Awkward Donny

I have been dubbed...Awkward Donny at work. It's all Gage's doing haha. I don't know why, but for some reason he feels that I am awkward ;) Do you think that I am awkward? I mean crazy, yes of course, but awkward? I'm just not sure about haha. I am starting to believe that customers think my name is Donny. Sometimes Gage doesn't even remember my first name...well my real first name. Weird! It's kind of hilarious though. I don't think that anyone else I work with has a nickname...I'm not sure why ha. But alas, I am who I am, be it awkward or not. And sure you may call me Awkward Donny, but I will always be Laura. Laura is who I am even if everyone calls me something else.

I am Laura :)

party time!!!

So tonight I went to my second concert ever. It was purty neat! Ingrid is pretty much hilarious! She talked maybe a bit more then I would have liked, but she made me laugh so it was all good :) She's very honest and down to earth which I think is pretty cool, and she doesn't try to fake anything. Plus she has amazing music! Anywho...to tell you about my night, I tried to get anyone and everyone to go with me to this concert, but no one would. My friends were either un-interested, or busy. So finally, after weeks of attempts, I got Eddie to come with me! He was not very excited haha. In fact he really was super bummed that he was going...but I think he actually enjoyed it. It might not have been his number one choice of things to do, but he didn't hate it, so to me that's a success haha. But, back to the story: Eddie and I met up downtown and then went for dinner. We had some delicious Barbacoa! My goodness it tasted so good! Eddie didn't even finish his burrito. I'm a bit dissappointed, but I finished mine and was very satisfied with that! So after that our scrumptrulecent meal, we headed to the Venue, where the concert was to take place. There was a ginormicous line! Like it pretty much went around the block, and I had no idea where to go to get my tickets from will call. Eddie dropped me off and went to park whilst I found out some info on the tickets. Sly me but into the line at the very front and I'm SOOOOO glad I did because it started snowing and it was ridiculously freezing outside! Because of my awesome butting skills, we got in relatively fast and were pretty close to the stage. "The Guggenheim Grotto" opened for Miss Michaelson. They were fantastic! 1) because I loved there music and 2) because they were Irish and both had super sexy voices haha. I got a free download thing to get one of their songs! I'm certainly going to get it :) They played four or five songs and then after forever Ingrid Michaelson finally came on! She didn't play my favorite song which was kind of a bummer, but she was so funny and the music was fantastic! I won't lie, by the end I was getting pretty tired. (It didn't help that it took forever to get in and then forever to get started.) There was actually a girl right next to me that I think had her knees locked up and she totally passed out. It kind of scared me. I am pretty sure she is fine though. Hopefully she won't do that again haha. Basically, I had a blast and I would love to go to another one of her concerts! If anyone is interested just let me know :)




Here are some pictures from the show (and perhaps some video as well haha):

This is us freezing while waiting outside the doors.

This is the awesome Guggenheim Grotto

Ingrid and her bandmates!

Us in the super crowded Venue!

Change.



I feel that recently change has become a major component in my life. As I look back on the past couple of years, months, and even weeks, it's change that sticks out the most to me. Change effects everyone in different ways. I think a lot of times it can be super overwhelming and discouraging. Some might say that it is just a matter of perspective, but I honestly feel that there are times when perspective doesn't change the severity or seriousness of change. The hardest part about change for me, is learning to adapt. I'm the kind of person that finds a groove that works and sticks with it. When there is an obstacle (change) in my "groove" I have a hard time settling into a different one. Being forced to change is helping me to overcome that though. I am finding a new me amidst all the changes. I am learning my vulnerabilities and my weaknesses. But at the same time I am beginning to notice my strengths. The one thing that I have to point out is that no matter the change, be it good or bad, we need to remember the Lord. If it is a good change, we need to be appreciative and show our gratitude. If it is a bad, well, more difficult change, we need to turn to the Lord for strength and guidance. It's during the hard changes that we seclude ourselves from Him. We expect and want someone to be there to help us through it, but we shut Him out. This is especially hard for me. I want a physical body that is here on this earth to come hold me and let me cry on their shoulder. It's hard for me to turn to the Lord. But really if you think about it, it shouldn't be hard at all. Who knows better what I'm feeling than Christ? Ya He's not here in a mortal body to hold me, but I can feel Him if I choose to. He will touch me so that I know He is close by and He is listening to my every word. He is crying for me, and crying with me. A good good friend of mine reminded me recently, that when you feel so alone that you just don't know what to do, you have two options. You can either: 1) get angry and push everyone and everything away and feel hurt and regret, or 2) read your scriptures and pray so that the Lord can take over and get you through. I'm sure that each of us has probably chosen each of those at some point. As sad as it is to admit, I have a tendency to lean towards option 1. I know option 2 will make me stronger. It will make me happier and more confident, and when I remember that, it's easier to turn to the Lord.


