A Spoonful of Photos from the Summer

Hey friends!

#1- Eiffel Tower from the Freeway 

I recently received an email about a photo contest for those who went on study abroad. Now, I'm not a professional photographer, but I want to give it a try. Who knows, maybe I could win runner-up or something. I can submit 3, but I have way more than 3, so of the photos that follow, if you could choose your 3 favorite and post their number in the comments, I would appreciate it! Thanks and I'll keep you updated!

#2- Park in the center of Brussels

#3- Same Park in Brussels

#4- Best Macaron I Ever Ate

#5- Dog in the Air

#6- Eiffel Tower at night

#7- French Flag under l'arc de triomphe

#8- Hotel des Invalides on a clear day

#9- National Treasure Lady Liberty

#10- A variety of Macarons just waiting to be eaten

#11- Mario is conquering the streets of Paris

#12- Random metro concert

#13- Pond at a park in Brussels

#14- Sacre Coeur on a beautiful day

#15- Sunset on the Seine

#16- Sunset on the Seine 2

#17- I found the Eiffel Tower again

#18- Perspective from a wall in Montmartre

#19- More French nationality!

#20- The Heart of the Paris Skyline

Hope you enjoyed my photos and please share your opinions! Thanks!

A Spoonful of Two Things You Should Know

I put up a new background. Check it out. Make sure you have this window full screen and voila! You see my amazing shot of the Eiffel Tower taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. There was this awesome storm that night that gave the sky this cool blue color. It's kind of the perfect picture and my computer desktop so I decided it should grace the walls of my blog as well!

Secondly, I started my mission papers yesterday. Nbd. I should have them done by next Sunday. That's the goal at least. >.< I'm pretty excited, people. I also have a problem keeping things on the DL that probably should be. So though I know this is a public blog, don't go tell the world. There's a reason I'm posting this on my blog and not my facebook or google +. I hope you're having a wonderful end of summer!

A Spoonful of "You Don't Always Get What You Want, But Sometimes You Find Out You Don't Want What You Thought You Wanted" and the Problems That Follow That Realization

When I got back from Paris I was set on having a boyfriend. It was just going to happen for me. I even joked about having a one-month plan and then was serious about it. I've always been pretty sociable, but never very flirty with loads of guys, but I figured it was time for that to change.

See, I like where I'm at in my life. I have my major figured out with what I want to do for Grad school and I'm living the way I should be, making changes every day, and I felt ready for a relationship to happen. Particularly, I thought I wanted a relationship with a certain guy. Heck, I had a crush on him forever ago and so when things started to look different, I figured it was time to go for it.

Your own tenacity in a relationship can get you a lot of things. As examples, more physical proximity, more face-time, admittance of feelings/attraction, but it doesn't give you a blank check for what you want. That's why the fact that he doesn't want a serious relationship isn't life-crushing, it's just life. Sometimes you get to make the mistakes before you have the realization, and sometimes you don't.

So to set the record straight, I am single. And I wish I didn't have to explain myself to this boy or to other people, because I'm not sure how to do so. Life situations (dilemma's?) always seem to come at the busiest times in my life. Can anybody say finals week? Luckily I only have two finals and one essay to write, but that's pretty intense considering my work and social life. I love how crazy life is and how you find out you don't really know nothing every day.

A Spoonful of Catching Up or Falling Behind

It depends on how you look at it, I guess. You see, I fell way behind in blogging about my experience in France. I guess I just assumed I would have ready access to the internet and blogging would be easy, but it turned out not to be. Then when I got back there was no adjustment period. It was just work, school, family visit, church, social life, harry potter, class reading, and more. Everyday more. I was catching up with my school work, with my family and friends, with my life in Provo, but I was still falling behind.

So blogosphere, I am still alive. I do still know that I have a blog and that I have a responsibility to it. Which is why I'm here to tell you that over the course of this week I will be posting more posts. Back-blogging as it were, but also blogging about my present life and about all the exciting things that are happening after Paris. I might submit that they are almost as exciting as Paris...maybe more. I encourage you to be my friends and to read my blog because I like sharing. I hope your summer is...summery.

Disclaimer: I do have quite a few things due tomorrow, so don't actually expect me to start the updating process until tuesday. Or at least know that if I do update tomorrow it is at the expense of my good grades. :)

A Spoonful of Soldes

I would never normally consider buying clothes in Paris. It's an expensive ordeal. But what if I told you I was in Paris during one of the only times they have sales? Unlike in America, when stores have sales whenever they want, and typically have a perpetual "sale" section of the store, French stores only put their merchandise on sale during two major sale periods, one being in January, and the other in June. The sale period lasts about 2 weeks and it is definitely the busiest time to be out shopping: think the mall on Black Friday, but dealing with that sale floor traffic for two weeks. It's crazy, but it's also a great time to get good deals.

Against inward protestations, I finally allowed myself to buy a few things, and I have to say, I am  happy with what I got. I bought a purple dress that cinches at the waist, some white floral tights, and a mustard yellow cardigan. Not much, but they are now all staples in my wardrobe and whenever anybody compliments me on them I can say, "Thanks! I got them in Paris!" which sounds a lot cooler than "Macy's" or "Forever 21".

If you're ever in France in June, you've got to go shopping. There's really no excuse, because you should be able to find something, even on a budget!

A Spoonful of Differences

I hope that by saying I'm returning to the States a different person, I won't be accused of perjury. I'm not trying to say I'm a completely different person, I don't think 2 months is enough for that, but I've experienced a lot in 2 months, and all of it was outside the bubble.

I knew what poverty was when I came to France, but I didn't ever imagine it would be something I would witness every day as I walked past beggars and homeless people on the streets. I knew what isolation was, in definition, but I never imagined I would get to embrace it in a way devoid of religion in the visits I paid to lonely, old ladies whose own kids don't come to visit often or at all. I knew what discontent was, but I didn't expect to see it in the faces of so many people every day.

Saturday night I went to a Young Adult dance at the Institute building. There we were, all 50 some young adults dancing cleanly to appropriate music. It's not really a unique sight, unless you count that it's happening in the center of Paris, in the walls of a chapel turned dance hall, and the fact that all the YA there had been looking forward to this dance all summer. LDS Young Adults are different. Some will call us bizarre for not smoking or drinking or participating in crude humor and maybe that does make us bizarre. While our wholesome activity was going on, not even a hundred yards away down the street, people were celebrating with raucuous drinking and dancing, the final night of gay pride week. Many people headed home drunk that night, down the streets of St Merri, but a small group of young, modestly-dressed young people were also on that street, heading to their homes knowing that they had a fulfilling evening of dance and socialisation that they were going to remember in the morning.

I am very blessed to belong to a church that teaches their members to have integrity no matter what their environments. I was able to see how adults my age were able to stand strong and immovable despite constant temptation to the contrary. I learned that distance does not make responsibility and integrity any less important and I respect the YA of the Paris area for teaching me that by their examples. I also learned what it was to live your work. One of salariés (payed employees) at my office was truly loved by the people she worked with because she so completely made it her business to serve them. Nothing was affected in the way she interacted with them, and the people she touched learned they could rely on her warmth and consideration.

