Chivalry is not dead

Sometimes, it’s just super fantastic to be a girl.

Chivalrous things I love (in no particular order):

#1 – The guys at work always let me get on and off the elevator first. How cute is that. I feel so special every time. No, seriously – it never gets old.


#2 – The guys always open the door for me once I’m out of the elevator (We have badge activated doors on either end of the elevator lobby – for security). If I make it to the door first to scan my badge – there is always a guy running behind me to grab that door before I do.


#3 – The guys go down and get my packages from the mail room. Even though I haven’t ordered anything for them – they still stop by and check and bring me my stuff.


#4 – If I am carrying a box, no matter the weight – they always want to take it from me. They at least ask if I need help.


#5 – They look out for me. There is this super creepy guy at work semi-stalking me (see HERE) and they always come up to me and ask if it is getting better and can they do anything to help? They’ve sat down with him multiple times, and even let him go. But – another manager took him on, so he is still here. “I always look out for my little sister” is a quote that was used, multiple times. How cute is that? I always wanted a big brother…


#6- Along the same note – when creepy guys come and won’t leave me alone (happens more than you’d think – especially working for the Church – if I ping (message on the Church Communicator) one of my co-workers, they come and get the guy to leave. Can’t even say how many times this has saved me.


#7 – They help me if I have any computer/phone/software/etc. needs. If I say something isn’t working, or they can see a problem – they help me out without even being asked.


#8 – When guys open my car door. Not close it – there is no way I’m waiting for him to walk around the car and let me out. But it’s so nice when they open it for you to get in.


#9 – When guys ask you to text/call when you get home, just to make sure you got home safely.


#10 – When the guy walks on the outside of you. I think this is the ultimate cute thing. My cousin Andrew is the best example of this. He is seriously the most chivalrous guy I know – even to me, his cousin. He always makes sure he walks on the outside of me – no matter where we are. When we go on walks, I think it’s fun to keep walking to the outside of the street, just randomly and casually – and see him try and maneuver back to being on the outside, just as casually…

Love,
Brittney

Festival of Colors

Look at that temple. Hardly seems like it'd be situated in Spanish Fork, Utah, does it?

Before

After

1 - LOVE the dreads. Looks like some crazy monster from Star Wars - the one with the long dread-like things on its head. I can't remember the name of it.

2 - Note the random supremely tall guy in the perfectly clean white shirt? If I hadn't taken the picture, I'd swear he was photoshopped in.

Too much fun. I can't wait for next year.

Love,

Brittney

Hmmm....

I fell out of my chair at work yesterday. I was wearing a floor lengths flappy skirt and boots. I tucked my leg underneath me, and when I stood up, I went right over on my face and knees. No one saw but Julie. I scraped my knee pretty good. She said I needed a first aid kit. I decided to tough it out. It made me feel a little redeemed for having just fallen out of my chair.

I went snowboarding yesterday. I love to snowboard. The mountains are so beautiful. It is so peaceful and utterly perfect. Serene. It’s times like that, sitting on the lift in the dark with the mountains and snow surrounding me, all cuddled in my coat and hat and gloves with my beautiful baby blue board strapped to my super-cute and soft and comfy boots, my hart beating quickly – that I don’t know how people don’t believe in God. He is everywhere, up in the mountains.

Every time I fell on my knees, I thought I might die – due to the damage done when falling out of my chair. But I lived.

I went to St.George last week and spent some really good quality time with my grandparents. I don’t get to see them as much as I would like. I truly had so much fun just being with them, and being spoiled. Living on my own, I don’t get spoiled very often. It felt nice. I was sick – and they heard me coughing on the phone as I was telling them what time we’d pull into the condo. They called me as they went to bed – letting me know they had left cough syrup and Nyquil on the counter for me. It almost made me cry, that gesture. I didn’t say anything about being sick – but they could tell, and they left the medicine for me, because they love me. I’m just so used to being… alone and independent. It made me feel really, really special.

We went to Zions, saw a movie in the IMAX, went to the dinosaur museum, went shopping, went to Jacob Hamblin’s home, and of course – ate out a copious amount. It was perfect.

I don’t appreciate my grandparents enough. I think I take them for granted. There is a quote I stumbled upon forever ago in the book The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason, and it’s never left me:

“It’s strange to remember someone you’ve known all along. It’s like returning to the home you grew up in and noticing how it left its shape on you, how the walls you’ve raised and the doors you’ve opened since then have all followed the design you saw for the first time there. Its closer to returning home and seeing your mother or sister, who are old enough not to have grown since you last saw them, but young enough not to have aged, and realizing for the first time how they look to everyone else, how beautiful they would be if you didn’t know them, what your father and brother in law saw when they judged them most and knew them least.”

