I hate March Madness

I am never doing a March Madness bracket again. I have done one every year since 1998, when I picked all of the Final 4 teams: Kentucky, Utah, North Carolina, and Stanford. Kentucky because the boy I liked liked Kentucky, Utah because they were in the same conference as BYU, North Carolina because I like their colors, and Stanford because they are our home team. I have never lived up to my own standard since. And so every year I am thoroughly disappointed and this year seems to be the worst. We did a pool at work and even with the Kansas, Villanova, and Syracuse upsets I managed to stay in the top 3 until last night. It was Ohio St that started the downhill spiral, and Kentucky who just broke my heart. I get so darn emotional, anxious and too personally invested. Understatement. I'm just not sure I can do this to myself anymore. I'm not even sure I'll watch any more games. Go Butler, because nobody in our pool picked them past the second round.

Over the hill

Yeah, it's a lot of pictures, but when you cover 5 (Andorra, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, and Great Britain) countries in 14 days a lot happens. Most importantly though was that this trip put me over 40 countries that I've visited. The pictures are in reverse order, and the last day was spent in London to celebrate Angela's birthday. The only problem is there won't be a way to top this next year.

Resolute

No laughing, but for as long as I can remember I have never been able to do a pull up. So I can only assume I've never done one. For the last two years my New Year's resolution among other more productive goals has been to do a pull up. And the last two years I've ended up having abdominal surgery which has prohibited me from reaching my goal. But this is the year I will do a pull up. I think I should also make a resolution for no surgeries in 2010.

Domesticality

My parents have never been the parents to put on the pressure about marriage. Always just stating that when it's right it will happen. Maybe that's been the problem: not enough pressure. However, I think my mom is starting to want grand kids, as this year's Christmas felt like a gentle push towards becoming more domestic. Waiting under the tree for me was: a sewing machine, a rolling pin, a kitchen strainer, dish towels, and some pans for making bread. Subtle mom. Very subtle.

Although, it must have worked because this year I finally decided to carry on the holiday tradition of making scones (with the help of the new non-stick rolling pin and lots of calls to my mother) and cook a roast for the first time for New Year's Day.

Merry Christmas

Spring Cleaning

While I've been home for a few days I decided (after being not so gently nudged by my mother) to clean out some of my artifacts from high school that have been left in my old room. After all, it's been 10 *gulp* years.


A high light of my trip has been going through boxes of notes from high school and then calling old friends to discuss the ridiculous nature of said letters. And with my girl friends giving big sighs of relief that we didn't in fact end up marrying the boys we thought for sure we would. I probably didn't have to read as many as I did, because after doing this for hours I realized they all said the same thing:
"I'm sorry I told so and so about such and such."
"I can't believe she likes him. I liked him first."
"Why does he talk to you more than me?"

and the number one stated sentiment from high school
"Do you think he likes me?"

Here are some examples that were hilarious to me. Or probably to any girl that went to high school. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

"I just had to tell you: I (heart) _____ I'm going to marry him someday. I PROMISE! Now ___ (other guy) and I'll just be good friends with him. Even though when I'm with him I feel like I'm in love with him" -May 29, 1997 Didn't happen. She didn't marry either one.

"Okay, here it is. I want to go out with ____ but I don't. See what I mean? It's just like when you say you like ___ one minute but then you don't like him the next minute." She ended up going out with him, I ended up not being all that enthralled with my guy.

"Sometimes I think that while we are on the phone when you say that we are best friends, I think that it's kinda forced. Like, because we were for awhile, but now you and ___ are best friends but not me anymore" Oh, high school

"Lacey thinks they'll break up under 2 weeks, Vanessa says 2 weeks, you say a week from tomorrow, and I say he isn't going to break-up with her at all, because he knows I won't go out with him." He did break up with her, although, I don't remember when. And my friend did end up going out with him.

"You just asked me if I'm mad at ___(girl). Did she ask you to ask me that? Can you tell me why she thought that?...You're best friends with ___ (girl #2), right? Well, me and ___ (girl) are too, I think. But lately she's been spending more time with (girl #2) than me. We haven't talked on the phone for so long, except for Spanish. Can you talk to her about it?" Suprising that we all remained friends through the end of high school.

And my personal favorite. I hope you kept reading to get to this one:
"I know you're on the phone with ____ (current boyfriend). I just really hope you don't get mad after reading this letter. I (heart) ____ (same boy). I kinda liked him at the time when you liked ____ (brother to current boy), but didn't really think to tell you because you practically gagged whenever you saw him. I would have told you sooner, but then you liked him, and I could tell he liked you. But I'm happy for you. And you are still my best friend. In fact, there isn't anyone else I would want to go out with him besides you. Then I could get to know him better."

I'm so glad I'm not in high school anymore.

And as a special treat for making it to the end, my senior picture

Moral Dilemna

In 'N Out recently opened in Utah. You'd think I'd be pretty excited about this considering I love In 'N Out. It's a must eat whenever I go home. However, I have been in staunch opposition to their presence in Northern Utah (I've made my peace with the location in St. George). Here's the premise of my dislike:
~The best part of In 'N Out is knowing that when I'm eating there I'm not in Utah. It's a vacation food.
~ I don't think In 'N Outs should exist in places where you have to plow the drive through. Or where you can't have the trademark palm trees out front. It's just not right.

So long before they opened I vowed to boycott In 'N Out in Utah. Here's the problem: I drive past the one in Orem at least 3 times a week, and I know what I'm missing. It looks so good. And the long line doesn't even seem so long anymore because I want to eat some so bad.