Hello!!
I have been on Christmas break for about two weeks now. It's been great.
I got a 4.0 this semester (woohoo!).
I worked for the first week of break, but since last Friday I have been off (University closure).
The past four days (since Christmas) I haven't left my house. It's been glorious. I wake up whenever I want to, watch TV, read (I finished The Casual Vacancy yesterday- thanks Roland!), bake, clean. I've been the happiest person in the world for the past four days.
I've cleaned my bathroom, cleaned the kitchen, watched about 10 episodes of How I Met Your Mother, watched two movies (The Night Before Christmas and Pitch Perfect), baked cookies (Superman hand mixer from Roland helped a lot), baked muffins, made haystacks (butterscotch treats that my Nonnie used to make), I made a delicious dinner last night of grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, cheese rolls, and asparagus (with cinnamon sugar rolls for dessert). I have had no time constraints and I've loved it.
Next week Wade and Rachael are coming into town. It is weird not going to Idaho this break, I miss it. But I am stoked to see my brother (and, of course, Rachael). We will be going to at least one museum, the Gaslight Theatre, various food places, maybe a hike.
I finished my Spanish career at UA, but I do miss it. I really enjoyed learning Spanish and I hope to continue to do so. I really want the Harry Potter books en espanol so I can keep up with what I know.
Oh! So last December I drove (with my friends Lyndsay and Justin) to Houston to see our friend Brittany get married. Well, Brittany is pregnant!!! I am so so excited for her! Also, Lyndsay is in the MTC preparing to serve in Chiclayo Peru (she will be Hermana Batman, so cool).
Today, I break my streak and go outside. I'll be going to watch a movie with Roland. Also, I will probably take out the recycling.
This has been a magical couple of days, I hope I can remember them next semester when I want to implode.
Chanda C.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
I wrote a song today.
Actually, I rewrote the words to Call Me Maybe.
As a student worker I automatically get any University closure dates off work. That's great, except when I don't have plans and need the cash mons. (Un)fortunately, in December I will have more than a week off of work.
Here's my ode to that:
I can wrap presents well,
I am a pro with Excel,
Will watch anything with a tail,
Because I need the pay.
Will watch your offsprin
Chanda C. :) :) :)
As a student worker I automatically get any University closure dates off work. That's great, except when I don't have plans and need the cash mons. (Un)fortunately, in December I will have more than a week off of work.
Here's my ode to that:
I can wrap presents well,
I am a pro with Excel,
Will watch anything with a tail,
Because I need the pay.
Will watch your offsprin
g,
While you go shopping,
I'll do anything,
Because I need the pay.
Baking, errand running,
Dinner for your hubby,
Watering your lily,
Let me make you less busy.
Hey, holidays are
Pretty crazy
I'd love to help out.
So call me, maybe?
Well, that is it for my song writing capabilities. Let me know if you have anything you need done. My talents include: proofreading, babysitting, cooking, alphabetizing, filing, typing, emailing, Facebooking, dancing, Harry Potter fact knowing, Christmas song singing, pet-sitting, house-watching, oil checking, errand running, shopping, envelope labeling, scripture reading, high school (and below) tutoring, general cheering.
While you go shopping,
I'll do anything,
Because I need the pay.
Baking, errand running,
Dinner for your hubby,
Watering your lily,
Let me make you less busy.
Hey, holidays are
Pretty crazy
I'd love to help out.
So call me, maybe?
Well, that is it for my song writing capabilities. Let me know if you have anything you need done. My talents include: proofreading, babysitting, cooking, alphabetizing, filing, typing, emailing, Facebooking, dancing, Harry Potter fact knowing, Christmas song singing, pet-sitting, house-watching, oil checking, errand running, shopping, envelope labeling, scripture reading, high school (and below) tutoring, general cheering.
Happy holidays!
Chanda C. :) :) :)
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Obligatory Thanksgiving post
I'll try to keep this a little fresh, everyone is posting what they are thankful for.. But I would be rude to not follow suit.
Tucson: I am thankful for Tucson because we still need to use our AC at the end of November. I miss trees and leaves but I don't miss being cold.
UofA: It is such a blessing in my life to be able to go to a great university on scholarship. Through UA I have two jobs and have met people that have influenced my life in ways I never imagined. I love the Institute program here and I love the opportunities I have been given to grow and learn who I am and what I believe.
Friends: I know everyone says that they have the best friends in the world, and I really do have the best friends for me. The friends who helped me get through high school (even the ones I don't keep in contact with, which is most of them) helped shape me so much. Recently I've seen how much impact friends can have on each other, I'm thankful to have made friends that kept me in line with my goals and encouraged me to be the best that I can be. And now, I am thankful for my friends at UA (even the ones I don't keep in contact with...mostly because a lot of them are married now). My friends keep me keeping on. They're wonderful influences and examples and knowing that they are here for me brings so much joy to my life.
My house/roommates: This overlaps quite a bit. My roommates are wonderful. I love that when we see each other we always have something to say, but we're also good about not being all up in each others' business. We're so different in our personalities but I absolutely love them. I'm lucky to have had this opportunity to live here, with these girls, and be able to have my little dog with me. This house has been wonderful. I am able walk to school and work (or ride the bus) and I get my own room and bathroom and Luna gets a doggy door and we have a giant kitchen. It's wonderful.
Family: Of course, my family. My immediate family really knows how to drive me crazy, but with that they also know how to make me the happiest person alive. I can't wait to see Wade this December (although I will miss going to Idaho). I'm so happy for Taryn (graduating high school). I love that Aaron calls me regularly (even when I usually don't answer). I'm so proud of Melanie and her swimming and schoolwork. My dad sent me a tender birthday card (with an ORANGE envelope!). And my mom almost always picks up when I call her. They're so wonderful. And my extended family is just as good! I love that my aunts and uncles are so willing to help me out however they can. I miss seeing them, but I will see a lot of them in December for our family Christmas FHE and I really look forward to that.
I forgot a few things..
Roland: I'm so thankful that he has been a part of my life this past year. (Last Thanksgiving he joined my family at our meal.) I love how willing he is to do anything he can to help me. He drives me around for errands, he takes me on dates, he drove me to Disneyland, he lets me hang out with (half of) his family, he makes me laugh SO hard, he's so wonderful.
The Gospel: I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the hope and happiness it allows me to feel. I love my ward and my bishop and the scriptures and the leaders of the church. I've been praying about going on a mission, and while I don't feel that it is necessary for me right now, I do hope to serve one day.
I have so much to be grateful for. And now I get to do homework (which isn't something I am generally very thankful for).
Chanda C.
Tucson: I am thankful for Tucson because we still need to use our AC at the end of November. I miss trees and leaves but I don't miss being cold.
UofA: It is such a blessing in my life to be able to go to a great university on scholarship. Through UA I have two jobs and have met people that have influenced my life in ways I never imagined. I love the Institute program here and I love the opportunities I have been given to grow and learn who I am and what I believe.
Friends: I know everyone says that they have the best friends in the world, and I really do have the best friends for me. The friends who helped me get through high school (even the ones I don't keep in contact with, which is most of them) helped shape me so much. Recently I've seen how much impact friends can have on each other, I'm thankful to have made friends that kept me in line with my goals and encouraged me to be the best that I can be. And now, I am thankful for my friends at UA (even the ones I don't keep in contact with...mostly because a lot of them are married now). My friends keep me keeping on. They're wonderful influences and examples and knowing that they are here for me brings so much joy to my life.
My house/roommates: This overlaps quite a bit. My roommates are wonderful. I love that when we see each other we always have something to say, but we're also good about not being all up in each others' business. We're so different in our personalities but I absolutely love them. I'm lucky to have had this opportunity to live here, with these girls, and be able to have my little dog with me. This house has been wonderful. I am able walk to school and work (or ride the bus) and I get my own room and bathroom and Luna gets a doggy door and we have a giant kitchen. It's wonderful.
Family: Of course, my family. My immediate family really knows how to drive me crazy, but with that they also know how to make me the happiest person alive. I can't wait to see Wade this December (although I will miss going to Idaho). I'm so happy for Taryn (graduating high school). I love that Aaron calls me regularly (even when I usually don't answer). I'm so proud of Melanie and her swimming and schoolwork. My dad sent me a tender birthday card (with an ORANGE envelope!). And my mom almost always picks up when I call her. They're so wonderful. And my extended family is just as good! I love that my aunts and uncles are so willing to help me out however they can. I miss seeing them, but I will see a lot of them in December for our family Christmas FHE and I really look forward to that.
I forgot a few things..
Roland: I'm so thankful that he has been a part of my life this past year. (Last Thanksgiving he joined my family at our meal.) I love how willing he is to do anything he can to help me. He drives me around for errands, he takes me on dates, he drove me to Disneyland, he lets me hang out with (half of) his family, he makes me laugh SO hard, he's so wonderful.
The Gospel: I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the hope and happiness it allows me to feel. I love my ward and my bishop and the scriptures and the leaders of the church. I've been praying about going on a mission, and while I don't feel that it is necessary for me right now, I do hope to serve one day.
I have so much to be grateful for. And now I get to do homework (which isn't something I am generally very thankful for).
Chanda C.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thanksgiving, or "Rotisserie Chicken Day"
Hello!
Just a little update while I am here at work bored the day before Thanksgiving...
I went to DISNEYLAND for my 21st birthday!! It was really wonderful.
Roland and I were both feeling sick before we went, but we didn't know when we would have the opportunity to go again and we had both already gotten the time off. So we kept with our plans.
The first day was rough, we both had headaches and sore throats that were aggravated by rides (the headaches at least). It was really nice to walk around and eat delicious food and chat though.
The next day (thanks to many prayers) we felt totally better. We got to go on all of the rides we wanted and the longest line we waited in was probably only 30 minutes. We had SO much fun.
I ate like 5 churros, which is all a girl could ever ask for. Also, we discovered this adorable little restaurant called the Jolly Holiday Cafe (it is Mary Poppins themed- made me nostalgic). It kind of took the place of the bakery on Main Street USA, put me in a room with peppy music and loads of baked goods and I'll be over the moon.
For the holidays Disney had a whole slew of special treats. My favorite were the gingerbread beignets! SO GOOD. Who knew you could improve from a traditional beignet?
