2000-2009: A Decade in Review #31

Last post of my decade in review! This has been a fun project and I've put a lot of thought into these segments of my life. Thanks for reading!

When: April 2009- ?
Where: Washington DC

The last major thing that has happened to me in this decade is joining the work force. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions. For my last post I wanted to recap some of the craziest things that have happened at work.

• The boss catching me eating cheetos, orange fingers and all
• The boss catching me talking to myself...about him
• Responding to news my boss gave me with, "YESSSSSS!" and the arm pump
• Struggling through meetings with the Trapeze School right at my eye level
• Throwing away the Deputy Director's lunch and getting RAILED on and going next door to the library and crying my eyes out
• Being reminded DAILY that I am a contractor...got it, thanks.
• Being promoted without really being promoted

• and today's newest embarrassing story with the boss... I was in the mailroom standing on a stool so I was kind of high in the air and I was delivering mail into mail slots. I was right by the entrance to the door. I was wearing skinny jeans, boots, and a sweater, not really appropriate for work, but there's hardly anyone here and it's a holiday so oh well. And, silly me, was humming "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Why? I don't know and I wish I hadn't been. My boss pops his head in right by me and had to have heard my humming and I was smiling too. I don't know why, I guess I was just in a good mood. And he startled me and I kind of jumped but my reaction translated into, "HIIII!!!" Like I was so happy to see him with a huge smile on my face. I'M SO WEIRD!!! 

 I'm sure I will continue to have crazy things happen and I'll keep you all updated.

2000-2009 has been an amazing decade in my life. Ages 16-26 have brought tons of changes and a lot of growing up. Some things have stayed fairly constant such as my family, my testimony in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and some relationships with people who have remained close to me. But even those have waxed and waned in intensity over the years. I never could have imagined on that New Year's Eve in Kansas City 10 years ago that I would be a BYU Alumna, return missionary, and working at an art museum in Washington DC. I never thought that I would still be single either, but hopefully that will be something fulfilled in this coming decade! I'm interested to see what 26-36 brings but not anxious for that time to pass too quickly! Time can sure slow down if it wants to!

Love you all! Thank you for being in my life! What are your thoughts on the past and coming decade?

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #30

When: February 2009
Where: Washington DC

I came to Washington to participate in an internship at the Hirshhorn Museum. I loved that museum. It was the perfect art collection for me. I had studied almost everything we had there. They were preparing for a big blockbuster show to come - a retrospective on the work of Louise Bourgeois. I studied her in my Contemporary Art class. We watched a movie about her and it showed Louise, an old woman, being accompanied by a long-haired, skinny, shabbily dressed man named Jerry. We all made fun of the old fashioned video and thought the interactions between Louise and Jerry and the interviewer were hilarious. Jerry became the mascot for the class and his name was brought up frequently.

When the show came to the Hirshhorn, I found out that 97 year old Louise would not be coming, but lo and behold, JERRY was coming! You better believe I was so excited to see him in person. The week before the opening he was in and out but I never saw him. THEN the night of the opening I was walking around and suddenly I saw this:

JERRY! A probably 30 year older version of the Jerry I saw in the film. I wanted to meet him so bad, just to say that I did. I was way too shy to approach him though. Luckily a buddy from my ward was there that night and he and some other guys were running around pretending like they owned the place. They were high-fiving the curator and calling her by her first name. They almost got in to the VIP dinner, but ended up getting free coupons for Hirshhorn's After Hours event instead. I think they were feeling very confident so one of them went right up to Jerry, introduced himself, and then said he'd like to introduce to him his friend. ME. I said hello and congratulated him on the show and then I got this:

Best. Day. Ever.

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #29

Only three more stories! A couple of random updates: I've never coughed so much in my life as I have in my first year in Washington DC. I'm on at least my third horrible coughing spell in the last 6 months. Also, I got my hair done by the fabulous Jamie Snelson in Provo Utah and I love it! She put in some subtle highlights. Lastly, I went back to work today...STRESSFUL! Did I ever mention that I will be working in a new position? Executive Assistant to the Director. I'm not the receptionist anymore! I'm nervous though. The current assistant retires tomorrow and then it's all up to me! I hope I can help keep everything floating!

When: January 20, 2009
Where: Washington DC

The day Barack Obama was inaugurated President of the United States. I woke up to the incessant sounds of sirens racing down Pennsylvania Avenue. I kept jumping out of bed to see sleek black limos, motorcades, and even a White Rolls Royce. Beyonce was staying in a hotel just down the street from my building so I think part of that nonsense was her. It was exciting!

I met up with some friends and we joined the masses walking down to the National Mall. Streets were closed to automobiles and full of rivers of people. I'd never seen anything like it. It was BITTER cold. BITTER. When we got to the Mall, Kristen and I got separated from everyone else (there were just that many people). Cell phones didn't work. We were trying to get to the Senate Building to watch the inauguration indoors at the Utah delegation reception. We never made it. Too many people. It got so packed that you just couldn't get any closer. There were police officers with guns standing at streets and forbade us to cross. Some families got separated from each other. Kristen was crying because she had a ticket to watch the inauguration up close, but she couldn't get up there. So we were stuck back by the Washington Monument and we watched it on megatrons. It was so cold, my feet were aching and stinging.

When the ceremony began, I felt optimistic. When Obama was saying the words that made him president, I thought, "Ok this is it. Everything changes from here." People around me were celebrating- kissing even. They were so happy. Canadians were there celebrating. People from all over the world were there and everyone was happy. My thoughts were optimistic and I felt like change is good.

It was such a historic day and I was there.

2000-2009: a decade in review

when: summer 2008
where: Provo, Utah

One day I had an idea. I should do byu's washington seminar program. It was an idea that made me excited and nervous- the best kind. I didn't know if I'd qualify. I didn't know if I'd get in. I didn't know if I'd fit in even if I did get in. I was old. I was an art girl not a Capitol hill girl. Plus, I had the best job a student could ask for. I applied with the help of two mentors who wrote recommendations for me. I got a call for an interview. I was so nervous. Sweet holly helped me prepare. She put a lot of thought into some mock interview questions. She interviewed me and let me tell you, she was asking me about how the new administration would effect the art scene, About nonprofit organizations, about political propaganda in art and so forth. I was sooo prepared. I got all dressed up and went in for my interview. I met dr. Goss and do you want to know what he asked me? Well we role played a situation where someone wanted to get into the barlow center, then asked me how I could try to keep vermin out of the barlow center and that was it. I was done. a few days later a got an email saying I got in. I was so happy. My dream was coming true. Oh dr. Goss. Maybe my pin stripes and interview prep did come in handy. He offered me the administrative assistant position. It was a lot of hard work,but free rent in dc made it worth it. Who knew the beginning of a dream could all depend on my desire to keep a building vermin free. Done and done.

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #27

When: Fall 2007
Where: Provo, Salt Lake CIty, Utah

My former best friend, Sarah Totten, was doing a massive self-discovery road trip through the Western United States. She stopped in Utah for a few days to visit with me. The first night she came, I took her to Cafe Rio, the must-do restaurant in Provo. She's a vegetarian and just got rice and beans, so she really didn't care much about the place. As we were eating, I told her about my plans for the upcoming weekend. It was General Conference. I worried a little about that, because I like to watch all four sessions, and I didn't want her to be bored. I told her how much I loved General Conference and how excited I was to hear President Gordon B. Hinckley speak. I told her that I loved him, I believed he was a prophet of God, and I wanted to hear what he had to say. I had tickets to go to a session at the Conference Center and I invited Sarah to come with me. I nervously asked her if she wanted to come and then waited for her response. She smiled and told me she'd love to come. I was so happy! We went and she thought the experience was interesting. She even watched some of the other sessions. That weekend we stayed at Alisa's parents' house and had so many great conversations with her parents. After Sarah left, she sent me an e-mail telling me that she was happy for me in my life. She told me that she could tell I was deeply rooted in my religion and my life, and that was something she was trying to find for herself.

