so, I grew up on a Mac.

aka- love.

but since we got Macs at Qualtrics, I've learned exactly what my favorite Mac toys are.

my friend/co-intern Whitney always asks if I have any other cool toys or tricks. soooo... that's probly what inspired me.

1. Caffeine.
nope, not the real stuff you find in Mountain Dew. but instead, found here.
it's super convenient for when you're watching movies or Hulu or you're just tired of your computer randomly going to sleep on you while you're thinking of what to write next in your paper.

super convenient. and awesome.

so, one thing I don't love about my birthday is the fact that it's right after the new semester starts.

aka- no one remembers.


minus my fam. but still. it always feels like everyone is swept up in getting on top of things in their new classes and such. and rightfully so. but it still stinks as a birthday.

nooooooot this year!!

I honestly was planning on just having a chill night watching a movie with my roommates or somesing low key-ish. I'd come to terms with my lame-ish birthday date and I was seriously okay with it.

my mommydear ordered Brick Oven hawaiian pizza, breadsticks and rooooot beer that came at like 6pm for dinner for me and my roommates {xoxox Mommy}. then at like 8:30pm, I was sposed to go out with Derik for ice cream. thoughtful, right? but after that it was really just sposed to be a chill night. no plans, no nothing.

so Moses, our friend from West Africa, came over to visit Kenna. she was at work, so he stayed and talked to Heidi for a minute. when I came out into the front room he said, "Haley! it's your birthday, isn't it?" 

this was totally unexpected because I've talked to Moses maybe like, once? I was like "yeah. how'd you know it was my birthday??" he said, "I think Nathan {his roommate} and I are going to your party tonight in apt 88..." 

I was a little confused.
a) who the heck did I know in apt 88? psh. no one.
b) birthday party?? this was news to me.

I had half a lightbulb go off in my head. last year in the Riv, we literally threw surprise parties for everyone in the ward {minus me because, remember, my birthday is apparently forgettable}. but Moses hadn't been there for that. or Nathan. and I was still confused by the "apt 88" thing.

but Heidi refused to make eye-contact with me, and I knew that was a red-flag. she just blew it off like, "nooooo, I think you're confused, Moses. I got a text about that, but, uh, that was for someone else. and it's not their birthday today." but he went along with it, too, and awkwardly left.

I asked Heidi 3.4 seconds later if there was a surprise party for me in apt 88. she blew it off again talking about the mystery text she'd gotten, but said it was for someone else she didn't know.

and I believed her.

c) this was probly the 2nd conversation I'd had with Moses, so maybe he really was confused.
d) ... I feel like if there were a party, somebody would have spilled the beans by now.

**but notes to self. **
okay, seriously?! no one would throw a surprise party for someone on a Thursday night if it wasn't their actual birthday.
and if your roommate can't make eye contact with you, that is a MAJOR red flag.
and D shouldn't even be included as an excuse. Moses DID spill the beans. I'm just an idiot.


so, Derik came by around 8:30. I suggested Cocoa Bean hot chocolate instead. he agreed, but said he had to grab his wallet. in my brain {which obviously was NOT at full capacity this night}, I thought, he's so stupid, how did he forget his wallet?! it's freezing outside and he's making me walk aaaaaall the way back to his apartment. why can't I just stay here and he can come back.

we got to his apartment. I didn't even notice the giant "88" on the door.

but I did hear everyone screaming, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" at me when he opened the door.

then I ran away. not really on purpose, it was just a jerk reaction, I guess. Derik definitely had to run after me and bring me back to the party. I sincerely wish someone had gotten my face on camera. I'm sure it was hilarious, my hands were still shaking like 20 minutes afterwards. I don't remember much, I just remember smiling and laughing a lot, and yelling for Heidi and Moses for straight up LYING to me!

seriously, everyone from the ward was there. apparently, he'd sent out a text at like 11pm the night before to everyone {convenient, assistant executive secretary...} about the party, and he planned it all himself. there were streamers and balloons and notes written all over his whiteboard for me. he'd called my mom to find out what kind of cake I liked, and bought this SUPER delicious chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.

he's still got all the pictures from the party. I'll post 'em as soon as I get them from him.

I was secretly disappointed about not getting to go to Cocoa Bean. ... until I got not one, not two but THREE Cocoa Bean cupcakes from Brad&Eliesa, Kenzie&Lina and Alyssa&Kelsey. so much for disappointment. seriously. you can get whatever you want if it's your birthday.

:) I like my birthday now.

yeah. it only took me an entire semester to get it done.
but they are done and beeeeeeeeeeautiful.

the ginormous audrey hepburn wall poster has been up all semester.
one of my favorite things ever is walking home from campus at night
and seeing our living room lights on
and giant audrey on our wall.
:)

the second crafty project is wayyyyyyy more my favorite
and it's a totally genius idea.
thanks photojojo for the inspiration.

"don't be fancy, just get dancy."

thanks Pink. totally one of my new faaaaaaaaaaaavorite lyrics.

life has been incredibly insane lately. not so much dramatic, just busy.
aka, no time for myself or breathing or anything fun basically.

so I think my subconscious has found other ways to have fun. and by "have fun," I mean "dance".

I was walking home from work the other day, walking in step to the music in my earbuds
{c'mon, you ALL know you do it. don't even try to deny it}
and "Kids" by MGMT came on.
holy smokes that song is catchy.
and totally makes me want to dance. lots.
so as I'm walking through Helaman, zero Freshman were around
it was like a frozen wasteland.
so I started dance-walking.
for anyone who hasn't seen what I'm talking about, ask me later. I'll demonstrate.
as I was spinning around, dumb freshman boy was standing right behind me.
freaking Houdini child, because I swear he wasn't there before.
either that or he had a time machine and landed right behind me just then.
or he's a vampire.
ha.

then last night I was listening to "Firework" by Katy Perry in my kitchen at 10pm while making a super late dinner.
when I started dancing around.
only to look out my window to see Paul, Eric & ScottBird standing right there.
don't think they saw me, they were pointing at something else out their window.
still. it was embarrassing.

needless to say, I'm done dancing in public/in my kitchen with the blinds open for a while.
my subconscious will just have to find some other way to have fun.
sooooooooooooooorry, brain.