I'm Right-Handed

I made an unusual discovery last weekend. After leaving a poorly attended multi-stake dance, some friends and I drove around downtown Ogden to find another dance club. After failing twice, we stopped at Wal-Mart to buy socks. Then we went bowling…in semi-formals. It was an absolute riot! The looks of puzzlement we received were priceless. But it was among my still-dancing friends and the clatter of bowling pins that I made my discovery. I am a left-handed bowler. Fancy that!

16 Random Things

I was tagged on Facebook by Confuzzled to write 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about myself or just...whatever. Since my blog-writing has left a lot to be desired recently, I decided to post it here as well. Thanks to those of you who left comments on my last post. I agree with you about friends. It’s nice to know others feel the same way. And now, on with the show!

1. I think one of the most unique things about me is the number five. I’m five feet tall. I wear size five shoes (well, five and a half depending on the shoe). My ring size is also a five. That, of course, also depends on which finger you’re referring. There are five people in my immediate family. I frequently count by fives at my job (alright, that’s stretching it a tad, but I couldn’t help myself).

2. I randomly dance around the house or office when I’m alone. Dancing is one of my favorite pastimes and unfortunately I’m not involved in a dance team anymore. It’s not uncommon for my face to turn beet red as someone walks in and catches me mid-waltz, clog, salsa, or other. I break into whatever dance my current mood demands.

3. In addition to what was previously mentioned, I also like to burst into song when I’m alone; especially when I do laundry. I find it therapeutic.

4. I am actually a very shy individual; very introverted; pensive. That is, until I get to know people, then I can break myself out of that shell. Sometimes I force myself to be outgoing, which can be extremely difficult. If I can talk, joke, and just be myself around you…consider yourself privileged. :D Oh, and my friends have disagreed with me about this. They don’t think I’m shy at all. That’s because I’ve developed a mighty fine façade. Bully for Grandma!

5. As I said, I can be very quiet, but when I get myself alone, sometimes I won’t shut up! I talk to myself frequently. Not necessarily to myself (“Hi Andrea! How are you?” “I’m doing well, Andrea! Shucks, it’s been a while!”), but I have imaginary conversations with people. For example, if I’m attracted to a guy, I imagine myself having more of a bold personality and approaching him with witty, delightful conversation. On the other hand, one of my favorite ways to deal with problems is to yell at or have a “frank discussion” with the individual…without them actually being present. It works quite well until I rile myself up even more. Hmmm…probably shouldn’t do that.

6. I’m blessed to be perspicacious and intuitive when it comes to others. If they are wearing a façade, unless it is flawlessly constructed like mine [facetious smirk], I can see through them easily, though I may not make that known to the individual. I can detect a genuine smile versus a fake with little problem. So be careful if you’re going to be artificial with me…I know. Actually, I took a quiz testing smiles from those specific categories and I did an extraordinary job (18 out of 20, if I remember correctly)! Aw yeah!

7. Writing is one of my passions, though I don’t do it as often as I would like. I used to write on my blog frequently and that has significantly decreased as some of you are already aware. It’s a hobby I should renew, if not for pure enjoyment, for my sanity. Not only do I love to write, I love to read!!! 8. Audible mastication is something I find thoroughly irritating. As irritating as chewing is, it’s also just plain disgusting. I try not to pay attention, but inevitably my concentration becomes squarely focused on the irritant.

9. I love working with my hands; building anything. I absolutely love tools. It was interesting what happened on Thanksgiving. My family was playing a game where you pick what choice you think suits a specific player. For example, “if Andrea were a sport, what would she be?” The choices: Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, or Swimming. The other players then choose what they deem most accurate. In my case, the question was actually “What kind of store would Andrea most like working in?” The answers: Big 5 Sporting Goods, Claire’s (Jewelry), Lowe’s Hardware, Tiffany’s, McDonalds, or a Farm. Everyone picked Lowe’s Hardware except my Bro-in-law. He apparently didn’t know that about me.

10. I haven’t purchased any Christmas presents yet. Oops. I’m usually on top of this game, but this year has brought about gargantuan changes in life. Therefore, it kind of slipped my mind.

11. I miss the piano SO much!!!! I only get to play once a week now. It’s as if I’ve lost an appendage. Seriously. I don’t want to lose all of the ability I’ve gained over the past couple years. That is a significant worry for me.

12. Learning is something I love to do…when it’s on my own time. I am not a fan of school. When I am interested in a subject, I research it to death (no pun intended). There’s an interesting story behind that last remark (or bizarre depending on how you look at it). After my Grandpa passed away, I had this odd desire to learn all I could about embalming and cremation. And so I did. It was fascinating and disturbing. However, if it’s for a school project (which I don’t have anymore) I lose all motivation. Weird, huh!

13. I love the TV show “Pushing Daisies”, which I’m currently watching on my IPod. Yes, I’m watching and typing and [shifty eyes] working at the same time.

14. Which brings me to this fact: I can multitask exceedingly well. Fancy that!

15. As well as the written word, I love numbers. I’m over accounts at my work and with the way some of the other employees add…it’s a good thing I know what I’m doing. Their accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. Also, I have always been able to memorize numbers with ease. If my mom ever needed to remember a phone number, she told it to me. I, in essence, became the Uhrey phone book. I can still remember things well, but not as effortlessly as I used to. I guess that shows I’m getting old. Oh well.

16. I love reading blogs. Friends’ blogs are the best because, of course, I love them. However, Mental Floss and Cake Wrecks are two of my absolute favorite. Useless facts and hilarity; how can you go wrong?

Friendship Means. . .

It has been an interesting couple of months. Change has been a frequent visitor. Some of those transitions were welcome and some unwanted. There are so many thoughts and mixed emotions crowding my brain right now. I guess that's the danger of becoming a "blog-slacker". Oops.

One recurring thought has been about friendship. I've noticed that everyone has different definitions of what it means to be a friend. Obviously, I know where I stand on this subject, but I'm interested to see what you, the readers, think. I'd appreciate it if you would share your opinion. I'd also love it if you could share an example (without specifying names) about when or how you knew someone was a true friend to you.

Thank you in advance for your participation. These are my favorite kinds of blogs to write. I hope you will enjoy it also. I'm looking forward to reading your comments!

The End of a Very Long Day

Let me start by saying thank you, especially to all of you who have prayed in regards to my job and that of my friend, Janel. This past two weeks has been torture. Today, we had individual meetings with our boss and both took rides on the emotional roller coaster.

They have cut our hours several times over the past couple of months. They felt that it wasn’t fair to cut hours anymore. It was time they let some people go. Janel was one of those employees. I was heartbroken. Not only is she my roommate, she’s my best friend. The next couple of hours were tearful ones as we tried to make it through the day. She did an amazing job putting on a brave face. After lunches, our boss took Janel aside and said that he had been thinking about his decision. If they cut some of her hours, they could keep her employed. So the happy news is that she wasn’t fired! She still has a job! Prayers really are answered.

As for me, I still have a job as well. However, my job description has changed drastically. I now have ten times the amount of responsibility on my shoulders. This is causing me extreme anxiety. I know that I can do it, but it is SO MUCH! I truly don’t see how one person can accomplish what is expected of me. But as I stated earlier, prayers really are answered. I just need to remember that the Lord will help me. I need to believe in myself. I need to trust that I will be given the strength to carry out what needs to be done, that I will obtain the knowledge and patience to help others, and that I will be able to accomplish these things while maintaining my sanity…if at all possible. I mean, most of my sanity went out the window a long time ago. But I’d like to keep whatever I have.

Believe me, after these past few weeks, there’s not much left.

A Very Long Day

As most of you probably know I like to write stories. I enjoy trying to paint a verbal picture; to create a mental image for the reader and myself. Yesterday, I had the kind of day fit for a story. Here’s how it went.

BEEP…BEEP…BEEP. “Stupid Alarm” I groaned. Opening one eye slightly, I rolled over, slapped the snooze alarm, and yanked the covers over my head. I had nine more minutes. It was during that short period of time that the dinosaurs came back. Running for cover, my friends and I jumped into a pile of old tires. We were surrounded. There was no escape. Then Jeff Goldblum appeared out of nowhere to help us. We were extracting ourselves from the pile of rubber when the alarm went off a second time. “Jeff Goldblum? Where did he come from?” I asked myself as I turned off the alarm and dragged myself out of bed. "I haven't seen Jurassic Park in ages." I was the walking dead. My eyes wouldn’t open fully. Due to a lack of sleep, my head throbbed. Walking to the door, the world began spinning. The throbbing became more intense as I stopped to steady myself. “This is going to be a long day.”

