Epiphany

I pretty much lead a lame life, that is what I have decided. If I a life worth talking about, a blog might be a good thing to have. I am also discovering that this thing I have been calling writers block for the past six months is actually called no writing ability. This new information has come as somewhat of a blow to me since the only thing I feel I somewhat enjoy or excel at is indeed writing.
I am starting to think that my story reservoir is drying up, my imagination is wilting and it is time to get a new dream. This is a moment my fiction lecturer would call a moment of "epiphany," where the character (me) has a sudden enlightenment and with it an inevitable and somewhat painful loss of innocence.
The more I dabble in this journalism business, the more I think perhaps it is a road I can and should pursue. I really cant imagine a more fun job then a human interest writer for newspaper of magazine. Perhaps my imagination is ungifted, but my ability to form ascetically pleasing sentences is not. I wouldn't mind spending my time traveling and testing out accommodations from a travel magazine or writing reviews on food, ski resorts, or bed and breakfast joints.
That is the beauty and sometimes torture of college. You come with some idea of what you want to do, like me, to be a writer and then you realize that its way harder than you thought. Or sometimes it is way too boring or nothing like you planned. So you change plans. I guess that's all this college business is, learning to deal with and accept change. Never liked change, but maybe it will help me get a good job. I might change my opinion, who knows.

I'm the Full Beard, you're just peach fuzz

So I was forced into going to a gig over the weekend at The Retro House. The headliner was one "Calvin Smooth." With a name like that, one is asking to be critiqued heavily. It either takes a really confident person, or a total social reject to pull off a name like that. I know Calvin, met a the kid a time or 2 through mutual friends and needless to say, for being a white rapper, the kid has got somthing special.

The Retro house is a literal house on about 800 N. in Logan, just below campus. Apparantly a bunch of guys live there and invite bands to come play free shows. Its a small house that truly is retro, from the sign above the door as you enter, to the red shag carpet througout. Needless to say the house was packed with bodies. Being petit I weaseled my way to the front where Calvin and his band would play.

The band was good. Calvin on keyboard, his younger brother on lead vocal, a guitarist and a sax player. The real deal was Calvin Smooth, himself. Calvin is not some Eminem copying white kid wanna be, hes got witty lyrics and verbal agility to amaze. I did not want to be there, but needless to say, by the end of the night, even I was singing along, chanting call backs and wondering where I could get this kids CD.

Amazing what funny things you can find around this place we call Cache Valley if you just take a minute to explore and perhaps risk being a little uncomfortable.

Check out Calvin Smooth on Myspace or his sweet video for "Peach Fuzz" on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mr0Y1xsy7k

Not so bad this week...

I am having a good week I think. With the new semester afoot, I am exhausted 24/7 but that is the life of a student/workaholic. Here are the few things that prove that this is indeed a good week.

1. I am taking my first news writing course. In the 8th or 9th grade my journalism teacher told me that news writing was not my thing and to probably find a new thing to do. His lack of faith in me has weighed upon me to this day. Why in heaven's name would you become a journalism major then, you might ask? Answer: It is the only way I can write and guarantee that I get paid. The stories in my head, while amazing to me, may not sell to blind children in Indonesia, let alone in the U.S.
Back to my topic. Intro to news writing: We were asked to write an intro to a news story. Literally the first two sentences of a piece about a friend in the class. My 2 lines took me at least ten minutes. I wanted them to be perfect, to not look stupid. I got that paper back the other day and it said "Good job, Hayley." Instead of the big stamp Pease threatens us with and a million red marks that I feared, I capitalized hip hop and the rest was good. He said so. Good! This small feat has pretty much made my week.

2. Housing has a Returning Resident Campaign every year to re-talk residents into signing up to live on campus. Every year it has a theme such as Uncle Sam's "We want you" to live on campus etc etc. This year the big wigs of housing held a contest. I entered. My idea won. I admit the idea is not super. I bet anyone could have come up with it, but I wont lie, its kind of cool, plus I got $50 for it. Not bad for a moments work.

3. I might get an internship with my favorite radio station 101.5 the Eagle, a country station based out of Salt Lake. I get to talk to some lady on Friday about it. This is my first step to earning my way to free concert tickets for life! There are a few things in life I feel i know something about, writing being one of them, country music being the other..... Sweet!

Ding Dong Ding Dong Christmas Bells are Ringing!

I cannot believe the holiday season is coming to a close yet again. It seemed in elementary school that december seemed to lag forever and the holiday could not come faster. I could not wait for my mother to put up the advent calendar on the side of our fridge, the symbol that meant it was time to start counting down to Christmas.
This year I feel old. The holidays flew by, I did not count one day on a calendar and I am still not sure what day of the week it is. I used to love being shocked by at least a dozen or so gifts under the tree and now.... I buy my own gifts and my mother tells me that I owe a year in car payments thus putting me about 1000 bucks in the hole.
Now I am not complaiing. Holidays in old age 20 have their perks. There is nothing more adoarable than a 3 year old opening her 18th dora the explorer gift.... i swear i saw 3 of the same things but no no... that dora was wearing a pink tutu this one is purple. I also love the smell of this season. Christmas at the Jensen home smells like homemade chicken-noodle soup w/ fresh made noodles, caramel popcorn, also homemade and the smell of snow. Our house looks like somthing out of pottery barn thanks to my fathers obsession with frank lloyd wright and pier one.
Im going through a list phase and until it ends you get anoter one. This one belongs to my 10 favorite things about christmas 2007 and my least favorites as well. Happy Holidays!

