Operation Santa Fe--Day 3

The Salty Hair Saga

As previously mentioned, Sarah had the opportunity to go over to a friend's house on Friday for a sleepover. The girls went swimming, and when I picked Sarah up the next day, her hair was a wreck. I had to get her to the Primary activity, and so we didn't have too much time to fix her hair. She got out of a quick shower and her hair had so many tangles in it (most of it was probably because she hadn't combed her hair since the previous morning . . . ). On the way to the Primary activity Sarah mentioned that the pool they swam in was a salt water pool: that's right, a salt water pool. That's why her hair was disgusting.

Sarah came home a few hours later, and so began Project De-Salt/Tangle:

Before: crusty salt hair

After: one hardcore shampoo and a whole heck of a lot of conditioner later and you could actually comb through her hair without obstacle

Victory!

I state again: Why a salt water pool?! Why?!

Operation Santa Fe--Day 2

Day 2 of being the fill-in mom at home was pretty good. I had a dentist appointment at 10, and Sarah went over to a friend's house for a sleepover starting at 11:30 in the morning! Talk about a score for both of us. Sarah got to have a blast going swimming, playing Guitar Hero, and sleeping in a tent while I got to go to a movie and have a friend over without having to worry about whether she was okay, fed, alive, or bored. I had an interview to reactivate my temp agency account which went well--they were very impressed by the fact that I edit, so I'm hoping I can get a summer position doing some kind of editing. Later in the afternoon, I went to see Get Smart with my friend Michael and his sisters. (One of his sisters is dating this guy, but neither of them can drive, so Michael has the pleasure of chauffeuring and chaperoning their dates--ha!) The movie was SO funny--I was smiling or laughing the entire time. I wouldn't normally pair Steve Carrel or Anne Hathaway together, but it worked! It was a great movie, and I would definitely recommend it.


After the movie, Michael and I headed back to my house, where I made Rice Krispie treats for everyone (everyone includes Michael, John, Nick, and me). Then we watched Juno and the extended version of That Thing You Do--it was a great night! I'm way tired because I didn't get to bed until 1:30, and I had to wake up early to pick up Sarah at 8:45 because she has a Primary activity this morning--good grief. I just got out of the shower and have absolutely no motivation to do anything at all. Alas, I do have to make my room presentable and unpacking-free because Emily comes home from CA today (hallelujah--that is definitely not sarcastic. I only got to see her for about 12 hours after I got home and then she left). Well, I'm off to try and be productive . . .

Operation Santa Fe--Day 1

Beginning today (meaning last Thursday), Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Susan, Fred, Lee, Linda, and Patricia are all in Santa Fe for six days. That leaves me here with John, Sarah, Moosey, and Tyrone for six days. (Emily is in California until Saturday.) I'm trying to find fun things to do with the kids so these next six days can seem like a vacation of sorts for us too. I mixed up some chewy brownie cookie dough and in a few minutes, Sarah and I are going to go swimming. John is working for most of the day doing yardwork, but maybe later tonight we'll get pizza and watch a movie. I've kind of been dreading this, but I'm going to try and make the most of it. I'm having a couple friends over throughout the next few days, and having Moosey will definitely make things better for the kids. (Moosey and Tyrone seem to get along okay--Tyrone basically just ignores Moosey and Moosey tries to sniff Tyrone's butt. We have to keep Moosey's food up because Tyrone would just eat it, but apart from controlling the food situation, things with the two dogs should be fine.) If I finally get my camera cord I'll post pictures, but we'll see.

summer groove

I'm finally home! Dad, John, and Neighbor Nick drove out on Thursday and we moved all my stuff into my new apartment for next year (my roommate next year is staying for summer and living in the apartment we'll be in for the fall). Then we went out to Cafe Rio for dinner (none of the boys had ever had it and they were all pleasantly surprised by the tastiness and the quantity of food), then we went to see "21" in the dollar theater--hooray for Movies 8! The next morning we picked up Josh Elliott (a kid from my home stake) and gave him a ride back. It was a pretty fun car ride and I listened to my iPod, talked with the boys, ate Wendy's chicken nuggets and a Frosty, slept, and enjoyed the pretty ride back to CO. I put off unpacking until yesterday, which works just fine because Emily is gone for the whole week beach camping in CA. I still have some work to do on the unpacking front, but at least of my stuff is unpacked.

I'm starting my job hunt right away. A couple months ago, one of my friends at WaMu said they probably would be able to hire me for the 10 weeks I'm home, but when I went in to the bank yesterday to inquire about that, they said that right now the company is only hiring internally . . . blast. I wasn't completely "banking" on that though, so I do have a couple other options. I applied at Borders as a fall back--I'd rather not work retail, but if I must, books are the way to go, I think. I'm applying at the temp agency I worked through last summer, and so hopefully that will work out soon. Also, I'm still writing articles, and another editing opportunity will hopefully come through. So, with a regular job and a few editing/writing things here and there, I should be able to save all I need to this summer.

