Self-Portrait Day!

"Non-mirror Reflection" SPD - purty cool idea I thought...

Used a handy sterling silver plated clock kept at my office desk, given to me when I left my last place of employment ~

Revealing Deep Ridiculous Insecurity

Granted, not many of us actually 'know' each other, here in the blogosphere, but there are a few of you I just adore - I swear. Speaking of Spurious Plum in particular here... just a couple minutes ago after reading her delightful "100 Things About Me" post, I was chuckling to myself (while sitting in class, mind you), and I thought to mahself, "I would so love to meet you." And then what did my idiot self-conscious conscience say right back? "She'll think I'm boring."
Wha the - ? what's up with that ? why do I STILL do this ? Makes me feel like a little kid...although truth be told, I was a pretty confident child. Yet here I am; I'm 30 years old! *sigh*

Working Out Ain't Working

Just venting for a moment -please, don't mind me- my whole hope to return to a regular workout routine is lagging. I am doing my crunches, arm weights and some stretching, so this is progress. For a week or two I was walking and heading back to the gym, but right now? man - I'M TIRED! blak. I wanna go sleep! I just finished one of my summer classes last week, so things should become a lil' easier, but this morning? I was lucky to get up and take a shower! I.feel.too.damn.tired.
Mmmkay. I'm done bitchin' now. This has gotta be it, because I don't want my honey-man to get fed up with my whining...not that he really would...I'm not big on whining. Whining is just so anti-productive. No more whining, got it? I don't have class tonight (hallelujah!) and although I do have a paper to finish for tomorrow night, I'm gunna go to the gym after work for at least an hour. It'll be good for me - repeat - IT WILL BE GOOD FOR ME.

I'm a Cultural Creative - ?

I got this one from Greenie, who got it from John Boy. . .

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational. Cultural Creative 100% Existentialist 81% Idealist 75% Materialist 69% Postmodernist 63% Romanticist 50% Modernist 31% Fundamentalist 31% What is Your World View? (updated) created with QuizFarm.com

SPF - It's mine now - Ain't ever - Eau de Annejelynn

According to Kristine and Susie, who's a lil' behind though today (hint, hint)...

#1Taken and never returned: 'MY' Nintendo ~ No, really - it's MINE! It was GIVEN to ME!

Remember these dinosaurs? the glorious days of Super Mario Brothers (can you hear the Mario Bros. game music playing right now? I can.) and Duck Hunt - which so rocked, didn't it? I loved Duck Hunt. (Notice: I still have my gun! can ya see it towards the back in that pic?)

When we got our first (my first and only) Nintendo, we had the remote controls with no cords. We initially thought it'd be the coolest, knowing the cords are pain in the ass. But big problems: when you're into your game and Mario needs to jump NOW dammit, jump RIGHT NOW OR YOU'LL DIE! JUMP! and your arms and hands are moving upward, mimicking a major Mario jump? ya know what I mean here? well, the system would lose the controls signal and Mario would fail to make the jump at all...and so you'd die. My brother learned the word "shit" because of this - not from me, but my father. So we gave up the overrated remote controls and finally got the control thingy you see above - and it totally sucks when it comes to Tetris, because if you're not aiming perfectly left or right or perfectly straight up or down - doin' more of a diagonal move of the thumb on the circly controls thingy? it fails to make the move, since diagonal ain't an option in Tetris. I've adjusted my game, but the circly control still sucks. Excitebike had been my favorite until I got my hands on Tetris. In my eyes, nothing beats Tetris. Yes, I am THAT BIG OF A NERD.

Anyhow, I say it was 'given' to me and it was GIVEN to me when I left home for college - my brother (who was only 3 year old at the time) says I took it.... there have been several requests/demands for it's return, but since it's latest resurrection from the depths of my storage (since I went back to school for my MPA - see May 17th post), Tetris occasionally helps me focus my nearly dead sense of sanity. Watching those pieces fall, placing them just so, trying to get past Level 16 without freaking out. Whether it be late at night or early, early mornings... Playing in Level 9 can soothe like nothing else - and it's way too fun to watch Otis and Owen stare at the TV screen, mesmerized, lil' heads titling back and forth to the side. Super cute.