We also had a Dole Whip and a Turkey Leg (we had never had those Disney staples prior to this trip, which is crazy considering how often he and I have been to Disneyland separately). Those were so delicious.
Roland and I had agreed that if we didn't get along at Disneyland that we would have to break up, thankfully for us we got along splendidly.
The semester is winding down and I can't express how grateful I am for that. My classes are going well, I'm getting good grades. But I have given up on my dream of speaking Spanish. That's been squished out of me. And I realized that Statistics is just a way to confuse people. And I hate online classes. So, a lot of learning experiences this semester.
I'm excited for next semester (I'll be taking almost all Psych classes). It has been tough working two jobs and taking classes, by the time I get home I just want to sleep or watch TV until my mind melts. We'll see how next semester goes. More classes and hopefully more hours at work (why do I do this?)!
My friend from high school died last week, I missed his funeral because I was in California. I hope and pray that everyone affected by his death will find a positive way to deal with the tragedy.
That's been about it. Thanks for reading.
Keep on keepin' on!
Chanda C.
Just a little update while I am here at work bored the day before Thanksgiving...
I went to DISNEYLAND for my 21st birthday!! It was really wonderful.
Roland and I were both feeling sick before we went, but we didn't know when we would have the opportunity to go again and we had both already gotten the time off. So we kept with our plans.
The first day was rough, we both had headaches and sore throats that were aggravated by rides (the headaches at least). It was really nice to walk around and eat delicious food and chat though.
The next day (thanks to many prayers) we felt totally better. We got to go on all of the rides we wanted and the longest line we waited in was probably only 30 minutes. We had SO much fun.
I ate like 5 churros, which is all a girl could ever ask for. Also, we discovered this adorable little restaurant called the Jolly Holiday Cafe (it is Mary Poppins themed- made me nostalgic). It kind of took the place of the bakery on Main Street USA, put me in a room with peppy music and loads of baked goods and I'll be over the moon.
For the holidays Disney had a whole slew of special treats. My favorite were the gingerbread beignets! SO GOOD. Who knew you could improve from a traditional beignet?
We also had a Dole Whip and a Turkey Leg (we had never had those Disney staples prior to this trip, which is crazy considering how often he and I have been to Disneyland separately). Those were so delicious.
Roland and I had agreed that if we didn't get along at Disneyland that we would have to break up, thankfully for us we got along splendidly.
The semester is winding down and I can't express how grateful I am for that. My classes are going well, I'm getting good grades. But I have given up on my dream of speaking Spanish. That's been squished out of me. And I realized that Statistics is just a way to confuse people. And I hate online classes. So, a lot of learning experiences this semester.
I'm excited for next semester (I'll be taking almost all Psych classes). It has been tough working two jobs and taking classes, by the time I get home I just want to sleep or watch TV until my mind melts. We'll see how next semester goes. More classes and hopefully more hours at work (why do I do this?)!
My friend from high school died last week, I missed his funeral because I was in California. I hope and pray that everyone affected by his death will find a positive way to deal with the tragedy.
That's been about it. Thanks for reading.
Keep on keepin' on!
Chanda C.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
I really will study...
I have a Spanish exam tomorrow.
Tonight I just haven't really felt like studying. So instead I ate dinner, chatted with my mom, looked at funny things on the internet, facebook-stalked, texted old friends, made banana bread.
About the banana bread, I have this terrible (or wonderful) habit of not being able to follow recipes. Not because I don't know how, but because I always assume I can make it better. My last few loaves of banana bread haven't turned out very good. For example, the most recent one was too dry. I think it is because I substituted things too much. Like whole wheat flour instead of white, et cetera. It actually didn't turn out too bad because I ended up making a really tasty bread pudding out of it. So I guess that was a win.
Anyway, I really want some good banana bread so I told myself that I would follow a recipe EXACTLY. And then I started the recipe and realized it wanted me to use THREE bowls (ridiculous). Ain't nobody got time for that. And then I remembered that I had been wanting to try something new (browning butter before adding it to the recipe) and then I just took a giant leap from there. Let's hope this loaf turns out well. That is what I am trying to say.
In other news, my profile is up on the site for the conference where I will be giving a workshop. I'm really excited (despite some typos/spelling errors). I hope I do well and don't embarrass myself.
I should be more focused on my Spanish exam. I want to write in Spanish, but I'm not sure how to add the symbols so I don't know how much it would help me practice.
How do you focus when you don't want to? How late do you normally stay up? Lately if it gets past 10:00, I'm out for the count. I don't know why but I turn into a pumpkin so quick. I sleep until at least 6:30, so I should be getting enough rest. I don't know what is going on.
Thanks for reading!
Chanda C.
Tonight I just haven't really felt like studying. So instead I ate dinner, chatted with my mom, looked at funny things on the internet, facebook-stalked, texted old friends, made banana bread.
About the banana bread, I have this terrible (or wonderful) habit of not being able to follow recipes. Not because I don't know how, but because I always assume I can make it better. My last few loaves of banana bread haven't turned out very good. For example, the most recent one was too dry. I think it is because I substituted things too much. Like whole wheat flour instead of white, et cetera. It actually didn't turn out too bad because I ended up making a really tasty bread pudding out of it. So I guess that was a win.
Anyway, I really want some good banana bread so I told myself that I would follow a recipe EXACTLY. And then I started the recipe and realized it wanted me to use THREE bowls (ridiculous). Ain't nobody got time for that. And then I remembered that I had been wanting to try something new (browning butter before adding it to the recipe) and then I just took a giant leap from there. Let's hope this loaf turns out well. That is what I am trying to say.
In other news, my profile is up on the site for the conference where I will be giving a workshop. I'm really excited (despite some typos/spelling errors). I hope I do well and don't embarrass myself.
I should be more focused on my Spanish exam. I want to write in Spanish, but I'm not sure how to add the symbols so I don't know how much it would help me practice.
How do you focus when you don't want to? How late do you normally stay up? Lately if it gets past 10:00, I'm out for the count. I don't know why but I turn into a pumpkin so quick. I sleep until at least 6:30, so I should be getting enough rest. I don't know what is going on.
Thanks for reading!
Chanda C.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Starting my career! (LRC320)
Kind of, anyway.
This past couple of weeks I have been asked to do TWO workshops.
Those of you that know me know that my one true career dream is to be a motivational speaker. I tell everyone this even knowing that the likelihood of it happening is pretty slim.
However, I am THRILLED to be able to do at least a little part of what I want to do in the future.
One of the workshops I will be doing is a motivational workshop for the SALT Center (where I am a receptionist). One of the learning specialists there knows of my career aspirations and, when planning the workshop, thought of me. I can't wait to be able to talk to students and hopefully motivate them to see and fulfill their potential! I'm so excited and I've already started working on what I want to talk about.
The other workshop I will be doing is for the LDS Single Adult Conference. I will be teaching a workshop (possibly 3 times) to single adults about how to support their adolescents through their divorce. I am excited to share a little bit of my experience (being an adolescent when my parents divorced) and hopefully help parents connect with their children.
I seriously can't wait. I'm incredibly intimidated by the thought that I will have to somehow fill up 45 minutes talking about what teens want from their parents. It'll be great experience and definitely something I can learn from.
What did you want from your parents when you were an adolescent? How did they support you?
Also, what motivates you to do your best?
In other news, I decided to experiment with my old cookie recipe (my family calls them "Chanda's Cookies" because I always used to make them) and I would like to say that it was a lovely success. I wanted to increase the amount of oatmeal in them, and I did! So that is exciting. Also, the ones I made just now are half chocolate and half butterscotch chips...sogood.
What are your favorite cookies?
Chanda C.
This past couple of weeks I have been asked to do TWO workshops.
Those of you that know me know that my one true career dream is to be a motivational speaker. I tell everyone this even knowing that the likelihood of it happening is pretty slim.
However, I am THRILLED to be able to do at least a little part of what I want to do in the future.
One of the workshops I will be doing is a motivational workshop for the SALT Center (where I am a receptionist). One of the learning specialists there knows of my career aspirations and, when planning the workshop, thought of me. I can't wait to be able to talk to students and hopefully motivate them to see and fulfill their potential! I'm so excited and I've already started working on what I want to talk about.
The other workshop I will be doing is for the LDS Single Adult Conference. I will be teaching a workshop (possibly 3 times) to single adults about how to support their adolescents through their divorce. I am excited to share a little bit of my experience (being an adolescent when my parents divorced) and hopefully help parents connect with their children.
I seriously can't wait. I'm incredibly intimidated by the thought that I will have to somehow fill up 45 minutes talking about what teens want from their parents. It'll be great experience and definitely something I can learn from.
What did you want from your parents when you were an adolescent? How did they support you?
Also, what motivates you to do your best?
In other news, I decided to experiment with my old cookie recipe (my family calls them "Chanda's Cookies" because I always used to make them) and I would like to say that it was a lovely success. I wanted to increase the amount of oatmeal in them, and I did! So that is exciting. Also, the ones I made just now are half chocolate and half butterscotch chips...sogood.
What are your favorite cookies?
Chanda C.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
So I'm taking this class..
Called LRC320: Technology in the Classroom (or something like that, I know it has something to do with technology and education and using technologies in classes as a teacher). It is an online class, which I have discovered I kind of hate. But I also have learned a lot.
For this class I made a website. You can visit this website (if you feel like it) at u.arizona.edu/~chandalc.
It is a work in progress (I recently learned that I am terrible with technology).
It took me like 4 weeks and a lot of tears to get that picture on my site. And it is stretched weird so I look fatter than I really am. But I got so frustrated that I haven't changed it.
Last night, Taryn, Roland, and I went to the Tournament of Destruction. It is a real thing. A monster truck rally. Roland and I got to ride in a monster truck! And we saw demo derbies (we made a lot of jokes that demo stood for demonstration and that they didn't make much sense... It was funny, trust me), and monster truck races, and motorcross stunts, and a lot of rednecks. I felt like I was back in Lakeside. The most embarrassing part of the whole night was that the program for the event had at least 3 typos on it. I want to post an ad to businesses everywhere,
"Proofreader: $10/two page document. Don't make your business/event look like it was planned by rhesus monkeys. Have anything that the public will see read by me first."
