Conference Weekend

I just love Conference weekend! Conference weekend is like a vacation to me, and it was such a needed and rejuvenating break to be able to sit and listen to our living prophets speak to us. The cable in my apartment is being really weird, so Katelyn and I went over to Josh's apartment to watch all the sessions of Conference. I took some great notes, and also was able to just sit and listen without taking notes--I think both approaches have their advantages.

Favorite talks include:

• Elder Wirthlin's about those who are lost
• Elder Scott's about abuse
• Elder Oaks's about testimonies
• Elder Bednar's about prayer
• President Uchtdorf's about the faith of our fathers
• President Monson's closing testimony
  
• And so many more!!

The thing I loved the most though about this Conference was the opportunity I had to stand in the Solemn Assembly. I've been looking forward to that ever since we learned about it in my Living Prophets class after President Hinckley's death. I loved standing with Katelyn in the living room, knowing that my mom, and so many others I love were standing with me; I loved seeing Josh and his roommates stand, knowing that my dad, grandpa, and other priesthood holders were standing at the exact same time; I loved knowing that my brother was standing with other Aaronic Priesthood holders all throughout the world; I loved standing with everyone, knowing that millions of members all over the world were standing with me. I felt so unified with so many people I love, even though so many of those I love are far away. I loved the strength I felt I was giving to President Monson. I loved being able to sustain him and mean it, knowing that he is, in truth, a prophet of God. I love loving being a member of the Church!

a couple of weekends ago . . .

I need to do a quick update on life, because finally now my internet is working, and I have a few pictures to post, and a few bullet point updates to give.
A couple of weekends ago, I had my orchestra concert, and then I went to the Hare Krishna Festival of Colors down in Spanish Fork with Josh (the guy I went on that date with a few weeks ago) and his roommates. It was so much fun! I got covered in pink and green chalky powder, and it was a blast! Here are a few pictures from that weekend.

Erica and me after the orchestra concert. We played Brahm's "Hungarian Dance," Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony," and Tchaichovsky's "Swan Lake." It was a great concert!

This is me and Josh after the concert!


This is the brushed off, relatively clean me after the festival. I brushed off most of it--it was insane! I washed my hair three times.

tagged from Leslie

So, I just recently checked my friend, Leslie's, blog this morning, and had quite an enjoyable time reading her posts from the past couple of weeks. Much to my surprise (and shame that I didn't check her blog a week and a half ago), I was tagged. So, here it goes.

10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, I was in the 4th grade, and had probably just started playing the violin. Mom and Dad were wary about my wanting to play the violin, but I said I would practice, and I did. Now I've been playing for ten years, and I've loved it most of the time. I love my violin!!

5 Things on My To-Do List Today
1. Work on my civ paper comparing the searches for knowledge of both Socrates and Oedipus. I'm pretty close to finishing.
2. Cook dinner. I'm making homemade mac and cheese, and Josh is coming over for dinner.
3. Bake first bag of taste testing oatmeal cookies, and answer questionaire. Who knows how this could go?
4. Continue writing the Budget Office handbook. I know--it's fascinating.
5. Will my internet in my apartment to start working again.

What I would do if I were suddenly a billionaire
I would pay off my entire schooling, buy a car, purchase a Mac, get a cabin up in Steamboat Springs, and put the rest into some sort of investment or savings account. Don't forget the trip to Borders where I would buy anything and everything I wanted. If I could, I'd also buy some more time so I could read what I bought at Borders.

Places I've lived
Provo, UT
Lakewood/Golden/Wheat Ridge, CO
PA
Grandma's house
Katelyn's dorm room

Things Most People Don't Know About Me
I actually think science is interesting--I just hate the boring, stupefying GEs I have to take.
I can type 70-75 wpm.
I love using Adobe InDesign.
Tuna fish sandwiches are my favorite.
I hate sleeping on the top bunk.

I tag Michelle, Diana, Jill, Jessie, and April!

it's back!

My internet is up and running!!!
April Fool's.

stupid internet

So, the internet has been out again since last Thursday. This is ridiculous. I have much to post from my weekend, but can't because all my pictures are on my laptop. Perhaps I'll load some picutres onto my USB drive and post from campus (like I'm doing now). This whole no-internet thing is getting really old.

it's a matter of principle

In Physical Science today we had a clicker quiz (that's just where you click in your answers with a remote--the quiz is on the PowerPoint slide), and the question read: If the earth's crust floats on top of the interior of the earth, what does that say about the density of the interior of the crust? The answer to that question is that the interior of the earth is more dense than the crust; hence, the crust floats. The correct answer on the slide read: "more denser." I purposely answered incorrectly because I wasn't about to answer a question with "more denser." As an editor, grammarain, and logophile, it's just a matter of principle.

Easter

I just love Easter! Today has been a really great day and I've really felt the Spirit. Last week I bought this book at the Bookstore called The Infinite Atonement, and I was reading it more today. It is so good! Some favorite insights so far are:

"Like a skilled magician, Satan's every move is to divert our attention and dilute our focus from the primary object at hand, namely Christ's atoning sacrifice, in hopes we will turn exclusively to doctrines of secondary and far lesser import."

