Did you know...? MARCH 2011

SoOoOo...

Shall we do FACTS:? I think we shall.

FACT: For the last few months, my Pop has gone to Colorado overnight every other week for business. Mom and I either go out to see some epic girly and/or Disney movie or watch one on Demand, and eat out, and drink soda. No fail. I love it.

FACT: Family inside jokes rock. If you ever hear one of us say "I was deeeeeaaaaaaaad," then burst out laughing, don't be alarmed. We're just being weird.

FACT: Medical Front Office was actually a fun class. I'm sad it's going to be over next week.

FACT: My average typed WPM is 70. SUCK IT, FOOLS!

(FACT: In order to pass my Front Office class, we had to have at least a 25 WPM. I think I'll be okay.)

FACT: Nestle cookie dough-- the stuff you buy in the refrigerator section of the grocery store-- makes the best flippin cookies in the history of time. No question.

FACT: I hate cake-batter cookies. I don't understand why everyone loves them so much! If you're going to eat a cookie, eat a cookie. If you're going to eat cake, eat cake. Don't go messing around making crazy hybrind things, it ruins the awesome uniqueness of each individual treat! UGH!

FACT: 9 months of pregnancy is proving to be waaaaaaaaay too long for me to wait for my niece/nephew. Ughughughughughugh...

FACT: When I wrote in my journal years ago, I would always put "ARGH" when I was frustrated/angry. Later, I realized that was a cool pirate noise; when I was angry, I would then put: ARGH.... (I'm a pirate!) I kinda miss it. It was like an inside joke I had with my invisble audience of my journal... and if that's not creepy weird, I don't know what is.

FACT: Diego sneezed the other day. I nearly died from the adorableness.

FACT: Last week, after going to the temple, we ran around in the rain to go to various resturants and cars. Subsequently, I got a cold. Huh. I guess if you do get your feet wet (even if they are in super cute pumps, cause I was so proud of those shoes), you can get sick. I should have listened to Mary Poppins.

FACT: I took a poll today about what my favorite soda was (Rootbeer). Guess what was kicking Coke and Pepsi and Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper's butts? ROOTBEER. I am now convinced that it was only Mormons taking the poll. Non-Utah Mormons (cause we all know they disregard the no-caffiene thing. Although I'm not really one to talk. I was corrupted when I found out that caffiene cures headaches. But still...)

FACT: (actually, Dr. Pepper is probably my favorite soda, but I didn't want to put that on the poll, because I didn't want people seeing that I drink caffienated stuff. But I guess that was stupid, because I'm confessing all here.)

FACT: I had a majorly dorky Harry Potter conversation with a guy at FHE on Monday. I felt my inner-dorkiness revealing itself. All those who heard the conversation will probably never look at me the same way.

...And that's your March update.

Guess What I'm Studying Today?

Medical Assistant Front Office Class Homework... MEDICAL PREFIXES...

I'm bored but need to study so I'm getting creative and making you suffer along with me.

(Actually, I like this part. I'd much rather do flash cards for hours on end instead of reading 30 pages about Medical Billing or Insurance. That's what I've been doing the last month, and I CAN'T DO IT. It makes no sense when I read it, and it's frustrating. This here is non-frustrating homework, so I'm taking my time doing it, because it makes me feel good about myself when I understand it! Muhahahha....)

Plus, I find it all fascinating... because once you get all this stuff and put it together, you can totally understand what your reading about, or what a doctor is saying to you! LIKE... take something simple like APNEA---

A means without, and PNEA means breathing. So APNEA means without breath.

