A T.P. Peeve

I think one of my biggest pet peeves has to do with toilet paper.  Not only does it get under my skin when I go into the bathroom and I see an empty cardboard tube where a full and soft roll of toilet paper should be, but it just speaks millions about the lazy and apathetic attitude about the person who used that bathroom before you.

However, it is even more frustrating when I go into the bathroom and see the empty cardboard tube with a full and soft roll of toilet paper sitting on top of it.  Really? REALLY?! You had the motivation to go get a new roll of T.P. but couldn't quite muster up the energy to throw out the empty tube and put the new one on?  It's like once you got the new roll and walked into the bathroom, you suddenly realized, "I'm too tired...I can't take the extra 10 seconds to replace this. Can't do....not enough energy... too much effort... need...to sit down..."  

That just ticks me off. But this cartoon makes me laugh.

Chocolate Cake: My Biggest Supporter

It is rather deceiving, don't you think?  The way certain things present themselves plainly and yet so alluringly.  Like the way that pair of stiletto heels sits in that shop window perfectly poised, telling you that they would elongate your legs and lift your butt and make you look absolutely stunning.  Yet, when you put them on and wear them for five minutes, you realize that they not only elongate your legs and lift your gluties, but they kill your feet.  You quickly remove them from your feet, disappointed in how those shoes left you feeling.

It is like that warm summer's day when you have been outside all afternoon working in the yard underneath the hot sun.  You head inside for a quick break and to enjoy a refreshing fudge-sickle.  Once inside you walk to the freezer, only to find that the only thing remaining inside that is related to a sweet, refreshing, fudgey treat is the bag in which the fudge-sickles came in... and it is empty.

This is my relationship with chocolate cake.  It sits on my counter, taunting me with its delicious and sweet chocolate cream frosting, the moist and fluffy cake with the delicious chocolate flavor, and the tantalizing aroma wafting through the kitchen. My willpower wanes as I walk closer and take a whiff. Sooner than I realize, I've cut myself a slice and am enjoying it at the table.  The first piece is divine and it leaves me wanting more.  I then talk myself into having another slice, but making it smaller.  It doesn't quite satisfy the want for more, because I then move onto a third piece. As you can tell, it is a long and horrible cycle that ends with me sitting at the kitchen table, much too full for comfort.  I regret eating that much, and despise chocolate cake for the next few days.

Once those few days have passed, I then realize that my butt and thighs are noticeably larger than before. I think to myself, "Well butt and thighs...say hello to your biggest supporter: chocolate cake."

A Wonderful Weekend

Who knew you could have such a good weekend in Bosie, ID?  Derek and I went there this last weekend to visit his grandmother. His dad and his brother Brandon, his wife Ashley, and their five kids were there as well. I had a wonderful time!!!! Derek and I arrived in Boise on Friday night, and all the others arrived around 7 am on Saturday morning.

Brandon and Ashley have five kids, one of them being a four year old named Treyson. This little guy was my shadow all weekend long. If I was brushing my teeth, so was Trey. If I was going to go outside so was he.  If I was using a pencil to draw a picture, he would use a pencil. I think my favorite example of this was when we were having pie on Sunday evening. Treyson's grandpa asked him if he wanted a fork or a spoon to eat his pie with. Trey immediately looked at my plate, saw that I was using a fork, and looked back at his grandpa and yelled, "A FORK!" Stinkin' cute.

It was a good weekend with great people and fun activities.

And let me tell you, I fell in love with every bit of it.

I Need to Stop

Or else I'm going to end up pulling out my hair, watching the Office for hours on end, and not doing anything except going running until I pass out.

Somebody STOP ME. And yes, this is what I look like. That's actually my favorite dress. Flattering, huh?

.

Dull

Clear skies and green trees were passing me by as I hazily walked down the sidewalk. The clunking of my dirty and tired red converse was background noise to the mind-numbing silence running through my thoughts. Things such as the test I was about to take, the boyfriend I have and adore, and the slight breeze that was the perfect refreshment to a warm summer's day should have been in my consciousness somewhere ... but they weren't.

The straps of my backpack were rubbing against my shoulders uncomfortably, my sock had fallen off my heel and was now covering just the first half of my foot, and I was sure my hair was a mess. Ominously, the door to the testing center opened to reveal a staircase leading to a line of twenty five people. "Why did I have to wait until today to take this stupid test?"  Oh yeah. Because I had two other exams this weekend, with yet another coming up this week. With each stair stepped, my mind couldn't help but wander to thoughts of him. I bitterly rebuked myself. "Knock it off. It's over. Things ended and he would only be annoyed with hearing from you." And yet everything on this campus makes me think of him. The library, the Benson, the Romney, the MC, the testing center, and especially the apartment complex that I can see out of the window as I exercise. Strings tied my heart to the memories I desperately held on to. My hair tickled my eyes as I shook my head to get rid of these thoughts. They simply had to go.