Quoting Elder McConkie: "The atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trials and perils of life. But if we are to have faith like that of Enoch and Elijah, we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived."

Speaking of the incomprehensibility of the atonement: "Our inability to 'know it all,' however, does not absolve the need (nor should it diminish our desire) to know what is 'knowable.' Perhaps by so evaluating the knowable, we push and probe and occasionally penetrate the infinite."

And I'm only on page 24.

So basically, this book is amazing and I can't wait to make it through all 335 pages. I think that any time is an opportune time to reflect on and apply the atonement, but Easter is an especially special time for such thought. So, take time to think about Christ and the atonement, and have an excellent Easter!

severed

So I've felt completely severed from the world because since Thursday, the internet in our apartment has been out. You don't realize how depedent you are on the internet until it's not available anymore. There were multiple times over the weekend when I just wanted to look something up quickly and couldn't, plus I had some homework and articles that required the use of the World Wide Web. Our internet still isn't fixed (and who knows why the internet company is taking so dang long to fix the internet for an entire building . . .), but I'm able to get on the internet at work and on campus, so that's nice. In one way, it's nice to not be able to get on the internet because then I can't waste time on facebook, but seriously, I need the internet for so many things. Good grief.

So anyway, I had a really good weekend! On Friday I skipped Physical Science lecture and went shopping at the mall instead. :) After our shopping excursion, Katelyn and I indulged in a couple of Gilmore Girls episodes, and then I hiked up by the temple to my friend Brooke's house for a 24 Friday marathon. We've been doing this for a couple of months now and it's such a great way to kick off a weekend. She lives in a house owned by her roommate's parents and it's really nice, and so we have 24 marathons where we watch an entire disc of 24 complete with pizza and other TV junkie treats. Sometimes we do it Friday afternoon, sometimes Friday night, but always on Fridays (unless one of us is out of town or something) and always a whole disc. It's just great. So, we did that Friday afternoon/evening, and then I went on a date with my pal Brennen. We went to Divine Comedy (a BYU comedy show), Pudding on the Rice (not my fave), and then back to my apartment where we watched Ocean's 11 with Katelyn and her man-friend Matt.

Saturday, though, was great! I woke up and headed up to campus late morning to do some homework and practice my violin. After I got back, Katelyn and I went grocery shopping, and then spent some more time watching Gilmore Girls. I did a little bit of homework later and then I had date with this guy Josh. I met him at a dessert night last month hosted by a mutual friend; at the dessert night we had lots of fun talking and he ended up asking me for my number. After 3 weeks (yes 3 weeks), he finally called and we went out on Saturday. It was so much fun! We went to Subzero for ice cream, I Am Legend at the dollar theater, back to his apartment for an episode of The Office, and then over to my apartment where we ate cupcakes and watched About a Boy with Katelyn and man-friend Matt. I had a blast and I'm thinking there will be a second date. It's fun to go on a date with someone you're actually interested in instead of on a blind date or with a friend.

Now it's Tuesday and I can hardly believe it, but Elder Scott came and gave the devotional on campus today, and it was really good. It was all about making the Atonement your life's foundation and how an understanding of the Atonement can change everything for you and can make you the happiest. It was really inspiring and edifying and now I can't wait until conference in a few weeks! Tonight I need to get my ecclesiastical endorsement and then American Idol. Life isn't so incredibly exciting, but it's pretty good nonetheless! (And let's hope my internet will finally work).

the natural thing to do on 3/13

So, what do you do in the Physics Department on March 13--3/13?? Make pies for Pi Day tomorrow of course--3/14. You make 45 pies. 45. Yes, I'm not kidding. 45. I'm really tired.

American Idol=Guilty TV Pleasure

So basically, I'm a huge fan of American Idol. It's silly, it's fun, and it gives me needed breaks in my week. I've already accepted the fact that I'm a TV junkie to some degree, but I figure I'm past the denial phase, and now I can work on acceptance . . . okay, accepted. So, last night was the first night with the Top 12, and I honestly wasn't too impressed. Oh well, hopefully next week will be an improvement. So, my favorite contestant: David Archuleta all the way. He is 17 and from Murray, UT, and probably one of the cutest 17 year old guys ever, and his voice is pretty much amazing. I think I really like him because he actually does have a really good voice, he's a humble guy, and he kind of reminds me of my brother in facial expressions and just the little boy look little Archuleta has going on.




Maybe I'm the only one seeing the resemblance; let me know what you think.

So, last night David's performance wasn't so hot, but I'm pretty sure he has a strong enough fan base to get him through to next week's round. I'm totally voting for Archuleta, and yes, I do actually vote. I figure, it's better to just admit it than try to hide it. :) We'll find out tonight who gets the boot, and it better not be David. I'll have to find out from my friend Katie because alas, I have class from 7-9. What does orchestra think it's doing interfering with my American Idol? Ha, just kidding.