It's getting hot in here!

AH! School... oh, school. I love learning... freshman year I would spend all of American Heritage class just checking my facebook and facebook chatting with high school friends, and now I am the annoying person who always makes one too many comments in class. I am really excited for my writing class, because we are assigned to create a writing schedule of just 1-2 hours a day, every day, until the end of the semester. We have to turn in 50 pages of "polished" writing by the end of the year, which is probably the equivalent of 150 pages of writing total. I am also conducting research experiments! Here is what they are probably going to be:

• The effect of religion on the sense of fulfillment in life.
• The correlation between grades and facebook (maybe)
• How well BYU students actually keep the honor code
  
• If a bit of narcissism is healthy for self-esteem.

My other classes are amazing, my new apartment complex is BOMB. I am going to a cabin in like... 3 minutes with about 30 people in my new complex.

Life is good! Enjoy your three day weekend, people!

Note To Self

Note to Self: Don't think that the transition between relaxing all summer long and then working your butt off will be easy.

Note to Self #2: Don't blog when you should be doing a million other things.

Note to Self #3: Don't give out your personal cell number to all of your new hires. It just results in them calling you after your leave, and then working on work instead of working on school.

Note to Self #4: Your D&C class this semester is going to be life changing.

Note to Self #5: Don't forget to write a blog just because you are living it up in yellowstone/grand teton mountains/chilling with BF and BBF.

Note to Self #6: Always, and I mean ALWAYS, have a back pack and school supplies and a daily planner ready before the first day of school. Do not wait.

Note to Self #7: Do not, under any circumstances, procrastinate buying books until the first day of school. This gets you behind on reading and sad at life.

Note to Self #8: Don't forget about the cool things that you learned today.

Note to Self #9: If you wanted your college experience to be easy, you should have gone to BSU or UVU.

Note to Self #10: Life is totally worth it. These experiences are totally worth it. You have amazing and supportive friends who love you for who you are, a boyfriend who cares about you and wants the best for you, and a family that is freaking bomb.

That is all. :)

Edge of Glory

Lady Gaga, thank you for your best song ever.

Anyways.

Yesterday Lucas and I went sky diving... it still seems a bit unreal to me. We watched a video, signed our lives away, and before I knew it I was putting on the gear that hung loose on by body (the man said that it was as tight as it would go) and practicing how to jump from a fake plane. Soon, Lucas and I were running towards the plane and my tandem instructor asked me if I wanted to go first. I, of course, said yes, both because I wanted to feel like a dare devil and also because I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle the anticipation of waiting to jump.

1000 feet... 2000 feet... 7000 feet (which is where you eject your parachute) 11000 feet, 12000 feet.... Three men who were jumping solo were the only people who went before me. I watched as an 70 year old man literally ran and jumped out of the plane, and I saw his body free fall for about an eighth of a second... the next two men jumped together out of the plane, and then it was my turn.

My instructor and I inched our way out to the front of the plane, where I grabbed onto my shoulder straps and put three inches of my feet over the plane's edge. This part was probably the greatest moment of the entire trip, as I sat on the edge of what felt like glory and prepared my body for the jump. My instructor yelled in my ear "READY?" (we rocked forward) "SET?" (we rocked backwards) "GO!!" and we were in the air.

Nothing can compare to the feeling of absolute floating as you watch the mountains that started out so small grow before your eyes. It doesn't feel like you are falling towards the ground, more that the ground is rushing up to meet you. I struggled with putting air into my lungs, even though all the air I could even want was rushing into my mouth. My arms were thrown out, my legs curled up behind me and my shoulder was resting on my instructors head.

After what felt like 7 seconds (but later I found out was close to a minute) we ejected our parachute. My instructor told me that I had the best form of the day, and we starting to fall slowly towards the ground. It was just so entirely peaceful as we drifted towards our landing. As my instructor tried to talk to me, I realized that my ears were completely muffled, and that they still hadn't popped. (It would later take about 7 hours for them to completely clear up.)

