So... What's New?

So, I see it's been a while since I've written anything. I can't decide if that's because I'm really lazy, or really busy. Last month I got a new job. I'm with the same company but I work up in Orem now as an HR Admin/receptionist. I wasn't looking for a new job, but I got an email about the job opening and was told I should apply, so I did. I interviewed with Marni, the HR manager, and a couple days later was offered the job. I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda freaking out about it. I mean, my job in the security office wasn't always the most exciting but I still became attached to a lot of the people I worked with and it was comfortable. I knew the ins and outs and how to do my job. But I realized it would've been stupid not to take the new job since it paid more, offered great benefits, and would give me better experience in the business field. It was hard my last day at Spanish Fork. I was pretty lucky to have gotten to work with a lot of those people. Good times. I'm adjusting ok though to the new job. There are nice people here too. I really like my boss, Marni. She's been great about helping me transition. Unfortunately though, next week is her last week since she found another job. Isn't that funny? She's not too much older than me so I think she's just moving on with her career. But it's a good job. Still not one I'd do the rest of my life, but I'm moving up. If I decide to get my MBA (never thought I'd even consider that...) the company will pay up to $2000 a year towards my tuition. I still don't know if business suits me, but it's almost like I might as well get my MBA if they're gonna help pay for it. Couldn't hurt. If I did decide to get it, I'd probably get it in HR, seeing as that's what my experience will be for. I think it'll be better when I get a little more settled. so that's the update in the job field.
I also got to go to California last month for a few days. I stayed at my friend Scott's parent's house in Riverside and we got to go to Disneyland/CA Adventures. I was sick pretty much the whole time, but it was still good. The Indiana Jones ride is still one of my favorites. The new Star Tours ride was pretty awesome too. I also surprisingly enjoyed Space Mountain. I still don't like the Tower of Terror. How can people enjoy plummeting hundreds of feet to the Earth while strapped to a seat even though your butt is still lifting off the seat and you're only still there because of your seatbelt? Not cool. I refused to look out when you're lifted to the top floor and they open the doors so you can see out over the whole park. I looked out last time and was not happy. People are crazy. We also got to see World of Color, which is awesome as always. It was funny cuz the show was at 8 or 9:15. It was 7:40 and we were debating if we should run over and catch the 8 or wait for the 9:15. We knew we weren't going to get good seats either way, so we decided to go ahead and run to make the 8 showing. We get there and we're standing near the pier and I was telling Scott it's at least better than when the Jensen's and I went the first time. As I said that one of the Disney workers came up to us and said he always carried a couple of extra fast passes... so he led us through the crowd to where the fast pass people were standing closer up. It was a pretty good spot. Scott looked around to see if we could get closer and so we started moving down closer to the water's edge. It looked like they had some areas blocked off in order to keep a pathway open so we asked another Disney worker about it. He said, "Yeah, but I think I have a couple spots open down here..." So we followed him down even closer! We were at the very front right as the show started. Pretty sweet deal! So, that was my California trip. I got out of Utah for a few days.
On a different note, I started dating someone (nothing serious) last month too. His name is Ben. You may recall him in previous blogs since we worked together at Spanish Fork. And no, we didn't do anything while we were working together! I never saw him outside of work until I was up here in Orem. We're only casually dating because he's still working on going back to church. Don't worry, I still have my standards, I will still get married in the temple. The fact of the matter is, he has a better heart and treats me better than other guys I've gone out with so I'm willing to put the relationship in a probationary period, if you will. Not much else to tell. In a nutshell I like being with him, I'm not planning a wedding, and I feel good about where we are right now. I figure ya'll want to know what's up in all aspects, so I told you, lol.
Hmmm, is there anything else I'm forgetting? I wouldn't be surprised. I can be so forgetful it's scary. Just the other day I was headed over to Janille's for our Christmas party and realized I forgot to get Brett's gift on my way home from work so I had to go get that. Then I get to Janille's and realized I forgot to bring the Christmas shows we were going to watch so I had to drive home and get those. So annoying. Oh well. This time next week I'll be back in the great Ohio. You know, I really don't know why I stay in Utah; I'm defintely a mid-western girl. Mountains just don't do it for me like forests and rolling hills. Well, now I'm just rambling. As is customary for me, I shall leave you with some entertaining quotes just for kicks.

