Susie's Leaning Tower of Chocolate for 2002 August

Read Harry Potter. Went to Kristen's reception. Got lost in West Jordan. Borrowed some of Alyssa's clothes. Went to see "Single's Ward" with Jamie and Lisa. Came home. Feeling irritable and annoyed, for no particular reason. I had a great day; I think it's just cause I'm tired and poor.

Read two Harry Potter books today. Went to the Nicklecade with some people from the ward. It was really fun; I played a Simpsons video game where Marge got to hit the bad guys with a vaccuum. I was playing Homer, but it was still pretty cool to see him doing something productive. Watched "Armagedon" with Ang and Collette. Unbelievably, that was my entire day. I don't feel too guilty for accomplishing nothing though, because tomorrow I have big plans. I may actually get around to writing in my journal.

I love being a girl.

It's been a fun and eventful weekend. Today I went to a making-ice-cream-with-liquid-nitrogen party, made cookies, had some adventures at the Temple with Angela, hung out with my cousins for a little while, watched a movie I didn't like and showed up at the Elms' parking lot dance. It was really fun, dancing with my roommates and the occasional guy (Matt was spreading himself pretty thin). Dancing is fun when I get hyper enough. I also got a letter from Doinita today. Well, it wasn't today, it was sometime in the past three days. Our mail key is... gone.

Susie: I need to cook something before I freak out!

Today has been an exciting and eventful day. I went to two meetings before church (Activities and Ward Council), hung out, went to church, listened to my giggle tape, went to Break the Fast, hung out, went with a group of people to sing at a retirement home, hung out, and went to ward prayer. I also wrote five letters today and I got to talk to a lot of cool people in the ward. Half of them are moving out Fall semester, but it always good to make new friends.

I don't think I said this yet, but Kyra and I are moving to a different apartment. They are also making three Relief Societies, one for each floor.

A salad for lunch and $7 of stickers. My Summer term assignments are not only completed but sitting in my bag ready to turn in. I feel so accomplished, although I think it's mostly because I have much to do today. Kyra and I are going swimming after classes and I have three other significant time-consuming things to do. Yesterday during Sacrament meeting I wrote a letter in Romanian. It's all so fulfilling.

Stacy and Joe are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple on October 11! yay! hehe I remember when Stacy was still trying to decide if she liked him or not.

Took some of Kris' names to the temple with Collette and Laurie. Now I'm reading on of the Phillip Pullman novels Mom brought up for me. Not much else to do. I've already been swimming today.

Read one and 1/5 novels. Went "human bowling" between the library and the ASB. Well, actually, I just watched. I met one of my future roommates. Had a nice chat with Matt's little brother about careers and the military. Had a nice chat convincing Matt that he's "lovable". Now I'm going back to my novel and eventually to bed. Laurie asked me if I'm nervous for finals. No.

Yesterday: read one and 4/5 novels. Left my class early to read. Went to the hot tub with Kyra. Hung out with Josh. Went to bed (I spent most of the day reading).

Some guy in the hot tub: Bakersfield... Utah? Josh: Jezzebels, keeping me up late. Susie and Kyra: Hey! Josh: Adorable Jezzebels.

Today: Food. Pool. I really don't have anything else to do.

Got a letter from Elder Whitney today (and yesterday) and also a letter of acceptance into my major. I talked to Travis a couple of times today and I noticed he remembered the author of the books I'd been reading. Stacy, Laurie and I were talking earlier about the things that we remember. Interesting.

I'm going home next Wednesday, after my finals. My roommates and I were just discussing at Happy Thought the concept of Provo as home. Like everyone else, I never thought I'd miss Provo. I guess this is just where the party's at.

Today was full of reading and flirting at the pool. I got invited to go to three different movies I didn't want to see, so I ended up staying home and, of course, reading. I'm on page 202 of the eighth book in the past week. Michelle and I bought some expensive ice cream (our mutual favorite is mint chip, but we decided for chocolate fudge brownie swirled with cherry garcia). Kyra: Oh, you guys are eating ice cream... Are you okay?