Our landing was a success! We didn't even have to slide on our butts, but we just landed and stood up on our feet. With a few clicks, I was free from my instructor. And that, my dear readers, is when the nausea hit and I felt like I was going to throw up. I saw Lucas, so I started stumbling towards him, and I realized that a woman was shouting at me to get out of the way because I was standing where another parachute was about to land. (I couldn't hear her, you see, so I judged by her waving arms and panicked face that I was in danger.) I stepped out of the way and sat down on the ground, breathing deep and praying that I wouldn't throw up in front of everyone standing around me.

I did throw up later, both outside the sky-diving place and then in front of a medical center. I dozed in the shade and ate jerky, and soon my energy and stomach were restored! (The instructor told me that a lot of people got sick after landing because heat combined with adrenaline is a sure way to get the sickies.)

It was an entirely amazing experience, and I would recommend it to anybody.

ALSO! :)

I competed again this year for the vocal competition put on by Jenny Phillips and Tyler Castleton... and I won. :) I get to be the vocalist on Jenny Phillips CD next year, I get $250 dollars, and I might get to record a couple of other songs. I am still so stoked that I won. Jenny told me that it was the easiest decision that they had ever made. I record next month exactly.

http://www.tylercastleton.com/workshop-winners/ (The website that proclaims me the winner!)

I am one happy camper right now, let me assure you. :)

Recorded a Song

So on Thursday Lucas was complaining heavily of an aching tooth. (A wisdom tooth, to be exact.) He told me that he was going to the dentist around the same time that I was going to be donating plasma. Well, as soon as I left the plasma center and he picked me up, he looked me in the eyes and said, "I have a BIG favor to ask of you..."

Sure enough, two hours later the oral surgeon was calling me back into his office to meet my now doped up boyfriend. He looked me in the eyes and said in a panicked voice "When are they going to do it? I am so scared...." It took about 5 minutes for me to assure him that it had already happened, and we would soon be on our way home.

The doctor (who's name is Dr. Baton) came in and asked Lucas "Well, buddy, do you think you can walk?" to which Lucas promptly tried to jump off of the surgeons chair, and proceeded to almost fall onto the doctor. The doctor's nervous expression sent me running to Lucas's car so I could meet the doctor around the side of the building.

The next memory will forever be ingrained in my memory.

Out walks Lucas with a dopey grin on his face. No, walking is a big of an over-statement. The nurse and the doctor are dragging him to my car, while Lucas makes feet pumping motions. The doctor struggles for about two minutes trying to insert Lucas into the car, all the while Lucas is thanking the doctor profoundly for what he did. Finally, with Lucas buckled in and us ready to go, Lucas gives the doctor a couple of dramatic finger points (left, ... right, .... left) and we are off.

Silence, about the only silence of the trip, fills the car for about two minutes as I struggle to find the highway. The adventures truly began when Lucas saw a picture of a dinosaur from our car window.

Lucas - "dinosaur."
Kara - ".... yup."
Lucas - "DINOSAUR!"

Kara - "yup!"

Lucas - "..... dinosaurs have big penises."
Kara - "... I would imagine so, yes."
Lucas - "They would need big vaginas."
Kara - silent laughter
Lucas - "SEEEMMMMIII!!! Oh look, a red truck! Sexy.... look at that white car, it's a sexy white car..... ...... look at that truck, it's sexy too.... you could have SEX in the back of that truck."
Kara - "Why yes, I imagine that you could."

(At this point, I try drastically to change the topic to a non-sexual one, but to no avail. Everything we talk about is "sexy" or "kinky" or "let's have sex." Then...)

Lucas - "..... can I touch you?"
Kara - extremely apprehensive. "... sure honey, you can touch my leg or hold my hand!"
Lucas - Proceeds to grab boob.
Kara - Swats off hand. "AH! Not there honey..."

Lucas - Proceeds to grab boob again.
Kara - Violently removes hand. "LUCAS. No. No."

Lucas - "But... but... I just want to touch you. Here, I will just touch your arm, ok?"

Kara - watches as Lucas grabs her upper arm for about 4 seconds, and then proceeds into a feelskie.

Kara - Removes hand once again. "You have lost all touching privileges."

