Saturday, July 6, 2013
Highlights from a letter from prison
I have been having a hard time trying to think about what else I want to write about on my blog. I want to keep updated, but I just haven't had any ambitions to write lately. I got a letter from my brother in the mail again this week. I have had a few since he has been in prision, but I figured why not share some of that...so here goes...
*****This place really is a huge playground and more often than not I just feel like I'm at summer camp with all my friends. Until a fight breaks out and the handcuffs come out, or you hear abuot someone getting raped. Which I heard happened last night. Then another guy went to the hole for protective custody because I guess he got like $30 in debt and leaves next week and didn't wanna pay anyone. My dude "D.G" (name withheld because sharing that would be too much) just walked past and told me to tell you whats up? He gets out on the 14th. He is really the only person I've been hanging out with because he has a good head on his shoulders and isn't crazy. Except for liking the Bengals. We went to the store today. Spent the last $25 I had and spent it on popcorn and kool-aid. Okay not all of it but that's what I got the most of. I told you about my new job. Did I mention that I'm on a softball team now? Played two games so far and lost both. It's fun just playing and I've been told by a lot of people that I'm good so I'll keep working on that. Today is day 144 since I was arrested. I've been in prison for 102 days and have 236 days left to serve. I met a kid today whose birthday was 7-8-90. Made me laugh. OH! I know something that made me laugh. I had the head (porter)? of the dorm which is this middle aged black guy I would say 40 something probably, sat me down and asked me what was up. I said what do you mean? Then leaned over and whispered that he loved me. I smiled and said okay. He asked me why I haven't asked him for anything or bought anything off of him. He sells 'shower bags' and apparently gives haircuts that aren't that good. I told him I didn't need anything. Yeah...creepy dude. That's about the most excitement I've had. Not complaining at all. Well sis I'm gonna go now because I've got other letters to wrtie and this TV keeps distracting me. Love you and miss you. Until next time. *****
We also play tic tac toe in our letters. This next game is going to be another cat game. Oh well....who ever wins at that game anyway.
School is almost done then I need to figure out what to do with the next chapter of my life. Decisions....they never stop having to be made. Go figure.
in the words of Jordan....Until next time...
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Please Don't Stop the Music....or maybe you should...
It seems like a constant here at my apartment building. I usually love music, but there is someone always sharing their talents at that piano that is placed in the middle of the downstairs community area. ahhhh sooo loud. I wish there was a piano room. *First world problems...I know*
I just want to say that I am so tired of school. I have an occasional good day. Actually I usually like most of my classes once I get there, but it's the getting to class that is hard lately. I probably didn't get started out on the right foot this semester by taking a trip to Ohio. I went home to be there when my brother and his family went through the Columbus Ohio temple to be sealed together. I just didn't want to miss being there for that. Plus I was really feeling homesick. I was glad I got to be there and the weekend there made me realize I probably am not ready to move back to Ohio yet. I only missed a few classes and I think I have been able to keep up in my classes so far. Then last week hit. I am not completely sure what I did to myself. I have been walking to class everyday and I walk extra on other days just for the sake of getting out and moving (exercise of sorts). But my sore muscles just kept getting worse and worse no matter how many milligrams of Ibuprofen I took. And I had just gotten a massage. Who knows if it was too deep and just made matters worse. It felt good that evening and the next day, but then at night I was not able to sleep very well. My back was so sore. I had a hard time breathing the next morning. I guess most people won't care about the details. I had a friend take me to a chiropractor. That helped lots. I was able to breathe a lil better. Then it came back with a furry. So this time I decided to go to the student health center. I have a feeling my poor attitude and frustration with it all isn't making my healing process go along any faster. I've just been a little bit feisty in my thoughts. I have had to miss lots more class. It kills me. I can't seem to get motivated to do much of anything. In the mean time Robaxin and Ibuprofen have been my constant friends.
I do however love that I get to live with 4 really great girls. They have been little lifesavers for me. Each one has a personality all of her own. They have all helped me with little things and have been good about keeping a smile on my face by having one on theirs.
Also I will say just for the sake of something on a happier note. I have gone a few dates with a boy from Idaho falls. He's super talented, interesting, has a fun family who are also interesting. His mom likes me. He's easy to talk to, gives great hugs. We have a fair amount of things in common and just as many different. Soo I'm looking forward to this weekend when I'll see him again. Everyone seems to want to know if there is potential...well, sure, but I don't know how it will all turn out but its been nice to have gone out on a couple nice dates with a nice guy.
