It is almost exactly a month until the first official day of spring! The weather has been pretty mild the last few days and I love seeing the snow disappear little by little. Of course, once it all dispels it will probably blizzard us again at least one more time but I am going sockless with my pants rolled into capris in an attempt to encourage the sun to beat out the clouds.
Fool-proof.
Moving on.
I had the awesome chance to go out for a sort of girl's-night-out with my roommate yesterday after my ward's dinner and activity for our Ecclesiastical Endorsement for school at the Y. It was pretty nice to go out and get some hot cocoa and watch another couple friends of mine perform at the little restaurant. (Shameless plug, if you get a chance you should check out Powerhouse on facebook. They only have a few songs so far but I am a big fan of Don't Ever Say That Again... it is pretty great to say the least.) It was fun to watch them perform their own songs and also covers of a few of the greats.
But of course I awoke today to remember that although I did not have class, I do have work. Back to the grind again after a wonderfully chill weekend.
As I think toward summer, I am really looking forward to it. I will finally move out of the Southridge apartments that have been my living for the past year (and will be almost a year and a half come moving day) and so I will have a different environment, different ward, and will have the summer to hopefully make some good friends. Of course that is along with working as many hours as I possibly can and getting ready to dive back in to school, fully submersed.
The place I plan to move to has a pool I believe and a piano so it will be nice to have a few relaxing things to do this summer where I do not have to travel far to enjoy. Maybe I will try my hand at that whole song-writing thing again... probably not, but at least I can memorize a few pieces that I can play anywhere instead of always having to haul a bag full of books up onto campus.
Again, moving on. I finally put up a good picture on facebook of my daring turn to blonde hair. Might as well let you all have a look...
I cannot explain how odd it is to look at myself in the mirror and see this but I suppose by the time I get used to it I will have bought another bottle of dye and turn it back to brown. I actually anticipate doing that sometime next month. Can't have prince charming falling in love with my blonde self, now, can I? Because I sure as heck am not keeping my hair blonde for the rest of my life. It seems odd that one's wardrobe would be tailored toward one's hair but mine is. There are a few pieces in my clothing lineup that I have felt that I simply could not wear once my hair was this light shade. Maybe it is just my own personal opinion but there is a certain pink dress that will not be worn until I am brunette once more.
Aside from that honestly not much has been happening in my life-- at least nothing crazy or unexpected. Sure a few of my friends have either gotten engaged or received their mission calls but that kind of thing does not really alter my course, you know?
I do however need to start planning my trip home. I am wondering if I might be able to find someone who wants to go to Oregon (or thereabouts) during the same week that I want to go so we can drive over... I like the idea of a road trip more than a plane ride but... I have a feeling the plane is what will be used. Ah well. As long as it is before the end of July, I will be quite pleased. Quite frankly, I think the best time would be the end of May or beginning of June depending on when Brookings releases its students... my little sister is graduating, you see? And, well, I cannot miss that for the world.
Well. That being said. Perhaps I will start scoping out plane tickets. I hope you are enjoying the sunshine as much as I am for those who live close or who are blessed with sunshine today (though I hear in some parts of California there has been more snow... ick, good luck with that).
I had to laugh a little bit today. (Okay, so more like yesterday evening in to today.)
What was the topic? Hugs.
As I was talking to my friend about hugs, we came to the conclusion that there are so many ways hugs can be interpreted and continued to discuss who gets what hugs at what times from us. I had to laugh at the variety and then realized how often I decide beforehand what hug I am going to give and why-- of course, I do not always articulate and walk myself through why I am choosing the particular hug but anyway.
Simple though they may be, there is just so much meaning in a hug. I am going to be honest as usual when I write to you and say, I love hugs. But that does not mean I hug anyone and everyone. Now, those who see me daily would probably say otherwise but I really do not hug just anyone.
And even those I do hug, there are some who receive one hug and some who receive other hugs. So. What am I going to do? I am going to describe the hugs I give and whom I give them to. I am sure in hindsight this might not be the best idea ever but I am willing to bet not everyone reads my blog. Ridiculous, I know, for who would not want to be in on this? Ah, right...
Anyway. Without further ado:
- First off--the hug that does not occur. Okay. This does not mean I do not like you. At least not all the time. Usually it means that I am simply not in the hugging mood. But there has been a time or two when I simply do not want to give the wrong message. Straight up. There are some people you simply cannot hug no matter how short because they will somehow derive hope for a deeper meaning than the simplest hug should convey. Often, I do not hug those that I have spent a fair amount of time with and still cannot get a read on where I am on their "feelings scale". It is safe to say that if I even have the faintest niggling hint that the person might like me, or could like me, and I do not want them to... I will not hug them. But, really, 7 times out of 10... I just do not want to be hugged.
- Second-- the brief hug. Usually used after meeting someone for the first time, having good conversation with them, and saying farewell. This does not happen very often unless it is after a first date. But again, it is a way of encouraging the guy to try harder the next time or just keep up the good work. The other times this hug has been in use is the moment where you must make nice even if you do not like the girl for the sake of your friend. Thankfully, my friends seem to have good taste so I have not really had to use this one.
- Third-- the brief but tight hug.Simply used when I run into someone I care about but often literally have to keep running (or they are on the run themselves). This is also a commonly used heart-broken hug in my line of hugs. You know when you care about a person so much, and all you want is to see them happy, but then they choose someone else and the dream is gone and you must move on? But you cannot give up on the, albeit, brief hugs they bless your heart with? Yes. Those hugs.