It seemed the more I got to know the French, whether they were my peers or colleagues, I came to realized that they are beleaguered by the same everyday problems as me and have the same basic good desires as well. They were accepting of me, not out of tolerance, but as a friend who they could learn from and teach. My hope is that I can mirror this in the way I interact with people of all nationalities, races, and faiths in the future.

A Spoonful of Perfecting the Bisous

I'm sure you're all anxious to figure out what this bisous business is about. Some of you already know. It's the two kisses French people give each other in greeting and parting and for somebody with very high personal bubble senstivity, it wasn't the easiest thing to get used to. Here are some things I've learned about bisous in the last 2 months.

For one, if you're young (under 30 yrs) you'll probably get bisous in greeting and parting from every other younger French person. Mostly applicable for girls. Guys with give other guys bisous sometimes, but more frequently just handshakes or man-hugs like what you see all the time in the states (this was especially the case for the JA).

Secondly, if possible, find an anchor. It could be their shoulder, or just a good non-moving part of their arm. Maybe your bisous is a half-hug as well and you can plant your hand on their back. Wherever you choose, it should help with my next point: cheek-bumping. It happens. Don't stress. If you have an anchor, you should be able to judge speeds and distance better and it won't happen as often, but even if it does happen, there's no need to be embarrassed. Unless you're physically maiming them...

Lastly, you don't actually kiss them. Unless you're a) older, or b) digging them (Note: Letter 'b' was a point told me by some JA and I won't be sharing any personal information either verifying or denying this assertion). The way the French behave in social situations is one of the key differences between them and us. I noticed a lot of the French my age were more touchy-feely (you didn't necessarily have to be dating to hold hands or walk arm-in-arm) but they will rarely ever give you a real kiss on the cheek. The bisous have evolved and it will be interesting to see how their culture continues to change related to this certain custom.

If I had the choice, I would still be giving bisous because I think it gets rid of a lot of awkward tension that can occur when first meeting someone, but it does make you particularly vulnerable (People can get real kisses through it and there's even a name for it "baiser volé", literally "stolen kiss"). Maybe I can institute it with my small circle of friends??? It's totally cool, I promise!

A Spoonful of the Metro: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Like any big city, Paris relies on its forms of public transportation to function. And just like any middle-class Parisienne, I rely on the public transportation to get to and from work every day. It is a delight. I could have done a blog post earlier because I've been taking the métro since the first day, but I wanted to give myself some time to observe and establish patterns.

As the title states, there are the good things about the métro like the fact that it's relatively consistent, relatively fast, and relatively convenient. It's also very amusing sometimes. On the other hand, it can be pretty dirty, it's pretty sketch at night, and it's very possible you will be able to feel your neighbor's heart beat on the commute to work. The Ugly rears its head in some of the biggest stations, like Les Halles or Saint-Lazare, where drug dealing goes down. You never can escape the beggars whose careers consist of going from train to train nearly yelling at times to be heard above the noise of the metro. If they like playing the pity card, they'll bring there children with them.

It's just one of those things that you love and hate at times. And just for you, I've catalogued somethings to look out for when you are on the Paris métro:

The Close-Proximity concert- It doesn't really matter if you like their music or not, it's your music of choice if you forgot your mp3 player at home. You can be consoled in the fact that plenty of people are stuck listening to the same music as you and perhaps are just as disappointed with the DJs lack of originality in choosing music.
The Awkward Public Transportation PDA- I know that PDA is inevitable wherever you go. There's a difference though. When there is at least one other person close enough to hear the sweet nothings you whisper into your lover's ear, you know it's not the right place for PDA. This even goes for friends that attempt a bisous in a packed train. Bisous are all very well and good, but unless you want me to join you in it, I'd prefer if you content yourself with a hand-shake or a nod of the head and polite conversation.
The Door-huggers- So what if there is an open space right behind them. They need to be by the door because they're, you know, busier than everybody else.
The Sympathy Standers- You'll see this one in a relatively full train when people start to crowd the people sitting in the collapsible chairs. The people stop right before there's really a need to stand up, but the person sitting down will stand up anyway. Maybe it's because they don't like being at the level of everybody's rear, or maybe it's because they feel bad that everybody else is standing up. Whatever the case it's funny to see their thoughtfulness...do absolutely nothing for anybody else.
The Comfort-First Passengers- Their comfort that is. Forget if everybody else in their cabin is squished like sardines, the collapsible chairs are meant to be sat in, right? Well, actually no, not when we've got a full load, but you wouldn't have known that unless you read the sign right above the seat.

These are just some of the fabulous things you can expect to see time and again on the métro. So be excited, and remember, most of the aggressions reported as happening on the métro are related to cell phone theft.

A Spoonful of Falling in Love

Maybe some of you, my readers, might be incredulous to discover that I, while walking the streets of Paris, on the bank of the Seine, in the midst of buildings such as Notre Dame and the Louvre, could ever say that I missed Provo and couldn't wait to return. Yet, it's true. Despite the fantastic people I've met and the awesome experiences I've had, I have found myself yearning for the mountains, for the friendly faces of BYU coeds, and for the liberty to drive faster than 40 mph. I could see the value and beauty of Paris, but I wasn't convinced that it was everything it should be. 

Then yesterday happened.

I can now admit that I am in love. With Paris. I love that her litter-lined streets and pee-drenched stairwells are just a mask for some of the most beautiful views you'll ever have in your life. I love that an over-crowded steel monument that only sparkles 2 minutes every hour can make you so excited about life. And I love that you honestly can never get tired of eating a nutella banana crepe. It took a while to get to this point, but I can now say that Paris is really worth the trip. And I think I understand a little better why so many people are in love with this city. 

I'm still not sure I could live here long term, me and Paris still have our differences to work out, but I'm saying it's more of a possibility than before.

A Spoonful of Brussels

This weekend for me was a long one, so what does that mean? Time to do some travelling! I was so close to going to Lille, but at the last moment I switched my ticket to Brussels. By the way have you ever been to an international train station? Or maybe just a regular train station (I wouldn't know because I've never been to one)? Maybe it's just the adventurer in me, but I love it. The huge sign that tells you all the destinations and times is so exciting. And a train station is so much better than an airport because you can see your method of transportation right in front of you. It helps  you realize how real your trip is from the beginning.

Anyway, Brussels. It was cool. I can't say it was super fun or super crazy because going to Brussels was kind of a vacation for me...in which I stayed in a cheap hostel and ate fast food all the time...I just didn't stress too much getting to see all the sites. It was just a time to enjoy not having work and not having to babysit. And Brussels was cool, kind of perfect for that.

Brussels, as the capital of Belgium, has 1 million inhabitants, which is half of Paris, but you feel the difference in the less crowded streets and the overall higher level of cleanliness. Don't give me wrong, Brussels is still a big city like Paris, with street performers, creeps, and overpriced food, but I find that on the whole, you'll find nicer people and better prices. Definitely try some frites with andalouse sauce and a Liège waffle, you won't be disappointed with either. I think the architecture in Brussels is really pretty impressive, even if it is all reconstructed from after the war.

Brussels might also be the easiest mainland metropolitan to get around in without knowing the language. All official buildings and signs are in both French and Dutch, but a lot of companies will even use english in their signs and almost everybody speaks English.

