blast from the past: "if at first you don't succeed"

blast from the past story #2:

"If at first you don't succeed....."

Ok, this story is notorious with my BFF Blakus and a whole group of my high school best friends. It's a good-er. One of those stories that you wouldn't believe actually happened unless you were there and there lots of other people there to vouch for the story..... Oh, good times and high school dates and blind dating.... Get ready!!

So I set Blake up on a blind date with one of my friends, we'll call her Angie*. We went to Logan (the "big city" lol) and did the whole dinner thing. Then we went to go see a movie as per most high school dates would go. I could tell that Angie was feeling it with Blake, but I wasn't sure if he was feeling it or not. Mind you, Angie was a very pretty girl. Normal. Smart. She did pretty well on his list of things he looks for in a girl. (This is pretty funny & pretty extensive list, but I won't share his secrets.....) We get to the movie and try to sit down. We got to the movie late and you probably all remember back in the day before Larry H. Miller's theaters when you couldn't pre-buy the exact seat you were sitting in..... So there weren't hardly any seats in the theater left. We ended up splitting up the group. Half of us in one row and the other half right behind them.

After this part of the story I deviate from actual memory and must rely of the memories of Blake and the friends sitting near him. (Did this sentence make anyone else feel like I was going to dump a memory into a pensieve and ask you to look at a memory a la Harry Potter?? lol) Anyway, I unfortunately, was seated behind them with my date. Anyway, Blake contends that his arms were folded. (Guess maybe he wasn't really feeling it, huh?) Angie begins by coyly putting her arm on the arm rest. When she can tell that Blake isn't going to make a move she locks arms with him and begins tickling his arm. Harmless right? I would think so.... Then I guess she wasn't very happy that her advances weren't being reciprocated so she pulls on his arm gently to try to unfold his arms and intertwine her fingers with his. Blake stands his ground and keeps the arms folded. The tugging begins to get a little bit harder. (Let me just interject that sitting directly behind Blake I DID see his body moving side to side a little. I figured they were mutually flirting and being silly.... Little did I know.....) Then Angie gets even more frustrated and pulls even harder. Blake interlocks his fingers with his other hands fingers in some sort of power wrestling move and jerks his arms back away from Angie with some gumption. I'm guessing (no confirmed side of her story from Angie) that Angie thought Blake was being funny and playing around with her. He wasn't. He didn't want to hold her hand. It was a first date. A blind date. And he was trying to make it pretty obvious that he wasn't interested. Angie gave a few more serious "reeling in a 2-ton shark" jerks to Blake's arms and then the unthinkable occurred...............

Angie stands up.

Throws her hands up over her head and yells EXTREMELY loudly

(in the middle of the movie mind you)

"I GIVE UP!!!!"

Sits back down and folds her arms for the rest of the movie.

Sitting directly behind Blake's head, I honestly could not believe what had just happened. I didn't know what she had "given up" on, but it was pretty much the strangest thing I have ever seen someone do on a blind date. Heck, any date. Needless to say, the 30 minute car ride back to Preston was a wee bit awkward.... But after we dropped Angie off, heard the full story from Blake, and re-lived the "I give up" moment several times- that night lived in infamy from then on.

So I challenge you-

anybody got a better awkwardness on a date or with a group date you were part of story!!??!!

(i'd certainly LOVE to hear it if so!)

*= name obviously changed to protect the awkwardly forward female lead character of this story

"i'm definitely not dead...."

Today I took food to some hungry law school students.

On my way home I sat at a stoplight on 4th South and 8th East downtown.

I was the first car, so closest to the light.

While I sat at that stoplight someone crossed in front of me.

Someone that I could have sworn I knew.

Someone that many of you may know as well.

Someone who looked exactly like this guy:

JACOB!!!!!

(WARNING: If you haven't at least watched through season 5 of Lost but plan on watching it someday- stop reading this post. Also, if you don't watch the TV series Lost, I'm sorry this post will be gibberish to you. )

It seriously felt like that moment at the end of season 5 where Hurley thinks he is crazy and talking to a dead Jacob while they are sharing the cab. Jacob replies that, "I'm definitely not dead"....... Now I know that I'm not crazy. And I certainly haven't had any other experiences of speaking to the dead. And I know that Jacob is not an actual person. (I think.... lol.) But when Jacob (or his identical twin brother) walked right past me in the crosswalk- I think I may know a little how Hurley felt. It was simply amazing how much the person in front of me not only looked like Jacob facially, but he moved like Jacob. His body language, movement, everything.... it WAS Jacob. After feeling like I was seeing someone who actually doesn't exist, three thoughts crossed my mind:

1...

