The Great Heel Debate

*Disclaimer: Not really The Boots - just the closest picture I could find.

One of the beauties of fall weather - and, therefore, fall fashion - is that I can once more bust out The Boots.

I love The Boots. They were part of Christina's Russian spy Halloween costume a few years ago, but seeing as they were too small for her (which meant they were just my size), they went to me, and, well, I love them! There's something about wearing black, knee-high, zip-up boots with a pointy, three-inch heel that just ups my confidence and sex appeal. They're a go-to for any power outfit during the fall and winter.

When the weather was finally cold enough for me to dust off and zip up The Boots once more last week, I made the sad discovery that during the course of the previous fall/winter season, I'd worn out the little rubber tip on the heels. Undeterred, I've worn them a few times, and despite a slight metallic clacking, it hasn't been a problem.

Until today.

In need of a certain family-owned DVD for tonight's book club, I jetted over to my parents' house during lunch today. My stepmom, Betsy, and I were chatting in the kitchen when I heard a slight cracking noise. Much to my shock and horror, I looked down to see that I had punched a hole in my parents' kitchen floor with my heel!!! There's just a slight divit there in the floor that might not be all that noticeable, but oh, do I ever feel bad! Betsy seemed unruffled... but... oooops!

So, here's the dilemma: Although they look like a million dollars (well, not literally, but go with me), they're of humble origins (translation: Target). Do I take a pair of $30 boots to a cobbler for repairs? Or do I retire The Boots and get a new pair? I'm trying to save money... but, oh... The Boots are crucial for fall! Thoughts?

Masks and Masquerades

As mentioned in a previous post, we're reading "The Scarlet Pimpernel" for our church book club, which meets tomorrow night. I'm the discussion leader this time around, and I couldn't be more excited.

Well... I guess if I were completely done, I'd be a little more excited and less worried about finishing by tomorrow night... but, yeah, pretty jazzed about it.

For those of you unfamiliar with "The Scarlet Pimpernel," the title character is a brilliant hero who masquerades as a snobby, stupid fop in order to mask his identity and succeed in his feats of derring-do, snatching people from the guillotine's grasp during the Reign of Terror. It's quite the page-turner; I highly recommend it!

So, as I've been reading, I've been surprised by how much the hero's ruse reminds me of myself. Granted, I'm not playing the part of an imbecile for the sake of rescuing French royals, but this is something I've learned about myself recently. I definitely play up my next-to-the-Valley-girl roots and act more superficial than I really am when I'm not perfectly at ease in a social situation. My voice even gets a little higher pitched and more bubbly, and in the end, I usually feel like I've come off like a total airhead (which, as anyone who knows me well, knows I'm definitely not). Blame it on a childhood of fitting in better with adults than my peers - I guess I try to make myself fit in better... but it doesn't work.

It's made me think a lot about the charades that we all enact in our daily lives to mask our real selves. Some hide behind sarcasm; others retreate behind a veil of indifference. It's like the Billy Joel classic, "The Stranger":

Well we all have a face

That we hide away forever

And we take them out and show ourselves

When everyone has gone

Some are satin, some are steel

Some are silk and some are leather

They're the faces of the stranger

But we love to try them on

Well we all fall in love

But we disregard the danger

Though we share so many secrets

There are some we never tell

Why were you so surprised

That you never saw the stranger

Did you ever let your lover see

The stranger in yourself?

Don't be afraid to try again

Everyone goes south

Every now and then

You've done it, why can't someone else?

You should know by now

You've been there yourself

Once I used to believe

I was such a great romancer

Then I came home to a woman

That I could not recognize

When I pressed her for a reason

She refused to even answer

It was then I felt the stranger

Kick me right between the eyes

You may never understand

How the stranger is inspired

But he isn't always evil

And he is not always wrong

Though you drown in good intentions

You will never quench the fire

You'll give in to your desire

When the stranger comes along.

