Thursday, July 17, 2008

At Last

The day we knew would come at last,
at last, has come.

I have leased an apartment in Rexburg for the next 3 semesters. My financial aid award was posted, and according to my advisor, I'm "in good shape" financially. I might not need my student loans with scholarships and a SMART grant (whatever that is).

And today, I recieved an email of the details of the 5-day field-trip I'll be taking before school starts. We'll be camping, looking at Geologic structures throughout Wyoming (Yellowstone!) and Eastern Idaho, stopping to visit the Willie Handcart Company Monument, and swimming in some of the greatest reservoirs on the continent. They included a list of the things I need to pack, and it reminds me of scout camp. I have to say, I'm getting really excited about it all.

I also recieved about 20 pages of things I need to know before going on the trip. Needless to say, I am back in study mode. I'm staring at page after page of symbols and abbreviations I'll need to read some of the maps geologists use. I get to memorize the Geologic time-scale IN ITS ENTIRETY (names, dates, etc). This is by far the most daunting of all the tasks. I'm sure I won't need to know it all perfectly, but we will be tested on it on the first day of the trip.

And this section, is for Alicia:
I can't wait to watch The Ghost and Mr. Chicken with you.
Here's a quote:
"CALM?!!! You want me to be CALM?!!! Do CALM and MURDER go TOGETHER?!!! MURDER and CALM?!!! MURDER?!!!"
It's a classic. I know you'll love it.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

The Next Twenty

It's high time to carry on with "the List".

61) I hate the sheep that Serta uses to promote their mattresses. They creep me out almost as much as they annoy me: those wide-open eyes, staring at you, peering into your soul, never looking away.

62) I don't understand how anyone can like peanut butter on crackers. Combining two of the most thirst-inciting ingredients into one snack should be against some sort of law. I remember when I was younger, if my snack crackers were the peanut butter kind, I'd scrape the peanut butter off into the trash and just eat the cracker.

63) I hate the whole concept of Ronald McDonald; and not just because I hate clowns.

64) Whoever created the Burger King "King" mascot should be locked away for crimes against humanity. That thing is just scary and wrong.

65) I have a lot of negative opinions, but I still maintain that I'm an optomist.

66) I never thought I'd see the day when CDs became "old-school".

67) I have a compilation of short stories that I've written and keep revising. There's one in particular that I really like, and I keep getting new ideas for, and I'd like to finish it someday.

68) I think Arby's has gotten way too expensive, but why do I still like it? There's something in that sauce...

69) I think Hollister stores could use a bit more light, and a bit less volume.

70) I love The Sound of Music and Oklahoma, and I'm not ashamed of the fact.

71) Someday I would like to restore my car to its original glorified state.

72) I hate it when people nag me. There's a difference between reminding and nagging. Since when did treating someone like a juvenile become an effective means of prompting them to action?

73) I love the movie Amazing Grace and like it more every time I watch it, and I didn't even like the song Amazing Grace, but I do now.

74) I'm looking forward to not having a car for the next few years.

75) I'm not a picky eater -some would say I have "an experimental palate".

76) I still love coloring books and crayins occasionally.
77) I LOVE doing jigsaw puzzles.
78) I hate being set-up with somebody. Seriously, I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather use my own judgement when it comes to dating. Some of the choices people throw out there baffle me. Do they even know me, setting me up with some of these girls?

79) I'm really not afraid of death -I don't know why. I want to delay it as long as possible, but it doesn't worry me or scare me. I don't like pain, so I guess you could say I'm afraid to die a painful death. All this coming from someone who has never experienced death personally.
80) I like Michael Buble more than Josh Groban, it used to be the other way around, but that's before I really knew Michael's music.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

A Picture for my Sister

Alicia, here it is in all its download-able glory.

Two Posts in One Day?


Why not? The picture above is my attempt of a summer-time jack-o-lantern. It worked pretty well! The coolest thing about it, you get to eat the guts!
Alicia "tagged" me.

Who came up with calling it tagging? I've heard it used for a childhood game, gift-wrapping, and ear identification for cattle, but dishing out demands like, "Fill this out, post it and send it back to me or you'll have 7 years of bad luck", is that really tagging? OK. Well, I'm gonna fill it out just in case. Heaven only knows, the last thing I need is seven years of bad luck.