- Fourth-- the long hug- not to be confused with the fifth, the long and tight hug. The first is usually done in either a lazy way or in a hesitant manner. I give the lazy ones to those who are huggers but not always my favorite people to hug, no offense. Or to those I hug more times than I care to count. Meh. The hesitant kind are given when I am really hurt and want to be comforted but do not want to seem a burden or want to pass it off as a smaller problem than my heart is treating it. The second of the long hugs is definitely saved for those who are most dear to me and those whom have seen me at my lowest and most depressed. Those whom know that sometimes I just need to be held. Other times I use this hug when I have not seen my friend in a ridiculously long amount of time. So, do not think every time you see me hugging someone thus that it means I am a depressed wreck. Haha!
Onto the second part and probably much shorter explanation of Cassidy Hugs.
Levels.
Yes. That is right. Levels. And what I mean when I write that is where my arms go around the hugged.
- One arm up, one arm down. Some have referred to it as the "bro hug". Rightly so. I do not think I have often seen two grown men hug with one's arms on top and one's arms on the bottom unless the height difference encourages it to rid the huggers of awkwardness. Moving on. When I hug people like this... I actually feel really awkward. As if we could not make up our minds and thus gave in to this awkward placement of limbs. Not many feel this way, but I do. And that is what currently matters in this blog, right? Right.
- Arms under. When I feel like it is a strictly familial feeling relationship between me and a guy, this is what usually happens. It also makes me feel small and sometimes a little childish. It is usually my attempt to be cute.
- Arms over. Well... sometimes you are taller than the guy and it would just be awkward for the opposite to happen. But mostly it is used when I feel particularly close to the guy or have feelings for the guy. Or he does not give me any other choice but to put my hands up, so to speak. Who am I to complain if the guy is giving me a hug and he may be just slightly attractive? I mean really. But all that aside, I usually see it as definitely the hug that leans more toward romance than the familial love. In the wise words of Mr. Bennet, "Next to being married, a girl likes to be
crossed in love a little now and then." I really do think all girls thrive at least a little on the dramatics of life.
At this moment, I daresay this is all I have to say on the subject, at least as far as explaining my own embraces goes. But I must say one of my favorite ways to be hugged is when the guy picks me up and spins me around... and it does not hurt one bit when he waits to lessen his grip until I am good and ready. Sometimes you just need the extra long hug, you know? If only to reassure yourself that at least at that moment, someone cares.
But the best hugs are those from my family. Enough said.
Alright. So I meant to have this out earlier in the weekend but alas, I finally find myself with some stress free time where I do not feel bad just sitting and writing to the small group of people who have taken the time to read what I have to write.
A lot seems to have happened at the same time as not much at all. But first things first.
Yes. I dyed my hair blond. I have taken a few pictures but I have yet to post any of them to facebook. I have not even had the moment of thought to transfer them from my camera to my computer so maybe tomorrow I will have some time to put some new photographs up onto my account.
Next. I got a new job! I cannot tell you just how thrilled I am! It is definitely a different pace from the custodial job that I have had under my belt since December of 2011. It is one of those call center types but instead of selling potentially useless stuff, we schedule doctors appointments for various offices. So it is nice to get into a true service oriented call center. My hours are actually pretty good. Not ideal but I will not complain because they are heavenly in compare to the 8:30 to midnight shift I have been dealing with since just before summer break. Yes sir. This work shift goes from 3-8 Monday through Thursday and 2-7 on Fridays. What does that mean? I am no longer working on Sundays! What else does this mean? I get 25 hours a week which compared to the 17.5 (if that) hours I was working at custodial is amazing for a little part time student such as myself.
Now I know a few of you are reading this and wondering what is happening to my other job-- especially those of you whom I informed that I would continue my custodial job til they fired me. Well. Surprise! I have been terminated... apparently, to work on campus one must be taking 1 full credit of classes. I am currently taking .5 credits... the add/drop deadline has passed and unless I want to fork out the money to take more credits... well, I am considered ineligible for the job. Thursday was my last day and to be honest? I am really going to miss my coworkers.
I cannot tell you how much I tried when I first started working there to not make friends because I had not planned to stay as long as I did. Apparently, my coworkers were going to have none of that and soon they got me talking and laughing and joking around and thus, I at least had friends whilst I worked there-- I hope to keep them but you know how it is. Life goes on.
But this brings to mind the idea of the Lord's timing. I mean, honestly, what were the odds that immediately after I was hired at a new job that the school would finally check the specifics of my enrollment and tell me they would terminate? Not only that, but my last day of custodial was also my first day of my new job.
I am also glad of the location of my new job. There are a couple of restaurants and other businesses within walking distance of the bus stop I use to go to the call center. Guess who is going to look for another job come this Monday? Hopefully someone will hire me for the hours prior to 3 instead of after 8 so that my bus pass doesn't become null and void for after work, you know? But I have gotten this far so I know with continued faith and work, it will work out for my good.
On top of that, even if I cannot get anyone else to hire me, the call center has let me know that, once I get rolling, I can work more hours and even have some time in the office on Saturdays if that "works into my schedule" because we all know just how busy my schedule is right? Insert sarcastic tone here.
Anyway-- that is how my busy, hectic life seems to be going now.
Oh, and guess what? My birthday was just this last Wednesday. Is life much different from what it was a week ago? Well... actually yes, but I do not think it is because I turned 22. Ah well. It was nice though. I got a few small things from my loved ones and a beautiful gift card for Deseret Book so that I can get a new set of scriptures, my own copy of Jesus the Christ and possibly a talk on CD. I am loved, dear readers, I am loved.
I also got to go to Red Mango which is a little frozen yogurt place and I actually would totally recommend having the raspberry yogurt with the little dark chocolate Ghiradelli's pieces. It was the perfect combination and I am glad to have been able to catch up with my friend whilst we ate it. I love those moments where there is no rush.
Speaking of love-- I love sleep! And thus, that is where I am headed as of just about now...
