Southern California

I've been hanging out with my sister in Southern California for a week. Here are some highlights. A view of Santa Barbara from the tower on the court house.

El Capitan - an old movie theater in Hollywood.

The Getty Museum. The architecture is really cool and there is some great art here.

My hand in Jimmy Stewart's - at Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Ashton and Natasha battling Darth Vadar and the Hulk. They're tough!

Korea, here I come

Don't worry, it's South Korea. I officially got offered a job working at the Simson School in Seoul, South Korea. I leave January 2! It will be here before I know it. I'll be teaching history, science, and literature in English to fifth and sixth graders. I'm so excited, and I little nervous too. I think this will be an absolutely awesome experience, but I'm sure there will be some hiccups along the way. There always are when working in a different environment and culture.

So in the meantime I'll be trying to prepare myself by learning the Korean alphabet, getting my paperwork figured out, and deciding what I need to take with me for a year in Korea. And also spending time with my family before I leave.

I invite anyone who wants to come visit me, to come. I'll have a studio apartment, so you might have to sleep on the floor, but hey it would be a free room. And if anyone has any advice on teaching ESL, please throw it my way.

Discovery

So being in Colorado has made me discover things I dearly missed.  My sister-in-law has a lovely baby grand piano, and I've been playing every day.  I haven't played in two years, and I forgot how much I like it - even though I get super frustrated sometimes when I can't find the right notes. But it's still great, and it helps that she teaches piano lessons and has a ton of music.

Playing all kinds of sports.  In Virginia I played basketball but not much else.  Here I've been playing golf (I know shocking, but fun), and softball.  I haven't played softball in so long, and I actually got hit in the face with a ball because I wasn't catching right, but I only bled for a little while and then went back out on the field.  Major fun.  We also have some tennis courts near my brother's house, so I'll have to convince him to be patient and go play with me.  I'm really no good at tennis.

Reading for fun.  Being in grad school the past two years didn't offer me tons of time to read for pleasure.  Since being here for a month I've read five books already and I'm still going.  It helps that there isn't TV or Internet at my brother's place, so I have lots of time to read.  But I'm enjoying it.    

The Mile High State

I'm in Durango, Colorado now and it is absolutely beautiful.  There are mountains - real mountains!  I can see the stars at night, and there is no humidity, and it is just plain lovely.  The other night I stepped out onto the balcony and heard crickets.  I can't describe how great it was to be able to hear nature instead of sirens, or neighbors fighting, or cars whizzing by.  I have missed the West and it is great to be back.  It's also great to be with my brother, sister-in-law, and cute little niece.  She's so tiny - of course she's only three weeks old so that's part of the reason.  She has quite a bit of hair the forms into this uber cool mohawk.  She totally pulls it off. 

Of course there are the down sides of being here.  I miss my friends in DC :(  And my body is definitely not used to the altitude here.  I'm super sleepy trying to adjust to it.  And my cute niece does have a tendency to cry; she is not a fan of her car seat or baths.  But I'm keeping my chin up.

I love Elvis and dancing

I was bored in class, so I wrote a poem...

The Middle

I sat upon an empty stair, alone
In my own thoughts, considering my path
In life – whether I should go up or down.
I was stuck in the middle, you see,
The middle of I don’t know what or where –
The middle of life and love
Of progress and choice.
But wait, what is the middle of life?
If there is a middle, I don’t know
When it is. The end is unknown;
A close or distant point
Depending on choices that I make
And fate and luck.
I can only enjoy what I am given
What I earn,
And what I fairly take.
Only I can decide how I view my life
And so I choose –
I choose sore stomachs and dewy eyes
From laughing until it hurts
And letting the tears come freely.
I choose dirty feet and sticky hands
From running barefoot in the country
And summers filled with fresh fruit and ice cream.
I choose wet clothes and exhaustion
From dancing in the rain and water fights
And playing baseball too hard and too much.
I choose ugly hair and wrinkly skin
From driving with my car top down
And smiling so much as I soak in the sun.
From all this I realized that I’m not
Stuck – I’m free.
Free in the middle of my life!

Things that annoy me

I was sitting in my bedroom, hanging out with my super cool roommate Lisa, complaining about the fact that I never know what to blog about. Then I was surfing around on Facebook, and saw that my friend was engaged. Naturally, I wanted to see a picture of his fiance, but her profile picture is of her engagement ring - not of her beautiful face. (Actually, I don't know if it's beautiful because I couldn't see it, but I'm taking my friend's word here.) So that got me thinking about things that annoy me. And so starts the list:

1. When people put their engagement ring as their profile picture. I want to see you, not your ring, your hand, your foot, or any other body part that doesn't show your face. I don't think it shows how clever you are, it's just annoying. If you want to post those pictures, that's what the albums tab is for.

