Living the Dream

Private Blogs....

2011-08-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

Private blogs are so annoying because I can't freely stalk people. The entire purpose of the internet is to facilitate my ability to find out about people's lives who I don't know and who take cooler trips than me right? Jokes, just jokes.

But alas, the time has come ladies and lads that I have to have a private blog.

The reasons for this abrupt change are as follows:

I am tired of the paparazzi knowing so much about my life.

I hate that when I google my name the pompous title Sarah's Literature appears.

My life is now dedicated to public education where students try to add me to facebook and read about my life via my blog. I want them out of my life and I want to keep my job.

So, I am creating a private blog and would love to add you. Just email me at sarahorme@gmail.com or leave a comment here and I'll add you. And, to all you google readers I will periodically put posts on this blog telling you about new posts on my private blog.

These internet protections are ruining my (and your) stalking abilities.

Happy internet surfing!

Sarah

2011-08-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

Life is like the trickster in fables, always getting our goat.

I'm just got back from San Fran where I ate more than I care to talk about, hung out with girls who are fabulous, partied on the beach and remembered how great summer is.

What a perfect way to end the summer before I go back to school this week. Between teaching at Timpview and USU I'll be busy, but happy.

This girl is an absolute gem.

High school English teachers

2011-06-27T09:08:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things about being an English teacher is that when people find out what I do everyone has a story. It seems that everyone has a favorite English teacher who changed their lives, made them believe in themselves, helped them question their culture, exposed them to the raw, uncensored world, tenderly pushed them to places they didn't want to go, helped uncover the humanity in the humanities, and were a little quirky while doing it.

Just this week I heard about the teacher who called the student to apologize for a class activity that was to hard (while the student telling me the story couldn't help smiling about how the teacher cultivated an argumentative classroom for the 18 year olds) or the teacher who had each student create a tome of English information for the AP test, or the teacher that helped the student want to read.

I know my job doesn't make a lot of money, and I know that it's hard and frustrating sometimes, but it's delightful to be part of a system that people can't help but talk about. I see in these conversations the appreciation students have for their teachers and it helps with the frustrating times and the life of poverty.....

RIGGS!

2011-06-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

Did you know that I moved to SLC, or that I got a new job for the fall, or that i'm working on my thesis right now? Anyway, those things are unimportant compared to this picture. I was at my house this weekend and a friend brought over a box and when she opened it out jumped this cat. It was fantastic!

Here is why this picture makes me happy:

I am holding an animal (which looks like it has super powers)

The animal is named Riggs from Friday Night Lights--a show i'm head over heels for.

The picture was taken by one of my favorite people who was visiting over the weekend.

2011-05-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Authenticity more common in movie trailers, while

viral posts achieve:

love- courage- wealth-

dreams.

reading, watching, scrolling and

feeling parched for reports of lives of the ‘living.’

Fantasy begets reality.

Do rivers overflow and winds blow?

Hearts ache?

souls weep?

dreams die?

forgotten amongst the electronic voice of fine dining, parties, smiles, beauty, (mystery)

Kellee's Wedding

2011-05-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

My best friend got married this weekend and I could not have been happier. The wedding dinner at Sundance was spectacular and her in-laws have a southern charm that I have never experienced. I was asked to give a toast and as I prepared for it I thought about how Kel and I have been friends for so long and gone through so much. She is so incredible. Her husband is stellar; he's smart and grounded and charitable.

It rained all day during the wedding but stopped for the reception and the garden party in her backyard was phenomenal.

Harold and her are now partying in Bora Bora and then will move to their next adventure in Florida. I will miss them both dearly.

Congrats Hal and Kel!!

photo by Justin Hackworth

She is stunning!

2011-05-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

The best compliment of my life happened yesterday. I think Joel McHale, who plays Jeff Winger on "Community," is dreamy and funny. Anyway, a collegue of mine said that he could see Winger and me dating because we would have some witty banter.

Loved it.

Between that and someone telling me that I look like Maggie Gyllenhaal this week makes me think that I may actually get through my research papers, student's grades, and moving out.

The Wedding

2011-04-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

While it's fair to say that the royal wedding has probably had too much publicity, I don't really care because I love all things English, and a royal wedding basically encapsulates everything I love.

Unfortunately, just like my Hogwarts acceptance letter, my invite to the royal wedding was lost. But, the good news is I can still see the royal couple.

I have a student from Alberta, Canada and she was telling me about how Will and Kate are touring Canada this summer. They will be kicking off Canada days, and will start in the east and head west. I am almost as obsessed with Canada as I am with London, so you better believe that I am getting plans ready to make my pilgrimage to see the happy couple. Maybe she'll even let me throw her a post-wedding shower. We can only hope.

If you would like to take a trip to Canada with me this summer I promise that you'll have a good time. We can eat Macintosh candy, see the world's largest windmill, hit up markets and museums, and take afternoon tea together.

I can't wait!

Learning How To Think

2011-04-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

An insightful article about how to think. Funny, witty, a little crass, and full of profound truth. Thank you David Foster Wallace. Thank you.

David Foster Wallace on Life and Death

Post reading this you may find that Wallace committed suicide. An interesting insight to the article.

NO more words with friends

2011-04-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

I am an English major-that does not make me a master of English. Which means that I suck at words games (AKA scrabble, speed scrabble, group scrabble, online scrabble and any other variation of scrabble).

This includes words with friends. I just got owned in a game and I refuse to ever play a word game again.

Come on world, stop expecting me to read every book, know every word, write poetry and change the world.

I became an English major because I can't do anything else, not because I can do everything.

Here comes the sun....

2011-04-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine told me on Sunday that she feels like a dry, withering tulip that needs water.

I feel like a dry, withering human who needs the sun.....and a lot less school.

Quick life updates:

My friends and I threw Kel a bridal shower and I think it turned out really well. It was fun to have everyone over to my parents house to celebrate Kel and Harold's love! Great food, friends, and conversation always makes for a great afternoon.

I went to the Sugar Ray concert, and though the lead singer didn't have bleached tips, it was fun to be with a bunch of my old friends and dance and laugh and talk.

I am schooling like a mad person. I keep telling myself that someday I won't be in school but that is such a faint dream that I'm not sure if it will ever happen.

Also, I think I just found the reason for teaching poetry in this insightful article by David Brooks.

Hope all is well, bright and happy!

W.W.

2011-03-31T10:34:00.001-07:00

I finished the final season of The West Wing.

I am obsessed with that show.

It's intelligent, funny, hot, fast, and interesting. Aaron Sorkin is on his A game with this show.

How will I be able to convince Rob Lowe to fall in love with me?

How will I convince the Obama administration to let me work in the West Wing?

How will I end up living in DC when my school, job connections, and family are in Utah?

These questions are making my dream of the powerhouse-woman-who-rocks-the-east-coast-and-reads-the-new-yorker-and-is-involved-in-politics-and-writes-novels-and-poetry die.

And dreams like that die hard.

Day Club

2011-03-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Day Club

There once was a group of college graduates.

They didn't have jobs.

They were finished with their degrees.

They were waiting for the fall to bring work, school, and engagements...

so they played during the day. they swam, ate, talked, hiked, golfed, ate, and watched movies.

They called themselves the day club.

This is a petition for day club to return. (Which may be difficult because most are engaged, moved away, or got jobs).

Come this summer I'll be back in SLC without an engagement, job, and though I will be doing "school" I am looking for new members of day club.

Long Live The Day Club (even if i'm the only member)

Politicking

2011-03-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

When I walked through the door on Friday afternoon I decided to turn on the tv for some background noise. I was busy and the house was quiet.

Anyway, somehow I ended up actually watching CSPAN (which btw makes me look like a 60 year old retiree with cats and few friends) and was captivated by a summit in Colorado by a man in parliament lamenting on why Americans need to avoid the European system of government. Blame it on his accent, or on my eternal curiosity of politics, but I was captivated for the next 45 mins. Eventually my roommate Annie came and started watching it with me. Relieving me of feeling like a complete loser.

By mere happenstance, someone posted an article by this same man and you can read it here.

Though the article doesn't have the accent, it is still worth your time. I want to buy his book.

Farm

2011-03-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

I am taking a farm literature class and for the first time in my life I really am obsessed with farms and the fact that our food comes from the ground, not grocery stores.

I think I may be hoping on the organic/local farmers train. Some of the things I have been learning about are wild. If you want to see an animated video about it you can click here.

Anyway-my friend Michelle is a part of our generation who are making an exodus back to the farm and lovn' it.

She made me homemade salsa. It was amazing. Someday I am going to can my own salsa...and learn how to fly fish.
She also has a baby lamb, which she had to corner and catch for this picture. It was hilarious.

It was such a fun thing to see her on the farm and to see the baby animals. Love them. Love her.

**Don't worry-the pictures and her story are being used in my final project. Hopefully my teacher thinks it is as cool as I do.

Oregon

2011-03-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Oregon-where they pump your gas, don't have sales tax, wear North Face and Chaco's, love to recycle and enjoy the nice green environment.

My long time friend Whitney got married, bought a new car, got two new dogs, and moved to Oregon with her husband. Naturally, Mandi and I (the traveling duo) helped her drive out to her new life.
On our 13 hour trip we stopped at the garden of Eden gas station--and it was here that I knew the trip was going to be...well....a trip. See gigantic snake above me.
The largest bookstore in the world is an entire city block and is located in Portland, Oregon. The store is named Powells, and I love it, and it's HUGE!
It literally is a city of books. I bought a used collection of poetry with tons of four leaf clovers in the pages, and I bought the short story A River Runs Through It. The story is amazing! You all should read it. 100 pages of poetic prose. Also notice that I got caught in the rain and so my hair turned curly.
We went and saw a gorgeous waterfall.
And this is my traveling companion, setting a very high standard of fashion and style for a road trip.

It was a joy and pleasure to see Whit's new life, hang out with her very cool husband, and eat out for every meal. And it was fun to road trip through the west coast with Mandi. Basically Mandi and I need to road trip through the south and we will have been all around America. I wonder if there is a way we could swing that.....

Bystander Effect

2011-02-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

We met a brief 10 minutes ago when I pulled up to his apartment in SLC. Yes-it’s another first date, and it’s a blind date, and I had considered backing out of the date more than 10 times. All I knew was that his name is Tim.

We met, started chatting and acting like old friends with banter and sarcasm. We quickly pulled up to the popular restaurant the Red Iguana. His friends that we were meeting were coming, and so he put our names on the list and we began to field the all too familiar first date questions while we waited on the bench outside the store.

“Yeah, I’m getting my masters—no no it’s not that big of a deal”

“Fourth child, only girl…yeah, I’m a little spoiled”

“Well honestly, my favorite food is potatoes…shot I should have said something more sexy”

And then a large black man who was yelling for someone to call the police swaggered down the sidewalk. As he past the large crowds no one said anything and let him continue to walk. I looked at Tim as the intoxicated man came closer.

The Chicago born man turned his head to reveal a deflated eye, weeping tears of viscous blood. His torn eyelid hung, threatening to detach. Tim and I both momentarily paused, confused--believing it was unbelievable.

And I didn’t know what to do. And I paused, and as I think about that pause I feel sick that I am the person that did what the others did. I watched while someone who needed helped, yelled with profanity, pleading for assistance, and just paused. They call it the bystander effect. I call it an excuse used by those who, for whatever reason, don’t help.

And then Tim was on the line with the police, while I sat with the man asking for details about the children he kept talking about. Hoping to glean information that would be useful to the police, while middle aged men asked their wives to stand on the other side of them while quickly fleeing to their cars.

And Tim remained on the phone. And I stayed on the floor with the man.

And the police and ambulance came and took him away.

And Tim looked at me and said, “This is a great way to start out a first date.”

The Week In Review

2011-02-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few main points of what was a very busy week.

February 14th (Valentines Day)-Roses from a friend, and the bachelor.

February 17th-I involuntarily turned 23. Keep your fingers crossed that this is a big year.

February 18th-I reconnected with family at a memorial service for my Grandma in Idaho.

February 19th-Attended my Grandma's funeral, which was filled with wonderful memories of her life. My brother was also able to fly out for the funeral, so I drove him back to the airport after the funeral and was able to talk to him for 3 hours, as he was forced to be in the car with me.

February 20th-Partied with my nieces and nephew and family.

February 21st-Birthday lunch with some of the greatest girls I know and then helped my best friend look at wedding dresses.....let's just say that people that have Kel's body are stunning in wedding dresses.

And then I drove to Logan and thought about how returning to L-town meant figuring out a lesson for the next day, getting a new windshield, and walking in the snow/cold. Hurrah for the coming of spring.

Stone Soup

2011-02-15T14:29:00.000-08:00

I am in a class that studies farm literature and today we made stone soup. It made me think of my childhood book, which is about how everyone brings something to put in a pot and you make soup. And so, as a class, we did precisely that. We all brought stuff, threw it in a pot (crockpot) and ate it.

And it was delicious.

Top three coolest facts learned in farm lit:

1. Women were more marginalized after farms became larger and more commercial because a successful farm was illustrated if there was a wife who didn't have to do anything-contributing to her loss of status in society and her rights.

2. More people are starving now than ever before, even after the green revolution, because food is now a commodity and substance farming is virtually nonexistent.

3. The carbon footprint on food is incredible (especially in America). The average distance that food travels to make it to our table is over 1,000 miles.

