DRASTIC

Yep...I did it-I cut my hair. I never thought I'd ever go short again. But I did. The main reason was because I lost like half my hair, and I was literally starting to go bald in some places. That's definetely not something I can pull off. So I knew the best thing would be to chop it all off. I thought I'd cry or freak or something, but I actually love it! I want it a little shorter, but this was a good start. I like it so much I might keep it for a few years. (I originally had the intention of cutting it and growing it back immediately). The braid in my hands I will be donating to Locks of Love. That's actually the reason I cut it that short. I figured that if I was going to try and salvage my hair, I might as well chop it all off and donate it.

I don't have a lot of other news except that I have been asked to be the secretary of HOPE choir. Um. I don't think I can say no, and it would be fun...but wow that's going to be a lot of work, bc I will probably still be doing most the choreography too.

My friend also wants me to try out for Miss SUU with her. Wierd. I remember wanting to do pageants when I was little, but it all seems really wierd to think about right now. If I do it- 'it's just for fun'. I'll keep you posted. It's very unlikely.

Work is going well, and Ben comes home soon! At the end of the summer, Krys(my roommate during the school year), and I might(might being key word) go on a basically free trek in Zions National park for a week or two, or going to Cali and literally walking down the coast for a week. We probably wont do Cali, because we're not spending money on this trip which means no hotel rooms. California is a scary enough place, sleeping on the beach probably wouldn't be a very good idea. We'll see.

Love you all!

A Lot and A Lot of Catch up

So sorry for the amazing lame picture post from last time...I was essentually pressed for time, and feeling bad that I hadn't posted in forever. I didn't realize how long it had been since I had posted last either, and now I am going to pay for it. SOOOOoooo much has happened.

So first things first: School. Oh my heck! It was unbelievably busy, and stressful-Like I wanted to cry. But as stressed as I was, I finished well. The things I thought I bombed I actually didn't. I ended up with a 3.95 YAY!!!! Exciting right? Well I hardly had any academic classes, and it's pretty hard to fail your dance classes so it is really more of a joke than anything else. The unfortunate part is that due to budget cuts my scholarship got cut to a 1/4 of the original. The ironic part-my GPA is higher than the gpa that got me the original scholarship. So somehow I am going to have to come up with the extra money. We'll see how that goes.

Next: Moving out. Have I mentioned I hate this? Hate, hate, hate, double hate, LOATHE ENTIRELY!!!!! (The Grinch reference was totally for you Steph, although the sentiments are still mine). I almost cried at that part too. So besides a couple of my roommates, namely Krys who is my room roommate, they have been huge jerks, who backstab, exclude, never never clean, and have the attitude of 'holier than thou'. Essentually, me, Krys, and another one of my roommates who they literally would never talk to, had to clean the majority of the house. It was disgusting. Since the garbage cans outside were full, they just started leaving all their junk/garbage on the floor and the table,moldy food in the fridge. If the house had been inspected by officials, it probably would have been condemned. (so maybe that's a little melodramatic, but not by much). Me and krys and one other roommate were the only ones who cleaned out of 8 girls. I have been holding back on complaining about this because I was trying to be patient and what not...but that last weekend cut that resolve. I was livid.

Third: HOPE tour. (above pictures) In a word: Hysterical! My stomach was literally aching by the end of tour from laughing so hard. But maybe I was laughing so hard beacuse I was slap happy. There was like no sleep for the whole tour. We went to a bunch of seminaries mainly and performed our show for like 7 hours, literally, and then had a few more that night. It was a lot of fun. My favorite memory was when one guy changed the narration in one of our songs from 'we will now perform for you 27 of the most popular songs of the century in the next 7 1/2 thrilling minutes! Hold on tight ladies and gentlemen....' to 'we will now perform for you 247,000 songs in the next 14 hours...gentlemen bolt the doors and prepare for the megamix of the millenium!' Of course it probably isn't funny to you...but the entire song was shot after that because everyone was laughing so hard. My most favorite part was singing at the retirement homes. The spirit was always so much stronger there than anywhere else. It was truly incredible.