Well I got a couple letters this week in the snail mail that I need to reply to eventually too. I better get to all of my writings with that soon. So this was sort of a quick check in with my few readers because I'd rather write in more detail here than post a ton of status updates on Facebook. Thanks for reading :)
I just want to say that I am so tired of school. I have an occasional good day. Actually I usually like most of my classes once I get there, but it's the getting to class that is hard lately. I probably didn't get started out on the right foot this semester by taking a trip to Ohio. I went home to be there when my brother and his family went through the Columbus Ohio temple to be sealed together. I just didn't want to miss being there for that. Plus I was really feeling homesick. I was glad I got to be there and the weekend there made me realize I probably am not ready to move back to Ohio yet. I only missed a few classes and I think I have been able to keep up in my classes so far. Then last week hit. I am not completely sure what I did to myself. I have been walking to class everyday and I walk extra on other days just for the sake of getting out and moving (exercise of sorts). But my sore muscles just kept getting worse and worse no matter how many milligrams of Ibuprofen I took. And I had just gotten a massage. Who knows if it was too deep and just made matters worse. It felt good that evening and the next day, but then at night I was not able to sleep very well. My back was so sore. I had a hard time breathing the next morning. I guess most people won't care about the details. I had a friend take me to a chiropractor. That helped lots. I was able to breathe a lil better. Then it came back with a furry. So this time I decided to go to the student health center. I have a feeling my poor attitude and frustration with it all isn't making my healing process go along any faster. I've just been a little bit feisty in my thoughts. I have had to miss lots more class. It kills me. I can't seem to get motivated to do much of anything. In the mean time Robaxin and Ibuprofen have been my constant friends.
I do however love that I get to live with 4 really great girls. They have been little lifesavers for me. Each one has a personality all of her own. They have all helped me with little things and have been good about keeping a smile on my face by having one on theirs.
Also I will say just for the sake of something on a happier note. I have gone a few dates with a boy from Idaho falls. He's super talented, interesting, has a fun family who are also interesting. His mom likes me. He's easy to talk to, gives great hugs. We have a fair amount of things in common and just as many different. Soo I'm looking forward to this weekend when I'll see him again. Everyone seems to want to know if there is potential...well, sure, but I don't know how it will all turn out but its been nice to have gone out on a couple nice dates with a nice guy.
Well I got a couple letters this week in the snail mail that I need to reply to eventually too. I better get to all of my writings with that soon. So this was sort of a quick check in with my few readers because I'd rather write in more detail here than post a ton of status updates on Facebook. Thanks for reading :)
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Happenings.
I feel like a significant amount of things has happened that I would be better off posting about it here so if I need to update anyone I can just refer them to my blog. (or maybe some will just stumble upon it)
Where to begin. Its only been one month since my last post. I have a few more weeks left in this semester. I was planning on going to Alaska. I can't say that I can correctly connect my thoughts and the events of the last month, but...I'm not going to Alaska anymore. I quit the job that I was given at Alaska Coach Tours. All I have to say it, yes boss lady, I did pray about it. I had a peaceful feeling about it so I wasn't upset or regretful of my decision. Part of that decision was based upon the fact that I met someone. That could be a whole blog post in and of itself. I'll just leave it at that for now. He's been great. I'm glad we met :)
It was a couple days after my last blog post that I got a text saying my Grandma had a heart attack (she's doing okay for now as far as I've been told) and that my little brother Jordan went to jail. Needless to say it was a shocker of a text message. I'm glad I was informed, but I wasn't prepared for all of that info when I still didn't feel like I had a handle on my school schedule and class load. I ended up feeling like I needed to drop a class that week too. I'm not a super student, so 12 credits is all I ended up taking this semester even though I would've liked to take so much more.