When I was an undergrad, my roomies and I all chipped in $10 each per semester to rent a TV and VCR set up - we had no cable, no reception, but plenty of VHS tapes - one roomie's sister faithfully sent us recordings of the Simpsons and Seinfeld on a monthly basis. And we needed it, stuck up there in Rexburg, Idaho. Anyhow, we wanted the TV to PLAY TETRIS. No joke. We had house rules too: No playing below Level 9. And we had a dry erase board tracking everyone's total lines (starting from Level 9 only, of course). Suzanne was the champion, playing as high as LEVEL 21 (did you KNOW there's a Level 21?!?), 211 lines. My personal best is Level 18, 186 lines. No joke. People would come over to play Tetris. Various boyfriends had their records written on the Tetris board. We all have a GAZILLION pictures of people sitting around the front room watching whomever was playing Tetris at the time. We had a low rise folding chair in which one could sit, close to the floor in front of the TV to play the blessed Tetris. I have at least a couple dozen different photos in which a group's posing for the shot, and in the background you can see someone in the Tetris zone, playing like a madman. Yup, Tetris.

#2 Given to me and left unopened
~ AIN'T NEVER GUNNA USE THESE ~

Acquired these babies quite recently, last weekend at the CineVegas Film Festival, but I already know that they're gunna go unused: #1 - I don't need them, #2 - I don't want them, #3 - being that they glow in the dark, one toss of the hand and Owen would be all over 'em = sex dice would become kitty toy.

#3 My parfume ~ Eau de Annejelynn

Found this wonderful, wonderful stuff while wandering the glorious aisles of the Sephora in Times Square. THAT PLACE IS FREAKIN' HUUUGE! And it was love ~ I adore Hanae Mori's 'Butterfly' - either the pink or blue. It's nummy nummy stuff.

SPF - What the? - I Have to - and No one but me...

Alrighty now - I had no real time to prepare for this, so I'm winging it while at work (evil snicker re: my wickedly weird alliteration there) - what was that? anyhow, let's move on...

#1 "What was I thinking?" For this one, the first thing that came to mind is a time when I totally failed to practice some self-control while dating a guy who liked to do nothing but eat out, late 2002, into early 2003. Ever heard of "happy fat?" Well, it became sorely resented and UNHAPPY fat, including UNHAPPY stretch marks! If I could, I'd offer a picture of my stretch marks - and I could, but I WILL NOT do this to you - or to me! They're not horrific, but every time I catch a glimpse of 'em, I think - 'WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING?!?" As for that guy? When I told him I wanted to lose the weight I'd gained, he took issue with it - didn't want me going to the gym, working out in front of other guys?!? and there was a whole 'nuthah group of issues this guy had. Yes, I dumped him. *UPDATE* The aforementioned fellow is the not-so-anonymous Mr. T.R. ~ see my open letter to him that was posted here, February 8th, '06.

#2 Something I'm obligated to keep:

I hate using a typewriter. Hate it. I'd rather write everything out by hand, than use a damn typewriter.
CLARIFICATION: It's not that I have nothing to use but a typewriter - it's that my workplace still insists on using those NCR forms that must be prepared using only a typewriter.

#3 Something I think no one else owns:

Ain't no one got this but me - I made it when I first moved here, post-divorce. I worked on it for several weeks...while avoiding real life responsibilities. UPDATE: There were some questions as to what this is exactly. It's only an 8.5" x 11" piece of bonded card stock paper on which I created this free-hand drawn design - no pre-drawing with pencil or anything whatsoever (can ya tell I'm proud of that tidbit fact?) - using colored gel-ink roller ball pens. I later tried to make the colors more solid/brighter with water-based inks. The picture here fails to show how bright the colors are. I have a color copy in my office and the original is kept at home.

I am from...

Intro: Got this meme from Susie ~ Ya use a particular format to answer certain questions regarding where one comes from... the format is found here.
My confession: As I compiled my own statements for this meme, at FOUR different times, I cried - ??? I was overwhelmed by the various things that came to mind - my roots and beginnings; all the people, the moments, and the many 'pieces' that are all a part of me and where I'm from. This meme was a wonderful exercise. I highly recommend it!

