Damn cat just bit my face. All I wanted was a little cuddle.

An ode to the Chicken Man

I don't know why I thought of it, but as I was sitting in the drive-through at lunch today, my thoughts drifted to an old man I used to see around as a kid. I knew him as the Chicken Man.

He came every year to our gradeschool on picture day and snapped photos of all us kids... he may have even done a family portrait once, though I don't completely remember. I can still hear his nasaly voice, as he hit himself on the knee with a big rubber chicken and said, methodically, "Ow! Don't hurt me chicken!" over and over, while snapping pictures. Of course we kids loved it. In fact, the Chicken Man was so ingrained into my existence, that as far as my little six-year-old mind knew, there always had and always would be a Chicken Man. If we were to move far away, I expected there would be a Chicken Man there, too. Looking back on it, he was so old at that time that I wouldn't be surprised if he has since passed away.

Anyway, adeiu Chicken Man, I will always remember you.

all broken

It's been over a year since we've actually used the jets. I just tried to turn it on and apparently it doesn't work anymore. :(

LOVE being out of school!

Last night we went hiking with another couple from our ward... that's a step toward making friends right?? We went to Bridal Veil (it was dark so we took flashlights). There were kids longboarding all over the place but it was fun just to get out.

Now... it's the last night before school starts again... Geoff is playing dodgeball w/the priesthood group again so... I can either run a hot bath in the jetted tub... or... keep watching donny osmond videos on youtube... hmm...

Yummy

When I went home for lunch today to see hubby guess what I found...

Hot fresh homemade teriyaki chicken, broccoli and brown rice... mmm... I'm kind of liking this arrangement. :)

If this isn't a frivolous use of dough...

But is IS freakin awesome, no?

After three years, we got sick of having the boom box take up half the bathroom counter (and I have to have my music while showering). Viola!

Also... here's a picture that's just cute. Oh to be a cat.

So. We've been talking about "learned helplessness" at work... I have it. At least when it comes to getting in shape. Working out wasn't doing anything so I quit. And since then I've gained 5 pounds. So, it's back to the elliptical. Tonight I watched Chicago while. LOVE that movie.

That I would be good

Here I sit all brokenhearted...

LOVE E=MC square... she's back and better than she ever was.

First "official" day all by myself. I think it went okay. I think it'll be okay but I'm not going to say either way just yet. The room was all empty and lonely today, I sincerely missed Camille. It's different without her, but it's okay. Was talking to my classmate Charlie (the one from highschool), and he said to just own the job, make it yours, find different ways to do things that work better than before, just make it work for you. I guess he knows, he's threatened to leave his job three times and they just keep giving him raises. I had a situation to explain to my boss today, and as I spoke, he kept interrupting me and I got really frustrated. I was trying not to act frustrated but I'm afraid I did. I just don't want to get off on the wrong foot. I know he's nervous having all his accounting people leave at the same time. I'd really like to prove myself.

Had math final tonight. That's two finals down, one to go. Hope the grades work out okay. I am not at all sad to kiss those classes goodbye. A whole week's worth of evenings to spend with hubby, resting our brains, doing whatever the heck we want! As I write he is playing dodgeball with the ward priesthood group. I told him to go make us some friends.

As for the raid on the polygamist compound in texas... since everyone is throwing in their two cents... here comes mine... I do think it's really sad to seperate the kids from their mothers, but I think it would be worse for them if they stayed. Read "Escape" by Carolyn Jessop, absolutely a fascinating book. Putting them in the foster-care system doesn't always have the best outcome either, but it may just give them a chance to do what they want with their lives, reach their potential, be happy and free of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. Now that it's happened, I wonder why those awful men were allowed to have sex with and impregnate minor girls without legal repercussions up until now, no matter if it's in the name of religion or not. Those awful awful men. What a dream for a narcissistic, pedophilic man, it really makes me sick. I also think it would be wise to offer the women a guaranteed safe "escape" from polygamy for those who desire it, albeit secretly, and take them in, teach them how to be self-sufficient, make their own decisions about their own life. Maybe that's just me projecting my own dream upon others though.

