Of Missionaries, Dating, and Men

Once upon a time there was a girl, named Taylor. She fell in love with a boy, and they dated for a very long time. The time came that he was called on a mission to the Great White North, and although it was very sad, they parted ways in hopes that one day they would be reunited.

Fast forward several months.

Taylor writes this boy each week, and still loves him, but somehow she must continue living all by herself. It’s been a hard road, but she’s done it. And thus far she has been successful in keeping all individuals of the male gender at bay. One awkward date in September. Three dates in February. All is well with the world.

Last month of school.

Last week: date to Fiddler on the Roof.
Tomorrow: date planned with a former crush. Why now?
Next week?: hang out with Fiddler on the Roof man?

Of course. Last week of school. And I’m NOT coming to USU next year. Thus it is all pretty much pointless. Why now?

But the big angst in this whole situation is my internal confusion. What do I want? I think it’s perfectly fine that I have had a crush while my missionary is gone, I still love him most of all. It’s just soooooo difficult that he is miles away and I can only talk to him through hand-written letters like it’s the dark ages or something.

But what do I want? Him, but that it still another 15 months away. But what if this guy…? I guess I could give him a chance. But is that leading him on? What IS my relationship status? 

             Answer: so complicated it’s not even funny!

Dating is fun. It’s fun to get dressed up and feel special for a night. I like talking to people and getting to know them [and honestly, who can begrudge free meals and desserts?].

But dating also sucks. It keeps you up at night wondering, Did I do something I shouldn’t have? Will he get the wrong idea? What does he think about this? Did I act like a complete idiot? 

Sometimes I just want to nix dating completely. And others, I sort of miss it and think, “Well, it can’t be that bad…” And then I go on a date. And the turmoil starts over.

If I didn’t have my missionary, life would be simple. Open to all dating opportunities just to “see how it goes”. But now I’m all tied up. Do I go for it? Do I tell the guy this complicated situation?

My family really likes my missionary. To the point that if I started dating anyone else my brother would come and “beat him up”. But I still want to be happy and enjoy life, and I really want to look at other people and decide if he really is the right one. So far he is the best I’ve ever found, but it won’t hurt to go on a few dates. Right?

Ugh. The joys of dating. One more week and all my problems will be solved,--more like avoided. Hopefully.

"Send me a sign! A hint! Anything!" [name that movie!]

Any suggestions for this poor, confused, single girl?

My Favorite Word

I just finished a 10 page paper and am very happy with myself, so I decided to take a break and blog. It's super short today, but here is the Physiological Finding for the week.This one I actually discovered in high school, but I will never forget it.

It happens to everyone.
Mid sentence, mid awkward date, mid staring contest.
Your eye flutters,
                  seizes,
                     contorts,
and in a flash it disappears, leaving you thinking, "Say what??"

Eye twitch = blepharospasm

[bleh-fah-ro-spazm]

Now when that attractive person asks you what just happened to your eye you can redeem your moment of freakishness by answering intelligently.

Blepharospasm.

Baby Animal Days

Spring Fever had hit full force. We had looked forward to this event for weeks, and even the freshly fallen snow couldn't deter us.

Although I had an Anatomy test to study for I was coerced into going by my good friends Hilary and Chase, and so we spent several hours at American West Heritage Center cuddling furry animals and walking through mud. So worth it!

Chase brought a set of "wild west rags" for us to wear. They are large bandannas made of silk that the "real" cowboys use to keep themselves cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Putting them on was a challenge, but after we succeeded in that we looked like a pretty spiffy group.

Chase, Hilary, Me, and our new friends Sarah and Kelsey

And then, we saw the absolute cutest little frogs that you could buy as pets! So naturally Hilary and I bought one. His name is Cricket and he is an African Swimming Frog. He lives fully in the water and is about the size of my thumbnail. Touching him scares the tar out of me [I haven't done it yet] and changing his water is a huge ordeal. It was an impulse buy [can you argue with $3???] But we love him. :)

Physiological Findings

Due to my extreme love for the human body [and Mallory's voiced interest in the matter] I've decided to start posting my "Physiological Findings"--[credit goes to Mal for the title!]. There are so many wonderful, and miraculous things that happen in this tabernacle of clay, and I wish to share them with you, my dear friends. So here is the first of many posts sharing the knowledge I have acquired. Enjoy!

Today's Topic: Medical Terminology for Dummies

You've heard of the patella, Achilles tendon, epidermis, and the medulla oblongata. Maybe gluteus maximus and ischial tuberosities are also on the familiar list. But here is a list of medical words that you've probably never heard before, and yet you use them everyday.

