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Amy's Gallery of Fine Art

I love art! I have pretty much loved art my whole life. I attribute a lot of that love to my 5th grade teacher, Mr. Busco, who had a passion for it and encouraged her students to get creative. I studied art all through high school, both doing it and learning about it. My goal was to get into the art program at BYU. When I didn't make it into the program, I was devastated but I decided that I still loved art and I continued to take art classes as electives, while I studied English Literature.

With the art classes I took during my English studies, I learned that I love the fluidity and freedom of water color, that oil painting is really hard (Go Myra!!!), and that calligraphy is an amazing form of art. Although I might not have majored in the visual arts, I learned a lot about my personal style and I sharpened my skills in something I really enjoy.

You may view my current works on my sister's kitchen wall, in mother's hallway, in the box under my bed, and one other work, which I have recently added to my gallery....Rainbow Bright's horse! I sure hope you remember who Rainbow Bright is!

When my friend asked me to paint a mural on her daughter's bedroom wall, I was very hesitant,...but up for the challenge!!! Ok, so it wasn't anything really complicated, but her daughter had been having nightmares and didn't want to sleep in her own room, so my friend thought if she spiced up the bedroom a bit, her daughter would want to be in there. Amy to the rescue!!

So I painted Rainbow Bright's horse on the wall.... it was a long grueling process, but thank heaven I didn't have to lie on my back for months while I painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling or anything.

I'm happy with how the whole thing turned out... I mean, it's not Michelangelo, but I think little Kylee liked it anyway.

Adventures of the Not so Newly Weds

So you would think that life would slow down a bit as you get older (because I'm so old!! ha ha) but I have discovered how wrong that is! People have asked me what Joe and I are up to these days and I have to stop and think of what to tell them first!!

Joe is doing really well at work. He works for an accounting firm here in Vegas and he is the "Assistant MIS Director" (computers). He has been working toward getting his computer certifications and recently completed his MCSA. With his new found skills, he also recently finished putting together a computer system for his brother's accounting firm. Smarty Pants!!! He really knows a lot about computers, which blows me away because I do email...and blogs. I have decided that computers don't really like me much but all Joe has to do is look at them and they will do exactly what he wants them to do. It's a gift.

I have been enjoying my job as well. I am the administrative assistant at an investment firm here in Vegas. My job includes everything from assisting with trades to installing Quickbooks, to taking care of the bosses dog while she is out of town. Anyone who knows me will know that this is the perfect thing for me because I like doing diverse things. ADD perhaps??

Joe and I recently made a trip to the Grand Canyon. It was Joe's first time there and it was sooo beautiful!!! We decided to make it a day trip so we got up early and drove the 4 hours out to the south rim and hiked for a while. The Grand Canyon amazes me every time I see it because it doesn't look real. It's so amazing!!

Joe is still discovering the beauties of the West. I guess Florida is pretty flat and doesn't have much elevation change...so the mountains really amaze him. We are planning on going to Florida in August so he can show me the beauties of the BEACH!!! I'm quite sure I will be miserable...

Our most recent excitement is the purchase of our very own house!!! We have been spending the last few days scrubbing baseboards, stretching carpet, mopping, etc. I don't think we ever thought we'd be able to afford a house here in Vegas because they were so expensive, but the recession worked out for us because it gave us this opportunity. We feel so blessed!!

Beginning at the End

Ok, I really don't know where to start so we'll just start at the beginning of the end...Once upon a time, there was a girl with long red hair who lived in a land called Happy Valley. She was a very happy girl, I mean, who wouldn't be happy in a place called happy valley. For the most part this girl loved her home, but she kept having a feelig that she needed to go explore the world outside of her little bubble. So one day, she packed up her belongings, said good bye to her family and her cat Lucy and traveled to a land far far away. After traveling for a long time, she stumbled upon a city which was very opposite from Happy Valley. Infact, some people have been known to call this land Sin City or The Muddy (refering to its complete lack of vegetation, of coarse). This girl felt very out of place in Sin City, but she decided to stay so she could experience different things and so she could learn more about the corporate world. Well, sadly, the girl found that the corporate world was a harsh one. People didn't care about eachother like they did in Happy Valley. It was very hard for her to stay in The Muddy and she missed her family and her cat Lucy.

