Phun with Photobooth!

This is what Lesley, Ashley, and I did after Eat A Burger today!

A Blustery Day

I usually try to make my blog posts humorous (well at least I think they're funny) but today, I really have nothing to say but am desperate to change my post from the 6 most humiliating secrets of my life. To be honest, this has been a sad day for me so far. I just feel really lonely and unproductive. Luckily the perfume of decomposing rodent has vacated my apartment, and I can actually live there again.
I have a major conundrum: I am SO lonely and depressed when I'm down in Provo, but I have better chances of getting work done (not that any progress is being made). When I'm home in Salt Lake, I'm happy and not always on the verge of tears but it is much harder for me to be productive.
I am working all the time, but I can't seem to get anywhere.
I just read and research, but when I sit down to write- I am a total wreck.
It's like the Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns is told he has every disease but they are all trying to get through the door at the same time, making it so none can get through. I know that I sound really confusing, but hopefully at least Cameron will understand :) I feel like that is a metaphor for my thesis. I have so much information and research done that it is all trying to come through the door at the same time that none of it can get through my mind, down my fingers and onto my computer. I can discuss it verbally, but I can't translate onto the paper.
I am beyond frustrated to say the least. I've tried outlining, but the same thing happens. I know which parts go where, but that is the end of it.
I have the worst writer's block, bringing me back to my conundrum. Is there a way to for me to be happy AND productive?
I can't go on like this; I have to get my thesis finished by the first week of April in order to have time to defend before the end of the semester when my whole committee takes off for study abroad and research leave.
I wish there was a pill or something to put all my personal issues on hold, just until April, then I'd deal with them later after I complete my thesis.
Why can't I just be a robot for the next 4 months? I really don't think I'm strong enough to handle all of this right now.
I didn't really want a Master's, did I?

Six Secrets

Tag ... Yes it has taken me this long to get to it ... Do you have a problem with that?!
Okay- sorry for venting my aggression on such a friendly forum. Deep breath in, slowly exhale.
Now I'm ready to finally get to my Tag that Haley sent me months ago. Here we go...



1. I am now totally obsessed with ANTM (America's Next Top Model). I love Tyra Banks and it honestly is riveting television!

2. I have to take my shoes off when I go to the bathroom. Not in public restrooms, or someone elses, but when I'm at home, in MY bathroom, I take a seat and shoes come off; it's like a reflex.
So there you have it.
"Hi I'm Alli and I take my shoes off when I pee."

3. I eat at least a spoonful of Phish Food Light ice cream every single day. Most days, I eat 2!
I know- I live on the wild side.

4. I am a member Richard Armitage's fan club. I am also the only member in the state of Utah and therefore, I am the president of the Utah Chapter of this fan club.

5. I love Eat A Burger. I could eat there every meal of every day and whenever I am hungry, I always want to go to EAB. Even after working there, I think it only increased my love for the fries and the yummy, yummy sandwiches. Ummmmmm.

6. I guess the last secret about my freaky self is that I You Tube. I am a super, ubber, obsessive You Tuber. I have a page, make comments and communicate with You Tube royalty. It is my stress reliever. Surprisingly it is almost better than shopping as it doesn't cost me money and the enjoyment last so much longer.
You can look me up: www.youtube.com/arthistoryalli

Well, now I am officially embarrassed and told my 3 darkest secrets that only 1 other person knew (with my knowledge previous to the publication of this post).

FriendSHIP, CompanionSHIP... Car Park?

Quoting a pair of old bats:
"On Tuesday we look forward to Thursday and on Thursday we look forward to Tuesday!"
"Sustinence? Subsidence?"-- "Oh no, she died years ago."

Melekelikimaka

Tonight was Vickie's Graduation Luau and boy was it awesome! I think everyone in attendance had a great time with food, fun, food, music, food, decorations, food, and candy. Here are some photos that I want to share with everyone.











10 points to the first person who can name the source of the following extreamly poor parody.

Christmas Time... More Like Thesis Time (insert unenthusiastic hoorah)

Well Folks- It's the end of another semester and we all know what that means:

insomnia
nausea
manic depression
constant tension headaches
paranoia
any and/or all adversion of reality

All in all, the moral of the story kids is, do what ever it takes to get your work done. Even if it entails loosing your voice, your dreams, and your personal appearance!

