An Explanation

So obviously I haven't been blogging very much lately, and there is a good reason why. I've realized that the more I blog, the less I write in my journal! It's awful. For me, it's usually one or the other, unless I'm in a good journal writing habit. And I have thought about options like printing out posts from my blog into a book, and I'll probably still do that, but obviously I don't put everything about my life here on the blog. Basically anything personal is a no-go because then my mom calls me up and says "Why did you put that on your blog!!?!" so basically I'm trying to catch up with my life on paper, and then I'll get back here :)

Mormon Monday - Love

This has cycled the blogging world a lot already, but I think it's always a nice reminder :) 

Weekend Report

Last weekend we went to a murder mystery dinner and the football game. Somehow I didn't really blog about them probably because I was a little put out by both of them. The murder mystery dinner probably would have been more fun except all of the other couples at our table were over the age of 40 -- not something I was really anticipating since its a BYU event. Also we knew the guy who was acting out the president so I totally didn't believe that he was a murderer (well, he wasn't the murderer anyway, but you know what I mean). Then the football game last weekend against the UI Vandals was soooooo snoozy boring and SOOO freezing cold! At least Owen let us get hot chocolate and we had super sweet seats for the game, which was cool.

Then this weekend we went to a high school play on Friday night. This is not routine for us, but my voice lesson teacher was directing the Children of Eden production at Mt. View High School so it counted for one of my assignments. I was actually pleasantly surprised -- it was one of the best high school productions I've ever seen and it was pretty dang funny. Owen was a little offended by how not-so-doctrinally-sound it was, but I like that they dared through some controversial (not that it was anything obscene) stuff in there. Very fun. Then Saturday I tried to study but just couldn't do it, so we drove up to Salt Lake a little early for my former roommate Jenna's wedding reception, hoping we could stop at the new H&M clothing store up there. Of course I forgot to think, and we spent all our time at GATEWAY mall looking around for it (and freezing) when actually it's at Fashion Place Mall in Murray. Oops. But the reception was great, we had crepes and I caught a picture of them on fire which was fun. I'm so happy for Jenna, she is probably one of the nicest roommates I ever had and I hope that he is a great guy because he is super lucky! Then we made it to H&M on the drive home and had some fun shopping around there. It's not really that different than Forever 21 except that there were WAY more people there and they have a much better selection of men's clothing, which was nice for Owen. Beware though, the men's clothes run super small. But if you go upstairs, the line for the register and dressing rooms is way shorter, so there's a plus. Aaaand we didn't go to the football game even though it was the last of the season because we knew it would be a total blow-out and we would probably die of pneumonia. Good choice I think.

Welp, that's a lot of writing, but it pretty much sums it up! Excited for only two more days this week -- yay!

Qualtrics = The Best

It's official, my husband has the coolest job ever. Last year, when Qualtrics went into Code Yellow (aka danger zone before Code Red and the company explodes), they worked extra hard and fixed all the problems before anything major happened, and we got an iPad. I would never buy an iPad of course because I feel like they are mostly used to play games and are crazy expensive, but it's nice to have. A couple weeks ago, Qualtrics experience Code Yellow again, and then yesterday, Owen came home with a Kindle Fire! What the what! And he was so excited to give it to me, he had even programmed it to say Chelsey's Kindle and put my favorite apps on it and everything. I've always kind of thought the idea of a Kindle was cool, and now since we have Amazon Prime, I can check out books for free on it and watch all sorts of movies and stuff! I haven't really figured it out much yet, except for the fact that we got Bejeweled for free on it -- yay! So please don't think we are super rich and spend all our money on crazy electronics, Owen just has a super awesome job! Go team Qualtrics!

Nine More Days...

... means nine more things I'm grateful for!

please don't judge me for the poor image quality on this, I took it on my computer during my office hours

9. A husband who encourages me to buy yellow tights, and then thinks they are the cutest thing ever.

8. The Internet. Even though it distracts me...a lot...I like it. And like seeing new things and being connected with the big world out there.

