And the moral of the story is...

If you live in a rural-but-urbanizing area, remember, it's still rural. "Getting lost" is no longer a viable means of acclimating to your community and learning your way around by chance. It's more of a way to get completely and totally lost in fields and fields and more fields, where you have the thought that you could run out of gas, freeze to death, and no one would know any better. Even if you have spent some time studying the maps of town. Getting lost in the country is not nearly as adventurous and exciting as getting lost in, say, south Orange County or Seattle. Just sayin'.

Oh, and another lesson learned: if you've cut up a credit card and then taped it back together because you lost your job and needed the card again, don't ever try to use it at the gas pump. Otherwise half of your credit card might live within the bowels of the gas machine at Maverik forever, and you will be completely without a credit card. Which, really, is just as well, seeing as you did cut it up in the first place.

Again, just sayin.'

The "lost season" and an attitude of gratitude

Is it really December already?

Friends, what a blur the last few months have been! Have any of you ever heard of the old movie The Lost Weekend, about a man who binge-drinks so badly he can't remember anything about an entire weekend of his life?

Well, I feel a little bit like that. Minus the alcohol and memory loss.

My life pretty much exploded from the day I went to New York City, and it's been an unending whirlwind ever since.

The dust is finally starting to settle, beginning with a diagnosis on the unending cold I've had for the entire three months (it waxed and waned) - turns out it was walking pneumonia. That's right, folks. I managed to pack up my entire life, drive to Utah twice, do a play, start a new job and move into a new place, all with walking pneumonia. Crazy, huh? (Now, lest you worry, people with walking pneumonia are contagious for only a very short period, and for me, that would have been a long time ago, so if you've been around me lately, you should be okay. )

But I digress.

So, I feel like I've lost this entire chunk of time in a blur of hectic insanity, and somehow it's already the holiday season! As I was reading over my friend Rebecca's beautiful post about people for whom she's grateful, I was struck by my own list of blessings. Following suit of all those bloggers who do gratitude posts in November, I think I'm going to start doing some thankful posts of my own - albeit not tied to Turkey Day. I'm a lil' bit late for that. (Whoops.)

Without further adieu...

THANKFUL THURSDAY #1: My Dad

Last night, right after I turned out the lights and was about to drift off to sleep, my phone began to ring. Who on earth was calling me at 11 p.m.?!

My dad, calling to tell me about the OCMCO concert from that evening (my lil' sister is still in the choir, along with a couple of my cousins). Then he told me that there was an SNL clip I just had to watch - "go watch it online and call me back."

Which I did, of course (thank you, Hulu). But I just had to laugh. So random. But that's totally my dad's and my relationship. We don't share many common interests, but politics? Well... Ever wonder where I get that intensely political streak? It's all thanks to him, folks. All thanks to him.

I am, unabashedly and shamelessly, a daddy's girl. My dad and I didn't really become close until I was away in college, but over time I've come to respect and love him so, so much. My dad is pretty much the first person I call whenever I have a random question or need advice on everything from directions around Los Angeles to what kind of cocoa to use in brownies. He's genuinely one of the best people I know. His intentions are so good, and he's got so much integrity, it's a great example to follow.

I'm so indebted to my dad for his courage and diligence in remaining true to his LDS faith, too. From a young age, he was motivated enough to get himself to church activities, and that set a solid precedent for me when I was living in La Crescenta with my non-LDS mom and stepdad. I always appreciated how my dad faithfully took us to church every week, even after my mom left the church when I was a toddler. I really can't imagine hauling two kidlets under 3 or 4 to church singlehandedly, but he did it, and that's a large part of why I am who I am today, I think. Then he had the thoughtfulness to give me a Book of Mormon inscribed with my name when I was 13, and that book - that specific copy of it - is what resulted in my baptism. My mom threatened to throw it away, but I felt so strongly about defending it, and that rekindled my interest in the LDS faith I'd not had in my life after my parents' divorce a few years earlier. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so integral to who I am, and it's something I cherish so dearly. Without my dad's constant faith, I know I would be missing something so dear to my heart, and that would be so sad to me!

So, anyways, that's why I love my dad and am so, so grateful for him, among the many other amazing people I'm blessed to have in my life. More on some of the others next week...

The economy's so bad...

Hi, friends!

How goes it? Happy to report that I'm safe and sound in Lehi, getting all settled in. Yesterday was my first day on the job, and I love it so far! I'm pretty homesick, but that's to be expected - after all, it's not like I was leaving a bad situation (well... except for that whole jobless thing... but, whatevs).

But more on that later. I keep mentally composing a brilliant post all about my new situation, but I won't have the time to put pen to paper (complete with photos) until the weekend.

In the meantime, I got this email today and thought it was chuckle-worthy. Enjoy!

THE ECONOMY IS SO BAD...

The economy is so bad, I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

The economy is so bad, I ordered a burger at McDonalds and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"

The economy is so bad, CEOs are now playing miniature golf.

The economy is so bad, if the bank returns your check marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.

The economy is so bad, Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM..

The economy is so bad, McDonalds is selling the 1/4 ouncer.

The economy is so bad, parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

The economy is so bad, a truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .

The economy is so bad, Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

The economy is so bad, Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

The economy is so bad, the Mafia is laying off judges.

The economy is so bad, Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

And finally...

Congress says they are looking into this Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh great!! The guy who made $50 billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 trillion disappear!

I'm so excited!

So, good news: I'm finally getting really, really excited for my move to Utah!

Sorry for being such a Mopey May about the whole move thing. I mean, it's my choice and all, and as bittersweet as it is to leave California, this week I've started to think of all the adventures ahead in Utah, and I can't wait!!! It's going to be a blast.

More on that later, though - I've only got a couple of minutes, so for now, let's just say that I've wrapped up my California days in style this week. It's been sooooo fun!!! Tonight will be my final night to sleep in my apartment of 3 1/2 years, which is a little crazy. It's been a great run, and I've loved it. In fact, that can be said of my whole Orange County experience. I have seriously had so much fun in the last few years, I feel like I don't have a single regret about the experience! I lived it up to the fullest and truly enjoyed my single days here. Now I get to go make the most of my new adventure in Utah!

Okay, back to work (nothing too exciting - just helping the Dad with a project). But before I go - does the phrase "I'm so excited!" conjure up Jessie Spano moments for anyone else? "I'm so excited... I'm so excited... I'm so... scared."

Transitions

I hate goodbyes.

It's so surreal to process that my California life is coming to a close in a mere week. On the one hand, I will be overjoyed to leave behind the bizarre half-life that my world has become. I feel like I've been in a complete and total haze for the better part of the past two months - going through the motions, functioning more or less, but just not myself. Losing my job was a huge blow (which is ironic, considering how desperately I wanted out of that place by the end), and the loss of structure and certainty really chipped away at Christa. Not that my life slowed down - what with colds and job-hunting, moving and The Sound of Music, I've been as busy as ever.

