Another catch-all post

I am having the hardest time writing this, which is not a good omen since I have a Sesame Street deadline due tomorrow. It's like in one way, I want to tell you everything that happened over the week, in detail, because I'm SURE you'll find it fascinating. But then when I try to write I think, sheesh, this is going to take forever.

So I'm going with the headlines and highlights edition.

You can thank me later.

1. Youth Conference. I delegated to the other leaders chaperoning responsibilities, so I didn't attend the whole thing. This was good and bad. Good because I wasn't over-scheduled, but bad because I missed some good stuff.

Friday night there was a speaker, John Michael Stuart, who by all reports was inspiring and amazing. The youth seemed to just love him. I was sorry I missed it. But I got to be there on Saturday for the service project and the games, which was a lot of fun. I wore the conference-issued boxy lime-green shirt and an orange lei for my participation, which pretty much secures my place in the "What Not to Wear" line up.

That night there was a rockin' dance, which I missed. But then Sunday . . . well, I'll tell you about that.


Alex Boye is my new BFF. I was prepared for a straight-laced fireside but I was straight-up wrong. I laughed so hard my sides hurt; Tyce laughed so hard he was crying. You know how Tyce has that awesome laugh. Alex is certainly a performer--I just didn't know he was also a comedian. His message was about music and its effect on us, and some parts were serious and spiritual. His most powerful spiritual messages were delivered through his own singing about the Savior. Oh, but his stories in between . . . man. He sure knows how to bring the house down.

I think his style was able to touch the hearts of some young people who might not otherwise have responded to a traditional message. It was one of those events where you wish everyone you knew could have--or would have--attended. I was glad Tyce went.

2. The ice cream man. I hate him.

Okay, I strongly dislike him.

There should be a law that states:

Vehicles vending frozen dairy products and/or frozen sugar-water products must operate in a three-month period designated as SUMMER, the period between June 21st and September 21st of the calendar year. Exceptions to SUMMER may be granted per the homeowners' association's rules to include select major holidays, including Memorial Day and National Wheeled Nuisance Vehicles Day.

Vehicles must limit trolling to once a week for a 20-minute period. Vehicles caught trolling daily and employing illegal siren songs that only children and dogs respond to such as "It's a Small World" shall be reported. Any Vehicle Operator who rewards a child under the age of 7 a mercy gift of a gummy hamburger when three pennies and a rock are offered as payment shall be reported.

If parental denial of Vehicle Operator's wares causes any person under the age of 18 crying, tantruming, vomiting, or seizure, Vehicle Operator will prohibited from selling in that neighborhood.

You hear me, ice cream man? I'm bringing you down.

3. I was too quick to pronounce myself healed from sickness last week. It was completely uncool to have the flu after I'd suffered through The Plague.

4. Well, that's about it. I'd better get back to work before the kids come home.