it's all good

goodbye

2012-01-26T13:04:00.003-07:00

No, I'm not actually going anywhere. I realized that it has been nearly a year since I posted anything on my blog and thought it was like I had said goodbye to the three people who actually read what I write. I guess that just goes to show how incredibly dull the past year has been. Maybe that's not entirely true. I actually did plenty of fun things during 2011, but I just wasn't motivated enough to write about them.

Well, new year, fresh start.

One of my favorite things in the world is going to concerts, and I have several in the coming months that I'm really excited about.

The first is MuteMath on February 14, yep, Valentine's Day. This is actually a welcome happenstance, because now I don't have to sit at home watching TV or a movie, pretending I'm ok that I don't have a date on Valentine's Day. I actually get to go to a concert, something that makes me incredibly happy, with my roommate and two other people who we have coerced into coming with us. MuteMath is a band I discovered when their song "Typical" came up on my Pandora station and now they are one of my favorites. This will be my first time seeing them live. I was planning on seeing them a few years ago when they opened for another band, but my concert buddy (aka my roommate) was sick that night and since I hadn't already bought tickets I missed out.

The next concert is Snow Patrol at the end of April. I haven't seen them in concert before and I'm extra excited to see them in a small venue. This is a band that usually plays in arenas or at big outdoor festivals. I can't wait to hear them live, even if it is true that Gary Lightbody has a potty mouth.

The last concert (well at least the last of the three I currently have tickets for) is The Black Keys. I started listening the The Black Keys fairly recently. I had heard "Howlin' for You" and "Tighten Up" on the radio before, but hadn't bothered to look up more of their songs. When "Lonely Boy" made its way to my ears, I listened up and now I absolutely dig these guys. I'm a little disappointed that the concert is at the Maverick Center, but I have a feeling I'll enjoy it despite the less than stellar venue.

good woman down

2011-02-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I went skiing by myself for the first time and I have to say it was one of the best ski days I have ever had. I have been complaining for a while that I didn’t have anyone to go skiing with on my Friday’s off. I was a little skeptical when my roommate told me I should just go by myself. I’m normally ok with going places and doing things by myself, but the thought of skiing alone had me a little scared. What if I crashed and hurt myself on a run and no one found me? What if some psycho sat next to me on the lift? What if I slid off the road into a ditch and no one could see me? She said I would be fine. She also said she used to do it all the time when learning how to snowboard and that it was the best.

Friday morning I packed up my car and headed to Powder Mountain (they had the best deal I could find on short notice and I just like the resort). I got there about 9:30 and the place was empty. I think that is what I like about Powder, it isn’t crowded with out-of-towners. It is more of a hidden treasure for locals and visitors in the know. My first couple of runs I was completely alone, I didn’t pass anyone and no one passed me.

On my fourth run my first fear happened. I was cruising down a blue and not really concentrating on my technique when I caught an edge and was propelled forward. My skis popped off as I was sliding face first down the steep slope. When I finally stopped, I saw that my poles were still around my wrists but my skis stopped quite a ways up the slope. I laid there for a little bit, trying to catch my breath after having it knock out of me. As I pushed myself up, I realized that when I tried to brace myself during the fall I totally pulled something in my left shoulder. I was not happy about that because I had been skiing for less than an hour. I had to tell myself that I wasn’t hurt because there was no way I was going to waste a whole day. The pep talk did me good and clicked back into my skis and continued on my merry way.

The remainder of my solo ski day was fantastic. I met quite a few people on the lifts and skied some runs with a couple of them. I even saw Ed Roland, lead singer of my favorite band (or a guy who looks a lot like him, I couldn’t tell). I skied until I could ski no more (because they were shutting down the lifts). On the way home I realized that my shoulder definitely was hurt, I had a hard time lifting it, but I’m so glad it didn’t hinder my most excellent day.

eat that up, it's good for you

2011-01-27T13:13:00.001-07:00

I like sandwiches. Often my lunch at work is a sandwich. I do not like pre-made sandwiches that have been sitting in the fridge for hours, which is the reason I bring all the ingredients for a sandwich to work and make it fresh. I have been doing this for years.

When I first started, I tended to buy cheap bread and cheap turkey and then would complain to myself that the sandwiches I made never tasted as good as the ones I get at a restaurant. Being a thinker, I thought about why my sandwiches sucked and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the sandwich's fault. The sandwich was only as good as the stuff that made it and that stuff was cheap crap.