The next day is when I met the boy. It has been a good month or so. *Revisit topic later*
My classes have been very beneficial this semester. Usually each semester I have at least one class that I've made pretty close friends in. This semester has been awesome for that. And I had a pretty meaningful project to complete. I had to make a scrapbook for a class project. So perfect for me...except I hate doing those sort of things on a deadline. Sooo I wish it was better, but its still pretty decent considering my rush. I got that done the day or two after the text. It just came back graded from the teacher this past Wednesday. I guess I'm an overachiever in the scrapbook dept. I got a perfect score. It was a project around the idea of , who I was , who I am and who I want to become. I had sent out an email asking some of my friends and family to tell me what it is that they love about me. (that was part of the who I am section) I wrote lots about my growing up in the who I was. I added one of my blog posts just because I had updated on where all of my family was at that point in life. Then I put a list of things I've done so far in my life and also I list of things I wanted to do before I die. I put pictures of my family. I wish I would've had more time to write more. I could've made the book pretty large and costly. I guess its better that I had a deadline. Not sure how this all ties in other than I have to learn who I am and stay true to that. Regardless of what is going on around me.
Fast forward to this weekend. I had a pretty eventful last couple of days. On my drive up to logan (where the boy lives) I had a tire blow out on me. I just found it funny (interesting, not haha) that I would be calling my brother to ask about some things with my car because it was not right and I couldn't think of what it could be. Shortly after getting off the phone with him I figured out why it was so shaky. The tire was ready to blow probably for the last couple of weeks. I knew the drill. Pull out the spare tire, get everything ready....get to work. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do it on my own, but at least I knew how to. *tangent* When we went to Texas to visit Jake when I was in high school I was driving with him while he took his girlfriend to school. We were in a two seater car that he had. I want to say it was a black Fiero. I could be wrong though. Well on our way to this chick's school he had a tire blow. We jumped out and had that tire changed in like 5 minutes or something. It was the fastest I had ever seen that done on the side of the road. It was just funny that that is what I thought about as I had pulled over on the side of the road trying to pitifully change my own tire. I got everything out and then some older gentleman pulled over to help me. He said up front he didn't have a lot of time, but that he would try to help. So so soo grateful he helped me. I don't think I would've gotten the tire off by myself. I was so blessed that he pulled over to help. He then gave me a recommendation on where to go to get a new/used tire. I went to that shop and ended up having to get 2 used tires for my back two tires. I really was lucky that it all happened when it did. I had last minute decided to drive during the day instead of at night. I had also taken a different route that I had originally planned on too. Just lots of small lil personal miracles. The guys at the tire shop were super nice and helpful too. Then I got to meet up with an old friend from Ohio for dinner. It was good to see a happy face.
I got to bed at a decent hour that night then woke up super early to get on the road to go down to SLC to go to the temple with another friend from Ohio. On my way going through the mountains I was pulled over for speeding. I didn't deny it. I was coming down a hill and let my brain wonder a little bit and the speed just took over. I was apparently going 73 in a 60. I just kinda sat there shocked and was just way too mellow for my own good. The cop let me off with a warning and thanked me for being so cordial and for wearing my seatbelt and then told me that he hoped that warning was enough to slow me down. So many blessings.
I forgot to maybe mention part of why my mind had been wondering. In class on Thursday we found out that our medical assisting program at BYU Idaho is going to get cut. I'm still a little in shock and maybe not as worked up about it unless I'm around my classmates. It really does suck, but I don't understand it all. I guess with that being said I'm glad that I looked into my financial status a little closer to see if going for the spring would work out. I'm glad I was pushed a little to quit the Alaska job so that I can finish my degree. I'm not looking forward to one of my last classes, but if I didn't finish it this next semester the last few semesters would've just been a huge waste of my time and money. Soooo I guess its looking like I'll be taking one last semester of classes and then I'll be doing my externship. I have called a few places to ask about getting an externship but its a little too early for doctors to care about wanting an MA extern for the fall.
With all that going on, I also wanted to mention the latest news on Jordan. He went to court on Friday. He found out that he is going to be going to Prison for a year. Then when he gets out he won't be on probation anymore. I assume that means the normal probation officer he has been going to won't be someone he will have to meet up with regularly. I don't think that means when he is out that all his problems will go away. OHH yeah, because I forgot to mention, before he went to jail in Feb he was telling us that he was going to marry his girlfriend as soon as she got home from her training with the Marines. They had been together for around a year I think. Welllll anyway. When he went to jail there was a falling out between them, they aren't planning a wedding anymore, but she is having their baby in September. Guess I'm going to be an aunt again. So who knows how things will go down between them, but we will see how that all progresses. I know things can change everyday. You just never know.
