#45A - Goodnight Human

I first heard Cary Judd play at the Rexburg Fairgrounds, Fall semester 2007. A bunch of small local bands played and he stood out the most to me. I loved his sound and the lyrics really resonated with me. I told a friend of mine in Washington about him and told him how much I loved him. Through connections with the band, Ammon (keyboardist in the band) hand delivered a copy of Cary's CD to my house the next day. It was his second CD (released in 2006) "Looking Back From Space". It was a major emotional release and I felt like he was singing just for me. With previews of two new songs on "Goodnight Human", I know it won't disappoint. He reminds me a little bit of The Honorary Title - but he puts his own style on it with different effect pedals and sound loop machines. If you haven't listened to him yet... I think you should.

Feb 13, 2008

Rexburg, ID - CD Release!

Locus Live

125 Valley River Drive

7pm - $7

#45 - birth of the vlog - and crazy with the hyperlinks

With Valentines' Day approaching, oh so pleasantly, it seemed like a good time to recap on the forlorness of my past ramshackle relationships (mostly I just wanted to use "ramshackle"). I decided to expel my story in a video. I've never done a video of myself before. It was a difficult start filled with technical difficulties.

This is the teaser trailer (slash, the first 30 seconds):

So, I heard that people do online video first dates. I am already worried how my generation is losing their social skills and ability to communicate in person... with meeting potentials through Facebook and Myspace, asking on dates through texts and emails, millions of dating sites and hook-em-up TV reality shows, and now actual dates through video chats online. Some important dating criteria comes through being in person; like eye contact (you'll both be looking at the video of the other person), gentlemanness (no doors online), and touchy flirty responses. The future is doomed...

Here are some chipper stats for you:

The median age for a woman to get married is 25.1 years

Less than 50% of men and more than 50% of women all over the world are on dating sites

There are 99 men for every 100 women between the ages of 24-29

Current enrollment for Winter 09 at BYU-I is 5725 males and 6942 females

There are 92 million unmarried americans 18 and older (that's 42% of all U.S. adults)

54% of unmarried adult Americans are women

There are 15 million unmarried Americans 65 and older

There are 18 unmarried men for every 100 unmarried women in the U.S.

30.5 million people live alone (27% of all households)

It is estimated that there are 82 million single and unmarried adults in the U.S.

A quote from the News Tribune, "The news that 51% of all women live without a spouse might be enough to make you invest in a cat future"

Happy Valentines' Day! <3

#44 - In the immortal words of The Doors, 'The time to hesitate is through.'

Discoveries take time... if everyone discovered everything all at once, life would be very mundane and very unimaginative. This discovery is probably one that most have already incorporated into the daily regime - The itunes shopping cart. I knew such a thing should exist, but my settings were set in such a way as to not make it an option for me. Now it is being used to its full advantage. I have combined my current wish-lists, which had been allocated in several word documents. After consolidating them (with price tags attached), I have realized that I will never have my dream realized: first, because of the daunting total price. Second, my list is constantly growing as my musical palate feasts on different record label websites, myspaces, and hearing new bands at concerts. This continual growth makes it impossible to ever finish off my list! I don't know if that is a bad thing or an awesome thing...

I love music. Sometimes it consumes me, but mostly it just moves my life along. Music is, to me, what feelings sound like... which probably contributes to my pickiness. Feel free to love on me with music.

(In the picture, if it has an > it means that it's an album which contains anywhere from 10 - 15 songs. Delicious.)

"Music is the medicine of the mind" - John Logan

"Every day has a song. Some get sung while others go unheard" -Rocky Votolato

#43 - sour lemons

I've consciously decided to look at the bright side - yes, I do have terrible weekend hours (Fridays and Saturdays 6-midnight), but I am going to squeeze every thing I can out of those terrible lemons. Around 11:15 everyone usually trickles away. Well, there's always that lonely runner that trucks on until I give them the subtle "get out" by turning off the TV's in the gym. If it's just me, the good tunes get cranked up and I sing and dance through the closing procedures. Also, I steal a wheeley chair from the office down the hall so I can scoot around during work and then glide at super speeds down the ramp when it's time to go home. Anticipation of that exhilarating trip alone makes the long hours whiz by. Now the rush: laundry. I carry the many, wash the many, dry the many, fold the many, then distribute the many many towels. The scary part comes in the middle of this routine after they are dry: I have this thing where I love clothes right when they come out of the dryer - all warm and cozy, so as soon as the buzzer buzzes, I'm in that thing, grabbing the still moving clothes. Now, imagine this dryer: it's huge... industrial strength; a giant spinning orb of terror. When I reach my hands in, my head comes too. So now I'm inside this spinning orb, trying to grab warm towels as fast as I can so as not to die. It's a little terrifying, but hugging those clean warm towels makes the adventure satisfying. Every time I am inside, I feel like I'm in one of those rides, like on Grease; trying to keep my cool and my balance, while holding in vomitous feelings, and the terror of being sucked in.

