let's play...TWENTY QUESTIONS!!!

Is it the origin of the urn to which John Keats wrote an ode? yes
Is it the home of the parthenon? yes
Is it the home of the pantheon? no
Is it the home of the vatican? no
Was it home to the first Olympic games? yes
If you get a salad of this type, will it most likely have kalamata olives and feta cheese? yes
Does it have an island named Lefkada? yes
Do people of this nationality stereotypically have big and fat weddings? yes
In the sisterhood of the traveling pants, does Alexis Bledel travel here and fall in love? yes
Does Pete have a cafe on Colfax featuring this type of cuisine? yes
Was Aristotle born here? yes
Is it bigger than a bread box? yes
Is it bigger than Texas? no
Is it close to Cuba? no
Is it sometimes prefaced with "ancient"? yes
Did Paul teach here on Mars Hill? yes
Is it home to the Acropolis? yes
Is it home to the coliseum? no
Will the writer of this blog be going here in September and staying in a house with a woman native to this place? yes
Are the coasts the most romantic and beautiful in the world? yes

Can YOU figure it out?

The first to get it right will get one free gyro of your choice.

UPDATES!!!

The stray was carted away by maintenance (I LOVE living in an apartment). I can't believe - I'm almost 30 and the cats are coming to me, the old spinster, but I sent him packing. Oh, and I sent the Lime Ricki suit back. The bottom half looked nude and the top was WAY too big. To look like I am out of middle school, is that too much to ask?

So, I purchased a new one on VS - the picture online might be a tad immodest, but on me (with NO cleavage), I think it will be a-okay. IF it's cute, I may post pictures once it comes. Cross your fingers it fits!!

I ran the Bolder Boulder (a 10K) for the third year and got my best time. Still not under an hour, but REALLY close.

I am in the middle of three books right now - Atlas Shrugged, Wealth of Nations and Undaunted Courage. By the end of the summer, I will be done with all three. So let it be written, so let it be done. CONFESSION: I started UC and WoN at least 2 years ago. Disgruntled that I can get through 4 twilight books in a matter of months, but books that REALLY might breed new thought and further my intellectual capacity sit on the shelf half read for years. Bad sign of character or is this NORMAL??

I am almost done with my application for school at CU Denver. I just need to write the essay. I should start in August if all goes as planned. 37 credits to the MCAT and about 9 years to life as a dermatologist.

My little roommate Jennie is coming to town in October - I LOVE HER!!

I will be traveling out of the country at the end of the summer. These are the options:

Finland/Greece/Italy
France/Switzerland/maybe Spain
New Zealand/Fiji

Any suggestions?

strays

Meowing at volumes previously unsurpassed by domestic felines, the gray stray bared his sharp, carnivorous canines and glowered at me. Hungry, full of intention, he crept toward the screen and clawed his way to a standing height of over two feet. Sensing a territorial battle approaching, I quickly grasped the glass door for protection and slammed it noisily to a close, bringing lowder, almost baby-like cries. Not to be halted in my endeavor to separate myself, I floundered with the lock and brought the long venetians to a quiet close. Silence. If only the glass divide between us could ameliorate the guilt I felt inside. No creature should feel so unwanted.

Undeterred, the cries began once again, screaming at me as if he would will his way inside. What did he want? Why me? GO HOME. I do not want you. The embodiment of torture, just the thought of reaching down for one small carress along his jagged fur brings me running to the rescue of the smallest of pills.

Animal control....are you there? leave a message? not open? one more night, I can do it. Resolved, hopeful for resolution, I leave. Hours later, my return finds the situation unchanged. I will not back down. I go to bed, waking up to the same vicious cries. No, I will not feed you, PLEASE just go home, you find no friends here. I feel so cold, so unloving. The internal struggle rises, I have some milk, just a little will do no harm. No harm? He will NEVER leave if he has the slightest window of hospitality. I look, he looks back. The silent staring ensues. Who will give in, who will conquer. I close the blinds. I will not back down.

Animal control calls. Cats are free to roam. No help, no resolution. Thoughts of picking up the tortured bring hallucinations, no, there must be another way. I step out, glass in hand, overturned and the ground is wet. Darn, a miss. Another one, a small splash on the fur, but he is coming back. More water, and still no reason to flee. He is not afraid. I have lost. A stray forever my new mate.

