Meet my red-headed twinner friends. Aren't they absolutely adorable together? Scrabble Boy and Banker Chick. Of course those aren't their real names, just their preferred ones. Since Banker Chick was visiting for the weekend, I took the opportunity to make them pose for a twinner portrait. They could totally be related. Hopefully neither of them kills me for posting this either...
So Stacy tagged me for this most embarrassing meme. But because she majored in English, she decided to make it much harder than it originally was by adding in a bunch of plays, poetry, and short stories. Most of which I've never read and some (to my shame) I've never heard of. I'm claiming chemistry major ignorance on this one. I also went back to the original meme and brought back some books I just couldn't leave out.
Directions:
*Blue font for everything you've read
*Red font for everything you've started but never finished
*Purple font for everything you've read but wished you hadn't
*Yellow font for everything you'd never read, even if you and that book were the only things to survive the apocalypse
*Black font for things you've never read
*Green font for things you want to read
*Orange font if you've read the author but not that particular work
Stacy's version:
The Bible
Medea (Euripides)
Oedipus Rex (Sophocles)
Odyssey (Homer)
The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer)
The Inferno (Dante)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare)
Tartuffe (Moliere)
Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Coleridge)
The Eve of St. Agnes (Keats)
Frankenstein (Shelley)
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne)
Moby Dick (Melville)
Great Expectations (Dickens)
Little Women (Alcott)
War and Peace (Tolstoy)
Madame Bovary (Flaubert)
The Awakening (Chopin)
The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Carroll)
Ulysses (James Joyce)
The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
The Sun Also Rises (Hemingway)
The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)
Brave New World (Huxley)
The Sound and the Fury (Faulkner)
The Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
Lord of the Flies (Golding)
The Catcher in the Rye (Salinger)
Lolita (Nabokov)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Williams)
The Bell Jar (Plath)
A Good Man is Hard to Find (O'Connor)
Their Eyes Were Watching God (Hurston)
Where are you Going, Where Have you Been? (Oates)
Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
White Noise (DeLillo)
The Bluest Eye (Morrison
The Satanic Verses (Rushdie)
White Teeth (Zadie Smith)
Middlesex (Eugenides)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (Chabon)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
Everything is Illuminated (Foer)
Gilead (Robinson)
From the other meme:
Anne of Green Gables (Montgomery)
A Prayer for Owen Meany (Irving)
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
The Hobbit (Tolkien)
Life of Pi (Martel)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Adams) - Currently reading it
Tuesdays with Morrie (Albom)
1984 (Orwell)
The Power of One (Courtenay
The Alchemist (Coelho)
The Kite Runner (Hosseini)
Angela's Ashes (McCourt)
Crime and Punishment (Dostoyevsky)
Catch-22 (Heller)
Les Miserables (Hugo)
Emma (Austen)
The Secret Life of Bees (Kidd)
Ah...
Confession: I'm fairly obsessed with politics. You wouldn't know by reading my blog because I've shied away from writing about it. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it has to do with the nature of politics. Everything is very, very complicated and no matter how much information you have on any particular issue, there's still more you could learn. And although I have my basic opinions and try to follow things closely, I admit that I can be wrong about things. Since most people seem to be either extremely opinionated or apathetic when it comes to politics, I haven't really felt like opening that can of worms. Until now. At the request of one of my fantastic Colorado friends, I'm going to start blogging about my views.
First on my agenda: the death penalty. Although I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about this topic, I've only recently solidified my opinion on it. Here are some of the pro-death penalty arguments and my rebuttals for each:
1) It's a just punishment. They deserve to die for what they've done. I worked as a tutor for prisoners trying to get their high school diplomas a few years ago and it really opened my eyes to a completely different world than the one I was brought up in. While there were scary, scummy prisoners, it was easy to see that a lot of them had been born into really bad situations. Situations so bad that if I was placed in them I'm sure I'd be in prison as well. It was amazing to see how they reacted to the program I helped implement. Most of them were so thirsty for any bit of knowledge and kindness they could get. While they had all made serious mistakes, they wanted to change for the better. I'm not naive enough to say all prisoners are like that, but I am saying there are some who, when given the chance, will change for the better. They may deserve to die for what they've done, but as a Christian who believes it's possible for people to change, I just can't support this argument.
2) It deters other potential criminals. Whether or not the death penalty deters future criminals has been thoroughly studied by many criminology experts. While there is some support for the deterrence argument, most experts agree that it doesn't work. Would sentencing more people to death or decreasing the time spent on death row lower the crime rate? It's hard to say, but I really don't think so.
3) Getting rid of the criminals prevents them from committing the crime again. This is true. It does keep them from committing the crime again, but so would incarceration for life without parole.
4) Countries with the death penalty have lower crime rates. Yes, but these countries are: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, etc. Oh wait, do we really want to be like these countries? Because I'm pretty sure we should be taking our cues from Iran. It being an axis of evil and all...
5) The death penalty costs less than incarceration. I won't even pretend it's not expensive to keep a prisoner for life. That's a lot of money spent on food and amenities that could have been used for something like education or law enforcement. Unfortunately it can also cost as much or more to execute someone. Costs for trials in which the death penalty is sought are significantly more expensive than ones in which incarceration is desired. And I'm not sure that it's completely logical to kill someone (no matter how awful they are, they are still human) in order to save money.
So there you have it. Feel free to share your opinions.
Stumbled upon a list of phobias in wikipedia and thought it was a fun article:
Here are the ones that apply to me:
Acrophobia - Fear of heights. Me and half of America.
Agoraphobia - Fear of a place or event where escape is impossible or when help is unavailable. I hate feeling trapped somewhere. Like being snowed in. Shudder.
Androphobia - Fear of males. Okay, not really, but I thought it was funny. It's interesting that they don't have a term listed for the fear of females.
Taphophobia - Fear of the grave, or fear of being placed in a grave while still alive. Definately don't like coffins. That story about tying a string to the fingers of corpses and attaching it to a bell up top always gives me the willies.
Tokophobia - Fear of childbirth. Aren't all women? Ouch!
Trypanophobia - Fear of needles, injections, or of pointed objects. This is probably the only seriously debilitating fear I have. They had to give me valium before they could insert an IV last December.
Musophobia - Fear of mice and/or rats. Okay, I lied. This one's debilitating too. In one really old house I lived in a couple of years ago, we had a few mice and it was so not okay. Talk about flipping out.
Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Or things being stuck in my teeth.
Gymnophobia - Fear of nudity. Anyone else an Arrested Development fan? And Tobias as a Never Nude?