But my heart hasn't been in any of it, and I'm just heartbroken that all these amazing people I met during the play didn't get a chance to meet the real me. By the time the cast clicked into the tight phase, I was a worn-out rag doll version of myself, stressed to the max. I made friends and smiled and laughed, alright, but I was too stressed and needy to be the confident, composed Christa of my better times. The second day of the show, I had a total meltdown backstage and barely pulled it together before going on. For some reason I always pressure myself to be Superwoman, taking on tons of stuff and then perfectionistically expecting myself to be able to do it all flawlessly - and getting soooo frustrated when I realize that I'm just a flawed mortal like everyone else. Who in their right minds plans to move between weekends of a play they're in, let alone with which they have responsibility backstage, too?! As usual, I took on far too much at once, and as usual, I only managed a half-way job at everything and spoiled the fun for myself.

So, in that respect, I'm looking forward to getting on with my life, getting out of this purgatory and into some semblance of normalcy and responsibility again. But, on the other hand, oh, how my heart breaks to leave this place! It's home. I've had such an amazing time, these last five years, making so many fun memories with so many phenomenal friends. Sure, I've had my share of stress and tears, but that's life. It's expected. Overall, when I think of these post-college years, I think of starting my career, becoming a full-fledged adult, refining my expectations and understanding of the workplace, of family and friends, of crushes and crushed hopes. I've grown up and come to accept that I'm not exceptional, not an exception to the rule - I'm normal, just like everybody else, and I'm not going to change the world in some monumental way. (I don't know why I always had that secret hope to make a big mark in the world, but that idea was always there.)

And now, in one short week, I'll commence a most ordinary life - working in the marketing department of a software company in Orem, Utah, while living with a cousin and his adorable wife in nearby Lehi. It's a great situation. Not exactly the scenario I'd lined up in my mind - but I wouldn't quite write it off as second-best, either. It isn't what I'd planned on, but when is life ever what we plan on? I'm excited to see what lies ahead, but more than anything, I'm just excited to be me again, to get away from the chaos, commotion and confusion. To deftly slip past my many misjudgments and into a new blank-slate life. But a blank slate that is also filled with some pretty amazing friends and family along the Wasatch Front.

Well, here's to an adventure! Wish me luck! I have a feeling I'm going to need it...

Moving Is a Logistical Nightmare

In case you were wondering. Especially when the move involves:

• getting your stuff out a few weeks before you make the actual residence change,
• loading the rental truck the same days you're in a play (that you're also helping produce),
• taking your fridge (thereby being fridge-less for a few weeks),
• somehow divesting yourself of a 900-lb. piano without having to pay for piano movers (anyone want it? Free if you move it or hire movers yourself!!!), and
• boxing up all the stuff you've accumulated in five years post-college, which equals a LOT of stuff!

Ick. I'm thrilled about the move, but now that I'm doing the actual boxing up of stuff (and realizing that I'm really moving to Utah just in time for winter)? A little overwhelmed.

Big Post #300: ... and we're back!

Well, friends, I'm back.

This last month has been, hands down, one of the weirdest of my life! From the high, high, high of my amazing New York trip (about which I'll blog shortly) to the low, low, low of coming home (with a nasty cold) to lose my job - it's been bizarre.

I've been far less communicative than usual, simply because I felt like I had nothing to say! My life was in major transition, and nothing was really nailed down. No job, a lease ending Oct. 31, the strong pull to move to Utah - but the details have been fuzzy. I avoided FHE and other social gatherings a few times because I didn't want to get the inevitable questions about what my plans are. I didn't know. All I knew is that I had a strong feeling that I needed to move to Utah, and it would all work out. But how that would happen was so vague until the last few days. It is so unsettling, friends!!! Thank goodness I have my faith, friends and family as an anchor. There is no way I could have made it through without that.

To summarize, my first month of funemployment was filled with getting better from two rounds of illness, watching lots of Alias, rehearsing for The Sound of Music, applying for jobs in Utah and doing piecework here and there. After spending a week at my parents' home while temping with my dad (who leaves for work at 4:30 a.m.!), I finally got to sleep in my own bed last night, and this morning, I awoke refreshed and soooo excited for what lies ahead in the next few weeks!

I feel like I'm finally back, finally focused and locked into what's going on in my life.

And that means that I can finally blog again, because I actually have something worth saying (yay!). I knew my next post would be my 300th, and I didn't want to make it just any old post. This still isn't quite what I'd had in mind, but bear with me.

So, it's been a crazy month. But you know what? I feel so much stronger in the long run. Funny how difficult periods in our lives seem to have that effect, isn't it? More than ever, I feel God's hand in my path, and I know he is aware of me. There have been lots of tears - tears of frustration, yes, but lots and lots of tears of gratitude. I've been compelled to be humble, and you know what? It's been a good thing. All of a sudden, EVERY little bit of kindness meant the world to me! Any compliment or smile, friendly word or show of love. My family has been so great, helping me out. I feel so undeservedly grateful for the phenomenal support system around me.

I've also learned, once again, that God is over all, and while we need to do our parts to be self-sufficient, we also need to rely on His strength and His ability to bless our lives. I still don't have a job, but I'm not worried. I'm waiting to hear back from the ones for which I interviewed, and in the meantime, because things didn't come together earlier, I've been able to stay and do The Sound of Music, which was up in the air. Not only am I in the show - I was called to be an assistant to the director! And I've been so busy for so long, I feel like it really was a tender mercy of the Lord for me to get a couple of months off. It feels good to not have to rush the move, to just rest. I've had my moments of worry, but at the same time, I've been a lot less stressed out. I was in a situation that I'm so thrilled to no longer deal with, even if it's not how I would have worked things. In the end, it's best.

Oh, and a note on how that's working - I'm moving to Layton, to room with my dear friend Stacy, whose roommate is moving out in a couple weeks. So, I'm moving my stuff to Utah in between performance weekends of the play, leaving behind what I can fit in my car. That way, I'll be back in California for a week and a half before moving for good and can take my time. I just have to be back in Utah by Nov. 4th, since I've got plans (Pioneer Woman is doing a book signing in SLC!).

Soooo... if any of you live in Vegas or St. George and want to get together Nov. 2 or 3, let me know! I'd love to pop in and say hi along the way.

And, on that note, I'd better go run some errands. I promise to get a few more posts in before I move to Utah!

The Game of LIFE

As a child, one of my favorite pasttimes while vacationing at the cabin in Idaho was to play the Game of Life up in the loft with my cousins.

There was something so fun about imagining all of the possibilities - getting a degree (or not), choosing a career, spinning for a spouse, hoping your little plastic car was filled with blue and pink pegs by the time you retired to Lazy Acres. So much of your success (or failure) was at the fate of the spinner and the luck of the draw. "Come on, big 10!" "I hope I get the mansion instead of the trailer this time."

Well, thankfully, we have a little more control over the path we take in Real Life and the events that unfold therein - but, mind you, only a little more. The older I get, the more and more I'm realizing that while our agency and actions largely influence the outcomes we reap, sometimes there are situations and circumstances, chemistries and complications that are just beyond our power to control.

Yesterday my life took a twist akin to a bad move on the Life board: I joined the ranks of the unemployed.

