12.29.2006

mantras

I have some sayings that I live by:

There are things in life you can't control. But there are some thing YOU control (like your attitude, your effort and your worth.)

Love is an action verb, NOT a feeling.

You get OUT only the result of what you put IN. (The definition of "function" in mathematics - so someone who doesn't function must not be putting in.)

Never stop playing, being silly and having fun.

Just do it and quit bitching.

Find joy or it will never find you.

Life sucks. Go somewhere else to cry.

Change or you'll be the same all your life (which goes together with "nobody's perfect.")

How you suffer the hard times is what MAKES you. Good or bad.

Tackling challenges is what makes you strong. Doing easy things is the same as doing nothing.

Living is doing, not sitting.

12.25.2006

happy happy

I am like a kid at christmas right now.

Oh. I am a kid at christmas right now. Mark is making me wait until the pants he wants to wear come out of the dryer... meanwhile, christmas at the mccowen's awaits us...

THE PANTS ARE READY!!!!

Woo hoo.

12.21.2006

disneyland on the fly

I have a story that you probably haven’t heard if you aren’t a Hatch, long, but good.

I was lounging around Sunday when I decided to check my email. There was a cryptic message from Katie that only had a flight itinerary in the body. I deduced that since it included a layover in Phoenix that she wanted me to meet her at the airport, so I checked when… the flight came in THAT DAY and landed IN 20 MINUTES! So I threw on some pants, grabbed my keys, and flew out of the house… I made it with plenty of time and we had a nice visit. They told me they were on the way to Disneyland, that Jared would be flying direct the next day. I wished out loud that I could go… and when Mary said Jared would like that… I went.

After they caught their connecting flight, I called Evan. He was good to go, too, if I could wait until he got off work in a few hours. I drove home to wake up Mark to see if he was in. He woke up and groggily said he couldn’t call off work. I packed, took care of some things, and met some prior obligations (holiday baking with Jennifer) and we were driving to Los Angeles by 7:30 pm. Mark called when he woke up. He apparently had not completely woke up when I asked him and would have gone if he had… so he sent his regrets and went to work.

When we arrived extremely late, we took the Best Western Hotel Tour of Southern California (there are MANY on the same block surrounding Disneyland, and we went to three of them…) I feel sorry for whoever was in room 232 at the wrong one that we knocked on at 2:30 am.

We visited a bit with Katie and Mary and caught a few hours of sleep. I rode to the airport to pick up Jared. He didn’t know we came, so in the airport I snuck up behind him and hugged him. The expression I got was priceless. He expressed his disappointment that Evan couldn’t come. Ha. Ha. When we got back to the hotel and he walked in and saw Evan laying on one of the beds, he was so happy that he dog piled him.

We made it to the park about noon, had lunch and did the Disney thing. My favorite was the Tomorrow Land because Jared could go in with us and share the experience. I took the two girls (Kylee and Danielle) for a “girl” ride and we got princess ears. When Justice saw them, I imagine he was a little jealous. Evan then sneakily told me which ones he had his eyes on: a cap with led lights in the metallic ears. So I snuck off and got them, and had his name put on the back. Then I threw it on my head and pretended they were mine. When he saw them, he said, “I like those.” I told him they put my name on the back and asked him if they spelled it right. He read off all the letters one at a time, and then said, “You’re name is spelled like Justice?” all confused… I said, “No, this one must be yours” and popped it on his head. He lit up so bright.

The girls were with me for the parade, too. They had one of those classically magical reactions to the princesses. Their faces went hypnotically mesmerized and they started doing the parade wave and saying “hello princesses, hello princesses” with a whisper.

It was a marathon of adventure and at dark, we were tuckered out and cold. Some got hand stamps to go back for the fireworks and others (including myself) were done. We went back to the hotel, got warmed up, ate, visited, and crashed.

Evan and I took Jared for breakfast the following day and then had to take off to get home for work. The rest flew out at 4 pm.

It was ROCKIN!

12.16.2006

notes from yesterday

Six other people got their Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics, and six got Bachelors of Science in mathematics.

The dinner show we went to was AWESOME!!! I just love music and I especially love a talent showcase, and this is it. Plus, they did a couple of yodeling songs, one in harmony, which had me grinning from ear to ear. I bought a couple of yodeling CDs so I can practice. So, if your ever in the area, Barleen's Arizona Opry is neat-0. The one guy was the actual same guy who sang the high part ah-weee-wee-ah-wee-a-ohm-a-way in the Token's tiger sleeps tonight. And he played the same Saxaphone that was used by the Glenn Miller Band to record the favorites such as "In the Mood." Pretty fun stuff.

12.15.2006

woo hoo


blip, blip

I was ironing Mark's suit pants so he can wear them today for my graduation and found this in the pocket:

The last time he wore them was for the wedding. It made me smile remembering how hopped up on cold and flu drugs he was that day, swirling his theraflu in a wine goblet while he socialized.

Funny how much today has reminded me of that day... getting ready, getting the gown together...

12.14.2006

wait over

grades are in.

we're good.

Tomorrow is the big cap and gown and the closing of a big chapter in my life and the start of a new one. It's sort of like turning 30, though. One more blip.

12.12.2006

Done

Finals are over.

Now we wait.

last day of school

This afternoon, I take both of my finals and (assuming I don't fail them) I am done with college until I start my Masters. I'm going to wait a while.

I love how they call you and ask for a gift to the college right when you graduate. Shouldn't I pay my loans off first before I go helping poor students? I still am a poor student.

My ankle is fine by the way. I was off crutches in a couple days and walking gingerly. I'm ready to test it out in the cycle class, but haven't had a chance yet. It is still a little tender.

Last weekend, we went to Superior, AZ - an old practically abandoned mining town that is literally falling apart. While we were there, it was really windy and parts of the roofs of buildings were flying off, a window in an old hotel shattered and fell on the sidewalk, and phone lines looked like they were about to snap. It was an exciting photo shoot. We got some cool pictures of this crazy town.

This weekend I am studying for finals so we didn't go anywhere.

Friday, I walk the stage for graduation. Saturday is our "1 year" anniversary... corresponding with roughly 10 years together.

Some crazy week.

12.04.2006

jingle bells



.

I love having a tree, which we don't always do, since we spend the holiday elsewhere... but this year, I couldn't help myself. The smell and twinkle always does something to speed up my heart.

12.02.2006

gimpin'

This is a little embarassing. Yesterday, I fell down some stairs at my apt and reinjured an old ankle sprain. Not a bad one, but I'm on crutches for a while. As a point of reference, I'm not very coordinated and I was kind of groggy from just waking up. I'm not usually someone who falls down just walking. (Well, sometimes.) I guess I won't be cycling for a while.

I took the Exam Thurs and got a lot out of it. I think I missed way too many to even hope for a pass (it stands at an estimated 2% chance,) but I think it was a valuable experience for next time. And I know where I am at and what I need to work on.

I already passed the benchmark of my last day of school. All that remains is finals and I will finally be all growed up and smart.