Ricks v. Writers' Block

Writer's Block vs. Writers' Block? Is it a collective problem? Or just one writer's problem that we all analogously apply to ourselves?

I'm just here. Finally got to the weekend. Must say that I have a new appreciation for weekends that I did not have before starting law school.

I don't have a lot to say. So...

Bye.

Um... that was a poem.

Ricks v. Imagine Dragons

It's only a matter of time.

Seriously, I love this band. I just recently discovered Last.fm. If you've never tried it, it's pretty great. It's kind of like Pandora online radio, but keeps track of everything you've ever listened to on it, on your iTunes, and on iPods. The featured band above made my top ten. And I only own 11 or 12 songs from them. That shows you how much I love this band already. "Pantomime" above and a few other new songs are probably coming on a new EP in the next few months. Can't wait. If you've somehow not heard of Imagine Dragons from me already, I highly recommend them. Check them out.

Ricks v. Sneezing

The title of today's certainly muddled and tossed blog post was inspired by one of the most distractingly joyful thoughts I've ever had in the midst of my terrifying Contracts class. My professor was answering questions and sneezed. As if on the wings of a Spangled Drongo, (which also doubles as a sweet fake insult!) to my mind came a most hilarious image. I tried to post my idea spawned by this image to my facebook status, but was defeated by weaksauce reception in my classroom. Just as well, I've saved the hilarity for my blog-reading faithful.

Enough ado, I decided it would be hilarious to throw confetti in the air every time I sneezed in public. I really want to try it out on the metro. I know I'm a nerd, but you have to admit that it would make you laugh if you saw someone do it. My plan is to carry confetti in my shirt pocket next time I'm in public and I'll just wait for that perfect moment. It helps too that I have rather loud sneezes. (The Infamous Ellison Sneeze. (TIES)) So, it was incredibly hard for me not to LOL in my class at the thought of having a TIES whilst throwing confetti in the air. For some reason I think that it needs to be big pieces of shiny confetti. Big sequins? Anyway, there's my most random thought of the day. Hope you enjoyed it.

So, grades turned out alright. I definitely feared they would be worse. These grades I can at least work with. Finding summer work has kind of been a big distraction and a bit of a hassle, but I'm feeling better now that I know I have a safety-net in a school program that I'm interviewing for next week. It's just hard when I have so much up in the air. It will all fall into place though.

A very interesting piece of news, I had a blood test the other day, and turns out I no longer have hypoglycemia! So... apparently I just get headaches a lot. When I don't eat. I don't get it. I'm always tired and don't have energy either. Must be something else, or, more frightening I think, it's all in my head. I haven't had a chance to talk to my doctor about it again, but the sugar addict in me almost decided to rush out and buy a couple packs of cookies to down instantly to make up for lost sugar time. So, that was unexpected, but kinda cool at the same time. One less thing to stress about.

Another act of nerdery: I just took the Jeopardy! Online Test. That's right. I'm going to be on Jeopardy! Well... probably not, but it's an entertaining thought. I did half decent on the test.

I know it's still basically two months away, but I'm already really excited for March Madness. I know. I'm ridiculous.

Um... I'm done now. Taking a break to watch the Utah State game. I love when they get ranked. I actually get to see their games on tv! (Even if it doesn't start until 11, it's still awesome.)

K, bye.

Ricks v. The Saddest Day of the Year

It seems that every year around this time I read an article about how the most depressing day of the year is in the next week or so. (It's been a few different days, but always in the 20s of January.) Anyway, this has prompted me to prepare by compiling a list of the best clips and youtube classics that I know of or have recently been shown. I hope that some of you will enjoy this list o' videos as well. Don't be sad. Do be not sad!

Don't you love January now?!
K, bye.

Ricks v. Snow Day/New Year/Grades/New Semester/?