Skiing, Falling and Gambling.

2011-02-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I decided to do what the locals in Cache Valley do-which is to run the slopes at Beaver Mountain. This mom and pop shop was small, but quaint. Spencer and I pulled into a parking spot ten feet from the lift (which is unheard of because we came at like 12:30...showing that no one goes to this 'resort'). We started riding and as to be predicted, Spencer owned the jumps and I was more a mogul gal. We both had our strengths. Well it had been awhile since the mountain had gotten any snow so we were running the trees in search for powder. I basically followed the boy who know the mountain "like his own home."

Bad idea.

We ended up going on this run where there was this jump that I thought I could handle. I went off the jump, fell on the ground, rolled around, lost both of my skis and looked for my friend to help me. He was gone. I was cold.

Come to find out he and his friend actually crafted that jump the week prior. Curse them.

My back and neck have never hurt so much.

All in all though the trip was great because it was sunny and warm and it reminded me that cold weather can end.

But, the day was not over.

I had a date to the Aggie basketball game, which we won (it was a sad day for Cleveland and Fresno State) and my date and I got the customary Aggie ice cream. They love it like BYU students love cougar tails. I really impressed my date by knowing what a RPI ranking was for basketball. I really need to start thanking my brothers for indoctrinating me into a culture of sports....

Anyway, the school was having this big Mardi Gras party after, and the 6-5' boy I went with is pretty involved in the school so we went. A large part of the party was the casino. They gave you 1000 chips and you got to gamble and the person who won the most won free tuition for next semester. Unbelievable. Anyway, we had a fun time playing poker and watching the cute 18 year olds try to look like hookers (a dream come true for their parents). The date was fun but I ran into so many of my students that I felt like some social norms were really being breached. Speaking of breaching social norms, one of my students was at my apartment last week. I wanted to die. Anyway, I also feed some of my students gambling habits by giving them some extra tickets. Maybe I'll be the cool teacher.

After the night of school sponsored gambling (something I'm totally used to at BYU), we went to a school sponsored show produced by Satan himself. We went to a mentalist who is someone who literally can read peoples minds and do crazy things. I guess if you're going to sell your soul to Lucy you might as well do something cool like mind reading.

Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

(Rabbit PDA is socially acceptable)

Welcome to the year of the rabbit! In order to celebrate this exciting news I would like to tell you a little bit about the pet I had as a child.

I love animals and I really wanted a bunny, so in Orme family fashion, I had to write an essay about why I deserved a rabbit and how I would be responsible for him. Honestly dad, who makes their 2nd grader do that? Anyway, the following month Oreo entered my life (let's play a game and see if you can figure out what colors he was). So Oreo becomes a part of the family and he is great, and though he was frequently tormented by my brothers who called him Numan (off of Seinfeld) I loved him.

That is until he bit me.

So Matt and I were playing in the backyard and he kept threatening to hit Oreo with a football. As a good caretaker, I put a blanket over him in order to protect him. Ok, so in Oreo's defense he was probably scared out of his mind in the dark and the hugs of "love" that I kept giving him were probably more painful than helpful. There I am, the guardian of the cookie, and Matt actually throws the football and I give another love squeeze and Oreo bit me.

It hurt.

I had to get a shot.

Our relationship was never the same.

Years later Oreo would find himself "relocated" to another family looking for a rabbit.

The more I relive the story the more pity I have for Oreo. I mean this rabbit lived in the dungeon, also known as our unfinished basement, during the bleak winter months and I would often neglect him. Also, he never got to hang out with other rabbit friends, and I am pretty sure he was tormented by a dog or two throughout his life.

And so to bring in the year of the rabbit I dedicate 2011 to Oreo and I hope that rabbits are treated better this year. Cheers to my first, and possibly, last rabbit.

(Does this not look like Fiver or Bigwig?)

Take My Breath Away

2011-02-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

I know this topic is seemingly banal but I promise if you were here you would understand.

This morning I woke up to weather that was -4 degrees and was about to walk to school when my friend texted me saying that his weather app claimed the weather to be deathly cold. Not wanting to lose a friend, he decided to save my life and come and pick me up. Little did I know the temperature with the wind chill was -18. When I got out of his car to walk up to school it was as though the cold air was entering my alveolar sacs, crystalizing and then bursting them in a frozen explosion. I thought I was going to die. Just up the street the temperature was -45. Yes, you read that correctly. -45.

Up until this point I always have figured that people who complain about the weather in Logan were just a bunch of wusses... I take back all of my previous thoughts about them. They're really soothsayers.

I feel like I more fully understand Robert Frost's poem Fire and Ice and if I am able to determine the way the Earth ends I am going to voraciously campaign against death by freezing.

Fire and Ice

BY ROBERT FROST

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

It was UN-BELIZE-ABLE

2011-01-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe my trip wasn't un-belize-able like all of my friends who went to Belize last week, but why would you want to go to an exotic land in South America when you could enjoy the finest Idaho has to offer.

Sure my friends got sun, sea food, and probably cool souvenirs, but I got to go to LAVA HOT SPRINGS.

Though not located in South America, this Idaho gem has various hot tube like arenas that serve the general public by exploiting the natural hot springs in Idaho. P-A-R-T-Y!

When we decided to go I went to my friends apt and we rushed to get into the car. Once seated, Mike started talking about how I was really lucky to be going to the hot springs with 5 guys. Yes, I really think it's my luck to get into a swimsuit with a bunch of guys in the middle of January. Dream.come.true. Then, Mike said the most classic line I've heard in a long time. He told me it was like I was on elimidate.

If you haven't seen this show you need to. Like really, it's a pop culture gem. Basically it was the neophyte stage of reality tv and there would be one trashy girl with a bunch of guys and she would slowly eliminate them based on important things like level of tan, color of hair, quality of tattoo, and number of earings. The goal, of course, being a committed one night stand.

And so we drove the hour and a half it takes to get there with me thinking about what it would be like to be on elimidate.

The hot springs themselves were...well...hot. It was really nice to be in 10 degree weather though and not freezing. In all honesty, Lava Hot Springs was pretty fun. But, like Mark said, it would be better if there was a big screen with ESPN on. I corrected him saying he meant the bachelor, but it was the same idea.

After we went to dinner and then traveled home to lovely L-town.

It really was fun, and though I was sad I couldn't go to Belize because of school/work/life I am glad my friends had such a good time and I hope that this post about Lava Hot Springs doesn't make them too jealous. But I could see how it could....

To The Woman of the Hour

2011-01-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

To The Woman of the Hour-

Children sense her goodness, and gravitate to her as if she is their advocate in all things concerning “the bigger humans.”

The family looks to her for updates and, more importantly,

Faith in ourselves and in our future.

My brother said it best when he said, “she is (honestly) the best person I know” and that truth is echoed by everyone who meets her.

She defines sweet and kind.

She cries when I cry.

She truly lives a service centered life.

She talks me out of cutting my hair super short, and

she reminds me to pray.

To the woman of the hour, the woman I look up to and who I find in my mimicry of I become a better person,

May this day be the happiest of birthdays Mom.

I love you!

Life Should Be Like Orange Juice

2011-01-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

The best and worst of 2010 and the goals for the year 2011.

Worst:

1. When there weren’t any animals at the Washington DC zoo.

2. Getting a less than exciting score on the GRE.

3. The toxic game of dating.

4. Moving to a new apartment in a new city without any friends or family and without water or power.

5. 4 colds in the 6 beginning weeks of the semester.

Best:

1. Getting straight bangs.

2. Traveling across the United States.

3. Graduating from BYU and an incredible opportunity for school at USU.

5. Meeting great people in Logan and keeping the many friends from Provo and seeing my family often.

6. Watching the West Wing.

2010 wasn’t my favorite year. Mostly it was a year of change, growing up, and many of my friends getting married. And so I say a belated goodbye and farewell.

The biggest thing that 2010 gave to me was perspective. I am realizing more and more that happiness comes from experiencing the variety in life, in culture, and in people.

It is really easy for me to care about my image, and to remove myself from myself in books, but my connection with the image of myself and of others is fading. For example, dating really smart people is usually a drag. Talking about politics is polarizing and often annoying. Wearing blazers to work makes my personality feel tight-as if the constraining suit can affect my personality.

And so instead I think life should be more like orange juice.

It should be brighter, and fresher. And the pulp, or the mess-ups in life, actually add to the flavor (which is why I never buy pulp free anything..).

And so, for 2011 my main goal is to celebrate and embrace the differences of all, a goal which will hopefully seep into my personality. The city people are cool, as are the farmers. The older established boys are interesting, but so are those still trying to figure out what to do with their lives. The classical books are great but my 1010 students work is often more funny. The news is insightful, but so is the bachelor.....you get the point.

Goals for the year of our Lord 2011:

1. Learn how to decorate really professional looking cakes.

2. Learn how to paint and sketch.

3. Write a thesis and receive my masters.

4. Go to Boston/Louisiana/Minnesota.

5. Only date boys who I want to hold hands with in public.

It's like smoking a pack of cigs..

2011-01-13T16:05:00.001-08:00

Logan's air quality is the worst in the nation and I haven't seen the sun in days....

You can read more about it here.

Wish I Was There

2011-01-13T14:03:00.001-08:00

Look who made it on to the front page of the newspaper with Condi...

Apparently my dad gets to grab lunch with her (and many others) too.

I'm jealous that I couldn't go.

I kind of wish it was Jed Bartlet

I Lovells Them

2011-01-06T16:46:00.001-08:00

I couldn't have said it better.

Check out my BFF's post.

Cheers to the greatest of friends.

The Candy Shoppe

I love M.J.

2010-12-07T12:13:00.000-08:00

Poetry

2010-12-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Reverberations

With coy expressions they smile,

Knowing the secrets of their past.

The stories, which they do not tell

The memories which only they share.

Dreams realized and rewarded

Penitence of a life delayed

They sing.

*I rarely write poetry, and it is even more rare for me to show it. But, any thoughts or advice on this poem would be helpful. I keep thinking of just deleting it.

S-L-I-C-K

2010-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

The world of Logan was covered in a thin sheet of ice today. And I was late.

With 7:30 breathing down my neck, and knowing that I needed to be on time for my students, I put a hustle in my bustle. When I reached the hill I go up I realized how icy the ground was and before I knew what happened I was on the ground, thinking "how did I get on the ground?" A girl then emerged from the bushes, like a paid spy to see humiliating acts, and said "it's icy huh?" and began to laugh.

Duh.

The rest of my way to school was spent sliding across ice-because, I kid you not, I had more control gliding than walking or shuffling.

So, as to be expected, when I went to my class I asked how many people slipped. 7 students raised their hands and I felt like I was in good company. Until I asked how many actually fell to the ground.

That award apparently only goes to me.

Hello-my name is Santa.

2010-12-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last night I assisted in composing a fake letter from Santa for my roommates little sister. This evil craft was requested by her mom who said, "write a letter from Santa to your little sister so she stops crying and throwing tantrums." And so we did. We threw in some cliches about how only little boys and girls get presents and blah blah blah listen to your mom....you get the idea.

And now I feel like I've wronged the spirit of Christmas.

Because of this guilt, I confessed to my friend what I had done. She told me that when she was growing up her mom never let her believe in Santa, the tooth fairy, or Easter bunny. I said she didn't have a childhood.

Her reply shocked my world.

She said her mom never promoted seasonal fictitious creatures because how do you tell your child to believe in something they can see and have them find out it is a lie and then expect them to believe in Christ, a man who they can not see.

Maybe she has a point. Maybe I won't pretend to be Santa anymore.

Time

2010-11-30T20:31:00.000-08:00

Happy belated Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for time.

The time I get to have after I've made a mistake to see that it was a mistake.

The time to see my views morph, change, become frustrated, be different than what I've been taught, and be different from what I read.

The time to spend with friends who show me why the world is a place that I want to be a part of, instead of just resenting it.

The time to experience pain so that I know of the reality of the atonement.

The time to teach and see it help others learn about the world.

The time I have to read and learn.

The time to just chill with the fam, while trying to figure out politics and football.

The time I have to enter discussions that sometimes end well and sometimes don't.

The time to view the beauties of the world that God has made.

The time to see my friends change over years and decades and still be friends with them and use them for fashion advice and just advice in general.

The time to experience other cultures and countries.

The time to dream.

The time after a lie to realize that's not who I am.

The time to see the talents of others.

The time to learn how to rely on others.

The time to change what I have done wrong.

The time to learn who I am.

The time to find love.

The time to help save the world.

Lucky for me I have time to be a better person every day.

God bless.

C.S. Lewis

2010-11-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to do a post on C.S. Lewis after an incredible symposium from a traveling scholar. His name is Christopher Mitchell and is from Wheaton College. He's amazing-too bad I ruined the tone of the presentation.

Mitchell did a great job of explaining how Lewis was born into a loving family, which was destroyed by his mother's death and his own trip to what can only be the stereotypical scary boarding school. He didn't enjoy it.

So, he got mad at God. Lewis was mad that God didn't exist. He was mad that God might exist. He was mad that if God did exist then it was unfair that Lewis got the life he had, and that he wasn't asked whether he wanted it or not. Thus, Lewis became an atheist.

Lucky for Lewis he was an oxford prodigy who did very well in his studies of the classics. Throw in World War II for life experience, and Lewis began to rethink religion. Eventually some of his most athiest friends became Christian, and so too did Lewis.