As time passed, the girl lost her job, found another one, got laid off from that job, and ended up finding another one that was even better than the first. She traded her long beautiful red locks for a more stylish look (short and dark). She bought her first car, then was in her first car accident ever, she broke her foot, and she learned to deal with living in a city of scortching conditions and without plants. Life was tricky, but the girl learned to make the best of it because she had great friends who had also traveled with her to Sin City.

Meanwhile, there was a boy who lived in the beautiful city of Orlando Florida. To this day it will never quite be understood why he wanted to leave this oasis of a place, except that he had a feeling, like the girl, that he needed to abandon his comfort zone, and start a new life. He traveled and he traveled and he traveled and finally he ended up in The Muddy. It was very different from Florida, with its dry heat and its lack of water, but the boy liked it. It was a change of scenery. He too found a job and began an exciting new life in the muddy.

One day the boy and his sister, who had traveled with him, went to explore more of the city, when they came upon a group of young people, like themselves, who were having a picnick and playing in the sun. "Come join us!" the group shouted to the boy and his sister.... and so they did.

And that was when the girl met the boy. It was his dark hair and his dark eyes that caught her attention first. But he had a great smile too. She was giddy and out going and he liked frizbee and so they got to know eachother a little better that day... and have been friends ever since.

The boy and the girl had many adventures. They went through a lot together as they battled life in a city like "The Muddy", but they were there for eachother through the thick and the thin and they became very close.

The girl started to realize the reason she needed to leave her home in happy valley. She needed to go through the experiences she did, and she needed the boy in her life. He realized the same and they decided that life wouldn't be very meaningful if they couldn't help eachother through it....so they decided to make it permanent. The beginning of a whole new adventure together and the end of a chapter of their lives that had only been the precurser to the rest of eternity.

THE END.... OR THE BEGINNING

It's About Time,... it's all about time

Okay, so I had to take a year sabatical,....it all started when I lost my job... but I'll save you all the gory details....my life has changed quite a bit since then....this is my official entry to announce to the world that Amy is back with a vengence!!!! and this time she is the new and improved, Amy Bainbridge....Stevens is my middle middle name now. So I'll have to tell you all about it. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of "Life With Amy...What Happened Inbetween???"

*Sorry too many dot dot dots! I'm done

Useless Trivia About Me

Jobs I've Had:
1. BYU Catering
2. Law School Library
3. Convergys (American Express customer service) yuck!!
4. Mega Diamond - Wahooo!! After all a diamond is a girls best friend, especially when it's in your nose.... huh Megan???
5. Law Firm secretary
6. Bank secretary

Movies I could watch over and over:
1. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
2. Pride and Prejudice (Most chick flicks)
3. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Oh, that was a hard one to admit)
4. oh, I don't know, there are a bunch i wouldn't mind seeing again - Bat Man Begins, The Bourne series, etc.

Places I've been:
1. Canada
2. Italy
3. Chicago
4. Switzerland
5. England
6. France

Places I've lived
1. Canada
2. Provo, Utah
3. Florence, Italy
4. Las Vegas

Shows I enjoy:
1. 24
2. The Office
3. Myth busters (ha ha ha yeah, Geek!!)

