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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Chrimbus.

To quote my friend, Claire, (who frequently quoted a strange band called Ima Robot), "here's a story for the kids!"

Other than the fact that I've had to work most of this week, and that I managed to contract a hideous cold, Christmas was very good. I got (in no order of importance):

1. Tommy Bahama luggage (for my mission -- Mom and Dad assured me it wasn't a hint)
2. A new silver iPod Nano (which is functional, unlike my 3rd-gen iPod Classic)
3. The 3rd season of Frasier (from Ian, who is a totally rad bro)
4. $50 dollar iTunes gift card (from Grannette)
5. A beautiful beaded jewelry box
6. Gloves and socks
7. A copy of the plays of Anton Chekhov (in a reliable translation -- no more janky Penguin Classics!)
8. A Chagall calendar
9. A unicorn Pillow Pet ("It's a pillow! It's a pet! It's a Pillow Pet!!")
10. A SUPER-DARLING unicorn necklace
11. Beautiful green/blue/brass earrings
12. Somewhere in Time on DVD
13. A triptych of the Indian Buddha (from Spencer!!!!!!! He painted it!!!!)

I'm sure I probably forgot something because I'm in a cough-syrup coma, but all in all it was a delightful day and I'm super grateful for everyone who was kind enough to (a) present me with a gift or (b) share their time with me.

I feel kind of bad, though, because I didn't really have a bunch of time this Christmas to do spiritual things. I mean, I've been unconscious most of the days because of work, and other than thinking about Christ and sitting outside the temple for 3-5 minutes every night before I go in to start my shift, I haven't had the opportunity to really focus on why we celebrate this holiday. I didn't even get a chance to listen to "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." And while it's been really nice to spend the holiday with my family and relax, today I couldn't help but think, "Oh my gosh, how amazing is Christmas going to be while I'm on my mission?!" Imagine -- celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in a place where you are totally surrounded by people who have sacrificed their time and their money to preach His gospel. I am totally stoked for that experience.

Anyway.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in to talk to President Meyers about the whole ward/mission thing. I want to start filling my papers out now so I can get my call! I want to go through the temple! I want to know where I'm going!


Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Table water crackers.

Today was pretty rough.

I kind of had a meltdown. Well, not "kind of." Really. I really had a meltdown. I was trying to talk to my parents about something, and I got so frustrated and upset that it got to the point where all I could do was stutter one or two words over and over again. For like ten minutes, all I could say was "I just... just don't... I just just just just..."

Had a meeting with President Meyers to discuss my ward-attendance situation, but he got called into surgery so I'm supposed to stop by his office on Sunday.

Bought a crossword puzzle and a copy of Vanity Fair before work because Barnes & Noble was already closed. Still working on Kant. Eating table water crackers with .33 cent cheese sticks. Not feeling so hot -- my eyelids are swollen from crying.

I think tomorrow Crystal and I are going to see True Grit, which I am excited about. I fell in love with Matt Damon in October, so I'm excited to see him as a cowboy.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Safe.

Well, we got up this morning to discover about a foot of snow covering the entire car. I tried to clean as much of it off as possible, mostly using towels and garbage cans from the hotel room. Once I could see out the windshield, we drove over to the hotel's restaurant, the Garden of Eat'N, for our free breakfast. Our waitress's name tag said PAT #4. She was very cranky.

Once we got our breakfast, the power went out. We ate in the dark and listened to Pat #4 talk about how terrible the weather was supposed to be. She claimed there was no safety until Hurricane. I think Grannette almost peed her pants she was so nervous.

The roads were really bad from Fillmore until just a bit before Beaver, when the blizzard turned into rainfall and all of the ice on the road seemed to melt. From then on, things were no big deal.

Today was Phib's birthday, and we were able to make it home by 10:30 so I felt okay about everything.

Tomorrow night I have an appointment with President Meyers to discuss my staying in the Buena Vista YSA, as well as getting things in order so that I can start on mission stuff. Bishop Pete says once my records are back in the ward, I can start attending a temple prep class, which I am totally stoke about!

Anyway, it's definitely been a long day. I'm gonna call it a night.
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Monday, December 20, 2010

Goat eating snow.

Crazy couple of days, best expressed via timeline:

December 18:
11 pm -12 am: work

December 19:
12 am - 7:40 am: work
7:47 am: home from work, rush to shower.
8 am: out of shower and dressed (due at church for choir rehearsal, but not there)
8:12 am: arrive at church, rehearse with Koby and Karli, then with choir
9 am: sacrament meeting
10:25 am: home from sacrament meeting
10:30 am: mom and I discuss the possibility of me taking a bus up to Logan to get Grandma (who has macular degeneration and can't drive in snow or rain)
10:45 - noon: investigate possibilities, decide Zoe, Phib and I will drive up and leave my car there
Noon - 12:30 pm: attempt at napping
12:30 pm: leave for Spencer and Karli's grandma's sacrament meeting
1:40 pm: leave sacrament meeting
2 pm: get gas, check fluids, put air in tires
3 pm: leave for Grandma's house
5 pm: stop one, Beaver
7 pm: stop two, Nephi
9 pm: stop three, Spencer's house in North Ogden
10:30 pm: arrive at Grandma's house
10:50 pm: I pass out, having been awake for twenty-four hours straight

The weather was really good until we hit Salt Lake, when there was a crapload of rain and my windshield wipers are pretty shizzy so I got super tense and stressed out. Adding that into the fact that the freeway is a DANGEROUS PIECE OF POORLY MAINTAINED ASPHALT THAT CUTS TIRES AND SENDS PEOPLE'S CARS FLYING INTO THE AIR, I ended up with white knuckles and a massive headache.

Anyway, we're leaving for St. George here pretty soon. This time I will have Grandma's four-wheel drive and fully functional wipers, AND I've had ten hours of sleep, so this should be infinitely more enjoyable.
UPDATE:
Well, we stopped in Fillmore and got a hotel room because the weather was so bad. Phib is kinda bummed because it's her birthday tomorrow and she doesn't want to be in the car for any of it. But we'll be home in like two hours so it won't be too big a deal.
The roads started to get really bad just after Provo, but we slid on ice changing lanes near Nephi and when the snow and slush and fog kept getting worse we knew it'd be best to pull over. I don't have much winter driving experience, and once it got dark I knew we'd made the right decision.
Life. Haha.
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