steffypie

Chugging honey

2009-10-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ronnie often goes into the kitchen at night in search of "something sweet." Unfortunately for him, I rarely stock the cupboards with the kind of treats that satisfy his raging sweet tooth.

So last night when he meandered into the kitchen, I figured he would return empty handed since the only sweet thing I could think of was some frozen chocolate chips.

Then I saw him with the honey. It was the kind where the container is in the shape of a bear. I could not imagine what he was going to do with the honey, so I called him out on it...and he slinked back into the kitchen around the corner so I couldn't see...

But I did see! He squirted the honey right into his mouth! A LOT of honey! My husband is a closet honey chugger!

Am I dreaming?

2009-10-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

It's pouring here. I thought it was always sunny in California. The grill cover will not stay on, and I'm pretty sure the ceiling is leaking in our apartment.

I think this is the first time that it has rained in the 6 months that we've lived here. I'm just so confused! This is California!

Nothing Really

2009-09-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while, although I have wanted to blog several times in the past few weeks and I could never come up with anything good. I still can't...but here are a few things I guess I could share.

On Saturday Ronnie and I went to San Francisco for a day of island hopping. First, we took a ferry to Angel Island and rode a tram around that explained all the different uses of the island over the years. I was most interested in its use as an immigration station for people arriving from across the Pacific (the "Ellis Island" of the West). We didn't get to explore the grounds there during the tram tour, but I would like to get a book from the library and read more about it, especially if I could find a book that has all the poetry recorded. When the state park people were deciding whether to tear down or restore the buildings, they discovered Chinese markings hidden under layers of peeling paint in the men's dormitories. After bringing in a translator, they found that men had written their hopes, dreams, fears, and frustrations about coming to America in beautiful poetic form.

Then Ronnie and I took a ferry from Angel Island to Alcatraz Island. We took an audio tour of the cell block. The most interesting parts were when they described some of the attempted breakouts. We thought that we would implement some of the prison rules into our own house:

You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention. Anything else that you get is a privilege.
You are required to work at whatever you are told to do.
Loud talking, shouting, whistling, singing, or other unnecessary noises are not permitted.
Meals are served three times a day in the dining room. Do not exceed the ration. Do not waste food.

We got back from San Francisco just in time for me to head over to the church for the Relief Society broadcast. I loved it, and it got me even more excited for General Conference next week!

In other news, I look like a swallowed a bowling ball.

That's all I got.

Annual Summer Book Blog

2009-08-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Lonesome Dove. It was a great book. One way I can tell it was a great book is because I have so much to say about it...I kind of want to pretend I have to write a paper on it, and go through the process of sorting out a thesis, dissecting McMurtry's writing, crafting an argument, and devising an outline. Then, of course, I would have to stay up all night writing and revising to be ready to "turn in" on the due date the next morning. Ronnie thinks I should actually write about it, and maybe I will access some of my writing process just for fun. But mostly I want to talk over my ideas with him (and anyone else who has read the book).

It was on the book list that blogged three years ago. It appears that each summer I have written a post about summer reading, and two of those summers included reading lists. I have to admit that I am slightly haunted by those book lists. I feel a strange responsibility--to myself and anyone who has ever read my blog--to finish them. Here is the sum of what's left to read:

Team of Rivals
Alice in Wonderland
The Count of Monte Cristo
As I Lay Dying
Robinson Crusoe
The Perfect Storm
Eats, Shoots and Leaves
Salt: A World History

Wicked was also on my list, and although I didn't finish it, I took it off. I started reading it and thought it was a bad combination of trashy, boring, bad writing. Plus I am so enamored by the musical that the disappointment was too much to bare.

Anyway, I don't like to publish book lists anymore. I like to have the freedom to read what I want to read, when I want to read it, and not feel beholden to anyone. I much prefer to keep a list of books I've already read. That way, when I look at the list I feel a sense of accomplishment instead of inadequacy.

I spy with my little eye...

2009-06-25T10:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I saw:

A hummingbird in the flowers by our apartment stairs ( I don't know why, but I think hummingbirds are so magical to look at!)

A lizard on the sidewalk (I think he lives in the bushes because I have seen him in the same spot several times.)

A peacock in a field on my way to a recipe exchange with Relief Society. (Apparently, the hills where we live used to all be owned by one lady and she would control the peacock population. Now that it's subdivided, there are large flocks of them that just roam around. This was my first sighting.)

Re: Worlds Collide

2009-03-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

Blogging culture is fascinating to me, as a writer, because one of the most important elements of writing is knowing your audience. That is nearly impossible in the blog-world.

Here are my views about blogging as it relates to myself.

