I'm Dappled And Drowsy And Ready To Sleep

Seriously?! I just spent the last 20 minutes on a rather long and somewhat rambling post, and it just disappeared. All of it. GRRRRRR!!!! So here are some more musings for your reading pleasure, or not. Whatever. Here's the gist of what was lost: you're getting the Reader's Digest version, because I can't be bothered to retype it. Benji has RSV. I'm feeling pretty guilty about that, because I didn't think it was that bad and I didn't think we needed to take him to the doctor earlier and/or keep him away from other kiddos. I'm really sorry if his cousins get sick--you can blame it on me. We'll try to keep him under wraps for the next couple of weeks, until he gets better. Blech. I'm at work right now, and I wish I could go home. I'm supposed to be working full-time, but I haven't done that for a few weeks (since the beginning of this whole flu/pneumonia/RSV crap that has hit my little family). I usually work 3x12-hour shifts during the week, but I have been called off a few times and I have left early a few times. I need to stay, however tempting it is to go home. You know the 'Earth Hour' thing that happened last Saturday? Well, we went out with some friends, and on our way out the door, Allen made sure that all of our lights (and the TV) were left on. He says that more energy would be wasted with the ramping down and ramping up of the power grids than what would be used normally. I don't know if he's right or not; he has a tendency to exaggerate sometimes (e.g., the other day he said he knows more about medications than most doctors. Uh, sure babe. The things he does to prove that he's a non-conformist just make me shake my head sometimes. Allen is quite a fan of Glenn Beck; not only does he download the radio show, but he watches Glenn's webcam to make sure he doesn't miss anything during the commercial breaks. Glenn has started this movement/rally thing called "We Surround Them," that is an attempt to give power back to the people. Allen even took Benji to a rally here in SLC a couple of weeks ago (I was at work at the time, or the boy wouldn't have gone! Maybe I can blame the RSV on Glenn Beck!). I think it's a good thing that some people are trying to stand up to the government, to let politicians know that it's not okay for this government to turn this country into a socialist society. I don't think that any one person is to blame for the economic derailment, but all of these bailouts and take-overs and stimulus plans are just very expensive band-aids for a problem that needs surgery. The malignant companies and cancerous loans need to be removed. Everything looks okay from the outside, but the heart and soul of this nation are being eaten away. It's going to be painful--some companies, even big ones, will have to fail, and the recovery will be long and arduous. But unless we get rid of the offending disease, the whole organism will die. The United States will crumble. I believe we can overcome this. I believe that there are good intentions behind the bail-out packages, but there are too many people trying to fix things. President Obama is the surgeon, and I think he would do a good job if so many people weren't telling him what to do. Unfortunately, Obama is still very new, like a first-year resident fresh out of medical school; he just won't know how to deal with certain situations. He has plenty of book smarts, and of course he's relying on other, more knowledgeable physicians to help diagnose and treat the problem(s). It's like bringing in 20 consulting physicians to manage a very complicated patient: Geithner says this, Bernanke says that, Pelosi says something else. I can only take this metaphor so far, but I think the patient is so complicated, the humane thing to do would be to let him die. Since we can't do that, it's just going to be a very long road to recovery. I'm glad my mother is in good medical hands. She has been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, which will need to be removed surgically. The pituitary is right in the middle of the brain, and the surgeon has to go through the nose to excise it. It is scary, but she'll be having her surgery at my hospital, so I can control a few factors--her anesthesiologist, her nurses, etc. I trust (most of) the people I work with, and she will receive excellent care here. Even so, we'd appreciate your prayers in the meantime. Most everyone says she'll be fine. Let's hope Heavenly Father agrees.

