Graphs are fashionable

My blogging history:

It's not even halfway through 2010!

A bit of joy for you. . .

Here it is

10 things I recently discovered should ALWAYS be in my cupboard

What do you expect to use all the time? If you look at my wardrobe, there are a lot of simple items that I bought with the intention of wearing with EVERYTHING (black cardigan). And then there's the other example of when rather unique pieces of clothing (green and white beaded flip flops, for example) somehow end up going with, and improving, almost everything. And you find excuses to wear them, no matter what.* Lately, I've been listing in my head all the ingredients I love, and am noticing a few similarities between my cardigans, flip-flops, and this list.

1. Cauliflower

2. Lime

3. Freshly ground black pepper

4. Real Parmesan

5. Spinach

6. Hummus

7. Garlic

8. Tim Tams

9. Chips

10. Salsa

The quality of life has drastically improved.

*Or the opposite situation, when you buy something that is supposed to be versatile (khaki pants) and never wear it/them, because it never looks quite right.

My dream

I am going to start this posts the same way I start my conversations--with one or two disclaimers. First, I think it is ridiculous to post about dreams. This one was just too hilarious, though. Second, I really don't think I am repressed.

Chapter 1: I dreamed last night that I was a repressed Victorian woman, who somehow got mixed up with a crew of goat herders in a basement who were protecting their goats from people shooting through the ceiling at them.

I emerged alive, but not the same.

Chapter 2: Fast forward one year (as is so easy to do in dreams and movies):

I had begun to break free of my mother's rule and had my own herd of mountain goats.

I saw this picture on a blog the day before. Goats=metaphor for "living on the edge?"

As I was out tending them, I ran into a gang of motocross nomads (yep). One guy managed to miraculously save one of my goats, thus winning my heart. I became best buddies with the nomads.

Chapter 3: One of the nomads had a younger sister. She loved motocross with all her heart, but there is just no room for women in the nomad motocross world. I was talking to her, and I had an epiphany: I would learn how, and then we could compete against each other! The world would have to take note of two woman competing. It was brilliant.

Then I woke up.

A Mighty Change

I had a moment last Friday. My roommates and I had just come back from a triple blind date, which, surprise, was awful. I was exhausted before the date even started, it was snowy, wet and cold, and then things went from bad to worse. When we got home I sat on the couch and steamed for half an hour, I was so mad. All I wanted to do was go to bed and slay the dating monster in my dreams. Hannabeth and I needed to go to Walmart, though.

I forced myself out the door into the miserable snowy cold and discovered instead the most beautiful world. It was still snowing, and the whole world was covered in snow, starlight and stillness. I was reminded of what Elder Hales said in the last conference, speaking of wanting to come to know and gain a testimony of God: "This desire leads us to ponder on the things of heaven—to let the evidence of God all around us touch our hearts." In my life, I have been negligent in observing the frequent and touching witnesses of the love of God for His children. I nearly missed that perfect experience because I thought I would rather be grumpy. It was beautiful.

Life Is Good

I am so excited by this. Isn't it amazing that those things that once seemed impossible, like finding out the color of a dinosaur, aren't?

The Grapes of Wrath has been my reading nemesis for the past ten years. I couldn't ever actually finish it. January 2010 goes down as the month I conquered it. Finished! But it was a completely worthy foe, and a new favorite. Other books I've read recently that made the mighty list: Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Jurassic Park, Catcher in the Rye, and The Hunger Games.

Quotes from the third grade:

"I didn't get any peace or love from that story, cause I was looking at the stars on the wall."

Me: "What slows objects down?" Smarty-Pants Anthony: "Fraction."

"Who is that? Is he a basketball player?"--when a black character showed up in a book we were reading.

"I was late fo school because my dad was in the bathwoom doing number two, and it took fo-eveh."

One girl, after doing a spastic dance where her legs were going all over the place: "And that's not fat. It's pure muscle. I got 'em from my dad."

I haven't lost my keys since Christmas.

Books

If I were stuck in my own brain, life, and way of thinking forever, I'm sure I would go crazy.