I wonder why it is that we adopt such facades to artificially create barriers. I thought of this yesterday when I ran across an e-mail from a few years ago where I was telling an old roommate about my new friends down here in California. I described one friend as "tough to crack" - which made me laugh, reading it now, because we're really close - there are many an adjective I could apply to this dear friend, but "tough to crack" is no longer one. Perhaps still a little enigmatic, yes - because no matter how well you know someone, they'll always maintain some degree of surprise. Anyways, I guess at some point that shell crumbled - but why? And on whose side?

Why is it that we put up these barriers in the first place? I mean, I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve - more so than I'd like to, really - but even I still hold back. When I stop and get introspective, I guess it's like, if I don't show the real me, then if I face rejection, it's okay because they're not really rejecting me, right? But it's such a two-edged sword because at the same time, that True Christa is waaaaaay cooler than the Social Christa. Granted, if you're among my blog readership, it means you're on my short list - which, de facto, means that you've seen the True Christa more often than not.

Anyways - does anyone else do this? What are the masks you hide behind - and how have you found the courage to come out from hiding?

Get Involved!!!

Props to Lauren and Micah for posting this video - it gave me goosebumps! I couldn't agree more. This election cycle is critical for voters of any faith. Stand up for your beliefs. Make your voice heard. Life is too precious for apathy.

A Delightful Deluge: Or, Random Musings for Rainy Mornings

(And no, that is not me below that umbrella... but wouldn't that be delightful?! I'd gladly cozy up with some dreamy man under my umbrella... ella... ella... hey... hey... hey...)

This morning the heavens have let loose on the parched Southern California soil - it's POURING rain in a way that it hasn't in... well... a looooong time, and it's making me so giddy!

Fall is finally here.

I enjoy summer, don't get me wrong - but oh, how I love fall. There's such a sense of newness and renewal in the "transitional seasons." Autumn is all about the Earth getting ready to settle in for winter; spring is set on revival and vivacity for summer. And while I love spring, fall is just my favorite season of all. Crispy leaves. Warm, rich tones. Cozy sweaters. It seems so down to earth, so much about connecting to the essentials in life. Everyone buckles down and gets to work after summer's levity; then there's the season's own fun in Halloween and Thanksgiving.

It's just plain delightful.

So, the rain. It's adorable when Southern California tries to be all stormy. It's been immensely foggy the last few days - especially in San Clemente - but, well, fog isn't quite rain. Then I saw a flash of thunder on my way to the office, and I had to laugh! It was a singular, measly little stroke of lightning - a pittance compared to the heavens-on-fire lightning storm into which I flew in Arizona (flying into a monsoon was CRAAAAAZY!!!).

But then the rains came tumbling down.

It was like my Altima had been transformed into a percussion instrument! The hard, fervent pounding of the downpour drowned out the sound of my radio, enveloping me in its fury. And what a glorious fury, too. Rain is so cleansing, so purifying - it's as if it's washing away all the silliness of summer in its steady stream.

And here I sit in my cube, staring longingly out the window as the rain continues to drizzle.

What I wouldn't give to be outside, splashing about in the puddles.

*sigh* Such is the life of a grown-up.

A Response to Your Responses

Hi, friends!

I started to post this as a comment in response to those left on my last post, but it got kind of long, so I'm making a new post of it.

Thanks, you guys, for your positive feedback. Chris, I think you're right - now that the blog's private, I feel much more willing to post with no holds barred - after all, the readers are all people I've invited into my little world, and, with that, I feel safe to bare my soul. Perhaps I'll go public again eventually... but, for now, I'm enjoying this haven. I know it's a pain for so many Google Reader fans, and I appreciate you hanging in there with me.

Brittny, I can't even explain it, but I feel like my soul is reawakening - the summer after we were roommates, I slipped into a funk, facing new health issues and realizing that my beloved BYU days were coming to an end, and I just shriveled more and more with each additional blow [living with my parents, not ending up with That Guy (the BYU folks will know to whom I refer - it's no one from California... lest rumors start, haha), losing jobs, losing friends]. Honestly, I haven't been myself since. I've been varying phantom shadows of myself, but I just now feel like my feet are under me once more, and I'm finally coming into my own. (FINALLY!!!!!!) I know you can relate. :)

Speaking of, my apologies to anyone who's met me in the last four years. The Christa you've known is such a watered-down imitation of the real deal - but that's changing, day by day, so keep posted...

