Gotta Be Grateful

Some good reasons (pretty damn important ones at that) tah thank my oh-so lucky stars (aka 'reasons I should NOT bitch or moan or whine'):

1 - my good mind and my general physical health
(PLUS health and dental insurance to help me stay in good health)
2 - my so-sweet, super yummy, terrifically tender lovin' man and his oh-so precious angel boy-O
(they're considered one whole package, hand in hand)
3 - my father - he loves me, he accepts me as I am, he supports me, worries for me, wants me to be happy and safe, and HE MAKES ME LAUGH!
4 - 2 incredible women to have 'raised' me; my mum had the first shift, with my step-mum to follow from there on out, working hard against the odds (the 'odds' would be me and the situation at the time the chain of command switched hands)
5 - 2 delightful siblings to enjoy and learn from and to have make up for the hardship I put upon my parents
6 - loving, supportive and fun relatives: grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins galore, etc.
7 - true and loyal, REAL friends and fun friends and more friends
8 - a good, stable, flexible job to FULFILL MY NEEDS and then some
9 - good people to work with and for
10 - a job that enables me to pursue an advanced degree
(M.P.A. = Masters in Public Administration - yeah, a real snore, BUT I'm good at what I do)
11 - a college education on which to base that advanced degree
12 - a roof over my head; providing me a place to live and stash all my crap and belongings; a place to rest my head at night
13 - food o'plenty (TOO much at times) to keep me well fed n' healthy
14 - plenty of clothing to keep me all covered and warm (I could dress an army!)
15 - my mobility via STAY PFT, to get me where I wanna be
16 - A fabulous roommate: she's sweet, earnest and kind, honest, trustworthy, considerate, clean and quiet and she loves my boys.

Lastly, but NOT least - my boys, Otis & Owen - from which I derive so much joy, so many giggles, so many comforting moments... AND I could go on and on, sooooo I gots reasons tah be grateful, indeed! Should be smacked upside the head straight away if and whenever I groan anything along the totally lame-O lines of "poor wittle me."

[this post was inspired by the big-hearted 'Dang Cold' - thank you!]

Self-Portrait Day

Only my 2nd SPD post yet... k, so I'm a tad behind. BUT now I'm all with it, digital cam in hand!

A Gentler, Kinder, More Humane 'To-Do' List

Here's the lastest revision of my 'to-do' list - a more humane version at this point in time...written in green overhead pen on my bathroom vanity mirror, as I'd said - no, I'm not crazy. Neurotic maybe, but not truly crazy - no, really!

Inspired by Torrie ~Bands I've Seen, AMMENDED

Mmkay, a couple years ago, I tried doing this in my own 'write-with-a-pen-on-paper journal', but I've been inspired by Torrie to post my semi-complete list of bands/artists I've seen, in no particular order. Originally posted 4.15.05 ~ Ammended 4.28.05 ~ and ammended once more...

George Clinton & the P-Funk - danced 'til my body ached
Tori Amos - I love her spunk and her guts
Buddy Guy - AHH-MAY-ZING
Stabbing Westward - small, but had a totally bizarre stage set

Had missed those last three, now listed above this point...(how I could forget Tori!?! I dunno?!?)

Jane's Addiction - what a trip, sheesh!
Paul Simon - BEST one ever
Paul McCartney - may be the concert of my lifetime
Pink Floyd - absolutely at a 'loss for words'
Steve Miller Band - sand at the top of my lungs, honoring my father
Pat Benetar - god bless her
Bjorn Again - they WERE ABBA, I swear!
Cranberries - they were surprisingly good
Rasko - rastah man, it's allll jammin' baby
Baby Animals (Austrailian 80s band)
The Smoking Popes - beyond the name, utterly forgettable
Morrisey - love him, but big, big disasppointment; what a poser
Depeche Mode - (twice) I LOVE DM!
Alanis Morrisette - she was amazing, really
My Blood Valentine - another big flashback
The THE - way way way too depressing
Toad the Wet Sprocket - these guys are such cutie pie nerds - I love them
Kid Rock - I laughed like craysee the entire show
Powerman 5000 - they've got their image down pat
Maceo Parker and All the Kings Men - these guys know how to enjoy life
Jason Mraz - he was so, so, so DAMN CUTE!
Van Halen - sloshed around in spilt beer from beginning to end
- helped a woman find her dropped watch = she kissed me
Journey - I will not apologize; they totally rock
Sarah Brightman - constant goosebumps
Gin Blossoms - surprisingly, they had the most brutal mosh pit
Celine Dion - most recent and don't even like her; went w/ my sistah...
- I MUST SAY, Celine was fabulous!!! she made me cry!?
Joan Osbourne - she is so cool
Sarah McLachlan - this woman speaks to me
Dar Williams - what a delightfully witty woman
Ani DiFranco - I love this woman
Dixie Chicks - they were awesome!
Michelle Branch - very talented; quite impressive
Lisa Loeb - sweet lil' crooner
Paula Cole - amazing performer = she kicked ass
Cowboy Junkies - one big flashback to NICMO days (not mine) at Ricks College
Tim McGraw - he was soooooo grrreat - yummy too
Sevendust - hell yeah!
Cypress Hill - tolerable for only so long
System of a Down - lost my voice from screaming
P.O.D. - deep down, they're nothing but mush; they don't fool me
Jerry Cantrell - too cool
Rob Zombie - made it onstage, lost both my shoes (miraculously, I got them back)
Marilyn Manson - most entertaining (shhh! family don't know about this one)