After crawling back into bed for another 20 minutes, I felt a little more awake and decided I better hurry if I was going to make it to work on time. I was scheduled to be there a half hour before opening, which is when the order for our inventory usually arrived. Luck was on my side. I made it before the delivery guy. I greeted him and signed for the boxes as usual. I noticed a man standing in the doorway. It was a customer. We still had 15 minutes before we were supposed to open. Now you can call me callous, but I ignore people who stand at the door before opening. They can wait ten or fifteen minutes. Other businesses don’t open doors for impatient customers, why should we? I rolled my eyes and started putting the order away. My boss, however, is a people-pleaser. He saw the man, let him in, and decided to open the store fifteen minutes early. A fellow coworker and I get thoroughly annoyed by this. We come early specifically so we have time to put things away. When he opens early, there is no one else to help customers and we end up spending most of the morning at the register. Fortunately, my boss was helping the man and I was able to work on the order.

Feeling irritated, I was stacking the boxes as noisily as possible, grumbling to myself about my boss’s competence. Two other employees walked in and I decided to stop being ornery. I had two boxes left to unload when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman walking swiftly towards me. I looked up and instead of a face I saw a badge. “I’m from the Federal Bureau of Investigations. We are performing an investigation. Step away from the computers. Do NOT touch the keyboards. There will be no one wandering in and out.” A swarm of men and women in dark jackets followed her. They had blocked both entrances as if we were planning to run away. I glanced at my fellow coworkers and found that all of us stood stunned; rooted in place. Confused and scared to death, I noticed bright yellow letters blaring across each jacket: FDA.

‘I swear that lady said she was from the FBI…’ I thought to myself. She probably was. She acted like it, at any rate. You know the type: the authoritative feminist. She had moved past me and was shouting her commands. A man walked up to me and introduced himself. He asked for my name and then told me to take a seat. I had the distinct impression that they were performing a “good cop/bad cop” routine. Whether that was the case, I’ll never know. I sat and listened as they demanded that my boss shut and lock the doors. The main lady even forced a customer to leave, not even allowing her to purchase the items in hand. Taking long breaths, I tried to slow my heart rate. We were told that they were performing an inspection/investigation and wanted to question each of us. They said we didn’t have to answer questions, but they would appreciate our cooperation. The lady “in charge” said that she didn’t anticipate their investigation taking more than a couple hours. Then she came and asked for my name, address, position in the company, and if I would be willing to be interviewed. I complied and two other people (a man and woman) walked up to me. They asked me to follow them and we went into the hallway.

Keeping my head together was tricky. With the man sitting on my left and the woman on my right, it was hard to think straight. I knew that I wasn’t under investigation. Thankfully, I wasn’t associated with the area under scrutiny. They each pulled out a notebook and commenced the interview. She asked me the questions and they both wrote down my answers. It reminded me of something you’d see on a TV show. They kept asking me the same questions, only they were phrased in different ways. ‘Do they think I’m stupid?’ I thought as I asked for clarification on one such question. The half hour interview seemed to last forever. I found out later that the other interviews didn’t last nearly as long as mine. Why did they interview me for so long? I didn’t know anything. I suppose they were trying to be thorough. The lady said, “Go back and see what they want you to do.” I had to use great self control to walk out of the room and not run like a mad woman.

I left the interview and was told by the lady “bad cop” (who was actually nice to me) that I was “free” to leave. In a daze, I grabbed my purse and walked to my car. I stood there for a second gathering my thoughts and realized that I was shaking uncontrollably. I was shaking so much that I had a hard time putting the key in the door. I sat down and it became apparent that my body was numb. ‘What do I do now? Leave? What if they open up the store again?’ I needed to talk to someone. I needed my mom.

“Are you okay?” I tried to answer but there was a lump in my throat. Unable to speak, I started crying. “What’s going on?” she asked. I told her the horrible events of the day and that I didn’t know what to do. She said she’d come pick me up and help me calm down. I shut the phone and sobbed, fearing for my job and my now unknown future.

My nerves were shot and every phone call made me jump. I went home and remained there for the rest of the day hoping for someone to call me with news. It didn’t matter what kind of news, just something to ease my mind. Janel called me with a little bit of information late that night, but not enough to ease my nerves. I went to bed affirming what I had stated earlier, “Today was a long day.”

I wish I could tell you that I fabricated parts of this story. Unfortunately everything in that story was true. Yesterday was indeed a long, horrible day. I went to work today same as usual, but I am still unsure as to my future. My boss told me that they are facing major decisions in the next few days. I’m really scared right now. Please pray for Janel and me. We don’t want to face sudden unemployment, but if that happens…please pray that we’ll be blessed to find new jobs soon.

[Sigh]

Move On and Press Forward

Have you ever felt an overwhelming amount of love from someone as they proceeded to turn you around and give you a swift kick in the butt? I experienced that yesterday and today. The Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints just ended and I feel spiritually edified and also thoroughly chastened. But that’s what I asked for. This may sound silly to you or maybe you do the same, but I prayed that the areas where I need to improve would be made known to me. Let’s just say that almost every talk screamed, “THIS IS FOR YOU, ANNIE!” I can definitely say that my prayers are answered.

The past few months have been relatively difficult for me. I say relatively because in comparison to others, my trials seem minuscule. Many of the tribulations have been due to, well, me. Apparently, I don’t deal well with change. This past little while (amidst much change), I’ve found myself dwelling on the past and letting little things irritate me. I’ve taken offense where no offense was intended. I’ve felt alone and forgotten. The list goes on and on, but I really don’t want to share all of my many flaws with you. Luckily, I realized that I was letting Satan drag me down. He can be so good at that and that scares me. To fight against those thoughts, I have been trying to do better; to be better. But it has been difficult.

There were so many topics and quotes that struck me. I’d like to share a few things that I wrote down, because in explaining my thoughts to you they become clearer to me. Elder D. Todd Christofferson quoted President Thomas S. Monson when he said, “In the private sanctuary of one’s own conscience lies that spirit, that determination to cast off the old person and to measure up to the stature of true potential.” As I have been more “in tune” to the private sanctuary of my own conscience, I have come to know that I have enormous potential, greater than I can even imagine. Otherwise, why would Satan work so hard to destroy my self-worth? Recognizing the determination I have inside, it’s my responsibility to measure up.

So what about my irritations? What do I do when people hurt me? Robert D. Hales said, "A kind letter to the editor, a conversation with a friend, a comment on a blog, or a reassuring word to one who has made a disparaging comment; I assure you, to answer our accusers in this way is never weakness. It is Christian courage in action." He talked about being and staying on the high ground. In order to do this, I need to resist my anger, forgive myself and others (especially those who meant no offense), and turn the other cheek. But from experience, I know I can’t do these things alone. I need the Saviors help. The Atonement is not just for sin. It’s also for sorrow. I need to put those burdens on the Lord. He already suffered. He won’t suffer more.

Most of all, I need to stop dwelling on the past. As President Thomas S. Monson said, "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family." That also ties in to what Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said, “Learn to laugh.” In Backward Glances, I wrote about how I tend to make myself laugh. I need to use this to my advantage. Laughing is a wonderful gift and I know that it will help me find joy in the journey.

Thank you, friends, for sharing with me your trials and triumphs. Your blogs inspire me to be better and also let me know that I’m not alone in struggles. President Henry B. Eyring quoted Mosiah 18:21, “And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.” If we (in unity) follow the Savior, we can become what He wants us to be, collectively and as individuals. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf stated, “If only we could glimpse for a moment what the Lord has in store for us in this life and the next, our faith would never be shaken and our hope would never falter.” There are great things in store for us. We just have to move on and press forward!

Quirks?

The Rules:
Link the Person who Tagged you.
Mention rules on your blog.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know (or be rebellious like me and don’t!).

1. Ever since I was a child, I would make up random songs all the time about…well, anything. As you can see by my past couple of blogs, this quirk is still going strong. The thing I find humorous is that my nephew now does the same thing!

2. I randomly punch people. Okay, I don’t actually punch others, but I do pretend to sock them in the kisser occasionally. It usually happens when I’m in a particularly odd or hyper mood. Just ask my friends and coworkers.

3. Gummy worms have to be hard for me to eat them. One summer, at a Youth Conference, I ate melted gummy bears and later threw up. I ended up having the flu, but now I can’t eat gummy bears in a heated gelatinous state.

4. Staying with the food peculiarities, I hate frosting. It is sickly sweet and disgusting. This also stems back from my childhood. My grandma had bought a cake decorated with a forest of frosting flowers. I was given a piece with a clump of “roses” the size of my head (I was a small child). I tasted one and didn’t like it, so I scooped the other flowers onto the side of my plate. My grandma wouldn’t let me leave the table until I had eaten the entire conglomeration of flowery glucose. It ended with the sweet, creamy spread forcefully exiting my stomach. No more frosting for me…ever! Blech!

