Three quick things:
1) By the time I get to coming in to the library to study at night people are already LEAVING for the night. They look at me like I am insane. They are probably right. :)
2) Sometimes I go a little crazy with all the stuff I have to do. I was UBER stressed yesterday because I feel like at the end of every day I look at my list of stuff I wanted to do and feel like I haven't accomplished anything. It is SOOOO frustrating! I need to work on my time management skills.
3) A few months ago I cracked my mountain bike frame in half. About 3 weeks ago I got it welded back together (yay!) And today I had a few cables replaced that were damaged in the original mishap. The point is, while I was at Outdoors Unlimited waiting for them to finish up with my bike I noticed that they had a 40% off table! I, of course, mozied (how do you spell that anyway!?) on over and found crank brother pedals and 661 shoes (both are really great and really expensive)! Naturally I bought them both. :-) I think I saved over 120$ on the deal..... and really I saved a ton more than that by welding my bike (50$) instead of buying a new bike ($500-$800). And now my mountain bike is good and ready to go for this weekends trip to Moab. I am SUPER excited!
4) Point #3 really wasn't the original point #3 I wanted to write about but I can't remember what it was anymore. Oh man - am I loosing it?!?!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
One more for today
Ok, I realize this is my THIRD post for the day, but I just wanted to get caught up on a few things...
So last night I apparently was having a dream about cooking. In my dream I was cooking some sort of white sauce that had little chunks of chicken in it. Of course I had to taste a little bit of it to make sure it tasted good - so I grabbed a little piece of chicken and popped it in my mouth. You can imagine my surprise (and disgust!) when I immediately woke up to the taste of ear wax instead of yummy chicken. Behold my little piece of chicken:
Ew!!!!!!!!!!!!! Somehow in my sleep I had pulled out my ear plug, mistaken it for a piece of chicken, and put it in my mouth! I was fully awake by the end of all this so I kind of chuckled to / at myself as I rolled over and put my ear plugs on my night stand. Good grief!
So last night I apparently was having a dream about cooking. In my dream I was cooking some sort of white sauce that had little chunks of chicken in it. Of course I had to taste a little bit of it to make sure it tasted good - so I grabbed a little piece of chicken and popped it in my mouth. You can imagine my surprise (and disgust!) when I immediately woke up to the taste of ear wax instead of yummy chicken. Behold my little piece of chicken:
Ew!!!!!!!!!!!!! Somehow in my sleep I had pulled out my ear plug, mistaken it for a piece of chicken, and put it in my mouth! I was fully awake by the end of all this so I kind of chuckled to / at myself as I rolled over and put my ear plugs on my night stand. Good grief!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Warranties
For the life of me - I can't figure out why I have never taken advantage of product warranties before! They are SO great! And I'm just now beginning to realize that I can use them! What's up with that?!?
Behold exhibit A) My trusty camelbak - or rather, Jessica's camelbak that I stole from her a while ago. (Sorry Jess! I owe ya!)
Recently my camelbak has decided it's a good idea to leak from the lid. I wear it a lot when I go on my roady rides and it gets my back SOAKING wet! When it was warm outside this was actually a good thing. But now it's cold and by the end of my rides I am freezing and wet.
I ordered a new bladder online, but it ended up being the wrong size. So then I decided to go to Camelbak's website to see if I could find what I needed there. I saw a link for "warranty information" and boy am I glad I clicked on it! They'll replace any defective bladder for free! Awesome!
Exhibit B) My trusty Tevas:
Hands down the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn in my life. One slight problem though - the black part of the sole is coming off. I've already super glued it 3 times! And it's coming off again! After my neat Camelbak discovery I decided to visit Teva's website. A few other customers have complained about this problem on this specific shoe so Teva has posted a note saying they've updated the shoe and you can mail back defective ones for a brand new pair for free. Woohoo! I can't find these guys in any stores these days and I really want a new pair. Now it looks like I'll get one for free!
Exhibit C) My not very old Levi Strauss 501 Jeans:
Super comfortable! Love the button fly. They're only like 4 months old! That really big hole started out as a super small one. I don't know what caused it. It grew a lot last night as I was playing volleyball. And yes - it happened during an amazing save by yours truly. Anyway, you better believe I'll be on the phone with their customer service reps tomorrow. Hopefully I can get a new pair of jeans out of them... don't know if it'll work but I'm sure going to try.
