What I'm Thankful For
November 30, 2008
  1. Long weekends. Without long weekends, my life would cease to exist. School has me so burnt out these days that I need breaks whenever I can find them. Fortunately for all of us, this one was a freebie.
  2. Holiday food. No other time of the year would it be okay for me to gorge on so many potatoes and pie not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. I felt my waistline rebelling by Saturday night, but since when have I ever listened to whiners?
  3. Salt Lake City. I won't even lie, SLC is a beautiful city. It's clean, relatively easily navigable, and it makes an effort to be scenic. The next time a band that I actually want to see is playing Club Sound, I am there like white on rice.
  4. The Toyota Echo. Who ever knew that such a little car would have so much gusto?
  5. Harry Potter trivia. John and I had quite a trivia showdown on the trip back to Provo. I think we ended up in a tie, but I shall vanquish him yet!
  6. Opportunities. [Ok, this is where things stop being quite so silly] I've come to realize recently that I'm a great deal more blessed than I feel sometimes. Over the past few weeks, I've been trying to decide whether or not I want to finish my college education here at BYU or go home and finish out at University of Maryland. I've been praying about it, and I realize that there are a lot of pros and cons for each, which makes this such a difficult choice that I have to make. But then, when I step back, these are two awesome choices I have in front of me. Both are great places to be, and I have the opportunity to get my education at my school of choice. I might be in inner turmoil, but I'm really living the good life!
  7. Family [Far]. I won't lie, I missed my family a lot this year. I would have loved nothing more than to go home to be with them. I miss my parents and Bonny and her family, and I'm so super excited to go home for Christmas to be with them again.
  8. Family [Near]. However, there's no overlooking the fact that I had an awesome Thanksgiving here. I love getting to spend time with the Hammonds. They've been so welcoming every time, and I always have a blast hanging out with everyone. Oh yeah, and my brother is pretty cool too :p
  9. A Loving Heavenly Father. I would be nowhere without a Father in Heaven who looks out for me every minute of the day. Whether I'm actually living up to my potential [somewhat] or making another dumb mistake [most of my time], I know He's either blessing me or shaking his head lovingly while wondering what I was thinking. I've come to appreciate the idea of receiving his help if I just ask for it so much more this semester than I ever have before. His love for me is invaluable.

What it comes down to is that I have tons to be grateful for. I might hit some rough patches from time to time, but I ultimately am living a great life!

I hope everyone else's Thanksgiving helped bring out the good in life :]

posted by Gwennifer at 6:23 PM | 3 comments

I don't really know when this became a mandate, but whatever
November 24, 2008
8 favorite TV shows:

  • Frasier
  • American Idol
  • Invader Zim
  • A Haunting
  • Seinfeld
  • Jeopardy
  • Timewarp
  • King of Queens

8 favorite restaurants:

  • Chipotle!
  • Cafe Rio
  • Macaroni Grill
  • Outback Steakhouse
  • The Cheesecake Factory
  • Jerry's
  • Subway
  • Legend's Grill [Hahahaha!]

8 things I did yesterday:

  • Performed "Pedro Martinez--ACK!"
  • Stayed up too late working on my Student Development project
  • Tried to go Visiting Teaching
  • Listened to hymns while doing homework
  • Thought about why I didn't like "The Belle of Amherst"
  • Worried about my 336 project
  • Ate pizza
  • Cleaned my half of the room

8 things I look forward to:

  • Wednesday! I get to leave Provo!
  • December 3rd [my final performance for 336!]
  • December 21st [I go home for break!]
  • Driving a car again
  • My skiing class next semester
  • My International Cinema class next semester
  • The distant point in the future when I can attend a play/musical for--gasp!--fun again
  • That other distant point in the future when I can sit down to read a book without feeling guilting for not spending time doing homework

8 things I love about fall:

  • The smell of wood burning
  • The myriad of colors on the trees
  • Warm beverages
  • Feeling air pierce your lungs
  • Jumping in leaves
  • How the sun sparkles off the frost on the grass
  • The word "autumn"
  • The month of October/November

8 things on my wishlist:

  • New headphones
  • Copious time to read
  • A tennis partner
  • Bike rides
  • Driving a car
  • Long conversations about books
  • A really riveting movie
  • Assurance about my future

8 people I tag:

  • Bonny
  • Trina
  • Kelly
  • Phil
  • Abby
  • Marie
  • Mom
  • Pikachu

[In case you missed it, that last one was a joke.]

posted by Gwennifer at 7:55 PM | 3 comments

The Promised Update
November 21, 2008
Wow, it's been quite a while since I've updated. What was it that kept so far from Blogland, you may ask? Well, I'll tell you. Last Thursday, I experienced an intense decrease in intelligence via the removal of four rather inconsequential parts of my cranium.

