songs gauranteed to make me happy

the only songs i never 'skip' on my ipod:

little red corvette-prince
faith-george michael
walking in memphis-marc cohn
we built this city-starship

it's an errant thought with little significance, i was simply amused when it occurred to me.

happy sunday to all, and to all, a good week.

dating (tara) for dummies

in no particular order, and compiled as a result of varying experiences...

1. get to know me. ask me questions about myself. then repeat something i’ve said back to me so that i know you actually listened to my answers. i promise, i will ask you questions too, and i will listen to the answers. then we both get to talk about ourselves and to learn about each other.

2. call me sometimes. don’t wait for an invitation, or to see what my online status is. just call me when you want to talk to me, whether it is 8am in the morning, in the middle of the day, or if you just want to say good night. if i can pick up, i will. if i can’t, i will call you back.

3. tell me you like me. often. and don’t include a body part other than my brain when you tell me why you like me.

4. send me random notes to tell me you are thinking about me. im, text message, email, snail mail...it doesn’t matter.

5. ask me to recommend something to read. then read it.

6. express a desire and make an effort to spend time with me.

7. err on the side of ‘there is no such thing as too much information.’ give me more information than you think i want or need (i.e. ‘well, first, i got out of bed, then i brushed my teeth’. or ‘i don’t think you are as funny as you think you are.’) i’ll tell you when enough is enough, and you will have scored points in the process.

8. be a gentleman, not a 'gentle' man. be nice to me. open doors. offer to pay...every once in awhile i'll let you. treat people of little consequence to you with respect. be courteous to your waitress when she screws up your order. but don't be a wimp. be a man. know when to put me on a pedastal and when to knock me off it (figuratively, of course). be a mechanic and a poet.

9. it is never too soon to send flowers. if you aren't sure what kind of message to send me, send me tulips. they are my favorite, and the only message they convey is 'i thought about you. have a nice day.'

10. if we haven't met yet, buy me a plane ticket, or come see me. if it doesn't go well, i'll split it with you. if it does go well, i'll buy the next one. but! if you are not anxious to meet me, don't waste my time.

and the bonus!

11. make sure that your words are consistent with your actions. in other words, put up or shut up.

notes from the universe

not long ago, a co-worker turned me on to a site that will send you notes from the universe. a daily email, with a little tidbit of some sort.

some days are more amusing than others.

this is what the universe had to say to me today:

How could it be difficult, challenging or hard, Tara, when so many others have done it?

You know, anything. For instance, to move.

funny, right?

anne's was equally on point.

in other news, i am sorry to disappoint those of you who have been amused by my 'tales from online', but i am officially taking an online dating hiatus. chalk it up to increased frustration and decreased tolerance, but i'm done for awhile, or forever. i don't really know yet.

open invite

friday night, 9:45, reston towncenter, chick flick: 'catch and release'

dinner at uno's, 7:30.

email or call me if you're in.

karina, karina

while yesterday's post focused on largely on someone i have known for a very long time, and know well, today's post focuses on someone who is a virtual stranger. except not.

a couple of years ago, almost two, to be exact, i went to utah to visit family and some friends i had made online. while there, i was at a social function , and found myself in the kitchen talking to a girl i had never met before. her name was heather, and she had spent time in the dc area. we had many mutual friends, and even beyond that, there was an instant connection between us.

there are moments. they are few and far between, but they happen. moments when the eternal wheels click into place and start to turn. in these moments, there is a recognition that defies logic. and it is always mutual. you know, and they know, that you have each met someone who is going to change your life, simply by being a part of it. it's not that they will alter your path or your destiny in obvious ways, necessarily, but a divine purpose will be served. in these moments, coincidence becomes obsolete.

meeting heather in the kitchen at a stranger's house was one of those moments. however, the most fascinating thing about that moment, is that it generated another such moment with another person. prior to that experience, i have never felt such a strong connection with two different people in such a limited time frame (only minutes apart!).

it was through heather that i met karina. karina and i sat down on a couch, and didn't leave it for the remainder of the night. as we related our life stories to one another, there were enummerable parallels and an uncommon understanding. she and i both knew we had found a wonderful new friend in eachother.

since that meeting two years ago, our communication has been sporadic at best. life is life, and it is easy to lose sight of what is important. for months, karina and i have tried to actually have a phone conversation, but our timing has been incredibly bad. last night, we were finally able to connect, and it was if not one day had passed since last we spoke. as we recounted our experiences over the last year, we could have each told the other's story. though the timing had been different, our experiences bear shocking similarities.

our conversation lasted for hours, and reminded me of that special connection. that feeling of knowing someone without knowing them has happened to me a grand total of 7 times. each time, it was powerful--hence the reason i can so clearly recall the frequency. 3 of those people are 3 of my best friends and have been for years. 3 of them are still virtual strangers, who i would do anything for. only one of them have i dated, but since most of them are girls, that is probably for the best;)

at any rate, i am thrilled to have karina back in the forefront of my thoughts. and in fact, i may have even convinced her to move to london with deb and i! now THAT would be something!

i'm also thrilled that i will have a chance to reconnect with heather when i'm in utah in march (which ironically, will be our exact 2 year anniversary date of meeting), and assuming i do ever make it to london, i plan to spend a lot of time with louise--whether she likes it or not:)

all this to say, i am grateful for the people in my life. the friends and family who know me well and still put up with me, and the relative strangers who's brief appearances in my life, leave indelible impressions.

it's only wednesday

but i think that in regards to this week, it’s safe to say ‘so far so good.’

in fact, it’s actually been a really good week.

first, there is work. for the first time in a long time i am actually starting to get excited about some of my upcoming events. not to mention that i have been really (dare i say it?) productive this week! i really work best when i am under pressure, with tight deadlines and impossible tasks. having dragged my feet for the last couple of months, i am finding it’s now do or die time, and i’m loving it. i’m getting so much accomplished, my creativity is sparked, and i’m feeling a little like my old work self again!

i have been desperate to get out of here before april, and my biggest event of the year, but now, i can’t imagine not being here for it.

we are holding it at the steven f. udvar-hazy center (the air & space satellite campus) and have settled on a mission: possible theme, complete with some of the most incredible decor you’ve ever seen, and our very own ‘ethan’ suspended from the ceiling serving drinks. the main band will perform next to the sr-71, and we’ll have a dj in the space shuttle hangar. this party is seriously going to kick.

i have the go-ahead to out source some of the tasks this year, which means, i may even bring a date! interested parties should submit applications with no less than five references;)

in other news, you may remember that i was asked to teach a class at the stake enrichment meeting being held in february. i reluctantly accepted, and those of you who know, will understand how difficult that was for me. i got more information today regarding the evening’s topic and my assignment. i had to laugh when i read that the scriptural theme for the evening: live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you (Alma 34:38). if you don’t understand why i find that so amusing, read my last post.

