Don't worry, I'm not going to complain about being bored.
I had a spectacular morning. All night I was comforted by the flashes of lightning and peels of thunder (don't ask me why that is comforting—it just is) and then I woke up to a beautiful cloudy morning. I took a hot shower (that's 2 in a row!!) and then I ate my breakfast outside and smelled the delicious air while I listened to the storm building to the north.
And then I drove to work and was completely attacked by rain. Lighting was flashing on either side of me as I raced down the freeway. My feeling of power was dampened a bit whenever I drove by a huge truck that completely engulfed me in water, but I emerged victorious.
Stormy weather always makes me ridiculously happy. For one, there is nothing better than curling up with a blanket, a good book, and a mug of hot chocolate while a storm rages outside. Or watching Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter while the world is dark and gloomy. Or playing cards in your socks and pajamas. For some reason, everything is more fun when it's raining.
But I was finally able to put my finger on another reason why I love storms so much: they are a sign of things to come. After the storms come my favorite time of year—September to December. I am not naive enough to think that summer is over just because it has been raining for the past few days (this is Utah, after all), but this wonderful warm rain is kind of the beginning of the end of summer. Soon, that rain will turn cold, and that rain will turn into snow. Soon the leaves will start to change color and the smell of chimney smoke will fill the air. School will start. The coming of winter is a very happy time for me because of all of the things I associate with winter—Thanksgiving, Christmas, family, snow, fireplaces, hot chocolate—the list could go on and on forever.
For my family, the holidays start on August 14. From August 14 to January 1 we have 7 birthdays and 7 holidays. For several months there is always someone to buy a present for, a family dinner to prepare for, or a holiday to look forward to. It is a truly grand time of year. And those times are made more magical by the moisture falling from the sky and the smell of chimney smoke in the air.
But for now, we still have the chance to enjoy summer for all of its glories. We can play out in the rain and jump in warm puddles, watch the lightning every night, and listen to the thunder. We can bask in the sunlight, enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery, and listen to the birds chirp. Yep, the best time of year upon us.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Being bored at work = zero fun sir
Back in the days before I actually had bills and responsibilities, I used to envy people when they complained about their boring jobs. I can be a really hard worker if I want to be, but I also spend a lot of my time trying to get out of work. So years ago, the thought of doing nothing and getting paid for it seemed like a dream come true. Then came the day that I actually had to experience getting paid for doing nothing.
Domino's was my first introduction to paid boredom. As crazy as some busy days were, I would have picked that insanity over the insanity of boredom any day. On those horribly long, slow opens, the only thing I wanted to do was go home and read a book or hang out with my family. Instead, I would be stuck at work, either pretending to be busy or trying to make conversation with the opening manager. I don't think anyone could pay me enough to make me enjoy that kind of boredom.
Then I started working at jobs that involved developing skills that would lead to an editing career. My first job at the Humanities Publication Center usually (until recently) has barely enough for me to do—and even then, I have to work on my projects as slowly as possible to stretch out the time. My second job at Publications & Graphics doesn't even try to keep me busy—I am paid to be here, not to work. Right now, I am quite valuable at the HPC and I am scrambling to finish up a couple major projects before graduation; time flies while I am working there. But the first 4 hours of my day are zero fun sir. It doesn't help that people are always cutting through my office, which makes me feel like I should at least pretend to be busy. I can't even pull up YouTube and watch a movie or something. Telling everyone constantly that I don't have enough to do doesn't seem make sense to anyone—I am, after all, just an intern—it's supposed to take me 4 hours to edit 300 words, after all.
Right now it is 9:23. I am stuck here until 12:58. The only thing I have on my agenda for my last week here is to make copies of permission forms. I am down to 3 folders, and it'll probably take me 10 minutes to do each one. Unless by some miracle someone actually trusts me enough to do something substantial, I have a feeling I am going to be spending a lot of time on my blog for the next week. That and looking for a new job.
Yes, responsibility can be stressful and frustrating at times, but at least then I feel like I'm doing something with my life. Sometimes I just get tired of trying to impress people. We students are more capable than most people give us credit for.
Domino's was my first introduction to paid boredom. As crazy as some busy days were, I would have picked that insanity over the insanity of boredom any day. On those horribly long, slow opens, the only thing I wanted to do was go home and read a book or hang out with my family. Instead, I would be stuck at work, either pretending to be busy or trying to make conversation with the opening manager. I don't think anyone could pay me enough to make me enjoy that kind of boredom.
Then I started working at jobs that involved developing skills that would lead to an editing career. My first job at the Humanities Publication Center usually (until recently) has barely enough for me to do—and even then, I have to work on my projects as slowly as possible to stretch out the time. My second job at Publications & Graphics doesn't even try to keep me busy—I am paid to be here, not to work. Right now, I am quite valuable at the HPC and I am scrambling to finish up a couple major projects before graduation; time flies while I am working there. But the first 4 hours of my day are zero fun sir. It doesn't help that people are always cutting through my office, which makes me feel like I should at least pretend to be busy. I can't even pull up YouTube and watch a movie or something. Telling everyone constantly that I don't have enough to do doesn't seem make sense to anyone—I am, after all, just an intern—it's supposed to take me 4 hours to edit 300 words, after all.
