The Maltese Falcon

... "the, uh, stuff that dreams are made of."




So, I guess instead of dreaming about what my life is going to be like, I'm at the point in my life where I'm living my dreams. It's crazy. It's a lot scarier and more surreal than I thought it would be: I submitted my first story to a magazine yesterday. I don't expect it to get published or anything, it's not something I'm too proud of and the topic was way lame that they gave me, but it's a start. I'm ACTUALLY doing it... or attempting to at least. Wow. I guess I can't say "when I grow up" anymore... unless we're talking about maturity levels...

Barf.

So, I really like my new ward this semester. They are all really close, but still really welcoming to new people. That being said, there are still some things that make me want to vomit in the way that only LDS Singles Wards can. There's too many to just casually list here, so I'll just share my recent favorite. It's an email that all of the girls recieved earlier this week regarding the Lesson that will be taught today in Relief Society:

Hi everyone!

This is just a reminder to read the lesson before church on Sunday. We will be discussing chapter 2 from the Joseph Smith manual. To those of you who think reading the manual before the lesson is optional, I invite you to think of how it will look in the Book of Life that you skipped out reading the only chapter of the next two years entitled "God the Eternal Father".

Happy reading.

-Your friendly rs teacher,
Melissa Moorhead

"If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend
themselves."
-Joseph Smith
(manual page 40)

I hope everyone read. I'd hate to have someone go to Hell all on account of they didn't read a chapter in the manual... luckily I have my "friendly rs teacher" to keep me on the right path... Happy Sunday!

Dark Crystal Dead at Age 26

At approximately 11:30 PM Mountain Time on Thursday, February 7, 2008, The Dark Crystal was eaten by the VCR player located in the Orem condo. Loved ones at the scene did everything they could to save the victim, but all attempts failed. Those who knew Dark Crystal are extremely saddened by this unexpected tragedy, yet want to remember Dark Crystal for all the good it did while in this world... RIP Dark Crystal.

Professor Coldheart Must have been from Provo.

It is FREEZING up in Utah. I can't wait for summer. But until then, I'll have what fun I can...

I finally met Lily! (I promise I'm in there somewhere beneath the mane.)


And I finally was reunited with my Boo-Boos!


Family Picture.


Dancing to N*Sync on the way up to Utah.


Dad got into the photoshoot Paige and I were having. This is my FAVORITE picture ever. Bar none.


I've got a pretty vogue family. (Christmas Eve Pajamas)


There's a unicycler that rides around campus and Emily and I met him! Haha.


COLD night. Cami and Emily made me go night sledding with them, but first we drove around for 2 hours and then got to dig somebody's truck out of the snow... it was lots of fun...


My friend, Christian, was in a Guitar Hero Competition on campus and I made a tattoo to wear to the thing so that he'd feel like a real rockstar.


We decided to do a five-way feeding at Whitney's birthday party...


Whitney's Birthday.


Quite possibly the best Christmas Present EVER. It's a real hit up here. (The present is the Elvis cut out, not my friend, Beaver.)

Quick China Wrap-Up

So, I did some pretty fun things right at the end of my trip this time. I went to a place called Sanya which is like the Chinese Hawaii. I also went to Hong Kong Disneyland! Then I said goodbye to my friends and kids and hopped on a plane headed for America. It was hard to leave, but good to get home.

Here I am at Monkey Island... with a monkey on my head.


Parasailing!


Hong Kong Disneyland!


Look at that mullet! ... and the woman next to the mullet picking her nose.


The last time the 6 of us were all together was in Taiwan.


This is prominently displayed at the front of the school. In case you can't tell, it's my picture with a very authentic Chinese-written paragraph "by me"...



The local kids caught up with me as I was leaving for Hong Kong to say goodbye to me. Hebe (tall one in the pink) took the keychain off of her key ring and gave it to me as a parting gift. Such sweethearts!


Saying bye to Gong Laoshi (my Taiji master) was probably the hardest goodbye for me... except for my Little Lucas.


Bam!


Little Lucas picking a song off my song chart.


Closing preformance for the parents. Our kids did an AMAZING job.


Nigel, Lucas and Me. One of my favorite pictures!