In Memory

Well I am a little hesitant to post today because I am not doing so for sympathy. I do however want to post in memory of someone very dear to me, my brother Nathan. Today marks the 11th year anniversary of his death. I choose to use this day to honor and remember the life he had. I am going to list some of my favorite memories. Most of you who read my blog did not know my brother so now you can learn a bit:

1) His favorite hymn was Battle Hymn of the Republic-not sure why but I think it is funny
2) His FHE lessons were always intricate Jeopardy games or practice fire drills. The one I remember most was learning how to use a fire extinguisher to put out fire and standing in my front yard spraying down fires. Who says FHE isn't fun?
3)One Halloween he wore my mom's clothes to school to dress up as a women. Let's just say my parents were slightly embarrassed.
4) He loved Nirvana, and Oasis and to my mom's delight, the Grassroots
5) He played Piano, Guitar, and Alto Sax-one time he left his saxophone in the drive-way while waiting for the bus and my dad backed over it on his way to work. The worst part was Nathan had a concert that day...oops!
6) He taught me how to build/shoot off rockets and shoot guns
7) He worked as a bagger at the local IGA and when he asked my friend's mom if she needed help out to the car she said something (I cant remember what) and he picked up her son and carried him out even though he was my age (10 or 11) and totally capable of walking-he was just a goof
8) When he was little he had to wear a pirate patch because of his lazy eye but he would always take it off when he left the house
9) He, Valerie and I used to play a game called Tornado where we would go out in the ditches and pretend tornados were coming and hide or something, I can't really remember-oh the life of a farm kid
10) He was an engineer and was always building/inventing things-he and my dad built a storage shed in our back yard
11) He was an electrician- he made a doorbell for his room and all sorts of other gizmos. He even helped wire our house after it was built.
12) He probably teased me the most out of my three brothers but also spent the most time with Val and I. He was always hugging on my mom and would sit on my parent's lap from time to time.

Well that is some of the stuff that comes to mind right now. I recently made a similar list in my journal but it has a lot more to it probably.

"We're all of us stars
We're fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see us some day
Just take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out"
-Oasis-

Oh the Irony

While most of you are relishing this fine eve of an extra hour of sleep, I am here basking in the joy of an extra hour of work. I am dreading that hour when the clock strikes back an hour and I feel like an hour was spent in vain. It's going to be odd experiencing daylight savings from this perspective but hopefully the time will not pass too slowly.

Are you serious?

It snowed yesterday... and it's only October 12th!! What in the heck?! Luckily the snow didn't stick but it is still freezing! All of my family is living it up with 60 or 70 degree weather. No fair. I was not made for the cold. Okay, I am done complaining now, and it is supposed to warm up by the end of the week.

Shoes and Shirt...no problem

So with the economic crisis that is occurring, I have become super frugal. I am trying not to spend money on anything to the point that it is almost ridiculous. I am fine financially, better than ever actually, but I am saving up for a new car and possibly grad school in January. I am worried about the economy and am trying not to spend money and so far have been really good. Plus, with how little space I have in my apartment, and all the crap I already own, I really do not need more stuff. But, I messed it all up on Wednesday when I stumbled upon these shoes and HAD to have them. They were a pretty good deal and they had free shipping but I am mad at myself for buying them. I will just have to see how much I love them in person and if I don't I can always send them back. I am excited though because I love comfy shoes that I can wear in the nasty cold here.

Oh and on a more exciting note, I was at the women's soccer game tonight and won a free shirt! Now I thought it would just be a ginormous tee shirt with a weird logo that I would just give away but it was actually a cute shirt from Shade Clothing. It was even my size and was valued at $21.50. Not bad eh?! I am excited. I tried to find a picture to post of it but there weren't any on their website...all I can say is I am going to every game that is left so I can win more!

Can You Feel Real Like You Are?

Ok the title for this blog is taken from a new Goo Goo Dolls song titled "Real." This post has nothing to do with that but I just like it. I love the Goo Goo Dolls so much, probably because they have been around my whole life and they are just fabulous musicians. Check out this song because I love it. On the subject of music, I was thinking today about all my favorite songs and about 99% of them are sung by guys. No offense to anyone who sings but I just prefer men's voices to women's voices most of the time. Even if the woman is on key and everything I just don't like high pitches very much. There are a lot of talented female singers and I do admire them because I sure can't sing like that, but I just love guy singers more.

I was also thinking today about how I am a germ-a-phobe. I know I definitely get this from my mom. I thought of this because I am at work and I wanted to eat some ice cream (because all I do all night is stuff my face) and there were no plastic spoons left. There were however, some of the utensil's that the kids use but they hand wash them. Ok eating off of dishes that teenage boys wash by hand just does not thrill me. So what did I do at this time of great crisis? I ate my ice cream with a plastic fork. :) The first fork I tried broke so I had to get another one. I know I probably won't die or even get sick but I just am paranoid about certain things like that. If I really need to I just suck it up and do it and I am fine, but for the most part I have some weird phobias that make me do some odd things. Here are a few:

