Wednesday, September 29, 2010

autumny food and other ramblings

ok, random question: do you say autumn when talking about the space of time between mid-September and mid-November? Or do you take the easy way out and say "fall"? Personally, I dig saying "autumn." I think that it could be an onomotopoeia, if it really wanted to. You know what that means, right? It's when the word itself sounds like the meaning, er...something like that. Autumn sounds like autumn. Are you all in agreement?

I just wanted to say a little somethin' about autumn. Because it's almost October (!!!) and I already miss this time of year. Strange because it's not over yet. It's kinda like in November, right around Thanksgiving time, when you start to miss Christmas even though it hasn't happened yet, because you know that it's going to come and go just like that. Then you'll miss it.

recently I have been perusing my favorite food blogs, and they are full of recipes like roasted vegetable soup, pumpkin waffles, and apple cake. They kinda, sorta, make my eyes water out of sheer longing. Uhh, that made zero sense. But you get my drift, right? My chilly, crisp, autumny drift. Sorry, I just had to say it.

After class today I decided to try my hand at roasting nuts. I've never done it before. Queue (cue?) the sad music. I burnt them. All. Well, all of them that fit into an 9x9 pan. If you know me, you know how much I love nuts. And to sacrifice them to the Heat Miser gods, well, that just made me wish for Friday to come faster.

Friday is the day I go back to Utah. I intend on not only watching conference while eating aforementioned pumpkin waffles/pancakes, but I also plan on taking a drive up Alpine Loop and maybe buying some more nuts (sad face yet again).

How are you going to spend this weekend?
btw, it's hump day. Hump day=Wednesday=halfway through the week.

here's a few of my autumny-eye-candy favorites via the interestingness.



best for last. mmm-hmmm.

Monday, September 27, 2010

it's monday. you know what that means.

this is me. this is courtney (see item #4). circa november 2008.

  1. getting in an epic car wreck (it was my FHE bro's fault...don't worry mom) and living through it. cuz now i get to sing "I'mma survivor! I'mma survivor!" with more empathy. I've always wanted to sing Beyonce with more empathy.
  2. A certain movie known as "The Emperor's New Groove." It's, like, 10 years old. And, like, so am I, apparently.
  3. speaking Spanish with an RM who went to Portugal and teaching him Spanish. In all my life, I never thought I would teach a return missionary a language. W to the hoa (and I now realize that when I separated that word it sounded wrong. oh well).
  4. sittin on courtney gopp's bed with courtney gopp talking to courtney gopp about freshman year. in case you were wondering, it was a good year. er...three months. need proof? here's a little memory from my first week in rexburg.
  5. this talk, probably the most amazing talk ever. until this weekend when i contradict that statement. um, yeah, just read it.
  6. peanut butter toast. why do i talk about peanut butter so much? ok, let's nix this one. yeah, i even made a tag just for peanut butter, how pathetic am I?
  7. having home teachers for the first time in 2 years.
  8. taking off my socks before i go to bed. better yet, taking a shower before i go to bed. that way my pillow is wet from my recently shampoo'd hair, not sweat. sorry for the graphic details. it's strangely hot in rexburg right now. nothing to do with me, i swear. wink-wink.
  9. not just winning, but dominating at the game "i have never," thus earning the title of "loser who has not done/experienced anything, but thanks for being my friend anyway." :)
  10. FRIDAY=UTAH! (i know this has nothing to do with monday. but hey, you can't have fridays without mondays. now go find some lesson in that statement.)
love, mcfrenzizzle-brizzle-izzle...
(that trend of adding "izzle" onto the end of things,
it never worked for me. hmm.)


Friday, September 24, 2010

it comes and goes in waves

{hello, good morning}

This morning when I headed off into the sunrise on my bicycle I made sure that 1) I was fully awake and 2) that it was really Friday. I could tell I was awake because my bike was moving, strangely...and I knew it was Friday because people walking to class were smiling more than usual.

On Sunday I had a strong feeling. If you read my blog a lot, you know I get this feeling a lot. A lot a lot a lot. Well, this time I felt like I needed to start studying my scriptures earlier. Much earlier. For most of my life I've done it before bedtime.