If you want to hear the specifics as to what happened, I'll gladly fill you in - via email, Facebook or the phone. This is really not the forum to get into it. As much of an open book as I am, I do have a filter. ;)

Meanwhile, I have learned that no matter what happens to us, we have all the power in the world over how we proceed in dealing with what comes our way. So I'm choosing to not think of it as unemployment so much as funemployment. I mean, let's face it. I've been incredibly and constantly busy for the majority of the last decade. And while I know that that's just real life, and much of my overscheduling is my own fault, still - I'm going to savor this breather. I'd already applied for several jobs. I was on my way out - The Man just beat me to the punch by a matter of weeks. I found some additional great leads just yesterday. My bills are paid through this month at least. The wheels were already in motion for me to move back in with the parentals for a month or two while I figure out what comes next, so I'm not on the hook for rent - a gal in the ward is taking over my lease as of Oct. 1. 

That gives me a few weeks to really organize all the stuff I've accumulated during the last 3 1/2 years in my room (which, believe you me, is a huge project!) and to finish some other projects that need doing. I'm a capable, qualified, talented professional. It will all work out, I have no doubt about it. God has never failed me yet, and I just pray that He'll mercifully overlook my shortcomings and bless me in spite of my failings, as unworthy as I feel of His help sometimes.

Anyways, without further adieu, here's how I plan to spend my funemployment:

• Disneyland, of course! My season pass is good through November, and I fully plan to put it to work.
  
• Spend some time attending the temple, since I've got the availability. If anyone wants to come with, I'd love the company!
  
• Finishing my friendship quilt that we started as a Relief Society a couple of summers ago.
  
• Creating a brilliant marketing plan for OCMCO's upcoming CD, That Easter Morn. I had been wondering how I could carve out the time to get that done before we have a copy of the CD done in November. Now I know! :) It'll be a great resume-building, skill-learning project, to boot.
  
• Speaking of OCMCO, now I can treat my PR volunteerism with them like a part-time job. The directors just started a sister choir in Arizona, the East Valley Mormon Choral Organization, so now I can really get the ball rolling with getting the word out about their awesomeness.
  
• Get a jump on PR for The Sound of Music, too. I'm in our stake production that'll be happening in mid-October, and there's a lot of publicity we need to do for it.
  
• Organizing, organizing, organizing. Although you would never know it by looking, I'm actually an organizational nut. I LOVE when everything has a place and when I know right where stuff is. I'm just usually too busy to dig deeply into it, so a lot of things are just stuffed in boxes. Same with my photo files on the computer. Now I can put everything together methodically, labeled and everything. Plus my roommate in the next bedroom over just moved out, and her replacement won't move in until mid-October. All the more space for me to spread into to organize...
  
• Getting artsy! I have a TON of scrapbooking papers that I never put to use for lack of time, and now I have no excuse. I really want to get some stuff out of boxes and onto paper - beginning with my AMAZING New York trip, of course! (Details to come - I need to grab my photo uploader from the parentals' home.) I also have a corkboard that's been begging for some fabric and ribbons...
  
• Reading through the massive stack of books I've been wanting to get to. Which may or may not include some Sweet Valley High books now, after last night's rousing rounds of playing the board game with a couple of friends. It was pretty hilarious how the books' plotlines flooded back to me while we reentered the world of Jessica and Elizabeth.
• Cataloguing and eating through everything in my cupboards. My food-hoarding tendencies will finally pay off. I really don't need to grocery shop extensively when I've got enough food to get me through the end of the month at least.
  
• Rip through my Netflix queue and finish watching the last three seasons of Alias, of course. And if anyone has Season 5 of The Office, I'd loooooove to borrow it - I totally missed the whole season, so now I can catch up! (Or I guess I could Hulu it - yay for my lovely iMac!)
  
• Drum up some freelance work, either for The O.C. Register or for some other opportunity.
  
• Help friends with communications for their businesses, like writing the history for a friend's family's company Web site - yes, Heidi, I mean you! ;)
  
• Send letters and postcards and cards and stuff to people across the country. I mean, I have lots of stamps and lots of cute cards. Now I have the time to be thoughtful, too.
  
• Blogging, blogging, blogging. I recently started a politics blog, and now I can spend lots of time spreading the word and studying out issues. Plus I'll keep this one updated (and do some back-blogging) - so I hope you don't mind me popping up in your RSS reader. :)
• Oh, yeah. And find a new job. Of course. Obviously.
  

Amazing, isn't it? I woke up this morning thinking of everything I want to do and was a little overwhelmed. It's going to be a BUSY few weeks of nothingness, lol. Being a housewife is a lot of work, and I don't even have a hubby or kids! I don't know how working mothers do it. Anyways, I'm ridiculously excited for the opportunities ahead!

Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

Well, I'm not a fan of the thought of capitalism crumbling, obviously, but I loved this clip. It's pretty danged true!!! We're in such an age of entitlement that we often overlook so many of our modern marvels.



I love being on the cusp of the old way and the new way - like, I distinctly remember my first time going online, the first time I saw a cell phone, etc. My little 12-year-old sister will never be able to understand how things were pre-Internet!

In other news - I will be one of those people in a mere 36 hours to fly across the country in five hours or less. Thank you, modern technology awesomeness. Fall asleep in Long Beach, wake up at JFK. I promise not to take it for granted!

Soon - but not yet

One of the most interesting feelings and impressions I keep getting lately is "soon - but not yet." As killer as it is to not quite know what's ahead, it's also so exciting to consider the possibilities of what could be in store - and to know that as long as I follow the impressions I receive, letting God's hand gently guide my path, I'm assured to have a wonderful journey.

I know that's totally vague. I guess what I'm trying to say is - it's going to be a very interesting month, and I can't wait to tell you why.

Except that I can't say anything... yet. But soon, I hope. :)

I think I'm in love

I loooooooove gummy bears. LOVE. Love, love, love. They's mah favorite! My bishop's wife keeps a jar stocked with them at their home, and I'm not gonna lie - I look forward to the gummy bears each week at FHE as much as I look forward to the great lessons and delightful company. So, I'm pretty much convinced this is the coolest thing EVER. Nevermind the massive stomachache that would ensue. Gimme gummy!!! Now, if only they'd make it in the clear-ish flavor. Coconut? Whatever it is, it's tasty!

It's a wonderful town!

Okay, I know I just blogged about this, but still - this will totally be me in ONE WEEK from today!!!




Now, if only I could get Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly for sight-seeing companions. That would be AMAZING!!! (Too bad they're no longer with us. And about 80 years too old for me. And too short.)

I guess my dear friends the Rainses will suffice. :)

Time Travel: Hot or Not?

Tonight the amazing Laura and I hopped over to the local cinema to see The Time Traveler's Wife. I didn't read the book, so this was my first exposure to the story. I really enjoyed it - although, seriously, it's a MEGA-chick flick. If you drag a guy along, you'll really owe him a viewing of GI Joe or something else ridiculously testosterone-laden to bring back the balance.

Anyways.

The movie got me thinking about time travel. I mean, I know it's not a possibility... but what if it were? Don't you just wish sometimes that you could travel ahead and see how things turn out? Especially at a crossroads. I hate feeling like my total life is up in the air. I mean, on the one hand, it's exhilirating to contemplate the possibilities - but on the other hand, it's so nerve-wracking, not knowing what comes next. It's fascinating, watching the two main characters' lives overlap through the years.

