tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13338977020908807322024-03-13T13:00:10.026-06:00Life in LimboWendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.comBlogger403125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-13753686334931419422017-10-24T18:24:00.000-06:002017-10-24T18:32:21.294-06:00Mourning Perfectly<div align="left" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">As an adult, I have
fallen in love with the emotional side of the Atonement—the understanding that when
we face trials, Christ “is not a silent observer. He Himself knows personally
and infinitely the pain we face.” (<a href="https://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/05/the-atonement-covers-all-pain?lang=eng&_r=1">Source</a>)
For too much of my life, I associated the Atonement only with sin. The Atonement
was of course happy because it allowed me to be forgiven, but there was guilt associated
with taking advantage of the Atonement, because it meant I had screwed up.</span>
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">But “the pains of all
men, yea, the pains of every living creature” (2 Nephi 9:21) that he suffered
are not all connected to sin. And turning to Christ in our moments of pain,
particularly during the trials for which we bear no responsibility, is a
hopeful, miraculous experience. It’s one I have complete faith in. I know that
Christ understands precisely what I’m feeling, even when no one else does. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">While I’ve spent the last
few years coming to better understand this side of the Atonement, gaining a
greater testimony of it, I still don’t understand how it works. How can these
abstract emotions be shared? How did he feel what I feel? How does Christ
relieve this pain? Much of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> is
obviously beyond my comprehension. But I’ve also spent some time recently
wondering if maybe I understand more than I thought I did. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">As followers of Christ,
we’re expected to, among other things, “mourn with those that mourn.” (Mosiah
18:9) I can’t speak for everyone, but this comes naturally to me when the one
mourning is someone I love. And even when I have no direct connection to a
trial they’re facing, their grief becomes—to a small extent—my own. Simply put,
when a loved one mourns, I too mourn. I know I don’t mourn their losses as
deeply as they do. I don’t feel them as acutely as they do. But they’re real to
me. Sometimes sadness penetrates my soul as if I personally experienced a loss.
</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">And I’m a mere mortal
with a limited capacity to love. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";">But Christ isn’t mortal.
And his love is perfect and eternal. I wonder if his time suffering for us
occurred not just because he loved us and was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">willing</i> to suffer but because he loves us and so he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> to suffer. Meaning, he saw what each
of us would face in our lives. And he saw how sad or alone or depressed or despondent
these experiences would make us feel. Just as we automatically mourn with our
loved ones who mourn, maybe he automatically suffered the very feelings we
would eventually suffer.<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-75262812528844391822017-03-08T18:00:00.000-07:002017-03-08T18:00:22.230-07:00A Day Without a Woman <div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">I participated in the <a href="https://www.womensmarch.com/march-8th-faq">Women's Strike</a>, despite waffling about the decision to do so and feeling reluctant even once the decision was made. I participated in the Women's Strike, and it wasn't empowering. I felt bored. I felt pointless. I felt guilty. I felt embarrassed. But I didn't feel empowered. Ultimately, the reasons I was skeptical about participating turned out to be the reasons A Day Without A Woman ended up feeling, for me, like a day without a purpose.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"><i>Why did I want to participate?<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">I'm a feminist. I care about women's issues. And I regret not participating in the Women's March. I had a lot of reasons for not joining in that display of solidarity, but that weekend as I read news coverage and scrolled through Twitter, I felt I had let my gender down. I felt I had passed up a chance to unify. I felt I had missed out on part of history. I realized too late that what I had perceived as a lack of focus regarding the mission of the march was actually the purpose. On that incredible day, people found their voice. And it didn't matter that the voices lacked unison; they had harmony.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">I liked the idea of today because it felt similar. I liked the idea of joining in a widespread expression of what women contribute in the workplace, in the economy, in society, in the family. I liked the idea of drawing attention to those contributions. <span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"><i>Why was I hesitant to participate?<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">While I see sexism regularly and try my best to call attention to it, I am rarely the recipient of it. I'm surrounded by great men and strong women. I have had the privilege of being judged more on my merits than on my gender. And something rang false to me about protesting when I hadn't personally been adversely impacted by nature of being female. But I also recognized that my privilege is exactly why I need to take a stand. Because there are women all over who haven't been as fortunate.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"><i>So what was my day like?</i></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">I had told my boss I wouldn't be in and why. He respected my decision and said he'd see me <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_405343791" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span>. Our office's annual chili cookoff was today, and I missed that. The mock trial team I coach has quarterfinals <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_405343792" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span>, and I missed their practice. I didn't spend money. I hung out with my sister and her family. I read. I watched tv. I watched footage of the Women's March organizers--who prided the movement on the peacefulness of January's march--being arrested for impeding traffic and felt embarrassed. I watched my mock trial team's message feed about practice and felt guilty. As <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_405343793" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5 o'clock </span></span>approached, the time I otherwise would have been preparing to leave work, I couldn't help but feel like I had wasted an entire day. I had accomplished nothing. Other than some temporary profile pictures, my red jeans, and a Nevertheless She Persisted tshirt, I had nothing to show for my participation in what I expected to be...something more. Something noticeable. Something meaningful.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i><span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></i></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"><i>Do I regret participating?<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">I don't know. I don't think so. I'm not even prepared to say generally that the day was unsuccessful, because I can't speak to the effect the strike might have had on others. And honestly, I'm grateful to know that this form of activism doesn't work for me. That means I can work at finding other ways to support causes I care about and, hopefully, find more fulfillment in pursuing them.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="m_8400411705149547051p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="m_8400411705149547051s1">With all that being said, I hope I hear that others had a different experience. I hope that somehow, to someone, today made the world better.<span class="m_8400411705149547051Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-19473842075770371472016-11-14T14:33:00.002-07:002016-11-14T15:10:42.265-07:00Putting Pen to Paper...or fingers to keys, as it were. <br />
<br />
<br />
Writing has long been a tool I use to process emotion. It's also the way I prefer to communicate. My mom would often get mad at me when I was younger because rather then tell her I had done something wrong, I would write her a note. It's how I would apologize to her after a fight, too. It's easy to dismiss this approach as cowardice--it is, after all, easier to write something than to say it to someone's face. But this dismissal fails to account for the fact that often, I <em>can't </em>say something out loud, as much as I might want to. I'm a rational, logical person. But I also feel emotions very strongly. And when I know that my emotions will interfere with my logic or rationality, I look for ways to dilute those emotions. Writing is usually the solution. If I try and say something to your face--something I care about deeply--there's a chance I'll fail because I cry or I get off track or you interrupt me. I'm normally confident in my ability to be articulate, but when I doubt my ability to be <em>as articulate </em>as I need to be, the written word will always be there for me. <br />
<br />
<br />
So that's why I'm writing this. Because I have so many thoughts, fears, disappointments, and emotions right now. Completely free of hyperbole, I can tell you that I'm in mourning. Six days removed from the election, I can see slightly more clearly and I know that that mourning is not for an entire nation. I (still) believe in America. I (still) believe in the Constitution. And I want to believe that the structure of our government that has withstood nearly 230 years will remain undamaged four years from now. <br />
<br />
<br />
But still I mourn. <br />
<br />
<br />
I have not been quiet about my support of Hillary Clinton. But I haven't told many about my political journey over the last year--about going from "not that female president" to #ImWithHer. It has been a year full of research, of reading, of realization. It's a process that deserves its own post. Its own conversation. I have come to love Hillary Clinton for who she is, without reference to any other candidate. And trust me, knowing that she will not become this nation's first female president brings forth its own round of tears every day. I mourn that loss, that possibility, too. But again, that's not why I write. <br />