Spending the Morning with an Old Friend

This week I've managed to do something I never thought I could: get my butt out the door by 5:30 a.m. and work out before work (and still get home with enough time to have nice hair!). For me, this new resolve and willpower is nothing short of a miracle, but it's becoming habit, and for that, I'm truly grateful.

Anyhoo, this morning, as I came down the stairs to pound the pavement, I was stunned to see a sliver of a crescent moon still brilliant against the dark, pre-dawn sky. I know it's fall and all, but I still didn't think it would be so dark so early (will this get better or worse with the time change in October? I can never remember).

As I turned the corner, a huge grin came to my face when I saw a dear, old friend in the sky: Orion!

I don't know if it's just totally geeky to have favorite constellations, but every time I see Orion, I feel a little surge of joy in my heart.

Why, you ask?

Well, this dates back to my busiest year of college - my senior year, when I lived at the Villa with Brittny, Tina and Melisa. This was the year during which I was, simultaneously, an American Heritage TA, a reporter/copy editor for The Daily Universe, co-president of the American Studies Student Association and editor-in-chief of the ASSA journal, Americana, all while balancing a challenging class load, a busy social life (including my three high school best friends all marrying within four months of each other!), a little bit of the usual drama, writing faithfully to a missionary, etc.

It was, basically, sheer insanity.

I've never felt so thinly stretched in my entire life. There were nights when I dragged along a pillow and blanket, and I slept in the Humanities Publication Center, aka "The Pub," because I wanted to get Americana wrapped up by the year's end, and there was just too much to do.

I was soooo busy - but I also have never felt the Lord's hand more strongly in my life, either. I really could feel the angels around me, bearing me up, as I turned to God so much because I knew that I truly could not do it on my own.

It was during this hectic year that I developed my bond with Orion. You see, there were many mornings when, in order to accomplish everything on my plate, I'd wake up at 5 a.m., run to the store for a Red Bull and then head home to finish my homework and what not. When I'd make these pre-dawn caffeine runs (oh, yeah, btw, this is when that caffeine addiction started, surprise, surprise), the world was so still - it seemed like I was so alone in the world.

But, as I'd go to my car, I always noticed Orion, glimmering in the sky ahead. For whatever reason, I felt so much love from the heavens - as if it was Heavenly Father's way of reminding me that I wasn't alone. In fact, I've always felt like that when I gaze at the stars - but, I don't know. Seeing a constellation with a name personified it for me, I guess.

So, this morning, as I once again headed out into the stillness of a world that's still mostly asleep, I was so glad to see my friend Orion, this time watching me pushing myself once more - but, thankfully, because I want to, not because my plate is too full.

And, I have to say, there is something really magical about being up before the world get too hectic, enjoying the newness of a day just dawning. I love it. It waaaaaay beats snoozing! Working out then is so much more relaxing than doing so at night, when there's a franticness in the post-work rush. I only wish I'd started this regimen sooner!

What Can You Buy for $1,060?

Not ten days after replacing Alfredo's water pump, I found myself back in my mechanic's shop this afternoon.

Diagnosis: Alfredo needed a new alternator.
Price tag: $400.

On the way home, I added up all of my automotive fixes since August: $1,060 for brakes, a water pump, two serpentine belts, an alternator and an oil change (for good measure).

HOLY CRAP!!!

Now, I understand that this is all part of the owning-a-10-year-old-car territory, but still... That's 20 trips to Wicked. 100 trips to the movies. 75 dinners at any of the mid-range dining establishments I so enjoy (Outback, Mangia Bene, Bad to the Bone, etc.). Airplane tickets to Europe. A really decent trip to New York City. A new laptop. An amazing new wardrobe. A gym membership for, like, a decade.

It's just plain painful. And it's more than 20 percent what the car cost in the first place!

Of course, on the bright side:


I shouldn't have to see my mechanic again until January or February. *knock on wood*

I have a great mechanic whose office has really, really comfortable couches - perfect for curling up with a laptop or book. I know. I've spent a lot of time there.

And, all of these repairs came when working at the PR job, not at the paper. Had they happened back when I was at the Reg, wow, I don't even know what I'd do!

