Peace out Baby

Holy cow. It's time. I never thought this day would come, but I'm leaving on my mission tomorrow. Cleveland, Ohio, bring it on baby.
I am going to miss all of you, but hello... 18 months is not that long. My mom will continue to update my blog from time to time, so read on friends.... and don't forget about me. Love you all, keep it real.
XOXO Ang

My favorite voice mail ever....

Andrea:
It's me. It's monday night at ten thirty-ish. Um if I don't talk to you before you go, I will send you a letter bomb and anthrax in the mail so you die. Hahahahahahah. I was going to say I would come to the MTC and kill you, but um I really hope you don't die and they check this and they're like, "oh, jonny killed andrea" cause i'm not really a psycho. Well, clearly after last friday I am a psycho, because I broke into my ex's house and stole my stuff. But anyway, um I think I deserve one last phone call, and you better @*^& well do it, or else you're getting NO LETTERS FROM ME- there's my threat. No letters from me your entire mission. Not even an email or a single word if you don't call me back before you go, no letters from me, that's my threat, there we go. Anyway, we'll talk to you later. I mean I better talk to you later or else you're dead. Love you, Bye.

Time Capsule

I've always thought that Time Capsules were stupid, unless you left them unopened for 50 or so years. Last night my family opened a Time Capsule that we assembled in 1999. 8 years ago. Surprisingly, it was quite enjoyable, and it gave me a good laugh to look back. Maybe I'll change my opinion of time capsules.

Here were the highlights of my life as a 14 year old:

1. Andrea got her braces off. I've already told stories about this miserable experience. Good to put an end to that period of my life.
2. Andrea got her ears double pierced. These were the days when having five piercings up your ear was super sexy. I had been begging my parents to let me get more piercings, because one set was so not cool anymore. They finally agreed that I could get second holes in both ears. However, before doing so, they made me sign a contract promising I wouldn't get more piercings in my ears, get my belly button pierced, or get a tattoo. I guess they were that worried I would do something foolish.....what good parents I have. Sidenote: I let the second holes grow in a year or two later. gross.
3. Andrea went on Pioneer trek this past summer. This is where I encountered the most awkward and humiliating experience of my life to date. An older boy totally walked in on me while I was in a porta potty, completely naked from the waist down. I screamed and shrieked in complete horror, until he finally ran away. All throughout the rest of pioneer trek he gave me the nasty eye. If that wasn't bad enough, it got much worse when his whole football team had heard the story a week later. Who brags about something like that? Sick. I still think about that one.
4. Andrea started 9th grade, and she is busy as a Student Body Officer, and singing in Madrigals. The most amazing part about this, is that I truly thought my life was chaotic. Little did I realize that walking around the halls of CJH talking about boys, coloring posters for basketball games, and stealing candy from our advisor in officer prep period hardly qualified as busy.
5. Andrea hates her math teacher, Mr. Smith Still do. (I don't dare post his real name on the internet. I think secretly I'm still afraid of him.) He was a real nut job. My friends and I always talked about egging his house, but none of us ever had the guts to follow through.
6. Andrea is President of her Mia Maid Class. Enough said.
7. Andrea went to St. George with her best friend Jessica over fall break. .. We thought we were so cool because we met and hung out with older, hot boys. Hello they were in High School! This was kind of a big deal.
8. Andrea really loves music. Some things never change. I was especially into the Dixie Chicks at this time, because included in the time capsule was a concert ticket from their fly tour.

So there you have it, Andrea 8 years ago. It makes me wonder where I'll be 8 years from now.... I honestly can't even venture a guess.

9 days left to live......

I have 9 days left to live........ I am making a list of the most essential things that I need to do before I check out of life as I know it.

So far, here it is:
- eat sushi at happy sumo
- go rollerblading
- sleep in till noon
- watch A Christmas Story
- have a dance party
- dress up: wear high heels and bright red lipstick
- kiss. a lot. (just one boy though..)

Please let me know if you have any other activites you suggest I add to my list. What would you do if you were going to exit life in nine days? Many thanks.

Respect on the street in SLC

Good part of my day: When a stranger man stopped me on the street and told me I looked "so pretty and very fashionable" and started drooling over my polka-dot rain boots.

Best part of my day: Realizing that the man was gay. Now I was truly flattered.

Braces: My Worst Nightmare

Last night I wore my retainer to bed.... and I slept with it secured in my mouth the entire night. I can't remember the last time this has happened. Just in case you were wondering, my mouth has been throbbing all day. I can barely move my jaw. Maybe this means I should wear it more? Probably. Will I? Definitely not.
I have a love/hate relationship with my little pink retainer. I know that it serves me well in keeping my teeth nice and straight, but it also takes me back to those miserable afternoons spent lying on a moldy green plastic covered chair, holding back the tears and silently cursing my orthodontist for digging at my mouth and making my gums bleed, with FM 100 soft hits blaring in the background.
My orthodontist was a nut. He seemed like a normal guy at first, but after he impressed my parents at the beginning consultation, and they turned me over to his care, his true character was unleashed. He was literally crazy. First of all, the man never wore gloves when he worked on his patients. Never. If that wasn't bad enough, he had the hairiest fingers I've ever seen. I hate to get too graphic, but he would shove his bare (most likely un-sanitized) fingers in my mouth, and every time I choked on the inch-long hair. It was a horrific experience, to say the least. One that I wouldn't wish on anybody.
Not only did Dr. B lack all sense of personal hygiene, he also took absolute pleasure in hurting me, and all of his other adolescent victims for that matter. He always got this wild look in his eyes, and this devilish grin on his face when I cried out in pain. When my orthodontist appointment rolled around every month, I always hoped and prayed that my mother would forget, or I'd make up great excuses to get out of going. Sometimes, they actually worked.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. Truly, it is. Ever since I was a little girl, I've adored it. The only problem that I have with this fine holiday, is the assortment of desserts that are consumed at the dinner table. I am not a pie lover. Especially not a pumpkin pie lover. I would much rather have a piece of chocolate cake to celebrate the first harvest. Every year I try to convince my mother to switch up dessert, but she is too steeped in tradition to bend to my modern ways. There's a new sheriff in town when I'm in charge of Thanksgiving dinner.