Lucas - "Fine! I will just touch myself then." Pouts, and begins to rub all over his chest and stomach for about one minute.

Kara - Laughing uncontrollably while gripping the steering wheel.
Lucas - sighs. "...... it's just not the same."

We then talk about a range of things from pooping out diamonds, to him giving me the moon because he knows how much I "love cheese."

Towards the end of the drive, I told him that his teeth were extremely bloody. He suddenly looked as though he was about to cry, and said, "Oh great, everyone's going to think I have been eating babies." I had to assure him that if anybody thought anything, it would be that he was a sexy vampire that had just devoured a herd of deer.

Upon arriving at his apartment, I suddenly faced myself with the dilemma of how to get a grown man who is much larger than me and is completely stoned up 3 flights of stairs. I called all of my guy friends, but none of them could do it. Meanwhile, Lucas is trying to get out of the car, but forgets to lift up his feet or lower his head, so he just keeps nailing his head and feet into the side door.

So I finally decide that I will just have to walk him up to his apartment by myself. I slowly help him out of the car, and he shouts "ONWARD!" and stumbles forward about 5 steps, and then nearly falls. There was no talking sense into that man as I struggled to get him up the stairs. With each step he took, he recited:

"One fish"

"Two fish"

"Red fish"

"Blue Fish"

Hysterical laughter.

And repeat.

FINALLY I get him into his apartment and lay him down on the couch. I kneel down next to him and said softly, "Lucas?"

Lucas - nothing.

Kara - "... Lucas, honey, can you open your eyes?"

Lucas - slowly opens eyes and says "..... eyeballs."

Kara - "Yes, those are my eyeballs, and I need you to listen to what I have to say. I have to go and pick up your prescription, so I need to to lay on this couch and DO NOT GET UP. Do you understand?"

Lucas - stares blankly and says ".... tuck like a fish."

Kara - "... what??"

Lucas - more insistent now, "Tuck... like a fish!"

Kara - "What? Lucas, do you understand what I am saying? You can't walk, so I need to lay down while I get your prescriptions."

Lucas - "TUCK LIKE A FISH!!"

Kara - "I don't know what you are saying!"

Lucas - in utter defeat, points at the blanket at his feet "tuck... like... a ... fish..."

Kara - then realizes that he wants me to tuck him in with the blanket. (why like a fish? I will never know.)

The rest of the evening was eventful as I got "I AM IN PAIN!!!!" phone calls while picking up his prescription, to watching him try to eat soup when most of it ended up on the table, to me having to explain what happened over and over to him.

He looks more like human today and less like chipmunk. Which is good, because it is our 6-month anniversary (counting all of our time as an exclusive couple.) Hoorah for togetherness!

P.S. I know that my picture that I drew today was WELL BELOW normal standards. I rushed through it, I admit.

P.P.S I just recorded a demo song for Tyler Caslteton (who is basically at the head of the LDS music industry) and it turned out really well. If I knew how, I would post it on here for you to listen. But since I can't, I thought I would write the lyrics to my favorite verse.

"The darkness whispers,
You are lost, there's no way back.
But you don't have to keep traveling
The path that you are on
There's always a way
The chance to change is never gone."

Hoorah for change! Hoorah for being able to change! Hoorah for life!!

Summer time, Feeling fine.

The title of this blog is the title of a song I wrote actually. The lyrics aren't profound, but they encompass what this summer has been about.

On a sunny day I can see for miles

But all I see are the people's smiles

The sun has brought us out to town

So we can paint portraits with our shadows.

Summer time, Feeling fine

You are always on my mind

Let's go, go, let's go,

Run until the sun don't show.

All the children have come out to play

Laughing is the way they pray

Ice-cream trucks always play our tune

And parents always call you in too soon.

Summer time, Feeling fine

You are always on my mind

Let's go, go, let's go,

Run until the sun don't show.

Now we may not be children forever,

But we can still look for hidden treasure

And when the sun is shining strong,

We can all be forever young.

Summer time, Feeling fine

You are always on my mind

Let's go, go, let's go,

Run until the sun don't show.

Run until the sun don't show.

