F is for FINALLY!

It has been so long since my last post, one might think this will be full of new, fun, exciting news! So, let me apologize in advance: I am boring. My life is pretty "steady", as Dad puts it! haha! So here is what is "going on" with me right now!I am still working at Nordstrom, and I really love it! I feel like I am really good at what I do, and therefore each day at work is really enjoyable! (Finally!) I am not in school right now, but I will be in just over a week. I am taking all art history and religion courses, and NO math or science! (Finally!) Dave is engaged to the perfect woman! Erin is kind, spiritual, funny, gorgeous, and totally appreciates everything Dave has to offer! (Finally!) I am not dating anyone right now, and honestly, not really dating at all. But for once, that doesn't make me feel bad about myself! (Finally!) And last, this may seem weird, but my skin looks so good! haha! I have struggled for YEARS with my problematic skin (which Mom knows better than anyone!), and recently I have felt so confident and pretty! (FINALLY!!!!) A couple weeks ago, I was talking to a customer about the BareMinerals skincare line(which is what has helped me so much) and the customer looked at me and asked if I was using it. I felt awful, because I knew if I said yes, she wouldn't believe that it was good, because MY skin isn't great. But I said yes, because it was the truth, and she said, "well, your skin looks beautiful!" and she bought the whole line! I wanted to cry! It was maybe the first time anyone has ever said that to me. (Finally!)

So, even though my life is boring, steady, consistent, etc, it has been full of great things and lots of Finally's!

N is for Newer Job, Nordstrom, and Nails

I swear I don't GENERALLY switch jobs so much! But, here I am,a month and a half after I got a new job at Down East Basics telling you all I am leaving. I wasn't planning on leaving, but things just worked out differently than I planned (Which I should probably be used to at this point!)

It is funny how it all happened(well, maybe not comical, but, just interesting). While I was working at Miche Bag, I became friends with the girls who worked next to me at another kiosk. Well, one of them, Tania, started working at Nordstrom during the Holidays, and was recently promoted to manager at the Bare Escentuals counter. She would always walk by me while I was at Down East and tell me I should come work for her. it always sounded fun, but I never took it seriously, since I had JUST started at Down East. Well, last week, Tania's former manager approached me at work, and asked if she could interview me, since Tania had told her all about me (how sneaky!). So I agreed, and met with her (Rachel) the next day. Well, the interview was fantastic, probably the best I have ever had, and Rachel offered me the assistant manager job right there! (Actually, I am called the Lead Beauty Ambassador, thank you very much!) They told me they would call me and let me know what they could offer me as far as pay goes. (I told my self it would have to be at least 2 dollars more per hour than I was making at Down East for it to be worth my while to leave!) Well, they offered me 5 dollars more than I was making at Down East, and who am I to turn THAT down?

So, goodbye Down East Basics, hello Nordstrom and Bare Escentuals! I am really excited, because I have always loved make-up, and now I get paid (Well!) to do it for other women! So once again, I am moving on to bigger and better things!

Oh and the nails part of the title has nothing to do with my new job! I just have a weird obsession lately with strange nail polish colors. Right now, navy blue, yellow, and gray are my favorites! (And in case you are wondering, mine are currently yellow! Love it!)

N is for New Job

Sometimes you have got to look out for number 1 (which, in this case, is me!).

I have been working at the Miche Bag kiosk in the University Mall since October 2007, and it has been a great job for me! It is retail (which I seem to do well in), the hours are good for a college student, the pay is (or was) relatively good, and the environment is fun and not too stressful.

Once everyone's pay was cut back to....well, let's just say "not a whole lot" I knew I needed to look for something else. I felt bad since I love the company (started in part by my cousin Annette) and my manager (my cousin, Rebecca) and thus felt like I was abandoning them. But in the end, I needed something that would pay better and give me more opportunities to progress. (Plus, the new owner of out kiosk, Janet, is a little strange, and she was the one making the pay-cuts, so I don't feel too bad about leaving her behind....man I hope she never finds this blog! :) ).

Well, my new job is...kind of like my old one! :) I am still going to be working at the University Mall...and at a kiosk....but I am going to be the manager! Woo-hoo! I am the new manager at the Down East Basics kiosk (It sells camis and t-shirts similar to Shade, but they are less expensive and I like them a lot more!). I am really excited to get going! The pay is really good, I get paid vacation, I'll be really busy(which at a kiosk is soooo nice) and most importantly...people work under me! :) ha ha

So yet another chapter in my retail book is over, and I am starting a new one!

C is for Confidence

Facebook is actually a pretty neat thing: I can keep in touch with people that I never see, and talk to others that I haven't seen in a LONG time! I am friends with my brother, Dave, my roommates, kids from Elementary school, Peter's sister Jami, my cousin Barbara, friends from Florida, etc, etc. It is really nice to be able to see what everyone is up to! But one of the downsides is all of the applications that I am requested to add. It would take a while to explain these, but you can add things like quizzes, games, etc. The one that is of interest to me right now is the Spark application. Anyone can look at someone's profile pic (not their information) and say if they would date that person. It can be anonymous or not, it is up to you.

Ok, well I haven't added this application, because really, I don't think anything would come of it. However, I do get emails from Spark telling me what OTHERS have said. I could disable these emails if I wanted...but to be honest, in a weird way, they make me feel good! They are really cheesy, but it is funny how something so dumb can make me smile!! :) Here are some examples of things these emails have said:

Jen, you are more desired than 96% of people.

Jen, David Allen is interested in you!

This is a summary of reasons that people gave when asked "Why would you date Jen Hinckley?"
1.cute
2.funny
3.hot


So, as lame as this application is, I'll admit it puts a smile on my face!!

