I'm Not Dead

Just so you know, I got back from Chicago safe and sound. Basically I wish I could live there because it's a fantasticly awesome city with nice people! Unlike New York where nobody smiles and everybody wears black. Yes, I do realize that I make a very large generalization, but it's true nonetheless. Anyway, here's the trip in pictures. Maybe one day I'll post full fledged stories. Just know, summer is coming so that possibility could become reality. :)

 The above bridge is my Anne bridge. If you've seen the second movie, you'll know that's where they kiss, and if you know me, you'll know that's where my first kiss will be. . . I'm hoping. This bridge gave me even more hope! Minus the graffiti and chipping paint, of course. :)

 I told Lauren to take a picture of me because I felt like I was in the ghetto, and I was a little scared. So, naturally, we had to capture the moment.

I realized after the fact that I had stood in the spot where Channing Tatum stood in The Vow. So, I've kind of met him now.

Ha.

This is the place where deep dish pizza was created. Yes, it was very delicious. :)

I think my favorite part of cities are the street performers, and so whenever I see them I get super, super excited! We saw these guys on the very last day. As in, we were waiting for the subway to go to the airport. Earlier in the week we were riding the train over to the University of Chicago and this guy got on the train explained what he was doing (which was to get money) and then started to do this rap. It was amazing! I wish I had gotten a video of it, but I didn't. . . sorry.

Those dots are the most amazing things I've ever seen! I got really excited when I saw this painting. Basically, my stomach twirled a little.

Every day I've been home from Chicago, I've wanted to go back. One day I'll live there, and it will be amazing! In the meantime, I'll just be here, doing my chemistry homework and not having anytime to blog which results in you lovely readers being neglected. In that meantime, get ready for the next thing I need to post about: Prom. It was a good time! 

Kony 2012

Take the time and watch, please. It's worth it- I promise!

'Tis Friday

For the past two weeks (or some such time period), I have been a crippled little person. To save you the disgusting details, I will just tell you that I got an ingrown toenail a little while back, and, well, it irrupted into a ginormous problem and hassle and pain. . . literally.

Wednesday two weeks ago I had been up all night because my toe was throbbing and literally killing me slowly. *just kidding* And so I stayed home that day. I spent the day watching Grey's Anatomy and not walking on my foot. Then, when my mother returned home, and when the time reached 3:30, I went to the doctor's office. The doctor looked at my toe, cringed and said, "yeah, that's bad! Well, you have two options. 1. you can have me numb it and then take out the nail or 2. you can just lay down and bear through it."

Let me add a little side note. The numbing shot went up the top of my toe and down under the nail into all of the nerves. Bearing through it would mean that she clipped the nail around the part of my toe that was throbbing and bleeding and pussing (sorry too far) for the past week and a half resulting in me not even being able to wear a shoe due to the pressure and enormous pain that was caused because of said pressure. Basically, both options really sucked, and I told the doctor that too. She just laughed and waited for me to decide. I couldn't do it. I sat there, trying not to cry, not wanting to do either. So, my mom and the doctor decided for me. I watched the doctor get her clippers out, I was told to lay down, my mom leaned over me with my hands in hers and the process began. Fortunately, the pain was numbed a little because I was biting my lip and squeezing my mom's hands so hard, but still, there was enough pain to be very painful. If that even makes sense!

The problem with the whole process, though, was not getting the nail out. The problem was that when the nail was actually out, nothing happened. No pressure was relieved and my toe hurt just as much as it did when I had arrived at the office. The doctor said that that wasn't normal. So, she told me to go home, soak my toe multiple times in water and epsom salt, put Polysporin on the wound, and wrap it well.

Exhibit A:

Long story short, it worked! Bless doctors' hearts! Honestly, though, this little ordeal was one of the most painful experiences I have ever gone through in my life. I'm just glad that it's over. Almost. My toe is still healing, and it's still a little sensitive if I touch in in certain ways or add too much pressure on it, but, yet it is healing so that's good! And I don't have to have the big bandages any more too. I looked like big foot. . . But in toe form.

*Transition to a completely different subject.

For the past two days, I have had a mini spring cleaning with my room. It's been a mess for the last couple of months and I just couldn't stand it anymore, so I completely changed it. I rearranged it, went through binders, folders, drawers, and baskets, threw away A LOT of papers, and --the most scary part-- I went through my closet. Two very full garbage bags of clothing later, I am done with my closet as well as my room!

 Can you believe that every single one of those hangers were at one point occupied by a shirt or dress or skirt or some kind of particle of clothing? My accumulation of clothing through the year is sickening. This is why I clean it out, and this is why cleaning it out is so scary. :)

Also, just a side note, I was wanting a snack earlier today, and when I was looking in my pantry, I saw a package of popcorn. My mouth watered, so my hand reached for it, opened it, and put it in the microwave. This is what it looked like when it was done:

That was lame. . . Funny, though, definitely funny.

