Its one of those nights, where I've actually finished my homework (it took episodes IV-VI of Star Wars, as I like to have some background entertainment for the non-analytical side of my brain) and Mark is at work. I probably should be cleaning or studying some more (no way, Jose!) so this is why I am blogging.

Speaking of Mark's work, they've asked him to use some of his engineering experience to run calculations that will save the owner of the store where he works approximately $79,000.00 and this has been preoccupying my mind. Where did I find such a brilliant hubby? Also, can I have a slice of those savings? (Did you know that Mark's place of work employs 3 civil engineers to determine traffic patterns and best placement to build new stores? My hubby thinks this would somehow be an embarrassing job. Oh well.)

My muscles hurt from all of the intense exercise that I am doing, as prescribed by my last pretend physician. I call him pretend, but my check from the study came in the mail and that's pretty real.

Other things going on in my life? I'm mad at the snow. Its hot in my house, which is making me uncharacteristically happy. I'm working on a special drawing for Christmas. This, coupled with the snow, and seeing my first holiday season commercial, has me wishing Christmas was closer. I'm very anxious for this semester to be over. Even though Mark's life will be much crazier next semester. One of the classes he's taking is taught by a crazy man who assigns a 25 page paper a week, along with many assignments and quizzes, daily. His friend who took this class (Rock Mechanics I, I think) once stayed at the university for four days straight, working on his homework. All these stories that he tells me seem to insane to be true. But after witnessing the daily life of Mark this semester, I believe it. I just wish I could help.

Ta-Da!

Of a Thursday

Wahoo its time to put off some homework and update this blog!

It was Fall Break last week, which was awesome. So I went to Missouri and stayed at my parent's house. It was good fun, and excellent to see my family. Mark toured some mines on field trips all week. He took some amazing pictures and videos of things being blown up, but they're top secret so I can't post them. So he did a lot of homework and I got to play! A random (hopefully) non-top secret picture of somewhere Mark went but is not here to describe:

I'm still on a reading kick... I returned a whole bunch of books that I read and its sort of scary. Sadly the library didn't have Percy Jackson and the Olympians book 3 available. But I have a lot of books on hold waiting to be delivered. What else can you do when your back makes you a couch potato? Minus TV. I've decided that reading is much better than TV watching. If only I could avoid movies...

Anyways, while in Missouri I went to a football game to see my senior brother play one last time! That was cool. They lost, but Christian had a great game. Its cool to hear the announcers say his name over and over. Wahoo! I took a lot of video, but with my mom's camera, so you can't see it here.

I spent an eternity at the Denver airport on Monday trying to get back to Salt Lake City. It was okay, though because of aforementioned reading kick. The only problem with airports is the lack of readily available delicious food. So I consumed many pricey morsels, and was unable to feel sustained. Airports=perpetual hunger. Thinking about it makes me hungry...

This sort of brings me to another thing. On Wednesday, I went to my sister-in-law's State Cross Country meet! That was neat. She did very well, placing 16th overall. I can't even imagine running 3 miles up and down hills. Steep hills. Yuck. So this video is of Lisa finishing, the first part of the race was in this park and it wound up and down hills, over bridges, across the street, finishing on the track that you see.

So that was cool! I got back to the apartment and rolled out my gingerbread cookies! And then our friends, the Stanley's came over and we decorated them into haunted houses! (I also did this at home with my little brothers and sister and her friend, with sugar cookies). I couldn't find a lot of the candy that I wanted to use, so they're more icing decorated than candy decorated. But they're fun. After this we watched Garfield's Halloween. (from 1985!) You can't go wrong with Garfield.

And now here I am, on a Thursday night about to finish my physics homework, while Mark is at work. I have no shortage of things to do, unfortunately. Especially dishes and laundry. And maybe pick out a birthday present, which is a lot more fun. All this after physics, of course. I hope I finish soon... my assignments usually take hours.

Any book suggestions?

*Sorry about that crazy box underneath the video. I've tried to fix it to no avail!

Also, I forgot to mention that Mark recieved a job offer for when he graduates (one year, and one half of a semester... you can't come soon enough for me). Its from Arch Coal, which is cool. The plan is to work somewhere for two years, and then move somewhere crazy and explore the world. After this, Mark wants to switch to a non-coal company and do something... non-coal. For the record, he wouldn't mine coal in Africa if we lived there, but platinum and diamonds. But I digress. The job offer is to live in Price! I don't know if I can do this. I have a whole year to think about it, and maybe I'm hoping for more job offers. But the compensation... who can argue with that kind of money? You see, they were very impressed with Mark's interning skills this past summer (in Price) and want to keep him. I'm impressed, too. He's pretty amazing. I suppose I'll just write a list of positive things Price has to offer, and post said list where I can see it all the time. Yes, this is a good idea.

I'll complain about school another day.

Random images

We had crepes for conference.

The big window in the corner of our living room faces this tree, and this fabulous bird is taking up residence. I haven't seen him since yesterday, but I hope he comes back!
Mark sleeping during conference...

Our lovely abstract painting! Those fuzzy parts are shards of magnetite held in place with paint, in the shape of magnetic fields. This is how one interests Mark in artistic endeavors.

Thoughts to Myself

Its been a weird sort of week. One of those times when I feel scarily lazy, but I need to do a lot of things. Somehow, homework is completed just shy of the deadline. Somehow, I learn the things necessary to pass a quiz or two. But the imminent doom of future exams loom on the horizon, and I realize I should be studying a lot more.

On monday I had my final appointment with the experimental back pain study people. Their advice: exercise. I'm not the best candidate for passive therapy. And that's the kind I like. You know, relax in a steamy bathtub while you read an entire book. Lay down on a heat pad. Hook yourself up to your machine of electrical stimulation. I like those kinds. So I worked on my stretches and did some yoga. Until tuesday, which was the day that something felt very wrong inside my ribcage. I have several theories, and they may or may not be related to sneezing and tearing and then infecting the lining that lines the outside of my lungs. It hurts to breathe. And I can't tell if I'm hungry or not, or even if my back is hurting. Basically the pain is all-consuming. But actually I feel a whole lot better today. Which is nice.

On friday I went to the library and signed up for a card. I grabbed a fat stack of books and got in the car. Upon gazing at the flyer I received with the card, I decided to go to the grand location on 4th South and 2nd East. What a great library. Great as in huge and also amazing. So I have two fat stacks to read. And I've read four. Oh dear. I reeeeally should be studying or something. After all, fall break is so soon!

I'm very excited for fall break. I just feel bad for Mark because he has field trips and has to work and can't come with me to Missouri. There is going to be a super-cool comet or something during break so I'm coming back to Salt Lake to see it with Mark.

Also we made a very awesome abstract painting with magnets and magnetite and paint. I tried to take a picture but somehow misplaced the camera. But we decided it was a fusion of science and art. Gotta decorate the ugly cinder block!

Cache of Cash. Sometimes I think I'm so clever. Cache like... stored memory. Which is what a blog is, no? I suppose I was also born in Cache County, Utah. And Mark lived there at the same time as me. I wonder if toddler him and baby me passed each other at the grocery store or something like that.

It was a happy conference day. We ate tasty soup in bread bowls. I really like eating soup when I don't feel well. Also its nice to know that I can just lay down for church tomorrow. Conference always reminds me how amazing it is to have a real-life prophet. And also that I need to be a better version of Jamie.

I suppose that sums it up.

I wish the floodlight outside the window that illuminates the creepy branches swaying in the wind would burn out. They fixed it last week. Sillies.