Favorite Foods:
1. Chocolate Cake!!!
2. Sweet and Sour Ribs
3. California Rolls
4. crackers

Websites I visit regularly:
1. lds.org
2. yahoomusic.com
3. hotmail.com
4. facebook.com
5. bankofamerica.com

Body parts I've injured:
1. I broke my Finger
2. I broke my foot
3. ...I think I broke my brain...but it's better now, don't worry

Nicknames:
1. Amy Pie
2. Ames
3. Aim
4. Sorella

Rite Aid or Wrong Aid

I work close to Rite Aid. It's pretty handy to have a Rite Aid right there, just in case I need any last minute prescriptions filled for my chronic chocolate needs, you know. Rite Aid, however, has been the source of much confusion/amusement as of late. Myra (my partner in crime who works down the hall from me, and who is also my room mate) and I make frequent trips to Rite Aid on hot Las Vegas days, to refresh ourselves with any of their cool beverages, or just to get a sugar high before having to return to the old grind. Communication at Rite Aid has been difficult the past few trips. In fact, just yesterday we were standing in line and this woman walks in with her cart, goes up to the cashier and asks "Where is your Breet?" The cashier's brow furrows "What?" "Your Breet." The woman persists. "Um, I'm not sure...oh Brita? As in water?" The woman stiffened in her haughtiness "Yes, your Breet." Okay, maybe you had to be there, but I just wanted to laugh out loud! Breet? I had no clue what she was referring to and I had thought she was saying Freet! The whole time I was thinking "What the crap is Freet?" Well, this isn't the first time we have had miscommunication issues at Rite Aid. A while back Myra was trying to use her debit card and asked the cashier about the transaction. Well, the cashier thought Myra was talking about a coupon, for some reason, and she kept trying to tell Myra how the coupon would only take a certain amount off of her purchase. Once again, communication was confused and we walked out of the store wondering what the deal was with people at Rite Aid. The last time I went in there, one cashier was telling the other "I just hung up on Dan, and then I hung up on Cindy. I don't know what's wrong with this phone!" and right at that moment, she dropped it. "I'll tell you what's wrong with your phone lady." I thought. Oh the strange things that happen and the strange people that you'll find at Rite Aid! Good thing I stopped working there a long time ago! I should have known Rite Aid was doomed when I walked into work in the pharmacy department one day and there were police all over the place. Come to find out, one of the pharmacists was pocketing drugs!! Shauna (my other partner in crime and my sister) can attest to the Rite Aid/Wrong Aid conspiracy too. There are just too many witnesses...sorry Rite Aid. It looks like there is not much hope for you.

Pet Peves:

#1. Manipulation. Don't try to be sly about it, just come out and say it!!
#2. Degrading comments. Even if you think you are better than everyone else, no one wants
to hear about it.
#3. A combination of the two. Manipulating degredation I call it.

Just don't do it. People will like you a lot better if you are just a nice person.

Had a Bad Day?

I had a bad day yesterday when I found out the bank I am working for, might be closing our office. Needless to say, watching this clip totally made my day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4HrfXmJ7-I

Maybe you have to know Daniel to really appreciate this, but Myra and I used to hang out with Daniel and Ammon when we lived in Southridge appartments. We pretty much laughed the whole year we lived there. Good memories! You know, it's the good memories (ElCamino and Christmas tree burning, Punked, Praying over Daniel's birthday breakfast, Jimmy Eat World, staying up until 5:00 am, stadium seating, "All's fair in love and war") that make the hard times seem like "stupid post apocolypse" affairs.

Flummox

Life is hard when you're a klutz. Fortunately for me, I haven't broken any bones. This is surprising, however, when you consider how many times my fingers have been smashed by the old window in Great Aunt Jane's cabin, how many times I have tripped over my own feet, been electrocuted by the horse fence, been stabbed by unnaturally low tree limbs, smacked my head on the doorway down to our basement, crashed on my bike, etc. etc. on and on. Spilling is my favorite past time however. I have reached records of the most accidental spills in one day. One of my reoccurring childhood memories is mopping up the floor because I have spilled water all over the place, trying to fill the glasses for dinner. If ever I was lucky enough not to just drop the water jug at the beginning of the whole ordeal, everyone could always tell who filled the water glasses when they sat down to dinner and their dinner plate held more water than their glass. At one point, my mom just stopped asking me to help. I guess it was one way to get out of things.
Even worse than the physical klutziness I experience every day is my uncanny ability to stick my foot in my mouth or simply to say something without really thinking about it first, only to realize after a second or two that the situation has suddenly become very awkward. I could go on for several pages, but I will briefly highlight some key moments or generalizations.

