Nice Blog

I love presents!

2008-10-09T22:18:00.008-04:00

Today is John Lennon's 68th birthday. His son Sean was also born this day in 1975. Something says Miguel Cervantes of Don Quixote fame has a birthday today too (although other sources say September...things way back in the 1500's were hard to keep track of apparently). It's my birthday too. Birthdays are fun.

After I got home from work today, I looked at the mail. I got a lovely card from my grandma, a card from Provident Clinical Research offering me a free cholesterol screening if I go to Indiana, and another letter from my dear mother. I knew she was sending me something because she asked me for my address the other day, but I did not know what it was. Here is the back of the envelope:
Hooray for birthday letters! Thanks mom! I opened it up. Here is the inside:

Happy Birthday. Pay your bills.

i'm it.

2008-09-25T21:35:00.006-04:00

I was recently tagged by Hiderhead. The tag started with Les (who we have to thank for all the lowercase i's), and moved to Tian, then Hide and Dev, and now it is here. Last time I did a tag thing, I opted not to tag anyone else and that got me nowhere. So, this time I am tagging Control because she likes lists, Ferskner to get her to write another post, and Renny because a tag is almost like a cookie.

i am - making space on my too-full hard drive

i think - most everyone has something wonderful about them even if it takes effort to find it.

i want - everyone I love to live near me.

i have - goals.

i wish - there were 28 hours in a day instead of 24.

i hate - the phrases: "my bad" and "cool beans"

i miss - affection.

i fear - large ocean waves and meal planning.

i feel - like I should exercise.

i hear - that election time is coming up.

i smell - after-rain freshenss.

i search - for low prices on a GPS system.

i wonder - why there are more entertaining TV shows now than there were 10 years ago.

i regret - not making sure I had insurarnce before having health tests run.

i love - calculating my gas milage every time I fill up the tank.

i care - about putting spiders outside instead of killing them. (They eat mosquitoes! Why kill them?!)

i always - wear mascara.

i am not - happy with my cell phone coverage.

i believe - I can fly.

i dance - not enough when I should, and too often when I shouldn't.

i sing - ok when I have a strong singer in my range to follow.

i don't always - go to bed on time.

i write - illegibly when I am upset, nervous, or falling asleep.

i win - often at card games, sometimes at raffels and drawings, rarely at debates, and never at frisbee.

i lose - personal items less than I used to, and know right where my keys are.

i never - enjoy getting up before 6:30 AM.

i listen - to the NPR stories Ferskner sends me.

i can usually be found - close to a computer.

i'm scared - of losing my teeth, having to get fake ones, and click-clacking them without noticing.

i read - scriptures, emails, blogs, Russian articles, genre fiction, and YA literature.

i'm happy about - the array of opportunities that life never ceases to provide.

(If you didn't get tagged and want to be, go ahead and do it on your own, but let me know so I can read it!)

Gratitude?

2008-09-15T19:19:00.004-04:00

I am all for being grateful. Really. I think life is easier that way. I am more pleasant to be around when I am, and sometimes it rubs off on other people. All in all, being grateful has abounding benefits.

You may have read the book The Hiding Place, or if you haven't (like me), you may have heard it referenced in a church talk or lesson (as I did again yesterday). There is one part of the book where there are the two sisters and one of the sisters expresses gratitude for even the fleas and the lice. It turned out that the fleas and the lice were actually quite helpful to them, as they repelled the mean guards, and the sisters were able to do their Bible study. Hooray for lice and fleas!

No matter how many times I have heard this story, can't help it. I really hate mosquitoes. I am not grateful for them in any way. I hate their little buzzing noises, I hate itching, and I hate that they suck my blood. They don't even need my blood to live! They just do it because they like it. And they are mean. Maybe someday I will find a reason to like them. I will discover that mosquitoes actually helped me increase my salary, or that their saliva strengthens my immune system, or that Heiderhead loves them, can't live without them and moves in with me to be closer to them. Until one of those things happens, I don't think I can find a reason to be grateful for them. I have three words for you. West. Nile. Virus. If you can tell me a good reason to keep mosquitoes around, I will give you a cookie. Food for other animals is not a good enough reason. I know dragonflies eat them, but they can eat other things! The other birds and bats that like them don't even like them that much. Here you go: A picture. In case you were not convinced that they are horrible and deserving of hatred.

Letter

2008-09-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

Dear Family,

I have to fill out all these benefit things for my job starting on Monday and one of them is my life insurance policy. I was just going to go ahead and put mom as the beneficiary, but since you are all my family, I may just write out all your names, pick one out of a hat, and that is my new beneficiary.

Here is the short list of rules for my new beneficiary:

You will not know you are the beneficiary until my death, thereby lessening the motivation to kill me.
Once you receive money for my death, you have to distribute it in this way: 80% of the money to the rest of the family, 10% to do with what you please, 10% for tithing. The manner in which it is distributed to the family can ultimately be up to you, but take others' happiness into consideration.
If my beneficiary is under the age of 18, his/her parents will have control of the money either until he/she is of age, or the parents and child can decide on something to use the money for together.
Once I get married, sorry, the deal is off. My husband will be my new beneficiary.

So, if I die, one of you should expect a check in the mail. (Bribes for name picking will be accepted starting immediately.)

Love,

La Dolcezza

Blueburry

2008-08-30T01:11:00.011-04:00

Strawberry? Blueberry? Both favorites.

I think fake strawberry flavor is more popular than fake blueberry flavor. Strawberry Quick has been around for ages. (No, I'm not talking about the meth kind. Just the normal stawberry quick; pink milk goodness.) See how old this can looks?

More recently some candy companies have been exploring the realms of the fake strawberry universe. I think Whoppers did an excelent job! I found them slightly addicting and there was a good mixture of malt flavor mixed with fake strawberry. Mmmmm...

My favorite fake strawberry flavored food item, however, is this:

Strawberry Delight Frosted Mini-Wheats. I love them. I think I may love them more than I love any other cereal. They are just sweet enough to be adored, but are wheaty enough to fill you up and be crunchy. AND when you are done, you have automatic strawberry milk without having to buy Quick. It's like two fake strawberry products in one! I buy other cereals too because a) I like mixing things up a bit and b) more often than not, Strawberry Delight is not on sale and Cinnamon Life is cheaper.

Yesterday morning as I was watching presidential stuff, a commercial came on. I don't remember what it was for, but it wasn't directly for Mini-Wheats. There was just a glimpse of the box of Mini-Wheats showing, but it was enough for me to see that it was a blue box with the words "Blueberry Muffin" on it. I was sold. I crave them without even seeing them in real life. I am secretly hoping that Whoppers will catch on to this as well. Although, I don't know that I will be excited for blueberry milk. It's just not the same for some reason.

Life Shift

2008-08-23T12:37:00.003-04:00

The Olympics aren't over yet, but it's getting close, and I don't have a TV anymore. Time for another post.
I moved. I no longer live in Indiana. I am quite sad about that actually, but I am excited about the new things that will come into my life by living near our nation's capital. I find it odd, however, that some of the things that I will miss and some of the things I am looking forward to are the exact opposite. How does that work?

I will miss:

The small town feel where I started to get to know some of the members of my community.
My small branch. I knew everyone there and often knew what was going on in their lives.
The beautiful scenery that was available just outside of town.
My part-time jobs when I had control over my hours.
Having my own apartment. OK, I didn't have it all to myself, but it seemed like it sometimes. There was enough space and I could often be found home alone that I got used to having that all to myself.
Relying on other people to be my surrogate family since mine is far away.

I am looking forward to:

Living near the big city. There is always something interesting going on when you live near a big city. There is a different rhythm and life to the city that is invigorating and exciting
The large amount of Church members in the DC area. There are so many people to get to know!
If there isn't something I want in my part of town (like a Trader Joe's for example) then I can just go to another town, or another state, or another store, the possibilities are endless.
Having a full-time job with benefits and a salary. I haven't had one of those before, bu I think there are going to be some good things about it.
3 fun roommates that are involved and including.
Having real members of my family nearby.

All my stuff is in my new place, but before I get settled, I thought I'd go to Utah, sit in my mother's living room and try to distinguish the difference between the rooster, the peacock, and the cat outside. The alpacas and the goats I pretty much have down at this point.

08/08/08 Olympics!!!

2008-08-08T12:02:00.006-04:00

When I woke up this morning, one of my very first thoughts was "It's Olympic day!!! Hooray!!!" I love the Olympics. I love them with all of my heart. I love them more than I I love low gas prices, and more than I love dark chocolate with raspberries.

I remember watching the Olympics from a young age and being impressed when the foreign exchange student from Spain we had stay with us was an Olympic hoola hoop/ribbon something or other. I also remember watching some gymnastics with my mother and grandmother one summer. After one routine was over, my grandmother said "La Dolcezza, you could be an Olympic gymnast!" Then she and my mother just both started laughing and laughing. Apparently, most Olympic gymnasts don't end up being 6 feet tall.

I will admit that my main passion for the Olympics came in 2002 when the winter games came to Salt Lake City. I had a free month and decided to volunteer. Despite the frigid weather and tight security just after 9/11, Salt Lake City was alive with camaraderie, competition, and purple jackets, which Mitt is modeling below.

I had the opportunity to make the daily commute from Provo to Salt Lake to work in the Olympic Village at the Olympic Museum. If you ever get a chance to visit Lausanne, Switzerland, go visit the Olympic Museum. It is awesome. Being in the Olympic Village I got to meet gold medalists, the Jamaican bobsled team, Prince Albert, had access to free concerts all the time, and watched events live. I have a collection of Olympic pins somewhere in my stuff, and remember the 2002 berret craze? Watch out for the Brazilian team. They are way too good looking for their own good and quite flirty.

The most amazing thing to me about the Olympic games, however, was how many people from all parts of the world came together in one place to combine in a celebration and competition of unity, friendship and peace.

So, don't forget about the Olympics this year. I know, I will have my TV on and watching any spare moments. I may even feel the need to tape the opening ceremonies.

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

Time, time, time

2008-08-05T19:50:00.003-04:00

There once was a time when I had a job that allowed me to be online all day, get paid for it, and let me do anything that I wanted at the same time. I still fulfilled all my responsibilities, don't you worry, but there was always that fun downtime to look things up and find fun things. I'm sure some of you can relate to this situation. I know some of you can relate to this situation.

Fortunately, (or unfortunately if you see it that way) that is not the case for me at the moment. I actually have to do a lot of things at work at the moment, and I don't expect a change in that when I change jobs and become a real adult with a full-time job with benefits for the first time in my life. I think I will have stuff to do. That is good, because having work at work is actually much more fulfilling than playing on the internet right?

Anyway, I thought I would give you a few of the things that I would keep up on better if I had the time. I know you all know some good ones too, so feel free to leave your favorite down-time-at-work sites!

gofugyourself.com These girls are hilarious and it totally fulfills my celebrity gossip needs.
pioneerwoman.com Her food and photography looks so good I am tempted to lick the screen. Don't worry. I have boundaries. If you want a good love story that will make your stomach do flips, read her From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels installments. So good!
Postsecret.com PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. There are books, there is a blog, there is awesomeness. Be cautious at work, however.
people.com I have my have said that the fug girls fill all my celebrity gossip needs, but I may have forgotten that I like people magazine and consequently people.com. It's fun. Don't judge me.
npr.org That's my redemption for reading silly things. OK, sometimes NPR is silly, but there are some amazing things on there too! Ferskner sends me articles that I like, then I continue listening to other things as they come up.
unshelved.com The library comic strip. OK, I am slightly library nerdy.
I went through an engrish.com phase, a calvinandhobbs.com phase, and a homestarrunner.com phase, but they don't hold as much interest for me now. Not that I don't love them still, they just get a combined and slight mention.
Post and comment more on blogs and facebook pictures and walls. Who doesn't like comments?! Sometimes it just takes too much effort to think of clever things to say, and sometimes I am stalking and don't want to let my presence be known. This is also a thank you to all of you who are frequent commenters on this blog. I like you.
Chat more. I like chat (google in particular), it is fun.

I must say that while work does keep me busy these days, because I actually do have to work, it is not the only thing in my life I am doing. Hopefully, by the time I move states and jobs, I will have just a little more time to update more frequently. There will be less blog slacking (blacking?? slogging??) soon.

Robot

2008-07-30T00:03:00.002-04:00

Thank you Shelley for the picture.

For more robot related fun, please listen to this. Or start wearing one of these. Or see me late at night for "fuzzy robot" look.

To market to market!

2008-07-21T01:51:00.014-04:00

For years now, I have enjoyed trying new treats from new places. I have found that often, the treats from other cultures are quite tasty and that there are reasons whey they like them. Russian ice cream is a dream, then there was the time when Heiderhead and I made the whole family wander around Guatemala city stopping at all the street vendors to try everything they were selling. (Except Nat. She couldn't try anything because she didn't want to throw up on the side of the van any more than necessary.)

One of my new favorite places to get treats, however, is at the Asian market. There are so many good ones!

First off, Coconut juice:

My mother actually got me started on many of these treats. Coconut juice is one of them. Both times she has visited me in Indiana, we have found ourselves at the Asian market buying treats. She said I had to try this stuff, and I have been hooked ever since. There is something magical about it. It cures thirst instantaneously and even thought the logical part of my brain knows there is nothing addicting in it, I crave it. I keep going back for more and more. You can get it with either pulp or jelly. Both are good in my opinion. Mom and I bought three different kinds to see what one was the best. I like them all!

Next up? Hi-Chew:

This came from Tian Tian. Thank you Tian! I've passed on the Hi-Chew goodness to others in town too. (Dr. D. PhD loves them.) The mango really tastes like mango. They are not gum, though. Don't make the mistake of trying to blow a bubble. It won't work, just chew then swallow. (note: if Tian is distracted by talking on the phone in an Asian market, tell her, "here it's good, try it." She totally will. Mmmmm squid.)

Gummy Choco:

I don't know what a muscat is. I take that back. I do know what a muscat is. That's not the point. The point is that as a Gummy Choco:muscat flavor is mmmmmm good. Perfect gummy texture and the choco is so creamy and delicious. Try it today!

Those are old standbys now. Tried and true favorites. This week, I was ready to try something new. Since I don't have any trips out of the country planned any time soon. I decided to just go back to my favorite Asian market and see what I could find. I found two gems.

For just one dollar and fifty cents, this whole package of Jelly Strips can be yours. (I seem to be attracted to things that are gummy or jelly. That seems weird. Oh well, they're good!)

Honestly, they are kind of gross. But I keep eating them! That's not because I feel the need not to waste them either. I just kind of like them even though they are a little icky. You really need to see and taste it in person to understand what it is about, but I'll cut one open for you so you can see it. (note: licking the screen will not help you determine the flavor, especially if you are at work. Don't do it.)

Can you see the consistency of the stuff? It's jelly like, but not chewy at all. Just kind of melt in your mouth jelly. I can't tell what flavor any of them are. Does it really matter? No. I just eat it.

Here we have what I like to think of as Asian Top Ramen. Except Top Ramen is Asian, so, it's not really that.

Instead of the noodles being yucky ramen noodles, they are made of bean threads. So good! You may think it that wouldn't be the case since all beans are yucky and I don't like eating thread, but they are good.

Here are bean threads cooking:

And the finished product:

The back of the package says,"Should be plenty of soup when just done." It's true. Plenty of soup! Plenty of flavor! Plenty of bean threads!

I encourage all to try new treats. You may find some you just can't live without.

To shave or not to shave?

2008-07-13T23:45:00.004-04:00

Here's my beard
Ain't it weird?
Don't be skeerd
It's just a beard.
-George Carlin

Gratefully, I have never had to shave my face. I never expect to have to actually, and if it gets to the point where I do, I am not opposed to lasers to help me out with that. I'm thinking I'll probably be OK. For all you men, who do shave your faces, I think sometimes girls forget that it is a fair amount of work and many of you do it every day. Of course, legs are usually bigger than faces, so maybe it evens out, but I'm just trying to show some appreciation.

