Some of you may remember the Benning family classic story of one trip to Yosemite. I am not the best person to tell this story as I wasn't really there, but I have heard the story quite a few times. In this particular adventure, the family was on the shuttle from the cabins to the actual lifts. They were all chating it up, having a grand ol' time when one of the other passengers says "uh, busdriver...I think there's someone stuck in the bathroom". Turns out, it was Kimberly, trapped in the bus bathroom.
Well something similar happened on the plane today. I was sitting pretty much in the middle of this family with three girls, the oldest was probably 16 and the youngest 6ish. The littlest one heads off to the bathroom and a few minutes later, we hear a knocking coming from the bathroom. Sure enough, the girl had locked herself in.
I'm beginning to wonder if they should do something about this?
Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Apartment Hunt
So for some reason, all the housing complexes around BYU have decided that February is a really good time to sign everyone up for housing for the fall. Yes, because 6 months in advance is a really good idea especially at a school where that is the average time from 1st date to marriage.
Anyway, I have been looking at places to live and it has come down to two options. My two requirements were that 1. a single room, no roommate and 2. no mold/broken things/rodents or usual or unusual size/etc. That left me with very few options. Both of these places are nice and a little more pricy than I would like, but I set the requirements and I will abide by them for my own sanity. So, in no particular order, I give you my choices:
Option #1: The Branbury
http://www.studyplaygrow.com/future/index.php
The Branbury has individual rooms of two different sizes (the bigger one is $10 more and has a double bed, which I don't need at all). There are four rooms to an apartment, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, and dining room. The bedrooms have a desk and large closet and bed. The desk has a lot of shelving above it too, which is nice. There is a couch and a love seat, four person dining table/chairs. The only real problem in the apartment itself is that the kitchen is rather smallish. It's a good size, but it's closed off, so its kind of like a hallway kitchen. However, that really isn't a big deal.
There is a fitness center in the main building, along with a tanning bed and sauna (so you can get a nice sweat as a study break?) There is a large common area that was very nice and empty and a common entertainment room that had a big TV and video games and the likes. They also have one of those rental boxes for DVDs.
Distance: 30 minute walk to school, 10 minutes to grocery store, bus stop right there for a lazy day to school
Cost: $269/mo (year round), $339/month (Fall/Winter), or $169 (Spring/Summer) [so if I got the F/W contract then wanted to stay for Sp/Su, I would lose out on $150 total) + utilities (usu. $40/month)
Option #2: Alpine Village
http://www.myalpinevillage.com/
Pretty much the same as the Branbury, only much newer and slightly smaller. There is a washer/dryer in the apartments. For those of you that saw Kimberly's dorm at Peperdine, it was similar to that, only nicer. Granite countertops, newer appliances, leather couches, plasma TV. The hallways in the building itself were a lovely shade of grey with concrete, but how long do you spend in a hallway anyway.The rooms had a bed, 2-shelf bookshelf, desk and a 3-drawer dresser. He let me go up by myeslf because the office was short-staffed, and my reaction upon walking in was "holy crap" I actually said it out loud.
Alpine Village is about 10 minutes closer to campus, but there isn't a bus stop incredibly near, nor is the grocery store within easy walking distance (it would probably be 15-20 minutes, but doing that with groceries?)
Price: $355/month (full year), $450 (8 month) + utilities (they used to be a flat fee, but that is changing, it will be $20 per month + electricity [the guy said that this would make it cheaper for girls cuz its the guys that use all the electricity on their video games and watching TV]) Also, keep in mind that it is possible to sell a contract mid-year (people do it all the time what with all the wedding bells)
Thank you for reading my very own pro-con-like list. Opinions?
Anyway, I have been looking at places to live and it has come down to two options. My two requirements were that 1. a single room, no roommate and 2. no mold/broken things/rodents or usual or unusual size/etc. That left me with very few options. Both of these places are nice and a little more pricy than I would like, but I set the requirements and I will abide by them for my own sanity. So, in no particular order, I give you my choices:
Option #1: The Branbury
http://www.studyplaygrow.com/future/index.php
The Branbury has individual rooms of two different sizes (the bigger one is $10 more and has a double bed, which I don't need at all). There are four rooms to an apartment, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, and dining room. The bedrooms have a desk and large closet and bed. The desk has a lot of shelving above it too, which is nice. There is a couch and a love seat, four person dining table/chairs. The only real problem in the apartment itself is that the kitchen is rather smallish. It's a good size, but it's closed off, so its kind of like a hallway kitchen. However, that really isn't a big deal.