Xenophobia - Fear of foreigners. It's okay Allie, I'm not a xenophobic :)
Aibohphobia - The fear of palindromes, which is a palindrome itself.
Anatidaephobia - Fear that somewhere, somehow a duck is watching you. Weird.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - Fear of long words. Ha!
I'm going to try and express a thought that's been floating around in my head for a while now, but if it doesn't make sense... sorry.
I've always been the sort of person who just implicitly trusts people. I meet them, think they're fabulous, share thoughts and feelings. No problem. This has sometimes led to disaster. Like the time when my cousin Lyndsi (also a very trusting person) and I met a random girl in the ward who needed a place to move into and we jumped at having her as a roommate. Looking back at the situation, we DEFINITELY should have picked up on warning signs that she might not be the best roommate in the world. And that she was a complete crazy person who couldn't go five seconds without lying. Okay, I'm exaggerating, it was more like 30 seconds. But even though I've had a few sticky situations, I've always been glad that I was so trusting. It's a great thing to bring into friendships.
This past year however, a series of events slowly stripped that naive, trusting instinct away. I didn't quite realize how much it really affected me until I moved to Colorado and started making friends here. I feel like a broken and crazy person half the time. Which I'm sure is mostly in my head, but annoying nonetheless. I've noticed that I tend to spread myself around. Meaning that I become friends with lots of people and then let them each see different pieces of me. Kind of like investing your money in diverse ways. If one stock crashes, no worries. Huh... I totally just gave an analogy using finance. Weird.
I guess the conclusion I've come to is this: Being an distrustful person doesn't suit me. It makes me feel broken. It's not natural. I've decided to stop fighting my natural instincts and do what I want to. I may crash and burn, but having done so before, I know that it'll all turn out okay. It always does if you wait long enough.
So there we go. New goal: Trust people. Believe that they're good. Believe that they won't drop kick me and then use me as a floor mat afterwards.
In the future, please refrain from opening your mouth while cycling down hills at speeds of 30+ mph. It'll keep you from eating bugs, I promise.
Hurrah for my 100th post! I'm officially not a newbie blogger now!
And what will I choose to blog about on such a momentous occasion? Something nerdy of course. Did you really expect otherwise?
So today I ended up following a bunch of children around at our local Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Scrabble Girl is a teacher, her kids were taking a field trip, and one of the chaperones dropped out at the last minute. So there I was trekking across the zoo listening to the conversations of sixth graders. Side note: I am incredibly glad that I will never have to go back to sixth grade. Fifth through seventh have got to be the most awkward stages of a person's life. Seriously. Anyway... The two girls in the group, who were incredibly hyper, kept going on about playing MASH on the bus.
Which made me think of the conversation I had with Scrabble Girl the other day about how MASH is still fun to play as an adult. What could possibly be better than a great round of MASH when you're incredibly bored? Absolutely nothing. Clearly. You know you love it. Which is why you should hop on over to the Play Mash website and play a quick round. Here are my results:
I will live in an Apartment, drive a Dark Green Audi, marry the Cabana Boy, have 5 kids, and be a mechanic in Kona, Hawaii.
I must say that considering all the crazy things I put as options, I made out pretty well. Cabana boys are always attractive and I'll be living in Hawaii. Rockin' awesome...
A while back ago Allie had a post I've been wanting to copy for a while, but haven't had the time to actually do it. Until now that is. Questions about your life and future? Want to know the answers? No problem. Just locate your iPod and use the songs that come up at random to receive fool proof answers. Here's the verdict on my life:
1) What should I do with the rest of my life?
Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change
Ha! Clearly I need to start looking into getting some cattle. And now google telling me to milk the cows makes way more sense.
2) What kind of person do others think I am?
Rains in Asia - Jump Little Children
She wants to know does everyone feel this way
When it rains in the summertime
She wants to know does everyone feel this way
When you're sure that he's gone forever
3) What kind of person am I really?
Daughter - Vienna Teng
Well it's time to be wise
Wise in the ways of the heart
To come out from under the covers
This voluntary state of apart
From the faces, oasis
In this Sahara of sorrow
These graces that hold me
It's from you that I borrowed
Woah, scary how accurate this one is.
4) What's my love life looking like for over the summer?
Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkel
Cecilia, youre breaking my heart
Youre shaking my confidence daily
Oh, cecilia, Im down on my knees
Im begging you please to come home
Come on home
Uh, hopefully I get to play the part of Cecilia and not the lover on his knees begging.
5) What's the outlook on the rest of my life?
Answer - Sarah McLachlan
I will be the answer
At the end of the line
I will be there for you
While you take the time
In the burning of uncertainty
I will be your solid ground
I will hold the balance
If you can't look down
Hope so.
6) Do I have a secret admirer?
Something's Missing - John Mayer
Something's missing
And I don't know how to fix it
Something's missing
And I don't know what it is
No I don't know what it is
Ouch. Outlook not good.
7) How can I make myself happy?
Flake - Jack Johnson
The harder that you try baby, the further you'll fall
Even with all the money in the whole wide world
Interesting.
8) What should be my theme song?
Change Your Mind - The Killers
Racey days
Help me through the hopeless haze
But my oh my
Tragic eyesI can't even recognise myself behind
So if the answer is no
Can I change your mind
Sweet! Time to pull out persuasive JenKnee!
9) What sort of men should I date?
Father Figure - George Michael
I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who loves you
Till the end of time
Hahahahaha...
10) How's the rest of my day going to be?
New Shoes - Paolo Nutini
Hey, I put some new shoes on,
And suddenly everything is right,
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody's smiling,
It so inviting,
Oh, short on money,
But long on time,
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine,
And i'm running late,
And i dont need an excuse,
'cause i'm wearing my brand new shoes.
Better go get my new Pumas :)
11) Any final advice?
Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie
It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out!
Tomorrow takes me higher
Pressure on people
People on streets
I'm not really sure what the cosmos are trying to tell me with this...
After a long blogging break (okay, so only about a week) I'm back in the blogosphere. I was reading over at Trish's Dishes and apparently according to Men's Health, the best place to get a guy is in Salt Lake City. Now I'm pretty sure that most of my SLC readers will agree when I say that Men's Health was clearly misinformed. While there might be single guys, they surely aren't dating. I was fairly blown away when I found out that boys in Colorado actually get girlfriends. Opened my eyes to a whole new world. So in case you were contemplating moving to SLC to find a boy, I'm warning you... don't do it.
