Fall

I love fall! More then any other season! I love the summer. The Fourth of July is the best holiday of the year (my b-day is the July 3, never ending party week.) I think Christmas is the best time of year. I love the smell of spring with all the flowers and freshness in the air. But, I love the fall, because of the feeling of change that comes with it. Fall to me means school (I love school), football games, hoodies, hot chocolate, bonfires, crisp cool morning and chilly nights. This is year is a little bitter sweet for me. This is my first year ever not being a missionary or a school girl. And I don't really know what to do with myself. I stepped outside the other morning and smelled fall in the air. And as I was driving to work I became so sad that I wasn't in Provo or Rexburg or Houston or Louisiana. I am in Chicago. And I am a responsible citizen of the United States who has hardcore taxes deducted from her paycheck twice a month and receives benefits and life insurance through her job. And that thought was just more depressing then I could handle. But, then I rolled down my window and took in a deep breath of fresh soon to be fall air and for three seconds I was content being in that exact moment. Not wishing to be in Rexburg enjoying a freezing morning as I hurry to campus or in Provo heading to a football game or in Louisiana (where I spent last fall) tracting with my comp or at the MTC (where I spent the fall before Louisiana) wondering what the heck I was doing trying to play missionary. For three seconds last week I was just happy and excited fall was coming to Chicago and that I could enjoy it as a single, semi-responsible, 20-something. And in those three seconds I was so excited for what the future held. And as I write this, I suppose that I still am.

Being hit on by an air flight attendant can make for a very awkward flight experience

Last week, my BFF in the entire universe came home from her mission in Argentina. Amanda Pavlovsky. (Oh, p.s. Alyssa, we ran into your mom at stake conference, she is lovely. oh and i love both wichita and mcpherson, kansas. great places.) We were roommates, majored and minored and were involved in all the same things in college and LOVED it.

She graduated and then four months later I graduated. I went on a mission and then four months later she went on a mission. After almost 24 months of separation, I was able to spend the past four days in Kansas just talking, talking, talking, laughing until my sides hurt and remembering how wonderful it is to have a very best friend. I am so, so, so, so, so glad Amanda is home.

I flew into Wichita, Kansas late Friday night. Due to lots and lots of rain my flight was delayed from its original 7:55 p.m. departure time to 9:30 p.m. It had been a long day that had started at 5:30 a.m. and the whirlwind of projects and deadlines at work, combined with the insanity of the Chicago O'Hare airport left me exhausted. Right before I boarded the plane I looked in the mirror. My hair was in a bun, I looked beat and I decided that with my black gauchos and gray sweater I resembled an elementary school teacher. Or if I had Japanese designer Kazuo Kawasaki glasses, Sarah Palin with dark circles and bags under her eyes.

Stepping on the plane, I noticed an attractive flight attendant. Male. My first thought, "Gay." We made eye contact. He gave me "the look." And then he gave me "the smile." You know exactly what I mean ladies. I smiled a very polite, tight lipped, quick smile back and looked away. For sure not gay.

My seat was all the way in the back. 20A. I remember it well. As Mr. Flight Attendant passed by he brushed my arm ever so slightly. At first I thought I imagined it. And then it happened again. Along with this, "Hey, I'm glad your sitting here." And a wink.

Excuse me? First of all....no! Unacceptable and soo unprofessional.

I settled down to read the Newsweek feature cover story, "Palintology" and People. And tried to forget about Mr. FA.

Well, all too soon it was time for drinks. I asked for a diet coke and water. I accidentally spilled some of the water and so naturally asked for a napkin. I reached up to grab it from him. And right as I did he was reaching down to sop up the water, and my hand accidentally slipped into his. I was horrified!

Mr. FA, with a twinkle in his eye and not quietly at all, said, "You're trying to hold my hand." No idiot I'm not. I was trying to grab the dumb napkin to clean up the water spill. Duh.

But of course, instead of saying that I was speechless due to embarassement and sleep deprevation. Everyone on the plane heard. The old woman next to me looked over and smiled that grandmotherly smile. Mixture of be careful and you are just too cute, being so smitten by the FA. I couldn't believe it. And then Mr. FA starts talking with his FA buddy friend extra loud and says, "You know I'm just tired of dating typical skanky girls. I want a good girl. A kindergarten teacher type."

I almost wrote him the following letter:

Dear Mr. Flight Attendant, Yes, you are very attractive. But, no I will not be participating in a midnight rendezvous with you upon landing in Wichita, KS. I am travelling to spend time with my BF Amanda. And I don't do long distance or NKMOs.

Good luck in all your endeavors,

Angelica

I'm not going to lie. I'm just grateful I didn't meet him a few months ago on my flight to Vegas.

2 things i hate + 1 thing i like

i hate insomnia....

with a passion. this post comes to you live at 4:30 a.m. i could still be sleeping for 2.5 more hours. why am i awake?

i hate traffic....

boy do i hate traffic. and i live in the kingdom of it. i feel like half my life is spent in a long line at a red light, or construction zone or stop sign or just some dumb traffic build-up because some doofus needs to learn how to drive.

but i really like Sarah Palin....

it wasn't an immediate like. when i first heard who McCain had chosen as his running mate i thought he had shot himself in the foot. race over. and then i heard her speech, read up on her, discussed and debated her with friends and family. i am a huge fan. as one of my girlfriends put it (the following quote has been edited for content) "Women get [crap] done." and they do. in less then three months she had accomplished a lot in the state of Alaska. granted there's like...what....4,000 people who live there, but still. i like what Sarah exemplifies, the energy and hope she is bringing back to the campaign trail and to the American people as a whole - that there are still good, down-to-earth, semi-honest people still left in the world trying to make a difference to the best of their abilities.