5. I’ve been known to do odd things while brushing my teeth. Usually, I start singing random songs to my roomies (frequently from the Simpson’s, Sesame Street, Disney, or whatever has been stuck in my head that day). I talk to Janel about pointless things, but she can’t understand because I have a toothbrush shoved in my mouth (which is extremely funny to me). I also like to clog while I clean my pearly whites, but that inevitably ends with me laughing and drooling toothpaste on the floor. Not a pretty sight, but highly entertaining for my roommates. But the most common occurrence and by far my favorite is when Janel and I start gurgling duets.

6. This isn't a quirk, but Jewelsp wrote about dating and I wanted to as well. In the course of two dates, I went out with 5 guys. That sounds odd, but it’s true. On the first date, one of my friends set me and two of our friends up with three of her date’s friends. The problem was that we didn’t know which friend was our date. There was one that I liked more than the others, so I picked him (in my mind). He stayed near me too, so I decided he was my date. In actuality, there were no set dates except the original two. Whew! If you think that was confusing, you should have been on the date. The second date I wrote about in a blog. I was going on a date with a young man who had one of his friends tag along. Since the friend didn’t have a date, I sort of became a date to both of them. That’s what I call speed dating or accelerated rejection…for them. It didn’t take long to decide I would never subject myself to a second date with either one of them.

I now tag Lanae, Geasher, Janint, Yuni, Brea Marie, and Confuzzled!

The Young and The Addicted

My coworkers and I have been joking about whether our place of business is in fact a Pharmacy…or a Soap Opera (as you can see in my friend, Janel’s, post). We’ve decided to call it “The Young and the Addicted”. While at work yesterday, I began writing lyrics for our “Broadway episode”. This song (the first I’ve created for the show, thus far) focuses on the excuses people make in order get their medications early (which usually consist of narcotics and/or controlled substances). Enjoy! I certainly did.

Sing to the tune of “America” from the musical, West Side Story. It starts with the chorus:

You need to give me my drugs right now.
They fell and went down the sink somehow.
You need to give me my meds early,
Because this isn't my fault, you see.

I know this is gonna sound odd.
I swear I'm not some kind of fraud.
I know my meds are not on time.
I think they were stolen by a mime.

[Chorus]

My daughter got into them twice.
Mom was in pain; I was being nice.
I forgot them at my friends’ house.
They must have been eaten by a mouse.

[Chorus]

The throbbing pain came back again
Instead of one I just took ten.
The patch stopped working, what could I do?
I need the meds, so I chewed through.

[Chorus]

I took more pain meds 'cause I fell.
Twenty-Fifth Street is where I sell.
I know pharmacies have strict rules,
But I consider you all fools!

[Chorus]

The End! Unless, however, I think of more songs for our soap opera. I’m sure it will inevitably happen, so stay tuned!

And the Winner is. . .

Nobody! However, I’d like to thank those of you who participated in this weeks rousing edition of “Guess the Topic of the Poem”. Unfortunately, none of the answers were correct, though they easily could have been. My poem can relate to many areas of life, but as I said in the last blog, I only had one event in mind. Now let me share that inspirational incident with you!

This poem wasn’t about any specific person, love, change, waiting for a traffic light (Jewelsp), or a blind date. It was (I kid you not) in regards to a FedEx Delivery. Yes, I was waiting for a package.

Thursday night I received a call from my mom. She informed me that they had received a FedEx notice on their door. You know the form that says “We tried to deliver at ____ time on ____day but you were not home. We will try to deliver again on ____ day or you can pick it up after ____time at the nearest FedEx building located in ______, a city near you.” She had deduced that it was a package for me (I upgraded my cell phone…for FREE! Ah YEAH!) But she wouldn’t be home Friday afternoon because she had errands to run. Seeing as the package was for me, I was more than willing to “house-sit”. And so I began waiting…and waiting…continually…over the next several hours. I began singing my irritation out loud (yes, singing, to myself) and the poem was born. My mom came home and we...continued waiting. Finally I heard the screeching brakes of a truck; music to my ears, ironically enough. My package had arrived! I watched from the window in anticipation as the delivery guy drove up to our house, stopped, and then left. He never attempted to drop off the package. “WHAT THE FLIP?” Annoyed, I decided to go home to finish my laundry. My mom called FedEx later and found out they’d switched North and East on my address. To add to the frustration, we would now be required to go pick up the package from headquarters. [Irritated snort]

There you have it, friends. The inspiration to my poem: FedEx and their oh-so-reliable service. Okay, I’m sorry. FedEx is great! I know a lot of their delivery personnel and they are very nice people. I really should be irritated with my phone company for putting the wrong address information on said package. But, you see, when I checked the online confirmation, the address was correct. [Overdramatic eye roll + exasperated sigh] But hey, let’s look at the bright side. At least I got two blogs out of the experience.

Waiting

This poem could have several meanings. I am happy to say I only had one event that sparked this piece of writing. But, honestly, I can’t wait to hear your interpretation.

Waiting

Do you think I have all day;
That I sit and wait for you?
Do you think this is a game;
Something I choose to do?

Do you think I have the time
Or the patience to wait this long?
You promised you would come today.
By believing you, I was wrong.

The sound of screeching brakes
Cause me once again to hope.
I watch you slow, then drive away.
Feeling rejected, I sit and mope.

I imagine why you’d lie to me.
You were one I could always trust.
But on you, I see I can’t depend.
Disappointment on me is thrust.

This really isn’t fair to me.
Am I just a name to you?
I’m done. I’ve decisively had enough!
I can finally say, “I’m through!”


I’m interested to see what all of you wonderful readers think I’m talking about. Initially, I wanted to give this poem a different title, but it would have given everything away. Should I tell you? Or should I let you guess? Hmmm…I’m going to let you guess. Imagine away, dear friends! Make your interpretations as wild as you desire. I will let you know in my next blog if you are correct or if you’re out in left field.

Simply Magical

My life has never been what you would consider a fairytale. I’ve had “magical” moments, but nothing that screamed, “DISNEY!” That was the case until this evening. Everything in this story is completely true. So sit back, relax, and relish in my Disney-like encounter. You may hurry and pop some popcorn if you so desire. You could also dress in a giant hotdog costume and sing, “Let’s all go to the lobby.” Not only would that prepare you for my story, it would also be highly entertaining…for me.

My roommate, Janel, and I went for a stroll this evening. We had no set course; that detail was left to chance. We found ourselves entering a wooded area. Our footsteps on the path offered a steady rhythm in the tranquility of the evening. Our laughter was accompanied by the rustle of leaves. As we walked deeper down the path, the trees were replaced by giant cattails. The scent of swamp hung heavy in the air. We turned onto a secluded trail and saw the bending blades of grass in a large glade. I glanced across the wide expanse of fluttering strands when something seized my gaze. The most beautiful deep brown eyes met mine. I stopped so suddenly that Janel looked at me in surprise, but my gaze never left his. By the look in his chocolaty eyes, I knew he was feeling the same emotions that were cascading through me. My heart was racing and there was a twinge of fear. But the magic of the moment was undeniable. I felt a rush of excitement, giddiness, tenderness. Finally remembering to breathe, I inched closer afraid to disturb the enchantment. He didn’t move, but his gaze never left mine. Suddenly, footsteps and laughter were heard. Anxiety welled inside because I knew this would ruin the ethereal air. I tore my gaze from his and turned and saw some runners approaching. ‘No!’ I thought. ‘Go away! You’ll ruin everything.’ Spinning around, I frantically searched the path to find that he had disappeared.

Knowing that all Disney movies end happily, I decided to maintain a positive outlook. Hopefully, I would see him again soon. And I did. I saw him hiding behind a tree. He was such a dear, or should I say deer. Yes, my magical moment was with an animal. It was an incredibly Disney experience except he didn’t start talking to us, which would have been AWESOME! And there were no men in tights. Rats!

All I Have to Say is. . .

"Badgers?!? BADGERS?!? We don't need no stinking BADGERS!!!"

Sands of Change

Time continuously flows, and yet,
The world has ceased spinning.
Everything loved is now lost.
There is no turning back the clock.
A treasure once held so delicately,
Now broken, crumbled,
Cascading through limp fingers;
Sand sifts through an hourglass.
In helpless agony, eyes are glued,
The thin sandy stream pours swiftly.
Dreams rush into the granular whirlpool.
Glassy surroundings offer no friction.
As the sands fall, so do the tears.
Both trickle down a smooth surface.
Nothing can save the shattered hopes.
The past fills with fragments;
Piles of regret augment.
Each grain flows to the ultimate destiny.
Time cannot be recovered.
What is lost cannot be restored.
The future lays empty, void of sand,
The figure stands still, hesitating.
The sands cannot be reversed,
But can begin once more with the turn of fate.
Shaking hands reach to rotate the clock,
Will this span be filled with regret?
Or is time, in fact, the great healer?
The choice is for the individual.
Knuckles wipe away at fears rushing down.
A sigh escapes, hands clenched,
A decision made; no more uncertainty.
Determined hands turn the Timer.
Walking away, a smile crosses worn lips.
Life is given the chance to begin anew.