I really should rename my blog "Whole Lotta Randomness." But really all I have floating around in my head is a bunch of random things so here we go:
* The other day I was watching an old movie called Indiscreet that has Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in it. There's a part where Ingrid's character is terribly depressed and doesn't want to leave home much to the distress of her older sister. Her sister then says something like, "Oh come on, you'll feel much better in a girdle" to try and convince her to go out. Which I happen to find terribly amusing. I plan on making that my new catch phrase every time someone is down in the dumps or I'm trying to convince someone to do something with me.
* In regards to making the same mistake over and over again. Thanks to Allie's strong woman vibes and help from my oh-so-wise friend Jill I have taken steps that will ensure I don't make the same mistake again. And then end up wallowing in my misery because of it. I have set boundaries, extremely clear ones, and I'm dedicated to staying within those boundaries. And the boundaries are livable, so i feel certain that I'll be able to do it. Cross your fingers for me.
* My lovable but chronically ill Jane is now feeling much better after some major repair work on the muffler system. For a while now she's had this awful jangling sound every time I put her into gear and it hasn't been fun driving my dear ghetto-mobile around with people staring at me everywhere. Apparently the pipe leading to the muffler had rusted completely through so half the system was just hanging and bouncing around as it pleased. I'm a little surprised I didn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning since I had been driving her around like that for so long. Oops.
* I went swimming at my local YMCA this morning and as usual there were a ton of old people there. Which is not a bad thing, it's just a fact. My YMCA is populated with mostly old people, a few children, and myself. And the teenage workers. Anyway, there were two very cute old men sitting in the lobby and I eavesdropped on their entertaining and snarky conversation as I was filling up my water bottle at the drinking fountain.
Snarky Old Man: I keep getting all these offers from people claiming they'll be able to lower my mortgage.
SOM's friend: Oh yeah?
SOM: Yeah. Every time the phone rings it's someone saying they can lower it by a hundred or two hundred dollars.
SOM's friend: Well that's not too bad.
SOM: I always ask them if they can lower it by three hundred dollars and when they ask why I tell them that's how much my current house payment is. Then I hear the click. *Laughs maniacally*
* I have decided which triathlons I'll be competing in this summer. The first one is one is the Buffalo Creek Triathlon (short course) on June 16. Even though it's off-road I think it will be a good starter course. The second one I'll be competing in is the Rattle Snake Triathlon (olympic length!) in Aurora, CO on August 18. Yikes! I think I'll probably add a small bike race or 10k into the mix during July, but I haven't decided upon anything definate yet.
1) When I moved, I decided that I wouldn't tell any of my new friends about my blog. For some strange reason it makes me uncomfortable when select people I know read it. Weird since a whole lot of people I have never met before read it and that seems to be okay. Maybe I'm just old fashioned in that I want people who I see on a regular basis to get to know me the regular way. Unfortunately Scrabble Boy found out that I have a blog and now wants to read it, especially since I told him he couldn't. Maybe it's my paranoia that if our friendship ever dissolves he'll keep reading it and I'll have a silent Internet stalker. I already have one of those and really don't feel like having two. Anyone else get a little weirded out when people they know in person read their blogs?
2) I've decided that I have to be the dumbest person on the planet. Most people fail at something once and then don't let it happen again. I unfortunately do not seem to be able to learn from my mistakes. Every time the same thing starts all over again my head and heart get in a big huge war and my heart wins out. This time it's not going to be that way! Nope! My head is winning and I'm not going to let myself go down that path again. Must. not. give. in...
I just got done sitting in a waiting room at the car shop for four hours. I'm officially brain dead. Once again, my chronically ill car, Jane, is trying to give up the ghost. Poor Jane. Brain dead Jennie. Maybe it's from all those mechanical smells.
Allie has tagged me with a fantastic meme. Just google your name along with "needs" and voila! Everything becomes clear in an instant! Here are my results:
Jennie needs our backing to beat scourge. That's right. I don't understand why I'm not getting more support in overcoming my drug addiction. I expected more from the blogosphere.
Jennie needs encouragement to clean her teeth properly. I try so hard, but sometimes I just can't make myself do it. Like google says, please encourage me.
Jennie needs time to process instructions so give her time to respond. Right, so be patient if I don't immediately follow your good advice in overcoming bad hygiene and drugs.
Jennie needs to milk the cows. Sorry cows, I'll get on that... someday.
Jennie needs your vote! At this time I'd like to announce that I'm officially running for... most rockin' awesome blogging triathlete in America. Feel free to cast your votes multiple times.
Jennie needs a special home that can commit her to rehabilitation. Only because I'm not getting the backing I need to beat my drug scourge.
I'll tag Heidi (fellow Google addict), Diane, and Hot Bawdy.
Lynette has been kind enough to humor me with some fantastic interview questions. Here goes:
1. A crazy billionaire wants to bankroll one of your passions - but only one. Which would you pursue?
Oh no! Only one?! Very difficult. I can easily eliminate all but two: triathlon and photography. It'd be a dream come true to have a darkroom of my own, numerous cameras, unlimited film, traveling money, etc. On the other hand how can I pass up free bikes, sporting gear, and trips to random places with great races? It just can't be done. Triathlon is the winner. Plus, the feeling of pushing myself through a really tough workout can't be beat.
2. What is your favorite state or region in the U.S. and why?
Another very tough question. While I am completely in love with several of the places I've lived (Hawaii, Colorado, & Minnesota), I have to go with California. Gorgeous groves of Redwoods and Sequoias, picturesque San Francisco, Monteray Bay, Lake Tahoe, perfect beaches, San Diego, and great scuba diving off of Catalina Island. But the best thing about California is Yosemite National Park. I fell in love with it the first time I went and can't get enough of it. It's awfully tempting to become a backpacking bum and just live there. Pretty sure my parents wouldn't approve though.
3. Think of the celebrities that you find totally hot. Now picture them never having been famous and pumping gas in some podunk town. Which one(s) would drop off your "hot list"?
Christian Bale would be hot doing pretty much whatever so he gets to stay. Jimmy Fallon is cute, plays guitar, and charming so he also gets to stay. And since Jon Stewart is hilarious and smart he's not booted either. I have a feeling that if Edward Norton and Alan Rickman were pumping my gas and decided to hit on me I'd be fairly creeped out. *Shudder*
4. If you could put yourself into any movie, which would it be and how would you work into the story line?
My all time favorite movie, Casablanca. I'd be the Nazi spy disguised as a lounge singer who tries to seduce Victor Lazlo to get the Letters of Transit from him. After failing to obtain them by those means (because obviously Victor loves Ilsa and doesn't even have the letters) I would succeed in stealing them from Rick's piano. Later on I would have a change in heart, give the letters to Ilsa and Lazlo, and win Rick's undying love.
