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?
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
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
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
Thursday, February 3, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I Miss Back When...
Do you ever wish you were younger? I don't mean in the sense that you want fewer wrinkles, or more energy. I mean the days when all you had to concern yourself with were grades (if that, haha) and well, that's pretty much it. I'm obviously not talking Jr. High, but younger than that. The days when recess meant going out to the playground, playing tag or movie freeze. When you just wanted to play tether ball and four square. The days when you would go on a class field trip to Cariollon Park and picnic outside the bell tower. Or dressing up for a field trip to go to the pioneer village and learn how life was like for them going to school. Let's not forget about the other important aspects of that age... cartoons. Do you miss getting ready for school and having 15 minutes or so to watch part of your show before running to catch the bus? Or coming home in the afternoon just in time to catch X-Men or Animaniacs? Then of course, there was Saturday morning. I also remember riding my back up and down the streets where we lived. Maybe these are all a little too specific to actually fit with some of you, but I think you get my idea. You know what else I miss? The holidays as a kid. Don't get me wrong, I still love the holidays as an adult, but you gotta admit the magic is kinda gone when you grow up. Maybe that's just me. And maybe it's because I'm kinda stuck in the middle; I'm not a little kid anymore, but I don't have my own kids either. I'm sure it's different when you're married with kids and are starting anew, just from a different angle. Right now though, I kinda miss being the kid.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I miss being a kid and piling in the car to go to Grandma and Grandpa's where they would have the long tables all set up with white table clothes and candles and centerpieces. Grandma and Grandpa sat at the end closest to the kitchen and there were seat going all around for everyone in the family. Then the pool table at the other end of the table was covered and had all the desserts on it. There were all sorts of pies and goodies. We of course always had a blessing before eating, and it was always funny to me the difference in the prayers when someone from my family offered it versus when someone else said it. Always good though. I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate, but I recall usually having something with our name on it at our seat. I think I can remember switching those around a little sometimes... It's been a while since I've had Thanksgiving with the family and even longer since it used to be like that. I also have memories from when I was like 7 or something and driving around the little play cars they had or bouncing on this giant orangish/brown ball after the tables and chairs were cleared away. Good times.
Can't forget about Christmas. My heart would always be racing with anticipation as I tried to fall asleep. This was back when I believed in Santa. I know some parents don't even pretend there's a Santa; their kids always know that it's them. I think that just takes away from the magic they could otherwise experience as a kid. Obviously, the main message of Christmas should still be about Christ, but I see no harm in allowing the fascination that comes from Santa. Anyway. I remember waking up Christmas morning, which wasn't as early as you might think. I don't know that I ever actually woke up before 7am. I remember coming out of my room and checking my parents' room and my siblings rooms if they weren't already up. Then Mom and Dad would go downstairs to "get everything ready". They would turn on the Christmas lights, Dad usually turned on some Mo-Tab Christmas music, and they would be ready with the video recorder and camera. Meanwhile, us kids would be anxiously waiting at the top of the stairs. Most of my clear memories are from living at our house on Kilkenny, so we could see the stockings hanging up on the banister down the stairs. When Mom and Dad finally said we could come down, we would hop down the stairs (some of us wrapped in blankets... usually Dave) going youngest to oldest. By the time we got to the bottom of the stairs, we could see the white tree to the left in the living room. We'd head over to the tree and of course we had "our spots". They may have altered a little bit over the years when there was furniture movement or whatever, but pretty much stayed the same. Dad would be the one to hand out presents and when we were done we usually headed over to the family Christmas tree in the family room where we had our sibling gifts. Then of course it was time for breakfast. Later we got to go to Grandma and Grandpa's. All the presents from them would be stacked up in front of the fireplace next to their ginormous Christmas tree. There would be all sorts of food in the kitchen; it was always just go for it when you're hungry. Nothing fancy. Then we'd all gather to open presents. I can go further back than that though. Back when I was 7/8 I remember Santa coming. We would all be downstairs and Santa would come. He would call all the grandkids' names, we'd sit on his lap and he'd give us a present. Good times. I could go on with holidays and reminisce about Easter and flying kites, but I think I'll forgo that.
While there's a lot about being a kid that I'm glad is over, there are still things I miss about the simplistic lifestyle. Life is just gonna get harder, isn't it? I wonder though, are we the reason our lives become so complex? Do they really have to be as complicated as we make them out to be? Obviously there are some things they will get harder and more complex that are beyond our control, but maybe we complicate things that don't really need to be so complicated. Oh well, that's another direction entirely. This just shows that we should enjoy each part of our life, cuz eventually we'll be moving on to somewhere new.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I miss being a kid and piling in the car to go to Grandma and Grandpa's where they would have the long tables all set up with white table clothes and candles and centerpieces. Grandma and Grandpa sat at the end closest to the kitchen and there were seat going all around for everyone in the family. Then the pool table at the other end of the table was covered and had all the desserts on it. There were all sorts of pies and goodies. We of course always had a blessing before eating, and it was always funny to me the difference in the prayers when someone from my family offered it versus when someone else said it. Always good though. I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate, but I recall usually having something with our name on it at our seat. I think I can remember switching those around a little sometimes... It's been a while since I've had Thanksgiving with the family and even longer since it used to be like that. I also have memories from when I was like 7 or something and driving around the little play cars they had or bouncing on this giant orangish/brown ball after the tables and chairs were cleared away. Good times.
