my goals for 2010

1. run a marathon.
not sure how Megs talked me into this one either. she does that...
last year I was training for a half. basically, I was trained but never got around to doing one with school. in January, we were sitting around talking about her doing the Salt Lake City marathon, which she did last year. next thing you know, she'd convinced me that I was also marathon material, and we should train together. hal higdon training guide let us know exactly how many miles we would need to run to be ready. right now, we're in week 13. only 5 weeks left. ever since I've started training, my appetite, which has always been a very large factor in how I plan my days, has been out of control. always eating, never not eating.

2. graduate.
I will actually graduate this year. december 2010 can't come soon enough. I will graduate with my BA in communications and an emphasis in public relations.

3. take the GRE.
since I'll be graduating this year, I can't think of what my life would be without school. so this summer I'll study for and take the GRE, which leads me into my next goal...

4. apply to grad school.
I would like to apply to different grad programs in advertising...University of Texas, Austin obviously is at the top of the list. there are other notable programs in Georgia, Chicago, and Southern California which I'll be looking into. applications due in December of this year...yikes.

5. start the book of mormon over again.
I just barely finished the BOM in December, and I have started it again. I can honestly feel a difference in the days I decide not to read, and I'd much rather prefer at least reading a chapter, although my goal is 20-30 minutes everyday. it is so important, and the more I read it, the more it becomes evident to me the truths it holds.

6. expand my reading library.
these are the three books on my desk right now.


the book thief was a gift from my dear friend Megan. whom I talk a lot about on this blog. and will continue to do so. get over it.
a really amazing fiction read that takes place in WWII. haven't finished it yet, but will soon! really wish I didn't accidentally leave it in san diego. I will keep you posted.


the second book is so so good. if you don't have it, go get it right now.
it was a gift from my dad, and has really changed how I am reading the old testament. I love it, and it has helped me so much in my new teaching calling, and has really testified to me how every single book of scripture truly testifies of Christ.


the last is awesome so far. coincidentally, the only reason I picked this little number up is because I had forgotten my book in san diego and picked up something else to read in the airport. if you are studying communications or public relations, you HAVE to have this book. talks all about different cases where companies are embracing and integrating social media and communication to clients. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book as well!

7. put happy moments into everyday.
not always so easy to do, especially when we get caught up in our own routines. especially me, as that is exactly what I am. I tend to do the same things everyday, around the same time, eat the same things, etc. I run the same time everyday, I like to lift Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday with Megan, always Diet Cokes, Carrabas or Pizza Factory, always Seinfeld, cereal for dinner. you get the picture.
this year, I'd like to remember to not try so hard. a perfect example of this was last week, when I had every single assignment ever due the next day, I hadn't run my 8 miles for marathon training, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to see Megan. so I put down my book, and called Megan. at 2 o'clock in the afternoon we decided to get ourselves some diet cokes and mcdonald's ice cream cones. just because. they are moments like these that make my days happy.

it's going to be a good year.

math may keep me from graduating

I left my heart in San Diego.

Valentine's Day is never my favorite. Not sure why, I have a pretty good track record of having a boyfriend. Maybe I plan it that way. Maybe not. But I have happened to spend the last 2 of 3 Valentine's days with this boy, which I'm not mad about.



Day 1: Flew in to San Diego around 11:30am, he picked me up from the airport with a huge hug and a cheesy bagel from work. Had to go all the way to the 7th floor to pick it up. So thoughtful. We went to his apartment, met the roommate, and he made me lunch. Tofu steak and broccoli. Healthy, but spongy. Maybe not my first choice again. We decided to go on a run, and did 4.5 miles along Torrey Pines, which looked a little something like this:




It was amazing. Soooo pretty, about 70 degrees, and a whole lot warmer than Provo has been treating me these days. We finished our run, walked along the ocean for a bit, and decided to call it a day. Grocery shopping, he made a quite fabulous red curry, and watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.

Day 2: was even better. Got up, put our running clothes on, and ventured out to start our 10 mile run. I'm training for a marathon, however, Mike is not. Very brave. We went to Balboa park, and did some very intense trails for a few hours before deciding 8.5 miles on that terrain probably equaled about 15 distance running. We laid down on the grass in the park, basking in the 75 degrees of deliciousness, when he informed me he had made Valentine's reservations. I was not even a little bit mad about this. We wrapped up the afternoon at Mission beach, changed, and went to this amazing Italian restaurant. I have no idea what it's called. We sat outside, ate our carb-loaded dinner, and watched Casablanca in black and white on a huge screen. We took a short walk after, and decided frozen yogurt was our best option, always. Pajamas and sleep made this day a complete success.



Day 3: Sunday, but had to be outside. I'm obsessed with Southern California weather, so sue me. We went for a long walk outside, Mike happens to live literally across the street from the San Diego temple. Very cliche and very darling at the same time. His roommate, Anthony's girlfriend, Maelyn, was starring in a very intriguing play called "Postmortem" in Oceanside, so we decided to attend the matinee final performance. She was hilarious. We changed into hoodies and jeans, and made it just in time to watch the sunset down at the beach. We had purchased ingredients for sugar cookies, and decided to repeat what we had done two years ago for our Sabbath Valentine's Day. Cheesy. But I loved it.

Day 4: Walking on the beach, hole in the wall Mexican burritos on the boardwalk, frozen yogurt, and back to Provo. I promise to myself to get better at taking pictures. Not nearly enough from this trip. Dang it.

this is why I suck at blogging. brain dump.

I really do want to be better at keeping my blog. I have some good things to say.
I turned 23 in January. Dinner at Carrabas with my besties, and otherwise uneventful. I don't think I'm as mad about 23 as I thought I was going to be.
I'd love to let everyone know exactly what I think about the Biggest Loser, but my roommates are too cheap to let us have DVR. I swear this will be resolved next year.
Still training for the Salt Lake Marathon. Not sure how I let Megan talk me into this one, but it worries me. She may have some sort of Jedi mind-trick abilities I'm not yet aware of.
My life has been taken over the 2010 U.S. Census. I should be happy. I was chosen as team leader for UVU's Bateman team to compete in the PRSSA 2010 National Bateman Competition. I've also acted as the creative director of the campaign, from logo, to branding, to ensuring the visual messages were always clear. Sort of fun and exciting, but more than a little bit stressful and demanding on my Tuesday/Thursday schedule.
The most significant thing that happened to me this week: I ate free JDawg's, at Wolverine Wednesday on campus. This turned out to be a very costly mistake. I thought free meant it was a good idea. Free = the hardest most disgusting 4 mile run of my life. It was supposed to be my easy day. Instead, at .84 miles I felt like throwing up, and was sweating profusely. I will never eat JDawg's again.
Midterms has already come and gone, not sure how I feel about that.
Six days left of the Census campaign.
I got picked to be one of seven PR students to go on a school-sponsored trip to Manhattan in March...just found out we'll be staying in the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, NBD. We leave March 17th...
Still working on finding an internship, I really hope to find something in San Diego. We'll see how that goes.
I love watching the Olympic games. Very mesmerizing. Picture a small child watching Disney cartoons. That's me.
Apolo Anton Ohno is amazing. But still a tool. That small hairy distraction on your face needs to go. Look at him.

I tweeted this early this week, but I restate it because of its importance. If anyone ever finds me in aisle six of WalMart, 17 months prego, hoarding yet to be paid for powdered doughnuts, whilst wearing an oversized BYU sweatshirt and making my acne-prone husband carry our other dirty-faced infant, shoot me.