<br />
<br />
I write because I thought I knew you. Maybe not you, specifically, who's reading this. But you my community, my religion, my friends, my countrymen. On November 7, I thought I knew who surrounded me as I drove on freeways and walked on city streets. I thought I knew whose tweets I liked. I thought I knew that even if we disagreed on politics, we agreed on morality. On kindness. On goodness. <br />
<br />
<br />
I thought I knew that there were some people in this country who wore red hats and trolled my feeds and hashtagged #MAGA and that <em>those </em>were the people who supported a man who spews hate and greed and conspiracy and lies. <br />
<br />
<br />
I thought there were people who said both #NeverHillary and #NeverTrump and that <em>those </em>were the people who refused to vote for Hillary for reasons I disagreed with but who also refused to vote for him for reasons I respected. I saw people talk about Evan McMullin and I was inspired. I was inspired to believe that my hope for the end of the two-party system could eventually become reality. I was inspired by people who knew that their candidate couldn't possibly win the election and who were principled enough to support him anyway. I thought many times, how neat would it be to see Utah neither red nor blue on CNN's election map but to see a third party win the state? Because even though I support Hillary and wanted her to win, I wasn't naïve enough to believe that a republican state would suddenly go blue. I did believe, though, that those who profess traditional republican values would be willing to support a traditional republican and vote for McMullin. <br />
<br />
<br />
And on November 8, I was blindsided. Yes by the entire country who defied the polls. Yes by millions of Americans who support a man I find despicable. But mainly by people who I thought were similar to me. BYU fans and members of the Church. Members of a Church that decried hateful immigration and refugee policy proposals and rhetoric. Members of a Church that teaches love for your neighbors. Members of a Church that preaches respect for women, chastity, and godliness. I tremble as I type this truth: <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/11/09/how-the-faithful-voted-a-preliminary-2016-analysis/">61% of members of the Church voted for him</a>. Voted for hateful immigration and refugee policy proposals and rhetoric. Voted against their neighbors. Voted for sexual deviance. For sexual assault. Voted against women. And while religion and politics are separate, religion and values are not. And I just. can't. believe it. I can't believe that so many of you who share my chapel and my temples and my name turned your back on what I thought united us. <br />
<br />
<br />
Am I judging and generalizing? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that since last Tuesday, every person I see, I wonder. I wonder, "Are you one of them? Did you vote for him? Did you do this?"<br />
<br />
<br />
Twitter, a social network I loved, has been tainted. Because the same people I cheered with every time BYU scored a touchdown started to show their true colors last Tuesday. They came out of the closet, so to speak, and embraced a man publicly that prior to that day they had only supported in private. Maybe that support started during the primaries, or after the republican convention, or maybe only in the voting booth. But whenever that support started, they didn't admit or acknowledge it. They lied by omission. They tricked me into believing that whatever our disagreements, on one thing we could agree: He cannot be our president.<br />
<br />
<br />
But then the election results rolled in. People who I had previously connected with and respected severed any connection and lost my respect. And I thought, if 6/10 Mormons voted for that man, did 6/10 BYU fans? And I thought, do the people who sit next to me at games agree with him? And I thought, we are not the same. And I thought, I don't want to be associated with you. <br />
<br />
<br />
And I thought, how? and, why? and, is this real? and I cried. <br />
<br />
<br />
And still I cry. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-85637191743980047062015-11-13T09:00:00.000-07:002015-11-14T08:59:07.198-07:00mission: accomplishedIf you follow my <a href="http://www.denouveaureview.com/">other blog</a>, you might already have seen this. But I decided to double post for maximum reach.<br />
<br />
I know De Nouveau Review is a beauty blog and this giveaway might seem out of place there. But no amount of makeup, skincare, or hair products could rival the beauty of watching a loved one accomplish a goal.<br />
<br />
My little brother, Matt, is my hero for a lot of reasons. One of those reasons is his ability to set goals and then attain them, even in the face of adversity. I often see what he overcomes to reach his goals and realize how little I do to develop my own potential.<br />
<br />
Earlier this year, I was in St. Louis when Matt won the NCAA wrestling championship at 174 pounds in about the last three seconds of the match. Then, I was fortunate enough to watch Matt reach another goal: writing a book about his journey. I have had the pleasure of reading the book in its many versions, and it is nothing short of inspiring. It has helped me as I prepare to face the next chapter of my personal and professional life. It has, in short, recommitted me to excellence.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TCG0D9x9660/VkdaQu8GVYI/AAAAAAAAGD4/wM1waovkYUg/s1600/51sWccePUhL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TCG0D9x9660/VkdaQu8GVYI/AAAAAAAAGD4/wM1waovkYUg/s320/51sWccePUhL.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
I want you all to have the chance to feel inspired, too. So I'm giving away a signed copy of Matt's book. Enter below, and then go buy the book <a href="http://amzn.com/151202905X">here</a>. If you win, you can keep the signed copy and give away the one you bought, or vice versa. (Remember, Christmas is just around the corner!)<br />
<br />
Spread the word. And, as always, thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e25c94578" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e25c94578/" id="rcwidget_tnsf27cn" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-12434428638030897952015-08-11T18:00:00.000-06:002015-08-11T18:00:15.754-06:00Your New Favorite BandI love music. I especially love good music. And I<i> really </i>love introducing people to good music that I love.<br />
<br />
So if you're not yet acquainted, I'd like to introduce you to <a href="https://twitter.com/theroyalconcept">The Royal Concept</a>.<br />
<br />
Really the only thing you need to know is that this is their lead singer:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRpymSZVukw/VcoiZEhMV_I/AAAAAAAAF5M/-kYd0g7FvRg/s1600/a4e80cfe6bbb4c524d66f5009f5c6cd7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRpymSZVukw/VcoiZEhMV_I/AAAAAAAAF5M/-kYd0g7FvRg/s320/a4e80cfe6bbb4c524d66f5009f5c6cd7.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
Uuuuuunnnnggghhhhhh.<br />
<br />
But if for some reason you need more than that devastating face to make you listen to a band, here's the story.<br />
<br />
I started listening to The Royal Concept nearly two years ago, in preparation for a concert Jessica and I attended in Denver. They opened for American Authors, Jessica's favorite band at the time and our reason for going to the show. I couldn't find a lot of music from TRC, but I added what I had to a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/user/wendeebee/playlist/6zegV1kqUvtlw386V98GqU">concert-themed playlist</a> and drove to Colorado.<br />
<br />
The Royal Concept was the second act, after MisterWives, and they put on an unbelievable show. High energy, engaging, just fantastic. Almost immediately I pointed out to Jessica how cute David, the lead singer, was. And we fell in love with their adorable Swedish accents. American Authors was great, too, but for me they had been eclipsed by their opener.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbvYguuJXBQ/VcoohZFr9UI/AAAAAAAAF5k/Py6cQDcjjuc/s1600/Magnus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w_6Q-oPlhMk/VcoogGEApeI/AAAAAAAAF5c/QxPsRE8cD18/s320/IMG_6764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbvYguuJXBQ/VcoohZFr9UI/AAAAAAAAF5k/Py6cQDcjjuc/s320/Magnus.jpg" width="240" /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mNJX9Eht2U4/VcooiXY5nXI/AAAAAAAAF5o/TiSk5HUfdxg/s1600/David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mNJX9Eht2U4/VcooiXY5nXI/AAAAAAAAF5o/TiSk5HUfdxg/s1600/David.jpg" /></a></div>
I met David after the show; Jessica met Zac (the lead singer of AA), and we left Denver pretty high on life. Jessica and I still talk about that night regularly.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after the concert I invested more time in getting to know The Royal Concept. I got my hands on a copy of their full-length album, <a href="http://royalconcept.tictail.com/product/goldrushed-cd-digipack">Goldrushed</a>, which (for some reason I'll never understand) was never released in the U.S. For several months, Jessica or I would periodically text one another and lament, "The Royal Concept needs to release more music!" Then last month we saw this:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
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So happy to announce that our new EP "Smile" will be released Aug 21st. You can now pre order it through Pledge Music <a href="http://t.co/qkKq2iQVGM">http://t.co/qkKq2iQVGM</a></div>
— The Royal Concept (@theroyalconcept) <a href="https://twitter.com/theroyalconcept/status/625783498218033152">July 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
Sadly, it's another EP rather than a full-length album. But hey. Beggars can't be choosers. But they can be beggars. And here is my shameless, unabashed plea to you: <a href="http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/theroyalconcept/exclusives">go pre-order the EP</a>. It's five bucks and, if my history with TRC is indicative of anything, will bring you immeasurable joy. Plus, if the band makes enough money, maybe we'll see them touring the U.S. again soon, and maybe--just maybe--I can get a picture with David where his eyes aren't closed. (Sorry, Jess. I had to bring it up!)<br />
