Can you tell school has started?

Let me count the ways . . .

1. 34,000 students leave the buildings on campus every hour at ten minutes to the hour, rushing from the MARB to the HFAC and the RB to the Wilk. Notice that is Wilk not WSC.
2. Lunch now has lines, which at some establishments, namely Taco Bell, turn corners and run down halls.
3. Computers and Parking Spaces are the most coveted items on campus, with perhaps the exception of iClickers.
4. Remember #1? It took me at least 6 minutes to get OUT of the MARB Wednesday after class. It's a good thing I know how to walk really fast and that the HFAC is not totally strange to me.
5. WalMart is stripped bare
6. Costco is stripped bare
7. Macey's is stripped bare
8. I'm hungry . . .
9. It's cooling off . . . really quickly!!
10. The Cougars won the football game against Nothern Iowa last Saturday and are playing Washington tomorrow
11. I'm in the library wasting time . .. oh wait, I did that in the summer too . . .
12. Cute boys have seemingly repopulated the face of the Earth but one of them is really busy
13. I'm really busy!
14 . . . here's a picture to prove that school has started, or at least support that school has started and to liven up my blog a bit.

A Most Excellent Tradition . . . Rain or Snow . . . or massive amounts of sunshine that burn me every year, with or without protection.

I may want to sing, "Blue are the skies that reach above us! Blue are the lakes and mountain's feet. Golden the grain our harvests yield, golden the sheaves of ripening wheat. Then Sing Hurrah! for the Gold and Blue, sing loud and let it's praises ring! To our dear gold and blue, we ever will be true Hip Hurrah for the Gold and Blue!" or even "We love Moapa High School! Dear Gold and Blue! We love our colors! To thee, our hearts are true as blue we love every inch of you. Cheer Moapa High School. Fight Team! and never say die! We'll fight for our high school, Moapa High! With a Hip Hurrah! MV Rah Rah, MV Rah Rah! There's nothin' the matter us, Rah Rah! MV Rah Rah! MV Rah Rah there's nothin' the matter with us!" But really I'm singing,

Rise, all loyal Cougars and hurl your
challenge to the foe.
We will fight, day or night, rain or snow.
Loyal, strong, and true
Wear the white and blue.
While we sing, get set to spring.
Come on, Cougars, it’s up to you. Oh!

Chorus:
Rise and shout, the Cougars are out
Along the trail to fame and glory.
Rise and shout, our cheers will ring out
As you unfold your vict’ry story.
On you go to vanquish the foe
For Alma Mater’s sons and daughters.
As we join in song in praise of you our
faith is strong.
We’ll raise our colors high in the blue
And cheer our Cougars of BYU.

Rah rah rah rah rah!

Rah rah rah rah rah!

Rah rah rah rah rah!

GOOOOOOOO COUGARS!!!! :D

Tag . . .I'm it!

Name 5 random things about myself and then tag five more people . . . adding a random picture to add to the randominity of said post. Here goes!

1- I have a clean fingernail fetish. When not doing something productive, they're always being picked at. I clean them during class, slow time at work, during church, when I try to come up with random things to say . . . all the time! It's even worse if they're short . . . I just really need to see that line of white.
2- All I wanted when I went to Washington DC, besides to see the Lincoln Memorial, was a red hoodie with Washington DC really big on the front. I found the perfect hoody on the last day we were there and bought it on the spot. It is comfy and cozy, says Washington DC down the left sleeve in white embroidery and Washinton DC in black velvet and white embroidery on the front, real big. Perfect!
3- I like to paint my toenails, but not enough that I'm willing to take off the old paint that now only remains on my big toes. Call me lazy . . . All of the paint has come off or been chipped off (part of the clean nail fetish) of the other toes, but my two big toenails remain red, scarlett in fact.

4- I have had the same cell phone for more than 2 years now and my provider has sent me several messages informing me of this fact. Get a new phone they say! It's free they say! I say, the old one still works, I'd have to find a store, it probably isn't free, and until this one dies, what's the point?
5- It has been almost exactly a year since my last haircut. It was incredibly short (1-2 inches in length) and is now past the shoulders to upper back range. It's still healthy looking, though if I sit still too long I get bored and pick split ends. It's a lovely color, and a nice boy I know likes to comment when I do it. ;)
I tag Jess Ward, Jessica Hansen, Allyson Maughan, JanaRae and Annie Leavitt.