To Be Rude or Not To Be Rude

Have you ever wanted to jump up on the counter, desk, or nearest flat surface at work and shout, “I quit!” Well, I did that yesterday. Yes, I pointed my finger straight at my boss and before the cameras yelled those two words. There were those that looked at me like I was crazy (my boss being one of them) and there were coworkers that looked upon me with awe. I could see the desire in their eyes to imitate what I had just done. There was applause heard from customers and fellow employees. With my head held high and a smile fixed upon my face, I jumped off the counter, grabbed my belongings and marched outside.

It’s too bad that the smile was due to the fact that the previous paragraph was actually a daydream. That’s right, I didn’t actually quit my job, but I certainly had the desire. On Monday, I thought of the barred door and windows that surround us at work and instinctively felt that I was on my way to prison. But from this prison, there is no escape. Day after day, I find myself trapped behind a counter, helping people that treat me like I’m incompetent. Not all of the customers act this way, but there are those patronizing people that speak to you as if you’re five. During these times or immediately following, I indulge in another fantasy that will never come to fruition. I see myself leaping across the counter, taking their neck in my hands, and either strangling them or slapping them repeatedly. Those of you that know me know that even at my meanest moments, I could never actually do this. I, in all seriousness, would smack the person and instantly start begging for forgiveness. I act tough, but I literally don’t have a mean bone in my body. At least not that I’ve discovered as of yet. If I am in fact mean, it’s unintentional and I feel horrible. And so this flight of the imagination is in all reality just that…my thoughts souring into the clouds of what might be if I ever lost my kindliness.

How would life be if I was truly a mean person? Well, I wouldn’t have friends. I’d probably be at odds with my family. My coworkers would hate me, as would customers because in my meanness, I would definitely leap across counters to strangle them in their idiocy. Life would be very lonely. I guess it’s good I’m not insolent, or at least not intentionally. Though it is fun to drift off momentarily imagining all the horrible things I could do. Mwah ha ha!!

"You Can Lay 'em on My Coffin"

I went to a Single’s Ward today for the first time in over a year and a half. The last experience left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’m happy to share that this time it was actually enjoyable. I’m grateful I had friends with me, so it was less awkward than it could have been. But this could be a really fun experience and a wonderful way to get to know people. I’m really excited!

As you probably know, I’m a people watcher. It was especially entertaining to watch the interaction between the ward members. For the most part, they seem very accepting and fun! There was a fair share of “meat” lovers out there, the people (guys in our case) that have to check out the new “menu options”. Today's special happened to be my friends and I. There was one guy in particular that caught my attention. He reminded me of someone and I just couldn’t put my finger on who that was. At first he made me think of Fonzie from “Happy Days”. He had a leather jacket on, even though it’s July and extremely hot. His hair was meticulous. There was an air about him, a certain level of self-confidence. He seemed very sure of himself around the women of the ward.

After sacrament, we were waiting in the hall to go to class and I had an encounter with him. I had staked out a place against the wall and was listening to the various conversations between my friends and others. Suddenly, there he was. He entered the ongoing conversation and stood next to me. But he wasn’t just standing next to me, he was…leaning. It struck me like lightning. He was just like Joe Junior on “While You Were Sleeping”. Joe Fusco Jr. I waited for him to say, “Hey Luce, is this guy bothering you?” in that oh-so-quotable accent. I also waited for him to vacate the area. He kept talking to no one in particular and wouldn’t stop staring at us. It was quite awkward.

Joe: “Ok Annie, it’s either me…or him.”
Annie: “Him.”
Joe: “You don’t have to answer right away.”

That dialogue didn’t actually happen, but I wouldn’t have been surprised and should probably start preparing myself. He did, however, keep popping up around me and my friends. He didn’t have flowers like the “ones they use in the winner’s circle at Arlington”. Maybe he’s saving that for next week. I just hope I don’t find him in my closet trying on my heels.

Annie, Janel, and Jewelsp’s Medical Guide to Attraction

My roommates and I have a unique way of labeling the different levels of attractiveness in males. For many girls you will hear, “Oh, he’s so hot!” “That guy is so cute.” “Did you see that boy? He’s absolutely gorgeous!” “I think he’s so handsome!” “Look at that nice eye candy.” “That is one A-class piece of meat!” Okay, I’ve only heard a few girls say the last one, but I have heard it. In my opinion, it’s degrading. Get it? A-class…is degrading. I know that was bad. I think that calling a guy cute, beautiful, or even gorgeous is emasculating. I don’t think men are cute. I think little boys are cute. Like my nephew. In my opinion, beautiful and gorgeous are adjectives for women. Well, a guy can have beautiful eyes or a gorgeous smile, but as a whole, my friends and I refer to them as attractive. But it gets tiresome referring to men as only attractive or even handsome and so the following classifications were established.

Have a Heart Attack and Die. This commonly designates celebrities. Those males that are so attractive there is NO way they’d go for us. They’re nice “eye candy”, if you will, but unattainable. We gaze upon them and daydream, but that’s all it is…a dream. Besides, if we have a heart attack and die, there’s no way to enjoy the pleasure of their appearance. We’re dead.

Have a Heart Attack and Recover. This is the best classification according to me and my roomies. The guy is extremely good-looking, but there’s the hope of having that attraction reciprocated. He makes your heart stop for a minute, but with the use of a good defibrillator, we’re back to normal.

Have a stroke. These men are also very good-looking, but less so than in the previous categories. They cause symptoms of weakness, paralysis to parts of the body, and frequently speech difficulties. But these guys are more likely to requite your affection.

Have a Mild Stroke. The apoplexy that occurs when these men walk past is not quite so severe. The viewer experiences the same symptoms, but they are lessened. We’re attracted and they’re definitely date material, but not our first choice.

Heart Starts Racing. This is pretty self-explanatory. Fast or irregular heart beats occur when these men pass by. They have a certain charm about them that causes this quickening pulse, but no lasting impression. However, our feminine pride gets the best of us and we still suck in our stomachs and strike a pose.

Mild Heart Palpitations. When these men enter visibility, our hearts skip a beat but then swiftly return to normal. There is something mildly pleasing to the eye, but no substance to maintain that allure. No dating interest is developed and the patient swiftly recovers…her senses that is.

No Reaction. This is also pretty unmistakable. We feel no attraction or repulsion towards these men. They’re simply fellow inhabitants of this planet we call Earth.

Mild Cause of Indigestion. These are men that we are not attracted to in any way. We’re not really disgusted by them, but there is no hope of a relationship due to our lack of interest. They’re not bad, just not our type.

Major Cause of Indigestion. These guys cause our stomachs to turn and so we stay away from them. Not only are they repulsive to us, they are irritating. There is absolutely no interest in dating or friendship and we make sure we don’t cause any wrong ideas in the male. Seeing them can sometimes cause us to throw up a little in our mouths.

Forceful Removal of Stomach Contents. Avoidance at all cost. We will do whatever is in our power to remove ourselves from their company. They’re very presence causes the skin to crawl and the bile inevitably to rise. To say the least, they’re creepy and there is no hope on heaven or earth that they will even be given a date. Are we harsh? If you met these men, you would not think us caustic. Believe me. Men, you know there are women like that as well. So don’t think us judgmental. It’s simply a fact of life that there are people who just make you want to hurl.

Well, there you have it, the unique way my friends and I distinguish attractiveness in the opposite sex. It may be bizarre that we differentiate the handsomeness of men by using health issues/physical reactions. This way we know exactly what level of attraction the other feels when seeing a man pass by. It’s a rather handy way of expressing our appeal in regards to specific males we currently like as well. If you were offended by these classifications, I can only assume you’re a guy. I find our uniqueness quite humorous and wanted to share the hilarity with you. Hopefully, if there are men out there with similar labeling techniques, I will end up in the heart attack and above range. Heck, I’d even settle for a stroke.

Six Months and Counting

Once upon a time there was a young woman. She was preparing to enter the realm of peaceful slumber. Lowering her weary body onto the bed, she willed it to relax. Slowly her eyelids drifted shut when suddenly she heard a soft tap at her door. “Come in.” “Annie, there is an incredible storm outside. I just thought you might want to watch.” And so the young woman jolted out of bed and ran outside to enjoy.

My new roommates and I spent the evening storm-watching which happens to be one of my favorite things to do. We stood on our back porch mesmerized by the show…well; I crawled up on the roof. The other ladies wouldn’t come with me for fear of being struck by lightning. I only stayed there for a few minutes since the lightning did in fact creep increasingly closer. Personally, I do not want to become a lightning rod (not that I’m tall enough. The lightning would probably look at me and laugh. “You’re the shortest lightning rod I’ve ever seen!” You know it’s late when I start anthropomorphizing a storm.). Anyway, it was eerily beautiful! Both of my roomies said that whenever they see a storm, they inevitably think of me. And so we joked, “It’s raining…Annie, come here!” “Oh look, there’s a thunderstorm…Annie, come watch!!” “A tornado is coming this way…ANNIE; you’re supposed to run AWAY from the tornado!” We all agreed that of the three of us, I would be the one to be a tornado chaser. I, seriously, would be at the front of the action (like in the movie Twister), in the barn, holding on to a dinky water pipe, staring at the inside of a tornado, with Bill Pullman who we decided is more attractive than Bill Paxton, which is why he’s the one in the barn holding onto the pipe with me instead of the latter. That was quite the run on sentence. Anyway, it was a wonderful memory for our new home. I hope there are many more storms that we can enjoy together!

