Cooler than I was

As you can see, I have finally emerged from the stone age and changed my template. This is thanks to Mindy. She worked some kind of magic to update from the old old school blogger and taught me how to change it. Thanks sis, I'm cooler now because of you!

If you wanted to know, Jeff and I went camping this weekend, and had quite a fancy time. (Fancy because the campsites had flushing toilets, and hot water and soap to wash your hands). I would show you all the fun pictures we took of the scrub oak in Heber, and our sunburned faces, but we forgot our camera. I'm not going to apologize, though, because we had already been on a long fruitless search for rainboots/galoshes (they do not exist in ANY store in Orem--unless you want fishing boots) when we realized, and we weren't going to spend more time and gasoline just to get our camera to please you. So there.

Another thing you might want to know is that Jeff and I are restarting P90X today after a week off. Yes, we did the unthinkable and became lard butts again. But really it was for the best because Jeff had this wicked cough and a sore foot from being stabbed, and through all this he had to go to class, study for and ace his finals. Which he did. I was also really busy reading blogs and playing solitaire. So as you can see, there was really no way either of us could have kept up on it. Anyway, we're going to start again with the week we skipped instead of skipping it altogether, so wish us luck as we reincounter that first week soreness. Really, I need some luck. Also wish us motivation, because I have rediscovered how wonderful it is to sleep in and then goof off after work. And eat TONS of junk food while camping. Yep.

Well, I hope you have the most lovely Monday (or whenever you read this) imaginable.

Two Years

Two years ago today, I made the best decision I've ever made.

I love you, sweets!

I was going to write a post whilst at work today, but then I realized that there remained only 5 little minutes until I was permitted to depart. So I decided to write a really short post. Yep, this is all you get. And maybe some stuff about P90X.

Because I wanted to tell you that this is Week 4 of P90X which is a rest week (whatever!) slash core and ab focus. Jeff and I did our first time through "Core Synergistics" out on the shady back lawn. It was spectacular and breezy and nice. I just wish grass didn't make me so itchy, and that I had a stronger core...but whatever.

One more thing. I have now decided that I don't mind too much when people spell fun with a ph instead of an f. In fact I think I might start thinking it is a little bit phunny sometime in the future. Don't ask me why.

Latahs!

Waxing Political

So, I happened upon a blog post today about all the health care chaos going on right now. I don't know this guy, or what exatly was said on NPR, but I really liked this post a lot, and the metaphor they used. To me it made it easier to see what could happen with the government stepping into healthcare. If you want to, you should check it out here.

So sometimes when I am bored at work I think, Bingo! Great time to write a blog post! But then I think about how we finally found our camera and I really should wait to post until I get home and upload our sweet pictures. But by the time I get home I have been on the computer for eight hours already, and am already so busy eating dinner, swimming, doing P90X workouts (if we sleep in), watching season 2 of LOST on DVD, and basically just living the good life that I just can't do it. Sorry.

But today, I decided, meh, who needs pictures anyway, everyone wants to hear more about how extreme I am doing P90X and stuff. In case you are unfamiliar with P90X, it stands for Power 90 eXtreme! and supposedly you get really fit in only 90 days! woot. Anyway, this crazy 45 year old man named Tony made these workouts to PUMP US UP! He is much like unto Hans and Franz, with a bit of Michael Scott thrown in. We like it a lot when he does his impression of Forest Gump, and does the X sign with his arms to show how extreme he and his workouts are. And yes, they are extreme.

Anyway, Jeff and I successfully completed day 10 this morning and we feel pretty pleased with ourselves. So far this week on Monday we did about a bazillion pull ups and push ups of different types (No, I cannot do a single pull up on my own, I do them on the weight assisted pull up machine so I only lift 50 pounds of my body weight--so don't think I'm that tough yet). On Tuesday we jump-jump-jumped around with the plyometrics workout. Let me tell you, when you squat and jump for a solid 60 minutes, your legs will hate you so much the next day (but not as bad as they did the day after on week 1). Then yesterday it was shoulders and arms and feeling like a champ with my little 8 pound weights at the gym, and hating the skinny blond girl staring at us struggle through "Ab Ripper X". We are so doing that part at home from now on. Today was the best with an hour and a half of Yoga, and tomorrow we are in for my least favorite: lunges and more pull ups for an hour--ouchy. Then we finish out the week on Saturday with some sweet Kempo X, which is kind of like kick-boxing, I guess.