If you decide you want to stop shaving for a while, I'm pretty much OK with that. It may even be preferable from time to time. I'm often pro-facial hair. Not always. Clean shaven is nice too, and unruly facial hair is kind of icky. If you do decide to go all out, however, let me point you to a little friendly competition that has been going since 1990. The World Beard and Moustache Championships. It's in Alaska in 2009, so start getting ready. There may be other more local competitions such as the North American contest held in Washington last week. I wanted you to know that there are these options out there, in case you are inclined to take advantage of them.
This could be you:

The third best holiday in July*

2008-07-09T01:17:00.007-04:00

FREE SLURPEE DAY!!!

So, Heiderhead did beat me to it, but I just watned to share my enthusiasm for this great holiday. It's this Friday, and you can go and get a free Slurpee at your nearby 7/11 store. Hopefully you have one nearby. Mine is not that near and there is only one in town, but I will be there!

Also, for some reason, my city decided to cancel fireworks on the 4th because of "rain." (There was no evening rain.) So, now we have them on the 11th. Happy 11th of July.

*First best: actual 4th of July.
Second best: Pioneer Day- I'm a Utah girl at heart.

Numbers

2008-07-02T22:44:00.004-04:00

Everyone keeps talking about their stimulus checks. It's been going on for a while now, these stimulus checks. I pay taxes, but do not have one. Stupid 99 ending on my SS number.

Joy

2008-06-30T02:07:00.003-04:00

Today was one of those Sundays when I walked into my meeting, looked at the program and was overjoyed to see the names of the two speakers on the program. I feel like I try to be supportive of all the speakers in my branch because we really do have some great talks there, but these two are some of my favorite to hear speak. I will admit to you my nerdiness by telling you that I took extensive notes, but I will not repeat all those notes here. I will just leave you with one little bit:

...men are that they might have joy. 2 Nephi 2:25

We are not here to simply endure, but we are here to find joy. In William Faulkner's 1950 Noble Prize acceptance speech he closed with this:

"It is easy enough to say that man is immortal because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking. I refuse to accept this. I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail."

I do not claim to be a poet. (Unless you count haikus- I can whip out those in mere seconds...) But I do believe there is opportunity to see beauty all around, to find joy in our situations, our service, through change, though commitment, and with our choices. We do not need to only endure what has been handed to us, but we we are to find joy!

Recommends

2008-06-24T23:52:00.007-04:00

These are my Top Summer 2008 recommendations if you have the time and opportunity:

FIREFLIES!
Liquid Nitrogen frozen ice cream (while your at it, get some Dippin' Dots. They are not as tasty, but oh, so much fun.)
Starting out true stories with the words: "It was the bottom of the ninth! Two strikes, two outs, we were down 5-7..."
Snowcones
Catching somewhere around 30 teeny tiny frogs, putting them all in one plastic cup, then letting them go one at a time while giving them names to remember you by
Running a 5K
Finding the best homemade pie in your area
Summer reading that is entertaining even if it does nothing to further your intellect
The Drive-in
Fireworks
Stargazing from a very sparsely populated area very late at night
Berry picking
Live music
Lego Indiana Jones
Nightswimming
A Super Secret Crush (heretofore referred to as SSC) at you place of work or school/Summer romance
Supporting Youthful Entrepreneurship by buying lemonade/candy/glowsticks from children

Things to avoid this summer:

Driving on deserted roads anytime past 1:00 AM to figure out your own detours caused by floods while simultaneously dodging deer, raccoons, opossums, rabbits, skunks, cats, and foxes
Sunburns
Running a 5K in the pouring rain
Mosquitoes
Shingles/scabies/chiggers/fleas/skin bugs or diseases of any sort
Library fines

This post may be updated as necessary. Feel free to leave any Summer 2008 suggestions of your own.

Car naps

2008-06-20T09:22:00.010-04:00

There is something about riding in vehicles that just makes you sleepy. Maybe it's the constant humming in the background, or maybe it's just the boring company. Whatever it is, you are not advised to take naps if you are in control of the wheel. And be careful if you don't want your sleepy picture on the internets, you are riding with me, and I happen to have a camera.After a while Little Brother caught on to what I was doing. Then, he got a camera of is own... Despite what it looks like, I'm sleeping, not crying over a broken heart, or a lost camera.

Fire in the Sky

2008-06-16T00:57:00.005-04:00

It seems like every time I fly these days something goes wrong. There was the plane malfunction of Christmas break '07 where I had to spend the night in Salt Lake City with no luggage, the late planes and delays, and I think the bag delivery guy knows right where I live now because he has had to come at least three times. This time I am not flying back. I am going to end my vacation by driving home to Indiana, just because I think it will be faster and I know where all my stuff will be at the end of the trip! (My driving back doesn't really have anything to do with flights, it just makes me sound more angry that way right?)

On my way to Utah, I first sat on the Indianapolis runway for over an hour as O'Hare (I curse you O'Hare) was not letting planes fly into Chicago. That was actually not so bad as my neighbor was a friendly young man on his very first plane ride to go to boot camp for the Navy. "Here's my email address, but I can' check it until November." He was fun.
By the time I finally got to Chicago, I, of course, had missed my flight to Salt Lake. A very helpful lady transferred me to a new flight that was just delayed over an hour, but would still get me to Utah the same day. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised at the announcement that came over the speakers from the captain telling us there would be another delay, but this was something new: "One of the panels is giving us a reading that there is a fire in the cargo hold. We don't think there really is a fire, so stay on the plane, but the fire department has to come check out the fake fire, so we will be here a little while."

Now that it has been a couple days and I have had time to forget about it, it doesn't seem quite as funny to me as it did well past midnight when I had to keep calling my mother and telling her new times to pick me up: 9:05 PM, 12:40 AM, 1:30 AM, 2:15 AM, and finally getting in at 2:40AM because of the fake fire at Chicago O'Hare (curse you O'Hare). At least the firemen right under my window were friendly. After I took their picture they looked up and waved. Hello friendly firemen. I guess flying to Utah would just not be the same if it all went right. I do love a good adventure.

Weekend

2008-06-10T14:36:00.003-04:00

I hope I do not die.

New Roommate

2008-06-02T21:31:00.006-04:00

I recently got a new roommate. Like roommates of the past, we have some things in common, and some differences. I've discovered that the best way to go is to have enough similarities that you get along and have things to relate well with each other, but differences are OK too. You can learn and appreciate and work things out to everyone's satisfaction.
So, here are the things we have in common:

green eyes
long hair
enjoyment of looking out windows or sliding doors
liking attention, but mainly on our own terms
love of sleep (although she usually gets more than I do)

Our differences keep things interesting in the apartment:

I go to work and am out of the apartment most of the day while she hardly ever leaves
She likes to jump out of enclosed spaces (such as the kitchen sink) to shock and surprise guests, while I usually greet at the door
my hair has pink highlights while hers is a boring white and gray
If I squint my eyes at you, it may be a sign of anger, while hers is a sign of contentment

Here she is:

Contentment, not anger.

It's a miracle! (fruit)

2008-05-29T23:01:00.010-04:00

Over a year ago you could find a post about it on Recueilli, now the New York Times is talking about it. Any relation? Well, probably not, but I figured I better get on the bandwagon quick. I've been promoting this stuff in Indiana, but if you haven't heard of it, it's awesome. MIRACLE FRUIT! (Thanks to Chinese Maple for the article!)

It's a berry with magical-like properties. Also, if you leave it in your cupboard too long, it turns kind of brown, but it still works! It masks your sour taste buds, so when you eat certain foods, it changes their flavor. I think grapefruit and lime are my favorites. They taste like candy. Grapefruit and lime flavored candy.

If you happen to get your hands on some of this stuff, it is totally worth trying out. I do have some left that I may be willing to share if you are in town, ask nicely, and bringing a hot male friend along doesn't hurt either.

I got my supply from the parents. They tend to come up with crazy ideas that are entertaining for all. For example: Let's put crystal menthol into the hot tub, it will make you body feel cold and on fire at the same time, OR let's get a herd of ______________ (insert animal species here: alpacas, sheep, ducks, chickens, bees) won't that be fun? OR We're going to Guatemala for vacation. I bought you a ticket and I invited your best friend to translate, OK?

These are the people I got my supply of miracle fruit from. I love my famliy.

So, look at the NY Times article because they promote it more eloquently than I do, this fruit is amazing.

Bahahaha!

2008-05-27T14:27:00.002-04:00

Bills, bills, bills

2008-05-22T23:41:00.005-04:00

You get junkmail right? Do you read your junkmail? Do you know the difference of a bill and junkmail? I thought I did. Actually, I'm convinced I still do.

When I first moved to this town we decided to start paying for utilities. Gas and electric were not necessary, but easier and maybe cheaper than all those candles would have been in the long run. We signed up. We also signed up with the cable internet company Insight so we could keep ourselves entertained. The TV I brought out here with me was approximately 4x4 inches and after about 30 minutes of watching a movie, a purple blob would start to form in one of the corners of the screen. We deemed the extra fee for cable television (the only way to get any TV stations here) an unnecessary expense, and continued to watch movies on the computer screen 2 feet in front of the couch. We didn't get many visitors over to watch movies.

After a while I did manage to acquire a larger television. It is quite pleasant to watch things on. I can sit all the way across the room and still see important details and there isn't a permanent folding chair with a computer placed on top in the middle of the living room.

Just over a month ago my previous and excellent roommate called me up and said, "Comcast called me and said they are turning off the internet tomorrow. Maybe you should call them."
I thought it was odd since I have been paying bills to Insight for over a year. Why do I owe Comcast money? I don't care what Comcast does as long as Insight doesn't do anything to the service they are providing me with. I called anyway, just to see what was happening. This is what the Comcast lady said to me:
"We took over the Insight company by force and are now providing your internet services. Stop throwing away the bills we send you and pay us a large amount of money now to make up for your negligence. Thank you. Goodbye."

How was I supposed to know that they changed? OK, I'm sure they sent some kind of notice, but do you ever read those letters they send you? I've done it before. All they say is "You are not participating in all our services. If you want to give us just a few hundred dollars more a month you can have every kind of entertainment you little heart desires. It's a great deal. Really." I take the bill out and throw the rest of it away.

Anyway, they told me that I was all paid through May and if I stopped throwing bills away, life would be much happier.

Just this week I got a new bill from Comcast. I looked at it, looked at the garbage can, looked at the envelope again, decided to open it and write them a check. When I opened it, I looked at my services ad right on top: Basic Cable Television $14.95. I ran into the living room, lifted up my large TV, heaved it to where the short cable is on the other side of the room and plugged it in. I have cable television! I've had it for months! Maybe the switch over letter said something about that too. Who knows? I threw it away. I turned on American Idol and watched my first full episode ever. I think I may keep this cable thing going. I haven't had basic cable since sometime in 1996. Yep, married off the roommates, keeping the TV. Comcastic.

Follow that fruit

2008-05-16T23:13:00.010-04:00

I went clubbing this weekend. You may find yourself asking, "which club is the most happening in Indiana?" I'll tell you. It's Sam's Club. OK, I would have prefered it to have had a little, if not a lot, more dancing there. My prime purchase? Apriums. Have you heard of these delightful fruits? I had not. 2/3 apricot and 1/3 plum. They are quite tasty. I had heard of pluots. Pluots were a summer 2006 favorite. 3/4 plum and 1/4 apricot. Have a napkin ready when you eat one. Mmmmm... juicy. Apparently there are also plumcots. Half and half, but I have yet to try one.

I recently figured out that I have been revolving my life around seasonal fruits. I think it started out subconsciously, but the more I think about it, the more I want to give in to the power of seasonal fruits. I planned a trip to Utah this summer with other things in mind, but knowing that I would be there in the height of the strawberry season. Strawberries from the store are pretty and big, but the sweetness just doesn't compare to the fresh picked ones at home. Papa J informed me that there may not be very many there this year, which saddened my heart, but I still have hope.

I have also been looking forward to, with anticipation, the blueberry season. Look at these blueberries. This is what last years pickings were. True, I did not pick them. Chinese Maple did, but I ate them. I also made a pie out of them.

Just after I found out I was moving to the D.C. area for sure, Nattles called me and left me a message. This is what it said: "I just wanted to let you know that if you move here by the end of August, you will be here for raspberry season. There is a place we can go to pick them. You pay for the ones you pick, but while you are there, you can eat as many as you want. Call me, bye." I am moving to D.C. by the end of August. Those raspberries sealed the deal.

Thwarted!

2008-05-12T00:19:00.006-04:00

Starting in January of 2008, every other month I have been participating in a little contest. It is to help keep on track with healthy eating, exercise, and good habits. It's called "Nice Healthy Log" and yes, I named it. I'm just not that creative with names OK?

So, I've recruited various family and friends to participate with me in this venture. You get points for doing things like drinking water (1 point for every 16 oz), eating fruits and vegetables (2 points), not eating sugar (5 points), exercise (5 points), etc. Each day you record your points then, whoever has the most points at the end of the month receives as an award for diligence and being generally healthy: 10$ from each of the other participants.

In January I won. There were sacrifices made for that win too, believe me. I rejected a desired date because I knew I had to get to be early to get my 8 hours sleep (2 points) and I also knew I couldn't eat 2 hours before bed time (3 points). March was a little different. It was just Papa J and I competing and it was also spring break. Spring break was not all that healthy. I still won. Now it is May and there are several more participants (even if they are slacking). Papa J is determined not to have me win for the third time in a row.

In the past Nice Healthy Log has been fairly individual up until the end of the month when we compared points, but this month Papa J's been checking up on me. Making sure that I ordered Diet Coke when I was out to dinner (No soda 3 points) and checking on my exercise. This, however is his latest trick: A large box of fancy chocolate covered strawberries! How can I not eat those?!

I got the flowers first, then the strawberries came. "Happy Graduation and future mother." The flowers are lovely. I both remembered and decided simultaneously that I really like getting flowers. Getting chocolate covered strawberries is not bad either under normal circumstances. Papa J's comment? "Eat just one a day... hehehe."

I'm still going to win!

I Just Can't Get Enough

2008-05-08T12:59:00.003-04:00

My classes ended quite a whlie ago now. Graduation is finished. I got a lemon yellow hood. I listened to Will Shortz speak. Summer term started up for those poor souls who are still slaving away to qualify for a degree. I see them and have just the slighted bit of smugness as I walk past now.

So, I'm not quite sure why I emailed one of my past professors and asked him if I could come to one of his classes over the summer. I never got to take that class when it was offered. The timing was just not right. But that doesn't warrent signing up for an extra class after I have graduated does it?

After much thought and deliberation, I think I figured out why I decided to go to this class. As an added bonus of liking the material, the professor is hilarious! I don't know if he means to be, but he is. Last semester he said "America is great. In other countries, if you die, there is nothing you can do about it."

Last night as I was sitting for three hours in my new extra class, someone asked a question along the lines of "What happens if you mess up when searching?"

This was his answer: "It is not too bad to make a mistake here, but in real life you don't make mistakes, cause you have it memorized." I think that was his way of telling us to memorize all the stuff he went over, but for me it was just endearing and made me a little sad that I have to miss three hours of class on Friday night. If I didn't have exciting weekend plans, I'd be even more sad.

Another One Bites the Dust

2008-05-05T00:50:00.004-04:00

I have figured out what my superpower is. I have not figured out how to control it, or why there are a very few immune to it, but I know what it is. I have the amazing powers to help roommates get married. Really. I have suspected these powers for a long time, but as time goes on, I just get more confirmations that getting roommates married is what my superpower is. I'd have preferred it to be teleporting, but I'll take what I can get. While living with me, I have had a total of 15 roommates get engaged and/or married. There are only 3 that I know of who have lived with me and never have been married*, or a total of 13%. That means that I have a a 87% success rate of marrying off roommates. I will be roommateless in a week or so. There will also be an extra room in my apartment. Let me know if there is a nice girl in your life that needs to get married.

*If you happen to be one of the three and reading this, you have some kind of immunity to my powers. Maybe you should try living with me again and I will focus harder on getting them to work on you.

Bicycle! BICYCLE!

2008-04-30T23:41:00.007-04:00

There is this one Queen song I like. I had it on a playlist back in 2001 when Little Big Sister Tricia and I took Little Brother on vacation. He loved it and wouldn't stop singing it the whole time. Now that he's 12, and cool, he doesn't know why I still bring it up or sing it to him.

