Happy Christmas

Shannon and Brad came up from Phoenix to hang out with me this Christmas since I wasn't going to be going home. It's been a little bit weird not being home, but that's life. We were planning on going snowboarding today at Sundance but a snow storm, 30 mph winds and 20 degree temps made us reconsider. So we're going to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button instead.  I'd rather go see Twilight but no one else seemed to be into that idea.

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday.

Things I have strict opinions about

Russian accents make my skin crawl. I seriously hate them. They are my least favorite accent.

I work with a Russian woman and I'm at the point where I avoid talking to her at all costs. In fact, I avoid having to be within earshot of her because the sound of her voice is just that bad. 

I'm not anti-Russian. I'm just anti-Russian accent, ok? 

What else?

I'm also pleased that the Kings fired Reggie Theus. Although, I'm not sure a new coach will necessarily turn things around, but we'll see.

I'm getting to a point where all my pride is seriously gone out the window and I just don't care how stupid I look or sound anymore. I haven't decided if this is a good thing or if this is just a sign that I've lost all dignity.

I went and shot some serious weapons at a shooting range the other night and for someone who is pretty anti-gun, it was surprisingly therapeutic.  I have no future plans to purchase one of my own but let's just say that if I had one and someone tried to mess, I wouldn't miss, ok? Shoot to kill, is what I was told. Shoot to kill.

 

Rather personal, but this is my blog so I don't care.

I have zero desire to blog, None. Really though, I could never put into words how out of sync and off I feel.

I guess I could try, though.

Nothing is really going so well for me. Nothing. And as ungrateful as I know that makes me sound, I don't care. This is my blog. If I can't write down how beat things are going here, where can I? I don't even care.

Back to my point: I hate blogging so much right now because I have nothing to write about. I'm working, but doing something that I hate and don't want to do. It sucks. I've also been feeling a little distant from some of my friends, which is not a good feeling. My friends are my family here and it totally bums me out that things are weird with some of them.

I also can't believe I have found myself in yet another wrenching guy situation. Only to make matters worse, we are in round 2 with this particular person. We've gone here before and I'm left feeling the same things I did a couple years ago, only this time it's worse because I feel like I'm making the same mistakes all over again and it's excruciating. It's as if I'm watching a movie of my life and I'm screaming at myself to stop it already, demand what I want and don't apologize for it. Except, this isn't a movie, this is my life and I'm hating me for putting myself through this again.

In other words, things could be better.

I 'm not asking for sympathy. Really, I'm not. Like I've said before, most people have it a lot worse than me. I know that. But I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of my worst, and for me, right now, that is a desperately depressing feeling.

Why are guys all lying hypocritical a$$^)&#@?

No really, someone needs to explain this to me.

I really heart Utah State

Shout out to my old PR Professor, Troy Oldham (making his appearance at about :46), who assigned me the lead on my senior seminar project in which I marketed culinary sensation, the Turkey Cannon. 

Oh, and Trent (:30), still holding it down with the recruiting office.

I miss it.

What 31 degrees and 90% humidity looks like

Baking makes me feel like I have control in a world full of chaos

Clearly, I'm going through tough times. I'm not in the mood to document it, but I realize I'm not the only one feeling it right now. And a lot of people, most people I'm sure, have it a lot worse.

I'm really thankful for my family.

And brownie mix.

They have to

Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better. Things will get better.

Twilight: Not going to lie, I might go see it again

Loved it. But, I'm going to go ahead and be honest about this. Twilight was a movie for the fans. Had you not read the books, you would have thought it was ridiculous. I get that. But I thought for as hyped as it was, the movie was pretty great. Taking such a big book that's packed with such intricate detail and so many characters, and transforming it into a movie is not easy, but I thought they did the best they could do. Had they included every scene, every line and every detail from the book, the movie would have been like 6 hours. Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella) were amazing, I thought. Their chemistry was perfect and they totally carried the movie together. Other notables: Jessica was hilarious. Total scene stealer. Charlie was great.  The perfect combination of awkwardness, tenderness and wit.  I really like Rosalie and Jasper too. Actually, I loved all the Cullens and thought everyone embodied their character so well. I only wish they had more scenes.