Staring Into Twilight

So I just watched Twilight (the movie) for the first time yesterday, and I have a lot of opinions on it. If you haven't read it or seen the film, don't bother reading this post: it will be just a bunch of rambling observations. I was pleasantly surprised at how hot Robert Pattinson was in the movie. I hated the posters--quite frankly, they were a turn-off. But in the film, he looked really good--see below. I watched the movie a second time with the commentary, and I loved Rob's self-deprecating comments. He thinks he has effeminate hands (although he really played the piano--love that!), a flat face and a 'butt-chin.' He was also hoping they could have given him a CGI six-pack. Too funny. He was definitely the best part of the whole experience. I was a little disappointed in the clothing. The Cullens are supposed to be rich, but Edward just wore t-shirts the whole time. Bella's skinny jeans weren't great, and Rosalie's wig was terrible. Speaking of Rosalie, I think they could have gone to Provo (I'm sure there are plenty of Twilight fans in Happy Valley, considering that Stephenie Meyer is a BYU graduate) and found someone a lot prettier, who probably would have worked for free. Rosalie is supposed to be stunning, and she wasn't even really attractive. Carlisle was okay in looks, but we didn't get any of his back-story, how the family came together, or even why they are "vegetarians." I hope the director of New Moon stays a little more true to the book. I know they had to cut out a lot of details to get the story into two hours, but they took many of the endearing tidbits that made me like the characters. In the movie, Bella is pretty morose the whole time, even when she and Edward are together. I think they Kristen Stewart did a good job as Bella, but she didn't do any cooking (what's with the diner? Seriously?), we didn't see her reading, and her clumsiness is really downplayed. You don't get to hear her quirky little observations on people and places, and there isn't a lot of the funny bantering and teasing between Edward and Bella. After like two days of Biology class and one quasi-date, they are "in love." A huge part of the story is how they come together, and realize how strongly they feel about each other, and I just didn't get that from the movie. Some people didn't like Taylor Lautner as Jacob. I did--he's a cutie. I'm excited for the next one, where he has a much bigger role. I have been on 'Team Jacob' for a while, although Rob may have changed my mind a bit. :o) I thought the special effects were really cheesy. I wasn't a huge fan of the monkey business (tree climbing) and the skin/sunlight thing was terrible! I laughed out loud! I think it would have been much more effective with make-up and lighting. And the meadow scene just didn't do it for me. That's the pivotal point in the whole story--it's where it all began in Stephenie's brain, and it just wasn't as beautiful as I had imagined. I didn't like the Cullen's house in the movie. It just didn't do it for me. And prom was supposed to be cheesy, in the school gym with crepe paper and balloons, not 'Monte Carlo.' Where did that come from? I wish they had given Alice a bigger part, and that we could have seen how strong and elegant and fast the vampires are supposed to be. Enough ranting; it's just a movie. I'll probably buy it eventually; even if it isn't as good as the book.

That's The Way (Uh Huh Uh Huh) I Like It

I wanted to get some new pictures up before I posted again. Uh, it obviously didn't happen, and that's why it has been several days since my last visit. Oh well. I will throw this one in for your viewing pleasure. Clive Owen. Yum. (Yes, my husband reads my blog, and it's okay. He bought "The Mummy Trilogy" for Christmas because I had made a comment that I thought Brendan Fraser was hot.) I don't know what it is about Clive, but he does it for me. We came to Logan this weekend, and I went to see "Duplicity" with my parents. I highly recommend it, especially if you are a connoisseur of fine Englishmen. His accent isn't as posh as, say, that of Colin Firth, but it's still pretty darn sexy. I would like to see the movie again, as the plot line is a bit complicated (just the way I like them!). I also like that it's an original screenplay; I have been pretty disappointed with the barrage of adaptations from good novels into mediocre movies. That's part of why I haven't seen "Twilight" yet. I'll probably RedBox it this week--we'll see. I have enjoyed watching the boob tube while we have been in Logan. I discovered a new show called "Tough Love" on VH1. It's a reality show, yes, but it's actually useful! There are eight women who (live together in a house, of course!) have come to a matchmaking "Boot Camp." The producers chose women who personify something that I think every woman can see part of herself in. Steve, the Matchmaker/Host/Drill Sergeant, is brutally honest with the girls, and it's hilarious. Miss 'Party Girl' said, "I can get any guy I want." And Steve told her that she could get anyone to have sex with her, but they wouldn't put a ring on her finger. Ouch! There's Miss 'Gold-Digger' who is needs to be the center of attention, Miss 'Lone Ranger' who is 39 and can't stop talking about her career, Miss 'Ball-Buster' who likes to be intimidating, Miss 'Bridezilla' who tells everyone that she's looking to get married within a year, Miss 'Picky' who believes in the fairy tale, Miss 'Fatal Attraction' who is very insecure and texts guys in the middle of the night, etc. There's also one more, Natasha (whose nickname I seriously can't remember), who is just too forgettable. Each woman is very defensive about why they are how they are, but when they follow Steve's advice, they are actually seeing results. Steve puts them in different situations with guys (dates, work-outs, clubs, etc.), then talks to the guys afterward to see what they thought. It's very interesting, and it's a good insight into the male psyche. It makes me even more grateful that I don't have to play the game anymore. Sure, Allen may not be as sexy as Clive Owen, but we love each other and we are good together. I can't ask for much more than that. :o)