Anyway, I had a great time. Check out my Facebook for some photos. Or my Twitter.
Also, I have a Tumblr. I repost funny things. I don't make the pictures so some of them have bad words. Sorry about that. But you can check it out. My cool, sometimes questionable tumblr!
Also of note this weekend, GENERAL CONFERENCE!! (That is when the Prophet speaks to the world in a broadcast. If interested, click here! Or here for general inquiries about my religion.) It was so wonderful to hear inspired and uplifting words. I really enjoyed conference and I look forward to getting to read the talks and study them in more depth.
I noticed, however, that all women in conference speak the same. That Utah accent is sometimes more than I can bear...
Have a good day!
Chanda C.
For this class I made a website. You can visit this website (if you feel like it) at u.arizona.edu/~chandalc.
It is a work in progress (I recently learned that I am terrible with technology).
It took me like 4 weeks and a lot of tears to get that picture on my site. And it is stretched weird so I look fatter than I really am. But I got so frustrated that I haven't changed it.
Last night, Taryn, Roland, and I went to the Tournament of Destruction. It is a real thing. A monster truck rally. Roland and I got to ride in a monster truck! And we saw demo derbies (we made a lot of jokes that demo stood for demonstration and that they didn't make much sense... It was funny, trust me), and monster truck races, and motorcross stunts, and a lot of rednecks. I felt like I was back in Lakeside. The most embarrassing part of the whole night was that the program for the event had at least 3 typos on it. I want to post an ad to businesses everywhere,
"Proofreader: $10/two page document. Don't make your business/event look like it was planned by rhesus monkeys. Have anything that the public will see read by me first."
Anyway, I had a great time. Check out my Facebook for some photos. Or my Twitter.
Also, I have a Tumblr. I repost funny things. I don't make the pictures so some of them have bad words. Sorry about that. But you can check it out. My cool, sometimes questionable tumblr!
Also of note this weekend, GENERAL CONFERENCE!! (That is when the Prophet speaks to the world in a broadcast. If interested, click here! Or here for general inquiries about my religion.) It was so wonderful to hear inspired and uplifting words. I really enjoyed conference and I look forward to getting to read the talks and study them in more depth.
I noticed, however, that all women in conference speak the same. That Utah accent is sometimes more than I can bear...
Have a good day!
Chanda C.
Friday, October 5, 2012
2012 has been a doozy of a year
I've been busy. Really busy. Just a little update:
1) I got another job. That makes three. But one is very sporadic, so it practically doesn't count. But when I feel like making people feel sorry for me then I can say I work for three different places.
2) I am over halfway done with my undergraduate career.
3) I am selling my car. Because I can't afford insurance and I don't like driving. And Roland drives me most places because he is so nice.
4) I went to Disneyland with my roommates Sarah and Beth. Beth's family also went but we didn't spend too much time with them. Not because we were being snobby, but because we just didn't. They were very nice.
5) Next semester I will be finished with my ACE minor (halelujah). I really love it. But also, it stresses me out.
6) I'm still debating whether or not to get a Spanish minor. It is four more classes, reasonable. But I am just so bad at Spanish....
7) I live in my new house. 8 bed/7bath. It is so lovely. Luna has a dog door, which she sometimes uses to go outside and bark all night and sometimes doesn't use to go outside and relieve herself. For some reason she has an affinity to bathroom rugs. She can't help but do unholy things to them when she is in the same room for even a minute.
8) I have an honors awards assembly thing this week.. I'll get my honors cords. Which I think are used to hang yourself with after graduation when you realize you still have no idea what you want to do with your life.
9) I still have no idea what I want to do with my life.
10) I started volunteering with a program called Mentors for Moms. Now I won't have a car, so I'm not sure what will happen.
11) I still really like riding the city bus. I see this one guy a lot, he always has a weed whacker. I don't know why. But those kinds of mysteries are what keep me an avid city-bus passenger!
1) I got another job. That makes three. But one is very sporadic, so it practically doesn't count. But when I feel like making people feel sorry for me then I can say I work for three different places.
2) I am over halfway done with my undergraduate career.
3) I am selling my car. Because I can't afford insurance and I don't like driving. And Roland drives me most places because he is so nice.
4) I went to Disneyland with my roommates Sarah and Beth. Beth's family also went but we didn't spend too much time with them. Not because we were being snobby, but because we just didn't. They were very nice.
5) Next semester I will be finished with my ACE minor (halelujah). I really love it. But also, it stresses me out.
6) I'm still debating whether or not to get a Spanish minor. It is four more classes, reasonable. But I am just so bad at Spanish....
7) I live in my new house. 8 bed/7bath. It is so lovely. Luna has a dog door, which she sometimes uses to go outside and bark all night and sometimes doesn't use to go outside and relieve herself. For some reason she has an affinity to bathroom rugs. She can't help but do unholy things to them when she is in the same room for even a minute.
8) I have an honors awards assembly thing this week.. I'll get my honors cords. Which I think are used to hang yourself with after graduation when you realize you still have no idea what you want to do with your life.
9) I still have no idea what I want to do with my life.
10) I started volunteering with a program called Mentors for Moms. Now I won't have a car, so I'm not sure what will happen.
11) I still really like riding the city bus. I see this one guy a lot, he always has a weed whacker. I don't know why. But those kinds of mysteries are what keep me an avid city-bus passenger!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Ways to be a good roommate.
Being a roommate is hard. Follow these rules and hopefully you won't have as hard of a time being a good roommate. Also, make them follow these rules too. We're on our way to a happier place.
1. If you didn't buy it, don't use it. Period. If you request permission and you are granted it, then you can use it. But that permission doesn't apply to the rest of your life. Unless it is specifically stated that you can feel free to use or borrow or eat ____ whenever you want without needing to ask then DON'T. This applies especially to things like tampons. Also noteworthy: shampoo/conditioner, shoes, food, and cars.
2. Don't go through your roommate's things. Unless you have specific permission. And treat that permission as a one-time allowance. If you wear your roommate's shoes once, ask before wearing them again. Or if you drive your roommate's car once, ask before driving it again. And for heaven's sake, don't sneak around about it. If your roommate wanted you to see something or be privy to the details of what is in the bathroom drawer, your roommate wouldn't bother putting things in a drawer. Keep out.
3. For goodness sake, do your own dishes. And take out the trash once in awhile. If you have lived with the same people for more than two months and never taken out the garbage and/or emptied the dishwasher, you need to reevaluate. And when you do the dishes do them the right way. I can't figure out how grown women, in college, don't have this whole washing dishes thing down. They shouldn't have been allowed to leave the house. Your dishes shouldn't be greasy or have things stuck to them when you're done. It can be so simple. There are probably youtube videos showing a step by step process of how to correctly clean your dishes. Use the skill. Clean your own bleeping dishes. And treat others' dishes kindly. Don't use metal on metal or nonstick pans/pots.
4. Pitch in. Clean the bathroom once a month. Deep clean the kitchen twice a month. Vacuum every other week. If all roommates followed this code, the apartments and homes across college campuses everywhere would sing in gladness and glisten with cleanliness.
5. Don't be greedy. I understand if you get upset that your roommate only bought a 22 pack of toilet paper and you bought a 24 pack... But how much difference will that really make? On the flip side, if you are sharing an item with a roommate, treat it how you want them to treat it. Once I bought a jar of salsa and put it on two tacos, next time I reached for it it had been entirely used by my roommate. Now, admittedly, I just didn't use the salsa as often as my roommate. But also, I bought a jar of salsa and only got two spoonfuls. If there is something that you know you will devour quickly, don't offer to split it with someone. Be kind, be generous, someday you'll want someone to be kind back to you. Save up those karma points for when they really matter.
6. Do things with your roommates. I've never been a fan of the idea of roommate dates/nights/dinners/counsels/sweat lodges. But your roommates can be some great support. So invite them to go shopping with you or hang out one night at home. Don't be afraid to make the livingroom the common space and invite your roommates to study out there with you. Make them your friends.
7. Don't be passive aggressive. Ever. Treat your roommates like you want to be treated. If you get upset with something, talk it out before it blows up. If you are having a bad week and PMS-ing and then realize that your roommates used all of your tampons without permission and didn't tell you or replace them- keep in mind that you are prone to act out and then discuss it calmly. If you know that something in your house doesn't work, a lock for example, don't use it. Because then your roommate will be stuck outside calling you so he/she can get in and sleep. Don't try to get back at your roommates. And don't prank the people you live with, because eventually someone will get butthurt about it. And never write a blogpost with specific examples from your life on how to be a better roommate. We all have something to work on.
I love my roommates. I've been lucky this year.
But I can't wait to live on my own.
Can't.Wait.
Chanda C.
1. If you didn't buy it, don't use it. Period. If you request permission and you are granted it, then you can use it. But that permission doesn't apply to the rest of your life. Unless it is specifically stated that you can feel free to use or borrow or eat ____ whenever you want without needing to ask then DON'T. This applies especially to things like tampons. Also noteworthy: shampoo/conditioner, shoes, food, and cars.
2. Don't go through your roommate's things. Unless you have specific permission. And treat that permission as a one-time allowance. If you wear your roommate's shoes once, ask before wearing them again. Or if you drive your roommate's car once, ask before driving it again. And for heaven's sake, don't sneak around about it. If your roommate wanted you to see something or be privy to the details of what is in the bathroom drawer, your roommate wouldn't bother putting things in a drawer. Keep out.
3. For goodness sake, do your own dishes. And take out the trash once in awhile. If you have lived with the same people for more than two months and never taken out the garbage and/or emptied the dishwasher, you need to reevaluate. And when you do the dishes do them the right way. I can't figure out how grown women, in college, don't have this whole washing dishes thing down. They shouldn't have been allowed to leave the house. Your dishes shouldn't be greasy or have things stuck to them when you're done. It can be so simple. There are probably youtube videos showing a step by step process of how to correctly clean your dishes. Use the skill. Clean your own bleeping dishes. And treat others' dishes kindly. Don't use metal on metal or nonstick pans/pots.
4. Pitch in. Clean the bathroom once a month. Deep clean the kitchen twice a month. Vacuum every other week. If all roommates followed this code, the apartments and homes across college campuses everywhere would sing in gladness and glisten with cleanliness.