What I found interesting was that Lewis recognized that his education was based in the intellectual ideas of naturalism (you know....Darwin). Well, what Lewis claims is that there is such thing as an arch of humanity, or myths across cultures that reflect the most deep human truths. This he calls imagination. The unexplainable. And that is where one finds religion.

After doing a lot of research on myths, Lewis delineated on the true myth which is frequently alluded to in all cultures and that is Christ's atonement (this was verified by the history channel's show yesterday which talked about how almost every religion has a redemption story and a good vs evil theme). Though, he makes note that conversion is more personal and the moment of conversation is almost impossible to express in words.

Lewis is brilliant.

And he claims that those who aren't Christian are such because of two reasons.

1. Chronology of snobbery (the idea of disregarding the information of past generations)

2. Lacks a satisfactory theory of knowledge (something Lewis deeply related to)

Ok, so how I changed the tone.

After this amazing lecture on Lewis someone brought up how Lewis--the creator of The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe hated children!-can you believe that? Anyway, I referred to a documentary called Shadowlands about how he really didn't like women much either. Keep in mind this is front of many many people.

Now, the presenter stops, says twice that it was a really good question, and quickly disregards talking about Lewis' relationship with women. At that point he was done taking questions....oops. (FYI it was 45 mins after the presentation was supposed to be finished).

My friend just said "way to go Sarah."

Anyway, I heart the presenter and C.S. Lewis (though I wish he liked women and children a little bit more.)

Mitchell also said that Lewis, as an atheist during conversion, said that the literature that spoke the most to him were works by authors who had religion in their lives. It was as if they had tapped into a deeper meaning, and after this realization, look at the works Lewis produced: The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity, and The Screwtape Letters.

Lewis said this about it "A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading."Great literature reflects Christ.

A quote to leave you with "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. "

PS: Happy Sunday-and I am way excited for the new Narnia movie.

Miracles are happening.

2010-11-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

Logan has a downfall that drives me crazy. It doesn't have radio stations that I like....oh wait, it actually only had two stations: spanish polka and contemporary 90's rock. I hated both of these so I had to resort to listening to the only cool cd in my car-Phil Collins (because I always forget my ipod). I now know all of the lyrics to "I'll Be In Your Heart." Well this morning I got in my car and I heard the faint buzz of K Bull 93.3....I cocked my head and I kept driving. The closer I got to main street the clearer the music began. Yes my dear friends, I now have radio in my car. All of my presets work. Hallelujah. And now i'm just praying that it's not just a result of the weather up here...which was my friends rationale. One thing I don't get though is why not everyone is talking about this. I think it's a miracle and no one has even noticed. Lift up thine eyes Logan friends.

In other news BYU beat the Aggies last night in basketball and it was a great game. I was sad I didn't go but a bunch of us grabbed dinner and watched the cougars roll. Jimmer-will you marry me?

Thank you cougar fan, and formally employed student, for making my day with that thought. Just like the big brother who doesn't know there is a rivalry with the younger son, I am still shocked by the rivalry that USU is convinced is happening between the "other blue school."

'Arry Potter?

2010-11-15T20:01:00.000-08:00

For those who follow my blog-you will remember my post about zombies vs humans. Well I have found a college game to trump all games....

Harry Potter's famed game Quidditch is real. Or at least it is really being played. Here are some of my highlights of how the game is played:

One guy is dressed in yellow and is released as the snitch and immediately starts to hide (for some reason this just creates images of some squirrely old man behind a tree...but to make the game cooler I am choosing to think a Jude Law look alike is really drifting between large rocks, trees, and the yacht he wants to take me away on).

Instead of bludgers there are people carrying kickballs and throwing them at other people.

Each player has to keep a broom between their legs.

The game is ended once someone tackles the person in yellow.

If you don't believe that this really exists, go to the official association quidditch website here. Apparently it's sweeping the nation and is at like 64 different colleges.

The Harry Potter movie is coming quickly and my midnight ticket is purchased. I am so excited. Now all I have to figure out is how to learn how to write like J. Rowling. She's my hero. It's not uncommon for me to claim that she brought back literacy to the masses....a claim I'll stand by until I die. She's done more for literacy than basically all English teachers combined. I heart her. To all the unbelievers-Hogwarts exists.

Turns out one of my eyes doesn't work...and i'm dyslexic.

2010-11-10T12:09:00.001-08:00

I'm dyslexic--did you know that blogging world?

Please quickly get rid of the stereotypes of dyslexic people that you are conjuring in your head (it's a little rude).

Ok, just to be fair it's a self diagnosis of being dyslexic but i'm literally 99.9% sure it's true and here is why.

I can't spell. Originally, I wanted to blame my teachers but that's not entirely fair and my mom is a kindergarden teacher and you think if I could be taught how to spell she probably would have tried it. Anyway, I have never been able to spell and it's frustrating and embarrassing. It's not just normal frustrating and embarrassing, it's like "you're a college English teacher and you can't spell? Higher education is going to the dogs" embarrassing. But, never one to be deterred, I decided to do what I love, which is to teach, read and write, and enter a profession that mandates one impossible skill-spelling.

So about an hour ago I was sitting in my office talking to the other instructors and saying that I can't spell and it's beyond just not being good at it. It's an irreversible problem. So, to convince them I turned to the internet (which of course we can trust) and found one of the most hilarious and descriptive article by a writer who is incapable of spelling but other then that is very successful. After a lot of mocking from editors from the Washington Post he went to a specialist and got tested. Turns out he has a mild form of dyslexia.

In the article he wrote "I have some of the symptoms of dyslexia: horrible spelling, serious difficulty remembering names and numbers, a failure to learn the rudiments of a foreign language in spite of two years of college French and a summer in Normandy. But I'm missing the big one -- profound reading trouble." If I were to have written this same statement I would have said this "I have some of the symptoms of dyslexia: horrible spelling, serious difficulty remembering names and numbers, a failure to learn the rudiments of a foreign language in spite of three years of ASL in college and three years of French in high school. But I'm missing the big one--profound reading trouble. In fact, that's one of my strengths."

Apparently, what he and I have is " the underlying threads of dyslexia, but you've (WE'VE)compensated for it really, really well. When you (WE) have time, you (WE) do well. But when you have to do things very quickly, it's not automatic. Your autopilot, for spelling and for reading, just isn't there. As a youngster, Shaywitz says, I (WE) was probably getting just enough information and pleasure from reading to push through some amount of dyslexic drag. And the more I (WE) read, the more compensatory tricks my brain wired into itself until I (WE) became fluent, at least under relaxed conditions. It's only when the heat is on that my (OUR) reading goes a little wobbly and, even more often, my spelling collapses in a heap.

--emphasis added.

If he has dyslexia, based on the symptoms, I do too.

If you too are interested in self diagnosis, or a hilarious read, go here

Humans vs Zombies

2010-11-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

(I did not take this pic...you can find it on google images)

There is a new disease infecting USU. It's worse than swine flu, and far more entertaining. It is called humans vs zombies and it has 800 participants (like, that is the real number on the website). Basically every freshman on campus starts out as a human and slowly gets infected by being touched by zombies. The only way to ward off the zombies is to stun them with sock balls or nerf guns (which, fyi Cache Valley is completely sold out of). It lasts a week long and at the end of the week the winner is whoever stays a human. The students can only play outside so basically students are running around like mad to get indoors. While traveling outside of classes they travel like packs of rats with nerf guns and identifying bandanas. It's pure madness, and entertainment. I have never been more on board for a college campus game. It makes you remember that college is cool....(or at least colleges that let students do things, unlike BYU sometimes).

In response to the exciting conversation of humans vs zombies in class, I brought up the exciting event of voting (which I did by absentee ballot). The response? 25 blank stares, and 3 students asking about voting for what. It broke my heart. Apparently the democratic process doesn't exist to zombies...or humans for that matter.

Hallow's Eve

2010-10-31T22:21:00.000-07:00

In preparation for my own future at Hogwarts (featured below) my roomies and I had a Harry Potter marathon to celebrate the night of ghouls while preparing for movie number 7 to come out...

And instead of celebrating the coveted world of Harry Potter I found myself missing my old world....
My mom once said that everyone has little experiences in our lives that are like gifts, and you need to enjoy them and remember them but remember that they are gifts and you can't repeat them. Mom-that's a depressing idea.

I want to go back to London because it feels like i've been away from my home for too long.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T (to authors)

2010-10-28T20:44:00.001-07:00

Getting an MA means that you get to hang out with English people all day long. This is always a pleasure, but one of the most delightful things about it is the expectation to go to all of the English activities that you would never do in undergrad because it wasn't cool and you had friends other then those in your program. Well, now things have changed and I am very pleased and surprised at the exposure to great authors that USU has been able to attract.

Of the many speakers we have had come I have particularly liked two. I read How the Irish Saved Civilization years ago (thank you dad for being the historian that you are, and for keeping Boarders in business with all of your purchases). Cahill's presentation was about his books in the series about the hinges of history. It's really interesting to hear authors talk about what they love and their perspective on their writing. Cahill is very religious and his talk was very political, particularly about creating a world of hope and faith by stopping war (which he claims has never helped any country). He's also a little profane...which keeps the audience engaged.

Today the speaker we had is the poet of South Africa. She's legit. Think of any award and she's won it. Think of any conference and she's presented there. She lived during the apartheid system and the bantu education act and many of her poems are about growing up in that system. After apartheid was abolished and South Africa was slowly redefining itself HIV struck, and with poor governmental reaction AIDs got incredibly out of hand (with currently 1 in 10 individuals having HIV--most women and mothers). This is particularly interesting to me because I am in a class that is very centered on African writers and their connection with Langston Hughes.

Here is a taste of her writing, and the context of the poem is a reaction against the AIDS epidemic and the young children who are forced to quickly become adults and help to sustain the family.

The head of the household

is a girl of thirteen
and her children are many.

Left-overs, moulting gulls,
wet unweaned sacks

she carries them under her arms
and on her back

though some must walk beside her
bearing their own bones and mash

when not on the floor
in sickness and distress

rolled up in rows
facing the open stall.

Moon and bone-cold stars
navigational spoor

for ambulance, hearse,
the delivery vans

that will fetch and dispatch
the homeless, motherless

unclean and dead
and a girl of thirteen,

children in her arms,
house balanced on her head.

Livn' Logan

2010-10-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been keeping up with Gilmore Girls for the last ten years you're in luck. You can now get all of the seasons on DVD and it is a must do. Anyway, GG has the greatest opening scene full of gorgeous fall colors with a rustic church in the background. It really capitalizes on everything from back east that I want in my life. The city they live in is Stars Hollow and there they do quirky, small town activities. Who knew that Logan was basically Stars Hollow.

(Just in case you want to watch the opening scene here it is...for the story of Logan continue to scroll)

In Logan there is this activity called The Pumpkin Walk. Approaching the walk there are swirling lines of people waiting at giant pumpkin cut outs sparkling with lights at dusk, with children running amuck and adults whispering if they should have brought better coats or shoes.

On this walk different groups bid on creating a charming pumpkin scene. This years theme was animation and so most of the scenes were from pixar movies. It was delightful.

The hens were cool but I wish I had a pic of the rabbits...which were amazing.

Here are my roomies and I just kickin' around with a witch who was able to take a break from her duties at Hogwarts and chill with the Loganites.

And with the free cookies at the end I found myself committing my future falls to the pumpkin walk.

true murmurs....

2010-10-23T23:19:00.000-07:00

Remember the time that you hiked to the lake? It was about after mile 7 that I wanted to turn around, with my legs longing for the body of a marathoner and my eyes casting glances to the dirt trail which promised to take me home. We could have all turned back, without apology or explanation. We had gone long enough to tell others that we had experienced nature, hiked, travelled, and lived.

But we knew we hadn’t reached the pearl of the mountain, protected by steep terrain. The scene of the lake could be etched into our memories, or breathed into our souls with the feeling of the frost touching our lungs and the view reshaping our connection with nature.

So we walked and continued, and in continuing we were delighted and delightful.

And the lake was there, as promised. Just witnessing the pines (subjected to an existence of struggling in a desert) gather life from the pond during that fall was enough to give confidence to our own future, where we live in an equally dry and desert world. It was beautiful and grand and special because we-step after step, curse after curse-reached it. And it was more beautiful for it.

This view, with struggle and drive and hate and love was earned and to share it or pretend that others would ‘get it’ or feel the poison of envy from it cheapens it like the cheapness of a used love poem employed by the boy in his third serious relationship.

Sometimes I feel like there is an expectation in our digital world of facebook updates, twitter feeds, instant news, gchat, and texting to create a connection of information between those close to us, but more often than not with those distant, foreign, and losing the glow friendship.

The whoring of information will cheapen any experience.

Information gleaned from friends or given freely, like a rare lake found, should be protected through the bonds of friendship and not publicized with every blog post.

I think we forget that information doesn’t have to be shared to be real; increased value is given to that which is rare.

Life should be loved because of moments like this.

2010-10-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

This post is not proverbial, deep, poetic, or revealing.

Instead it is one of the funniest things I have ever watched in my entire life.

You must watch it (plus it's like 30 seconds long).

Kudos goes to my grad buddy Matt who did a presentation on using youtube in the classroom and showed me the new love of my life.

Construction

2010-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

As I was walking back from the library after getting my hot chocolate (which is oh so needed to get me through the cold afternoon, the cold office, and the head cold I have) I paused at the sight where the new agriculture building is being built.

