Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A glorious three day weekend home alone
For Memorial Day weekend, I found myself alone in Washington DC. Almost every person I know in this city went out of town. I had no desire to travel and really just wanted a weekend to catch up on sleep, exercise, and relaxation.
By last Friday night almost everyone had left. I was so tired from the work week and a new workout routine that I found my way to the couch and watched a movie I'd never seen before: The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio. It was a really good movie, until about half-way through I got a knock at the door and a girl who used to live in my apartment showed up to pick up her TV. The very one on which I was watching my movie. I thought it was funny that so early into my wonderful weekend of hanging out by myself (which of course involved a few movies) my TV was being taken away! No big deal though. I just watched the rest of it on my lap top.
Saturday morning I ran on the trail that runs behind my apartment complex. It's a beautiful trail that follows Rock Creek. It feels so removed from the busy city nearby. After my run, I layed out by the pool. My apartment complex's pool opened on Saturday, and it is such a nice pool. There's three separate pools and there are lots of lawn chairs. Tennis courts too! I went to the library the day before to make sure I had plenty of reading material. I'm going through a huge American Early 20th-century kick right now. I'm reading Brave New World, but I'm really diving into a more indepth study of Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. I have lots of great sources at the Museum: People who have studied Fitzgerald a lot and are giving me lots of great reading material. After my time at the pool, I did some cleaning, and then went to some stores to look for cheap new clothes. I bought a few things and now I'm feeling guilty so some of it will go back. Then later that night I baked cookies and watched another movie.
Sunday I went to church and despite so many people in my ward being out of town, the place was still very full, with the overflow area still open. It was full of sales boys I realized. It was the first time I felt outnumbered as a girl in that ward. The talks and lessons were great~ and definitely the source of my post-shopping guilt. Sunday night was the best part of the weekend. I met up with some friends from the ward on the Mall for the Memorial Day Celebration Concert. It was awesome. Very emotional and moving.
The National Symphony Orchestra played. The National Marching Band performed as well as the military choir. There were tons of guest performers there like Brian Stokes Mitchell, Katherine McPhee, Katie Holmes, and many many more. The best parts were the stories shared about war vets, the opportunity all the vets in the audience got to stand and be recognized, and when General Colin Powell quoted the Prophet Isaiah. The overriding message that I took from the whole production was that God cannot be separated from this county. He is embedded in its founding and in the principles we embrace. I LOVED being on the National Mall on the steps of the Capitol listening to people sing "God Bless America" and offer prayers to our servicemen and women. There was a strong spirit there. I hope God will always be a part of our National identity.
On Monday I slept in and then went to the pool again to lay out. I was lucky I went early enough in the day that I didn't get caught in the torential downpour that came later in the afternoon. I did pilates in my living room. Then went grocery shopping. I watched a stupid movie from the 80s it seemed called "Cutting Edge." Then last night went to FHE at the church and then did my nails and went to bed at 11!
It was a great, relaxing weekend.
By last Friday night almost everyone had left. I was so tired from the work week and a new workout routine that I found my way to the couch and watched a movie I'd never seen before: The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio. It was a really good movie, until about half-way through I got a knock at the door and a girl who used to live in my apartment showed up to pick up her TV. The very one on which I was watching my movie. I thought it was funny that so early into my wonderful weekend of hanging out by myself (which of course involved a few movies) my TV was being taken away! No big deal though. I just watched the rest of it on my lap top.
Saturday morning I ran on the trail that runs behind my apartment complex. It's a beautiful trail that follows Rock Creek. It feels so removed from the busy city nearby. After my run, I layed out by the pool. My apartment complex's pool opened on Saturday, and it is such a nice pool. There's three separate pools and there are lots of lawn chairs. Tennis courts too! I went to the library the day before to make sure I had plenty of reading material. I'm going through a huge American Early 20th-century kick right now. I'm reading Brave New World, but I'm really diving into a more indepth study of Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. I have lots of great sources at the Museum: People who have studied Fitzgerald a lot and are giving me lots of great reading material. After my time at the pool, I did some cleaning, and then went to some stores to look for cheap new clothes. I bought a few things and now I'm feeling guilty so some of it will go back. Then later that night I baked cookies and watched another movie.
Sunday I went to church and despite so many people in my ward being out of town, the place was still very full, with the overflow area still open. It was full of sales boys I realized. It was the first time I felt outnumbered as a girl in that ward. The talks and lessons were great~ and definitely the source of my post-shopping guilt. Sunday night was the best part of the weekend. I met up with some friends from the ward on the Mall for the Memorial Day Celebration Concert. It was awesome. Very emotional and moving.
