two pre-tests, and I can drop two of the 4 tests. Of course, if I do well on all four I don't have to take the final. Then there's the fact that though they're 8 pages long, he calls them quizzes. No one can be afraid of a quiz. I probably should be, but I'm pretty sure everyone else is as confused as me in there, he grades on the curve, and once I take the first test I'll know what to expect of the rest. I guess the new book means a slightly different format for this test compared to those of the past.

Speaking of school, I found out while buying my book that there is another bookstore on campus. This one is for all things medical. They have some very nice anatomical posters on sale right now. I'm leaning towards the skeletal system and the eye/ear one myself. But all bring back the memories of my anatomy experience that I savor. I really do hope my friend who is taking that this semester calls me up for help studying, because it's been too long and I know the ropes of that class at the U. The drawback of this bookstore is that it's by the college of nursing which is a long slanted up walk from lower campus and the Institute where I park. I only go there on days I have class, and usually have to hurry from and then back to work when the class ends. Just a side story that relates... I totally choked on a snowflake the other day walking back from that class. I'd say my deep breaths were caused more by my lungs being frozen than my fast walking, but one inhalation and the largest snowflake I'd ever seen was invading my bronchioles. I hardly doubt it made it that far, but I did choke on the thing, which goes to show that anything could potentially kill you, not just William James impressive collection of handguns. I'm pretty sure school can accomplish it, as this snowflake goes to show, though I personally thought the flying crane through the library window should have done it.

Do you know what the street value of this mountain is?

Man it's been a while. It's actually my week off, but I've been majorly unmotivated to do much this week. I've still done stuff, but I don't like planning. Spontaneity is the way to go my friends. Or have friends who are willing to plan, even though you know they hate it as much as you do (props to you Frogkisser--you keep us all less boring). I did however get to go sledding this week with my nieces and nephews, sisters, roommate, and almost-brother-in-law. And I've learned my two-year-old nephew has quite a streak of violence in him where snowball fights are concerned. My other 2 year-old nephew was rather distressed at this. There's no calling the kid off. But they loved it, and I loved getting to see my 12 year old nephew and 10 year old niece, because at their age I don't get to hang out with them as often as the little ones. Probably because they have a choice as to whether or not they will hang out with me, whereas the young ones have no choice in the matter. The first thing I do when I see the two of them is I open my arms for the great big hug they owe me for me being their auntie, and the first thing they do is back away slowly before giving in to the inevitable. My twin two-year-old nieces unfortunately had bad colds and couldn't come, but the rest all had a blast. We bought three large tubes for the endeavor and two new ultra thin sleds. Boy, it sure was fun seeing my little sister roll down that hill wearing all three tubes she had been trying to carry up. The Training Table after was also good. I don't get to hang out with so many of my sisters at once as often as I'd like. I also donated plasma this week, lost and found my camera battery charger, went into Ugly Duckling's work, went into Frogkisser's work to scoop out ice cream for the old and not-so-old people, and saw The Producer's. Springtime for Hitler indeed. So today I spent the greater part of the day cleaning my house to a state of spotless delight with my roommate, and buying more stuff than I'll possibly remember to eat at the grocery store. My bedroom and car now loom before me in jealous states of neglect. I'll have to clean them sooner or later, especially before my car gets inspected Monday, because my father refuses to take it in with how it is now, but later is such an attractive prospect after the successful endeavors of today. I managed to topple my Mountain Dew tree in the process of vacuuming, but was able to rectify the situation, and our good friend Widdy has retired for good in the bottom of our outside trash can. I'm sure he'll find happiness there. I also neglected my church calling once again this week, and really need to make the effort to visit all the girls I supervise to let them know I exist and can bake to their advantage. But alas, all of that involves the efforts of planning, the very thought of which exhausts.