Unlike you, Bryant, who inspired this post, I feel as though I have separated out different literature versions of myself. And even saying it that way seems odd, since I wonder if it is more appropriate to describe the writing about myself as communicatory in purpose…with the goal of communicated information between groups—expecting communication in return; as opposed to literature, which perhaps is more stand alone, and doesn’t require someone to say something back to me personally. Or is all literature communicatory in its very nature?

At present, the different versions of myself occur in a few select modes.

1. My blog. I do not use my blog to explore my deepest feelings and passions, as some do. That happens in an entirely different mode. As anyone who actually reads my blog knows, I seldom write deeper than the surface. I write to entertain…myself. I started out trying to entertain others, then probably morphed to basically trying to entertain/impress Ronnie, but at some point I realized that the person I most wanted to get a laugh out of was myself. And that audience is the easiest, since I’m easily amused by myself. Sometimes I write to document events in my life, like what I’m reading, or where I’m living. But I would not describe my blog as autobiographical in purpose. And while I enjoy reading and thinking about political posts, I rarely post or comment in response. Perhaps this is because I have not drawn the boundaries of my passion regarding politics with a Sharpie. The boundaries seem vague and transient…like a moving dotted line…and I am uncomfortable representing my view because I haven’t worked out every detail of what I believe. And maybe I never will.

2. My journal. My husband could tell you that I seldom write in a journal…like once every two years, maybe. However, in theory, the word file on my computer that says Journal on it is the place where I write about my thoughts, concerns, impressions, and what is most important to me, mingled into some day to day stuff. The audience for my journal is easy…it’s just for me. One reason that these close-to-home discussions do not occur on my blog is because I wouldn’t necessarily want people commenting on them. By “discussion” I really mean, my present self writing to my present self, or my past self writing to my future self (depending if I read over it again later). Another reason that I don’t post this “literature” is because it represents one thought, at one moment, at one point in my life. I don’t like the idea of publishing an unfinished self. I feel like I’m ever changing (I may not really change that much, but I feel as though I could theoretically change millions from one season to the next), and I don’t like the idea of someone quoting my voice from a written conversation that I feel is now out of date. Why I feel this is any different from having a conversation with someone and verbally expressing my opinion, I don’t know…I could speculate that maybe I trust in the fleeting memory of people, while something written is not subject to the deterioration of the mind.

3. The last version of myself occurs in a genre of writing that my family uses called the “Letter of the Week.” Several people write one (which, interestingly, some refer to as a journal, which just goes to show how differently each person responds to the role of audience) where they detail things they have done or thought in the past week, as well as outlining anticipations for the next week. Main topics are family interactions, church service, work obligations, etc. Occasionally I write a “letter of the week” which is a way to quickly update close family on where, what, and how I’m doing. The purpose of this “communication” is definitely autobiographical, and yet, like my blog, rarely treats deep thoughts but focuses more on events.

4. I suppose that one could argue that Facebook is another version. But I think I use it more as a directory and less as a personal statement.

In summary, Bryant, I recommend that you write your blog like you’re the only one reading it. However, just as I give that recommendation a part of me disagrees on the basis that if you are writing like you’re the only person who reads it, why post it as a blog? Why not just keep a personal journal?

Maybe that wasn’t the summary. The underlying concern, then, is how much you care about people’s responses (written or otherwise) to your posts. Which is the same concern you expressed in your own blog. Thus I have accomplished nothing in terms of helping you come to a solution, although I have enjoyed writing about my own experiences with audience and purpose in writing. Clearly, I am uncomfortable with having people respond to the most personal written version of myself; therefore, I do not publicly share that version on my blog.

In summary (for real this time), maybe if you are uncomfortable with the arbitrary person reading something you would post, just don’t post it publicly. That way, you have written down what you think, with the audience of yourself, and you if you want to share that at a later time with a specific audience you have that prerogative.

Utopia

2009-02-26T08:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Right now I'm reading Utopia by Thomas More, which I have been meaning to read since I was in high school.

True Confessions: The real reason I became interested in reading Utopia in high school was because it was mentioned on the movie Everafter with Drew Barrymore.

This is no longer my primary motivation. But I do love that movie.

Crock Pot Adventure

2009-02-15T18:37:00.000-08:00

Montgomery, Alabama is my new home. For now. In fact, Ronnie and I are living in a hotel room on base while he trains to be a JAG (you know, like a movie star). At the end of April we are driving out to Fairfield, California where we'll be stationed for about 2 years.

But that is neither here nor there.

