CHRISTMAS 7 DAYS!

so... It's Christmas in a week. 7 days. That's it! oh man! I'm so excited!!! CHRISTMAS!!!! I'm excited to see family, I'm excited to not have to work christmas eve night, not to have to work the day after christmas, and everything christmasy that you can think of I'm just so excited for.
I'm also excited for the christmas program tomorrow, that I'm in charge of. I'm not going to do very well, but it'll be okay. the audience is singing a lot because I couldn't get enough musical numbers together in time. But, even though it's tough and I hate being in charge of things like this, I'm excited for the christmas awesomeness that will be the program. I hope it goes well! Wish me luck!

Applying Knowledge

I had tons of fun this weekend. So much, that my legs are still soar from all the dancing and army crawling. I'm glad I had so much fun the past three or four days. It's going to be really hard to leave in April... again. grr. I hate this. I don't like sticking around and making friends so easily and having such a great social life with people I hardly know. At BYUI, I never really had that opprotunity to be friends with good people. I never saw where the good people were to hang out with. Here, it was so easy to make friends. There it was hard. I think I've learned a lot more than I thought I would by staying here. I've learned how to make friends again. I hope that when I do go back to byui that I'll be able to apply what I've learned here, there. I think I'll be able to be happier and have a better social life. That would be fun.

Outlaw Poster

OUTLAW:

Wanted: Shady man on random street corner.

Crime: Handing out numbers to people I hardly know.

Also may be selling stolen Rolexes and/or sundials.

Reward: $12 in dimes. 

Our top artists (i.e. a google search of "Shady Guy") 

 have come up with this face:

If you see him. Please tell him to cut it out.

Also, if you are one to be taking numbers from such a man,

please just do the respectful thing and ask for my number instead.

Yes, I may just say no. But I like to know the people who have

my contact information won't be weird, creepy people. The End.

April's a long way away.

Well, it's been over a week since my last post, which doesn't really count as a post I guess since it was a shout-out to basically a whole country. Yeah, it was a little weird. Anywho, nothing interesting has happened. Well, okay. There was thanksgiving, and blackfriday, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and work, and that's about it. I mean, nothing else really goes on in my life other than working. It's a sad life I know, but at least I have jobs that I can work at for money to go back to school. That'll be nice. But that's all the way in April. I've got a looooong way to go. ..
I really want to go back now. It feels weird to not be in school. Plus being in school is easier. It keeps my brain occupied. This whole no school thing is making my brain feel like it still needs to think about things but it's frustrated because it can't think of anything to think about. I don't know if that made any sence but it kinda did to me.
I've also got lots of missionary farewells coming up shortly. That's not going to be so fun. Serving missions are great and all, but I'm afraid that the farwells are going to suck lots more than they already do because I haven't had friends around in a little while. So I'm afraid it will feel like a smack in the face when all that goes down.
"Hey, sorry, Amanda, But I have to make you friendless for a few months, and just in case you forget, we'll throw going away parties for them all one at a time later" Gee, thanks. I appreciate it.
Really though, it's great that I have so many good friends who are deciding to go on missions. Working at Target I get to mingle with lots of people who don't really live thier lives like they should who make me sad and it's nice to see the friends that I have who are out there doing what's right the best that they can.
And since I am staying home in the winter semester, I might just do the Dilettants (sp?) play staring in January. That will be loads of fun! I haven't acted for years. Not since Pirates of Penzance. I miss it terribly. I hope so much that I'll be able to do this play. It'd mean a lot to me.
I'm kinda glad I'm waiting also to miss the Rexburg winter. If Twin has this much snow I can only imagine how much Rexburg has. When I go back up there it'll be spring again and hopefully it wont be so cold! So there are a couple things to be happy about until April I suppose :)

To My Readers From The Netherlands:

In my stats, it says that this week, there were 31 page views from the Netherlands ranking the first country (even above the US) to view my blog this week. Total, there are 89 views from there in All Time. Coming slightly behind the United States. So this is a shout out to my friends from the Netherlands! GO YOU! Now, most people that get on my blog look at my "Topic Generator" post that I wrote a long time ago, so that's probably where these numbers are coming from. But if there is the slightest, tiniest chance that you happen to be a Netherlander reading this post, you should comment! That'd be really, really, really, super cool! :) 