at any rate, my teaching assignment is: "get a handle on it: stress management."

i’m laughing again, and not sure if it is me that is supposed to be learning, or the class i will be teaching!

at any rate, the real highlight of the week thus far has been dinner with aaron and cindy. we have been trying unsuccessfully to get together for ages, but with work and sickness, and prior engagements, we couldn’t seem to make it work--until last night.

aaron and i have known each other for about 15 years. i’ve included this prom photo of the two of us, mostly because i think it will make him laugh. i was 15 in this pic, and i think aaron was 17? at the time, that was a pretty big deal, and i think he takes great pride in being the only boyfriend my dad ever pulled a gun on.

it’s probably fair to say that he was my first love (in that pure, yet overly dramatic way that you love someone when you are a sophomore in high school). during the last decade and a half, there have been times when we were closely in contact, and others when we got a little bit lazy. though i can’t speak for him, i think i’m safe in stating that we have both come to cherish the friendship that has developed and remained over all that time. hmmm. i guess that makes aaron my first love and my longest love. said love has taken on many variations, beginning with that high school puppy love, and evolving into a deep respect and care.

fortunately for everyone, aaron married an incredible woman, who impressed me the first time i met her. she is warm and accepting, and though very different from aaron, she is in every sense of the cliche, his other half. some people just fit, and it is largely due to their great relationship, and just how friggin’ cool she is, that aaron and i are able to continue the friendship evolution.

needless to say, i was excited to see them both. an evening with these two promises great conversation, lots of laughs, just the right amount of sarcasm, and bottle pointing--and it did not disappoint. not only that, but i was thrilled to learn that 2 1/2 year old caius, who apparently only likes blondes, was willing to make an exception for this brunette. and it was everything i could do not to kidnap him and take him home with me.

also worth noting is that aaron made me a deal last night. we have a mutual friend who writes and produces his own plays. aaron’s deal was that he would do a small part, if i would. which, i must admit, i’m considering--if only for the fact that it wold be great to see aaron on a stage again. and of course, i think the three of us together back in that environment, would bring no end of merry mayhem. i’m always up for a bit of that!

the evening did make me start to wonder whether i should consider blogging a bit less, as every time i started on a story, aaron’s response was ‘i know, i read your blog.’ sometimes i am concerned that i share too much, but in this one area at least, it comes more from my innate need to write than my need to share. this one-time english major doesn't really have another outlet (although i'm working on fixing that). hence, the justification for my innundation. perhaps, if all goes according to dream (no, not plan), i will be able to keep some thoughts a bit more closely guarded...more like a normal person.

at any rate, back to the subject at hand. there are some people you can not see for a long time, and when you do, you think ‘alright, this will tide me over for the next year,’ and there are others who make you think ‘man that was fun, when can we do it again?’ aaron and cindy definitely fall into the latter category, and now that i have an open invitation to ‘just show up,’ i won’t be letting so much time pass between our visits.

the rest of the week promises a steady decline, as i now have to begin preparing my lesson, but at least i started the week off right!


ps-aaron, why do i always feel like i am spelling cindy’s name wrong? am i?

new year's post

i have been writing, deleting, and rewriting a new year’s post for about three weeks now, and nothing has felt quite right.

typically, the beginning of a year brings reflection on the year past and a resolve to make changes in the next year. it is no secret that 2006 was rough. and yet, by year’s end, i found myself overwhelmed with gratitude. i became acutely aware of the priveleges and the blessings my life has afforded me, and was humbled by my unworthiness to have received them.

that thought is with me still, and has been prevalent as i have pondered the many possible areas of improvement for 2007. my one and only resolution for 2007 has been not to make any resolutions. it’s been my experience that making a new year’s resolution simply gives one another opportunity to disappoint oneself, and that is not how i wanted to begin what i expect to be the greatest year i’ve ever had (all in the attitude. all in the attitude.)

despite my anti-resolutionist attitude, i believe in goal setting. and in considering what goals might be worthwhile, i kept coming back to this feeling of gratitude. and fair warning, this may be the strangest new year’s post you’ve ever read.

i grew up in the home of a writer. and as a writer, my father traveled often. when possible, he would take my brother and i along. each year he traveled as a lecturer for a tour group, usually spending about a month in a new part of the world. usually dylan and i were left with relatives for those trips. one year though, the trip was scheduled to coincide with my first month of high school, so dad arranged for us to come along. It was an eastern european trip, and we covered a lot of ground. i would have liked to spend more time, but with 13 countries in 30 days, that wasn’t really an option.

however, despite the brevity of our time in each individual place, i learned three great lessons on that trip that have stuck with me for the last 16 years.

the first came in romania. we were there before the wall fell, and i imagine it is a much different place now. at the time however, it was dirty and poverty stricken. when we arrived in bucharest, the driver pulled the tour bus into one of the town squares. we had been instructed prior to the trip to bring extra every day items, such as toothbrushes, soap, etc.

curious children began approaching to see what was going on. they were dirty, mostly shoeless, and inappropriately dressed for the weather. we began handing out some of the items we had brought. i don't think to this day i have seen such a look of joy cross someone's face. it was the first time i truly understood how fortunate i was to be an american, and I have never forgotten it. romania to me had nothing to do with the architecture or the landscape, but with the lesson it taught me.

the other two lessons were both learned in poland, and almost simulaneously. i had the opportunity to visit auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp in poland. while there, we wandered through the ‘showers’ where prisoners were gassed, firing walls, where they were shot, and ovens where they were creamated. while all of that was completely disturbing, what had the most impact, was walking through various buildings, in which items collected from prisoners such as shoes and eyeglasses were piled behind glass for our viewing pleasure. there was one building however, that i was completely unprepared for. as i passed through the doorway, i was immediately engulfed by a stench i could not place. i took another step and saw one of the most horrifying things i have ever seen. piles and piles of rotting hair. hair that had been collected as prisoners’ heads were shaved.

the showers and the firing wall and the ovens had disturbed but not mortified me. it was seeing and smelling that pile of hair that created waves of nausea that sent me running from the building. at 14 years old, i understood what kind of evil atrocities humans were capable of perpetrating on one another, but even beyond that, i understood the kind of impact that our lives and experiences could have on eachother. i have never personnally known a holocaust survivor, but learning of their lives humbles me and reminds me how blessed i am. and again, i return to gratitude.

last week, i went to see ‘freedom writers’ with the girls, and did not realize that the holocaust would be a part of the story line. though i have been thinking recently about my experiences in eastern europe, the movie reminded me yet again of the lessons i have learned.

in considering what it is that i want to accomplish in 2007, i realized that as a result of my having been so blessed, i wanted to somehow find a way to bless the lives of others. this is a well-entrenched desire, yet i have struggled to determine how it is that i can accomplish it.

