According to Allen my Weather Girl is Hot

Today is a gloomy day. It’s been raining ALL DAY LONG. Not a satisfying Tucson rain where it pours down amidst dramatic lightning and booming thunder that makes the house shake. No, just rain drizzling down, hour after hour after hour.

Because of this and despite having received my swimsuit in the mail, I didn’t swim today like planned, but instead sat on the coach shoving carbs into my face all day (we had sweet potatoes AND mashed potatoes for Easter dinner). OK, that’s not exactly true, because I did get a bunch of reading done and sent off about 20 emails for banquet stuff. So I have been productive, just in a carbalicious kind of way. I must say, I have shown great restraint because the communal Easter basket my roommate bought and filled with candy has been sitting across the room beckoning to me all day. To which I have said “Away with thee, Easter candy! At least until my splurge day on Saturday.”

I also have to add, Blogger is not my best friend. It’s really annoying how often Blogger doesn’t work in one way or another.

It's Springing!

Not only is it a gloriously sunny day here in Boston, but just the other day I noticed little shoots poking through the ground at school. Only a moment ago, I heard a bird singing outside. Honestly singing. I think he realizes it's Spring and Easter and just a lovely day.

Jazz, Baby

Do any of you remember the night I hung out with the cool kids and learned about Hell? No? Really? You mean you don't remember every single thing I've ever written? So hurt...

Well, this month's cool kids night (aka Culture Night) is at my house. Tomorrow night we will be schooled in jazz and I am very excited. I couldn't think of anything really jazzy to serve to eat so I think I'll just get snacky food: popcorn, grapes, etc. Can anyone think of some food that just screams "Jazz!"?

Other than Culture Night, this weekend is ALL ABOUT HOMEWORK. I should post a sign on my bedroom door stating that I am ALL ABOUT HOMEWORK. Because frankly if I don't do a substantial amount this weekend, I may be in danger of failing. Well, ok, not really failing, since we have a forced curve, but of getting C's which means exactly the same thing as failing in my law school world.

So I may or may not be posting this weekend. It depends on if I come up with something profound (you know, like all the other stuff I write). You all are going to be off doing holiday things anyway. Happy Easter! (and isn't Purim this weekend? Do you say Happy Purim?)

Anti-Mormon Stuff

I saw a woman on the T this morning avidly reading Under the Banner of Heaven. I so wanted to sit down next to her and say, A) those guys, NOT Mormon, and B) the group they're affiliated with, NOT Mormon.

Google Ads

Feeling a little miffed that Google AdSense has determined the PERFECT ad to run on the good little Mormon girl's site is one for the missionary turned porn star movie, the idea of which just makes my stomach turn. (I'm not saying the name of the movie because I really don't want people who search for that sort of thing coming straight to my site. They would be sorely disappointed.)

The Swimming Pool Is Calling My Name

In email this morning:
Item: WM L ACTIVE ENDURNC TNK (#98018AH3)
Quantity: 1, Status: Shipped via UPS

Hurrah!

Tense Day

I need to start getting to sleep at a decent time. My big problem is I'm naturally nocturnal. My most productive working hours are generally sometime after 4 PM and can last until 3 AM or so. If I stay up past a certain point (like around 11:30) I am then up for awhile. For instance, last night I was doing some stuff for my calling until about midnight and realized my eyes were getting progressively heavier and heavier. However, I went to bed and couldn't actually get to sleep until almost 2 AM.

Here it is, though, already 10 PM and there are about 400 things I should work on. I think I should really just go to bed.

Today was weird. First, I'm the President of the Health Law Society, right? There's been a small email back and forth going on between me and this one girl. Last week she emailed me pointing out that there was a diversity event at the same time as our meeting and she thinks that organizations should support one another, etc etc. I wrote back and said thank you for letting me know, I agree it would be nice if we didn't have to schedule a meeting with a conflict, but since there is so little time in the week (2 hours and 15 minutes per week to be exact) within which the entire student body doesn't have class, there are always going to be conflicts. The meeting had already been postponed several times for conflicts and we really just needed to have one.