“It has been said that the hardest job in the world is raising a child, but the people who say this have probably never worked at a comb factory or captured pirates on the high seas.”
― Lemony Snicket

“If loving someone is putting them in a strait jacket and kicking them down a flight of stairs, then yes, I have loved a few people.”
― Jarod Kintz

"An old friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a dead body."
- Jim Hayes

"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity."
-Albert Einstein

"If we're not supposed to eat animals, how come they're made of meat?"
-Tom Snyder

I Won't Grow Up!

So, I'm sitting here just letting my thoughts wander, and I realized how much like a kid I still am. Allow me to list why:

-I have printed coloring book pages that I color sitting here at my desk.
-I have flown my spiderman kite at work during my lunch break over in the grassy area by the parking lot. And yes, people saw me and thought it was funny.
-I bring fruit snacks to work, as well as church. I recently got a few boxes including classic Disney, Toy Story 3, and Super Mario Brothers. Oh, and Batman.
-Just this morning I sat on the floor in our living room and watched Looney Tunes while I hate my cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast.
-I have an Alice in Wonderland teapot with a matching cup and saucer on my bookshelf in my room that I got at Disneyland last year.
-I liked riding Dumbo at Disneyland, though I grant the movie is kinda messed up.
-I like juice boxes and it's not uncommon for me to need help opening it. Especially if it's a Capri Sun.
-I'll spin around in circles in my chair occasionally at my desk, drawing odd looks sometimes. Though I think most people are used to me by now...


I'm sure there are other things, but these are the ones I thought of off hand. Is there anything wrong with that? I don't think so. It's like what Walt Disney said, "Too many people grow up. That’s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up." I don't want to cause any trouble. So I will continue watching cartoons and eating fruit snacks.

It's not the first time I've been thrown out a window, and it won't be the last.

Ok, so apparently I was wrong in my last blog... Let's just say the interview with the guy at Wright State wasn't a good experience. You'd think that when they want an interview it's a good thing, right? Not so. The guy basically just told me I wasn't smart enough or good enough. He told me my grades weren't that good and neither was my GRE score. Why thank you, I felt my self-esteem was getting a little too high. So based on that experience, I'm anticipating a rejection letter. I also got a rejection letter from BYU, thus I am back in limbo. I should be used to being in limbo. I'm here so much I should buy a house. I don't know how much longer I can work here... I like the people, which is the most important thing, but the job itself is sooo mundane and boring. Well, it works for now.

So, now that I'm in limbo, I'm trying to look on the positive side and look at it as a fresh start, if you will. I'm considering abandoning the science field completely. I thought about going for my masters in library science. I could be a library curator or work in archives. I could be like the lady from National Treasure! I'll probably end up retaking the GRE anyway, hopefully doing better the next time around. My friend Brandon here at work tells me I should be a teacher of little people. Other people tell me (I think they're mostly joking...) I should get my MBA. Haha, yeah right. What do you think? Any suggestions for new career paths for me?

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.

So, as I'm sure most of you know I've recently applied to grad school, particularly to BYU and Wright State. Now before you get all excited, know that I haven't heard back yet about being accepted or rejected. I have however received an email from Wright State telling me that a Dr. Ream of the Physiology/Neuroscience department wants to interview me sometime next week. For some reason that's all it took to get me to start freaking out. I mean, I've known that I might get rejected from both schools and that my life could take a turn into the great unknown. But I don't think I gave much thought to what would happen if I actually got accepted. You probably think that's ridiculous, but it's true. I put most of my energy into preparing myself for the worst and not thinking about what would happen if the worst didn't happen. Now, I don't mean to say that I already anticipated being rejected from both schools; I was hoping to get accepted. But I admit I've really been wanting to go to BYU. When I first was looking into grad school I wasn't really looking too seriously into BYU. I figured I had done that and now I'd go somewhere else. But this past semester I've been able to take anatomy up at BYU and I had forgotten how much I love it there. Yes, it's hard and I get stressed and worried, but I'm pretty sure I'd get that way no matter where I went to school. I just really love the feeling I get on campus, and fortunately for me I've had some really amazing professors. I've known a lot of people at BYU who don't particulary care for it there just because they haven't had the greatest professors. But I think I lucked out there. The professors in my area of interest tried to get us to think for ourselves and apply what we've learned in new situations and contexts. Obviously my experience wasn't all peaches and cream, but I'd still have to say it was pretty good.
So having said that about BYU, you know I've also applied to Wright State. Now, the benefits of going there would be an opportunity to return to the Ohio. That's where most of my family is. I would love to wake up and look out the window to see trees again rather than mountains. Don't get me wrong, the mountains are cool and everything, but I've gotten used to them. They don't really "do it" for me. My favorite places to walk around out here are usually by the temple and campus, where they actually have more trees and flowers. I miss seeing forests. And I would have more support there during football season...
So let's break it down...I'm gonna lists the pros and cons for both the possibility of going to either school.