The solution to this terrible problem was simple, buy good stuff to make good sandwiches. Now, I would say my sandwiches are awesome! Ciabatta bread, roasted turkey, swiss, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, mayo, mustard, and maybe an avocado. If I ever need to make a few bucks on the side I could sell my sandwiches to my coworkers.

Good Directions Life Lesson: Life is too short to eat cheap crap turkey.

good day sunshine

2010-11-29T15:25:00.008-07:00

With piles of snow on the ground, I thought it would be a good time to remember my trip to Hawaii. Warmth and sunshine sound good right about now, but maybe a day skiing down a mountain will cure me of my winter blues.

The waterfall where scenes from Lost were filmed

feel good drag

2010-10-17T16:01:00.012-06:00

I like going to concerts. I especially like going to concerts by up-and-coming bands at small venues. I like to concerts best of all when I'm able to get my picture taken with one or more band members. It makes me kind of giddy. This happened a few weeks ago with two bands, Civil Twilight and Crash Kings. Both were the opening acts for Anberlin, and both totally outperformed the headliner. I actually didn't even stay for all of Anberlin's set, I can't stand when bands feel they have to have everything turned up full blast instead of finding the right balance. They were definitely the drag of the night.

The third time was the charm for me to see Civil Twilight. I had attempted to see them two other times, but neither worked out. I was pleased with their set, even if it was a little short, but wish the venue was better. Who ever thought a warehouse with no modification for sound was an idiot.

Crash Kings are amazing live because they play with such energy and enthusiasm. I think I'm a sucker for a three-member band, especially when one of them plays the piano. Who ever created a keyboard with a whammy bar that sounds like a guitar was a genius.

Civil Twilight

Richard Wouters and Steven McKeller from Civil Twilight

Crash Kings

Tony Beliveau from Crash Kings

Mike Beliveau from Crash Kings

good grief

2010-06-16T17:47:00.002-06:00

Sunday was one of those days, the one where I hurt myself quite a bit. I really don’t mean to, but for some reason Sunday was a klutzy day.

It started at my friend Christy’s new house. The roommates and I decided to keep her company on her first night sleeping there. Sunday morning, Christy and I were carrying the spare mattress I had slept on upstairs to the storage room when I bashed my left shoulder on a very pointy banister.

After returning home to get ready for church while doing my hair I burnt my finger on my flat iron (or hot styling tool for the person I told this story to who didn’t know what a flat iron is).

The next hurt me moment came as we were driving to church. I was eating an apple and bit the inside of my lip not just once, but three times.

For the grand finale, I was getting ready to go to my parent’s house for dinner when I heard Christy come to the door. I had left my shirt at her house and she was returning it. I was excited to see her and tell her thanks so I quickly put on my heels, grabbed my purse and rushed down the stairs. I made it down to the first landing just fine, but as I rounded the corner I lost my footing, scrambled to catch myself, and slid down the rest of the stairs in an awkward position while watching the looks of terror on my friends’ faces. As I came to rest at the bottom I burst out laughing. It was the only thing to do because I wasn’t hurt at all, well except for the bruise that showed up on my arm the next day.

it's gonna be so good

2010-06-08T17:44:00.007-06:00

After years of wanting to go to there
I get to go to here

in October.

With these lovely ladies.

And hopefully operation Hot Bod For Hawaii (HBFH) is successful so I can look good in one of these

Yep, an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
It's Hawaii, not a ward swim party

and i'm feeling good

2010-04-09T10:33:00.009-06:00

It is going to be difficult to top the excitement and exhilaration I felt on Monday night. The anticipation had been building for about five months. The deliverance surpassed the hype. No concert will ever compare. Muse, those rock gods from across the pond, put on one mind-blowing show. Take away the lights, the lasers, the smoke, the hydraulic platforms, the giant screens, and the glass piano and leave just the music and it still would have been the best concert I have ever been to. Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard have truly perfected their art. This was a once in a lifetime type experience that I hope to repeat.

Muse--Feeling Good

color me good

2010-04-01T15:16:00.009-06:00

Despite the fact that I live in Utah and there is snow on the ground on April 1^st I have officially welcomed spring. Last Saturday a group of people (friends and friends-of-friends) traveled to the Holi Festival of Colors at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. This was my first experience at the FofC and I regret nothing and would do it again.