You see, for the entire first week of school I felt like I wasn't getting as much out of my scribber study as I could. Sometimes you think you are doing the best you can, when really you are only doing the "good" or the "better" part. My professors were inadvertently dropping hints about the merits of early mornings all week. So I knew what I had to do. Not to mention that other member of the Godhead. Sometimes He is persistent.

On Monday morning, the alarm went off at 5:30 AM. As of last week, "AM" just stood for "A Mistake," and I went back to sleep. But not this time, baby. I've been going for 5 days now and I can truly say that it was the best move I've made in a long time. However, none of the credit should go to me.

The amazing thing about getting up this early is the effect it has on the rest of my day. I don't usually need a nap, even though on days that I got up at 6:30 just to get ready for school, no scripture study included, I needed a nap. Now I get up an hour earlier and I don't need no nap. Better yet, I pay attention pretty well in my classes and actually participate. Imagine that.

On Monday, day one, my journal entry looked like this:

"Here's what happened today as a result of this amazing thing called fervent scripture study:

I got everything+then some done on my To-Do list in a good amount of time; managed time wisely
Was able to understand what went on in Spanish class, and I liked it
Asked the right questions
Ate healthy, exercised, no problem, mon
Went to work and loved it--did I mention I have 7 students and I got a raise?!
Wanted to smile at everyone and I think I did...
Couldn't litter...haha. "My conscience was pricked" as the gum wrapper fell...
Rode my bike uphill to class and smiled for most of it
Acted like my crazy self, and that's OK
Gave a spiritual thought for FHE which really wasn't from me, if you know what I mean
less sarcastic, more loving
got on the Jamba Juice wall! Alright, this has nothing to do with my morning scripture study. I just had to say it.
High self-esteem
More sincere prayers
Made my bed! This is epic for sure. "

some habits come and go in waves.

we stop biting our nails off, but we keep chewing them.
we give up sugar, but not chocolate (yeah, right).
we resolve to make more friends, but then we just smile at people.
the gym fills up in january, then gradually empties by march.
we say our morning prayers, but then by friday we're sleeping through them.
every week we promise to remember Him, to take upon us His name, but every week we have to be reminded again.

it's ok, because it's human nature.

But I also know that our Creator intended for us to become something. We're made from the same mold as diety. Remember? So we should be able to do this kind of stuff, getting up at 5:30.

I'm pretty sure God is a morning person, anyway.

Let's hope this habit comes and stays.

Monday, September 20, 2010

happy list monday


i hereby start a new tradition....and i shall call it "happy list monday" and it shall be mine. (also, did you notice i am not capitalizing my "i's" like normal?! this is about as much rebellion as I can muster.)

  1. the smell of pumpkin bread in october (it has to be october, ok?)
  2. blowing bubbles with gum while simultaneously riding bike uphill to class
  3. sitting under a tree to study and having leaves fall onto your books
  4. the smell of the taylor building (it smells like Temple Square, HONEST)
  5. getting up at 5:30 (!!!) just to read scriptures...I think maybe I could become a morning person after all.
  6. putting on that edible lip gloss just so you can eat it (what? I get hungry)
  7. ripping the "frazz" off of notebook paper and rolling it up into little balls
  8. sneezing a bunch of times on the 2nd floor of the library (it's the quiet zone, so people glare at you more for breathing loudly. it's fun.)
  9. homemade guacamole, need I say más?
  10. becoming friends with siblings of people you met freshman year who are now on missions. co-inky-dinks galore!
  11. talking to mom on the phone
  12. finding out that my roommate also applied to go to Mexico and also got accepted to Puebla. like WHOA!
  13. sitting in the art gallery, just for kicks.
  14. having people not-so-subtly try to read this over my shoulder and imagining what they would write on their happy list
mondays really get too much flack. and guess what?

I don't even know what that phrase means.

anyway, make a happy list and the
badical-ness of Monday will soon fade away.

lurv, mcfrenzy

Friday, September 17, 2010

i am the one who....


...who only eats french fries if they're burnt.

...who loves to ride her bike all over the place.

...who can't sleep in past 9 when I'm in school.

...who looks at this website regularly for inspiration.

...who has always lived within {at the most} 2 hours of a temple.

...who has red hair in the summer, brown hair in the winter.

...who sometimes listens to Yo-Yo Ma to go to sleep.