Right now it is 9:23. I am stuck here until 12:58. The only thing I have on my agenda for my last week here is to make copies of permission forms. I am down to 3 folders, and it'll probably take me 10 minutes to do each one. Unless by some miracle someone actually trusts me enough to do something substantial, I have a feeling I am going to be spending a lot of time on my blog for the next week. That and looking for a new job.
Yes, responsibility can be stressful and frustrating at times, but at least then I feel like I'm doing something with my life. Sometimes I just get tired of trying to impress people. We students are more capable than most people give us credit for.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Cloud gazing: A study on individual perspectives
Last night, some of my siblings and I took advantage of the warm summer night and hung out on the trampoline, just like the good old days. After we got tired of jumping (so after like 5 minutes or so), we laid on our backs and looked up at the clouds. Star gazing is one of my favorite summer night activities, but cloud gazing turned out to be quite an eye-opening experience as well.
To be frank, the clouds weren't that interesting—finding objects required a lot of imagination from the viewer. The fun part was hearing all of the different interpretations of the triangle-looking blob hanging above us: I thought it looked like an elephant blowing water on a sea horse, Shannan thought it looked like a spaceship, and Tyrel thought it looked like a piece of pizza creating a black hole.
Ironically though, there was one moment that Shannan and I were describing the same thing—but we were looking in different directions. I saw Dumbledore, whose face was slowly caving in, with a really long beard that ended in his dead hand, and Shannan saw the same thing, only from a different direction.
The imagination is capable of seeing pretty much anything—you can make up something on your own, or you can convince yourself that you're seeing the same thing the person next to you is seeing. Left to our own cloud interpretations though, I noticed somewhat of a pattern among the things we saw, a pattern that probably would have been more prominent if the light had stayed with us a little bit longer.
Tyrel generally saw abstract shapes—smiley faces, triangles, and blobs. However, he did get a little more imaginative at the end—he did describe an angular fish that looked fierce. Shannan and I got a kick out of that.
Shannan tended to see things that were not of this world—a space ship, aliens, and the Star Trek symbol. And Shannan is often not entirely on Earth—she's usually off playing with her characters from her books. Whenever we have a rehearsal, Kimberly has to ask her several times: "Are you in this world, Shannan?"
I'm not going to try to interpret what I saw—that would be cheating. But as a summary, some of the things I saw were an elephant, a sea horse, Dumbledore, and the phantom of the opera. I don't really see a connection among all of those things. Maybe someone else will be able to make sense of me.
So aside from making for a very enjoyable evening, cloud gazing can tell you a lot about a person—how they think, what they think about, and to what extent they use their imaginations. Maybe I'll start instating cloud-gazing activities on all of my future dates. Maybe that'll be a better monitor regarding whether a possible relationship could come out of it—it's either that or make the decision based on feelings or something.
Then again, I think I'll just leave cloud gazing out of the complicated portions of life and just enjoy it for the simplistic entertainment that it is.
To be frank, the clouds weren't that interesting—finding objects required a lot of imagination from the viewer. The fun part was hearing all of the different interpretations of the triangle-looking blob hanging above us: I thought it looked like an elephant blowing water on a sea horse, Shannan thought it looked like a spaceship, and Tyrel thought it looked like a piece of pizza creating a black hole.
Ironically though, there was one moment that Shannan and I were describing the same thing—but we were looking in different directions. I saw Dumbledore, whose face was slowly caving in, with a really long beard that ended in his dead hand, and Shannan saw the same thing, only from a different direction.
The imagination is capable of seeing pretty much anything—you can make up something on your own, or you can convince yourself that you're seeing the same thing the person next to you is seeing. Left to our own cloud interpretations though, I noticed somewhat of a pattern among the things we saw, a pattern that probably would have been more prominent if the light had stayed with us a little bit longer.
Tyrel generally saw abstract shapes—smiley faces, triangles, and blobs. However, he did get a little more imaginative at the end—he did describe an angular fish that looked fierce. Shannan and I got a kick out of that.
Shannan tended to see things that were not of this world—a space ship, aliens, and the Star Trek symbol. And Shannan is often not entirely on Earth—she's usually off playing with her characters from her books. Whenever we have a rehearsal, Kimberly has to ask her several times: "Are you in this world, Shannan?"
I'm not going to try to interpret what I saw—that would be cheating. But as a summary, some of the things I saw were an elephant, a sea horse, Dumbledore, and the phantom of the opera. I don't really see a connection among all of those things. Maybe someone else will be able to make sense of me.
So aside from making for a very enjoyable evening, cloud gazing can tell you a lot about a person—how they think, what they think about, and to what extent they use their imaginations. Maybe I'll start instating cloud-gazing activities on all of my future dates. Maybe that'll be a better monitor regarding whether a possible relationship could come out of it—it's either that or make the decision based on feelings or something.
