Once Upon a Time...

...I thought I wanted to be a blogger. You know--the kind who post every day and get bucketloads of comments from adoring (or mean-spirited) readers. That sounded like something I could really get into.

But then I came back to reality. Maybe there will be a point in my life where I can do something like that, but it's not now. As is obvious from my lack of posting, when life gets busy, writing is the first thing that goes.

And I don't see life getting any less busy soon. Sure, I'm out of Young Women, but Primary chorister isn't exactly a cushy job. Not to mention that sometime in the next 6 weeks I'll be adding a newborn into the fun.

So, I'm resigned. I'll write when I can, but it's not going to be every day. Probably not even every week. Sigh.

Now excuse me while I go nest some more. All I have left to do before the baby comes is our 2009 scrapbook, putting our videos on my computer, preparing music plans, painting our bedroom, making a valance for Seth's room and curtains for ours, organizing little pink outfits that still terrify me for some reason, making Seth's ABC book, and hanging up all the pictures I've been meaning to hang up for months now. Oh, and pack for the hospital. Is it really getting that close? Where did the time go?

Why There is Nothing in my Goodreads Box

Somewhere amidst the chaos I mentioned in my previous post, I had several library books come due. Oh, and one Signing Time DVD that Seth barely watched.

I could barely concentrate on what was for dinner, much less on the books I had checked out three weeks previously. I was counting on the library's automatic email reminders to, you know, remind me.

Of course, this would be the time (second time, actually) that for some reason the reminder didn't show up. Jon is convinced it's a scam that goes something like this:

Library Director: We need more funding. How can we mooch more money off the local population to pay for more Danielle Steel novels?

Loyal Henchperson: How about dropping the email reminders this week? Then all those poor suckers who depend on us to remind them will rack up hideous fees!

Director: Perfect! Now go finish moving all the good literature to the back of the library. No one reads that crap anyway.

Well, I am one of those suckers. Not usually, but this month I was. And now I have $17.50 in library fees that I don't want to pay, so I'm avoiding the library.

Which means I have nothing to read. I already re-read Deathly Hallows for the 6th time. I finished off the pile of books my mom let me borrow. All that's left is my copy of The Odyssey and I am just not up for that right now.

So I'll wallow here with nothing to read until I get a threatening note from the library. Then I'll probably pay up. I hope my $17.50 goes to something good.

Mental Preparation

It's officially been two years since I've been the 2nd Counselor in Young Women.

My first October/November/December was just a blur--a total blur. I had no idea what was going on and what I was doing. I remember it being insane, but I figured it was just because I was new and still adjusting.

The next October/November/December was awful. That was when I realized that, hey, this constant chaos happens EVERY year!

This October/November/December are no less busy, but I'm not posting blog rants about how much time I spend at the church or crying to Jon that I never get to see him. It's amazing what a little mental preparation can do for your attitude. Mutual Tuesday night, presidency meeting Wednesday, Stake meeting Thursday? No problem. I was totally expecting this. Surprise Leadership Training the following Saturday? Sure. Whatever. Coordinating 20+ girls with varying degrees of musical talent to sing a multi-part Christmas song? Why not? Seems crazy when considered all at once, but I don't feel overwhelmed this year. Counting my blessings, for sure.

I think the biggest relief is that I KNOW this insanity ends in January. If I had to keep up this pace all year, I would have burned out a year ago.

Of course we start all over again in February with the Girls' Camp Fundraiser, but I'm not going to think about that right now. It will just stress me out.

OH WAIT! No it won't! I'll be out of commission with a newborn. Excellent timing, Megan. (Pats self on the back).

Dear Blog,

You are being neglected. I am so sorry. But you know what? You're just going to have to deal with it for a little while. Every day I think of something clever I want to write, and every day I remember that:

• I have three Halloween costumes to make
• I have piano lessons to teach
• I have three cakes to make in the next two weeks
• I have a temple trip to get ready for
• I have a lesson to prepare for Sunday
• I have things to do for YW in Excellence
• I have a load of laundry (probably molding) in the washer
• I haven't dusted in two weeks
• I have to go buy a bed rail so we can transition Seth to his 'big bed' tonight

Plus, sometime in there, I'd like to see my husband. And so, dear blog, you will just have to wait patiently until I have time again. Which will probably not be until January, the way things are going with Young Women this time of year...