Hipster Garb

In my lifetime, I've become to know awkward very, very well. Basically, I am naturally awkward no matter the situation. Something as simple as being complimented on my scarf can be turned into some hideously awkward moment. (Today was such a moment, by the way)

During my French class today, one of the girls in the class and I were just chatting. Something was done or something was said-- I forget what-- and it was slightly awkward. Well, this girl I was talking with said, "Awktown!"

I literally stared at her and said, What, did you just say???!"

She repeated. I still did not understand. . . even in the least.

"What is Awkton?" I said.

"Awktown. It's just another word for awkward." No biggie said her face.

This conversation went on for a longer duration of time, which I will spare you with now because really, it's kind of boring-- lots of confusion on my part. My point is, though, that people do and say anything to be cool. And in this decade 'cool' is now phrased as 'hipster'. We don't ask.

What I learned today: Hipster Language

1. Awkward: No longer used because it's either too long or just weird. In of itself it's just an 'awk' word, right? Which brings us to number two

2. Awk: shortened version of the above word. Easier to say, and sounds like some sort of bird noise. This makes you noticeable and, therefore, more apart from the crowd. . . .That's cool, you know. :)

3. Awktown: newest version of the first word. My inference is that it refers to a very large weird moment. A catalystic awk moment, if you will. Be careful, though, the first time you say it it sounds like you fumbled around your words. Enunciation is key. . . it saves the awkwardness.

This whole moment reminded me of Sunday afternoon. I was just sitting at the counter, on the computer, and doing my homework. I was listening to some Sunday Tunes, and as I clicked on a song, a little popped up came up at the bottom of my computer; it read:

"Hipster Jen says: I love this song! I listen to it every day.

Not."

I stared at the pop up, and when it went away, I started another song to see if it would come up again. Sure enough, it did. I was a little confused, and, "What the heck?. . . . What the heck??" Kept going in my head. It was one of the strangest experiences of my life along with little Awktown. But, again, we don't ask.

**disclaimer: I do not shun this person that was in my class. Nor am I trying to be mean. I just thought the whole situation was funny, and wanted to share my feelings on the matter. If you want to use the phrase "awktown" go for it. I'm still going to think it's funny, though. It's fine. :)

Be a Standard

I am pretty sure that those who actually read this thing are dying to know what happened to me? Maybe not, and that's okay! Currently, my life is jammed packed with the end of the school assignments, quizzes, tests, and projects. All resulting in the deprivation of sleep to rise dramatically. My normal personality may or may not be a tad delirious, but alas, I do still function in society. What's new right? I am excited for Spring Break next week! This year we're going to Chicago!!! Basically, my excitement is hard to contain. Partly because I just started an Art History class online, and during this trip we are going to see a lot of art museums. I love putting to use my newly learned knowledge. :)

What really is new, though is that this past weekend was conference. Amazing as always! If you didn't watch it, I strongly urge you to, and if you did and didn't like it, watch it again. Another witness as to why this church really is the true church. I have this new fascination with the choirs now. Why, may you ask? Because I was one of the 374 seats in the choir loft singing last Saturday for the Young Women's General Conference meeting.

The song we sang (given above) was arranged specifically for us by Sister Marilee Webb our choir director. It was also my favorite piece out of the four that we sang. If you would like to see all of those songs as well as the talks given, go here.

ARISE and SHINE FORTH that They Light may be a Standard for the Nations. D&C 115:5

That is exactly what I was able to do for an hour and a half during the General Young Women's Conference, and it was amazing. I thank my Heavenly Father a hundred fold for the opportunity to prove to myself that I believe in Him, his Son, and His restored gospel, and also the opportunity to prove to the world that I believe in Him, his Son, and His restored gospel.

I've thought a lot about the question Sister Webb asked us on the first dress rehearsal: "Why are you here?" She was meaning the choir, but I couldn't help but think about what it meant in a broader sense. Why am I here? What am I supposed to do to make my life mean something? And, as I came to a conclusion as to why I was there in the choir, I came another conclusion as to why I am here on earth. It's pretty simple: To exemplify Christ. The four songs we sang: Come Ye Children of the Lord, As Zion's Youth, High on the Mountain Top, and I Feel My Beautiful Savior's Love all had at least one mutual message and that was of Service. Service is what Christ dedicated his life to. Being in this choir, my main goal was to testify of Christ. That was the reason I was there. So how in the world would I be able to do that if I wasn't living the life he lead? The same thing goes for our lives as well. How in the world can we prove to the world by being here that we are disciples of Christ? How do we prove to Christ himself that we are disciples of Him? It's simple, you see: Live in his footsteps. Serve and love our fellow men even when we don't want to. And "be a standard for the nations."