There stood a man, mid forties with the lines of life beginning to forge their permanence next to his tired eyes, standing in his new leather shoes and pressed shirt (missing only the tweed jacket for a stereotypical professor).

He stood and watched, leaning on tip toes to see the hole which is claiming the center of campus. There he patiently waited to witness the dump truck and the digger work in their predictable symbiotic relationship to delve deeper into the earth.

After 24 years of schooling, the fascination he had with construction as a four-year-old still shines.

Simple pleasures my friends, simple pleasures.

Who I want to be when I grow up

2010-09-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

I may or may not have the smartest brother around.

He's quoted in the Times, LA Times, Business Week, MSN, and a bunch of other cool magazines. (As a writer I feel like he is living my dream. If I wasn't so happy for him I might be jealous.)

Congrats Nick!!

Find his quotes here

PS-Not only is he the number one researcher in a study concerning MRIs he is also humble, charitable, nice, and pretty funny. So I suppose the point is--I am proud to call Dr. Orme my brother, not only because he is experiencing his five minuets of fame, but also because I know him as a great friend, brother, and doctor.

PPS-As if the world didn't have enough lawyers I am proud to say that the state of Utah just accepted its newest (and probably best) member. Congrats to my brother Matt for passing the bar exam. I envy his life of searching for a new house, and his gorgeous wife and baby. His dream is one that I won't see for a solid ten years (that's a decade)! Maybe this just means I will have to expect more free dinners from him.

PPPS-As an after thought, my mentor thought my thesis idea was excellent and now I get to start creating a proposal. Woot Woot--watch for me in NY Times someday (the only cooler newspaper that I can think of that Nick isn't mentioned in....)

The Poof

2010-09-17T07:47:00.001-07:00

I was warned about two things in Logan.

Tied-dye shirts and the poof. I have had numerous experiences with both, but this post is dedicated to the poof.

If you don’t know what the poof is you must come visit. Northern Utahans (I just had to look up if that is really what natives of Utah are called, and we are indeed Utahans) love to sport the high volume poof in their hair. The style is simple. You take straight, beautiful hair and ruin it my ratting the under layers, destroying them (and possibly the atmosphere) with hair spray in a can, and then smoothing the top. Thus adding 4 inches of height.

I was talking to my roommates about the poof and Annie said “everybody poofs.” As if that statement alone isn’t funny enough, I couldn’t stop thinking about the book “Everybody Poops,” a childhood classic. I digress.

Anyway, I look around and it’s true. Virtually 80% of the girls up here are sporting the poof proudly. It seems unspoken that there is a competition and the one with the most poof has the most power. Poof=power. An odd equation, but one which the Loganites (I didn’t look up that name. I am choosing to believe they are called Loganites because it sounds fantastic) hold to. Sometimes I sit in class and look around at the poofs, because it’s hard to see the professor due to said poof, and I just think about how much work the poof is. The irony of it all is I spend all morning attempting to rid myself of my natural poof, a product of very curly hair, and am always a little disappointed with the inevitable remaining poof. In my world poof= girls with a inferiority complex whose fake nails are always too short for them and their Aeropostal shirts have been dried one time too many. But alas, there is the small voice inside of me that, for .5 sec thinks, I’m so glad I have natural (or any sort) of volumne in my hair.

I often wonder if the poof is natural though--or if they have invested in the ever classic tv infomercial of the bumpit. This invention, which comes in three sizes, allows for the unnatural look of the poof (sometimes referred to as the bump-hense bumpit) to be done in mere minuets. Thank you inventor--for further delaying the progress of women in Logan.

If you're wondering how a bumpit works I've added instructions.

The point of this post? To pledge to never intentionally poof and to keep a healthy perspective of how ridiculous the poof is. This could be a challenge because I am surrounded by it daily. Will you make the pledge?

English 1010-The First Assignment

2010-09-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I that I might let you all in on what I currently spend all of my time doing. Teaching. As most of you know I teach two freshman English courses. I had to teach this assignment that allows them to choose their own songs and write an essay about why the songs are important to them. I didn't love the topic of this assignment, but it seems like the students enjoyed it. Anyway-I thought I might post my example here so you can see what the students are, ideally, supposed to create.

My Ramblings in the United Kingdom

Sitting on the stain colored carpet in Bath, England the tears began to swell. I had just spoken with my brother about his second child, Marie, and had heard the phrase that we all knew was coming. She had passed away and her funeral would be the following week. That night, as I feel asleep, the song “When You Come Back Down” by Nickel Creek flowed through the white cord of my iPod into my mournful heart.

The lyrics told what I was unable to begin to think about “you got to leave me now, you got to go alone.” Marie, a child who hardly was able to experience the world, was leaving alone. And though I knew she was in pain, the thought of her death seemed incomprehensible. Leaving the arms of my brother was her only option, and the calming cadence of the song with the lyrics which said “I’ll be the other hand that always holds the line, Connectin’ in between your sweet heart and mine” helped me realize that our relationship still existed. She would not be forgotten. And now, having returned from living abroad, and with the passing years of Marie’s death, I still find myself listening to Nickel Creek and remembering Marie. The song “When You Come Back Down” has transformed from a song once easily neglected and forgotten, to a contemplative experience with focused thoughts on Marie.

Lyrics of songs have a way of helping to remove me from my life, and transport me to an experience and make it immortal. This has happened on numerous occasions when I listen to the Braveheart sound track. In a whirlwind of memories I find myself removed to a hike in Scotland.

After a long bus ride, where 40 of us were herded into a shaky double Decker bus, we were glad to be dropped at the base of a tall crag outside of Edinburgh. With this as my first experience in Scotland, I gazed at the rock face on the north side with respect and admiration.

This crag, detailed with golden bushes and thriving thistles, stood majestically as we began our ascent. Slowly, but determinedly, we rose with the swells of the wind toward the peak. As we approached the top, overlooking a scene previously only experienced in books, I was converted to the beauty of the highlands. Silently my gaze turned to the walled city and with the far distant hum of bagpipes, I fell in love with Scotland. The aged castle, with ivy and brush trying to take back the mark of man, stood in the distance. The guards were being changed. Scotsman dressed with their regalia, stood with pride while spectators watched. While absorbing the view, once claimed exclusively by my ancestors, my friend took me to the top where she and I listened to William Wallace’s “Freedom Speech” given to the Scottish Army as depicted in the movie Braveheart. Following the speech, we listened to the song titled “Freedom.”

This instrumental piece is intended to reflect the history of Scotland’s independence, with the crescendo’s matching the speeches arguing for freedom, and the almost forgotten bagpipes in the background representing the influence of Scotland. The song effectively creates a movement of passion and love for the Scotsman’s drive for their own freedom. The piece creates a surge of emotion and love for the land of the thistle.

When I reflect on my time in the United Kingdom I have a littering of memories. Some of these memories are vague and fleeting, but those that are associated with songs are captivating and create a picture that is as clear as yesterday’s memories. Nickel Creek helps me to remember the experience of Marie’s death, and experiencing the soundtrack of Braveheart in Scotland have allowed for more powerful memories which remain far longer than experiences not associated with music. The songs have transportive qualities, which allows for me to relive the experience, and over time I find myself appreciating the experiences more because of the interplay between the two.

Why the movie The Holiday has ruined my life

2010-09-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have a true love for the movie The Holiday. But, unfortunately, upon further reflection I have realized that it has ruined my ability to have a normal relationship/day.

Part of my love for The Holiday is due to the many attractive individuals. Thank you Jude Law for breathing. How in the world is one supposed to exist in the world of Logan city with expectations of individuals like Jude Law. As of right now I have yet to met any Judes and instead many a non-Jude. (Karli agrees but wants to mention that it's also hard without David Archuleto around....Just to clarify the two are in completely different leagues.)

Additionally, the movie has mixed romance with my love for Christmas. It was a very shrewd trick of the directors of this movie to mix ones love for the holiday scents and smells with relationship love. So, not only does this movie make you miss having a boy but combined with Christmas you miss the feelings of the best season of the year.

It ruins my day because whenever I see movies staged in the UK I go into my regular post-london coma of sadness. And then, on the flip side, they show California and it makes me want the sun. real bad.

In other news-

My rommies and I just broke into singing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and no one said a word. Love it.

I'm lovin' the pic of Jude above.

I had a great Labor day weekend with many Provo parties and a lot of football talk.

I'm still surviving grad school.

A rare picture.

2010-08-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

This photo is taken by the very talented Kylie Nixon and I am in love with it. The girls and I met up for dinner in SLC. Thankfully Logan is within driving distance of most of my friends. It makes all the difference in the world. I was describing my friends to my new roomies and they all commented on how successful they are and gorgeous. If only they knew how true that is.

Highlights of my life in Logan:

Teaching students who looked absolutely terrified in the first five minutes of class but by the end were discussing what types of skis are the best for this season and who will be the national football champion. (Clearly related to English)

Roommates who are just fantastic. I mean, they like Glee and bashing on boys, and I like Glee and bashing on boys, so basically I feel we're a match made in USU heaven.

Cafe Rio that has this amazing thing called taco Tuesdays where you can buy a pork taco for $1.50. I almost wanted to cry I was so happy.

Realizing that I am still a BYU cougar with the following events.

1. In my institute class my professor asked where I was from and when I said Provo he replied "we like you so much more for choosing us over BYU." My retort "I graduated from BYU and am still a cougar at heart." Though this phrase was a lot creepier said aloud than anticipated I gracefully accepted the boos from the class. Who knew there was a rival between USU and BYU...apparently only USU.

2. When BYU just announced their independence I got a grin on my face that hasn't left. I proceed to tell my roommates all about it. They didn't really care but they loved my enthusiasm.

Life is good.

Paradise

2010-08-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

This blog of mine is not a book review, I promise. I read far too many books to have the small sampling here be a credit to the books that I digest, but, sometimes books are so powerful that I can't stop thinking about them and so I have to write about them.

I realized that This Side of Paradise was such a book when I was at a restaurant talking with Rebbie last night and I had my hands in the air in exclamation and admiration. Regrettably, I can not take that moment back but it doesn't diminish the love I have for the book.

I have known the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, for some time. Yes, I know that I don't technically "know" him but I'm relatively well versed in his work. For instance, my favorite quote is from his book The Great Gatsby where it closes saying, "And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

This Side of Paradise is currently one of my favorite books-of all time. I tried to start this book four years ago, at the beginning of what would be some of the most definitive years of my life. I couldn't get past page 60 (partly because the book was broken and the pages were falling out, but mostly because I couldn't relate to the context). I am so grateful I attempted again when I did.

The book is a recursive glance into the protagonist years as a college student and his transition on. What a fitting theme. It talks about lost love that can never be repeated, the friendships that come to define us but have faded, intellectual growth, questioning of systems, the mistakes of youth, and a love for the loss of innocence. The brilliance in the book though is showing that it is not the innocence that is missed, but the action of losing it.

I believe in the saying that the worst thing for a book is a plot--because it takes away from the art of writing. This novel does not have a strong plot/story line, with its skills lying in the realism of the writing as well as deep, humanistic themes. (So, you really have to give this book a chance, the ending is worth everything and more.)

I am so in love with the way that Fitzgerald writes that I can't stand the injustice that I am giving his novel by attempting to describe it in such incomparable terms.

I would recommend this book to anyone, but I would strongly recommend it to any recently graduated college student who can relate to the development of Amory Blaine.

To close, Fitzgerald wrote "His youth seemed never so vanished as now in the contrast between the utter loneliness of this visit and that riotous, joyful party of four years before."

A toast to the party of four years ago.

Late work?

2010-08-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

I have somehow tricked USU into thinking that I am capable of teaching two 1010 English courses. Jokes on them. Anyway, I had to make a syllabus today for them and seriously sat for 80 mins trying to decide a late policy. Do I want to be the cool grad student who gets how annoying homework is and let the students turn in late work or do I go for the hard-nosed no late work ever policy. Well, I wrote down that if they turn in work late they can receive up to 50% credit. Any thoughts on what I should do? Your guess is as good as mine.

44 new students on Monday.

I think I may have the best job ever.

ruminating.

2010-08-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the rain fell, and it was as if the world was being washed of its pains and sufferings. The scars left by the roads temporarily relieved by the waters furious flow. I sat at my desk watching the lighting change, feeling the temperature drop, and I was temporarily removed from work in deep, contemplative thought. But as I watched the rain, I witnessed social networks change their focus to talk about the rain, their love for the rain, and their excitement in the weather. The Provo blogging world took hold to give their own cadence to the conversation of rain and to again experience the rain through writing.

But is it the rain that causes the excitement? Could it be the change in pressure system and hydraulics that really makes people want to talk about it? Is there romance in the rain or is the beauty in the change. The beauty is not in the precipitation, but in the newness of the experience. Just as after a hard winter we rejoice in warmth, or we flirt with fall as the colors on the leaves change, or we can’t help but talk about the rain in the dry desert, we love the drama in the change. Weather being a never ending play with new sets, directions, failings, and characters.

And as the play of the weather unfolds so does each day, each season, and each new school year. The change in the weather that causes the excitement is like the change in each of our lives. And just as the feeling of knowing rain is coming without feeling the drops, instinct claims controls and whispers that change is forthcoming.

I feel that change is coming. I hope it’s as pleasant as the rain.