Can't forget about Christmas. My heart would always be racing with anticipation as I tried to fall asleep. This was back when I believed in Santa. I know some parents don't even pretend there's a Santa; their kids always know that it's them. I think that just takes away from the magic they could otherwise experience as a kid. Obviously, the main message of Christmas should still be about Christ, but I see no harm in allowing the fascination that comes from Santa. Anyway. I remember waking up Christmas morning, which wasn't as early as you might think. I don't know that I ever actually woke up before 7am. I remember coming out of my room and checking my parents' room and my siblings rooms if they weren't already up. Then Mom and Dad would go downstairs to "get everything ready". They would turn on the Christmas lights, Dad usually turned on some Mo-Tab Christmas music, and they would be ready with the video recorder and camera. Meanwhile, us kids would be anxiously waiting at the top of the stairs. Most of my clear memories are from living at our house on Kilkenny, so we could see the stockings hanging up on the banister down the stairs. When Mom and Dad finally said we could come down, we would hop down the stairs (some of us wrapped in blankets... usually Dave) going youngest to oldest. By the time we got to the bottom of the stairs, we could see the white tree to the left in the living room. We'd head over to the tree and of course we had "our spots". They may have altered a little bit over the years when there was furniture movement or whatever, but pretty much stayed the same. Dad would be the one to hand out presents and when we were done we usually headed over to the family Christmas tree in the family room where we had our sibling gifts. Then of course it was time for breakfast. Later we got to go to Grandma and Grandpa's. All the presents from them would be stacked up in front of the fireplace next to their ginormous Christmas tree. There would be all sorts of food in the kitchen; it was always just go for it when you're hungry. Nothing fancy. Then we'd all gather to open presents. I can go further back than that though. Back when I was 7/8 I remember Santa coming. We would all be downstairs and Santa would come. He would call all the grandkids' names, we'd sit on his lap and he'd give us a present. Good times. I could go on with holidays and reminisce about Easter and flying kites, but I think I'll forgo that.
While there's a lot about being a kid that I'm glad is over, there are still things I miss about the simplistic lifestyle. Life is just gonna get harder, isn't it? I wonder though, are we the reason our lives become so complex? Do they really have to be as complicated as we make them out to be? Obviously there are some things they will get harder and more complex that are beyond our control, but maybe we complicate things that don't really need to be so complicated. Oh well, that's another direction entirely. This just shows that we should enjoy each part of our life, cuz eventually we'll be moving on to somewhere new.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
My How Time Flies...
So I'm thinking maybe it's time for an update. Based on the fact that I haven't written anything since January I'm sure you can imagine there's been quite a lot that's happened. I guess I'll start off by saying I no longer work for that stupid doctor. He decided to "let me go" back in May. He said he felt like there was nothing else he could do to motivate me. He even admitted though that I had been doing better lately, with whatever it was exactly he was having problems with. Mind you, he never even hinted to me that he was having problems with me. We were getting ready to transition to working for Central Utah Clinic at which time he would no longer be in charge of hiring/firing. He clearly didn't like me as a person so he fired me just before the transition. What a jerk face! I must admit it came as quite a shock, but it was probably for the best since I absolutely loathed that job and may not have had the guts to quit when I should have. As if that didn't tick me off enough though, when I was trying to get unemployment to help out while I was looking for a new job, I heard from the unemployment office that he claimed I was a horrible employee. He and our office manager Lindsey (my "friend" whom I went to Paris with) said I rolled my eyes when asked to do something, I didn't help my coworker who were apparently complaining about me, and they said patients were complaining about me. Whatever! Patients loved me! I may not have loved everything I had to do, but I faked it and I faked it well! Dude, talk about slander. I almost started crying on the phone w/ the unemployment lady as she was telling me all this. I told her my side of the story and how I felt under-appreciated. I called back later to let her know I could bring in a copy of my letter of recommendation he had written for me, which totally contradicted anything he told them but she had already deemed my story more credible than his. Loser. Oh well, that's all in the past now and I never have to deal with him or that office again.
