Bookworm

I am out of new books to read. Last night, I finished my last new book; The Secret Journal of Brett Colton. This book is probably on my list of top five favorites of all time. In this book, the main character is Kathy. When Kathy was two, her 17-year-old brother died of cancer. Before he died, he left her his journal he had written just for her and told their mom to save it for Kathy's 16th birthday. So she gets it and reads it and learns about her brother and learns about herself. It was an amazing story and, I'll be honest, I cried a couple times while reading it.

But now that I'm at the end of my book, I feel slightly sad about it. I felt like I was in the story, and I was Kathy and then it all ended.

So I need a new book. I tried the local library today but found mostly westerns and Star Wars...not exactly my cup of tea (especially when I've never seen the Star Wars movies).

I can see a trip to the bookstore in the near future. There is a bookstore right across the street from my college campus. Is it dishonest to go to a bookstore to read the book but not buy the book? Just curious.

Maybe instead of going to a bookstore, I'll rummage through the boxes of stored books. Not all of my books can fit on one bookcase. I haven't looked at those books in a while.

But in reality, I shouldn't be trying to find another book to read, period. I should be studying for finals in a couple of weeks and I should be doing homework; sometimes we just don't do what we're supposed to do I guess.

Diet Coke Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: a time for family, being grateful, turkey, and laughs. 

When I woke up today, I had forgotten it was Thanksgiving. It seems surreal that it's already over and the next big holiday is Christmas (well, if you're Christian and celebrate Christmas). 

I love my family. They are the funniest people in my opinion. I "helped" my grandpa carve the turkey but mostly I taste-tested it a lot. He told me to put the pieces of turkey on the platter but if I couldn't get them on the plate, then I could eat them. Obviously, there were several pieces that I couldn't get on the plate so I just had to eat them. My grandma taste-tested the turkey even more than I did. It made me feel better about sneaking food.

My family loves Coke products but mostly Diet Coke because almost everyone (except the cousins) has diabetes. Cans of Diet Coke were placed on the table, right beside the turkey and mashed potatoes. How awesome is that?

I know several families who are big into football but my family isn't. My aunt, cousin, and I had a good laugh because while other families played football or watched football, we played Wii Sports (video game but you don't sit on your butt to play it) instead. We mainly played Tennis and Bowling. So much more fun than watching American football.

It has been a perfect Thanksgiving with tons of family, homemade food, laughs, and fun. I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

Thank goodness I live in a country that celebrates Thanksgiving! If I didn't, the last Thursday in the month of November would just be a regular Thursday in November.

I love Thanksgiving for a few reasons.

• I get Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (plus weekend) off for Thanksgiving. However, I still have to work that entire weekend.
• Pumpkin pie. Seriously, it's like heaven.
• But turkey and mashed potatoes are like heaven too.
• The pleasantly stuffed feeling you get after having a couple helpings of stuffing, turkey, ham, potatoes, pies, yams, cranberries...need I go on?

I don't love Thanksgiving just for the food. I mean, the food is a huge plus don't get me wrong. I also love being with my family. Thanksgiving is a great way to have huge family get-together's. 

This year, I'll be spending Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family. My mom's side of the family isn't a very big family but we still have so much fun. Well, it's fun in my eyes. We eat, and then we talk, and the cousins will go to the basement and watch a movie. 

My dad's side of the family is big. There are so many cousins running around the house it's hard to keep track of everyone. Sometimes I'll see someone and I'm honestly not sure if we're related or not. The aunts and uncles are always cracking jokes and occasionally telling their kids to, "Stop it!"

My family isn't big on sports. Apparently other families watch sports on Thanksgiving but we don't. I don't mind though, because I don't understand American Football. 

So yes, Thanksgiving is an eating holiday but for me, it's also an opportunity to see family again. Only four more days until Thanksgiving!

Wintertime

Christmas songs are finally beginning to ring true. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." It started snowing today while I was at work and it hasn't stopped yet. Piles of pure white fluff is covering yards, streets, sidewalks, and homes. It's beautiful, like something you would see in a Thomas Kinkade painting.

The snowflakes are huge, like marshmallows. It makes me wonder how every snowflake can be unique when they all look the same.

When snow falls, everything is hushed. However, it isn't an unsettling quiet, it's peaceful. I can sit on a couch wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket for hours listening to the quiet and watching the snow fall. Nighttime is the best for this. All the snow remains untouched by footprints, car tire tracks, and dirt. It only adds to the calm.

