an amusing day

Laura moved in last night. So far, sharing my room hasn't been as much of an adjustment as I initially anticipated. My room is bigger than the one I was in in my last apartment, and that makes things easier. She's going to start working early morning custodial, so she'll be getting up at three a.m. I hope she doesn't wake me, but she promises that she'll do her best not to.

I had a busy day even though I didn't have classes. I went to a review for my French final. I know, it's a 100-level class and I'm making good grades in the class, but I figured that I might get a leg up so I can get a really good grade in the class. Also, there was food. My teacher brought different kinds of French bread and French cheese. Tell you what, I could get addicted to French cheeses, if they weren't so expensive and so unhealthy. I've been really enjoying cheese lately--I used to hate cheese! I've actually been enjoying many things that I didn't used to like. Stir-fry didn't used to be my favorite, but now I like it. I'm developing a taste for yogurt. And if cooked the right way, I like mushrooms. I also like cashews, which didn't used to appeal to me.

After the review, I grabbed lunch at the Cougareat. A few days ago, I received an e-mail about paying for a summer meal plan, and I had thought that I had ordered a summer meal plan at the same time I ordered a spring one. So, I went to the ID center and paid for one, only to find out a few hours later that I had indeed paid for a summer meal plan in April! I got a refund. The girl in the ID center told me that she had never dealt with something like this before, and neither had her supervisor! I made history at the ID center, ha ha! Actually, I've probably made history for how many times I've replaced a lost ID card. Yeah, yeah. Now I'm home, watching some TV and debating whether or not to walk to the grocery store. It's so hot outside!!!

Tomorrow is going to be pretty busy too. I'm planning on taking my Marriage Prep final tomorrow morning, studying for my French final, volunteering at the MTC, and I don't know what else after that. We don't have Institute this week because of finals. Thursday morning, I take my French final. I miss my classes, this was one of the funnest terms I've ever had! My professors were great and I met some great people in my classes. I also learned a lot--maybe I should have mentioned that first :)

So, after Thursday morning, I'll have pretty much nothing to do until Monday. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. I'll probably continue working out in the early morning like I have been. I guess I can do some reading. Maybe I'll go to the temple to do baptisms--I haven't done that in months. Last fall, I managed to go almost every week but last semester, I didn't have a lot of time. I could also go to the mall. I need to plan--boredom and I don't get along very well at all. It's almost a lethal relationship--just ask my family.

the last few days

On Friday, I went to the BYU fair with some people from my ward. There were a lot of activities and booths there, one of them being a "best pick-up line" booth. What you had to do was write down a pick-up line you know on paper and submit it. The winners would be announced later that evening. Well, I participated and I won third place. My pick-up line? "Well, I'm here. What are your other two wishes?" Ironically, I found that in a top ten WORST pick-up line list. Maybe I should use it...yeah, right. After the carnival, some of us went to Burgers Supreme. I'd never been there, but their burgers are pretty good. But for me, not good for late-night eating. Blegh. I went to bed at ten-ish that night because I had a splitting headache and was tired.

Saturday was uneventful, except I ran some errands, did laundry, and prepared my Relief Society lesson. Sunday, I went to church, gave my lesson, went home, ate, called home, baked cookies, and went to a game night next door.

Today is the last day of class. Tomorrow is Reading Day, then finals will be Wednesday and Thursday. I'm not too worried about my finals--I only have two and I'm getting good grades in both classes.

I ran into a guy from my freshman ward today at the Wilk. It was pretty funny. He stopped me and I didn't know who he was at first. Then he said, "You're Laura...used to be Slack, right?" I smiled and answered, "It's still Slack."