I still haven't yet, but hope to someday see: India Arie, The Chieftans, The Cure, Dave Matthew's Band (so many missed chances - I could kick myself), Doobie Brothers (if they ever go on tour), Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Indigo Girls, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna (probably won't ever, w/ her prices), No Doubt, Sting, U2. . .
I could go on and on and on, but I won't.

How Humbling

I don't know how this is calculated or if there's any validity to it, but to think there's any truth to it at all? - what a reality check.
How can I be in the top 6% ?!?

I've been humbled.

How rich are you? >> I'm loaded. It's official. I'm the 277,391,305 richest person on earth!

Man - I had written stuff below this and come to check...it didn't post!?!

Lemme' try this again: I was saying....
Don't get me wrong here - this isn't the first time I've ever tried to contemplate the incomprehensible numbers of millions of destitute people in the world. As a little girl, I remember those shown-at-midnight (I was a night owl and would sneak out of bed to watch cable in the basement) "sponsor a child" features on TV with Sally Struthers from "All in the Family" (I knew who she was then because my mother loved that show, if my memory serves). Those featurettes made me cry, and they still do today.

When my mother would tell me,"Eat your dinner. There are starving children in China," I took her very, very seriously. I cleaned my plate -she wouldn't let me leave the table unless I had done so! - except various steamed vegetables -that woman fed me truckloads of asparagus!?! remarkably, I love it now- were often stuffed down the heating vent in the kitchen nook when mummie wasn't looking.
Only a couple years ago, did I realize that to remain a devoted member of the "Clean Plate Club," I can simply bring home what I-SHOULD-NOT-EAT-ALL-OF-RIGHT-THEN-AND-THERE in the form of leftovers in a lovingly packed doggie bag. Unlike my undergrad days, when eating out was reserved for trips, holidays and visits home to parents or relatives, I get the chance to eat out with some regularity. I DO NOT NEED to eat restaurant size portions...so I bring it home now. Not long ago, my devotion to the Clean Plate Club when eating out was, um, plumpin' me up.

I do not like to waste food or water. When I brush my teeth, I don't turn the water on until it's time for the final rinse. And I feel guilty when I run the bathtub water, waiting for the temperature to warm up before showering.

Not including any childhood or adolescent years spent at home living with my parents before June 1993:
Between 1995 and mid-1999, I considered myself an active member of the Mormon Church. I used to pay 10% of my GROSS income on a regular, religious (no pun intended) basis. Doing so, I felt at the time that I was making a substantial monetary contribution towards the assistance of my fellow men (no sexual bias intended w/ the use of that expression). Now, having not paid any tithing in years, I try to donate or participate when possible in any reputable fundraising event that comes my way... I'm not rich by any means, but I consider myself fortunate and truly grateful for what I do have, and knowing that I have more than some will ever have in their lifetime, I feel I must try to help somehow even if it's only a little bit.

EVERY LITTLE BIT OF ASSISTANCE OFFERED COUNTS!

Must add one more thing to clarify... Sadly, I am quite aware of those living in poverty right here in the good ol' U.S.A.

My beau's ever-sweet 6 yr old angel boy-O always asks if and how we can help the homeless. Living in L.A., on a daily basis -EVERDAY he's taken to school- this lil' 6 yr old sees the homeless living literally around us. And it breaks his precious heart and it breaks mine too. In the past, I've spent holidays serving food to the homeless -and should do it more often, on a more regular basis- and I give bags and bags of clothing and home items to shelters and goodwill centers each year. It's hard to feel it makes a difference - like I can never give enough.
But I try.