In a few hours, the sun will rise and the world will be sparkling white. It will be so white, it almost hurts your eyes just to look at it. Everything sparkles, but not like obnoxious glitter. It's a gentle sparkle, a kind of sparkle that makes you think of diamonds. Sometimes, I almost believe there are millions of diamonds reflecting the sun's light instead of billions of tiny ice crystals glistening in the sunshine.

Tomorrow, the fun begins. Children will be out in their front yards, all bundled up in their colorful winter coats, hats, scarves, and mittens lying in the snow to make snow angels. Others get together and help each other roll a huge snowball to begin creating a snowman. Some will even make igloos and barriers for protection from a snowball fight.

I realized I haven't made a snow angel or a snowman in a very long time. Snow angels were always my favorite. I loved falling backwards into the snow, unable to feel the cold through my coat. Instead, I could feel the soft cushion of the snow. And then I would move my arms and legs to make the wings of an angel. The hardest part was getting back up without ruining your artwork.

When I was little, I loved making snowmen with my dad. He was the best at making snowmen (and he still is)! For some reason, he could always make the biggest snowballs. The largest on the bottom, a slightly smaller one on top, and finally, the head, an even smaller snowball. These snowmen would tower over me and would take most of the snow in our yard. I remember running inside and asking my mom for a carrot for Mr. Snowman's nose. Then, I would find a scarf and hurry back outside. Together, we would find two rocks for the eyes, a few rocks for a smiling face, three rocks going down the middle snowball to make it appear our snowman was wearing a shirt with buttons, and finally, two long sticks for arms. I loved those times we spent together.

How could I forget sledding? How fun it is to sit on a sled and race down a tall hill, as fast as you can go? I love the wind in my face, the adrenaline rush, and the speed. Sled rides always end too soon but it's always worth it to climb back up the hill for one more ride.

Wintertime in my eyes, is completely magical. Even though the outside is cold, everywhere else is warm. Warm homes, warm beds, warm cups of hot chocolate and a comforting fire. Everything feels cozy and I'm glad that feeling is here again.

Move Forward, Don't Look Back

Soo...that apartment I've been talking about?

Yeah, it's mine.

Technically.

I've signed the contract, I've put in the deposit money, I've been approved to have it. Now, I just need to wait for December 18th when I can actually move in. For right now, I'm trying to think of everything I'm going to need; plates, silverware, pots and pans, food, soap, toilet paper, everything!

And while the important things are falling into place, I'm thinking about all the decorating. Of course, decorating won't be much. It's just one side of a room, one wall, one desk, one dresser, one twin sized bed. But still, it's something to decorate.

I have a picture of my grandma and I a month before she died. It's a priceless picture and it's coming with me. I also have Willow Tree figurines. I love them and I've started to collect them. They all mean something different. Some of mine mean friendships, wisdom, etc. I can display my small collection on the desk and dresser.

There are quilt-like comforters for beds I've seen at Wal-Mart. I love them and I want them. However, I've never had a reason to get one. But now I do. However, my mom wants to finish making a quilt we never started. If we actually do that, then that would be wonderful too. It would probably be even better.

Even though I am excited, I am also incredibly nervous. In fact, I'm thinking, "I still have 20 hours to call back, get my money refunded to me, and forget this whole situation." But that is just my fear talking. I'm going through with it. I'm going to move forward and I'm not going to look back.

Fears

I saw an apartment last night and I loved it. It was cute, perfect, and the people there were so nice.

One thing people need to know about me is I over think things. I can talk myself out of almost every situation. If I need to do something, I have to go for it, don't look back, don't think about it, just go. I'll think about it later, be terrified later, but it's a done deal and I can't go back.

That's what I've done today. I'm terrified of getting an apartment. I am so worried about money it's insane. But I know I can afford it. I've done the math, I've looked at the money I have and will soon get. I can do it. But it's just my way of talking myself out of an awesome opportunity.

Fears control almost every aspect of my life. It's not a good thing and I'm trying to overcome it. I wish my fears don't have such a strong grasp on my decisions but they do.

And so, because Fear is trying to control me, I decided to take action. I told the person selling her apartment contract that I'm going to buy it. Now she has it listed as "sold" so I have a fighting chance to have it. I went to the main office and got the application paper. It's all filled out. Tomorrow, I'm going back to this apartment building, I'm walking in, and I'm going to turn it in, and not have second thoughts.

Fears have a way of controlling my life. But, step by step, I'm going to get my life back.

Ready, Set, Go!