Speaking of enjoyment, it has been 6 months to the day since I started this blog. I’ve shared some of my own personal memories and I’ve made new ones along the way. I don’t regret starting this writing adventure. It’s been a wonderful release for me and a great way to stay connected with other wonderful bloggers. I thoroughly enjoy writing and starting this blog half a year ago let me begin the love affair anew.

Here’s to the next six months! May they be as fun as the last!

Closure

It happened. I have been dreading it for a while, but it happened nonetheless. Last night marked my very last performance with the Institute. It was pretty hard, to be honest. I had a lot of time to reflect, since I ended up sitting by myself next to a fake tree. I was pondering the fact that after choir (which is basically over) I won't ever see many of those friends again. There's always the occasional run in, but for the most part...this isn't just goodbye to the Institute, this is goodbye to some dear friends. I’m grateful for the chances I had to get to know them and also for all the opportunities I’ve been given because of my time at the Institute. I’ve been able to dance, sing, and play in more places and for more people than I ever imagined. Some of those people have been very important…well, they all are in their own way, but some have been General Authorities of the church. It’s been an incredible six years.

Friends, this is my fourteenth blog in fourteen days. I believe I have accomplished writing every day during the entire blogathon. Bully for Annie! This is it for a while which is probably good, considering my topic “well” has dried up. Thanks Janel for giving me the opportunity to join you on your quest! Now we’re both going to start new adventures! Speaking of which, I think I need to buy us some ice cream!

Commenting

Thank you to everyone that leaves comments on my blog. I love getting online and reading your opinions on what I’ve written (even if it’s not in agreeance with me) or seeing that you support me in various areas. I’ve heard the same thing from others. Comments allow you to learn that others are actually reading your blog and it gives you incentive to keep writing. They also just make you feel good, as if you’ve accomplished something. Personally, they make me smile. When I check my email and there is a comment, I break into a huge grin. Having extraordinary people (like all of you) makes blogging worth while.

Please continue leaving comments and I will try and return the favor. You know the golden rule: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. I say, “Leave comments for others as you would have them leave comments for you.” If you want me to leave more comments on your blog, just let me know. I will happily oblige.

I hope this didn’t seem weird. I just wanted to say thanks and let you know that I truly appreciate the time you take to let me know you care! Thank you all for being so wonderful!

It's About Time

I’m moving next week! And yes, I’m barely starting to pack. It's about time I began gathering and organizing my seemingly endless supply of possessions. I probably should have started a long time ago, but…what’re ya gonna do?

This is short, boring, and pointless, but I promised to blog for two weeks and there are only a few days left. I won’t give up now. Though, I do believe I’m the only person that has written every day. I should get some sort of prize! Never mind, I’ll just make myself brownies or eat ice cream. As I mentioned yesterday, that’s always a good reward!

Well, hooray for another uneventful Saturday. I’m telling you; once I officially move out I’m going to start having action-packed Saturdays. Believe you me. Or don’t believe me. You can just wait and see…I mean, wait and read!

Happy Free Slurpee Day!

Unfortunately, I haven't had the greatest day. I'm irritable and frustrated. First of all, I'm working on my day off. I have a blind date tonight and I don't want to go (Hopefully, it won't end in horror like the last one. It's not looking promising.). Rude people have called and yelled at me. Some haven't even been customers. I had some delivery guy chew me out for something that wasn't even work related. My blood pressure is through the roof. It's probably gone further than that. And I didn't get a free slurpee. Oh well, I've heard they're the size of a thimble. I guess I'm not missing out on much in that department. Besides, with the way prices are rising, free probably means they cost 50 cents.

Thankfully I have wonderful friends who are there when I need them. You know who you are, so I won't embarrass you by sharing names. Thank you so much! Your thoughtfulness brightened my day! I am extremely grateful for friends like you!

Just for the record, (I'm sure you already know this.) ice cream makes everything better. Unless you're lactose intolerant. It's a dang good thing I'm not allergic to dairy. My brother is lactose intolerant. We were discussing this a couple weeks ago. Apparently, the makers of soy ice cream don't believe in giving flavor options. Neither do the makers of sugar-free ice cream (my dad is diabetic). My brother said, "What? Do they think that just because I'm allergic to milk that also means I'm allergic to flavor?" My response, "Can't...handle...flavor. Need...Epinephrine...shot." This is now a family joke. "Sorry, I can't have that. It has flavor."

So if you too are having "one of those" days, eat some ice cream. Unless you're flavor intolerant. Then eat some tofu. That will really make your day better (Can you sense the sarcasm?).

Frozen Insanity

I’m currently eating an otter pop. The flavor is jazzy Louie-Bloo Raspberry so my tongue has a blue tint. I haven’t had one of these sugary treats for years. My mom purchased it from our little neighbor kids. Maybe I should try selling some to make a few extra bucks. I’m telling you, it’s good, but I have a sugar headache. It’s strange, really. When I was little, I would eat popsicles and then proceed to bounce off the walls. Now I just get a headache. Where did the good days go? I want to bounce off walls again. Maybe I could spend a couple minutes in the local Behavioral Health Institute. Perhaps they’d let me spend some time in a seclusion room where I could bounce off walls that are padded. Although after watching me leap around the room, they might have me committed. Looking on the bright side, when I’ve finished bouncing and show them that I’m indeed rational and sagacious, they could give me a certificate that says, “Annie is not insane. She merely ate an otter pop.”

My One-Minute Blog

This is Annie’s blog.
Annie’s blog this is.
This is a short blog.
Annie is writing a short blog.
Write, Annie, write.
Annie doesn’t have time for creativity.
Creative this is not.
Annie is fulfilling her blogathon requirements.
Blog, Annie, Blog.
This is Annie's 50th blog.
More time should have been spent.
There is no time for celebration.
Annie has to leave now.
Busy is what Annie is.
Bye, Annie, Bye.

That was dumb, Annie…dumb!

Wipe-Out

What is it about seeing people fall that makes others laugh? There’s a show on TV called “Wipe-Out” and I find it hilarious. My entire family gathers to have a good laugh at others expense. I think what I enjoy the most is when the arrogant individuals turf it. It’s what I call poetic justice. One of our favorite parts is where the contestants leap onto huge red balls. There are four in a row and they are required to hop across to a platform. We have only seen one person accomplish the task. The rest bounce off into the awaiting water below. The commentators are hysterical. They have perfect comedic timing. It’s prerecorded, so I know they have time to think of what to say, but seriously…they picked great individuals to do the job.

If you need a good laugh watch Wipe-Out, unless you feel sympathy pain. It looks pretty painful at times. Hilariously painful! Am I horrible to laugh at the humiliation of others? Oh well, they’d laugh at me. Besides, it’s great to watch after dealing with customers that you want to punch in the face. There are several I’d like to see get thrown off the big red balls or face-plant it in the mud. Maybe I should set up a Wipe-Out course at work. Mwah ha ha! Genius!

Cranial Radio

My brain is like a radio station. There are constantly songs transmitting through my head. I find this funny because they are some of the most random musical pieces. There are a few regulars that play during awkward moments or just pop out sporadically, but for the most part, they are completely desultory. For example, “Auld Lang Syne” and “Hail to the Chief” are two songs that are frequently broadcast.

Last week, I recognized just how strange my cranial radio station is from an occurrence at work. In a 5 minute span, I had the following songs play through my head: The theme song from “2001: A Space Odyssey”, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies”, and a popular (very catchy, yet awful) song called, “I kissed a Girl”. That same day, “Ghostbusters”, “Kidnap Mr. Sandy Claus”, “Peter and the Wolf”, and “The Imperial March” followed soon after. I told my friend, Janel, that my brain was a juke-box. I was wrong. Nobody has ever paid me to “play” the songs. Since they burst forth in the form of singing, humming, or whistling, my coworkers would be more apt to pay me to stop the music. My fellow employees (save a few) are not musically inclined and they don’t appreciate the free entertainment I frequently provide.

However, if you are ever looking for entertainment, come spend some time with me. I’m sure I’ll be in the middle of transmitting theme songs from Nintendo, tunes from Sesame Street, melodies from various musicals, or something equally random. You may end up having weird songs stuck in your head, but I promise I won’t make you pay…too much.

Did Anyone get the License Plate Number?