This is what happens when it gets into your eye and tears stream through layers of color.

be good to yourself

2010-02-21T21:41:00.005-07:00

I have a tendency to bottle up all my emotion. I let all the little disappointments and difficulties along with some big things build until I have an emotion explosion and it all comes out is one big, wet mess. The strange part is some little thing that on a normal day is not a big deal triggers the explosion. It’s like the little pebble that starts the rockslide. Why it has to happen in the middle of church I do not know.

I tell myself to stop crying you big baby, but it doesn’t help at all. It also doesn’t help when someone tries to comfort me; it actually increases the tear flow exponentially. Luckily, there wasn’t any sobbing, just quiet tears. The good thing is it doesn’t last very long. I’m fully recovered within a half hour, 45 minutes tops (at least from the tears).

The saying “don’t cry over spilled milk” is generally good advice. Letting all the little disappointments and a few big difficulties build and build and build until I explode at the most inopportune times isn’t good advice either.

collection of goods

2010-01-23T16:30:00.013-07:00

I really love Collective Soul. When anyone asks me who my favorite bands are, Collective Soul is the first out of my mouth. I know I have liked them since their beginning and I know my older sisters had something to do with it. I distinctly remember my sister's copy of "Hints Allegations & Things Left Unsaid" because of the cover art. I liked "Shine" but really didn't get hooked until I borrowed another sister's copy of "Dosage."

As of Thursday night, I have seen Collective Soul in concert five times and I would go see them tomorrow if I could. Each of the five concerts have been in different venues of varying sizes.

#1 The Huntsman Center--2001
They were promoting the "Blender" album. I went with my younger brother and the place was packed. They did the usual walk off the stage and come back out to perform an encore, but after that the crowd was still cheering and the light came up and they came back out and performed one more song.

# 2 The Canyons--2005
Shortly after the Tsunami, Collective Soul play a "free" concert at the Canyons, but asked for donations. Outdoor concert in February, good but cold.

#3 Grand Junction, Co--2005
About a week after I saw them at the Canyons, I went to Grand Junction to visit my sister and see them perform in an old movie theatre that had been converted into a concert venue. I had already purchased tickets for this event when I saw them at the Canyons. I enjoyed this particular time because we were so close to the stage and I hadn't ever been that close before.

#4 Peppermill Concert Hall, Wendover--2008
This was a second try on this particular venue. The first time we drove the two hours from Salt Lake to Wendover only to pull up the venue in time to see "Collective Soul Has Been CANCELLED due to Illnes" flash on the marquee (yes I did spell illness wrong, but only because they did). I wish I had video of our faces when we read that. So instead of seeing the concert, we ate at a terrible buffet and drove the two hours back home. They did refund the tickets, so we were only out the money for gas and the stomach pain from the food.

Six months later the concert was rescheduled and I checked multiple times before we drove the two hours to Wendover that it was really happening this time. This was the first concert I have attended without an opening band. So while I enjoyed the concert and the venue, it was short.

# 5 The Rail--January 21, 2010
Despite the poorly organized process of getting into the venue, I think this is one of the better places for a concert. It is less than a year old, so everything is clean and shiny. The layout is very open with an 21+ balcony area surrounding the entire space. We were about three people back from the front and I took way too many pictures and lots of video. I'm sure the people behind me were annoyed with the crazy girl and her camera, but I didn't really care because among all the terrible pictures I was able to get some pretty cool ones.

I know I'll see Collective Soul again, so here's to next time.

life is good, but sometimes it's amazing

2009-12-23T14:21:00.003-07:00

Yesterday I looked into the mirror and smiled. I’m not sure exactly why, but I felt joyful. For the past few months I have been happy, but there has been something keeping me a little down. At that moment, everything felt different. I knew that I had a family who loves me, friends who care about me, and the gospel in my life. At that moment, everything else didn’t seem to matter. At that moment, I realized life is not only good, it's amazing.

my pain may have been a good thing

2009-11-09T16:06:00.002-07:00

I usually only wear high heels on Sunday for church or the rare occasions I drive to work. Friday night, however, I was trying out the heels with jeans thing that I have been told some guys really like. The roommates and I were going to SLC for dinner. I was walking to the car when all of a sudden I found myself falling down the concrete stairs toward the front of my car. I can’t be certain, but I think I tried to catch my balance and ended doing a 180 which saved my butt from a big bruise. My left leg, just below the knee, wasn’t so lucky. Of course the roommates didn’t get to see my graceful fall; just me sprawled on the garage floor. I got up and immediately knew I had to change my shoes. I took off the heels, quickly limbed upstairs to my room, and grabbed my much more sensible, but still fashionable boots.

