Happy New Years!  

Posted by Jessica in

Just wanted to post that before I go out and celebrate. This is the first night I have gone out in several years. Last year I was recovering from major surgery and opted to stay home...the year before, I am pretty sure I spent it in Idaho Falls at my apartment being a recluse. The years prior to that were spent being my reclusive self--tonight, I make up for all my boring New Years Eve's and have some fun! If you read this and haven't gone out, be safe, don't drink and drive, and I hope your 2007 is spectacular.

Better late than never...  

Posted by Jessica in , ,




On my flight to Seattle on the 23rd, I sat next to a cute guy who was playing his Nintendo DS. He was playing this dart game and I think a bowling game that caught my eye. I thought it would be fun to have a Nintendo DS, even though I own the Nintendo Advance and don't play it as often as I should (I am terrible at video games, even on the classic Nintendo system, though I love Zelda and Mario Bros.).


So when I arrived home and my mom told me she needed more ideas, I mentioned a DS, thinking there was no way and they are probably too expensive. Well they are only $129.99 and my mom still wanted to spend what the DS would cost plus more. When I decided I really wanted the DS, we called every store in town to see where we could get the DS. EVERYONE WAS SOLD OUT. My last ditch effort included calling a Circuit City that was about 20 minutes away and being told they had a few left. I got into a car and drove down there as fast as I could. By the time I arrived, they were sold out. On Circuit City's website you can check the availability of an item, and the DS was sold out of every Circuit City within an hour of where I live (I think that included about 5-6 Circuit City stores).


My mom told me to have patience because she was sure I could get one tuesday. I didn't. I called numerous stores daily (Wal-Mart , Circuit City, Best Buy , Target, Fred Meyer, the little game stores in malls)...Everyone was sold out until I called today, on a whim. It is my last full day here in Seatown and I thought I would make one last phone call to a store I really don't care for, Best Buy. When I called, the guy who finally picked up said that they just received some.

I got my brother to drive me and got my DS! Finally...after 8 days of frustration. However, the 8 days were useful in that I decided I didn't really want the white one, or the pink one, because the pink is like a coral pink and dullish and the black looks sleeker and way cooler. I also found that dart game I wanted and was able to learn more about the games and accessories I would want to buy.
So, I got my big Christmas gift a little bit later than I wanted, but better late than never.

My hair  

Posted by Jessica in


is like Carole King's when I come to Seattle and just let it air dry...



Saddam Hussein  

Posted by Jessica in

is dead.

Ford is dead (cross-posted at BYUI Dems blog)  

Posted by Jessica in

What will be his legacy? Is it, as the media says, one of healing the nation after Watergate? Not being a big history buff, and certainly not being one who paid as much attention to Ford as I could have, I would have to say that certainly seems to be his legacy, at least according to the "liberal media".

However, I don't know if I agree with the assessment that he healed the nation, or at least helped heal the nation. A few things stick out in my mind when I think of this healing that apparently took place. One is a comment I read on a liberal blog, wherein the person commented that you can't heal something that hasn't been cleansed. The cleansing that never took place was Nixon accounting for his decisions, at least accounting for them by serving time.When I was in Young Women's, I remember reciting the Young Women's values. One of which was choice and accountability. I don't think the Church, or Christ, intends for our accountability to be the most minimum we can get away with. I think accountability means accounting for it in the fullest possible way. This didn't occur because Ford pardoned Nixon.

Which brings me to the next thing that crosses my mind when I think of Ford's legacy...I was at my dad's house last night for dinner. Keep in mind my dad is a Republican. Solid Republican. He said Nixon belonged in prison and should've gone to prison. It was said in one article I read that Ford pardoning Nixon cost Ford the election.

Now before everyone gets to thinking that I despise Ford and Nixon, let me state that I wasn't alive during this difficult period in America's history. Let me also state that I do not possess any psychic abilities. I cannot say that had Ford not pardoned Nixon and Nixon went to prison if this country would have been better off. Perhaps pardoning Nixon was the best thing for this country. I don't know. Is any of this making any sense?!?