5. Don't be greedy. I understand if you get upset that your roommate only bought a 22 pack of toilet paper and you bought a 24 pack... But how much difference will that really make? On the flip side, if you are sharing an item with a roommate, treat it how you want them to treat it. Once I bought a jar of salsa and put it on two tacos, next time I reached for it it had been entirely used by my roommate. Now, admittedly, I just didn't use the salsa as often as my roommate. But also, I bought a jar of salsa and only got two spoonfuls. If there is something that you know you will devour quickly, don't offer to split it with someone. Be kind, be generous, someday you'll want someone to be kind back to you. Save up those karma points for when they really matter.
6. Do things with your roommates. I've never been a fan of the idea of roommate dates/nights/dinners/counsels/sweat lodges. But your roommates can be some great support. So invite them to go shopping with you or hang out one night at home. Don't be afraid to make the livingroom the common space and invite your roommates to study out there with you. Make them your friends.
7. Don't be passive aggressive. Ever. Treat your roommates like you want to be treated. If you get upset with something, talk it out before it blows up. If you are having a bad week and PMS-ing and then realize that your roommates used all of your tampons without permission and didn't tell you or replace them- keep in mind that you are prone to act out and then discuss it calmly. If you know that something in your house doesn't work, a lock for example, don't use it. Because then your roommate will be stuck outside calling you so he/she can get in and sleep. Don't try to get back at your roommates. And don't prank the people you live with, because eventually someone will get butthurt about it. And never write a blogpost with specific examples from your life on how to be a better roommate. We all have something to work on.
I love my roommates. I've been lucky this year.
But I can't wait to live on my own.
Can't.Wait.
Chanda C.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Lovely summer in Tucson, AZ
Well, the first month of summer is about over!
I have been working at the SALT Center on campus about 20 hours/week. I am supposed to be working with Mad Science too, but I haven't heard from my boss in a really long time. That is beginning to concern me.
I took my car in to get an oil change and was informed that I had several repairs needing to be done. The estimated cost of said repairs add up to over $2000. Ugh. That is as much as I paid for the car when I bought it so I got to thinking and decided that I may just buy a new car. But actually a newer car. One that I'll have to make payments on like an adult. And take good care of. One that is younger than me. And that has less than 125,000 miles on it. It's a pretty scary thought, but I'm really considering it. I'll need a car forever, right? And if we add up all of the money I have spent on cars in the past two years then I will get pretty depressed because it has been far too much and I have far too little to show for it.
Considering I only have one job right now (that I am anxiously engaged in, anyway) I decided that to buy a car I need to find a second (third?) source of income. So I applied for a third (second?) job. I applied at a movie theater here, and also at Blockbuster. I figure I can close up SALT everyday and then close up a movie theater/Blockbuster and get some extra hours in. And then next semester I can maybe keep the second/third job and quit Mad Science. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job with Mad Science, but if I am going to be making car payments, I'm going to need a solid (and guaranteed) source of income. And unfortunately, Mad Science doesn't provide that. But we'll see if I even get a call back for either of the applied-for jobs. Who knows?
I went to Lakeside for my cousin Evan's graduation from Blue Ridge! I got to see a lot of my family AND my dad made me pancakes and I got tacos from Los Amigos and I got breadsticks from Pizza Factory. Mmm. It was a good trip. I rode with my Aunt Tammy and her four kids (including the brand new baby Elden). No one threw up (a miracle!) and we only had to stop twice each way for the baby. Success!
Yesterday, Roland and I went to his mom and stepdad's house to pick up a package. While we were there they fed us some delicious hamburgers and we played table tennis (on their kitchen table). I really enjoy spending time with his family. They're a crack up. His mom has a lot of Mickey Mouse objects. Seriously, a lot. And what I like most about her stuff is that it is very thorough. Its not like she has hundreds of keychains, she just has Mickey stuff. I'll name some of the neater pieces of her collection (in my opinion):
1. Thomas Kinkade Disney 50th Anniversary painting
2. Mickey in the grass (a cut out of Mickey's head in her grass)
3. Mickey head faucet turner on the hose thing
4. 100+ watches (all Mickey)
5. Customized STYX Mickey ears
6. Disneyland knocker
7. Haunted Mansion hitchhiking ghost statues
8. Large Mickey statues
9. Mickey china, everyday Mickey dishes, Mickey silverware, Mickey cookie jar, Mickey colander , all things Mickey in her kitchen really.
10. Mickey Mouse wedding ring
You get the idea, her house is a cesspool of Mickey Mouse. And I love it. Also they have a lot of Pez dispensers and some pinball machines (only one is on display though). What's NOT to love?
Roland and I also went and saw Battleship yesterday. It was a very entertaining movie. I had a good time watching it. Sure, it was pretty ridiculous, but it was still fun to watch. I love action movies. I can hardly wait for The Amazing Spider-Man to come out.
I was released from my calling today. I am pretty pleased about that. I was having a hard time with being in charge of FHE. I'll probably get called back to it because I still have so much to learn. But for now, I'm free of that responsibility (we disbanded group FHE for summer because our ward is so tiny). Hopefully I'll be getting another calling soon :)
I may be going to Mesa this week to go see Bryce Addison and go to the chiropractor (I've been getting terrible migraine headaches that I think are because my back is a little messed up, it is really tight and I can't seem to loosen it) and go to the credit union and chat with them about how to improve my credit so I can get a car in three or four months. That'll be nice if it happens, I'm a little afraid of driving my car all the way there and also I don't really want to spend the money in gas, but it will probably be worth it in the end. Roland and I are volunteering at the Community Food Bank on Wednesday, I am looking forward to that.
Those are the most recent occurrences in my life. I'll keep you updated.
Chanda C.
I have been working at the SALT Center on campus about 20 hours/week. I am supposed to be working with Mad Science too, but I haven't heard from my boss in a really long time. That is beginning to concern me.
I took my car in to get an oil change and was informed that I had several repairs needing to be done. The estimated cost of said repairs add up to over $2000. Ugh. That is as much as I paid for the car when I bought it so I got to thinking and decided that I may just buy a new car. But actually a newer car. One that I'll have to make payments on like an adult. And take good care of. One that is younger than me. And that has less than 125,000 miles on it. It's a pretty scary thought, but I'm really considering it. I'll need a car forever, right? And if we add up all of the money I have spent on cars in the past two years then I will get pretty depressed because it has been far too much and I have far too little to show for it.
Considering I only have one job right now (that I am anxiously engaged in, anyway) I decided that to buy a car I need to find a second (third?) source of income. So I applied for a third (second?) job. I applied at a movie theater here, and also at Blockbuster. I figure I can close up SALT everyday and then close up a movie theater/Blockbuster and get some extra hours in. And then next semester I can maybe keep the second/third job and quit Mad Science. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job with Mad Science, but if I am going to be making car payments, I'm going to need a solid (and guaranteed) source of income. And unfortunately, Mad Science doesn't provide that. But we'll see if I even get a call back for either of the applied-for jobs. Who knows?
I went to Lakeside for my cousin Evan's graduation from Blue Ridge! I got to see a lot of my family AND my dad made me pancakes and I got tacos from Los Amigos and I got breadsticks from Pizza Factory. Mmm. It was a good trip. I rode with my Aunt Tammy and her four kids (including the brand new baby Elden). No one threw up (a miracle!) and we only had to stop twice each way for the baby. Success!
Yesterday, Roland and I went to his mom and stepdad's house to pick up a package. While we were there they fed us some delicious hamburgers and we played table tennis (on their kitchen table). I really enjoy spending time with his family. They're a crack up. His mom has a lot of Mickey Mouse objects. Seriously, a lot. And what I like most about her stuff is that it is very thorough. Its not like she has hundreds of keychains, she just has Mickey stuff. I'll name some of the neater pieces of her collection (in my opinion):
1. Thomas Kinkade Disney 50th Anniversary painting
2. Mickey in the grass (a cut out of Mickey's head in her grass)
3. Mickey head faucet turner on the hose thing
4. 100+ watches (all Mickey)
5. Customized STYX Mickey ears
6. Disneyland knocker
7. Haunted Mansion hitchhiking ghost statues
8. Large Mickey statues
9. Mickey china, everyday Mickey dishes, Mickey silverware, Mickey cookie jar, Mickey colander , all things Mickey in her kitchen really.
10. Mickey Mouse wedding ring
You get the idea, her house is a cesspool of Mickey Mouse. And I love it. Also they have a lot of Pez dispensers and some pinball machines (only one is on display though). What's NOT to love?
Roland and I also went and saw Battleship yesterday. It was a very entertaining movie. I had a good time watching it. Sure, it was pretty ridiculous, but it was still fun to watch. I love action movies. I can hardly wait for The Amazing Spider-Man to come out.
I was released from my calling today. I am pretty pleased about that. I was having a hard time with being in charge of FHE. I'll probably get called back to it because I still have so much to learn. But for now, I'm free of that responsibility (we disbanded group FHE for summer because our ward is so tiny). Hopefully I'll be getting another calling soon :)
I may be going to Mesa this week to go see Bryce Addison and go to the chiropractor (I've been getting terrible migraine headaches that I think are because my back is a little messed up, it is really tight and I can't seem to loosen it) and go to the credit union and chat with them about how to improve my credit so I can get a car in three or four months. That'll be nice if it happens, I'm a little afraid of driving my car all the way there and also I don't really want to spend the money in gas, but it will probably be worth it in the end. Roland and I are volunteering at the Community Food Bank on Wednesday, I am looking forward to that.
Those are the most recent occurrences in my life. I'll keep you updated.
Chanda C.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Spring 2012 semester=complete.
Woohoo!!! 54 more units and I will have my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Adolescents, Community, and Education. I'm so so happy about this.
This past semester was incredibly difficult for me. I didn't expect it to be (then again, when do you expect bad things?) so I felt totally unprepared.
Overall I came out looking pretty good. I have a boyfriend now (he's cool, I like him), and a GPA well above what is required for my scholarship. Also, I feel like I really learned A LOT this semester that I can apply to my real life. The one that hopefully comes after the next 54 units of education.
