It's not me, it's you

When I was in high school I went to BYU sports camp. At the time I didn't like BYU, or Provo, or Utah in general. But I really really liked swimming and so I went to sports camp and had the time of my life as the queen of the swimmers.

No really.

I was the queen.

Two other girls, five guys, and myself were the royal court of all things swimming, which was super fun until those boys sent flowers to the girls from softball camp. Yes, softball. Gross, right? Me and my swimmer girls were mad, and to get back at the fellas we bought BYU football shirts because we knew the swimmer boys hated the football players way more than we disliked the softball players. Then we wore said shirts to the camp-wide talent show.Sorry for the terrible quality. It's actually a photo of a print. Long story.

Not the most devastatingly mean scheme a high school kid has ever pulled off, but it was effective and since then my BYU football shirt has always brought me luck in sports, and a sentimental twinkle in my eye, every time I put it on.

Until this month.

This is my shirt now, 10 years later, kinda faded but still true blue. I've since grown to love BYU and support my Cougs with clear eyes and a full heart. I've worn this shirt at every BYU football game (and not a few basketball games) for years now, but I was convinced that for some reason this season it was JINXED!

I wore it to the Ole Miss game and we squeaked by. I wore it on the day of the Texas game and we lost. I wore it to the Utah game and we got nailed to a wall and then set on fire. I couldn't take another loss so I wore something else to last week's UCF game and we got another "W" (barely). So this week I really thought about leaving the shirt at home, but I put it on... and instantly regretted it when Utah State ran 80 yards for a touchdown on the FIRST play! I asked my friend for a new shirt and he said "no", but I'm glad he did because when the game ended with a "W" I realize that it wasn't the shirt at all.

It was a terrible quarterback who was ruining my life with losses and near-losses. But along came Riley Nelson and all is right with the world again. Thanks Riley. I thought I was gonna have to burn this shirt that I love so much. Keep up the good work, and I'll keep wearing my good-luck shirt.

Ugh

Pretty much since the day I turned 25 I no longer think of my age in terms of years-completed. I now think of my age in years-until-I-hit-30.

Today is my half birthday. That means that I am 6 months closer to turning 30.

I was already feeling nauseated. This realization isn't helping.
Happy half-birthday to me.

Surprises are the BEST!

About a week ago my dear friend Margan Joy Poulos (née Neumarker) sent me a message and asked me for my address. I sent it to her and then spent the next day or so wondering what in the world she might need said address. It's not my birthday. It's not Christmas. She's already married, so it's not a wedding announcement. Her super cute baby boy has been around long enough that it probably wasn't a birth announcement.

Why else would someone need my address?

I asked her and she wouldn't tell me... and I was kinda happy she didn't because I LOVE surprises. So I've been checking my mailbox everyday since. Sometimes I check it twice because I think I might have checked it too early. But there's never anything in it.

Today I got a tiny manila envelope stuck in my door which contained a package slip with MY NAME on it! JOY! So as I skipped off down the hall towards the elevators I was racking my brain trying to think of anything I've ordered lately... which is nothing. Imagine my surprise when I got down to where the packages are and the valet handed me a large package from the one-and-only Margs!

Of course I didn't wait until I was in my apt to try and open it. I say try because my key could only cut through the tape down the middle, not the edges so I could only see a lovely lufa sticking up out of the red tissue paper. I have to say that made me laugh really hard because I've been studying at home all.stinkin.day and I haven't taken a shower yet and it kinda felt like Margs' Facebook stalking had turned to real stalking and she was pointing out the obvious. BUT it was also awesome because for several weeks I've been thinking I need a new lufa, but I never remember it when I get to the store!

When I got it open the box was chock-full of stuff I love and need and even some silliness which I'd never think to buy myself (a mardi-gras style St. Patrick's Day beaded necklace, a "kiss me I'm Irish" flashing pin, etc), and to go with it there was a really sweet card from my dear friend telling me she remembers being a big school-related-stress-ball and she wanted to lift my spirits.
Margan and I have been friends since we were three. We've got all kinds of history and inside jokes (as evidenced by a reference on the card to getting drunk off Martinelli's which made me bust up laughing) She's now a wife and she has a three-year-old and a new-born, and she works part time, and she's got to be crazy busy in her own life. It means so much to me that I have such an amazing friend who sees an opportunity to serve someone else and does it. Margs you're one in a million and I'm so glad we've been friends nearly a quarter of a century. Not many people have friendships like that. I love you lots. Thanks for looking out for my mental health!