Random Points of Fact

I've got a lot of stuff to say, and no common thread between subjects, so I'm just lumping it all together.
First off, I'm going to rescind my promise of never swiping photos from the web to post. I mean, I just have to have a photo of a squirrel that's eating pizza with this post, and I just don't think I'd catch that photo opp. any time soon. So with that, here's the rest of the post.

Pet Peeve: A dish-towel in the kitchen is used for drying things like clean hands or clean dishes. It really bothers me when people use it to wipe up spills! You don’t wipe up tuna-fish juice and spaghetti sauce with the towel you dry your hands and dishes on! Apparently, some kids never learned the difference between a “wash-rag” and a “dish towel”. This astounds me.

Great news! I applied to be part of the choir that will sing in the priesthood session of general conference, and I found out today that I was accepted! So if you’re going to the priesthood session, look for me in the choir! I’m stoked!

I have a new phone. I signed a new contract with Verizon and got a new phone. It has video capabilities. So send on those video messages! I still use my old phone as an address book and alarm clock. After 2 years of waking up to the “Bubble Toes” ring-tone by Jack Johnson, I’m not about to change.

I saw a squirrel eating a slice of pizza on my walk home from school two days ago. As I’m allergic to milk products, I can’t have cheese. And though the pizza was probably found on the ground or in a garbage can, I still envied the little guy –he can eat pizza, and I can’t.

Thanks, Cat

My aunt Cat sent sent this picture on to me. I love it! I was lucky enough to know my great grandparents, Alice and Deb Hansen (Nunna and Pumpa). The lives they lived are an inspiration to all their descendants.

Mmmmm -Tastes Like....

Every so often, I get a craving for this dish. My Mom used to make it for us when I was a kid. OK, so my version doesn't have bell-peppers (college budget) or Mom's special touch, but golly does it ever hit the spot! It takes me home, in a small way. Here's how I do it:
Take 3 to 4 slices of bacon -cut them into small strips, then start them frying. Add about half of a small onion, diced. Saute the onion with the bacon (this part is almost as good as the eating part. It smells so good!). After the bacon is as crispy as you like it and the onions as soft as you like them, add 2 or so cans of pork n' beans and some crushed pineapple, however much you want. Don't forget to drain the liquid off the beans and pineapple before adding, or it'll be all soupy. Let it simmer (down now) for a bit, then it's ready to serve. With my Mom's, I think the only difference is that you add diced bell pepper in to saute with the onions.
This picture is the first one I've posted that was taken with my NEW camera. Pretty dang exciting, huh? Well, now that I've had a wonderful lunch/dinner, I should probably tackle some homework. Ironic how when you attach work to home it becomes negative. The work part of the word must be carrying some extra electrons. I'll end here before the homework mixes with the blog and leaves an awful taste in your mouth.

Tonight! Tonight! It's Comin' Tonight!

Well, more like this afternoon. FedEx should be bringing it by! I won it! A replacement camera. I just love the fact that I won't be feeding Walmart's gluttonous greediness by buying one from them.
And with the dawning of a new day in camera ownership, I make a promise; all of my posts and my background picture shall be my own work -not photos snatched up from the web. (The background photo is my own work, FYI)
And just as I typed that last bit, MY MAJOR AWARD KNOCKED AT THE DOOR! YAY!