In Laman's terms [what about Lemuel's terms?], I had my wisdom teeth taken out. I'll add pictures to this post later, but for right now I'll just tell you the harrowing tale...with some exaggerated harrow, since it really wasn't that bad.

The week preceding the procedure was my usual busy hustle and bustle life, full of far too much Theatrical Involvement, homework, and general worry about the rending of my cranium. However, by the time the day of deliverance arrived, I was ready to spend a couple of days out of comission.

I arrived at the office at about 11. After haggling with the receptionist lady about payment options, I went back and was informed of my painlessness options. In addition to local anathesia, they said I had the option of laughing gas, but that the procedure really didn't necesitate it. Since I'm not one for feeling pain whilst being operated on, I opted for the gas.

Once I was all drugged and happy, the good doctor and assistant drilled and filled my very minor cavities before embarking on the conquest of my more intelligent teeth. Still coherent, I watched as numerous shiny instruments made grand entrances and exits from my gaping piehole. I was surprised how "with it" I was, since the last time I'd had laughing gas was a time of stumbling, giggling, and dancing.

The moment of truth followed in a timely manner, which suited me just fine--I only wished I could have been asleep. All I wanted was to take a nap, but I guess I had gotten adequate sleep the night before because I was wide awake and watchful as the good doctor wrenched the smartest teeth I'll ever have from my submissive head.

45 minutes later, the deed is done...and I'm still completely coherent. Wait a second, aren't I supposed to be a jibbering monkey for the next or so? Apparently not. Fat-faced, maybe, but ridiculous, not so much. This surprised Nadin and Becca a great deal, since they expected to cart an imebicilic version of my former self back to our apartment. Looks like I squashed that party!

The rest of the experience is now a distant memory of pills and not enough solid food, so I'll get right to the goods and show you the pictures...


Day One: Slightly Bloody, but Not Too Bad



Day 2: The Stay-Puft resemblance began to come through a little more...


Day 3: We needed to go grocery shopping...

I stopped the pictures after this, since my misshapen hunk of face had started to upset me by then. Rest assured that I am now back to normal...and not SO monkeyish as before.

posted by Gwennifer at 11:47 AM | 2 comments

Lauren's Blog
November 11, 2008
So, my mom has this best friend named Sugar. Sugar has a daughter named Lauren. Right now, Lauren is in London doing the whole study abroad thing. In order to document her travels, she keeps a blog from which Sugar sends my mom entries because they're really very funny.

This being the case, my mom sends me links to these little jewels because she believes I will appreciate them. Well, she's right. Had I not been sitting in the library when I read the most recent one, I probably would have laughed out loud, swallowed my gum, thrown out my back, and had to evacuate my bowels simultaneously.

Yeah, it was THAT funny.

So, in order to make my blog less of a chore and more of a thrill to read, I'd like to recount a funny experience I had recently so that people can [hopefully] feel the same joy I felt while reading about the Jugular Sword in the Seventh Circle of Hell.

For both my 123 [Acting] and 336 [Directing] classes, I have to attend a number of the mainstage productions going on. This past Friday, I intended to go seeing Dancing at Lughnasa at 7:30. Ordinarily, Fridays are extremely laid back days for me, since I only have class until 11. However, many projects need completing in the near future, so instead of going home at ANY point during the day, I slugged the entire day out on campus.

You'd think that spending almost the entirety of every day on campus would have prepared me for this, but somehow, my body knew something was amiss...