The weather for me was particularly humid on Saturday, but it cooled off a bit for Sunday and was even cooler Monday because of the rain. The first day was slightly miserable because of the humidity, but I still got to see a lot of the city. I just wouldn't recommend walking around on a very humid day with a huge backpack when you only brought one change of clothes. Unless you like wearing sweated-in clothes...it's less-than-desirable to me.

The hostel I stayed in wasn't too bad. It was pretty cheap, which I liked and provided me the 3 things I really needed: a bed, a place to shower, and breakfast. I also got to meet these hilarious British girls that I roomed with the first night. Overall a good experience at the hostel because nothing got stolen and it was at least a few steps from sleeping on the streets. Maybe my standards are a little lower than yours. I loved it though. I could have stayed there longer, but I was running out of money and had work, so maybe next time I'm in Europe (next summer, anyone?).

I would make a list of all the things you NEED to see when you go to Brussels, but I don't really believe in lists like that. Find about the things that interest you in the city and go check those places out. Like the atomium. It's the most visited monument in Brussels, and I'll agree, it looks cool, but it's not that cool. And in the end I didn't want to spend the 8 euro to get into the exhibit, so I didn't, and I left just knowing that I saw it. Kind of a waste of time. On the other hand, when I was wandering in the neighborhood close to my hostel, I found a brasserie with live music, and what's more, a greek band! I wish I knew more greek dancing than I do, because I would have loved to dance along. I still cannot wait until I get to check out Greece. Or spend the whole summer there. That's something to consider...

I realize this is nowhere close to a thorough report of Brussels, but that's okay! Travelling is about exploring, and if you're always relying on what other people tell you is worth seeing, I doubt you'll ever be completely satisfied with your vacation.  You can quote me on that.

A Spoonful of the 13ième

The good thing about the Catholic church having had such a huge influence on European countries in days past? Religious days were made national holidays! Which means that I had Thursday off for Ascension and I will have next Monday off for Pentecost. I can live with that. It's kind of strange that they're still national holidays when of the already diminished Catholic congregation in France, even less are practicing, but the French do love their vacation time, so I guess it's not that surprising.

The first half of my day was just spent figuring out where I wanted to go for the weekend, and I decided on Brussels, but I'll admit I'm a little anxious because I'll be travelling solo and I've never been there before. Luckily I have an adventurous spirit and tend to not be crippled by getting lost. I should be fine. I spent some time in the 13th district because my friend, Agénor took us to a really nice park by his house. Since it was a holiday, the park was pretty packed, but we were still able to have a good time. We started off at this cool pond where I saw one of the performers from the restaurant Chanoinesse. He was just chilling, playing his guitar. I don't have a picture of him, but he looked a lot like the actor who plays Remus Lupin. The pond area had a really cool patio area that gave good shade.

Then we found a hobbit house. (I'm not really sure what it was). And we sat down next to it to have a nice nap.

Notice the rolled-up sleeves. It was hot!

We kept seeing people with ice cream and since it was a hot day we decided we needed to find the point of origin of the ice cream and set off to find it. Turns out, it was by this cool carousel which we wanted to ride but decided against because it seemed like it was just for kids and we're kind of cheap.

Thief!

Then we found these cool statues that were built for just about every ethnicity out of recycled materials. This was all after we considered swimming in the fountain like all the other kids, but we forgot our swimsuits. Tant pis!

Then Agenor showed us the university and they had a pretty sweet set-up but I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of that. There was also a cool theater that had a student discount that I returned to another day to watch X-Men: First Class. I was pretty impressed by the 13th district, it seemed pretty newly renovated and had a good age demographic because of the university students. I wish I had had more time to explore here!

A Spoonful of the Countryside

If you want to get your dose of nature in Provo, and looking at the mountains isn't good enough, you can drive some 15-20 minutes up the canyon and lose almost all signs of human life. Paris isn't quite the same. There are huge parks in Paris-même, but one must drive 45-60 minutes out of the city before you find a simpler life, with big open fields, deep forests, and scattered houses. I got to experience all of these when I went to a baby presentation with my host family. It was the baby of my host mother's son-in-law's brother, Sebastien. It was fun to attend a real French family function and I was able to learn a few things about family tradition.

First of all, if you attend a family function like this, you must greet everybody already there with either a handshake or a bisous (I will talk about the art of a bisous in a later post) and when you leave, you don't necessarily have to say goodbye to everybody, but definitely thank the hosts, and say goodbye to anybody with which you interacted. Not going to a party like this where a baby is being presented can be looked at as disapproval of the child and/or their parents, so be careful to rsvp beforehand. Even if you're not religious, or religiously affiliated, it's pretty normal to have a party like this, to present the child to friends and family. I guess it's the reverse side of a baby shower.

I got to try some neat apéritifs like prunes wrapped in bacon and baked, and they had a never-ending supply of cakes and fruit. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the French countryside is gorgeous. I definitely wouldn't mind owning a cottage out there for vacation time. Especially if it had a straw roof, because that would be awesome. Seriously, I saw a house like that, it was too cool. Okay, maybe a straw roof wouldn't be the best, because you'd have to change it all the time, but if I ever have the money enough to invest in a second home, it's going to be in French countryside.

A Spoonful of Can't Get Enough

I guess I can admit to the world, right here, right now, that I am officially a gourmande. Or in other words, I have a sweet tooth. And being in Paris might be the worst thing for it (or the best, depending on how you look at it) because your self-control and resistance is broken down one. window display. at a time. I really can't get enough which is terrible for my wallet and my figure. My metabolism is going to slow down eventually, and I don't fancy winning a spot on The Biggest Loser. Maybe I'm exagerrating a little bit, maybe I'm not. I guess you'll have to see when I get back.

Now, I'm not pregnant, but if I were, and I could blame all my cravings on it, I would, but then I would also have to tell you that my fake baby might just happen to be a lover of the following two things:
1) Falafel, and
2) Pistacchio-flavored desserts.

I have now had falafel 3 times in the last week, and something pistacchio-flavored 3 times in the last 3 days. I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH. I thought hazelnut was my favorite flavor, but it might have a very solid competitor. And have any of you had falafel? Sooo good! The best is if you can buy it in the Jewish quarter, at l'As de Falafel. You know it's good because it has a long line and the one across the street doesn't, and they give you at least 6 or more things of falafel. Look for it in the 4th arrondissement, a few blocks north of the Hôtel de Ville.

In case you're worrying that my taste for adventurous things has waned, I urge you to reconsider. I'm sure these are just cravings that will be satisfied soon and I will be back to sampling a little bit of everything. Until next time, readers!

A Spoonful of A Night at the Museum

...the Orsay Museum (musée d'Orsay) to be exact.

Orsay Museum from the other side of the seine. Photo by Dittmeyer (Available under a Creative Commons Attributin-NoDerivs license).

Saturday night was the European night of museums where museums allover the European continent opened their doors for free! My friend and I decided to head to this museum because it's one of the best in Paris, and because we can get into the Louvre free any Friday night. It was pretty neat seeing the artworks that I've studied in my Humanties class in real life. They have an amazing collection of Impressionist art from artists such as Manet, Cézanne, Renoir, Monet, and more. It was pretty crowded for a museum, but proof that Paris can be a small world: We ran into Americans we knew there!

My friend, Ariel, and me in front of the museum. We weren't able to take pictures inside, so this is the only picture of the evening I have.

