Plugged In

My iPod has been one of my closest companions at school this year. Walking to classes, studying, and working, waking up in the morning, I've been loving music and getting into some new bands. Something that just makes me happy is when I'm walking around campus and my step matches the beat of the song I'm listening to. I feel unstoppable and like nothing else in the world matters. I can't help but smile. :)

My Playlist:

Jimmy Eat World: These guys are a given; I don't think I have a playlist without some of them. I've only been really into them for a little more than a year, but we're close now. My FAVORITE song of all time is "Kill." The title is misleading, but it really is amazing. The line, "I can't help it, baby, this is who I am," is my mantra many a time when I feel stupid for doing something dorky or awkward. This reminds me not to change myself for other people, but be confident in myself.

MAE: I got music from this band from a friend a couple weeks ago, and love it! They're peppy, but not too pop. Good stuff. They sound a lot like Death Cab for Cutie, and have some really good songs.

Weezer: I never thought I'd like them, but since I tried them out recently, I find they make an excellent addition to any playlist.

Keane: My friend, Michael, from whom I receive much of my musical guidance and inspiration, made me a playlist online with the song "Nothing In My Way" on it, and I LOVE IT! It's one of those songs that I can listen to over and over again. It's an especially good campus strutting song.

Sherwood: These guys are similar to MAE, and have some good songs.

Coldplay: I go back and forth with Coldplay, but right now I'm definitely a fan. Their songs are mellow and good for in-between-class contemplation.

Death Cab for Cutie: It took me a while to like them, but I love "Transatlanticism," "Photobooth," and "The Sound of Settling."

I don't listen to individual albums, but rather playlists ranging from 50 to 450 songs. My iPod is in a perpetual state of shuffling though the music that says a lot about my life at the time. I have countless playlists, most of which are named (with alliterations, of course) after the period in my life they accompanied.

What's on your playlist right now?
Do you feel a personal bond with your iPod?

Good and Not So Good

Monday:

Good: Morning trip to the temple with Kristen. Provo looks so pretty right after the sun rises, and the temple is a beautiful, peaceful place to start the week.

Not So Good: This is the pile of data entry that greeted me at work. I actually had more, but minimized my stack after four straight hours of punching the ten-key. I actually gasped out loud when I saw the whole stack of yellow papers. 

Tuesday: 

Good: I took my American Heritage test and knew pretty much all the material! I got an 86% on the multiple choice and feel really good about my essay/short answer part. I'm hoping for an A, but we'll see. The curve will hopefully help. Here's hoping some people didn't study!

Another Good: I took a celebratory trip to Roberts and Target tonight. Roberts for ribbon, Target to exchange the ink cartridges I bought two weeks ago which fit my family's printer at home, not mine here. Along with getting the right ink, I hit dollar section Halloween jackpot! Featured below is my Halloween cereal bowl, (which is actually for little kids. . .) Halloween list pad, and my favorite, the "Spooky CD." This dollar section find has 26 tracks ranging in length from 5 seconds to 13 minutes, and features all your spooky sounds, from creaking doors and whistling wind to the more unique demented Christmas carols and old man speaking Chinese while 80's music, reminiscent of "Thriller" plays in the background. No joke. This cd is awesome. I highly recommend it for everyone's next trip to Target. (Also featured in the blurry photograph is the electric purple and black hounds tooth ribbon I got at Roberts. I am wearing it as a sash tomorrow!) 

Finding My Niche

In one of my posts last week, I mentioned how I was having a hard time finding what I wanted to do. Since then, I’ve received some new inspiration and I’m exciting to try out some new things. 

Thanks to Susan for the comment on my post about looking into the fashion industry. I thought about it, and realized that I would really love to do something in that field. However, I don’t really know what jobs there are to be had. I love putting together outfits and trying out new combinations of textures, pattern, color, and accessories. Sometimes I find myself getting distracted while I’m studying at night because I’m mentally assembling my outfit for the next day. Since I’ve been at school, I have yet to repeat an ensemble, and I’ve brought some pieces back to life that I haven’t worn in a while. I especially like working with some of the Susan Cast-Offs I got from her last package. She sent a couple great pieces that I’ve had fun playing with. 