(Jeff's blog-audience slides to the edge of their seats in anticipation for this long-awaited post.) It's 2011. I'm getting my grades back, and it's not fun having them trickle in, one-by-one. I'm still waiting on two more. It's made me a little neurotic. I started my new semester, and I'm excited about some things, and pained by a few things already. (I'm sure you'll hear more fascinating tidbits about these things at future dates.) Week one was kinda rough, but I made it through. Week 2? Hasn't started yet! We had yesterday off on account of Martin Luther King, Jr. having lived an inspirational life. I heard his "I Have a Dream" speech at halftime at the Verizon Center where I watched the Utah Jazz get beat by one of the worst teams in the NBA. However, I was among the few (it was a very poorly-attended game, with the exception of some rowdy single-digit-year olds in front of us who were hilarious and privileged to be watching their first NBA games) to get to see this, the number one play of ESPN's Top Ten Plays yesterday: (Jump to about 2:13)

Great dunk.

Today was a different story. I got up at about 5 am to finish up my homework and I was overjoyed when an email came in with the subject line that read: "Law School Closed Today." Yes, kids. Those dreams you have each day that the weather may avail you a snow-day respite from the doldrums that are characteristic of school days can come true. If you move to Virginia where a bit of ice scares them into such school-canceling fits. By the early afternoon the ice was all but gone. I love living here. Love it!

Look at all that snow and ice! Sure glad I didn't have to brave the roads this morning!

Anyway, I was happy to have some extra time to catch up on my summer employment search. It's quite the labor. I also have the chance to be able to play my new music loudly. (The Decemberists just came out with a new album.) Usually it's nighttime and that would be extremely impolite of me. I really want some ice cream right now.

K, bye.

(Jeff's blog-audience sighs, sits back in their chairs, and moves on with their lives.)

Ricks v. Heroes of 2010

Inspired by CNN's Heroes, I decided that for my usual year-end fanaticism with lists of "best of" or "top ten"s I'm going to make a list of the many heroes in my life. I've had a wonderful Christmas break this year, and it's given me some precious extra free time to think and reflect. I recognize now more than ever that I am not much of anything without the help I get through prayer to Heavenly Father. I owe so much more than I even know, and I come to know more and more of that debt each day. I also see clearly that God has placed people in my life for a reason, and I hope that I fulfill whatever reason that He has put me in theirs. Rather than just list off names or delve into too much of specifics, this list will take on more of a thank you card-style tone. *Warning: For readers who have a low tolerance for cheesiness, stop reading now.* Without further ado (except the present ado) and in no particular order (and some of these definitely apply to more than one person and more than one of these apply to individual people):

• You are my hero because you helped me to know a lot more about who I am, and helped me to open up in a way that I haven't in a long time.
• Your patience with me and ability to lift my spirits when I've felt pretty crushed astound me.
• Your ongoing campaign to get me to try new things, while often fought against, is not unappreciated. In fact the opposite.
• Your helpfulness in getting me through the end of my undergraduate degree was... helpful.
• Your prayers are so appreciated, and I wish that I made more time for you because you always make time for me.
• You are the fashion-guru that came to my rescue when I probably needed it most.
• You are always there to give me encouragement when I'm beating myself up.
• You are an example of who I hope to be.
• You helped me to learn stuff, and that's a feat.
• You really saved my bacon when I probably didn't deserve your help.
• Your ability to forgive my suckiness as a friend (and rude comments that I don't even notice) and to help me feel a bit more comfortable in the midst of a hard transition is most appreciated.
• Somehow, someway you're still my friend after all these years, and I can't thank you enough for all the cherished memories and for putting up with this old soul.
• You always can put a smile on my face.
• You've given me so much, set such a great example, and shown incredible endurance and I'll appreciate you forever for it.
• Your advice and inspiration mean more to me than you know.
• I can count on you.
• You always help remind me that I have people who care about me and that actually want to be with me.
• You helped me to get out of my house and live some life.
• There aren't adequate words to describe why you're my hero, but I know you're in my life for a reason, and you are my hero.
• You tell it to me straight. Such a rarity.
• You read this crap that I write for some unknown reason, but it makes a difference to me.
• When anyone says the word "patience" or the word "hero," I think of you first. You give so much to me, and ask so little in return. You inspire me everyday, and I don't have enough "thank you"s to satisfy all that you do for me, and have done for me.