That is how I felt being with my grandparents. I know them so well, for my whole life, I think in a way I just saw them as I’ve always seen them, and not focused on who they are and their strengths and what makes them absolutely unique and special.

My grandma is so loving. She really does love me, and wants to spoil me. I don’t like them spending money on me, and I always get frustrated with them spending money on me, and being what is in my mind, superfluous. But this weekend, I just relaxed and let them do what they wanted. I didn’t encourage any expenditures, but also did not freak out about it either.

My grandma is so sweet. She really has a heart of gold and wants me to be happy. Everything she does is thinking of her family.

Grandpa is so service oriented. He never misses home teaching, and is such an example to me about reading the scriptures and always seeking knowledge. He seriously knows everything. And I’m not just saying that because I love him. He knows the elevation, population and geographic area of every place we go. He’s always reading. He has good hobbies that keep him happy. I love how much he loves rocks and how much pride he takes in making his family members jewelry.

My grandparents are truly special people.

I have pictures for the Alpha Officers tonight. I am tired and my eyes are puffy (a friend asked me if I had been crying when I got to work today. Lovely) and I want to be in sweats and curled in my bed. I am going to look like the troll in the group tonight. Haha.

I miss my little brother a lot.

I miss my little sister (Bob) a lot too. Even when she looks like this:

This is my new favorite picture of Christ:

I am reading 3 books right now, and that makes me so happy. I love to read, but my life is filled with so many other things, I don’t read like I used to. It makes me feel a little lost, and a little less like myself.

I’m reading:

• Jesus: A Biography, from a Believer by Paul Johnson

• 1940 by Jay Neugeboren

• Forgiving Ourselves: Getting back up when we let ourselves down by Wendy Ulrich

The first one is because I want to know my Savior better. I don’t feel like I truly know Him. I’m trying to change that. The history and context into the world Jesus was born into is great. So far, I can’t put it down! I love it! Next challenge: Jesus The Christ.

The second one, because I’m fascinated with WW2 and Hitler and Nazi’s and history. And because Becki left it at my house. I’ll mail it to you soon, Bex!

The third one, because it was given to me by Wendy Ulrich, who wrote it. It is great so far. I highly recommend it!It brings up some great points, and really helps understand the difference between sin and weakness.

Anyways, those are some random thoughts and updates.


Love,
Brittney

Etruscan Gold Book from 600 B.C. Discovered

The Bulgarian National Museum of History in Sofia, Bulgaria, recently placed on public display an ancient book comprising six pages of 23.82-karat gold (measuring 5 centimeters in length and 4.5 centimeters in width) bound together by gold rings. The plates contain a text written in Etruscan characters and also depict a horse, a horseman, a Siren, a lyre, and soldiers. According to Elka Penkova, who heads the museum's archaeology department, the find may be the oldest complete book in the world, dating to about 600 b.c.


The content of the book suggests that it was made for the funeral of an aristocrat who was a member of the Orpheus cult.1 The Greek philosopher Pythagoras spread the beliefs of the cult (which originated in Thracia) in southern Italy and among the neighboring Etruscan tribes. According to Penkova, about 30 pages from Etruscan books are known from elsewhere, but only in single sheets. The Bulgarian find is the only complete version.

An 87-year-old Bulgarian man from Macedonia, who wishes to remain anonymous, donated the book to the museum. He had discovered the treasure in a tomb unearthed 60 years ago when he was a soldier working on the construction of a canal along the Strouma River in southwestern Bulgaria. According to Bozhidar Dimitrov, director of the museum, the find has been authenticated by experts in Sofia and London. Bulgarian professor Valdimir Georgiev is working on a translation of the text.

The find is significant to Latter-day Saints because the book was prepared about the time Lehi and his family left Jerusalem2 and generally fits the description of the Book of Mormon plates given by Joseph Smith in his letter to John Wentworth:

These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long, and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction, and much skill in the art of engraving. (History of the Church, 4:537)

While the size and number of plates comprising the two documents differ, it is interesting that both sets of plates were of gold3 and were held together by rings.

BBC account here!

Love,
Brittney

ADD and Giants

I can't focus.

AH!

Nothing worse than being at work, and not being able to focus. So, I decided to post something I just discovered that has me totally excited.