As we were cruising down I-15 nearing the Farmington interchange area (I know they have a name for it but I can’t remember because it hasn’t caught on like the “Spaghetti Bowl”) we saw one of those UDOT signs that said the left lanes were blocked due to an accident and lots of break lights. We came upon a multiple-car-pile-up that had occurred maybe a minute or two before we got there. It seemed to be caused by the slowing of traffic following a previous multiple-car-pile-up.

All three of us rubbernecked as we slowly drove passed the two scenes and couldn’t help but wonder if we had been on the road just a few minutes earlier if we would have been one of the cars with the smashed-in front end. So if my tumble down the stairs and the resulting changing of the footwear saved us from a wreck, then I’m glad my pain resulted in something good.

so good for two reasons

2009-10-27T08:48:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite shows recently used one of my favorite bands in an episode and it made me extremely happy.

good to my ears

2009-10-25T18:32:00.011-06:00

I'm not a fan of buying single songs, I have always like buying albums. One reason is I often find I like songs on the album more than the singles that are played on the radio. I tend to listen to the same albums over and over. The following are my most recent favorites. I can honestly say I listen to each these albums and enjoy each song.

Absolutes--Barcelona

Are You Nervous?--Rock Kills Kid

Armistice--Mute Math

Collective Soul (Rabbit)--Collective Soul

Don't Make Me Wait--Locksley

Final Straw--Snow Patrol

Once Upon a Time in the West--Hard-Fi

The Resistance--Muse

The Sun and the Moon--The Bravery

Viva La Vida--Coldplay

good reason not to go to wal-mart

2009-09-22T17:33:00.007-06:00

I have many reasons I do not go to wal-mart, but I gained an additional one on last Saturday night. I only had a half hour in order to pick up some printer ink, chips, and salsa before I needed to be to my friends' birthday party. I needed the printer ink to be able to print my lesson for the next day and the chips and salsa were for the party. I usually go to target for said purchases, but wal-mart happens to be closer to my house and my friend's house. So, despite my better judgment I found myself in a harshly lit aisle staring at the salsa when someone approached from my left and said "you don't want any of those."

I turned and looked at a late 40-something man and gave him a confused look. He then proceeded to tell me that he was making fresh peach salsa with peaches from his garden and that I should come over to his house and get some. I just gave a creeped-out courtesy laugh and turned back to making my salsa selection. He then crossed behind me to my right and told me that he was making watermelon salsa the next day and I could go to his house and get some of that too. Another courtesy laugh followed and he was gone.

There is my newest reason: Getting hit on by creepy old men in the salsa aisle.

Some additional reason for not going to wal-mart were observed during this latest trip: A larger woman in a v-neck tank top that was 3 sizes too small with lurpy boyfriend in a wife-beater and baggy pants. Long lines with slow checkers. Security devices on everything over $20 that can easily be concealed in a purse or down someone's pants.

good clean capitol funishment

2009-07-06T08:46:00.031-06:00

I have now been to Washington D.C. six times. The first five times were for work and I wasn’t able to see everything I would have liked because I was in meetings all day and by the time I was able to get to the Mall, all of the museums were closed. I was lucky if I had a two hour window before my flight to get through one museum (usually about half of it). This last time I was on an actual vacation and had the chance to see nearly everything I wanted to. Here is everything I saw while traveling to D.C and back again.

Day 1—Traveling
Salt Lake City Airport
Atlanta Georgia Airport
Washington Dulles Airport
Comfort Inn at Tyson’s Corner

Day 2—Monuments Day aka Lots of Walking
Washington Monument
World War II Monument
Vietnam Memorial
Lincoln Monument
Korean War Memorial
Holocaust Museum* (A humbling experience and not for the faint of heart)
FDR Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
PF Chang’s with a group of 32

Day 3—Day at the Museum
Fords Theater
American History Museum*
Natural History Museum*
Pizza and Games with the family

Day 4—Another Day at the Museum
The White House tour with an appearance by Alonzo Mourning (President Obama held up the tour because he was in a room nearby)
Top of the Washington Monument
Native American Museum
Air and Space Museum*
Fudruckers