<br />
At the very least, give them a listen. They might just be your new favorite band. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ozqJfsepQI" width="560"></iframe>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-14017891501233099702015-08-06T01:26:00.001-06:002015-08-06T13:30:54.326-06:00My AtticusI stayed up past my bedtime to finish reading <i>Go Set a Watchman</i> for book club tomorrow (well, technically, later today). And even though I should be getting some sleep, I can't stop thinking and feeling about this book. So I'm blogging.<br />
<br />
It wasn't until the day of the book's release that I learned about Atticus-the-racist and Atticus-the-Klan-member. But I knew I'd still buy and read the book; how could I not? I was prepared for the worst. I was prepared to hate this different version of my literary hero. I was all set with my most dependable emotional defense mechanisms, intent on not allowing whatever happened in this book to color my view of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>. I resolved to finish the book and quickly set it aside if that became necessary.<br />
<br />
But all of these preparations were uncalled-for.<br />
<br />
I don't care what anyone says. I don't care if you think that the characters evolved between Harper Lee's draft of <i>Go Set a Watchman </i>and her writing of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird. </i>For me, the Atticus Finch that I just read across 278 pages is the same Atticus Finch I have idolized since eighth grade. And I want to explain why.<br />
<br />
I think my relationship with <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> will sound similar to most. It was required reading in junior high, and after we finished the book we watched the movie. I loved both. Like many people do, I saw my own father in Atticus. My dad, the defense attorney who taught me to believe in the presumption of innocence with a fervor that would shape my education and career goals. The man who taught with gentleness, kindness, and love. Yes, of course, Atticus was my father in so many ways.<br />
<br />
And I think both men--the one who worked hard to provide me with a comfortable upbringing and the one in black and white print who will forever look like Gregory Peck in my mind--played a role in my decision to attend law school. Obviously my dad had more of an influence there, always talking to me about the law, sharing his love with me. But the first thing I hung on my refrigerator when I moved to Omaha, a week before starting law school, was a laminated quotation from <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> wherein Atticus extols the benefits and necessity of the jury system. I read that quote often, a near-constant reminder of why I was there, doing what I was doing.<br />
<br />
Toward the end of law school, I had a few unsettling experiences. It might not seem strange from an outsider's perspective, but it was hard for me to handle. My dad saw me compete in and win a regional trial team competition, and the way he spoke to me afterward informed me that the dynamic between us had shifted ever so slightly. He was complimentary about my performance, as any good father would be, but there was more to it than that. He seemed to admire what I had done. He treated me like his equal. This happened a few more times. Once he called and asked me a legal question. My dad is brilliant, but he was asking me a question. I'm brand new in this profession. My dad is still my example and the embodiment of so many goals I have for myself. But in my childhood, that example seemed unattainable. He was perfect in my eyes. He was, in so many ways, a god.<br />
<br />
As I grow older and my understanding of the law deepens, I'm confronted with the fact that my dad doesn't know everything. This is something I honestly would not have believed 15 years ago. Along similar lines, I have finally developed a social and political identity entirely separate from my parents'. My dad sometimes makes comments that startle me. I have a hard time understanding some of his political views. When we disagree, I am made more aware of his humanness. These subtle shifts in our relationship haven't led to me loving or respecting my dad any less. Instead, I respect and love him differently. I'm an adult, and a parent/child relationship looks different from a parent/adult-child relationship.<br />
<br />
So, back to the book. I don't think it's spoiling much to tell you that Atticus can accurately be described as racist. But you know what? So is Jean Louise. I mean, it was written in the 50's. But the father's and daughter's brands of racism are definitely different.<br />
<br />
Jean Louise is more liberal than her father; she thinks states should desegregate. She believes an individual's potential in life should not be hampered by his skin color. But at the risk of sounding like an apologist, I'd submit that Atticus actually agrees with this latter belief. He just has a more paternalistic view about the process. He has an us/them mentality and seems to think that "we" know best; "they" aren't ready for equal rights. He doesn't seem to resent the progress that has been made since the Civil War. But he does think that progress should continue at a "natural" pace rather than being forced too quickly. Jean Louise holds the simpler view that all men are created equal, and there's nothing equal about waiting for change.<br />
<br />
When Jean Louise realizes the views her father holds, her world seems to fall apart. She feels like her childhood was built on lies; her father defended a black man accused of rape on principle but now talks about blacks like they're less-than. Jean Louise implicitly realizes that the father of her childhood looks different from her position as an adult. In similar fashion, the Atticus of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> looks different from the Atticus of <i>Go Set a Watchman</i>. But isn't that what you'd expect? In <i>Mockingbird</i>, Scout sees her father as a god. In <i>Watchman</i>, Jean Louise grapples with the understanding that her father is human.<br />
<br />
I don't think the two Atticuses are inconsistent. I don't think you have to abandon your admiration of one in order to accept the other. I think the two books and the two Atticuses and the two Scouts are representative of the divide between childhood and adulthood. A loss of innocence. The shedding of naiveté. And I think it's simplistic and unfair to say, "Oh, treat this as an unfinished manuscript. It's not really a companion to <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>. It shares only the barest similarities." That takes away from the beauty of <i>Go Set a Watchman</i>. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking book because it forces you to confront how we treat our heroes and idols and how we react when we realize they're flawed. I can't separate that lesson, which is contained between the covers, from that same lesson that is taught when we, as readers, hold <i>Mockingbird</i> and <i>Watchman</i> side-by-side and ask ourselves, "Who is my Atticus?"Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-59296492702775174362015-03-09T13:46:00.002-06:002015-03-09T16:21:04.670-06:00WhirlwindI have been on my phone constantly for three days. I'll admit that I'm normally pretty attached to it, but this has been something else. Part of me feels the need to completely unplug. Another part of me is worried about missing something important. So I'm taking an approach in the middle, temporarily setting aside my qwerty keyboard for my laptop's.<br />
<br />
My friend Nate just tweeted:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b">@wendy_b</a> Can we get a blog post about the past 72 hours? I want to know your perspective on everything that happened.<br />
— Nathan Dallon (@NathanDallon) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanDallon/status/574937839030267904">March 9, 2015</a></blockquote>
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and I thought it might be good to take a step back and do some reflection. The past 72 hours really have been a whirlwind, and for a lot of reasons.<br />
<br />
On Friday I flew out from Salt Lake, on my way to the Big Ten wrestling championships. I was scheduled to have a quick layover in Chicago before arriving in Columbus, but our flight was seriously delayed leaving Salt Lake. (As we touched down in Chicago, my would-be connecting flight took off.) I spent the flight online, trying to connect with United's customer service through Twitter so I would have an alternate route to Columbus when I deplaned. Almost exactly 24 hours later, I would be using social media in a much larger way.<br />
<br />
I was lucky enough to make it on a standby flight to Columbus, got my car 2 minutes before the rental window closed, checked into my hotel, and finally fell asleep--exhausted--around 2 a.m. local time.<br />
<br />
Saturday, I arrived at St. John Arena just as wrestling began. Matt had a bye the first round, but the morning was filled with plenty of great matches, cheering, and excitement. Matt won his first match, and we left for the midday break in high spirits. My aunt and uncle, a family friend, my dad, and I all piled into one car and headed out for lunch. While we were driving, I got this text from Erin in my group conversation with her and Suzzanne:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_WIDIsztkjE/VP23wMU_ybI/AAAAAAAAFrc/-hQsfV2H2cY/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_WIDIsztkjE/VP23wMU_ybI/AAAAAAAAFrc/-hQsfV2H2cY/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
(Sidenote: you would not believe how far I had to scroll back to get to this text from less than 48 hours ago.)<br />
<br />
I think I speak for Suzzanne when I say we were both appalled and immediately felt Erin's same sense of disbelief that (a) this shirt existed and (b) someone would wear it in public. We all yelled about it for awhile, then I asked "Mind if I tweet?" And Erin responded "Go for it."A bit later she followed up with "Let's blow this up." So that's what we did.<br />
<br />
Or...tried to do.<br />
<br />
This was the first tweet.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