John, to Susie, looking through rose-colored bat glasses (a Happy Meal toy): You look good in pink. Laurie, cheering Susie on about a 69 cent box of Rice-a-Roni: Way to splurge, way to splurge!

Tomorrow I'm supposed to go on a date in the afternoon and we have the ward basketball tournament I am supporting in the morning. Then I'll probably read and chill at the pool some.

I went for a walk this morning. Then I read some Harry Potter. Then Jon and I finally went on our date. We went to Bridal Veil Falls and I learned how to ride a bike. It was really fun and I made him late to work. I didn't go swimming today and I still kinda want to and I still could but I think I'm just going to curl up with Harry Potter some more.

Also, Shelley called and asked if I'd go to the fair with her and her date, so I called Josh and invited him and begged Kyra to come along. The county fairs I've been to in Utah somehow don't quite measure up to the Kern County Fair. Not hardly. Our fair has rides and games and 500x more animals (although I did get to pet a llama) and tons and tons of exhibits and contests and such. This fair... didn't.

I don't think it'd normally be a problem that I'm moving, cleaning, taking my finals, and driving to California all on the same day. Except that day is Wednesday and I haven't started studying or packing yet. Ack!

John and I had an interesting heart-to-heart tonight. Kevin told me I looked tan. I asked two people to marry me. One said ok, the other (later and unrelatedly; he originally said he had to pray about it) told me he couldn't marry someone who was still in bed at 10 on a Sunday morning. I'm looking forward to going home this week, if I make it there alive.

I remember now, having just finished the fourth Harry Potter book last night, that is the one whose ending bothers me. I remember thinking it gets too much into the next book. Really, it just leaves with too much plot up in the air. I hate how Snape gets sent off to do something and we don't know what. I hate how Sirius gets sent away. I hate how we now feel suspicious about Cornelius Fudge. I hate how Harry gets sent back to live with those awful Muggles again (although my suspicions are that he will do so every summer regardless). I hate how... well that's about it really.

Long day but I can't remember much of anything I did. The rest of my stuff is getting packed now, including my computer, and I'm all ready to drive to California tomorrow (though not so ready for the two finals I have to take first). I can't wait to be home and see my family again!

My finals went well (took me about 45 minutes total) as did my drive to California. Now Zochi (Xochitl), who is a little kitty!, Joe and I are chilling while Mom has an Activities Committee.

Comments on my drive... Whenever I tell people I'm from Bakersfield and they say, oh the place with the big thermometer? (which read 115 when I went by) I say, no that's Baker. Whenever I tell people I'm from Bakersfield and they say, oh I know where that is, or oh I've been through there, I say, you're probably thinking of Baker. And I'm usually right.

Hmm. there is "stuff" on my bed (I think it's sewing, or maybe just my bed covers are all messed up) and I can't play the piano because of the meeting. And I'm kinda hungry. I said the word "sper" yesterday, I couldn't tell what language it was.

um. I think I'm going to Texas tomorrow.

Ok, so I'm in Texas. I feel the need to relate the drive up with Joe to our Texas roadtrip (don't have the ability to find the link right now) for Alyson's wedding a couple years back. Here are some dumb signs I saw.

Form one line (Texas). Nathan and his brother (Everett) decided with me that it's because people are too stupid to learn what Merge means. Don't touch power lines! (Billboards throughout New Mexico). We found it somewhat scary they felt the need to warn people. Also, once upon a time Leonard and I decided that there could be no better way to phrase Gusty winds may exist but on my drive to California on Wednesday, I saw Gusy wind area, which I felt was much better. Also: Kabuki a Japanese restaurant.

So... I'm in Texas. Kinda random. I spent last night trying to insist that I'm no longer the kind of person who randomly drives to a different state. Unfortunately, the fact that I woke up in Utah Wednesday, California Thursday, New Mexico Friday and Texas this morning hindered my disputing.

I'm having fun though. We played minature golf today at a place with little animals, kinda like a zoo except they weren't real animals and I don't know any zoos with that many elephants or giraffes. I somehow made three hole-in-ones, although I lost overall with 52 points.