There is a fitness center in the main building, along with a tanning bed and sauna (so you can get a nice sweat as a study break?) There is a large common area that was very nice and empty and a common entertainment room that had a big TV and video games and the likes. They also have one of those rental boxes for DVDs.
Distance: 30 minute walk to school, 10 minutes to grocery store, bus stop right there for a lazy day to school
Cost: $269/mo (year round), $339/month (Fall/Winter), or $169 (Spring/Summer) [so if I got the F/W contract then wanted to stay for Sp/Su, I would lose out on $150 total) + utilities (usu. $40/month)
Option #2: Alpine Village
http://www.myalpinevillage.com/
Pretty much the same as the Branbury, only much newer and slightly smaller. There is a washer/dryer in the apartments. For those of you that saw Kimberly's dorm at Peperdine, it was similar to that, only nicer. Granite countertops, newer appliances, leather couches, plasma TV. The hallways in the building itself were a lovely shade of grey with concrete, but how long do you spend in a hallway anyway.The rooms had a bed, 2-shelf bookshelf, desk and a 3-drawer dresser. He let me go up by myeslf because the office was short-staffed, and my reaction upon walking in was "holy crap" I actually said it out loud.
Alpine Village is about 10 minutes closer to campus, but there isn't a bus stop incredibly near, nor is the grocery store within easy walking distance (it would probably be 15-20 minutes, but doing that with groceries?)
Price: $355/month (full year), $450 (8 month) + utilities (they used to be a flat fee, but that is changing, it will be $20 per month + electricity [the guy said that this would make it cheaper for girls cuz its the guys that use all the electricity on their video games and watching TV]) Also, keep in mind that it is possible to sell a contract mid-year (people do it all the time what with all the wedding bells)
Thank you for reading my very own pro-con-like list. Opinions?
Monday, January 11, 2010
I'm going to Germany!!!!!
As you all know, I was contemplating doing study abroad in Berlin, Germany this summer. I finished my application last week and met with the director, Professor Kelling this afternoon. He said to me that everything is complete and all he has to do is push the button if I wanted him to. I replied, push the button!
The program starts on Monday, May 3 and goes until mid July (there isn't a definate finish date yet as the last two weeks are pure travel). So I have 8 weeks of intensive German language class where I will finish not only 201, but 202 as well. That means that I am taking a college course in under 4 weeks, thats crazy. Then I have 4 more credits I have to complete, some of which will be a German cultural study class which will culminate my time in Germany with a two week stint of traveling.
I will be staying with a family in Berlin (not an LDS family, if you were curious). And I have one meal with them each week, but other than that, it's up to me. We are encouraged to go to the markets and do everything like a true Berliner. I am absolutly terrified, but where would be the fun in an easy trip?
I am super excited and I have all kinds of plans to accelerate my German learning before I leave, most of which will probably only last a week or two. My current teacher doesn't really structure his classes, so I never know what to expect which makes it hard to learn, but learn I do.
tschuss!
p.s. there should be an umlaut over that u, but I'm too lazy to figure it out :) it means goodbye in case you couldn't figure that one out
The program starts on Monday, May 3 and goes until mid July (there isn't a definate finish date yet as the last two weeks are pure travel). So I have 8 weeks of intensive German language class where I will finish not only 201, but 202 as well. That means that I am taking a college course in under 4 weeks, thats crazy. Then I have 4 more credits I have to complete, some of which will be a German cultural study class which will culminate my time in Germany with a two week stint of traveling.
I will be staying with a family in Berlin (not an LDS family, if you were curious). And I have one meal with them each week, but other than that, it's up to me. We are encouraged to go to the markets and do everything like a true Berliner. I am absolutly terrified, but where would be the fun in an easy trip?