Nature vs girl

2010-08-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

There are a select few, never ending, conflicts in this world that always have, and always will, dictate conversation, make history, and give the dreamer hope in the future. Examples of such are good vs evil, Israel vs Palestine, maple donut vs the chocolate donut from 7-11, diet dr. pepper vs dr. pepper, English vs math, glasses vs contacts, and the list continues. My own polar conflict is nature vs me.

Nature. Just the name makes me think of the fights we have been in throughout my life. It started out as an innocent fight—I didn’t want to go to girl’s camp because I had a hard time sleeping on the ground. Nature’s intuition felt my dislike for it and promptly I fell into a lake. At this moment I knew nature was a bully. Nature, a very unforgiving foe, then sabotaged my love for my cabin by having bats in the rafters and in my room. This was when the true divorce happened. I hated nature, and it was too big for me to do anything against it but to loath it. My hatred only increased with the sun rash nature so lovingly gave me in Lake Powell. Two years later, thinking that both nature and I had grown up and that the feud was over, I went rock climbing down in Moab. Nature, along with Johnson & Johnson sunscreen, gave my eye a crazy reaction and sent me back to the hotel.

This decade long feud, one which I thought would always be a thorn in my side, was mediated this weekend. I hiked a mountain. I didn’t just go on a hike-I hiked Timpanogos and went camping in the woods with a hammock (first time real camping-woot woot). I went with two boys who are legit hikers and though I know I slowed them down, they were saints to help me experience nature in a positive way. We started at 7 and got to emerald lake at 10. There we made camp and then woke up at 4 and hiked to the summit to see the sunrise. We then came home at around 11. I am happy to say that nature and I got along splendidly. I picked up some trash littering her mountain side, while she only gave me a giant blister, sore body, and sunburned lips instead of the very likely broken neck.

Will I ever hike Timp again? No. Will I tell everyone that I have done it? Yes. Will I start getting in shape now because the hike helped me realize that my heart needs a little more cheerios and a little less chocolate cake? Hopefully, but probably not.

Anyway, it was a great adventure and I highly recommend any girl to convince Devin and Chris to take them on an adventure. Fun guaranteed.

let them eat cake

2010-08-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

If I could start my life over I would be a professional cake decorator. Attempting this cake in t minus two hours...

I'm going to America...

2010-07-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

As summer is nearing a close, I thought I might document some of the trips I went on this summer. Many college students spend their summers traveling abroad—but, having done that (and not being able to afford it again quite yet) I experienced the US of A. and have thus far been to 11 states. Here is the best and worst of each state.

Mandi and I flew out to Michigan to pick up our dear friend Erica who had just graduated college and needed to get back to Zion, which meant driving her car home. We flew into Detroit, Michigan and started our trek.

Michigan:

Loved: Ann Arbor is such a gorgeous college town. The school itself breathes history and richness that is beyond wealth. It’s a mix of education and status ranking…and money. The buildings were architecture gems with the music school being the shape of a piano, and the library having leather upholstered doors and great rooms similar to Oxford and Cambridge. Big plus, it had squirrels everywhere. It was so fun to see where Erica has lived for the last four years. The food was great, her friends were better, and this trip cemented an 8 year friendship.

Loved less: Detroit was a very sad city. We went to an art exhibit in a very abandoned part of town which had put creepy stuffed animals and junk in abandoned houses. If you want to experience recession, walk over to Detroit.

Indiana:

Loved: Truth is I had completely forgotten that we drove through Indiana so I loved how short the drive was.

Loved less: How sad the forgotten people of Indiana must be when they realize their state is neglected.

Illinois:

Loved: Chicago! It was such a fun city, and so fun to experience it with two of my best friends. We walked down millennium mile, had deep dish pizza, went shopping, and took the most amazing boat tour. It’s a boat tour that goes on the Chicago River, and describes all of the architecture. The buildings there are amazing, and it’s rumored that Oprah was hanging out there when we were there too.

Loved less: That we didn’t get to spend much time there and that I was driving into the city with a stick car in stop-and-go traffic for 90 min.

Iowa:

Loved: The rolling hills and the sunshine.

Loved less: That I didn’t get to see the corn fully ripe in these fields. I am sure they look beautiful.

Nebraska:

Loved: Getting out of that city.

Loved less: The b&b we stayed at. True story, we rolled up far into the night on a deserted road to find a very secluded house, with possible murderers lurking in the bushes, and realized that was where we were sleeping for the night. It got far worse when Mandi and I looked into our room and saw the 30+ clowns who were looking at us with menacing glares. Once the music box with murder themed songs started to play we considered ourselves dead. It’s amazing we got out.

Wyoming:

Loved: Experiencing the true west. Dirt, dirt, and more dirt.

Loved less: That we were still driving at this point, a drive which took us 24 hours in the car. Good thing we had podcasts, music, and as always a political/controversial conversation happening.

All throughout the trip we realized we were missing the other member of our posse-miss Kellee Marie Cook. She was in NYC doing an internship. She was there with two other candy shoppers (Reb and Ky) and I knew that I had to get out and party with them. So after I got home I was off to NYC!

New York:

Loved: Seeing my friends who I had missed more than anything. Loved the beach, the Broadway show Jersey Boys, food (Max Brenner, La Esquina, Stardust, Grimaldi’s , Brooklyn ice cream….the list could easily go on).

Loved Less: Cooney island freak show, the price of taxis, the heat of the subway, and not being able to buy everything I saw in the stores.

After New York, Ky, Kel and I hurried off to meet my parents in D.C. The only way to travel is the megabus. Yup, that classy bus was a $15.00 trip, and 5 hours of road-tripping fun.

Maryland:

Loved: One of my best friends was from this state and I always heard stories from him about it. I loved driving through and seeing how green it was.

Loved Less: How short the trip was and how much I wanted to see there.

D.C. (technically not a state…)

Loved: Everything. I felt like home. I loved the vibe of the city—politics, shopping, politics, and people who wear really classy clothes. For those who didn’t know, I was obsessed with the show The West Wing, and am even more so now. I loved having ky and kel there and randomly Erica was in town so we went to dinner. (Big shout out to Mike and Dottie for housing us and letting me hang out with them there!) Loved hanging out with my parents, seeing museums, using the great underground system, and shopping in Georgetown. We went on a great tour of the capitol and just hung out!

Loved Less: That I knew I had to go home. New goal: move there.

Virginia

Loved: Driving through a little bit of the state that will, eventually, become my home.

Loved less: That we just drove through it.

Pennsylvania

The triplets (a term ky, kel and I gave ourselves) went with my parents to Gettysburg.

Loved: Having a dad who literally knew everything about everything there. Loved experiencing the sacrifice of the soldiers during the civil war, and loved the prose of President Lincoln. Loved laughing with Ky and Kel, all of us college graduates and still sticking around with my rents.

Loved Less: That the tour took a really long time (like 6 hours) and though I love learning, it was a bit much.

America is BIG. Trust me, I drove across it. These trips were great because of the fun cities and things to do, but mostly because of the amazing people in my lives who I got to experience them with. As my friends start to get married, and with me moving in August, it was so fun to be able to do such cool things with them this summer. Making memories that will last a lifetime, and being able to truly appreciate the incredible influence they've had on my life makes me wonder if USU has anyone who is half as incredible to spend my time with. So, on to planning future trips that will be just as exciting.

HBLL

2010-06-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

This is it--the library. Notice the frazzel look of me and MJ. We are tired of being here. This is officially the last time i'll be here studying (or as would be true to form not studying) as a BYU student. I am about to go and take my last final. Go COUGARS! I heart it here.

**Note the abandoned pair of scriptures on the desk in the picture. Classic cougar act. Also, I was very tempted to take a picture of a little girl who was running around here with her faced painted like a cat. Love it. Love her.

Villanelle

2010-06-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

He Is The Way, The Truth, The Light

The one with whom we must unite,

Brother and savior to us all.

He is the way, the truth, the light.

As mortals we discern our lives, finite

And dared to bring about His fall

The one with whom we must unite.

And to the blind, he gave them sight

And saved the sinners, one named Saul

He is the way, the truth, the light.

He served, and saved, and faced his plight

Never one to falter, or to fall.

The one with whom we must unite.

The man who sacrificed his right,

Christ hung and gave his life for all.

He is the way, the truth, the light.

He offers us, each one respite

If we but listen to his call,

The one with whom we must unite

He is the way, the truth, the light.

Ode to Snow

2010-05-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Placing a pause on life, lying dormant we watch
the reveler of earths contours fall
Slowly
Determined.
Hushed tones with visions of renewal. we ‘re exposed
to purity,
Peace.
Seemingly passive aggressive nature against life breaks
and shines as a tool of renewal.
Flocked trees threaten to destroy layered perfection.
The guardian of white rabbits,
amending the scars of farm work.
It stays with silent temperance.

Creative Writing

2010-04-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

I am in a creative writing class and so I think I will occasionally put stuff I write on my blog; hopefully to receive criticism of how I can become a better writer.

I actually think this piece is pretty entertaining. If you want to read something amazing, similar, and better written read the vingette titled "My Name" by Sandra Cisneros found in her novella House on Mango Street.

Sarah (with an H) no middle name Orme

To quote my mother, “can you believe they named their kid Abcde? How in the world will any of her teachers ever know how to say their name or spell it? I feel so bad for kids that get weird names.” This conversation of weird names rolls around every fall when the smell of sharpened pencils and new clothes are flowing through the neighborhoods as children ready themselves for school. My mom, a kindergarten teacher, joins the ranks of many educators who look with disgust on names that have difficult or weird spellings and bizarre pronunciations. Every year a select few of her students are chosen as victims of the conversation of weird names, followed by the discussion of how inconsiderate it is of parents to tag their children with titles that seem more fit for a suitcase in Switzerland than an American name. This, being the background of my own personal name giver, explains why each of the Orme children has names that are located within the rankings of the most popular names through the ages. The children in our family are named Chris, Nick, Matt and I follow the litter with the well-known, over-exploited, Mormon name Sarah (with an H of course).

I dare you to sit in a public classroom in Provo, Ut and call the name Sarah. Guaranteed three girls will look of at you. Ok, it’s probable that the name Sarah does not have this dense of a population but it often feels like it. Rarely do I find myself in a world of being the only Sarah. There are many of us around. For many, a shared name is not that big of a deal considering you have a middle name. Well, I don’t. It is possible that I am currently the disappointment of my father because I have yet to marry-completing his claim that girls don’t need middle names because their last names feel that gap. My gap of a “no-middle-namer” is currently larger than ever. And to be honest, it is bizarre that the culture I have grown up in makes it seem like women don’t need a middle name because they get a new name eventually. I fear to continue with this thread of thought because it may turn into a “women deserve the same thing as men” and as not to let this topic deluge into that, I will just make mention again that I have an empty line, an absence on a page, where many fill in their middle name.

To recap—I have an all to common first name and I lack a middle name. Optimistically you would believe that the fates would grace me with a unique last name. One in which I can own as a unique part of my identity. Well, this reliance on fate, karma, or good-will is falsely put. My last name is Orme. The history is that there was a Welch rock named the rock d’orme…a rock that looks like a snake. After living in poverty in Europe we came to America searching for our fortunes and wound up in Provo, Ut, snuggled next to an all-familiar city. The neighboring city is named Orem. Seriously. This wanna-be-Provo city has confused anyone asking about my last name like platypuses are confused about what type of animal they are. Anyone who pronounces my last name will automatically ask if it is like the city, or ask if I own the city, or inquire if I know that there is a city like my last name. To complete this picture of confusion with the city, as I was student teaching last semester I heard giggling from the back. Finally, I asked the boys what they were talking about and they replied, “I think it’s so funny that you go by your title. Maybe you can bring your sash and crown next time.” The students address me as Miss Orme and had for a week legitimately believed I went by a “scholarship fund” award; a beauty pageant winner. Laughing, I took this as a compliment to my beauty and talents and explained to them why the city I hail from, Provo, is better than Orem.

To commoners without the name Sarah Orme, it may appear that though the name has seemingly common elements it makes up what is probably an uncommon name. That is what I used to think until a BYU student named Sarah Orme started working for my dad in the ASB. Call her a doppelganger, call her a replacement child for my father, or call her a BYU-I student who transferred to Provo, only to stay here for a semester before she got married and moved away. We became commonly confused.

What is in a name? To some it becomes more than an arbitrary title but a part of an inherent identity. This mentality, I believe, is wrong. Though there may be cities with my name, 785,170 women with the first name of Sarah in the United States, and a former BYU student with my exact name I have developed a relationship with my name, which I have come to love. Though I was named after a courageous women who crossed the plains, evading death in the Willie Martin Handcart Company, and though there is a book written about Sarah plain and tall, and though there is a women sitting with the sash of Miss Orem proudly portrayed, I am not one of them.

I am Sarah (with an H), who lacks a middle name, and who almost shares a surname with a neighboring city. I am a woman who is excited to meet those with similar and different names and to know them not for a tag, title, or need of identification for the U.S. census bureau, but for who they are. For people are people, names are just a way of helping them to remember which person is being referenced. A name is not an identity; it is a representation of the human need for separation and categorization. Happy for those with unique names, happy for those who like their names, and congratulations to those who paid $200.00 to the state to change their names. For me, I will keep my name and look expectantly to the future for confusion that my name will, without question, produce.