So, it all works out in the end... but... bleck. Anyone else had so much car fun? Anyone?

Singles Advice and Trotting Turkeys

Riffing off yesterday's post, I saw this snippet from a Q&A with "Sex and the City" author Candace Bushnell this morning. It's nothing earth-shattering, but I liked it enough to share it with y'all:

Q: What advice do you have for the single woman today?
A: Spend less time worrying about men and more time worrying about your career. We have less control over relationships than I think we'd like to believe. We somewhat have more control over our careers - what we do with our time and how we live our lives - so my advice to women is to become as much a fully developed human being as you can be; become fully actualized; make your own money; be responsible for yourself and you'd be surprised, once you get those pieces in place, how much easier relationships are.
Q: How did you know six years ago you had met your future husband?
A: I knew what a cool relationship felt like, but I didn't know what a great relationship felt like until I was 43. As my grandmother always said, "When you know, you know." That's one of the things I would say to women: "When it's right; you will know it." If it's not 100 percent, you can't force it. I never believed it until I met my husband, and then I said, "Oh my God, my grandmother was right."

So, there you go. Timely, no?

In other news - as part of that whole self-improvement, racing-against-the-clock thing, I've decided to train to run this year's Turkey Trot in Dana Point. Which will be fun, y'know, seeing as I can't run. At all. But my friend Kaylynn's become quite the avid marathoner, and she's inspired me. Baby steps, right? Thank goodness for the "Couch to 5K" plan! It takes a little more time than I've got, but at least I can get close.

And, now that I've blogged about it, I'm accountable to y'all, too! Anyone want to run with me?

PS: Endorphines are aaaaaaawesome... I've never been the sporty type, but I can see how people get addicted to working out. As Elle Woods so brilliantly said, "Endorphines make you happy, and happy people don't shoot people."

AND, a bonus quote of the day: "Cherish forever what makes you unique, because you're really a yawn if it goes." --Bette Midler, actress and singer

Tick Tock

So, for whatever reason, I had this random thought driving to a lunch date today:

I want to have 4-6 children... but I don't want to end too late, because I don't want to be raising kids as a senior, either.

I know, random, right? Such a thought out of the blue. I think it's because I was thinking about the ridiculously adorable kids I used to babysit. I'm not particularly baby-hungry, as most of you know... but for whatever reason, this thought keeps swirling in my head this afternoon.

Having a big-ish family has always been really important to me. I'm one of three children, and it's a bummer, because I don't have really good "sibling options" with one brother (who's my complete opposite in EVERY way) and a little half-sister (who won't be old enough to be an equal for almost another decade). Some of my friends are best friends with their siblings, and that's something I hope to create in my future fam - but that also means providing a selection of friends, right?

So, being my pragmatic self, I just clicked out a few numbers on the calculator, and here's what I've concluded. I want to have all of my children out of the house by the time I'm 55. That means giving birth no later than when I'm 37.

I just turned 26.

This gives me a mere 11 years to meet "The One," get married and pop out my targeted 4-6 children. And, at the rate I'm going, that marriage thing will take another two years, minimum - which means nine years to crank out 4-6 babies.

Ummm... yeah. No pressure.

So, you know that whole "biological clock ticking" thing that's a pop culture joke?

I'm, uhhhh, kinda sorta starting to understand that.

Not that I'm hoping Hell freezes over and I get on that whole marriage thing ASAP - I'm really, really enjoying my single-career-woman phase right now - but... I don't know. I sort of feel a loss of potential there, for whatever reason.

It's not so much that I'm mourning the postponement of family - it's more like it's all becoming REAL. Like, time keeps flying by, and I feel like I've lost so much potential to become amazing in the last few years because I always figured there was time - there's so much that I want to be before I have to really "grow up." But, uh, almost four years have passed from college - and it still just feels like yesterday! Scary!!!

And I know. We're not really old. But, anyone else starting to feel the sand flying through the sieve?

PS: No need for the platitudes of "it'll happen when it's right" - I know that, and like I said, I'm more fine with it not happening yet than I've ever been. Just throwing these thoughts out there into the void...

