asi es mi vida

A Change of Title

2012-01-30T10:33:00.005-07:00

While driving to work I was trying to decide on a possible title for today's post.

What seemed to come out winner was:

'I'm Getting Braver or Just Shameless... But Wait: EPIC FAIL.'

Then I was going to blog all about how I had gotten dressed with the prompt in mind, chickened out and changed clothes at work.

Let me explain.

Seeing yesterday's prompt (I'm glad I remembered to check last night!) telling us to dress with a decade or region in mind, my first thought was of these wraps that I brought back from Africa. I've worn one of them as a wrapped skirt (the way the natives wear them) to church, school, etc. before so I thought - this is going to be easy! Then this morning when getting dressed I thought - isn't the point of the challenge to be *challenged*. So then I decided that maybe the example of the girl wearing a scarf would be a good option.

So I got dressed.

And I sent this picture to Katie (from Friday's post) with this caption - 'should i keep my coat on today? or just change since i haven't left yet...'

She hadn't responded by the time I was leaving so I stuffed a shirt in my shoulder bag and headed out. She texted back just as I was getting into my car asking about the challenge, so I quickly texted back telling her that I had a backup shirt and I'd be swinging past her desk first thing.

She approved - adding that she hadn't loved it in the picture but was glad to see it in person since she thought it was really cute, helped me adjust the shawl and now I have this -

Not sure that I love it... but I don't hate it. And I've gotten some compliments on it.

So for now, that extra shirt in my bag will stay in my bag.

I Can't Believe I Did This One...

2012-01-27T08:06:00.005-07:00

When I saw today's prompt come up yesterday my first thought was - 'yeah right.' It was pattern-mixing. I don't do pattern-mixing. Unless it's stripes with a solid or flowers with a solid or anything with a solid. Which maybe doesn't totally count and is definitely the coward's way out. So my second thought was - 'stripes with a solid. i've totally got this covered.'

Then last night I was standing in my closet and looking around. And I spot this shirt that I may have worn once since bringing it home from a thrift store. I looked at it and thought... 'maybe...' And I came up with this -

I liked the color combo because the skirt was neutral and with the subtle stripes (same-to-same color), I thought it wouldn't look too bad. But I wasn't in love with the flowy dressy skirt and the straighter no-frills shirt.

So I ventured into my closet again and came out with this -

And then I walked out of the house to go to work. Nervous the whole way thinking that I may very well look ridiculous and should probably keep my coat on all day.

Thankfully I have some good friends who work here too, one of which comes in the same time I do. So I went straight to her desk for approval. She wasn't there so I left a note telling her that I needed approval. She came to my desk when she got in and convinced me to take off my coat so that she could actually see what I was wearing (this after I prepped her with the whole pattern-mixing thing and how I wasn't going to do it, etc...).

She approved (thanks Katie!).

So here I sit. Coatless. And feeling pretty okay about it.
I won't go so far as to say that I love it. But I don't think I hate it either.

a close-up of the patterns

these aren't part of the challenge at all, but I rediscovered them when I was going through my closet a few weeks ago and wanted to share since I like them so much. (:

No make-up or hair related to this challenge, so thankfully this post is close-up free. (: (but I am wearing make-up. and hair.)

Another Day...

2012-01-26T08:06:00.002-07:00

Day Four of Kayla's challenge - channel someone.

I read this and my first thought was of Miss Audrey Hepburn. I love her. So I started google-searching.

I came across this website and looked at Audrey's information. I then went to look at all the stars they had and saw Princess Grace Kelly. I saw that she was not only a Scorpio, but that her birthday was two days after mine. I figured it was a sign. (: Not that I would ever presume that I could compete or compare with either of them, but looking around their pages gave me a couple of ideas.

End result - I'm wearing something that I would not have normally worn had I not been attempting today's challenge. So, even though I don't think anyone would guess by my outfit who I'm 'channeling'... I think because I'm out of my comfort zone a bit that means it was successful, right?

Here we go again -

I figured a dress seemed appropriate...

(secret - my dress is actually a skirt pulled up)

And I wanted a soft overall look, so I pulled this sweater (a gift from my sister-in-law) off the hanger.

Hair in soft and loose waves.

And softer, light make-up.

I hope Princess Grace would be proud! (:

Models of inspiration -

(obviously I wasn't trying to copy her dress, I just like her)

Another Good One

2012-01-25T08:09:00.003-07:00

Again seen here -

I like this whole letter that John Steinbeck wrote to his son:

Dear Thom:

We had your letter this morning. I will answer it from my point of view and of course Elaine will from hers.

First -- if you are in love -- that's a good thing -- that's about the best thing that can happen to anyone. Don't let anyone make it small or light to you.

Second -- There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you -- of kindness and consideration and respect -- not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn't know you had.

You say this is not puppy love. If you feel so deeply -- of course it isn't puppy love.

But I don't think you were asking me what you feel. You know better than anyone. What you wanted me to help you with is what to do about it -- and that I can tell you.

Glory in it for one thing and be very glad and grateful for it.

The object of love is the best and most beautiful. Try to live up to it.

If you love someone -- there is no possible harm in saying so -- only you must remember that some people are very shy and sometimes the saying must take that shyness into consideration.

Girls have a way of knowing or feeling what you feel, but they usually like to hear it also.

It sometimes happens that what you feel is not returned for one reason or another -- but that does not make your feeling less valuable and good.

Lastly, I know your feeling because I have it and I'm glad you have it.

We will be glad to meet Susan. She will be very welcome. But Elaine will make all such arrangements because that is her province and she will be very glad to. She knows about love too and maybe she can give you more help than I can.

And don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens -- The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.

Love,
Fa

I especially like the last line (which is why I emphasized it).(:

I Did It Again

2012-01-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's prompt from Kayla was - embrace a trend. She suggested clothing, hair, makeup, etc. I figured make-up or hair would probably be the easiest for me since I have both. (: Obviously I have clothes too, but I don't know that any of them can be labeled trendy... (I always say that my clothes rarely go out of style since they were never in style.)

I found a tutorial last night on how to make daytime smokey eyes.

Here's my attempt (hopefully the up close and personal pictures of my face - bags under the eyes included - don't scare you)

And that's that. I don't think you get a great view of it in the pictures, but I do like it.

If you have any disparaging remarks / criticism, please wait until after 4 pm mountain time as I will then be gone from work and away from the public. (:

My First Fashion Challenge Post

2012-01-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

I've had this blog in my google reader for... a while. I'm not sure how long. I love her posts. While I'm not super-fashion minded myself, I like seeing things that she comes up with. She also - and this is amazing - makes me want to do crafty-type things. Which in and of itself is a miracle.

She's doing a short fashion challenge this week and I decided I'd maybe try to follow some of the prompts...

Here's my first go.

Her prompt for today was monochrome.

And here I am -

Not great quality. I took them with my phone while sitting down at my desk. I must say, I'm not heartbroken that my face isn't well seen. (: I do kinda wish you could see my necklace a little better because I really like it.

So, I went with a brown/cream thing. Not too exciting, but I like the way it turned out. My undershirt is actually rose-colored, but I like that too. So I'm not completely monochromatic... oh well. I still like it. (:

I Like -

2012-01-23T07:46:00.003-07:00

“There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can.”

~Henry Ford

and this -

-why don't you tell me that

'if the girl had been worth having, she'd have waited for you'?

-no, sir, the girl really worth having won't wait for anybody.

{ f. scott fitzgerald }

saw it on another blog yesterday and really liked it. (the quote is from 'this side of paradise.')

What A Day

2012-01-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

I left the house at about 7:15.

I returned home almost 14 hours later.

I haven't eaten since lunch at 1 (I'm toasting bread - or rather, bread is in the toaster - as I write this).

I get hit with insurance stuff I have to deal with as soon as I walk in the door (nothing major, just setting up benefits stuff, but *still*).

On the way home I hear a song on the oldies station that was released when I was 2. Okay, only two, but still. I was alive when it was released and now it's considered an oldie?!

That's depressing.

Columbus Day Saved My Life

2012-01-16T21:57:00.001-07:00

Yes, I realize that the day I'm writing this does not happen to be the day the coincides with the celebration of a white Italian man who set out to discover a country that already had native inhabitants and who didn't ever set foot on this continent; but happens to be celebrating a black man who rallied the troops (by troops I mean lay citizens) to demand equality in their country. However, it's a post that has been in my head since Columbus Day - 10 October, 2011.

I'm a government worker. A state employee. There are some pretty nice benefits that come with this position. One of them is the opportunity to take off those obscure federal holidays which I normally only recognized as those days which closed down banks and the post office, but were of no good to me. Now they're good to me. In fact one of them saved my life. It was Columbus Day.

My car has had a rough year. It started with my yearly inspection which I did in August. I can't remember what it was, but something major had to be fixed. Then came September and something else major had to be fixed. Then comes October. The end of the first week in October (the week before Columbus Day) I had been smelling gas while driving my car. I couldn't take it in any time that week, but would have time the next Friday - a week away - and decided I'd just do it then.

Then came Columbus Day. Co-workers told me that we'd have that day off. I was thrilled. Mostly because it was a day that I didn't have to go to work. Then I realized that I would be able to take my car in four days earlier. So I did.

I got the 'diagnosis phone call' later that same day. It went something like this:

awesome-mechanic-who-has-known-me-by-name-for-way-too-long-because-my-car-is-really-old: 'That thing you were smelling, it's not gas, but oil.'

me-who-knows-close-to-nothing-about-cars: 'Oh... well...'

amwhkmbnfwtlbmciro: 'Well, they're both petroleum, so you were close.'

mwkctnac: 'Oh... well...'

amwhkmbnfwtlbmciro: 'Yeah, you have an (insert mechanics technical language which sounds like he's swearing at me in another language here)... and the oil is dripping onto the exhaust. Now, I don't want to scare you, but if that doesn't get fixed, it could catch fire while you're driving.'

mwkctnac: 'That's bad... Yeah. Let's get that fixed.'

And we did. He fixed it. And my car has yet to catch on fire (hopefully it will never happen).

And that is how Columbus Day saved my life.

And no one can convince me that it didn't.

So thank you, Christopher Columbus, for not setting foot in America. And also for being awesome enough that we want to celebrate you anyway.

(nice article here about the silliness of celebrating this day. posted by hannah on columbus day)

Christmas and the New Year

2012-01-01T00:46:00.003-07:00

When people have asked me how my Christmas was this year, my response has been -

'Great. In fact, pretty much perfect.'

And I hold to that. It really was a great Christmas.

I loved the whole season. I listened to a whole lot of Christmas music - which always makes me happy. However, I have a method when it comes to Christmas music. It's simple. Don't listen to Christmas music on the radio. That's the stuff that drives me nuts. Some of it is way too schmultzy and cheesy... etc. On my phone - I have only songs I like, versions that I like, by artists that I like. It's perfect. I also avoid all the awful consumerism-focused commercials on the radio that way. Speaking of which, I almost never watch live TV anymore which means I get to miss all of those awful commercials on TV too. Which, I've decided, really helps me not get annoyed with how 'me, me, me, this is what I want' this season can be for some people. So yay for that.

That being said - I happened to get some really nice gifts this year. One of them was a canon DSLR from my parents. It's one gift that I'm going to be contributing too because they cost more than what my parents spend for Christmas. That being the case, my mom asked me a couple of weeks before Christmas if I would be interested in getting one and contributing toward it and I said - YES! I had actually looked at getting one before... but they are really expensive so I decided I'd wait. I waited and now I don't have to wait anymore. I've already really, really enjoyed it.

While the battery was charging I told Harper that the last camera I got was also a Christmas present and since I had been sitting at the hearth and he was on the couch across from me, he was the first picture I took on that camera. He said I better not mess with tradition -

2008 -

2011 - (a la george costanza)

then I hooked up the telephoto lens. this was as 'unzoomed' as it got.