2. When people throw garbage in the recycling bin, or recycling in the garbage can (this bugs Lisa too), especially when they're right next to each other. Take a little time, people, take a little time.

3. When people feel the need to add filler words throughout their sentences such as; you know, and such, um, uh, does that make sense, etc. If you don't have a complete thought stop for a moment and form it. It will make you sound much more intelligent.

4. Traffic and stupid drivers. Enough said. (Don't worry, I'm a perfect driver ;)

5. Messy and unorganized clothing stores. I guess I'm particularly anal about this because I used to work at a Ralph Lauren store and spent hours folding shirts and pants, and straightening hangers on racks. Every time I walk into the Old Navy where I live I'm frustrated with the disaster of it. What exactly do the employees do?

I could go on, but I'll limit myself to five for the time being. Just a little food for thought, and venting for my sanity's sake.

Things we take for granted

I have been having this thought a lot lately - that we take a lot of things for granted in our lives. I've specifically been thinking about how when we're from an area, we don't take advantage of the sights and activities that surround us. For instance, I'm from Northern California and have never been to Yosemite National Park. What's up with that? It's like a five hour drive, but I never got in my car and just went. It's a shame really, and one I'm hoping to rectify soon.

Living in the DC area for the past two years has given me ample opportunity to learn about our nation's history, explore interesting sights, and participate in fun activities. And trust me, I have taken advantage of it. I have done and seen tons of stuff here. But it always surprises me when I talk with co-workers who are from the area and they have never gone to certain places or participated in certain activities. It shocks me - but then I realize that I'm guilty of the same thing. For example, I have a friend that has lived in the DC area since he was eight, but he's never gone to any of the Smithsonian Museums. There are a ton of them and they are free! FREE! I was astounded. So the lesson here: take advantage of what surrounds you. I don't want to be preachy, but it's just a thought.

And speaking of not taking things for granted - I'm not taking for granted the fact that I saw the Nationals win a baseball game on Saturday night. And not just win, but clobber their opponents. The Nats creamed the Mets, 7 to 1. John Lannen, the Nats pitcher, was on fire and the game only lasted two hours - a rare feat for major league baseball. And the Nats had like four home runs. It was a fun game to watch. Go Nats!

Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob

Celeste and I on the drive up to Pennsylvania to see two Frank Lloyd Wright homes over Memorial Day Weekend. Kathryn and Jocelyn were along for the fun as well.

Side view of Kentuck Knob - a very interesting, angular home.

Back view of Kentuck Knob.

Jocelyn, Celeste, and me in front of the view from Kentuck Knob. So beautiful.

Cute birdhouses.

View one of Fallingwater

View two of Fallingwater

Us in front of Fallingwater

Fallingwater is a beautiful and amazing house. And the surrounding area was so gorgeous.

And they call it Ragtime

On Saturday, Kathryn and I went to the Kennedy Center to see Ragtime. It was so good! The music was fabulous, the actors were amazing, the costumes were pretty. I had a really good time. I highly recommend seeing it, if ever you have the chance. It's just one more musical to add to my list of ones that I've seen.

When I was in New York with Chalise I got to add three to my list - Mary Poppins, Rooms: A Rock Romance, and The Little Mermaid. I love taking advantage of the theater while I can. If only life were like a happy musical . . .

Fun and Culture

On Saturday I ventured into the city with my friends for Passport DC. This is where several of the embassies are open to the public to partake of the food, artwork, music, and culture of the different countries. We went to Trinidad and Tobago where a really cool steel drum band was playing and elaborate Mari Gras costumes were set up. Then to Uzbekistan which had some amazing traditional costumes, instruments, and dining sets displayed. Next was Australia with a man with body paint played the diggery doo and we ate lamb, fish, and sampled different olive oils. Korea had some amazing artwork including carved wooden masks, jewelry boxes, and traditional dress. Zambia had nice carvings of African animals, Venezuela was basically a tour of the ambassadors residence, and the Bahamas was tiny and serving alcohol. Actually I think they all served alcohol, but we enjoyed the cuisine at all of them even if it was only a little taste. It was a grand time.

