Monday, December 22, 2008

Eggs!

I really, really love to eat my eggs scrambled with a bit of salt and some kind of soft cheese (munster, cheddar, anything along those lines...I've always wanted to try Brie) melted in during the final stages of scrambling. Usually I put the scrambled eggs on top of crispy-toasted bread, lightly buttered, but eating them plain is delicious too.

Fried eggs aren't really my thing, and I think boiled eggs are strange, although I will eat both variations. Eggs benedict are divine if you can forget the fact that you are consuming twice the number of non-nutrient-dense-calories with the sauce. Omelets are also quite good, with bell pepper, mushrooms, and cheese.

Aren't eggs simply amazing? There are so many recipes which call for eggs...how hum-drum would life be without yummy eggs!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The capacity of the creative mind astounds me....oh look, spring rolls!

Went to the ballet last night--The Nutcracker specifically. A man there had on the most fabulous coat I have ever seen. Purple brocade with gold flecks, trimmed with black fur cuffs and collar, and finished with sailor buttons, 3/4 length. He should have been carrying a cane, but was not that I could see.

WARNING: RANT FOLLOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Must say, not the best performance I have attended. It is an interesting commentary on mankind that the thing that garnered the most applause was a double backflip, and the most moving 'pas de deux' (kind of a solo but with two people--a man and a woman), was met with a mere smattering of applause. *sigh* It was a BEAUTIFUL pas de deux. I cannot describe adequately how graceful and moving it was. Truly.


And now for the other part that took the whole night down a notch. The people at 6:00 (directly behind me) talked not only through the entire ballet, but in loud voices which were extremely distracting, and one commented that "whoever came up with the (idea) for the Nutcracker must have been on drugs." This narrow minded comment, while not deserving of my notice considering that such ignorance is not likely to be corrected by the rantings of an overwrought 22 year old, must still be commented on.

If one were to accept his rule, that the Nutcracker needed stimulants in order to be produced, then one must also go through history, look at all major great works, and judge them by the same criteria. For the sake of the argument, we must objectively consider this statement. Let us take Picasso for our example, although you may really substitute any author, painter, composer, dancer, or other. Picasso, blessed with an extraordinary talent, was drawing on the level of Titian, Rembrandt, and da Vinci, before most have their multiplication tables memorized. His particular style of cubism was one he developed with a friend, and was "done" on purpose.

Film is the highly worshipped "art" of today, and the followers it's "artists" acquire could be classified as stalkers, with the number of tabloids some fans read, and the maniacal obsession of some others. These artists, whom the obviously well educated man who sat behind me may also adore, are actually quite literally on drugs. But their performance is lauded. "Nobody cares" that they partake of narcotics. The "work" they do is so moving. (please note the sarcasm) Noone would sit in a movie theater, watching _____ (fill in the blank with your favorite actor/actress' name), and say "man, they must be on drugs."

Now, in case some of you may have read this the wrong way, I AM NOT saying that I abhor film or film actors/actresses. I AM saying that the world (America) is degenerating in an alarming manner, as we move quickly away from the appreciation of that which contains true beauty and accept instead a fake-and-bake version.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Oh the Cleverness of Me!


Okay so it's been........a while.

Here we go, are you ready?

Finished my Woman-of-the-Year campaign and lost, but only by a few thousand. Now I have a lot more experience in the how-to and how-definitely-NOT-to raise money for charitable causes. I also have a bit more insight into the non-profit world. Thoughts on that at some hazy-distant-in-the-future-time. Also finished chemo. Officially. My sister (Jessica) married some guy...no just kidding. He is great and his name is Greg and he and I were in the same Chemistry 105. Wore a fabulous green dress. Then I came back to BYU and have decided on (and filled out actual papers for) the Neuroscience major. I'm also tacking on an English minor for kicks. It gives me an excuse to wear all black a few times a week and pretend that I too ponder the words of Whitman, Cowper, Gray, Joyce, and Collins. And no, those are not all from one genre. Although Cowper, Gray, and Collins all fit into the late 18th century landscape poetry movement. Hiked the Y a lot with a friend. We climbed it 21 times in two weeks. Started a job at LDS Philanthropies making outbound phone calls to BYU alumni asking them for money. If you get a call that starts "Hello ___, my name is _____ and I'm a student calling on behalf of the BYU Annual Fund..." that's people I work with, or possibly me. Say no nicely. Or better yet, give money! Started reading Peter Pan on the plane home (it was a red-eye and I couldn't sleep). Great book.