So you probably don't really care about that much, and that's okay, I am writing this so I don't go crazy during the last 20 minutes of work, and I am having so much fun, I might actually do this blog thing more often. But it will probably be about P90X a lot, because that's the most exciting and unique thing about my life currently--besides the usual glamour and wonder that is married life in the summer time, but I know that you really don't want to hear about that.

To everyone that reads this blog: I love you both! Have a good one hotpeices.

Ta Da

A- Attached or single: Definitely attached.
B- Best Friend: Jeff. And the NikJo, and all the girls even though I'm a bad friend
C- Cake or Pie: Usually pie if it is hot and there is ice cream involved.
D- Day of choice: Saturday. No work and a whole day with Jeff. It doesn't even matter what we do, it's such the best.
E- Essential Item: Umm...water?
F- Favorite Color: Most of them
G- Gummi Bears or Gummi Worms: Bears--mostly because of the sound the gummy bears wrapper makes in "Searching for Bobby Fisher"
H- Hometown: Provo!
I- Indulgence(s): Dr. Pepper and Macey's soft serve twist cones, and Red Mango, and...really I indulge a lot.
J- January or July: July
K- Kids: 3. According to the pencil test I will have 2 boys--but who believes in that hogwash, right?
L- Life is Incomplete Without: family and so many things. I really like memory foam.
M- Marriage Date: August 11, 2007-coming up on two years!
N- Number of Siblings: nine
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: I agree with Nikki, death of a spouse is a big one--oh the crazy dreams I've had. Also, public speaking will never be removed from my list of extreme fears.
Q- Quotes: "Okay." -Get Smart
R- Reason To Smile: So many-I have only 20 minutes of work left, then I get to go to the gym with Jeff. I have Friday off work, so only 2 more days. I'm reading a good book. It's supposed to get sunny and warm this weekend.
S- Season: I like them all quite a bit, but spring is definitely the only one I don't get sick of before it's over.
T- Tag Three: Anyone who reads this and hasn't been previously tagged
U- Unknown Fact About Me: Sometimes my favorite things to do at work are the mundane tasks that everyone else hates--like filing and data entry. Fun!
V- Vegetarian or Meat Eater: MEAT! Except on pizza--then it's all about being vegetarian, 'cause meat on pizza is gross.
W- Worst Habit: Being super messy and vowing to clean up "tomorrow." yeah, right.
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: huh? I once had an ultrasound on my abdomen, but instead of finding a cute baby, there were icky gall stones in my gall bladder. Never had an X-Ray, though.
Y- Your Favorite Food: I am incapable of choosing favorites, but right now I am craving chicken pesto from Gloria's Little Italy, a home grilled hamburger, and TimTams. Yum.
Z- Zodiac: Virgo. yep.


Stay tuned: I may, sometime in the next 4 months, post about stuff like shooting huge semiautomatic weapons and whatever we do this weekend. It might be exciting.

I guess it's about time?

Now that school is out for the summer maybe I will have time to blog or something. All I know is that Melanie said that we should all update our blogs on her latest post, and I am deciding to obey. Not that I have anything interesting to say, unless you want to hear about all of my stats projects. Which I'm sure you don't. I would even torture you with posting the final product, but they are saved as pdfs and who the heck knows how to get a pdf onto a blog post? Not me, that's for certain. I will bless you with a couple of the cool plots I have made for multiple linear regression, which I know you are totally stoked about, right?

So they are pretty dang neat, eh? I made them using this code:

dwaine<-read.table("dwaine.txt")names(dwaine)<-c("number", "income", "sales")library(lattice)cloud(sales~number+income, dwaine)library(scatterplot3d)scatterplot3d(dwaine)s3d<-scatterplot3d(dwaine, type="h", highlight.3d=T, angle=55, scale.y=.7, pch=16, main="scatterplot3d - 5")s3d$plane3d(model1, lty.box="solid")

Are you impressed? Good.

Dang but I really hope that I pass that class. That would be something to bring much happiness to my heart.

Well, if you wanted to see the first non-flip flop sandals I have purchased (besides chacos) in about 4 years, here they are. Please pardon my huge looking ankle in the foreground.

I'm pretty excited because flip flops are forbidden at my place of work, so now I have a sandal to wear to work. yay.

You should comment and tell me some ideas that you would like me to blog about. Perhaps that will give me the motivation to keep up. No guarantees, though. I broke the LCD screen on our camera, and now it has officially died, which means no pictures, which in my opinion means boring blogs. But whatever, I will still blog maybe sometimes perchaps.

