O, thriftyness, you and I were meant to be!

Happy New Year!!!

Today was really good. Mostly b/c I got to sleep in quite a bit. Then I took Louisa shopping, and got some new things for myself as well.

After shopping we came back and had dinner, I talked with Mom, and I finally got my fall semester sorted out, which will be nice. My days will mostly be long, but I think I won't mind so much. I'm really excited to go back to school actually. I think.

Then we went over to a church friend's house for a new years eve party. We didn't stay too late; it worries Mom if we're out late at night. But it was fun anyway. We came back and watch 'The Illusionist' good times.

So it's been a while since we had a list in here, and I just love them so much...so here's my shopping details:

3 pairs of pants
1 pair of slippers
1 bracelet
1 small bottle of perfume
4 shirts

total: $ 74 an average of $7.40 an item, with the most expensive being $12 and the least being $4.

I would like to add that this was all shopping at the mall; not Goodwill. Not that I don't love shopping at goodwill, but that would make my average much less impressive.

Happy New Year, especially to certain people who also have a birthday on this fine day!!!

Updates all around, with a side of snow and ice cream

Today is too awesome of a day not to write about. I woke up slightly not on time, but I got dressed, and started painting the basement door for my 1 hour of chores (mandatory in the rennovating Sieber house project) and I listened to Elder Eyring while I did it. I love that man. I listened to all of "Waiting upon the Lord" and the very beginnings of "Always." I feel like Elder Eyring really speaks to me in a way I can understand about the gospel, in a way I can relate too. He'd so awesome. It was great.

Then I showered, got ready, and after setting up the facebook event for Mr. Walker's party tomorrow (We're having Mr. Walker over for dinner, and inviting other former east high kids to come have desserts with us) Mom and I went cross country skiing. That was fun, even though I kept falling down. Eventually we got Mom to try to take a picture of me fallen down, but she was having technical difficulties. We did take a BFF picture though.

We ran to st. vinnie's real quick where i found a new formal jacket I like, and new pants, and four new books, and by new I mean old. Collections of Short stories and stuff, it's great. But by the time we were done there I was late for meeting Travis and Craig at Hansens. It wouldn't have been a problem for me to have been dropped off at Hanson's by Mom, except that I was wearing ski boots. Now, wearing ski boots in st vincent depaul--hey, who cares, right? But wearing ski boots at Hansens? Problem. Luckily, we happened to buy Louisa a new pair of shoes while we were there, and so I switched those for my ski boots just before we hit Hansen's.

Ice cream at hansen's was the best. I'm finally getting used to Craig's beard I think. We talekd about life and school and stuff. He's actually graduated, a real adult now. Gosh. We had finished the updates pretty much by the time Travis showed up (at which point I got another serving of ice cream) and then Travis filled us in on his life, we reminisced a bit more and then Travis took me home.

Came home, had dinner, and then we had family night. For lesson I shared an mp3 which is a collection of quotes from the Prophets and Apostles bearing testimony of the Savior, it was amazing. It is such a great track. It was even better to sit there with my parents because they could say "Oh, this is President Bensen" like they actually knew who was who on some that I didn't know (although I did recognize President Kimball, and Bruce R.).

For activity we played a game where one person writes a sentance on a piece of paper, passes it to the next person, who illustrates that sentance, and they fold over the written portion, so the next person they hand it to only sees the picture, and they have to write a sentance from that picture. Rinse and repeat.
Example:
Written: Mom wants to go to France.
Illustrated: a feminine stick figure/airplane/the eiffel tower.
W: Betsy wants to fly to the eiffel tower
I: Heart/ plane/a bunch of lines that look like a narrow upsidedown fan. teepee ish almost.
W: I love flying poles
I: Heart/long rectangle horizontal things with lines indicating rapid movement
W: My girlfriend betraed me and threw spears at my heart.

And that wasn't even the best one. I think I'm going to scan them all and make a facebook album. That way our children can see how wacky we were. They were hilarious.