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad . . .

The past few days have been a bit tough. Allen has pneumonia, and I haven't felt great either. We are getting better, but it has been a long road. Here's hoping he can go back to work tomorrow. The weather outside was so beautiful today, I felt the need to take some pictures of the little man. I got a few good ones. I need to sleep so I can work tomorrow. I wish I had something more clever to write . . . sorry. Love y'all.

You're Simply The Best

Dear Costco, I wanted to say thank you. After more than three years and lots of research, I finally decided to get a new phone. On February 28, 2009, I purchased a BlackBerry from the Wireless kiosk at the Costco in Murray, Utah. On March 2, 2009, I went back to Costco to purchase a birthday cake. Somewhere between the front door and my car, my new BlackBerry fell out of my purse. I didn't realize it until I got home, and my sister said that someone from Costco had answered my phone, and it had been run over in the parking lot. I was very disappointed, and I wasn't sure what to do. Some people said I should call T-Mobile and add insurance to my plan (I didn't purchase it to begin with), then forget to tell them that I had already damaged the BlackBerry. Others told me I could take it back to Costco and not tell them what happened. I didn't want to be dishonest, but I really didn't know what to do. I was pretty sure that I would be out of luck, so I decided I'd take it back to Costco and take my chances. The worst they could do is say no, and I had already resigned myself to having to buy another phone at full-price. Today, I took the BlackBerry back to the same Costco where I purchased it. The guys at the Wireless Kiosk told me they couldn't take it back, since it wasn't in working condition. He did walk up to the Customer Service desk with me, and we asked if Costco could do anything for me. They consulted with the store manager, who said that, normally, they wouldn't be able to do anything for me, but she authorized an exchange for me. I was so relieved and grateful. I know that any other store wouldn't have done that for me. I know that you didn't have to do it, but you did. I know that I already made a lot of purchases at Costco, but now you have a fan, advocate, and customer for life. Thank you, again. You're wonderful! You've gotta love it, baby!

