Hawaiian Haystack

The Perfect Crime

2012-01-29T16:22:00.000-08:00

"Hi, this is Jeremy, your home teacher. We were wondering if we could come and visit you tomorrow."

Hmm, there are no Jeremy's in my ward...let me check the ward list. Nope. Maybe he didn't say Jeremy. Why did I erase the message already? I probably just misheard the message. But I haven't been home taught for several months, so good job home teacher for contacting me! I'll check with the EQP just to be sure.

Nope, there are no Jeremy's in the ward, and that number doesn't belong to anyone in the ward.

Oh great. This guy is going to show up at 4 and murder me. And no one will ever know who he is. I'll write my will just in case.

4:30 rolls around. No Jeremy. He calls. He's at my last house in Utah that I lived in. I guess he didn't want to murder me. And I technically got home taught.

"Homicide Teachers" is the new Deseret Book Thriller of a man posing as a home teacher and killing unsuspecting families who are just excited to be getting home taught.

Isn't that such a gruesome idea?!?! But it would be the perfect crime! Maybe I need to stop watching and reading mysteries. It's starting to affect my thoughts. And I really did think I was going to get murdered today. My life has been preserved.

I have my life back

2012-01-17T10:18:00.000-08:00

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
Wow, this was a LOOOOONG book. But very interesting.
The book is set in the future. While the government keeps making regulations that stifle all businesses, the great businessmen quit disappearing. The story follows the vice-president of a railroad company and what bridges she has to cross, lines she has to toe, and my favorite, her love stories. I think that's what kept me reading it :0) I'm a sucker, I know. Ayn has an interesting view on how socialism isn't the best. There were times that were infuriating reading the opinion of the government and the changes they make that preserve the needs of their back scratchers, and even when the country is destroyed, they aren't willing to change anything.

If you don't want to read this 1,000+ page, there's a movie that hits the first part of the book. Which is a good movie.

ALSO, because it took me soooo long to read this (this was a labor of love, each page took so such a long time, but because so many of my friends had recommended it, I had to do it. And I was urged to finish it as soon as possible, so it was a very concentrated effort), I went ahead and read another book yesterday, just to prove that I can read books fast...

Sarah's Key, Tatiana de Rosney
A Holocaust fictional book placed in France. The event was real, but the people aren't. Back in 1942, the French raided their country and sent so many French Jews to internment camps, and most of them went on to Auschwitz, never to return. I had no idea this happened in France, but they were occupied during the war. The book tells a story of a girl who gets taken to a camp, but has her brother stay in a locked cupboard at home, thinking she would be back soon. Her story is learned by a modern woman who is writing an article on a commemoration of this event. Quite intriguing.

Something that DOESN'T make me mad

2012-01-10T11:34:00.001-08:00

Seeing this in the "seasonal" section of the local Wal-Mart:

Not even a little bit.
Granted....we DID just celebrate Christmas, but the beauty behind living where the sun shines constantly, it doesn't feel like it. So it's fitting that this is around. And yes, I bought some and ate them. Delicious.

Holiday Reads

2012-01-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

I remember reading this in junior high and being so confused that the book was not followed "Mickey's Christmas Carol." It wasn't a fantastic read. But this year I decided to read it, and wow, it was a very fun read. Dickens is a funny guy. And the messages were quite poignant. I think I'll read it again.

Goose Girl, Shannon Hale

Fun little read about a princess who gets overthrown and fights her way back to the throne. It's a cute little love story and fun to read. This author has a fun twist on her books but writes wonderfully. And there's a little love story...who doesn't love that?

The 5 Love Languages, Brad Chapman

My sister had been talking to me about this book after a strange interaction with a boy. So it was a pleasant surprise to read this myself. I highly recommend it to everyone. This helped me determine a resolution...be aware of how others respond to love and do something about it. Love isn't about the self. It's so much about meeting the needs of others.

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand

Haven't finished it yet, but am enjoying it. It's going to take a while to work through this one!

look-alikes

2012-01-01T15:03:00.001-08:00

I was at a party a bit ago, and a guy kept getting in my eyesight. It was kind of flattering, but not enough to get me to go talk to him. I walked into another room, and he followed me. First thing he says is: has anyone ever told you that you look just like Meredith Vieira?

Ahhh, that's why you were staring at me.

Can't say I've ever been told that, but my new year's resolution is to get more people to tell me this. Maybe wearing more business suits and asking about something being their final answer might solicit the kind of response I'm hoping for :0) That and dye my hair blonde (a suggestion from my new dear friend).

She's actually a very pretty lady, so I shouldn't mock this young man. It just caught me really off-guard. So I'll be flattered.

Happy New Year!