Time Goes By

Wow, I really suck at keeping this blog up to date. So many things have been going on that I could have written about. Chalise coming to visit and going up to New York with her, my family coming to visit, going to baseball games, having cookouts - the list could go on.

Let's just chalk it up to the fact that I'm really lazy and every time I think about how I need to write on my blog I don't because, I'm tired, busy, etc. - but really it's just laziness. I'll try to be better...

Brutal Basketball

Okay, so I normally fall on the floor and get beat up when I play basketball, but at yesterday's game it was at an extreme. We played the other team from our singles ward and they have some really good and really big, rough players. Couple that with the fact that we only had five players from our team show up, which means I played the entire game and got beat up for the entire game.

I literally have no idea how many times I ended up on the floor, got elbowed in the stomach, got slapped, or got ping ponged from girl to girl. And I have the bruises to prove it - one really lovely one on my elbow, one on my shoulder, one huge one my knee along with a cut, and several down the side of my leg. I look the an abused red-headed stepchild, seriously.

But, I love basketball!

A Poem

I like to write, and sometimes that includes poetry. I often say that I write really bad poetry, because it tends to me sappy or melodramatic. And I can't say I know much about poetry, because I haven't taken the time to study it. But nonetheless, I like to write poetry. So in fear of being embarrassed and bearing my soul I'm posting my newest poem here. Please enjoy, or don't - I guess that's up to you.

In a Lonely, Sad, Quiet Meadow

In a lonely, sad, quiet meadow
Two beautiful heat-sick lovers stand
Shivering and covered in shadow
Heart to heart and hand in hand.

Their enduring love is forbidden
So they come to the meadow in secret
Far away from the city, always hidden
Behind the trees and dense thicket.

His hazel eyes smile at her
As a tear rolls down her face
There is no longer grief or fear
Only love in this open space.

His hand moves to touch her cheek
She leans into it and softly sighs
Her eyes search, trying to seek
For the bond of their invisible ties.

He steps closer, her head he tips
His face alive with passion and desire
In anticipation of the taste of her lips –
And when they meet it explodes in fire.

Their families do not understand
Their desperate need to be together
They cannot see their clenched hands
Or the bonds that they have tethered.

And so in the meadow, quiet and sad
The two young lovers run to each other
Not thinking of consequences to be had
Nor of feuding fathers and mothers.

So they pledge their lives to that above
Like a token banner being unfurled
Because they know that their forbidden love
Is not meant to last in this cruel world.

Tag Back

Well, since Kathryn tagged me to do this, I thought I'd play along, but I'm not going to tag anyone. If you want to do it cool, if not that's fine too. And this will be interesting to think of 25 random things about me.

1. I have been to ten other countries, which are: Scotland, England, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Armenia, China, and South Korea. But I'm from Northern California and have never been to Canada, Mexico, or Yosemite.

2. When I was on a study abroad in Russia I and two friends got locked in the dining car of a train with the two drunk attendants. I elbowed one in the stomach when she grabbed me. Luckily, someone opened the door from the other side soon after that.

3. When I'm full I'll rub my tummy in a circular motion and say, "Buddha, Buddha, Buddha." Don't ask me why.

4. I've had aspirations to be a singer, actress, dancer, and artist. All of these things I do moderately well, but I've decided not well enough to make me famous.

5. One of my pet peeves is when people change lanes and leave their blinker on. Hello people, you turned it on two seconds ago, now turn it off!

6. I love seeing musicals on stage, and I have a goal to own all of the musical soundtracks I've seen live. Musicals I've seen live are: Phantom of the Opera, 42nd Street, Cabaret, Hairspray, Momma Mia, Les Miserables, Guys and Dolls, Wicked, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Legally Blonde, Rock of Ages, and 13. Soon to be added to the list are Ragtime and Rent, which I'm seeing this summer - and probably a couple of others.

7. I know how to say 'I love you' in six other languages which are: French, German, Russian, Korean, Chinese, and Spanish. I also know how to say "You're lips are like a fountain of water, and I'm thirsty," in Spanish. I figure it's an important phrase to know.

8. After reading My Most Excellent Year, I became interested in Mary Poppins the movie because it refers to it a lot. I now know random facts like Julie Andrews was pregnant when they offered her the role so they waited until after she had the baby to shoot, Dick Van Dyke didn't audition for the part of Bert but he had to audition for the role of the old guy in the bank, and a lot of the nannies standing in line to get interviewed are actually men in drag.