I am: a boy
I know: more Canadians than you'll probably ever meet
I want: to be remembered as the one who didn't tag back
I have: no comment for the press at this time
I wish: taxes weren't such a pain to file. If they want our money so badly, you'd think they'd make the process of giving it to them a little easier.
I hate: people who love arguing. O how they vex me. And clowns. I hate them
I miss: Jana, Canada, and my friend Devin
I fear: angry women
I feel: with my fingers
I hear: with my ears
I smell: with my nose
I crave: with my tummy
I search: with google
I wonder: why iPod didn't make it onto this list.
I regret: having started to fill this out. Can I quit now?
I love: rainy days
I care: nothing for the prospect of lots of money
I always: quote movies. So sorry
I am not: done yet? DANG IT!
I believe: I'm thirsty
I dance: rarely.
I sing: bass
I don’t always: floss as much as I should
I fight: stupidity, but I think I'm losing
I write: blog entries when I feel like it
I lose: more sunglasses than any other item
I win: at games
I never: want to play golf -ever. Seems like a sad waste of the later years
I listen: to my Granny's dating propositions and laugh
I am scared: of being stepped on by an elephant
I need: vitamins to keep me healthy and fight free-radicals. No, it's true.
I am happy about: my plans
I tag: NOBODY! I am officially ending the curse at this point.

A Day with my Girls

It started out as an awesome day: no work, nice weather, and Alicia came to town and brought Julianne and Lacy with her.
We went to lunch at Cracker Barrel, then spent some time shopping. I got to hold Lacy a lot. She's getting to be so fun. My favorite of all her attempted pronunciations is "Moy" (it means, "more").

I had my camera, so I'll let the pictures say the rest:




Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Progress

I feel I may be near the end of my preparations with the transfer to BYU Idaho. I still have to get an apartment contract worked out, but I need to get some financial aid info before I go signing a contract to dish out money.
One of the Geology instructors got the seat limit raised for some of my Geology classes so I can register for them. I'm sure there will be a few hitches and glitches before I get my schedule completely finalized, but now I have 12 credits, and that's a good start.
I somehow feel I'm knocking out a huge chunk of my required Geology courses in this first Semester, but it's what they recommend I do, so I'll take their word for it.
I'm taking Trigonometry as well, sounds daunting, but I did fairly well with Trig at EAC, so I'm not too entirely worried.
I found out that one of my Geology courses involves a 5 day field trip which starts the week before school starts, so that's going to prove challenging, but I'm also really excited. The curious bit in me thrills at the thought of 5 days with a University instructor on a Geology field trip. Don't laugh.
And now, I must away to bed -for it is already tomorrow.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Unexpected Surprises


They let me leave work an hour and a half early today -maybe I have some benefits as a part-time employee after all.

So here I am with the rest of a beautifully cloudy Saturday, the perfect oppurtinity to do some blogging.

I'll continue on with my list:

41) I love doing laundry. The fresh smells, the gentle sounds of the machines (though I can't stand a dryer with the buzz alarm), the clothes come out fresh, clean, warm, and smelling nice.
It's the folding I can't stand. That's why I use hangers for most of my clothes.
42) I hate electronics beeping at me. That's why I wake up to a song from my phone's ringtones every morning. Whoever thought of making an annoying machine that buzzes until you wake up? That's a terrible way to start the day. But I guess some sound sleepers really need it.

43) I lost my wallet in October, and had to replace everything: the wallet itself, new driver's license, new debit card, new temple recommend. Then last week, I got a letter from the Flagstaff Police Department last week saying they'd found it! I have to make an appoinment with their evidence claims people and go get it from them. I wonder what's left in it, how, when, and where they got it from.

44) I confess, the playlist on my blog is music I like -sort of selfish of me, since the blog is written for others to read. If you don't like the music, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and push the pause button on the player. But I guess people do get more of a sense of my personality by seeing my taste in music.

45) I love rainy days. Sometimes I wish I lived in Oregon or Washington where it rained all the time.

46) My favorite colors are blue, gray, black, and green -in that order.

47) I was in clogging with a bunch of guys my age when I was a kid.