One of the best parts of the movie I thought was how you get to see how hard it is for Edward to be around Bella. You don't really get that sense from the book, seeing as it's from Bella's perspective. But in the movie, Edwards facial expressions are priceless and he really shows how difficult it is for him to be close to Bella, even though he loves her. 

Granted, there were a few parts here and there that I thought were a little sketchy.  When Edward is trying to scare Bella with his abilities for example. That was a little rushed and messy.  But overall I was so happy with it and I'm so glad they left the ending open for the sequel, New Moon, which I read has the green light for production.

Welcome to the neighborhood

So I'm pulling into my driveway after a very busy afternoon of reading the paper over an asiago bagel at Einsteins when I see three teenagers standing under the parking cover in the back of my building. I'm a little taken back as to why there are kids hanging around the back of my house, seeing as there are only two apartments in the building and mine is the only one occupied. I park the car as one of these kids comes over to me and asks to roll the window down. He looks terrified, as do the other two, and asks me if I can give them a ride to their high school, which is about 2 blocks away.

Me: "Uh, why?"

Teenager: "We just got chased down by some homies with guns driving a white Expedition."

Now, I'm all for helping someone out in a time of crisis, but I was still trying to process the connotation of "homies" and "guns" before I was committed to a rescue. However, these kids were seriously freaked out so of course I told them to get in. And get down.

As I drove towards their school, one of them was on the phone with the police, who instructed him to go back to where they were and an officer would be on the way. So we made a loop, nervously looking out for a gang-banging white Expedition. Fortunately for them, and me, we made it back to my apartment safely. I had them come in, where, even in the midst of a potential drive-by shooting, I apologized for the lack of furniture. It's coming, I explained. They thanked me and told me that they had walked down to a nearby convenience store to grab some lunch during their break and were harassed by the guys in the Expedition. Being the smart, logical teenagers that they are, they began yelling all sorts of choice words and phrases at their harassers, until one of the "homies" pulled out a gun. That's when they ran away, Expedition following them, eventually ending up in my driveway to hide.

The police eventually showed up, took down their stories ("Yo, it was heated, yo. I said, fool let's go , and that's when he pulled the strap," uh...ok) and mine ("Yeah, um, I just moved here") and then gave them a ride back to school, where I'm sure they recreated the story to an enthusiastic 5th period. Suffice it to say, it was a bit of an exciting afternoon.

But jeez. Kids these days, right?

The wait is over

Friday at 5:00 p.m. I'm not even ashamed to exclaim how freaking excited I am, ok? Don't judge me.

Also....I'm obsessed with this lip gloss. It's AMAZING. Not only does it look really pretty, it makes your lips feel so, so good. A lot of lip gloss can be all sticky and end up drying out your lips, but this stuff makes them all healthy and moisturized. It's like the benefits of lip balm with the look of gloss. Plus, it's cheap. You can get it at Bath and Body Works. Loves it.

I'm due.

Seriously though, I'm due for something awesome to happen to me. It's my turn. I'm just saying.

I'm back in Salt Lake City after a 6-month hiatus in Sacramento living with my very generous sister and brother-in-law. I guess I could call Lilly generous, too. They were exceptionally nice to let me stay while I gathered some needed work experience. Now it's on to the next thing.

Cut to me in Salt Lake, sitting on a blow up air mattress in my empty apartment updating this blog.

My furniture should be arriving this weekend. I'm going to like Salt Lake this time around. I know it. This weekend was a nice preview of how I hope many weekends will pan out. Lots of friends. Like, really good, funny, friends who I don't have to say goodbye to on Sunday afternoons on my way to the airport. I wasn't in Salt Lake 15 minutes before I was out the door, headed over to watch The Office and play a little Fifa with some of my peeps. Friday, I attended Heather's match against BYU. A little scary, but Utah pulled it out in 5. Saturday morning, was a Sub4Santa 5k fundraiser at Sugar House park, followed by lunch at Einstein's. Later than night, party of 12 at Texas Roadhouse for dinner, after which, the guys headed out to the Real Salt Lake game and the girls made our way to some random bar to watch some random band, who actually turned out to be pretty good. Later we all met up again for some hot chocolate. Church with Heather today. Felt good to be back there too.

