Habits

I love watching people.

Sometimes, though, I watch myself. I'll catch myself doing something, and wonder why in the world I'm doing it. Not that what I'm doing is stupid or bad, but quite often, it's strange. What are some of these quirks, you may ask?

1. I talk to myself. I know everyone does this, but I'm not quite sure if most other people do it to the extent that I do. Most people probably make statements to themselves (I can only assume what others do, because it's not often that I'm in someone else's head). I do the same, but then I find myself explaining my statements. To myself. As if I didn't already understand them.
For example, the other day I was in the shower, where I find I talk to myself the most. I took more shampoo than I needed, but used it anyway. Then I proceeded to explain to myself that people only ever do things on purpose or on accident, and then I tried to decide whether me taking too much shampoo was on purpose or on accident, only to decide that it was purposefully an accident. See, I'd meant to take too much (which will be discussed in a bit), but I didn't anticipate so much coming out of the bottle. An accident, only on purpose...I still don't think I've managed to figure this one out yet. However, that is your small insight into the workings of my mind.
Now, this explaining doesn't happen on a rare basis. It happens daily. Multiple times a day. But that's just me.

2. As mentioned earlier, I always take too much shampoo. I know how much I need, but for some reason, I always take and use more than that amount.

3. Whenever I go to open a door, if at all possible, I will use my left hand. Don't ask me why.

4. If I'm listening to music, or have a song going in my head, I play the song with my fingers, like I'm playing the piano. My mom used to call it my tic, and I've done it since I was in high school. I never think about it, until someone asks me what I'm doing, to which I usually respond along the lines of, "I'm playing...the...song...? Don't ask."

5. Sometimes, when I'm really concentrating, I drool. It usually happens when I'm playing the piano. I just get so focused, and then next thing I know...*slurp!* I usually catch myself before anyone notices, but it happens on fair occasion.

6. When I'm cold, I put my hands in my armpits. Most people think that it's weird, but I say it's effective! I know, it reminds people of the movie Superstar, and they expect me to start smelling my hands or something. But I don't really sweat that bad, nor do I like the smell of sweat/B.O., so that's not what I'm going for.

I love discovering these things about me. It's like, even though I've been living with me for almost 21 years now, there's still stuff that I don't know about me, or that I surprise myself with! Most people who know me know that I'm not very predictable. And now you know it's not just you I surprise; it's myself, too!

P.S. If you've noticed me doing things that I'm probably not thinking about, but that could potentially be amusing, you should tell me! Like I said, I love learning these things about me. :)

Another addition to the list!

I had forgotten about the dynamics of a home ward. In student wards, you usually don't have the crazy old ladies, like the one who sings opera style every hymn so that everyone can hear her, or the one who tells stories for her Sunday School lesson that may or may not be a little sketchy, or the one who had brain surgery and says things at times that may be just a little inappropriate.
Or you have the old men falling asleep, and even the middle-aged men. And the young men, now that I think about it...
And actual 12 year-old deacons passing the sacrament, with 16 year-old priests blessing it!
And last, but not least, the noisy girls in the back row. The ones who are always laughing. I'll always fit in with those girls, whether they be 14 or 40. And now I know where I got it from - my mother. :)

Another thing that I love is how my niece says, "Grandpa". Somehow it turns out sounding like "Frawmpuh," and it makes me laugh every time. Kid has the cutest voice, I swear.

Also, just as a documentation of my life, I almost ran over a beaver the other night! I was driving home (it was actually about 3:30 AM; I was driving home from the Harry Potter premier) and I came around a corner, and it was crossing the street in the middle of my lane! I couldn't completely swerve and miss it, so I just aimed the middle of my car right over the top of it. I don't think I hit it, but that had to be quite a terrifying experience for the poor little guy. I'm not 100% sure it was a beaver, because it was rather small, but it was either that, or a very wet mole. I choose beaver. But cool to see, all the same!

Love it!

I love being home.

Why?

I couldn't make a list that long. But here's a few reasons, which are hardly comprehensive, but do scratch the surface.

-Lakes. Oh, the lakes. And no pools! Getting home from swimming and *not* smelling like chlorine is glorious. Not only that, but the lakes are absolutely gorgeous.

-Driving home at night (in my car, by myself, another thing I love) and seeing a raccoon cross the street. Don't see that in Provo. Love it, even though I hate coons. Ha ha

-Watching my dad with his dogs. I love seeing people do something they love, and my dad is such a passionate person. He loves working with his dogs, which makes me happy. :)

-The sound of my niece laughing. Although she's not always here when I'm here, she is this time. And she has the cutest laugh!

-Time. Relaxing. Both of which I don't get a lot of back in Provo. Oh, and the whole "hardly any responsibilities" thing. I don't have to go to work! I still have roughly a week left, and I can't imagine going back to work.

-Old friends. I was talking to one of my best friends and realized that he knew me back in the days of my blonde hair. In fact, most of the people here have known me that long. I don't think there are more than 10 people in Provo who have seen me with blonde hair. It's just nice to know that I go back so far with someone, and that I'm still in constant contact with him.

-Talking with my mom. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm always talking to my mom, whether it be on the phone or texting, but it's so nice to be able to talk to her in person.

-Living in a house. It's so great to not be in an apartment. I don't have to worry about not stomping on the floor for fear that the people below us will hear, nor do I have to wonder what the strange sounds coming from the ceiling could possibly mean the people above us are doing. Not to mention having my own room (how I painted it in high school, and with an actual bedspread), my own bathroom, and a piano in my house!

-Not living in a college town! Not living in a big town! So much less traffic! Anything related to there being less people here, and the fact that the people who are here aren't 90% college students.

-Seeing my brother. I hardly get to talk to him, and he's been around a lot, which has been so great.

-Denny's! Triple Chocolate Meltdowns! Both of which I can get in Provo, but I can't get them with Travis there. :)

For now, that's it. I still have a week left here, so I'm sure this list will continue. Until next post, you can be jealous of how wonderfully blissful my life is.
:)

Not as angry as it sounds...*

Looks like we've got a lot to worry about. How long has this swine flu epidemic going on, and we're at 14 dead in the UK? Sounds like something to really be worried about.
Guess what? 301 people under the age of 15 alone died in the UK between 2000 and 2002 of cancer. Maybe we should be getting our priorities in line, here...

*Yeah, the title is a disclaimer. I know this post sounds angry, but I promise it's not. It was just something I was thinking about.

Surprise!

It feels like it's been forever, although it really hasn't been that long. A little over a week I guess.

I've been thinking lately about surprises. This won't come as a surprise (Heh. No pun intended) to at least one of you (you know who you are), but that person is the one who got me thinking about it. He asked me what has surprised me lately. My initial reaction: nothing.

But I decided to start looking for them. Not like looking out to be surprised, but more like looking back to see what surprised me. And what I've found is that much of what I now call surprises, I've always called tender mercies before. Maybe those aren't always surprising, per say, but it does surprise me just how much I see the Lord's hand in my life.

I could go on about all the things I've been surprised about, but I'm gonna go with just this one.

I'm surprised, every day, at how something so complex as the gospel can still be so simple. Sometimes I feel like there is so much to know, and that I need to find a way to find it all out. But then I realize...I know so much already! And the basics...that's really what it's all about, anyway. As long as you stick to the basics, the "complicated's" take care of themselves.

Just a random thought.