Some Random Pictures from My Phone: Part I

Mindy has discussed on her post that she is a blawker. I, too, suffer from this on a large scale. Old slight aquaintances and strangers alike have no idea that I read their blogs on a frequent basis. Another thing I suffer from is stealing all my ideas for my posts from other blogs. But at least I admit it, right? One of my favs, thejollyporter.blogspot.com (I'm too lazy to do a link) posted some random pictures from his phone, and I thought, "gee, what a swell idea." And so this post was birthed.

Jeff and I helped paint the newly remodled upstairs of his dad's store. It is now a super chic apartment. sweet.

cute Molly! bubbles are a bonus.


This is us being really excited to watch the game at Mel and Ryan's. We mooched off their mtn access the whole season. It was such a blast. I like those guys, Molly, AND football, so it was really a super set up.

I'm Lame

So, I wasn't tagged or anything, but I saw this one someone's blog and decided that would be an easy way to get another post in in November. I mean, I did get more than 6 comments on my last post, so I pretty much had to do it.

How long did you date?
4 months. engaged for 5.

Who eats more?
Jeff, if he wants to.

Who is taller?
Jeff. but we are both shorties

Who is smarter?
Huh? I think we are both pretty brilliant.

Whose temper is worse?
It depends on the situation, but we are both pretty laid back about most things.

Who does the laundry?
I do. But not very often.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
If you are looking at it or laying on it? jeff does, if it's the former, I do if it's the latter.

Who pays the bills?
That would be me. I have a better memory for those kinds of things.

Who cooks dinner?
Usually Subway. But if you count canned soup and grilled cheese, then it's me.

Who drives when you are together?
Jeff. It's pretty mean since he drives so much already, but he's better at it.

Who kissed who first?
Well, It was kind of mutual when it happened...we both just went in at the same time. sooo romantic.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
Well, I'm never wrong, so...

Whose parents do you see the most?
Probably mine. we live with them.

Who proposed?
Jeff did, and I gave my consent.

Who is more sensitive?
Again, it depends on the situation. Sometimes it feels like it is Jeff, but that is probably because I don't realize when I am being oversensitive.

Who has more friends?
We are both mostly socially impaired. We are friends with each other, and we like it. Then we each have our little group of close friends.

Who has more siblings?
Me. got 9. he's got 4.

Who wears the pants in the family?
we both wear pants most days. I like to wear dresses in the summer, though.

Do you have a song?
no. is that lame?

A New Post

Hi there. I am going to be honest, I was really just wishing and waiting for that 7th comment on my last post before posting again. I decided to just give in, though, because I wanted to announce to everyone that I was just called as a primary teacher. Yep. The wonderful Valient 10 class is now under my very questionable care and supervision. But, how hard can it really be to keep 4 sweet 10 year old girls in reasonable order? I guess that would depend on what your definition of reasonable order is, but as mine is quite lax, I think I might be able to do it. Heck if they learn anything, but Boy Howdy there will be candy.

So there you have it. The most exciting thing that has happened to me in the last 3 months is finally getting the primary calling I always knew would eventually come to me, thought I kind of had hoped it wouldn't. I kind of like snuggling up to my mom in releif society and snuggling up to Jeff in Sunday school, and the whole not having to do anything except show up thing. It was nice.

In other news, I have been re accepted to BYU and have registered for my classes and was quite pleased about the whole thing. Then today I went to Jeff's classes with him and that sufficed to scare me out of my mind about the school thing. But at least I only have two months to freak out over nothing. Then I get to go to class and freak out for real. What a comfort. At least I'll still have a (small) source of income, as I get to keep my lovely job with ridiculously few hours. They are so nice to me there. (My boss and coworkers, not the people I try to get money from).

Sometimes Jeff and I like to go to the mall and pretend I am Carmen San Diego. Enjoy knowing for a moment where in the world Carmen San Diego really was. (Banana Republic in the University mall).

smarter than blogger

I was not smarter than blogger for quite some time. I could not for the life of me figure out how to log into this dang blog of mine. I even thought it had turned into some odd bible study site. please visit http://www.micky-d.blogpot.com/ and you will see what I mean.

But today, as I was getting painfully bored laying in bed whilst suffering from some wicked food poisoning, I took the time to do it. And BinG! I became smart enough to use blogger again. I doubt that I will ever be smarter, I mean, look at my blog, I still don't even know how to edit my sidebar!