Then again, I think I'll just leave cloud gazing out of the complicated portions of life and just enjoy it for the simplistic entertainment that it is.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thoughts of a soon-to-be college graduate
I have often heard my mom say that the older you get, the less you know. As I have gotten older, I have found that to be more and more true—especially now. It seems ironic to feel utterly unknowledgeable when I am a few weeks away from getting my college diploma—my very own BA—but that feeling just keeps getting stronger and stronger.
When I took my ASL 202 final, I was ecstatic. It's a great feeling to finish something big that you started. But when that feeling wore off about a week later, I started to feel like my life was now meaningless. With no school and no marriage prospects, I felt like there was nothing to work toward, nothing to look forward to. It was about then that my mind opened up a little bit and I started to realize just how much I have left to learn. My education doesn't end here; in fact, it is just beginning.
Education isn't all about reading, writing, and studying. It isn't all about showing up to class and working on group projects. I have written hundreds of papers and read hundreds of thousands of pages during my 4 years at BYU (and I have wasted hours of precious time working on stupid group projects), but the things I have learned have only introduced me to even more things to learn.
I always thought that I would be sad when I officially finished my degree. I knew I would miss the classroom settings and even the excitement of reading some new text and then writing about it. I worried that I wouldn't be as happy in an environment where I wouldn't be constantly trying to remember certain facts and important ideas. But those experiences can be had anywhere, at any time. We can still learn important (and unimportant) things wherever we go. I may think I know a lot about British and American lit, but I haven't learned it all. I never will be able to learn it all. And then there's all of the stuff I didn't study in college. Like math. And the lessons of life that I somehow managed to ignore while I was writing and editing papers. Life is a never-ending school experience, so I'm never really going to have to say good-bye to formal education.
So while I may feel like my brain has enlarged simply so it can make fun of the tiny amount of knowledge I have, it's very comforting to know that there is still something to work toward, something that will never end. I'll be so busy trying to take on a whole new life that I won't have time to miss college. I'll always look back on these days with fondness, and I'll be forever grateful for the person that I am because of my college experience, but the future has even more in store for me. And at the moment, I'm going to revel in the excitement of that prospect rather than the terror and confusion of it.
When I took my ASL 202 final, I was ecstatic. It's a great feeling to finish something big that you started. But when that feeling wore off about a week later, I started to feel like my life was now meaningless. With no school and no marriage prospects, I felt like there was nothing to work toward, nothing to look forward to. It was about then that my mind opened up a little bit and I started to realize just how much I have left to learn. My education doesn't end here; in fact, it is just beginning.
Education isn't all about reading, writing, and studying. It isn't all about showing up to class and working on group projects. I have written hundreds of papers and read hundreds of thousands of pages during my 4 years at BYU (and I have wasted hours of precious time working on stupid group projects), but the things I have learned have only introduced me to even more things to learn.
I always thought that I would be sad when I officially finished my degree. I knew I would miss the classroom settings and even the excitement of reading some new text and then writing about it. I worried that I wouldn't be as happy in an environment where I wouldn't be constantly trying to remember certain facts and important ideas. But those experiences can be had anywhere, at any time. We can still learn important (and unimportant) things wherever we go. I may think I know a lot about British and American lit, but I haven't learned it all. I never will be able to learn it all. And then there's all of the stuff I didn't study in college. Like math. And the lessons of life that I somehow managed to ignore while I was writing and editing papers. Life is a never-ending school experience, so I'm never really going to have to say good-bye to formal education.
So while I may feel like my brain has enlarged simply so it can make fun of the tiny amount of knowledge I have, it's very comforting to know that there is still something to work toward, something that will never end. I'll be so busy trying to take on a whole new life that I won't have time to miss college. I'll always look back on these days with fondness, and I'll be forever grateful for the person that I am because of my college experience, but the future has even more in store for me. And at the moment, I'm going to revel in the excitement of that prospect rather than the terror and confusion of it.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Cinderella, Cinderella
I have been watching a lot of Cinderella movies lately. When I get home from work, it's usually just me, my mom, and my little sister at home, and my mom and I usually have no energy to do much of anything—hence the chick flicks. I think it's safe to say that Cinderella is the ultimate chick flick—what girl doesn't want here very own Prince Charming? (Although I must say that I am more of a Beauty and the Beast type girl myself—I would rather melt a man's heart than to get a man that is already perfect.)
It is hard to say which Cinderella version is my favorite. There are, after all, so many to choose from.
Ever After. This movie has some of the best movie quotes of all time—many of them are Princess Bride worthy. My favorite is, "First I am arrogant, and now I have no pride; however do I manage that?" But "I shall go down in history as the man who opened the door!" is also quite awesome. I also think they did a really good job in catching the time period—what is is, the 16th century? And of course, I feel immensely smart whenever Danielle quotes Utopia because that is one of the few things I actually enjoyed reading in English 291. In addition to the classic quotes, this movie also has several classic funny parts. My favorite would have to be the sobbing French? girl. I watch this movie fairly regularly and it would probably win the top spot in my Cinderella list if it weren't for two things: the prince is a jerk and I don't like Drew Barrymore. I have mostly gotten past the prince-is-a-jerk thing, but Drew Barrymore will forever bug me.