I've never been offended by an article of clothing until <a href="https://twitter.com/tednova">@tednova</a> sent me a pic of this horrifying <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a> shirt <a href="http://t.co/AenUgmoUZJ">pic.twitter.com/AenUgmoUZJ</a><br />
— Wendy (@wendy_b) <a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b/status/574314015180062720">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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It got a whopping two retweets. One was by Suzzanne. The other? Shockingly, Erin.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, we were still texting, and Erin had taken to Facebook. We decided we needed a hashtag. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101886007248329&set=a.10100637484423079.2564495.17831813&type=1&theater">Erin's original Facebook post</a> had indicated that rape isn't a joke and shouldn't be used as a tagline, so that seemed perfect. We revised our posts and began the hashtag #RapeIsNotATagline on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/search/str/%23Rapeisnotatagline/keywords_top">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rapeisnotatagline?f=realtime&src=hash">Twitter</a>. We saw a little more action, but still we bemoaned our lack of influence. We brainstormed, trying to figure out if we had any powerful friends we could reach out to. We knew we were at least being heard by the bar who distributed the shirt when we (and our friends joining the conversation) all got blocked by their twitter account.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
Was this making someone (<a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a>) uncomfortable? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rapeisnotatagline?src=hash">#rapeisnotatagline</a> <a href="http://t.co/2nXQyZrgrr">pic.twitter.com/2nXQyZrgrr</a><br />
— SuzzyB (@suzzybear) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzzybear/status/574346573817118721">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
I'm sorry an open dialogue won't even be considered by <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RapeIsNotATagline?src=hash">#RapeIsNotATagline</a> <a href="http://t.co/d8k72echYk">pic.twitter.com/d8k72echYk</a><br />
— Erin Avondet (@tednova) <a href="https://twitter.com/tednova/status/574347784905715712">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
This is the response to a serious issue. <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RapeIsNotATagline?src=hash">#RapeIsNotATagline</a> <a href="http://t.co/xWU35iucHY">pic.twitter.com/xWU35iucHY</a><br />
— Malia Hite (@smalgina) <a href="https://twitter.com/smalgina/status/574345846197628928">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
Um I don't even go here <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a> but I do NOT support those filthy t-shirts you're distributing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gross?src=hash">#gross</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/classless?src=hash">#classless</a> <a href="http://t.co/FEueq519q0">pic.twitter.com/FEueq519q0</a><br />
— Lauren Brown (@theMRS_174) <a href="https://twitter.com/theMRS_174/status/574348547593732097">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" lang="en">
Speak out against rape, get blocked by <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar">@Bluejaybar</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RapeIsNotATagline?src=hash">#RapeIsNotATagline</a> <a href="http://t.co/hO731hpZPk">pic.twitter.com/hO731hpZPk</a><br />
— Wendy (@wendy_b) <a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b/status/574345913788973056">March 7, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Around the time that the bar blocked us, we started seeing others close to us make real strides in advancing the conversation. Our friend, Scott (who had not been blocked), saved direct links to tweets from the bar advertising the shirts, a smart move as the question later arose whether the bar even had knowledge of their existence. Our friend, Stephen, reached out to the Omaha World Herald and asked them to contact Erin. Erin's med school classmates organized to move a school function from The Jay, where it was originally scheduled to take place. I saw friends on Facebook sharing the photo, and as the evening drew to a close, I felt encouraged. I felt like people were taking a stand. I felt like this was going somewhere. But I wasn't prepared for where.<br />
<br />
Late Saturday night, I left the wrestling tournament with plans to take dinner back to my hotel and get to work. I wanted to email administrators at Creighton and ask them to refrain from doing business with The Jay. I planned to email The Jay directly and express our concerns. Instead, I stayed up until 3 a.m. creating a <a href="https://twitter.com/notatagline">Twitter account</a> and <a href="http://notatagline.wix.com/rape">website</a>, thinking the hashtag was great but we needed a place to summarize the effort.<br />
<br />
I woke Sunday morning wondering if I had spent the previous day getting too worked up; maybe I was annoying people with the sheer volume of the tweets I had posted. I got ready and headed to the arena, intent to focus on wrestling. But as I pulled into the parking lot, I heard a Twitter notification come through. It was for the @NotATagline account. It was a tweet from The Jay.* They were listening. And so were others.<br />
<br />
I text Suzzanne and Erin. Erin confirmed that The Jay had responded to her and some family members. We quickly saw that people were expressing disappointment by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BlueJayBar?sk=reviews">leaving reviews</a> on the bar's Facebook place page. And while so many people began to focus on the bar, we realized we had a great opportunity to broaden the conversation and really focus on the substance of our concerns as summed up in our hashtag. The Jay shut down their social media sites for awhile, and we took the time to redouble our efforts to talk more about the problem of rape culture and less about the bar as a business. The Jay ultimately put their accounts back online and issued <a href="https://twitter.com/Bluejaybar/status/574685197150507008">this statement</a>. (I think, anyway. I can't view it. I'm still blocked.)<br />
<br />
Media outlets, including local news stations, the local newspaper, and a local radio station, began tracking the story yesterday midday, contacting people to try and track down its origin. Most were led to Erin as the original poster of the picture. Some found their way to Suzzanne and me. I might have some of these details wrong, but I think Erin did a brief phone interview that led to the first written story, two on-camera interviews for the news, and another phone interview for the World Herald. She was eloquent and focused and wonderful. She's currently being interviewed for her third tv segment.<br />
<br />
This morning, Erin and I appeared via phone on a <a href="http://www.q985fm.com/common/page.php?id=261#">radio morning show</a>. Within two hours of concluding the interview, @NotATagline's number of followers had doubled.<br />
<br />
I think the local media attention has helped us clarify that our point in all of this was not to put The Jay out of business. In fact, this might be a great opportunity for the bar to connect with local resources and do some good. But really, these events have coalesced to start a really important conversation about rape. It's so important to highlight the need for consent. And despite the message on the t-shirt, we are <i>all </i>responsible for that. Parents should educate their children. Those with resources should make them accessible to those needing help. Have you heard about Homeland Security's "If you see something, say something" campaign? What if we applied that idea to situations like this as well? If you see something amiss or dangerous, speak out. If there's one thing we've learned, it's that people are grateful for a voice.<br />
<br />
All in all, it's been a tiring, wonderful, eye-opening weekend. This all took place while I tried to focus on my brother taking second place at the most difficult weight class in what is undoubtedly the most difficult conference in the country. There are two things I would say I regret about the weekend. The first is that our focus was maybe initially too much on The Jay as an establishment and not enough about the shirt's actual message. I think we quickly remedied that. The second (and more important) regret is that I wish I would have been more <i>present </i>for the tournament. Even when taking pictures of Matt's matches, I had notifications popping up on my phone distracting me. I'm so proud of Matt and the example he is to me. I hope he knows that, despite my mental absence between matches.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This tweet was subsequently deleted, but I saved a screenshot if you're interested in its content.</span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-40795542225885040752015-02-20T17:15:00.000-07:002015-02-20T17:15:00.482-07:00What Do I Do? My oldest nephew turns seventeen today, which is a good reminder of how quickly time goes by. It’s already been three months since I moved back to Utah. Five months since I was sworn is an attorney. Nine months since I graduated. A year since I began my final semester of law school. What have I been doing all that time? <br />
<br />
I just came across a <a href="http://www.magnamom.com/2015/02/resumes-are-just-paper.html">post on my sister’s blog</a> that highlighted the importance of focusing more on who people are than what they “do.” I had to smile as Jenny explained, “[M]y passion doesn't show up in a LinkedIn profile.” I understood exactly what she meant. I know a standard resume is inept at capturing who she is. But in a way, I think that’s true for most of us.<br />
<br />
I originally thought I would write this update post to discuss my new job, which I started a little over a month ago. But do you know what that discussion would say? “I love my job.” And that’s true. But that doesn’t really tell you how I spend my time, what talents I’m developing, or how I’m improving or stagnating as an individual. I have a close friend who also works as a law clerk, and we often commiserate over people’s inability to understand what we do and our constant need to justify ourselves: “No, I promise, it’s a really great job. Yes, I needed to go to law school to get this position. No, I’m not an intern.”