The National Symphony Orchestra played. The National Marching Band performed as well as the military choir. There were tons of guest performers there like Brian Stokes Mitchell, Katherine McPhee, Katie Holmes, and many many more. The best parts were the stories shared about war vets, the opportunity all the vets in the audience got to stand and be recognized, and when General Colin Powell quoted the Prophet Isaiah. The overriding message that I took from the whole production was that God cannot be separated from this county. He is embedded in its founding and in the principles we embrace. I LOVED being on the National Mall on the steps of the Capitol listening to people sing "God Bless America" and offer prayers to our servicemen and women. There was a strong spirit there. I hope God will always be a part of our National identity.On Monday I slept in and then went to the pool again to lay out. I was lucky I went early enough in the day that I didn't get caught in the torential downpour that came later in the afternoon. I did pilates in my living room. Then went grocery shopping. I watched a stupid movie from the 80s it seemed called "Cutting Edge." Then last night went to FHE at the church and then did my nails and went to bed at 11!
It was a great, relaxing weekend.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
spikey fruit=it's spikey for a reason. don't mess with it
A co-worker of mine is obsessed with exotic fruit. He frequents Asian markets and brings his new discoveries to work for his lunch. He always shares part of it with me. While I appreciate his generosity, these midday experiments bring me undue anxiety. The smells bring back nauseating memories of the Asian market in downtown Kansas City. Bring me a stinky wheel of Camembert or Roquefort or a bowl of Greek olives and I'll be a happy girl, but when it comes to fruit I think I'm just an All-American strawberry/apple/grape girl.
This is the Durian Fruit I think from Thailand. It is known for it's stinky smell but delicious flavor. It stunk up our whole office yesterday with some lingering fumes even today. The texture? half-raw scrambled eggs come to mind. The taste? I wanted to gag and throw up. I had serious issues with this one. The guy spent over $10 on it!
This is called lychee. At first glance it looks like a freeze dried strawberry. My co-worker dropped one in my hand and I said, "what am I supposed to do with it?" I almost bit right into it, but he said I was supposed to peel it. I dug my thumb nail in it and juice squirted out all over me and I was surprised to see an eyeball inside. Gross translucent white flesh with a dark pit. I didn't want to take a bite, but I did and it was actually nice tasting. The lingering memories of yesterday's Durian stench left a slight nastiness, but overall it was ok.
Have any of you ever tried these? Have you had any positive/negative experiences with foreign fruits?
Have any of you ever tried these? Have you had any positive/negative experiences with foreign fruits?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
And suddenly I'm a graduate...
I went to my college graduation not knowing if or when I would actually graduate. (don't tell my boss that!) I paid the graduation fee, bought the cap and gown (rip off), and showed up. The morning of the Convocation, I waited in line back stage to pick up my name card. It wasn't there. Nor was my name in any of the programs. I was only slightly worried, because I thought I had signed up for August graduation anyway.
My parents flew out to Utah, my siblings got together, I took 3 days off my new job to fly out. I walked across the stage, and go
My parents flew out to Utah, my siblings got together, I took 3 days off my new job to fly out. I walked across the stage, and go
t my professional
picture taken (and already have received many e-mails from them trying to get me to buy the prints). All this with an unfinished research paper haunting me! After the ceremonies, my dad asked me what I thought about it. I said, "They said some really great things, but I don't feel like any of it applies to me just yet. I'll wait to find out when I really graduate and then think more about it."
The day after graduation my mom, brother, and I headed back east in my car. We drove for three days. I mostly sat in the backseat and worked on my last paper or complained about how I needed to be working on my last paper.
When I got back to DC, I checked in with my academic advi
The day after graduation my mom, brother, and I headed back east in my car. We drove for three days. I mostly sat in the backseat and worked on my last paper or complained about how I needed to be working on my last paper.
When I got back to DC, I checked in with my academic advi
sor. She made a few calls and e-mails around campus and just this morning I learned that I indeed will be receiving my diploma in the mail within a few weeks! So I'm officially done!
From left: Lindsey Christensen, Kelsey Rudd, Whitney Hardie, and me!
Me and Kelsey: MOA buddies!
We share many memories of drilling D hooks on the backs of frames, hanging and rehanging and rehanging the racks, measuring walls and installing paintings, glueing duck sauce on the wall, blowing up balloons, doing condition reports, and taking naps under the tables.
Art History buddies! Let us never forget 3112 JKB.
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