jumbled miscellany

I meant to post that last post Sunday night, but didn't. I meant to post more this week, but didn't. I mean to write more on almost all of the following bullet points, but won't.

• 4 tests this week=intellectual breakdown
• Monday: Physical Science, 87 percent, wanted to get it out of the way
• Tuesday: Living Prophets, 91 percent, easy peezy lemon squeezy
• Wednesday: Civ, don't know what I got, was worried, but actually feel pretty good about it
• Thursday: Grammar, don't know what I got, feel pretty good about it, diagrammed my heart out in the testing center
• New favorite artists: Josh Kelley, Jon McLaughlin, Kate Nash
• Wonderful spring-ish weather this week
• worked out twice so far this week, wanted to work out more--need to step up my work out game
• bought Drano today to unclog disgustingly clogged sink; will hardcore clean the bathroom tomorrow
• signed fall housing contract today
• To Jessie: My original housing plans for fall fell through, leaving me with no one to live with. My so awesome and cool friends Erica and Katie wanted me to live with them, so I said yes, but they'd already picked a place to live, which is really fine with me; I'm not too picky. I'll be living with Erica and Katie in . . . The Colony. Because I love you, I will endure your mocking.
• not-so-great violin lesson because of lack of practicing in the past 2 weeks--need to step up my game on that too
• 1 week from this very moment, I'll be back home in Denver for the weekend to see Emily's musical. Can't wait.
• Good mail from Kristi: way cute ribbon and a thank you note--a great way to end my week last week
• Good mail from Jill: cute thank you note for a CD I sent
• weekend plans: 24 marathon with Brooke tomorrow night, practice violin, group project for grammar, working out, being cool

And finally:

• This was in the Daily Universe a few days ago. We have a copy of it on our fridge.
• Chill out
  
  My name is Nathan. You have probably seen me standing outside wearing my cloak. Until recently it was my habit to stand around and sing in between classes to amuse myself. It struck me as a fairly harmless activity that, while a bit unusual, was nevertheless rather mundane. Furthermore, I had gotten only pleasant comments from the passers by.
  
  Imagine my surprise, then, when I was stopped by a policeman who had gotten a call from someone about me. He told me it was well within my rights as a BYU student to stand outside in the cold and sing in between classes. I found the incident amusing and, though I thought the whole matter a little strange, continued my singing. What I found less amusing was the police officer stopping by approximately a week later to tell me that I had to stop, that I was disturbing the peace, and that I would be issued a citation if I continued. Needless to say, I no longer sing outside at BYU.
  
  Why am I going to the trouble of writing this? Because I find the whole incident greatly troubling. First, it seems wrong for a student at BYU to be stopped from doing something D&C 25:12 calls a prayer. More than that, however, I am disturbed by the way in which my singing was handled. I am bothered by the fact that whoever had something against my singing called the police instead of heeding the advice in D&C 42:88 to talk to me by myself.
  
  I am also bothered by the fact that BYU police seem to value the appeasement of a small but vocal minority over any actual laws or rules (which, I remind the reader, I was specifically told I was not breaking). And I'm also somewhat bothered by the fact that this whole incident has worked to support the valuing of conformity over tolerance. In short, I think that some BYU students need to chill and I think that the BYU police need to grow a spine.
  
  Nathan Langford
  River Falls, Wisc.
  

a cupcake sunday

So, Friday was Katelyn's 20th birthday, and so we celebrated all weekend! It was a blast, and I am so not ready to go back to school in the morning--ew. Anyway, here's a recap of the weekend.

On Friday (her actual birthday):



A trip to Smart Cookie.


Chocolate fudge cookies with Mint Chocolate Chip Dreyer's ice cream--yum.


My first experience with Indian food.

I just realized I got no pictures from Saturday, which is totally lame, but I'll still tell you what we did. We went up to Salt Lake with the intention of going to the Gateway Museum where's there's a children's exhibit that involves Sesame Street characters teaching about how the body works; alas, we got up there about an hour and a half after we wanted, and so we didn't go to the museum. The major goal however, was to make it to the new cupcake store, So Cupcake. It's the cutest little store in the more ghetto end of Salt Lake. They make a huge variety of cupcakes and the cupcakes are so delicious! It's locally owned, just opened a few weeks ago, and the owners built it for their daughter, who suffers from celebral palsy. The daughter, Selena, was at the store when we went, and so we all sat down and talked to her for a while. She's really smart! She reads a bunch (and by reading I mean she's read "The Life of Pi" and "The Zen of Falling in Love"--holy molies!) She told us all that she was so glad that we are her friends, and interacting with her was truly a blessing. If you can ever make it up to So Cupcake, you should totally go, and on Saturdays, Selena is there all day. I bought two chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted. It was a way fun evening!