Enough run-on-scrambled-together sentences for you? Me too.

Now I'm home for Christmas break, and I just made a double batch (read: A LOT) of sugar cookies. We frosted a few of them, but frosting takes such a long time! No joke.

I'm dating this boy....who is wonderful. His name is Mark and basically he is awesome. And he has red hair just like my little brothers. He's coming out to Virginia to visit over New Year's and then we're on the same flight home to Utah. Can I say that on a blog? Guess I just did.

Had two doctor's appointments today, my eyes are fine my teeth are not. My face is swelling because of a wisdom tooth that is coming in crooked. Ouch. Okay my face isn't really swollen...at all. I just feel like it is. Probably will be soon if they don't pull it! Maybe I'll have my dad do an emergency tooth extraction....he has a power saw.



What do you get if you cross a snowman with a shark? FROSTBITE!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Check Me Out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE8jghFH15M




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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

This Saturday at 7 pm I am holding a Music/Hors d'oeuvres/Auction Benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Come enjoy this black tie event with a live music from a string quartet and valet parking to prepare you to purchase some amazing items in the auction!

There is no minimum donation. On the invitation it specifies a "suggested minimum donation" but that is truly a suggestion, and the way I arrived at that particular number was by taking the median of what people have been donating. I just love throwing parties so come party with me!!!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

MELON!

I would be very remiss if I did not make the effort to jot down a few thoughts from this evening.

Mary Ellen e-mailed me a while ago to arrange some face-to-face time. She informed me that she would be speaking at this "thing" and asked would I be willing to come? It sounded like a great thing to do, so I rsvp-ed that Jessica and I would be there!

What a wonderful event! It was a banquet for the Mary Ellen Edmunds Nursing Endowment. Mary Ellen spoke as expected, and spoke about me, rather unexpected. And the trend kind of continued through the night. Met Kenneth Cope, who presented a few songs and thoughts. I've never heard/seen him live--awesome! Had a few pictures taken, shook some hands, ate dinner...

I'm feeling a bit inarticulate at the moment (which probably has to do with the long list of "to-do's" running around in my head), the long and short of it is I had a wonderful time with wonderful people, wonderful wonderful wonderful!

Melon, you are a dear. I just love people like her. They try to be "invisible" (and quite often succeed) but then once in a while you catch them "at it." You know--doing a good deed, heeding the call of the hungry, sick, afflicted. But they don't do it because of praise or acclamation, and such is refuted when it is attempted.


And a great quote (thank you Kenneth Cope):

"Truth is truth, wher'ere 'tis found, On Christian or on heathen ground." --Orson F. Whitney

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Happy Birthday Grandpa...yesterday!!!

Very, very quick update today.

First, General Conference...there are no words to express. Like President Monson said, we had a lot of quick fire messages that were all right on target. Lots to think about, and lots of new goals to set! One of the best weekends of the year! (the other best weekend is in October...yep, General Conference also!)

Friday we had a benefit "Million Dollar Danse Party," which a few friends helped me put together. These boys Scott, Nate, Jarrett, and Danny, are in a band Bi-Polar Bear, and they performed first and then Nate DJ-ed the rest of the shindig. It went over fairly well. Pizza Hut donated 400 pizzas. Yes, 400, that is not a typo!

In the middle of planning some more charity events, which I am very excited about (as long as I can fit in a *bit* of studying).

Side note: "Consider the Lillies" performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is my favorite song at the moment. Words cannot express...

Wish I had more time to say more of what I'm thinking/doing however, it is Sunday, I'm going to bed in 45 minutes, and I have yet to read my scriptures AND write in my journal.

Oh! Had a lovely dinner at my Grandma and Grandpa's house tonight. Grandpa's birthday was yesterday. I have the best grandparents. It's so fun to hang out with Grandpa. My dad is just like him. We had carrot cake and as I sat there next to him he had a fork and was eating the crumbs in the bottom of the pan--you know, the crumbs that fall from pieces as the cake is being served. It made me happy! My dad will be here in two weeks and two days!