5. Who do people say you remind them of - is it a famous person or a friend/family member?
People are always telling me that I remind them of someone they know or trying to play the "I know I've seen you before and let's try to figure out where from" game. I've only ever had one person tell me that I reminded them of Princess Leia, but I'm pretty sure they were smoking dope.
Okay, call me a pessimist but I was completely expecting my birthday yesterday to be lame. Seeing how I just moved somewhere new, all of my old friends are in SLC, and half of my new friends are out of town for spring break. Like partying with me isn't as good as a vacation :)
I happened to be completely wrong. It was the best birthday I've had in quite some time. Low key but extremely enjoyable. I started it out by letting myself sleep in. Then I went biking on Cheyenne Mountain (see previous post below for a picture). It was a great little ride. Only about six miles but still a good workout because it's uphill. Then I treated myself to lunch and some Barnes & Noble action. Rounded out the day with friends and DDR. I know it's completely nerdy to love DDR so much but I've never professed to be anything but nerdy. Is it possible to be rockin' awesome and nerdy at the same time? I think so. Clearly achieving it. Oh! And Scrabble Boy learned how to play "Victoria" by John Mayer as a most wonderful birthday present. Love love love that song. He wins brownie points for sure...
I'm a bit baffled. I think I'm getting taller. Or all of my pants are getting shorter. I have short legs and I'm too lazy to get my pants hemmed so I tend to invest in shoes that have a bit of a heel on them. This past week I've tried to wear my tall shoes with some of my pants and I couldn't. I looked like I was awaiting a flood. How is this possible? I don't understand. I don't think people get taller at 23. Do they? Could my pants spontaneously shorten themselves? Huh.
Have I mentioned yet that I LOVE living in Colorado? Because I love, love, LOVE it here. Here are some of my favorite things so far:
*The gorgeous skies. Everyday I walk out of my apartment and am amazed at the beautiful blue sky always dotted with lovely, puffy white clouds. After living in SLC where the skies are covered with inversion 50% of the time, I can't get enough of the blue.
*The constant breeze. I think Colorado Springs should take over Chicago's title of the "windy city" because it's always going. Maybe in the winter I won't love it so much but right now it's spring and the breeze is fantastic!
*There are bike trails everywhere. Not just bike lanes, but honest to goodness trails that twist through neighborhoods and connect the many, many parks. I'm in heaven. After this I don't know if I'll ever be able to live in a place that doesn't have a fabulous trail system.
*My scrabble groupies. Yes it's true, I already have scrabble friends and they are quite lovely. And they're good too. It's hard enough to find people who like to play, let alone people that will give me a challenge.
*The little children living in my apartment complex who have taken to calling me Miss Jennie. Of course it's extremely possible that they only love me because I let them play with my "Twister" & "Rockem' Sockem' Robots" set and read my children's books, but I'm okay with that.
*Palmer Park. This park is like a ski resort for mountain bikers. Each of the many trails in this park are labeled like ski runs would be: green, blue, black. And it's free!
*Manitou Springs. This neighboring town is like my own little Park City.
Did I mention that I love it here?
Okay, I'm officially done with my love fest...
I'm sitting in the library using their computers because, uh, they're free. Anyway, this poor kid's computer across the way just announced to the whole computer lab in a high squeaky voice "Hey everybody! I'm watching porno over here!" Which of course he wasn't (it is a public computer lab and all). Turned 5 shades of red while the rest of the patrons snickered. So cruel I know, but amusing nonetheless.
Yesterday I had a bit of extra time and decided to hit the large area on my map that said "Garden of the Gods." So glad I did! It's this large park on the outskirts of Colorado Springs that is southern Utah meets mountainous Colorado. All I can say is that I think I found my new favorite cycling location. Woohoo! Snapped a couple of pictures with my phone and mobile blogged them yesterday. Hence the pictures with very little explanation :)
My friends and I always joke about my lack of filter and how I need to obtain one for the purpose of screening some of the things I say. I am in the habit of saying what I think when I think it and that's not always a good thing. Sometimes I'll mull over things if I haven't formed a concrete opinion but as soon as I form one.... out it goes. But I don't think I'm the one in need of a filter overhaul. The past couple of days I've had the great fortune of encountering two male specimens who need a new filter.
First I'll give you creepy mattress boy. Here are just a few things that slipped out of his mouth while I tried to shop for a mattress and he tried to get a date and make a sale (neither happened by the way):
*If I were you I'd definitely go for the queen size bed because, if you don't mind me saying, you're a cute girl and you might be wanting to have a few "adult" sleepovers. If ya know what I mean. Wink wink.
*I can give you the best deal because I don't care about my commission. This isn't my real job. I'm really a news anchor in New York City.
*Don't get a firm mattress. I have two screws in my back and I'm telling you that soft mattresses are the way to go. I got injured when I saw a chiropractor for a news story I was doing.
*I used to be a world class runner. And I even did triathlons on the side!
*Do you like dogs? What are you doing tonight? Do you want to walk my dog with me at the Doggie Park? Here let me show you my dog's web page on MySpace.
*You've only been in town for a week? Then I'm really going to hit on you now! (Like you weren't doing a pretty good job of it already).
Seriously. You need a filter Creepy Mattress Dude. Get one now. No your lack of one did not get you a date. Instead I booked it out of there as fast as I could.
Now on the other end of the spectrum I give you Been Friends Forever And I'm Holding a Grudge Against You For Something You Said Three Years Ago That You Don't Remember But It Really Bothers Me And I Won't Address The Issue Guy.
I recently found out through a mutual friend that I had said something really stupid and hurtful to this friend in jest. No I'm not proud of it. I don't remember saying it. It's not even true. But apparently it really hurt him. I wish that he would have addressed the issue with me. I was really dumb. I would apologize. Several times. If something is going to bother you for three years, you should say something!!! And now I can't even take up the issue with him because I was sworn to secrecy. Driving me crazy!
It really shouldn't be this hard to get a happy medium should it?
Tuesday I saw my first ever episode of American Idol. Amazing eh? I figured I should see what all the fuss is about while I actually have a tv in my possession. I have to say that I wasn't all that impressed. Although I have heard from the news people that Tuesday was a major let down for most fans as well. Apparently the boys weren't exactly up to snuff. All I know is that I'm not hooked and it's a good thing because I won't be able to watch it unless I decide to invest in a tv which isn't a likely situation. The tv in my hotel room is sucking my soul. When I get home I end up watching tv instead of reading books. Or other useful things. Lame.
