An Inconsistency

When I get an event invite on Facebook, my knee-jerk reaction is to RSVP with maybe. (Unless, of course, it's some awesome event I'm for sure going to or something lame that I for sure won't be going to.) I like the maybe option because it lets me say no without really saying no. Then I don't feel bad when I don't show because I didn't actually say I would go.

This week, I created an event to invite people over to my apartment to watch the mega ultra super showdown between BYU and SDSU on Saturday. This game is HUGE and I didn't want to watch it with just me and Cora. As fun as that is (I love you, Cora), I wanted to watch with a group of people. It's just more fun that way.

So I set up the event and sent a bunch of invites, hoping that at least a few people would say yes and come enjoy the greatness of BYU basketball. Four days later, most of the people who have responded are maybes. And it annoys the tar out of me. Just decide one way or another, people! Geez!

Hypocritical much? Oh yes. But I would be willing to bet money that my days of saying maybe are far from over.

Jimmermania Strikes Again

Okay, we all know I'm obsessed with Jimmer. (But really—what's not to like?) But we also know that I'm not the only one. This rap is one of the many awesome developments of Jimmermania. "Teach me how to Jimmer. Teach me, teach me how to Jimmer." It's been stuck in my head for two days now.

The End

Day 30: A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the last 30 days

I'm not trying to sound conceited, but boy do I have fantastic eyes. Just look at those big blues!

1. I saw the Jimmer Show three times, including the monster showdown versus SDSU. Jimmermania is seriously the best, and I count myself lucky to be able to fully enjoy having the best basketball player in college hoops playing for my team, in the town I live in.
2. I discovered the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness. These books are amazing. If you like dark, scary, dystopian societies, read these books. ASAP.
3. I got a pedicure. 'Nough said.

And that, my friends, is the end of this challenge. I hope you enjoyed it.

Books, Books, Books

Day 29: Something you could never get tired of doing.

I will never, ever, ever get tired of reading. Never ever. There are so many good books by good authors out there and I have to try to read them all. I never will, but that's not about to stop me from trying. I've always loved reading and I always will.

I could no sooner choose a favorite child.

Day 28: Your favorite movie.

I do not have a favorite movie. I can't choose. It is impossible. I like far too many actors and genres and styles to choose a single movie that I love enough to deem my favorite. I love action, thrillers, comedy, quirky comedies, some romantic comedies, dramas, and animated films. If it's well written, well acted, and well directed, there's a good chance I will enjoy it. I like quality.

But to feel like I've at least got something to contribute to this post, I will post a few favorites (though this list is by no means all inclusive).

The Passage of Time

Day 27: A picture of you last year and now and how you have changed since then.

 

February 2010, at the F Stop Café with Faith. It was the middle of our first café hopping trip, which was a phenomenal success. 

December 2010. Not quite a year, I know, but I like this picture because I look great in it. It was an accidental sexy photo when all I was trying to do was take a picture of my fabulous hair.

To be completely honest, I don't know that I have changed too much. I've gotten to that point in my life where I don't change dramatically. I like to think I've matured into the adult that I'm going to be for the rest of my life. Of course I still have things to learn and decisions to make, but I don't think that changes no matter how old you get. There are always things to learn and grow from.

But when I think about what has changed about me, I honestly can't think of much. This past year went by so quickly. More quickly than any other year, I think. I feel like I've grown a lot and learned some things about myself, but really, a year isn't much time for things to change. Give me some more time and we'll see what happens.

The Big Apple

Day 26: A photo of somewhere you've been to.

I think this picture is cool. Mostly because I took it. Not too shabby, eh? 

I absolutely loved New York. I went nearly four years ago, and it's still my favorite vacation. Granted, I haven't actually been on vacation since, so . . . yeah. 

The first time we drove into the city, it was a complete sensory overload. There is just so much going on. So much noise, so many people, so many cars. I never thought buildings could go so high or that so many people could fit on a city block. I just couldn't take it all in. It was a good thing we had ten days to try to see everything, though we still didn't get close.