BYU: Pros-environment, friends, professors. Cons- Utah, no family
Wright State: Pros- family, Ohio. Cons- no friends, have to start over

Let's talk about those cons for Wright State... that's the main purpose for this blog; so I can get my worries off my chest. Having to start my life over isn't necessarily a con persay, but it's definitely a difficulty. That's what scares me the most. Going to BYU would be comfortable; I know my way around, I know how things works, and I know a lot of people/friends. If I were to go to Wright State, I'd have to start from scratch. Yeah a lot of my friends from high school are still in Ohio, but people change a lot in 7 years. And I have no idea what the singles wards are like there. Frankly, it worries me a little. If I were to go to Ohio State I'd be a little less worried just because I think there are more members up in Columbus since the temple's there (oh... that's another + about BYU; the temple is just 5 minutes away). Who knows.

I know everything will works out the way it's supposed to, whether I go to BYU, Wright State, or if I get rejected by both and get thrown in limbo (again...). I just need to remember that what I think I may want isn't always necessarily what's best for me in the long run. That's not an easy thing to accept. As usual, I'm gonna end my blog with some pertinent quotes.

The most important thing is God's blessing and if you believe in God and you believe in yourself, you have nothing to worry about.
~Mohamed Al-Fayed

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.
~Author Unknown

And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you.
~President Henry B. Eyring

It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It all works out in the end. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future.
~President Gordon B. Hinckley

Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
~Walt Disney

A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive.
~Walt Disney

I'm THAT Awesome

So, I was just sitting at work thinking to myself, "Dang... I'm awesome!" And I wanted to make sure you all knew that as well. I hope though that by reading this you don't put yourself down (man... I'm so considerate!) because let's face it, it's not easy to be this awesome. I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on you. So, allow me to begin:

1. I'm ridiculously smart. I mean seriously... have you ever met such a clever wit? I didn't think so. I went to BYU and majored in Biology. Obviously, I'm smart. I can tell you about the different herpes viruses, how a baby develops in utero, and the interactions of the brain and the nervous system. It doesn't even have to be about science. I can talk to you about the American Revolution and Civil War, art and music from the Renaissance (I'm very cultured), the economic principle of supply and demand, or even greek mythology. And if you want, I will speak it to you in french.

2. I'm an angel. I'm the nicest, sweetest person around. I never think of myself. I always put others before me. And I'm probably the most humble person you'll ever meet. I'd like to quote (with some alterations to fit me) part of a song by Mac Davis:

Oh [man] it's hard to be humble
when you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day.
To know me is to love me
I must be a [heck] of a [girl].
Oh [man] it's hard to be humble
but I'm doing the best that I can.

I'm just so sweet. Everyone wants to be around me. Nobody has any complaints about me. Why would they? It's like the prince says in the movie Enchanted when asked if he likes himself, "What's not to like?". Seriously. I always do what I'm asked. And I do it all with a smile. I shoot sunshine from my fingers and toes. I'm also considerate. I open doors for old people and help them cross the street while carrying their groceries in one hand and holding off traffic with the other.

3. I'm hilarious. I have the sense of humor of a mule. And in case you didn't know, mules have a terrific sense of humor. Brian Regan made that very clear. I make everyone around me laugh. I sprinkle laughter all around like it was fairy dust. My aptly placed movie quotes always bring smiles and chuckles. What can I say? It's a gift. I've been asked to appear on a number of talk shows and in comedy clubs. I was even offered a job as a full-time cast member on SNL. I only turned it down so that I could have more time working with underpriveleged children in third world countries.

I'm sure most of you are aware I could go on about my awesomeness, but I don't want you to feel pressured to be more than you are. Afterall, I really am one of a kind. It really is amazing how so much talent, intelligence, and humor can fit into such a tiny, adorable person. But there you have it. I'm AWESOME.