So here it goes:

I am from spotlessly clean kitchen floors, off which one could eat, and a die-hard family devotion to "Nordy's" - that's Nordstroms.

I am from 13th South and 13th East, from old bricks and peeling, wooden window frames painted chocolate brown and old leaded windows, from an unfinished basement that occasionally flooded, and an unattached garage from which my father carried me to the house in his warm arms at night, under twinkling stars.

I am from rows and rows of tulips and daffodils, irises, gladiolas, crocus and grape hyacinths, all lovingly planted and tendered by my mum ~ I was her trusty weeder, water girl and eager destroyer of snails. I am from delicate salmon colored poppies, intertwining sweet peas clinging to patio screens, furious fushia peonies bursting with petals, petunias galore and towering, gigantic stalks of blue delphinium grown in my lil' Gma Rae's flower gardens. I am from deliciously sweet, cool and crisp snow pea pods picked fresh off the plant, fat ears of yellow corn and long rows of tall bushy raspberry bushes, from armfulls of rhubarb grown by my Gpa Farrell.

I am from bone crushing hugs that lift you up off your feet, and a love for all things edible, especially anything with cheese.

I am from an undying devotion to Hires Big-H hamburgers and greasy french fries with loads of extra fry sauce, and New Year's Eve wishes handwritten on tiny pieces of paper, folded and given anonymously by everyone to all. I am from walls doned with photographs of those who are here now and those long gone and sorely missed. I am from my aunt Sarah and my aunt Mary, and my mother's two sisters, Radeane and Brenda. I am from the ever chatty Shirley-girl and Martha Stewart's up and coming rival, Victoria Ann.

I am from people who take on way more than they should, and yet they accomplish wonderful things for those they love.

I am from "you're such a little fruitcake" and "remember who your are." I am from "your thoughts become you," "money doesn't grow on trees," and "mind the Golden Rule." I am from "don't make your mother sick or she'll die." [I'm sure that old woman's goin' to hell in a handbasket for saying that to me - I was only 6 yrs old!]

I am from a long line of Mormons -Latter-Day Saints- some still going strong, while others happily, peacefully, confidently "dwindle in disbelief." I am from the self-realization that regardless of religious sanctions or a lack thereof, we all need to learn to love one another and treat others as we want to be treated.

I am from Scandanavian blood, also English, Welsh and Walloon (some Mongolians who played around with zee French and settled in Belgium!). I am from the queen of springform cheesecakes, the mother of all things that can be canned, and homemade baked mac n' cheese.

I am from a tini-tiny, most modest apartment in Provo, UT, where two young, courageously passionate newlywed college kids decided to take a big risk and get pregnant anyhow, and kept the pregnancy against doctors' orders and family protests.

I am from dusty, unopened boxes in an Iowa basement and forgotten drawers in Idaho, chock full of papers, photographs and memories. I am from 'Books of Remembrance' all lovingly, meticulously and painstakingly assembled to demonstrate and define centuries of family heritage. I am from stashes of horded personal letters, get-well cards, notes and memos, college papers and volumes of unread journals left behind by my mother.

I am from years of denial, self-inflicted torture and triumphant self-discoveries.

Self-Portrait Day!

K, my eyes are much more squinty in real life and my neck ain't that long...and this picture doesn't really look like me at all - but here's my self-drawn self-portrait.

"Lovestruck" - what a great feeling!

Mah honey-man is a YUM-YUM YUMMY man!
Won't got into detail right now- no, I don't mean THOSE kinds of details - but all I can say is that my honey-man is sooo kind and gentle with my heart and all my goofy lil' insecurities...
THANK YOU for loving me, baby!

From Toto

I saw another one before this, that read:
"Dear Auntie Em, Hate you, Hate Kansas, Took the Dog - Dorothy"

Found my shoes via Google?

Some guy posted my shoes from last week's SPD - ?
See HERE, bottom left corner.

6/15/05 Update: "49 Media" changes postings daily to reflect new posts to the web. I've been informed my shoes are no longer shown on the "shoes" page - just flash in the pan fame, I guess. However, even more alarming to discover, 49Media tracks my webblogging in general - ?!? I had to check this out myself, and sure enough, 49Media is currently tracking 26 days' worth of my blogging -??? and I'm not alone - I found ClosetMetro and LaPixatrix!