So if you ask me what I “do,” and I reply only with my job title, you’re not likely to receive a whole lot of insight regarding what makes me me. Maybe, then, we should all start taking that question literally and responding with a litany of activities we engage in. I’ll start. You want to know what I do?<br />
<br />
I attend my nephew’s performance of Arsenic and Old Lace (he played Johnny).<br />
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I watch former First Lady Laura Bush sit down with her daughter and talk about the importance of family.<br />
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I snap pictures as Jenny meets her scrapbooking hero <a href="http://www.shopbeckyhiggins.com/">Becky Higgins</a>.<br />
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I eat at Moochies for the first time in two years. <br />
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I fall in love on Valentine’s Day.<br />
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I cut inches off my hair. <br />
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I rekindle my love of dance when I go to Cougarettes in Concert.<br />
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So...that. That's what I do. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-63718744764668421492015-01-07T18:12:00.001-07:002015-01-07T18:12:15.916-07:00It's a Happy BirthdayTomorrow I turn 29. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed getting older. I can't say that I'm glad to almost be out of my twenties. What I can say is that each year as my number increases, I am filled with a sense of anticipation. For several years now, the new year comes and I'm a year older and I recognize the year I say goodbye to was even better than the last.<br />
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28 has been incredible. As the clock struck midnight on the 31st, I confidently said that 2014 was the best year of my life. But the reason that's so great is there is nothing keeping 29 and 2015 from being even better.<br />
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On a somewhat related note, there is a serious shortage of songs related to turning 29. You'd think there would be playlists full, celebrating the end of your twenties. So if you know of any, send them my way.<br />
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Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-83682093223054413012014-11-27T07:27:00.000-07:002014-11-27T07:27:03.716-07:00Winter WonderlandThrough BrandBacker and <a href="http://www.denouveaureview.com/2014/11/winter-wonderland.html">De Nouveau Review</a>, I had the chance to receive and test a set of Old Factory candles. I thought I'd share the review with you here, as well, so you have the chance to enter the giveaway.<br />
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<span class="s2">These candles come in a variety of themed sets, including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8L9J8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Happy Holidays</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MRF8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">New Born Baby</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MPGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Coffee Shop</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8L902/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Fifty Shades</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8LBIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Fresh and Clean</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MQUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">High as a Kite</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MO7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Spa Day</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MQ9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Man Cave</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8MORY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Vacation</span></a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8LAWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s3">Romance</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">On the day I was asked to choose which set I wanted to sample Omaha had its first snow, so it seemed like a no-brainer to choose the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Candles-True-To-Scent-Hand-poured/dp/B00NR8LA1U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413003610&sr=8-1&keywords=candle"><span class="s4">Winter Wonderland</span></a> set. It arrived a few days later and that night I burned the Hot Cocoa candle while I packed. That might have been a mistake, because it set the bar so high for the others. I've never really thought about using chocolate as a scent in my apartment, but I love it. I particularly love that the scent lingers after the candle stops burning. </span></div>
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On one of the product pages I read these candles are great for small rooms or, if used in a larger rooms, you should use two of the candles as the scents included in the kit are intended to be complementary. In my studio apartment, one candle does the job wonderfully. The scent is present without being overpowering. <span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s1">The First Snow candle is a fresh, clean scent that is nothing special but certainly isn't bothersome. Roasted Chestnut is the perfect addition to the scent, bridging the gap between the nearly edible Hot Cocoa and the more sterile Fresh Snow.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The candles are on sale now on Amazon. Especially with the holidays approaching, I think these sets would make wonderful gifts. You can treat yourself by entering to win a free set below!</span></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e25c94574" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e25c94574/" id="rcwidget_de3n544q" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Even though I received this product complimentary, these opinions are entirely my own. </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></i></div>
Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-85078276283784468742014-10-28T10:05:00.002-06:002014-10-28T10:07:35.139-06:00Moving and Other Musings In a month I will officially be living in Utah again, and I have mixed feelings. I'll be happy to be around family and no longer have to miss big events in my nieces and nephews' lives. I'll be happy to once again have girls' nights with my sisters and stay way too late at their houses. I'll be happy to have David back as a movie buddy. I'll be happy to live with my parents for awhile, saving money to begin repairing the last three years of financial disaster. <br />
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At the same time, moving back to Utah feels like a reversion. That's indicated in the way I say "moving <i>back.</i>" I'm worried about giving up on the growth I've worked for since moving away from Utah. I love my family, but I don't always like who I am around them. I like independent Omaha Wendy far better than I like fourth child obnoxious Wendy. Simply put, I have some reservations about moving home.<br />
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Nevertheless, the time of my departure is quickly approaching. I've been slowly selling off items I don't want to pack up and shipping off items I've already packed. (If you have unneeded boxes lying around, I'll take them off your hands!) Last week I formally gave notice to my firm of my November departure date, which made reality set in.<br />
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When I'm not working or packing, I really do very little else with my time these days. I watch a lot of tv and I don't even feel bad about it. I've had a charmed couple of months where my stress generally stays at the office. I don't miss the constant nagging feeling I had during law school and bar study--that feeling that always surfaced any time I tried to relax, telling me I should be using the time to study and learn. Of course I never want to stop learning and improving, but I'm giving myself a pass for now. Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-46143973252484771432014-09-15T17:00:00.000-06:002014-09-15T17:00:01.270-06:00The Good Life<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.thelifeineed.com/about-me/"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vsg6ANb7uNk/VBdAl4Qj1FI/AAAAAAAAFdU/BA0ZVA8DiwQ/s1600/the_good_life.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.thelifeineed.com/about-me/">Photo: The Life I Need</a></i></td></tr>
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Every so often life just seems <b>good</b>. The superstitious side of me wants to knock on wood after typing that, but all other sides of me want to bask in the moment and just tell you why I'm happy.<br />
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To begin with, it's fall. That alone is enough to get the corners of my mouth turning up. Nebraska weather has been uncharacteristically <i>fantastic </i>lately. Our summer was mild, and the last week has fluctuated between window-down and sweater weather<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">—</span>a perfect range if you ask me. With fall comes one of life's greatest joys: college football. Again, I don't want to jinx things, but so far this season really has been a thing of beauty. Exhibit A: <a href="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/20140910/5106373/taysom-hill-o.gif">Taysom Hill</a>. Exhibit B: <a href="http://www.wearecentralpa.com/story/d/story/breaking-penn-state-sanctions-removed/19774/8VcpLveTzkCiZsgsuLoMAg">Penn State's post-season sanctions being lifted</a>. Exhibit C: <a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b/status/510997682123718656">3-0</a>. Exhibit D: <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsbyusports/58416190-65/byu-yards-game-hill.html.csp">Taysom Hill</a>. I'm not naive enough to think going undefeated (for either team) is a probability, but you can bet I'm going to enjoy watching these teams this season. That's guaranteed. <br />
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Something else that's been keeping a smile on my face lately is the abundance of BABIES. It's like everyone I know got together and decided to have a baby this summer. And good for them! Because seriously. <a href="https://twitter.com/JenKaminsky14/status/479087866375454720">So</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/jjorgey/status/509516454304428032">Many</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/triplyksis/status/509388337925586944">Babies</a>. As you all know, I absolutely adore being an aunt. After last week I'm up to 11 "real" nieces and nephews and am quickly accumulating honorary nieces and nephews throughout the country. It's such a blessing to see so many people I love embrace their roles as parents, and I'm grateful they let me be a part of their babes' lives. <br />
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It's been hard to be away from family and friends for all of the excitement, but I'm really grateful for the friendships I've been able to strengthen as a result of staying in Nebraska a bit longer. After graduation, a lot of my closest friends moved back to their respective homes. It's weird to be left in the Midwest without them, but I've grown a lot closer to some of my other friends, particularly a couple of girls in my ward. I've really appreciated making memories that involve chasing the Northern Lights and becoming utterly obsessed with new tv shows.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Kari and I are having zero luck with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AuroraBorealis?src=hash">#AuroraBorealis</a> in Nebraska. Stargazers nearby said 1-4am. Don't know if I can stay awake that long<br />
— Wendy Brown (@wendy_b) <a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b/status/510666315846406144">September 13, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Nighttime text conversations with <a href="https://twitter.com/suzzybear">@suzzybear</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tednova">@tednova</a> about <a href="https://twitter.com/CW_Arrow">@CW_Arrow</a> are quickly becoming my favorite pastime <a href="http://t.co/ewhSzetxrU">pic.twitter.com/ewhSzetxrU</a><br />
