Better get those bunions removed...

So remember when I thought I wasn't going to live past the age of 20 in my last post because I had to work at the "ranch"? Turns out I'm still alive. Not because it turned out easier than I thought, but because I don't have to work there at all! Woot! I still seem to get busier in the office each day, but since that burden has been lifted I feel about 482 lbs lighter. My boss (and angel), Vicki, decided that she wanted me to stay and focus my time up North, instead of going down there twice a week. Also, the ranch people decided it would be a good idea if I bailed on them now instead of bail of them 3 months from now. Why, you ask (you're all thinking "I didn't ask")? Because today I filled out all the online forms to go on a mission.

Yessirree, I have (officially) decided that I'm going to teach, and preach, and work like missionaries do.

I know, I'm moving forward with it. Weird, thinks me. Before it was all talk; now it's all talk and a little bit of action. This morning I rolled out of bed at ooooh 9:15 a.m.. And I tell you what, it was painful. What time is it again that missionaries are supposed to wake up?! Maybe I should practice early rising since I've got a few months...

This is me venting a bit...

Remember how I said my job is starting to overwhelm me?

That was a slight understatement.

On Tuesday I went down to the Ranch in Mona to train. I was under the impression that it was going to be exactly what I was doing here, but with a few little changes.

Yeah...NO!

Let me just help you visualize what I found when I went down there...

I wanted to cry.

Is that a good enough visualization? No, really. It was a mess. There were papers everywhere, junk food on the desks, files strung throughout the room (it's a big room), etc. The personnel files that are supposed to be easy access in a cabinet are just thrown in no order in closet in one of those skinny filing cabinets. The lady who's job I'm taking was trying to find some important audit papers for me and searched and searched and then finally found them in the corner on the ground under some more files that some kid was going through. Yeah. Who was babysitting these people the last four years?

Nevermind the mess and disorganization, it's just a lot more than I thought I'd be taking on. She told me that It's basically like doing the job of the administrative assistant and a director without the pay. After 4 hours of telling me stuff that needs to be done she said, "Yeah, I'd quit now."

Comforting, huh? This lady has been there since the ranch started so she knows everything so well and has slowly accumulated a lot of work and apparently didn't realize how much it all boils down to.

The scary thing is, this was the only night she was going to be able to train me because "she's a mom and is going to be busy from now on." I understand that, really. But if you don't want to be on the phone with me all day long, you better find some time to hold my hand for wee bit longer. I convinced her I'd need her to come in again next week for a few hours. Hopefully the second time around will be better. I did take notes, but they can only get me so far cuz the stuff they wanted me to do was just confusing shiz.

Yesterday when I went into the Provo office, I wanted to cry again but from happiness because of how much more I like what I do here. I guess it's because I know what I'm doing and I'm good at it. Maybe I can get to that point there, too. ...?! Needless to say that one experinece down at the ranch office was a humbling enough experience for me to suddenly appreciate the work I do up here in Provo.

So Mon, Wed, Fri, I'm going to work at Provo office in the morning and then from 2 to 6 I'll work with the Focus program and I get to work directly with the kids....YES! Like I said before, this is what I want to do. I'm excited to see what it entails, but a little nervous too. I hope I can do a good job. And then Tuesday Thrusdays I'll be working at satans home at the ranch.

Wish me luck, eh?

Ho Hum

Alright, folks. About time, eh?

It's been a while since I've written last and I don't really have a decent excuse. I won't claim it's because I've been busy because the few of you reading are thinking that I, still having a life lacking in relatively large responsibilities, don't even know what busy is. You're probably right. I don't have kids, a full time job (yet), and I'm not going to school (right now). But somehow I've found a way to occupy my time with stuff. Namely a boy, among other things. No worries, I'm not completely slacking in my duties to my own and others well being, I'm just having fun.

First things first. Finals:

Ahem- I mean final. I had one. Yup, and it wasn't like all the finals you most likely took. But I tell you what, it was challenging enough for me. And guess what? I'm not even going to post a picture of it (it was a drawing for my f-art class) because I didn't like it. But, I'll post a picture of my "personal project."

Let me do a little explaining first off. Last summer my roommate went to Africa with her mother (who is an educator) and others to help get a school up and running for some of the youth there. I know, she's way cooler than all of us. But while she was there, she took close up portraits of all the students. The pictures are amazing, and caught my attention so I decided (since our personal project could be whatever I wanted) to draw a picture of one of the little girls.

My professor suggested that for my senior project (that all art majors have to do) I should make a series and draw a bunch of the kids. I told him it was a good idea and that I'd probably do it but left out the fact that I'm not an art major. Oops.

Vacation:

So my fam decided to take a vaca and after putting them through a guilt trip, they consented to letting me tag a long.

Pretty much all I did was sit on the beach, eat a lot of food, and buy a lot-o-stuff.

So that's Danielle, my little sister parasailing. I got to do it too, and it was absolutely amazing. At one point a big old pelican decided to fly along with me, it was incredible being so high up. Not too far into my adventure my bottom fell out of the "seat" that consists of a large strap that you sit on (don't ask me how this happened). So needless to say I eneded up with the harnass digging into my inner thighs the whole time. Don't worry, friends, my journey was not thwarted by this inconvenience. I still consider it one of the more cool things I've done.

This is us shopping. Yeah, Erik actually bought one of those. It wouldn't fit in his luggage though. Continue viewing pictures to see why not.

Look what we found on a boat ride!

ahh....