Beware - this will show just how big of a nerd I really am.

Giants!

Some other cool pictures and facts:

(A lot of this is taken from this website and Wikipedia)

"Recent gas exploration activity in the south east region of the Arabian desert uncovered a skeletal remains of a human of phenomenal size. This region of the Arabian desert 'Rab-Ul-Khalee'. The discovery was made by the Aramco Exploration team. As God states in the Quran that He had created people of phenomenal size the like of which He has not created since. These were the people of Aad where Prophet Hud was sent. Later these people, who were given all the power, turned against God and the Prophet and transgressed beyond all boundaries set by God. As a result they were destroyed.

Ulema's of Saudi Arabia believe these to be the remains of the people of Aad. Saudi Military has secured the whole area and no one is allowed to enter except the ARAMCO personnel. It has been kept in secrecy, but a military helicopter took some pictures from the air and one of the pictures leaked out into the internet in Saudi Arabia. See the attachment and note the size of the two men standing in the picture in comparison to the size of the skeleton !!

Totally cool, right? I did my homework, and discovered the photo is absolutely and totally.... FAKE. Sad. But it's still cool - and completely believeable. Both the Bible and the Quran speak of giants. And they would be found in this geographic area.

I wonder who came up with the whole bit about it being found by Aramcons digging in the Rub? Sounds pretty legit.

The actual photo is from a mastadon dig in the East - American continent East.

Genesis 6:4 "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."

Giant's skeletons found on earth apparently range up to a towering 36ft in height.

"We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." - Numbers 13:33

The Annunaki, according to ancient Sumerian Texts are responsible for engineering mankind.

According to the ancient texts they come from Nibiru. These ancient texts complement and concur with that which is written in the Bible.

Mummified remains of man taller than a train.

Now for my favorite part. I don't know the validity of this chart or the information given. But  - I like to think it is all completely factual and documented. It's too cool.

A.- Present day modern man which averages about 6-feet tall + or - several inches or more.

B.- 15-foot human skeleton found in southeast Turkey in late 1950's in the Euphrates valley during road construction. Many tombs containing giants were uncovered here. This pertains to the picture of the giant human femur and myself above.

C.- Maximinus Thrax Ceaser of Rome 235-238 A.D. This was an 8' 6" skeleton.
(Wikipedia says: "Ancient sources, ranging from the notoriously unreliable Historia Augusta to Herodian, speak of Maximinus as a man of significantly greater size than his contemporaries. He is, moreover, depicted in ancient imagery as man with a prominent brow, nose, and jaw; symptoms of one form of overgrowth. While the exact size of Maximinus will probably never be known, he was nonetheless likely a man of great size.


According to Historia Augusta, "he was of such size, so Cordus reports, that men said he was eight foot, six inches in height"[4]. It is likely however that this is one of the many 'tall tales' in the Historia Augusta, and is immediately suspect due to its citation of 'Cordus', one of the several fictitious authorities the work cites.
Although not going into the supposedly detailed portions of Historia Augusta, chronicler Herodian, a contemporary of Maximinus, mentions him as a man of greater size, noting that: "He was in any case a man of such frightening appearance and colossal size that there is no obvious comparison to be drawn with any of the best-trained Greek athletes or warrior elite of the barbarians."[5]

Some historians interpret the stories on Maximinus' unusual height (as well as other information on his appearance, like excessive sweating and superhuman strength) as popular stereotyped attributes which do no more than intentionally turn him into a stylized embodiment of the barbarian bandit[6] or emphasize the admiration and aversion that the image of the soldier evoked in the civilian population.[7]

His consistent portrayal as a man with a prominent brow, nose, and jaw, made some researchers to suspect that he may have suffered from overgrowth to some extent in form of acromegaly.[8])

D.- Goliath was about 9 feet + or - a few inches. I Samuel 17:4 late 11th century.

E.- King Og spoken of in Deuteronomy 3:11 whose iron bedstead was approximately 14-feet by 6-feet wide. King Og was at least 12-feet tall, yet some claim up to 18.

F.- A 19'6" human skeleton found in 1577 A.D. under an overturned oak tree in the Canton of Lucerne.

G.- 23-foot tall skeleton found in 1456 A.D. beside a river in Valence, France.

H.- A 25' 6 " skeleton found in 1613 A.D. near the castle of Chaumont in France. This was claimed to be a nearly complete find.

