Wuv, Twuu Wuv

So I figured you're all waiting with bated breath to hear about my epic love life. Sadly here is all you're going to get through cyberspace... this past week was a little more action packed than I had ever hoped for... But with all threats deftly averted *clears throat*... I'm back to my very happily single status... and somewhere the nearish vicinity there is a man kicking himself because he is missing out on a woman tall enough for him.

However, never fear, today I found a true and lasting love. Built on trust and mutual understanding. It was love at first sight. Meet Juan:



That's right. I now own an air popper for popcorn. Those who know me well know that I LOVE popcorn. Microwave is good, but home popped with an air popper, a little butter and some salt is HEAVEN. So, after a few hours in the library tonight, I made some popcorn and read about the conquest of Wales while listening to Bruckner. Can life get better? I submit that it cannot.

Other awesome things in my life:
~ I bought the first part of my Esma costume. Soooooo excited for Haloween.
~ Said shopping trip took place with Amber and Danielle, thereby making it even more awesome.
~ I'm planning on rocking three midterms this week.
~ Stella *hopefully* comes back on Monday. Woo Hoo! We've all missed having her around... although it's been thrilling to make jokes about her being the light unto the studio, and her new superhero abilities.
~ Work is awesome, although I crushed a students dream's on Friday, which was not awesome, especially because said dream crushing happened twice in about ten minutes when he didn't believe me and so my boss had to tell him the exact same thing... but the rest of the time it is amazing. Such a good job.
~ M-Ro made pumpkin pie this week, it was excellent, and now we are planning a whip cream war. Pumpkin pie is just so inspiring...
~ Still kicking myself repeatedly for missing the season premiere of House, hopefully I'll fix that soon. Maybe it will be my reward for surviving the upcoming week.

Phones, can't live with 'em

And apparently you can't live with out them either (as much as I try). Within the last month I've received plenty of complaints that I'm not answering or impossible to get a hold of. Oops. I just never think about the darned thing, and it has an odd habit of only ringing when out of earshot. Murphy's Laws meets my cell phone. Murphy is winning. Those who know me well may be miffed, but at least they are used to the fact that I'm a airhead when it comes to remembering my phone. It's all the people who randomly try to get a hold of me that I feel bad for. Someday I will reform. Perhaps after I no longer spend over four hours a day in places where I get ZERO cell phone service.
Speaking of ZERO service, what's with everyone in the practice rooms. People, we're not a freaking conservatory. GO HOME! This is the second day in a row that I have not been able to find a room at 9pm. What the heck?! I've never had trouble getting rooms at night. The E wing was full, so I checked the C wing, FULL, and even the theory rooms were full. grrrrrrrrrrr. Angst Angst Angst. (picture me banding my head against the practice room hall way and you've got the right idea.) Denying a musician a practice room is like putting a little kid in a candy store, opening every bag, sprinkling all the candy right in front of him, and then telling him to watch you devour all the candy by yourself.
On a happier note, my boss brought back pizza from a meeting, so who got to eat it... that's right, all the pre-professional minions. Brilliant! I love free food and I love pizza, so basically it was a festival of love and joy. Truly. I love my job.
Also, Blackboard is down. Shocker. Which really means I can't do ANY of the reading for my history class. I'm enjoying the break now, but there will be H-E-double-hockey-sticks to pay when it gets going again. Although, we are only studying Saxon England, so there isn't really that much of interest... if we were 500 years later I might be a little more disgruntled.
Finally, there is a Chinese music concert in the Madsen tomorrow night. You really really really want to be there. I heard them play today and they were incredible. It's a husband wife duo, and the music they play is sooooooooo good. Incredible amounts of talent combined with an already amazing musical genre translates into a night of AWESOME. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeee there. You won't regret it.
The end.

What a Week(end)

