finals, day 1

6:30 a.m. Wake up to my alarm; decide that I don't want to be awake at 6:30; reset my alarm for 7
7:00 Feeling considerably more rested, get up, and stay up; commence daily preparations
8:00 Breakfast, scriptures, backpack pack-up
8:30 Head up to campus; look completely ridiculous trying to walk up the extremely icy hill at the top of the stairs
8:40 Study in the Pen Court in the Eyring Science Center
10:00 Punch into work
3:00 p.m. Punch off; take cooking final
3:20 p.m. 80 questions, 20 minutes, minimal studying, 88%! Woohoo! Return to Pen Court and studying
4:00 English final review
5:30 Take English final; 94%, and no essay question!
6:30 Settle down in the library with Jordin for more studying
7:30 Walk Jordin out of the library and to our wonderful roommate's car for a ride home. Jordin unfortunately contracted my weekend illness. I feel horrible for being the one to introduce the flu-ish into our apartment.
7:40 Return to library table and studying
12:15 a.m. Leave library, noticing immediately a significant temperature drop since 5 hours previous.
12:30 Walk gratefully into my apartment, slightly chilled but satisfied.
1:00 Exhaustion sets in. It's time for pj's and sleep.

{Post 15-hour day self-portrait. Only two full days until I'm home!}

chilled

There's something wrong with the heat in my apartment. I blame thin walls and an improperly sealed front door. The temperature in our little home doesn't top 70; we're lucky if it gets up to 68 by mid day. This lack of effective heating is especially frustrating when the outside temperature is less than 10 degrees. Needless to say, I have been layering like nobody's business lately. Brrr. Oh, how I miss the fireplace at home.

Monday Updates

-Today kicks off finals week, and I'm hoping to knock out my two easiest, Cooking and English.
-I spent most of late Saturday night by the toilet and Sunday home, sleeping, knitting, and working on not feeling gross. It was definitely a 24 hour thing, for which I am grateful. Balancing finals and the flu would not be an easy feat. I still have very little appetite however, which is okay, because my food supply is extremely low owing to the fact that I will be home for almost three weeks starting Thursday night. My nutrition for the next few days will come primarily from Gatorade and whatever low-in-flavor food sounds good. Since Saturday night, I've seriously only eaten some popcorn, a slice of apple, a small bowl of Cheerios, and a few Ritz crackers. It's a good thing that nutrition often goes out the window during finals anyway.
-If I do well on my Accounting and Information Systems finals, I will pull off A's in both classes! These are both prerequisites for the accounting program, and A's would be wonderful.
-I designed a website! It was for my last project in Information Systems, and I got to write code and use a web editor. I spent a ton of time working out all the kinks, planning my content and design, and uploading my files to the web server. Check it out! That class has brought be much satisfaction, because I am now an Excel wizard, can write programs in Visual Basic, and can use HTML code.
-I cannot wait to be home for break.

-Oh, and the Christmas decorations have been up in Physics for a while.
I'm sorry to have spoiled any peaceful or happy moments by sharing this picture. Just turn on some Christmas music and sit by a Christmas tree for a few minutes. The horror will wear off in no time.

new twist on an old favorite

I'm really lucky to have roommates who are good about taking out the trash. Unlike many college students, they don't procrastinate the removal of boxes and cartons from our kitchen trash. When they see that the garbage can is too full to fit their freshly-created garbage, they considerately take out some of the bigger pieces of trash to make room for new trash and set the big trash on the floor next to the garbage can.

happy

I just spent some pre-paper-writing time catching up on blogs, and several loved ones posted about good days. 10 minutes ago, I posted about a bad day, but I want a good one. I'm deciding now that tomorrow will be a happy day. I'm going to put effort into my outfit (perhaps my go-to charcoal knit dress, turquoise tights, and black boots), wear some bold, chunky jewelry, be productive in the morning before class, get some homework accomplished on campus, then enjoy the Physics Department student workers' Christmas party. I am going to be excited for Christmas, find things to do for other people, and smile. I'm going to walk with confidence, study my scriptures first thing, pray for the people I love, and rejoice in this season and the joy of our Savior's birth and His love for me.

What are you going to do tomorrow to make it a good day?

in repair

Tuesday was a bad day. I woke up late. A slip on frosty gravel brought my knee crashing down on the sidewalk, tearing my new charcoal tights. I had to work on an English paper that I really did not (and still do not) want to write. I didn't have time to pack a decent lunch, so I had to scavenge for nutrition all day, which I hate. It was freezing cold. Having to face finals and end-of-year projects brought me spiraling into academic depression about not having an actual major, not doing as well as I want to in my classes, and wanting to be home instead of here. Tuesday was a bad day.

Wednesday was better. I wore my favorite skinny jeans, my gray Converse slip-ons, and an old baseball tee topped off with my trusty charcoal cardigan. I have definitely assembled better outfits, but this worked for the way I was feeling. I got up on time only to find that my first class was canceled. Initially, I had grand plans to further chip away at my english paper during the now open morning, but upon falling asleep over my scriptures and Raisin Bran, I took a nap until it was time for my 11:00 class. Instead of making myself stay on the cold and dark campus after work, I came back to my apartment, donned many warm and comfy layers, made some cocoa, and spent the evening doing homework. I topped it all off by enjoying popcorn, muffins, and an episode of "24" with Jordin before going to bed nice and early. Everything I did on Wednesday aimed at combating the horribleness that was Tuesday, and it worked.

