Farewell until Monday

I thought I probably ought to write something before I’m in Vegas and can’t write anything. Other than the distraction of work, I don’t really have an excuse to have not been writing lately. Anyway, here goes.

So as a testament to just how tired I was the morning after my test, on which I actually got 14 hours of sleep, I totally came to work with my shirt on inside-out. Fortunately it was early, so no one was there when I got there, and also fortunately, I wear a lab coat at work, so no one saw even then. But then I went on break. They put the tag for this shirt on the side seam. So I was walking, and as it often does when I walk, my arm was swinging back and forth, as it should for all those who don’t have brain tumors or huge latissimus dorsi muscles. So it was swinging, and every time it swung past my waste, which it does about once a step, it was brushing up against this tag. I looked down at this point, thinking “why on earth would they put a tag there and on the outside?” when I noticed that it was not the outside. That was an unfortunate moment. On the bright side, I got a B+ in my Biochem class after taking that test; that was an awesome test. It’s not an A as I would hope each grade would be, but considering the amount of slacking I did in that class, it’s more than I deserved. So I won’t have to retake it. Now it’s just O. Chem and Genetics. And I think they’ll make me take Statistics.

That said; school is done for the summer. I was going to take classes in the summer, but alas, they didn’t offer any that I needed. So now I’m going to Vegas tomorrow, which is my first day off of work, and I have yet to pack or get ready at all. I guess that will be tonight’s efforts. And I need to remember to go to the bank. I got my bonus check the other day, which is probably good as far as Vegas is concerned. I'm ready to hit all the buffets and arcades!

I'm done I'm done I'm done.

I'm done, I'm done...Too bad you all can't hear the music that went along with those words in my head. Just read them really slow. There also was a jig...In my head that is...I'm at work after all.

So I only had one final. It comes from being a slacker and only taking one class, but I deserved a break after last semester and so I gave it to myself. Unfortunately I took it as just that, and I almost didn't work hard enough to pull it off. Fortunately my professor really is a nice guy, and the final was pretty easy. It was basically questions verbatim from all 4 exams put in one, and I was allowed all 4 cheat sheets from the previous tests (front and back) to use on it. Of course, I put all four exams shrunk to a size smaller than my hand on my cheat sheets, so I was really happy. Of course, I lost the answers to one of my exams, so while I used open book, open internet, I'm still not sure if they were all the right answers. Either way, I should throw myself a party. I think I may have given myself something though, because I don't feel so hot and I totally almost fell over this morning when I leaned over to get something. I got home from work yesterday after my all-nighter at about 3, and I planned on taking a 4 hour nap before Gilmore Girls and House, and I woke up at 11. I then went back to sleep till 4:30 am, at which point I made myself get up. I totally would have kept on sleeping if I didn't have work, and that was a 13 hour nap! So it feels like pneumonia, but it can't be that because I had a shot, so I'm thinking bronchitis?

The Wall

I hit the freaking wall. I thought that after finishing my high school running experience I'd never have to deal with it again--but here it is. You know...You're to the 300 M point of the track, rounding the bend, approaching the stretch...And then this invisible collides with your abdomen and forces you to slow down. At that point I was taught to ignore the pain my body was feeling, and instead push myself as hard as I could to the end. Sometimes I was able to suppress the pain, only to have it come back x10 when back to my senses, but most of the time (like so many others) the desire to stop was so strong I couldn't overcome it. Basically at the moment I just couldn't make myself care; not until after did I regret.

I spent the last 48 hours consecutively studying (with the occasional break to keep my sanity, as well as to help my sister because I can't not stress when she's stressed), and with an hour left to go till my final, I can't make myself care anymore. I'm so ready to be done with this class, and I know I had no other options, but I totally burned myself out this time. An unfortunate side-effect of me being tired is that I lose all desires to do anything but what I immediately feel. Usually it's nice to lose all of my inhibitions, as well as any self-conscienciousness, and just say and do what strikes my fancy, but right now it kind of sucks.

"Me fail English? That's unpossible."