Rejected Crayon (I love this)

According to 'Blogthings' -totally random selection, mind you- I am

What Rejected Crayon Are You?

I tried to test this one out (not that it has ANY validity to it)...by entering a number of different 'underwear' colors, trying to see whether or not it would just randomly assign a color. Twice I entered 'gray' and was given the same name for a rejected crayon color I DID NOT WANT TO POST/SHARE. Try using 'gray' and you'll see why I didn't stick to it...

OH ~ went back and dinked around with it some more...this time 'gray' DID NOT give me the color I had at first avoided. This time it gave me something entirely different...then I entered 'gray' AGAIN (4th time) and it failed to bring up the same color again. It's totally random. Wish I had been "spank me pink" ~ giggle.

40% Male, I am!

My Brain is 60.00% Female, 40.00% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Got a lil' of my freak goin' on...

I am 55% Normal (Somewhat Normal)

While some of your behavior is quite normal... Other things you do are downright strange You've got a little of your freak going on... But you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are You?

Hot Saints?!?

I was in Ootah over the past weekend...while driving the northbound I-15 interstate, I saw a bright, flashy billboard for this website - click the post title above...

IT IS for real - "...chase and be chaste."

I couldn't decide whether or not I should either die laughing or just throw up violently.

Guess I should see this flick then, eh?

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Crossin' it off the 'List'

Well, since its first post, in the last 24 hours I've managed to whittle away some more of the things on my inhumane "to-do" list, so I've ammended the original post (see below): all the items now shown in this color should be considered crossed off, all done, finished..."Next please?"

Totally Inhumane 'To-Do' Lists

I've recently discovered that it's not at all uncommon to suffer from a particular condition... Not unlike many thousands of others out there, I am an avid creator of completely and totally, inhumanely unrealistic, irrational 'to-do' lists. Here's the current 'running list' created nearly a week ago: (it's written on my bathroom vanity mirror in green overhead pen

Oil change, car wash and tire rotation
Vacuum/wash car floormats
Clean out car trunk
Organize bathroom cabinets
De-junk the kitchen junk drawer
Clean fan blades (preparing for hot hellish days of Vegas summer to come)
Clean fish tank - new filters
Clean out fridge and pantry
Detrash the coat closet
Wash/Put away bedroom quilt - gettin' to warm for it
Stretch 2nd baby quilt @ aunt Rad's
Dinner w/ Helen - collect her MS pledge $$
Lunch w/ Loren - return his Aero bed (totally forgot to give it to him!?!)
Dinner w/ Chandra & Simon
Make plans with Jane
Finish Poppy's frame for Matthew
See baby GABE again!!!
Babysit Alina again B4 month's end
Make onesies for babies and bubbling toddlers: Alina, Gabe, Kolby, the Twins, the J-Z boys, and Leta
Misc. Mending: hem honey's khakis, my new pink shirt, alter nightshirt and yoga pants (2)
Take in yellow dress bodice - makes me look FAT
Update Vegas photo albums
Clean patio and washer closet
Use up the asparagus and mushrooms, pronto
NEED SHAMPOO!
Buy bananas and yogi for my beau
Finish package for beau's QT boy-O (cutest 6 yr old in the world)
Complete Summer term registration - 4/19
Send RSVP for Steph's wedding
Send b-day cards: Grams, Angela, Sarah
Finish 16 page paper for PUA 718 - due 4/20
Wrap up statistics layout and change litter boxes B4 leaving town Friday
PACK!!! you must pack! and gas up the car!
Sister's BYU graduation - 4/22
Gifts for sistah's grad and Vicki's b-day
Call Kim, Martens, Marcus, Melis, Grams, Gma Joanie, Barbara, Brin, Suzanne, Vicky, Helen and Loren
Email back: Rebecca, Johanna, Jane, Korose, Mikal, Sherri, Mitch
Email Vickie 'bout her summer plans
(yes, this is the 3rd use of "Vicky" - each one is a different person)
MUST Finish incompletes -due May 9
Email PUA profs for PUA 701 and 713
Pay TUITION for summer by May 15th

The stuff written in blue has been 'done' - and soooo, I must now quit THIS and continue working to finish my damn paper.

Can't. avoid. it. any. longer.

Repeat to myself: I will NOT stay up past 2:30AM again.

And repeat...

