Episode 71: In Which the REAL Episode 71 Makes an Appearance

Did anyone else notice I skipped an episode a while back? Well I did. (ep 69) Yeah I could go back and edit it...but then I'd have to think of a new title

Today, its September 12. Know what's significant about that?

Nothing. Except the Add/Drop deadline.

I guess its the day after September 11th but its also the day before the 13th. Did you know there were people who WEREN'T affected by September 11th? Maybe I was...maybe I knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who died. But I'm sorry, 10 years later I'm not going to remember that.

No, the only thing it affected in my life was that its a pain in the butt to fly now, and its COMPLETELY no fun to go to the airport to pick someone up.

That's all. You can call me heartless but that's what I remember.

Ironically its Pearl Harbor that I remember better...but everyone else seems to have forgotten that. I can't even remember it because I wasn't alive...but I still feel more of a connection to Pearl Harbor than 9/11.

In other news, back to September 12.

I hate art. I like it less than calculus. I also hate teachers that don't list their office hours on the syllabus. So yes, September 12th is significant...this year.

In other happier news, I went to a couple of my friends' open house here in Provo (they got married in August) on Saturday. Since it was open house/reception #3 their registry was basically picked clean except for the expensive stuff. So, I facebook stalked them (long time ago actually, when they started dating. I'm not on facebook anymore), combined snippets of recent conversations that I'd had with them (I ran into him on campus the other day), and put together an image of what they enjoyed.

I wouldn't say I know these friends SUPER well. I met him on the mission (He was comps with Andrew and I  served in the same zone as him a few times) and I've actually only met his wife twice. However, I like them a lot and I wanted to give them a good gift.

So this is what I got.

• Their engagement pictures mostly included him wearing a fedora
• Some of their facebook pictures showed them at a fancy dance or something
• She mentioned that he made her a cookbook for her birthday
• They mentioned (before they were engaged) that they had a weekly cooking tradition
• He mentioned (when I ran into him on campus the other day) that they were taking a ballroom dance class together
• The registry had a LOT of cooking stuff on it (not that this matters because the kitchen ALWAYS hogs the registry)

So after assembling all these clues I concluded that:

• They enjoy cooking
• They enjoy dancing
• They enjoy looking classy

Having a definite image in my head helped me plan a little better. I scoured the internet looking for some where they could go dancing and found out they have social dances every Saturday Night at the Covey Center. Andrew wanted to get him a tie so I figured I had to get her something to dress up too. Then came dinner. I knew dinner and dancing was the way to go, but where could I get a gift certificate?

In the end, here is what I did

• The Covey Center is closed Saturday afternoons so I gave them the admission to the dances in cash
• Andrew bought a tie for him, I bought her a strand of pearls
• Instead of a gift certificate to a restaurant I got them a bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider to enjoy with a dinner they make at home. (I noticed on their registry that they got some fancy glasses)
• To package it up, I put everything in a basket from Michael's and tied it with a ribbon I bought at Hobby Lobby
• Finally, I placed the money in the card, and inserted a printed schedule of the social dances as well (on pretty scrapbook paper...which I'm proud of)

Viola! Dinner and Dancing. It's perfect. I am the Sherlock Holmes of gift giving. :)

And maybe I don't hate art THAT much...

And I take it back. I do know someone personally who was affected by 9/11. I know someone who lost their job after the airlines laid everyone off.