I am in pain. My body feels as if a truck slammed into me and then dragged me down the highway. So if you’ll excuse me, I don’t really feel like blogging today. I’m going to lie down and hopefully slip into blissful slumber. Thus, I bid you adieu!

Check Engine

It happens to everyone. Yes, we all must experience car trouble. Whenever I see a “Check Engine” light, I shudder. It reminds me of the first car I ever purchased. It was a Subaru-Isuzu Station wagon and it lasted me a total of one month. The oil and anti-freeze lines crossed and I ended up with a cracked engine block. My warning: Check Engine. However, by the time it came on, it was too late to do anything. Scrap metal was the end result of that first major expense. I learned a ton about cars in the process, so I suppose I should be grateful.

That cursed light came on today in my current vehicle. Having recently changed the oil (Yes, I am very handy to have around. I change my own oil and everything.), I knew that couldn’t be the trouble. I checked the fluid levels. No problems there. My dad recommended taking the car to Auto Zone. They checked it for free. But isn’t it just my luck that the test would come back inconclusive? There were a few “could be” problems, but no definite reason for the warning light to be activated. Now my plans for tonight will consist of fixing the possible issues. Yep, I’ll be changing the fuel filter and one of the oxygen sensors…so exciting. It’s just how I wanted to spend my Saturday evening. (I’m being sarcastic.) Honestly, I enjoy tinkering with my car, but I’m rather tired from working all morning. Gratefully, I have a dad who is very adept at car repair. He’s taught me all I know and said he’d help me tonight. I’ll get some father/daughter bonding time. It's the only benefit of the entire evening. Usually, he tells me what I need to do, and then lets me do it on my own (with his supervision, of course.). I learn hands on, so it's a great way to gain knowledge about cars. It's cheaper too.

Friends, I hope your Saturday is more enjoyable than mine is going to be. Go have fun for me! I’ll be spending the night covering myself in car grease and pondering how much longer it will be until the vehicle self destructs.

How Sweet It Is

Last night, my friend and I went to a play. We had a couple friends who were in the cast and decided to give some support. First of all, I’m not a fan of Community Theater. I judge pretty harshly considering I used to be very involved in theater and have a very critical (sensitive) musical ear. I know that’s horrible of me, but that’s what happens when you have musical parents and a mom that was a drama major. Luckily, my friend and I are the same in this department. We share opinions on musicals and actors and they are usually identical. Last night was no exception. For the most part, they did a pretty good job. There was a fair share of sour notes and over acting, but it was enjoyable.

I don’t know why I’m writing like a critic. I hadn’t planned on writing about the play in and of itself. I wanted to share a personal triumph I experienced. I first learned about the play from a friend (aka: The Jerk who broke my heart a couple years ago. Yes, I suppose we’re still friends…if you can call it that.). I told him I would come and being a woman true to my word, I decided to reserve seats (which some people stole. Stupid seat stealer's and a dash of excellent alliteration! A dash? Oh brother!). I have to share something of my character that I’m sure I’ve disclosed before. When I like a guy, I really like him and I have a difficult time getting over him. It was nigh unto impossible to extinguish my feelings for this particular male. I did, however, accomplish that task as I mentioned in previous blogs. But knowing that I would be seeing him again, I was worried that those feelings would come rushing back as they tend to do in true Annie fashion. I decided to dress attractively. You know how it goes. “Look what you could have had, loser! You missed out on ME!”

When I saw him onstage…boy, he’s changed. I didn’t find him attractive at all. No, the transform wasn’t due to play attire, though the long (fake) ponytail was unappealing. Why do some guys think long hair is attractive? It’s not…to me, anyway. Give me a guy with a short haircut, or give me death! Okay maybe not death, but give me some scissors and I’ll make his hair short. Mwah ha ha! Sorry, I deviated again, back to the story. I couldn’t put my finger on why he appeared so altered but as I looked at him, I thought, ‘I found him attractive?’ After the play ended, we felt obligated to say hello to those involved. We congratulated him on his performance and had some awkward chit chat. It was weird because I didn’t want to see him. I wanted to leave and never have contact with him again. I finally realized that he’s not worth my time. I turned to my friend and said, “I’m ready to go when you are.” She said, “I was waiting for you.” And so we left, both commenting on how awkward it was and laughing that we were waiting for each other to extricate ourselves from an uncomfortable situation.

And this, my friends, is my personal triumph. I am completely, unequivocally over that guy. There was no attraction, no butterflies in his presence like in the past. I was correct in telling you in my blogs that I was over him. I have finally rid myself entirely of his irritating presence in my heart and mind. How sweet it is to be rid of him!

It's Already Been a Long Day

This is going to be short, but I said I was going to participate in this blogathon and I am not a quitter! I'm at work waiting for the delivery guy to bring our order. He's been coming increasingly later over the past few weeks. It's quite annoying. I come early to put it away, and then he doesn't come until we open? Seriously inconvenient. Oh well. What're ya gonna do? I guess, not put the order away any time soon. Then my lovely coworkers like to come in late most of the time (except one other gal. She and I complain to each other regarding our flawless punctuality.). It then takes me twice as long to put the order away, due to the fact that I'm required to assist customers. What's that all about? Helping customers in a job that's primary function focuses on customer service? Silly. Anyway, I'll spend most of my morning grumbling to myself about my coworkers and their lack of alarm clock usage. They're doing better, I suppose. If 15 or 20 minutes is better than 45. Which it is. So...WAY TO GO! The delivery dude is here now. I'm off to conquer the order one customer at a time.

Blog Award

I want to thank Tawni for giving me a blog award! She definitely deserves one, in my opinion! The winner of this award must follow a few rules:

Rules

#1 - You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award, whether for creativity, design, interesting material, and/or also contributes to the blogging community, no matter the language.

#2 - Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

#3 - Each winner has to show the award and put the name and link of the blogger who has given him or her the award.

#4 - The winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y pico blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.

#5 - The winner must show these rules. So the following 5 are the winners I have chosen, in no particular order:

Yellow Lives

What can I say? He was one of the individuals that inspired me to start a blog. I enjoy his descriptive writing. He's an eloquent writer and very funny! It's fun reading his philisophical thoughts on relationships and life in general.

Confuzzled

I consider her a kindred spirit. I love her sarcastic wit. She is very intelligent and it shows in her writing (as does the fact that she's an English major). She loves literature and has inspired me to read more and challenge myself intellectually.

Janint

I am so impressed with her blog. She writes in spanish and english. This allows all of the family to stay informed (her family from Mexico and those of us in Utah). Her blog is private, so you have to be invited to view it. However, I definitely think she deserves an award.

Lisa

First of all, she's an amazing photographer. I love the pictures she puts on her blog. I like her writing because I can completely relate. She writes it how it is. Also, her layout makes me happy. It's beautiful...just like her! Aw, shucks!

My Mom

I really enjoy her blog. She always says that she's not eloquent, but I think she does a wonderful job! She is so proud of her family and it's evident in her writing. I love the memories she shares, especially when we've experienced them together!

Now it's your turn! Make someone's day (specifically five other people) and give them this award. I suppose this is like one of those chain letters. But I can't promise that you'll find your true love in 5 days or that you'll receive a life changing phone call in 10. I can promise that it makes the recipient feel special...so, why not? Spread the love, people! And thank you for the enjoyment you've brought to myself and others!

“Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?”

“What…is your name?” “Annie.” “What…is your quest?” “To join Janel in her blogathon.” “What…is your favorite color?” “Green. No, blue. AAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!”

Monty Python…classic (with a slight twist, of course.)! My friend Janel decided to start another two week blogathon. I have mixed emotions, especially since I’ve had writers block the past two months. Hopefully, this will help my creative juices start flowing once again. So Janel, I will unite with you in your quest.

“Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.” “Be quiet!” “You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.” “Shut UP!” “I mean, if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away.”

Just for the record, I have no clue what brought on the Monty Python quotes. However, I am going to post more...just because I can. Besides, they make me laugh.

“On second thought, let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place.”

FYI: I just received some very exciting news. Three of my friends and I were approved to rent a house. I’M MOVING OUT!! Needless to say, I’m pretty excited. This has been a difficult process…and it’s finally OVER! Oh yeah! I’ll write more about it later. In fact, that’s a good topic for another blog. The ideas are beginning to flow.

“Run away!"

Soul-Sucker

Warning: Readers may not enjoy the contents of this blog. I’m sorry if you are offended, but this is my blog, not yours.

I have learned that when writing doesn’t flow, it must be stopped. Lately, the stream has been dammed and I’ve been at an impasse. A friend once wrote that if writing isn’t fun, then it shouldn’t be done. Truly, I have seen no pleasure in writing. I have been uncharacteristically down hearted; separating myself from friends and family to some extent. I haven’t withdrawn completely (though I’ve been thinking about it). I’m kidding. I won’t allow myself to be a complete recluse. Sadly, the internet is my main form of communication with friends and yet lately I’ve found it increasingly irritating. It literally feels as if it is sucking my soul away. For that reason I’ve stayed off; abandoned my friends, if you will. I have been working on alternate projects at work. They have allowed me to not only separate myself from the soul-sucker, but give my nerves a break from the endless torrent of irritating customers. What is wrong with me? This isn’t normal behavior. I enjoy being happy, not tetchy. Last night, I realized that part of the problem is fickle friends.

