Ephraim Updates Part 2

Against the backdrop of the setting sun, a lone figure rises triumphant from an endeavor that threatened to crush the life from her chest.  It was there, in that lonely town of Ephraim, that one girl learned that the universe truly does revolve around her, and her epic worthy struggle with math.

I guess the world doesn't revolve around me.  But it does revolve around math (or so my professor keeps trying to believe as we calculate rates of revolution and all that boring stuff).  I haven't posted anything "Ephraim Update" worthy in awhile, so let me just remind you of the way this works.

To me, Ephraim is like a different world.  I live on my own and have to be responsible and stuff.  In that way, it seems more like a fantasy novel than an actual life.  This means that most of the updates will start off with a fictional representation of whats been going on that you should picture with whatever themed music comes to mind.  For this post, the song "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" comes to mind.

At any rate, I don't know how often these will be coming around, but please enjoy!

Procrastination Leads to Zombies

Awhile ago, as usual, I was doing everything in my power to procrastinate something that I know would be easier to do if I just got it over with, and I found myself on one of my good friends blogs.  (Find the link in the comments below.)  It's been awhile since she actually posted anything, so I was just skimming some of the other posts that she had previously posted.  The post was actually a really funny comprehensive list of all her fears both rational and irrational.  Once I started thinking about it, I decided to something similar but with one of the few irrational fears I have.

Everyone who really takes the time to get to know me will learn sooner or later that I have one dominating fear that is both rational and irrational.  To most, it seems like I'm just crazy.  But they are real.  I Googled it.

But wait.  I'm getting a little ahead of myself.  I guess I should first telly you what I am deathly, horribly, awfully afraid of.

One word.

Zombies.

I know.  I know.  Laugh it up, but the truth is, I'm terrified of them.  No, I don't watch horror movies, and no I didn't have a bad experience once upon a Halloween.  I'm just terrified of them.  Mainly it comes from a dream I had once where a good friend of mine ate my arm.

Now lets get back to the part that most of you are probably having questions about, and I have yet to prove to any of my friends.

Zombies are real.

Now they don't look or necessarily "think" in the same way that the brain eating undead psycho's of Hollywood look/think/act.  But there are zombies out there.  They are real.  Even if I'm not terrified of the real ones, the fake ones make my fight or flight kick into full gear and sends adrenaline (which is utterly unhelpful as I don't fight or flight but I do freeze), coursing through my veins.

Man Zombies give me the heebie-jeebies.  Don't they give you the heebie-jeebies?

Thinking about Thinking

Hello world and welcome to the first in a new segment on my blog called "Random Posts".  I'm starting this because I'm actually a little more interesting than I let on, mainly because I am capable of thinking some really deep thoughts when the mood strikes me.  A couple of times, these thoughts have come to me while I've been online and I will start a post about them, but they really just don't fit with the flow of my blog so I end up deleting them and then not posting something else for another week or so.

So instead, I'm going to start doing "Random Posts".  These will be labeled for easy access and you can find the Label Menu on the right side of my blog under the fish app.

Since that pretty much sums up what I want to do here, I'm pleased to announce the first installment in the "Random Posts" segment.  Enjoy!





I'm a thinker.  There's no better word to describe me.  In fact, some people might even say that I'm an OVER-thinker.  I do tend to overanalyze points and problems that really have no significance whatsoever to other people.  But they matter to me.

Now you all may be wondering why I started out my post in this somewhat ranting, almost lunatic-ial way.  But there is a point.  Just give it a minute.

During one of my over-thinking, anxiety fueled thought rampages that I was having on my way to class, I started thinking about something that has, quite frankly, bugged me for years.

You see world, I don't have any sisters.  In fact, not only do I not have any sisters, but I ended up with five brothers.  I felt, for the longest time, that the Universe just hated me.  In fact, especially in the hormone riddled tween years I felt more like this lovely poster from a hilarious episode of "How I met your Mother" than anything else.

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things is not the same.

But lately, as I've moved out into the world and have strangely found myself in college and surrounded by actual girls, I've been feeling a little bit different. More like this,

Or this,

And do you want to know why?  I can sum it up in one word for you and that word is . . . Drama.

Girls are chalk full of it!!!  Well, not all of them.  But it would seem that I really dodged two bullets by not ending up with a sister.  For one thing, being surrounded by boys taught me to act tough.  I wrestled right alongside of my brothers for a long time.  We went camping and hiking and canoeing.  We were a somewhat active family.  I also dodged a bullet by not having a younger sister who would have, of course, been spoiled completely rotten and there is a pretty good chance that she would have been dramatic.

So thanks Universe for your farsightedness.  At the time I hated your interplanetary guts, but I forgive you now.





And that concludes the first installation of "Random Posts" please comment below about your impressions, thoughts or neuroses involving this post.

