My Mother's Daughter

So, this is me, posing for a picture in my "I Heart Mom" shirt. I had Jessica take the picture, but didn't realize that camera was on video mode. I thought it was funny though, and a a chance for all of you at home to see me in action! Too bad it's blurry and you can't really see my face. . . Haha. I wore this, my favorite, most bleach-stained shirt after work to go to the gym with Jessica and Kristen. Impressed by my Mom's workout routine, Jess and I decided to try 20 minutes on the elliptical. We made through 15 minutes, which equated to 1.15 miles! Our legs were jello afterwards, but it felt good. Thanks, Mom!

A lovely post-workout/Jamba Juice shot. 

(The locker room attendant told me she liked my shirt!)

My exercising is not the reason I am my mother's daughter, however. This morning, I was on my way down the hall, running late for class, when I realized that in my haste to get out the door, I hadn't put on any jewelry! The Petersen gene in me would not let me proceed out of my building with no accessories, so I quickly turned around, went back into my room, and grabbed a long necklace and matching earrings. Crisis averted.

Shortly after my accessory emergency, I was on my way up to campus, and feeling a little blue. I've been homesick on and off lately, and this morning I just wanted to be back in Denver. I was thinking about a night last year at this time when Mom and I were home after school, making pumpkin bread in the kitchen. It had been a hard day for both of us, so we turned on our favorite Amy Grant Christmas cd. I immediately set my iPod to my Christmas music favorites from last year, and indulged all day in Amy Grant, James Taylor, Hilary Weeks, and Manhattan Transfer Christmas songs that remind me more of home than most anything. I felt pretty funny walking across campus with "Snowfall," and "White Christmas" playing in my ears on such a sunny, beautiful fall day. I was okay with that. Only 26 days left until I go home for Thanksgiving!

A Little More Wolf Awareness

In my last update post, I just gave you a taste of the adventure I had in Salt Lake on Saturday, and will now share more of the hilarity and frustrations from the days events.

So, we caught the 12:05 bus at University Ave. and University Pkwy. Saturday to head to to the zoo. I packed a couple school books in one of my big purses (which happened to coordinate nicely with my wolf shirt) with the intention of studying on the ride. Hello, Emily! You get severely carsick in any moving vehicle even when you aren't reading! I don't know why I forgot this oh, so painful fact, seeing as my family and I have had many an unpleasant car ride due to my extreme proneness to motion sickness. I guess I thought maybe a bus would be different. Nope. Within 5 minutes of reading in my ELang book about syntax, I was making plans for what I what bag I could grab if need be. I won't elaborate further, but needless to say, I spent the first leg of our journey with my head on my knees resisting the nausea I was feeling. Gross.

It was also on this first stretch that I was informed that our travels would take an approximate 2 and a half hours each way! I found myself thinking, "What the heck am I doing here?! I have homework and laundry and ironing!" Sadly, I was trapped on the UTA.

After about 45 minutes or so, we transferred to TRAX, the Utah lightrail, and the fresh air definitetly helped me feel better. We saw some interesting characters, though, and missed our stop. Blast. We got off at the next stop, waited about 10 minutes on the platform, and caught the train going back to our intended stop. That took us to some random shopping complex in Salt Lake, next to the Rock Church, where we caught another bus that took us further into the city.

Okay, so by the time we got off at our final stop, it was almost 3:00, and we still had no idea where the zoo was. We ended up at some park, where our group parted ways. Half went to find the zoo, while Jessica, Nick, Billy, and I stayed behind because we didn't want to pay $8 to go to the zoo for only an hour before we caught our bus home at 5:00. Those of us who stayed behind took naps in the park because it really was a beautiful day, and walked over to A&W for some draft root beer and french fries.

This lunch stop provided the highlight of our trip. This is the wonderfully quotable conversation that went down between me and the cashier:

Cashier: I love your shirts!
Me: Thanks! It's Wolf Awareness Day at the zoo, and we're just supporting the wolves.
Cashier: I. Love. Wolves. You should see my checkbook. Nothing but wolves.

Hahahahahaha. This makes me laugh every time I think about it. She was dead serious, and seriously hilarious. We think there was something genuinely wrong with her though, because later, we heard her pressuring an innocent customer into adding a dessert to his order. She kept saying "But don't you want a root beer float with that?" Jessica was scared to go up to get change for her return bus fare, afraid that the wolf lady would try to get her to buy some ice cream too.

Our return trip was more of the same of train rides and bus exchanges. This time, however, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would get absolutely nothing done that day, so it wasn't as stressful. We had a 45 minute wait in between the train and second bus, and had fun playing games at the bus stop. A couple of our friends taped their homemade wolf awareness signs to the glass bus stop wall thing, and we were baffled when a guy drinking something out of a Big Gulp cup (it looked like Coke, but based on his behavior, it could have been something much stronger) came over, removed the signs, and walked away carrying them down the lightrail tracks. Hmm. Maybe he's just trying to spread Wolf Awareness too.