The point is, we're not too keen on eating in the mess hall for every meal, but cooking in our room is a little tricky. Resources: microwave, toaster, mini-refrigerator which includes a small freezer section. And I brought a crock pot along just in case. I have used a crock pot twice ever.
So today I attempted a dinner of pork loin roast with an Italian herb and garlic seasoning packet, chopped onions, and carrots in the crock pot. It was delicious. (Although I was a little concerned that upon returning home from church we would find the carpet melted or something dreadful of that nature...luckily it was for naught.)

After I put the leftovers in a plastic bag in the mini-fridge, Ronnie and I realized we had problem: how to dispose of the juices, drippings, and small pieces of onion, fat, and meat that were left in the pot. I had planned on washing the pot in the bath tub, but all that junk definitely wouldn't fit down the drain.

Suddenly, a stroke of genius.

The toilet.

That's right folks, we flushed all that junk right down the toilet.

And let me tell you, it was not appetizing AT ALL to see it in there.

Tag: Fourth Album Fourth Picture

2008-12-17T18:03:00.000-08:00

I got tagged. Actually I've been tagged several times, I think. But this is the first time I'm actually going to follow through. Have no fear, however, I still plan on catching up on the tag game, so if you want to remind me of an unfulfilled demand, be my guest.

This is the fourth picture of my fourth picture album on my computer.

It also happens to be the first picture ever taken of Ronnie and me. It was in May of 2006, when Ronnie helped somebody drive to Utah from Louisiana, and then he stayed for a week to visit friends. This picture was taken in Banbridge 3, across from the apartment where he was a squatter for 5 days.

Other events of that trip: 1) A group of us went to the hot pots. I slipped on the trail and would have fallen down the cliff, except Ronnie grabbed my hand and pulled me up from my position dangling on the edge. My hero. On the way home, Ronnie got car sick and yacked on the side of the road. I wanted to help him, but what could I do? Hold his hair back? 2) Ronnie and I stayed up talking until 4am one night. 3) Even though I never, ever would skip classes, I actually skipped a class to hang out with Ronnie. But unfortunately he was fishing with Johnny.

I can't remember much else that happened that week, other than both of us denying that we liked the other person.

And now we're married. Love it!

Play Dough Representation of My Life

2008-09-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

My new calling is home-study seminary teacher. I have 2 students, and last Wednesday was our first day (although only one girl showed up). As a getting to know you activity we each built something out of play dough that tells something about you.

The only thing I could come up with was a play dough sculpture of a bed with me sleeping on it.

Then I explained to the girl in the class that I really like sleeping, so I was glad that I was called to be home-study seminary teacher because then we don't have to get up early every morning.

At the same time I was explaining this to the girl, I was thinking about how this little sculpture might amuse my friends from the old 177th Ward...although you all rarely saw me sleeping in my actual bed. More like the car, the couch, the floor, the sidewalk....

I hope you are amused.

the end of Bourne...the beginning of fall

2008-09-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

This summer since I never found a job (although I started working as a tutor at Sylvan Learning Center last month), I wasn't in school, and my husband spent all his time (literally like 12+ hours a day) studying for the bar exam, I had A LOT of time to spend doing whatever I wanted! And since my budget was zero as we were livin on love at first, and we don't have a tv (we decided not to have one because we didn't want our studio apartment to look like a hotel room), I read the books that Ronnie added to our library, or I checked out books from the public library. I probably went to the public library daily, if not just to get out of the house and allow myself the ability to say that I actually did something by the end of the day...besides get the mail.

Thus, I read about 20 books and several Ensigns during the summer...which officially ended today. Happy Fall by the way, and Happy My Favorite Season, and Happy I'm So Excited That I'm Back In The Midwest Where The Autumn Colors Are SOOOOO Beautiful.

I digress. The point of the post is that today I finished the last installment of the Jason Bourne trilogy. The first one was pretty good. I liked the second one better. By the third one, I was just ready for the stinkin book to be FINISHED. The books were just too long!

My conclusion: The books were ok, but even though the story is changed I recommend just watching the movies. They are shorter and Matt Damon has some awesome moves.

Early On-Set Arthritis

2008-07-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

Do you remember back in first grade when your teacher had a fit about holding your pencil correctly? The delinquent students even had to put a grip thing on the tip of their pencil that looked like a piece of play dough. I tried the "correct" way for a while, but then my rebellion against the man kick started in my little seven year old body, and I declared that I would hold my pencil however I felt like it! I switched up positions regularly and never had any problems. My high school English teacher senior year even took a picture of my hand because he said he had never seen someone hold a pencil that way, and he had a collection running of pictures of tons of students through the years (Side note: I hope that I never develop such a weird habit in order to make my life as an English teacher seem interesting).

