Episode 47: In Which Jessica Tries To Get Her Head Around...A Lot Of Things and also Listens To the Rain

One of the things I am trying miserably to get my head around is title capitalization. Obviously, I fail at all the rules governing it. But oh well.

Another thing is why I am not eating food right now when I was STARVING earlier. Something about home makes me un-hungry.

But mostly what I'm trying to get my head around is my new old calling. Many of you PROBABLY know that I was once again called as the relief society pianist. Gross. And its my new old calling cuz I was RS pianist before my mission.

I already complained about it on facebook but I'm rehashing it now, though I'm mostly past the complaining stage because I learned a few things.

1. When you post your terrible horrible misfortunes on facebook, HOPING someone will laugh at you and call you a poor sucker, it never happens. All that happens is you get a lot of advice and offers for help that you inadvertently solicited, but didn't really want.
2. There really is no number 2. I just wanted to mix things up with formatting because I can and because I don't have any pictures to spice this blog up with.

See, when I get called as something terrible like RS Pianist (by the way I DON'T play the piano...like...at all. ok, maybe a little. But I'm pretty much basically hopeless. I only took lessons for a year before deciding that) I'm absolutely devastated. To the point that I cry all through sacrament meeting. (another side note, I love Fast and Testimony meeting on days like that, everyone thinks you're just feeling the spirit and leaves you alone.)

But after I've had my cry, people telling me it will be alright and trying to offer to hopelessly teach me piano just make me angry. I felt much better when I went to work and my boss laughed at me. After you laugh and tell me it sucks to be me, THEN you can politely offer to help in whatever way....while all the while never intending to actually help. You know, just those polite "let me know if there is anything I can do" offers that you know no one is actually going to take you up on.

Anyhow, Sunday went alright. I made the executive decision after practicing all week to completely cut the left hand out of the song and only play the melody with 2 fingers. Then I ducked out of relief society before anyone could tell me "what a great job I did". Cynical? Maybe, but I know that my piano skills are akin to a poor american greenie in Japan who gets told his Japanese is "so good". Yeah, he probably believes it, but somewhere around transfer 5 when he actually DOES know Japanese, he realizes no one is complimenting him anymore and THAT is the true compliment.

Enough about piano though. Its actually kind of nice to have a reason to go play piano everyday...even if I do end up with piano key shaped dents on my forehead after a while.

I'm also trying to plan out my week next week. It's Andrew's birthday and I'm trying to figure out what to get him...while at the same time getting him what he OBVIOUSLY wants without him knowing. So far, its not happening.

Also, my friend and former companion, Yuasa shimai, is coming to America next monday. I offered to pick her up and let her stay at our place...but then I'm responsible for entertaining her. I'm trying to figure out how to best do that while not taking TOO much time off work, and with only one car when Andrew gets off at 4 in  the afternoon. So far, doesn't seem to be working to well. Not to mention I need the 18th to prepare for Andrew's birthday...but I can't just tell her "Too bad, I can't leave the house today" cuz its not like she comes to America that often.

Another issue I'm trying to get my head around is taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park.

When someone comes all the way from a foreign country, do you REALLY want them to see Provo, UT? Yes, there is a certain culture here that fascinates Japanese church members. I think is just the sheer number of church members, they can't believe it. Anyhow, the correct answer is no.

Well my mom said Yellowstone was only 5 hours away, and much more interesting than Bryce Canyon or Arches. (though those are fascinating even to people from the east coast who didn't know rocks could be red. Trust me, I've seen it happen. =P) so Andrew and I thought, lets take her to Yellowstone. We'll leave at like 3am on Saturday and spend the day in Yellowstone, coming home in the evening.

Well, problems:

1. It's actually 7 hours. 7 and a half really.
2. Yellowstone is north. North is cold. Much colder than Utah. It CAN get up to 55 (like it will later this week)...but its snowing right now and 40 degrees. Pray for good weather.
3. once again, I was just mixing up the formatting. no real number 3 here. =P

So I'm trying to figure all this out. It's hurting my brain.

In other news, its raining here. I should go out to my garden (which I've YET to plant) and chuck all the sucking snails out of it. They're probably out seeing as the ground is wet. I found one crawling around my herbs last night. I was mad.

My herbs are doing well. The mint is thriving. I think it grew 3 inches last night I swear. I'm having trouble figuring out how the Thyme is doing. I'm told its hardy so I won't worry too much, but I think I over watered. Basil is doing great, I'm gonna have to thin it soon which makes me sad...I grew all those little shoots, now I has to kill them. :( and the oregano sprouted. Funny story, my herb hit only came with 2 soil starters so I filled the other container with potting soil. it wasn't perfectly even and I guess the initial watering sent all the seeds to the middle of the container because that is where all the shoots are coming up. =P

Cilantro...yeah...hasn't germinated. I'm just gonna buy a starter plant for that one I guess.

Anything else fun and amusing? You probably haven't even read this far cuz I wrote a long blog again. Oh well. Time for formatting again. :)

• there was a bumblebee in sacrament meeting yesterday. It was funny to watch people sitting calmly and then suddenly ducking. =P
• I made french silk pie last monday. It was super good but super rich. I wonder if I make it with milk chocolate next time...
• Vodka makes THE best pie crust. You wouldn't even believe it. 
• with all the drink mixing stuff Andrew has, and my new bottle of vodka, I am very glad ours is not the kind of kitchen people normally frequent when they visit, and I hope the bishop NEVER finds his way in there =P I just imagine when I'm sick and the relief society brings me dinners. "Sister Powell isn't sick, she's DRUNK!" =P
• It was beautiful weather this past week and weekend. Almost 80 degrees on Saturday! Andrew and I had a picnic on the front lawn and ate strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar. It was awesome and I was very grateful that I live in a house and not an apartment.
• I am a total excel nerd and so I made a spreadsheet with everything in my kitchen cupboard and its expiration date. Now I can sort the sheet by expiration date, type of food, what its used for etc so I never have to search through the kitchen cupboard again. (and no past expiration date exploding can surprises either...plus, leavening agents that work!)
•  I also have a category for things that I'm almost out of, when they reach a certain level they automatically get added to my grocery list. I know, I'm awesome and you are jealous. But seriously, if you had no pantry and had to always bend down and dig through everything to find out what you had, you'd do it too. And I didn't have to pay to buy cupboard organizers. :)
• KAYLYNNE IS COMING HOME THIS WEEK!!!
• I like a little spring rain, and its been a steady drizzle since last night...but it knocked all the magnolias off the trees...and they smelled so good :(