First, timing is EVERYTHING! Thanks for the best laugh of my life Chase and Tae.
Second, I can't move, at least not like a normal person.
Third, I can't move because I ran a half marathon on Saturday morning. THIRTEEN POINT ONE MILES. That's right. And I did it in two hours and twenty five minutes. Cutting off fifteen minutes from my previous PR. Someday I'll knock my time down to the two hour mark, but I'm in no hurry. I'm pretty proud of myself since two years ago at this time I was swearing up and down that nothing short of being trapped on the Serengeti at lunch time would get me to run. Now two years later I've completed one 5K, two 10K's, and three half marathons. Someday I plan on running a whole marathon.
It was a great race. Grandpa ran the whole marathon, because he's incredibly hard core like that, Trent, Melanie, Megan and I ran the half. Trent and Melanie both placed which was awesome, and I was way excited for them. They make up the hard core running section of the family. At least the fast part... we won't get into training techniques, because there was a lot of not good training that happened in preparation for this sucker. The race itself was absolutely beautiful. I wish I could have taken pictures or something as I ran, because it was amazing to look at. It definitely helps to have beautiful scenery for a long race. You need something to look at to distract yourself.
Speaking of distracting yourself. I found the most perfect and slightly nerdy way to pace myself and help with the distraction factor. I spent the majority of the race going through every flute piece I thought I could play from memory. It was an interesting game to play, and kept my mind occupied while my body was screaming to stop. Do you think Dr. Clayton would let me count it as practice hours? Just kidding. But it did help, sooooooo much.
A few fun memories from the race that I don't want to forget:
~ We met a guy on the bus who looked just like Benedict from the movie of the Shakespeare play Much Ado about Nothing. He was fun to talk to. It's always interesting to meet people at these things.
~ They announced at the start of the race that if we heard shooting not to be worried, it was the first day of Antelope hunting season. That's right, Antelope hunting. Only in Southern Utah.
~ There was a guy at the race who had run 52 marathons in 52 weeks, and another guy there who had run over 500 marathons. CRAZY!!! I hope to run for all of my life, but I'm not sure I'll ever be that intense.
Yay running. And yay being sore. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to move finally.

Peanut Butter

Today I opened a new jar of peanut butter. In my poor collegiate life it's actually one of my favorite things to do. Particularly if it's creamy peanut butter. Sometimes there's a cool swirl, other times it's perfectly smooth with maybe a bubble or two. They must put the stuff in while it's really really hot, otherwise it would never look that cool. If I was giving a talk I'm sure I could find some deeper meaning in this... but I'm not. So just know I like peanut butter.

Other things of slightly more interest to those of you who stuck around:
~ Danielle and I played in masterclass and we rocked. Basically, you all wish you were there. (but if you weren't we're trying to get it on one of the new music concerts,and if we do, you should all come... because this piece is EPIC.)
~ Dr. Clayton pronounced Amber and I as the new Meleece. Pretty well stoked. I'm taking it as a good thing... right?
~ Found out my apartment complex hates me... no parking sticker for me. LAME!
~ Got asked out... had to tell the poor guy I was running a half marathon that morning... At least it's a legit excuse right? I wouldn't have been back in time, and he wanted to go hiking... no good after a half marathon.
~ The book sale on campus is KILLING me. All I want to do is give all those beautiful books a home. I'm making myself wait until Friday when the last remnants are marked down to 90% off. I figure my taste in books is unique enough that maybe something I want will be left, right? I've got my eye on a really cool looking book about the history of the inquisition... I stuck it under a stack of books hoping no one will notice it. I'm soooo sneaky.
~ Speaking of books, I'm reading a book about Magellan right now, and it's incredible. I can barely put the thing down.
~ Studied the Celts in history today and my history teacher made fun of all the neodruids who go celebrate (get high) at Stonehenge, which was neither Celtic nor around for the time of the druids. Do your history before you go run a muck in a historical monument. (Of course, I'm left wondering why the British government puts up with it when they could do a little research and get Stonehenge back it's dignity.)
~ Finally, but probably not the most exciting, the half marathon, in case you hadn't already gathered, is on Saturday. Yeah... death...

Today

That's exactly how I felt at work today. No joke. Here's why:

1) Spent fifteen minutes on the phone with computer support, found out I'm inept.
2) Meant to put a caller on hold... actually left them sitting for five minutes, not on hold, listening to me freak out while trying to figure out what number to transfer them to.
3) To gain empathy for the students I am working I took a practice LSAT. Most people usually come in having studied some, maybe taken a class and then they take a practice test. Nope, I went for it right off... ouch. I'm not even half way and I have a deep understanding for every horror story I've ever heard about that test.

Other things on my mind:
1) The ever interesting prospect of a double major...
2) Teach for America
3) The kid who sat in front of me and explained that he was going to two wards each Sunday to maximize the number of women he was meeting... can you say psycho wife hunter? I had to get up and move a few rows further away because he gave me the heebie-jeebies.
4) The ultimate Esma costume, I'm on the hunt... pictures will be posted when I am finished.
5) Dinner. I'm hungry... and it's only four thirty. ugh.

Day one

Auditions make me want to curl in the fetal position, watch House, and eat ice cream.
The end.

Wu Liu

This is mostly for anyone who reads this that also reads my mom's blog, since she can't update, I thought I'd stick this on for her.



This is Wu Liu, she is one of the children at the orphanage my mom volunteers at. (Each of the women who go tend to have a "favorite" child that they bond with particularly, for my mom it is this baby. In May when I went I met Wu Liu and it was obvious she was thrilled to see my mom. It was so fun to watch them.) In April, Mom wrote and said that odds are that because of the tumor on her face she would live out her life in an orphanage for ever. However, she has just had the first of multiple surgeries to help her get the tumor removed and is currently living with a family near where my family lives. Hopefully after the surgeries are done she will be able to be adopted, she's such a cutie.

