On Fire

Just a quick post before I pass out in bed...

I leave for Washington tomorrow for a weekend visit because something quite important came up.

Because I just found out on Tuesday, I've had a crazy few days.

Today and yesterday I've been on fire.

Quite possibly unstoppable.

I finished all of my homework for Thursday, Friday, and next Tuesday.
I've packed, ran errands, changed my work schedule and more.

I was locked in my room nearly all day yesterday and for most of the day today.

Needless to say, my eyes hurt and I'm incredibly exhausted.

It's crazy what you can accomplish when you're motivated beyond belief.
 I'm definitely proud of myself :)

I'll see you tomorrow, Washington!

My Weekend With Kathryn

This weekend:

It began by watching Quantum of Solace and eating ice cream.

Then we went to a bonfire out near R mountain.

We met a lot of new people, which is always fun.

LOVE this picture of us, and love her :)

Then Saturday came and after four long hours of work, I took a much needed nap.

After my nap, Kathryn and I hit the town (I say that as sarcastically as possible...)

We spent a considerable amount of time in Porters, went to various other places on Main Street, and then headed to my sister's for dinner.

My sister and brother in law fed us grilled Bratwurst, grilled corn, and cantaloupe.

Talk about a delicious dinner. Thanks again Jen and Eric!

After dinner we went down to the block party in Hemming Village.

We shopped around a bit and listened to random people performing. 

We listened to Brooke White for a song or two and then went to someone's apartment to play some games.

Once Kathryn and I left to walk home we had an incredibly creepy encounter, which deserves a blog post in itself. I'll just say that's not the first time the same creepy guy has hit on me.

After that, it was completely necessary for us to make a midnight run to Albertson's. 

Chips and dip had been on my mind for three days, and I just couldn't resist any longer :)

So maybe it doesn't sound that exciting when I blog about it, but you'll just have to take my word...

It was amazing.

Five days and I'm Utah bound for 4th of July!

Some Sunshine For Your Day

I wish I were a Glow Worm

A Glow Worm's never Glum

'Cuz how can you be grumpy

When the sun shines out your bum.

Thanks for sharing, Elder Logan :)

Good Things To Come

"Don't you quit. You keep walking, you keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until Heaven. But for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Exactly what I needed to hear.

Happy Father's Day!

"It's only when you grow up, and step back from him, or leave him for your own career and your own home - it's only then that you can measure his greatness and fully appreciate it. Pride reinforces love."

-Margaret Truman 

Alan Curtis Inkley

Born October 27th, 1960

Favorite food: Anything my mom cooks

Favorite book: Anything philosophical

Favorite daughter: He claims there isn't a favorite, but we all know it's Alanna ;)

Favorite movie: Mean Girls (not seriously, but he really does think it's hilarious)

Favorite hobby: Hiking

Lessons he's taught me: be passionate in what you do; there's more to life than money; the value of music, good literature, and good movies; RELAX; and I could go on for hours
Song that reminds me of him: Vienna by Billy Joel. Whenever I hear that song I can remember him playing it on the piano and can still hear his voice singing it. It's always been my favorite song to hear him sing (that and anything by the Eagles)

I wish I could be home to spend Father's Day with you, dad!
I hope you have a great day and remember how much I love you and appreciate all you've ever done for me.

"A Father is ever willing to sacrifice his own comfort for that of his children. Daily he toils to provide the necessities of life, never complaining, ever concerned for the well-being of his family. This love for children, this desire to see them well and happy, is a constant in a time of change."
-Thomas S. Monson

You can read more about my amazing father here.

As Time Goes By

Today I had to watch Casablanca for my Humanities class.

I definitely wasn't complaining.

Between having to listen to Frank Sinatra, Erik Satie, studying the World Wars and some absolutely amazing art, this may just be my favorite class I've taken thus far. 

The best part of college is taking classes that you love doing homework for :)

"We'll always have Paris."

Oh, What a Beautiful Day

Today was a great day.

It all began last night, when I was able to fall asleep within 45 minutes of getting into bed.

After the past week of some serious sleeping problems, it was heavenly.

I fell asleep listening to thunder and the sound of rain on my window.

When I woke up I was in an amazing mood.

It's incredible what sleep, falling asleep to a storm, and waking up to sun shining in through your window can do.

I had a good hair day.

What can I say?

It's a big deal.

One of my teachers told us our next test would be an open book take home test.

That would've made my day right there.

In one of the bathrooms in the Taylor someone had left a special little note for someone such as I to stumble across...

 

What a sweetheart.

My sister and niece showed up at my apartment and surprised me with some homemade (completely made from scratch) brownies that are absolutely delicious. My niece also drew me a little picture and gave it to me, stickers on it and all :)

I love them.

After work, Haley, Kathryn and I went for a run to the temple and back.

I don't think a run has ever been so much fun.

And last but not least...

This has been the soundtrack to my day.

I listened to/watched this at least a thousand times...

 

Musical genius at it's best.

Today I was invincible, and I don't think anything could have brought me down.

Santorini Is Calling

I will travel to Greece one day.

And ride on one of these...

I'll definitely enjoy some Greek cuisine here...

Hey, a girl can dream.

Sincerely Yours

Dear mom and dad,
I am terribly sorry for all of the times that I didn't do my dishes, or clean up after myself, or put things away after using them. I'm also sorry for being a brat on occasion, especially in the mornings. I'm sorry for sometimes being really grumpy for no apparent reason. If I ever forgot to lock the door, I apologize for that as well.
Just so you know, if I ever come back home to live with you I'll be the best daughter you could ask for.
Apartment living has taught me a thing or two (or ten or twenty) about being responsible, taking a chill pill, and just being happy.
Love,
Your daughter, Melissa

P.S. Mom - I am especially sorrowful for taking your daily home-cooked meals for granted. I'm afraid I may always regret that.