Then I went out with a friend for hot chocolate at Kavarna, although we had initially planned it at the Attic, but they were closing, so we went to Kavarna, and then to Cafe Express till close. It was fun. I swear I could talk to that kid forever.

good times

Man, what a week this has been. I saw Mary on Monday, and then I went to the Berken's party on Tuesday (awesome!!!) where I saw SO many old friend and people that I literally hadn't seen in YEARS. Then Lauren and I ambushed Marie last night. And then the three of us did the same to Kyle--that was pretty rad. Ah, such good times. Tonight I went to another shindig with former east people, which was rad too.

Man, I don't think I've ever had a time in my life where I feel like I have to make so many changes. Well, I suppose I have, with job changes/school changes, but these changes are different. I'm changing my LIFE like my personal habits and stuff. I've really been thinking my life and what I want to change about it so I could have more fun and be more like the person who I want to be, you know? I figure going-on 23 years old is a good time to do that. I mean, now's the time to change right? Before I get old and cranky about it. And man, is there a lot to change. So here's one to all those new year's resolution-ers: GO FOR IT!!! Only I really don't like the new year's resolution business, so I just say "It's your life, change it whenever you want!!"

So I saw Lauren last night, and I called my friend Thomas while I was waiting for her at the restaurant, and as I got out of the car, to wait outside, I totally locked my keys in the car. Stop laughing Megan. I know you. Luckily my little sister came and bailed me out. Can I just say that Kroll's as a restaurant is amazing? I don't care if I can hear my arteries clogging as I eat it, it's a beautiful part of being American. Mmmmm, burgers and chocolate shakes, I beg you never to leave my life. Don't forget the mozzerella sticks either.

Oprah, Pirates and Epiphanies

12/25/08

Man I have had a rough day today. I did two worksheets of goals, things i need to change in my life (eating less and being prepared and on time). It was emotionally draining to have to examine my own behaviors rationally as if they were a symptom of some greater disease (which is kind of true, but still not what I was ready for).

I watched Return to Me with the fam today. Gosh I love that movie. I mean, it is substantially fluff, but I love the group of old guys/family dynamic in there. The love story is kind of ancillary to the community depicted, which I adore.

And it's not as if I'm doing so bad with my life either, about those goals worksheets. They were about things that we know we need to change in our lives and what is holding us back. I really don't want to share more here.

After having such an intensive day, I decided to take it easy after dinnertime and just do what I want to do for awhile. I ended up eating some frozen yogurt (mmmmm) and watching TED videos with Mom and Sammy. For those of you who aren't familiar you should check out TED, a symposium about how to change the world. Here were two of my favorite talks:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talk/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school.html

http://ted.org/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

I recommend them both, probably the second one more than the first. So funny. Goodnight folks, I'm about to turn in before midnight.

pendulum court and life

Whoa, here we go. I've been inspired by one of my friends who updates regularly, and I'm back on track to doing the same.

Life is good right now. I mean, it’s good all the time, but right now especially. I’m looking at what it would take to graduate in April with an English degree, and then getting certified from there, but I’m not so sure about that option. Why would I want to shorten my BYU experience? I don’t think so.So I'll probably apply to the teaching major again, if not in the Winter, next fall.

Did you know you can subscribe to a Digital version of the NYTimes, complete with reader software, through the daily universe’s website? http://newsnet.byu.edu/section.cfm/home if you’re a BYU student, that is. It’s pretty sweet. This will stop my sprint to the HRCB every day, and save trees!

Yesterday I was sitting in the Eyring Science Center, and I looked up from reading Hamlet to see this guy trying to eat a muffin. Not that he wasn’t successful, he was. But he had one of those huge muffins, and he basically unhinged his jaw to eat it in 3 bites. He was all business, that muffin went quickly. He chomped down on it like a kid stuffing his face. It was amazing. Also, in the same foodcourt, I saw a girl eating applesauce out of a little cup (you know, the snack size), but she didn’t have a spoon, and she was using the foil top of her cup as a sort of spoon. More like a chip with salsa. She would scoop up applesauce with it, and eat just the apple sauce, and dig in once more. Ingenious. While I was in the ESC I had a non student ask me how the pendulum worked, and I didn’t know, but I called Thomas, and he told me, and I got to relate it to the mother who asked me about it. It’s pretty sweet to hang out with Physics majors.