I bought a bike! I figured it is now spring. Spring will turn into summer. What better way to pass the summer than riding down the streets with the wind in my hair while I am on my way to work or various venues around town? Plus, it adds that much more exercise to my day.

It was pretty cheap to get and although it's far from brand new, I think it has a lot of character. I may have to get a new seat. One that goes up just a little higher and that is a little softer would be ideal. There is also a kickstand. I remember from my younger biking days that real bikes don't have kickstands, but I like mine. It helps it stand up. My favorite parts of my bike, however, is the basket and the bell. I believe bells are required by Indiana state law, but baskets are not. They just come in handy when you happen to work at a library and need to put all your books somewhere while you ride. Happy graduation to myself. This summer is going to be great.

Springtime

2008-04-27T23:01:00.018-04:00

No doubt many of you have been experiencing the same phenomenon that tends to happen every year: Springtime. Last week, on top of finishing final projects and going to last days of classes, I also decided to volunteer for extra unpaid hours at work. Despite not having any time to do anything outside of work and homework last week, I'm glad I volunteered. It was fun. Several nights after working late, I got to walk the 3/4 mile back to my car to drive home. The whole way back I could think of nothing but how good it smelled. I maybe should have had thoughts of buying mace for the next time I had to walk that far alone in the dark, but it just smelled to good to think of that. It was all the flowers that smelled good (not the frat houses). So, to celebrate springtime, Surprise and I went for a little picture taking walk this afternoon. I don't claim to be a top photographer, I just like all the pretty trees and flowers here right now. Also, does anyone else have the problem of springtime twitterpation? Sorry, no pictures of that.

Tag

2008-04-25T13:31:00.003-04:00

Jeremy sneakily tagged me a few days ago. I am following through. Tag is a fun game.

Tag Rules: List 5 facts or habits about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag 5 people and post their names. Go to their blog and leave them a comment letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog for more details.

1. I am good at tag on ice. I am also good at making circles on ice, but only to the right. "I can't turn left."

2. I have a good selective memory. I don't remember all date and names, but a lot of them. My best friend in 2nd Christa: January 7th. Angela in my 11th grade math class: March 10th. Jared from my freshman ward at BYU: March 28th. Cindy Lauper: June 20th. I have to be careful not to freak people out when I say things like, "The last time I saw The Bourne Supremacy" was July 6th, 2005" or, "Weren't you wearing your brown shirt and pink sweater at that party?" It doesn't work for everything, just some things. Selective.

3. I hate all beans except the jelly kind.

4. I am very good at flossing daily.

5. A guilty pleasure of mine is celebrity magazines. I don't trust most of them. Star, OK weekly, and US weekly are very unreliable in my opinion. People is the only way to go.

Ummm... This is a fun game, but I don't want to make you play if you don't want. So, if you do, you are tagged and if not, that's OK.

Headless

2008-04-21T10:48:00.008-04:00

It's the last week in the semester. The one when I have all my final projects due ans stuff, you know. So, I decided to take off and go to Louisville for the weekend for fun, family, food, alpacas, and other adventures. I didn't really plan that to come in the middle of my final week in my final semester, but that's how it happened. I'll still graduate, don't you worry.

Trip stats:

Friends who decided I would be a perfect wife for their single son/brother-in-law/bother/friend's brother-in-law: 2
Boxes of Red Vines my mom gave me: 5
Pizzas eaten : 3 (total pizzas eaten in 2008 : 3)
Combined number of alpacas, wallabies, geese, and goats I pet: 276
Family members that came to visit: 8
Points I made in my turn while trying to maneuver a very large truck out of a very blocked in parking lot: 34

This trip was also the first time I have been to the Zoo in a few years. I have to say, the Louisville Zoo is not bad. It's not as impressive as San Diego, but one million times better than the Penza, Russia zoo. (I think there were a total of 10 under-cared for animals at that zoo, but they did have good ice cream.)
After we saw the gorillas, they had that place on the wall where you can measure your body size to a gorilla body size. I told Little Brother to stand there and I would take his picture. He's 12. And if you can't tell, he's cool. Here's a better picture of him being cool. (My alien cousin in the back is pretty cool too. you just can't tell from this picture. Trust me, she is.) Anyway, after I took a picture of him measuring up to the gorilla, I made him take one of me. After about 10 tries with my very complicated point-and-shoot camera, he announced that he got one and we can go on to the giraffes now. I went over to look at it, just to make sure, because that one button on the camera you have to push to take the picture can be complicated. Little Brother totally cut off my head! Who needs to see that part anyway? The important part is the gorilla body. Even without my head, you can see that a gorilla and I are not the same size.

After the zoo, we went back to the alpaca auction. Since we were there early enough, I changed my clothes and went up on stage to auction off an alpaca. I told Papa J to take a picture of me when I was auctioning off the animal and gave him my camera. This is what I found on my camera when I got it back: Papa J cut off my head! The important part is that he got the animal. (The one we no longer own since it sold.) My head is not important. Like father, like son.

In Papa J's defense, he did get one with my head in it. Just not the first 4.

Aware

2008-04-15T20:55:00.001-04:00

Apparently, I'm not aware. Are you?

Lesson #213 Heat and plastic kitchen items

2008-04-13T22:57:00.012-04:00

As it pertains to certain eating and cooking utensils, heat and plastic do not go well together. Please take a look at Figure 1.

Fig. 1

Each one of these kitchen items has been disfigured by high amounts of heat. In some instances, there was human subject controlling the amount of heat, but in others the human subject in not to blame in the least. (At all. Not her fault. Really.)

Figure 2 is an example of what happens when utensils are not correctly placed in a secure spot in the dishwasher.

Fig. 2

This sharp and beautiful knife has been disfigured by high dishwasher heat. You may mistake this knife for a special ergonomic model, indeed it is still quite useful and still provides an adequate grip, but in actuality, it is high dishwasher heat that caused this disfiguring.

Fig. 3

If you take a look at figure 4, you will see another example of high dishwasher heat damage. This time, the damage was combined with an intense smell that also comes with the combination of high heat and plastic kitchen items.

Fig. 4

Figure 4 is also an example of a non-usable kitchen item after high heat has been added to the equation. If this happens to a bowl of yours, find something else to pour your cereal into in the morning. Also, think about getting an air freshener.

Fig. 5

This last example is what happens when you mistake rubber scrapers for pancake turners (what I like to call spatulas). Place one of these rubber scrapers on a hot frying pan, and it will not be the same shape again, guaranteed. Go ahead, try it with every rubber scrapper you have, then move onto your roommate's. Soon all your rubber scrapers will be a little disfigured and if you are lucky, there will be bits and peices of whatever you are cooking melted into the plastic and forever embedded there for you to remember. Good news: they are still usable. Bad news: you may have to buy your roommate new utensils.
Thank you for participating in this small lesson on heat and plastic kitchen ware.

Concerto! Is that what it is in Spanish? Hmmm...

2008-04-11T09:44:00.013-04:00

As mentioned on Miss Hass's Happenings, we purchased ticktes to see Feist tonight. I, like many others, quite enjoy live music, and I enjoy it even more if I am familiar with the songs that are being played, and if I actally like the artists who are playing them. This one should be great. I don't expect her to wear a sparkly blue jumpsuit, but I secretly hope she does. I love sparkly blue jumpsuits.

In the summer, in pursuit of more live music by artists I enjoy, there are possible plans for Lollapalooza. Do you have your ticktes?

Graduation

2008-04-08T16:16:00.009-04:00

If all goes well, I will be graduating on May 3rd. That is in less than a month! You can come if you want to, but I pretty much only expect my other graduating library friends to be there which really is too bad since the color of the hood bordering the robe for Library Science is Lemon.
Also, this man is giving the commencement address: If you don't recognize him, it may be that you only know him only by this picture: He is the Editor of the NY Times Crossword. I'm hoping that they will print a puzzle on the back of the program. You know, for the boring parts.
Will Shortz graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Enigmatology. Doesn't that sound cool? Enigmatology. He's the only person to have that degree too. Apparently here at IU it is possible to make up your own major.
I like this idea of having a famous person who attended IU making the commencement speech. In the future they could have Kevin Kline or Jared, the Subway guy. Kevin could do a fun French accent for us all and Jared could... eat a Subway sandwich?

Talent/Non-talent

2008-04-04T11:02:00.002-04:00

I'm going to call it a Variety Show. It is a favorite activity for my church branch. I wasn't going to do anything this year, just like I didn't do anything last year. But I got talked into singing a song. A parody. From a Musical. About Love.

Why? Because white people love musical comedy.

Travel

2008-04-03T09:02:00.005-04:00

I love to travel. Mostly. There are the drawbacks of expenses and expending energy you didn't know you had in getting somewhere, but on a whole, it's great. I love new cultures (which you even find in different states across the nation), and escaping my own reality for just a little while. Those small trials may also make it better, because of the sacrifice of spending your savings, you may appreciate it more. OK, I wouldn't mind a free trip somewhere now that I think about it. I know I would still enjoy it.
A little while ago Miss Hass linked to a country naming site where you had to type as many countries in five minutes as you could think of. Every time I had a full five minutes (no pausing to look things up), I would try and remember and type more countries into the site. Surprise's boss reportedly got up to 100. "And that was only because I spent 45 seconds trying to spell Philippines."
Here's another travel IQ game. I was stuck on this one for a while too. It took me a while to get to level 8, but now I can't get past it. This one you can pause though, so go ahead and start playing, it's OK to be interrupted. Try this if you can't see the whole thing.

presented by TravelPod, the World's First Travel Blog ( Member of the TripAdvisor Media Network )

Cookies and blessings

2008-03-30T18:09:00.004-04:00

Back in January some friends and I headed down to Louisville to attend a temple session there. It takes us about two hours to get there (and two hours back), so we have to pick a block of time when we can make it. Friday nights seem to work quite well for this trip, so we met, headed down to Louisville, and had no problems getting there. Once our session was over, we came out of the temple and saw a man standing outside the temple doors in front of his minivan. The sliding door to his van was open and there were cardboard boxes covering the floor. When we approached this man, he commented on seeing us in the session, and asked if we would like a large box of "day-old" baked goods to take home with us. We took the box of old rolls, donuts, cookies, and bagels, said "Thank you" and left, deciding that sometimes quick material blessing come out of sacrificing your time for the Lord's work. Even if those blessings come in the form of baked goods that get left in the back of Miss Hass' car until it really is time to throw them away.

We went to the temple again in February. Again we went on a Friday night, and again our friend was standing outside with his van full of baked goods. We gratefully took them again, and except for a small amount of the food, most of it got used this time.

It is now March. Almost the end of March. I didn't want to miss my monthly trip, so we decided to go again last Friday. Our baked goods friend was there again with his boxes. Before handing us a box full of breads and a cookie cake, he pulled me aside and said "There's someone here I'd like you to meet. He works here at the temple and when I saw him earlier in the evening I told him that you came about once a month and that you might be here tonight. He's about the right size for you. He has dark hair. A lot of it. Hair all over. Did you see him?"

I thought back to my time in the temple and didn't remember seeing anyone who would be the right size for me with dark hair all over his body. I kind of think I would have remembered that. So, I politely answered that I hadn't seen him, and that we were going to just head back home instead of waiting for this man to come out of the building. But, if our bread friend saw him come out and wanted to give away my email address he was welcome too. I have brought up before that I am not opposed to blind dates and if someone is recommending a nice man that works in the temple with him, I am not going to turn away a possible opportunity, even if that opportunity has a lot of hair, hair all over. I am rather tall, so it is not uncommon for people to see tall single guys and think we would be a great match, but I have never thought of myself as particularly hairy. I'm not sure where that part came in as a clue to be a good match for me. I actually think my blond coloring makes it seem like I have less hair than I do, because you can't really see it. Regardless of the reasoning for wanting to set me up with a large hairy man, I'm still grateful. It was nice of him to think of me, and hand over that cookie cake. I haven't gotten an email yet, but I'll keep you posted. And if you know any other tall hairy men, send them my way.

Thoughts before noon

2008-03-26T23:00:00.004-04:00

I have class on Wednesday mornings. It's the more dificult of my two classes, and although I love my professor I can't tell if he still likes me or if he is second guessing his original loving opinion of me as the supportive and participatory student I was during my first class in library school. Regardless of his opinion of me, I do think in his class. These are most of the thoughts I had last class:

Data archives really are valuable to social science research.

I'm glad I'm not in graduate school and living in the dorms.

The Adobe Acrobat guy has huge thighs.

Maybe I should have read my articles for class, but I seem to get by without them.

Can I get through the semester without going on any more dates?

Are these pumpkin seeds too noisy to eat in class?

Oh yeah, data archives.

Can I really read 2/3 of On the Road by tomorow at 1:00?

салт лек сити. Is that the right spelling for Salt Lake City in Russian? Hmmm... I don't think so. I know there's a ь in there somewhere.

Take notes! I will want to know about data archives sometime if not now.

Is that the fire alarm? I guess I better check my email one last time, log out, gather my things, and if the alarm still hasn't turned off, I'll leave.

All in all it did turn out to be a fairly productive day. And the Adobe Guy really does have big thighs. Look at his feet in comparison! One thigh = one torso.

My finger

2008-03-24T11:29:00.003-04:00

I sliced off the knuckle on my pinky finger while making trifle for 75 people.*
I now hate that finger. Not because it bled all over, it hurts, or that I can't really bend it now, but because I have to apply ointment that keeps it moist as well as disinfects.

*75 somehow turned out to be 13.

Buy in bulk!

2008-03-21T23:08:00.008-04:00

If, for some reason, somebody asked a member of my family where my mother's favorite place to shop is, there would be no hesitation for an answer. It's Costco. Really. She loves that place. My mother also travels a lot taking various animals to various parts of the country and such. Every state she visits, she also visits a Costco. Christmas time? Costco. That part, Christmas time, is really great because if you see something you like there and somehow let her know about it, there is a mighty good chance you will receive it. It is easy for her to get, she's there anyway. Well, I may get it. I'm not making any guarantees that you will get it. (Although she has been known to give gifts to certain special roommates. Like Christmas 2005 when Talou and I got CSI Season 5. Later she bought Talou some cards with alpacas on the back. Talou is special like that.)

Although my mother does not love Sam's Club as much as she loves Costco, it will do in a pinch and it is closer to her house. It's quite fun to go with her there too because she loves it so much. She will buy clothes for her grandchildren with glee, boxes of Bagel Bites, large bags of perfectly ripened fruit, and "Oh, do you think Sara would like this shirt?" There has been more than one occasion when I have cancelled previous plans or left work early just because mom invited me to go to Costco or Sam's Club with her. The point of me telling you this is to let you know that throughout my life Costco and Sam's Club have been essential for my family's sustainment.

One of my three callings in my branch includes activities committee. This mostly means that I go to activities and tell other people to come. On occasion it means that when Activities Co-chair calls me Tuesday night and asks if I will "prepare a three course meal on Saturday for 70 people" that I get to do it. Luckily he also enlisted Ferskner and we got to go shopping with not our money to get food. Where is the best place to get food for a three course meal tomorrow? Costco! But we don't have a Costco here. Sam's Club! We do have a Sam's Club. I know the basic organization of the place, what we may find, and how much stuff is actually there. It's not as fun to go when I have to buy my own groceries, but I still do it. Ferskner, on the other hand, did not grow up on the Sam's Club Diet and as we walked around Sam's Club looking for stuff it was like taking her off a little island she had lived on her whole life to a huge new country where the culture shock hits you like a 10 lbs bag of grated cheddar. "Ohhh... They have boxed cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory here! Gnocchi?! They sell gnocchi?! That's the most beautiful cake I've ever seen! I'm going to beg anyone who has a Sam's Club card to take me here every time they come!"

So, after having 10 people over to "help" cook dinner, slicing my finger open, and spilling a pint of whipping cream on the kitchen floor/hallway carpet, I look back on the evening and think of it fondly because of Ferskner exclaiming "I want those chimichangas!" Next time I am asked to come up with a three course meal for 70 people I will remember that it can be fun!

There's no chicken enchelito...

