In Addition

Resolutions are normally things you want to change. I'm not sure I'm into that. I'm more into goals. These are things I want to add to my life.

This year:

1. I'll take the GRE.

2. Read the Old Testament.

3. Exercise twice a week, reevaluate, and then try to bump it up to more times per week.

4. Read more therapy books.

5. Cook meals.

6. Visit all Utah temples. (Salt Lake, Oquirrh Mtn., Draper, Mount Timp, and Provo are already checked off the list.)

7. Take a community class. (Hip hop, French, cooking, drawing, so many options!)

A few of my favorite things... in no particular order

1. Taylor Swift (which thing I would have never had supposed)
2. Taylor Lautner
3. Alicia Keys
4. The Hollywood Tower of Terror
5. Down comforters
6. The Food Network (so relaxing)
7. My beach cruiser
8. My car
9. My wallet
10. The Black Apple
11. President Monson
12. Space heaters
13. Hot chocolate
14. My favorite movies (Step Up 2, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Sense and Sensibility, She's the Man)
15. Europe -- and my friends there (Anni, Hannu, Hannah, Hanna, Anne, Lea)
16. Mani-pedis
17. Thinking about what the future might hold
18. The temple
19. The theatre
20. Josh Groban and Michael Buble

Fortunately -Unfortunately

Fortunately there was a massive sale at Ikea - wine flutes for $.25 each! I got 16.

Unfortunately I locked my keys in my car.

Fortunately I have AAA.

Unfortunately my phone died mid-call.

Fortunately Ikea had a courtesy phone.

Unfortunately the new AAA lady was not very friendly.

Fortunately there were couches and an Ikea catalogue to entertain myself.

Unfortunately once the locksmith got there it was blasted cold outside.

Fortunately the care opened relatively quickly.

Unfortunately I did not feel like exercising any more (the original after-Ikea plan).

Fortunately I had received the Hannah Montana movie from K and Amber so I watched it instead.

Resolutions!

Let's review. Last year I said I would:

1. Be healthy.

2. Fall in love.

3. Get to Germany and Paris. Failure is not an option.

4. Be more thoughtful.

5. More family time.

6. Buy a bike.

7. Take advice.

I was healthier. I joined my community gym and went fairly often. I can run for a half hour (of course it is at the same pace I walk but it's progress).

I fell in love! Of course I did not fall in love with a romantic partner as was my intention. I did fall in love with beach cruisers, HSM 3, California Adventure, New Moon, Modern Family, blonde hair, my new roommate Jennica (in a non Broke-Back way), partying even more, farmer's markets, a couple hot chocolate places, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books, and I met the D'Orsay.

I did get to Paris and Germany. And Austria. And Toronto. And California. It was a good year for travel.

I'm not sure I was more thoughtful. I'll have to think about it.

I did spend more time with my family, I think. A lot of it, sadly, was due to my father's death. I think we all realized how important we are to each other just a little more. My family had it's up and downs working through my dad's death, but on the whole, I think we did a stellar job. Everyone still loves each other, we may even love each other more.

Bike. Check. Next time I make this resolution, however, I will resolve to get gears. Still I love my little beach cruiser.

Take advice. This did not go so well. I read the magazines but did no follow through. I got a drill for Christmas - maybe that will change something.

Facebook Posts 2009

Friends

Friends are just the best ever.

Erika, Leah, Karina, me (yes, I'm blonde), and Heidi

Twilight

I do not like it. Bella is whiny, entitled. Edward is broody. Also it's poorly written. Like, with people starving and such, the problems in these books are hardly relevant. Also, the titles don't seem -- as far as I can tell -- to correlate with the story-lines. I read Twilight and the first chapter of New Moon, but stopped because Bella was so freakin' annoying. I say if your boyfriend wants to throw you a birthday party, be grateful, shut up and at least pretend that you like it. My goodness. Twilight the movie was entertaining because it was so awful. I laughed and laughed -- oh the cheese! So bad, so bad. I could go on and on.

But I've changed my mind. I. Love. New. Moon.

One word: Jacob. Free association. Umm... Jacob, hot. (But let's go on.) Has a personality, umm, doesn't make stupid breathing noises, doesn't talk about dying without someone, tan, can go on living, is Bella's chronological peer, can fix things, has a life.

Other things I liked: Alice's scarf as she drives a sports car, that there was less Edward, the longs spiel Jessica gives about leprosy and consumerism*, the makeup, that there was less Edward, that there was Jacob, that there was Jacob, that there was less Edward, that there was Jacob, that Bella got rejected a little more and was therefore a little more grateful, the cool scene with all the red (beautiful) in "Italy", that they pointed out that Edward is disturbingly old for Bella, that there was less Edward, that Jacob and Bella didn't have a 24/7 DTR like some folks do, that there was Jacob, the wardrobe, the cool part where Bella gets thrown against the wall and Jasper takes a hit to the wall too, and finally, that it was frankly a really fun movie.