7. Google Maps -- I would be sooooo lost all the time without this!

6. Bobby pins

5. Spearmint Chapstick

4. The fact I don't have to go to my Torture Class of Doom tonight -- yeah baby!

3. The fact that instead I'm going up to the University of Utah pharmacy school to tour and meet with some students!

2. Another fact -- I finally mailed off the last of my pharmacy school application business yesterday -- DONE! (for realz this time)

1. Different cultures and different places around the world. Someday I hope to experience many of them!

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Also, I just love everything about this girl's look. From Paris, of course. 

One Thing I Miss

Don't get me wrong, being married is the best. Trust me, I love it and would recommend it to everyone.

But there is one thing I miss.

Looking at wedding inspiration!

I loved my wedding and all of the detail and organization that went in to it -- I wouldn't change a thing. But isn't it fun to look at other wedding decor and ideas? I was wasting time on Pinterest today and came across something I just couldn't miss --  a Harry Potter inspired wedding. And here was the best part -- it was actually not tacky at all, rather adorable and so fun! Here are some photos:

Another one, just for fun -- a Water for Elephants theme:

Too cute, right? Anyone want me to plan their wedding any time soon?

All images via greenweddingshoes.com

10 Days!

Only ten more days until Thanksgiving -- WOOHOO! I can't wait! I seriously need a break, mostly just to catch up on everything! I can't believe I've gone this whole month without falling into the cliché of blogging about things I am grateful for -- what am I thinking? Well it's time to catch up on this seasonal gratitude, so since there are 10 more days until Thanksgiving, I'm going to share with you 10 things I am grateful for!

10. The lunches my husband makes for me

9. Debit cards and online banking

8. Christmas music! Especially Michael Bublé's new album (except for his rant on Kim K - unnecessary)

7. Boots!

6. Lovely fall leaves

5. $5 movies at Target -- we got Hitch last night, love that movie!

4. This unseasonably warm weather -- thank you!!!!

3. It's already Tuesday

2. Gmail chat

1. The smell of waffle cones

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found on pinterest

Poor Guy

Have you ever had one of those days where you wake up 35 minutes late and then pour spoiled milk on your cereal but since you're such a zombie you don't realize it until like 7 bites in and then you want to throw up and die but you're still really hungry and then you don't realize until you get to school that your outfit is super ugly and unflattering? Yeah, today's one of those days.

But today, you know who I'm thinking about? Jeeves.

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Yeah, from askjeeves.com. Whatever happened to that guy? I kind of miss him. I totally asked him real questions, every time. Ask.com just doesn't have the same human appeal, and plus the website is ugly now. I think that was the real day that Google won, when they got rid of Jeeves.

Mormon Mondays -- OT

So today for Mormon Monday, I want to share with you some thoughts I have been having lately about the blessings of the scriptures in our lives.

babies are cute and funny but cry and poo a lot. via pinterest. 

Saturday afternoon, I went to my very first baby shower. Some of you may be thinking, holy cow aren't you too young to know people who are having babies!! And others of you may be surprised I haven't been to 15 yet. Anyway, being in my current ward and seeing all of these new families around me lately has really got me thinking. Mostly about how I am SCARED OUT OF MY MIND and feel like I have no idea how to be a parent or to be in charge of my own little family unit. This is a natural feeling for someone who is a mere 21 like myself of course, but I feel like I wouldn't even know how to prepare or if I would ever feel ready for having a family.

I've really been working on my personal scripture study, and for some reason when I was trying to decide what I wanted to focus on, I had this odd urge to study the Old Testament. I thought this was quite strange considering all I remember from the Old Testament year of seminary was that it was really long boring except for the really weird stories about talking donkeys and stuff about the temples. But I just couldn't get my mind off of it, so that's where I started -- good old Genesis. Now, I'm only on Chapter 30, but there's been something that I keep thinking about every time I read this. If I feel this frightened of being a new parent (SOMEDAY -- no, I am not pregnant), can you imagine what Adam and Eve felt like being the first new parents, ever? There were no "What to Expect When You're Expecting" books and no guides to parenthood. They didn't even have their own parents or grandparents to give them any helpful tips! Plus, we all know how one of their very first kids turned out, but how were they supposed to know any better? It's just interesting reading these first few books of the Bible about the beginning of our earth, and just seeing how they were trying to figure everything out. I mean, poor Esau right? But throughout this whole experience, as our very first forefathers were trying to understand how to make families work and how to worship the Lord and how to just survive, our Heavenly Father was there for them the whole way. He was constantly giving guidance and support whenever they remembered to ask. Even the most clueless (not that it was their fault) parents of all time were able to enjoy having blessed generations of posterity through faith and obedience.

