Fake Out Compliment

Today I was riding my new bike to the store, which doesn't exist anymore but that's something all together different from what I'm going to write about.  Anyways I was riding my bike to the store and these two Jr High kids rode up on their bikes.  We were all stopped at a stop light.  SO of course I was doing that stand where you straddle your bike so it doesn't move and you don't roll out into traffic.  But I was also still kind of sitting on my saddle, so my one leg was on my tip toes.  Anyways, this caused my calf to be flexed.

And this one kid who looked like a blonde Beiber says, "You have huge calves." 

And the other kid whispers to himself "Lucky."

No joke these kids were probably 13 at the oldest.  

So I said "Yeah I do."

"Do you ride your bike a lot?"

"Actually I just got it the other day."

"Oh...Do you run a lot?"

"Not really...It's more of a genetic thing"

"Lucky"

"Ha Thanks."

So this made me think about how sometimes people say things and they think it's a compliment but it's really just a fact.  While I don't think this kid necessarily thought that telling me "Your calves are huge." was a compliment, it just is a weird statement to say to a stranger.  Not really the most flattering word choice either. But they are 13 so what can you do.  

My point is though that stating a fact about the way someone looks and expecting some kind of reaction from them is weird.  It's like going up to a person and saying "Oh hey you look like a human."  Which is sad sounding because it sounds like you thought they wouldn't or something.  

I know, I know, you don't mean to be offensive or anything.  Sometimes things take you by surprise and you must blurt out things like "Wow you have red hair." Or "Oh your eyes are blue." Or "Your hair is curly."  But do not be surprised if a person responds with "What the heck?  When I woke up this morning my hair was not red it was black!!" Of course in a quite sarcastic tone.  Or more often they will use my response of no response or "Yep."  

When I used to work at the MTC I would poll the red-headed Elders and ask them if any one had ever told them they had red hair and what their responses were.  Just a random story I thought I would share with you.

And not like noticing these things is bad, but if you like the red hair or the curly hair or the blue eyes it may be better to say "Wow I love your curly/red hair / blue eyes."  Or whatever it is that you may be noticing.

But if you don't like it it might be better to say nothing at all.  Because you know telling someone 

"Oh you have curly hair."  And then staring at them can make them feel kind of self conscience and want to straighten their hair all the time.

Summer Reading

So many awesome updates for you all.

Remember how it has always been my dream to work at a library?  Well guess what...

I got hired at the P-Town Library!!  

You may all do a celebratory dance for me now.  

Which speaking of books...

I'm doing this new thing in order to A) Get to know those people I care about better, B) Expand my horizon intellectualy (ok I guess that isn't a word but you can see why then I need to do this), & C) Enlarge the number of books I have read. 

See what I'm doing is asking people what their 3 favorite books are and then I will choose one that I have not read and read it.

So I started with my oldest brother Aaron.  He said

1)The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 

2) MacBeth and 

3) Jurassic Park.  

I had already read MacBeth and Jurassic Park so I am currently reading The Fellowship of the Ring.  It's quite good so far.  I think having seen the movies before hand has helped because I could see myself getting bored a bit if I hadn't. 

And now there's some purist out there who's like "For Shame!  The books are infinity times better than the movies!!"  And duh there's hardly an occasion where they are not, BUT sometimes books can be a bit on the boring side.  For me If I can imagine all the little details or things that will make it more fun while I'm reading it is better.  

Have you ever read Treasure Island?  It's an awesome book right?  Well The beginning is a bit slow.  So When I read it I imagined the characters were Muppets, like from Muppet Treasure Island ("I've got Cabin Fever!" "I've got it too!" hahahhahahahaha).  And that helped me get through the slowness of the beginning of the book,

You're still mad, but you'll get over it.

Besides I've heard tons of people say that the Fellowship is a bit slow so I'm not the only one who thinks so.  :P

I'm not usually a purist when it comes to things like movie adaptions of books.  I can just appreciate them as different forms of art.  But I am a purist about the Wizard of Oz.  Don't get me wrong, I love both the movie and book.  But I don't like it adapted as a play and I really don't think I would like Wicked.  I know I'm awful, everyone loves Wicked.  But I seriously think it would make me super angry.  I also don't like to hear about the political undertones of the story.  Anyways...The point is
don't mess with Oz or I'll punch you.

And you might think I'm a purist with Harry Potter, and while I do hate the 3rd movie, I can appreciate the occasional Potter Puppet Pals

Ok The End.

Except oh yeah I'm still sick and I don't think it is mono, but my voice has been gone for over a week now.  So that's pretty interesting.

Who have you been kissing?

That's what people ask me when I tell them my symptoms.

I've been sick for 2 weeks now.  Tired all the time, and not just my normal tired all the time, but like getting my 8 hours of sleep and then taking 4 hour naps during the day.  And then this constant headache that can't be because I'm dehydrated because I'm not, I'm quite hydrated.  So then I stopped being as tired and now I've lost my voice.

