Sunday, September 16, 2012

In Which I Enjoy Food, Dancing, and the Company of Friends

What a full two days!

Friday morning was luxuriously slow and was entirely wasted in getting ready for the day: showering, eating breakfast, shaving my legs. That sort of thing.

My day really began at noon with a devotional commemorating the fifth anniversary of the dedication of the Tempe Institute. I sat with Shantel, Kira, and the inimitable Amanda, who seems to have a special talent for making me laugh.

After the free tostadas provided for those who attended the devotional, I went to Walmart, still all dressed up in church clothes, where I overheard two little girls admiring my silver heels.

I spent most of the afternoon baking homemade macaroni and cheese for a house of boys who frequently let me hang out with them until 2 in the morning and are constantly feeding me PopTarts and reverse-engineered Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. I though it was time to give a little something back, especially to Drew, who has become like a brother to me. Seriously, it's Facebook official. I suspect the boys are going to spend the next week hiding the leftovers from each other. *ahem* Matt.

Around 9, Drew, Matt, and I met up with a group of friends at Paragon, which is this amazing dance place. It's hours upon hours of nothing but Latin, ballroom, and swing. I got to practice some of the dances I've been learning in my dance class this semester (that's a thing that I'm doing) and learn the basics of some new ones. I'm pretty sure I rocked the cha-cha. My teacher's certainly spent enough time on it in class. I mean, would the world end if he taught us a little more waltz? It's not fair that, in all the weeks school's been in session, he's only spent half an hour on the dance that has more than lived up to all my wildest expectations. Not that the cha-cha's not awesome. I love you, cha-cha. We stayed until midnight.

This morning, I was woken up around 10:30 by someone small and furry scratching on my door and whining. When I finally let the princess in, she lay on my floor and panted for three hours. That dog is such a prima donna. Someone mowing the lawn is no reason to spaz out.

Productivity today comprised of renewing my library card and getting in touch with my bank.

Around five, I headed over to the Institute once again for Laura's baptism. I was incredibly honored that she asked me to come early and to be with her and help her every step of the way. I love you, meimei. I'm so, so happy for you, and this paragraph inadequately conveys that.

After the baptism, a group of us went over to Laura's apartment. We played a game of Swedish twister (it's difficulty to explain without demonstrating) and watched Megamind and Secondhand Lions. Goodness, I love that last one! I'm kind of unreasonably proud that I was able to quote the last scene for those who hadn't seen it before after the disc messed up. I think I rushed my delivery, though. Oh, well.

It's been a good weekend.

Listening to: Secondhand Lions
Reading: Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

Friday, September 7, 2012

Sometimes It's Lovely to Talk About the Weather

Things I love:

1. That feeling in the air before a storm comes in. Like the way it felt last night. I just wanted to sit on the edge of the pool with my feet in the water for hours, eyes closed, letting the sweet air permeate my skin.

2. Thunder crackling through a slate grey sky and vibrating the most primal little pieces of your soul.

3. The first raindrops unexpectedly popping on the roof and sending shivers all along your spine.

4. Playing in puddles.

5. Petrichor, i.e. the way the earth smells after the rain. It comes from Latin petra, meaning rock, and ichor, the golden blood of the gods of Olympus. "Blood of the rock." I imagine Amortentia would smell a lot like petrichor to me.

Mmmm...

Listening to: "Storm Warning" by Hunter Hayes
Reading: Batman: Year One by Frank Miller