At any rate. I am back for at least one post before I become to stupid to log in again. Here's the sitch(uation).

*Jeff and I moved in with my parentals. I would take and post a couple of pictures, but it is too messy for reasons that you will soon find out. We really like the freeness and quiteness there of. Plus we feel free to eat my parents out of house and home. Free food is awesome. I also really like to chat with my mom when Jeff works late.

*We've had a busy summer. The only thing I really have pictures of is the balloon thing on the fourth of July. My phone was new and I was really excited that it could take pictures. Here you go.

It was early, okay?

*Last weekend we trekked up to Idarho to a big ol' family reunion that didn't end up being so "big 'ol" after all, since no one really went. That was kind of lame, except that I probably wouldn't have talked to anyone but my immediate family anyway. It was fun to see Jed and Celeste's house finally. Also, the shower provided was very magical and we are eternally grateful for the opportunity to be clean.

*We got back from Zions on Saturday with some fantastically awful food poisoning from some random drive up grease pot in Washington, UT. But we won't discuss that too much. We got to our campsite at 1:30 on Friday morning and finished setting up camp at 2:30. Thankfully my Jeff let me "sleep" in the car while the menfolk did all the work. Nice. The next morning we had to wake up at 7 to go wave running, sea-dooing, or whatever the heck it's called. At that hour with no sleep I did not quite understand the draw. I was pretty much terrified at first, but I got to like it in the end. Good times. Very hot. Saturday morning everyone got up to hike Angel's Landing, a hike that involves 3 foot path with large cliff and a chain to help you climb nearly vertically for the last mile or so. I did not go. There was not a change in the very hot place that I would get up at 6 am to do that to myself. I slept past 9 and was quite pleased with myself. Next on the agenda was the narrows. This was a great time, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Hiking a shaded river in a canyon is about the only thing besides swimming that sounds remotely fun to do in the heat of southern Utah. It was fun, and beautiful.

There were many signs posted to not feed the many squirrels or you would be fined $100 and have your hand gnawed off. Well, Jeff accidentally dropped an almond, and you know, if you give a squirrel an almond...he won't gnaw off your hand, however, he will climb on your lap and start drinking out of your platypus, bladder, water container with a tube, or what have you. Pretend this guy is me and that he is sipping out of aforementioned tubey thing. Sheesh. The audacity of those squirrels.

So have a good one, peeps! I might post again, and I might not. Only time will tell.

Here's a little P.S.

My husband is basically the sweetest man in the world. I had to work a lot of hours last week to be able to have Thursday and Friday off. On the homestreach on Wednesday when I was suffering the most Jeff came to take me to lunch and brought me these flowers and a bunch of fresh picked raspberries! So thoughtful. I really love that man.

Long time no see?

So....I realize that I haven't blogged in over half a year. But Jeff is working late and I am lonely and bored, and the opportunity with a ready made template came up. Thanks for tagging me, Nikki.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was probably outside jumping on the trampoline and doing crazy cartwheels and flips and getting excited to have a Friday night sleepover with Nikki. Wohoo!

2. What was on my to-do list for today?
Go to work early (7:30)
Make it through work without going nuts
clean up bedroom, fold clothes
do frivilous things to fill the time until Jeff gets home (such as watch America's Next Top Model on youtube. Too bad about Anya not winning, eh?)

3 Bad habits-
I can't keep a single room clean for more than a day
I always buy vegetables and let them rot in the fridge because I don't cook or remember to eat them
I will always neglect anything if the chance to hang with my husband comes up unexpectedly

3 Things people don't know about me-
I'm pretty much an open book, but if there's anything specific you'd like to know, feel free to ask.

I tag: anyone and everyone

Jane Austen Heroine Quiz

Take the Quiz here!

Done Got Hitched

So married life so far is pretty dang good. Jeff cooks for me far more often than I cook for him, he always makes the most amazing things with the scant groceries we have left at the end of the week. Creative genius, I'm telling you. The cruise was amazing, but that's a post for another time. School is great, as I'm taking a mere five credits and Jeff is in both of my classes. We've only skipped our 8:00 class twice to sleep in. wait, twice in the first thee weeks of school isn't a good start, is it? We're never going to sleep in again, I promise.

In other news, I'm going to the BYU game today with my Daddy-o. So excited.

GO COUGS!

Yo!

So, I realize that it's been a while, yet again. I think that my New Years resolution should have been to blog at least once every two months - which will be a big improvement from what I have been doing. Can you change New Years Resolutions in mid-February? I think it should be allowed.