Day 5—More Museums
National Archives (when a big security guard with a deep voice tells you not to take flash photography you better listen. Luckily I didn’t have to learn through experience)
Library of Congress*
Tour of the Capitol
The Golden Corral (not by choice)

Days 6-7—Pilgrimage to the Uncle’s House in Virginia
Church
Tour of James Madison University
Listen to my uncle’s sweet speakers (we’re talking speakers costing tens of thousands of dollars)
Harrisonburg, VA bowling alley

Day 8—Traveling
Washington Dulles Airport with the slowest ID and gate ticket checker ever
Cincinnati Airport
Salt Lake City Airport
Home!

*highly recommended

good timing

2009-07-01T13:33:00.005-06:00

I went to Washington D.C. with my extended family for a week in June. At one point we had 40 people wandering around the Mall, getting on and off the Metro, and taking over PF Chang’s.

The timing of our trip couldn’t have been better. We narrowly missed two tragic events. The shooting at the Holocaust Museum took place less than a week before we arrived and the worst accident in the D.C. Metro’s history took place only two days after we left downtown. These two events are incredibly sad and I’m sorry for the families that are affected, but I’m grateful my family had a safe vacation.

Because of this I’m reminded that bad things can happen at anytime and we need to be grateful every time we arrive to our intended destination safely, every time we go a public area and return home again, every time we go to work and return to our families.

good (m)orning

2009-06-09T10:34:00.014-06:00

Rarely do I attend a concert where I have enjoyed an opening act as much, if not more than the headliner. That happened to me a couple of weeks ago at the Avalon. I went with my brother and a friend to see Mae. Little did I know that I would walk out of there a fan of a band I had previously never heard of. For this particular concert there were actually four opening acts, and since it was general admission and we were buying our tickets at the door, we had to get there on time to ensure we even made it in. Otherwise we probably would have missed at least of few of the openers. Usually I’m not one to fail to buy tickets in advance, but in this case it turned out to be a good thing we were not be prepared.

The first act had already taken the stage when we arrived, so we walked into the dark venue and attempted to find seats. As a result of the combination of our eyes adjusting from the light of day and the stage lights finding empty seats was somewhat difficult, but we managed to find a row that was virtually empty. We settled in and listened to the first two acts, a solo artist called Tokyo and a local group called Larusso. Tokyo was comfortable on stage with his acoustic guitar and was thoroughly enjoying himself as he bantered with the audience between songs. He had a good sound. Larusso, I didn’t like at all so I won’t waste time and space on them, but lets just say, they need a new lead singer, one with a voice that doesn’t crack on the high notes. They also need to learn how to tone it down just a bit so the audience can actually hear the notes being played.

All right, here is where the whole night changed for me. The third group to take the stage was a group called Barcelona. They are a trio from Seattle, with keys, guitar, drums and the occasional xylophone. The moment they took the stage, my friend turned to me and expressed that he thought these guys were going to be good. The moment they started playing I knew he was correct in his assessment. During most of the set, the stage was nearly pitch black with only three colored spots on each guy. After the first song I knew I would be buying their album.

The best word I could come up with at the time to describe their music was chill. I was impressed with their stage presence and control. The drummer was particularly impressive. Also, it takes skills to switch from the guitar to the xylophone mid song. They even brought a bit of nostalgia to stage by showing off their slap bracelets.

Immediately following their set my friend and I made our way to buy their album, a tee shirt, and slap bracelets. I haven’t been that excited about finding a new band in a long time.

After listening to their one and only album, I would have to say that my initial reaction was spot on. Here are a few links and you can decide for yourself what you think.

Lesser Things

It's About Time

To finish up the opening acts was a band called Person L. Not much to say but they were trying way too hard and were way too loud.

Now, even though I don’t have quite as much to say about Mae doesn’t mean I didn’t highly enjoy them. Mae, an acronym for Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, is all about appealing to multiple senses during their performance: sight, sound, and smell. They included visuals and smells to coordinate to each song. For example, a song about fire had the smell of burning wood. One about the ocean smelled of salt water. They even used 3D visuals. Mae is a unique band in that during 2009 they are releasing on song a month and selling it on their website with all proceeds going to build a home for a family in need. Following the regular concert they were selling tickets to an all request acoustic set. I would have loved to attend, but it was already 11:15 when they concluded the three-song encore.

