1. I love noticing random little things in movies and things that I've never noticed. For example, I'm watching season one of Gilmore Girls yet again, and I just noticed that Suki's wearing crocs (or something like them, were there crocs in 1999) in at least one scene. I know, it's completely random and pointless and I have no idea why I noticed. But it's kind of a Suki thing to wear. Fashion concious, but more concerned with comfort and not injuring herself worse than her normal clutziness.
2. It was a beautiful day today! I wore capris and short sleeves and sandals. Of course, I slipped (on the perfectly dry, flat, clean sidewalk, explain that one to me) and fell and scraped my leg all up because I was wearing capris. But the sun! And the warmth! Seriously, it's after 10, and my weather bug thingy on my desktop says it's still 63 degrees.
3. Umm...third good thing...umm...B got his plane tickets today for his flight to his mission. Well, to the training center. As of May 11th, I will be officially waiting for a missionary. Wow.
   

trying to be happy

1. I wrote a letter to my cousin who's in training to be a military police person. We used to talk once a week or so, but haven't in ages and he's been in training for several weeks and so I had things to tell him. Or at least things to ramble about, at least. Plus I got a hold of...umm...his fiance? Girlfriend? The mother of his daughter, although I'm not sure how they're terming their relationship these days. It fluctuates. Anyways, I got a hold of her and got his address. So I wrote. Yay letters. :)
2. We had bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwiches for dinner tonight. Yum yum yum yum!
3. I finally told B about this blog last night and gave him the link. I don't know if he's going to read it or not (hi, if you are!), but I realized he didn't know about it, and I wasn't really keeping it a secret, just purposely not telling him I had a blog when they came up in conversation. If that makes any sense.

Sometimes I think I share too much.

this is for you, sharon :)

3.25

1. Yay for Muppet movies! I'm watching Muppett Treasure Island and I adore it! Miss Piggy is my hero. I've never seen a Muppet movie I didn't like. The songs, the satire, the "we know we're in a movie and we're going to play it up"-ness.
2. Tired. So tired. And not really any reason, just been a tad bit more active today.
3. I'm going to move. I don't know where or when, but I am. I have to get out of here.
   

Yeah, about that...

My National Optimism Month posting kind of failed. I'll try to catch up. Between B being here and our trip to Rexburg, I haven't been on the computer much the last week or so. He left yesterday morning, so I could have written yesterday, but I was pretty distraught. We won't see each other again till 2011.

Anyways.

Thinking positively.

1. B got to stay an extra day. He was going to leave Monday but stayed till Tuesday. Of course, I was already sniffly and weepy and had a complete breakdown Monday night. But at least he was there.
   
2. Angsty books and movies have been reminding me that my life could be a lot worse. For example, I could be trapped in the middle of a war. Or sold into slavery. Or have my love murdered. (As an aside, I've been using the word "angst" a lot lately.)
3. I finally finished the book Wicked. I've started it, read bits from the middle, for about three years. I finally finished it. It's very little like the musical. Or at least, my impression of the musical having not seen it, only listened to the soundtrack approximately 5 million times.
4. My grandpa spoils me. Seriously.

Oops...missed a few

Yeah, so I haven't done the daily optimism thing in a few days. B's been visiting and I haven't been on the computer at all, and now we're in Rexburg and I'm stealing a few minutes on my sister's laptop to catch up on things while B went to class with a friend. So a few happy things...

• Visiting Sharon tonight! Yay!
• Lunch with "Us" tomorrow. "Us" is my group of old roommates from last fall (2007), we all clicked pretty instantly and are pretty much best friends and talk all the time and get together whenever we can.
• Hanging out with my sister and cousin last night and talking way too late.
• Hanging out with good friends last night, including going to an awesome movie at $3 Thursday at the Rex, Taken. Really good, totally intense. I don't know if I'll watch it again because it pretty much scared the pants off me, but it was still really good.
• I love love love having B around. Which, you know, is a good thing, considering... But he calms me, he makes me happy, he's great with my family, even my obnoxious little brother. He makes my too cool for anything sister collapse from giggling.
• B and I are reading a book together and it makes me happy. I like reading aloud and being read to.
• It's warm and the sun is shining and I'm happy!

love

1. Tomorrow! Tomorrow! B comes tomorrow!
2. A couple Christmases ago, I got a flannel nightgown from my parents. You know, like a Little House on the Prairie, high necked, ankle length contraption. I wear it every once in a while (I am now), and it's horribly unflattering, and not really something I'd wear around people other than my family, but it's so comfy and cozy. It makes me happy.
3. The AriMail came! She's doing great, and has been out about 10 months, which is so crazy. Here's her funny story of the week :)

