Thoughts and Things

- St. Louis drivers are horrible.  I don't think anybody knows how to properly merge, keep their foot on the gas while driving on the highway, or even how four way stops work.

- I went to a new dentist on Monday, Dr. Gregoire in Clayton.  I picked her because she had great reviews and didn't look like a pedophile like the other dentists that were on my insurance.  I absolutely loved her!  So funny, blunt and just overall awesome.  Oh dental update: my preventative care was great I only had a small amount of calculus, both Dr. Gregoire and the hygenist were impressed that I never had braces.  I have one cavity, which is better than I thought since I always expect the worst case scenario whenever I go.  She did tell me that I should cut back on soda and acidic foods because my enamel is thinner than she would like, which I already knew (damn grad school diet).  So I'm going back the first week of October.

- Loki is absolutely wonderful.  I am so thankful for him.  He seriously makes me happy which is something that I have really needed since I've been hopelessly trying to get over this guy for the last however many ridiculous amount of months.  Actually for a long time I think I was afraid that if I were to get a dog that it would just be a way for me to pacify my desire to be in a relationship or married.  Well, I'm over that now.  Of course I still want to be married and have a family but having Loki makes me look forward to coming home!  And seriously, seeing his sweet little face in the side mirror of my car and his jowls flapping in the wind makes me smile all the way to the core.
He is now 73 lbs. but he still needs to gain a few more pounds.  Last week I spoke with the vet about some concerns that I had and I think I'm going to take him up on his offer to excise some of Loki's overgrown gingival tissue because I think it is effecting his ability to chew.  While he's out I think his du-claws need to come off because he continually licks them and take x-rays of his hips to see if his odd walk is from his hips/arthritis or a leg injury.

So far Loki doesn't like: French fries, tortilla chips, one dog at the doggie park, and snuggling.
So far Loki likes: sugar cookies, bowls of frosting, bowls of chocolate, laying spread eagle on cold concrete floors, sticking his head out of the car window, the doggie park, and sorting through the recycling all over the kitchen floor.

- Work is still lame.  My boss burned his bridge with me a couple months back so I am still looking for a new job which in my field takes time.  I have to take my exams for real.  It will grant me a lot more freedom...if nothing else emotional freedom.

- The SA conference is finally over!  It was horrible.  But I swallowed my pride, grinned, and barred all of the awkwardness, bizarre tifs, and gross food.  I tried to make the day that we were in charge of the best that it could be and thankfully we pulled it off with a lot of help from the wonderful people in the Lindell ward!  Seriously I couldn't have done it without all of the people that stepped up to help me out as a personal favor.

- Building Systems starts Friday.  I am so excited because I love teaching and I love WashU.  The first lab groups are all grad students then the second lab groups are undergrads (some of them are my old students from studio last year, so it's going to be fun!)  I'm also excited because this is a technical course and I love to exercise that part of my brain.  Teaching makes me happy.

- I have had the windows in my apartment open for the last week because the weather has been incredible!  I hate summer and the heat so I have been absolutely loving this.  My zinnias are still blooming and are beautiful but the snap dragons haven't bloomed yet.  I'm kind of thinking that they're not going to before the weather turns.

- I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting a couple weeks ago for the first time in years.  My good friend Lydia stood up and said some very nice things that touched me.  I really am so grateful for all of the friendships that I have been making with people in my ward.  Even though I'm a creepy single spinster that trades gum for hugs at church people have been very open, loving, and welcoming towards me.  It's made dealing with other things in my life easier.

- I finally got released as the Young Women's President!  Hallelujah!  I really didn't enjoy that calling, but I did it because I was asked to.  Well there were a few things that were good.  So for the time being I only have one church calling which is the Stake Single Adult Co-Chair, but I anticipate taking over the mid-singles FHE group again.

- Oh yeah, my lovely P&P ladies made me watch Anne of Green Gables.  Anne is obnoxious but only slightly endearingly so.  Who knows what else they're going to make me watch next...something that will make me roll my eyes every five minutes, I'm sure.  But I won't care too much because I get to spend time with these friends and eat a lot of delicious food!

- IKEA opens in a couple of weeks!  Wahoo!  I want to get some table legs for a long slab of wood I got from my boss a while back.  I want to make a tall desk/worktable in my guest/second/Dina's/my Dad's room.

- I need to go visit HAMOC&B.  I miss them so much.  I talked to my BFF Clio for 30 minutes the other night and I promised that I would snapchat with her more often.  She seriously kills me.

- I need to call my wonderful friend Renee and see how she's doing...I wonder if she's on kid #4 yet...

- AWOLNATION is pretty good.  I love the song Hollow Moon.


I think this is good enough for an update.