Body: Hey, Gwennifer, it's coming up on noon. Shouldn't we be headed home?
Gwennifer: Cool it, alright? I have to stay on campus to work on some stuff, then we're going to Lughnasa.
Body: EXCUSE YOU!? IT'S FRIDAY! TODAY IS MY DOWN DAY! I WORK ON SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ADEQUATE FUNCTIONALITY DURING THE WEEK SO THAT I CAN REST ALL DAY FRIDAY!
Gwennifer: Will you shut up if I go get Subway?
Body: ...I'm still mad at you.

So, an arduous 8 or so hours later, it was FINALLY time to go see this show. I am happy to report that it was very nice--the first half, that is. At the point which I later learned was the intermission, the lights went down after what I saw was a nice tidy ending to the show. So, instead of milling around with the rest of the equally confused audience, I simply left. Upon arriving back at home, Grandma informed me that I shouldn't have been home until around 10:30. Oops.

That being said, she got another ticket for tonight so that I can see the second half. Isn't she a lamb?

Alright, so my life isn't quite as funny as Lauren's, but in my defense, Provo isn't quite as wacky as London.
posted by Gwennifer at 2:17 PM | 3 comments

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
November 9, 2008
NOT TO BECOME ADDICTED TO THIS GAME:

http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bells.htm

[Just try to resist it. I dare you.]

P.S. New high score: 108,240
posted by Gwennifer at 1:34 PM | 2 comments

My Thoughts About An Election I Took No Part In
November 5, 2008
The year 2008 has been a reaffirmation in my mind about exactly why I hate my generation so much. The NANOSECOND you give a young person the idea that their say means an iota to anyone, they push it all over you.

I understand that it is important to have opinions and that we need to dicuss them. If people never had debates, we would lose countless opportunities to understand different points of view. However, there comes a point where people stop debating and start berating. The second your objective is simply to shout another person down without there being any hope of a prayer of compromise in your mind, you need to get away from other human beings.

I've been reading countless discussions about Prop 8 on Facebook, and most of them are just downright nasty. People do not care about seeing other points of view. Since most of the people on Facebook are college kids, I can say that MANY [not all] young people are simply interested in forcing their opinions on others. This tagging game of calling people "sinners" or "intolerant" safely from behind their keyboards is so juvenile, it makes me sick to think that this is the rising generation of citizens and voters. I know that there's a lot of pettiness and slandering that goes on in all age ranges, but because I spend the most time with people my own age, I notice their glaring stupidity the most.

One such instance of ignorant berating was a commercial that came out recently from the Against Prop 8 camp. Now, I didn't see said commercial, but I heard it went something like this:

Two Mormon missionaries knock on the door of a lesbian couple. They address the couple by saying, "Hello, we're missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we're here to take away your rights!" They then proceed to ransack the apartment, look through all the couple's personal items, tear up their marriage certificate, and take their wedding rings. The commercial concludes with the missionaries leaving the house while saying great satisfaction, "That was easy! I wonder what else we can ban!"

I'm very pleased to see many people vehemently opposing this ridiculous "Courage Campaign", but the fact that anyone would even create something so bigoted and ignorant is infuriating. I'm sure many people feel the same way about some For Prop 8 commercials, but at least those don't make personal attacks on people's faith. Did the idiots who made this commercial in the first place make another one about the Pope setting a gay bar on fire? I certainly hope that the people who are railing against the Mormons are just as furious at the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

Alright, I'll step down from my little soapbox here. I just hate it when people think they have the right to smash their opinion over your head under the false pretense of "debating". If you have no intention of even listening to what I have to say, put a cork in it. No one wants to hear all the hot air of some idiot 18 year old whose main issue is the legalization of medicinal marijuana.

P.S. It snowed today for the first time. Brrr.

P.P.S. [1:11 AM, 11/08] Alright, I think this is just too precious for me to forget. So, I was looking at the "Courage Campaign" website and reading some of the responses to the aforementioned commercial. All the comments were negative--save one. There was one where this person was going off, saying that most people have no idea what it's like to be "gay and discriminated against" and that "we should be ashamed to call ourselves Americans after voting Yes on Prop 8" and that their "rights had been taken away".

Oh boy, here we go...

