These are my heart songs...

Sometimes you have to do those mundane, 100% unthrilling chores. You know what I mean? Going through the junk mail, cleaning off the bulletin board, or, as I did last night - clean out the sock drawer.

My sock drawer was filled to the limit, it struggled to open and close, it has been that way for months and last night, I finally had it. I laughed at myself because I thought, "What if someone asks what I did tonight?" Sorry I didn't hang out - I had to clean out my sock drawer. (Don't get me wrong, I did not do this all night, I hung out with people last night...it was just after they left when I was putting my laundry away).

There were orphaned socks and holey socks and socks I just don't ever wear anymore. I went through and tossed them. My sock drawer closes now...but it's still pretty full (p.s. my tanks also live in the sock drawer, so that may have something to do with it - whatevs).

So...what kind of chores do you guys have that you find necessary - but at the same time kind of a pointless activity (if that makes sense)?

The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.*

Tuesday night at Institute we were given a piece of paper and an assignment to create our own world. Here's how mine went.

In what shape will your world be created? Shape Circle (some one's brain wasn't working)
What size? 2x the size of earth (later I was asked why - I will explain below)
What colors? Red, black, blue (makes for a creepy world, but those are my fav. colors)
How many moons? 3
How long are the days? 24 hrs - if it ain't broke...
How long are the years? 472 500 days (changed to accommodate the Sabbath day question)

How long is normal human life? 112 years

What are 3 unique features of your world?

1. Miniature dinosaurs - so small people could have them as pets


2. Desserts don't affect people, they just taste good


3. (Left it to come back to and ran out of time)

What size will your humans be? Tall - short people got no reason to live...

What colors will your humans be? All different colors - just like here

Every X number of days will be the Sabbath. 5 days

How many per year? 100

Describe the Devil who will inhabit your world. Purple with black, wavy hair and little baby horns on his head.

What will be the ultimate purpose of your earth? Find happiness

I was asked the size of my planet so I answered 2x the size of earth (which I picked for no particular reason) I was asked why '2x' and I said, "Because on my world there will be miniature dinosaurs for pets and we'll need all the room we can get."

I wasn't the only one with weird answers...just so you know. One guy said we'd be able to ride dragons on his world. I think my world and his world should get together for a play date some time.

So - what would your world be like?

I need a movie quote infusion

I took advantage of having Monday off. The weather was still good (unlike Tuesday morning when I slid on an icy porch...I don't want to talk about it) so I went for a run. I don't have much time until the 10k and I need to start getting myself ready. NO WALKING this time! I always end up letting myself walk for a little bit here or there as long as I keep up or don't lose sight of some unsuspecting target. That's right, I usually pick out one person from the crowd to either cross the finish line with or totally beat them there. I'm not ashamed to admit that my list has often included children (probably 50% of the time).

After running I did some abs. Then I went to the store to pick up a few items, one being a shovel. Yes, a shovel. I am/was sick and tired of the three holes in my front yard! Pictured here:

So I bought a shovel and got to work. How hard could it be to move dirt from a pile to a hole? I liked the feel of using my muscles for the first thirty minutes, then my back was hurting, my arms ached and my hands were a chalky white (they were THAT dry), but I wasn't done so I just drank LOTS of water and kept going. I'm still not done, but it's good enough for now.

As I was walking in to the house I looked at the little bushes in front of the house. I hate those things. I didn't hate them until my dad told me that they were planted too close to the house and were probably the reason for ant and spider problems in the summer. I don't like ants and I loath spiders so that equals hating these bushes. I got out the hedge trimmer and got to work.

Then I laughed at myself because I got carried away. It was like a child getting a hold of a pair of scissors and hacking off their bangs to the point where they look ridiculous...and irreparable.

I came inside and got to work cleaning. I swept, swiftered, washed, vacuumed, the works. I went through the whole house, leading back to my room where I got down to business. I not only cleaned my room, I decluttered. I had a HUGE stack of "junk" mail that I had been putting off to the side (I have an eye for what's a bill and what's not...what's not goes into this big white bowl until I've had it). I opened all the junk mail, found very few goodies, and then got to work shredding. I cleaned until I couldn't clean no mo'.