Along with being sick of school and bruised from my fall, I spent much of Tuesday and Wednesday fighting against a below-average internal temperature. I had to don some fingerless gloves I made a while ago while I was doing my homework because my fleece pants, two shirts, hoodie, (with the hood pulled up), and socks weren't enough to relieve my tense, shivering, chilled self. Also, I have woken up the last couple of mornings to gunk in my throat and a runny nose. I was afraid that after a semester of resisting illness while almost everyone around me was afflicted that my body had given in and was preparing to hit me with something horrible just in time for finals. Miracle of miracles, though, I feel so much better at the end of today! Better than anything, I feel like myself, not the frozen, zombie Emily who took over for a couple days. I hope this sticks!

Oh, and in exactly two weeks from NOW, I'll be back home, completely finished with finals!!!

unveiling!

You may notice that things are a little different around here, and you are correct! Not only will you notice the new banner, courtesy of Michelle, but my blog also has a new title! Welcome to "A Square with Flair," the blogosphere documentation of my life.

The new name came to me last Tuesday while I was with Charlotte. I was telling her about my cooking lab partner Seth who thinks I'm bizarre. Weekend plans often come up during Friday cooking labs, and he has yet to grasp the fact that I stay in my apartment, knitting and watching movies. Seth spends his own Saturdays hunting, hiking, and exploring caves, and I don't think that he sees the fun in rolling yarn balls and making up new glove patterns. I do, however.

Seth helps me see me for the square that I am. I don't participate in extreme sports. I go to bed on time and get up early. I play by the rules. I knit and make bread on the weekend. I'm an aspiring accounting major, for Pete's sake. While my fellow college students stay up watching movies, dancing to loud music, and not doing homework, I stay in and do what I love. I may seem squarish to many, but I do what I do in style. I'm a square, but I do it with flair.

To celebrate the opening of my redesigned blog, I'm conducting my first ever blog giveaway! If you are reading this, leave a comment. If this is your first time commenting, introduce yourself, because I want to hear from you! Now is the time to come out of the wood work, because you could win a custom-knitted piece courtesy of your favorite square.

How do you like to the new look?
If you could have something knitted for you, what would it be?

Comment asap, because I will determine a winner on Wednesday afternoon. Thanks for reading!

miscoordination

I'm normally very conscientious about my outfit choices. When planning, I take into account pattern, texture, color, shape, and style to put together complete, cohesive, ensembles. I consider outfit compilation a hobby, and a very rewarding one at that. For me, a good outfit is key to a good day. I can often be found in my apartment at night giving new ensembles a test run so that I can make any necessary adjustments before I'm in get-to-class crunch time. Unfortunately, I cannot select the weather that accompanies my outfits, so some days I end up walking home like this:

Holy pattern, Batman!

I'm not afraid of pattern, which is why I have loved this jacket since the moment I saw it on a Macy's clearance rack. Similarly, I purchased this umbrella for it's splashy, bright polka dotted pattern. I'm all for mixing patterns, but even for me, this is a little much. I had no choice, though, because a rain storm picked up as I was leaving the library on Thursday night. Walking home, I got a laugh from thinking about the amount of pattern and color about my person.

In a moment of far superior outfit compilation, my roommates and I all happened to put on coordinating Sunday outfits last week. We couldn't have put together a better spread of color and pattern if we had tried!

How's that for a catalog-worthy mix of colors and pattern. I love it! It was so fun to be a part of this group!

Do you wear bold patterns?
Do you like accidentally coordinating other people?
What factors, if any, go into your outfit planning?
While reading this, did you think, "Man, this girl's freak. Who test-runs outfits?"

quick laugh

This ad was on the side of a website I was browsing today, and it reminds me of the ads found amidst the weekly coupons that my family loves to laugh at. Do people actually buy these? More importantly, who writes these ads?

another swig of felix

Every Sunday night, I conduct a planning session for my week, in which I write down my school assignments due for the week along with my non-academic to-do's and goals. This most recent Sunday, I made a comprehensive list for both this week and next week because they are all I have left before I go home for Thanksgiving. [Insert internal cartwheels, jumping, high-fiving, shouting, and heel-clicking] After making my list, I realized that much more than anticipation stands between me and my wonderful family. My list consists of four midterms, a computer programming project, two papers, and several assignments. Whoa.

Facing this massive list, I knew that I could only come off conqueror over this stretch with the Lord's help and direction. I've been praying that I'll know how to use my time because there are so many different things that I can be doing and I need someone to point me in the right direction so that I'm using my time in the best way possible. Monday and Tuesday were great days. Yesterday (Wednesday), however, was amazing. I had a day similar to this last March. On this day, like yesterday, I felt guided in exactly the right direction, even though I couldn't see where it was going at first.