Bucket List

2010-03-30T19:58:00.001-07:00

They call it life's "bucket list." A system of wants, wishes, and dreams that will hopefully be realized within one's life. This post is not intended to mention all the things on my list, some being far too embarrassing or private to share, but I think I will mention some realized, some in the making, and some (hopefully) quickly approaching.

Those realized:

Teach seniors in high school
If you think that wise guys, or any other stand up comedy club is funny you clearly have not hung out with 18 year olds about to graduate. They are so funny. The sarcasm is so rich and if you're willing to laugh at your own mistakes all you do is laugh the day away. I truly love them so much and am going to miss them. Highlight of the day "what are you doing after graduation?" he replies, "go on a mission." I pause and say "that's great, but what about after?" He gives me a look of confusion and says "I don't know..." Truly, I don't think he realized life exists post mission. So funny.

Ramble around London
My study abroad gave me opportunities to travel that I never would have dreamed. I frequently think about the used bookstores that stole my heart, or the chocolate that made me gain 10 well-worth it pounds. I found friends who will last a lifetime and memories that will make me jealous of my 20 year old self for the rest of my life.

Graduate from BYU
Well, I'm walking in April for good or for bad. It's a result of a lot of early mornings and late nights of studying to graduate but I think it was worth it. Too bad I have to go to spring semester and take a religion class......choice words are going through my head directed at the religion department (probably not good for Karma).

Those in the making:

Go to graduate school
This week I committed to go to Utah State University to get my masters in English (emphasizing in rhetoric and composition). They also have me teaching two classes of freshman English in the fall and then two in the winter. Welcome to teaching RMs that are my age. I really am so excited! It's close enough to home to visit but far enough to start to stretch my wings. Plus, I feel really good about it. I think I'm supposed to be there---this being the only thought that is getting me past the fact that it's in Logan. Plus, I get to teach (see item #1).

Live with my best friends
After years of convincing, Mandi finally succumbed to moving in with Kellee and I. To top it off I made a new best friend, Rebbie, and was able to continue the London experience with my bunk buddy Ky. Luckily Ky is friends with Mary so we truly have North Ogden represented and have created a family of friends.

Wear my hair curly
After years of insecurity about curly hair, I have been forced to get over it because I have to be at school at 7 am which means that I have ten minutes to get ready for school--the perfect amount of time to put gel in my hair and run out the door. Luckily the feedback has been good.

Those quickly approaching (hopefully):

Living back east
I have always wanted to live back east, and though it is not being realized now I am hoping that maybe during the summer after my first year of graduate school I will be able to do an internship there. Keep your fingers crossed.

Taking a creative writing class
I love English (which most of you know) and I have never taken a creative writing class. This skill, when learned, will hopefully realize my dream (which is also mentioned on whatwhitepeoplelike) to write a book. For all of my faithful readers I promise you a signed, first edition copies.

Getting Married.....
Mostly I just am sick of first dates....so this is my solution, for now, to get out of them (jk).

Well there is a quick update for you all.

Loves,
S.

St. P's Day

2010-03-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Saint Patrick's day. You are very right, as I am sure you are thinking that today is not, in fact, St. P's day. Additionally, you're right because I am not catholic and really don't care (usually) about saints' days. But, this years March 17th was so great I wanted to blog about it (blog being the measurement of truly great days). I taught, which is no surprise, but half way through the day I decided to walk down to the copy room. Understand that the English department are full of the snobs of the high school. We see ourselves as the 'true' educators, those with esoteric knowledge the we attempt to shove down the throats of 18 year-olds who only want to graduate in two months--and consequently don't care about English. Anyway, I forget what high school teachers are really like outside of the English wing. But this day helped me to remember. I stumbled upon a teacher who is a short little man, and was wearing a giant green hat, died red hair, a three piece green outfit, completed with fake ears which made him look like a 100% certified, out of the shire, leprechaun. All I could say was top of the morning and rushed off to find the last copy of the Luck of the Irish from blockbuster. One of the many reasons high school is the funniest job I've ever had. And, don't forget, by job I really mean indentured servant to the state of Utah because I spend 60 hours working without pay.

To close the day in St. P-day celebration, my roommate is a keyboardist to a Celtic band (true story) and they had a concert where they followed a bag piping band. It was fantastic...until they tried to make us do Celtic dancing which didn't go over so well. Maybe next time.....

Anyway, I was reading poetry a few nights ago and I stumbled upon this little poem which I think describes Rebbie to a T. And the other creative people in my life.

Arthur O'Shaughnessy.
1844–1881

Ode

WE are the music-makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;
World-losers and world-forsakers,	5
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.

With wonderful deathless ditties
We build up the world's great cities,	10
And out of a fabulous story
We fashion an empire's glory:
One man with a dream, at pleasure,
Shall go forth and conquer a crown;
And three with a new song's measure	15
Can trample an empire down.

We, in the ages lying
In the buried past of the earth,
Built Nineveh with our sighing,
And Babel itself with our mirth;	20
And o'erthrew them with prophesying
To the old of the new world's worth;
For each age is a dream that is dying,
Or one that is coming to birth.

22!!

2010-02-25T15:50:00.001-08:00

This is a taste of my birthday this year. Thanks to Chels for the matching boutineers and to ky for the kewl pic.

Stargirl

2010-02-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Jerry Spinelli can write. You may recall his name from the highly read book Maniac Maggee a novel centered around a boy who runs. Always. Well Stargirl has been sweeping the scene of young adult literature and the book was given to me on Monday. Though I am not usually one to love young adult literature, this book is fantastic. The words have a way of talking about love like a lazy ballon, or a friend as a substance of bendable light. The theme is one not uncommon to YA lit, a tale of a teenager being an individual. But this story is not about the protagonist, but instead is told by her friend who describes the changes that Stargirl goes though when trying to be popular, herself, a cheerleader, owner of a rat, do-gooder, and happy person. Though an easy read, I find myself reflecting on how I feel that I can be a better person, one who cares less about myself and more about others. I highly recommend this book to everyone (particually those who have lost the desire to find oneself in the haze of commonality which is so often a cruch to people).

Welcome back Sarah, you are alive

2010-02-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

Best things of the last few months:

Student teaching.

I started my student teaching at Mountain View High teaching English. I love it. I truly love the kids and find it the most humorous thing I’ve ever done. Every time I go to class I laugh so hard. I do love to learn all about the English language and have the most incredible lead teacher. She knows everything.

Finishing applications for graduate school.

I finished taking the GRE and all of my applications are in! Now it’s just a waiting game to see if I get in.

Becoming an aunt again.

I have a new nephew named Carter and a new niece named Avery.

Health.

I am in relatively good health.

Dating.

I go on dates.

Worst things of the last few months:

Student teaching.

I started student teaching and remembered a few things about high school. The students get up so early. I am so tired of 6:00am. There are still the cool kids and not cool kids, there are still the people who are scared, afraid of others, and stealing their friends notebooks. I wish students had a little bit more self-confidence and a little more love for one another.

Finishing applications for graduate school.

I had to take the GRE (aka, the devils favorite test) twice. I had a professor who turned in a letter of recommendation 5 weeks late, and a school that thought they had lost my manuscript. Plus, I still have to live in an interim period of not knowing if I’ve been accepted. If I get in somewhere I might be a little shocked.

Becoming an aunt again.

I have yet to see Carter and Avery.

Health.

I had to get over mono, and missed a very important presentation. I have had dry skin so bad that the skin by my eyes has been puffy, red, and painful (haven’t worn makeup for a week). Luckily, the medicine is helping and it’s getting better. It could always be worse though.

Dating.

I go on dates.

Overall, things are going well. Life is running along just smoothly. I am obsessed with the girls I live with and we are all very sad for the approaching day of graduation and moving on from one another. I am quickly approaching 22 and so grateful for the many blessing and opportunities that I have been given. I am truly blessed.

So as for my lack of blogging participation-- I would say I'll try to be better but that may just be setting myself up for failure.

Winter

2009-10-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

.
.
.
It snowed today. White little flakes reminding me of winter. I feel like I should go and gather nuts so that I will have food for the season that kills. But who's afraid of the snow when we have H1N1 virus floating around. H1N1 has BYU paranoid....and their constant e-mails to professors has been the best! I've been missing school because I've been sick and teachers have to be nice (the e-mails say so.) Thank you swine flu, thank you.

Welcome October

2009-09-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall

First Leaf

by Lia Purpura October 5, 2009

That yellow

was a falling off,

a fall

for once I saw

coming—

it could

in its stillness

still be turned from,

it was not

yet ferocious,

its hold drew me,

was a shiny switchplate

in the otherwise dark,

rash, ongoing green,

a green so hungry

for light and air that

part gave up,

went alone,

chose to leave,

and by choosing

embellishment

got seen.

long time, no blog

2009-09-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the CANDY SHOPPE. The snapshot is of some of my best friends and I in front of the house that we live in, properly named the candy shoppe. Already this year has been a blast. The people in the picture (from left to right) are me, Mandi, Mary, Kellee, Reb, and Kylie. I love the house, partly because it is so nice but mostly because I get to go home to some of my favorite people every day. Notice the porch, yesterday my friends and I enjoyed a chilled dr. pepper and talked--absolute bliss for me.

My senior year of college is going to be filled with a lot of school, but this time it's fun school. Tomorrow I go to mt. view high school to start working with the teacher who I will be doing my student teaching with in January. It's amazing that they are going to trust me to teach students how to write and enjoy english. Cross your fingers that it goes well. The rest of my time is trying to figure out poetry and transcendalist authors.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am excited for the new year and appreaciative of all the blessings that I recieve and remember girls 09 is our year!

Ps: Below are some random pictures that were taken the same day. I'm sure you're curious who the amazing photographer is....and it should come to no surprise that it was Kylie. She is so talented.

Kel and I

MJ, Mandi and I swinging on our neighbors swing. We wish it was on our porch but for now we'll take the chairs and dp.

Bat, the animal...not the sporting equipment

2009-07-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

This last week I was able to go to my cabin in Idaho. Lets clarify cabin really quick. It's more like a house, well it is a house, complete with all the amenities and a fire pit in the front so it 'feels' like camping. Yes sir, that is how I rough it in the wilderness. The days were filled with early morning mountain bike rides and canoe trips. Smores dominated the nights, while i discovered possibly my new favorite short story writer (read Flannery O'conner's short story A Good Man is Hard to Find or Good Country People--they definitely make you think). Anyway it was my kind of vacation, lots of food, family, and no cell phone service. Then it all changed.

I have been having difficulty sleeping recently and so I was sitting in my bed listening to music that erica, once again, so kindly donated. I looked out my door and saw my dad sitting on the stairs. I asked him what he was doing and he coolly replied "I think I just saw a bat." My retort was laughter and I quickly reminded him that I was mocking him and bats prior to his going to bed so it must have been that conversation that caused him to dream of bats. He was not convinced so he went down stairs. An hour later I was still up and this time thinking about bats. I couldn't go to sleep so I meandered down stairs, curled up on a couch and watched the ceiling. I must have drifted off to sleep because i had a terrifying dream of bats attacking me and a mine worker coming after me. I was, once again, awake.

The solution? I couldn't stop thinking about the bats so the 21-year-old mature almost college grad, myself, did the only think I could think of. I went and slept on my parent’s floor. Then, somewhere around four am my mom shrieks "BAT." We scramble to exit the room. My aunt and uncle who were up there with us run out. There might have been screaming and profanity. Then, after we were all armed with pillows we see a silent, gliding bat effortlessly cut through the air, with the illusion that it was magic creating his flight.

When I had gone into my parent’s room I had shut the door which means that the flying rat had crawled into the room--right by my head--disgusting. Luckily my fearless, bat attacking uncle went after the nocturnal being and captured it. While the bat was chewing on his leather gloves my uncle showed an act of stupid (but endearing) charity and released the bat out in the wild.

Why are bats scary you ask? True they are creepy, yes they make high pitched scary noises, and yes they do have a reputation of morphing into vampires but the truth is even more scary. The bats can bite you without you feeling it and you can get rabies. Safe to say I was happy when the bat was gone. Anyway, i hope the attached picture is scary enough for you because i find it revolting. Word to the wise-watch out for the bats.

Three Cups of Tea

2009-07-20T16:58:00.001-07:00

Last summer I read a book titled "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson. This books is an idealistic tale of building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan in hopes that the women there can rise above their impoverished world and create a better world for themselves and their children. In a society where sexism is the norm, the goal of Mortenson gave me a rush of hope in humanity. There is a great article about it by Thomas Friedman called "Teacher, Can We Leave Now? No." It takes a step back from the political world of wars and contention and looks at the potential for improvement that these undeveloped nations have, and illustrated that there is a promise for a better future.

Anyway, it's a good book which I would highly recommend. In other news I went to Toronto CA where I realized that Canada struggles from a severe identity crisis. They hail the queen, cross the boarder for American health care, and claim their own independence. Poor Canada, it has no idea what it is. It doesn't even know which language to speak. Regardless, it was so cool and I loved being back in a city with streets by the name of Queen and King. I also went to Niagara falls where I rode a boat into a cavern made of walls of rushing water. It was so funny. I also went to Palmyra NY which was interesting. Ps: no one lives there.

a little reminder.....