Well, I don't know what else to say. I'm staying here (at Nate's house, near Dallas) until Thursday when I'm flying back to California. I'm probably going to stay home longer than I planned to have some more time with my mommy, although I was supposed to move out of my apartment today. Hehe. Yeah, dispite any arguments I may give my randomness has not gone down since my freshman year. In fact, it may have even gotten worse (better??)

Having fun. Today we went to see Men in Black II, I thought it was really funny and cute. I think I liked it better than the first one, but for totally different reasons. I fell asleep reading four or five times today. We went to Kathy's band practice, which was interesting, mom called me *hug* and we went to ice cream and sat in the parking lot waiting for Everett to get off work.

Did I mention I was having fun? I think we (Nate and I) are driving to Dallas tomorrow, just to see what we can see and do what we can do.

Today we went to Dallas. We went to the top of the largest building (the 69th floor) and everyone was all dressed up and there were signs that said "members only" so we got back into the elevator and went back down. We walked over to the Reunion Tower and then turned around and walked all the way back and ate lunch and then walked all the way back again and went to the top, after I stopped feeling sick from lunch. We didn't take the stairs down, although I wanted to, because there was a big fat "tresspasers will be prosecuted" sign painted on the stairwell, and it's Texas, I didn't want to be shot. Also got a parking ticket for not paying, although we paid. Jerks.

Got an email saying my ecclesiastical endorsement (the second one for this year!) is invalid. Again, jerks. Tomorrow... Well I don't know what we're doing. But it's going to be fun! I am having fun here, can't believe it's already over. Back to school soon, bleh. Well, at least I'll get some time to recover at home first, and be with my mommy some. I love you mommy!

Went ice skating yesterday. I'm really sore today, from skating and from falling and from wearing the skates in the first place.

I just got home and I am so tired. I've only ben up 19 hours or so, and it's not like I've been doing anything but sometimes that's the most tiring.

Airplane Adventures First we went to the wrong airport. Are people really that dumb? Apparently, that would be us. Luckily it only took us 20 minutes to find and get to the correct one. I met a very interesting lady in ABQ. She had broken her ankle boarding a flight four hours earlier and was getting ready to try again. We had a long chat about love, life, and getting the most out of both. She was hilarious. I got randomly selected to be searched by two hilarious black ladies. One of them was setting the beeper off on the other girl's earring. When they asked me how old I was, I forgot. Is that unusual? Everything I was wearing beeped, right down to the gum wrapper in my pocket. Apparently, overalls aren't the best thing to wear to the airport.

Both of my flights arrived early, and luckily so did my mommy. Sat in lots of traffic, even after avoiding the 405, went to that yummy Chinese restaurant in Valencia, and spent three hours at a scrapbooking party, when I really wanted to be at home in bed.

Now I have finally excavated my bed *ok the cat just landed on my face* and I'm going to it.

Got a letter from Elder Fuller (probably a couple weeks ago). He got transfered to Moldova and it's hard to get letters out there, he says. Leonard is coming down this weekend. Hey Leonard, bring your Illuminati game so I can beat you!

Ok I've just been looking for something I thought I said about Elder Fuller on my weblog but it wasn't there so I am looking through old emails from Romania and finding lots of silly things. Dumitru improving "He also flat out told me he didn't want to play with the doll (well he shoke his head no)" (yeah that was an improvement), Costica being naughty "There is a kitty who lives at Section 2. most of the kids are afraid of it, which is probably a good thing. Costica isn't. He got into my bag and took a huge bite of my chocolate bar today. hehe. silly boy. I took him into the camera de joaca (playroom) for that." and Elder Rappleye having a hard day "Today Elder Rappleye, the branch president, called us and I answered and it was really weird to answer the phone and hear an american guy talking in english on the other end. I said "cool" when he told me who it was and he said that made his week, which had been horrible so far (it's monday) and I said 'well a missionary made me happy today so I thought I'd return the favor.' I think he figured out what I meant." Elder Rappleye is home from his mission and probably going to be back at BYU this fall. Weird. I don't even know his first name.