Wednesday evening after work found me in the library, trying to immerse myself in studying for my English midterm. I have been dreading this test for a while because I do not like essay questions or this class. I didn't know how much I would need to know about the authors and their texts, and I was a having a hard time building up motivation to keep studying. This class is a GE and the assignment grading is extremely lax. However, I did not want to underestimate the exam and come out with a bad score. This is a class that I can actually secure an A in, and I don't want to mess that up by not studying enough for an ace-able test.

My lack of motivation was frustrating me because at the beginning of the week I felt so full of motivation and confidence that the Lord would guide me through every study session and academic endeavor. The day before, I spent three wonderful hours in a comfy chair on the third floor of the library, reading Hawthorne, Poe, and Dickinson, contemplating their works and the Gothic literary movement. Following my personal study session, I met with some girls from my class and went over the study guide thoroughly. I felt great about the material then, so why was I having such a hard time now? Sitting at my table on the fifth floor of the library, I said a prayer that my evening would be productive and that I would be able to stop dreading this test and continue my preparations. Soon thereafter, I was struck with the idea to go ahead and take the test that night. This caught me off guard because I was planning on taking the test Thursday night, but still thinking that I might need more time to study. Though unexpected, the idea of facing the test that night was thrilling. Filled with a fresh surge of literary determination, I reviewed for another 30 minutes, then made my way to the testing center.

From that moment in the library on, I was in a fantastic mood, which is the best way to feel heading into a test, and especially a test with an essay portion. I daresay that I was even excited to take my test! I was actually excited to sit in a giant room filled with uncomfortable desks and hundreds of fellow test-takers, identify excerpts from early American literature and then write about them. What the heck!?!

For those unfamiliar with the BYU testing center, there is a screen on the wall near the exit to the building that displays the scores to recently completed tests. More often than not, I check my score, then walk outside, shaking off feelings of disappointment and intellectual incompetency. Today however, I actually did a little cheer as I walked out, because next to the last five digits of my student ID appeared an actual 100%, accompanied by a "Perfect Score!" Any further studying would have been pointless, because I knew enough, and the Holy Ghost knew that.

I really feel that the Spirit kept me from my sought-after motivation so that I could take the test when I was ready and just didn't know it. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father loves his children so much and that He makes this gift of the Holy Ghost available to us for our daily use. He can see farther than we can, and by seeking and listening to the Spirit's guidance we can receive wisdom, power, and strength far beyond our own.

new cuisine

My friend Eric's birthday was last month, so I told him that I would make his favorite baked good. Of all the available options, however (cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cake) he chose Dirt Cake. My last experience with Dirt Cake was probably at my third-grade Halloween party, but it's construction is pretty simple. For those of you new to the concept of Dirt Cake, this dish consists of crushed up Oreo (or Oreo-like) cookies, chocolate pudding, and gummy worms, which gives the illusion of eating dirt. Hmm. I would rather have the illusion of eating a piece of heaven in the form of a delicious cupcake, but to each his own.

Please note the exclamation point after the 23, created by separating worm head from body.

Though not a personal favorite, Dirt Cake was easy and quick. Another bonus was that the process required no baking, thus eliminating the risk of explosion.

(a quick) two-less-than-seven for tuesday

I'm studying for accounting, but all I really want to do is read my Potok and knit. I want it to be Thanksgiving break, and I want midterms to be over. Alas, I won't have time to knit until Sunday, so I'm taking a quick homework break in blogging form since it is less engulfing than working on my new hat.

1. I got the new copy of the Conference Ensign! (The LDS church magazine, which in the latest issue contains the addresses from October's General Conference.) I re-read President Monson's address about serving others, and I can't wait to study the other talks.

2. I've been going hungry-ish on campus for the last couple of days because I'm out of sandwich bags, meaning that I can't pack any of my food for lunch/snacks. My creative problem-solving skills are being tested each morning as I try to figure out how to transport my Goldfish and celery sticks.

3. I need more winter skirts and tights and another pair of sneakers. My wardrobe needs must be tackled one paycheck at a time.

4. 7-Eleven runs for Big Gulps are a regular part of my weeks. Charlotte and I cheated on Raj (our favorite 7-Eleven attendant) today by walking down to the Sinclair station at the base of campus for "Big Swigs." Though pricier than the Big Gulp, the beverage selection was impressive. They even had Coke Zero! I hate that I have to go off-campus to get real cola. (BYU doesn't sell any caffeinated drinks. )

5. I am returning to my accounting endeavors. Wish me luck!

Will you be returning to or beginning any endeavors when you finish commenting on this post?
In what area of your life are you employing creative problem solving right now?

not so stylin

The goose has spoken. Autumn is in full swing in the Physics Department, which means that it's time for an update on the latest trends in decor found in the display cases of the Eyring Science Center.

What would a season change be without a new batch of festive fairies? This fall, our fantastical fairy family is joined by these fanciful friends.

Everybody is getting a piece of the leopard print this season. This pretty lady is sporting the print with pride, even throwing in a little glitter to her ensemble to make the look complete.