As I got closer to the top of the stairs, I turned to grab my pencil out of my backpack. It's dull. The new and sharp tip that it had was now worn down through math homework, taking notes, and drawing pictures for my poems. It now had a rounded top with the marks of wear, and the eraser was no longer untouched. My mind instantly drew a parallel between that pencil and how I feel; I feel like every time my life gets dull I go to the pencil sharpener and get a new tip. Something new, something exciting, and something different. Whether it's new clothes, a new school, or a new love interest,  I cannot seem to find the value in the dull, the old, the "normal" thing for me; I cannot see the memories, smiles, tears, and immense joy that have made the pencil the way it is. ...or in this case, that have made my life the way it is. "Quit being ridiculous," I scolded myself again, "Just because your pencil is dull doesn't mean your life sucks." I finished climbing the stairs. With each step, I found a new resolve to appreciate the dull. Or should I say the well earned, happy, although difficult, life I had.

My eyes rested on a  long line of twenty five people. "Why did I have to wait until today to take this stupid test?"

Game Night at Abbie and Adam's

Last night, Derek and I went over to Abbie and Adam's for a game-pizza-movie-cookie night! I decided to bring my camera along and was very happy that I did! I got some absolutely adorable pictures of my nephew and my sister.

He has to be the cutest little boy ever. He loves to grab your fingers and pull them into his mouth and hold them captive there.

At this point in time he had my thumb and wasn't gonna let go anytime soon.

It was a really good night with a lot of fun!

Smoke-Filled Vision and G's Dairy Delights

Today has been a wonderful day, despite the beginning it had. This morning I had to wake up earlier than usual on a Wednesday, because today was the dreaded day for clean checks. However, my jobs were fairly easy and quickly accomplished, so I had a little extra time to get ready which I used to catch some more Z's.

Can you blame me? I'm a college student who's in the bad habit of falling asleep between midnight and 2 am.

After getting up, throwing myself together in two seconds, and going to a wonderful session of Doctrine and Covenants class, I went to the Verizon store to get a new charger...because my old one started smoking and I just can't tolerate that bad habit.

(To be continued)

STORY TIME: Okay, so last night as I was conversing with a friend on the phone and something starts to cloud my vision. At the same instant, I smell something hot and feel little shocks up and down my left hand which was holding my cell phone to my face.  I pulled my phone away to take a look, and my phone was smoking!!!! It was coming from the base of my phone, where my charger plugs in. I quickly unplugged my charger from my phone and then from the wall, and took a closer look. Upon doing so I discovered a few small spots where the wire had started to wear away, and when I held the wire in a certain spot, there was a bright orange spark! So I quickly took my charger and put it on my shelf, away from all other objects, and went to sleep.

(Previously on "The Daily Tantrum")

"After getting up, throwing myself together in two seconds, and going to a wonderful session of Doctrine and Covenants class, I went to the Verizon store to get a new charger...because my old one started smoking and I just can't tolerate that bad habit."

The charger ended up being $30. How ridiculous is that? A wall charger for a phone that not only came out two and a half years ago, but also has a lot of problems, costs only twenty dollars less than what it costs to replace the phone if it dies on you (which it will, frequently).  So, that was stupid. But then I went to math class and we played a game called Function Fish. Similar to Go Fish, but instead of asking for multiples of one number, you ask someone for a certain type of function (e.g. "Cory, do you have a quadratic function?"), and if Cory has an equation, a graph, a data table, or a real world application that is quadratic, he has to give you that card.  Overall it was an enjoyable game and it helped me to recognize the different functions faster and with greater ease. Kudos to you, Function Fish.

After class, I came back to my apartment and quickly devoted myself to my studies...and then quickly shut my laptop and took a 45 minute nap. I mean, I wasn't getting anything done because I kept falling asleep, so what was the use in trying?! Afterward, I really devoted myself to my studies and got quite a bit done.  

 Yesterday, today, and extending through tomorrow, G's is having a special!! Any single scoop ice cream cone or sugar cone is only $1 and any waffle cone or waffle bowl is $2!!! What a steal for great ice cream from a cute little place, and in a waffle bowl for only $2. So Derek and I went to G's and Abbie and Jace met us there for a fun treat.  Jace was being sooo cute! He would close his lips and make it so you couldn't see them anymore, and then try and talk to you! Making cute little sounds and grinning with his lips clenched together created an adorable moment that we couldn't pass up. Abbie took a video and sent it to Mom, and she replied, "Okay, it's agreed. He is the cutest boy EVER!" 

I have to say, I agree on every aspect. Although I might be bias considering I'm his aunt... whatever.

So today was good. I have a clean apartment, my homework is done, and I got to spend time with my wonderful sister and her darling little boy. 

It Was

an absolutely wonderful evening.


Thank you, very much.