I loved seeing her again and sharing that part of my life with her.

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #26

When: September 2006- December 2008
Where: BYU Museum of Art, Provo Utah

Today Jordan and I visited the BYU Museum of Art. As we were walking up to it I said, "I know it seems like I'm obsessed with this place, but really, this place changed my life." It did. When I got home from my mission, I wanted to work at the MOA so badly, that I walked in with my resume and talked to the first staff member I saw. I handed her my resume and told her I wanted a job there. She suggested I enroll in the docent class, volunteer a little, get to know the staff, and then try again. I did just that. I took the class and learned how to give tours at the museum. I loved it. I got to know the staff. Next, I found out about an internship opportunity. I applied and began an internship with the curator of religious art. I loved it. About a year after that, I was still not satisfied. I wanted a job there. On a whim, I e-mailed a copy of my resume to the Registrar and told her I was looking for a job. Amazingly, next thing I knew I got a call to come in for an interview. I did and then got the job. I then started the beginning of the best work year of my life. I worked in the registrar's office and did art handling, maintaining of the database and object files, and collection storage. I loved my job and will probably never have another so cool. Also, the people made it all the more amazing. The MOA changed my life and led me to where I am now (Smithsonian! Cool, huh?)

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #25

Merry Christmas everyone! What a fun day it's been. It's so great to spend time with my family. Do I have to go back to DC?

When: Fall 2006
Where: Yellow House, Provo Utah

For fall semester, I moved into a cute yellow house south of campus with 5 other girls. Alisa, Holly, Sheryl and I were all newly returned missionaries, and were quickly becoming great friends. We were all different in some ways but really got each other at the same time. Those 3 girls and I have remained close ever since.

I kind of think it was Sheryl's idea to do the dessert night. We chose one Sunday evening and Sheryl explained, "You just send out a text to everyone you know earlier in the day, and believe me, they will come." I was so excited. I loved our house, I loved my roommates, I was so excited to see some old friends from before the mission. I was so excited that I actually jumped the gun, and texted everyone I knew the day before, just to give them a little extra time to work our party into their Sunday evening plans. The rest of the girls did their texting on Sunday afternoon.

People starting showing up and just kept coming and coming and coming. Our house was so packed, it was standing room only and you really had to squeeze your way through. I just kept thinking, "Wow, my roommates are so popular and know so many cool people."

That's when I realized I didn't fit in. At all. You don't believe me? Out of every single person that came that night, guess how many were people that I had invited. Z-E-R-O. No one showed up for me. I was feeling like such a loser, but I was still having fun getting to know lots of new people.

That was the beginning of a really hard school year for me. I loved my roommates and friends, but man. I was not as cool as they were. They were dating left and right, and I was writing papers and working my two jobs. I loved them and had a lot of fun living with them, but for the sake of my poor, bruised ego, I'm glad those days are over!

Blast from the Past Pictures

So remember how I met up with Nick again back in Kansas City a couple of weeks ago? We did a lot of reminiscing about the good old days. We went through some old boxes of photos at his old house and came across a box of photos of us when we were dating and some old movie ticket stubs and programs from productions we attended. They brought back a lot of good memories and we had fun talking about those times. We also made fun of ourselves a lot too.

I posted some stories about me and Nick and a lot of you wanted to see some pictures. When I first saw these and for about a week after, these pics made me sad (mostly because I'm not that skinny anymore!). Here's the disclaimer... Please don't judge me for the way I dressed back then... I was going through a rebellious stage.

1) Remember the story about the red dress and the red boxers? This was the night.

  

2) Remember the story about having Mono at Prom and the hideous pink ensemble? This is it.

3) Lastly, I just thought this picture was so stinking cute. When Nick and I found this picture in the old box, he whistled, and I grabbed it and hid it and called myself a hoochie-mama.

2000-2009: A Decade in Review #24

Happy Christmas Eve!
What a wonderful day it has been. I love my family.

Tonight I had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas Eve with most of my family, and we had a special guest with us- my wonderful friend, Holly.

Tonight's memory post is dedicated to Holly.

When: July 2006
Where: Provo, Utah

*A Holly Jolly Christmas*
I was a freshly returned missionary and, frankly, I was having a hard time adjusting to normal life. I had to find a place to live, get started on a new job, buy a car, get a cell phone, buy new clothes, and make new friends. It was hard to get myself organized again. I moved in to an apartment with my wonderful friend, Alisa (Sister Christensen...who by the way gave birth to her sweet Christmas son this Christmas Eve...I can't help but think Alisa is a modern day Mary of Bethlehem!). Not long after I got dropped off and all my stuff moved in to the apartment, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it and saw a cute, bubbly brunette standing there. She was asking for either of my roommates. They weren't home. Holly introduced herself to me, and if I remember correctly came in to maybe use the internet and was trying to find a car to buy. I had just gone through all that, so I helped her look, and she overheard my awkward attempts on the phone to reconnect with a former fling of mine (Nelson). Holly and I hit it off right away, and I'm so grateful she was there for me during that hard time in my life. Holly has been there for me through thick and thin for 3 and half years since then. We lived together for almost 3 years and in 4 different apartments. I love her like a sister and I'm so glad she was able to spend Christmas Eve with us. I could go on forever, but I love her. She is the best friend a girl could ask for and deserves nothing but the best in life.

Love you girl!

2000-2009: A decade in review # 23

Just saw my aunt and uncle perform in a musical performance of A Christmas Carol. My uncle was Scrooge and was absolutely wonderful. Val was Mrs. Fezziwig and a member of the chorus and was just so cute and hilarious! I walked into the theatre and found myself waving left and right to family members spread throughout the theatre. I sat next to two cute girls, leaned over and said, "Hi! I'm Maggie." They looked at me kind of funny so I said, "I'm your cousin." That's the way it is in my family and it's nice to be back.

Also, as you are probably aware, I've had a healthy dose of snow in my life, and here in Utah, the snow is magically drifting down and sparkly on the ground. As Bremen said, "This is like stage snow." I agree. When I think of snow I must think of my Cleveland Browns. NOT the football team. But my very own Terry and Nancy Brown from Cleveland Ohio.

When: June 29, 2004
Where: Cleveland Ohio

This story begins with white and ends with white. While I was busy studying away in the MTC, Terry Brown was in Cleveland, setting up an appointment with two sister missionaries. December 23. Joseph Smith's birthday. That day Cleveland saw a record breaking snow fall. The sisters couldn't get their car out of the snow, but they weren't going to miss this appointment, so they trudged through the snow a couple miles to teach Terry. About a month later, Terry was ready for the sisters to meet his wife, Nancy. This time, Sister Christensen and I were the missionaries. It snowed that day too. For a time, it seemed every time we set an appointment with the Browns it would snow that day. It got to the point where, if it was snowing outside, they'd call us just to say hi and see if they were forgetting anything. We loved them. Oh how we loved them.