— Wendy Brown (@wendy_b) <a href="https://twitter.com/wendy_b/status/509194216309018625">September 9, 2014</a></blockquote>
As a nice little cherry on top of all this happiness, David comes to visit later this week. This will be the fourth straight year he makes a trip out to Nebraska in the fall. I'm always so grateful for his willingness to take the time and money to come see me. Makes me feel like a spoiled little sister!<br />
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I hope your life has been equally joyful and rewarding these last few months, but if not, just remember: "Whatever your circumstances, this can be your season of strength." (Barbara B. Smith, "A Season for Strength," October 1983 General Conference). I hope you all find joy in the journey. <br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-80107808472421770432014-08-11T10:32:00.000-06:002014-08-11T10:32:22.122-06:00Happy AnniversaryDespite its title, this post is not aimed at congratulating my sister and brother-in-law on seven years of marriage (though I will quickly say, Happy Anniversary Jess!). Instead, I'm taking this time to reflect on another important anniversary: the day I moved to Omaha. This morning I launched <a href="http://timehop.com/">Timehop</a> and read with fondness the tweets chronicling my arrival in the city.<br />
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I've been saying this a lot lately, but I'm going to miss this place. Of course I'll be happy to be closer to my family come the end of the year, but the Midwest will always occupy a place in my heart. The people here are friendly without being intrusive. The lightning storms are breathtaking. There are more restaurants than I could have possibly tried in my three years here. And while I think the Husker fanaticism is the byproduct of some ethanol-based brainwashing, this place loves football, which I can appreciate. <br />
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I've enjoyed my independence here. I like having a place that's all mine (which I think stems from being one of six children). I brag about <a href="http://www.omaha.com/go/omaha-s-henry-doorly-zoo-named-best-zoo-in-the/article_0e4aa702-1cbf-11e4-a336-001a4bcf6878.html">this</a> as if it's a personal victory. I'm excited to spend these next three school-and-bar-free months enjoying parts of Omaha I didn't have time to see before. <br />
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I'll miss <a href="http://www.beautybrands.com/">Beauty Brands</a> and <a href="http://www.wheatfieldscatering.com/">Wheatfields</a>. I'll miss the rain and the trees. I'll miss <a href="http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com/omahanebraska">Gigi's Cupcakes</a> and my job. This has been an incredible time in my life. And while I'm anxious to read the rest of my book, I'll be sad to finish this chapter.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-13337175492623401392014-07-07T23:42:00.000-06:002014-07-07T23:46:50.128-06:00Teen Wolf in Your Late Twenties?Since I'm awake I should either be studying for the bar or getting work done. Instead, I'm finishing yet another season of Teen Wolf. Yeah, you read that correctly. Teen Wolf. I don't even remember why I started watching it. I think it was just on one of the scrolling banners on Amazon Instant Video or something. But that's really beside the point.<br />
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I like the show because it's smart and complicated and lighthearted all at once. Some of the wolves are downright beautiful (and the actors are in their 20s, so it's not too creepy to say that--or so I try and convince myself). But there's another reason I've really fallen in love with this show. And it's this kid:<br />
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Stiles, played by actor Dylan O'Brien. This character might be my favorite television character of all time. He's smart and loyal and <i>good</i>. I really enjoy my teen dramas and young adult novels, but they all come with one major frustration: immensely flawed and selfish lead characters. It often makes it hard to root for the one who should be the good guy. But that's not so with Stiles. Don't get me wrong, he's not perfect. But gosh he's admirable.<br />
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Hopefully this isn't too much of a spoiler for anyone (and maybe this will cease to be true when I make it further in the series), but Teen Wolf has a lot of fantasy in it...mythical creatures and such. And Stiles is just this awesome human kid whose best friend is a werewolf. And he's always right by his best friend's side, whether Scott is trying to kill him or needs help solving a murder.<br />
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I think there are a lot of analogies one could elicit from Stiles. He says a lot about what "normal" people can accomplish. He's a great example of loyalty and acceptance, regardless of others' faults. He uses his God-given talents to solve problems and bless the lives of those around him.<br />
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I just really like this kid.<br />
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On paper, you'd think he's unremarkable. But in my mind, he's the reason the show works. That's probably true of a lot of people close to you, right? People who view themselves as ordinary. People who think they don't measure up to their friends. Do you have a Stiles in your life? If so, go tell them how great they really are.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-36651563175881335312014-04-23T08:52:00.001-06:002014-04-23T11:40:34.117-06:00The Dark Side of 'Friends'So I had a week off school. It was Easter Break and I had big plans to work extra hours and write the bulk of my final papers. Instead, I fell head-first into three books: the <i>Breathing </i>series by Rebecca Donovan.<br />
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If you follow me on Goodreads, you might have seen that I didn't give these books particularly high ratings. Last night as I was making dinner and missing Evan (the main male character in the books), I started wondering why that's so. I don't really have an answer other than that I got really bugged by the narrator, Emma, in every book. But aside from my personal annoyances, taking this series as a whole, I have to admit that they are <i>masterfully </i>written. You really saw Emma grow up through the three books. You felt her depression. You felt her fall in love. Rebecca Donovan really did an incredible job. I don't know whether I recommend these books or not; they left me mopey and moody all weekend, but I kind of love that.<br />
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But that's not actually what I meant to write about.<br />
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You see, after I finished the third book I restarted <i>Friends</i>. I've watched the series countless times, but I couldn't remember what episode I had last watched. So I started over again with the Pilot. Suddenly it hit me: Rachel. Rachel had a daughter named Emma. Emma's mom's name is Rachel. If you've read the <i>Breathing </i>series, you know where I'm going. If you haven't read the series and you think you might want to, stop reading this post now. I'm not going to hold back on the spoilers...<br />
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The <i>Breathing </i>books are all about Emma, a girl who was abandoned four years earlier by her mother, Rachel. OH. MY. GOSH. The <i>Breathing </i>series is a story of the sad life of Ross and Rachel's child!!! Of course Rebecca Donovan renamed the other characters! Otherwise it would have been even MORE obvious.<br />
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We've always wanted to know what happened to the Friends after the finale. And now I know! So, based on the books, we know Ross and Rachel never got married. We also know that Ross died when Emma was little, and after that, Rachel went off the deep end (well, no surprise there). Rachel becomes an alchie, and she ends up leaving Emma with Emma's uncle...but wait. Ross doesn't have a brother. Of course he doesn't! To protect identities, Rebecca Donovan also changed genders. Emma didn't go live with her father's BROTHER. But instead with his only sibling, his SISTER, MONICA and her husband, Chandler. Jack and Leyla are, obviously, the twins we met at the finale of Season 10.<br />
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Now, <i>Friends</i> fans, this part is going to hurt. With the switching genders, I'm not sure if Monica is Carol or if Monica is George. Either way, either Monica or Chandler is super abusive and tries to kill Emma while she lives with them. Whoa.<br />
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Then, of course, in the second book, Rachel comes back to us. She's still super hot despite being a little older. Of course, we always knew that would be the case. I mean, look at Jen now.<br />
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Of course beautiful, young Jonathan would want to hook up with her. And here's some kind of good news for Rachel: she's still friends with Phoebe (she's just named Shannon in the book). Yeah, you know, Shannon who takes care of Rachel when she's drunk. Shannon that took care of Emma when Rachel was in the hospital. Of course Shannon is Phoebe. (Or maybe her name was Sharon...I don't know. I don't retain details like names when I'm reading.)<br />
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So the question on everyone's mind at this point is: where's Joey? I'll tell you. He's still just being Joey. He only makes a brief appearance in these books, and I can't even remember his pretend name. But he shows up at Rachel's poker party and starts hitting on Emma, and that's how I knew it was him.<br />
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So...anyway. Did I just spend too much time writing a pointless blog post? Yes. Should that time have been spent on schoolwork? Yes. Do I regret it? Not at all.<br />
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-86114073804525773282014-04-14T10:15:00.001-06:002014-04-14T10:16:19.479-06:007,000 MilesThis semester I've traveled over 7,000 miles. (Somewhat surprisingly, not a single one of those miles has been heading to Utah. This is my first semester not going home.) While I've loved the many adventures, this weekend marked my first full weekend home in as long as I can remember, and it was nice to just breathe. I went to the dog park with Zipsie, met a friend for cupcakes, and read three books. It was brilliant.<br />
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However, I would be remiss if I didn't let you in on all the fun I've had this semester.<br />
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Since the last time I blogged...<br />
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I went down to Colorado Springs to spend Valentine's Day with Jess and her family<br />
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I attended the Big Ten Wrestling Championships in Madison, Wisconsin<br />
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I travelled down to Dallas for Spring Break with Jamie<br />
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I watched Matt take Fifth at NCAAs in Oklahoma City<br />
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I competed in the TYLA National Trial Team Competition in Austin, Texas (which might be my current favorite city in the United States)<br />
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I made it to the final round of the National Voir Dire Competition in Kansas City<br />
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It's been a whirlwind, to say the least. Now I get to focus on more relaxing things--like finals and graduating!<br />
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-33276982436220743502014-02-11T21:07:00.001-07:002014-02-11T21:08:43.050-07:00Trial Team Regionals This weekend I participated in my tenth law school competition! It shouldn't surprise you that extra-curricular activities have been the most enjoyable aspects of my law school experience, but this weekend was particularly great.<br />