Well, after writing hundreds of thank you notes (which unfortunately I have taken WAY too long to finish), I actually have a throbbing pain in the space between my ring finger and my little pinky on my right hand.

I can no longer pick up a writing utensil. I can hardly press the enter key on my computer without calling out in agony.

I guess I should have trained myself better in my youth, and instead of attempting independence from the rest of the written world, I should have humbly joined with those who used the play dough reform tool.

My punishment is an ice pack and a tylenol for the rest of the night.

Books and Books

2007-06-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about some unfinished business recently. I pledged to report on my summer reading list in July of last year. Of the list I posted, I read Life of Pi, Poisonwood Bible, and A Time To Kill in their entirety. I started Ender's Game and Perfect Storm but never finished. In my defense, I think I did read a few other books of which I can not remember even one.

So far this summer I have read the entire Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (although a few of the earlier ones I started while school was still in session), An Assembly Such As This (it's Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's perspective!), and The Alchemist. I am currently reading The Princess Bride. I find that I have much more time to read when I actually make a point to read every day. Since my Spring classes end next week, I hope to spend the rest of my summer afternoons reading by the pool.

Here are the books on my summer reading list:

Angels and Demons
Secret Life of Bees
Les Miserables
Ender's Game
Kite Runner
Memoirs of a Geisha
Twilight
Team of Rivals
Paradise Lost
Wuthering Heights
Alice in Wonderland
Eats, Shoots and Leaves
Salt: A World History
Duty and Desire, These Three Remain (the next 2 books in the Darcy trilogy)

I think I will leave my list at this for the present. I also intend on reading many of the books from the Newberry list. It was one of my New Year's Resolutions to read all of them. (So far I think I have only read half a dozen, and I need to get a move on!)

I have always wanted to join a book club. My mom and all my sisters are in them, and I am so jealous every time they talk about their meetings. How do you get into one? Or how do you start your own? It's a mystery.

Also, I plan on checking these books out from the BYU library or the Orem Public Library. I really should get a card to the Provo Library, too, since it is just around the corner (that would bring my library card collection up to 5). But I really must share an incredible source of books that I encountered recently. Behold, DI! The other day I went there with Ronnie to buy some books for my library when I'm a teacher, and I was amazed at the huge collection available for purchase at DI for a mere dollar or two per book, depending on the size. Granted there is not even a semblance of any type of organization, and the ocd part of me really wants to spend an entire week there organizing the books alphabetically by author and genre, but seriously it is a gold mine! I limited myself to about ten dollars and still got home with a dozen books.

While I'm at it, I may as well explain the book blog. I have taken several classes on literacy recently, and they have really opened my eyes to lots of issues. I always loved to read, but I learned in my studies that literacy embodies so much more than simply picking up a book and reading the words, and there is so much more to teaching literacy than the universal goal of English teachers to instill in students a love of reading. But I think I may have to explore those issues another day.

Happy Reading.

A word from Bill and Ted: Be excellent to each other

2007-05-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

Something that I have thought over for quite some time really hit home for me today. When you interact with someone, you usually just know them in the context of your relationship: whether that means your professor, your roommate, your coworker. For example, I meet with professors occasionally when I need help with a research paper or to go over a test. I rarely know any real information about their personal lives. The same goes with coworkers- you know them in the context of work situations, but you never really know what goes on because of the stigma of keeping business and personal so separate. However, today someone I work with came in a little frazzled and mentioned something about being up all night. I asked if everything was alright, only to find out this person was dealing with some serious family issues.

I was amazed at how this person can spend an entire day meeting the demands of everyone in the office, and yet no one realizes the silent struggles carried by someone who always remains so cheerful and caring towards others. (Please excuse the awkward phrasing that occurred as a result of my attempt at maintaining anonymity.)

I guess I was just reminded of how important it is to be kind to people; you never really know what they may be dealing with. Sometimes life is really tough, and we can all make it a little easier to bear if we aren't so selfish. Try to be a better person by thinking more of others than you do of yourself.

Hall Pass

2007-05-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Occasionally at work I have to run errands around to different offices throughout the building or across campus. Sometimes when I go, I feel like I should be taking a hall pass with me like little kiddies do in elementary school to go to their lockers.

Might this be a microcosmic representation of my feelings of inferiority and submission to the authority of The Man? I say, NAY! I will not yield to the tyranny of the man! I will take no hall pass and give no apologies!

And while I'm thinking of it, why do kids have to ask to use the restroom? Shouldn't people just be able to go when they need to go? American culture is so bizarre. Or maybe this is a global problem.