Well last week in the emails leading up to the meeting and at the meeting itself I asked the members for ideas on topics they would like to have speakers for. Yesterday this same girl emailed me suggesting an idea with a certain professor as the speaker. I emailed her back last night and said thanks for the idea. I asked her if she would like to get in touch with the prof. Then I forwarded her email to the other officers and one of them told me she has a class with that prof and could talk to him. I said go ahead and emailed the girl telling her that the officer would talk to the prof, thinking it would be more convenient since the girl doesn't have a class with him.

WELL, then I got an email from her. First, she expressed how displeased she was about my taking away her duty of talking to the prof. Second, she then proceeded to tell me how the members of the HLS felt excluded from the decision-making process and how she is not the only one who feels this way, but another girl who she went to grad school with feels the same way.

First instinct: tell her to go **** herself.

Upon reflection, realize may be acting hastily.

So I worked on an email for a couple of hours, trying to tweak it just so. I did apologize for usurping the talking to the prof thing and explained that I just thought it would be more convenient for the officer to talk to him than for her to try to seek him out in her spare time. Then I pointed out that we had officer elections at the beginning of the year and in my mind, it is the responsibility of the officers to run things. THEN I discussed how the HLS is brand new this year and we are still working out kinks. Not only that, but working with all different schedules is very difficult, especially considering that both last semester and this semester I am only on campus on ONE of the days when there is a common lunch hour (when no classes are scheduled. It's not even an hour even, but 45 minutes). If she is interested in changing how things are handled, then I recommed she work with the officers and members next year to enact her ideas.

Lastly, I pointed out that I have always solicited ideas and feedback in ALL of the emails I send to the listserv as well as at meetings. I have always made myself very available to the members. I thanked her for her willingness to help and asked her to please bear in mind that this is a fledgling organization.

About 20 minutes after I sent the email, I got a response from her. She was very contrite and nice and gave me the impression that she had been reflecting on her first email since she sent it in the morning. She said she really appreciated my email and my explanations about how everyone is very busy and the HLS is brand new. She said she is excited about helping out with the event and working with the officer on it. So, water under the bridge, but I was very tense about it for most of the day. See, this is the first organization that I have ever started and Health Law is near and dear to my heart. I want to give the members a positive experience, especially those who, like this girl, are interested in a Health Law career.

However, one of the officers pointed out, and I must agree, I am the queen of diplomacy.

Seriously, I should make this a career.

Second, I went out for cocktails and mocktails with a few people from work and found out that one of the other law clerks is starting as a new associate in the fall. Whaaa? OK, I know one of the attorneys will be leaving at the end of the summer when she has her baby. I didn't know if they would be hiring new attorneys or if they'd want someone more experienced. I actually debated asking about it, but I really don't think I want to be in Boston. More to the point, because of some office politics, I don't think I want to work at that firm permanently. It's more about moving to DC, though. So I decided not to inquire

I suppose I'm just a teensy bit hurt that no one bothered to mention to me that they were looking to hire a brand new associate. And I've been there almost a year longer than the clerk they hired. However, I understand it. They know I'm looking at DC. In fact a few of the attorneys are working on hooking me up with contacts down there. The girl they hired is from Mass, her boyfriend is from Mass, she will most likely be here for the rest of her life and be perfectly happy to be here.

But, you know, there's still that teensy hurt part. Yes, I know it's irrational, but when did I claim to be rational?

I am very happy for her though. What a load off her mind!

Now let's just find me a job.

Inspiration

I first saw Kassandra Okvath on the How Did They Do That show for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In case you don't know the story, Kassandra had kidney cancer and stayed at University Medical Center in Tucson. After her cancer went into remission she wrote Extreme Makeover and asked them to make over the pediatric cancer ward at UMC for the kids who have to stay there. Well, the show came in and fixed up the cancer ward beautifully AND they knocked down the family's small little ranch house and built them a beautiful new home with enough room for the entire 6-kid family! I had to leave 20 minutes into the show, but I was already crying.

