It's a win-win-win situation

Who's the Boss?

2010-07-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

I believe that each of us are with our specific parents for a reason - that Heavenly Father placed us with those parents who could best help us, compliment us, assist us and love us.

I feel very fortunate to be with the family I have, especially my dad. My dad has always been and always will be the the role model and example of a worthy Priesthood holder, a supportive husband and a loving father that I look up to and will compare my future companion to.

I have a lot of great memories of my dad; but one of my favorites is Saturday mornings as a kid. My siblings and I all have a love for good cartoons and back in the day Bugs Bunny and friends ran Saturday mornings in our house. We would get up early and head down to watch our cartoons - soon my dad was close behind helping us pour bowls of cereal and sitting down and watching cartoons with us. To this day my dad will sit down with the grandkids and watch an episode of Bugs Bunny or any other Looney Toons video. I have so many memories of us sitting on the couch and laughing with dad.

As I got older I became more aware of just how much I needed my dad. Growing up I was always given a Father's Blessing from my dad before school started, or for something else that was challenging me. When I moved to Logan for school it was just the same - he pulled me aside gave me a blessing and then moved me up to school. A few months later I was making some big decisions and my natural instinct was to have my dad give me a blessing, but he wasn't down the hallway anymore. There were times where I'd have a hard day and need someone to make me laugh or tell me to calm down and I began to realize that whenever I had weighty matters on my mind I'd take them to my dad. Sometimes indirectly and others very blatant. I never realized how much I sought out his guidance until I didn't have it around me all the time. But what I did have with me were all the lessons my dad had taught me along the way - I just needed to recall them.

It's been a joy to watch him help my siblings along they way too as they start their own families. They still call him and visit him to get his input and council because they respect him and love him.

I've noticed too how many things I've adopted in my life that I took from my dad. My love of music, love of sports (Jazz and Nascar), desire to increase my knowledge (spiritual and temporal), a smirk/smile when I'm trying to hide something, a certain stuborness and independence. The list goes on and on.

My dad is the best! He's an amazing father, husband, grandpa and person and I feel fortunate and spoiled to have him.

I love you Dad!

Ode to my mom

2010-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about entering adulthood is that you develop a new relationship with your parents. When I was a child my mother was the constant loving, attentive mother who was there to help me, discipline me, love me, play with me, and teach me. As I entered into my teen years she was still there, but as more of an enforcer - not in a bad way - but in the way a teenager needs their mom to be. She asked the questions "Who? When? Where? Why? How late?", she waited up till she heard me come home from late night activities, she soothed me when my fragile, ridiculous teenage heart was broken, and, most importantly, she would always scratch my back during church.

A few more years passed and I "grew up", went off to college and found myself applying all the things I had learned from her. I was able to clean a house (didn't mean it was always clean, but I could do it), prepare a meal, sew a button, etc. How many times had I whined when she made me do those things as a kid? I always thought it was such a waste of my time.

Looking back, those are some of the moments I treasure most - helping her in the kitchen, learning how to iron, going for bike rides, and putting up Christmas decorations. Now that I'm more of an adult we have an amazingly strong relationship. I tell her everything, we go out to dinner and movies, go shopping, to the temple, etc. My mom is a great example to me. She is a loving person and always wants to help other people. She loves the gospel and has a strong testimony about our Savior, His plan, and the Book of Mormon. She loves to learn and is constantly reading, attending religious classes, and learning new skills and talents. She has a deep, intense love for her family and expresses it frequently; none of us wonder if mom loves us, her daily actions prove it. I then watched her heart grow to a whole new level when she became a grandmother. My mom was meant to be a grandma. She has the perfect attitude and demeanor for it. She loves to plan sleep overs, picnics, holiday activities, family dinners - you name it, she does it.

If I ever have the wonderful opportunity to become a mother, I only hope I can be like my mom.

I love you mom!

Chivalry isn't dead, it's killing me.

2010-04-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

I've got a bump on my head and a headache - all from my friend opening the door for me.

The other day my friend and I attempted to go shopping to try and find him some new clothes. This friend of mine is a complete gentlemen. He insists on opening car doors, building doors, getting your chair, etc. So as we approached the mall, he went to get the door and I waited.

Quick side note: For those of you who have known me a long time, you may know that I rarely wait for guys to get the door. For a long time I never had a guy friend who got the door. If I saw I door, I'd open it and just bust on through (kind of like Kramer). Why wait? Well I started hanging out with gentlemanly friends and started adopting some patience for these door opening men.

So Friend grabbed the door and I started to walk through and then WHAMO! The door had slammed me in the head. I was so disoriented from the hit that I just stood there and looked around. I looked back at Friend and his face was frozen in shock. I didn't say anything at first; I just stared at him. I finally mumbled "Did you let go of the door?" Friend felt really bad and just started talking "Damn! Are you okay? Did that nail your head?" He continued apologizing and then kept muttering about how bad he felt. He said the door just snapped out of his hand. I started to wonder if maybe he wasn't really ready to get the door for me. Was I entering the door too prematurely? Was Friend really weak?

Now, my dad taught me a valuable lesson as a child - Suck it Up! And that's what I did - I sucked it up, told him it wasn't too bad and that I was fine. We started wandering through the mall and my head began throbbing. Luckily we weren't in a huge mood to shop so we ended up wandering the store and just chatting. On our way out he offered to buy me a cookie for hitting me with the door - being the good friend that I am, I accepted my chocolate chip cookie and hoped it would console me. It did, but only for about ten minutes. On our way out Friend wanted me to see "how crazy the door was and how it just snaps shut on it's own". Well, he was right, this door would open about a foot or so and then it started to pull itself shut again. I told him that I didn't think he was trying to hurt me intentionally (but maybe...) but that maybe he should lift some weights tonight so he can hold doors open a bit longer.

We ended up driving around and then doing some grocery shopping. He asked me if I was okay, and I said I was fine. Honestly, I was dying! I kept swaying, I felt nauseous and I all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep.

I had plans that night, so I eventually left and thought that if I could just take some pills, eat something and lay down I'd feel better. Well it didn't work. I watched a movie that night and I could barely focus. I wanted to hold my head where it was hit, but it was too tender. I thought I'd be able to sleep it off, but my head hurt too bad to lay on that side and, although the pounding had slowed down, it was still dull enough to keep me awake.

So now I have to ask myself - Do I wait for doors to be opened? Do I find stronger friends? Do I give Friend one more chance?

If you don't hear from me soon, I may be unconscious in my room...

Home! Home on the range!

2010-03-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

Well Spring time is approaching and that means it's time for yard work. This is my first time being responsible for a yard and last Summer I had my first experience mowing and edging a lawn. Now that Spring is here, it's time to prep the lawn and the flower beds.

I went out back the other day to start cleaning up the yard and pick up whatever had been hiding under the snow for the past few months. I walked out back and realized I had a much bigger issue on my hands. The wind had been really strong the past few nights and I hadn't really bothered to check on what had blow in.

Here's what I found:

sorry it's blurry - cell phone camera

I wasn't sure what to do - there were at least 30 tumbleweeds in my backyard. I just stared at them for a few minutes, and then put my complicated game plan into action. Now, you're probably wondering how to take care of removing 30 GIANT tumbleweeds from your yard. Some people think you should break them down and put them in your garbage - a valid suggestion, but not what I went for. To accomplish my genius, complicated project I suited up in a jacket, put on my gardening gloves and started the process. I grabbed about four weeds, ran towards the fence and chucked them! The wind was blowing a bit, so majority of them blew back in my face (did you know tumbleweeds are prickly?). I finally got into a groove and got them all tossed.

So, Julie and Dave, if you're reading this - you are welcome for the awesome yard work I'm doing. West Valley City, thank you for removing the tumbleweed after I tossed them over the fence.

Dress for Success

2010-01-27T21:43:00.000-08:00

Ever have a case of the "Mondays"? A few days ago I was getting ready for work and the shirt I wanted to wear was a bit wrinkly. Normally I iron 90% of my wardrobe (despite my roommates mocking me), but this morning I was running short on time. It was a sweater so it was pretty thick and didn't need a lot of ironing. I sprayed the shirt with the water bottle and tossed it in the dryer while I finished getting ready. On my way out the door I grabbed the sweater and went to work. I got to work and started my chaotic hours of meetings. Lately majority of my days consist of me in meetings five out of the eight hours I'm there and it's not uncommon for me to be in one meeting room for about three hours in a row - but I'm usually in front of people writing on the board or helping with discussions.

Around noon my first break came and I went to my desk to check on a few things and while I'm there my boss stopped by to ask me a question and we made our way to a filing cabinet to search for some papers. As we head over I straighten my sweater but notice that it won't straighten or lay flat. I keep tugging at it thinking it will eventually smooth out and I curse myself for not ironing my sweater. As we're talking and I'm fidgeting I realize that this crease or wrinkle is more of a bump. I'm facing my boss and we're talking but I'm completely consumed by the issue with my sweater. I keep playing with it and sneak my hand under the bottom hem of my sweater to see if I can find the cause for this lump. I finally find the lump and realize that a sock has been wadded up in a ball in my sweater this entire time. Normally you'd just leave the sock alone and take care of it at a later time, but I felt some need to keep reaching for it and remove it. I slowly start pulling it out and I'm pretty sure that I'm being super sneaky and discreet about this - there's no way my boss is aware of what's going on. Just as I pull the sock out my boss looks down at my hand, doesn't say a word, but gives me a look that seems to say "Do you really have a sock in your hand that you just pulled out from your sweater - WHILE we're talking?" I just tuck the sock into my pocket, finish the conversation and run back to my desk. I'm embarrassed, but worse things have happened. But then I think about my day and how I've been in front of people for about four or so hours with this odd bulge from the side of my stomach. Granted I'm not super skinny and most people probably just thought it was a fat roll or that I carry my weight oddly, but it still made me think how many people saw this bulge and didn't say anything. I'm back at my desk and I throw the sock in my purse and go about my day. Later that night I went to meet an old friend for dinner and through our conversation I brought up the fact that I'm the proud owner of Bose noise canceling headphones (I highly recommend these to anyone and everyone). I reach into my purse to pull out the headphone case and along with it pops out my brown sock from earlier today and lands on the table right in between us. My friend stared at me and the sock and just chuckled and asked me if I was going bowling later. I just laughed and shoved it in my purse and chose to ignore the question.

Here's what I've learned: When I dress in the morning I make sure to check myself over for any odd bumps, lumps, socks or anything else that could get stuck to me. So far I've made it out the door these past few days with little or no issues - except the time my juice exploded on my white sweater right as I pulled into work and started another day of marathon meetings with a bright red spot on my sleeve and my hands stained red. Someone asked me if I had murdered someone and another person just scooted away from me. I just laughed and thought "Ah, another awesome day!"

Communications 101

2009-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome! You've recently enrolled in Communications 101. Our objective, in this class, is to show what not to say when communicating with people. To help drive this points home, I'll be sharing a real life scenario, they may have occured this past weekend.

Let's get some back story established for this scenario. Being the age of 28 and single, people like to set me up on dates. Misty* is a coworker who asked if she could give my number to her neighbor, T-Dogg*, and I told her that would be fine. T-Dogg sent me a text a few days ago (I'm not a huge fan of first introductions over text, but that may be a whole other post on my issues with texting) and we exchanged a few texts back and forth. He called me later that night, but I was at dinner with my friend and missed the call. I sent him a brief text explaining where I was and that I may not be able to call him back till later. By the time my friend and I were done, he had called again, but when I noticed the missed call it was late so I didn't return the call. The next morning I tried calling him, but he wasn't available. T-Dogg sent me a text saying he understood my dilema the other night and that he'd try me again. Well he never did. Normally I would just count this as a loss and move on, but since he was a set up of a friend and he had tried to call me twice, the least I could do was call him one more time and make another effort.

