Adventure and Discovery

I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays this semester, which has been one of the greatest decisions of my life.  Especially on "long weekends" like the one we just had.  See, my normal weekend is already four days long so I didn't think the long weekend would affect me (effect me?), but with BYU's obsession with mucking about with the calendar suddenly my long weekend turned into a week off!  And over the course of this week off I have done some awesome things.

I sat down and tried to actually plan my life.  I sort of didn't quite plan it as thoroughly as I hoped to, but I've made a good start I think.  I discovered that this is the best possible semester I could have ever have chosen to miss the last two and a half weeks of school.  Truly, it's like it is meant to be.  I went to the library and checked out most of the books I need to read in the next three weeks.  It's a hefty re-useable shopping bag full and I'm pretty excited.

Awesome!  A picture of the exact re-usable bag  that is currently sitting on my backseat stuffed full of YA fiction!

I rediscovered Mumford and Sons and Queen and The Civil Wars, having neglected them for about 9 months.

I played Trivial Pursuit with a lot of people I love and discovered that I'm still really bad at Trivial Pursuit.  Not only that, but as soon as you ask me a question to which I do not know the answer I suddenly become incapable of formulating an answer that is even an appropriate guess.  I believe this phenomenon is responsible for all of those "Americans are such idiots" videos Leno likes to show.

I actually visited some of the people that you see randomly and say "we should totally hang out some time!" and then you completely forget about them.  When I ran into Denise in the JFSB and we said that I said "No, but really.  We're picking a day.  Right now!" and we did and I went and it was awesome.  I went over to their house for dinner on Sunday and I finally met her and Tyson's little boy Will .  He is one of the happiest, calmest, adorable-est babies I've ever met and I can't wait to play with him again.  I played games with the Remys for several hours and had an absolutely lovely time.  Next time I'll have to invite them over to my apartment for dinner.  Whether or not they can come with the baby, at least I can invite them.  I think they'd enjoy games with my roommates.

are we seeing how cute these people are??

On Monday I forced myself out of my comfort zone to go on a snowy adventure with Griffin, Mike, Jessie, and Griffin's cousin Taylor.  Before I went I was not quite to the point of nauseating nervousness, but just shy.  But, as it turned out, I had a really great time.   I mean really.  Such a good time that two days later I'm still thinking about it.

Tuesday I read a book.  I read the entire book.  Then I felt restless and unproductive for having spent the day reading, even though it was homework.  I went into my bedroom, closed the door, and had a killer ipod dance party.  I reveled in the fact that my knee only hurt a teeny bit.  Then I sat on my floor and started drawing illustrations for a children's book that I have decided to make.  Then I watched New Girl with my roommates.  Then I came into my bedroom and started teaching myself to knit while watching Tangled.  I felt better about my productivity, even though I only created one line of stitches.  I'll figure out how to add another line of them!

except I was knitting with much prettier charcoal grey yarn...

And today I read another book.  All of it.  And halfway through I looked at myself reading my book and I suddenly realized that I didn't feel that anxiety of wasting time that I have felt any time I sit and read anymore.  Devoting a second day to reading broke that wall that has slowly built up over the last few years that cut my psyche off from the immense, calming joy that reading has always brought it.  I found that joy again today.  I felt the old familiar annoyance when I had to put my book away and go to work.  Luckily, today I finally got to see our new shop and find out how awesome it is!  We have windows now, and the space is so much lighter and nicer, with the potential to be even more awesome as Caleb continues to finish it.  And Caleb takes such good care of me! He has set up two full tables that are just for me and he says he wants to get me another one so I have "enough space"! He worked all weekend putting up about eight 100-watt lights to make sure I have plenty of light.  He just got me a sonic cleaner and an oven.  He is, without a doubt, the best boss I've ever worked for.  I love my job so much!  And then as I was driving home I realized that working down in Payson will give me the perfect excuse to drive.  See, I love to drive, but I don't really ever have anywhere to go and can't really justify just driving around for no reason when I have to pay for gas.  But now I get to drive 30 minutes to and from work so I don't even have to feel guilty about it.  Awesome!

image searched "driving" and found this.  Why does this picture even exist?

Then I got home and decided completely whimsically and on the spur of the moment to buy my friend's Kindle for no other reason than that she wanted to sell it to me and I want it.  But I'm pretty excited about it.  And my roommates were discussing Lent when I came in, and what they were planning on giving up for their Lenten fasts.  And I have decided that I am going to try to give up something.  I'm going to give up all meanness in my life.  I've been feeling strangely disturbed recently by all the unkindness I've seen around and I think this is the perfect time for me to try and get rid of some that may be of my own creation.

Then end result of all of this is that right now, as I lie here in bed and write this before going to sleep, I feel a great, comforting sense of optimism about my life.  I don't know what it shall be, but I am sure, in this moment, that it will be lovely and that I will be in control of it.  I don't feel that soothing assurance often, so I am luxuriating in it for now.  I am learning how to knit, I'm creating a children's book, I have an awesome job, and I have the benefit of so many wonderful people in my life.  I am grateful.

there is no possible better way to end this post than with a picture of Wil Wheaton.
Fact.