And another plus to time travel is, don't you sometimes wish you could go backward in time and comfort your younger self during a difficult time, reassuring him or her that everything will work out just fine? A few months ago I stumbled across my journal from the most difficult time in my life, and it was hard to read. Like, I curled up and cried like a baby, aching for my younger self, remembering how painful that part of my life was.

But at the same time, it was a defining time, and I am the strong person I am today because I was able to make it through. So would you want to change things to spare yourself some heartache? Or at least provide comfort? Or, in the end, would that ultimately be a disservice to the person you become?

Whoa. My head is spinning. I'd better stop before the theoreticals make my brain hurt. :)

Hot place in my hometown tonight: the Station Fire

In case you guys haven't heard - there's a huge wildfire in La Canada Flintridge, in Angeles Crest National Forest, that broke out Wednesday. It's so crazy! I grew up in the neighboring town, La Crescenta, but the two towns flow together in a very Provo-Orem or Aliso Viejo-Laguna Niguel sort of way. My childhood was filled with drives through Angeles Crest and through the darling, windy neighborhoods of La Canada. My alma mater, Crescenta Valley High, is one of the evacuation centers!



So, if you don't mind - please keep the firefighters and the residents of the Crescenta Valley in your prayers. (And Rancho Palos Verde while we're at it - they're fighting a fire as well). I still have a lot of close friends and family up there, and those foothills will forever be home to me. I hope everyone and everything is safe!

A New York State of Mind

This afternoon it hit me - I'm going to New York City a week from tomorrow!

OH.

MY.

GOODNESS!!!

Hence my new theme song for the week:



Friends, words fail to express just how danged thrilled I am about this trip. The reason for the trip is to see my best friend in upstate New York, but neither of us have ever been to the city, so we're kicking our Labor Day weekend off by meeting in the Big Apple a week from Saturday. ONE WEEK. When that clicked in my pretty little head this afternoon, I just about started doing a happy dance in my cubicle! Grinning ear to ear, my trip became all I could think about (well, in the background - I did somehow manage to focus enough to finish that briefing doc for a client and rewrite something else, but that's another story).

Anyways, I digress.

Going to New York City has been a LIFELONG dream of mine. Honestly, cheesy as it is, I think it stems from reading about Stacey's adventures in the city in the Baby-Sitters Club books as a kid. She was the coolest! As long as I can remember, I've DREAMED about finally going to New York City.

And now it's really happening!

Only one more week to prep, and I haven't even locked in an itinerary yet! So much planning to do. (I love planning stuff!) I've got a couple of ideas... but I'm not going to spoil it and tell you. You'll just have to find out when I get back in a couple of weeks. Or by catching my Facebook updates, because goodness knows I'll be doing updates aplenty that day! :) I will say, though, that I'm planning to stick to midtown Manhattan as much as possible - it seems like that's where most of the fun stuff is concentrated.

Meanwhile, I'm planning to try to squeeze in one NYC movie a night for the next week: 13 Going on 30, On the Town, You've Got Mail. Any other NYC flicks you recommend?

And if you had ONE DAY - and not a ton of money - to see the sights of New York City, what would you see?

Hilarity ensued

While doing my daily blog-reading yesterday, I came across one of my favorite phrases: "Hilarity ensued."

Doesn't that conjure up all kinds of images of levity and slapstick funniness?

I wish that hilarity would ensue a little more after all of the daily foibles of life. Think of the possibilities:

• "I knocked over my purse and watched its contents spill across my cubicle floor. Hilarity ensued."
• "My car started making funny noises and suddenly stopped. Hilarity ensued." (Okay, one time this happened, and hilarity did ensue. I had an hour-long chat with the parking lot security guy by Henry's in Laguna Niguel. We had a BLAST waiting for that tow truck to appear!) (Oh, and then there was the time my car died en route to Utah, and again, hilarity ensued! Long story - but definitely a good one. Chock-full o' hilarity, my friends.)
• "I slipped while running to catch my train and fell down a flight of stairs, skinning my knees like a five-year-old - but my cute new dress remained unscathed. Hilarity ensued."
• "After underestimating the turning radius on my rented Dodge Neon, I somehow found my piece-of-crap rental car in a ditch in Seattle - and, of course, this is when I'm already running late to my best friend's wedding. Hilarity ensued." (Oh yeah - TOTALLY a true story, folks! I've avoided Neons ever since. And, yes, hilarity did ensue, didn't it, Stace?)

Seriously, I think life is ALWAYS a little better when hilarity ensues. I've definitely learned that even the worst mishaps can somehow turn into the best stories with a little time and humor.

What are some of your best "hilarity ensued" moments?

P.S. - If you want to read some pretty laugh-out-loud funny "hilarity ensued" anecdotes, check out http://mylifeisaverage.com/. Pretty much one of my fav new go-to procrastination destinations (as if I needed another one...).

Birthday Blues

I've finally realized that I have a complete and total phobia when it comes to my birthday.

Every year I'm petrified that no one will remember my birthday. Yet when people do remember and fuss over it, I feel terribly awkward for being the center of attention. So, basically, I don't want to be forgotten, but I don't want to be remembered, either. Totally makes sense, right?

Not to be all Freudian, but I blame it all on my mother. Ever since the Fiasco Birthday of 1995 (during which she literally punched my chocolate-mint ice cream cake to smithereens in the kitchen sink while I watched in horror - loooooong story...), I've been understandably a little skittish about birthdays. The next year mi madre cancelled my 14th birthday party as retribution for some infraction on my part, but since we'd sprung for a murder mystery dinner game for the fiesta, we ended up doing the dinner in October instead for Halloween. My friends brought gifts to the "Halloween" party - my mom flipped that I somehow still managed to get my party in, albeit delayed.

Needless to say, I have never been in the same state as my mom for my birthday ever since. Birthdays 15-17 "coincidentally" fell during summer vacations to Idaho (which I scheduled - this whole "family vacation" thing was lost on me as a child. I've been a free agent in vacationing since I was 10!). Convenient, right?

Then college came, and I fell into that oddity of birthdays in adulthood. Do I throw my own party? If I don't make the plans, will anyone else care enough to do it for me? Should I tell them who to invite? Will all of my disparate friends get along?

My 18th birthday was a blast - a grand affair at Pioneer Park in Provo with my friends from high school and from the dorms - but I remember being so stressed, shuttling between the groups of friends, trying to make sure everyone was having fun. That being said, I think it was actually my favorite of all birthdays I've had. And it wasn't even on the real day! I can't remember what we did for the real day of.

19 I avoided a party altogether, I think. We got our All-Sports Passes that morning, and I remember going home and crying because no one remembered it was my birthday (although, to my friends' credit, it was early in the morning. They came by later to celebrate). 20 was fun - party at my parents' house the night before I drove back to college. I think my crush of that summer would have kissed me that night if the guy who liked me (unrequitedly) wouldn't have hung around so danged long. Bless his heart. He went in for the kiss, and I totally denied him. Awkward! Yay for my birthday, right?