B is for Blessings

I have been complaining a lot lately. I mean, a LOT. This week was going to be the hardest of any I have had in school thus far: Last Friday, I had a French listening comprehension exam, cultural input exam, and written exam. Monday, I had my Doctrine and Covenants 325 midterm and my French oral examination. Tuesday, a psychoanalysis reading response paper due in Art History 300 and my second Art History 202 midterm. Thursday, my huge research paper for Art History 300 is due. And Friday ANOTHER research paper is due in my Art History 202 class. And I work Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. Oh, and white-glove cleaning checks are Thursday. So, in all honesty, I have reason to feel stressed. But tonight, I realized I have so many MORE reasons to feel BLESSED.

First of all, I think I have the best parents in the world. Mom and Dad are the most selfless, kind, intelligent, loving, dedicated, hard-working people I know. Earlier this week, I got a package from Dad. He is always so thoughtful, but my favorite part is always the note that he adds. Sometimes it is as simple as "the Gospel is true!" and other times he writes about how he is proud of what I am doing. It always lifts my spirits and makes me feel so loved. And I think I generally talk to Mom everyday, usually asking some dumb questions and for help with things I need. She is without a doubt my best friend. Sometimes we get so excited talking to each other, that we have to tell ourselves to get off the phone so we can get things done! I feel like that kind of relationship is so unique and special. I feel so bad for kids my age that don't have that kind of bond with their parents, because I swear, some days, it is the only thing that gets me through.

Second, I have amazing siblings. On Saturday, I talked to Scott for a little bit before I went to work. Sometimes it seems strange that we are 10 years apart, because I can talk to him so easily. We have always been "buddies". Missi, as my only sister, has always been one of my best role models. If my life goes the way hers is going, I know I will be so happy! She is the beautiful, smart, caring, fun, crazy woman that I hope I can be someday! And David is probably the best thing that could have happened to me this school year! We always bickered the most of all the siblings, and we still do occasionally, but he is my best friend here in Provo! We talk a few times a day, and hang out all the time. He comes to have dinner with me at work most nights, and I know he would do anything to keep me safe and happy. Others sometimes think I am weird for wanting to be with my family so much, but I think it is great! I want to be best friends with them for eternity! (Oh! I can't forget my studly nephew Dallin and gorgeous niece Claire! They are such smart, beautiful, talented, happy kids! And I am sure the new little guy will be just the same!)

BYU is another blessing. I love being at a school with standards. Yeah, of course no one here is perfect, but most of us are trying to make wise decisions, and help others do the same. I learn so much about the gospel, the world, and myself from my classes and the people I am able to associate with. And tonight, I got an email from my Art History 300 teacher, and she informed us that our research paper will not be due until Tuesday now, giving me 5 extra days to work on it! THAT is definitely a blessing! :)

I am just getting so excited right now thinking of all the things that are blessings in my life, but this post is getting too long!! I am so thankful for the gospel, my friends "my" missionaries, all my relationships, a good ward, basically good health, etc,etc.

I think that this week has been good for me. I almost broke down on Monday night from all the stress, but I decided that I could get through it if I worked hard. As I accomplished the things I needed to, I saw just how blessed I was to have help from a loving Father in Heaven, a great university, and an incredible family.

P is for Pants

PANTS! Not leggings or tights or spandex. Please...just wear pants.

For anyone who reads this, I hope you will do all you can to encourage women to actually wear pants. There is this strange epidemic affecting thousands of women everywhere, and they seem to think that leggings are basically pants. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Please give them the facts.

P is for Peculiar People

Every Tuesday, BYU has a devotional or forum for students to attend with different speakers, like general authorities, international leaders, and professors. The first devotional I went to was in Summer 2006. A law professor from BYU was the speaker, and he talked about conflicts. It was a great address, but my favorite part was a quote that I THINK (so I am probably wrong) was from Brigham Young: "Living with Saints in heaven is bliss and glory; Living with Saints on earth is another story".

I work in a mall (so I basically watch people for my entire shift!) in Provo, Utah and I'll be honest, most of the people I see are LDS. And you can generally tell which people are NOT because they are really trying to LOOK that way. You know, covered in tattoos, strange piercings, revealing clothes (be careful with this category, because they might just go to UVSC!!), etc, etc. But, most of us here in Provo are LDS, and sometimes I find myself...disappointed with the way some of them act. No one is perfect, and I don't expect it, but I am surprised by the way so many people here treat others.

Example 1: Like I said, I work at a kiosk in the mall (Yea, Miche Bag!), so I am in contact with people all day. I am constantly amazed at the way women refuse to look me in the eye. We are not one of those kiosks that tries to pull you in by talking to you; if you come look, we will say hello and offer to help you. Nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. But women will be looking at the purses, and as I greet them, they look away, sometimes mumble "I'm just looking", or just completely ignore me. I understand the desire to "just look" without someone trying to sell you something you don't need; but there is no need to be so rude.

Example 2: Our kiosk used to be in between two kiosks owned and run by people from Israel. Most were in their twenties, and they were all really kind, genuine people. Their wages were based solely on commission, however, so they had to be fairly aggressive with customers. I remember talking to one guy named Sean (actually, that isn't his real name, it is just what he told me to call him since his name was too hard for me to pronounce), and he had worked in other places, other states before, and he said Provo was the worst place he had ever been. He had heard that it was full of people who were faithful churchgoers, and so he expected more kindness than he had seen in other malls. Sean told me that people here didn't treat him like he was worth anything. I felt awful, and I tried my hardest to leave them with a good impression of LDS people. Their kiosks have been out of the mall for a couple of months now, and I only hope that maybe Sean saw some better examples of Christ-like love before he left.

I think Brigham was so right! At least I can take comfort in knowing it will be better in heaven! :)