Yesterday somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 PM I got a very simple text, from one of the world’s best humans.
Kate: I just saw Britney Spears!
Me: Yeah!
Kate: She looked awful.
About five seconds later my phone rang.
This folks, is one of the 1000+ reasons Kate and I will be friends for ever. And probably after that too.
My lovely friend Miss Danielle Marriott had a show in tonight’s gallery stroll. Her work is awesome, and I couldn’t be more proud. If you’re in town, check it out at the Stolen & Escaped gallery below Frosting Darling. It should be up for at least the next three weeks. It’s not a waste of time.
Last week I took my first vacation in 5 years. Yeah, yeah I’ve taken some weekend trips, visited some family, but a tried and true bonafide vacation? 5 years. I needed that vacation as bad as Avril Lavinge needs a hit song.
Linds and Steph called me minutes after they got off the Cayamo cruise in 2009, and told me there was no way I could miss the next one…. I signed up about 2 weeks later. They were right. The cruise is possibly the best idea ever. Basically , it’s a floating music festival with bottomless soda, and 24 hour soft serve. What could go wrong with that?
I spent every day listening to the music I love, and tapping my toe so hard core that I got shin splints (true story). I also got the chance to meet new people, make friends, meet artists, and get some much needed sunshine. It was perfect.
And these ladies, made it all the more worthwhile:
Sometime in late ‘05 I stumbled across Brandi Carlile. Her music spoke to me instantly, but I had no idea that should become my number 1 so quickly. Well, she did…
I was lucky enough to see her live not long after hearing her album for the first time, and been able to see her a handful of times since. This past Thursday was one of those times. I woke up and knew that ”Brandi-day” would be awesome. It had to, you know? Luckily, the Univese agreed and everything was. I wished everyone I came in contact with a “happy Brandi day.” None of them know what I was talking about.
Here’s a couple things that made the day so great:
1. I woke up rested!
2. My work teammate brought bagels, someone else muffins (and bacon…not that I ate it, but just sayin, Who brings bacon to work?).
3. I successfully got through a presentation.
4. I crossed 9 things off my work to-do list.
5. I wore a color other than black or gray.
6. I got the perfect spot at the concert.
Brandi never disappoints live. Ever. EVER. A major highlight of the show was having my sister there, who has never seen Brandi live. I had a cool crew of folks there too (Sarah, D) but missed my usual CDS, Linds and Steph. If you ever get the chance to see her, do. It will, literally, change your life.
Here’s a little clip of Brandi being amazing. This was not at the show, obviously, but it was at a SL radio station that day.
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* No really, she is. My friend made that comment after going to a show with me in ‘07. It’s the truth. I swear I can barely sleep the night before I see her live. And I’m a grown-up.
I spent last evening with a friend in down town SLC at a new event called “Craft Lake City.” The witty-tittled event is a an ‘09 approach to get kids out of their houses and enjoying the summer weather while shopping local. The artisans were fantastic…and very, very hip.
Talking to another friend tonight, I realized the name didn’t really sound all that great:
4Reale, “Dude, craft lake city? Sound likes a lot of toll-painting and cross stitch.:
I’m happy to report I did not see one item from either of those disciplines.
1. Woke up in a panic when I heard the garbage truck on my street. Who knew my city was the only one in the country that actually picked up today? I missed the garbage, caught the recycle.
2. Due to harsh wake-up, couldn’t get back to sleep…. so I weeded in the front yard, in my PJs.
3. Framed 9 pictures, with the frames I’ve aquired over the last week.
4. Showered.
5. Enjoyed a lovely Italian Soda and Red Velvet cupcake with Dre and friend outside. Great people watching, great to be in the sun. (Note: When sitting in the sun for the first time of the year, roll up your sleeves to avoid a horrible farmer’s tan line. In the future, i’ll actually follow this advice.)
6. Pedicure…from hell. The lady went nut-so on my nails and legs. I’m not completely convinced I won’t wake up with bruised shins tomorrow.
7. Lunch on a patio, with more friends. (Fantastic Diet Coke drinking).
8. Failed errand attempts at 1 last frame. Shrug.
9. Short Nap.
10. Cut and modified impossible to frame print. I’m still not satisfied.
11. Epic battle with garage door opener remote. I failed…this time. I think Google is finally going to give me the uperhand.
12. Finally hung my CD racks, but I’m not sure if it’s successful. I may or may not have drilled a hole that was entirely too big, in my wall.
And now, I will sleep, and not be depressed that it’s back to the grind tomorrow.
Internet, I haven’t been able to catch my breathe for months, but I think I finally will. I’m sitting home alone doing nothing for the first time in many, many moons. Weird.