We were both transfered and elders came in and took over. We kept in touch with the Browns. I was in Kirtland, and they'd come out for tours. One day, Sister Christensen and I were in the break room of the Kirtland Visitors' Center and a call came in for us. It was Terry. We put him on speaker and he invited us to a pool party at the Westlake Stake Center. A baptism. For he and Nancy.

I cried for days after I got that phone call. I cried out of gratitude, but mostly I cried because I couldn't believe that the Lord let me be a part of this. There could have been so many reasons why I wouldn't have ever met them, ever gone to Cleveland, ever gone on a mission. But the Lord let me be there. I cried for days after the baptism.

I loved seeing my Cleveland Browns in white.

2000-2010: A decade in review #22

* Well folks, I have dug myself out of my 3 snow day bliss. I never left the house on Saturday, church was cancelled on Sunday, and no work on Monday! I'm back at work and getting ready to get on a plane to join the modern exodus to Salt Lake. Hope to see many of you soon! Love you all!

When: Mid January 2005
Where: Cleveland/Kirtland Ohio

My first two days in the mission field are too good to only focus on one thing. I will NEVER forget looking out the airplane window over the rows and rows of Cleveland houses and seeing the sun sparkle over Lake Erie. I weeped. I felt the strongest feeling of love for everyone on the plane and everyone out my window. The Lord said, "Go to the Ohio. There I will give unto you my law, and there, ye shall be endowed with power from on high." I was endowed with a pure love for each of God's children who lived within my mission. I was so grateful to be there and ready to start working.

I was picked up by the APs and the Mission President and wife and taken directly to the Kirtland Historical Sites. We toured with Karl Anderson, Kirtland scholar and author. I was nerdy enough and prepared enough to bring along my copy of Joseph Smith's Kirtland, which my awesome cousins, Dan and Jaclyn England, had given me. At the end of the tour I asked for an autograph, and the group of Elders looked at me like, "Who does she think she is?" They had no idea who he was.

We were taken to the upper room in the Newel K. Whitney Store, called the School of the Prophets. There, I knelt on the hard, tobacco stained, wood planks and I bawled my little eyes out. I dedicated my mission to the Lord and I made promises to Him. I asked for blessings in return, but mostly I bawled in gratitude for such a wonderful blessing in my life to serve the Lord.

The Mission President's wife, Sister Motzkus, asked me if I was ok, because I was such a crybaby mess. Yep. I was fine. Just emotional. I was then taken to the Greyhound station in downtown Cleveland and Sister Motzkus took me to meet my trainer. I walked up to a tall, pretty, blonde sister missionary, and I'll never forget when she turned her head, smiling at me, and threw her arms around me. My life was changed at that point. I knew everything was going to be ok.

Alisa Christensen Harrison taught me everything I know about how to be a missionary, how to love people, how to through my arms around people, even if I don't know if I should or not, how to conduct myself in a classy and dignified way, and definitely about how to laugh and have fun. Her husband, Ryan, has been a great friend to me and a support when I needed advice from not only a male perspective but from a priesthood holder as well. They are expecting their first baby any day now, and my heart is bursting with joy for them. All I can say is that if Alisa and Ryan can raise a child as well as Alisa raised me as a missionary, then the world is in good hands.

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #21

When: December 14, 2004
Where: Salt Lake City, Utah

The Temple. If you don't know what I'm talking about and would like to learn more, go here! Trust me. You'll thank me.

I was inside the Salt Lake Temple for the first time. I was accompanied by my loving family members. I felt peaceful, confident, and holy. Inside the temple, there are different rooms that we visit- each has a different symbolic meaning. The last room is the most holy and families have an opportunity to share time together there. As I walked into that room for the first time, I'll never forget seeing my family members standing together whispering- waiting for me. At the same moment, my beautiful sister, Jordan, my loving mother, and my sweet grandma lifted their heads and turned to look at me, smiling. I thought, "This is what heaven will be like."

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #20

When: Late September, 2004
Where: Kansas City, MO

Before I opened my mission call I went around the room and had everyone give one final guess where they thought I would go. My guess was Spain. I asked them that no matter where it was, would they please pretend to be excited for me?

I opened the letter and read the words one line at a time. When it announced the call, the first words I read were, "Ohio Cleveland Mission" and my initial thought was "oh man!" Then I kept reading and saw that I would also be serving at the Kirtland Historical Sites, and then I got excited. I started reading anything I could get my hands on about the important time period in church history when the Saints lived in Kirtland and surrounding areas.

Not long after I received the call, I was reading my scriptures. I was in 2 Nephi and read the following verse (2 Nephi 4: 35):
"Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen."

As I read that verse, my bosom burned and my body tingled and it was the confirmation that I needed that serving a mission was the right thing to do, and that I was going to the right place. The words of that verse perfectly reflected how I felt at the time. I was so grateful for the blessings He had given me and I wanted to lift my voice in gratitude to Him.

short delay

delaying post #20 until I find what I'm looking for...(seriously my arm hurts right now from flipping through every single 531 pages of my mission Book of Mormon, trying to find a specific verse...Hope I find it soon. Kind of mad at myself that I can't remember where it is...It was supposed to be life changing)

p.s. No work on Monday because of all the DC snow!!! I'll be sleeping in tomorrow, thank you very much. And all my Utah peeps...see you soon!

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #19

When: Early 2004
Where: Glenwood parking lot, Provo, Utah

When I got back from Paris, I moved back in to Glenwood apartments and had one particularly great roommate, named Lorel. She went to UVSC but went with me to the BYU library to study at night sometimes. One night we were driving in my car back home. When we pulled into the parking spot, an Usher song came on the radio. I think it was, "Yeah." We sat in the car, jamming out to the song, kind of dancing in our seats. We were just being crazy and silly and really getting into it. When the song was over, we both opened our doors, and went to lift ourselves out of our seats, but at the exact same moment, we were whipped back into our seats. We had forgotten to unbuckle our seat belts. We died laughing.

2000-2010: A decade in review #18

When: October 4-5, 2003
Where: Paris, France

Anyone ever heard of or participated in Nuit Blanche?

It was the best experience of my time in Paris. Every year the city of Paris puts on an all night party. Nuit Blanche means all-nighter. In 2003, the city exploded with outdoor art installation and performance pieces. Light shows were projected on exterior walls, art installations were set up around the city, organizations put on all night movie marathons. There was one event that absolutely captivated me. The Hotel-de-Ville, one of the most traditional and historic government buildings in Paris, steps from the Seine and Notre Dame Cathedral, was transformed into a pulsing, brilliant, colorful masterpiece- all done by lights and music. The lighting designer, Gilbert Moity, illuminated the exterior of the building with bright, colorful lights and squiggles racing across the facade. The lights pulsed in time with the beat to some intense techno music. That was just the exterior, though. Inside the courtyard was where the real show was. We waited in line in the cold and rain, not knowing what to expect on the inside. Once we passed through the majestic archway into the interior courtyard, I couldn't believe my eyes. Patches of bright colors saturated every space, all the windows where lit purple, red, and blue. The techno beat was so loud you could feel it in your chest. Juxtaposed to all this sensory overload was a blizzard of delicate, floating, iridescent bubbles. Being in that space made me lose perception of reality and I just wanted to dance with the bubbles! The experience was so profound to me, that 5 years later, in my Contemporary Art class, I chose to write my semester paper on that particular performance art piece. It was nearly impossible to find much written about the artist or his work, and what I did find was in French, so I had to work really hard on the paper. But I had one very important resource- my first hand account of an event that happened only one time in history. Through my research, I learned a lot more about the artist and his philosophies and it made the whole experience mean even more to me. And I got an A on the paper and in the class!