If so, here is my post for the next couple months. Hopefully the wonderful pictures here provided will tide you over until Aprl.

Oh, hadn't you heard? I got a very shiny and pretty digital camera. It looks a lot like this:

Do you like it? I can take your picture if you'd like. Come on over anytime, and we'll have a photo shoot. we can also pretend we are in a photo booth and make funny faces like this:

We could do some glamour shots, and if I get the lighting right, you will possibly look even hotter than this:

We could even eat chocolate ice cream in between shots, if you wanted. So come on over, bring your friends,and we'll have a real good time. So much so, that by the end of the night you will most likely be smiling a whole lot like this:

Wowee, having a digital camera makes blogging fun. I might have to change my resolution to once a month. Do you think that's an unrealistic goal?

I Have No Shame (okay, maybe a little bit)

I'm the biggest blog slacker alive, and I acknowledge the fact and apologize semi-heartily for the long, unplanned hiatus. I know that you've all been checking multiple times daily to see if I have updated since that post below that was so long ago, and now your wishes are finally fulfilled.

Except that you probably have given up altogether and so are reading this because I told you in an excited frenzy that my beautiful blog was blessed again with bounteous blodder. (blog fodder, if you will.) All lies of course, to get you to read this pathetic drivel.

Now, if you have accepted that apology, feel free to read on and be shocked and appalled by my life as it is. I will present you with my current stats, since they have changed a lot in the last few months, and you all need to be caught up with my current status in life.

Micquel Walker
20 Years Old
Orange hair
Orange eyes
5'4" (very nearly)
fatter than I was before I quit running because of this nasty cough
BYU Statistics Major of Sophomore standing
Single
Nearing death because of Calculus

So, there you have it. My life in a nutshell.

Okay, now I will tell you an amusing anticdote to keep you all addicted to reading:

I keep my cellphone in a little open pocket of my backpack, please keep that in mind as you read. I was exiting the JKB the other day when I noticed that my shoelace was untied. This worried me greatly, as I am prone to tripping, and having shoes untied greatly adds to the possibility that I do. I decided tht I must needs bend down and tie it immediately. So I did. And it was then that my cellphone became dislodged from its not-so-secure resting place and beaned me on the head. Yes, I was beaned on the head by my own cell in a rather public place. It kinda hurt (my head, not my pride).

That was amusing, no?

It's official, Ali and I have taken the plunge, signed some contracts, and are staying in Miller for fall semester (and possiblly winter, if I can't sell my contract). Also, we are starting a balloon entertainment business on the side to be able to pay the jacked up rent. Our smiles may grow to prodigious proportions, like the man above. Beware.

Anyway. We're staying, and I don't know what's going to happen, what with class and homework and all (no time for grocery shopping, yo.) But I know that it's going to be sweet. And awesome.

Everyone come visit us all the time during the few minutes of the day that we will both be home. Parties every weekend.

Okay, cool.

Lets Celebrate!

So, I'm just letting you know that today is my one year blogging anniversary. NEAT! Feel free to send gifts.

As you can imagine, I wanted to post something really clever and fun to commemorate this momentus occasion. But you know what? I'd rather just read my book, watch the Scarlett Pimpernel, then go to bed.

If you would like to read about a sensible idea, please visit good ol' steve.

Something to Lounge in

Would you like to see my new superb loungewear pants? (Slightly superflous, since most everyone who reads this lives with me and has seen them already.) Oh, well, here they are.

Debbie and I had quite the adventure at The Target today, and I must say we did well with our purchases. These pants are the most comfortable thing I have purchased in a long while. Plus, we look WAY cuter in ours than this model does. Mostly because we don't tuck our shirts in, and we have cooler shoes. And also because we are naturally very cute most of the time. We wore them to the library, where I checked out this movie.

I think it will be good because Audrey Hepburn is in it. And, while William Holden is not as devistatingly handsom as Peter O'toole, I think he will be able to hold his own as the jaded screenwriter, & co.

I do hope it is good. Would you like to watch it with me?

Another aspect of our errands of the day was a quest for some dang-good-looking-worthy-of-a-hot-piece-sunglasses for Debbie. I think we were succesful, but I'll let Deb tell you more about that.