Of all the artwork there, there were 2 that really impressed me, and that's not just because they were found in the Impressionist section. There was one painting of a woman in which her eyes were incredibly realistic and piercing even. I found myself returning to the painting over and over again because of how the poignant the eyes were. Sadly, I don't remember the name of the artwork or the artist, so I can't just say go look "Said artwork" up so you could see yourself. Ah, well, maybe you'll just have to the museum. There was another painting that struck me. Again, it was depicting a woman, but what was so fantastic about this one was the dress she was wearing--it was incredibly realistic looking. The way the artist had done the lighting and the texture made me feel like she could have been in the same room as us, even being stuck in a different era.

We got through most of the museum in the short time we had there, and then when we decided we couldn't look at another piece of artwork, we left and walked across one of the nearest bridges to check out Paris at night because we could. It is definitely beautiful by night. It was also pretty cold, so we didn't stay long. Plus, it was pretty late.

I'm hoping the next time I'm in Paris, I have a visa and I'm under 26, because then I can get into almost all of the museums for FREE! Yeah, I found out all the American exchange students (and missionaries) could get in free to a lot of places I would have to pay anywhere from  8-15 euro to get into. France, and Europe in general, have a great system for youth and I hope I can benefit from it again before I'm too old too!

A Spoonful of Orange Juice or Champage?

When that's the first thing the flight attendants ask you, you know you're in for a good flight. I was expecting 6+ hours of uncomfortable chairs, crowded legroom and below par microwaved meals, and I can't even express how happy I am that wasn't my experience. You see, when AirCanada had to reschedule my flight for the next day, they were forced to place me in business class for the international section of my flight. I didn't find out about this until I was at the check-in desk in Toronto, trying to check in my second piece of luggage, because it hadn't fit the overhead bins on my last flight. A little frazzled and upset at having to pay an extra 50 dollars for my bag, I was more than happy when they announced I was booked in business class, and because of that, they would check my other bag for free. I was still getting over the joy of not having to pay more when I boarded the plane to my own little nook, complete with a fully-reclinable chair, and flight attendants ready to wait on me hand and foot. I almost cried out of happiness, I'm not kidding. Have you ever used a warm wet towel before? They are simply envigorating when you're on a plane for more than 4 hours. You know that scene from The Wedding Singer when Adam Sandler has to book a flight in first class going to Las Vegas and he has to watch the other first class passengers to figure out what to do with it? Yeah, that was me, but with every little luxury they had. It was absolutely foreign...but in a good way.

The meal came in courses, salad and bread, a delicious main dish, cheese, and options for dessert. The little packets they have for each passenger in business class are neat too. They have socks (?), an eyemask, and toothbrush & toothpaste. Honestly, guys, I thought the flight was too short. And I'm considering upgrading to first class for all of my international flights in the future. Okay, maybe I don't have the resources for that kind of luxury, but I can still pray for bad weather before all of my flights, can't I???

A Spoonful of the Middle Class

You may think that being a part of Divine Comedy assures you all that is privilege and luxury. I'm here to dispel that belief. We are solid members of the middle class for now and possibly forever. I mean, we get fed a lot, and yeah, we get noticed, but we get all that at the sacrifice of our time, our semester grades, and sometimes our sanity.

Don't get me wrong, I would never trade the experience of being in Divine Comedy for anything, but I don't want people to get the false idea that we are the upper class at our school, you'd have to see the athletic department for that.

Anyway, we met at the HFAC at 5:30 in the morning before heading to the airport where we split up into two groups, one group to arrive 2 hours earlier than the other. I really wouldn't have minded being in the later-to-arrive group except that we didn't get to the hotel until about 8 after having traversed all of Times Squares with our suitcases. Not too fun. Then besides being hungry, I was just incredibly tired and my allergies had decided to act up so I also felt less than up to exploring. I think I spent my first couple hours in New York sleeping.

This tale probably makes it seem like my first night in New York was terrible and it kind of was, but I did end up getting real New York Pizza. and I think I'm sleeping these allergies out of me. Lots of things to be excited for, but right now I just want to sleep!

A Spoonful of Decisions I Can't Quite Make by Myself

Here's the deal. I'll have basically all my weekends free while I'm in Paris, which means I will have plenty of opportunity to do some travelling to other cities/regions of France. But I'm having a difficult time deciding where to go, because let's face it, there are a lot of amazing places I could go! Then I decided that I wouldn't decide, I would let my informed readers decide. You should be pretty proud because that means I trust your *collective* decision-making abilities!

This is how it'll work, below I have listed 5 options I came up with all on my own, because I don't want you to think I didn't do anything. Place your vote in a comment. But get this, if you have a suggestion you think is better than one of the ones listed, tell me all about it and why I should go in. Write-in candidates will be considered. The place that gets the most votes will be the first visited (though I'm not sure I won't visit more than one of the places). But wait! There's more! If you mention a place in one of the places that I end up visiting, you win! ...something. I haven't figured that part out yet, but it'll be a pretty sweet prize, believe me.

And now for the nominees:

1)Perros-Guirec, Brittany- a beach resort city on the northwest coast of France. Check out some pictures here
2)Strasbourg, Alsace-close to the border of Germany, known for it's mix of French and German cultures
3)Reims, located to the west of France-noted for its cathedral
4)Lille, Nord-Pas de Calais-they have a zoo!
5)La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes-on the coast, connected to a really cool island with a modern bridge, AND there's an aquarium.

Let the voting begin!

A Spoonful of If I Ever Were to Advertise for My Blog, It Would Look Something Like This

I leave soon for New York and not long after I will be in Paris. This post is in warning and anticipation of the days to follow.

Maybe you aren't planning on living your dream this summer, but that's okay, because you can share mine with me! Right here! Join me in my adventures as I traverse the crowded streets of New York City and then Paris. I'll be taking pictures, sharing stories, and just generally keeping you updated on my daily activities. I don't know how often I'll have access to the internet, but I'm going to guess less than now, so first priority will be posting here because it's required for one of my classes.

You may be jealous that you can't be with me eating crêpes and éclairs and walking l'avenue des Champs-Elysées, but I hope maybe reading my blog will inspire you to do what you want to do, whatever it is, and I hope to hear about your awesome summer adventures too!

A Spoonful of the Shirt Off My Back

One of the biggest things I've been noticing as I get older is that life requires sacrifice if you want to progress. That's the general principle, at least. If you wanted to be more specific, being a mother, a good mother, requires a lot of sacrifice. I think people forget that with all the convenience of epidurals, surrogate mothers, and nannies. Yes, all these things are options, and sometimes the only options you have, and I respect that, I really do, but not as a first choice. I feel like the birthing process was divinely designed to require physical sacrifice from the mother because our God knew that such sacrifice would lead to stronger emotional bonds and would set a precedence of sacrifice for the other areas of our roles as mothers.

I didn't really mean to spend this entire blog post speaking of childbirth and what it takes to be a good mom, though it is an interesting discussion, isn't it? I just noticed today that I have this tendency to be super eager to give what I have to others, but only certain others. Particularly others with whom I have no blood connection. When my brother lived with me, I found it incredibly hard to want to give him things or do things for him just because he asked. I begrudgingly got my brother water and shared my baked goods with him. Why is it so easy for me to give to people outside my family, but not to those witin? I think it's definitely something to consider. I hope to be the kind of person that if anybody asked, stranger or family member, for the shirt off my back, I wouldn't hesitate to give it away. This is all figuratively speaking though--I endorse modesty. ;)

I hope you are surviving finals! If you're taking them, of course, and if not, I hope you are enjoying your life!