Sunday, we had another cupcake oriented party, and had a bunch of people over for cupcakes and socializing. First, however, this is what happens when you have to walk home in the pouring rain:


It was so nice when we walked to church, and then afterward, it was pouring outside. Now, I know this is not an attractive picture of me, but this is what we looked like when we walked in the door. Good grief.


Katelyn decided to make lemon snowball cupcakes for her birthday, and she had to whip the eggs on her own. Ha we all took shifts whipping really fast :)

I helped by filling the cupcake cups with the batter. Note my dumb wavy hair after it dried after the rain.
And then the power went out . . . when the second batch of cupcakes were still in the oven . . . the batch Katelyn was going to make into lemon filled snowballs. This is my dubious face as I speculate whether or not the cupcakes that are in the oven will make it.

Fortunately, all turned out well, we had a great turn out, and I was just so excited that Katelyn is my friend! Happy birthday pal!

just weird

So, last night after orchestra, I was packing up my stuff, getting ready to leave, and all of a sudden I hear our second chair, singing--yes singing--the music we'd just finished playing, complete with grace notes and trills. Weird. I seriously wonder if he has friends--he's so odd. He does this all the time, and I just don't get it. Our first chair wasn't there last night, and so he got to tune the orchestra, and he directed it like he was the conductor or something . . . weird.

Second order of weirdness:



And yes, that is Randy Jackson.

Love and Kisses

So, today is Valentine's Day and I love Valentine's Day! It's a day that is placed right in the middle of a not-so-stellar time of year, and it alleviates much of the gloom induced by January. There are hearts everywhere and pink and red and flowers, and good love music. I know people who hate the pressure of Valentine's Day, but I just see it as a chance to have some fun and let those you love know you love them. I also know a few people who don't like Valentine's Day because they're not dating anyone or married or whatever, and all I have to say to that is, "Since when is Valentine's Day only about love in your romantic relationships?" I'm not in a relationship, but in no way does that prevent me from expressing love to my parents, my siblings, my roommates, and my friends. I just don't see the big deal--have fun with Valentine's Day! So, here's what I'm going to do with Valentine's Day on my blog this year:

L is for laughing

• I love to laugh with my family.
• I love to laugh with Katelyn about the awkward moments we experience throughout out days.
• I love to laugh when I watch The Office.
• I love to laugh with Brooke about the vast amounts of nothing surrounding our jobs at the Physics Department.
• I love to laugh out loud when I read books.
• I love to laugh at witty song lyrics.
• I love to laugh so hard my stomach hurts.
• I love to laugh at stupid things.
• I love to laugh when my brother John laughs.
• I love to laugh when not-so-good things happen because then it helps me see things in perspective.

O is for outside

• I love going outside when there's just a slight breeze.
• I love going outside when it smells like summer.
• I love going outside in the rain with an umbrella.
• I love going outside in the mountains.
• I love eating dinner outside during the summer.
• I love taking walks outside.
• I love how I feel when I successfully step outside my comfort, thus expanding my comfort zone.
• I love the air outside when it snows.
• I love looking outside when I'm cozy inside.
• I love looking pretty on the outside, because it helps me feel better on the inside.

V is for vivre

• I love living with purpose.
• I love living in happiness.
• I love living with friends.
• I love living in close contact with my family.
• I love living in a place where I can learn.
• I love living in the Gospel.
• I love living close to a Target.
• I love living in an age where I can blog and connect with people all over the country.
• I love living in the latter days.
• I love living in opportunity.

E is for energy

• I love having energy to have a life outside of school.
• I love having energy to dance.
• I love having energy to learn.
• I love having energy to support others, especially when their needs are greater than mine.
• I love having energy to run.
• I love having energy to persevere through writing tedious articles.
• I love having energy to think of silly ways to make my friends and family laugh.
• I love having energy to practice my violin.
• I love having energy to shop :)
• I love having energy to love to my life!
  

Bruises, Wally Ball, and Poetry

The past week has been crazy busy, I can hardly know where to begin. Thursday night I went with two of my friends to the Music, Dance, Theater Showcase. It was a really good show and fun for a break. I got to get dressed up, and was able to spend some good time with Erica and Katie, whom I will be living with next year! Friday, in the midst of Valentine cookie making and chick flick watching, I got some needed homework time in, which did include reading huge chunks of Plato's The Republic for my civ class. It's a good thing to read and actually relatively interesting, but being assigned to read it in the space of a week and a half is a little extreme I think. I read what I can and then SparkNote the rest. Saturday morning I got up early and headed up to campus to study for a few hours (and only after I went over to Katie's to study for a British Lit test did I realize I completely spaced the leadership broadcast and I was pretty disappointed). Katelyn and I went sledding with a couple of boys we know, and finished up that with hot chocolate at Denny's. Then our apartment went out to Thai Ruby's for dinner to celebrate Stacy's birthday, and then Katelyn and I went on blind dates that her friend Tyler set us up on. I've been on so many blind dates, and so this was old hat for me. I had fun though! My date was nice, but no real love connection ;) Haha! There were probably six or seven different couples, and we all went to the RB to play some wally ball, which is basically volleyball in a racket ball court, and the ball can bounce anywhere off the walls; it's a game much more suited for my lack of coordination, because as long as I hit the ball, it doesn't really matter where it goes because it can hit just about anything and count. My forearms did get pretty bruised though. Once I decided to accept my lack of athleticism and play anyway, sports have been much more do-able for me.

