Mid-Semester Activities.

I feel like I'm 75. (Not that that's a bad thing.)

I'm reaching for the Advil every five minutes and taking advantage of the time I have on the couch with my laptop in my lap. I didn't think it was possible to be as exhausted as a missionary again...but it is! 

I'll tell you a secret though: IT'S SO WORTH IT.

I have a built-in college family, and did I get to mention we get to sing and dance? I think that's what we'll be doing when we see Him again. We're just practicing for that moment. Let's see...

"Until all shall know me, who remain, even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together sing this new song..." -Doctrine and Covenants 84:98

Yep, that sounds about right. Not that the BYU Young Ambassadors get a front row seat or anything...well that would be cool...but...yeah. As long as you're in your ward choir, I think you're set. (Joke.)

In other news, I just bought my plane tickets to Florida to see my man!

The whole "long distance" thing isn't ideal, but I figured that's what I'd get if I met someone on while on my internship in Washington, D.C. But, I do get a lot more done than I would if he was here all the time! It actually works out pretty nicely. Also, I can't get over how handsome he is. (He's even more sweet than he is good-looking!)

When he was here we got to hang out with the culprit who put us together...

...and since it's the middle of the semester--do lots of homework. 

Kasey would probably hate it if I posted the videos of the "Cowboy Christmas" station 

he was blasting while we were working.  

As for the rest of the semester, this is the view I have for about 20 hours a week...

Just singing, dancing, and even more Singin'...in the Rain! We open our show in less than two weeks and I have nightmares that I forgot to do homework/go to class/that I even registered for that class because it's so crazy. But I totally love the crazy. 

I guess I could put in a plug for our show to wrap things up:

November 14th, 7:00 pm at Orem High School

Adults $6, Seniors/Students $5, Elementary $3

November 15th, 7:30 (?) pm at Jackson Hole High School

Not sure about prices yet...I think they're back to the normal ones.

Let me know if you're coming and I'll find out!

Finally, all of this work is about to pay off!

I'll I'm praying for at this point is just not to crash on stage. It's pretty likely.

Manhattan.

This is my blog, so I can put whatever I want on here. And I'm just a little bit proud of this right now, okay? I fell in love with this song the first week I got off my mission. I really had no one to sing it to, but what got me were the lyric choice and perfection in chords that matched the mood so gently. The second that I heard it, I knew I had to learn it on the piano. Nothing that a little Ultimate-Guitar.com can't fix. Anyway, I'm a little bit obsessed with Sara Bareilles, so here is her one and only...Manhattan.
 

Go ahead, make that list.

I hate to break it to ya, but none of us will probably ever have the luxury of experiencing that perfect, smart, beautiful man in your econ lab come up to you after class and say, "hey, you wanna get married?"


Psh. That would be the day. 


I see too many awesome girls break up with their awesome boyfriends because their "hair is too blonde" or "they don't have the six pack," or my favorite, "he's just not my type." (Yes that actually happens.) I will admit I'm guilty of having a "type." But if those girls even decided to even date them, aren't they already their type...ish? 


With all that being said...girls: it's okay to know what you want. Didn't I just say I have a type? Of course I do. Go ahead, and make that list. The danger comes when "the list" becomes more of "the requirements," and I'm sorry, but Tim Tebow isn't Mormon. (I have a strong feeling he will be baptized when he sees me.) So when I say "type," I don't mean tall, dark, and handsome. Although I tease my girlfriends that is my type, my type is really the guy that has the "importants" on my list. "Importants" as in--happiness, confidence, a strong testimony...and the "not-so-importants" --6'4", dark hair, and a big family. Yes, those are still included in my not-so-important column. That's beside the point. Don't settle for someone that doesn't have your "importants," but only if you're willing to make yourself that spectacular too.


Boys: When she finally falls in love with you, don't you dare change. Don't relax thinking she loves you for who you are. Because she loves you...for who you've shown her you are. Your job is to keep striving to the person she thinks you are, and who thinks can protect her. Nothing will disappoint her more than thinking she's not worth it enough to you to keep trying.


The only way you can actually have a list and feel good about keeping it, is if (again) you are the one striving to be that person who is on your list. Why would any guy want to be with a girl who only had an expectation of him, and wasn't doing anything herself? So please. Take that cooking class. Watch a little bit of SportsCenter. It won't kill you. If he sees you trying, he's going to try even harder. If he's the right one. 


...The "right one," that's a whole 'nother story. I have no experience in that category yet, so I'm going to delay that blog post until further notice. I love posting things that I notice in people, and especially the things I notice in myself. Being 20 is a time for learning, not a time to dwell on my past...in any category. Now, if you have dating troubles and you're 90 years old, I have no advice for you. You probably don't even know how to text--which is 99% of all boy troubles--so you've got no reason to worry.


I don't have anything against dating, or even men in general. Dating is simply the time in your life when you figure out what you really want. It's different for everyone, but for two people, it's the exact same. That's the beauty of it. Just please...don't be too picky, because then you'll never get that tall, dark, handsome man...with the PhD. 


I can keep dreaming.

A week in photos.

Wow. I have failed this week at blogging. But what I can do is give a "week in pictures/videos" if you will. It has possibly been the busiest week of the school year so far, working almost thirty hours and having everything (and more) planned. With that being said, it was SO MUCH FUN. Every single night I went to bed feeling wonderful.