I'm looking at an apartment tonight. I'm so excited and at the same time I'm freaking out! I want this apartment because the utilities will be paid by the landlord. It's $300 a month. I can afford that which is a very good thing. But I'm freaking out because I've never done anything like this before!

This apartment is move in ready December 18th and I can get the rest of December rent free. The contract lasts until spring, but I guess it's easy to renew a contract.

But here's the thing. I'm afraid getting an apartment will totally drain my bank account. Yes, I have a job. But it's only a little part time job. However, I want this experience. It would be excellent for me. I think it would help me get over my fears and I could make new friends while I'm doing it.

I would need to find a new job though, one closer to where this apartment is. I think keeping my little part time job wouldn't accomplish much for me. It would just pay to put gas in my car to get to and from work.

I am so nervous. It's something I need to do though. I can't let fears constantly control my life.

Ready, set, go!

Frustrations

I am slightly frustrated. Just slightly. You see, I'm doing homework. Well, I was doing homework until I decided to take a quick break before my brain exploded. I think tonight is the first night that math has left me completely frustrated this semester.

I'm trying to figure out how to add polynomials and get a least common denominator. I thought I understood it and I thought I would be able to do do it on my own. But now, I'm completely lost. I only have two sections of math homework left. I have an hour break tomorrow, right before my math class. Hopefully that would be enough time to finish it at math lab before my math test. 

Another thing I'm trying to figure out is an English paper. It isn't a hard paper to write. I'm writing about something significant that happened to me in my life. I chose to write about having appendicitis this past February. But I'm struggling because we didn't have a lot of peer reviews so I'm not really sure what I need to change in my paper or expound on. I don't know what I need to fix.

But the thing is, even though I'm struggling, I have to get it done. I can't just blow it off and forget about it. 

So wish me luck as I dive back into the world of homework.

I am a nerd

Tonight, I went to Walmart at midnight just to get the very last Harry Potter movie. However, not only did I get Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 but I bought all eight movies...the "Complete 8-Film Collection." With this collection, I also purchased a $3 warranty on my collection. I am a nerd.

I was actually surprised to see there weren't many people. I thought there would be a huge line of people waiting for midnight. But there was only a small line of about ten people. I also thought people would be dressed up in their best Harry Potter gear. But no one was. I didn't even dress up. I thought about it but I didn't have my very good friend to dress up with me. Now, I'm a little glad I didn't dress up.

I am a nerd because now I want to watch all eight movies. How long would it take to watch these movies? I honestly have no idea. Probably quite some time. And do I have the time to watch all eight movies? Not really.

Lucky for me, Thanksgiving break is coming up. A few days to eat, a few days to sleep, and a few days to watch Harry Potter.

Of course, I will probably watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 tomorrow (or today seeing how it's 1:40 in the morning) even though I saw it only last week on Halloween in theaters.

Truth be told, I'm skipping class for Harry Potter. But I didn't exactly plan it out that way. You see, my English professor decided her lesson planned for Friday wouldn't be beneficial for us so she decided to cancel the class so we can "work on our paper." My second class on Friday's is astronomy. I love astronomy. But the thing is, he doesn't take roll. And he puts all the class notes online. And I already turned my assignment in through the internet. So I really won't be missing anything, right?

Also, I found a candy bar that weighs 5 pounds! Yikes!

So yes, I'm a nerd. But at least I'm happy.

Being Sick

I am so tired of being sick. I think I'm on week three of having a cold. Usually, having a cold isn't completely terrible for people. Sure, you get a runny nose, and the occasional sneeze, and some coughing.

But me?

I cough so hard it sounds like I'm about to throw up. I cough so hard I do throw up. My throat feels like there is a tennis ball stuck in it. It's incredible I even have a voice right now. Cough drops are my life line. I feel like I'm eating them like candies. Today, I was talking to my friend and randomly she said, "My dear, you smell like a cough drop." Please keep in mind we weren't very close to each other.

Class is a little difficult. My classes are extremely quiet so naturally, that is when I want to cough the hardest. If I manage to hold a cough in, it'll just come out stronger than ever before later on in the day. Work is also an amazing experience. I just love it when I have to talk to a customer but I have to cough right in the middle of the conversation.

But on the bright side, at least I have a voice.

I can't wait for this weekend. I think I'll just lay in my bed all weekend long and catch up on some much needed sleep. Maybe that's why I've been sick for so long, I've been sleep deprived!