2009-06-10T12:22:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail, --and no my eye's didn't light up like little miss meg ryans do in you've got mail-- but i still get excited. so, an e-mail came to my overly crowded and disorganized inbox, each unopened letter begging to be answered and read....anyway that inbox had a new note. It was from the Provo library reminding me my book is due in three days. I wish that most things in life came with an e-mail reminder; it would be so helpful. Just little hints at what is coming up. It was great. I wonder what little notes would come with the secrets of the new week.

look outside, go outside, be outside

2009-06-04T07:53:00.001-07:00

What is that green, fuzzy, oxygen releasing thing covering this world. That, my friend, is nature. Nature has this amazing ability to be the sublime; it takes the minuscule and powerful and after time reduces it to parts, atoms, and then seemingly nothing. The cruelty can seem oppressive while the intricacy may delight, and so it is in the duplexity of this purpose the inspires awe. Don't believe me? Look at the littered apple that evaporates within weeks outside, or on a grandeur scale that Aztec ruins that are slowly, but surely, being feed to the ravenous hunger of the nature.

It may seem like I'm personifying nature, but i don't feel like that. If anything nature has a type of spirit or reality that we can not relate to, but is evidenced in its action. This inability to relate has resulted in the continual musings of the artist. This dissonance with nature explains why poetry is often focused on nature. cloleridge, wordsworth, dickensons all have almost unnatural obsessions of nature, as well as the monets and seurats of the world.

So as i sit in my office, in a small concrete jungle, or descend below nature to a cubical on the first floor of the library I hear nature calling me to experience it. Urging and daring me to attempt to make my own criticisms of the power and effects it has on us. But alas, that philosophical deliberation about its purpose must wait as i study, and sit.

...all i want to do is go and play in the sun

random

2009-05-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

So my life has been really busy, and yesterday I went to class and we were talking about Rome. It's true, Rome was a great city...ten minutes later I was asleep. When I awoke from my very brief nap my teacher was saying "Rome was gone..." So in the course of a 9 minute nap one of the most powerful societies ever had fallen. Um...its was so bizarre.

Anyway, a more important note is that my big brother Nick graduated from medical school on Saturday! Happy Graduation Dr. Orme. In the picture he's with his wife Cassi, son Adam, at his daughter Mariee's grave--look how cute my sister-in-law decorated it. I love you and miss you guys!

sick

2009-05-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

I started feeling sick on Monday...nothing serious, just a bad cough. Tuesday was worse. If I lived where people smoked many would have thought I was suffering from severe emphysema, but alas it's just my incredibly week immune system. So I continue on. I was in class until 9 pm and then went home and went to bed. Granted I know this story is not interesting, but I will make my point soon. So on Wednesday I have a test that I have to take that day in the testing center. For those who don’t know what the testing center is, it is a horrible room at BYU where mass classes and students go to take tests during their own time so that professors aren’t bothered to take away lecture time while we take tests. The result: no time between a test and new material. But, I digress, so I get up, go back to sleep, get up again and force myself out the door. Little studying, and a foggy perception on life was sure to make a perfect recipe for the test. So, I go to the classy store around the corner (days) and spend 1.50 more then the usual 6.00 cold medicine so that I could have EXTREME TYLENOL. I was sure it was going to make the difference. When I get there I asked if I could have my own room because I have this ridiculous cold/cough/loud disaster in my body...she looks at me and politely says "I’m sorry, you need special permission--you'll be ok in the normal room." At this point I’m literally laughing inside because little does she know i'm the biggest distraction that could cause insane mayhem and madness inside the testing room. About to embark upon the room, I am overcome with a fit of coughing. Not just a cough, but my bodies attempt to relieve itself of the lungs that are causing it such pain. I slowly walk away from the door, literally find myself in a corner, and proceed to cough. At this point everyone is looking at me and the three boys behind me are thinking this girl is wicked sick, she better not get me sick, and she better not distract me in the room. Why would they let her in? So, after two minutes of my near death, gagging, and crying in the test registration room (i'm not exaggerating...which is sad) I go to return my test because I clearly can not walk into a room with 150+ people. The lady, the same who said I would be fine, hands me a box of kleenex and says "I think we can find you a room." I was led to my own private room where I was told I was on camera so I will get caught if I cheat. Deal. 30 minutes and 60 tissues later I walked out with a bruised ego along with a C (probably) on my test (a consequence of not studying and underestimating the test) and go home.

And I wonder--why did I have to go through the public humiliation when there was a room clearly available. Why are people so uptight...I was just a sick girl trying to pass school.

The next day I didn't go to work or school and watched about ten hours of one tree hill....they say it's ok to waste your life when you’re sick.

Anyway, I’m feeling better now but I thought I would retell this story so that you all might remember to be nice to those who are sick, they probably aren't lying. And remember, when there is an available room--give it to them. There is little harm in helping others.

belated april post

2009-05-02T00:38:00.000-07:00

ode to April: The Waste Land by T.S. Elliot

I. The Burial of the Dead

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.

goodbye April-welcome MAY!

also, if you want to read an amazing short story read "Becoming Hitler"

A week in review

2009-04-26T22:23:00.000-07:00

Pros and cons to week 3/19-25.

Pros:

1. Finished my last final, at the last possible scheduled time (Wednesday from 8-10) during which I saw the longest line snaking away from the testing center to the HBLL...consequence of waiting until the 11th hour

2. Saw two movies at the dollar theater, both of which we totally worth 100 pennies and the two hours of my very disposable time (the movies were Shopaholic and He's Just Not That Into You)

3. Went to lunch with some old and dear friends and had a great raspberry salad

4. Went to a crepe party--and witnessed true guitar hero skills

5. Was privileged to attend my friends luncheon and wedding shower (perfect weather, perfect food, perfect people....sounds like an equation for a perfect life for them)

6. Sleeping in and naps became a daily duty

Cons:

1. Best friend moved out

2. 9 hours of school and 8 hours of GRE prep class start this Tuesday (aka, life ends...future still undecided)

3. Friends move away--making exciting plans for the summer. Mine are centered around cougar campus (not quite as appealing as Jerusalem, Huntington, DC or Texas)

4. Raining/snowing

5. exercising begins

Conclusion:

well pro's win with 6 so I guess it was a great week.

And a closing threat to BYU-

Becoming the center of my life has been a sneaky and difficult thing to master but you have done it well. I dare you to take more of my time this spring.....triple.dog.dare.you.

newspapers

2009-04-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday someone asked my how I knew about a book-I replied I had read about it in the newspaper. I read the newspaper everyday.

Dear newspapers,
I'm sorry that you're all going out of business. It's partially my fault because I don't pay for you and rob you of your informative, free, online news. Hopefully you don't all shut down, though Colorado and Seattle apparently couldn't handle the technological revolution. Goodluck with the recession though.

best,
Sarah

The girl then gave me a look like I was crazy. Ok, well here are my thoughts.

a. everyone should read the news--it all about the world around you and it really influences you.

b. you're more educated when you do

c. you can read about pirates (everytime i think about the pirates i laugh...it's way sad for the 200 captive people but it's just so bizarre and makes me feel like i'm in the 1700's)

d. you can join in peoples conversations

e. if actually affects your life

case in point: my parents computer as been SO slow this last month and we were going to have someone come and look at it but we hadn't yet. My dad was reading the newspaper, and there was a column about how explorer 8 makes computers that are more than two years old very slow. Hmmm....the solution to the computer problem. I uninstalled it and now i have fast access to the blogging world...and the new york times.

Thus, read the newspaper. Be informed....

Also: thanks to mandi and erica I listen to NPR's "wait wait...don't tell me" podcast every week and it's the funniest saterical commentary about the news. 60 minuets of laugh out loud fun.

nap time

2009-04-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I walked into the library and saw a boy curled in fetal position under a desk. Welcome finals...I have waited for your arrival.

A Happening

2009-04-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Seemingly
Tempted.
Unkowningly
Determinded.
Youth

Quietly looking at gargantuan pictures of books (the embodiment of knowledge) I find myself in the titled honors room. This room is not for the honored at all but is a habitat for the future people who will create honors for themselves and their work. I begin to write. My own book, commonly termed a paper, becomes my focus. The consumption of time it demands parallels that of a book, but it would be a lie to call it such. So i sit, looking at the true books of exploration, determination, love, and fate....I embark. Sitting at the desk, books piled high, I prove myself as a student. The pages are filled and the paper is done. I submit it to the critic whose comments matter, my dad. He receives the document at 10:31 and begins. I wait. My feet, pattering in the puddles, lead me to his den, paneled with wood, in the ASB where I enter his office. He' s there, with his glasses, diligently critiquing and editing my paper. I take a seat across from his formidable table, in gratitude to not be on his opposing side, and wait. Finished, he looks up--gives me a very rare and highly valued compliment on my paper--and takes me to lunch.

Lunch is a conversation interrupted by our own laughter, both of us thinking that we are so funny. The topics vary from the ever present political ideals to the future and family. My mockery of youth, and his reminiscent stories full of advice make learners of both of us. I'm lucky to have a dad who is one of my best friends who likes to hang out with me during school, buy my lunch, laugh at my jokes, enjoy my work, has faith in my future, and cares.

Thanks dad

i suppose i'll go back to studying now..... i wish you all the best of luck on finals.

Checklists of life

2009-04-06T20:05:00.001-07:00

They say if you want to be happy you have to try a little harder. They say if you don’t like the way things are you need to be more dedicated. They say if you want a different life you can get it but you need to be a different person, doing different things.

They suck.

I feel like I had a plan, a life plan that was going to be great. I was going to change the world, change people, be married, be leaving Utah on an adventure, and exploring ways to make this world work.

And here I sit, in the library, writing about how the combination of they and me has made me less happy about my life, and more aware of my inadequacies. There are the checklists in life, the pattern we create which we confidently generate in order to protect us from needing the advice of the ‘theys’. I am throwing the checklists away.

The checklist only makes us compare, covet and want things irrelevant to true happiness. The checklist makes me limit who I can date, and who I want to be around. The checklist demands my conversations be intellectual and not a reflection of who I am: a questioner. So for every checklist we made in young womens, college, and even the daily list of what I need to--I am throwing them out. Instead, my checklist will now be the truth of the gospel, the inspiration to help people, and the intrinsic nature of my being who knows, without stress and doubt, what makes me happy.

Goodbye checklist.

Papers

2009-04-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

The e-mail came, wow. A note from the English Lit department. Listening to Nickle Creek, and thinking of myself as a doubting Thomas, I opened the letter. I had been chosen to present a paper at the BYU lit conference. Congratulations it said, and good luck. Open mouthed and ecstatic, I had decided that my career had begun. A shock...GREAT--i was off, my papers, my time, my thoughts, were worth something. Someone had read it; and cared. With this rush of confidence I wrote another, submitted it to a real presentation (not a collegiate one) with professors, the true 'intellects,' and waited. There, in the inbox was a small note from the Professor in charge. I opened the e-mail and, once again, it said that I was chosen to read and present my paper. The feeling of power, and success, made my feet come off the floor and swing--a physical manifestation of what my soul was doing. I had the conference presentation on my resume for graduate schools, I was going somewhere. Now on to being published...

Well, as with all acceptances, the day comes when you are expected to actually deliver. So, as i stepped into the oval, cramped room with a very limited amount of people, mostly the friends and family who would have come to anything, I realized what I was doing. I read the paper, and others read theirs, and it was over. All the excitement, all the fulfilled academic goals, were finished. And with that, I realized that I have never been more bored in my life. No truly, think of sitting in a room, staring at cardboard--not the interesting, worn, weathered, and story telling type of cardboard--but the new box from fedex, that is just a product of destroyed trees and commerce. So there you are in a room staring...at a box of cardboard. That's what the presentation was like. And it meant very little.

So now, as I sit thinking about a paper that I have to present to professors from different colleges, I can't help but think that what I will be doing is spending time on a paper that I'm not entirely convinced I believe in. Yet, the paper is so politically correct that it would be an injustice to not write about it during four year period where the democrats own e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e.

So I sit, contemplating on a lifestyle of professors who sit, discuss, and do very little to practically influence peoples lives and I am reminded that I am glad I am becoming a high school teacher.

Thanks to the friends/family that came and sat through a very boring moment in my life.

South Provo

2009-03-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight I joined my friend to enter the world of the “indie” crowd. Feeling slightly out of place because of my modern, yet classic look of leather loafers, jeans, and a sweater; I looked at the crowd of beards, tights, and those funny hats that aren’t really hats at all but are mere extended creations of crochet. So I sat, wondering how I ended up at the Velour, and why I was so different.

Then the music began.

The bands are the up and coming, the live your dream until you succeed or have tried so hard that your soul hurts and will no longer precede. The artists who, at times, were singing so intensive as if to scream “like me, choose me, I’m trying…..really hard.” But, as I looked across the scene of those who are just naive enough to believe they can succeed, and just bold enough to try, I realized I am not that different. The words spoken were poetry, masked by music (some of which was good, some of which was not). The reference of larks was reminiscent of Thoreau, the poems of heart break similar to Drydan. Regardless of setting, each of us relate to the connection of human passion, nature, hope and the dream for a better day. After reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand this moment was like being the grotesque, angular animal that lives where the sun has never shown beneath the daunting and consuming ocean, and catching just a intimation of what the sun is and what possibilities exist in the upper levels of the world.

