thug

what we do for fun. what.

Nothin' but a good time...

Last Saturday Mclain took Kara and I up Santaquin Canyon snowmobiling. It was a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l day. I even got a little bit of sun on my pastey face. The snow is getting gone fast down here on the valley floor, but there was still a good 5-6 feet at the top of the mountain.

(getting ready to ride out)

(the aspen trees by where Mclain had to come pull us girls out of a ditch)
(photo op, woot!)
(Santaquin, Utah Lake, Provo, the valley below)

(at 9,000 ft the air gets a little thin and you begin to think things like sinking to your waist in snow will be fun)

My life got flipped, turned up side down.

If any of you oldtimers who read this can name where my title comes from I'll personally send you Metamucil.

So I had my mandatory orientation meeting yesterday morning for my print program. At the meeting it was divulged that if you were interested in the New Media and Design track (to see some of what they do go here) then you needed to have the 2-3 prerequisite classes done before fall in order to begin taking classes in the track, because they have to be done in order. If that wasn't a possibility, you could just wait to begin taking the New Media classes for a year and work on GE's and the prerequisites in the meantime. Um, hello! I have been in college now for almost for years, I am not going to wait another year to start a four semester program!

So my options were these:

A.) Just go with the editorial track and begin taking classes in the fall.
B.) Switch to BYU-Idaho and do what I want, maybe.
C.) Take the prerequisites in the spring or summer and proceed with the New Media track come fall.

"A" wasn't the best option because I really love the idea of multimedia journalism. I started doing broadcast journalism in middle school as an anchor, editor, and the producer of WCTV (Wildcat Television). I then was a writer, anchor, and editor in for three years in high school doing TTV (Tiger Television). I loved it, but knew it wasn't quite the right fit. This, multimedia print journalism feels like a right fit. I get to use my writing as well as new and exciting stuff in technology and design. Plus, I think I'll be 100 percent more marketable in such an evolving industry with the skills I'll gain in this track.

"B" doesn't seem like the BESTY best option. BYU is the best place to build a rockin' portfolio. Our professors yesterday in the meeting said, "It isn't about the GPA so much now as it is building a great portfolio." I can get the experience here, I have the reputation of the institution permanently attached to me, if I stay here.

"C" seems like what I have to do. Especially if I want to graduate in a timelier fashion than 7 years. I only have 2 GEs left to take (math and biology, puke). That doesn't really fill up two semesters. The only problem is money. Tuition for spring or summer term is $1020. Plus housing, plus books, plus survival. The good news is that the spring/summer scholarship deadline passed about two weeks ago. Sweet. Also, the faculty encourages us to get Mac laptops (click photo to see what has been recommended to me) because that is the computer of our industry, especially if we want to keep up with the evolving world of journalism.

So, I'm S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D. First, I have to get into the track, which is competitive, but I've already met with the director of the track and think I have a good chance at getting in. Second, I have to pull thousands of dollars out of my pocket, or from behind my couch cushion.

My plan is to go home April 25th, and hopefully find some work until June 20th when summer term starts. I'll put whatever few scraps of dollars I can save toward tuition. Plus, I think I can get some financial aid for the term, it'll just decrease my fall financial aid award. But, I'll try and get a scholarship to help subsidize that. Also, try and get a job during the summer term to carry through the school year. Yesterday they told us that when we take Comms 321 ( an intensive, news reporting, prerequisite class, and one I'll take in the summer) not to date, get engaged, get married, and only take classes like basketweaving. So, hopefully only taking two classes while taking that will make it feasible.

Anyway, so, this changes a lot. And it isn't just as simple as taking summer classes, it has the potential for changing the course of my life. And I'm scared to death. I'm also extremely excited. I'm already loving what I'm doing as I vamp up my blogs and portfolio to submit with the New Media track application.

Unless I find some mad love in the two months I'll be home, or die ( knock on wood ;-)), there's the plan. Stan. Now...back to being stressed.

Hours later......