   i hope everyones week has been good! its been going well for me. ive had some
   fun experiences this week. one is that we had a few big bursts of lots of rain!
   i'll tell you about one. just on saturday, we were trackting. me and my comp
   first of all didnt feel very presentable, because it rained on us earlier, and
   we dried from that, but felt yucky. we didnt feel every confident visually,
   haha. so we knock on the 1st door, not home, 2nd door, we see LOTS of cars
   outside, but we knock anyway. a man opens the door, says hes busy. we peek
   inside and see over 100 people all sitting down watching some presentation. he
   then says, "were all jehovah witnesses and were training now. if you want,
   you can come in and talk to us all about the bible!"  :|  uhhh.... i peek
   in again, and said " uhh, no thank you." then all the people inside
   start laughing as we walk away.. sigh. that was weird. me and my comp laughed,
   then went to the next door, and it was a drunk guy who argued with us for 10
   minutes. we finaly escape. then we go to the next door. were under the portch,
   and the rain starts to come down. its not like a sprinkle, but a literal SHOWER.
   it was coming down heavy and hard. here in melbourne, if it starts raining, wait
   5 minutes, and it stops, then in another 5 minutes itll start again. we noticed
   it wasnt stopping, so we just started running down the block, fast. by the time
   we get to our car, we are completely soaked!! not a dry spot on us. so much for
   feeling pretty! haha. we laughed and laughed. i wondered what people thought if
   they saw us. " how to get rid of sister missionaries, let the rain fall and
   watch them run!!" hahaha very funny.
   
   

Happy Pi Day1

1. I used to know pi to like 30 digits. Now I remember 3.14159 and no farther. A friend of mine knows pi to 200 digits or something like that. I don't have the inclination to go past what I need for simple algebra anymore.
2. My mom and I worked on deep cleaning the house today. Mostly we only finished the stuff that never gets done, like rearranging the knick-knack cabinets and shelves and cleaning the tops of the kitchen cabinets and cleaning all the light fixtures and cleaning the washer and dryer. We didn't get the floors cleaned at all. :) Monday we're going to clean the refrigerator and the laundry room, as well as the usual cleaning (dishes, living room, etc.). And I'm going to re-clean the bathroom I share with my brother and sister because it's my sister's job to clean it, and her idea of clean is much less than my idea.
   
3. I found a gorgeous pair of vintage wood and leather sandels in my size at the thrift store today for ONE DOLLAR. They need some steaming to repair some storage damage and a little glue (the straps are all bent out of shape and the sole is peeling and curling), but I have a feeling I'm going to wear them a lot when it gets just a tiny bit warmer. I need to take pictures of all the great stuff I've thrifted lately and post them. Maybe tomorrow... :)
   

Friday the 13th

1. I changed my oil today! I had to wait until my dad got home from work to get the bolt thingy that keeps the oil in the engine out because I'm not strong enough to get it loose from the super tightness he got it to last time, but I did it and got filthy doing it.
2. I figured out a way to get all my books on shelves in my room.
3. I took a walk today and made chicken enchiladas for dinner.
   

3/12/2009

1. B got his mission call today, finally. He's going to Honolulu Hawaii, English speaking and leaves May 13. Too soon and yet too far away...I want him to stay forever because I'm going to miss him so much more than I already do, but I also want him to hurry up and leave so he can come home.
   
2. I sewed a complete something today! It was just a curtain, but still. A finished project is a finished project.
3. My room is clean and organized and the only thing left for me to do before B comes on Monday (yay!!) is take my microwave to the garage and vacuum and change the sheets on my bed (since he's sleeping in my room, while I go in with my sister). I won't vacuum or change the sheets till Monday. Oh, and I should do laundry. And maybe pack for our trip to Rexburg, but I hate packing before the day before I leave and we're not going to Rexburg till Thursday.
4. We're going to Rexburg next Thursday through Sunday! Hooray!
   

March 11

I'm not doing too well with the whole National Optimism Month thing. But I'll try...let's see if I can come up with three good things for today.

1. It was warm and sunny today! I sat outside on the step for a good hour toasting my self. I am so miserably pale it's not even funny.
2. I'm going to attempt to change the oil in my car by myself. My dad usually does it, but he hasn't had time and I need it done this weekend, and he won't have time till after then either. I've been taught, and I have a book illustrating how to do it, so hopefully, I can manage it.

I can't think of a third. Sorry.

Optimism Month Day 10

1. My room is almost ready for B to come next week! He's coming Monday (hopefully) and he's going to sleep in my room because he'll be more comfortable in here than on the floor in my noisy, messy brother's room. I'll be sleeping on the floor in my noisy, messy sister's room.
2. I found approximately half the books I've been missing for several years. They were in a box with my sister's name on it in the garage. Now to find the rest (even though I have no space for them).
3. I finished a sewing project today. Kind of. More like a restructuring project. My mom gave me a night shirt a few years ago that I've always kind of hated, so I decided to try cutting it up a little to see if I like it better...I do! I shortened it, cut the sleeves shorter, cut out the neckline to make it v-necked and wider (I don't like things close to my neck while I'm sleeping), and sewed some narrow elastic on it to make it kind of empire-waist-ed. Yeah, anyways, point it, I completed a project. And I like the results. The End.
   