I just saw Kassandra on Ellen and am crying again. She makes jewelry to raise money for cancer and gave a necklace to Ellen. Each of the beads has a special meaning and I doubt if there was a dry eye in that audience as she explained the meaning of the beads.

I just love this story and think Kassandra is such a doll.

The Moral of the Story: It's A Good Idea to Go to Church

No, this isn't another tale about the guy and his "life is a morality play" point of view. This is actually my own story.

After listing everything I am doing/supposed to be doing the other day, I realized how much is actually going on. Making a list of all the big projects does that. I started thinking about where I could ease up a bit and of course *calling* popped out in glowing neon letters because that's really a volunteer position after all and I'm sure there are 47 other people who could do it as well, if not better, than I do. I thought about setting up an appointment with the bishop to ask him if I could take a little break, or maybe get a companion in the grand tradition of the church (see also mission, visiting teaching, and home teaching).

What is my calling, you ask? I coordinate Sacrament Meetings. I'm sure I've mentioned this before. But what this means is I pick two topics, call two speakers to speak on those topics, get people to say the prayers, and coordinate music with the music director every single Sunday. All the Mormons are thinking, "Wait a second there, girlie, what about Fast Sunday?" OK, so 3 Sundays out of 4 I do this. Fast Sunday I just have to get the prayers and music done. As the bishop has told me on numerous occasions, this is usually the job of the bishopric.

The thing is, I love my calling. It is probably the most daunting calling I have ever received because the women who have done it before me always struck me as spiritual giants and so in tune. I feel like God took the qualifying criteria down a notch when he picked me. And since the bishop AND the woman who had the calling before me both came up with my name independently when they were contemplating who to pass the torch to, I feel like it really is what I’m supposed to be doing in the ward.

When I started, I had a couple of missteps, but I feel like I’ve figured out the best way to determine what the ward needs – by reading my scriptures. Over the last few months, all of my ideas have come straight from Sunday School class, which is based in the scriptures, or my own personal reading. I’ve heard that people have enjoyed the meetings so I think I’m doing a little something right - or, rather, I'm listening well. :)

And now I have been thinking about stopping, or at least telling the bishop I need a break. Today before Sacrament Meeting started I was sitting alone in a pew reading through some scriptures about the temple. Suddenly - it was like someone was talking to me - I thought “Well, the best thing to do would be to use my scripture study time to plan Sacrament Meetings.” Just like that. Like it was the most sensible idea ever. I am far from perfect with reading my scriptures and usually read 3-4 times a week. However, if I take that time to really search them for topics and to think about who the speakers should be, I feel like I will be using that time well.

I felt better after that – calmer.

Today was ward conference and the Stake Presidency spoke. The 1st Counselor ended his talk with a thought that I felt was directed right at me. He said for those of you who are feeling overwhelmed, the solution is to put things in order. When you are doing the most important things first, everything else will fall into place.

I have heard this idea many times, but it really struck me forcibly, considering the thoughts I had been having a half hour earlier. Especially since the Stake Presidency told us they had prepared talks for the meeting, but after meeting in Ward Council this morning, they felt they needed to go in a different direction and spoke off the cuff. It felt like a confirmation that I am heading down the right path.

Planning Sacrament Meetings and working in the temple matter. All the other things matter too, but in a different way, and they will work out because they always do when I’m doing things in the correct order. I’ve learned this lesson before, when I was a counselor in the Relief Society during undergrad, taking 5 classes, and working 25-30 hours a week. It all worked because every single Sunday for 8-10 hours I did Relief Society work and I planned Homemaking once a month and I went out to visit the sisters who didn’t get visit taught. Since I’ve learned this before, you’d think it would stick, wouldn’t you? Someone told me once that we are tested in the same ways over and over again, with the situation tweaked a little. I have my personal demons, you have your personal demons, and those demons come back again and again. The key is to remember the prior lessons. Yeah, I’m not the best at that.

