flannel and satin

FHE is about to start (have I mentioned how much I love having it at my apartment?) but I thought I'd get started anyway.

Today I wore a pink sweater I got for Christmas a couple years ago. It's not a hard-core sweater, because it was only a little chilly at 6 this morning[1], but it is long-sleeved and whatnot. I like to wear my pink necklace with it.

It also has a red heart sticker on it. When I first saw it, I was surprised. Had I really not worn the sweater since Valentine's Day? That's when I got the sticker. Karyn gave it to me at ballet. She actually gave me two, one for each wrist, so I would remember to lift them[2].

that day, I got a lot of comments about my heart sticker. I don't know why. It was Valentine's Day. More people should've been wearing heart stickers.

Today, I got 0 comments. I don't know what to think about that. Everyone I know must be so used to my eccentricity that the fact I wear stickers on my clothing is accepted as a matter of course, like when I wear a flower in my hair.

Of course, I didn't think anything of the sticker until this afternoon, when I got a glimpse of it in the mirror. So maybe they just all ignored it like I did.

Maybe I should wear a sticker every day just to see if anyone notices. The only problem with this plan is that I only have spider stickers. I guess this is the right time of year for it!

[1] I couldn't believe how dark it was as I walked to school this morning. All the stars were still out, and I could identify constellations. Last time I walked to school it wasn't that dark. (I mean, last time I walked to school around 6, not when I ran to class at 8:45.)

[2] Just a note, I play piano for ballet classes. Karyn was the teacher I played for last year. I love her. I miss her. She was nice and easy to play for and she liked me.

[3] (no, there is no 3 footnote. get over it, I do this all the time.) Speaking of Valentine's Day ... no, I don't want to talk about it. Never mind.

Title from "Recessional" ~ Vienna Teng (sensing a pattern?)

People are coming over for FHE. I'd better go out.

Wrap life in the brilliance of death and humble us all

Saturday morning, bright and early, I went on a field trip with my Mentored Lab Techniques class. I really hate the class, but I enjoyed the excursion. It was only a little chilly at 7:30 down at the greenhouse parking lot, and I felt fine in a t-shirt. (I try to live up to my rearing in Utah and tough out the cold.) I ended up in the front seat of the minivan with the teacher, which means that we mostly talked to each other and everyone else talked among themselves. I didn't tell the teacher how much I hate the class, for which I think I deserve bonus points.

The sun rose as we drove up Provo Canyon. We turned into the "Sundance Road" and there began the beautiful, beautiful autumn foliage. I was rendered just a little bit speechless, craning my neck to find the vibrant reds and oranges and yellows backdropped against the green. I never get to see enough of the leaves.

I think we were all a little bit surprised at the field trip. We had a guest professor and it turns out he was there to give us a lecture on aspens. So we tromped up a path for a while (I realized that I'd neglected to mention that I'm not supposed to do anything strenuous) until we got to a particular stand of aspens he wanted to talk about. The lecture was okay, but despite the exercise-ness of the hike, I loved it even more. Every time I looked up there was a beautiful new vista to take my breath away. Rain was imminent, so the sky was the deep blue-gray that is my favorite color, and with the autumn leaves against it I had to force myself to watch where I was going or I would've tripped.

It rained a little bit. Then on our way back down the path to find an aspen clone down by the road, it began to hail. Ow! That was fun. It was even more fun when I realized everyone was getting in their car and I was just standing out there like an idiot. I'm good at that.

This is about the time I started regretting just wearing a t-shirt. It was cold. My sparse little arm-hairs were extended to full height to increase the barrier space between the air and me, but to little avail. Eventually the sun came out and I was appeased. But I still decided to ride in the car instead of walking because I'd already done too much walking (though I didn't mention that, I just let them think I was lazy).

And it's quite the experience to hang around with a bunch of biology nerds. At one point the two professors were discussing with each other the best protocol to get something done and I zoned out. It just wasn't interesting to me. I don't know what that says about the appropriateness of my major to me. Nothing good, probably. But it was also sort of fun.

The most lasting effect of my field trip, besides a little extra soreness of the leg, was a desperate desire to spend some more time among the autumn leaves. If I were at home, I could simply hike up to Eck Hill and my life would be easy. But here ... I don't know if it's worth it to just go wandering by myself.

Speaking of weather, it rained yesterday. Being the tough Utah girl I am, I didn't have a jacket, and I was cold. All the buildings had their AC on. I went home to get a jacket, but by that time it was already warm enough that I didn't need one. That's how my life goes. :)

Title: "Drought" ~ Vienna Teng (quintessential fall song)

It's the crowded room that breaks me

I've been lucky the past three years. I've not had too many classes that require me to walk in the area between the library and JFSB. This year, unfortunately, that is not the case. I have a class in the JKB, then one in the MARB, then another in the JKB, then one in the WIDB.

Good crimeny.

Between every class is a desperate struggle for my life. So many students, all going different directions (and very few of them headed toward the MARB, so traffic fights against me). I have never once made it across the courtyard without having at least one near collision. And they often happen when both of us realize contact is imminent, but neither of us know which way to deflect. Yeesh.

And the saddest part is, I can't really do anything about it. I could go all the way around the library and head for the less-traveled path, but despite my fear of getting hit, that would take a lot longer and I like being on time to my classes.

I'm just glad I'm better at navigating a car than I am at navigating myself. Maybe we should make a rule that you always pass on the right? That would make my life easier.

/rant that's more like a complaint

Title: "Nothing Without You" ~ Vienna Teng

Hey, love.

I have no idea how to start this blog. Maybe I can skip the pilot post and just get on with my blogging?

Here's what you can expect to see in the next week or so:
+A description of my field trip
+A reflection on the Russian movie I watched on Friday
+A small rant about people in classes
+A small rant about the JFSB square

But that's just when I get around to it. I'm trying to make my writings of this nature more scholarly and less "And then we got in the car and drove up the mountain. And then we drove down again." I do have mild aspirations toward being a writer after all.

Incidentally, my name is Leslie Moon. I'm a BYU student. In 6 words or less, that's my most basic description. Other things about me may come out as the blog progresses. Or you may spend months (is anyone going to be following this for months? Heaven help you) trying to figure me out. I'm fairly open, though; it'll be hard for you not to know too much about me.

Well. Here's a tidbit. I'll toss it to you free. My blog name comes from the song "Gravity" by Vienna Teng. Awesome song. I can play it on the piano.

I'll start a real blog sometime soon. It's not like I have other things I desperately need to do. Not me. :)