By the way

So it's been a while since I last posted, and I have no good excuse not to really. Other than not having much to write about, but when has that ever stopped me. Today is my Friday. I'm excited for this. This is slightly dampered by the fact that I've been trying to update this blog my sister made my mother as a gift, so she could show others pictures of her lovely family/grandchildren, but it won't let me log onto it. Frustrating. So I'm writing in mine instead. I must say, for how fast this week went by, I'm really glad it's over and I can now get some sleep. I started school, I'm starting to like my class, but I have yet to buy the book for it. And I have this pipette staring at me as a constant reminder that I need to remember to calibrate it today. Our bioengineer has forgotten about us too I think. So I'm just here at work, waiting. As for what's new, let's see... For the last two weeks I've been donating plasma. I'm a alumni to the processes of donating blood and platelets, but I feel a little weird doing the same but also getting paid. I love donating blood or platelets regardless, this is closer to my house, and the last time I got a candy bar out of it as well; so I don't feel so bad about it. I also don't feel woozy in the slightest after and I don't get cold, even though it lasts an hour, and if you're wondering, I can tell you all of the other little pros and cons between the different processes. This one is actually more pleasant than the others, so I was surprised. But I keep getting flagged for low blood pressure, so they make me walk around for 15 minutes each time. It's genetic; I can't help it. Tomorrow I get to sleep. I am going to go to Resource again at Annje's work tomorrow though, so that will be fun. My little sis is going wedding dress shopping today, and I'm sad I can't go. Frankly I can't say I like shopping in the least, and all of my wedding dress shopping experiences for my other sisters were highly unpleasant because of this fact, but I'd still like to be present for the moment. As far as good things happening...You all may have noticed that it finally snowed in Utah. If only it can hang on till Thursday I will be happy. I want to take my nieces/nephews sledding. I also enjoyed sliding on my way to work this morning, more so because I was one of the only cars on the road at this early time of the morning. That all said, now I've updated my blog, and next time I might have things to write about.

A friend is a gift you give yourself

It's been a while since my last blog. Not surprising; school has officially started. I think I like my classes. More appropriately, my class. I only have one this semester. It's a gift to myself for making it through the last semester. And I'm still working full-time. I plan on eventually switching to part time, but at least for now I like my job too much to switch to a new department. So for now, just the one. I am going to school in the summer as well though. I can justify all this because I get tuition reimbursement from my job. My one class is Biological Chemistry. Oh the joy that is chemistry. I like chemistry, but I have yet to love it. It's an excellent subject, but it takes ample studying time, and more practice to master it than I can extend without frequent breaks. I think I have ADD. My doctor concurs. The quiet kind. And so I have a hard time focusing and sitting. Whereas with Biology I am in a joyful land where everything makes sense on it's own. Yes, there is still studying and memorizing, but no math. I actually love math quite a lot, just not in it's useful forms. When they are just equations on their own, puzzles to solve if you will, and no consequences attached, I can sit and enjoy math for hours. However, as soon as the numbers mean something other than numbers, say amounts of chemicals that when added to a formula have the power to make or break the experiment, I want to pull out my hair. Biology just makes so much more sense without the numbers, and I can usually memorize that sort of stuff no problem. I like theory. So handling all the numbers in this class I'm taking, within the walls of my magical land of biology, I'm thinking it has to get better, right? My professor seems nice enough. He does have a quiet tone and a monotonous voice, but I think if I stay awake long enough to take notes, and do the reading, I'll make it through and won't become disinterested. The building I have the class in is pretty new and nice, so that's good. It's by the school of medicine, in between that and the school of nursing. Environment is key when it comes to studying, as we have all learned by a certain crane/tractor crashing through a certain library window. I have a good feeling about it.