For the last show my dad (pappi) came up. There is this part of the show that I have to go sing to the boys in the audience, and as I am making my way back to the stage, my jazz heel gets caught on the stair and I biff it. I mean it when I say that-I took a total faceplant-right in front of Pappi. It was classic. That half of the crowd was gasping and saying 'are you okay?' Never live that one down.

As for the present my plans have changed: I am currently living on campus as a summer activities assistant, and RA. I LOVE my job!!!! It is seriously such an awesome job! I basically host and plan family reunions, youth conferences/EFYs, girls state, and camps. I absolutely love it, and might take it again next summer.
Kay, so sorry that was unbelievably long, but I just had to get it out there.

Photos of College Life-Much Delayed

The following are in order (bottom to top): -the death stairs, my bed, my kitchen, university buildings and gardens, going to see 'Big River' with my cuz Kim, Road trip with Krys(roommate),me and a friend from dance, visiting Jayne, playing dress up(I thought the dress looked like a candy wrapper.), and my house.

Winter Wonderland?

Yep, it snowed again. Not sure how I feel about that. Oh no wait, I do. Lovely to look at, hate to be in. I didn't mind the snow at all at the beginning. Actually I loved it. If it has to be cold, it might as well snow right? Well it's been so warm and sunny in Cedar, that I didn't have to even wear a jacket. I was so ready for summer, and then the above picture happened. We got between 8-10 inches in 1 day.

Well this is going to be a really fast post, since I am low on time. Yesterday was a terrible day-couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew it was there, I just couldn't see it, and figure out how to get to it. I was freaking out about choreography-(HOPE),jobs/money, sleep deprivation, packing, cleaning, school deadlines etc... Today was much better, and enjoyable. Thank goodness for the alto section in HOPE who make me laugh hysterically, free food all over campus today, and some other really kind friends!

I have had a job interview, but I am almost worried about taking it. I would be a convention/activities leader of sorts for summer guests at on-campus housing. Could be a really inconsistent, low paying-high stress job, and might not allow me to get another job-which could be a problem.

I am having guy problems again. Though perhaps not quite as freaky as before, but very persistent and unwelcome. I have no luck with normal and male in the same sentence up here. My tactics; avoidance, and maybe a fake boyfriend. I am sticking faithful with the no make-up for Lent, but instead of social/dating siberia, it seems to have had the reverse effect; why I know not.

I am coming home for a really quick stay tomorrow,but I can't promise visits to anyone, as much as I would love to see you all. I really miss everyone very much. But at this point unless there are further developments, I will be getting to Mesa on Friday, and leaving Sunday morning to go up to Salt Lake. I am really excited to see my family, even though it will only be shortly. Oh and Eric, I am bringing a batch of those pumpkin (pumkin?) cookies for you.

Just an Extra

So this is something I had to watch for a class; Sir Ken Robinson (from England), who is lecturing on the problem of education systems and parents crushing creativity in children, and how to cultivate it. It is really funny and insightful. It takes 20 minutes to watch, but is well worth the time!

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Uneventful Stress

So, I am sorry to confess to the readers that I have nothing amazing, humorous/embarrassing to report. Today is free pancake day at IHOP, and I am hyped. I love free food, and no cleanup. (I hate dishes with a burning passion). It has been tremendously busy, and I feel like I am getting nothing done to speak of. I have been fighting sickness, but not ever getting it full on-everyone I know is sick here. (I'm doomed!)

This week is going to be extra-ordinarily busy, and I am really wishing I had a car. I have to choreograph for HOPE, as well as put together a dance solo to Think of Me. (also for HOPE-could be really interesting.) All Fine Arts Majors are required to put in 30 service hours in production a semester. So for the next 2 and a half weeks, I will be working wardrobe for the dance concert, 4-6 hours a night. Midterms are this and next week. Krys' sister is having her baby tomorrow-YAY! My house is a disaster, and someone's going to have to clean it. I am going to have to fit work in there too. So this is going to be a really stressful week.

