Tessa June

At the risk of being sacrificially
beheaded by my sister for not do
ing this at two in the morning, when
I got these pictures, here are finally
some pictures of my latest niece.

Tessa June Martin

7 lbs. 13 oz.
Born 12:45 a.m. 09/23/2008

Say what?

So, I have a theory. My theory is that some people just don't get it. My test subject is me. So many things are happening in a fury around me and I don't get any of it. Well, ok, I'll give myself the benefit of the doubt and say that I get somethings, here and there, but that is still a stretch on the best of days. It's like I am stuck between two worlds, Las Vegas and Happy Valley (that's what some wierd wacko calls it here) and I don't have enough grasp of either to understand anything. I don't know, now that I try to explain it, I am at a loss for words.

Despite this post, life at college is going well. It's terribly busy and the honeymoon period is definitely over now that the add/drop deadline has passed, and things aren't going slower. Of course, I sat down and crunched some numbers (ok, not really crunched) and I only have about two and a half months of class left. Can you believe that? In high school, in fact, in my entire public education, it has taken a year to get a grasp on any one subject enough to claim it complete and even then, there was usually a part two. Here, it takes exactly three and one half months to completely put any given subject (GE's at least) completely behind you. Pretty impressive stuff, huh?

Anyway, I apologize for this random interlude. Not that any of my other posts had a particular purpose in the eternal purposes of life, but still. So, in keeping with the tradition of random posts, here is some random picture that I have dredged up out of the darkest corners of my computer. Love ya and enjoy.I went to a summer camp called OYA and for one of our challenges, we were given fifteen pieces of wood, three barrels, and a ten foot piece of rope, with which we had to Macgyver a ship to sail us across the pond. Our group fit fifteen people on this contraption and WE WON!!! It truly is the simple things in life. Well, this wasn't simple. Trust me. Maybe you should go out and try it to see what I mean :)

Makin' Momma Proud

So, since my insurance doesn't cover a shrink in Utah, I feel compelled to let you know that I am doing awesomely! I am learning what it takes to succeed in college, even if it is twelve hours on campus everyday. Some of the most important advice I have gotten about college comes from my Father when he sat me down and said, "Son, one day, all this will be yours." Oh wait, wrong memory. No, really, my dad told me never to study in my dorm room and to finish all my homework during the week so I can chillax on weekends. I have done just that and it has benefitted me in so many ways. Oh, and if you guys ever get a chance to go to the BYU Royden G. Derrick planetarium, DO IT!!! Anyway, back to the real purpose for today...

My mother, as any well-meaning college mother would be, is constantly concerned about what I do or don't eat. And the fact that my constant joking about living off yogurt is slowly coming to fruition probably doesn't help. So, in honor of my mother tonight, I made a feast, for a college student, that is. The fact that I passed the oven time with a little ice cream need not be mentioned, of course. So, in light of this revelation, I invite you all to bask in the grandeur of my amazing culinary prowess, but try not to be jealous.

*Disclaimer: I really do know how to cook, I swear. I simply choose not to.

Ups, Downs, and Not One Piece of Middle Ground

Today has been crazy. Absolutely, absurdly crazy. The feeling of immense terror as my classes grew to the size of my own personal Goliath was, at first, quite humorous. Sure, bring it on. What do I have to worry about? If I can't cut it, I can always become a squator in Indonesia, right? Well, that was then. Now, as I look back on the fact that I fell asleep in my study carol in the library, wasting one hour of study time, started awake not realizing I had gripped a page of my textbook and ripped it out mid-jump, after walking the mall for an hour to not find one single pair of jeans that actually show I have a butt, living off of chicken nuggets for the second straight week, and still not finishing my homework, things look pretty bleak.

But it's all going to be okay. Somehow, in a way completely foreign and inexplicable to me, I'll get that slingshot and take off someone's head. Metaphorically, of course. Anyway, as I leave this horribly depressing story to soak in your mind and create another guest at my personal pity party, I wish to show you something. My bestest friend at college and roommate. Apparently the nieces and nephews like him, too. So, when you want to send me money cause you feel sorry for me, go ahead, but just remember that I've always got Ted.

Blue in Provo on Gameday? Heck yeah!

So, it was to be the game of the year. Two rivals took the field. The scene was tense. The ball was placed. And then it basically all went down hill from there for a little team we like to call UCLA. They were absolutely crushed in what is being considered BYU's best game of the decade, easy. At 59-0, with second and third stringers playing the entire second half, I would say humiliation was complete. But here at BYU, we strive to be Christ-like, so they're not losers, they just didn't win.

This photo was taken in respect to a pretty awesome formation, but mainly out of glee because victory was already assured.

So, this was my crew for the football game. Not my typical seat or group, but I thought I would expand my horizons. On the left is Tim and next to him is his little brother Brad, who is proving to be the only person I know from Vegas at BYU. Tim was great fun to chat with about the game, while Brad, bless his Kansas heart, doesn't know so much about football. That's okay though, he's going to be a cardiologist. Who really needs football when you get to cut people open for a living. As for the rest of us though, BYU football is THE way to go. GO COUGARS!!!

Mi Casa/Apartmentito

So, at the insistance of my family and following absurd technical difficulties, I present to you, my humble abode. I live just over a mile away from BYU campus in an apartment complex called Wyview Park. It used to be married housing, but they had to find a place to stick all of us single folk when they demolished Deseret Towers (tear for dad). Anyway, I live life up at the corner of University and University, less than a block from LaVell Edwards Stadium, home of the Cougars and the fight song that I still don't quite know (sorry bishop). Welcome to my life.So, from this picture, you can see my two front windows. We are the very top in the grey (apparently we don't get brick), and those stairs sure can be a blast after twelve hours on campus.This is my room. Well, the important part. All you're really missing is my super-amazing rug and the closet doors. We all know how those can be a blast. Noting that my apartment is not home to a tv, that little laptop on the desk proves to be my only connection with the outside world and my personal 12-inch movie theater.

Just Mel

Because I am just learning about this, I thought that maybe I would just experiment while also telling a little bit about what make me tick. So, here we go and pardon the randomness, I'll actually get pertinent pictures up later.

This is a picture of the sunset at Ocean Beach, San Diego, California. You can see the pier in the background. My sister and I took a trip there in April and I haven't stopped missing it since.

This picture is of my lovely sister, without whom it would just be me and the parentals. This is, in my opinion, the cutest guy to ever kiss her. So far, that is.

So, now that I kinda know what I'm doing, I'll see if I can get some real pictures up and let you know how that front porch swing journey is going. Love ya.

The Wait

So, I know this address has leaked out now through some unknown means (mom) and I feel the need to apologize that, as of now, this is all there is. I promise to try and upload a picture or two tomorrow.

After I left today to go to the football game, I was wondering if BYU was going to make me eat my words about the game against UCLA. Quite the opposite, in fact, BYU smashed, smothered, crushed, abliterated, etc. UCLA. Final score 59-0. A complete shutout. I even remembered to take two pictures which I will post tomorrow if I can figure out how. I then went to the women's soccer game, where we beat Idaho State by deux (that's two for you non-bilingual people out there). Of course, as I was driving away, I remembered that I forgot to take one single picture. Darn. Anyway, as I end this completely meaningless rant, I warn those reading this that they will probably continue and, in fact, become regular fixtures on this blog. Love ya. :)

The Frugality of College

So, I'm going to the football game today where BYU will smash UCLA and bringing my camera to take pictures for sending to parents. And to grandparents. And to siblings. And to friends back home. So, you see my predicament. My logical (cheap) solution was this. So, forgive me as I try to fit figuring out blogging into my crazy life, and enjoy.