I.- Almost beyond comprehension or believability was the find of the two separate 36-foot human remains uncovered by Carthaginians somewhere between 200-600 B.C.

For more information, go to Wikipedia here!

Love,
Brittney

You know you're an Aramco Brat when...

1. You can't answer the question, "Where are you from?" (And when you do, you get into an elaborate conversation that gets everyone confused and/or makes you sound very spoiled)

2. You flew before you could walk.

3. You have a passport, but no driver's license.

4. You think California is cold.

5. You watch National Geographic specials and recognize someone.

6. You run into someone you know at every airport.

7. Conversations with friends take place at 6:00 in the morning or 10:00 at night.

8. Your life story uses the phrase "Then we went to..." five times.

9. You can speak with authority about the quality of various international airlines. (P.S. British Airways is the best)

10. You feel self conscious around all white people.
11. You get offended when someone turns down an offer for food.

12. You live at school and go home for vacation.

13. You treasure pork and alcohol as highly-valued commodities.

14. You have ever had to wait for prayer call to be over to finish shopping

15. You are fascinated by any wildlife bigger than a gecko.

16. You know the true meaning of "football"

17. You know that it's a small world.

18. You have ever gone to the hammam or endured a shamal.

19. You get all the jokes in Aladdin.

20. Rain is still one of the most wonderful sounds in the world.

21. You haggle with the checkout clerk for a lower price.

22. Your wardrobe can only handle two seasons: hot and warm.

23. Your school memories include duck-and-cover drills and sonic booms.

24. You are used to being stared at.

25. You think VISA is a document stamped in your passport, and not a plastic card you carry in your wallet.

26. You call a chicken burrito a shawrma.

27. Your dorm room/apartment/living room looks a little like a museum with all the "exotic" things you have around.

28. You've heard of hubbly bubbly, and its the only thing you smoke shisha out of!

29. You've woken up in the middle of the night to watch the Superbowl on cable.

30. You have sat in a "men's" or "women's" section in an airport, hospital, or restaurant.

31. You know the geography of the rest of the world, but you don't know the geography of your own country. (Isn't Philadelphia it's own state?)

32. Your best friends are from 5 different countries.

34. You ask your roommate when the houseboy is scheduled to come clean.

35. You read the international section before the comics.

36. You sort your friends by continent.

37. You don’t know where home is.

38. Every time you drink from a water fountain, you think, Water Is Life, Save It.

39. You've run from Security.

40. You can have an educated discussion on the quality/functionality of major International Airports around the world.


I guess I'm just aching to be in Saudi today. In my childhood home, on the streets I know, with the warmth and sunshine and endless swimming pool days. With the racquetball courts down the street, endless sand dunes and quading adventures. Shawarma's and Desi food and crazy Khobar streets, with their gold, stray cats and nauseating odors and fluids. And the beach. Oooh, the beach. The Commissary, its cheesebread, the palm trees, and the gates coming in. 


Yes, I'm an Aramco brat.
My dad works for Saudi Aramco.
I hail to the small compound town of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
I am a TCK (Third Culture Kid).


And I love it.


Love,
Brittney

Spudwood Derby

I am tickled pink to announce the Derby went well. Very well. People are raving about it (well, somthing like that...). Normally people complain about the activities we do - but this time, I've heard nothing negative. I was so stressed about it, it is such a huge relief. The trophy was awarded, and now sits on the shelf of the winning team - towering for all to see. It makes me smile.

Bryan, one of the guys I admin for, came by to tell me the Off-Site was a great success. I asked him if he saw the trophy.

"You made it," he said.

"How did you know?" I said.

"It had Brittney written all over it," he said.

I'm taking that as a huge compliment.

For pictures of the event, the races, the cars, my sign, mine and Rambo's trophy, me and my co-workers, go here and here.

Love,
Brittney

SEO's 2010 Spudwood Derby TROPHY

My department (SEO) is having a big Off-Site tomorrow. If everyone comes, there will be 400 people in attendance. We do this twice a year. There is always a guest speaker, business - and then a team-building activity/service project.

We do huge events and it is crazy and stressful. How could planning something like that for 400 people not be?

This year, I suggested, what if we did a Spudwood Derby? The idea was well recepted (did I mention 375 of the 400 are men?) and I have been trying to get the whole thing orchistrated in less than a week.

Most all the planning, calling and organizing is done... but one thing.

The trophy.

I recurited my fabulous sister, Camree, to help me out. We had a blast.

The Derby is tomorrow - updates to follow!

The Before