1. Making racist comments that I don't even know are racist. (Sorry Rebbecca, and Ricky)
2. Horny toad story. In grade school my friend was telling me that the mascot of her mother's elementary school was a horny toad. Well, being the innocent Provo elementary schooler that I was, I attempted to make one of my slapstick (corny) jokes that I am so well known for, and blurted out "Well, that darn toad must have been very horny!" As soon as people began to laugh, I realized they weren't laughing at my joke the way I had meant it. "Go ask your mom what that means!" people began taunting me. Oh, poor little Amy.
3. Most recent. I had just met some people at FHE and was busy chatting about nothing when, for some reason the topic of the PBS program on Mormons came to my mind and I was attempting to say how my boss had watched it and ended up thinking Mormons still lived like pioneers. Well, the words flowed smoothly through my mind but some how the acronym PBS got mixed up and came out as PMS. "So my boss saw that show on PMS about Mormons...." All of the sudden I realized what had just come out of my mouth. "Did I really just say that?" I thought. I'm sure my face turned beet red, I had to hide it somehow but all I could do was laugh. Later I received a text message that began "Hey PBS..." I have been tagged. No more first impressions.

In all my years of blunders I have learned that if you don't laugh at yourself, you'll just cry, so I laugh a lot. In fact I laugh so much sometimes that I can't control it and people end up laughing at me even harder because I am laughing really hard about something that is not that funny. If you ever want to experience this phenomenon, just ask me to tell you about the pigeon that flew into the window in the train station, or the bird that kept pecking at my dad's head. Ha ha ha, okay, even now I am laughing. I'll stop right now or I'll get myself into trouble. So that is the story of my life as a flummox. It's a pretty entertaining life I'll say.

CRAZY!

My friends call me crazy, and you’re welcome to do the same, but the source of my craziness is actually an addiction I just can’t shake. Running, that is my addiction, and the reason my friends call me crazy.
With no particular destination in mind I find great personal satisfaction in lacing up my dirt-covered, tread-worn Asics and hitting the streets. Maybe this, in and of itself, isn’t that crazy, but the fact that I get up at 5:00 in the morning to do it doesn’t earn me many sanity points.
To enhance the craziness I have visions of running a marathon. Such a task is not merely a casual morning’s jog. Every yard of the 26.2 miles of pavement, requires serious focus and determination. Yes, insanity. It even sounds insane to me and yet I can’t shake the incredible desire to conquer the carnal woman inside of me by accomplishing that which seems unattainable. I’ve heard it said that the first man to ever undertake such a feat died shortly thereafter.
Fortunately for me, I know several people who have battled the distance and come out victorious. Some of them have even spoken great things of their experience. “Is it Human?” I ask. “No” They reply with tight lips, “God did not create man for this purpose, but He did give him determination, which is the drive behind it all.”
Though running a marathon is probably not the first item on many new-years resolutions lists, this year I have added it to mine. The simple fact is, I want to be inhuman. There is something about running that gives me a complete sense of power and excitement. A runner’s high, is what they call it.
So, in order to test my abilities I decided to enter the Provo River 10 mile trail run this last weekend. Sure, I was pretty nervous. After all, if I died on this attempt, my plans to run a marathon would be seriously thwarted, but on the other hand, if I did well, maybe I'd be inspired to push the marathon idea.
The morning of the race came. I was fighting that early morning nausea (due to extreme lack of sleep) combined with an anxious adrenaline that only the crazy can understand. As the bus took us up Provo Canyon, it passed all of the familiar bends and turns that I have memorized through the years of my childhood.
My heart skipped a beat, however, when the bus whizzed past the spot that I had envisioned to be the starting point of the run. Up up up, the bus continued past one familiar park, on to the next and then even past that! The bends didn't look so familiar all of the sudden, as the hole in my stomach deepened.
"I am going to die" I thought as the bus finally eased around the last corner. We all filed out of the crayon yellow box of a bus into the chilly mountainous air. "Yep, this will be the last day of my pathetic life, but I am not going to go without a fight!" The gun fired and I set off toward the finish line 10 miles away.
I was surprised how fast the first 5 miles went. Besides the fact that they were all down hill, they were in the shade too. My stomach finally relaxed as the territory became more familiar and I knew I would be okay. "Just keep on putting' one foot in front of the other" I kept in time to the music blaring on my MP3 player.
The sun came up over the mountain peak and I began to slow down a bit. Heat is what really kills me but I figured that if I could run in the heat of Vegas, this should be nothing right? I kept on, constant and steady.
The trick to distance running is keeping a pace you can stick to the whole time, not letting up when things get too hot or when the path starts ascending or when you accidentally inhale a bug. I rounded the last corner of the canyon and started down toward the River Woods shops. By this time it was really getting hot and my umph was starting to let up, but the finish line was so close!
I stopped to stretch for a second, just to get my wind back for the last bit of the race. I had been going strong and could afford a 30 second pit stop. I didn't want to walk at all.
Back on track I strained the last mile and crossed triumphant in my own glory, pausing under the sprinkler to celebrate. I had made it! I had conquered my inner woman and in better time then I had predicted! I was content.