Fun, Weekends, and Friends

I'd like to write this little post today about friends and friendships. I've lost lots of friends with my moves and lifestyle changes that come with age. Many reasons. Each time I loose a friend, I miss them. I miss a lot of people right now. Loosing friends is something that I truely hate. It's another change thing. and I just can't deal with change like a rational human being. It frightens me like no other. Whenever I think of friends that I've lost or just don't keep in touch with so much, I still feel a little sick to my stomache. It's something that I've just always had a problem with.
Though, I can cope and get through these periods of change. But I could never get through it if it wasn't for Heavenly Father. He really cares. Even about the small things.
This weekend, I was supposed to go to Rexburg. I really really really really really reallly REALLY wanted to go so that I could spend some time with my old roommates and just have a little bit of fun before the scary holiday season started. It ended up that I couldn't go and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to have any fun and it would just be holiday time and I would just be stressed with nothing fun to look back on. It's not that big of a deal, even to me, it wasn't that big of a deal. I knew that I had to work, I was just slightly bummed. But, Heavenly Father blessed me with a way to make the weekend much better. All it took was a couple of new friends. Yes! I'm making new friends. Also something I stuggle with a bit. But not as much as change.
I learned a lot of things while I stayed home from college this semester. I think I learned how to better make friends easier. It's always been something that I struggle with. But I hope that when I go back to BYUI, I'll be able to apply these things that I've learned because this has been a blast! I'm so happy for this weekend that I just had. It was so much fun!

To Reach The Unreachable Star

Today's theme was changing my life around for the Savior. In testimony meeting the testimonies all seemed to talk about how they gave more time to the Savior and their life changed for the better. In Relief Society we talked about how we do all these things like go to school and work and whatnot and we leave the left over time for the Savior sometimes.. it should be the other way around. Devote time to the Savior first and He will help you through the things that need to get done. Then there was a CES fireside with M. Russel Ballard. That seemed to talk about changing your life and living for the Savior and living the principles of the Gospel and doing something about it. Then I played The Impossible Dream on the piano and decided that I am going on a quest. Perhaps not quite like Don Quioxte or however you spell his name and go chasing windmills and such weirdnesses. But I'll fight for the right, without question or pause. I'll strive with my last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star.

My Halloweekend

It was a pretty fun little weekend I think. I didn't have to work at all which was super duper awesome. I love Target! It's a great place to work. Anyway, friday night I went to a party that one of the most awesomest coworkers was throwing. His name is Kent. Mrs. Kent and he are the best people ever! I love working with Kent. He's so tall! He can clean the shelves like no other Target team member has! He and I make work so much fun! His party was amazing too. I had lots of fun.
It's actually really odd that I had fun there. There were lots of people that I didn't know, but I talked to a lot of them. Normally it's hard for me to be at a party where I only know a couple of people, and even then not very well. But it was really easy for me to be there this time. I was suprised at myself. I was invited to another party on Saturday, but I was too worn out from being outgoing on friday. Plus I had a midterm test due. Which I rocked at, by the way. I totally got a B. Not too bad for a test with big words that I don't remember at all.
Sunday was pretty good. The piano playing on my part went well. (I'm the ward piano gal) I get really nervous when everyone sings along to my playing. I can play the prelude and postlude no problem, but the hymns make me nervous when people are singing too. Since it was combined Relief Society and Priesthood today, Brother McMurtury gave a super awesome lesson that was excited about. It was on standing alone with self esteem. Very cool.
okay vack to halloween. My costume was pretty amazing. Maybe I'll post a picture or two of it later when the pictures get onto our server.