I would love to live in New York. It helps that I'm an editor and all the best editing jobs are in New York, but even without that, I just love the city. I've always been a city girl. If I can't live in New York, I'd love to live in Salt Lake City. The idea of living out in the middle of nowhere is nightmarish to me. Seriously. I couldn't live south of Provo because that is just way too far away from things. I need my city fix. Going to New York City showed me just how much of a city girl I really am.

It's really not that exciting. Really.

Day 25: What's in your purse?

I do have a super cute purse. Next to my green and purple floral jacket, I get the most compliments on this purse. I had a random lady at Zupas come up to me and ask me where I got it because she liked it so much. It was apparently a good choice of purses.

It's really quite big, so it can potentially hold a ton of random crap. However, I don't really fill it up, which is probably a good thing.

See? It's kind of empty. There's my wallet, some lotion, my keys, and a handy notebook that I use for writing down whatever I may need to write down at the moment. I also keep my iPod, headphones, and iPod cord in that little zipper pocket, with a few lip glosses/chapsticks. Then there's my gum (I always need gum) and the pocket where my cell phone goes. And . . . that's about it. Super thrilling. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Grandpa

Day 24: A photo of something that means a lot to you.

These pictures sit on the bookshelf right next to my bedroom door. I love these pictures. They're my homage to Grandpa Newman, one of the very best men I've ever known. I took the one on the far left one Memorial Day when I was visiting Grandpa's grave. I'm not entirely sure why I took it, but it turned out really well, so I printed it.

I absolutely love the middle picture. I know it's small so you can't see it really well, but that's Grandpa holding baby me. I'm fast asleep, and he's just looking at me with so much love in his eyes. It's the only picture I know of with just me and Grandpa, and I think the first time I saw it was in the slide show at his viewing. It was the picture that made me break down, but I love it all the same. I can just see how much Grandpa loved me, and it warms my heart.

The third picture is one that my uncle took. They were putting an addition on Grandma and Grandpa's cabin, and that little bird kept flying in and getting stuck. Grandpa had an affinity with birds (he talked to them frequently), so he kept catching it and putting it back outside. I love this picture because it exemplifies William Newman. He was a hard worker and a skilled craftsman. He used those hands to build his house, to make wicker chairs, and to fix anything that needed fixing. Those hands were calloused and worn. Yet they could also be gentle enough to hold a little bird and get it to safety and nimble enough to sneak a tickle attack. 

I miss that man so much. He was full of laughter, love, and happiness. He gave the best hugs, and I can't wait for the day that I get to feel one again. I love you, Grandpa Newman, and I'm so glad I'll get to see you again.

15

Day 23: 15 facts about you.

In no particular order:

1. I absolutely hate being tailgated. There is no faster way to get expletives to escape my mouth than to tailgate me on the highway—especially when I'm already speeding.
2. I. love. shoes. From my perch on my bed, I can see sixteen pairs of shoes in my closet. And that's not even half of them. I could probably buy a new pair of shoes everyday. Fortunately, I don't.
3. I rock at Rock Band. I really do. I can pretty much play any song on expert for guitar. Just sayin'.
4. When I watch sports, I yell. A lot. I yell loudest when I'm actually at the game, but I'm still plenty loud when I'm watching from home.
5. I re-read every single thing I write. Texts, blog posts, Facebook comments . . . I have to make sure there are no mistakes before I send anything anywhere.
6. I have a Twitter account. It's true. @fabelhaftfrau
7. I love Claddagh rings, and I wear mine correctly. I am only slightly Irish, but that matters none to me.
8. My ideal man is a brown-eyed brunette who loves sports (a lot), but also loves movies, books, and music, and can hold intelligent conversations about all of the above.
9. I hate going to the dentist. Dentists scare me. I haven't been in two years, and before that, it had been five years. Maybe I've been watching too much Little Shop of Horrors. 
10. I kind of like the idea of being famous. Or of marrying someone who's famous. *cough* Jimmer! *cough*
11. I would really like to live on my own. I want to decorate my own place, fill my own fridge, and dirty my own dishes. Unfortunately, my current finances preclude me from making that jump.
12. I think Jackson Emery (BYU's other senior guard) is hot. It's too bad he's married.
13. When I have the choice, I almost always choose wheat bread. I much prefer it to white, and I always have.
14. I get headaches all the time, and I have to take at least four ibuprofen to kick them. Two is never enough.
15. I keep ticket stubs from everything I go to. I get really mad when I get online tickets that I have to print out instead of getting real, legit tickets.