Eventually I did get a new job. Just last month my friend Ann, whom had recently come back out to Provo after getting home from her mission, announced she was planning on moving to NM and that I could apply for her job as a security receptionist at this company called ModusLink down in Spanish Fork. So she told her boss, Ben, about me and he really wanted to meet me so I went and interviewed with him and his boss, Sterling. I got the job a couple days later. Let me tell you something, God has everything timed just right. He waited until the very last minute, but it worked out beautifully. I got the job literally days before I was supposed to be kicked out of my apt. I was preparing to move in w/ Sis.Darrington, whom I knew growing up back home. She lived down in Springville, which was about 15-20 minutes from Provo and all my friends. She also had 2 dogs and a cat. Those who know me know I do NOT like pets. I particularly get very uncomfortable around dogs. Heck, I almost started crying when I went down to visit her and the dogs were getting all up in my groove. I was grateful she was willing to let me live there, but it was so not what I wanted to do. Then I got this job and I was able to afford to stay at my apt. Heavenly Father was totally looking out for me and knew exactly what I needed. I even get paid more! So I just work at the front desk and basically check people's badges as they come in, as can be seen in this comic:
I also make ID badges and help with process instructions, incident reports, and other little fun projects that you probably don't know anything about, nor do you really care. I don't blame you, hahaha. While it may not be the most exciting job, it's 10x better than the one I had before. I work with amazing people, which to me is more important than the job itself. My boss Ben has become a really good friend. He's pretty much amazing. That's definitely new. I've also become friends with a couple of the other guys working in security. I also know people in other departments who are really nice. I didn't realize how bad my last job was until I started working here. I used to wake up absolutely dreading having to go to work and now I don't mind so much. Funny how something as bad as being fired can end up being one of the best things to happen to you.
I have a lot of "down time" which comes in handy since I'm studying to take the GRE in November. Hopefully then I'll be able to start some grad school applications and make it there next fall. I don't really remember making the decision on what I wanted to study in grad school, but I found myself drawing up a nice little outline of different schools and looking at Masters/PhD programs in physiology, with a possible emphasis in neuroscience. I don't remember making the decision, but I've apparently decided to go on to grad school so that I can teach at a University of sorts and do my own research. It scares me to death, but it feels more right than anything else I can think of. I would love to go to Ohio State, though their programs of interest for me only offer a PhD; some of which take 4-5 years. My second choice is probably Cinci. They seem to have some good programs and even have a masters in physiology with a teaching option for those wanting to go into teaching. Then there's possibly Wright State, though I confess I don't feel too thrilled about that one. All these though would enable me to go back to Ohio, land of the Awesome. I've also looked at Miami Ohio, Northwestern (haha, yeah right), UNLV (random, I know) and BYU. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Anyway, I think I’ve rambled on about my life long enough. I’m surprised some of you are actually still reading this. You must’ve just skipped down to the end. Anyway, in a nutshell, life is pretty good right now. I have a plan I’m working towards and I’m sure it’ll get messed up and changed, but one thing at a time people!
Eventually I did get a new job. Just last month my friend Ann, whom had recently come back out to Provo after getting home from her mission, announced she was planning on moving to NM and that I could apply for her job as a security receptionist at this company called ModusLink down in Spanish Fork. So she told her boss, Ben, about me and he really wanted to meet me so I went and interviewed with him and his boss, Sterling. I got the job a couple days later. Let me tell you something, God has everything timed just right. He waited until the very last minute, but it worked out beautifully. I got the job literally days before I was supposed to be kicked out of my apt. I was preparing to move in w/ Sis.Darrington, whom I knew growing up back home. She lived down in Springville, which was about 15-20 minutes from Provo and all my friends. She also had 2 dogs and a cat. Those who know me know I do NOT like pets. I particularly get very uncomfortable around dogs. Heck, I almost started crying when I went down to visit her and the dogs were getting all up in my groove. I was grateful she was willing to let me live there, but it was so not what I wanted to do. Then I got this job and I was able to afford to stay at my apt. Heavenly Father was totally looking out for me and knew exactly what I needed. I even get paid more! So I just work at the front desk and basically check people's badges as they come in, as can be seen in this comic:
I also make ID badges and help with process instructions, incident reports, and other little fun projects that you probably don't know anything about, nor do you really care. I don't blame you, hahaha. While it may not be the most exciting job, it's 10x better than the one I had before. I work with amazing people, which to me is more important than the job itself. My boss Ben has become a really good friend. He's pretty much amazing. That's definitely new. I've also become friends with a couple of the other guys working in security. I also know people in other departments who are really nice. I didn't realize how bad my last job was until I started working here. I used to wake up absolutely dreading having to go to work and now I don't mind so much. Funny how something as bad as being fired can end up being one of the best things to happen to you.