In the mean time, here are some pretty pictures that I have been staring at for the past week, every day... all day, making life bearable.
The silver lining in all of this is that I truly do love my thesis and think that it will be the greatest thing I have ever done.
Go Hepworth and Maternal Subjectivity!!!

The Art of Random Blogging

Valerie, just shy of 2 years old, speaking better French than English!
Don't you just love her giggle?


Evan in Jack's Halloween costume, Fall 2007


Lesley and Myself, Summer 2007


Valerie and Myself at graduation, Spring 2006

Recipe for a blog:
First make your content completely pointless
Add just a pinch of relevance
Mix in photographs for evidentiary support
Let stand for 3 months to share with the world

There you have it folks-
umm... Looks Tasty



London Study Abroad, Spring 2005


Ashley and Myself, Summer 2006


Jack and Myself on Halloween, 2007
(disclaimer: this is not his costume because his brother was wearing it!)


Video I made at Harewood House, Yorkshire, Summer 2006

Grad Park 2007

Lately I've been lackadaisical when it comes to my blog. I've had it now for 2 years and I feel like I have nothing to say on such a forum. Happily, my sisters have posted and reminded me of why I have a blog.

This is a poster that my BFF Ashley made over the summer. Apparently there is a program online that allows for making your friends into "South Park" characters, so Ashley made one for all the graduate students in our program. Guess which one is me?



We (Ashley, Megan, and I) went to Las Vegas the last weekend in September. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel, gave a significant boost to the economy when we went to Sephora, and ate at the Cheesecake Factory. Here are some photos of that much needed fun-filled break from our demanding life as graduate students.




This last photo is from a magazine of Modern Design. It is a 1960s cover photo with some of the top designers of the day. Charles Eames and Eero Seranin are my two favorites.

Lightning for Incubus: 7-17-07

A Hard Day's Night

Me in St. Ives, Cornwall, England


I know, I know. I have not posted anything in the longest time. I am actually rather embarassed as to the reason. When Blogger switched over to Google, I had to get a new username and password, which is swiftly forgot what they were. After several failed attemps at cracking the code of blogspot, I finally remembered what my login is- yeah!

Now an update on the past 4 months. I went to London for the first 10 days of May to do research on my Master's Thesis, I got a new nephew born on May 30, 2007 (Jack Donovan Powell), I moved out of my apartment in Orem and am now apartment hunting in Provo (any one need a roommate?!) and I started working at Eat-A-Burger part time to help my brother out (Fridays and Saturdays if you ever want to come). Pretty much that is it, so I'll just upload some photos, b/c that is the best part of a blog anyway!

London:











Blowing out the candles on our 23rd Birthday


Valie and Ashley


Valie, Ashley, and Jaiden

Home Sick

Life Is Like A Rock Concert

Ponder that for a moment. Let it marinate.

Being in general admission at a rock concert is scary, powerful, andlife changing if you will. You can do either one of two things.

You can fight the crowd, hold your stance, be determined enough to not let any one else get infront of you, and miss out on actually listening to the music.

Or you can go with the flow, letting your heart beat along with the pounding of the bass in your ears. You must become one with the crowd as you collectively bask in the awesomeness that is Incubus (or insert your favorite band).

If you are too stubborn and driven, you miss out on the whole experiance, the whole reason for going.

It is a lot like life- I'm leaving this ambigious so you can make your own connections.

Rock on!

Christmas Time Is Here

Pictures of Mom's Festival of Trees tree: Stafordshire



Today marked the begining of the last full week of classes for Fall Semester 2006. I have so much to do that I'm not doing anything, sort of like a deer in the headlights. I have a presentation on Friday, AHA Christmas party on Saturday. Then I have a paper due the next monday, and 2 more before that week is out. Plus I have to administer a final and grade term papers and exams. I'll most likely being comming home the 23 or 24th- yuck but yay.
In the spirit of the season, here are some pictures that I thought would be fun to share.



Me and Ashley decorating the Christmas tree in our apartment.



Happy Christmas!