Ever heard of sleep apnea? It's where your breathing lapses while you sleep. SEE? Sleep apnea = "without-breathing"

MAKES SENSE! Love it :)

MEDICAL PREFIXES--- you'll be surpised how many you know, or can figure out.
a- (as in APNEA): without
ab- (as in ABNORMAL): away from
ad- (as in ADDICTION): toward
an- (as in ANEMIA): no, not without
auto- (as in AUTOIMMUNE): self
bi- (BILATERAL): two
brady- (BRADYPNEA): slow
contra- (CONTRAINDICATION): against
dia- (DIARRHEA): through, between, apart, complete
dys- (DYSPNEA): difficult, painful, bad
end-, endo- (ENDOSCOPE): within, in, inside
epi- (EPIDERMIS): upon, above, on, upper
hemi- (HEMIPLEGIA): half
hyper- (HYPERTENSION): over, above, increased, excessive
hypo- (HYPOTENSION): under, below, decreased
infra- (INFRAORBITAL): beneath, below, inferior to
inter- (INTERSTITIAL): within
intra- (INTRAMUSCULAR): between
neo- (NEOPLASM): new
per- (PERCUTANEOUS): through
peri- (PERIMENOPAUSE): surrounding
poly- (POLYNEURITIS): many
post- (POSTNATAL): after
pre- (PRENATAL): before, in front of
retro- (RETROPERITONEAL): behind
sub- (SUBCUTANEOUS): below
super-, supra- (SUPRACOSTAL): above, excessive, beyond
tachy- (TACHYPNEA): fast, rapid
trans- (TRANSDERMAL): across, through
ultra- (ULTRASOUND): beyond, excess

(suffixes and root words to come... when I'm studying for those tests :D)

Number1Fan

Diego is an avid Hollysthoughts.com reader.

Blog Interupted

So, I saw an old man today who used the hand signs instead of his turning signals while driving today! I was so excited that I almost rear-ended him, even though I knew he was giving the sign for turning right... 

It's been five years, but I still remember what I learned in Drivers Ed! Woohoo for me :)

OH. MY. GOSH.

I'm watching tv as I write this... and I just saw the most amazing commercial--- CRAYOLA MAKES COLORED BUBBLES.

NO FLIPPIN WAY.

I WANT SOME SO BAD NOW!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhh!!! SO COOL!

Um. Yeah. Now I don't remember what I was going to say. Probably couldn't have been better than colored bubbles by crayola, anyways.

Well.

So, you know when you witness something really, really awkward? Like you're sitting at a party, and someone makes a huge, awkward exit? Or some people totally duke it out in front of everybody? Or someone just says something really inappropriate?
And then, it's really awkwardly silent, because the spectators don't know what to say. And then, finally, someone just says, "Well."

And then people just nod, because really, what else is there to say.

You know what I'm talking about?

That "Well." exactly what my week was last week.

And so I say:

Well.

My Writing History (originally posted at DarkLightLullabye)

I suppose there were signs early on that I was destined to be a writer of words, a teller of stories, and, of course, a deeply random person.

In first grade, during free time, I would cut up little pieces of paper and staple them together, writing squiggly lines of "writing." When my teacher asked what I was doing, I informed her that I was making books for my teddy bears. WIN.

My first memories of profound story telling happened during the first month of 4th grade. While sitting at my table making "All About Me" posters, I proceded to tell my group a story with crazy twists and turns for about twenty minutes. They were enthralled, and confused, and listened until the very, very end. I only wish I could remember what it was about. Something about an orphan girl...?

7th grade was my first written story. For our end-of-the-year compliation of all the quick writes and poems we'd done, our last assignment was to write a 3-5 page short story. Mine? The 18 page masterpiece of "The Elves Of Enkanto," where the beautiful young Jade and her best friend, the elf named Daven (the name of my crush at the time) find a magical key and have to save Wizard Limey from the evil Katherine (the name of the popular girl whom I hated). All major characters have some sort of green name (Jade, Limey, King Emerald, the dog Green Leaf), or are stolen from Homestarrunner.com. Oh, and I dedicated it to David Bowie "for he was the most awesome person in the 80s." My teacher was quite proud of my insight and use of literary techniques. At least, that's what she said.

I was seventeen before I did any more story-writing. I had gotten sick, and was realizing that I was going to have to spend my Junior year at home, recovering. I was bored and depressed and lonely... and was having really weird dreams due to medicine. My dad had his old work laptop sitting in the upstairs office for anyone to use, so after having a weird dream about people with silver and golden hued skin, I warped it into a 20 page dystopia story, and my writing took off from there. For the first few months, I'd sit in bed writing on the laptop (which I affectionately called Crappy Comp) for hours upon hours, but I was embarrassed. Everytime I heard someone coming, I'd throw my blankets over the computer and pretend I was reading. It wasn't until weeks later until I let someone see me with the laptop. I'd written at least four 30-page stories by then, and was completely dedicated to my craft.