Individualistics

I've met a few people in my life that have a philosophy that I just don't understand. Maybe you can shed some light on it? These people, I like to call, individualistics. Kinda like individuals and lunatics combined. ;) These people are ones that go against the norm ust for the sake of going against it.
One example that might help explain these types of people:
Say a girl reads Twilight because she just saw it on a shelf. She really starts to enjoy it, but then after a while she notices that everyone else absolutely adores the book. Since this girl in our scenario longs to be an individual, she no longer likes the book... just because others do.
These people I've noticed, they try so hard to be someone different than everyone else. They try and say, "well, I don't really care what other people think." But if that were true, why do you base your opinion on the opinions of others? Isn't that what you are trying to avoid doing?
Wouldn't the people who truely don't care what others think might be okay with overlapping with the popular opinion?

Love Me Tomorrow

I was listening to this song Love Me Tomorrow by Chicago while I was working at Dr. Plant's office. Luckily the stack of boxes and paper on my desk was high enough that any passers by wouldn't see my "dancing". I probably would've embarassed myself a little bit. I like to "dance" to music when I listen to it. In this blog post, the word "dancing" refers to the rythmic motions of one who is sitting, perhaps a dance one would do whilst driving.
I've been caught on more than one occasion "dancing". It really is embarrassing, but I love it too much to stop. And I know full well every time I get caught that once my catcher has left the room, my "dancing" will resume.
I'm not quite sure why I get so embarrased by it. It's not that my moves are silly, which they are. It's not that my music is outdated, which it is. It's not that I'm embarrased by what I do because I'm not embarrased to talk about it here. I think it's just the principal of the whole getting caught thing. I don't know.
So, if any of you catch me dancing in my kitchen, you are welcome to join me! It'd be fun! And if you want, I'd even let you turn the music to something a little more modern if you have to! Let's jam!

Nothing too terribly special

I just spent the whole day sleeping so I can't go to sleep. Instead, I watched Julie and Julia. Julie bloggs a lot about her trip through Julia Child's cookbook, which reminded me about my blog, so I decided to write in it. Which might tell you how bored I really am!
Unlike Julie, I'm not going through any big sort of weird cooking project of any sort, I'm not setting a hard deadline on anything that's going to take me a certain amount of time.
The only thing I can think of to blog about is the regular ''average joe'' stuff that comes with my little life I live. It doesn't make for an exciting blog, but at least it's true! and it's the only thing I know about well enough to write about.

I try to live life the best that I can. I'm a people pleaser which plays into my complete conformist tendancies. I try to be happy no matter what's going on or where I am.  Sometimes I have problems with that one.

I'm just a girl. I live in Twin Falls, Idaho. And that's it.

  

The Music Man

The Music Man is my favorite musical. It's actually President Monson's favorite musical too! I remember that because he said it at the youth cultural celebration two years ago. Can you believe it's been two years since the temple went up? goodness!
Anyway, I watched The Music Man today and loved it. I love all of the songs, I love the characters... I just love it. :) It made me very happy watching it again. I've always wanted to be in The Music Man on stage. I think I would've loved to be in that one. But I heard that someone did it in Twin just this last spring. So I doubt anyone around here will want to do it soon. I've always loved being in plays. I don't think I've been in one for two or three years. I really want to be in one this winter. I don't know what dilletantes is going to do, but whatever it is, I'm going to be a part of it. I've very much missed being in plays. I think the last play I did was Pirates of Penzance with JuMP. That is an awesome play. I'm serious. It's great. I got a CD of the broadway people doing Pirates of Penzance. It's my absolute favorite CD that I own. No joke. My favorite. Hands down.
Well, don't you all go thinking that I'm actually going to start writing in this thing called blog dilligently again or anything. Today I just felt like talking about the Music Man, but everyone I talk to (besides Tana) doesn't really care too much about musicals. So I thought I'd put it on my blog as a sort-of observated conversation with myself. Because I care about musicals. :)

Happy Father's Day!