i think all of us have an innate desire to make a mark on the world, but doing so often seems a bit out of our reach. i was certain that i would be a mother by now, and i have always felt that parenthood is the most noble way to bless the lives of others. seeing as how i am not in that situation however, i have struggled and often been overwhelmed in attempting to find a suitable alternative.

what i have finally began to understand, is that our impact on the lives of others does not have to be overt or grand. gestures that are small and simple have a power all their own. and it is that power that i am seeking to expand upon this year. small and simple gestures meant to bless the lives of others, in gratitude for the blessings i have received.

weekend update

friday afternoon, my co-worker and i headed to the brand new whole foods near our offices for lunch (blessed be!).

it was a cornucopia of yumminess, and i had a hard time deciding. eventually, i asked for a stuffed pepper, and the counter slaves could not find the price, so they gave it to me as a sample. as the guy handed me my pepper, he said ‘that’s on us honey. just come back and tell us what you think.’

i found it amusing because strangers often use terms of endearment for me. i am almost never maam or miss, but almost always honey, sweetie, or darlin’. i can be with women, men, by myself--it doesn't matter. i don’t know what it is about me that elicits that response, but it is too common to deny. on one hand, it’s endearing. on the other, a little creepy.

friday evening was an altogether different experience.

i haven't been in a bar in probably four years or so. it's not that i am uncomfortable with the environment, but the last time i was in one, i was with several girlfriends. every one of them got hit on, except me. now granted, the average height of the guys at this place was 5'7", and with three inch heels, my 6'0" self wasn't exactly screaming 'hey, i'm approachable.' yet, it was enough of an ego blow that i have completely avoided the scene.

so here i am on a friday night, and i've got to go to a bar for work. yes, i realize tht sounds strange, but there was a band playing, and the band wants to play at our big event in april. this was the best opportunity to audition them. thank heavens anne was able to go last minute, because i had completely forgotten about it, and was terrified to go alone.

so, with my wing-girl locked in, we headed to the club/pool hall/bar. anne and i were both a little out of our element, and it wasn't long before a timid girl approached us. thinking, based on the location of the joint, that she could very well be someone i knew from my past, i was curious as to what she had to say. 'hi. this is so embarassing, but my friends think that you are cute and want to buy you a drink. are you single?'

i was taken completely off guard. granted, i sometimes get picked up in very strange locations, ie, gas stations, or even weirder yet, from moving cars (twice now, i have had guys write down their phone numbers and hold it up to their windows as they passed by me in their vehicles), yet it had never occurred to me that someone might try to pick me up in a bar. clearly, i am out of practice. my first response was the honest one. we're single. then running through my head was 'doh!, why did i tell her that? now what are we going to do?' so i tried to recover. 'all i'm drinking is diet coke. tell them we're mormon, and we're no fun.'

admittedly, not my best work. and i immediately thought 'oh crap. men love a challenge,' as this girl simultaneously said 'oh, i don't know, men like a challenge!'

not sure where to go from there i just asked her to tell them thank you, but not interested, which is probably what i should have started with. she told us to take a look around, and if we saw anything we liked to change our minds, to let her know. we didn't.

we stayed for another half hour or so before i felt like i had seen enough to make a decision and we were off.

saturday was a completely lazy day. i think i hate being single most on saturdays (or valentine's days or birthdays, or other holidays, but there are a lot more saturdays). my longest relationship ever lasted four years, and i remember that when he and i were dating, saturdays were crammed full of too many things to do, and not enough time. saturday mornings, were always spent at the ballpark with his 7 year old--baseball, football, or basketball, depending on the season. after that, there were always a million things to get done. there was never a quiet moment.

now it seems like saturdays are completely lifeless. i tend to get most of my 'must dos' done during the week..the cleaning, the laundry, etc. probably a result of my circadian cycle. so by the time saturday comes, i am bored to tears. a lazy saturday is a great thing once in awhile, but when every saturday is a lazy day, it gets old fast. i end up feeling like i have put my weekend to no good productive purpose. i used to volunteer on saturdays, but i was out of town on enough weekends, that it just didn't work with the type of program i was involved in. that had at least made me feel like i was doing something. however, the continued frequency of travel is preventative of trying that again.

all that to say, saturday was booo-ring. i went through the three netflix movies i had, and that's pretty much it.

by the time i came out of church on sunday, snow was already accumulating and the driving already a bit dicey. it was the first snow in our unseasonably warm winter, and i was in heaven.

i've been eagerly anticipating this first snowfall, and i think it no coincidence that our first real snow came on the 21st--my favorite day of the month. i think it was god's way of saying 'just for you, tara!'

and it was appreciated. i love the way the snow muffles the harshness of the world. the sounds of cars and people are diminished, and the silence brings a peace rarely found in today’s world.

i have severe issues with cabin fever, though, and the minute i find out or determine i can't or shouldn't get in my car and go somewhere, i am dying to get out. the roads in my neighborhood were fairly treacherous for a time, and i was trying to do the smart thing and avoid driving. so, in order to combat my need to get out, i took the dog for a walk. actually, several walks.

the feel of the cool bite of winter was incredible. it was a perfect night, windless, chilly, and the world to myself, if only for a few moments.

i was impressed this morning that the roads were mostly clear and safely passable, and even more impressed that drivers were being far more cautious then i am used to them being here.

i arrived at my office earlier than usual to prepare for a meeting, and as i walked toward the building, it seemed that all of the inhabitants were actually leaving it. fire drill. we huddled in the cold until we were finally allowed in, and i got my arse in gear for the first time in weeks.

i am the kind of person who works better with a tight deadline. i am more productive and have no time to drag my feet. but in reality, i've been dragging my feet for awhile now--doing just enough to get by in my job, and now crunch time is nearly upon me. all in all, that is probably a good thing.

and now that i have spent the last 5 minutes writing this post, it's time to get back to it!

looking for my beatrice...

i love it when steph finds new quizzes, and coming as absolutely no shock whatsoever, she and i both managed to end up as benedick.

i find this particularly humorous since for as long as i can remember, the relationship between beatrice and benedick has been one i have aspired to. to me, it is the perfect relationship...intelligent, full of wit and fiercely passionate. in my head, this relationship will never be boring, or same 'ol same 'ol. they will constantly challenge eachother, while simultaneously being completely devoted to one another.

so all these years i've been searching for my benedick, but it would seem that as I am benedick, i should really start searching for my beatrice? geesh. no wonder i am still single.

Benedick

Hark, Ye scored 73!

You are Benedick from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing! Wryly sarcastic, but with a warm and loving heart, you look for love and happen to find it.. normally in the most unlikely of places.

You consistently need to assure yourself that you are not falling prey to love.. but everyone (including yourself) knows that you are.