I feel I should not finish with this post before at least commenting on fun week. I'm personally glad it's over. I loved it and I don't regret a minute of it, but it was exhausting to plan and follow through with all of it, though much of it was spontaneous. But I have yet to clean my room all the way, and my car for that matter, so it's nice to finally have some quiet time where I don't have to do anything. I still hold to my resolution of this being a fun year, but thankfully I don't have to fit all of what I want to do into the period of a week this time. That said, I got an absolutely awesome map from the map store. It's huge, it was inexpensive, and I must say I think Utah Idaho Supply is one of the coolest stores I've ever seen. I also visited quite an array of pet stores with my cohorts, and I really want a sugar glider now. The pet store right next to my house has them. I also want a turtle, a bird, and these cute little crabs I saw. I have yet to fire my kiln sadly, but these things can't be rushed. I did get an awesome wooden chess board my almost-brother-in-law made and gave me, because I plan on throwing my own chess set out of clay for my 12 year old nephew. And now I have to throw another for Kyle, but I'm excited about the endeavor. I also made quite the coolest t-shirts ever, with the subject of this post on the front. That was my fortune from the first day of fun week, and like Brian's it doesn't quite make sense to me, though for different reasons. His I can't make sense of one way or another, and no one else I've talked to seems to be doing any better. Mine makes sense, but I don't know if I believe it. It'd be nice if you could just go around saying, "hey you, you're my new friend. I hereby give you to me as a gift," but it also seems kind of wrong somehow. So now not only do I have a huge t-shirt press, borrowed from my mother, on my kitchen table that weighs more than I do and thus is not something I really want to move at the moment, but I also have a 5 man tent set up in my living room that no one thought would fit or stay up, but with help from the huge rocks in my garden, 4 roommates, 2 friends, and a rope tied to the closet door knob, is still standing after 4 days. Of course, it takes up the entire span of the living room, length, width and height. I'll probably take it down today. I also got to volunteer at an elementary school resource program, which I loved and will probably do more frequently on my off weeks, because they were such adorable and/or amusing kids. And I donated plasma for the first time, which is almost identical a process to platelets, only with no appointment and with money tacked on to the deal. I have yet to drag anyone to Game Nights Games, but I found out the address, so that will be on the agenda in the coming weeks. Hopefully you all made it to this point in my post, because it was rather long, and had it been me, I would have drifted off halfway through this to go get a soda or something.

"But fine words butter no parsnips"

Effective immediately I've decided that this will be the best year ever. My plans for such include doing whatever the heck we want (especially new things we've always wanted to do but never have, or spur of the moment events) to make it memorable, most likely making it inexpensive where I can help it, and most important, complete randomness. My aims are to create new traditions for us to enjoy year after year, for us all to become less boring, and to create unity amidst our ever changing lives and experiences. I hereby kick this year off with "Fun Day," now a new holiday to take place every Jan. 3rd, with us doing whatever we feel like, especially if we've never done it before. Highlights for this year include a giant tent set up in our family room, complete with indoor BBQ to simulate the camping goodness. Fondu will be prevalent, as will movies of my selecting, sure to be a treat for all. And I've always wanted to go to Llama Fest, so this upcoming summer, plan on it, yo.

So today is fun day. I first decided upon its creation last night at the "HONG KONG," around the corner from our house. For the longest time we all thought it said, "KING KONG," which admittedly is a terrible name for a Chinese Restaurant. The food was not bad, though the place was largely uninhabited, which endeared it to me all the more. And considering we mainly made our server's job ever so complicated, it's amazing how much fun we had. Which made me decide, we need to have many such times at other Podunk little places. My title for this post, as many already know, comes from the fortune my good friend Brian received in his fortune cookie during our dining experience this past day. I've yet to make any sense of it. Today's agenda includes the petstore--most especially to look at sugar gliders, a map store--because I want one, Legacy House Assisted Living--where Frogkisser works and we intend to call Bingo at 3:00, and there will be a special pinch pot/whistle making activity to rid me of the 75 lbs of clay that currently resides in my trunk, which will also help me to fill up my kiln for it's first experimental firing ever--hopefully to take place later this week. These are only selections I've chosen to disclose, so be sure to get in contact with me if you have any suggestions or if you want in on the fun. For "Fun Week" I guess I should add, because most of you are already out of luck for "Fun Day" which is already planned to a point, and so far, at least as far as the first three activities go, is going to be made up of 4 participants. But anyone that wants to make a whistle...I have a lot of kiln space.