Good news is, our Halloween costumes are going to rock. Stay tuned.

I've never been so grateful...

...to be insanely busy.

To have 13 piano students.

To have the ward discover that I make cakes.

To have assigned reading for a book club.

To have a mountain of laundry left over from the wedding two weeks ago.

To have no food in my house, necessitating a two-hour-long Wal-Mart trip.

To have a toddler who begs every morning to see his 'friends', necessitating play groups.

To have at least 6 projects that I need to get done ASAP.

To know that on Saturday I have a temple trip from 9 am to 2pm, followed by a Stake Youth Fall Activity from 4:45 to (at least) 8pm.

Normally a list like this would stress me completely out. But this week I am incredibly grateful for such a long list of distractions. Because otherwise, the thought that our ultrasound is Friday or that my mom & sister get here Saturday for a week-long visit would be killing me with anticipation.

So I'm grateful that I haven't had time to think about it.


(Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about it.)

Compusive Reading

(Image from thecompulsivereader.com)

When I was in elementary and middle school, I both loved and dreaded the day the book orders would come in. Loved it because, of course, I was excited for new things to read. Dreaded it because it involved me juggling a huge box of books through the hallways and onto the bus. Yes, you read that right--a BOX of books. Every time.

Obviously, my parents are awesome. It's not cheap to keep up with a reading habit like mine, but they did it, figuring it would pay off in the end (I hope it did!). They probably would have killed to live someplace with a library bigger than a bedroom, but North Logan, Utah wasn't the kind of place to have a massive library. Or even a decent one.

I have read every book in my parents' house, with the exception of Beth's vampire stories, Marah's Mormon chick-lit, Kenna's 'true crime' books, and my dad's Clive Cussler-type books. Those just have no appeal to me. I have read every book in our house with the exception of Jon's ChemE textbooks and an autobiography of Khrushchev I gave him as a joke (he hasn't read it either). I read my old college literature anthologies for fun.

Being a compulsive reader definitely has its perks, especially when it comes to academics. I always scored ridiculously high on the language/reading sections of standardized tests. I also had knowledge on a wide array of subjects that I would have never gained in school (I went through a long historical fiction phase followed by a long Holocaust literature phase in middle school. Oh, and a Communism phase about 6 months ago).

But it also has its dark underside. I'm not joking when I say I am a compulsive reader. If there is something to read, I have to read it. I'm the sort of person who actually reads the quotes people hang on their walls. And I know what books are on their shelves.

The worst is when I'm bored and there is nothing decent to read around. I have spent more time that anyone should reading every piece of writing on cereal boxes while eating breakfast or toothpaste boxes while brushing my teeth. I am not the type of person who can just enjoy not doing anything--I need to read.

My mom used to hide my books so I would do my homework/go to bed at a godly hour. Jon will take my books away at night or just turn off the bedroom light on me. Otherwise I have absolutely no self control. I hate watching the news on TV because I get motion sickness from trying to read all the information that gets splashed across the screen. But I can't stop myself! I have to know what it says!

Bless you people who keep something to read in your bathrooms. And forgive me if I disappear in there for longer than is proper--I probably just got sucked in by your three-year-old Reader's Digest. I can't help myself.

Taken Care Of

Turns out I had a picture linked on this blog that got hijacked and was sending people to a shady website. (Actually, it was the Minerva Teichart 'Mary and Martha with Jesus' painting, which I find very funny). I deleted the photo, the malware code, and all other pictures that I hadn't personally uploaded. So if you notice some pictures missing from some older posts, that's why. Better safe than sorry!

All passwords have been changed, all security has been updated, and my computer was reset to a point before the attack occurred, just in case something vicious was lurking in my files. Jon & I did a thorough history search and are pretty sure we know when it happened. I won't be letting other people have unrestricted Internet access on my computer anymore...

Basically, you're safe to be here. I've requested re-evaluation from Google, but it can take several weeks. Hopefully the 'attack site' label will be gone soon, but in the meantime you can just ignore it.

Sorry!