A Little More Explanation...

In response to a few questions about why I went private:

Well... I didn't want to have to go through and manually kibosch every single one of this jerk's comments. Lame or not, they prick, you know? My J-School mentor always said that journalists should have rhinocerous skin. Well, I should have developed that by now, but I haven't. And, honestly, I wear my heart on my sleeve so much that I'd much rather keep that invite-only. So, until I decide otherwise, don't expect it to go public again any time soon.

When I write stuff on here, the audience I have in mind is Rebecca, Tabitha, Stacy, Annalise, Brittny, Brittney, etc. - friends who live far away but with whom I want to stay in touch. It's fun to be part of a little blogging community within my ward, too. But, to be smart, I don't want this to be read by everyone. Heather, I know you mentioned that it doesn't update on Google Reader when it's private, but my cousin's is private, and I still get updates whenever she adds content, so there must be a setting for it somewhere.

Anyways... I guess I'm bothered most because I make a point of being friends with everyone, so I can't think of a single person who I'd consider an enemy. There's one person I ticked off recently, but even he wouldn't swoop so low or be that immature. At least I hope not! But seriously, I keep friends. I work hard at it. Friends are precious to me, and even exes or people who I've had fallings out with have become friends again, or we're at least friendly.

So, this really baffles me, and it's a bit of a confidence blow. I mean, maybe I should be honored that someone hates on me enough to take the time to post nasty comments on every blog post? They must really need a life - goodness knows I wouldn't have the time for that.

Speaking of, there's oodles of work calling my name, so ta-ta for now!

Shaken... Not Stirred

Wow, I didn't realize that I was so hateable, but this morning, someone came onto the blog and started commenting on EVERY POST, from the beginning, under the moniker "Christa's Nightmare."

Now, I've dealt with messy car break-ins. Keyed cars. Spit-upon cars. Fights with friends and family. Being called every name in the book. But, for whatever reason, I feel so violated! I blog to keep in touch with friends and family, and although I'm hardly perfect, I generally don't think I'm offensive enough to garner that kind of hatred. Maybe I'm wrong.

In any case, the blog is now private. If I forgot to add someone, and they mention it to you, tell them to shoot me an email or something. I'm a writer, and I enjoying hearing other people's stories and reading their blogs, so I like to contribute my share to the public forum.

FOR THE RECORD: Never have I once said that I'm really any sort of an exception to the rule. Crazy, random things happen to me. They happen to everyone else as well, I know that.

And I'm not stuck up.

A "Wicked" Way to Spend a Saturday

Sheer bliss.

That pretty much sums up my day yesterday, when eight of my friends and I ventured beyond the Orange Curtain into L.A. to see Wicked, followed by dinner at the delightful Farmer's Market at Third and Fairfax.

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I really would not be exaggerating to say it was one of the best days of my year! Anyone who knows me knows I'm in love with musical theater - seeing a show enlivens my soul in an intangible way I just can't describe. It's my favorite, favorite thing in the world - and Wicked is my favorite play, to boot! And I have delightful friends. Really. They're wonderful. So combining so many favorites into one day, I was in a state of rapture and joy. A few in our group were first-timers, and I'm happy to report that they loved the play, too.

Plus, as a native Los Angelena, my pulse always races a little faster in my City of Angels. I looooove it!!! I've grown a little OC'ified and agree that it's dirty and crowded... but, still, it's where I was raised, where my parents were raised. It's home, and a piece of my heart will always reside up there. Being in L.A. always brings a grin to my face - especially when it involves doing something related to arts, culture and anything uniquely L.A. I love that city!

And guess whose star we passed on our way in?

The LOVE of my LIFE!!! *sigh*


Yesterday was my third time seeing Wicked at the Pantages. I've loved it both other times, but this cast was especially amazing! They added such emotional depth to everything. It was the same actor playing Fiyero as when I saw the national tour in 2005 - Derrick Williams - and I really enjoy how he plays the role. The Elphaba - who, oddly enough, is named Teal! - had an amazing voice. I would give up my first-born to sing like that! Okay, probably not... but, wow, to sing like that! I can't even imagine. If I had a voice like that, I would sing all the time, just to listen to myself. Well... more than I already do that. :)

A few in our group were first-timers, and I'm happy to report that they loved the play, too. During intermission we all needed a stretch break, so we congregated for a little photo shoot in the stair landing above the lobby.

