halloween

so, i'm not the biggest fan of halloween. i think it's kind of weird, i don't love dressing up, and i hate being scared...
but.
this cake makes halloween so worthwhile.

yep. it's a cake.

amazing.

reactions at work:

dr cook was dying laughing. seriously. he kept bringing his patients into the kitchen to see it.

this girl got a texted picture of it and said: what the heck? is that a litterbox? why is it on the kitchen table?

this other girl said: we should put it in the corner of the waiting room with bowls and a sign that says help yourself.

oh man. it was pretty fantastic/disgusting.

life coach, please.

so, after much deliberation and searching of class schedules (100 times, minimum) i may have made some decisions.
obviously, these decisions are not certain, because i have no idea whether or not i will find a job, an apartment, etc... but i am interested in feedback. (bean: i promise i'm not just trying to get comments. i just want input from people who have been in a similar position :)

i have nine credits and five months left in my college experience. one class will be taken at the salt lake center in the winter. the other two are only available at the provo campus.
so, here are my options.
1) stay in provo until april, drive to salt lake for school one night a week. keep my current job, and keep going to salt lake frequently because it's the city i love here.
2) move to salt lake, find a job and an apartment there. drive to provo 1-2 days a week for classes. stay in salt lake once graduated, find a job there.

i don't know what's better. either way i'll be driving (or taking trax) semi-frequently to and from provo/salt lake. but part of me thinks that i belong in salt lake much more than i belong in provo. i've done provo for five years now, and i'm feeling anxious and a little stuck. i'm thrilled with the prospect of moving to a new city with new people and a new experience.
but at the same time, i am terrified. i am afraid of trying to find a job, of quitting my old job, of being a grown-up and living in my own place and paying rent (yikes.) and of everything that comes with change.
i tend to repel change by nature, so the thought of such a drastic change both frightens and thrills me.

i don't know what to do anymore.

pahdon?

so i was cleaning my room, while a disc of seinfeld was playing on my laptop...
i look up from folding laundry to see this:

(sorry about the low quality.)

but i literally started laughing. hysterically. because if you've ever heard kate try to say "pahhdon" you would understand.
or, if you are a member of my family.

so that was my night. also, i'm very very excited for sac this weekend. it will be amazing to get out of freezing provo for awhile. i ran in the canyon tonight and very nearly froze.
grim, indeed.

in other news, i'm starting to be over the debacle of thursday night. that's good. but it's bittersweet because the end result is still the same. poor cougs. they need to learn some new plays.

i can't think of anything interesting to say in blogs anymore. except that i applied for graduation yesterday, which is enormous news. awesome and terrifying at the same time. someone tell me what to do with my life after college. i'm not making decisions anymore, because i make bad ones. for real.

BYU Football, take two.

BYU v. Wyoming
BYU extended its nation-best winning streak to 14 games after another shutout, this time against Wyoming. Quarterback Max Hall had another great game, completing 16-of-27 passes for 189 yards with no interceptions. Wide receiver Austin Collie caught two touchdown passes before halftime, and running back Harvey Unga ran one in the third quarter. Most of the first string sat out the fourth quarter and backup quarterback Brenden Gaskins was able to play the final 15 minutes, completing 3-of-7 passes for 7 yards. Wyoming had six turnovers, two of which were returned for Cougar touchdowns.
BYU has a bye next week, and will return to play Utah State in Logan on October 3.

BYU v. Utah State
BYU has received some excellent press coverage in the week surrounding the move into Top 10 position. An article on Yahoo! News featured many of the players and went into depth on Coach Mendenhall’s coaching style and focus of the team. Mendenhall was also quoted in an article about NCAAF upsets in this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated. While some critics maintain that BYU does not deserve the #8 spot in the AP Poll, the facts beg to differ. BYU has scored 172 points this season, and has had two back to back games in which they shut out their opponent. The Cougars boast the longest win streak in the country at 14 games. Max Hall has thrown only two interceptions this season, and has passed for more than 1200 yards.
BYU will take on the Utah State Aggies this Friday in Logan. Utah State is 1-3 this season, including a 58-10 loss to Utah on September 13.

Both Utah State and BYU are coming off of bye weeks, so the teams are rested and ready to play. The teams have been playing each other since 1922, and the rivalry between the schools used to be quite fierce. Coach Mendenhall has tried to resurrect that fading rivalry by adding USU to the Cougar schedule for the next few years. The last meeting between the teams in Logan was in 2002, in which the Cougars scraped by with a 35-34 win. In 2006, the Aggies came to Provo to be shut out by BYU 38-0.
Several Cougars were resting injuries during the bye week, including running back Harvey Unga, center Dallas Reynolds, defensive back G Pittman and receivers Spencer Hafoka and Michael Reed. However, all plan to play in Friday's game, except for Reed, who is recovering from meniscus surgery on his right knee.

