Happy General Conference!

 

So far, this has been the perfect conference weekend. I had a mission reunion at the Maynes' home (my mission president in the Bolivia, Santa Cruz mission). This morning I took long walk before the morning session and got to catch-up with my friend Ingrid who recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan (!). Then I did some shopping at the Sundance Outlet between sessions and found this skirt for $10! woohoo! Then I listened to conference while laying outside on our roof. Lovely.

Tomorrow should be great as well. Wish you could be there with me.

Pop Song Smackdown

Everyone tells me that this is THE big pop song, but I'm not really feeling it.



meh.

As much as I love Biebs, I find this song to be a bit of a bore.

But this! This is something I can get behind.

Katy Perry + Florence Welch + Lana del Ray - sadness + a little bit of the Jersey Shore = MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS.

I much prefer their type of pop:

oh. *spoiler alert*
This song is also going to be on my April mix :)



The beat is WAY FUNNERER. Don't you think?

NOTE: These songs are in the exact same key. I DEMAND A MASH-UP.

And now for something completely normal...

Aren't singles wards just great?

I have a love/hate relationship with them. That is certain.

You start when you're 18. Sometimes, you're even still in high school. Though you mature, go on a mission, experience college, graduate, work, and otherwise get on with your life, your church social life stays preeeeeeeeeeeeetty much the same. There will always be linger-longers, munch and mingles, and "break-the fasts". There will always be lively competitions between apartments and FHE groups to be the funnest bestest greatest. There will be ingenious dating plans by the bishoprics, dances, and marriage prep classes to help push us along. 

Singles wards are an institution.

But is anyone else weirded out that you're pretty much doing the same thing that you were doing (in my case, SEVEN) years ago? Shouldn't we have, like, moved on or something? Maybe to something a bit less awkward?

No?

I'm the only one who feels this?

Ok.

And with that, here is the video that my FHE group made for our Ward Oscars Night (which we practically swept btw) in all it's glory.

*you may have to click to watch it on youtube.

My participation in this video guarantees I will get married, right Bishop? RIGHT?

Wanted: Pet

I am quite jealous of Allison and Jordan. They have the best pet in the world. A pet that I myself have wanted for a good ten years. Luckily, I'll get to watch him for a few days in April! Yippeee! Elliot is adorable.

I still would like a pet of my own to come home to. Someone to great me when I come through the door.

But someone pretty low maintenance.

How 'bout a snail?

If you follow me on Pintrest, you know I like snails:

They're not exactly cuddly, or even very cute, but snails have other redeeming qualities. They are patient, resourceful, and solitary. They carry their homes around them wherever they go.

They are the type of pet I think I can handle.

There are surprisingly a lot of websites out there to help people like me who are hoping to keep snails as pets. Did you know they can live up to 20 years!?

After glancing through the comments section  on a website about the care and keeping of snails, I found that I would be in good company as a snail owner:

What strange owners. What a strange pet.

It would be perfect. 

I'll be moving at the end of April, and when I'm in my new place, I think I'll find a nice shelled friend to accompany me. 

This is just a "tribute"... get it?

I bring you this report in the late evening (early morning?) because I JUST got home from the Hunger Games. IT WAS GREAT. LUVD IT <3 A few notes:

1. In the battle between Team Peeta and Team Gale, I really think it's no contest. There is a clear winner:

I mean really. 

Those poor boys don't stand a chance. 

TEAM CINNA.

2. I love Stanley Tucci. I searched the internet high and low for that awesome theme music that played when his seat turned around for the interviews, but I couldn't find it. But I did find this video on youtube, with an equally "awesome" soundtrack. Enjoy:

3.  If I were actually in the Hunger Games, I would so not make it. Time to start building some skills, for reals. I want to be strong and fast and handy with a bow and arrow. I want to know how to set traps scurry up trees. And I especially want to learn how to braid my hair like this:

Honestly though. I wish I was as tough as Katniss. Did you know that people are creating "Hunger Games" fitness trainings? I know. Nuts. I totes want to do it. 

Did you like the movie? Did it meet your expectations? Are you going to see it again? Will you invite me to go with you?

ok

goooooooooodnight.

Sunday Statistics

Top o' the mornin' to ye!

I love St. Patrick's day! I listened to Flogging Molly while working out this morning just to celebrate. I especially love today because it give me an excuse to watch this ridiculous and lovely movie:

Except for this part. WAY to scary. It gave me nightmares:

Tomorrow, we are having corned beef and cabbage. Life is good!

Two-Timer, that's me!

Follow the United Way of Utah County's blog!

I posted something there today. YES. I talked a bit about Sacred Harp Singing and how to get involved in your community.

I apologize for my out-of-control use of exclamation points. I was super excited.

Tell me what you think!

Rowdy Summer

Do you feel that?

SUMMER IS COMING.

We have just one day over sixty degrees, and I freaking out. My mind immediately skips over spring and jumps into the big swimming pool of SuMmEr..
I can't wait for it.
Can't Can't Can't Wait.

One would think that having a 9ish to 5ish job would make you feel more grown up. But it actually makes me feel like you're just a lousy kid, back in school. You have to be there on time, wait to leave, focus, your only break is lunchtime and a short recess, and you have to wear a uniform. Hence, when I am out of the office, I'm like a kid out of school. HYPER. And it's only going to get worse and I am so excited for that.

It's going to get rowdy.