On another note: our Easter concert is tonight and I hope it all comes together. Right now, I hope I get my voice back. I was having a really hard time hitting the higher notes today in practice, notes that shouldn’t be too hard for me with some good breath support. So I won’t be talking for the next two hours and we’ll see if that helps.

Elevator Etiquette

There is a very slow elevator at my school. A couple of times a day I leave class on the first floor and take the elevator up to the fourth floor where I go to the Board of Student Advisors office ostensibly to do homework, often reading blogs. I am not averse to walking up 3 flights of stairs, but with the 75 pounds of law books and computer on my back, the elevator seems like the option least likely to result in me collapsed in a heavy-breathing puddle at the top of the stairwell.

However, if one more person gets on at the second floor and off on the third floor I may snap. It's not just that the elevator moves slowly, it's that the doors open and close slowly, and there's always some sort of delay before it starts moving again. Unless you are disabled, I say to you, walk up the one freakin' flight of stairs!

And don't even get me started on the people in my building at work whose company has three floors and an internal stairwell and yet they still feel compelled to get on at 11 and take the elevator down to 10.

Libra

Why does my horoscope always assume that I have a boyfriend? Today's, for example:

Your romantic partner looks especially attractive, and probably is in a great mood. You might decide to attend a lecture together, or perhaps plan a weekend getaway. Communication between the two of you is open,
honest, supportive, and loving.

There is no contingency horoscope for those of us sans significant others. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, astrologically speaking.

Jenny Sue Has A Baby

Jen in Berkeley (formerly Chicago Jen) and her husband James welcomed Memphis William last Wednesday. There were some complications, which is why there are a couple of tubes and things in his pictures , but from all reports he's going to be just fine.

Congratulations! (oh and I hope Stewf doesn't mind me latching onto his pictures)

Time Machine

There is some crrrazy stuff on ebay.

Boys I Have Loved - Or At Least Liked A Whole Lot

I took this idea from Heather

Matt Mills, of the Kingsport, TN Mills: I think I was 3 and he was 4 when our passion first ignited. We were separated by the pain of ward boundaries. My ward met in the morning, his ward met in the afternoon. But while my parents were chatting with friends I would dash to the Primary Room where Matt would meet me, having pretended to be headed to the bathroom. We would sit in the hall, gazing into each other's eyes and talking. (I don't actually remember, but I'm assuming the conversations ran along the lines of, "Do you like spinach?" "Ick, no!" "I hate when my mommy makes me eat it"). Alas, our romance was cut short by my family's move to Tucson. When we came back to Kingsport for Christmas when I was 8, Matt still thought I was hot stuff, apparently, and asked me to be his girlfriend. Since I haven't heard from him in 20 years, I'm assuming I'm not still bound by that agreement.

Craig from swim team: Craig was my summer romance when I was 7. Our days together consisted of swim practice at 8 AM, mornings at either Craig's or my house, lunch at the morning house, then afternoons at whichever house we weren't at in the morning. Fond memories of Craig include sitting across from each other on an innertube in his pool, bouncing, and shrieking the Goonies theme song by Cyndi Lauper at the top of our lungs.

Jon from New Kids on the Block: I'm pleading peer pressure on this one. My friend Desiree had pictures of NKOTB all over her wall. I mean ALL OVER. I don't think there was an inch of blank wall in her bedroom. I would awake after a slumber party with those boys staring at me. I could only resist their pull for so long. History has proven my penchant for the shy, awkward one of the group, as well as for the h-less Jon.

Johnny Depp on 21 Jump Street: Truth be told, I still love him. Richard Grieco had NOTHING on Johnny Depp.