Registering for Classes

Last night was a crazy night. I worked until midnight and registration for the spring semester started at midnight. I got home and tried to register for classes without success. Too many people were online so I was denied access.  It was pretty stressful. Finally, around one in the morning, I said, "Screw it! I've been working at a gas station for seven and a half hours, my back hurts, I'm coughing so hard I throw up, and I'm exhausted! I'm going to bed!"

This afternoon, I didn't think it would be possible to get any good classes. Lucky for me, there were still several classes open for me. The next stressful situation was finding classes to fit into a day. I can't be Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and have a Time-Turner so I can be in two places at once. Just not possible.

I am proud to report that I have a wonderful 15 credit schedule that includes math, English, geology, Psychology, and an elementary education class. I think this up coming semester will be a blast!

Of course...I just have to finish this semester and pass all my finals. And, by the way, finals are next month. Where did the semester go?

I can't begin to explain how relieved I am to have registration behind me. Let's just hope my financial aid can cover it all!

Inspirational Thoughts

Today, I had the amazing opportunity to attend a church meeting called a devotional. Great things were talked about and I wanted to share a few things.

Elder Patrick Kearon of the 70 talked a lot about the little things. He told a story about the gold rush in California. So many people rushed to California thinking they would find huge nuggets of gold. However, they were only able to find flecks of gold. These men were frustrated because they wanted nuggets, not flecks. But another man told them he had collected all the flecks, not nuggets, and was gaining even though they were just flecks. This applied to our lives because sometimes we are so focused on finding the "nuggets" we forget to see the "flecks." The greatest things in life usually come in flecks, not nuggets. We need to enjoy this life, and savor those small moments. In other words, Take time to stop and smell the roses. By small and simple things are great things come to pass.

Elder Kearon also talked about our choices in this life. We always have a choice. If an argument occurs, we have the option to not fight back or fight back. We have to choose how we handle them. When we have personal trials, either we can soften our hearts and learn from them, or we can become bitter and hateful.

And finally, one more important thought. God loves everyone. He doesn't judge us by our careers (or lack thereof), he doesn't judge us by the amount of money we earn in a year, or by the number of expensive possessions we own. He cheers everyone on. We are His children and we are all so equally loved.

Pet Peeves

Here are my pet peeves:

1. People constantly feeling sorry for themselves but never doing anything about it. Yeah, I feel sorry for myself sometimes but then I realize I'm not doing anything to change it. Once I make that realization, I kind of pull myself out of that pit and move on. I get a little frustrated when people throw a pity party for themselves day after day.
2. Another thing that bugs me is when I feel like my words are being twisted and made unreal. I can't really explain it. But there it is.
3. Sending text messages in church meetings. Really guys? 
4. My newest pet peeve are my new boots. They claimed to be waterproof but my socks say otherwise. 
5. Not knowing. I like to know things. I wouldn't say I'm a know-it-all...because I don't know many things. Once again, I can't really explain this one. I will have a question and I want to know the answer to it but I can't figure out the answer. That bugs me.

Pet peeves are weird when you think about it. How do these pet peeves develop? Do we learn them from our parents or other upbringing? Do we acquire them as we grow up and experience new things? When do people first begin to have pet peeves? 

Maybe our pet peeves are a way to learn patience. Then, maybe, we are so tolerant of a pet peeve that it doesn't annoy us anymore. Once we get over that pet peeve, maybe we move on to conquering the next one.

First snowfall

This morning, I woke up to the sound of rain pounding against my window. The wind howled and even thunderclaps could be heard in the distance. I tried to go back to sleep but I was too excited to sleep. I wanted to see the storm brewing outdoors.

In a few hours, it began to snow. It wasn't the kind of snow that blows through the wind, never really touching ground or piling up on sidewalks. These snowflakes were large cotton ball puffs falling quickly before touching the ground.

Before we knew it, we had at least two inches of snow covering the grass, the flowers, and the trees. Most of the trees are sagging because of the weight of the snow. Technically, it's still autumn so most of the leaves are still on the trees. The leaves love to catch all the snow, making weight for the flimsy branches to hold up.

Most people I have met hate the snow. They argue that it's cold and melts in your socks. I agree. Snow is freezing and it does melt in your socks, making your toes turn into red ice cubes. But there is something magical about the snow. It is so white and it sparkles in the sunshine. I love wearing sweaters and scarves and boots outside and one of my favorite sounds is the squeaky crunch of snow beneath my feet. If snow didn't exist, there wouldn't be Snowmen or Snow Angels. There wouldn't be hills covered in glistening snow with people sledding, snowboarding, and skiing down them.

A lot of people dread the snow. But me? I look forward to it.