16. Chapter 20---Some people...

Some people don't really have social skills.

We ate dinner tonight with an apartment in our ward... There was only one of the four that came over that we would ever have back again. I am a little shocked about the whole situation.

Last week they invited us to dinner but we already had plans, so they asked us to dinner this week-- we decided they'd do the meat and veggies, we'd do potatoes, bread, and a dessert. This week came. They changed the time one us like 3 times... and two hours before we decided they bring the food over to our place--- Didn't they invite us to dinner? I was confused... so we hurried and cleaned our apartment, and when they finally come--- everyone but one guy was worthless. The rest just watched and expected us to heat and finish preparing the food they brought as well as our own...? And then last minute they invite two extra people to come, since we weren't prepared to have it in the first place, we had to scramble to find chairs and dishes and pray we had enough food, because they hardly brought anything?

If that isn't bad enough.. the conversation was strained and AWKWARD! The one and only nice guy helped us clean up while the rest sat on their butts... I can't tell you how many times I had to consciously wipe the look of disgust off of my face... I believe those are the first group of boys that I've met at BYU that are THAT socially unacceptable. There was one guy in particular... No wonder he's still single... He pretty much was your ideal jerk...

I am just in kinda shock about how socially unaware people can be...

I'm really grateful my parents taught me social skills to some degree...

15. Chapter 88---Your Heart Belongs to Me

My heart, belongs to reading. Honestly, after this Thursday's class discussion, all I've wanted to do is read. I was going to try to wait until Thanksgiving... Fail. I was in Macey's for maybe less than 5 minutes and found myself in the book section looking at Koontz' new book, "Your Heart Belongs to Me"... I couldn't resist; I bought it.

I've had to limit myself to 1 chapter tonight. If I'm productive enough tomorrow, I'll treat myself with another. I love to read so much. Here is why I think...

I am Daddy's little girl. Not just because I am the youngest, but because I was born just as my dad was finishing his residency. I was the only child who knew a Dad that was home when I went to bed each night. As a result, there wasn't a night until I was probably 6 or 7 that I didn't spend curled up at his side reading bedtime stories. It was our thing. Books were our thing. When I was "too grown up" to get read to each night, he would bring me home books on tape and novels to read from the library. Some nights he would get off work, call me, come pick me up, and we'd head back into town to go to the library together. We'd spend hours there picking out books together. That stage lasted until I moved to college. Even now though I find myself on the phone hearing about his latest novel or the newest book. Koontz is our favorite. We've both read everything and anything by him.

Some nights when its cold, especially at Chirstmas time, my dad and I will both get blankets, I'll get hot coco and he'll het his postum, he'll light a real fire in the fireplace, and we'll sit in the living room and read our books.

I will always be daddy's little girl I think.

14. Chapter 67---Christmas Music Year Round

When I went home last weekend, my parents began setting up their Christmas tree! Nothing puts you in the holiday Spirit like getting out all those boxes and working until you can't stand anymore, but it is worth it! Automatically, I found myself in the mood for Christmas music! I have a roommate that is adamint that you can't listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Personally I think any time after Halloween is fair game. In fact, sometimes throughout the year, I randomly pull out the Forgotten Christmas Carols because I LOVE Christmas music. Is that really so wrong?

Shouldn't we celebrate Christmas and Christ's birth all year round? I think so.

(Also, while I'm throwing my opinions around, I think we should get an Easter break! Winter semester needs more Holidays.)

13. Chapter 14---Ariane's Bachelorette Party

It was my roommate's bachelorette party last night, and because we as roommates love her (even when she is ornery) we threw her a great one! However... she was not into all the ideas even though we tried to stay conservative and still fun. I decided I learn a lot about what I will NOT do in situations through those I've come in contact with over the last year of my life- Let me explain...

There we were, 9 girls in black, white, and red, and 1 bride wearing a bright red dress with sequins all over it. We purposely color coordianted to match the ridiculous dress we were making her wear. We had a scavenger hunt planned at the mall. Ariane had a list of tasks to complete: 1. Get a picture with 5 random groups of guys; 2. Ask 5 people what they think Vicotria's "secret" really is; 3. Get sized for lingerie; 4. Ask 3 couples for married advice. And that was it really. Not bad right? We thought we had done a wonderful job as conservative in our planning as she is in her life. We were all waiting to take a picture and she ran back inside. We waited and waited and waited, so I finally went to see what she was up to. While we were all in our pose waiting for her to join the picture, she had been sitting in her bedroom. I found her crying and holding her cell phone. She had texted her fiance to ask permission to do the list of things we had planned. For some reason, to which I can't understnad, she had a REAL hard time even THINKING about taking pictures with groups of boys... (Because being in a picture with a guy is cheating? I'm not really sure?...) Another thing I couldn't even comprehend was the fact that she knew we were all waiting on her, and she was selfish enough to sit in her room for 10 minutes without even letting us know... Even if you're having a hard time, you should have some degree of respect for people who spent their busy week planning a party that you wanted to have and were now taking time away from their busy lives to spend the night celebrating your last few weeks as a single woman. Third, I know she loves her husband, but can she not even think enough for herself to decide on her own whether or not she can do it? If I didn't really want to do something, I wouldn't need anyone to decide that for me. But apparently, being engaged makes you completely helpless in deciding anything.