In other news, I am moving into my just barely remodeled apartment tomorrow. And there was much rejoicing!
Listen carefully. Actually I guess it should be read carefully. Whatever. I'm going to share with you all some of my favorite bands/musicians that aren't extremely well known... yet. Some of them may actually be getting a bit of airplay (finally), but since I don't really listen to the radio, I don't know for sure. Anyway, they're fantastic and you should check them out.
Paolo Nutini: I've been listening to his cd These Streets almost non-stop for the last month or so and it is fantastic. His voice is a bit rough (like David Gray's) and most of his songs are upbeat without being annoyingly so. His music and lyrics are really fresh and different from most of the stuff that's out there right now.
Favorite Tracks: Jenny Don't Be Hasty (my theme song?), Last Request, Alloway Grove
Brandi Carlile: The first time I heard her on KCRW I was skeptical. Very much so. She has a really interesting, different sounding voice that is not necessarily easy on the ears at first. Don't stop there! The second time through I really started to love her and the third time listened I was completely hooked. Back in June I was lucky enough to see her in concert where she was freaking amazing. Her performance ties with Billy Joel for the best artists I've seen live. Her second "real" cd is set to be released on April 3rd (happy late birthday to me!) and since I've heard most of the songs on it, I can say with confidence that it's going to be fantastic.
Favorite Tracks: Fall Apart Again, Someday Never Comes, Happy, Late Morning Lullaby, Shadow on the Wall
Ray Lamontagne: Love, love, love Ray. He's got this super grainy voice that he sings so softly and soulfully. He's got two cds out, Trouble and Till the Sun Turns Black, and they are both really fantastic in different ways. Trouble is more upbeat and heavier on the acoustic guitar while Till the Sun Turns Black is softer but has such beautiful melodies.
Favorite Tracks: Hold You in My Arms, Forever My Friend, How Come, Empty, Can I Stay
The Feeling: This is an honest to goodness pop group. Purely fun music with a good beat and catchy hooks. You can't help listening to them without ending up singing along. It took them forever to release their album Twelve Stops and Home in the US, but it was worth the wait.
Favorite Tracks: Never Be Lonely, Sewn, Fill My Little World
Amos Lee: Just telling you that he was under the same record label as Norah Jones tells you a great deal about his sound. His voice is smooth as butter and his songs are extremely soulful, sometimes jazzy, and in the case of his second cd, fairly bluesy. His cds Amos Lee and Supply and Demand are both worthy buys. I've also had the privilege of seeing him perform live and he was just as good or better than his cds.
Favorite Tracks: Arms of a Woman, Black River, Sympathize, Night Train, Long Line of Pain
I have more people I could talk lovingly about, but I think I'll stop there before you get too bored. Seriously though, check these guys out if you haven't already heard their stuff.
All this road-tripping has given me ample time to think about a variety of things that I usually try to forget. For instance, during my 23 years of life I have seen a few movies that should never have been made in the first place and I certainly shouldn't have watched. You know the kind of movies I'm talking about. You're sitting in your living room/the movie theater and about ten minutes into it you think to yourself, "Why the hell am I watching this? This is awful. Incredibly awful. Walk out now. Just do it." But you keep watching it because you're with other people who want to see it, you spent the money on a theater ticket, you tell yourself it'll get better, etc. Afterwards, you can't believe you actually spent a couple of hours on that junk. I've compiled a list of the worst movies I've ever sat through instead of walking out of the theater; movies I've wasted money AND time on. So here goes:
10) Waterworld: This movie officially ended my celebrity crush on Kevin Costner. He was the love of my pre-adolescent life. Robin Hood? Break me off a piece of that! Ow Ow! (Can I have some Alan Rickman as a side dish?) But in Waterworld where he was posing as half fish/half man he needed some serious help.
9) Flushed Away: I heard so many good things about this movie that I went to see it even though I don't like cartoons in general. I thought to myself, it has Kate Winslet and Hugh Jackman in it so it should be an exemplary cartoon. I was soooooo wrong.
8) Oklahoma!: This is my least favorite musical and I've had the great misfortune of seeing it plenty of times. My mother actually convinced me to sit down and watch the Hugh Jackman version because "Hugh Jackman is in it!" Nope, still didn't like it. Try again.
7) Full House: Yes I realize that this is a TV show but I'm putting it in here anyway. I loved this show when I was little! I have absolutely no idea how I could stand it. Now every time it comes on, I start forming a rash and my gag reflex goes out of control. I could have spent my time more wisely.... like watching more Saved By the Bell or something.
6) It's a Wonderful Life: I realize it's extremely probable that you all absolutely love this movie and it's not a proper Christmas without seeing it at least once. I still can't stand it and no one will ever be able to convince me of it's worth. And I'm a big Jimmy Stewart fan. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is I hate about it, but the entire movie just gives me the creeps.
5) Talladega Nights: I saw this movie with friends who REALLY wanted to see it but I knew I would hate it even before I was in the theater. Unfortunately I let myself be talked into seeing it anyway. And then spent the entire time wishing I hadn't carpooled to the theater.
4) The Land Before Time II, III, IV...: I think they must be up to The Land Before Time 14 by now. And no I haven't really seen them all but I've definitely seen a couple because my little sister had awful taste as a child. And I was forced to watch them.
3) My Super Ex-Girlfriend: I should have known. I really should have. I'm dumb and my love of Luke Wilson clouded my better judgement. No one should ever, ever, EVER watch this movie.
2) Billboard Dad: I don't really remember the entire premise of this movie (pretty sure I tried to block it), but I do know it involved the Olsen twins trying to hook their single dad up through a billboard advertisement. Again, my sister had really, REALLY awful taste as a child. Barf!
1) Little Nicky: Adam Sandler plays the son of an angel and a devil. He's stuck in the middle on earth. Need I say more?
Looking back on my list I realize that I should never watch anything with the Olsen twins and I'm more than a little surprised that nothing with Robin Williams is in my list. A bit shocking.