While BYU is ranked 8 in the AP Poll, the game against Utah State showed a different side to this team. The Cougars dominated in the first half; BYU went into halftime leading 24-0 after a quick first-possession score and converting three turnovers into two touchdowns. However, in fourth quarter Utah State was able to get into the Cougars' heads. Utah State scored on the first drive of the quarter, and BYU lost 83 yards in penalties during that quarter alone. Quarterback Max Hall was sacked for first time this season, and while he did throw for 303 yards, he also threw two interceptions and received a personal foul in the fourth quarter. It was clear that he was frustrated with this game. Receiver Austin Collie summed it up best in his postgame interview when he said, "we just struggled to get things going on offense." However, it was enough to win 34-14, and BYU prepares for New Mexico in Provo on October 11.

BYU v. New Mexico

BYU dropped only one spot in the AP Poll after a less-than stellar game against Utah State on October 3. But the Cougars are excited to play in front of their home crowd, and prepare to take on New Mexico on Saturday. New Mexico is 3-3 this season, and is 1-1 in the MWC (beat Wyoming, lost to TCU), but Coach Mendenhall “does think adversity is coming” in the remainder of this season’s schedule. New Mexico has strong running backs who have accumulated 614 yards in the past two games. BYU injuries are low; wide receiver Michael Reed has recovered from surgery quickly and is expected to return for Saturday’s game.

New Mexico will take on the Cougars in BYU's home stadium in Provo today. BYU is ranked #9 in the AP Poll this week, and have been the subject of many sports blogs and editorials since the less than stellar performance against Utah State last week. In Tuesday’s press conference, Coach Mendenhall indicated that he is “far from content” with the team, considering the “potential and capability.” New Mexico has struggled with injuries this season, and BYU is the highest-ranked team that the Lobos have played against since upsetting Utah in 1994. Running back Michael Reed is supposed to return to today’s game, as well as defensive back Scott Johnson who rested a bruised thigh this week, and linebacker David Nixon (ankle sprain).

BYU welcomed New Mexico to Provo on Saturday, and the Lobos were ready for a tough game. BYU appeared to be shaken by New Mexico’s defense, particularly in the first half, which ended with BYU leading 7-3. "They had a good strategy to keep us off the field. We didn't have as many chances as we'd like," said running back Harvey Unga who ran for 95 yards. Quarterback Max Hall threw for 265 yards and 3 touchdowns, and wide receiver Austin Collie had 9 receptions for 162 yards. BYU extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games with this win, and prepares for TCU on Thursday October 16.

general wonderment.

so, i've realized a lot over the past month.

it's kind of ridiculous, because the event that brought on this period of self-awareness was the last thing i expected. and reaction to said event was even less expected. i have realized much. i know this is probably maddeningly vague, but i'm trying not to ever think about that one guy ever again. so it's best not to dwell. :)

just wanted to put an update out. i'm figuring it out. it's okay. or, it's getting to be.



in other news, i still love my internship. a lot. even though byu kind of sucked it up last night... yikes. out of the top 10 tomorrow for sure.



so i went seven last night and it was pretty fantastic. i ran at the track which was sort of weird, but it's like old blue carpet, which supposedly is better for my poor broken bones. countdown: five weeks to race. yikes. two of my friends at work are running st. george right now, which brings me to my next point. assuming no more injuries (i'm serious, tibia.) i am running a marathon next year! emy and have decided on nashville (april 09). looking at hal higdon's training schedule makes me kind of nauseated, but also kind of thrilled. a healthy balance.

i've figured out my school schedule for next semester. my LAST SEMESTER EVER of college. wow. how is it that i only will have 9 credits and yet be busier than any other semester? seems weird. college is weird.

i'm going to salt lake tonight. i seem to spend less and less time in provo.
i don't really mind.

sorry this is so ridiculously boring. look for more football this week.

BYU Football (through Wyoming)

so, due to some requests by people who don't want to pay money to join si in order to read my articles...here they are! :) and for those who don't like football (lis), just skip :)
2008 Preview
BYU football has a long history of excellence. In 1984 the Cougars won a national championship, and have won 23 conference championships over the past fifty years. However, after Lavell Edwards retired as head coach, Cougar fans began to wonder if they would ever see another championship. But that has changed. In 2006 and 2007, the team won back-to-back Mountain West Conference Championships. The Cougars are undefeated in 22 conference games, and have made a turnaround that many fans never thought possible. The preseason AP poll shows BYU ranked 16 as of 16 August, the highest ranking in preseason since the Edwards era. Predictions have been made about BYU being a possible candidate for a BCS bowl game this season. Assuming no serious injuries or unforeseen struggles, the Cougars stand to be one of the upcoming leaders in NCAA football in 2008.