Then I had dinner and relaxed. Earlier, when I cooked breakfast/lunch I also made Jell-o. I have realized that I have an unhealthy addiction to sugar. I can't fathom a HEALTHY addiction to sugar - but I would like to try and find it. So the Jell-o was my attempt to dilute dessert. I need to lose weight, for no other reason then the sheer fact that I want to. Cookies and ice-cream (and cupcakes and streusel) aren't going to help me get there. Maybe just maybe, Jell-o can help. So far...no, but it's only been a few days.

How about ya'll? Home improvements? Weight loss goals? Inquiring minds want to know

I never thought I'd say this again. I'm getting the pig!*

Welcome to Weekend Palooza!

What a weekend! To start it off I had dinner with Marissa on Friday night after work. Marissa is a new friend, it all started with my new Visiting Teaching assignment in December and I have to say, I'm happy with this one. I've known her for a while and once we were both at a game night where she kept laughing at what I said, so I kind of knew then that I wanted to be friends with her. Dinner was pretty much like that, we both were laughing and telling stories and having a good time.

Marissa's birthday was Sunday, so Saturday night she was having a joint birthday party with Brother Ben and his twin sister Brittani (who were also born on the 20th). Marissa told me how her friend was coming down from D.C. and he worked for the NRA so somehow we decided that I needed to pretend that I was a member of PETA. Joking around about it at dinner was easy enough but I warned her that when the time came I would probably be unable to play my part...I know me, I have these brilliant ideas and can't follow through because I get too nervous. We shall work on this.

Before dinner finished I let Marissa know that if she needed any help (i.e. baking cupcakes or something) then to just let me know.

Saturday morning I woke up around 6:30 with a stomach ache, it's nothing, probably just my appendix about to explode. I stayed up because I had to get up at 8 anyway (and because it really hurt). I had a basketball game at 9 and I was riding with Lori and Ashley. The game started off well (I was feeling better at this point) and we were only about 4 points behind. Then our fan club arrived and everything went down hill. I told Orin (the president of our fan club) that he is bad luck. Highlights: I stuffed Katie B. and hit nothing but ball, but they called a foul on me (I had a total of 4 fouls called on me). One of the girls from the other team was surrounded by three of us from my team, she panicked or something but she threw the ball right at my chest. I was so shocked I didn't even grab for the ball, I just couldn't figure out what happened. (Katie said that they randomly break out into dodgeball and we should do that at our next game - they won't call anything...I know for a fact).

Lori dropped me off at basketball and before I could even finish preparing my breakfast (Captain Crunch), Ben (not Brother Ben) and his friend James showed up for soccer. We drove to the park and had a pretty good group. I suck at soccer though, I won't try to even pretend I'm any good with it. I'm not good with the feet and when the ball comes anywhere above the waist I just want to reach out and grab it. That's a no-no in soccer. I hate it when I am really bad at a sport. And...my ankles are killing me, something about tripping on the ball anytime I tried.

From there I went to lunch with Ben and James. It was James' birthday so we went to Red Robin. Did you know you can buy their lemonade glasses for $4? I learned that and I bought one. It was really windy this weekend and when we got out into the parking lot the balloon they had given James began to attack Ben, first the ribbon tried to cut his throat, then the balloon itself just started to beat him in the face. He tried to run, but I was holding the balloon and ran with him so it would keep attacking him. It was the funniest thing but I have a feeling only funny if you were there.

Then I came home, took a shower and went over to Marissa and Lori's house where I made rice crispy treats and was forced to draw a poster...I don't do posters. But it was fun, I feel like I should have done more considering the amount of time I was there, but that's it. Treats and a poster. The party was at Brianna's house, so the girls had to leave to get there early and set up. I was planning to go to the party late because I never go to those things on time, but I went early to help them. First I ran to the store to find glasses and animal crackers (P.S. the party was celebrating nerdiness).

Ashley and me in our nerdiness

Brother Ben and I got to work on blowing up balloons. This is not a favorite past time...at all. I feel like my eardrums are going to burst and in Brother Ben's case...I worried he was going to have a brain aneurysm. I have never seen someone's face turn so red while blowing up balloons. He wanted to blow up a balloon within a balloon. I told him it couldn't be done. I didn't believe him, I had no faith he could do it...

He proved me wrong:

Again:

There's two in there

And again:

Three!