Pollux -- thumb
Hallux -- the "Great" toe
Olecranon -- bone that makes the prominence of the elbow
Calcaneus -- tarsal bone that makes the prominence of the heel
Antecubital fossa -- opposite the elbow, where they commonly draw blood
Supraorbital margin -- region where the eyebrow is located
Acromion -- bony prominence of the shoulder
Scapula -- shoulder blade
Anterior crest of the tibia -- shin
Ulnar nerve -- commonly mistaken for the "funny bone"
Orbicularis oris -- muscles that pucker the lips
Pinna -- the external cartilaginous portion of the ear
Palpebrae -- eyelids
Philtrum -- [Latin for "a love charm"] the indent above your lips
Mentum -- chin
Interphalangeal joints -- knuckles
Umbilicus -- belly button, navel
Axillary region -- armpit
Natal cleft -- crack between your bum cheeks ; )
Flexion creases -- folds of skin on the back of your knuckles
Acetabulofemoral joint -- hip joint

And lastly I leave you with a medical definition:

Kiss: juxtaposition of two orbicularis oris muscles in a state of contraction.

Nerdy-ness

Everyone is a nerd to some degree. Think for a moment. What is your passion? What field of science overrides all of your thought? What sport do you know inside and out? What do you wake up thinking about that continues all day long? Which famous philosopher/writer/saint do you quote on a daily basis?

If people don't have some sort of obsession they are (1) boring, or (2) lying. EVERYONE has something! Martin Luther King Jr. said, "If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." I'm not saying you have to be willing to die for this obsession, but if we don't have a passion, are we fit to live? If we pass through life indifferently without every truly loving something, was our life worth living?

These thoughts in mind I made a silly preliminary list of my obsessions:

---I LOVE CANADA! For a multiplicity of reasons, the foremost being that my favorite missionary is serving there. [If you don't know what a missionary is, I guide you to the "my faith" link on the right side. This website explains my church and the core values that I believe.]

---I have an undying love for hockey as cited in [this post], a love that will continue when I have free time...

---I love music, and every second of the day I have a song in my head repeating over and over and over...
---I'm a princess, and princess things make me so happy!
---Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, even Toby Keith once had my heart.
---I love to sew, make new things, and fix old things! I'm not by any means proficient, but I love it. Yet another thing I will do when I have more time.

The deeper I looked, the more things I found, and the nerdy-er I became. Is it safe to say that Taylor is a nerd about everything? Because that's the conclusion I came to. Take a look:

Physics. I miss physics. If I had all the time and money in the world I would get a degree in it. I miss Dr. Sojka and even Mr. Hylton. It's so fascinating! Rotational inertia, friction, integrals and derivatives used in life, calculating velocity and friction. I honestly love it! And this one counts as extraordinarily geeky because I think about it all the time in real life. Example:

One of my roommates has super thick hair, and breaks the handles of her brushes all the time. I've been restraining myself for months from giving her the reason why this happens. The physics explanation is: you need to reduce the coefficient of friction between your brush and your hair. The best way to do this is to reduce the contact surface area, i.e. get a smaller brush. You would think that thicker, longer hair needs a thicker, bigger brush, but this is not the case. So instead of the 5 inch by 5 inch megalith you are using [and consequently breaking] try a medium-sized brush.

Chemistry. My first love. Coming to USU I was a chem major [and it's still listed as my declared major at this moment...] and I've always held love in my heart for this field. Most people hate it, which might be part of the reason I love it. It's challenging, but fascinating, and always predictable. Chemistry never changes, and it's the same in China, Malaysia, Kentucky, or right here in Utah.

It always made sense to me, which is good for something you love, right? I'll never forget the reason it gets warmer when it snows, or the real reason water boils, and especially not the true meaning of "burning"--which is "adding oxygen". Chemistry manifests in my daily lifeas well. I will never again waste my time writing "sodium" when a simple Na will suffice. In all of my classes there are chemical equations hidden in my notes: O2, N2, K, Mg, Fe, CO2. It's forever embedded within me.

Psychology. This is one of my great loves. It began with Mrs. Leek, declined with Joe Baker [the crappy test maker], and is now growing and thriving under Dr. Madden. I think psychology is so useful in everyday life. Raising children, teaching in an elementary school, even managing a grocery store could use a little help from psychology. It teaches you why people do the things they do, so what could be more useful when you interact with them all day long?

