Of Note Taking and Gentlemen

Two topics for today, and neither of them is that New Year's resolution post. I promise, it will come.

First, about note taking. I like to take very thorough notes. I like to write down all the important information on slides and most of the things the professor says. I've noticed something weird about myself, though. If I'm writing and the people next to me are not I get self-conscious and the same thing happens when the people around me start to write something that I am not (and usually I'll write it down too). Is this weird? Does it happen to anyone else?

Now, about gentlemen. I think it's so great when guys do nice things for girls just because they're gentlemen. I love it when they hold doors (I saw a guy stand and just hold the door for awhile when everyone was streaming into the Twilight Zone) it's so kind. I have a friend who opens the door for any girl getting in on his side of the car (no matter if he's the passenger or the driver and even if it's not a date). I saw a guy stop and help up a girl (and pick up all her stuff) after she completely biffed it in an ice patch on campus this week. It was so kind of him. Isn't it great here at BYU where the guy's mothers (or someone) have taught them manners, especially when it comes to how to treat women? I think it's wonderful.

That is all for this time.

George W. Bush

Until two days ago, this was the President of the United States.

I don't know whether you guys supported him or didn't. I am not even exactly sure what I think of him completely. I do think he was a good man. I also think he got caught up with a whole lot of difficult circumstances. It's impossible for any of us to know exactly what went on and what happened. We are not privy to that sort of information. Anyways, to the point. I didn't notice it on the broadcast I watched, but apparently when he stepped out onto the platform during the inaugural ceremony, a few hundred thousand people started singing, "Na na na na na na hey hey hey, goodbye." Have I mentioned how ignorant people are? Have I mentioned how I hate it? I don't care if you agreed with his politics or not, that was the President and you should have shown some respect. Sometimes I'm ashamed of my fellow Americans.

Also, for the record, this will probably be my last political post - at least for a long time.

He Ran so Our Children Can Fly

I know not all of you out there like Obama. In fact, I know there are a lot of you that read my blog who severely dislike President Obama. You probably should just skip this post if that is the case.

This was a day that made history. A black man (a black man) was elected President of the United States of America. The same America that gave the world the Ku Klux Klan has now given the world a black president. This is amazing. I read on a bumper sticker on facebook (and I'm sure that came from somewhere else) something that said

Rosa sat so Martin could walk.

Martin walked so Obama could run.

Obama ran so our children can fly.

That touches me deep in my soul. I don't care if you're black, white, purple, or polka-dot. While evil continues to grow and opposition comes from all sides, this one thing we were able to over come. We are allowed, amongst all this wickedness, one step forward. I was not able to watch the inauguration live because of classes and other things, but thanks to Tivo I just finished watching it. It was beautiful. I found myself tearing up several times as that great man stood up and declared that change would come. I am so happy.

I have put up with a lot of stuff people have said about it, but that time is done. It is time for us to unite and support this man. Today in my D&C class, Brother Bott was talking about the constitution hanging by a thread. We've all heard that before, but he added a quote about how the elders of Israel will be the only ones left supporting it in the end. So, the question is, where do you fall? Are you going to support the President, the country, and the Constitution (whether or not you agree with all the seperate politics) or are you against it all?

This is Not the Post I Promised

Ok ok. I know I promised to give you a post about Christmas and my New Year's resolutions and the like and that will come, but I don't feel like blogging about that right now and I do feel like blogging about my date last night.

Until last night, I hadn't been on a date since fall semester of last year. This is BYU, how terrible is that? Anyways, I'm not here to complain about not dating. So, some of my friends in the ward decided we were going to have this group pajama date and build a fort and watch movies, etc. I thought it sounded fun, but the problem was the whole date thing. I agreed to go before I actually thought much about the part where I would have to ask someone on a date. Wednesday rolled around and I got a reminder text from Alison that the date was on Friday. I kind of started doing a little bit of hyperventilating. With a little (ok, a lot) help from Marci, I ended up with a list of guys that I would call (that way I wouldn't have to have another spaz attack if the first one said no and I could just move on down the list). I made a call and got a date.

Let me tell you, if you're going to go on a date again for the first time after a long time, this is the way to do it. I went with my friend Tyler and it was so much fun. It was basically just like hanging out except he walked me there and home and there was an equal number of girls and guys there. It was so fun and I didn't die by calling someone and asking them on a date. I'll admit it, I'm kind of proud of myself. Maybe I can even work up the courage to do something like that again someday (though it probably won't happen without help and prodding from Marci).

Where I've Been

Alright reader, you can just step back and try to shake off your abandonment issues. I didn't decide to just up and leave the blogging world (I am far too interesting for that :) ). Here's the story - right before Christmas the hinge broke on my computer. I took it to geeksquad and when I came back from break the top panel had been replaced and it was all shiny and new. However, when I got the computer home and turned it on I discovered, to my horror, that only about half of the keys on the keyboard worked. I immediately took it back to be fixed again, and there it has been since Friday. Between that and the fact that my parents don't currently have the internet at home I have been away. Don't worry, though, when I get my computer back I'll read all the back entries on the blogs I've been neglecting and I will post a real post here including details of Christmas and my first time making New Years resolutions.
Until then.