Rhianna isn't the only one getting in on the crazy hair-do's this season. This fall fairy is letting her locks fly as free as she does while suspended from fishing line in our Graduate Student display case.
One trend that's catching on faster than plaid this season is the swine flu. We seem to have caught this fairy mid gag as he works his way through a especially bad wave of nausea. (When I expressed the opinion that this particular fellow looked diseased, my boss responded by explaining that his expression actually expresses the joy of fall. Go figure.)

No comment.

And what could be trendier than having all three of these fashionistas in one display, flanked by festive teddy bears?

The other fabulous addition to our display cases this season are what I like to call Porcelain a la Contortion.

To the untrained eye, these figurines may look like victims of vehicular homicide. Never fear. These cute guys are "tumbling scarecrows and turkeys," just dropped from the sky to spread some Thanksgiving cheer. (This isn't supposed to be a link. I don't know how to make it go away.)

plans

I am nothing if not a pro at planning and brainstorming. This current semester has been as full of new plans and projects as those before, containing many flops, failures, and fantastic successes.

-I decided to make time for leisure reading this semester. I read a lot this summer and loved it and was afraid that my classes would push leisure reading out of the picture like it did last year. I decided, however, that school is a pretty stupid reason to give up reading. If I had time to keep up with several tv shows online last year, then I certainly have time to enjoy literature of my choice this year. My reading pace is much slower than over the summer due to my current obligation to watch accounting lessons and practice my Excel Pivot Table skills, but I love the few minutes I find to sit down with Potok. I've been working my way through The Gates of November for the last month or so, and am thoroughly enjoying the fascinating story and compelling historical setting. Some of my favorite on-campus moments this year have involved my finding a sunny spot in between classes to slip into the world of Soviet Russia and spend time with the Slepak family.

-Another activity I have refused to abandon during the school year is knitting. My needles and yarn were some of my favorite companions this summer and I just couldn't say goodbye. Like my leisure reading for the last couple of months, my knitting project productivity has slowed from the summer, but it is equally satisfying. I have discovered some new patterns and projects and need to get going on some Christmas knitting asap. I had grand plans for Halloween knitting projects, but my week took a turn for the crazy, resulting in my sending a pitiful two Halloween washcloths a day before said holiday. It's the thought that counts, right?

Other plans:
-When I'm a billionaire, I plan on donating a system of escalators to BYU to spare the generations that follow me from the painful mornings I spend huffing my way up to campus with heavy bag in tow.
-When I finally get my invitation to Hogwarts, I'm going to have someone teach me how to levitate objects so that I can stop damaging my spinal cord with my sometimes incredibly heavy bag.
-Wish for a camera for Christmas so that I can once more photographically document my life on a regular basis. I hijacked Charlotte's camera for a few days, the fruits of which will be coming soon.
-Work my butt off academically for the next three weeks because I have more than enough tests, papers, and assignments to keep me nicely busy before I head home for Thanksgiving.

third time's (almost) a charm

A couple weekends ago, my friend Brooke and I threw a well-deserved birthday party celebration of Charlotte. As with any plan, party, or project, I was way excited and had grand visions of how it would turn out. A key aspect of my vision involved having a giant cupcake-shaped birthday cake on my aqua cake plate, surrounded by smaller plates of regular-sized cupcakes. It was a beautiful image, but my hopes were shattered as soon as I attempted making it a reality.

Cake #1: The first cake I mixed up was a chocolate pound cake using this recipe that came with my giant cupcake pan. (I leave out the coffee grounds and chocolate chips, though) It's a delicious cake, and I was so so so excited to make it all on my own with all my new kitchen supplies. The batter seemed a little off while I was mixing it, but I passed it off, thinking that maybe the different elevation made it a little different than at home, and that it would still turn out okay. False. I realized there was a problem when I smelled the smoke. Opening up the over revealed that a good deal of the batter had exploded out of the pan and landed on the bottom of the over, where it continued baking and burning. "Explode!" you say? "Cake can't actually explode." Well, I'm here to testify that some of the batter was indeed projected from the pan. The cake batter crater is visible in the photograph below.

As one who aspires to have a bakery someday, you can imagine how discouraging this was for me. It was only when the pathetic cake cooled enough for me to inspect it that I realized what I had done. While measuring out the butter in the initial stages of mixing, I had been on the phone with my Grandma, asking about the leavening. The house-brand butter I had purchased for my cake-baking came in the form of one-pound bricks, and was marked accordingly in 1/4 pound increments. I really did know that 1/4 lb butter is equal to 1/2 cup, but my brain couldn't handle the conversation and conversion at the same time, and instead of putting in 1 1/2 cups (or 3/4 lb) I put in 1 1/2 pounds. of. butter. Yes, POUNDS. !*#@&@!*$*#* The cake was greasy to the touch. It was disgusting. It was a failure.

Cake #2: I started mixing up the batter for my cupcakes right after Cake #1 hit the oven, and everything went smoothly until started beating in the eggs, which is when I was forced to attend to the disaster happening in my oven. I spent a good deal of time beating smoke away from the smoke alarm, opening windows, and scraping burned batter off the bottom of the oven before I could return to my cupcakes. By the time I was able to distribute the batter into cupcake pans and get them into my neighbors' oven, (because anytime my I heated mine, smoke would pour from all openings) the leavening had been active for too long, and the cupcakes fell. !@#@*#$&@&%@#&*&*$!