The moral of the story is: When something breaks don't rush out and buy a new one immediately - do some research and see if it has a warranty. Most companies want your return business so they're going to try to make you has happy as possible. I'd be willing to bet that if you push hard enough you'll end up with a new item every time - even if they don't have a great warranty. They'll do it because they want you to come back and buy from them again.
The biggest nightmare of my adult life:
This actually happened a few weeks ago.... and really, reading it is probably going to feel like watching a train wreck in slow motion - especially because its so long! But this one needs to be remembered - after all, I'm sure we'll all be laughing about it someday....maybe.
Once upon a time Brittany, Brent and Jason flew to Florida for a few days and they asked me to pick them up from the airport on their return trip. "We'll get in at 11PM" is what I heard, so what I understood was "Our flight gets in at 11, but then we'll have to get our checked baggage and everything - Oh and PS - flights are always a bit late so basically, we'll be on the curb ready to go around 11:30." I don't know why my brain interpreted that simple 5 or 6 word sentence as all of that, but it sure did.
SO..... I was sitting around doing homework and starting to think about leaving for the airport in about an hour-ish (so I could be there right at 11 like a good brother) when a good friend called me having a quarter life crisis. They really needed someone to talk to and wanted a blessing. "No problem," I thought to myself - "after all, Brit and Brent probably won't be out on the curb until 11:30 ish anyway." So, off I go to my friends house at almost 10:00.
For the next 1/2 hour this person cried - nope - sobbed - on my shoulder about why they were so frustrated / confused with life. I just put my arm around them - what else could I have done?! I felt really bad! I wanted to be a good listener, but at the back of my mind I knew that I really needed to get going. Eventually we made it back to my house where a few of my roommates helped me give a blessing. My friend really didn't want to be alone at that point so they decided to come with me to the airport.
By now it was almost 10:40 and I figured if Brittany and Brent's flight didn't get in until 11, and they weren't out on the curb 'till 11:30, then they'd really only be waiting for me on the curb for 15 maybe 20 minutes. So I give Brent a call to leave a message explaining all of this when, to my dismay, he answered! "Hey! We just landed....blah, blah". I PANICKED! I gave them the brief version of what I just went through and said, "I'm going to be late.... sorry."
I'm pretty sure I was sick to my stomach the ENTIRE drive to the airport. I just knew I was going to get it, but at the same time I was trying to reassure my friend that, really, it was going to be ok, and they'd understand and all that.
We pull up to the curb at around 11:35 - pretty good time if you ask me. But by then Brit and Brent had been waiting for an hour. YIKES. As I drove up I saw their faces just fall even further and I knew I had done yet ANOTHER thing wrong. You see, before I left I didn't go trade my car with one of theirs because I was already late so we just took mine. Well, I had assumed that they took their car seat on their trip with them for my little nephew Jason. And they had assumed that I would bring their car - with the car seat in it. Needless to say, Brittany was slightly upset with me: "What are you doing!?! You'll have to go back and get it!" I. Felt. Like. Garbage. I was so completely torn! I've never felt like I've had to be 2 people at once and be in two places at the same time - believe me, it's not fun! Anyway, I ran into the car rental places to ask if we could rent a car seat - you have to rent A CAR to rent a car seat. I called airport security to see if they could help - nope! Why did I even think they'd be able to help in the first place!? Meanwhile my friend was calling their aunt to see where the closest Walmart was - she didn't know. Lucky for us unhelpful-car-rental lady called me back over to the counter and told me there was a Walmart in West Valley - not super far away.
So off we went to Walmart leaving Brittany and Brent in a cloud of dust. Of course we ran into road construction on the 20 minute drive between the airport and Walmart - of course. But we eventually found it and I bought this lovely...for 45$!
Perfect for my little nephew, right?! OK, ok, it was the first one I saw - I looked around for a non-pink one, but everything else was more expensive so I gave up. After buying it we spent the longest 5 minutes of my entire life trying to adjust the stupid straps so Jason would actually fit in it. They were set at the smallest setting - which I'm sure even a doll wouldn't fit in! Stupid.
