It's not about the pants

It isn't about wearing skirts or pants to church.

The wearing pants instead of skirts is symbolic of shedding a cultural (as opposed to a doctrinal) gender role.  It's about how some church policies promote gender roles that could be interpreted as perpetuating a culture of inequality between men and women.

For example, although being the Sunday School President requires no preisthood authority or stewardship, it is always a role filled by a man. Likewise all of the church finances are processed by men, both at the local and general level.

These were the two examples that I admit could have merit, however overall I don't feel like I have been treated as inferior or unequal ever in my worship or leadership experience. If anything I have been deferred to more because I am a woman. Now perhaps that is due to excellent local leadership, but one would hope it happens at a worldwide level.

As with all things I decided that due to my personal experience most of the goals of this event don't resonate with me. If there is sexism in the church, it certainly isn't doctrinal. Perhaps some policies are favored towards men fulfilling more roles, but I don't believe this implies that women can't fill those roles; just that they don't have the responsibility to.

Variety Show: Betsy and Friends

I confessed to Louisa (my younger sister) that I have a dream of putting on a variety show someday with all of my wonderfully talented friends and myself. I would be a good backup singer!

Here are my ideas:

Marae -Angela (Missy Higgins), Far Away (Ingrid Michaelson), Hot Dog (Meiko)
Eliza, Kristy & Rachel - The Chain (Ingrid Michaelson)
Eliza and me - Call Your Girlfriend (Robyn--but Lennon and Maisy-style)
Spencer Johnson - Follow you Into the Dark
Sweat Taxi - (or what was that band that Scott and Brawny made?) whatever they want
Steve Mortensen - The Curse (Josh Ritter)
Rachel Brown - anything from Pirates of Penzance
Emily McConkie and me - Loathing  (Wicked)
Ali Savage - Get Over You (Sara Bareillis)
Susie Peterson - Any rap she wants, I'll be the counter (girl-sung) chorus. (Ex: here or here)
Me - Joshua Noveck (did it!)

I also think we should add a reading from The Princess Diaries (the book) in there (Lauren, Heidi, Rachel...)


I may edit this post later, as I remember other songs and friends I want to add. Suggestions welcome!

"Anything is possible if you've got enough nerve."

No glasses!

My, what an excellent jawline I have!

From the side...

I cut it shorter than ever before, but everyone seems to love it! Or at least, those who don't love it aren't saying anything.

I was sort of hesitant to go get it cut because I didn't know a reliable stylist in the area, but it turned out great.  I told the girl who answered the phone at Regis' (thanks Maranda for biasing me for my ENTIRE LIFE) that I was a girl getting a short haircut, and she said "I'll set you up with Krista, she's amazing," and it was so true! Krista and I just might be hair salon besties for life, she and I hit it off quite nicely. She swears like a sailor, and believes in horoscopes like the true gospel, has a 4 year old boy and had THREE friends stop by to say hi to her. I love her.

I suppose everyone would like a legitimate update on my life....here goes.

I am currently an office manager in Green Bay at my parents' business, and I live in Appleton, which is about a 40 minute drive from the office. It just so happens that most of the YSA happenings go down in  Appleton, and also I live with THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT AKA the greatest girl in the world, my friend Becky.

Isn't she great?

I am also a temple worker! And second counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. And --are you ready--Branch Facebook Coordinator. And on the Stake Activities committee. As you can tell, we are a little strapped for leadership out here in Wisconsin. 

I realize I haven't posted in forever. And some of you CONTINUE to check this blog regularly. I'm so sorry I have been quiet for so long. Although my life has moved on from BYU (for the moment), and there are some people I have "lost touch" with, I still think of you guys regularly. You know who you are. Thanks for still being my friend...and by being my friend, I mean checking my blog when I hardly ever post.  I promise to do better in the future. And thanks again, I appreciate you. 

The day all my dreams came true

Let's chat about this.

Right now I am in Chicago, going to LeakyCon.
It is a Harry Potter conference, featuring authors, actors, fan-made musicals, and a lot of standing in line for said wonderful things.
You probably think that is why my dreams are coming true.

Only partly.

Today I met  TEAM STARKID who is the cast of a fan-made musical (A Very Potter Musical/ A Very Potter Sequel, both available on youtube), AND I had three personal experiences with cast members as they were signing my poster! I qualify the term "personal experiences" as saying more than 'hello how are you' in the signing.

ALSO I was looking for DFTBA ribbon to add to my badge, and then John Green (who was signing things at the time) gave me his!!! Tell me this is not the best day ever and I will contradict you heartily.

There are some things I never dreamed that I would get to do. Life is crazy, sometimes.

things I want my visiting teachers to do but would never actually ask them to

• sort the pile at the end of my bed into clean clothes/dirty laundry and then DO the laundry bit
• go to the mall to pick up some of my favorite bubble bath
• find a boy to hold me until I feel better

I'm obsessed with the song "Bulletproof" by La Roux
Susie endorses the obsession
"It's a good song,"

I,
on the other hand
am not so sure
"except that it gives me
unrealistic expectations about emotional stability"
I respond

Ellie, Louisa and I sang along to it
at the top of our lungs
a good moment

I try to re-create it
singing along
at the top of my lungs
on my own

and to me
my voice comes out flat

my little sister is visiting

guys,
the usual process
with sixteen year olds and me
is me putting them in a desk
and making them think about something

I have years of training
leading to that point

somehow that might not work this time
I think

getting a part of my soul back

is what it felt like
to put on my beat-up, neon plaid,
Chuck Taylors

love them.