Matthew Perry: You may think I love him as Chandler on Friends, and you would be right. However, my passion for Matthew goes all the way back to his brief stint on Growing Pains, playing the soulful, yet tragically flawed, boyfriend of Carol Seaver. His tragic flaw was that of drinking at high school parties, and unfortunately Matthew was sacrificed in the name of a "just say no to drunk driving" episode.

Freddie: I knew of Freddie in high school, but never talked to him until our American Revolution history class my Junior year at the University of Arizona. Unfortunately, Freddie was engaged at the time and is probably happily married now, blah blah blah. I already knew he was one of the nicest guys I had ever talked to, when an innocent phone call made me love him. He called to talk about class and when I told him I was watching "Mad About You" he said, "Oh, what channel?" He flipped over and when he realized it was the episode when they almost broke up he said, "Oh no! I hate this episode. It's so sad." Not only was he man enough to admit that he watched Mad About You, but he knew the episode after about 5 seconds of watching it.

And if anyone says anything against his manhood, I'll beat you up.

Bill Pullman in While You Were Sleeping: The perfect man. Wryly funny, sensitive, thoughtful, and he works with his hands. Swoon.

Guy with the dreamy blue eyes in my Trusts & Estates class: I don't know his name, but he has great eyes and a lovely deep voice. He could just talk to me all day and I'd be happy.

Brendan Fraser: Love him. But he's married. 'Cause you know, otherwise, I'd have a shot.

Breakfast Club - Best Teen 80s Movie EVER - oh, except for Say Anything

You're Claire Standish! A "princess" with
a dysfunctional family. You're known for:
shopping, being center of attention, and playing
miss popularity. But really though you hate
it... with john Bender as a boyfriend, I'm sure
people will start to get the hint.

Which Breakfast Club Character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I think it was the lunch question that did it - I answered sushi. That was a tough question because I do love me some pixie sticks.

But, hey, I get to go out with John Bender. Score!

Hey Mama

So this freaked me out today. Stacy from Kids, Incorporated is Fergie from the Black-Eyed Peas.

Weird.

I Want My Own Island

Today, Dr. Phil had Part 3 of pre-marital boot camp. I didn't watch the first 2 parts, but as I was watching the re-cap all I could think was, do these people actually, you know, have a conversation before they get engaged? How can you decide to marry someone when you haven't talked about sexual needs and desire, regardless of whether or not you're waiting until you get married? These things need to be discussed. My ex and I probably over-discussed sex, if the truth be known. ;) Another question from today's show: how is a marriage supposed to work if the man is actually living in the basement because the woman needs her space?

But anyway, that's not the point of this post. The point of this post is to show you where I want to go on my honeymoon should I ever happen to get married. Dr. Phil is sending the Pre-Newlywed Game-winning couple to this place. So if you're a cute-ish Mormon guy who could get on board with a private island in Belize, shoot me an email.

Should I Buy These?

Since my mom is too busy to check her email lately, I thought I'd poll the internet community at large for advice. So, should I buy these?

Pros:
1) I cook a lot and would love to have a decent set of pots and pans. Right now I use the $30 Wal-Mart Special set that I bought 4 years ago. Oh, and the 2 saute pans my parents got me for Christmas last year. Those are still in great condition. (Tip: when the Teflon starts to flake off, it's time to throw the pans away. I didn't realize I could be POISONED by Teflon. Or at the very least, get a stomach-ache).
2) I like to cook big pots of chili and homemade soup when it's cold. The Wal-Mart Special stockpot isn't big enough so I bought another pot on sale somewhere. However, the pot isn't stainless steel or all-clad or copper or anything like that so even when it's just simmering I always wind up with a little black present glued onto the bottom of the pot when I'm done because it doesn't heat evenly. Especially when I'm using gas burners, which I am. This set comes with an 8 qt stockpot, which sounds perfect.
3) They're pretty.

Cons:
1)I still live with roommates and worry about the respect that my nice pots and pans will get. I'll probably be living with roommates next year too.
2) (um, I can't really think of another con)

Yes, the pros seemingly outweigh the cons, but I am torn.