I have a lot of "down time" which comes in handy since I'm studying to take the GRE in November. Hopefully then I'll be able to start some grad school applications and make it there next fall. I don't really remember making the decision on what I wanted to study in grad school, but I found myself drawing up a nice little outline of different schools and looking at Masters/PhD programs in physiology, with a possible emphasis in neuroscience. I don't remember making the decision, but I've apparently decided to go on to grad school so that I can teach at a University of sorts and do my own research. It scares me to death, but it feels more right than anything else I can think of. I would love to go to Ohio State, though their programs of interest for me only offer a PhD; some of which take 4-5 years. My second choice is probably Cinci. They seem to have some good programs and even have a masters in physiology with a teaching option for those wanting to go into teaching. Then there's possibly Wright State, though I confess I don't feel too thrilled about that one. All these though would enable me to go back to Ohio, land of the Awesome. I've also looked at Miami Ohio, Northwestern (haha, yeah right), UNLV (random, I know) and BYU. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Anyway, I think I’ve rambled on about my life long enough. I’m surprised some of you are actually still reading this. You must’ve just skipped down to the end. Anyway, in a nutshell, life is pretty good right now. I have a plan I’m working towards and I’m sure it’ll get messed up and changed, but one thing at a time people!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Physiology: Heartache, Faith, and Fear
Have you ever wondered why emotions have such a strong effect on your heart? After all, the heart is just another organ like the stomach or liver, right? No exactly. I’ve been wondering what the deal is with the heart. I mean, why is it the symbol of love and why is there actual physical pain there when you’re stressed, depressed or in all other respects, unhappy? And why at the same time do happy, exciting feelings also cause the heart to do weird things physically? I can’t say I’ve had recent feelings or emotions to trigger these questions, but I’ve experienced the oddities of the heart just like everyone else in times of stress and happiness, so I decided to figure out what the deal is. You look everywhere and you find all sorts of things about heartache and broken hearts. They’re usually talking about the emotional pain more so than the physical pain that can sometimes accompany it. But I find the physiological manifestations of emotions interesting. So, I’ve done some research and here’s what I’ve found.
Time for the nerd part of me to shine… There are actually quite some strong ties between the brain and the heart. Our emotions cause the brain to tell the heart what’s going on and then the heart responds in complex ways. When we’re stressed, anxious, or angry our heart patterns are more irregular and crazy. This is generally not good for the heart, physically or otherwise. The brain then recognizes these patterns as negative… duh. These negative emotions seem to start a chain reaction in the body. First they cause those irregular beats we feel, but they also raise stress hormones, constrict blood vessels, raise blood pressure and weaken the immune system. Of course the first place we notice any physical discomfort to these emotions is the heart. Our brain is basically sending chemical signals, which can weaken heart tissue. There are hormones like cortisol, which are released during times of stress by the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex is part of the adrenal gland, which sits on top of the kidneys. The king of these regulations though is the anterior pituitary of the brain. This is where hormones like corticotropin (ACTH) are secreted. ACTH then stimulates the secretion of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. I’m sure that’s more information than you really cared to know. You knew what I was before you started reading this, so none of this “Oh my gosh, she’s a nerd!” stuff. Anyway, back to business. Opposite of that would be those feelings of overwhelming happiness, excitement, the ‘butterflies’ etc. These emotions cause the heart to beat more smoothly.
All this jazz I’ve just rambled on about is associated with something called broken heart syndrome. Like I was saying, it’s an actual, physical heart condition temporarily brought on by stressful situations. Part of the heart even temporarily enlarges. Crazy, huh? Granted, the actual broken heart syndrome is usually reserved for really severe events. But I think the physiology behind still applies, even if the effects aren’t as severe as in the actual condition. I think most of us can vouch that being stressed or unhappy is physically draining. Despite all the information and knowing that there are physiological things happening to you when you’re sad, there is really no way to make it just stop in it’s tracks. At least I haven’t quite figured that one out. It takes time for your body to catch up with your new mindset.
So, I went to the BYU forum once that had an old professor of mine (Dr. Bell) whom I really liked. He talked about the physiology of faith and fear. It was a really awesome forum. I figure it kinda ties in with what I’ve talked about and is pretty interesting so here’s a little about that-
You know how when you get scared you feel your heart start racing and you breath in a lot deeper? Well, there are physiological reasons for that. Again it involved the hypothalamus sending signals all over the place and this causes an increase in blood pressure, blood sugar levels rise, the liver and muscles release sugar to be used as energy to fuel the muscles, blood vessels contract, and the lungs dilate. This helps you get away if there is the fear of physical danger. It’s part of the autonomic nervous system, which means it’s something that happens and you don’t even have to think about it. Your mind and body are that good. Pretty cool stuff I think. When we’re afraid our bodies release the stress hormone cortisol, yet again. This stuff saves our lives though. We would not be able to survive without cortisol. Well, I suppose technically we could just so long as we never get hungry, scared, sick, or stressed in anyway. If you live that kind of life style let me know what the heck you’re doing.
So basically our fear can keep us alive. It causes the release of cortisol to help us cope with our stressors. But fear is not always acute, or in other words a temporary state to escape rational danger. Dr. Bell talked about all of our irrational fears that we constantly carry with us. The fear of failure, responsibility, embarrassment, public speaking, etc. are all irrational fears, which can inhibit our progress in this life. Our fear causes us to sacrifice our potential for the mediocre.
We all have pains, sorrows, and trial in this life. That culminates half the definition of life. The other half though is joy, service, and love. The Lord has given us bodies that can physically feel emotional pain. I think in a way this helps us better understand what we’re going through and then the ability to empathize with others. Our bodies have also been designed to protect us from overwhelming and even dangerous situations. You gotta admit, God knew what he was doing when he designed/created our bodies to help us make it through this mortal life. Our bodies however don't control us. We can choose faith over fear. We can choose to work to dispel stress and heartache rather than living with it as a constant companion. I wonder if we’ll still have an autonomic nervous system and adrenal glands in the next life… Anyway, I figured I’d leave you with a transitional set of quotes. Think about it.
Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than try to hurt yourself putting it back together.
-- Author Unknown
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.
-- Max Lerner, The Unfinished Country, 1950
I thought when love for you died, I should die. It's dead. Alone, most strangely, I live on.
-- Rupert Brooke
[A] final comfort that is small, but not cold: The heart is the only broken instrument that works.
-- T.E. Kalem
“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”
- Mary Manin Morrissey
"Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
“Live by faith and not by fear.”
- Elder Quentin L. Cook
“As children of our Heavenly Father, we should learn to be happy, to trust in Him, and to not be afraid.”
- President James E. Faust
Time for the nerd part of me to shine… There are actually quite some strong ties between the brain and the heart. Our emotions cause the brain to tell the heart what’s going on and then the heart responds in complex ways. When we’re stressed, anxious, or angry our heart patterns are more irregular and crazy. This is generally not good for the heart, physically or otherwise. The brain then recognizes these patterns as negative… duh. These negative emotions seem to start a chain reaction in the body. First they cause those irregular beats we feel, but they also raise stress hormones, constrict blood vessels, raise blood pressure and weaken the immune system. Of course the first place we notice any physical discomfort to these emotions is the heart. Our brain is basically sending chemical signals, which can weaken heart tissue. There are hormones like cortisol, which are released during times of stress by the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex is part of the adrenal gland, which sits on top of the kidneys. The king of these regulations though is the anterior pituitary of the brain. This is where hormones like corticotropin (ACTH) are secreted. ACTH then stimulates the secretion of cortisol by the adrenal cortex. I’m sure that’s more information than you really cared to know. You knew what I was before you started reading this, so none of this “Oh my gosh, she’s a nerd!” stuff. Anyway, back to business. Opposite of that would be those feelings of overwhelming happiness, excitement, the ‘butterflies’ etc. These emotions cause the heart to beat more smoothly.
All this jazz I’ve just rambled on about is associated with something called broken heart syndrome. Like I was saying, it’s an actual, physical heart condition temporarily brought on by stressful situations. Part of the heart even temporarily enlarges. Crazy, huh? Granted, the actual broken heart syndrome is usually reserved for really severe events. But I think the physiology behind still applies, even if the effects aren’t as severe as in the actual condition. I think most of us can vouch that being stressed or unhappy is physically draining. Despite all the information and knowing that there are physiological things happening to you when you’re sad, there is really no way to make it just stop in it’s tracks. At least I haven’t quite figured that one out. It takes time for your body to catch up with your new mindset.
So, I went to the BYU forum once that had an old professor of mine (Dr. Bell) whom I really liked. He talked about the physiology of faith and fear. It was a really awesome forum. I figure it kinda ties in with what I’ve talked about and is pretty interesting so here’s a little about that-
You know how when you get scared you feel your heart start racing and you breath in a lot deeper? Well, there are physiological reasons for that. Again it involved the hypothalamus sending signals all over the place and this causes an increase in blood pressure, blood sugar levels rise, the liver and muscles release sugar to be used as energy to fuel the muscles, blood vessels contract, and the lungs dilate. This helps you get away if there is the fear of physical danger. It’s part of the autonomic nervous system, which means it’s something that happens and you don’t even have to think about it. Your mind and body are that good. Pretty cool stuff I think. When we’re afraid our bodies release the stress hormone cortisol, yet again. This stuff saves our lives though. We would not be able to survive without cortisol. Well, I suppose technically we could just so long as we never get hungry, scared, sick, or stressed in anyway. If you live that kind of life style let me know what the heck you’re doing.
So basically our fear can keep us alive. It causes the release of cortisol to help us cope with our stressors. But fear is not always acute, or in other words a temporary state to escape rational danger. Dr. Bell talked about all of our irrational fears that we constantly carry with us. The fear of failure, responsibility, embarrassment, public speaking, etc. are all irrational fears, which can inhibit our progress in this life. Our fear causes us to sacrifice our potential for the mediocre.
We all have pains, sorrows, and trial in this life. That culminates half the definition of life. The other half though is joy, service, and love. The Lord has given us bodies that can physically feel emotional pain. I think in a way this helps us better understand what we’re going through and then the ability to empathize with others. Our bodies have also been designed to protect us from overwhelming and even dangerous situations. You gotta admit, God knew what he was doing when he designed/created our bodies to help us make it through this mortal life. Our bodies however don't control us. We can choose faith over fear. We can choose to work to dispel stress and heartache rather than living with it as a constant companion. I wonder if we’ll still have an autonomic nervous system and adrenal glands in the next life… Anyway, I figured I’d leave you with a transitional set of quotes. Think about it.
Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than try to hurt yourself putting it back together.
-- Author Unknown
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.
-- Max Lerner, The Unfinished Country, 1950
I thought when love for you died, I should die. It's dead. Alone, most strangely, I live on.