Perhaps I should always remember to count my blessings and look for the silver lining. It's not about what I don't have, its about what I DO have.
I have wonderful people in my life that love me. Each one of them could be named as individual blessings.
I have classes that I love and that are helping me grow as a person. My car still works. I'm getting good grades (so far :) ) I have my health. My prayers have been answered. There are still things that make me laugh and music still makes me happy.
Where to begin. Its only been one month since my last post. I have a few more weeks left in this semester. I was planning on going to Alaska. I can't say that I can correctly connect my thoughts and the events of the last month, but...I'm not going to Alaska anymore. I quit the job that I was given at Alaska Coach Tours. All I have to say it, yes boss lady, I did pray about it. I had a peaceful feeling about it so I wasn't upset or regretful of my decision. Part of that decision was based upon the fact that I met someone. That could be a whole blog post in and of itself. I'll just leave it at that for now. He's been great. I'm glad we met :)
It was a couple days after my last blog post that I got a text saying my Grandma had a heart attack (she's doing okay for now as far as I've been told) and that my little brother Jordan went to jail. Needless to say it was a shocker of a text message. I'm glad I was informed, but I wasn't prepared for all of that info when I still didn't feel like I had a handle on my school schedule and class load. I ended up feeling like I needed to drop a class that week too. I'm not a super student, so 12 credits is all I ended up taking this semester even though I would've liked to take so much more.
The next day is when I met the boy. It has been a good month or so. *Revisit topic later*
My classes have been very beneficial this semester. Usually each semester I have at least one class that I've made pretty close friends in. This semester has been awesome for that. And I had a pretty meaningful project to complete. I had to make a scrapbook for a class project. So perfect for me...except I hate doing those sort of things on a deadline. Sooo I wish it was better, but its still pretty decent considering my rush. I got that done the day or two after the text. It just came back graded from the teacher this past Wednesday. I guess I'm an overachiever in the scrapbook dept. I got a perfect score. It was a project around the idea of , who I was , who I am and who I want to become. I had sent out an email asking some of my friends and family to tell me what it is that they love about me. (that was part of the who I am section) I wrote lots about my growing up in the who I was. I added one of my blog posts just because I had updated on where all of my family was at that point in life. Then I put a list of things I've done so far in my life and also I list of things I wanted to do before I die. I put pictures of my family. I wish I would've had more time to write more. I could've made the book pretty large and costly. I guess its better that I had a deadline. Not sure how this all ties in other than I have to learn who I am and stay true to that. Regardless of what is going on around me.
Fast forward to this weekend. I had a pretty eventful last couple of days. On my drive up to logan (where the boy lives) I had a tire blow out on me. I just found it funny (interesting, not haha) that I would be calling my brother to ask about some things with my car because it was not right and I couldn't think of what it could be. Shortly after getting off the phone with him I figured out why it was so shaky. The tire was ready to blow probably for the last couple of weeks. I knew the drill. Pull out the spare tire, get everything ready....get to work. I was hoping I wouldn't have to do it on my own, but at least I knew how to. *tangent* When we went to Texas to visit Jake when I was in high school I was driving with him while he took his girlfriend to school. We were in a two seater car that he had. I want to say it was a black Fiero. I could be wrong though. Well on our way to this chick's school he had a tire blow. We jumped out and had that tire changed in like 5 minutes or something. It was the fastest I had ever seen that done on the side of the road. It was just funny that that is what I thought about as I had pulled over on the side of the road trying to pitifully change my own tire. I got everything out and then some older gentleman pulled over to help me. He said up front he didn't have a lot of time, but that he would try to help. So so soo grateful he helped me. I don't think I would've gotten the tire off by myself. I was so blessed that he pulled over to help. He then gave me a recommendation on where to go to get a new/used tire. I went to that shop and ended up having to get 2 used tires for my back two tires. I really was lucky that it all happened when it did. I had last minute decided to drive during the day instead of at night. I had also taken a different route that I had originally planned on too. Just lots of small lil personal miracles. The guys at the tire shop were super nice and helpful too. Then I got to meet up with an old friend from Ohio for dinner. It was good to see a happy face.