For 21 I drove back to Provo after my Seattle summer and threw a party that night - the first time that I saw the guy I'd been kinda sorta long-distance dating all summer long after a few years of liking him off and on, and I got a flat-out "NO!!!" sort of feeling about the whole thing. Again, happy birthday to Christa! That was also the time at which all three of my high school besties were seriously dating or engaged to their now-hubbies. Great timing to get a no answer regarding your would-be college sweetheart, right? Again, so awkward!

22 was fun - my bestie and her now-hubby pulled together a party at the last minute with the closest of my high school and college friends. It was a great way to end my college birthdays.

Then I was back in California for 23 through the soon-to-come 27. Some years friends took the lead and made the plans - which was great in that it took the planning burden off my shoulders, but on the downside, it also meant parties celebrated doing stuff I detest, like bowling. But I appreciated the friend time! 24 was in Idaho (as were 8 and 16 - it's my own little rule to be there on anything divisible by 8. Yes, I'm weird, as if you're only now figuring this out...). 25 was at Disneyland; 26 was in Arizona. I'm a big fan of traveling for my birthday, apparently.

Anyways - the reason I'm rambling with this brain dump - I'm hitting 27 on Sunday, and I'm realizing that I really do have birthday anxiety! I get really depressed leading up to my birthday instead of excited about it - it's just really pronounced this year. I'm dreading it. Every year I'm curious to see if my family will remember if I don't remind them. Last year, when I was in Arizona, no one called, and I just wanted to bawl! Their train of thought, I later learned, was that I was on vacation, so they didn't want to bug me - but at the time I felt totally forgotten! However, when we got back to the hotel at the end of that night, I found upwards of 30 Facebook birthday wishes waiting for me, and then I did bawl - this time in gratitude that so many people would bother to say something.

And yet, a year later, I'm going through the worries of it all over again. Like, proper etiquette - should I say something to my parents about a birthday dinner? I don't want them to feel obligated, on the one hand. On the other hand, I'm always so busy, they might figure I made plans with my friends, but I haven't. My real birthday is on a Sunday this time around, so my birthday plans with friends are actually Saturday morning (breakfast buffet at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach - pretty much one of my Orange County favorite things to do! 8:30 a.m. - if you want to join us, you're invited!). So do I go for the family thing? Or just say nothing and spend the post-church day at home, all by my lonely? One of my sweet friends asked me what I want for my birthday, and I realized that for the first time, I don't even have a list! I just assume no one will be getting me anything, so I don't bother to think of it anymore. Plus, cheesy as it sounds, I'm quite blessed that I have most everything I want or need already.

It's such an odd, lonely sort of thing. Is it just me? Or do other people have these sort of birthday panics? I absolutely LOVE making a fuss out of others' birthdays, celebrating them, but when it comes to my own, I'm leaning toward just hiding under a rock. I never could understand why people dreaded their birthdays, but now I'm starting to TOTALLY understand!

August Adventures

Hey, guys!

Sorry for the lack o'posts lately - I've got some new projects up my sleeves that are gobbling up my personal blogging time... but, I promise I'll make up for that tonight with the unveiling of one of the projects that I mentioned earlier this month (which got postponed for unforeseen circumstances).

August has been quite the busy month! My cousin Brendan got married this weekend, which was too cute:

Before that I dog-sat Sheppy and Maisie for a week, which is *always* an adventure:

And during that fun, canine-filled week, my cousins Annalise and Kate came down from L.A. for the YSA Conference, which we kicked off with Mormon Night at Angel Stadium with a group of my friends from the ward:


The YSA Conference was pretty amazing. There was such a unifying spirit, to know that 11,000 fellow LDS young single adults throughout California were gathered at nine locations centered on our state's seven temples (San Diego, Newport Beach, Redlands, Los Angeles, Fresno, Oakland and Sacramento - second only to Utah!) to enjoy one another's company and drink from deep waters of the gospel. We had some outstanding talks from Church leaders, encouraging us all to rise above the mediocrity to which our human nature draws us and to instead be shining examples to others, to really live and to be true witnesses of the power that comes through living the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was such a sweet experience!

And sharing that experience with my cousins made it all the sweeter. At our location in Irvine we had cousins from each of Nana and Papa's four children:

One of my friends commented to me yesterday that I seem to have cousins EVERYWHERE. It's true - and I wouldn't have it any other way! My stepmom and all of her siblings are in Southern California, which makes for a wonderfully tight-knit family. I'm always so grateful that my dad married into such an amazing group. We have way too much fun together!

So, that's my quick update - more adventures to come!

Birthday Boy

Today was the birthday of one of my favorite guys on the planet - and I got to celebrate with him! Nothing fancy - we took a little walk, shared some dinner (rice and beans from Baja Fish Tacos with some chicken - yum!), cuddled a little while watching Alias. Good times.

In the Birthday Boy's honor, here are some reasons why I absolutely adore this fella:

• He's so smart!
• Whenever I walk into the room, he leaps up to greet me, showering me with kisses and affection. It always makes me feel like a million bucks.
• He's got just the greatest smile. It always lights up my day!
• I think he likes chocolate even more than I do - as if such a thing were possible!
• He's so fiercely loyal and devoted.
• His fashion sense is impeccable - but he was born with it. If only we could all look so good so effortlessly!
• He is such a cuddler! I love snuggling with him - he especially loves backrubs and head massages.
• I love his companionship! From the time we met six years ago, I knew we'd be buds for the long haul. He's a little neurotic and uptight sometimes, but it makes me love him all the more.

What can I say? He is this woman's best friend.



Happy sixth birthday, Sheppy! I'll love you forever and ever. Here's to many more years of fun together!

Happy August!

Did you know that August is my favorite month? It's true. Always has been. I think much of that has to do with my day of birth being on the 30th, but there's lots of other major milestones that happen in my little world this month, including:

• My awesome father's birthday on the 12th;
• His and my stepmom's anniversary, also on the 12th;
• My mom and dad once upon a time got married on the 18th (a day that lives in infamy - but had it not happened, I wouldn't be here, so I guess it's good for that reason);
• My cousin Brendan is getting hitched on the 15th, speaking of marriage;
• My darling dog Shep has his birthday some time this month;
• and a boatload of my favorite people have birthdays this month, including my darling cousin-in-law Suzie today - and their little baby will come later this month!; my other darling cousin-in-law Angie tomorrow; Rebecca, one of my oldest and dearest friends, on the 22nd; and two awesome Mikes on the 27th (Bingham and Winchester, in case you were wondering).

So, pretty much, August = awesome. Here's to some summer adventures ahead!

PS: Is it totally nerdy that I'm amused by this? I realized that my friend Mike is turning 30 on the 27th, and I'm turning 27 on the 30th. For some reason, I think that's so fun.

Of course, I was always amused by how my dad's birthday's on the 12th and my parents' anniversary was the 18th - if you add 12 + 18, you get 30, which is my birthday. Whoa.

Why do I notice these things?

Ugh, Monday...

I am having such the Monday kind of a Monday today! I think the missteps all started with blowing off my morning workout in favor of continuing a fascinating dream (that, of course, I can't remember - but, my goodness, my dreams are so interesting these days! I blame it on cramming an entire season of Alias into one week. Oh, the espionage and intrigue...)

