Time-Travel Tuesday

I found this and laughed because I definitely remember my mom taking this picture of me and my friend Brooke. I also remember that ballet was not so challenging when I was small, and was very much about the leotards when we were that young. In class the other day I remembered stretching as a class when I was this small and not really knowing why we did it, but we got to lay on the floor to do it so it was fun. We also made sure to exercise our feet with what our teacher only referred to as "Stretch, Middle, Point"... which, of course, is the direction our feet were supposed to move over and over again as we sat stick straight on the floor with our tiny little legs outstretched in front of us. I can't get over how small we were!

Acupuncture Me!

I love it. You should try it. It doesn't hurt, and the only side effect so far is that I am a bit tired after the treatment. Other than that, it's superb.

I was amazed that the needles don't hurt. Next time I will have my sister or someone go with me and take a picture. I look really bizarre, I bet.

Time Travel Tuesday

Here it is, my first Time Travel Tuesday! Each week I will be reminiscing and maybe even sharing old photos and their accompanying stories. Let us commence:

The photo above was taken in Colorado on a camping trip with some friends. I think I was 14 or so, just out of middle school and into the great unknown that is freshman year.

Middle school was a funny time. And middle school in the 90's was even funnier. We all wore baggy clothes, skate shoes, and wore strange big jewelry, usually made of safety pins or chaines, or both. Our clothing was also adorned in various metal object ranging from the already mentioned safety pin to the "hard-core" screw-on spikes that were harder to find in those days. It was also an era of pop-punk and ska. If you are unfamiliar with "ska", you may be able to identify it somewhat with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Reel Big Fish-type music. They were rock bands outfitted with a horn section , usually with upbeat California-themed songs. Sometimes there was screaming, but not in the scary death metal way.

The above picture is of me and a group of friends during the aforementioned era. Notice , if you can, the guy in the blue sweatshirt... he is wearing a Five Iron Frenzy sweatshirt; a "ska" band that happened to be my abosolute favorite. I would reccommend them to anyone for their vast array of lyric topics and their spunky melodies. They sing a spirited song about Canada, one about their homestate of Colorado and a few politically charged anthems. I had a handful of favorite songs... so if you're feeling adventurous check out "Every New Day", "Farsighted", and "The Day We Killed" just to name a few...

The first two pictures are not complete without this one, which is on the same camping trip that the first picture was taken,

and we ate coffee flavored ice cream in the middle of the night in our tent. We then were startled by the bright light of a meteor zooming in to the earth's surface. It lit the sky up a crazy luminous green color before it disappeared behind some hills... a few hundred miles away in Utah. It was a great camping trip... safety-pinned sweatshirts and all.

Good thing I didn't find a picture with me in flannel... go 90's!

Attack of the Fives...

5 Images I love and why:

1. I grew up mostly in Colorado and pictures of Pikes Peak always make me fee like I'm home.
2.I've always loved Marilyn Monroe, and this has always been one of my favorite pictures of her because she isn't suggestive or seductive- she's just naturally pretty here.


3. My mom bought me an art book before I could even read and there were paintings by Degas in it... and I wanted to take dance classes because of this one...


4.
When I first saw this statue at the Visitors Center in Salt Lake City, I cried. Time stopped and everything felt right and wonderful. I love going back there and watching people see it for the first time.


5. Aspen trees, in my opinion, are the most beautiful trees on earth. I love how they smell, and the brilliant variety of colors they turn in autumn. I think I could fill many albums with just pictures of aspen trees that I've taken. This one was not taken by me...


5 Years Ago I Was:

...Having the best time being a senior, gallivanting around with my friends doing senseless things for fun. I was finding out that I was more fun than I originally thought, and that graduation wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I was making the most of the time I had left because I knew soon everything would change.


5 Months Ago I Was:

... in a car accident and lucky that the only problems I had were a concussion and a broken nose. Got a newer car because of it though!


5 Hours Ago I Was:

... at work on a never-ending conference call craving popcorn. Woohoo!


5 Minutes Ago I Was:

... coming home from ballet and still wanting to eat popcorn.


5 Things on My "To Do" List:

1. do Winsor Pilates for Abs
2. call my insurance
3. take a bath
4. get my friend Stefanie's phone number
5. eat popcorn


5 Recent Pieces of Mail I've Received:

1. Wedding Invites
2. Victoria's Secret catalog
3. new checks
4. Costco Coupon book
5. Thank You card


5 Things I Would Do If I Became a Billionaire:

1. Pay off my parents' debt (and my student loans)
2. Buy my mom, my sister, Brian and myself Mini Coopers.
3. Buy land and build houses for each person in my family.
4. Travel
5. Go to school until I die



5 of My Bad Habits:

1. Biting my nails.
2. Picking at blemishes
3. Eating when I'm not hungry
4. Not putting my laundry away when I fold it
5. Not stretching before and after I run (and then I really pay for it).