2008-03-18T21:58:00.002-04:00

Vacation Time

2008-03-15T11:09:00.005-04:00

If you are in the middle of time consuming and stressful semester of school and you get a week off for spring break, there are many great things you can do to celebrate. You could go visit family, you could go to sea kayaking in Florida, or you could watch all 6 Episodes of Star Wars, one each night of the week. Whatever you decide to do, take into consideration staying home and having your best friend come visit you in your small town.
These are the great things about having your best friend come visit for a few days:

Enjoying guilty pleasures like seeing cheesy movies that you know none of your other friends really want to go see.
Flexibility resulting in unexpected adventures: e.g. La Dolcezza: "What should we see in Indianapolis?" Heiderhead: "I really want to see the Indy 500 Speedway! Can we go there?"
Introducing your best friend to your current favorite friends. Your current friends will learn all sorts of information about you that only a best friend can provide. Hopefully your best friend is a master at friend promotion like mine is, and these powers will be used for good.
Acting totally immature is OK and maybe even expected.
Knowing your friend well enough that you do not have to have every single second planned out, and you can still have a great time.
All the usual reminiscing that best friends provide such as previous road trips, favorite songs, jokes shared years ago that are hilariously funny only to you. e.g. "Remember that time Twinkie said she was too drunk to get in her stinky bed?" Bahahaha!!! (see, you didn't think it was that funny did you?)The sad part about having your best friend come visit is when your friend has to go back home, you remember that you don't live in the same city, the same state, or the same time zone. But, if you are as lucky as I am , you will find a few little reminders throughout your apartment like your best friends camera cord that is still hooked on your computer, or the CD so thoughtfully made of the new music your best friend knew you would love.

Ice-B-Gone

2008-03-10T00:32:00.004-04:00

It's Spring Break!!! Whooooooooo!!!

OK, got that out. Actually, I still have a fair amount of work to do, so it's not party all the time, but there is definitely a different feeling around Spring Break than a normal work week. That may have been caused by the hour time difference (that Indianans and Arizonans have a difficult time with not having done it for years), or the fact that half the town has left for some other town. Whatever it is, I kind of like it.

I am hoping that the last of my morning and evening car scrapings are over. I tend to forget that I have to scrape before driving and then have that extra few minutes added on my travel time. If I am running exactly on-time, I am now late. If I am running late, well, I am more late. If I am already super dooper late, well, then I don't really care. What's a few minutes? Although I don't like scraping my car, and I keep losing just one glove at a time (so I tend to either scrape the car like Michael Jackson, or freeze both of my hands), I will say that I have THE BEST ICE SCRAPER IN THE WORLD. Really. I have yet to meet a better scraper. You want to see a picture? Good. I took one just for you.

You may look at this ice scraper and think "what's so special about that? It's just a large piece of Plexiglas screwed in to a small piece of wood." Well, you are exactly right. Again, THE BEST ICE SCRAPER IN THE WORLD. It has a long flat blade that never bends, it has a handle that you can keep a good grip on, and it is simply a large piece of Plexiglas screwed into a small piece of wood. Here is an example of what happens with this scraper:

Just a few weeks ago my friend Marcue and I came back from class. There had been copious amounts of freezing rain dropped on our cars that were parked in the institute parking lot. We both turned on our respective cars, gout our scrapers out and started scraping away. Our other friend, Alex, was also scraping his car to go home across the parking lot. After a few minutes my car was ready to go. My fingers were frozen, but I left my one glove at home, so I just had to deal. I looked over at Marcue and she was still scraping away with her standard scraper. Alex had just finished his car (it took him 15 minutes with his standard scraper) and started helping Marcue. Knowing that I have such a wonderful scraping tool, I decided it would only be fair to share with others, so I started helping Marcue as well. I was surprised at the amount of ice Marcue still had on her car. There was a small face-sized hole in the front windshield and Alex had started on the back one, but knew my scraper would soon clear it all up. With all three of us working, we had her windshield ice-free and ready to go in no time. I returned to my car and we all drove off our separate ways.

My scraper is not heated, I still have to put in a little work to get my windshield clear, but the day I lose my scraper will be a tearful one. I don't particularly like to cry, so I don't plan on that happening. I should also mention that my height and long arm span helps with car scraping too, but those are things I will not lose and you can not buy, so, you are just going to have to find a great ice scraper instead.

Nattles gave me my scraper for Christmas several years ago. She got it at a Made In Utah store. The kind of store where they have a bunch of handmade stuff and sell it to you or other unsuspecting tourists. I haven't quite figured out how she saw that and thought "Yeah, that's what my sister needs, great gift." but somehow she did. Seriously one of the best Christmas presents ever. If you find one to buy or out the energy into making one, you will not be sorry.

Spring Break!!! Whoooooooo!!!

(Had to get one more in.)

Trivia

2008-03-05T21:56:00.006-05:00

As much as everyone loves the Oscars, that post wasn't really meant to be up there for a long long time. I just had other things to take care of, you know... homework, actual work, personal life drama, the usual.

One of the things I have been doing at actual work is looking over a binder full or questions for a quiz bowl to verify all the trivia. I've always liked random trivia. Too much sometimes. Like when it comes creeping into conversations and people around me start a little eye roll. Example: While making some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese for Little Brother, I start telling him that Crayola introduced Macaroni and Cheese as a crayon color in 1993, along with 15 other colors to make a grand total of 96 colors available, they have come a long way since 1903 when they started out with just 8. He didn't care about Crayola crayons nearly as much as he cared about the mac and cheese, but maybe someday he will need that knowledge!

Now that I have been correcting quiz bowl questions these facts come out a little more often than usual (The NHL was started in 1917 in Canada not the US) and sometimes while looking up the answers to the questions I am correcting, I get slightly sidetracked and start reading the trivia book I am using to correct questions. Pretty soon after verifying that the meaning fear of long words is actually Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, I find out that cockroaches can live for nine days with their heads cut off.

Keeping in the season, I have found out some trivia about the upcoming Easter holiday: Easter this year comes early on March 23rd. The last time it was this early was in 1913 and the next time it will be this early again is in 2228. So, don't forget to stock up on Peeps and Cadbury Mini Eggs because they won't come again until next year until April 12 (also David Letterman's Birthday FYI).

OSCAR

2008-02-25T00:32:00.005-05:00

I should have made more bets for my Oscar ballot. I didn't win all of them, and there were a few that I should have known but didn't mark. Overall, I made 13 correct semi-educated guesses. I think the only one I was really surprised about was Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. Even though her hair was awesome in Chronicles of Narnia, I don't know that it was enough to get her an award this year. OK, I can't criticize too much, I didn't see the movie she was nominated for... or any of the other movies that had an actress nominated for best Supporting Actress, but I was still surprised.

If you ever get the chance to go to a party hosted by Miss Hass, you should totally go. Take the night off, procrastinate anything "important" you are doing, buy a plane ticket, whatever. If you go for one of her amazing cakes, that alone will be worth it. Even though she didn't give out a prize to whoever guessed the most correct wins on their Oscar ballot, coconut cake totally made up for it. Really, the night could only have been better with just two or three more songs from Enchanted sung out of context.

Prize

2008-02-20T08:31:00.002-05:00

I won a contest! It was a reading contest at the library and now I get a prize for being a fabulous reader. The only problem is that I like both choices for prizes. Which one do I pick?!?!

A gift certificate to a fancy chocolate place in town to buy fancy chocolate.
Two movie tickets (either to share with someone or to go to two movies with).

I love both movies and chocolate. This is a difficult decision. My life is so hard!

Raaaasberries!*

2008-02-17T22:35:00.012-05:00

Have you heard of these? Raspberry M&Ms. They are tasty, sweet, and all around pretty awesome. Slightly larger than plain M&Ms and smaller then peanut. They are milk chocolate with raspberry flavor. I tried to figure out if it was the candy shell that had the flavoring or the milk chocolate center. It took me several tries of biting of the candy shell, crunching it up while trying to taste it without the chocolate, then eating the insides after to figure out what I think. Careful analysis leads me to believe both of them have raspberry flavor in them. Anyway, they are great. If your local grocery store has them, you did not give up chocolate for Lent, and you like raspberry flavoring, you should try getting some.

I have never seen these delectable candies in Indiana. True, I have not really been down the candy aisle recently, but the point is: they came to me from another state. Arizona to be exact. My sister and brother-in-law sent me a Valentine package full of little (or big) treats. You want to see how much candy they sent me? Look at this pile. I thought about making a poster sized Plan of Salvation out of Valentine candy for my Sunday school lesson today. It didn't happen, but I'll be sure to post some pictures if it ever does. Celestial kingdom = Giant double peanut butter Reeses heart.

Why did they send me this giant package full of tasty treats do you ask? Maybe you didn't ask because you think it is just out of pure love for the sister who lives far far away. Well, it may have had something to do with that, and the fact that they know I LOVE Valentine's day candy more than any other holiday candy, but the real reason for the package is XPEH (pronounced khren). XPEH in horseradish in Russian. It's also kind of a bad word in Russian. This tube of XPEH, with mayonnaise, has been passed between me and my bro-in-law for a few years now for holiday presents. He brought it from Russia for me for Christmas one year, I gave it to him for his birthday, etc. etc. It also tends to creep into his and consequently my vocabularies. eg. I now live in XPEHdiana. This fun little tube of XPEH will get back to him...when he least expects it...Muuaahhahahahah! I just hope that when the aluminum casing it is packaged breaks, it is not in my hands... That will be a sad, messy, stinky day.

* I still can't figure out why she keeps saying that throughout the movie.

Happy Anniversary Laser Eye

2008-02-12T22:11:00.011-05:00

Four years ago today:
I had already consulted with the optometrist to see if I was a good candidate for laser eye surgery, I also met with the HR representative who helped me know the difference between machines and processes, calmed my fears about loosing my sight a year later, and answered any questions I had about the procedure or price. I think the main reason I decided to do laser eye surgery was because the HR girl did not pressure me in any way. She was there to answer questions, but did not make me commit or ask if I wanted to do it right then, she just gave me the number to call if I wanted to schedule an appointment. Actually, I take that back. I did it because my mom got a good deal with insurance and said she would pay for the rest. But, the HR girl helped too.
So, February 12, 2004 my mother dropped my off at the clinic and said she'd be back to drive me home as I would not be able to see much after it was over. I went inside, took the small amount of Valium they prescribed and waited for my turn.
Often when someone has a consultation at this place, there is an operation going on the same day and the perspective candidate for the surgery can watch through the glass walls. The day I was there, however, no one was scheduled, so the first time I saw what I was going to go through was about 10 minutes before I actually did it myself. I don't think the Valium had kicked in at this point, because I did not fell calm in the least. Actually, come to think of it, I think that Valium did nothing the whole time I was there. I have a suspicion that they just gave me part of a Smartie and told me it would help. Anyway, the older gentleman who was just before me came out with patches on him eyes and it was my turn.
I entered the room with the large laser eye machines surrounded by glass walls, was greeted by the doctor and lied down on the table. I'm sure he put some kind of drops in my eyes and I vaguely remember one of those stinging just a little bit, but that memory is mostly pushed out of the way by the little device they stuck in my eye to hold it open. They have to have it open so I don't end up blinking and come out with laser tattoo eyelid, but the thing was just a little scary. This is what I like to compare it to: A spring tension hoop used for embroidery. If you have never done any kind of embroidery before, this is what it looks like:

The spring metal back goes into the plastic hoop part and keeps the fabric tight. Now, imagine that metal spring part only in miniature version with some extra things on it for a machine too hook on it in order to lasar your eye. The doctor pushed the spring parts together it together, put it in my eye and let it go. My eye was held open and ready for embroidery, I mean laser.
I guess you can't just laser a cornea right though all the layers of the eyeball. So, next the doctor clipped on a little cutting device. It fit right on to my spring tension hoop and although I couldn't see it, I felt the pressure of the little blade coming down and cutting the top layer of my eyeball. It cut almost all the way around, but left a little at the top uncut, I guess so that part of the eyeball doesn't have any chance of getting lost in the process and also to make sure that all eyeball parts get back into the right place at the end of this procedure. Once the doctor took off the cutting device and pulled back that part of my eyeball, I could still see light and color but I couldn't focus on anything.
The doctor then brought the laser machine over and clamped it onto the metal springy thing and I could no longer see anything but dark. I couldn't see anything until the red light came on and the doctor told me to focus on it. That was the lasar. Again, it didn't hurt, but I could feel it. It wasn't a particularly pleasant feeling either. More than the feeling of being lasered in the cornea though, I noticed the smell. You know what burning hair smells like right? Well, burning eye is somewhat similar. Luckily, I didn't have to endure it too long. The laser portion only lasted just over a minute. The doctor moved the machine, put some gel-stuff over my eye, flipped the little eyeball flap down, and kind of smoothed it down to get all the air bubbles out. The tension ring came off and I could finally close my eye.
HR girl had told me that sometimes people do one eye, let it heal and then do the other eye. At the time I thought this was silly of those people. As long as I was driving 45 minutes to have this done, I would just get it all done at the same time. Once my first eye was finished however, I thought that one eye at a time bit was not the worst idea. But I knew I only had just over a minute more to endure and it would be over. So, I let the doctor come back over and start the process with the hoopy ring thing in my other eye. Eyeball slice, red laser, burning smell, replace the flap, and done.
I was lead out into a recliner chair, given a snack, and then I waited for my mom to come back and get me. I was happy to hear her voice, glad she had a nice shopping trip at Costco, and I was ready to drive home and take a nap like they told me to. While sleeping I had to wear little goggles to keep me from unconsciously rubbing my eyes and messing up my eyeball flaps. I had prescriptions for anti-biotic drops and liquid eye tear things to make sure my eyes didn't dry out and shrivel up.
After my nap, I got up and went to the kitchen where the rest of my family was making Valentine sugar cookies. I could totally see. Two hours after the procedure and I didn't need glasses or contacts or anything. I still don't. My vision kept improving and I am still at 20/20. Despite the trauma that may come with having laser eyes, the results are totally worth it. I've recommended my same doctor to family and friends for four years and would to it again. You want good laser eyes? Let me know, I'll give you the info. Well, you may have to live in Utah to go to the same place, but I still recommend checking it out in whatever area you live in. No more buying contacts, no more prescriptions for glasses, no more issues with contacts or glasses while swimming. You don't have to take anything out of your eye, or look around for glasses in the morning before you can check the time on the alarm clock. All these good things for just a small amount of trauma and a little bit of money.
By the way, if you do get laser surgery, you can not wear any eye makeup for a while. If you are a guy, this may not be a problem. However, if you are a girl, you are blond, you rely on eye makeup on a daily basis to make your blond eyelashes visible, and Valentine's Day is in two days, this may be an issue. Well, I got through it. Here is my lasered eye four years after being lasered. With eye makeup. Late at night. Tired.

Cursor control

2008-02-11T09:29:00.000-05:00

For a few weeks now, maybe since the end of Christmas break, my computer at work has been acting a little screwy. I feel like I can't complain much. I do have my own cubicle area where most other measly student workers just have to sit in a row of computers all clumped together. I also have an awesome supervisor boss lady. We discuss things like skiing and the weather and she lets me come whenever I want, leave whenever I want, and have more hours or less hours, as many as I want. So, the only problem I have with this job now (besides the XLERATOR being taken away, which I'm almost over) is my runaway cursor. Let me give you an example of what happens on a fairly regular basis:

I'm working along finding records in OCLC and matching them up with the books I have on my cart.
I pull out a nice little Romanian book titled Radiodifuziunea Romana by Filaret Acatrinei.
I find the record for it and move my mouse over to the button that will copy the record from OCLC into the University system.
Instead of going where the cursor is supposed to go and clicking the appropriate button, it jumps to the corner of the screen, hits the X and closes my program.

Convenient. Thank you.

My cursor tends to switch off from corner to corner, so it isn't always the one with the big red X in it, sometimes it is the start menu with the shut down application. Although it is usually one of the corners it jumps to, it isn't always. Totally unpredicatable that cursor. It has a mind of its own.

Babies

2008-02-07T21:17:00.000-05:00

Once you start getting a little older, so do your siblings. That's just the way things work. Then your siblings may start getting married and leaving that cozy little house in Provo where you had fun living with them. At first this may seem like a negative thing; having your siblings move out because they found someone they thought it was a better idea to live with than with you. In the long run, it's not bad at all. Why? Because they start having babies. Babies are fun. Especially when they are not your own, but in your family. If you have the chance, I highly recommend getting some babies in your family that are not your own*. First and oldest: Adamchik aka Plokhonok. You may not be able to tell form this picture, but this kid is wild. Wild in a good way. He talks more than most people I know and it tends to come out in ways you wouldn't expect for a two year old. Cars are a favorite thing and he likes to watch them crash ("I want to watch cars go blah!") or smashed ("I'm smashing Hondas!"). Hours of entertainment this one, and you get great exercise trying to keep up.

Kine- I don't know how she got so sweet. I was holding her the other day. At that point where most kids just lean down or start wiggling to let you know they are done being held, you have not kept their attention, and something new and sparkly has caught their eye, she just looked at me and said "I think I want to get down now OK?" No squirmy, no wiggly, just hopped down and proceded to put on the princess crown that was on the floor. Also, we're friends. She tells me. "Aunt Dolcezza, we're friends!"

Miles- This one may be a little more mischevious than his older sister. Just look at the smile he gets from not only making mom eat dinner at a Chinese Buffet (not her favorite), but from making sure her hair is actually her own and not some phoney wig used to trick him.
Also, his mom decided to have a song for each kid. His song? I'm Gonna Be by the Proclaimers. "And I would walk 500 MILES..." How could anyone not love that red hair/blue eye combo named after a Proclaimer's song?
Lizzy Sue- She doesn't talk much yet, but she does seem to watch very intently. I mostly only see pictures of her because she is so so far from Indiana, but every picture I get it seems like her eyes are HUGE. The one above may actually be an exception. Her left eye is looking a little squishy there. Pretty sure it's not like that on a regular basis.
Lizzy was also born on my birthday. So, if your family is going to run off, get married, and move away, let them know they should compensate you in some way, maybe by getting you a great birthday present: a baby.

*I'm sure having your own kids is great too, I just don't have experience with those kind.

Decision

2008-02-05T20:29:00.000-05:00

I have officially decided what I am giving up for Lent. It was a tough decision, really. As of tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, I am not going to eat anything two hours before going to bed. I am giving up the vice of eating late at night. Also keeping with tradition, I am adding something to bring me closer to God by saying a prayer in the morning. Sometimes, in the past, when I prayed in the morning, I didn't get out of bed to pray and ended up just sleeping for another 2 or 10 or 30 minutes. Not during Lent. Only real prayers during Lent.

I thought about adding a no chocolate Lenten goal too, but ultimately decided against that for two reasons:
1. I would eat enough other sugar to make up for no chocolate that it would counter-act any good it would do and
2. I like chocolate.

Giving up

2008-02-03T23:51:00.000-05:00

Easter is early this year. That also means that Lent starts early this year. Something about the lunar calendar and pagan religious holidays. There may be a lunar eclipse in there somewhere messing up the system. I'm not going into researching or talking about how it all came to be, but all of it is early this year.
I have to figure out what I am giving up for Lent this year. It's a hard decision. In past years, giving up sugar has been the old standby. It was challenging and something I could accomplish. This year however, I gave up sugar all through January. I don't know if I want to include February and March in that as well. I really love Valentine's day candy. A lot. It's the best candy there is. That is not the point of this post, however. The point is to help me figure out what to give up for Lent. I know I have already had some discussion about this but Fat Tuesday is this week! I really need to decide.

Here are some of my ideas. I can give up:
Eating two hours before bed
Chocolate
Sex, drugs, and alcohol
Not reading my articles for class
Any food that starts with the letter B
Being easily influenced
Going to bed any time after 12:00
Instant message at work
Observing holidays and rituals that have nothing to do with my faith

I am not going to do all of them, but maybe I could combine a few. Any better ideas? What are you giving up for Lent?

Sugary sugar puffs

2008-01-29T20:14:00.000-05:00

I have this friend. We will call her Amy. Amy Orocks. Amy happens to be a very smart girl and happens to remember random facts that people tell her. For example: One time Amy was narrating a story about her family Easter traditions. Her mom tends to like to give all her children marshmallow Peeps® in their Easter baskets every year. None of the children particularly like Peeps, but she keeps on giving. Come on, they are so cute, colorful, and full of Easter spirit right? That's why I love them. Plus, they are pure sugar. I like sugar. (Despite me not eating it for the time being.) When Amy told about me about her family Easter traditions, I told her that I really did like Peeps®. In Amy's amazing way of remembering things, several months later, she gave me her unwanted Easter Peeps®. I was excited. It was nice of her to remember something I said I liked, and I got some Peeps®. When she gave them to me, we happen to be meeting to go on a road trip, so I put them in my car for later and we took off.

I will tell you this now, so any other Peeps® lovers do not make this same mistake. The thing about Peeps® is; if you let them sit in the sun in a hot car, they will melt and get sunbleached and look compleatly unappetizing. If you want zombie-looking Peeps®, go ahead. Otherwise, just keep them cool and dry, or open them up and let them get stale and crunchy. Mmmmm... crunchy Peeps®. This is what happened to the blue bunny Peeps® that Amy had given me. They turned into zombie Peeps®.

Since Amy is good at remembering facts and is thoughtful, I thought I would return the favor. I kept the sunbleached melty Peeps® in my closet for several months until Amy's birthday. I figured she needed a good present since her birthday is on the most depressing day of the year. So, last week I pulled them out and gave them to her. Another nice thing about my friend, Amy, she is very grateful for any gift you give her.

I did put some other things in her present bag, so it wasn't too weird. Also, I arived with Surprise, who made her a beautiful and tasty carrot cake. The carrot cake looked (again, not eating sugar, so I didn't taste) very good, and the Peeps®, well, they were entertaining. Here's to remembering random facts your friends tell you.

Tribute

2008-01-28T09:31:00.000-05:00

Three of my favorite quotes or stories from President Godon B. Hinckley 1911-2008.

The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millenial mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a time to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation... It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another...In other words, to become more Christlike.

Women's conference, "An Evening with Marjorie Hinckley and her Daughters" 1996: The conversation at one point was focused on the period of the Great Depression. In a teasing way, Sister Hinckley and her daughters told of how President Hinckley typically referred to any time aroud those years as "the bottom of the Depression." At this point a video clip appeared on the large overhead screen. Even if the discarded script had been followed exactly, the timing could not have been better. The lights went down, and the tape was beginning to roll. There was President Hinckley on the screen ready to make his contribution reflecting on memories of the past. In a warm but serious tone he began, "It was in the bottom of the Depression..." Sister Hinckley, her daughters, and the entire audience erupted into laughter. It was as if we had all been included in this fun family banter. President Hinckley was not sitting on the stand, but in the audience on the front row. At this point, he became the center of attention for those who could see him. He immediately broke into laughter, He laughed and laughed, his shoulders shaking as he became the center of the fun.

May the Spirit of our Lord accompany us and remain with us. We know not what lies ahead of us. We know not what the coming days will bring. We live in a world of uncertainty. For some, there will be great accomplishment. For others, disappointment. For some, much of rejoicing and gladness, good health, and gracious living. For others, perhaps sickness and a measure of sorrow. We do not know. But one thing we do know. Like the polar star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives. He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith.

Album vs. Song

2008-01-23T13:11:00.001-05:00

Over the summer I had a conversation with a friend that basically consisted of us getting on the topic of music. It was your typical conversation of what we liked and listened to. Instead of just telling me artists, songs, or genres however, he said he enjoyed albums more than songs and proceeded to name a few of the albums he liked. I agreed with him, as I am prone to do, and supported his claims with examples leading him to believe, if only slightly, that I listened to music in the same way. It's not true. I realized that generally, I listen to music with individual songs and not by album. I attribute this mostly to two things: 1) The radio 2) Apple.

1) I like the radio. I like switching stations and sometimes I like the DJs. Radio stations tend to play music song by song (sometimes commercial by commercial, which accounts for the above mentioned switching) and not album by album.

2) itunes and ipod have made it very easy to purchase and play individual songs, create playlists of favorites, and, a favorite feature of mine, shuffle songs. I find songs I like through various sources, look them up in itunes, and click that little "buy song". So easy. Sure, you can buy full albums on there, but $0.99 for a song is so much less daunting than paying for the whole album. It has happened that I purchase a whole album and am later disappointed I bought the whole thing because I only like two or three songs on it. I don't like that, so I am cautious about the albums I buy.

In light of the discovery that I don't really listen to albums as much as I do songs, I have been trying to listen to more albums as a whole to see what ones I do actually like. This has been an ongoing process for the past few weeks and will probably continue because 1) at one library job I can listen to music and it is even better if my listening has a purpose, and 2) I have discovered that there are some really good albums that are worth listening to as a whole and not as good song by song.

Also on this "listening to albums" quest I have discovered old albums in my collection that I had previously forgotten about. Such as this one:

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 was the very first CD I ever owned. I still remember going out with my dad on my 11th birthday and having him tell me that I will like this one. October 1989 I got a CD player and a new CD to play in it. It was awesome. I still have the CD (not the player unfortunately) and last week I listened to it in honor of my album listening quest. This album was really meant to be an album. Although you can pick out certain songs for a fun little escapade on their own, I think the album was made to be listened to as a whole. There are interludes between every song, and they all have that Jackson cha-cha beat to them. Racial differences and our-children-are-the-future late 80s quality at its best. Plus, Janet has a buckle on her hat to match the one on the neck of her jacket. How can you pass that up?

Another favorite:

I LOVE James Taylor. Most JT fans probably wouldn't say this is his very best album, but it's my favorite. Maybe not as much because all the songs go together, but because I just like all of the songs. When I do play this one, I usually can't just play one song, I have to have the whole thing.

This album is a new favorite:

I think a lot of other people like it too because I keep hearing about it, but really, SO GOOD. This is the album that I keep wanting to put back in and once it is done, I go back to either the beginning or the middle and re-listen to some or all of the songs. It has made me realize that I need more radiohead in my life and wonder how I have lived so long with only Paranoid Android and Karma Police to cover all my inner radiohead needs.

Last one. I was debating putting this one up, because I find it is a guilty pleasure. There is something very personal about listening to music and telling people what you listen to can sometimes be a little risky. If someone rejects the music you love, it is rejecting part of your soul. There are some types of music that I feel OK about admitting that I love, and there are some that I just love on my own, without having to face rejection from anyone. Anyway, this one I love on my own. It's actually bordering on too-over-played-everywhere for me to love for long. But here is it:

It's a good album. I just think John Mayer has reached a Super-pop culture level where I am not comfortable outwardly expressing my love.

One last album-related note: One of my local radio stations recently did a listener vote for the top 25 albums of the past 25 years. I voted. Some that I voted for made it on there. Others made it on there too for some unknown reason. I don't completely agree with all of them on there, but I think for the demographics this particular radio station has, they are pretty accurate.

What are your favorite albums?

Winter Blues

2008-01-23T13:11:00.000-05:00

It's the middle of cold cold January. The Christmas cheer that is supposed to last all year is starting to wear off and I start making statements like "Why do people still have Christmas lights up? Don't they know Christmas is over?!" What were all those goals I made when I felt the energy of the New Year? Did I really spend that much money over the holidays? Does the sun EVER come out in January?

These are all reasons why January 24th has been called the most depressing day of the year.

The best way to escape being completely depressed tomorrow include: planning a sunny vacation, exercise, and possibly some chocolate.

This is where I come in to help. Everyone knows that Indiana is much easier to reach than the Bahamas or even Mexico. You don't need a passport, only minimal English language skills are needed, and you have a place to stay free of charge. Although it is not particularly sunny here everyday, I happen to have a friend with a super cool blue light thingy that simulates the suns rays and happiness. I will go exercise with you (as long as it does not include outdoor swimming, that's just not going to happen), and I will also provide chocolate. If you do not like chocolate, there may be little hope for you in the long run, but I will still make you a pie.

For those of you who already reside in Indiana, talk to me about the exercise and the chocolate, but you may have to plan your own trip to Cancun.

You can have just one.

2008-01-18T14:20:00.000-05:00

In honor of the weekend, I will give you a choice of presents. You can have one of two things.

A) A Political Test

B) A Kitty

D-celerate

2008-01-15T21:05:00.000-05:00

What a sad sad day. I went to work yesterday like normal. I was working along when I thought it was about time to go to the bathroom. (I've been drinking a lot of water recently and tend to visit the bathroom many times in one work period.) I washed my hands and looked around to see if anyone else was in the room so I could dry my hands with the XLERATOR. Much to my chagrin, it has been removed. I guess the 50% of the people that wanted it gone won. I think it's because they are squeaky wheels and they are getting their grease. Doesn't this wall look sad and lonely now that XLERATOR is gone?

Which one do you pick?

2008-01-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

Coke or Pepsi?

Vampires or Werewolves?

McDonald's or Wendy's?

PC or Mac?

Cats or Dogs?

Skiing or Snowboarding?

Jessica Biel or Alba?

West Coast or East Coast?

Facebook or Myspace?

Jeapoardy or Wheel of Fortune?

Night or Morning?

Curly or Straight?

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Christmas Recap

2008-01-09T21:15:00.000-05:00

I said earlier that I would report on my Christmas List. It is a little pointless to make goals if you are not accountable for them, so here it is.

I did everything, sometimes twice, except:

No pasta making

I did not knit a hat

I did not learn a song on the piano or the guitar

I did not take treats to my former place of employment

No snowshoeing

To make up for these missed goals I did:

Make beef jerky with Papa J

Stole a hat from Little Brother

Listened to the new James Taylor album which includes only one guitar and one piano

Visited my former place of employment without treats figuring my presence was a treat in and of itself

ATVs and snow angels in the snow

I made new friends and hung out with old ones and I took pictures with a few choice friends:

Here is mom's over-active and over-friendly rat puppy. She was difficult to have hold still for a picture. But I got her!

Making friends with the lizard was easy. She eats fire ants and buries herself in the sand at night. Horned Lizards are content and have soft bellies.

This was the previously unknown snake that I made friends with. His name is Jonas.

"My name is Jonas.

I'm carrying the wheel.

Thanks for all you've shown us.

This is how we feel."

OK- He didn't start singing that, but maybe I did. I put him aroud my neck for a while, but he seemed to like my hand better than my neck. I was OK with that.

Here is Nice Kitty. I should maybe rename her Nice Fat Kitty. She was difficult to hold with one hand. But still just as loving and cuddly. The nicest kitty in the world.

All the above animals were easy to make or renew friendships with. The giant spider was a little more difficult. I'm not too squeamish about reptiles, bugs, or normal-sized spiders, but the tarantula was a little more scary than I thought. The spider sat there every day. I looked at the spider every say, but it took me until the last minute to actually hold it. I was packed, my bags were in the car, but I couldn't leave without making friends with the spider. I only dropped it once, and it didn't bite me. Just look at those wee beady eyes. Kind of scary. I'm kind of glad that the black widow my parents used to have as a pet is gone. I wasn't going to hold her.

Best Careers

2008-01-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

Apparently U.S. News and World Reports thinks I made a good career choice.

Hooray for libraries! Hooray for librarians!

I often tell people that I just take Dewey Decimal classes. Beginning then advanced. At the end of my degree I've got it down pretty well. Really though, there are a few more things I have to do to be a Master of Library Science. I'm pretty glad that more people are learning about it and realizing that it is more than stamping books, collecting fines, and shushing. Thanks to U.S. News and World Reports, more people can know a few advantages that being a librarian can have- for yourself and society.

I have one more semester. I don't really feel like a Master of Library Science yet. Maybe I should go memorize some more call numbers. If I don't memorise enough of them maybe I can look into some other good careers mentioned. Like clergy or ghostwriter.

PIES

2008-01-02T20:25:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Christmas break is not just a break from school and work, but also a break from blogging. I've thought about doing it. Really. But there is always something else that seems to be just a little more important. Like...ummmm...the hot tub, or a movie, or PIE.

Making pie was something on my Christmas list that I did accomplish. (I actually accomplished most of the things, but I may write about that later- this post is solely about pies.)

Our family was assigned dessert for an extended family Christmas party. I thought I would check off something on my list while helping out my over-Christmasly-stressed mother.
I decided to make three kinds of pie: lemon meringue, blueberry, and a split decision between banana cream and coconut cream got me banana coconut cream.

I figured I could make all three pies at once thereby saving time with clean up and finding ingredients, but not without help.
Here it is: help. In the form of Little Brother-

Doesn't he look excited to help? Well, I'll tell you what. He wasn't. He's the Superbaby in the family and no matter how much training his 7 older siblings have given him, as he gets older he becomes more and more resistant to my every wish and command. But I let him play for a long time on my computer for a fair exchange of his lemon juice squeezing services.
It was a little more difficult to manage the timing for all my pies than I had originally thought. It felt similar to when you invite three different friends to one party and really need to focus on all three, but only have the time to commit to one and then neglect makes another friend scorch. But when it all turns out, pies are in the oven and no friends scorched, its a great feeling. I'm not sure that analogy made sense, but here is lemon meringue and banana coconut cream mingling in the oven: Wise words from Papa J are many, including:
"If you want what you've always had, do what you've always done."
"This bee sting will make my elbow feel better."
"All good cooks have the dishes done by the time the food is finished." So, while the pies were baking, I had this to tackle-Luckily, pies take a while to bake and by the time they were finished, so were the dishes. Here are my finished pies, they are all favorites. And they are all eaten.I love pie.

Short Day Long Night

2007-12-21T23:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Winter Solstice!

December 22, 6:08 PM

Christmas List

2007-12-16T22:40:00.000-05:00

Don't you worry. This is not a Christmas list of presents I want from you (although, I quite enjoy good chocolates and black licorice if you are looking to get me a treat.) This is a list of activities and things I want to do while I am visiting the great state of Utah. You see, the thing is, I moved out of my parents house about ten years ago. Since that time I have had the freedom to do pretty much anything I want. Recently, I have had three jobs, school, and church stuff to keep my time very occupied. Now, I am flying to Utah to stay for a few weeks without job, school, a church congregation I call my own, or a car. I have to plan and maybe get a little creative to fill up those spaces that will not be taken up by my ever loved family activities ("lets put another puzzle together") and Christmas traditions ("The Walnut Crack.")

Actually, my family isn't even going to be around when I first get there. Something about some place called "Hawaii" being more interesting than my coming home.
Here is what I have come up with so far:

Make a pie

Read a series

Go skiing

Eat at Cafe Rio (maybe more than once)

Find at least one good party, even if it means crashing a wedding reception of someone I don't know

Learn a song on the piano (maybe the guitar if I am feeling really ambitious)

Family temple work

Knit a hat

Become acquainted with my family's newly adopted animals: lizard and the tarantula

Make my pasta from scratch

Participate in "truth tub"

Read magazines at the Criney Queel (aka The Blue Ranch)

Buy ice cream at Sub Zero in Orem. Mmmmmmm... Liquid nitrogen frozen ice cream

Visit long lost friends who are in Utah for the holidays

Make a concentrated effort to study some Russian grammar

Go snowshoeing

Find Nice Kitty in the barn

Watch all three seasons of Arrested Development

Play cribbage with my brothers

Play solitaire with my mom (yes, I know the meaning of the word "solitaire." We like to play with two people.)

Go shopping

Participate in "dance class" with "dance leader", Heiderhead

Gather together with Indiana friends who also happen to be in Utah

Bring treats to former place of employment

Friend mixing (a delicate art)

Purchase some of my favorite Valentine's Day candy I know will be available during the Christmas holiday (they don't believe in cinnamon candy in Indiana)

Finish making my New Year's resolutions (I do make and keep them)

Don't get stuck in the airport

I think I can make it. If you think of anything to add to the list (or want to participate in anything), let me know!

Banned

2007-12-12T10:22:00.000-05:00

Banned Books Week was back in late September/early October this year. I knew it was there, but I got busy with other priorities. I did as much with that as what the little boy shot at. Nothing. Two plus months later, people are challenging another book, and I decided to post my banned books post.

Posts like this were all over the place in October. I think it's a good idea to post a little late, just to remember the spirit of Banned Books week all year long. Many people don't realize some of their favorite books have been challenged or banned, and don't remember the importance and the privilege to have the freedom to read. There is more information in the ALA Website (an amazing place if you've never been), but here is a list of the American Library Association's Top 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000. I highlighted the ones I have read
in red. I don't want to read all of them, but there are some there that will get on my "to read list." What scandalous books have you read?

1. Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
2. Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

XLERATOR

2007-12-06T22:01:00.000-05:00

This story starts about a year ago when I started working at one of the libraries where I am currently employed. One day, as happens every so often, I needed to use the bathroom. I washed my hands, of course, when I was finished and turned to see what options were available for drying. Some places have paper towels, some places have dryers, some have automatic dispensers, some (although, gratefully I think these are fading) have one extra long real towel rolled up into the machine and you pull the thing down to get a supposedly fresh section. This particular bathroom in my work place had two options: a paper towel dispenser you crank out with a little handle on the side and an air dryer. I opted for the air dryer. I was surprised at the force of air and amazed with the speed with which my hands became dry.
I went back to my desk and I was so impressed with the hand dryer that I said something to my supervisor about it. She replied "Yeah, we all hate that thing." The conversation moved on or ended and it never came up with her again.
A few months after this first incident I was again drying my hands with the amazing dryer and I came out only to see another woman who works near me just walking past the door. She looked at me accusingly and said "you're the one who was using that thing. It's horrible!" I'll admit, it is a little loud. You can't imagine hearing yourself think when it is on, let alone have a conversation. But who needs to have conversation in the bathroom anyway? Regardless of my love for the dryer and my opinions about bathroom conversation, I have since been more cautious about when I use the dryer. I never use it if someone is in the bathroom at the same time as I am, I secretly hope that I will be the only one in there when I make my way over, and sometimes I hold it just a little longer because it seems like that bathroom has less traffic in the afternoon than in the morning.

Apparently this dryer is a bigger deal than I realized. I found out there are polls being circulated around work on who likes it and who doesn't. The dryer is discussed in meetings. Polls and meetings. Plural. More than one.

Ferskner forwarded me one of the emails that was recently sent out about the dryer:

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the online opinion poll last month concerning the electric hand dryer in the women’s restroom. There were 42 individuals that responded to the question with the final result: 21 in favor of having it removed and 21 in favor of keeping the dryer. Managers will discuss next steps at our November meeting.

There were also wikipedia references to advantages and disadvantages. 21 for and 21 against on the poll- the graph is equal on both sides. I don't know what is going to happen.

I had no idea that this little dryer could cause such a stir. Then again, it does tend to displace the skin on my hand when I have it underneath the dryer. It is amazing.

Boycott

2007-12-04T12:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was invited to join a facebook group called "Boycott 'The Golden Compass'." I don't often write on here about things that I have heated feelings on (unless those things include cheese) because I am not confident in my ability to adequately express those feelings in writing.

I started writing down counter-arguments against boycotting, first amendment issues, banned books, etc. etc. and I didn't like anything I had written. I may continue to formulate those thoughts so they feel presentable to me and I may (or may not) actually post them when I am done.

For now, I leave you with my opinion of The Golden Compass as an excellent book, and I hope that it is also an excellent movie. The book did not do anything to hinder my belief in God, despite the beliefs of the author, and I don't expect the movie to either. It was a dark book. There were times when I was reading when I thought "this is a children's book?" I think it is a good idea to know what you are getting into when you read it, and if you choose not to, that is fine. In fairness I have yet to read books two and three, but I think my opinion will stay the same. If you don't want to read/see it, fine. There are plenty other good things to spend your time doing. But if people want to read the book or see the movie, that is a choice they can make by themselves. Boycotting the movie is not a good solution. A facebook group doesn't have much power in my opinion, but people do.

Go ahead an watch the trailer for the movie. You don't have to watch it if you don't want to, but you can. There is also a link on the trailer page to be able to make your own deamon. (Mine is a mouse named Tarquin.) I also promised some people that I would speak in "Armored Bear voice" after the movie, so if you want to go see it (and possibly hear "Armored Bear voice,") let me know!

Thanksgiving Stats.

2007-11-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

It's been all over for almost a week. Over, but not forgotten.

Miles traveled: aprox. 3,700

Brothers and sisters made of plaster fighting each other- water vs. fire for their father's kingdom: 2

Family members and/or good friends spent time with: 20

New family members met: 1

Times my adrenaline skyrocketed: 2

Mashed potatoes eaten: 0

Calories consumed: aprox. 590,898,542,012

Items purchased on Black Friday: 0

Amazingly good and expensive mango gellatos shared with Little Brother: 1

Times I was grateful for my family- parents especially: too many to number

Post Thanksgiving Post

2007-11-25T23:41:00.000-05:00

I am sure glad the pilgrims decided to make turkey the main dish when they first started celebrating Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. I love turkey. I hate the word moist, and tender is also on the bad list, however, I like turkey that could possibly be described that way (but please don't.)
On Thanksgiving day I didn't actually eat any turkey, but I did take some pictures of turkeys.

1) This beautiful turkey is made from my hand. It took time and effort and is now considered one of my greatest works of art. Thank you.2) This is my turkey shirt that I wore in honor of Thanksgiving. I bought it in St. Petersburg under peer pressure, but since then it has become a favorite. I am not convinced it is a turkey. When I wear it people tend to do one of two things: either they ask "is that a turkey on your shirt?" to which I reply, "no, I don't think so actually" but since I can't come up with anything better than a hand with a strange hangy thing from the wrist, I let them go on thinking it's a turkey. OR they try and compare hand sizes with their own hand and the one printed on the front of my shirt. The second option is ill advised and will be stopped very quickly.
3) Although, we just ate dinner at a normal restaurant on Thanksgiving day, we did visit a few of the fine Las Vegas buffets. I thought it was appropriate to make this Thanksgiving turkey in honor of the turkey I did not eat. Just after the picture was taken, little brother decided to break off all the "feathers" and make him look like a sad sad turkey. You served your purpose well, little turkey, good job on posing for the picture and they providing a way of destructive fun by a nineteen-year-old boy.

4) At the second buffet visited for the weekend (where I finished consuming enough calories to last the rest of the week) there was turkey. Here it is. Ask for a slice and there you go. Happy Thanksgiving. 5) One more beautiful turkey (stolen off a friend's facebook album.) I didn't make it, and I didn't eat it, but I love it. This pie symbolizes my love for turkey and Thanksgiving all embodied in another love: PIE!

Picatures 2

2007-11-19T14:29:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you throw yourself a party and your friends insist on decorating with streamers. If this happens to you, tell them it is fine to put them around the ceiling fan. Then, when no one is watching, turn on the fan. This will give some mid-party excitement and also clean up any unwanted streamers.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I take the left, it gets me back to my car a little quicker.

Same divergence. Amazing how just a few weeks of fall makes such a drastic change.

If you look closely, there is a little green bird hiding among the leaves of grass. If you do not have a bird book with you and still want to identify a little green bird, taking pictures of it may not be the best way to do it. Moral of the story- carry a bird book at all times.

I was this close to getting a copy of Me Talk Pretty One Day translated into Slovenian straight of of David Sedaris' hands. Unlucky for me, there was someone there who actually spoke Slovenian and talked to him first.

This is my second weinnermobile sighting. The first was in Provo also in November. I took a picture then too. I took that picture, however, with my date's camera and consequently never went out with him again. This time, I'm taking my own picture!

Back view. Just parked on a side street somewhere. You know, visiting some friends.

My library display. If you walked into the library and saw this lovely display with a disproportionate map and some exciting travel books wouldn't you want to check one out? Of course you would! That's what I thought.
The Hat? It's from my own collection of miscellaneous items that I own. Where did I get it? At an alpaca auction in Meridian Ohio about one year ago. Glad that came in handy when I needed to make a travel display at the library.

Halloween cookies! I love them. More than gummy worms, more than ice cream, more than a tasty dollop of spinach artichoke dip. That's saying a lot. In case you were wondering, yes. Hippos are perfect for Halloween. Some of them are very evil. You don't believe me? Have you ever met one? Evil.

My Personality

2007-11-12T11:10:00.001-05:00

I recently took a picture personality test. This is what it revealed about me. (Moral of the story in case I forget to tell you at the end- The internet does not know your personality.)

Temperament=Flexible
Nothing seems to bother you - you sail through life crisis free. It's not that your life doesn't have its ups and downs, it's just that you handle everything without unnecessary drama and antics. You approach each day fresh, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. You are confident that you can handle anything that comes your way and experience has shown that you are absolutely right about this.

Interests=Simple
You are continually pursuing a simpler and less complicated life - you don't allow yourself to fall victim to all of the "should do's" that society continually bombards you with. You are thoughtful about your life choices and think in terms of yourself, others and the world in which we live. You have a great sense that we are part of something much bigger and we must be good to others, if we want others and the world to be good to us.

- So, those two seem to go together with what this test was trying to tell me right? I'm not convinced of it's truthfulness, but I guess since I choose a picture of a massage for a way I choose to relax, I am pursuing a simpler and less complicated life and it is crisis free. Something along those lines. This next one is the one that confused me a little. The category is Amusement... does this have anything to do with Amusement? It thoughtful an amusement personality trait?

Amusement=Thoughtful
You are easily stressed out and overwhelmed - you need to take care of yourself first and foremost. Because you tend to be self reflective, you know your limits quite well and must remember to not exceed those limits. When you overwhelm your life with obligations and responsibilities, you tend to shut down and go into yourself even further. Take some time to find your serenity and kick back your feet.

This one seems to contradict anything else the test already said about me. I suppose I will have to rely on something else to tell me my personality... like Dr. Taylor Hartman. Or something. I'm going to go find my serenity now.

Explosion in the Sky

2007-11-12T11:10:00.000-05:00

For about a month you may be able to see Holmes Comet (any relation?) if you go outside at night and look for it.

It first appeared in 1892, then again in the 1960's and in October it exploded. I'm not sure how these astronomers know it's all the same comet, but they do. They are smart. If you go outside and look northeast, you should see a fuzzy puffball close to Perseus' head. They know it's the same comet, but they are not exactly sure how it exploded. I blaming Medusa. And those snakes.
I kind of liked the scientist on NPR that when asked why the comet exploded like it did said "well, one theory that astronomers say is wrong" and goes on explaining. Thank you. Wrong explanations are always helpful.

So, next time you are outside at night look for the exploded comet!

Conversation with Grandma

2007-11-08T09:26:00.000-05:00

Gammie: I got a new TV. It's a big one, 40 in.

Me: Oh, that's nice. Is it a flat screen?

Gammie: Yes. It's so realistic. I was watching football the other night.

Me: (You watch football?)

Gammie: When the guys came out of the huddle I felt like I could swat their fannies.

Breakfast of Champions

2007-11-05T20:48:00.001-05:00

I love breakfast. Sometimes breakfast is what gets me out of a nice warm bed when I have to get up. The motivation food provides in my life is vast, and quite strong in the morning. Added to my personal love for breakfast are the scientific studies done to show that breakfast is good for you. It helps you loose unwanted weight by starting your metabolism in the morning. Also, Andy Core recommends it. What's good enough for Andy Core is good enough for me. (He's so dreamy. Sigh.)

For the last several weeks (or months... OK maybe years) I have been eating cereal for breakfast. It is quick, it's easy, and I like crunchy and a little sweet in the morning. Last week, however, I ran out of cereal. I didn't have time to go to the store and get some more, so I started thinking of other things I could have for breakfast: eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, toast. That developed into more elaborate ideas: omelets, cream of wheat, blueberry pancakes, and toast with peanut butter and honey. There are many more ideas, but I only ran out of cereal last week, so this is as far as I've come. Now, just to make life more interesting I am abstaining from cereal as a breakfast food until after I come back from Thanksgiving break. I invite you to come with me and try to either 1) eat breakfast in the morning or 2) abstain from cereal (or whatever your breakfast norm may be) as an easy, easy, fast, and close to thoughtless way of having breakfast in the morning. There are so many options! You can also think of this as a ninja challenge to see if you have enough will power to not eat cereal in the morning.

I guess others forget to proofread too.

2007-11-01T00:44:00.000-04:00

Yes, my library is the intellectual enter of campus. Nice.

The sun will come out. Tomorrow?

