Up and Coming

I have always loved

photography and want to get better at it. Well this weekend, I went out with my nephews and we had some fun. Well, I had some fun... I can't guarantee they loved it, but I think it was entertaining enough. Anyway, here are my favorites.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Ok, two things happened to me for the very first time this last week and they rank on almost opposite ends of the spectrum as far as joy achieved.

First, on Friday morning, I got into my car and the radio was turned to a station I don't usually listen to and they were about to give away two tickets to a Colbie Caillat concert. They were deciding what game to choose and they picked a definition game where they give you the definition and you have to give them the word they are defining. I thought, "Hmmm, I never call into these things and I'm not very good at definitions, but I would love to win these tickets, so I think I'm going to call and try to guess it!" Then they gave the definition and it was one word...pancake. Instantly a word flew into my mind and I thought, "HA! I know this!!!" So I call in. BUSY! I had to try again. RINGING!!!! I couldn't believe it. Then, "94.1 the planet, what's your guess?" "Is it flapjack?" "It is!!!! You just won two tickets to Colbie Caillat!!!" So, that was totally awesome that I won tickets because that has never happened before and the fact that I won them on the radio was a new experience too!

The second thing that happened to me for the first time happened yesterday. I was getting ready for church and I was using one of those magnified mirrors to pluck my eye brows. I was sitting in the front room so I would have better lighting and then with a slight turn of my head the light hit my face just right so that my attention was drawn to a different part of my face. Once I focused more intently, I realized there was a fleck of color that has never been there before. I looked again, closer to make sure I was really seeing what I thought I was seeing. And sure enough I was. It was a truly dreadful moment. Reality hit - I had my first gray hair. So, of course what do I do? I pulled it out as fast as I could and examined it more closely. It was about as white as a hair can get and I wanted nothing more than to burn it! My second impulse was to call my mom and ask her how old she was when she found her first gray hair. So, it's official. I'm aged.

Better late than never???

Well, I think it is official that I am not the best at this whole blogging thing. That's ok, I'm not very good at logging on to Facebook or any of those other websites either. My self esteem can handle it. Just a quick update on my life: I am still living in St. George, UT. I am now a financial secretary at an elementary school and I LOVE it!!! I get to go to work and be a goober all day long and I get paid to do it. I love spending the whole day with kids and getting to know who the kids are and what their stories are. Yes, even little kids have stories. Plus, who wouldn't love going to work where every single day a beautiful third grader, named Miranda, tells me that she thinks I look pretty. I want to know where else you will get those kinds of results!

My sister is coming home from her mission in two months and I am pretty excited to get to spend some time with her...we are all making bets on how long she lasts at home. (She is not a home-body and likes to always be on the move!) My parents are trying to get their ducks in a row so they can go on a mission and so, that will make me the "empty nester".

My family recently joined the gym and I am ashamed to say this is the first time I have had a gym membership. But honestly, I kind of like it. I feel like there is a level of accountability or something and it pushes me to go. Plus, it helps that I have a lot of friends who are members of the same gym so I don't feel all alone in my quest to thin my thighs.

Well, for now, that seems sufficient. I will try to write more when I think of more... I cannot make any promises as to when that may be.

Stupid Technology...

GRRRR... ok, so I have a pretty new digital camera. I took many beautiful pictures with it. I took the disk to walmart to print some of the beautiful pictures. The beautiful pictures printed off just fine. I went home to download the beautiful pictures onto my computer from the disk, but my computer wouldn't read the stupid disk. I re-grouped and got the cord to connect my computer to the pretty new digital camera. The pretty new digital camera asked if I was trying to connect to a PC, I said "yes", it went to a black screen that said "One Moment". It said "one moment" for about 45 "one moments". So, I got tired of waiting for "one moment" and I safely removed the mass storage device and called it a day.

The next day, I tried to put the stupid disk back into my computer and it read the disk fine. It downloaded all of the beautiful pictures. I went to look at them. 2/3 of the pictures could be viewed without any difficulty. The other 1/3 of the pictures just show a jpeg icon. All the properties are the same as the other 2/3, my computer just won't let me view the pictures. It pops up a box that says, "Could not open 'C:\Documents and Settings\Bill Boulter\My Documents\My Pictures\April 2009\Lindsays Camera Pictures 507.jpg' because an unknown or invalid JPEG marker type is found." Everyone I ask says they've never heard of that. The 1/3 pictures are deleted off the disk now (I don't know how) and I took it into the camera store and they reformated the disk so it is now blank. So, basically, I have these picture files on my computer now that are, in fact, picture files, they are just encripted or something so I can't look at them!!! I have tried looking at them in an internet explorer window, the desktop, kodak picture viewer, windows picture viewer and I can't figure it out.... HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS?!?!?!?! HELP!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Nothing...