We made it back into Provo at 7:30, tired and sad about never seeing the zoo or the wolves. It was good to see more of Utah. You don't realize how much of a bubble Provo is until you go somewhere outside of the town where you can smell cigarette smoke and see people in tank tops and U of U paraphenalia.

Updates: To-the-Max!

So, I didn't realize how much has happened since last weekend, but I have been pretty busy. The week has flown by so fast, and the following extensive post documents several events of said busy week. 

This was hanging in my hall on Tuesday, and I think that it's hilarious. This is what you get when the ward opera major is the ward choirster. Haha. 

Last weekend was homecoming, so my friends and I got up and went to the somewhat sad little parade through campus. My favorite part was the appearance of the Quill and the Sword club, pictured below. 

The game was freezing, but way fun. Jessica and I ventured down from our top-of-the-stadium seats to sit with Charlotte and Brennan down WAY closer to the field.

The Quill and the Sword is my favorite of all the BYU clubs. They're hard to miss in their capes and medieval weaponry. My favorite is the blue guy who had a black fencing mask on. 

Homecoming night, I went to the dance with my friends, with Nick as my date. Melanie's older sister dubbed herself official photographer for the evening, and we accommodated her by posing for these, well, posed pictures. We had Chinese food down in the guys' basement, and went to the casual dance at the Wilk. Neither Nick nor I are big dancers, but it was fun to go with everyone.

Hooray for Good Mail this week! The anticipation of this package from Mom, Grandma, Susan, and Rachelle collectively got me through a long day on Thursday, and it delivered. (Haha. Get it?!) Pictured above is the bounty of Halloween baking goods I received, including ghost baking cups, two kinds of Halloween sprinkles, a Halloween hot cocoa, and Halloween party picks! Oh, baby! Jessica and I are making do with a cake mix tonight to make our first round of cupcakes, but will go shopping for ingredients with which to make cupcakes from scratch for our Halloween party coming up. 

This is the exterior of said package. I love the labels Mom makes, always addressing packages to "Misses Emily and Charlotte Wood," from "Mom!" 

Rachelle sent a couple cute vinyls, including this Rhumbas cover and a ridiculously cute one with a giant orange slice. I couldn't get a good photo, but believe, it's probably my new favorite.

I love these picture frames from Susan. They match both mine and Jessica's stuff, and brighten up the front of our room, next to my Izze bottles and gerbera daisies.

Congratulations for making it through most of these updates. This last set of photos documents the events of the last couple days, complete with an adventure on the UTA (Utah Transit Authority, for those non-locals).

Like Charlotte, Mom's homemade pumpkin bread was my favorite part of my package. I took it to a Friday-night study session with Jessica and Nick at the library. I even took my Rachel Ray plates, and though we didn't do much studying, the pumpkin bread was amazing, as can only be expected. Thanks, Mom!

Saturday was Wolf Awareness Day at the Salt Lake Zoo. We wanted to go to the zoo anyway, and this occasion was just too much to pass up. We never actually made it to the zoo, but we did get in a stop at A&W for some draft root beer in frosted mugs. Naturally, we made a trip to DI on Friday night for wolf shirts. (you know, those Native American, over-large t-shirts with a howling wolf pictured in front of a majestic mountain?) You can kind of see mine in the pic above. 

Here's a shot that captures both Jessica's wolf t-shirt and one of the many unique characters we encountered while traversing the public transport of Utah state. So, as previously stated, we didn't make it to the zoo because after a bus ride, train ride, and second bus ride we ended up somewhere in Salt Lake, a mile from the zoo, location of which we were unaware. Looking back, the day could have been better spent catching up on homework instead of venturing around Salt Lake, but it was interesting seeing the diversity Utah has to offer outside of the public transport system.

A quick tribute to Jessie. This fungus was thriving at the bus stop outside of A&W. Gross.

And finally, an inspirational sign outside of "The Rock Church," which was located right by the train tracks. We heard them practicing for their 6:48 service, (I'm not joking. That's the time the sign said.) and let me tell you, it was rockin'. 

Confused

Why are BYU students so fashion challenged when it comes to dressing in times of seasonal shift? Today, I saw two girls wearing winter, Ug-like boots with walking shorts. (Insert head shake of disapproval) It's really funny to walk across campus, in time to my music, of course, you see students bundled in winter coats and turtle necks walking alongside coeds in flip-flops and shorts. Oh, dear. As I sit here in the Tanner Building, a girl is walking up the painfully extensive staircase (my legs seriously turn to jello every time I walk up them) in a sweater, denim skirt, brown Dockers, and striped knee socks. Again, you just have to wonder. 

Rap Wars

This week, my Facebook has been in frenzy of rhyming and rapping as my friends and I have engaged in a battle of words. The madness started when one of our friends said that he thought that my roommate Jessica and I are the closest set of roommates in our group of friends. Roommates Andrew and Nick didn't appreciate that pronouncement, and proceeded to initiate a battle to determine better roommates. For the last week or so we've been competing for roommate dominance, and it culminated this week with poetry.