I am the first to admit that I have a wonderful group of friends. They are loving, compassionate people who don’t judge me in times such as these (as far as I know). I am so grateful for them and how they are always ready and willing to listen to me rant. Well, now I’m going to rant. I mean, really rant. I repeat my question and follow with an explanation for you and hopefully myself. What is wrong with me? I am thoroughly baffled at the inconsistency of other “friends”. I just don’t understand people who say one thing and act totally different. I can’t figure out how people can treat someone different because they’ve changed or are in a more authoritative position. I’ve been trying to grasp how people can act like your friend in one setting and not know you’re alive in another. Exasperating!

I am so tired of those people who are friends with you because you are in a leadership position. How are you supposed to know if they are friends with you because you are you, or because of your status? It’s almost impossible to figure out until you are no longer in that role. For example, I was President of the show choir my senior year in high school. I learned through bitter experiences who my real friends were; those who stuck up for me when others gossiped behind my back. My vice presidents were (I thought) good friends of mine. I was walking to choir one day when I happened to overhear their gossip session: starring me. It is tough knowing people are trash talking you behind your back, but believe me, it’s ten times more difficult to actually listen to the slander. I don’t know if I should count myself fortunate or ill-fated to have learned their loyalty so quickly.

Over the past year, I have lost a lot of weight. It has been a goal of mine for some time and I admit, I’m very proud of myself. With this change has come an alteration in how some people treat me. There was one girl (that I looked up to and considered a friend) who wouldn’t talk to me for about three years. I’ve never known why, but she was extremely pretentious. I have met some insincere people in my time, but during those few years she ranked in the top ten. In April, we had a dress rehearsal for our spring show. This previously pompous individual came up and threw her arms around me and proceeded to comment on how good I looked. She’s not the only person I’ve had do this. A surprising amount of people in my ward have done the same thing. Okay, so you couldn’t say two words to me when I was fat. Now, we’re best friends? Um…I don’t think so. I don’t need friends like that. I am grateful for those who’ve been consistent in the way they’ve treated me. Short, fat, thin, tall, what does it matter? It’s what’s on the inside that counts; the gooey conglomeration of innards. Speaking of which, my doctor once told me I had a beautiful gall bladder. I’ve decided that if guys could see my silvery-blue organ, they’d be all over me. I do believe that’s why I haven’t pulled it out at parties. There’s only so much of me to go around.

Back to the tirade. There are also those people (which seems to happen more often than not) that only have one form of contact with you. They only stay in touch with you through texting, email, IM, or send messages via popular websites. The internet is truly a wonderful way to stay connected. The issue I have is when you see them in person and nothing happens. Absolutely nothing! They don’t act like you’re there. They don’t make an effort to acknowledge your existence. What the freak is that all about? Am I only good enough to talk to you where others can’t see? Am I that scary in person? I admit, I could bite a person’s leg off, but that’s reserved for special cases. It hurts me to feel like I’m only good enough to talk to via the internet. I think friendship should be more than that. The sad thing is that most of these friends probably don't realize that they are doing this.

Again, I apologize if you are offended by this blog. I am merely frustrated. If indeed you are offended, maybe you should make some changes or talk to me and I'll help you amend those blunders which are most likely unintentional. Usually when I’m insulted by something, it’s because it holds some truth and I recognize things that I need to work on (though I usually hate to admit it.). If you have found humor in this rant, then I am happy to oblige. Now I must get off this soul-sucker before I have nothing left.

Happy Father's Day

I have had no desire to blog as of late. There is an abundant supply of things to write about, but I have unfortunately not been in the “blogging” frame of mind. However, like my friend Confuzzled, I believe in equality. In fact, my parents have consistently exemplified the importance of equality since I can remember. I wrote a blog in honor of my mom on Mother’s Day; hence, I will do the same for my dad.

My dad is an engineer. It is apparent in every way. From his “I Geek Therefore I Am” shirt to his dry (and hilarious) sense of humor, his mannerisms reveal his career choice impeccably. He has always supported me in my extracurricular activities by attending plays and concerts. One of the many things I love about him is that he can make anything. It may take him a while, but he has a stubborn streak that…reminds me of myself. He will work around the clock until he gets it right. For example, when I was little we had a kitten. She lived in the garage. The winter months soon came upon us. It was bitter cold and we were worried about our little feline. So my dad took a Saturday and created a Kitty-Condo. It was a box with blankets and such. Now, you’re probably saying, “Gee, that’s swell. That’s what everyone has.” No, this wasn’t just any box with blankets; it was heated. He had created an electric panel that sat under the insulated box. It wasn’t hot enough to cause a fire, but it did create a safe haven for our furry family member. The only problem, it was the envy of the neighborhood cats. We shooed more cats out of our garage that year than I can remember. He is also one of the most intelligent men I know. Any question I have, he has an answer or knows where to find one. Most of the time, he knows the answer. I am personally grateful for the priesthood that he worthily holds. It is so wonderful to have close access to someone that can give blessings. I have used it many times and he’s there when I really need him. He has a strong testimony of the Savior. He is so knowledgeable about the gospel that it astounds me. I am so grateful for his example and for the love that he’s shown me.

Thank you for everything, Dad. I, also, love you more than life itself!

Happy Birthday to Me...Again

This is an unexpected addition to the previous blog entry. Earlier this week my friends, Jewelsp and Janel, invited me to a movie night. The three of us were going to watch a Jane Austen flick or something equally acceptable for a “girl’s night”. Janel revealed that they had a birthday gift for me but both wanted to be present when I opened it. So I planned on a quiet evening with my gal pals. I even debated on whether to change into pajamas. How fortuitous that I chose not to change.

I am habitually on time or early to everything. I’m usually the first to parties much to my chagrin. Even when I'm intentionally late, I am the perpetual first guest. Determined to arrive at Jewelsp's house after Janel, I distracted myself. I played the piano and succeeded in detaining myself a whopping ten minutes. I pulled up at the house and Janel’s car was already there. I had achieved my goal. Jewelsp’s parents were outside doing yard work and invited me to join. I laughed and respectfully declined, offering my services for a later date. Her mom wanted to see the Jane Austen movies I had brought with me (The new Masterpiece Theater versions that came out a couple months ago. Thanks Mom!). I showed her and their daughter and then asked if I could walk in the house, seeing as they weren’t inside to answer the door. Upon entry, Jewelsp and Janel were sitting on the couch and jumped up to greet me. Her mom and sister followed me inside (I should have suspected something at this point.). I showed them my birthday present and her mom said that she might come watch the movie with us later. Jewelsp exclaimed, “But first you have to see our basement. It’s finished! We have carpet and everything.” This veritably spewed forth at a rapid pace…another clue. I thought nothing of it seeing how she’d been anxious for this basement reconstruction to be finished. I followed her downstairs and said, “New carpet! I love it. It looks…” “SURPRIIIIIIIISE!!”

I’m not sure exactly what happened but my friends were nice enough to reenact it for me later. I jumped back (I don’t think I did the “shaky thing” as my family refers.). Jewelsp’s other sister told me that I said, “Holy Freakin’ Heck!” though I don’t remember. My brain was trying to process what was going on as I took in the faces of some of my closest friends holding posters. I was blinded by flashes which added to my brain lapse. I tried to smile, though in the pictures it looks more like a grimace. Then I walked away. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, you see, I’ve never had a surprise party before. This was new territory or should I say “terror”-tory. I was terrified. I couldn’t stop shaking as they can all attest. Thankfully I didn’t cry, I composed myself and hugged all of my wonderful friends and thought how grateful I was that I hadn’t change into pajamas. I also had placed little care in my appearance since it was just “the girls”, so I was also reprimanding myself as I saw that there were guys. Not that I was supposed to know that.

I was thoroughly flattered and embarrassed having so much attention showered upon me. I wanted to climb into the pantry while they sang happy birthday. I don’t really know why. I guess I’m just not used to that much attention (I’m used to hiding behind a piano.). The cake was practically my size and there was a variety of enticing food. We spent the night talking and playing video games. It was a blast! Apparently the party had been in the works for a month. My family was in on it and had planned to come, but couldn’t at the last minute. I was astonished that all involved were able to keep it a secret (even my three year old nephew.). I am a hard person to hide things from. I have excellent deductive reasoning skills and am very intuitive when people are concealing things from me. As I look back, there were clues all over the place, but I didn’t pay attention and therefore had no idea this was taking place. They did an incredible job. In all honesty, I had daydreams of something like this happening, but thought those dreams would never come to fruition. I’ve always wanted a surprise party and those closest to me made a wish come true!