I Wanna Run Through The Halls Of My High School

I put this in my notes on Facebook, but some people read my blog who don't do the FB thing. It has been fun to see what other people have said in the comments and in their own posts. 1. Did you date someone from your school? Not really. My first date was Senior Ball. I made a deal with my Dad that if I didn't date until I was 18, he would give me $100. Actually he ended up taking me on a trip to D.C., so it was definitely worth it! I knew I wouldn't be dating anyway, so I think it was a pretty good deal! 2. Did you marry someone from your school? Negatory 3. Did you car pool to school? Before we all could drive! 4. What kind of car did you have? I'd like to say that I had something cooler than a 1985 Ford Tempo, but I can't . . . unless you count the 1987 Econoline! 5. What kind of car do you have now? 1993 Toyota Corolla. Someday I will own a vehicle made in the same decade in which I'm living. 6. It's Friday night...where are you? (then) At work--good old Logan Nursing & Rehab. 7. It is Friday night...where are you? (now) At work--good old Intermountain Medical Center. Not much changes when you don't have a social life! 8. What kind of job did you have in high school? I started in the dietary department of LNRC washing dishes for $4.25/hour. I was pretty excited to become a CNA and get a raise to $6! Woo! 9. What kind of job do you do now? I am a surgical technologist. I take care of the sterile supplies for surgeries and assist surgeons. I'm the one who passes the scalpel. It's not the greatest job, but it does pay (most of) the bills, I probably won't be downsized due to the economy, every day and every patient is different, and I'm always learning something new. I like that. 10. Were you a party animal? Um, I don't think so. Why do you think I was working at a Nursing Home every Friday night? 11. Were you considered a flirt? I wanted to be, but I just didn't know how! 12. Were you in band, orchestra, choir? I was an orchestra geek. 13. Were you a nerd? Definitely. 14. Did you get suspended or expelled? Nope. I did skip school when Star Wars was re-released! Such a rebel! 15. Can you sing the fight song? No. I can sing the school theme song, though. "Neath the crest of Wasatch Mountains . . ." 16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? I didn't learn a lot about American history, but I loved Stu (and I actually passed the AP test!). Mr. Ashton was like a father figure, since I saw him nearly every day for 6 years. I enjoyed getting Mr. Huie off-track so we we wouldn't have Chemistry homework. Even so, I'd have to say that Mr. Hoyt was my all-time favorite. Because of him, I would still like to be a high school Biology Teacher! 17. Where did you sit during lunch? I don't remember. Sometimes it was in the orchestra room, sometimes it was outside . . . who knows? 18. What was your school's full name? Logan Senior High School 19. When did you graduate? 1997 20. What was your school mascot? Grizzlies 21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No. I was such a social moron, it was pretty traumatic. I'd like to think the best is yet to come. 22. Did you have fun at prom? Not so much. My date was pretty intent on spying on someone else in our group, and he took off for most of the dance part. 23. Do you still talk to the person you went to prom with? I've e-mailed him a couple of times on Facebook. (Side note: I got a response from Eric, the smartest person I have ever met, aside from my brother. He said that his contact lens got stuck in his eye, and he was in the bathroom for 45 minutes trying to get it out! If he had told me that, I wouldn't have been so annoyed at the time!) 24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? Depends on how much weight I can lose by then. 25. Do you still talk to people from school? A few; mostly just the people I hung out with or actually talked to in my classes. I am facebook friends with some people who probably don't remember me at all, though! Life is pretty funny! I enjoyed reminiscing a bit about high school while writing this. Even so, I wouldn't go back. I had enough emotional trauma to last me a lifetime. I much preferred college. I might do that again, although I'd probably major in English so I could read all the time! Oh well. I made my choices, and I like where I am now. La vie est belle.

Relax, Go To It

Instead of uploading pics onto the blog, I'm going to try this instead. It's actually easier, and it doesn't eat up the available memory. These are some pictures from the Draper Temple Open House, just before the whole phone drama (and a bonus one for you). No, the phone situation has not been resolved yet, but I'll let you know. Today was BUSY. We had to speak in church today, which is always a joy. Most of yesterday was spent writing said talk, so I didn't get to do much of anything else. This morning, we found out what Allen's calling is: assistant ward clerk. I didn't know that calling had to come from the Stake! Oh well--we are grateful that it's not something more demanding. I forgot to mention that I got a calling last week. I am the Primary Music Director for our ward. I was called, sustained, and set apart within the course of 4 hours. So we had to go in to speak with the High Councilman, come back early and speak. We were the only ones on the program, so I spoke for a good 20 minutes. Luckily, Mom & Dad drove to SLC today to hear us speak and wrangle the boy so we didn't have to. Apparently, Benji was his usual busy self; click here to read Mom's account of Sacrament Meeting. Good times. So after we spoke, I had my first day as the music director. That was fun (no, really!), but a little stressful, especially as I don't know any of the children's names or many of the new songs; plus the pianist wasn't there, so I did some conducting and some playing (and I'm woefully out of practice!). Anyway, after church we went to the bishop's office so Allen could be set-apart, and then we just went home and crashed. After the nap, I made dinner (a tuna casserole--not that great, but at least it was edible), fed the boy, gave him a bath, put him to bed, and did the dishes. I'm tired! And yet I'm blogging instead of sleeping. Sometimes I just don't understand my brain. Here are a few fun pictures of the little man. He's getting so big! And here's another bath picture, but his face is priceless!