I am super excited and I have all kinds of plans to accelerate my German learning before I leave, most of which will probably only last a week or two. My current teacher doesn't really structure his classes, so I never know what to expect which makes it hard to learn, but learn I do.
tschuss!
p.s. there should be an umlaut over that u, but I'm too lazy to figure it out :) it means goodbye in case you couldn't figure that one out
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The Trek to Provo
So this day started off pretty good. I got up and finished packing, then I got to go to Sacrament Meeting at church, which was lovely. I got to say goodbye to many people and see friends one last time before the cold months ahead of me. Then I changed and headed to LAX. We listened to some Strauss on the trip over which, by the way, was traffic-less. However, once I arrived at LAX and saw the long line of people waiting outside, I knew this day had taken a turn. I looked around and found the right line, then proceeded to wait in the sun for about 45 minutes at which point they tagged and took my brand new luggage and I headed off to security. At this point, my flight was leaving in another 45 minutes, and I was starting to get worried, especially when they herded us to some random security checkpoint. I rushed through and made it just in time to wait in my boarding line for aobut 3 minutes and then got in, and got my seat.
For the longest time, nobody sat next to me, which was very happy because after standing in the sun for so long, I was not smelling as nice as I would have liked. We had to wait for some transfer passengers and I got to sit next to a cute little girl who was unaccompanied. We got to SLC on time, even though we left the terminal 20 minutes late. Then I trundled down to the baggage claim, stopping only to buy a granola bar so I had change to tip the shuttle driver. Then i proceeded to wait, and wait, and then everyone had their baggage and was leaving.
"What?" I thought to myself. Of course it would be just my luck that someone would take my brand new luggage that I love oh so much. But I held out hope because there were a few other confused looking passengers who I remembered from the flight. We went to the baggage office where they told us that our luggage had probably been put on the next flight and that they would take it out to us when it came in. I gave the lady my info and asked when the bags would come in. My options consisted of it making it to provo around 4am, or 2pm the next day, and that is considering that it made it on the flight she assumed they put it on.
Luckily, I have everything I need here at my dorm with the exception of a toothbrush, hairbrush and products, and my good make up (I have some random stuff here, but not my everyday make up, its my stage make up and discarded other items). I think I'm just going to wake up for the 4am delivery if it makes the flight.
Also, I would just like to say that I delt with this while fasting and with cramps.
For the longest time, nobody sat next to me, which was very happy because after standing in the sun for so long, I was not smelling as nice as I would have liked. We had to wait for some transfer passengers and I got to sit next to a cute little girl who was unaccompanied. We got to SLC on time, even though we left the terminal 20 minutes late. Then I trundled down to the baggage claim, stopping only to buy a granola bar so I had change to tip the shuttle driver. Then i proceeded to wait, and wait, and then everyone had their baggage and was leaving.
"What?" I thought to myself. Of course it would be just my luck that someone would take my brand new luggage that I love oh so much. But I held out hope because there were a few other confused looking passengers who I remembered from the flight. We went to the baggage office where they told us that our luggage had probably been put on the next flight and that they would take it out to us when it came in. I gave the lady my info and asked when the bags would come in. My options consisted of it making it to provo around 4am, or 2pm the next day, and that is considering that it made it on the flight she assumed they put it on.
Luckily, I have everything I need here at my dorm with the exception of a toothbrush, hairbrush and products, and my good make up (I have some random stuff here, but not my everyday make up, its my stage make up and discarded other items). I think I'm just going to wake up for the 4am delivery if it makes the flight.
Also, I would just like to say that I delt with this while fasting and with cramps.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
I had a dream!
By all means, I should be studying, but this is more important at the moment.
I had a rather odd dream last night. First things first, now I didn't find this out till like a third of the way into the dream, but I feel that it is important to know from the start. The Bennings weren't royalty, but we were a very influential family, like the Rocketfellers, or Vanderbilts. I was getting married. It was an arranged marrage and he was seven. Apparently I was OK with this fact up until the big day at which point I rightly freaked out about marrying a seven year old. But it was a huge deal, like I was Marie Antoinette going off to marry Louis and I knew what my family duty was, even though this was modern day and I probably could have said no. So there I was, crying and freaking out in an awsome red dress and the wedding couldn't start until the Heinrichs got there becuase they were bringing some very important food item and I think Kelli was a bridesmade. She wasn't too happy about this marriage either when she got there. Also, there was something about getting a corset to wear because I wanted it.
So it turns out that he wasn't actually seven, he was seventeen. Which is still a little young, but much better than seven and I was OK with that so the wedding went on with a relatively happy bride.
Isn't that weird? What in the world is going on with my subconsious? I would appriciate some opinions on the matter, do your worst. This should be interesting. I find dreams to be lots of fun and I wish I remembered them more often. Though just hearing about Kelli's dreams is crazy fun.