I found out today that I'm not failing Biochem. I unfortunately still have to take the final, but if I do well on it I can pull a pretty decent grade out of the course. I got my test back, and I totally aced the sucker. Not doing great on two of the four deflates my bubble a bit, but this news tells me there's still hope. I've pulled out of worse. I frankly expected to do much worse. I started off confident, and for the first half of the test knew exactly what I was doing. Towards the end I'm pretty sure there were things on there I've never seen before in my life, so I left the class dispirited. My professor is actually really nice, though he has a droning voice; I came straight from work and was a half hour late, so he let me stay an extra half hour to finish it and I was the last one in there. However, when I finally turned it in he started looking at what I'd missed right there and started laughing. Not a very uplifting experience. Basically he threw a basic math problem in there for who knows what reason, and though I've always been awesome at math, for simple math I've become so accustomed to using a calculator that it threw me off completely. I learned trying to teach math to 5th graders in Resource that my skills are a little rusty. So basically he laughed, told me how I should have done the problem, then laughed some more. I was not so happy, but he was nice in grading that problem and I feel better now. He also took my word that a problem I missed because it looked like and "n" was really indeed an "h," which is was, so I like him better now.

In other news: I finally got the internet to work on the computer in my room! It's my off week, and I had a really good week at both work and school. I babysat my nephew and nieces yesterday, and we played for hours in their sandbox. Basically it's a park playground, because my dad managed to procure all the playgound equipment from SJ Elementary when they decided they were going to close. I plan to take them to the zoo sometime soon, I plan on finally firing my kiln up in the weeks to come, and FYI: if you want a Big Ol' D shirt, let me know. I made the design better than ever and I'm excited for them, but I'm having them made professionally. I don't care if it's just me and Duckling who gets them, but I just thought I'd give everyone the opportunity before all of the swooning with envy and sheer coveting when we're seen wearing ours.

I'll write more soon, but for now I have some errands to run. I'm seriously so happy the weather is so gorgeous and summer is so close. I have big plans for it, and I'm really excited.

On a bit of a serious note...

My first day back to work this week, Tuesday, I was reading through my emails at work only to find that a good friend and co-worker of mine was killed in a car accident on her way to work Sunday morning. I was stunned. Over the past year I have truly been grateful for the opportunity's I've had to attend the Sunday pot-luck of the department next to me. They were nice enough to invite me and a friend also in my department I'll call Idaho, and though it is mostly this particular department, they are welcoming to many others. Though it's sad I can't attend church on those weeks, the people I have come to know and get closer to have made it something to look forward to, and it has been an enormous learning experience for me--as well as an incredible opportunity to come to love so many people I wouldn't have known otherwise. This friend who died so suddenly, along with her father and mother (who also work with me), were some of the life-long friends I've made. They came here from Jordan, and since knowing them I've learned so much of their culture and of Islam; I've also developed quite a craving for Middle-Eastern food also. Our little Sunday group is comprised of so many people from different life-styles and religions, yet there is this air of warmth, openness, and respect that I've never experienced anywhere else. This family embodies these qualities, and are largely responsible for this atmosphere. I was unable to attend the funeral, which happened quickly because as Muslims do not embalm, and with it being my off week they were unable to get a hold of me and many others. However, I had the chance to go visit them and offer my condolences last night, along with the friend in my department. They were so warm and welcoming, and the love and appreciation towards us radiated from them. The first thing they did was hug us, as did all of their family members and friends I had either never met before, or had met only briefly, then they brought us food--desserts specifically. They replied that that was their custom to feed guests, after we were foolish enough to say we'd come to bring them food, not the other way around. We then talked about the wonderful accomplishments their daughter made, and about how they would miss her but she would always be in our hearts, and how proud they were of the person she grew up to be. She was my age exactly, and next week would have graduated from the program I am going into. Her mother said she sees her in everything and everywhere she goes, and her memory will live forever. They knew that was the book of her life, and that it was supposed to end that way--that she accomplished what she was supposed to in her life. It made me think of my own life: about what I need to do, where I need to go. They then told Idaho and I that we remind them of her, and that they love both of us like they do her...Like a daughter. I felt such a love towards them in return, and felt sad not only because I will miss her, but because it's so hard to watch her family in pain, though their strength and hope is admirable beyond belief. Needless to say, I was bawling by the end of this visit. I just found it amazing how similar some of the beliefs and the faith they expressed towards this event and to life in general were so similar to many of my own. God is truly blessing them. Anyway... I just wanted to document this event, and express my appreciation for being gifted enough to have known her, and to know all of the many wonderful people I have been blessed to know. I have so many friends I've known for so long, some even from elementary and middle school, and I'm really just blessed in the friends and family I have been given. Fortunately a friend isn't a gift you give yourself.