-- Rupert Brooke
[A] final comfort that is small, but not cold: The heart is the only broken instrument that works.
-- T.E. Kalem
“You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.”
- Mary Manin Morrissey
"Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable."
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
“Live by faith and not by fear.”
- Elder Quentin L. Cook
“As children of our Heavenly Father, we should learn to be happy, to trust in Him, and to not be afraid.”
- President James E. Faust
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Paris
So you may or may not know (probably do) that I recently went to Paris. Crazy, huh? It came about when a couple months ago I felt in a bit of a rut and wanted to do something new. I'm done with school (for now) and have just been working. Talk about boring. Anyway, I thought, "Hey, I've always wanted to travel, why not plan a trip?". So I started looking into different places to travel including Paris, Italy, Germany, London, Dublin, etc. I was looking at plane tickets and hotels. I figured I'd probably go in March sometime that way I could have plenty of time to plan, get my ticket, and save more money. Well, when I went to work I told my coworkers Lindsey and Megan that I was planning a trip to Europe somewhere. They seemed to think that was cool and wanted to do it with me. Being 3 of 4 people working at the Dr.'s office though we couldn't all take off work at the same time while we were seeing patients. So, after we decided that Paris was where we wanted to go we decided to do it the last week of October. The Dr. was going to be out of the office that week anyway. It was like the first week of September while we were deciding this. So the first thing we did was buy the Paris Pass, which gave us free range over the metro, buses, and the RER within central Paris. It also gave us access to pretty much every museum and places of interest we wanted to go to. Then we got our passports taken care of, our plane tickets, and the hotel. Needless to say it was a lot of work trying to get everything planned with just 6 weeks to do so. But then the time came and we went.
We left on Oct. 23 (Fri.) and came back Oct. 31 (Sat.). So we spent time in Paris for 6 full days. We didn't get into Paris until the late morning of the 24th. It was a looong flight- about 10 1/2 hours. It was mostly dark during the whole flight there. So we took a taxi to our hotel and then headed out to check out Paris. It was raining, we were tired, and it took forever to find the double decker bus we were looking for. The bus was a waste of money but whatever. Needless to say our first day there wasn't that pleasant. But we did get some cool pics by the Eiffel Tower.
Sunday morning Lindsey and I tried to go to a sacrament meeting. We had directions and the address but it took longer to get there than we planned for. We found the street it was on and could tell it would still be a long walk to get there and we probably missed sacrament anyway so we left. Oh well, you get points for trying, right? Anyway, that day we went and saw Notre Dame, which was totally awesome. We heard the bells too. We went down into the crypts there too and saw old pre-Roman building remains. We went into Notre Dame to see the cathedral. There was actually mass going on too. Weird. It was a beautiful building though. Then we went out to get in line to be able to climb to the top. While we were in line there was this guy wearing a creepy old man mask going around freaking people out. He was an entertainer of some sort. He would just go up to people when they weren't looking at put his arm around them or pop his head right in front of them and get them to freak and scream. He would just go up and down the street doing that. It kept us entertained for a good half hour. But then we got in and climbed over 400 spiral stairs to the top of Notre Dame. Amazing view. We also went to Saint Chapelle. Pretty cool cathedral with amazing stained glass. The upstairs had a whole long wall that was just stained glass. Later that night we also went to the Arc de Triomphe to see it lit up at night. There were a good 300 stairs there. We also saw the tomb of the unknown soldier lit up. Cool stuff.
Notre Dame
The next couple days kinda blend in... At some point we went and saw the Rodin museum where the Thinking Man statue is. The gardens there were absolutely beautiful. I love gardens and landscape stuff. Right after Rodin we went over to Napoleon's tomb. Also cool. His tomb was freaking huge. There were others of his family buried there too. We also went to the Tomb of the Kings. We saw there Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI and Louis XVII's heart. Yeah, his heart is in this vase thing. But you can't really get anywhere near it. Coming back from the tomb though we had an interesting event occur on the metro. Firstly, apparently that area up north is not a good area and we probably shouldn't have gone. Anyway, on the metro on the way back to our area we witnessed a mugging. There was this young black guy standing next to me on the metro and there was another lady by us. When the metro stopped and the doors opened the guy grabbed this lady's purse and pulled her off the metro. The doors were still open and people were trying to get off and there were these kids crying out for their mom who it looked like had gotten caught in the crossfire so to speak and got pushed off and was on the ground. The one lady wouldn't let go of her purse and was trying to punch him in the face. He just had this weird grin on his face. Then this other dude came around and just put him in a choke hold and pinned him to the ground. The lady went over and kicked him in the face. He somehow got up and tried to run but then got tackled again and pinned to wait for the police to come get him. Then the doors finally closed and we continued on our way. We got off and were by Notre Dame and decided to sit down on the benches and say a little prayer. We had all been a little shaken by that and were just grateful it didn't happen to one of us. As soon as we finished we felt a wave of relief come. We ate our little lunch and got up to continue to where we were going. We hadn't even taken 10 steps when we saw 2 LDS missionaries walk by. We stopped them to say hi and one of them was there on his first day and he was from Salt Lake. Crazy! The other one was from southern France and spoke good English. We just chatted for a couple minutes then went on our way. It's hard to explain how cool that was to see them. I seriously feel that Heavenly Father put them in our way just to reassure us that He was watching out for us and that He would always be there. There's just too much there for me to think that could've just been coincidence.
