DATING TRIANGLE

Do you see this? This is what I came across in my friday night date's apartment. (I blatantly took a picture. Didn't even try to take it sneakily).

1.Looks

2.Spirituality

3.Intelligence.

CHOOSE 2 ONLY

How comforting.

Since I was his date, I wonder which two I fall under.

And which one I don't....

LIST #2

WHY I LOVE MY JOB IN THE BIOLOGY LAB:

1. I get to play in the dirt

2. I get access to BYU's chemical stockroom. (12 M Hydrochloric acid, anyone??)

3. I get to zip around campus with the biology department vehicles.

4. I get paid to go camping

5. I get to make graphs and linear regression models-which happens to be my favorite past time.

{{Pretty much, I have the best summer job ever.}}

LIST #1

I love to make lists. Here goes my first one on my blog.

Reasons Why I Love My Bangs...

They...

1. Accentuate my attempted vintage style

2. Cover the red mark on my forehead from sleeping on my desk in the library

3. Hide the ugly zits on my forehead

4. Provide a nice barrier to cry behind...{no one can tell, heh heh heh!}

5. Are versatile. Can be swept to the side, pinned back, or worn straight and simple

6. Dry naturally in quite a nice fashion

7. Or alternatively, can be styled with a straightener in less than 45.73 seconds.

8. Seem to be in style

9. At least, I see girls with similar haircuts quite frequently.

10. But not like I really care, I am just compulsive and need 10 things on my list.

ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

Today, I was a little late getting out of my material science class in the engineering building. The students in the next class were starting to come in. One man walked in and said:

"Whoa. There's a girl in here!"

{Imagine that. A woman in the engineering building. Shocker.}

I stared him down and calmly walked out.

WHY YOUR PAPER CLIP DOESN'T STRAIGHTEN PROPERLY

Have you ever unbent a paper clip and tried to get all of the little kinks out? It doesn't work. This has irked me for ages.

So I know you are DYING to find out why.....

I learned today in a materials science lab that when a metal is deformed, (flattening, folding, bending, hammering, steam roller-ing, jack hammer-ing, anvil smashing, sumo wrestling, karate chopping, alien laser beaming, neutron star colliding. You know, every day things.) the metal actually becomes stronger.

Yes, stronger. {Bear with me, this is a little counterintuitive.}

So when you unbend your paper clip and try with all of the strength in your human hands to straighten out those annoying curves and zizags, you are actually making it harder on yourself. Recall that "bending" falls under the category of metal deformation- thus hardening the material.

Now, things in this world are never free...

You always must pay a price. Same with this metal-deformation-hardening technique. (FYI: The engineering term is "cold work") So when you harden the material you give up ductility, or the flexible nature of the metal. It snaps easier. That is why the paper clip breaks if you bend it back and forth too many times.

Interesting, eh?

"I CAN HAVE IT ALL!!"

Ok, I have some big dreams for the next seven years that don't quite fit into my budget or my time table. You ready for this? (One of my greatest joys in life is creating lists and organizing things into perfect time slots...oh so fulfilling...)

1. Graduate from BYU's Mechanical Engineering program ( April 2013)

2. Serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (CLICK HERE)
(February 2012)

3. Participate in a humanitarian group called Engineers for International Development (CLICK HERE) and travel to a 3rd world country to implement the product that we would design. (April 2012)

4. Study Abroad during spring/summer semester (April 2011)

5. Get a summer internship with some airplaine company...like Boeing...or Lockheed Martin. Maybe Northrop Grumman. (Summer 2012)

6.Get married (??)

7. Maybe work one or two years in industry at one of the above mentioned companies

8. Participate in the Orchestra at Temple Square(In the process of auditioning...)

I want you to notice that THREE of my goals would theoretically be occurring the summer after my junior year. Simultaneously. Dang. (mission, internship, EID)

Also consider that a mission and study abroad would probably cost me $15,000 if I did them both...And if I truly want to graduate from BYU in April of 2013 then if I take a year and a half off for a mission it will set me off to December of 2014.

And then... WHAT IF I GET HITCHED? Just to make things a little more complicated all around....That means that study abroad, mission, and possibly the internship wouldn't be possible.

Do you see my dilemma?

When I get frustrated I just remember what my roommate Victoria had hanging on her wall: A picture of Liz Lemon devouring a sandwich and exclaiming " I can have it ALL!"




{In the “Sandwich Day” episode from the second season of 30 Rock, protagonist Liz Lemon hopes to reconcile with her ex-boyfriend Floyd at the airport, who is leaving New York City to head back to Cleveland. Stopped by security, Lemon must choose between him and her sandwich, which she can’t take with her to the gate. Refusing to compromise, she yells “I can have it all!” and promptly devours her delicious sub before running through security.}

ENGINEERING TRIVIA

Do you know what a "kip" is?