I have now completed one novel, Let It Be, which I thoroughly despise. It's nothing like it started out as when I first wrote it at seventeen, and it's a crappy Young Adult romance about Immortals and child abuse. I absolutely hate it, and am thoroughly embarrassed by it, but it's my first completed works.

I have lots of other stories I work on periodically, but as I am switching my genre of books I read, I've found that I am liking my stories less and less... and am trying to switch them from cheesey YA to regular adult like fiction and literature. We'll see.

And then I blog. Oh, do I blog.

And that, my friends, is my writing history.

Department Of Motor Vehicles

Today I got a letter in the mail from the DMV about having to renew my license because it's been four years. On the top of the page, it said

CONGRATULATIONS

You are eligible to Renew by Mail

like it was some big deal or something.

Is this supposed to disguise the fact that I still have to fill out forms and pay $31 for a new license? Cause I'm not buying into your lame tricks, DMV. I'm not buying it!

(I will, however, be purchasing a my renewed license, because I still need to drive.)

YOU WIN THIS ROUND, DMV..........

The Family Home Evening Post

WHY DO NO GIRLS COME TO VISTA 6th FHE?!?!?!

Wait, let me give some background so you understand my coming rant.

So, here's the low-down:

YSA WARDS: Young Single Adult Wards.

Someone, somewhere, in a time long ago, came up with the idea of taking all the unmarried Mormons 18-30 and throwing them together in a ward. Whether this was done for "the good of the singles themselves," or the older folks were just sick of dealing with us, I'm not quite sure. Singles Wards have major advantages, and way major disadvantages. But we'll not get into those. Cause it's messy. I attend the Vista 6th Ward, which is our stake's Young Single Adult ward.

(and yes, there are regular Single Adult wards, with the singles OVER 30. I am hoping and praying that I never make it to one of those, because really, that's the saddest thing on earth. Lame life on a stick, really.)

FHE: Family Home Evening.
In the Mormon world in which I live (willfully, and quite happily, mind you), Monday nights are reserved for individual families to spend time together, usually with a lesson/spiritual thought, prayer, games, tasty treats, etc. Whether or not all families do it or not... eh. Who's really to say? For SINGLES WARDS (see above), we get together and have activites every Monday night, mimicking Family Home Evening that we had when we grew up at home...

(Because really, your ward is supposed to be like your family. And is, sometimes. You've got you besties  who are so close they are practically your sisters, your protective brother types, your creepy uncles, your male role models like psuedo dads and grandpas--- usually the bishopric, but sometimes those fall under creepy uncles--- and, of course, all your aunts and cousins in Relief Socitey--- the women's organization. You get frustrated with members, you love members to death, there are some you can't do anything but argue with, but in the end, we're all there for each other.)

Now, back to my rant:

I am the Co-Chair person of the FHE Committee, meaning me and a really awesome guy named Dionte are in charge of putting on a FHE event every. single. Monday. night. (Okay, we have a committe with like 5 other people, but they never show up to meetings. Or FHE. Actually, I don't know who some of them are... But some do, and I'm thankful for that.)

Stressful? Yup. Challenging? Heck yeah. Worth it? Ehh... Just kidding, YEAH, it's worth it. I actually love it.

At let me just say... Dionte and I are putting so much flippin effort into these Monday nights, it's not even funny. The whole point of FHE is for us to get together to fellowship and socialize and make friends within the gospel to support each other, which is a fantastic cause, is it not? I want FHE to be something everyone looks forward to, BECAUSE they get to do those things (and have a little fun while doing it).

PAST FHE ACTIVITIES:
---broomball
---foil boat penny challenge!
---how to make dinner for an impressive date
---dodgeball
---fiancial planning night (with guest speaker)
---cpr training
---movie nights
---rely races
---culture night
---scavenger hunts
---caroling and white elephant gift exchanges (at Christmas time)
---speed dating
---boys vs. girls game night
---wheel of fortune
---various service projects
---etc.
... all served with some sort of delicious food that I'm in charge of coordinating.