Here are some of my favorites:

Isn't the Pantages gorgeous?! We were more than happy to lend it some of our beauty. :)

I'm trying to help Cort smile for the camera, since apparently he doesn't know how to do so on his own - he's always making a face! It reminds me of Brandon, for you La Crescentans. So annoying!I love the art-deco styling - it's like stepping into the 1920s!

So... you're not supposed to take pictures inside the theater, but I couldn't resist. Check out the amazing ceiling!

And here are a couple of shots of the stage - my flash went off for the picture below, and yes, I got busted by an usher. Whatever. It was so worth it!


After the play we shot over to the Farmer's Market, a little L.A. gem to which my stepmom introduced me a few years ago - and I've been back many a time since! I love it.

I did learn, however, that I've always been smart to park in the structure at The Grove next door - parking for the Farmer's Market is a mess! Aubrey hopped out to direct traffic so we could finally get a spot. Classic.

Here's another great Aubrey moment - a little exchange during dinner:

ME: I am so content, I could die a happy woman, here and now!
LAURA: You'd better not - how would we get home?
AUBREY: No worries, I know where her keys are.

Yup. I love my friends.

Anyways, Farmer's Market - there's just about every kind of food imagineable in the little restaurant booths. People in our group ordered Korean BBQ, Brazilian BBQ (a la Tucanos or Rodizio Grill), middle-eastern cuisine, Mexican food and good ol' Southern Cajun cooking (I highly recommend the blackened catfish - yum-o!). And, of course, we had to stop at Littlejohn's for toffee - best in the world!

Aubrey and Laura dig into their Brazilian grub - although I think Aubs really just wanted to dig into the Brazilian at the restaurant...

Dawn and Cort - see what I mean about his inability to smile for the camera? Oh well, at least Dawn looks hot. That roommate of mine sure knows how to work the camera!

I swear, food always tastes better with awesome friends!

Jason and Heather - yeeeeeah... don't mess with Heather when she's eating! ;)

The blonde brigade - Heather and Elizabeth


We noticed these wavy people on the restroom signs - did they have a little too much to drink or what?!

So, that's the dish on our delightful day. If you ever get the opportunity to see Wicked, GO! You won't regret it! (Tabitha tells me it's headed to Utah in April, FYI...)

We're Off to See the Wizard...

I'm off to Wicked tomorrow for my third go-around at the Pantages Theater with eight friends - plus dinner at the wonderful Farmer's Market afterward.

Seeing my favorite play in my favorite theater with some of my absolute favorite people in the world - does life get any better?

Little Happy Thoughts

I know it's so trite to say that it's the little things that bring the most joy, but it's so true!

Here are some little happy thoughts from this week, in no particular order:

• Having certain people in my life whose mere voices can make the sun shine more brightly in my little world.
• Landing an amazing, stable, challenging-but-enjoyable job in a time of such great economic uncertainty.
• Seeing "The Women" with my girlfriends and leaving the theater with such love for all my girlfriends, no matter the distance!
• Knowing that no matter how late I leave my parents' house or how far away I'm parked, my dad will wait up for me and walk me to my car. Even as an adult, I value those snippets of daddy-daughter time.
• Receiving that undying, loyal love and affection from my dogs. They're such loves!
• Getting a free Frosty at lunch, just because the guy at the register thinks I'm cute (thankfully I was halfway out the door, though, when he asked if he'd see me again!).

Life is good!

What are your little happy thoughts? What's the best little thing that's happened to you this week/month?

True Love

Dashing off to a meeting, but I just HAD to post this adorable pic from Laura and Kirk's wedding (photo by the amazing Chris Daines, of course!).

Ah, young love.

The Office: Japanese Style

I found this great clip on Hulu as well - it's the Japanese version of The Office from which Ricky Gervais claims he got his inspiration for the British version. Enjoy!

Hillary and Sarah - Live from New York!