So then, when I finally did get my behind out of bed, I was running a little late. And forgot that my clothes needed drying, so I had to do some quick laundry. For some reason, I decided that I should quickly cook eggs (I *never* use anything more than a microwave, blender or toaster in the mornings for a reason!). Well, quickly didn't so much happen. And while pouring a glass of chocolate soymilk, I managed to spill some inside the burner. Not a big deal, but then when I put the soymilk back in the fridge, it tipped over and spilled some more!

Of course I hit the most random red lights on the morning commute, and then when I hopped on a 10 a.m. interview for a client, I managed to catch the wrapping-up conversation between the journalist and my client. Apparently they started early (I triple-checked - I wasn't late). After the interviewer hung up, my client addressed me, but I thought the phone was on mute, so I tried to unmute it. Which, in all reality, actually muted it, and then by the time I caught that, he'd already hung up, and he's not answering his office line.

Ugh. It's only 10:20 a.m., and my day's been a disaster. Can someone shoot me already?

*sigh*

Thanks. I needed to vent. Mondays are of the devil, people!

On the bright side: I get to unveil my new project tomorrow. Aren't you excited? I know I am! :)

By small and simple things

You really never do know the affect you can have in the world.

I was going into statcounter.com to look up the analytics for this blog, and instead I went into the account for my marriage blog (they're in separate analytics accounts). And I am so humbled. I was shocked to see that it's topped 12,800+ hits from across the globe! Literally - it's had visitors from every continent.

Well, okay - except for Antarctica. Penguins aren't the most computer-savvy critters.

Anyways... it's an interesting thought. You start something and never know how it'll take off. I barely touched the blog since March - only eight posts in four months, with none in June - and yet it still got almost 400 hits this month alone. Pretty cool stuff!

Oh Yes - the Snuggie for Dogs!

This video was sooooo cheesy, I just HAD to share it with you all. Enjoy!



PS: Do we enjoy the slight rhyming throughout? Pretty fabulous, huh!

Ugh, timing stinks

See these handsome gentlemen?

They collectively compose The Fray, one of my most favoritest bands. Seriously, there isn't a bad song on either of their CDs, and their rendition of "Heartless" is to DIE for. Listen for yourself:



I've been listening to it nonstop for a few weeks, and I loooooove it!

Anyways. Tonight The Fray in all their glory will be playing at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, just down the road in Irvine, along with Jack's Mannequin (who I hear are fab). In my lovely purse is a ticket to the show.

And I'm not going.

Sucks, doesn't it?

I'm pretty bummed, honestly. I had a health issue come up this week, and I'll spare you all the gory details, but long story short, I feel zapped of energy and would like nothing more than to curl up in my bed and watch Alias (thanks, Laura, for getting me HOOKED!!! And yes, I have had spy dreams - pretty awesome!). The thought of wrestling with massive crowds of people, noise, parking and a late, late night makes my toes curl. At least my cousin with whom I was going is there with a bunch of her friends, so I'm not leaving her high and dry.

But I just have to wonder - at what point did I become such a boring grown-up that I'd skip a concert in honor of staying home and taking care of myself? Such an idea was unfathomable for me even two years ago. I mean, I had pneumonia a few years ago and was back to hanging out with the crew within a week, even if it meant lying listlessly on the grass, wrapped in a blanket, watching them play volleyball.

So, on the upside? Apparently I've matured and gained some wisdom. On the downside, I'm opting out of seeing one of my fav bands and enjoying a concert to which I've looked forward for a while now. And admitting that I'm currently ensconced in an agoraphobic phase. Does anyone else get like that from time to time? I've had zero desire to be social since coming back from vacation. I'll go to meetings and church stuff and the like, but beyond that, I've become a hermit. It took serious willpower to not bail on Scott for the OC Fair last weekend. But it's Scott, and I can't bail on him. And we had a blast (I should post some pics, huh? Later tonight...), but I think that's the only social thing I've done in a month.

Oh well. Such is growing up, right?

Soldier looks for politician's apology on healthcare debate

Here's a great clip - a soldier makes the point that within the section that deals with legislative powers, nowhere does it give them power to control health care:



Now, you might say that they didn't have health insurance back in the Founding era. At least, not as far as I know. But the main point is that the system they established is supposed to govern lightly and not inject itself into its citizens' private lives. Politicians should get the Constitution out and read it on a regular basis, along with The Federalist Papers. After all, they've taken an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to tear it down and alter it.

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again - the Founders weren't pulling concepts out of thin air as they designed the three-branch government, complete with a bicameral legislature. The system is so complex, carefully filled with checks and balances. There is a reason it's set up that way, and having that sort of a system in place is what allowed America to rise to the forefront of global politics for years. It's a good thing. I believe it is divinely inspired, personally. Is it perfect? No - but it's better than what else is out there, and I don't want to see those uniquely and innately American values give way to European and, worse yet, Communist-esque ideals. Let's protect and defend what sets us apart.

A quick thought on universal healthcare

The last month has been quite the doctor-y one for me - annual optometrist visit before vacation, followed by a second visit last week, plus a dental trip last week and then an unexpected emergency physician trip today (nothing major - no worries). Out of curiosity and some modicum of good money management, I just added up all of those health-related expenses. Grand total? About $440. Holy freaking cow! And that's pretty much just routine maintenance - not including my bi-annual visits to check my TSH levels every six months. Add in the cost of lab work, and that trip adds up quickly.

So, moral of the story? Yep, paying for your health sucks. It really is expensive - and that's with insurance. Without would be awful! However, I still don't think that the government has any right or mandate to take taxes from the rich to pay for my healthcare. The system is broke and needs fixing, but I don't think that's the right tack. What would you propose?

Seeing clearly

If you ever have the debate of whether to wear a slightly torn contact that makes things a smidge blurry or to replace it with a new contact that's a slightly different prescription, opt for the torn one. Not that I'm speaking from personal experience... but, uh, that's what I learned yesterday.

Or you could chuck your vanity and just wear your danged glasses... But I'd usually prefer uncomfortable contacts to that. Blame it on my weird rule that I can either wear glasses or wear my hair curly, but not both at the same time. I feel like such a frump!

What is America to me?

Sorry I couldn't find a more visually interesting clip of this great song, but at least give it a listen - the words are fabulous and so well express how I feel about this land of ours. It's one of my favorite songs of all times.

What is America to me?

Boy, that's a question to which you'll get as many varied responses as the number of people you ask it to, but I think that these days, the American ideal is more fractured than ever.

When I was in college, one project that all American Studies had to do was the American Dream project - to ask five people what the American Dream meant to them, and then to take their responses and extrapolate an essay about what the American ideal meant to them. My five interviewees were my father, my grandmother, the American Heritage professor for whom I TA'ed (Brett Latimer) and two of my peers, my good friend Laura and my colleague Mark, a Marine veteran. Granted, all five and myself share some common foundations in terms of religion and politics, so the answers I got weren't as vastly varied as they'd be if you asked any five random people on the street, but I think that at the root of it, America means an opportunity to make your dreams come true and to pursue happiness.

Sadly, that opportunity is being diminished by those who would rather see equality of results enforced, making everyone's share of the pie equal with no effort expended - a recipe for disaster that will burden the backs of the hard workers with the labor of carrying the lazy. That is not America to me, and it's not the America our Founding Fathers set out to build.