9. I'm athletic but also a total klutz. I can't play a game of basketball without falling down at least three times, I always trip going up stairs, and I always run into walls and corners, which isn't very good for my watches.

10. I'm a super slow texter. It takes me forever - but I think I'm getting better.

11. I don't have my tonsils. I got them removed when I was six, and I got to eat soft foods like pudding, for a week.

12. I'm the least flexible person I know (at least for a girl). I can't even touch my toes, but I blame it on the fact that I'm 6'0" - I don't really take into account that I also have long arms.

13. Sometimes I try to me ultra cool and I'll start saying things like yo, hommie, and s'up. And then I realize I'm totally lame.

14. My cousin once asked me if I was part black when he saw me dance. Apparently I have some skills in that area of my life.

15. I can only eat Jiff or Skippy peanut butter, but preferably Jiff. I don't like the generic store brand kinds. I call myself a peanut butter snob. I've converted my roommate, Celeste, to it. You should join the dark side too.

16. I like to name my cars. In high school I had a Jeep pickup that I called Jeepers (I know, real original). In college I had a 1986 AMC Eagle and it's name was Shaggy or The Beast. For some reason I haven't named my current car. It's a 1998 Dodge Neon, and it's purple. Any suggestions?

17. When I watch movies by myself, I tend to fast forward through parts that I think are boring even when I've never even seen it before. I figure it just needs to get on with it.

18. I spent a summer on my Uncle's pig farm in Missouri when I was 15. I'm now writing a young adult novel using some of my experiences, although the story is fictional.

19. I read books out loud with my roommate, Kathryn. I like doing this and it makes me think that if I ever become an author and go on a book tour, my favorite part will be doing book readings of my work.

20. I've lived in five different states: California, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Virginia.

21. I broke my pinkie my sophomore year of college playing Ultimate Frisbee. I ran into my roommate and my hand slammed into her hip bone. An interesting way to break a finger. It's still crooked and it hurts when it's cold.

22. I claim that I've never dyed my hair, but that's a half truth. My freshman year of college my friend put blond highlights in my hair, but they were so light you couldn't even really tell. So I'll still claim that I've never dyed my hair.

23. Another of my pet peeves is when you ask for someone on the phone and he/she will respond, "This is her/him." It's supposed to be, "This is she/he." Incorrect grammar gets on my nerves.

24. I'm addicted to YouTube. I love it, probably too much. And I get frustrated when I can't find something on YouTube that I want to watch.

25. I like to think of myself as an interesting person, but trying to come up with 25 random things about myself made my head hurt.

Writing Torture

So, I've been trying to write this young adult book for probably three years now. I think I have a good idea and my characters are interesting. I even think some parts are really witty - which trust me, doesn't happen often in my case. But the problem is that I can't seem to finish it. I have about 16,000 words at the moment, and I don't add very much at a time. I'll open it up and maybe write a paragraph, and then I zone out. Literally. I start thinking of something that has nothing to do with my book, like what I'm going to wear the next day, or if I need to go to the store or something. I have no focus, I swear.

My roommate Kathryn, who also writes, told me I just need to get it done. Just sit down and force myself to finish it and then I can go back and fix things. But you see, that's my problem - I can't make myself. I want it to be perfect NOW. So I'll write something and then I'll delete because I think it's lame. But no longer. I'm on a quest to finish this book. As of today I'm giving myself a deadline - it must be done my June 1. That gives me four months to finish it. I can do it in four months, right?

My Top Five Hollywood Hotties

Hugh Jackman - Really, do I need to explain why? He's gorgeous and funny, a dedicated family man, and he can sing! And if you've seen him riding a horse bearing a whip and covered in dirt or pouring water from a bucket all over himself, you'll understand my infatuation. And if you haven't, you should check out Australia. And the Australian accent is pretty hot too.

Daniel Craig - The most manly James Bond so far. He's got beautiful blue eyes, and every guy wishes he looked has good as Daniel does in those short swim trunks. Who wouldn't want to be rescued by him???

Christian Bale - I've had a crush on him ever since Newsies, watching him sing and dance. Then there was Little Women, where he played an adorable Laurie. And now of course Batman. He's got killer arms, and he's a pretty dang fine actor. I'll even forgive him the weird Batman voice. I think I have a thing for superheros.

