Meet my babies

I think it is time to introduce my sand jars. This is pretty much the one thing that I collect, after a brief pencil-collecting stint in the early 90s. My coolest pencil came from the Smithsonian museum and had a clear body with tiny rocks inside.I got the idea for the sand collection in a Martha Stewart Living magazine. They featured a photographer's home and in one room they had a huge collection of spice jars filled with sand from every beach their family had been to. Of course, their family had been to places like Greece and Russia and Croatia. Which I have not done so much.This, to me, seemed like a great idea. It's a free souvenir, and...

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Yeah, it's probably porn

Yesterday I snuck The Higher Power of Lucky home from the library. It's the recent Newbery winner and I wanted to get my chance to read it before it goes on the shelves. Also I just like to get drunk on librarian power like that.In the first paragraph a character uses the word of "scrotum." He says that his dog was attacked by a rattlesnake (the dog was defending his owner) and that's where he was bitten. I was so appalled by the use of that word that I immediately had a heart attack, died, came back to life, burned the book, and then called all my friends to complain. I'm pretty sure the author only put that in there to make 10-year-olds start...

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One who bakes

I baked over the weekend. I've decided that this is something I need to do more of until I stop being so intimidated by it. I'm fine with doing things like brownies from a box, but the actual process of bread-baking seems like this mysterious form of alchemy to me. I'm used to just being able to dump the ingredients together and end up with what I want. This whole process of yeast and rising and starters and sweating and whatever else is just this whole new scary world in which I might accidentally burn down my house.To get the ball rolling I started with banana bread. It doesn't have to rise or anything, but it does require a loaf pan so that's...

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Philosophy attempt two!

Not as long as the first one, but still. Have fun with this one!As mankind advances towards incredible levels of technological and scientific achievements, it also decreases its intelligence. Human's endless possibilities and immense potential are impeded by social expectations and daily life. It is a rare sight, in today's age, to witness people holding books on trains or whilst waiting for something. They are consumed by the endless visual distractions of this society. Life. What is this thing, anyway?! Yours,Li...

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Coming to terms

My sister is becoming this hard-body exercise champ. It's very shaming to me, because she has these two little kids who hang onto her like remoras or leeches or other hangy-on-type parasites. So she creeps out of the house at 6:30 in the snow to go run 6 billion miles or whatever. I'm at her house this morning because I have weekend plans down here and didn't want to drive through THE STORM that is supposed to hit today and bury us all like the Donner party. (p.s. If it comes eating time, I call dibs on Ethan--those thighs are fat.)She nudged me at 6:20 to see if I wanted to come with her. I had every intention of doing it but didn't sleep very well. I'm a wuss. And I'm just going to have to be okay with th...

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Rofl!

From: Regarding 2007 DN competition discussion.Quote: Originally Posted by Erik Merge Sweden and Singapore, please. =) Wouldn't even be a competition . Thats like putting Gods against Mortals------Hahaha! That was evilishly funny....

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American Idolatry

Weeks ago I was listening to my local affiliate of NPR while I drove to work. I listen to NPR because I am pretentious and also because I have yet to find any non-country radio stations up here. The guys were talking about how even though there are all kinds of things going on with the state legislature, KSL News in SLC reported that the highest number of hits on their website were to do with the American Idol auditions.The NPR guys were pretty funny about it in their dry, dry voices. "So, it seems that even though the state legislature is in session and there are actually quite a lot of things going on that will impact the people of this great state, all you actually want to hear about is this American Idol program. I must say here, publicly, that I do not watch American Idol. Perhaps I'm...

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My sister's kids are potty mouths

I hung out at Jenny's this weekend and she asked me to feed Ethan a carton of yogurt. He took exception to the idea of me feeding him and started freaking out and hitting the spoon out of my hand. Also, he called me a ho. Not verbally, because he's not that advanced yet, but look at that face. He totally meant it. That wasn't even the ugliest one he made. Kid did not like me that day. So I relinquished the carton and watched him make a big, huge enormous mess of himself. It wasn't until I started singing that "Wind the Bobbin up" song that I got a smile out of him. It's a nursery tune I picked up in England and it goes over really well with...

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Festive mood

Twas a tiring week generally, especially today. I believe I have been out for at least 12 hours today. To keep this paragraph-free, I shall post in point form:- Witnessed the worst Chinese New Year concert ever, and coincindentally, it was SRJC's. God, it was so uneventful and diluted.- Went back to NCHS, the place which I missed dearly. It feels odd looking at those secondary school kids, they look small, weird. Lol. Everything looked small, the serving of canteen food, the hall. Ah wells. Not like I'm a Gandalf or anywhere near.- Hung around NCHS, I was looking at the table where The Felicitians will congregrate in the mornings, and those corridors with much nostalgia, hoping to revert back, thought unsuccessful. Ah, how I appreciate those strong friendships with them, so much joy, so much...