I called him Sunday night and here's what happened. (majority of you may not be shocked by what happens here - this is just my luck)

T-Dogg: Hello?
Me: Hi, T-Dogg? This is Erin - Misty's friend.
T-Dogg: Who?
Me: Erin. Erin Johnson.
T-Dogg: I don't know an Erin.
Me: Misty gave you my number and we've texted a few times and we've played phone tag for a while.
T-Dogg: ... hmm... oh, Erin! Yeah okay. Sorry, I forgot who you were.

Well, I'm dying of embarrassment at this point. I just called a guy who forgot about me!

Erin: (clearing throat and trying to muster up whatever self-esteem is left laying on the floor) Have I caught you at a bad time? Can you talk right now?
T-Dogg: Oh yeah, now is fine.

So we make small talk. He tells me he's working on a christmas gift for his dad and i start to ask him another question when he says:

T-Dogg: You know what, I'm really busy right now. Can I call you later, tonight?
Me: Oh, sure. No problem.

I run downstairs and begin sharing with Michelle what's just happened. I tell her how I just called this boy, who I've been "talking" to for a few days, and he has no idea who I am. How I called him and had to explain to him how he knows me. I go off and say things like "How can someone send you handfuls of texts, call you 2 or 3 times and two days later have no clue who you are?!" "Are you that busy of a dating fool that you can't keep your girls straight?" "Who tells someone 'oh yeah, I'm not busy, let's chat' and then ten minutes later they are too busy to talk? Why can't he just say 'I'm no longer interested'?"

After this small rant, T-Dogg sends me a text that says:
"hahaha you just butt dialed me and you so didn't know. i liked your conversation with your roomie"

Yup! Somehow along the way from my room to the downstairs I had called him and he heard everything I said. I even made Michelle go upstairs in her room and I called her and left my phone on the couch and recreated the conversation. She came down and informed me that minus the echo, she could hear everything! I'm mortified and feel like a fool! This is just my luck -which is no luck. I have no luck in several areas, and dating is one of them. After a good five minutes of freaking out, I sent him a text apologizing for what happened and he graciously accepted it. T-Dogg then started texting me and all I could think was "Wait. Aren't you too busy to talk? How do you now have time to text?"

About two hours later he asked me if he could call me and I said yes. He called and I again apologized for what I said - even though I don't think I said anything way mean or inappropriate - and he said not to worry about it that it's a crazy situation. I explained to him that being set-up isn't crazy; however overhearing a conversation you weren't meant to is a crazy situation. So I start asking him a few questions and then I decide - hey, he called me, let him ask a few. That wasn't a great idea. We sat in silence for 15 seconds (which is like ten minutes in silence when face-to-face with someone).

I started asking questions again and he started mumbling so I had to ask him about 10 times to repeat what he was saying. I learned he was a baker and then I learned he has to be up by 4 am. I made a comment about how early that was and that I was shocked he'd be up still at 11 pm. Suddenly he replies "Yeah, it's early, so I better go. Well it was nice talking to you and you know what - I can guarantee you'll hear from me again." I just say "Oh, ok then. Goodbye."

So what have we learned?
1- Don't forget the names of people you are talking to.
2- Always lock your phone and avoid accidently calling people and then talk about them while they hear everything.
3- When calling someone, be sure to initiate some conversation and don't leave it up to the one person.
4- Don't mumble. No one likes a mumbler.

Thank you for your attendance.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent, not so innocent, fools and mumblers.

Yes, it really happened

2009-12-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

Two good friends begged me to share this incident*, so here it is. Please, don't judge me.

Sometimes late at night, I find myself starting the most pointless projects - organizing closet, cleaning out the 'junk drawer' in my nightstand, dusting, organzing my book case, etc. This night I was trying to glue my glasses case back together. I had some super glue, a napkin and my glasses case all lined up ready to put back together - this all started around midnight or so. I open the glue and start putting it in one section of the case. I screw the lid back on the glue and hold down the case for about two minutes to make sure it sticks. I take my hand off and so far the lid is sticking. I unscrew the glue lid again and start squeezing out more glue, but nothing is coming this time. I hold it upside down for a bit and squeeze harder, still nothing. The cap is still in my right hand, and the tube is in my left hand. I screw the lid on and go to move the case when I realize my right hand won't let go of the lid. I yank and it doesn't even budge - not even a wiggle! I try release my left hand - nope, it's sealed to the tube. My hands are stuck to a tube, it's midnight, I'm in the basement, all alone and I don't really know what to do.

I unscrew the lid so at least my hands are somewhat free. I panic and find the carton for the glue to read what happens when it makes contact with skin. Well, no shocker here, but it's highly discouraged to let super glue touch your skin - "May cause irritation and rash". I just sigh and think about what I can do. I decide that warm, soapy water is my best bet to help relax the glue. I run to the bathroom and go to turn on the water, but then realize that my hands aren't really in the best position to be moving things, like faucets. My right hand is stuck as follows: My thumb and pointer finger are stuck to the lid and my middle finger is glued to the pointer finger and they are stuck in a claw-like position. My left hand has the tube stuck the same fingers, but it's running along the inside of my hand. Glue also spread to my ring finger and pinky and they are in a claw like position as well. I soon realize that I can't get my hands around the faucet and turn them - my solution is to go upstairs and use the sink where all you have to do is lift the lever to turn the water on.

I tip-toe upstairs, get the water running and then realize my next dilema - get a bowl down from the cupboard so I can soak my hands. I basically have 3-pronged claw hands and simple tasks are seeming impossible right now. I open the cupboard and then proceed to do this scoop and lift thing so I can basically knock the bowl out out and hopefully catch it. After a few attempts I get the bowl out, put some warm water in it, and then head downstairs so I can do the soaking down there. Getting water soapy when you don't have hands, is a bit tricky, so I decided to just throw in a bar of soap and let it soak and in-turn make the water soapy. I get my hands in the bowl and after ten minutes the tube and the lid finally wiggle loose and fall off; my fingers, however, are still glued together. I keep soaking them and keep trying to free them, but when I try, I just feel my skin tearing, and it really hurts. Every ten minutes I have to add more warm water, but I'm able to use the faucet downstairs now that the glue tube and lid isn't stuck to my hand. I repeat this process for about an hour, and finally my middle finger, on both hands, is freed. It's bright red, hurts a bit, but it's free! I decide to just soak one hand at a time and this proves to be a better idea. My left hand is finally free and I can use it to help my right hand.

I lather up soap as best I can and just massage my fingers hoping the glue will give way soon. The soap is really stinging my left hand, and I'm starting to wonder at what point I can wake my parents and ask for help - but then I realize how crazy that sounds and I just keep working at it. Thirty minutes later I feel my fingers start to wiggle and then it's a matter of just working more soap in. FINALLY - my hands are free. As I examine them, I notice that they are bright red, some skin is missing and red blotchy marks are all over my hand. I washed them a few more times to make sure the glue is completely rinsed and I'm nearly brought to tears from how bad it hurts to have hot water and soap touch them. I manage to get some bandaids and ointment on them - took me almost another 30 minutes cause it hurt to bend my fingers - and I finally go to bed.

In the morning my hands are still aching; washing and doing my hair was a bit difficult, and I just stare at the mess in the bathroom as I remember everything that happened that night. I eventually shared the story with my mom - who just laughed and shook her head, and then my friends who rolled with laughter and to this day still ridicule me. Sometimes they hold their hands up in a claw-like manner and try to pick things up. I may need new friends... or I need to stop doing dumb things...

*There's a whole other piece to this story, but it's a bit... gross and potentially offensive to some. If you really want to hear it, ask me in person.

It's A Wonderful Life!

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

This post has nothing to do with Christmas, but it is wonderful. Back in October my brother and his family were sealed to each other. It was such a wonderful and amazing experience to be there and witness this great event. I was more than choked up when they brought in the kids, all dressed in white. My nephew Boston was so excited and just burst into room and just stood there smiling at everyone. Brighton was very calm and glowing as she held Avery - who handled the event fairly well. I'm so excited and proud of them. I love you guys!

How can you not love these kids?

Whoa? What? I'm fine! Just walking it off!

2009-11-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to Emily - she challenged/told me to post this. I have lots of embarrassing stories (drugs on my driveway), and here's another one.

Lately my days have been filled with meetings. Not just a meeting here and a meeting there, but days where I don't see my desk till about 3 or 4 pm. Well yesterday I had one meeting. ONE! And I decided to celebrate the only way I know how - going out to eat. I've been really good about bringing my own lunch - cheaper, healthier, saves time, etc. So I felt like I really deserved this little treat. I didn't have anyone to go with me, so I decided to just run in, grab it and come back and eat at my desk and read.

I pulled into the parking lot, entered the restaurant and just walked straight ahead to get in line and place my order. Halfway up the line my right foot slips and goes flying forward! I didn't even quite register what was happening, but dance techniques must have kicked in. My left foot went backwards and I dropped into the splits. Something I haven't done in over ten years. Do you know what happens to those muscles over ten years of not being used? They get tight, really tight!

As I went into my awesome splits, my hands flew up and grabbed the ledge that was next to me; the same ledge that had a table of four guys on the opposite side. I quickly bounced up, looked around and then just walked forward as if nothing had happened. My groin was in some serious pain and I was fighting off a limp, but there was no way I was about to let people see that I was hurt. I had a few stares, but I refused to acknowledge to anyone what had just happened.

Am I prideful? Yes. Am I a klutz? Of course. Can I walk-off any injury thrown at me? I'll try my hardest and make my father proud. Suck it up!

Hiroshima & Sayonara!

2009-11-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

Hiroshima was a more somber part of our trip. We visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which provided a different view point of the attack (not that I'm saying what we did was right, but it was interesting to hear it told from their point of view instead of America's point of view) and some haunting images of the aftermath of the bomb. We spent probably 2 hours in there and then briefly walked around the Peace Gardens. This is a picture of the Atomic Bomb Dome, a memorial to those who died after the bomb.

After that heavy, emotional day we decided to go out to dinner and our friend at the Hostel recommended a great place. We quickly learned that the restaurant owner and cook did not speak English. Thank heavens a girl was there to help us and stopped us from ordering cow tongue for dinner. This meal may have been my favorite, purely based on the experience we had while eating. You basically buy a plate of raw meat, lettuce and veggies and then you get to grill your meat at your own table and make delicious lettuce wraps. We were having a ball doing this. Turning meat with chopsticks is not the easiest thing to do, but it's certainly fun!

We spent the night just relaxing, doing laundry and eatting junk food in our hostel room. The next day we headed off to Miyajima to see Itsukushima Shrine and the beautiful, floating torii gates. Here's what it looks like.

Torii gates are common among Japanese shrines, but these torii gates that appear to be floating is what makes them so neat. As the tide comes in they appear to be floating and the reflection off the water is also beautiful. We had a fun time strolling around this area and we even encountered some wild deer. They warn you as you enter the area to keep all food sealed and put away or be prepared to share and get head-butted by one of these. We didn't see any mean or aggressive ones, but they certainly follow you around and will nudge you for food.