Ok, so it's been FOREVER since I've been on here and really, I still don't have much to report. Life is treking right along. And my life is a pretty stable routine. Sunday's is church and family. Monday is work, single's ward FHE and 24. Tuesday is work and Biggest Loser. Wednesday is work and a local biggest loser then bowling with the girls from the ward. Thursday is work, Survivor and R.S. Presidency visits. Friday is work, and relax...yay! Saturday changes, but the best part is NO WORK!!! Actually I have something really exciting going on on this Friday, but I will wait to share that for later. And I am super excited for Easter. I don't know why, but I love Easter. And I must say that I think Easter has the best candy...even better than Halloween! Oh, and this Sunday, I have to talk in Sacrament meeting. All they said was something Easter appropriate... ummm, can we say BROAD!! So, any ideas or stories or quotes, etc. would be FABULOUS!!!

My Country Tis of Thee

I generally don't like to get into politics with people because I generally am not super opinionated about it, but I am very concerned about the future of our country and who the people leading it really are and what they're doing. I love this country and the freedoms that come with living here. I love the Constitution and believe people should read it regularly to remind them what we are not only fighting for, but what we are so blessed to have. I worry about so many of the changes people are trying to make and fear they will only take us down the wrong path.

However, I also believe there are many people out there who feel and think the same way I do. People who are not afraid to stand up for basic truths and principles that this country was founded on. My Mom brought this quote to my attention. I think it is profound in many ways, but especially because it was said right in the midst of the Great Depression. Anyway, here it is...I hope it inspires you to make your voice heard so that our country can rise past the current trials.

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." ~~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

And not to drag this on forever, but here is another quote my sister-in-law found by Heber J. Grant:
"We again warn our people in America of the constantly increasing threat against our inspired Constitution and our free institutions set up under it. The same political tenets and philosophies that have brought war and terror in other parts of the world are at work amongst us in America. The proponents thereof are seeking to undermine our own form of government and to set up instead one of the forms of dictatorships now flourishing in other lands. . . .

. . . Communism and all other similar isms bear no relationship whatever to the United Order. They are merely the clumsy counterfeits which Satan always devises of the gospel plan. . . . Latter-day Saints cannot be true to their faith and lend aid, encouragement, or sympathy to any of these false philosophies. They will prove snares to their feet. I counsel you, I urge you, I plead with you, never, so far as you have voice or influence, permit any departure from the principles of government on which this nation was founded, or any disregard of the freedoms which, by the inspiration of God our Father, were written into the Constitution of the United States."

Overwhelmed!

Ok, so I had a pretty big surprise this last week. Last Sunday, the Executive Clerk from my ward called and asked if I could meet with the Bishop that day before church, but since I was in Provo, I wouldn't be able to meet that day, so I set up an appointment for later in the week. Well, then like two hours later, I got a call from my Bishop! He wanted to talk to me and also asked if I could meet with him that day, so again, I explained that I was in Provo, but if he wanted to talk over the phone, then that was fine. He said that he probably needed to talk to me in person and so he would just wait until Tuesday for the appointment that I set up with the Exec. Clerk.

Ok, so after that, I was thinking, "What in the world could be so urgent??? I mean, I already have a calling and to my knowledge, I haven't done anything wrong....." So, I kept thinking and stewing over it. Well, on Monday, I saw one of my friends from the ward and asked him if there were any major changes in the ward that happened on Sunday and he said that the old R.S. Presidency was released. Instantly, I'm sure I looked like a deer in headlights because that is just crazy... I mean, yes, I am one of the more outgoing active girls in the ward, but still...that's just crazy talk! Then my friend must have seen the terror in my eyes because he said not to worry because they put in the new Presidency that same day. Pfeeew! But then I was back at square 1....no clue...

So, Tuesday came around and I went into meet with the Bishop, completely clueless. And what do you think he said?!?!....well, I will tell you! "As you may know, we just released our previous RS Presidency and called a new presidency last week except for one calling...." (I'm thinking, "WHAT?!?! That's not what Kade (my friend) said...he said they were all called....") "and we would like to extend the calling of 2nd counselor over Enrichment to you." Holy Crap! I am so clueless.... So, any help/advice/ideas, etc...would be VERY much appreciated. I don't have a clue what I'm doing and I'm sure I'll totally botch it up at some point in time! Sometimes I really wonder what the Lord is thinking and how hard he has to be laughing because this is just nuts! So, I'm sure there will be more posts to come about how I made a fool of myself in some form or fashion!

