my vent on attraction

I have a lot to blog about (I'm super behind) but I'm really sleepy. It's waaaay past my bedtime. So for now, I'm going to blog about one thing: dating and self confidence.

I'm not sure if anyone remembers my vent about the blind date I was set up on and how my one preference (when it comes to appearance) for dating is that the guy's chest not be bigger than me (in a non-muscular way). If you know me, that leaves some pretty decent room for the guy. Anyway, I was beginning to feel like I was never going to be able to date someone I was actually attracted to. My self esteem spiraled downhill. Then, right before I left to come home, I met Donanciano, a fantastic guy from Mexico. Then, my first full day back in PA, I took my car to Jiffy Lube to get it inspected and one of the workers hit on me and asked for my number. I went out with him last weekend and am going out with him again this weekend. He's just so good for my self esteem right now. He always calls me gorgeous and beautiful. And while, I know that a lot of that is just sweet talk, the fact that a good looking guy like him even wants to go out with me has made me realize that I don't need to be the thin white girl to be beautiful. It's just really opened my eyes. Just because I'm overweight, doesn't mean that I need to be set up with the socially-awkward overweight guys. I am worth waiting for someone I am attracted to.

updates

OK, so I bailed on the 5k race today and decided to wait and run a few in PA this summer. I'll convince a friend or two to run them with me. :)

Yesterday, at the gym, I couldn't figure out why everyone kept giving me funny looks. Then, I remembered that I had the word "ORPHAN" written across my chest. That explained it. If I hadn't spent 4 years at Messiah surrounded by "Orphan" T-shirts every December, I, too, would probably oddly glance at someone wearing an "Orphan" T-shirt.

Provo is growing on me, I admit it. I kinda wish I was sticking around for the summer, but I also know that it'll be good for me to go home for a bit and change the scenery. We all know how terrible I am at staying in the same place for too long. It eats at me. Plus, I miss my friends and family back home. I need to see them for more than 3 hours out of a week at home.

I miss guitar...I kinda put it aside since Brian hasn't had the time to help me learn any new songs (or work on the ones he already taught me). Once again, I'll start that back up when I'm home, once all of these books are read, this paper is finished, and my things are packed.

Well, that's about it for updates. If you're a PA reader, please know that I want to: go hiking, go to Hershey Park, go swimming, watch fireworks, go to concerts, go dancing, watch movies, play games, play tennis...if you're up for any of that - you know how to reach me :)

juniors section

Today, I bought two shirts from the Juniors section. I can't begin to tell you how exciting that was. I thought the Juniors section would be long gone for the rest of my life.

I'm registering to run a 5k next Saturday. 3 miles, I can handle it. I'm hoping to run a couple races over the summer.

Hmm, I shouldn't have baked those brownies today. Tomorrow, I give them all away :)

I love how my blog has turned into a journal of my weight-loss battle. I just want to be healthy.

i hate genetics

and the fact that my family didn't teach me how to make healthy decisions when I was little. I hate the fact that letting me collect all of the TY Beanie Babies in Happy Meals was more important to my father than worrying about my health and the effect it would have on me later in life. I hate the fact that now, despite how hard I work and how well I eat, I'll never be small. When did I let media and American societal views get to me? I'm not really sure, but point being, I don't like what I am. I want to change. I'm trying to change. I feel like I'm getting nowhere. It's been 6 months and I can't get over that 15 lb weight-loss hump. I want, more than anything, to lose the other 15 lbs. I'm just stuck. I've plateaued.

Anyway, no point in getting discouraged. Just gotta keep pushing myself.

summer fun

Well, winter semester was officially over on Wednesday the 22nd. However, after some requests for extensions, I handed in my last paper at about 3pm on Friday. The week consisted of two all-nighters, many days of writing from 9am to 1am, and turning in a good 80 pages worth of work between my three classes. I had two 30 page papers and one 20 pager. It was quite ridiculous. I then celebrated by heading to Vegas to visit Precious, my friend from high school, and her fiance Allen. Good times. And, for the record, I behaved myself. Well, other than the trip to In-N-Out, the cream cheese brownies, and the M&Ms. OK, maybe I could have done a little better, but there was no drinking or gambling involved on my part. You gotta give me credit for that.