I took two sustainability classes (it was actually quite convenient because a lot of it overlapped so I didn't have to study nearly as hard for either one). One of them was a gen-ed, the other was for my minor. I got a B in the gen-ed one (I was confused about the attendance policy. I didn't think attendance was worth anything, turns out it was actually worth A LOT. Oopsies.). But that was the only B I got this year. The worst part is that I got an A on everything in the class... But didn't have enough attendance :( boo.
My other classes were interesting. I loved/hated Spanish. I want to be fluent in Spanish someday. Really, I do. That class was at 9 in the morning 4 days of the week. And it had the power to change my attitude every day. Haha. I did extremely well in that class. I ended up with a 96% on the final (a MIRACLE because that was the hardest language test I have ever taken. Ever. Ever.).
The other classes that I really enjoyed were Public Education in America (I'm an informed voter on issues of public education now) and Adolescence Through Literature (it changed my ideas and perceptions a lot).
Sooo.. The typical quick run-down of this semester:
January: Woooo, my classes stressed me out beyond belief. Plus I was adjusting (again) to cold weather and working dos trabajos. Also I started dating Roland at the end of this month (also, there was this other guy that I became unfriends with because I started dating Roland, and that made me sad). OH! And UA made me jump through this stupid little hoop of flame and terror and gave me a week to gather proof of where all of my scholarship money from the past YEAR had gone.
February: I heard back from UA that I had successfully jumped through the hoop and they accepted my million pages of bank statements and itemized lists of where the money had gone. Chloe and I started going to the gym. We did that in January, too. We only went like four or five times. I'm just not one of those girls. I got to see my grandpa Crossman (Pa) and a bunch of my dad's family and it was so beautiful. I love them. I spoke in church. And I was sick. I got new glasses and they are cool. Roland and I went and visited Lakeside. I can't remember what the occasion was, but it was enjoyable.
March: Roland and I cleaned up a lot of mold from my apartment. Oh yeah and one roommate moved out (marriage) and another moved in (craigslist). Roland and I volunteered at the Community Food Garden, it was a good time and we got vegetables (he picked some himself, big step since he doesn't like plants). I went to a Steve Aoki concert with Sarah and Chloe and Victoria and friends of Victoria and that was a lot of good fun. I would say it was clean, but I somehow managed to get a hickey without noticing until afterwards. And I wasn't making out with anyone either. Mom, don't freak out about this. Melanie visited me and I realized how utterly boring my life is. Also, I did taxes and found out I have to pay on my scholarships so I owed a lot of money to the government and that was stressful. My cousin Annalee got baptized. It was beautiful. I went to Beyond Wonderland with Sarah, Drew, and Roland. Also Jeff rode with us but didn't dance with us. That was the most fun I've had dancing in like my whole life. I realized things this month about what kind of people I want to be close to and what kind of people I want to love from a distance. It was a good realization.
April: Went and saw the Easter Pageant. Also, visited my mom. And read my brother's play for the first time. He's so talented. Then I went to Idaho to see his play (because it was produced. Because he's so talented). That was a great trip. Also very stressful because it was the weekend before my finals and it was more expensive than I could really afford. And it was a very quick visit. My phone got stolen out of Roland's car so I had to buy a new one. Thankfully my dad let me sign a contract so it was cheap. I wrote a lot of group papers/projects and single papers/projects and finals and tests and all sorts of nonsense. This was the busiest month I had for work, everything just came crashing down. Also my parents started dating/I met their dating partners. And while I like to think that I have handled everything really well concerning the divorce/moving/separated family thing. I didn't handle this well. I'm fine now. But I wasn't. My aunt had her baby <3
May: I finished my finals. Also I lost the job I thought I would have over summer. So I applied to a hundred other jobs. Then I got the job back. But already have my schedule filled up. Luna turned 4. I had the less than three heart there, but four is greater than three so I couldn't leave it up. I have been pretty stressed about how my family is doing. I feel disconnected from them and worried for their well-beings. I don't know why. I made my mom dinner for Mother's day and I think it turned out pretty well.
Anyway, that was my semester. Add in a whole lot of roommate drama (just simple things like doing dishes and cleaning up after themselves and ideological differences that hit soft spots) and financial stress and sickness... And you may have an idea of how it went. Oh, and I had a calling as a group FHE coordinator and no one ever came.
But I survived. And I'm doing great now. My schedule for next semester looks good so far. I'll be able to keep both jobs. Also, my financial aid came out and is looking good. Especially if I keep both jobs.
So right now things are looking pretty good. I'm trying to figure out travel plans for the summer. I want to go to California and Lakeside at some point (maybe Lakeside multiple times). My last class for the school year with Mad Science is tomorrow (thank goodness, this has been a difficult class). I'm working about 20 hours/week at SALT and my boss has been giving me more projects than he used to. I like the extra responsibility/having something to do other than surf the interwebs all day. :)
Well, this post seems negative. But it isn't. This semester was hard but I learned a lot about myself and what I truly care about and want to prioritize. Also, I survived it. And I'm still doing okay! :)
Chanda C.
This past semester was incredibly difficult for me. I didn't expect it to be (then again, when do you expect bad things?) so I felt totally unprepared.
Overall I came out looking pretty good. I have a boyfriend now (he's cool, I like him), and a GPA well above what is required for my scholarship. Also, I feel like I really learned A LOT this semester that I can apply to my real life. The one that hopefully comes after the next 54 units of education.
I took two sustainability classes (it was actually quite convenient because a lot of it overlapped so I didn't have to study nearly as hard for either one). One of them was a gen-ed, the other was for my minor. I got a B in the gen-ed one (I was confused about the attendance policy. I didn't think attendance was worth anything, turns out it was actually worth A LOT. Oopsies.). But that was the only B I got this year. The worst part is that I got an A on everything in the class... But didn't have enough attendance :( boo.
My other classes were interesting. I loved/hated Spanish. I want to be fluent in Spanish someday. Really, I do. That class was at 9 in the morning 4 days of the week. And it had the power to change my attitude every day. Haha. I did extremely well in that class. I ended up with a 96% on the final (a MIRACLE because that was the hardest language test I have ever taken. Ever. Ever.).
The other classes that I really enjoyed were Public Education in America (I'm an informed voter on issues of public education now) and Adolescence Through Literature (it changed my ideas and perceptions a lot).
Sooo.. The typical quick run-down of this semester:
January: Woooo, my classes stressed me out beyond belief. Plus I was adjusting (again) to cold weather and working dos trabajos. Also I started dating Roland at the end of this month (also, there was this other guy that I became unfriends with because I started dating Roland, and that made me sad). OH! And UA made me jump through this stupid little hoop of flame and terror and gave me a week to gather proof of where all of my scholarship money from the past YEAR had gone.
February: I heard back from UA that I had successfully jumped through the hoop and they accepted my million pages of bank statements and itemized lists of where the money had gone. Chloe and I started going to the gym. We did that in January, too. We only went like four or five times. I'm just not one of those girls. I got to see my grandpa Crossman (Pa) and a bunch of my dad's family and it was so beautiful. I love them. I spoke in church. And I was sick. I got new glasses and they are cool. Roland and I went and visited Lakeside. I can't remember what the occasion was, but it was enjoyable.
March: Roland and I cleaned up a lot of mold from my apartment. Oh yeah and one roommate moved out (marriage) and another moved in (craigslist). Roland and I volunteered at the Community Food Garden, it was a good time and we got vegetables (he picked some himself, big step since he doesn't like plants). I went to a Steve Aoki concert with Sarah and Chloe and Victoria and friends of Victoria and that was a lot of good fun. I would say it was clean, but I somehow managed to get a hickey without noticing until afterwards. And I wasn't making out with anyone either. Mom, don't freak out about this. Melanie visited me and I realized how utterly boring my life is. Also, I did taxes and found out I have to pay on my scholarships so I owed a lot of money to the government and that was stressful. My cousin Annalee got baptized. It was beautiful. I went to Beyond Wonderland with Sarah, Drew, and Roland. Also Jeff rode with us but didn't dance with us. That was the most fun I've had dancing in like my whole life. I realized things this month about what kind of people I want to be close to and what kind of people I want to love from a distance. It was a good realization.
April: Went and saw the Easter Pageant. Also, visited my mom. And read my brother's play for the first time. He's so talented. Then I went to Idaho to see his play (because it was produced. Because he's so talented). That was a great trip. Also very stressful because it was the weekend before my finals and it was more expensive than I could really afford. And it was a very quick visit. My phone got stolen out of Roland's car so I had to buy a new one. Thankfully my dad let me sign a contract so it was cheap. I wrote a lot of group papers/projects and single papers/projects and finals and tests and all sorts of nonsense. This was the busiest month I had for work, everything just came crashing down. Also my parents started dating/I met their dating partners. And while I like to think that I have handled everything really well concerning the divorce/moving/separated family thing. I didn't handle this well. I'm fine now. But I wasn't. My aunt had her baby <3
May: I finished my finals. Also I lost the job I thought I would have over summer. So I applied to a hundred other jobs. Then I got the job back. But already have my schedule filled up. Luna turned 4. I had the less than three heart there, but four is greater than three so I couldn't leave it up. I have been pretty stressed about how my family is doing. I feel disconnected from them and worried for their well-beings. I don't know why. I made my mom dinner for Mother's day and I think it turned out pretty well.
Anyway, that was my semester. Add in a whole lot of roommate drama (just simple things like doing dishes and cleaning up after themselves and ideological differences that hit soft spots) and financial stress and sickness... And you may have an idea of how it went. Oh, and I had a calling as a group FHE coordinator and no one ever came.
But I survived. And I'm doing great now. My schedule for next semester looks good so far. I'll be able to keep both jobs. Also, my financial aid came out and is looking good. Especially if I keep both jobs.
So right now things are looking pretty good. I'm trying to figure out travel plans for the summer. I want to go to California and Lakeside at some point (maybe Lakeside multiple times). My last class for the school year with Mad Science is tomorrow (thank goodness, this has been a difficult class). I'm working about 20 hours/week at SALT and my boss has been giving me more projects than he used to. I like the extra responsibility/having something to do other than surf the interwebs all day. :)
Well, this post seems negative. But it isn't. This semester was hard but I learned a lot about myself and what I truly care about and want to prioritize. Also, I survived it. And I'm still doing okay! :)
Chanda C.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The rough draft of the talk that I gave in church.
