YSA Conference

Bering building where the conference was held

Check in at 4:00

Girl from Louisiana, Ryan Williams, Aaron Baker, Aaron Baker's girlfriend, Wendy Thompson

4:30 was the start of the meet and greet, aka speed dating which I did not participate in, I just documented instead. The first guy in the white shirt using his Jedi powers on his date is Loren, as in the Loren that Alison went on a few dates with who I think is a butt face for not getting a clue... anyway, and the red head pulling the goofy face is Elder Sam Morrill from the Spokane Washington mission. We served together in Othello. He was English speaking while I was Spanish so we don't really know each other, just enough to have said hello.

Girl smiling is Kristin Howe, a new friend who is lots of fun

Alison is participating and featured in this picture is Jeff, the guy in the black shirt, who she ended up dancing with and giving her number to at the end of the night.

The speed dating set up

Reverent boy who I don't know, Jan Chappell, Bishop Rob Chappell, Bill Edwards, Boy who I don't know, Daniel Lemon, Johnny Malele, Girl I don't know

SAD SAD SAD entertainment, they were performing 16 Going on 17... SAD!!!

Adena Nelson. She was formerly trained in acting in New York and I asked her to give me her reaction to the performances...

I Can Hear the Bells... SAD SAD SAD!!!!!!!

Devotional at 7:00 with Elder Costa and Elder Nielson. They were both hilarious and it was a great fireside!

Chris Larmoth, Katie Whipple, Greg somebody...

Sister and Bishop Chappell

Discovering who Bill is... since he was such a doofus on the phone... I'll be going on that date with him this Friday... more to come on that.

Guy I don't know, Ryan Williams, Jason Sweeney

Katie Whipple and Me

Eric Radford, Katie Whipple, Cordell Copa

Jason being so ecstatic to be at the dance

A crowd pleasing song

Ben Carver, Austin Condiff, Jason Sweeney, Preston Norton

Girls on the side who weren't dancing...

That guy who likes to show off...

Preston Norton, Jason Sweeney, Cynthia and Misti (Our Visiting Teachers), Alison gibbs, Diana Twargol (Our Visiting Teachee), Karla

Some cute girls...

This kid was going crazy with his dance moves, this picture doesn't totally capture it, but it was fun...

Some girl on girl action

the two Katy(ie)s

Greg and Chris

Those Mormons know how to put on a good spread

Enjoying the spread...

More enjoyment of the spread

Some guy and JJ C. with Diana T.

And the night wouldn't be complete without a jumping picture.

For the first time in my life I can honestly say I had a great time at a YSA conference/dance!! It was a lot of fun!

The Pavilion: The Planets - An HD Odyssey

On September 30th, Alison and I, along with some other friends, went to the Woodlands again for another free concert in the Pavilion. This time it was the Houston Orchestra playing classical music inspired by the planets. It was really fun, made even better because it was FREE!!

It was a beautiful night for an outdoor concert!

Austin Condiff, Preston Norton, Alison Gibbs, Ed, Katy, Melissa Northcott, Shelly, Wendy, Heather, and Danny

Flat Tire

Last Tuesday, I was driving Sue to the movies, and on the way I heard a distressing noise coming from the car. I pulled over to the side of the road to discover that my back tire was entirely flat. The good news is we weren't too far from home, and we were going under 25mph the whole time. No more than 30 seconds had passed before a kind neighbor and his wife pulled up behind us and offered to help change the tire. HUGE blessing because my wrench was broken and the spare was also flat and needed air in it. He went back to his house, got a new wrench, and the two of us changed the tire. In the process of putting the flat in the back of my trunk, I caught my arm. I don't know how these things happen exactly but somehow I got squished and ended up getting a nasty bruise. I would like to start telling people that I really shouldn't have asked my boyfriend to pass me the salt in such a desperate manner... I deserve what I got, but now you know the truth. After the spare was on, we went to the neighbors house where he used his own air compressor to put air into the spare and then we made it over to good year tires where I got a new wheel put on. The old one looked as if it had been slashed!!! Perhaps I should tip better at Panda Express and then these things wouldn't happen. It was not my favorite experience but after we had the tire replaced we were off to see "The Social Network," which is one of my more favorite experiences. I LOVE this movie and it was my second time seeing it and Sue's first. Lots of fun in Texas!!

Another Dating Frustration

My ward has created a dating council to facilitate dating within our ward. The idea behind the council is that they will provide activities where dating can occur. They will plan it and provide all the necessary materials for an enjoyable evening and we just show up. We can a.) Ask someone to go with us ourselves, b.) ask to be set up with someone specific if we are too afraid to ask, or c.) just put our names down to be randomly paired with someone else who doesn't care who they go with. They alternate between girls and guys choice. The entire idea is to provide a stress and pressure free environment where it is understood that it is a "ward activity" date.

This month, on the 15th there will be such a date night. We will meet at Kaity Beauregard's farm for some hay rides, pumpkin carving, a haunted corn maze, and smores and who knows what else. This date is girls choice. Alison and I thought it would be nice to set an example to the dysfunctional men in our ward to go ahead and ask someone, to show how easy it is.

I decided to ask Bill Edwards. He's the ward executive clerk assistant or whatever the hell the calling name is. (I really don't know, he counts people in sacrament meeting and helps out with tithing... you tell me.) I've talked to him a couple of times, we know who each other are and I thought it would be nice to ask someone I know I'm not really interested in, make it even less stress free right? So on Sunday night while everyone was skyping, I called Bill. He didn't answer and I didn't leave a message. Five minutes later, he called me back and this was our conversation:

"Hey, this is Bill..."

-"Hey Bill, this is Katy from the ward."

"Which Katy?"

-"Ha, thats right, there are about 12 of us, Katy Taylor."

"Oh hey how's it going?"

-"I'm doing alright. Hey, I was wondering if you would go with me to the ward date night on the 15th?"

LOOOOONG pause...

"Uhh... Yeah?... Uhhh.... I guess?.... sure.... yeah... yes."

-"Are you busy that night or do you have other plans?"

"Well no, I was just going to go to the activity by myself, I didn't have a date."

-"Oh, are you on the dating council too?"

"No, I was just going to go and hang out."

-"Oh, its just you sounded really hesitant."

"Sorry, I mean yes. We'll go, we'll do the whole shebang, it will be fun."

-"Okay, well where do you live?"

"I live out in Conroe where the activity is."

-"Well lets just meet there. That makes more sense."

"Okay, you really sound like you know what you're doing."

-"Well I have had a lot of experience doing this kind of thing. You can tell from the authority in my voice. Well I'll call you as it gets closer to the date night and we can work out details. I'll maybe wear a name tag so you recognize me."

"Haha, I know who you are."

-"Okay, see you later"

"See you later."

Click.

Boys are dumb.

This is Bill in the red circle and Kaity Beauregard in the yellow circle who's farm we will be congregating at. Its funny, it looks like a fan was conveniently set up to blow her hair just so in this photo.

Right now I want to call him back and cancel because he was being such a doofus about saying yes. I think dating is dumb and don't want to go anymore. What's the point eh? I'll let you know what I decide. Congratulations to all of you who are married now. To all of you who are still single, maybe we can find a way to be happy without a significant other? I mean, it may frustrate the plan of Heavenly Father completely, but when you look at your options and how you have to get there, it kind of seems worth it to be alone and miserable...