Next stop, 1/2 marathon, and then well........ to infinity and beyond!!

BFF's

It's that laugh you force when you are trying to pretend you are amused by something that's really not funny. It's the nod that appears to say "I understand" or "Yes, we are on the same page" or "I agree" when, in all reality, you could care less. It's the affirmative grunts or noises you make on the phone such as : "Hmmmm" or "yeah" when you haven't really even been listening to what the person on the other end is saying. It's the "Hi, how are you doing?" as you pass by some acquaintance you've only met a few times and you can't even remember their name. It's pretending you are completely fine when, in actuality, everything inside of you is telling you to cry or yell or run away or just plain nail the sucker right in the chin. The other person will never know these intense feelings you are experiencing, however, because you are so good at faking it.
We all do it, this fake thing. I have done it so many times it's sickening. I think it's caused by a fear that if you actually say or do what you are thinking, you might never be able to repair the damage. So you just sit there and smile and nod every once in a while, and continue to be fake. You are happy and comfortable in your little world of secrets, behind your fake mask. How different would this world be if everyone spoke their mind instead of only saying things they think others want to hear?
And then you have those people who know you so well, you just can't fake it around them. You can try as hard as you wish, but they can see right through you. "How are you?" they ask. "Good" you reply. "What's wrong?" they immediately catch on. "Nothing" you try to fake it. "Come on, spit it out." They stand there staring into your soul and you feel naked. "Dang!" you say to yourself, because nothing ever gets past them. Then you spill your guts, cry a little, and feel better. I wish the world was filled with more people like that. Best Friends.

Celebrity Sightings

Being tall definitely has its advantages when it comes to celebrity sightings. Yesterday (6/6/07) was the premier of Oceans 13 on the strip at The Palms Casino. As soon as we got wind that the cast was going to arrive for their opening debut, Liz, Myra and I joined the throng of fans who anxiously awaited their arrival.
One woman in the crowd, was from England. She was already a little giddy (drunk) and she continued to get louder and louder as her friend brought her another drink. "Brad!!" She yelled at the first sighting of Brad Pitt, in her British accent. "You smart little cracka!" Then she proceeded to force her husband to bend down so she could get up on his shoulders to have a better view. "My nicka's aren't showing are they?" She asked as her poor husband tottered under her weight. All I could think of was "This woman is so drunk! She better not puke on me." She continued to scream a slue of excited profanities as she spotted the stars of the new movie. I couldn't help laughing at her. It was almost more entertaining to watch her and her servant of a husband, then to see the celebrities, but really, nothing can top Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Matt Damon.

