Yep. That's My Major

It amazes me sometimes that Heavenly Father leads us through choices so gradually that we don't see it happening. When I was in junior high, I had no idea what I wanted to with my life. My grades weren't the best, so I was surprised when I was invited to one of those award assemblies. It turned out that Mr. Crow, my history teacher, gave me an award for excellence in his class. The award wasn't a big deal; most kids got them, but the biggest compliment was after the assembly. I happened to run into him - he told me that someday I would make an awesome history teacher. I thanked him, but didn't seriously think about it.

Fast forward a few years to junior year of high school. I still didn't have any life plans, which really frustrated me. That year I was taking the required U.S. history class and it started to dawn on me that I enjoyed history a little too much. This became all too apparent when I was putting the finishing touches on my personal history paper for the class. I was setting up the table of contents and was shocked to realize that I had typed almost 70 pages and enjoyed every minute of it.

After taking AP U.S. history during my last year of high school, I finally realized that for some reason Heavenly Father gave me a passion for history. Maybe it's a side effect of the hearts of the children turning to their fathers (Malachi 4:6).

It's funny because now it seems so obvious. Like, here's your sign! For example, you know you're a history nerd when:

• You explain the ins and outs of the Articles of Confederation over lunch to help a work friend with an assignment.
• You volunteer at a museum for the sheer fun of it
• Your family gives you books about the Civil War for Christmas
• You help your roommate's friend study for a midterm while falling asleep. When she asks you about Islam you reply, "Well it all started when..."
• You enjoy endless rounds of the game "Which Obscure Person in History Has Their Name Taped on My Back?" (20 questions style) at a history department social
• You find videos like this absolutely entertaining

You've Got Mail

My all-time favorite movie that I could watch over and over is You've Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The music is classic. The characters are perfect. The quotes are memorable. I was thinking about my favorite quote and looked it up on IMDb - the Internet Movie Database.

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

So, using my favorite quotes from my favorite movie, here is an overdue update of what's up.

"People are always saying that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all, has happened."
Here are the changes for me that I wasn't so fond of - new (used) car, new ward, new school year, new morning shift at work.

"I have you to thank for it. For the first time in my life, when confronted with a horrible, insensitive person, I knew exactly what I wanted to say and I said it."
This is why I like Teresa as a roommate. She's not horrible or anything, it's just that I can be totally honest with her.
 
"I'm going to get some eucalyptus candles 'cause it makes my apartment smell moss-ay!"
Haha. I just love this quote. 
 
"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave?"
I'm thinking of coaching lacrosse in the Spring and I'm also training to be a docent at the BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures. Both are volunteer positions, but I think it's time I start getting some new experiences.

"You think this machine is your friend but it's not."
My computer hates me sometimes.

"When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does."
And no reading can ever compare textbook reading. Ugh.

"You poor, sad, multimillionaire. I feel so sorry for you."
Haha. I love being a broke college student. Frugality takes on a whole new meaning.

"Do you ever feel you've become the worst version of yourself? That a Pandora's box of all the secret, hateful parts - your arrogance, your spite, your condescension - has sprung open? Someone upsets you and instead of smiling and walking away, you zing them? "Hello, it's Mr Nasty." I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about."
Yeah, this only happens around my family. Why do I feel obligated to zing them?


"The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings."
This is how I feel about reading my cousins' blogs. It's nice to stay connected and know what's going on with everybody.