Let me end by saying that what President Ford did as President, aside from pardoning Nixon, was what this country needed. What was it exactly? It was not being Nixon! Though Nixon did some good things as President, which is a whole other topic for another post.

How many crooked cops are out there?  

Posted by Jessica

Had an experience last night and this morning with a psychotic police officer in Renton, Washington. I anticipate a long legal battle with this psycho. Wish me luck.

Merry Christmas to me! updated  

Posted by Jessica in























Merry Christmas!  

Posted by Jessica in ,

Today I was doing some last minute shopping at Barnes & Noble and overheard a sales associate tell a customer that they were sold out of Barack Obama's newest book, The Audacity of Hope, and the book, Screwed by Thom Hartmann. Now I was shopping in my hometown that could very well be in one of the most liberal counties in America (my county includes the city of Seattle), but I was still pleasantly surprised to hear about two books, both of which appeal to Democrats and are written by Democrats, that were sold out!

That's all I have for now.

Writing from Seatown  

Posted by Jessica in , , ,

I apologize for not blogging, though I haven't really shared this blog with very many people. I have been busy with work and flew to Seattle this morning/afternoon.

On my vacation in Seattle, I will be writing two papers. One on presidential scandals and another paper will be about the book, Fiasco, by Thomas E. Ricks. I highly recommend that people read Fiasco. It's not light reading, by any means, but it gives some very in-depth information about the build-up to the war in Iraq and the actual war in Iraq. Basically I am going to be analyzing the decision making process involved and analyze the book using some public administration principles. I plan on sharing some of both of my papers when I complete them!

For fear of revealing far too much personal information, I just want to say that something that happened today made my entire year, and I will end there!

Alright, time to whine  

Posted by Jessica in ,

Well, I think I have ticked off most of the readers at the BYU-Idaho Dems blog because I keep whining about Tom Luna winning the election. SORRY! Now that I have apologized, let the whining recommence!

My perspective on the race for Superintendent has been different than most. Since my major is public administration, I have a slight obsession with public administration. I have never just looked at the position as that of policymaker and one that works with the legislature on funding. Yes, those are imperative aspects of the position, but what the Superintendent is day in and day out, and first and foremost in my mind, is that of administrator.

When I picture the Superintendent, I picture them managing almost 150 employees. Hiring, firing, and all of the other personnel issues that accompany a management position, not just anyone can step into that role and lead an entire state department. I picture them being someone with a background, knowledge, and expertise that would give them an immediate and automatic respect from their subordinates. I picture them being a person the employees, or any teacher, principal, and superintendent in Idaho can go to with concerns and feeling confident knowing they can receive the help they seek in their leader.

Hopefully this explained how I view the position and in a roundabout way why I supported who I did and why I didn't support who I didn't support. While being vague, I just wanted to clarify my views without being too redundent and long-winded.

The Beginning?  

Posted by Jessica in , , ,

I was born in Seattle and raised in the Seattle area. Being the good Mormon that I was, I moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Ricks College. I loved Ricks College so much I stayed there while it started transitioning to BYU-Idaho (Ricks was a two year college and when it started transitioning it started offering 4 year degrees). During my three years at Ricks/BYUI, I earned two Associate of Arts and Sciences degree's-one in Sociology and one in Social Work. I then decided to transfer to Idaho State University just a little over an hour south of Rexburg.

There is no logical reason as to why I transferred to ISU, though having my best friend so close by in Rexburg was a big motivator. I had been accepted to Eastern Washington, Washington State, and Boise State, but I felt compelled to go to ISU. When faced with the big decisions in life, I followed my gut, listened to my heart (insert own cheesy saying) and did everything in such a non-rational way, sometimes I am amazed I have accomplished anything!

I write as though I no longer make big decisions this way, but I do, and I can't see that ever changing. I have no regrets and there is no place I would rather be than in Pocatello, Idaho at this very moment.

As much as I love Seattle, Idaho is where I have met my best friends, it is where I started to believe in myself, it is where I started to heal from a "tragic past," and it is as much home as Seattle is and has been.