The party was a great success. I played some Mad Libs, Bananagrams, I helped put together a puzzle of the United States, I "slapped in" in the world's longest game of Egyptian Ratscrew, I played speed, I "unzipped" someone (this is a mental thing where you tell them to not let you push their arms down, they succeed at first but then you "unzip" them and they can't keep their arms up - if you are interested I will show you...ew, maybe we'll take a video and post it), I threw a deck of cards (cooler than it sounds). I stayed a lot longer than I thought I would.

I didn't pretend to be a member of PETA but at every chance I mentioned how I love animals. Before I left I tried to help clean up, Brianna didn't want to pop the balloons so I pulled out my technique of popless balloon popping, which Brianna helped me to discover an even easier way. So I sat there, collecting balloons and putting them out of their misery. Finally, I left. I forced my eyes to stay open the whole way home because let me tell you, they wanted to close. My mom told me once that the people who fall asleep while driving don't even realize it, they thought they were okay, so I felt like knowing that I could fall asleep while driving was to my advantage, at least I knew I wasn't okay, so I would fight it more.


I made it home safely. I slept in later than usual on Sunday and was tired the whole day. I went to church, went to my family's house for dinner and stayed there until close to 8. Then I came home and fell asleep on the couch...I really did, I slept there all night without waking up and going to my bed. I haven't done that in a long time.

I had Monday off, but that's going to have to wait for a different post, because this one is already long enough! For those of you who made it to this point, congratulations!

'Do you miss it?', 'What? You're talking?'*

I just learned that the Boka Tako Truck will be in our work parking lot today for lunch...
...I've never heard of Boka Tako and being one to avoid the city I haven't seen many trucks like this. But it makes me think of Mur's husband, Nick (The cupcake eater) because he's got a lot of ideas about food on wheels. So - this is my Friday morning shout out to Mur and Nick. May you one day realize your dream of food on the go. As for me, I think I'm going to start a Krispy Kreme truck - a little mini store in the back so that the hot light is always on. People will flock to me...maybe.

I had krispy kreme last night...3 or 4 - I can't remember, the whole night is a blur (just kidding) but really, I ate way too many doughnuts. My friend and I went after Frisbee and he bought a whole dozen. He kept telling me to eat so I obliged him (because eating doughnuts is so very torturous). That's the problem with being friends with guys...they can eat more and they burn that stuff off faster but they don't think about that, they just expect that you can do the same. My taste buds said 'thank you' but my gut said that I'll pay for this...dearly.

But considering that I had basketball practice followed by an hour and half of Frisbee I think I'll be okay, just can't let this be a habit.

Other than that, life is going well. The weather is beautiful here in Richmond and I am wearing a short sleeve shirt today...no jacket...in February. I am as happy as can be. Seriously, it doesn't matter what is going on, I am just happy right now. My job is super busy but I find I leave work everyday feeling productive (despite the fact that I can't get my "to-do" list to shrink most days). I am proud of the company I work for; we just had a communications meeting on Wednesday and we've got a lot of good stuff going on, we just opened an office in Arizona and those people were here this week training, I feel like I am taking on more responsibility all the time which is exciting because in the past I have felt over qualified for my job, oh and bonuses are coming up.

Other good stuff - I started running again this week, we played Frisbee twice, I had basketball practice and a game on Saturday and a group of us might try to play soccer on Saturday...I don't really play soccer, but I am looking forward to it. This weather has just done wonders for my physical activity and mental well being. I finally bought Inception - I love that movie, so tonight I will do laundry and watch that. Oh...and as much as I love my job right now-it's a three day weekend.

Hallelujah.

A girl will never forget the first boy she ever likes.*

Happy Valentine's Day.

To be honest, I forgot about it until I went to lunch today. I left the office and witnessed several couples with roses meeting up for lunch.

California was great! Many thanks to all of you who sympathized with me about the lose of my cupcake. It was indeed tragic. Saturday I copied those cupcakes as best I could so that I could eat one, but it just wasn't the same. I did switch the sprinkles while in the store, I waited until no one was on the aisle and I took off the top with the sprinkles to the chocolate icing and made the swap. I felt like I was breaking the law, it wasn't like I was stealing sprinkles, just switching them out.

I'm a criminal...Nick turned me into a criminal.