The Dentist

2008-12-14T19:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome to finals, and yes I do have three finals tomorrow but instead am choosing to blog. On Thursday night I was entering a deep, philosophical conversation with k. when I realized that there was something hard in my mouth. I thought it was weird considering I wasn’t eating so I proceeded to remove a bit of tooth….apparently my right front tooth chipped. Isn’t that weird? How you ask? Well, I was defending a poor, helpless BYU student and a crazed boy hit me in the face. Just kidding, I have no idea how it happened.

So what do I do? I call the dentist and silly me I should have known dentists don’t work on Friday. Why would they? Clearly people don’t have dental emergencies on Friday, nor do they want to get their teeth cleaned on a Friday. Didn’t you get the memo that the world basically shuts down on Fridays. That’s the most logical explanation I can figure.

Right now you’re probably thinking they have the life right? No work on Fridays, a great paying job….but, apparently dentists' odds of suicide "are 6.64 times greater than the rest of the working age population," writes researcher Steven Stack. My next logical question is why if you get to have a three day weekend is the suicide rate higher. Clearly they need to talk to me and I can help them understand what important and thrilling things they can be doing on their extra-day of the weekend that everyone covets.

Anyway, I have to go in next week to get my tooth looked at, assuming I can get in. They're saying something about shaving the bottom of my tooth....not going to happen. I will not have shorter front teeth-it is not an option. They will have to figure something else out. And to all the many dentists reading my blog, I would appreciate a Friday appointment when I have a chip on my front tooth.

**also, I’m aware of the monotony in dentistry which claims to be the reason for the increase in suicides….so we should spice it up with some Sasha Fierce on the radio

Reading

2008-12-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

Turning of pages,
Trying to leave the thoughts of today
Gasping and leaning while
Physically urging and proving the intent of
Attempting to enter the world of thoughts
Of a different life, different world, different person
Turning of pages.

*this poem is ideally supposed to make you feel rushed like you're trying to finish a book...it probably does not do that if i have to say it; ideally it should do it with out being explained. oh well.

ho ho ho there's no snow

2008-12-06T21:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome to December 5th

Think about what the words December 5th mean. My perfect image of an ideal December 5th is a crisp layer of snow covering the imperfections of Provo’s desert, with a feel of an approaching holiday, a season full of good smells, warm clothes, great conversations and good books. This picture is horribly inaccurate to what is currently happening in Provo. Somehow, and in someway, global warming came immediately and we have no snow and consequently little Christmas cheer. It’s an uncomfortable feel; the lack of consistency and continuity expected in a reliable weather pattern. I feel an internal anxiety that something is not right. I am not saying that the lack of snow is a sign of the worlds end, the lack of snow creates a tight, uncomfortable sense of anxiety within me.

Clearly I’m to attached to winter in an odd way, but I will wait and in the mean time I’ll listen to Sarah Mclachlan’s “Wintersong” or "Songs for a Winters Night."

I hope the blogging world will accept me back

2008-12-06T21:37:00.000-08:00

And so it begins…

After a long break from the blogging world I have decided to return. Why you ask? Well, it’s simple enough. Peer pressure. I have been reading people’s blogs, and in return people have gotten mad that I don’t blog anymore. I’m scawed of them so I will blog. Without further ado, and back by popular demand I have chosen to re-enlist myself in the blogging world.

Side note: Blogs are interesting little things because it’s sometimes the Mormon way of saying “look, I’m crafty..i have a blog”. This is not me. I am not crafty and I am not looking for things to try to re-invent my artistic self (I lack an ‘artistic self’...hence the reason i stole my background from a free internet site).

Oxford, Stourhead, and Tower of London

2008-06-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. This picture is of Oxford’s Christ College where the great hall was used for the HP movies. It was fun to be at Oxford because the students were in the middle of finals and their entire grade depends on one test so you could feel the pressure in the air. Ironically, two days later I had an English finals which the entire grade was dependent on one test but I wasn’t stressing-there could possibly be a correlation between this and my denial letter from Oxford. The students were dressed in the mandatory testing clothes which were small black caps and silly hats. Also while at Oxford I was able to go the pub called “The Eagle and Child” which is where Tolkien and CS Lewis would sit and talk about book ideas. My friend ate in the rabbit room where the authors would routinely sit. It was cool.

This picture of my friends and I was taken at Stourhead. Stourhead was so gorgeous!. The gardens there were amazing! This is where scenes from Pride and Prejudice (the most recent film with Kira Knightly) were taken. There was also a wedding going on so we waited for the bride to see her dress. It was very anti-climatic because she came out in a limo in a burgundy Alyssa’s bridal type prom dress. Note to all friends getting married soon…which is a surprising bunch. Choose white or cream.

Here my friends and I are together with a beefeater at the tower of London. The tour was fun, but very touristy. While there we saw the crown jewels-which in my opinion are not as cool as the stone of scone displayed by the Scottish crown jewels.

Paris...in ten hours

2008-06-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to do Paris in a day? Yes! To explain my adventure I will simply submit my itinerary.

3:00 am Wake Up!
4:00 am Catch a bus to the tube station.
8:00 am Arrive in Paris.
10:00 am Visit the Notre Dame.
10:15 am Go to the most eclectic and cute bookstore ever. Amazing!
11:00 am Stop for a cheese and ham sandwich from a vendor. So good!
11:15 am Quickly see the Louvre and watch the hordes of people looking at Mona.
1:15 pm Start down the Champs Elysses.
2:00 pm Stop for a lemon pastry. So good!
3:00 pm Stumble upon the Arc d’triumph.
4:00 pm Head over to the Eiffel Tower.
5:00 pm Watch the gypsies at the tower and eat the most amazing ice cream ever.
6:00 pm Go shopping and drink Orangina out of the glass bottles.
6:16 pm Stop at a vendor and get the most delicious banana nutella crepe
7:00 pm See the Moulon Rouge (disgusting and so not my idea.)
8:00 pm Go back to the bus station and leave to go home.

Paris=Food=Happiness

Stratford

2008-06-05T09:51:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delayed pictures. Due to my limited time here I only have a brief amount of time to post. We went to Stratford where Shakespeare lived. We saw his birthplace, and the entire city is a shrine to him. We also stayed at a very cute bed and breakfast which is pictured above, and we had our first complete English breakfast complete with tomatoes and mushrooms. We then went to a museum on Harry Potter called the Creaky Cauldron. It was anti-climatic because it wasn’t a portal to the wizarding world, but it was still fun. I was sorted into slytherin so watch out! We also went to Warwick Castle and saw jousting, trebuchet, and a bird show. Think Disneyland gone castle. There I saw an old high school buddy David Moon. It was a small world.

Cambridge

2008-05-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

This week we went to Cambridge and experienced one of the most well known schools in the world. It was so interesting to see how their campus is set up. It is all very spread out and the colleges within the university have a lot of autonomy and pride. The college lines the Cam river, and so we-like most Cambridge students-went punting along the river. It was so much fun. I was thinking of dad the entire time. Also, happy birthday dad! I’m glad you were born.

Soccer...oh wait-FOOTBALL

2008-05-29T00:48:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to the FA international game of USA and England. The game was at Wimbley stadium which is huge, and the fans were wearing tons of red. There were about 71, 322 people in attendance and the crowd was a lot quieter and more respectful then at byu (something I did not expect). I really loved the game and consider this one of my favorite things here. David Beckham got a golden cap award for playing 100 times against France and Kelly Roland from destiny's child sang the national anthem. The speakers weren't workign so it sounded really bad...just a mean trick from the queen.

Market

2008-05-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of open markets in London, and it is not uncommon for my friends and I to go to multiple markets on Saturday. One of my favorites has been borough market. This is a fresh foods market and everything is delicious! We had a biggest grilled cheese sandwich. Also, during the same day as the market the country was having bank holiday and so at the Tate modern there were tons of people playing games (it was the museums theme) and on the of games was fresh veggie chess. I liked the picture and I thought it went well with the food selection from above.

Plays

2008-05-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

This week I was able to go to two plays in the theater district. We went to Sound of Music and Into the Hoods. Having only seen half of Sound of Music I was a bit skeptical, but it was amazing. The songs were great, and the stage literally had a large mountain on it. I was very impressed with the sets. At one point we were surrounded by Hitler’s swastikas and I was feeling a bit uncomfortable. It was intense. Into the Hoods is a spoof on Into the Woods. The plot was very lacking in this play, but it was entirely composed of modern rap and hip hop music with amazing breakers. The dancing was incredible and it was so much fun. Leaving the theater was so great, everyone was rocking out to Jackson 5 and dancing. The picture of it is my friends and I trying to be from the ‘hood’…if you couldn’t tell.

*more pictures of sound of music will be coming. I'm waiting to be tagged on facebook b/c tourists tend to be very obnoxious holding up massive amounts of people to take pictures and so i try to make it easier by only having 5 cameras from utahns instead of six.

Temple Trip

2008-05-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

We went to the London temple today to do baptisms for the dead. It was really fun; I absolutely love the temple. We left at nine and got back at a little after four…it’s amazing the sacrifices people go through to go to the temple and church. Having had the luxury of being two seconds from church and 3 minutes from a temple it has been a shock to travel. The temple was simple, and interestingly seems to be more concerned with rules then the Provo temple. For example, in London nail polish was not ok…at all. Provo doesn’t care. I felt like a bit of a heretic taking off my brilliant red nail polish. We had to take a taxi there and I felt like we were going to get in an accident because they drive on the wrong side of the road. I was a wee bit scared.

Hampton Court

2008-05-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

This week we went to Hampton Court. If I were to try to write the history of this palace down…it would be 18,000 pages long (roughly). Seriously, everything has happened here. Some of the key points are that James the first (formally James the 6th of Scotland) lived here, along with the famous Henry the VIII. Henry is known for murdering his wives when they would have sons….a typical story in aristocratic trends. The palace rooms were very impressive, lots of gold and fine things. Tons of ceiling murals. It’s amazing how high maintenance the royalty was. They through about three rooms everyday in order to get ready. Also, the kitchens would cook for over 400 people when there were large gatherings. That’s a party. The gardens were enormous and so very pretty! We also successfully completed a English maze (see Harry Potter 5).

Note: The court is rumored to be haunted with the spirits of the murdered wives.

2008-05-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM! It was so fun to talk to you...i hope you had fun at the zoo. Sorry i couldn't be there. (yes..i'm am writing this on the assumption that someone will read it aloud to him-i'm fully aware he can't read.)

Hello

2008-05-19T01:05:00.000-07:00

While I have been away, lots has happened-so considering the difficulty in calling people from London I will post them to the individuals.

Happy Mothers Day! Mom, you are amazing and great! I couldn’t ask for a better mother.
Happy Birthday! Matt, way to be born. I love you and wish we could go bowling more often. Move back to utah….asap! Also, congrats on finishing your first year of law school.
Happy Birthday! Lindsay and Madison you girls are so sweet and amazing. I love watching the blog and wish I could be there with you. I’ll see you soon!
Also, my little niece Mariee Morgan Orme was born to Nick and Cassi. To my Minnesotan friends: I love you guys and wish I could be there with you. I send my love and continue to pray for you.

2008-05-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Later, we went to the castle where we witnessed the changing of the guards and toured the historic landmark, seeing where James the first (aka James the 6th of England) was born. Scotland’s national flower is the thistle…I bought an authentic Scottish tartan scarf there. The name made me laugh. Also, we ate haggis….which is disgusting.

hag·gis
–noun Chiefly Scot.
a traditional pudding made of the heart, liver, etc., of a sheep or calf, minced with suet and oatmeal, seasoned, and boiled in the stomach of the animal

Edinburgh and York

2008-05-19T00:45:00.000-07:00

This week we went on an extended trip to Scotland. We stayed in the capitol which is Edinburgh. It was really fun! We got up at 5 and went on a train. I absolutely adore train rides. Pictured here are Paige, Erica, and I having a party on the train. When we got into Scotland we found our hostel and then went rambling on the highlands of Scotland. We climbed Sir Arthur’s Seat where I listened to William Wallace (aka Mel Gibson) speech given in braveheart. I felt like a true Scotsman!

Les Miserables

2008-05-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

We went to Les Mis as a group of friends and went to get the discount tickets. Notice, that discount entails the very very back row of the theater…but surprisingly we were able to see everything great. Les Mis continues to be one of my favorite plays, and the actors in London only cemented its ranking as one of my top 3 plays. * In the picture by the sign the girls and I were revolutionaries. Sad when I have to explain my brilliant picture ideas.

Beachy Head

2008-05-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

.

Here we are at Beachy Head. This is considered part of the seven sisters, which are seven branches of the coast that have huge, white, chalky cliffs. It is awe inspiring. Apparently, the jagged, 500 foot drop can be blamed on the continent of Africa running into Europe. It has a suicide rate of 20 people a year, so a bit scary. Also, notice the intense wind. The horizon was really cool because there was a bit of haze and it melted into the ocean..it was very cool.

I remember reading this poem last year and wanting to go actually see the white cliffs....so here it is.

The White Cliffs

I
I have loved England, dearly and deeply,
Since that first morning, shining and pure,
The white cliffs of Dover I saw rising steeply
Out of the sea that once made her secure.
I had no thought then of husband or lover,
I was a traveller, the guest of a week;
Yet when they pointed 'the white cliffs of Dover',
Startled I found there were tears on my cheek.
I have loved England, and still as a stranger,
Here is my home and I still am alone.
Now in her hour of trial and danger,
Only the English are really her own.

by: Alice Miller