On Grading

HELLO! YOU'RE IN COLLEGE. PLEASE LEARN HOW TO USE AN APOSTROPHE.

This is called life working out.

From April 27th to August 13th, I will be part of a research team studying family life in Seattle, Washington. I am so excited!

Let's talk about what's been going on in just the last five days.
Thursday: I found out I might not have a job as a Human Development TA next semester because there won't be as many sections taught. There are a lot more experienced TAs so I don't anticipate staying on.
Friday: I went to Salt Lake City and saw a Ballet West performance. When I came home, I checked my email and saw that my research methods teacher emailed me. In her email, she asked me to be her TA next semester. Awesome? Yes.
Saturday: I had lunch with George Tree and Adam Jones. I hadn't seen them since my birthday. And then I watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.
Sunday: Great day at church. Wonderful talks, lessons- seriously it was just a good block of meetings. That evening Brenden and I made two dinners: blueberry pancakes and then chicken and rice.
Monday: 9 AM class was cancelled so I got to sleep in. I am now a member of the Flourishing Families Seattle research team. And I got into the Family Adaptation and Resiliency class I wanted for next semester!

And tonight for FHE we're doing an egg drop contest! I'm so excited!

Boo.

This keeps happening. Each time one of the TAs needs a person to fill in for them, I'm technically available. However, I'm not really available because I set aside that hour to catch up on homework I should've already finished. Not only do I get stressed out about not having finished my homework, I also miss out on helping out other people when they need me (plus getting a few extra hours of working in).

Thursday

There is always at least one untidy roommate in an apartment. Last night I realized that that roommate is me. I'm the untidy roommate! As I went to throw something away in the kitchen trash can I realized the bag was full. I proceeded to empty the trash can so I could put a new bag in. I had absolutely no intention of actually taking the trash to the dumpster. All I wanted was a place to throw my empty soda bottle. The process of changing the trash bag was a loud and slightly disturbing one for the girls sitting in the living room watching the traditional chick flick. There was some grunting, a few loud kicks to the trash can and a thud as I fell against the wall after freeing the bag from the can. At this, my roommates sitting on the couch turned around and one commented on what a "sweetie" I was for taking out the trash. I almost replied with "Oh, I'm not taking out the trash; I'm just changing the bags," but I realized there was no way I couldn't take out the trash after being called a "sweetie" under the assumption that I was taking out the trash. Really not my fault at all that she assumed as much, even so I smiled and said thanks, grabbed the trash bag and an empty pizza box and walked out the door.

Today I had my first office hour where I actually helped people. WHOA. Grading should be fun.

I hung out in the JFSB for most of the morning today except for when I broke one of the vending machines and ventured outside to find another vending machine that had muffins. I just realized how sad that is. I mean, the whole fact that I went in search of a vending machine that had muffins. Anyway, I was walking out of the Talmage building and heading towards the JKB because apparently math majors don't like muffins or vending machines that vend them when I walked past this dude named Craig Meister. I didn't recognize him. He recognized me. And that event alone was enough to make my day. People don't remember me. How did this guy remember me when the last time I saw him was over four years ago for a BYU summer program that lasted a little less than a week? He had just gotten back from his mission in Greece. It was really exciting to run into him. (Also: I saw a girl who I hung out with from that same program today as I was running late to a TA meeting who did not seem to show any sign of recognition as we made eye contact. Weird, right?)

Audrey totally freaks out about super cute kids too! That's exciting. We both "awww-ed" at this kid in some commercial just now and it made me really happy to realize that there are people who go just as crazy as I do when they see really cute kids.

OH MY GOODNESS MY ROOMMATES ARE AWESOME. (Not paying a water bill is also awesome. Just a random thought as I listen to my third load of dishes in the dishwasher tonight.) Carly (the one who called me a "sweetie") wants to add a music major. She wants to do jazz vocal stuff which is freaking awesome. I'm really excited because she has agreed to be my jazz concert buddy! Audrey and I are going to a percussion recital in a few weeks! And Sarah has an AC/DC song for her ringtone! Yay for roommates who appreciate music!

Okay. Dinner group went well tonight. WHAT?! I enjoyed it. I met new people and they were nice (again, WHAT?!). I don't know if I'll be able to do it almost every day every week though. We'll see. I like food. I got curry leftovers from yesterday's dinner. It's good.

It's 12:34 in Texas right now. Time for bed.

I NEED TO READ THE GOSPELS AND A BOOK ON JUDAISM. Fun stuff!