You can have a taste of the whole experience here!

2000-2010: A decade in review #17

When: August 2003
Where: Kansas City, MO

*Warning: This story appears more scandalous than it really was. Please believe me.*

I was back in KC for a couple of weeks before I went off to fulfill one of my biggest dreams ever...my study abroad in Paris (I don't waste any time). The truth is *blush* I still liked Nick and we spent some time together before I left. We were at Longview Lake (where we had gone before, if you remember), and we brought a blanket to sit on. And yes, we kissed while sitting on the blanket, but that part is irrelevant. When we left, I rolled up the blanket and held it under my arm as I walked back to the car. I complained the whole way because I thought he should carry the blanket because he's the man. He wouldn't do it.

The next day I broke out into the worst poison ivy attack I had ever had! I wanted to die!!! As I walked with the blanket, it had of course rubbed under my arm, I had kind of cuddled my face and head against it as I walked, and it even pulled up my shirt a little at my waist as I walked and rubbed on my skin there. I had the most awful, swollen, wanna-die itchy rash all over the right side of my body from my ear to my waist. And it had started to spread to places where the blanket didn't even touch me! The worst part is that the whole situation looked so scandalous!. I didn't want to show my mom because she'd think that I was rolling around with no clothes on with a boy in the bushes at a lake. Well, I couldn't hide the rash, so of course she found out, and of course that is exactly what she thought. I was so mortified!!! Try to explain that the reason you got poison ivy was from a blanket and from nothing else!

AND Nick is immune to Poison Ivy so if he had just carried the dang blanket none of that would have even happened.

AND I thought it had gone away by the time I was headed to Paris, but being confined on a plane for 10 hours with a long sleeve jacket, and VOILA! I had a little piece of home accompanying me to Paris. I WANTED TO DIE!!!!

2000-2010: A decade in review #16

When: Early January, 2003
Where: Provo, Utah

I'll never forget my first day at BYU. I'd heard people jokingly call it BYZOO, and I felt like I finally understood why as I walked from Heritage Halls to the Joseph Smith Building for my American Heritage class. It was cold, and I couldn't BELIEVE how many people were trying to get to class. There were RIVERS of people trying to share the sidewalks and all get to the same place at the same time. I loved it. I was so grateful to be there. I felt like I had finally made it! It took a lot of work to get there, but I made it! I feel as though I never took my BYU experience for granted. I may have complained a lot about school work, but I was always grateful to be there.

2000-2010: A decade in review #15

Dear friends,
I'm enjoying posting some of these memories over the past 10 years. Some are profound moments that changed everything and others are whimsical moments that have made a lasting impression on me. Last night I came home and started planning some future posts and I ended up laying on my bed giggling alone in my room. It really is fun to narrow down 10 years into 31 posts-- I think it's the curator in me. I've neglected, however, to keep you all updated on things happening to me now. There might be multiple reasons for that. Some things- like seeing a certain someone again- are actually kind of hard for me to talk about. Many of you have asked for pictures, and I have some great ones, but I hesitate to post them because I have mixed feelings about those pictures. Maybe if I ever find a scanner I'll get around to it. I also want to share with you the wonderful sights and experiences of the Christmas season. Plus, there's the never ending work drama. So those might pop in here in between memory posts or I'll just wait till January. Don't know yet. Love you all and thanks for the comments!
_________________________________________________________________________________

When: December 2002
Where: Kirksville, MO

My first semester of college was coming to a close. The whole semester I knew I was going to transfer to BYU, but I wanted to at least give Truman a shot. Bremen and I had a great semester together including a surprise birthday party he threw for me, dinners every wednesday night, enjoying nature, helping each other study, hanging with the YSA crew, and attending the Kirksville family ward. I kept my acceptance to BYU a secret the whole semester. I didn't want that to keep me from making friends and finding a niche in Kirksville.

One late December evening, my 3 roommates and I were in our room, each doing our own thing in preparation for finals. I was IMing with Nick and he asked me if I had told the roomies I was leaving yet. I knew then was going to be the best chance I had. I told him I was going to do it. So I turned around from my desk and said, "You guys, I have to tell you something." And then I started crying. They all became very concerned and later told me they thought I was going to bawl them out for saying swear words every once in a while. ha ha! I told them I had found out late that my first choice school had accepted me and I was going to transfer. They were sad to lose me and I had really come to like those girls a lot.

They made me a farewell framed photo collage of all the fun times we'd had and a mixed cd of all the music we had jammed to over the semester. Those girls took me to my first of many frat parties (hee! hee!), listened to all my drama about Nick, always handed me the phone when the land line rang (...I was the only one without a cell phone...), worked out with me, and helped me lose 15 pounds that semester! Before I headed out to Utah, we had one last hurrah in St. Louis, where they took me all around. They were great and I wish we kept in better touch now days!

2000-2010: A decade in review #14

*the day my fate changed*

When: late July, 2002
Where: Kansas City, MO

It was the summer after high school graduation. I will be the first to admit that I was lazy that summer. I had applied to some jobs but never got one and didn't try hard enough to get one. I just remember sleeping in a lot. If it makes you (or me) feel better, I had never had a summer like that since high school began (I always had cross-country practice, summer school, and lifeguarding) and I have never had one since, so I guess it was ok for one summer right?

I had slept in to some obscene hour like 1 pm and usually when I did that I never wanted to answer the phone if it rang because I was too embarrassed that I sounded so sleepy. That day, the phone rang. I answered it. It was BYU calling for me. I was instantly awake and alert. The admissions counselor wanted to speak with me about my application and he explained that there had been a misunderstanding. I remember listening to him and searching frantically for my glasses. I couldn't see anything! and I wanted to write down what he was saying to me! I was completely blind. So I finally gave up and listened. (I think there could be some interesting symbolism in that) He told me that my high school never sent in my senior year transcript and because of that, my GPA appeared lower than everyone else's so my application was automatically denied. He then told me that if I went back to my high school and had them send in my complete transcript that there would be a very good chance that I would be accepted.

So I went to the  high school and had them send in the transcript. Get this. 2 weeks later I went back to check on everything and they still had not done it. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! So they finally sent them in and I did in fact get accepted to BYU. The problem was that I had already been accepted to Truman State (Which in my opinion is the best school in MO 'the harvard of the midwest' and a very quaint and picturesque red brick campus with ivy growing on it.) and that is where Bremen was going to go when he got back from his mission. I had already made friends with the 3 girls who were going to be my roommates. So anyway. I decided to go to Truman. Crazy huh?

I think you all know that that is not where the story ends. Stay tuned to learn how I eventually ended up at BYU!

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #13

When: Spring 2002
Where: Kansas City, MO

Remember Nelson? I kind of liked him for a while, so I wanted to ask him to my senior prom. The only thing is that I was too nervous to do it. I put it off for a long time, but in the meantime I was preparing for everything. I made plans to go in a group with some good friends, dinner reservations, limo, my mom was making my dress (gold!), corsage (orange orchid!), and boutonniere. So I was definitely going. So I finally got up the nerve to call Nelson and I was telling him how excited I was for prom and how I had everything ready. Then (this is cheesy) I said, "I only need one thing." "What's that?" "A date. That's why I'm calling you." Then Nelson had the nerve to say, "I'm going to have to check my schedule." I totally believed him and probably got shrill saying, "Yeah that's fine! Just let me know! No pressure!" Then he cut me off and started laughing and said, "Maggie. Of course I'll go with you." That was totally mean, but he made up for it by being a great date to my prom!