Here's an update from my mom. She clarifies some of the details:
Hey Cole,
Thanks for blogging about Wu Liu. I saw her today. She is so skinny!!! I was shocked at how thin she looked. She was scared to death. All these white faces and no Asian faces. Poor girl. They actually did heart surgery on her because when they went to remove the tumor they learned that she had heart problems. She should be ready for the tumor to be removed in about 3 or 4 months. The family she is with are calling her Kate. That one will have to grow on me. She is just Wu Liu to me. :)
Well thanks again.
Love ya, Mom

Random Amusement

Eat, Run, Practice, Eat, Work, Practice, Eat, Practice, Sleep.

This is all I do... in about that order. But in between I have managed to squeeze in personal entertainment.

~ I bought my books today. Amusing, no. Painful, yes. So why am I listing it? Because one of my books was an entire book on the Black Death. Soooooooooo excited. I'm already reading it. yay.

~ I got my hands on a piccolo today thanks to the awesomeness of Amber. Said piccolo had a note in it that said it's name was Pip. Not sure what I think of that name... it's rather cheesy... but also cute. Judgement will be passed soon, and Pip may get a more manly middle name.

~ Went running, didn't die. Major victory. Also, no cat calls, also a major victory.

~ Back with the naming of instruments. Since moving into my new apartment I've only reffered to my flute by his name... it's starting to get entertaining. I think I've been pegged as the roommate who is headed to the altar with some Johnathan fellow. *chortle* We will see how long this charade lasts.

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Because I'm turning twenty tomorrow, and am somewhat narcissistic, here is a list of twenty things most of you may not know about me.

1. Putting in contacts makes me sneeze. Not every time, but pretty regularly.
2. I have never been able to do a hand stand, not even under water, which is just pathetic.
3. I am terrified of snakes. It's a borderline phobia, I don't go in reptile houses or anything.
4. I hate cooking chicken. The smell grosses me out, so I never make anything with chicken in it.
5. I was born one month premature, it stunted my growth.
6. I wanted to play the clarinet not the flute. Now I wake up every morning and am incredibly thankful my mom prodded me towards the flute. (No offense clarinet players)
7. I don't actually have anything against my cell phone, I just never remember to bring it with me. There is an odd rumor going around that I am violently opposed to cell phones, when in reality I'm just opposed to cell phones when in the hands of idiots.
8. In kindergarten my favorite animal was the vulture. No joke. I liked them because they kept our roads clean (we lived out in the boonies of Kentucky and there were always nasty dead animals on our road.)
9. As a little kid I loved dinosaurs. I had a dinosaur sleeping bag and everything. My brother had an elephant one. Backwards, huh?
10. I did not go on a single date while I was nineteen. Perhaps twenty will go a little better.
11. I'm mildly allergic to chocolate, but I eat it every two to three weeks hoping that one of these times I won't have a reaction. No luck so far.
12. I don't cry in movies, except for Disney, those ones are just so touching. Truly.
13. One ear turns bright bright red when I am really tired. Just one ear.
14. I got an infection from my wisdom teeth being removed... three months later.
15. When I get the hiccups they are really really reallllllllllllly loud. And physically they hurt a lot.
16. I've never repeated the first letter of a name with anyone I've been on a date with.
17. I have never broken a bone, had a cavity, or had chicken pox.
18. I received four marriage proposals in one day. Boo YA!
19. The longest date I ever went on was ten hours.
20. Senior year of high school I recited all one hundred scripture masteries, in order, from memory. Cause I'm hard core like that.

Yay. Happy Birthday to me.

Road Tripping

In the last few weeks since my return from Paris I've spent a looooot of time on the road. I drove back from Idaho to Provo, then a week later from Provo to Boise then to Soda Springs, then to Idaho Falls and now I'm back in Provo.
I really don't mind driving, I like the time to think and enjoy music and scenery, but some parts of Idaho and northern Utah are just ugly and the radio cuts out and all that is left is honkey-tonk country, which is the most horrid version of an already troubled genre.
In my drive to Boise there was a two hour section like this, absolutely nothing... no radio and dead waste land all around me. Every mile looked exactly the same, on and on... and on... and on... When suddenly I looked up and saw this:



and heard: It's Mater like Termater with out the ter.

Followed by this fellow sitting on the road shouting:



What did I tell you about fraternizing with the prisoners?

And then some guy named Filmore drove by offering his "all natural" gasoline, and I started to wonder what was in my drink...



What can I say, I'd been alone in a car for far to long, and my love for Pixar and Disney has yet to be matched.