Biographies

Work is going well - as always. This week I didn't have Homework Help, so I got more time at the Reference desk and also more time to work on some of my projects. I have revamped the magazine labels - and I found pictures of original logos from the various magazines to use instead of just typing their titles in a Word Document. I even got to print in color - so they look way cute. I now have to work on my assigned section - the biographies. I just got reminded that besides shelf-reading, I also need to start weeding out old books. Man, that is going to be a big job!

Getting a Date

I bought this book from Deseret Book called "An LDS girl's guide to getting a date". Now, I'm not that desperate - but it looked like a little cute book and it was written by a BYU Professor. So far it's been pretty funny, and informative. Any way - I've been trying some of the techniques
(Animation, Closeness and Touch) on this guy in my ward. His name is Jim and he's a nerdy kind of guy - and he's pretty shy. I've talked to him a few times and he's perking up. My roommate noticed his attentiveness towards me and told me later that she thought he might have a crush on me - hmm, you never know! I'll keep you updated on any further developments!

December Window Display

Work is great as always. I have a core group of kids that come to my Homework help program each day. Actually, this week I had some new kids start coming, including a set of boy/girl twins from Turkey. We get to help with their ESL work. It's fun developing friendships with these kids - and I even have a few who come into the room who don't even have homework and just want to hang out with us. Awww, they like me! They really like me! (hehe) So, I took my turn to do the window display for December. The window it quite big, probably 5 feet across and like 10 feet high and it looks out to the little patio outside. It has great light during the day. So, I decided to do a little scene from the "The Night Before Christmas". Anna helped me brainstorm the idea. It's a fireplace hearth with a fire going and three stocking hanging from the mantle. Anna made the stockings for me and they are dang cute - one is argyle, one has stripes and the last one is checkered. Above and beneath the fireplace it says, "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.". I just finished putting the last of the words up and it turned out really cute and I've gotten lots of compliments on it. I did it! I'll take pictures to show it off - I'm proud of the finished product!

Assistant Manager?

I was talking to my boss before leaving work today and I mentioned that I heard that the Day-Riverside library had an opening for an Assistant Manager, and that someone had said that I should apply for it. Well Lisa, my boss, got excited and also said I should apply for the position. I am so nervous to do it! I requires some managerial experience, which I don't have much of, and 2 years of professional experience, which I don't have quite enough of either. Well, I'm going to apply anyway - you never know! I hear that they have quite a turnover at that branch, just because of all the kids and teens who hang out there. Lisa said I'm ideal because I have a background with children. I don't know - can you picture me being an Assistant Branch manager? My secret desire is to get a full-time promotion at my current job - but I don't know if that's a possibility. We'll see what the Lord has in store for me!

Elder Nelson

You'll never believe who came to our ward Christmas party on Monday evening. For the past two weeks they have been announcing this dinner and that this special speaker was coming, etc etc. Well, I put two and two together when I remembered that my bishop's father-in-law is Elder Russell M. Nelson. Well, I guessed right because he and his new wife were in the living room when I got to my bishop's house. I got to shake both of their hands - I wish I could remember Elder Nelson's handshake, but I was so nervous that I have now almost forgotten it. Anyway, they both spoke after dinner. Bishop introduced them, "Dad and Wendy", and told a funny story about when he was dating Elder Nelson's daughter. He was at their house, I think they were parked in the driveway and it was getting a bit late, and E. Nelson was flicking off and on the lights. Then E. Nelson came out and said to Bishop Miles, "Do you realize that you're still here?". I loved that! Sister Nelson spoke about answered prayers and Elder Nelson talked about Heavenly Father and the difference between immortality and eternal life. He used scriptures from Moses and John 17. I wish I could have taken notes - but I didn't even think to bring a notebook! It was a special evening. I guess that initially Elder Nelson declined the invitation to our Christmas dinner, saying that he doesn't usually talk at private settings like these. But, later Bishop went back and asked again, telling him that he was getting released in the new year. Elder Nelson agreed and we were all edified. Something Elder Nelson as he was closing really stuck out to me, "This is the Lord's work - I so testify..." Wow, an apostle's testimony - talk about powerful! What an opportunity! It was so surreal.

Thanksgiving and Chuck Norris

We had a low-key Thanksgiving, but I'll just add that it was great. I even made a pumpkin pie, following Grandma Hope's recipe. It was a hit - I should have made two! After stuffing ourselves silly we played games, including the Johnson's favorite: Balderdash. It's funny how much we just laugh at that game.