Roll down the window and ask him if he can send you to the island. Maybe on the island you'll be like Rose and get healed.

2...

Jump out of the car chinese fire drill style and plead with him to tell you the "real" name of "the man in black aka fake Locke aka Lockeness monster"

and....................

3...

Roll down the window and ask him if you can be a candidate too...

Which also got me wondering:

What would you ask Jacob if you saw him in the crosswalk in front of you?

blast from the past: 1 date, 2 versions

So I decided that for the new blog I would add a little segment I like to call "blast from the past". It will be funny, sad, random, etc. stories about my past. I have some pretty good dating stories, stories from jobs, and stories from other random times and thought it would be fun to share.....

This first little blast from the past is titled:

1 date, 2 versions

This is the story of the first date I ever had in college.... Enjoy!

VERSION 1:

The first week of my first semester at Utah State there was a random knock at my apartment door. Being the only one home, I answered the door to find a very attractive guy standing there and, of course, was delighted. He introduced himself as Adam* and I proceeded to invite him in. He said that he was friends with my roommate Nancy* and that he was there to take the TV in the front room because it was his TV that Nancy had borrowed for the summer while he did sales. Luckily even though I didn't know Nancy very well I had gotten her cell the day we all moved in, so I told him that I just wanted to call her and make sure his story checked out. Nancy confirmed that yes, the TV belonged to Adam and that he was free to take it. He asked me if I could come down to the parking lot with him and bring the DVD player that was with the TV. I smiled my most flirtatious smile and followed him down the stairs. He unlocked a red Jeep Wrangler and had me put the DVD player on the floor of the passengers seat. I made some comment about his Jeep (because at this time I drove a jacked-up white Jeep Wrangler...). I pointed out my Jeep 3 cars down in the parking lot, and he asked if he could take a look at it. I obliged and hopped my cute little flirty butt into my driver's seat. He seemed thoroughly impressed by my ride, we turned the car on to listen to my stereo system, and chatted (read: flirted) for a few minutes. He said he had to go catch the shuttle for class, thanked me for helping him with the TV, and hopped out of the Jeep. He told me it was a pleasure to meet me, (I was dying at this point! I mean seriously!! What high school boy ever said that it was a "pleasure" to meet anything!?!) but he just walked toward the shuttle without any further conversation. Being the little 18 year old I was, I thought he was cute, but found another boy to flirt with about 3 seconds later and didn't think about Adam at all for the next few hours.... About 4 hours later I get a phone call from Nancy* saying that Adam called her because he thought he might have accidentally left his keys in my Jeep and needed my number so that he could get them back. I gave her the go-ahead to give him my number and was happy at this little piece of fate that was bringing the cute red Jeep boy back into my field of vision. Adam called pretty much right away and apologized for leaving his keys if that's where they were. He asked how soon I would be back at Oakridge because he didn't live there and needed to go home. I had 1 more class and told him I'd be home in about 2 hours and would text him when I got there... I got home from class, checked my hair and put on some lipgloss, then texted some horrible message like "hey u.... i'm home now. if i have your keys what do i get if i give them back?.. hehe... :)" Oh man, I used to love the hehe instead of lol back in the day..... He was just in another apartment in the complex wasting time and came right over. I unlocked the Jeep and sure enough, there was his APX lanyard with gym pass-card, GNC membership card, and keys to boot. He flashed a Crest white-strips smile and told me how happy he was that this little accident had happened. He told me how hott he thought I was, and that he had been too intimidated to ask for my number earlier. I blushed, looked at the pavement, and twirled my hair with my finger like a stupid 18-year old would... Adam, being the smooth older man, asked if he could "keep using my number" and I nodded a coy little yes. I started walking back up the stairs, but he yelled out for me to stop. He told me he usually wasn't so forward but wanted to know if I had plans for that Saturday. I told him I didn't think I did, so he told me he was going to take me on a date.