I love writing music... and the tune to this song is adorable. I actually like the tune a lot better than the words of this song. It's all like "da-da-DA-Da-da... dadadada..." ... ya.

ANYWAYS right now I have about 18 mosquito bites covering my legs... its quite sad. For a while I thought I was immune to those little buggers... until I woke up two mornings ago to realize that I had had an dramatic encounter with a mosquito lodging in my room of which I was completely unaware.

This week has consisted of mini-golfing, watching movies, basking in the sun, going down two of the most terrifying water slides EVER... and more sun. It's been great.

I hate mosquitos.

I love my beliefs.

Yesterday I went to Park City. Tomorrow I go sky diving.

It's been a good weekend.

Crazy Week

summer time.

Oh my goodness this week has been absolutely crazy!! I am also very proud that I am writing another blog, hoorah for productivity! :)

EVENTS

Ok, so this week was absolutely awesome in terms of events. I did so many blissful things, like go to Lucky Peaks on Friday (where I worked on tanning my startling white stomach, lol.) This has now become a weekly occurance since Lucas and I have purchased season passes.

Also, we went to the HARRY POTTER MIDNIGHT SHOWING!!! (I especially missed you Chels. I hope that you dressed up as Draco Malfoy like you promised.) We got there around 8 and we got a pizza while we waited in line. The time passed by pretty quickly despite the fact that I didn't sleep at all while waiting in line. That movie was absolutely beautiful by the way. I cried on more than one occasion (from being so touched or from sleep deprivation, I am still unsure) I loved it so much.

Even though I decided to dress up as Beletrix, Lucas wanted to try on my outfit. So I let him.

Such a beautiful man.

This is me in my costume and Lucas rightfully in his. :)

Another picture of us... my wig got itchy, so I took it off. Also, there were surprisingly few people who dressed up... so I felt a little self conscious. But let's just say I was the best-dressed Beletrix there was. :)

Oh my goodness, also, this last week there was a day (I can't remember what day since all of my days blur together) where it was National Cow Day! Do you know what that means?? DO YOU?? It means if you dress up as a cow and go to Chick-Fil-A you get a whollllee meal for FREE. Chic-fil-A even has cow cutouts for you to print out and glue onto your body. And that is exactly what we did.

hahaha ya.

Enough events.

ROMANCE

Lucas and I are doing great. I think right now he is under the impression that I am mad at him because I wouldn't let him drive me home. But alas, I am not.

This week Lucas's little brother is in town, which basically means that our alone time will be severely minimized. But I don't really mind that much, to tell you the truth. I can be with him alone, with him in a room full of people, or with him with his brother and still be happy.

Oh ya, we went hiking to Stuart falls too!! Here is a nice little pic from that adventure. :)

WORK

Favorite moment of work this week would either be eating entirely too much icecream, or the following instance.

So one of my bosses Chris was on Grooveshark looking up random songs, and my other boss Tim walked in. There just happened to be a picture of "Fire and Ice Condoms" on my bosses grooveshark.

Tim ".... what are you looking at, Chris."

Chris defensively - "ITS JUST AN ADVERTISEMENT!!"

Tim - "..... uh huh."

Chris, still defensive - "I don't know why they have to advertise these condoms here... probably because they are the most expensive kind."

Tim, casually - "... They aren't the most expensive kind."

Everyone - Silence.

Kara - Puts her head on the desk and tries to hide laughter.

Basically it made my week. :)

SCHOOL

I don't have to pay tuition! Hip hip hoorrraaay!!! :) This makes me a very happy girl.

Also, I should probably study more psychology even when I'm not in school. Because I realized today when my Bishop said some psychology reference that I should have gotten (but I didn't) that all of my knowledge drains out of my head during the summer.

... I probably won't do it though.

MISC

I really do love this summer so much, Chelsea. It is probably one of my favorite summers yet. And this last week was probably one of the bests weeks of the summer as well. I love living life to the fullest (even though it does mean that I forget to clean my room every once and a while.)

Ok, ok, maybe last summer at Aspen Grove was my favorite summer ever. I just can't decide.

HOORAH FOR SUMMER TIME!