* I still get severe anxiety before I invite a boy to something. I mean, I lose sleep over it. But I still try to do it often.

2000-2010: a decade in review #12

When: spring 2002
where: kansas city, mo

I don't know who's bright idea it was, but for our senior swim team prank we decided to put live gold fish in the YMCA pool,which had been our second home for the past 4 years. We bought fish, went inside, got momentarily freaked out when a girl on the team was the life guard on duty, thought "oh well," and poured the fish in the pool, then ran to the car and to our team party that night. What do you think happened the next day? Busted! Called to the principles office.(I'll spare you the maddening details except that my mom didn't care what I'd done just that some poor fishies lost their lives). I got in school suspension. Ha ha! But they still let us out for end of the year senior activities. Get this. Former best friend Sarah (sweat pant girl) who I probably hadn't talked to since sweat pant week was there in suspension and we totally hit it off again right where we left off.

2000-2010: A decade in review #11

continued from yesterday...

After sharing some of my lofty hopes and dreams that would cost a lot of money: Ann said, "I think now's a good time for your dad to tell you something..."


My dad lost his job. The maddening thing is that he lost it because of a lot of crap that happened while he was away in Utah helping our family deal with losing a baby and having a funeral. So that was another hard blow to the family. I'll never forget the effect this had on my dad. It seemed he almost instantly dropped 30 pounds, his hair turned white, he could hardly eat, and he never stopped job searching. I remember probably one Sunday when Adrianne and I were over there and we were all sitting in the living room talking about the situation. I knew my dad was stressed and depressed, but I didn't think anything the less of him. I told him that he could do anything. He was smart enough to do anything. He could start his own business. He could go a whole new direction. He could do anything, and I had faith in him. We don't say mushy stuff in our family, so maybe that was kind of a big deal that I said that. I felt a change in the room.

It's true that he is better off now. He is very successful and I am proud of him! And now that I am in the workforce I enjoy a new relationship that we share. I actually understand some of his business terminology and I am able to ask him for advice about my job and dealing with the next big obstacle.

stay tuned to learn more about the BYU admissions fiasco...

2000-2010: A decade in review #10

Sorry guys but now we are getting into some depressing things but important moments in my life.


When: March 2002
Where: Kansas City, MO

It had only been a couple weeks since losing Chambry, and things had not begun to settle down yet. I was expecting word from BYU any day with a decision about my admittance. I pulled in to the driveway after swim practice and saw the huge white envelope in the mailbox. I freaked out. I didn't want to open it because I didn't want to hear bad news. Adrianne wanted me to open it. Mom wanted me to open it. I went into the kitchen by myself where it was quiet, opened it and read it. Put it down. Got in the shower and sobbed. I didn't get in. My mom knocked on the bathroom door and asked me if I got in and I sobbed back, "no." And then she walked away.

That night I had to conduct a Young Women's meeting (New Beginnings or something) and I sobbed through the whole thing while I was sitting in the front facing everyone else. The whole ward new I was a complete mess. I should have excused myself and left.

I think the next day I got my wisdom teeth taken out and almost fainted from the pain. I was laying in my bed and my dad and stepmom came over to visit me and I had to tell them I didn't get in and I was sobbing. I told them that it had always been a dream of mine to go to BYU and do a study abroad in Paris.

Then Ann said, "I think now's a good time for your dad to tell you something..."

And I'll leave that for tomorrow's post

2000-2010: A decade in review #9

*Chambry*

When: March 16, 2002
Where: Mom's house, Kansas City, MO then later Utah

I was chilling on the couch one early afternoon watching TV. I had early release schedule so I was out of school a few hours earlier than everyone else and I guess I didn't have my college class that day. I heard a knock at the door. I answered the door and it was Dad and Ann. Not unusual. But as I opened the door, they stepped inside. Unusual. We usually visited on the porch or out in the car. I had a strong feeling wash over me that something was wrong, so I turned off the TV and we all sat on the couch. Dad told me that Jordan had gone in the day before and everything was fine with her pregnancy. She was scheduled for a C-section that day, and had gone in, and the baby was not alive anymore. I started crying and I was mad at the doctors. I remember saying that these things are not supposed to happen anymore.

My mom was out there already, Bremen was on his mission, I don't know where my step-dad was, so it was just me and Adrianne at home. We had some friends that were driving out to Utah the next day, so we asked if we could go with them. I spent the rest of my afternoon finishing up my senior research paper that was like 20 pages. Amazingly, I was almost done with it already and just had to make a few edits. Anyone who knows me well, knows that that never happens and that this must have been a miracle. I went to the school and met with my favorite teacher, Mrs. Youngs. Before I could say anything, I started crying. She jumped up and closed the door and told her secretary to give us some time. I told her I had to turn in my paper a week early because I had to go to Utah. Then I told her everything and she started crying with me. Then she told me that she would take care of everything. She took me to the office and talked to everyone and told them I had had a death in the family. (ps. the office people loved my brother and asked about him in Russia everyday so I think they were worried it was him). Then I left and Adrianne and I started on a miserable car ride to Utah.

When we got dropped off at Jordan's house, it was amazing. My sister was an angel. She was sad, but she was strong and seemed happy and fortified. Same with Mike. They sat through meetings with friends who were helping to plan a service. I never saw so much food get delivered in all my life and soooooo many flowers. One time, the doorbell rang and I answered it and the flower delivery guy was super cheerful and said, "Is it your BIRTHDAY?!" I said, "No. We've had a death in the family." And his face fell and all he could say was, "Oh." I thought this poor guy was kind of funny actually.

Chambry was beautiful and perfect. Her mortal body rests in a grave next to her aunt Mary Lydia and now her brother Spencer. I know I'll see her again someday and she will bring so much joy to our family.

2000-2010: A decade in review #8

When: Fall 2001
Where: Hibachi, Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, MO
What: Homecoming dinner

My date and I went with a huge group to dinner at Hibachi, a Japanese grill, you know, the kind where the chef cooks at your table and does tricks and sometimes tosses food at you. So he was going around the table tossing shrimp at people and they were catching it in their mouths. Then he comes to me and I am panicked and shaking my head no, but he tosses it anyway and it goes down the front of my dress. It was burning hot and I had to dig it out in front of everyone. I was so embarrassed I could have died. Then the chef says, "oooh lucky shrimp!"

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #7

As part of my weekend home in Kansas City, I spent my Saturday morning with a woman I've known all my life from growing up in the Independence 4th Ward. Her name is Dee Nicholson and she witnessed first-hand the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She was about 3 years old at the time, and her family lived at the harbor. She saw Japanese bombers fly over the top of her house and she saw the faces of the bombers. She has written books and produced all kinds of educational materials. In honor of her and that event which occurred 68 years ago today, I will share my experience of the only thing in my life which remotely compares- the attack of the World Trade Center.