Suff Portrait Friday ~ more, less, and satisfied!

Meet mybabies, Otis-lazy lil' fatso of love (left) and Owen aka my Ninja Kitty (right).

Purrrrfectly satisfied with these two lil' cuddly buggers.

Would love more of this...

No, I have plenty of clocks and watches (if that's not apparent here). It's TIME!!! I want, I neeeeed MORE TIME!

And no, not all these watches work (although most of them do!) ~ I just can't get myself to toss 'em. Oh and in my defense, most of them were gifts! The blue one is my very first watch, a SNOOPY watch given to me by my mum when I was 7 years old. The first one directly to its right was my mum's last watch. And the one to the right of that is the watch I'm currently wearing on a daily basis. The huge faced wrist watch -if you can't pick it out from that description, I don't know what to tell you- was given to me by my lil' Grams for x-mas when I was in H.S. ~ I'll have to post a story about that one later.

and LESS SPAM puhleeeze!

WHY DO SPAMERS INSIST ON SENDING THIS SHIT!?!?
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Unknown GET GREAT CREDIT - TÏRED HAVING POOR ÇREDÏT [06...Jun 10 3KB
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Unknown Designer Handbag Inc Receive Your -Free- Fendi Handbag Jun 9 13KB
Unknown Prevention Partner 400 Hard-to-Find, Classic Church Supper R...Jun 9 14KB
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Unknown Attachment ViagraMAN4Angela@cmb...FW:RE:Viagra Jun 9 48KB
Unknown Attachment SarahGROWTHfactor@om...MALE:GR:OWTH
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Unknown Attachment SheenaGROWTHfactor@b...MALE:GR:OWTH Jun 9 2KB
Unknown Attachment ViagraMAN4Brock@ceum...FW:RE:Viagra Jun 8 48KB
Unknown BEST DEAL AUTOS-Lõcal Dealers Compete(Save) [0...Jun 8 3KB

Self-Portrait Day!

Funky perspective, eh?

I'm told this one looks more like me -?

Virtual Lite-Bright!

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS wanted one of these as a kid - and as an adult, I still do! Mmmkay -well, by some standards I am considered an adult now! ~ no need to debate that really; no really, leave it alone...
Just Check it out!

I still would rather have the real thing...always wanted to do the 'clown' without using the template for help. OR how about this ~ very retro 60s style ~ me way way likey! cool! yes??? or am I all alone here? cowering ahhhloone in a dark corner? ehhh, fine with me, as long as I'm left clutching my lamp!

Hail to Ethel!

"We learn the inner
SECRET OF HAPPINESS
when we LEARN to direct
our INNER DRIVES,
our INTEREST and
our ATTENTION
to something
OUTSIDE ourselves."


Ethel Perry Andrus (1884-1967),
American Educator

"Drink Me..."

Found this in my fridge...thanks to my roomie!

"Doooon't do it," he said

I must deal with the fact that since I began going to school full-time while working full-time, all previously highly organized and concerted efforts to exercise have come to a drop dead halt... no gym, no treadmill, no hand-weights, no yoga, no pilates. This fact makes me feel crummy physically AND emotionally. Last night my honey-man soooo gently proffered the following: if things change and you don't like it, YOU MUST CHANGE TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY TO THIS CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE and this is true, my friends. My health demands that I exercise regularly. I need exercise! I must have it to be happy!

Background info:
I come alive at night around the ten o'clock hour and if I don't hit the sack by 11:30pm-midnight, I may be up til 2am ~ My honey-man, on the other hand, turns into a pumpkin around 9pm... when this comatose wittle zombie state begins to set in (more like crash), I must be very careful to keep my giggles somewhat supressed as I witness the transformation - it can be very cute, but my pumpkin can get grumpy if provoked. It really is terribly cute, I think, unless I keep him up past 11pm. Anyhow, the man gets up EARLY. We're not talking a typical 6:45 am (heh-heh, that's when I usually get up, even though my alarm goes off well before 6:30 am). Try 4:30am or 5 am-ish!?! This don't jive with me = I am NOT a morning person. NOooo, this does NOT mean I'm a mega bitch from hell in the AM. I'm actually quite perky ONCE I LEAVE THE BED. I can lay there a good while reveling in Otis-kitty tummy fluff, fitfully stretching and pressing the snooze button, refusing to get out of bed for 30 minutes on average, but once I'm up? I'm up.