BYU v. Northern Iowa
Preview:
BYU prepares for Northern Iowa in its season opener on August 30. In a press conference Coach Bronco Mendenhall stated that the Cougars are “eager to play,” although he will not overlook Northern Iowa, and expects the game to be challenging. He expressed that the Cougars are doing well injury-wise, and expects a great season. Mendenhall also released the depth chart for the game, which included freshman wide receiver O’Neill Chambers and senior wide receiver Reed White as kick returners and punt returners. Max Hall will be the starting quarterback, with junior Brenden Gaskins as his backup. BYU enters this game with the longest active winning streak in the nation at 10 straight games. Northern Iowa went 12-1 last year, and running back Corey Lewis ran for 1,513 yards during the season.

Post-game:
BYU Football’s slogan this season is “The Quest for Perfection.” But after Saturday’s game against Northern Iowa, the quest is far from over. While the Cougars did win by 24 points, the second half was difficult and BYU had four turnovers, one of which led to a touchdown for Northern Iowa, while another led to a field goal. Offensively, Max Hall completed 34 of 41 passes for 486 yards, but fans were curious as to why running back Fui Vakapuna wasn’t playing. Luckily he is not injured; he sat out because he did not practice last week due to schoolwork.
Several Cougars took hard hits, including Hall and receiver Michael Reed, but both returned to play soon after the hits. Offensive lineman Ray Feinga sprained his ankle, but also returned in the second half. Austin Collie, who was injured with a stress fracture all summer, had seven receptions for 80 yards.

BYU v. Washington
Preview:
BYU tight end Dennis Pitta topped the national list in receiving with 11 receptions for 213 yards last Saturday against Northern Iowa. However, the Cougars can’t rest easy, because Washington is an excellent team who has Jake Locker as quarterback. In a press conference on Tuesday, BYU Head Coach Mendenhall praised Locker, saying “he certainly would be the fastest player on our team…which presents all kinds of problems.” The AP Poll 15-ranked Cougars have struggled on the road in the past, and several players are recovering from slight injuries. Defensive back David Tafuna has a sprained ankle, but plans to play, as do running back Harvey Unga (ankle) and quarterback Max Hall, who was shaken up after a hard hit on Saturday.

Post-game:
What was predicted to be a difficult game between BYU and Washington was certainly that for both teams. In the first possession, BYU quarterback Max Hall threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Austin Collie for the first points of the game. Washington did not wait to respond; quarterback Jake Locker rushed 14 yards to tie the game at 7. Each quarter ended with a tied score, and Washington appeared to be set to tie again in the fourth quarter. At 3rd and goal, Locker ran 3 yards for a touchdown, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called, resulting in the point after touchdown being kicked at the 18 yard line instead of the 3 yard line. BYU blocked the point after attempt, leaving the final score 28-27. The Cougars hadn’t won a non-conference game on the road in the last nine attempts, so this victory was a welcome change, giving them a 2-0 start to the season.
Washington had several injured players over the course of the game, including safety Darin Harris, who was taken to the hospital with a head injury at the beginning of the fourth quarter. BYU linebacker Vic So’oto injured his foot in the first half and did not return to the game.

BYU v. UCLA
Preview:
BYU prepares to take on UCLA on Saturday September 13, and this game will give insight into the season ahead for both teams. On September 7, the Cougars moved to spot 18 in the AP Poll, and UCLA was dropped from spot 23. Last season, the teams met twice: in the first regular season game, UCLA won 27-17, while the second meeting was in the Las Vegas Bowl, where BYU blocked a field goal in the final seconds of the game and won 17-16.
After the win against Washington last Saturday, the Cougars know that this will probably be one of the most difficult teams they will play until November. Mendenhall chooses to focus on the current game at hand. After the game at Washington, when asked about the possibility of a BCS game, he replied "I don't pay any attention to that stuff. Was this a huge step for us? No. Was it the next step? Yes."

BYU knows that the game against UCLA Saturday could potentially make or break the goal of a BCS bowl bid. In their last game, UCLA beat then-ranked 18 Tennessee in overtime. Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between BYU and UCLA in the last year, and because of the previous games, this meeting is something of a rivalry between the two. Adding to the rivalry is UCLA quarterback Ben Olson, who redshirted at BYU in 2002 before transferring to UCLA. However, Olson is out with a broken foot and will be replaced by quarterback Kevin Craft, who completed 18 of 25 passes in the second half against Tennessee for 193 yards.
BYU quarterback Max Hall completed 30 of 41 passes for 338 yards against Washington last Saturday. Running back Harvey Unga rushed 136 yards against the Huskies, and running back Fui Vakapuna appeared in his first game of the season with several great blocks and 15 yards. BYU enters this game with the longest win streak in the country at 12 games.

