you're a very bad man!

because joseph kony, though it may not be my call and i may not know everything there is to know about this... i hope you burn in hell. xoxo.

immediate sharing.

there is a particular boy in my life who knows me far too well, without even really knowing me. we have a beautiful friendship. and this is what he just shared with me via fbook and i have already read 4-5 times.

***please note: female readers do not just read drama filled, intense, fictitious novels.  thus the melodramatic side of the reader that Urquico describes, is not always present (e.g. "weeping at 2 AM"? i don't weep. i sigh and sniffle, and only occasionally).

Date A Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico

(In Response to Charles Warnke’s You Should Date An Illiterate Girl.)

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent.  Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

i love technology.

technology is on a list of many things that i have a love/hate relationship with. when it works, i love it. when it doesn't- i hate it. and i also hate that i suddenly realize just how dependent i have become on it.

but today has been one of our better days.

this evening, the ces fireside was broadcasted all over the world. and how fortunate is it that we are able to tune it and watch anywhere we go?  sister wixom shared one of my favorite quotes from president ezra taft benson.

"Nothing will surprise us more than when we get to heaven and see the
Father and realize how well we know Him and how familiar His face
is to us."

— Ezra Taft Benson

president kimball passed away that exact day that i was born, thus president benson was the prophet that i grew up listening to, praying for and wishing that i could meet. anytime he is referenced i feel a nostalgic comfort from his words. i love that quote. and it reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures, mosiah 5:13, "for how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

food for thought. but how great is it that we have access to so many ways to grow in the gospel? these broadcasts, mormon.org, mormon messages, the new missionary sites, etc.  there are so many resources available to us that make the words of the prophets all the more accessible every single day. 

after the fireside i was able to have a little fun time with hillwawee woo. i miss my sister so much.

and yes...those are rather normal facial expressions for our video chats (or any chats that we have..).

distance is much easier to deal with when you can have some skype sessions. while technology has its downfalls and may cater to our laziness, it also has its benefits if used wisely. i am grateful for the easy access that i have to my family and friend  while we are spread out around the world.

but it is hard to beat face to face interaction. i miss actually laughing with my sister. actually cuddling with her and talking to her. playing with her hair, poking her little potato feet, and just being with her.  tonight was spent with 6 boys in a tent and we had a blast. playing games, laying around and just laughing. face to face is my favorite (some of the best moments you can have with a person are just being with them. no matter the activity or what is being said. just being.). second is letters (not emails. not facebook. but real, handwritten notes and letters. the appreciation and feeling  behind a letter can be invaluable). i guess that gchat would be last on the list. but either way, i will take what i can get.

oh and ps...

it was announced that osama was killed.  i am not sure how i feel about all of it. i realize that he did  absolutely awful things and i love this country and i am so grateful for my freedoms. i have several friends that are active in the military now. my own dad was in the air force. and i know that i am blessed to have everything that i do. but regardless of his evil, people were celebrating the fact that he had been killed. am i wrong for feeling uneasy about that?  when 9/11 happened and they showed us pictures of people partying in the streets in the middle east over our tragedy, we were disgusted...but how are the people at the white house that are celebrating the assassination of osama much better? 

this was us today.

this was them, then.

a life is a life. and maybe i am simply being naive. but i just cannot bring myself to see the killing of a human being as something to celebrate. i realize that we  are also celebrating a victory over terrorism and for that, i could not be more relieved.  perhaps this is one of those times that i should just keep my opinions to myself. because i am just not informed enough. i just know that all of it is sad. it makes me ill. i hate all of it. signs of the times, i suppose.

earth day.

it is pretty outside.

my green, pistachio cupcakes are baking.

the celtics just won.

i am going to dye easter eggs.

a and i are going to create some green thumb mischief at the river.

oh how i love this wonderful planet that i live on. the breath taking sunrises and sunsets. the vibrant leaves and critters that sing in them. the blue waters and white clouds. the cool breezes and warm rains. eden is what you make it.

here's to reusable shopping bags, fuel efficient cars, gardens, riding bikes, recycling and energy star. way to keep mother earth a little healthier and more beautiful everyday.

dear lazy people:

please learn to do some dishes instead of using plastics.

please turn off your lights when you are leave a room. 

please put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat.

and for goodness sakes, please stop littering.

xoxo, 

me.

it's earth day. feel free to go nakey.

green week.

i can tell when it is going to rain at least 2 days in advance. i literally feel it in my bones. well...my bone (the one that has the big metal rod in it...).  but right now the rest of my bones are telling me that this is going to a good week (and the slightly aching femur is indicating that there may be some scattered showers). as per the usual, church was nice. my sunday walk was incredibly pleasant as the sun shone down on me and made me so happy. right after church i went to see some married friends. and what did these lovely people have awaiting for me?  a beckiestyle easter basket. and by beckiestyle, of course i am referring to a reusable, eco friendly shopping bag.