After we left Miyajima, we grabbed some dinner and chose a delicious Mexican restaurant. Yes, a Mexican restaurant, owned by a man from Peru who moved to Japan. It was familiar, tasty and they had chips and salsa. I was in heaven! We headed back home, backed our bags and got ready for the journey back to Tokyo. We took the train back to Tokyo, found our hotel and did some last minute souvenier shopping. Not shockingly to us girls, but Stephen was the last one back from shopping. Pirate only needed about 30 minutes, I used up a good hour and Stephen spent about 90 minutes +/-.

We met up, grabbed some dinner - where I experienced the tastiest, most refreshing sushi I've ever had! YUM! We then hit a gas station to grab some treats to bring home and share with people and a few snacks for us for the night. Our flight didn't leave till about 1 pm, so we decided to quickly tour the fish market. I didn't take a lot of pictures of this place, but the size and amount of fish in this warehouse was unreal. Early in the morning, like 4:30 AM, they have auctions for restaurants to buy their fish. Pieces of tuna will go for amounts ranging from $5000 - $25000. TUNA!

After the fish market, we headed back to the hotel, washed our feet (fish guts and juice) and then started the long journey back to the airport. We said goodbye to Japan the best way we knew how - we ate at McDonald's. I had a long flight ahead of me and I needed to feel assured that my food would sit well for the next 11.5 hours.

Japan was gorgeous, the people very friendly and helpful, the city is very clean and all around a wonderful place to visit. I actually can't wait to go back!

Sayonara!

Ninja's, Castles and Squid

2009-11-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in finishing my Japan trip. I wasn't even going to finish it till a few people asked me to. So here it is.

After our whirwind Kyoto-in-a-day trip, we had a few more sites to see before we headed to Hiroshima. Our first stop was Nijo Castle, also known as Ninja Castle. The great thing about this castle is the squeaky floorboards. Unless you walk on the very edges, the floorboards squeak - and are supposed to squeak so the Emperor/Ruler/Whatever could hear anyone coming.

I'm known for my awesome ninja skills. Here am I fighting with Stephen. I obviously won.

And yes, I'm wearing a skirt. The weather was so hot and so humid I wore that skirt for majority of the trip. Here's another gorgeous garden shot of Nijo Castle.

After Nijo, we headed to Osaka to visit Osaka Castle, and sample some tasty food (or so we thought). Osaka Castle - a lovely castle on the outside that has sadly been gutted on the inside.

The castle was gorgeous and we learned lots of neat things inside, but it's not the original interior. However, they did have a super cold drinking fountain that I sat at for about ten minutes.

After Osaka Castle we wanted to wander around downtown Osaka, sample some food and do a bit of shopping. Osaka is supposed to be known for their cuisine and we were so excited to sample some. When we first arrived in Osaka we stopped at a fun restaurant and had some yummy ramen, pot stickers and fried rice. It was very tasty and we were excited to see what fun things we could get for dinner. Boy were we let down! After the castle we wandered up and down this street/shopping area and we decided to get a little something to eat to tide us over till dinner. We saw these large skillets cooking up some tasty treats and we decided to buy 8 of them and just share. Here's what I HEARD as I talked to the lady:

Me: What's inside?

Lady: Tasty delicious food

Me: Yes, I'd like 8 of those.

Lady: Would you like BBQ sauce?

Me: Sure

Lady: Mayo?

Me: Um, no.

Lady: Bacon shavings?

Me: Okay (Pirate LOVES all things bacon and I enjoy the flavor as well, so it seemed harmless)

We get our treat, head to a table and I pop one in my mouth. They are about as big as a quarter but about an inch thick. I started chewing and immediately stopped. I was chewing but something was bouncing inside my mouth and not getting smaller. I spat it out to see giant tentacles in my hand. Delicious treat?! LIAR! Nope - giant squid fried into a ball.

So here's what the conversation really was, but I sure couldn't tell what was being said.

Me: What's inside?
Lady: Chewy squid
Me: Yes, I'd like 8 of those.
Lady: Would you like BBQ sauce?
Me: Sure
Lady: Mayo?
Me: Um, no.
Lady: Dried fish shavings?
Me: Okay (Pirate LOVES all thing bacon and I enjoy the flavor as well)

Yup, what we thought was bacon shavings, was actually dried fish shavings. We had just pissed away 1 yen each - no big deal, but very upsetting. So we headed to our restaurant a few hours later. I ordered chicken - trying to play it safe - and what I learned later is that Japan just mushes all their chicken together - tendoins, veins, everything. It was super chewy and hard. I didn't eat dinner that night and the rest of the group didn't fair as well either. We ended up hitting up a convenience store that night for dinner and eating treats and drinking Coke Zero.

We made it back to our hostel, backed up and prepared to leave for Hiroshima the next morning. On our way to Hiroshima we stopped at Himejii Castle - probably the most gorgeous castle we visited. The weather was beyond awful. 100% humidity (may be a slight exaggeration) and 75 degrees. My jeans were wet and sticking to my legs and my shirt had grown 5 sizes. This was the closest Stephen and I dared to get for this photo. It was too hot to let anything touch you.

After Himejii we boarded the train and headed to Hiroshima for a brief two day trip and then back to Tokyo for our flight home.

posts, posts and posts

2009-10-14T21:07:00.001-07:00

I've got a lot of posts about Japan. If you want to read the adventure in order, start here:

1. Konnichi wa

2. Tokyo

3. Kyoto

4. More Kyoto

I'll hopefully have more posts up soon.

Kyoto: Ramen & Teapots

2009-10-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we hit a few more sites in Tokyo and then left for Kyoto. We took the JR train and arrived there about 1.5 hours later. We found our hostel and started sightseeing. It was too late to see and do much but we were able to visit a paper lantern park and strolled around Gion - the Geisha district. We searched everywhere but we didn't see one Geisha. Apparently they were all at some evening, nightly show.

Since that was a bust, we decided we'd eat dinner and just enjoy the night. You can't go to Japan and not try their Ramen. They have a museum dedicated to this food. We visited a department store where they have "Ramen Street". Tons of different styles of ramen - who knew there were so many ways to change this basic noodle dish? Our friend Yoshi, from the hostel, told us to try a specific restaurant. Ordering ramen is tricky in Japan. We saw a line, so we just stood in it and figured we'd be seated soon enough. Well we kept seeing people put money in a vending machine, grab a ticket and then get in line. We soon learned that you make your selection through a vending machine and give your ticket to the hostess. Then, when you are seated, you only wait about 3 minutes for your meal to come out. The ramen was quite tasty - even if the photo doesn't appear show that - and we all enjoyed ours. Aftewards we wandered their market/food floor and we were able to sample and see hundreds of different types of food. Some were delicious and others made me gag.

We stopped at a china/glass shop and looked at some teapots, tea cups and other dishes. I wanted to buy a teapot for myself and I spotted mine within mere seconds. I walked over and grabbed it and a worker came over and told me it wasn't for sale - display only. I asked him if I could have that was for sale and he told me that all of them were gone; so I told him I wanted to buy the display and he told me no again. We argued back and forth for a bit and I decided to walk away and snatch the pot when he wasn't looking. Well he followed me like a hawk. Pirate and David Archuleta tried with all their might to distract him but he wouldn't take his eyes off me. I finally just started chatting with him and here's a sample of our conversation:

man: Where are you from?
me: I'm from the states.
man: Ah, I know the states. Which one?
me: Utah
man: Utah? ah - Oregon! I know Oregon.
me: well, Oregon is close to Utah.
man: I know lots of states. Are all of you from Utah?
Adam A: No, I'm from Ohio.
man: Ohio... Florida! I know so many states. Florida, California, New York state, Empire state (we didn't even bother to correct him on that one), Washington,
me: Yeah, the states are great. Wouldn't it be nice if I got to take this teapot home to the states and show everyone what I found while I was here?
man: I don't know. Very special teapot.
me: Yes and I'll take very good care of it. People in Utah will love my teapot.
man: ok, but take it and hurry before I change my mind.
me: Thank you so much!

As we leave he waves and starts mumbling more states. It was such a great night! Our next day was going to be insane so we headed home and went straight to bed.

Kyoto - Temples, Shrines, Bus rides and more Temples

Kyoto - Temples, Shrines, Bus rides and more Temples

2009-10-14T15:45:00.001-07:00

Today would be our whirwind adventure in Kyoto. We got up early and starting our journey we were assaulted with warm temperatures and awful humidity the minute we left our hostel.

Sanjunsangendo - the temple with 1001 golden Kannon statues - was our first stop (maybe a 20 minute walk) and we were already wet from the humidity. The inside of the temples were okay, but it was the temple grounds that I found beautiful. So many trees, ponds, mini shrines - it was just gorgeous.

Our next stop was Ginkakuji - a Silver Pavilion with a neat Zen garden. Again - gorgeous grounds. I'm pretty sure I'll have a mini Zen garden when I own a house.

We then headed further up to Kiyomizu Temple (pure water temple). The walk to Kiyomizu isn't a bad walk, but when it's hot and humid it seems like the longest walk of your life. The tempuratures were probably in the low 80's but with 80% + humidity, that's a lot for a desert dwelling person to handle. These grounds were again gorgeous, but how I made it out alive I'll never know. I'm a bit of a klutz at times and between this temple and Ginkakuji, I fell about 5 times, twisted my ankle twice and slammed my head twice into two low door frames.

Here's a fun fact about Kiyomizu. You know the english phrase "to take the plunge"? Well Japan has one "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu". Well people used to actually do this. They believe that if they jumped off the stage at Kiyomizu (about 50 feet), and survived, their wish would be granted. 234 people attempted this jump and the survival rate was about 84% - sadly this practice is now banned.

Next stop was for the Ryoanji and to see it's Zen rock garden. It felt so nice to take our shoes off at this point (shoes have to come off at most temples in Japan). We were able to sit and just stare at the rock garden.

I'm not sure if were relaxed and content because of rock garden or because we had covered 40% of Kyoto at that point in seven hours. Whatever the reason we were content to sit there for a good 20 minutes and just enjoy the quiet.

After Ryoanji we headed to Arashiyama to see the bamboo forest. To get there we had to take a bus ride with a few transfers. We got on the first bus and when our stop approached, we pressed our call button to notify the driver. The bus approached the stop, but then made a u-turn and didn't stop. After a brief, but hilarious, freak out moment provided by David Archuleta we realized the bus was done with it's route and we had to transfer to another bus. I've never seen a man panic like that, but it made my night.

We eventually made it to the bamboo forest and of course my camera battery died right as we entered. This forest is gorgeous and breathtaking and I would encourage you to go when it's still light outside. We were there right as night was coming and we weren't able to see it as well as I wanted. This photo isn't mine, but it gives you an idea of what this forest looks like.

Next up: "Ninja" Castle, Osaka for a day and bad food experiences

Tokyo

2009-10-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

Since I was delayed a day, I missed out on visiting and staying at the Tokyo temple, but I still got to see it and even use the restrooms inside (heated toilets and bidet!).

We visited Asakusa that afternoon/night and were able to see a giant paper latern that leads to Senso-ji - Japan's oldest buddhist temple. We enjoyed a nice night of walking around and then headed to our hostel. Tonight we were staying in a capsule hostel. Capsule hostels are basically small little tube like bed chambers. They are cheap and popular in Japan.

For one night it wasn't too bad, but one night is more than plenty. The bathrooms were Japanese bath-house style (no privacy) and they offer traditional Japanese toilets (floor) or western style for us foreigners.

The next day we went to an English speaking ward in Japan and then headed off to see the Imperial Palace grounds. You can't actually go onto the grounds of the Imperial Palace, but you can walk around the outer lying park. From there we headed to Tokyo Tower where we met it's interesting mascot.