This is how I felt. If you can see past the blurry quality of the photo, you can see the green mixing bowl full of slowly dying cupcake batter and the black fan I pointed at the oven opening to clear the smoke. (Fashion detour: note the Susan cast-off necklace, cardigan, and earrings. Cast-offs make my heart soar, even while beating smoke away from a greasy cake.)

Above you can see the burnt crumbs I scraped from the oven bottom. Is that a wisp of smoke I see?

Cake #3: When I realized my buttery mistake, I had just enough time before a date to mix up one last cake. The batter was delicious, it baked perfectly, and I left my apartment at 8 feeling excited to have at least one decent cake for Charlotte's party the next day. However (yes, after all this tragedy, there is still a "however") since the cake was too hot to take out of the pan before I left, it ended up sitting in the pan for too long and came out in more pieces than it should have. At this point, I was totally dejected. It was 11:30 at night, I was splattered with cake batter, the kitchen was splattered with cake batter, I had a sink full of dishes to to, I was hungry because the only food I'd had time to eat all afternoon was licked off a spatula or drunk out of a chilled aluminum can, and my last attempt at birthday cake greatness didn't want to come out of the pan. *&%$#@*#$&@!#!@%&%$@$#&@&#!!&%@#

In the end, it all worked out. I froze Cake #3 in four pieces (as opposed to the two it should be in) and reconstructed it with the help of some delicious, yellow-tinted powdered sugar frosting. It served nicely and was enjoyed by all, and I have learned my lesson to never converse and measure butter simultaneously.

Have you ever blown up anything?
Do you have a hard time letting go of your plans and visions?

fashion victim

I'm a sucker for a trend. If it's cute and stylish, I will adapt the look and love it. That's just the way I am. Fabulous flats and high high heels are just a couple of the trends I happily embrace, though I often have to apply the "no pain, no gain" motto. Breaking in a new pair of flats can be extremely painful owing to the necessity of building up callouses where the tops of the shoes rub. This normally entails one or two slightly painful days, complete with moderate limping and use of band-aids. I learned last week, however, that level of pain required to break in flats is almost directly proportional to the level of shoe fabulous-ness.

Exhibit A: The flats I have been dreaming of my whole life.


I have been yearning for yellow flats for a while now, and this pair found me at TJMaxx the week before I came out to Provo. Something about them speaks to my heart. Maybe it's the perfect yellow color, the patten-leather-like shine, or the cream and gold buckle, but I. Love. These. Flats.

Upon wearing them for the first time last Tuesday, I quickly learned that they were going to test my true devotion to style. After wearing them for a day on campus, I was sporting purple, painful blisters. Throughout the next day, the state of my feet only worsened, so that by the time I woke up on Thursday, my feet were stiff and extremely sore. I could barely walk, a fact to which Charlotte can expertly testify. (She kept trying to get me to trade her my flats for her flip flops, but the flip flops didn't go with my ensemble at all.) I had her meet me early to walk up to campus for our 9:00 class because my movement was reduced to a slow and painful hobble, which takes significantly more time than pain-free striding. By the time we were up on campus, I was full-out limping. My feet throbbed so much that I had to take three ibuprofen so that I could be mobile for the remainder of the day. I was pathetic, though not because I was hobbling and wincing around campus, but because my devotion to my yellow flats was not deterred in the slightest.

(the blisters were way worse a few days ago, but this pic still gives the size and general painful quality of my battle wounds. Note the culprit shoes in the background.)

With the help of my roommate (who's training for a marathon and knows a fair bit about blister care) and the wearing of sandals all day Saturday, I can happily report that my blisters are healing and that I wore my yellow flats today with no limping or throbbing. I passed the test, and now I look forward to a very rewarding relationship with my yellow flats. You comfort-shoe-supporters can keep your Crocs, because I will let nothing come between me and the perfect accessory. No pain, no fabulous gain.

College in a Can

Last year, I had a hard time accepting many aspects of college life. Everything about being home seemed so much better than student life, but this year, I'm okay with and even enjoying it! Tonight, I spent three hours reading from textbooks, taking notes, and studying for and taking online quizzes. When my brain felt sufficiently full of the Doctrine and Covenants, nutrition, competitive advantage, and international accounting news, I took a quick dinner break. Though at home, I eat fantastically well, I was completely satisfied with my can of green beans and can of Diet Pepsi. I heated, buttered, and salted my beans, put them in one of my cute thrift store bowls, and ate them with my preferred utensil: chopsticks. I'm so grateful that this year I'm enjoying college life. It must be the fact that I'm finally out of the dorms and feel like a real college student, but I love my independence, simple meals, and the joys of having a flat of Diet Pepsi under my bed.

Back in Action!

Hello, my faithful followers. I'm sorry for leaving you hanging on my last, less-than-optimistic post about Provo. I'm here, and my first week was amazingly successful. Saying goodbye to my family was tough, but I felt none of the debilitating homesickness I felt last year. It was so easy to slip back into school life, and I'm really enjoying myself. My ward is fantastic, and I already know many new people and friends. I feel like a part of things here, which is wonderful.