Monday, my story aired. I was so pleased! I'll be honest though, it was a little nuts. The story got completely cut from the show an hour into editing, then it was back on again, then back off, then finally back on because of rights issues. So it was eventually back on air...with no logos. Apparently we didn't have the rights to use the Kings or the Jazz logos, which was a huge bummer, but I still managed to do a two and a half minute package using footage I could find. I would have loved to have more time on the script, but it will do for now. I was ecstatic with the final product, knowing how many loopholes I had to jump through, and that it was my first story for BYUtv. 

Click to go to byutv.org to see the 1/30/12 episode of True Blue!

Then, halfway through the week, Katie got her favorite pie from a boy. :) I don't mind at all being "the roommate" if I get to reap the benefits! 

Check out this heck of a sandwich I made for lunch. I'm pretty proud of my domestic skills. (Don't worry, I couldn't even eat a quarter of it.)

Last night, I went on a awesome date with one of my best friends. We went to see the World Aerial Championships at Deer Valley Resort! Man, those guys are crazy athletic. And...it was FREEZING. But still fun. My abs still hurt from laughing so hard all night.

Last but not least, I purchased this beautiful find. $30 I might add--it literally was screaming from the rack for me to buy it. So, naturally, I had to. It will look fantastic with my camel pumps and navy blue top tomorrow.

Again...really great week. But now I kinda like just sitting here on a lazy Saturday. I do think I'll go for a run outside though--it looks like springtime! 

Rushmore/Everest dating paradigm.

So...the Wilk crew. We sit there in the Wilk for at least two hours during our lunch break every Monday and Wednesday discussing nothing but relationships. Giving advice, asking advice...it is probably the most humorous part of my week. Let's be honest, it is. We've even expanded from the Wilk to Monday night bowling activities. We've got quite a crew. Anyway, yesterday at our round table, Austin came up with the Mt. Rushmore/Mt. Everest dating paradigm. So of course I took the liberty to write a column about his findings, and had a pretty good time with it. Do you agree?

MOUNT RUSHMORE/EVEREST DATING PARADIGM

How five equals one.

           

Your very own Mt. Rushmore. It consists of four individuals who you consider to be “your top four.” The four men/women who you would do absolutely anything for them to take a second glance at you. Just like the actual Mt. Rushmore, you aren’t able to touch it. You’re only able to view them with binoculars, like a tourist, from a distance—a long distance.

You all know whom I’m talking about, the individuals who you’ve never talked to, but are initially interested in what they have to offer.  You’re not even friends, so there is no scare of either party getting put in the “friend zone.” They are the men/women that you believe are “super hot” and “have it all together,” but in all reality, you have no idea what kind of a background personality or they have.  Just like you’d pay for a plane ticket to fly out to South Dakota and view the four presidents that really don’t know who you are, your four Rushmores have no idea you even exist. As long as they could potentially look good on your arm at your family Christmas party, they’re a candidate for Rushmore.

On the other hand, there’s a girl/boy, separate from your Mt. Rushmore—your Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest is a feat to climb, as everyone knows. You conquer it, chicken out, or die. There is no way around it. The dedicated, and the ones who prepare years in advance for the climb only accomplish it.  They are in reach…if you’re willing to put in the effort.

The first (and biggest) key component to moving a chick/dude from Rushmore to Everest, is to meet them and to figure out if they’ve even got an IQ. Once that has taken place and there is obvious interest, the next step is a date. Not a group date, a single date. If they start toying with one of your bros/girls on that group date, your Everest has fallen off the cliff. So—single date. Only after that successful first date do you pull out your ice pick to climb the last half of the mountain. You dig and dig, hoping for some reward. You’re confused because all you see is clear, cold ice…until you get to the top. Then you can see the whole world. You’ve done it. You are now their Mr. or Mrs. You don’t really know how you got there, but you’re sure glad you did.

Now, let’s say Everest doesn’t go as planned. He/she never calls you back after the first date, or you do in fact, see him/her with your best friend. He/she is no longer an Everest, or even considered a Rushmore anymore. They’re just a simple, lowly, ex-potential that you’ve kicked off the cliff yourself. They have lost all chances to ever be to your top of Everest caliber.

If followed this Rushmore/Everest paradigm verbatim, you’ll never settle. You’ll eventually end up with your Everest. You’ll never go back to any Rushmore, and you’ll forever have the feeling of sweet success.

Ode to men.

Again, I should be doing my homework. But I can do that tomorrow. (That's what I said yesterday.) I've got a 2 1/2 hour class tonight, and I think that's enough sitting-in-one-place for a day. It's probably the most entertaining class at BYU, though. Take it, and take it from Brother Allred if you need an easy A and GPA booster. And because he's a comedian (seriously)...and because you'll use public speaking every day of your life. Can you ask for a better class?


Anyway, I really want to applaud all of the men lately. Yes...men, not boys. Because they are being men. Maybe it just comes with being a few years out of high school, but really. I've come in contact with men that have been SUCH gentlemen. Every single one of them. I actually can't think of one that I haven't been impressed with. It ranges from something as little as opening the door for me, taking the initiative to call, planning super fun, thoughtful dates, or simply just asking if there is anything they can do to help me. I usually do just about everything on my own for now, but I really appreciate that they even think to ask. Even my best friend still on his mission can be a perfect gentleman--from 1,300 miles away. Their mommas raised them right. 


I hear a lot of girls complaining that they never get asked on dates. I don't think it's really hit them yet that they have to be the girl that these men want to go out with. If the guys are working hard, shouldn't we? We've got to make ourselves presentable. That's what my dad has taught me since I was a little girl--to think of all the traits we want to find in a guy--and be that person. So go running. Eat right. Put on makeup. Do your hair. Get good grades. Learn how to work. Let's give these guys a break.


So if you're being a man, congratulations. I'm very impressed.