Vent

I know I am sure to offend someone by what I am about to say, but at this point I really don't care.

I HATE UTAH. I HATE LIVING HERE.

I am sosososososo tired of the inability of people to separate church from life. A few weeks ago I was trying to explain to my mom the frustrations I have with living in a predominantly LDS area. And yes, I'm LDS. Am I a good example of a good Mormon? Hell no. I cuss, I drink Starbucks, I watch rated R movies, I don't care either way about gay marriage, to say the least.

Anyway, back to where I was going with this. I was telling my mom that most of Rachel's friends are LDS. I have a HUGE problem with this, and I know it's because I was 1 of maybe 30 Mormons at my at least 2,000 student high school. I was able to get a good mixture of what everyone was. I grew up around lots of Catholics, Born Agains, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutherans, Agnostics, Athiests... you name it. Around here, there's NO VARIETY. I HATE THAT. I hate that Rachel will never learn about what other people believe. I hate that Rachel will never really get to experience what it's like to be with school friends and then go to Mutual and be with just church friends. I hate that everything around here is based around the Mormon belief. Just about everything closes down on Sunday. Ooh, guess what we did last night?? WE WENT OUT TO DINNER. On a SUNDAY! My back was out, I didn't feel like cooking, and we went out. Yep, I'm going to hell for that one. And I'm going to hell for saying hell. (I'm exaggerating, to an extent.) There was a broadcast for women this past Saturday. I was offered a ticket to go with a friend to SLC and watch it live. I didn't want to go. I could have watched it on TV, but I didn't want to do that, either. I have no intention of reading the talks when they come out in print. I hate how there's no sense of free agency around here. I'm not interested in any of that - does that make me an apostate? NO!!!!!!!! I am exercising my free agency to live the way I live and do the things I do, and you know what that gets me around here? I get ignored, unless it's something churchy, which I always get invited to because that's peoples' jobs around here - to get me interested in all things church. Now don't get me wrong. I have a testimony of things pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ. But you know what? I am not the type of person to be religious 100% of the day. AND!!! I hang out with Presbyterians A LOT! And I love them!! A LOT!!!! I made a smartass comment about the forget-me-nots that one of the General Authorities was talking about. I know exactly what they mean, and it just happens to be that almost every female LDS friend I have on facebook is going apeshit about those damn flowers. Posting quotes, posting pictures, posting pictures with quotes, posting quotes with pictures...

Call me an untraditional Mormon, I don't care. I'm exercising free agency to live the way I so choose, to not be consumed by my religion, and to actually enjoy things. President Hinckley said, "Life is to be enjoyed, not only endured." Well you know what? I'm enjoying my life!

My room

I've been spending a lot of time in my craft room lately. I'm even posting this blog from my craft room. I know exactly why this room has gone ignored for so long, and I think that's why I have migrated here on my days off and in my spare time. It's been 6 months since I made the decision to stop going to UVU. UVU sucked the life out of me for three years. When I was there, I did nothing but school and work. Work and school. Nothing else. The only time I set foot in this room was to make my Christmas cards. Seriously, weeks would pass where not one person came in here. I've been going to Stevens-Henager for almost 5 months now, and my stress levels have dropped to an all-time low. I am so incredibly happy with my decision and have no regrets whatsoever.

Since I've spent more time in here, I've rediscovered my passion for dextrous things, and noticed even more so how I go in cycles. I've made about 50 cards of varying kinds, some for me, some for friends. I went through my stitching a few months ago and completed about 4 pieces. Now I've pulled out the boxes of photos that have been collecting dust for those 3+ years it's been since I started UVU. I'm going to work my best on getting these photos on pages, in the best order that I can remember, and work on taking more everyday pictures of Rachel doing Rachel stuff.

I think I owe Rod and Rachel a huge apology for my behavior since January 2008, because it was then that I started going to UVU and lost who I really was and who I really am.

Greatest thing since a paper slicer.

I was in Robert's about two months ago and was looking for a few specific things when I found their new little Martha Stewart section. I came across this not so little item.



This is a paper scorer! Hard to see from the smaller picture, but this is one of the greatest inventions EVER. You have no idea how long I've wanted one of these. I didn't think twice about buying it, especially considering that I could use the 40% off one item coupon. I make a grundle of cards at Christmas time and have always had to score my cards using a pencil, a ruler, and a bone folder. PAIN IN THE BUTT. I've been on another card-making spree, and now that I have this lovely item I am churning the cards out considerably faster. Just thought you'd like to know.