Work Convos

2007-05-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am working as a receptionist this summer, and I have really enjoyed my job so far. I don't know if it's just because it's Friday, but there have been a lot of interesting conversations today. Here is a sampling:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Halloween costumes
Leaving messages for people who are in the bathroom and the variety of explanations one can give to describe their absence
Using the bathroom with the door opened (and how my roommates have no problem with this)
Talking on the phone while using public/private restrooms
Designing bedrooms without a wall dividing the shower and toilet
"A" and "B" actors/actresses and why some make and some don't
A full discussion of all movies playing at the dollar theater
Falling off a bike, complete with visuals of the war wounds
Positioning of the bra strap on the shoulder
Intramural sports
Reincarnation as a travel agent

Don't you wish you worked here, too!?

Integrating vocabulary

2007-04-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

You know when you hear a certain fancy word, and you kind of wish that you would be able to own the word enough to rattle it off like it's nothing?

Today was a significant day for me. On this day, I successfully integrated the words caveat and paradigm into everyday conversation. Well, it was kind of everyday conversation. I was actually working with some students as a writing tutor when I used the aforementioned vocab. I hope they were impressed, and I hope that they made the goal that one day they too will be able to use such sophisticated discourse.

Maybe I am the only person who has the goal to use big words. I'm pretty sure I got my inspiration from the movie Clueless where Cher teaches Ty to use one new word every day. I hope I don't see you sporadically.

Bad Poetry

2007-03-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today I went to a reading of bad poetry in the library. It was pretty bad stuff, yet highly entertaining and had some people in tears from laughter. In the midst of such repulsive line reciting, my friend and I created our own bad poem...here it is for your reading displeasure.

Musings on Nature

Alas, my teeth are rotten
The holes the size of
Freshly dug graves
Meandering throughout the wide open trap that is my mouth cavity.
Why, I ask, Why!
I haven't swallowed a fly
In my drink
And I never will, no,
Nevermore

*Note: the original title to this poem was "Ode to Chocolate Milk," except then someone else wrote a bad poem about chocolate milk, so we changed.

Feel free to add your own repulsive poetry in response.

8th Grade Flashback

2007-03-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

So this used to be me. (About a year ago I guess) Friends, after 7 years of having long hair...I chopped it all off. I cut 12.5 inches in 8th grade at donated it to Locks of Love. Yesterday I cut 11 inches and did the same. Here are the results:

The last time I had short hair was a nightmare. I never styled it, I had braces, and I was completely awkward because of the sheer nature of being in middle school. Then, my parents decided to take a professional family picture. And of course, that horrible time in my life is immortalized in my house in a very LARGE frame.

However, this go around I am a little more optimistic. I actually own a straightener, and I know how to use it. I won some styling wax from a contest once so I've got some of that, too. Plus I have some really cute earrings, so if nothing else, they will take attention away if this haircut slips into another nightmare.

I'm not going to lie, my biggest hesitation for having short hair is that I've got this neck that is about as long as a broomstick. I'm like a brontosaurus. But when I was getting my haircut, the girl cutting mentioned that when she was younger she was soooo proud of her long neck, and she still is. Is a long neck something to be proud of? After all, long, bronzed legs is definitely a good thing (per John Grisham). But what about long necks? Long arms=monkey. Long nose=Pinocchio. Long teeth=horse. Long neck=giraffe? I guess I'd rather be a giraffe than a monkey, horse, or small wooden boy. My only hope is that I can be a giraffe with a cute haircut.

The Curse

2007-03-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

So, I figured out how to post pictures to my blog. You all know what that means. The Cubs are going all the way this year. http://steffypie.blogspot.com/2006/08/of-blogging-and-baseball

Unforseen Advantage

2006-10-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Everyday I am reminded of an advantage to living in VP4 that was unforseen: when I'm walking to school, I don't have to cross the street to use the cross walk. I can just happily walk a straight line right down 600 and truck up the stairs. It's beautiful.

Godzilla

2006-10-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

This post is not actually about Godzilla, it is about my two year old nephew who we call Godzilla sometimes because he breaks everything he comes near. Even though I have no time in my life for anything but school and flag football, I wanted to share an event that my mom related to me last weekend.

First, my nephew Andrew took a flying leap at his three month old brother's head. As a result, he was taken upstairs by his father for a nap. A little while later, the family heard a thump thump thump thump etc. of something falling down the stairs. My mom knew from experience that it was not the sound of a child...so naturally, they wondered what poor object suffered at the hands of Godzilla this time. Any guesses?

A bowling ball.

Andrew rolled a 14 pound bowling ball down the stairs. It broke a stair and put a huge whole in the wall at the bottom. I laughed when my mom told me. She said it must be a lot funnier if you are removed from the situation. I declare that it is.