Anway, on with the trip. We also saw the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before she was guillotined. Cool stuff. We also got to go to the Grevin Wax Mu
seum. Pretty awesome stuff. They were pretty life-like figures. We saw Arnold Schwartzenager, Elton John, Michael Jackson (he was creepy...), Jackie Chan, Indian Jones, and Elvis. We also went to Hard Rock Cafe in Paris. Good ole American food and music! One of the waiters there came and chatted with us for a little talking about America and his couple trips there and what not. He called us his American sisters. He was one of the nice Frenchies.
Wednesday we went to the Place de la Concorde, which was just the open square where Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were guillotined. Pretty cool stuff. They didn't have an actual marker though on where it happend. But we were there. Then we went and saw the Opera Garnier, the grand opera house. That's where the phantom did his original haunting. It was such an amazing building. Garnier, the designer, had some good taste. Chandeliers, marble stairs, golden trimmed balconies, you name it. That afternoon we went to the Louvre. It had crazy organization. We just walked wherever. We saw a bunch of Roman/Greek statues, Renaissance paintings, and what not. We saw the most famous stuff like Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and Nike the winged victory statue, which was probably my favorite. I already heard the Mona Lisa would be disappointing and so I was prepared for that. It's like a tiny 8x11 framed picture and I think you couldn't get any closer than like 15 feet and there were a million people all around. It was a pretty exhausting day.
Opera Garnier
Winged Victory
So, Thursday we went to the Aquarium. Fish are cool. There wasn't really anything there I hadn't seen before. Still cool, but nothing new. We did some souvenir shopping and then went to the Eiffel Tower later in the afternoon. We got through the long line while listening to Rascal Flatts on Lindsey's phone. All American music. We took the elevator to the very top. It was a long elevator ride. It was going pretty fast and it still took a few minutes to get there. There was a cool view. It's a 360 area and we found the spot with the little American flag to show which direction the US was. On our way back down they had lit up the Eiffel Tower for the night. It was cool. Once we were off and headed back to our hotel they started shooting fireworks of some kind or something. We turn back to look and there are these white lights flashing all around the tower. It looked like white fireworks going off all around it. It was pretty awesome.
Friday was our last full day and we spent it at Versailles. The castle was amazing. There were like a million rooms and long halls with statues on both sides. We saw the Hall of Mirrors, which had chandeliers all down the hall and then mirrors on the one side making it look like twice the amount of gold and chandeliers. It was pretty awesome. Then we went outside, saw the gardens and took a little tram around to see more of the grounds and to visit Marie Antoinette's Estate. Her estate was huge. It had ponds, trees everywhere, pathways going every which way and a little closed up like gazebo which was used to play music there. It was frickin' freazing, but still amazing. I loved it because like I said I like gardens and grounds with trees and ponds and what not.
So Saturday morning we got up early, went to the airport, and flew home. We were all ready to get back to America. Paris was cool and all and it was a great experience, but God Bless America. I was so happy and pround to land in the US and see the flag waving. So there you have it. My Parisian experience.
We left on Oct. 23 (Fri.) and came back Oct. 31 (Sat.). So we spent time in Paris for 6 full days. We didn't get into Paris until the late morning of the 24th. It was a looong flight- about 10 1/2 hours. It was mostly dark during the whole flight there. So we took a taxi to our hotel and then headed out to check out Paris. It was raining, we were tired, and it took forever to find the double decker bus we were looking for. The bus was a waste of money but whatever. Needless to say our first day there wasn't that pleasant. But we did get some cool pics by the Eiffel Tower.
Sunday morning Lindsey and I tried to go to a sacrament meeting. We had directions and the address but it took longer to get there than we planned for. We found the street it was on and could tell it would still be a long walk to get there and we probably missed sacrament anyway so we left. Oh well, you get points for trying, right? Anyway, that day we went and saw Notre Dame, which was totally awesome. We heard the bells too. We went down into the crypts there too and saw old pre-Roman building remains. We went into Notre Dame to see the cathedral. There was actually mass going on too. Weird. It was a beautiful building though. Then we went out to get in line to be able to climb to the top. While we were in line there was this guy wearing a creepy old man mask going around freaking people out. He was an entertainer of some sort. He would just go up to people when they weren't looking at put his arm around them or pop his head right in front of them and get them to freak and scream. He would just go up and down the street doing that. It kept us entertained for a good half hour. But then we got in and climbed over 400 spiral stairs to the top of Notre Dame. Amazing view. We also went to Saint Chapelle. Pretty cool cathedral with amazing stained glass. The upstairs had a whole long wall that was just stained glass. Later that night we also went to the Arc de Triomphe to see it lit up at night. There were a good 300 stairs there. We also saw the tomb of the unknown soldier lit up. Cool stuff.