I have a few pictures to post, but I don't currently have a cable to connect my camera to the computer because it was in a package that got lost in the mail last September. I was using my printer to transfer all my pictures from my memory card, but I left my printer in Provo. I ordered another cord from Amazon, so I'm hoping that will come in soon.

We have a dog!!!! Jessie gave us Moosey, and Moosey came in yesterday. She is SO cute, and we all love her to death. I have some pictures of her, but as I mentioned earlier, I can't transfer pictures yet. Good grief. (Oh yeah, I still don't have my laptop--it's been over 2 weeks.) Anyway, Moosey is the hit of the Wood household right now, and we love having her! Well, I'm off to polish up a resume, iron some clothes, write some articles, and enjoy the dog.

i wear my sunglasses at night . . .

Well, at least I edit at night, . . . or rather, I edit in the dark. I had my copyediting final this morning, and it was in our regular classroom, which is in the basement of the JFSB. We had to edit 40 sentences, rewrite 5 horribly written sentences (probably written by physicists), and edit a two-page essay. It was open book (which was excellent because as an actual hideous editor, I'll have access to practically any resource I need), so I had my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Chicago Manual of Style, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, and The Copyeditor's Handbook. I was set.

The final took the full 2 hours, and about two-thirds of the way through, the lights go out. Remember, this final was in the basement of the JFSB--it was dark. Ha, then everyone took out their cell phones and laptops for lame light sources. So, for the last third of my final, I was moving my cell phone around making sure I saw and noticed everything I was supposed to. I also used the nifty little light in my cell phone to check over my entire exam and read entries in Chicago and the dictionary. Right as I turn in the final, the lights come back on.

Even though I had to take my final in the dark, I feel like I'm an official copyeditor--I have the basic editing skills promised by ELang 350: Basic Editing Skills. I am ready to be hideous.

a poem for monday, june 16, 4 days before i go home

Happy Happy Monday
I'll be home so soon.
After all my finals
I might just be a loon.

Just four more days
And I'm home free
An 8-hour car ride
With 4 boys--whoopee!!

I already called shotgun
Before any of those boys could blink.
However, with so much testosterone in the car,
I doubt I'll be able to listen to N*SYNC.

So, when Dad comes out on Thursday, he's bringing our next door neighbor Nick with him and John. And then we're bringing a guy from my home stake back with us to CO--I told Dad I call shotgun. No way am I sitting in the back of a car with teenage boys the whole way.

diagnostic fees and the countdown

I would have blogged sooner than now, but haven't for a couple of reasons: 1) there hasn't been too much to blog about in the first place, and 2) my computer broke. Yes, that's right. My stupid, spastic, self-starting, constantly overheating computer is in the shop. A few weeks ago, one of the hinges broke off, but it didn't seem like a big deal. On Sunday, the screen started going funny--it had colored stripes, and if I jiggled my computer the right way, the screen would come back on. Good grief. So, Monday morning I took my computer up to the computer shop in the bookstore. For a mere $65 dianostic fee, they looked at my computer, and decided that my lame-o computer needs a new LCD cable and new hinges, totaling just shy of $200. At least the $65 fee didn't go to waste.

And I am 8 days, 1 Shakespeare class, 2 editing classes, 2 tests, one portfolio, one research worksheet, 2 finals, and a whole heck of a lot of packing away from going home. Dad will be driving out on Thursday and he'll be driving back with me on Friday. I'm so close. So close.

Oh yeah--the computer parts will be come in between five and ten days. Because it's not like I have finals or anything.

200 Have and Have Nots!

I took this from Jill's and Kristi's blog, who both responded to Neighbor Jane Payne's post. Here are 200 things I either have or have not done!

1. Touched an iceberg

2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight

4. Changed a baby's diaper

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Swam with wild dolphins

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a tarantula

10. Said "I love you" and meant it

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Bet on a winning horse

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Taken an ice cold bath

28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Ridden a roller coaster

31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment

36. Loved your job 90% of the time

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Watched wild whales

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach

41. Gone sky diving

42. Visited Ireland

43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited India

45. Bench-pressed your own weight--definitely not

46. Milked a cow

47. Alphabetized your personal files

48. Ever worn a superhero costume

49. Sung karaoke

50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Done something you should regret, but don't

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie--if Emily's production of "Cold Feet" counts. I was the star.

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone--I think that being with John and Sarah counts.

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone--verbally, not a real one

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your credit report

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped an animal give birth--I almost got to do that up in Canada one time.

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle--on a motorcycle!

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph--been in a land vehicle driving that fast.