In other news, there is a possibility I will be coming down to Mesa for the first weekend in spring break, and then to Salt Lake for the remainder. It would be like a day and a half in Mesa, but still worth it! However, I might not be going anywhere because of the dance concert. (I don't know why the faculty decided to have a show during spring break...no one will be there to see it.) But since I am only helping with wardrobe, hopefully I'll get it off. (Cross your fingers)

For summer job? Who knows. I would really like to be an Au Pair, or a European nanny, but that is going to be difficult to work out. I have to stay in state, to get residency, and most of the jobs I'd have to be there for about a year. Don't think my professors will look too highly on me missing school, and forgetting how to dance. So we'll see what happens. At this point I think I am going to just stay in Cedar, and work two-three jobs. Yesterday, I recieved an academic scholarship, and I am very pleased, so that eases some stress a little, especially with residency.

Later on in school, I am thinking about doing study abroad. If I do, I want to go to London. That would be incredible!!! It would be cheaper to do it that way, than any other way. If not, I will have to get pretty fluent in French, pretty fast. Of course, I don't see this taking place till like the end of my degree, but still, that would be fabulous!

And lastly, I have a friend in dance who decided that for Lent, she would be giving up make-up. What a crazy girl right;)? She's totally serious too. She has to wear make-up for dance performances, but she's going to wash it off before she even goes to meet family after the show. Well yesterday was her first day, and she was asking girls to do it with her. So this morning after I got out of the shower I was about to put on make-up and then I was like...'how 'bout not'. So yes. I am going to be make-up free for the next 39 days(job interviews, modeling, and performances being the exception). I thought I looked okay this morning-Then I started dancing, and got sweaty, and red. Let's just say I have exiled myself to social Siberia...and most especially dating Siberia. Ben will be pleased. It will be a fun experience, and it will save me time, and money.

Update of Sorts

It's been a very busy, stressful month. I had way more on my plate in high school, but I think the difference is having to make and clean up dinner, and big girl things that are a different kind of stress. I realize it's stress, but it has a different texture than the kind I am used to, so I am not sure how to react and handle it just yet. It's throwing me off.

HOPE choir is way early, and I'm not sure what I think of it yet. It's fun and the kids are crazy-go-nuts and silly. We have a couple performances this week, one which includes 'singing valentines'to staff and students all over Cedar City. Should be entertaining.

Work? Can it be called that? I seriously have the most rad jobs in the world! They pay me to read textbooks;which translates to- they are paying to educate me. And in my other jobs, they pay me to watch old movies! How cool is that? All I do is turn it on, and off, make sure the volume is good, and the that the kids don't kill eachother. That's it. I think I will keep this job for the rest of my college career.

So on the weekend I went to the insitute dance with my roommates and friends(above picture), and that was a blast. I love dancing! And this time, I didn't have to ask guys to dance! (there are only enough guys to satisfy about 1/3 of the girls, and only 1/2 actually will dance. So dumb...if you have no intention of dancing, why did you come to a dance?)
On Saturday, I went to a HOPE birhtday party, and we played games, and that was fun, but I had an embarassing experience. Ever heard of the game winkum? Well if someone asks you to play it, say NOOOOO!!!!!! It is this terrible game that everyone says is fun, and maybe it is if your a big, strong person, but for week midgets like me, it is a terrible game. It's basically trying to get away from a partner to another person. They grab/tackle/yank you back, and it's difficult to escape unscathed. (I have bruises and carpet burn all over, in places where it shouldn't be!)
So as I was trying to get away from a particularly tenacious partner, after several tries, I leapt at my next chance,and she grabbed my legs in a deathgrip! I struggled and held out my hands for the person I was running to-he tried to pull me to him, and she pulled me back harder, and all of a sudden my pants were down at my ankles. Yep, I got panced. (not sure if that's how you spell it.) They just flew off. Thank goodness I was wearing spandex underneath, though it didn't do much good. All the guys gasped and looked away, and the girl apologized profusely, and overall it was a pretty funny experience, rather comical in fact, but I will wear a belt if ever I play that heinous game again, which I think is safe to say I will not.