One wouldn't think so, but I'm totally capable of getting up before the crack of dawn. In the past as an undergrad, I worked a number of insane campus morning jobs for which I had to be at work by 4am and 5am. To successfully pull off the ungodly-hour-wake-up thing, the trick for me has always been to have a complete and total LACK OF ROUTINE; meaning I don't wanna hafta do a lot of stuff to get ready for the day. I just want to wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, throw on some clothes, feed the boys 'n' my fishies, grab my stuff and a yogurt and go = 30 minutes tops.

Now that I have class most nights right after work until late, I don't get to go to the gym, nor do I have time to workout once I'm home. Because I don't go to the gym/workout at night, I no longer shower at night, plus I've got homework to do instead. So now I shower in the AM. No biggie, right? WRONG. This adds to my morning routine...I don't like it. And back to the issue of no exercise, because I don't get a chance to vent my frustrations from the day in the evening via any exercise, waking up is even HARDER. Having to shower in the morning helps, but man, I just don't want to add to my AM routine in any way shape or form...more often than not, I'll show up with my hair still wet! Note: I don't ever really "do" my hair. I have various hair clips and ties to put it up (while it's still wet), but that's about it. The ultimate realization is this: if I am to exercise at all, it's gunna hafta be IN THE MORNING.

ALLLLLL That having FINALLY been said...

My honey-man was gunna help me get my butt outta bed this AM so I could go to the gym and reclaim my higher metabolism that's deserted me since I began school. He was going to call me at home, which he did a lil' earlier than expected. So instead of bounding right out of bed immediately, I waited for my alarm to go off, cuddling Otis "just a lil' longer" while in a semi-still-asleep state. My alarm went off and I told myself," GET UP NOW AND GO KICK SOME BUMMY!" [yes, my inner voice said "bummy"] - I turned off the alarm, stretched, rotated my ankles outward and inward and back in reverse and I continued to cuddle Otis and fell right back to sleep, to later wake up at eight o'clock. Yeah. So, I threw on some clothes and a cap to hide my unwashed hair and ran off to work, quite late. I called my honey-man on the way to work and felt soooo horrible that I had to tell him that despite his oh-so-sweet and super-supportive wake up call, I had failed. I was bummed and he was bummed for me, that I was soooo bummed about it.

HERE'S the POINT of my telling this story: After that call to confess failure, he called me right back, but I had entered my neighborhood's crappy deadzone and didn't catch the call. Once I had decent reception again, my cell let me know I had a message...

"Hi baby, it's me. Doooooooon't do it. I'm calling to tell ya, dooooon't dooo it, hon. Don't beat yourself up - don't beat yourself up over this - life takes care of that for ya. It's okay..."

Have I mentioned that I totally love this man? Of course, I totally teared up - cuz that's exactly what I was doing and he called me on it. And of course, I called him right back, totally giggling and laughing, so grateful to him for the invaluable reality check.

Stuff Portrait Friday! ~ Meet my Compooter Desk

Gotta show this first...

The only reason why this looks soooo very clean (referring to the total lack of paperclutter) is that beyond internet-like capability? this PC is a BIG piece O' shhEE-ite!!! I've been using my honey-man's old, total-eye-candy iBook - turquoise - for all my word processing/school work needs.

And THANK YOU AGAIN for that babe!

My "Kids" Bedroom...

Yes, the same space shown above, yet notice anything different?

Here are my "kids" in their bedroom (my bedroom). Honestly, their "bedroom" should be considered anywhere kitty-accessible in my home...the toilet seat lid, the bathtub, top of the fridge, in the coat closet, in a paper grocery bag, or any plastic bag for that matter, a laundry basket or the hamper. ANYWHERE! As far as they're concerned, it's ALL theirs.