Friday night, back in Virginia, we had our Regional Activity, "Breaking the Ice". It was marvelous. I was worried at first because I was a little late and when I got there not much was happening besides a lot of eating.

But then we got started. The boys and girls separated and we played a modified version of Battle of the Sexes. The guys won...it's okay, the girls would have if we hadn't done it Jeopardy style at the end and had them wager.

Then everyone lined up and we did speed dating. I was glad that there weren't enough guys and I got to sit out. I don't mind sitting and shooting the breeze with most of the guys, but sometimes it just gets uncomfortable, and when I get uncomfortable I start telling my life story. I don't want people to know all that information about me. So rather, Drew and I read through the questions and got to know each other better.

Then it was off to the ice rink to play broom ball. On the way there I got engaged to Jesse's roommate, Matt. I don't remember how it all started, I know that Amber threw me in to their banter and then I was engaged. Matt read through the questions from the speed dating but added, "when we are married" to the end of almost all of them. We are going to have 10 children and live in Maine. Oh, and we will be getting married the first weekend of March. If he wants 10 children we have to start now, I'm not getting any younger. I can't remember what other plans we have. When we got to the ice rink I cheered for him like he was my fiance, I think he enjoyed that part. Just in case you didn't realize it, I'm not actually engaged to him, but we are now friends.

At the rink I was just going to watch and take pictures. Which I did for a while. But then my friend, Kelli, talked me in to getting out there on the ice. I wouldn't have done it if I was going to be forced to wear ice skates, but since everyone had shoes on I went in. I don't know if I was freezing or nervous, but I was shaking pretty badly at first. We're going to say I was cold...seems to save more face. I was timid at first, shuffling along like an old woman.

Main Goal: Don't fall down.

Then I started to get in to it. I blocked a few passes and from there I wanted nothing more than to swing my...thing, I don't know what that thing would be called, it wasn't a hockey stick or a broom. Not even a combination of the two. We'll call it a stick. That reminds me, I used to have a hockey stick! I got one in high school because we used to play hockey in the parking lot near my friend's house, then I used it in college when we played floor hockey. I lost it the night I broke my foot during a game. I suppose pain will do that to you, make you forget the things you love. So my hockey stick probably turned into "Property of BYU-Idaho". Bummer. Anyway. It was great fun, I really got in to it and near the end I finally stopped shuffling and figured that if I fall, I fall.

In my book, it was the best Regional activity I have ever been to.

Why give her diamonds when you can give her the family jewels?*

From the pages of Lildonbro's personal diary. Proof that she does have a serious side, with serious issues plaguing her life.

Imagine, if you will, the world's most delicious cupcake. Not just delicious to the taste, but delicious to the sight and smell. Mouth, nose, and eyes simultaneously watering at the very presence of this confectionery divinity. Close your eyes and picture it in the black landscape of your mind. Everything is dark and in the middle of the void there is a funfetti cupcake fading in to view. It's wrapper fits so securely around it that it has a muffin top, overflowing yellow cake with green, blue, red sporadic sprinkles. On top is pink vanilla icing. Not just a layer spread quickly on top, but a base layer of love, topped with an extra layer of thoughtfulness.

Dedication.

Pride.

On top of the icing are circular colored sprinkles. Not the sprinkles that came with the pink vanilla, but the sprinkles that came with the chocolate frosting. Special sprinkles. None of the other funfetti cupcakes were adorned with these sprinkles. This cupcake was chosen specially.

Now the cupcake has been created in your mind the same as it was in true life. The creation completed, the cupcake was placed in the microwave for later consumption. Next to it sat two of it's chocolate contemporaries. They paled in comparison to the funfetti cupcake from the gods, but they sat there none the less, chosen. Saved.

Maybe if it had been plain, maybe if it had had a little less Deity in it's batter, this story would end differently. I witnessed the end of this cupcake, it's demise should have been at my hands. My hands, my mouth, my stomach...but alas, this isn't a fairytale.

I sat on the couch in Marianne and Nick's apartment. Marianne on one end, me on the other, Nick on the middle. I didn't notice when he stood and walked into the kitchen, I had no reason to suspect anything. I didn't look up as he sat down, I hardly realized he was eating anything. Then I heard the words that brought my dreams crashing down into a lifeless lump at my feet.

Mur to Nick: Are you eating D's Cupcake

(Note to reader: My nickname in college was D. I tried with little success to get that name to transfer over to VA, but no one went with it).