The thing I am most excited for though is the fact that this field can help me be a better mother. I've changed my life plan a few times and reorganized my priorities, all the while trying to follow Heavenly Father's plan for me. I've found that my number one priority is not to become a pharmacist, physicist, chemist, or psychologist. I'm supposed to be a mother and to raise them the best that I can. I feel like psychology will help me do that, and so I'm going to try so hard to finish this degree.

Physiology. My most recent love is tied to this amazing gift called the human body. After taking physiology and anatomy I can say with no doubt in my mind that this body was not an accident. These systems work so perfectly together and have such amazing abilities. I discover something incredible every day. It's become an obsession. I know how reflexes, brain freeze, and hiccups work. I know why your knuckles make sounds when you crack them [and no, it will not give you arthritis]. I know EXACTLY why you die without oxygen [lack of the terminal hydrogen ion, and electron acceptor at the end of the respiratory chain]. I know why your toenails grow slower than your fingernails.

This body is so fascinating and intricate, and I've only scraped the surface. I am convinced that if things were different I would be a physician in another life. And this nerdy-ness extends into my life. Almost everyday I tell Jess something cool I learned in anatomy that day. Or once, last week I looked up the biological importance of tears [thanks to my dear Hilary]. Just because I'm nerdy like that.

So there you have it. A rather long explanation of the inner workings of my mind. Nerdy, in every way, shape, and form.

So now I pose a question to you: What is your passion? What makes you nerdy?

I don't know you...

Here is a ridiculously funny and awkward story that happened [in real life] to ME. My literary skills can not do it justice so please use your imagination and then you will be spot on to the true hilarity of this situation.

Wednesday. I have a habit of coming home from class at 11:30 on MWF and taking naps. LONG naps. And as hard as I try I just can't stop. Terrible, I know. Furthermore, I wind up being wholly unproductive until the sun begins to drop before beginning my massive amounts of homework. So any time from 12-5 is pretty much wasted. I'm working on a mathematical equation to explain this awful phenomena, but thus far it is just this:

The amount of homework Taylor gets done is inversely proportional to the amount of light filtering in through the windows. The more light there is, the less she studies. 

It's not that I do anything outside or enjoy the sun, my brain just does not turn on until 6pm. It's awful.

BUT, this being said, on Wednesday I decided to break this vicious cycle by staying on campus after institute and studying in the lounge until Anatomy lab. Only like 4 hours--but I could get a lot done in that time. And the best part? No naps! At least no LONG ones because sleeping on a couch is not as comfortable as my bed in my apartment. Great plan yes?

So I settled myself on a nice two seater couch and set my backpack next to me. First I read my scriptures for a while and then out came the anatomy books and I began studying for my Monday test.

About a half hour into this study session I see a man [boy, college student... ya know] out of the corner of my eye. Getting closer.... and closer.....and closer.... He comes up to me and says, "Hi! How are you doing! I haven't seen you in a while!" and he nudges my backpack as if he wants to sit next to me.

I look at him, intently,...... and I come up with nothing.

I don't know him. Never seen him before in my life. I'm pretty good with faces, and his draws a blank.

I let him sit next to me and I make sure that he has a full view of my face, in my mind thinking, "Are you sure?" He sits next to me and I make small talk and play along like I know what's going on. He continues like normal and in my head I'm screaming, "I DON'T KNOW HIM!"

Through the midst of this very short conversation I deduced [figured, conjectured, imagined?] that we were good friends. He didn't say [or ask for] my name and he didn't ask any specific questions ["How is your mom doing?" --"Uh,.... she.... um... died?"] but I felt like we were "too good of friends" for me to ask the routine, "What's your name? What's your major?" This whole situation was awkward supreme!

He obviously wasn't realizing his mistake by this time and so I chose to not bring it up or ask any crazy questions because it would embarrass both of us. Maybe after I leave he will figure it out? Or next time he runs into that girl...

I decided I needed to take my next opportunity to get out. He pulled out his laptop and told me that he had to answer a few emails, and so I told him that I "actually had to go to lab" right then. So I gathered my things and said goodbye and "see ya round" because I'm sure that the other girl he is mistaking me for will see him soon. Maybe I could get away with this?

At this point I'm just wondering, who is that other chic walking around with my face?

After I left the institute building I went to the only other place that I can study effectively without interruption: The Merrill-Cazier. USU's Library. As I walk I shake off the crazy experience convinced that I'll never see him again, so life is good. I text my mom and a couple friends and tell them I have a great story.

That isn't over yet.

I spent a few hours in the Library, studying and talking friends that I ran into [this staying-on-campus-to-study thing really didn't work in my favor]. A couple hours later I'm lounging on a chair with my anatomy notes propped in front of me and guess who walks by?

