F. U. N.

Fun (fun):

1. A source of enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure.
2. Enjoyment; amusement: "have fun at the beach."
3. Playful, often noisy, activity.

(Yes. We are artists. The gallery opens at the end of the month.)

I sure had my share of fun today. I was amused. I enjoyed myself. And it was definitely a noisy activity. Let me present to you something I haven't done since I was 3 years old... FINGERPAINTING! I think we did a pretty good job considering our fingerpainting skills have been out of commission for over a decade. I've missed the ooey gooey-ness of the fingerpaint that comes in the simple form of primary colors. Childhood memories from when I would paint with my sisters at the table with paintbrush in hand and paper towels standing at the ready came rushing back in a wave of nostalgia.

It made me think, Why did I ever stop doing this in the first place?

Series of Unfortunate Events

Introducing the new series release of "The Series of Unfortunate Events-Jamie Style!" Included in this series will be Jamie's adventures through the harsh reality of college life and the epic of homework assignments, books, and papers yet to be written. Welcome to the first episode, doubly named, "Death by American Literature 101."

CAUTION-This is what it looks like, if you happen to see anything simliar to it; Run. Away. Fast. We first tried to be friends, but we're fast becoming enemies.

After a grueling 3 hours of high maintenance stress, Jamie has finally finished every flashcard, note, and memorization needed for her American Lit. test tomorrow. Every little date from when Columbus sailed the ocean blue to Benjamin Franklin's extreme obsessive compulsiveness over personal improvement (the man was a genius, but seriously, have some fun once in a while!) Cotton Mather was a sick man who had nothing better to do than to accuse innocent women of witchcraft and Anne Bradstreet had a split personality that makes for a confusing read through her poems.

Stay tuned for another episode in my life. I guarantee there will be more in future events. Until next time-this is Little Jay Madsen Broadcasting, over and out.

I Think I'm Just Going to Sit Here and Never Move Again

Two words-Leg Injury. I blame it on my absurd competitive streak. I overdid it on my running last week and pulled a muscle while racing someone after a run. Get this though, I lost the race! (pathetic). I guess I was overdue and got a double dose of humbling medicine this week. I'm a wimp when it comes to getting injured and tolerating massive doses of pain shooting up through my leg. So now I'm stuck with a leg that is in excellent walking condition, but there is much more to be said about its running condition. Looking up at the steep Smith Fieldhouse stairs makes me want to throw my head back and break out into hysterical laughter or put on my best puppy dog face and cross my fingers that one of the football players will come around, take pity on me, and carry me up the five flight monstrosity. Short sprints down the basketball court cause my teeth to clench and my stride to more or less resemble Gumby with a missing clay foot rather than Carl Malone's sprint down the sideline. I'm sure the ladies that I play basketball with were thinking Wow. That girl has some serious running issues. Meh, why should they care anyways? As long as I make my shots and steals they shouldn't care, right? If anything, I provide entertainment for them and a distraction for the other team. Double the pleasure, double the fun.

But for now I'll just sit here thinking I hope I never have to move again.

New Adventure

Dancing. What a cursed word. I've never been a big fan of it, but I have to admit something... I actually liked it last night. Who woulda thunk? Jamie Madsen might just be turning into one of those "things" that likes that seven letter word. I guess you just have to find the right company to enjoy it with. Samba, country-line, a titch bit of ballroom, and we even tried our hand at irish dancing! Crazy fun, if you haven't been dancing in a while, go do it! Dance in the kitchen while you sing, buddy up with the vacuum, or just grab a partner and do-si-do! Let yourself go, it's fun!

...As for Obama's inagural speech this morning-HA! We'll see if he actually lives up to everyone's expectations.

Life Updates: Edition 2

Well, for starters, my application is DONE! Finished! Finito! It's a wonderful feeling. After 4 ridiculous techonology skills assessments, papers all about me, fingerprinting, and paper after paper of "sign here, here, here, here and here..." you get the picture. Now all I have to do is wait. We'll see how that goes.

I have found a new talent that I'm quite proud of-hula hooping! Yep. You read it right. Hula-hooping. I'm the queen of hula-hooping in my elementary skills class (it's one of those classes that's pretty much a joke, but you have to take as a pre-req. for my major. Stink.). Maybe I'll quit school and go on the road to show off my mad skills to the world and wiggle my little hips across the U.S and shake 'em right through Europe! What do you think?

And if you all know me, I love to run. I think it's one of my passions in life. I wish I would have taken it more seriously in high school, I really would have loved to try my hand at hurdles or distance running. One of my life goals is to run a marathon. I would absolutely LOVE that. There's just something about being able to lace up your running shoes and pound some ideas into the blacktop on the road with intense music in your ears as you run up a hill or through a big ol' puddle. What a stress relief and endorphin builder! That's my schpeal on running (mainly because I'm taking a jogging class this semester which is incredible. Having a world renowned track star coaching you through your jogging is quite the experience!)

Good luck to you all this week!

*sidenote* Leapfrog=dangerous. ;)

Back To School Blues

Today it hit me that Christmas Vacation is over. School has been in session for three days and here it comes, hitting me like a ton of bricks again. Bring it on! This girl is ready to conquer another semester.

While we're on the topic of school, I got fingerprinted yesterday for my elementary education application. Does this baby (me of course) look like she could grow up to be a criminal? ;)

Yeah, I didn't think so either. They should've just marked me off and let me off the hook. But instead I got to wait in line for 30 minutes and stand there while my little pinky rebelled and refused to get a "good print" (or so said the fingerprinting lady). I blame the machine. I'm almost done with my application, 4 skills tests to go and a few papers all about me and then I'm through!

Enjoy your week.

Oh! And it was a wonderful day at the mailbox again. A couple of missionary letters. One posted from the MTC, another from the D.R. Gotta love mail time!

Lookin' Sharp Elder Bryan

So I had to add this picture... it was just too good not to! I happened to give him this amazing tie when he was in the MTC and now he's showing it off and entertaining all the little dominican republic kids with it. I think it's one of his best ones, don't you think? ;)