Blonde Ambition

I got my hair done yesterday. It has been a LONG time since I did anything good with it, and my sister Sarah gave me a very thoughtful gift for my birthday--a gift certificate to her hairstylist.

 

Honestly, it doesn't look a lot different--but I needed something that would grow out nicely. I kept most of the length (but had the "frog fur" cut off). I got a lot of layers, texturizing, and gorgeous color. If you look closely, you can see the coppery red and blonde highlights.

 

Sorry--they aren't great pictures, but it's all I have time for before I leave for work. Thanks, Sar! You're the best!

It's Hard For Me To Say I'm Sorry

Yesterday was pretty rough. I spent most of the day cleaning and cooking for a family get-together, so I was already unhappy. We went to the Draper Temple open-house and came back to our apartment to have dinner and celebrate birthdays. I had attempted to make a cake earlier, but it didn't work, so on the way back, Allen and I stopped at Costco to get a cake. I know I had my phone with me when I left Costco, but it must have fallen out of my purse between the front door and the car. So when we got home, everyone else was already there, and they told me that my phone had been run over at Costco and was at their service desk. My knee-jerk reaction was to go get it then, because I couldn't do it this morning, and I really can't function without a phone. So I left the party I had put together, and my Mom was in her worst-case-scenario mode. Apparently Allen 'checked out,' and the party just deteriorated with sick kids and people who had to drive back to Logan, etc., etc. Most everyone left before I got back, although Dave, Lex, Noah and Sarah stuck around. Things seemed pretty calm by then, so I didn't know what really happened until I was messaging Rachael this morning. So I'm sorry for all the drama. I'll be getting a different phone; I don't know when or how, but it will all work out. Thanks for coming, everyone. I love you!

I Love Technology . . . Always and Forever

Benji loves it too. Yes, that's my child, standing on a laundry basket in front of a very large TV. I'm a terrible mother.

 

Isn't he cute?

 

He has been pretty grumpy with tooth #8 coming in; it's about to break through. Even so, he usually manages to ham it up for the camera.

 

Today is Allen's birthday. I have tried to be nice, and not ask him to do a lot of stuff; for example, I got up with Benji (and let Allen sleep until 11:30 a.m.--the one perk of having church start in the afternoon), fed him, put him down for a nap, got him up and dressed for church, kept him with me during church (which included a lot of squirming, peeing through his suit, and throwing up on me and the gym floor). I also made dinner, gave the boy a bath, brushed his teeth and put him to bed. I have also done a couple of loads of laundry . . . never ending. I don't know if he appreciates it! I really tried! This is his real birthday present, though: We finally dumped Sprint and went to T-Mobile. Yes, that's the G1. No, we can't really afford it, but he did really want it. He has put all of the scriptures and lesson manuals on it already, and he keeps telling me cool things it can do. I'm particularly fond of the "Shop Savvy" feature--it 'scans' a barcode (by taking a picture of it), then cross-references it with your location and stores close to you and gives you a list of prices at the different stores. How cool is that? It connects with the Google calendar (so he'll always know when I'm working, and everything else--as long as I keep it updated!), interwebs, it has a GPS, etc., etc. I'll admit I'm a bit jealous. I did get a BlackBerry Pearl Flip for myself. It's pretty cool, too. I'm not totally in love with it, probably because I didn't get the data plan to go with it. I'm trying to decide if I want something that's less BlackBerry and more phone. I probably just need to get used to it and its' lack of shortcuts. Oh well--it's definitely an upgrade! Bye, bye, fat phone! Big Blue, January 2006-February 2009. R.I.P.