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It's all in my head

Last night I wrote a slightly paranoid, angsty email to my Circle of Truth (Daltongirl, Sakhmet, & Cicada). During the night I dreamed that they all wrote back and talked me down with comforting, reality-based words. This was not much of a stretch for my subconscious, because that's pretty much what's guaranteed to happen once they get on the ball and get to their computers. They also told me I was pretty and a wonderful writer, which kind of came out of nowhere but was still appreciated by me. You ladies are the best.The dream that I hate is my Theme Dream. It's the one where I'm trapped inside a house that is being attacked from the outside. I'm usually babysitting or somehow in charge of young, small, helpless people. I have to run around to lock all the doors and windows before the...

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Happy Valentine's Day

I usually write "Happy VD" but then I have to go back and fix that lest people get the wrong idea.This morning I worked out, even if there is no one to appreciate my hot new rock-hard body and excellent cardiovascular health. I have the satisfaction of knowing what they're missing out on, at least. When I got back from the gym my sweet roommates left candy & valentines at my door. Because THEY get the true meaning of Valentine's Day, which is about recreating as much of the elementary-school experience as possible. I have Strawberry Shortcake cards to deliver among my coworkers.DP told me that the guys in their ward are delivering flowers to all the girls in their ward. (If any of those girls read this, act surprised when it happens, okay?) I think that's a great idea, because flowers...

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I want to be a liar when I grow up

The storytelling conference I went to over the weekend was great. It's put on by the people who run the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival every year. I laughed, I cried, all of that.One workshop turned out to be a mistake. It was about the personal transformation power of storytelling. The teacher says that the books & characters that we love tell us important things about ourselves. Which, yeah, I can get behind, even though I don't think that the only reason we might love a book is because we identify with the story or with the character. Because maybe it's a book that your parents read to you when you were a kid. Or maybe it's the first book that you ever stole from someone who trusted you. Things like that.After that good start, what followed was 90 minutes where we had to determine...

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Gahhh. Ugh.

Right now, I feel like murdering myself and my brain. The dilemma is too great. It's not worth it anymore. I just want to snuff it all.A levels, could you just perform hara kiri on yourself, like now? You are seriously annoying. Toughest shit I have ever encountered in my entire fucking life.*GAHHHH. UGH.* I yell my battle cry, then in the next moment, emo-ness invaded me again. *It ain't worth it... I need a penknife... Dear diary, the anally-annoying A levels is absolutely depressing...*B...

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The feast of fat things

So I was in Provo this last weekend for a storytelling conference/workshop.On Friday I met up with Cicada, her MAN, Squirrel Boy, Brinestone, Ambrosia, Bawb, and DP, who does not have a blog but does feature in other people's. It was kind of an reunion in that we all used to work like galley slaves at the same place together and now none of us have t--I mean, none of us get to work there anymore. We had dinner at The Mandarin in Bountiful. Two words: Crab and Cream Cheese Won Tons with Lemon Sauce. Those things were fabulous, and the rest of our meal was great. Also the hostesses wore really cute tops and I need to find out where they got them.The next night I had dinner at the Bombay House in Provo and ate until I could hardly move. We had Rogan josh, chicken coconut kurma, tandoori chicken,...

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It's nadda tumah

Here are a few great things about being One Who Works Out:1. I get to toss casual references to fitness into my daily conversations. "Why yes, when I was at yoga this morning . . . " or "You know, the other day when I was at the gym . . . " I couldn't do that before.2. I felt a lump on my leg and for a minute thought I was dying. "Oh my gosh that wasn't there before and now I'm going to die without ever finding true love!!!" Then realized it was muscle.Here is a less great thing:1. The checkout guy at the gym gave me a key for a man's locker. This is about my shoulders, ISN'T IT! Was tempted to march back out there in a sports bra and say, "Hey buddy, they may not be large but they ARE the girl kind, thank you very much." Only I didn't, because I'm a lady. And a chick...

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the mouths of babes

A lady and her young son were in the library today and the lady came over to my desk to ask me a question about authors. We had a nice little chat while her little boy jabbered away to the guy working at the circulation desk. She and I finished up and I overheard the following conversation between her and Circulation Desk Guy when she went back over to grab her books and her son.Mom: "Hi, has he been talking your ear off?"CDG, chuckling: "He is quite the talker . . ."Mom, chuckling back: "Yeah, he'll stand there and tell you his whole life story if you give him a minute."Then they left, and CDG called me. Even though I sit about 15 feet away, it's sometimes better than yodeling across the circulation area.CDG: "So . . . you know the lady who just left? The lady with the little boy?"Me: "Yeah."CDG:...