Like father like son.

Wait...

There ya go, cal. I'm thinking this blog is just becoming a convenient spot to post pictures. I lost my facebook picture posting drive. Alas, here I am.

Obviously there are many more pictures to testify of the amazingness of this vacation. I'm really grateful I got to go and spend it with my fam. They're pretty OK.

Okay, one more thing. I officially put my two weeks in at Bath-&-Body Works today. "We're going to miss you, Alison." -Mindy

Yeah, whatev.

This last couple months I think I worked 4 or 5 times. The only thing that I'm going to miss (besides Kirstin but she quit too) is the 30% employee discount. Sure, it was an easy and relaxing job, and I always came away smelling splendid but my weekend nights just weren't worth the 30 dollar pay checks I was getting. You understand.

Instead I am going to be working-o-lot at my other job. My boss made sure I stopped calling myself a "secretary" because I'm the "administrative assistant" and I got a raise to go along with it and I have another raise pending. I'll probably get it in June. Don't get me wrong, I aint gonna be nobody's suga momma, I've got plenty I need to pay for and plenty to pay back.

Over all, in regards to my job I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed. Twice a week I'll be driving down to Mona along with what I was doing at the provo office to be the administrative assistant down there because someone decided to have baby. Then today I was voted in to the Focus program to be a guide. Now, this is the job I wanted in the first place. I originally wanted to work directly with the kids as one of their mentors, not be thrown into the office like because the big 2-1 hadn't hit yet. But apparently the program is in a huge need for another staff so until I'm 21, I "helping out." Got it? Rachel (one of the supervisors) just said that they'd hide me the day of audit so we don't get in trouble. I'm down with that. I just wasn't expecting it. And this said audit is coming up in May. We've been preparing for this audit since January, but now that it's so close my boss and I are scrambling trying to make sure everything is perfect. It's slightly intimidating knowing that if something goes wrong during audits, it's probably because I didn't catch it. I really don't want to mess up.

So it's pretty exciting and great that I get to have to many more hours, but it all just came at once. I was expecting to be eased into it. But it's good. I need the practice of being responsible :)

Llamas, Body Surfing, and "Love Spit"

So Saturday I went to the Hare Krishna Color Fest. I tell you what, wow! It was color-ific! Every Year the Hares kick off spring by having a color fest... they do this by throwing colored chalk/powder stuff on each other and smearing it into their faces and clothes. Genius, I know. There were a few llamas that graced our presence (or did we grace theirs?), and also some sweet Indian music and dancing. At one point in the evening we all sing a "song" that goes like this:

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare"

And that "song" is repeated over and over again, kind of like a chant. It's catchy, and really easy to remember. Jess asked Mike what it means, and he said it's probably:

"I sell my soul, I sell my sould

Here it is, here it is,

Take it."

I don't know, really that seems extreme, but Mike was convinced. It didn't matter to me, I was just enjoying the atmosphere :)

There's this guy that took hundreds of pictures with a real nice camera, and he gave everyone permission to use his pics... http://jarviedigital.com/OtherJobs/08/holi-o/ SO, I'm gonna use his pics since they are a little better than mine...

The explosion of colors starts when they light the witch, and burn her down.

That's the witch! They burned her.

Then the colors fly!

It's amazing, isn't it? You going to be there next year, Cali?

And what would a festival of colors be without body surfing? No, really, you tell me.

If you couldn't tell by the lack of quality and creativity, this is me (with my camera)!

Check it. I have headband-head!

Pretty sweet, eh? I'm still blowing pink snot.

And completely off topic... My roommate is amazing. Look what I found sitting on my bed when I came home last night...

Cute, huh? And just for reference, that's "love spit" there below smiley's mouth. I wasn't sure, I had to ask Nat. hehe.

Bloggers Block

Turns out I forgot how to blog...

But spring is in the air and from my bedroom view of the swimming pool there are currently 4 sun-bathing girls out. I thought it was kind of chilly... But hey, sun!

As of late, I've been having a grand old time... Drawing pictures, eating food, going on dates (surprise!)

hmmmm...

Meet Jeff. Jeff is a nice young lad.

He likes playing the guitar (thanks Geoff), snorkeling and lacrosse, and he can really appreciate a good bon-bon. Pretty much he's great.

And last nigth we went on an excellent date and ate some delicious food... Like at Rodizio Grill which = soooo good.

We took some pictures too...

I didn't get the memo we were't smiling.

Maybe one day we'll both be smiling in a picture :)

Sooooo, this wasn't much of a blog, but more of a picture posting par-tay. At least it'll tide the fam over until I can think of something great to blog about.

must have done something right

"We should get jerseys cuz we make a good team

but yours would look better than mine cuz you're out of my league."

I'm just sayin'...

Done and Done

Yeah, I don't really know what it is either, but it's DONE! (It took me a while, I'm a slow drawer). Just a silly assignment that professors make you do to step outside of your drawing comfort zone. It definitley wasn't something that I usually do, and I am sure my roommates can attest that it also wasn't an assignment I necessarily enjoyed... but I got to practice patience and learned how to make surfaces reflective-like. Woot! Oh, and I wouldn't suggest magnifying this because when I take the flash off my cam the picture goes kind of blurry. It looks better in real life, really.

Now that that's over, the new assignment is to invent an idea of something and then draw it. My roommate said I should invent a gaydar (horrible, I know) ...except it has to be something practical-that could actually be invented-any ideas??