these surveys can be interesting for some reason

A- Attached or single: single
B- Best Friend: they know who they are
C-Cake or Pie: Pie. Specifically, Mom's cherry pie :)
D-Day: everyday
E- Essential Item: laptop
F-Favorite Color: blue, green, purple, burgundy
G-Gummi Bears or Worms: gummy worms--especially in those chocolate pudding desserts with crushed oreos on top, yum!
H-Home town: Houston, TX
I- Indulgences: chocolate, chips, chips and salsa (or queso, when I make it)
J- January or July?: In Utah? Oh boy. January is too cold and snowy and July is just so hot!
K- Kids: None.
L-Life is incomplete without: Family
M- Marriage Date: Not married...not even close
N-Number of Siblings: three
O-Oranges or Apples: apples
P- Phobias or Fears: I'm afraid of snakes.
Q- Quote: I'll get back to you on this one.
R- Reason To Smile: Don't have very much homework! My friend Laura moves in with me in a few days. And I'm just a few months closer to seeing my adorable cousins Kayla, Luke, and Darren again! I miss them so much.
S- Season: Spring in Utah--it's gorgeous
T- Tag Four: Hmm, Camille and Anika (sorry, only two, but you guys don't have to do this)
U- Unknown fact about me: My last name is a bad word in Pidgin English
V- Very Favorite Store: Forever 21, Maurice's, etc.
W- Worst Habit: I'm not the most organized person
X-Rays or Ultrasounds: I've only had X-rays, no ultrasounds yet.
Y-Your favorite food: Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, my mom's home cooking, but I am doing better in the kitcehn
Z: Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

stir-fry

The stir-fry turned out all right. But I did set off the smoke detector on accident after I put the chicken in the saucepan. But my roommate said that she used to do that a lot, so I didn't need to worry. I didn't follow the directions for cooking rice quite right, so it came out a little bit chewy. But I tried again last night when I had the last of my chicken dumplings (frozen, I'm not *that* good), and it turned out very well and had leftovers. Excellent. Now I don't have to cook more rice when I eat my leftover stir-fry tonight. Look Ma, I can cook rice! I'm interested in trying other stir-fry recipes.

I read the nutrition label on the rice, and gasped. 300 calories per 1/4 cup uncooked serving? I made a half-cup last night, so 600 calories, yowza! But I didn't eat all of it; in fact, I don't think I even ate half. And a half-cup yields maybe two cups of cooked rice. Yeah, rice is weird like that.

Spring term is coming to an end. It's gone by so fast, but I actually enjoyed this term. The last few spring/summer terms I stayed for weren't quite so fun, but it's probably because of the classes I took.

And I just received word that my friend and soon-to-be roommate Laura is moving in on Monday! When she called I was afraid that she was moving in today, and the room isn't very clean right now. Glad she gave me fair warning.

She can cook!

I cooked again. Yesterday, I made tomato basil soup. The recipe called for fresh tomatoes, but I decided that canned diced tomatoes were good enough. I bought a blender a few days ago, and let me tell you that it was a wise investment. You can work many miracles with a blender. The soup turned out to be delicious! It was easy to make too. It was also low-fat. I will never go back to canned tomato soup. I'll make this stuff in bulk come winter time...or do I need to wait until winter? I found an easy pizza crust and pizza sauce recipe online, and I might attempt that too.

Tonight, I will attempt to make a chicken stir-fry. It looks simple enough, and I bought frozen stir-fry vegetables. I will get to make my Botan Japanese rice for the first time ever. Japanese rice is the best. But wish me luck in handling raw meat. I don't have a lot of experience with that.

I believe cooking may soon become a passion of sorts. I'm going to take a cooking class in the summer and I can't wait to learn more!

Mom, cancel the DNA tests...I am your daughter! *laughs*

Oh, and I received rave reviews about my peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. One friend is quoted as saying that my cookies are "amazing".

Privileged?

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the true statements.

1. Father went to college.
2. Father finished college.
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor..
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers..
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home..
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.. (I think)
9. Were read children's books by a parent.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs..
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp (does AFA count?)
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18..
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels..
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18. (actually, I had a lot of hand-me-downs as a child, but they were always nice ones. My mom also made a lot of my clothes too, and she's a great seamstress)
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them..
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child..
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house..
24. Your parents owned their own house or apartment before you left home..
25. You had your own room as a child. (I shared with my younger brother from the time I was four until I was in third grade)
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. (only in the house in West U., not in the Katy or Highland Village houses)
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16..
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. (yes, but mostly to symphony concerts, and they were mostly free or discounted)
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

I guess I've been very privileged, but I don't like to think of myself as spoiled. Whenever people find out that I'm the only girl in my family, they assume that I'm either a tomboy or a spoiled brat. I mentioned this to a former roommate, and she said: "You're really neither!" Thank you Kelli :)

I can be domestic!

On Sunday, I made my mother's famous peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and they turned out well, except I might not have portioned the chocolate chips evenly in the cookies themselves. I was pleased and I guess this means I can cook :)

My brother graduated from high school yesterday and had his Eagle Scout project on Saturday. Wow!