My weekend was fantastic, really. It was so good to get away. For the record, Wii Tennis with the drunks you've never met before - highly entertaining. Seriously, Precious and Allen showed me so much of Vegas in two days - I was exhausted.

Now, I'm back in Provo starting classes again (boo) and I hate to admit it, but I think I'm battling a bout of depression again. GAGH! It's annoying. I've been trying to fight it off myself mentally, but I think I might have to break down and get a medical intervention. I've just been so out of character lately. I hate it. It sucks the life out of me: I'm sleepy all the time, unmotivated, lazy. I need a good kick in the rear.

Well, step number 1 - get back into the gym. I'm off to go do some cardio. Maybe that'll help kick the depression where it hurts.

Oh, I also want to add that I went to the ladies Bible study at this little Baptist church in Provo. It was so much fun. I felt like I fit right in. I'm curious to see where God takes me in the next couple years of my life and whether or not I remain in the LDS Church.

winding down

Well, as the semester comes to a close, I find myself becoming more and more frustrating with myself. Preparation for finals week and paper writing has taken its toll on me. I've resorted back to nearly terrible eating habits and skipping trips to the gym to "write" papers. This "writing" papers usually involved me staring at the computer screen or text book for a good hour trying to get the either the motivation or inspiration to get started. So, I feel like I let everything I worked hard for slip out of my hands. I need to get back in gear. I need to remember the bigger picture and my original motivation for my goals. As Julene just told me, my motivation for working out is temporarily out of service due to a great amount of focus on finishing the semester. Thus, I think this week will be my week off. I'll reset and reboost both my metabolism and motivation next week.

In this past couple of weeks I've gotten to see TWO people I knew from Ecuador (excluding the missionaries). I met up with Ivanova (she's the younger daughter of my bishop at La Luz) at General Conference. We got sit together. It was really nice. While we were leaving conference, we spotted Hermano Venuelza (or something along those lines) who is also in the Quito stake (a former bishop) and worked at El Centro de Empleos (Employment Center) while I volunteered there. We tried to flag him down but were unsuccessful. So, I e-mailed him that night to ask if he went to Conference. So, this past week, he came to visit Provo. Unfortunately, he came the day it decided to snow like 6 inches. It was a crazy, freak storm. I didn't get to show him too much. We went to the bookstore and he bought BYU stuff to take back to his family. Then Miriam met up with us and she helped me show him around campus a little bit. (Let's be honest, I live in Brimhall and don't know much about campus - sad, I know). Then I treated him to some food from Subway in the Wilk. It finally stopped snowing as he was getting ready to leave. I drove him up to the Provo temple and then dropped him off at the bus station. I had planned to drive him to the TRAX station in Sandy, but I wasn't about to navigate my way through that storm. It was soooo good to get to see people. He made fun of my Spanish and told me that I forgot my Spanish quickly. Personally, I was impressed that I could still communicate most of my thoughts, so.... I miss Ecuador like crazy now. I'll have to post some pics later. (Or you can see them on my Facebook).

I have other things to update people on. However, I'll do that later. I'm going to sleep early tonight. I'm exhausted.

in response to akirah's blog

I saw this on Akirah's blog...and I'm procrastinating.

I’ve bolded the things I’ve done. What about you?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (a "band")
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyworld/Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (I didn't say it was good)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - just about every week in Ecuador
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you were not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run –does kickball count?
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (ahh, Galapagos memories)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class (I last for about 2 weeks)
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been laid off from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby –No, no, no…none of that…yet
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (i'm not sure that I'd want to....)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee