The Black-Shirt Theory

Some of you who have lived with me have heard me share this theory, but here is what I think is hard about being single and finding someone to date, I called it the Black-Shirt Theory.

I love black shirts. If I walked you into my room and opened my closet doors you would see a lot of black. I'm not like one of the Von Curtis girls who wear black everyday in an assortment of styles to cut your hair, but I do love black. Almost everyday there is some sort of black clothing on me. There are a variety of reasons I love black, it is slimming, but it also looks great with my hair, but I digress.

I went shopping again this week to look for something new for an occasion I am attending and guess what I came home with? Something black. I have placed bans on myself from buying anything else black, and I actually have been doing pretty well, but this is a fantastic black skirt!

Anyway, everytime I shop I draw to black things and I find something cool and ask myself, do I need it? No, but this one [insert here] has lace, ribbons, cool buttons; is knit, silk, wool, long, short, somehow I think it is different enough, and maybe just that much better than the last black shirt I purchased.

I don't need all those black shirts, in reality I need one, cute, all-purpose, comfortable, goes-with-anything black shirt. And here is how it relates to dating: people seem to always be looking for the next best version of what they already know they want. This girl or guy could be great, but there could be a slightly-improved version out there so they wait to buy. I'm certainly no expert on dating, but do you think finding someone might be like purchasing one fantastic item that you know you love and know goes well with everything in your closet and then deciding to be happy with it?

Jemaa El Fna

The Jemaa El Fna is the night market in Marrakech, Morocco. It is famous for its food, snake charmers, gypsies, music circles, and assortment of the bizzare. It is very oddly enchanting by day, but especially by night. We spent a couple of hours wandering around the square and mingling with the locals, because although tourists do go there, this really is the place where the locals flock by night.


Berber musicians line the square, and yes, that is a chicken on this man's head!


Yes, he is really selling teeth for dentures.


Kissing a snake.


It took a while to get this little guy's paws out of my hair!


A gypsy lady painting my hand with henna - against my will actually, but that is another story!


My favorite treat was the assortment of nuts and figs you could buy - suprisingly safe and suprisingly delicious. Who knew there were so many ways to prepare figs and dates?


My favorite photo of Jemaa El Fna - I think it captures the mystery. In the background of the photo are a few of the many food stalls - steam rising from the grills.

Lil' Bro's Wedding Day

My brother's wedding was actually really beautiful. After a week of snow and rain and clouds, Friday was beautiful and sunny, albeit a little bit chilly. I didn't fall into any pitty-moments which I thought I might, I just enjoyed the whole day and was so thankful for the blessings my little brother has received! The only snag was a last minute costume change where I decided not to wear the dress I purchased for the wedding and threw on a dress I've had for a few years but felt more comfortable in. I didn't even have to use any of my prepared-quips for warding off awkward "why are you still single?" comments!

Three Reasons to Feel Sorry for Me

Three reasons you could feel sorry for me:

1. My little brother is getting married this week, before me.

2. My little sister is in love and looking forward to marriage at some point with her man, before me.

3. I just got kicked out of the singles’ ward and am attending a “conventional,” “regular,” or “family” ward. I am now technically an “older single.”

Reasons you should not feel sorry for me.

1. I really like Reece’s future wife and Brooke’s future husband, and am so (sincerely) extremely excited for them and the blessings they are receiving in their lives. How can I grudge my siblings the blessings I have been looking forward to for so long?

2. I’m adjusting to the family ward. It is nice to not worry about cute boys and having to meet them in the ward. It is going to take a little bit longer for me to get used to not checking out the good-looking men, because in my ward they are all married. I have a handful of single girl-friends in the ward so I have people to sit by. It is A LOT louder, but the cute kids make me want to have babies, if I should ever find a man. And maybe now I will be more aware, later in life, of the single people in the church and the way they need the married members to reach out to them, because it’s true, being single in a family ward, makes you feel like a weird-0.

3. Life is good. I just got back from Paris and Morocco, and am starting graduate school. My life is good; the Lord has really blessed me.