Good morning! I’m Chanda Crossman, I’m recovering from the flu. I’m majoring in Psychology at the University and I’m from Pinetop-Lakeside. I feel like that is all you really need to know but if you’re curious about more I love talking to people so feel free to introduce yourself.
Speaking of talking to people, last week I was talking to my friends after sacrament meeting and discussing the possibility of going on a mission next year when Brother Miller told me I was going to talk. I joked around with my friends that if the topic was missionary work I would have my answer. Then at break the fast I found out the topic is “Preaching my Gospel.” That was a close call. Had he worded that differently my fate would have been set.
Regardless, I’m really excited to give this talk and all those other clichés. I haven’t ever spoken in this ward. In fact I haven’t spoken in church since high school I think. Bad news is, this talk is supposed to be 5 times longer than any talk I’ve ever been assigned, so I’d like to apologize in advance if it doesn’t quite make the cut. When I get nervous I talk really fast. So I’ve tried to prepare 40 minutes of material and I think I can easily condense it down into ten.. I mean twenty. Last time I did talk was in my home ward in high school and the girl who was translating my talk into sign language apologized to the people whom she was signing to and gave up within the first thirty seconds (which contained the content of the first two minutes). Thankfully we don’t have a translator so we should be okay.
So, what is the gospel? According to Mormon.org: Mormons, for all the other things that set us apart, believe first and foremost that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. We believe that through Him, all mankind may enjoy eternal life with their families in Heavenly Father’s kingdom (John 3:16). We also believe that we lived with God as spirits before we were born (Romans 8:16), and that according to His plan of happiness we can come to earth to receive physical bodies in order to learn and grow. Through the work done in Mormon Temples, we believe our family relationships can be sealed eternally. All this is contingent on our living righteous lives according to God’s divine guidance, as revealed by prophets, and repenting when we make mistakes. The Church’s mission is to help us meet the challenges of this life so that we will be worthy of the temporal and spiritual blessings God wants for us.
I also like to turn to the Articles of Faith when people ask me about the basic beliefs our church holds. And to point out some of the things that I appreciate most about it, like the importance we place on personal revelation and also the power of the priesthood and that we have a living prophet, just like Moses or Noah, that leads us today.
Why is it important to share the Gospel? Well, clearly we believe that it is important to us. We have a job to do. It is our responsibility to share what we know. We are privileged and blessed to have the opportunities and the testimonies that we have, why wouldn’t we want to share that great joy? We’re like the one percent in richness of the truth of the Gospel, but the 99 percent aren’t holding protests because we are sharing what we know.
I like to think of it like every week I go to a great restaurant or see a rad movie that I think my friends will really enjoy- of course I tell them about it. Why wouldn’t I? The same can be said of the church. I’ve been blessed to a degree that I can’t even comprehend and I am so so happy about it, I would love for all of my friends to feel the same way. We know that in order to live with God again, which will make us the happiest, we need to accept Christ’s gospel and make covenants with Him. That is why we share the messages we share, because we want others to be with us after we die.
Also, we should share because there are people who want to know. There are people who are searching and honestly seeking for the truth. How terrible is it that someone can’t find the answers they are looking for because all of us are afraid of getting told that someone isn’t interested? As is common when writing talks, I read an article on lds.org that had this quote that I liked: The deep yearning of countless numbers is expressed in the plea of one who spoke to Philip of old: “How can I [find my way], except some man should guide me” (Acts 8:31). We are those men and women that have the knowledge to guide people to the light of Christ.
I am a sucker for the concept of neighborly love. I just adore the idea of showing everyone that mean something to someone. We all have these feelings of love that we get to share. With our roommates, families, friends, ward, visiting or home teaching assignments, fiancés, etc; but we also have the love of Christ that we have felt. And we should share that too. Even if there are people that we personally loathe or really don’t get along with, Christ loves them and that in itself should be reason enough to care about their future salvation and share with them.
In that however, we shouldn’t just be friends or put up with people in the hopes of getting them converted. I just mean that it is important to show others that you care. If people know and can sense how much they mean to you, they’ll like you more and value your opinion more than if you were just a casual acquaintance.
How do we share the gospel? It’s easy, just open your mouth about it. Just keep living in a way that shows your beliefs. So much can be said about being an example of the believers. I love the quote “I want to live in a way so that those who know me but don’t know Christ will want to know Christ because they know me.” What a powerful way to think. It can empower every action we take and every conversation we have. I’ll talk in a bit about how a lot of our fear is getting rejected about something so personal. But the fact that the Gospel is so personal is to our advantage. It’s easy to talk about it because it influences so much of our lives. We do certain things because of our beliefs, like attending church on Sundays and FHE on Mondays and institute on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the temple on Saturdays. We pray every day, we read scriptures daily, we bless our food before we eat it. We also don’t do certain things because of our beliefs. We don’t go shopping on Sundays, we don’t drink coffee, we don’t cuss very much. All of these things are opportunities to share the gospel.
So, what’s the holdup on preaching the gospel? Clearly it is beneficial to everyone involved, you get to share and thus strengthen your testimony and others get to hear the Word of God.
I feel that oftentimes people are afraid to share the gospel because of a few main things. One, that they will be rejected; two, that it is unwanted; and three, that church is a private subject and doesn’t need to be talked about with a lot of people.
To address these fears, I offer some examples of worst and best case scenarios.
I always learn best through stories and analogies so I’m going to try to keep things fresh and give different examples of times where people have shared the Gospel successfully- to give us hope and remind us of the importance- and of times where people shared the Gospel and it was ignored – because I think it is important to remember that not everyone is ready to accept the Gospel and being rejected has happened to other people too, it isn’t personal.
And of course, there will be those times in which you share the Gospel and it is well-received. Countless stories exist of these occurrences, some of them are old and famous and some of them are more personal.
Fear one: We often fear our message being rejected. For many of us, the Gospel is such a part of our lives and identities that having someone reject it feels like a personal assault. It feels like they are telling us that we are wrong and we are stupid. To combat these fears we need to recognize that some people just aren’t ready to accept the messages that the church sends.
I’m always so afraid to speak up about the church. In fact, even last night I was talking to my boss and hesitated before telling her that I was speaking in church just because I wasn’t sure how she felt about my religion. I did tell her though and she seemed interested, but it took some mental pep talking to actually speak up about it. It is so silly in retrospect because, really, what was she going to say? “I think it’s stupid that you’re speaking you don’t know anything?” That’s not very likely. And she was very nice about it, she asked what my topic was and how long I was going to speak. I probably should have invited her to come. Hindsight is 20/20.
I think a lot of that hesitation is because it is such an integral part of who I am that if people reject it, I’ll feel like they rejected me too. And, as discussed earlier, it is a good thing that we feel such a personal connection to the Gospel and the teachings of Christ, it is important to realize that sometimes people just aren’t ready. I’m sure we can all think of times where we tried to share a message and it was just met with refusal or denial. I used to pick up my nonmember friend for church every week and she just never really committed or seemed excited about it. We fell out of contact after high school and just a few months ago we started chatting and I found out that she reads the Bible regularly and is establishing a relationship with God. And I’m so so happy for her. Now, this doesn’t mean that I did anything wrong when we used to go to church together- I didn’t scare her away, she just wasn’t really ready to commit herself to change but she is now. That’s what I tell myself anyway.
Once, a young man thought he was ready to join the church but after asking the prophet of the time- Jesus Christ- what he needed to do, he went away sorrowfully. In this story, the man was asking about the church but still wasn’t ready to give up his earthly possessions. This has many similarities to our current day. The church has high moral standards and we have to accept that some people aren’t yet willing to give up things of the world in order to find a church, especially when so many churches are willing to accept the bad decisions they are making. We can’t avoid sharing the gospel just because we don’t know who is going to say yes and who will say no. When I find myself struggling with saying something to a friend I always try to remember how terrible it would feel if they came up to me after death and asked why I hadn’t shared with them what I knew. That is usually motive enough.
I asked some missionaries what their advice would be on how to better preach the gospel. Elder Bert Grabinger, whom many of you are well acquainted with, gave this advice: Don't be afraid to share with your friends your beliefs. Plant that seed. If a missionary said it, especially Elder Grabinger, you know you can’t ignore it. Elder Zac Baker discussed this a little in his last letter also, he said that before his mission he would just make up goofy excuses as to why he did things a certain way but that now he hopes he would be braver in just explaining things, even without preaching or pushing his beliefs. Let’s learn from their advice and just not be afraid any more. What’s the worst that will happen, really?
The second fear I wish to address is that the message is unwanted. There are ways to let others know that you have strong beliefs without being overbearing. It is important to remember that everyone needs to hear the truth. Sharing the Gospel is like applying for scholarships. You only get like 5% of what you apply to. So you need to share with a lot of people to find those ones that are looking for it. You don’t ever want to regret not saying something.
Going along with the scholarships analogy, there are ways to better your odds if you are shy. A good way to get an idea of who to share with is by doing simple things that make it widely known that you are a member of the Church. This can be easy and doesn’t need to be overbearing. When someone asks what you did for the weekend, answer that you went to church, or mention that you take an institute class every week. Those small things that I discussed earlier that define so much of what we do or don’t do can be opportunities to share. By doing these you are advertising, in a sense, that you are a good person to ask about religion.
I’ll share an example of someone just following their beliefs and the impact that had. Someone I know grew up as a practicing Catholic in Snowflake, Arizona, which is basically a miniature Provo, I think at this time Snowflake’s population was over 90% LDS. After he graduated high school he kept asking girls to go on dates with him and none of them were allowed to because he wasn’t a member. After being rejected one particular time, or by one particularly attractive girl I’m not sure which, he decided to read the Book of Mormon to prove it wrong. Fast forward a few months and he was baptized. He later served a mission and had a family with two handsome sons and three beautiful daughters, all members of the church. Little did this girl know that by rejecting my dad she would have an impact on countless numbers of people. My dad never did date her but I’m really grateful that she helped push him toward the church.
Another piece of advice from Elder Grabinger: LOOK for opportunities. Don't just hope that one pops up. Cause even if it does, you'll miss it if you're not looking.
It is important that we pray to be aware of opportunities around us. Not only should we be listening TO the Holy Ghost, but we also need to be listening FOR the Holy Ghost. Also, remember that opportunities might not wait for you to get brave. You need to heed them when you find them, they are called PROMPTings not “do laterings.” We must act fast and faithfully, keeping in mind that God wouldn’t ask us to do something that will ever hurt us.