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We drove up to Minneapolis for our regional <a href="http://www.tyla.org/tyla/index.cfm/resources/law-students1/trial-advocacy-competitions/national-trial-competition/">TYLA</a> competition. Just outside the city, we saw flashing lights behind us. After one of the cops opened up the van door to talk to some of us in the back (and not so subtly look around) we finished up the drive with a lively discussion about whether or not our Fourth Amendment rights had just been violated.<br />
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Thursday was our first preliminary round, and we were set to present our Plaintiff case, which is the side I'm not on. So I enjoyed rocking jeans and providing emotional encouragement and silent cheerleading.<br />
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The second team from Creighton competed in the second flight that night, so our team enjoyed dinner with just the three of us.<br />
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Friday night was my turn to compete in the preliminaries. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are brainstorming possible theme changes just hours before our round</td></tr>
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After competition, we went out to a late dinner. We were sitting here when we got word that our team advanced to the semifinals.<br />
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Perhaps the greatest part of the weekend was not learning that we advanced but having my mom and dad walk into the room before the semi-final round started. They happened to be in Minneapolis for the weekend because Penn State was wrestling there on Sunday.<br />
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Even more wonderful, I was sitting with my mom and dad when we found out we won the semifinals as well as the finals!</div>
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We hit the road, champions. We stopped in The Middle of Nowhere, Minnesota for a celebratory dinner that, of course, included dessert!<br />
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My first concert was Suzy Bogguss at the Utah State Fair. My first arena concert was Brooks & Dunn, with Blackhawk and Little Texas opening. I stood front row at a Tim McGraw concert and touched Billy Ray's hand when I <i>finally </i>saw him live in 2002. Despite these and many more wonderful memories, the concerts I go to lately are more of the indie rock variety. </div>
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So I was psyched when my friend, Jen, text and asked if I'd go see Charlie Worsham with her. She explained he's a country singer she had discovered from an episode of <i>Bones</i>. I didn't even need to listen to him before saying yes. I was thrilled at the idea of going to a country show. </div>
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To make things even better, I quickly found out that I love his music. </div>
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Sadly, Omaha is apparently kind of a lame scene for concerts. Exhibit A:</div>
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Despite the fact that people were chatting (yes, carrying on conversations) during the set, Charlie was really incredible. </div>
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You'll notice in this video that Charlie points right at me. Jen swears it was at her, but come on. I was the only person singing along, he saw me, and he acknowledged me. Total connection.<br />
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Omaha music fans get a D- for this concert, but Charlie Worsham? A+! His tour comes back through in March and he'll play in Lincoln. I kind of want to go...</div>
<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-83930435223481900412014-01-17T16:48:00.000-07:002014-01-17T16:48:13.250-07:00Breaking Up <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's no secret that I've been posting on my blog less and less. I never really know what to write about, but I feel bad when friends mention the fact that they don't know what's going on with me because I haven't written recently. </div>
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On the other hand, I always have a lot of opinions, and I like to share them. When I'm asked to write a blog post about the products I receive from places like <a href="http://www.influenster.com/">Influenster</a>, I have a lot of fun. Once I Instagrammed about some eyeshadow I was loving, and Adiel commented about me starting a beauty blog. </div>
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I started thinking about it and decided it might be fun to devote my blog to that. But then, on the bottom of my friend's Christmas newsletter, she commented about needing updates from me other than about makeup. </div>
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I decided that, at least while I'm still at school, I should do better to use this blog to post about my life and what I'm up to. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to focus solely on beauty reviews and tutorials.<br />
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So, I started <a href="http://denouveaureview.com/">denouveaureview.com</a>. After this post, I'll keep the two blogs completely separate. I'll talk about me and my life here and I'll talk about more entertaining things like eyeshadow there :) I launched the blog yesterday, and so far it hasn't seen much traffic. I'm trying not to get discouraged about the small number of entries for my <a href="http://www.denouveaureview.com/2014/01/my-first-giveaway.html">giveaway</a> and instead to stay excited about this new adventure. (translation: go enter and make me feel better!)<br />
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If you rely on Twitter or Facebook to find out about my new blog posts, you might want to subscribe to this blog. From now on, I'll be using those social media sites for De Nouveau Review posts rather than Life in Limbo updates. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-6457524212714827802014-01-14T23:39:00.000-07:002014-01-15T00:48:05.822-07:00The Last One I've been watching too much <i>Friends </i>lately, as is evidenced by my compulsion to title this post after the last episode of the series.<br />
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I've been enjoying <i>Friends </i>relatively guilt-free for the last month and a half, and I'm not anxious to give that up on Thursday. That's right, the day after tomorrow I'll head back to school for the last time. While I know this semester will be fun, I simply have no desire to get that fun under way. I enjoy being a student and, unlike many of my classmates, I'm not dying to graduate. Additionally, I feel like my job as a clerk is significantly less stressful than my job as a student. I'd prefer to continue on, working limited hours, watching t.v. each night, and reading a few books a week.<br />
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With all of that said, I do have to admit that it's pretty cool I'm looking at my last semester of law school. Who knew this time would actually come? You've all heard the story. You know I talked about being a lawyer on and off my whole life. But it's kind of crazy to think I'm only six months away from that being a reality.<br />
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My law school experience has been an absolute joy. Before I started school, I heard a lot of horror stories. I can honestly say that none of those cautionary tales ended up being true for me. I won't say that law school has been easy, but I also can't say I haven't enjoyed it all. I love the law, and I'm repeatedly reminded that there's nothing else I could be doing with my life that would make me feel as satisfied.<br />
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Something I haven't yet publicly announced (maybe because the reality of it still hasn't set in) is that I have a job lined up for after graduation. I entered law school when the legal job market was horribly over-saturated. While that's far from being completely remedied, I feel very fortunate that I found a job before graduation, before the stress and doubt of <i>needing</i> to find a job really set in. My job will be in Utah, and I'm excited to stop missing out on so much of my family's experiences.<br />
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I'll leave you with a slideshow of some of my favorite moments from over my final Christmas Break:<br />
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<br />Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-4846664062230123742013-12-02T19:22:00.001-07:002013-12-02T19:26:32.393-07:00Makeup Review: Rimmel London's Scandaleyes Retro Glam MascaraI recently had the chance* to try out Rimmel's new Scandaleyes Retro Glam mascara. This mascara hit shelves last month. On Rimmel's <a href="http://us.rimmellondon.com/products/eyes/scandaleyes-retro-glam-mascara">website</a>, it boasts:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Bold, wide-eyed false lash look.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Hour-glass brush shaped to the lash line to plump lashes, fanning them up and out for bold, wide-eyed volume.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Coats lashes individually for a big, false lash look in one simple stroke. No clumps!</span></span></blockquote>
For the most part, I think their description of the product hits the mark, though I will say upfront that I had a slight problem with clumping. It wasn't the standard problem you think of when you hear that mascara clumps (of eyelashes clumping together). Instead, there was just too much mascara on the applicator brush at times. I think this was more a problem with the mascara being new and extra wet, and I feel pretty confident that the issue will take care of itself after a few more uses. <br />
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When picking out a mascara, it's important to me that a product have a large applicator brush and that the mascara aid in enhancing the natural curl of my eyelashes, because I hate eyelash curlers. Retro Glam has both of these crucial components. I thought I'd walk you through my eye makeup process, which culminated in applying this particular mascara. It's pretty standard, and I'm sure you already take this same approach. But maybe someone reading is curious how I go about it.<br />
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For context, I begin my makeup regimen with liquid foundation followed by loose powder. Then I do my eye makeup, and I finish with bronzer/blush and lip gloss. These pictures are just of the different stages of my eye makeup.<br />
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I picked three colors for the day. I used a shimmery bronze, a nude, and a gray. I applied the bronze to the entire eyelid. Then, I applied the nude under my brow. I finished the eyeshadow by applying the gray to the crease.<br />
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I'm a big fan of eyeliner. The darker, the better, in my opinion. So after I finish eyeshadow, I line by bottom lashes, then my top, and then I apply mascara to my lower lash line. To avoid getting mascara dots under my eye, I always do one quick swipe of mascara with the applicator brush horizontal. Then I turn the brush vertical and use its tip to focus on a few lashes at a time.<br />
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Finally, I slowly apply mascara to the top lashes. I'm sure if I would have curled my lashes before using this mascara, you'd see even more dramatic results, but like I said: not a fan of lash curling.<br />