Ella Enchanted. Ella Enchanted is one of my most favorite books in the world, and the movie is nothing like it. It is probably the most poorly made movie-based-on-a-book I have ever seen. However, because the movie is so different from the book, I am pretty much able to forget that it is based on a wonderfully crafted story and enjoy it for completely unoriginal movie that it is. I don't understand why I keep watching this movie. At times it is embarrassingly stupid, the "special effects" suck, and the sets just look fake. But I keep watching it anyway. I think the fact that it is a Cinderella parody is the only reason why I like it—there is no other logical reason.
The animated one. I haven't actually seen this one for a really long time. From what I remember, the prince is a very minor character, Cinderella and the prince can sing to each other without opening their mouths, the cat is always running into things and deforming its nose, the dog looks like Pluto, and the mice like to eat some sort of food that look like kernels of corn. But, it is still beloved because it is one of the classic Disney movies that I grew up with.
1960s Rogers and Hammerstein version. I could go on all day about this movie—I don't quite know where to start. I'm pretty sure there was no budget for this movie. The actors volunteered their time and the props were donated by kindergartners. (Who else would sincerely believe that trees are made out of colored paper?) And unfortunately, all of the men forgot their pants. The only one who gets to wear pants is the king—and he's wearing a dress. The prince is forced to don a shirt made out of shiny trash-bag material, and the commoners just have to stick with the tights and a non-shiny shirt. Most unfortunate. The acting and musical abilities are also severely lacking. The more I hear Cinderella sing the more I want her to shut up, and all of the prince's lines are hilariously badly delivered. My favorite lines are "I am DYING of thirst" and "I am fatigued"—the first one is wildly exaggerated and the second is matter-of-factly boring. However, the prince does have a rather lovely singing voice as long as you don't watch him too much. However, I absolutely love the music. Too bad no one can do it justice in this movie, except perhaps the prince. So if this movie is horribly acted and utterly embarrassing in every form, why do I keep watching it? Three reasons: (1) as mentioned before, I love the music, (2) it is insanely fun to make fun of, and (3) I grew up with this movie. There was a time when I thought Cinderella had a beautiful voice, when I thought her dress was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen, and the pantless men didn't bother me. Tiffany and I would take turns singing the girl part in "Ten Minutes Ago" and would sing along with the entire movie, lost in the magic of the music. Now watching this movie leaves much to be desired.
1990s Rogers and Hammerstein version. When I first discovered that the 1960s version was ridiculous, I was delighted to find that there was a more modern version available. However, it's not a whole lot better. I just can't get over the family tree—the mom is black, the dad is white, and the son is Chinese. I'm no biologist, but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. The singing is SO much better, but the movie is just so weirdly made that I often find myself wishing for the old version while I'm watching it. Maybe some day someone will do that movie justice.
The Slipper and the Rose. I am glad to say that my current experience with this movie doesn't interfere with my childhood memories of it. Yes, some of the choreography is a bit stupid, but watching a bunch of old men dance on a table still makes me giggle. And yes, the prince isn't as amazing of a gymnast during his "What a Comforting Thing to Know" song as I once thought he was, but he is fun to watch all the same. I could listen to Richard Chamberlain sing all day, Gemma Craven is the perfect Cinderella—beautiful, sweet, and innocent—and the storyline makes more sense than most Cinderella plots. The movie is definitely a bit dated, but I will continue to watch it because it is just . . . good.
So which is my favorite Cinderella movie? I think it would be a tie between Ever After and The Slipper and the Rose. The Slipper and the Rose has the nostalgic element, and that counts for a lot. The music is wonderful and the actors can act (for the most part). Although I'm still not sure where the "rose" from the title comes from. I always thought I would understand that when I got older, but I'm still a bit confused by that. Hmm. Ever After is a good, modern fairy tale. The story has a believable plot and it tugs at my emotions more than any other Cinderella movie. It might be a tad above The Slipper and the Rose because I'm not always in the mood of watching a long musical.
I wonder if my Cinderella opinions will change at all after I'm married. All of these perfect romance movies might be distorting my vision a bit. But a girl can dream, can't she?
It is hard to say which Cinderella version is my favorite. There are, after all, so many to choose from.
Ever After. This movie has some of the best movie quotes of all time—many of them are Princess Bride worthy. My favorite is, "First I am arrogant, and now I have no pride; however do I manage that?" But "I shall go down in history as the man who opened the door!" is also quite awesome. I also think they did a really good job in catching the time period—what is is, the 16th century? And of course, I feel immensely smart whenever Danielle quotes Utopia because that is one of the few things I actually enjoyed reading in English 291. In addition to the classic quotes, this movie also has several classic funny parts. My favorite would have to be the sobbing French? girl. I watch this movie fairly regularly and it would probably win the top spot in my Cinderella list if it weren't for two things: the prince is a jerk and I don't like Drew Barrymore. I have mostly gotten past the prince-is-a-jerk thing, but Drew Barrymore will forever bug me.