My First Social Saturday of Adventure

Hey people.  I haven't posted in awhile.  I don't know how many people check it, but I know that I like seeing new posts on it.  It makes me feel like I have accomplished something.  (Isn't that sad?)

But lately I haven't really been wanting to accomplish anything.  I was on vacation and did next to nothing.  It was fantastic.

However, there was one thing that I did do.  On Saturday, one of my best friends and former roommate, Karli Goodman, took me to see the Piano Guys in Concert.  To be perfectly honest, this was my first concert of all time.  I guess that's why the weather decided to kick in and try it's darndest to rain the concert out.  But as it turns out, Karli and I weren't the only "die hard" fans who were willing to stick it out through the pouring rain, intense lightning and booming thunder just to see a group of guys who add a hilarious and entertaining twist to classical music.

The Event Was Huge!

A Rare and Valuable Picture of Yours Truly

Our View From the Very Back

It was without a doubt one of the most adventurous/ fun things that I've done in quite some time.  Of course, the concert wasn't the only fun things that I happened to be a part of on that particular Saturday evening.  Karli and I also witnessed a tire catch on fire and finally blow out on the freeway and the driver continue to drive on his sad little excuse for an inner tire before finally making it to the nearest exit.  Good times Saturday.  Good times.

At any rate, it made me more willing to go out and explore new things and since this blog is all about that rise to sociableness, this was an important moment to chronicle for the future generations of internet nerds.

In Memory of Charlie

I bet you are all just dying to hear more about the fascinating world that awaits anyone adventurous enough to find themselves in one of the strangest places to stick a major college.

But you're going to have to wait longer.

This post isn't about Ephraim, this post is about Charles the Great.

A few of you may know about my epic romance with one Charlie the laptop.  While he wasn't my first laptop, he's one that I probably ended up having the longest, and both my old roommate Karli and I had quite an inside joke about him.

Unfortunately, Charlie was old when I inherited him and got older still after I started school.  The fact is, my family is really hard on computers.  Really really hard.

Sadly, with school starting and with a knowledge that should Charlie die on my completely while away in Ephraim, I would be stuck with out a computer with which to do all my stuff, I decided to take part of my grant and buy a new laptop.  A smaller one with more memory.

And thus, Charles the Great was born.

It was sad giving up Charlie, but I did honor his memory by naming my new computer after him.  Charlie, may you rest in peace.  Or pieces.  Whichever happens first.

At any rate, I love my new computer.  It's fast and picks up internet much better than Charlie did.  Furthermore, it is much more capable of remembering things, and has a much better battery life.  Most importantly of all, it's so easy to cart from place to place because of it's reduced size and weight.

The moral of this rather random post, is that I have a new computer, it's totally awesome and I love it.  Viva la Grande Charles!

Ephraim Updates Part One

In a galaxy far, far away, there exists a tiny settlement just on the edge of civilization.  It's name, Ephraim, it's population . . . . double what it was a few weeks ago.

In this tiny settlement of just a few brave souls who were willing to risk the dangers of starvation, sheep stampedes and at times, the most bi-polar weather one will ever see, the laws that govern reality don't seem to apply.

Chemistry is fun, Math is more so and girls are no longer the dominate gender.

What in the universe have I walked in to?

Experimentation Time

Alright y'all (I'm brushing up on my cowboy lingo), as all of you should have figured out by now, I am back in Ephraim to finish up my Associates Degree.  This year brings a lot of changes to my small little temp town and quite frankly, it's a little weird.  Since I can't bring myself to complain to my new roommate who is pretty cheerful (one of those people who helps you see the good side unintentionally), I have decided to use my blog to update the world on how strange my current path in life is.  These will appear with the labels/ tags of "Ephraim Updates".  They are sure to be strange and it's quite probable that many of you won't even know what's going on, but it will be good over all.  Plus, it will give me a chance to post more often which we all know everyone loves :)

Let the great experiment begin!

The Poll

My last post (so the one right under this one) mentioned a poll that I wanted you guys to check out and vote on.  For some reason, it's not working at the moment, so just place your vote in the comments below.  Sorry for the inconvenience.




Should I make videos for this blog?


A.  Yes- You are infinately hilarious, I would spend hours watching your videos.
B.  No- I wouldn't touch one of your videos with an 8-bit pole.
C.  Maybe So- You are funny, but I don't like watching YouTube videos.
D.  Maybe No- Videos are so-so, you are so-so.


You may only pick one answer, so choose wisely and thanks for the input.

Updates and Information

Hey guys.  I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately.  I recently moved back up to school and it's been an effort to adjust to the new way of life again.

I don't have anything hilarious to post, but I did do a few doodles that I want to share with you.  I hope you enjoy them.  I had a lot of fun drawing them.

I will have a real blog post up soon enough.  Also, make sure to vote on this months poll.  I really need the input.