Oh Tuesday Night

I'm actually quite amazed at the time I am able to put into this blog. Of course, school starts on the 9th, so they definitely will taper off. But as of now I have access to this at work without using up my quota time, and without school to leave and come back to...Well, lucky you guys. Right now it's a holiday. Not for real, but as far as paying goes. I've had "Oh Tuesday Night" stuck in my head all morning, and have gone so far as to hum it. I'm excited for Tuesday on that note. Having the holiday fall on the weekend means it's Monday (Friday for me) and all the 40 hours a week people get today off. So it's like a three day weekend for me. Excellent parking, no supervisors to give extra work, not a heck of a lot of testing...And to top it off Paige's cold drugs are far superior to mine, so I fell very optimistic about the world right now. And anticipatory towards my lovely off week that starts tomorrow. I already have a delightful list of things to do. One of which includes throwing on my wheel and learning to operate my kiln finally. I'm excited. I also have to finish my Grandmother's Christmas present, clean out my room at my parent's house to momentarily move back into in March when our lease is up, and read. I don't have to do that actually, but I think I will. What's nice is that I can do it at work as well. I got a whopping 13 hours of sleep last night, so I'm feeling pretty energetic right now, only the medicine is making me slightly light headed and fingered. And I'm walking slower than usual, which is far from the normal case, and lighter. The only down side to today is that I can't donate platelets and watch a movie due to my cold. I shall live though.

"Never-ending Soda" (Apply liberally)

Today is New Years day. As I already might have mentioned, I've always thought of New Years as a sham holiday. True, I rather enjoyed getting together with friends this year, and it was a good excuse to do so, but this year didn't really feel like New Years anyway. In fact, until 30 seconds before the ball dropped, I had no idea it was so close to the New Year. Then it was over, and everything went on right where it left off. I was so taken off guard by not lamenting the past year and the one to come in that time that I actually made a resolution, or rather decided to keep one I made earlier that day, and have decided to make a few more as well. My one I thought of earlier came to me in the grocery store, where I had to buy cool whip and pudding, only to find that I had to also get milk, flour, and for some reason sugar--even though my recipe didn't actually call for sugar--and I got baker's sugar at that, because it's deliciously fine. At that time I also realized I needed chapstick, and on my way to the chapstick isle I came across those flossing toothpicks. Early on last week I had just been mentioning to my roommates how much I despise flossing. I realize that it's important, and I value the opinions that credit it as such, but I still hate it, and the time-consuming nature of it always makes me keen to forget doing it. And so is born my first resolution of the year. I will floss everyday. That was decided during my first visit to the grocery store last night. I then realized that I had forgotten my Mountain Dew, and frosting for that matter, which brings me to my second resolution. I must drink less Mountain Dew, for I have become rather dependent on it. I won't lie, I'm not giving it up completely, so if you see it in my hand, good luck trying to pry it away from me. But I recently discovered those cute little cans of Mountain Dew I can only find in Wal-Mart, and naturally I consume twice as much because they look so small they couldn't possibly be doing me any harm, and they're just too darn cute not to buy--so I just drink one after another. I no longer have a terribly good excuse to drink it now that my tree is up, though it will doubtless be added to and continue to grow throughout the years. Or at least this next year. I have grand ambitions for it in the future, and you can only really get as far as the ceiling anyway. My third visit to the grocery store came about yesterday in frustration after I split the baker's bag I was using to make eclairs with, then managed to bust my turkey baster before I put any filling in any of them. And so I dragged Ugly Duckling to the store with me to get a new one, and also to get freakin' expensive strawberries Pinkie just had to have, which reminds me that she still owes me six bucks. We could not find a proper baster, and so I ended up with some sort of frosting syringe, which brings me to my third resolution. I will never make eclairs again without the help of an eclair punch. And I will never let Tisme spray the pans with Pam again either. She's excessive in pushing that button.

I did rather enjoy having an assistant to frost them for me though. Nice job Clark! But you had a sweet deal there buddy, what with the eating of all the less pretty ones.