Saturday came and I was SO nervous. My first college date!!!! Someone who wasn't in high school anymore and could grow facial hair if he wanted... I had just gotten my heart mildly broken about a week earlier (a story for another day) and wanted to move on with my college experience and find me a MAN... I tried on about a billion outfits wanting to find something to make me seem older (not that I needed anything more than my D-cups to do that.... lol) and finally picked an outfit. He picked me up from my apartment and my first official college date began. We went to the restaurant and I found it so posh that he asked what I wanted and then ordered for me when the waiter came back. He was older. He was a man. And I thought the date was the coolest thing ever. I learned in our conversation that Adam was almost finished with his pilot's license and was from somewhere around Salt Lake. He lived in a house (so cool!!!) with some roommates and had known Nancy for a few years. It dawned on me that if he had known my roommate for a few years that he was more than a few years older than me. I asked how old he was, and it turned out that he was 24. He asked how old I was and I embarrassingly fessed-up that I was only 18 and a freshman at Utah State... He seemed surprised that I was so young ("You don't look or act 18...." he flattered me) and asked if I thought it was weird that he was 6 years older than me. I was SO over boys my own age that just broke my heart anyway, and I immediately told him that I didn't care because college was college and that if you were an adult it didn't really matter that much. Secretly I thought that it was a little much of an age difference, but rationalized myself into thinking that 24 wasn't that much different that the 21 year old returned missionary MAN that I was desperately wanting in my life. The date ended and I was thrilled to finally be a "college girl"- no longer tied down to who or what I was in high school. No longer jail-bait to the older, wiser, sexier, college men in Logan.

Adam texted me over the next few days and casually mentioned that I should be expecting another date pretty soon. I was meeting so many new people and while I wasn't too worried or obsessed because I had other prospects as well, I wasn't dreading another date with Mr. Red Jeep Hottie. I saw Nancy later that day and she asked me if I had still been talking to him. I said I had, but I noticed she seemed kind of hesitant about something. I asked if there was something between them, not wanting to start drama or anything, and I felt pretty horrible. She reassured me that there wasn't anything between them, but asked if I was OK with the big age difference. I thought it was a little bit of an odd question, but replied that 6 years was a little much but not that bad. She started laughing her head off and shaking her head.... I was so confused. Did this older, wiser roommate know some college dating rule that I hadn't been notified of saying that 18 year olds couldn't date anyone older than 22? Did she think I was being naive and young and stupid? Was he dating one of Nancy's friends and she now thought I was a boyfriend stealer?

Then she dropped the bomb- Adam was actually THIRTY ONE..... Yep, 3-1! She eluded that he had a "thing" for young girls and sometimes lied about his age. She felt bad and said she should have warned me about it. Now let me just make two points here: 1- He did NOT look 31. He had a clean shaven, Abercrombie wearing, fresh off the mission look about him. and 2- I probably would have still gone out with him, but the fact that he lied about his age by SEVEN years was NOT in any way OK with me... After Nancy broke the truth and over the years of thinking about this story another version has emerged about what actually happened....... And thus....

VERSION 2:

Adam came to get back his TV from Nancy. Sees a newby 18 year old at the door and immediately develops a plan. Gets me to come down to his Jeep. Hopes I'll be impressed. Impressed that I have a Jeep as well. Makes plan to snag a freshman. Asks to see my Jeep so that he can "accidentally" leave his keys for a reason to "accidentally" get my number from Nancy. Asks out the young little lamb who is flirting shamelessly with him. CREEPILY lies on the date and tells her that he is 24. Flatters her by telling her she doesn't seem 18 at all. Secretly the CREEP is loving the fact that he's the first one to get a stab at this "fresh meat".... Continues to text her while stringing along a bunch of other little lambs in his sick little game of "Be the First to Catch the Freshman".... I'm pretty sure that the only reason he stayed interested was that I didn't put out on that first date... Otherwise he would have won and been off to younger and more elusive game.

Needless to say, I didn't go out with that liar again.....

But my 1st college date will remain an unforgettable and funny (although a little scary at the same time) story......

PS: Even funnier (and scarier by the same accord) is that I saw Adam a few years later at Club NVO flirting with some young looking little fillies. That would have made him about 35.... And still chasing some 18-year old tail. Creepo's like him should be run out of college towns. Seriously!

*Names have been changed. Although if you have a little sister at Utah State feel free to talk to me in private so I can warn you and give you his real name!!!! lol.

dum da da dah......