Ella Enchanted. Ella Enchanted is one of my most favorite books in the world, and the movie is nothing like it. It is probably the most poorly made movie-based-on-a-book I have ever seen. However, because the movie is so different from the book, I am pretty much able to forget that it is based on a wonderfully crafted story and enjoy it for completely unoriginal movie that it is. I don't understand why I keep watching this movie. At times it is embarrassingly stupid, the "special effects" suck, and the sets just look fake. But I keep watching it anyway. I think the fact that it is a Cinderella parody is the only reason why I like it—there is no other logical reason.
The animated one. I haven't actually seen this one for a really long time. From what I remember, the prince is a very minor character, Cinderella and the prince can sing to each other without opening their mouths, the cat is always running into things and deforming its nose, the dog looks like Pluto, and the mice like to eat some sort of food that look like kernels of corn. But, it is still beloved because it is one of the classic Disney movies that I grew up with.
1960s Rogers and Hammerstein version. I could go on all day about this movie—I don't quite know where to start. I'm pretty sure there was no budget for this movie. The actors volunteered their time and the props were donated by kindergartners. (Who else would sincerely believe that trees are made out of colored paper?) And unfortunately, all of the men forgot their pants. The only one who gets to wear pants is the king—and he's wearing a dress. The prince is forced to don a shirt made out of shiny trash-bag material, and the commoners just have to stick with the tights and a non-shiny shirt. Most unfortunate. The acting and musical abilities are also severely lacking. The more I hear Cinderella sing the more I want her to shut up, and all of the prince's lines are hilariously badly delivered. My favorite lines are "I am DYING of thirst" and "I am fatigued"—the first one is wildly exaggerated and the second is matter-of-factly boring. However, the prince does have a rather lovely singing voice as long as you don't watch him too much. However, I absolutely love the music. Too bad no one can do it justice in this movie, except perhaps the prince. So if this movie is horribly acted and utterly embarrassing in every form, why do I keep watching it? Three reasons: (1) as mentioned before, I love the music, (2) it is insanely fun to make fun of, and (3) I grew up with this movie. There was a time when I thought Cinderella had a beautiful voice, when I thought her dress was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen, and the pantless men didn't bother me. Tiffany and I would take turns singing the girl part in "Ten Minutes Ago" and would sing along with the entire movie, lost in the magic of the music. Now watching this movie leaves much to be desired.
1990s Rogers and Hammerstein version. When I first discovered that the 1960s version was ridiculous, I was delighted to find that there was a more modern version available. However, it's not a whole lot better. I just can't get over the family tree—the mom is black, the dad is white, and the son is Chinese. I'm no biologist, but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. The singing is SO much better, but the movie is just so weirdly made that I often find myself wishing for the old version while I'm watching it. Maybe some day someone will do that movie justice.
The Slipper and the Rose. I am glad to say that my current experience with this movie doesn't interfere with my childhood memories of it. Yes, some of the choreography is a bit stupid, but watching a bunch of old men dance on a table still makes me giggle. And yes, the prince isn't as amazing of a gymnast during his "What a Comforting Thing to Know" song as I once thought he was, but he is fun to watch all the same. I could listen to Richard Chamberlain sing all day, Gemma Craven is the perfect Cinderella—beautiful, sweet, and innocent—and the storyline makes more sense than most Cinderella plots. The movie is definitely a bit dated, but I will continue to watch it because it is just . . . good.
So which is my favorite Cinderella movie? I think it would be a tie between Ever After and The Slipper and the Rose. The Slipper and the Rose has the nostalgic element, and that counts for a lot. The music is wonderful and the actors can act (for the most part). Although I'm still not sure where the "rose" from the title comes from. I always thought I would understand that when I got older, but I'm still a bit confused by that. Hmm. Ever After is a good, modern fairy tale. The story has a believable plot and it tugs at my emotions more than any other Cinderella movie. It might be a tad above The Slipper and the Rose because I'm not always in the mood of watching a long musical.
I wonder if my Cinderella opinions will change at all after I'm married. All of these perfect romance movies might be distorting my vision a bit. But a girl can dream, can't she?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
If only every weekend had 2 Saturdays
Even though I don't have to spend all of my Saturdays "catching up on homework" anymore, they never seem to last long enough. It's hard enough surviving an entire work week knowing that you'll only got one day of freedom at the end of it. I am always torn between filling my Saturday with wonderful nothingness or amazing productivity. I usually ere on the side of nothingness because I am too worn out to do anything really productive.
But when you get a 3-day weekend, there is no dilemma—you can have a day of nothingness AND a day of productivity. At the end of the first Saturday, you don't have to dread Sunday (because that means Monday is right around the corner) because the next day is Saturday again and you get another chance to do all that you want to do!