Anyway, kind of random. But I also have to share with you this verse I read today --

Genesis 30:1 -- "And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel^aenvied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die."

Sheesh! Talk about baby hungry! Don't worry Mom, I'm nowhere close to that yet :)

White Noise

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Have any of you ever used white noise before? It seems like a new weird popular thing to me, like juice fasts or something, except that it was also used for babies? It also reminded me of that movie, Josie and the Pussycats, where they sneak in subliminal messages into commercials and music and stuff.

But I was sitting in my lab one day where one of my fellow lab mates was playing a super annoying PopStar computer game, with the music on full blast mind you, and I decided to give it a try. It was a miracle -- it totally drowned out all other sound and wasn't distracting like the Christmas music I usually listen to!

I used the free website, SimplyNoise, and it is full of all these claims to provide clearer focus and improved memory, etc. I don't know about those things, but I do know that it is good for blocking out other distracting noises for me. Owen thinks that the stuff is super annoying, but I guess it depends on your personality.

So, what's your opinion on white noise? Do you have a certain type/source that your prefer? Do you like nature sounds or something else better? Will white noise cause me to mysteriously make impulse purchases and become a huge Justin Bieber fan or something?

Yes.

from the Harold B Lee Library

A Question

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So, now that Halloween is over, we all know that it is Christmas shopping time! I've been working on putting together some gift idea lists and shopping around (mostly the internetz). But there are some people on my gift list who are just super hard to shop for. Have you ever had someone like that? I feel like I'm easy to shop for -- I love lots of things! Anything Disney, orange, or Psych or clothes related, and you're doing pretty good. But I hate trying to guess for someone who is hard to shop for, and then getting something they will never use.

So here's my question -- what do you think of asking someone if they would like a gift? I think I have a great gift idea for someone, but I don't want to spend money on it and give it to them if they are just going to not use it or think it is a terrible idea. Is it lame to ask them and then ruin the surprise? Or is it better to know ahead of time so you can think of something else to get them?

My opinion? If someone is going to get something big for me (and since I'm poor, big means like more than $40), I would totally want them to check with me first if they were unsure. Of course I would prefer them to pick up on my not-so-subtle hints, but you can't always get what you want. It's so much less awkward than accepting a gift you don't really like and then having to return it and avoid the subject in the future. And for the surprise factor, I'm greedy -- they can get me something big that's not a surprise, and then a small thing that is a surprise :)

What do you think?

Lucky 2014

Why do all the cool things always happen after I leave?

Here are the mockups of the new Widstoe building that will be built on the southeast corner of campus -- yes, that building where I've been known to spend more than 9 hours in a row. Too bad it's not going to be completed until 2014 ... maybe I should go to grad school at BYU after all? It's such a beautiful building, and I definitely think all the science people deserve it! There is a lot of hard work and sweet research that is going to go down in that new building. I just hope that my kids will get into BYU so I can check it out!

A Tardy Mormon Monday

Ah man, how is it already Tuesday?? Don't think I forgot about Mormon Monday, here are some thoughts I've been reading about this week about the influence of music on our faith:

via flikr

“The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord,” Elder Boyd K. Packer:

If you have the ability and the desire, seek a career or employ your talent as an avocation or cultivate it as a hobby. But in all ways bless others with it. Set a standard of excellence. Employ it in the secular sense to every worthy advantage, but never use it profanely. Never express your gift unworthily. Increase our spiritual heritage in music, in art, in literature, in dance, in drama. When we have done it our activities will be a standard to the world. And our worship and devotion will remain as unique from the world as the Church is different from the world. Let the use of your gift be an expression of your devotion to Him who has given it to you.