Yesterday was kind of a crazy day because I had class, work, a study group in the middle of work, practicing violin after work, studying, dinner, FHE (which I had to go to because of my calling--I've been really trying hard not to moan and groan about it), studying, going over to Katie's to study, going back home and studying, and then bed. I have a British Lit test this afternoon, and I really have no idea how it will go. I'm hoping for the best and studying as much as I can. Our unit is Romanticism, and most of that is poetry, of which I'm not the biggest fan. (I do admit though, I am a huge fan of Keats!).

I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. I get to start making my valentine's tonight (because I won't have to study for a scary British Lit exam :) ) and Thursday is Valentine's Day! I have a special dinner I'm making, but I'll have to do a separate post about that. This weekend I have fun plans with friends, plus it's a three day weekend because of Presidents' Day! So, all in all, life is good, I'm happy, I'm not dying of homesickness, school is plugging along, and I'm definitely keeping myself busy!

***And I'd like to publically declare that the Office office supplies from Michelle are amazing, and I use them all the time. The fun surprise Valentine's package from Jessie was also so amazing--Katelyn and I love the heart satchels, and I love love love the frame!***

***Oh, and I'd also like to publically declare that the writers' strike is coming to a close! For all you fellow TV junkies out there, rejoice with me!***

beautiful to me

In my British Lit class, we were reading Keats and discussing how "beauty is truth, and truth is beauty," how beauty is subjective, and how beauty can be a representation of perfection. We asked the questions, "Would you stay in a moment of perfection forever, or would you proceed on to reality?" "Is something perfect and beautiful if it's a moment frozen in time, forever in laughter or anticipation?" I was thinking, and I thought of this picture taken over break. I would go back to this moment in a heartbeat, but not forever. My mom, my sisters, and me, all together, our joking and laughing captured in a moment forever. It's the perfection of the moment and the fact that things aren't always like that, that give this picture value. Some may view this and think nothing of it, may see it as just some girls laughing. But to me, this moment is perfection--this image is beautiful to me.

the ultimate care package

So, had I received a package with this hilarious, yet creepy image a couple of weeks ago, it would have made me laugh and then cry for homesickness, but thankfully, now that the pangs of homesickness have subsided for the most part, this package just made me laugh. Inside was a most amazing Valentine's Day care package. Here is what I found inside:



A large assortment of goodies, including Reese's peanut butter hearts, homemade divinity, and a giant banana chocolate chip bar heart. Also included was a $10 McDonald's gift card from Jacquelyn to use for soft serve ice cream runs, two way cute heart dishtowels, and a super, super cute heart shaped plate with red polka dots.


Mom sent the cutest dress that I will wear tomorrow with a 3/4 sleeved shirt underneath, and leggings. My Shade shirt I bought a couple weeks ago was also included in the package.

Razor blades and tampons were also included--I hate spending my limited funds on boring things like that, so it's great when someone else buys them for me!

Super cute Valentine candy candles--I'll probably keep them for display for a while :)


Grandma included her cute red purse I've always liked. As she told me today, "Charlotte, I just have too many purses. It's embarrassing."


Tucked in with the other goodies was this amazing ad for these amazing pants . . . well, they're not really that amazing. Mom even filled in the order form for me; apparently I'm signed up for 3 pairs of lilac pants, 2 pairs of lime pants, and an assortment of other attractive colors . . . thanks Mom. ;)And this is the best part: Scarecrow. He was a Happy Meal toy from many moons ago and we all wondered what in the world this was doing in a children's meal, because it's just so incredibly frightening. Its arms and legs move, its head can turn all the way around, and its eyes close. We hide it around the house for others to find. He managed to sneak his way into the Reese's bag, with some help from my mother.

So, pretty much this was the best package ever. I was visited with laughter, cuteness, clothes, and a small degree of Scarecrow horror. What could top that?

this is who i want for my valentine

He is so dreamy. The lead singer of one of my most favorite bands, Lifehouse, Jason Wade is my ultimate valentine. Dreamy voice, dreamy lyrics, dreamy face, cute dog. He's mine.