Favorites:
1. Making my mom cry from laughter. Just being with my mom who is my very best friend and greatest treasure.
2. Hadley my 3-year old niece. Gods greatest cration thus far. She has a thing for Indian Jones, playing her "atar"(guitar) and is identiy confused weather she is Dora or not.
3. The Nutcracker with my mom and older sister and the really nice place we ate and.... still smelling like garlic 14 days later
4. Chicken Noodle Soup and Caramel corn
5. Having time with my cousin who wont be able to have GNO (Girls Night Out) for much longer
6. Kissing under my first mistletoe
7. Getting nails done,shopping and just being with Whitney, my best friend even though we are on different paths and knowing that things will not change
8. The Kite Runner Movie... my favorite book now an excellent film as deleicious as the book
9. The wonderful people in my life who do so much for me
10. Jesus, because really its kind of His holiday and for that I am greatful to Him. Forever.

Least Favorite
1. Some really tough conversations and choices in 2008 looming
2. Learning that my 2 cousins will both be wed in 2008 leaving me feeling left out
3. Being sick the whole entire time, a record length in an almost absurd way
4. Missing my family on Christmas eve... but things worked out for the better
5. How nasty dirty my car is
6. 1000 in car payments
7. feeling old wondering where to magic went
8. Only working out once.... can you say new years resolution?
9. Hurting many feelings
10. being more confused about life than ever

When I am sick I....

A warning list for anyone who comes in contact with me when I am ill.
I am rarely sick (the first time in about 2 years) so when I am sick, it wipes me out for a good week. anyone willing or crazy enough to encounter me during this time should be warned: it is NOT a pretty sight.

When I am sick I:

1. Get even more mean and selfish than I already am. Known for my one-track mind, my less desireable ME-centered attributes shine forth unrestrained and in all their glory.

2. I to lay very very still with hoodie up over my ears, a down comforter and few fleece blankets for comfort. Yes this practice increases my fever and places in a state of mild comatose, but oh how lovely it is!

3. I love a good book.... normally a good sappy romance or somthing entirely outside of my current life to wisk me away while using the least amount of brain cells possible. (Suggestions: The Time Travelers Wife, Bridget Jones' Diary, A Thousand Splendid Suns).

4. A little trick I picked up from my dear roommate... the age old orange juice served WARM. Might sound sick but it soothes throat and congested chest while provided needed vitamin C.

5. A massage is always nice. When muscles ache from a cold, relaxation can be met with a fully body rub down. It may be hard to find someone willing (consider mom or a boyfriend). Tension from illness or your all-too-heavy backback can really make the wellness process slow down.

6. Need a huge box of PUFFs by Kleenex. I find it morally wrong to use the cheap stuff when I am ill.... in fact anyone that used say toilet paper to wipe their nose.... no friend of mine... unless its Charmin... but... no.

7. I do not want to go to classes that talk about things that are over my head. What constitutes "over my head"? To name a few... buddaim... buddaism as bases for poetry.... anyhting with numbers greater than 5....

In Short..... I am not a good sick person, so until I heal... leave me alone.

When People Lose It

So, I have been having one of the worst weeks of my entire life. I have been more busy than ever before (my own fault thanks to the fact that I am a workoholic) and I can't seem to catch a break! I want to teach everyone out there about a rare disorder that is not diagnosable until it has created a full-fledged epidemic and there is nothing you can do about it. This disorder is called "Who-Ate-my-Roommate- itus." (WARI)

What is WARI?

It is a disease where your roomates social skills, ability to communicate, and all sense of logic ceases to exist resulting in them hating you for arguments you never had.

How do I know If my roomate has WARI?

You don't. One day they just wake up and they hate you. Here are a few common signs:

1. They stop talking to you

2. They only respons in grunts

3. There day is always "horrible" and they have "10 million things to do, 5 tests, and a classmate with rabies"

4. They communicate only in written notes or through everyone BUT you, ABOUT you

5. They lose their ability to sense when they are no long whispering and you can hear everything they are saying

6. They usually have an accomplice who is equally as prone as them, if not worse, who will worship them

Is there a cure for WARI?

Probably not, but if anyone finds one, please let me know ASAP

What can I do if I know someone with WARI?

1. Pray to whatever God you so choose for help

2. Kill them with kindness. They will glare and grunt. You will live.

3. Live your life. It is your parade, they dont have to rain on it.

4. Be the happy they refuse to be

IACURH 2007- ASU

It has been too long! Well, in my absence I have been at Arizona State Universtiy attending a conference called IACURH. IACURH is a really long acronym for Intermountain Affiliate of College and Universtiy Residence Halls. In short, it is a conference for residents and employees of on-campus housing. They make a conference for that?! Why?!

As off the wall and entirely stupid as it sounds, these conferences bring people together with a common interest, where they live, and help them to develop leadership skills, programming ideas and all in all to have the best time of their lives.

Any school from Idaho to New Mexico can come to our conferences. Each school sending between 3 and 20 students. I used to come as a representivie for the Aggies, but last year I was elected to serve on the regional board of directors. I now oversee some amazing students, and even better, sit on a board with 9 of the most amazing people I have ever known.

We spend 5 days trying to make living on campus a fun, educational and most of all memorable expereince. We cheer loud, we dress the drag queens, pirates, army dudes, whatever we want, make new friends across the US, win awards for RA of the years etc. and we never ever sleep!

Check out the IACURH site for more details on our happenings!

www.nacurh.org/IACURH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elvhpOBpNOk and cehck out our regional roll call from this past week... on youtube too... Im the far right... its a bad dance!