...who cooks without recipes (sometimes it works, other times not so much).

...who is afraid of car accidents, natural disasters, and big hairy spiders on the ceiling.

...who regularly listens to classic rock with that Yo-Yo Ma. Mm-hm.

...who is in a Spanish class full of return missionaries and sometimes doesn't have a clue what's going on.

...who normally wears a t-shirt and basketball shorts around the house.

...who shreds the ivory for Relief Society and recreation purposes.

...who also likes to shred--really shred--on snow.

...who isn't above drinking milk straight from the jug.

...who likes getting up early on Saturday morning when everyone else is asleep and making breakfast.

...who drives her car with the windows down and the music turned up really loud on road trips.

...who thinks that nothing is more beautiful than the entire stretch of coastline that runs along Highway 101.

...who wants to keep her freckles for-ev-er.

...who still watches Disney movies for my own entertainment.

...will take rain over snow any day.

...who really loves grocery shopping at Costco. Especially on Saturdays (you know why).

...whose eyes water when she's scared.

...who wants to learn to play the guitar someday really soon (Gabby if you're reading this, teach me!!)

...who currently knows one song on the harmonica, but can improvise if I really want.

...who thinks ice cream is the greatest invention since the wheel and the written word.

...who can easily get stuck in a book for hours and lose track of time...and the need to use the bathroom. Just kidding! Almost got you, huh?

...who should probably stop writing this post before you get bored. But I really like writing on this blog.


...who is an English major but still loves to learn about the body, history, languages, and music.

...who, like my madre, can't go to bed with dirty feet. Not in a tent, not in my apartment, not ever.

...who thinks Adam and Eve were onto something when they invented camping.

...who has been a pizza-saucer, a sandwich-builder, a late-night custodian, a tutor, a babysitter for 1-6 kids, and a full-time student.

...who would also try crab-fishing in the Arctic ocean, whitewater rafting in the Colorado River, cage-diving with sharks, and surfing the pipeline on the North Shore.

...whose hair, since birth, has been a little bit cuh-razy.

...who will put peanut butter/almond butter on almost anything (including carrots).

okay, seriously, I"ll stop now. I'm just avoiding homework.

peace, love, and hawaii.

{how's that for a parting shot?}

Saturday, September 11, 2010

talk about an overachiever

Folks, I've done it again.

When I was in middle school, we had to do a project for my social studies class. It involved researching a country in Europe of our choosing and basically learning everything there was to learn about it. We had to make ourselves a travel itinerary using well-known sites within the country, give a speech on what it's like to live there, and make a culinary masterpiece from the country. I chose Sweden because, well, have you looked at me lately?

(there's white, and then there's Kenzie)

Back to my Sweden story. Another part of the project was to make a full-size map of the country and color it, complete with major rivers, cities, landmarks, and mountains. Most of the students used crayons (like any normal student would do, and I really wanted to be one of them sometimes) and did a pretty basic map. But not me, oh no. I had to use sharpie to outline Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Then I used watercolor paints to paint it all, including the ocean (which took up a major part of the map). When I brought it to class on the day it was due, I didn't think much of it. Using paints made it way easier to color. I figured other people would have thought of that.

Wrong-o.

I lived up to my overachiever reputation once again, one which I didn't think I'd worked too hard to get. I've just always done my best on school projects. Just the way I am, I guess. But honestly, people, I don't try to be number one. I'm not a competitor. So my "110%" is actually just normal for me. It's not monumental to go above and beyond. I hope this doesn't sound cocky...

So when I signed up for the Rolling Hills Classic in Rexburg exactly 2 months ago, I was skeptical.

I'm not a competitor, so racing??? I actually paid money to run for 6 miles?

Race day was today. It's been rainy and cold for the past few days, so I was worried my first experience of racing (since running x-country 5 years ago) would be wet, which equals major chafing.

If you don't know what chafing is, just imagine scraping the inside of your leg with a fine-toothed comb until it starts bleeding.

I woke up this morning (actually, as you can probably guess, I was already awake...sleepless night for McFrenzy) feeling pretty ansy. I ate an apple, toast with peanut butter, and drank a little bit of water. The sun was shining, the sky perfectly clear. One less thing to worry about (just remember the fine-toothed comb...).