I took another - as zoomed as it goes - picture, but I'll spare Harps the posting of that one.

Next came Annikki and I messing around with it

I had to auto-focus this one since without the flash the face was too dark for the camera to really focus on. Not bad detail, eh?

candid of Annikki -

always-available photography subjects -

Katie's and Neil's cat that we were watching for a couple of weeks while they were out of town visiting their families -

my first official outing with the camera - temple square -

I've gotten a shot similar to this for the last few years. I love this view -

this is, unfortunately, the back of the nativity, but the red reflection was seen a lot better on this side of the water -

next outing - BYU v. USD -

my nephew and I had some fun messing around -

And now it's the New Year. I'm looking forward to 2012. I have a feeling it's going to be awesome.

Happy New Year!

Worst Night EVER*

2011-12-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

*includes all nights that don't include a human life form separate from your own who has bodily fluids exploding out one end or the other... (I almost titled this 'My Worst Night EVER' but doing that wouldn't have allowed me to create that disclaimer. Which I really wanted to do.)

Last night I met up with some out-of-town friends who I haven't seen in a few years. That wasn't the 'worst night EVER' part of the night. That was actually a really, really nice visit and it was great to see them. I stayed visiting with them until midnight (much later than I had planned, but it was a really enjoyable visit!), and then made the 45-minute trek home. The drive wasn't the 'worst night EVER' part either. The roads were pretty empty and it was smooth sailing all the way home.

I got home a little before one o'clock. The three animals currently living in my home all found me within minutes of my return.

It was quick work getting myself ready for bed.

It was not quite-as-quick work getting the animals ready for bed. I got them outside, walked out onto the grass with one of them, encouraging him to go to the bathroom so he wouldn't wake me up in an hour (which, as it turned out, wouldn't have been an issue - that's a teaser...).

I came up with a genius (literally, in my opinion) idea... And it worked.

Success, and I was ready for bed.

I got in to bed, opened up the window just a little bit (I love fresh, cold air while I'm sleeping) and curled up ready to crash.

My back started itching.

A lot.

For the next hour I'd settle in, and then have an itching fit where I'd be rubbing my back on the bed trying to scratch it.

Repeat.

Multiple times.

During that hour, the visiting cat started meowing at my door. She knew I was inside my room and she wouldn't go away. I ignored her for a while but didn't want her to wake anyone else up so I let her in.

I curled up again and she started circling me on the bed. Purring.

I wasn't sure if this was some cat ritual that meant she was planning on eating me or something, but at that moment I didn't really care. I was too itchy to care.

After the hour of resting, twitching, and rubbing my back on my bed I got up and filled up the bathtub with really warm water. I climbed in and fell asleep.

For about an hour and a half.

It wasn't comfortable sleep, but it was sleep. I woke up because the water had gotten cold. I turned on the water as hot as it would go just to warm up, climbed out, and got ready for bed again - slathering lotion all over so I wouldn't stay dried out from the water I had just soaked in.

I climbed in to bed.

And couldn't fall asleep.

I was itchy again.

I remembered this back-scratcher that my mom had gotten all of us for Christmas last year or the year before. I kept it by my bed but hadn't used it a ton.

Now I will say -

Best. Invention. Ever.

That thing saved my life.

And my sanity.

I scratched that thing up and down my back for a long time. I rolled onto my stomach and started dozing with the scratcher sticking out of the top of my shirt. I wanted it close by in case I had another itching emergency.

At one point I rolled onto my side and the top of the scratcher was resting against my head.

I still wasn't ready to release it to as far away as the floor.

I finally moved it but kept it rightbymybed. Just in case.

Around this time I started feeling hungry. I had gone out to dinner but hadn't eaten a lot because my stomach was still a bit unsettled. And I hadn't planned on being awake for this many hours after dinner.

I started feeling really hungry.

I remembered that a friend had given me some Reese's Christmas trees.

I remembered those Reese's Christmas trees were in my shoulder bag... which was rightbymybed.

I reached over, shuffled things around until I found one, opened it up and started eating it.

While still lying down.

That was the lowest point of the night.

Around 4ish, I ended up finally being able to fall asleep.

I woke up at 8.

I was supposed to be at work by 7.

This Happens at Least Once a Day

2011-12-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

Watching my friend's cat for a couple weeks. She's a pretty cute little thing and gives me a good purring/cuddle session at least once a day. I got this one today after coming home from work early.

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So Good!

2011-12-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made layered vegetable enchiladas for dinner. I first made them while I was at my sister's in Denver, but we froze those for later use so I didn't actually confirm that they were edible. I was hopeful, so I went ahead and made them anyway.

Verdict: really, really good!

Thanks, Bess, for introducing me to the recipe.

And here it is:

1/2 medium onion, chopped
8 ounce bag of spinach leaves
1 cup frozen corn
1 15-ounce can refried beans
1 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained
10 corn (or whole wheat) tortillas, quartered
19 ounces canned enchilada sauce
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
green onions, sliced, for garnishing
Vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and continue cooking and stirring until they start to wilt. Add the corn and continue cooking until heated through. Set this spinach-corn mixture aside.

Spread one-third of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and top with one-third of the tortillas. Layer with the refried beans, the black beans and half of the remaining enchilada sauce. Top with one-third of the cheese.

Next, layer with half of the remaining tortillas, all of the spinach-corn mixture and half of the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas, the remaining enchilada sauce and the remaining cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the sauce starts bubbling and the cheese has melted. Garnish with the green onions before serving.

(recipe from Sunset magazine)

So, over the last year or so I've learned that when a recipe calls for vegetables, it normally doesn't matter if you don't use the quantity it calls for. That being said, I'm not sure how much spinach I used, but it was a TON. I just kept dumping it in there. And I used a full onion. I also used more corn than it calls for.

The recipe above is for a 9x13 pan and the one I used was bigger. I also doubled the beans for the bean layer and used two cans of each type instead of just one. I used more tortillas (didn't count how many, but just made each layer pretty covered), but only one can of enchilada sauce. I also used more cheese since it was a bigger pan. But again, quantity isn't that important.

The one change I would make to it when (not if) (: I make it again is that I will add cilantro to one of the layers. I may dump it in with the veggies after they're cooked, or I may mix it in with the beans (speaking of which, I mixed the beans together before putting them in the casserole dish, but I don't think that's necessary). Either way, cilantro (if you like cilantro) would be an excellent addition.

Enjoy!

Max is Weird

2011-12-12T22:01:00.001-07:00

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Just a Thought

2011-12-09T14:57:00.001-07:00

Today a co-worker told me that I was one of the - if not the - nicest people she knows.

I'm not saying this to brag at all, but it got me thinking.

A lot of people have told me I'm nice. I'm glad. I try to be nice.

I don't think there's ever an excuse/reason to be mean.

I've said that before, and I believe it.

But that's what I've started thinking about.

I don't know that I'm as nice to my family as I am to these people that I work with, or go to church with, etc. I make friends with them, and I'm sometimes nicer to them than I am to my family.

Not that I'm mean to my family, but I don't think I'm always as nice to them as I am to others.

I need to work on that.

The Magic That is Photoshop

2011-12-02T14:38:00.001-07:00

I have a news reader widget on my phone. I originally added it in order to fool myself into thinking I was staying up with current events.

Strangely enough - I've actually looked at it. A lot. I have it set to list articles from CNN, FoxNews, NYTimes, etc. And sometimes I see some pretty interesting things.

Like the crazy wind storms that have been going on in Utah while I'm not there (yep, I'm still in Denver).

Last night I saw this article that talked about scientists being able to identify changes in photographs. I linked to this article from the original article I saw, and then I linked to this. If nothing else, check out that last link. It may blow your mind. It kinda blew mine (be sure to use the toggle feature. are you excited to see it now? it has a toggle feature.). (:

I think it's pretty cool that rather than just saying that a photo has been touched up, or assuming it has been, they can actually show you the changes.

Here's a teaser from that last link - just in case you haven't clicked on it yet.

after re-touching

before re-touching

after re-touching

before re-touching

But seriously, click on the link. It's more effective if you're toggling between the pictures.

The thing that kills me though - they're still attractive people even when they're not photoshopped. Sure they have more wrinkles and lines, and maybe some scars. That happens to... humans. But it's not enough that they're attractive. They have to look perfect.

2012 Races

2011-11-28T13:01:00.001-07:00

If you're reading my blog through google reader, you wouldn't have seen my new '2012 Races' sidebar.

If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. (:

There are some awesome races coming up.

Here are some of the races I'm the most excited for -

runnercross -

alone, or with 2 teammates (I'm not sure which I'd prefer) - it looks like a really fun mud run/obstacle course. if you haven't done a mud run yet... well, your life is not complete.

adventure race for africa -

I am soooooo excited for this one! I think it'll be awesome. I need at least one teammate, but if more people are interested, we can talk about people doing different legs, or other teams, etc. lots of options with this one.

(it's the same day as this half, which makes me kind of sad because that half looks fun too, but the adventure race looks even awesomer... {I know that's not a word!} it's also the same day as this team event which looks like fun too, but I think I'm still sold on the adventure race.)

vigor stairs -

vigor was started by the sister of a friend of mine - she's the one doing the other team event on the same day as the adventure race, so if you can't do the adventure one, do hers! (: this stairs race looks like it will kill me. in fact, I'm kind of planning on that. but if I do survive... I'm thinking it'll be awesome.

pirate swim club run / walk the plank -

I don't know anything about this other than the race title has the words 'pirate' and 'walk the plank.' which makes me think this will be a fun race. and it's in magna. which may or may not be a selling point...

most races found through runningintheusa.com.

Just Now...

2011-11-25T19:30:00.001-07:00

...

jumped on the treadmill for 1/2 an hour for the first time in... waaaaay too long

got my nieces and nephews in their pajamas (well, told them to get in their pajamas - they're old enough to get in by themselves) (:

helped them pick up the family room and kitchen

turned on 'camp rock'

went and took a shower

got dressed

am preparing to go to the hospital to be with my sister and brother-in-law as their 7th(!) child makes her way into this world

it's been a good day.

and keeps getting better!

Weird Dreams

2011-11-23T22:37:00.001-07:00

The good news is -

I know how to test for a stroke even in my sleep.

Here's What Will Happen

2011-11-18T07:56:00.001-07:00

today-
- leave work in 7.5 hours (yay!)
- go to verizon to hopefully finally get my blasted phone working properly
- 4:30 - meet friends for frozen yogurt
- 5:30 - get to the temple for my shift in the baptistry (first time back after the last few weeks off)

saturday -
- 8-??? - play in the regional volleyball tournament (done when we're eliminated, however long that will be)
- afternoon - clean things up, do laundry, clean fish tank, PACK
- evening - hopefully get to friend's birthday party in park city

sunday -
- 9-12 - church
- 12-??? - visiting teaching stuff
- rest of the day - finish packing (unless i'm done) and relax (hopefully!)

monday -
- 10 - plane departs for DENVER
- 11:30 - arrive in DENVER

next 2 weeks and 1 day -
- spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family, meet my new niece who will be born while i'm there (unless she comes before monday...), and love it!

Here's the Plan

2011-11-15T11:37:00.001-07:00

A good friend of mine doesn't like Christmas music.

I find this tragic.

My mission (and I chose to accept it since I assigned it to myself): send her one Christmas song a day starting the day after Thanksgiving (I listen to it earlier - and right this second - but she refuses to do so and I will respect that) all the way until (and including) Christmas day.

I have a list of four songs and artists I would like to include, three artists who I'm going to include but I don't know which song yet, and one song with no artist selected.

At this point, I'm taking suggestions. Comment, text, facebook message, whatever - let me know your favorite Christmas song(s). I reserve the right to refuse. (: But I will listen to each suggestion.

I'm going to try to convert this girl to Christmas music - or at least some of it.