I like it here.

Happy Birthday, HO.

I don' know why, but I never call Heather, HO. Everyone else does, but I don't. I never did.

But today is her birthday and I think she deserves a special blog shout-out. She's smart, pretty, funny and super hardworking and probably the only person I know who will tell me straight up, without hesitation, when I'm being an idiot. And for that, I'm thankful.

I'm also thankful for how great a friend she is. The best. She knows me better than most and that's pretty cool. Because I feel lucky for the handful of really awesome friends I have. The really good ones, who call you and ask about your day, even when you live two states away and they may not know who or what you're talking about. The kind that have your back no matter what. That's Heather.

She's also one of the best examples of the kind of faith I want to have and the kind of person I hope to be.

I have no doubt that 20 years from now, we'll still be complaining about guys, still laughing about that time we cried during Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, comparing tans, discussing playoff games and confering over who the heck does BYU think they are?

No doubt.

Happy Birthday, Heather. You're a catch!

That's President Obama to you

As I watched Barack Obama walk out hand in hand with his family, I was overcome with the realization that he did it. He surpassed every obstacle, every expectation and broke away from the status quo of American politics. I could not believe what I was experiencing. I am so, so proud to have been a part of this history. To lend what I could to his campaign and this movement. I’m so proud of his family, to be able to call them my country’s first family. 

I went down to the Sacramento for Obama party down at a hotel in town. I took my camera to get some photos to document such a historic moment. The people there were amazing. Black, white, Latino, Asian, women, men, children, and everything in between. Seeing the reactions of some of the African-Americans was something I will never forget. When NBC called Ohio for Obama, and everyone cheered and knew this was the beginning of a landslide, I looked around and saw tears coming from these people, people who never thought they would see the day where their country would elect a black president. I felt honored and extremely humbled to be witnessing it with them.

I can’t describe how proud I am to be an American right now. I don’t think I’ve felt this kind of pride for my country before. Barack Obama is a President I know I will be proud to call MY president. I can’t wait to see him lead our country.

Something to consider...

See more Natalie Portman videos at Funny or Die

Kampus Korner didn't have roses out front when I lived there...


I made a much needed visit to PassiveAggressiveNotes.com today and was thrilled to see Logan, UT had finally made it's long overdue appearance.

Yes, I did live in Kampus Korner, for approximately 2 months. This was during the summer after my freshman year. I had a Malaysian roommate who cooked with clam juice and curry on a daily basis. This was also the same summer where I had to pick myself up out of the depths of inconsolable heartbreak and emotional despair.

Good times.

Why your printer won't work

2:07 AM...why am I not asleep??

I don't even know.

I just purchased that David Archuleta song that is being grossly overplayed on the radio and then I created a playlist in iTunes entitled "WTF." I didn't even watch American Idol this year.

I love it when I spend the last 3 days emailing out my resume only to realize I've been submitting an old version. I AM SO STUPID.

I'm really happy that Britney has pulled it together and recorded a great song and even better video. I bought that on iTunes tonight, too.

Songs I am NOT going to buy? If I Was a Boy-Beyonce. Talk about overexposed. And please, Beyonce. Ciara already did a song called If I Was a Boy and guess what? It's WAY better than yours. Jeez, what a clone.

Number of Cokes I drank today = 4.....holy s#$@.

I have no plans for Halloween, not that I care, but everyone keeps asking me what I'm doing and I feel kind of like I should be doing something. I think Halloween is a lot like New Years. You always expect it to be super fun and amazing and all sorts of awesome, and it ends up being a huge disappointment.

Or maybe that's just me.

Oh, and guys are lame.

If you want to know what I think about Prop 8...

You can read Robert Kirby's column in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Oh, and also...