Thank you!!! As I said in the previous blog, I love you guys! You are some of the greatest people I’ve ever known and I hope we remain friends for years to come! Don’t worry, when those years come, I’m sure we’ll still have some of that cake.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today, I was overwhelmed. I have never had so many people wish me happy birthday. I am so lucky to be blessed with such wonderful friends and a loving family. Even though this is an extremely short blog, I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart! Personally, I’m thankful I was born. But I’m more grateful for you, my friends! You have lifted my life more than you’ll ever know and hopefully somehow I can do the same for you! I love you guys! This truly was a wonderful birthday!

Backward Glances

I sit in my room surrounded by darkness. My laptop is the only source of light. Okay, that’s a lie. There’s a sliver of sunshine from my window and my alarm clock is emitting a red glow. It’s making typing increasingly difficult. “Well, why don’t you turn on a light,” you may ask. I don’t want to turn on a light. That would be too easy. I’m determined to make my life as miserable as possible at this particular moment. No, I will not make typing easier by turning on my bedroom light. I will stumble with the keys, typing whatever my fingers just happen to press. Obviously, I’m familiar with the backspace button, seeing as my mistakes aren’t visible (I used said button approximately 29 times in the course of writing that sentence.). And how, pray tell, are you supposed to find the home row keys in the dark? Oh wait; there are little bumpy things where your finders go. Success!!

I write “success” for more than one reason. Reason number one: I found the home row keys. Reason number two: I discovered the cure for hiccups and am telling no one. Reason number three (and the most important to me at the moment): I made myself laugh. I came into my room extremely irritated. I was ready to dump my problems into cyber space. But laughter has a funny way of turning my views around. After I laugh, things that seem daunting become a little more approachable. Problems that I am facing tend to minimize ever so slightly. They are still there and will be until…they leave, but they seem to not have the same effect on me when I put things into perspective. Laughter is one way that has always assisted me in dealing with issues brought on by life, boys, school, boys, work, boys, friends, and most recently, men. That’s a relief; they finally went from boys to men (I think I hear a song coming on, I swear!). I’m very grateful for the ability I have to make myself laugh. I’m even more grateful when others make me laugh. My friends and I have some wonderful inside jokes that usually bring a snort or two. I’m not sure what got me on the topic of laughter. Those that know me know that laughter is a big part of who I am and it is the only thing getting me through a trying time of life. Now I shall continue on to the topic originally intended.

As I stated earlier, I entered my room in a state of irritation. The last little while, I have enjoyed being genuinely happy. But this past week, I have been feeling conflicting emotions. This Thursday I will turn 24. Yep, I’m almost a quarter of a century in age. Not quite, but I’m not getting any younger. There are few people in the world who at the age of 24 can say that they have never had a serious relationship and have never kissed anyone. To be perfectly honest, I’m proud of myself. I have saved a precious part of myself for some lucky man. I’ve heard some of my friends say how they regret kissing some of the guys they dated. I don’t have that problem. I know that when I DO get my first kiss (whether it be awkward or sweet), I will not regret waiting. Sometimes, however, I feel that I’ve wasted my time. I allowed myself to fall for a young man that I mentioned in a previous blog. He left a large hole in my heart that I was determined to hide. During the next couple years (this is what I consider wasted), I was surrounded by armed guards. No, not literally. I had a wall 20 feet high and 10 feet wide around me. That’s a BIG wall. I rarely hugged people. I wouldn’t let people (guys especially) touch me. Only close friends would receive a slight squeeze. I have since taken chunks from that wall and thrown them in the moat (I also dug a moat around myself. You see, I’m like a castle.). The wall is still there, but I have broken most of it down. I’ve even put my bridge across the moat and welcomed others into my carefully constructed sanctuary. I have shared much of myself (allowed others to see the scar left by the previously mentioned jerk and various other things) and have been received with open arms. What more could I ask for?

I have been in denial mode for a while now. I have made some wonderful friends who have lifted me in times of trial. But now, the year has ended and we are all going our separate ways. We’re not necessarily moving apart, but change is inevitable. I find it funny when (at the end of the school year, or what not.) friends say, “Let’s do stuff. We need to hang out.” Nine out of ten times it never happens. Actually, it happens for the first couple weeks and then…nothing. Sometimes the summer is actually filled with friends and fun, but once the school year starts again, old friends are forgotten. I have entered the ranks of an “old friend”. I never dreamed it would bother me. I am one of those people that moves on and never looks back. But I’m sitting backwards in my seat right now, staring at what was and wondering what my future will bring.

I like to have my life mapped out. I prefer to know where I’m going, when I’m arriving, and who will be involved in my excursion. This time of life has left a void. I don’t know where I’m going, when I’ll arrive, or who will be involved. My map has been ripped off the wall and left a hole where the nail used to be. I guess I could get some spackle and fill in the void. In fact, maybe I’ll create a mural to fill the space. Maybe instead of looking at this as an uncertainty, I could look at this as a time to get reacquainted with myself. I can turn my life any direction I wish to go. Having the map torn from me isn’t necessarily a hindrance, but rather a way to point me in a new direction to meet new people and ultimately become a better me.

Wow, laughter does help me change my outlook, even in the dark. Speaking of which, I’m turning on a light.

Happy Mother's Day

What do you write about someone who has touched your life so deeply? I can’t begin to say how grateful I am for my mom. She has always been there for me in every aspect of my life. She attended every one of my performances, except when she was too sick to get out of bed. I have had several instances where I forgot important things for school or work and she dropped everything to bring me what I needed. She is the best listener and her advice (whether I like it or not) is usually right on the money. She is one of the most loving, caring people I’ve ever met. She has such a sensitive soul and it is seen by the way she treats others. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and yet she swears that when she dies, she’ll end up on an asteroid. If she ends up on an asteroid, I’m going to be burning in the depths of…well, you know. Always ready with a smile and a hug, she comforts anyone in need. She sacrifices so much of herself that I’m surprised she has anything left to give, and yet she keeps on giving. She is beautiful inside and out. I am so grateful that the Lord blessed me with the best mom in the world. He knew that I would need someone special to guide me through this life, so he gave me one of the best. I am so lucky to have her.

Thank you for everything, Mom. I love you more than life itself!

Vitamin D

The past week and a half, I’ve been thinking of blog topics. There are many subjects I would love to write about, but not things I wish to share with everyone. Sometimes an idea strikes me and writing comes smoothly. This hasn’t been the case as of late. I just haven’t felt like writing. That isn’t normal for me. So I decided to just write whatever pops into my mind and that could be very interesting considering I’m on medication for a sinus infection. I just got a phone call from my choir director who could tell right away that I’m battling sickness (Ok, I just had a vision of me sword fighting a horde of bacteria. And I was wearing a cape.). He instructed me to put my face in the sun; soak in some Vitamin D. So that, my friends, is what I’m doing. I started by just sticking my head out the door which promptly gave some unwelcome flies the opportunity to enter (Sorry Mom!). So I’ve opted to take my entire person outdoors.

I’m lying on a slope in our backyard typing away on my laptop (something I’ve wanted to do for a long time). The sun is shining and the breeze is rustling through long blades of grass. We should probably mow the lawn. The print of the blanket I’m on has miniature candy bars. It’s giving me serious chocolate cravings. I tried to eat the blanket once, but it just tasted like cotton. Have you ever tasted cotton? I’ve never tried to eat a cotton ball, but I bet if it was dipped in chocolate it wouldn’t be half bad. Seriously, I need to get a new blanket…and a new topic.

I love being outside. It’s so peaceful, even with the giant backhoe on the other side of my fence that just happens to be creating a mini earthquake. Pushing that aside, there is such beauty that we take for granted. A Monarch butterfly just landed on a dandelion two feet away from me. Its fragile orange and black wings are fluttering against the breeze as it rests on the bright yellow puff ball. A bee lands on a closer flower that’s not even a foot away. My heart flutters a little as I consider the fact that I’ve never been stung. Do I flee or do I watch it gather essential pollen? Do I bring attention to myself and cause it to signal for all its bee buddies thus triggering a preemptive strike? I am unarmed, therefore I will remain silent and still. A bright blue fly just landed on the grass next to me. It has big bug eyes (no pun intended.) and is quite enormous and slow. The blade of grass groaned from the weight of the blue, bug eyed wonder. No wait…that was me groaning. The neighbors’ cat just walked across my back. What am I some sort of human bridge? Now she’s trying to eat my tissue box. Finally she decided to lie on my back. I have officially become furniture. I guess that’s better than becoming the litter box.

And there you have it, the moral of this blog. Find beauty in everything around you. The world is full of small wonders and if we pay attention, we will see them. So I declare, get some Vitamin D and let small animals use you as furniture. But don’t become a litter box. That just stinks!