Here's one of the songs I'm going to include -

Oh, and I figure I may as well post them to my blog the day I email them.
Just so I have a record. (:

Birthday Follow-up

2011-11-14T09:40:00.001-07:00

Well, it happened.

I turned 30.

And the world didn't end.

I didn't really think it would.

Really...

I had a really nice day (couple of days).

It started a day earlier when I was out to lunch with my internship supervisor (turned co-worker). While we were eating she asked when my birthday was (she knew it was coming up) and when I told her it was the next day, she insisted on paying for lunch. Which was really nice.

Thursday (my actual birthday) my mom came up to my office, brought me a plant for my cubicle, and took me out to lunch. We tried a new-to-us restaurant and it was pretty good. Our meals were served with mole sauce which neither of us loved, so I scraped it off of my enchiladas (previously my only mole experience was when it was served to me on top of an iguana omelet... yuck).

Thursday evening a friend arranged for a group of people to go to a frozen yogurt place to celebrate. I had been kind of torn between celebrating and not, but Amber kept offering to do something. So I finally stopped being difficult and let her. And I'm glad I did. It was a lot of fun.

Following that, Amber and I went back to her place where I proceeded to do what I hadn't done in a looooong time - stay up way past midnight. It was after 1:30 by the time I got home. Way too late for a 30-year old. (:

During the day on Thursday I heard from lots of friends and all my family in some way or another. I got two awesome phone messages from a niece and then a nephew singing happy birthday to me. Those are my favorite messages (little kids singing any song really, so feel free to leave random messages of your children singing on my voicemail). (:

The next evening a couple of friends of mine from the master's program wanted to go out to dinner. The three of us have tried to get together about once a month for lunch or something, and they decided to combine it with my birthday. I had taken Friday off from my temple shift in case I needed to crawl into a corner and cry (which never happened, thank goodness). When I got to the restaurant to meet them I saw that they had invited another guy from our program and his family, my parents, and a friend of mine from my ward (thank you facebook for letting people who have never met get in touch).

The surprise was complete with balloons (a must for surprise parties, I'm told) -

And a present from Katie who made this after remembering I mentioned this quote a long time ago saying that I intended to eventually cross stitch it and frame it. And now I don't have to!

I love it.

And I think it's a great addition to this picture grouping.

Thanks to everyone who emailed, called, texted, facebook posted, took me out etc. - or thought about doing any one of those things - to wish me a happy birthday. It was a great couple of days. (:

I Am So Blessed

2011-11-10T00:01:00.004-07:00

Earlier this year I blogged about some drawbacks to getting older. In September, I started thinking about how blessed I am to be getting older and how much I have to be grateful for. I had it in my mind to create this post early and schedule it for publishing on my birthday. - Yep, the day is finally here, I'm 30. - So, on 29 September, I started this post. I'm planning to add and edit throughout the next 41 days so it's all ready for publishing by the 42nd day. Here goes!

In no particular order (and not a comprehensive list)...

I'm blessed because -

- I have a family who loves me
- I have grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters, in-laws and 21 (soon to be 22!) nieces and nephews whom I love
- I have the gospel in my life
- I have the blessing of being able to repent
- I have been able to work at the temple once a week for a year and a half, and I work with some pretty great people
- I have had really good health for pretty much all of my life
- I have really good friends in my life
- I have had the blessing of being able to get two degrees
- I have two dogs who love me
- My natural hair color looks good on me (:
(that's what my mom tells me)
- I have a body that allows me to push it to do hard things and doesn't hold it against me
(for too long anyway...)
- 1 marathon, 4 half marathons, and multiple 5ks and 10ks, as well as 1 half-marathon relay
- I have working senses that allow me to see, hear, taste, smell and touch beautiful things
- I had an internship that turned into a real job (with benefits!)
- I've learned to be happy in whatever situation I'm in
(it's a process, and sure I have harder times than others, but overall... I think I'm doing pretty well)
- I have never struggled with addiction to harmful substances
- I have a roof over my head and a bed to sleep on
(thanks Mom and Dad!)
- I don't know what it's like to really go hungry
- I have a car that gets me where I need to go
(even with it's recent repairs)
- I have a Savior who lived and died for me because He loves me that much
- I have had one dating relationship in which I learned a lot about myself
(hey, it's more than zero...)
- I learned to drive a motorcycle and got my motorcycle license
(again, thanks Mom and Dad)
- I am a certified SCUBA diver
(ditto to above)
- I have the ability to learn and grow from my experiences and mistakes
- I have the ability to feel joy and pain
- I know how to laugh
- I live in a place where I am surrounded by beautiful things
- I am happy

Happy Thursday (weekend eve!) Everyone!
I hope your day - and your life - is filled with reminders of wonderful and beautiful things around you.

God lives.
Jesus Christ lives.
And I am so blessed because of it.

So Funny

2011-11-09T08:38:00.001-07:00

Perhaps you've already seen the result of Jimmy Kimmel's challenge to parents to videotape their kids while they tell them that they (the parents) ate all the kids' Halloween Candy.

If not, well here you go.

So funny. And so sad.

I love the last two little boys, and how the older one is still really encouraging his brother who tries to add two and two, at the same time he's dealing with his parents eating his candy. So sweet!

Wow. All I Can Say is WOW.

2011-11-07T20:26:00.001-07:00

Today the memory of the woman who had her face ripped off by a chimpanzee came to mind. It wasn't completely random because I had been reading the file of a man who shot his head off. (yes, that's what I do.) So, I googled her. And then I youtubed her (like that word I just made up? for only $5,000 a use, you can use it too :).

This is what I found -

Which led me to this -

Which led me to this.

Modern medicine is truly amazing.
As is the strength found in some people.

I'm amazed.

This Man is Hilarious

2011-11-04T16:52:00.002-06:00

part 1 -

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

and part 2 -

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Two Hours Later...

2011-10-27T12:15:00.000-06:00

At 9:30 this morning - while at work - I see my phone light up with a phone call. I don't know the number, so I let it ring. Two minutes later it lights up again with the same number. Again, I didn't answer it, then I saw that I had two voice messages.

My dogs were out walking around the trail.

Fifteen minutes later I was out the door of my building and on my way to the car to drive the half hour back home. -- With my supervisor's blessing.

This was after I had called my mom who works at home to see if she happened to have any breaks in her morning appointments. -- No answer. Twice.

This was after I had called my neighbor to see if she, by any chance, was home and had time to drive around looking for my dogs. -- She answered (my phone call woke her up), but she had to be out the door in an hour. I told her not to worry about it.

This was after I had called my dad, who also works half an hour away from home but in the opposite direction, to see if he had any ideas on what else to do. -- No answer.

My neighbor sends a text message right as I'm leaving and I call her back. She says she can go look for them after she's gotten ready, but that she'd have to leave by 11 even if she hadn't found the dogs. I appreciated the offer, but told her I was on my way home to look for them.

I called the lady who had left the two messages earlier, asked if she had seen them again (she hadn't) and asked if she would call me again if she did.

My dad called, suggested I call my grandpa who lives next door and let him know in case the dogs decided to come wondering back home. I did.

The lady called when I was two minutes away from the trailhead by the park and said that she had just seen them and she tried to get them to stay with her but they were headed in the opposite direction and wouldn't come. They were headed home.

I looped around to where the trail breaks to cross a street, parked my car, and whistled for them. Nothing.

I drove home, grabbed their leashes, and started walking toward the trailhead where I knew they were last seen. I walk to that same break in the trail where it crosses the road. Nothing. Along the way I ask people if they've seen two rogue dogs. I get a few affirmatives, 'Yeah. A big white dog, and another one in a coat?' 'Yep.' They tell me when and where they saw them (unfortunately nothing more recent than 15 minutes) and I feel good about the direction I'm heading. At the break in the trail I see a lady on the street. I ask her the question, she gives me the same answer. But points in the opposite direction saying she saw them down there about 15 minutes prior.

During this information gathering stage, I hear from a couple of people that there's also a coyote out somewhere along the trail. Dingo kind of looks like a coyote, but I think the coat domesticates him a little bit. I also run into a lady who's looking for her mom's cocker spaniel. I get her number so I can call her if I see her dog. I never did.

By this point I'm wondering how the devil can the dogs be on one side of the trail 15 minutes earlier, and then 5 minutes later I ask someone else who saw them on the other side of the trail 15 minutes earlier.

I start to feel like I'm playing a real live version of 'Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.'

I don't like it.

When I'm almost back to my house I call my grandpa again who announces, 'They're here. They walked up to me outside about 3 minutes ago.'

Relieved, tired, frustrated, and with the beginnings of a headache, I go talk to my grandpa who said that after he got my call he went outside and saw that his gate had been pushed open by two rotten dogs (my words, not his). He fixed the gate then got in his car and drove around looking for them. After getting home he was standing outside for a minute and they came running up the street toward him. - Dingo sans coat.

While I do appreciate that they stay together (it was hard enough - and I was unsuccessful - at finding one moving target, it'd be that much harder to find two), I hate that they get out and take themselves on a walk. I'm also really, really grateful for people who call to let me know that the dogs are out. That's why I got the ID tags. And I try to do the same when I see a dog running around. Good karma and all that.

And that's my story.

...I'm back at work.

With a headache.

Rotten dogs.

My Workstation (I Feel Fancy)

2011-10-24T12:55:00.001-06:00

Last week IT came up to my cube and set me up to have two monitors. I love it. I'm already spoiled by it and would LOVE to have this option at home. Maybe someday...

When I told a friend she should come checkout my sweet setup today I had stepped out when she happened to come by. I caught her leaving, and she came back with me and showed me what she had left on my screen:

the way it's written, i'm not sure if she was calling me a name, or signing her own... (:

Lastly, something random from my chat with the same friend today.

it's true. i don't want to marry him, and i love him in the 'Jesus said love everyone' type of way. (:

ps - Perhaps this is an appropriate post to mention that my internship that started this past June has TURNED INTO A JOB. Yay!!! Huge relief that I don't have to keep searching for one.

Things I've Been Looking At Lately

2011-10-21T10:13:00.004-06:00

Zenhabits and a post encouraging you to 'Toss Productivity Out the Window.' Definitely interesting. A friend posted about it a while ago and I've had it on a tab in my browser ever since.

An article about how there's not a really great reason to celebrate Columbus day. Another friend linked to this on Columbus day. I'm a bit behind, but stay tuned for a post on how Columbus day saved my life. (:

Google translate. I'm trying to learn Spanish again...

This post about a recipe that helps dogs pack on the pounds. Dingo is getting pretty skinny even though he's eating. I'm hoping this will help him beef up a bit. Looks like an appetizing bunch of ingredients, no?

And this just for fun and just for dreams, right now anyway.

A princess bride reunion picture. I love it. Saw it on her blog.

I think that does it for now.

ps - When I was younger I used to often have bruises or scrapes that came from unknown reasons. I'm realizing that that's not a thing of the past yet.

Yesterday at work I kept bumping my knee on my desk and it hurt a lot more than it should have. It felt tender to the touch too and I figured I had just bumped it harder than I thought. Last night I finally realized that it was most likely a real bruise (I had pants on so I never actually checked it out) and that it came from me throwing myself on the floor one, two, or maybe three times during a volleyball game on Wednesday. So I guess not technically from an unknown place... just a bad memory. Another sign of aging? Perhaps.

A Good Quote

2011-10-20T11:36:00.004-06:00

I just saw this posted on a friend's blog and I love it. So I thought I'd share -

'The first service that one owes to others in community consists in listening to them. Just as love for God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God's love for us that He not only gives His Word but also lends us His ear. …Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and, in the end, there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words.'

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(I have an audio book about him that I haven't listened to yet. - he was part of a failed assassination attempt on Hitler)

I think it's a great reminder of the need to listen to other people even if (maybe *especially* if?) their viewpoints differ from your own. Not that you have to agree. That's not what I'm saying at all. But I don't know that it's ever harmful to let someone explain where they're coming from. I think it can lead to a greater understanding of and love for your fellow man.