When: September 11, 2001
Where: Raytown High School, Kansas City, MO

Let's get one thing out, first thing. This was my eighteenth birthday. I was excited. I was wearing my awesome shirt that Lacey had bought for my in Japan and denim capris. I was so excited to have a great day. I went to my first class- photography. Then went to my second and favorite class that semester, Senior Composition with Mrs. Youngs. I loved her. I walked into the class and saw that the tv was set up and she was sitting right in front of it. I thought, "cool, we're gonna watch a movie today." Then she said the World Trade Center had been bombed. I was concerned but kind of just thought it was another bombing like what happened every now and again. After the class arrived we just kept watching. And kept learning more about what was happening. A girl in the class excused herself to make some phone calls because her uncle worked in the building. The class had a moment of silent prayer for her while she was gone. By then the first tower had fallen.

I was called out of class to do a mediation. Two girls were fighting and the principle called me down and a couple other students to conduct the session. I thought, "Really? This has to happen now?" I conducted the session and it was soooo petty and ridiculous. I said to those girls, "Look at what's happening outside in the world today. There are much bigger problems out there. You girls need to get a perspective on life." I was annoyed at them. By the time that mediation was over the second tower had fallen.

At cross country practice after school, our coach railed on us for an hour before we ran. He was so mean and was being such a jerk. I couldn't believe he would choose to add that much crap to an already crappy day and he knew it was my birthday and he still was mean to me.

We ran a pretty short run and we noticed the cars were already lining up at the gas stations. When we got back, I noticed my car was on empty and I had to get gas, so I waited in a super long line outside of the school to get to the gas station. It was sad.

Then Dad and Ann took me to the Olive Garden. They waited for us to finish and then closed early for the night. It was so depressing! I went home and cut out as many images of the building that I could find out of old National Geographic magazines and made a collage for a photo class project.

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #6

When: Spring 2001
Where: Kansas City, MO

One of my high school best friends was Sarah Totten. We had drifted apart a little by the end of Junior year. We were both going through doldrums. We decided to do something really weird together. We had these old fuzzy blue sweatpants that we found in old boxes in the locker room. They were old athletic warm ups from like the 70s and were really old school and vintage looking. The tops were especially cool. We stole them. We decided to wear the sweatpants everyday for a week, just to see if anyone would notice or say anything. We also planned out specific tops to wear for each day of the week. One day we wore the fuzzy blue sweatpants with the sweatshirts of our ex-boyfriends' colleges. The next day we wore the sweatpants with the t-shirts of their fraternities they had given us. One shirt we made and we tie-died it and ironed on the letters, Y-E-A. It was supposed to mean YAY (which is how I spell it now) and the lack of an exclamation point represented our overall ennuie with the world. I know we had other weird tops for other days, but I can't remember. This experience basically sums up my attitude during my Junior year AND my relationship with Sarah. We were weird and thrived on that. We drifted in and out of each others' lives but always picked right back up where we left off. And no one ever noticed the sweatpants.

2000-2010: A Decade in Review #5

Due to the nature of tonight's forthcoming events, I thought tonight's post was most appropriate...

When: Spring 2001
Where: Outside my house in Kansas City, MO

I was a Junior. Nick was away at college in Southern Missouri. I missed him. I was in the thick of swim season and I came home exhausted and wet from swim practice. It was still cold outside. I pulled up to park my car on the side of the street in front of my house. Something on the other side of the street caught my eye as I was getting out of my car. I looked over and Nick was leaning out the window of his car smiling a big goofy grin. I was shocked to see him because he was supposed to be 3 hours away. He came right up to me and I melted in his arms. I buried my face in his chest and he patted my dripping head. He told me to go inside, blow dry my hair, and then he took me over to Longview Lake and we went on a walk and he took me to a place where his dad had always taken him. And we just talked and walked.


So right now I'm at my dad's house in Blue Springs, MO and I'm waiting to hear a knock on the door any second. Nick is coming to pick me up. I haven't seen him in 2 1/2 years.


(love you all who are commenting! And I dug up a few pics at my mom's last night, so you may see some soon. The rest are at Jordan's house in Utah, so I'll post some more over Christmas break!)

2000-2010: A decade in review #4

When: Spring 2000
Where: Kansas City, MO

*prommono*

That is not a fancy Italian word. That is what you get when 8 months of early morning seminary, cross-country, and 5am swim practice attack the lymph nodes in the throat the same week as prom. Mono hit me hard and fast. I was only down for about a week, but during that time my throat swelled so bad I couldn't talk or swallow...anything. I had to quit swim team and that was the only year I didn't letter. I couldn't be there when my nephew Tyler was born, I almost failed a few classes, but DID I MISS PROM??? now what do you think?

I don't know what I was thinking that year, but my prom dress was horrendous and pepto bismol pink and the pieces I wore were purchased from wierd stores like 5.7.9 and who knows where else. My hair was straight up 80s, having been curled in rollers, and twisted into a low topsy-tail. My throat was swollen into a perma-double chin, and my make up was ugly. I couldn't talk. My voice sounded severely swollen and muffled, almost like I was deaf and trying to speak.

I had to call my friend's mom and try to get her to understand who was speaking to her and ask her to come over and make a boutineer for my date. My mom was supposed to take care of it, but she forgot.

That night, no one could understand me and no one wanted to be around me because I was sick. I couldn't eat my dinner, which was fish and not that good anyway. BUT we went to a fancy restaurant that had a chocolate dessert bar, and the only thing I could eat was the chocolate mousse. It was good.

Nick was my date (we made up about the Nelson thing). He was nice to me and made me feel special even though I felt really gross about myself. When I fell asleep at the after party, he took me home.

P.s. He got mono too.

2000-2010: A decade in review #3

When: Spring 2000
Where: My house in Kansas City, MO

When I was 16 my dating philosophy was: I'll date Nick, but if I meet a nice Mormon boy, someone who I could potentially marry, I will date him too.

Enter: Nelson Atagi from the Blue Mills Ward

Phone call conversation between Nick and me:
Maggie: "blah blah blah...oh can you hold on a sec? I have another call."
Nick: "ok"
*****
Maggie: "Hello"
Nelson: "Hey Maggie"
Maggie: "NELSON! Hi! I haven't heard from you in a while. How are you? Can you hang on a second?"
Nelson: "ok"
*****
Maggie: "Nick? I have to go"
Nick: (nonchalantly) "Who was that?"
Maggie: "Some lady for my mom. Something about taxes."
Nick: "Maggie, don't lie to me."
Maggie: (panicked) "I'm not lying!"
Nick: "I just heard your whole conversation."
Maggie: (shrill) "But I didn't lie!"
-click-

uh, yeah. So that's how Nick found out about Nelson.

Now I'm off to my work Holiday party!

2000-2010: A decade in review #2

*Courtwarming*

When: January 2000
Where: Kansas City, MO

My friends and I had a tradition that our dates' underwear must match our dresses. My dress was bright red. The night of Courtwarming was snowy, icy, and miserable. Nick and I fought at dinner and I spent most of the time in the bathroom, avoiding him. We almost died when his car spun out of control on an icy freeway entrance ramp and plunged down the snowy hill onto the freeway below. No one was hurt. After the dance, we went back to his house, and he sat me down on the couch and said, "After everything we've been through tonight, I wasn't going to go through all this trouble without showing you this." I had no idea what he was talking about. Then, with a super cheesy grin, he unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. Bright red satin boxer shorts.  