Whoever decided that a typical work week should consist of 40 hours over a 5-day period, anyway? Why can't we just knock off another work day? And then maybe 100 years from now they can add Thursday to the weekend. Before we know it, the "weekend" could be 5 days and the normal week could be 2 days. Then we can add a hundred or so holidays to the calendar so that we only have to work like 40 days a year. Brilliant plan.
Too bad no one ever listens to me.
But when you get a 3-day weekend, there is no dilemma—you can have a day of nothingness AND a day of productivity. At the end of the first Saturday, you don't have to dread Sunday (because that means Monday is right around the corner) because the next day is Saturday again and you get another chance to do all that you want to do!
Whoever decided that a typical work week should consist of 40 hours over a 5-day period, anyway? Why can't we just knock off another work day? And then maybe 100 years from now they can add Thursday to the weekend. Before we know it, the "weekend" could be 5 days and the normal week could be 2 days. Then we can add a hundred or so holidays to the calendar so that we only have to work like 40 days a year. Brilliant plan.
Too bad no one ever listens to me.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunshine and Summertime
It came as a shock to me the other day when I realized that summer is more than halfway over. In a little over a month, the rest of the world will be going back to school, and before we know it snow will be falling from the sky. This is usually about the time that I start to accept that there is no way I am going to accomplish all of my many summer plans, but I also spend a lot of time thinking about past summers and what made them so great. As much as I may complain about the heat, there is just no denying that summer has a bit of magic to it. The memories I have of summer are a testament to that.
1. Popcycles and milkshakes. There is nothing better than eating a popcycle or rewarding yourself to a milkshake from Wildflower Grill on a hot summer day. I remember Grandpa Jackson used to bring home humongous popcycles (the orange and red kind) when I was really little—I swear they were half as tall as I was. And then there were the many times at Domino's that Wes bought the CSRs shakes after surviving a busy rush (or a horribly boring one).
2. Tomatoes, corn, and watermelon. My vision of a perfect summer day usually involves eating food from our own garden. My grandparents always had a garden, and my family even had one for a few years. From the time I was little, I always loved home-grown tomatoes. (Store-bought tomatoes don't count. That's like eating Little Caeser's pizza instead of Brick Oven pizza.) I vividly remember one summer afternoon (I was probably about 4) when we were visiting my Grandma and Grandpa Rushton. The adults went inside to visit, but I soon found myself out in the tomato patch—I don't think I ever even went inside. Grandma had to track me down among all of her tomatoes to give me a hug good-bye. I must have eaten hundreds of cherry tomatoes that day; they were just so delightful I could not help myself. Corn on the cob was also a delightful treat. I remember being so proud the first time we ate corn grown from our very own garden. And of course, eating watermelon outside on the deck so that we can spit the seeds out on to the grass is still a highlight of my summer. Thanks to my 2 teasing grandpas, to this day I am still afraid to swallow watermelon seeds because then a watermelon might either grow in my stomach or out my head.
3. Bikes, roller skates, and wagons. I don't know what I would have done for entertainment as a kid if Elk Ridge wasn't all hills. I spent hours with the Enriquezes riding bikes and roller skating at the church parking lot. The climatic moment was always riding down the hill to my house, though. We did the same thing with our wagon. Even after one of the wheels got all crooked after being run over, we still raced up to the top of the hill by the Bushman's house and then raced down as fast as we could, bouncing (and laughing) like crazy. It is a very good thing that we get virtually no traffic on Cortez Drive. It is also good that Elk Ridge is such a safe haven—me and Kimberly especially liked to "run away" with our wagon full of dolls, Barbies, a loaf of bread, and some raisons. But even after our adventures out in the world, coming home was always a good feeling.
4. Lagoon and swimming. Almost every summer of my life I have been to Lagoon at least once, and we usually tried to spend a day at the pool, too. I was always so excited about those trips. I think I can still say that I have been on every ride at Lagoon, although "the green one" scarred me for life. I don't think it's there anymore.
5. Summer nights. Summer nights are the best nights of the year. Those hours just before sunset are always the best hours to sit on the porch, go for a walk, play outside, or play softball. Sleeping on the trampoline was always a fun adventure—playing night games, listening to the bugs, and falling asleep under the stars.
6. Summer rain. I have always loved the rain, especially when it is warm enough for me to be outside in it. We never used umbrellas for their real purpose; we used them to pretend to be old people and to make our own rain puddles. It was quite funny for me the first time it rained while I was at BYU and people actually pulled out their umbrellas and used them. I didn't realize that people actually used them seriously. I loved jumping on the trampoline as the rain fell from the sky and the trampoline got heavier and heavier. And I'll never forget the time that it started to hail, and within seconds we saw Tyrel pedaling furiously down Magellan Lane with no shoes on, screaming bloody murder.