Ticket: Purchased

2011-10-19T13:14:00.002-06:00

This morning, the last thing I did before leaving for work was buying a plane ticket to Denver. While I'm not spending my 30th birthday there like I had originally planned to, I will get to be there when my sister has her 7th baby (5th daughter) and makes me an aunt for the 22nd time, as well as Thanksgiving - spending a total of 2 weeks and 1 day there. I must say - I'm pretty excited about it.

Just FYI, Southwest and Delta both have awesome fares to Denver right now. Cost me $115.10 through Southwest - it was $110.10 yesterday when I checked, but I forgot to buy it when I got home from work... oops.

So Much Fun

2011-10-15T10:02:00.003-06:00

Thursday evening we had a relief society activity called something like - 'Apples, Aerobics, and Autumn' (I may be getting the order wrong). We had apples, we did aerobics, and it took place during Autumn. (:

A counselor in the presidency brought her Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies DVDs. We put volume 2 on (my favorite is Volume 1, I think... it's been so long...) and started sweating.

I had forgotten how much fun those videos are! I remember doing them with my mom and some siblings. It was so much fun. I loved the music (big Oldies fan here).

So, as an early Halloween present (you are so lucky, who gets Halloween presents?!) I'm giving you this link.

No need to thank me.

Just know that I'll be doing that video sometimes.

Promise.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, we had a 100% satisfaction rate with that activity. The 6 of us that were there loved it. (:

(read more about Richard here)

Clean and Sober

2011-10-13T11:18:00.003-06:00

via

It's been two weeks and three days since I posted this about how I was thinking of getting rid of my facebook account (I'm not counting days, I had to look it up on the calendar).

That same day I deactivated my account.

I must say, I'm not really missing it.

Also, when looking for the above image, I found this and this. I must say it seems as though there are really good, legitimate reasons for not having a facebook account, but few that are really great arguments in favor of it... (that second link is pretty cool, showing how the availability of info on facebook has changed over the years - it took me way too long to figure it out, but click on the graphic to see the different years, or click on the years that are in faded letters next to the graphic)

Today's Walk

2011-10-09T21:54:00.004-06:00

The kiddos helped me walk the pups tonight. I love that Jimmy kept his birthday hat on the whole time. So cute.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

We Got Snow

2011-10-06T20:25:00.002-06:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Columbus Day

2011-10-05T09:47:00.004-06:00

I don't have to write a report on Columbus day in order to have
A DAY OFF FROM WORK.

The joys of working in a state office.

It will be a very happy Monday. (: I'm planning on using the time to put the principles from 'It's All Too Much' to use in my bedroom.
I'm excited.

2011-10-05T08:47:00.002-06:00

via

When I left for work today I still had pillow marks on my face. Let's just say I woke up a bit late.

The last two nights I've gone to sleep after taking a dose of melatonin and Excedrin PM because of a nasty soon-to-be-migraine (I hate how I can feel those coming on, but I guess it's better than being totally blindsided).

Also, I don't remember if I've mentioned it before, but for the past few weeks I've been waking up sans alarm. After sleeping through my 374th snooze one more for the 837th time I realized that the whole alarm thing wasn't really doing it's job.

Now, I don't go to sleep until after saying an urgent 'please-let-me-wake-up-early-enough-for-work-and-maybe-even-early-enough-to-exercise-before-work-like-5:30-would-be-great-but-no-later-than-6-...-20-...-please-please-please-please-please' prayer.

I don't always wake up as early as I'd like (take this morning, for example) but it's almost always been early enough.

And it's soooo much nicer than an alarm clock jerking me awake.

random - last night I had a dream that I wanted to sail from one place to another. It was like a city on water, but not really. I knew the way I had to go over the water was really hard, but I still wanted to go. I was going to go with five other people and the boat was really little. Actually, first we started planning to take a raft-type-thing, but then switched to a small rowboat. For some reason I was really intent on making sure Max could come with us, when at the last second I said it was okay if he didn't. Also, when everyone was ready and we were trying to decide how to fit in the boat I realized that I hadn't packed anything. So we all went over to this big building where I kept my stuff and I tried to make other excuses while I packed my bag - grabbing whatever random stuff I could. It was a weird dream.

Apparently I Listen the Same Way I Read

2011-10-04T08:58:00.008-06:00

I normally have a few books that I'm reading at any given time. Often, one will grab my attention more than the others and I'll spend more of my time on that one until I finish it, begin my mass readings again until another one wins my attention, repeat process again and again, adding in new books as I finish others.

For the last couple of years I've had an account with audible.com. Earlier this year I really started taking advantage of it. Now, almost all of the 'for fun' reading I do is through audio books. It took me a while to get used to it, but now I love it. I've noticed, that just like when I'm reading, I listen to multiple things until one grabs my attention, etc, etc.

Here's what I've been listening to lately - in no particular order (except that it's alphabetical, so I guess that is a particular order...) :

My sister sent me this book years ago thinking that it would help me with my 'issues' (my word, not hers), and I just barely found an audio version of it (not through audible). I've been listening to it for the last few days and I really think it's helping me work through some things. It's a great book for figuring out your current relationship with food, yourself, and your body.

I've heard from a few different sources that this is hilarious. I've just barely gotten into it, and I must say, she's pretty funny.

I've mentioned this book on my blog before. Like here, and here, and even here. It's a great motivator to change your eating to be healthier. So many things can be prevented if you eat a healthy diet (I'm talking real healthy, not fake vegetarian or vegan healthy that is stocked full of pastas and breads - and sadly, I love pastas and breads).

I found this book when I did a search for a feng shui book that my sister asked me to look over so I can help her baby-prep her house when I go visit. I couldn't find the feng shui one, but I've been listening to this one and I really like it. I have a problem with not getting rid of clutter, and I like the way this guy talks about why we have it and how to get rid of it. He used to be on the show Clean Sweep (which I've never seen, but think I might enjoy). I'm also looking forward to listening to his book 'Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?'

No explanation necessary. It's a classic. I'm listening to the unabridged version. It's about 60 hours long.

BIG NEWS - have you heard about this? I'm really pretty excited about it (not that it's 3d, but that they're making a musical movie version). I just really, really hope they don't ruin it. And that the actors can actually sing. I mean really sing. I will say that I'm pretty thrilled with the casting of the lead role.

I read books like this and I think - I have nothing to complain about. So why do I keep complaining? Wow. It's about a Russian girl during WWII. I started listening to it a while ago but it got pushed to the side with some of the others. I'll try to finish it in the next week or so since I have less than an hour and a half left.

There's an in-depth look at my audible app on my phone. I have lots of others yet-to-be-listened to. Some of those include: 'Cary Grant: A Biography,' 'The Story of My Life,' 'Endurance,' 'The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook,' and 'Tears in the Darkness.' Plus more... I'll keep you updated. (:

Pretty Much, Yep.

2011-10-02T23:18:00.006-06:00

My friend Amber showed this to me and I just had to share it.

I can't be the only one who relates to this, right?

I'm a Guest Blogger!

2011-09-30T09:25:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine began a blog based on defining femininity. She asked for contributions... and I contributed. Check it out here, and let me know what you think.

I Needed to Hear (Read) This

2011-09-29T06:38:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: I'm stealing this straight from this website. None of the following material belongs to me.

How to Build Self-Discipline

Written by Peter Clemens - 243 Comments
Categories: self improvement

Discipline is freedom. You may disagree with this statement, and if you do you are certainly not alone. For many people discipline is a dirty word that is equated with the absence of freedom. In fact the opposite is true. As Stephen R. Covey once wrote, “the undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions”. And in the longer term, the undisciplined lack the freedom that comes with possessing particular skills and abilities – e.g. to play a musical instrument or speak a foreign language.

Self-discipline involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. Often it involves sacrificing the pleasure and thrill of the moment for what matters most in life. Therefore it is self-discipline that drives you to:

Work on an idea or project after the initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away
Go to the gym when all you want to do is lie on the couch and watch TV
Wake early to work on yourself
Say “no” when tempted to break your diet
Only check your email a few of times per day at particular times

In the past self-discipline has been a weakness of mine, and as a result today I find myself lacking the ability to do a number of things which I would like – e.g. to play the guitar. But I have improved, and I can say that it is self-discipline that got me out of bed this morning at 5am to run and then write this article. Believe me, I would love to be curled up in bed right now, but this desire is subordinated by my inner sense of purpose.

If you struggle with self-discipline, the good news is that it can be developed. For example, it is only in the past two years that I have trained myself to wake early. The following are what I have found to be the five traits of self-discipline:

1. Self-Knowledge

Discipline means behaving according to what you have decided is best, regardless of how you feel in the moment. Therefore the first trait of discipline is self-knowledge. You need to decide what behavior best reflects your goals and values. This process requires introspection and self-analysis, and is most effective when tied to written expression. I highly recommend taking the time to write out your goals, dreams and ambitions. Even better, write out a personal mission statement. I found that writing such a statement gave me a greater understanding of who I am, what I am about and what I value. Dr. Covey has an excellent Mission Statement Builder on his site.

2. Conscious Awareness

Self-discipline depends upon conscious awareness as to both what you are doing and what you are not doing. Think about it. If you aren’t aware your behavior is undisciplined, how will you know to act otherwise?

As you begin to build self-discipline, you may catch yourself being in the act of being undisciplined – e.g. biting your nails, avoiding the gym, eating a piece of cake or checking your email constantly. Developing self-discipline takes time, and the key here is you are aware of your undisciplined behavior. With time this awareness will come earlier, meaning rather than catching yourself in the act of being undisciplined you will have awareness before you act in this way. This gives you the opportunity to make a decision that is in better alignment with your goals and values.

3. Commitment to Self-Discipline

It is not enough to simply write out your goals and values. You must make an internal commitment to them. Otherwise when your alarm clock goes off at 5am you will see no harm in hitting the snooze button for “just another 5 minutes….” Or, when initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away from a project you will struggle to see it through to completion.

If you struggle with commitment, start by making a conscious decision to follow through on what you say you’re going to do – both when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. Then, I highly recommend putting in place a system to track these commitments. As the saying goes, “What gets measured gets improved”.

4. Courage

Did you notice the sweat dripping from the man in the picture at the start of this article? Make no mistake, self-discipline is often extremely difficult. Moods, appetites and passions can be powerful forces to go against. Therefore self-discipline is highly dependent on courage. Don’t pretend something is easy for you to do when it is in fact very difficult and/ or painful. Instead, find the courage to face this pain and difficulty. As you begin to accumulate small private victories, your self-confidence will grow and the courage that underpins self-discipline will come more naturally.

5. Internal Coaching

Self-talk is often harmful, but it can also be extremely beneficial if you have control of it. When you find yourself being tested, I suggest you talk to yourself, encourage yourself and reassure yourself. After all, it is self-talk that has the ability to remind you of your goals, call up courage, reinforce your commitment and keep you conscious of the task at hand. When I find my discipline being tested, I always recall the following quote: “The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret”. Burn this quote into your memory, and recall in whenever you find yourself being tested. It may change your life.

Peter writes about how to change your life at The Change Blog. He also runs a blog for audio book lovers called Audio Book Downloads.

I See Crazy Things on the Street Sometimes

2011-09-28T18:49:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, I saw one of these:

Ever seen one before? Check them out here.

Today, I saw someone riding a bike uphill while talking on a phone. Uphill. On the phone.
Hats off to you buddy.

I Am Beyond Impressed

2011-09-27T21:26:00.007-06:00

I'm a DWTS fan. I like watching the different dances and imagining that it's something I would be capable of if I just had the right training. I don't always watch every episode of every season... but I'm still a fan.

It helps if there's someone on the show that I either knew of before and liked, or get to know a little bit about during the show and they seem like good/nice people.