2000-2010: A decade in review #1

When I was a sophomore in high school, Christmas happened right at the end of the year 1999 and was caught up in the widespread Y2K fiasco. Everything was about surviving Y2K. My friends' houses had closets stocked with Y2K survival supplies. I think we even raided one friend's Y2K toilet paper supply to go tp-ing. For Christmas that year, I was given a long sleeve bubble-gum pink t-shirt that said, "21 Century Girl" in a futuristic font across the front. I hated it. I was embarrassed to be seen in it. I think I only wore it once. The new millennium was exciting, but I felt like that t-shirt was for a little girl, not a 16 year old. What's worse is that my boyfriend gave it to me, and I had to pretend to like it.

That was 10 years ago. We all survived Y2K. The first decade of the 21st century has been perhaps the greatest period of personal and spiritual growth I will have in my life. From age 16 to age 26 I have made some of the most important decisions in my life, and though I still don't like the color pink that much, I kind of have become a 21st-century girl. And I'm grateful to be alive at this time.

To celebrate the past decade and the adventures it has brought into my life, I dedicate the month of December to sharing highlights of the first decade of the 21st-century. For 31 days I'm going to share glimpses into my life over the past 10 years. I don't expect anyone to read all of them, but if you do, I guarantee you will be entertained, because these are my best stories over the past 10 years. And a warning: many of these stories will include boys. Specifically 2 boys. I apologize in advance.
__________________________________________________________________________________

*Happy New Millennium!*

When: 12:00 AM, January 1, 2000
Where: Tim Storey's house, off Blue Ridge Blvd., in Kansas City, MO
What: It wasn't our first kiss, but maybe our 2nd. It was a moment I'd been anticipating for months. A New Year's Kiss! Nick and I ran outside to celebrate and the kiss just happened naturally, but as it was happening I could tell that people had stopped celebrating and were staring at us. STARING! I promise it wasn't even that long of a kiss and it certainly wasn't inappropriate. I guess it was just new for all his friends to see him kissing a nice little Mormon girl. And THAT is how I kick off the first decade of the 21st Century! Stay tuned for more embarrassing/hilarious/maddening/dramatic moments in the teenage life of Maggie Leak!

a work meeting

Today I attended a meeting with my department (admin). It was led by you know who. This was the first meeting we've had together as a department and actually the first meeting I've attended in the Director's Conference Room. I felt important.

Until...

1) I walked in 1 minute late and everyone was already there...waiting for me.

2) They started using big words and acronyms that were a foreign language to me.

3) My boss started defining words for my benefit.

4) I looked down at my neon green folder with one of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe images (like this:)

And suddenly panicked that it actually looked more like this:



I thought, "Oh my gosh! I look like I have a Lisa Frank folder!" Everyone else had leather bound portfolios and such.

5) As I was looking down at my completely juvenile folder, I noticed this:
"Oh great! Good thing my nails are hot pink right now. Compliments the Lisa Frank look quite well."




That's when my posture, eye contact, and everything else gave me away, big time. I decided that I shouldn't be shrinking away from this meeting. I told myself I was important. They wanted me there, and even though I had absolutely nothing to say in the meeting, that I should sit at the table like I was confident, like I was listening and learning, etc.

6) Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw this:

 and this: 

That's right. Haven't I mentioned that the Trapeze school DC has set up their outdoor gym right outside our office building? And our 4th floor conference room has the perfect eye level view of the graceful flips, flying, and handing off of Trapeze artists? It's really something to watch, BUT NOT DURING A MEETING! I kept telling myself to pay attention! Make eye contact with whoever is talking! Don't get distracted. It was tough.

Well, towards the end of the meeting, the topic changed to something that I could help with a lot of input. So I felt more fulfilled by the end, but seriously, at the beginning I was thinking, "what am I doing here?! I am so in the wrong department!" But from what we discussed in the meeting, it is looking like I will be gaining much more responsibilities and will soon no longer be "the receptionist." Hallelujah!

I'm still figuring out this whole job thing.

starting to part my hair down the middle. It's a big change for me.

reflections

Hmmm. Interesting. Yesterday in two completely different conversations, I was told who I look like. The first conversation was with my cute artsy friend at church who studies art at the Corcoran. She ran up to me and asked, "Do you know who Lily Allen is?" I stopped and thought about it, because I thought it was someone in the ward who maybe I should know. Then I said I didn't. She said, "You should look her up. You look EXACTLY like her. She's a British pop star--like the equivalent to Britney Spears." She just kept going on and on about how I look just like her. So I google imaged her and this was the first picture that came up. I can kind of see it. Can you? I thought it was funny because last year two girls in my ward in Provo who were Americans but had basically grown up in Russia said I looked like a "Swedish pop diva."

THEN, later that evening one of the sister missionaries asked me if I was half Asian. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES BEFORE! In fact, I've even attended an "Asian When Convenient" party--a party for all us caucasians who are starting to wish we had some ethnicity to help us get scholarships. Do I look half Asian? How can I look Swedish, British, and Asian all at once? So I google imaged "half white half asian" (It's crazy what google has to offer) and this is the first pic that came up. Again, I guess I can kind of see it a little here too. What do you think?

Who do people tell you that you look like? Or what ethnicity do you get asked about sometimes?

a disappointment

Well folks,
I was really excited to see An Education, but I must admit I was very disappointed. There are three reasons and only three reasons to watch this film. 1) Beautiful vintage styles 2) Handsome and beautiful faces and 3) Some beautiful scenery. If you feel like those are reason enough for you to want to watch the film than you might just get a little of something out of it. But if you can't stand womanizing men, ditzy women, women who too easily forgive men when they are WRONG. seriously WRONG, and pedophilism, then don't even bother watching this. I left the theatre dismayed at the lack of substance.

Dear friends and family

Advice needed.

I feel like I'm ready for a change. In my hair. I'm working towards this look:

You know super long, some highlights (scary I know! I've never done it but I'm really thinking about it, I mean I already made the hair appointment!) The above look would be a kind of wild look.

Leighton Meester's look has really inspired me too. You know, for good girl hair days. (LOVE the coloring and long hair in front with hair parted more towards the middle)

BUT when I see pictures like the one below on the left, I just get all nostalgic and heartsick about loosing those awesome funky straight across bangs. Girls (and guys for that matter), Please give me your input. What do you think I should do?

a foodie's paradise

Last night I did perhaps one of the coolest things I've done in DC. March of Dimes had a swanky event called the Chefs' Signature Gala in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington DC. My friend Megan was an intern for the March of Dimes last year and she was helping out with the event this year too. She recruited me and a bunch of other people to help out. All I did was stand at the bottom of a staircase for about 30 minutes and say hello to people as they walked passed (and stared at celebrities) and then I was let loose in the ballroom and outside hallway which were FULL of chefs from many resturants in the DC area. There were dozens and dozens of chef stations and they all served samples from their menu. I went CRAZY!

Here's an idea of the types of things I got to sample. (a sample was actually fairly large ~5 bites or so)

• puff pastry with morrell mushroom sauce
• Grouper with a walnut crust, mashed potatoes, and sauce, *** 2nd fav
  
• endive salad
• Wild boar with creamy polenta
• butternut squash soup
• chips and fresh guac
• beef and pureed carrot
• sausage and beans
• meatball and creamy polenta
• crabcake and tartar sauce *** 3rd fav
  
• bacon biscuit
• dehydrated blue cheese and walnut popcorn
• lamb and gnocci
• chestnut soup and pork*** my fav!
  