I'm Gandhi - who knew?

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I can't be a true 'Gum Guru'

Do you see this? This is a gum wrapper for Bubble Yum's sour Blue RazzBerry blowout...what were they thinking here with this 'punk' duck, donned with a mohawk, complete with studded doggie collar AND notice, his NOSTRILS are pierced?!? say wha? OH, wait. I'm sorry, I've been corrected...this duck has a name and he's featured on Bubble Yum's website - Floyd D. Duck??!??! Floyd's got his own AIM Buddy Icons? Player SKINs? screensavers? etc. etc. Oh my goodness. Is there really a demand for poor Floyd? Maybe I'm not the gum guru I thought I was...Do ducks chew gum? I don't get it.

Drinking is...

This Spago restaurant bar napkin offers one of the best definitions of 'drinking,' don't you think? ~ it made me laugh, so I had to share.

a World Population Clock?!?

I have a friend who has this rare and remarkable knack for discovering odd online sources for truly strange and kinda mind-boggling information. For instance, the "world POP clock" provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. The clock provides monthly world population estimates - ? The U.S. Census Bureau website also offers world rates of deaths and births and an estimate of the 'natural increase' for the current expressed year, month, day, hour, by minute, per second - ??? How they do this and how my friend simply happens upon this kind of stuff, I dunno.

Top 5 Faves Morphs into an Enormous Listing

My dear popa-sahn was here in town for business last week and we had dinner together at Il Fornaio. Yum. For some casual dinner convo, I asked him what his top 5 favorite restaurants are... My father knows food. He travels all over and it's his business, in a round about way, to know good food. My question led us into a smooth volley back and forth, and his top 5 grew into a long listing of our food and restaurant favorities. We enjoy food way, way, way too much to limit ourselves to a mere five faves...

In no particular order, here are just a few of my 'favorites' ~ and they really are some of my ultimate favorites:

Hires in Salt Lake City, UT - favorite drive-in hamburger joint [although I always get the very same thing I did when 3 years old; grilled cheese (hold pickle spear please) w/ onion rings and a frosty mug of root beer - n' please DO NOT forget the 'special sauce']
Market Street Grill and/or 'the Broiler' in SLC, UT - favorite clam chowder
Happy Chef in Cedar Rapids, IA - favorite french silk pie
Sarabeth's in NYC - best breakfast (they even have "Angeline's Hot Cocoa")
The Original Uno's in Chicago, IL - absolute favorite deep dish pizza
The Little Buddha at the Palms in LV - favoritie sushi bar +awesome atmosphere
Cafe Lago at Caesars Palace in LV - favorite Sunday brunch
Capriotti's, all over Vegas - favorite sandwich shop, droolin' over the "Capistrami"
Zio Johnos in Cedar Rapids, IA - out of this world garlic bread!
P.F. Changs anywhere - favorite chinese, always consistent
Benihana's anywhere - favorite Japanese cusine
Poquito Mas anywhere in LA - favorite taco shop
Ben & Jerry's anywhere - favorite ice cream shop
Memphis BBQ in LV - favorite barbeque -love the BBQ nachos!
Fatburger anywhere - best real ice cream milkshakes
Mortons anywhere - best steak I've ever had
Cozymel's anywhere - best margaritas and I love the 'flaming cheese'
Lotus of Siam in LV - favorite Thai food: mmmm, coconut ice cream over sticky rice
Donut Shop (don't know its name!), Corner of 3rd St & Cochran Ave. in LA - best croissants; buttery, flakey, the size of my head!- and their donuts? Krispy Kreme, eat your heart out.
Il Fornaio anywhere - favorite italian joint
Michael's Frozen Custard in Madison, WI - best frozen custard ever!
Roadrunner Cafe in Henderson, NV - best cheesesteak sandwiches -ooey gooey!

That's just a glimpse...the complete list would be enormous.
As for my father, he was naming off places in London and Rome.
Lucky bastard!

"Sin City" is DREADFUL

Went to see the movie Sin City last night w/ my beau - it was a severe disappointment. We both declared the 'total waste of our time' as the worst 'big box office' movie we have ever seen. We hated it. Let me rephrase that; we really HATED it.