A Day in the Life

Here's a run-down of how my day went yesterday.
I woke up at 7am to get ready for my Chemistry class. I got the daily question right! After Chemistry, I went to my Oceanography class and aced my quiz. (2 questions, but still. WOO HOO!)
After class, I went home and studied for my rock and mineral quiz for my Geology 111 Lab (what a joke -it's like repeating kindergarten after you've already finished 3rd grade).
I went and took the quiz, fairly confident that I can expect a 100% score once they're graded.
By this time, I was starting to feel the effects of only getting 4 and a half hours of sleep (I have a good reason -there was a program about sharks on the History Channel that just had me on the edge of my seat!). But I still wanted to make the most of the good weather, so I walked to the Broulim's (the grocery store) and grabbed a few things (they had browny mixes on sale -I bought 2!)
I came home, made a sandwich, whipped up a batch of brownies, took a nap, then woke up to conquer some of my homework. Our Family Home Evening group didn't meet tonight (thank goodness -I hate having "fake-family" night), so I decided to go to the fitness center -NOT a good idea.
I walked into the locker-room only to notice that the line to get work-out clothes was about 16 people long. When I got to the main-floor, I realized that every single piece of fitness equipment was being used, and there was a line of about 4 people waiting their turn. And it's a HUGE fitness center! It accomodates well over 100 people in that room alone! I think everyone is giving their all in an effort to keep their New Year's resolutions.
So after a 10-minute wait, I got my turn at the treadmill. So I had a good run, and went back to wait in line to get my locker key, then again to turn in my clothes.
That's about it -a day in the life of me. Now what am I gonna do until bed-time? I wonder if there's anything interesting on the History channel....

I've Come to Grips With it...

I'm realizing something that I'm reluctant to admit. Deep down, I am a nerd. No matter how incredibly "cool" I think I am, I can never change the fact that I have a passion for science. I attend my morning chemistry class brimming with anticipation, wondering what new conversion process we'll apply with balanced chemical equations. I am thrilled when I see the 100 level geology students in the lab studying their mineral samples and I have time to go in and get involved. I also have a passion for classic literature and love it when I can discuss it with people who share that passion.

So I'm a nerd -so what? I have a positive outlook. Here's why: I am determined to balance out my nerdy enthusiasm with good qualities. I will be a well-rounded, pleasant, enjoyable, good-humored, physically-fit, hygienic nerd. And I swear that I will never wear a pocket-protector (those are for engineers).
My nerd tendencies make the show "Big Bang Theory" all the more enjoyable and make the world a vastly interesting place.

So, while all the superficial air-heads struggle through their college courses on their way to fighting boredom for the rest of their lives, I'll be frolicking in the giant museum called earth, taking breaks at intervals to tackle a piece of classic literature. The world will never be boring!

A list of 25

There is something happening on facebook -everybody is writing a note with 25 random facts about themselves. After a bit, I tanked. Here's the out-come:

It seems like almost everyone I know has followed suit and posted a list of 25 random facts and tagged friends who they'd like to see make a list as well.
I toyed with the idea of just putting my shopping list on here: eggs, crackers, orange juice, ....
But that seemed like a bit of a cop-out.

OK, GO! (love that band)

1) I have a habit of folding wrappers (candy wrappers, chip bags, etc.) into a long strip and tying it into a knot before throwing it away. I don't do it every time, just most of the time. I wonder if that is diagnosable as some kind of disorder...

2) I found out that I have a new pet-peeve. I can't stand the OCD channel-flippers. Somebody has command of the remote control, and they flip to a show for 2 minutes; just enough time to get your interest peaked, then change the channel and repeat the cycle. I guess I never knew anybody who did this ---'til recently. AND IT DRIVES ME MAD!

3) I really like orange marmalade -I've always got some in my cupboard. So if you're ever on a scavenger hunt....

4) One time on my blog, I wrote a list of "100 facts about me". This 25 is a piece of cake!

5) I love the All-American Rejects and I want their new album. I think most of you know already, but I love Jack Johnson. I have all his albums. Even some obscure ones that aren't his mainstream popular stuff.

6) I want to go back to Canada really really bad. (I'M SO CLOSE!)

7) I'm really enthusiastic about geology. I don't understand the general public opinion that it's boring. I study what made the earth, the mountains, how volcanoes work, what made mountains and continents, dinosaurs, the list goes on. Where was the boring part?

8) I periodically buzz my head, just because. (My hair grows super fast. It's been a week since I buzzed it, and it's nearly back to what it was ...almost)

9) I think that photos are probably one of my most valued possesions.

10) I love to travel.

11) The University is accepting applications for a men's choir to sing in the priesthood session of General Conference. I applied. (fingers crossed)

12) I'm a little peeved at the Brits for banning apostrophes from their road signs. And they say their English is proper? Pish posh.