Now that I've shared the movies I've wasted my life on, it's your turn. Save someone from the awful fate of watching a horrible movie :)
The last few days have been insane. Our trip started out just lovely, but things went downhill after hitting the mountain passes near Vail, Colorado and a huge snowstorm. I'm not a fan of driving in the snow. Actually, that's not completely true. I grew up in Minnesota and learned to drive in massive snowstorms. But I did NOT learn how to drive in massive snowstorms involving mountainous terrain. I've had the great fortune of getting stuck in truly awful snowstorms while on massive inclines and let me tell you that I am soooo not a fan. This storm wasn't the worst I've ever been in, but the mountain seemed to keep on going forever. It tends to feel that way when you're going 20mph I suppose.
But we finally got off the mountain alive. At the bottom, we stopped at a deserted gas station to fill up with fuel and my sister says to me, "I'm going to run over to the starbucks across the street and see if I can use their restroom." So she goes over there and I followed after my car was full, but I couldn't find her. The store was locked and all the lights were off. There wasn't a soul in sight. I called out her name, but she was around. So I went back to the gas station thinking that maybe I missed her coming back. After shuttling between the two locations for about ten minutes and not being able to find her, I was officially in freak out mode. I now know that if I ever have children and ever lose them in a crowd, I will be the hysterical mother not thinking straight. Luckily as I was getting ready to call the cops, she came out of the Starbucks. Apparently the side door was open and she had broken into the closed store. After driving in hellish weather and losing my sister I was, to say the least, very shaken up.
I recovered. We made it to Colorado Springs and I think I found an apartment that'll be ready in a week after being remodeled. And until them I'm living in a hotel. I feel like I'm in monopoly. Can I be the thimble?
One of the books I'm currently reading is called The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World. Which, of course, would be impossible for the author, A.J. Jacobs, because I am the smartest person in the world. There's just no way he can surpass me. But I digress. Jacobs decides the best way to become smart is to read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica. While I won't actually review his book here (I will on my book blog as soon as I finish it), I will share some nuggets of knowledge and wisdom from the book:
Elves: "Elves in traditional folklore sat on people's chests while they slept to give them bad dreams. They also stole human children and substituted deformed fairy children."
Gandhi: He wasn't always the hero and saint the world views him as today. When he was a teenager he smoke, dabbled in atheism, stole minor goods, and even ate meat. Gasp!
Jefferson, Thomas: He apparently paid reporters to "libel his nemesis John Adams."
Language: A capitonym is when two words are spells identically, but the meaning changes when it begins with a capital letter. Ex: Polish and polish. A miranym is the word halfway between opposites. Ex: flat is the miranym of concave and convex.
Mechanics, fluid: If you buy gas on colder days you get more for your money. Liquids compress when chilled so you're getting more gasoline per gallon.
Nursery rhyme: "'Jack and Jill' is actually an extended allegory about taxes. The jack and jill were two forms of measurement in early England. When Charles I scaled down the jack (originally two ounces) so as to collect higher sales tax, the jill, which was by definition twice the size of the jack, was automatically reduced, hence 'came tumbling after.'"
Oyster: Can change their sex depending upon the temp. of the water! Crazy eh?
Patriotism: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, exactly fifty years after signing The Declaration of Independence.
Raspberry: Strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are really aggregate fruits, while bananas, pumpkins, and oranges are really berries.
Spanish-American War: "Spain declared war on the United States on April 24, followed by a U.S. declaration of war on the 25th, which was made retroactive to April 21." If the U.S. government can declare things retroactively, so can I. Like shotgun. Or in break-ups.
Time: Daylight hours used to be split up into 12 hours no matter the season. The length of one hour therefore constantly fluctuated.
I hope you all feel enlightened after reading this. Or at least like you have some interesting small talk for the next time you meet someone you have absolutely nothing in common with.
April tagged me and now I get to tell you all six random and/or strange facts about myself. Six random things that most of you don't already know. Hmmm....
Here we go:
Uno: I tend to name my possessions. I have a plant named Greggory (who also happens to be dying at the moment), a mountain bike named Laurence Christopher, a road bike named Martin Jay, a Nissan Sentra named Jane, an iPod named Hank, and an SLR camera named Joseph. I also name my Christmas trees every year: Bruce the Spruce, Gramma, and Alba Leche to list a few. I haven't yet named my guitar or violin but if you have suggestions, feel free to let me know.
Dos: I recently found out that I'm allergic to celery. I've always loved the way it makes my tongue go a bit numb, but apparently that is a sign of an allergic reaction. I figure it hasn't killed me yet though, so I may as well keep eating because I really do like that slightly numb feeling. I do keep Benadryl on hand (just in case).
Tres: I despise the color purple. I think it's ugly. Every once in a while I'll still wear it because it happens to look good on me, but I think it's truly an awful color. My children will never wear purple.
Quatro: When I was eight, I was obsessed with The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High books. I loved Elizabeth (from Sweet Valley High) so much that I begged my parents to name my little sister Elizabeth. Luckily they liked it and we have ancestors with the name so I got my wish.
Cinco: I think I look horrid with my hair pulled back. Sometimes it's a necessity (working out, windy, etc.), but I usually wear it down.
Seis: One of my favorite Christmas presents of all time is the Official Scrabble Dictionary I got it a couple of years ago. I love both regular Scrabble and Speed Scrabble. A couple days ago I looked to see if there was an official Scrabble Club in Colorado Springs and was seriously bummed to find that there isn't. And then was tempted to not move because of it. I recently bought a mug that lists all of the "x" words out just so I could study them while I drank my tea. I have all the "q without u" words memorized. And sometimes I like to read the dictionary for fun. It's okay, I already know I'm a nerd :)
And now I'm supposed to tag some other people, so how about: Ellesappelle, Stacy, Mike, Ben, Andrea Jolene, and Heidi. Only if you want to though, no pressure, I'll still love you if you don't :)
Who doesn't love two billionaires with bad hair going at each other? I know I do. If you haven't heard, The Donald, along with his massive ego, challenged Vince McMahon (WWE billionaire) to a wrestling match. McMahon suggested that instead of fighting each other, they'd pick WWE fighters to do the dirty work for them. And whichever billionaire loses will then have his head shaved. See video footage here.
Personally, I think The Donald will purposely lose because deep down inside he knows he would look better bald. There are maybe 4 people on this planet who think Donald's hair is sexy. Excuse me while I lose my lunch.
Which brings us to a fun (somewhat random) little question for you readers out there: Would you rather make out with Donald or crazy eyes Steve Buscemi (shown to the right)? Why?
After years of expensive education,
a car full of books and anticipation
I'm an expert on Shakespeare and that's a hell of a lot,
but the world don't need scholars as much as I thought.
Maybe I'll go traveling for a year,
finding myself or start a career.
I could work for the poor though I'm hungry for fame,
we all seem so different but we're just the same.
