Love & Marriage

Living in the Mormon Mecca of the world, I am constantly surrounded by people in giggly-pda showing-‘shnuckums ‘ calling love. At times I am pinched by the love bug and feel genuinely happy for couples and enjoy attending the receptions. This is reserved for only my favorite couples that are not the nauseating above-mentioned lovebirds. When my good friends get engaged, I truly am happy and love to help with anything wedding. It seems that when you are born a girl you automatically love weddings and the nitty gritty planning. (Or is it my obsessive-compulsive ways that love the smallest details?)

Lately it seems that everyone I know is engaged, recently married, or having babies. (Since when were people my age old enough to have two kids?! Crazy). Being surrounded by all of this lace and tulle makes me contemplate marriage for myself.

The most recent conclusion: if I get married now I can avoid making all the life decisions that are looming around the corner by my lonesome AND finally get that tandem my siblings promised as a wedding present.

If you ask me this is a win win situation. Tandem & Decisions, there’s nothing better.

Now don’t get me wrong, this does not mean I am going to go out and find the freshest return missionary that thinks he is more than ready to leap into eternal matrimony, but it would be nice to actually try dating someone.

So for my future husband, lets go over a few crucial things:

1. I am a shopaholic

I happen to be a very loyal Banana Republic customer but fear not, I am the master shopper. At this very moment I am wearing skinny weekend chinos that cost a whopping $7.97. I am that amazing.

I also have an addiction for used books. When I am overwhelmed at work I usually mosey over to Savers to peruse their selection. Though I already have four bookshelves in my room there is ALWAYS room for more literature. You best be well read.

2. Everything has a place, my predetermined place.

I alphabetize basically anything with a title. My books are in genre first then alphabetical second. Clothing belongs in rainbow order. And yes, I somewhat fold my underwear.

3. I am a gift giver, not a receiver.

I show affection by doing nice things and thoughtful presents, yet I am not the greatest at receiving gifts. One of my favorite things is finding the prefect present and the presentation that ensues.

4. I am not a fan of PDA

Seriously, who wants to see that in public? Wow…

5. Yes, I am the youngest of 10

I happen to have a HUGE family and like you would imagine, this leads to a fair bit of craziness. We are all incredibly independent but talk to each other quite a bit. Heck, last week I talked to seven of my siblings randomly on the same day. You have to like them, ALL of them. (But that shouldn’t be hard, we are just that awesome) and yes, my dad stole a B-17 Bomber when he was 17…

6. I am a workaholic

I enjoy working. Currently I run a small business that ships around 100 orders a day. I go to school part time and work 40-50 hours a week. I have even contemplated getting my MBA after my bachelors. Though a work a lot now, I don’t feel the need to work all the time. Hopefully one day I can do photography from home and be a crazy mom that channels all that work energy into doing crazy crafts/dangerous tree house/and tasty cooking projects.

7. I happen to love cooking and laundry

I believe that the two best things are clean sheets and good eats. I find laundry to be the most relaxing and rejuvenating household activity. You feel accomplished when it is done, it leaves a trail of the most deliciously clean scent, and you fall asleep like a baby on the clean sheets. Food is something that should be enjoyed. 

Meals should be about food and company and not about leaving a clean kitchen in the midst. The kitchen should be disaster but the taste epic. The conversation should last far longer than the heat of the main dish and the dishes can patiently wait to be cleaned until morning.

8. I (not too secretly) watch crappy/trashy tv shamelessly

I like Desperate Housewives, Teen Mom, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and have been known to watch lame Lifetime movies when left to my own devices. Promptly after viewing such masterpieces, I call my sister Jenny to relive the episodes.

9. Nature is God’s playground

    I can’t handle always being indoors. The world was meant to be climbed/traveled/played on. My favorite quote is: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – ‘Wow! What a ride!’”

10. I am a catch.

This one is self-explanatory. Seriously.

this is happiness

my sisters used to make fun of me because apparently i would say basically everything i liked was a 'simple pleasure' (prime example: walking up to someone's front door and being engulfed by the scent of clean laundry because the dryer vent is by the door), well its true, i like a lot of things.

here are my most recent favorites:

cupcakes and congratulations from friends

"i knew you would get in, its in your name! BarFAny"

oh Cameron...

finding my bathtub covered in colorful drawings and loving notes

using the bathtub crayons to do math while i shower.

(i happen to thoroughly enjoy math)

coming home from work to fresh baked cookies

and it isn't even close to Christmas

'Fat Booth' on the iPhone.