(Oh, I think it is worth noting that I am now a proud owner of a lighter. And I did not eat a single chicken sandwich today.)

Hey Look! It's September!

Today was day one of TA madness. I got to school around 8:30 and went to the office in the JSFB to turn in my TA form. The lady explained a million different things at once and handed me a little booklet and said thank you which I assumed meant we were done and it was time for me to leave. I took it and was incredibly grateful to realize that the booklet covered everything that she had quickly tried explaining to me. I still had to get another form filled out before I could officially start working. I went to the Student Employment office to fill that out and they told me I needed my Social Security card, Passport, or Birth Certificate before I could fill it out. Thankfully my mother gave me my Birth Certificate before I left for school this semester because I need to get a Passport sometime soon. I called Audrey, my roommate, who was still at the apartment and she got it for me and brought it when she came to campus. I got back in line at the Student Employment office. This line was way longer than when I had gone earlier in the morning. This line was so long that I was in it for an hour and the people working there set up a movie (Tale of Despereaux, to be exact) for the people in line to watch while they waited. I got it filled out though, just in time to grab lunch with Nielson and then head over to the SFL TA Office so I could do my first office hour of the semester. I met the Head TA, Jessi, whose inbox I've been flooding with questions ever since she sent out the first email to all TAs. She seems really nice and I'm excited to work with her. I met another TA who is also brand new, Hannah from Fort Worth. She and I will be TA-ing for the same lecture. I went to the first lecture today and got to stand in the front at the podium and talk into a microphone to 300 students about myself. I really hope I won't have to do too much of that but I guess it's good to have to step outside my comfort zone every now and then. Still, I'd like to avoid that as much as possible.

I have to get a TB test before I can volunteer at Utah State Hospital. I just arranged that for 9:50 AM on my BIRTHDAY. Why? Because that is the soonest I can have one done and the sooner I get one done, the sooner I can volunteer. I wanted to get one this Friday but I can't because the clinic won't be open on Monday so they wouldn't be able to check it. Booooooo. I want to get everything done as soon as I can so I can get my schedule all worked out. I need to know what I'm doing and when I'm doing it. I'm still in a frenzy trying to figure out my schedule and work out homework time, sleeping time, eating time, working time, etc. Oh, and social time, too. If it fits.

I walked to Chadder's with Sarah, one of my roommates, tonight for a burger and fries. It was good and I really enjoyed just sitting and talking with her. She can get me into rock climbing for free anytime and she even said we could get our whole FHE group to go rock climbing sometime for FHE. She works at Color me mine and she could get us major discounts if we wanted to go there for FHE also. Also for one of Audrey's classes she needs to plan parties (kinda cool, right?) so I'm totally giving her free reign for FHE sometime this semester.

So my official work hours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have an office hour at 12-1 on Tuesday and go to the Human Development lecture at 1:35- 2:50 that day. Then I have a TA meeting on Thursday at 11 and another office hour at 1-2. My Tuesday hours kinda suck because I don't think I'll have time to go to devotional at the Marriott Center and get back in time to work. I'll probably just watch it at the Varsity Theater again this semester.

I decided that I really miss the HFAC. I don't have any classes there this semester and though I didn't have any classes there this whole summer, I still went there a lot with Brenden. I miss sitting on the benches outside and waiting for Brenden to come pick me up after class. So I went there today. I was actually walking through the HFAC to get to the MOA and sit outside there but I stopped and walked out onto the area towards the JKB and ASB and read scriptures there until Audrey came with my stuff for my I-9 form. It was really nice. It was still in the morning around 9ish so it wasn't hot and there weren't a lot of people walking in and out at that entrance. I don't know if I'll make reading there a regular thing though because that increases the likelihood of running into Brenden and I almost feel like that's cheating somehow. .. Yeah, I don't know. I'm weird.

Audrey, Carly (another of my roommates) and I joined a dinner group. !!! I'm feeling very wary of this whole thing just because it's kinda a commitment and I don't really like commitments on top of other commitments. Plus I'll have to provide dinner for people. Which means I'll have to cook and other people will have to eat it. Eleven other people to be exact. AND it's Monday- Thursday. Am I psycho? I want to be more social. Is this a good way to do it? I really hope this doesn't end up being insanely stressful or crappy or anything. I at least know three people in it- Audrey, Carly, and Darrell (the dude that invited us to do it). Oh man, I hope this doesn't suck. Haha

hello.

sickness.

library

you know you work in a library when a coworker compliments your book cart.
and she's serious.