I had a rather odd dream last night. First things first, now I didn't find this out till like a third of the way into the dream, but I feel that it is important to know from the start. The Bennings weren't royalty, but we were a very influential family, like the Rocketfellers, or Vanderbilts. I was getting married. It was an arranged marrage and he was seven. Apparently I was OK with this fact up until the big day at which point I rightly freaked out about marrying a seven year old. But it was a huge deal, like I was Marie Antoinette going off to marry Louis and I knew what my family duty was, even though this was modern day and I probably could have said no. So there I was, crying and freaking out in an awsome red dress and the wedding couldn't start until the Heinrichs got there becuase they were bringing some very important food item and I think Kelli was a bridesmade. She wasn't too happy about this marriage either when she got there. Also, there was something about getting a corset to wear because I wanted it.
So it turns out that he wasn't actually seven, he was seventeen. Which is still a little young, but much better than seven and I was OK with that so the wedding went on with a relatively happy bride.
Isn't that weird? What in the world is going on with my subconsious? I would appriciate some opinions on the matter, do your worst. This should be interesting. I find dreams to be lots of fun and I wish I remembered them more often. Though just hearing about Kelli's dreams is crazy fun.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A 1940's Winter Wonderland
I just got back from the closing social for folk dance. It was a 1940's themed dinner dance. Just what I was dying to do! They partnered us up with boys from the team so we all had dates. It was at the beautiful Hinckley building which we can never go to because its only for alumni. We had dinner upstairs and it was really good, then we went downstairs and they had a big band (of the high school persuasion). It reminded me so much of the Chaminade band and it made me really happy. Though the Chaminade band doesn't take twelve years to switch songs like this band did. Everyone was dressed up so nicely, I loved it so much!
Funny story: so my folk dance partner (who was not my date thank goodness) decided that since he played in his school band, he should just play with this band. So he went up and asked if he could join, borrowed somebodys saxophone and played a few songs with the band. Really brian, really?
Funny story: so my folk dance partner (who was not my date thank goodness) decided that since he played in his school band, he should just play with this band. So he went up and asked if he could join, borrowed somebodys saxophone and played a few songs with the band. Really brian, really?
Friday, December 4, 2009
Christmas Around the World
This weekend is the famous Christmas Around the World (CAW) performance. I am one of the lucky 200 that gets to be in it. Because its the 50th anniversary there are a bunch of alumni that are doing the opener with us and they are all really fun people, but because there are extras it means that there are a lot more people than is comfortable backstage.
I wasn't too happy about a lot of things with CAW, but by this morning, I was OK with it all. I had gotten over that I was annoyed that they wanted us to wear pantyhose and not dance tights, which goes against everything I have learned ever. They have shared makeup which is rather silly and learning the opener and closer with everyone just felt like a giant group project where there were a lot of leaders and a lot of useless people. One of those projects where you have 10 people but really only need 1 or 2. But I have gotten over that and I am being a rebel and wearing dance tights anyway because I feel more comfortable that way.
Anyway, I was getting annoyed with the people, but we finished all the learning and it is a really cool performance. This morning we did a modified show for the elementry school kids and it was awsome. They are just so enthuastic about everything. While they were arriving, we had a pre-show going on and people did tricks and the kids sang. It was just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.
The show as a whole is really amazing. I love all the dances so much and the set looks awsome. I am impressed with what they have been able to pull off.
My parents are coming here late tonight to catch the matinee tomorrow and I am very excited to see them!
Only four days of classes then some finals and HOME!!!
I wasn't too happy about a lot of things with CAW, but by this morning, I was OK with it all. I had gotten over that I was annoyed that they wanted us to wear pantyhose and not dance tights, which goes against everything I have learned ever. They have shared makeup which is rather silly and learning the opener and closer with everyone just felt like a giant group project where there were a lot of leaders and a lot of useless people. One of those projects where you have 10 people but really only need 1 or 2. But I have gotten over that and I am being a rebel and wearing dance tights anyway because I feel more comfortable that way.
Anyway, I was getting annoyed with the people, but we finished all the learning and it is a really cool performance. This morning we did a modified show for the elementry school kids and it was awsome. They are just so enthuastic about everything. While they were arriving, we had a pre-show going on and people did tricks and the kids sang. It was just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.
The show as a whole is really amazing. I love all the dances so much and the set looks awsome. I am impressed with what they have been able to pull off.
My parents are coming here late tonight to catch the matinee tomorrow and I am very excited to see them!
Only four days of classes then some finals and HOME!!!
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