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Hoo boy

So I finally bought tickets to fly out for my Army brother's wedding, since they finally told us when and where. This is the wedding that was going to be held last September but was postponed. Now it's in Nauvoo, Illinois. Because . . . our two families have so many connections to Illinois.Oh wait, no. No, we don't.The bride, some of her family, and my parents will be flying out from Alaska, my sisters and I are flying out from Utah, and the groom is driving (?) up from Tennessee where he's stationed. I suppose you would call this a temple elopement, or at least a Destination Wedding.Thing about Nauvoo is that it's an LDS church history site,...

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Accomplishment.

I feel certainly accomplished. Received the Cingular BlackJack Testimonial from Kiel Figgins. My first official major international milestone in my Flourishing career, a very shining point in my resume.To all the fuckers in this world who only dareth and thinkth of minute contributions in that filthly small school campus, I say "Hell to you!" Bloody CCAs mean nothing in my eyes. I aim for the international stage. Muahaha!Flourishing is my vocation....

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Extreme boredom.

Thy boredom spawned this.If I were a month, I would be: Janurary because it's my birthday month.If I were a day of the week, I would be: Friday Night! =DIf I were a time of day, I would be: 3.15 AMIf I were a planet, I would be: The many-ringed Saturn.If I were a sea animal, I would be: Stone puffer fish. You can't see me but I can see you. :pIf I were a direction, I would be: Anticlock wise.If I were a piece of furniture, I would be: Does a coffin qualifies as furniture?If I were a sin, I would be: Hatred.If I were a liquid, I would be: My foes' spilt blood.If I were a body of water, I would be: The many streams of Venice.If I were a stone, I would be: Emerald because green pleases my eyes.If I were a tree, I would be: Fig treeIf I were a bird, I would be: EagleIf I were a language, I would...

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Guess who loves my shirt?

That would be my new BFF, even Stephenie Meyer. And I think she possibly said something nice about my hair. And then I turned bright red and started babbling, because I have Inner Poise. (Secret: This is kind of a lucky shirt. I bought it at an H&M outside Philly a couple of years ago. Am thrilled the luck hasn't worn off yet.)The conference was absolutely wonderful. Stephenie Meyer spoke first, about her experience with getting published for the first time, and how there were so many things she wasn't prepared for and that she would have done differently if she'd known what she was getting into. Basically when she wrote Twilight she had...

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Forary into nature.

Yesterday saw the school's cross country run at Macritchie Reservior. I took the advantage to get in touch with my ''heathen, viking, pagan" mood, walked the entire distance of roughly 4kilometres with my mp3 on with Falkenbach and the family digital camera.It was goddamned very theraputic. To feel the coolness from the greenery surrounding you when you are in the ''woods'', to feel the leaves beneathe your feet as you mouth the lyrics of the Falkenbach songs. As the songs added a tinge of interestingness into the walk of monotony.Now, I think I am adding "trolling in the woods alone with my player on" into my pastimes li...

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Goodful Think Breakthrough!

Finally, the revolution is complete. Crimethink has become literally unpossible, as we have eliminated all unnecessary and heretical words. Freedom in the old sense can no longer exist. The Party has handed down a decree that all Party members must learn this language or be vaporised. It is a glorious day for IngSoc, and a day to be feared by our Eastasian enemies.The beginning of this glorious process began in the 1900’s, shortly after the revolution and the establishment of IngSoc. It was all Big Brother’s idea, of course, to build a language that makes crimethink unpossible, and, after 100 years, we have finally carried out this most important decree of his. I can see him talking about the glory of this accomplishment on my telescreen right now.With this, we no longer have to worry about...

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Volkerball. MINE. [grin]

I believe I am the the first few in the entire island of Singapore that possesses Rammstein's Voelkerball DVD. [insert successful skullgrin] Finally! After months of hounding many CD shops and agonizing wait, of visiting Herzeleid.net for information and abstaining from clips at Youtube. It really takes alot to be a Rammstein fan in Singapore. [sweats]So, after watching it straight after I reached home yesterday, I shall give you an extensive review by yours truly, comparing to Rammstein's previous Live DVD attempt - Live Aus Berlin.Firstly, the DVD interface looks really neat, it's so 3-D interactive, with the still grayscale shots of the France...

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