#42 - P.S.

Sorry if you went on to check my "me" the other day and found you weren't allowed to. I was having an internet frustrated and anti trust day and thus, decided to close down all internet information about me in protest. So, it was nothing personal; well, it was personal for the internet, that was a direct burn.

#41 - there's something in the cheese

There is a special nerve in my body. It takes control every time I watch a pathetically sappy movie, every time I get that look from that guy, and yes... every time I hear one of those ridiculously cheesy 80's love songs. I am pretty particular about my music: I love what I like and know what I don't. I am especially categorical with my love songs. I have my general "in the mood for love" playlist, "happy love" "cheesy love" "broken love" and the ultimate, "romance" playlist. Two songs really get the cheesy-love nerve twitching: The Glory of Love and The Inspiration. It doesn't get more sappy than those, and I love it! They are the kind of songs that make you want to spin around your house, belting out those grandiose lyrics to a man in a heart-shaped picture frame. I am undeniably one of those girls who goes weak in the knees when she gets handpicked flowers that are mostly dead - but with all the loving intentions.

(Just so my freaky playlist obsession can be placed in context: you should know I have a playlist for every circumstance or situation... comes to about 60 playlists. Thank you.)

#40 - circling each other like Venezuelan flamingos engrossed in a complex mating dance

Being enrolled in a class that involves an online discussion board or blog puts me in quite a sticky situation. Right now I'm dealing with two: Social Problems and Ethics. I don't know what it is, but in the discussion board arena, I feel like I'm drowning in theological bafoonery. There are millions and millions of people smarter than I - that is not in dispute. I just feel like 90% of the time, I am placed in discussion groups with people who are missing the boat. Please feel free to step into my world with brief view of my pain:

"I can say nothing about the existence of objective standards, because any statement about them would be taken from my subjective point of view. Trying to find an objective measure by which to measure my judgements would itself be subjective, either by the other trying to measure my judgements, or my myself trying to realize the potential of my thoughts as being objective. If I were to say that a standard were objective, I would most definitely hope that the process by which I discover this standard did not contain subjective standards or rules, because then what could I truly say about the objectivity of the process of finding objective standards? As subjectivity is possessed by the potential to be incorrect, only an objective being could find and be objectively sure of objective standards relating to what form of life, if any, is better. A rational human may incorrectly determine a standard to be objective."

This isn't even as bad as some of the superfluous jargon that I have encountered. This "response" had absolutely nothing to do with the posed question... needless to say, I "regrettably" gave him a 20/50. It's also interesting how many, barely high school level, papers I have edited while in college... it is frustrating beyond comprehension sometimes. This is partially why I don't like group projects or group discussion boards. It hurts my head to try and weave through these intense webs of incognizance (might have made up that word...for dramatic effect, of course)

#39 - glorious achievement

Five months after buying the goods, I did the deed. A sushi SUCCESS! We had avocado-crab-carrot sushi and salmon-cucumber-avocado sushi. Both delicious and both well crafted. With the pot-stickers to accompany them and with cokes on the side, it was the perfect meal. That's not to say Sushi Ya is no longer appetizing, but our dozen or so sushi came to about 5 bucks worth of ingredients (if that)... maybe 3. The "making of" and "shopping for" being so fun probably added to the goodness of the dinner, but I think the sushi can stand alone and speak for itself. And if it could, it would say "Love on me; I'm delicious".

#38 - "or would you rather be a fish..."

I believe that we are evolved from animals. Not directly from apes or anything like that. I think that each person morphed into who they are from an animal previously. If you look at someone close enough, you can see the animal within them. I remember one day at work at the Attorney General's Office, my friend/co-worker and I had fun with this game. There was a large poster with the faces of all the Washington State Representatives and Senators. We proceeded to look down the list and identify which animals each of the member's looked like. I've done this with roommates and friends before too - identifying which animals we look most like.

Sami and I identified our inner animals:

#37 - Maaaaammm! We need carpet for the clubhouse!

I'm officially never too old for forts. It's so exciting being in a secret place, inside a place. When I was in elementary school, I would clear out a corner of my closet; add a lamp, some blankets and pillows and just be happy being sneaky. I always thought, no one could see me or find me if I was in my fort. My forts were very portable as well. Where ever I was, I could find one: inside the circular clothing racks in stores while my mother shopped, laying on the chairs under the dining room table, and inside empty cabinets (I was much more compactable then). My dad and I even built a treehouse fort in my back yard - split level!