5 Good Memories:

1. Eating spearmint leaves off the plant in my friend Heidi's backyard in kindergarten.

2. Going to "Paradise Cove" with the boys before I moved.
3. Driving all night to nowhere, listening to good music with a dear friend until sunrise just because we could.
4. Going through the temple for the first time last summer.
5. Being in a musical in first grade and singing a solo- I wore my black and pink polka-dot dress that I LOVED.



5 Places I've Lived:

1. Colorado - Monument and Divide.
2. Casper, Wyoming
3. Manassass, Virgina
4. Gainesville, Florida
5. Selmer, Tennessee
(and there are many more)



5 Songs I Love:

1. "33" by the Smashing Pumpkins
2. "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles
3. "Stand Inside Your Love" by the Smashing Pumpkins
4. "Goodbye Sky Harbor" by Jimmy Eat World
5. "Dandelions" by Five Iron Frenzy



5 Jobs I've Had:

1. Waitress/ Hostess at Shalimar
2. Bookseller at Barnes and Noble
3. Customer Service Supervisor at Old Navy
4. Administrative Assistant- Old Navy
5. Administrative Assistant- Nike



5 Books I Love:

1. The Alchemist
2. The Book of Mormon
3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
4. Eve and the Choice Made in Eden
5. The Chronicles of Narnia



5 Things That Are Out of Place Around My House:

1. My pile of shoes in the hall closet that should be in the "shoe bin"
2. A pile of growing junk mail on the floor in front of my book shelf- they should be in the shred pile.
3. A snorkel set that should be with the camping/summer stuff in the closet but is at the foot of my bed
4. The set of baking dishes in my closest- instead of with the rest of my kitchen items.
5. My Fluidity Bar in the garage where I'm NOT using it...


5 Things I Love to Eat

1. Greek Gods honey yogurt
2. Cinnabon
3. Jell-o with cool whip
4. baby green peas- steamed
5. my mom's homemade cornbread stuffing



5 People (who are not blood relations or in-laws) Who Have Had a Positive Impact on My Life:

1. Gordon B. Hinckley- the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that I first knew as my modern day prophet. Any time that I have had a hard time with something I knew I could find peace in his words and teachings. He is an excellent role model for people of all faiths. If I could have even a fraction of the gentleness and humbleness he did, I think things would go a lot smoother.

2. Mr. Dickson, my choir teacher in Colorado. Great wit and dry humor, and he always had a huge grin on his face. I sometimes wished he was my grandpa. He had a way of teaching people how to really hear things and I don't know how he did it. And somehow he made us all get along even though we were temperamental, hormonal teenagers who cared more about who liked who than music. He made us fall in love with music. Also, Mr. Douthit (sp?), my first grade (and fourth and fifth grade) music teacher who always encouraged me to try new things and have fun with music.

3. Brother Weed- whom I don't really know and have only heard speak a handful of times (even though he is now part of my bishopric). Everything I have ever heard him say has had some resounding impact on the way I think, feel, speak and act. I learn volumes just listening to him, and he only says a few sentences. I look forward to more of his talks and more of his stories.
4. Matt McKinley- a friend of mine who has taught me that if you aren't a little irrational, spontaneous and disorganized life is not worth living. He doesn't make a lot of money or have all the coolest things, or know all of the coolest people... and he pretty much just picks a place and goes there without much foresight, but he always has great stories to tell and knows people pretty much anyplace you can point out on a map.

5. The last one has to be a combination of folks- Mark Fisher, Dan Blaisdell, Jeff Ashby, and numerous others whom befriended me and showed me through their everyday actions what I was searching for. I could never show enough gratitude for how radically you've changed my life, all with the simplest words and gestures. You were my first testimony of living the gospel and being a missionary by example and I am thankful for that. Much of my happiness has come from the events that started with friendship.


I tag Mark, Mary and Ksenia.

Things I've Learned from TV

... are specifically why I have problems picking a definite career path. I will pretty much watch anything that's on Discovery, Discovery Health, History Channel, TLC, etc. And I pretty much am hooked on whatever they are talking about... usually. This, along with my propensity for certain subjects, are making me feel like I will never be only interested in one thing. I guess that's a good thing because I'll never be bored...

I know I've talked about this before, but today I had 3 separate epiphanies as to what I should really be doing.

1. Open my own clothing boutique centered around layering pieces and more modest fashions.

2. Open a boutique centered around modest formal-wear and wedding gowns... so all my wonderful friends won't have to fly to Utah to pick out and try on dresses... or order them sight-unseen from a website.

3. Become a geologist.

Given, the first two are at least related to each other, but the third, though out of left field, is something I've always loved. When I was little I collected rocks; every time the family went ANYWHERE I came home with a pocketful or purseful of rocks. I would try to get as many different kinds and colors and textures as possible. I asked for a rock dictionary when I was in first grade, and then a rock tumbler so I could have all of my rocks polished. We lived in Colorado for a long time, which is a great place to live if you like rocks, and where I learned all about fossils and even more about rocks from my fanatical science teacher. More odd still, I am the girl who looks out the window on road trips and points out to the unassuming fellow passengers what sort of rocks are in that particular area and how they came to be.