High School Graduation

One year ago today!

So You Think You Can Dance

I can't get enough of this...

Or of her.

Or of the show.

The seasons just keep getting better.

I'm obsessed.

Class of 2010

Last night I laid in bed reminiscing about my senior year of high school.

I listened to an old recording of my jazz choir from my Sophomore year.

I looked at pictures of old friends.

I read some saved text messages.

I realized that the four years I spent in that little old rusted building were some of the best years of my life.

I learned so much about myself and I became who I am today.

Now that I'm a year removed, I realize just how much high school meant to me.

Spending three hours a day in the choir room gave me a sense of purpose.

I learned things in classes that my professors expect me to know now.

I made mistakes, some of which I'm still paying for.

I learned a lot about my personality - my strengths, weaknesses, and my downfalls.

I met teachers who still have an impact on me to this day.

I met people whom I hope I will never forget.

Winning first place at my last jazz festival :)

State Solo and Ensemble 2010

Senior Tolo 2010

Senior Prom 2010

Class of 2010 Chamber choir/Jazz choir members

My last high school choir concert

Bonney, Grayson and I on graduation day

June 12th, 2010

So while I may have days where I miss waking up at 4:45 every morning, spending three hours in the choir room, having my teachers conspire and plan every test for the same day, actually getting to bed before 11, and still being sheltered from the real world...

I wouldn't have changed a thing :)

(Except for cherishing it a little more)

Pet Peeves...

We all have them...

These are some of mine:

Crumbs and/or water on the kitchen floor

Knocking on the door for your roommates

to open the door when you have your key

(Don't worry, my roommates are all aware of this one)

When drivers don't use their blinkers

People who breathe too loud in the mornings... 

This one is an inside joke ;) 

Nearly getting taken out by bicyclists

Rexburg wind:

Comparably, Chicago doesn't live up to its name

That one kid that says something completely

irrelevant multiple times every class period

When you're in the car with someone and
they talk on the phone for more than a few minutes

Welcome to the college life...

 

When I first saw this I laughed.

Based off of one and half semesters of college, I believed this to be false.

I was balancing all three of these perfectly.

Then midterms happened,

and life got crazy.

Hello college.

Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates

I've spent this entire semester stressing over what major I was finally going to decide on. After countless phone calls to my parents (some of them in tears), I decided to just let it go. The answer will come when it needs to come and it's not something to stress over. So what if it takes me five years to get a degree. How long it takes doesn't even matter. 

That worked for a week, maybe two. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't avoid thinking and stressing about it - but not just which major to choose - it was whether there even was a choice to be made.

You never know what you're going to get in life, and sometimes what's best may be exactly what you've been resisting all along.

In high school, music was my life. I was a great student but my day revolved around the three hours that I spent in the choir room. I loved it, adored it, yet I had decided music would not be the path I would take in college unless as a minor. 

Life as a music major is hard. It's a challenge. You're constantly having to prove yourself. I'm not competitive, so it just didn't match up. 

It didn't match up until I realized that music is what I do best. Music is my passion. I would be foolish to think music wasn't what I needed to do.

Don't ask me exactly what I'm going to go into, though I think I've narrowed it down to Music Therapy or just a general Music degree. I have some talking with an academic adviser to do and inevitably some more research and stressing left to do. 

This choice may bring more changes than expected, like having to transfer to Utah State University to get a degree in Music Therapy, but I'm prepared for whatever may come my way.

I realize life as a music major will be hard. I'm going to be busier than I've ever been and in the end four people may determine that I can't continue along in the program.

For now, I don't care. It's what I love and it's what I'm going to do.

Spring Break Adventures - Part 3

Haley and I's journey back to Rexburg

As told by Kathryn Norman 

(based on a true story...

and is mostly true...) 

Haley Adams, 19, and Melissa Inkley, 19, never dreamed of missing a first day of school since kindergarten.

School began the following day, and Adams and Inkley found themselves 750 miles away. They had planned a road trip after a snowed-in semester at BYU-I. The girls went to visit Inkley’s family in Vancouver, Washington. After a week of relaxing, treating themselves to pedicures, and enjoying home cooked meals, they embarked on their journey back to school.

Adams and Inkley started to blame one another. “Haley, your eyes were supposed to be on the map, not looking for cute boys!” said Inkley. They reached the Washington border, turned left instead of right, and missed the freeway onramp upon entering Oregon. They took a slight 4 hour, 250 mile detour, which landed them in Eugene, Oregon at a Chevron. They asked the tattooed and pierced, leather outfitted biker gang where they were, and how to get back in the right direction. The 750 mile drive home turned into a 1,000 mile adventure.

Adams and Inkley tried to make the drive a memorable experience. They started to fret about missing the first day of school. They started to fret about their boxed up rooms with clothing and bed sheets strewn about. They started to fret about their books and their jobs. The 64 road kill, and 24 honking semi-trucks saved them from emotional breakdowns.

They reached Rexburg around 1 a.m. Sunday. Observing their frazzled hair and half-open blue eyes, their roommates jumped up and carried the boxes of food from Momma Inkley, and a trunk full of jam-packed, broken-zippered suitcases. After hearing about the feat of making it back, it was easy to calm their emotions when the news broke that school started Tuesday morning.