I opened a can of worms when I innocently wrote a poem on Jessica's Facebook that went thus:

And now, a kind of rhyming, mostly not poem.

Ode to a Roommate:

Jessica, Jessica, you're so great!
Jessica, Jessica, your paper takes the cake!

You rock my socks,
You're a ShamWow roommate,
If you were any more great,
You'd have to wear a cape! (because you would be a super hero.)

About 15 minutes later, Andrew, taking this as a challenge wrote on Nick's wall the following:

My good pal nick just look at you
your hat is sweet I like your shoe
My roommate is the coolest guy
If you feel low he'll bring you high
Nick exercises with the goal
that he wont run into a pole
His hair is short his toes are long
now lets all join in this great song

all praise nick! the greatest guy I know
he'll help me through my struggles, in earthquake rain or snow
all praise nick! the greatest guy is he
his bathroom explosions are the best you'll ever see

Ok, so I was sitting in the Blue Line Deli just laughing out loud when I read this. I gave Andrew major props, but I didn't realize that this was only the beginning! The rest of Tuesday evening and all of yesterday produced the following, increasingly hilarious and gangsta correspondences:

Nick to Andrew, 3:17p.m. on Oct. 14:

*ahahEM*
Andrew Starita,
your name rhymes with pita.
Though others tell us we are not very tight,
I have to disagree with all my might.
You see, only true friends can sing songs in the shower,
like miley, j-bros, and tower of power.
We come from humble origins,
meek, lowly, and somehow...oh dang nothing rhymes with that word...ummm
You are oh so freakin buff,
I shudder when you threaten to rough me up.
But I know that I am stronger,
because my toes are so much longer,
than yours.
word.
So as the days go by,
I sit here and wonder why,
you would write about our bathroom races,
on this here book of faces.
But thats really okay,
I don't hold a grudge in any way;
because we are just that tight,
I think Jess and Emily know whats right,
to give up now
and stop using their imitator shamwow,
and find out that the truth,
seen by all the most novice of slueths,
it is that Andrew and I are the tightest roommates,
because his name rhymes with pita.

Nick to Jessica and Me, 11:04 a.m. on Oct. 15:

*AhEm* k...
Emily and Jessica,
you think you two are friggin hot,
but ya'll should realize you are so not.
You see, andrew and I rule this coup,
we're hot like hot dogs, baked beans, chicken noodle soup.
When the both of you simply open your eyes,
and take in all of our roommatey goodness you'll be surprised,
at how much we guys are truly made for one another,
like patrick and spongebob we are true blue brothas.
word.
So listen up you two gals,
I know you think you are great pals,
but on the inside andrew and I beat you both,
on the inside is what really means the most.
That's where you'll find the care,
that's where you'll find we share,
the tightest bond ever known to man,
woman, child in all the land.
If you feel like you two still are closer than we
I recommend taking a look in mirror and then you'll see,
that there is no hope,
yo, you chicks are dope.
But that's okay,
cuz we love you anyway,
take care,
fuzzy bear,
Andrew and I have the most bangin hair.

Me to Nick, 4:32 pm. on Oct. 15:

This is a story about two roommates, Em and Jess.
Way more ShamTastic than Spanky and A-Star, these girls are the best.
Their bangin room has a homey glow
which makes them better, don't cha know.
Andrew and Nick, their lights are fluorescent,
because their inferior friendship is not effervescent.

But hold the phone, Nick talks so big,
but their hair is whack; whackier than a jig.
Sure, Andrew loves Nick, though not as much as Em loves Jess,
for Andrew's tendency to forget his backpack causes Nick heart-damaging stress.
Nick, you may wear lavender frost,
but do you have polka dot Halloween socks?

Jess and Em are da bomb.
Together, we could beat even the mob.
You fools have no clue
what for real friendship can do.
We're homes to the core,
how can we ask for more.

Word.

And finally, it culminated last night with a truce, in the form of a truly awesome rap by shawty Nick:

Nick to Emily, 11:01 p.m. on Oct. 15:

"To the Max"
Well hold the phone right there young soul,
this poemy goodness has gotten way outta control.
It was all fun and games til you wrote on Jess' wall,
a note, a poem, whatever it was, it was seen by all.
So now it's my turn,
and I hope ya'll will learn
how to end the contest,
and put this killer rappin to rest.

(Cue the white guy doin a sick beat-box)

Emily, Emily, Emily Wood,
yo this girl is tight, straight outta the hood,
she punches numbers by day and does homework all night,
askin for nothing, only pickin a fight,
over an ibc,
or maybe some cookies from me.
But what I really like,
are her shamtastic pies,
to the max, apple jacks,
freedom fries, just relax,
Shamwow, snowplow,
this girl is hot, don't touch her, OWW!!!!
From the dub-ya-V
this thing is straight from me,
so I'm out
like a sprout,
in the springtime with no drought.
Goodnight,
sleep tight,
from ya boy, I'm so darn white.

This made my night. My friends are hilarious.

Word.