Addicted!

Hi, my name is Lindsay and I am addicted to the Twilight Series. (All together now..."Hello Lindsay") I know, I know you love the books too, but I mean I have a problem. I went on a road trip up to Provo last weekend and I wanted to get a book on CD for the drive. I looked all over and the one I kept coming back to is Twilight. (Yes, I already read all four books last summer in like a week). But I don't care! I just wanted to experience the world of Edward again...maybe because it is so much more exciting than my own life, who knows! So, I bought Twilight on CD and listened to it all the way up to Provo and all the way back. But the book is longer than that drive so for the past week I've had it in my car on the way to anywhere I go! And I have found myself actually driving slower because I want to listen to even just one extra minute. Or I get excited when I miss a light and have to wait for it to turn green again. I am a sick, sick person!

But now, I have come to the end of Twilight, yet again, and of course I am left wanting MORE! UGH!!! So, I have quite the predicament...do I buy New Moon on CD too and keep the spirit of Twilight alive within the confines of my car? or do I bite (no pun intended) the bullet and buy the books? (The first time I read them, I just borrowed them) But I have a feeling that this time, still won't be the last time I dive into the world of Edward. I guess if this is one of the most difficult decisions I have to make today, I am doing pretty good.

R.O.U.S.'s

Ok, so as I've mentioned before, we have a Chinese foreign exchange student living with us and the other day we were talking about all the classic movies we used to watch repeatedly as kids and the two that came up with the most vigor were Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Princess Bride. Well, it also surfaced that even though we, as kids, watched those two movies more times than any one person could count, my dad had NEVER seen them! Blasphemy! I know! And obviously Sylvia (FES) hadn't ever seen them either, so we decided to watch the Princess Bride first. Well, it gets to the part about the Fire Swamp and the R.O.U.S.'s attack and Sylvia is hiding under a blanket scared (she's 16...I don't get it.) Anyway, it made me start thinking about how odd it was that she was afraid...not because she is 16 and afraid of fake rodents of unusual size, but because when I lived in China there really were R.O.U.S.'s!!! Ok, they weren't the size of large dogs, but the were the size of large cats.

Well, then, that week I wrote Kelli, (my sister on a mission) and told her how we watched Princess Bride. And she responded with a story about how there are R.O.U.S.'s in Louisiana called neutra-rats. And I thought, "how many places could these creatures possibly inhabit?" Well, I really didn't spend much time past that thinking about it....until today!! I have an old roommate, Jenny, who I keep in contact with through blogs (imagine that!) And I read the FUNNIEST post on her blog today about how they had a mutant squirrel living in their attic. (If you have time, you should read it...the link is further down on the right under Scot and Jenny...funny stuff) Anyway, so I was wondering if the concept of R.O.U.S.'s is more common than I thought. So, please, if you have had an experience with a R.O.U.S of any kind, share your tale here! (that is assuming anyone actually reads this...)

Laugh for the Day!

You are on the bus when you suddenly realize ... you need to fart.

The music is really loud, so you time your gas passing with the beat. After a couple of songs, you start to feel better as you approach your stop. As you are leaving the bus, people are really staring you down, and that's when you realize, you have been listening to your ipod.

What can you say to that?!?!

Today has been a very interesting day. Well, I guess that would be one way you could put it. Over the past few months there have been some murky areas as far as job security goes with my company. When I started working here in September there were 21 full-time salary or hourly employees. Since then, 12 people have been laid off, one person has quit and there have been two pay cuts, I was only included in one of those pay cuts (the one that happened today when they laid off three more people and EVERYONE took a pay cut). Fortunately, mine was the lowest of everyone, which I guess makes sense because I am one of the people making the very least. So, on one hand there is a lot of irritation and anxiety going around in the office today, but I guess there is also a lot for me to be grateful for. I mean, I still have a job, and a large reason for that is because I'm on the bottom of the pay totem poll, plus, I took a very small pay cut, compared to many others who are being cut thousands of dollars.