Problem? NO GIRLS COME TO OUR FHE!!! Out of the 25-30 people that come, 4-6 of them are girls. Including me. And I HAVE to be there. Okay, so the real problem is that a lot of the girls have felt uncomfortable at church events because there are some fellas who tend to be a bit bold and... creepy... but Dionte and I have worked hard to make sure that FHE is a friendly, safe enviorment where everyone feels comfortable and happy. We really do. All the leaders in our ward are working on ways to make things better and happier for everyone involved. SO WHY DON'T GIRLS COME?!?!

I'm so frustrated! We try to make girl-friendly FHEs (not just playing sports all the time or whatever), and yet......

Okay, so honestly, since Dionte and I started (what, two months ago?) Number have been going up. More and more people show up, which is FANTASTIC. And with every like 6 guys that come, 1 girl shows up, which is better than nothing. I just wish it was higher, and that the men/women ratio would be more even.

Oh well... Dionte and I will just keep working harder, and trying to do the best we possibly can. Because in the end, it's up to people to make the decision to come. We can just provide the awesome activity and leave the rest with them. And that, my friends, is that.

TONIGHTS FHE (in case you were wondering) is going to be aweeeesome.

We're making care packages for missionaries who are out in the field who were in our ward, writing notes to the other 19 we can't send packages to (there's so many!), swapping funny missionary stories, and two RM girls are going to talk about their respective missions to Germany and Italy (culture, woohoo!). And, of course, eating brownie sundaes, because they're awesome and just because (if I put in the effort) we can. IF YOU'RE COMING: don't forget to bring stuff to put in the care packages! Candy does quite nicely. :) And they really appreciate it.

Dilema

Today at dinner, I was loathe to realize that I had somehow procurred a disgusting blob of sour cream on my sweater sleeve. And, being the six year old I secretly am, I was going to simply rub it off onto my pants, as I do with basically anything yucky that comes in contact with my hands. However, just before the sour cream was transferred from fabric to fabric, I realized just how counterproductive this would be. Therefore, I stood in my kitchen, looking around blankly, wondering what in the world to rub this mess of white shmear onto. Alas, I realized, like most civilized folk, that a napkin would do just fine. And thus the bit of processed dairy was disposed of. The end.

Fact of March

FACTS

FACT: Steph and Greg are here!!!

FACT: I've said it before, and I'll say it again, vanilla yogurt with a few mini M&M's is not only the most delicious thing on earth, it can also cure bad moods. If you eat enough of it.

FACT: I had a date on Saturday--- he took me out on his motorcycle and we hungout at the beach. Hooray!

FACT: Stephy not only makes homemade fortune cookies, she chocolate dips them and sprinkles them. Awesomest sister ever? Yes.

FACT: Although Waffle parties make awesome Family Home Evening activites in Singles Wards, they are also exhausting. (Also, make sure to have an extra bag of batter mix on hand. More people than usual tend to come when food is promised. Nutella is a winner, too. As is blueberry and/or apple pie filling. Just a thought.)

FACT: It's funny that Steph and I never played video games growing up, while Greg plays them all the time as an adult. Irony!

FACT: Steph and Greg love cream of wheat. What the heck is that, aanyways? Pureed baby vomit?

(FACT: Greg is currently playing Lego Indiana Jones. I think it's very cute and silly. We decided that it would be a wonderful-- if violent-- world if all we had to do is destroy stuff and get money. I just like the fact that when you kill someone, they become a little pile of lego's. It's cute)

FACT: Stina helped me make cookies a few weeks ago for FHE. We found that with lots of love, magical eggs, and a little bit of violence, you can make the most delicious cookies ever. I'll have to notify Steph when she makes her fortune cookies.

(FACT: Stina is one of the nicest people ever and one of my best friends <3)

FACT: Haven't you heard? STEPHANIE IS PREGGO! I'm going to be an aunt, and I've never been more excited in my life :))))

Confusing Dresses

What is it about girls and wedding dresses?

And why is "Say Yes To The Dress" such a fascinating show?

I simply don't understand.

And so I will continue watching.

:D