Random Picture: This was sent to me today by a missionary buddy from my freshman year at college. Elder Ricks in Florida's self portrait whilst at the Orlando Temple.

super blonde moment . . .

oh man this is embarrassing . . . but SO funny!! So, I'll share. Scroll down a little bit and look at the picture for the awesomest jamba crew ever. Notice anything odd about it? Yeah, it's really really really blurry. For about a year now, I've been really confused at why the quality of the pictures from my phone camera has plummeted. Today, I discovered the reason. I was at Hogi Yogi, not eating the ice cream-cookie sandwiches with my sister and her friends at the close of her "birthweek" and got bored. I took out my phone and started messing around. I opened up the options and noticed that the first one was 1.Resolution. It was set to the lowest one! 160x120 is nothing! No wonder you can't tell that it's even me in any of my pictures from the last year! So, now that it's set to a 640x480 resolution I'll take better pictures. I guess on the upside of this blonde moment that happened to last for at least a year . . . is the truth (yes, truth) that I'll just have to go back and do all the things that I have pictures of on my phone, delete them, and take better ones!! Brilliant! :)

The Awesomest Jamba Crew Ever

Hello again everyone! It seems like it's been a while since I posted, and it has! Almost a month! So I thought I'd update. I still work at Jamba Juice, and intend to for some time to come. Next week is Education Week and it's going to be crazy insane! I'm starting as a new team lead next week too which has the potential to be a scary thing: Lyndi in charge? OOOoooooo . . . :D But, I believe that this picture, poor quality that it is, is enough proof that it won't be too bad. Pictured from left to right in the back are Mike, Jon, Will, Freddie and Justin. Pictured center front = me! This was my team yesterday of which I was in charge! I was the only girl but it was totally awesome! My team was very efficient and I felt that we were successful. Besides, it was a fun picture. We were pretty bored . . . :)

4 months

Today is August 2nd. Four months from today is my birthday! I wanted to post something today, but really don't have anything else exciting to say! Trevor went sailing and I was so sad it wasn't me. My cousin Michele's bridal shower was this morning. Tomorrow is Fast Sunday. I'm doing laundry and might take a nap. I don't have to go to work today!!!! (I've already been excited about that today. I actually put cute clothes on and did my hair! I work at Jamba Juice so I just wear my uniform and put my hair in a pony tail every day and am too tired when I get home to change into anything else or to put any effort into my physical appearance. Of course, if there was a good reason to do so, I would! Good reasons include dates, FHE, dates, going out with Heidi, dates, or any other excuse to leave the house. If I'm just going to stay home alone, there's no reason to look good.) I'm praying about medical school - shocking isn't it - and trying to decide which classes to pick up when. Can I take O Chem and BioChem concurrent enrollment? Which physics classes do I take if I only need to cover mechanics, electricity, and magnetism? Is a "science-major" level at BYU referring to chemistry majors, biology majors, physics majors, neuroscience majors, all of the above or none of the above? Do I take Chem 105, 106, and 107 and not take Calculus, or will NCNM only accept a college math course actually taken in college? This, of course, would change all of those Chem classes to like 121, 122, and 123. I should probably talk to someone who knows, huh? Ooh . . . there's the buzzer. Time to rotate the laundry.