I just bought this on lime ricki. It is ULTRA modest. Perhaps too much so, but I love the turquoise and the tie in the back. I can't wait for summer!!! MOTIVATION to WORK OUT. Yes. I am FINALLY back into running. I think, this is still such a possibility because I might die on the swim, but I MIGHT do a triathlon. Oh, it's a lofty goal, but I gotta live for something right now.

Okay, I also MIGHT start taking some classes at UCD this summer. It's my 6 year anniversary graduating from BYU this month. Yes, that's college. 6 years. yikes times two. That's a long time. I need to hit the books so I don't totally turn every part of my non-accounting brain to mush. Biology and chemistry are on the list for the first semester back. Maybe in about 6 more years I can take the DAT and check that off the list :)

San Francisco, baby

Hello rice-a-roni and the GGB, I went to SF a couple months ago (again, alone) and here are some of the highlights.

Fisherman's Wharf on a wonderfully romantic and drizzly day...

Ghirardelli Square - mmm, samples of their crunchy peanut butter in chocolate...this is me after eating a bag of them

And a cupcake...

At Pier 39 - if you look close, you can see the merry-go-round. I love the colors in this picture.

The bed, luxury in the name of Pickwick. The name of the hotel was the real draw for me - the Pickwick Hotel - it sounds so 19th century...and it was. Lots of character and charm.




I loved it, the beautiful rain and fog, the closeness of the ocean, the company. Yes, although I went alone, my dearest Owen came to see me!!! I'm so lucky to have such a great friend to drive so far just to spend a few short hours together. AND, to top it all off, there were two H&M's within blocks of the Pickwick. within blocks. not even planned. it was a good trip.

Andrew, I need you

I know all I ever talk about is music. I'm sorry about that, and I'll try to keep my raves to a minimum tonight, but I'd like to thank Andrew McMahon, the boys from Matchbook, Dashboard, and of course, Jimmy. oh man, Jimmy. They are the reason I am still alive, my lifeboat. The world is so lucky they had the drive to pursue their dreams and give us the greatest, most wonderful gift of music.

My ipod broke a couple months ago, and the day it happened caused a minor crisis. I could barely concentrate. Not because I was worried about the broken ipod, but because I was lost without the music. I didn't realize my dependency, but it felt like losing a limb, I didn't think I would make it. It might be bad that I need it that much, but I think under the circumstances, with unending amounts of work and crazy hours, it was necessary. It's like the rays of sunshine feel on the first days of spring after a bleak winter. It's lifegiving.

So, crisis averted, I have redownloaded all my CD's (yes, I still own CD's, I think I am the last person alive that has never downloaded anything from itunes) and the IV is now dripping again.

bored to death - fact or fiction?

Boredom can lead to madness in parrots. The birds need constant interaction, affection, and mental stimulation; bird authorities have determined that some parrots have the mental abilities of a 5-year-old human child. When caged by themselves and neglected for long periods of time, these intelligent, sociable birds can easily become mentally ill. Many inflict wounds upon themselves, develop strange tics, and rip out their own feathers. Should a neglected parrot go mad, there is little that can be done to restore it to normalcy. In England, there are mental institutions for such unfortunate creatures.

Weird facts popping up in the useless knowledge bank...

apologies and confessions

Tender mercies

Quietdrive has a wildly insanely crazy amazing new album. That's all. Check it out at www.myspace.com/quietdrive.

Getting away

Well, I took a trip quite awhile ago to a little town called Taos, and I thought I'd post some pictures. This was sort of a solitary getaway, so I am absent in all photos. I know how boring it can be looking at landscapes, and other postcard acceptable shots, but nonetheless, I would like to give everyone a small piece of life in the mountainous region of New Mexico (who knew? isn't NM supposed to be all sand and cacti?)






On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again...










The beautiful little avenue of shops in downtown Taos. I was in awe of the greenery and gorgeous landscapes. The drive in takes you past a huge lake and through a long, winding canyon full of gorgeous aspens that were at the peak of their fall hues when I was passing through. Such an unexpected and most welcome treat.