Link: The Shakespearian Character Test written by LoudmouthLee on OkCupid

check this out

this video of slippey slidey (yes, that is official terminology) cars in portland is pretty wild (thanks justin).

dylan and kelly, for the love of all that is holy, please stay safe.

road trip rehab..um, i mean, recap

i thought i’d spare you the bad pun a second time around...let the storytelling commence.

i was on the road early saturday morning to make the solo four hour drive to ny. on friday, i had taken care of all the drive-time munchie requirements, and although none of my standard road trip staples (gobstoppers, hershey nuggets with almonds and toffee, and sour cream and onion pringles) were to be found, i settled on some tropical licorice, peanut m&m’s, and cool ranch doritos, as well as a stash of diet coke and water.

with the tank full, and the bank account tapped, i was on my way.

since purchasing my garmin gps a few months ago, i’ll admit that i have had some buyer’s remorse--simply as a result of not having had the opportunity to use it. however, i knew this would be the perfect opportunity to overcome my regret, but i did NOT know, that my garmin is actually a magical little box. in fact, it seemingly has the ability to actually shorten roads. i don’t really know how. it’s just a small silver little box, but it does. ...more on that later...

at any rate, the roads were completely clear. i mean, shockingly clear. particularly for a holiday weekend. i maintained a constant speed of 80, and managed to make it into the city to pick up deb in a record (for me) 4 hours. not wanting to search for a parking space, it was a quick pickup and we were on our way.

our hotel was located in newport, but i had always wanted to see providence. originally, we planned to stop in newport, drop off our bags, and then head onward to make our spa appointment in providence. once across to rhode island border however, we popped in the welcome center, and realized that heading straight on to providence made more sense.

when deb asked me why it was that i had wanted to see providence (as we were trying to decide what to do there), i had no answer. not only did i have no idea what i wanted to do, but i didn’t even have an idea of where providence was in the great state of ri. it was then that we realized that this trip was going to be the complete opposite of every trip we had ever taken together before.

we were completely open to whatever providence had to throw at us. which, somehow turned into a metaphor for life that was oft repeated throughout the weekend. each time, it seemed more profound than the last, in the way that road trip revelations always seem profound.

another important revelation from this trip was that rhode island really loves it’s dunkin donuts. i mean. it's serious business. between the dunkin donuts center and the dunkin donuts stores located on every block, it was clear that we weren’t in kansas anymore.

after our mandatory stop at dunkin donuts (really, they made us sign an agreement at the welcome center!!), we were off to meander around providence. our first exposure was more than expected. we were impressed by the size of the providence statehouse and fell in love with all of the gorgeous old houses on the hill. but...little did we know that that would be the best providence had to offer!

we found our way downtown, which for a ‘downtown’ area, was altogether too quiet. we walked the streets, looking for something too peak our interest. and we kept walking. eventually we decided that we would head back to check out the fabulous houses. we got a little turned around, and the garmin, in its only glitch of the trip, was no help. for a city so small, we managed to get incredibly turned around.

eventually though, we found what we were looking for, and wandered through tiny streets ooohing and aaahing over the homes and the city views being up on the hill provided.

then it was time to head back down and to the red door spa for our hot stone massages. we got checked in, changed into robes, and relaxed for a bit, before the treatments.

it was an ‘interesting’ experience. as i am not a frequent massagee, and my one previous experience with a hot stone massage was at one of the nation’s premiere spas, i probably went into this with unreasonably high expectations. this particular treatment was light on the ‘hot stone’ and heavy on the massage. in that regard, i was disappointed, however, my masseuse did work out some serious kinks in my neck and shoulders, which i am still reaping the benefits of.

when we had both finished and re-clothed ourselves, it was time to head on to newport. that was easier said then done, as no matter where how hard we tried, we could not seem to find a way out of providence. i am convinced that the garmin and the city itself, were conspiring to keep us there. but we perservered , and defeated the evil garmin, at which point, it was put in time out.

on the way to newport, we stopped for dinner, then completed the rest of the journey.

you may remember that i recently mentioned deb having spent new year’s in france. as it turned out, her living situation there was atypical from her previous travels. to say that deb is a five-star traveler, is to make a gross understatement. so when she arrived in france and found that the chalet she would be occupying, was slightly more cramped than she had expected, she began referring to that trip as ‘camping.’

i don’t think deb has ever actually been camping, but it’s safe to say that if she has, it has been a long time, and not an experience she is likely to repeat. this, for her, was as close to ‘camping’ as she will probably ever get.

so, after learning that she was capable of ‘roughing’ it, she decided that rather than staying in one of the higher end hotels in newport, we would stay in one of the historic hotels (a two star difference). not being that particular about my accommodations--as actual camping would have suited me fine (although admittedly, probably not in january)--i was amenable to her little experiment.

when we arrived, after 10pm, the doorman told us that we were the last to arrive. we thought he was joking, as it was a large enough hotel, that it seemed surprising he would know that. at any rate, the hotel was cute, and we checked in without incident. the reservationist confirmed our two queens, gave us the room key, and we headed to our quarters. when we opened the door, we found one king bed, and it was back to the desk.

it should be said that deb and i have shared much smaller beds than a king. both of us are ‘edge’ sleepers, and neither of us moves a great deal, so the reality of the situation was not at issue. for deb however, there was a principle at stake. i know that no room request is ever guaranteed, but deb wanted to know how it was that our room was given to someone else.

the fact of the matter is, the hotel was sold out. nothing was going to change that. we really were the last people to arrive, so i remained mostly silent while trying to gauge from eye movements what it was the deb wanted to occur. i would later learn that she was debating about asking for a refund--just on principle. i was slightly relieved that she didn’t, but we did walk away with free parking and breakfast.

we settled in and decided to watch a movie. i had brought my netflix booty, and we agreed on jane austen. it was ‘emma’ in minseries form, starring a young kate beckinsale. we plopped the mac in between us on the bed, and turned the lights off for the show.

earlier in the day, i had commented that traveling was simply an excuse to have an adult slumber party, and with our movie and our treats, cureld up in bed in our pajamas, it would seem that my offhanded comment had very real applications!

neither of us made it through the movie, which for me is quite uncommon. i can only justify that by saying that i had been in the car for a really long time that day!

on saturday, we woke naturally. no alarm clock. no wake up call. i remembered the whisp of a dream and relayed it to deb, which had her doubled over with laughter for some time.

it is common knowledge to anyone who has ever shared a room or a bed with me, that i sleep talk. not the mumbling, can’t understand me, sleep talking. the full on conversation, clearly enunciated kind of sleep talking. in fact, if i am sharing a room with another sleep talker, i can even engage in entire conversations in my sleep. no one has ever complained, though a few have been slightly amused.

the minute portion of the dream i can remember was having a conversation (not a real one) with deb, in which she told me that she didn’t think she could go camping with me anymore because she was too annoyed by my sleep talking. after confirming that she was not in fact, affected thus--made evident by her laughter and surprise--we rolled ourselves out of bed to get a start on the day.

