Biology Final

There once was a blood cell named Leuk(ocyte),

Who helped those who wanted to puke.
He called up his friends
To kill Antigens
Their names were Macrophage and Neuk(trophil).

Leuk fights the infectious disease(s)

Without him we'd be on our knees

(The measles and mumps

Keeping us in the dumps

With never a moment of ease).

I'm glad that I have this good friend

Immunity is what he send(s)!

I know if I'm sick,

The time-- it will tick--

But soon it (the illness, not time) will come to an end.

Bountiful Court

"What better place to court... bountifully?" -Robyn Brough, misquoting the Court Jester

I just checked out of this place. I walked down to the office, turned in my key, my early-check-out form, and a self addressed envelope. And that's it. It took a long time to get all my things together and do my cleaning check. In fact, it's taken most of my day. Maybe I took a long time purposefully because I'm not quite ready to leave. I'm really going to miss this place.

People are so down-to-earth here. They look out for each other, take care of each other, love each other. There is always a smiling face when I need one. I could walk into almost any apartment and spend the evening laughing my cares away. I honestly feel like every person in this complex is my friend.

The BC has made a great impact in my life. This is the place where I began learning the guitar. This is where I learned how to cook some things besides ramen noodle casseroles. This is the place where I first learned how to love someone. The place where I've had my first real heartbreak. The place where I've spent many evenings walking and talking with people who have taught me new ways to view the world. The place where I've laughed so much, I'm sure I've extended my life at least 20 years. The place where I've met the most incredible people with so much to offer the world. And in the meantime, they've given so much to me.

And yet, I'm excited to move on. I'm excited to meet new people, have new crushes, deal with new dramas. I'm excited to learn new things that it's time for me to learn. I'm so happy! I'm closing a chapter in my life. But it's been such a great one, that I can't wait to read the next one. I'm not putting this book down for anything.

Wanna hear a funny joke? High School Language Classes.

I just took my Spanish final in the basement of the JFSB, where I was bombarded by French people! It's true! It looked as if they were Jr. High and/or High School aged, and they crowded the halls. I racked my brains trying to think of any French that I knew, just in case I met the man of my dreams (hopefully not a Jr. Higher...) or accidentally bumped into someone. But I couldn't remember even how to say "Excuse me". What a shame! ¡Que lastima! I took French for 3 school years, and all I can say is probably "Entre, S'il vous plait!" which I only know because my mom would say it all the time, and which I would rarely use unless I for some reason knew that the person knocking on the door was French. I've learned more Spanish in college (which I've only had about 10 and 1/2 months of) than French. I don't even remember basic verbs like "to be" or "to have", and I can't remember for the life of me how to conjugate. Oh well, I suppose the man of my dreams can be a Spanish speaker. Besides, I think it's more romantic when you have some inkling of what he's saying. And if I ever run into a French speaker, I'll just act crazy, screaming and flailing my arms a bit, and they won't even want me to talk to them. Good plan.

The Early Obituary gets the... Corpse?

Robyn Brough,

Beloved Daugher, Granddaughter, Sister, Cousin, Cousin once removed, Second cousin, Aunt, Niece, Friend, Friend of a friend, Acquaintance, Pen-pal, Study group partner, 4.0 student, Girl, Woman, Person, Human, Homo Sapien, Future wife, Future mother, Future grandmother, Member of the Mr. Fong Fan Club, Sophomore, Consumer, Customer, Musician, Criminal, Blogger, Future psychologist, American, Earthling, and Freend,

left us late last night due to a giggle attack that never stopped. She passed on, gasping for breath and with a smile on her face. We shall miss her deeply.

I get the car.

"Good morning! How are your Histamines?"

Those were Robyn’s first words to me this morning. My allergies have been really bad especially today but over the past few days. It’s the only thing I can’t stand about this time of year. It frustrates me that it can be so beautiful outside, but I feel so crummy inside. And it doesn’t help that I have a really really loud sneeze that you can hear all the way over in Iceland (I assume… I’ve never actually tested the loudness of it).

But besides my allergies and the test I bombed today, it’s been a really good Monday. I only have two more classes to go to before beautifully unstructured time, which means pretending to study, or in other word: procrastinating.
I read a scripture today that really applied to me and this bad habit.

Helaman 13:38 says,
“But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.”

That’s how I felt in the testing center today: destroyed and like it was everlastingly too late. And it was.

It’s interesting how enticing procrastinating is. I don’t think procrastinating is an “iniquity” necessarily (in school matters); often I do good things instead of my homework. I just don’t prioritize right. School has never been easy or fun for me (as it is for Robyn and other such geniuses) and I’d rather do things I can more easily do (socialize mostly). I put studying off just because I’d rather do anything else. But I’ve discovered that the times when I really prepare for a test or a paper and do a great job make me so much happier than the minute amount of pleasure I get from wasting time. And I don’t know if I could even call it pleasure, since I have the paper or studying on my mind the whole time.

I think this is a lesson that many people learned long ago. But I’m usually a late bloomer. I guess it’s good that I’m learning from my mistakes.

Hooray for Spring! I can’t wait to poison some pigeons in the park. Give me a call if you’d like to join me… it’s a riot!

Bitter Sweet

I'm not bitter or sad in the slightest; my life is excellent. As far as my love life goes, nothing has been happening lately, but I'm okay with that. In the past I've had mostly great experiences and I've definitely never had my soul destroyed. But for some reason, I've grown to love some bitter but profound songs, especially lately. These include "I learned that from you" by Sara Evans (which I can play on the guitar!), "While you loved me" by Rascal Flatts, and "And so it goes" by Billy Joel. I've included the lyrics to Billy's beautiful song:


In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense

And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
Its just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows


Don't worry about me, friends. I'm good. I just felt like sharing this song with everybody because I love it! Real love and heartbreak make the best songs.

Of Dreams, Dragons, and Darnation

I dreamt in Spanish last night, at least for part of my dream! I think that's a pretty good sign that I'm learning it slowly but surely. My roommate Kelli claims that one time I slept-talked in Spanish! That's really cool! The last couple of days I've woken up with a song already in my head, but usually it's been a song that I like or have been listening to a lot. This morning it was "Jingle Bell Rock", the twangy annoying version. Weird. Not only do I dislike that song, but it's about 4 and 1/2 months off. I think it's so funny how dreams make complete sense when you're in them, but when you wake up and think about your dream, or try to explain them to someone else, they make no sense at all.

I wore my "Trogdor" shirt to school today. I made sure to wear some lace with it though, so people wouldn't think I'm totally hard core. Is it wishful thinking to hope he will burninate school, including all my responsibilities that I haven't fulfilled? Even if he could just meltify all the snow, that would be amazing. Usually I save my Trogdor shirt for days that I really feel unprepared or stressed out. I save my "Teen Girls Squad" shirt for days when I really do have a crush on every boy. : )

Robyn kept cussing on the way to school, throwing around the "h" word as casually as someone commenting about the weather. Every time she said it, she used this weird hick accent. I was going to mention to her that that kind of language can be offensive, but I figure it's Monday, so she should be allowed to vent her frustration somehow.