Weekly Checkup

Ok, so I know that I missed the second Sunday of my promised blog posts, but I have a valid reason, I swear! I was in Idaho, where none of my family members have internet. But I'll go into that more later. Also, it is taking everything that I have right now to write this blog. I just want to read a book and eat my apple and go to bed.x

SCHOOL

Not taking any classes now, thank goodness. I am just able to kick back and enjoy this freedom and zero-stress life until August 29th hits. Strangely, I am actually looking forward to starting school back up again. To get back into the hustle bustle of things, and to have every minute of my day planned out so that I am as productive as possible. I love feeling like I don't have enough time in my day to do anything (I hate it, of course, but I love it because it makes me feel like I am living my life to the fullest.)

WORK

I love the people that I work with. I do spend 40 hours a week there, so I guess I should have loads of stories... the secretary just got married (who I thought hated me for a very long time but I think she might actually like me now.... maybe its because she is married. Meh.) Also, I have been saying "meeh" a lot lately. Anytime I am annoyed or put out or am asked to do anything I don't want to do at work, I am just like "Meh." I think it is annoying everyone around me as much as it is annoying myself.

Also, I think I am getting fatter from working there. I seriously eat ALL OF THE TIME. Burgers, pastries, fries, salads (on good days)... when will it stop? WHEN WILL IT STOP??? I'm being dramatic, I know, but I want to lose about 5-10 pounds.

*I need to eat my apple more quickly. Blogging and apple munching only results in brown apple, which results in my sadness.

ROMANCE

I don't really know why I put this section in my blog. Probably because I spend most of my time with Lucas, and I want to tell you about the things we are doing. I promise not to get gushy and lovey-dovey, because I don't feel the need to post intimate details about my relationship on a blog. I don't need to validate my relationship in that way. I guess I feel my relationship is secure enough that I don't need to shout out the way I feel about my partner to everyone in hopes that some might believe it.

Anyways, Lucas and I have had a lot of fun this last week. I took Lucas down to Idaho to meet all of my friends and family, and it seriously was such a blast. We ventured out to Homedale a time or two, and it wasn't as horrible as I was expecting. And I spent the fourth of July with about every single person that I cared about, which was absolutely amazing. I saw a lot of my extended family, all but one of my brothers in my immediate family, and my three best friends in Idaho. It was seriously so lovely.

The best part about it was that Kade and Afton (my niece and nephew) absolutely adored Lucas. Lucas gave Afton a couple of roses, and she just fell in love with him. He also gave Kade a dollar, which Kade informed us is going in his piggy bank so he can buy an Idaho atlas.

Me, Lucas, Kade, Afton, and my sister Ashley all went out to Lucky Peak (a little lake with a water fountain in the middle of it.) It was so much fun. Here are some of my favorite pics of the event. :)

This is me and miss Afyton looking at the rocks, trying to find a "pwetty wock to thwo." She is such a pretty little girl. :)

Lucas took Kade to the center of the freezing cold lake so that Kade could attempt to swim. Kade's face in this picture is priceless.

And my computer is being dumb, so I can't put any others on there. But that day was epic.

And Lucas is awesome.

RELIGION

Religion? What?? Haha I guess because it is a part of my life, I thought I could have a little section on it. Recently I have felt really discriminated against because of my religion.

A good friend of mine recently said that the LDS religion is nothing more than "Regurgitating psycho-babble." For some reason, this really upset me. I guess the main reason I am hurt is because this is coming from a friend who currently suffers discrimination against her sexual orientation, and yet she is discriminating me in this blog against my religion and my beliefs. Its upsetting and hurtful and a little bit hypocritical. I'm not angry, because I believe that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. But I just don't feel the need to talk about something that some people dedicate their whole lives to and believe so whole heartedly in such a negative and disrespectful way. Just because someone's beliefs comepletely contradict your own doesn't give you the reason to belittle it or so casually disregard it.

MISC

I am very excited to dress up for the midnight showing of Harry Potter.

I am going sky-diving this summer.

I miss Kate.

And I miss you, Chels. :) Have fun in New York, Presh.