Every semester, thus far, I have had a fort in my apartment. Freshman year, it usually consisted of stacking the couches in the living room with one sheet draped over it. Sometimes we mixed it up, went all out, and brought our matresses into the living room, but that was only on special occasions. Each semester, I think they have gotten more and more sophisticated. This semester, however, the title was taken. Sami and I made a breakfast of champions for the men (Taron and Brent) while they build "the cave". Big enough to sit in, eat in, lay in, and watch a movie - it was perfect. I don't think we could have done better, even after our many years of practice. I believe we easily could have hung out in there all day, but alas, duty calls (boo work). Time to plan the next stronghold of sneak...

(no pics of today's fort... couldn't find the camera...)

#36 - older and older

Yesterday was Taron's surprise birthday! The big 2-4. Batman themed with a monkey pinyata - it was awesome. Sami and I were talking the other day how I won't have another birthday while I'm in school. Graduation is the 23rd and my birthday is the 31st. All of a sudden, I felt very old. To make me feel better, we decided to have an "in between" birthday in June to celebrate both of our birthdays together (in addition to celebrating Sami's in May and mine (sami-less) in July). This makes me happy, yes it does!

#35 - can I have your number? can I have it?

Pet peeve: so it's just about closing time - 11:30 and a girl has been working out for about half an hour already, running on the treadmill. This young guy comes in and starts walking on a treadmill near her and begins small talk. Where are you from? Name? Major? etc... She politely answers and continues to run. First of all, it's hard to talk and run at the same time, so props to her for being so nice. He starts jogging and flirting up a storm. After about five minutes of that, he gets off, says it was nice to meet her and leaves. In no way do I approve of guys pretending to work out just to pick up girls. We know what you are doing and are not impressed. That, plus the fact that he was all small-talkie. I don't like when guys ask the generic questions on a date... I say, just be normal and have fun and all those little details will come out naturally in conversation. Don't be too overwhelmingly interested... if that makes sense. So this is what I do from 11:00 pm on - during the days I'm pretty busy with work stuff, but this late, I just listen in and judge the feeble pick-up attempts.

#34 - a year of change

I am so excited for this new year. It started off perfectly; spent with my best friend - and continues to be more and more exciting. I started my new job today as Fitness Director and Faculty Advisor to the Wellness Center. It was so much fun - I'm right in the midst of the workout, healthy, sweaty action! All the people I work with are friendly and outgoing and it looks like I will be staying pretty busy. Classes also started this week: Sports Medicine, Spirituality in the Arts, Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, Ethics, Social Problems. All my teachers are friendly and pretty funny. The work load isn't going to be cake, but defiantly manageable. I am also starting to put the Relief Society President gears into motion. I am teaching this sunday and will meet all the new people in my ward. I am stoked! It's nice being able to start over - clean slate - for a new year and a new semester. This will be my last full load semester (my senior semester will only have two classes!). A few caveats amidst the perfection: two of my professors seem to be embracing the youth embodied in their students by offering "sharing time" "show and tell" and requiring that the students use markers and paper to make name plates to put at our desks... oh so cute... SLASH makes me feel like I'm not a senior in college.

#33 - one more sleep 'till christmas

After two long days of driving, we finally arrived! Christmas with my sister and her family in Colorado instantly made the strenuous trip worth every minute. Merry Christmas everyone!!

#32 - clothes make the man

I was finishing up my Christmas shopping yesterday, and in doing so, walked around Best Buy. While I was there, I saw a sales rep talking to a woman about external hard drives. I'm guessing he was either just starting his shift or just finishing because he was holding his bright blue "I know things" Best Buy shirt and had on a, normal people, Hurley shirt. I was listening to their conversation and then I realized: I was subconsciously questioning every word out of his mouth; he didn't really know that much about external hard drives... It was because of the shirt. Those blue shirts give them power: "He knows, he's wearing blue." "He must be right, can't you see his shirt?" Even though he was still clearly an employee, the absence of his official uniform made me see him as just some punk guy. Shopping is all a big mind game - and if they look official, I'm a sucker all the way.

#31 - i'll be home for christmas

This year I get to spend Christmas with my whole family (in parts). I'm so excited! Especially that I get to spend so much bonding time with our newest, Chase Matthew. I think that family is what makes Christmas, Christmas. I love you all! Merry Christmas!!

#30 - shout out

Thanks to my friend, Kristal - I have embraced the addition of hyperlinks into my blog. Being all "technological" still makes me feel funny, but I'll just go with it for now. Anyway - love the special blue words with me... click them and enjoy the ease of the hyperlink.