How I Became A Pirate

Tonight I went over to Abbie's to do my laundry, and while I was waiting for my various clothes to run through the various cycles, I read one of my favorite children's books called, How I Became a Pirate. (I would have underline the title, but I don't have that formatting option.) It's filled with Braid Beard the Pirate, soccer-ball eating sharks, flying free under the jolly roger, absolutely no manners at the dinner table, and no bed times or baths; the perfect world for little Jeremy Jacobson!  The illustrations are vivid and captivating and create the perfect feeling needed to fill your mind with wonder ... the wonder of what it would be like to become a pirate.  After reading this book, I know that I want to be one.  Yo ho, blow the man down!

It is quite the fantasy to live a life of no cares beside what you're going to eat for dinner that night; the smell of the ocean, the rocking of the boat, and the fun of being with people you enjoy. I mean, pirates have to get along with one another, right?  I imagine that besides the instances where there is a mutiny and everybody joins together to bring down and maybe even throw overboard their captain, that life under the jolly roger would be quite peaceful. However, this fantasy is one that cannot become real for the majority of us.  (Except for those few who buy an old boat, fix it up, and dress in ridiculous outfits to sail the seven seas. Argh, mateys.)

In the lives that we are blessed to live every day, we are not free from cares.  We have to worry about work or school, finances, and how or what food we're going to put on the table that night.  Those are just the routine and daily worries of what I imagine most people would go through. Then with each day that comes there are different problems and struggles. Relationships might go awry, your car might have a flat tire, you might have forgotten about a paper due in class or that you had to work that day and your shift starts in 10 minutes when you live 20 minutes away from work. Other days, things we hold dear are lost, misplaced, or they leave.  Despite whatever reason it is that takes these things away, it still hurts. It still makes you wonder why, what purpose it might be serving, or how long the feelings that are lingering will hold with you.  And sometimes, there is no real purpose or any real answers to the questions that are asked and it's frustrating to no end.  However, you just have to trust in the Lord. For while we cannot see His design or understand His purposes, we have to hold on to the faith that everything is going to be alright.  "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted ... ; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God" (D&C 101:16).

I think fantasies and stories of the care free life of a pirate is something that should stay on the pages of a children's book.

Recurring Sweets

For me, as a dessert/sweets addict, I go through phases.  Brownies for a while, then cake, and then maybe I'll try some pie or even a danish. I mean, what the heck?  Ice cream is an obvious staple, but something that keeps coming back to me is a chocolate cake.  What is so tempting and enjoyable about a chocolate cake? That is a question that I will never be able to answer, but I'm hoping that over the next few months I get to enjoy lots and lots of chocolate cake. Like this delicious flour-less chocolate cake...with raspberries. Mmmmm

I'm tired of this. I'm tired of all of it! Can't I just have my cake and eat it too?! I mean, that cake looks STINKIN DELICIOUS! ... And yet, I have this piece of stuffed french toast that is good...

but after a little while it makes my stomach ache because I've had too much french toast.  ... and yet I'm left craving chocolate cake. What is wrong with me? Can I PLEASE just make up my mind about things? I think that would be ideal. Because vacillating between these two desserts isn't only affecting me. It's affecting the people around me, and it's affecting the poor toast and cake. I guess all I can really say at the moment is that I hope there's a future with cake and a way to tell the french toast without burning it too bad...

... And We're Back Folks

Well, it's 2:59 am and I am writing a blog.  Funny how you fall back into old habits, isn't it?  Tonight, I suppose I passed the initial "tired phase" and now have my second wind, which will be the end of me in the morning.  Psychology at 8:00 am?  Eh. We'll just have to see how well that goes.

But onto more important and pressing issues! AN UPDATE ON MY LIFE.  I am now a student at BYU-I in Rexburg, Idaho for Spring semester.  As of right now, this is not a permanent transfer. However I still have yet to make up my mind about where I'm going to be in the fall. Hooray for being a single college student and taking advantage of the fact that you have an extremely flexible life.  I have two new members in my family: Riley Grace and Jace Adam.  They are two of the cutest babies I have ever seen.

I am sooo lucky to be able to be in Rexburg and so close to my adorable nephew! I miss Courtney, Jay, and their beautiful little girl Riley like mad!!




This semester, I am taking voice lessons for the very first time in my life! I'm so excited and yet extremely nervous. Here's hopin it goes well! My family recently got RockBand. I can't wait to go home and jam out with them. I think my favorite part will be to hear my dad sing all the Beatles songs... I have a certain feeling he's going to be very enthusiastic.  I just hope he doesn't dance.

For spring break this year, my family and I went to Blaine, WA to a timeshare that my parents have. It was really fun! We spent one day along the rocky, windy, cold beach (gotta love Washington beaches in April. ...well, in any month for that matter) and, surprisingly enough, had a lot of fun!

I found this rock, named him Pedro, and gave him a face. His hair is natural.