Oh my. Could the week have gone any slower? It was super freaky slow. But, this weekend was super awesome. It began with a big BBQ at my clarinet teacher's house with all of the clarinet players there. They are such fun people! I love them. I love their house too. It's quite amazing.  I played ping-pong and sucked at it, but that's okay. It was just awesome.
Then I saw TOY STORY 3!! Oh my goodness! It was incredible. I loved that movie! It's just as great as the other two. I felt like a little kid again. This movie.. .just.. wow. Okay. I hate crying. I hate crying in front of people, in public places, or during movies. But the last part just made me go! my goodness! It wasn't even that bad and I cried... during toy story. I'm turning into a wimp!
Then Kristine, Lindsey, and I played munchkin while we ate ben and jerry's ice cream. It was so much fun. I love munchkin! :)
Yesterday, I watched Toy Story 1, went to Down East and Pizza Hut (yummy) and then went to Opera Scenes. And yes, opera is classified as being completely awesome and part of my awesome weekend. I just love it ! :) good weekend.

Finding Good Things

I think I'll be a much happier person if I can find good things about everyday. I mean, there will be some days where everything goes wrong. Those days are no fun, but if I build a habit, maybe I'll be able to have more good days than bad. You think?
Well I felt like a music person today. It's sort of fun to pretend to know about music. I played some prelude in Relief Society today because the pianist was late. I played Come, Follow Me. I played a couple verses and then I started improvising on the hymn with different counter melodies and things. It was so much fun and I felt like I was an awesome pianist or something. I probably messed up a lot. But I pretended that I meant to play everything I did. It was so much fun! Then I conducted the music in Relief Society. It's my calling. That's right. I'm awesome. Anyway. I was conducting and I pretended like the women were actually looking at me. I gave the best cues ever. I was then asked to lead the music for the ward potluck. that was nice. Also my roommates are watching Jurassic Park downstairs and I can hear the background music. Thanks to a friend, I have learned the awesome power of John Williams. I am really enjoying listening to it right now! So, yes. Today I feel like a music buff. Even though I'm not a very good one.. so yeah. That's a good thing of the day. Music buff feeling.

2 Tales of a Practice Room

So, two days ago I was practicing in the practice room. I usually being a piano book with me when I go so that if I get super frustrated with something on the clarinet, I can calm down and play the piano a little bit. I got a little furstrated and so I turned to the piano and flipped to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and just started playing. I felt better so I turned back to my clarinet and resumed my practicing. A couple seconds later, this lady walks into my practice room. She said, "Were you just playing the piano?"
"Yes," I said.
"Can you feel the love tonight was one of my favorite songs as a girl." I said nothing and smiled thinking, okay.. that's nice.
"I just want you to know that the way you played it made me realize that I want that song to be my wedding song." She exclaimed. "See, you could've gone all day without knowing that you helped someone. You just played it so great!"
I just said, "Oh Thanks" and offered my congratulations.
She then walked out the door. And that's my little story. I thought it was a little wierd, but it was nice I suppose.

Sometimes I mess with the people practicing beside me. I know it's a little rude, but it just makes life more fun. I heard another clarinetist practicing just across the wall. I started playing the same thing as she was. Turns out it was one of my friends Celeste! She is hilarious, and I love her. So everytime we have those practice rooms scheduled, Tuesdays and Thursdays, we always practice together now! It's only a little bit unproductive. :)

Wayne Kimball

The weekend yet again! I made it. Phew! It was a long one, and yet, at the same time, really short. The days themselves seem like they last forever, but the week as a whole has gone by really fast if that makes any sence whatsoever. It's been an interesting week. .. just yeah.
I've been extreamely busy with homework and color guard practice. I hope I don't die! That would be a little tragic. Just a little bit ;) I'm so behind on my homework and practice. I hope I can get at least a little caught up this weekend. I love all of my classes though, and that is a wonderful thing. At least I'm doing homework for classes that I enjoy. I think the only homework that could die and I wouldn't care would be math. The class period in and of itself it great! I love the teacher, the peers I sit next to, and I really don't mind learning some of the things taught in class. It's just the repetative homework that gets me. I don't know what it is about math that literally puts me to sleep, but it happens. You know how you aren't supposed to do anything but homework during homework time? as in watching tv, or something like that. Well, I can do that with all of my other subjects except math. With math, I have to be doing something else while I'm doing it because otherwise I end up nodding off and falling asleep. No joke.
I seriously can't remember anything that's happened to me this week except the regular stuff. Just classes...
Oh! I went to the art show in the Sori Gallery. I think the art was done by Wayne Kimball or something. I don't know. But it was really weird. I like art generally, it was just really hard to see what this guy was trying to get at. He was using magazine clippings. He also used the same images over and over again, but in different arrangements. It all was really weird to me. I don't know. But it was interesting to go see the show. It was nice.