By the time we got back to the airport it was now around 12:20. Two and 1/2 hours! They had been waiting for 2 and 1/2 hours! I honestly wanted to die. I just kept thinking, "oh man, Brittany was upset an hour ago - what's she going to be like now!?!?!" Apparently I drove up onto the sidewalk when I pulled up. I was just trying to get as close to them as possible... AND in my defense it was on the same level as the pavement - no curb whatsoever. How am I supposed to know where the sidewalk ends and the street begins? The parking enforcer guy was all getting up in my face over everything. I was severely annoyed but I moved my car anyway. Much to my surprise I was greeted by Brittany with a smile. I was blown away! I was fully expecting her to come at me with guns blazing. While we were at Walmart Jason had fallen asleep, which relieved a lot of stress for them I'm sure, and both Brittany and Brent had calmed down a lot. After Brittany strapped Jason in I gave her a hug and told her how sorry I was - I almost started crying I felt so bad! She just kind of shrugged it off and, again, I was blown away! Brittany's capacity to forgive is apparently HUGE.
So we all got in the car and I turn and say, "This is 'so-and-so' and they're the reason I'm late!" Hahaha! My friend took it well and we had a pleasant conversation until mostly everyone fell asleep and I was left alone to my thoughts. I just kept shaking my head in disbelief. Things definitely didn't turn out how I had envisioned - and boy am I glad. We didn't get back to Provo until just before 2:00 AM. Wow.
A few days later when I was repackaging up the car seat to return it I realized that we didn't even re-fasten the straps to the back of the car seat when we adjusted them. They were just flapping free in the breeze back there. UNBELIEVABLE! I couldn't help but chuckle. Why did we even go get it in the first place!? We might as well have just not had one because, had we gotten in a wreck, it wouldn't have done anything anyway. Then I felt really grateful that we got home safely! Don't tell Brittany.... oh wait, she'll probably read this..... I guess the truth should be known... I hope she laughs....
So through this all, this is what I've learned:
Once upon a time Brittany, Brent and Jason flew to Florida for a few days and they asked me to pick them up from the airport on their return trip. "We'll get in at 11PM" is what I heard, so what I understood was "Our flight gets in at 11, but then we'll have to get our checked baggage and everything - Oh and PS - flights are always a bit late so basically, we'll be on the curb ready to go around 11:30." I don't know why my brain interpreted that simple 5 or 6 word sentence as all of that, but it sure did.
SO..... I was sitting around doing homework and starting to think about leaving for the airport in about an hour-ish (so I could be there right at 11 like a good brother) when a good friend called me having a quarter life crisis. They really needed someone to talk to and wanted a blessing. "No problem," I thought to myself - "after all, Brit and Brent probably won't be out on the curb until 11:30 ish anyway." So, off I go to my friends house at almost 10:00.
For the next 1/2 hour this person cried - nope - sobbed - on my shoulder about why they were so frustrated / confused with life. I just put my arm around them - what else could I have done?! I felt really bad! I wanted to be a good listener, but at the back of my mind I knew that I really needed to get going. Eventually we made it back to my house where a few of my roommates helped me give a blessing. My friend really didn't want to be alone at that point so they decided to come with me to the airport.
By now it was almost 10:40 and I figured if Brittany and Brent's flight didn't get in until 11, and they weren't out on the curb 'till 11:30, then they'd really only be waiting for me on the curb for 15 maybe 20 minutes. So I give Brent a call to leave a message explaining all of this when, to my dismay, he answered! "Hey! We just landed....blah, blah". I PANICKED! I gave them the brief version of what I just went through and said, "I'm going to be late.... sorry."
I'm pretty sure I was sick to my stomach the ENTIRE drive to the airport. I just knew I was going to get it, but at the same time I was trying to reassure my friend that, really, it was going to be ok, and they'd understand and all that.