Documented below is a favorite new outfit I put together this week, with a bright pink cardigan from Susan. I put it together at about midnight before I wore it, and wasn’t sure if it looked too 80’s. I got approval from my suitemates, but wasn’t quite sold. I got dressed in a hurry Friday morning and didn’t have time to process my ensemble before stepping out onto campus for my day, and immediately began questioning my latest fashion move. I could swear that people were staring at me and thinking thoughts of “What the heck is she wearing?,” “That’s a HUGE belt!,” and “Whoa.” In an act of fashion cowardice, I removed my belt on my way to my first class. I put the belt back on while I was studying in the Wilk before my 11:00 class, and by the time I got to said class, I was in a panic, feeling like a skinny-jean wearing, giant-belted, 80’s freak. I found a bathroom, walked in, and luckily there was a girl in there who I know. I desperately asked her if my belt was okay, and she consoled my fears. Her friend gave me encouragement, telling me to “wear it with courage!” so I did. For the rest of the day I walked confidently across campus, deciding to rock the look. It was way fun, and I felt the buzz that can only come with wearing a new and trendy outfit. It must have been a success, because some guy came up and talked to me while I was putting up “Missed Punch” lists around the Physics department and ended up getting my number. Haha. That made me feel pretty good. Ah, the power of fashion.

I’ve decided to start taking the prerequisites for the Business School, because I think that I would really like to go into Business Management. I’m also going to take Basics of Clothing Construction next semester, and maybe unlock some new powers of fashion creation. 

Crazy, Crazy Week

So, I had my first BYU midterm experience this week. Actually, it won't be finished until Tuesday night when I take my 3 hour long American Heritage test. (I took my Book of Mormon test on Thursday in class and my ELang test Friday in the testing center.) Last weekend, I wasn't expecting this week to be so crazy, because I was ignorant of the fact that I had finals in Book of Mormon and ELang. So not only did I have to worry about learning everything that I've heard in American Heritage lectures, readings, and labs, but I had to worry about transferring all my Book of Mormon notes into my Book of Mormon, finishing up an IPA transcription comparison assignment with Glen from ELang, and studying up on productivity of language, vowel placement, and consonant articulation. My nights consisted of studying as much as I could until I fell asleep at my desk , which normally happened around 2 a.m. I experienced so many miracles, however. The fact that I was able to get through work and classes on Tuesday and Wednesday without falling asleep was such a blessing. I had energy, excitement, and my study time was productive. 

I had my ups and downs this week (the downs were greatly improved Thursday night when Charlotte brought me fresh-baked Banana Chocolate Chip Bars =) ) and it ended on a good note, with two tests successfully taken and over with. 

The funniest part of this week was having to listen to the recording of Glen from ELang saying the list of 28 words and transcribing them into phonetic symbols at 1 in the morning. He had a recording of me saying the same words, and we met a couple times this week to compare our pronunciations. It was really overwhelming at first, but now I feel pretty awesome that I can classify vowels and consonants by their articulation and placement. 

I learned a lot this week about college and balancing and studying. I also learned that when I do all that I can, the Lord compensates physically and spiritually.  

Blue Line Deli Insight

I'm sitting here, studying in the Blue Line Deli, and was thinking about how great it will feel when my week of tests is over and I won't have the constant pressure of needing to study and cram and worry about knowing everything I'll need for the tests. I realized with a bit of dread that more times like this will come; there will be more tests, and more stressful, difficult times. What's great though, is that in the end, we will be on the relief end of this cycle. When Christ comes again and we are able to live with Him, there will be no more worrying. That's so reassuring! My salad may have been old, but the Blue Line Deli delivers!