The night was well worth my 20 bucks.

good to go

2009-04-22T06:32:00.004-06:00

Dating is one of those things in this life that is a necessary evil. While dating can be an enjoyable experience, at times it can be confusing. Guys often wonder, do I hold her hand; do I go for the kiss? While I can't take full credit for this (this advice was recieved from an older and wiser friend several years ago) here are a few guidelines to follow while adventuring in the land ‘o dating.

The steps to a kiss

1. The “Invitation”

Accepts the “invitation” – go to the next step

Denies the “invitation” – it’s over

2. The “Lean”

Accepts the “lean” – go to the next step

Denies the “lean” – it’s over

3. The “Hand Placement”

Good “hand placement” – go to the next step

Bad “hand placement” – it’s over

4. The “Googily Eyes” or the “Triple Tapper”

“Googily Eyes” – go to the next step

“Triple” Tapper” – it’s over

5. The “Kiss”

Accepts the “Kiss” – go back to step 1

Denies the “Kiss” – it’s over

Ok, so these steps might need a little explanation. The “invitation” simply means call and ask the girl out, ask her out in person, just ask the girl out. Guys know the saying you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, well you are denied 100% of the invitations you don’t extend. If she wants to go, she will find the time. If she repeatedly denies your invitation, move on and find another girl.

The “lean” refers the contact that happens when you’re sitting down at the movie theater and you lean closer to your date so that your arms nearly touch. If she accepts the lean she in turn moves closer. If she denies the lean, she will increase the distance. The concept of the “lean” can also be judged when sitting on the couch; if she sits right next to you when the entire couch is available the lean has been accepted. If she uses the available space on the couch, the lean has been denied.

The “hand placement” is a vital step; it gives permission for you to even think about proceeding to the final step. If there is good “hand placement” the girl’s hand is readily available. It is on her knee or the armrest. It repeatedly brushes against your hand while walking. If this happens you are safe holding that hand. If there is bad “hand placement” the girl’s hand is usually hidden from view, she will fold her arms while sitting and put her hands in her pockets while walking because if you can’t see her hands you can’t hold them.

The “Googily Eyes” refer the look that says I totally want you to kiss me, this usually consist of prolonged looks into the guys eyes with the occasionally glance at the lips. “Googily eyes” are often accompanied with lingering hugs. But be aware of the “triple tapper,” this is the hug equivalent of saying “thanks ole buddy ole pal, you’re my friend so I’ll give you a hug, but don’t even think about anything more.” So if you get a hug with pats on the back, you have just received a “triple tapper.”

Finally we come to the last step, the culmination of the night, the “Kiss!” If you have received the googily eyes, it is a sure thing that a kiss can follow. Now, just because the night might not end with the “kiss” doesn’t mean it wasn’t a success. If you make it through 4 out of the 5 steps the date was a success and feel free to go back to step 1. Steps 1 through 4 are critical to proceeding to step number 5. If any of the previous steps have not taken place do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Unfortunately, every dating situation is different, that is what makes it so evil. The steps to a kiss are just a baseline to judge dating behavior. Best of luck and get dating.

you never had it so good

2009-04-09T12:59:00.003-06:00

My Facebook status the other day said “Effie + Jimmy Johns = Happy.” A friend of mine was not aware that Jimmy Johns is an excellent sandwich place that is a fairly recent addition to the Salt Lake City market and took my message to mean that I was dating a guy named Jimmy Johns. She frantically searched my friends list to find him but came up empty handed. This got me thinking about if Jimmy Johns was a real guy and the reasons he would be a good boyfriend.

He’s always happy to see me walk into a room and greets me with an enthusiastic hello.

He’s willing to wait for me to make a decision, but gives suggestions when asked.

He’s very quick to get me exactly what I need.

He may be slightly hard on the outside, but he is nothing but a softy on the inside.

He spends just the right amount of time with me, but is gone before I have too much which leaves me excited to see him next time.

He’s so good that he inspires me to write about him.

good advice from the captain

2009-03-25T12:40:00.001-06:00

One day while I was attending Utah State, my roommate and I were discussing with our FHE brother our frustration with dating. He being the older and wiser big brother provided us with some insightful advice about attracting the best kind of guy. Nearly five years later (whoa that makes me feel old) I think his advice still applies. So girls this is how you can get someone like Captain Stud (he may have been older and wiser but he was still a college boy).

