What a RUSH!

I just submitted my paper...3 minutes before midnight in Utah. :D But it was in and it was in on the 30th. This was cutting it a little close, even for me and I work well under pressure. I spent a lot of time on preparing it and even when I had all my information together and had an outline and was trying to write it, I had to fight for every word. I didn't get any kind of a break. :) Usually when I write a paper, once I have all the pieces, it just kind of falls together and makes sense. Well, not this bugger...anyway it's done! I have officially completed all the coursework that I need in order to get a diploma. YAY!

To Clarify...

Allow me clarify that when I said that I can't be pushed and that I was feeling "rebellious," this was not a conscious decision. It is a pattern that was occuring in my life sub-consciously and I just simply recognized it. I am trying to stop. The fact that this sounded a bit childish and immature as they thought that I was "willfully deciding not to act" just because I wanted to be stubborn was pointed out to me this morning by my parents (who have not, in fact, read my blog for months). Yesterday just HAD to be the day they decided to look at it... thanks, Fate. :)

So I print this clarification of intent because I did not mean to offend anyone, even though I obviously did. I'm sorry.

Me

What is it about us as humans, or at least me, as a human, that makes me so darn stubborn? Instead of working on a paper that I've known for 6 weeks is due tomorrow, I have done at least 7 other things today:

• I read Born in Shame by Nora Roberts...all 400 pages of it.
• I cleaned, I mean deep-cleaned, my home.
• I played with the love-of-my-life (of course I meant my dog).
• I sat in my hammock.
• I went to my parents' house to access the internet for my paper...BIG mistake. Here I've sat for 2.75 unproductive hours...unless reading blogs/emails counts as productive.
• I've been thinking about the paper--really I have. I'm almost ready to start it. ;D
• I have wondered what makes me find and read blogs written by people that I don't know...I feel like a stalker, yet incoming reports show absolutely no sign of changing this behavior. :)

I keep thinking I should start on afore mentioned paper, then something inside me rebels and I wonder if I'd done it sooner if I didn't have people constantly reminding me that it's due... I mean, I know it's for my own good and I appreciate that they care. I've come to the conclusion that I am a person that can't be pushed--God help anyone who tries.

So, I probably won't sleep tonight, meaning I will be groggy tomorrow as I tutor my tutoree in chemistry...and I hope that crankiness caused by lack of sleep doesn't register on the drug test I have to take tomorrow for my new job.

Acclimation

I think that I did a pretty darn good job of acclimating to the drastic weather changes I encountered in Utah when I first moved out there...and I DID NOT acclimate as well after my mission. I just felt not-quite-up-to-par most days...

I am proud to report that since moving back to a milder climate, I feel much better most of the time and it felt so good today to take a deep breath of humid air, feel great, and run around with my dog....in a t-shirt. :) Yay.

Inauguration 2009

President Obama is a great speaker. He made lots of promises not only to the american people, but also to the world this morning. I HOPE more than believe him to be sincere in most of these. I do, however, still hold hope that he lives up to the standards of his self-proclaimed christianity and utilizes the power he holds over the hearts of the american people to do good and lead our country to a good place. We shall see. Should he be capable of tearing down the boundaries between Republicans and Democrats, blacks and whites, poor and rich, or educated and uneducated, as he has professed to attempt, I will be proud to call him my President. God Bless America.

*At least he seems to have learned how to put his hand over his heart.

Well

For anyone who grows up in an area where most people say "Mormon...what's that?" I would like to simply say that I have returned from the Land of Abundant Mormons to the Land where Single Men Don't Exist...and I have survived my first tri-stake YSA activity (about 40 people came...three stakes...really...). And I may have actually almost enjoyed myself...and I met some interesting people. How about that? Eat your heart out, Provo.

Simple Pleasures

Thunderstorms

• I have missed these little monsters tremendously and even though my new abode has a less-than-solid foundation, I slept like a baby through the thunderstorms this weekend.

Grandma

• The more time I spend with Grandma, the more I realized I've missed her. She told me last night that visiting with me and knowing I lived close by was the best thing she's felt since......she couldn't remember anything better. :)

Pinochle

• Contrary to popular belief, pinochle is NOT an old person's game...I could beat my parents at it when I was 8 (we start 'em young down here ;).

Solitude

• I love living alone (except for my exceptionally cute dog). I love stepping out of my house to total and complete, almost eery, darkness every night. I love that I have 50 acres that I can wander any time I need to think--and it has a pond with a pier if I need to fish or just sit and think. I love that ANYTHING requires at least a 15 minute drive...I love to drive!

Deli Sandwiches

• I can't think of anything better* for lunch than a good deli-sliced sun-dried tomato turkey sandwich with real mayo, French's mustard, dill pickle slices and Colby-Jack cheese on a 7 grain whole grain honey bread eaten with Tostitos Lime Chips. *sigh*

*except for a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich with mayo during tomato season... :)

Pixie

• My new little chihuahua/yorkie cross is the sweetest thing and helps ease a little of the ache of being 25 and single. I love her to death already and am so grateful she sleeps with me. Whenever she sees me, she makes is clear to everyone that I am her whole world and being that to anyone is worth every second of dedication required and every penny she costs me.

In her defense, she was asleep when I just woke her to take this pic...I'll post better ones later when I have some. :D

Well, hmmpfh.

Well, hmmpfh. That's all I gotta say. hmmpfh.

...hmmmm....

I am an Auburn fan. And as anyone from west of the Mississippi knows, that means that I would rather cut off my right arm than root for Alabama. Well, here I sit in a moral dilemma--Alabama is playing Utah. You might ask yourself, well, which is the least of the two evils...

With 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, I'm rooting for Alabama. I've discovered that the only team I like less than Alabama is Utah. So for all you Utahns out there who keep sending me text messages gloating over your brief lead: you ain't seen nothing yet. No team from the Mountain West Conference could possible know how to play football like teams from the SEC do. So watch out, we're coming for ya.