2007-10-29T21:53:00.000-04:00

Actually, the sun came out today. It was the first day in about a week that I saw the sun and I had kind of forgotten whet it looked like. If I had tried think about what sunny days are like, I'm sure I would have come up with an exquisite memory, but as it has been for the last week- Out of sight out of mind.
I love the fall. It is the best of all seasons. I may be biased since that is the season of my birth, but there are many many other great things about fall. Crunchy leaves, the start of sweater weather, apples, hopefully a renewed energy for classes if you are on an academic schedule, and I also have a great leather jacket that is perfect for the fall. My love for fall is great and far-reaching, and helped by the occasional bit of sun shining through the clouds. When I go a week without seeing that, I tend to forget my love for fall- not to mention my love for anything else living, the world we live in and life in general.
I appreciate the occasional gloomy day so I can see the sun again. A great thunderstorm is one of the best things there is especially if you have the opportunity to porch sit during a great thunderstorm. It's when there is gloomy fog and drizzly non-rain mist that people sometimes call moisture (the worst and most horrible word in the English language) that get me down.
This is a picture of what I am talking about:I'll admit that is it kind of cool- Hence why I stopped on my way to work to take the picture. But when I saw the sun today and my mood immediately increased about 500% I remembered that I like it.
Winter is coming. I still love fall, but winter... I may have to buy one of those sun lamps. And another scarf.

Picatures

2007-10-24T23:52:00.000-04:00

Ever since I replaced my poor misunderstood camera (she was taking "corrupted files") with sleek and small, newer and better camera, I have been taking more and more pictures while walking around.

My favorite running trail- Especially in the summer when the fireflies are out. The fall is nice too because of the leaves. There are better colors at this point in the month than when this was taken.

The public library polar bears. I'm not sure what they have to do with libraries or reading or books, but they have become sort of a mascot.

Mariachi band in the public library atrium. You thought libraries were supposed to be quiet didn't you? Nope. They are now more like cultural centers. Cultural centers that have mariachi bands and free Mexican food. A car that Ferskner pointed out to me when we were in Ohio. The license plate is more visible in the next picture. Does it really say what I think it says? Yes. It does. Hmmmm... Really?

Fallout Shelter. Logan, Ohio. Don't believe the Logonians when they say they have things like music, shops, and food downtown "late" Saturday night. They don't. There is nothing. Except a fallout shelter.My favorite record album cover from the flea market. Looks like an intense phone conversations doesn't it?

Nice little fall display at my other library. I'm glad it's been around since mid-September. Halloween needs to get its time in before Christmas comes. Happy Halloween!

There are more pictures, but I suppose I will save them for later. Like, tomorrow or something.

Schizophrenia Progress

2007-10-21T17:03:00.000-04:00

I'm glad we keep thinking up new ways to help people. Let's get the government involved too. If you want to help with this project, just let me know. I'll pass along the message.

In The Know: Is The Government Spying On Paranoid Schizophrenics Enough?

Blind Dates

2007-10-16T22:28:00.000-04:00

Living in a single bubble like I do, I often hear people complain about blind dates. If you are not single and you have escaped the dating world successfully, be grateful and feel free to read something else. If you are still single, maybe try getting set up on a blind date. The thing about blind dates is well, they're awesome. I know scads of people disagree with me, but let me try and convince you of their awesomeness. They are no pressure. At least the first one. You get into subsequent dates and relationships and all sorts of the normal painful pressure comes in. But a first blind date? Easy. You can focus on pure fun. Some people may say that they are nothing but pressure, that the first impression is way too stressful. These people would be wrong.
First of all. You did not do the asking. Mostly likely a friend set you up. This could mean the person you go out with will have nothing in common with you and may remind you of a crocodile in certain physical features, but hey, that's not your fault, you didn't know what you were getting into. You can totally shift the blame onto someone else if that happens. This can also give you the chance to assert your far superior taste. If you do happen to like your date, great! What's the problem?
Next issue- You have never met this person before (that's why it's a blind date). What do you talk about? There are LOADS of things to talk about with someone you have never met before. Family, places lived, top five favorite candies, how often they check out books from their local library... You can think up topics, come on. It's fair game to come up with topics before the date to introduce during a lull. You both know you are there to get to know each other. It is not a surprise. Go ahead and ask questions. Even if you figure out within five minutes that you don't want to be around this new person any longer, I am sure you can still find something interesting about them. (Common sense to remember while having conversation: Answer a question. Then, if the conversation does not continue to flow, it may be your turn to ask a question back.)
Dates aren't really that long. Just a few hours. It is a relatively short commitment. If you don't want to, you don't have to see this person ever again. If you do want to-great! If one side wants to and the other side doesn't, well the wanting side will get over it. It's not like there were years to form attachments, it was just one date.
Some people think it is more comfortable if the mutual friend is also on the date with you. Although this can provide a common link and possible comfort, I personally prefer not having the common friend in attendance. You can get to know each other on your own without any scrutinizing eyes, and you can also share funny stories about the common friend that may be inappropriate with them in the room. ex: "There was this one time, Suzy thought a skunk was a kitty..." This will give you more conversation topics and also help you and your date bond.
If you don't find your blind date physically attractive, again, it's only one date. Short commitment. Find other things you like about that person for the rest of the evening and then don't worry about calling them again. Problem solved.
So, there you go. Why blind dates are awesome. They are low pressure, give you a chance to meet someone new, and practice your conversation skills. Those will always come in handy, conversation skills, practice can only help right? Here's to more blind dates!

Time Consumers

2007-10-15T15:58:00.000-04:00

I haven't had much time to think of anything creative (or even non creative) to post here; however, I have learned that the Newport Beach Public Library currently holds 51% of the books off a list of A Sampling of Notable Authors and illustrators for Parallel Cultures.

I can also repeat a lesson to you on the differences between covenants and ordinances, or a lesson on Moses' tabernacle.

If you want me to forward you a literature review on intellectual freedom, I could do that too. But now that I think about it, I won't. Don't ask.

21 or 12?

2007-10-09T15:10:00.000-04:00

I think back on birthdays past, and one of the most memorable ones is my 21st. Now, 21 is a big year for many people. You can legally drink, enter places where drinking is possible, enter casinos, ummm... legal adult, maybe more. Whatever- none of those things were that significant for me. That's not why my 21st birthday sticks out in my mind.

It is noteworthy and memorable because of the gifts I received. Before you think I'm being ungrateful making fun of the gifts that I got that year, I'll just say up front that those gifts have continued to bring enjoyment and smiles for years. Even if it is because I have continued to make fun of them.

Like many families, we do things like gather around for dinner. Then if we are still young enough to have presents around the table, that's what there is. The special birthday child can then open them. At 21 I was still in that phase. My family was mostly all there and my younger sister was visiting from college and had brought friends with her so they were there as well.

I opened first a DVD. I had seen the movie and not particularly liked it, but I generally like movies, so that's fine. It's always good to build a collection- except I had to DVD player. This was several years ago. When you average college student did not own a DVD player. Maybe a VCR, but DVDs were still new. My mom just told me that I would have one at one time and keep opening. I think the idea was that my mom, who hadn't seen the movie, could enjoy it too.

The next bag included a warm jacket vest, a toothbrush (gotta keep those teeth clean!), and a little plastic container. Confused at the plastic container I looked at it a little closer and it had the Pringles logo on it. It was also shaped like a small stack of Pringles. It was a Pringles holder. You know, just in case I wanted to take some Pringles for lunch some time. My then-five-year-old brother looks over and said "Hey, that's mine!" I gave it back to him. I guess my mom thought he wouldn't mind so much if she put his Pringle holder into a bag of birthday surprises.

I moved onto the next box. A tire pump to put in my trunk in case I needed it. Useful. I think it's still in my car. Maybe.

My little brother, the same one who now had his Pringle holder back in his hands, was really excited for me to open the next box. I did. "Oh, a shrinky-dink machine...That's nice." I think I did have a shrinky-dink birthday part when I was five or six myself, I could see why he was excited.

After that, everything was gone from the table and I just expected to finish eating dinner and have some yummy yummy cake. But no. My mom told my sister to go get "the big present".

It came. I opened it. It was a giant Tigger costume. Large enough for a fairly tall man or woman to fit inside of it. Fully covered. "Happy Birthday, dress up as an extremely large and orange Disney character."

By this time I think my sisters new college friends didn't know whether to laugh, think my family was crazy for picking these things out, or that I was crazy for wanting them.

Over the years, Tigger has become very useful.

1. Skiing trips

2. Lunch in the yard with Donald

3. 5Ks (sorry no picture...)

4. Talent shows while lip synching Madonna

In the past I had wondered why I received some of these gifts. As I think about my birthday this year however, I have rented a cotton candy machine and found "Pin the tail on Mickey" at a flea market. Maybe my family knew me a little better than I realized.

Things Russian

2007-10-03T10:23:00.000-04:00

I came home from living in Russia a few years ago on October third. That's today!

The country of Russia is large. Very large. Way to large to give it justice with a few pictures. But here are some things I liked while thinking about Russia.

Propaganda to refuse drinking. Not so sure it worked, but good try.

Great Train Shot. I love those trains.

She looks very happy to help you with your bag.

Cute little girls. Scary floating Lenin head.

More propaganda. A capitalist country vs. a socialist country.

Cold and snowy, still very beautiful. Winter has its charms.

The Bus.
Last but not least- Regina Spektor. Immigrated from Russia at an early age. So beautiful and so talented.
"You just want to take her home and feed her."
-Miss Hass Regina Spektor concert October 2, 2007

Thanks to Tyson Anderson and http://trinixy.ru/2007/08/01/sssr_v_fotografijakh_100_foto.html for the pictures!

Proofread!

2007-09-28T19:11:00.000-04:00

I finished (OK... and started) a paper for a class last night that was due this afternoon. While I was writing I kept reminding myself that I need to proofread this paper. Proofread this paper. Proofread this paper. Why do I have to keep chanting this to myself do you ask? Because I have had issues with this in the past. Particularly when handing in papers that are not difficult or that don't count towards my grade, I rarely read over them making sure that all my sentences are comprehensible and that I haven't missed a silly spelling error that automatic spell check didn't pick up. This is bad- hence the chant.

Here are a few sentences from papers I have turned in. To be graded. In graduate school.

I assume a many things will be left up to my own discretion.
She has been in the business for around ten years and knows all the ends and outs.
There is the day to day tasks..
Once the boundary of being 16 and able to get my drivers license was crossed, it because much less significant.
Wurman claim that organizing is finite is not without much support.
I will the good articles... in my bibliography.

Proofread this paper, proofread this paper, proofread this paper.

Is my faith dead?

2007-09-21T10:23:00.001-04:00

Many times in my life I have gone to some Church-related activity and participated in a lesson on Faith. As Faith in Jesus Christ is one of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel, I appreciate these lessons and usually gain or remember something useful to help my own faith.

A popular faith lesson for activities is to compare faith to a seed. It starts out small and as we water it, let it have sunlight, and care for it, the faith (seed) will grow and become something bigger- like a tree or a bean plant. This lesson can be quite fun for Family Home Evening either with fairly small children or college students.

The scripture that this lesson is based on is found in the Book of Mormon in a chapter that is generally dealing with the subject of faith, but the actual wording of the scripture is "Now, we will compare the word unto a seed." This may change the analogy just a little doctrinally, but the activity of planting a seed and then watching it sprout is still fun, and having your faith grow by doing things to nourish it makes sense, so we continue doing the activity.

Several months ago my little family home evening group participated in this activity. We also went to the pond and fed turtles, but that had little or nothing to do with faith. I planted my marigold seeds in a pot and sure enough, a few days later, I started to see little sprouts. I watered, I cared for, I decorated my pot to make it pretty, and the marigolds continued to grow.

The time came when I wanted to go on vacation for two weeks. The thing about marigolds is that they don't particularly like to be packed in suitcases and run through x-rays. So, taking them with me on the plane was out. I decided to give my little plants to a friend for safe keeping.

After I came back from vacation, I asked my friend how my little plant was doing. She said "just fine." So, I didn't go over to her house in urgency. In fact, it was a few more weeks by the time I got over there again. What I found when I did get there was that my little faith plants had completely changed form. Instead of being little marigolds, they were now little pink flowers that looked nothing like marigolds.

I took these new flowers home and they continued to bloom and flourish. Until I brought them inside during the one cold week (the lack of water may have had something to do with the death as well.) I'm not convinced that my little plant is completely dead. The stem popping out is still green and with time and love, I may be able to get a flower on it. Regardless of whether or not my new plant is dead, I have learned several lessons from what started out as a simple FHE activity.

You can let your friends take care of your faith for up to two weeks, but no longer.
Your friends may let your faith die if you leave it in their care, but if they are nice friends, they will replace your old faith with new faith.
After your faith has reached the brink of death, it is harder to revive and will take longer to bloom.
Your faith will still do better with a friend than through an X-ray, across the country, and back.
My faith doesn't like to go inside.
If you stop watering your faith, it really will die.
I may never organize a faith/planting lesson for FHE myself, but if I do, I will stop at where the scriptures stop.
Just because both of my faith plants are now dead or nearly dead does not mean that my faith is dead. Feeeww.

Was it a good day? Yes.

2007-09-21T10:23:00.000-04:00

You know it's a good sign when you enter work in a bad mood, get called a bitch, and still leave work happy because it was fun. I like my job.

Skip work, make babies.

2007-09-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

I have had a love/hate relationship with Russia since summer 2000. There are so many great things about that country, which I love- the people, the language, the rich culture, and history. There are also difficulties living there. The government has not been extremely stable since 1991 and it shows a little. I still give them points for trying and you can't fix things overnight. I am not really qualified to give any opinions on what is wrong or what can be done better, but for some reason I don't think this is it.

Last week, a city from my mission , Ulyanovsk, declared a whole day off work to go home and have sex. If a couple has a baby in exactly nine months they get a prize. According to this article, the government is doing this as an incentive to boost the low birth rate.

"The scheme is working. People want the prizes."

This seems like a bad idea to me. I guess there could be worse reasons to have a baby than to get a prize. What happens with that baby turns two and the prize is no longer new and special? Can't give the baby back...

I still love you Russia, but you are weird.

Conversations Starters

2007-09-14T09:51:00.000-04:00

Statements I have ruled out to say to my date-

Your cologne reminds me of that one Disneyland ride where they blast smells at you.
That's a pretty bracelet. Where did you get it?
I'm going to be a librarian, I've also thought about getting a cat. Yes, that spinning wheel in the living room is mine.
Scabies are bad. I had scabies once.
So, how's your girlfriend's mission going?
You remind me of Edward Cullen, the vampire in the young adult series Twilight.
"Hiiiiii" -said in a high nasaly voice that sometimes comes out unwittingly.

My new favorite product

2007-09-10T10:36:00.001-04:00

I used to work at a little market research company in Provo. The company was all about calling people and getting them answer phone surveys. Most employees sat at a little cubicle and made phone calls all day to people they don't know and ask them questions the people don't care about. I was NOT one of those employees. I got paid a dollar more than those employees to sit upstairs in a room with 2-6 other people and type answers into the system. The Data Entry Department. Before you go thinking that 10 key all day is not tremendously better than calling people, let me tell you, it is. For these reasons-

1. I liked the people upstairs. They were fun.

2. We could listen to music. We often passed around my ipod and made a new mixes with everyone contributing their own favorite songs to the list.

3. I never had to call people I don't know and never got hung up on.

4. I could come in and leave whenever I wanted. I could also take a week off to go to Disnelyand with less than a days notice.

5. We started making theme weeks where everyone had to find a picture to post on his or her computer wallpaper. Ex: Moustache week, John Stamos week, cereal box character week, etc.

6. There was a huge wipe-board calendar where not only everyone's schedules were found, but also releasings of video games and DVDs. (I didn't care so much about this one, but it brought up the morale of my game-crazed friends.)

7. I got paid more than I do now.

8. Seven Eleven was next door.

Every once in a while, OK probalby twice a day, we needed to make a Seven Eleven run. It took less than 5 minutes to get there and back, so we didn't feel too bad doing it. I usually went along, not because I would purchase a slurpee or a tasty taco roll hot dog thing (In fact, I never bought a tasty toco roll hot dog thing) but because of the company and the little walk. It also helped that the new owner loved me. It was at this time that I started purchasing Propel® Fitness Water. It was much tastier than normal water and didn't have near the amount of calories as a slurpee. In fact I think I would have to drink 20 Propels® to equal the calories in one small slurpee. That's way too many trips to the bathroom.