My apartment is less than luxurious, but I'm okay with it. I've been blessed with the ability to see past the small things like a constantly dirty kitchen floor, messy living room, and sink full of dishes, and accept it as part of living in a college apartment with five other girls. The two roommates who I didn't know before I came here have been here all summer, and they didn't feel the need to make room for us new move-ins in the fridge, cupboards, or bathroom, or even tidy up. Since moving in last weekend, I've already mopped the kitchen and cleaned my side of the bathroom. I refuse to become the only roommate who cleans just because I actually notice dirt, but this initial cleaning was more for my psyche than anything.

I'll take some pictures soon to show the good and the bad at my apartment. My roommates, though adverse to cleaning, are into decorating and making our apartment cute, though their taste is not always spot on. I'm happy with the cute orange curtains, but I could definitely do without the monkey and sea horse sculptures. To each his own, I guess.

Class-wise, things are looking good. Taking the pre-requisites for the accounting program is great because they actually count for something. After a year of GE's, having direction is fantastic.

I'm doing so much better than I could have hoped for. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, seeing as I've been praying for strength all summer and I know that I have many friends and loved ones praying for me as well. I know that the strength and capacity I'm feeling is not my own, and I am so grateful to be the recipient of so many blessings.

resisting

I thought I was okay with going back to school, but the pit in my stomach right now tells me otherwise. I hate seeing my home empty of all my stuff, and the thought of Provo no longer fills me with the excitement of a new school year. Provo seems far away, lonely, and not home. In just a week, I'll be getting back to my apartment from my first day of classes and work, and that's weird to me. Leaving is feeling more and more real, and accordingly, I'm realizing more and more how hard it will be to leave home.

my findings

I have devoted a great deal of time and effort this past summer to researching the various fountain drinks anywhere they are sold. Driven by thirst, heat, and the joy of Diet Pepsi, I tested, analyzed, and compared products from countless establishments. Though bordering on obsessive, my passion for fountain drinks taught me a lot, and you, as my reader, are are fortunate enough at this time to benefit from my wisdom.

Gas stations are the most classic vendors of over-sized cups of chilled, carbonated, caffeinated soft drinks, but excellent products can be found in drug stores, grocery stores, and wholesale warehouses everywhere. If you live in a town with people and businesses, you are surrounded by fountain drinks. With so many options, how do you choose where to take your loose change and singles? Which establishments will provide you the best priced and highest quality refreshment? On a hot, long day, who do you trust to give you the optimally refreshing and rejuvenating 32 ounces of your favorite cola? To answer these important questions, I present to you my findings.

Emily's Official and Highly Scholastic Survey of Fountain Drinks
(All research was conducted in the summer of 2009, in the Denver area.
All products tested were 32 oz, diet cola beverages.)

Best Value: The Circle K "Thirstbuster"
Circle K's pricing is what makes them one of my favorites. A 32 oz drink is just 79 cents anytime, any day, which is the best price I've seen yet. The cups are styrofoam, which, as the cups claim, stay "Arctic cold on the inside" while remaining "Bone dry on the outside." Not all Circle K's have the styrofoam cups, but their plastic cups have a decent, though not ideal, grip-ability. Also, plastic cups collect condensation, which can be an inconvenience. The occasionally wet hands are totally worth it, however, for paying approximately 2.46 cents per ounce. For Coke product lovers, however, Circle K is not the place for you. Only Pepsi products flow from their spouts, but being a Diet Pepsi lover myself, the lack of selection is not a setback.

Status Symbol: The 7-Eleven "Big Gulp"
7-Eleven is classic, but it's overpriced in my opinion. Their selection, however, is the best you'll ever find. Their machines dispense both Pepsi and Coke products, and many locations offer the flavor shots option, which is a nice way to shake things up every once in a while. With the flavor shots, you can choose from lemon, cherry, or vanilla flavoring to be dispensed along with your drink. I have tried cherry and lemon, but I warn against the lemon flavor; it was overpowering, artificial, and too sweet. A Big Gulp will cost you $1.19, which breaks down to about 3.7 cents per ounce. Refills are only 99 cents, however, and the cups are durable, so they're easy to hang onto in your car for your next drink stop. Overall, 7-Eleven is a classic, though not better enough than its alternatives to justify the $0.20 + difference.

Short-lived Favorite: Diamond Shamrock
I was so excited when I passed by a Diamond Shamrock in Littleton, CO and saw that between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., they observed "Halfy Hour," during which all fountain drinks were half off. Sham. Wow. I immediately made a stop and bought a 32 oz. drink for just 54 cents; it was truly thrilling. Diamond Shamrock has styrafoam cups (my favorite) and Pepsi products, which is fine with me. I thought for a while that Diamond Shamrock was the perfect gas station drink stop for me, so I spent the next month searching for a D.S. close to home or work. Once I finally found a few, I discovered that tragically, "Halfy Hour" was only a six-week-long promotion. Normally priced, a drink is still only $1.09, and the cups are as cute as a 32 oz styrofoam cup can be. Diamond Shamrock is definitely worth the stop.