My old roommate Courtney and her friend Abby signed up yesterday, which was not only crazy-spontaneous but also really awesome for my morale.

After the 1st mile, the route started to curve uphill, which I expected (hence the name Rolling Hills Classic). But the hill didn't end. It kept going, and going, and when I got to the 5K turnaround, I almost said, "Hmmm, that looks like a nice idea for the sake of my lungs." But I didn't. I kept going, alllll the way up past the temple, past the water tower, to the end of what is probably President Clark's neighborhood. At the turnaround, the volunteers told me I was more than halfway done. That seemed about right.

That's when my burst of adrenalin kicked in. I started feeling good (minus those pesky blisters that live on my feet), and it helped that the rest of the course was downhill. I got back to the bottom of the temple and the cones hadn't moved, so of course I went back the way I had come, down the curvy hill. It was the longest 6 miles I'd ever run, and I've never even run 6 miles.

As I crossed the finish line, people were walking away with their medals and bread and bananas. Lots of people still cheered for me, though, which felt good because I felt like I had gone a tortoise's pace.

But wait...it gets better. If you're still reading this, I commend you for waiting until the sort-of climactic ending.

Courtney asked me if I had gone straight down the hill from the temple. I thought, "Straight down past the temple? You mean it was that easy?"

Yep. I went an extra mile. 7.4 miles, on accident.

So I'd like to echo what I said when I signed up for this race: what have I done?

Hot dog, I just ran 7.4 miles on accident! That made my piece of bread and 1/2 banana so much tastier. I would also like to put in a plug for running "naked," which is runner's lingo for running without music. I thought about taking my iPod with me this morning, even made a playlist, but I knew I'd do much better without headphones in my ears. Even if it is Queen singing "We are the champions."

Oh yeah, and did I mention I got a t-shirt? Without holes in the armpits, thank you.
if you'll excuse me, I shall now sleep all day.
-mcfrenzy-

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

tirrred, and fall is coming

Nope, I didn't get hit with those round, black rubber things attached to your vehicle.

I'm just on my bed in Rexburg, waiting out until Thursday. And I'm tired.

Thursday is the day of reckoning, a.k.a. the first day of school.

I have my first class at 8 in the morning. On Friday, it will start at 7:45 with (gulp) Spanish 325...phonetics and conversation. Phonetics? In Spanish? Chyeah, right. Whose idea was that anyway? Oh yeah, mine.

So far I have been seen by exactly 76-ish members of the opposite sex without makeup. That's because this morning when I woke up, I didn't want to "get ready" per se. Mom, please don't shudder. Not yet. Because I did get dressed...but it was a tie-dye t-shirt. And I did do something with my hair. But I did not wash it. Gah! I can't believe I'm even admitting this on the world wide web.

Anyway. Chelsea and I got to campus and all of a sudden every guy I knew came out of the woodwork. Embarrassing. At least now I have pretty much nothing to hide. P.S. how would you define "prospect"? Because I would have to say that any prospect of mine will have to see me without makeup before any rings go flying. Just sayin'. That's future reference, by the way, don't get any ideas.

I also spent a few zillion dollars on textbooks. Let me rephrase that. I spent a zillion dollars on pieces of paper with access codes on them. I never thought I'd pay $40 for a rub-off sticker. But such is life when you are in college. All of a sudden, all that money you spent disappears into a grocery store till, or a bookstore salesperson's hands, or into the college vault which holds all of our tuition. Even though I'd like to think money doesn't mean much, I've come to realize that it means a heck of a lot when you go to la universidad.

Despite this exhaustion from simply settling in, I am glad to be back here. Here's what I expect from this semester:

A trip to Big Jud's, finally
lots of jaunts to Badger Creek
bike rides on the Mongoose
a few roommate bonding sessions
running. a lot of running
ivory-shredding in the Snow Building
mind-blowing study sessions in the library
some interesting tutoring stories...
figuring out a faster way to get to the top of campus
shaking devotional speakers' hands
keeping my freckles intact by getting some lamp-time (the sun will be gone soon...)
not sleeping much
amazing classes
lots of new friends
even more funny, sad, interesting, and random blog posts

sincerely,
the mcfrenzy

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

families are forever...








betcha thought this was gonna be deep, huh?