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And there it is! How does your eye makeup routine differ from mine? Have you tried any new mascaras lately you think I should try?<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">*I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.</span></span>Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-52274997503108194572013-10-31T20:37:00.000-06:002013-10-31T20:41:39.661-06:00Makeup Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I was excited to hear I was selected to receive<a href="http://www.influenster.com/"> Influenster'</a>s Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation VoxBox.* When it arrived yesterday, I decided that unlike VoxBox products I'd received in the past, foundation was something I felt comfortable reviewing on my blog. I feel like I try new foundations all the time, and I usually have very strong opinions about them. </div>
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This post probably should have started with a warning. I don't let anyone see me without makeup on, and I've certainly never taken a picture of myself sans makeup and posted it for all the world to see. So, brace yourself for what follows. But I decided there isn't really a good way to review foundation without showing its ability for coverage. </div>
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The left is me, right out of the shower, not a drop of makeup. The foundation provided fantastic coverage but was still light. It blended easily and really provided a matte base for the rest of my makeup. </div>
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The finished product. </div>
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After 11 hours at school, I had touched up my makeup only once. Most notably, the touch-up was only taking care of smeared eyeliner, and not handling shine. This is a big deal to me, because I have oily skin. I can't go through the day without pulling out my compact a few times.<br />
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Overall, I'm so pleased with this product. Its packaging and consistency is reminiscent of a BB cream but with better coverage. Of course, it's a little heavier than a BB cream, but it's much lighter than a bottled foundation. Two thumbs up!<br />
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In case you're interested, here's a full list of the makeup I wore today: <a href="http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/face/stay-matte-liquid-mousse-foundation">Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Light Ivory</a>; <a href="http://www.covergirl.com/face-makeup/face-powder-foundation/professional-loose-powder-makeup">CoverGirl Professional Loose Powder in Translucent Light</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smashbox-Shades-Fame-Palette-Brush/dp/B007K6CNMU">Smashbox eyeshadow in Sherbert</a> (lid); <a href="https://www.toofaced.com/p-548-shadow-insurance-policy-eye-shadow-collection.aspx?">Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Policy in Socialite</a> (crease); <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smashbox-Shades-Fame-Palette-Brush/dp/B007K6CNMU">Smashbox eyeshadow in Bliss</a> (brow); <a href="http://www.julep.com/kajal-eye-glider-sharpener.html">Julep Kajal Eye Glider in Carbon Black</a>; <a href="https://www.toofaced.com/p-1251-lash-injection-tube-building-mascara.aspx?">Too Faced Lash Injection</a> mascara; <a href="https://www.toofaced.com/p-1364-chocolate-soleil-mediumdeep-matte-bronzer.aspx?">Too Faced bronzer in Chocolate Soleil</a>; <a href="http://www.blush.com/product_Pigment+Powder_40075.htm">EF Studio Pigment Powder blush in Raucous</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Origins-Once-Upon-Shine-0-34fl-oz/dp/B000VS98PO">Origins Once Upon a Shine lip gloss in Sheer Crystal</a>.<br />
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Are you on Influenster? What do you think of their VoxBoxes? Have you discovered any new beauty products lately I should be aware of? I'm always up for trying something new!<br />
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*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-30244226959597558742013-09-12T22:30:00.000-06:002013-09-12T22:30:52.092-06:00Speaking My MindFrequently I've said that I admire when people can speak their mind. However, lately I am beginning to feel the opposite. To give you some context, my family isn't the kind that speaks our minds. Don't get me wrong, we're opinionated, stubborn, and often argumentative. But we rarely speak up when we feel someone is doing something wrong. This includes when someone is hurting our feelings, doing something that upsets us, or doing something that we fear might hurt them. We've often viewed this as a negative about our family. When something bothers us, we let it fester until it blows up. But then, we typically make up quickly and move on with our lives. I've often used my family's approach to problems as a contrast to those people that seem to be able to say whatever is on their mind whenever it comes to their mind. I've often looked at the way our family does things as somehow lesser. But lately, I've been thinking about how admirable it is when people can show restraint. Maybe it's because that's just my nature, but I'm starting to think that there are often times when it's better to remain quiet. It's okay to not point out every little flaw that someone has. It's okay to not give every piece of criticism we think might help someone. It's okay to sometimes assume that people are aware of their own shortcomings, are working on improving them, and don't need the input of others – particularly outsiders – reminding them of the very areas they're working so hard to improve. Life is hard. Why make it even harder for those around us, those we should care about? Maybe some of us should reserve speaking our minds for those moments when what's on our mind is how great someone is, how much we admire them, how much we appreciate them. And let them figure out the rest.Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-402876563789771842013-07-26T22:21:00.001-06:002013-07-26T22:23:52.374-06:00"I got to Kansas City on a Friday"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A week ago, Zipsie and I packed up a rental car and made the drive down to Kansas City for the weekend. Good food, great friends, and a fantastic 48 hours.<br />
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For dinner on Friday, we went to <a href="http://grinderspizza.com/index.php?/grinderswest/">Grinders</a>. The conversational highlight of the evening was a discussion about the possibility of roadtripping made easier by traveling with a catheter. I suppose that's what you get when you have dinner with a med student.<br />
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Saturday was more eating and shopping. We tried out <a href="http://www.potbelly.com/Shops/ShopLocator.aspx?PotbellyShopId=312">Potbelly</a> for lunch and were all very impressed. Matt and Toby left after lunch while Jen and I hit up the Plaza. My biggest score of the day was at Barnes and Noble. I hadn't been for months (stupid Law School), and they had some of their BARGAIN BOOKS for an additional 75% off! Yes, I bought a brand new book for $1.99.<br />
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Saturday night Jen and Matt were off to a dinner for Jen's work, so Zipsie and I relaxed with one of the new books I picked up. (To hear more about that, visit my newly resurrected <a href="http://goo.gl/lwc4oq">Book Blog</a>.)<br />
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We were all a little disappointed that Jen's dinner ended too late for us to make it to the drive-in as planned, but we made do with just hanging out, enjoying one another's company. </div>
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Sunday we met up with some more friends for brunch at this delightful little creperie, <a href="http://chezelle.homestead.com/">Chez Elle</a>. It was actually my first time having crepes, and I must say--I'm a fan. </div>
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After eating, Jen, Matt, and I drove up to Liberty Jail. It was neat to see something I've heard about my whole life. </div>
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If anyone knows cute Sister Jacobs from Cedar Hills (I think?), UT, she's doing great!<br />
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Wouldn't it be cool if this wasn't just a replica? ;)<br />
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Sunday night, Matt made hamburgers on the grill for dinner while Jen and I caught up on Once Upon a Time. After Matt left, Jen and I watched a few episodes of Psych (to make sure she was hooked) and then I made the drive back up. Because I got into Omaha so late (er...early?), I was unsure how to get my rental car back to the location and find a way back to my apartment. I thought about walking, but I was a little nervous to do so in the middle of the night. I ended up arranging for a taxi to pick me up (Jen's genius idea). I don't know if this will speak more to my LDS, alcohol-free lifestyle or the fact that, lamentably, I've never lived in a big city, but I've actually never taken a taxi outside of my vacation to NYC in high school. It was quick, not too expensive, and I didn't have to wake a friend up in the middle of the night! </div>
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When it comes to having awesome weekends away, I pretty much win.<br />
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Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1333897702090880732.post-81090429158174682062013-07-12T19:32:00.001-06:002013-07-12T19:32:21.994-06:00My Friend, Courteney CoxIn my experience, finding a new tv show to love is as unenjoyable as making new friends. Of course, when I find a new show--or a new friend--I'm all in. I watch every episode. I start to talk like the characters. I tell everyone how great the show is. But those pilots, the initial hangouts, are all but entirely insufferable. You can't really judge a show on its first episode. But do you want to invest the time to watch a second episode if it's not going to go anywhere? It just takes so much energy that I'd rather spend on something I know I'll enjoy...like re-watching Season 6 of Friends for the 18th time.<br />
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Believe it or not, until about two years ago, I didn't really watch tv. There were two main exceptions: 24 and So You Think You Can Dance. One went off the air and the other invited Comfort to be an All Star. Tragedies on both counts. But then I came to Law School and I was sucked into the ease of being a tv junkie. Reading used to be my outlet, my escape. But at school and work, all I do is read. Literally. All day long. Read, then write a little about what I read, then read what I wrote, then read more so I can write more. I'm essentially married to Times New Roman, and by the end of the day I'm sick of him.<br />
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Most days I come home with a headache, eyes tired of moving across a computer screen, brain strained from searching for the answer to some unanswerable question. So I shut down. I kick up my feet, pet Zipsie, and watch a show. This summer has mainly been about Psych. I fell in love with Shawn and Gus and their ridiculous but wonderful friendship. Most recently, <a href="http://thepatricianssoapbox.blogspot.com/2013/02/why-cougar-town-should-be-your.html">Suzzanne introduced me to Cougar Town</a>. I had heard about the show, but I never had the slightest desire to see it. I'd catch portions of it while flipping through channels and I was annoyed by this weird group of adults playing ridiculous games or just sitting around drinking wine. However, I promised Suzzanne I'd give it a real chance, and four seasons later I desperately want a cul-de-sac crew of my own. I want to be Ellie, a former attorney turned stay-at-home mom who talks openly about how boring babies are to play with. I want a marriage like Jules, where I can be honest about my need to argue and have my husband accept that. In so many ways, that show is ridiculously over-the-top. Yet in so many ways, it's exactly where I want to be when I'm 40.<br />
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I hadn't actually intended to discuss my obsession with Cougar Town in this post. The point was merely to say: I'm out of episodes and I don't know what to do with my Friday night. Any suggestions?Wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05642079173313565976noreply@blogger.com1