"How Aims Became Bald"

Long ago and far away in the land of "The Muddy" there lived a girl, let's call her Aims. Well, Aims was bored (not board mind you) and she really wanted something to do. It's not that she didn't have many lovely friends to do things with, she just needed something to occupy her mind so she wouldn't think too much about other things (I think they call it suppression). She looked all around her for something to do and she complained a lot about not having anything to do.
Finally Aims decided to call upon The God of the Sky to give her something to do so she wouldn't be bored anymore. She called and she called but there was no answer from The God in the sky. Aims became frustrated and decided to take matters into her own hands. So Aims began to play the guitar, she began to create art, and she even began to read a lot, even so much that her head was always stuck in a book.
Her friends would stand at her window and call out "Aims, we are going to get ice cream. Come with us!" and Aims would reply with a flick of her wrist and say "Pooh pooh, I am staying here with my book." They were very disappointed.
Then finally The God of the sky decided to grant Aims her request. You see the God of the Sky knows best and He knew that the time had not yet been ripe for Aims to learn her lesson, but that day did come.
Suddenly Aims was very busy with many things to do. She had things to do almost every night, and they were fun things too. But Aims found that she missed the old days of reading and lounging around, "Waiting for the money" so to speak, and she began to complain about not having enough time. She complained that she was going out with all the wrong guys, she complained about her job, she complained about The Muddy, and she especially complained about her banking class she had wanted to take, but suddenly didn't want to take anymore.
The God of the Sky was angry with Aims. "You are ungrateful, just like The Children of the Desert who complained about the food I provided for them and when I finally gave them something else, they complained about that too. Because you are so ungrateful, I will not make you wonder in The Muddy for 30 years, but I will make a more permanent mark upon you so that every day, you will wake up and remember that you need to be grateful."
And with that, Aims found that she no longer had any hair! She was bald, completely!!! Aims cried and cried, but there was nothing she could do. Her sentence had been determined. She would never complain again. (Until it really hit her that she had no hair)

*Moral of the story: Don't complain, it might come back to bit you in the... well you fill in the blank.

California Here We Come

Body Boarding rules!!! I am determined to learn how to surf now that I've caught the sickness. Okay, so I'm really not that good, but it was so fun!! We spent this last long weekend in San Diego (So Cal. Ha ha ha, I am such a wanna be!) I learned how to body board and now I am hooked. We spent all day at the beach body boarding and then we spent the next day observing the guys who really know how to do it on the bigger waves. Okay so maybe I wasn't so mezmarized by their skill as I was other things...but we won't go there (Mom are you reading this?) Anyway, I read up on how to surf and I think all I need now is a board and I am on my way to Hawaii! (I wish!) I find such a thrill in these things.

While we were out in the ocean waiting to catch the next good wave, I looked up to see something big, jumping through the waves. Panick ran through me as I remembered the, ever so looming, fear of sharks I'd had when I was younger. That fear was quickly replaced by amazement, however, when I realized the sharks were really dolphins. Sharks dont jump like that. Silly Amy.

Anyway, so I have decided to quit my job, trade my car in for a surf board, and live on Lagoona Beach. It is so beautiful. No wonder everyone wants to live there. Actually it's a good thing I don't live there, I'd really become irresponsable. It would be a bad thing.

Last week I went to Seattle on a business trip. Seattle is really green too and it's by the ocean. Maybe I'll move to Seattle, then I can work durring the week and freeze in the ocean on the weekends, as I struggle to teach myself how to surf. Wow, there are so many places to go, so many things to see, and so little time and money to do it with.

RUNNING

I run everywhere
But mostly away.

Muscles charged,
Blood pumping,

I am strong.

And through my weakness,
I determine to conquer,

To overcome,
What’s inside.

I run to stay alive.

It's a Beautiful Day!