I can't wait till we're in bonfire weather. I can't wait to go on road trips to Arizona (Melinda and Katie, I'm looking at youzzz). I can't wait to join the crowds at Rio Tinto. To lay-out all day and listen to awful pop music and live off of liquid and run up some mountains and drive all over the west and visit all those places that I haven't made time to visit and be with all those people who make time worthwhile.

I can't wait to be outside and be wild.

It's time to be a hooligan.

Bangarang.

Here's a mini-musical-journey through the summers of my life:


In case you were wondering, I was Baby Spice. And I had the wardrobe from Limited 2 to prove it.



WE HAD SO MANY EMOTIONS. I still don't know how we survived.



High-school summers are some of the bestest.



JAKEY LAKEY
*note: this version is not clean
**another note: yes, he does instruct you to "take yo do-rag off, let your mane go". Always good advice.


I missed a couple summers while I was on my mission. Since then, the summer months have lost a bit of their sparkle. But I'm going to bring it back this year.

I'm excited to start building the soundtrack for this summer. I hope you'll help me out.

Missing school.

You are missing school when you visit this website for fun, and have an e-mail subscription for Spanish grammar from this website.

It's getting bad guys. My ability to speak and translate Spanish is wavering.

To make up for this, I've been listening to a lot of Spanish music at work. I've made an *!Espanol! mix on Spotify. Clink on the link to listen to i!

*Despite majoring in Spanish, I still have a hard time remembering how to do upside down exclamation point and stuff

I've also tried reading more so my brain doesn't turn to mush.

In the past couple months, I've read:

The Princess Bride - William Goldman

World War Z - Max Brooks

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut

An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England - Brock Clarke

The Children of Men - P.D. James

I know. These aren't exactly the most intellectual of choices. But I'm not quite ready to jump into textbooks again. I guess I should be studying so I can eventually take the Foreign Service Exam, but I'm dragging my feet.

I'm kind of tired of tired of grown-up novels. They're generally cynical, even when they try to be hopeful. All of these books (with the exception of The Princess Bride), left me feeling sort of glum. But I'm on the lookout for some new reads. Any suggestions?

It's only been a couple months, but I'm already excited to eventually return to school when I finish my VISTA year. We'll see how that goes...

March Mix: Digital Head, Acoustic Heart

March is the most fickle of months. It makes me anxious. So here is a mix to try and relieve all of that. Enjoy.

1. Dougou Badia (feat. Santigold) - Amadou & Mariam
2. Young Heart - Fast Years
3. Temporary - White Rabbits
4. Unless You Speak From Your Heart - Porcelain Raft
5. Second Chance - Liam Finn
6. Wintersong - Blake Mills
7. Record Collector - Lissie
8. In the Yard - Bowerbirds
9. Brains - Lower Dens
10. Between The Bars (Elliott Smith Cover - Acoustic version) - Madeleine Peyroux
11. Skinny Love (Das Kapital Rerub) - Bon Iver
12. Rivers and Roads - The Head and the Heart
13. I Follow Rivers (The Lost Sessions version) - Lykke Li
14. Le Temps De L'amour - Françoise Hardy
15. 1901 (Phoenix Cover) - Birdy
16. Ascending (For Molly) - Eric and Brinn Chipman


Liner Notes:
1. Let's learn a little bit about Amadou & Mariam, shall we?
3. I am posting this video so you can watch it and love the drummers. That's right, drummers. Plural. Watch for them at 3:17 and again at 3:29.



7. Does anyone else feel like they should get up and dance the hora around 2:25?
9. Listening to this song sort of just makes me want to listen to this other song. OMG. Watch the drummer...That just looks painful. I actually never knew that that sound came from a human being.
10. You may have heard Madeleine Peyroux's cover before, but this acoustic version is even better. About 10 years ago, this became my first, real, favorite song. I had favorite songs before, but none of them have grown with time like this one has. If you want to break your heart a little more, you can watch this video. Honestly.
14. This probably sounds familiar because of this trailer. Thanks Wes Anderson.
16. Friends of friends of friends. This song is anything but fickle and anxious. It is the antithesis of all that. Just lovely.

A quick recipe for the laziest, hungriest girl on Fast Sunday.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:14-16

14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.
15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—
16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

1. Race home from church so you can EAT.

2. Realize that you forgot to defrost the chicken.

3. Pull out a pouch of blueberry muffin mix. If you are lucky, you can find these pouches at 2 for a dollah! (hollah)

4. Scoop 1/2 cup mix into a mug.

5. Mix with 1/4 cup water.

6. Put in microwave for 1 minute.

7. Eat

It may look sort of ugly, but it tastes ok. Technically, your serving size equals that of two muffins, which is just barely sufficient. The pouch says that it takes only "3 minutes pouch to oven". If you use my technique, it takes less than 3 minutes from pouch to digestive system. Take that, Betty Crocker.

"Bond and Free" - Robert Frost

BOND AND FREE

Love has earth to which she clings

With hills and circling arms about---

Wall within wall to shut fear out.

But Thought has need of no such things,

For Thought has a pair of dauntless wings.

On snow and sand and turf, I see

Where Love has left a printed trace

With straining in the world's embrace.

And such is Love and glad to be.

But Thought has shaken his ankles free.

Thought cleaves the interstellar gloom

And sits in Sirius' disc all night,

Till day makes him retrace his flight,

With smell of burning on every plume,

Back past the sun to an earthly room.

His gains in heaven are what they are. 

Yet some say Love by being thrall

And simply staying possesses all

In several beauty that Thought fares far

To find fused in another star.