$0.99 well spent.

having a panda wielding guns greet me when i park at my office.

life is good.

and the verdict is...

ACCEPTANCE!

After being in the photography program at BYU for three years I am finally on the BFA track.

I applied once before in April and didn't get in, so this is even more exciting.

So get ready 2012, for my BFA show.

Though the BA and BFA degrees are very similar, the BFA is just slightly more time consuming and instead of majoring in art with an emphasis in photography it is basically a degree in photography. Now besides just taking the normal photography classes I will have to do a final show and an internship.

(which for the time being, I am thinking Martha Stewart Studios is calling my name... :) )

anyway, I am SUPER excited to finally have my last grueling college application over with. That combined with my neighbor turning off her porch light at night (which shines directly into my window and is not stifled by the blackout curtains and three sheets over my window...) I have been sleeping like a baby.

the funny thing is, i still can't register for classes.

For the last year i have had to add classes on the first day because you have to be a BFA student to register online. Today i was relieved that i could finally register before the first day, then i found out i have a hold on my account.

stupid ecclesiastical endorsement interview i forgot to have...

camera, clouds, keys?

today i decided that i would try some landscape photography.

i don't do this type often but the weather was gorgeous and i NEED to spend more time with my camera

(which by the way i am taking name suggestions for him/her).

i went to the lake earlier today but just as suspected the lighting was less then desirable. later this evening i was driving home with my friends and couldn't resist heading back to the lack for the 'sweet light' of the evening.

being a photographer is more like being a light chaser. i almost missed the entire sunset but was lucky enough to get to the lake in time to take a series of images for a panorama.

feeling rather satisfied with my current selection of luscious pink clouds i headed back to my car only to realize that my purse, keys and everything else of worth (like my chapstick... my lips hurt real bad) was locked in my car. i have this great ocd habit of pushing my lock button on the way out of my car EVEN THOUGH i knew i wasn't taking my keys or purse out.

since it was sunday divine intervention was on my side. not twenty minutes before this i added one of my friend's number to my phone, besides being incredibly good looking and amazing-he can break into cars.

one phone call and twenty minutes later he showed up with his roommate and almost instantly had me in my car just as lighting was beginning to strike.

(there was only one slight mishap, his car came within inches of mine as it took off down the road by itself...)

my finished image.

9 vertical images stitched together with the original panorama being 74 inches wide...

cookie says...

Needless to say, lately i have been a stressed out basket case.

I have this great fear that i am a lazy person, then i think about my day and realize that is a crazy idea.

I have become somewhat of a workaholic the last year or so. It isn't rare for me to spend over 9 hours a day at work. Heck, last week I worked 9, 10, and 11 hour days plus my other two normal 8ish hour days and a few hours on saturday. Most likely that equals 50 hours of work.

i am a cosmetic selling rockstar.

But here is the dilemma, i have about a billion other things to do besides work. Among other things, i am applying to the bfa photography program in exactly 12 days and THAT should be my top priority. I have been somewhat frustrated with my portfolio and my major in general which has made this nearly impossible to work on. And what is my coping mechanism for stress? avoid it like the plaque, (hence all the work), and clean. Well, I have committed to working half days and my house is quite clean (there are even two fresh flower arrangements and my bathroom drawers and closest are organized and cleaned out) i guess that means that i don't have any excuses and i have to start creating.

i talked to my sister last week and vented about life, life-it kinda sucks at the moment, and she told me i needed some r&r and should fly out to the east coast (i have this great thing called a delta airlines voucher that is itching to be used). She also said that if i don't go on a vacation that i need to go to a spa or something and relax.

i guess the fortune cookie gods thought the same thing:

i texted this to jenny,

jenny: "listen to the cookie!"

me: "i always listen to cookies"

jenny: 'me too. they are the only tasty treats i trust. donuts always get me into trouble."

and that is why i call her when i am annoyed with life.

the end.

and by end i mean back to that portfolio that is looming over my head...

bloggie bloggerton

and here starts my blog.

i don't pride myself in being the most polished writer or the most witty person, however i think i am hilarious so perhaps this can work out.

this is a blog of my life or whatever i deem fit to include. most likely it will consist of work, school, family and boy stories. be excited for the last topic, generally that is where i shine. (shine in this sense means i have talents, talents for interesting encounters which lead to frequently entertaining documentations.)

this blog will be me in a nutshell. i might be twenty something, but that is only the beginning.