A Spoonful of Spring!...no, Freedom!...no, Anticipation!

Weather today and yesterday? Amazing.

Things left to do? Finish papers and take finals.

Days left until Paris? 16.

Things are looking up. Somethings I want to do over the summer are:

1) Catch up on reading.
2) Have an old movie marathon.
3) Keep this blog updated with my conquests in NYC and Paris.
4) Eat a lot of French pastries.
5) Learn how to make French meals.
6) Discover some more good music.
7) Make some good music.
8) Go home to AZ.

These aren't unreasonable, are they? Don't think so. Finals week doesn't actually look like death week, just extreme mental and physical pain week. Bring it on.

A Spoonful of Opening Doors

I don't know what it is about me, but I love being able to open doors. And no, this isn't an anti-chivalry rant--feel free to open the door for me whenever, young men. This is an extension of the symbolism of open doors as expanded opportunity.

I thought of this topic as I was walking around the HFAC working. I was inner-commenting on having access to a lot of rooms in the building thanks to my work, when I reflected on gaining access to one more locked door and how much I liked it. It's not like I get much utility out of the specific room that I gained access to, but I do get utility from being able to open that door.

What is it about a newly opened door that excites the pulse and brings a smile to my face? I guess a bit of it is the power that accompanies it, power feels good when it doesn't bring with it concern or worry. It also means I have more options, and I like options. I think the best thing is having doors open that I thought were forever closed to me, like Latin dancing and culture, or like song-writing.

You know what I think? I think there are some doors in your life that you're wishing would open and maybe you've been waiting for a while for them to open to you. And you know what? Sometimes you just need to knock. Heck, sometimes you need to ram the door down. Somethings are that important. I just would be careful with the ram--sometimes there are people on the other side. ;)

A Spoonful of Just About Everything

This week has been awesome in so many ways. Let me count them:

1. Theater: Our performances of Tristan & Yseult was this Thursday and it went so well! Seeing the finished show allowed me the time to reflect on what I've learned from the show. You wan to know what that is?? Of course you do, you're reading my blog.

Have you ever fallen for a broken person? You come to love somebody who tells you beforehand that he has baggage and despite knowing this, you still want to give him all your love, for the small portion he has to give you? If you can relate with any of that, you know how much it sucks. Such is the plight of Whitehands in the play, and her lines, "Some wounds just will not heal, and love's wounds are the deepest. Some wounds just will not heal," mean so much in context. Everybody with a whole heart deserves to be able to give that whole heart and receive one in return.

2. Work: I really like my work and on Friday I got to work Area 3 which basically means I just did a lot of random tasks and I loved it! Plus I got to see Logan Magnusson so that was a bonus. And I won triv-wizia. Oreos are the best selling brand of cookies in the US, deservedly too.

3. Ward Reunion: So I'm not a cool RM who can go to cool mission reunions, but instead, I had a cool ward reunion I went to on Friday. It was at my former Bishop's house, which is beautiful and I got to hang out with some neat, neat people. My brother shouldn't be counted in that number. Jk, jk.

4. Midnight adventures: I had two of these and both were great. Friday night I bought grapes and went to my friend Chris' apartment. He wasn't there, but I was invited in nonetheless and we had a great grape-eating, dating-discussing time. Chris eventually did show up and added to the fun. Saturday night after hanging out with Claire and Brooke, I stopped by Tyler Smith's apartment to say hi. We enjoyed popcorn and awkward conversations. Eventually Xander and Alex came home and Alex invited me to go dancing with him. At midnight. Yeah, I went. I don't regret it at all.

5. Girls' night: We went to Stan's and to see "Beastly" and because of our feminine natures we loved it. Well, liked it. I thought it was good, where it could have been great and a nice piece of art where it could have been a masterpiece. And that was ambiguous.

6. Latin dancing: Bachata anyone? I love latin dancing and I had a great time at Salsa Chocolate last night. I wish I were more Hispanic than I already am, because then, maybe, I would be able to get this hip thing figured out better. I'm somewhere in between a white girl and a latino girl and nowhere near a Polynesian. With time, I'm sure.

7. Latin culture: A hug and a kiss on meeting somebody and when saying goodbye is the norm and I had a very quick introduction to this last night. I met some really neat people and they were all super welcoming, even to somebody as white as me. I really want to go back. Anybody else up for some Latin dancing and culture?

8. Conference: It's already proven to be a spiritually-uplifting and hope-renewing experience for me. Only one sesh left! Better make it count.

9. Interpreting/Translating: Kind of on the same page as Conference, I listened to the Saturday sessions in French which was a great decision because it even more convinced me that interpreting/translating is something I would like to do in the future. I'm even contemplating it for grad school.

10. Social life: Now this is probably the worst and best thing. I love having a social life. I love meeting new people. Yet, an increase in my social life at the most academically crucial time period is probably a terrible idea. What to do?

I don't know if you made it through this entire post, but if you did, kudos to you. I'm hungry. I'm going to go eat.

A Spoonful of Cool...Whip

Okay, you caught me. This blog post isn't about cool whip. Even though that stuff is pret-ty good. I'm here today, folks, to discuss "cool" and how that is one adjective that will never describe me against all my efforts. I think the only thing I've ever really wanted since I was young was to be cool, but it used to be disguised by other words like "popular" or "well-liked" or "pretty". Nowadays I know what cool is and it has nothing to do with how many people know you. It has some what to do with how you look, but it's not really what you're wearing, or how you did your hair, but more how you dress yourself and how you hold yourself.

I know a few people that are really cool. Oh, how I wish I could just emulate them in every way so I could be cool too, but that's not how it works either. If you're anything but yourself, you're not cool. This is probably the hardest for me, because I like to imitate people. Some might call me a parrot. I didn't really think this was a problem until one day in my 10th grade English class, I said "Snap!" right in front of my teacher and she asked me, her words dripping with disdain, "Who are you?? That's so Raven?" I was called out by my English teacher for having quoted a Disney channel character. Caught red-handed too.

So what to do? I think cool is very close to self-actualized. Not all people that are self-actualized are cool, but you're more likely to be cool if you are self-actualized. Is it sad that I came up with the term "self-actualized" from reading the Princess Diaries series? Yeah, me neither. Find truth where it is to be found, right? I definitely am on the road to self-realization, don't know if I reached it yet. And despite popular belief the right answer is not to become a hipster. Hipsters are cool, if they're real, but somehow, I just can't imagine myself being a hipster. I guess I should keep my options open though.

Admit it! You want to be cool too! So tell me: who is your cool mentor? Who do you look to in moments of despair? And if you're already cool, how did you get to that point?

As I learned from Tristan & Yseult: "If you're already [cool], more [cool] just seems to come your way." This may or may not be a correct quotation. Peace, people.

A Spoonful of Not Being a Victim

Sooner or later you have to face a rough patch--a trial or a consequence--that you had absolutely no way to prevent or that you in no way caused. My parents got a divorce. My friend Katie got hit by a driver on drugs. Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan had their lives turned upside down by the earthquake and tsunami that hit just two weeks ago. These things happen and you can't do anything to stop them.

