Not blogging

Braeden's friend, a woman from Virginia he recently baptized, is staying with us for the next several days.  We love her already!  I'll be back later and tell you all about.

Books I read in September 2016

A Small Fortune by Rosie Dastgir **

This book was about Pakistani immigrants living in England.  It was OK.  I wondered a lot if I was missing something culturally or if the author was trying to portray their culture in a negative light?  I don't know.  I want to expand my understanding of Muslim culture and this didn't quite fit the bill.  Maybe it did?  I would like to read something positive of Muslim culture I guess.

A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee **

This book is about a family that kind of imploded and how the parents put themselves back together.  It didn't end how I thought it would or maybe how I thought it should, but it was OK.

These Is My Words Nancy E. Turner ****

After two tepid books, I LOVED this one.  I had read it before but my book club read it and I was happy to read it again.  Like the cover says, it's the diary of a woman in the Arizona Territories.  So good.

Brick Lane by Monica Ali *

I gave Islamic culture in England another chance with this one.  These people were from Bangladesh.  I didn't like any of them.  I stopped reading halfway through.  

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter *

I read this one for book club too.  It was a good story but some of it was repellent.  There were no female characters that weren't treated with some sort of sexism or crudeness.  At first it made me mad that the women were portrayed like that and then it bugged me that so many of the men were so horrible.  I think the author is probably not a very nice guy.  I don't recommend it. 

Adam

The other day at work, one of his coworkers asked him what the Mariners needed to do to make the playoffs.  Adam said, "Well, I'll show you my spreadsheet!"

They loved it.  Especially one of them because he's the finance guy and enjoys a good spreadsheet.

Adam.

He's some kind of wonderful.

To invite our kids to watch a movie, he created an invitation in a google doc that they needed to respond to.

My favorite part was the disclaimer:

Introvert

I grew up between two extroverted sisters.  They like taking charge.  They like being the center of attention.  They like Christmas caroling.

My mom is an extrovert too.  She talks to random people like store clerks and I never do.  The other day when I told her I was no good at being in charge, she said of course I was.  (If I ever tell her I'm not good at something, she usually argues that yes, you are.)

Because she's good at being in charge, she thinks I must be too.

I'm not.

I'm an introvert.  I don't like small talk.  I don't like being around large groups of people.  I like to stay home.

Sometimes it feels like the world caters to extroverts.  I had an idea for a youth conference.  All the other youth leaders thought it was a bad idea.  Not "fun" enough.  I was telling Adam and he agreed with them.  Then Emma, who was also listening, piped up.  "I think it's a good idea.  I'd like that.  But, I'm an introvert."

So much of my job as a young women president requires me to try to be extroverted for the extroverts.  (Even though they aren't all extroverts.  Emma, for example.) 

I used to think I was deeply flawed in some basic way.  It was sort of freeing when I realized I am not deeply flawed, I am an introvert.

Being an introvert seems to give me permission to avoid situations that I don't like.  I can decline social events.  I can stay on the perimeter of the room.  I can tuck myself into the corner at ward council.

Because I am an introvert.

I keep thinking about this article I read, though.  It's titled, Am I Introverted or Just Rude?  I realize that I can't just hide behind being an introvert.  Sometimes you need to show up to be supportive and kind.  Sometimes you need to engage in small talk with someone because maybe they need it.

Sometimes, when you are young women president and it's one of the Time Honored Traditions around here, you have to go Christmas caroling.

(You don't have to like it, but sometimes you have to go.)

weekend list

1-Adam was in Seattle all weekend.

2-Emma worked Friday night.

3-Mark and I snuggled under a blanket and watched The RM.  He had never seen it before, thought it was funny, and thought we needed to watch it with Braeden when he gets home.

4-We also went out for frozen yogurt.  It's kind of our thing.

5-Mark gets chocolate yogurt with gummy bears and bobas.  So nasty.

6-I never ask for a taste.

7-Friday night I slept a whopping 10 hours.  That never happens.  And after The Summer of Not Sleeping Well, it felt like a gift. 

8-I finished my new and improved calendar (no more writing the numbers in chalk every month).

9-What will I do with that wealth of a couple minutes more each month?

10-I pulled out the autumnal decorations.  It was like greeting old friends.

Welcome back, pumpkins.   And apples and pears.

I took the opportunity to include my favorite photo in this one.

11-I changed the quote also.

12-I invented a new idiom: That's like Emma calling Mark weird.  (It's similar to the pot calling the kettle black.)

13-Emma and I watched the Women's Broadcast at home.  We liked it.  Emma worked on a puzzle which is her favorite conference thing to do and I helped her a little.

14-Sunday was another day of 6 hours of church meetings and then sitting around in a comatose state.  Mark beat me at Monopoly Deal three times in a row.

15-I started feeling anxiety as the day concluded.  It's a busy week with lots of social demands and that's the hardest kind of week for me.

16-I talked to Adam on his way home from the airport.  I told him All The Things.  He said, "This is all survivable.  We'll go to lunch tomorrow and map it all out."

17- I'm glad he's home.

18- I was thinking it would be a feel sorry for myself sort of weekend but it was a sublime sort of weekend. (Until the Sunday evening anxiety.)

I like being here.

A bunch of randomness

Adam is going to Seattle today and we're all jealous.

Last night someone asked me if I'd lost weight.  I don't think I have but it was a very nice question.

There was a tornado in the Ogden area yesterday.

After a summer of sunshine and blue blue skies, we are having weather around here.

Mark's drama teacher told them there is a Utah accent.  Most of the class was flabbergasted by the news but Mark has recognized it all along.

And I sort of have a Utah accent.

I think it's more of a Great Basin accent.

Today's Adam and my half birthday. 

I'm looking forward to watching the Women's Broadcast with Emma tomorrow.  I wish I were watching it with my sisters and mom, or my friends.  But I'll take Emma.

Every day I do the mini crossword on the New York Times website.  If I can't complete it in under a minute, I feel like a failure.  If I complete it in 30 seconds, it kind of makes my whole day.

(Today was over a minute.)

tiny notes

Dear Braeden,

When I make a big casserole for dinner that used to be just enough, I miss you.  Now we have casserole for days.

Dear Mark,

You've got to pick up the slack, kid.  Braeden's gone and your family needs you.

Dear Magical Bedding that Prompted Emma to Make Her Bed Every Morning,

What happened? The magic died about the time school started.  I guess summer magic is better than no magic.

Dear To Do List,

I'm going to start writing "Waste Time" at the top.  It will make me feel super accomplished.

Dear Hulu,

I don't want to pay for Hulu.  I don't want to watch TV when it's actually on TV because laundry folding = TV.  This is a quandary.

Dear Rain,

I'm happy to see you.  I didn't think I would ever say that but I'm sort of tired of watering my plants.

Dear Colorful Leaves on the Mountain,

You knock my socks off.  Every day.  Well done!

Dear Across the Street Neighbor,

When you post pictures like this on Facebook, it freaks me out a little.  I'm not sure I will go barefoot outside for awhile.

 Dear Braeden,

Also according to Facebook, this is Virginia Beach right now.

I'm glad you're tall.  And can swim.