7 is sometimes more than you think

7 Things I want to do before I die:
1. travel
2. learn to dance like a gangster
3. graduate/get a job that is at least slightly relevent to degree
4. be as cool as my mom
5. go to a few slammin' concerts (I've never been to a concert, unless you count Kenny Loggins)
6. find a talent and persue it
7. fall in love

7 Things I cannot do:
1. be socially adept
2. not use a whoopy cushion when I see one
3. drive a stick
4. not feel guilty about having such an easy job
5. make chocolate chip cookies that actually taste good
6. have normal hair
7. resist stealing someone elses idea and posting a link to "lazy sunday"

7 Things I say often:
1. ...like a madwoman (stolen from Ali)
2. what should I eat?
3. he thinks he's such a hotpiece
4. what movie should I watch at work tonight?
5. remember that one time?
6. does this look stupid together?
7. what the?
(I apologize that I am completely incapable of making decisions on my own and so I have to ask you all of these things you don't care about.)

7 Books I love:
1. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
2. All Jane Austen
3. Franny and Zooey
4. Sharon Creech books
5. The Screwtape Letters
6. A Room With a View
7. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and let's just admit it--anything British Teen (Georgia, anyone?)

7 Movies I could watch over and over again:
1. A&E Pride and Prejudice
2. Sense and Sensibility (okay, any Jane Austen, again)
3. How to Steal a Million
4. Charade (any Audrey Hepburn, it's just all good)
5. To Catch a Thief (that Grant fellow--mmm)
6. Better off Dead, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Labyrinth, Cinderella...
7. The list is really quite endless

7 Things I can cook:
1. pasta roni
2. mac and cheese
3. grilled cheese
4. soup from a can
5. top raman
6. toast
7. eggo waffles

7 favorite songs right now:
1. This one song on a burned CD I got from Erin Beck - I don't know the title or artist, but it is amazing!
2. The Flower Duets
3. Dare - Gorillaz
4. Such Great Heights - as covered by Iron and Wine
5. I Will Follow You into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
6. For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti - Sufjan Stevens
7. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap

A Begging Post

I think I need a digital camera to spice up my posts. Or even spark some ideas for posts. Or to even be my entire posts, because it's pretty obvious that this writing thing isn't working out for me. And, while google image search has helped me to supliment my posts in the past, I think it may be time to move on to bigger and better things.


Who wants to buy me a digital camera?

Come on, you know you want to, my posts will improve profoundly, and we all know that all you live for is a new post on your favorite blog, bloomabilities. Or maybe not. At any rate, you'll be stuck with posts like this begging you for things until I get one, so you might as well break down and buy one now before you go insane from all of my asking you to buy me things.

Good logic, no?

yes.

good.



I want to go to the Death Cab for Cutie concert.


'cause I think them boys is real talented in the musicality department. (Even if Kyle thinks they isn't coo'.)




So, who wants to buy me tickets to this sweet show?

Did you notice the font size on that one wasn't quite as large and insistent? I am considerate that way sometimes.

In this picture, guy in glasses = hot.
tiger shirt = delish. (We should all have one)



I have found a new love
(At least I love all of his songs I've heard thus far)
As far as I can tell, he is a crazy maniac with songs entitled "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois" and the like. (which I haven't heard) My favorite of the moment is "For the Widows In Paradise, for the Fatherless In Ypsilanti." I find his voice to be very soothing. It might not be for you, but you know me and the mellow music just go together. (even if he is a bit nutso.)





Who wants to buy me a few of his albums?



I know, I know, enough is enough. I'll stop now.

you can dance if you want to

my friend, bloggatigga, was pestering me to post once again, and as I want to appease her, but I am lazy, I thought I would just post this link. Please enjoy imagining that you are as cool as any of these people.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2IV6rQxfk48&search=wanna%20love%20you%20tender

A Funny Thing Happened the Other Day...

To someone, I'm sure. Just not to me. That's why I have not written for over a month. Really, don't you think it's such a great excuse? As we all know, I think I am abso-bloomin'-lutely hilarious, and so when I don't feel I have something funny to write, I don't write.

Also, I am lazy.

On a side note, I don't have a major, I'm basically done with generals, and I'm trying to register for fall classes. Can we say trapped in a corner?

Any suggestions on fun classes would be much appreciated so I could get out of this corner. It's making me clostrophobic. Hmm...you know what would be even more appreciated? If you could tell me what I like and what I want to do, and what I would end up not hating. I would give you my iPod, my laptop, $1,000 and my favorite shirt if you could do this for me. The problem with that incentive for myself is that I already have it. maybe if I didn't have that stuff, and I knew that I could if I made a decision, it would work.