at 10 we headed to breakfast, and by 11, we were out the door, and on to the breakers.

last week, when deb complained that none of her ny friends would go see the breakers with her, and i began considering the road trip, i asked her to send me more info. i must not have been paying attention, because when she sent me the link to a house, i was surprised. house tours are not my thing, yet deb and i always always have a good time together, who i was willing to give it a shot.

the weather was cool, but not cold, and misty, but not rainy. we drove to the breakers and found the first of three impressive houses we would wander though--the other two being rosecliff and marble house.



marble house had us trying our hand at an audio tour again, and as you may recall, our prior experience had been slightly disastrous. this time however, we were much more successful, and managed to avoid attempting to walk in different directions. i think it’s safe to say that we have been won over, as we like to move at our own pace, yet have access to information on demand.

following the house tours, we found parking at access to the newport cliff walk. simply a 3.5 mile walk along the coast, we were excited to be able to hear the waves and smell the sea as we walked behind some of the incredible houses we had just been inside.



we of course, took entirely too many photos, and amused passersby with our silliness. in fact, it is safe to say that that silliness is one of the best reasons i can conceive of for traveling with deb. i’ve highlighted and poked fun at some of her travel quirks, however, she is absolutely one of my favorite people to travel with. though we have different interests, we are always amenable to one another’s and can sincerely have fun, no matter what we are doing. i also find that we are more goofy with one another than we are with other people, and sometimes, that is a much needed release. not to mention that deb puts up with my excessive photo taking better than anyone else.

she actually impressed me this time around with the quantity of photos SHE took. we both love half-light portraits. there is something about the way a flash reflects in the mist on an overcast day that gives portraits (self and otherwise) an ethereal feeling. complexions are smooth, eyes are bright, and skin glows. it was quite a bit colder walking along the water, which only made us more determined to turn the gray day to our advantage.

after completing the cliff walk, it was time for dinner. we loved driving through town, checking out all of the adorable boutiques, and eventually landed ourselves at a local italian restaurant. when our meals came, we were both shocked at the quantity of food that was brought to us. i think it is fairly natural to assume a certain portion of food based on a certain price point--all relative to one’s experience. having our expectations blown out of the water was eye-opening to say the least. tasked with finishing an entire pizza (think papa john’s size, not cpk size) by myself, i came up dreadfully short. as did deb in attempting to devour her (what must have been) three pound calzone.

we left the restaurant stuffed and sedate, but ready to make the 3 1/2 hour drive back to new york. i released the garmin from time out, and as if attempting to make up for it’s previous errors, i noticed surprisingly, that the arrival time it identified was only 2 1/2 hours later. suspecting another fluke, i disregarded it, as i followed it’s somewhat backwards direction. but lo and behold, 2 1/2 hours later, we arrived at deb’s apartment. as i said....magic. i still cannot explain it. i had mapquested it, deb had yahoo mapped it, and both of our results had been the same--3 1/2 hours. i was not driving nearly fast enough to shave the time by an hour, so the only logical conclusion is that the garmin shortens roads.

we made it to deb’s apartment without incident. i was reminded of the irony in the simple fact that driving in dc completely freaks me out, yet driving in new york seems like an absolute breeze. it may have something to do with the fact that when i drive in new york, i am possessed with the spirit of a ny cabbie. i can’t explain it, but it happens every time.

i left deb with my car while i headed up to her new apartment to check it out. after five years, last fall, she traded in her mid-town apartment for a larger uptown one, and i’d not yet had a chance to see it. i immediately fell in love with it, as she had.

alas, it was time for me to depart. i had decided to drive home sunday night, rather than drive around indefinitely looking for parking, only to then risk monday’s holiday traffic. my circadian cycle also weighed heavily on my decision, as i knew i would be wide awake.

deb and i said our farewells, and it looks as though she may be joining me in utah while i am there cor corey and jill’s wedding, so we can do some skiing.

the drive home passed quickly. in fact, driving the same exact speed i had driven on the way home, somehow, this time it only took 3 1/2 hours. it was shocking, and again, all i can say is, the magic garmin shorten roads,

though a quick trip, it was amazing no schedules, no real agendas, getting a massage, waking up with no alarm clock, and most of all, spending time with one of my all-time favorite people. what a perfect unexpected 40 or so hours☺

for the rest of the pics, go here.

anonymous posting...

k folks, i have disabled anonymous posting. not because i don't want those of you who prefer being anonymous to stop posting comments--in fact, i really hope you don't, but because there have been a lot of lurkers lately, and there is no need to be shy. we're all friends here!

so come on...you can do it...nothin but smiles and open arms...

sorry for the overkill

i am reaaally bored at work, and this gray rainy day is making me want to crawl back into bed. needless to say, i am trying to entertain myself, and maybe you in the process.

as a result, here are more tales from online dating. i will specify though, this comes to you from my space, which i absolutely 100% do NOT use for dating. i am only on because i have been able to track down some old friends.

at any rate, from my inbox:


I'm stuck at work with nothing to do today. So of course I turned to Myspace. I was messing around on here and you caught my attention.

And I know I'm not your age, but I figured why not write you an email. What do I have to lose, right?

I'm not going to ramble since you don't even know me. But I just wanted to tell you how good looking you are. You must be turning heads every where you go. Kinda makes me wish i was alittle older.

Hope this email wasn't too out of line.

steve

now, here is what is so entertaining about this. i was curious how old this kid was, since he clearly took my age very seriously. any guesses? 23? 22? 18?

NO. the guy is 27! i'm 30 for cryin out loud. ah well, i guess we simply weren't meant to be. perhaps if he were a little older.... (where is the emoticon DRIPPING with sarcasm?)

rhode trip

sorry, i simply could not resist.

so deb and i decided that since we had a long weekend in front of us, we would head to rhode island. and before you ask, no reason in particular. because it's a long weekend. and because neither of us have been there. and because, why not?

it reminds me that everyone should have at least one friend with whom they can decide on a whim, to just pick up and go somewhere. i know that we will have an amazing time, no matter what we are doing. as deb put it 'we could eat ice cream in the hotel and still have a great time!' she's right, but anyone who has traveled with me knows that there won't be any lounging around this weekend.

deb is a fan of houses, so we will be checking out the breakers. i am a fan of literature, so we will be checking out the great gatsby house. we'll probably take our chances with the weather and do the cliff walk. the weekend also promises time at the spa (hot stone massage anyone?), and we'll try and cause some trouble so i have good stories to tell.

on a completely random sidenote... kev, i think you missed this.

why i love living with family

you might want to pause the music before watching the videos...
(it's kate talking to kendyl, not me.)

kendyl was in one of those moods tonight, one of those amazing moods that feed your soul.