Friends, I worry for this great nation of ours. I really, really do. I find that for the most part, my generation doesn't know its history. People don't understand the principles upon which America was founded. They don't study the primary sources, the words of the Founders themselves or the books from which the Founders got their ideas. They don't even go to the secondary sources that examine those ideals and quote from them directly. No, most people rely on what they read in high school or college general ed textbooks, information that is often a tertiary source at best. These great, ennobling ideas are watered down to summaries and synopses that lose so much of the heart and soul of this nation in translation. So many nowadays focus only on the rights of citizenship - not the responsibilities that accompany it like honesty, self-sufficiency, integrity and devotion to family.

It frustrates me so much to see our nation headed toward a trainwreck while so many people kick back and focus only on seeking entertainment and luxury. That's precisely the European attitude from which our Founders sought to break away in order to preserve the American character of a people who were "industrious, frugal, and honest," as Thomas Paine said in his great treatise Common Sense. In our land was a spirit of equality and public virtue because "the people of America are a people of property; almost every man is a freeholder," he wrote. Being part of the land somehow made people grounded, working hard for their sustenance. Today we're so far removed from that (myself included - I mean, I'm from L.A. Food comes from the grocery store, not the ground!). However, I think the Spirit of America can prevail even in our modern age.

But what will it take to survive and thrive in these trying times? It will take men and women like you and me, devoted in a return to the heart and soul of this nation, to put a stake in the ground and to make an effort to educate those around us as to what this country is really about, to study and to grow, to pick up the phone and be an engaged citizenry, willing to call our representatives and tell them if we disagree with a particular policy - not to sit around whining about what a terrible idea it is or, worse yet, to sit around ignorant of what's going on in Washington. Our nation is on a rapid track to change with a president at its helm who fundamentally believes in equality of results, not of opportunity, and whose platforms run diametrically opposed to what our Founders set up America to be.

After all, it isn't like the Founders were ignorant of how some things sounded great on paper - but didn't work in reality. As Samuel Adams wrote,

The Utopian schemes of leveling (redistribution of wealth) and a community of goods (gov't ownership of commerce) are as visionary and impratical as those which vest all property in the Crown. [These ideals] are arbitrary, despotic, and, in our government, unconstitutional.

Or we can turn to Jefferson, who wrote:

If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy.

Furthermore, Jefferson warned:

We shall all consider ourselves unauthorized to saddle posterity with our debts, and morally bound to pay them ourselves; and consequently within what may be deemed the period of a generation, or the life of the majority.

Please, friends, do what you can within your sphere to make a difference. Preserve this great nation of ours. Don't let it fail in the face of ignorance, laziness and self-centered pleasure-seeking. Follow yet another admonition of Jefferson's:

If a nation expects to ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.

No other sure foundation can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness... Preach... a crusade against ignorance; establish and improve the law for educating the common people. Let our countrymen know that the people alone can protect us against these evils [of misgovernment].

If we don't stand up for the ideals of freedom and prosperity, we'll be enslaved by our very own government through taxation and limited liberty. That is not America to me.

As an extension of that project I did in college seven years ago, I'd like to ask all of you:

What is America to you? How would you define your version of the American Dream?

Dental drivel

This morning I made a trip to the dentist - my first visit with my new one. I'm so glad that she's fabulous and not insane like the one Steve Martin played in Little Shop of Horrors. That guy was bad news!

Anyways, I love the dentist. Blame it on always having great ones, starting with a family friend who tended to my teeth all through my childhood. Good times.

But I'm not loving this headache or the slightly sore mouth. Now I remember why I always got a milkshake after getting fillings in high school - it numbed the pain. No bueno!

Why, speaking of cheese danish...

[Brace yourself for a lil' viral marketing at its best - danged geniuses!]

... did you know that tomorrow is Free Pastry Day at Starbucks?

Click here to go to their site and get a coupon for a free pastry with drink purchase before 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. I think I'll be grabbing a steamed milk tomorrow morning - and perhaps another cheese danish... or a muffin... so many possibilities!

And then I'm going on a diet. For reals. I found my workout clothes again (which had been MIA - which meant that they were sitting IN PLAIN SIGHT on top of a stack of magazines, so somehow I rifled through all my clothes but didn't think to check a bookcase for clothes, right?) - anyways, they're feeling awfully neglected, and I need to hit that goal of running three miles by my quickly-approaching 27th birthday.

Okay, fine. If I can run one block by then, it'll be a vast improvement.

I'm going to go sulk at my pathetic out-of-shapeness now.

*slumps shoulders and grabs Starbucks coupon off the printer - I mean, FREE is FREE, friends!*

Musical memories

Isn't it funny how certain songs will forever remind you of a particular moment in time?

I'm busily working away with my iPod blaring (so as to drown out the loud sales guys we share an office with - nice, but loud). Anyways, the favorite song of a former more-than-friends-but-didn't-pan-out fella came on, and even though I'm totally over the guy (bless his heart), I can't help but GRIN every time I hear it. Not so much because of him, but because of the whole fun of the experience, of how happy I'd get whenever it came on in the middle of the whatever-it-was because it reminded me of him.

There are a few other songs to which I have the same reaction - and a few that make me cringe each time, too, for the related memories. What songs bring up particular memories for you guys?

I'll start the meme with a more specific one: "Hanging By a Moment" by Lifehouse. As long as I live, this will always, always remind me of the guy I was head over heels smitten with the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college. It came on when we were getting a bite at the Creamery on Ninth, and it so fit how I felt - and, voila! Forever memory. Now he's all old and married and paternal and stuff... but that song will forever remind me of his 21-year-old self when I was 18 and starry-eyed. (Awwww... memories!)

Okay... your turn!

The siren call

Oh, cheese danish - why you gotta tempt me so?

This morning, I caved and answered the siren call of the cheese danish (not the one pictured - that's from Flirty Kitty's Flickr photostream). Heaven help my hips!

Is it a sin, though, to admit that I prefer the version from 7-11 to the one from the snooty French bakery around the corner from work? 'Cause I'm test-driving the snooty one this morning, and it's just not as cakey good as the poor man's version.

Mind Games

Oh my goodness, I just had the most vivid, crazy dream! So, thought I'd hop on here and jot it down superquick before I dash off to The Sound of Music rehearsal (yay, nuns!)

In this wacky dream, for some reason I was engaged to a guy with whom I grew up [which is odd because a) besides a massive crush on him in 7th grade and going with him to one dance in high school, we've always been just friends - although, for the record, he was the best dance date I had, hands down. Great guy. b) I haven't talked with him in 6+ months, so of all the guys, don't know why he's on my radar. We're still good friends, but it's one of those friendships that's picked up when we're nearby with very little keeping in touch in between].

But I digress.

So Fiance and I were engaged... but I'd just broken it off for some reason while we were at some cabin resort by the beach in Colorado or California, not sure which (don't you love how dreams make NO sense?) with his family (which, of course, wasn't his actual family, seeing as I know them). And then I was on the beach without him, and there were these massive waves that washed water up almost to the end of the sand. All the people got out, but the waves just kept coming until it flooded the area below this big, empty house in which I was standing. So I called him and said he had to come down, which he did, and we surveyed the damage, stunned. Then we drove to the airport to fly home to Utah (where, of course, I don't actually live), and our plane crashed. But he and I got out safe, of course, and helped other passengers before the plane blew up. Oh, and I was smart enough to pack all my important stuff in a teeny purse that I grabbed when the plane was going down, so my cell phone, iPod and lip gloss survived A-OK.