Enough rock talk. The other two are just useful things that I think there is a definite need for and that I wouldn't mind doing. Really, I was watching a TLC show about a lady who started her own business... and the rest came from me.

Also, I am limiting my career choices in order not to bore you too much. I have a list of at least 10 other things I would like to do. New rule, no more television. I'll just read books for bit and see how I fare.

Best Day of 2008

April 10, 2008- Best day so far for this year. And here's why...

I got to meet Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World. When will something that cool ever happen again? Probably not for a while. I'm hoping some of his genius rubbed off on me. Never has anyone written lyrics as powerful as are contained in a Jimmy Eat World song. If you haven't listened to them, just go buy Clarity and Bleed American. Don't preview, just buy... it's that good.

I said before that I was really looking forward to the J.E.W. show for some time. I didn't know I was in for quite a huge treat! I got down to Salem super early so Rick and I could go shopping and eat before the show. First, I found a pair of jeans that fit GREAT and look great too. Then I bought some awesome huge sunglasses that Rick picked out for me. Then I ate Cinnabon while we stood in line waiting for the doors of the Salem Armoury to open- which is, by the way, one of my favorite foods. We met up with a few friends and once the doors were opened, we went inside and stood around for a bit, talking and whatnot. I was messing around with my phone, trying to pass the time since we were there pretty early when I noticed someone walking past us. Just as I looked up to see who it was and recognize them, Rick said in a somewhat hushed voice, "Hey, isn't that Jim from Jimmy Eat World?".

It was funny because I basically said the same thing to myself in my head as Rick said it out loud. I, of course, said, "Is it? IT IS!", and then we quietly debated on going to say hi. We couldn't pass up the opportunity so we walked up, asked if he wouldn't mind saying hi, etc. He was super nice and talked with us for a few moments. He even signed our tickets and let us get a picture with him! (see above)

The whole situation was a little funny because just two minutes before he walked by we had been talking about how the only thing that could make the day better was if we got to meet the band members. And voila! It happened.

It was also a bit funny because no else seemed to notice that JIM ADKINS was just walking around the auditorium... but this must have been because everyone else that came early were little 8-12 year old girls there to see Paramore and had no idea who Jimmy Eat World was. I felt old, but awesome. PS- all the little kids pretty much left after Paramore, partially because it was their bedtime, and partially because they don't know J.E.W. Sad for them.

I also noticed that any time Rick and I go to shows together, we end up meeting the band or someone in the band. I think this arrangement works out well and shall continue. I don't mind meeting musical greatness.

Another Good Day

I'm having another one of my "laugh at everything" days. I caught "Blades of Glory" on television part way through the other day, so since I wasn't really watching anything, I started watching it, again. I don't remember it being funny really, but the second time I was just dying with laughter. Today on my way to work I was reminded (and I'm not sure by what) of a phrase from that movie, and for no reason at all I was laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face! Even now as I write about it I'm getting all giggly. If you want to know what the phrase (or compound word, really) was, it's "crap-lousy". Just say it out loud.

I'm definitely not going to complain about this. I LOVE being like this actually. Pretty much everything has made me laugh at least a little today. Ballet might be a challenge tonight if this continues, but who cares. If anyone wants to join my little joy-fest of laughter, feel free.

Have a superb day!

Chronic Laryngitis

You may have noticed, if you've known me for a while, that my voice has been a bit raspy and sometimes cracks a bit when I talk. It is usually not like this at all and I have just been chalking it up to allergies and seasonal colds. I didn't really think anything of it until lately when I've been trying to sing and I just can't hit any notes in my mid-range. My voice just stops, no noise comes out usually, or if it does it's a funny airy squeak. I thought I was still getting over a cold, or maybe just strained my voice somehow, so I've been resting it and drinking lots of hot herbal tea. All to no avail.

After months of not being able to speak normally or sing normally I called my doctor and spoke with the advice nurse. I described my symptoms (which are more numerous than what I listed above) and she said it sounded like I had a slight case of laryngitis and to rest my voice, drink some tea and have throat lozenges on hand. Hmm... sounds like what I've been doing. So like I normally do, I jumped on the computer and did some research (only on reputable medical and educational websites, of course). I found that one can have acute or chronic laryngitis, and that chronic laryngitis is sometimes linked to those with allergies and sinus problems (which I have). I read for HOURS last night and ran out, got a humidifier for my room, bought special "throat coat" herbal tea which tastes like dirt, organic local honey, homeopathic sinus and throat pills and MORE throat lozenges. I also made an appointment with my doctor so I have an actual professional opinion... very important.

Hopefully I will get my voice back to normal soon and be able to talk and sing like the old me. This whole thing has made me feel like someone else. If anyone has any remedies for allergies and/or laryngitis, let me know!

On a more positive note, I ran the humidifier all night and woke up breathing easy as if I'd never had allergies at all. Who knew?