So I just wanted to explain the title of my blog a bit. "Beautiful Day" by U2 inspired me to see the better side of life. It helped me come out on top of some tough times and I think I could say that it really changed me. I had this brilliant idea that I was going to write to Bono and tell him how his song has influenced me, but then I decided that he probably gets millions of the same sort of letters from obsessed fans. I didnt want my sentimental scribble to get lost in the abyss of crazed fan letters so, one day, when I am famous (for something really great, though I don't know what that is at this moment or I'd already be famous) Bono will look on my blog and be flattered. (ha ha ha)

So here is the sound track of my life:

1. "Bohemian Rapsody" by: Queen - My cousin and I used to love this song when we were little.

2. "The Sign" by: Ace of Base - I thought this was the coolest song in Jr. High. (I was sooo cool!)

3. "It's a Beautiful Day" by: U2 - My senior year of High School my best friend Myra and I went to their concert. It was amazing!

4. "Spiderweb" by: No Doubt - High School, want to be bitter, girl song.

5. "Take It or Leave It" by: The Strokes - Singing at the top of our lungs while driving down Canyon Road on our regular date of dinner and a movie with Helene West.

6. "Yellow" by: Cold Play - First experience moving away from home after High School.

7. "Amber" by: 311 - My "I want to lie in a hammock on a deserted island and just chill" song.

8. "Bubbly Toes" by: Jack Johnson - To Shauna, because she has bubbly toes.

8. "We are going to be Friends" by: White Stripes - Backpacking Europe trip.

9. "Starlight" by: The Muse - To Stella, my speedy partner in crime!!!

10. "Stolen" by: Dashboard Confessional - Because it's just a really good song.

11. "Read My Mind" by: The Killers - Because I am so easy to read, dispite the fact that I don't want people to know what I'm thinking.

12. "Annie Are You Okay?" by: Alien Ant Farm - Because Myra, you are OK!!

13. "Glycerine" by: Bush - Cuz I love the title and the song too.

14. "The Sweater Song" by: Weezer - because it reminds me of Daniel and Ammon and makes me laugh.

15. "Single" by: Nitosha Beddingfield - To the "Fabulous Five"

*I dedicate this entry to my poor stolen CD collection. May Mr. 5 finger discount enjoy them as much as I have.

On Top of the World

I have traveled to a lot of different places in the world and every time I come home, someone asks, "Where is the most beautiful place you have been?" I have to hesitate. Each destination has it's highlights whether it's the Coliseum in Rome, the beach in Chinque Terre, or the flashy lights of Vegas. It all comes down to one point in the end, however, there's is no place like home.

I am a mountain girl through and through. I love the mountains and having grown up in Provo, they are kind of a symbol of home to me. There is something secure about them, almost like a blockade, they are protection. They symbolize both power and serenity. Power because of their magnificence, and serenity because of the feeling you get when you have just reached the top. It's liberating to stand there and look down on the world, and realize that your problems really aren't as big as you make them out to be. You can conquer them, just like you conquered that mountain, one step at a time. It is, in fact, a spiritual experience.
Now I know you're thinking, "This is an interesting entry. Next I'll bet she is going to quote some cheesy poem, start singing some sentimental ballad or, heaven forbid, cry! Well reader, put your mind at ease because I am not going to quote a poem (although Emily Dickinson would be appropriate), or sing a sentimental ballad (although Dashboard Confessional has come out with an excellent new CD) and, no, you will not have the privilege, or satisfaction (which ever you would like) of seeing me cry (especially because, even if I were to cry, you wouldn't see it now would you?).
So last weekend my room mate, Erika, and I, met some friends in Zion National Park. We decided that we wanted a challenge and so we headed up one of the most awe inspiring peaks in Zion called Angel's Landing. Now if you haven't hiked this one yet, I would highly recommend it but if you are afraid of heights, you'd probably be better off going up The Narrows.
At one point of the hike, you are scaling a narrow ledge that connects two parts of the mountain. The ledge is about 5 feet across and on either side there is about a 1500 ft drop off. My advice: "just concentrate on your next move and don't look down!"
So there I was in the thrill of the hike, stuck behind this lady who was shaking so bad I spent my time worrying she'd lose her balance and fall off the edge. Despite that minor detail, she had to be at least 50 years old AND she was wearing a skirt, but not just any old lady skirt, it was a mini skirt! Who does that? Talk about varicose veins, I never want to be 50! I do have to hand it to her for her brave ambition however, especially because I believe the risk factor increases with age, due to lack of balance of coarse.
Anyway, the top was so triumphant! You look over an amazing display of green and red under an untainted sky of blue and it just takes your breath away! All the sweat and anxiety of getting there is worth while when you reach the top of the world, and hey, if Grandma can do it, so can you!