Who wants to steal my stuff and give it back when I have figured things out?

Just kidding, don't do it. I would die without my laptop and my favorite shirt. Not to mention that the thousand bucks that has to go toward tuition if I finally find some classes to take.

Well, now that I've exhausted that side note, lets get back to how funny I am...

To Borrow a Title from a Fellow Blogger: Various and Sundry Thoughts for a Monday

I was just reading though some of my previous posts, and while the typos and bad grammar make me wince, sometimes I think I am kind of funny. But then I wonder if anyone else thinks I have potential for amusement, and I get embarrassed for being so amused by myself. Am I wrong, though, to think that I am hilarious when I write about my future spouse and what a dork I was as a kid? (is there any need to remark on the remaining dorkiness? I think it's self explanatory). Perhaps it is wrong, but I still think I'm funny. And so do these guys.


Another item I was thinking about on this Monday night is why I blog when I have the most to do. I mean, it's not like there aren't other ways to procrastinate--for instance, cutting split ends for an hour or two, looking up all the movies I would like to rent in the next year, taking online quizzes...You get the picture. Maybe I blog because I feel like it is somewhat productive? I have really been wanting to move that dog down with a new post for a while. What do you think?

I always feel slightly awkward when I eat alone at an establishment of food, and I think I would feel awkward going to a movie alone (it hasn't happened yet). Why is this? Don't get me wrong here, I love, love having a ball with friends or the fam, but sometimes I also really love to be alone. So what's different about going to lunch/movies, etc., than going shopping and on other errands, or watching movies at home? Is it because I am acclimatized to think of those things as something you do for fun with people?

I've realized that my various and sundry thoughts are mostly questions I am putting out there into the void. So here's another: why does it break your heart when you have a secret crush on someone but have only talked to them a handful of times, and you see them hugging some snotty girl? I guess I should say "my heart" as I don't know if it breaks your heart. It's never broken my heart before today. What changed?

Another question I have for the mysterious place that is the world wide web, is this: why is it that when I am at work and finally decide to quit reading blogs and generally wasting time on the internet to get some homework done as long as the orders aren't pouring in, the orders start pouring in? I have seriously tested this. On the nights when I decide to forgo the homework altogether and just keep on keeping on, the orders never seem to come. But the moment I crack open a book, the next time I look, an order has appeared. Dagnabit.

And another thing. Why can't people just let other people hate the snow? We know that it is useful moisture, it looks pretty, is a blessing, and all that jazz. But it doesn't change the fact that I hate it and want it to be spring.

Finally, I think that the last name "Dowdy" is kind of funny.

Monica, Here's to You on Your Birthday

I Hope it's the best ever.

And, incase that dog scared the beans out of you, here's a more cheerful picture:

So, yeah...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It Really Rocks

As Spring will soon be upon us, I was thinking a little Christmas spirit might be in order while it is still slightly wintery out. Okay, just kidding, I really only want you to listen to this because I think it's abso-bloomin-lutely hilar. So please visit this man's blog and have a listen. Wait for the big finish, it's my favorite part.

Now That's a Sweet Ride!

I wasn't going to post about this. I really wasn't. But currently I am going A.D.D. beyond control at work from studying HEPE for far too long (about 45 minutes, but no one needs to know that). That is why I am posting about a dream. And though it can never be as hilarious to you as it was to me when I first woke up and laughed out loud, I hope it brings you some entertainment. It's the only blog fodder I've got.

The whole fiasco began when I was going to be late for work and realized that my car was out of comission. Dead battery and all that, with no Dad to help me out, and no possible ride-giver on the premises. I walked outside scratching my head and wondering what to do and see that oh, blast, the llamas are out again. But then my resourceful nature kicks in and the escaped llamas came to be more than just a nusance. Holy crap! I thought, I could ride a llama to work! Brilliant, I know.

I walked cautiously toward a friendly looking llama, who obligingly knelt down to allow me climb aboard. We became instant best friends, and I knew this llama would be loyal to me for life. It was a sweet, sweet feeling. What was even better was the ride. I cannot express to you what a joy it was. The overpass on state street was the highlight of the trip. We were going almost as fast as the cars, and it was awesome!

Needless to say, I got to work on time thanks to my noble steed, and I went in very satisfied with myself. I realized during my shift that I needed to go home for dinner, so I ran outside where my car was somehow waiting for me, as was the llama. I drove the car home and forgot about the llama entirely.