Well, yeah. That was my week.  And this is probably the best of his art there. Really weird stuff, I'm tellin ya!

Frosted Flakes

It's the weekend! Party party party! It's the weekend woo hoo! I don't have to take down add! I slept in this morning. I don't have to do homework. Church on sunday should be good. Ahhh. A nice relaxing weekend. I'm excited for it. oo oo Party it up. yeah.
So, I wrote a fan letter with Lindsey to David Henrie, (The guy that plays Justin on the disney channel show Wizards of Waverly Place) and it was super great. It was hilarious. We watched the Proposal movie. That was great. I ate ice cream. um. I don't know. Anyway
WEEKENDS are GRRRR EAT!

You make me feel like dancin'!

I survived Target! It's all over now. I'm so glad to be out of that place for now. I'll be back in 3 months I guess, but I'm still glad to be out. I think my experiance in Target this time was much better than the last time. This time, I got to know my coworkers a little better. It was really nice talking to them. I even talked to a few of them about the church! It was awesome. :) But, yes, glad to be out.
Being out of Targetopia means school starts soon! I'm very excited to go back. I'm really glad to have a set schedule again and have things to do during the day and be free during the evenings. I'm excited to laugh with roomates again. I get to go to concerts and play in band! Oh my goodness! I'm so excited! And I get to learn stringed instruments this semester! Last semester was drums, this time around its orchestra stuff! Oh my goodness. I get to have a life again!

Topic Generator

I felt like writing about something, but didn't know what. So I found a blog topic generator so I will answer their topics here so I can write something. Here goes:
TOPIC: A troubled concious
At the moment, my concious isn't too terribly troubled. Although, I do have things on my mind. I'm a little bit stressed about going to college. I've been thinking about how much I hate moving and change in general. That, of course, is just one of many things I am thinking about.
TOPIC: Carrying cash with you
I don't have very much cash on me ever... sometimes I carry 20 or so dollars around. However, whenever I have cash, I use it before I use anything else, so the cash doesn't last long.
TOPIC: Things I regret
I regret little tiny things in my life. Like: I should've said or worded something differently in some conversation. Small things like that that don't really matter all that much. Everything else.. I don't really regret. I'm greatful for all of my experiances.
TOPIC: My childhood football stars
uh.... I think my Grandpa watched the 49ers at our house once... ? I don't know diddly about football. Sorry.
TOPIC: All the jobs I've ever worked
Babysitting for countless families, Piano Teacher, Day Care Instructor for a lady in my ward, Cultural Hall Sales associate, and Target Sales Floor Team Member.
TOPIC: Checking the closets before going to bed
I don't check my closet before I go to bed. Sometimes, though, I do get afraid at night. Not very often, but sometimes. Those are the nights that I hear creaks in the house and I can't remember if I locked the garage door or not. I'm a fraidy cat. :)
TOPIC: Going to the movie alone
This last semester in college I went to a lot of concerts alone. While it's completely awesome to go with someone else, I didn't mind going alone either. Honestly, I'd rather go alone than not go at all.
TOPIC: Getting a new phone
 I got a new phone quite recently. I didn't like getting another one. I don't like change. I would rather just keep my old one, just because I've had it for a while and I hate changes. Also, I miss all of my old pictures, ringtones, and how my phone break danced when it vibrated on the table. Eventually I'll get used to my new one and then it will all be good.
TOPIC: My 15 min. of Fame
Um. I was on the news in Kindergarden. It was embarrasing. My family still jokes around about it. "We play games. Lots of games. And gym stuff." I was a cute little kid. Not gunna lie. :)
I think that's all for tonight. Maybe I'll do this again sometime. I kinda liked it.