And then I woke up and realized that I needed to get ready for rehearsal. Which, um, I sooooo still do. That's reality. ;) But, meanwhile, anyone want to figure this one out? My theory on the plane crash is that I read The Survivors Club while on vacation, and, well, that makes perfect sense. It talks about plane crashes in depth, and now I feel like I could totally survive one.

But the rest? Makes no sense. Whatsoever. And I hope that when hell freezes over and I get engaged, we don't get in a plane crash. Maybe roadtrips are the way to go.

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Honey, I'm home!

Vacation was fabulous. FABULOUS. Seriously, I had such a blast! The trip definitely merits some more in-depth chronicling (complete with some pics), but seeing as I'm terrible about blogging these days, here's a teaser list of what I did on my summer vacation:

* Star-gazed with a dear old friend in Cache Valley (near Logan)

* Went four-wheeling - and discovered that makes your back all tight and sore for a few days, lol. Who knew?

* Ate Cafe Rio. Twice.

* Went through the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house in flipflops - it was a spur-of-the-moment decision (and a wonderful one at that - thanks, Melissa!)

* Marveled at an awesome summer storm with my little cousins in the cabin loft

* Saw three black bears in Yellowstone (including one who hopped up on his hind legs and scratched his back against a tree - awesome!!!)

* Caught a fish - and watched in disbelief as my uncle and grandma released aforementioned fish back into the lake. And then watched as they managed to catch a dozen-plus fish between them while I didn't get a single other bite all day. Lame, lame, lame - I so wanted to eat a fish I caught!

* Took in a fabulous production of Guys and Dolls at the Playmill Theatre - my favorite tradition for 20 years now!!! 

* Ate way too many of my grandma's homemade chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. Soooo worth it, though!

* Slept in five beds in nine days. (Alone, of course - not a hussy! That could soooo be taken the wrong way...)

* Loved the "biggest fireworks show west of the Mississippi" on the banks of the Snake River in Idaho Falls - it was amazing! And hearing my friend Elise sing the national anthem at the swanky party across the creek wasn't too shabby, either.

* Marveled at the bizarre hairstyles so prevalent in Idaho. Note to the men: mullets are not attractive. Get over it. Note to the women: lay off the hairspray, ladies! And teasing should be done to children, not your hair.

And that, my friends, pretty much encapsulates the last week and a half of my life. So delightful! More tales to come soon, I'm sure...

Need. Break.

Apparently you're supposed to get more than 4 1/2 hours of sleep a night on a regular basis.

Obviously whoever came up with that Rule of the Universe never tried to live my schedule.

Several people lately have commented that they don't know how I do everything that's on my plate. That's easy: I barely sleep, and I drink enough caffeine to power a small nation. Then I hang on with my fingernails and hope I don't collapse.

Today's one of those days where I'd like nothing more than to just collapse. But instead I have to prep for a client meeting, be on the ball in aforementioned meeting, then rush from there to the concert hall for the second night of five-hour recording sessions for our new CD. Which, by the way, is amaaaaaazing - but, yeah. Homegirl needs to crash. Badly.

Thankfully I'm on vacation starting Friday. I've never earned or needed a vacation more in my LIFE! But, even then, the first two days will be busy busy - going from SLC's airport to Logan to Orem and then up to Idaho in less than 48 hours. Monday, when I can finally chill at the cabin for five days, seems forever away. If I have my way, I will be sleeping that entire five-hour shuttle ride to Idaho. Mmmmm... sleeeeeep...

Heavenly

Remember how I said I would trip-blog tonight?

Well... sorry to break a promise, but I forgot we had stake choir rehearsal tonight. My would-have-been-blogging time was swallowed up in driving to San Clemente and practicing a wonderful arrangement of "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah" with our darling choir director and a choir loft filled to the brims with other San Clemente Stake'ers.

It was a worthwhile trade-off - trust me. 

Speaking of divine music, I am kinda sorta obsessed with Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings, Op. 11" right now. In case you haven't heard this heavenly piece before, enjoy the performance below:

Mmmmm... Isn't that just other-worldly? My friend Barbara is a phenomenal violinist, and so I mentioned to her how in love I am with this piece. It's the most ethereal thing I've ever heard! She said that if you think that's good, try listening to it from the middle of the violin section - it doesn't get any better than that!

A happy sight

See this lovely, lovely iMac?

Well, friends, that's where I'm posting from finally!  A generous relative gave me this fabulous computer a couple of months ago (thanks again!!!), but it didn't have internet (my place necessitates using wireless, since the internet hooks up in my roommate's room on the other end of our apartment). So I took this baby down to the Apple Store's Genius Bar Friday afternoon, armed with the Airport Extreme card I'd ordered online, and voila! I bring you the first of many blog posts written from the comfort of my iMac.

Including that Central California trip post I owe you - I'll squeeze in some blog time this evening, promise.

Meanwhile, while I'm showing off my room -

Can I just say that this men's tie rack is the best jewelry storage solution I've ever found? After many years of trying to figure out storing these things, I saw this at the Container Store and never looked back. Fabulous.

I'm also obsessed with these jars I got at Ikea. They're in the kitchen section, but I think they're perfect for storing just about anything - bobby pins and ponytail holders, the replacement buttons that come with new clothes, even my sewing kit - and making it look like part of the decor. Which is thrilling, because, when forced to pick, I tend to choose function over fashion. But when the two intersect? Life is good.

In other news, I've decided that after seven years of the same bedding, I'm sick of it. Sooooo sick of it. Mind you, having surfer bedding while a California girl living in landlocked Utah was delightful, but when I live 10 minutes from the coast? It's a little passe. I'm over it.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that I have this amazing quilt, handmade with love by my wonderful grandmother. Isn't it lovely? Appropriately enough, the pattern is called Newspaper Boxes. Perfect for the journalist in the fam, right? If you look closely, some of the fabrics are actually scraps from my childhood dresses, including that reddish-brown piece above - it's from the dress I wore in my first-grade picture, complete with a cream-colored pinafore. I didn't own a store-bought dress 'til I was at least 7 or 8 - Grandma made all my dresses! Anyways, I've had the quilt for a while but have finally decided that I want to make it the focus on my bed.

So, my great debate is - I need a new duvet cover to go under the quilt. For now I have it unfolded and draping over both sides, but it's actually a king-size quilt, which is a bit big for my twin. I'd prefer to have it folded in half with a colorful duvet beneath.

But what color?

That's where I tap into the Wisdom of Crowds. If you had to select a solid to go beneath the quilt, what would it be? My sheets are a buttery pale yellow - I was thinking of maybe doing navy blue, but would that be too dark? The wood throughout my room is pine, and I've kept the color scheme pretty simple - pine, white, silver - so I can play around with color when I feel like changing it up. 

So, calling all interior designers out there! Let me know what you think!