I guess my main frustration comes from feeling like I wasn't being paid what I'm worth in the first place and then when the CEO came to talk to me to tell me I need to take "x" amount of a pay cut, he then asked me, "is that ok?".... What can you say to that? "Oh, gee, I'm super duper excited to take it for the team!" So, I just looked at him like that was the dumbest question of all time. And he just waited there for me to respond. I guess he didn't get that no answer was an answer. So finally, I said, "Does it matter? I mean, I'm getting the cut either way, right?" And that's basically what it came down to. And he was just trying to be the "I care about you" boss, but didn't realize that I would answer honestly. But that is a whole different story. So for now, I am bummed that there was any pay cut at all, but I am even more grateful that I had a very minimal cut and that I have a job at all right now.

Looking Up!

Ok, so most of the time (especially lately) my life has been a bit of the "day in, day out" routine. I mean the most that would distinguish one day from the next would be which tv show was on that night. But recently I made a friend who is very motivational. Have you ever met someone and thought, "I can't wait to really get to know this person!" And you know there is something more to them? (ok, that sounds really corny, but hopefully you know what I mean.) Anyway, that's how this person has turned out to be. And it is a breath of fresh air. I started to feel like most of the people in St. George were walking clones, but it's nice to know there is still diversity out there (even in St. George). So, even if it is just something small, like meeting a new friend, it is good to have something that makes life a little more exciting and I must say that things are looking up!

New Year's Resolution Rant and Rave...

Ok, so I've never understood the point of a New Year's Resolution. I don't mean to offend anyone who lives by them, but honestly I don't know why someone needs to wait for the beginning of a new year to set a goal. Seriously, what happens that makes January 1st so much more motivating than a day like July 18th or October 2nd, or any other day for that matter? At least in my experience, there isn't anything that changes with a new year except my age; I still go to work, school, church, etc. the same as before.... And I guess I just think they are kind of pointless because everyone sets them and then does it for a little bit and then it fizzles out, but it's almost like if you make a New Year's Resolution and then quit, it's ok because "everyone" does it and it's become a joke almost. Ok, I know this is totally pointless, and very ramblish, but it was just something I was thinking about. I guess I need to just talk to someone who really believes in them to try to see their view. But really, I think it would be cool if there were days about every 6-8 weeks that were more motivational than any other day by some freak act of nature. Maybe that's why people invented holidays. Ok, I need to shut up....rambling queen, that's me.

The Host

Ok, so this last weekend I had a couple days off of work and so I finally got to snuggle up with the book I've been dying to read, "The Host" by Stephanie Meyer. (Yes, the same author of the Twilight Series.) And I have to be honest, it took me a long time to really get into the book. I mean, it was interesting enough, but kind of like, "Ok, when are you going to give me the good juicy stuff?!?!" Well, I'm so glad I didn't quit reading because I LOVED the end! Seriously, the last 3 or 4 chapters make the whole rest of the book worth it, plus they make the rest of the book fit into place better. So, I would recommend it to others and I would tell you to just hang in there and keep reading. It's worth it...promise.

Playing Catch-up!

Ok, so it's been a while since I've put anything up here. So, I will start with the oldest stuff and work forward. Ok, well I had another birthday! Yes, I am now a quarter of a century old. I can't believe it.... 25. Somehow, I still don't feel like it though. For my birthday, my family and I went to go see Twilight since it came out on my birthday. For the most part I liked it, but I think if you haven't read the book it might not all make sense. Then the next day was my brothers' birthday and so we had a big family dinner on Sunday and I made homemade icecream cake. YUM!

About a week or so ago, we got a ton of snow!!! It's been pretty crazy because it doesn't ever snow here. Well, school was canceled and so Sylvia (our foreign exchange student from China) went sledding with my nephews. Here is a picture of them. From left to right: Teague (nephew's friend), Sylvia, Garrik, and Brekkon.

This next picture is of Sylvia and Brekkon.

And I just love this picture. It is my nephew, Garrik. He's such a cutie!

Since then, I have pretty much just been working and that is really it. By the way, I think when school is canceled, work should be too. Work is well, work, and I am looking for other options. Somedays it is good and I like it, but other days are very hard to deal with. So, I will just hang in there until something better shows up. Right now I am just very grateful to have a job.

Oh, I've been going to the single's ward here and it's got a lot better. I've made a few friends and everyone is really nice. I actually have to give the lesson in RS tomorrow, which I am actually really excited about. So, hopefully it will go well!

Christmas at our house was good this year. I got a lot of really great stuff and I don't think I have to take anything back! WOOHOO!!!! And as far as New Year's Eve plans, I don't really have any and that is just fine because I have this book I've been wanting to read and now I will have time to read it!