Even if you don’t feel comfortable bringing up the subject to everyone you know, you can always tell strangers that you may never see again. I have a friend who used to put pass along cards on every car she passed as she walked into the grocery store and she always parked far away from the entrance so she passed a lot of cars. I know someone else who picked up someone’s tab and instead of putting down her number or name or anything, she just left a note with Mormon.org written on it. Things like that increase the likelihood that someone will look into our church and if they are ready they will have their answer.
The third fear that must be faced is that church and religion are private and needn’t be discussed with very many people. In my experience, it is easiest to discuss the church in environments with no pressure, when all opinions are heard and none are criticized. I have had a few of these types of discussions and I have found that they most often happen when there is already mutual respect and love established between the parties involved. An important characteristic to have when discussing religion, and other personal things like it, is love. If someone knows that the reason you are bringing up your beliefs is because you love and care for that person and you feel comfortable enough with them to talk about it, they will be much less likely to hate you for it. When Christ was teaching on earth, He always did it with love. His compassion for the people He was teaching was made evident in stories like 3rd Nephi where it says that his heart was touched. My friend, Kalee, is from Idaho and is on a mission in Peru she has been gone for almost a year and this was her advice: The best way is to be a really good friend, the way Christ was. We need to love love love our friends. And give our friendship to those who need us most, even when it´s difficult. Even when we´re tired. (Especially recent converts. Please go be their friends. They need a lot of support.)
Love can be so easy to show. I made a goal one day to smile at everyone I made eye contact with. And yeah, it was awkward and I probably made a lot of people wonder why the creepy blonde chick was grinning at them, but I also made a new friend that day. And I like to think that maybe someone else’s day was made. Maybe that is just optimism granted to me by those pass it on commercials. Some of the times I have felt the most love is just when one of my friends texts me and asks about something going on in my life, or lets me know that they were thinking about me. How much effort does that really take? But what an impact. There are just so many ways to show how much we care, and if it makes opportunities to share the Gospel more available to us, even better! It goes back to the quote that I already quoted but will quote again. Live in a way so that those who don’t know Christ, but know you, will want to know Christ because they know you.
So, now I’ve addressed the three main fears, I feel that my job is done. Just kidding.
But really, the world is in need of our help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. The harvest truly is great. Let there be no mistake about it; the missionary opportunity of a lifetime is ours. The blessings of eternity await us. Ours is the privilege to be, not spectators, but participants on the stage of service to others.
To prepare, let’s remember that it is better to share with many people and find those who are searching than to never share with anyone and have the regret that may come when one of your friends or acquaintances questions why you didn’t share with them when you had so much. Let’s not let the 99% ever get to the point where they feel the need to occupy Mormons because we don’t share sufficiently.
I know it is scary and hard and super intimidating. But I also know that someday, something will happen that will make it all worth it. It’s like dating, you may have to date a lot of people and get rejected a lot before you find your FEC, but once you find that person you will recognize that the search to find them was worth it.
You never know who you will touch or how you will affect them. One of my jobs is as a receptionist so I try to always greet everyone that walks in. One of the tutors commented to my friend that he should have guessed I was Mormon with how friendly I was. Planting seeds, that is our goal. Sharing the Gospel doesn’t mean baptizing someone every week, although I’m sure the missionaries would agree that that would be fantastic. It just means getting people ready and willing to hear the Word so that when they are curious and ready to accept change and make commitments, they will know where to turn and who to turn to. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. But if the horse knows where the water is, when it is thirsty it will come back.
I always hope to live in a way that other people never question how much they mean to me and I pray that that will open up doors to sharing the Gospel. I also pray that I’ll be brave enough to open my mouth as those doors are opened.
I’ve been incredibly blessed and comforted with the knowledge I have from being raised as a member of this church. I always hope to keep that with me and be able to share with others.
Getting the flu is the worst.
I wrote a bit about having the flu last week. I'm STILL sniffling. It's been 9 days people!
I am very grateful that I was only out of the game for 2 of them, the other 7 I have been going to school and work and carrying on in my normal, if sniffly, way.
Also, in one of my classes I had a test on Thursday of last week. Since I had missed Tuesday's class I was pretty worried, but the TA for that class was incredibly kind and met with me on Wednesday to go over what I had missed both in class AND at the study session that had happened Tuesday night. I was incredibly thankful for that and I ended up getting 34.5/35 on my test! :D
I had another test today, I would like to say it went just as good.. But it didn't. I hope to have pulled off a B, but I'm not sure. I expected it to be easy and I was very disappointed. Unfortunately, I had studied as if it were going to be easy.
I had a Spanish quiz yesterday and got a 19/20 on it. So overall my academics aren't terrible. :) I've been very blessed to have an intellect that remembers and recalls things easily.
Also, I spoke in church on Sunday. I was actually really happy with how my talk turned out. I spoke about preaching the gospel. And I spoke for an entire 22 minutes. That is easily 11x as long as any other talk I've given. I was really proud for speaking slowly and whatnot, then Brother Miller told me he had no idea I could speak so fast. And later Steven told me that had English been his second language he wouldn't have understood what I said. Despite my apparent lightning-fast speaking speed, I talked for just the right amount of time. I also got some really good laughs at appropriate times. The man who I spoke with said that I had the congregation eating out of the palm of my hand. I'm not certain that is the case, but I was pleased. I also went off-script for a lot of my talk. Which was scary but exhilarating. And-- only like 2 paragraphs of that entire talk weren't written by me. I'll post a copy of what I had planned on saying, I don't expect it to be read- but if you are curious. I think it will probably lose some of the poignancy not being read aloud, but the gist of it was a good message.
In other news, Valentine's day was yesterday. I didn't post any statements about it. Even though I thought about it a lot. But I had a really good day. It was busy, since I had a test the next day and a quiz on the day. I also had to go to office hours for Spanish to make up the points for having been absent.
That was comical, I wasn't expecting my professor to speak Spanish at office hours, but she did. I made a fool of myself. Usually there is a 2-3 second lag between what she says and me comprehending it. Which in class is fine, because I can keep up and everything. But one on one... I looked like a fool.
I also had a presentation in my night class yesterday, so I had to meet up with my partner for that. And I made cupcakes for the class and they had to be frosted. My cupcakes, by the way, were so good. I put a knock-off Oreo on the bottom of each cupcake and then made Devil's food mix but mixed in some brownie mix and sour cream. They were pretty tasty. Also, Roland and I frosted them with pink cream cheese frosting (shout out to my mom for getting me a cake decorating kit for Christmas, she's the best). Super tasty. If you've never had a cupcake with an oreo baked inside, you must try it sometime. It's surprisingly delicious. Not surprising in that oreos are usually gross, I was just surprised at the extent to which it changed the flavor of the cupcake.
Roland had taken the day off (have I mentioned that I'm dating Roland? I am.) so we could hang out and I felt bad because I just dragged him around wherever I went. Also, we had to walk to my meeting and office hours and while we were walking IT SNOWED ON US. I was so upset. (Roland keeps telling people I said the f-word, rest assured, I did not. I may have felt like it, but I didn't.) Anyway, he got me Happy Hippos- which are my favorite ever and they're only really sold one place so I'm thrilled. And he got me TWO superman shirts. Gosh I love Superman. I wanted to wear one of them today, but as you might have guessed considering my aforementioned statement about the weather- it was too cold. Roland and I also made dinner and it was super delicious. And then we did homework. iQue romantica! ;)
Anyway, it had been awhile since I blogged so I decided to update with these humble details of my life. Below are photos. :)
I am very grateful that I was only out of the game for 2 of them, the other 7 I have been going to school and work and carrying on in my normal, if sniffly, way.
Also, in one of my classes I had a test on Thursday of last week. Since I had missed Tuesday's class I was pretty worried, but the TA for that class was incredibly kind and met with me on Wednesday to go over what I had missed both in class AND at the study session that had happened Tuesday night. I was incredibly thankful for that and I ended up getting 34.5/35 on my test! :D
I had another test today, I would like to say it went just as good.. But it didn't. I hope to have pulled off a B, but I'm not sure. I expected it to be easy and I was very disappointed. Unfortunately, I had studied as if it were going to be easy.
I had a Spanish quiz yesterday and got a 19/20 on it. So overall my academics aren't terrible. :) I've been very blessed to have an intellect that remembers and recalls things easily.
Also, I spoke in church on Sunday. I was actually really happy with how my talk turned out. I spoke about preaching the gospel. And I spoke for an entire 22 minutes. That is easily 11x as long as any other talk I've given. I was really proud for speaking slowly and whatnot, then Brother Miller told me he had no idea I could speak so fast. And later Steven told me that had English been his second language he wouldn't have understood what I said. Despite my apparent lightning-fast speaking speed, I talked for just the right amount of time. I also got some really good laughs at appropriate times. The man who I spoke with said that I had the congregation eating out of the palm of my hand. I'm not certain that is the case, but I was pleased. I also went off-script for a lot of my talk. Which was scary but exhilarating. And-- only like 2 paragraphs of that entire talk weren't written by me. I'll post a copy of what I had planned on saying, I don't expect it to be read- but if you are curious. I think it will probably lose some of the poignancy not being read aloud, but the gist of it was a good message.
In other news, Valentine's day was yesterday. I didn't post any statements about it. Even though I thought about it a lot. But I had a really good day. It was busy, since I had a test the next day and a quiz on the day. I also had to go to office hours for Spanish to make up the points for having been absent.
That was comical, I wasn't expecting my professor to speak Spanish at office hours, but she did. I made a fool of myself. Usually there is a 2-3 second lag between what she says and me comprehending it. Which in class is fine, because I can keep up and everything. But one on one... I looked like a fool.
I also had a presentation in my night class yesterday, so I had to meet up with my partner for that. And I made cupcakes for the class and they had to be frosted. My cupcakes, by the way, were so good. I put a knock-off Oreo on the bottom of each cupcake and then made Devil's food mix but mixed in some brownie mix and sour cream. They were pretty tasty. Also, Roland and I frosted them with pink cream cheese frosting (shout out to my mom for getting me a cake decorating kit for Christmas, she's the best). Super tasty. If you've never had a cupcake with an oreo baked inside, you must try it sometime. It's surprisingly delicious. Not surprising in that oreos are usually gross, I was just surprised at the extent to which it changed the flavor of the cupcake.