I've spent hours upon hours figuring out the ways of the web and audio slideshows. I finally have something up on the web to add to my repertoire. You can link to it from my j-blog (that's jargon for journalism blog)......

Riley Roo

7 hours and counting

This special treat has been sitting on the counter since at least 9:30 AM. Now, I know people get busy, but I also know that people get lazy. I know today the latter reason is the more likely excuse. If I were a nicer person I'd put this away, but we all know I'm not a very nice person. My mom enjoys pointing that out to me.

The envelope please....

The department admits 160 students each admission cycle. Last year, 355 students were admitted from 524 applications. That is an admission rate of 67 percent.

I felt pretty lucky. Couldn't believe they took a chance on an old hag in her fourth year of college. Must of blew 'em away with my short essays. Or my good looks.

Curse the D Word Snow....and other tidbits

Woke up yesterday to some fresh white stuff. I wasn't all too pleased. But, don't worry, it snowed again last night and is currently spewing out some more of the fluffy stuff. Luckily it's not accumulating at an excessive pace.



I was really happy about walking to and from school in my snow boots.

In other news, I came out of the movie "He's Just Not That Into You" quite bitter. The movie was well made or whatever, but it was sooo true and sooo acurate, it wounded a single sister's soul.

My overall rating: D-

A movie I am looking forward to seeing however, and hoping it will restore my confidence in men and love in general is "New in Town." It's only rated PG, too, which is refreshing (click on the title to see the trailer).

In other news, I didn't go to SLC on Saturday as planned. Melanie called me in the morning to tell me she'd been throwing up, so I opted out of the fun.

I've been able to have some nice phone conversations with folks lately. The two that come to mind in recent days would be Morgan on Sunday and Jordan on Monday. Love those two!

Now I am just trying to get school stuff done and hope the weather clears up enough so I can get home for the long weekend. Hopefully I'll be able to take in a basketball game of Zoey's and a wrestling match of Max's.

Remember when I had a staph infection and almost died? Aren't you all glad I didnt'?

A Piece of Me

Instead of reading Locke's philosophy on modern politics, I think I'll post.

Last weekend ended up being busy and exhausting. I went bowling and to IHop on Thursday, getting home in the wee hours of the night. Friday I went up to SLC with Kara for some big city fun, and then that night I had a double date. It was fun but I didn't get home until 1am. Then I chatted with the roomies before I had to clean such fun things as the toilet and shower for Saturday morning's clean checks. Saturday night I had a date like activity with the same guy I went bowling with on Thursday. Again I didn't get home and into bed until 3am. With church at 9am, it as a harsh weekend.

Went skiing yesterday for a few hours. Glorious! Except I always make myself carsick on the way up there which never bodes well for lift riding and swift skiing. Then last night there was a debate between the College Republicans and College Democrats (yes, we have those at BYU) about the pending closure of Guantanamo Bay's military prison. It should of been an easy win for Republicans, but we were struggling. I was able to ask the last question for the Democrats. And I burnt em good! Left um fumblin.

Today is my busiest day of classes with three classes, one starting at 9am (brutal) and my last one not ending until 4:15pm. I hope to hit the gym right after class so as to miss the 5pm gym rush (give up your resolutions people, it's irritating!). Then I may or may not go bowling again tonight.

Tomorrow the girls (aka all of us roomies) were planning to hit up a matinee of "He's Just Not That Into You." But, now Neisah is going to Idaho Falls, and Kate to Rexburg, so it may just be Kara and I. I also have to take a midterm in the morning after my class and start my first big paper for my political philosphy class which I have to have done before I head home to Oregon for the long break.

Saturday I am going up to SLC to see my old friends Melanie and Chelsea. We went to school together in Idaho. They're both graduated and working up there, and Chelsea just bought a house. I'm excited to see them...we always get some great dinner and have fun catching up.

I love this song.... Makes me feel like summer inside....

Over the course of the last five or so months it has become apparent to me that my roommates never learned how to load a dishwasher so as to maximize space and the effectiveness of the actual cleansing process.....