WOA. Not to go all hippie on yo azz. I guess I'll go do something.

Camille, my trainer, will be walking out the door for the last time in a couple of minutes. I'm really excited, but right now I feel like crying.

Can't do it??

I have been playing around with my header, trying to create a neat one - boy I am so computer illiterate! I even tried to put a new template on, one that is different than the standard choices blogger gives you, and it said it was going to delete my widgets!! (Apparently widgets are the page elements - the blogroll and pictures and things). :( :(

I'm smart! S-M-R-T!

Friday night is our night to stay up and watch movies, but last Friday night by 10:30, I was toast. So I went to bed and laid there, unable to fall asleep because of a stuffy nose. (It's allergy season). So, with eyes half-open, I stumbled out to the kitchen and grabbed the nasal spray out of my purse, used it, and took it to bed with me. About ten minutes later it hadn't worked yet, so I grabbed it off the nightstand and used it one more time, then fell alseep, exhausted.

The next morning Geoff and I were standing in the kitchen and my eyes started itching, so I went fishing through my purse to grab the eye-drops, and found only the bottle of nasal spray. Aghast, I went back to the bedroom and sure enough, there were the eye-drops, sitting on the nightstand, right where I had left them after squirting them up my nose.

I just don't funtion well when tired. Now I have to buy a new bottle of eye-drops (they're the good ones and they're not cheap)... Geoff thinks they'd be fine if I just wiped it off but I'm not all for taking the chance. Anyway.

The other day when I got home from work, Geoff had cleaned the house and made a potatoe casserole for dinner, which was in the oven baking. It was the cutest thing ever. I love my baby.

Got finals coming down on our heads right now so we're busy and tired, but happy. Out for now.

On the subject of homosexuality, here is a blog written by a BYU student regarding a change to the honor code, followed by some very interesting comments. I think I have already stated where I stand, but it's an interesting read.

How do you celebrate?

Well, finally some fantastic weather! Although the rest of the week is going to suck, at least we can celebrate today! My family is celebrating right now; as they are on an airplane to sand, sunshine, and summer fun, for a whole week! That's right, they are all on a plane, everyone except me. And Geoff.

But that's okay; I have celebrated spring in my own right. I have bought myself some Secret watermelon-scented goes-on-clear little-black-dress-approved antipersperant/deoderant. It's the same stuff I buy every spring, just to put a little bounce in my step and spirit, a hint of joyous things to come. Thank you.

About three weeks ago we made an offer on another place (it was just another condo, because we want to keep our current one and rent it out), but the people counteroffered and then we counteroffered again and they finally rejected it because they wanted to try and get more money out of it. To be honest I really liked it, but it needed a lot of interior work (new paint, tile, carpet, appliances) and I (we) just weren't willing to go any higher, so the offer didn't work out. Anyway, we've been keeping our eyes open for another place, but just a couple of days ago we decided to hold off on buying another house for awhile - our focus is just going to be on school for awhile. Well, yesterday morning we both started getting phone calls and voice messages from their realtor, and finally Geoff picked up and the guy said they wanted to accept our offer.... but unfortunately we had already decided not to buy a house so we told him no thanks. I guess they are getting really desperate to sell so they are lowering their asking price to what we had offered.

My first reaction when hearing it was to be smug. But now I feel kind of bad for them - they took a job in Pennsylvania or somewhere and have three adorable little boys, and need to sell. Oh well I'm sure they will find a buyer. I'm sure that scenario isn't uncommon the way things are right now. I've been thinking about when we eventually do buy a house, I want an actual house, not another condo. Geoff likes our place though, and it's right by the school so we could always find renters. We'll see, it's a long way off.

It stands for... The Nino

Hey, hey, hey. What do you call it when it's snowing in the morning and hot in the afternoon??

