Hershey ...

Today Carly and Andrea and I took a day trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. I have been wanting to go there for months now, and we had a delectable time.


I must report however, that contrary to my expectations, the air did not smell like chocolate throughout the town. It definitely did smell like chocolate at Chocolate World. Delicious. And, Hershey makes some amazing cinnamon chips (like chocolate chips, minus the chocolate. Ironic, yes.)


And the lampposts (notice the correct spelling of lamppost, family; Bapa would be proud) were shaped like kisses. Delightful.


After Hershey, we went to Gettysburg. I loved seeing it in the fall, with the addition of gorgeous leaves, and minus the crowds and heat from my last visit. (Also, family: they have a new museum. Remember that really weird old one?!)


Our visit did make me wonder about the proper way to pose with a cannon. Clearly, I did not figure that out. Andrea came closer. She demonstrates a respect for the cannon that I think I am lacking.


After all of that, we came home, and Carly and I watched October Sky. Note to anyone reading: Stop reading immediately and go watch October Sky. If you live near me, you can come to my house and I will watch it with you. If you live near my parents, you can go to their house and watch it. If you live somewhere else, try Blockbuster. Seriously, go. Now. I had forgotten how much I love this movie. So inspiring. And not just because the nerdy girl gets the boy in the end. Why are you still reading?! Stop! Really, stop ...

Proof ...

Rise and shout ...

Right now, my Dad and my brother Roman are driving the blue convertible and the white truck through Provo in the BYU Homecoming Parade. My Mom is along for the ride, and to make sure Roman behaves, and Autumn is in charge of something alumni-related. And apparently they are all wearing blue.

This, people, is a miracle. A mere nine years ago these same four people wore red University of Utah shirts to move me into my BYU dorm room. And Roman tried to put the University of Utah fight song on the communal computers in the lobby. Clearly, Autumn has more powers of persuasion than I do. Or they just love her more. Or I should have followed her example and called my Dad "Daddy" all these years. ...

I should be studying right now ...

I like to think of the people in charge of my school as being quite intelligent. They generally prove this to be true. Except that no one in the building seems capable of mastering a thermostat. Thus, every fall and spring I have the great pleasure of attending class in either a sauna or an igloo. Delightful, I assure you.

In other school news, I am studying Shakespeare in my law and literature class. I lived in London last time I did this. I like him fine now, but I liked him better there. I am also writing a paper about Jane Austen. Yes, a law school paper about Jane Austen. Which means I am not dreading it. Hooray! I am not going to lie, though, I definitely thought about trying to convince the professor that I should write about the legal system in Harry Potter instead.

And now, for some famous people. But not the People.com type. Sorry about that. Last week Justice Kennedy spoke at our Law Review Symposium. I do not remember what he said. But I do remember that another panelist quoted someone I also do not remember saying this:

"History is not what happened. History is what we remember."

Or something like that. But I liked it. Finally, yesterday Secretary Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security spoke at school. In the same classroom as my Criminal Procedure class lass semester, which seemed appropriate. She told us to wash our hands and to cough into our elbows. And some other stuff, quite a lot of impressive other stuff actually, but this seems most practical to report ...

P.S. Andrea, Carly and Megan, I made that one reference just for you. I am so capable of planning a wild party. Just you wait.

God blessed you ...

It rained, without stopping, for three days this week. Which makes my trek to school unpleasant when I have some hope of having cute hair, but perfectly lovely when I have already given up on my hair and am wearing my rainboots. So during three days of rain, I wore my rainboots one day, I did my hair one day, and I stayed inside one day. Good compromise, I thought.

My usual commute goes like this:

12 minutes: Walk to the Metro
2-8 minutes: Wait for the Metro
10 minutes: Ride the Metro
8 minutes: Walk to school

Going down the escalator at my Metro station, I usually see a homeless man sleeping between the outside edge of the escalator and the cement wall. This week, he had a birthday balloon tied to his cart. I wondered if he had tied it there himself, or if someone had done so while he slept.

At the top of the escalator at the Metro station at school, I see people selling sunglasses or umbrellas, depending on the day, and of course, my favorite, flowers. They sell the flowers rain or shine. I like that. Down the street from the Metro station this week, I saw another homeless man. He held the traditional cardboard sign, but with a difference. His said, "God blessed you." An important -ed. I saw him first on a sunny day. I thought about him all day, and the next. And then the rain started. But there he was again, in the rain, without an umbrella. I had a $10 bill tucked carefully in my backpack pocket with my student ID card. I keep it there just in case I need cash. I kept it there.

The next day, the one where I did my hair but did not wear my boots, I had a few one dollar bills. This time, I would not be sorry. But this time, I did not see the man with the sign.

My problem is that I am only partly a skeptic. I am skeptical enough to keep my hand in my pocket, but believing enough to pinch myself for being selfish. I am not really sure if birthday balloons mean a birthday or a scheme to guilt me into giving. I always think of the homeless man outside the bank who wore a different coat every day of the week.

The plan behind the sign did not matter to me this week. It might just be good for business. He might not believe in God. But he made me notice him, even from the shelter of a yellow umbrella and a half-formed fast-walking smile. He made me think ...

World peace ...

How to win a Nobel Peace Prize in two easy steps:

1. Be born.
2. Talk about hope and change and peace and joy and love.

It helps to repeat step two frequently, and eloquently, at various sites throughout the world, and to make sure you or your significant other has nicely toned arms and wears sleeveless clothing at all times. No other action required! Obviously Miss America qualified for this prestigious prize decades ago ...

I love Autumn ...

Today I made my favorite soup. And I am wearing my favorite pumpkin lotion. I love Autumn. Both the season and the sister, for the record ...