1) Pretty much no matter where I am I will not sit on a public toilet, I hover. If I must sit? I line that seat with a liner or some TP.
2) I flush public toilets with my feet.
3) I don't like eating or drinking after certain people. Close friends or family are fine but I will not just share with anyone. I am not worried about getting sick. It's more the thought of their saliva that creeps me out.
4) Every time I eat at restaurant, especially fast food I think about all the horrible things that could have happened to my food in the kitchen (dropped on floor, sneezed on, touched with bare hands, etc...) - some call me crazy but keep in mind I worked in the "food business" for 3 years and that is just what happens, but I get over it and usually enjoy my food
5) I hate hair! -especially if it is dark, and even more so if it is wet. I know hair can't really hurt you but it seriously is so creepy to me, and if I ever have hair in my food, please just shoot me! Hair literally gives me the chills.
6) I rarely trust a dish that has not been cleaned in the dishwasher. I know it may not matter, but I just don't really believe most people wash dishes by hand in a very sanitary manner.
7) Occasionally I do that weird thing where I touch a part of a door that I feel like nobody has touched if I am somewhere really nasty like a public restroom in the South. Seriously, driving from NC to Florida has got to be the worst as far as bathroom breaks go.

I was watching John and Kate Plus 8 and she said something that is so true for me...she is more creeped out by people germs than nature germs. That is how I am. I will eat off of a sidewalk before a floor any day. I don't know why but that is just how my mind works....anyway, my randomness is done for now. Can you tell I get bored at work? Enjoy conference tomorrow everyone!

Nick-Names

I thought it would be fun to list all of the nick-names I have been given throughout my life. I have never been a huge fan of my own name so I enjoy hearing nick-names people make up for me. It seems like everyone's always making up new names for me, and I am bored at work so I am going to list the one's I can think of just for fun.

J-Bear- my dad has called me this as long as I can remember
Marie-zee- my dad has called me this on occassion but not as much as the first one
Wash Belly- it's something my cousing learned when he went to Jamacia on his mission-it's what they call the youngest child there- my dad calls me this
Caboose- my dad calls me this because I am the youngest- I used to get so mad about this one
Jaynet- my cousin always calls me this, although it might be due more to a southern accent than anything else. My mum and my sister also call me this and occassionally one of my brothers does.
Jay- my friends in elementry school called me this and I thought I was sooo cool
J-dog or J-dawg- friends have called me this on and off most of my life
Chewbaca or Chewy- my high school soccer coach and teammates called me this but I never understood why
Jinganinget- some family friends did this weird thing where they put an ing after the consonants when they spoke. My sister calls me this from time to time.
Fairy- my friend Jamie started calling me this after one basketball practice where they noticed that I run funny (Apparantly I run like a girl-but it hurts my shoulders to run with my arms down by my waist...)
Jannernet- my friends from freshman year of college always call me this, I don't really know why
Schmanet- my friend Travis always puts a schm in front of everyone's names
Jan-nut- my friend Kristen calls me this
J-Bo-(like J-Lo)Garrett always calls me this
Janay or Young Janay- Mandi and Melani used to call me this
Junet-my newphew invented a language called Joshua German where he puts a U in every word
June-my friend Melani calls me this, it's basically short for Junet
Janis/Jannett/Janna- half the time friends call me this jokingly but sometimes people think this is really my name

Currently Reading

So as most of you know, I have a LOT of time on my hands now days which is quite nice most of the time. Today I was thinking about all of the books I am currently reading and I was surprised by how many it is. I guess I am sort of ADD when it comes to books so I am always reading at least 2 at a time. But I think think this is a record for me.....

The Great Gatsby: I read this in high school but found it at work and wanted to read it again because I couldn't remember much of it but I remember enjoying it.

The Twilight Series: #2 New Moon I know what you are all thinking....I really hate fantasy/sci-fi because I have zero imagination. I never desired to read these books because they seemed so weird. My friends at my old job bought me the first one and said I had to read it because I was always saying how I never would. Well I read Twilight at work and it was actually pretty good. The author's style bugs me a lot but other times I really enjoy the way she writes. Overall the books are good so far and I want to finish the series and also see the movies.

The Book of Mormon: This is kind of a constant read thing as I am sure it is for a lot of you. I am almost through Alma (I know I am a little behind the Sunday School Schedule) but as always I learn some new insights every time.

Trusting Jesus: MY FAVORITE BOOK! I am almost done reading it for the second or third time and I just love it. Elder Holland is amazing and this book makes me feel so good about life! READ IT!

A Child Called It: I have read this one before too but stumbled upon it at work and decided to read it again because I never read the others in the series and want to read them all. Very simple read but hard to learn of all the crap this kid went through.

God Wants A Powerful People: This is a Sheri Dew book. It is pretty good and helps me feel motivated to do good things. I will be honest, her writing style bugs me from time to time. I am kind of picky but overall the ideas she presents are good.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: This has always been my favorite poetry book. My sister sent me a package a few months ago with this book. I love to just sit down and read all the fun poems. I am about halfway through reading from cover to cover.

And one I finished about a month and a half ago but cannot fail to mention is The Kite Runner. I could not put it down! I still haven't seen the movie but the book is fabulous. Another favorite that I read this summer was The Screw Tape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It was my first Lewis book and I loved his thought processes and style. He is an ingenious writer. As you tell I love to read but even more so I have a passion for writing so I am constantly critiquing everything I read. If anyone has any great books let me know!