and not just any reusable bag, but a super cute, ever so useful, drawstring target, earth day special one! (everyone go to target...they are free this week to support earth day on friday)

and in keeping with that theme, check out its contents:

do they know me or what?!  gardening tools and flower seeds (for my earth day tradition), a green candle and baking goods?  i already planted one packet outside my front door and i am quite anxious to see what will bloom.

the weather has been so cooperative and i cannot wait for this to be a regular occurance.  yesterday joely's text said 

j "it is so beautiful here. going to go for a motorcycle ride, too bad you aren't here".

what a bittersweet thing to say. luckily my geology buddy will be doing the greater portion of his summer studies here in the beautiful land of utah. good times to be had... who wouldn't want to learn about rocks?

right now my house is clean, it smells like flowery wonderful goodness (mixture of open windows and the candle from my easter bag) and i am feeling rather relaxed about this week's upcoming exams. i have studied hard and intend to make high marks but we shall see :) on friday i was able to spend some time in the temple and perform ordinances that i had not participated in for quite some time. it was exactly what i needed to be reminded of the blessings that the Lord offers to our minds and our spirits when we live our lives according to His will. though i am a bit of a senior student now, i know that those promises still apply to even a twenty five year old in a freshman prerequisite class.

and yes, i am making my life appear rather breezy but let's be honest...my right eye will not stop twitching from fatigue, i have some really attractive stress acne going and i just want to live off of cadburry mini eggs and carrots.  the summer sales season has begun and that is just great. sales reps are awesome...like mosquito bites...

summer 2011, here i come.

so easy.

sure, they call me miss environmentalist. 

but for someone who would rather eat dinner off of the floor than to use styrofoam, you would be appalled at how many post it's, note cards, notebooks, legal pads (need i go on) that i use...daily. i just like to jot things down. but as i am aware of this gross habit, i have been making a conscious effort to minimize my paper usage/paper waste by being more organized (but i will never give up my post it notes....i am just praying that 3M goes green someday). Yes, this has resulted in my buying more notebooks, but i promise, it is all for the cause.

this is my most recent attempt (the vegetable theme felt appropriate and it was green).

  i have bagillions of magazine clippings, index cards, post it's, probably a napkin and some other stuff that have recipes on them. but this here, green lovely, will allow me to write all of my recipes in one place. ...with the recipe book, my planner, my notepads, reading material, snacks and a 13 tubes of chapstick- i do require rather large handbags.

i learned an amazing treat dessert. you bet your buttons it's in the book.

one bowl. one spoon. one tablespoon. one minute. fifty calories. awesome.

dessert delights

2 T   dry cake mix (any kind)

1 1/3 T water

*mix it all up.

*put something yummy in the middle.

*microwave 1 minute.

(i chose chocolate cake and vanilla pudding even though it looks like melted provolone on mud...but everything is better in an anthropologie bowl!)

* eat it all up!

satisfying, super fast AND you can burn that thing off in 3 minutes of running. that's less than one jay z song.

i am so excited.

i am so stinking excited.  why?  because i have a new plant.  and according to research, even i cannot kill this one.

yes i just got back from running and doing yoga...
His name is Lloyd (all things of intrinsic value deserve to be named). He is in the beginning stages of germination and well on his way to full, beautiful vegetation! See, I even know the proper stages of plant growth.  My implementation is a bit sketchy when it comes to aiding the process, but I am learning.  No really- I have a book and everything.

he is just so happy and snug in there.
Why I named this plant Lloyd, you ask?  And what kind of plant is he??  Well I will tell you.

When my little sister was about 5 years old, she came home from school with a styrofoam cup (it was before i was aware of how awful that stuff is, of course) filled with soil and grass seeds.  She took such good care of this little cup of grass and named him Harry.  When we moved to St. Louis, my parents not realizing how much Hillary loved Harry, made her plant him the Wisconsin woods before leaving.  She was devastated. Cried. Broken.  Harry is still a sore spot.  Well.... I am not growing grass per say, but I am growing Wheatgrass!!  And it just seemed insenstive to name him Harry (or even Harry II).  Seeing as how Lloyd has always been Harry's better half, it was only appropriate.

you cannot really seem them, but they are sprouting, big time!
My green thumb of a friend, Arthur, came over last night with Lloyd and taught me the ropes.  We have a juicer, I have google (in case something goes wrong...murphy's law is my life when it comes to plants...), and my body is ready for it's daily intake of wheatgrass shots. Feng Shui would require some plant life in your house, so now I have it. And it is much more economical than spending $4 a day at Jamba for the stuff. It is right at my ready for pennies a day and a free bonding experience with mother nature. sweet.

This is A's. Hopefully Lloyd will grow just as beautifully. 

so. excited.

people are still good.

"Depicted in this photo, an image from an anonymous source on the ground in Egypt, is a team of Egyptian Christians forming a massive human shield to protect their Muslim countrymen as they prayed during the violent protests yesterday. Beauty amid the chaos."

i was a bit overcome with emotion when i saw this photo.  we keep hearing about all these terrible, confusing and violent protests in egypt and it is just exhausting and shocking. 

i am grateful to be in a place of safety and freedom. america is not perfect, but i sure do love it.

and i am so thankful to people that are courageous enough to be compassionate amongst the hatred. 

bit messy.

the dirty girl run.

um when else do you get the opportunity to:

1. run through the mud in a cocktail dress (that part is optional, but why not).