The words hit my ear like a blow to the face. I turned and even as I turned I half expected Mur to be wrong. Certainly Nick had a chocolate cupcake, not my cupcake trapped and tortured between his teeth. But there it was, several curved scratches running down the length of its body, tearing it in half. But where was the other half of the cupcake? It was hidden behind Nick's teeth, traveling down his throat it a cold, sticky mess to rest in his stomach. My cupcake...in his hands! And what did he say?

"I had a chocolate one earlier."

You had a chocolate one earlier?! That's suppose to make this okay?! That's suppose to dull the pain? "My cupcake!" I yelled in desperation. I yelled because I knew not what else to do. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Nick offered me the feeble remaining half but I refused. I don't want his sloppy seconds.

My cupcake. My cupcake.

Even this chocolate peanut butter tastes better*

Dear Turkey Hill,

Has anyone ever told you that you do ice-cream real right? Your competition has wooed me from time to time with promises of deliciousness only to let me fall so hard. Certainly the disappointment I felt in their product's quality was only heightened due to my excitement as such a prospect (let us not forget the debacle of Blue Bunny's Peanut Butter Cookie ice cream).

I bring up these difficult memories to enhance my display of gratitude to you and your truly delicious flavors. Like a Pavlovian dog I salivate when I see a Turkey Hill ice cream container. I know that what lies within is just as beautiful and promising as the carton suggests. Peanut Butter Ripple? Gingersnap? Even your vanilla taste better.

I am inclined to believe that some "head of flavor" in your company does not eat chocolate or has someone close to them that doesn't because when you take on a non-chocolate ice-cream you don't just carelessly toss the ingredients into the bucket and stick a price tag on it! Your gingersnaps were marvelous and just soft enough to blend in with ice cream (the way that cookies IN ice cream should do! Yeah, I'm talking to you, Blue Bunny!), your Peanut Butter Ripple isn't vanilla ice cream that got splashed with a puddle of peanut butter on a rainy day in the city, rather it's a beautiful marriage between the two flavors, neither being too overwhelming to the consumer.

I just wanted to thank you for improving my quality of life with your thoughtfulness, hard work, and devotional. Keep on keeping on* Turkey Hill, you're making the world a better place.

Sincerely,

Seventh Heaven Ice Cream Consumer

I didn't know you could read.*

Since I copied my '50 books in a year' goal from G - I will go ahead and copy her way of updating readers on how that goal is going (hope you don't mind G...if you do...sorry).

January - 4

On Writing by Stephen King - My sister and brother-in-law bought me this book for Christmas...because they believe that I am a writer! I'm not going to lie, when Ben (BIL) mentioned that he was thinking about getting me this book, I cried. It could have been the stress of the well and holidays, but I think it was more because what a thoughtful and personal gift? And from a brother-in-law no doubt! I loved this book. He talked about his life and how he became a writer, he talked about style and editing, and my favorite was when he talked about certain aspects of writing and I thought, "Amen! I agree!" Can I suddenly whip out a novel in five days? No. But I feel more like a writer than I did before, because I think similar things about important stuff, i.e. plot, just like Stephen King.
Trusting Jesus by Jeffrey R. Holland. I bought this book last year because 1 - it's Holland, what's not to like?! 2 - My serious theme last year was Come Unto Me and the main focus was learning how to trust in the Lord. So, I may be a month behind, but it was still a good read. It's a collection of talks from Holland, some old favorites and some new ones too.

The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe: Two books in one! (I double checked this with B.I.L. Ben that I could count this as two - cause it is two books). So you will probably see this picture again next month when I finish The Claw of the Conciliator. Interesting read, not one to be entered into lightly - mostly because as with any book like this there are big words that I wonder if I just don't know the meaning...or if it's because they are made up. But there were times in the book where I was totally lost in the story and even though mere days go by in the story line I felt like much more time had passed. I had my critiques, but over all I enjoyed the book.

Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier: I started this book on a Monday and finished it Friday. It was a quick read and I couldn't put it down. I think the author did a great job and I really felt for the heroine of the book. I don't know what I can say that won't be a spoiler alert or anything...so I'll leave it at that. Just know I really enjoyed this one and if you want a quick read that just draws you in this is a good choice.