Of Blogging and Baseball

2006-08-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

This was going to be my first ever blog with pictures about my first ever Cubs game and my first ever time at Wrigley Field. However, due to technical difficulties (namely, user error) this was a failed attempt.

Yet I will pick myself up from the dust of my desperation and describe one of the happiest days of my life. I always knew I was a Cubbies fan, but there is just something about being in Wrigley Field that lights the burning fire of team loyalty, a fire I had begun to doubt within myself.

I went to the game with my folks on a beautiful Friday afternoon. The Cubs were playing the Pirates. I knew as soon as I walked through the gate that I was born to go to Wrigley Field. We had great seats about 10 rows back on the 3rd base line. The hot dog was spectacular (dare I say it rivaled J-Dawgs?). At the 7th inning stretch I bought my first ever Cubs shirt, which immediately earned favorite shirt status. A few times during the game the Pirates hit one into the stands, and of course the true Cubs fan threw the ball back onto the field. Unfortunately, the Cubbies broke my heart that day as they lost miserably to the Pirates 6-0 (although the Cubs won 7-5 on Saturday and 6-1 on Sunday).

So it turns out that this blogging experience is much like the Cubs themselves. They try and fail, yet they keep on playing game after game. Let's just hope that I am not cursed from picture blogs. Maybe I will try to picture blog again the next time the Cubs win the World Series. Or maybe when I succeed at the picture blog the Cubs' curse will finally be broken...

The Truth About Toothbrushes

2006-08-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

I recently had a conversation with someone for about 15 minutes debating this issue. I would like all people in the world to know (and by that I mean all members of provoplatinum) that I would rather die a thousand deaths than share my toothbrush with another person. Seriously, I don't care how well I know you, or how long we have been friends...it's not going to happen so don't even ask. I respect coy and all that it stands for, but sharing a toothbrush is definitely crossing a line. I'm all about sharing antibodies in an attempt to cure the world of all disease, but the thought of sharing someone else's plaque makes me want to throw up. Just so you all know.

Mall Rats

2006-08-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Today my mom wanted to exercise, and since it is dangerously hot outside here in Rockford, she wanted to walk inside at the mall with the air conditioning. I got to thinking about the mall and all the people that it represents. Have you ever wondered if you should be classified as a mall rat? Please consider the following:

You go to the mall to buy anything from shirts to thank you cards.
You go to the mall to exercise in the morning before the stores even open.
The store owners and cashiers know you by name and ask about your personal life.
You find that all your funny/interesting stories take place at the mall.
You go to the mall to pick up on girls/guys and invite them to your parties.
You flirt with the cashiers at the mall in an effort to get discounts.
You crave food that can only be found in a mall food court.

If you can identify with one or more of these descriptions, then yes, you may be a mall rat. If you are surprised at your current mall rat status, please take solace in the fact that there are more among you than you probably realize... While I am certainly not a part of this association, please feel free to use this blog as a support group for yourselves.

i'm back

2006-07-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Per Bryant's blogging call to arms, here I am back again with a post. Like many others, I too face blogging anxiety as I feel I am severely out of practice. Oh well. I decided to post about my summer reading list. Here it is (titles only...if you want the author, feel free to look it up yourself). In no particular order:

Life of Pi
Memoirs of a Geisha
Ender's Game
Kite Runner
Les Miserables
Count of Monte Cristo
Wuthering Heights
As I Lay Dying
Gulliver's Travels
A Painted House
Alice in Wonderland
Lonesome Dove
Poisonwood Bible
The Secret Life of Bees
Wicked
Princess Bride
Team of Rivals
Robinson Crusoe
A Time to Kill
The Perfect Storm

I plan on checking these books out from the Rockford Public Library, because checking out books from the library makes me feel like a good citizen.

I welcome anyone to add titles or recommend a deletion. Unfortunately, by the time I put my summer reading list in writing I realized that the summer was already into July, and it is pretty much impossible to finish the list by the beginning of the school year. However, since it is a fierce struggle for me to finish books, I pledge to be accountable to my blog by giving an update of my progress at the end of summer.

Fickle Women

2006-06-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

Fickle women: and by that I mean, Fickle Stefani. My own fickleness scares me. One day I think I have everything figured out, with my top ten list set in stone. Alas, the very next day I feel the need to scrap it and reconfigure the whole dang list. Sometimes I consider eliminating all top ten lists from my life because while they are very fun to make, they seem only to serve the purpose of marking the pathetic progress of my ever changing mind. Lucky for me, I discovered that William has the cure for fickleness.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every-wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Apparently all I have to do is fall in love...as if that is an easier option. I guess I'll be sticking with my transient top ten lists.