Gotta love when SNL gets in on the political action. Check out this fantastic SNL clip on Hulu - enjoy!

Love and Marriage

What a whirlwind weekend!

I'll give my full report on the wedding and funeral later this week, but everything went wonderfully! Don't Laura and Kirk look fabulous? I don't think I've been so full of joy for a long time, seeing my dear roommate marry a great guy, plus getting to spend time with family I haven't seen in a long time - including relatives I haven't seen since childhood.

It's funny how weddings and funerals - the happiest and saddest of events - have the power to pull families together. After this weekend I'm filled with such a renewed love for my crew, quirks and all.

(PS: that's my older brother in the black on the left, and then my dad and stepmom are the ones closest to the camera on the right... in case you wondered what my people look like. Tessa, my little sister, is halfway back on the left, between Rob and Katie, our cousins. Grandma is across the table from Tessa. The rest of the bunch are aunts, uncles and cousins - I could name them all, but that would take a while...)

Priceless

New water pump for Alfredo, my Altima: $380

Two new serpentine belts for Alfredo: $90

A full tank of gas: $50

Knowing that tomorrow I can drive to my great-grandma's funeral in L.A. and my roommate's wedding reception near Bakersfield without worrying that my car's going to blow up: Priceless.

Home Run!

I had my first client meeting today where I'm in a management position on the account. In fact, after introductions and such, I more or less ran the meeting, touting our digital media plan to the client, to amp up their online newsroom.

And...

They went from wanting to postpone the project a month to being really enthusiastic about it. In fact, our main contact there emailed this afternoon and said they can't wait to get started! Man, watching that 180 because of my sales job just made my day. Wow.

What a great feeling!!! Being blessed with the gift of enthusiasm comes in handy sometimes - I can get really, genuinely excited about just about anything out there, but I never thought about how that translates into $ for business! :)

P.S.: Lest I take all the credit, the plan I was pitching was the result of a collaboration with Chelsea, my digital media teammate. Unfortunately, she was out sick today, so I had to lead this one alone.

9/11: Seven Years Later

Wow, I can't believe seven years have passed since the infamous attack on America.

I hesitate to post anything about Sept. 11 because I don't want to be trite or to make light of the horrors of that day, but I also will never be able to look at this day on a calendar and not think about what happened. Even now, watching the footage, I can't believe such horrors actually happened.

I truly think that's a defining moment for my generation, not unlike Pearl Harbor or Kennedy's assassination. I'm sure everyone remembers exactly where they were when they heard of the attacks - I was living in King Henry with Kristen and Megs, getting ready for my first office hour as an American Heritage TA, when one of my roommates turned on the TV with the news. The rest of that morning was spent glued to the TV with the throngs at the BYU Bookstore, and later, in lieu of Pres. Samuelson's first devotional of the year, we gathered in the Marriott Center to receive counsel from our leaders (for some reason, I want to say there was a broadcast from Pres. Hinckley, but I don't remember).

And, in an instant, the world changed as we knew it. Hyperbolic as that sounds, I think it's still so true; that event has overshadowed American life ever since.

I know it might err on the side of being cheesy, but I wanted to share this video tribute from YouTube. We're in such a divided political field right now, in a country sick of war, facing uncertain economic times. I think sometimes we lose sight of what really matters: life, and how tenuous it can be. I'm sure all the politicians will play up today to up their own patriotic image.

But, I don't know - seeing the images of what really happened brings back the emotions from seven years ago - shock, disbelief, grief, horror, and the importance of standing together as Americans. Indeed, we will never forget.

Sink Me!

They seek him here,

They seek him there,

Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.

Is he in heaven,

Or is he in hell?

That damned, elusive Pimpernel.

For book club this month, we're reading The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy's famous story of masked identities and derring-do set to the backdrop of the French Revolution.

I'm so thrilled with this pic! Not that the last few books haven't been winners, but The Scarlet Pimpernel has been on my must-read list for a while now. I adore the 1982 film adaptation (although I hear the 1934 version is even better!), and so far, the book's a captivating read!