So Bloody Frustrating

Day 22: A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.

This is kind of a hard one. You see, I haven't really been hurt lately, per se. This could be attributed to the lack of action on the guy front, or to the fact that I have good enough relationships with my girlfriends that we don't really have drama. Whatever the case, my life has lacked hurtful exchanges lately, and I'm going to just go ahead and call that a good thing.

I have, however, been frustrated out of my head by someone recently, so that's where this post is going to go.

Dear Doofus,

You are nearly thirty. When I first met you, I had no idea you were that old, mostly because you frequently act like you're thirteen. (You certainly text like you are.) At first, it was just kind of funny, and a little charming in some ways. And then we were given callings that forced us to work closely together, and that charm wore off reeeeeaaaalllly quickly. 

When I voice an opinion, you shut me down. When I try to back up my opinion, you tell me to stop stressing out so much. When I continue to back up my opinion because I refuse to be shut down without consideration, you tell me I'm frustrating you. With all of that combined, here is what I hear: "Holy crap, Lindy, stop being such a girl. I'm the priesthood holder, which therefore means my opinion is more valid than yours."

Well listen up, Doofus. I am a strong woman with strong opinions. I was given this calling so I could make changes and bring my ideas to the table. I don't care if you don't want to plan things on Saturdays because it interferes with your life. I don't care if you want to throw together a half-assed activity in a week just so you can be done with it. I don't care how frustrating I am to you or how annoying it is to plan out every detail. I am going to voice my opinions, and I am going to be heard. You want to know why? Because my opinions are valid. And, by the way, in most cases my opinions are better than yours. I care about getting people more involved in the ward. I care about doing my best to make it easier for people to be social here. I care about magnifying my calling and doing the best I possibly can. 

Since you don't seem to care about any of that, I will go over your head. I will talk to the bishop. I will talk to the Relief Society presidency. I will talk to whomever I need to talk to to get things done, whether you like it or not. So you better watch yourself. I'm a stubborn girl, and I will get my way.

If this is the way you treat every girl in your life, Doofus, it's no wonder you're pushing that 3-0 mark while still single. No self-respecting girl wants to put up with your crap.

Hugs and kisses,

Lindy

I will have a library someday.

Day 21: A photo of something that makes you happy.

There are so many things that make me happy. I could choose so many different things from family to movies. But I will choose something that I look at everyday, and that I never tire of looking at.

I love everything about this picture (except the Twilight books—forgive me, I bought them in a moment of weakness). I love how I've managed to mix books, music, journals, magazines, and picture albums in one bookshelf. I also love how the books are piling on top of each other because I'm running out of room—plus the boxed set of Percy Jackson on the floor next to the bookshelf.

When I first moved into this apartment, I had one small, three-foot bookshelf that held all my fun books plus my reference materials (dictionaries, style manuals, and so on). In the year and five months since I have lived where I am now, my personal little library has more than doubled. That is one thing a full-time job has done for me. If I want to read a book, I buy it, because if it's worth reading, it's more than likely worth owning. (I won't lie to you—this belief system has bitten me in the butt a couple of times, but for the most part, it has treated me well.)

When I grow up and can finally afford my own house, I want a library. It will have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that are packed full of books about anything and everything. By then, an entire section will probably be dedicated to my journals alone. And if I can swing it, I will also have a rolly ladder, a la Beauty and the Beast. 

Basically, I love books, so what isn't there to like about a room full of them?