Will Smith - Also very nice to look when he's not wearing a shirt. But he also just seems genuinely nice, like if I actually knew him he'd be the sort of person I'd go to for advice. I think he'd give good advice, and he seems like he has an awesome sense of humor.

Zac Efron - Some may disagree with me, but come on, he's just dang cute. He sings and dances, has a great smile and lovely eyes, and has a great sense of fashion. He's also my birthday soul mate, i.e. we share the same birthday - although he is five years younger than me. He'd make a great prom date.

Hope you enjoyed my list; I enjoyed making it. Feel free to add to the list in the comment section. I want to know who your favorite Hollywood hotties are too!

A Few of my Favorite Things

I'm sitting at work, not really wanting to work. Really, what else is new? But because I'm sitting here I thought I would blog about some of my favorite things or some things I'm currently obsessed with.

Michael Buble - The voice, the suit, the humor, the funny slidey dance moves. What else could you want in a swing/big band singer? Oh right, there is also the hair and the eyes. He is the epitome of sexy cool. At least in my opinion.

Brad Paisley - The voice, the hat, the humor, the awesome guitar picking. He is my all-time favorite country singer. I've seen him concert twice, and he puts on one heck of a show. And he's a super cute family man.

Musicals - I love all forms of musicals, old movie ones, and recent movie ones, and stage ones. I mean, why not break out in random song and dance whenever you feel like it? My favorites from all three categories: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singing in the Rain, Hairspray, Rent, Wicked, and Les Miserables.

Books that make me laugh - I love to laugh, especially the laugh until your stomach hurts and your eyes are watering kind. When a book can make me chuckle I appreciate it that much more. The one I'm reading right now, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, is utterly silly and unbelievable but it makes me laugh. Others: Knuffle Bunny; Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snoggings; All American Girl; Nick and Norah's Infinite Play List; A Year Down Yonder - just to name a few. If you need a good chuckle check these out.

Books that make me cry - As much as I love to laugh, I also enjoy a book that's a good tearjerker. A few examples: Summer of My German Soldier; Rilla of Ingleside; Bridge to Terabithia; The Kite Runner.

Asian movies/drama - So, in a year I'm planning on going to Korea to teach English. I'm really excited about this prospect, and I'm trying to learn about their culture. In my quest I found this website, www.mysoju.com, where you can watch movies and dramas from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong for free. They're all subtitled. Some are great, some are weird, some are totally cheesy. I think I've figured out that Asians love their romance. Some of my favorites: My Sassy Girl; My Little Bride; A Moment to Remember; Love Marriage; Coffee Prince; Anego; It Started With a Kiss. Warning: these are not for everyone; must be in the mood for romance, bickering between characters, and implausible/outrageous story lines. What can I say, I'm odd.

Ballroom/Latin dancing - Friday night I went ballroom dancing with my friend Lael. It was slightly humorous, seeing as how we were the only ones there under the age of 50. But it was still fun! I love dancing! I love it when I guy can lead really well, and I end up doing all these moves I've never done before. It's just plain great.

Oreos with peanut butter on top - And no, you can't just buy the Oreos with peanut butter cream because it's not the same. You must have the original Oreos with the white cream and then put peanut butter on top. It's utterly yummy. You also need a glass of milk to go along with it.

Shoes - I love shoes way too much. I probably own way too many, but I don't care. My ultimate goal is to have a pair of shoes in every color imaginable and then I'll build my own separate shoe closet. It will be heaven.

Quasi Maid of Honor

Okay, so my dear, dear friend and roommate Celeste is officially engaged. I'm excited for her. She and Kevin are thinking that they'll get married sometime in July or August. And this means that the planning begins. Celeste doesn't want bridesmaids - she doesn't see the point of them in a Mormon wedding. But as her best friend I have deemed myself her quasi maid of honor. I mean, who else would she choose anyway.

Well, I've been having tons of fun looking at wedding dresses online for her. She has an idea of what she wants, and I love surfing around for stuff. This has also led me to look at wedding dresses I would like, even though I'm nowhere near getting married. But I figure a girl can never be too prepared. I think I totally know what I want when I get married - now I just have to find a groom.

Celeste decided her wedding colors are going to be really bright for summer - pink, yellow, orange, and blue. That means I'm going to find myself an awesome dress. I think I'm picking yellow as my color. I've found some great dresses - but holy cow some of them are so expensive. But I figure, the wedding of my best friend is a once in a lifetime event so I shouldn't worry about it. I'm just hoping I can find a good deal. If you have any suggestions, please fill me in.