I bought these shoes at Old Navy today for $4. They were regularly $36. That must be some kind of record or something. I didn't even know Old Navy made shoes (besides flip flops).

No sleep for the weary

I've been sleeping horribly lately. It takes me hours to fall asleep and when I do, I'm waking up what seems like every 10 minutes. The lame part is that it's not that I'm not tired, I am, it's just my mind won't shut up already and leave me the freak alone. Like right now, I would love to hop into bed and stay there until tomorrow, but it's just not working out.

Here's a running list of things my thoughts are plagued with while I'm laying in bed:

I need to remember to turn my shoulders when I hit my backhand.

I really should have beat that woman I played on Saturday. She was like 60 years old and wearing a rayon tracksuit.

I should have gone into nursing. I could work anywhere.

I just don't understand how people can be voting for John McCain. I just don't.

Why is Pip obssessd with me? Why won't he leave me alone and stop biting my toes?

I mean, it's not even because I am a Democrat. The dude is just straight up crazy....McCain I mean, not Pip.

Although, Pip is crazy too.

What's that chicks name on SNL that does the Suze Orman impression? She is so awesome.

I wonder what Suze Orman would tell me to do to avoid a financial disaster.

Suze Orman would totally yell at me for not having enough savings.

I didn't know Suze Orman was a lesbian.

Rachel Maddow is a lesbian. She's really smart.

I wish I was smarter. I wonder how I would do on the GRE.

Maybe I should go to grad school and wait out this recession.

Seriously, if John McCain is elected, I'm moving to the Caribbean.

Oahu in pictures

4 days in Hawaii is a lot like eating one Mn'M. It's just not enough.

We had a great time. Really, every second of it. Weather was beautiful, our condo was perfect and Rachel and Arm's wedding day could not have gone better.

Friday was the shark dive and let me tell you, that was probably the coolest thing I've ever done. Yes, it was terrifying stepping down into that metal cage, and it took some guts to actually put my head in the water and look around, but it was unreal. These sharks were huge and their beady eyes looked straight through you. A lot of them had old fish hooks stuck in their mouths which was kind of sad, and after a while you forget they're sharks and just want to reach out and touch them. By the end of the dive, you realize they really aren't vicious maneaters,  just curious docile fish with a lot of sharp teeth. The scariest part was actually knowing you were 3 miles off shore and looking straight down into the depths of the ocean. You feel so small and so vulnerable, even with a cage protecting you. Anyways, I highly recommend doing this is you're ever in Oahu. It was awesome.

Saturday was Rachel and Arm's wedding day and let me just say that if I ever get married, I might seriously consider doing what these two did. It was such a relaxed, unstressful day, you couldn't help but enjoy it. After Rachel and Arm were sealed, we all took some photos, walked around the temple grounds and then headed back to our condo to relax and play some 2-hand touch on the golf course fairway behind our place. It was awesome. Later that night, we all met up at this amazing restaurant on the beach at the Turtle Bay Resort. During dinner, I was so completely happy and content sitting there with all my friends, I wanted to cry. It was seriously a perfect day.

Sunday, Rachel and Arm flew to Kauai for their honeymoon and the rest of us got up and hiked up to Maunawili Falls. The trail ended up being so muddy, we decided to lose our shoes and do it barefoot, which was actually really fun and a lot more safe (our shoes were worthless in the slippery mud). We got up to the falls and jumped off into the lagoon below, which was awesome. There were some locals jumping off the way high points, doing backflips and stuff. Insane. Joe suggested we hike further up, behind the falls to these natural rock water slides he knew about, so that's what we did...or at least we tried. The hike was more of a trek through the Hawaiian jungle. Seriously, I felt like I was on Lost, trying to find the Hatch or something. We were crossing broken bridges, climbing up rock walls and wading through ankle deep motes, all the while hacking through prickly jungle vines. It was hardcore. However, things got a little too dicey and we had to turn back. We never found the water slides, but we all felt pretty legit after trekking through the jungle, in our bare feet. We all got some pretty cool war wounds, but no serious injuries occurred despite a couple bad falls.

