3/5-3/11

Monday 3/5: In American Usage, we talked about lay vs. lie and imply versus infer. It was delightful and I figured out I had been wrong for a very long time. I was ok with it but not I have to get persnickety about it.  I devoted a large chunk of the day to writing a letter to Jared just because I'd learned lots of things that week and was really exited to share them. In NT, we talked about Paul's last visit in Jerusalem and how when he was thrown in prison, he was there by himself for a night before the Lord visited him. The trials of faith that go on in the scriptures sometimes are described like this verse as "the next day the Lord came". He had to stay in a damp, cold cell for a night for doing the Lod's work I can only imagine the things he was thinking as he sat there wondering his fate and praying to his Heavenly Father. How much struggle he went through, I can't even imagine. It makes me reevaluate my trials you know? In LC we talked about good ol' Freud again and "The Uncanny". It mostly has to do the repressed and how it changes things that are normal to us to something odd and disturbing. Needless to say Freud is really an odd way to think about life. Got to American Humanities later and needless to say, hilarious as always. I think if I ever take an evening class again it'll be from Prof. Sederholm cause thats the only way I'll stay awake. Talked about lots of American paintings and it was really cool and I really enjoyed Cole's Series called "Course of Empire". Got home and chilled and did homework. Got the reading done for Islamic humanities. Always an exciting and eventful evening.
Tuesday 3/6: I made a commitment that I really wanted to go to more of the devotionals on campus so I got myself up and made sure I got there and I'm so glad I went. The guy who spoke was Dallan Moody; he's a financial consultant for the athletic department so I was skeptical about going but it was such an uplifting and powerful talk. All about his son Caleb and dealing with life when it gets "one degree colder". How miracles sometimes occur when nothing miraculous happens and the miracle becomes our strength to overcome adversity. The link to the talk is posted here so please read it. http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=13613&x=10&y=8 After a tearful devotional, I went to my Islamic Humanities class and we had a lecture about dance and the professor who came in had us all get up and demonstrate and it was really fun and made me smile. After, Giselle and I went to the temple, and i just came out really happy and bouncy and glad to be alive sort of feeling. I went to work and I got a note so that made me smile even more.
Wednesday 3/7: In American Usage we reviewed for our ginormous exam that was on the coming Friday everyone was quite literally scared to death of. So many terms and definitions and examples and I was really worried because I hadn't done enough studying due to all of the rest of my crazy classes, so as I was panicking about that. Then went and did reading for LC and NT and didn't get very far into LC but it was still cool. In NT, we talked about the end of Acts and it was wonderful talking about the power of a prophet and how when they lightened the ships its related to how when we are in times of tribulation, getting rid of all the bad stuff is usually the easiest way to stay afloat. Also about how beind an "almost" Christian doesn't change anything and if a very scary thought so we must continually push forward in the learning of the Gospel in order to not diminish. Lacan for LC was really interesting to read. More psychoanalysis but all about the mirror stage and how we identify ourselves as ourselves in the mirror when we are babies. It was cool going through and discussing because for my paper I've been editing for Criterion she used Lacan's arguments for her paper so I actually get what I am reading now which is always a bonus! Before my class, I went to the MOA and walked through the Islamic Art exhibit for my Islamic Humanities class with a study guide and half of my class was there so we worked together and got it done super fast. Later in American Humanities, we talked about Emerson and his "Nature" and trying to describe things in the spiritual realm of emotion with his "transparent eyeball". Fascinating but hard to understand. Later that night after orchestra, I got to go to Becca's house and watch Psych and make a very delicious homemade syrup as a precursor to the delicious lunch we planned on having on Friday with Lena and her girls. Psych was really good as well but it was really fun hanging out with Becca and Brett.
Thursday 3/8: Slept in a bit and then got up and studied for American Usage - I knew if I didn't I would absolutely die on that test so I did that before I had to go to a Lecture for my Islamic Humanities class by one of the ladies who wrote our textbook and it was pretty cool stuff. The rest of the day of kinda free so mostly I tried to catch up in studying for that exam and as breaks in between to watch such important things as Modern Family. After, I went to work for a little bit but I had to leave early to get to my Review for my American Usage test and I felt a little better after going to that but not really (but I did get a very sincere little note at work so it made it worth going). I got home and just studied because there was just so much. I got a letter from my favorite missionary and its just a huge spiritual boost every week to hear about all the things he is learning and all the scriptures he gives to me. He wrote me a really long letter full of encouragement, spiritual growth and its just a great uplifting experience that he shares those experiences with me.
Friday 3/9: And the day came. I got up really early and was on campus before 8 so I could continue studying for that monstrosity of a test. I was just going over and over things and finally got through and then it was time for the test. We got pretty much the easiest things to write on which was most certainly a blessing for me and I was very happy about. I came out feeling pretty good about it and then went to Becca's house as a blessed relief from my test taking mindset. I got to see and play with Ella and little Julia and oh it was so fun. It was so fun in fact I didn't go to my LC class and thats completely fine with me. Becca, Lena and I just talked and Becca made homemade pancakes to go along with our syrup (delicious) while the girls and I had fun with puzzles and played hide and seek. It was so nice to see them and so fun to feel that kind of friendship from Jared's fam even though he's not here. I really really liked it :) After, I went to work and got off early because Abby and I went up to get Megan who was coming down for the week. Yay! We rushed and got her from the airport and then rushed back to get to Divine Comedy on time (Phantom of the Awkward--classic). It was so funny and so fun and a great way to start off the weekend.
Saturday and Sunday 3/9-3/10: Weekends are just blurs cause they just move from one week to another so fast. I went to work on Saturday and that was as exciting as work ever is. After, I came home and slept. I was just tired with such a crazy week and all and just did nothing that day because I really wanted to chill and not do homework. So Dana, me, Ty, Robert, Giselle and other all went to go and see Sherlock Holmes 2 at the dollar theater that night and it was awesome. Like AWESOME. I highly recommend it and it definitely had the best slow motion scene ever. Sunday was tiring because it was the beginning of Daylight Savings (lost an hour of sleep) and going to bed at 2 made it so I didn't get nearly enough sleep. Very tiring but we got to church and had a grand ol' time. Came home and just chilled and was determined to do no hw but started freaking out about my test score.