Enjoy!

Because I'm Batman!

Superman . . . Super Doodle

My Lot in Life . . . Again?

A lot of people have been asking about my future career choice involving Pharmaceuticals.  I keep getting asked the same question over and over; "Why did you decide to go into Pharmaceuticals?"  Of course, I can only assume that most people have one burning theory in regards to Pharmacy School . . . it's going to be like walking turtle style through the fiery depths of a black and lonely abyss of death and despair.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that when most people find out that I'm going into Pharmacy, this is the face that I seem to get from almost everyone.

"Are you sure?  I mean, absolutely positively
100% entirely sure that you aren't crazy?"

I don't even think that people realize that they are doing it.  But they do.  And then they ask the question that I already mentioned.


So . . . in regards to this, I have a funny story to share . . . if I haven't already.



In high school, I was already thinking about career choices.  It seemed like the logical solution since all the counselors were cramming that decision down my throat.

At the time, I was thinking about nursing as so many young students in America are.  Then, senior yearn of high school I had the fateful experience of taking a Human Bio class and seeing up close and personal, the video of a knee joint replacement.  Needless to say, not a good time to find out about one's squeamish tendencies.  But this lesson did teach me one important thing. . . I needed a new career choice.

Well, to be perfectly honest, this didn't seem like an important decision.  I was truly hoping (and quite frankly thought) that I would be one of those people married right out of high school.  But summer past and pretty soon first semester of college was about to start and Prince Charming still hadn't magically popped out of nowhere onto my driveway.

Long story short (haha, too late) I had a problem.

Well, my mom and I went to see a counselor to get my schedule for that upcoming fall set up.  One of the very first questions he asked me was; "What do you want to do."  And I honestly had no idea.  So we sat there awkwardly for about to minutes as I desperately thought and said; "Um" and "Ah" a lot.  Eventually I think I managed to blurt out; "I don't know."  At any rate, he smiled somewhat comfortingly and said; "Don't worry.  You don't have to know just yet.  We'll get you started on general credits.  You will probably want to know by second semester though so you don't waste too much time."  And that was that.

First semester past by without too big of a hitch.  I only had one hard class and I made enough friends that it wasn't even too bad.  The biggest problem came in October/November when registration for Spring started.

The words of my counselor; "You will probably want to know by second semester though so you don't waste too much time.", had been ringing in my head pretty much all semester.  I had thought about what I wanted to do for a long time and I didn't know.  You see, I had a problem, I hated everything.

Here's what I mean;

• I hate math.
• I think that English beyond an Elementary Level is a complete and utter waste of time unless it's not your first language.
• I hate singing (yeah, you all know that).
• I can sight read right hand on the piano but not left.
• I don't particularly like Music. (*gasp from the audience*) I know.  I'm a little abnormal.
• I hate running, kicking, climbing, hitting, bending, stretching and working out of any kind.  I.e.  I'm not athletic and therefore any PE related job/ career was out of the question.
• I have some of the worst eating habits known to man and so I couldn't be a dietician or any kind of healthy eating person.
• I don't particularly like large gatherings of other peoples children and I know for a fact that when parents came to lecture me on my teaching style I would go ballistic so teaching was out of the question.
• I can write but not well enough to ever be published.
• I can't speak foreign languages at all (my Utahan accent is just too pronounced).
• Most importantly of all, I can't draw worth a darn.  (Doodling on the other hand- well, I'm really good at that.  But last time I checked, there is no doodling career).

The only thing that I've ever been really good at is science.  And the only thing in science that I've ever really been interested in is in medical science.  And we already established that I couldn't be a nurse.

So I had a problem.

So, as I'd been taught to do since birth practically, I started to pray that I would figure it out.  I was pretty desperate.  I needed to know so that I "wouldn't waste any more time".  Luckily for me, answers come in mysterious ways.

I was actually watching TV when I made my life changing decision.

For any of who you haven't watched Psych, you live a sad and lonely life.  Psych is hilarious.  But I guess I should get back to the point now.

One of the characters on Psych, Burton Guster, has a job as a "Pharmaceutical sales Rep."  Basically he sells bulk medication to hospitals, doctors and whatever else.  One day, while watching Psych, and listening to Burton Guster's ramble on drugs, I got the overwhelming and divine answer I'd been searching for.

Pharmacy.  That was the job for me.  It was medical science and no gore all wrapped into one.  The perfect career package.

The moral of the story is two-fold.  One, God works in mysterious ways.  Two, TV can often HELP you so it's not just there for rotting your brains out and making teenage zombies.

So yes world.  I learned what I wanted to be in a weird way.  But that lesson has stuck with me and helped me get through second semester (which was H-E- double hockey sticks on earth).  More importantly, it's just a really funny story that a lot of people get a big kick out of and so I just had to share.