Roland had taken the day off (have I mentioned that I'm dating Roland? I am.) so we could hang out and I felt bad because I just dragged him around wherever I went. Also, we had to walk to my meeting and office hours and while we were walking IT SNOWED ON US. I was so upset. (Roland keeps telling people I said the f-word, rest assured, I did not. I may have felt like it, but I didn't.) Anyway, he got me Happy Hippos- which are my favorite ever and they're only really sold one place so I'm thrilled. And he got me TWO superman shirts. Gosh I love Superman. I wanted to wear one of them today, but as you might have guessed considering my aforementioned statement about the weather- it was too cold. Roland and I also made dinner and it was super delicious. And then we did homework. iQue romantica! ;)
Anyway, it had been awhile since I blogged so I decided to update with these humble details of my life. Below are photos. :)
Superman shirts that I own. It's funny, because I got one from Keegan, one from Jenkin, three from Roland, one with (but not from) Jason, and I got one on my own. :) Super-men.
Dinner and also cupcakes. Chloe had not locked my car once and so to apologize she bought Roland and I sparkling apple/grape juice for dinner :)
Also, those are the leftover cupcakes in the background. I had two for breakfast this morning. Then, after lunch, I went to Roland's mom's house and she gave me another cupcake (that she had made) and it was so delicious. It was red velvet with a Godiva dark chocolate truffle baked inside and white chocolate buttercream frosting. Mmmm. I love me some cupcakes.
Whole wheat tortellini, salad with grapes, cheesy garlic bread, bean salad...
Roland, opening up the juice.
Oh and I got new glasses! This is one pair, I like them a lot.
I love you all!
Chanda C.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Gratitude
Well I'm sick again.
As if being sick for over a month last semester wasn't bad enough, right?
I got the flu.
But I'm incredibly grateful for the things that are making me feel better, namely:
-modern medicine (painkillers!!!)
-Roland who made me soup and came over and spent time with me (he'll probably be sick soon, not because we made out (CHLOE), but because he was around so much)
-Roland and Michael for giving me a blessing
-The Priesthood. Seriously.
-warm bed
-Tucson breeze
-Luna for cuddling me endlessly
-hot water to shower in when it felt like my bones were being scraped clean
-friends in classes who offered to let me borrow their notes
-emails from understanding professors
I hate the flu. But I'm glad I live in a time where there are things to make me feel better.
Chanda C.
As if being sick for over a month last semester wasn't bad enough, right?
I got the flu.
But I'm incredibly grateful for the things that are making me feel better, namely:
-modern medicine (painkillers!!!)
-Roland who made me soup and came over and spent time with me (he'll probably be sick soon, not because we made out (CHLOE), but because he was around so much)
-Roland and Michael for giving me a blessing
-The Priesthood. Seriously.
-warm bed
-Tucson breeze
-Luna for cuddling me endlessly
-hot water to shower in when it felt like my bones were being scraped clean
-friends in classes who offered to let me borrow their notes
-emails from understanding professors
I hate the flu. But I'm glad I live in a time where there are things to make me feel better.
Chanda C.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Idaho for New Year's Eve
I love Boise. And I love Wade.
Combining them and visiting for New Year's Eve was a great idea.
I flew to Idaho on New Year's Eve (Roland drove me to the airport). I arrived in the late afternoon/early evening. Wade and Bo picked me up and we went to Sam's house to drop off my things. We then met up with Rachael and Tiffany and went to the airport to pick up Chris. That went well ("Is that him?" "No, that guy is far too clean shaven" turns out it was him). Then Chris forgot his luggage, then he found out that the airport lost his luggage, it was in Oakland. Anyway. We went to WinCo and got sandwich and salsa stuff, made sandwiches (and salsa), played L4D (wheeeee), and then went to the party at Kyle's house. There were a lot of people there that I didn't know. Wade was the bartender (mocktails), I had made a playlist, and Adrian cooked delicious mexican food. There was a foosball tournament, but only the first round was played (my team won our first round 5-0, I scored the first and last points). At midnight the ball dropped, people kissed (including me), poppers popped, cheering, Wade gave a toast, it was lovely. That was a fun night.
The next few days were spent in Adrian's apartment playing video games and chatting. Catching up with everyone. We went to My Fair Lady, a traveling show that our friend Daniel was in (he played Freddy). They did an excellent job. Afterwards we went to Applebees for half-priced apps and Daniel amused us all with stories of being an actor on the road. We went to Daniel's hotel room and met some more cast members. I fell asleep (so did Chris and Bo) but it was fun. Rachael and Tiffany stayed the night with me and we all shared a tiny couch-pull out bed. We were nice and cozy. And apparently everytime Rachael put the blankets over me I said thank you. So I get politeness points for being grateful in my sleep.
One night Rachael and I made pasta for the crew. It was really tasty. One night I made sliders and brownies for everyone and we watched Hannibal. It was a good thing that we ate before the movie. Ew. We also went to the Boise Co-op, where they sell irony. I love the co-op, but Wade, Bo, and Chris just made fun of everything the whole time. It was hilarious and I laughed almost until I cried.
We went to the mall one day and saw Adrian. I got cheese curds from A&W and dipped them in fry sauce <3 loooove. Also, Chris and I beat Wade and Roland in Words With Friends before mine stopped working.
We went to Wahooz! Formerly known as Boondocks and played laser tag and raced gokarts and played arcade games. That was incredibly fun. The first time we did go karts I passed like 8 people, but also my car got turned around for awhile because I was t-boned, so that was unfortunate. But I still did really well and didn't get passed at all except for when I was turned around. The second time, I started in seventh place and ended first. I was burning rubber all over that track (and Chris ended third or so). HA. I did terrible at laser tag, but it was fun anyway. Also, Chris and I beat the Jurassic Park arcade game. It was so much fun. And we played this jungle game that gave us a compatibility rating at the end. We got 76% "Lovers as far as appearance" HAHAHA. I laughed so hard about that. Later that night Adrian made us stroganoff and we played Apples to Apples. That was incredibly fun. Some of the rounds were hilarious, but some were lame. Chris got the best round. His word was feminine. There were a lot of funny cards (a lot of inappropriate cards also, haha). In the end "women" won, but it was closely followed by rubber gloves and friction.
I can't remember what else we did, but I had a lot of fun. I'm glad I got to go and see Chris, Bo, Daniel, Rachael, Tiffany, Sam, Kyle, Adrian, Eric, and, of course, Wade. I'm really grateful that Sam and Kyle let me stay at their place (and all I had to do was feed the fish).
The next yearly visit is just around the corner. ;)
Chanda C.
Combining them and visiting for New Year's Eve was a great idea.
I flew to Idaho on New Year's Eve (Roland drove me to the airport). I arrived in the late afternoon/early evening. Wade and Bo picked me up and we went to Sam's house to drop off my things. We then met up with Rachael and Tiffany and went to the airport to pick up Chris. That went well ("Is that him?" "No, that guy is far too clean shaven" turns out it was him). Then Chris forgot his luggage, then he found out that the airport lost his luggage, it was in Oakland. Anyway. We went to WinCo and got sandwich and salsa stuff, made sandwiches (and salsa), played L4D (wheeeee), and then went to the party at Kyle's house. There were a lot of people there that I didn't know. Wade was the bartender (mocktails), I had made a playlist, and Adrian cooked delicious mexican food. There was a foosball tournament, but only the first round was played (my team won our first round 5-0, I scored the first and last points). At midnight the ball dropped, people kissed (including me), poppers popped, cheering, Wade gave a toast, it was lovely. That was a fun night.
The next few days were spent in Adrian's apartment playing video games and chatting. Catching up with everyone. We went to My Fair Lady, a traveling show that our friend Daniel was in (he played Freddy). They did an excellent job. Afterwards we went to Applebees for half-priced apps and Daniel amused us all with stories of being an actor on the road. We went to Daniel's hotel room and met some more cast members. I fell asleep (so did Chris and Bo) but it was fun. Rachael and Tiffany stayed the night with me and we all shared a tiny couch-pull out bed. We were nice and cozy. And apparently everytime Rachael put the blankets over me I said thank you. So I get politeness points for being grateful in my sleep.
One night Rachael and I made pasta for the crew. It was really tasty. One night I made sliders and brownies for everyone and we watched Hannibal. It was a good thing that we ate before the movie. Ew. We also went to the Boise Co-op, where they sell irony. I love the co-op, but Wade, Bo, and Chris just made fun of everything the whole time. It was hilarious and I laughed almost until I cried.
We went to the mall one day and saw Adrian. I got cheese curds from A&W and dipped them in fry sauce <3 loooove. Also, Chris and I beat Wade and Roland in Words With Friends before mine stopped working.
We went to Wahooz! Formerly known as Boondocks and played laser tag and raced gokarts and played arcade games. That was incredibly fun. The first time we did go karts I passed like 8 people, but also my car got turned around for awhile because I was t-boned, so that was unfortunate. But I still did really well and didn't get passed at all except for when I was turned around. The second time, I started in seventh place and ended first. I was burning rubber all over that track (and Chris ended third or so). HA. I did terrible at laser tag, but it was fun anyway. Also, Chris and I beat the Jurassic Park arcade game. It was so much fun. And we played this jungle game that gave us a compatibility rating at the end. We got 76% "Lovers as far as appearance" HAHAHA. I laughed so hard about that. Later that night Adrian made us stroganoff and we played Apples to Apples. That was incredibly fun. Some of the rounds were hilarious, but some were lame. Chris got the best round. His word was feminine. There were a lot of funny cards (a lot of inappropriate cards also, haha). In the end "women" won, but it was closely followed by rubber gloves and friction.
I can't remember what else we did, but I had a lot of fun. I'm glad I got to go and see Chris, Bo, Daniel, Rachael, Tiffany, Sam, Kyle, Adrian, Eric, and, of course, Wade. I'm really grateful that Sam and Kyle let me stay at their place (and all I had to do was feed the fish).
The next yearly visit is just around the corner. ;)
Chanda C.
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