Dancing

On Friday night the young adult activity that I was in charge of planning took place.  We had a dance.  I'm not much for dancing, but I think the evening went well and I'm very glad it's over.  I took some pictures.  Most of them aren't of people dancing....but that's just how it goes I guess.

Gallon Challenge

Vitals:
Temperature: 97.9
Blood Pressure: 102/60
Heart Rate: 94                   <--24 bpm higher than average (someone was a little nervous...)
Hb count (right hand): 12                   <--not high enough to donate
Hb count (left hand): 13.5                   <--high enough to donate

Today I donated blood for the second time in my six donation goal. It went much more smoothly than last time. Which isn't necessarily saying much... The phlebotomists were nice, the cookies were good, and no blood splattered on my shirt. An all-around improvement.

This was the eighth time that I've donated blood in my life, which means that I've donated a total of one gallon. Woot. I have a lifetime goal of at least five gallons. Only 32 more donations to go!

Bandwagon Jumping

Over the weekend I read the Hunger Games trilogy. Yes, I finally caved. I told myself I wasn't going to read them, but the movie is coming out in the spring, and the trailer looked pretty good....and I wouldn't feel good about watching if I hadn't read the books first....and I could download them for free on my Kindle... Saturday morning I started the first one. I read the second one Saturday night after I got home from the BYU basketball game. I finished up on Sunday with the third book.

Part of my motivation to read them was also sentimental. The first time I ever heard mention of "The Hunger Games" was from my little brother Jared when the two of us were driving to Utah. He isn't much of a reader; in fact, he hates it. But he really liked that book. It was probably the first book that he'd read cover to cover in years. Soon everyone was talking about them. Several of my friends told me that I should read them. His recommendation was definitely the most influential though.

When it was all said and done, I think I liked them. That being said, I will definitely be reading something a little lighter and happier next....

Be It Resolved....

So I know it's the fourth of January and I'm a little late posting these, but I'm going to share this year's resolutions anyway. If anything, it's just so I have to be accountable to all (four?) of my readers. Without further ado:

*Read the Scriptures every day (as part of a larger goal to complete the entire standard works--Old Testament included {yikes}--before May 2013)

*Continue to journal daily (I wrote every day of 2011!)

*Read the Ensign cover to cover every month

*Finish my blood donating goal (I scheduled an appointment for January 26th this afternoon)

*Try one new recipe every week (recipes will be featured on this very blog)

*Read 52 books before next January

*Complete 5 Day Zero goals every month

Actually, most of those resolutions are also Day Zero goals.  The clock is ticking; I only have 523 days left to finish.  My five goals for the month of January are:

Edit my London pictures
Get up when my alarm goes off 10 days in a row (no snoozing!)
Start a retirement fund
Write my personal history
Finish my list of 50 things I like about myself


Here's to a good, productive year!