1. Discriminated against how, exactly? This country is not perfect, we're all fully and completely aware. And, here's a heads up--ALMOST EVERY MINORITY HAS BEEN "DISCRIMINATED" AGAINST AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER [including Mormons, but no one wants to count that]. And let's define discrimination exactly. Are homosexuals denied job opportunities? No. Are homosexuals denied service in any establishments anywhere in the country? No. Are there "straight" and "gay" restrooms? No. If by "discriminated against" you mean that people choose to stick to their religious beliefs and simply define marriage as being between a man and a woman [and rewarding only this union with tax/insurance benefits], then I suggest you talk to any African American cerca 1850.

2. You know something? Last time I checked, America was still "One nation under God". There would not even be an America without our brave forefathers' need to practice religion in a place where they wouldn't be pressed under the Iron Thumb of England. America has all of the precious freedoms it does because our ancestors came here FOR GOD. Therefore, I will listen to what God says. I will be proud of my choice AS AN AMERICAN because I've chosen to stick by something I know to be true. You have the right to believe what you want, but I should be ashamed of claiming my national heritage because of what I believe? Yeah, not going to happen. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, THANKS.

3. Last time I checked, no rights are being taken away. There was never the right for homosexuals to marry. It would alter the situation somehow if a long-standing tradition were being toppled, but this is never a right that's been available for longer than a few months.

Alright, my indignation is running out. I know I was talking about people shoving their say on people, and I really hope that no one is taking my blog that way. I only post these things because I'm comfortable with who's reading, and I hope I haven't stepped on anyone's toes. This whole situation just makes me so upset and sad that I feel myself exploding inside sometimes.

Everyone who's ready for the Second Coming so that this whole mess will be over, raise your hand.
posted by Gwennifer at 11:24 AM | 3 comments

Halloweening!
November 1, 2008
I'll update about my entire day later, but for now, I believe I promised a picture of my costume:


Alright, since I've done some homework, I think I'll reward myself by updating my blog about the wonderous events that went down on October 31st, 2008.

The days preceding Halloween were extremely busy with the humdrumities of daily life. Homework here, projects there, sleeping somewhere in my life. However, after my bolt of inspiration, I couldn't ignore the bring my costume into existence.

On Tuesday, I went to The DI to buy some cheap plates for my 336 project [which will be plate-smashingly excellent, I might add]. However, while perusing the Corelle, a horrible brown pillow caught my eye. It was perfect for my costume--and it would give me an excuse to destroy it! $2 later, I'm one step closer to costume completion.

During subsequent days, I found opportunities to cut the pillow apart, sew it back together, and attach it to my shirt sleeves to give the illusion of actual bear arms. Two black gloves via Becca and a wonderful rainbow sign later, I was ready to roll.

Halloween itself was an interesting day. I had both a minidrama AND a quiz in my only class of the day--Spanish. I got onto campus early to meet with my partner about our minidrama, then to study for said quiz. However, little of the later was accomplished, as multiple people came up to me to either fervently compliment my pseudo-appendages or to ask which one the Second Amendment was. Some girl I'd never seen in my life even asked if she could take a picture of me for her friend [they apparently argue a bit over the Bill of Rights].

One Spanish class later, I had to remain on campus for two rehearsals: one for my 336 scene, and the scene my friend in the class is directing that I happen to be in. Both were successful--and both involved people either chuckling or scratching their heads over my costume. The Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves.

Anywho, after FINALLY getting home, I discovered that I was extremely tired and not at all in the mood to attend a Stake Dance with Becca and Nadin. Fortunately, Grandma was feeling the same way, so we stayed home and watched part of The Davinci Code before nuestras amigas come back to pick us up for SWEENEY TODD!

It was only the concert version, but it was still fantastic! Barta Heiner was Mrs. Lovett and she was fantastic! I knew like a quarter of the cast, so that was fun to watch them all go about singing and slashing throats and such. The only real drawbacks were the really stony seats in the amphitheatre and the fact that it started raining during the intermission. Fortunately, we had both blankets and umbrellas, so it was all good.

After all was said and done, I was exhausted and mildly cranky, but it was still a really fun day.

Alright, I need to start getting things ready for dinner later, so I'ma bounce. I hope everyone's Halloween was as...interesting as mine.

posted by Gwennifer at 1:06 PM | 4 comments