Kind of a sad realization, isn't it? Yes and no. I think it is sad, and we must mourn our losses, but we have reason to hope. Things look up, but only if it starts with our attitude. That's why being a victim isn't an option. Yes, legally and technically we can be made victims, but our actions and our attitude can make us more than that. That's what I'm aiming for. Being a victim means you're helpless, there to be acted upon.

That being said, my internship program was cancelled. The Paris Chamber of Commerce wasn't able to place me anywhere. There are a lot of problems with that, having already bought my airfare and having already planned on not working spring, having told everyone that Paris is my destination this summer. So many problems, so many things to be upset with. I wanted to despair, I wanted to cry about it, but I didn't let myself because I knew that the best thing I could do was be hopeful. And you know what? The next day I found out that I could probably get an internship with a different group. A service internship, but an internship nonetheless, and in Paris. It's not finalized yet, but I'm hopeful. I think it will happen for me. And I basically have a place to stay. Which is better than almost anything. Good things happen when you're hopeful, when you refuse to be a victim.

A Spoonful of A Month Left

I have a little more than a month before I leave for New York and then Paris. Cue the sweaty palms and the deep-breathing. I'm sort of freaking out. Where am I going to stay? What am I going to do be doing? What if they can't find an internship for me? Question, question, question, question. *Sigh*. I'm freaking out just a little bit.

The crazy thing is the internship prep class hasn't really helped the anxiety. I found out on Thursday that some of the people in the same program as me have already heard about where they're going to be interning. This doesn't exactly bode well for me.I can't help but thinking that nobody wants me as an intern. Guh. I just have to wait until the 21st. That's the deadline. That's the day of salvation or of death. Sorry for the drama.

On the other hand, school, divine comedy, and tristan & yseult are going wonderfully. I by that I mean they are wreaking havoc on my life as usual. I did manage a 90% on my last midterm which is great considering I studied for it during the BYU vs. UNM game...yeah. I'm going to give the credit for my good grade to Jimmer, because him owning UNM gave me the adrenaline I needed to perform better. Adrenaline helps! Trust me. (But don't wait until the last minute to take a test...or to study for that test. Just don't do it.)

I need help, serious help to get through these next couple weeks standing. Have hope, old heart.

A Spoonful of Role Reversal

How many times are we told to think about others before ourselves? And how often to we make an honest attempt to do it? I hope the answer to both of those questions aren't too different. It's a good habit to be in to think of the needs of others, one that not too many people have. As I work to improve myself and my desires to help others, I have found that sometimes, in order to help other people we need to help ourselves.

I don't mean that in the sense that you have to have everything figured out to help someone else, because you don't. Nobody has it all figured out. Most everybody has a few key things figured out and then they rely on those to get them through. I'm talking about figuring out what we could use help with. Asking ourselves the question, "What could I get/hear/see today that would make me smile and/or make my burden lighter?"

I'm not saying to write a list out every day of the things that you need, but to just be aware of it. I have found that the easiest way to find what I can do for somebody else is to look at my own list. Plus, I have great friends that are always doing things for me. If I know what I need, when they fulfill one of my needs, I can let them know how much I really do appreciate them for providing me with exactly what I needed.

I like doing things for other people, but I also like not having to think to hard about doing service. I think this is one way to circumvent over-thinking. Oh, and sometimes, when you're having a really 'ugh' day, why not try fulfilling some of your own needs. Maybe it's not ideal, but it might help you get to a better place. Scatter sunshine everyone.

A Spoonful of What You Need

Sometimes you need a little bit of this,



And to know that you have a solid sched for New York.

A Spoonful of What the Junk Just Came out of my Mouth?

Ever have one of those days when you're just completely flabbergasted by the things that come out of your mouth? I present to you two instances, both from today. First, it was Fast and Testimony meeting and I was the third up there, which was great because it allows you to still sound relevant even if you repeat exactly what the first few people said. Anyways, I went and gave a solid testimony but I was hecka nervous and after I'd said exactly what I wanted to say I realized I still had to close my testimony but didn't know how. It was at the moment when I believe I reverted back to my 12-year-old self and closed with: "I know the prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, is a true prophet. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I walked back to my seat completely oblivious to having said Gordon B. Hinckley. WOW. I mean, I know Gordon B. Hinckley was a prophet, but he passed away in 2008. I also know Thomas S. Monson is  a prophet and more appropriately expresses what I wanted to say. Goodness gracious. 

Example #2. Sunday School. Nate Sharp gave a great lesson on seeking the kingdom of God first. At one point, he asked for things that are great and that we desire but that aren't necessary to our salvation. You know what I said? Baked goods. I have no idea where that came from, or why I said it for that matter. Ha, it was slightly ridiculous because I love to bake and think cookies are always good to have. I even offended Drew who has now promised to make me celestial cookies...I'm anxiously awaiting them. It was fun, but again, I could benefit from a filter on my mouth sometimes. 

Good news from the week: My best friend Camille passed the written section of the Foreign Service Exam which I was fully expecting from her, but it's just an amazing thing in general. I got to see Morgan Mathis, who should never have gone to Idaho in the first place. I also got to see Randi! For like an hour, but it was worth it!

Sundays are never really bad days. It's just goodness, more goodness, and a little bit of greatness hitting you right in the face. I love it. And I love you. :)

A Spoonful of βάρβαρος

βάρβαρος. We are all βάρβαρος. What, you ask, does that mean? Barbarous. We are all barbarous.

I learned in my French 340 class (which I think would be more interesting if Professor Hudson taught it every week) that the Italians thought the French language was barbarous because it had been diluted by Gaulish and Germanic influences. It's kind of funny because when you look at the languages of the world today, French is considered "la plus belle langue du monde" by many. And English, well, it's for barbarians.

This post brings two critical things to mind: Babar & Diablo II. Interesting combination, eh? Well Babar, just sounds like barbarous and it's about an elephant king, I think the relation is obvious. And then Diablo II allows you to play as a Barbarian. Our world is so interrelated!

Econ midterm went decently. And I got to walk with Newman from the parking lot to the MB because we got to school at the exact same time, weird, huh? I'm not complaining, but I don't know if I'm making any ground at all. Ah, well, I'm not worried. I have options.

P.S.: I now have another life-size poster of Jimmer to hang up in my room. Thanks grandma, but I don't really have that much wall space.

A Spoonful of Brightening Somebody's Day

Maybe it's vain of me, but I love baking cookies and giving them to people. I love bringing people joy in the form of deliciously baked cookies. I love the look on someone's face when they say, "These are sooo good." I'm trying to figure out if me liking seeing people smile is because somewhere in my lonely heart it makes me feel more loved and appreciated, or because I genuinely like to make people smile. OR maybe I just do it because I have a subconscious notion that this life is just a competition between me and the next person and me baking delectable cookies and giving them away makes me better than everyone else. Okay, maybe that's a gross exaggeration, but it maybe it's completely true. Who knows?

Anyways, I went 100% for visiting teaching this month, even if I did all of it on the last day of the month. It was not an easy feat. Oh, and some adolescent boys stole my cookies. I'm trying to be angry at them, but it's hard because they were funny and they're teenage boys, what else do you expect? I just hope they enjoyed my delicious, delicious cookies.