13) If I had more leisure time right now, I would spend it reading classic literature.

14) I love the TV show Prison Break. I also really like 24 and LOST, but Prison Break tops them all. I'm not current with any of them but LOST. I usually wait for the seasons to come to DVD so I don't have to suffer through commercials and week-long waits. I'm getting a little burnt out on LOST though. I think it happened when they started time-warping and confusing me. I'm wanting to try watching Heroes. I've heard enough good things about it that it might be worth looking into.

15) I lost my favorite pair of aviator sunglasses (again). If you know where they're at, please tell me! This is the third time I've lost them, and probably the final. You never know though -they came back twice!

16) TV shows I hate with a passion: Family Guy, Adult Swim, King of the Hill. There are a lot of others that I don't like and won't watch, but these three are just plain garbage.

17) When I'm in a swimming pool, I can squirt water out of my hand higher than anyone I've ever met. Talk about a special talent, I've really been blessed!

18) I didn't like the ShamWOW commercial guy at first -then I started to think he was funny. Now he's doing the SlapChop commercial, and now I think he's hilarious!

19) My favorite character on Napolean Dynamite is Uncle Rico.

20) I absolutely LOVE Nacho Libre. I didn't think much of it the first time, and even fell asleep. But not anymore. I like it. My favorite character is "Esqueleto" (Steven) despite his freaky smile.

21) Call me old fashioned, but I still use CDs all the time.

22) I'm fascinated with the ocean. I want to live on the coast someday. (Some beach, somewhere)

23) I don't care how silly it is, I really really like the movie She's the Man. I could watch it once or twice a week and not get sick of it.

24) I've tried Soy ice-cream and it's surprisingly good.

25) Random quote: (I said this, not meaning it to sound ego-centric, about the amount of friends I have on facebook) "I have so many friends, it's ridiculous." It came out sounding pretty stuck-up, but Caitlin laughed.

I Did Some Fixin'

(WARNING: this post provokes critical thinking)
I was fixin' to do it, and I did.
(Does that remind anyone of Danny Hutchens???)
Look at the photo below of the John Bushman home in Joseph City. Let's test your memories. I went and made some changes to the photo I had originally posted, and uploaded the new one. Can you spot what's different?
I just used the "Paint" program that comes standard on any PC.
I just know the right tricks.
The first one to point out the difference wins!
(I don't know what you win -maybe I'll have my sister deliver you a plate of cookies. And if enough of you git it right all at once, well then she'll be handin' 'em out like M&Ms.)
Oh, and Mr. Hutchens, you rock.

A New Month, A New Post

I realize that the photo may have nothing to do with the post, but I would much rather have a picture to post than none.
It's a new month, and I really have nothing significant to post, I just feel like blogging -so there ya go.
The last few weeks have given me the sampler's platter of Rexburg's winter weather. Our coldest low during the day was -18 degrees with the wind chill making it -30.
It reminds me so much of being in Canada. I'm glad I don't have to go out tracting in this weather! Somebody built a big igloo on the football field. Not many schools can boast about that.
I'm missing my family right now -especially my nieces and nephew and little cousins, even despite their parents assurance that they're more fussy than fun.
I would've liked to spent Super Bowl Sunday with them watching the Cardinals fight for a win. I am wishing that I could be in Joseph City for Founder's Day weekend, and to see the High School's production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
This semester, the course-work is a lot less difficult, and the roommate situation a lot less fun (not any major challenges, but nothing could compare to the fun we had last semester). We got new FHE groups for the semester, and our new Mom is really enthusiastic about us all being really involved, and for some reason I have lost all enthusiasm for the program. I want to have FHE with my family, not a group of freshman harpies and the guys I live with. It's sort of lame. I guess I'm used to EAC's method of letting us sign up for the group we want to be in. (Such luxuries -I was spoiled) I am really enjoying school right now. My courses this semester cover really intruiging topics, and that's what I thrive on.
So there it is -my nothing much to say for today.