she climbed on her mother's back, and when i said 'oh, i wish i had my camera!' she responded by saying 'get your camera.'

i told her i would, but that she had to stay right there. i went upstairs, grabbed my camera, and came back to find her exactly where i had left her. a photo shoot ensued, and kate and i were rolling, as she practiced her poses and her 'cheeeese!' (she is being trained young.)

there is no sound so precious to me as the sound of her laugh, and it made my week!

single drama

okay. so. yeah. uh huh.

sorry, just getting warmed up.

in the last few months, for the most part, i have avoided reporting on my love life for various reasons, but lately, i find myself so entertained that i simply can't not share.

a couple of weeks ago, i received a 'friend request' from a guy on one of my mormon sites. this particular site is not solely a dating site, but theoretically serves the purpose of reconnecting with old friends. e.g., you can search by schools, wards, etc. however, a large majority of its members do use the site for dating purposes (though 95% of the time, that description does not include me).

it took me about .1 second to realize that i had never spoken with this guy before. believe me, i would have remembered. the guy is, to make a gross understatement, gorgeous. he's 6' 7", dark curly hair, great eyes, great teeth, has pics up of him holding babies, blah, blah, blah.

in looking at his profile, the first thing that really irritated me was that he had 193 'friends'. personally, i take great pride in the fact that while i may only have 87 friends, the 87 i do have, are actually people i know. i do not request, nor accept requests from people i don't know.

in addition, of his 193 friends roughly 190 of them are single females. whereas, of my 87, there are men, women, single, married, in relationships, etc. which, frankly, is how i think it should be.

his request must have come at a particularly sarcastic time for me, or at the very least, sparked my saltiness, and the following dialogue ensued via email:


me: I must admit to wondering why an attractive guy who says he really wants to get married would invite a girl to be his 'friend' before saying hello to her, and why that same attractive guy has so many girl 'friends' but no girlfriend...

qf: i don't know 99% of those people. i just add random people cuz they seem interesting, cute, inteeligent, spiritual, and/or sexy. i'll let you pick which ones you want to be :) i would say all of the above though. and thanks for the compliment. i never wanted to get married before, now my accountant says i need to!!! kidding... my day has come i think. we'll see.

(note: oh how i love it when someone misspells intelligent. i realize my spelling--or rather my typing--is sometimes imperfect, but intelligent? come on! the irony is too rich!)

me: I think you made my point.

qf: really, i'm not trouble. so, have you ever been to elk grove, and when are you coming back?

me: (no response)


imagine my surprise when today, i received the following email:


qf: guess who's gonna be in d.c. this weekend?! yep, me!!!

me: Uh Oh! Trouble is comin' to my town!

qf: maybe after i come and go without burning the place down you'll finally be my friend!

me: i think we have different definitions of 'friend'... i've met all mine

qf: maybe we'll meet this weekend

me: (no response)


i have two major complaints:

1) are you kidding me with this? and
2) are you kidding me with this?

okay really, they are:

1) i am so sick of men wanting what they can't have. or maybe i need to practice being a bigger b%*c#. but then again, then they'd want me even more? i think i'm screwed. and,

2) um hello passive aggressive, aka, number 1 pet peeve. at least if you are diggin' the b%*c# routine, which in his case is not a 'routine', have the cajones to actually try and schedule a meeting. don't play like you just dropped me a note about your being in town because you thought it would make for intellectually stimulating conversation.

at any rate, bottom line is, i WON'T be in town this weekend, and even if i was. are you kidding me with this?

where's the rockinest place to be on a wednesday night?

that's right. you guessed it. bowl america.

oh. you didn't guess it?

you are sadly out of the loop!

at any rate anne, corey, (surprise!) jill, and i got our white trash on last night, by bowling a couple of games. the joint was jumpin, the cops were present, and it was an all around good time.

in atypical fashion, my first game was better than my second, but anne and i kicked jill an corey's butt nonetheless.

the highlights from the evening included jill's little 'mishap' with a dropped ball, and anne's phone conversation. or rather, the fact that every time it was her turn to bowl, she stuck her phone (with her caller on hold) in her butt pocket. poor guy!

after bowling we capped off the evening with silver diner sweets and treats, and if she follows through, jill is cursing me today for keeping her up so late!

pics are here. sorry some of them are grainy, but it was league championship night and no flashes allowed in the alley.

this just arrived from the stake rs president...

Dear Tara,

I was wondering if you might be available on Saturday evening February 24 to teach a 30 minute class in our stake enrichment meeting. If you are available and willing, let me know and we will assign your topic and give you more details about the evening.

We are excited at the thought of having you as one of the instructors for the classes that evening. We hope that this is something that will work out with your schedule.

I will look forward to hearing from you.

Love,

Linda


blah. i guess my days of flying under the radar may be over.

hmmm...

today i am wearing my white puffy coat with the fur lined hood. i got on the elevator this morning with one of our senior vps, who says 'hi tara. my daughter has that coat.'

his daughter is thirteen. i'm not sure what he was trying to say.

in other news, angela, kristina and i met up for dinner last night to bid adieu to kris, who is moving to raleigh this weekend. angela will be heading to florida in a couple of months, so it would seem, that the gang is all heading their seperate ways. except for me, who doesn't seem to be able to get out of here, and elena, who probably won't go anywhere for awhile--what with a baby on the way and all.

at any rate, angela gave kristina and i going away presents. her logic is flawed (as i seem to be going nowhere fast), but not one to turn down a gift, i happily accepted.

her gift was a book called 'angry little girls.' that also made me wonder if i was missing a hidden message. at any rate, it is entertaining me.

and when i finish it, i might have to move on to 'boys are stupid, throw rocks at them.'

cingular, here i come...

i've been a verizon customer for a long time. i don't even remember how long really. but it looks like come june, i am going to have to bite the bullet and switch (kelly, stop doing your happy dance, it's really quite embarrassing. for both of us).

why the switch, you might ask....and if you are asking, i say simply, duh.

truth be told, i've been considering making this switch for a couple of months, as a result of the blackberry pearl, which i've been lusting after. but now, it seems as though the decision has been made. and if you are done being offended, i guess i'll explain. it's because this is going to be initially exclusive to cingular.

is it hot in here?

usually, i fight myself (unsuccessfully) to not be the first one in line when a cool geeky product comes out (especially when it's apple, because they seem to have problems with first runs), i also know myself well enough to know that it is a losing battle. and june is entirely too far away.

p.s. has anyone else noticed how much i like using the phrase 'truth be told.' i just did. i guess it makes the name of this blog even more apropos.

a complaint for the weatherman

this morning, i woke up and something was wrong. it could have been the fact that i was inexplicably up very early. it could have been the fact that i somehow managed to pull my back, and cannot bend more than 20 degrees. it could have been knowing that i would spend most of the day preparing a lesson that would make me ill to present.