WARD TALENT SHOW WAS TONIGHT. It actually went way better than I expected. And it wasn't lame at all like some ward talent shows can be. The judges were all really great, I particularly liked one of them for his/her precise, but well timed comments. I didn't completely suck at guitar or singing and I think I made the right choice to go with the French song, even if it's super emo.

I'm working on the Canyon Crest 5. I'm doing pretty well. Is it sad that the hardest one for me is to be neat? It's hard for someone with a creative and scattered brain like me, okay? There's really no good excuse. I'm just a sad, sad, untidy creature. :( But the rest of the challenge is going great. Just great.

A Spoonful of a Winning Day

My joy is full. Besides BYU DOMINATING SDSU 80-67, two of my favorite people in the world got into BYU for fall semester. I also got to go to this fan-freaking-tastic restaurant called Communal for brunch. I did some laundry. I watched a French musical. I celebrated James Perry's birthday at Terra Mia. And now I'm in the library. What a day.

I almost went on a scavenger hunt with my old roommates because they just happened to be in the Talmadge building as I traversed it on the way to the HBLL. AND I totally could have made it work because one of my brother's mission friends was here. It would have worked.

In other news, my friend might be able to room with my old roommate's brother in one of the places he wanted to live for fall. Though all is not good in the world, all in my world is goooood. I just need a guy. On that subject, would any of my more experienced friends mind explaining how one comes from liking somebody to dating them? Because I'm afraid I may have forgotten how that works.

To cap everything off, I got my passport in the mail this week. :))) And my internship prep class starts next week. This is the real deal, guys and gals.

A Spoonful of Not Updating

I have come to the unanimous decision that I can't post-date posts more than a day or two. The principle behind it is this: if I'm always trying to catch up and I have very little time, then I'm just going to get further behind. That's what happened this week. I tried to report on all the goings-on over the weekend and because there was so much and I didn't have the time to communicate it the way I wanted to, I didn't post anything. I don't like not posting. So this is the new standard. Hopefully I'll just update as soon after an important event as possible and so you won't miss out on my wonderfully exciting life. Hayuk hayuk. Go in peace.

A Spoonful of Getting Better

Thursday was a great day. I went to class, I got a haircut, I had my first guitar lesson, I went to Divine Comedy rehearsal, I even had time to make cupcakes and deliver them! I thought I had taken a picture of them, but I must have deleted it accidentally. Just know that they were cute and "heart"felt and that if you didn't get one it was either 1) because you live too far away, 2)you go to bed too early or don't go to BYU or 3)we're not good enough friends yet. #3 can always be changed, and you might want to think about it, especially because being my friend is probably a good investment. Maybe.

Interesting things about Thursday: My hair stylist's was named Twix and was male. I found out my guitar is really, really nice. I presented a sketch at DC that wasn't a total bust. I got to see some of my best friends. I really, really love these people. It's hard to contain it sometimes. I am finding that as I become a better person I am giving love to more people and likewise, when I give more love, I become a better person. It's a great cycle.

Thursday was a solid day, yo. Don't try to argue.

A Spoonful of Wind, Writing, and Wendy's

Today, today was great in the weirdest kinds of way. I finally turned in my 4 tâches that were due last week and my professor didn't have a problem with it. I finished my rough draft of my other French paper and took it to the writing lab. BTW I've missed two lab appointments in the last week and typically after two they don't let you go anymore. :O My mind has just been all over the place that I just forgot, but I sent them an email about it and they erased one of my misses and so as long as I don't miss another one, I'm set for the rest of the semester.

I had a test to take for my French 322 class and I think it went well although I know I missed some of the style questions. Before I went to take the test, I checked out a French-English dictionary from the library, except I forgot to actually check it out before walking through the security check. Wow. My brain was just channeled into getting to the testing center, but guess what? I had to be written up by the officer as attempting to steal a book, in case I exhibit more risky behavior. Oh! And I almost forgot! You know Jack Antonoff? The adorably hipster guy to the right of me in this picture? Yeah, I found his Mormon equivalent sans glasses in the library today. He was wearing black skinny jeans, his grey sweater inside out, and vintage mens boots. Hipster librarians are hot. I kind of wanted to ask him out right then, but he was working, and I had a test to take. Maybe later.

So then I went to Wendy's for dinner. Because I was hungry. And my supervisor at work, Daniel Lyon was there and he bought me dinner, just because! He does this kind of thing often which is pretty awesome, but I think I'm going to make him a cupcake.

The test went pretty well, but when I left the Testing Center it was snowing! And crazy windy! Closest thing to a blizzard I've ever been in. The good thing is I think it's stopped now.

You're probably wondering about the song. Besides being one of my mother's favorite songs, the orchestral version of it was playing when I finished my test. And I decided once more today that Heavenly Father cares a lot about me and what happens in my life. He's watching over me and the events that take place in my life every day are evidence of that. I am so blessed to have great people in my life too. All smiles today, guys and gals. :)

A Spoonful of Environmentalism

I am killing a tree for my French 322 class. A whole tree! or maybe more, who knows? I've printed 16 pages out for it just in the last week and I have to print stuff for it every week of my life. It's a good class to improve my writing, just not the environment. When will we transition to online editing? I know Word '10 has a pretty sweet editing tool and how easy is email these days (especially if you have Gmail)?

Okay, so I'm not an environmentalist, I just dislike having to spend so much to print on campus-7¢ per sheet! If I ever become a professor of anything, I won't require printed essays. Oh, and I might just not have them write essays. I have had to write over 1000 words in French in the last week and it hasn't been fun.

Springhaven, you couldn't be more needed.

A Spoonful of the Unavoidable Valentine's Day Post

I'm writing this post because I have to. It's obligatory. Either you have to write a post about how great your Valentine's Day was, or you have to write about how much it sucked. I am here to tell you that I felt ambivalent. It wasn't too special, but not all that bad. My friends brought me an awesome cupcake brimming to the top with love. That was great. And I got a valentine card from Natacia Snow who is one of the most thoughtful people you will ever meet. I've decided to give love on a day other than Valentine's Day so people will know that I remember to show love to them all the time, not just on the pre-prescribed day.

In other news, I need to get a haircut. I'm taking suggestions for what to do with it and also who I should get to cut it. I figured it would be a good thing to do for my brother's wedding on Saturday. Thanks for being great friends and readers, readers! I love you.

A Spoonful of Hostile Take-Over

I feel like Divine Comedy took over my life last week. Oh, wait, it did. I don't usually complain about show weeks, because it's the most rewarding time of working with Divine Comedy, but this week I just became so strikingly aware of how there is lack of communication. Also, I'm a bit anxious for next season.

We are losing 7 members of DC this semester. Seven! That's almost half of our entire gang. We're going to need either 2 or 3 more girls, and at least 2 more guys plus a new house manager and a new videographer. And then Matt Meese is leaving in December. I thought he wasn't allowed to leave. I know it's months from now but I'm already sad about it. And Mal won't be long after that. I don't know if I'm prepared for the transition, but the good news is we'll still have Elizabeth and George heading us, and they are the best faculty advisors you could ask for.

I've remarked before that I like change. As I'm faced now with big change, with Divine Comedy and other things in my life, I don't know how much I like it. I think I need to channel the enthusiasm of my freshman year to get through this year.