Almost No Coverage of the Week

I did not get a picture of brother, who will be leaving next week to Iraq for a whole year with the Marines, nor my brand new (to me) sister-in-law (who I met for the first time since their marriage of over a year ago [I was on my mission.])

I should have gotten a video of the Shanghi Cirque du Soleil that my family saw on Labor Day. Crazy Chinese acrobats contorting their bodies in crazy positions, a performance that incldued a young hula hooper, hula hooping with 30 hula hoops around her body at one time.

I went to this rad concert of Andrew Bird on the same day, same place (but not at the same time) as where Oprah filmed her grand opening show for her new season with the 200+ Olympians. A crazy kid who can sing, whistle, play over eight instruments, including the glockenspiel. My videos turned out awful.

I could show a video of the insanely attended by thousands and thousands of 20-somethin' Chicagoans, 2008 Red Bull Flug Tag. Flug Tag consisted of flying objects, created by people's imaginations being pushed off boats and flying maybe 100 feet and the plummeting into Lake Michigan. And I really wish I could show you a video of that, but unforunately I never made it due to retarded traffic produced by thousands of those 20 somethins. My friends and I got there right as it was ending.


Yes, so much happened in the matter of a few days. Oh, the many videos and pictures I could show! But unfortunately I didn't get capture any of them in picture or video.

I did not even get footage of the amazing dolphin show or the giraffe that became my best friend, nor the family of monkeys that were playing together and scratching each other's backs, at Brookfield Zoo. Sadly no. I did however, get a vido of the eel that I kindly named Jabba the Hutt. Huge, disgusting create. Please enjoy.

If you are a Visiting Teacher....

because i live in Chicago, i don't have many outlets for...how do you say this...Mormon funnies? is that the right way to say it? take the Singles Ward for instance. i can't quote lines from it (not that i often do) at work and expect people to laugh or even understand what i'm saying. i might as well speak Greek. because of my lack of opportunities to share a good Mormon pun, i wanted to post this YouTube Visiting Teaching video for those who might enjoy. i heard about in Sacrament Mtg after a talk on home teaching, actually. it's a quirky, Mormon funny. quite hilarious actually about how NOT to do visiting teaching. and of course a feel-good Mormon ending. it inspired me and reminded me to do my visiting teaching this month. i have four days.

I have been tagged: My top 3

Brittany, I want you to know I put serious time and effort into your assignment. At first I was scared that I wouldn't be able to come up with anything, but it was actually a lot of fun. And Mel, I decided to take your advice and put throw some pictures into at least one post. And to all who my view this, please excuse the strange formatting towards the bottom, I did my best.

Joys

1. Mornings in Chicago

2. Mornings in Rexburg, Idaho

3. Mornings in Lake Charles, LA

This isn't an actual morning in Lake Charles, but I hope you can get a glimpse of how beautiful it is (ignore all the oil factories in the horizon, if I have cancer at age 30, you know why, dang mission!)

Fears

1. The dark (I'm a complete baby)

2. Ghosts ( If I watch a ghost movie, I have nightmares for weeks)

3. Ants (they are the most disgusting insects in the world)

Currents Obsession/Collections

1. Balancing my checkbook (because I actually have a real job and money now!!!)

2. Apparently dyeing my hair (I've changed the color twice in the past four months)

Normal

Light

Dark (and yes, I am the proud of owner of this fantastic, pink Guns N' Roses t-shirt that I wore to the Rascal Flatts concert)

3. Going to concerts (being back in Chicago and having sisters and friends who love music like I do has made going to concerts an almost weekly thing: Rascal Flatts, American Idol, Millennium Park shows, soon to come NKOTB/Natasha Benningfield. Plus, I have a couple high school friends in a rock bands)

Rascal Flatts (way, way zoomed in, I know you were thinking we were front row!)

Surprising Facts

1. I was a theater nut in high school. I was in all the musicals and a play. I starred as Sandy in Grease, Leisel in Sound of Music, Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors, and a Boylynn sister in Annie.

Playing Sandy in Grease (fitting isn't it, ironically enough?)

2. My dream job is to be a dolphin trainer

3. I have a disease called Celiac disease. It means I can't eat anything with gluten in it (wheat, barley or rye) without getting very, very sick. I found out I had this during the middle of my mission. It was the pits. I'm totally at peace with it now. Shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods beats any other grocery store any day!

Martin and Osa..quality, cute store

i stumbled across my new favorite store, Martin and Osa friday night as i was on a hunt for a specific something. (ended up spending a lot more then the original budget planned!) when i first saw it my initial thought was, "great another hollister!" but i was pleasantly surprised, it's not. i walked in just to check it out. it's very classy and chic. like american eagle outdoorsy feel type. more for adults though (which i guess i am now.) really natural, quality clothing. they have sweaters made from soybeans! it's softer then cashmere. and cheaper. and doesn't have those prickly itchy parts. the store is named after this cute couple above and to the left. they married in 1910, and travelled the world, helping the environment and doing lot's of service. cute story, huh?