UTAH WEATHER!!! Yay (Or global warming or el nino or whatever)

Uhhhhhhhhhhh

Okay that was a stupid joke, but seriously, we scraped snow and ice off our windshields this morning, and as I drove home from work today I had to open the window because it was too hot. (of course all the snow was gone).

I just long for the day of sitting outside in the hot sun enjoying a snow-cone from that place up by the swimming pool.

I loves dis co

I just have to take this moment to say, yet again, how much I love my work. This morning when I walked in I had this cute little kit on my desk (as did everyone else), designed to help relieve some stress from the whole converting-to-new-software thing, because everyone is working real hard. It had a giant mug with "first fill-up compliments of Walkers" on it, a bottle of tylenol, chewing gum and candy, a pack of tissues, toothbrushes/paste and mouthwash (I don't know what that has to do with being stress-free, perhaps as a joke that we spend the night here), and just some more random stuff. Aww.... how nice. I love that they just randomly do stuff for us like that. The girl that takes care of it is leaving the company though :( (her husband is graduating and they will be moving out of utah) so it may not continue as such we will see. Of course we'll miss her more because she's so cool, but anyway. I remember when I applied for this job I hadn't quite decided if I was going to work full-time or part-time, and I wasn't even that excited about it because, well, it was just payroll. But it's turned out to be the best thing ever. I have been through some really crappy jobs and crappy employers and crappy co-workers (not all, but some), but this time I got really lucky and I just don't think it gets any better. Anyway.... wipe your eyes I know you are touched. That's all.

So I heard that church officials have agreed to meet with Affirmation, the group for gay and lesbian mormons. I am intrigued to know what the outcome will be, since it is something that has been on my mind for awhile now. In the past few years my thoughts on the subject have changed dramatically. Not trying to get all soap-boxy I just want to say what I think. People talk about nature and nurture and all that, but either way I think it really comes down to companionship as a basic human need. Of course every situation is unique, but it's sad that anyone would be made to feel humiliated and ostracized for something they may not have control over, and I don't believe they are hurting anyone. I think it's pretty silly actually when people freak out because their friends/kids/whoever have come out... of course it's a life-changing thing, but they are still a good person. I just think there needs to be more understanding and more acceptance of people. So, anyway. Like I said I'm just interested to see how the meeting goes... I hope it makes things better not worse.

Dr. Phil, what are you DOING?

This was the result of the Dr. Phil's personality test after taking it on facebook:

"Others see you as someone they should "handle with care." You're seen as vain, self-centered, and extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you. However, they don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you."

Ha ha. Well that solves it, the friend thing... Ain't that just a kick in the pants.

You mean I exist?

Lately I don't feel I have anything interesting to write about. But, in the interest of staying in the habit, here is a blog.

Yes, I have officially won the affections of the cat. No, impossible, you say. It only took four months. After I figured out the antagonistic approach wasn't working (shoving him off the couch, making him dance for food, and scaring him silly countless times) I stopped terrorizing him so much and he warmed up to me, go figure. He no longer cringes and fights me when I try to pick him up, and he even jumps into my lap without prodding. Yes, he's a pretty nice cat after all.

Well, take cover, I also washed my car again this weekend... Dad and I are going to wax it tomorrow. I am wholly convinced that the freak snow storm we had last weekend happened because I washed my car just the day before. I never, almost NEVER wash my car. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen. We will see.

This afternoon hubby went to play the tables out west, so I am alone tonight. Ever since he stopped working nights, I have not had a night alone. Don't get me wrong, I would rather have him home most of the time, but tonight it feels good just to kick around... clean the house, blast music, finish homework, etc.

While at the grocery store tonight I saw the older brother of an old boyfriend. I had spent a lot of time around that boyfriend's family, and kind of thought of this guy as somewhat an older brother. He sounded like he was just bumming around and stuff... I hope his plans work out for him.