7. Softball. My first memories of softball are when my dad and his brothers played. I used to think my dad was a professional baseball player (but then, I also thought that he played for the NBA). I guess I was too busy playing with my cousins to really know what was going on. I did, however, see the epic fight that my dad ended up in the middle of and the time that Clint ran into the fence and knocked over the garbage can. And I'll never forget Grandpa Rushton's umbrella hat and Grandma Rushton's look of happiness every time we gathered to watch her boys play. I played softball for 11 years. I always looked forward to February-March so that we could register. I looked forward to May so that I could find out what team I was on and when my first practice would be. 5:00 games were never really that fun, but I loved the 7:00 and 8:30 games. I tried out every position on the field except for catcher (I didn't play a whole lot of short stop either) and it was my dream to just make it to tournaments. And a few times I did. Hillman Field was my home during the summer for many years and I loved it there. We saw members of Dad's family there all the time—it was like having a 2-month-long family reunion. We saw Lore's family there a lot, too. The year when the 5 of us—me, Kimberly, Jessica, Vikki, and Melissa—were on the same team was a really fun year. We had always wanted to be on a team together, and we finally got to see it happen. I loved it when my dad would teach me techniques and rules, I loved getting treats at the end of each game, and I simply loved playing the game. I wish those years could have lasted longer.
8. Fireworks. My family always tried to blow something up for the 4th of July (or at least watch others do it). They usually didn't let us do fireworks in Elk Ridge, but I remember the excitement of many years when we would impatiently wait for it to get dark so that Dad would drive us around town, trying to find the best spot to watch the fireworks. It's always fun to have a parent along for the ride who is almost as excited as the kids. The best year was probably when we burned a hole in Grandma Rushton's trampoline with the parachute firework. Or the year that we set off the spinney one on Grandpa Jackson's telephone pole. I used to think that "up-in-the-air" fireworks were illegal in Utah because of the Mormons. The dry climate never occurred to me as a logical reason to ban fireworks.
9. Barbecues. As my extended family has gotten older and more spread out, we haven't gotten together as much as we used to, but we still manage it a few times a year, at least with my dad's side of the family. I love the smell of food being barbecued. Even if it's hot dogs. I love the visiting that takes place after the food. I love watching the new generation of cousins play. It's almost as fun as actually being the little one that everyone is watching. It is usually when I am surrounded by family on a gorgeous summer night that I am struck by how good life is.
10. Mountains. I may not be much of a hiker now, but I have many memories of hiking, camping, and just playing in the mountains or the creek. Even devoid of showers and soap, being outside in the elements can be a bit of paradise. It is during the summertime when it is easiest to marvel at God's creations. Unless it's too hot for you to think. And there's no denying that playing cards, roasting marshmallows, exploring, and playing with the campfire is a lot of fun. Being outside is always an adventure.
It worries me what kids nowadays are doing with their summers. As my dad was saying the other day, the only thing he needed to keep him entertained as a kid was a stick. I think the most expensive toy I ever had was a bike. While I do miss my computer games—especially Arcade Mania and Tetris—sometimes, those are not what I think of when I reflect back on my childhood summers. The things I remember are real, and most importantly, they will not grow old with time. My parents did the same things with us that their parents did with them. I plan to do the same things with my kids. I don't think mankind will ever tire of spending time with family and playing outside. Our toys may get bigger and more expensive, but at the root of our summers will still be down-to-earth fun.
1. Popcycles and milkshakes. There is nothing better than eating a popcycle or rewarding yourself to a milkshake from Wildflower Grill on a hot summer day. I remember Grandpa Jackson used to bring home humongous popcycles (the orange and red kind) when I was really little—I swear they were half as tall as I was. And then there were the many times at Domino's that Wes bought the CSRs shakes after surviving a busy rush (or a horribly boring one).
2. Tomatoes, corn, and watermelon. My vision of a perfect summer day usually involves eating food from our own garden. My grandparents always had a garden, and my family even had one for a few years. From the time I was little, I always loved home-grown tomatoes. (Store-bought tomatoes don't count. That's like eating Little Caeser's pizza instead of Brick Oven pizza.) I vividly remember one summer afternoon (I was probably about 4) when we were visiting my Grandma and Grandpa Rushton. The adults went inside to visit, but I soon found myself out in the tomato patch—I don't think I ever even went inside. Grandma had to track me down among all of her tomatoes to give me a hug good-bye. I must have eaten hundreds of cherry tomatoes that day; they were just so delightful I could not help myself. Corn on the cob was also a delightful treat. I remember being so proud the first time we ate corn grown from our very own garden. And of course, eating watermelon outside on the deck so that we can spit the seeds out on to the grass is still a highlight of my summer. Thanks to my 2 teasing grandpas, to this day I am still afraid to swallow watermelon seeds because then a watermelon might either grow in my stomach or out my head.