The Fab Five

Everyone in our apartment was having a hard week. Things can get tough when you live in a place like "The Muddy". We definately aren't in Provo anymore! So one weekend we decided to take off and go to California. The great thing about living in Vegas is that everyone from California comes to gamble on the weekends and we get to go there. It's kind of a swap. Anyway so we got a hotel room for two nights and spent Saturday on the beach. It was an awesome and much needed break.
These are my room mates. Myra is on the far right. Myra is so great! We have been best friends since we were in Junior High and we have had a so many incredible adventures together. We are the amazing traveling partners. Liz is just right of Myra. She is a PE teacher at one of the high schools here in Vegas. I love her because she has a great sense of humor and laughs a lot. She is athletic, like me, and we have visions of doing a triathlon together.
Erica is next. I just love Erica! She has this cleaver personality that I envy. I met her about 2 years ago because she was in Myra's ward. Well, everyone called her "Beppa" and for the longest time I didn't know her real name. She is still in my phone as "Beppa".
Then, there's me...Well, not much to report there, but we do have one other room mate that couldn't come on the trip with us, which would explain why she isn't in the picture. Her name is Nancy. Nancy is a high school Home Economics teacher. She is an extremely organized and keeps herself quite busy. She is a very charitable person and she is always cooking for some big function. We have all appreciated her cooking skills (especially her deserts!)
So together we are the "Fab Five", at least that's what they call us, and to tell you the truth, I think they are right! We are pretty fabulous, even if I do say so myself.

"Tomarrow"

Okay, so don't you hate it when you have been doing something wrong for a long time, only to suddenly find out that you have been doing it wrong all along and no one has bothered to tell you? Well, I am ashamed to admit this, but I have been spelling the word "tomorrow" wrong for years!!! For some reason I thought it was spelled "tomarrow". I really think it should be spelled that way because that's how it sounds. Dang this English language sometimes!
My aunt had a similar experience with the phrase "chest of drawers". She thought it was "chester drawers" her whole life and then, to her mortification, her husband finally came out and told her it's "chest of drawers". Talk about feeling stupid.
I have learned to appreciate those people who are genuinely honest. Not critical, mind you, but honest. They have your best interest in mind and they don't want you to walk around looking stupid, so they tell you straight out. "Hey, you have some black stuff smeared all across your face". Instead of you going home and feeling completely embarrassed because you have been walking around all day with some horrid black smudge streaked all across your face.
The thing that makes me feel most ridiculous is that I have been spelling tomorrow wrong in all of my text messages. Well, I like to use the automatic words (or whatever they are officially called) because I think it's faster to write text messages and I have always thought it was so dumb that "tomarrow" was never in my phone dictionary. "Of all of the words that are in here, why would the word tomarrow be left out?" Okay at this point you would think I'd get the hint that I was spelling it wrong, but it never really did.
My question is: Why didn't anyone tell me? Of all of the people I text messaged using the word "tomarrow", why didn't anyone ever tell me? Or was everyone sitting comfortably in their own little worlds, laughing at my ignorance?

A special thanks to Cassidy for her excellent spell checking skills.