{And NO, I don't mean Napoleon Dynamite's friend.}

It is some clever cross between SI and U.S. Customary units. A mix of "kilo" and "pound". Yep, you guessed it: a kip is equivalent to 1000 lbs.


My statics teacher explained that he never forgets how many pounds a kip is because, conveniently, his mother-in-law is named Kip.

Just thought I would increase your vocabulary today. Use it wisely-- unlike my statics teacher.

MY BEST FRIEND

The other day I was pitting an avocado quite cleverly with a butcher knife and a friend asked where I learned the trick. I answered

"My mother taught me that - along with the advice to always use your blinker and never vote straight ticket."

My mother is my best friend. Honestly. I know I can always trust her opinion. She always gives me a straight up answer if I ask her if some article of clothing flatters my figure or not.



{This little picture sums up my sentiments quite accurately.}

I was thinking about all the things that my mother is, and has been, in my life. My mother is my....

Alarm clock, driving instructor, dinner chef, wardrobe advisor, shopping buddy, diaper changer, lullaby vocalist, teacher, righteous example, personalized-advice-giver, chauffeur, my #1 fan, my best audience member, comforter, curfew enforcer, friday lunch date, best listener, guider, mom, and best friend.

I don't know where I would be without her. I realize my life could have taken a very different route, and I am so lucky to have her as a mother. She is wise, strong and immovable. As I reflect back on my life, I realize that she was supposed to be my mother. The way that she understands me and connects with me is irreplaceable and rather rare. The advice that she gives me has always stuck. Even if it seemed to bounce off of my hardened teenage self, it still made an impact. I hope you read this mom. (Oh, I forgot to add to the list above that you are probably my best and only blog follower/reader. :)

Happy Mothers Day.

MEN IN BLACK

So tonight I went with a group of friends to the temple. (If you are curious, click here. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints. Also known as "The Mormons"). And we were all dressed up in our Sunday best...daaaang we looked good.

...especially the guys....

Just a word of advice to all you dudes trying to lasso your gal:

Forget trying to read Twilight {save yourself the gagging} to woo your woman.

Wear a suit and tie.
I am serious.



Nothing is more polished and handsome. {in my opinion}

HOLY MACKEREL

SOOOOO I had a funny experience today....

You see, I am in the process of auditioning for the Orchestra at Temple Square. You have probably heard them because the orchestra frequently accompanies the Mormon Tabernacle Choir-directed by Mack Wilberg, and organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints. (CLICK HERE)

Background: I play the viola. No one hears the violas. We are smack dab in the middle of the orchestra and provide alto harmonies that gently hum underneath the soaring melodies of the ensemble. We are a bit under appreciated, and many people cannot tell us apart from a violin. We are constantly the butt of orchestra jokes, but everyone knows that if our section was nixed, there would be a gaping wound.

At least that is what we tell ourselves.

But that is ok with me. This means I can get away with a wrong sound here and there and not worry about tricky notes. Less stress in the back of the viola section-you know what I mean?

So back to my story....
I received an email from the audition coordinator that went something like this...

"Could you audition a week later than scheduled? I spoke with Mack Wilberg and he is unavailable on the date you listed...."

Uh....of course. Mack Wilberg. Yes, um...how silly of me. A week later will be no problem at all.

holy mackerel. (pun intended)

Mack Wilberg. THE conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Top Dog, Commander in Chief, Team Captain. Last time I checked, I was auditioning for the orchestra, and for a benchwarmer position on an insignificant instrument, none the less.

Wowzers. This will not be helping my nerves one bit. I already have to play six orchestra excerpts, a concerto, a piece by Bach, my favorite hymn, and some on-the-spot-sight reading. ( Do they want my firstborn child as well?)
I jest, but I am exited. Nervous, yet excited. Pray for me, I will need all the help I can get.

And remember to tune in at 9:30 every sunday for Music and the Spoken Word. :)

ALL ABOARD: SARAH'S TRAIN OF THOUGHT

So....I have this beautiful piece of art gracing the shelf of my new bedroom. My mother has excellent taste and knows me too well, so she gave it to me for my 19th birthday.



This is quite fitting and accurate, as far as I am concerned. But somedays I don't feel like that at all. Quite recently, actually. With a new apartment, new roommates, new classes, and a new job, I have been feeling a little out of place. A little more like this...



(I laughed pretty hard on seeing this. There are SO many treasures I continue to find because I forgot where I packed them)

As I continued to browse the site I came across another cute saying that I identified with. Upon graduation from BYU's M.E. program I will be purchasing this piece of wall decor and adding it to my collection.



I'm working on this.
Just you wait and see.