First Presidency in 1970:

 Through music, man’s ability to express himself extends beyond the limits of the spoken language in both subtlety and power. Music can be used to exalt and inspire or to carry messages of degradation and destruction.

Music, dance, and performance have a unique way of impacting individuals. A message that sounds only mediocre in words can be inspiring when set to music or acted out in a meaningful way. The Lord has blessed many members of the church with the ability to express feelings and emotion through the performing arts, and those members have the unique opportunity and responsibility to share their testimony through these talents. When expressed righteously and with the spirit, music and other performing arts can be used to uplift Latter-day Saints and spread the gospel.  

My testimony of Christ as my Savior, Joseph Smith as the prophet who divinely restored the church, and of the truthfulness of this gospel has been more greatly influenced by music than by the spoken word. In spoken messages, sometimes doctrinal messages can come across as harsh or reprimanding. Messages through music however are always uplifting, and can teach us doctrinal truths in an inspirational and sacred manner. Indescribable spiritual impressions are often encouraged by music and other performances, and these types of experiences can richly increase our faith.  

Study Study Blahhhhh

The real question is, should I be applying to pharmacy school if I am SO BORED WITH STUDYING?!?!?! Nobody knows. I really ought to be studying for pathophysiology since I have a midterm this week and, oh yeah, ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK! What the..? Anyway, I'm not studying, but am instead thinking of next semester when (hopefully) I'll have so much free time. I can't wait! One of my goals is going to be to read some more books for FUN! All the books I read are so not fun, I deserve a break. Plus it helps with my vocabulary, and I heard sometimes they ask about that kind of thing in grad school interviews, so I don't want to say that the last book I read was "Uhhh...ummm...my pharmacology textbook??" Lame-o potato. Here are some books on my to-read list:

Heard so many good things about it, and now it's a movie. Gotta read it. 

Love this funny lady, plus the cover is too weird - I gotta read it

Recently have started following her on Twitter, and she's hilarious. Must see what book is all about.

Spotted this on GoodReads, the concept sounded interesting...

I keep hearing about this one, should see what all the hype is about

Another interesting-sounding book found via GoodReads

What are some of your favorite books? Do you have any you'd like to recommend? Normally I find that most of my favorite books are categorized under "Young Adult," so I'm thinking that it's about time to start reading some more adult books. And no, not that kind of adult books...

A Gamelany Weekend

This past weekend was filled with LOUD instruments, popping eardrums, offering bowls, and good pizza. I had my three gamelans concerts for the semester on Thursday and Saturday (2 on Sat), and they went so well! On Thursday we played up in Salt Lake at Kingsbury Hall for the WorlDance performance. I learned there how surprisingly easy it is to sneak into Kingsbury hall...Anyway, after the show, Owen and I went to The Pie Pizzeria, since it was a 38 second drive away (according to Google Maps, and yes, we walked), and we really can't pass up such delicious pizza. We ordered a ridiculously large Buffalo Chicken pizza, which we will be enjoying for lunch every day this week. 

Then on Saturday, I had a "kiddie" matinee concert at 11, which was really fun because we got to play games with some of the kids and teach them how to use the instruments. We had a guessing game for the onomatopoetic sounds associated with the instruments, and one of the little girls was so funny. She was like "It was so easy, the answers were in order on the screen!" Oops! Then 5 minutes before I had to leave for my evening concert, I taught Owen how to use the manual mode of my camera so he could get some shots without flash. And here are his results -- not bad for a first timer! 

Me (the girl with face turned) rocking it on the gong. They gave me the mini mallet for the evening concert so I wasn't as insanely loud as I normally like to be for Belangajur, but it was still pretty awesome. 

Gamelan requires very intense focus. And thus weird faces. 

I found where Owen was in the audience! Yay!

Capung Gantung -- a lively funeral piece :)

And the end!