I got to bed at a decent hour that night then woke up super early to get on the road to go down to SLC to go to the temple with another friend from Ohio. On my way going through the mountains I was pulled over for speeding. I didn't deny it. I was coming down a hill and let my brain wonder a little bit and the speed just took over. I was apparently going 73 in a 60. I just kinda sat there shocked and was just way too mellow for my own good. The cop let me off with a warning and thanked me for being so cordial and for wearing my seatbelt and then told me that he hoped that warning was enough to slow me down. So many blessings.
I forgot to maybe mention part of why my mind had been wondering. In class on Thursday we found out that our medical assisting program at BYU Idaho is going to get cut. I'm still a little in shock and maybe not as worked up about it unless I'm around my classmates. It really does suck, but I don't understand it all. I guess with that being said I'm glad that I looked into my financial status a little closer to see if going for the spring would work out. I'm glad I was pushed a little to quit the Alaska job so that I can finish my degree. I'm not looking forward to one of my last classes, but if I didn't finish it this next semester the last few semesters would've just been a huge waste of my time and money. Soooo I guess its looking like I'll be taking one last semester of classes and then I'll be doing my externship. I have called a few places to ask about getting an externship but its a little too early for doctors to care about wanting an MA extern for the fall.
With all that going on, I also wanted to mention the latest news on Jordan. He went to court on Friday. He found out that he is going to be going to Prison for a year. Then when he gets out he won't be on probation anymore. I assume that means the normal probation officer he has been going to won't be someone he will have to meet up with regularly. I don't think that means when he is out that all his problems will go away. OHH yeah, because I forgot to mention, before he went to jail in Feb he was telling us that he was going to marry his girlfriend as soon as she got home from her training with the Marines. They had been together for around a year I think. Welllll anyway. When he went to jail there was a falling out between them, they aren't planning a wedding anymore, but she is having their baby in September. Guess I'm going to be an aunt again. So who knows how things will go down between them, but we will see how that all progresses. I know things can change everyday. You just never know.
Perhaps I should always remember to count my blessings and look for the silver lining. It's not about what I don't have, its about what I DO have.
I have wonderful people in my life that love me. Each one of them could be named as individual blessings.
I have classes that I love and that are helping me grow as a person. My car still works. I'm getting good grades (so far :) ) I have my health. My prayers have been answered. There are still things that make me laugh and music still makes me happy.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Happiness is a Choice
I'm in school. I am signed up for 15 credits. I'll probably be dropping a class this week. I want to and wish I could do more, but the fact of the matter is...I take things too seriously or dwell on assignments too long to get everything done. I know some people's personalities allow for them to do more but that is just not me. I do better and I'm happier when I don't have a ton on my plate. And that is perfectly okay. If there is one thing that I have learned lately over and over again is that Being Me is okay. I'm being the best self that I can and that's all I can give. It's unrealistic to think I'd change all the bad things about me in a short amount of time. So I try to find the good in who I am and the things I can do. I am working on being happy with where I am and not wanting to be somewhere else. I have found out that this just causes mass headaches. Yeah...a headache for a week straight means I need to drop something out of my life. I would rather drop something than try to take pain pills to mask the pain. I think i just need to not look at a computer screen for too many hours in any one day. That could be where my headaches are coming from. That and I haven't been so disciplined about going to bed at a decent hour. I'm working on that one as well.
I started my training today for Alaska Coach Tours. Well in reality it started on Saturday. I had a good time in that class actually. We watched videos and it was all classroom work. Then today I actually got to get out on the bus. I've had a lot of driving experience in my days here on earth but this huge bus was nothing like what I would've expected it to be. I'm glad we have to get in 40 hrs of drive time. That's another reason I'm dropping one class. I was the first out on the bus of all the trainees. So many things were off today. Hopefully it will go a little smoother next time. I'm really looking forward to this coming summer in Alaska.
I have classwork I need to get done.....so that's all for my update today.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Back in Idaho...
School starts again tomorrow. I'm looking forward to good things this semester and this coming year. Lots going on for me. I'm trying to get over a cold and get settled in at a new apartment. I have a new assignment or two at church. Hopefully I can find the balance with that, my school work and with social activities. My goodness...I've got a lot to look forward to and a lot to be thankful for. Life is good. I just need to keep my priorities straight and take it one step at a time.
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