but no. it was something much bigger. something i couldn’t put my finger on. it is a beautiful day, and aside from the minor exceptions noted above, i have not a care in the world. life is good. so what was wrong?

i took a lesson break and was perusing through some of corey’s pics from his holiday in utah, and it hit me. it was seeing that first picture with snow in it that made me realize--it’s january 6 and it’s 70 degrees. there is something wrong about that.

don’t get me wrong, i love warm weather. i love wearing flip-flops and shorts and t-shirts. i love everything that warm weather usually implies. but more than i love warm weather, i love the seasons. all four of them. it is one of the advantages to living here is that you actually get all four of them. and they are pretty evenly spread out. by the time each season winds down, i find myself excited for the next one. and there is a part of me that feels like i’ve been waiting. and waiting. and waiting. (story of my life, right?)

it’s not as though i relish the idea of bitter cold mornings, wearing four layers, fingers you can’t feel, and breath you can see. but then again, maybe i do. i love curling up in front of the fire, and hot cocoa, and taking the dog out in the morning when the noise of the world seems muted with a blanket of white.

normally, my quick lunch escape today would have put a smile on my face. seeing all the people walking their dogs, and topless jeeps and convertibles, and children on bicycles and skateboards would have yielded a simple perfect pleasure. but not today. today i longed to see people shoveling snow off their driveways and throwing snowballs, and it just was not meant to be.

i know that winter will eventually come. and when it does, i will likely yearn for days like today. but for now, enough is enough!

this is so inappropriate

but i nearly fell out of my chair laughing, and had to share...

back by unpopular nondemand: short attention span theater

it's friday. i have to teach in two days, and i haven't even looked at the lesson. there goes my weekend.

***

back in may, i picked up some beach reading for the duck trip. it included a book called the tipping point which i purchased as a result of overhearing a conversation about it between random strangers a couple of months prior. when anne saw the book, she told me about another book the author had written, that was apparently excellent. i made a note to myself to pick it up.

by july, i still hadn't done so, and was attending a work conference in dallas. one of the workshop presenters (my favorite) was listing 'must have resources' for event planners, and named the book. it's called 'blink', and i'm sure many of you have heard of it. his justification for the necessity of reading this book was that event planners are responsible for creating an immediate impression on participants, and they only have a short time to do it. all i knew about the book at that point was that it talked about how quickly we form impressions.

i decided that i really should buy it, and i carted it around with me on the rest of my summer travels. i should mention that i cart around 5 or 6 books whenever i go anywhere. i'm moody about what i read, and can't imagine many worse things than not having an interesting book with me when i have time to kill. throughout those travels, something else would appeal to me more, and it kept getting stuck at the bottom of the pile.

finally, a few days ago, i decided (for no good reason) that it was time to get that sucker out of the way. i got twenty pages in and was hooked. while the previous description i gave covers it in a very general sense, what i found most fascinating were the specific examples.

i was interested to read about a study in which scientists could predict the success or failure of a marriage by watching them converse with one another for 15 minutes.

i was also fascinated by reading that something like 14.5% of the population is above 6'0" tall (no wonder i have such a hard time finding tall guys!), yet something like 90% of corporate ceos fall into that 'tall' category.

it applied the principle of 'instant decision making' to speed dating, to police officers, and a number of other scenarios, and i was wrapped.

the truth of the matter is that i have good instincts. i always have. and yet, i am hyper-analytical, which causes me to often mistrust those instincts. in the end, i almost always find that i have over-analyzed, and i should have gone with my initial reaction.

i realize that 'instinct' is subjective, and in my case, i believe it is often spiritual. but at the same time, reading about how we process information, how quickly we make assessments, and how often those 'snap judgments' are right on, was a reminder that i should pull back on my over-analyzing, and go with my gut more than i do.

it's a great read, and a quick one, that i would highly recommend.

***

well, nashville had better look out because it looks like lara, angela, danielle and i are going to be taking it by storm in february.

my hopes for the trip include seeing lots of belt buckles and cowboy hats, and singing myself hoarse at every honky tonk in town.

on a random sidenote, i have to whine about how nearly every flight out of dulles has a layover in new york. some things simply do not make sense to me!

***

last night i had a bout of insomnia. i'm starting a cold, and it's not uncommon for me to struggle falling asleep when i am exhausted and not feeling well. no, there is no logic to that. at any rate, laying in my bed until 4am had me thinking about a number of random things.

one of those things was realizing that i had not truly reported out on the christmas program i wrote and narrated and sang in a couple of weeks ago.

it's safe to say that when the assignment came my way, i was flattered, but stressed. it's the christmas story afterall, and what can one say about that that is different than everything we have all heard before. not much.

however, i was blessed in my research and preparation, as i came upon some lesser known resources unexpectedly, which allowed me to combine the classic retelling with some uncommon tidbits.

it has always been a pet peeve of mine to be sitting in a christmas sacrament meeting where the choir performs the entire program. for me, music is a window to heaven. and while i appreciate and enjoy listening to it, in this kind of scenario, i much prefer participating. as a result of that, i knew i wanted to do a lot of congregational hymns and fewer 'special musical numbers'.

that objective was ideally suited to this ward, as it turns out, because it is a small ward, and there are not a lot of people who are truly musically inclined.

the other thing i knew i wanted, was to sing myself (push through the contradiction,people!). it's been some time since i 'performed' and if it could be done in a self-effacing 'i'm not trying to keep the spotlight on me' kind of way, there was a piece i had always wanted to do.

however, i have a love-hate relationship with singing in public. i have a fairly good voice. it is not theater or opera worthy. it's not even solo worthy, as they don't write many solo parts for altos, but i recognize that it is at least slightly above average. i've realized though, that my intense fear of public-speaking expands even further, and when i attempt to sing in public, it is often disastrous. my voice shakes. my knees knock. i get waves of nausea. for that reason i stopped trying.

i guess it had been long enough since the last time i sang in front of people, that i had forgotten all that, and the piece really is one of my favorites. but time was drawing short, and i had not found a soprano, so i was on the verge of removing it from the program. i arrived at church the week before-hand and told the 1st counselor of my desire to take it out, and he instantly pointed at one of the sister missionaries and said 'she sings.' so i approached her, feeling very skeptical, and asked her if she sang soprano or alto. both, she responded. i happened to have the music with me and she suggested we 'just try it'. so we commandeered the ward pianist to give it a run through.

the amazing thing about the run through, is that our two voices were made for a duet. they blended perfectly. i can't tell you how many duets i have heard, in which both participants have excellent voices, yet they don't blend. so it ends up sounding like two people singing solos. people just have different pitches, cadences, and a bunch of other musical terms i don't know. so when the sister and i sang, it was slightly shocking, how well suited we were to eachother. it stayed in the program.