Corporate Espionage

Ok, so I have now had my first experience with a corporate witch... As you may or may not know, I am an Account Manager...meaning I manage accounts. Extreme concept, I know. Anyway, so there is an account that I am over called Rolls (Name of the company) and this last week my boss (the COO) asked me if I knew that Rolls dropped their account with us and told him I hadn't heard anything about it... which I hadn't. I knew they had moved locations and were waiting to be reconnected to our services, but that was it. Well, apparently, one of our IT guys told Charles (COO) that the manager ask them where to send the equipment back because they would no longer be using our services and that when Charles asked me if I knew anything about it...
So, I find out which manager talked to the IT guy and it turned out to be my contact (the branch manager for their company). I immediately get on the phone and tell him that I heard the craziest thing from my IT guy and Ken (the branch manager) confirmed that they were done with our services. So, I probed further and ask what was going on to find out why. He said that it had nothing to do with our service because he has always been pleased with the results they see from using our company, but it was because of the economy, they are cutting out all of their third party services. He said it was a direct order straight from the Owner of the company. I asked him if there was any way that we could work out some sort of deal with a discount/ payment plan/ less service, etc. and he said the owner said to "completely 100% terminate the services, no exceptions, no negotiations." So, what can I say to that really? I finally, just told him that I will be working with the CEO and COO to find something that will work out and that I would be in touch with him. He told me to contact him in 6 months to see how things were going. So, that's where it was left.
Well, about 10 minutes later, Melanie (the sales rep on the account) calls me and asks what's going on with the account and that she had just heard that Rolls quit. So, I told her everything I knew and told her that we will just have to be very accommodating to them in the mean time. She then asked for Ken's phone number and said she thought she could save the account. I told her I thought it was a bad idea to do a follow-up phone call 10 minutes after I got off the phone with him, that I thought she should wait at least a day. Well, Melanie thought she could find out more information and save the world. So, I warned her one last time that I thought if she pushed this too hard that she could jeopardize our 6 month contact because when you aggravate Ken, he will just quit altogether forever.
After that I went to lunch and when I got back, Melanie had sent out an email to EVERYONE in the company except for Charles (which is interesting because Charles really likes me, shares an office with me and knows what really happened). Anyway, she sends out an email saying that as soon as she heard about Rolls quitting, she took the initiative and made the first move by getting on the phone with Ken and this is what she found out...then stated everything I had already told her. The way she wrote it, it made it sound like I was totally slacking and not doing my job and that she was on top of it, so no one needed to worry that I wasn't doing anything. It's the account manager's job to contact the company and see what's going on and she made it sound like she did it since I didn't.
Well, MJ, the receptionist, asked Charles about it and of course he knew nothing about it because Melanie didn't send it to him. So, MJ forwarded to Charles and he responded very fiercely (also sending it to everyone to try to fix as much damage as possible). He said that there were some clarifications that needed to be made to Melanie's bold implications. He reminded everyone that he shares an office with me and that he was there for all of it, so he heard me immediately get on the phone with Ken and aggressively take care of the situation. He also said that I did everything that an account manager is supposed to do and that I executed it well and that I made the whole company proud by the way I handled the situation. He then stated that everything that Melanie said was obtained only through speaking to me after I spoke to Ken, but before she talked to him, and how she did not gain any additional information by calling a second time.
After he sent that email, I got back from lunch to see these emails...! I first thanked Charles for sticking up for me. (Being the new one in the office has been hard because the CEO has had doubts that I can be aggressive enough.) Then Melanie sent me an IM saying that the email was sent purely as a method of communication and not to make anyone look bad. Then she asked if the email was being perceived any differently and I told her yes. She immediately called her and asked how it was perceived and I told her very honestly and straightforward that I did not appreciate her going behind my back to send an email trying to make me look bad. And that I had already told her that it was taken care of and by her continuing to take further actions on MY account after I asked her not to, was not ok. Anyway, she immediately started back-pedalling and saying that that's not what happened and whatever. Well, I held my ground and told her that I expect her to not go over her bounds with my accounts ever again and that's about it. She later responded to Charles' email saying that Charles was correct and that she also thought I did an amazing job and apologized. So, who knows really what she's thinking, but I realized that there are people out there who will really just stomp on anyone to get ahead in life. Definitely a learning experience.

HaLLoWeEn!!