There's lots of funny things in all these emails I saved. I should probably put it all on my webpage and get rid of the emails, but that'd be too much effort. I never did find what I was looking for about Elder Fuller. It was something about the love advice he gave me and Kristen when we stayed at church until 900 after a baptism one night. I know it's written in my journal, which is packed somewhere in Utah (I'm not even sure where).

I've got lots to do today. Run errands with mommy, play the piano, fix my bed, scan some pictures, clean my bathroom, play the piano, sit in the hot tub, do laundry, play the piano. Tons.

Having fun. I'm trying my best to relax at hyperspeed since this is my whole vacation. Leonard and I have been goofing off. We sat in the hot tub last night talking about getting married, getting jobs and getting old. Today I have played the piano lots, although not enough, and tried on girly clothes. Just about all the clothes Rachel and I have left here are dresses since we each have 30 or so, and they're not the most versatile items of clothing. Yup, Rachel's got 27 dresses in her closet and I have 19. I think I have 11 at school. Why do we have so many dresses? I had over 50 in high school, but I'm getting better at getting rid of stuff I don't wear.

Life at Mom's Susie: Leonard and I were laughing at the Snickers in your fruit bowl. Mom: How do you know it's not fruit in the Snickers bowl?

Pretty Random Susie, she says on the way home from the BC potluck, when I finish telling some random story I can't even remember now. This is why I write down everything funny as it happens, although I get laughed at often; if I don't, noone will ever remember it and life is too funny for that.

Mom's new computer works! Go Leonard!!!

Bleh. Even though I got 9 hours of sleep last night, I look the way I always did in Romania. I spent four hours trying to get my (third) Ecclesiastical Endorsement, which was just a bit frustrating. Luckily that horror is (hopefully) over for good, since I won't be in school next year.

I am almost completely moved in and unpacked, mostly thanks to Kyra. we are so excited to be living together! Roommates are great. Everyone keeps telling us our room is cute, although it just looks messy to us.

Lisa called me on Sunday. She got her mission call! She is going to the Romania Bucuresti Mission (surprise). She lives in November, yay for her. Speaking of Romania, I had a letter from Doinita when I got here. She has adopted Michelle as one of her own children.

That's about it. I got called about a job but I was in some state which wasn't Utah at the time. I asked for another chance. Ok, Kyra and I are going to run tons of errands now. She hasn't been shopping since I left!!! And we have a severe need of bookends in our room.

I forgot how boring Provo can be.

Random Airport Announcement: Passengers must avoid transporting items without their knowledge. I'm not sure why I thought that was so funny. VW liscense plate holder on the car in front of us on I10: "Since 1911" Mom: I didn't know cars were invented before 1915. Susie: Maybe that's why it's in quotes. Mom: *May not have actually been since 1911.

Today I went to my first ever BYU football game. It was pretty exciting. We won. We got 65,500 other people to do the wave. I yelled and jumped up and down and sang the fight song a lot. For some reason I am incredibly tired and my body aches. It's more of a soreness ache (who knows why) than a sickness ache though, which is good news.

Lots of sleep tonight, I want to make pretzels tomorrow and I may go to a movie with Collette. Oh, and I finally got my registration hold cleared *yay!*

Kyra, Nathan and I made pretzels today. Lots of them. Including some we forgot about at the end that look chocolate-dipped. Last night Carrie (one of my roommates) choked on a fly while being walked home by a boy. Tonight, ten minutes after he was supposed to pick her up, she spilled half a bottle of red nail polish on the counter, sink, and her hands. Julie and I had a fun time trying to clean it up while she tried to get it off her hands. It was really really funny though. I still laugh out loud when I think about Carrie choking on a fly.

Today I lay in bed reading, took a nap, sat around, went over to Nathan's with Shelley and sat around some more, ate some chocolate, and then Shelley and I went in the hot tub. Now I'm clean and exhausted and going to lie in bed some more. Church at 9 tomorrow, I'm pretty happy about the new time.