i wasn't sure initially, if i wanted to structure the body of the program with strict narration, or include the 'parts' of mary, joseph, etc. but when i cam across a musical program carol lynn pearson had done, the decision was made.

the final program ended up being a combination of narrations and parts, with a lot of music. then it came time to select ward members to participate. i knew exactly who i wanted to be mary. there is a girl in my ward, whose ethnicity i am not entirely certain of, but she has beautiful dark skin, bright eyes, and the humility required to 'play' the mother of christ. this girl is absolutely stunning, and she just exudes warmth. she is one of those people that everyone wants to be around. and she accepted the task.

after that, i was at a loss. the men in the ward are average age 22, so i haven't put much effort into getting to know them. the bishopric stepped in to fill the rest of the spots.

with the musical numbers pinned down, and the parts assigned, the sister and i practiced our duet, and we did a full rehearsal immediately before the sacrament meeting in question.

i knew, the week prior, that it was going to be a good program. in the same way i inherently know if i wil be giving a good lesson, i knew. it wasn't that the text was stellar. or that i was highly anticipatory of the musical portions. but i knew it was going to be good. i also knew that the congregation would be tiny, as people were away from the holidays. i was surprised however, to find that it was even larger than normal, because the families of those participating had come to watch.

the program started with a special musical number. one brother on the piano, and the other singing 'the first noel' to pachelbel's canon. i had never heard the arrangement, and as canon is my all-time favorite classical piece, i was in awe. it was absolutely incredible.

after a short intro-narration, it was 'mary's' turn. when i put together this section of the script, i knew exactly how i wanted this portion to be conveyed. i, in fact, had debated about whether or not to do the narration as originally planned, or take 'mary' for myself. it just had to be done in a certain way. and the girl who read the part, did it exactly as i had dreamed it. the tone set by the opening piece was only further enhanced by her participation. she was beautiful and perfect, and it was impossible not to feel the weight of her words.

the program proceeded, and while not perfect, it was perfect in it's imperfections. finally it was time for my duet. i was already at the podium after having done more narration, and while waiting for my partner and piano player to join me, i realized the strangest thing. i was absolutely calm. no knees knocking, no nausea. and when we began the piece, there was no voice-shaking. in fact, it was more than i could have ever hoped for.

the program concluded, and i felt incredible about it. the first counselor, a former bishop, approached me and said 'in five years as bishop, each christmas i knew exactly the spirit i wanted to convey with our christmas programs, and i was never able to achieve it. today, you accomplished what i continually failed to.'

the feedback has been filtering to me over the last couple of weeks through various avenues, and the comments have been interesting. the one that made me laugh was when deb's brother was telling her about it and said 'i didn't know tara could sing.' keep in mind, her brother has known me since i was three years old or so...

beyond my personal role however, it seems that all in attendance felt the presence of the spirit. while attending a sealing with my parents, the bishop's wife commented that at one point, she looked at the congregation, and everyone was 'bawling their eyes out.' being singularly focused, i had not seen that, but i have no cause to doubt her.

in the end, despite my stress, it came together beautifully, and though you may be thinking right now 'this girl has an overly healthy opinion of herself,' the message i mean to convey is actually one of humility.

time and time again i have cause to reflect on the scripture that tells us the lord will make weak things become strong. i have seen it in my case on more occasions than i can number, and it is experiences like this that remind me of my limitations, and make me incredibly sensitive to the difference between what i am able to accomplish on my own vs. what i am able to accomplish with his guidance. i continue to be humbled by my own inadequacies and grateful for the mercy that lessens them.

***

i guess truth in advertising requires that i should retitle this post 'long attention span theater' but i'm too tired and lazy.

***

my new favorite word is 'salty'. maybe it's old. i don't care. it's my new favorite.

i wish i wish i wish

i wish i had a trip planned to new york this weekend.

are you ready?

from the girl who brought you the gorillapod, hold on to your seats folks, i now bring you the latest and greatest must have tool in self-portrait taking.... the quikpod!

see for yourself below (the before quikpod photo on the left, the after quikpod photo on the right):



















odds of looking like a dork using my new gizmo? 100%
odds of my caring? 0%

the funniest pick up line i've heard in awhile

on a mormon site...

'you're supposed to be my wife. i prayed to buddha and he said so.'

well folks, look like this groom business is all set. on with the july wedding! ;)

happy 2007!

ah, the first post of the new year. it should be thoughtful and profound, shouldn't it? some sort of in-depth reflection on the year past and commentary on hopes and goals for the year ahead?

well, maybe i'll eventually get around to that. but not today.

in years past, i have had some pretty impressive new years. last year i counted down in belgium. i've done the 'new york' thing. and i have attended some excellent celebrations. in each case, the year that followed was less than stellar. not without highlights of course, but overall, a disappointment. i had created a pattern of going in with a bang and out with a whimper.

this year i conciously decided to change my destiny and opted to go in with a whimper, so i can go out with a bang. i was almost deterred from my plan when an invitation to go to france for the holiday came my way. and truth be told, it does make me flinch a tad to get an email from deb that says "Yesterday there was no snow so we drove to italy for lunch and had the most amazing pizza and gelato :)" yet, i stuck to my guns and went in quietly (and bought a pair of ridiculously expensive sunglasses instead of going to france).

anne joined me early in the evening and we went to dinner, where we got in a disagreement about the strawberry lemonade at sonic v. red robin. i think they are of equal caliber, but anne disagrees and thinks sonic's is far superior. i think she's crazy. nonetheless, we enjoyed our dinners and came back to my place, which i currently have to myself, thanks to my parents trip to new york, and my sister throwing a party in a hotel suite somewhere.

i finished cooking (which i haven't done in a long time), but did not realize that we would both be so full we would barely want to touch food for the rest of the evening. i did try my peanut butter cream tart, which was incredible, and we munched on the brie pastry bites with pear and almond, and on the 'white trash' anne had made, but our food consumption paled in comparison to what was available!

i had not seen 'little miss sunshine', so anne brought it , and that is one great movie! i laughed out loud on multiple occasions (very loudly). but not loudly enough to wake anne up. she has this thing with movies...she rarely makes it through without falling asleep--especially if she's seen it.

before we finished the movie, lara arrived and joined in for the last bit. she had already seen it as well, so apparently, i'm the only slow poke.

the rest of the evening was spent watching tv, playing around online (lara hijacked my mingle account and started sending people smiles), and just chatting.

truth be told, it was fabulous. and even though i would consider it a whimper, it was absolutely perfect. no expectations. no pressure. no possibility for disappointment. no extraneous people. and i'll be eating peanut butter cream tart for a week.

and for your viewing pleasure, i decided that since many of you may never see my ridiculously expensive sunglasses, i would show them to you. if you don't like them, i'm not interested in your feedback. if you do, however, feel free to comment;)