Not my typical post

2006-03-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

I was thinking recently about a problem I have, which I am now in the process of fixing. My dad told me once that I have to be careful because I can be very contrary. I agreed with him, but of course insisting that I am only sometimes contrary. I also admit that I hold grudges, although I recognize that grudges are dangerous things, for a number of reasons, including that they never allow the offender to clear him/herself. So I'm contrary and I hold grudges...but that is not the problem that I am talking about--those are just factors that I have identified that might add to my problem. My problem is that I have a serious aversion to the idea of some people using me as an ego boost. I'm not sure if I have explained this accurately, so I will give an example. I dated a guy once who was a big jerk. He is on a mission at the moment, and I refuse to write him because I don't want him to think that I still like him. But then I was thinking, why shouldn't I write him? Who I am to assume that he would take it the wrong way? And why would he think that anyway, from a simple letter? And let's say he does think that I like him...is that really so bad? Everybody likes to receive letters, and most people like feeling that they're liked, so why do I have such a problem with him being happy? I guess I realized that it's not my mission in life to be the great equalizer. It's not up to me to control how I think other people should act, and I certainly shouldn't promote the misery of people who have hurt me in the past. In the process of realizing this problem and trying to rectify it, I hope that I am breaking down the foundation of contrariness and grudgeholding, and someday I will be a nice person. And I don't mean not bad person, I mean a truly nice person. I doubt this post makes as much sense to whomever is reading as it does to me, but it had to be said.

Leap Day

2006-02-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is February 28, and the day after that is March 1. But I think one of my favorite days is February 29. It's such a novelty. I wish every year had a leap day. Although I guess if every year had February 29 it wouldn't be so special. Sometimes I wish I were born on leap day instead of on the 22nd, because then I would always have something to say when you have to introduce yourself and tell something interesting about you. "Hi, I'm Stefani, and I've only had 5 birthdays." Alas I wasn't even born in a leap year, let alone on leap day. Maybe I'll get married on leap day. My newest goal will be to get married on Friday, February 29, 2008.

A Shout Out

2006-01-30T22:03:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to all those people who like to give "shout outs." I was recently reminded of this when a friend of mine was a victim of a shout out in text message form on her cell phone. I was reminded of the good old days of 7th grade when it was so cool to give a shout out to all your friends on your internet profile or by calling into the radio stations. Here is an example of a successful shout out, for anyone who is unfamiliar: "I just want to give a shout out to all my awesome friends- you know who you are, but in case you forgot I love you Billy (you'll always be my baby!), Jimmy, SusieQ, MaryBeth (pb and j lol you know what I mean), Bob, Kelly, Zach, Slater (body building!), Screech (crazy nights in vegas), Lisa, and anyone else I didn't mention you know I love you too and you are always in my heart- thanks for all the memories, I'll cherish them forever!" Upon analyzing the shout out, I have discovered that the best shout outs include:
1. An introduction shouting out to your friends
2. A list of all your friends, usually in order of importance
3. A note attached to certain people's names with some sort of inside joke which is only funny if you are in on it
4. An apology for forgetting to include someone's name, heaven forbid they didn't make the cut on the friend list
5. A cheesy conclusion like I'll never forget you guys

Feel free to use this recipe to post your own shout outs on this blog page.

Coming to Terms

2006-01-30T15:37:00.000-08:00

I think I am finally coming to terms with my identity on Provo Platinum. I will admit that I was annoyed at first with our good friend and founder of our lovely blogging community here. Allow me to explain. I'm talking about the question mark: Steffy Pie? I was "kinda mad" at that question mark for quite some time. However, I have been thinking recently that it is an appropriate association. That little punctuation mark could have an infinite number of follow-up questions or comments...which will be addressed sometime in the future. The point of this blog is to officially accept this appendage to my blogging identity and publicly revere it for adding a new dimension to my entire being.

Unavoidable Avoidance

2006-01-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here's the break down: you like a guy, but you are too scared to talk to him. Then amazingly one day he talks to you. You have a great time with him one night. You still like him. The next day you avoid him at all costs. You know that you are avoiding him, dare I say hiding from him, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. All too often you continue avoiding him until you have totally obliterated any chance of forming a relationship with him. Unfortunately, you have successfully made him think that you are not interested. You continue to like him until he goes for another girl, at which point you convince yourself that you don't like him anymore and try to find another guy that you're interested in. Then the vicious cycle begins again.