Number 1 Choice: The Walgreens "FlavorRage"
Walgreens really is the all-around champion of fountain drinks. Not all locations offer them, but if you are stopping by a Walgreens with a "Cafe' W," you are in for a fantastic experience. The Cafe' W provides pebble ice, both Coke and Pepsi products, flavor shots, and good-looking cups. They have the best of everything, and at just 99 cents, the price is right. The downside is that Walgreens stores are bigger than most gas station convenience stores, so getting in and out may take longer. The benefit of their being larger, however, is that you can pick up your prescriptions, photos, and anything else you need while grabbing some much-needed refreshment.

*Which one sounds best to you?*
*Did your favorite make my list?*
*What do you look for in a fountain drink?*

Countdown

1 day left at my temp job

2 more cleaning jobs

3 more knitting projects to finish

4 hours are what I need to spend to catch up on blogging

5 bug bites on my legs that are driving me crazy

6 days until Charlotte's birthday!

7 days left until summer is over and I'm back in Provo.

Dust, Dander, and Dandelions, Oh My!

You know it's allergy season when:

You fall asleep with a tissue (Puffs, of course, because they are superior to any other brand) or two in hand because by the time your allergy medication wears off you can barely breathe because your nose is so stuffed up. When you make the bed in the morning, you pull out a few flattened tissues from between the sheets and from the sides of the mattress.

You are constantly itchy, especially when you forget to take your Zyrtec or when it starts to wear off.

You stay inside on lawn-mowing day.

You can't taste your breakfast because your nose is completely plugged up and the morning decongestant hasn't kicked in yet.

You always have a stash of Puffs in your purse, because without it, you end up blowing your nose with scratchy toilet paper from the bathroom at work. (What office doesn't have tissues?!)

You occasionally look overly-emotional when your eyes decide to water uncontrollably.

You get panicky if you forget to take Alavert-D each morning, because that little pill is your lifeline to a day of blissful breathability.

You are grateful for modern allergy medicine, Puffs, and years of allergy season survival under your belt, because you know you can survive another.

How do you survive allergy season?
What is your preferred brand of tissues?

This Just In!

I just received this text from Mom:

POWER BACK ON!!

and this one from Dad:

WE HAVE POWER!!!!!!!!

Looks like we're in for cold milk and hot water tomorrow!!!

Aftermath

Looking back on Monday day feels like looking back on a completely different week. Monday night, after cleaning day and errands, our family spent FHE planting some new plants Mom bought to further fill in our little garden along the front path. While planting, we were worried that our daisies and zinnias wouldn't take to our clay-filled soil, but those woes were quickly overshadowed when at about 10:00, Colorado was hit with a massive storm, with our neighborhood at it's core. Within seconds, the cool, pleasant night turned to a tempestuous storm, with the strongest winds I've ever seen. Hail the size of ping-pong balls pelted trees, windows, cars, and plants. The power to 57,000 houses went out, plunging our street into darkness while the sky flashed blue, red, and white with lightning; the sound of the wind drowned out the thunder, though. The storm itself was pretty exciting, but the aftermath has been sad and frustrating. This storm turned our week from normal and comfortable to a week dealing with no electricity, mass amounts of debris, and sadness over massacred foliage.

Our driveway, I think. It's hard to tell.

This is a sampling of hail stones, held in my hand to exhibit the size of these destructive ice balls.

This is what happens to a car when it's windows are left down during a tremendous hail storm.

At least our flowers are still colorful. :(

Foolishly, I woke up expected the power to be back and everything to be just fine. I was very wrong. There was no power. There were, however, leaves everywhere, (except the trees from which they were blown, which now stand naked) holes in our house and shed, dents in our window frames, and sparse stalks where our flowers used to stand.

Those used to be pretty.

Yes, that is our insulation showing through the holes in the siding.

Would anyone like a souvenir piece of our shed? There are many to be had.

Unlike many of our neighbors, our windows all made it without breaking, but the frames will need repair and replacement.

Flowers or debris? Your guess is as good as mine.

I'm so grateful that our house sustained no water damage, unlike many nearby homes. It's sad to drive around and see the barren and broken trees and destroyed gardens. Grandma and Grandpa's backyard, which was once a sanctuary of beautiful trees, flowers, and bushes is bare and messy with debris. The plants will grow back eventually, but for now, our greatest frustration is that we are among the 116 homes that remain without power. Aside from our food going bad, I'm lamenting the loss of all the shows that could be recording on our t.v. I've been spending the night in Grandma's cozy basement because I: a) don't like getting around by flashlight, b) prefer to blow dry and straighten my hair before leaving for work, and c) enjoy warm showers, because our hot water went out yesterday too. Luckily, Grandma and Grandpa were only out of power for a few hours, so the whole family has been filling their outlets with our phone chargers and computers. And they have wireless internet, which rocks. Xcel has promised power by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, but I'm not getting my hopes up, seeing as yesterday they told us that our power would be up by 6:00 p.m. tonight, at the latest.

We got our yard cleaned up pretty well yesterday and we're all safe, so I shouldn't complain. Could be worse!

Good luck to all those in the area cleaning up their own messes!

Nineteen!