Here it is, my salute to you, Napoleon. Sadly, I did not stay here. Maybe someday.

Some of the locals at the farmer's market providing some sweet beats to accompany the delectable offerings. I bought my first heirloom tomatoes, so unattractive, but so delicious.







Notice the broomstick-like skirt, a staple in this hippie town. Anyone who stays for more than a couple days succombs to the birkenstocks and long, flowing ensembles. This being the number one reason Taos will not be my permanent residence.


















I really felt right at home, with friendly people everywhere I went, and much to explore, it was a great place to realign my chi and get out of Colorado for a bit. I am going to start taking mini-excursions like this more regularly. Taos is only a 5 hour drive from a place I've lived for almost 25 years. It's crazy I haven't been before. It's time to see the world, baby. From Taos to Switzerland, I'm going to see it all. Any suggestions for the next roadtrip?

Hey hey, I just have a few things to say. First, it has been brought to my attention that my last couple of posts have been sad, depressing, negative, or some other equally unhappy adjective. So, I apologize for that, they weren't meant to be a downer, more just commentary on life.

Second, I have some seriously good things in my life right now, and I want to devote this entry to focusing on these for a minute. I LOVE my job. Love it. Who knew accounting could be so much fun, and so interesting, and bring me such happiness...it's great. I'm very lucky. I work with the best of the best and get to help some really great people, so I am most definitely blessed in a big way for getting to do something I love and getting paid for it.

I have the best family. Hands down. No one can compete on this one. Mom, dad, sisters, brothers, I can't imagine what I did to deserve them, but I am so glad they're mine and I would not trade ANY of them. They're all such good examples to me. My dad has such a heart of gold. He would do anything for me, or anyone else, no matter how badly I treated him or how ungrateful I was, he has always been consistently good, loving, kind, the best dad in the world. I don't think he ever thinks about himself, and he always does what's right.

My mom, my best friend, she is the best listener, hardest worker, teaches with tough love - one of the best lessons you can learn in life, she is not afraid to make a statement with her electric red hair (that takes 4 hours to do - props to you, mom), and she, too, has such a good heart, always concerned for others. She was such a lifesaver in one of the toughest parts of my life - one of the only people I really felt understood what I was going through, so again, I am blessed far beyond what I deserve.

I don't know where to start with my sisters. There just aren't words that do them justice. They are my confidantes, my oasis in the desert, I think they are the cream filling in my life (not the Little Debbie fake filling, the real stuff, like they put in the cream puffs, mmmm). They make life so rich with goodness, and they are all so sweet and loving and so drama-free. They can turn any frown upside down :) that was so cheesy, but it's true. My brother is also too good for words, he has taught me so much about life and work, and I give him credit for me becoming an accountant - he was the first to plant the seeds, so thank for that, Jake. And, thanks for marrying such a great girl, a perfect addition to the sisterhood.

I could go on about the fam, but that will have to do. There is so much in life that is good. So that's the message. I feel bad that my last couple posts seemed like I was down on life. It's not true. I love life, I think sometimes there are circumstances that may challenge, and sometimes that does get under my skin, but I think that's normal. It's that little opposition that makes the good so good. So, that's it for now - I have once again, stayed up waaay past my bedtime. It was (um, "was" is the key word) my new year's resolution to get to bed before midnight every night. I think it's happened twice since the beginning of the year. Oh, here's to baby steps. Anyway, auf wiedersien (sp?).

Uninhabitable Waters

The Dead Sea Facts:

Shores are the lowest point on the surface of the earth on dry land

The deepest hypersaline lake in the world

One of the world's saltiest bodies of water

A harsh environment where animals cannot flourish

Do you ever feel like you can't get your head above water for more than a gasp of air, only to be forced down again by the torrential currents of life? Lately, my vision is so crowded, or maybe just narrow, that I can't seem to rise above all the hubbub of life and let things roll off my back. There have been so many things that crept under my skin in the last two weeks, things to which I would under normal circumstances not give a second thought. It's difficult to pull out of this type of funk without an interference. Thoughts alone only pull me in deeper.