48) Even though I'm a Geology Major, I'm not a rock nut. I sat in a lecture at NAU in the Geology building, and listened to the other geology majors, brimming with joy, telling everyone about the Halite crystals they'd found.
The things that interest me are the questions behind the rocks. I am fascinated by the earth forces and seeing them at work. I get excited over the rocks that help answer the questions. They're all pieces of an immense puzzle. One piece doesn't thrill me much at all. Seeing the picture come together does.

49) I really want to get one of those little Vespa scooters. They look like fun, and seem practical in our economic condition, and I bet chicks would dig it.

50) I hate interrupting waitresses/waiters. I like them to be attentive, but come on -if I need something, I'll probably tell you when you come to ask how everything is the first time. I can't stand the every five minutes, just like clockwork "You guys still doing OK?" How is a person supposed to carry on any sort of dinner conversation? Seriously, I will tip less for going overboard with it.

51) I grew to really love the climate in southern Arizona, especially Thatcher. It cools off just enough at night. It's perfect.

52) Living in Flagstaff, I get bad nosebleeds probably twice a month.

53) I can't stand the movie JUNO.

54) I hate the Simpsons. I admit that there's some great humor tucked in behind all the crud. I'm not going to eat a moldy blueberry muffin just because the blueberries are still good.

55) I don't understand the allure of anime.

56) I don't want my kids to play video games. I think once they're 14 or so, I'll let them choose. But gaming is habit-forming, expensive, and a waste of good years. I don't want them missing out on riding bikes, the fun of a trampoline, swimming, hiking, slip n' slides, reading, all that fun stuff all kids should do.

57) I remember the amazing adventures my brothers and I had when we were kids. We would save up our change, ride our bikes out to the Jack-Rabbit Trading Post, buy all sorts of dumb trinkets, have some of their amazing "Ice-Cold Cherry Cider" and ride home. Quite a ride on those little kid bikes. We'd take fishing trips out to Cholla Lake (yeah, it was still open back then). It was tricky trying to hold your little tackle box and a fishing pole while riding a bike. Then the big semi-trucks heading out to the Power Plant would come by, and we'd be scared they'd run us off the narrow shoulder of the road. Those were amazing days. Our bikes took us everywhere back then: the school, the shop, to grandma's to mow lawns. I think J.C. got us to embark on more fishing adventures than we ever would've thought to try on our own. There's the Smith Pond down by the cemetary that was totally off-limits, but we found our way in, and knew we were going to catch the big one that lurked there. All we caught was a scolding when they found us there. What was so wrong with us fishing there? Maybe they were worried about somebody drowning. I miss the summer nights when Mike and I would sleep out on the trampoline and look at the stars forever.

58) I still get the urge to go play in the mud at the Pioneer Dam.

59) J.C. and I used to have contests with who could kill the most rabbits and birds with our BB-Guns.

60) I think the song "Before He Cheats" is the most asinine and ignorant of all the songs I've ever heard: Oh, she's a tough girl, what with the Louisville slugger and all. She's a real woman -she ruined her boyfriend's truck, and she did it all by herself. Yes, that's the surest way to get the guy to be faithful. It's supposed to be one of those huge women-empowerment ballads. Is this the skewed idea of real womanhood in our time? That song irks me so bad every time I hear it. Ooh, she's bad. She can throw a big fit and ruin things. If I knew a girl like that, I'd tell every guy I knew to steer clear. "Yeah, she's cute, but she's a mental-case. She went all psycho and wrecked Larry's truck." How did it make it to the top of the charts? People are dumb.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Leaving it all Behind



I'm saying goodbye. My aunt Trina told me I should just tell them, "Take this JOB and SHOVE IT!!!"

So tempting.

But, for the sake of maintaining dignity, I'll stick with the traditional 2-weeks' notice and leave on good terms. For the most part, I've enjoyed the job. Heaven knows my blog is all the richer for it. My last day will be Friday the 18th.

There are a few things I'm not sad to leave. I felt sort of manipulated. I was always told I was one of their best cashiers. They worked me a lot -depended on me, and expected real commitment from me. I was their top candidate for a promotion to COS (check-out supervisor). And yet, I was never rewarded. I requested to be moved to full-time, and what happened? Nothing. I still worked 38 to 39 hours a week, and went without benefits. Yesterday my supervisor called me at 6:30am and asked if I could come in 2 hours early for her. I should've requested benefits. Instead, once I got to work, I layed my verbal "I'm quitting" notice on her. She just stared at me silently for about 20 awkward seconds.