How do I get someone like Captain Stud?
1. Don’t waste time with guys who are below you.
2. Don’t be afraid to be smart or who you are.
3. Don’t laugh at stupid jokes, unless you actually like stupid jokes.
4. You attract the kind of guys that treat you the way you treat yourself. Love yourself, have good self-esteem.
5. Love the Lord first. The order of things: First the Lord, second yourself, and third someone else.
6. There is no list, only values and goals.
7. He should treat you like gold, if he doesn’t he’s trash.
8. Look for the “right one,” don’t make the “right one.”
9. No guy is rich. Either he’s spoiled (bad) or in debt (bad).

Number nine applies more to guys who are still in school; guys who are established in a career are allowed to throw a little dough around. While I haven’t yet landed my Captain Stud, I have been able to see when it is time to bale from a relationship. Thanks Capt’n.

good to know

2009-03-05T13:23:00.013-07:00

While I normally enjoy reading others "25 Random Things about me" it took me a while to compose one of my own. It turned out to be kind of interesting experience. I know I'm a geek, but now the proof is in writing. I also added a few extras to the end.

In general I don’t like female singers, nearly all the artist on my ipod are male.

I’m a total geek at heart. Give me Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Star Trek.

I have been into Star Wars for nearly my whole life. I have seen the original trilogy so many times I have each movie memorized. During Junior High and High School I read nearly every post “Return of the Jedi” novel available. I have only been beaten once playing “Star Wars: Trivial Pursuit.”

I’m inwardly obsessive but outwardly passive.

I love a good turkey sandwich, adding bacon makes it even better. However, even more important than the toppings of a sandwich is the bread. For me the bread makes the sandwich. My current bread of choice is ciabatta.

I ride the bus to and from work nearly everyday and have done so for three years. Oh, the gas money I have saved and the books I have read.

I prefer to work behind the scenes but will step up and take charge when the occasion arises.

I love country swing and line dancing but don’t really care for country music. I do have some left over music from my short liking-country-music-phase.

I love amusement park rides, especially the rollercoasters. I would rather spend a vacation day at Six Flags than at the beach.

I have had a season pass to Lagoon for the past three summers and I already have my 2009 pass.

No one in my family has had braces and I don’t mind going to the dentist.

Witty comments and flashes of brilliance are few are far between so I’m always proud of myself when they do occur, especially when it is in the moment and not an hour later.

I still separate nearly all food items on my plate so they do not touch. Not a big fan of warm mashed potatoes and gravy and cold jell-o mixing.

I’m picky when it comes to my nighttime sleeping environment. One time I was staying at my sister’s house and I made my brother-in-law turn off their outside lights even though they were on a timer and would have turned off shortly.

It makes me mad when people blow the snow from their sidewalks onto the cleared street. Do they not realize that they can blow it back onto their yard?

I often have delusions of grandeur.

I don’t think people should like something just because it is popular. I also think people shouldn’t not like something just because it is popular. Figure it out.

I’m not ticklish.

I rarely respond to being teased the way the person doing the teasing was hoping.

I know a little about a lot, but only a lot about a little.

I loved drawing and painting and doing crafts when I was little, but as I got older I had less time to devote to this hobby and have now lost most of my skills.

Growing up, the only time we had soda/pop/soda pop in our house was sprite or 7 up when we were sick. When I was old enough to choose what I wanted to drink I choose Dr. Pepper. It was my little rebellion.

I’m the type of person that has a tendency to get in trouble. If I even step one toe over the line I get caught.

I love getting new music and movies.

I often hop on the band long after everyone else has jumped off.

I have had a few people tell me I look like Jennifer Aniston. I don't know if I agree, but I'll take it.

the reason it's all good

2009-02-19T09:02:00.004-07:00

My brother-in-law passed away on January 30, 2009 after a ten-month battle with cancer. I don’t have an older brother, so he took on that responsibility when he married my sister. He was always willing to help me work through my concerns and problems. He would give me advice on anything from guys, dating, skiing, fashion, education, money, and the gospel. He had a remarkable outlook on life and he expressed his zeal through the phrase “It’s all good.”

As one way keep his memory alive, I’m going to integrate this phrase into life. I’m going to look past the bad to see the good. Life is better when we remember that it’s all good.