Post-game:
What was expected to be a difficult match-up quickly turned into BYU handing UCLA its worst defeat in more than 75 years. A quick first possession touchdown by Max Hall’s pass to Dennis Pitta was only the start. Hall threw for five more touchdowns in the second quarter, giving the Cougars a 42-0 lead at the half. Hall then threw one more touchdown pass in the third quarter, his passing yards reaching 271 and throwing 27-for-35, before resting for the remainder of the game. Backup quarterback Brenden Gaskins took his place for the last 1 ½ quarters, and threw 4-of-5 for 66 yards. The final score was 59-0.
Running back Harvey Unga also had a great game, adding 17 carries for 71 yards to BYU’s total of 521 yards, as well as 2 touchdowns. Wide receiver Austin Collie, whose performance wasn’t quite up to par against Washington, had 10 receptions for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns against UCLA. Wide receiver Michael Reed, tight end Dennis Pitta, and running back Wayne Latu all added touchdowns to BYU’s eight as well, and kicker Mitch Payne made a field goal toward the end of the fourth quarter. After the difficult game against Washington, particularly with the widely disputed ending call, the Cougars were ready to “make a statement,” explained Jan Jorgenson, who plays on the BYU defensive line. BYU will play its first Mountain West opponent next Saturday, Wyoming, at home, and will enter this game continuing the longest win streak in the country at 13 games.

BYU v. Wyoming
Preview:
While the Cougars had a great performance against UCLA, and a four-spot jump in the AP Poll, Coach Mendenhall assures fans that these facts will not turn the Cougars into an overconfident or cocky team. In fact, “it is interesting to talk about, but it does not affect me or how I view our team,” he explained at a press conference on Tuesday. His players agree. Defensive lineman Jan Jorgenson expressed simply that if they focus too much on polls, BYU will begin to suffer on the field. BYU will take on its first Mountain West Conference opponent, Wyoming, on Saturday afternoon, but never expect a game to be an easy win.
Center Dallas Reynolds has plantar fasciitis in his left foot and missed practice, but Mendenhall does not expect him to miss any games. Wyoming is 0-1 in the MWC having lost to Air Force on September 6.

BYU has been lucky so far this season in terms of injuries, as the best players on the team have avoided serious injury and have all been healthy for each of their difficult games thus far. However, Coach Mendenhall reported on Wednesday that senior receiver Michael Reed has a meniscus tear in his right knee and will be undergoing surgery this week. He reportedly injured the knee during the game against UCLA, but will be out 2-4 weeks following the surgery. Reed has 16 catches so far this season, which places him in a tie for third place on the team.
The Cougars will take on Wyoming Saturday at 1:00 pm in BYU’s home stadium. Max Hall was nominated the USA Today Player of the Week this week, and there has been talk of his being a Heisman candidate as well. The Cougars enter this game ranked 14 in the AP Poll and 11 in the USA Today Poll. Wyoming is 2-1 and ranked 7th in the MWC standings.

form vs. function

i love being an english major. seriously. it is pretty fantastic. mainly because i get to read amazing books and that's my homework! but also because english professors are hilarious. for example: in my grammar 325 class, my professor actually says things like "it feels adverb-y to me" or "functionally, this is an adjective, but i just think it's more verbish." yeah. i crack up all day long in that class. most people probably wouldn't find this as funny as i do? but it's hilarious.

also, my job is amazing. the one that i do for free. i lovelove researching football for a job. it makes me seriously want to work at espn or maybe just keep this job forever. i can write for basketball season too, guys! just a heads up.

and here are some things i think you should do right now:
-download the new joshua radin cd. i have been listening to it on repeat since i bought it on 8 september. amaaazing. only, don't buy the album version of "sky." instead, buy the single featuring ingrid michaelson, because it is 400% better.
-buy me a plane ticket to go to oregon for thanksgiving. they are too much money and it is seriously bumming me out. i may or may not have a credit with delta. but calling those people is absolutely the last thing i want to do. so, another thing you could do? call delta and book my flight :) with that credit. thanks.
-tell me how to not dwell on things. i like to meet people who don't care about things the way i do. so if you're one of those people, let's hang out. i need some tips, because my own ideas don't seem to be working.

i am really excited for a new season of the office. and for the football game today. go cougs. and for LONG BEACH. yes.