Maybe I'll go to the gym, so I don't get fat,
aren't things more easy with a tight six pack?
Who knows the answers? Who do you trust?
I can't even separate love from lust.
Maybe I'll move back home and pay off my loans,
working nine to five answering phones.
Don't make me live for my Friday nights,
drinking eight pints and getting in fights.
I don't want to get up, just let me lie in,
leave me alone, I'm a twenty something.
Maybe I'll just fall in love that could solve it all,
philosophers say that that's enough,
there surely must be more.
Love ain't the answer nor is work,
the truth eludes me so much it hurts.
But I'm still having fun and I guess that's the key,
I'm a twenty something and I'll keep being me.
I'm a twenty something
Let me lie in, Leave me alone.
I'm a twenty something.
Every Sunday, the PostSecret website (Note to my more conservative readers: The website may contain shocking material) is updated with new secrets people have sent in on postcards. The topics of the postcards are varied, covering topics such as : love, loneliness, happiness, humor, sadness, etc. Some of them are quite shocking in nature, others make me laugh, and some bring tears to my eyes. I always find ones that touch me personally and remind me that everyone has problems. I remember one roommate who always went around saying, "You never know the secret sorrows of others." And it's true. I'm constantly amazed by the things I find out about some of the people around me. Even some of the people I've known for a long time.
Every week I check the website to see the new cards and my favorite this week was this one:
Anyway, I thought I'd make a postcard of my own and share it with you all. It's not the most shocking or touching secret in the world, but if it was, I probably wouldn't be sharing it online :)
The other day I was watching "You've Got Mail" and after Meg Ryan's character, Kathleen Kelly, decides to close her bookstore, Bertie tells her that "closing the store is the brave thing to do." Kathleen protests, but Bertie insists something like, "You are daring to imagine a different life!"
I keep telling myself that I'm daring to imagine a different life, and it's true, I am doing that. But I'm also scared to death that it won't work out, that I won't be able to get a job, find an apartment, or make friends. Which is absurd. I will be able to find a job, as well as an apartment and friends. As a college student, I've moved A LOT in last few years and every time I have done so, I've made many fantastic friends. Friends that I now wonder how I lived without. It'll be the same in Colorado. So why is my irrational fear getting stronger?
Two and a half weeks into triathlon training and I'm still loving it. Tired and loving it. I've decided that this is the world's best sport to train for. Since there's swimming, running, and cycling to work with, workouts are different everyday, catering to my slightly ADD tendencies. Sprints, endurance, and bricks (I think these are the most difficult). Bricks consist of an endurance bike followed immediately by a run. It's amazing how much harder it is to run when you've already spent your leg muscles on biking. I had no idea.
I'm even starting to like running. Sometimes. Because it's so much harder for me, I feel like I've accomplished so much more after completing a long, draining run. I've discovered that if I'm focused, it's easy to let my body go and for me to zone out during the run. If I'm not focused, I spend the whole time thinking about how much I hate running. Odd.
My favorite aspect of swimming is the feel of the cool water pressing in around you. It's such a wonderful feeling to slice through the coolness and hear nothing but the rippling of water. Unlike running, swimming forces you to focus on what you're doing. It's incredibly rhythmic since I spend the whole time counting strokes: one, two, three, breathe...
I love the speed and balance of cycling. It might be the most fantastic feeling in the world to speed down a steep hill after trekking up it. Wind blowing against your face and feeling it cool you down.
I'm addicted, it's true.
Okay, I've decided that I'm grounded from Ann Taylor's since I always find way too many cute clothes and shoes. Today I got this red skirt and a pair of nice tweed pants. I tried to find a picture of the pants, but no such luck.
On V-day, I was leaving the hospital after visiting a friend. As I was approaching the elevators, I saw two twentysomething men imitating jackie chan moves on each other. Both looked like they had just finished rolling around in the dirt as they seemed to be covered from head to toe in filth.
I tentatively made my way to the elevator button when the tall one said with a deep drawl, "Are ya goin' down?" I nodded my head yes while already dreading the ride down with these two hicks. He replied with enthusiasm, "Great, come with us!" Great...
I stepped into the elevator and positioned myself safely in the corner, hoping that they wouldn't start their karate moves again in the confines of the elevator. I have a bit of an elevator fear without them adding stress to the ride. To my great relief, they started up a conversation rather than continuing their martial arts.
The tall one exclaimed, "My ma just woke up!"
Surprised I replied, "Well... That's great!"
They then proceeded to tell me how their mother had had a stroke and they were in her room when she started to open her eyes just a little. The short one was holding her hand and said, "Ma, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand."
He then asked for my hand and then demonstrated her slight reaction. They told me that after she had fully woken up, she was able to move both feet, both hands, stick out her tongue, talk, and remember everything.
It was just a short elevator ride, but the "hick's" excitement was contagious and really made my V-day.
And so it's settled! My mamma has arranged her work schedule so that she can come out the last week of February and help me move. Woohoo! After becoming thoroughly frusterated with trying to find a job, I decided that I should just pick a place and then concentrate on finding a job there. I'd much rather determine the destination and be limited on job choices than the other way around. So I pulled up a United States map and started to look into places I wouldn't mind living.
Option #1:California. Coastal California. But most of the state was eliminated due to high living expenses. Someday I will be able to afford a living space in San Fran.
Option #2:Oregon and Washington. They were quickly eliminated after looking at the weather reports. Straight rain for a couple of weeks. It's no fun to bike in the rain. And I'd probably feel like killing myself after a week of straight rain.
Option #3:The Midwest. Been there done that. Way too cold. Way too many farms.
Option #4:The Southwest. Hot hot hot.
Option #5: The East Coast. Just as cold as the midwest and probably more expensive than California.
Option #6:The South. Absolutly no freaking way! I'd probably end up being brainwashed and flying a confederate flag in my front yard. (No offense to any of my blog readers that fly confederate flags in their front yards)
After looking at the map of the United States for about five minutes, I had successfully eliminated most of it.
But then there was Colorado. I had driven through it a couple years ago and remember being impressed by how beautiful it was. Especially Durango and Colorado Springs. So I looked into Colorado Springs and here's what I found out:
*The city is surprisingly temperate. The average high in January is 42 F and the average high in July is 85 F. Perfect! Although they have cold snaps and get snow, neither tend to last long. The absolute highest temperature it has ever reached was 101 F. Crazy. That'll be quite a lovely change from the hot Utah summers I've been enduring.