After Maunawili, we headed to Sunset Beach to check out the surfers who were riding some crazy big waves. Apparently it was the first big swell of the season, so there were a lot of people out there. It was really cool watching all them while the sun went down.

Sunday night, we headed back over to Waikiki (me and Joe were leaving Monday), walked around downtown and had some dinner at Cheesecake Factory. We were all so exhausted from the day so dinner made for some pretty funny and incoherent conversation.

I don't really get why people vacation in Waikiki. After spending all our time on the north shore, we were all baffled as to why anyone would pay that much money to go to Hawaii and spend all their time in Waikiki. It's tragic, really. Monday morning, we ate some breakfast and then me and Joe flew home while the rest of the group stayed one more night. I was seriously depressed about having to leave. It was such a great trip.

I'm really thankful I was able to go and spend some good times with my friends and be a part of Rachel and Arm's wedding. I'm so happy for them and really can't wait to see what life has in store for them. They are two of the most genuine and good people I know, they deserve all the best.

If you'd like to see all the photos we took, you can see them here.

Back and feeling it

The Lookout at La'ie

Hawaii did not disappoint.  More to come...

Scheduling

Tonight: Dinner with Kaysen and Casey in San Francisco.

Tomorrow: Fly out to Oahu, meet up with the crew, drive up to the North Shore.

Friday: Shark diving....no, seriously.

Saturday: Rachel and Armstrong = Forever.

Sunday: Probably something involving the beach. And my friends.

Monday: Back to CA.

Peace out.

FYI,  parking garages close pretty early in S.F.

Ok. So. The date went great. Great restaurant, great conversation, great guy. Really, perfect.  We went to this super authentic Italian restaurant in North Beach. It was really fun....

Right up until I realized my car was in a garage that was closed. For the weekend. Meaning, I was car-less until Monday morning.  

Words can't express how stupid I felt, but my date could not have been nicer about it.  We hung out in his hotel until I got a hold of my friend Kaysen, who lives in the city.  And thank goodness she called me back after I left a rather panicked voicemail and a few text messages.  She picked me up and saved me from a potentially awkward slumber party with my date.  I mean, we had fun and everything, but spending the night together in a hotel room is a little fast for a first date. Right?

So besides that little mishap, things went perfect.  He lives in LA, so that's kind of a bummer, but we're going to try and plan a trip for me to come down and visit when the election is over.  I sort of hate Los Angeles, and told him that, but he promised he would change my mind about it. 

We'll see.

Meet me in San Francisco

I'm always hesitant to blog about anything too personal, especially anything involving my love (or lack thereof) life, but I think it's time I make an exception. 

I'm going on a date tomorrow. In San Francisco. With a real, live, adult male who is employed and not a closeted gay man in serious denial.  I'm trying not to make too much out of it, but I'm nervous.  I haven't been nervous to go on a date in a really long time.  

So I bought a new outfit at Nordstrom and now I'm really excited.

No se

Why, out of all the things Michael Phelps could be endorsing, am I seeing him pitching Rosetta Stone Language Learning CDs?



Really, Michael Phelps? Rosetta Stone? That's the best you could get?

Two of my favorite things coming together

Twilight author Stephenie Meyer directed the news Jacks Mannequin video.

I'd post the video, but it's not released yet.

The album is awesome, btw.

Brace yourselves

"The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster.  Men made it, but they can't control it."

                                    -The Grapes of Wrath

I'd like to suspend a few things if we're on the subject...

This week's economic news has left a lot of people feeling uneasy and nervous, myself included. Not that I have some huge stake in the stock market, own an home, or have any huge retirement assets to protect but I'm still a post-collegiate young person who, after November 4th, will be unemployed.

That is scary.

Especially when every other news piece I read is about unemployment being at an 10-year high and companies cutting back expenses (ie. salaries) left and right. Trying to stay positive is not going well. I'd define myself as a realist and the reality is, things are sucky right now. For a lot of people. And yes, I could find myself in a lot worse of a situation, but it's not like I can just think, "Ok, thank God I'm not upside down in my home and been laid off at my job like that poor family down the street." I feel horrible for that family, ok? I can't ignore feeling depressed for them, too.