We pull up to the curb at around 11:35 - pretty good time if you ask me. But by then Brit and Brent had been waiting for an hour. YIKES. As I drove up I saw their faces just fall even further and I knew I had done yet ANOTHER thing wrong. You see, before I left I didn't go trade my car with one of theirs because I was already late so we just took mine. Well, I had assumed that they took their car seat on their trip with them for my little nephew Jason. And they had assumed that I would bring their car - with the car seat in it. Needless to say, Brittany was slightly upset with me: "What are you doing!?! You'll have to go back and get it!" I. Felt. Like. Garbage. I was so completely torn! I've never felt like I've had to be 2 people at once and be in two places at the same time - believe me, it's not fun! Anyway, I ran into the car rental places to ask if we could rent a car seat - you have to rent A CAR to rent a car seat. I called airport security to see if they could help - nope! Why did I even think they'd be able to help in the first place!? Meanwhile my friend was calling their aunt to see where the closest Walmart was - she didn't know. Lucky for us unhelpful-car-rental lady called me back over to the counter and told me there was a Walmart in West Valley - not super far away.
So off we went to Walmart leaving Brittany and Brent in a cloud of dust. Of course we ran into road construction on the 20 minute drive between the airport and Walmart - of course. But we eventually found it and I bought this lovely...for 45$!
Perfect for my little nephew, right?! OK, ok, it was the first one I saw - I looked around for a non-pink one, but everything else was more expensive so I gave up. After buying it we spent the longest 5 minutes of my entire life trying to adjust the stupid straps so Jason would actually fit in it. They were set at the smallest setting - which I'm sure even a doll wouldn't fit in! Stupid.
By the time we got back to the airport it was now around 12:20. Two and 1/2 hours! They had been waiting for 2 and 1/2 hours! I honestly wanted to die. I just kept thinking, "oh man, Brittany was upset an hour ago - what's she going to be like now!?!?!" Apparently I drove up onto the sidewalk when I pulled up. I was just trying to get as close to them as possible... AND in my defense it was on the same level as the pavement - no curb whatsoever. How am I supposed to know where the sidewalk ends and the street begins? The parking enforcer guy was all getting up in my face over everything. I was severely annoyed but I moved my car anyway. Much to my surprise I was greeted by Brittany with a smile. I was blown away! I was fully expecting her to come at me with guns blazing. While we were at Walmart Jason had fallen asleep, which relieved a lot of stress for them I'm sure, and both Brittany and Brent had calmed down a lot. After Brittany strapped Jason in I gave her a hug and told her how sorry I was - I almost started crying I felt so bad! She just kind of shrugged it off and, again, I was blown away! Brittany's capacity to forgive is apparently HUGE.
So we all got in the car and I turn and say, "This is 'so-and-so' and they're the reason I'm late!" Hahaha! My friend took it well and we had a pleasant conversation until mostly everyone fell asleep and I was left alone to my thoughts. I just kept shaking my head in disbelief. Things definitely didn't turn out how I had envisioned - and boy am I glad. We didn't get back to Provo until just before 2:00 AM. Wow.
A few days later when I was repackaging up the car seat to return it I realized that we didn't even re-fasten the straps to the back of the car seat when we adjusted them. They were just flapping free in the breeze back there. UNBELIEVABLE! I couldn't help but chuckle. Why did we even go get it in the first place!? We might as well have just not had one because, had we gotten in a wreck, it wouldn't have done anything anyway. Then I felt really grateful that we got home safely! Don't tell Brittany.... oh wait, she'll probably read this..... I guess the truth should be known... I hope she laughs....
So through this all, this is what I've learned:
- Don't ever assume anything. EVER. I thought I already knew this one...apparently not.
- Ask questions to clarify EVERY point of question or confusion
- Forgiveness is amazing and I need to work on it
- I need to learn how to use car seats properly
THE END!
(finally!)
And so it begins!
I've toyed with the idea of doing this for a really long time. On my mission I kept a vigilant daily journal, but since I've been home I don't think I've written once. BAD IDEA! This blog is meant to be a journal of sorts. I'd like to say I'll have something to write in it every day but we'll see what happens.
A good friend of mine has a tradition called "Picture of the Day". She rarely lets a day go by without taking a picture of the day just as a way to document her life. Perhaps I'll modify her idea and use a picture of the day (or week) as a prompt.
Enjoy!
A good friend of mine has a tradition called "Picture of the Day". She rarely lets a day go by without taking a picture of the day just as a way to document her life. Perhaps I'll modify her idea and use a picture of the day (or week) as a prompt.
Enjoy!
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