Back at the ranch I went inside and talked to my brother and played with his kids, and then suddenly realized that I had to go back to work ten minutes ago. D'oh! So I gathered up a whole pizza in my arms (no, getting a plastic bag or other container did not occur to me at the time) and ran outside to get back on my best friend, the llama. I was glad to see that he had made it home alright, and even more overjoyed at the fact that he was waiting on my porch for me. You know, up the flight of cement stairs and all. He was looking fondly at my face much like this:

It was beautiful to behold.

But then all was spoiled when this old lady started screaming at me about how I was an awful person to be training her llamas bad things. All her llamas somehow kept ending up in East Bay and it was all my fault.

"But my car was broken," I stuttered, "I had to ride the llama, I was going to be late for work! I'm going to be late for work again if you don't let me take him." In my head I was thinking, Can't you see how he loves me?

I don't think this woman properly understood the direness of the situation, though, because she absolutely would not allow me to come near her llamas ever again.

In the end, I asked my brother Kurt to give me a ride to work, and it all seemed to work out okay. But I'm still confused as to what happened to my car after I had driven it home. Ah, well, I guess we'll never know.

All I know is that I will never forget riding down State Street on a llama without a care in the world. It's not weird at all.

A Pink Moon and a Nice Car

Remember when Nick Drake's Pink Moon was on the commercial for the VW Cabriolet? It showed some happy youths driving under a night sky. I have to admit that it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling every time, and had an odd power over me. It influenced me to the extent of buying Nick Drake's Album Place to Be. I'm also pretty sure that if I had had the means, and a drivers license, I would have picked up this excellent car in a heartbeat because of that commercial. Now that's the power of good advertising.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock: Radio Edit Version

I must admit, this post really has nothing to do with T.S. Elliot, and I bet you are all heartily disappointed. The title just came to me in the middle of the night, and I couldn't resist. As we are all well aware, I am too illiterate to create a post that can live up to such a title and I apologize. When I was musing on the subject in the middle of the night, I thought I was so very clever, "ha ha ha," thought I to myself, "I will write the so called "radio edit" of this wonderful poem and everyone will think that I am so witty and clever." However, upon awakening the next morning, I remembered that I have a rather small alotment of literary skill and that it was too vast an undertaking for one such as I. But, it is a choice poem, and I highly recomend that you check it out. But before I say adieu, I must force a few of my favorite lines upon you because my guess is that you are too lazy to read the entirety in its length. (Does it shock you how well I know you?)

And indeed there will be time

To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”

Time to turn back and descend the stair,

With a bald spot in the middle of my hair—

[They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]

My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,

My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—

[They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]

Do I dare

Disturb the universe?

In a minute there is time

For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.


For I have known them all already, known them all:—

Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;

I know the voices dying with a dying fall

Beneath the music from a farther room.

So how should I presume?

I just love that "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons" and my guess is that you know me well enough to surmise that I am not one to undervalue baldspots.

As my parting gift to you, I will let you know that when I grow old, I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Don't you just love the English language?

Yeah, He's Gotta Be Hot

With the fast approaching nuptials of my two dear sisters, I have had marriage on the brain, I guess. It's a big step, and a very important decision, this I know. So, after Bro. what's-his-name told us about his daughters making lists of the qualities they wanted in their future spouses, I decided to do just that. The following is a comprehensive list of the must-have traits of my future husband.

1. First, I need someone who gets me...a pretty hard task to accomplish as I don't even get me. Even so, it's essential.

2. Next, I really need someone with good dental hygene. It's just a must.

3. We all know the importance of interest compatibilities, so obviously I will need to marry someone who blogs.

4. Another thing that I require in my future spouse is man hands. I know that I shouldn't begrudge people the look of their hands, as they can't really help it, but guys with women hands just give me the willies.

5. I also need someone that will buy me Dance Dance Revolution and let me win on a regular basis. He's gotta have moves, but not let on that he does. you know?

6. He must also be almost attractive as the fine specimin below. Hard to accomplish, I know, but a girls got to have standards, and this is mine.



7. I think that another essential part of maintaining a good relationship is sharing things. My future husband better be very generous, becuase by sharing things, I mean giving me things.

8.Any husband of mine has got to have a prestigious job. For instance, he could be a toy tester, or work for Crest Toothpaste, Covenant publishing, or something like that. I'm not going to marry a nobody!

Yep, I think that about covers it.

You think I'm asking a lot, don't you? Well, that may be the case, but I just know there's someone out there that's up to scratch and meant just for me. I know it.