Also, I just bought this blik design , I think we’ll put it in our kitchen. It will just fit our little hardwood floors. Hee hee.

ps my date on Saturday was not the best date I have ever been on in my life, mostly because of my social incompetance under pressure, and if you want the details I'll call you and detail my embarrassments, but I don't feel like posting them on the web. But I don't think anything will happen. It's okay. There are plenty of other boys. Amazing ones.

pps I saw High School Musical 3 on friday, and if you liked the first one, and heaven forbid, the second one, you will not be disappointed. It was good. Just let out your inner-11 year old, and it will be a-MAZE-ing

coffee table items

What is on my coffee table:
two journals (previous ones, I mean. They're full.)
New York Times
T.V. Remote (para american idol)
Syllabus for "Judaism and the Gospel"
"Candida Hofer: Architecture of Absence" (Book)
Preach My Gospel
2008 May Ensign (General Conference Edition)
Scriptures/ (my) small plates
"That Thing You Do!" DVD
mail Key
mechanical pencil
regular keys
"101 Powerful Promises from the Book of Mormon" (Book)
cellphone
"Looking for Summer" (photography book)
Piano Classics/Anastasia/Disney Piano Solos (sheet music)

jiggity jog

A few days ago my co worker said "home again home again jiggity jog" to herself as she left. I corrected her saying "home again home again jiggity jig." She said "no, it's 'jiggity jog.'" I contested. She then recited:
"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, jiggity jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,
Home again, home again, jiggity jog."

I was like "Whoa, sorry. Wrong STANZA."

she laughed her way out of the office that day.

three

I miss Marae.
I fell in love with Joshua Radin tonight.
I wish...you know the problem with most people is that they go around wishing things, but never do anything about it.
I had fun tonight.
I finished my homework that was due.
I have not kicked my Jamba Juice addiction.
I want to live in a cute (cheap!) house.
I miss my friends who are not around. (*cough*roommates*cough*)
It was a beautiful day today.
I was late to my Lit class.
How come I don't have more time?
I am running out of space in my journal.

with much love and affection,
Bets

Ah, me...

So today, I totally walked into the wrong religion class. I heard what I assumed was my professor's voice out in the hallway, and I'm not very good at remembering classroom numbers anyway, so I went in, sat down and started pulling out my laptop before I looked up and realized that it wasn't my class. And because I'm such an undeniably expressive person, I'm pretty sure I said that aloud, in hushed tones, put my laptop back in my bag, and walked out. My class was next door. Ay carrumba.

And THEN in my CompLit 201 class, I was kind of sitting back, minding my own business, and making the usual sarcastic comments in the background, and then my Professor called me on it! Apparently he heard me, and stopped teaching the class, looked directly at me and asked "Is there going to be mocking of me today, Betsy?" I was like "It's Monday, I gotta do somethin'" And he was like "I'm just teasing" so I didn't have to reply anything anyway, but WOW I've never had a professor throw down the gauntlet like that before! Sha-ZAM!

So the other day my Dad called me (which is kind of unusual)
Dad: What's the name of that museum you work at?
(pause)
Me: Um...the Museum of Art? But I don't work there Dad. I used to volunteer there.
Dad: Oh. And how long ago was that? How far out of date am I?
Me: Like a year?
Dad: (starts to laugh) Oh, is that all? (more laughter) Well that's not too bad, is it?

That's basically my Dad.

Almost as fun as the time he called me me six times in within 20 minutes one morning (at 6:30am) b/c he kept sitting on his phone. I had to call Mom to ask him to stop. It was pretty funny.

In lieu of flowers, hug someone.

Seriously, the last line of an obituary for Edna Louise Fullen.

How to be remembered

So we're going over obitiuaries at tgn.com today, and this is the closing line of one I got, "[So-and-so] will be remembered for his kindness, hospitality and lively, if mischievous, intelligence."
I like it.

Interesting Surnames

How would you like your last name to be "Inkster"? I ran across a few at work this morning. Would that mean you were a really good writer? Quill-maker? Or a vandal? Maybe just a zealous printer...