Mr. Awkward Institute Man.

What are the chances? Really? Really...

He recognizes me, and stops to chat for just a moment [gratefully he didn't stay this time]. I have had enough time to mull over the first awkward situation and so I take a more objective look at this and watch the proceedings very open-minded. I am not nearly as frightened and scared and I answer his questions and pose a great [quick] conversation. He asks me how my anatomy lab was [which I just made up as an excuse to leave--the real lab was still an hour away] and I say,

"Great! Really interesting!"
"What did you do?"
              [Dangit! I'm BSing this!]
"Um, we went over muscles on the cadavers and stuff. It was neat."
"Cool!"
"How was class?"
"Oh, it was just institute. Pearl of Great Price with Bro. Such-n-such."
"Oh! He's a great teacher!"
"Yeah, I liked it."

You get the picture. Not amazing conversation, but not as incredibly uncomfortable as it could have [should have] been.

He said goodbye and ran off to wherever else he had to be and I silently laughed at the hilarious and ironic situation that just occurred. What are the chances, really? Poor kid.

Afterward I shared the story with my mother and two of my roommates. These are the hypotheses on what just transpired:

--Cute girl sitting in institute? [Courtesy of my mother]. He may have been hitting on me. Awkward way to pick up on a girl--to all you men, DO NOT TRY THIS. I think that maybe it was because I was the only female not asleep and drooling in the lounge... 

--Another girl with my face? Maybe.... 

--Maybe I DID meet him or talk to him and I just have a terrible memory. Highly probable. My mother says she has had this happen on more than one occasion, and it's usually friends from Jr. high or other long-ago era. But the chances of that happening to me, in Logan? I'm not so sure. Maybe we had a class together, but I really do recognize faces. 

--Poor, confused, socially awkward kid? He didn't seem too strange when I talked to him, nothing that would indicate ab-normalcy... 

--Pre-existence? 

--??? Any suggestions? Why would a random kid talk to me in the institute building and pretend to know me?

Chances of meeting him again? I have no clue, because I said that once and I saw him hours later. But I'm determined to ask his name when that occurs. And maybe I'll be brave enough to ask how he knows me. :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Here is the blueprint for an authentic tea party:

[or as close as poor college students could come]

Apple Cider [tea substitute!]

rating: * * * * *

Fill a small pot with water and warm on stovetop.

Mix in 5-6 packets of apple cider [until it tastes yummy].

Mini Cornbread Muffins 

rating: * * * * 

Prepare cornbread muffin mix according to box.

Spread out mini muffin cups on a cookie sheet.

Place one dollop of mix into each cup and cook for LESS than the designated time.

Top with a little bit of butter and apricot jam. :]

Cucumber Sandwiches [an experiment]

rating: * *

1.5 cucumbers--shredded, drained thoroughly

1 pkg cream cheese

1 pkg Italian Dressing mix

Mix cream cheese and dressing mix first [important!], and then combine all ingredients.

Spread between two slices of bread, cut into fourths diagonally, and put in a toothpick to hold in place!

[Comment: No tea party is complete without cucumber sandwiches--and so we gave it a shot. This is a compilation of various recipes found on the inter-web. They were good, but not great, manageable, but I'm not sure I'd make THIS recipe again. But we had real cucumber sandwiches! And they weren't too shabby!]

Egg Salad Sandwiches

rating: * * * * *

--Hard boil eggs for 10 min [the whole ten minutes!]

--Rinse with cold water, and then de-shell them.

--Dice and put in a bowl. 

--Mix in: Miracle Whip [just enough to make it stick together] and a little bit of garlic salt and paprika to taste.

--Spread between two slices of yummy bread and then cut in fourths diagonally. Don't forget to put toothpicks in to make them schmancy--they are finger sandwiches for a tea party after all!

And for dessert: 

Cake Balls [idea stolen from my good friend Sarah! Check our her post!]

rating: * * * * * 

Click here for recipe.

Our attempt very much failed, but failure or not they were delicious! A perfect tea party treat--if you get them right! ;]

-----------------------------------

The recipe for a perfect tea party  a m b i a n c e :

Classical music sounding from the periphery...

[Thank you Vivaldi, Mozart, and Shanna]

Each voice a refined British accent... 

[Sprinkled with Brooklyn and Jamaican]

Conversing of the weather...

[The rain in Spain is mainly in the plain]

Pinkies elegantly raised...

[Courtesy of Mary Poppins]

Dressed in our best tea party clothes...

[Thank you DI]

All the while sitting [at times very UN-ladylike] in our very own blanket fort.

Tea party anyone?