Monday was my birthday, and I must say, it was probably the best I've had. Our family makes a big deal of birthdays, and I love that we do. Your birthday is your day, and you don't have to do anything that you don't want to do. Mom buys sugary cereal, you open presents at your leisure, and you spend the day doing what makes you happy. It's pretty nice.

So, what exactly makes a birthday the best ever?

1. An Adventure at Sam's Club

My birthday cereal is always Marshmallow Mateys. (the off brand of Lucky Charms.) They are delicious, but only when the Matey to Marshmallow ratio is satisfactory. This year, one of the three bags of cereal in the jumbo pack was 2/3 full of straight cereal Mateys with no compressed, colorful, sugary marshmallows. Mom and I decided that this was not okay for birthday cereal, so we went back to Sam's, laughing at what the customer service desk workers were going to think when we explained why we were bringing back a partially eaten box of Marshmallow Mateys.

We were fully refunded, and the employees held their mocking while we described our Matey to Marshmallow ratio discrepancies. This time, however, we were going to make sure our Marshmallow needs were met. This resulted in my slitting open jumbo packs of off brand cereal with my car key and examining the contents.

The second box met our birthday cereal requirements.

We liked the look of our groceries on the conveyor belt.

And what would be a birthday without a fountain drink? And Sam's Club has Coke Zero in their dispensers, which makes them superior to any gas station.

2. A Matching Outfit

I wore my poppy maxi dress, an early birthday present from Uncle Fred, matched with my new favorite chunky poppy beaded necklace, and the night before, I painted my fingernails with my new "Perfectly Poppy" Ulta nail polish. I love coordination. The universe was on my side, too, because the Red Box booth went right along with the poppy plan.


3. A Delicious and Adorable Cake

While she was here, Aunt Linda got me the Wilton giant cupcake pan, so Mom and Grandma and I tested it out for my birthday cake. We used the recipe that came with the pan, because it was more dense, and we figured it would hold up better than our lighter recipes. As it turns out, the cake was delicious, and after a scare when we thought the top was going to slide off the bottom, it ended up holding together! Mmmm. I really want a piece right now. I'm really excited to continue experimenting with the pan. Thank you, Linda!


4. The Best Family Ever!


The best part of the day was dinner. Mom made flank steak, salad, brown rice, and angel biscuits, and it was soooo good. There's nothing like being surrounded by people who love you to make a day awesome. I went to bed that night, officially nineteen and feeling so loved and happy. Thank you to everyone who helped kick off my nineteenth year so wonderfully!

Three Cheers!

The King Soopers employees can keep their jobs, because I, Emily Wood, am employed! The temp agency called yesterday with a part time job helping a small company in North Denver catch up on their filing. I'll work three days a week, 4 hours a day, and I get to pick my schedule. As a bonus, the office is just a 15 minute drive from home. The pay is great and the flexible schedule will let me keep my cleaning and babysitting jobs and still do whatever other odd jobs come my way. It really is the perfect job to get me through the rest of the summer and help me be financially set for this fall. I am so grateful for all the jobs I've had this summer and for all the friends and family who have been on the watch for me. I had just about given up on finding anything regular, so getting this job was such a relief and answer to prayer. "Filing Clerk" will now be added to my list of summer employment, which also includes: house-cleaning, chauffering, babysitting, front desking, and training to be a scab. I'm so excited about this job!!!

Read with Caution

One of the kids I babysat today wanted me to read a book about reptiles with him. Accompanying each reptile's profile of the expected facts and stats was a gruesome and graphic tale of reptilian horror. I snapped some pictures on my phone and have included some samplings below. Please remember that these are not for the faint-hearted. Proceed with caution.

The Life-Ending Lancehead

A fisherman ventures on to the island to pick bananas, but as he wanders through the forest a golden lancehead strikes his ankle. Panicking, the man stumbles back to his boat, suffering several more bites from lanceheads hidden along the track.

Racked with pain as the terrible venom eats away at his flesh, the fisherman casts off. As he drifts out to sea he cuts the bite wounds and tries to suck out the venom, but soon collapses into unconsciousness. He bleeds to death long before anyone spots his boat, and is found sprawled in a pool of his own blood.

Mangrove Massacre

A mangrove snake is lounging on a bare branch above the waters of a mangrove creek, soaking up the tropical sunshine beaming on its exposed perch. But the splash of paddles nearby gives it a rude awakening. The snake fixes a wary eye on an approaching boat that has a fisherman and his son on board.

Intent on navigating their craft between the trees, the two do not notice the reptile. The boy grabs the snake's branch to steady his craft, and tugs the beast into the boat.

The lad grabs the snake's tail and tries to fling the animal overboard. But the angry serpent whips round and clamps its jaws over the child's arm, pumping venom deep into his tender flesh.

Viciously Venomous

In the forests of Costa Rica, a farmer treads a shady path. Watching the uneven ground, he fails to spot the eyelash viper resting on a low branch overhead. His head brushes against the reptile.


The disturbed snake whips round and plunges its fangs into the intruder. It hasn't eaten recently, and its venom glands are full--and the man is doomed.

Who comes up with these horrible anecdotes? This book was surely meant for little boys, who would probably think that these tales of vicious snake attacks are really cool, but I'm slightly horrified.