The point is this: when can we catch a break? I mean, things have got to turn around sometime, right? I feel like I've been sitting at a roulette table with all my chips on black and it's just hitting red over and over and over again.

Sorry for the gambling scenaro, but you get the point.

I guess, if I'm indulging the optimist in me, the silver lining would be that it's Thursday, September 25th and tonight is going to be awesome:

Don't bore Nina!

Two of my very good friends, Rachel and Armstrong, decided a while ago to flee the mainland and marry each other in Hawaii. Thankfully, they asked me and our little group of friends to come along and celebrate with them. We're leaving in a few weeks and while this won't be a very long trip (a few days), I am obviously very excited.

Now the hard part. I am so, so distraught over what I'm going to wear. I have been searching high and low for something to wear for the main event and can't find anything. I hate shopping to begin with so having to go from store to store is torturing me. Not that it matters because I can't find anything island friendly, yet wedding appropriate anywhere. Forget the fact that it's now September and all the cute, summery dresses are long gone, or stuffed into some clearance rack that I just do not have the patience to pick over.

However, Anthropologie (or Anthro, as TAMN would call it) may have saved me from my fashion crisis. Although, I have no business shopping there, Anthro never disappoints making all of my dress dreams come true.

Case in point: This would be close to perfect.

I am rather obsessed with this one, too.

Love this color.

And this is just too freaking cute I can't even stand it. Obviously, I'd need a shirt to go with it, but I saw this in the store last time I was there and stood around looking at it for a good 30 minutes, debating/rationalizing spending $170 for it.

Point went to reality.

Why do clothes have to be so much money? It's just fabric, usually mass produced in a third-world country. I'm seriously considering learning how to use a sewing machine because I would love to just make some simple, cute skirts and dresses whenever I wanted. Maybe I've been watching too much Project Runway, but really, how hard could it be?

Never Forget

No wonder I have no feeling in my back

I just realized, like 2 seconds ago, that I have literally not got up from my desk since 8:30 this morning. It's 5:06. I'm serious, here. Not once.

That's really sad.

Laws of attraction, or physics, or whatever.

I believe there is a grace period after the end of a relationship; a period of time in which one is free from the emotional grind that eventually rears its ugly and depressing head after a few days, or weeks of being alone again.

Break-ups generally happen because something in the relationship has been deemed by one or both partners as "broken,"

"He doesn't understand me."

"We don't mesh."

"I'm just not into him."

"We have nothing in common."

*"He isn't going to med school."

Or whatever it may be.

In my experience, well lately at least, there comes a point early on in dating someone where you realize it's just over. It's not going to work, no matter how nice he is, how well he dresses or how hot he looks in a backwards baseball hat. You just don't feel it like you need to.

Generally, you know it's a good decision to break-up as soon as it's done. As soon as you walk back to your car, turn the engine and drive away; finally able to breathe without a pit of anxiety simmering away in your stomach. No more obligatory phone calls, dates or kisses. The chains are off and it's back to being all about you.

Enter grace period.

My grace periods tend to last 2 weeks. Two weeks of contentment and ease, without more than a passing thought about the person I parted ways with.

But, like most grace periods, there comes a point where you're lying in bed one night and boom. YOU MISS HIM.

Maybe he wasn't that annoying when he laughed...

It was sort of cute that he always wanted to be holding my hand, right?

Do I really care that he wasn't employed?

Will I ever find anyone that looks that irresistible in a backwards baseball hat?

The end of the grace period is a good time to lock away your phone in an attempt to avoid breakdown phone calls or texts. Who are you kidding when you just want to see how he's been doing?

It's like that Rilo Kiley song....

"I know I'm alone if I'm with or without you

but just bein' around you offers me another form of relief

When the lonliness leads to bad dreams

and the bad dreams lead me to calling you

and I call you and say, 'C'MERE!."