• pork and bread pudding
• beef and mashed potatoes***4th fav
  

desserts:

• gourmet smore (pumpkin marshmallow, chocolate, whole grain graham cracker) So good I had two of these
• chocolate torte (tiny tiny)
  
• lemon torte (very tiny but beautiful)
  

We even got the bar tender to mix a non-alcoholic drink for us! Apple, lemon, dry something or other. So good.

Oh my gosh I'm such a pig! Seriously I am feeling a little embarrassed about how much I ate, but it was all SOOOO good and absolutely worth it. There was still so much I didn't get to try because I got too full! Bummer! I wanted to try the fried green tomatoes, a lobster something, and the salad from Poste but I just didn't have room.

Time to work out.

Isn't this so cute?

The management at my apartment complex decorated our whole neighborhood for Halloween! It's so cute and festive. They did a great job!

my neighborhood in the fall

My neighborhood was so beautiful today I couldn't help driving around and taking pictures!

This one was taken from my bedroom window! Such a lovely view. Sometimes nature makes the 45 minute commute worth it.

This is the parking lot right next to my apartment building where I park my car.

Another bedroom window view.

The gate that leads into the apartment complex next to mine.

The pretty drive down the street to my apartment building.

I love fall leaves!

a halloween preview...

So...could I pass for a blonde?

Good news/crazy Maggie

You know "mail room chatter?" As in, "cute boots," "whoa, that's a lot of mail today," or "Did you have a nice weekend?"

Today I was delivering a lot of mail and my boss came in to make a copy. He thanked me for something I had worked on last week and I updated him on the outcome of a small issue that had come up. Never one for small talk, he said, "we're going to extend your contract another 6 months. So your contract will be for a year now." 

(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

What was my reaction? None other than the 3rd-grade/Napoleon Dynamite fisted hand pull from the sky with the requisite, "yesssssssssssssssss!"

Why am I so weird? And completely unprofessional? But yay! I'm employed now till at least October 2010!

Sometimes being grown up is fun

3 quick thoughts...

#1 I don't know what it is about October, but it's a friendly month for artists. Last year around this time I went to BYU's Vending Machine Art Fair which supported the Provo Food Coalition. Read about my acquisitions from that night here. Today I went to a similar event which was maybe cooler because it involved lunch. It was in Washington's Penn Quarter, which is where I work. At this event, local potters and ceramicists created bowls and donated them to be purchased. All the proceeds went to food banks in Washington. I walked into the room and was overwhelmed at all the beautiful bowls. I never thought I could decide, but I finally did, paid for it ($25) and was invited into the next room for all you can eat gourmet soups from Penn Quarter restaurants. Some of my favorites were there. I had 5 bowls of soup!! There was delicious bread, cookies, and drinks too. So here's the list of soups I tried...

#1 Tomato Coconut from Cafe Atlantico. This table was so cute. There were two chefs there. One ladled the soup and the other painstakingly tweezed tiny blades of cilantro, scooped tiny spoonfuls of pico de gallo and a tiny dollop of sour cream. It was so cute. And the soup was AMazing. Never tasted anything like it.

#2 Pumpkin and Lentil. It was good at the time, but it's not standing out to me looking back.

#3 Chili from Clyde's, a popular restaurant in DC. The chili was so good. Kind of sweet.

#4 Chicken Noodle. It was good. Not really standing out to me though.

#5 Chestnut soup with cranberry beans. This one was delicious. My friend tasted it and said, "This tastes like fall." It was true. If anyone has ever eaten a roasted chestnut, you can agree, that this soup would be delicious. A rich dark soup with some kind of green leaf cooked in, maybe spinach, and beans. It was great.

The winner was the Tomato Coconut, 2nd place was the Chili, and 3rd was the Chestnut soup. That's how I rated them. There were other soups too, but I didn't have room for all of them!

 

Here's my bowl! It's beautiful.

Thought #2 In downtown DC, right where I work (around the Verizon Center) the busy city has been converted into stables and HUGE beautiful horses are being kept there. They are in town for the International Horse Show. Tonight I walked past them and admired the horses, saw their ribbons hanging outside their stalls, and envied the cute outfits of the riders. The streets were scattered with hay. It really looked like a farm yard. It was so funny to think that this was the middle of the city.

Thought #3 This week has been busy getting ready for a big night out. Tomorrow night I'm attending a big event at my work. It's an exhibition opening and the awards ceremony of the portrait competition that only happens about every three years. I'm excited for it. Stay tuned.

Potomac Fever

unless it were true...

What is one thing Jeffery Holland and Ira Glass have in common?

It may be difficult to find many commonalities between a middle-aged leader in the Mormon church, based in Salt Lake City, and a Jewish radio talk show host, who works in Chicago.

But over the past weekend, both men delivered heart-felt thoughts about a book that changes lives. And both of them sent their message out for all the world to hear. I find the timing significant. I don't think it was providence, but I also don't think it was a coincidence.

While attending my 5th and final session of General Conference, I was struck by Elder Holland's powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. This was the most powerful testimony of the book I have ever witnessed besides my own undeniable witness that the Book of Mormon is true, which I worked to achieve many years ago.

Tears streamed down my face as he laid out the consequences experienced by Joseph and Hyrum Smith because of their testimony of the Book of Mormon. In powerful emotion, Elder Holland spoke of widowed women, fatherless children, displaced people, and, ultimately, death. "They were willing to die rather than deny the divine origin and the eternal truthfulness of the Book of Mormon." Special Witnesses of the record may have been hostile to Joseph for a time, but they never denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon. Elder Holland explained that for 179 years this book has been "examined and attacked, denied and deconstructed, targeted and torn apart like perhaps no other book in modern religious history- perhaps like no other book in any religious history. And still it stands."

That's the power of the Word of God. No man can explain away the Book of Mormon. If a personal testimony is gained through reading, studying, and prayer, it becomes all the more powerful. It becomes physical evidence- something you can feel. I can feel it. If that personal testimony has not yet been obtained, rely on the testimony of an Apostle of the Lord. Elder Holland decreed his testimony to be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven and he is not lying. Why would he lie before God and all the world? Watch the talk here -- better yet-- read the book here.

Only one day before, the world heard quite a different presentation about "The Book that Changed your Life." That was the title of Ira Glass' Saturday episode on the popular radio show "This American Life." On Monday, I was still in awe over Elder Holland's talk when I checked in to the new show that aired over the weekend. What did I find? More talk about a life-changing book. To each person interviewed, the life-changing book was unique. Phrases were said such as, "...speaks to you...I felt understood...the world seemed less lonely..."

Ira asks the question, "Can a life be changed by a book you've never even read?" I thought about that. I think the answer is no. One's life may be influenced by a book...such as the life of a child born into a family who believes in the power of the Book of Mormon, but until he actually works- picks up the book, reads it, and prays to know of its truthfulness- his life cannot be changed by it.

The last segment featured a young professional woman who, because of a book, actually picked up and moved across the plains to the west. Sound familiar? She didn't head too far west- just to Nebraska- but she said this book helped her "make it through the long winter and still see beauty in the snow." What book was that? The Laura Ingalls Wilder series, Little House on the Prairie. Good books? Yes. Life changing? Sure. But imagine the changes brought on by a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon.

That's right. I'm calling Ira's bluff. He tried to get the message across that a book can change lives, but that's the difference between a book written by man and a book inspired by God. Jeffrey Holland saw your "Little House in the Big Woods" and raised you to an infinite degree in the form of the Book of Mormon.