After visiting the tower, we went to Harajuku. Harajuku is a great area where the young people of Japan hang out and display their unique fashion, dancing and more. Sunday is a big day for them and we definitely got an eye-full.

While in Harajuku, we visited the Meiji Shrine. We were able to see a traditional Shinto wedding procession take place in the courtyard of the shrine area - it was beautiful. As you head up to most major shrines in Japan you will see a water station that is there for people to clean their mouths and hands with. It's believe that this purifies them before they pray at the shrine.

We spent the rest of the day at Yoyogi Park and were able to see more kids dressed up in the Harajuku style, a band peforming in the park, a demonstration of fighting with bamboo sticks and tons of little dogs. The park was gorgeous and it was a fun way to spend our evening.

Our next day in Tokyo we headed out to Mt Fuji. We weren't going to climb Mt Fuji, but we still wanted to go there and see it. Three hours and a few bus transfers later we were there and Mt Fuji wasn't. It was too cloudy and Mt Fuji was completely hidden.

In front of Mt Fuji

Since Mt Fuji was a bust we visited Akahabra, the electronic capital of Japan (and possibly the world, this place was huge). We then headed out to Rainbow Bridge and saw the Statue of Liberty. I've now seen all three statues - New York, Paris and Tokyo.

Next up: Kyoto!

Konnichi wa

2009-10-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

Since I can't be brief about anything, I'm warning you now that there will be several posts for my Japan trip. You can read all of them, none of them, or just scan them.

This first story isn't about Japan exactly, but the adventure of just getting there.

My arrival to Japan was delayed by a day. The initial plan was that we'd meet up at the airport since I was scheduled to arrive about two hours after my friends landed (coming in from Ohio), and then we'd all head out together to our hotel. Well, after sitting for four hours on my plane, taxiing 4 times, deboarding for a "brieft period of time so the situation could be addressed" I was finally informed that my flight was cancelled and I wouldn't be leaving till the next day. I was mad and slightly anxious as I thought about how I'd meet my friends. I was also beyond tired due to two dramamine (I get motion sickness pretty easily) and also two doses of codeine laced cough syrup (I got pretty sick 3 days before I left and I didn't want to be quarantined in Japan - it seriously happens). I went home, called Fumiko (neighbor who is Japanese and helped me with planning some of the trip) and I had her help me plan a route to get from airport to hotel since I'd not longer be meeting my friends and going with them. I also emailed my friends and told them I had a plan worked out to meet them and that everything should work out. Fumiko helped me get everything straightened out and I went to bed somewhat calm that everything would work out. My parents picked me up, again, and I was back at the airport by 5:30 AM. After a 30 minute delay due to the pilots not showing up, we finally boarded the plane again and we were on our way. Just before the plan took off I checked my email once more only to read an email from Pirate and to find out that the address I had given Fumiko was for a hotel at a later date in our trip. I slightly paniced, but what could I do? Plus, I trust Pirate quite a bit and I knew she'd work something out.

I landed in Japan 11.5 hours later and I kept thinking "what if I never find them and I wander the streets of Japan alone?" The adventurous side of me loved this idea, but the logical side hated it and wanted to find my friends. I found an internet cafe in the airport and I was relieved to find an email from Pirate with instructions of where to go and what to do so I could find them; three subway transfers and several sets of stairs later I found them on a corner. I was so relieved to see them!

To see our adventures in Tokyo, click here.

LQTM

2009-08-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a comic that made me chuckle.

A West Side Story

2009-08-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

Operator: West Valley Police Dispatch. How can I help you?
Me: Yeah... I found a suspicious package on my driveway this morning. It's a clear bag full of money and some sort of mixture that looks like sand and salt.
Operator: Can you tell what it is?
Me: No, but I thought it might be drugs so I called. I can clearly see a $100 bill.
Operator: Ok. I'll send some officers out there soon.
Me: Should I move the bag away - in case the person comes back for it?
Operator: No, don't touch it till they get there and see what it is.

So I patiently wait and because I'm certain that the person who dropped this will be back, I wait outside and stand right over the package. Ten minutes later a cop car pulls up.

Officer 1: Hello Miss. So, you have a suspiscious package huh?
Me: Yes, it's right here. I'm not sure what it is, but I haven't touched it.
Officer 2: You found it this morning?
Me: Yes, as I was taking the garbage out. I checked with my roommates and it doesn't belong to them.
Officer 1: Okay, let's take a look at this. Uh, Miss... this is a fake bill.
Me: What?!
Officer 1: Yeah, it's fake. Let's open it up.
Me: Do you want me to go get some gloves?
Officer 1: [chuckling] No, that won't be necessary. Well you did find something... this is an advertisement.
Me: What?! An advertisement!
Officer 1: And the drugs... that's actually sand. It's an easy way to advertise. Fill the bag and toss it.
Me: [laughing pretty hard at this point].... I thought I stopped a drug drop
Officer 1: Nope, but it appears the advertiser caught your attention.

At this point my neighbor comes around the corner to see what's going on.

Officer 1: Hello Ma'am. Did you get your $100 this morning.
Brooke: Yeah, I sure did. I already tossed mine.
Me: Not me! I thought it was drugs so I called the police! I even made sure to not touch the package. I must watch too many cop/crime drama's cause I could just see CSI out here tearing up the front yard. I feel really stupid right now... I'm so sorry to waste your time.

Officer 2: Well you've made our morning a lot funnier.

Me: Well, I'm glad I could help.

Officer 1: Well have a great day, cause you've made ours!

This is how my Tuesday morning started. How was yours?

I know you are, but what am I?

2009-08-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

I know that majority of my posts are rants - but that's who I am and I ask you not to judge me. Today's rant is for engaged people everywhere. I have lots of married friends and several engaged friends and about 90% of them have all comitted this crime - the crime of assuming that because they are engaged and happy that I must follow suit. I love to celebrate an engagement/wedding; it's an exciting time and deserves rejoicing but doesn't need to be used as a tool to discuss with me my current state of bliss (which is usually quite high). I was talking with The Pirate the other day about this very topic. We both have engaged people in our lives who are now suddenly wanting to know who we are dating, who we like, what are we doing to "find our eternal best friend", etc. I'm very happy for these friends, but I'm not quite sure why the mantle of happiness spreader comes to them. Is there a sense of obligation that an engaged person feels to help others? Is happiness spreader a real term?

One more time!

2009-07-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

It's book club time! Our next selection is posted.
http://kristin-and-erin-bookclub.blogspot.com/

Oh the places you'll go!

2009-07-01T10:17:00.001-07:00

If I don't have a vacation to plan, I get really ansy. In fact, one of my greatest fears in life is that I'll have to stop traveling. I know there are greater fears to have, but this is one of mine, and until I have a family of my own I'm sure it will stay this way for some time. Over the past four years I've been able to see Italy, Greece, France, Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt, London, Chicago, NYC, St Louis, Cincinnati, Columbus, and more.

And now I get to add one of my all time desired destinations... JAPAN!!! That's right, I'm heading to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Domo arigato!

Every little thing you say, brings me one step closer to the edge...

2009-06-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

You know those people in your life who make you want to scream all day long? Well I have mine, a co-worker, who I refer to as Troll. She is nicknamed Troll because she looks like one - she's under 5'0", she has a trollish face, and she uses her powers for evil, not good. I also wouldn't be surprised if she lived under a bridge and terrified small children on their way home.

Today is one of those days where I just have to walk away, and ignore her - since I can't walk as far away as I want to, I'm venting via blog. Let me give you some insight to Troll. We started out as average coworkers and within a week I had nearly offended her. Troll is approaching her third marriage and when she told me this I blurted out "Hey, third time is a charm. This one will take!" As the words left my mouth I was trying to stop myself. So while not a huge mistake, she already eyed me as an evil person who spoke too freely. So Troll and I manage to work together and we even became work friends, eating lunch together, chit chatting, etc. A few weeks later she asks me if I'm dating anyone and if she can set me up with her nephew. Well, in the what came to be the worst blind date I never went on - that story later - Troll and I also stopped talking unless it was work related. She started texting me in the morning if I wasn't at work at my normal time.

We have this great rule that states "in by ten or call". I, being in the late-to-bed, late-to-rise category, take this rule for all it's worth. I'm usually in by 9:15/9:30, but there are the ocassional days where I don't come in till 10. Around 8:50-9:00 AM I start getting texts "are you coming in today?", "hey, no word from you yet - are you showing up today?", "it's past your normal time, is everything okay?". Being the brat I am, I refuse to answer these texts. Troll is not my boss and my boss has never expressed concern over my attendance, so I don't see why she needs to know. So I continue to ignore these things and she then changes tactics. She goes for the public display of motherly badgering. "Erin..." [closing her eyes and clasping her hands] "...it would really help me if you could do this one thing for me [she then names the favor]. I just need it done right now and I haven't seen it yet." My polite response, all while smiling, "Oh, you mean the document I emailed to Marge (mine and Troll's boss) yesterday? Cause she has it and everything looked good to her." Troll: "Oh, well that is just spectacularay! Who would have thought you'd catch on so fast!" Yes, she says it Speck-tack-uuu-lar-ae and she thinks it's cute! So that's how a typical conversation will go between Troll and I.

We have a big event happening over the next few months as one of our companies splits off and goes on its on; and we have a lot of documentation that needs to edited for any references to this company. This hasn't been a task of mine till Troll gave me 20 documents last week that need to be re-written within a week. I later learn that she has been sitting on these docs for at least a month, doing nothing with them. So while I'm working on them and cursing her, she stops by today: "Erin, when you're done with those and ready to upload them, let me know and I'll help you out." Kandy, my cubicle neighbor says : "Oh, good be sure to grab me cause I don't know how to do it either." Troll responds (in her classic condescending tone) "Kandy, the steps to do it are on SOP #blah blah blah. You can handle the directions. Erin, when you're ready, come grab me."

I'm at the edge and I'm about to break!

Doin' it our way!

2009-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

My friend The Red Head Pirate and I have started an online book club. We'd love for you to join us - http://kristin-and-erin-bookclub.blogspot.com/

The One Where She Cried, Uncontrollably

2009-05-13T15:29:00.002-07:00

I love music and I especially love seeing bands perform live. Last night my friends and I went to the Keane concert, and I was not disappointed –but for more than one reason.

Two bands opened for Keane; first it was Helio Sequence, a band from Oregon that I enjoyed. Next was Matt Kearney! I love Matt Kearney and I could have listened to another hour of him. One of my favorite moments of the night was when he said “You write these songs and you put your heart and soul into them. And then people set Dr’s making out to your music” (referring to Grey’s Anatomy of course). I thought it was hilarious and giggled quite a bit. Matt Kearney has such a great voice and he’s sounds amazing live. The only down side – Matt’s pants are too tight. I don’t get why boys feel the need to wear tight, skinny jeans. It’s not healthy and it’s not attractive – even girls look ridiculous in skinny jeans. Perhaps I’m jealous, but I’m still right.

Well as Matt Kearney ended, we had about 15 minutes while they set up for Keane. A lady came and sat in the row in front of us, all alone. She came over and talked to me for a minute about my necklace and said things like “I noticed it during the break and I’ve been mesmerized by it all night long.” I was flattered and taken back by her words.

Keane came out and started off with several upbeat, fun songs. We danced, sang along and cheered. After 3 songs the band chatted with the audience and the lady in front of us started chanting “Bedshaped! Bedshaped! Beeedshaaaaaped!” (a popular song of theirs). While she’s chanting this, she’s running her fingers through her hair, rubbing her neck and her sides. She was thoroughly enjoying this concert and we couldn’t help but stare and laugh. Keane did not play that song, but went on to play others. Our new friend went with the flow and just kept singing and dancing. We looked over at noticed there were tears on her cheeks. Surely that’s just sweat, right? No! Tears. Real tears on her cheeks!