Nothing has changed. You're still just not that into him....with or without that baseball hat. Don't get yourself back into that ulcer-inducing state of, "How Did I Get Here and How Do I Get Out." That's no fun for anyone.

And also like grace periods, you eventually have to pay up; pay the emotional fees you contracted to pay when you decided get all involved and what not.

Getting involved is so overrated sometimes.

A backwards baseball hat is not.

* I would never not date someone because they weren't in med school. In fact, I've never dated someone in med school.

She's also anti-polar bear

"Adding polar bears to the endangered species list is the wrong move."

WTF?

Am I the only one who is slightly offended that John McCain pegged a woman for his VP for the sheer purpose of attracting Hillary supporters?

Historic

Last night while watching Barack Obama's speech to except the Democratic nomination, I was overwhelmed with what an amazing piece of history I was witnessing.  

When the cameras panned over Mile High last night, my mouthed hung open at the sea of people and flashing bulbs.  I could not get over what an experience that must be to be there live and see first-hand Obama step into his place in history, the same day 45 years ago that Martin Luther King had proclaimed his dream for human equality.

 Regardless of your political preference, no one can deny that Senator Obama has changed the face of American politics as we know it. We will likely never see a candidate like him ever again and I'm excited to see where the next 9 weeks takes him.

Graduated

Last weekend, my little sister Shannon took her last steps as a BYU student and received her degree. My whole family came out for the big event so that was fun. We are all very proud of her for sticking it out and graduating. It wasn't always easy for her, but she prevailed like a true Cougar and now leaves, the world as her campus. ssss..sssss.sssss.Shannon has already moved down to Phoenix and start her real adult life with her boyfriend, Brad. They've been together a long time, dating mostly long distance, so I know she's is happy to finally get to live in the same city and I'm happy for her. Shannon is really smart and gifted and a hard worker (when she wants to be). I'm sure she's headed for great things. Congrats, seagull!

What am I without you?

Last night I went to the California State Fair with some people I've met here in Sacramento. I've shamefully never been in all my years as a Californian so I was excited to see what all the hoopla was about. Luckily, we picked a great night to go because AIR SUPPLY was live in concert and you better believe we got tickets.

I'm not sure there's anything greater than seeing vintage bands still rocking leather pants and selling out venues. There was just something about Russell Hitchcock and his tatted-up arms and awkward efforts to psych up the crowd with his gyrating dance moves and "give it to me" hand gestures that really spoke to me. I may or may not have cried a little when he sang the last chorus of "All Out of Love." Music is so much better live. Even 80's Brit ballad bands.

Unfortunately, I was a lazy idiot and opted to leave my camera in the car rather than carry it around with me, because that would have been totally annoying and heavy tucked away in my back pocket...

We also rode the huge ferris wheel, played some basketball carnival game, where I sank both my shots ( I still have it, people), and ate some yummy gelato. I REALLY wanted a corn dog, but no one in my group was into the fair food so I didn't get one. Usually I wouldn't care, but these people don't really know me all that well and I don't want them thinking I'm that partial to food eaten off sticks.

Maybe next year.

Auf'ed

Out

In

Rachel Maddow has got her own gig. She'll be replacing Dan Abrams on the 9 P.M. hour on MSNBC.

It's about time.

RM is the smartest woman on television. She's intelligent, eloquent and consistently makes Pat Buchanan look like an idiot.

Well done, Rachel!

OWNING IT

Oh man.  Ok, Michael Phelps is rocking my world right now. Tonight's 100 fly race was epic. My heart literally stopped those last 50 meters because I though he'd lost. How in the world he touched that wall 1st, I'm not sure. He is insane. 

So is his body. It's poetic.

Passive Aggressive 

When I was a freshman in college, I lived with this girl who would cook every single night with her gross boyfriend and then fail to clean up after her and said gross boyfriend.  It was annoying (Q, I know you feel me on this). It was also annoying when I would walk in on her and gross boyfriend making out in the living room at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. But that's a blog for another day.