A Spoonful of Lops

Huge rabbits exist, folks. Why don't they teach us this in elementary school? I feel like a huge part of my education was neglected. What else exists that I don't know about?

Do me a favor and do an image search for "giant rabbits." You'll see what I mean. It's crazy. Are we sure R.O.U.S.'s don't exist?

Food for thought.

A Spoonful of Surviving

I'm sorry I haven't had any creative or entertaining posts recently. There probably won't be any until the end of next week because I'm in a serious pickle with school, work, and DC. Over-committing hasn't seen my schedule. So until my genius has the time to return, please enjoy some good music courtesy of Miss Ingrid Michaelson and if you're so inclined, check out this sketch I wrote.

A Spoonful of Records

I just wanted to say that I'm glad there are people in the world that take good records, because I am not one of them. I feel like a loser for not being able to remember a lot of went down in high school. I remember a select few things, bits and pieces here and there, and it just doesn't suffice, you know? I know what I've experienced, but I can't tell you the exact moments that got me to that experience.

I say this because I did some pretty amazing things in high school, tempered with some lame, embarrassing things. I know I won the state doubles championship my junior year, but if you were to ask me about the game I couldn't really tell you much. Maybe you don't believe me, but there's proof (pg. 4, far right.)

I was also a competitive discus and shot put thrower my junior and senior years, but I don't remember many of the meets I participated in. Sad, yeah? But now worries, because there's this website that has them all listed.

I'm not posting all these links to show off how cool I am (though really, I'm pretty awesome, huh? hahaha). I post because I am honestly so grateful for them because they serve to remind me of where exactly I've been. And to think, all this because I thought it would be fun to google my name.

A Spoonful of Genetics

According to Amy's Law of Genetics, I just need to marry somebody a little less good-looking than me and my kids are guaranteed to be pretty attractive. You know it's true.

Now, have you ever seen two attractive people have a child that was...well not as attractive? Or what about the homely couple that end up having a very comely child. It's not some kind of genetic lottery, people. it's genetics, and there's a rule.

2 attractive people = 1 okay child
2 unattractive people = 1 gorgeous child
2 average people = 1 average-looking child

It's that simple! If you want to get complicated it could look something like this

1 attractive person + 1 unattractive person = 1 average-looking child
1 attractive person + 1 average-looking person = 1 little-less-than-average-looking child
1 unattractive person + 1 average-looking person = 1 little-more-than-average-looking child

So how do you figure out how attractive of a person you need to marry in order to secure for your children good looks? Again, simplicity by definition. Just rate yourself by our highly scientific scale.

Rate your looks on a scale from World's Ugliest Dog to Orlando Bloom/Megan Fox. If you are a 1-3 you're unattractive. 4 is a little less than average. You know what 5 is. 6 is a little more than average and 7-10 is attractive.

Now you have all you need to get out there and start producing good-looking babies. I believe in you!

A Spoonful of Starting on the Wrong Foot

Bad form, February, bad form. I know you're bitter about the whole only-having-28-days-when-every-other-month-has-at-least-30, but why do you have to take it out on me? An innocent bystander? And all those poor, poor souls that have to deal with feet of snow. It is a good time to be in Provo vs. the rest of the US. Except for AZ. I could take AZ over UT right now.

Have you ever had 3 really important things happen all on the same night? Next Tuesday not only do I have rehearsal for DC from 7-10 pm, but I have a midterm review from 7-9 pm, and a Relief Society Activity at 7 pm. Where's a time-turner when you need one? The funny thing is that by choice, I would go to the RSA because a cute guy is teaching us flower-arranging, yet I have the obligation to be at DC and a good grade depends on going to the review. Guess who wins?

Oh, and I just realized that I have all three of my French midterms THE EXACT SAME WEEK. Not to mention 2 papers due that week. Wow, February, you sure do know how to pack a good punch for being the smallest month of the year.

Okay, end complaining. My life is great right now. And I'm staying on top of things. And I get to spend time with some of my favorite people this weekend. There is warmth even in times of frigidity.

A Spoonful of Amy's Valentine's Day Card Co.

A bit too wordy, isn't it? I'm not too attached to it, so I will take suggestions. Maybe you're wondering, suggestions for what? and why?

I have decided to start up a Valentine's Day Card company. Today.

I didn't realize I had so much talent, but then the activity for FHE was card-making and putting my creativity to the work, this is what I produced:

             Inscription: Like the chocolate that once filled these colored wrappers, 

my love for you is rich...but my love will last longer.

A masterpiece, no? So I've decided the best outlet for my creative juices is through Valentine's Day cards. I will be taking orders up until the Friday before Valentine's day and will deliver them on Saturday. I'm charging $0.50 for a half-sized card and $1.00 for a whole-sized card like the one pictured above.

Make your valentine feel special with a unique, hand-made card from Amy's Valentine's Day Card Co.!

A Spoonful of Why I'm NOT Taylor Swift

There are several physical aspects that differentiate me and Taylor Swift: the hair, the guitar skills, and the super stardom come to mind. That's not quite what I had in mind though.

I'm not like T-Swift because I like confidentiality. I kind of respect that she has no qualms naming every guy that her songs are about, but that's not me. Plus, most of the guys I know/date aren't terrible enough to deserve bitter posting about them, if one can deserve such a thing (I have actually written a bitter-ish song about a guy, but I don't know if it shall ever grace the halls of this blog.)

I'm starting guitar lessons on Thursday with this guy in my ward that needs money. I like helping people, especially if I get something out of it too. Soon enough I might rival T-Swift's guitar skills. Watch out.

So from now on, I'm using pseudonyms for everybody. Well everybody I deem needs one. Which is perfect because I have a story to relate to explain why maybe I'm a bit too much like Taylor Swift sometimes.

There's this guy in my ward, let's call him Jonathan, who I like. Ella-another girl in the ward--also likes him. Despite knowing this, I went up to him at FHE and began flirting with him in front of her. Catty, huh? The thing is, I'm not even interested in fighting over him, at least I thought I wasn't, but then I went and did that. Gee whiz. Moral of the story is, I can compete now, I guess.

A Spoonful of Never Growing Up

Lest you think I'm changing my mind on the decision to be more mature about my brother's marriage, let me clarify that this is completely unrelated and as a result of having gone to see Peter Pan last night.

Yeah! I went to Peter Pan. I bought the tickets for it on Tuesday and then was kind of kicking myself for it because the tickets were expensive and I had no idea who I wanted to go with. When I was thinking about who I could invite I kept thinking of the same guy--Sullivan for the purposes of this blog. You see, I like spending time with Sullivan and he gives every impression that he enjoys it too, but then if I want to see him or hang out with him again I have to be the one to call. He's not worth that much effort on my part. Anyways, I went with my friend Chris(name unchanged because I'll never have any reason to write bad things about this kid.) I had a great time.

Peter Pan is a great play. Melancholy, but great. It teaches the values of growing up and never growing up. On one hand, there's so much happiness to be found in the responsibilities of growing up. On the other hand, life would be too hard if we acted like adults all the time. My hope is that even as an old woman I will still be young at heart. Open to adventures and silliness. But not at the expense of responsibility. I think you can have both, and that's my goal.