Meanwhile, I wanted to share with you all the source of my initial exposure to this fabulous classic tale: "The Scarlet Pumpernickel," a 1948 Looney Tunes short starring Daffy Duck. Not exactly a faithful remake, but you gotta love how cartoons introduce kids to the classics. Enjoy!


(The YouTube clip's not loading well - you can also click here to see it.)

On the Horizon...

Coming soon, to a Christa's Blog near you:

• Calf-ropin' cowboy goodness

• Puppets on Parade

• Arizona adventures

• Birthday celebrations galore

• Shoe-aholics Anonymous...

And much, much more! I promise! So, hang in there with me, all. Between computer problems, insanely busy times at work, a packed non-work calendar and both a wedding and funeral this weekend, my plate is mighty full - but, then again, so is my mind, constantly drafting blog posts. So, stay tuned... and thanks for your patience!

When It Rains...

I am grumpy.

Why, you ask, am I so danged grumpy?

• My great-grandmother died. Not unexpected, but crappy nonetheless.
• Her memorial service is at the exact same time as my roommate's wedding, forcing me to choose between the two. I'm totally bummed at missing out on the bridesmaid experience, but what else could I do?
• My brother was incredibly and unnecessarily rude and just plain mean to me after I asked if he was coming to the funeral. I was looking forward to maybe seeing him; he said he wasn't coming mostly because he didn't want to see me, since I'm such a horrible person, basically. Ouch. Now he is coming, which means I get to walk on eggshells around his explosive temper at the funeral so as to not make a mess of things. Yeah... because funerals are already so much fun.
• And then, this morning, my computer went kaput. So I'm stuck in the intern cube on the slowest computer EVER, waiting for the IT guy to come.

So, yeah... Not a fun week so far. Thanks for listening to my rant, though. Any one of these things wouldn't be a huge deal, but all together... it sucks.

Why is it that when it rains, it pours? Anyone else have some fun stories along these lines, when bad things pile on all at once?

*****************************

As an amendment to the last post: best friends are wonderful! The best de-grumpifier ever. I talked to Karen during my lunch break, and it seems like all that grumpiness evaporated. Thank goodness for good friends!!! :)

But I still want to hear about your rain-pour moments. At least tragedy + time = humor, right?

Sad News

Hi, all!

I'm back from Arizona, having had a delightful trip (about which I'll busily blog in coming days).

But first - I just got the call this morning that my great-grandmother, Ruby Faye Fowler Woodall, passed away around 2 a.m. today. Grandma Ruby was such an AMAZING woman!!! We were really close when I was a little, little girl. She moved into the apartment complex where we lived (which my grandparents owned) when I was 4 or 5 - I can still remember watching from my bedroom window! - and I spent a ton of time with her until we moved from there when I was 6. She eventually moved back to her home state of Arkansas, flying out for Christmas every few years.

It's been about six or seven years now since I saw her, but thank goodness for phones! I took to calling her every few weeks during college, and we developed a tight bond. It's been harder the last few years as her hearing's gotten worse, and especially since a stroke more or less took her ability to speak last year.

Thankfully I got in one last conversation with her on Sunday - best excuse for ditching Sunday School ever! I'd been with friends my entire Arizona trip, so I slipped out, found a quiet spot and called. She can't speak too well, so it was mostly me filling her in on what's happening in my world. However, she did manage to grunt out something I understood as "birthday." That's right - she's 100 years old, on her deathbed, and still remembered my birthday! I felt so humbled. Grandma Ruby's body may have deteriorated over the years, but her mind was 100 percent sharp. It blows me away!

So, that's my latest update. I'll have to do more of a bio on her when I get home - what a neat lady with an extraordinary life! She was among those who trekked out West during the Great Depression, and she and my great-grandfather set up a successful camera business. I'll remember her most, though, for a heart full of Christian love and kindness.

And I will miss her dearly. When someone's 100, you figure death has to happen sooner or later, but that doesn't make it easy or fun. Grandma Ruby sent me the music to sing at her funeral several years ago - the thought of finally having to make use of it makes me want to cry!

P.S.: I don't want to sound too trivial, but - further evidence that my life is a sitcom: the memorial service is planned at the exact same time as my roommate's wedding (for which I'm a bridesmaid)! What are the chances!