After weeks and weeks of dirty dishes, I scribbled out a note and taped it above the sink:

Dishes are like boyfriends: DO YOUR OWN.

I tell this story because I found this little gem of a website, Passive Aggressive Notes,  and it immediately took me back to Snow Hall circa 2003. "Thx Sandra" is golden. Everyone knows someone like Sandra. I know I do and I want to throw things at her daily.

Breaking Dawn: A Review

(This post contains spoilers. Do not read further if you plan on reading it and care about stuff like spoilers, ok?)

Let's just cut to the chase here, shall we?

Didn't like it.

I felt that the entire book was written by some crazed 15 year-old girl who wears amber contacts and makes her parents call her Bella while she pretends to text her imaginary boyfriend, Edward.

I was a little bummed out that it was so out of left field. And it was. WAY out there. I thought it started out really good, right up until Bella got pregnant and then, I was so over it. Forget the fact that I was completely disturbed by Bella getting knocked up with the half vampire spawn of Edward. No, most disappointing was the sudden change in all the characters. I thought everyone was a bit off. Bella, although selfish as ever, was all of a sudden was this matured motherly figure and I forgot she was still 19 years old. And what was the deal with Edward? If SM was going to dream up a baby between these two, fine. I could live with that. But where was Edward's place in all this? I don't even remember him holding Renesme (HATE her name, btw). We didn't see any bonding with Edward and her. And he was such a pushover with Bella. She walked all over him. Although, that's really nothing new. I just didn't feel like the book was about those two as it should have been. It was more about Bella and her baby and a bunch of other random vampires. Edward seemed a little absent. It seemed he was around purely for sexual gratification and that's it. That was kind of sad.

The ending sort of got better, however the whole Volturi conference was annoying as hell. I mean, she spent half the book anticipating this horrible, hopeless confrontation and then...they left. For 50 pages, they stood around and talked about what they should do and then, they got over it and peaced out. WTF? She did the same thing in Eclipse.

I also found it annoying that the book was separated into 3 sections, one of which was from Jacob's point of view. Am I the only one who cannot stand Jacob? I mean, the ENTIRE series is written entirely from Bella's pov. Why all of a sudden change it now, especially by throwing in Jacob's perspective? The series isn't about Bella and Jacob. It's about Bella and Edward. If SM was going to stray from Bella's pov, she should have included Edward's along with Jacob's. I mean, that would have at least made sense and even been pretty cool, right? This just adds to my point that Edward seemed like a secondary character in this book and that bothered me. A lot.

Obviously, in the end, we all got what we ultimately wanted: Edward turned Bella into a vampire and they lived happily ever after. So I guess I can't be too pissed. I thought SM definitely left a huge opportunity open for a 5th book. And I guarantee you she'll do it, especially since most reviews are hating Breaking Dawn. She won't go out like that.

Break-Up

Last night, I rode up to Willows with Jen so she could hand off Lilly to our mom for the weekend. On the way back, we listened to a This American Life podcast episode called "Break-Up." It chronicled the post break-up song-writing process of one of their contributors who had recently been dumped by her boyfriend. She had no musical background, but like most of us who've been heartbroken, reveled in the depressingly awesome music that accompanies a break-up. It's hilarious and pathetic and for someone who has been down that road once or twice, painfully true. Phil Collins even gives his expert advice on the subject.

Listen HERE.

Anna and Chip got married.

Anna and Chip tied the knot last weekend in a beautiful ceremony at Memory Park in Salt Lake. Anna looked gorgeous of course and the wedding could not have been better. Anna and Chip have been together for a long time and I was so excited to get to see them and be a part of their special day. Congrats!

Rachel and Michelle ( whose business card should be double sided to fit everything she is good at) did Anna's flowers, which turned out so pretty!

My attempt at arranging flowers ended badly.

Anna walking down the aisle with her dad.

Michelle, Rachel and Armstrong.

The happy couple.

Pre-wedding fun at the Heber City Fair.

Also: I finished Breaking Dawn last night and am currently in the midst of writing my review on that piece of work. Stay tuned.