3. Bikes, roller skates, and wagons. I don't know what I would have done for entertainment as a kid if Elk Ridge wasn't all hills. I spent hours with the Enriquezes riding bikes and roller skating at the church parking lot. The climatic moment was always riding down the hill to my house, though. We did the same thing with our wagon. Even after one of the wheels got all crooked after being run over, we still raced up to the top of the hill by the Bushman's house and then raced down as fast as we could, bouncing (and laughing) like crazy. It is a very good thing that we get virtually no traffic on Cortez Drive. It is also good that Elk Ridge is such a safe haven—me and Kimberly especially liked to "run away" with our wagon full of dolls, Barbies, a loaf of bread, and some raisons. But even after our adventures out in the world, coming home was always a good feeling.
4. Lagoon and swimming. Almost every summer of my life I have been to Lagoon at least once, and we usually tried to spend a day at the pool, too. I was always so excited about those trips. I think I can still say that I have been on every ride at Lagoon, although "the green one" scarred me for life. I don't think it's there anymore.
5. Summer nights. Summer nights are the best nights of the year. Those hours just before sunset are always the best hours to sit on the porch, go for a walk, play outside, or play softball. Sleeping on the trampoline was always a fun adventure—playing night games, listening to the bugs, and falling asleep under the stars.
6. Summer rain. I have always loved the rain, especially when it is warm enough for me to be outside in it. We never used umbrellas for their real purpose; we used them to pretend to be old people and to make our own rain puddles. It was quite funny for me the first time it rained while I was at BYU and people actually pulled out their umbrellas and used them. I didn't realize that people actually used them seriously. I loved jumping on the trampoline as the rain fell from the sky and the trampoline got heavier and heavier. And I'll never forget the time that it started to hail, and within seconds we saw Tyrel pedaling furiously down Magellan Lane with no shoes on, screaming bloody murder.
7. Softball. My first memories of softball are when my dad and his brothers played. I used to think my dad was a professional baseball player (but then, I also thought that he played for the NBA). I guess I was too busy playing with my cousins to really know what was going on. I did, however, see the epic fight that my dad ended up in the middle of and the time that Clint ran into the fence and knocked over the garbage can. And I'll never forget Grandpa Rushton's umbrella hat and Grandma Rushton's look of happiness every time we gathered to watch her boys play. I played softball for 11 years. I always looked forward to February-March so that we could register. I looked forward to May so that I could find out what team I was on and when my first practice would be. 5:00 games were never really that fun, but I loved the 7:00 and 8:30 games. I tried out every position on the field except for catcher (I didn't play a whole lot of short stop either) and it was my dream to just make it to tournaments. And a few times I did. Hillman Field was my home during the summer for many years and I loved it there. We saw members of Dad's family there all the time—it was like having a 2-month-long family reunion. We saw Lore's family there a lot, too. The year when the 5 of us—me, Kimberly, Jessica, Vikki, and Melissa—were on the same team was a really fun year. We had always wanted to be on a team together, and we finally got to see it happen. I loved it when my dad would teach me techniques and rules, I loved getting treats at the end of each game, and I simply loved playing the game. I wish those years could have lasted longer.
8. Fireworks. My family always tried to blow something up for the 4th of July (or at least watch others do it). They usually didn't let us do fireworks in Elk Ridge, but I remember the excitement of many years when we would impatiently wait for it to get dark so that Dad would drive us around town, trying to find the best spot to watch the fireworks. It's always fun to have a parent along for the ride who is almost as excited as the kids. The best year was probably when we burned a hole in Grandma Rushton's trampoline with the parachute firework. Or the year that we set off the spinney one on Grandpa Jackson's telephone pole. I used to think that "up-in-the-air" fireworks were illegal in Utah because of the Mormons. The dry climate never occurred to me as a logical reason to ban fireworks.
9. Barbecues. As my extended family has gotten older and more spread out, we haven't gotten together as much as we used to, but we still manage it a few times a year, at least with my dad's side of the family. I love the smell of food being barbecued. Even if it's hot dogs. I love the visiting that takes place after the food. I love watching the new generation of cousins play. It's almost as fun as actually being the little one that everyone is watching. It is usually when I am surrounded by family on a gorgeous summer night that I am struck by how good life is.
10. Mountains. I may not be much of a hiker now, but I have many memories of hiking, camping, and just playing in the mountains or the creek. Even devoid of showers and soap, being outside in the elements can be a bit of paradise. It is during the summertime when it is easiest to marvel at God's creations. Unless it's too hot for you to think. And there's no denying that playing cards, roasting marshmallows, exploring, and playing with the campfire is a lot of fun. Being outside is always an adventure.
It worries me what kids nowadays are doing with their summers. As my dad was saying the other day, the only thing he needed to keep him entertained as a kid was a stick. I think the most expensive toy I ever had was a bike. While I do miss my computer games—especially Arcade Mania and Tetris—sometimes, those are not what I think of when I reflect back on my childhood summers. The things I remember are real, and most importantly, they will not grow old with time. My parents did the same things with us that their parents did with them. I plan to do the same things with my kids. I don't think mankind will ever tire of spending time with family and playing outside. Our toys may get bigger and more expensive, but at the root of our summers will still be down-to-earth fun.
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