Buying a Propel® every day starts to take a small toll on a budget. Not to mention all the plastic bottles that seemed to get such a short life. I could reuse them for normal water, but normal water just doens't taste as good after drinking flavor water.

After leaving that place of work (shorlty after which they closed the data entry deparment), I cut back on buying Propel®. Until NOW.

I've decided that this is my new favorite product. It's still not as cheap as free, but cheaper than the bottles and I don't have to worry about recycling or reusing any bottles if I don't buy them in the first place. However, I do reccommend buying one bottle, then just filling it up with water and pouring the packet in. I think it tastes better from an actual Propel® bottle. Another advantage- It masks the taste in yuck tap water. If you live somewhere where the tap water tastes good, this will make no difference to you- But for me, it really is an added bonus. I think I can buy them in bulk at Sam's Club.

Komari = Koshmari

2007-09-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

When we have a small or medium gathering of people, my friend PJB tends to like to get in a circle, pose an interesting question, then have everyone go around the circle and tell their answer. I've participated in this activity several times now and it has brough out insightful questions and stories. PJB tends to have great stories to tell (which is mostly why he gets to choose the questions); Colliding shooting stars, getting kissed by Sally Field, skydiving tips, this list goes on.
This weekend while we were camping, this question came up in the circle "If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?" Even after hearing all the other people's great answers that basically amounted to World Peace, my answer remains the same. No Mosquitoes. I hate them. The world would be better without. Spiders can eat other bugs.

Translation: Mosquitos = Nightmares

Vampire?

2007-09-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Recently at both my libraries I work at (out of three, but one is an internship so doesn't count this time) there has been a series of creatures flying, buzzing, chirping, and biting. I'm not really comfortable with that. Tattoos? Fine. Crazy patrons? No problem. Odd co-workers? Just makes work more interesting. As long as they are in people form, I am fine. (Also acceptable- dogs, cats, maybe even snakes.)

When I first heard the chirping, I thought it may be just outside. It was a lovely end of summer day, not too hot, not too cold, and what animal, bug, or creature would not want to be outside basking in the warm sunshine? I sure would have liked to, but apparently the cricket did not share my same views. I was positive the cricket did not share my "being outside" views when it continued chirping in my office every day for the next. ten. days. It wasn't a constant chirp, just a little song every half hour or so for a few minutes. A little reminder that I was not alone.

One of these nice chirping days, I also heard a buzzing around the same office. I recognized this familiar buzzing noise from my days spending summers in Russia where I became quite skilled in killing mosquitoes by standing on my bed and jumping to any other piece of furniture to smash them when they landed on my ceiling. I probably averaged about 5-8 a night and then sprayed a little bug spray on and fell asleep. My mosquito killing skills came in handy the day I heard the buzzing, but not after being bitten 3 times- through two layers of clothes. Yesterday afternoon, I was again visited by two little mosquito friends, which I again SMASHED thank you very much. Still got bitten 5 times... I do carry anti-itch cream with me at all times for just such occasions. I don't like my blood being taken from me involuntarily, and I hate itching.

The other little friend that has been flying around in the other library I work at? A bat. A bat has been flying around tech services. Crickets I can handle, mosquitoes, fairly easy to kill with very little guilt, bats? I don't know. I kind of think they are cute, and generally don't kill cute things. But I also don't like them in my place of work. Definitely don't want any blood-suckage from a bat. My little tube of cream is not going to help me if I start growing fangs. Although it may make for a fun time in the office, please just stay outside little bat, I have no Dwight.

Bourne Again

2007-09-03T23:05:00.000-04:00

Last week I decided it was finally time to see the Bourne Ultimatum. I would have paid full price to see it earlier had my schedule allowed, but as it was, I got the 5 Buck version, for it had been out longer than two weeks. Really just an added bonus.
Sometimes while watching movies I like to think about the things I can learn and knowledge I can take with me into the world, and what I can save for future use. This is what I learned from watching the Bourne Ultimatum:
1. I can act better than Julia Stiles. Greta can act better than Julia Stiles. Ruff ruff.
2. Jason Bourne is very competent. I would trust him to complete any mission. Need to figure out an address in secret code? Need anyone dead as quickly as possible? Need your hair cut short and dyed black? Call Jason Bourne.
3. The writers of the movie were competent as well. They proved this to me after the first ten minutes and Julia Stiles was given no more speaking parts in the movie, and Jason Bourne sent her on her way.
4. The only thing that stands between me, Matt Damon, and being together eternally is his height.

Tattoo

2007-08-31T07:55:00.000-04:00

As I was washing my hands, I glanced over at the two young ladies next to me. Because I am trying to be the nice and helpful new librarian, I started up a conversation.
"Is that a brand new tattoo?" I asked as the friend peeled down the protective paper towel?
"Yeah, about an hour ago." The is-she-really-eighteen-year-old-girl answered. "It's my tribute to Harry Potter."
I didn't get to see the whole work of art. Regardless, when she is 47 I think she may hate herself for getting 6"x8" tattoo of Harry Potter placed in the middle of her back. Right after finishing book 7. On her eighteenth birthday.

Goodby, Dear Summer

2007-08-26T23:39:00.000-04:00

School starts again for me today. For a couple weeks now, students have been coming back into town, driving the wrong way down one way streets, and buying up every last peice of merchandise at Target. Summer here had some great highlights and to celebrate all the fun we had during the summer months, The Pie Queen and Ferskner organized one last great road trip.

The road trip consisted of nine girls driving to three different diners and sampling their pies and other diner delectibles. Let me tell you, this was one great road trip. First we went to Kathy's. Since there were nine of us, we just decided to order every peice of pie they had. All the pie was gone, we paid, and were walking out of the building to our next destination all in ten minutes. Plum pie. What a great new found treat. Stick in your thumb, pull out a plum.

By the time we got to Bean Blossom, some us (me) were starving so we had to order some real food along with our seven peices of pie there. The food- not that great. The pie- not nearly as great as Kathy's. The adventure- still awesome. There is something about nine gradate students entering a small town diner in the middle of Indiana and ordering all the pies they have that is just pure fun. The chocolate pie tasted like jello pudding pie, the lemon pie was like the bollistic jelly they use on CSI, and the strawberry meringue tasted kind of like strawberry Quick. Everyone at the table stared at me in amazement when I told them that I liked the Quick pie. It was good! I like strawberry Quick! But not really good enough to take more than 4 bites. Miss Hass took a picture because she found it so amazing that I liked it. I keep waiting for her to post those pictures on her blog, but so far, it hasn't happened. Maybe she will do it tonight. La la la la la la Tonight.

We did go to one more diner that evening. It didn't have pie, and I threw away my leftover sandwich because it was not appealing and I figured it wouldn't grow any more appealing as the days went by. So, I'm not going to write anymore about that place.

All in all it was a lovely trip. It made me feel like this ad was completely true. We got to listen to some great 80's ballads in the car and listen to Ferskner sing along to all the instrumental solos. We got some great pie, some not so great pie, and a tour around small town Indiana countrysides. I am quite excited that the school year is starting again, but you will be missed, dear summer.

Procrastination

2007-08-24T13:59:00.000-04:00

I, like many of my generation, tend to procrastinate at times.
I will finish this post later...

Moving Treasures

2007-08-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

I moved out of my apartment for the summer. While I was gone, my previous roommate and her new eternal roommate took over the care of my old place. I recently moved back and I found a bunch of treasures waiting for me. It makes moving kind of exciting when you get presents at your new place, right? Here are a few of the treasures that I found. (note: my camera has problems right now- apologies for any blurriness.)

1. IBC cream soda. This was a treat to find. A whole six-pack. Mmmmmm boy. Nothing like a cold cream soda after a long day at work.

2. A noodle. Who doesn't want a noodle? Pool time, and maybe bath time as well- always more fun with a noodle. It's new, it's green, it's a noodle.

3. Green and yellow tights. These were not left to me by my apartment's previous tenants. Instead of telling you any theories about why that husband and wife couple would have matching green and yellow tights, I will tell you where they actually came from. Melyngoch. Not so weird now right? They were entrusted into my care for two reasons. First, because we doubted her mission president would have let her wear them to her appointments. Second, she knew they would be put to good use in my hands. It is true that Mel and I have different sizes of legs. Amazing how we both fit into the same pair of tights (not at the same time.)

5. The storage collection. Part of this was brought by me to my new place and part of it left for me. Reynolds wrap: 1. Plastic wrap: 3. Boxes of plastic storage bags of various sizes: 6. Anyone need to keep food fresh? Just let me know.

6. Up until now, we have only seen things that were meant to be left for me. I think the noodle was left on purpose, the bags and plastic wrap were as well. These things, were not. At least I don't think so. Cathryn, if you want them back, just let me know. I'll mail them. Of course that requires you to read this- hope you get around to it. The Importance of Being Ernest and other Oscar Wilde plays, and a picture of the St. George temple. I am happy to keep both of them, but if anyone else wants to bid on them, I may be willing to part ways.

Now- The Gem of the Collection:

ELVIS

Elvis is painted on black velvet and framed in a top quality homemade frame. He is placed over my bed to watch over me in the night. With a single glistening tear rolling down his face.

I feel so blessed to have all of these items in my possession. What more could a girl want?

How old are you?

2007-08-14T18:30:00.000-04:00

According to some calculations, I know exactly when I am going to die. It will be when I am 86.2 years old. Of course, if I take the same test tomorrow, my results could be entirely different, so it's hard to say exactly. I took the test today and tried to be my most honest self and not give myself too many benefits of the doubt. I didn't know my cholesterol level or my blood pressure off-hand.

Had I fallen out of my raft or had the crazy guide who kept getting his crew stuck on rocks during my rafting trip, I would have given myself higher points for life-threatening adventure. Even without the dangerous high water (Kevin Bacon luckily didn't show up), that rafting trip cost me some years as I had to drive several hundred miles to get there and according to this test, I will have a shorter life from all that driving.

The other thing this test told me is that my "real age" is 13.8. I don't know how I feel about being in my early teens again. I know people are always wishing they were younger, but for some reason I have absolutely no desire to return to 13.8. I remember that year. I didn't like it that much. I had braces and glasses and tended to do my hair by brushing the upper half back with three strokes, putting it in a scrunchie, and letting the rest frizz out the sides. I couldn't even go to stake dances at that point.

I've decided to stay where I'm at with my age. I may keep taking the test and trying to increase my lifespan, however. If I get above 86.2, I'll let you know. Here's the test. Find out how old you are.

The Sky is Falling!

2007-08-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

At least, that is what I think it happening this weekend.

A couple months ago I emailed about 50 people about the visibility of the International Space Station. I'm not sure if anyone else watched for it except Ferskner and I. It was pretty awesome. If you didn't get the chance to see the International Space Station streak across the sky, for whatever reason; clouds, ignorance, or simply not caring, here is another chance to see something astronomical.

The Persied meteor shower
I don't think I have seen a meteor shower since I was pretty little. Despite the fact that I keep telling people about these spacey events I find out about, I am only an amateur sky-looker. It may be because I can see the stars less where I live now than were I used to live that I focus my attention on them. In any case, meteor shower this weekend. As an added bonus, it is a new moon on Sunday. It will make it that much easier to see. Another added bonus for me- Camping trip. I will be sleeping outside anyway, waiting to go river rafting. I hope Kevin Bacon does not decide to join us on our trip.

My Branch President recently told me a story from his youth. He claims to have been camping on Maple Mountain with his troop of Boy Scouts on a night when there was a meteor shower. The scouts were all watching the sky when suddenly two meteors collided with each other, made a loud crack and light up the sky for a brief moment. I don't even know if that is possible, but he swears it's true and told me that I can ask the other boy scouts who were with him. So, watch for it whenever you get out to look at the shower this weekend.

Tally of the week

2007-08-06T20:58:00.001-04:00

States visited = 5

Kinds of cheese eaten = 9

Books finished = 4

Jellyfish saved = 3

Jellyfish that stung me = 1

Jellyfish killed = 1

Times my niece said "Dolcezza, we're Friends" = Approx. 5,693

Times my niece said "Aunt Dolcezza is sleeping downstairs." = Approx. 3,785

Items purchased at Swedish stores = 3

Items purchased at any other stores = 0

Freckles make the world go round

2007-07-31T13:57:00.001-04:00

Summertime tends to bring out my freckles. During the winter, you wouldn't look at me and think "She has a lot of freckles." But during the summer, I'm a whole new person. I don't even really have to spend a lot of time in the sun for them to just start popping out. I even apply SPF on my face every morning. It doesn't matter, during the summer, I have freckles.

When I was 14, my younger brother was 5. We were spending time at my dad's house in the summer and for some reason he started to complain about how many freckles he had. Despite efforts spent trying to console him by telling him things like "freckles are angel kisses" and "all the cool people have them" he wasn't convinced. My dad came up with this idea to have a freckle contest. Nothing consoles like comparison and money. So, 20 bucks to the child with face holding the most freckles. After the contest, I was $20 richer and my brother stopped whining.

Probably just a few years later, my other parents, mom and Papa J, offered each child $20 for memorizing the scripture found in D&C 121:34-46. We had several weeks to do it, repeating it at Family Home Evening and making up games. I can still hear my sister, Corona, saying "skepter an unchanging skepter" instead of scepter. The deadline for memorizing the scripture came and we all lined up to recite the scripture to Papa J. It was a short line: me. Again, I was $20 richer. There are a good number of children in my family, and my parents could have been a lot poorer after that, but as it was, they only lost one bill (note to siblings: you guys lost out on some easy money.)
I think I should remind my family about these money games we used to play. Apparently I am good at them, and I could use another $20.

Life Dilemmas

2007-07-26T17:53:00.001-04:00

There are two things in my life right now that I can't seem to figure out. They constitute some of my major life dilemmas. They aren't really new dilemmas for me, and maybe that's why they are such an issue. These things have been issues for years. They have to do with Cheese and Sleep. Capitalized because they are important. We will start with sleep.

Although I like to sleep, I also like to stay up. I like being the last one to bed. I like knowing that everyone else is asleep before I start my nightly routine and going to bed. It is particularly hard for me to go to bed when I know I don't want to do whatever it is I have to do in the morning. I figure I can put off my responsibilities by staying up longer. Of course, this just makes the morning more difficult, whether it be work, class, or trying to fit in early exercise.

It's kind of the opposite of Christmas.

When I was little my mom would try and get us to bed by saying "Santa Clause will come only when you are asleep. The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you will be able to open presents." I had no problems going to bed on Christmas Eve. It worked! I could go to bed and then I'd wake up and presents were there. If that worked than the opposite should work too right? If I stay up later, the longer it will be when the cold dark morning comes and I have to drag myself out of bed and walk to work. And oh yeah, no presents.
So, do I go to bed and have the unwanted morning come sooner, but be rested and happy because it is that much easier to turn off the alarm and get up than hit snooze? Or do I enjoy the night how I like to, but make the morning just that much more miserable? That is my sleep dilemma.

This doesn't explain my other problem of not wanting to go to bed before anyone else. I think that one just has to do with not wanting to miss anything fun. If I am the last to bed, no one will say anything I'd miss or do anything fun without me.

My other dilemma: Cheese.
Cheese has to be one of my favorite foods. Whenever I crave something to eat but can't quite figure out what, cheese will usually satisfy any craving. I like good cheese too. I love good cheddar, Jarlsberg, Gouda, Brie, Parmesan... I can go on and on. I had to put a limit of only three cheeses per trip to the store. Now, cheese is a fairly high calorie count dairy product. Thus, for me, the amount of cheese consumed directly corresponds with either hip size or miles I have to run to work it off. I have figured out that if I buy cheap store brand cheese, I don't eat as much. I tend not to go to the fridge and say "oh yeah, that waxy Kroger cheese, that's what I want." So, here is my dilemma, do I buy the good quality cheese that I love and just focus on will-power and running trails? Or do I buy the cheap yucky cheese (which will suffice in some instances) and not have to worry about that craving?