This season it's this guy:

J.R. Martinez was wounded while driving a Humvee while serving as a U.S. Army infantryman and the Humvee hit a landmine. Read more about him here.

before and after
via - follow the link and read more about him - plus a video of him

Call me a sucker for a soldier, patriotism, or a tragic hero; but I'm really impressed and grateful that there are men and women willing to serve their country regardless of the risks to themselves.

And as a bonus, he seems like a nice guy (I know, I know, what can you tell from a few hours on TV? Probably not a whole lot...). He also seems to have a great attitude, saying things to his partner like - 'I only have one ear, so I can only hear half of what you're saying.' Anyway, I hope he wins this season.

Check out his most recent dance. Week 2, the Jive:

update: he got a 22 on this dance (same as last week)
even though carrie ann was ticked about the lifts at the beginning and len thought it looked more like a lindy hop than a jive

I Think I Would Maybe Feel Like Killing Him

2011-09-27T10:53:00.004-06:00

I got this sent to me through my work email. I don't know the person who sent it, so I'm wondering if I was an unintended recipient, but I'm kinda glad I got it. (:

Considering the Plunge

2011-09-26T08:35:00.002-06:00

via

I'm thinking about closing my facebook account.

I've been thinking about it for a while.

Any arguments for or against?

I'm open to hearing both sides.

I Did It!

2011-09-22T19:49:00.005-06:00

#12 - go paragliding or hang gliding (or both) -- check!

practice flight -

flight number 3 or 4 (or 5?)

Soooo fun! I loved it. I almost always got nervous before take off (just a little) but I loved being in the air. It was awesome. It's way too expensive to become a hobby for me now (maybe at some point in my life...) but I would love to go on a tandem flight sometime. Alex - my instructor - offered to cut Annikki and me a deal if we ever wanted him to take us up. I'm probably going to take him up on it sometime.

Not all of my take-offs were as flawless as what's in the video. After that flight I hiked up the slope to go on one more flight. The wind was kind of picking up, but Alex said we could get one more in. I was all set to go, got the paraglider up, and the wind picked me up and threw me right back down onto my backside. It was kind of hilarious - and maybe just a little bit painful. He got me re-set up right away, and that time I got the paraglider up, and then the wind started shooting me way over to the left. I thought using the right brake might help compensate for that, and it kind of did... except I shot the brake down way too far, ended up falling down on my right side and getting dragged through the rocks and weeds a little ways until the paraglider decided to come down and join me on the ground. That one was a bit more painful.

Don't worry though, I did end up having a flawless last flight (after the two blunders) and it was awesome. It's not a sport for sissies, and I have the scrapes, bruises, and sore muscles to prove it. (:

This is Getting Depressing

2011-09-20T09:15:00.003-06:00

So... I'm turning 30. I've mentioned that... once, maybe a couple of times... (and more, I'm sure)

Anyway, I have a friend from my graduate program who is also turning 30. 11 days before I do. We've been commiserating this week about all the aches and pains we're getting. So sad. We're talking like old people.

Just this morning I mentioned to him that I pulled a hamstring while running yesterday. He said he was doing the criss-cross-type of crunches and could feel a pain in his back starting, so he left off the last set.

That's it.

I'm old.

How sad is that?

I Really Want a Snickers Bar

2011-09-15T15:37:00.004-06:00

Make that a Snickers Peanut Butter bar.

I also want -

- Krispy Kreme doughnuts
- a pudding/cream cheese dessert my mom made last night
- ice cream - cookies and cream
- pizza

I think that's it.

Am I going to have any of those things?

No.

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.*

Why?

Because I'm back on 'Eat to Live' as of Monday.

I knew the cravings would come, but ugh...

I'm leaving work in 20 minutes.

I'm stopping at the store on my way home.

I'm buying -

- kidney beans
- zucchini
- broccoli
- dog food

That's all.

No Krispy Kremes, ice cream, etc.

I really hope this craving period ends.

SOON.

*that's a movie reference, obscure though it may be. probably a jazillion points if you get it.

Record-Breaking Week

2011-09-12T12:48:00.003-06:00

This morning I found out that a guy I know was on Regis and Kelly with four other guys attempting to break the world record for the most front-flip slam dunks in 30-seconds.

Check it out -
Justin (my friend) is the next to last when they line up to talk to Regis and Kelly, and the one who helps Regis get in position at the end.

Bringing the Kitchen to the Bathroom*

2011-09-11T14:56:00.006-06:00

I know a lot of people are blogging about 9/11 today - with good reason. I really don't have anything to add to what I posted last year, except for maybe - God Bless America. We need Him so much (always, but even more so now than before I think), for so many reasons. I love this country and am indeed proud to be an American. I don't agree with everything that goes on, but I don't want to live anywhere else. America truly is great.

(*those of you who know me well may know how hard it was to write that title. i refuse to take any food or water into the bathroom. it's disgusting. but read on, and then the title will make sense. :)

For a little over a week I haven't been using shampoo or conditioner on my hair. Don't get freaked out, I'm still clean (promise!). I've just been using an unconventional method.

Ready to hear it?

Baking soda.

That's it.

Well, baking soda in water. 1 Tbsp baking soda for every 2 Tbsp water. About. It's not a scientific process. I put it in a little squirt bottle and shake it up before every use (it separates), and after wetting my hair, I squirt some baking soda/water on my head. Rub it in really well (it's a different feeling and takes a bit getting used to), then rinse it out really well. The post-baking soda/water feeling take a bit of getting used to as well.

A few days after doing this, I read this lady's blog who mentioned putting an apple cider vinegar/water mixture in your hair after washing with baking soda, or lemon juice/water. I put some lemon juice (about 1 Tbsp to every 1 cup of water - again, not scientific so it doesn't really matter) and water in a squirt bottle and after rinsing the baking soda out, I put some of that in. I love how my hair has been feeling. It feels clean and is easier to manage. I'm sold.

Next crazy idea:

brown sugar/honey/olive oil/vanilla body (and face!) scrub.

I've tried this for a few days too (a couple of days without the olive oil, then I saw a recipe with olive oil and I mixed that up last night and used it this morning).

Once again - SOLD.

I love it.

This also separates, but I keep it in a little tupperware-type container and keep a plastic spoon with it so I can just quickly mix it up before using it.

With my hands, I scoop some out and start scrubbing.

My skin felt so soft and moisturized even before getting out of the shower. I didn't put any lotion or any kind of moisturizer on my body or face after getting out of the shower - because I didn't need it.

I know I posted about the greatness of baby oil gel a little while ago, but this trumps that. There's no contest in my opinion. It's really amazing.

One warning with the brown sugar mix - careful about it getting into your hair; or wash your hair after using the body scrub. I got some of the mixture in my hair from my hands and shoulders where my hair touched, and my hair was just a bit oily (because of the olive oil). I'm still going to use the scrub because it's awesome, but I'll probably clip up my hair after washing it just to keep it out of the way.

And the best thing about using these things - if you get really hungry in the shower you can just make yourself a cake or something. (:

Which reminds me of this:
(skip to 2:33 - or a bit later - and watch to the end to see what I'm talking about)

also, in honor of National Honey Month (who knew that even existed?) read here.

My Mom and I Got Pedicures the Other Day

2011-09-08T12:17:00.001-06:00

It may have reminded us of this:

Hmm... I Don't Think I Love It...

2011-09-03T17:48:00.003-06:00

A friend told me about stumbleupon a few days ago. It's a pretty fun website. I've found some cute ways to do nails and hair (especially long hair - which makes me determined to grow mine out again -- for real this time...).

One type of nail painting that I thought was really fun is called water marbling. I got some fun colors today (silver and pink) planning on trying it, but the polish I got just wasn't working (they do say that some are better than others). While looking at tutorials on water marbling, I found this post on tie-dye nails. Soo much easier, and also kind of fun, so I thought I'd try that instead.

Simply - paint two layers of one color on all your nails. Let it dry. Paint one layer of another color on all your nails. Let it dry. Take a q-tip, dip it in nail polish remover, and start rubbing different designs into the nails as you reveal the lower color.

~ for the second layer I didn't really care if I covered the whole nail since I'd be rubbing some off anyway ~

~post q-tip rubbing ~

It's kind of growing on me, and I'll probably leave it on for a few days, but I don't think it's my favorite look.

Don't Think I've Posted This Yet

2011-09-01T13:24:00.003-06:00

I heard this song for the first time after I had been dumped because I like dogs.

Needless to say, this song has a special place in my heart. (:

What's the Difference Between...

2011-08-31T08:25:00.003-06:00

... going to sleep at 9:30 and going to sleep at 10:30?

- a 5 am wake-up and a 7 am wake-up.

or

OLD AGE.
I'm feeling it...

Monday night I had lights out at 9:37ish. Yesterday morning I woke up just after 5, went downstairs and exercised, then got ready for the day.

Last night I had lights out at 10:30... this morning woke up at 7:10 (after kind of waking up at 5:30, then 6:20, and deciding that I was just too tired) and rushed through getting ready.

Which did I prefer? The first option for sure. It's amazing how much going to bed just one hour later can change how things happen the next morning.

Tonight's goal: 9:00. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Good Things Monday

2011-08-29T12:49:00.006-06:00

I feel like Mondays get a bad rap. I kind of like Mondays.

Today, this is why:

:Dingo didn't wake me up in the middle of the night (for the first time in about a week)
:I got an extra hour of sleep (it was because I slept in, but I still got an extra hour - and I got to work on time)
:I had a really good lunch (just a microwaved meal, but it was good)
:I finally got the dogs out on a walk - a two-miler - and it felt awesome (they seemed to really enjoy it too and Dingo only started lagging at the very end - it helped him that we walked to the park for my ward's home evening and had a nice break between the miles)
:I got to play volleyball (well, there was no net, but we made a passing circle - and it was a lot of fun)
:I saw the start of the tons of beautiful sunflowers we get near the trail (I've decided that if I get married in August or September, I'm just going to cut a bunch of the sunflowers and use those as my wedding flowers)
:I got told about this crazy article from this friend who had a cute post today (I'm surprised that I'm still surprised at people's stupidity. And who's the genius lawyer who thought the kids actually had a case?)
:I got to read this post from another friend and I love reading her posts
:I feel tired (like, muscle-tired, which is awesome. it's been way too long...)
:I'm in bed and all ready for bed and it's not even 9 o'clock (lights off by 9:30)

This has been a good day.
Yay for Mondays!

A Memory (Installment 3)

2011-08-27T15:46:00.003-06:00

I went back East about... five years ago to visit my sister in Delaware. Part of the trip included a drive to upstate New York. We stopped at Niagara Falls and while we were there we grabbed food at a concessions stand. There were tons of sparrows around picking up dropped crumbs. I had a soft pretzel (I love those things) and started pulling off pieces to feed to them. I figured they were pretty used to people so I put a small piece on the tip of my fingers to see if they'd eat it. They did. I tried it a few times, and always, some brave little sparrow would hop up, grab the piece, and hop back. This picture was taken right after one of those sparrows grabbed the food. I got this picture off my gmail account, but I'm hoping I have a better one (normal-sized) somewhere...

I Like Things Like This

2011-08-25T18:12:00.001-06:00

Days Like This

2011-08-24T21:53:00.006-06:00

The day started off fine.