I will now post the funniest lines:

"You give me everything just by breathing." - Edward

"You are the only reason to stay alive... if that's what I am." - Edward

"If this is about my soul, take it. I don't want it without you." - Bella to Edward

"It doesn't make sense for you to love me. I'm human, nothing." - Bella to Edward*

I have hated Twilight for as long as I can remember Twilight existing. And I still find fault with many things (if you couldn't tell). But, thanks to New Moon, I've found a lot of things I really like. I've seen the flick twice.... in one week. And I'd see it again. It was so so so fun to watch. And I find myself thinking about it and chatting about it.

Point: See it, enjoy it, laugh over it, then see it again.

* Blogger's note: Thank you, L-dawg, for finding this quote! "I dont know why you wanted to sit through al those zombies eating people. and no hot guys kissing. It's gross. I mean why are there so many zombie movies anyway? If its suppose to like draw a parallel with like leprosy, my cousin had leprosy, its not funny, ya know? And its suppose to be an awareness for consumerism? 'Cause dont be so pleased with your own like self over ritual clever-ness ya know? Like, some girls like to shop. Not all girls apparently. Even though I was surprised you called at all. Like your depression thing, I get it, like I'm totally totally worried. But after awhile itjust gets old. It's like im going through stuff too. Like Mike just wants us to be friends? It's hard!"

*Blogger's note: All quotes are from DTRs between Bella and Edward. Get rid of Edward = get rid of cheesy lines.

*Blogger's note: The photo is for Miss J and her fav scene.

Detox

I'm a church-going chick. What I got out of the messages today was that I need to detox. Someone mentioned songs with swearwords and I spent the rest of the class trying to get out a catchy, swearworded phrase from a song out of my head. That's not cool.

Sometimes I have this false belief that because something is produced it must be mainstream and normal. That's like saying that because a restaurant gives you a certain portion, that is how much you should eat.

I like noise. I like my music loud. I like to have a movie going when I clean. I hear the advice to take some time to meditate and I think to myself, like, what would I think about? I think I just don't know how to meditate, really. And I'm thinking I'm not alone.

I think that meditation is where good ideas sprout. I'm reminded of the story about the dude who discovered light/sound (one of..) waves. He watched the waves of a river and wondered about it and, viola, waves are totally in! I wonder what ideas I'm missing out on.

I'm always complaining that I don't have enough time and that I just don't have time for fun things like learning the guitar, or French, or how to cook. But really, sigh, I might just be using that time with media outlets that are totally non-inspiring.

So I deleted a lot of songs from my computer, committed to less TV, and I'm going to make a new effort to chill out and meditate.

Fasting

I know fasting works. It's been a long and hungry journey to come to this conclusion, but come to it I have. I've fasted a lot. I'm mean, not an abnormal amount, but enough to not look forward to it and to know the "tricks of the trade." (Drinking lots and lots, stay up late and wake up late so you don't feel it as much, stuff like that).

I first fasted before receiving my patriarchal blessing. Good times. Some time later, when I was older, I started fasting more regularly.

As a sophomore in college there was some fiasco with a friend's fiance; I don't quite remember He was being deployed and that was especially bad for some forgotten reason (like the wedding was scheduled after deployment or something). So we all fasted. That's when I learned that chili dogs are not good ever and especially not after a fast. But somehow he didn't get deployed.

On my mission we fasted with Nadja, hoping her parents would be cool with her baptism. I got transferred and a little while later she really did get baptized.

I have this one client that has really been struggling. Like 6 months worth. No clue what to do for him. I put his name on the temple prayer role sometimes. And I fasted for him a couple times. No change. But then, just a few weeks ago, when I'd kind of called it quits, he really started to improve. He has been on the upswing for 6 weeks, which is, like, long enough for me to say he's in "behavioral remission."

On Saturday my mom called and told me that a friend I'd grown up with, Carolyn, was in hospital with H1N1 and pneumonia. Her parents were told to expect the worst. And the ward was fasting so I started one too. And, although we aren't out of the woods yet, she's doing a lot better. They expect to bring her out of the coma tomorrow.

I've had my fair share of lame fasts where I really couldn't see the results or even if there were any results. Of the examples I've named above, some of the fasts I'd forgotten about by the time the desired event happened. Maybe I should write stuff down. Well, I may forget what I fast for, but hopefully I won't forget to fast.

Toronto

My friend, the Queen, is studying for her Ph.d at York University in Toronto (sounds very sophisticated doesn't it?). My friend Em and I went to visit and see the sites. Good times were had by all. I loved visiting the Queen on her "home turf" and exploring a new city. Famous movies filmed her include Fever Pitch, Mean Girls, My Big fat Greek Wedding, Serendipity, Tommy Boy, and (as mentioned later) X-Men.

Me, Em, and the Queen driving between Buffalo and Toronto

Niagara Falls

Canadian Thanksgiving with me, Britt (actual Canadian), the Queen, Karina (another actual Canadian), and Em

I love, love, love the fall.

Casa Loma. You may recognize it from X-Men.

Milk in a bag. What the.

Toronto temple with the Queen.

CN Tower.

Finally, someone who understands me.

Michael Buble!

St. Lawrence Market -- Pike's Place ain't got nothing on this.

With Em, in flight.