We watch her off and on and during the next song we see her hang her head down for a few moments and when she stands back up, she’s sobbing! This woman is so moved by them that she can’t help but cry. I appreciate music, but I’ve never cried at a concert; although I did come close while at Coldplay and a few DMB concerts. Keane is a decent band, but cry-worthy? No.

For the next 30 minutes she cries and dances, calling out “Keane!”. The concert ends, we shout encore, and they come back out. They start their encore song, and what song do they choose? Bedshaped. She can’t control herself at this point –she rushes the stage. She’s down there dancing and singing and I’m watching every moment and loving it. As the song comes to and end, she is doubled over, crying. She can’t even stand up. The show is over, the house lights are up and everyone is leaving. Being the horrible person I am, I asked my friends to wait because I wanted to see what was going to happen with this lady. She started walking back to her seat, but she had to hold onto the chairs on her way back up. People are starting to think she’s hurt and they are asking her if they can help her in anyway. She gets back to her seat, where she sits down and begins to calm down.

I know it’s awful to laugh at people, but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve never seen anyone so overcome with emotion. I thought only the Beatles elicited this type of behavior.

Oh, and if I thought Matt Kearney’s pants were tight, they were nothing compared to the lead singers of Keane! Wowsa!

So what have we learned? Nothing really. Just that ladies in there 40 - 50’s love Keane and can’t control themselves.

Women's Conference

2009-05-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Tradition! (raising arms in air)

I attended Women’s Conference again this year with my sisters, sister-in-law, aunt and three cousins. We’ve been doing this for several years, and while I tend to hate Provo, I love Women’s Conference. I’m not sure why I hate Provo. It may be the fact that everyone there jogs; everywhere! Swerve an inch and you’ll hit a jogger. I blame it on the fact that everything is banned in Provo and some additional reasons for why they jog, but I won't share them here.. (I may be confusing Provo with the small town portrayed in Footloose, but really, is there a big difference?)

I love going to Women’s Conference because it gives me a chance to just hang out with my family and have fun. I of course love the classes and I do learn neat things; but I just love being able to get away for three days and just have fun.

The past few times I’ve gone to Women’s Conference I always check out the art they have on sale. Last year I purchased this painting of the temple, by Sandra Rast. I was so excited to see this painting on sale. I’d been eyeing it for a year or so and here it was, matted, framed, signed by the artist and on sale. Without even thinking, I bought it and then had to figure out how I’d get it home (It’s quite a large print). Luckily the husbands drove up to pick up my mom and sister and join us for dinner so I was able to stash the painting in my back seat. There are so many things I love about this painting. The visual of the temple standing out amidst the dark clouds and rain, the mother walking with her daughter on the temple grounds, the reflection of the temple in the puddles… I just love it.

Well this year was no different. I skipped a class and went to the book store to browse the art work and meet the artists. I met these two wonderful sisters and ended up purchasing work from each of them. I first purchased two prints from Emily McPhie – “In the Strength of the Lord” and “Big Apron, Little Girl”. If you have a chance to read Emily’s blog, she does a great job of explaining In the Strength of the Lord and what everything in the skirt means. I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait to frame it! She also had this great picture of a girl in a pink dress with an angel and devil on each side of her, but I couldn’t justify the $400 asking price.

Cassandra Barney was the other artist and I’m on the waiting list for this print. Click on the third print – the red ballet shoes. These two sisters were so much fun to talk with and hear them explain how they were inspired to create these paintings.

I always leave Women’s Conference energized, pumped, and determined to do good! I love the boost it gives me! I’m already eagerly awaiting next years conference.

A Blast From the Past - Starring Burt Reynolds as The Cube!

2009-04-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

I had some free time at work today and I got into a conversation with Pregnant Emily on all our favorite TV shows we watched while growing up. We then played a game where we listed every show we could remember from our childhood. I've decided to share this list with you and ask you to include any we've overlooked. In no particular order -here they are:

Small Wonder
My Two Dads
Out of this World
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Golden Girls
Perfect Strangers
Unsolved Mysteries
Tales from the Crypt
Facts of Life
Mr Belvedere
Just the Ten of Us
Blossom
Punky Brewster
Alf
Charles In Charge
Saved By The Bell
Quantum Leap
Wonder Years
Babysitters Club
Full House
Step By Step
Family Matters
Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman
Walker, Texas Ranger
Cosby Show
Living Single
Head of The Class
Sabrina, The Teenage Witch
Boy Meets World
Who's The Boss?
Growing Pains
Webster
Silver Spoon
Family Ties
Sweet Valley High
Different Strokes
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Living Single
Fraggle Rock
Baby Muppets
Kids Incorporated
Mickey Mouse Club
America's Funniest Home Videos (hosted by Bob Sagget)
Night Court
Cheers
Wings

Did you Know?
Burt Reynolds was the voice of the dad on Out of this World (the cube on the table - remember?)

What ones did we leave off?

What makes me happy

2009-04-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

I never know what to blog about and just the other day The Red Head Pirate (I'm using code names for my friends - inspired by The Read Head Pirate who gave me this idea on her own blog) called me names and told me to blog about something because she was sick of not seeing an update.

I've decided to share with you what a great evening I've had. It takes very little to please me; as you'll soon learn what made my night so great. I spent half the evening with Hoops running errands and during our errands we encountered several ridiculous people. One of the joys of hanging out with Hoops is that we find humor in any given situation so while most would be irritated with our night and the sales people who helped us, we instead loved every minute and laughed all night long.

After running errands I came home and finished reading Crossing to Safety (highly recommended). Reading is probably one of, if not, my favorite things to do. I love everything about books - the smell of books and book stores just make me smile. I can spend hours in a book shop, library or in my room reading. One of my dreams is to open a book store/travel shop/bakery/daycare with Hoops and The Pirate.

After a delightful hour of reading I decided it was time to listen to music. I'm very passionate about music and I love to check out new bands. Tonight I spent a good hour buying new music and then another hour just laying on my bed listening to music. Some of the new bands (new to me) I'm checking out are - Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Tokyo Police Club, Carolina Liar and Chromeo. Here's a sample of what I've been listening to tonight: David Gray, Joshua Radin, The Weepies, Sufjan Stevens, Kings Of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Iron and Wine and Band of Horses. I'm obviously in a mood to chill - these aren't exactly upbeat bands.

This is what makes a great night for me - hanging out with friends, a good book, good music and of course a diet coke. Like I said - I'm easily entertained and pleased.

So to anyone who reads this blog, what is your ideal relaxing night?

10 Things I Hate About You

2009-02-04T17:29:00.001-08:00

Well Kristin tagged me and I'm bored, so here are my ten things.

I am... a geek at heart.

I know... everything about Harry Potter and I'm proud of it

I want... a Nikon D90

I have... to iron my shirts

I miss... my tap classes

I hear... the theme song from Mario Bros in my head all the time

I smell... like fish and tempura right now. (thanks for dinner Hoshino's)

I crave... turkey sandwiches w/ sprouts and avocado

I search... for fun and interesting websites everyday

I always... giggle at the most inappropriate moments (Grandpa's funeral, the chapel in the temple, etc)

I believe... that anyone and everyone would want to be my BFF if they only knew me.

I sing... like a rock star when I'm in the car but whisper when I'm in public or in church

I lose... everything, especially chapstick.

I win... being the favorite aunt. Hands down, no contest!

I never... know what to do with my hands in any given situation

I listen... to books on my iPod at work and pull up screens on my computer so I look busy when people walk by. (Kristin and I are pro's at this)

I am scared... that I may drop a baby and of my grandma's basement

I need... to stop watching Lifetime Moment of Truth Movies, but damn I love them!!!

I am happy... when I'm planning a trip, reading a good book or in a book store

I tag... you and your mom - aka Dean, Charity, Stacy, Beth, Corine, Rachel, Jenny, Steph, Lyndsey, Erin Cazier (if you even read this blog Erin), Julie, Jill, Brooke, Tiffany, Megadeath, Michelle, basically if you're reading this I'm tagging you!

I Stand All Amazed!

2009-02-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a very memorable one for me; I received my endowments. This is something I’ve been thinking about doing for quite a long time, but wanted to make sure I was doing it for the right reasons.

Mt Timpanogos Temple (can you see me in the middle?!)

Well after several lengthy conversations with my parents, siblings and a few close friends, praying and fasting, I knew that I was ready. I called the temple, set the date and then notified friends and family.

I won’t go into details here about my experience, but I will tell you that I’ve never felt more beautiful, loved and calm as I did that day. I also strengthened my testimony about my Savior and His plan for us. I haven’t stopped smiling since Saturday, but thank heavens I stopped crying. It was such and amazing emotional experience for me and I’m so happy to have been able to share it with my family and friends!

Here are a few photos from the day.

Mom, Me and Dad

Me, my parents and sisters

Me, parents and Granny and Papa Jay

Julie, me and Jill

The Johnson Clan! No, we aren't at Prom but you'd think we are by the way we're posed. My defiance is shown by tilting to a slightly different angle.

Thank you to everyone who was able to be there for me. I loved being able to spend such a special day with so many loved ones - even if I didn't get half of you in the pictures.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

2009-01-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

Good things happen late at night - despite what your bishop tells you!

Back in November I got a phone call late at night from Tasha. She found a great deal for airfare to Florida - the only catch was that we had one hour to buy the tickets before the sale was over. So, without much planning or even looking at our calendars, the four of us (Tasha, Nicole, Michelle and myself) bought our tickets and decided we'd plan the details later. The other perk to this trip is that Tasha's dad lives in Florida and we had a place to stay for free.

Tasha, Nicole, Michelle & I starting our vacation

We spent our first full day there at Universal Studios. I love roller-coaster rides and Universal didn't disappoint. We attempted to ride The Hulk, but after 20 minutes in line the ride was shut down, so we moved on to other rides and then came back to The Hulk. While waiting in line I had a kid behind me who kept getting a little too close for comfort. His hand kept grazing my bum and I kept giving him "the look". I starting telling Tasha how bad he was bugging me and she jokingly kicked her leg forward towards the back of his knee cap. You know when you'd kick the back of your friends leg and make the leg buckle - well that's what she was mimicking. Well Tasha slightly misjudged the distance between us and actually nailed the kid right in the back of the knee cap. Tasha flipped around and just stared at me as I said - perhaps a little too loud: "Did you just kick that kid?" The mom looked at Tasha and I and Tasha apologized right away. Needless to say, the kid didn't bother me or my butt any longer.

Well after waiting 20 minutes in line again for The Hulk, and after the kicking incident, the ride shut down again! We were pretty pissed and headed straight for Customer Service. Tasha marched right in and explained to them what happened to us and wanted to know what they could do for us. The lady was more than helpful and apologetic and gave us 5 VIP passes on any ride of our choice. We spent the rest of the day running onto all of the busy popular rides! It was great.

The next day we slept in and bummed around and finally got ready to go out to dinner in Downtown Disney. We enjoyed some delicious food and then decided to catch a movie. This is the only low point of the trip. We picked 'Paul Blart, Mall Cop'. Don't ever see this movie and if you do - SUCKER! It's horrible! About ten minutes into it I kept wishing I knew how to perform a lobotomy!