Pre-Spring Semester To-Do List

1. Work at Target: 4 more days
2. Go through college supplies to make sure I have every thing I need. Paper, food, etc.
3. Re-pack college things
4. Attend Grammy Night and dance afterwards
5. Go to Jive
6. See Rachel
7. Shelby's farewell
8. Make sure new printer works
9. pack everything else up
10. Clean my room for Tana
11. Practice clarinet more
13. Pay rest of tuition and rent
14. Head off to Rexburg on the 19th.
15. Get books
16. Unpack
17. Attend school

Five years old again!

I was 5 years old again yesterday. It was quite amazing. Lindsey got off work at 2 o'clock and I didn't work at all, so we decided to do something. We also invited Kelsey, a girl Lindsey works with who also attends BYU-I. We ended up building a fort down in the Maughan's basement. It was quite a wonderful fort, I must say. Then we ordered pizza from dominoes. I ordered it in a complete british accent and didn't break character at all. It was quite amazing. I was very proud of myself. In our fort, which surrounded the tv, we watched Princess and the Frog and Stardust. It was an absolutely wonderful night filled with the joys of immaturity that only we as silly college girls can experiance. :)

Just what the doctor ordered.

So I went to Beauty and the Beast tonight with Lindsey and Josh! It was so much fun! I miss the stage so much! I haven't done a play since Pirates of Penzance 3-ish years ago. I am also completely jealous that I'm not in town when they do The Music Man this summer. I've ALWAYS wanted to be in The Music Man. It's my absolute favorite musical EVER! I love it so much. And I wont even be around to see it. How sad.
Anyway Beauty and the Beast was completely magical. I loved it so much! Cogsworth and Lumier were perfect! Completely animated and wonderful. Mrs. Potts and Chip were adorable. Melanie Cook played Mrs. Potts and she did a lovely job at it. The part fits her personality so well. Belle was Tess Greg. She gets very into her parts. I've seen her in 2 other playes and has done well in all of them.
Gaston was amazing. He played his part wonderfully and had an amazing voice. Apparantly he was also Jeckel/Hyde in Jeckel and Hyde in October. Lindsey said he was amazing at it. I bet he would be. I loved him a lot. Lafou was Daniel Gardener.. I think that was his name. Anyway he has played all of the "bumbling fool" characters in everything he's been in. I've seen him in quite a few plays. He plays parts like that so well. It just fits. Ya just gotta love 'im.
The solos were great! Everyone sang beautifully. It's when the cast sang together when I cringed just a bit. Human Again was a little shaky at parts. Be our guest was okay.. It really was nothing too special, which was a let down. The coreography wasn't too bad, but it was blocked by the kids sitting on the edge of the stage with big fuit hats. But other than that, I could feel that they were comfortable singing it, like it was well rehearsed.
The finale was incredible! They were very dramatic scenes and they did wonderfully. Me, I have a problem with serious scenes. I start giggling a bit. They held their characters very well. The fireworks and the lighting were very effective. They made the audience jump, in a good way. Everyone changing back into their human selves was a very effective scene. When Chip changed back and ran to hug Mrs. Potts again, was incredible how they played that up. The audience even started applauding.
This play was so good. I really wish Target would have let me be in this play. They just wouldn't work with my schedule. Which is okay. Work is good too. I'm just glad I got to see the show. I've been wanting to go to another concert or something lately so this was just what the doctor ordered! Anyway, sorry to sound like Amanda the critic in this post, but I just wanted to talk about it.

My trip to the dentist!

I walked in and felt totally unwelcome. I said hey I'm Amanda I'm here for an appointment. Just checking in like normal people would do, and the lady behind the desk went "and...." like she didn't know what "I'm here for an appointment" meant. But it just turns out that she was waiting for me to come with a picture ready so she could recognize me. I looked at said picture and it was taken way back when I first moved here back in 2005. I looked a lot younger. so they promptly sat me down and got me already for the cleaning of my teath and they took a more adult picture so they can recognize me next time. Then I got x-rayed! I like the x-ray machine they have now. Its all digital! They took the picture and immediately it showed up on the computer! It was extremely wonderful! However instead of that paper triangle they stick in your mouth it was a big honking electronic choke device! My mouth will have bruses in it. then they cleaned my teeth. Now I'm all squeeky clean!