- I woke up early enough that I didn't have to rush to get ready.
- I got to work a bit after 7.
- I worked.
- I had lunch with my supervisor and we were able to catch up.
- I got back to work.
- I presented the chocolate mousse I had made for my coworkers.
- It was eaten and loved.
- I kept working.
- I almost fell asleep at my computer.
~ A few times. ~
- I took a quick walking break around the neighboring park with a friend.
- I got back to work.
- I started packing up to leave around 5.30.
~ The earliest I've left work in two weeks. ~
- I took a former schoolmate and current coworker home.
- I almost stopped at the red cross to donate blood since it's been a while.
- I got home and saw that my dad had donated blood at a ward member's eagle scout project.
- I left home and went to donate blood.
- I was the last one to donate so they started packing things up while they were finishing up with me.
- They packed up all the treats.
~ I never eat the treats anyway, but I felt like they could have at least waited until I was done. ~
- I was late to a presidency meeting because I was 'making a difference.'
- I went out to visit some people in the ward.
~ No one was home. ~
- I stopped by the store to pick something up for my dad.
~ They didn't have it. ~
- I went to another store.
- I got home.
- My hoped-for 'short' day turned into a 14+ -hour day.
- I was grumpy when I got home.
- I felt self-righteous in my grumpiness because things hadn't gone like I had planned/hoped they would.
- I realized I hadn't eaten anything since my lunchtime (I had skipped out on the mousse at work)
- I had enough of my mind with me that I wouldn't let myself eat the leftover chocolate mousse that was sitting in the fridge because I knew that the way I felt then I'd probably finish what was left and then feel sick about doing it.
- I realized that it's days like this that it really counts for me to not be grumpy.
~ see Mom, some of the things you taught me really did stick ~
- Anyone can be un-grumpy when things are going well.
- I made the necessary apologies.
- I started crying.
~ I'm not a big crier. ~
- I'm just so blasted tired.

And to top it all off, I have one pint less blood than I did when I woke up this morning.

~ Good night. ~

Learning to Balance

2011-08-24T09:05:00.003-06:00

via
I love this picture

So, I've been losing weight recently. Hallelujah. It hasn't melted off, but it's been fairly steady, and that's healthy and longer-lasting, right? It's all been through the way I'm eating* since I haven't taken time to throw exercise into the mix. I'm hoping I can make that change soon since I just feel better when I'm exercising. I was telling a friend the other day that the minute I exercise, I feel like I'm thinner. Exercise is like magic in that way.

Anyway, back to how I'm eating, and balance...

I've been eating mostly raw and/or whole foods. Lots of salads, fruit, beans, etc. I feel a lot better when I'm eating better things (go figure) but what I'm trying to figure out is amounts. Based on my weight watchers training, there's a certain amount of 'points food' we should eat a day. When I tried that equation it worked great for me. So I'm still keeping that in my mind as I'm working to lose weight. But, most the foods I'm eating are zero points. All vegetables - with the exception of corn, potatoes, etc. (really starchy veggies) are zero points, and all fruits - with the exception of avocados (I think that's the only exception) are zero points too. My daily points target right now - according to weight watchers - is 32. So... if I'm eating mostly zero point foods, I'm having a hard time meeting that target. Beans are not zero points - a can of black beans is 8, and a can of kidney beans is 9, etc. - so when I eat those, I'm getting something. I also will eat 9-grain bread from bountiful baskets that is amazing - and also not zero points.

Here's the problem. I'm eating so well, but I don't know that I'm eating enough. I've noticed that on days where I've eaten more non-zero point food than I thought I should I've actually dropped more weight than on days where I'm restricting so much what I eat and sticking to almost all zero-point food.

Obviously there's a balance in there somewhere that I need to find. Since I've started this internship I've had to bring food to work with me. The first month+ it was because they didn't have any kind of cafeteria or vending machines to eat from. Which was probably a good thing. Now, I'm in a building with a cafeteria but I'm still bringing my food since it's so much better.

I try to space out my meals so I'm not eating everything at once, but I'll have my salad or fruit sometime between 11:30 and noon, and then another part of meal around 1 or so... but I've noticed that when I feel hungry and I haven't 'scheduled' my eating, I ignore it until I want to eat. I'm not sure that this is the best approach. Especially when I'm eating all good things**, then it probably really doesn't matter if I'm eating when I think I should as opposed to eating when my body needs to.

I hope this makes sense. I'm still trying to work it out in my head, but I think I'm on the right track.

*I've focused on 'Eating to Live' before and had amazing results. Good things happen when you eat good foods!
**I don't want to deceive anyone into thinking that I'm eating 100% healthy, all the time, because that's not true. But I must say I'm eating pretty blasted well these days.

An Invitation

2011-08-22T08:23:00.002-06:00

This was part of the previous post, but this morning I felt like it warranted it's own post... so I just copied and pasted - then made a few changes. (:

I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea that consistent, sustained effort is better than flash-in-the-pan moments of greatness. I mentioned this idea to my parents tonight asking if there was a quote or something that I was thinking of but just couldn't remember that described this idea and my mom sent me this -

If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work.

~ Beryl Markham ~

I had a fireside this evening that focused on a Book of Mormon reading challenge. They handed out a schedule that shows you what you need to read in order to be done by Christmas (starting 1 September). I think it's mostly 4-5 pages a day. Easily doable. When I first looked at it I thought, 'I can get a huge jump start on that.' Then I realized that, once again, it's not about these bursts of enthusiasm, but consistent, daily effort. Since I haven't been reading the BoM with any regularity lately it'll be best for me to start with consistent, simple efforts.

I think doing scripture study - in this way - shows a 'ledger of daily work' that will lead to positive (and lasting) things.

ps - in the fireside, the speaker - Elder Warren G. Tate - asked us to invite family members, friends, co-workers, etc. to participate in this challenge with us, promising that doing it will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father, and bring us answers to questions we've had. So, if you're reading this, consider this my invitation. Member of the Church, or not, I invite you all to read the Book of Mormon.

One thing Elder Tate mentioned was having a personal daily devotional. I like that idea, and have never really done that. I think that sounds like a great break from the daily grind and a wonderful way to either start or finish (or both?) the day.

A Few Things, and Then to Bed

2011-08-21T23:32:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea that consistent, sustained effort is better than flash-in-the-pan moments of greatness. I mentioned this idea to my parents tonight asking if there was a quote or something that I was thinking of but just couldn't remember that described this idea and my mom sent me this -

If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work.

~ Beryl Markham ~

That's definitely the idea I've been thinking of, but not the quote or the source I was necessarily thinking of. If I come up with that, I'll let you know, but until then, I think that quote fits very nicely.

I've been thinking of this idea with my plans (hopes) for weight loss. I realized it doesn't matter how many days I can keep to extreme (healthy) eating habits if I break down and shove every unhealthy thing I can into my mouth. Which happens.

If, on the other hand, I'm consistently eating what's good for me and allowing myself an occasional treat and not beating myself up about it, I'm doing all right. Better than all right, I'm doing what will lead to permanent weight loss. Which is awesome.

I've been thinking about this idea more today because I had a fireside this evening that focused on a Book of Mormon reading challenge. They handed out a schedule that shows you what you need to read in order to be done by Christmas (starting 1 September). I think it's mostly 4-5 pages a day. Easily doable. When I first looked at it I thought, 'I can get a huge jump start on that.' Then I realized that, once again, it's not about these bursts of enthusiasm, but consistent, daily effort. Since I haven't been reading the BoM with any regularity lately it'll be best for me to start with consistent, simple efforts.

I think doing these two things - in this way - show a 'ledger of daily work' that will lead to positive (and lasting) things.

ps - in the fireside, the speaker - Elder Warren G. Tate - asked us to invite family members, friends, co-workers, etc. to participate in this challenge with us, promising that doing it will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father, and bring us answers to questions we've had. So, if you're reading this, consider this my invitation. Member of the Church, or not, I invite you all to read the Book of Mormon.

One thing Elder Tate mentioned was having a personal daily devotional. I like that idea, and have never really done that. I think that sounds like a great break from the daily grind and a wonderful way to either start or finish (or both?) the day.

And now... because it's almost midnight... I'm to bed.

Finally!

2011-08-18T10:23:00.003-06:00

If you've visited my blog lately (instead of viewing it through google reader), you may have noticed this super-attractive widget I have at the top under the title.

If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed that today's number is different from yesterday's.

It's about time.

I'm tracking the weight that I want to lose in August. All too soon, I'll be adding to it the weight I'm hoping to lose in September. Yeah... I don't know that that's how it will all pan out, but hopefully it'll average out to 30 LBS. GONE BY 10 NOVEMBER.

Wouldn't that be awesome?

It would.

84 days left.

No, I"m not counting.

My phone is.

Thank you 'days left' widget. (:

READ IT

2011-08-11T10:18:00.003-06:00

I'm only partway through the second person's story, but ho. ly. cow.

Amazing.

One guy whose story is told was 19 (NINETEEN) for one more week when the war ended and was 'a decorated veteran air combat officer and a proven navigator' at that time. He had also earned the title 'lucky bastard*.'

NINETEEN!!!

I don't know if they make men like that anymore.

Find it here.
and 'click to look inside' for a preview.

Wow.

*i'm not swearing. it's a thing. and an incredible thing at that.

Guess Who

2011-08-09T18:19:00.006-06:00

this man -

- was drafted

- said, 'The only lottery I ever came close to winning was the drawing for the first draft before Pearl Harbor.'

- was 10 lbs. underweight for his height-weight ratio and was denied after being drafted

- appealed the army's decision when denied

- said (with a slight grin) he had a friend operating the scales for the second weigh-in

- defied his boss and took every step possible to get into uniform

- was a movie star, academy award-winning actor, American folk hero, Princeton graduate, aviator, bachelor, and prime favorite with the Hollywood ladies - who entered the army as a private

- when giving his reason to enlist said, 'It may sound corny, but what's wrong with wanting to fight for your country. Why are people reluctant to use the word patriotism?'

- made a promise to himself that he wouldn't use his celebrity for any favors

- went from earning thousands a month to $21 a month
on purpose

- 'won his commission not by pulling a string in Washington nor on the strength of civilian prominence, but by the unspectacular method of meeting the official requirements'

- at the end of WWII was a full commander of a combat bomber wing of the 8th Air Force

- was the highest ranking of Hollywood stars and directors who went off to war

- was among the very few officers in American military history to rise from private to colonel in just over four years

- served in the reserves until the retirement age of 60, during which time he became a general- was in combat situations the whole time he was overseas performing demanding and exposed duties

- lead pilot, squadron operations officer, and at the end - wing commander

- flew 20 combat missions against the Germans

- when not flying with 'his boys' was waiting at the control tower for their return

- flew every mission with his team that he could, when told to limit himself to 1 out of every 5, chose the most dangerous to fly

- had said of him - 'he was a very good B-24 pilot; he had a steady hand and a natural feel for piloting the aircraft. His greatest strength, however, was in his ability as a combat leader. He led many dangerous and difficult missions to such places as Berlin and, in the heat of air battle, he always maintained a calm demeanor. His pilots had absolute faith in him and were willing to follow him wherever he led.'

- won the most respect from his colleagues after one mission on which he missed the target and refused to alibi about it, taking all the blame for the mistake

- said, 'fear is an insidious and deadly thing. it can warp judgment, freeze reflexes, breed mistakes. worse, it's contagious. i knew that my own fear, if not checked, could infect my crew members.'

- was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal

- after his death there was a award created in his name to recognize outstanding pilots

- was remembered as 'shy, intense, not much of a talker, and a very competent pilot'- when he was told, 'I am honored to meet you, but... ah, you are an actor of course. We, ah, do not cater to actors, you see.' by a hotel manager, responded with, 'zat so? Waal, lemme tell ya. For the next four weeks, I'm Brigadier General *name*, United States Air Force.'
(in Madrid, the hotel manager touched a nerve. he was in Spain, not as an actor, but as a ranking American military officer in the service of his country. he expected to be treated with respect and dignity, and he quietly demanded it.)

- served in Vietnam and took part in a bombing mission

- after calling his twin daughters in for a 'talk' before they left for college, as typical, he kept it short and to the point - 'be nice to people and they will be nice to you.'

any guesses?

the final (and giveaway) clue...
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- his first movie after returning home was 'It's a Wonderful Life'
(and he played the lead in case you were wondering)

i've always thought he was good-looking, but the uniform makes him even more so (:

I learned all of this (and more) by reading Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot by Starr Smith. Not the best-written book I've ever read, but interesting. I've always liked him as an actor, but have more respect and admiration for him now. (I loved reading about a Hollywood star who appreciated this country and recognized that it gave him wonderful opportunities he wouldn't have had elsewhere instead of the outspoken ingrates we have now (not all of them are outspoken ingrates, but too many of them are).)