Is that my voice? oh well hahahaha

But I'll tell you a secret, I like the sound of my talking voice when I have a sore throat.  IDK why.  Maybe it's because it's fun to sound different sometimes, or to pretend you have one of those raspy sexy voices.

Anyways so people hear my symptoms and say, it sounds like mono.

And I get really hopeful that I do have mono.  

You think I'm strange but I think it's brilliant.  

There are plasma donation centers that will give you $500 for your plasma if you have mono.  I could use $500.  I think it's worth it but not many people do.

Mono is also known as the kissing disease.  So that's why they grin and ask me

 "Who have you been kissing?"  

And I have to say 

"no one as of late.  And I suppose if I really do have mono I won't be kissed anytime soon." 

And then I have to make a frowny sad face.  

But it's all just for comic relief.  Mono is most commonly picked up from sharing water bottles and things like unto it.

So you're like, well Alicia if you think you might have mono and you think it's worth it to have it to get $500 why don't you go to the doctor and have them take your blood and find out for suresies?

Well that is because due to some mix-up I do not have any Health Insurance.  Lame I know.  But I think I will buy BYU's health insurance and go soon.  

Because it is totally worth it.

Moral of the story: Get mono and make $500 dollars in a few hours and do it more than once and make more than $500.

Hmph Well!

Sometimes you just miss things don't you?  You are going along all great and all of the sudden it hits you how much you really miss that thing, person, or situation.  And it's hard isn't it?  

That happened to me just barely an hour ago I guess.  I just started missing all these things.  

I was thinking about my future and getting freaked out.  And then I realized how much i miss the way things were.

But I guess that's life, we just have to move on and deal with things.  Look forward because how is looking at the past and wondering what could have happened going to help?  It's not, really it's not going to help at all.  Believe me I know these things.

Anyways was that just cryptic enough for you that you are wondering what I'm missing.  

"You're so vain you probably think this [post] is about you. Don't you? don't you? don't you?"

Well you're probably right, because I am missing a lot of things right now.

Also I don't really think you're vain it's from a song 

Anyways my brother and sister-in-law came to visit Utah last weekend and it was so awesome to see them and spend time with them.  I don't get to do a lot of that because They live in Az and I don't.  But They invited me to a BBQ on Sat, which was so delicious and awesome.  They came up with Jessica's family and it was fun to get to know them better and just chill with family you know.

I never feel more comfortable than when I am with family.  

Then Monday they came down and Jessica's dad treated us to Sammy's (Yay for $1 grilled cheese).  And then we went to Salt Lake and hit up some Church things, like an organ recital.  It was awesome.  And then they wanted to go to the roof of the conference center because it is a garden.  It's so cool!! And we went to the Beehive House and got the tour and we went to the Church History Museum, which I have never been to before but it was really cool.   I couldn't look at everything though because they were closing early for Memorial Day.  Oh well.  

Ah SOOOO Adorable.

AAAhh Tyler is going to fall.  No Tyler stood there and was like this looks like a good spot for a picture.  So there you have it.

And then Jessica's dad treated us to pizza, the real Italian kind and it was really good.  I am so grateful I got to spend that time with them it was super fun.  

Shmorgishborg

The combination of left over dinners put into one dish, made when you have nothing else to eat.

But I was going to make this a shmorgishborg of my thoughts but I have decided against it.  I just have so many blog  posts that i want to write I just think I'd better save them for other days. 

 So which topic should I pick for this post?

What an excellent question my dearies, a very excellent question.  One I have been pondering for the last week!  Oh yes on occasion I do put some serious thought into my posts.

I know you were hoping for a Meet My Friends Wednesday, but no one has said they would like to be featured...that I am aware of.

Let me firsxt say Thanks!  Thanks for reading my blog, and laughing with me about the things that happen in my life. I appreciate you.  Danke!  

I think I shall post about my upcoming trip to Portland.

I am quite excited.  

Why? What's in Portland? you ask  

Actually I don't know what's in Portland but in a town quite close to Portland called Beaverton is my best friend (yes who will not do MMFW :C) Tom.  And I am going to visit him there.

That's right June 16-19 (I'm leaving the 20th early in the morn so it isn't through the 20th because it's only through the 19th.

Anyways I'm quite excited.  Apparently we're going to a fair.  Which should be fun.  And I also know we're going to Church and a game night.  We might be going to the coast and a play (either about Janis Joplin or Alzheimer's).  Yeah... I am sure that they are interesting plays.  Plus I'll be with Tom so if they are not we could make fun of them later. :)

But I don't really know what we're doing because he's all secretive about it.  "You like surprises!"  Yeah but I'm also impatient and I like surprises I know I will like.  But I trust him to pick out fun things to do, I just want to know what they are!

Guess what I have not seen Tom for 2 years because he was on a mission and then he didn't come back to Utah so I could see him instead he went to Portland because that's where his family is.  So this is pretty exciting N'est pas?!

The last time I went to Oregon I was a baby.  All I remember from the trip is that we picked blueberries and it was evening and there was a fence at the bottom of a hill.  So it doesn't really count as me being there.  

Anyways you get the idea I'm really super excited.