Notre DameThe next couple days kinda blend in... At some point we went and saw the Rodin museum where the Thinking Man statue is. The gardens there were absolutely beautiful. I love gardens and landscape stuff. Right after Rodin we went over to Napoleon's tomb. Also cool. His tomb was freaking huge. There were others of his family buried there too. We also went to the Tomb of the Kings. We saw there Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI and Louis XVII's heart. Yeah, his heart is in this vase thing. But you can't really get anywhere near it. Coming back from the tomb though we had an interesting event occur on the metro. Firstly, apparently that area up north is not a good area and we probably shouldn't have gone. Anyway, on the metro on the way back to our area we witnessed a mugging. There was this young black guy standing next to me on the metro and there was another lady by us. When the metro stopped and the doors opened the guy grabbed this lady's purse and pulled her off the metro. The doors were still open and people were trying to get off and there were these kids crying out for their mom who it looked like had gotten caught in the crossfire so to speak and got pushed off and was on the ground. The one lady wouldn't let go of her purse and was trying to punch him in the face. He just had this weird grin on his face. Then this other dude came around and just put him in a choke hold and pinned him to the ground. The lady went over and kicked him in the face. He somehow got up and tried to run but then got tackled again and pinned to wait for the police to come get him. Then the doors finally closed and we continued on our way. We got off and were by Notre Dame and decided to sit down on the benches and say a little prayer. We had all been a little shaken by that and were just grateful it didn't happen to one of us. As soon as we finished we felt a wave of relief come. We ate our little lunch and got up to continue to where we were going. We hadn't even taken 10 steps when we saw 2 LDS missionaries walk by. We stopped them to say hi and one of them was there on his first day and he was from Salt Lake. Crazy! The other one was from southern France and spoke good English. We just chatted for a couple minutes then went on our way. It's hard to explain how cool that was to see them. I seriously feel that Heavenly Father put them in our way just to reassure us that He was watching out for us and that He would always be there. There's just too much there for me to think that could've just been coincidence.
Anway, on with the trip. We also saw the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before she was guillotined. Cool stuff. We also got to go to the Grevin Wax Mu
seum. Pretty awesome stuff. They were pretty life-like figures. We saw Arnold Schwartzenager, Elton John, Michael Jackson (he was creepy...), Jackie Chan, Indian Jones, and Elvis. We also went to Hard Rock Cafe in Paris. Good ole American food and music! One of the waiters there came and chatted with us for a little talking about America and his couple trips there and what not. He called us his American sisters. He was one of the nice Frenchies.
Wednesday we went to the Place de la Concorde, which was just the open square where Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were guillotined. Pretty cool stuff. They didn't have an actual marker though on where it happend. But we were there. Then we went and saw the Opera Garnier, the grand opera house. That's where the phantom did his original haunting. It was such an amazing building. Garnier, the designer, had some good taste. Chandeliers, marble stairs, golden trimmed balconies, you name it. That afternoon we went to the Louvre. It had crazy organization. We just walked wherever. We saw a bunch of Roman/Greek statues, Renaissance paintings, and what not. We saw the most famous stuff like Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa, and Nike the winged victory statue, which was probably my favorite. I already heard the Mona Lisa would be disappointing and so I was prepared for that. It's like a tiny 8x11 framed picture and I think you couldn't get any closer than like 15 feet and there were a million people all around. It was a pretty exhausting day.
Opera Garnier
Winged VictorySo, Thursday we went to the Aquarium. Fish are cool. There wasn't really anything there I hadn't seen before. Still cool, but nothing new. We did some souvenir shopping and then went to the Eiffel Tower later in the afternoon. We got through the long line while listening to Rascal Flatts on Lindsey's phone. All American music. We took the elevator to the very top. It was a long elevator ride. It was going pretty fast and it still took a few minutes to get there. There was a cool view. It's a 360 area and we found the spot with the little American flag to show which direction the US was. On our way back down they had lit up the Eiffel Tower for the night. It was cool. Once we were off and headed back to our hotel they started shooting fireworks of some kind or something. We turn back to look and there are these white lights flashing all around the tower. It looked like white fireworks going off all around it. It was pretty awesome.
Friday was our last full day and we spent it at Versailles. The castle was amazing. There were like a million rooms and long halls with statues on both sides. We saw the Hall of Mirrors, which had chandeliers all down the hall and then mirrors on the one side making it look like twice the amount of gold and chandeliers. It was pretty awesome. Then we went outside, saw the gardens and took a little tram around to see more of the grounds and to visit Marie Antoinette's Estate. Her estate was huge. It had ponds, trees everywhere, pathways going every which way and a little closed up like gazebo which was used to play music there. It was frickin' freazing, but still amazing. I loved it because like I said I like gardens and grounds with trees and ponds and what not.
So Saturday morning we got up early, went to the airport, and flew home. We were all ready to get back to America. Paris was cool and all and it was a great experience, but God Bless America. I was so happy and pround to land in the US and see the flag waving. So there you have it. My Parisian experience.
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