My last endorsement for Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot: If you want an interesting/fun read, about a lovable, worthy-of-admiration-and-respect real (and 'reel' - as the book points out) hero - pick it up.

Did you guess who it was? Did you guess someone else?
Let me know. (:

2011-08-09T12:07:00.001-06:00

I'm reading a really good book right now.

I'll tell you about it later.

Be excited!

Wyoming Sunset

2011-08-05T06:55:00.001-06:00

We got as far as Laramie last night. This picture was taken from some dead-end freeway exit during our second stop.

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Ohio-Bound

2011-08-04T09:41:00.003-06:00

In about 3 hours I'm driving away from my home and my bed and my dogs and my... etc... (: and heading to Ohio. I'm driving with my sister and her two boys (ages 2-yrs and 6-mo.) so they can meet my brother-in-law in their new state-of-residence.

24-hours in the car.

At least.

Woo-hoo.

Then I remembered this clip:

Watch from about 1:30 on-

(ignore the whole political-whatever for the video, it's the only clip of this scene that I could find)

And then I thought Ohio might not be all bad if there are Ohio-Amish like Harrison Ford. (:

Plus I'm flying back through Dallas.

I've never seen Texas before.

Here's to hopes for sanity through the next three days.

Guy With the Kitty

2011-08-04T08:01:00.002-06:00

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Today I...

2011-07-30T20:13:00.004-06:00

... went for a two-mile walk
... made a dent in cleaning up my bedroom
(filled a large garbage bag - more to come!)
(and that's when I found that quote I posted earlier)
... washed all my sheets, blankets, and pillow cases
(I'm looking forward to bed tonight!)
... went to lunch with a friend
... cleaned out the aquarium
... cleaned out a fishbowl
(I decided that the two other bowls can wait - their occupants died and were disposed of long ago)
... washed both dogs
(and got 'help' from my nephew - who soaked us both in the process ~ I let him take charge of the hose)
... went for a 'little walk' with my nephew and the dogs
(where the four of us all dried off)
... made whole wheat pancakes for my nephew's dinner
(so good that I had to have some too)
... did a little cleaning up in the yard with my dad
(very little)
... talked to a friend whose slogan should be 'for all your welding and haircut needs contact...' because she does both
(how cool is that?)
... went to bed early
(well, not yet, but I'm planning on it)

and all because I submitted (another) draft to my committee on Thursday

~and good night~

Not Sure When I Wrote it Down -

2011-07-30T12:50:00.002-06:00

'We take our own standards of life so much for granted, that we simply have no conception that they are not universal.'

- CD Williams, 1941

also --

'Tues - work, dead
- busy (or lazy?) night @ home
Wed - work, dead
- up to Draper for Devil Wears Prada
- left right after
Thurs - work, dead
- watched 'Rope' Jimmy Stewart Hitchcock movie
- packed for CA
Fri - work, dead left @ 11:30
- Dom and Jen's - airport around 1:20 (flight @ 2:20)
- delayed for engine trouble
- just read book contains two plane crashes
- guy that told me my flight was late did this weird scratching thing on my arm
- left @ 5:40
- gorgeous sunset - fiery red, golden orange, clouds divided layers of color, silhouette of mountains - fabulous
- arrived in Vegas
- plane @ our gate delayed getting off'

~ the first thing is a good quote
~the second thing is some weird itinerary thing I wrote down in which I obviously 'died' a lot...
~ i think it was when i was on my way to CA to surprise my sister (i had coordinated the trip with my bro-in-law) and my flights kept getting delayed.

So Beautiful.

2011-07-25T09:47:00.002-06:00

And so much what I've needed lately.
Thanks Becky for posting it!

Bryce Canyon Half - In Pictures

2011-07-19T18:55:00.009-06:00

the drive in:

the manager of our motel - The Padre Motel - giving us a history lesson
on the area around Bryce

the 'padre'

the manager's stash of books of mormon in many, many languages

annikki scored a new German version from the manager

cowboy blues - fine dining
they boast 'the best margaritas in town' but it doesn't
take much for them to admit that they're the
only margaritas in town
~they're the only place with a liquor license~
there were maybe six dinner options on the menu, but the service was great and really friendly

so happy to be on a bus before 5 am

even happier they have fires while we wait for the start

runners getting ready to go...

scenery from the race

the girl in the red on the left turned and said, 'you're doing awesome!' as they passed. she couldn't have been more than 15 - but i'm thinking she was even younger. what a sweetheart. i saw her friend (sister?) turn to her after but i didn't hear what she said. the first girl's response was - 'i'm just trying to encourage her.' so sweet.

check out the population...

scenery from the drive home
we took the back way
and didn't regret it - such a gorgeous drive!

the Bryce Canyon half was awesome. i might have to do it again. it's such a beautiful run with a lot of downhill.

despite my being untrained for it (see my time...) i really enjoyed it and am fast recovering.

{More}* Words of Wisdeom

2011-07-08T21:33:00.004-06:00

*'more' because i'm sure i've used that title before, but i'm too tired (substitute busy, lazy, etc.) right now to find out for sure. even with the cool search feature on my blog.

Speaking of my love for Sabrina... (which I was doing just recently)

'You seem embarrassed by loneliness; by being alone. It's only a place to start.'

I'd much rather hold on to that than,

'La vida es sueno... - Your life is a dream and now it is over!'
(say that with a Spanish accent and it sounds fierce)

although that may be a good thing to remember every once and a while...

A Few Things. All Connected. At Least in My Head.

2011-07-07T21:38:00.003-06:00

1 - As I've mentioned in recent posts - I've gained weight recently. I blame it on my thesis. And my apparent (sometimes complete) lack of willpower/self-control when I'm stressed out over my thesis. Which is almost constantly.

Today, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

I did not like what I saw.

My first (and only, really) thought was - 'I'm fat.'
(before you go needlessly jumping into platitudes/explanations/sympathetic mumblings, please hold. that's not the point of my story)

I walked out and immediately saw two women who were bigger than I. One of them muchly so (I know that's not a word). My first thought was (as I've been told by my oldest sister on numerous occasions) - 'Some people would kill to have my body.' to which I add - 'and if they wouldn't, they should.' (not that I'm being vain - see above.)

Not that that makes me want to stay where I am, but I can appreciate the fact that I'm not as bad as I could be.

Thank heavens.

2 - I went running tonight.

For the first time, in way, way too long.

Especially considering that I'm signed up to run (I mean walk) a half marathon next weekend.

However, it's in Bryce Canyon and I figure it will be a beautiful walk/run and I can enjoy it for what it is.

The run tonight felt great, by the way. I remembered how much I love running.

Even on a treadmill.

And compared to outside running, I hate treadmill running.

But Sabrina helped me.

Have I mentioned how much I love that movie?

maybe once.

or twice.

or three times...

... or four.

But not enough, I'm sure.

c - I'm totally not on track to lose 30 by 30... sadly.

However, I can still do it. I've just got to be more invested. And start acting on it. 1.67 lbs a week for the next 18 weeks (exactly!) and I've got it. I can do this.

4 - I eat better when I exercise. Which is why I made myself get on the treadmill tonight. I went to a Relief Society presidency meeting in my running clothes so I wouldn't have an excuse when I got home.

It worked.

e - I'd say more. Because I'm sure there was more. But I've forgotten what it was.

And I was hoping to be in bed by 10. Which isn't going to happen since it's 9:58.

And I still need to shower.

Because I went running.

Did I mention that? (:

Oh Yes I Did. And It Was Fun.

2011-07-02T18:37:00.003-06:00

Here it is in the news:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

And here's proof that I did it:

and I'm totally in it.
don't believe me?
check me out at 1:53 - that's the first time you see me...
(:

You Know You're Busy When...

2011-06-28T14:37:00.006-06:00

... you have to make an abbreviated list that gives examples of what happens because you're too busy (see below):

- dead fish
- lost phone
- no sleep
- sleep @ work
- nervous breakdown
- writing mania
- powerpoint trauma
- too, many, commas,!
- no walks
- no dog park

- not enough time for more.

Over 40 Unread...

2011-06-25T16:04:00.001-06:00

... in my gmail inbox right now.

I've been busy.

I'll get that number down.

Sometime.

Hopefully soon.

No Matter What -

2011-06-25T00:12:00.003-06:00

- He's got it.

I was watching 'Once Upon a Honeymoon.'

Cary Grant was surrounded by bad actors, a weak plot and a poor script. Throw Ginger Rogers with a fake accent into the mix and it was looking like a train wreck.

He smiled...via

And I bought it all.

No joke.

It happened pretty much that quickly.

While getting that image I saw a couple of websites that talked about George Clooney being 'the next Cary Grant' and the 'spitting image.'

I say one thing -

Hell No.

Clooney is no Grant.

It's Just Possible...

2011-06-22T22:20:00.004-06:00

... that I've been listening to this song, and watching this music video a lot in the past day. And by a lot, I mean while taking a meal break or standing break from writing my thesis (which is almost done, hallelujah!).

I'll tell you why on Saturday.

Or, probably Sunday.

In all honesty, it might be Monday.

But don't worry.

I will tell you.

Have Mercy*

2011-06-22T00:30:00.005-06:00

*20 million points if you know the show I'm referring to.
here's your hint*
and here's a way hotter picture (:

A month or so ago I got asked to be the secretary in the relief society. In that first week, I met with Amber, the president, to set up visiting teaching assignments. While doing so, we glanced through the members ages, just out of curiosity.

Amber and I are both turning 30 this year, and were hoping we weren't the only 'grandmas' in the ward.

Skip ahead to tonight.

Amber and I are back in the clerk's office, on the computer, looking at the relief society list.

Somehow we ended up with the membership records of people who fall in our age group (18-30) who happen to be in the local prison right now. This being the case, some of those people had been given visiting teaching assignments...

This was a mistake.

One we intended to fix tonight.

Imagine my dismay when I realized that 3 of the girls we saw were in the same boat (nearing 30 and still single with no relationship on the horizon - that last part was admittedly projection on my part)...

are inmates.

Amber said it looks like we're beating the odds since when you're turning 30 the choices seem to be between getting married and going to prison.

And they might even have a better chance of getting married while they're in prison, then we do while in our ward.**

**so, here i was going to post a newspaper article or something similar that proved that people really do get married while in prison. in case you needed proof.**

i didn't find that, but i did find these gems:

how to marry a prisoner
i love tips 2 and 5

chapel of love ceremonies: weddings behind bars
with reverend starlene - i'm not lying about that name either

wow.

wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

in other words:

HAVE MERCY.

So Worth It -

2011-06-20T19:26:00.002-06:00

For a possible free trip to Paris I will do almost anything you ask me to.

Almost.

Post a link to a blog? Most definitely.

Here you go.

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris/

Check it out!

Two Cute Girls

2011-06-14T10:26:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I changed by gmail chat status to: 'LILIA!!! WHERE ARE YOU? (:'

Lilia is my younger sister's oldest daughter (turning 2 tomorrow!) who I haven't seen/talked to in way too long. And she's adorable. I figured if/when my sister saw that, she'd open up a video chat with Lilia around.

Turns out she was clicking on my name to chat with me before she noticed my status.

Perfect.

I also got to talk to her two boys for a minute.

Aren't they cute?

Thanks for the call girlies!

I Call It My Thesis Weight...

2011-06-13T08:11:00.003-06:00

via

...And not in an endearing sort of way.

It's more of an I-can't-believe-I've-gained-back-so-much-of-the-weight-I-lost-last-year-and-I-hate-it-so-much kind of way.