My "Collection" for SPD Stuff!

My featured collection is stashed in this cute lil' box...which is kept out in my front room on a side table.


The contents therein, revealed...


How many do you think there are?

I've been collecting fortune cookie papers since I was eight years old. I remember the very first...at the "Mandarin" chinese restaurant in Bountiful, Ootah with my father's family all together for dinner. And my Gpa Billy was gorging himself on Kung Pow chicken that evening (which is funny to me because he's never been a big man - and I can remember being amazed at how much he could consume!).
Why did I start? and why do I still do it? I dunno.

..."many, many fortune cookies." INDEED! If I keep this up, I'm gunna hafta find me a new box!

SPD - "Transportation"

My FEET! shown here wearing my favorite shoes, which I bought in San Fran back in - geez, um? - bought in 2002! from the mega, ultra wonderful DSW shoe store located off Powell, near the Union Square. I was there for nearly 3 hours ~ bought 3 pairs of shoes!

My take on Amish Friendship 'CAKE' for Amy

This one's for CanadianAmy...cuz she asked!

First of all, "Amish Friendship Bread" should REALLY be considered CAKE! it's sweet, super nummy and totally dessert-like, quite delicious with a cup of coffee or some ice cream, PLUS, I make mine in a bundt CAKE pan. Ya can add chocolate chips to it, shredded coconut, raisins, crushed pineapple, dried apricots, mini marshmellows, diced apples, shredded carrot... I favor cranberries myself. Cooks.com has THIRTY different starter recipes alone and if one searches diligently, there are entire cookbooks dedicated to the use of "Amish Friendship Bread" starter. I dunno why they insist on calling it bread though - it's CAKE, I say! Cake! Let them eat CAKE!

I first encountered Amish Friendship CAKE in 1994 while I was at Ricks College (gag), now known as "BYU Idaho" (double-gag, hard hacking cough, followed by a heavy "'excuse me - pardon me" - gagging again). Some giggly girl (shall remain nameless) who lived in my apt. complex (Harmony House aka "Ho House," still known in Rexburg as such) gave me the 'bread' recipe on a super-cutesy, lovingly decorated 4 x 6 index card along with my first cup of Amish Friendship CAKE starter in a HUGE Cool Whip container (only Mormons keep those on hand, I swear). The card had strict instructions to be followed over the next 10 days. During which, I would gently stir/mix the starter daily, twice adding 1 cup milk and 1 cup sugar to the container on the 5th or 6th day and the final 10th day. These additions are meant to literally feed the starter... "Don't be alarmed," the instructions read, "it will bubble and expand and this is a good thing." ~ starter resembles a glue-like substance (horribly cruel stuff if spilled on carpeting - not that I, um, would know about that from any FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE!). It has a sickly sweet, yeasty smell. That's probably not a good sell, eh? For a lovely intro to starter, read "Getting Started with Starter."

After the 10 days' time, ya measure/separate out 3 individual cups of starter and give these away (I use 1/2 gallon-size Ziploc bags) along with a copy of the actual CAKE recipe and directions to 3 friends of your choosing, hence the reference to "Friendship" in the CAKE's name. The remaining leftover starter (that sounds redundant doesn't it?) is to then be used to finally make your own bread -I mean CAKE!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If one doesn't want to go through this whole 10-day-long starter dance, make the CAKE within 2 days of being given your starter...but if you're like me???

I was again given another cup of starter in 1995...I faithfully fed my starter for over 2 months, giving starter to friends, neighbors, co-workers, always keeping at least one cup for myself, repeating the 10-day deal over and over, making an Amish Friendship CAKE nearly 3 times a month. I finally gave it up before the summer's end... Early 2001, I got a major hancoring for some Amish Friendship CAKE and it'd been nearly 5 years since I'd last had any and I wasn't gettin' any starter from anyone anytime soon, living in Las Vegas. So I looked up on the web how to start your own Amish Frienship starter...I found many links, but this one was the best and remains so.

My starter from 2001 is still 'with me' to this day. I've been feeding it regularly and using it at least once a month for over4 years now. Yup, FOUR YEARS. See my jar of starter kept in my fridge here from an earlier SPD stuff post last week.