2. while supporting cancer research (save the ovaries!).

3. and earning a t shirt (best part of so many life events).

4. and when you have months to get ready (it is only 4 miles)

5. all at once?!

DO IT.  it is times like these i wish that i had more female friends... come girls, it will be super duper fun.  please let me know if you wanna register for it!

bit of a problem...

i could eat a burger any day, any time (and pancakes, apples, bananas, popcorn, cheez its, cashews, etc...i like to eat, don't judge me).

so yeah. even though giving up steak, ribs, bacon, sushi, ham, turkey, etc is no problem, giving up the chance to eat a good, juicy burger (or even a cheap, fast, greasy one)... sucks. luckily lauren made these for me and they were awesommmmeee. seriously. men even scarffed em down. they were fabulous.  but still... no more cheeseburgers is breaking my heart (how ironic since the cholesterol break is probably saving it...).

but see, that looks pretty good. just a couple replacements.

beef - beans.

french fries - sweet potato fries.

table salt - sea salt.

*and i usually switch out the bun for lettuce or a tortilla.

and supposedly that is way healthier. if staying healthy and maintaining a good body is hard at 25, i dread 35...but might as well start the habits asap.

ode to wesley.

Sometimes I get really attached to particular basketball players. There are some that will forever be in my heart, no matter what team they move to, despite any bad stats, and with all disregard to aging (I will always love my little Tayshaun). But when a player is on the Jazz and I like him, I tend to feel a special bond- almost like we are friends for real and that he needs MY support. But when he leaves, it is somewhat devastating (and no I am not talking about Caveman Korver or Booz). Ok it is darn right heart wenching. While we may have acquired some great players this year... (but the lurpy, skinny, white boy still makes me nervous- you would Sloan.), we have lost Wesley Matthews.

This breaks my heart. While we gained his skills at the cost of R. Brewer, I loved watching him play. That boy earned his keep on the team, and first year rookie- undrafted nonetheless- was guarding freaking Kobe in the playoffs. And while we lost to the Lakers (ew, gross, barf, moment of silence...), he definitely put up a fight against that butthead. What can I say, I love Marquette basketball (not only is it in Milwaukee, they produce the greatest dentists in the world!), I love the Jazz, I love when unknown players leave me in awe, I love the Jazz and I will sorely miss seeing Wes M. there on the court. 

ok. that is all. sometimes i just need to grieve my losses.

wwd.

Today is World Water Day.

"Today is World Water Day...the purpose of which is to bring attention to the fact that each year, because of unsafe drinking water....

......8 million people die

......15 people per minute

......more than deaths attributable to cancer, war and aids.

....unsafe/polluted/contaminated water leads to deaths caused by diarrhea, cholera, typhoid and malaria."

reblogged via cnn ireport.
more great statistics and information here.
Click on the links to see what YOU can do! :)
oh and one more article.


grrr... sorry about all the spastic fonting!

i love dollar stores.

Check out my cool new coloring book. 

Why do I love it?  Well...

1. PENGUINS!

2. Supports BBC Earth- Ang and I are SO excited for this!! (march 21st, you know where to find our bums.)

3. There are connect the dots and word finds in it... ABOUT PENGUINS!

4. It was a dollar.

Crayola Crayons. 

Why I love these:

1. The smell. My mama has always loved the smell of crayons.

2. They remind me of when I was little and she would melt them all together to make a giant, marble crayon for me.

3. The bright yellow box.

4. They were a dollar.

And put these two wonderful finds together and yes, you can have blue and green penguins with pink feet and magenta snow!

Pretty much Penguins still rock my world- even if they are becoming a bit too much of a novelty in the world.  And dollar stores will always be a fun place to go.

running rambles.

we did not take pics at the actual event, so I did the cheesy thing and took one of myself with my number :)

Today I ran my first 5k of the 2010... and the first one I have done in a LONG time. The money went to a good cause, I got a cool tshirt, some hang time with Ashlyn, to see my best buddies, and a little bit of a workout.

Good news: I finished. Thanks to this bad boy

Ok news: my time was 00:28:31.

Bad news: I got confused about what line to go in once I finished with the pack and did not clock in...(I saw someone I knew that was working there and I am somewhat of a social butterfly...we needed to chatski for a few minutes) so I did not get a card with my time.

Better news: there is another 5K I am registered for on Mar. 27th.  It is the Operation Smile Run.  And this is a foundation that I have supported in the past and a run that I am really excited to participate in (it is in the canyon... in my opinion you can hardly get closer to God than when on a run in the canyon) Plus I think that I will complete the course with a much better time.

Great news: I applied to be a volunteer for The Red Cross a couple of months ago. According to their website, in Provo, without Spanish language skills, my efforts appeared to be scarcely needed. However, after talking to cute red cross girl, I found out that there will be indeed a lot of positions available to me. Good news for all.