While I was writing, I thought of another avoidance scenario: A guy likes you, but you don't know it; you think you are just friends. Then you realize he likes you more than you like him. You freak out. You avoid him, until you feel like you have extinguished any feelings he might have had for you. Eventually you try to be friends with him again, with an incredible feeling of guilt for having treated him so badly.

In both situations, you know you are avoiding him, yet you can't do anything to stop it no matter how much you want to. In the first case, ideally you would talk to him and act like a normal person. In the second scenario, ideally you would talk to him and clear things up. Notice how both solutions require confrontation. Yet regardless of the fact that you know you're not doing what you should, or even what you want, you can't get away from the avoidance stage. It is unavoidable.

There are exceptions of course. But I think I have identified these as outside forces which have to be greater than the natural tendency of avoidance.

Cuttlefish

2005-12-30T20:44:00.000-08:00

I don't really like the word "cuddle." I don't mind the actual cuddling, I just don't like the word. (say it out loud...it's just weird...) I think I don't like that word because it makes me think of a cuttlefish. Not that I'm really familiar with the cuttlefish, and I really shouldn't care one way or the other, yet somehow the cuttlefish disgusts me. Anyway, the problem I find is that cuddle doesn't have a synonym that I can think of. You would have to use a whole descriptive phrase, at which point whomever you are talking to would probably reply, "oh, so you were cuddling!'

Boxing Day

2005-12-26T21:22:00.000-08:00

December 26th is Boxing Day, so naturally I wished my friend a Happy Boxing Day. He asked me what it was. Then I realized I didn't know. It's just one of those holidays that is in red on calendars so you don't forget. He said maybe Boxing Day is when you box up all of the presents that you don't want so you can go exchange them at the store. That got me thinking...(I know, that can be dangerous) I can't clearly remember any time I have ever returned a present to the store because I didn't want it. I guess if I don't love it immediately, then I attach some sort of sentimental value to the gift so I can never part with it. Now that I think about it, it's the stuff that people give me that I never use that I seem to have around longer than anything else. It's like the thing becomes a symbol of my friendship with that person, and if I let it go then I am letting them down as a friend or maybe even foreshadowing the eventual termination of our friendship.

Or maybe I just can't remember returning presents because I always get cool stuff.

For the one and only

2005-12-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

My roommate and I are basically the same person. Unfortunately, she is leaving the country for a bit. Here are some reasons why she will be missed:

1. Door bell ditching
2. Scuse, Redic, Abbrev, Delish
3. Talking in Spanish all the time and getting our roommates to say "Hola, Como estas?"
4. Escorting me home when I fall asleep in other apartments
5. Directing me to my room (and helping me dodge the tv) when I fall asleep on the couch
6. Calling the Homies to HT
7. Neil Diamond
8. Doing the dishes
9. Her anger levels..."I'm kind of mad right now!"
10. Our flag football victory jump (and trying not to hurt ourselves in the act)
11. Did you say, Billy, I love you?
12. Lips and butts
13. The greatest friend ever!

Although some may call her Frankenstein or a horse, she will always be Kimberlena to me

The Wonderful World of Homestar Runner

2005-12-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

I want everyone to know that instead of studying for finals I just spent over an hour watching episodes of Homestar Runner.

Thanks a lot Russ and B.

Every 15 Minutes

2005-12-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

Today I was talking with my roomies and Russ about Ronnie's blog of his ten most hated things, and how most had to do with sleep. I commented that mine would also have to do with sleep. I started with: I don't like it when I fall asleep in random places, or when I fall asleep upside down or in other awkward positions, or when people can never wake me up, or when I fall down the stairs after trying to walk home from an apartment I fell asleep in, or when I flip out upon being woken up, or when people hold me accountable for things I say or do within 15 minutes before or after I fall asleep...

At that point Russ interrupted with, "15 Minutes before or after you fall asleep?!! That's like your entire day!"

I laughed pretty hard at that. But sadly it was a bittersweet moment...because deep down I knew it was true. Maybe someday I will assume the sleeping habits of a normal person.

Atleast I don't drool.

In this family...

2005-11-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

My username is "inthisfamily." This phrase comes from the fact that I try to impose "rules" on my roommates. I figure the best way to add authority to what I demand is to say, for example, "We don't sleep commando in this family." This is actually part of our "Family Rules," of which others include "In this family we go to the bathroom with the door closed." You may wonder at the necessity of these rules, among others that we have...however, I am here to tell you that rules such as these actually are quite necessary in our apartament, unfortunately. The moral of the story is, if you want to tell somebody else what to do, just say what you want and then add "in this family" at the end (or the beginning, whatever's your pleasure). In this family we blog each other... which is why my roomie Kim made me start.