On Sunday we spent the day at Disneyworld. We started out at Hollywood studios and hit Tower of Terror first - which may be one of my favorite rides! We did a few more rides, got a churro (my #1 priority), few more rides and then made the transfer to Epcot. Epcot is neat, but you only need about 3 hours there. We stopped off in London for lunch and enjoyed some Fish 'n Chips. While we enjoyed our lunch, we were preyed upon by Seagulls. It's quite bothersome to eat lunch while a bird is staring you down. Well no one got pooped on or attacked - although Michelle did body-check Tasha.

Strolling down Main St in Disneyworld

We then ended the day in Magic Kingdom, which I loved! I'm a sucker for anything classic Disney! Once of the great highlights was when we were on Thunder Mountain and as the train was climbing up the hill we got stuck. Normally it sucks to be stuck on any ride, but as we were waiting the fireworks started! To our right was a perfect view of the Cinderella's castle and the fireworks going off behind it! It couldn't have been planned better! Everyone booed when the ride started.

Our firework show on Thunder Mountain!

We finished up the park and made our long journey back to the car. We were so exhausted -covering 3 parks in one day is possible, but you are exhausted.

The next day we decided to sleep in a little and then spend the day at the beach. The weather was delightful - about 71 degrees and very few clouds in the sky. It was so nice to get out of the inversion! As we got ourselves situated, we broke out our snacks and the birds descended on us! It was straight out of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".

After about an hour or so Tasha and Nicole decided to document what it's like when the birds attack. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Tasha and Nicole feeding the birds

Michelle being attacked

This is how we ended our visit! Gorgeous!

After a delightful day at the beach, we headed back home and spent the evening just lounging in the house and putting off the fact that we had to pack - we left the next day. Tuesday morning we got up and packed up our stuff and cleaned the house. Nicole even discovered a seashell in a unique location while we cleaned up . I would say where, but you wouldn't believe me so I won't even bring it up.

We said our goodbyes to Tasha's dad and family and made our drive back to the airport. We had managed to get around Florida without too many delays, but I more than made up for that at the airport. We were doing fine until we actually got into the airport area. I was trying to follow the signs to the car rental area, but I was also trying to navigate. I thought I was heading in the right area when I suddenly realized I had entered the "Shuttle/Bus loading Zone". I couldn't reverse and I didn't have a key to get through the gate. We buzzed the lady at the gate and I had to explain to her what happened and that I needed to get out and get back to the car rental area. She let us through and told us to go straight, through one more gate, make a left and then we'd be back at the lane for car rentals. I drove through, got to the next gate and then wondered if I needed another key to get through this gate. I didn't dare chance it so I got behind a van and decided to try and sneak through with him. As I'm going behind him, the gate starts coming down, so I gun it and the Tasha, Nicole & Michelle scream. We also all ducked - thinking the gate would somehow come through the car and get us. We made it through, miraculously, but we were then in the middle of several large shuttles. I got back on the right road and we finally got the correct exit this time. We returned the car and started the trip home.

I still wish I was in Florida! I'm ready for warm weather!

Coldplay!

2008-12-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

After seeing NKOTB I wasn’t sure if any other concert would be able to surpass them in performance and talent, but alas, I was wrong.Two weekends ago I went to see Coldplay with my friend Tasha. The concert was amazing! Probably the best concert I’ve ever been too. I never pegged Coldplay for an entertaining band, but they blew me away. Chris Martin (who has the most gorgeous curly hair) was so entertaining and ran all over the stage dancing and singing (of course) and getting the crowd pumped up. The rest of the band was equally entertaining, but the drummer, Will, was a second personal favorite. He’s cute and insanely talented – he played at least 5 different instruments throughout the show. The band kept the energy up the entire time and got the crowd involved as well. Tasha and I attempted to sit down once or twice, but the show was so energetic that you wanted to be up dancing and singing along.

The stage design itself was amazing. The back drop was a huge screen that had different images of revolutionary type artwork being displayed, or close-ups of the band. They also had several large white balls hanging from the ceiling that had various images projected on them. There were two additional screens further up by the ceiling that were showing the concert and I was actually watching the screen more then the band at times. The way they filmed the concert was amazing. I have a feeling a DVD of this tour will be coming out soon.

During the song Lover’s In Japan (a personal favorite) they released thousands of paper butterflies into the audience. It was quite a beautiful sight and I was a little sad that I wasn’t closer to stage to be apart of the falling butterflies. At one point during the show the band ran off stage and then ran up into the audience and played a couple of songs up there. Our friends Loren, Steve & Catchpole were in this section and were only five rows away from the band! I’m a little jealous!

Coldplay singing in the crowd

Lover's In Japan - millions of paper butterflies!

One thing that impressed me was how polite and humble they were. Chris Martin thanked everyone for coming out and giving up a busy evening to come see them perform. The band really appeared to be excited to be performing for us – something I think some bands neglect to show.

I’ve always been a fan of Coldplay, but now seeing them live I’m bordering on obsessed! Only David Gray and Dave Matthews have been able to capture my attention that way.
It was an amazing evening!

A huge thanks to Loren, Scott and Melanie who sent me their pictures from the concert!

What the Buck?!?

2008-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today I was going about work as normal and I had to run to the building next door to deliver some papers. As I was coming back to the other building I heard this weird click-clack sound on the pavement. I looked up, and what to my wonderous eyes did appear? A 4-point buck! He was just strolling along, crossing between our buildings, then crossed the road and continued down on his merry way.

I wasn't sure I really saw it happen, but I did! I've heard rumor that our building is prone to animal visitors, especially during the winter, but I didn't think I'd ever experience it for myself. I think this is an omen to a good weekend!

La la la la la la - last night!

2008-11-16T22:54:00.000-08:00

15 years ago, they said goodbye - last night they said hello. I'm talking about NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) of course! Last night my friend Kacey and I attended the most anticipated concert of the year, and the best part is that it didn't cost us one cent!

My friend Haley had free tickets and asked me to take them off her hands - I gladly agreed! The night started off very well. Kacey, sporting a side pony tail, had an awesome connection and managed to get us VIP parking. We pulled up to the VIP parking, mentioned our connections name, and they waved us right through. We felt pretty awesome!

The fun kept going after that. I needed to make a bathroom stop before the concert, and as I approached the bathroom I realized that I'd be in line for at least 20 minutes and knowing my issue with restrooms I also knew I may not be able to go. I thought about using the men's room cause there was no line (maybe 20 guys total attended the concert) and as I was thinking that this guy told me I could go in the mens room because no one was in there. So, I went; and so did about ten other ladies. While waiting, this girl came in and announced that she needed to go ASAP - well we all did, so none of us offered to give up our spot. She then had the best idea ever, she'd use a urinal. She walked over, hiked up her skirt to her waist and SAT on the urinal. She didn't hover, she sat! It was at this moment I knew I was going to experience the best night ever!

On our way to our seats, we encountered a girl who was already drunk. Her friend had to prop her up and ask her other guy friend to help her walk to her seat. We finally got to our seats and met our seat neighbors who can only be described as exotic dancers. Their outfits left little to the imagination and their dancing proved that they were taking lessons from Southern X-Posure. I'll have a video link up soon of our favorite dancer.

On to the concert! The boys got started with their new song, Single -which I actually had no idea it was theirs. Well they kept delivering The Right Stuff and stayed in Step by Step while they crooned us and performed some dances that I remembered all to well. I screamed to them over and over "I'll Be Loving You Forever" and for a minute I thought they were going to leave me Hanging Tough, but they didn't! They came back with hit after hit and great dance moves kept coming!

Looking out over the crowd, I noticed it was quite the collection of fans. We had 30+ year old moms who were dancing their hearts out and their kids were just staring at them (some were even sleeping during all of it). We then had girls who only know of the New Kids On The Block from TRL - and not the Saturday morning cartoons like the rest of us. They also have no idea what it means to shout "We're Tough!" or do the dance to "The Right Stuff". They still enjoyed the concert though. We then had people like me and Kacey - who, like the 30 year olds - would freak out when the old classics would come on and knew all the dances and could name each band member. It was a night to remember. We left the concert nearly deaf and kept shouting at each other cause we couldn't tell how loud we were talking. We were singing the songs on the way home and our tired voices kept cracking and going out on us - a good sign that you've enjoyed your night! I wonder if Coldplay will be able to surpass this greatness next weekend... Time will only tell.

I have so many great photos and videos to share and I will post them as soon as I get them from Kacey. Till then, keep Hanging Tough!

That's All Folks!

2008-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

This post has no purpose or message - like 99% of my posts. Just something I found amusing that I wanted to share.

I was driving home the other day and listening to my iPod on shuffle when Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue came on (yes, I listen to classical music - get over it!). As I'm listening to the music, I'm picturing Tom & Jerry, the cartoon characters, having quite the battle with a piano and Jerry enjoying a night out on the town. It then dawns on me that I've seen that before - it's not my imagination. Many of you may recall the great episode where Jerry leaves home and goes to the big city where he dances with a table decoration that's a girl and then gets kicked out. There's also a great scene where Tom is playing the piano music from Rhapsody in Blue and Jerry is in the piano and the piano strings start knocking Jerry around - it's about 11 minutes of great cartoon writing and music.

I then realized that cartoons were probably my first introduction to classical music, political satire and just good television. But I was also saddened by the fact that they don't make great cartoons anymore. My kids will never see Bugs Bunny yell at Hitler, Tom & Jerry fight, Elmer Fudd lose the rascally rabbit, or Road Runner throw a black dot on the wall, run through it and then have a train come out of it as Wyle E Coyote goes chasing after him. I better start buying these on DVD!

Let the games begin!

2008-10-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it's October and that can only mean one thing in the Johnson home - prank wars! About 3 or 4 years ago my mom bought this huge plastic skeleton face that glows in the dark. Well I came home one night and it was hanging on the basement door. That mask always gave me the pee shivers so one night I took it down and hid it. My mom was less than thrilled. She searched the house, found it, and attached it to my mirror in the bathroom. The next morning I walked in and screamed when I saw it - it wasn't funny. So the war began. I took the mask and hid it in her shower, she then hid it in my closet and it just kept continuing.

So now I know every October when the Halloween decorations come out, that I need to be on my guard. My best spot to date was when I hid it in the washer and when she opened the washer door the skeleton face popped out. I heard her scream that time and it was oddly soothing to my ears.

Bu-wa-ha-ha!!!

My insignificant 6

2008-10-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

6 Insignificant Things About Me

Well Stacy tagged me, so here are 6 insignificant things about me that some of you didn’t know about till now

1. I hate the site of chewed gum! You know how people put their gum on their plate while they eat dinner? Well the site of that makes me want to gag. I’d rather buy that person a whole pack of gum then look at it on their plate.

2. I have broken my left arm twice –two summers in a row and at the same person’s house.

3.I can’t pee if anyone is within a ten foot radius of me. So no groups of girls going to bathroom together and I need to be in public restrooms completely alone or else it’s a waste of my time.

4.I’m a monster! I have abnormally small hands (and according to Emily, small feet). I’ve been told several times that my hands are unusually small. I can’t hold a football and have a hard time with a basketball. I get cramps using chopsticks and I drop things all the time. One of the best examples of this (which is already in an earlier post) is when Emily was talking to one of her friends and discovered that he went to Murray High just like I did. When Emily asked if he knew me, his response was “They girl with brown hair and really small hands? Yeah, I know her.” *Sigh*….

5.On Halloween, I favor the kids based on their costume. If they are dressed as Harry Potter they get at least 5-6 extra pieces of candy. I also favor other costumes like Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Disney Princesses. But I also give crappy candy if I don’t approve of the costume. We used to get a bunch of kids between the ages of 13-16 wearing their football jersey top and then rollerblading from house to house. They usually get the gross old lady candy like Werthers, Bit O Honey, etc.