I walked back outside with a plastered smile on my face; I have learned from previous experience that it is not worth getting angry over people like that. I just took a mental note: 1. If someone goes out of their way to do something nice for me, I'm going to have respect for them and try my hardest to cooperate with thier plans. 2. Never be so selfish that you can't at least have the decency to let people know they shouldn't wait for you. 3. Don't be embarrassed by harmless things. It's not worth it. 4. Decide where YOU stand and what YOUR opinion is, independent of anyone else. Once you have your opinion, act on it independent of anyone else. 5. Have fun always.

If you aren't constantly laughing, loving, or livin' it up, then you're only breathing. Don't breathe. LIVE! :)

12. Chapter 57---Don't want to sleep!

It is only 11:28 pm and I have done everything possible on my to do list except for writing my Research Paper for PDBio... I'm in a bad position though. I know I should either work on my paper or go to bed so I can be less tired and work on my paper tomorrow... But I don't want to do either! This sucks! Haha

So this post is basically my excuse to stay up a few minutes longer... I have always loathed getting ready for bed. I can't ever figure out why, but all I know is I can't sleep until I brush my teeth, take off my make up, and get in my p.j.'s. It will only take me tops 5 minutes if I hurry... but some nights I'd rather sit, dead tired, doing nothing then get ready for bed. I dread it more than anything! I just wish I could snap my fingers and be ready for bed! I'd get so much more sleep! I can't believe how ridiculous this mental block towards getting ready for bed is!

Now that I've wasted a few minutes and vented... I'll go get ready for bed...

11. Chapter 47---It is a SMALL world after all!

This world is small. How small you ask? Very.

I went home this weekend for a homecoming of a good guy friend of mine (Brady). After his talk, I went up and gave him a hug and this random character comes up to me and is like, "were you in Provo last weekend?" I realized this was Brady's favorite companion from his mission that he told me was going to be at the homecoming that day. And stunned I go, "I live in Provo, so I'm always there." He's like, "I knew it! We met at that Halloween Party just last week! You and your roommate were secret agents and I was the cowboy remeber?!" He was. I was. This was all true. We even took pictures together haha how small of a world is it that I can meet one of my guy friend's favorite companions at a party just a week before my guy friend gets home? It is a good thing I didn't do anything too crazy... haha

The world gets smaller though... ha that night, upon returning to Provo, I went to a ward function with my roommies! While there we were talking with a guy from my ward and when he discovered I was from BC, he asked if I knew a Stuart Peterson who served in London. I just looked at my roommates in shock! "I'm actually in love with his older brother, Stu is my next door neighbor, his mother is my second mom, and I know him extremely well!" Turns out they served together very early in their missions and had lost contact! I was able to reunite them (touching I know ha) :) IT IS A SMALL SMALL WORLD!!!

The moral of the story: Be careful what you do and what you say. The world is small and everyone is connected to everyone. Especially inside the church. and Especially in Provo! It is a small world AFTER ALL!!!

10. Chapter 3: Elder Nelson

I just want the world to know, that although I love EVERY talk Elder Holland has EVER given, thanks to my Teachings of the Living Prophets class, I think Elder Nelson is becoming my new favorite! He was and IS AMAZING! Let me share some of the things I learned about him this week:

• He has perfect pitch, plays the organ, and writes hymns
• He was a MD by 22, graduated from the U! (22! Can you believe that?!)
• He isn't just a world renowned heart surgeon, he is THE world renowned heart surgeon. He worked on the team of scientists that invented the cardiovascular machine that allows physicians to perform open heart surgery and keep the lungs supplying oxygen to the blood! (Do you even know how smart you would have to be to do that?! We are talking about the person who invented heart surgery here!)
• He had to be one of the most busy men in the world: At one point in his life he was a practicing surgeon, head of CES, father of 10 children (9 girls, 1 boy), and a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir! (I can't even imagine doing any of those one things by myself, let alone do them all at the same time!)
• He was set apart as a Stake President by Elder (at the time) Spencer W. Kimball. He was blessed to perfect the aortic valve replacement in that setting apart; he later had to perform that surgery on Elder Kimball, and while finishing a perfect operation, Elder Nelson received the impression that he had been prepared all his life so that he could save the prophet's life.
• Elder Nelson did not save President Harold B. Lee's life when he came into the hospital. He was devastated, and he later had a vision in which President Lee came to him reassuring him that it was his time to go and the work would go on with President Kimball just the same as it would if he were still the prophet!

Those are just a few of the amazing things! I need to meet someone like that! That honestly just raised my standard for my husband by a million! No wonder he is a general authority! He is so amazing! They all are actually!

The Church is True! Basically.