Change is a test. A test of our faith, our patience, and our character. When things get rough and tough for me, I will remember that the Lord is there to build me up. With Him on my side, I can take on any change that comes my way.

the basement :(

So...I live in the basement. To some that might seem fantastic, but I'm starting to not like it as much as it gets colder ha. There isn't a separate heating system down here which sucks so bad! Only our landlord has control over the heat and he seriously keeps it at like 60! I think the highest he's ever had it was like 63. Ugh! It freakin kills me because it's butt-freakin-freezing down here, ALL the time! Thank goodness I brought my little space heater up here. Tonight we sat around that little heater for dinner haha. It's kind of pathetic. Bill the landlord did tell us to just text him if we need the heat up, but it really just isn't the same if we don't have control over it. I think that it might actually be against the law or something for him to rent out the basement without having that. Meh...oh well. I will just have to adapt to the cold. I'm thinking also that soon we will need to start using our fireplace ha. Anywho...I just needed to vent for a minute about how I hate being cold and I live in an icebox. Pray I don't freeze to death when winter really comes haha. :)

banana muffins!

Ok before I go into the topic of this post, I just have to mention that I love to cook! I am really a picky eater, but I'll make anything haha. On Sunday I made delicious Chile Verde burritos (thanks to Liz for the recipe) and today I made this absolutely delicious chicken! So much fun :) I like that I have to get creative with our meals because we don't just have a ton of groceries on hand. All in all, I love to cook, and bake, and eat! Now back to the topic...banana muffins are amazing!!!! Holy poop! I just can't get enough of them haha. Kelsey has made them the past two times and they were simply phenomenal! I think that we will be making lots of those in the near future. Kool-aid and banana muffins are now our food staples at our abode! Woot woot! Perhaps I will go make some right now...they are a good breakfast food. Especially when you are out of cereal as we are at this time ha. Plan on there being some of this goodness if anyone ever wants to come visit. Au revoir et bon apetite!

a boost of confidence

I know that two posts in one night is a bit ridiculous...but I just have to share a wee bit about my experience. My braces are no more! Woot woot! I had them removed on October 7, 2010. Wow it is seriously amazing haha. I suppose I should feel lucky that I only had them for a year and 8 months. I know that a lot of people have them for a lot longer than that, but nonetheless, I wanted them off so bad. I don't regret getting braces. They did wonders on my teeth. What bugged me the most was that I had them at a dumb point in life haha. My senior year of high school and first year of college. I have always been younger then the people in the same year of school as me. And it just makes it worse when you have braces. I felt like a little kid and I honestly think that a lot of people saw me that way. Well...now I don't have them! I feel older, I look older, and I now believe that I am older haha. I love not having braces. It definitely was a confidence booster. I feel pretty...oh so pretty! I feel pretty and witty and....cool :) I can smile with pride! Holla!

managing my time

So I've never been good at managing my time. I always always taken on more than I can handle. I think it is some sort of disease haha. I'm going to call my disease...ilmanagitis. It's said, eel-man-a-gi-tis. I hate this disease. Oh. so. much. I have decided to fight it. I talked to my mom the other day and she gave me some really good tips and pointers on managing my time and sort of scheduling my life out...if you will. I am making a commitment to myself to be better. I am going to be motivated. I am blessed with so much and I should not be taking advantage of it. I will work hard and push myself to be organized and do all that I can without killing myself. I think we all have some version of ilmanagitis. And we all have to come up with some way to overcome our weaknesses. It's nice to have a mom to go to that knows exactly what it's like to have a full plate. I love you mom. Thanks! :)