Some of you may have already seen the AMAZING news via Facebook or seen it in my previous post, but come a few weeks from now I will be the proud owner of a BRAND NEW Apple i-pad!!! I am SO incredibly excited you guys have no idea!!!! The best part is that it is FREE because Duke won the National Championship. There was some drama for a few days, but Rylee finally worked it all out with them and he is getting the i-pad as well as some Bar study materials from the company that sponsored the bracket. It all ended up that he is going to have to pay $100 for an "upgrade" or something, but he is still getting the $1000 Bar materials and the $500 i-pad for $100. Pretty good, eh? Probably better than anything I could have won by entering a bunch of March Madness bracket contests where I would have to pay to enter.

This means that I will have internet access (not via Blackberry) even at times when Rylee isn't at home. It also means that I will probably be posting a lot more in the blog-o-sphere and that I will be a lot better about commenting on all of your fabulous blog posts... I've never had a problem with sacrificing certain conveniences during our marriage (not having a car the whole first year and not having a computer at any point that wasn't for Ry's school) but I am ecstatic to have my own little gateway to not only the internet and blogging, but also a better way to work on my real writing than with a paper and pen.

So look out world!

Internet capable Katie is coming to a store near you.....

In a pretty dang cool i-pad package none the less.

we are the champions.....

Tonight was a good night....

Ok, that may be an understatement. A colossal understatement. There may have been screaming involved. And sweating. And glove wearing. And fist pumping. And bed jumping. And blue wearing. And high five-ing. And possibly even a little bit of tear crying.

My Duke Blue Devils are the NCAA National Champions!!!!

The last time they played in the national championship game was 2001. I was 15 and a freshman in high school... I remember it like it was yesterday. The same nervous jitters that make you feel like you might throw up or pee your pants. The same little black gloves on my fingers so that I didn't bite my fingernails to bloody-stubs. The same text messages after the game to either congratulate or make sarcastic comments. The same excitement and euphoria when the victory was sealed. So much in my life has changed over the past decade, but one thing remains ever the same-

my dedication to Duke!!!!

Congrats boys. Congrats Coach K. Congrats Dukies.

Stay tuned for a full-blown post on Shot Clock Chronicles later this week......

(PS: Rylee picked Duke in a school bracket for me. With their victory tonight he officially won me a barely released on Saturday Apple I-Pad! I know...... It's AWESOME. And all of you are finally probably excited about this post... But it was only the second best part of the night for me.... lol....)

the sun will come out....

tomorrow.

(I'm hoping at least...)

Tonight was supposed to be a super fun night. It was the Barrister's Ball (commonly referred to as "law school prom"). It was supposed to be friends and dancing and food and fun. And it was. For a while. Then it turned into feeling weak and blacking out twice and having to leave the party early and crying the whole way home.

Tonight I'm done being Miss Sunshine and Bubbles. I'm tired of being sick. I'm tired of not being able to do regular things like dance with my husband without a ridiculous backpack strapped on. And without weakness and black-outs. I'm done with not being able to get season tickets for football in the student section because I can't stand for that long. I'm tired of not working and feeling like a huge drain to society. I'm done with always feeling like people are looking/staring or feeling sorry for me. I'm done feeling like I'm never truly part of the group because of my limitations. I'm tired of being hooked up to this stupid machine 24 hours a day. I'm done with people telling me that they think it would be awesome to not have to eat. I'm tired of never feeling beautiful or sexy because I have a giant cord attached to me and a kindergarten backpack attached to that. I'm done with not being able to have a "normal" life.

Luckily there were amazingly kind and genuinely nice people there tonight like Cameron & Becky & Jen & Jack & Tomu & the random security guard & Rylee. I got home safe and didn't get hurt and only blacked out twice and dry-heaved thrice. No permanent damage. I cried the whole way home thinking how unfair my life is and how much I hate it. Then I started thinking about how this Easter weekend I should be thinking of my Savior. And his infinite and all encompassing Atonement. Luckily I believe in the power of that same Atonement that can forgive me for being selfish and shallow and immature and impatient and a whiner and horrible.

I am SO in need of conference tomorrow.

In need of guidance and inspiration and chastisement.

In need of a reminder of my Savior's love.

May this weekend give my attitude a kick in the butt......

Remind me of all my very many blessings....

And help Miss Sunshine return.