My take on Adult Comic Books: First of all, I do not get comic books, especially those written for adults. LAME and even more so, completely LAME! Maybe there are some good ones out there, somewhere (and I'm not interested in discovering them - thank you, but no), but I find them to be generally mindless, 'relentlessly violent,' plagued with lousy dead-pan line deliveries, which stream thoughts of 'consciousness' revealing nothing more than the plain obvious, and all women are depicted with either huge, unnatural curves or heinous features, all equally stupid and always scantily clad. This movie was made as a cinematic adaptation of Frank Miller's comics. It was done well, technically, true to his and that of general comic book stylings - but should it have been made at all? Maybe I sound a tad bit dramatic here, but man, it was disgusting. And I still feel ill from its affects - Both of us do.

I won't go into any detail as to what happened in the movie. Sufficeth to say it was awful. We rolled our eyes together until they about fell out of our heads. We at times held our heads down, we turned into one another's shoulder to shield our eyes, we repeatedly supressed strong gag reflexes, we often laughed in shock at how purely awful and STUPID the whole thing was, and we often gave one another other deeply pained, apologetic looks throughout the movie's duration...
And we will admit that although a truly deplorable creation, as we looked at one another often during the movie - from it's very beginning scene - with that knowing look,"We should leave," we stayed anyhow, hoping we'd get something out of our $18.00 spent. We could have and should have left within the first 5-10 minutes.

We should have first perused the several various movie reviews since its opening. Although many glorify the feature as a stunning visual - horrifying is more like it - the general message is still quite transparent and it falls along these lines: the movie is a brutal assault upon one's sensitivities. The only thing that could have made the experience worse... no, wait, I ain't gunna go THERE. The movie was bad enough. No need to speculate as to how else it could have sucked more than it already did.

The worst thing to happen actually came after the movie's end, as we were walking out the theater. As we were leaving, verbally apologizing to one another for having not walked out of the movie when it had first begun, muttering to one another about our shared complaints re: the film... this guy comes breezing past us from behind, with a pudgy, smiling face. He turns around to face a woman following him, presumably his girlfriend/wife, and he declares with joyous enthusiasm, "That was the best movie ever." Honestly, at hearing this and witnessing the sheer glee upon this guy's face, I wanted to burst into tears.

The celebration and acceptance of a film like this makes me fear for myself and my unborn children.

Final Tally for LV 2005 MS Walk

Juuuuhst for the record, to let it be known - known - known (that's an 'echo' effect there) ... my final fundraising tally topped at $1,429.00!!! woo-hoo!

Pet Peeve or Fetish?

I love this website! (click the post title above)- however, the real thing is much better - it's simple pleasures man, the simple pleasures in life.

Don't let this fool you, he's crazy - I call him my Ninja Kitty

And Owen, my lil' poser...perfectly cool, collected and totally calm (a rare moment).
I originally posted this one too, back in February, the 25th...but don't want it sitting in the archives.

My Cuddle Bug, Otis - lazy lil' fatso of love

This is my lil' porky boy, Otis - ya know, he looks like a sausage link with some limbs and a small, itty bitty head, all 14 pounds of him! I love it when he spreads out like this.
I originally posted this one in February, the 25th... but didn't want it to sit in archives.

Daylight Savings Sucks the Big One

Alright - sure it will be lighter outside tonight, come 7pm, BUT my alarm went off at 5:30am this morning (feeling like 4:30!?!? - cuz that's what time it really was!!!) and there was NO WAY anyone was gunna get my butt outta bed!!! Although I pressed the Snooze button, oh, about 5 or 6 times before getting up, my right eye is now twitching and my entire body is generally ticked off - I'M TIRED! and it shows. I'm gonna haftah read up on how ole' Ben Franklin thought this whole Daylight Savings thing was a good idea.

Success = Met my $1K fundraising goal for MS!

Check it out! Click here to see my Multiple Sclerosis Personal Page - over $1,200 in fundraising donations have been collected!!! wooooo-hooo!

Even the super sweet SUSIE 'Fairchild' (http://uhohnowlook.blogspot.com/) and the dang cool 'DANG COLD' (http://dangcold.blogspot.com/) made contributions - for which I'm absolutely thrilled and I can't thank 'em enough.

Valuable Computer Resource

If you're in need of some serious computer screen cleaning, try this link here: www.clean-your-screen-for-free-now.com

It shall prove itself a valuable computer resource - and yes, I am a complete and total cheeseball. Come on, ya can't forget who you're dealing with here.... meeoow!

Owen's Favorite Spot in L.A.

Owen's favorite nap/lounge/play spot in L.A. - he LOVES this office chair!

In the Eyes of Otis

Look at those eyes!?! ain't my lil' Otis so damn cute? He's a little furball of pure love.