a tasty anecdote

I just wanted to drop a little note to tell you of all the adventures I've had lately. I come into work every day when Heidi comes in. Even though I don't start working until 11:00 or 11:30, I'm on campus every morning at 9. This leaves much time for emailing, researching career and school options, and reading conference talks and scriptures etc., online. I suppose I could play games online too, but I have not yet done so. Then, I go to Jamba, which, by the way, you must stop by when you come to BYU because I am the coolest Jamba employee ever. To illustrate this point I will recount adventures from yesterday's EFY rush hour. I was on pour, which means I was pouring the smoothies and calling the names of said EFYers. I had a helper who was actually pouring the drinks in cups and making sure I was getting them in the right order before I stuck lids, straws, and names on them. One particular EFYer thought he would be so clever and embarrass us by making us call a silly name, Michael Jordan, to be exact. However, my helper Mike and I would not be embarrassed. Mike remarked how wonderfully exciting it was to be making a smoothie for the greatest basketball player alive, and I said something along the lines of, "Dude . . . let's embarrass him by making a big deal out of it! Like, Ladies and Gentlemen! Introducing Michael Jordan!!!" (In my excellent loudspeaker announcer voice, developed through at least 4 years of being the most valuable pep band member!) Mike replied that that was the most awesome thing he'd ever heard and that if I wasn't going to do it, he was. I quickly responded in the affirmative and commenced. "*WHISTLE!!!* Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please! We have someone very important and special with us today. Allow me to present the one and only MICHAEL JORDAN!!! Yay!!! *Clapping*" People laughed, some cheered and the poor little EFYer turned red and came to get his smoothie, while his cohorts laughed. It totally made my day, Mike's day, the cashier's day, and I hope everyone else's day too. Let it be known that I am the greatest pourer of Jamba smoothies and that I am not one to be messed with. :) (Ok, that sounds totally proud and cocky, but it was incredibly fun, and I don't know that anyone else would have been crazy enough to come up with it and actually follow through on it. I may not be the greatest pourer, in fact I'm not. If I was, I wouldn't need a helper. I, however, would have drowned in fruity-smoothie goodness without those helpers. So, forgive me for being proud and boastful and know that I had a lot of fun being loud and obnoxious yesterday!)

Back home, but only for a little while!

"He's a kinder, gentler genie! Look at this!"

In case you don't know, it's from Aladdin and the King of Thieves, when Robin Williams is back playing Genie. :) I just wanted to start off with a movie quote that hints at my being back! I'm back in the USofA and I love it! Don't get me wrong, London was out of this world amazing. I learned so much and I worked so hard! I played hard too, don't worry. But for now, it's nice to be home. Working in the garden, working out, studying the scriptures & Preach My Gospel, reading good books and playing the piano have never been better!

The Temple is a Holy Place

I love to see the Temple. I'm going there someday to feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray. For the Temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty. I'll prepare myself while I am young. This is my sacred duty.

I love to see the Temple. I'll go inside someday. I'll covenant with my Father; I'll promise to obey. For the Temple is a holy place where we are sealed together. As a child of God, I've learned this truth: A family is forever.

24 of our 36 students took a trip to the London England Temple on a free day. It was the most peaceful and beautiful day I'd had on the trip. We were able to enter the walls of the temple and participate in sacred ordinances. I took family names from Grandma Hemingway and had special and tender feelings for those family members. It was a beautiful experience.

Saturday in the Park . . . again.

Today we got back from an amazing trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and other amazing places. Even though we saw Coventry Cathedral, Kenilworth Castle, Warwick Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, Mary Arden's Farm, Anne Hathaway's Cottage, and many other amazingnesses, Jess and I couldn't be happier to be back playing frisbee in Hyde Park. We're not the greatest, and Jess especially isn't because she sprained her ankle. My skills at throwing the frisbee to one spot are becoming . . . well . . . let's just say they're slowly improving. My catching skills are much more rapidly improving. Anyway, these pictures are obviously not from today since the sun was shining in them and we didn't get back until late in the day and didn't get to the park until evening, but they're good anyway. I like how I match the yellow and white flowers and contrast nicely with the blue ones. It is lovely to wander through the flowers and gardens, but even better than them, I love the tall grasses and trees throughout the park. One of my favorite days in the park, Jess and I just wandered off into a secluded tree-covered part of the park and laid in the grass reading our books and eating Ritter Sport chocolate. There are pictures on here somewhere of that day. Look for them. Hyde Park is especially lovely in the rain. No umbrellas, please.

Jess and I went to Westminster late at night after I'd done homework all day long. It was a good jaunt into London early on in our adventures together and one of our better bonding experiences. Oh, and by the way, if you haven't seen Big Ben by night, you haven't seen Big Ben at his Best. I think he's so beautiful . . . and Westminster too. I LOVE architecture that speaks to my soul . . . (really I just wanted to use another feature of the Blog, which I find so pleasurable!) So, enjoy the film. I hope there's sound!

A Country Walk . . .