I had trouble throwing away the pair I wore out climbing to the Y my freshman year.

 I've had these for six years now. Same problem.

worksheet

gotta love these fifth graders.


very clever my young Luis. Very clever. This is the same boy who asked me to take him to Rio.

what i did today

I get paid for this.

they buried me to my knees

and then Clowey threw her arms around my neck,

and said, "you're never leaving, ever!" 

and hugged me 

if there is more to life than that feeling

of being held tightly

I haven't found it yet

or anything that comes remotely close

I have the best job in the world.

Today I found this album

which has Alan Rickman reading "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun" (track 4)

pretty much the greatest thing I ever heard. I bought it, obviously. But the whole album, not just the one. I felt it a pretty good deal, and a worthy investment. I've started to watch/listen to more Shakespeare in my free time. I love it.

I am so good at procrastinating homework

this is what I do (or don't do, as the case may be) instead:

this was the first incarnation.

here is the new and improved version:

the bolded ones are ones I didn't get done every day of the set, and so I know they are my weak points.

I love routines. The trouble is, I don't love making them. But this chart has worked wonders so far. It's on the bathroom wall by the sink so I check it off when I am brushing my teeth.

the list

favorite movies:
West Side Story
Singin' in the Rain
That Thing You Do!
You've Got Mail!
Twelve Angry Men
Lars and the Real Girl
Good Will Hunting
The Breakfast Club
Star Wars

In no particular order. I just was on  a date tonight and was thinking about it. People judge you so based on lists. Unfortunately I can never think of my favorites at the time.

"don't forget to write to philip"

it is one of my daily goals.
and my roommate emily reminds me of it
"writing to philip" does not mean i have a missionary out in the field
(thank goodness)

i used to have this therapist
who told me i was a winner
and that i could do what i want
(essentially)
he's made a great impact on my life
(obviously)
so i named a journal after him
which is what writing to philip means

i just finished three pages
when i was only intent on a paragraph
maybe i still need a philip after all

quotes from Alexis O.

"Teacher, are you married, or alone?"
"I'm not married, Alexis."
"Why don't you just ask one of your friends to marry you then?"
"That's a good idea Alexis, maybe I will."


When Alexis got bowled over by a fifth-grader playing soccer

*Alexis cries mightily*
"Jose can you apologize to Alexis"
"Hey, I'm sorry, it was an accident"
"Alexis do you accept Jose's apology?"
*sniffs* "Yes...I JUST DON'T WANT MY MOM TO THINK I RUINED MY PANTS SHE WILL KIIIIIIIIILLL ME!"
"Would you like me to write a note to your Mom, explaining that it wasn't your fault" (His pants were covered in mud"
"Yeah..." *sniff sniff*decrease in crying*

things I am giving up for lent:

1. hope

I realize some of you may be alarmed by this. It's not exactly what it seems. What I mean is,  that I'm working on my acceptance of my life, and not thinking things like "I should be done by now," or "I should be ________ by now." I think I just need to accept where I am and be content. This doesn't mean I don't have hopes for the future, but I do know that me dwelling on what makes me frustrated about my life isn't good for me. So I've decided not to.

2. Not blogging.

Hard to believe, I know, this blog has been so incredibly un-updated as of late. But I will try to change that.

sick

For those of you who don't know:

I've been sick lately.
I got sick three weeks ago Thursday. Diagnosed with Pneumonia the following Monday. Have been keeping it on the d/l ever since. I went to the doctor again yesterday where I got my third round of medication. Woot.

Although I have been sick, here are some pictures of the adventures I have had while being sick:
1) Visiting Seattle to see  John Green/get him to sign my book.

a) Rach and my delicious food at some swanky place downtown.

Can I just say how awesome it was to see Rachel Ehlen/Williams? We got to talk about
all sorts of things, like being non conformists and the interesting atypical lives we have led, along
with our sisters in nonconformity: Marae and Mego.

My posh hostel room. I wouldn't say I loved living in a hostel,
 I would have rather had a friend while I was there, but I did prefer
it to being in a hotel by myself.

awesome sign in Seattle. Every day at about 2 I would get up,
shower, and walk around to fetch some lunch. But most of the time I
stayed in bed and watched Doctor Who on Netflix. 

I told you this hostel had the right idea. Free breakfast, and clean showers!

This great Mediterranean place I ate at in Seattle. 3rd and Vine. 

hilarious.

at the mall where the book signing was they gave us footprints
to find it if we went in the wrong door (which I did)

Anything referencing twilight fandoms sells poorly at Nerdfighteria events

The DFTBA cupcakes however...

book I got signed for Eliza. We got 3 things. I got a book for her,
a book for me, and a poster for me.

Knitted giant squid of anger given to me by a nerdfighter. It will make its way around the globe with me, and its travels shall be posted on tumblr. 

the van!

 Me touching the poof!

Me and the van!

Me touching the poof with some color doctoring!

Hank Green looking at me!

By the way, all of the pictures of me with the van I owe to a great nerdfighter who also gave me a ride home that night. I also have pictures of meeting Hank and John due to her kindness.

little blue box

For a minute
I thought the little icon next to my screen name in gchat
was a Tardis:

if only.

And then all of you could know
when I was at home on my laptop
or when I was traveling with The Doctor.
For your convenience.