Greeting on the Street

I saw the new Chinese professors from the Bilingual Faculty Program on grounds today.  For some reason, ever since I've helped in that program, I can spot them very easily.  And I have fond memories of the experience so I always have this genuine sort of joy to see them.

As we neared each other, they smiled at me, the American with a smile on her face and, most likely, a curious glint in her eye.

"你們好," I said.

They laughed and moved on.

They probably get that a lot.

Domestic Bliss

Today,

It took me eight hours to wash and dry my laundry... after traveling to four laundromats.  (grr...football traffic)

And then another two to fold them and put them away.

I scrubbed the tub twice and the toilet twice.  (don't ask)

I vacuumed the living room and vacuumed my roommate's iPhone 5 charger... and bought her a new one.

I feel like the model of domesticity; I'm just not sure what kind.

A Song on a Wednesday

Discovered this today and I can't stop singing.
Or laughing.

But seriously, what hair product do they use?  

Dress to Impress

<conversation about the yellow pump sitting outside under a grey tarp awaiting repairs>
Me: I looked at the pump outside.  It looks so much smaller than it did in the lab.
Colleague: Really?  I still think it looks like a beast.
Me: Maybe it's because it was covered with the tarp.
Colleague:  Hmm.... Grey must be a slimming color.

Deep Down

I met a man from Harvard who told me, "Everyone at my school is insecure.  But we're at Harvard so we talk about all the great things that have happened to us to cover it up."

He told me this after I had spent enough time with him to believe that he was brilliant...

and talented...

and confident...

and someone I would always marvel at but not really understand.

Suddenly, I realized people are not as different as we might think...

and that focusing on the good in your life might actually be the secret to success.

In the Recesses of Clemons

The kid across from me is a Mac user and reminds me of Bolin Chen.  Every so often, our eyes meet and we smile in the mutual agreement of "Yep, studying."  Except that he stops to check out every single girl who walks past him.  And I stop every so often to stare at the children's books nearby and people watch in general.

He packs up his books to leave.  And then as he picks up his backpack to go, I do something uncharacteristic: I look directly at him and smile.  His face breaks into a grin and he bows his head in acknowledgement and even waves and says, "Good bye" before turning to walk away.  And then he returns a few seconds later to push in his chair and we nod again and grin at each other, as though we're both in on some inside joke.

I made a new friend today.  What did you do?

New on a Saturday

My first BYU football game.