You may think, "Oh, lovely! A jaunt through the British countryside!" I would have thought so too, but I was the one on the walk. It was more like a hike - an 8 mile uphill/downhill/cross country hike. My muscles are pulsing, which makes me feel good about myself (it means I did something worthwhile . . .) and my feet are sore. The trees were amazing - and constantly in your face- the clouds were gorgeous - and ALL over the sky! - and there were several streams that I found pleasing. This picture doesn't do justice to the strenuous nature of . . . 1/8 . . . of the hike, but it was lovely. There was one hill that was quite painful and made me really embarrassed at how much I have not been climbing stairs since I moved from Heather Cove. We had a beautiful day and I'll sleep soundly tonight.

Relief and Gratitude

Few who read this blog or follow my travels in London know of the extreme struggle I've had in my classes, my Shakespeare English 382 class in particular. I consider myself a good writer, fun to read, and strong in structure. If you know Mr. Dalley, you know what I'm talking about when I say that I've grasped the fact that lampshades cannot kick buckets. However, in this class I have found my mettle tested and tried. I have written and rewritten and analyzed and reanalyzed in order to achieve a higher score on what they call "Response" papers. I, myself, would call them "Tear your heart out with a red pen and a TA comment or 3" papers. (This may seem over the top, but really! I've struggled with these papers like none other! I haven't been so frustrated with a grade since Mr. Tusler's 10th grade English class where he made no comments at all and gave you a B! grr . . .) Nevertheless, in order to make this title correlate with what is written here below, I have some exciting news to relay! After two unsatisfactory scores I emailed my TA and basically said, "I want a better score on my next paper and you're going to help me get it." After several helps and more instructions I wrote a paper, turning it in only after having prayed over it extensively. That was over a week ago. I've been in turmoil ever since, wondering and waiting on this paper and of course the grade attached. I got it back today and let's just say the score is now acceptable, very acceptable, in fact. I cried in relief when I saw the score. Confidence is instilled in me and I feel rejuvenated. I'm so grateful for my TA, for the Lord and His mercy, for my mom who believes in me - that I can do anything! (She really does! It's impressive.) I'm feeling relieved and revitalized. I hope I can remember this struggle, this test, this trial, especially when the next "Response Paper" comes around. :)

Carrying the Banner

It is Ray and Jan Mecham family tradition to take creative family pictures where'er we go. If you need a brilliant example, visit bvaliant.blogspot.com . So, when I went to the British Museum, as described below, I felt the need to extend my creative atmosphere and live according to tradition. It wasn't long before I found the perfect place to take creative license, as witnessed below.

Shortly thereafter I again felt the need, but there's no way I could have done the position justice without at least my five siblings to aid me in the . . . artistic representation . . . of so many fine souls. :)

Any takers?

The British Museum: Enlightenment

Well, dear reader, today I visited the British Museum. Before the museum trip, however, Meagan, Amy, Jess and I went to Hyde Park. I was tired and groggy because I didn't follow Ben Franklin's advice, but went to bed late and got up late instead. My eyes were watery because the wind was blowing and little fuzzy things kept flying into them. I felt pretty miserable. So . . . because I was miserable . . . I just let my eyes get a little more watery. :) It was an interesting day in the park . . . I have no idea what was wrong, I was just miserable. Then we headed back to the flat, ate some lunch and I took a break. I watched an episode of Avatar (Sokka's Master) and read my scriptures after which I felt quite a bit better and ready for the museum. As we went through the museum, however, that miserable feeling came back. But, this time it had purpose. I was looking at artifacts from Egypt. Well, I just got back from Egypt! I was there with my family! The last time I was in London, I was here with my family! There is an exhibit in the museum for a season called "The Enlightenment" and I feel that with my visit to the museum, I have been enlightened as to this mysterious pit in my heart all the time! The thought that came to me in the middle of a Greek exhibit was, "I miss my family so much that I am miserable!" It's so true! All I want is to be with them. I may be in London where sooooo many people want to be at some point in their lives, and they may be in Logandale, Nevada (sometimes referred to as the Armpit of America), but all I want is to be with them. I felt justified in this thought and proceeded through the museum feeling somewhat lighter. Enlightened, perhaps?