#29 - chance of precipitation: 100%

What an ordeal! I started on my trek home yesterday afternoon and finally made it 27 hours later. I stayed overnight in Ontario, OR (which, by the way, getting a hotel room by my self made me feel very adult) and then left this morning around 8:30 am. Evidently, overnight, the mountain pass received a down pour of snow, because my life flashed before my eyes about 10 times driving through it. First off, before it even started snowing, my windshield wiper broke. Just the one.... the one on the driver's side, of course... just randomly. So, now I'm making my way up the mountain and notice about 100 semi's pulled over on the side of the road putting their chains on. Should I be doing that? Do they know something I don't? Confidence in my driving skills and in my car (and the fact that the roads seemed very do-able still) allowed me to brush the internal question off. Soon, I realized my mistake and was in about a foot of snow. My poor little car was sliding every which way and add to that, the fact that I could not see a thing because of my windshield wiper (unless I leaned over and peered out the passenger side of the windshield).

So now I'm blindly sliding through snow in a blizzard, going about 30 mph. I saw two other cars pulled over to the side and asked the assistance of one very capable looking man and one very old man, to help attach my chains. With no success, I then turned to AAA. [Now I have to add a footnote: Up until this moment, I have idolized AAA as this unknown supreme entity, an all-knowing car superhero company that will come to your rescue whenever you shine the "bat signal". I have previously never needed their services, but strangely looked forward to an opportunity to see their skills in action.... the skills I pay a monthly fee to have at my disposal]. The call was placed. I explained my situation: how I couldn't get the chains on, my wiper was broken so I am driving blind through the pass and now, because I pulled off the road, I think I am stuck in the snow. After explaining where I was located on the highway, the AAA man expounded their actual services to me. "We can't help you put on the chains and we also can't fix your windshield wipers... but we can tow you to safety... well, within a 3 mile radius" "Well, is there a car place within 3 miles? Because my GPS doesn't show that there is anything for at least 20." "Right, so there will be a fee for each additional mile that we need to tow you". BOGUS. That plan was seriously not working for me, and the situation accompanying my now shattered glorified view of AAA forced me to release some anger on this poor customer service representative. "Well, you're a man - can't you just come out here and help me put on my chains?? Or do something!?" "I'm sorry ma'am, that's not one of the services we offer. We can only really tow you out of a ditch if you get stuck." "I see, so I'll just attempt to drive again and in 2 seconds, when I crash into a ditch, I'll be sure to give you a call right away. Thanks a lot!" I have removed AAA from my contacts list and also immediately removed their endorsement sticker off my dashboard. I also pulled over when I saw a cop, hoping he could help me with the same problems, until he also informed me that he could only push me out of the snow, which I was now stuck in since I pulled over for his help. Ironic. With the aid of my brother, texts of support from friends, and payers being sent a million miles a minute, I made it through the pass (about 3 hours later) and onto clearer roads. Thoughts of "this is the end" crept up again while driving through the Portland area through a down pour of rain, again with wipers not working and it starting to get dark. When a car passed me, there was at least 3o seconds where I could see absolutely nothing and just tried to keep my car in line with the break lights in front of me. "Don't they know I can't see anything?!" I guess not. Relieved and alive, I took a hot bath when I got home and am now going to bed. Good luck to all those still on the road. Safe driving!

(PS. the first picture is what the road looked like when my wipers broke, yes it was stuck in that position and the 2nd is my view for about 4 hours... death! But, despite all that, I remained optimistic - I was not going to die in a bad mood.)

#28 - harvey

It is finished. I have officially completed my last final for this semester and I think I skimmed by okay. I finished around 2:00 pm, so for the rest of the day I have been forced to entertain myself. I can usually hold my own pretty good and today, I have become especially creative. I played "house" with myself, home alone; acting out all the parts while I made "everyone" lunch and cleaned the house. Maybe it's a nostalgia thing, but I don't think I ever really grew out of playing "imaginary". I often role play scenes in my head and even get so caught up, that my outward expressions change to reflect the pretend situations. So, if I look, sound, or even behave crazy sometimes, just know that there is a whole other exciting world and life going on inside my head.

#27 - sweet dreams

I'm not saying I have the greatest or the most comfortable bed, but there is something to be said for coming home after a long trip to your own bed. I've got an almost "princess and the pea" set up, with my box-spring, 2 mattresses, down comforter, memory foam mattress pad, and fitted sheet under me and my down comforter on top of me. I slept so well that first night back. I was reading an article recently about sleep positions, and what yours can say about you. For instance, if you sleep on your stomach (or "Freefaller), you are often gregarious and brash, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and you don't like criticism or extreme situations. I am usually a "Foetus" which means I might be seen as tough on the outside but am sensitive at heart. Aw......

Anyway, tell me what kind of sleep personality you are: www.flatseats.com/general/positions.htm