Wow, I think I didn't even realize there were that many people that help me in my efforts to make something of this life when I had the idea for this list. And of course, there are many more that help in many other ways, but these are the first and foremost that I think of. Thank you. Even if you wouldn't dream of reading this entry and have no idea it exists, thank you.

Reading back through this makes me realize just how much I owe to you people. Looks like law school debt isn't the debt I should be most worried about after all. Ok, bye.

Ricks v. 49 Thoughts

Let's see if I can come up with 50 thoughts. Some random, some relevant, some... none of the above?

1. I'm now happy that my semester is over.

2. It's Christmas!

3. It takes having free time for me to remember how much I love living here, but I love living here.

4. I'm excited to see my fam, and not via Skype that my sisters think is super awkward.

5. It's funny to me when kids shows sneak political jokes into them for adults.

6. While flying makes me a bit nervous, I love doing it. It's always exciting because I only do it when I'm going somewhere I really want to go.

7. Dr. Seuss is awesome.

8. I hate hot chocolate, I love warm chocolate. I don't understand why people bother with a liquid that burns your mouth!?

9. My favorite new word that came out of this semester is "torted." (It's not grammatically correct, or a real word, at least not in the sense that I use it.)

10. According to my torts teacher, it's only a matter of time before your car will get "torted" in DC.

11. It's funny how we think we're keeping someone's secret when we tell someone else, but tell them not to tell anyone else.

12. Dozen.

13. This one's for Spencer, "Thirteen."

14. Rhythmic gymnastics is weird.

15. Whoever came up with the term "smart phones" and got it to stick was a genius. They got the rest of us to call our own phones dumb! Genius advertising!

16. I HATE cologne/perfume commercials.

17. Wonder what the weather is like in Djibouti today?

18. I'm excited to exercise again. I've missed it.

19. My house has a door to nowhere.

20. Rowan Atkinson would play me in the movie of my life.

21. Red Rocks in Alexandria is the best pizza place... ever.

22. I could really go for a FH'zookie right now.

23. Michael Jordan.

24. Paul Millsap is the bomb.

25. I'm a little surprised no one has come to visit DC while I've been here. I had a bunch of people ask if they could crash at my place when they came out here.

26. My eyelid has been twitching for weeks. I assumed it would stop when finals were over, but alas, it continues.

27. I saw the huge National Christmas Tree a couple weeks ago with my roommate and some other folks:We also saw Santa Claus.

28. Stuff exists.

29. It's weird to not have something so pressing on my Monday that I need to stay up all night on Sunday!

30. I expect the Aggies to win the rest of their basketball games this season. It could very easily happen.

31. I just randomly got the Charlie Brown's Christmas song stuck in my head.

32. Ocean Lion.

33. Narwhals are cool!

34. C.J. Miles has been playing well lately.

35. Truman G. Madsen was quite the insightful fellow. I'm a fan.

36. I HATE not knowing my grades.

37. I'm clearly a very patient person.

38. I always buy bread, but I rarely use more than half of it before it goes bad. Sad.

39. Milk, on the other hand, has rarely, if ever, expired under my watch.

40. Can you believe that you've read 40 of these? Because I can't.

41. I'm excited for some recreational reading over the break.

42. This one's for Shavonne: 42.

43. I'm happy that I have friends who help me to get out of the house when I have time!

44. Mmm... the over-priced shake I had at the Silver Diner after my property exam the other day was really good.

45. While I love NoVA, I still prove from time to time that I do not know it's roads very well.

46. My mom is the best. Hi Mom!

47. Ugh, I need to buy a new suit. Badly.

48. Am I lame for inserting the accents in résumé?

49. This one's for James Wilson Marshall, and for California history buffs.

That's all. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!