Amazing

1. Tonight I've been looking over my journal from 2008. I managed to fill a whole book. It's not a usual journal, but I like it and kept it better than I've ever kept another (except maybe my blog). It's an artist's sketchbook, heavy, blank pages, spiral bound with hard covers. I covered it with paper and plastered the front with quotes and words. I sketched, I colored, I wrote notes and recorded thoughts and taped in memorabilia. There are pages ripped out, letters sent to friends, including the incredible, fateful letter of July 18, to B that changed my life. There are woes of crushes and horrible jobs and stress. There are pages that literally, almost poetically have divots from my dried tears. Pages almost illegible from writing while sitting on a park bench in the pouring rain, not wanting too go back to my apartment and deal with my back-stabbing roommates. And yet, overall, I had a good year. It was hard. But it was good. I made some incredible friends, and did some incredible things, and had some incredible, incredible experiences. Hopefully 2009 will be close to its' equal.
   
2. I'm getting better! I still have a pretty bad cough, but running the humidifier in my room, and Vick Vaporub junk on my feet and chest, and prescription strength cough syrup have helped a lot. I'm actually sleeping most of the night instead of coughing most of it.
3. In a week, hopefully, if the weather turns better, I'll be with B.
   

Thinking About Joy

1. I got a random email today from a someone who rarely emails me. Even sweeter, all it said was, "I was thinking about you. I miss you." We talk frequently, but it's nice to get those kinds of little notes every once in a while.
2. Books make me happy.
3. While I've been craving chocolate ALL day, I've resisted the urge to make some brownies. This may not sound all that great, but I'm trying to loose weight and be healthier, and this is a step forward.
   

1. I'm going to be teaching the Sunbeam class (3-4 year olds) at church permanently now. At least until I find a job that takes me out of this place.
2. I found an amazing pair of black patent leather, hardly worn, vintage slingback heels at the thrift store today. For $3. Pretty much exactly what I've been looking for, so of course, I snagged them.
3. I slept last night for the first time in several days. I've got an awful cough and laying down makes it worse so I can't sleep, but last night, I slathered myself with Vicks Vaporub stuff, brought the humidifier into my room, and propped myself up with a couple couch cushions as well as my pillows, and I didn't cough as much and slept quite a bit.
   

Optimism is preferable

1. Life will get better.
2. I will find a job.
3. People still love me.
   

I Fail

I can't come up with three optimistic things today. I'm sorry. Instead, I'll leave you with two (semi-optimistic) quotes I've read recently.

"We're all going to die. Write that down, miss. We don't have the luxury of a thousand years on this earth. Only sixty, or maybe eighty little years if we're lucky. And these years pass in a flash. Why not offer flowers to your spouse every night? Why deprive yourself of the happiness of making your house a home? Why resist your impulse? Daily life is the most beautiful voyage..."

“I must learn to love the fool in me--the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool." -- Theodore I. Rubin, MD

March 4

1. Redbox has free rentals on Wednesday during the month of March. Go to the Redbox blog for the codes. :) (sorry, I don't have the link handy)
2. The snow today was pretty, even though I am so sick of winter.
   
3. B is a far better man than I deserve.
   

3

1. I know I'm going to make it through the two years without B. It's going to be hard, but managable. I was worried about whether or not I'd be able to. Now I know. I'm sure I'll have days and maybe weeks where I doubt it again, but now, I know.
2. I don't have pink eye. Yet.
3. I partially cleaned my room today.
   

3.2.09 3 Good Things

I'm not in a particularly atomistic mood today. I'm sick (yet again, like the 8th time since I came home three months ago), I'm broke, I'm stressed, the weather is ridiculous, and my mom thinks my little brother has pink-eye, which with my luck, I'll get as well. Did I mention the fact I have no insurance right now, so I can't see a doctor or get antibiotics? But I'll try to be positive for a few minutes at least.

1. B and I are talking about possibly making a little road trip together in a couple weeks, depending on if I get this job I interviewed for last week and a few other things. The plan is he'll come down here on his motorcycle and then we'll take my car over to Salt Lake for a day or so and visit his sister and then up to Rexburg to spend time with our friends and go to a couple concerts on campus (senior recitals of his music friends).
2. I'm reading a good book, Water Cooler Diaries. Yay for awe-inspiring women!
   
3. I got a little crafty over the weekend and made some cute presents for some friends who are equally lonely...now to get them mailed.
   

3 Good Things

A couple years ago (two? three?), my old roommate Kelli and I somehow discovered that March is National Optimism Month. How we discovered this tidbit, I have no idea, but we did, and since we both have a bad habit of focusing on the negative in our lives (myself in particular), we decided to celebrate the month by each day coming up with three things that we were pleased or optimistic about. This year we decided to post them on our blogs. Join in if you'd like. :)

1. There is nothing quite like a warm cat curled up on your toes.
2. My sister A came home for the weekend and we went out to lunch yesterday and had a good gossip. :)
   
3. The AriMail (weekly email from my cousin serving a mission in Australia) just arrived. It's always nice to know she's doing well, especially since all those awful fires last month were in her area. We were really worried about her, but she and all the other missionaries there are fine.