Well, this year for Halloween it was kind of interesting because we have a foreign exchange student from China living with us and she didn't know anything about this holiday before she came to America. It was so funny watching her in the Halloween stores looking at costumes and decorations. She was taking pictures of EVERYTHING!!! Anyway, being that I am such a noble person (and I love trick or treating myself), I thought it would be fun for her to experience the whole trick or treating experience. So, we decided to get all dressed up and go with my brother, sister-in-law and their boys. So, here are a couple pictures of us after we dressed up. I was supposed to be Malificent (sp?) from Sleeping Beauty but I couldn't find the horn things, so whatever. Sylvia was supposed to be some sort of princess, but ended up looking like a gothic witch-type person.

Here is a picture of us making a funny face... I don't know if Sylvia was ready or if that was her funny face...

I had the longest eyelashes I've ever seen on....they were pretty crazy. Here is a picture close up. (ok, I know not the best picture of me, but you can really see the lashes...just call me lash-tastic!)

This is my cute little nephew, Garrik, who was afraid of my lashes at first, but the he warmed up to me. He even tried pulling them off!
Then after we went trick or treating, Mom needed Sylvia and I to go to Wal-Mart and it was so funny watching people stare at us (especially the polygamist people). I've never thought about how they probably don't do Halloween. And then after we got a pizza from Hungry Howie's (amazing if you haven't ever had it!!!) and headed home. At home we were talking about how people were really rationing out the candy more than usual. I remember as a kid I would go a few blocks and come home with a pillow case full of candy. This year, I think it was MAYBE 3-4 inches.... so sad. And the funniest part of all of this is that Sylvia doesn't like chocolate (I know she's kind of crazy), but she had a good time and that's what matters, right?!?!

Prop 8

Ok, so I have a bit of a sticky situation with one of my good friends from BYU-Idaho named Nathan (he graduated the same time I did and then moved to NYC to work for a PR firm). Well, Nathan has SSA (same-sex attraction) and he has fought it his whole life. He told me about it while we were at school and I didn't really care as long as he didn't act on it, and he knew that's how I felt. Well, since he has moved to NYC, there aren't many people there to help him stay strong and fight his urges. (Now, I don't know what he's been doing and if he is still trying to fight it or not.) But he is from California so the Prop 8 stuff has been pretty huge and he has been an ACTIVE part of publicizing it; however, he is trying to persuade people to vote NO (FYI- if Prop 8 fails(more people vote no than yes) then gay marriage will be legal.) He has also come out saying that anyone who is FOR Prop 8 is a bigot. I already discussed my issue with that with him; however, my question is this: in the temple recommend interview, it asks if you associate with anyone or any party who is against the church's teachings....so, how does all of this work together? I mean, Nathan and I have VERY different views on gay marriage (obviously), but I still believe that it is important to love and be kind to everyone. Can I be friends with him and still maintain my temple recommend? He knows my stance on the issue and he knows it is not the same as his. In addition, on this issue, the Church has come out with an official statement, so if he says everyone who is for Prop 8 is a bigot, then is he not saying he thinks all of the Big "B" Brethren and the Prophet are all bigots? Sorry to ramble on about this, but I am just having some serious issues here and any commentary would help.

I've Dyed!!!

Ok, so a week ago I decided to take the plunge and go dark...yes, dark, as in BRUNETTE!!! I've never been anything but blonde a day in my life, so this was a big change. I don't think I will stay brunette as far as the long run goes, but it's a good change for now. I think I will always be a blonde at heart. Anyway, let me know what you think.... Don't worry, my feelers won't be hurt if you don't like it.

Vacay!

Okee-dokee... So, this weekend I went to Provo to get a break from life and it was a much needed break! I stayed with Bethany and her husband and it was so good to spend time with them. I spent some time on Saturday with Mike and we went up Provo Canyon...SO PRETTY!!! I actually think it's kind of funny that earlier in the week Mike asked me if I wanted to go hiking and I told him no, so he decided to not listen to me and take me on a mini (very mini due to my stubborn personality) hike. Plus, I got stung by a stupid bee...it was pretty crazy. But honestly, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Later that night, Bethany, Nathan and I went shopping (one of my favorite past times). And we spent some time in a REAL mall. St. George has a shortage on those. This is a picture of us being dorks in one of the stores!Then we went to a stand-up comedian show on the BYU campus called Humor U. It was pretty funny. Has anyone else ever noticed that there aren't very many female comedians? I have to admit that generally, guys really are more naturally funny. I think girls just try to hard. Anyway, so that's about all...I left to come back home on Sunday and now...it's back to the office...