6.I buy books when I’m bored and sad. If I don’t have anything to do on a weekend, I go book shopping. If I’ve had a bad day, I console myself with a book. If I’ve never heard anything about the book, but it just sounds interesting or I like the cover art work, I’ll buy the book. This was fine till I started running out of book shelf space. Now my night stands and dressers are holding stacks of books.

Ok, I now tag the following people to do the same on their website:
Charity & Dean, Julie & Dave, Jill & Justin, Kristin, Tiffany, Emily, Mega Death!, Kathryn, Jenny, Steph, Fox, Haley, Corine, Rachel, Brooke, Michelle White, Michelle Blackham, Carrie, Tasha, Nicole… that’s all I can think of for now. I know a few of you don’t have blogs, but I still want you to email me your list.

Here’s another interesting fact – half of these people don’t even know that I have a blog so I can’t guarantee they’ll get this message. So if you read this blog (all 2 of you – thanks mom & dad!) please feel free to participate!

What?!

2008-10-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a true win-win-win situation. handbagplanet.com is giving away free handbags next week - there's no gimmick. Just register and get your name in the drawing. For anyone who knows me, I have a love of handbags and take handbag shopping seriously - these bags are cute. Click here to see the handbags.

Labor-dabor!

2008-09-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

Humidity, Ice cream, lots of laughs, immodestly dressed little girls, Stephen and his love of David Archuleta, tons of driving, gorgeous scenery and good times. What do all of these items have in common - they all took place on my visit to Ohio for Labor Day weekend and probably one of the funniest and greatest weekends I've experienced in a long time. We arrived in Ohio Thursday afternoon and went to dinner that night w/ Kristin's friends. We love Kristin, she's awesome - I only wish I could say the same for a few of her friends. We meet King of the D-Bags that night! Who, in a matter of two hours, insulted the state of Utah, tried to convince a girl to show her tatoo (which would have involved some removing of her shirt) because "he's a second year med student and it's ok", discussed politics at dinner (a huge no-no when meeting people for the first time), tried to sound smart using big words but it kept backfiring and lastly - majorly offending me, Kacey and Kristin w/ a gross joke regarding the female anatomy (it takes a lot to offend the three of us). But after all that nonsense, the fun began!

Friday we headed for Cedar Point and Kristin brought her friend Stephen (who we absolutley adore) and spent the entire day at Cedar Point. I got a little car sick on the way there which caused me to sit out a few rides, but other than that, the day was a blast. I couldn't help but feel old though while I was at the park. There were so many girls there wearing just bikini tops and small shorts - so small and revealing that I got the pee shivers several times just looking at these girls. Kacey and I were like two old ladies sitting on a porch discussing what's wrong with the youth of today. Oh - and we saw several Amish kids with cell phones and digital cameras.

The next day was a busy one. We headed of to Canton, Ohio and spent the morning at the NFL Hall of Fame. Kacey was in heaven and we had to wipe the drool of her chin several times. It was really neat and we had a lot of fun. We then headed over to Cleveland for the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. This was my favorite part! I love music and I love the history and story behind bands. We spent several hours there and then I spent tons of money in the gift shop.

The next day we headed into Cincinnati to watch the infamous Labor Day fireworks. I had a friend tell me about these fireworks, so we did some researching and then headed out there. We ended up at a park and had a great view of the Ohio river and the bridge where the fireworks are let off. They were phenomenal! I had no idea what we were in for and I wasn't disappointed. They lasted about 45 minutes and they had parachuters coming down from the sky with lights on their packs so they looked like falling stars. They had shapes, words - it was just amazing!

Monday, our last day, we just hung out, did some last minute shopping and then said our goodbyes. I had a fantastic time in Ohio and would love to visit again.

The only downside to the trip was a brief experience I had with an airport security personnel. As Kacey and I were going through security, I had to show my drivers license to one of the security people. He looked my license, at me, back to the license and then back at me again. He then said: "This picture right here, this one - this is the best you'll ever look." I wish I was kidding -but I'm not. I know I've had better days, but seriously?! Who says that!?!

You're Fired! Kidding, you're not!

2008-08-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

I recently experienced the odd sensation of being laid off, offered a severance package and then being told that I have another job offer with the same company and same department. I went from freaking out to confused, all in about ten minutes. I’m sure there’s a better way to break that news. Here’s what I was told: “Hey your position is being terminated. Here’s the severance package and your last day is today. Thanks for all of your hard work. Oh, and if you want it – there’s a position with another team and it’s yours if you want it. I just need an answer by tomorrow morning.” But here’s an alternative they could have considered: “Hey, we have to downsize, but we have another option for you. Blah, blah, blah.” But, I’m over it now and luckily still have a job!

How Much is that Doggy in the Window?

2008-08-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of August I house sat for my friend, Sherry. Sherry and her husband were going out of town and I was asked to stay at the house and watch their dog Rocky. Rocky and I are pretty good friends; I’ve watched him about three other times. Well, this visit was going fairly normal. I work farther away from Rocky now than I did the last few times I watched him, so I wasn’t always able to go home and let him out to use the bathroom at lunch; but we found a way to make it work.

Well the day before Sherry came home, I let Rocky out to use the bathroom and then I got busy cleaning the house. After an hour I realized that I hadn’t heard Rocky at the back door ‘knocking’ to get back in. I went outside to get him and I couldn’t find him. I looked all over the backyard, called his name, searched under the deck (one of his sleeping spots) and in the garden shed. After calling his name for 10 minutes, my worst fears came true – Rocky had escaped! I ran outside with his leash and just started calling his name. I eventually enlisted the help of two cute girls who jumped on their bikes and scouted the neighborhood with me. At this point I was contemplating the cost of buying a dog that looks like Rocky; that plan failed when I realized I didn’t even know the exact breed of dog that Rocky is.

After an hour I decided to call for help. I called my mom and asked if she could drive me around the neighborhood while I looked for him. Right as I met my mom on 4800 S, we both spotted Rocky coming out of someone’s backyard. I shouted for joy, cussed him and then ran towards him. I was so happy to see him! I can’t imagine the phone I would have to make had I not found Rocky: “Hi Sherry, it’s Erin. So, remember your dog Rocky? Well, looks like that’s all you’ll have –memories. I can’t find him.”

Aside from being super dirty, Rocky was fine. We went back to Sherry’s and we boarded up the area where he snuck out. I then hugged Rocky, yelled at him some more and then spoiled him for the rest of the evening. I waited a few hours to call Sherry and tell her what happened – my heart was still racing and I was dreading the phone call. It’s not great to be asked to dog-sit and then lose the dog. It’s frowned upon in most countries – except for maybe Vietnam…

Just cool Your Japanese Jets!

2008-07-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed some fantastic home made sushi this weekend. My friend Emily had a dinner party at her place where we all chipped in and made sushi. It was delicious! I've always wanted to make my own sushi, and now I know how.

I tried to document this thoroughly so I can remember the steps. You first have to lay down soy paper or rice and start patting it into a rectangle.

You should only have 3 items in your sushi roll or else your taste buds will become overwhelmed.

Once you have everything laid out you start rolling it in the bamboo mat.

My first ever sushi roll! I was so proud of myself and everyone laughed at how many pictures I took during this process!

Here's us slicing our rolls! My roll is the one on the right - the less perfect roll.Brian's master piece is on the left.

Emily at one point couldn't handle the stress in the kitchen. Don't worry, we got the knife away before anything happened.

A huge thanks to Mark & Rendy for bringing the soy paper, cooking the tempura veggies and shrimp and being our experts. Also thanks to Brian for making the sticky rice and tackling the hornets nest (that story is below). Thanks to Holly for making the delicious veggie rolls for her boyfriend Jer, even though Jer didn't really like them - he preferred the ones with fish. And a ginormous thanks to Emily and Cailen for hosting a great party and letting us stay at their house all night.

I should mention that before the sushi making started, Emily's husband Cailen and their friend Brian, decided that they needed to get rid of a bees nest. I had to document this event! The hive was sitting at the top of their roof and they were going to spray it, and then knock it down with a stick.It went fairly well and was far more dramatic in person. Emily and I just watched as Brian climbed up on the ladder and blasted the nest with the spray and then jabbed it with the pole. The best part was when the nest flew off and landed on Brian's car. I have video of this, but I haven't figured out how to post video yet.

When There's Nothing Left to Burn, You Have to Set Yourself on Fire

2008-07-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

*UPDATE - So you can all cool your Japanese jets (Stacy), I've finally added the pictures*

And so begins the theme song to my 4th of July adventure –Your Ex-Lover is Dead, by Stars. For the 4th of July, I headed south and east to Blanding with my friend Nicole. Nicole grew up in Blanding and a lot of her family still lives there. We left Thursday night and began the 5 hour drive around 7:00 pm. Nicole brought along her dog Bella, an imperial shitzu, which translates to “a pain in the ass”. Picture a chicken nugget with legs – this is Nicole’s dog. Now Bella isn’t disobedient, she just hates me and I hate her. Bella loves to bark and when she barks, she spits – I refer to it as sparking. I was sparked on all weekend – not my favorite thing. Well, Nicole and I finally arrived in Blanding around midnight and the town was alive and buzzing. Every 3rd of July they start a softball game that lasts until 3 or 4 am. Nicole and I didn’t play, but the entire town was there, it was great.The next morning we got up and headed for the parade. Nicole’s dad owns the local hardware store that sits on the main road so we already had a spot saved for us. The parade’s theme was “Stand Up for America”. The float designs and slogans were so clever. My favorite one was for the senior citizens of the town that read “We’ve stood up for 80 years, now we sit down.”!!! I loved it! When the fire truck came, the kids were all jumping up and down to get sprayed by the hose – little did they know what was about to happen. The truck turned its hose almost all the way up and the water shot everywhere – knocking kids and pets down to the ground. It was hysterical!Another great highlight of the parade was when one of Nicole’s nephews brought over this prize that he got at the parade. It was round and shiny and upon closer examination I informed him that it was the lid to a glass beer bottle. He thought he had found this great toy! The best part was when Nicole’s brother told him to lick the lid – he didn’t’ thank heavens!After the parade we headed over to the carnival to grab some lunch and take in the sights. We got in line for some Filipino food and waited with Stacy and Taylor (Stacy is another local Blanding-ite but now lives in Salt Lake) for almost an hour – this food looked worth the wait. We go to the front of the line and found out there were sold out of their plates and only had kabobs of meat left. I kind of felt like Shrek eating this meat – but it was delicious. The picture below is of me and Stacy enjoying some delicious meat on a stick.

After our meat we decided to head back home and hang out until the night festivities began. We walked through the carnival and my eyes were treated to two more great sites. First – a band playing. These boys were probably about 15-17 years old and the only people there to watch them were a bunch of 12 year old boys. The band members didn’t look too thrilled – “Damn! Where are all the hot chicks to scream for us?!” Just past this was a pole climbing competition. If you could climb this 12 foot pole, maybe higher, and ring the bell, you got $10. Simple enough right? Nope – they greased the pole before each kid climbed it. You could just see these kids holding on for dear life trying to inch there way up, but constantly sliding back down. To the best of my memory, I didn’t see any padding at the bottom of the pole in case a kid fell.Back at the house, Nicole and I just lounged around, celebrated two of her nephew’s birthdays and then decided to go to the Melo Drama. I love melo dramas! I don’t get to see them that often, but they are always a crowd pleaser – and now a great place to find potential husbands. This melo drama featured a great guy, whose name I can’t remember, so we’ll call him Handsome. Well Handsome is a strong contender for an Oscar nod in a leading dramatic role. It was his fine acting that encouraged me to talk to him after the show and set him up with Nicole. He’s a bit younger than Nicole, but she’ll get over it. I’ll have their engagement photo posted soon, but here's a picture of Handsome.