*Colorado Springs has a population of 360,890, which means that I'll probably be able to find a job somewhere.
*There are tons of people in Colorado Springs that enjoy biking, running, and the great outdoors. I'll find it easy to make biking friends and there are a couple of triathlons I'm already planning on signing up for. What an excellent opportunity to meet my future cycling husband. Wink wink.
Sold! I don't know a soul that lives there, but I'm excited to get away and make a fresh start. Although I'm sad about leaving some awesome friends, I'm pretty pumped about getting a clean slate to work from. Better to embrace change than to have it dumped upon you.
Time for a little reflection...
Over the past 4 1/2 years, I've undergone some massive personality changes. Some of them are good changes and some are most definitely not. When I graduated from high school, I was a girl who got along with everyone and never had trouble making friends, but I tended to follow the crowd and let other people decide what I was going to do. I rarely planned things or initiated activities. To sum up my personality in one word, I was extremely passive. I didn't know how to seek out what I wanted, I was constantly being pushed to and fro by others, and I never let people see my inner self and how I felt.
Somewhere along the line all that changed. I became someone who could tell people what I thought and wanted. I frequently express love for those I cherish dearly, appreciation for those who have influenced my life for the better, and admiration for people that I respect. Likewise, I am usually able to express my frustrations, sadnesses, and disappointments. I believe in communicating with emotional honesty and conversations built upon mutual respect and love.
Such communication is ideal, but I am starting to realize that it is not always possible. Communication cannot be one sided. If one of the parties is emotionally repressed, unwilling, or somewhat passive, emotional honesty can become a colossal challenge. Instead of freely expressing love, praise, and appreciation, I become apt to hide my feelings. Ashamed that I have the tendency to express them so frequently while the other party never does so. Instead of being able to deal with feelings of frustration, sadness, and disappointment in an adult manner, I become inclined to act in a passive-aggressive manner and/or more frustration ensues due to oppressed emotions.
There is no easy solution to this problem. Nope. I can't make others deal with things from an open and rational perspective, but I can hold myself up to this standard and never waver. From this point forward, I will in no way let others make me feel ashamed of my feelings, nor will I let people elicit the passive-aggressive end of my personality. I am committing myself anew to the mature expression of my thoughts and feelings. Problems are best dealt with before they are allowed to fester and grow into anger and bitterness. Love and appreciation are best built upon the expression of said emotions. If you love someone, tell them.
The last few months have not been easy ones. It seems I've been the mole in an intense game of emotional whack-a-mole with no end in sight. To my credit however, I have struggled to stay in the game, kept going even when I was being sledgehammered to death. Unfortunately, the last blow has been dealt and I'm officially raising my white flag. Crying uncle. Calling it quits. Congratulations team sledgehammer for a game well played.
In two weeks time I'm outta here. Goodbye Utah, land of jell-o, conservative politicians, and extended whack-a-mole.
After almost being killed by several drivers today, I think it's time for the "How to Be a Motorist With Cyclists On the Road Chat."
Rule #1
Never infringe upon the biker's lane unless absolutely necessary. It's their lane. Treat it like a sidewalk. When pulling into a driveway you wouldn't run over poor pedestrians. If you absolutely must cross the bike lane, then make sure to signal and look to see if there's a biker approaching. If there is, then wait for them to pass.
Rule #2
If you're at a four way stop with a cyclist, let them go first. Even you were there first. Trust me, it's way easier for a motorist to stop and start again than it is for a cyclist. Especially if there are hills. The biker will love you forever, I promise.
Rule #3
If there is no bike lane, then technically the cyclist in front of you that you can't wait to get around has first dibs on the lane. If you try to pass them, make sure you're not crowding them out, forcing them into a pothole, or some other horrible fate. Some of those ditches on the side of the road are not friendly and you don't really want to be responsible for sending a poor biker head over handlebars right?
That being said, cyclists should always signal and if possible make eye contact with drivers for communication. I've actually heard that in some countries bikers must have bells on their bikes or they get slapped with a nasty fine. Not such a bad idea.
I would like to announce that tonight, I almost achieved one of my lifetime aspirations. So close! Yet so far away :( I managed to bowl a 97 with my left hand, just 3 points shy of 100. Woe is me. Sigh. Next time right?
In other news, my new blog dedicated solely to literature is up and running, so check it out and leave a comment if you feel inspired to do so.
Well! I have started to train for one of my Lofty Aspirations (see sidebar). It's official, I will be competing in the St. George Triathlon on May 12 providing I'm still living within driving distance when May rolls around. If not, then I will be participating in some TBA triathlon.
Participating in a triathlon seems like a natural step since I used to swim competitively and I'm currently obsessed with biking. In fact, I now own a snazzy new road bike named Martin Jay. Woohoo! The only problem is the running part. I've never been much for running. It's boring, painful (mentally and physically), and worst of all you can feel yourself dripping with sweat while you're doing it. No good. People who love the sport baffle me. But I digress. I will not bore you with my training details (zzzzzz....), but I will say that the other day I successfully ran 3 consecutive miles without completely dying of boredom doing it.
Why didn't I die of boredom? Well, let me tell you. The fieldhouse (university gym) is a goldmine for those who like to people watch. There's the people playing tennis in front of you, all the wanna-be-bodybuilders trying to out-lift each other, the frat boys trying to pick up on the girls wearing sports bras and barely-there shorts, the people not-so-slyly trying to avoid people they don't want to talk to, and my personal favorite - the old, speedy Asian dude on one of the elliptical machines. Since I go to the gym at very random times each day, it's amazing that he's there 75% of the time. Totally kicking the trash of the twenty-somethings next to him, never breaking a sweat, and smiling through it all.
I've been tagged by Ellesappelle, so here we go...
1) REAL NAME: JenKneeBee
2) GANGSTA NAME (First 3 letters of name, plus izzle): Technically it's Jenizzle, but I much prefer JB Playa Flava
3) "FLY GIRL" NAME (First initial of first name, first 3 of last): J-Ber
4) DETECTIVE NAME (fav color and fav animal): Scarlet Tuna
5) STAR WARS NAME (first 3 letters of last name, first 2 of first name, first 3 letters of mom's name): Berjaasa
6) SUPERHERO NAME (fav color, fav drink): Scarlet Cranberry Juice. Soooo lame. Fuchsia Mint Tea? Also very, very lame. There's no hope on this one. Apparently I'm not meant to be a superhero :(
7) STRIPPER NAME (name of fav perfume): Very Sexy. Fitting for a perfume made by Victoria's Secret.
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