A blurb for my blog

I've grossly neglected my blog as of late. I didn't want to write too many too fast, so I waited...Then my internet at home went down. I still don't have it there, so thank goodness for abusing my internet privileges at work. I'm working on getting it on my computer finally, but I've hit a road block there, so I need to talk to my a.b.i.l. (my almost-brother-in-law), who's been much more helpful with computer stuff lately than he should have to be. Also somewhat unfortunately I have a test this week. The good news is that after next week my class is over. I swear this test is supposed to be on Monday, as stated by the syllabi, but it sounds like it's on Friday. Evil professor...I'm not ready yet. I was going to take summer classes as well, but none of the classes I need are being offered, so I guess Vegas can really happen whenever. I'm excited for my break, even though I haven't really worked hard enough to deserve one. I plan to go fishing with my dad a lot, read non-school-things with no guilt, and otherwise plan all of the excursions I said I would as per my "fun week/year" post. I do rather enjoy my computer so far, and all of the stuff on it. I can now upload my ipod on my own computer, though I've realized I need to get some stuff from Frogkisser to put in my library (mainly the theme songs from our childhood). I quite like listening to "normal" songs, then having the theme to the Pink Panther or Rescue Rangers pop up. I especially like "The Pirates of the Caribbean" one--think of the Disneyland ride, not of Johnny Depp, unless of course you must. Hopefully I will get the internet soon, and I will definitely write again sooner next time.

Mondays masquerading as Tuesdays, Pt. 1

(I’m posting this in parts twofold, that way maybe Pinkie will stop whining about length and actually read my posts. Through some trickery of my own, I published the second part before the first, thus one can read them one after another.) The beginning of the week always throws me off. It’s Tuesday, and that means it’s the Monday of my workweek, at least as far as this week goes. I really didn’t want to get up this morning, but I did. And now I have a lot of free time to write.

Conference weekend was lovely as always, my favorite time of the year. I am officially moved back into my parents’ house, but it will take a while for my room to become habitable. I’m rather distressed at misplacing an anatomy cd rom as well. Surprisingly, we get our full deposit back, despite both Frogkisser and I burning the carpet, and my sister splitting the door. The first session I was up at my sister’s house, eating all the food she and Frogkisser prepared for us. What a surprise it was to find William randomly show up at the door without actually having received directions. He claims he followed tracks, which he must have up the huge winding dirt road. It was much harder for Aaron and Clark to find their way; I’m not sure about Dave and Josh. We flew kites at one point in between or after sessions. Josh managed to break the string on my turtle in a plane kite, which flew into the llama grazing area, but was retrieved. It was a nice day, but I must say I enjoyed Sunday more often. Much of that was not having to wake up and go anywhere, which is such a nice part of conference. I stayed at my own home, we turned on conference in all the rooms so we could hear it no matter where I went, and it was lovely. I also really enjoyed the actual talks. It’s amazing how they seem to be talking right to you. President Hinkley’s was incredible, and I also enjoyed Elder Holland’s and Elder Nelson’s. I did hit the second session at my sister’s house, and we watched Wallace and Grombit before the session started, so that was nice. There were also crepes made this time, which is how Conference Sunday should be. After it was all over we got to play with the llamas because the owner took them on a walk, then tied them up in the front yard. I touched the nose of one, then they avoided us like the plague, that is till we were holding a bucket of oats, then we were suddenly their best friends.