I find thesis weight to be much less noble than baby weight. I mean, when all of this is over, I'll have about a 100-page paper* to show for it. Something that will hopefully be published (at least once...), but that's all.

I won't have a 5+ lb. bundle of life in my hands (the way my family grows them, it's more like a 9+ lb. bundle) that I spent 40 weeks creating in my body, that I am then expected to nurture and teach for at least the next 21 years of your life (but, which continues on into the 30s and 40s easily I'm sure - albeit without the same intensity).

Perhaps I sound a bit anti-feminist. And truth be told, I kind of am. But that's another discussion for another day.

*this beast of a paper is currently 70+ pages. but let me quickly add that I've only created 16 of those pages (so far. it'll definitely be longer, but not 50 pages...). the rest are appendices that I only needed to insert. but you never hear that part of the story when someone tells you their thesis length. at least I don't. so it sounds as though they've created all those pages, when really... they haven't.

A Memory (Installment 2)

2011-06-12T21:44:00.004-06:00

click here for installment 1

via

Not sure why I was reminded of this today, but nevertheless - this is what it is:

While living in Las Vegas, in the southern-practically-the-outskirts-at-the-time part, I lived in a cul-de-sac with three other homes. In one of those homes lived an older couple with an even older mother. They had a granddaughter (and great-granddaughter) who would play with us sometimes. We had enough interaction with the great-grandmother for me to be pretty sure she was scary, and I was afraid of her.

One day in the afternoon I was in the front of the house alone. I had just gotten out there and was walking between our big van and the garage when I heard 'help!' I looked across the street and saw the scary great-grandmother lady standing in front of the driveway of the house next to hers - not being able to keep walking to her home.

I'm ashamed to say my first action was to step back behind the van so she couldn't see me. I figured if she didn't know I was there, I couldn't be expected to help her.

Luckily my conscience kicked in quickly and I went across the street to help her. When I got there, she told me she needed help walking back to her house. So she grabbed onto my arm and we slowly made our way to her house.

And that was it.

But I was still scared of her.

I wish I could say that after that bonding moment we were great friends and she'd invite me over for milk and cookies. But she didn't. And I don't know that I would have gone even if she had. And she probably forgot it even happened.

But nothing changed.

I'm not really sure what the point of this story is, other than it makes me look like a not-great-person because I didn't jump right in to do the right thing.

I worry that I'm still like that sometimes. With different situations it's hard to really say how fast my response time really is now.

But I'm pretty sure that if I were ever faced with an old lady who was calling out for help, I'd jump right in. Scary or not.

Just a Note

2011-06-10T13:29:00.005-06:00

Last night I went to my brother's intramural championship softball game. I had been planning on going to a good friend's bridal shower (she's moving to Ohio where her fiance is going to dental school so they can finish wedding prep stuff while living in the same state, so I really wanted to go and see her before she goes, but when I heard about the championship game... well... I had to go. I called Mindy while on my way home from the game to tell her why I missed it and, as I knew she would be, she was glad I got to go to his game and really glad that he won! - don't worry, that didn't ruin my story. and, we'll hopefully get together sometime next week), but decided it was more important that I support my brother and watch his team kick the trash out of Riley Nelson's team (he's a punk, by the way. instead of joining his team when lining up to slap five with the other team and say 'good game' he walked off and started changing his shoes. harper - having had more interaction with him before that - had already told me he was a real punk, and I saw that as evidence of it. it's too bad. i hate it when athletes - and anyone else - are really good and full of themselves.). And that's exactly what happened (again, not ruining the story).

They had to beat this team twice since they had had a bad game earlier in the tournament and lost to them.

No problem.

The first game wasn't even close.

The second game was even less close.

They had to call the second game at the end of the... 6th inning (? - I think), because Harper's team was 10 runs ahead, and the mercy rule applied.

It was awesome.

I think it may have been my first time witnessing an intramural championship where the team that I was rooting for won. (unless I was at my bro-in-law's ultimate frisbee championship and they won... which could have been the case... but I don't remember. it was a long time ago.)

Now to the point of my story -

While sitting on the grass on the sidelines during the first inning of the first game, I watched a batter on my brother's team hit a popfly. I looked up and saw the ball heading straight to my head (after going up a long way in the air it started coming down a long way to the ground). I leaned my head down and away so it wasn't the target anymore, but didn't correctly estimate where it was going to land because it ended up nailing me right on my hip (I was kind of lying on my side). And - OUCH. It hurt. A ton. It stung, and hurt. But I was fine.

After batting, Clay (Harper's friend and teammate) came over and asked if I was okay, saying he was sorry, and that's when I realized who was responsible... Later, Caitlin mentioned it to Harper, who immediately turned to Clay and yelled, 'You hit my sister?' Nice. (:

Today's, it's bruised, and showing some burst blood vessels.

It's ugg-ly.

I'm just glad it's hidden by my clothes.

I will say it's kind of fun to have a (non-permanent) mark of the championship game. Maybe 'fun' is the wrong word.

Anyway, so glad I could be there to watch, and so glad they won!

Joplin, MO

2011-06-06T12:56:00.002-06:00

My doctor-in-training brother-in-law Spencer went to Joplin recently to help with clean-up.

Click here for his post on his experience.

It's June! And We Love Hiking.

2011-06-05T22:56:00.009-06:00

this time, the dogs came too.

and they needed a water break on the way up.

despite the look on annikki's face, she really does like hiking.

the view on the way down.

utah lake in front of the mountains.

i wore flip flops on this hike, and last week's. i'm now looking into good sandals for hiking. i like not wearing shoes and socks, but flip flops aren't the most stable footwear...

i've heard good things about chaco's and teva's.

any thoughts?

Interesting Article -

2011-05-31T23:33:00.001-06:00

saw this on a friend's facebook status.

click here.

Race #3 & Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T10:01:00.002-06:00

First of all -

- so grateful to live in this country
- so grateful that I lived outside this country for a year and a half so I appreciate this country even more
- so grateful that my mom's parents came from Mexico and France so they could give their future children (and grandchildren!) a better life
- so proud to be an American
~ I love this country! ~

race #3 - a Memorial Day race - benefit war veterans - quite fitting. I finished in sometime under 35:30, but I'm not sure what my exact time was.

Not bad.

Yay America!

just saw this on a friend's blog, thought I'd share:

Sunday Hiking

2011-05-29T21:27:00.001-06:00

A cloudy - but pretty - afternoon.

A waterfall.

A good day.

~ and I did it all in flip flops ~

Once Again...

2011-05-28T21:32:00.002-06:00

... I'd say more (or actually something), but my head is pounding and my bed is calling...

peace out.

So Many Things to Say...

2011-05-27T16:28:00.001-06:00

But all I have time for is this -

click here

Memorial Day race honoring (and thanking) the troops.

1 mile, 5k, 10k options.

You should sign up and run!

(in American Fork)

Thirty By 30

2011-05-26T23:37:00.005-06:00

*update* i did the math wrong for the week (how embarrassing) but it's correct now (:

Remember when I posted this list of overly-ambitious-perhaps-with-slight-or-more-than-slight-delusions-of-grandeur-wow-the-list-has-gotten-way-out-of-control things I wanted to do before I was 30? Yeah... so do I.

I re-worked it in my head today.

The 30 things I want to do before I turn 30 = the lbs. I want to lose before I turn 30. And it's totally possible. I have 168 days (24 weeks) in which to accomplish this. AND I'M GOING TO DO IT.

That's an average of losing less than .2 lbs a day. Or 1.25 lbs. per week. Definitely doable. And healthy too. (:

Remember when I lost weight recently?

Remember when I gained some back even more recently?

Oh, you don't remember that?

That's because I didn't want to tell you.

But it happened.

Not cool.

So... I'm coming back.

30 before 30.

On your mark...

Get set...

just out of curiosity, I looked at the list to see if there were things I could check off.
here they are:

2 - run another half marathon
6 - finish my master's degree
(not quite done, but close!)
15 - try skiing
25 - have my first kiss

13.33333% of what I had planned to do.
and, I still have 24 weeks left.
who knows what will happen by then...

here's a quote i like from that original post:

The common conception is that motivation leads to action, but the reverse is true - action precedes motivation. You have to "prime the pump" and get the juice flowing, which motivates you to work on your goals. Getting momentum going is the most difficult part of the job, and often taking the first step is enough to prompt you to make the best of your day.

- Robert McKain

~ good thing to remember ~

Have I Ever Shared This Gem on Here?

2011-05-25T21:18:00.002-06:00

so awesome.
maybe you've already seen it...

think they were going for a danny and sandy thing at the end?

Name That Show

2011-05-24T16:24:00.002-06:00

'His buttocks are sublime.'

***scroll down for the answer***

*did you guess it?*

Max on the Lure Course

2011-05-23T17:57:00.003-06:00

Before I left with the dogs for the course on Saturday I was talking to my mom about it, turned to Max and said, 'don't embarrass yourself.'

Little did I know...

Attempt #1 -

Attempt #2 -

Poor dog.

I don't know if he has enough dignity to feel embarrassed.

But I do.

Thanks to Jodie for filming while trying
to hold onto Dingo at the same time.
Sorry for my poor editing attempts.
There were times when Jodie couldn't
find us because Max was all over the place.

Thunderstorm!

2011-05-22T21:30:00.003-06:00

Today we had an awesome thunderstorm.

I love thunder.

And lightning.

I think I'm fascinated by the power that's in them.

I sat on my patio with a friend for a little while during the storm. A couple of the cracks of thunder made us both really jump. They sounded like shotguns. Really close shotguns.

Other than being jumpy for a couple of seconds, I loved it.

I love thunderstorms so much that I bought an hour long mp3 of a thunderstorm.

True story.

Speaking of which, maybe that will help me fall asleep tonight.

I had the lights off by 10:00 last night, but didn't fall asleep for another hour.

I hate when that happens.

Operation: Get Some Sleep!

2011-05-21T21:28:00.003-06:00

Goal: lights off by 10:00 pm.

Pathetic for a Saturday night?

Possibly.

Something my body desperately needs?

Absolutely.

Upcoming post - Max running in the lure course. I'd post it tonight, but the video requires some editing. And I just don't feel like doing that tonight.

They're Not Bad Dogs, But They Do Bad Things...

2011-05-20T13:29:00.002-06:00

On Monday I listened to a message on my phone from this guy who said he found my dogs and had them in his car and would like to bring them to me.

I was in Provo.

I called him back, left a message, and then called my mom at home.

She had the dogs back because he had called the home number too.

I'm so glad they both have ID tags on them. (I got Max one in December.)

They had dug a hole under the fence, gone a mile down to the park, wandered around the roundabout close by the park, then Max jumped out in front of this guy's car. The guy almost hit him (but didn't), followed them to the park, looked around for a frantic owner who lost two dogs, didn't see a frantic owner, called the numbers on the dog's tags and got them into his car.

Some people I've told the story to have been surprised that they got into his car.

I'm not.

They're nice dogs, and they like people.

While I'm not sure Dingo would have gone easily into his car had he been alone, I'm guessing that Max didn't hesitate (he's a genius. and loves everyone so I don't think he understands that everyone might not love him) and then Dingo followed.

It could have been a lot worse than that.

I'm so glad it wasn't.

Here's the inspiration for my title -
(I really wish they showed the lecture she gave them right before this)

Interesting...

2011-05-19T12:06:00.003-06:00

I got this from my sister-in-law quite a while ago. Kinda fun.

This year we experienced and are going to experience four unusual dates: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11; that's not all... take the last two digits of the year in which you were born; now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone!

This is the year of Money!!!

The year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays.
This happens only every 823 years.

These particular years are known as 'Moneybags' - ...

And then it goes on to explain that you need to send it to 8 people and you'll get money.
okay, okay...

I hate the 'you must forward this or die' part of emails, but sometimes they have some interesting information in them.