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school--ha I've never left

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad--not the whole thing though

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

101. Had a booth at a street fair

102. Dyed your hair

103. Been a DJ

104. Rocked a baby to sleep

105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four

106. Raked your carpet

107. Brought out the best in people

108. Brought out the worst in people

109. Worn a mood ring

110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap

112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe

113. Buried a child

114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play

115. Been inside the pyramids

116. Shot a basketball into a basket--believe it or not, I totally have!

117. Danced at a disco

118. Played in a band

119. Shot a bird

120. Gone to an arboretum

121. Tutored someone

122. Ridden a train

123. Brought an old fad back into style

124. Eaten caviar

125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need

126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book

128. Pieced a quilt

129. Lived in an historic place

130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one--does putt putt count?

133. Gone deep sea fishing

134. Gone roller skating

135. Run a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class

139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

140. Flown in a helicopter

141. Visited Africa

142. Sang a solo

143. Gone spelunking

144. Learned how to take a compliment

145. Written a love-story

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David

147. Had your portrait painted--Mom drew me once!

148. Written a fan letter--J. K. Rowling!

149. Spent the night in something haunted--My old house the first night, Halloween, howling and rattling windows

150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away

152. Learned to juggle

153. Been a boss

154. Sat on a jury

155. Lied about your weight

156. Gone on a diet

157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget

158. Written a poem

159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox

160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission

162. Hiked the Grand Canyon

163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

164. Gone to the opera

165. Gotten a letter from someone famous--It was probably J. K. Rowling's PR people

166. Worn knickers

167. Ridden in a limousine

168. Attended the Olympics

169. Can hula or waltz

170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books--yeah, times a million

171. Been stuck in an elevator

172. Had a revelatory dream

173. Thought you might crash in an airplane

174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert

175. Saved someone’s life

176. Eaten raw whale

177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint

178. Laughed till your side hurt

179. Straddled the equator

180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing

181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival

182. Sent a message in a bottle

183. Spent the night in a hostel

184. Been a cashier

185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

186. Joined a union

187. Donated blood or plasma

188. Built a campfire

189. Kept a blog

190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots

192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course

194. Served at a soup kitchen

195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube

196. Know CPR

197. Ridden in or owned a convertible--My 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit convertible--stylin'!

198. Found a long lost friend

199. Helped solve a crime--I helped discover the mystery of the disappearing American Girl dolls: Sarah "klepto" Wood

200. Responded to a NJP newsletter--does this count??

June Monthly Special

Michelle's husband, Marc, just started a new blog where he posts monthly challenges that tutor us photo amateurs on how to do cool things with photos. This month's challenge is a photo grid, and I'm way excited because I have Photoshop, but don't really know how to do cool things. Take-Out Photo is great! Here is my first attempt:

These are all pictures (well one of the pictures is from freshman year) of Katelyn and I throughout the year. I chose pictures that hopefully capture the many different and quirky facets of our relationship. I had lots of fun doing this--it was pretty easy and I plan on doing grid layouts with all different kinds of themes! Thanks Marc!

mediocre monday

Several people today have asked me how my weekend was, and my answer has been a solid "mediocre." The past few days have just not been exciting, and I've been in a serious state of The Blahs. I'm burned out with school (I could do another round of classes?! What was I thinking?!), I'm sick of the Physics Department, I'm bored with my ward (however, I am doing my very best to fulfill my calling as 2nd counselor in the RS), I'm sick of Provo in general, I'm ready to check out of my super small apartment, and I'm so ready to go home for the summer. It also doesn't help that we're studying Shakespearean tragedy right now--that's a spirit-lifter. Only 18 more days and I'll be home, so that's great, and I'm sure the time will fly by pretty quick--I still can't believe that spring classes are almost over, because it seems like they just barely started. I think this weekend, my apartment is going to celebrate my birthday (because my birthday isn't until August, we decided to celebrate it early so I can have a b-day celebration with some of my Provo friends), so that hopefully will come through.

I'm trying to improve my attitude, or at least just suck it up. I started reading a leisure book last week (The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck--it's incredible and I'm only 50 pages in). Over the weekend, when I was particularly melancholy, I pulled out my scrapbook stuff and created a bit, which was quite cathartic. Church yesterday was pretty good, which helped out with my morale. I went to Target today, which is always a pleasant experience.

However, despite all these seemingly enjoyable things, I'm still lacking in energy and motivation; I've started listening to Harry Potter in the mornings, which I've realized is a clear indication of my attempt to momentarily escape my own really not-bad-at-all reality. (Note: I haven't completely retreated to HP land quite yet--I do listen to music more than I listen to HP. That's good.) Maybe I can chalk some of the melancholy up to PMS . . .

**Ha, I just read through this and realized that the title of my new leisure book probably doesn't seem like it would be a good thing for me to be reading right now, but it really is a good book.