Let's do a for instance. In reference to the crush post, I am still on a bit of a crush kick, but I started to like one guy for longer than two days, only to find out he was taking another girl out (on a date at which I might have been present). Um, awkward, but he was just a crush. Granted, this one lasted 7 days, not 2, but really, not a big deal. I have no claim, I have no history, I SHOULD have no feelings, but oh my goodness, serious, serious pangs of jealousy, sadness, annoyance, anger. Feelings like this are not normal. Not after a seven day crush on a guy I've talked to maybe twice. Weird. Okay, that was just one instance, there have been many other happenings in the last couple weeks, equally insignificant, but VERY disturbing to my psyche.

When I get this way, the step-back approach brings some perspective. So, yesterday, I stepped back. I pulled out this huge canvas I've been meaning to transform into art for the last 2 years, and I made it happen. I cranked the falloutboy, brought out the charcoal and went for it. Two hours later, I had a tangible object representing success.

Albeit small, it was an accomplishment, a much-needed feeling to pull me out of the drudgery of all these weird emotions running through me. I realized I have forgotten I have a life outside of all these tides of unease. I love art, I love good music, I love being alone and thinking about nothing. I need to feel like I have accomplished something. I know it's so small, but just as insignificant are those occurences mentioned above that really affected me, this seemingly insignicant drawing turned me around, pulled me out of the depths and got me back into some sunlight. I think I'm still in the water, but at least I got to a wading pool and I'm out of the dead sea.

Just surrender

I just rediscovered Just Surrender....and...they have 2 "new" albums. I haven't listened to anything on either because I am currently rekindling my affections for "If these streets could talk." I think I saw them 2 or 3 years ago with All Time Low, I think. I can't remember. Oh, man, I love good music. Check them out - www.myspace.com/justsurrenderrock.

I think it's time to take another New York trip - they're playing March 27th. No dates in the west, so it's New York or bust.

the crush conundrum

VS

I have a new crush every 2 days. Let's just quickly discuss the pros and cons of having a crush vs having the real thing. I loooove the variety of the crush. There's no commitment, it's exciting to think about someone new every other day and not feel at all guilty, it requires no time, there's no arguing or feelings of neglect, all in all, it's wonderful, and perfect for now. There is a problem. I'm kind of set on a certain glory above terrestrial, so I might not be too happy on that eventual day of judgment reporting I had over 100 semi-love interests, but wasn't willing to pick one.

I do have some sentiments of wishing I could find a boy that sparks more than a "he's cute" level of interest, but lately I'm not feeling it with anyone. I thought it was nothing unusual at first (see above comments about the pros of the crush), but my thoughts are beginning to creep into this realm of unease. What if I can't stop? What if I am addicted to this great non-committal feeling of finding and liking someone new that I pass up a real option? Yikes, scary thought.

So, what do I do? Force something with one of the "he's cute" boys or wait and hope that this is just a passing phase because there really aren't any boys that are worth pursuing right now. Whoa, that sounded somewhat harsh. It's not that they are not worth it, I'm no one that deserves someone better than any of these guys I'm meeting, I really just want someone that matches me who makes it worth putting in the effort. Anyway, it's against my dating code of conduct to pursue and force. I've definitely heeded my most wonderful mama's advice and done this before with sad results, so I'm persuaded to wait this out a bit longer.

I've discovered, or maybe just known, I'm a late bloomer. I didn't kiss a guy or really date until I was over 21, so I've really only been doing this for about 8 years. The normal mormon girl started at 16, add 8, and I'm at a dating age of about 24. So, now it's probably the right time to find someone, and I guess I'm ready if the right one comes.

I hope I'm not waiting for something I can't find. I was in love once. Really in love, happy, never get sick of each other love. After 2 years, I had to let him go. I know it wasn't right. I know it, but I'm forever going to look for that feeling again, and what if I never find it? What if it's a once in a lifetime chance? Do I need to settle just to be married? I can't believe it. I don't think with a decision this big I should let go of my dream of being really in love again. There has to be someone else I can feel that way about, right?

So, yep, I guess it's the waiting game for me now. It's okay with me, my crush of the day is "the cutest boy ever" (I think I say that every time - sorry Mom and Meg, I'll try to mix it up), and he's giving me a reason to go to FHE tomorrow, so that'll do for now.