Give me the news...

You may notice it's been a while since I last posted. I've been battling a demonic cold. You know what I mean: the one you think you have licked over and over, then it comes back with a vengeful attack on your throat or eardrum.

Anyway - I finally broke down yesterday after it became excruciating to swallow and went to the urgent care clinic. After waiting for about an hour, I went into the "jungle room" (covered with stuffed birds, monkeys, and tigers, with a repetitive border around the top of the wall) and had my throat swabbed.

The doctor came in with the results and said, "Wow, you've been sick for a while now. You don't have strep!" Here's my favorite part... "Well, since you've been sick for so long, I'm sure it'll be done soon."

Seriously? I want my co-pay back. He proceeded to advise me to pick up some over-the-counter allergy medication and "hang in there."

In the meantime, I'll just try to avoid swallowing and get used to the obnoxious echo in my right ear. Cheers!

Dot Com

I was on my way out the door to work the other day and my nephew Hunter was typing away on the computer. Suddenly he exclaimed, "Aunt Ami! I found your dot com!"

My what!? Again he said, "I found your dot com! See?!" He had somehow stumbled upon my blog with my photo at the top. He'll be my number one reader, I'm sure! That is, as soon as he learns to read...

Tooting My Own Horn

As I've been unemployed and trying to spice up my resume, I've been making lists of all of the skills that make me an asset. Some of them didn't make the resume cut, but I definitely don't want them to go unnoticed. I deserve some credit for the following skills:

1. I am a phenomenal whistler. Not a great singer, but I can whistle you anything you'd like to hear. Some people can't whistle at all, you know.

2. I have an uncanny ability to choose the squeakiest, most obnoxious shopping carts at Wal-Mart. You know, the one that can be heard three aisles over? Definitely an attention-getter. This can be beneficial if you're having a good hair day!

3. I am not typically a confident dancer...unless I'm in the kitchen. If there's music playing in the kitchen, look out! I'm probably breaking it down! I've definitely got some moves if I do say so myself.

4. Boggle. I dig it. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been beaten at Boggle.

5. I am great at shooting rubber bands. My nephews were in awe the other night. Not only do I get good distance, but my accuracy is impeccable.

6. I don't mean to brag, but no matter what the commercials say, I can totally tell the difference between Coke, Diet Coke, and Coke Zero when blindfolded. (Guess which is my favorite!)

So there you have it. Six skills that are not listed on my resume. Marketable? Probably not. Noteworthy? Most definitely!

Water works...

Last week, I went to the beach in Southern California to camp with my sister and her kids. Had a pretty good time, but would not have survived without a connection to the outside world. My cell phone pretty much never left my side. Was it tricky keeping it out of the sand and ocean!? Absolutely!

Upon our arrival home Thursday night, I sat on the couch to watch tv, sipping a glass of icy water. Ahh...heaven. My trusty cell phone sat on the cushion next to me. As I shifted in my seat during a commercial break, I heard the strangest sound. The only way to describe it is this: imagine a cell phone falling in the most unlikely way off of a couch and directly into a glass of ice water. (Oh, the irony.)

One evening and a few hundred dollars later, I had found the new love of my life. Here's a picture!

Mine is berry colored with flowers tattooed on the back. Lovely. It slides two ways! Amazing. Don't think for a second that I haven't learned from this experience. This phone is insured should anything happen in the future... and stays FAR AWAY from standing water of any kind. :)

Stand-By

The conference I attended in Dallas last weekend featured a fireside with President and Sister Uchtdorf. In order to get a ticket to the fireside, you had to register a week ahead of time online. Those of us who decided to go at the last minute received "stand-by" tickets.

When the time for the fireside came, they filled the chapel and cultural hall with "real ticket" people... then began squeezing in the "stand-by's." A few minutes before it began, and after I had gotten to the front of the line, an usher came and said, "I have seats for 8 more."

As it turned out, the seats he had were up on the stand with President Uchtdorf and his wife. I sat in the seat directly behind his two rows back. If I had thrown a paper airplane, it surely would've hit him. Great fireside and very lucky placement! I bet a few of those "real tickets" wished they could trade me seats. :o)

I found out afterwards that because I was behind him, my friend and I were both on screen for the entire fireside. Hmm... I only nodded off for a second! Honest!

Fortunate...

I spent this weekend in Dallas, TX for a young single adult conference. I figured I'd do some last minute soul searching before making big changes and seek further inspiration for my future.

Saturday night dinner was a variety of ethnic dishes...Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Texan, etc. Sunday morning, I went to get a drink and found something stuck between the heel of my foot and my super cute slingback wedge. It was a fortune from a Panda Express fortune cookie that had been carelessly discarded by its original recipient and serendipitously found its way to me. It read:

"You will obtain your goal if you maintain your course."

Revelation? I think so.

7 Dresses

I think I have crossed into a new phase of life. Last month I turned 24 years old. Two days later I broke out bridesmaid dress #7. That's an average of one dress for every 3.4 years (only counting the times I was an official member of the bridal party.) Now, I know this doesn't quite make me a professional bridesmaid, but I do think I've got the process down pat:

-Get dolled up.

-Smile constantly.

-Try not to ruin any photos.

-Dance enough to be noticed... but don't get crazy.

-Answer politely and laugh it off when people in the reception line ask why you aren't married yet.

-Act happy for the 12 year old girl who catches the bouquet that by all means should have been yours! and...

-It's always polite to help clean up.

This is where the new phase comes in. No one asked why I wasn't married, and no bouquet was even tossed. (Which was more refreshing than the time a bride actually handed me the bouquet because I "deserved it most.") I'm not sure whether it was due to the fact that nobody at this wedding knew me besides the bride, or because there really is some magical line that was crossed at lucky #7. Either way, I had a lovely time.

I may always be a bridesmaid, but I'm getting very good at it. :)