After the play we made our way to the fireworks show. Boy, were they impressive! I honestly was amazed at their firework show. It was great and non-stop fun. They even had a live band playing before the show to get the crowd ready. The next morning we headed out for breakfast in Bluff, Utah where Nicole’s brother, Dallin, introduced me to the rocks affectionately called – Double D’s. You can imagine what they are shaped like – and one of them is pretty accurate. After breakfast we decided to run a few errands – one of them involved stopping at Nicole’s dad’s store. Nicole and Dallin had been telling me how there’s a real skull in the basement of this place. No one knows how it got there or how long it’s been there. I had to see this for myself and sure enough when you come down the stairs – there it is, just perched on the shelf with a few teeth still intact. I’ve included a photo below for those who don’t believe me.

After running errands, we packed up, ate lunch, said our goodbyes and began the drive back home. It was a short trip, but it was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to go back. I stand up for America and for Blanding!

The Hands that Rocked the Cradle (or should still be in it)

2008-07-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

A few of my friends know about a complex of mine. I've always been aware and ashamed of my small hands. I'm 5' 8" and have the hands of a small child. I can barely hold a basketball, I drop things all the time and most winter gloves are too big for me.

Well, a friend of mine, Emily, became friends with a kid who I knew from school. We were never friends, but just knew each other since elementary and through high school. This kid and I have never even had a real conversation. When Emily and I discovered this little fact, Emily asked the kid if he remembered me and he was reponse was "Isn't she the girl with small hands?" Emily just laughed and said "Why yes, yes she is."

Emily knows very well about this complex and couldnt' wait to tell me what had happened. We decided to take pictures to show just how petite my hands are. The photos will be up soon, and once they are, you'll finally see just how small they are.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Killer Godzilla Moth

2008-06-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

Extraordinary things can happen in normal settings, they may be evil, but still extraordinary.

My friend Emily was sitting at work the other day, just minding her own business when she saw something large fly right at her. It was so big and came at her so fast, she didn't have a chance to get a good look at it. Was it a bird? Godzilla with wings? Whatever it was, it was now attacking her head. The monster kept darting in and out and eventually Emily was able to get a look at what was attacking her. It was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Killer Godzilla Moth! Only has National Geographic ever seen a moth of this size. Emily began screaming and trying to knock down the beast, but nothing could be done about it. After several seconds (which felt more like minutes), Emily was able to get the beast away from her.

She looked around and could see no sign of it. She tried going back to work, but couldn't get the image of the attack out of her head. She was itching all over now and couldn't focus on anything.

A few minutes later, Emily heard a soft hum. She looked up, coudln't see anything, and went back to work. The humming grew louder - like the sound of fighter planes circling an area before they strike an attack. As Emily looked up, the moth was flying straight at her and did a nose dive. Was this moth a kamakazi pilot, was he going to nosedive to his death?

He swooped down and landed in her shoe; which was dangling from her foot. This nearly pushed Emily over the edge. It was like she was in The Birds, but instead of birds, she was being attacked by blood thirsty moths. She jumped up and her co-worker came over to see what was going on. They attempted to catch the moth several times, but were unable. They decided to remain absolutely still, let the moth relax and then catch it. Emily was prepared with a cup to capture the moth and in a few moments the moth landed and SWOOP! The moth was caught.

Emily held the cup tightly - not wanting to release the beast. They waited for while before they checked the cup and when they felt safe that they had crushed the moth when they caught it, they peeked in. He was lying still - they had conqured the Godzilla Moth! Emily wanted to photograph this - to prove to everyone what had attacked her.

As she peered in closer - GAH!!! It was still alive! The moth began thrashing around and escaped! He zoomed out and attempted one final attack. Emily was ready this time. He darted, she ducked, he zoomed and she grabbed her cup and- DONE! The Godzilla Moth was finally caught and for sure dead this time.

Emily was relieved to be done with it, but traumatized by what effects the attack had done to her. She couldn't stop itching, she could still hear the buzz of it's wings. She wanted to throw-up and cry at the same time.

To help you understand the size of the moth - Emily was kind enough to send me some pictures. We just have one right now, but we'll post the others very soon.

Oh, the places you'll go!

2008-06-23T13:20:00.001-07:00

I wonder if Dr Seuss ever visited Utah County? It is possible – it could explain some of his characters in his books…
This Saturday I went down to Provo to visit a friend and go to a BBQ to celebrate her husband’s birthday and some other kid’s birthday. It’s a big party and I’ve been going to it for about three years now. I only know my friend Brenae and her husband – everyone else is new to me. When I arrived, I chatted with Brenae for a while and then I ended up chatting with her brothers (Austin and Alex) who I know a little. We sat down for dinner and a little while later this guy came over and asked if he and his friend could sit with us. We did our quick introductions and Zach, the new kid, thought my name was Erica. I corrected him and we moved on. Well about ten minutes later he called me Erica and I reminded him that it was Erin. I congratulated him on getting it close though. Well about 30 minutes later he went to get something to drink and offered to fill my glass up- “Hey Erica, can I get you a drink?” to which I replied “No, but you can get Erin a drink”. He apologized again, and filled up my drink. Well, over the next hour, he kept calling me Erica and I was sick of correcting him so I went along with it. By the end of the night, I had about 5 people calling me Erica. Well, as the night went on, Zach and I went our separate ways and didn’t talk much after that.

The party is wrapping up and I hear “Hey Erica, Erica!” I didn’t respond, because I had forgotten that I was Erica. He shouted it again and when I looked up he was waving goodbye. “Nice meeting you Erica – see you around”. (He also forgot that I lived in Salt Lake). I just waved and said goodnight. My friend had quite the confused look on her face and I had to quickly explain what was going on. What’s the point in correcting someone that you’re never going to see again?

Believe it or Not

2008-06-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

I have amazing friends who are capable of doing amazings things and surviving amazing experiences. One of these people is Meg Hall, or as I call her - MegaDeath!

Meg has survived many situations that would have claimed some people's lives. I warn you now that one of these stories is not for the faint of heart. Please check back frequently for more Meg stories.

Did you hear that rip?
The setting: Grover, Utah - about two years ago.

Meg was down in Grover with some friends enjoying a nice weekend of camping. The trip had gone succesful for the most part, right up until that fateful moment. Meg and her friend went out on a Gator to ride around for a while. For those of you who don't know what a Gator is- it's a six-wheeler ATV. Meg and her friend get out on this Gator and spend some great time on it - being very safe responsible adults.

Well they turned a corner a little too fast and Meg wasn't paying attention so she had to brace herself quickly so she wouldn't fall off. Majority of her body leaned one way and Meg put her other leg down to try and stop herself from falling off the Gator. Before Meg knew what happened her leg was pulled inbetween the three wheels on one side and she was yanked off. Her body had turned into a wish bone. The majority of her body was still a top the Gator, but her leg was being pulled under the wheel and it basically made her do the splits - half on top of the gator the other half under the Gator.

Her friend quickly stopped the Gator to see what was going on. Meg was laying on the ground and not really sure what was going on. She was in extreme pain and her legs were throbbing.

Now, by some miracle, they happened to be near a girls camp site that had a paramedic in their group. He saw what happened and ran over to help. Meg was still unsure of exactly what was going on - she only knew she could barely move her legs.

As Meg was laying there, her friends were slowly making their way over to see what was going on and how they needed to help. One of Meg's friends was talking to her and Meg told her friend that she was embarassed because somehow during the accident she had peed her pants and she could feel the wetness on her legs and pants. Meg's friends face just froze and then explained to Meg that it was actually blood. From her waist down her legs, Meg was covered in blood. She was cut somewhere and was bleeding pretty bad.

They called for an ambulance and when they arrived they informed meg that they were going to have to cut her pants off so they could see where her cut was. Good ol' Meg was concerned that her new great jeans were going to be cut and ruined (she was still in shock and wasn't grasping what was going on). They realize that Meg's cut is more of a tear. Meg has torn herself from hole to hole (if you know what I mean).

She gets in the ambulance and heads for the hospital. She meets with the Dr and he breaks the news to her. Meg has suffered a level 6 episiotomy! Guys, if you don't know what this is, ask a girl. Girls - I'm sure you're all crossing your legs right about now.

Meg was speechless. When she was pulled under the Gator and the wishbone effect happened - it literally tore her in half.

Meg was a trooper though. She was lifeflighted back to Salt Lake and was treated here and then put on heavy restrictions. She could barely walk, her legs looked like someone has beaten them with a bat and she really couldn't sit down. She was basically on bed rest for the first few weeks.

For those of you who know Meg - this is only one of her amazing stories and she tells this one much better. For those who know her really well and got to her legs after the accident -well, we all said our prayers that night and expressed gratitude for our ability to walk and sit down.

Meg eventually healed and we were able to take advantage of her handicap parking pass that she had for several months till she was able to handle walking long distances. Meg, you're one tough chick!

g-g-g-ghost!

2008-06-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

I started a new job a little over a month ago, with Myriad Pharmaceuticals. Well, about a week into my job I had an interesting experience in the break room. I took a late lunch and ended up being the only person in the break room. I sat down and started eating and reading my book. Twenty minutes later this lady walked in and sat directly across from me. Now keep in mind that the entire room is empty with about 6 tables to choose from and she chooses to sit in front of me. I look up and say hello and she doesn't say anything back. I go back to my book, but I keep glancing up to look at the lady. She isn't eating, drinking, reading - she's doing nothing. She's just sitting there and staring out the window behind me. She sometimes closes her eyes and takes deep breaths, and then just stares back out the window. Well a few more people come in the break room but she doesn't look at them and they don't look at her; but every time I move my head, she follows where I'm looking. This goes on for about twenty minutes and then she gets up and leaves.

I was left kind of speechless. Why would this lady come in and choose to sit directly across from me? I circled the floor trying to find her to make sure she was real, but I could never find her.

About a week later I was back in the break room eating lunch and the lady comes in again! This time she sits across from me, but just to the side, and does the same thing. Just stares out the window and takes deep breaths and closes her eyes. I said hello again, and she said nothing.

After this encounter I'm 90% sure that she's a ghost. A former employee of Myriad that was killed in a freak drug experiment and now she stalks the new employees to warn them. I circled the building again, but I still never found her. I was never able to see her when other people were around so I could never confirm whether or not she was real.

Well, this past week I went into the break room at an earlier time and who did I see - the ghost! She was sitting a table with 5 other girls. I decided I would watch her every move so I could see if she talked to people and if people acknowledged her. She was leaning into the group and listening to their conversation, but she wasn't talking. None of the girls in the group were talking directly to her either. As they finished their lunch and headed out of the room, I kept watching to see if they would wait for her and walk back to their desks together. They all filed out, but not one looked to make sure she was following them and when they reached the door to their desks they didn't hold the door for her.

I'm convinced that she's a ghost - I've never seen her talk to anyone or anyone talk to her. I only see her in the break room and I never see her eating.

My goal is to get a picture of her and see if she "materializes" on film. As soon as I have this picture, I'll post it!

Welcome

2008-06-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

So, this is the third blog I've created, because somehow with all the other blogs I created, I wasn't able to edit them... I always thought I was tech savvy, but obviously not. Please be patient while I get my site updated from my old ones.