I know I’ve neglected this blog a lot this year, but the same could be said of my sanity. Everything has been pushed aside for a while why I did some growing up (don’t worry, not too much). You see, I bought a house. It’s the coolest purchase I’ve ever made…but crap it’s taking a lot of time to get together. A LOT of time. In fact tonight alone, my sister’s darling family came over and gave me 2 hours of their time in my yard. I think it may be the best gift ever.
I’m loving the house and have learned a lot about it in the last few weeks. Turns out it’s 60 years old, but I’m only the second owner. Something about learning that has thrilled me, but didn’t surprise me. I could tell from the moment I first walked in, that these walls had been loved. There are little handmade details in the closets, the garage, the yard. It’s perfect. Turns out Charlie lived here for 59 years and spent most of his time fixing up and putzing around the place taking care of it. I love it.
So, there’s that. I love the place, and I’m doing my best to make it my home. I still have a lot of work to do, but I also have a lot more time on my hands these days so there’s hope.
I was tagged by Miss Frances to write about six of my quirks. I heartily guffawed at the idea of this, because honestly, I don’t have that many quirks (your turn to guffaw). After I regained my composure I started to make a list. That list quickly grew into a page, and now I have widdled it down to just six. Enjoy.
1. I have to something crunchy in my soft food. Always. With out question. I put chips on my sandwiches, peanuts in my teriyaki bowls, even cereal in my yogurt. Yep, strange…I know.
2. I crack/flex my right wrist constantly. The history behind this includes a nasty case of tendonitis as a high school drummer. Now I have a significant bone spur that sometimes catches that same tendon. I flex my wrist to pop it out of the way. Sick, I know…but well, a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.
3. I have a paralyzing fear of glitter. I have been known to stop dead in my tracks, drop things, and blatantly refuse to touch items with any amount of glitter on them. Why, you ask? It sticks with you FOREVER. That piece of glitter on your bed sheets? It’s probably from that birthday card your aunt sent you in the sixth grade. Not cool.
4. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 8, though sometimes I have to eat a club sandwich. Don’t judge, or ask why. There is no reasonable explanation.
5. I pick up accents, any and all accents. I often get asked if I’m from New York or Minnesota. The irony? I grew up in Northern California, the home of “flat” English.
6. I make my bed before I leave my room in the morning. Yep, before showering or even a potty stop. I then proceed to go through the exact same routine before I set foot in the bathroom: make bed, walk to fridge: drink DanActive, open window blinds (starting in the family room….this is the part when the potty dance starts), open the kitchen blinds, then finally make it to the shower.
So, there you have it. Six of my quirks. Chances are if you know me, and read this blog, you have a few examples yourself…please feel free to share. Heaven knows I have only scratched the surface.
And, to pass on the self-examination, I tag: Chelsea, Kate, Jen, Jamie and Sarah.
Saturday Evening.
“Heads up, I’m leaving P-town at 8.”
“Really? That’s early for a Saturday night.”
“I need to pick up my ring since I got resized.”
“Oh, can’t you get it Monday?”
“Yeah, but I need it…”
“Need it?”
“Well, I miss it… plus, tomorrow is Sunday, and I finally have something for the good news minute! And you can’t announce your engagement, unless you have a ring.”
“Right… so, you’re leaving your boy on a Saturday night, so you can have a ring to show during the good news minute during Relief Society?”
“Yes.”
“Um… ok, good luck with that.”
Sunday Afternoon:
“So, how’d the good news minute go?”
“Oh…they didn’t have it.”
Tonight Chels told me her co-worker received a 4 foot stuffed bear from a “friend” for Valentines Day. The discussion then lead to where is it that you can actually buy a stuffed creature of that size.*
As a child I received one of these stuffed delights as a gift from a clown my father hired after I was brutally attacked by an Australian Shepherd. The attack required 48 stitches (35 to re-attach my forehead to my eyebrow, and 13 to put my eyelid back together), and an impressive scar I still sport today.
A few years ago I asked him how/why they hired the clown and where it was that she was able to procure a stuffed lion of that size.** He told me that the clown was a patient that owed him a substantial amount of money, and that her visit to see my wounded head was a trade payment. He never knew where the animal came from, and was always disappointed that it smelled so strongly of cigarette smoke.
* Aside from winning them at a carnival or theme park. Note: When I was 13 our Japanese exchange student Junko won a giant panda that she left with us (it was too large to take on the plane). I left it outside one day and our dog destroyed it. I found panda stuffing around the yard for weeks.
** I always thought it odd she brought me a lion. I had just been attacked by a dog…one would thing a snuggly animal would have been more appropriate than the king of the jungle.