David introduced the Chuck Norris jokes to us. Let me share some of my favorites: (ahem)

Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.

Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

If Superman and The Flash were to race to the edge of space you know who would win? Chuck Norris.

Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.

Chuck Norris never wet his bed as a child. The bed wet itself out of fear.

When Chuck Norris was born he roundhouse kicked the doctor. Because nobody delivers Chuck Norris.

What's even more funny is that before we heard these jokes at Thanksgiving, I found a Chuck Norris shirt at Wal-Mart for Andrew that says, "There is nothing to fear but Chuck himself...", or something like that. Too funny.

Marlese's Wedding

Marlese and Nathan's wedding day

Close Encounters of the Weird Kind

Boy do I have a story for you! (hehe) Well, I met up with a friend at Institute that I knew from the Rosewood Single's Ward. His name is Matt. Well, he had a friend with him and we chatted for a few minutes and whatnot, his name is Jared - a little geeky and stinky. It turns out that his best friend is Steven Retz and he and Matt live in a big house with Steven and his wife, and another married couple. Weird! Anyway, Matt and I exchanged phone numbers and later that week he came by, with Jared, to my place and we hung out for an hour or so. Well, here's where it gets good. So, that Friday I get this call from an unknown number - which happens often with my calling - and the person was like, "Hi!" (no name was mentioned), I said, "Hi..." (awkward pause) ..."who is this?". He says, "It's me!". I reply, "Me who?" (I hate it when people do this) He responds, "It's me, Jared!" (Hmm, Jared, Jared, oh no, not That Jared!) Now, let me back up for a minute: I learned earlier that Jared is in the middle of a divorce and has a 4yr old son, Steven (after his best friend). He is also unemployed. Can you see my dilemma? He was awkward on the phone and was like, "I haven't done this for 5 years..." - so I said, "what are you trying to say?". He told me that liked me, but was in limbo right now. Aaaahh! Why me? He then went into a long discourse about his "ex"-wife and other boring things. I half-listened to the conversation as I worked on the computer. He finally let me go and I dreaded what would happened in the near future - well, I didn't have to wait long - he proceeded to call me almost every day for the next two weeks! Argg - I didn't answer any of the those calls! My friend Matt has called me a few times, I did talk to him, and he would ask about Jared. I was honest with Matt that I wasn't interested in a relationship and hoped that he would get the message to Jared. Just today Jared called while Mom and I were out and about and I ignored his call, but he left a message that gave the impression that Matt had finally talked to him. He called back later this evening and I answered this time. After some chit-chat, he finally said, "How do you feel about me?". I was excited - because I wasn't brave enough to tell him how I felt and this was my chance. I told him that I hardly knew him and didn't have any feelings towards him. He said that he thought his being divorced was scaring me and I said that I wasn't scared, but that it wasn't appropriate for him to be calling me while he was still legally married. He said that that would soon be "fixed" in a few weeks and he asked how I felt about him calling afterwards - I told him that I wasn't interested. He said he was glad that he now understood and quickly got off the phone. FINALLY!! (hehe) Matt called me later and I asked him about Jared, and how he was taking it. He said that Jared was upset and had actually thought that I was interested in him. Whatever! Since when? Anyway, all that is now over and I chalk that up to close encounters of the weird boys.

Staff Development

Monday was Veteran's day and the library was closed. But, no day off for us- we all had a staff development day. It was all day, with classes and workshops - also a catered lunch and other fun activities, including free massages - which I did! Most excellent. I went to the classes geared for Children's services and it was really enjoyable and interesting - especially the one about puppets. The lady had puppets for all of us to use and practice with and she had us come up and try out different actions and voices. It was really fun - especially to see people who are not in our department get up and be silly. Our department had matching shirts (just iron-ons) and it was fun being unified. I love being at the library!

8@7 Activity

Last weekend I participated in an activity from my institute class. It was called 8@7 and what it was is a chance to meet new people. So, 8 people would meet at a restaurant (4 girls and 4 guys) and then that group of 8 would meet with another group at someone's house and play games and such. I was excited. Our group met at the Olive Garden and we had more girls than guys, but we had a fun group and talked had a good time. Then we went to a guy's house and met some other people and played the "signs" game. (When everyone picks a hand gesture or action and you pass the signs around the circle without letting the person in the middle see you, or you're in the middle next.) It was actually really fun. I met lots of nice people and even saw some of them at church the next day and talked a little with them.