I'm sure she'll recover once she's found someone else to use shamelessly.

And so today, this Independence Day, I feel my freedom with added vigor. I stood up and told them what I was going to do, and there was nothing they could do but stare in silence.

Sorry, suckas. You had it coming.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

As Requested

My sister keeps me posting on my blog -and I'm not talking about Julianne. I guess it's time to continue on with my list of all about me stuff. Where was I? Oh yes, #21.


21) I love playing classical music on the piano. Not the impossible pieces like Rachmaninoff, but some of the simpler good stuff. I played Schubert's Serenade last night, both the top and bottom hands together, for the first time. What an awesome piece of music. I attribute all my musical inclinations (and any talent I may have) to my Grandpa Hansen. I think I inherited that.


22) My roommate is one of those violent sudden-sneeze people. Never a warning, just all of a sudden, a loud explosive sound with full voice behind it. And it happens several times a day. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep, almost out, the sneeze happened. That gave me an adrenaline jump-start, and I was wide-awake again.


23) Another pet-peeve: a microwave left with time unused on the display. Somebody uses the machine, pulls their stuff out before time is up, and walks away. I guess I never have that problem because I usually know exactly how long I want to cook the food for, and it stays in there the whole time. I guess I'm just going to have to accept the fact that the "clear" button was made for a purpose.


24) When I was really young, my dad used to jokingly scare me by acting like the big bad wolf. When I was in the bathtub, he'd reach in, switch the light off, and then whisper through the door in his big bad wolf voice. I used to have terrible nightmares about being chased by wolves, and I still don't like them.


25) I am not a talker in the morning. Something has to get me going, get my mouth loosened.


26) There's a cashier at work who just started, and yesterday I was on the register next to her. She's very odd, very annoying, and a complete nuisance. Any spare moment she had, she'd step over to my side and tell me things like, "Know what I want to invent? A car alarm that shocks people when they touch your car. It could have a voice that like, gives 'em a warning. THIS CAR HAS A SHOCKING CAR ALARM. DON'T TOUCH IT OR YOU WILL BE ELECTROCUTED! I think it would be fun watching people touch it and get the crap shocked out of them!" All day long, she would do this. I was totally unresponsive, wishing I was with somebody else. When I wasn't really talking back to her, she asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"I just want to do my work without you bothering me all the time."
After 8 hours of that, I came home in a terrible mood.
She has long, dark hair, and her name is Jessica. If you're ever at Sam's, avoid her line. Or go through it to see what I'm talking about.


26) I really want to travel. I especially want to go on a European tour. Maybe my Geology studies will take me there someday.


27) I love General Conference. I've seen it live 3 times. I used to get more excited for Christmas than anything else, but now it's Conference, and it comes twice a year. I cherish the Conference Report Ensigns. I should take more time to study them.


28) I hate the smell of coffee, but like the smell of coffee beans.


29) Last time my roommate Preston went home, he came back with a bag of old puppets his grandma had made. We put on a condensed-version puppet show of the Princess Bride. He was the puppet-master, and I played the music on my keyboard. The neighbor girls loved it.


30) I love nice people. I have scores of people come through my check-out line all day. I really love nice people.


31) I wish I had more time to read.

32) I love Joseph City.

33) I love Thatcher almost as much.

34) I love getting packages in the mail.

35) I love my nieces. They've introduced me to a whole new level of happiness.

36) I've kissed Lacy more times than any other girl.

37) I want to go live in a Spanish speaking country for a few months to immerse myself in, and hopefully learn the language.

38) I'm descended from Dairy farmers, and I am allergic to milk. I wasn't always, but I know I am now. Goodbye ice-cream and cheese. I'm learning to love soy. I think maybe the Lord helped me out with the diet thing. Ice cream, cheesecake, they don't even sound good to me.

39) I love breakfast foods, especially at dinner time.

40) I wish I lived on a beach, just to see more of the ocean. 'Cuz there's no ocean-front property in Arizona, by George.

That's the second batch. I hope that can satiate you until I feel the urge to write the next twenty.